Blanco County residents are now required to stay at home, barring certain exceptions.
County Judge Brett Bray issued a stay at home order Monday that went into effect at midnight. Anyone living in Blanco County is restricted to stay at their place of residence. Exceptions include to perform essential activities, essential government functions, healthcare operations, operate essential business or uphold essential critical infrastructure.
Some might say it was inevitable, as COVID-19 has been sweeping through the Hill Country over the past weeks, with positive counties surrounding Blanco County. Blanco County held out as long as it could, but four cases of coronavirus have been confirmed as of Monday afternoon.
One county official said that Blanco County residents should be concerned, which is why he issued a 12-page stay-in-place order on Monday.
As a community, Blanco has as yet to reach the crest of the COVID-19 pandemic. There are now four confirmed coronavirus cases in Blanco County, and the county has issued a shelter-in-place order.
Outside of the medical professionals, perhaps the brightest glimmer of hope has been from local distilleries. And no, it’s not because you have been cooped up with your family all this time and would like a refreshing cocktail.
Local distilleries are making hand sanitizer.
On Wednesday, 25 March, the finishing touches were put into place to make the front of the Blanco Masonic Lodge look just like new.
Matt Lewis, Terry Miller, Brandon Aly and Russell Suggs did the long overdue work. Shawn Cole of Cole Landscaping helped by providing the powerwash and cherry-picker truck to get the job done.
Blanco Mayor Martha Herden has submitted her resignation and will step down from the position April 17. She cited health concerns as the reason. (See page 5 for a letter from the mayor).
Herden was first elected as mayor of Blanco in May 2017. She ran unopposed for her second term in May 2019 and this term ends IN May 2021.
While there remains just one confirmed case of the COVID-19 virus in Blanco County as of press time Tuesday, several others are suspected of having the virus.
Seven additional people are displaying symptoms of the virus, the Blanco County Department of Emergency Management said Sunday. Those seven people are displaying symptoms of the virus, but have not yet had lab confirmation.
The first confirmed case of the virus in Blanco County was announced March 23.
The Blanco County Commissioners on Monday named a member of the county’s emergency management board as local health authority.
The commissioners appointed Dr. Craig Manifold to the position of local health authority.
Manifold said that he is simply volunteering to serve the community and has no political intentions with the position. He has been on the emergency management board about five years, and he is a board certified emergency physician.
The Future Farmers of America at Blanco High and Middle schools are keeping their passion for agriculture alive while coronavirus restrictions have led to the closing of schools and the cancellation of livestock shows.
Major shows in Houston and Austin were canceled because of the governor’s executive orders that were announced on March 19.
Mayor Martha Herden called the Blanco City Council meeting to order at 6:06 p.m. on March 24, and it was streamed live on the city’s Facebook page.
Mayor Pro Tem Martin Sauceda and council members Matt Lewis, Keith McClellan and Martha Gosnell were present. Council member Tony Vela was out with an excused absence.
The coronavirus has officially arrived in Blanco County.
It was confirmed Monday afternoon that a female in her 60s was tested positive for the virus. A press release from the county stated the woman went through a drive-through testing site Saturday after having symptoms of the virus. She is in self-quarantine at home and the case is travel-related, the press release said.
Much has changed in just a week.
