HP, UP Issue Emergency Health Declarations, Announce Municipal Postponements, Cancellations

(EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been updated to reflect that the town of Highland Park also issued a public health emergency declaration and to add postponements and cancellations from the town).

Highland Park Mayor Margo Goodwin and University Park Mayor Olin Lane signed public health emergency declarations for the town and city March 13  following Dallas County’s declaration in hopes of containing the spread of COVID-19.

Dallas County issued a declaration banning gatherings of 500 or more people after five new presumptive cases of COVID-19 were announced late Thursday night.

University Park’s declaration and Highland Park’s declaration went into effect immediately after they were issued and last for seven days unless it’s continued or renewed by the city or town council.  University Park city officials say they’re not canceling or suspending city council, planning and zoning commission, or board of adjustment meetings.

Although University Park hasn’t reported a presumptive positive case of the novel coronavirus as of the afternoon of March 13, the city also announced the following cancellations or postponements:

Wednesday Court Night – Suspended through Wednesday, April 1

UP Public Library Events and Meeting Room Activities – Suspended through April 30

March 28 Touchdown Club Barbecue – Postponed

April 4 Eggstravaganza – Canceled

April 18 Park Cities Recycling Event – Postponed

April 25 Antique Car Show – Postponed

April 25 Pet Microchip Event – Postponed

Officials with the town of Highland Park, for their part, announced March 12 that they’re postponing all library and parks and recreation event programming until further notice.

The town of Highland Park announced the following cancellations or postponements March 14:

March 17 Municipal Court Session – Postponed – Contact the Municipal Court for more information

April 25 Park Cities Recycling Event – Postponed

May 9 Household Hazardous Waste Drop Off Event – Postponed

 

Rachel Snyder

Rachel Snyder, former deputy editor at People Newspapers, joined the staff in 2019, returning to her native Dallas-Fort Worth after starting her career at community newspapers in Oklahoma. One of her stories won first place in its category in the Oklahoma Press Association’s Better Newspaper Contest in 2018. She’s a fan of puns and community journalism, not necessarily in that order.

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