We’re keeping track of the most up-to-date news about the coronavirus in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area. Check back for updates.

Texas leaders ask state agencies, universities to cut budgets by 5% due to coronavirus

Texas top leaders are asking state agencies and higher education institutions to identify areas where their budgets can be reduced by 5% for the 2020-21 biennium in order to combat the economic downturn caused by the novel coronavirus’ outbreak.

In a letter Wednesday, Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dennis Bonnen said it was necessary to take action now to offset not only current revenue losses, but ensure “the smoothest path toward recovery.”

State leaders requested that state agencies and universities submit plans identifying savings by June 15 to both the Office of the Governor and Legislative Budget Board.

“We are confident that Texas will get back to work and continue leading the nation in job growth, economic innovation, and business creation,” the letter read. “However, it will take months until we know the true extent of the economic ramifications of COVID-19, and how combating this virus will impact state finances. To prepare for this economic shock, we must take action today to ensure that the state can continue providing the essential government services that Texans expect.”

The letter suggested delaying capital expenses, avoiding travel, keeping open positions that are not essential to responding to the pandemic and forgoing any “administrative expenses that are not mission critical.”

A burger favorite’s landmark TCU location has closed for good amid recession

Fred’s Texas Cafe has closed its landmark TCU-area location on Blue Bonnet Circle, co-owner Quincy Wallace said Wednesday.

Fred’s owners are “putting all our effort” into reopening the iconic burger restaurant’s Currie Street mothership, Wallace said. A third location, “Fred’s North” on Western Center Boulevard, already reopened.

Fred’s TCU opened in 2013, replacing a short-lived Love Shack that had filled the vacancy left by two old-time neighborhood hangouts, Caro’s Restaurant and the Oui Lounge. Caro’s also operated briefly as Dos Juans.

Blue Bonnet Circle, a frequent hangout for Horned Frogs football fans, underwent street construction and parking changes. But business was still good before the coronavirus recession.

Fed appeals court temporarily pauses expansion of vote by mail in Texas amid coronavirus

A federal appeals court temporarily stayed a lower court’s ruling Wednesday that would have expanded eligibility for mail-in ballots amid the novel coronavirus’ outbreak.

A panel of judges from the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans sided with Attorney General Ken Paxton Wednesday afternoon, and granted an administrative stay of U.S. District Judge Fred Biery’s order that allows eligible Texas voters, regardless of their age, to qualify for a mail-in ballot to avoid contracting the novel coronavirus amid the pandemic.

Paxton had appealed Biery’s ruling Wednesday, and asked the 5th Circuit to issue a temporary stay while it weighs whether the ruling should be blocked as the state’s appeal is considered. The Texas Democratic Party and voters challenging the state have until 3 p.m. on Thursday to respond.

Paxton applauded the temporary stay in a statement Wednesday night.

“Protecting the integrity of elections is one of my top priorities, and allowing universal mail-in ballots would only lead to greater fraud and disenfranchise lawful voters,” Paxton said. “Law established by the Legislature must be followed consistently, including carefully limiting who may and may not vote by mail.”

The Texas Democratic Party did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

COVID-19 cases over time

Coronavirus daily case counts over time by local counties in the Dallas - Fort Worth metroplex. Tap the arrow button to replay the animation. Data provided by Texas Health and Human Services and local counties.

Steve Wilson swilson@star-telegram.com

Tarrant County reports 68 new coronavirus cases, 2 deaths in Fort Worth, Arlington

An Arlington man in his 40s and a Fort Worth man in his 70s have died from the coronavirus, Tarrant County health officials reported Wednesday.

One of the two men had underlying health conditions, according to health officials, but they did not report which one.

The county confirmed 68 new COVID-19 cases for a total of 4,711, including 132 deaths and 1,716 recoveries.

More than half of the total coronavirus cases in Tarrant County have been in Fort Worth with 2,484 cases, including 83 deaths. Arlington has been the second-most struck city in the county with 860 cases, including 13 deaths.

Dallas County passes 8,000 coronavirus cases, nears 200 deaths despite ‘gradual decline’

Dallas County reported 186 new coronavirus cases and deaths in five different cities on Wednesday.

Overall, the county has had 8,090 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 196 deaths.

The latest coronavirus deaths include an Irving man in his 40s; a Farmer’s Branch man in his 50s; a Grand Prairie woman in her 70s; a Mesquite man in his 70s, and a man in his 70s who was a resident of a Dallas long-term care facility. All had been hospitalized.

“Today’s number of cases is markedly lower than what we saw last week and now halfway through the week we’re seeing a healthy decline in the number of new positive cases,” Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said in a release. “We have not seen an appreciable increase in testing yet in Dallas although there has been some increase in testing sites with the opening of some Walmart, Kroger Health and other sites.”

Jenkins said health officials want to see more data before declaring it a sustained decrease in new COVID-19 cases.

“We’ve seen an increase, then a plateau, and now we’re seeing a gradual decline,” he said. “The doctors tell me to temper my optimism on this and that the key numbers to look at are ICU admissions, hospital beds and deaths, but I’d rather see the number of new cases going down than up.”

Jenkins urged residents to continue practicing social distancing and to “focus not on what is legal, but on what is safe as advised by the doctors.”

Denton County reports most new coronavirus cases in almost 2 months

Denton County reported 45 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, the most since March 27.

The county has confirmed 1,161 COVID-19 cases, including 28 deaths and 592 recoveries.

The 45 new cases are the most since health officials reported 54 on March 27. In the seven days prior to Wednesday, Denton County averaged 21 new cases a day. The last time the county reported 30 or more cases was 32 on April 8.

The first case in Denton County was reported on March 15. The county hasn’t reported a coronavirus-related death since May 14.

Collin County reported 17 new coronavirus cases for a total of 1,090, including 31 deaths and 740 recoveries. Collin hasn’t reported a coronavirus-related death since May 15.

Fort Worth’s Pier 1 Imports is going out of business. Stores will reopen to liquidate

The reopening of retail stores after the COVID outbreak will be a curtain call of sorts for Pier 1 Imports.

The Fort Worth-based business announced Tuesday that it is seeking bankruptcy court approval to wind down its business after failing to find a buyer that would continue to operate the company. The company filed for bankruptcy protection in February.

The company said it plans liquidation sales once stores can reopen in compliance with COVID-19 guidelines. Orders are still being processed through Pier1.com, the company said.

“We are grateful to our dedicated and hardworking associates, millions of customers and committed vendors who have collectively supported Pier 1 for decades,” Robert Riesbeck, Pier 1 chief executive officer and chief financial officer, said in a press release.

“We deeply value our associates, customers, business partners and the communities in which we operate, and this is not the outcome we expected or hoped to achieve,” Riesbeck said. “This decision follows months of working to identify a buyer who would continue to operate our business going forward. Unfortunately, the challenging retail environment has been significantly compounded by the profound impact of COVID-19, hindering our ability to secure such a buyer and requiring us to wind down.”

Texas Rangers, area school districts are working to keep Class of 2020 safe at home

The Texas Rangers hosted representatives on Wednesday from the 18 schools districts from across the Metroplex that will use the team’s new $1.2 billion ballpark to hold 49 high school graduation ceremonies over the next month

The original sites for those ceremonies were blocked because they were inside, and therefore were not compliant with Gov. Greg Abbott’s mandate that such large gatherings could not occur indoors because of the coronavirus pandemic and concerns over the possibility of spreading COVID-19. The fact that the Major League Baseball season has been delayed created the opening for the ballpark to be used.

“We expected players sliding into home plate, not graduates crossing it,” said Sean Decker, Rangers executive vice president for sports and entertainment. “But, that said, the reality of getting folks in and doing that is super exciting.”

The Forney Independent School District was the first to announce it would hold its graduation ceremonies at Globe Life Field on May 7, two days after Gov. Greg Abbott approved statewide outdoor ceremonies could begin May 29.

Irving, Rockwall, Mansfield and Burleson followed Forney’s lead a day later.

Once the first five signed on, 13 others followed. So far, 18 will honor their seniors with 49 ceremonies over one month, beginning with the four Irving high schools May 29-30.

Texas detainees sue feds for release from coronavirus-plagued immigration center

A federal lawsuit demanding the release of 11 people being held at a federal immigration detention facility near Fort Worth says the detainees face sickness and death unless they are removed.

According to the lawsuit, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials sent more than 80 people, some with positive COVID-19 test results, to the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado without taking adequate safety precautions.

These immigrants were flown to Texas from two jails in New York and Pennsylvania where there were already coronavirus outbreaks, the lawsuit says.

The detainees were placed in situations where they were shackled and could not cover their mouths when they coughed. They were forced to share dining and sleeping areas with other detainees where social distancing was impossible, the lawsuit says.

The lawsuit describes several detainees who suffer from underlying medical conditions that make them particularly susceptible to contracting COVID-19 and to being adversely affected by the disease if they do contract it.

The lawsuit describes situations where the detainees were not furnished with protective masks, soap, sanitation supplies or sanitary areas.

Isolation at the center is provided for by placing detainees in segregation, or what was once called solitary confinement, the lawsuit contends. But often the detainees identified in the lawsuit described being confined in areas where they were trapped with other detainees who appeared to be ill, the lawsuit states.

Officials with ICE did not respond to a request for comment.

Fort Worth-area gyms aim to keep facilities clean as customers get sweaty again

As part of the next phase of Texas reopening its economy, gyms, fitness centers and health clubs across the state were permitted to reopen their doors to patrons for the first time in about two months.

Several facilities around Fort Worth opened Monday, although some are waiting just a little longer to welcome their clients back. Club owners must ensure that those working out adhere to a variety of social-distancing protocols mandated by the state. Crowds were down, but enthusiasm was soaring.

“Everybody’s whole demeanor, especially when they walk through the door, has been really good,” said Stephanie Springer, who owns Texas Fitt in Arlington with her husband Clint. “They’re really excited. It’s something that’s been good for us and them, and for everybody to get back to it.”

Among the protocols; facilities can open only at 25% capacity; customers must remain six feet apart when possible, in accordance to social-distancing guidelines; and gloves must be worn at all times. Other new rules state that showering is not permitted on premises and locker rooms are closed, though restrooms are open; facemasks are recommended, but optional; and cleaning after every piece of equipment after use is mandatory.

Texas Fitt member Neil Mather said he didn’t have any safety concerns as he returned to the gym, and he couldn’t wait for the doors to open. “I’m glad to be back,” he said. “It’s been the one thing that I enjoy the most, and to not have it for the past couple months, I got by but I’m very excited to be back.”