Brockton Schools Expected To Reopen Friday

BrocktonPost
BROCKTON—Brockton schools will be closed another day Thursday as crews and residents continue to dig out after a blizzard knocked out power to more than 9,000 homes and businesses in Brockton, but for those with heat and electricity it was a chance to spend time with family.
“I’m happy. I have the day off from work,” said Jay Duffy as he shoveled the edge of his driveway and threw snow into the air that the family's two Pugs named Frankie and Millie—chased and chewed as it fell.
Duffy, whose home on Braemoor Road remained with power throughout the storm, said he and his children 6-year-old twins Jack and Marina and 7-year-old Ella watched movies during the morning and in the afternoon shoveled what was left of the snow at the end of the driveway after a hired plow cleared most of it.
“We have power, so it’s been fun,” Duffy said.
Others in Brockton and throughout the region were not as lucky. At about noon Wednesday more than 9,000 residents in Brockton and Bridgewater lost their electricity.
City officials opened the main branch public library as a warming shelter, however only one man used the library during the afternoon. West Middle School was available as a shelter during the evening, but it is unclear how many, if any, went to the school.
Mayor Linda Balzotti said National Grid had done much better than during a similar storm two weeks ago that caused widespread power outages that left some households without electricity or heat for more than 40 hours.
By midnight today 163 Brockton homes and 102 in Bridgewater were without power--a much smaller number than the more than 9,000 in each town during the height of the storm.
At one point more than 67,000 in the area and more than 42,000 in Plymouth County lost their electricity due to storm related problems.
Balzotti said about 60 vehicles were towed from city streets to make room for plows to clear roadways for medical and public safety personnel.
A citywide parking ban on all streets is still in effect and Balzotti said any vehicles inhibiting plows and clean-up needs will be towed.
“We have to do what we have to do,” Balzotti said. “We have to look toward preparing for school reopening,” she said.
Schools are expected to reopen Friday.
Free parking is available at the Adams Garage on Main Street while snow removal continues.