Stoughton was hit with its second major snowstorm this winter, when the town was buried by 19 inches of accumulation this past Wednesday. Between this snowstorm and the one on December 26, Stoughton has already seen close to 40 inches of snow—and we're only halfway through January.

While the storm created a bit of a real-life winter wonderland in town, the realities of a major storm like this hit home as power was out in many areas around town, especially in north Stoughton.

Schools were closed on Wednesday, but were back in session the next day, even as many other towns in the area continued to dig out from the snow and enjoyed another snow day. 

Click on the links to revisit all of our storm coverage, including our photo/video gallery from the storm; the photos Patch readers sent to us; and an update from the D.P.W after the storm.

Click here to go behind the scenes with the D.P.W. on the day of the storm and click here to read about how Superintendent of Schools Dr. Marguerite Rizzi makes the decision whether or not to cancel school and call a snow day.

Click here to read some amusing snowstorm tales, and the next time in snows, make sure to print out this article...it's a blueprint for some snow day fun.

It wasn't all snow last week, however.  The town's FY 2012 budget was also front and center, with the Board of Selectmen conducting budget hearings last Tuesday and Thursday.  The meetings continue this Tuesday (1/18), and be sure to check with Stoughton Patch for additional coverage. 

The School Committee met last Tuesday and discussed a proposed cut to its FY 2012 budget.  The School Committee has proposed a FY12 budget of $36,030,654, and the town manager has suggested a school department budget of $34,088,906, which is a decrease of $370,492 over this year’s approved budget (FY11) of $34,459,398.

The Committee also reminded all classrooms to begin the day with the Pledge of Allegiance, after receiving some complaints that this was not happening.

“I have addressed it with the building principals who have already discussed it with their teachers,” Superintendent Marguerite Rizzi said at Tuesday’s school committee meeting.

In other news...

* Longtime Stoughton Public Library custodian Wayne Madan retired on Friday, after 45 years of service.

* Read about Allison Turner, the Stoughton native who returned to the U.S. on Christmas Eve after serving in the army for a year in Kuwait and in Iraq.

* Click here for a feature on Maxx Training Center, located across the street from the Police Station on Rose Street.  This Stoughton mixed martial arts training center stands up to bullying and whips people into shape.

* For an update on Stoughton's food pantries, click here. This article inspired Jeff Ledin, manager of Century 21 C&S Properties, as well as a Firefighter/E.M.T. for the Stoughton Fire Department, to set up a drive for the two food pantries in town on Saturday January 29, from 9 a.m-1 p.m. (Shaws Supermarket at 666 Washington Street and Stop & Shop Supermarket at 247 Washington Street). Click here for more details.

* Miss any of our columnists this week? Click here to read Mark Snyder's About Town columns; click here to read this week's Mother Knows Best Column; and click here to find out what happened in Stoughton 50 years ago.