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Update for Wednesday July 28, 2021


STORMS CAUSE DAMAGE IN WEST WISE — Several homes in Lake Bridgeport were extensively damaged in yesterday’s storm, but no injuries have been reported. John Rogers with the Lake Bridgeport Fire Department said he and crews were busy clearing driveways and responding to accidents. He also saw damage at his own home along Elm Circle in Lake Bridgeport. The storm knocked over trees and power lines in the area. Oncor reported approximately 1,700 customers were without power in Lake Bridgeport and Runaway Bay at one point. Oncor Area Manager Sabrina Easley said crews responded to make repairs. At 7:27 p.m. power in Runaway Bay was restored, according to Easley. Bridgeport also reported that it experienced electrical issues after a transformer was damaged by lightning. The Bridgeport area received 1.8 inches of rain while Decatur saw 0.3 of an inch. Decatur Municipal Airport recorded a wind gust of 76 miles per hour just before 5 p.m. Temperatures yesterday once again hit 100 before falling due to the rain and clouds associated with the storm. Today’s forecast calls for mostly sunny skies and a 20 percent chance of rain later this afternoon with a high around 96.

COVID-19 CASES, HOSPITALIZATIONS INCREASEHospitalizations due to COVID-19 at Wise Health System have more than doubled in the past week. As of Tuesday morning, the hospital had 14 COVID-19 patients admitted. Thursday there were five. The number of hospitalizations is below the peak from November, when the Decatur hospital had 36 patients admitted with the virus. As of Tuesday, the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) reported 108 active cases in Wise County. That was an increase of 23 since Thursday. It is still below Wise County’s peak of 497 in January. The active cases in the county had dropped to the single digits before the recent surge started in June. “There has definitely been an increase in the number of new cases reported in Wise County, as well as other counties just west of the Metroplex,” said Dr. Jon Walker, the Wise County Health Authority. Walker said he’s not aware of any specific cases from Wise County tested for a particular strain of the virus, but he added a majority of new cases in North Texas are being attributed to the Delta variant. “At this point, I think the Delta variant is the predominant COVID virus in our area,” Walker said. Read more in the midweek Wise County Messenger on newsstands today.

DECATUR COUNCIL SETS PUBLIC HEARING — Decatur City Council Monday set a public hearing for the proposed Vista Park Public Improvement District (PID). The PID will fund amenities and improvements in the Vista Park addition, a 90-acre master-planned community to be built between West Business U.S. 380 and West Thompson Street. The public hearing is 6 p.m. Aug. 23 at city hall. “A PID is a mechanism created by the state of Texas to bring in private dollars to pay for public improvements,” Rick Rosenburg told the council in June. Rosenburg is with Development Planning and Financing Group Inc. Read more in the midweek paper.

WEDNESDAY AT REUNION — Nightly events under the pavilion at the Wise County Old Settler’s Reunion continue tonight with a worship service featuring Grace Fellowship Church, 7:30-9 p.m. Carnival ride bracelets are $25. Parking is $5 tonight and $10 Thursday through Saturday.

BLAIR LEAVES DECATUR FOR ARGYLE — After a successful inaugural season last year, the Decatur tennis program will now be under new leadership. Danielle Blair has been hired to take the reins of the Argyle girls tennis program — one of Decatur’s District 8-4A rivals. Blair served as the fall team tennis coach in 2020. She also was the assistant tennis coach alongside her husband, Brian, for three seasons. Before her departure, Danielle Blair was slated to lead Decatur’s spring and fall tennis programs in the 2021-22 school year. The team finished third in the 8-4A standings behind Argyle and Peaster last season and advanced to the postseason. Decatur (6-4) was defeated in the bi-district round by Brownwood, 11-3. The coaching change for the Eagles’ tennis program marks the Decatur athletic program’s fifth since the Decatur school board came to a separation agreement with former athletic director Mike Fuller in a 4-2 vote June 18. Read more in the midweek Messenger on newsstands now.

CHRISTMAS IN JULY — Christmas in Paradise and the Paradise EDC will host the Christmas in July Street Dance with Pat Waters 6-10 p.m. Saturday in downtown Paradise. Food will be sold by the Paradise Volunteer Fire Department 6-7:30 p.m., and live music and dancing featuring Pat Waters will follow 8-10 p.m.

DECATUR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING — The Decatur School Board will meet at 8 Thursday morning to consider a proposed budget and tax rate for the 2021-2022 school year and set a date for a public hearing prior to adoption of the budget and tax rate. The meeting will also include a report on ESSER III (federal funds available to public schools provided in the COVID-19 stimulus package, or American Rescue Plan, signed into law earlier this year.) They will also consider creating a special “Bond and Facility Committee” of the board to work with the current bond committee. The meeting is at the DISD Administration Building.

FUNERALS — Private service for Fred Taylor, 56, of Haslet will be at a later date. Hawkins Funeral Home in Decatur is handling arrangements.

FUNERAL for Jenetta Carpenter, 78, of Chico is 10 a.m. Thursday at Bible Baptist Church in Bridgeport with burial at Thomas Cemetery. Family visitation is 6-8 tonight at Hawkins Funeral Home in Bridgeport.

SERVICE for Donna Dell Dunigan, 80, of McKinney will be held at a later date. Hawkins-Bridgeport is handling arrangements.

FUNERAL for Flasher Dan Chrisawn, 85, of Rhome is 2 p.m. Saturday at Aurora Baptist Church with burial at DFW National Cemetery at 11 a.m. Monday. Family visitation is one hour prior to the service at the church. Hawkins Funeral Home in Boyd is handling arrangements.

SERVICE for Johnny Allred, 68, of Boyd is pending at Hawkins-Boyd.

GRAVESIDE service for Ellen Burk, 77, of Decatur is 10 a.m. Thursday at Sweetwater Cemetery in Decatur. Hudson & Torres Family Funeral Home in Bridgeport is handling arrangements.

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