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City Council Agenda
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, speaking about the state's continued fight against the COVID-19 virus, Friday, April 17, 2020.
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Agency will send guidelines for graduations at the high school level. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board will send out guidance for all public colleges and universities.
Abbott also announced his plan to re-open businesses across the state in stages. In his “retail-togo” plan, stores can reopen for business if they can limit the contact between customers. A document from the Department of State Health Services detailing the reopening of retail services is attached to this story. Additional phases of the re-opening program are expected in late April and May.
Governor Abbott said he would be establishing a “strike force” of business leaders to help oversee the reopening process. The strike force includes Lt. Gov Dan Patrick, fashion designer Kendra Scott, Houston businessman Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale, Dallas businessman and real estate developer Ross Perot Jr., Landry’s Inc. CEO and Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta, Houston philanthropist and Kinder Foundation CEO Nancy Kinder, and lawyer and former Houston mayor James Hofheinz.
State parks reopened this weekend. Gov. Abbott signed an executive order that allowed parks to admit visitors but requires them to wear masks, stay at least six feet apart, and prohibits groups larger than five people.
The move to begin to “open the state of Texas” will require face coverings in public, restrictions on the size of gatherings and a continuation of social-distancing practices.
Beginning April 22, restrictions on surgeries will also be loosened to allow for some procedures, such as diagnostic tests for cancer.
The Texas Education Agency said the decision to keep schools shuttered through the end of the school year was “the right one for our families and communities— and the only one that makes sense for Texas at this time.”
“TEA fully supports the governor’s actions and continues to work closely with districts across the state to ensure students are getting what they need; meals, dedicated efforts to keep kids feeling safe and connected during these times, and support so students can continue to learn and grow academically,” the agency said.
“We remain firmly committed to the health and safety of our students, families, and communities,” the agency said.
City Council to meet outdoors
The Howe City Council will meet on Tuesday, April 21 at 6 pm at the Howe Community Center at 700 W. Haning Street. It could very well be the first council meeting ever held outdoors. The meeting will be conducted as such in accordance to social distancing guidelines.
Agenda as follows: PUBLIC REQUEST – At this time comments will be taken from the audience on any subject whether or not that item is on the agenda. All comments are limited to a maximum of three minutes. In accordance with the Open Meetings Act, Council may not discuss or act on any of the items not posted on the agenda. CONSENT AGENDA Consider/approve consent items which are marked by an *.
*Minutes of March 17, 2020 *Finance statements -March 2020
Discuss, consider and act upon consent agenda.
Discuss, consider and act upon approval of continuing Declaration of Disaster for Public Health Emergency indefinitely unless otherwise ordered.
Discuss, consider and act upon Cancellation of Special Election May 2, 2020.
Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced recently that he will send cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts $701.8 million in local sales tax allocations for April, 0.5 percent less than in April 2019. These allocations are based on sales made in February by businesses that report tax monthly.
Next month's allocations, which will mostly reflect sales made in March, will begin to show the impact of pandemic-related
City March
Sherman Denison Gainesville Celina Melissa Anna Bonham Van Alstyne Whitesboro Southmayd Pottsboro Whitewright Gunter
Howe
$30,273.18
$28,380.19 $17,268.33 $11,922.60 $11,094.08 $7,541.34 $6,143.27 $4,123.36 $1,836.04 $989.28 business shutdowns. The agency, therefore, expects local allocations in May to be lower, and June allocations will likely deteriorate further.
In Howe, the total amount for April is $30,273 which is a 20 percent leap from last year’s $25,085 for the same month. The total for 2020 is $132,342 which is the most ever after four months, but those numbers will decline drastically in the ensuing months due to the shutdown of most commercial activity.
City 2020
Sherman Denison Gainesville Celina Anna Melissa Bonham Van Alstyne Whitesboro Pottsboro Southmayd Whitewright
Howe
$132,342.28
Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump China has just announced a doubling in the number of their deaths from the Invisible Enemy. It is far higher than that and far higher than the U.S., not even close! 11:30 AM · Apr 17, 2020
here tonight as an excuse to censor the news, to stifle dissent, to cover up our mistakes or to withhold from the press and the public the facts they deserve to know.
But I do ask every publisher, every editor, and every newsman in the nation to reexamine his own standards, and to recognize the nature of our country's peril. In time of war, the government and the press have customarily joined in an effort based largely on self-discipline, to prevent unauthorized disclosures to the enemy. In time of "clear and present danger," the courts have held that even the privileged rights of the First Amendment must yield to the public's need for national security.
Today no war has been declared-and however fierce the struggle may be, it may never be declared in the traditional fashion. Our way of life is under attack. Those who make themselves our enemy are advancing around the globe. The survival of our friends is in danger. And yet no war has been declared, no borders have been crossed by marching troops, no missiles have been fired.
If the press is awaiting a declaration of war before it imposes the self-discipline of combat conditions, then I can only say that no war ever posed a greater threat to our security. If you are awaiting a finding of "clear and present danger," then I can only say that the danger has never been more clear and its presence has never been more imminent.
It requires a change in outlook, a change in tactics, a change in missions--by the government, by the people, by every businessman or labor leader, and by every newspaper. For we are opposed around the world by a monolithic and ruthless conspiracy that relies primarily on covert means for expanding its sphere of influence-on infiltration instead of invasion, on subversion instead of elections, on intimidation instead of free choice, on guerrillas by night instead of armies by day. It is a system which has conscripted vast human and material resources into the building of a tightly knit, highly efficient machine that combines military, diplomatic, intelligence, economic, scientific and political operations.
(Editor’s note) - these words are most important today. For the full transcript, click here.
Texoma Blood Center was parked at Howe Police Department on Tuesday.
Lagway said that they did not have to turn anyone away from giving blood due to Coronavirus.
They are seeking all types of blood and especially O negative.
In times of disaster or public health crisis, it is the blood on the shelves that saves lives. Texoma Blood Center says that all healthy, eligible individuals should donate. A blood shortage would only compound what may be an already overwhelming health emergency. To ensure donor safety, the staff is sanitizing all areas after each donation and limiting the number of persons allowed into the office and bloodmobile. There are also a limited number of people allowed to donate at a time to adhere to the social distancing guidelines.
The staff may ask individuals to wait in their vehicle when there are more than four donors on the bus or in the office. The staff is taking phone numbers of those in line. The donor will receive a call or text when he or she may enter the building or bloodmobile for donation.
