U.S. tells people to stay home, Southwest reduces flights, Cowboys give Dak franchise tag: Your Monday evening roundup

Dow plunges again as investors look for answers  [Evening roundup]( [NEWS]( | [BUSINESS]( | [SPORTS]( | [HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS]( | [ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT]( | [FOOD]( | [THINGS TO DO]( | [OPINION]( 03/16/2020 By Todd Davis Good Evening! Here is a look at the top headlines of the day. 🔎 Prefer the online view? It's [here.]( President Donald Trump speaks during a press briefing with the coronavirus task force, in the Brady press briefing room at the White House on Monday, in Washington D.C. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) CORONAVIRUS [U.S. tells older people to stay home, all ages to avoid crowds]( The White House on Monday urged all older Americans to stay home and everyone to avoid crowds and eating out at restaurants as part of sweeping guidelines meant to combat an expected surge of coronavirus cases. [President Donald Trump and the coronavirus task force released the guidelines]( as the U.S. government moved to try to blunt the impact of the virus, racing to bolster testing and aid even as financial markets fell and Americans scrambled to reorder their lives. Also: Dallas County reported [5 new coronavirus cases]( and Tarrant County has a 5th case. And: Texas cancels its [high-stakes STAAR tests]( amid COVID-19 school closures. ADVERTISEMENT  OPINION [Have hope: In this moment of crisis, North Texans are looking out for one another]( The editorial board writes: If there is one underreported story out of the coronavirus now sweeping through the layers of our community, it is that North Texans aren’t simply sitting by and while their neighbors are in need. In fact, for every story you hear of a neighbor bringing an elderly person a meal, there are 10 other stories that few will ever hear. And it is this phenomenon that should give us hope for the moment and also instruct us that our society isn’t as tattered as we might have thought. More on the larger point in a second, but [let’s first focus on the good works being done across our community](.  Also: [Latino voters in Texas]( are the sleeping giant that is beginning to stir, writes Jason Villalba.   And: One reason for rising health care costs is [growth in the number of hospital administrators]( writes Brian Carr.  BUSINESS [Southwest Airlines will slash 20% of flights and freeze hiring]( Southwest Airlines plans to reduce flights by 20% between April and June and freeze hiring as the COVID-19 coronavirus forces an "unprecedented" number of cancellations. Dallas-based Southwest said the number of passengers on planes has dropped dramatically in recent days and flights are now only about half full. [The news came in a financial statement outlining a $1 billion loan]( that Southwest took from New York-based JPMorgan Chase.  Also: [Dallas bars and dine-in restaurants]( are forced to close because of coronavirus.   And: [Grocery retailers]( are not only scrambling to fill shelves but also shifts.  ADVERTISEMENT (Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) PHOTO OF THE DAY Dr. Martin McElya (second from right) and physician assistant Paige Lehrer work with patients as cars line up for drive-through coronavirus testing at Neighborhood Medical Center on Belt Line Road, Monday in Dallas. [Click here for all our coronavirus coverage](. EDITORS' PICKS - Economy: [The Dow dives 2,999 points]( on fears the coronavirus will cause a recession. - Crime: [A man was killed at his West Dallas home]( after going to defend his mother, police say. - Politics: [Texas’ Louie Gohmert]( paralyzes the House on the coronavirus bill, demanding time to inspect ‘technical corrections.' ADVERTISEMENT FINALLY... [Cowboys place exclusive franchise tag on quarterback Dak Prescott]( The Cowboys on Monday placed the exclusive franchise tag on quarterback Dak Prescott. Dallas had until 10:59 a.m. Monday to work out a new deal with Prescott before resorting to the franchise tag, which prevents him from entering the free-agent market. Prescott becomes the 11th quarterback in NFL history to receive the franchise tag, but [it’s the first time the Cowboys have used the tag on a quarterback](. Notable quarterbacks to be franchised include Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Michael Vick. 👋 That's all for this afternoon! For up-to-the-minute news and analysis, check out [DallasNews.com](. Share the love! If you like this newsletter, please forward this email to a friend and [check out our other newsletters here](. Do you have feedback? Send your thoughts, questions, praise and corrections to [newsletter-feedback@dallasnews.com](mailto:newsletter-feedback@dallasnews.com?subject=). STAY CONNECTED WITH US [Unsubscribe]( | [Free newsletters]( | [Dallasnews.com]( | [Subscriber login]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Contact us]( Copyright 2020 - [The Dallas Morning News, 1954 Commerce Street, Dallas, TX 75201, United States](