Local News
Cases of Covid-19 are on continuing in the Concho Valley. City of San Angelo health officials said a total of 10 persons tested positive for Covid-19 reported today (Fri.). The total positive cases in the county stand at 16,636 with 66 active cases. 2 persons are currently hospitalized with one person in ICU. Since their last report on Wednesday, they have released 13 cases and contacts of cases. They report that 14 cases did not request release letters and are past their isolation period so they can be released from state and local monitoring. Also, they say that 33,708 persons have received their first vaccination dose and 24,1991 have received a second dose. The county stands at a 3 point 3 percent positivity rate. There are 26 pending Covid tests.
Local medical officials are urging everyone to continue to wear a mask that covers their mouth and nose, wash hands frequently, practice social distancing, and don't attend large gatherings, to help stop the spread of Covid-19.
The Western Shamrock Carnival opens its gates this afternoon as the San Angelo Rodeo begins today. Events include the Parade the vendors, and other attractions and activities. The first Rodeo performance takes place this evening at 7:30 PM. The Rodeo Parade will take place downtown tomorrow morning at 10 am. featuring riding clubs, antique tractors, wagons, marching bands, and floats. The annual Championship Cook-Off sponsored by the San Angelo Restaurant Association to raise money for the scholarship fund will also be held tomorrow. For more information on all the events and performances, go to San Angelo Rodeo dot com.
As the election campaigns for local city and school board candidates ramp up for the May election, the San Angelo Chamber of commerce will conduct 2 city candidate forums next week. They will hold a City Mayoral Candidate forum on Monday (April 12th) and a forum for the city council candidates on Wednesday, April 14th. Both forums will begin at 6:30 PM at Historic Fort Concho. Attendees will hear from candidates and will have the option to submit questions for a Q&A portion of the forum. Questions for candidates must be submitted at the event. Chamber President/CEO Walt Koenig will moderate both forums. Anyone is invited to attend. Register to attend at San Angelo.org.
Reports say this afternoon that West Texas Medical Associates has announced it will close by April 30th and many of their medical providers will be moving their practices to Shannon Clinic and Shannon South. West Texas Medical Associates has been operating in San Angelo for 40 years. CEO of the organization, Barbie Thomas made the announcement this afternoon. WTMA is staffed by more than 2 hundred employees. For more information visit WTmedical dot com.
City officials say construction on the Southwest Boulevard Project is set to begin Monday. Reece Albert Inc. is the contractor for the project. The Project consists of two phases. Phase A will be a mill and overlay and Rail crossing improvements to begin at Twin Mountain Drive and end at Rockbrook Drive. Phase B will begin at Rockbrook Drive and end by Cavender’s at the Houston Harte Expressway. It will consist of a mill and overlay. There are three areas of full reconstruction: Sherwood Way to Houston Harte Frontage Road, the low water crossing adjacent to Hobby Lobby, and the Sunset Boulevard intersection. The low water crossing adjacent to McDonald’s will also be improved. The project will take two and a half year and is part of a 10-year, 80-million dollar Capital Improvement Plan for street rehabilitation/reconstruction.
The San Angelo Chamber of Commerce will hold the 15th Annual Goodfellow Appreciation Day event on May 15th, which is also Armed Forces Day. This year’s event will be different from anything they have done in the past. In lieu of offering a day full of activities at one location for the men and women of Goodfellow Air Force Base, they are inviting the local business community to promote special discounts and offers to our military community through our Goodfellow Appreciation Day Savings Pass.
If you’d like to show your appreciation while giving your business a boost in exposure, contact Tricia Peterson at tricia@sanangelo.org and include the savings offer you’d like to give to our military community. Upon receiving confirmation of your offer, you will be added to the list of businesses on the Goodfellow Appreciation Savings Pass, which will be available online at "san angelo dot org".
Shannon is celebrating a milestone of completing 5 thousand procedures with the da Vinci Xi Surgical System. As part of this celebration, da Vinci is bringing its demo system to Shannon next week. The da Vinci Xi Surgical System was designed with the goal of further advancing the technology used in minimally invasive surgery. Robotic surgery allows surgeons to have 3D vision along with better digitalization, magnified vision, and wrist-articulated instruments. The system is used in Shannon’s Downtown and South hospital campuses. Currently, Shannon’s surgeons are utilizing the da Vinci for many different types of procedures.
Because of a surplus of donated books to the Adult Literacy Council, they are holding a Book Giveaway the next four Saturdays. Boxes of books that will be available for free from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, the 17th, the 24th, and May 1st. Their office is located at 59 E. 6th St. The Council is a nonprofit, community-based literacy program serving 13 counties in the San Angelo area.
Up to a million dollars could be spent to repair San Angelo's streets after the harsh winter storm. The City council, during their meeting, approved emergency contracts with 2 local construction company's Reece Albert Incorporated and James D. Goode Construction. The council unanimously voted to approve the contracts. Work on the streets should begin shortly. In other business, the council approved an agreement to host the annual Drag Boat races on Lake Nasworthy in late June and approved the adoption of the city's latest Capital Improvement plan.
Angelo State University is once again celebrating April as “I Chose Angelo State Month” and is inviting the San Angelo and surrounding communities to join with the Ram Family, past and present, to show and boost pride in Angelo State. As in past years, the campaign will run the entire month while officially kicking off this (Yesterday) morning when the San Angelo City Council approved a proclamation designating April as “I Chose Angelo State Month” in the city. A primary goal of the month-long celebration is to encourage local and area students of all ages to consider making ASU their first choice for their college education.