UPDATE: Brighton Schools Close as Area Digs Out of Snow

Brighton Area Schools are closed on Tuesday, and all activities and events are canceled, according to an e-mail sent out to all families in the district. The call was made due to inclement weather, after 10 inches of snowfall blanketed the area Sunday evening and early Monday morning.

"It is always a hard decision," said BAS Superintendent Greg Gray. 

According to Gray, this marks the fourth snow day for BAS during the 2010-11 school year. 

"You get five free days from the state each year," Gray said. "So we will not have to make up any days at this point."

BAS were already closed Monday for Mid-Winter Break.

According to the National Weather Service, the area received snowfall of up to 10 inches over a 15-17 hour span.

Snow Sports

Kids out of school plus fresh powder equaled a good day at Mt. Brighton on Monday.

"Conditions are great. We are getting busier by the hour," said Rob Bruhn, spokesperson for the ski and snowboard area off Bauer Road. "We do have a good crowd. The new snow has whitened the slopes and motivated skiers to come out."

Bruhn said it was far busier than an average Monday.

"The combination of fresh snow and school being out is a recipe for a busy day," Bruhn said.

Bad Roads

Still, drivers had to brave icy roads to get to their destinations, and according to the Michigan State Police-Brighton Post, many got into trouble.

Sgt. Melinda Logan said the post has been called on at least seven accidents Monday and countless "road runoffs." That doesn't compare to Sunday, though, when Logan said police responded to at least 20 accidents in Livingston County between 3 p.m.-6 p.m., when the snow started to come down hard.

"That's probably an underestimate," she said.

No serious injuries were reported, Logan said. Logan recommends drivers call 911 if they run off the road, even if nobody seems hurt.

"Let the dispatcher know where you are and your situation," she said. "That way we know what's going on."

Tons of Tows

According to Jon D'Angelis, general manager for in downtown Brighton, these last two days were easily the busiest of the year. D'Angelis said he's had 10 or more trucks on the road constantly since about 5 p.m. Sunday, helping motorists out of ditches and snowbanks.

"We are around 24/7 and that's what it was last night, all through the night," D'Angelis said. "It has been pretty crazy. We have been tremendously busy."

D'Angelis said they've had just under 150 runs, "which is huge."

"It got slushy and icy. It was definitely a slippery snow, a heavy snow," he said, adding that people had little time to prepare for the storm.

"This one really snuck up on us," he said. "The last time, two weeks ago, we had so much warning a lot of people stayed home."

Winter Fun

Once the roads are fully plowed and salted and getting around is a bit easier, the latest snow comes just in time for the last weekend of at Kensington Metropark.

It also bodes well for the upcoming   6-9 p.m. Thursday at Mt. Brighton. According to Carly Miller, special events manager for SELCRA, the third annual event had originally been scheduled for last Thursday, but due to unseasonably warm and rainy weather was postponed until Feb. 24 in hopes of more wintry weather.

"We got our wish," Miller said.