Batteries, Bread and Booze: Residents Are Ready

BRONXVILLE, N.Y.—Bread and batteries were not the only things in short supply in Bronxville Saturday afternoon.

Lee Gitter-Cruz, owner of Wine and Spirit Emporium of Westchester, said she has sold just about 100 cases of wine and other alcoholic beverages since Thursday.

“We got 100 cases on Thursday, and we could not get the bottles on the shelves quickly enough,” Giiter-Cruz said. “We had people opening the cases and bringing the bottles to the cash register."

Bronxville resident Dennis Stevenson was stocking up hours before Irene was expected to come to the village.

“I got a bottle that has a screw cap so I can open it easily and I don’t have to worry about it spoiling if the power goes out,” Stevenson said. “If I have to sit in the dark tonight, I am going to need a glass of wine.”

Gitter-Cruz had a second delivery of a hundred cases of wine on Friday, and on Saturday residents were patiently waiting in line to make their purchases.

“People are not even letting us open the cases, they are just buying the whole case,” she said.

While Bronxville residents appear to be trying to make the best of a bad hurricane, village officials are diligently monitoring conditions there.

Mayor Mary Marvin declared the village to be in a state of emergency beginning Saturday at noon. Residents have been asked to call 911 only in case of an emergency.

For all other matters, village staffers will be manning an information line at 914-337-0508.

Village residents who live in low lying areas are urged to move their vehicles to higher ground. Parking meters along Pondfield Road will remain suspended until the storm is over.

All residents are urged to stay indoors for the duration of the storm.

The National Weather Service  has declared a hurricane watch for  Westchester County and Governor Andrew Cuomo has declared New York to be in a State of Emergency. As of Friday afternoon, the storm was projected  to hit Westchester sometime Saturday night. When it hits, Irene is expected to bring 70 to 90 mile per hour wind gusts and up to 10 inches of rain.

How will you spend the duration of the storm? Let us know below or on Facebook.

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