Here is a recap of what was featured in the Wednesday, Feb. 2, e-edition of the Taylor Press. The e-edition is mailed to subscribers and available at www.taylorpress.net.
FOOD DUDES
Old Taylor High was filled with hungry people ready to eat for a good cause this past Saturday.
On Jan. 29, the Annual Food Dudes Event was at The Gym venue in Taylor. Attendees paid a $60 ticket to benefit the Taylor Educational Enrichment (TEE) Foundation.
Stations and booths were set up throughout The Gym and offered appetizing samples, entrées and desserts. Restaurants, other businesses, entities and individuals lined up to serve everyone. People could help choose the event’s favorite food dudes by giving a station one of a handful tickets people were given upon entrance.
Silent and live auctions also took place during the event. One highlight was a Taylor Duck themed bench that was initially won by Tom Ford of Sirloin Stockade, but then it was immediately sold back to be re-auctioned. The bench was eventually sold to Victor David of Vic’s Heat & Air.
Moppy Miller, TEE Foundation executive director, recognized sponsors and the foundation’s board members during the event. She also mentioned how the TEE Foundation has brought in over $350,000 to go back into Taylor ISD classrooms.
“This is only possible because you guys are amazing,” said Miller.
The Taylor Educational Enrichment Foundation (TEE Foundation) offers teachers and administrators the opportunity to apply for grants to support creative programs or projects that encourage higher levels of student learning. The grants must enhance student academic performance, support the mission, goals and initiatives of the school district and support campus and district action plans.
NEW VIRUS CASES TREND DOWN
Confirmed cases of COVID-19, which include past and current cases reported to the Williamson County and Cities Health District (WCCHD), went up by 5,404 in Williamson County Jan. 25-31.
As of Monday, Jan. 31, WCCHD said there had been a total of 104,602 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Williamson County during the pandemic.
From Jan. 11-24, there was an average of 7,938 new cases each week. During Jan. 4-10, cases had gone up 7,415 cases. In the two preceding weeks, Dec. 21-Jan. 3, there was an average of more than 3,000 cases each week. Before Dec 21, cases had tallied well below a thousand each week since September.
WCCHD’s toll for deaths linked to the disease went up by 12 in seven days. The number stands at 796 as of Jan. 31.
In the past week, vaccinations increased by approximately half of 1% with 71% of Williamson County residents eligible for a vaccine being fully vaccinated as of Monday, Jan. 31, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Tracker.
Approximately 81.7% of eligible residents have received the first dose of either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines, each of which require two shots for full vaccination.
Local hospital space for people with COVID-19 has dropped. The health district reported 185 beds or 5% of beds for people with COVID-19 were vacant Monday, down from 211 beds and 6% one week earlier. In intensive care units, there were 7 beds or 1% available for COVID-19 patients as of Monday, down from 9 beds and 2%.
For more local stats on COVID-19, visit http://www.wcchd.org/COVID-19/dashboard.php.
