Coronavirus live updates May 27: Here’s what to know in the Dallas-Fort Worth area
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.
With graduations at Texas Motor Speedway, Class of 2020 ends one race and starts another
When Texas Motor Speedway opened in 1996, it had one intent — to host some of the best NASCAR and IndyCar races in the country. But, so far, in the spring of 2020, the track is serving a different mission: To honor the high school graduating Class of 2020.
The reason for TMS hosting 31 high school graduations this year comes as school administrators and students continue to plan workarounds for holding ceremonies while still trying to practice safe measures amid concerns of spreading the novel coronavirus.
The TMS stands, which can seat well over 100,000 spectators, were silent Tuesday afternoon. Pit road was empty too. And the track, usually home to star drivers, was the temporary home to stars of a different sort. Graduating seniors, celebrating their day after more than a decade in school, moved from a bank of socially-distanced seats on the left side of the finish line to a bank of socially-distanced seats on the right side of the finish line after pausing for a photo and the traditional receipt of a diploma.
The Northwest Independent School District was the latest to hold its ceremonies, which included Steele Accelerated, Byron Nelson, Eaton and Northwest high schools.
“Metaphorically speaking, the Class of 2020 crossed the finish line today,” Byron Nelson’s Jaron DeBerry said. “It was one of a kind.”
Sidelined by coronavirus, Class of 2020 will shine across Fort Worth skyline Friday
They won’t be able to walk across a stage, but these high school graduates will be the first to light up Fort Worth.
On Tuesday, Fort Worth school district officials announced their special plans to celebrate the class of 2020. On Friday, the 7th Street Bridge, the Pier 1 building and other landmarks will light up in gold to celebrate the graduating Fort Worth ISD students.
They also asked that the community set aside a minute of their time on Friday for the 4,928 students whose senior year was sidelined by coronavirus.
“Fort Worth ISD requests that everyone stop what they are doing at 8:20 p.m. for a literal “shout out,’” the district said in a news release. “That hour and minute were chosen because, in military time, it is 20:20.”
The district also asked everyone, starting immediately, to share celebratory comments and photos on social media using the hashtag #FWISDClassof2020.
Fort Worth area gets good COVID news, but staying home is still deemed ‘best strategy’
The number of coronavirus cases in Tarrant County appears to be trending down and the death count seems to have stabilized.
That was the word Tuesday, when Public Health Director Vinny Taneja gave his weekly update to the Tarrant County Commissioners Court.
“Overall, the trend looks down,” he said. “This is good news.”
“But it’s still time for caution,” he told reporters after the commissioners meeting. “I don’t want the public to come out and rejoice in the streets because that could undo all the work we’ve done so far.”
Taneja has updated commissioners on cases for the past two months and, on Tuesday, gave his shortest COVID update to date. He said the downward trend can be found by reviewing the seven-day average of cases, the number of hospital beds occupied by COVID patients and the number of cases by specimen collection dates.
Stores, malls and restaurants were to open with restrictions on May 1.
“Everything is moving along as we had hoped,” Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley said. “Knock on wood, I hope we don’t see an additional surge.
Tarrant County judge says Republican convention is welcome if North Carolina wavers
If President Donald Trump goes through with his threat to pull the National Republican Convention from North Carolina, Tarrant County would be more than happy to host the event.
“Anything that will bring the economy back in Tarrant County I’m all for,” Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley, a Republican, told reporters. “I think that would be a great event to bring to Fort Worth, the Tarrant County area or the Arlington area.
“There’s a number of venues we could use. I think it would be a great place to hold the convention.”
Whitley’s reaction was the opposite of what Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins, a Democrat, posted on Twitter.
“The last thing we need right now is a large gathering of nationwide visitors coming to Dallas given we are currently at ‘red’ our highest threat level for COVID-19,” Jenkins wrote on Twitter. “No offense. Would say the same thing to the Democrats — please go somewhere else.”
Abbott allows water parks and food courts to reopen, rec sports to resume amid COVID
Gov. Greg Abbott expanded upon the list of businesses allowed to reopen amid the novel coronavirus outbreak Tuesday, allowing water parks, recreational sports, driver education programs and food courts to soon resume.
Abbott announced the additions in a proclamation Tuesday. The expanded list of services comes a little over a week after the most recent set of businesses, including child care centers and tattoo studios, were permitted to open their doors, and days after bars, bowling alleys and more were allowed to reopen at 25% capacity Friday.
Both driver education programs and food courts in malls may immediately reopen, according to the proclamation. Shopping malls were first allowed to reopen at a limited capacity nearly a month ago on May 1, and at the time food courts and play areas were required to remain closed.
Beginning Friday, May 29, water parks may reopen at 25% capacity, however, interactive areas like video arcades must remain closed. Employees and visitors are encouraged to remain six feet apart and it’s recommended they consider wearing face masks, according to guidelines for water park operators and visitors.
Starting Sunday, May 31, recreational sports for adults may resume. Practices must be held without spectators, and similar to restrictions on youth sports programs, games and competitions may not begin until June 15 — where spectators are permitted if they remain at least six feet apart.
Why airlines say travelers must wear COVID face masks, then don’t enforce the rule
Frequent flier Mark Graban was about halfway through his flight from Los Angeles to DFW Airport when he noticed that several people in first class weren’t wearing face masks.
Graban, an author and management consultant based in Colleyville, asked a man across the aisle why he wasn’t wearing a mask. The man responded that he had dropped his mask earlier in the day — but moments later that man retrieved a mask from his carry-on bag, and proceeded to put it on.
Graban said that man drank several alcoholic beverages during the flight, and at one point about midway through the journey left the mask dangling from only one ear, presumably to make it easier to sip beverages.
“American claims they put safety first. Not a chance,” Graban said in a phone interview. “The flight attendants ... are not enforcing this mask policy.”
As air carriers such as Fort Worth-based American Airlines make efforts to relaunch their services more than two months after hundreds of airplanes were grounded due to COVID-19, the mask requirement has emerged as a sticky issue in the cabin.
American Airlines officials have acknowledged that, while they do require customers to wear masks prior to boarding a plane, they aren’t enforcing the requirement once the airplane door closes.
Privately, airline officials say they don’t want flight crew members to potentially escalate an argument among passengers over masks.
New coronavirus cases decline in Tarrant County, but no data was reported Monday
Tarrant County reported 62 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday.
No information was reported on Monday — which was Memorial Day, a national holiday — so additional cases from that date could be reported later in the week.
The county has confirmed a total of 5,039 COVID-19 cases, including 144 deaths and 1,912 recoveries.
Of the 144 pandemic-related deaths in the county, there have been 88 in Fort Worth, 15 in Arlington and 11 in Keller.
New coronavirus cases drop slightly in Dallas County, but hospitalizations remain flat
Dallas County reported 190 new coronavirus cases and two deaths on Tuesday.
The latest deaths include a Garland man in his 60s and a Mesquite man in his 70s who was a resident of a long-term care facility. Both had underlying health conditions, according to officials.
There have been 9,188 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 213 deaths, in Dallas County.
Although overall new cases have dropped slightly from previous weeks, the weekly numbers of new hospital admissions for COVID‐19 have not declined significantly over the past six weeks, according to county health officials.
“The indicators the public health committee is using to determine our threat level on the color coded chart are hospitalizations, ER visits for COVID-19 and ICU admissions for COVID-19. They remain flat,” Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said in a release and on social media. “In order to move to a lower threat level, the doctors tell me we need to see a 14-day decline in those three factors which unfortunately have yet to materialize.”
Jenkins said he’s hopeful the “modest decline in cases” over the past two weeks will lead to a “decline in hospitalizations, ICU admissions and ER visits soon.”
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.
Temporary mobile coronavirus test site will open in Mansfield near hot spots
A temporary mobile coronavirus testing site will be set up in Mansfield Friday and Saturday.
The drive-through site will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day at the Mansfield subcourthouse at 1100 E. Broad St.
Tests at this site are by appointment only. To register for a test, visit txcovidtest.org or call 512-883-2400.
Tarrant County Commissioners unanimously approved this location Tuesday.
“I do think this is a good location,” Commissioner Devan Allen said after the vote. “My thanks to everyone for their work on this.”
This testing site is being operated by the Texas Division of Emergency Management, which is using a team from the Texas Military Department to conduct the COVID-19 tests.
Officials say this is a key testing site because it is near four ZIP codes that are hot spots: 76006, 76011, 76010 and 76014.
Baylor Scott & White announces layoffs, furloughs due to coronavirus strain
Baylor Scott & White announced Tuesday the company will lay off about 1,200 employees due to coronavirus.
The healthcare system did not specify how many cuts will be made at specific hospitals, such as at Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center in Fort Worth.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, hospitals across the country have seen a sharp decline in the number of general visits due to the suspension of non-urgent procedures. Gov. Greg Abbott ordered healthcare providers to temporarily halt elective procedures in order to save protective gear and resources for COVID-19 related issues.
About 3% of the 49,000 Baylor Scott & White employees will lose their jobs, the company said in a statement. Other changes include temporary salary cuts for senior executives and flex-time and furloughs for other employees.
“While designed to better match our resources with evolving community needs, any decisions to part with our people are always very difficult,” the company said in the statement. “We are committed to supporting these team members’ transitions in every way possible.”
The Baylor Scott & White system includes 50 hospitals, more than 800 patient care sites and 7,500 active physicians in Texas.
Eats Beat: Yes. some restaurant patios are safer than others.
Texas restaurants are making you a promise.
It’s safe to dine out, they say. Read all about the “Texas Restaurant Promise” of the industry’s commitment to safety. It’s all at the Texas Restaurant Association website.
I won’t go over it all, but you know the basics. Limit six to a party. Stay 6 feet from anyone else. Wash up. Repeat.
Now, here’s my advice:
The magazine Science quoted a study in Japan saying you’re 19 times less likely to risk infection outdoors than indoors. (Yes, there’s still a risk.)
When Mary Perez opened the new location of Enchiladas Olé, 2418 Forest Park Blvd., a patio wasn’t very important.
It is now. She’s using four sidewalk tables — more restaurants should, although liquor laws can be a hangup — and added five more tables under a shade tree.
“Texas is so hot, people only enjoy it for a few months — however, COVID changed all that,” she wrote.
WinStar casino in Oklahoma to reopen after closing for 2 months over coronavirus
North Texans: If you feel like gambling, there’s good news for you.
The casino many in North Texas head to — the WinStar Casino in Thackerville, Oklahoma — will reopen Wednesday.
WinStar, like other casinos across the country, has been closed since mid-March because of the rapid spread of coronavirus.
But just know that if you decide to head there soon, some things will be a little different.
You’ll have your temperature taken before you get to go inside. If it’s 100.4 or higher, you’ll be asked to go home and talk to your doctor.
Texas voters should wear masks, bring hand sanitizer to the polls amid COVID, state says
For Texans planning to cast their ballot at the polls amid the novel coronavirus’ outbreak, the Secretary of State’s Office recommended Tuesday that voters consider wearing a face mask and bring their own hand sanitizer and pen or stylus.
The Texas Secretary of State’s Office released an eight-page checklist of “minimum recommended health protocols” for voters and election officials Tuesday. The guidance was developed with input from the Texas Department of State Health Services, and it features recommendations like maintaining six feet of separation and curbside voting if voters are exhibiting symptoms associated with COVID-19.
The guidance on visiting the polls comes as the state battles multiple lawsuits in state and federal courts over expanding access to mail-in ballots amid the pandemic. A back-and-forth legal battle has ensued, with multiple starts and stops on whether any Texan can qualify to vote by mail.
Meanwhile, the July 14 elections inch closer, with early voting set to begin in a little over a month on June 29.
Before heading to a polling place, voters and poll workers should screen themselves for symptoms, the guidance recommends. If voters have recently been in contact with a confirmed case, or are exhibiting any COVID-19 symptoms, including cough, fever, shortness of breath, or loss of taste or smell, then they should contact their local election officials about curbside voting.
TCU’s Patterson to host virtual event benefiting local charities
TCU football coach Gary Patterson and his wife Kelsey are throwing a virtual party to help raise money for local charities on June 4.
Patterson’s foundation announced plans for what’s being billed as the “Celebrate Community” virtual event that will feature local musicians, PGA Tour golfers and former TCU football players.
The event is geared towards helping charities that would have benefited from this year’s Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club, which is being held without fans as the PGA Tour’s first event back amid the coronavirus pandemic June 11-14.
Patterson’s event, which is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m., is raising funds for the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Tarrant County, The First Tee of Fort Worth and other community projects.
“Kelsey and I have had the great pleasure of serving our community for the past 20 years and now more than ever, children need our support,” Patterson said in a statement. “We love Fort Worth and are proud of the virtual experience we are able to bring to your home as we make a big impact with good friends and talented musicians and athletes.”
10th inmate dies at FMC Fort Worth as hundreds recover from coronavirus at the prison
A 10th inmate died at a federal medical prison in Fort Worth where nearly half of the inmates have tested positive for COVID-19.
Joseph Young, 63, died on May 19, the Bureau of Prisons said in a press release.
Young was seen by health staff at Federal Medical Center Fort Worth on April 25 for dizziness, nausea and dehydration. On April 28, Young tested positive for COVID-19 and was immediately placed in isolation, the BOP said.
The next day, Young had shortness of breath, low oxygen saturation, and other severe symptoms, and he was taken to the hospital. On May 5, he was placed on a ventilator and on May 19, Young died. Young had long-term, pre-existing medical conditions, the BOP said.
Young was sentenced in the Eastern District of Oklahoma to 10 years for possession of child pornography. He had been in custody at FMC Fort Worth since Feb. 14, 2017.
As of Tuesday, 92 inmates at FMC Fort Worth currently have coronavirus, and 538 have recovered, according to BOP data. The prison has 1,444 total inmates.
Parker County Peach Festival canceled, but Weatherford finds a sweet replacement
What could be better than a day celebrating famous Parker County peaches?
How about a whole week?
The Weatherford Chamber of Commerce announced the cancellation of the annual Parker County Peach Festival, scheduled for July 11, because of the coronavirus pandemic.
But Weatherford is not canceling the celebration.
Instead of having thousands in a confined space around the town square, people will be able to spread out with the first Parker County Peach Week from July 11-18. Weatherford Chamber President Tammy Gazzola said details must still be ironed out, but visitors can still expect an array of peach-flavored goodies and lots of fun.
The Peach Festival, which has annually been held on the second Saturday in July, has been arguably Weatherford’s most renowned event and was set for its 36th consecutive year. The 2019 event drew more than 60,000.
This story was originally published May 27, 2020 at 7:30 AM.