NEWS
Gov. Abbott sets forth plans to slowly reopen the state
Governor Greg Abbott Monday announced the first phase of the State of Texas’ ongoing plan to safely and strategically open Texas while minimizing the spread of COVID-19.
Under Phase I, certain services and activities are allowed to open with limited occupancy, and the Texas Department of State Health Services is issuing minimum standard health protocols for all businesses and individuals to follow.
The Governor also outlined special guidance for Texans over 65 and detailed a comprehensive mitigation plan for nursing homes in Texas. The Governor also announced a statewide testing and tracing program developed by DSHS that will help public health officials quickly identify and test Texans who contract COVID-19 and mitigate further spread of the virus.
The stay-at-home order signed earlier this month will expire on April 30 afterwhich phase one will begin; however, any new outbreak of cases could see restrictions return.
The Governor’s announcement is accompanied by Texans Helping Texans: The Governor’s Report to Open Texas. This detailed report, available on the strike force website, helps Texans understand phase one by outlining the new protocols, guidance, and recommendations. The report also includes a series of Open Texas Checklists that outline DSHS’ minimum standard health protocols for all Texans.
“This strategic approach to opening the state of Texas prioritizes the health and safety of our communities and follows the guidelines laid out by our team of medical experts,” said Governor Abbott. “Now more than ever, Texans must remain committed to safe distancing practices that reduce the spread of COVID-19, and we must continue to rely on doctors and data to provide us with the safest strategies to restore Texans’ livelihoods. We must also focus on protecting the most vulnerable Texans from exposure to COVID-19. If we remain focused on protecting the lives of our fellow Texans, we can continue to open the Lone Star State.”
By way of Executive Order (GA-18), all retail stores, restaurants, movie theaters, and malls are permitted to reopen on Friday, May 1. These services must limit their capacity to 25 percent of their listed occupancy. Within shopping malls, the food-court dining areas, play areas, and interactive displays and settings must remain closed.
All museums and libraries may open under the same 25 percent occupancy limitation, but interactive areas of museums must remain closed. State libraries and museums will open by May 1, and local public museums and libraries may reopen only if permitted by the local government. Single-person offices may reopen as well.
Churches and places of worship remain open. Outdoor sports are allowed to resume so long as no more than four participants are playing together at one time. Certain social distancing practices must also be followed. Local government operations, including county and municipal government operations relating to permitting, recordation, and document-filing services, may reopen as determined by the local government.
Read more on this story in the mid-week Bowie News.
The Governor’s Report to Open TX is available on the Governor’s Strike Force to Open Texas’s website — bit.ly/2yOc0jc
The City of Bowie and the Montague County Emergency Communications team announced a winter storm watch has been issued from late Wednesday night through Friday afternoon. It includes the following counties: Montague-Cooke-Grayson-Fannin-Lamar-Young-Jack-Wise-Denton-Collin-Hunt-Delta-Hopkins-Stephens-Palo Pinto-Parker-Tarrant-Dallas-Rockwall-Kaufman-Van Zandt-Rains-Eastland-Erath-Hood-Somervell-Johnson-Ellis-Comanche
* WHAT…Heavy snow and mixed precipitation possible. Total snow
accumulations between 3 and 6 inches and ice accumulations
around one tenth of an inch possible.
* WHERE…Portions of north central and northeast Texas.
* WHEN…From late Wednesday night through Friday afternoon.
* IMPACTS…Roads, and especially bridges and overpasses, will
likely become slick and hazardous. Travel could be very difficult
to impossible. The hazardous conditions could impact the
Thursday morning and evening commutes.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…Wintry precipitation will start early
Thursday morning and increase in intensity and coverage through
the day Thursday into Thursday night before tapering off during
the day Friday.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
Monitor the latest forecasts for updates on this situation.
Persons should consider delaying travel during this time. If travel
is absolutely necessary, drive with extreme caution. Consider taking
a winter storm kit along with you, including such items as tire
chains, booster cables, flashlight, shovel, blankets and extra
clothing. Also take water, a first aid kit, and anything else that
would help you survive in case you become stranded.
AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott today directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to activate state emergency response resources ahead of severe winter weather expected to impact the state this week.
“The State of Texas is working around-the-clock to ensure Texans have the resources and support needed as severe winter weather impacts communities across Texas,” said Governor Abbott. “As temperatures begin to drop below freezing and regions of Texas face snow, ice, and freezing rain, it is crucial that everyone remain weather-aware, check DriveTexas.org before traveling, and heed the guidance of state and local officials. Texans can find the warming center nearest them at tdem.texas.gov/warm. I thank emergency management personnel and first responders for working tirelessly to help Texans prepare and stay safe during this winter weather.”
According to the National Weather Service, temperatures at or below freezing are expected across large areas of the state. Some areas may face disruptive snow, ice, and freezing rain, causing potentially hazardous travel conditions through the rest of the week.
Over the weekend, more than 700 Texas Department of Transportation personnel prepared for winter weather by pre-treating roads, bridges, and overpasses with over 500,000 gallons of brine and approximately 800 cubic yards of granular material.
At the direction of Governor Abbott, TDEM has activated the following state emergency response resources to support winter weather response operations:
- Texas Department of Transportation: Winter weather roadway equipment and crews pre-treating and treating roadways; personnel and equipment to assist with traffic control and road closures
- Texas Division of Emergency Management: Incident Management Teams; personnel working with local partners to update warming center maps
- Texas A&M Forest Service: Saw crews; motor graders and personnel to assist with snow/ice clearance
- Texas National Guard: High-profile vehicles and personnel responding to support stranded motorists
Additionally, the following state emergency response resources have been placed on standby for deployment as needed:
- Public Utility Commission of Texas: Power outage monitoring and coordinating with utility providers across the threat area
- Railroad Commission of Texas: Monitoring of the state’s natural gas supply and communication with the oil and gas industry
- Texas Commission on Environmental Quality: Air/water/wastewater monitoring
- Texas Department of State Health Services (Texas Emergency Medical Task Force): Winter Weather Packages including medics and ambulances
- Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service: Disaster assessment and recovery agents
- Texas Animal Health Commission: Coordinating animal/agricultural resource needs
- Texas Department of Public Safety: Texas Highway Patrol Troopers to patrol Texas roadways
- Texas Parks & Wildlife Department: Game Wardens to support local law enforcement; high-profile vehicles to assist stranded motorists
- Texas Department of Information Resources: Monitoring technology infrastructure
- Texas Education Agency: Monitoring school district needs across the state
Texans are urged to monitor local forecasts, check road conditions before traveling on roadways, and follow instructions from emergency officials.
Texans can access winter weather safety tips by visiting TexasReady.gov, locate warming centers opened and operated by local officials at tdem.texas.gov/warm, and check road conditions at DriveTexas.org.
All 12 TxDOT maintenance offices spent today pre-treating
bridges and overpasses with brine in the Wichita Falls District.
Crews in the largest cities sprayed brine on secondary highways and roads first before moving
onto the primary freeways. Employees transformed more than 86 dump trucks into snowplows
and adding brine tanks and sand spreaders.
Tuesday will be spent laying down brine on all primary high traffic roadways and making more
brine for the holding tanks and our tanker trucks.
TxDOT crews are ready to go on 12-hour around the clock shifts.
Motorists can obtain travel information, road conditions and see 15 Wichita Falls traffic cameras and 1 Vernon camera by visiting DriveTexas.org or calling (800) 452-9292. Traffic cameras are
also at TxDOT.Gov.
Remember to follow the Wichita Falls District in our newly created Facebook page,
www.Facebook.com/TxDOTWichitaFalls and on Twitter, www.Twitter.com/TxDOTWF
If you experience an emergency on the road, call 9-1-1 for help and stay buckled up inside your vehicle.
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