Winter Weather Forces School Delays and Closures in Massachusetts A wintry mix of snow and ice is expected to persist through the morning, prompting several Massachusetts school districts to announce delayed openings or closures for Friday. School districts such as Amesbury Public Schools, Ashburnham Westminster Regional School District, and others have implemented two-hour delays, while some, like Fitchburg Public Schools and Worcester Public Schools, have opted for full closures. Parents and students are advised to check with their local school district for the most up-to-date information regarding school operations. The decision to delay or close schools reflects the severity of the weather conditions, which have created hazardous travel environments. Multiple districts across the state, including Andover Public Schools, Dracut Public Schools, and Gloucester Public Schools, have followed suit with two-hour delays. Other districts, such as Leominster Public Schools and Groton-Dunstable Regional School District, have chosen to close entirely. The widespread impact underscores the challenges posed by the ongoing winter weather, which has disrupted daily routines and required proactive measures to ensure student safety. School administrators have emphasized the importance of staying informed, as conditions may change rapidly. While some districts have maintained their schedules with minor adjustments, others have taken more drastic steps to prioritize safety. The situation highlights the unpredictable nature of winter weather and its significant influence on educational planning. Families are encouraged to monitor local updates and adjust their plans accordingly to accommodate the disruptions caused by the storm.#massachusetts #amesbury_public_schools #ashburnham_westminster_regional_school_district #fitchburg_public_schools #worcester_public_schools
Significant icing, plowable snow possible in parts of Massachusetts into Friday, weather maps show The Boston area remains under an active weather pattern, with another weather alert issued for a hazardous night Thursday. A mix of precipitation types, including rain, sleet, freezing rain, and snow, is expected to create treacherous travel conditions. Conditions will deteriorate as evening approaches, with roadways becoming slick and dangerous, particularly north of the Mass Pike. Precipitation will initially consist of a blend of rain and sleet across southern New England. By the overnight hours, the weather will shift to mainly rain south of the Pike, while areas north of it will experience a mix of sleet, freezing rain, and snow. Ice accretion poses a significant risk, especially in southern Worcester County and western Massachusetts and Connecticut. Freezing rain could accumulate up to 0.25 inches or more on power lines, trees, and untreated surfaces. After midnight, temperatures will drop enough to transition sleet to snow in northern Worcester, Middlesex, and Essex counties, as well as southern New Hampshire. Snowfall is expected to be heavy around and just before dawn, with 3-6 inches predicted in northern Middlesex County, most of Essex County, and southeastern New Hampshire. Worcester County, southern Middlesex County, and Suffolk County will see 1-3 inches of sleet and snow. South of the Pike, only scattered sleet coatings are anticipated. Localized flooding is a concern in southeastern Massachusetts, where most precipitation will fall as rain. The region could receive 1-1.5 inches of rain, which will add to an existing snowpack. Once the storm passes, temperatures will rise, with highs between 60-70 degrees expected Sunday through Tuesday.#boston #massachusetts #essex_county #worcester_county #southern_new_england
New England Braces for Another Messy Storm After Recent Ice Event After Tuesday night’s storm left a glaze of ice on the ground for many Southern New Englanders, creating slow commutes into work, the skies cleared and sunshine pushed temperatures to the upper 40s across Greater Boston. A few areas reached 50 degrees, and many observed snow melting during the warm day. However, another storm is expected to move into New England on Thursday afternoon, lasting into the early hours of Friday. This storm will mirror Tuesday’s mix of snow, sleet, ice, and rain. The upcoming storm will begin with a dry start on Thursday, followed by a messy night. Temperatures during the commute into work will range in the upper 20s under cloudy skies, with highs likely reaching the low 40s for most of the region. Boston and coastal Southern New England may stay in the upper 30s. The storm’s mix of precipitation will include snowflakes, sleet, and freezing rain, with the wintry mix arriving in Greater Boston by mid to late afternoon. This could lead to another challenging commute home, so drivers should plan for extra travel time. Winter weather advisories for accumulating snow and sleet are in place for much of the region starting Thursday evening and continuing into Friday. Precipitation is expected to begin falling by late morning across areas like Worcester, Providence, Western Mass, and Connecticut, though getting to work should remain dry. The storm’s intensity isn’t the main concern, but the combination of warmer early March temperatures and near or subfreezing nighttime conditions will create mixed precipitation. The wintry mix is likely to cover most of Massachusetts, southern Vermont, and New Hampshire. A transition to plain snow may occur overnight north of the Mass Pike, but more likely in New Hampshire and Vermont.#boston #new_hampshire #massachusetts #new_england #greater_boston
School Closures Extend into June as Blizzard Disrupts Academic Calendar The historic blizzard that struck Plymouth last week has left parents like Nicole Voudren grappling with the fallout of extended school closures. Beyond power outages and limited heating, the storm has forced families to confront an unexpected dilemma: when will their children return to school after the summer? With multiple districts in Southeastern Massachusetts adding snow days to their calendars, the academic calendar is now stretched beyond the state-mandated 180 days, raising concerns about summer plans and compliance with state requirements. In Plymouth, the storm’s impact has already pushed the school year past the required five end-of-year make-up days, leaving just one day remaining in June. Voudren, whose son Jacob is enrolled in a basketball camp starting June 29, faces the possibility of missing the final school day. “We might not even send him to school on the last day,” she said, highlighting the difficult choices parents are making. Similar challenges are emerging across the region, with some districts already exceeding the state’s snow day allowance and others facing the risk of shortening April vacation or holding weekend classes to meet requirements. Rhode Island officials are considering an emergency reduction of the school year to address the crisis. Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green has requested a waiver from the state school board, though the exact number of days to be waived remains undetermined. Meanwhile, Massachusetts has stricter rules, allowing waivers only for days missed in April or later. Despite this, many districts, including Plymouth, Fall River, Falmouth, and Taunton, have already canceled school for the entire week, pushing their calendars into late June.#massachusetts #plymouth #nicole_voudren #jacob #anglica_infantegreen
School closings and delays for Massachusetts on Wednesday, March 4 Several school districts in Massachusetts have delayed the start of classes for Wednesday, March 4 due to snowfall overnight and icy road conditions this morning. The decision was made to ensure student safety amid the hazardous weather. The list of affected schools includes public institutions, private schools, and colleges, organized alphabetically. Delays are currently in effect for many districts, with updates provided as of the latest available information. In addition to Massachusetts, other regions such as Pittsburgh and Georgia have also experienced severe weather-related disruptions. The Pittsburgh area is under a winter weather advisory, with snow and high winds expected to impact transportation and school operations. Similarly, schools in Atlanta, Cherokee, and Meriwether counties in Georgia have canceled classes or delayed openings due to adverse conditions. Power outages have been reported across parts of Massachusetts following strong winds that knocked down trees and utility lines. These outages have further complicated efforts to clear roads and restore normalcy. The situation highlights the widespread impact of severe weather on daily life, with educational institutions and local governments working to prioritize safety over routine schedules. Updates on school closures and delays are expected to be posted as conditions evolve.#atlanta #pittsburgh #meriwether_county #massachusetts #cherokee_county
Steyer has wrong fix for California’s Prop 13. Here’s a better way California’s fiscal challenges stem from Proposition 13, a 1978 law that caps property tax revenues by freezing valuations at 1970s levels and limiting annual growth to 2% (until sale or new construction). While billionaire gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer has correctly identified Prop 13 as the root of the state’s funding crisis, his proposed solution—reviving a “split roll” property tax reform—fails to address the core inequities of the system. Instead, it shifts the tax burden onto commercial properties while leaving the outdated, regressive structure of Prop 13 intact. Prop 13’s artificial restrictions on property valuations have created a distorted tax landscape. New property owners often pay significantly higher taxes than long-time residents for identical homes, as valuations remain frozen at purchase dates. This system disproportionately benefits established homeowners while burdening younger families and new buyers. A 2016 Legislative Analyst’s Office report highlighted how these disparities penalize mobility, rewarding those who hold property for decades while shifting costs onto newcomers. The law’s impact extends beyond individual households. It distorts urban development by severing the link between public investments and land value capture. When cities spend public funds on infrastructure like transit lines or schools, surrounding land values rise. In a fair system, this appreciation would generate additional tax revenue to fund future projects. Under Prop 13, however, the untaxed windfall of skyrocketing land values is captured by private landowners, who then charge high rents on their tax-sheltered properties.#tom_steyer #prop_13 #legislative_analyst_office #washington_state #massachusetts
