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Snow Expected Friday Morning; North Adams Schools Close

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 The Berkshires can expect 2 to 5 inches of snow overnight into Friday morning.
 
 A winter weather advisory is in effect from midnight through noon on Friday.  A wintry mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain is also possible late Saturday night into Sunday, which could result in slippery travel conditions, according to the National Weather Service in Albany, N.Y.
North Adams Public Schools will use an “emergency day” for Friday in light of the coming weather and staffing shortages because COVID-19. There will be no school or afterschool activities on Friday.
The state Department of Transportation is warning of 3 to 9 inches across the state and the governor has directed all non-emergency state employees working in Executive Branch agencies not to report to their workplaces Friday.  The administration is also urging residents to stay off roadways and to use public transportation when possible.
 
"We will have crews patrolling and chemically treating our roads by late this evening as snow is anticipated to begin in Western Massachusetts just after midnight tonight," said Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver. "Depending on the region of the state, the storm will last until Friday afternoon, with heavy snowfall in some areas falling at the time of the Friday morning commute. Travelers are advised to use caution, travel at reduced speeds, and be mindful of poor visibility."
 
Accuweather meteorologists are predicting 1 to 2 inches of snowfall an hour in some locations, particularly in areas south and east of the Berkshire, though South County may be affected.
 
A bitterly cold airmass is expected early next week.
 
Said AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist, Jonathan Porter: "Our latest snowstorm is quick moving but intense which is going to create dangerous road conditions and significant travel delays from parts of the South through the Middle-Atlantic and the Northeast."
 
A snowstorm in Virginia earlier this week left thousands stranded on I-95 for more than a day.

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North Adams Council Endorses Northern Tier Rail

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The City Council endorsed the Northern Tier Passenger Rail plan on Tuesday, adding to a chorus of support from officials and community leaders along the proposed route.
 
"The completion of the Northern Tier Passenger Rail contributes to the economic development and emboldenment of communities throughout the state, allowing for North Adams to revitalize its tourism sector, create new avenues of revenue production and economic opportunities for all residents," the resolution introduced by President Bryan Sapienza and Councilor Andrew Fitch states. 
 
The vote was unanimous, with Councilor Keith Bona absent, although Councilor Ashley Shade was wary of a full-throated endorsement this early in the scheme. 
 
"The potential of this project could have a huge impact on the future of Western Massachusetts, especially Northern Berkshire," she said. "It would give us access to the eastern part of the state, which we are incredibly isolated from, and we haven't had in 70 years."
 
But it won't start, if at all, for years — possibly a decade, Shade added.  
 
"So while I support a project like this, I wonder if we're pulling a trigger on a resolution too soon, without really having full details of what a project's going to be, what kind of investment the city will be required to put in, what kind of impact environmentally," she said. "There's six programs, and I believe they said four of them probably aren't even viable. So I support the project, and I think it's incredibly important for North Adams. I just wonder if we're jumping out a little too far ahead before we actually know what this thing is going to be."
 
The Northern Tier is one of several potential west-east rail services being weighed by state and federal officials. The study of west-east passenger rail, including from Pittsfield east, was made possible by an act of the Legislature in 2022 and some $16 billion is being targeted for the Northeast rail corridor by the Biden administration. 
 
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