Hot Weather Closes McCreary County Schools

By: Phil Pendleton - Email

Updated: Thu 6:41 PM, Aug 16, 2007

Mostly federal land, McCreary County’s populated areas are few and far in-between. So a school bus ride from Whitley City or Stearns to Sawyer can take well over an hour and a half.

“We have started buying buses with air conditioning,” says McCreary County Superintendent Ray Ball.

But most buses don't have air conditioning. So with temperatures peaking over 100 degrees about the time school lets out officials decided it was simply too hot to hold classes. But a hot bus rides home wasn't the only problem.

“We have some compressors that are not working at 100 percent,” says Ball, speaking of outdoor unit problems at McCreary Central High School and Pine Knot Intermediary.

But school officials say repairs are being made and despite the hot days earlier this week measures were taken to keep the kids cool.

“Just the things you would expect on a hot day and of course buses are hot, students with red faces, whatever, but we are providing water for the students on the buses,” says Ball.

School officials say air conditioning repairs should be made by Friday and that more buses should have air conditioning by the end of the year.

Much cooler conditions behind the front