Gov. Greg Abbott announced Sunday that he would be issuing an executive order to prevent the release of “dangerous felons” in Texas. With that order now available to the public, ACLU Texas is speaking out against it, saying it “undermines public safety.” At issue is, of course, the health of incarcerated people and those working with them. Recent weeks have seen the release and proposed release of detained people in an effort to reduce the risk of contracting Covid-19 and having it spread in crowded jails. “Texas has the highest incarceration rate of almost anywhere on the planet. For everyone’s safety, political leaders should be working to reduce the crowded population in prisons and jails that could lead to a potential coronavirus outbreak. Governor Abbott’s executive order puts people and communities in grave danger for infection,”said Sarah Labowitz, policy and advocacy director for the ACLU of Texas, in a statement to the press. “The order allows anyone who can pay bond to go free, while forcing those who can’t to remain in custody, giving preferential treatment to the wealthy. Gov. Abbott needs to rescind his order and align with science-based evidence for how to fight this pandemic, which includes reducing Texas’ population of incarcerated people to avoid the possible steep loss of life.”

The Austin American-Statesman is among the newspapers that will have fewer reporters available to cover local news in the coming months, as a result of a decision by its parent company to institute mandatory furloughs to many of its salaried employees. In memos delivered to all Gannett newsrooms Monday, anyone making more than $38,000 per year will be required to take one week of unpaid leave each month from April through June. The decision was made in response to sharp declines in advertising revenue related to the widespread economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. An accompanying FAQ stated that the company hopes more furloughs won’t be necessary beyond June, but that “No decision on this can be made at this time.”

Many of us are working from home these days, and most of us have a little extra time on our hands; possibly enough time to hop online and fill out the 2020 Census form – which we can tell you from personal experience takes far less than 10 minutes. The current crisis makes completing the census even more important, not less. According to the United Way of Austin, “Covid-19 reminds us of the very importance of being counted: Knowing how many of us live in our cities allows us to more effectively and efficiently respond to crises like this one.” That’s because results from the census will be used “to determine where hospitals, roads, schools, child care centers, senior centers, and other public services should be built. A complete count will ensure our community has the funding needed to support all of us.” The results also determine our political representation at all levels of government. It has never been easier to fill out the census: you can do it online at my2020census.gov. Have any census-related questions or need to fill out the form in another language? Just call 211. Completing the census is something that will benefit everyone. Happy Census Day!

Using outdoor tents, Austin Regional Clinic is establishing drive-up locations for Covid-19 testing in five locations in Austin, Cedar Park, Kyle and Round Rock this week. Conducting the testing outside “minimizes staff usage of facemasks and other personal protective equipment, which is in short supply,” according to an ARC news release. Those wishing to be tested must first obtain a lab test order from an ARC physician in the clinic or via telemedicine. You can schedule a telemedicine appointment with an ARC doctor by calling ARC’s 24/7 Covid-19 hotline at 866-453-4525. “If the doctor finds you should be tested for Covid-19, you will be directed to our nearest drive-up testing site,” Katie Henry, ARC’s chief administrative officer, said in the release. “Please, make sure you have had a telemedicine evaluation and have received a doctor’s order for testing so we can move patients through more quickly and easily.” Test results can take anywhere from two to 10 days. Testing is covered by most insurance companies and state labs are currently not charging for testing. Drive-up testing is already available at ARC’s South Austin location at 3828 S. First St., and will be available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. beginning on these dates at the following locations:

• Tuesday, March 31: ARC Kyle Plum Creek, 4100 Everett St., Kyle
• Tuesday, March 31: ARC Far West, 6835 Austin Center Blvd., Austin
• Thursday, April 2: ARC Round Rock, 940 Hesters Crossing Road, Round Rock
• Thursday, April 2: ARC Cedar Park, 801 E. Whitestone Blvd., Bldg. C, Cedar Park

At a press conference held Sunday, Gov. Greg Abbott announced that the state had doubled its hospital capacity in the past week and issued executive orders to prevent the release of prisoners and further restrict travel into Texas. Abbott expanded a previous edict that mandated quarantine for air passengers from the New York tri-state area and New Orleans. The order now includes those traveling by car from Louisiana and passengers flying from California, Louisiana, Washington state, Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, and Miami. Abbott explained that the restrictions do not apply to those engaged in commercial activities, military service, emergency and health response, or performing critical infrastructure functions. He said the Texas Department of Public Safety will enforce the new travel restrictions on the ground “at and near” the Louisiana border. Abbott also prohibited the release of people in custody “for or with a history of offenses involving physical violence or the threat of physical violence,” according to a press release from the governor’s office.

Austin Community Foundation is now seeking grant applications for the Stand With Austin Fund, one of several fundraising campaigns in Austin established to provide a source of support for the nonprofits that are assisting individuals and small businesses impacted by the cancellation of South by Southwest. “Since the cancellation of SXSW, our community has come together – both individual donors and businesses – to support the Stand With Austin Fund and lessen the economic hardships many in the creative and service industries are now facing,” said Mike Nellis, the foundation’s chief executive officer. “We invite nonprofit organizations serving individuals and small businesses impacted to apply for this funding so that some measure of relief is provided to those in greatest need.” Approximately $400,000 in funding is available to Austin-area nonprofits that support the music and creative, service and bar, and hospitality industries. Find information about how to apply and eligibility requirements at austincf.org/stand-with-austin.

The Austin ISD Board of Trustees’ regular voting meeting will proceed as planned today – well, not quite as planned. In order to obey the public health order designed to prevent the spread of Covid-19, the board and AISD administration will be meeting virtually, streaming live at 6 p.m. on AISD.TV and on the Austin ISD Facebook page. The meeting will address the district’s ongoing coronavirus response and the search for a replacement for superintendent Paul Cruz, who announced that he was stepping down next month. Community members who would like to offer public testimony on an agenda item may call 512-414-0130 between 7:45 a.m. and 3 p.m. today to record a comment before the meeting. Visit the Austin ISD BoardDocs website for more information on the agenda.

The Parks and Recreation Department has closed all park amenities – with the exception of restrooms and water fountains – in an effort to comply with the recent shelter-in-place order and promote social distancing. Basketball courts, tennis courts, skate parks and pavilions have now closed, joining the playgrounds and exercise equipment that were closed last week. Places where social distancing can safely be maintained remain open, such as park green space, trails and golf course green spaces. All permanent restroom structures are cleaned and sanitized several times a day. “This decision was made after deliberation and consultation with the Austin Public Health department and city leadership,” the parks department said in a press release. “While in ordinary times park amenities provide countless benefits, these amenities under current circumstances hinder the ability for individuals to practice physical social distancing.” Signs will be going up to remind the community of the closures. PARD encourages those all using open spaces to practice social distancing and maintain a distance of six feet away from all others who may be using the area.

Gov. Greg Abbott has issued an executive order mandating a 14-day quarantine for travelers arriving in Texas from any airport in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut or New Orleans. At a press conference yesterday, Abbott said, “The state of Texas continues to act upon the recommendations of top state, federal, and local health experts as we implement a comprehensive strategy to limit the spread of COVID-19. The New York Tri-State area and the city of New Orleans have become major centers of this pandemic and it is vital that we take necessary precautions to prevent additional exposure that could originate from people traveling from these areas to Texas.” The order will be enforced by Texas Department of Public Safety agents, who will “conduct unannounced visits to designated quarantine locations to verify compliance. Failure to comply with this order is considered a criminal offense that is punishable by up to a $1,000 fine, up to 180 days in jail, or both.” Read the full text of the order below.

Download (PDF, 389KB)

Since the onset of public health measures aimed at curtailing the spread of COVID-19, there have been ongoing questions about where construction falls on the binary of essential and nonessential work. The issue was addressed late into Thursday’s Council meeting, and the answer remains murky, but Mayor Steve Adler assured those watching that there are people looking into the issue. At the moment, some construction jobs have been deemed nonessential and some, like affordable housing projects, housing for the homeless and essential government work will continue. This has led to a lot of questions and concern from the public, members of the business community and others looking for answers. “I understand the frustration and I understand the ambiguity; we are working as hard and as fast as we can to bring more certainty,” said Adler.”I think the best we can say at this point is that we are living with this issue every moment every day and we are trying to come up with something better than what we have now.” Adler explained that they had been and would continue to experiment with modeling of virus spread under different scenarios, and stressed that information about the spread was a rapidly evolving situation. The most important thing, he stressed, is to make sure that all social interactions are limited by 90 percent in order to save the thousands of lives in Austin that might otherwise be lost.

Austin Independent School District staff, students and their families have been working on social and emotional learning (SEL) practices for nearly a decade, according to a press release from the district. Implementing SEL is known to boost kids’ well-being, improve their social-emotional skills and ensure better academic outcomes. In the era of COVID-19, and “in the midst of spatial distancing, uncertainty, stress and disruption to everyday life, accessing foundational social and emotional skills becomes that much more important,” notes the district. Hence Austin Mayor Steve Adler has declared March 27 Austin Social and Emotional Learning Day, in conjunction with International SEL Day. “At a time when schools are closed, in order to keep everyone safe, families’ ability to engage in social and emotional learning with their children is paramount,” said Caroline Chase, AISD SEL assistant director. Find resources for engaging in SEL-related activities at home on the Austin ISD Learning At-Home site.

As we shelter-in-place in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett has introduced bipartisan legislation to require a special ACA enrollment period in times of a public health emergency. Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) introduced the legislation in the Senate. “The Affordable Care Act is an invaluable tool in combating the coronavirus pandemic. Let’s give more Americans an opportunity to access affordable health care, especially those who missed last year’s Trump-narrowed and little federally publicized enrollment period. And for those who have discovered that the junk, short-term insurance plan they purchased is really junk, this represents an opportunity to secure genuine health insurance,” said Rep. Doggett. The bill would establish a 30-day special enrollment period for anyone who wants to enroll, ensure that patients can get prevention, diagnostics and treatment, and waive restrictions and limitations on access to covered benefits (such as prior authorization requirements and limitations on filling or refilling prescription drugs).