A newly “open” state will likely look very different in rural towns and suburban neighborhoods compared to more populous areas and coronavirus hot spots, residents and business owners say.
Marissa Martinez
Marissa Martinez was a spring 2021 reporting fellow. A graduate of Northwestern University, she was the editor-in-chief of The Daily Northwestern, where she held various roles including diversity and inclusion editor. She previously participated in the Politico Journalism Institute and will join Politico in June for a yearlong fellowship focused on race and demographics. Marissa is a member of NABJ, NAHJ and AAJA.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Texas no longer has a statewide mask mandate. But face coverings are still required in some businesses and public places.
Texas’ statewide mask mandate has ended as of March 10. Businesses are also now allowed to operate at full capacity as long as the hospitals in their region haven’t been treating a large share of patients for COVID-19. Here’s a look at what the loosened restrictions mean for Texans.
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Criminal Justice
Twitter sues Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, asks court to halt his investigation of the social media company
Beleaguered Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who attended the pro-Donald Trump rally that preceded the U.S. Capitol siege, issued civil investigative demands to Twitter after the company banned the former president from its platform.
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Winter Storm 2021
Texans used mutual aid to help their communities through a devastating winter storm
Last week, an untold number of Texans who had lost power and heat, and in some cases water, took to social media platforms to ask for help — and be connected to those who could offer it.
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Winter Storm 2021
“We’re in it alone”: Power outages leave millions of Texans desperate for heat and safety
Texas residents said the storm — and ensuing partial collapse of the state’s power system — sapped what mental reserves they had left after eleven months of a global health crisis that has cost thousands of jobs and claimed more than 40,000 lives in the state.
Posted in
Coronavirus in Texas
Texas launches multimillion dollar campaign to combat vaccine hesitancy
Local governments and advocacy groups are targeting skeptical communities early, but the state is holding back a large media blitz until more vaccine arrives.
Posted in
Coronavirus in Texas
Texas’ COVID-19 cases are down from record highs, though health experts warn the pandemic is far from over
While vaccinations are reaching more people every day, health care experts warn that this doesn’t mean Texas is out of the woods.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Laredo was one of the nation’s worst COVID-19 hot spots for weeks. Its leaders see no easy way out.
At one point in January, almost half of the city’s hospital patients were admitted because of COVID-19 — the highest percentage in the state. That’s caused intense debate about what the city can, and should, do next.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Texas National Guard teams will vaccinate residents for COVID-19 in five rural counties, Gov. Greg Abbott announces
National Guard teams will visit DeWitt, Marion, Real, Sherman and Starr counties as part of a newly created State Mobile Vaccine Pilot Program.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Facing a crush of COVID-19 patients, ICUs are completely full in at least 50 Texas hospitals
Across Texas, hospital intensive care units are being battered as COVID-19 cases continue to rise in a post-holiday surge. Dozens of facilities have reported that their ICUs have been at or above 100% capacity for weeks, leaving staff overworked and stretched thin.