INSIDER
Embattled Nueces County prosecutor joins Democratic primary to challenge U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz
Read full article: Embattled Nueces County prosecutor joins Democratic primary to challenge U.S. Sen. Ted CruzTargeted by local conservative activists, Mark Gonzalez joined an increasingly crowded 2024 primary — a move that triggered his resignation as district attorney.
Texas judge won’t let prosecutor cancel scheduled execution of John Ramirez
Read full article: Texas judge won’t let prosecutor cancel scheduled execution of John RamirezNueces County District Attorney Mark Gonzalez said he is ethically opposed to the death penalty, but an employee wrongfully requested the execution date against his wishes. Gonzalez sought to cancel the execution two days later.
New Texas plan for federal Hurricane Harvey aid yields same old result: Funds diverted away from Gulf Coast
Read full article: New Texas plan for federal Hurricane Harvey aid yields same old result: Funds diverted away from Gulf CoastDespite an admonition from federal authorities, Land Commissioner George P. Bush’s plan still steers aid disproportionately to whiter, inland counties at less risk of natural disasters.
FEMA approves Federal Emergency Declaration following Hurricane Hanna landfall in Texas, Abbott says
Read full article: FEMA approves Federal Emergency Declaration following Hurricane Hanna landfall in Texas, Abbott saysGreg Abbott announced Sunday that the Federal Emergency Declaration in response to Hurricane Hanna has been approved. The authorization from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Trump administration provides emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance and reimbursement mass care, including evacuation and shelter support at 75 percent federal funding. Hanna intensified to a Category 1 hurricane early Saturday morning, becoming the first hurricane of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season. “I thank President Trump and our partners at FEMA for their quick response in granting this Federal Emergency Declaration,” said Abbott. “We will continue to work with our federal and local partners as we assess the damage from Hurricane Hanna and may seek additional federal assistance as we continue to respond, recover, and rebuild our communities.
South Texas prepares for Tropical Storm Hanna amid pandemic
Read full article: South Texas prepares for Tropical Storm Hanna amid pandemicHOUSTON Officials in South Texas, which has been hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic in recent weeks, said theyre also prepared to handle any challenges from Tropical Storm Hanna, which was headed their way and expected to make landfall this weekend. Areas of South Texas could see anywhere from 3 to 8 inches of rain, with some parts possibly seeing up to 12 inches. We could be dealing with significant flash flooding across much of deep South Texas, Birchfield said. South Texas officials' plans for any possible rescues, shelters and monitoring of the storm will have the pandemic in mind. Greg Abbott has announced that various resources to respond to the tropical storm are on standby across the state, including search-and-rescue teams and aircraft.
Corpus Christi, already a coronavirus hot spot, braces for Tropical Storm Hanna
Read full article: Corpus Christi, already a coronavirus hot spot, braces for Tropical Storm HannaEmployees with the City of Corpus Christi load sandbags into people's cars as Tropical Storm Hannah approaches on July 24, 2020. Courtney Sacco/Caller-Times via Imagn Content Services, LLCCorpus Christi, already beset by a spike in COVID cases, now faces the dangers of Tropical Storm Hanna. The National Hurricane Service issued a hurricane warning for a section of the Texas coast from Baffin Bay to Sargent an area that includes Corpus Christi Bay, Copany Bay, Aransas Bay, San Antonio Bay and Matagorda Bay. The National Weather Service issued a warning of life-threatening storm surge for the areas that include Corpus Christi, Rockport and Port Lavaca. The city already closed a drive-through coronavirus testing site in Corpus Christi until at least Tuesday, officials said.
5 things for Houstonians to know for Monday, July 20
Read full article: 5 things for Houstonians to know for Monday, July 20Here are things you need to know for Monday, July 20:1. When the pandemic first started ravaging the state, Nueces County stayed relatively healthy while the Amarillo region suffered. There is a 20 percent chance of tropical cyclone development over the next five days. 3 things to shareWORD OF THE DAYCaconym [kak-uh-nim] (noun) a name, especially a taxonomic name, that is considered linguistically undesirable. THIS DAY IN HISTORYJuly 20, 1969: American astronaut Neil Armstrong becomes the first human to walk on the surface of the moon.
With 4 in 5 Texans living in a "red zone," coronavirus hot spots are moving targets
Read full article: With 4 in 5 Texans living in a "red zone," coronavirus hot spots are moving targetsOver the four months of Texas course of the coronavirus, early hot spots Amarillo among them have been eclipsed by new regions in crisis now, South Texas. That behavior, particularly among young people, may be responsible for dozens of new hot spots that will be more difficult to eradicate. Those 123 "red zone" counties are home to some 23 million Texans the vast majority of the state's population. Typically, rural and community hospitals transfer patients to urban hospitals for acute care. Two weeks ago, there were just seven positive COVID-19 patients in the Amarillo hospital; by this week, that had more than tripled to 24.
85 babies under 1 year old in Nueces County have tested positive for COVID-19, according to report
Read full article: 85 babies under 1 year old in Nueces County have tested positive for COVID-19, according to reportEighty-five infants younger than age 1 have tested positive for the coronavirus in Nueces County. REUTERSEighty-five infants who are under the age of 1 have tested positive for the coronavirus in Nueces County, CNN reports. When the pandemic first started ravaging the state, Nueces County stayed relatively healthy while the Amarillo region suffered. We currently have 85 babies under the age of one year in Nueces County that have all tested positive for COVID-19, Annette Rodriguez, director of public health for Corpus Christi Nueces County, told CNN. As The Texas Tribune previously reported, Nueces County Medical Examiner Adel Shaker said last week that a baby boy, less than 6 months old, had tested positive for COVID-19 and died.
85 babies under 1 year old in a Texas county have tested positive for COVID-19, according to report
Read full article: 85 babies under 1 year old in a Texas county have tested positive for COVID-19, according to reportEighty-five infants who are under the age of 1 have tested positive for the coronavirus in Nueces County, CNN reports. The county, which includes Corpus Christi, has become emblematic of the recent surge of coronavirus cases in the state. When the pandemic first started ravaging the state, Nueces County stayed relatively healthy while the Amarillo region suffered. We currently have 85 babies under the age of one year in Nueces County that have all tested positive for COVID-19, Annette Rodriguez, director of public health for Corpus Christi Nueces County, told CNN. As The Texas Tribune previously reported, Nueces County Medical Examiner Adel Shaker said last week that a baby boy, less than 6 months old, had tested positive for COVID-19 and died.
Corpus Christi official issues plea to tourists: Stay home, we’re in ‘free fall’
Read full article: Corpus Christi official issues plea to tourists: Stay home, we’re in ‘free fall’HOUSTON – Nueces County Judge Barbara Canales issued a plea Monday to tourists: Don’t come to Corpus Christi beaches and stay home. Canales, who spoke with the Corpus Christi Caller-Times, called the request “almost unthinkable” amid “freefall (COVID-19) conditions” believed to be linked to the sheer numbers of tourists drawn to the Gulf Coast. “For the next few weeks… the coast is just not clear to come home to right now,” Canales told the newspaper. “Please do everything you can to help us stabilize. We are not stable — we are in a free fall — and we need some help from Texas.”For more, go to the newspaper’s full report.
Corpus Christi mayor asking tourists to not visit amid coronavirus outbreak
Read full article: Corpus Christi mayor asking tourists to not visit amid coronavirus outbreakCORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) — Officials in Corpus Christi said they’re looking at ways to discourage vacationers from visiting the popular South Texas city amid the coronavirus outbreak in the state. The Corpus Christi Caller-Times reported Mayor Joe McComb is looking at possibly restricting residential vacation rentals in his coastal city during the upcoming weeks. “We’re going to be looking at the possibilities of trying to convince them that coming down here is not in their best interest or our best interest,” McComb said. “Because the traveling bug comes with them and we just want to protect our citizens.”The majority of COVID-19 cases in Nueces County, where Corpus Christi is located, are travel-related, according to public documents. Texas has more than 6,100 cases and at least 105 related deaths, state health officials said Saturday.