Diez y Seis canceled due to COVID concerns

By Miles Smith
Lockhart Post-Register

Citing COVID-19 case numbers, the Greater Caldwell County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce canceled this year’s Diez Y Seis festivities.
“This was not an easy decision to make,” the chamber said in a written statement. “However, the board voted to cancel the event in light of COVID-19 numbers on the rise, ensuring public safety, and taking into account other organizations that have canceled their events.”
The GCCHC will host Thursday’s Lockhart Chamber of Commerce Luncheon at the First Lockhart Baptist Church Connection Center located at 200 S. Blanco St. Enchiladas will be served.
Mayor Lew White called the move by the GCCHC “very responsible.”
“The city did not cancel this event, but I applaud (the GCCHC) for taking that action,” White said.
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, Caldwell County has had 6,545 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. As of Tuesday, the DSHS estimated the number of active cases in Caldwell County at 745.
To date, there have been 115 COVID-19 fatalities in Caldwell County.
At Tuesday’s meeting of the Lockhart City Council, council members discussed whether to allow other fall events hosted by community partners at city-owned facilities proceed as planned.
Future noteworthy fall events include Evening with the Authors, National Night Out, Hill Country Barbecue Cookoff, Speaking of the Dead, Courthouse Nights and A Dickens Christmas.
Council members voted 6-1 to let the events continue pending review by Lockhart Fire Chief/EMC Randy Jenkins and city health official Dr. Charles Laurence. Events will need to have a clearly defined COVID-19 policy that promotes social distancing, hand sanitizers, wearing masks and considerations for limiting attendance.
Mayor Pro-Tem Angie Gonzales-Sanchez voted against the motion made by council member Kara McGregor.
“As much as I enjoy these events, last year, we only had COVID-19 to worry about. This year, we have COVID-19 and the Delta variant,” she said.
Council member Brad Westmoreland said the barbecue cookoff scheduled for later this fall at Lockhart City Park was really the only one that concerned him from an attendance standpoint.
“I think we need to take each event as it comes,” Westmoreland said.