Coronavirus live updates June 8: 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.
Tarrant County sees 77 new coronavirus cases, 44 from Arlington memory care facility
Arlington has 44 cases of coronavirus at a memory care facility, the city announced in a news release Sunday.
Meadowbrook Memory Care Community had 30 residents and 14 employees test positive for the virus, according to the release. Another nine tests are pending, while 59 have come back negative for COVID-19.
Arlington city and fire officials have distributed personal protective equipment and helped the facility implement measures to stop the spread of the virus, according to the news release.
The city is working with the county to limit the outbreak. Arlington has had a total of 1,151 confirmed cases so far. It has reported 19 deaths linked to the infection since the virus reached the U.S.
Tarrant County reported 77 new cases of the virus Sunday — including the Arlington cases — bringing the total number of confirmed infections to 6,150. There have been 178 deaths linked to the virus, according to the county’s website.
Tarrant County reported two deaths on Sunday — a man in his 60s from Fort Worth and a woman in her 70s from Benbrook. Both had underlying health conditions.
Men have made up 55% of cases and 58% of those who died. The county says 45% of all cases spread from a known source in the community. Infection during travel made up 4% of cases while 29% came from unknown sources.
Dallas County reports two more coronavirus deaths, 263 new cases Sunday
Two more people have died from coronavirus in Dallas County, officials reported Sunday.
An Irving man in his 20s, who had no high-risk underlying health conditions, died after being hospitalized and a Dallas woman in her 90s died in a long-term care facility.
The county also reported 263 new cases of the virus, bringing the total to 12,093 confirmed cases and 264 deaths.
Of people hospitalized with COVID-19, 80% reported they had jobs in critical infrastructure, according to a news release. People older than 65 make up more than two-thirds of the hospitalizations, and long-term care residents make up more than one-third of deaths.
The county has labeled today’s risk level as “stay home, stay safe.” Other risk levels are “extreme caution,” “proceed carefully” and “new normal until vaccine.”
On Saturday, Dallas County reported 289 additional coronavirus cases and two deaths.
“Today’s numbers close the week with an average of 261 cases a day, our highest daily average of new cases thus far, and 34 deaths for the week, our 2nd most deadly week,” Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said in a news release Saturday. “Starting Monday, we’ll have additional testing capacity and this will need to be factored in as we look as case numbers. Remember, the numbers to watch are hospitalizations, ICU admissions and ER visits for COVID-19, as well as deaths, and these numbers have stayed relatively flat.”
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.
Texas to increase testing and study coronavirus’ impact on minority communities
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission said Friday it plans to launch a study to assess the novel coronavirus’ impact on vulnerable populations throughout the state.
Christine Mann, a spokeswoman for the agency, wrote in an email the study will aim to understand how and why the virus may have a greater impact on Texans depending on their race, ethnicity, age, socioeconomic status, geographic location, employment status or whether they have a chronic illness or disability. The study’s launch was first reported by the Houston Chronicle late last month, and additional details were released Friday.
“Texas needs to understand the health impact of COVID-19 on these vulnerable populations to determine which of these factors may be putting some Texans at greater risk,” Mann wrote.
A spokesman for the governor’s office also confirmed a Dallas Morning News report Friday that the state plans to increase testing opportunities in predominantly black and Hispanic communities next week.
Gov. Greg Abbott has previously said that a key part of containing the virus’ spread will be targeting resources toward vulnerable populations, including the Hispanic community which “has had an over-representation in those who test positive and those who face some of the most serious consequences from COVID-19.”
Minority state lawmakers have called on Abbott to establish an emergency task force to study COVID-19’s impact on Texas’ black communities. Nationwide, in cities and states that have reported demographic data, black residents are disproportionately contracting COVID-19 and dying from it.
Fort Worth-area Republicans will ask Trump to move GOP convention to Tarrant County
Tarrant County Republicans are drafting a letter to send to President Donald Trump, offering Dickies Arena and AT&T Stadium for this year’s GOP national convention.
They tout the arena and stadium for the convention or part of it, such as when Trump accepts the Republican Party’s nomination for re-election.
Trump has said the GOP is “forced to seek another state to host” the convention scheduled for Charlotte, North Carolina, amid restrictions to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.
“If we are able to host the Republican National Convention in a county as red as Tarrant County, it would be an absolute mistake to miss that opportunity,” said Rick Barnes, who heads the Tarrant County GOP and is drafting the letter.
“We probably have as good a chance as anybody.”
Barnes said he hopes to send the letter to the president and GOP convention officials by Monday.
Federal appeals court blocks expansion of mail-in ballots in Texas amid coronavirus
A federal appeals court blocked the expansion of vote-by-mail eligibility amid the novel coronavirus’ outbreak Thursday while the state’s appeal is considered.
A panel of judges on the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals based out of New Orleans granted Attorney General Ken Paxton’s request to stay U.S. District Judge Fred Biery’s order that would have allowed eligible Texas voters, regardless of their age, to qualify for a mail-in ballot to avoid contracting the novel coronavirus amid the pandemic.
Late last month, the court had granted an administrative stay of Biery’s order, which temporarily stayed the ruling while the court weighed whether it should be blocked as the state’s appeal is considered.
Biery’s temporary injunction is now blocked until further order by the court — a little over three weeks before the start of early voting on June 29 for the July 14 runoff elections.
Paxton applauded the decision in a statement Thursday.
“Allowing universal mail-in ballots, which are particularly vulnerable to fraud, would only lead to greater election fraud and disenfranchise lawful voters,” Paxton said. “The unanimous Fifth Circuit ruling puts a stop to this blatant violation of Texas law.”
Meanwhile, in a statement Thursday, Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa said he vehemently disagreed with the stay, and noted it is likely headed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Tarrant GOP says Texas Dems are trying to ‘hijack our elections’ with mail-in ballots
Tarrant County Republicans last week formally opposed any expansion of mail-in ballots because of the novel coroanvirus.
The party filed documents with the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals backing up the position Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton have taken, that the use of mail in ballots shouldn’t be expanded beyond what now is allowed.
They filed a brief to oppose “the Democrat Party’s attempt to hijack our elections by expanding the vote by mail program in Texas,” Tarrant County Republican Party Chairman Rick Barnes said in a statement. “While we support voting by mail for those who truly need it, there are those who have used the system to commit voter fraud.”
Court records show the Tarrant brief was filed past the deadline and wasn’t considered in the case. But it remains in the case file.
The Texas Supreme Court ruled May 27 that a lack of immunity to COVID-19 does not make a voter eligible for a mail in ballot.
COVID-19 quarantine didn’t stop these DFW high school athletes from staying in shape
When Morgan Brown said goodbye to her teammates on Friday, March 13, she didn’t know that it was the last time she would see them this school year.
Brown, a rising senior who plays softball and runs track at Aledo, was at her first track meet of the season.
Her softball teammates were in the stands.
“The entire team came to watch and that was really cool,” Brown said. “After the meet, I told them goodbye, love you guys and see you Monday.”
But that didn’t happen.
The novel coronavirus quickly became a global pandemic and the University Interscholastic League suspended all activities in the middle of March, including games and practices.
Holding out hope for as long as possible, the UIL finally canceled the spring season on April 17.
Students didn’t return to school and gyms closed.
Brown worked on hitting and catching every day and did cardio, which included running, kick boxing and jump roping, every other day. She even had workouts with her select team via Zoom.
“It’s definitely a lot more difficult because normally throughout the day at school, I’d look forward to seventh period and see my teammates and we’d practice or play a game,” she said. “Once this all happened, you didn’t see them anymore, just by Zoom. There’s a lot of motivation at practice. Teammates push other.”
How a Mediterranean grill in Fort Worth made changes to best serve families, seniors
Family dinner packs are one of the great success stories of 2020.
Three months after restaurants started offering take-out deals for two, four or six people during a pandemic, the party-pack dinners are not going away.
They’re safe and convenient for stay-home seniors, or for families with a vanload of kids. And — this is important — they’re good.
Bonnell’s $40 takeout dinners for four are some of the best takeout ever. Chef Lanny Lancarte II’s restaurant, Righteous Foods, turned an outstanding special into a new delivery service, Eat Fajitas.
“Customers with families are still staying home for dinner,” said Christina Lerma Elbitar of Chadra Mezza and Grill, a Mediterranean restaurant in Park Place Village near hospitals and the Fort Worth Zoo.
Chadra has table service on its back patio, but takeout remains the big seller.
The nightly specials include a family pack Thursdays with Chadra’s top-selling “heavenly chicken,” a stuffed chicken Alfredo with vegetables and salad, for $50; or chicken kabobs or shawarma Saturdays for $55.
No fans made TMS’ IndyCar race a ‘bummer.’ But track hopes they’ll be back next month
Depressing.
That’s how Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage described his feelings on Saturday night.
Sure, he loved being the opening race of the IndyCar season and hosting Gov. Greg Abbott for the first professional sports event to return in the state amid the coronavirus pandemic. And the day had plenty of entertainment, capped by one of the best drivers in open-wheel racing history, Scott Dixon, winning for the fourth time at Texas.
But nothing could replicate a live crowd. Seeing the grandstands that can hold more than 100,000 fans empty served as a constant reminder for Gossage of the pandemic and the times the country is facing.
“The only reason in my book that any of us race is because fans dig it,” Gossage said. “I am sure there are race car drivers, whether it’s a million in the stands or nobody in the stands, they’re pumped up. I would tell ‘em, I don’t believe ya because you get more pumped up for the Indy 500 in front of all of those people than you do for Race ‘X.’”
Arlington charity receives big boost in quest to feed at-risk, hungry schoolchildren
Martha Kinard is angry — and she wants more people to get irate with her.
She and her fellow volunteers at NEW DAY charity in Arlington believe the more folks who get mad, the fewer hungry children there will be in the world.
“The fact that there are hungry children should make everyone angry,” said Kinard, secretary of the nonprofit organization providing supplemental weekend food for homeless and other at-risk students in the Arlington school district.
Apparently, those at the Arlington philanthropic group Women Inspiring Philanthropy (WIP) also are angry. They recently presented NEW DAY with a $50,000 grant.
“This is an extraordinary and generous commitment by Women Inspiring Philanthropy that will enable New Day to expand its important programs that provide supplemental food to students in the Arlington ISD and summer programs,” said Michael McCoy, NEW DAY vice president.
WIP is also a nonprofit group seeking to transform lives in the Arlington area. Each member gives at least annually, which is then matched with donations by nonprofit.
Why leisure travelers are booking lots of flights on American Airlines this summer
Business travelers are still staying away from airports, but apparently leisure trippers are ready to slap on the sunscreen and go somewhere.
American Airlines announced early Thursday that the company is ramping up its summer flight schedule in response to a growing number of leisure travelers who are buying airplane tickets, and conducting online searches for prospective trips. DFW Airport, which is the Fort Worth-based airline’s largest hub, will be a starting point for many of those domestic and international flights.
The Fort Worth-based airline is adding flights to Gulf Coast destinations such as Fort Walton Beach, Panama City and Pensacola, Fla., as well as mountainous locales in Colorado, Montana, Utah and Wyoming.
“We are seeing an increase in demand in June, and we expect one in July,” Brian Znotins, American vice president of network and schedule planning, said in a phone interview.
Some of the interest in leisure air travel is coming from “people who would probably go to Italy this year for vacation, but want to stay closer to home and go to a place where they are more familiar,” Znotins said.
By the last week of May, American was carrying an average of about 110,000 customers per day. That’s a dramatic improvement from the 32,000 average daily customers in April.
This story was originally published June 8, 2020 at 11:46 AM.