School delay caused by power outage

Storms raged through Northwest Arkansas Monday night breaking limbs, blowing over trees and causing power outages for the Pea Ridge area, as well as other communities.

Pea Ridge residences and businesses are supplied electricity by Carroll Electric Cooperative and Southwestern Electric Power Company. Carroll Electric customers were without power from about 11 p.m. Monday until about 2 a.m. Tuesday. SWEPCO customers lost power about 2 a.m. Tuesday. SWEPCO notified customers that power should be restored by 9 a.m. At 9 a.m., SWEPCO announced power should be restored by 1 p.m.

One of the four Pea Ridge school campuses is served by SWEPCO and was still without power as of 9 a.m. Tuesday. Pea Ridge Schools delayed start times until 10 a.m. and bus service was delayed two hours. The school district notified students’ families by telephone alert and social media.

“We have a policy in place that with inclement weather, we move the start of school back two hours,” Rick Neal, school superintendent, said. “It was very unexpected this morning. Hopefully we’ll get things rolling by 10 a.m.”

Neal said buildings were open and staff were on site for any students who arrived early.

“It all went off pretty well for a last minute situation,” Neal said. He said if electrical power is not restored to the Intermediate

School by 10 a.m., students may be housed in the multi-purpose facility.

Pea Ridge Street Department superintendent Nathan See and employee Dustin Phy were out in the storm until about 2 a.m. checking roads, removing trees and tree limbs. See said he traveled the back roads, too, and all roads in the city are passable.

“Little Flock and Bella Vista got hit harder than we did,” See said.

Police Chief Lynn Hahn said a Pea Ridge police car was damaged by a tree limb while it was parked in Bella Vista.

“We’re still waiting for the power to come back on,” Hahn said Tuesday morning, explaining that phones are internet based and not working. “Nothing works … I guess we’re pretty lucky compared to Bella Vista.”

Hahn said several day cares were closed because of the electrical power outage and he asked that city residents be patient.

“Our Pea Ridge roads are all pretty clear,” Hahn said.