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Schools closed today; pavement collapses

Monday, May 4, 2009

Onlookers gathered at Fisherman's Park Saturday morning to watch the rush of water over the dam. Shelbyville Municipal Airport reported 5.82 inches of rainfall between 7 a.m. Friday and about 11 a.m. Saturday. Danny Ray Davis of Bedford County Highway Department urged drivers to use caution, especially in places where hills or curves might prevent a driver from seeing high water until too late.
(T-G Photo by John I. Carney) [Order this photo]

Bedford County Schools are closed today due to high water, and a segment of pavement on North Main Street has collapsed, apparently due to flooding.

"The river flood stage prediction by TVA has changed since yesterday," wrote Bedford County Emergency Management Agency director Scott Johnson in an e-mail to the Times-Gazette. "The river was supposed to crest and start going down today. It will probably not crest until tomorrow and will continue to rise. TVA does not yet have a good estimate on how high. We could have some flooding similar to 2003 (Cannon Blvd on the river side for example in the city).

"Residents that live on or near the river in low areas need to constantly monitor the river level and leave early if it appears they will become surrounded by water.

"Also folks need to stay a safe distance from the river. It is very swift and dangerous as this time. This makes a river rescue if someone falls in very difficult and dangerous.

"Please remind folks not to drive through high water on roads as well. As little as 24 inches of water can carry a vehicle away.

"If residents are displaced by flooding they can contact the Red Cross at (615) 893-4272 ... for more information on where to go." The Heart of Tennessee Chapter of the American Red Cross is prepared to open emergency shelters should the need arise.

From the National Weather Service web site:

Flood Warning

FLOOD STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN

856 AM CDT MON MAY 04 2009

...THE FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR THE FOLLOWING RIVERS IN TENNESSEE..

DUCK RIVER ABOVE MILLTOWN AFFECTING MARSHALL COUNTY

DUCK RIVER AT SHELBYVILLE AFFECTING BEDFORD COUNTY

DUCK RIVER NEAR SHELBYVILLE AFFECTING BEDFORD AND MARSHALL COUNTIES

DUCK RIVER AT COLUMBIA AFFECTING MAURY COUNTY

DUCK RIVER AT CENTERVILLE AFFECTING HICKMAN COUNTY

DUCK RIVER NEAR HURRICANE MILLS AFFECTING HUMPHREYS COUNTY

BUFFALO RIVER NEAR LOBELVILLE AFFECTING PERRY COUNTY

GARRISON FORK NEAR WARTRACE AFFECTING BEDFORD COUNTY

..WIDESPREAD HEAVY RAIN HAS CAUSED RIVERS AND STREAMS TO GO OUT OF THEIR BANKS.

ADDITIONAL RAIN WILL KEEP THE RIVERS HIGH BEFORE DECREASING LATER THIS WEEK.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

AVOID FLOODED AREAS ALONG THE RIVER...AND MOVE PERSONAL BELONGINGS TO HIGHER

GROUND. NEVER DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED ROADS AS THE DEPTH OF WATER MAY BE TOO GREAT

TO PASS...EVEN IN TRUCKS OR SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. IF YOU COME ACROSS A FLOODED

ROAD...TURN AROUND DON`T DROWN.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

TNC003-050155-

/O.CON.KOHX.FL.W.0011.000000T0000Z-000000T0000Z/

/SHET1.1.ER.090503T0103Z.090504T1330Z.000000T0000Z.UU/

856 AM CDT MON MAY 04 2009

THE FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR

THE DUCK RIVER AT SHELBYVILLE

* UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

* AT 08AM MONDAY THE STAGE WAS 32.1 FEET

* MINOR FLOODING IS OCCURRING AND FLOODING IS FORECAST

* FLOOD STAGE IS 28.0 FEET

* AT 28.0 FEET...THE PICNIC AREA IN FISHERMANS PARK BEGINS TO FLOOD.

Comments

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wonder if the schools are going to be closed on Monday due to flooding??

-- Posted by 4fabfelines on Sun, May 3, 2009, at 8:26 AM

I'm not sure about everywhere else but out here in unionville, some of the houses in our subdivision have water up to the porches and a couple of the roads are covered with a lot of water, I mean it may not be to bad but some places are so if there is anything to bad they might as well call off school to be on the safe side.

-- Posted by UVilleGators on Sun, May 3, 2009, at 6:34 PM

Parents please keep an eye on your children. They love playing in the water, and what use to be a small stream may be inviting to little children to try and play in it; VERY DANGEROUS. It will be too deep for them now, and may have a swift current that they will not be able to fight their way out, especially with slippery, muddy banks. Please watch your children, pets too I imagine if they wonder outside, and you have a stream, ditch, or small pond or something.

-- Posted by Momof3&3step&1gran on Sun, May 3, 2009, at 6:52 PM

There should NOT be school tomorrow. I know there are more than "four impassable" roads in the Wartrace area alone. I'm sure it's this way in Unionville too. It's too dangerous.

-- Posted by vqfan on Sun, May 3, 2009, at 7:57 PM

I agree!

-- Posted by Momof3&3step&1gran on Sun, May 3, 2009, at 8:08 PM

I believe should show be close i live in wartrace and it is not safe for the bus out here to be driving these children around They need to close schools

-- Posted by takenandhappy on Sun, May 3, 2009, at 8:42 PM

I pray that everyone is safe tonight.

-- Posted by mayberry on Sun, May 3, 2009, at 9:48 PM

I think they should make the decision tonight and announce it in time for people who need to make other arrangements for their children to do so. I am fortunate enough that my children are in high school and old enough to stay home without supervision, but many others may need to know ahead of time. From what I have seen they should close.

-- Posted by titansfan on Sun, May 3, 2009, at 9:50 PM

we all need to get together and call Ed at home or something these kids are not safe going to school in this mess

-- Posted by takenandhappy on Sun, May 3, 2009, at 10:10 PM

I don't know why they feel the need to wait until morning to decide...water is everywhere and still pouring at 10:34 pm.

-- Posted by Dianatn on Sun, May 3, 2009, at 10:35 PM

I should hope that Mr. Gray will put the safety of our children ahead of what some parents think. I do not want my children on a bus in the morning!!

-- Posted by shelbyvillemom on Sun, May 3, 2009, at 10:50 PM

Mine will not be on the bus im not sending mine tommrow if he says there is school these kids needs to stay home where they are safe away from all this flooding and water safety is more important

-- Posted by takenandhappy on Sun, May 3, 2009, at 11:45 PM

I just wonder why they waited until almost 530 to decide? If the water was up at 430, were they waiting to see if it went down by 6?

I thought we would be under a flood warning until after 700 this am.

-- Posted by nellie on Mon, May 4, 2009, at 6:31 AM

I agree on the waiting to close schools. I would've loved to have heard something last night. It wasn't getting any better by this morning, so why the wait? On top of that, I had to look in several places to find if we were closed or not. Channel 5 did not list their closings like usual on snowwatch either. I had to find it as a regular news article, so I'm sure there are parents out there trying to get their kids to school this morning.

Aggravating as it is, just stay safe!!!

-- Posted by riebenchild on Mon, May 4, 2009, at 7:23 AM

Why did it take until 805am for the school closing phone call to go out? If they closed schools at 530am...it should have gone out by 6am or so...

-- Posted by neighborhood mom on Mon, May 4, 2009, at 8:08 AM

this is an excellent site to keep up with the River.

http://ahps.srh.noaa.gov/ahps2/hydrograp...

-- Posted by Brett Favre on Mon, May 4, 2009, at 8:21 AM

I got a phone call at 8:05 also. I decided last night that my children were not going to school today. As a parent, I made the decision that my children would not go while so many others were waiting to see what Ed Grey thought. I don't need some one else to tell me what I already know. It isn't safe. I just wounder how many others would have put their children on school busses this morning. Parents need to take some responcibility too.

-- Posted by doe-c-doe on Mon, May 4, 2009, at 12:09 PM

Thank you for the video.

-- Posted by mayberry on Mon, May 4, 2009, at 12:46 PM

If the water is going to continue to rise will the kids go to school tomorrow?

-- Posted by justthinkingoutloud on Mon, May 4, 2009, at 2:11 PM

WHY does Bedford county wait till the last minute to tell parents the kids are out of school. Can this not be changed? Why are they so behind on everything.

-- Posted by 4fabfelines on Mon, May 4, 2009, at 3:05 PM

"Mine will not be on the bus im not sending mine tommrow if he says there is school these kids needs to stay home where they are safe away from all this flooding and water safety is more important"

"I believe should show be close i live in wartrace and it is not safe for the bus out here to be driving these children around They need to close schools"

these posts remind me of the "eat mor chikin" commercials. i cant help wondering if they were written by a kid (who really needs to be in school!)

-- Posted by lazarus on Mon, May 4, 2009, at 3:41 PM

well so much for the headline where did the pavement collapsed ?

-- Posted by kitbuilder on Mon, May 4, 2009, at 7:42 PM

I was a little ticked off that they waited until 5:15am to make an announcement that we all knew was coming at 6PM on Sunday. THANKS ED! It would have been nice to have been able to make child care arrangements on Sunday night.

-- Posted by sameoldstory on Mon, May 4, 2009, at 7:48 PM

If people would get their heads on the closing of school was on the radio station at six oclock this morning. wake up and take a little responsibility for your self and quit blammine every one else.

-- Posted by pierce1110 on Mon, May 4, 2009, at 8:00 PM

Now come on everybody. Making the choice the night before would be using common sence. Which this county lacks very much.

Mr Gray is not a bus driver, who has our children lives in their hands.

With roads sinking and rivers flooding, there should be no doubt in their minds to keep kids home where its safe.

But its so close to the end of the school year and you know they don't want to make up days, so they have to make them up.But most of you should of known they were going to close the schools,because of it being a 3 day week end.

Since the test are over, these next few days left is play time any way, School trips after school trips. Oh bring games to play at school.Rec center, Henry Horton Park, Never Rest Park. The school year is already over.

And to have the last full day of school on Friday the 22nd. And school to be closed on Mon and Tuesday and to have a abvr day on Wed. What a waste of tax payers money. To have the buses run and pick up kids to go to school for 2 hours. Send a postage stamp to school and let them mail the last report cards out.Darn they ask for every thing else during the school year. What a way to mess up the starting of vacation for a 2 hour day on a Wed.

The county is going to do what ever it is to please them. Until we clean house and get new people in running it. You my as well as get used to it......

-- Posted by Wheelbillie on Mon, May 4, 2009, at 9:47 PM

Just so you know, I am a kid; but I know that where I live, which just like many is in the middle of nowhere, everything was flooded.

And if they are still having issues with water and roads and everything, will we be out again today?

We have no more snow days, and apparently the only thing on Ed Grey's mind is "our education" I guess we will, even though in so many areas it is still not safe enough for buses.

The road I live on has partially collapsed because of their poor paving and water washing it away...

Well anyway, Ed Grey shouldn't have made us wait so long.

-- Posted by skitzo29 on Tue, May 5, 2009, at 3:47 AM

I believe you need to be in school and learn how to spell wow i put should instead of school everyone makes mistakes and no im not a kid so mind your own none schooled tail and leave me alone i have 4 kids and i will not let him put my kids in danger by opening schools thank you very much here is a copy of what you wrote if you don't remember

these posts remind me of the "eat mor chikin" commercials. i cant help wondering if they were written by a kid (who really needs to be in school!)

-- Posted by takenandhappy on Tue, May 5, 2009, at 5:28 AM

We Re still under flood warnings wonder if they will have school today

-- Posted by takenandhappy on Tue, May 5, 2009, at 5:41 AM

takenandhappy, who are you referring to about the spelling? I have not seen any posts on here that had many misspellings for you to say they need to be in school to learn how to spell. But you did manage to draw attention to your posts: (I believe should show be close i live in wartrace). We all make a few mistakes; I do not see the posts that you are referring to with alot of misspelling. Are you posting under two names?

-- Posted by Momof3&3step&1gran on Tue, May 5, 2009, at 9:52 AM

OK, I see what has happened. lazarus is trying to show you your mistakes. I did not realize what was going on with the posts. "My bad". Some (i)s' should be capitalized. I do imagine their will be school closings Thursday and possibly Friday if it rains again like the news forecast is calling for. I believe the ACT testings were suppose to be this week for those that are not exempt.

-- Posted by Momof3&3step&1gran on Tue, May 5, 2009, at 10:17 AM

Aggravating as it is, just stay safe!!!

-- Posted by riebenchild on Mon, May 4, 2009, at 7:23 AM

You can sign up at WSMV and all the other networks to have either e-mail or text (or both) sent to your phone for your particular county or school closings. It is a free service. I had the e-mail sent first thing Monday morning (6 am)

Message from Bedford County school system came at 8:05 sharp!

-- Posted by tgreader on Tue, May 5, 2009, at 11:48 AM

I agree with the all of the posts on here that say Bedford County waits way too long to decide if school is called off. This makes it very difficult to find child care, especially for single parents. Something definetly needs to be done about this because it's getting ridiculous.

-- Posted by syd37160 on Thu, May 7, 2009, at 10:01 PM