93-3-WMR Audio on Demand presents the Preston and Steve show podcast.

And now, Preston and Steve's news updates with Kathy Romano.

Today is Thursday. It is February 4th.

Good morning, Kathy.

Good morning.

In the news this morning, the Perki-Oman Valley School District is the latest district to suspend all bus services for students after a COVID-19 outbreak among its school's transportation company.

Superintendent Dr. Barbara Russell confirmed that over 30 COVID cases have been reported within Student Transportation America, the company the school uses to transport students.

Schools officials confirmed that Lynn Heimes, a transportation employee, died this week from the virus due to the number of cases and the need for the Montgomery County Office of Public Health to thoroughly investigate and conduct contact tracing.

The county's health department recommended transportation be shut down, said Dr. Russell.

The district's plan is to welcome back secondary students for in-person instruction Thursday if they can get a ride. If not, they'll go virtual. As for their elementary students, they'll be virtual due to the logistical issues for the next couple of days. Dr. Russell said she hopes the health department will allow the district to begin safely busing secondary students and staff starting Tuesday of next week.

Elementary students have an in-service day on Tuesday of next week, so they plan to begin busing them again starting next Wednesday.

District officials said more than 20 staff members, which is roughly 25% of their transportation staff, are currently out of work.

Federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives have joined the investigation into a massive fire on Ocean City's boardwalk last weekend.

The Inferno sparked at Playlands Castaway Cove last Saturday morning and quickly engulfed a portion of the amusement park.

Arriving fire crews found flames quickly moving through a building

structure that includes the Playlands Castaway Cove Arcade offices, Hamburger Construction Company

Restaurant and Dairy Queen. Playland Castaway Cove says it was storing some ride parts in the

building for the winter. No one was inside when the fire started and the city says that no one

was hurt. City officials said Wednesday authorities are still working to determine the origin and the cause of the fire.

The ATF's national response team has also been called due to the size of the estimated loss.

On Facebook, Playland asked the public to share photos of the interior of the arcade to help

investigators piece together clues. Those photos can be emailed to Playland at boardwalk fun.com.

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