Month: March 2021

Governors of Texas and Mississippi announced Tuesday that they will lift their state’s mask mandates, as well as lift the restrictions on businesses and facility capacity back to 100%. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the mandates are no longer needed due to advancements of vaccines and therapeutics to protect against COVID-19. The new executive order goes into effect on Wednesday, March 10, rescinding most earlier executive orders related to the coronavirus. Abbott said in address to the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce: “With the medical advancements of vaccines and antibody therapeutic drugs, Texas now has the tools to protect Texans from the virus. We must now do more to restore livelihoods and normalcy for Texans by opening Texas 100 percent. Make no mistake, COVID-19 has not disappeared, but it is clear from the recoveries, vaccinations, reduced hospitalizations, and safe practices that Texans are using that state mandates are no longer needed.” He said the new order ensures “that all businesses and families in Texas have the freedom to determine their own destiny.”

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves made a similar announcement, tweeting, “Starting tomorrow, we are lifting all of our county mask mandates and businesses will be able to operate at full capacity without any state-imposed rules. Our hospitalizations and case numbers have plummeted, and the vaccine is being rapidly distributed. It is time!”

The moves come just days after CDC Director Rochelle Walensky warned that progress in the U.S. against the virus was “stalling,’ adding: “Things are tenuous. Now is not the time to relax restrictions.” However both states have seen declines in the average daily number of new cases of COVID-19. Texas has administered more than 5.5 million doses of vaccine. About 12.7% of Texans have received at least one dose, and 6.5% are fully vaccinated. In Mississippi, some 14.1% of the state’s residents have had at least one dose of the vaccine, and 7.6% are fully vaccinated. The state has administered more than 630,000 doses.

Texas and Mississippi to lift mask mandates and roll back Covid restrictions

Via www.nbcnews.com

Gov. Greg Abbott said Texas would be back open “100 percent” by March 10, and Mississippi Gov….

03/02/2021 4:49 PM

 

Editorial credit: Carrington Tatum / Shutterstock.com

At least 13 people were killed and a dozen others were taken to hospitals after a semi-truck slammed into a SUV carrying 25 people just north of the U.S.-Mexico border.

The highway patrol said the crash occurred at State Route 115 and Norrish Road, at about 6:15 a.m. PT in Imperial County, about 15 miles from the border. A Ford Expedition filled with 25 passengers was hit by a semi-truck full of gravel, the California Highway Patrol said. Those killed included Mexican citizens ranging in age between 20 and 55, while the injured were between 16 and 55. In total twelve people, including the Ford driver, were pronounced dead at the scene and another person died at the hospital.

The semi-truck was headed north on 115, south of Norrish, while the Ford SUV was traveling west on Norrish, just east of 115. Border Division Chief Omar Watson told reporters: “At this point it’s unknown whether or not the Expedition stopped at the stop sign, but it did enter the intersection in front of the big rig. CHP Subsequently the big rig collided with the left side of the Ford Expedition.” The CHP is in contact with the Mexican consulate in hopes of notifying next of kin.

13 dead in California crash, some ejected from SUV carrying 25 people

Via abcnews.go.com

Multiple people have died in a two-vehicle crash in Southern California Tuesday morning, the…

03/02/2021 4:31 PM

 

Editorial credit: Ken Wolter / Shutterstock.com

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said Monday that the Biden administration plans to allow migrant families separated under the Trump administration to reunite in the United States. Speaking during a news conference, Mayorkas called the separation of children from their parents at the Mexican border “the most powerful and heartbreaking example of the cruelty that preceded this administration.” Mayorkas said families will be given the option of reuniting in their country of origin or in the United States.

The administration is working with lawyers representing the separated families along with nongovernmental organizations, the nations of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, and the private sector. So far, about 105 families have been reunited.

Biden to allow migrant families separated under Trump to reunite in the U.S.

Via www.msn.com

The Biden administration’s task force to reunite families separated at the border under…

03/01/2021 12:47 PM

 

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On Monday, the Senate judiciary committee approved President Biden’s nomination of appellate court judge Merrick Garland to be the United States’ attorney general. The committee voted 15-7 early Monday afternoon to advance Garland’s candidacy. The nomination now advances to the full Senate for final confirmation. Most likely the Senate will hold a floor vote later this week, and is expected to approve the nomination. 

If confirmed, Garland will be sworn in immediately. Garland, 68, was nominated to the post of U.S. attorney general almost two months ago and appeared before the committee for a confirmation hearing last week, saying his top early priority would be overseeing the prosecution of rioters involved in the attack on the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6.  He told the panel: “I will supervise the prosecution of white supremacists and others who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 — a heinous attack that sought to disrupt a cornerstone of our democracy: the peaceful transfer of power to a newly elected government. We will pursue these leads, wherever they take us.”

Garland first rose to prominence as a potential Supreme Court nominee in 2009 and 2010 for vacancies that ultimately went to Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, respectively. In 2016 he was officially nominated by former President Barack Obama to replace late Justice Antonin Scalia, however senate Republicans denied Garland a vote and argued then that whoever won that November’s presidential election should choose Scalia’s replacement.

Senate Judiciary Committee advances nomination of Merrick Garland for attorney general

Via www.msn.com

The Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday approved the nomination of Judge Merrick Garland for…

03/01/2021 1:09 PM

 

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