[StBernard] St. Bernard schools to reopen Monday

[Westley Annis]

St. Bernard schools to reopen Monday
by The Times Picayune 
Friday September 05, 2008, 4:55 PM
Electricity has been restored to 80 percent of customers in St. Bernard
Parish, including all but one of the parish's public schools, which are
scheduled to reopen Monday.

Entergy's four electrical substations in St. Bernard have been repaired, and
power is expected to be restored to the rest of the parish by the end of
next week, said Molly Buckley, an Entergy customer service manager.

Parish President Craig Taffaro said widespread power outages have been the
biggest obstacle to the parish's recovery from Hurricane Gustav, which
caused no flooding and minimal wind damage in St. Bernard. 

"Once electrical service is restored, everything else will fall into place,"
he said. 

Seven of the parish's eight public schools had electricity late Friday
afternoon. The only one without power, Trist Middle School in Meraux, was
expected to be back on line by nightfall, said school Superintendent Doris
Voitier. 

She said principals, custodians and teachers will prepare all eight schools
over the weekend to reopen Monday. 

"Having electricity was obviously the key to our goal of reopening schools
on Monday," she said. "It looks like it's a go." 

Electricity has also been restored to the parish government complex in
Chalmette, which is scheduled to reopen to the public Monday.