Photo by Roschetzky Photography
Governor Greg Abbott might make his alcohol to-go policy during the stay-at-home order permanent. One state lawmaker is calling for more.
“With the loosening of some of the regulations, you really can help small businesses,” says state representative Eddie Rodriguez of Austin.
He authored the beer-to-go bill that became law last session. He’s confident making alcohol to-go permanent would help restaurants and the Texas liquor industry. He wants Governor Abbott to take it even further.
“Then we can look at the liquor sales to-go in the same conversation as paid sick leave and Texas Workforce Commission requirements and internet access around the state of Texas. Things like that. I think all of it is very important;” for now the alcohol to-go policy can continue past May 1st.
The number of recovered patients in Travis County has reached 427 out of the county’s total 1,591 coronavirus cases. 82 people are still in the hospital and 44 have died.
City leaders have expressed concern this week about reopening the private sector, saying too much of a rush could spike the number of cases of hospitalizations and deaths as well. Nevertheless, a lot of businesses will be opening tomorrow.
One industry that may not see much benefit from the reopening plan is the lodging industry. Austin’s hotel capacities are really at unprecedented lows. Ryan Dickson with Native Hostel downtown tells CBS Austin if people aren’t comfortable going to restaurants, they are even less likely to be comfortable renting a room.
“One of our partners did a survey online. It came back that out of 44 people that answered a survey, only two said that they would go to a restaurant this weekend,” Dickson says.
The Downtown Austin Alliance says many hotels are closed because there’s just no demand for them right now. Only time will tell how much or how fast Austin’s economy will rebound from the crushing blow it’s taken. DAA CEO DeWitt Peart says the economic vitality of the city is very much at risk right now.
Peart says there’s, “tremendous amounts of lost revenue and I think that is going to continue for the near future.
Their most recent survey finds 50% of businesses are wanting to open immediately. In all, 65% of small businesses have had to either temporarily or permanently close.
The City of Austin may require any restaurant that opens to assist it with contact tracing. Mayor Steve Adler tells KVUE they’ll need to keep track of anyone who comes and goes.
“If you’re going to go into a restaurant, wouldn’t you want to know if somebody who was in that restaurant at the same time the next day turned out to have the virus?” Adler says.
Austin’s stay-at-home order expires on May 8th. At that point, they’ll work on new local orders that will impose whatever regulations are possible without conflicting with Abbot’s order.
The Simon Property Group which owns the Barton Creek Mall, Lakeline Mall, The Domain and the Round Rock and San Marcos Outlets will be opening up those locations tomorrow with abridged hours. Simon says surfaces will be sanitized routinely and food court seating will be limited. Each individual retailer and all those malls still have the choice to remain closed if they want to.
The stay-at-home order for Williamson County expires at midnight tonight and the county does not plan to extend it. Judge Bill Gravell says he will continue to stay in line with the governor’s orders. Williamson County has reached 293 cases. 169 have recovered while eight people have died.
Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody says the jail is still free of coronavirus, both among inmates and staff. He credits much of that to the jails new intake process for inmates. They are quarantined for two weeks before they’re sent to areas where other inmates are being housed.
The Greater Austin Crime Commission says it’s still backing the Austin police chief. While area activists call for Chief Brian Manley’s resignation for last week’s deadly officer involved shooting, the commission’s Corby Jastrow says they still have full confidence in Chief Manley.
“In addition to the investigation by the district attorney and the Office of Police Oversight, the Crime Commission supports Chief Manley,”Jastrow says.
The City Council will hear the demands of activists but the commission hopes council will first wait for the results of the investigation before making a decision.
Memorial services for fallen San Marcos police officer Justin Putnam have been postponed. Putnam’s family says they’ll have to wait until COVID-19 restrictions are lifted before they can proceed. Putnam was shot and killed while responding to a call this month. He was 31 years old.
