APRIL 1, 2020 SPECIAL ORDER
COVID-19 ABROAD
Local distillery makes hand sanitizer for law enforcement personnel.
Friends far and wide, from New York to China, share their pandemic stories.
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News-Dispatch Vol. 40 • No. 26
HaysNewsDispatch.com
Serving Buda, Kyle and Northeast Hays County, TX
COVID-19 testing comes to Kyle Hays County STAFF REPORT
Drive-up testing for the COVID-19 virus could be available as early as this week for people with a doctor’s order requesting one. Kyle is one of five locations where the testing will be available, Austin Regional Clinic (ARC) announced on Monday. Patients with an order from an ARC physician will be able to visit the nearest
Currently, state labs are not charging patients for this test and most insurance companies have agreed to cover costs for tests at commercial labs.”
testing site, where an ARC clinician will screen them to “ensure they are not experiencing breathing difficulties,” and are in need of immediate attention, ARC said in a news release. Patients not requiring immediate medical attention
will undergo a nasal swab, which will be sent to a lab. Results are expected within 2 to 10 days. ARC says that “currently, state labs are not charging patients for this test and most insurance companies have agreed to cover
costs for tests at commercial labs.” Anyone who shows up without a doctor’s order will be given information on scheduling a telemedicine appointment. Those appointments can be scheduled at the ARC’s COVID-19 hotline, 866453-4525. ARC said the Kyle location will be in a tent at ARC Kyle Plum Creek, 4100 Everett St. Others are in Austin and Round Rock.
Coming through
poised to activate its Emergency Operations Center BY ANITA MILLER Thousands of COVID-19 tests may soon be available in Hays County through the county health department for “frontline professionals” including medical personnel and first responders. This announcement comes just in time, as the county is making some tough decisions regarding emergency operations. All that and more was announced in Tuesday’s meeting of the Hays County Commissioners Court as a back-and-forth argument raged between County Judge
Ruben Becerra and Pct. 4 Commissioner Walt Smith over the deal Becerra struck with MDBox. As of Tuesday morning, the county had seen 28 confirmed cases of the virus. Six people have recovered, meaning there are 22 cases still “active,” the county’s Emergency Management Coordinator Alex Villalobos said. He said when the count reaches 30 cases, it will be time to start looking at activating an Emergency Operations Center and gauging the capacity of available
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Curfew won’t be used for traffic stops BY ANITA MILLER PHOTO BY ANITA MILLER
Motorists are warned to be prepared to stop along Hwy. 21 just south of FM 150 as crews have begun work on a segment of Kinder Morgan’s Permian Highway Pipeline to transport natural gas from west Texas oilfields to near Houston.
COVID-19 threat prompts release of ‘85 to 90’ Hays County inmates The population of Hays County Jail fell by almost a third last week as district courts, adult supervision and law enforcement collaborated in an inmate release initiative to protect as many people as possible from infection with the COVID-19 virus. According to Michael Hartman, CSCD director for Hays, Comal and Caldwell counties, “85 to 90” inmates were released
“85 to 90” inmates were released as of March 27. Although the jail’s capacity is 362, the Commission on Jail Standards recommends 10 percent be held empty – meaning the working capacity is 311.
as of March 27. Although the jail’s capacity is 362, the Commission on Jail Standards recommends 10 percent be held empty – meaning the working capacity is 311. The releases were
accomplished within three days after all the county’s district judges signed a letter canceling most court proceedings in response to the pandemic. Earlier this month, the Texas Supreme Court
mandated that justices of the peace suspend most court proceedings. “The less time spent inside the closely-confined jail by anyone, arrestees or law enforcement employees, the less likely is the chance that any such person might contract and spread COVID-19 outside the jail,” the letter said. “The Hays County Sheriff’s Office has implemented standardized measures
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Seton Hays strives to meet needs, keep up with virus BY CAMELIA JUAREZ
1. Does your facility have enough supplies to As hospitals around protect staff from spread the world and throughof COVID-19, such as out the country are low masks, gloves, hand sanon supplies and treatitizer? ment equipment in the At this time, we have fight against COVID-19, adequate equipment the local hospital Ascen- and supplies to care for sion Seton Hays talks patients. We are taking about its preparedness proactive steps with our and what the community distributor and supplican do to help our local ers to ensure access to hospitals. supplies. We are arrang-
ELECTION DELAYED Hays CISD approves bond election for November 3.
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ing expedited shipments directly from manufacturers, assessing alternative products and taking advantage of our abilities as a national system to make intra-hospital inventory transfers when appropriate. We have also implemented conservation measures, in anticipation of further
INDEX
BY ANITA MILLER
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News……………… 2, 4, 5 Opinion Page………… 3 Community…………… 6 Sports…………………… 8
Just hours before the “Stay Home, Work Safe” went into effect throughout Hays County on March 26, Sheriff Gary Cutler took issue with the nighttime curfew, though he says his officers won’t use it as the basis for traffic stops. The order, signed by County Judge Ruben Becerra, said that most people are not allowed on the streets between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m. unless on “essential” business. “I do not feel COVID-19, as it has currently affected Hays County, should be a basis for a curfew,” Cutler said in a statement, which he also announced on social media. “The virus
People are not allowed on the streets between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m. unless they are on “essential” business. doesn't care what time of day it is and is just as concerning at 2 p.m. as it is at 2 a. m.” However, Cutler said his deputies will assume anyone out in traffic during the restricted hours is behaving lawfully, unless there is some other cause for alarm or suspicion. “When Sheriff's Office deputies see a
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News-Dispatch Barton Publications, Inc. News tips: news@haysfreepress.com Opinions: csb@haysfreepress.com 113 W. Center St., Kyle, TX 78640 www.haysfreepress.com 512-268-7862 Publisher Cyndy Slovak-Barton News Editor Anita Miller Sports Editor Moses Leos III Reporters Camelia Juarez, Sahar Chmais Columnists Bartee Haile, Pauline Tom, Clint Younts Proofreaders Jane Kirkham
Marketing Director Tracy Mack Marketing Specialist James Darby Production Manager David White Production Assistant Elizabeth Garcia Office Manager Verna Wommack Circulation/Classifieds David White, Verna Wommack Distribution Kimberlee Griffon
The Hays Free Press (USPS 361-430) published weekly by Barton Publications, Inc., P.O. Box 339, Buda, TX 78610. Periodicals postage paid at Buda, TX 78610 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Barton Publications, Inc., P.O. Box 339, Buda, TX 78610. ISSN#1087-9323
Police Blotter…………… 9 Service Directory…… 10 Public Notices……… 11 Classifieds…………… 11