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Has Texas reached an inflection point in the fight against COVID-19? It’s a question many Texans are talking about as we fast approach the start of the summer. You likely recall it was just March when Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced a lifting of the statewide ban on mask wearing, allowing all businesses to reopen to 100%. The move was derided by President Joe Biden as “neanderthal thinking”. Gov. Abbott’s decision was
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viewed by The New York Times as “surprising” in a state where vaccinations trailed the national average and more than 7,000 new COVID cases were being reported each day. Fast forward to the present. This week, the daily count of COVID deaths in Texas hit zero for the first time since the start of the pandemic, the AP and other news outlets reported. That’s not to say the total number of COVID cases is zero – far from it. And by most counts, the Lone Star State also trails the national average in vaccinations: about a third of the population in Texas compared to 37 percent nationwide. But with COVID-related hospitalization and death rates dramatically lower since March, Gov. Abbott found himself once again in The New York Times last night. This time the occasion
was
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a new gubernatorial directive : on Tuesday, the governor announced that local governments statewide will be prohibited from requiring Texans to wear masks, or face fines for imposing them. Despite the CDC’s latest guidance approving those who are vaccinated to move about mostly mask-free, there are plenty of everyday folks concerned that we’re not out of the woods yet. Even so, as you’ll hear in our conversation with infectious disease expert Dr. Peter Hotez, below, the case for optimism is mounting. We hope you enjoy the items in this week’s newsletter, and until next week, we’ll see you on the radio.
- David Brown



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Dr. Peter Hotez: Stepping Up Vaccinations In The South Clearest Way To ‘Normal’

“We just have to not do reckless things, and reckless means being defiant of vaccines," says the Texas-based infectious diseases expert. "That’s a dumb thing to do."

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Read More




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With Less Than Two Weeks To Go This Session, The Lege Still Has A Full Plate

The Texas House and Senate are far apart on a state budget, and haven’t yet agreed on high-profile bills focused on changing election laws and the permitless carry of handguns.

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Unemployment Benefits' Early End In Texas May Not Get Everyone Back To Work
Gov. Greg Abbott's decision to end an additional weekly $300 in federal benefits follows the lead of other GOP-led states.

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‘Boss Texas Women’ Tells Stories Of Strength, Inspiration And Fortitude

The book, by two friends from Austin, is designed with a “rock and roll” sensibility. It tells stories about Texas women from Barbara Jordan to Emma Tenayuca.

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Read More




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Greg Abbott Bars Government Entities From Requiring Face Masks
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(KERA)
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Austin Energy Says It's Looking At Ways To Make The Next Blackout More Bearable
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(KUT)
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Bexar County Agrees To Provide $25 Million For Alamo Museum
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(TPR News)
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Protestors Rally Outside Israeli Consulate In Support Of Palestinians
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(Houston Public Media)

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Hello, howdy and hi! I’m Haya Panjwani, from Houston and one of the legislative fellows for the Texas Newsroom. Since January, I’ve been working on covering the 2021 legislative session. I’ve reported on things like our
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energy grid ,
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redistricting ,
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voting rights and so much more. Some cool stuff I’ve also done is report on the lack of
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Muslim representation in the legislature, and even being able to share my own
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culture with the rest of Texas. I’m also a student at the University of Houston (go Coogs!) studying political science and journalism, hoping to graduate in May 2022. I’m also the news editor for our school paper,
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The Cougar , covering day-to-day happenings at our school and managing a news desk. If you want to chat about the legislature, Texas politics or just gab about the The Great British Bake Off, shoot me an email at
mailto:[email protected]
[email protected] or find me on Twitter. Thanks!
- Haya Panjwani

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@hayapanjw

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