COVID-19 update
Travis County has seen a slight rise in COVID hospitalizations over the past day, 179 being reported this morning. That’s up by six from a day ago. But free space in the ICU has grown slightly, and there are also fewer people on a ventilator today. 1,168 cases are said to be active. That’s also gone down. And overall, 77,831 cases confirmed with 75,872 recoveries.
Mask policy confrontations
There’s some Austin businesses who say that they’re been having to deal with confrontations about the mask policies. Austin’s 311 reports they’ve received at least 111 complaints about people refusing to wear masks while in stores. But looking back at previous weeks prior to the lifting of the state mask mandate, Austin Public Health Matt Lara says while there is a slight increase, the count is just about the same.
“And it seems like you know, citizens of Austin and residents of Austin have been doing a good job of helping our community by continuing to wear their mask,” says Lara.
He hopes that continues as the city isn’t out of the COVID woods just yet.
COVID Vaccines
Williamson County leaders are pretty pleased with the operation at Dell Diamond, which opened up recently as a mass vaccination site. County Judge Bill Gravell talked to FOX-7 and says yesterday the day began with 900 slots available.
“Listen, we’ve even had folks that signed up last night that are getting vaccinated today, so the turnaround is pretty quick. We’ve got slots open even this week,” says Gravell.
He says they’re peddling through thousands of doses a day. Now Williamson County has begun providing vaccine doses to those in the 1C category.
The county says 9.9% of people have been fully vaccinated. Now, 24% have gotten a single dose. 20% of hospital beds, or roughly 800, are available as of this morning across all of Williamson County.
Essential caregiver position
The Texas Senate has unanimously passed legislation to establish an essential caregiver position that would be allowed to visit family or friends in nursing homes during a lockdown. The author of that bill is State Senator Lois Kolkhorst.
“It gives the constitutional right to designate an essential caregiver with whom the facility may not prohibit in person visitation,” Says Kolkhorst.
The bill would direct nursing homes to establish at least two hours of visitation time per day and allow physical contact.
Ascension Seton lockdown arrest
The man accused of sparking an hours long lockdown yesterday morning at Ascension Seton Hospital in Round Rock has been arrested. Christopher Mims has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for allegedly shooting his girlfriend while in a car on SH-130 then driving her to a hospital in Pflugerville. She was transferred to Ascension, and he later showed up, and that’s when the building went into lockdown. That woman who was shot is said to be in stable condition.
Tellers Bar shooting
Austin police are looking for two men who shot up a car belonging to a bar employee in downtown Austin. Police say the two men were denied entry into Tellers Bar on Trinity. One of them actually reportedly pulled a gun and threatened people at that time. After leaving, they later returned, pulled into an alley alongside the bar, got out and opened fire. A woman was asleep inside of the car. She was shot, but she is expected to survive.
Human smuggling car crash kills eight people
The Department of Public Safety has arrested an Austin man in connection to a crash on Monday near the border that killed eight people. Sebastian Tovar was reportedly trying to run from DPS troopers north of Del Rio when he crashed head on into another car. He is currently charged with transporting illegal immigrants. All eight of the people who died were in the country illegally.
3,000 kids who have crossed over the US Mexico border will be housed at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas. And Governor Greg Abbott wants the Biden administration to say how long the kids will be in Dallas, what country they’re coming from and whether or not they’ve been screened for COVID.
“The administration has yet to provide answers that Texans deserve,” says Abbott.
He says Joe Biden has “opened the floodgates,” and the head of the DPS says he’s worried that a lot of the kids brought here will be sold into the drug trade or sex trafficking.
Austin controlled burn
If you happen to see some smoke billowing up from land in South Austin today, don’t panic. It’s all part of Austin Waters controlled burn in that area. The city says the burn will take place on 120 acres, and smoke could be seen around FM 1826, Brody Lane, FM 1626 and FM 967.
This news and more on News Radio KLBJ:
https://omny.fm/shows/klbjam-flash-briefing-1/am-newscast-3-18-21
