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Budget discussions didn’t last long at Monday evening’s City Council meeting. The city had received its certified appraisal values for 2020, reflecting a drop in total taxable values from $130 million last year to $126.4 million now. Sharp declines in sales tax collections—which were down 21 percent in June, and are expected to worsen as the effect of COVID-19 shutdowns becomes clearer—will also have an impact on the city revenues.

About the time CISD board members called last Tuesday’s meeting to order, news reports broke that—under growing pressure from teachers, parents, and health officials—Texas education officials had extended the time that schools will be allowed to conduct online-only classes from three weeks to at least four, with provisions for additional waivers in areas hard-hit by the coronavirus.

Summer training for Canadian’s Lady Wildcat basketball team came to an abrupt end when a player tested positive for the coronavirus at the close of the first week of workouts. Since then, at least two other players have been confirmed COVID-positive, and they and the other 16 attendees are now quarantined for two weeks.

This past Saturday, members of the Canadian Church of Christ and First Christian Church banded together to serve the city of Canadian during the 5th Annual Go! Weekend. The initiative is designed to take church outside the building—simply to get out and help the city of Canadian, the school system, and people in need.

The coronavirus recession has led to layoffs and closed businesses everywhere, but rural America has fared better than the nation’s largest cities. The farther away a county is from a central city, the fewer jobs it lost as the effects of Covid-19 shuttered businesses and kept people out of stores, gyms, restaurants and airports.

The first in a miniseries of oil and gas short courses for land and mineral owners will kick off at 5:30 pm next Tuesday evening, July 21, in the Hemphill County Exhibition Center’s Sand Sage Room. The classes, which are designed to be no longer than two hours each, will be presented by Haley and Bryce Ward, both of whom have a broad range of expertise in varied aspects of the oil and gas industry.

AMARILLO—As the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) continues with the phased reopening of driver license (DL) offices, it is pleased to announce the expansion of in-person services across the state, which includes offering renewal and replacement appointments, as well as Saturday appointments for these services at select offices.