Hays County Local Health Department (HCLHD) reports 74 new lab-confirmed cases along with three (3) new hospitalizations and one (1) new hospital discharges. There are 103 additional persons considered recovered. The total number of persons considered recovered is 17,739. Please note: today’s report covers May 4-5. The current total of lab-confirmed cases for Hays County since the beginning of the pandemic is 18,510. Hays County has 531 active cases. In the past 21 days there have been 865 active cases. Hays County has had 856 total COVID-related hospitalizations and 16 people are currently hospitalized. As a reminder, a 1st dose Moderna vaccine clinic will take place Thurs., May 13 at the Dunbar Recreation Center, 801 Martin Luther King Dr., San Marcos from 5-10 p.m. No appointment is needed.  May 4-5 Report

The Hays County Office of Emergency Management and the Hays County Local Health Department is holding the annual POD exercise! What is a POD? It’s Point of Dispensing and it’s a critical part of our emergency planning here in Hays County. This year’s POD is at Lehman High School in Kyle. (Please note, all registration and contact info is through Hays County – see links below.) We could use the community’s assistance: 1) Sign up to drive thru the LHS parking lot on Monday, Nov. 21 from 10-11 a.m. (The kids are out of school, so bring ’em along!) Students of driving age are also welcome to drive their own cars through the process. 2) Help us test our new data management system Use our Sign-up Genius link to RSVP for the POD: https://loom.ly/1CoZGZc (while there, you can also get a link to the data management test system registration) Read more about the POD exercise and the data test on our website: https://loom.ly/n6rqUSM

FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE: New Freeze Warning issued for Saturday night – Sunday morning (Nov. 12-13, 2022) for the Hill Country and portions of the 1-35 corridor, Southern Edwards Plateau, and Coastal Plains.

Hays County Local Health Department (HCLHD) reports three new COVID-related fatalities: a Kyle woman in her 80s, a San Marcos man in his 60s, and a San Marcos man in his 90s. The department also reports 166 new lab-confirmed cases along with one (1) new hospitalization and two (2) new hospital discharges. There are 189 additional persons considered recovered. The total number of persons considered recovered is 49,415. The current total of lab-confirmed cases for Hays County since the beginning of the pandemic is 52,369. Hays County has 2,475 active cases. Hays County has had 1,653 total COVID-related hospitalizations and 13 people are currently hospitalized. Of those, six (6) people (46%) are unvaccinated. Hays County residents can now upload at-home COVID-19 test results to the local health department here: https://arcg.is/1G4P1r . All information is confidential and no identifying information is collected. While these reports will not be included in the official case counts for Hays County, they will provide a better understanding of community spread. We remind everyone of some simple measures to help slow the spread of the virus, including frequent hand washing, social distancing and wearing a mask when indoors around large groups of people. Additionally, a COVID-19 vaccine may reduce the risk of severe symptoms or death in those who contract for the virus. Children age 5-11 are eligible to receive pediatric doses of the Pfizer vaccine. Vaccine opportunities: NOT OFFERING VACCINE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE M-F, Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines @ Christus Trinity Clinic (formerly Live Oak), 401 Broadway, San Marcos, 8-11 a.m. and 1-4 p.m. M-F, Walk-in Pfizer vaccine clinics @ CommuniCare, 2810 Dacy Ln., Kyle, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-3 p.m. More locations can be found here: https://www.vaccines.gov COVID-19 Update February 23, 2022

Standard and Poor’s Financial Services, LLC, announced its upgrade for Hays County from AA to AA+ for the upcoming issuance of Limited Tax Bonds. According to Dan Wegmiller, Managing Director at Specialized Public Finance Inc., AA+ is one notch below the highest possible rating from Standard and Poor’s, a nationally recognized, highly regarded rating agency. “It is a huge accomplishment for the Hays County and speaks volumes to the investor community regarding the trajectory of the county and its historically strong financial and management practices,” Wegmiller said. During an October 19 meeting with Standard and Poor’s representatives and county officials, including the Hays County Auditor, Budget Office Director, Treasurer and General Counsel, Hays County’s finances were thoroughly vetted. Hays County Auditor, Marisol Alonzo said the county underwent an in-depth review of current financial reports, background information, and forecasting. The Standard and Poor’s report said, “The rating reflects our view of the county’s: Robust, fast-growing economy, which will likely spur growth in the county’s demographics that underpins the ability to fund service and infrastructure expansion, Well-embedded policies and practices that management utilizes to guide its budgeting and forecasting processes, Multiyear surpluses, coupled with very strong liquidity and reserves, and High debt load, reflecting infrastructure investments, but offset by manageable pension and other post-employment benefits (OPEB) costs.”  According to Budget Office Director Vickie Dorsett, said, “Getting to the next level is even more challenging when an entity already has a high rating.” Knowing the increased rating means improved interest rates on any future bonds gives county officials some peace of mind. It also is a source of pride for those involved in managing the county’s finances. Britney Bolton Richey, Hays County Treasurer, said, “This high rating increase is a prestigious honor for the county.” Alonzo added, “It’s also a reflection of the careful, diligent, and well-planned financial stability of our growing county.”

The Hays County Local Health Department (HCLHD) reports COVID-19 data in a manner that is more in line with how the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) now calculates whether a community has high, medium, or low transmission (visit that webpage here ; Hays County is currently identified as Low Transmission). It’s also in a more standardized format allowing for comparability across counties and regions. Additional information about COVID-19 cases is available on our online dashboard . The dashboard is updated weekly. Key Statistics

Hays County’s Transportation Department is gearing up to begin low-water crossing improvements on Francis Harris Lane SE of San Marcos. The project is part of Hays County’s low-water crossing improvement plan. “The ongoing work to low-water crossings in Hays County is vital to our continued goal of safer roads,” Hays County Commissioner Debbie Ingalsbe, Pct. 1, said. The project, which will be isolated to the low-water crossing directly south of York Creek Road, is slated to begin on or about Oct. 31. According to Jerry Borcherding, P.E., director of the county’s transportation department, the project involves replacing existing undersized corrugated metal pipes with five 8-foot x 4-foot boxes. “The project includes new safety guard rails and streambank stabilization,” he said. “The improvements will significantly reduce overtopping of the road.” He added that upon completion of the project, all disturbed areas will be revegetated. “I understand how important the enhancements and upgrades of our low-water crossings are to county residents,” Commissioner Ingalsbe said. “I look forward to working with our Transportation Department on this project.” A detour route has been created for this closure. Francis Harris Lane will remain open for all residents; however, travelers should allow for additional time to navigate the detour route. (See map above; click to enlarge.) Travelers trying to go south on Francis Harris will have to turn on CR 143 east then south on CR 105 then west on CR 1101 back to Francis Harris Lane. Travelers trying to go north on Francis Harris will have to turn right on CR 1101 than north on CR 105 than west on CR 143 back to Francis Harris Lane. This detour will be in place from October 31, 2022, until the targeted completion date of February 2023. The project, valued at $691,901.95, is funded through the 2016 voter-approved Hays County Road Bonds program. The Design Engineer is Garver, LLC and the Contractor is C3 Environmental Specialties. Hays County, HNTB and Garver will be responsible for managing and inspecting the construction. For any questions about the project, please contact Hays County Transportation at 512-393-2182.

Sharing info from TxDOT about road work on an entrance ramp on I-35: Beginning on Friday, Oct. 14, the northbound I-35 entrance ramp just south of FM 1626/Kyle Crossing will be closed continuously through the weekend as crews prepare to open the new permanent entrance ramp. During this time, frontage road traffic will enter the I-35 mainlanes via the entrance ramp north of Kyle Crossing. The new entrance ramp will be open to traffic by Monday, Oct. 17, weather permitting. Road signs will be placed to alert drivers of the closure.

Sharing information from TxDOT regarding an upcoming road project: Beginning on Friday, Oct. 14 at 10 p.m., SH 123/Guadalupe Street will be closed at the I-35 intersection through the weekend as crews begin to widen the northbound I-35 bridge at SH 123. Northbound and southbound I-35 frontage roads will remain open. During the closure, eastbound traffic will detour to the southbound I-35 frontage road and U-turn at Wonder World Drive to access SH 123. Westbound traffic will detour to the northbound I-35 frontage road and U-turn at SH 80/Hopkins Street to access Guadalupe Street. All lanes will reopen to traffic by 5 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 17, weather permitting. (See detour map.) Road signs will be placed to alert drivers of the upcoming closures. TxDOT asks the traveling public to be patient and remain aware when traveling through the work zone.