COVID-19 update
Over the past day, Travis County’s coronavirus numbers have reversed course a bit. A dozen more hospitalizations are now added to the tally, bringing the total up to 91. There are 804 active cases in the county. That’s up by 31. But as those numbers have climbed so has the recovery number. Out of the 28,596 cases found over the past six months, 27,377 are recoveries.
Williamson County active COVID-19 cases have fallen by eight over the past day. That’s now down to 156. Officials have found 8,458 cases since March and 8,161 have resulted in recoveries. Hospital bed space is also still looking very good. In Williamson County, a dozen of the active cases currently involved someone in need of inpatient hospitalization.
Children development in schools
The pandemic has really changed a lot for all of us, especially kids, While many of them continue learning from home, they’re missing out on the social interaction and physical activity that comes along with recess and PE. University of Texas professor Matt Bowers says that’s a big deal.
“Recess, play, school, those are the laboratories of learning and development for them,” says Bowers.
He says kids learn to problem solve and negotiate conflict resolution on the playground, all of which they’re unable to do right now. It’s up to parents to make sure kids are getting that much needed stimuli every day.
Getting Texas back to work
The former head of the Dallas Federal Reserve says people have to get back to work. Richard Fisher says Texas has too much of a stake in the national economy for people who remain at home.
“We produce more than South Korea, more than Australia, more than Spain, more than Russia, more than Canada and more than Mexico. 30 million people who produce and are the job creators in America, and we have to put them back to work,” Fisher says.
Putting people back to work also helps to generate more spending and tax revenue, all of which are important components in reigniting the state economy.
Kalahari Resort looking to hire
The pandemic is not stopping the Kalahari Resort in Round Rock from seeking out new hires. The massive resort and water park still plans to open up in November. On Thursday of this week it will hold a drive through job fair in search of cooks, housekeepers, office staff and park staff. If you’re interested, you are being asked to bring a resume and make sure you have a mask between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Thursday.
Census days counting down
You have nine days left to be counted in the census. Austin city leaders, along with state Senator Sarah Eckhardt, are calling on area residents to stand up and be counted, noting thus far, only 66% of Austin households have been counted.
“A lot is on the line for us locally when it comes to how the census impacts funding and supporting critical community needs. Central Texas is a community of great diversity and sometimes some of us are invisible in this community,” says Eckhardt.
If that count goes unchanged, Austin leaders say that would mean $350 million worth of federal funding lost per year.
Google Fiber property damage
A central Austin neighborhood says Google Fiber has been tearing up property and is not offering to help with the damage. Tom Oney lives on Woodview Avenue and tells CBS Austin crews have ruptured a gas line, and they also destroyed the sprinkler system.
“They said ‘well, it’s not our fault.’ Unfortunately, it’s exactly their fault. The sprinkler system worked great the day before they came,” he says.
Oney says that’s a $900 repair job. Another woman down the street says crews cost $700 damage on her property. Google Fiber is not commenting on specific cases. Austin 311 says it’s got more than 60 calls this year about the company.
Man shot and killed at bus stop
Austin Homicide detectives are investigating a man found shot and killed at a bus stop recently near Bedichek Middle School. Sergeant Eric De Los Santos says they were called to the scene by someone who found John Young bleeding out.
“The scene revealed that it appears Mr. Young was asleep when he was shot. This is concerning to us because we have no motive in this case,” De Los Santos says.
It is believed Young may have been homeless. De Los Santos says they fear the shooting may have been a coordinated but random attack.
Car burglars arrested
Cedar Park police busted multiple people accused of nearly two dozen car burglaries over the weekend. Police say almost all of the 23 cars that were hit along Anderson Mill Road had unlocked doors. Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody also says deputies interrupted five other car burglars over the weekend in the Rancho Sienna neighborhood.
This news and more on News Radio KLBJ:
https://omny.fm/shows/klbjam-flash-briefing-1/am-newscast-9-22-20
