BRANCH, Ark. (KFSM) —School is back in session.
The County Line School District’s announced about 8:35 a.m. it would close early due to a power outage. However, power was restored shortly afterward, so the district sent a subsequent alert stating school wouldn’t close early after all.
Parents who have picked up their children already will not have to bring them back, however.
Buses will run on the normal schedule, the district said.
The district initially said it would close at 10 a.m., and buses would run starting at that time. The alert came after storms knocked out power to the schools.
Power was restored shortly after 9 a.m., prompting officials to decide to keep school in session.
The schools are grouped together on Highway 22 near Branch.
According to Rob Ratley with OGE, the storms came in about 5:52 a.m. and knocked out power just east of Ratcliff. Several poles were snapped and 6 cross-arms were broken, he said.
Ratley said more than 700 were without power after the storms. He said 409 have had their power restored, including the schools, but about 300 are still without power.
Ratley did not have a timetable for full restoration. He said most of the damage was in rural or overgrown areas, making it more challenging to repair.
