The blizzard that hit the Bronx this past weekend delivered the most snow the Bronx has seen in years – approximately 27.6 inches – but it didn’t keep the borough down.
“People were adequately prepared for this historic storm,” said Bronx borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. “People played it smart, staying home, staying off the streets, and just riding out the storm. The important thing is that Bronxites were safe and for that we are grateful.”
During disaster-like situations, people sometimes turn to lawlessness, but the borough stayed safe during the storm according to DCPI, who reported that crime was down 40 percent on Saturday, January 23 and Sunday, January 24.
As a whole, Bronxites did their best to go ahead with regular programming – the Bronx Baptist Church on East 187th Street even held church services over the phone on Sunday.
The amount of snow and slush, however, posed a serious inconvenience to anyone in the area.
Jeremy Warnake, district manager of Community Board 11 said that side streets like Lurting Avenue weren’t plowed until Sunday at 5 p.m., although this was an improvement as compared to last year’s storm.
Last Saturday, during the storm’s height, every restaurant in the Throggs Neck area had closed their doors on E. Tremont Avenue- except one.
The Throggs Neck Clipper on the corner of Sullivan and E. Tremont had decided to keep their lights on.
Kathleen McElroy, a 76-year old waitress who has been serving at the Clipper for 18 years, didn’t let the snow stop her. She put her arm around the owner, Eileen Tierney, “We’re the A-team right here,” she said.
Tierney picked McElroy up from her residence and the pair kept the place open for what they both described as a day full of customers looking to get out of the cold.
“We had a good crowd, the bar stayed open ‘till 4 a.m.” said Tierney, “People from other restaurants came by because their’s had closed down.”
Kathleen Saunders, chairperson of Community Board 4, said that she didn’t receive any calls for assisstance from residents, and that aside from canceling their general board meeting. “Everything moved along just fine,” she said.
