School delay Wednesday after storms leave behind flooded roads, downed trees
Lexington and Thomasville City Schools will both operate on a two-hour delay Wednesday after heavy rains left numerous local roads flooded.
While Tuesday’s storms did not have the drastic effect on Davidson County that other areas in the state suffered, the impact was nontheless felt.
In a statement on the Thomasville City Schools website, officials said “To increase travel safety for drivers’ visibility to spot potential standing water or road debris by starting later in the day, all students will be on a two-hour delay. Staff should report on a one-our delay.”
“Currently, there are many flooded roads in Davidson County. Most of the flood waters are expected to recede overnight,” said an email message from Lexington City Schools. “In order to allow for the safest travel tomorrow, Wednesday, January 10, Davidson County Schools will operate on a two-hour delay. The delay will allow travel to begin in daylight so that drivers may avoid any remaining flooded areas or debris on the roads.”
Tuesday’s heavy rain storms that began in the early morning hours soaked the ground ahead of strong straight-line winds and tornado watches and warnings later in the day, meaning numerous trees came down when the soil could not support the roots.
A tornado possibly touched down in Claremont in Catawba county leaving one person dead and two more injured, and many surrounding areas saw thousands without power. Duke Energy sent out notices that the wind and rain was impeding efforts to repair damage and restore power.
But here in Davidson County, as of 7 p.m. Tuesday night, the numbers from Duke Energy without power were down to 275 and at 9 p.m. there were only 90 reported outages in the Holly Grove area remaining.
“We have had approximately 700 utility customers affected due to outages today due to the storm” said Mayor Jason Hayes. “We had some fire calls due to downed trees and some limited flooding. I would like to thank the city staff for their responsiveness in keeping our citizens safe and in restoring power.”
Both fire and public works officials remind residents to slow down in the aftermath of the storm, especially after dark, when deep water and downed tree limbs can be hard to see.
The Lexington Board of Education meeting that had been scheduled for Tuesday has been rescheduled for Thursday, Jan. 11 at 6:30 p.m. The board will begin with executive session from 6:30-7:30 p.m. when they will open the public portion of the meeting. Several recognitions are expected, including the Be Somebody Awards, state performance bonus recipients, new National Board Certified teachers, and National Board Certified teacher renewals., and there will be a Spanish Immersion presentation.
