- Tomorrow marks the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Sandy smashing the tri-state area, and many news outlets and locals are marking the occasion by looking atwhat's still broken, and who saved New York and New Jersey from suffering even more than it did.
- After a fractious battle, Congress appropriated billions of dollars to help homeowners left adrift by the storm early this year. Most of that money has yet to reach its intended recipients.
- Staten Island residents have been filtering back to the borough for months, unwilling to abandon their homes.
- Stories of success in the Rockaways percolate in the news now and then, but the dominating narrative from this beachy neighborhood looks grim. The place is still a mess.
- The National Climatic Data Center estimates that the storm cost $65 billion.
- Many people (at least 200) across the city are still homeless, and tangled contractor politics is making home repairs difficult in many areas.
- Transportation systems in New York City and New Jersey are still being revamped and readied for the next environmental disaster...
- ... which is definitely coming. And we probably won't be prepared for it, even though we know it's coming. Again.
- But, all things considered, MTA workers did a good job limiting damage to the subway system last year using the few tools they had at their disposal. Considering the age of the public transportation and the geography of the city, it was quite a feat.
- It's also important to remember that the storm didn't strike the Northeast alone.
- And things are returning to normal, if slowly. Ellis Island opened for the first time since the storm hit today.
- The political blame game continues undeterred. Chris Christie blames the federal government for the slow pace of recovery. Many residents blame Christie. Red tape hasn't helped either.
Daily Meme: Looking Back at Hurricane Sandy, and Preparing for Its Successor
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