KSTV News

Tarleton State University’s College of Science and Technology will host a virtual star party at 8 p.m. Friday, April 16. The free live-stream will originate from the observatory at Hunewell Ranch seven miles east of Stephenville. Virtual attendees will view live images and hear in real time from Tarleton astronomer Dr. Shaukat Goderya.

Historically, the observatory conducts an in-person public event in late fall and again in early spring. Dr. Goderya’s live-stream will enable audiences to see and hear about celestial objects in the evening sky. Objects faintly or not seen by the naked eye will be magnified greatly, providing those online a rare view of planets, their moons and distant galaxies.

Tarleton students are invited to view the live-stream in the planetarium on the Stephenville campus. Seating is limited to 43, and face coverings will be required and social-distancing rules followed.

Have you been thinking about volunteering and never got around to it? Maybe you need some community service hours? The Erath County Humane Society would love to have your help!

The facility has been really short handed in the mornings and need all the time you can spare. The kennels are over capacity and every single one needs cleaning/sanitizing in addition to the other morning chores. For those who may not be able to volunteer time, fosters are also needed. No financial obligations involved and it would free up some kennel space.

Anyone interested in volunteering or fostering, contact the organization via email: erathcountyhumanesociety@gmail.com or come stop by to fill out an application at 891 East Road, Stephenville.

Erath County’s COVID-19 dashboard on Friday showed seven new daily positive test results returned over the previous 24 hours. All seven patients reside in Stephenville. The good news is, nobody is currently hospitalized for COVID-19 illnesses in Erath County, and the death toll from the virus has remained the same for the past week. It now stands at 67 people wh ohave died since the pandemic began in March of 2020. A total of 3,157 people have been infected with the virus in Erath County since the beginning of the pandemic.

Elk Ridge Baptist Church is hosting Easter in the Park from from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, April 4, at Stephenville City Park, 378 W. Long.

Join the congregation for an outdoor church service followed by a picnic and egg hunt. All are welcome to attend this free event.

For more information, call Pastor Daniel McCabe at (254) 485-4441 or email danielmccabe@juno.com

The Stephenville Masonic Lodge is hosting a blood drive from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 3 at the lodge, 244 S. Columbia St.

A Carter BloodCare Blood Drive unit will be on hand to receive donations

To sign up online, visit ww2.greatpartners.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/123383.

For more information, call Johnnie Hutchins at (254) 396-1243 or email jthutch85@yahoo.com

The Cross Timbers Fine Arts Council welcomes back its annual Ragin’ Cajun Crawfish Boil & Silent Auction Fundraiser from 6-9 p.m. on Saturday, March 27 at City Limits, 1907 E. Washington St.

There will be an abundance of fun, food (all-you-can-eat crawdads and shrimp) and live Zydeco music.

All proceeds from the fundraiser benefit the Cross Timbers Fine Arts Council, allowing it to continue providing art, art-related events, and activities to Erath and surrounding counties.

Heath and safety protocols will be in place at the event and “to-go” orders will also be available for purchase on a first come/first served basis.

Individual tickets are $100 each; reserved tables are $750 each for a table of eight; and to-go tickets are $25 each. To purchase tickets, go to www.crosstimbersfinearts.org/event-details or call (254) 965-6190.

A bake sale benefiting the Erath County Humane Society is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2p.m. Saturday, April 3 at Pet Supplies Plus in Stephenville. Those wanting to donate baked goods are asked to fill out a form by clicking the link on the Erath County Humane Society website. Individuals donating items are asked to bring them to Pet Supplies Plus that morning between 9 and 10 a.m. For more information or questions, contact Renee Jackson at (254) 485-6940.

Tarleton State University has been named a 2021-22 Voter Friendly Campus by the Campus Vote Project and the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators. According to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, more than half of voters 18-29 cast a ballot in the 2020 presidential election. Campuses that participated in Voter Friendly Campus engagement programs were a significant factor in the historic turnout, even in the face of unprecedented challenges.

A bit of an uptick in positive daily cases of coronavirus in Erath County, but the county is still reporting cases in the single digits. Tuesday’s report showed there were 7 positive cases identified in the county over the previous 24 hour. Four people in Stephenville and three living in rural parts of the county. Also of note Tuesday, another person was admitted to the hospital for COVID-19 complications, so the county is now reporting two patients are hospitalized. The number of people considered to have active coronavirus in the community also rose from 15 to 21.

Low numbers continue for COVID-19 in Erath County. After reporting zero new daily tests results on Friday, the county reported two cases on Monday. Both patients live in Stephenville. Also, the county reported no patients hospitalized due to COVID-19, but one patient was admitted to the hospital yesterday, so the current hospilization rate is back to one. There are currently 15 people in the community who are considered to have active coronavirus, while a total of 3,124 people have been infected since the pandemic began a little more than a year ago.