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Texas is seeing 165 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population over the past two weeks, keeping the state in 40th place among the states and territories in the U.S., according to Johns Hopkins University researchers.
Over the past two weeks, Texas has averaged almost 3,400 new cases per day. Johns Hopkins data show the state also has had 174 COVID-19 deaths per 100,000 population over the past two weeks, ranking 24th in the nation.
The state health department reported 1,344 new COVID-19 cases and 20 related deaths Sunday. However, then 2,200 newly confirmed or probable virus cases and 49 additional deaths.
However, state health officials have said some jurisdictions don’t report COVID-19 cases or deaths on Sundays, while some don’t report over the weekend at all.
Source: www.click2houston.com
More than 1.7 million COVID-19 vaccine doses are headed Texas’ way for next week, state health officials said Friday.
The Texas Department of State Health Services said that 708,460 first doses of the two-dose Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have been allocated to 928 providers in 129 Texas counties, while 570,520-second doses also have been ordered.
An estimated 470,000 first and second doses were allocated to pharmacies, federally qualified health centers, and dialysis centers. Also, with the federal pause on the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine now lifted, the federal government is expected to make doses of that vaccine available as soon as this weekend.
So far, more than 23.4 million doses have been distributed to Texas, and more than 36% of the state’s population has received at least one dose, said the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 24% of the population has been fully immunized.
New Texas COVID-19 cases were reported at below-average levels Friday, but new deaths were above the seven-day rolling average computed by Johns Hopkins University researchers. State health officials reported 3,306 new cases and 69 deaths, compared with averages of 3,403 new cases and 54 deaths per day.
Over the past two weeks, the rolling average number of daily new cases has increased by 175.6, an increase of 5.4%, according to Johns Hopkins University data.
Source: www.click2houston.com
“Securing the border is the federal government’s responsibility, but the current crisis has placed a costly burden on the State of Texas and on our local governments,” reads the Governor’s letter. “I have heard from many counties about the challenges they are facing from the surge in illegal border crossings. Several counties have declared local disasters. Other counties have been working around the clock in response to the federal government opening migrant facilities in their counties. I strongly believe that your county, our state, and our fellow Texans should not be forced to shoulder these costs and that the federal government should reimburse us in full.”
Source: gov.texas.gov
iSpice LLC faces $121K in penalties for workplace safety failures
When employers disregard safety measures and fail to properly supervise employees, the risks of serious injuries or illnesses increase – this is exactly the scenario that OSHA inspectors discovered during an investigation at iSpice LLC, a global spice importer, processor, and supplier based in Jackson, Alabama. OSHA found workers exposed to amputation, struck-by, crushed-by, and electrical hazards. The company faces $121,511 in penalties.
OSHA determined that the employer allowed workers to clean mixing machines without using a lockout device that prevents the machines from starting unexpectedly during service and maintenance. iSpice also failed to implement energy control procedures, train workers on lockout/Tagout practices and use machine guarding to keep employees protected from a rotating portion of the mixer.
In addition, iSpice allowed workers to use powered industrial trucks with a damaged seatbelt – exposing them to struck-by and crushed by hazards – and failed to make sure the drivers were competent to operate the equipment. The employer also exposed workers to electrical hazards by allowing multiple boxes and outlets that were uncovered or lacked faceplates and used a fan with an exposed splice in the cord.
“This employer put their employees at serious risk needlessly by failing to provide training and implement well-known protections,” said OSHA Area Director Jose Gonzalez in Mobile, Alabama. “These protections are not optional, they are every worker’s right.”
The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees.
Source: www.osha.gov
The Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) South Dallas GoLink program, an on-demand, personalized, curb-to-curb service for areas around South Dallas and Fair Park, begins its six-month pilot program on Monday, April 26.

Working with the South Dallas/Fair Park (SDFP) Transportation Initiative group, a survey of 200 residents of zip codes 75210 and 75215 was completed that identified concerns that the pilot demonstration hopes to rectify.
Through the survey, the SDFP group noted that the South Dallas-Fair Park neighborhood has extensive bus and rail service, but that bus travel within the neighborhood can be difficult for very short trips, particularly to the recreation center and grocery stores. The area is currently served by four DART rail stations, MLK, Jr. Station, Fair Park Station, Hatcher Station, and Cedars Station, as well as 10 bus routes.
Already available in Western Carrollton, Farmers Branch, Southeast Garland, Glenn Heights, Inland Port, South Irving, Kleberg/Rylie, Lake Highlands, Lakewood, North Dallas, Park Cities, Legacy West, Far North Plano, North Central Plano/Chase Oaks, and Rowlett, the GoLink pilot for South Dallas and Fair Park will cost $50,000, includes one dedicated accessible taxi, supplemented by Uber Pool, and covers an 8.5-sq. mile area.
Additional GoLink information can be found at www.dart.org/golink.
Source: dart.org
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Chloe Zhao’s “Nomadland,” a wistful portrait of itinerant lives on open roads across the American West, won the best picture Sunday at the 93rd Academy Awards, where the China-born Zhao also became just the second woman to win the best director and the first woman of color.
“Nomadland” star Frances McDormand won the best actress. The win puts McDormand (previously a winner for “Fargo” and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”) in a rare company as a three-time acting winner. Only Katherine Hepburn (a four-time winner) has won best actress more times.
In the night’s biggest surprise, the best actor went to Anthony Hopkins for the dementia drama “The Father.” The award had been widely expected to go to Chadwick Boseman for his final performance in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” Hopkins was not in attendance.
The full list of winners and nominees is below.
Riz Ahmed in SOUND OF METAL
Chadwick Boseman in MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
Gary Oldman in MANK
Steven Yeun in MINARI
Viola Davis in MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
Andra Day in THE UNITED STATES VS. BILLIE HOLIDAY
Vanessa Kirby in PIECES OF A WOMAN
Carey Mulligan in PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
THE FATHER
David Parfitt, Jean-Louis Livi and Philippe Carcassonne, Producers
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
Shaka King, Charles D. King and Ryan Coogler, Producers
MANK
Ceán Chaffin, Eric Roth and Douglas Urbanski, Producers
MINARI
Christina Oh, Producer
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
Ben Browning, Ashley Fox, Emerald Fennell and Josey McNamara, Producers
SOUND OF METAL
Bert Hamelinck and Sacha Ben Harroche, Producers
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
Marc Platt and Stuart Besser, Producers
“Hear My Voice” from THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
Music by Daniel Pemberton
Lyric by Daniel Pemberton and Celeste Waite
“Husavik” from EUROVISION SONG CONTEST: THE STORY OF FIRE SAGA
Music and Lyric by Savan Kotecha, Fat Max Gsus and Rickard Gransson
“Io S (Seen)” from THE LIFE AHEAD (LA VITA DAVANTI A SE)
Music by Diane Warren
Lyric by Diane Warren and Laura Pausini
“Speak Now” from ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI…
Music and Lyric by Leslie Odom, Jr. and Sam Ashworth
DA 5 BLOODS
Terence Blanchard
MANK
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
MINARI
Emile Mosseri
NEWS OF THE WORLD
James Newton Howard
THE FATHER
Yorgos Lamprinos
NOMADLAND
Chloé Zhao
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
Frédéric Thoraval
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
Alan Baumgarten
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
Sean Bobbitt
NEWS OF THE WORLD
Dariusz Wolski
NOMADLAND
Joshua James Richards
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
Phedon Papamichael
THE FATHER
Production Design: Peter Francis
Set Decoration: Cathy Featherstone
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
Production Design: Mark Ricker
Set Decoration: Karen O’Hara and Diana Stoughton
NEWS OF THE WORLD
Production Design: David Crank
Set Decoration: Elizabeth Keenan
TENET
Production Design: Nathan Crowley
Set Decoration: Kathy Lucas
Maria Bakalova in BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIE FILM: DELIVERY OF PRODIGIOUS BRIBE TO AMERICAN REGIME FOR MAKE BENEFIT ONCE GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN
Glenn Close in HILLBILLY ELEGY
Olivia Colman in THE FATHER
Amanda Seyfried in MANK
LOVE AND MONSTERS
Matt Sloan, Genevieve Camilleri, Matt Everitt and Brian Cox
THE MIDNIGHT SKY
Matthew Kasmir, Christopher Lawrence, Max Solomon and David Watkins
MULAN
Sean Faden, Anders Langlands, Seth Maury and Steve Ingram
THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN
Nick Davis, Greg Fisher, Ben Jones and Santiago Colomo Martinez
COLLECTIVE
Alexander Nanau and Bianca Oana
CRIP CAMP
Nicole Newnham, Jim LeBrecht and Sara Bolder
THE MOLE AGENT
Maite Alberdi and Marcela Santibáñez
TIME
Garrett Bradley, Lauren Domino and Kellen Quinn
A CONCERTO IS A CONVERSATION
Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bowers
DO NOT SPLIT
Anders Hammer and Charlotte Cook
HUNGER WARD
Skye Fitzgerald and Michael Scheuerman
A LOVE SONG FOR LATASHA
Sophia Nahli Allison and Janice Duncan
ONWARD
Dan Scanlon and Kori Rae
OVER THE MOON
Glen Keane, Gennie Rim and Peilin Chou
A SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE: FARMAGEDDON
Richard Phelan, Will Becher and Paul Kewley
WOLFWALKERS
Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart, Paul Young and Stéphan Roelants
BURROW
Madeline Sharafian and Michael Capbarat
GENIUS LOCI
Adrien Mérigeau and Amaury Ovise
OPERA
Erick Oh
YES-PEOPLE
Gísli Darri Halldórsson and Arnar Gunnarsson
Travon Free and Martin Desmond Roe
FEELING THROUGH
Doug Roland and Susan Ruzenski
THE LETTER ROOM
Elvira Lind and Sofia Sondervan
THE PRESENT
Farah Nabulsi and Ossama Bawardi
WHITE EYE
Tomer Shushan and Shira Hochman
GREYHOUND
Warren Shaw, Michael Minkler, Beau Borders and David Wyman
MANK
Ren Klyce, Jeremy Molod, David Parker, Nathan Nance and Drew Kunin
NEWS OF THE WORLD
Oliver Tarney, Mike Prestwood Smith, William Miller and John Pritchett
SOUL
Ren Klyce, Coya Elliott and David Parker
ANOTHER ROUND
Thomas Vinterberg
MANK
David Fincher
MINARI
Lee Isaac Chung
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
Emerald Fennell
EMMA
Alexandra Byrne
MANK
Trish Summerville
MULAN
Bina Daigeler
PINOCCHIO
Massimo Cantini Parrini
EMMA
Marese Langan, Laura Allen and Claudia Stolze
HILLBILLY ELEGY
Eryn Krueger Mekash, Matthew Mungle and Patricia Dehaney
MANK
Gigi Williams, Kimberley Spiteri and Colleen LaBaff
PINOCCHIO
Mark Coulier, Dalia Colli and Francesco Pegoretti
Sacha Baron Cohen in THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
Leslie Odom, Jr. in ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI…
Paul Raci in SOUND OF METAL
Lakeith Stanfield in JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
Denmark
BETTER DAYS
Hong Kong
COLLECTIVE
Romania
THE MAN WHO SOLD HIS SKIN
Tunisia
QUO VADIS, AIDA?
Bosnia and Herzegovina
BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIE FILM: DELIVERY OF PRODIGIOUS BRIBE TO AMERICAN REGIME FOR MAKE BENEFIT ONCE GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN
Screenplay by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Dan Swimmer & Peter Baynham & Erica Rivinoja & Dan Mazer & Jena Friedman & Lee Kern
Story by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Dan Swimer & Nina Pedrad
NOMADLAND
Written for the screen by Chloé Zhao
ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI…
Screenplay by Kemp Powers
THE WHITE TIGER
Written for the screen by Ramin Bahrani
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
Screenplay by Will Berson & Shaka King
Story by Will Berson & Shaka King and Kenny Lucas & Keith Lucas
MINARI
Written by Lee Isaac Chung
SOUND OF METAL
Screenplay by Darius Marder & Abraham Marder
Story by Darius Marder & Derek Cianfrance
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
Written by Aaron Sorkin
The Texas Department of State Health Services said Thursday that a woman was hospitalized in Texas after receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine with a “similar profile” as others who experienced adverse effects of the vaccine.
The woman’s age, condition, and identity have not been released to protect her privacy, officials said.
In Texas, officials said 616,000 J&J vaccine doses have been administered.
U.S. health regulators recommended last week that use of the J&J vaccine be paused after six cases of rare brain blood clots, accompanied by low platelet levels, were reported in women following vaccination, out of some 7 million people who have received the shot in the United States.
Local doctors and county judges said the news coincided with fewer people getting vaccinated in our area.
“It coincided with some of our decreased visits but I think it’s more than just people nervous about the vaccine,” Dr. James McCarthy from Memorial Hermann Health System said, “I think it’s more about, we’ve gone through that population that was really ready with their hands up and now we’ve got to work on the folks that are either having trouble accessing the health system or a little resistant and hesitant to get the vaccine.”
The CDC and FDA continue to investigate the woman’s case, Texas officials said Thursday.
Friday morning the CDC plans to meet to discuss the pause on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Source: www.click2houston.com

For the first time in four weeks, the statewide gas price average in Texas has increased, the American Automobile Association reported.
The average is now $2.59 for a gallon of regular unleaded fuel, according to the AAA Texas Weekend Gas Watch. That price is two cents more than on this day last week and is $1.05 more per gallon compared to this day last year, the nonprofit organization noted.
Of the major metropolitan areas surveyed in Texas, drivers in El Paso are paying the most on average at $2.90 while drivers in San Antonio are paying the least at $2.43 per gallon.
AAA said in a news release Thursday that the national average price for a gallon of regular unleaded is $2.88, which is two cents more when compared to this day last week and $1.08 more than the price per gallon at this same time last year.
According to the latest data from the Energy Information Administration, U.S. gasoline demand numbers rose to just greater than 9.1 million barrels per day, which is the highest level since August 2020, AAA noted. Regional fuel supplies fell just slightly, about one percent to almost 82 million barrels, while Gulf Coast refinery utilization increased by around two percent to 88 percent. Crude oil prices have also seen days of rising prices, but the price for crude appears to have settled above $61/barrel for now.
“Drivers may have noticed a slight increase in pump prices since last week,” said AAA Texas spokesperson Daniel Armbruster. “Market factors are pointing toward higher prices as we head toward summer.”
Drivers in Texas are paying some of the cheapest gas prices in the U.S., ranking as the 2nd lowest statewide average in the country, according to gasprices.aaa.com.
Source: www.click2houston.com