Hair salons, barbershops, nail salons and tanning salons may reopen starting Friday, Gov. Greg Abbott announced. Gyms, nonessential manufacturers and businesses that work out of office buildings will be allowed to reopen May 18, with certain restrictions. “Our ability to show we can coexist with Covid-19 depends on ongoing efforts and good hygiene to continue […]
Gov. Greg Abbott
Posted inAustin
City ‘continues to work through’ governor’s order to slowly reopen Texas
Texas’ statewide stay-at-home order expires Friday, but the city of Austin has yet to clarify how this might affect local residents, how it will enforce the governor’s new order and what, if any, additional requirements the city will enact. “The city of Austin continues to work through the implications of the governor’s Executive Order,” a […]
Posted inPublic Health
Abbott says his order overrides local disaster rules
Gov. Greg Abbott announced Monday the first phase of reopening the state for business in response to an apparent lessening of Covid-19 cases that have sent the nation into an economic tailspin. Abbott claimed he had the authority to allow the majority of businesses to operate in a limited capacity, in spite of any local […]
Posted inPublic Health
Gov. Abbott outlines plan to relax restrictions and gradually reopen Texas economy
Gov. Greg Abbott announced a plan to gradually reopen aspects of the state’s economy, with a goal of allowing Texans to return to work while containing the spread of COVID-19. A new “strike force” made up of state leaders and health officials will advise the governor on next steps, he said at a news conference […]
Posted inAustin
Abbott orders statewide limits on nonessential activity, but won’t call it a ‘stay-at-home’ order
Gov. Greg Abbott issued an order Tuesday requiring Texans to limit personal interactions that could lead to the spread of Covid-19. The order states schools will remain closed until at least May 4. People may still leave their homes to access essential services like providers of groceries or medicine and to go outside for exercise. […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Citing violence associated with homeless, Abbott asks DPS to patrol state-owned buildings in Austin
Gov. Greg Abbott has directed state troopers to increase patrols within two blocks of state buildings in Central Austin in the wake of two stabbings involving homeless Austinites since Friday. In a letter Thursday, Abbott directed the Texas Department of Public Safety to increase patrols around the University of Texas, the Texas State Capitol and […]
Posted inAustin
Gov. Abbott says he’ll use five acres of state-owned land to temporarily house homeless Austinites
Gov. Greg Abbott’s office said the state will use five acres of state land at U.S. Highway 183 and Montopolis Drive as a temporary campsite for homeless Austinites. The site would serve as a stopgap until a privately backed effort brings a temporary shelter online in the downtown area. John Wittman, the governor’s spokesman, confirmed […]
Posted inAustin
Abbott says TxDOT will start cleaning up homeless camps under highways in Austin starting Monday
Gov. Greg Abbott’s office says it’s forging ahead with cleanups of homeless encampments under overpasses in Austin. Ahead of a Nov. 1 deadline for state intervention, Abbott’s spokesperson John Wittman confirmed that the Texas Department of Transportation will clear underpasses of encampments and direct campers to city and county resources for people experiencing homelessness. The […]
Posted inAustin
Gov. Abbott moves to clean up homeless camps under bridges in Austin
Gov. Greg Abbott’s office says the Austin City Council has taken a “meaningful step” to address homelessness after its vote last night to partially reinstate a camping ban, but that he intends to ask the Texas Department of Transportation to clean up camps under bridges. Spokesman John Wittman says the governor’s decision is meant to […]
Posted inAustin
Gov. Abbott threatens state intervention (again) unless Austin reinstates its camping ban
Gov. Greg Abbott doubled down on his threat to intervene over Austin’s homelessness ordinances. Abbott sent a letter to Mayor Steve Adler on Thursday threatening to send in “state agencies and resources,” unless the city reinstates rules banning camping, sitting or lying down in public by the end of the month. The governor’s warning comes […]
Posted inTexas State Legislature
Abbott vows to ‘unleash’ state resources if Austin doesn’t change its homelessness rules by Nov. 1
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says he’s prepared to “unleash the full authority of every state agency” if Austin doesn’t address issues surrounding homelessness by Nov. 1. In a letter to Mayor Steve Adler, Abbott said Austin’s revision of its homelessness rules presents a public health and safety concern and that he could marshal state resources […]