Photo: Robert Stolarik/The New York Times -- Workers scrambled to evacuate the elderly from a health care center in Queens, New York on Saturday night August 27, 2011
In an unprecedented move, New York City has nearly shut down in anticipation of the arrival of Hurricane Irene today. Despite the dire warnings and evidence of what Irene has done to other parts of the East Coast this weekend, some New Yorkers in places like Coney Island are refusing to leave their homes.
At least nine deaths on the East Coast are being blamed on the wrath of Irene, according to the New York Times.
As this huge hurricane approaches the Big Apple, the New York Times has dropped its paywall and is allowing free access to its website, which is tracking the hurricane and providing extensive coverage of this major news event.
