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April Storm Could Bring Snow, High Winds and Power Outages

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We were hoping it was just an April fool or that it would go away if we ignored it. But it looks like we really are getting snow, sleet and rain over the next few days. 
 
The National Weather Service in Albany, N.Y., has issued a winter storm watch beginning Wednesday morning through Thursday night. 
 
North Berkshire and Southern Vermont could see up to 7 inches of snow and sleet and high winds gusting up to 60 mph. 
 
The NWS has "low to moderate" confidence in the snow accumulations but says travel could be difficult and strong winds and the heavy wet snow could mean downed tree branches and power lines. 
 
Accuweather says the nor'easter will bring 3 to 6 inches of snow for North Berkshire and 1 to 3 for Western Mass, but upwards of 2 feet for points north.
 
AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Joe Lundberg said this storm will have a harsher impact than the one in mid-March in terms of tree and power line damage because of the wet and heavy snow. 
 
The storm system will enter the region today with rain and precipitation isn't expected to end until Friday. The snow is expected to start overnight on Wednesday and through Thursday as the temperatures drop. Some predictions have the worst of the weather to our north but even so, expect at least rain and sleet and a cold spell into the weekend. 
 
Greylock Snow Day is predicting 2 to 6 inches of snow and a 45 percent chance of a snow day on Thursday. 

Tags: snow & ice,   

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MCLA Class of 2024 Told 'This Is Your Time'

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

Commencement speaker Shannon Holsey shares some advice from her father: 'My dad always said if you're not hitting a few guardrails, you're not going fast enough.' See more photos here.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts awarded 175 degree and certificates at the college's 125th commencement ceremonies on Saturday. 
 
Keynote speaker Shannon Holsey, president of the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohicans, said past graduations have occurred during periods of peace with little fanfare. But not so for the class of 2024. 
 
"Your class has come of an age and a moment of great conflict in our nation and for the world," she said. "A rare inflection in points in history where the size and scope of the challenges before us require that we remake our world to its renewed promise. That we align our deepest values and commitments to the demands of the new age. It's a privilege and responsibility afforded a few to a few generations. And for that task that you're now called to fulfill is huge."
 
Holsey told the class not to wait to share their opinions or ideas or to shape the world. Punctuated by applause at several points, the Native American leader said this is a world that "aches under the weight of violence, instability and threats to global order" and invests more in wars and weapons than education and health care. 
 
She referenced the experience of her own nation, dispossessed from the very land that she stood on and reduced from thousands to hundreds as they were forced to move farther west.
 
"This day of all days, is one of my birthright and seems most fitting that this place is a perfect space to celebrate and honor my ancestors who sacrificed so much to be here," Holsey said. Past leaders had seen education as a countercheck for "adapting and understanding a complex system that wasn't necessarily designed for indigenous people."
 
"I have learned that diversity in human experience gives rise to diversity in thought, which creates distinct ideas and methods of problem solving. The power of differences can make us smarter and more creative. If we accept the differences are OK," she said. "The world doesn't need more people trying to fit in like a cookie-cutter sameness."
 
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