August 2014 | Volume 76 | Issue 8
Tips, suggestions and activities for parents and their students
School bus etiquette for students
- Get to the bus stop at least 5 minutes early.
- Shorten or get rid of the drawstrings or straps on packs and clothing that can catch on the bus rail.
- Allow enough time to walk to the bus stop.
- Exit and enter the bus single file.
- Follow bus rules while on the bus. Parents—you know what it’s like with a backseat full of children, help out our bus drivers.
- Stay seated and facing forward while the bus is moving.
- Keep arms and head inside the bus.
- Wait until the bus comes to a complete stop before getting out of your seat.
- Be polite to the bus driver.
- When boarding or exiting the bus, stay out of the Danger Zone— the area in front of the bus and the area about halfway back on the bus. Enter and exit the bus by approaching the door, not by walking beside the bus. Stay 10’ away from the bus.
- Do not pick up anything that falls under the bus; tell the driver if something has fallen under the bus.
Never walk behind the school bus.
Guidelines courtesy the Traffic Injury Prevention Project (TIPP)
Like a car or truck, school buses have blind spots, and the driver simply can’t see students. Please note the blind spots and help your students learn how important it is to stay out of those areas.
School buses and vehicles
- School buses signal that they are stopping with the flashing amber lights.
- When a school bus shows flashing red lights, all drivers must stop and wait for children to enter or exit the school bus.
- School bus drivers may allow cars to pass the bus when there are three or more cars vehicles following the bus.
- The owner of a vehicle will be responsible for a driver who fails to stop for a school bus. If there are multiple owners, only one owner may be convicted and assessed court costs.
August
Mike Torres
From the CEO
It’s the month of beginnings and endings. The end of our summer vacations. If we’re going to go any place before school starts, we need to do it right away.
It’s the end of summer. We’ve had a few hot days and, to my surprise, many days that were pretty comfortable. It’s nice to go outside without a jacket and just enjoy a cool morning, knowing that it’s going to edge over to warm during the day.
And the days are getting shorter, another reminder that fall is just around the corner. The summer heat spiked energy bills as our air conditioners worked to keep our homes cool. The amount of energy used for cooling will begin to drop as we enjoy the moderate fall days and night temperatures perfect for sleeping with the windows open.
We have taken the survey information from our annual meeting held in May and have some concepts we are reviewing with our power supplier.
We are exploring several ideas on renewables, especially solar, and should have details in coming months.
And finally, August brings to a close the first photo contest for images to be used on the 2015 Platte- Clay calendar. Thanks to all who participated and who shared what they see in the Northland. We’ll be announcing the winners soon.
As always, if you have questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.
On top of the world. Tom Hale (l) and Derrick Spears climbed the 100’ Kearney tower to replace communications antennaes for the co-op. The project took several hours to complete. The result is improved radio communications among the crews and between the Platte City and Kearney offices.
Missouri co-op members’ names “recycled” for EPA comments
The state association, Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives, is working digilently to make sure that the state is represented in the EPA comments.
For some, it’s a matter of pride: former U.S. Rep. JoAnn Emerson, now the National Rural Electric Cooperative Assoc.’s (NRECA) CEO, is from Missouri.
For other states, it’s a contest to see which co-ops and which state can get more names.
And others are concerned about the impact of the clean air regulations.
NRECA will be re-entering the names acquired earlier this year in regard to new power plants and re-enter them in the EPA comment section for existing power plants. The names will be re-entered at the rate of 10,000 a week.
These are the names of co-op members who filled out the card agreeing to allow NRECA to use their names for any future issue that may arise.
In addition, the state association is encouraging co-ops to get more names to include. The latest count was 2,074 new names collected in one week.
The state association also will collect names during the state fair in their building.
Recently South Carolina took the lead with the largest number of names to send to the EPA.
Rural electric co-ops will continue to solicit names and enter them in the NRECA database.
For more information and to enter your name online, visit www.action.coop.
Youth Tour essay contest now open to sophomores and juniors
North Platte students took top honors in the Youth Tour contest this year. Scout Montgomery, left photo, represented the co-op in the Washington, D.C., tour and Ryann French attended the leadership conference in Jefferson City, Mo. Congratulations to both on a job well done.
Each year since the Missouri cooperatives began participating in the Youth Tour essay contest, Platte-Clay has sent at least one delegate, and sometimes two, to Washington, D.C., for a week in the nation’s capital.
In addition, the co-op can send up to four delegates to CYCLE, the Cooperative Youth Conference and Leadership Experience. This award-winning program rewards top Missouri students with an intense, two-day, fun, hands-on leadership and team training with educational and inspiring speakers.
New this year, the co-op is opening the essay contest to both sophomores and juniors.
Each year Platte-Clay sends essay contest information to teachers and includes articles in the pages of the Northland Connection and on the web site in the Educational section. The contest is open to all students in areas served by Platte-Clay.
Also new this year, in addition to essays, the contest is open to students who want to produce a two to three minute video on the 2015 topic, “What do you think is the greatest energy issue facing your generation and how can youth be a part of the solution.”
There is a limit of one entry per student.
All entries must be original material and must not infringe on copyrights, trademarks, privacy/publicity or intellectual property rights of any person or entity.
Essays should be 600-750 words, typed, double-spaced for ease in reading and include a cover sheet.
Videos on the subject should be 2-3 minutes long and may be .mov, .wmv, .mp4 or .mpeg, limited to 1 GB.
Please put complete contact information at least 10 seconds after the end of the video and included on the online form. The student contact information board will not be counted as part of the time of the video.
A Youth Tour Essay / Video Contest packet will be distributed to area high schools in the fall, and entries will be due at Platte-Clay Jan. 9. Students and teachers notified of the results in early February.
Kearney Middle School students win video PSA contest
Kearney Middle School took top honors in the 2014 Heartland Utilities for Energy Efficiency (HUEE) video public service announcement (PSA) contest. The Spring Hill, Kan., middle school won for that state.
The Kearney students who produced the video are, left to right, Dane Corum, Nikki Brefogle, Kassidy Pfeifer, Addie Hampton, Ms. Hayes, Sydney Lentz, Natalie McDonald and Drake Meinert. Ms. Hayes assisted.
The Kearney Middle School has placed since they first entered the contest in 2012, earning a third place; in 2013, placing second and this year taking top honors.
The winning videos are on the HUEE web site, www.huee.org
HUEE, a consortium of five metro-area utilities, developed the contest to create an awareness among young people of the importance of saving energy. The contest is open to sixth, seventh and eighth graders in the utilities service areas.
The students selected one of three topics: how energy is being used and how it can be conserved, energy wasting habits or appliances and how to correct them or energy conservation alternatives.
In addition to Platte-Clay, the other participating utilities include Atmos Energy, Olathe, Kan.; Independence Power & Light, Independence, Mo.; Kansas City Board of Public Utilities, Kansas City, Kan.; and Kansas Gas Service, Overland Park, Kan.
Plan now to manage a family emergency
With school starting and some students going to new schools, perhaps on different buses and meeting new friends, it’s a good opportunity to review what to do in an emergency.
Fall tornadoes aren’t out of the question and an ice storm or blizzard could keep everyone in place—in school, at work or at a friend or relative’s house.
Add to that the possibility that the electric lines could sustain extensive damage, and it might not be safe or practical to return home.
Thinking in terms of worst case— so we’re prepared— here is a list of recommendations that will be helpful based on information from the American Red Cross and a Family Emergency Plan from FEMA.
While the list seems long and even a lot of trouble, this information will help smooth out difficulties, including emergency care, after a storm or disaster.
For ease in sharing, families could keep this information on their computer, on a password-protected smart phone or tablet, a USB drive, have hard copies laminated and included in a family disaster kit and in a locked file at work.
While we all hope that we never need to use the contents of a disaster plan, knowing that we have sorted out this information and have it easily available goes a long way in reducing the uncertainty, concern and availability of treatment if anyone is hurt or separated from their family as a result of a storm or accident.
- Family member/household contact info: Name, home phone, cell phone, e-mail, Social Security number and date of birth for each person.
- Children need to have their parents’ or guardians’ work information available, including name of company and phone numbers.
- Important medical information for each family member, including allergies, perhaps contacts or glasses prescriptions.
- Medical contacts for the family, including medical insurance policy number, doctors, specialists and pharmacists.
- Homeowners or rental insurance policy number and agent contact information.
- Pets: Type, color, registration information, veterinarian and kennel.
- Plan of Action for the household–and each household if there is more than one:
- Which disasters could occur
- What are the escape routes from our home
- What are the escape routes out of our home (fire)
- If separated, where would we meet
- If we had to evacuate, where would we meet
- What are all of the routes to get there in the event one is blocked or flooded.
- Who are our emergency contacts out of the area (friends or relatives)? A separated family member could contact those individuals to let them know their status.
- Where will children / students be evacuated to? We’ll need complete information on each child from each facility.
- What is the evacuation site address and full contact information?
- If there are family members with disabilities or special needs, what are the plans for those individuals? Back up batteries for oxygen, for instance, or a power scooter.
- What provisions are in place to “shelter in place,” such as a safe room and supplies to seal windows, vents and doors?
- Is there a neighborhood meeting place?
- Spare rechargeable batteries and solar chargers for access to emergency broadcasts and the Internet.
- Other information specific to your family.
Classified Ads
To submit an ad, complete the ad form, use the website, pcec.coop, or send in a brief nine-word description of the item you wish to advertise no later than the 15th of the month, to Platte-Clay Electric Co-op, PO Box 100, Kearney, MO 64060, Attn. Northland Connection.
Ads run on a first come, first served basis.
Ads should be about 10 words or less and include a phone number. Please indicate the category, i.e., for sale, giveaway, wanted, and the topic, such as car or boat.
Please type or print your ad. If your ad does not appear, you may resubmit it for the next available edition. Ads are for Platte-Clay members only. No business or commercial ads. If your ad is time sensitive, we suggest using one of the local ad-supported publications.
Members may pick up an ad form at the PCEC office in Kearney or Platte City or use the website, pcec.coop. Click on Classified Ad or send directly to mail@pcec.coop
The area code is 816 unless otherwise noted.
For Sale
Dining tables with chairs: two tables. One with 6 chairs $350; one with 4 chairs $100. 539-1415.
Chicken coop (Orschelins). Used three months. Best offer. 628-4966.
Flat screen TV: 29” Vizio, new Jan. 2013 for $238, f/s $150. 628-1280.
Services
Tree trimming, removal & stump grinding. Kearney, Ex. Spgs, Lawson. 590-6977.
Piano tuning & repair. 721-3966.
Carpet cleaning: 3 rooms, $110. 506-2073. www.Rapidcarpet&upholstery.com
Bounce house: Castle Moonwalk, Rent for parties. 769-2931.
Never touch a downed line
It could be energized.
Call Platte-Clay
816-628-3121
24 x 7 x 365
If the line is on your vehicle, stay in it unless it’s on fire. If you must exit, jump, landing on both feet and shuffle away keeping both feet on the ground.
For an outage, customer or emergency service, call Platte-Clay at 816-628-3121 24/7/365. Visit pcec.coop for info and account service.
The Northland Connection is published monthly by Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative, Inc., 1000 W. 92 Highway, Kearney, MO 64060. Postmaster: Please send address changes to: Northland Connection, PO Box 100, Kearney, MO 64060 or mail@pcec.coop.
Platte-Clay is an equal opportunity employer.