Photo: James Rojas/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The first snowstorm of 2022 is hitting the Commonwealth Friday, and it's a big moment for many of the newly elected mayors all around Massachusetts.
In Boston, Mayor Michelle Wu urged residents who can stay indoors for the day to do so and not try to brave the roads. In an interview on WBZ NewsRadio Friday morning, she highlighted the "well-oiled machine" of snowplows and equipment out on the roads Friday looking to keep the streets clear.
Boston Public Schools canceled classes on Thursday ahead of the storm, and Mayor Wu said students would not be participating in remote learning and instead will get to enjoy a full day off.
"We continue to have conversations with the state but they're pretty firm that remote learning is not allowed and will not count towards our school day allotment," Mayor Wu said.
Mayor Wu also weighed in on what she called the "perineal debate in Boston" about "space savers", where residents leave items in parking spaces to secure a spot for when they return.
"We are following 'space saver' policy as usual," Mayor Wu said. "They're valid for 48 hours after the storm but cannot be used beyond that to continue to claim spots."
Read More: Commuters Look To Public Transit To Escape Snowy Roads
Meanwhile, on the north shore, Newburyport's new mayor Sean Reardon is facing the first snowstorm of his tenure before he had even finished compiling his team. He assured residents that the city is working hard to make sure the roads are safe, even if he's shorthanded.
"We're going to get the streets cleared, the sidewalk cleared, so we can go on with our Friday and start the weekend," Mayor Reardon said.
Newburyport also canceled schools Friday because of the impending snowfall, which Mayor Reardon said reminded him of when he was a child.
"When I was a kid my dad would come in and he would go 'no school all schools' and that was just the best thing," he said.
WBZ's Drew Moholland (@DrewWBZ) reports.
Follow WBZ NewsRadio: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | iHeartmedia App