Don’t Expect Social Distancing On Buses If Schools Reopen As Planned August 3

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.

July 21, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

Caney Fork Electric Cooperative is again closing all office lobbies starting Wednesday, July 22 due to the rise in COVID-19 numbers.

“In light of recent increases in COVID-19 cases in Tennessee, we have made the difficult decision to close all Caney Fork Electric Cooperative lobbies effective Wednesday, July 22, 2020 until further notice in order to minimize the risk of infection for all. While our lobbies will be closed to the public, we will continue to be on the job and here to serve you,” said CFEC General Manager Bill Rogers.

“If an in-person meeting is required to conduct business, you may call your local Caney Fork office to set up an appointment. The use of a facemask is encouraged for all in-person meetings for everyone’s safety,” he said

“This is not an action we take lightly. We understand our responsibility to our membership and this is our way to help ensure that we will be able to continue offering quality service while protecting our members and employees,” said Rogers.

July 21, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

A man who broke into the Smithville City Garage and Public Works Building before stealing a truck appeared for sentencing Monday in DeKalb County Criminal Court.

39 year old David Nathan Conaway entered a plea to one count of burglary and received a two year sentence all suspended to supervised probation to be supervised in Wilson County. He was given jail credit from September 14, 2019 to March 20, 2020.

According to the arrest warrants, Conaway entered the gated area of the Smithville City Garage at around 3:00 a.m. on September 14, 2019. Once inside he entered a green Chevrolet truck and took a set of keys found in the truck which gave him access to the public works building and the lock to the front gate. Conaway then entered the public works building where he ate a sausage and biscuit and then took a box of breakfast bars and a tub of protein powder from the building. After helping himself there, Conaway then stole a white 2007 Ford 150 and drove away. The truck and most of its contents were recovered the next day.

46 year old Stephanie Ann Bly Murphy entered a plea to theft under $1,000 and reckless endangerment. She received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days in each case to run consecutively but she was granted supervised probation by CPS.

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