May 31, 2020

Locals Take Back Tourist-Free Waikiki During Pandemic

HONOLULU (AP) — Growing up in Hawaii, Amber Lethem's family avoided Waikiki, the world-famous tourist mecca.

“I reflect back on my childhood, Waikiki has always been this pinnacle of like that’s where all the tourists are,” Lethem said. “We didn't really go into Waikiki, ever.”

Many other locals would also shun Waikiki's congested streets and herds of slow-moving tourists.

But now that the coronavirus pandemic has forced state leaders to impose a 14-day quarantine on travelers arriving to the islands, Waikiki is mostly a ghost town. Gov. David Ige has extended the traveler quarantine through June.

Read more: https://hosted.ap.org/berkshireeagle/article/b59464ef60b5e2a17bdb4983cf3b9809/locals-take-back-tourist-free-waikiki-during-pandemic

May 31, 2020

Fertitta returns federal funds, warns of commercial real estate bust

GALVESTON -- Island-born businessman and billionaire Tilman Fertitta generated much buzz this week when he warned Tuesday on CNBC’s “Power Lunch” of a commercial real estate bust caused by pandemic shutdowns and restrictions hurting restaurants and retail. Fertitta called for reason and compromise among stakeholders.

“We can’t pay rent if we’re not doing business,” said Fertitta, owner of the Landry’s Hospitality empire, along with Golden Nugget casinos and the NBA’s Houston Rockets.

“I want to be a reasonable tenant, and I expect the landlord to be reasonable with me,” Fertitta said. “But don’t expect me to pay you 100 percent rent when I’ve been closed by the county, the city, the state, the government — and you — because your mall’s not open, your facility’s not open, you have no business, your hotel’s closed,” he said. “This is a time we all have to work together. Everybody needs to be reasonable and, once again, everyone needs to feel some pain.”

On May 18, Fertitta also met with President Donald Trump, who hosted business owners from across the restaurant industry for a roundtable discussion on how to help the industry make a comeback as the economy reopens.

Read more: https://www.galvnews.com/business/buzz/free/article_5de5c047-351b-5372-aac3-1a466cc86c99.html

May 31, 2020

University of North Texas investigating campus arrest involving one black man, several officers

DENTON -- A video showing at least four University of North Texas police officers restraining a black man, who is crying out and moving around, surfaced on Twitter late Friday from a person at the scene near the UNT Speech and Hearing Center at 907 W. Sycamore St.

UNT is investigating an incident where a man allegedly resisted arrest by multiple university officers on campus late Friday, UNT President Neal Smatresk said in a statement Saturday. Two social media posts showing a video of the incident say the man being arrested is black.

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“Although no one was injured, this regrettable incident near our campus occurred at a time of heightened emotions following the recent tragedy in Minnesota,” Smatresk said in a statement. “As a result, and following our standard protocol, UNT’s Division of Institutional Equity and Diversity will be investigating actions taken by our police officers.”

The video’s caption from one Twitter user reads, “He’s literally getting attacked for not having a light on his bicycle, he’s literally screaming,” and shows three officers on the university’s campus surrounding a man and attempting to detain him near a sign for the university’s Speech and Hearing Center.

Read more: https://dentonrc.com/news/unt-investigating-campus-arrest-involving-one-black-man-several-officers/article_9d67cfbd-debd-54d9-8a53-2f899dc4cfd1.html
(Denton Record-Chronicle)

May 31, 2020

Police investigating after video shows mounted patrol officer trample protester in downtown Houston

Houston police say they're investigating a video showing a mounted patrol officer trampling a woman protesting during Friday's demonstration over the officer-involved death of Houston-native George Floyd.

The video, posted to Twitter, was taken near police headquarters along Travis Street in the afternoon. Alison Amador, who recorded the video, told Chron.com the demonstrators were surrounding another demonstrator who had been injured during a scuffle with police when the mounted officer came through.

In the video, the officer on the horse appears to blow a whistle, which is meant to warn people that the horse is coming through.

https://twitter.com/vikthewild/status/1266538354939756544

"When things got louder, the cops brought in horses," Amador said. "From my point of view, it looked like to me the cop saw her standing there but continued to plow through."

Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Video-shows-mounted-patrol-officer-trample-15305527.php

May 31, 2020

Protests at Dallas City Hall again prompt tear gas as demonstrators against police (GRAPHIC WARNING)

Protests at Dallas City Hall again prompt tear gas as demonstrators against police brutality say ‘No more'


As demonstrators gathered for a second straight day in Dallas to decry police brutality and the killings of black people nationwide, police again deployed tear gas and rubber pellets to disperse angry crowds downtown as emotions boiled over into the evening.

Just before 9 p.m. Saturday, Dallas police said that they had made 13 arrests after closing off parts of downtown. That followed a day of mayhem that ensnared even non-participants: A young woman who said she had not been part of the protests was walking home with groceries Saturday evening when she was apparently struck by a pellet fired by police.

https://twitter.com/KevinRKrause/status/1266898396339675137

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Early Saturday afternoon in Dallas, several hundred people of various ages and races gathered peacefully at City Hall, chanting “No more” as workers inside peered from the windows.

-snip-

But within hours, the mood would turn combative, with clouds of tear gas wafting throughout the municipal plaza and officers behind riot shields threatening pepper spray as the angry crowds swelled to over 1,000 and traversed the same downtown streets where stores had been looted and landmarks vandalized the night before.

Read more: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2020/05/30/protesters-at-dallas-city-hall-say-no-more-and-focus-message-on-police-brutality/

May 31, 2020

Austin protests against police violence spread, scatter

A crowd demonstrating in front of Austin Police Department headquarters Saturday evening scattered as officer fire multiple rounds of rubber bullets.

Several hours after demonstrations against police violence started in downtown Austin, the crowd of protesters was smaller but still vocal. Some protesters held signs and chanted. Some hurled water bottles at officers, as well as angry words.

Officers fired a volley of less lethal rounds about 9:15 p.m.

Many in the crowd, hands raised above their heads, screamed, “Don’t shoot.”

Moments later an American flag could be seen burning in parking lot behind the police building.

Read more: https://www.statesman.com/news/20200530/austin-protests-against-police-violence-spread-scatter

May 30, 2020

Titus County Judge frustrated with COVID-19 testing process, case number reaches highest in East TX

TITUS COUNTY, Texas (KETK) – A spike in COVID-19 cases is leaving local leaders frustrated in Titus County. The county now has more positive case numbers than any other in East Texas by surpassing 300 on Wednesday.

Most of the positive numbers are related to the meat processing plant, with similar outbreaks in Panola and Shelby Counties.

“It’s rapidly going up, we still have a significant amount of outstanding tests that we have not received results from,” said Titus County Judge Brian Lee.

While thousands have been tested, most of the results haven’t come in yet due to a backlog in labs.

Read more: https://www.easttexasmatters.com/news/top-stories/titus-county-judge-frustrated-with-covid-19-testing-process-case-number-reaches-highest-in-east-texas/

Titus County has a population of about 33,000. This article is from May 27 and from articles I've read in the Longview News-Journal another 98 cases were identified later in the week. The suspected hot spot is the Pilgram’s Pride Poultry Plant in Mount Pleasant.

May 30, 2020

Joe Biden and Beto O'Rourke to headline Texas Democrats 'virtual' state convention

AUSTIN — Former Vice President Joe Biden will close out next week's online-only Texas Democratic state convention, joining a list of national party headliners that includes House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and four former 2020 presidential candidates.

The June 6 appearance by Biden, the party's presumptive presidential nominee, sends another signal that Democrats are itching to put Texas in play in November, despite the party's 40-year losing streak in national elections.

"We need a president who will lead with empathy and experience," said state party chairman Gilberto Hinojosa. "Joe Biden is a man of character and compassion who has always fought for the working and middle class."

-snip-

The Democrats' state convention, which was moved to an online-only platform amid fears of further spreading the contagious and sometimes deadly coronavirus, begins Monday and runs for six days. Among the other featured speakers are 2018 U.S. Senate nominee Beto O'Rourke, who also made a failed bid for president this cycle.

Read more: https://www.caller.com/story/news/local/texas/state-bureau/2020/05/28/biden-orourke-texas-democrats-online-only-state-convention-starts-monday/5274216002/
(Corpus Christi Caller-Times)

May 30, 2020

Florida sees largest COVID-19 case increase in over a month

Florida’s Department of Health on Friday morning confirmed 1,212 additional cases of COVID-19, bringing the state total of known cases to 54,497. There were also 49 new deaths announced, raising the statewide toll to 2,413.

Friday’s increase in cases marks the largest daily increase in more than a month. Before Friday, April 17 saw the largest increase in cases at 1,413 cases. Since then, the state has only seen case increases larger than 1,000 in a single day three times.

The state is also expected to release its COVID-19 antibody test results for the first time Friday. The data could give scientists indicators of how widespread the disease has become in the state.

The COVID-19 antibody tests have been administered to healthcare workers, firefighters, police officers and other first responders over the past three weeks at drive-thru sites in Miami Gardens, West Palm Beach, Orlando and Jacksonville. Antibody tests were also distributed to hospitals to test healthcare workers.

Read more: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/coronavirus/article243086331.html

May 30, 2020

Reopening blueprint approved for Florida public universities

Students could be returning to Florida’s 12 public universities this fall after campuses were shut down this past spring because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Florida Board of Governors unanimously approved a blueprint for reopening campuses for the fall semester during a teleconference meeting Thursday. The blueprint is meant to guide the state universities in developing individualized plans for reopening in light of the challenges posed by COVID-19.

“We really must recognize that each university is different, and therefore each must present a plan that is best suited for its unique circumstances and characteristics,” Board Chairman Sydney Kitson said. “Using the blueprint for reopening campuses, we will be stronger and more successful in achieving our goals and focusing on the health and welfare of our students, faculty, staff, vendors, volunteers and visitors.”

The blueprint was developed over the past month by a task force of university presidents, along with other school officials and emergency managers, Kitson said. Each school must present its own specific plan to the Board of Governors next month.

Read more: https://floridapolitics.com/archives/336388-reopening-blueprint-approved-for-florida-public-universities