Winter weather brings sudden stress, closing schools in Beatrice

BEATRICE, Neb. (KLKN) — Overnight snow is one thing, but the sheet of ice underneath made roads across Beatrice dangerous on Monday.

Beatrice Public Schools called off school on Monday morning.

“Every storm is a little different, and every storm takes a little different approach on how you’re going to attack it,” said Beatrice City Street superintendent Jason Moore.

For some people, the risk of driving was too significant.

A mother of four, Cheyenne Meek, was supposed to drive back home to Iowa on Monday.

But Meek said after just a few minutes on the road, she knew it wasn’t worth it.

“I don’t think that taking four kids in a vehicle, all the way to Iowa for 2 hours and 10 minutes, is worth the risk of driving in this stuff,” she said. “So, I think we will just wait it out and wait for the roads to clear up and then drive to Iowa.”

Meek said the decision was disappointing, but she would rather wait than risk it on the highway.

“My kids go to school in Iowa,” she said. “So, we waited until today and woke up to this, so here we are, another day. So, we’ll take it day by day and see how the roads clear up.”

Crews said they’ll continue to treat trouble spots, and drivers should be ready for a slow, icy morning commute.

Moore said that, as frustrating as it is for residents, it can be just as stressful for his crews.

“And I tell people all the time it doesn’t matter if you’re the mayor, the administrator, a councilman, or the street superintendent; you’re going to get your driveway plowed shut,” he said. “That’s just the way that it is.”