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Local restaurants in Howe are hanging in through the social distancing measures issued by state authorities. Now more than ever, the local businesses could use the support from their local citizens. Here is a list of the restaurants and their hours and situations:

Abby’s Restaurant – carry out only. Monday – Wednesday 11 am – 2 pm, Thursday-Friday 11 am – 6 pm, Saturday and Sunday closed.

Gabriela’s Mexican Cocina – carry out and delivery available. Monday 11 am – 9 pm, Tuesday closed, Wednesday – Friday 11 am – 9 pm, Saturday 12 pm – 8 pm, Sunday closed.

Palio’s Pizza Cafe – carry out only. Monday – Friday 11 am – 8 pm, Saturday 11 am – 9 pm.

Sonic of Howe – No patio seating – otherwise same. Monday – Thursday 8 am – 9 pm. Friday and Saturday 8 am – 10 pm. Sunday 9 am – 9 pm.

Corby’s Grill (Quick Check) – carry out only. Monday – Friday 5 am – 6 pm, Saturday and Sunday 6 am – 6 pm.

Don’s Smokehouse – same online ordering as normal at donssmokeouse.com

Governor Abbot has recently issued proclamations that move election dates in the State of Texas due to COVID-19.

The city and school elections have been moved from May 2, 2020 to November 3, 2020 and they will be held jointly with the general election of Federal, State and County offices.  There is a status list attached.

The Democratic and Republican Primary Runoff elections will move from May 26, 2020 and will now be held statewide on July 14, 2020.  In Grayson County, there will only be a Democratic Primary Runoff on July 14.  The Republican Party did not have any races that will require a runoff in our county.

Howe ISD Board of Trustees is the only local election affected where four candidates are running for two seats. Clint Catching, board president, is the only incumbent with Jeff Dailey, Charles Haley, and Lisa Tibbets challenging.

PARIS – Texas Department of Transportation officials today announced that a project to improve an intersection on FM 1417 in Grayson County will begin April 6.

Contractor Ed Bell Construction, Dallas, Texas, was granted 41 working days, weather permitting, to complete this project valued at more than $1 million. The target completion date is August 2020, officials said.

The contractor will widen the pavement and add left- and right-turn lanes along FM 1417 where it intersects O.B. Groner Road and Travis Street. During the first phase of construction, the west intersection of FM 1417 and O.B. Groner Road will be closed and a signed detour will direct through traffic to Old Dorchester Road. During the second phase of construction, the east FM 1417 and Travis Street intersection will be closed and a signed detour will direct through traffic to Moore Street, officials said.

Occasional shoulder and lane closures will be required while this project is underway, and flaggers will direct traffic at those times.

Motorists who travel frequently in this area are asked to pay special attention to all barricades, traffic controls, and signs, and to reduce their speed as they approach and travel through work zones. They should also avoid distractions such as cell phones, eating, drinking, or car audio or navigation systems.

Press release from the Grayson County OEM

The Grayson County Health Department (GCHD) has confirmed two additional positive cases of COVID-19 within Grayson County. Both patients are in their 60’s and are hospitalized at a local hospital. The newest confirmed cases are from Bells. The GCHD Public Health Emergency Preparedness team is identifying and contacting individuals who may have been exposed. Any individuals identified as having close contact and having been exposed will be contacted directly by the GCHD.

The Grayson County Health Department will continue, in partnership with our community providers, to monitor and investigate COVID-19 within Grayson County. Grayson County will continue and will encourage individuals, to follow preventative measures as recommended by President Trump, Governor Abbott, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Texas Department of State Health Services.

If you have recently traveled to an area with the ongoing spread of COVID-19 or have had contact with someone who has COVID-19 and has developed fever, dry cough, and shortness of breath within 14 days of your travel, call your healthcare provider. To prevent potential spread, please alert your provider before arriving at the provider’s office or emergency department.

It is important to practice social distancing and follow the Grayson County Health Department’s Isolation/Quarantine Orders. For facilities testing patients, when a positive result is received, they must promptly notify the Grayson County Health Department to ensure proper measures can be taken to limit the spread of the disease. By law, all testing must be reported to (GCHD).

Amanda Ortez
Grayson County Health Department Director

Federal agents seize 4,400 pounds of illicit drugs from the tunnel’s exit in the US

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Press Release, March 31, 2020

SAN DIEGO – Federal agents on the San Diego Tunnel Task Force uncovered a sophisticated drug-smuggling tunnel on Thursday, March 19, which extends under the United States-Mexico border to a warehouse in a commercial complex in the Otay Mesa area of San Diego. The discovery of the tunnel resulted from an ongoing investigation by members on the San Diego Tunnel Task Force, which include U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Attorney’s Office.

Agents on the San Diego Tunnel Task Force developed information about a transnational criminal organization suspected of smuggling narcotics into the U.S. via a cross-border tunnel. As the investigation progressed, agents worked in cooperation with the Fiscalia General de la Republica (FGR) and Secretaria de la Defensa Nacional (SEDENA) to locate the tunnel entrance in Mexico. Agents subsequently presented evidence to a U.S. federal judge and obtained a federal search warrant for the warehouse in Otay Mesa. The U.S. exit point was discovered subsequent to the execution of the warrant.

Agents seized approximately 1,300 pounds of cocaine, 86 pounds of methamphetamine, 17 pounds of heroin, 3,000 pounds of marijuana and more than two pounds of fentanyl from the tunnel. The large seizure of mixed drugs represents the first time in San Diego’s history where five different types of drugs were found inside a tunnel. The total street value of the drugs seized from the tunnel is estimated at $29.6 million.

The tunnel extends for more than 2,000 feet underground from a warehouse in Tijuana, Mexico to a warehouse in the Otay Mesa area of San Diego. The tunnel has an average depth of 31 feet and is three-feet wide through most of the passageway.

Agents estimate the tunnel has been in existence for several months due to the advanced construction observed in several portions of the passageway, which included reinforced walls, ventilation, lighting and an underground rail system.“I’m proud of the excellent work performed by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents, as well as U.S. Border Patrol and Drug Enforcement Administration agents as integrated partners of the San Diego Tunnel Task Force. Their tenacity made the difference in shutting down this tunnel,” said Cardell T. Morant, acting special agent in charge of HSI San Diego. “I hope this sends a clear message that despite the ongoing public health crisis, HSI and our law enforcement partners will remain resilient and continue to pursue criminal organizations responsible for the cross-border smuggling of narcotics into the United States.”

“Several months ago, agents on the San Diego Tunnel Task Force announced the seizure of the longest cross-border tunnel and today we announce the discovery of another sophisticated tunnel with large quantities of drugs seized from within,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge John W. Callery. “These tunnels show the determination of drug trafficking organizations to subvert our border controls and smuggle deadly drugs into our community. But these recent tunnel seizures also show the dedication of our amazing partners on the San Diego Tunnel Task Force to locate and shut down these tunnels to keep our communities safe. Despite the current COVID-19 pandemic, DEA employees continue to work tirelessly to serve and protect the community.”

“I’m immensely proud of the dedication and diligence of agents on the task force to shut down this tunnel. Cross-border tunnels represent one of the most significant threats to our national security. Criminal organizations can use these tunnels to introduce anything they want into the U.S. This is especially concerning during a global pandemic,” said Chief Patrol Agent Aaron M. Heitke.

“If cartels keep spending millions of dollars building tunnels, we will keep finding and filling them,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer. “This time, we seized a jaw-dropping $30 million worth of dangerous drugs that aren’t going to reach the streets. This is the most valuable single-day tunnel seizure in recent memory, and it is the largest seizure of multiple drugs in a single tunnel. This takedown is even more significant in the face of a global pandemic, where stopping the movement of unauthorized people and packages across international borders is of utmost importance.” Brewer praised the excellent work of the San Diego Tunnel Task Force in locating and dismantling yet another cross-border drug tunnel, especially the efforts of AUSA Orlando Gutierrez.

Throughout the investigation, the San Diego Tunnel Task Force received substantial support from the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.

“The Sheriff’s Department remains committed to protecting the citizens of San Diego County from the dangers associated with the importation, sales, and use of illegal drugs, as well as the violent crimes associated with them,” said San Diego Sheriff William Gore. “By working collaboratively with agencies like Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and groups like the Tunnel Task Force, we work tirelessly to achieve this mission. These partnerships are key to achieving these goals. We would like to recognize the hard work and dedication of these detectives and agents who worked tirelessly on this case. We thank them for their efforts.”

The San Diego Tunnel Task Force would like to thank the Government of Mexico authorities for their cooperation in this bi-lateral investigation.

Tunnels like this bring large quantities of dangerous drugs and violence into our communities. Law enforcement often relies on the public’s assistance in identifying the location of these tunnels. Anyone may anonymously report suspicious activity to the Tunnel Task Force at 1-877-9TUNNEL (1-877-988-6635).

Press release from Grayson County OEM

The Grayson County Health Department (GCHD) has confirmed another positive case of COVID-19 within Grayson County. The eighth patient is in their 60s. The patient is hospitalized at a local hospital. The newest confirmed case is from Denison. The GCHD Public Health Emergency Preparedness team is identifying and contacting individuals who may have been exposed. Any individuals identified as having close contact and having been exposed will be contacted directly by the GCHD.

The Grayson County Health Department will continue, in partnership with our community providers, to monitor and investigate COVID-19 within Grayson County. Grayson County will continue and will encourage individuals, to follow preventative measures as recommended by President Trump, Governor Abbott, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Texas Department of State Health Services.

If you have recently traveled to an area with the ongoing spread of COVID-19 or have had contact with someone who has COVID-19 and has developed fever, dry cough, and shortness of breath within 14 days of your travel, call your healthcare provider. To prevent potential spread, please alert your provider before arriving at the provider’s office or emergency department.

It is important to practice social distancing and follow the Grayson County Health Department’s Isolation/Quarantine Orders. For facilities testing patients, when a positive result is received, they must promptly notify the Grayson County Health Department to ensure proper measures can be taken to limit the spread of the disease. By law, all testing must be reported to (GCHD).

Amanda Ortez
Grayson County Health Department Director

Press release from the Grayson County OEM

The Grayson County Health Department (GCHD) has confirmed three additional positive cases of COVID-19 within Grayson County. The three additional cases consist of patients in their 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. Two of the three new cases are connected to a previously confirmed case. The third case recently traveled. All three patients are currently in home isolation. All three newly confirmed cases are from Denison. The GCHD Public Health Emergency Preparedness team is identifying and contacting individuals who may have been exposed. Any individuals identified as having close contact and having been exposed will be contacted directly by the GCHD.

The Grayson County Health Department will continue, in partnership with our community providers, to monitor and investigate COVID-19 within Grayson County. Grayson County will continue and will encourage individuals, to follow preventative measures as recommended by President Trump, Governor Abbott, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Texas Department of State Health Services.

If you have recently traveled to an area with the ongoing spread of COVID-19 or have had contact with someone who has COVID-19 and has developed fever, dry cough, and shortness of breath within 14 days of your travel, call your healthcare provider. To prevent potential spread, please alert your provider before arriving at the provider’s office or emergency department.

It is important to practice social distancing and follow the Grayson County Health Department’s Isolation/Quarantine Orders. For facilities testing patients, when a positive result is received, they must promptly notify the Grayson County Health Department to ensure proper measures can be taken to limit the spread of the disease. By law, all testing must be reported to (GCHD).

Amanda Ortez
Grayson County Health Department Director