Latest news with #utilityworkers
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Yahoo
Police bust 9 suspects in copper theft ring targeting internet cables
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office says it has arrested several people suspected of being part of a crime ring targeting copper within internet lines. JSO said its SCRAP team has been working since October to track down the people who had been posing as utility workers to strip materials from the cables. Initially, five arrests were made: Steven Midyette Van Arnold Darrick Rhoden Terry Thompson Donald Tyre JSO said surveillance video, witness statements, and further investigation led them to arrest four more suspects: Archie Crook Corttney Kowalski James Bennett Leslie Bennett Archie Crook is suspected to have been the 'ring leader.' >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] 'When criminals steal fiber optic cables for copper, you risk losing your high-speed internet access. Plus, when utility companies have to replace stolen cables, guess who's footing the bill? (You),' said JSO. Police said the alleged thieves were targeting fiber optic cables, although they typically do not contain copper. Stolen copper, tools, and illegal drugs were seized through the operation. Each suspect's charges vary. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
FirstEnergy shares stats of April 19 storm response effort
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways May 7—MORGANTOWN — By all accounts, the business end of the storm that turned out the lights in Morgantown and the surrounding area on April 19 only lasted a few minutes. But what was done in those few minutes required 475 workers, the replacement of 188 poles — including 135 in Monongalia County alone — and nearly eight miles of wire to undo. Crews restored power to 63, 600 total customers over much of the following week — first in large swaths, then in smaller, more isolated pockets. First Energy Local Engagement Specialist Krissy Michael provided the data to leadership with the city of Morgantown and the Monongalia County Commission. The commission shared it during Wednesday's regular meeting. Power outages began at about 8:30 p.m. on the Saturday evening before Easter as 60-to 70-mph wind gusts caused extensive damage to power infrastructure. Snapped poles and broken cross arms resulted in downed lines. "Our priority immediately following a storm is to clear hazards, such as downed power lines and trees blocking the roads. Hazard responders are dispatched to damaged locations, such as downed lines, to protect the public from these hazards until a line crew has arrived to make the area safe, " Michael explained. Once immediate threats are identified and made safe, Michael said the pecking order for repairs starts with the substation facilities that supply power to the lines, followed by hospitals and other critical medical, communications and emergency response agencies /facilities. After that, crews work to restore power as quickly as possible to customers, starting with areas that will restore power to the largest number of homes and businesses. "I just wanted to, again, thank Krissy and her staff for all they did to address that outage and make that public. It was a pretty big undertaking, " Commissioner Sean Sikora said. A representative of FirstEnergy said the company does not publicly share the cost of restoration efforts, but noted historical outage data shows storm activity in the first four months of 2025 has been higher in the Mon Power service area than anything the company has seen in the last decade. In other business from Wednesday's commission meeting, the body approved up to $2, 500 to match funds raised by Monongalia County students participating in the Future Problem Solving International Conference to be held next month in Bloomington, Indiana.
