NEWS
Governor tours mass vaccination center
| AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott Monday had a press conference in Arlington where he provided an update on Texas’ COVID-19 vaccine distribution efforts. Prior to the press conference, the Governor attended a briefing and toured the mass COVID-19 vaccination site at the Arlington Expo Center. The Governor was joined by Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) Assistant Chief Josh Roberts, Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Commissioner John Hellerstedt, MD, Arlington Mayor Jeff Williams, Tarrant County Judge B. Glen Whitley, and Texas Health Resources CEO Barclay E. Berdan. Vaccines are typically shipped and received multiple times per week, causing providers to work through the logistics of scheduling Texans to receive the vaccine. Establishing hub locations will provide a dependable supply that large providers can plan around. By the end of this week, an additional 28 mass vaccine sites will be operational in 18 Texas counties. Each site may be operating a single location, multiple sites, moving to different locations throughout the week, or partnering with other organizations to expand their reach. “The Lone Star State’s mission is to use the resources and tools we have to get more shots in arms and keep Texans safe,” said Governor Abbott. “This successful facility serves as a model to open up to 28 similar sites across the state. These vaccination hubs will expedite vaccine distribution and ensure efficiency in communities across the state. While vaccines are an important step in the long-term fight against the virus, I encourage Texans to continue to follow the best practices to keep yourself and loved ones safe like wearing a mask and practicing social distancing.” So far, more than 1.5 million vaccine doses have been delivered to providers throughout Texas. Texas has already administered 802,507 doses that have been successfully reported into ImmTrac2, the state’s immunization registry. However, there is a 48 hour reporting lag time from ImmTrac2. Of the 802,507 doses administered, 83,538 are second doses. 777,897 doses are either not yet reported, or are waiting to be given to Texans. Additionally, Texas has received 487,500 doses for Texas nursing homes and long term care (LTC) facilities, which are administered by CVS and Walgreens. Of those 487,500 doses, 75,312 have been administered. 412,188 doses for LTC facilities and nursing homes have not yet been reported, or are waiting to be given. Residents of all 254 counties in Texas have been vaccinated. This week, Texas is set to receive nearly 940,000 doses, including nearly 200,000 first doses delivered to providers in 104 counties. For the remainder of January, Texas expects to deliver an additional 310,000 first doses per week and up to 500,000 second doses. Moving forward, first doses are expected to increase and will be dependent on the federal government. |
The second community meeting on needs for an emergency room or hospital in Bowie is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Nov. 19 at the Bowie Community Center.
This is the second meeting to discuss these needs following the closure of the Faith Community Health Center emergency room on Oct. 6, just shy of a year of operation. More than 200 people attended that first meeting, where discussion centered on the creation of a taxing district to support any sort of medical facility.
Citizens in the Bowie area are encouraged to attend and take part in these discussions.
The Bowie City Council has moved its Nov. 18 meeting to 6 p.m. on Nov. 19 where three new council members will take the oath of office.
Councilors include Laura Sproles, precinct two, Brandon Walker, precinct one and Laramie Truax, precinct two. After the votes are canvassed and the oaths given, a mayor pro tem will be selected.
The new members will jump right into training as City Attorney Courtney Goodman-Morris provides an orientation and discussion of duties for council members.
City Manager Bert Cunningham will make his monthly report on the following topics: Nelson Street, which opened last Thursday, update on the sewer line replacement project, substation transformer placement and information on medical companies.
A closed executive session on the Laura McCarn vs. City of Bowie lawsuit is scheduled. The suit arose in November 2022 when the city broached selling some 25 acres it owns on Lake Amon G. Carter, originally part of the land purchased for the 500-acre Bowie Reservoir completed in 1985.
McCarn challenges the ownership of the property stating it should revert to the original owners since it was not used for the lake.
This 24.35 acre tract is located at the end of Indian Trail Road surrounded by the lake and the Silver Lakes Ranch subdivision.
One of Bowie’s major thoroughfares, Nelson Street, was reopened Thursday after one busy block has been closed since August 2021 when a section of the street failed.
Construction finally came to an end on Thursday when the street, including the Nelson and Mill intersection were reopened. Mayor Gaylynn Burris, City Manager Bert Cunningham, Councilors TJay McEwen and Stephanie Post, Engineer Mike Tibbetts and Public Works Director Stony Lowrance met at the site Thursday morning and removed the barricades. It only took a few minutes for vehicles to start arriving and drivers were excited to go through on the new roadway.
This section of Bowie has endured flooding and drainage problems for many years and in the summer of 2023 the city council finally bit the bullet and sought bids for the repair work expected to top $3 million. In August 2021 a one block section of Nelson was closed when a large sinkhole appeared on the north side of the street. Traffic had to be diverted including all the school traffic flowing from the nearby junior high and intermediate.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
Top photo – (Left) Mike Tibbetts, engineer with Hayter Engineering, talks with Bowie City Manager Bert Cunningham as they look over the massive drainage project on Nelson Street.
-
NEWS2 years ago2 hurt, 1 jailed after shooting incident north of Nocona
-
NEWS1 year agoSuspect indicted, jailed in Tia Hutson murder
-
NEWS2 years agoSO investigating possible murder/suicide
-
NEWS2 years agoWreck takes the life of BHS teen, 16
-
NEWS1 year agoMurder unsolved – 1 year later Tia Hutson’s family angry, frustrated with no arrest
-
NEWS2 years ago
Sheriff’s office called out to infant’s death
-
NEWS2 years agoBowie Police face three-hour standoff after possible domestic fight
-
NEWS2 years ago
Driver stopped by a man running into the street, robbed at knifepoint