Economists Are Nervous About a Second Shutdown. With the rising cases of the coronavirus, there’s concern that closing some sectors of the economy again will be necessary to control its spread. If that happens, job losses would be “immediate” and it would be “devastating” but it would perhaps be “essential,” Waco economist Ray Perryman told The Dallas Morning News. We’ll find out in a couple of weeks whether the slim job gains the state made in May expanded in June.
State and Local COVID Numbers In Smaller Counties Ain’t Lining Up. Tiny counties like Erath don’t have health departments, so they hire doctors to take the lead. Now, the numbers they’re finding don’t jibe with what the state is providing. It seems that the local counties are finding many more cases than the state is publishing. The state says there’s a lag in announcing the numbers and the counties say that misleads the public.
Dallas Police Association Believes Chief’s New Video Rule Is Illegal. The city’s largest police union alleges that the chief’s vow to release video from “critical incidents”—which includes a caveat that she can withhold case-by-case based on her own judgment—violates officers’ civil rights. The DPA’s attorney says it is tantamount to “releasing evidence.”
Wear Your Mask, Today and Always. I’m just going to link to what I wrote yesterday, in case you missed it. At 12:01 p.m. today, it is now against the law for you to go out in public without a mask. Follow the rules. This is a critical time in controlling the spread of coronavirus. If we blow this, if we go to house parties and shoot fireworks and hug our buddies and everything we probably want to do, UT Southwestern anticipates a 50 percent increase in hospitalizations by July 13. That’s another 400 or so people flooding into Dallas and Tarrant County hospitals. You might be fine, but the person you come into contact with might not be. And we can all help disprove that model. I think the scientists would like nothing more than to say they were wrong about this. Help them. Have a safe holiday and please take this seriously.
