Round 2: Nor'easter Hits Region

By Tammy DanielsPrint Story | Email Story
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
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Former Harry's Supermarket Under Construction for Restaurant

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Construction is underway to transform the former Harry's Supermarket into a restaurant

Late last month, the Conservation Commission greenlit some tree pruning on the property. New windows and a new door can be seen in the front of the building. 

"It's a substantial renovation that's currently underway here," Brent White of White Engineering said, speaking on behalf of the applicant and owner, Huajie Zhu. 

A fire gutted the longtime Wahconah Street supermarket in 2023, and the following year, Zhu purchased the property for $460,000 two years ago to build a restaurant with hibachi in the existing footprint of the more than 100-year-old building. 

White explained that the project has been ongoing for over a year, and the Community Development Board granted the property a waiver to reduce the minimum required number of parking spaces so that additional spaces aren't needed.  

He noted that, looking at the site plan, there is very little room to do so. A mirror will be installed near the sharp turn on Bel Air Avenue to alleviate traffic concerns. 

Pruning will be done on trees in the southeast corner of the existing paved parking lot, as a number of branches are hanging over. The new owners also intend to patch, sealcoat, and re-stripe the parking lot. 

A fire tore through the building less than an hour after the supermarket closed for the day three years ago. An automatic sprinkler system is required for the new use. 

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