The Houston Texans have hosted more than 12,000 fans at NRG Stadium. While Houston on Friday hit its long-sought goal of a 5 percent COVID-19 positivity rate, officials on Monday said Harris County residents will not see any immediate easing of restrictions. During a news conference Friday, Gov. Austin-Travis County leaders followed with their own local orders soon after. The governor rebuffed Hidalgo’s request in June for a new stay-at-home order; she warned during her annual State of the County remarks last week that new restrictions may be needed to combat this most recent wave of infections. nN��2�e. Health Equity Toolkits. Harris County restricts outdoor gathers of 10+ people through Aug. 26 Independence Day Weekend. h�bbd``b`Z$g�9 ��$X@,Y��v�XK@���Ҧ$�g`bd��щ��� �� Adherence to Hidalgo’s requests is voluntary, since Gov. Licensing of Junkyards, Automotive Wrecking and Salvage Yards. Lyl Rymer filed a complaint May 22 in Harris County District Court against The Springs Events LLC, alleging breach of contract. ”This is not the year … to have a great holiday gathering, a great outing at the bar, restaurant. Researchers at the University of Texas estimated this week that total figure is roughly 4.75 million, 16 percent of the state’s population. Rymer entered into a contract with The Springs on June 16, 2019, for the use of The Springs' Tuscany Hall facility and services for a … “Gathering crowds in any way that would make 6-foot separation impossible is not acting responsibly.” After the March 19 order, the one limiting gatherings to 10 people, some religious leaders and conservative activists in Harris County (Houston and surrounding areas) questioned the constitutionality of such an order. Bringing Christmas to kids in CPS system takes a lot of coordination, hand... 2 teen brothers killed, 1 wounded in Fresno drive-by shooting. For every 100,000 people, California is averaging 16.5 new cases, while Sutter County is averaging 21.8 and the positivity rate among test-takers in the county is more than double the state’s 5.2%. He came to Houston from the Burlington Free Press in Vermont and was also the managing editor of the Houston Press. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo talks about higher Covid positivity rates in Harris County during a press conference, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020, at the TranStar building in Houston. Prohibits any outdoor gathering of ten or more people unless the Mayor of the City in which the gathering is held or the Hidalgo County Judge approves it (if in an unincorporated area). Abbott in September allowed restaurants, gyms and nursing homes to open to 75 percent capacity. Follow him on Twitter or email him at zach.despart@chron.com. Houston firefighters are stretched thin. Exceptions to the Order. Hidalgo in June unveiled a threat level system to help residents keep the pandemic top of mind. Floodplain Management Regulations (7/9/2019) Revisions to Infrastructure Regulations (Sept. 2020) Approved Modifications to Harris County Infrastructure (Subdivision) Regulations. RodeoHouston plans to return in May. Greg Abbott has reopened Texas in phases beginning in May, Hidalgo since June has steadfastly urged residents to stay home when possible, leading critics to see her as Houston’s Chicken Little as virus cases and hospitalizations declined for months after the summer spike. Dr. Umair A. Shah, executive director of the Harris County Public Health Department, listens during a press conference, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020, at the TranStar building in Houston. On June 23, 2020, Gov. He is a New York native and graduate of the University of Vermont. Search warrant outlines couple’s inconsistent statements after Maliyah... 1 man dead after shooting in Pearland Taco Bell parking lot, Man hit and killed by car on Houston's Highway 6. A hospital executive said a string of bars on Westheimer on an October evening “looked like New Year’s Eve pre-COVID.”. She said that strategy has failed since Texas is dealing with its third surge in cases, after spikes in the spring and summer, instead of bringing the virus under control in the first place. Hidalgo on Tuesday made her latest and most dire request, asking residents to cancel their Thanksgiving plans and avoid multi-household gatherings through the holidays to slow the spread of COVID-19, which again is surging here. The county had a record 186 people tested positive for the virus over the weekend, according to Health Officer Dr. Phuong Luu. Epidemiologists long have estimated the actual number of infected Texans is far higher than the 1 million cases discovered through tests. The governor allowed bars to open to 50 percent beginning October, at the discretion of county leaders. Hidalgo says hold your horses. “What we need to adopt is an enforceable threat level system, like the one we’ve been using, that lays out a series of metrics, that doesn’t pick and choose the one that happens to look good at the time.”. Clean and disinfect frequently touched areas often. We have a narrow window in this moment to turn this ship around and avoid what we saw in June and July, or much worse — what’s happening in El Paso or other parts of the country.”. ������ea���`��t�� Within weeks, she upgraded the county to Level 1, the worst stage, which advises residents to remain home when possible and avoid unnecessary contact with others. Whereas,on July 3, 2020, the Harris County Judge issued an order prohibiting outdoor gatherings estimated to be in excess of 10 people, consistent with Executive Order GA-28 as amended, and subject to certain exceptions. Houston, county consider $14M buyout of unfinished Kingwood subdivision blamed for flooding, COVID-19 vaccine could end the pandemic, but here’s why millions of people plan to skip it, Thousands of doses of the new COVID vaccine are coming to Houston, with MD Anderson as the only stop. endstream endobj 145 0 obj <. Harris County is home to many individuals from diverse backgrounds, ethnicities, and races. Abbott issued an updated Executive Order GA-26 to expand the ability of mayors and county judges to impose restrictions on certain outdoor gatherings of over 100 people. The county also sent an emergency cell phone alert to all residents urging them to get tested for the virus, regardless of whether they have symptoms, as uncontrolled community spread has driven up new case and hospitalization numbers. Powerless to issue restrictions, Hidalgo urges no multi-household Thanksgiving gatherings. Texans offer solution to watch Bears game if CBS remains blacked out, Texas founding father Stephen F. Austin insisted Texas could not survive without slavery, Off-duty HPD officer shoots man in Ben Taub parking garage, HPD officer suffers minor injuries in crash near downtown, MD Anderson only Houston spot so far with planned vaccine arrival. People at higher risk for severe COVID-19 illness should not attend. “But we can’t do that right now. Dr. Umair Shah, the outgoing Harris County health authority, estimated the pandemic may only be half over and said residents must be especially … 24-hour shifts and sleeping in masks. endstream endobj startxref %%EOF The move comes as other cities and states have begun to reimpose restrictions last seen in … h�b```� It was just announced that Shah will be stepping down from his position with the county to take a new job in Washington State. “We now have a groundswell of COVID-19 cases in this community waiting for a super-spreader event to occur to completely turn the table on us,” Porsa said. Collin County > Health Care Services > Public guidance for novel coronavirus ... During any gathering of people in close contact: Anyone who is sick should not attend. It has remained there ever since. Severability. Harris County's current Covid-19 threat level is at its most severe level as Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo speaks during a press conference, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020, at the TranStar building in Houston. The Harris County Auditor’s confidential hotline and website allow employees, vendors, grant applicants and the general public to anonymously report instances of fraud, waste or abuse of the County’s funds, resources and projects 24/7 in English, Spanish, Mandarin and Vietnamese. The United States has recorded more than 100,000 new cases for nine straight days, and its death count has exceeded 246,000. Greg Abbott in April stripped local officials of the ability to issue their own COVID-related restrictions. El Paso is so overwhelmed with COVID deaths that inmates from the county jail are helping with overflow bodies, and the county has set up eight trailers to hold bodies until there is room in the medical examiner’s office. Harris County Fire Code Regulations - Effective Sept. 2019. 163 0 obj <>stream University of Colorado Boulder students and 18-to 22-year-olds who live in Boulder are now under the same gathering restrictions as the rest of Boulder County, according to an update from Boulder C… Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo on Monday ordered all bars and clubs in Harris County to close for the next 15 days, a move intended to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. It’s just not the time,” Fort Worth CBS affiliate KTVT quoted Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, the county’s top elected official. Dr. Umair A. Shah, executive director of the Harris County Public Health Department, speaks during a press conference, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020, at the TranStar building in Houston. Mayor Sylvester Turner made a similar plea to residents on Monday, when he canceled Houston’s Thanksgiving parade for the first time in its 71-year history. The prohibition includes the gathering of people for sales of real property, including foreclosure sales … Wear a mask, maintain social distance. Churches weren’t classified as essential businesses in the county… Hidalgo said no for Harris, but a Houston Chronicle investigation found many bars already had swung open their doors, taking advantage of lax enforcement by state regulators and a loophole that allowed many to effectively reclassify as restaurants. 157 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<75716FA855611A4C81DE5936FC48DC32><41BD59DD7410CF4A9E7FF01A970F44EA>]/Index[144 20]/Info 143 0 R/Length 72/Prev 82866/Root 145 0 R/Size 164/Type/XRef/W[1 2 1]>>stream TMC hospitals, hit by COVID surge, exceed base ICU capacity for first time since summer. Kay Ivey and State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris announced the state would relax restrictions on gatherings … General information about the Coronavirus, COVID-19, pandemic - including fact sheets, myths, and links to relevant resources on public guidance and reopening documents. Even as Gov. By the fall, however, few residents appeared to be heeding her advice. “We’ve seeing history repeat itself, over and over again,” Hidalgo said. HOUSTON — County Judge Lina Hidalgo has amended the Stay Home, Work Safe Order to allow small gatherings for religious services. At no point has Harris County reached its goal of a two-week average positive test rate below 5 percent. On July 3, 2020, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo issued an Outdoor Gatherings Order in accordance with Governor Greg Abbott’s Executive Order GA-28 and in response to the recent increase in COVID-19 cases. Whereas,on March 24, 2020, the Harris County Judge issued a “Stay Home, Work Safe” Order prohibiting gatherings and providing that residents stay home … A man arrives at a Covid-19 test site in Los Angeles, California on November 17, 2020. Hospitalizations are the highest they have been since Labor Day. Dr. Umair Shah, the outgoing Harris County health authority, estimated the pandemic may only be half over and said residents must be especially vigilant during the holidays, when many indoor family gatherings traditionally take place. Mixed messaging from different levels of government created confusion. Floodplain Management Plan. Georgia GOP Governor Kemp's Approval Rating Drops After COVID Restrictions; ... lament that we didn't get a gathering this time around," said Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo. “It’s human nature to get complacent and want to give in, to be tired,” Hidalgo said. In 2017 he won the Best Feature award from the Association of Alternative Newsmedia for his feature on Venezuelan corruption in Houston and Miami. She cited worsening statistics: The daily average of new cases has jumped 250 percent since September; the test positivity rate has increased by a third to 8.2 percent. HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo has issued an order prohibiting outdoor gatherings of 10 or more people. To … The city in September resumed issuing permits for limited-attendance events, including crowds of up to 3,000 at BBVA Stadium. Harris Health CEO Dr. Esmaeil Porsa said Thanksgiving poses a far greater risk than Memorial Day or July 4, especially because it creates an opportunity for infected but asymptomatic young people to spread the virus to parents and grandparents within confined spaces. Harris County residents should continue to maintain social distancing of at least six feet while outside the home.Harris County employees also are required to wear face coverings under the same circumstances as the general public. US states and cities are imposing a raft of new restrictions to try to curb soaring Covid-19 infection rates. In both cases, though, weddings are exempt from the restrictions, as long as they follow certain other guidelines. Boulder and Weld County churches since March have rolled out a litany of ways to engage with their members in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic … Zach Despart covers Harris County for the Chronicle, including Commissioners Court and flood control. It was just announced that Shah will be stepping down from his position with the county to take a new job in Washington State. ; and Los Angeles county on Friday announced a temporary ban on gatherings of people from different households under a new "safer-at-home order" triggered by a spike in Covid-19 cases, with religious services and protests exempt. For the eight months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo has been a bearer of bad news. Whereas, on March 24, 2020, the Harris County Commissioners Court extended the Declaration of Local Disaster for Public Health Emergency to April 29, 2020 in accordance with Section 418.108(b) of the Texas Government Code; and. Regulations for beaches, lakes, rivers, and river rafting are the same as parks. The Governor also issued a proclamation giving mayors and county judges the ability to impose restrictions on some outdoor gatherings of over 10 people, and making it mandatory that, with certain exceptions, people cannot be in groups larger than ten and must maintain six feet of social distancing from others. Hidalgo said Abbott has reopened the state too quickly. 144 0 obj <> endobj 0 The order prohibits outdoor gatherings estimated to be in excess of 10 people. Dr. David Persse, health authority for the city of Houston, speaks at a March 16 press conference with officials from Harris County and Houston where new restrictions and community guidelines for combating the spread of COVID-19 were announced. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo walks into a press conference, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020, at the TranStar building in Houston. 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