News

Weekly jobless claims hit 3.84 million last week nationwide, higher than economist expectations of 3.5 million. The total brings the rolling six-week figure to 30.3 million. Rural counties accounted for the loss of a quarter of a million jobs in March alone, according to this report in the Daily Yonder. In the first jobs report after the pandemic forced widespread shutdowns, rural employment dropped 1.2 percent from February to March. Metropolitan counties fared worse, with a drop of 1.9 percent of total employment. Hemphill County reported a loss of 30 jobs during that month—better than the national average, but our overall unemployment rate rose to 3.9 percent in March. Job loss numbers here can be expected to rise again when the figures are released for April.

Monday was a very scary day for J.W. Coffee and his family. The Canadian Middle School fifth-grader was walking out of his house with his cousin, and paused briefly, turning his head to talk to him. He did not see the rattler until it was already in mid-strike, and by then, it was too late.

Gov. Greg Abbott’s stay-at-home directive expires today (Thursday, April 31), and in a Monday afternoon news conference, Abbott announced that he would allow the state’s businesses to reopen in phases beginning on Friday.

Nearly 200 early ballots were cast by Canadian ISD voters in the May 2 school consolidation election, and in Higgins ISD, 94 early votes were cast when early voting ended at the close of business on Tuesday, April 28.

City Manager Joe Jarosek warned council members last week that the combined impact of plummeting oil prices, and declining sales tax receipts due to the coronavirus shutdown, will be significant as the process of preparing a budget for fiscal year 2020-21 begins.

The Mesa View Senior Living facility now officially resembles more home than construction site, with the work on completion of exterior walls underway, and selection of exterior finishes progressing. Hemphill County Hospital CEO Christy Francis reported to board members this week that some drainage issues have been identified following heavy rainfall last week, and construction of a berm began immediately to correct the problem. “In two weeks to a month,” she told the board, “you’re basically going to see the outside of the buildings completed, and work beginning on the inside. It’s coming together pretty well, I think.” The project completion date, at last report, was September 2020.

State and federal officials are reporting a shortage of blood donations amid the coronavirus pandemic, and have issued an urgent call for blood donors, citing special precautions that have been taken to ensure the safety of both donors and staff.

Canadian VFD emptied the fire station last Friday in response to back-to-back wildfires— the first of which was reported around 1 pm on SH 33 and CR 19.