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142 Years, Number 28 Bellville, Texas 77418, Thursday, July 9, 2020 USPS-49-200 - Single Copy $1.25

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Four arrested in local vehicle theftsA string of auto thefts in

Bellville may have been solved with the arrests of two adults and two juveniles in Bryan on Monday.

A Chevrolet Equinox was one of two vehicles stolen in Bellville either late Sunday night June 28, or in the early morning hours of Monday, June 29.

According to reports, four people were taken into custody after Bryan police followed a stolen vehicle to

JECORIUS TRAVONKENNEDY

BRANDON JAMAAL HOLLIS

a Bryan convenience store.The police was tracking

a car stolen from Bellville when it stopped at a gas station on Booneville Road at around 7:30 p.m. on Monday, June 29.

According to the report, when police approached the vehicle, a Chevrolet Equinox, the driver and another passenger fled on foot.

Two individuals remained in the car, and police officers

tracked down the duo that fled the scene to a nearby neighborhood.

The two adults, 18-year-old Jecorius Travon Kennedy and 18-year-old Brandon Jamaal Hollis, along with the two juveniles, were arrested on several charges including unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, unlawfully carrying a weapon and various drug possession charges.

All four individuals arrested are Bryan

residents.Bellville Police Lt. Jason

Smalley said that he was told by an investigator from the Bryan Police Department that a group of teenagers and young adults have been responsible for recent crimes committed in Bryan.

Smalley said there have been a string of recent vehicle thefts and vehicle burglaries in Bellville,

(See ARRESTED, 2A)

Photo By Angie Grawunder

Happy Birthday USA!Colorful displays lit up the night-time skies on Saturday, July 4 as the United States celebrated Independence Day. While the COVID-19 coronavirus caused the cancellation of many public events, including the Kenney Barbecue, families and small groups still gathered to celebrate the Nation’s birthday.

Photo By Bruce White

From the Top of the HillThe view from the hill on a summer’s night is a great setting to watch Bellville Little League baseball. The Bellville Backyard Ballerz team is ready in the field as pitcher Dylan Luera works from the mound in the Wednesday, July 1 game against a Hempstead team. Hempstead had baserunners but none scored in this inning, and the Bellville squad earned the victory.

During the June 16 Bellville City Council meeting, the strategic goals for the City of Bellville as put forth by the Strategic Planning committee were approved quickly by a unanimous vote.

This is not the first time a “vision” for Bellville has been undertaken, but it certainly may have stronger legs than those in the past.

An example comes from 1997 when Vision Bellville was organized. The group, made up of interested citizens, Chamber of Commerce, Bellville Industrial Foundation and City of Bellville personnel, started strong, and it’s mission statement was “To provide an opportunity for social and economic vitality by providing vision focus and leadership through barrier-free communication and economic development.”

This was prior to the formation of the Bellville EDC in 1998.

The three goals for Vision Bellville were to:

• Increase tourism and recreation while maintaining the historic small-town atmosphere

• Recruit, retain and promote small business and Industry

• Provide adequate and well-maintained infrastructure to support these efforts.

There were weekly meetings early in 1997 for study of a Texas Main Street Program for Bellville, and later in the year

there was a town hall meeting to discuss Bellville’s vision.

But the last mention of Vision Bellville came in a March 9, 1999 BEDC meeting.

There have been other studies, including those from the University of North Texas and Texas A&M, but the Strategic Plan appears to be the first since Vision Bellville that is entirely locally generated.

The Strategic plan committee formed in May of 2019, and stayed focus on its task at hand.

The Strategic Plan Committee has composed five goals for the upcoming City of Bellville fiscal year.

They include:• Strategic Communications• City Cleanliness• Ministerial Alliance• Grant/Incentive Research and

Application• Disaster Management Review.The five passed by a unanimous 9-0

vote of the Strategic Plan committee members, which include: Mayor James Harrison; City Alderman Garrett Dornon; Ric Flores and Trey Werner, who represent the Bellville EDC; Ross Farrell and Jason Sartain, who represent the Bellville Chamber of Commerce; at large members Doug Lottridge, Linda Niehuus and Grant Lischka.

Also, on the committee are BEDC

City OKs strategic goals

(See GOALS, 2A)

The Bellville Independent School District’s board of trustees approved an amended calendar for the 2020-21 school year.

While no one knows what kind of effect the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic will have on the upcoming school year, the district is preparing just in case.

The only change in the calendar adds 14 makeup days from Tuesday, June 1 through Friday, June 18, that could be used if needed.

The remainder of the calendar remains unchanged with students scheduled to start school on Aug. 18, and graduation set for Friday, May 28.

BISD Superintendent Dr.

Nicole Poenitzsch told the board of trustees during their June 25 meeting at the Administration Building that the district closure makeup days would only be used if needed. She said they would start on Tuesday, June 1 so students would have a three-day weekend, following graduation, for Memorial Day (May 31).

While in some emergency situations like inclement weather, such as flooding and hurricanes, cannot be anticipated, Dr. Poenitzsch said the State is saying, “COVID is an emergency we can plan for (and will be required to make up days).

She said one of the concerns that comes into

play could happen with remote learning. “If you are out and you are doing remote learning, and you do not have many kids participating that day, it’s not the intent of the state to grant a low attendance day waiver. So, we could locally choose to close that day and then make the day up.”

During her report, Dr. Poenitzsch said that BISD would release a draft of the 2020-21 operational guidelines on July 6.

“It looks like we will have more discretion on how we will return in August,” she said.

The district also recently conducted a community survey where parents could

provide key input regarding the upcoming school year.

Bellville is preparing for instruction both in the school classrooms and online.

“The plan is that all the teachers will run an online course at the same time they are running an on-site course,” she said.

Dr. Poenitzsch said she does believe the district will screen every student each day.

She said if a student has symptoms, there will be a second screening, and if the student is running a fever, that student will not be allowed to return to school until he or she is fever free for 24 hours.

BISD trustees amend 2020-21 calendar

(See CALENDAR, 2A)

The Bellville Independent School District’s board of trustees continues to move forward with capital improvement projects.

During the Thursday, June 25 meeting at the Administration Building, the trustees heard a report from Dr. Michael Coopersmith, Executive Director for Administration, on the progress of the various projects.

The largest of which is the West End Elementary School roof project, which is currently under way.

Dr. Coopersmith said the roof is on track to be completed by Aug. 2, but the long-term skylights will not be in place until later in August or September. He said there will be no disruption of school time.

During a special meeting on June 18, the board approved the roof and HVAC replacement for West End. In order to pay for it out of the fund balance, CFO Dennis

BISD projects advancing

(See PROJECTS, 2A)

Whatever became of korfball? See Sidelines

- - Page 1B

ACYRA readies for season-ending awards night - - Page 1B

City council hears airport update - - Page 2A

Former 911 board member takes issue with commissioner’s comments - - Page 3A

County Bridge work set - - Page 3A

Abbott requiringface masks are to be worn in public

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered face coverings must be worn in public. The order went into effect this past Friday at noon.

The Governor’s order was put in place due to the COVID-19 coronavirus’s recent surge. Because Austin County has more than 20 active confirmed cases, it falls under the

order.How strongly it will be

enforced locally will be a local law enforcement decision.

According to the order:“Every person in Texas

shall wear a face covering over the nose and mouth when inside a commercial entity or other building or

(See ORDER, 6A)

• Rose• Treu

There may be people that have more talent than you, but there’s no excuse for

anyone to work harder than you do... - - - Derek Jeter