A week after Gov. Greg Abbott kicked off his latest phase of reopening the Texas economy by allowing all businesses to open, state data shows the COVID-19 pandemic continues to worsen across most indicators. On Monday, the state reported 1,935 Texans were being...
Coronavirus
back to archiveCOVID-19 data shows we should ‘tap the brakes’ says Texas House Minority Leader Chris Turner
State Rep. and House Minority Leader Chris Turner is sounding the alarm on the rising number of COVID-19 cases as Gov. Greg Abbott kicks off his latest phase of reopening Texas. "On Monday, Texas saw its highest 7-day average of new cases since the pandemic began,”...
Abbott starts phase three to open Texas economy during coronavirus
Governor Greg Abbott announced on Wednesday that all businesses can open at 50 percent capacity “with very limited exceptions,” as part of the third phase of reopening the Texas economy. In his executive order, effective immediately, Abbott also stated that bars and...
Trump’s marginalization of face masks could jeopardize economic recovery
Partisanship over social distancing guidelines could set back economic recovery as states continue to open and the COVID-19 death toll eclipses 100,000. President Trump’s administration says that wearing face masks in public will help slow the spread of the virus but...
In Texas, summer camps can reopen but it’s still a mixed bag
For many kids around Texas, summer is a magical time. No school. No curfew. And time away from home at summer camp. With COVID-19, that seemed poised to change. However, Texas is one of many states that will be allowing summer camps to open on May 31. The governor’s...
Abbott facing bipartisan criticism over $295M contract for contact tracing
Republicans and Democrats are both questioning Gov. Greg Abbott over a $295 million contract for COVID-19 contact tracing. Most of the criticism has focused on the hasty process and its lack of transparency but some conservatives have also expressed privacy concerns...
Texas Supreme Court Justice Debra Lehrmann tests positive for COVID-19
Today Texas Supreme Court Justice Debra Lehrmann and her husband both tested positive for the coronavirus. She is the highest-ranking official in Texas who is known to have tested positive for the virus. Just yesterday, Lehrmann participated “in an appeal over...
Gov. Abbott’s base comes with gloves and masks off
Texas’ progressive populist Jim Hightower once said, “the only thing in the middle of the road are yellow lines and dead armadillos.” It’s a fate Governor Abbott would like to avoid as he tries to balance reopening the state between the advice of public health...
Abbott can’t pick and choose his favorite COVID-19 data
Gov. Greg Abbott announced Monday that most Texas businesses, from bars to bowling alleys, will be allowed to reopen. In a press conference updating Texans about the news, Abbott said he focused on two metrics to guide his decisionmaking: hospital capacity and the...