"Look! Bluebonnets!", the kids shouted from the backseat. And I have to admit, the field of azure and purple alongside the road seemed unusually brilliant, somehow larger than in recent years. Could it be? Or is it just an especially acute appreciation of those things that remind us of what it's like to be out and about and back to normal again? The packed crowds at the Texas Rangers home opener suggest something more like the latter, especially considering the continued warnings to use masks and not to let down social distancing guards despite the lifting of the mask mandate in Texas. Alas, as spring, the traditional season of renewal, takes hold, it's also apparent we are still struggling with much of the unpleasantness of old. Witness the emergence of the latest flashpoint in the culture wars: the so-called "vaccine passports.” This week, Gov. Greg Abbott announced a ban on organizations and institutions receiving state funds from compelling people to show evidence of having been vaccinated (almost 17% of Texans have already received the shot, the Texas Tribune reports ). The governor’s move is fuel for his constituents, many of whom claim such "passports" violate personal liberties. Others see resistance to vaccine certification as selfish and ultimately dangerous to public health, especially at a time when many Texans are letting their guards down already. We're trying to get beyond the politics to bring out some of the underlying issues, and I encourage you to check out our story on the subject below, along with other selections by our online team including Wells Dunbar, Shelly Brisbin and Caroline Covington. Until next Wednesday, we'll see you on the radio.

- David Brown

Work safe, Texas. Texas Work Comp Insurance

Nearly 200 People Died In February’s Winter Storm, Double The Initial Estimate

“Most of these deaths were preventable. Most were attributable to the fact that Texas simply could not ensure that electricity would stay on during a severe winter weather event.”

Unemployment Claims Are Way Up In Texas. So Are Fraudulent Ones.

The Texas Workforce Commission says identity theft is the main method people use to claim benefits they’re not entitled to receive.

What Biden's Infrastructure Plan Could Mean For Texas

The $2 trillion proposal could fund the Ike Dike and beef up broadband access. But some Texas Republicans are concerned it could hurt the state's oil and gas industry too.

How Vaccine Passports Could Help Open The Economy While Leaving Some People Behind

A journalist says proving you’ve been vaccinated could be as simple as showing a code on your smartphone – for those who have both a phone and the shot.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick Blasts Houston-Area Leaders Over Opposition To New Voting Bills (Houston Public Media)
Report Details How Texas Rent Relief Program Has Been Plagued By Problems (KERA North Texas)
Voting Rights Groups In Texas Are Asking Corporations To Do More To Fight GOP Election Bills (KUT Austin)

Hey there! I’m Carlos Morales, former reporter and now News Director at Marfa Public Radio. Today, for the first time in over a year, Marfa and the wider stretches of Presidio County appear to be in a good place when it comes to the pandemic. The rural county in Far West Texas has one of the state’s highest vaccination rates among residents 16 and older. But getting to this point has been unnerving and filled with uncertainty. Last fall, Presidio saw its worst outbreak of COVID-19. Health officials called the situation “dire.” At the same time, tourism to the region continued, and some said they were frustrated with the people traveling during the pandemic to an area with little medical care. What’s more, testing has been infrequent. And recently, residents have struggled to find doses of the vaccine. Some had to travel hundreds of miles to the Permian Basin for one. “Honestly, I didn’t know where else I could go that was even close enough to [Marfa] to get it,” one resident told us in February. Today, 47% of Presidio County residents are fully vaccinated, according to the state . Though the situation here is getting better, the view from rural Far West Texas still feels tenuous. It’s important for us to remain cautious, to take care of each other and our communities as best we can. And I hope you’re doing the same too.

- Carlos Morales

@celizario

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