 As part of Kosse's Sesquicentennial, Kosse 150, Champco, Inc. has purchased and begun the work on the historic brick building most commonly referred to as the old Rasco Grocery in at the corner of Narcissus and Hwy 7 in downtown Kosse. Efforts are being made to restore the building exterior to its appearance to when it was built in the late 1800's. They will also be building a new city hall and council-municipal court facilities inside. Upon completion, the City of Kosse will purchase the building. More information on the new city hall and other upcoming Kosse 150 projects will be announced in the coming weeks.  1930's Kosse Downtown  By Renegomezphotography.com
Limestone Emergency Management announced that the burn ban has been lifted as of Tuesday, September 8, 2020.
Get alerted about emergencies and other important community news by signing up for our Emergency Notification System. This system enables local officials to provide you with critical information quickly in a variety of situations, such as water outages, tornado warnings, unexpected road closures, missing persons and evacuations of buildings or neighborhoods. Sign up online at www.KosseTexas.com/city under “Emergency Alert System”.
The Kosse Community Center will be hosting a “FallFest Street Dance” on Saturday, October 10, 2020 starting at 8PM in downtown Kosse. Featured bands will be The Gordon Collier Band and West favorite Donna Beckham. Tickets are just $12 and coolers are welcome at this family-friendly event. Food and soft drinks will be available. Bring your chairs, masks and maintain social distancing so that everyone can enjoy the evening and stay safe. Proceeds benefit the non-profit Kosse Community Center and its programs. Call 254-375-2212 for more information.   The annual Kosse First United Methodist Church Bazaar will be held on Saturday, October 3, 2020 at the Methodist Pavilion on Hwy 14. In following COVID-19 safety recommendations, the Bazaar will be scaled back slightly this year. Come and enjoy the country store goodies, white elephant items, the bake sale, our exciting live auction and a huge raffle. This year, lunches will be available pre-boxed, with plans to offer BBQ sandwiches and beef tips and rice. This year’s raffle includes 12 great items highlighted by a $500 VISA gift card and a STIHL gas powered weedeater. The grand prize is a 42” SNAPPER Zero-Turn lawnmower. Raffle tickets are $5 each or 3 for $10 and are available at City Hall, Farmers State Bank or from a church member. We look forward to seeing everyone and ask that you remember to wear your mask and observe social distancing.
Casting Light Summer Speaking Series: Death and Dying Brought to Limestone County by the Massey Foundation Springfield Hall 199 Park Road 35 Groesbeck is the location for all sessions Email info@masseyfoundationtx.com for more details and if you plan to attend. The August 6th event is a ticketed event available through email. June 30, 2020 Topic: Am I Ready? Speaker: Dr. Thomas Q. Robbins Two Sessions: 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. July 6, 2020 Topic: The Promises to the 7 Churches of the Revelation Speaker: Pastor Mike Smith One Session: 6:00 p.m. July 14, 2020 Topic: Facing Death: How do I live to die? Speaker: Pastor Tracy Sims One Session: 6:00 p.m. August 6, 2020 Topic: What does it mean to be an American of Saving Faith in 2020? Speaker: Mr. Raphael Cruz One Session: 11:00 a.m. August 5 – 7 Christ Inspired Artwork Show by Dorrie Cobb. Preview her work on Facebook Gallery open to public August 6th and 7th from 1-4 p.m. 
 The Kosse Community Center and the City of Kosse will host the annual July 4th Independence Day Fireworks show and celebration at the Kosse City Park on Saturday, July 4, 2020. Starting at 6:00PM, there will be two big water slides for the kids and plenty of bottled water. Due to COVID-19 social distancing safety concerns, we will not be cooking or providing food this year. Families are invited to bring along a picnic dinner or snacks. The big fireworks show will start around 9:00PM. We have also made arrangements for those who wish to enjoy the festivities from their car or truck to be able to tune in to 87.9 on their radio to listen in.  .
 Residents of Limestone County will have the opportunity SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2020 to receive FREE COVID-19 Testing.
Testing will be offered this SATURDAY from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Kosse Community Center located at Hwy 14 & Adams St. in Kosse, Texas. Testing will be conducted BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. Visit TXCOVIDTEST.ORG or call 512-883-2400 for pre-registration or information. You will be screened to see if you have:
Testing is being conducted with the assistance of the Texas Military Department, Texas Division of Emergency Management, Texas Emergency Medical Task Force, and Texas Health and Human Service. Visit TXCOVIDTEST.ORG or call 512-883-2400 for pre-registration or information. Please help spread the word. The Kosse City Council held an emergency meeting on April 30, 2020. At the meeting, the Council voted to rescind the Shelter in Place rule for the City of Kosse effective May 1, 2020.
As of May 1, 2020, restaurants, stores and the Kosse Community Center will be allowed to open for business up to a maximum of fifty percent (50%) capacity. Barber shops and salons must remain closed at this time. Social distancing precautions are still in place.
 The latest figure for people who tested positive for COVID-19 virus and a count of those who died of the virus was shown Tuesday morning to be:
Global cases 2,113,226; global deaths 141,454. United States cases 629,264; U.S. deaths 26,708 Texas cases 15,907; Texas deaths 375. Limestone County cases 12; Limestone County deaths 1. These figures are based on (coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html) as of April 16, at 3 p.m. Limestone Medical Center Cares Family Medicine Center, Kosse Community Health Care and Rettig Family Health Care providers continue to see patients while taking all of the necessary precautions to keep our patients and our staff safe from COVID-19. We are following all of the CDC and Department of State Health Services guidelines. We are seeing patients during regular business hours. Patients that identify with symptoms of COVID-19 will be directed to the COVID-19 clinic specifically set up for the coronavirus. Patients are asked to wear masks during their time at the Clinics. If patients already have their own masks please bring. Patients with diabetes, hypertension and other conditions requiring regular visits are encouraged to come in for appointments to stay well. Family Medicine Center (254) 729-3411 Kosse Community Health Clinic (254) 375-7001 AUSTIN- Over half a million Texans have filed unemployment claims in the last 18 days as a result of COVID-19. The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) will soon outpace the total number of claims received in all of 2019. This unprecedented increase has led to long wait times, overwhelmed call centers and technical issues with the Unemployment Benefit Services portal. TWC staff is working around the clock to expand the capacity to take claims but needs your support. Effective immediately, TWC recommends that Texans stagger their calls and access to the online portal based on applicant’s area codes. “The outbreak of COVID-19 has reminded each of us the importance of acting with others in mind,” said TWC Executive Director Ed Serna. “Just as with the virus, we can treat this problem far more effectively if we work together and space out the demand rather than having everyone call at the same time. I know there are Texans worried about being out of work and missing their paychecks. We keep working until every Texan that needs help gets help. We are asking for you to join the effort.” Effective immediately, TWC asks that Texans use their area code to find their proposed call and access times listed below. See below chart for recommended call and access times:  Texans will not be penalized for a delay due to call or user volume. Claims for individuals affected by COVID-19 are eligible to be backdated. Staggering claims will provide help to reduce frustrations for many Texans and provide better access to needed services.
For more information on COVID-19 and unemployment benefits, visit: https://www.twc.texas.gov/news/covid-19-resources-job-seekers
First COVID-19 death in Limestone County
Limestone County Emergency Management Director Matt Groveton reported at noon that Health Region 7 has reported the county’s first COVID-19 virus death. A Mexia woman in her late 50’s to early 60’s passed away Tuesday, March 31. “It’s suspected that underlying health issue may have contributed to her death,” Groveton reported on the Emergency Management’s Facebook page. The patient was hospitalized in Mexia when she died. “At this point, everyone should know the COVID-19 is an indiscriminate killer,” Groveton said. “Please follow all CDC recommendations … your life depends on it.” Spring Cleanup postponed The Groesbeck Spring 2020 City Wide Cleanup Event that was scheduled for Friday and Saturday, April 3 & 4, 2020 has been postponed until further notice due to COVID-19. Governor issues executive order AUSTIN - Governor Greg Abbott on Tuesday issued an Executive Order implementing Essential Services and Activities Protocols for the entire state of Texas. The protocols direct all Texans to minimize non-essential gatherings and in-person contact with people who are not in the same household. The Governor’s Executive Order renews and amends his previous order enforcing federal social distancing guidelines for COVID-19, including closing schools and instructing Texans to avoid eating or drinking at bars and restaurants. The protocols allow exceptions for essential activities and services based on the Department of Homeland Security’s guidelines on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce. Examples of these essential services include healthcare, grocery stores, banking and financial services, utilities, child care for essential service employees, and government services. Governor Greg Abbott issued an executive order implementing “Essential Services and Activities Protocols” for the entire state of Texas. These direct Texans to minimize non-essential gatherings and in-person contact with people that are not in the same household.
The protocols allow exceptions for essential activities and services based on the Department of Homeland Security’s guidelines on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce. Essential services include healthcare, grocery stores, banking and financial services, utilities, child care for essential service employees and government services. The focus of the order is to highlight social distancing guidelines and extend their implementation at least until April 30. The order does not stop Texans from accessing essential services or engaging in essential daily activities, like going to the grocery store or gas station, providing or obtaining other essential services, hunting or fishing, or engaging in physical activity like jogging or bicycling. Anyone engaging in the listed activities should take necessary precautions to reduce the transmission of COVID-19. Exemptions for religious services conducted in churches, congregations and houses of worship were also included. All critical infrastructure will remain operational, and government entities and businesses will remain open. “Social distancing is our best tool in the fight against COVID-19, and the actions we have taken thus far have proven to be effective in limiting the spread of this virus,” Abbott said. “Now it is time to redouble our efforts to reduce further exposure as much as possible and flatten the curve.” The order maintains that the public should minimize social gatherings and minimize contact with people who are not in the same household, in addition to rules of avoiding eating or drinking at bars, restaurants, and food courts and visiting gyms or massage establishments. The order was expanded to include tattoo studios, piercing studios and cosmetology salons. Visitors are still prohibited at nursing homes aside from nursing staff, though most residences have options for communications available locally. This includes long-term care facilities and assisted living facilities. Schools will remain closed to in-person attendance through May 4 of this year. The Texas Department of Emergency Management will maintain an online list of essential services specified at www.tdem.texas.gov/essentialservices/. Other essential services will be added as approved. The order will remain in effect until midnight of April 30. Second confirmed case of COVID-19 Limestone now has its second Covid-19 positive confirmation. DSHS Region 7 advised that it is a man in his 60's and that his case was travel related and not the result of local community spread. Leon County announced their first Corona positive on Sunday. Governor takes statewide measures to address COVID-19 issues By Arthur DeVitalis news@groesbeckjournal.com Governor Greg Abbott has issued multiple directives and some executive orders over the last moving, in an attempt to clarify the law, create exemptions that work with the general public across the state and implement staff to handle the supply-chain issues faced by increased demand. He directed the Texas Department of State Health Services to allow the sale of bulk retail products from restaurant supply chain distributors directly to consumers. In this way, supplies obtained by owners for previously-anticipated crowds. Said foods must be in original condition, packaging or presented as received by the restaurant. Under this guidance, restaurants will be able to sell items like packaged meat, fruit and vegetables, and dry goods directly to the public to prepare and consume at home. These bulk food items would be available for purchase through restaurants offering drive-thru, delivery, pick-up, and curbside service. The Supply Chain Strike Force secured more than $83 million of purchase orders for essential supplies. Additionally, the Governor announced that the Texas Division of Emergency Management will begin receiving 100,000 masks per day by the end of last week. The SCSF also began receiving 100,000. The state is now receiving more than 1 million statewide. A portal accessible through www.texas.gov serves as the intake process for individuals or groups wanting to provide valid leads on PPE and donations. Volunteers and volunteer professionals, including those with medical skills, can find an outlet here as well. “The State of Texas is rapidly accelerating the purchasing and delivery of essential personal protective equipment and other supplies to aid in our COVID-19 response,” said Governor Abbott. “The Supply Chain Strike Force is working in concert with the Texas Division of Emergency Management to secure these vital resources and to swiftly distribute them to medical professionals, hospitals, and first responders in communities throughout the state. Certain hospital licensing rules and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission also adopted an emergency rule to increase hospital capacities in Texas while the state responds to COVID-19. For certain facilities that have pending licenses or facilities that have been closed for no more than 36 months, facilities can come online under existing hospital building licenses. These facilities will be administered and operated by hospitals with existing licenses. The waivers that remove certain mileage restrictions will allow hospitals to operate additional facilities that are more than 30 miles away from the central hospital. Governor Abbott directed the HHSC to waive certain regulatory requirements regarding facility license renewals. These waivers allow general, special and psychiatric hospitals, free-standing emergency medical facilities and end-stage renal facilities to renew their license without a fire marshal's report. The facilities will still be required to update their records at a later date. The United States Department of Agriculture seeking permission to allow Texas Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program recipients to use their benefits at the take out and drive-through locations. A licensing grace period for Registered Nurses This grace period will allow nurses who are otherwise in good standing to continue practicing and will give them additional time to renew their license without added fees and penalties. If approved, federal Medicaid flexibilities applied for by state officials would include temporarily extending existing prior authorizations for services, extending deadlines for state fair hearings and appeals, allowing services to be performed by telehealth, telemedicine, or telephonic contact, extending current medical necessity, service authorizations and level of care authorizations for Medicaid programs, and allowing the state to waive any requirements that require the signature of a physician, durable medical equipment provider or Medicaid recipient. Streamlining provider enrollment for out-of-state and new providers to increase the number of providers in Texas, which will ensure continued access to care. Provisions also include waiving requirements that health are professionals be licensed in the state in which they are providing services, so long as they have equivalent licensing in another state. Interest-free federal loans, known as Title XII funds, will be utilized to pay unemployment claims. Title XII is a federal process that allows states to receives advance loans from the federal government to continue to cover unemployment benefit payments without disruption. In a request letter to Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia, Governor Abbott authorized the Texas Workforce Commission to officially request access to these additional funds. Department of Labor’s approval would allow Texas to apply for federal loans that would be interest-free through the end of the current calendar year. In the past, TWC received loans then issued bonds to pay them off. The agency has never missed making a payment to an eligible claimant. HHS also announced $250 million in grants from the Administration for Community Living (ACL) to help communities provide meals for older adults. Texas received a grant for $16,205,796. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act, signed into law by President Trump March 18, provided the additional funding for the nutrition services programs authorized by the Older Americans Act of 1965. These programs provide meals to more than 2.4 million older adults each year, both through home delivery and in places like community centers. The need for these services, particularly home-delivered and packaged meals, has increased as community measures to slow transmission of COVID-19 have closed meal sites and have left many family caregivers unable to assist their older loved ones. Funding has been provided to states, territories, and tribes for subsequent allocation to local meal providers. Grant amounts are determined based on the population-based formulas defined in the Older Americans Act. Older adults who need assistance can contact the Eldercare Locator to find services available in their community. The Eldercare Locator can be reached at 1-800-677-1116 or https://eldercare.acl.gov/. For more information about COVID-19, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html. For more information about the Older Americans Act nutrition programs, please visit ACL.gov. Those traveling from specific states must comply with mandatory 14-day quarantines, according to an executive order issued by Abbott. States were altered from the Tri-State area in New York and Louisiana to more states heavily affected, including Miami, California and more. Menus for Kosse's Restaurants are Posted Here! Pick up the phone and place an order. You can pick up a great meal and take it home to enjoy! Click on the menu image to view a printable menu. Links to their Facebook pages and specials are here too.AUSTINS MCCARVER FAMILY STEAKHOUSE (254) 375-2345
  KOSSE CAFE - (254) 375-2274
    KASA KOSSE - (254) 375-2600
    Due to the CoronaVirus crisis, the Kosse Spring Festival scheduled for April 25, 2020 has been postponed.  |
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