Archives for March 2020

The Donley County Judge’s office announced Tuesday morning that a case of COVID-19 has been confirmed in Donley County.

Judge John Howard, MD, has released the following public notification. We will have more information, as this story develops.

“To the citizens of Donley County:

“My office has received written notification from a private lab that there is a confirmed case of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) in a Donley County resident. I was notified on March 30, 2020, and contacted the Texas Department of Health per protocol. I want the public to be aware that we will be as transparent as possible with any necessary information that may affect us individually and as a community.

“HIPPA restricts the release of specific patient information about the patient’s medical condition but we can report the patient is currently at home, where they have been quarantined and are continuing to be medically supervised. There is an ongoing investigation by the health department, and they will follow up on people and locations the patient may have been while ill. It is believed that the infected individual contracted the virus from community spread (person to person contact contamination) and has not reported any significant travel.

“We ask that citizens of Donley County to continue to be diligent in their efforts to reduce contact with others as much as possible. Please follow the CDC recommendations for social distancing, eliminate non-essential activity outside your home even if you are well, avoid groups of people, practice good hand washing and sanitizing practices, and if you are feeling ill please stay home and avoid others in your home as well.

“For further information on the COVID-19 virus, you can visit the Center for Disease Control website at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nov/index.html. For business’ and individuals that are concerned: please look at the Interim US Guidance for Risk Assessment and Public Health Management of Persons with Potential COVID-19 Exposures.

“Additionally, please contact your health care provider if you have symptoms consistent with the Coronavirus (fever, cough, shortness of breath) to determine if additional evaluation, treatment or testing is appropriate.”

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has announced the expected reopening of US 287 in Hedley by the close of business on Friday, March 27.

Final striping will be completed earlier in the week with the traffic swap to occur at the end of the week.

“Once the new roadway is striped for the final configuration and all main lanes are open to traffic, locals are encouraged to use the new auxiliary lanes for turning movements off US 287 at Bailey and McDougal Streets,” stated Childress District Area Engineer Matt Herbstritt. “While access to Hedley will be restored by Bailey and McDougal Streets, the SH 203 intersection will remain closed until the drainage improvements are finalized at that location.”

“Workers will continue to be present on site over the coming weeks as the contractor finalizes drainage and illumination improvements,” ended Herbstritt.

For more information, contact TxDOT Public Information Officer Ginger Wilson at (940) 937-7288.

Howardwick Baptist Church Pastor Jim Fox announced Tuesday that plans are being made for a community-wide worship service to be held at the Sandell Drive-In this Sunday at 10 a.m.

Fox said he and several other local churches were working together on the plan, which would have a stage set up near the Sandell screen with residents being able to watch and listen from their cars. Musicians from the participating churches would each take a turn delivering a message and singing in groups of five or less.

The audio would be broadcast over the Sandell’s FM band that is usually used for movies.

“The Lord laid this on my heart, and I think our community needs it,” Fox said.

Fox said there are three basic rules that everyone must follow. Everyone must stay in their cars. There is to be no honking for “Amens.” And there are no bathrooms available.

Primary runoff elections as well as the Clarendon school board election have been postponed to help mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus, and two other local elections may also be postponed.

Governor Greg Abbott last week issued a proclamation postponing the runoff primary election until July 14, 2020. The runoff election was originally scheduled for May 26.

Abbott also took action to allow local governments to move their elections scheduled for May 2, 2020, to the next general election on November 3, 2020. Clarendon CISD’s Board of Trustees voted in favor of that move during a called meeting on Monday night. School trustees felt that some senior citizens might not vote during a May election this year due to the COVID-19 virus.

The Howardwick City Council and the Clarendon College Board of Regents were also scheduled to consider moving their elections this week.

The postponement of elections serves to help fulfill the Governor’s recent executive orders mandating certain obligation for Texans that are aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19, including the encouragement of social distancing.

Holding elections in May would cause the congregation of large gatherings of people in confined spaces and cause numerous election workers to come into close proximity with others, the governor’s office said. This would threaten the health and safety of many Texans.
Early voting for the runoff primary election will begin July 6.

Clarendon school trustees in a called meeting Monday night approved a resolution that ensures all district employees will continue to be paid even in the event of an emergency school closing.

In the current situation, the school is not technically closed even though students are not on campus. Monday’s move would make sure that all district employees can count on their paycheck even if a “shelter in place order” or other emergency action was taken.

The measure covers all employees – contract or non-contract on salary or paid hourly, according to school officials.

Donley County Judge John Howard has issued a Declaration of a Local State of Disaster due to the public health emergency presented by the spread of COVID-19.

No cases of the virus have yet been reported in Donley County, but two confirmed cases were reported in Amarillo Thursday evening.

In addition to opening up state and federal resources, the declaration grants the county broad authority to close businesses, quarantine people, and prohibit public meetings, but Judge Howard says he is not going to use that authority at this time, hoping instead that people will voluntarily take the precautions needed to slow the spread of the disease.

Earlier in the week, the judge had said he did not think churches needed to suspend services, but he said that advice was now “out the window” with the confirmation of cases in nearby Amarillo.

Howard’s order is in effect on its own for seven days, but the county commissioners will meet Monday to consider ratifying that order and putting it in place for up to 60 days.

The City of Clarendon also issued a Local Disaster Declaration in an emergency meeting Thursday night in the face of the COVID-19 threat.

The declaration, which will have to be renewed every seven days, will help the city access state and federal resources as the world continues to grapple with the pandemic.

The city council also approved a Coronavirus Action Plan and triggered Phase 2 with the confirmed cases COVID-19 in Amarillo. Those Phase 2 rules includes the following:

• The City will reimburse customers the $3 convenience fee when they pay city bills by credit card.
• The City will discontinue utility disconnects.
• The City will waive late fees.
• The City will not accept cash payments.
• The City will provide signage at City Hall and Library to inform customers of potential closure.

Also on Thursday, Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order to contain the spread of COVID-19 that includes closing restaurants and bars to dine-in business, closing gyms, closing schools, limiting social gatherings to 10 people, and banning people from visiting nursing homes except for critical care.

Complete coverage of Abbott’s action can be found here: https://bit.ly/3906SVL

As of Thursday afternoon the Enterprise also has the following list of local closures and postponements:

• The Mulkey Theatre has suspended movies scheduled for this week and next week.
• The Clarendon Visitor Center is closed to the public, but the office is still staffed and providing information.
• The Donley County Senior Citizens Center is still delivering meals and to-go meals are available from the center, but the dining room is closed.
• The Hedley Senior Citizens Center is open today but will switch to to-go meals Friday.
• The First Assembly of God in Clarendon has suspended all services until at least April 5.
• The Presbyterian Church in Clarendon has canceled services through the end of March.
• The Nazarene Church in Clarendon has canceled its service for this coming Sunday.
• The Donley County Sheriff’s Office has suspended visitation until further notice
• The Clarendon Housing Authority office is not open to the public but we are here to answer calls, take care of work-orders and take money at the door.
• The Clarendon Church of Christ has suspended services with plans to resume services on April 5.
• The Clarendon First United Methodist Church services are canceled until further notice.

 

Clarendon and Hedley school officials announced Wednesday evening that they will not allow students to return to classes next week following the spring break holiday as officials work to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Superintendents of both schools said classes would be suspended through March 27, and school personnel will be developing ways of delivering educational materials to students going forward. School work will be presented in the form of digital delivery or homework packets or other methods.

Extracurricular activities at both schools are still canceled at this time.

“With the rapidly changing landscape caused by the COVID-19 (Coronavirus), we are continuing to monitor and make adjustments as necessary in order to make educated decisions for the students and staff of CISD,” Clarendon CISD Superintendent Jarod Bellar said. “The health and safety of our students, staff, and community are our priority as we navigate this difficult time.”

“Please know that this decision does not come lightly,” Hedley Superintendent Garrett Bains said. “We recognize that this decision will cause significant difficulties for parents.”

Both schools also announced that they intend to continue food service for their students, likely through “grab and go” meals, and said more information about service would be released as it becomes available.