Scott Rivenburg inventories shovels at Aubuchon's in North Adams.
NORTH ADAMS - A second major storm hit the region overnight, bringing sleet and freezing rain through Sunday and into Monday.
The Nor'easter dropped several inches of snow by Sunday morning and windy conditions persisted through the morning. Power was out in sections of Stamford, Vt., for several hours this morning and events were cancelled because of the icy mess.
Four to 8 inches of snow fell across the region before changing to sleet and freezing rain, according to WNYT Channel 13 in Albany, N.Y. The snow is continuing to the north while sleet and freezing rain falls through the afternoon in the Berkshires. The wind will continue to pick up this afternoon and into this evening, according to the forecast.
Residents made a run on salt and shovels on Saturday, preparing for the icy mess headed our way.
"We're all out of 50-pound bags and 25-pound bags of salt," Megan Adams of Aubuchon's in North Adams late Saturday. "All we've got left is 10-pound bags."
Most of those bags went flying out the door Saturday; the store still had plenty of SuperMelt left, and shovels sales were steady but slower. That's because they were the hot item for the last storm that swept through the Berkshires on Thursday, said Adams.
Thursday's storm dumped up to 12 inches of light, fluffy snow on the region.
All the shovels that were left hung on the wall at the front of the store and store manager Scott Rivenburg was taking inventory to order more. "I heard we were the only one around here left with them but I don't know if it's true," he said.
There were a few lonely snow shovels at Wal-Mart but most shoppers were more focused on holiday shopping than storm preparation, and other hardware stores were closed so it was hard to get a census. At this point, it doesn't matter much which store has the shovels if you don't have one in hand now.
That's because the snow will start falling sometime between midnight and 1 a.m. Sunday, and earlier in the Albany (N.Y.) Capital District. By the time it's all over, meteorologists are predicting from 6 to 12 inches total in Northern Berkshire and Southern Vermont by Monday afternoon; 3 to 5 inches are predicted in Southern Berkshire. New York's Catskills and northern New England could see 18 inches or more.
But right behind it are the snow and freezing rain, which is forecast to start falling before noon tomorrow. Temperatures will be in the teens tonight and 20s tomorrow, with winds up to 25 mph.
The Nor'easter is expected to disrupt travel throughout the region and put a damper on holiday shopping on the next-to-the-last weekend before Christmas.
Most cities and towns already have winter parking regulations in effect, banning parking on town and city streets overnight. Cars blocking the work of plows risk being towed at away at their owners' expense.
Boston officials are breathing a sigh of relief as the bulk of the storm is shifting north of the capital. Thursday's storm left the city in gridlock when state and city offices, businesses and schools began sending students and workers home around the same time. According to The Boston Globe, motorists were stuck for hours, many running out of gas while parked in traffic jams. Some schoolchildren didn't get home until 11:30 that night.
With the storm hitting overnight on a Sunday, gridlock's not likely here in the Berkshires. As always, state and local police are urging caution when driving. The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency is warning residents to be aware of the possibility of roof collapse and localized flooding.
"If not cleared off of roofs, the snow acts as a sponge, absorbing any additional sleet and rain, adding stress to structures," said MEMA Director Don Boyce in a statement. "Additionally, MEMA encourages citizens to clear storm drains in their neighborhoods to minimize local flooding problems from this run-off."
Before hitting the road tomorrow, make sure the event or place your going to is still open.
Cancellations
First Congregational Church in Williamstown has postponed its 10:30 a.m. pageant until Sunday, Dec.23, and its caroling until Dec. 30. It will hold a prayer service Sunday at 10:30.
North Adams Faith Formation
Today: Closed, no morning classes, no evening classes
If you have a cancellation or postponement, e-mail your information to info@iberkshires.com and we will post it as soon as possible.
Article updated 12/16/2007
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
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Lanesborough Town Meeting to Vote Budget, Bylaws & Vehicle Purchases
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Tuesday's annual town meeting includes a $14 million operating budget, new short-term rentals, accessory dwelling units and sign bylaws, and free cash article appropriations.
Voters will gather at Lanesborough Elementary School on June 9 at 6 p.m. to decide on 20 warrant articles.
The fiscal 2027 budget is up a little over 10 percent. Some of the main increases are the Mount Greylock Regional School District and McCann Technical School: the McCann assessment is up more than 30 percent based on factors including enrollment and the school renovation project, and Mount Greylock's is up 11 percent.
Article 11 is for the town to vote to approve from free cash the sum of $16,298.48 for the McCann Technical School roof and window replacement project so as not to impact the budget. Article 3 is appropriate $7,586,284 for Mount Greylock Regional School assessment.
Another notable increase was in life and health insurance, showing an increase of about 26 percent.
Ambulance Director Jen Weber is planning 24-hour coverage, which means more staff and a hike in her budget. One of the articles asks the town to appropriate $234,100 to operate the Ambulance Enterprise Fund for salaries and expenses.
Many town departments are looking for new vehicles. The Fire Department is looking to replace its outdated 1996 fire engine. There are two articles related to the truck at a total of $813,366. Article 12 would transfer $225,000 from free cash into the Fire Truck Stabilization Fund; Article 13 would transfer $605,000 from the fund and authorize the borrowing of $208,366.08.
The total includes a $100,000 contingency cost to cover any additional costs if a 2026 model-year chassis cannot be secured before new emissions standards go into effect in 2027.
The board at its last meeting moved the $225,000 transfer to come before the borrowing article, changing the stabilization number. If the $225,000 is not voted on, then they will amend the next article's number on the floor, subtracting the $225,000. This shows the borrowing number significantly lower.
Article 17 asks for the transfer of $80,000 from free cash to replace a police cruiser.
Police Chief Rob Derksen's aim is to replace one vehicle every other year, meaning the oldest vehicle gets replaced about every 10 years.
He stressed that if delayed this year, the town may have to double up in a future year to get back on schedule, and that paying later usually costs more. The article will ask for $80,000 from free cash, the vehicles used to be funded by the BHRD.
Lastly, the Highway Department is looking to replace a 2014 International dump truck that will be a total of $330,000 and will take two to three years to receive.
Money will be used from last year's approval of $250,000 from free cash for the replacement of a 2012 highway front-end loader that was underspent $49,261. Town meeting is being asked to approve a transfer of $53,274.85 from free cash and the use of $227,464 from funds from the Sale of Town Real Estate to fund the balance.
Other free cash proposals include $1,200 to purchase software to support tracking and ongoing maintenance schedules of town-owned vehicles; $42,000 for the replacement of the Highway Department's storage shed roof, $200,000 to reduce the tax levy.
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