Snow maps, slow zones & pie

Also: Newton's $15 million vote; Mass. customers' mad dash to get money out of Silicon Valley Bank [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  March 14, 2023 🌨️ Heavy rain changing over to snow in the afternoon, with a high of 39 and gusts of over 40 mph. Good Morning Boston, Happy Pi Day! It's great weather to stay in and bake [some recipes from WBUR's pie fest]( — assuming you have power. 😬 - Massachusetts is getting another winter storm that looks pretty different depending on what part of the state you're in. Meteorologist Danielle Noyes reports that the rain/snow line will continue to wobble around Worcester through mid-morning, before it moves east. That means Boston and other areas may not see snow until this afternoon, while the flakes have already been coming big and heavy in western parts of the state. [Read here for Noyes' full forecast]( and to learn about something called a "mesolow" that's enhancing the heavy precipitation. - Snow map: The National Weather Service is forecasting Boston to get around 4 to 6 inches of snow. Meanwhile, the Berkshires and areas north of Worcester could get 1 to 2 feet. ([Some areas]( have already surpassed the one-foot mark.) Check out [the latest snowfall map here.]( - Prepare for power outages: WBUR's Miriam Wasser reports that the strong winds and heavy, wet snow are [a recipe for downed trees and power outages](. Already, state officials are reporting over 24,000 outages, mostly in western Massachusetts. But the NWS says outages "[will become increasingly common]( as the rain transitions to snow across more of southern New England. - School is still on today in Boston, but all afternoon and evening activities have been canceled. Worcester, Fitchburg, Lynn and dozens of other districts have snow days. Read [the full list of school closings here](. - Travelers, beware: MassDOT says the rain-to-snow transition makes it difficult to pretreat the roads, so conditions could be extra slippery. The storm has also led the MBTA to [cancel ferry service]( and [replace the Mattapan trolley with shuttles](. T officials warn riders to be ready for additional service disruptions. - There are also [over 100 cancellations at Logan airport]( so remember to check your flight status. - While it may be alluring to hunker down, Newton residents have 15 million reasons to brave the weather today. The city is holding a vote on whether to increase residents' property taxes to build new schools and stave off educator layoffs. WBUR's Samuele Petruccelli [reports that the measures — which are split into three separate questions — would bring in an additional $15 million]( if they pass. - Why is it necessary? Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller [told Petruccelli]( that the school district is facing a $6 million budget shortfall due to funding for student mental health needs, rising utility costs and the limits of federal COVID relief funds. The city [says]( the additional money is also needed for major construction work on three aging elementary schools, as well as repairing roads, improving parks and meeting carbon neutrality goals. - If it passes: Officials estimate that the median Newton homeowner would see their $12,000 tax bill rise by $290 next year — and eventually by another $183 by 2030. (It's worth noting that the median Newton home is worth $1.2 million.) Residents can use this[online calculator]( to see how much the tax hike would be for them. - If it fails: Newton school officials say they would be forced to make serious cuts to extracurricular activities and eliminate nearly 40 staff positions. Officials added they would move forward on its school and infrastructure projects "much more slowly." - After the storm: MBTA interim General Manager Jeff Gonneville says riders should see "some incremental improvements" in service over the course of this week, but it's still "too soon to say" when the T will lift [the widespread slow zones]( it implemented last week. In an interview yesterday with WBUR's Samantha Coetzee, Gonneville said it will take"several more days" for crews to reinspect the entire subway system for track defects. In the meantime, here are your options: - Stick to the subway: If it's easiest to just endure the slow ride and longer waits, Gonneville suggests giving yourself an extra 20 minutes for your commute. - Changeover to the commuter rail: Gonneville also said the T is allowing riders to hop on the commuter rail on their way into the city by simply [showing their CharlieCard at certain stations](. - Try the bus: Riders can use the T's [trip planner]( to see if there are other lines or bus routes that might serve them faster. P.S.— Come celebrate Pi Day tonight at CitySpace with someone who also loves pies and puns. Lauren Ko, the author of the New York Times bestseller “Pieometry," will [dive into next-level pie design with Here & Now host Scott Wong]( at 6:30 p.m. Not only will Ko demonstrate her eye-catching piemaking technique, but in-person attendees will enjoy a bite. [Get tickets here]( before they're gobbled up. Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [In mad dash, Mass. customers pull money out of failed Silicon Valley Bank]( Mass. nonprofit charter schools and housing groups with accounts, loans or lines of credit at the failed Silicon Valley Bank scramble to take their next steps. [Read more.]( [In mad dash, Mass. customers pull money out of failed Silicon Valley Bank]( Mass. nonprofit charter schools and housing groups with accounts, loans or lines of credit at the failed Silicon Valley Bank scramble to take their next steps. [Read more.]( [Mass. electric utilities brace for major nor'easter]( The coming nor’easter is expected to bring strong winds and heavy, wet snow — a recipe for downed trees and power outages. Electric utilities say they have crews throughout the state that are ready to respond to storm damage — some coming from as far as Texas, Florida, several midwestern states and even Canada. [Read more.]( [Mass. electric utilities brace for major nor'easter]( The coming nor’easter is expected to bring strong winds and heavy, wet snow — a recipe for downed trees and power outages. Electric utilities say they have crews throughout the state that are ready to respond to storm damage — some coming from as far as Texas, Florida, several midwestern states and even Canada. [Read more.]( [This Mass. doctor questioned a popular pregnancy drug. Now, he's been proven right]( The maker of Makena, the only drug ever approved to prevent preterm birth, is pulling it from the market. A Massachusetts doctor had been fighting the medical establishment for years, arguing there was no evidence the medication worked. [Read more.]( [This Mass. doctor questioned a popular pregnancy drug. Now, he's been proven right]( The maker of Makena, the only drug ever approved to prevent preterm birth, is pulling it from the market. A Massachusetts doctor had been fighting the medical establishment for years, arguing there was no evidence the medication worked. [Read more.]( [Biden is selling U.S. nuclear submarines to Australia to counter China]( President Biden and the prime ministers of Australia and the United Kingdom met at a U.S. naval base in San Diego to map out their strategy for the Pacific. [Read more.]( [Biden is selling U.S. nuclear submarines to Australia to counter China]( President Biden and the prime ministers of Australia and the United Kingdom met at a U.S. naval base in San Diego to map out their strategy for the Pacific. [Read more.]( [Ex-Haiti mayor living in Malden accused of killing, torture faces civil trial]( The suit filed against Jean Morose Viliena, who now lives in Malden, includes claims of killing, torture and arson in the town of Les Irois, which is about 140 miles west of Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince. [Read more.]( [Ex-Haiti mayor living in Malden accused of killing, torture faces civil trial]( The suit filed against Jean Morose Viliena, who now lives in Malden, includes claims of killing, torture and arson in the town of Les Irois, which is about 140 miles west of Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - Today isn't just about Pi (or pie). March 14 also marks Equal Pay Day — and how far into the year women would have to work to catch up to what their male colleagues earned the previous year. NPR [explores the gender wage gap and why it has hardly budged]( in 20 years. - A [new report from U.S. Soccer]( has cleared coach Gregg Berhalter to potentially return as the squad's next head coach — and highlighted the problematic behavior of Claudio and Danielle Reyna, the parents of one of the national team's most promising young stars. - Caitlin O'Neil [writes in this Cognoscenti commentary]( no one left her autistic daughter out on purpose. "But when your kid is different, she is always at the edge of the group, never in the middle," she wrote.  What We're Reading 📚 - Barney Frank blames crypto panic for his bank’s collapse. Elizabeth Warren blames Trump. ([Politico]( - ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ and the search for motherly acceptance ([The Seattle Times]( - BBC Ends Suspension of Top Sports Host After Staff Mutiny ([The New York Times](  Tell Me Something Good [Do we need another 'Schoolhouse Rock'? Celebrating 50 years of the educational songs]( The animated songs that educated kids and grown ups about civics, multiplication and grammar is now 50 years old. [Read more.]( [Do we need another 'Schoolhouse Rock'? Celebrating 50 years of the educational songs]( The animated songs that educated kids and grown ups about civics, multiplication and grammar is now 50 years old. [Read more.]( Listen: The Common dives into [the debate over court-ordered mental health care]( that is coming to Massachusetts. Play: [WBUR's daily mini crossword.]( Can you keep your streak going? Before you go: No offense Connecticut, but [everyone knows it's true.]( 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up [here](. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📧 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. [Check out all of our newsletter offerings.]( Support the news   Want to change how you receive these emails? Stop getting this newsletter by [updating your preferences.](  I don't want to hear from WBUR anymore. Unsubscribe from all WBUR editorial newsletters [here](.  Interested in learning more about corporate sponsorship? [Click here.]( Copyright © 2022 WBUR-FM, All rights reserved.