February 5 was a Wednesday and Dr. Tom Johnson of Lamar State College-Orange was on the KOGT Morning Show and he brought a guest.
Johnson brought Dr. Ni Song, an LSCO associate professor of biology, who is a native of Wuhan, China.
Dr. Song talked about how physicians, including family members, were dealing with an outbreak of a deadly new coronavirus. They were needing masks, especially the N95 respirator masks, along with gloves. She asked Orange County for help.
The greater Orange community showed its generosity to the project. People here had read news stories and seen television about the deaths on the opposite side of the world.
Two months later, people in Orange County were isolated in their homes and sharing online tips on how to make their own masks to wear to the store.
The new coronavirus spread quicker than imagined. Orange partied with the annual Mardi Gras weekend on February 14 and 15.
County Commissioners Court on February 18 approved a long-negotiated tax abatement contract with Chevron-Phillips for a proposed new $5.6 billion plant here. On February 25, the Orange City Council also made an industrial district agreement with the company.
March arrived and things continued as normal. The party primaries continued on Tuesday the 6th with only Republicans running for local races. The Orange City Council held a community meeting that evening to get ideas to replace the Lions Den Park. Everyone left happy with the dreams of a future playground.
International and national news came about a pandemic. The stock market took drastic drops and rebounds.
Things still stayed normal in Orange County.
Thursday, March 12, LSCO announced that spring break, scheduled to begin on Monday, March 16, was going to be extended another week. Classes after that might be online.
Friday, March 13, President Trump called a national disaster with Governor Greg Abbott also declaring one. Orange County Judge John Gothia met with the judges from Jefferson and Hardin counties to discuss local orders. The Jefferson County judge calls an emergency health order and cancels the annual South Texas State Fair.
Weekend, March 14 and 15, has people crowding into local grocery stores and filling up their carts with foods, sanitizers, and toilet paper. Toilet paper becomes a precious commodity.
Monday, March 16, public school districts in Orange County are out on spring break, except for LC-M, which had a winter break. LC-M holds regular classes. In the afternoon, President Trump asks people to avoid groups of 10 or more. LC-M then ends classes. Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath says some schools may not go back to classes until the end of the academic year. The governor cancels STAAR tests.
Tuesday, March 17, County Judge Gothia declares a local emergency and sets a maximum gathering size of 50 people, though he recommends only 10. He reports county residents had been tested for Covid 19 with negative results.
Wednesday, March 18, Spanky’s restaurant owner Mike Lemoine talks on KOGT’s Morning Show about how restaurants will be affected by the 50 people maximum order. His restaurant starts curbside delivery in the parking lot for take-out orders to keep the number of customers down. Mayors in the county meet with Judge Gothia and support his decision on the emergency orders. Individual cities begin emergency declarations. People are instructed that if they think they may have Covid 19, to not go to a doctor’s office or emergency room. They need to call a physician first for instructions.
Thursday, March 19, Orange County Health Authority Dr. Calvin Parker is on KOGT’s Morning Show and says to take the coronavirus seriously and the best prevention is to stay home.
Friday, March 20, Judge Gothia on KOGT’s Morning Show announces a regional hotline is being set up to help people who have symptoms of the virus. The hotline will direct people who need a test to a site. The governor has bars and restaurants close at midnight to keep the 10-person rule in effect. People are to keep six feet apart from each other.
Sunday, March 22, county officials announce the first local Covid 19 positive test result.
Monday, March 23, Judge Gothia and other county judges in the region announce a drive-through testing site at the Southeast Texas Regional Airport in Nederland. Only people who have registered through the hotline will be tested. Gothia says an elected county official had a party during the weekend, but did not realize the gathering size applied to private parties. He said she stopped the party after a visit from sheriff’s deputies. The county, under the governor’s order, postpones May elections for cities, school districts, and special districts.
Tuesday, March 24, the Orange City Council holds its first meeting through a phone conference to keep a minimum of 10. Four of the seven council members are at the council chambers, the other three are on the phone, along with most of the city staff, reporters, and public. Later, Pinehurst and Bridge City councils will have phone conference meetings.
Wednesday, March 25, area county judges issue a Stay Home, Stay Safe, order.
Thursday, March 26, Judge Gothia on KOGT’s Morning Show says the Stay Home order was made reluctantly, but families and groups were crowding into big box stores like nothing was unusual. He said shoppers needed to keep space and have only one person per family. School districts announce they plan to go back to classes after the scheduled Easter break. The region’s first Covid 19 death was announced. Mike Westbrook was the Hardin-Jefferson band director and a member of the Symphony of Southeast Texas.
Saturday, March 28, Orange County Emergency Management announces the county has four positive test results.
Sunday, March 29, West Orange Police Department announces that Walmart will have only 250 people at a time and will have only 250 carts. People are supposed to stay at least six feet apart. Texas Department of Public Safety announces state line checks to assure people coming from Louisiana will quarantine themselves for 14 days after coming into Texas.
Monday, March 30, Judge Gothia tells KOGT’s Morning Show county officials are leaving DPS for the state line crossings. Orange Mayor Larry Spears Jr. authorizes OPD officers to enforce the social distancing and gatherings order. Violators could face a $1,000 fine and 180 days in jail.
Tuesday, March 31, Governor Abbott announces schools will be out until at least May 4. He also orders non-essential businesses to be closed. Beauty salons, nail salons, and barber shops must close.
Wednesday, April 1, Orange County positive Covid 19 test results jump from seven to 12 in one day.
Sunday, April 5, Orange County Sheriff Keith Merritt announces a sheriff’s office employee has tested positive for the virus.
Monday, April 6, Judge Gothia announces offices at the courthouse, administration building, and sheriff’s office, will be closed and sanitized because of places where the person with the virus has been.
Tuesday, April 7, Orange County has 31 positive tests with 93 tests pending. Thirty people have active cases of Covid 19 and one has recovered. The county, so far, has no deaths.
Wednesday, April 8. Orange County reports 31 positive cases with Vidor having 7, the most for one area. County Medical Authority Dr. Calvin Parker tells KOGT’s Gary Stelly that handwashing is still the most important thing for preventing Covid 19. He says the respiratory system virus can infect people only five ways, through the two nostrils, the two eyes, or the mouth. Washing hands and not touching your face works. Also, the Texas Workforce sets staggered assigned times based on phone area codes for new unemployment applications. The reserved times are because of the lines being inundated by people who have lost jobs because of the pandemic.
Thursday, April 9. The county is reporting good news. County Judge John Gothia on KOGT’s Morning Show said three people in the county have recovered from Covid 19 and the county had no increases in positive tests the day before. Still, he urges people to be cautious and keep social distancing and washing hands. Galveston County announces that beaches on the Bolivar Peninsula will be closed beginning Friday.
Friday, April 10. Judges over courtrooms in Orange County announce that all jury trials through June 19 have been canceled. Orange County Emergency Management begins giving break-downs of active cases that include the sexes and age ranges. That day the county has 39 total cases with 19 males and 20 females ranging in age from 21 to 90. All areas of the county are reporting at least one case. Orange and Vidor have the most with 10 each.
Saturday, April 11. County announces that the courthouse and administration building will be re-opened on Monday after being sanitized the week before because of an employee who tested positive. The county’s collection station at the former landfill will also re-open for regular hours on Tuesday.
Sunday, April 12. Easter Sunday is celebrated throughout the county with churches holding services online or in parking lots with congregants staying in their vehicles.
Monday, April 13. Newton County Sheriff Billy Rowles reports one the employees in his department has been tested for Covid 19 and the results are pending. Orange County has 46 positive cases with Orange having 14 and Vidor having 12.
Tuesday, April 14. County Commissioners Court meets with only 10 people present and sitting at least six feet apart. Meeting is on Facebook Live. Court votes to lift the burn ban in rural areas that was previously set to protect people with respiratory problems. Orange and Pinehurst city councils have phone conference public meetings with some officials participating on phones. Orange council votes to end disaster pay for employees on Monday, April 20. Orange County reports 47 positive cases with six recoveries. The region has 266 positive cases and nine deaths. No deaths have been reported in Orange County.
Wednesday, April 15. Orange County reports 13 people have recovered from Covid 19 out of the 48 positive cases. The county still has results pending on 139 tests, with 215 tests returned as negative for the virus.
April 17 Governor Abbott announces that all schools will remain closed for the rest of the school year.
-Margaret Toal, KOGT-
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