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THURSdAy, JULy 30, 2020A sister publication with

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Two Sections | 16 Pages | 75 centsVol. 47 | No. 18 | MySouTex.com

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McMullen County COVID-19 confirmed cases increase

MCMULLEN COUNTY – Judge James Teal reported the county’s sixth confirmed COV-ID-19 case, July 23.

All six cases are active dating back to the county’s first case July 14.

According to Judge Teal, the second through fourth cases were confirmed July 18 with the fifth and sixth case confirmed July 22.

There are simple everyday ac-tions to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses. These in-clude;

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 sec-

onds.• Use an alcohol-based hand

sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available.

• Avoid close contact with peo-ple who are sick.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tis-sue in the trash.

• Clean and disinfect frequent-ly touched objects and surfaces.

Social distancing means re-maining out of crowded public places were close contact with others may occur. Avoid mass gatherings and maintaining dis-

tance (approximately 6 feet or 2 meters) from others when pos-sible.

The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.

• Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).

• Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected per-son coughs or sneezes.

• It may be possible that a per-son can get COVID-19 by touch-ing a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or pos-sibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.

Chris Filoteo is the editor at The Progress and can be reached at 830-254-8088, or at karnes@mySouTex.com.

by Chris FiloteoEditor

TR camp begins mass testing

THREE RIVERS – The Satellite Camp at Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) has begun mass testing for COVID-19, ac-cording to a press release recently.

As of July 23, there were 29 confirmed active COVID-19 cases with all being inmates and no em-ployees.

There are 189 male in-mates at the camp.

Inmates are also having their temperatures taken twice daily and receive as-sessments for COVID-19 symptoms.

An additional benefit of this proactive strategy is federal inmates who are COVID-19 positive are not transferring to court and other Bureau of Pris-ons’ facilities.

Mass testing of this inmate population may increase the number of COVID-19 positive cases reflected on the Bureau of Prisons’ public website as well as create an upsurge in positive cases for Live Oak County.

by Chris FiloteoEditor

Furry Friends

GEORGE WEST – Since 2017, Shelby Blevins’ family has ex-ponentially grown since moving to town.

But those new family members are part time.

“I’m crazy about my dogs,” Shelby laughed. “I just try to treat everyone else’s dogs the same way I want mine treated. They are all my dogs just part time because I don’t have to feed them at night.”

Shelby started as a dog groomer in Beeville five years ago.

“I went to college for a year and a half with over one hundred apprentice hours,” Shelby said. “I just recently joined with the Live Oak County Vet Services and it has been great.”

Shelby didn’t relocate far from her previous ad-dress just down the high-way.

by Chris FiloteoEditor

Shear FurEnzy keeping

pets groomed

Shear FurEnzy owner Shelby Blevins holds Zoe as the two happily stop for a photo. (Chris Filoteo photo)see SHEAR, P. 8A see MASS, P. 8A

UIL tweaks calendar for upcoming athletics seasonStaff Report

AUSTIN – High school sports in the Coastal Bend Publishing area will, in large part, resume as scheduled under new guidelines released by the UIL last week.

The state’s governing body for public school athletics released its sports-specific and risk miti-gation guidelines for the 2020-21 school year on July 21.

“Our goal in releasing this plan is to provide a path forward for Texas students and schools,” said UIL Executive Director Dr. Charles Breithaupt. “While un-derstanding situations change and there will likely be interrup-tions that will require flexibility and patience, we are hopeful this plan allows students to partici-pate in the education-based ac-tivities they love in a way that

prioritizes safety and mitigates risk of COVID-19 spread.”

The risk mitigation guidelines released by the organization call for schools to limit capacity at all events to 50 percent as well as mandate the use of face cov-erings by all spectators and at-tendees.

The modified calendar re-leased by the organization shows fall athletics in 1A, 2A, 3A and

4A beginning as previously scheduled with some changes to accommodate schools whose summer workout programs were kiboshed by local officials.

Football teams in those con-ferences may begin practice on Aug. 3.

That day will be the beginning of the acclimatization period for

see UIL, P. 8A

In-The-Know – COVID

Return To Work Initiative, TAPS

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