Three men charged with murder of ice cream vendor
We are expected to learn more today about the three men who have been charged in the senseless killing of Adelaido Bernabe Urias. He was a longtime ice cream vendor who was gunned down in the Rundberg neighborhood in late June. He died on July 1st from his injuries. Police say the three men have been charged with capital murder after arrests were made last night. Witnesses say the men shot and robbed Urias and then ran away.
School board votes to push school start date
The group that represents Austin’s Independent School District employees and other teachers lays out more demands as the district is getting ready to vote on the fall semester start date. Classes were set to start in two weeks, and the school board will vote Thursday to push that start until September 8th. That’s in line with union demands. Education Austin’s Ken Zarifis says this will give the district time to make sure teachers are ready to tackle digital learning.
“We want to just see that everybody is on the same page. Get them time to upload their lessons, to create the videos they need to create for the first six to nine weeks and to really feel confident,” says Zarifis.
Also to give the district time to educate parents on the ends and outs of distance learning.
Texas schools and PPE
Governor Greg Abbott is expected to address the pressing question of whether not Texas is prepared to handle the amount of personal protective equipment needed to reopen schools in the fall. Governor Abbot’s press conferences from the Texas Division of Emergency Management Warehouse in San Antonio. It’s a state wide distribution site for PPEs. Abbott says ramping up production is essential heading into the school year.
“It could be a massive increase in the need for PPE this coming fall,” Abbott says his supply chain team has been working nonstop.
“Not only are we responding to the PPE needs of today, but also they’re working to ensure that we will have the PPE supplies to make sure that we will get through the coming fall and winter seasons.”
Governor Abbott has given the full go ahead for school districts to decide how to proceed with the new year. Local health authorities and city councils still can’t mandate what a district does, but Austin Mayor Steve Adler expects those that are in Travis County to fall in line with recommendations anyway.
“My hope is that we’ll continue to do everything by agreement, everybody by following the science and the data,” says Adler.
Plans are being made for the slow reintegration of students to campuses, but only if the virus numbers continue heading down.
COVID-19 update
After consecutive days of ongoing declines, Travis County’s overall number of hospitalized coronavirus patients has gone back up by three from a day ago. Currently, 310 people are in the hospital while 285 people have died from the 21,549 cases confirmed since March. The number of recoveries are not trailing very far behind; that number is now up to 19,266.
Williamson County’s recovery number grows by a couple 100 from a day ago. Right now, the county is reporting 5,207 recoveries out of the 5,832 cases confirmed. Overall, 61 people are currently in the hospital. In the past day, the hospital bed capacity has grown from 23% available yesterday to 31% available today.
UT football COVID guidelines
More safety guidelines are released by the University of Texas regarding home football games. Drew Martin, with the athletics department, says a mask will be required at all times, social distancing strictly enforced and halftime shows non-existent.
“Because the field of play will be subject to even tighter guidelines this season, there will be no on-field presentations and activities or personnel outside of those facilitating gameplay,” says Martin.
Thousands of hand sanitizer stations will be available. The guidelines don’t mention seating capacity, but last week, the school did say it was considering only 25%.
Remdesivir update
Remdesivir is being redesigned by University of Texas scientists to more effectively treat coronavirus. Pharmacology professor Dr. Bill Williams tells CBS Austin, the drug, which has been very effective in treating symptoms so far, is being converted from a liquid form into an inhalable powder
“Administered directly to the lungs, not intravenous. We believe that that is a much better route of administration,” says Williams.
That form of remdesivir is still being tested on animals, and human trials are still months away.
This news and more on News Radio KLBJ:
https://omny.fm/shows/klbjam-flash-briefing-1/am-newscast-8-4-20
