One school closed in Quincy

QUINCY — One school in Quincy is out of service through winter break after strong gusts of wind tore through the Columbia Basin last week.

Monument Elementary School is closed today and tomorrow. The school is reopening after winter break, which ends Jan. 2.

District Maintenance Supervisor Tom Harris said the road leading into the school is closed so the Public Utility District can work on phone lines. The phone system is down at Monument Elementary, Harris said.

All schools in the district were closed on Friday due to a power outage.

"The whole town was out for awhile," Harris said.

The rest of the district schools are open today and running without problems. The only damage to Quincy School District buildings, as a result of the heavy wind last week, was some roofing coming off a few places at Monument Elementary. Harris said he does not have pricing quotes yet on the cost of the repairs needed.

"All the other schools fared very well," Harris said.

Two trees fell in front of the district office and needed to be cleaned up.

"Fortunately, they landed right in the lawn and they didn't create any damage," Harris said.

The fire system, security system and school bells needed to be reset after the power outage. Clocks were backed up by battery.