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Transcription:
Good afternoon, Marion County. I wanted to give you an update.
The governor had a press conference two o’clock this afternoon. I’ll give you a few statistics that he put out. As of today, there’s 3266 confirmed cases of Cova 19. In the state of Texas. There’s been 42,000 people tested in the state of Texas for the corona virus and those numbers are going up pretty rapidly. And those are good numbers to go. So far, there are 222 counties in the state of Texas that are reporting confirmed cases. The first time that I spoke to you about covid statistics, I believe that number was around 60. And I also believe that was only seven days ago. So those numbers are up.
You know, there’s only 254 counties in the entire state of Texas and 222 of those have confirmed cases of the corona virus. There have been 41 Texans who have died. And I would like to ask you to pray for their families at this most difficult time.
I want to go over a little bit more information with you about the governor’s press conference. He issued an executive order.I have a copy of that here. And it’s quite lengthy.
Basically it entails Essential infrastructure workers who are still allowed to go to work in the state of Texas again, we’ll get this posted up. It’s it’s quite lengthy. Basically, he issued a shelter in place order for the entire state.
And with that,from the beginning of the situation,we’ve done many things to be proactive in the fight against the COVID 19 virus, here in Marin County. I’ve tried to keep the people of Marion County informed and I’ve vowed on the onset to do whatever was in my power to combat the covid 19 pandemic in Marion County. And I’d like to renew that vow today.
Statistically to our east in Louisiana, there are over 200 confirmed cases in Caddo parish.That’s just Caddo parish alone. In Cass County. There are two confirmed cases. And I think the Cass County Judge’s got some information she’s going to release later on today and those numbers are going up. In Harrison County, I think at one o’clock today, the Cass County Judge told us all that those numbers are going up. In Harrison County. I think they’re up to three or four cases. And at this time and every county that touches Marion County, there is no least one confirmed case of COVID 19. Based on the way that test results are being reported Currently, we don’t have any cases in Marion County. And hopefully that’s a good thing and I want to try to keep it that way.
And I’ve sought some recommendations of Jefferson Mayor Pro Tem, Victor perot, our emergency management coordinator, constable David Capps. I sought medical advice of health experts such as the Commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services, dr. john Hellerstad and our Texas merchant management chief nim kid.
All of us here in Marion County have done an excellent job of following all the recommendations of the Center for Disease Control, as well as recommendations from the state and national officials. This effort has helped minimize the spread into Marion County. I think we will continue to show Texas what Marion County is capable of when we’re tested.The people here are our best resource and it’s very important to keep them safe.
Given that the largest portion of our community in Marion County is considered at risk of contracting this virus, I feel it my duty to protect with all the available resources that are at my disposal. The people here in our community. I’m issuing a shelter in place Order effective at 11:59 Tonight. This will remain in fact through April 30. In in conjunction with the governor’s executive order. I will review all of the information daily and continue to update you as to the state of Marin County.
It is my belief that the counties which surround us will be following our lead by issuing or have already issued mandatory shelter in place orders as well.
I know the impact of this. And I know with my heart that Marin County will continue to be a community, which puts its people first, above everything else.
I’ll kind of go over a little bit about what’s what what’s going to be open and what’s not. a few things, you know, essentials, supplies, grocery stores, things that you need on a day to day basis will continue to operate in Marion County. And as resources become available, I’ll share information with our business communities who are being forced to shut down.
One of those businesses is my wife, who had just had a very tearful conversation with effective Immediately by the governor’s orders, we had to shut her salon down. So I’m in the same boat you are, I know how you feel. This is impacting my family too.
I want to get with the Chamber of Commerce, any resource available to me through this office and try and help our community Come back from this because we will come back that I can assure you will happen.
We are resilient. We’re strong. We’re compassionate. We are Marion County.
We are very close knit community. And we need to continue to be a close knit community as we move forward.
One other order that I’m executing today is an order designating shopping times. I think this is a very important order. I’ll kind of give you the the meat of it.
It is hereby ordered the grocery store supermarkets warehouse stores. liquor stores and farmers markets that sell food products and household consumer products such as cleaning and personal care products shall designate at least one hour per day as exclusive shopping times for the use of at risk populations, seniors, pregnant women and people with underlying health conditions with the exception of if the location has a drive up window, notices of such designated times shall be posted on the door of each location,
This order will be going out immediately.
So if you have any questions about that, or our quote unquote Shelter in Place Order issued by this office, you can contact me. I’m gonna post Hugh’s gonna put my information up. my county office number my county cell phone number and my email address.
And I kind of just want to reiterate to you that Through the next 30 days, that we’ve got to be committed to Marion County, if if you need something from a store that you can get locally, and you have to do it online, or call them and see if there’s any way that they can get that to you, without, you know, shopping at a big box store somewhere, we’ve got to look out for our community, we’ve got to be safe.
Again, I said it yesterday, if you look just to Louisiana, is our closest neighbor. This thing is ravishing their population.
With that being said, if this thing gets embedded in Marion County, you know, I don’t know what that looks like when we get rid of this, but I know what it looks like if it never gets here. I know it’s going to hurt for the time being and I’m right there with you.
So again, if anyone has any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact my office and I’ll get all that information posted up to you later. I’m praying for you. Please continue to pray for me. Let’s Pray for our nation, our state and our beloved Marion County.
Thank you