What Is It With Collin County? Collin County Judge Chris Hill was not part of a conference call with his fellow county leaders and Baylor Scott & White CEO Jim Hinton on Thursday. Hinton told the judges that “the only way we can keep people safe and not overrun our hospitals is shelter in place,” according to Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins. Hill didn’t hear that news. Earlier in the week, he declared all businesses essential in his shelter-in-place order, effectively neutering it. You’ll recall Frisco didn’t want to board this train, either. Hill contended that Jenkins was unavailable yesterday because it was his birthday. In related news, both Shawn Shinneman and I were able to speak to the judge yesterday.
David Blewett Blows It. I, too, raised an eyebrow at the exchange that the representative for East Dallas and downtown had with Dr. Philip Huang, the head of Dallas County Health and Human Services. Blewett peppered him with questions about the fatality rate that leaned toward skepticism of the seriousness of this virus. As The Dallas Observer notes, Blewett continued on Facebook yesterday, raising questions about how long the economy needs to be stalled in order for this to pass. Long enough that our hospitals aren’t overrun.
Dallas ISD Providing Hotspots for Students. As many as 40 percent of Dallas ISD’s students do not have access to internet. Yesterday, the school board OK’d buying 12,000 for those that don’t in order for them to continue learning while the district is shut down indefinitely.
Expect Rain Tomorrow. Helpful in case you’re on your daily allotted walk.