A Local Crisis: Is Everyone Doing All They Can?
April 4, 2020 By: Chad Young
According to the Texas Department of Health & Human Services, the number of positive tests of COVID-19 continue to increase in counties across Texas, and some counties close to Hopkins County are recording their first positive test results. Lamar county, was the first county closest to Hopkins county to report the first positive case over a week ago, and now that county has five confirmed positive cases returned for residents in their county. Wood county and Titus county are now both reporting their first confirmed cases in their respective areas. Only neighboring Rains county and Delta county have yet to have a positive test result returned for any of their residents. It is difficult to discern how many, if any, tests have been performed on residents from each county, and how long the tests are taking to be returned for our neighbors. It is important to know, that Rockwall county cases have jumped to 11, according to the latest state data, and Smith county (Tyler) has 57 positive cases, while Hopkins county increases to 4 positive cases. The cases will continue to grow in numbers and severity.
It is only a matter of time, when we will see positive cases in every county of Texas, and sadly this world-wide pandemic will prove deadly closer to home sooner than we think. As our county officials continue to work around the clock in making the best decisions to keep our residents safe, it is still up to each individual to take these warnings more seriously than ever. The current order from our county government officials and the state authorities is to Stay Safe – Stay At Home. This situation become more serious every day, and if everyone would believe that and heed the warnings, our community will come out of this quicker and healthier.
The FACTS about COVID-19 that we currently know:
- It is FAR more contagious than anything we have ever experienced.
- People of ANY age can HAVE it and SPREAD it even though they do not show any symptoms.
- For a some of our friends and family, contracting the virus has a much HIGHER risk of DEATH.
- We ALL have a responsibility to follow the warnings and mandates of our county officials, it could truly be a matter of LIFE and DEATH.
Every person in our community can help stop the spread, and flatten the curve of this pandemic. Every person in our community NEEDS to help. Think of it this way; if we ALL stayed home for two weeks, and no one ever left their house, or went to work, or to the grocery store, this virus would have NO chance to spread and the majority of our residents, friends, and neighbors would be healthier and safer because of it. Now, I realize that this is impossible, but now think of it this way: what if we TRIED to get as close to the previous example as possible, only sending one family member to the grocery store, with a limited number of visits, and practicing better social distancing when going to work at essential jobs. Continue with not getting together with friends, continue using the take-out and delivery options of local restaurants, and eliminate non-essential trips of any kind. In short, what if everyone did everything they could (and what is recommended) by staying away from other people as MUCH as possible? Sounds like to me that we could be a safer and healthier community. But in the immortal words of Bill Bradford, I am not asking you to think LIKE me, I am asking you to think WITH ME.
COVID-19 Update: 4th Positive Case Confirmed In Hopkins County
Hopkins County Emergency Management officials have just reported a fourth positive case of COVID-19 has been confirmed in Hopkins County.
Very few details are known about the case, except that it is a Hopkins County resident who is in self-isolation. The Local Health Authority is expect to begin working to obtain as much information as possible to protect the community.
This case, like the three previous cases, is believed to be community spread.
Thus, county officials urge everyone to follow the stay home, stay safe order when possible and when out for essential jobs and activities to observe social distancing and take appropriate precautions as recommended by the CDC and DSHS.
Hopkins County Emergency Management is building a web page to provide information about COVID-19 for Hopkins County residents all in one location. It can be accessed by clicking here.
Due To COVID-19, Como City Council Will Not Meet In April
Como City officials announced that Como City Council will not meet again until May, provided the Governor’s Executive Order to stay at home and the county disaster declaration have ended, in order to observe state and county health guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Stolen Vehicle Recovered In County Friday Morning Had Just Been Reported Stolen
A stolen vehicle recovered in the county Friday morning, was determined to be the Hyundai Accent a Sulphur Springs resident had just reported to police as stolen. Another vehicle and diaper bag were also reported stolen from the same Davis Street residence April 3.
The reports were among three theft and five burglary reports Sulphur Springs Police made between April 1 and April 4.
Davis Street Thefts, Burglary
The North Davis Street resident Friday morning around 7:20 a.m. reported someone had apparently between 2 and 7:20 a.m. taken a diaper bag containing personal items and keys from inside her home. A Dodge Dart and Hyundai Accent were reportedly taken from the residential property as well, according to offense reports.
The diaper bag was reportedly found at the end of the North Davis Street driveway. A window at the home, was found slightly open; the resident reported it had been closed earlier in the night, according to police reports.
While Sulphur Springs police were taken the theft and unauthorized use of vehicle reports, a deputy with Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to the intersection of County Roads 3504 and 3511, where a vehicle was reported to be stuck in the ditch with no one around or in it. Upon arrival, the vehicle was found to be a Hyundai Accent with a damaged front end; officials reported it was the Accent missing from Davis Street, according to offense reports.
Other Thefts, Burglaries
At least one auto parts theft and four other burglaries were reported in Sulphur Springs April 1-3 as well.
An Interstate 30 west business reported two catalytic converters, one with a 12-foot cord on a dolly, and a cutting torch, had been stolen between March 26 and April 2 from the business, according to offense reports.
Two riding lawn mowers were reported stolen from a Sewell Lane building between March 31 and April 1, according to police reports.
A 58-inch TV, other electronics and four pairs of books were reported stolen from an East industrial Drive storage building between 4 p.m. April 1 and 4 p.m. April 2, according to offense reports.
A gaming system and streaming device were reported to have been stolen from a South Moore Street residence between 12:30 and 2:30 a.m. April 2, according to police reports.
The reports should serve as a reminder to residents to lock and secure vehicles, items on their property and homes to help better protect personal property from theft and burglary attempts.
KSSTRadio.com publishes Sulphur Springs Police Department reports and news. The Police Department is located at 125 Davis St., Sulphur Springs, Texas. Non-emergency calls can be made to (903) 885-7602.
If you have an emergency dial 9-1-1.
The Sulphur Springs Police Department continues to serve its citizens with pride in its overall mission and will strive to provide the best possible police force in the 21st century.
If you have an emergency, dial 9-1-1
The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is located at 298 Rosemont Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. You can reach them for non-emergency matters at (903) 438-4040.
Cumby ISD Meal Program Changes Planned Due to COVID-19 Pandemic
Cumby Independent School District meal program changes are planned in response to the continued rise in COVID-19 cases across the country and state. (Hopkins County has remained at 3 positive cases since Monday, March 30). The Cumby ISD meal program will continue but, will only be available for pick up once a week.
Cumby ISD Superintendent Shelly Slaughter, in a letter to parents and guardians, said the change will help better limit exposure to students and faculty. Starting April 13, cafeteria staff will prepare and box five breakfasts and five lunches at a time. Some meals will require refrigeration, if not eaten or prepared immediately. Meal that would be”hot” meals will be cold or frozen, but will have instructions on how to properly thaw and cook it.
The picked up process will be a bit different too as an added health safety precaution. When parents/ guardians pull up in front of the elementary between noon and 1 p.m. each Tuesday, they will be asked to open their trunk, get back in their vehicle, then wait until the school staff depositing the food box in the trunk has safely moved away from the car before leaving.
Any questions about the Cumby ISD meal program may be directed to Slaughter at 903-439-8738 or [email protected], or Cindy Mannon at 903-348-500 or [email protected].
Walmart Limiting Customer Entry In Stores To Support Social Distancing
Walmart today announced new COVID-19 preventive measures the business will be implementing that will affect how shopping is conducted at the store. In the last few weeks, the business has adjusted the hours of operation and implemented additional sanitizing and preventive measures. Starting Saturday, April 4, Walmart Customer Entry will be regulated and some stores will also be implementing “one-way movement” through the aisles, according to a corporate news release.
Walmart US Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Dacona Smith in an April 3 news release explained the changes being made in an effort to “promote health, safety and consistency for our associates and customers,” by better helping to facilitate social distancing in Walmart stores.
“While many of our customers have been following the advice of the medical community regarding social distancing and safety, we have been concerned to still see some behaviors in our stores that put undue risk on our people. We want to encourage customers to bring the fewest number of people per family necessary to shop, allow for space with other customers while shopping, and practice social distancing while waiting in lines. We’re also seeing states and municipalities set varying policies regarding crowd control – which has created some confusion regarding shopping,” the news release by Smith stated.
Regulating Store Entry
According to the release, Walmart will begin limiting the number of customers who can be in a store at once starting Saturday. No more than five customers will be allowed per 1,000 square feet at a time, which is roughly 20 percent of a store’s capacity, Smith stated in the release.
Customers will enter through a single marked entry door, the grocery entrance for many stores, and exit the store through another door. Customers will be admitted one-by-one and counted. After a store reaches that capacity, customers will be admitted on a “1-out-1-in” basis. They’ll exit through a different designated exit door after checking out. Store associates should be available to help direct customers to the proper doors
Shopping Inside the Store
Next week, Walmart also plans to “institute one-way movement” through store aisles using floor markers and direction from associates “in a number of our stores,” according to the corporate release. Ideally, one-way movement will “help customers avoid coming into close contact with others as they shop,” and thereby helping to facilitate social distancing.
After checking out, customer will be directed to the newly designated exit door as a means to “lessen the instances of people closely passing each other,” the release stated.
Sulphur Springs Store
An associate at Sulphur Springs Walmart confirmed the store will be limiting entry to the store starting Saturday, with only one person per household allowed in the store at a time.
Brookshire Grocery Offers Discount For Emergency And Critical Service Providers
Brookshire Grocery Co. today announced a discount for emergency and critical service providers as well as a new policy regarding reusable bags as well.
Discounts
According to a GSC announcement, the discount applies for all:
- Emergency first responders — EMS, fire department and law enforcement officers;
- Hospital personnel; and
- Active-duty military, including National Guard and Military Reserve.
“We believe it is important to show appreciation to those who are serving on the front lines caring for our neighbors,” said Brad Brookshire, chairman and CEO for Brookshire Grocery Co. “These providers are the pride of our communities and we want to offer this as a symbol of our gratitude for their service during this time.”
“Supporting first responders and military heroes is a pillar of our Giving Back program and this discount is an extension of our commitment to honoring them for their incredible service,” said Trent Brookshire, chief operating officer for Brookshire Grocery Co. “BGC is committed to making a difference in the communities we serve. We are forever grateful for these heroes for their dedication and service during these unprecedented times.”
The store brand discount applies to Brookshire’s, Super 1 Foods and Spring Market branded products, along with Goldenbrook, Pure Harmony, Top Care, Simply Done, Paws, Tippy Toes, Full Circle, CharKing, Wide Awake Coffee Co., Over the Top, That’s Smart and Culinary Tours, the announcement stated.
Critical and emergency service providers must present active first responder, hospital or military identification or name badge at checkout to receive the discount, which can’t be combined with other discount offers, according to the BGC release.
Emergency and critical responders aren’t the only ones BGC has offered special discounts for. A 5 percent discount for senior citizens was announced March 18 and is to continue through May 5. The store also asks the community allow “our first hour of operations be reserve as a dedicated time for senior citizens,” and asks patrons to allow any senior guests to move to the front of the check-out line throughout the day as well.
Reusable Bags
As the business continues to adjust to the current needs of the community and adapt procedures as needed as preventive measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, BGC also April 3 announced a new policy. Reusable bags will will not be permitted in Brookshire’s and BGC stores until further notice. This is a preventive measure implemented to protect the health and safety of employees and customers.
“As much as we appreciate and share in our customers commitment to sustainability we believe this is the right thing to do in order to further safeguard against the spread of COVID-19. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation,” BGC posted in the announcement.
Social Security Recipients Will Automatically Receive Economic Impact Payments
For those wondering, Social Security beneficiaries were approved to receive an Economic Impact Payment. Like the Americans within the income levels established in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security or CARES Act, Social Security beneficiaries won’t have to do anything except wait for the payment to be disbursed, according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service.
“Social Security recipients who are not typically required to file a tax return do not need to take an action, and will receive their payment directly to their bank account,” said U.S. Department of the Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin.
The IRS will use the information on the Form SSA-1099 and Form RRB-1099 to generate $1,200 Economic Impact Payments to Social Security recipients who did not file tax returns in 2018 or 2019. Recipients will receive these payments as a direct deposit or by paper check, just as they would normally receive their benefits.
TEA: State Accountability, Testing Waived For All Districts, Campuses
All Schools To Receive “Not Rated: Declared State of Disaster” For State Academic Accountability
For those worried what the mandatory school closures due to COVID-19 will mean as far as state academic testing and ratings and for their schools, don’t. For 2020 state academic accountability, all districts and campuses will receive a label of “Not Rated: Declared State of Disaster,” according to Texas Education Agency.
TEA this week received approval from the U.S. Department of Education to waive statewide assessment and accountability requirements under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act, for the 2019–2020 school year. School administrators should be receiving letters from TEA notifying them about this very soon, if they have not already received one.
Most state and federal funding and other opportunities schools received are tied to school ratings which are impacted by students’ scores on state tests and other indicators. After Governor Greg Abbot ordered schools closed through May, and suspended the annual academic assessment requirements, the question of what that would mean for schools arose.
TEA on March 24 requested a federal assessment and accountability waiver from USDE; the waiver was granted on March 30. TEA will issue “labels indicating Not Rated: Declared State of Disaster for 2020 to recognize that the closure of schools during the state’s testing window inhibited the ability of the state to accurately measure district and campus performance.”
Campuses identified for comprehensive support and improvement, targeted support and improvement, and additional targeted support in 2019 will maintain that label and interventions for 2020–2021.
Districts or campuses that received D or F ratings in 2019 will “continue to implement the previously ordered sanctions and interventions.”
“If a campus has been ordered to prepare a turnaround plan and then receives a rating of Not Rated: Declared State of Disaster, that campus is strongly encouraged, but not required, to implement the approved turnaround plan,” TEA reports.
Overall ratings or domain ratings of D or F in both 2019 and in 2021 by a campus or district “will be considered to be consecutive for the determination of multiple-year unacceptable status.”
Express Transport Offering Elderly Care Packages For Those In Need
Express Transportation is offering free grocery delivery to Northeast Texas elderly in need by offering elderly care packages, which include the basic essentials which might be hard to obtain in stores during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Many elderly are confined to their homes due to their immune systems or not being of good health preventing them from getting to the stores. We have coordinated with businesses throughout Northeast Texas to offer drop locations for folks to donate supplies,” said Mandy Kay with Express Transportation & Tipsy Taxi.
Express Transport started as a transport service, and expanded their services. The business provides people with rides to the airport, doctors’ appointments, grocery pick up, hospital pick up, errand service and a weekend Tipsy Taxi to take people who have imbibed alcoholic beverages home.
Seeing a need among elderly in the business’ service area for basic supplies they either can’t find in stores or can’t go to stores to get during the COVID-19 pandemic, Express Transportation decided to step in and help where they can. And, they are asking those in the community who have time or supplies to spare to pitch in as well.
“We are finding that some elderly don’t have anything to eat or even basic supplies. In some cases, it’s because there was nothing on the shelves. People stocked up and there was nothing for them to purchase. In other cases, they don’t have anything,” the Express Transportation representative said.
Express Transportation reported receiving reports from professionals and community members of elderly Northeast Texas people in need.
“People are reaching out. Nurses are reaching out, LVNs who help take care of people. We have lots of elderly people in our community who need help,” Mandy Kay said.
She stressed that this service is offered on a need basis. The care packages are not offered for people who want them and don’t want to go to the grocery story; they are for elderly community members who are in real need. Each is packaged individually to meet the specific needs of the elderly person who will receive it.
Those who have a little extra they would like to donate for elderly individuals may do so at any of the partnering business drop locations during collection hours; for donations during other hours or donations of perishable items, contact Mandy Kay directly at Express Transportation,
Donations may be made at the following drop locations by county:
- Hopkins County- Backstory Brewery, 211 Magnolia Street, Sulphur Springs, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. If no one is present to receive donations for the elderly care packages, Express Transportation asks that people not leave items; call (469)332-9124.
- Wood County — First Baptist Church, 100 Church Street, Yantis, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday- Thursday; contact if no one is available 903-383-2393.
- Gregg County — Kratom King, 315 West Marshall Ave., Longview, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; mention elderly care packages.
Express Transportation is hoping to add drop locations in Hunt, Upshur and Rains Counties, where Express Transportation serves as well. If any business or agency is interested in serving as a drop location for elderly care packages, they are encouraged to call 469-332-9124.
Items most needed by elderly include:
- Body wash
- Hand soap
- Lysol
- Kleenex
- Toilet paper
- Adult wipes
- Milk
- Eggs
- Bread
- Sandwich meat
- Canned meat
- Vegetables
- Soup
- Crackers
- Small containers of bleach
- Hand sanitizer
- Rubbing alcohol/aloe
- Toothpaste
- Dry beans
- Flour
- Sugar
- Hamburger meat, small packages
- Spaghetti noodles and paste
- Canned Tuna
- Cranberry juice
- Oatmeal
“Tell someone if you have cold food so they can be separated and refrigerated or call 469-332-9124,” Mandy Kay said. “We want to try to help as many as can, but we need donations and volunteers in Hopkins County. most cases are here.”
All packaging will be handled on-site at the drop location. For the health of the elderly who will receive the donated items as well as that of the volunteers and Express Transportation drivers who will help deliver the packages, all donated items are sanitize twice, even bags and boxes, with 15 minutes of time between.
Volunteers are welcome, but Mandy Kay emphasizes that they, like Express Transportation delivery drivers, can’t be sick or exhibit signs of sickness. Those who are are asked to stay home so as not spread illness in the community.
For additional information about the elderly care packages, including donating, volunteering or request help for a needy senior adult, call 469-332-9124.
