Coronavirus in Texas 3/20: More than 5,000 tests given, 212 test positive
Our staff is closely tracking developments on the new coronavirus in Texas. Check here for live updates. Full Story
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![Staff nurse Lt. Gretta Walter awaits the arrival of coronavirus test patients in the emergency room at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital in Fort Belvoir, Virginia on March 18, 2020.]()
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Texas delaying May primary runoff elections in response to coronavirus
Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday postponed the May 26 runoff election to July under the emergency powers of his previous statewide disaster declaration. Full Story
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![A line forms outside the Rollingwood City Hall during Super Tuesday voting on March 3, 2020. Due to a lack of volunteers, this polling location opened more than 90 minutes behind schedule, leading to long lines.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for the Texas Tribune -
Citing coronavirus threat, Texas Democrats sue to expand mail-in voting
The Democratic Party wants a judge to declare the novel coronavirus a circumstance that allows anyone to request a mail-in ballot. The GOP has opposed expanding the state's limited absentee voting rules. Full Story
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![Super Tuesday voting lines at the Metropolitan Multi Service Center near downtown Houston on Tuesday, March 3, 2020.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Patients face canceled appointments and delayed surgeries as doctors respond to coronavirus. They're worried about the wait.
On Friday, several major health care providers announced they would postpone elective surgeries and other non-urgent procedures and appointments. Full Story
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![Exterior of St. David's Medical Center in Austin on March 19, 2020.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Small businesses in Texas can apply for emergency federal loans to help ride out coronavirus pandemic, Abbott announces
Texans can apply online to see if they qualify for a long-term, low-interest loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration. Full Story
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![Shuttered businesses on Sixth Street in Austin during the COVID-19 pandemic on March 19, 2020.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Texas restaurants are asking for tax relief from the state. But officials say they need those revenues during the pandemic.
Restaurant owners say that delaying sales tax payments could help them ride out the pandemic. State officials, however, say that those revenues help keep hospitals and emergency services running. Full Story
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![Caffe Medici, one of Austin's Oldest coffee shops, was forced to permanantly close one of its five locations and layoff 27 employees as the business attempts to stay afloat in the wake of the global economic crash from the COVID-19. March 19, 2020.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
To slow COVID-19, Trump administration closes southern border to nonessential travel
The border will be closed for all crossings other than commercial trade and specified reasons such as medical care and education. Full Story
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![A woman wearing a protective mask carries her baby as she walks towards El Paso on the international border bridge Paso del Norte on March 13, 2020.]()
Credit: REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez -
Texas appeals court lets controversial illegal voting conviction stand
In a rare voting fraud case, Crystal Mason was sentenced to five years in prison for casting a provisional ballot in 2016 while on supervised release for a federal felony. She says she did it on the advice of a poll worker. Full Story
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![Crystal Mason spoke about being accused of voter fraud and her upcoming court case on on Sept. 9 2019 in Fort Worth.]()
Credit: Leslie Boorhem-Stephenson for The Texas Tribune -
T-Squared: Meet the newest members of our investigative partnership
Our new engagement reporter, research reporter, data reporter and development lead will help us immensely as we work to bring a new level of watchdog journalism to Texas. Full Story
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![Clockwise from top left, Ren Larson, Lexi Churchill, Jennifer Ajluni, and Sally Beauvais wil soon join the Texas Tribune newsroom.]()
Credit: Courtesy of Thomas Hawthorne, Jacob Moscovitch, Casey Chapman Ross and Marfa Public Radio -
Calls for Trump administration to release migrants from detention increase amid COVID-19 pandemic
Fear and anxiety within the immigrant community is spreading as detainees fear an outbreak of the new coronavirus in detention facilities. Full Story
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![The Karnes County Residential Center is a detention center for immigrant women and their children in Karnes City, Texas. The facility is run by The GEO Group, Inc.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott closes bars, restaurants and schools as he anticipates tens of thousands could test positive for coronavirus
Abbott disclosed that estimate hours after he took sweeping action to stop the virus' spread. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott declares a statewide emergency amid new cases of COVID-19 in the state on March 13, 2020 at the state capitol.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Texas regulators contemplating a reduction in oil production amid coronavirus crisis
A Texas Railroad Commission official said no decision has been made yet and the agency is looking into options. Full Story
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![A worker waits to load a piece of pipe, or casing, that will be lowered into the well at a Chesapeake Energy drill site in Dimmit County on the Eagle Ford Shale.]()
Credit: Tamir Kalifa for The Texas Tribune -
Coronavirus testing ramps up in Texas, but more is needed
Experts said the state’s testing capability wasn’t where it needed to be to measure how effective efforts to contain the virus have been or where the outbreak is on its trajectory toward peaking. Full Story
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![Doctors wearing protective clothing and masks exit the Baylor Scott and White facility in Round Rock to administer a COVID-19 test to a patient waiting in their car.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Coronavirus in Texas 3/19: Supreme Court halts evictions statewide
Our staff is closely tracking developments on the new coronavirus in Texas. Check here for live updates. Full Story
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![A sign for washing hands is seen during a news media tour of quarantine facilities for treating novel coronavirus at Jewish General Hospital in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on March 2, 2020.]()
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Houston-area nursing home resident and Dallas man in his 60s die from coronavirus
There were a total of five reported deaths in Texas related to COVID-19 as of Thursday. Full Story
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![A medical technologist prepares the reagent used in the collection to help determine if a person would test negative or positive for the Coronavirus.]()
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Houston has a new drive-through coronavirus test site, but three others can't open due to shortages
Mayor Sylvester Turner said a lack of personal protective equipment for health workers is one reason three sites in Houston and Harris County can't open yet. Long lines formed at the one that did. Full Story
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![The Houston skyline on Dec. 17, 2018.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Coronavirus pauses many Texas court proceedings. For some, that means more time in jail.
Courts have slowed across the state, and jury trials are on hold. Defense attorneys worry the outbreak could leave their clients sitting in jail waiting for justice — and vulnerable to catching the virus. Full Story
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![An attorney approaches a Travis County courtroom for bail reduction hearings in Austin.]()
Credit: Callie Richmond for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals stops another scheduled execution because of the coronavirus
Tracy Beatty requested the court stay his execution, set for next week, after the court halted this week's execution. Full Story
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![Tracy Beatty's execution was halted because of coronavirus.]()
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Texas is urging patients to seek remote health care. Some insurance plans won't pay for it.
As millions of Texans isolate themselves in an attempt to limit the spread of COVID-19, state officials are working to ramp up the use of telemedicine. But many health plans are outside of their regulatory authority. Full Story
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![Julien Gomez's insurance won't cover the move to online therapy sessions, unable to practice social distancing during the COVID-19 outbreak.]()
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"It's going to hurt": New coronavirus shocks Texas economy as length of public health crisis remains unknown
The novel coronavirus has caught governments unprepared, put people out of work and set businesses on the brink of closure. Congress is working on a federal stimulus package as unemployment claims in Texas are expected to rise. Full Story
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![A screen at the New York Stock Exchange shows the day's numbers as markets continue to react to the coronavirus disease on March 18, 2020.]()
Credit: REUTERS/Lucas Jackson