GALVESTON COUNTY WEEKEND EDITION · By MATT DEGROOD The Daily News » GALVESTON Within a week or...
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HEALTH: Companies test antibody drugs to treat, prevent COVID-19 » B3 G A LV E S T O N C O U N T Y T EXAS ’ OLDEST NEWSPAPER • P UBLISHING S INCE 1842 • C ELEBRATING 178 YEARS Thursday, August 13, 2020 • galvnews.com 93 84 » A8 • $2 Vol. 178, No. 89 6 45485 00100 7 © 2020 The Galveston County Daily News INDEX ABBY B4 LIVING B1 LOTTERY A2 MARKETS B2 OBITUARIES C1 OPINION A4 PUZZLES B4 LATEST NEWS ONLINE galvnews.com TRANSPORTATION | ROAD PROJECT By JOHN WAYNE FERGUSON The Daily News » GALVESTON e Texas Department of Transportation wants to build a bridge over a troubled island intersection as part of its plan to bring the Interstate 45 expansion project to Galveston. e department on Tuesday released details about its plans to begin the Galveston part of the yearslong expansion project and is seeking public comment from residents and stakeholders about its plans. e biggest feature in the pro- posed expansion is a new direct connection between a north- bound traffic lane on 61st Street and the outbound side of the in- terstate. e ramp would allow traf- fic to move off the island more quickly, officials said. Outbound traffic on 61st Street is frequently CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK | TRAVEL By KERI HEATH The Daily News » GALVESTON Worried about the corona- virus in airplanes and hotel rooms, many Texans are tak- ing to the road and taking their lodging along for the ride. In Galveston, businesses have benefited from a summer surge in popularity of RVing, continuing a pandemic trend that’s driving people to more outdoor activities — a benefit to the island’s outdoor tourism industry. People still want to trav- el, but they’re changing what they’re looking for, said Mi- chael Woody, chief tourism officer for the Galveston Island Park Board of Trustees. e park board promotes is- land tourism and manages Del- lanera RV Park, 10901 FM 3005. “More people are traveling by car and RV, which shows up in our data,” Woody said. “People are seeking outdoor destinations and activities, like fishing and beach-going, because they can adequately social distance while partici- pating in these activities.” e park board made $140,997 in July 2020 from the RV park, $28,332 more than the $112,665 it made in the same month last year, accord- ing to its records. Occupancy was about the same, at 87 percent this year and 85 percent last year. Dellanera is the only park board-managed RV park, oth- er than Seawolf Park, where revenue also was up in July this year compared with the same month a year ago. At Sandpiper RV Resort, 201 Seawall Blvd., it’s busy, Market- ing Director Mylinda Carter said. “It’s trendy right now,” Carter said. RV travel soars among Texans leery of planes, hotels STUART VILLANUEVA/The Daily News Roger Williams hooks his camper up to utilities after he and his wife, Sally, arrived at Dellanera RV Park in Galveston from their home in Dallas on Wednesday. STUART VILLANUEVA/The Daily News A man walks his dog past a row of parked campers and RVs at Dellanera RV Park in Galveston on Wednesday. I-45 project to displace island businesses, ease traffic College in the time of COVID-19: Sea Aggies return to campus as questions about safety measures linger. COMING THURSDAY GOVERNMENT | HISTORY By MATT DEGROOD The Daily News » LEAGUE CITY Even people who walked into Tuesday’s city council meeting knowing nothing about the his- tory of Galveston County’s big- gest city probably leſt with a fairly complete picture, thanks to May- or Pat Hallisey. Hallisey, in defense of the But- ler Longhorn Museum taking over management of the historic Ghirardi House, expounded for more than 30 minutes on League City’s history — including the Italian immigrants who built a farming community and a time, possibly mythical, when Clear Creek actually ran clear. Aſter that, and aſter more than Lectured council votes to support museum agreement THE DAILY NEWS/File photo Rita Ghirardi walks with Monica Hughes, executive director at the Butler Longhorn Museum in League City on July 26, 2019. CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK | GOVERNMENT RELIEF By LISA MASCARO Associated Press » WASHINGTON e White House’s top ne- gotiator tried to revive stalled talks Wednesday over corona- virus aid, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Dem- ocratic leader Chuck Schumer dismissed the “overture,” say- ing the Trump administration is still refusing to meet them halfway. Treasury Secretary Ste- ven Mnuchin reached out to the Democratic leaders as it be- comes increas- ingly unlikely there will not be any new relief for Americans until Congress resumes in September. e two sides are wide apart. “e White House is not budging,” Pelosi and Schumer said in a joint statement. Mnuchin disputed their account and shot back: “e Democrats have no interest in negotiating.” e House is now on recess with the Senate only nominal- ly in session until the end of this week. Lawmakers are be- ing told they could be recalled to Washington on 24-hour notice, but there are few signs of a breakthrough, despite the mounting death toll, surpassing Democrats, Mnuchin at odds after ‘overture’ for virus talks STEVEN MNUCHIN See 1-45 PROJECT » A6 GO TO GALVNEWS. COM FOR DETAILS ON TXDOT’S 1-45 IMPROVEMENT PROJECT See MUSEUM » A6 See RV TRAVEL » A7 See TALKS » A7
Transcript of GALVESTON COUNTY WEEKEND EDITION · By MATT DEGROOD The Daily News » GALVESTON Within a week or...
HEALTH: Companies test antibody drugs to treat, prevent COVID-19 » B3
G A L V E S T O N C O U N T Y
Texas’ OldesT Newspaper • publishiNg siNce 1842 • celebraTiNg 178 Years
Thursday, August 13, 2020 • galvnews.com 93 84 » A8 • $2
Vol. 178, No. 89
6 45485 00100 7
6 45485 00250 9
© 2020 The Galveston County Daily News
INDEX ABBY B4 LIVING B1 LOTTERY A2 MARKETS B2 OBITUARIES C1 OPINION A4 PUZZLES B4
LATEST
NEWS ONLINE
galvnews.com
TRANSPORTATION | ROAD PROJECT
By JOHN WAYNE FERGUSONThe Daily News
» GALVESTON
The Texas Department of Transportation wants to build a bridge over a troubled island intersection as part of its plan to bring the Interstate 45 expansion project to Galveston.
The department on Tuesday released details about its plans to begin the Galveston part of the yearslong expansion project and is seeking public comment from residents and stakeholders about its plans.
The biggest feature in the pro-
posed expansion is a new direct connection between a north-bound traffic lane on 61st Street and the outbound side of the in-terstate.
The ramp would allow traf-fic to move off the island more quickly, officials said. Outbound traffic on 61st Street is frequently
CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK | TRAVEL
By KERI HEATHThe Daily News
» GALVESTON
Worried about the corona-virus in airplanes and hotel rooms, many Texans are tak-ing to the road and taking their lodging along for the ride.
In Galveston, businesses have benefited from a summer surge in popularity of RVing, continuing a pandemic trend that’s driving people to more outdoor activities — a benefit to the island’s outdoor tourism industry.
People still want to trav-el, but they’re changing what they’re looking for, said Mi-chael Woody, chief tourism officer for the Galveston Island Park Board of Trustees.
The park board promotes is-land tourism and manages Del-lanera RV Park, 10901 FM 3005.
“More people are traveling by car and RV, which shows up in our data,” Woody said. “People are seeking outdoor destinations and activities, like fishing and beach-going, because they can adequately social distance while partici-
pating in these activities.”The park board made
$140,997 in July 2020 from the RV park, $28,332 more than the $112,665 it made in the same month last year, accord-ing to its records.
Occupancy was about the same, at 87 percent this year and 85 percent last year.
Dellanera is the only park board-managed RV park, oth-
er than Seawolf Park, where revenue also was up in July this year compared with the same month a year ago.
At Sandpiper RV Resort, 201 Seawall Blvd., it’s busy, Market-ing Director Mylinda Carter said.
“It’s trendy right now,” Carter said.
RV travel soars among Texans leery of planes, hotels
STUART VILLANUEVA/The Daily NewsRoger Williams hooks his camper up to utilities after he and his wife, Sally, arrived at Dellanera RV Park in Galveston from their home in Dallas on Wednesday.
STUART VILLANUEVA/The Daily NewsA man walks his dog past a row of parked campers and RVs at Dellanera RV Park in Galveston on Wednesday.
I-45 project to displace island
businesses, ease traffic
College in the time of COVID-19: Sea Aggies return to campus as questions about safety measures linger.
COMING THURSDAY
GOVERNMENT | HISTORY
By MATT DEGROODThe Daily News
» LEAGUE CITY
Even people who walked into Tuesday’s city council meeting knowing nothing about the his-tory of Galveston County’s big-gest city probably left with a fairly complete picture, thanks to May-or Pat Hallisey.
Hallisey, in defense of the But-
ler Longhorn Museum taking over management of the historic Ghirardi House, expounded for more than 30 minutes on League City’s history — including the Italian immigrants who built a farming community and a time, possibly mythical, when Clear Creek actually ran clear.
After that, and after more than
Lectured council votes to support
museum agreement
THE DAILY NEWS/File photoRita Ghirardi walks with Monica Hughes, executive director at the Butler Longhorn Museum in League City on July 26, 2019.
CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK | GOVERNMENT RELIEF
By LISA MASCAROAssociated Press
» WASHINGTON
The White House’s top ne-gotiator tried to revive stalled talks Wednesday over corona-virus aid, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Dem-ocratic leader Chuck Schumer dismissed the “overture,” say-ing the Trump administration is still refusing to meet them halfway.
Treasury Secretary Ste-
ven Mnuchin reached out to the Democratic leaders as it be-comes increas-ingly unlikely there will not be any new relief for Americans until Congress
resumes in September. The two sides are wide apart.
“The White House is not budging,” Pelosi and Schumer said in a joint statement.
Mnuchin disputed their account and shot back: “The Democrats have no interest in negotiating.”
The House is now on recess with the Senate only nominal-ly in session until the end of this week. Lawmakers are be-ing told they could be recalled to Washington on 24-hour notice, but there are few signs of a breakthrough, despite the mounting death toll, surpassing
Democrats, Mnuchin at odds after ‘overture’ for virus talks
STEVEN MNUCHIN
See 1-45 PROJECT » A6
GO TO GALVNEWS.COM FOR DETAILS ON TXDOT’S 1-45 IMPROVEMENT
PROJECT
See MUSEUM » A6
See RV TRAVEL » A7
See TALKS » A7
