By Thanksgiving, Dallas County Expects 2,000 Daily COVID-19 Cases. Health officials have been sounding the alarm for weeks that we were headed for a dark winter if we didn’t act right. We apparently did not. Now, Thanksgiving is on pace to record 2,000 daily coronavirus infections, according to modeling from UT Southwestern Medical Center. Tarrant County isn’t any better off. Our neighbors to the west recorded 1,191 while Dallas had 808. Here’s the important thing: Dr. Philip Huang, head of Dallas County Health and Human Services, says this increase is coming from “small and medium-size gatherings of family and friends.” He cited birthday parties, weddings, bar hangs, and office break rooms. This is simple math. Your likelihood of catching this thing is higher if you spend time inside with people who live outside your home, even if those people are family members. If you are going to Thanksgiving with family, all parties needed to start quarantining yesterday for two weeks. A simple test a few days out isn’t enough. Let’s all do our part, even if it means sacrificing the holidays. It’s better than putting lives at risk. Meanwhile, Grapevine held a 600-person convention at the Gaylord to “be a catalyst that gets us back out there.” It required masks and social distancing; meanwhile, Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley wants to be able to fine people who aren’t wearing masks and said that youth athletics is contributing to the county’s spread.
Tomorrow Is the Largest Food Bank Giveaway Yet. At Fair Park tomorrow, the North Texas Food Bank will donate over half a million pounds of food to families that need it. It is the organization’s largest giveaway yet, and its fifth at Fair Park since the pandemic happened. It should be enough to provide for 8,500 families.
Meet the Violence Interrupters. The OGU Violence Interrupters Initiative is jumpstarting a key portion of Mayor Eric Johnson’s task force recommendations meant to curb violent crime. “We intrude, so we can get closer to them. We invade their personal space, so that they know they can trust us. And then we try to find programs, ideas and concepts to institute, so that we can mitigate the damages from the senseless violence,” said the group’s senior project manager. They begin with a walk from Lincoln High School to Opportunity Park in South Dallas on Saturday. More than 200 people have been killed in the city of Dallas this year, most of which have been acquaintances of some sort.
Beautiful Weekend Ahead. Today’s high is 70, tomorrow’s is 81, and Sunday’s is back to 70. The weekends lows are in the low 50s and mid-40s. There’s a small chance of rain tomorrow, but it doesn’t look too likely. Get out and enjoy it safely.
