Winter Storm

Valley Streamers take advantage of snow day

Posted

A snowstorm that not many people were expecting until Monday dropped a foot of snow on Valley Stream from Tuesday morning through Wednesday morning, and the forecast for the next few days shows it will be sticking around for a while.

All Valley Stream public schools were closed on Wednesday, joining most other South Shore districts in shutting down. It is the first snow day the schools have used this year.

That means parents will have some extra hands to help clear sidewalks and driveways. The light and fluffy snow should be easy to move.

Eileen Sloane, who has two children at Wheeler Avenue School, and one at North, said they will be helping with the shoveling. After that, their plans for the day are making snow angels, having a snowball fight and maybe going sledding at the Westwood train station. “I don’t think you could build a snow man with this kind of snow," she said. "It’s not packing snow.”

Sloane said the children were definitely excited about having a snow day. Even she was glad she didn't have to set her alarm Wednesday morning. “The minute the call came everyone was like 'Yay,'" she said.

Maribel Padin-Canestro, who has a son in fourth-grade, as well as a 4-year-old boy, said her oldest was excited to be home but disappointed that his school trip to a museum was canceled.

She said normally she takes her kids sledding when it snows, but it was too cold for that. To avoid cabin fever, she wants to have them do some crafts, before settling down with a movie and some hot chocolate at night.

Mayor Ed Fare, who said he stayed out until about 3 a.m. with highway crews, stated on Wednesday morning that the village's roads were in good shape following a night of plowing.

"The streets are absolutely excellent," he said. "It practically looks like it hasn't snowed on the street."

Fare said that a second round of snow was expected overnight, but it never came so crews were able to spend time clearing the streets from curb to curb. With low temperatures expected for the next few days, Fare said they will continue to salt and sand the roads to keep them from getting icy.