The huge snowstorm creating havoc in the Midwest and elsewhere never really materialized in Central New York Wednesday. The Oswego-Fulton area received about 5.5 inches of snow with some freezing rain mixed in.
The storm didn’t quite turn out to be the monster that forecasts suggested it would be. Nonetheless, it generated enough snow and icy pellets overnight to force schools across the county to close for the day. That includes Oswego, Fulton, Hannibal, Phoenix, Mexico, Central Square, APW, Pulaski and Sandy Creek. Also closed: Cayuga Community College’s Fulton campus.
The Oswego School District Public Library will open at noon.
Oswego County’s schools will lose more than 15 million dollars in state aid to education under Governor Andrew Cuomo’s proposed budget.
The devastating news showed up late Tuesday in data released by the state after Cuomo delivered an address in which he said that schools that have low wealth and depend heavily on state aid would be treated better than schools that have less need for state aid.
Members of the Oswego Fire Department Firefighter Chris Stupp and Firefighter Gary Clark were shoveling out fire hydrants on Tuesday.
Students get a first crack at the new Regents exam. Also today — the hockey team fights to make the playoffs, and a student learns to ski.
The first pieces of the Governor’s proposed 2011-12 budget are out. His plan to cut spending at all levels will remove nearly $100,000 from the county’s city, town and village budgets.
The cities of Fulton and Oswego will take the largest hits — of $33,000 and $50,000, respectively.
With a widespread winter storm approaching this week, Oswego County Emergency Management Office Director Patricia Egan reminds area residents to follow winter safety tips and stay aware of weather forecasts.
“We kind of had our January thaw on the 1st and a little into the 2nd,” said to Bill Gregway, local observer for the National Weather Service. “One the 1st, there was only a trace of snow on the ground and it was rainy.” Over all, the average temperature was just about normal. Precipitation was 0.45-inch below normal, but snowfall was nearly 3 feet above average.
One of the county’s significant employers is going to make very large cuts to its workforce. National Grid today announced plans to lay off 1,200 workers across the Northeast.
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