Bye Bye Bubble

The Bubble has burst. Or, more to the point, it collapsed.

The indoor athletic complex on the grounds of Toms River Intermediate East School, a source of controversy since its construction during the administration of disgraced former Superintendent Michael Ritacco, fell in a heap in the onslaught of Hurricane Sandy.

According to current Superintendent Frank Roselli, the storm-related massive power outage that struck tens of thousands of homes and businesses throughout the township also hit the systems that feed air and electricity pumping into the dome.

A momentary power failure in a backup generator led to the collapse, says Roselli, who also notes with some relief that the storm kept kids home from school. Still to be sorted out is the extent of damage to equipment inside. However, he says, there are issues beyond post-storm damage assessment.

"People think that it's just for track meets, but it's more," he says. "Students in the Intermediate school use it for physical education classes every day." This turn of events will require quick thinking for alternatives.

Roselli says he'll try to garner support for a FEMA grant to buy a generator that can withstand storms of Sandy's caliber.