Kids’ Energy Workshop today (Wednesday)

July 22, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

Looking for fun family activities to do at home? Are your energy bills rising like this summer heat? The Energy Monsters to the rescue!

Smithville Electric System had joined the effort to host a free, virtual workshop that will help you and your children become energy heroes. Kids ages 5-12 and their parents will have fun learning to save energy at the Eye Spy Energy Kids’ Virtual Workshop on Wednesday, July 22nd.

During the live, one-hour workshop, the adorable cast of monster friends will help your family learn where energy comes from and how we use it in our everyday lives, and they’ll share fun and easy ways to save energy at your home.

Register here EnergyRight.com/energy-monsters today! And be sure to forward this email to your friends and family so they can be energy heroes, too!

Details below:
●What: Virtual Kids Energy Workshop
●When: Wednesday, July 22nd
●Time: 11am Eastern / 10am Central
●Register: EnergyRight.com/energy-monsters

Looking for more ways to bring the energy monsters into your home? Order an Eye Spy Energy Kit to be delivered to your house while supplies last. Each kit contains Energy Monster-themed activity sheets, a game and stickers. Request a kit. (limit one per household).

July 21, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

A Rock Island man led Warren County Sheriff’s Department Officers on a pursuit into DeKalb County today (Tuesday) before being stopped and taken into custody at the intersection of Highway 56 and South College Street near the Smithville City Limits.

31 year old Terry Ray Barnes is charged by Warren County authorities with fabricated evidence, possession of drug paraphernalia, reckless endangerment, evading arrest, and driving on a suspended license.

According to a statement released by Major Jason Walker of the Warren County Sheriff’s Department and DeKalb County Sheriff Patrick Ray, “On Tuesday at 10:26 a.m. Warren County Deputy Jared Jacobs observed a 2004 black Pontiac Grand Prix on the Bypass/Hwy 70 in Warren County. The tag on the car did not match the vehicle. Deputy Jacobs activated his emergency equipment and the vehicle turned off the highway and into the Warren County Tractor Supply parking lot. The driver (Barnes) refused to stop and continued through the parking lot of Citizens Tri-County bank in McMinnville. The car then continued through Walgreens parking lot (McMinnville) where an unidentified object was thrown out the sunroof. At one point the driver slammed on the brakes causing Deputy Jacobs’ vehicle to strike the rear end of the Grand Prix but at that time there appeared to have been no damage to either vehicle,” according to the statement.

“The driver (Barnes) then continued on Highway 56 towards Smithville passing multiple vehicles. The pursuit continued into DeKalb County at speeds of 80 to 100 mph. Warren County deputies asked for mutual aid help with the pursuit as it crossed the county line. Officers of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department joined the pursuit around the Keltonburg Road and Highway 56 Intersection. Sheriff Patrick Ray, who was ahead of the pursuit, assisted the officers giving chase by slowing down Barnes’ vehicle on Highway 56 near the WJLE Radio Station. Just before reaching the Smithville city limits, Barnes attempted a sharp left hand turn onto South College Street, lost control, and pulled into the pathway of Deputy Jacob’s Warren County patrol car causing it to go off road. The pursuit ended there with only minimal damage to Deputy Jacobs’ vehicle. Barnes was immediately taken into custody. No DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department vehicles were damaged in the pursuit. Constable Mark Milam also assisted Warren and DeKalb County officers,” the statement concluded.

July 21, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

If DeKalb County Schools reopen as planned in the traditional manner August 3 will bus transportation be provided?

Yes, but proper social distancing will be a challenge. Parents with concerns about putting their children on a bus may opt to bring them to school or choose remote learning.

Director of Schools Patrick Cripps and Attendance Supervisor Joey Reeder appeared on WJLE Thursday morning to address this question and many others.

If you missed the program or would like to hear it again click the link below

https://www.wjle.com/reopening-dekalb-county-schools

One caller asked “If a child rides the bus who is asymptomatic and then enters the school wouldn’t all those other people on the bus, including some who go to other schools, be contaminated too”?

“We have said from the beginning that we have no way of social distancing kids on a school bus,” said Reeder. “We will have hand sanitizers and provide masks but a bus is a difficult situation. We encourage everyone who can to bring their child to school. Hopefully that will alleviate some of the problems but that is a choice you as a parent are going to have to make because we don’t have enough bus drivers, buses, or time to social distance on the bus and everybody we have talked to (other school districts) are basically in the same boat. We know it’s a tough situation but if you don’t have a way to get your child to school you will have to decide whether to put the child on the bus or choose remote learning. Everybody has to weigh their own situation and do what is best for them,” Reeder said.

The caller then followed up with this question. “ What about the bus drivers. A lot of them are older. What if they get sick. We know there are not many substitutes for the bus drivers and some drivers ran double routes last year. What about that?”

“We have fewer bus drivers than last year so we will not be able to run double routes this year. We are trying to find more bus drivers. We have been advertising for two years trying to get more drivers in so if you know of anyone who would like to be a bus driver let us know and we’ll put them to work. There may be routes that won’t be covered. We can’t cross contaminate drivers. We can’t ask one driver to run a route, drop off a load of students at school, and go pick up another set of kids on a different route because if a COVID case comes up we have to trace where that child has been so there may very well be routes that are not covered where parents will have to bring their children to school,” said Director Cripps.

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