Cleanup and power restoration continues around Knox County Tuesday, Nov. 4, while residents ventured out to both the polls and the gas stations tuesday for more generator fuel.

Following are storm notices that have come in. To post your news, send it to news@penbaypilot.com.

Wednesday, Nov. 5

• Rockport Public Library has canceled the Liberty Ships event scheduled for this evening.

• The American Red Cross Shelter at Camden Hills Regional High School is now closed.

• Five Towns CSD/MSAD 28: Closed

• Warming Station and Soup Lunch - The First Congregational Church is open 8 a.m to 5 p.m., and all are welcome to come visit if you are cold or need power to charge your phone. There will be a Soup Lunch Wednesday, at noon, and all are welcome to join. Call the church office for more info, 236-4821

Central Maine Power Wednesday morning reported it had finished restoration in Androscoggin, Cumberland, Franklin, Oxford and York counties on Tuesday. The utility expects to complete restoration to all customers in Kennebec, Piscataquis, Sagadahoc and Somerset counties, and reduce outages to fewer than 2,000 customers in the hardest hit areas. The remaining outages mostly affect isolated customers in seasonal homes, on islands and/or in inaccessible areas of Hancock, Knox, Lincoln, Penobscot and Waldo counties.

“More than 260 line crews, more than 100 tree crews and hundreds of additional people have been working on the storm recovery today,” said CMP Spokesperson Gail Rice in an email late Wednesday afternoon.

Outages by County as of 4 p.m. Nov. 5:

Knox - 3,678
Waldo - 2,421
Lincoln - 1,377
Hancock - 376
Kennebec - 22
Penobscot - 32
Sagadahoc - 5

CMP Total - 7,901

Warming center and safety information from Knox County Emergency Management Agency Director Ray Sisk:

safety Messages
• A carbon monoxide poisoning from generator/alternate heat device is being investigated by the Maine Centers for Disease Control. Citizens are urged to use caution and be safe when using generators and alternate heat devices, including proper ventilation and safe location to avoid fire and overheating, among other issues.

• Removing damaged trees and limbs can be dangerous work beyond the capabilities of most homeowners. You can be killed by tree "widowmakers." According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety, widowmakers may pose a risk to equipment or personnel working under or around the tree. They can become dislodged by wind or during tree felling, and are responsible for 11 percent of all fatal chainsaw accidents to even the most experienced tree crews. It describes a detached or broken limb or tree top and denotes the hazards that such features cause. Seek help from an expert or licensed arborist. See the state Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry’s list of licensed arborists and companies who employ licensed arborists to offer assistance.

• Downed wires should not be touched! What may appear to be a cable TV or phone cable, may actually be energized and hazardous, especially if in contact with power lines. Play it safe; don't touch. Call it in.

• Power restoration efforts are in full swing. We ask residents to be patient. There remains a lot of work to be accomplished. Central Maine Power expects restoration to be largely complete by midnight Wednesday.

• Overnight Emergency Shelter: The Red Cross Emergency Shelter at Camden Hills Regional High School in Rockport is now closed.

• Warming Centers: As many as nine Knox County warming shelters may be open at local discretion based on need Thursday, Nov. 6. Residents should check with their town office/fire department for specific times and requests.

• Road Limitations or blockages reported:

Friendship - Several roads have draped wires. Public Works has coned them to allow one-way passage
Rockland - Broad Street blocked; Brewster Street blocked; New County Road blocked; Upper Pleasant Street one lane; several other streets are one lane only with alternating traffic
Rockport - Main Street blocked at Paschal Avenue; West Street Extension blocked from Chris's Road to Warren town line; High Street blocked in Village for at least two more days.
St. George - Patricia Lane blocked; Neva Lane blocked; States Point Road blocked; Snows Point Road blocked; Long Cove Road blocked Captains Lane blocked at Straggle Point Road
Thomaston - Sunrise Terrace, Sunset Street, Upper Beechwood Street – all with low wires (no trucks)

• Sheltering: The emergency Red Cross shelter at CHRHS closed at 9 a.m. Wednesday. Local level warming centers may be open at local discretion based on need Thursday, Nov 6. Residents should check with their town offices/fire departments for specific times, etc.

Scheduled locations and operating hours:
Cushing - Town Office, 39 Cross Road - Open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Camden - Congregational Church, 55 Elm St. - Open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., lunch will be served
Friendship - Hahn Center, 31 Main St. - On standby, will open if needed (contact the town office)
Hope - Hope Corner Fire Station, 475 Camden Road - Open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Rockland - Recreation Center, corner of Limerock and Union streets - Open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
St. George - Tenants Harbor Fire Station, 3 School St. - Remaining open indefinitely
Thomaston - Watts Hall, 174 Main St. - On standby, will open if needed (contact the town office)
Union - Fire Station, 567 Common Road - On standby, will open if needed (contact the fire department)
Warren - Town Office, 167 Western Road - Open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Note: operating times may be adjusted by volunteer staff at each location. To volunteer in your town, contact your town’s EMA director or call Knox County EMA at 594-5155.