FEMA rejects request for Dallas tornado aid, Jenkins' emergency powers limited: Your Tuesday evening roundup

Also, your weather forecasts could be less accurate with fewer flights in the air.  [Evening roundup]( [NEWS]( | [BUSINESS]( | [SPORTS]( | [HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS]( | [ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT]( | [FOOD]( | [THINGS TO DO]( | [OPINION]( 04/07/2020 By Mallorie Sullivan Good Evening! Here is a look at the top headlines of the day. 🔎 Prefer the online view? It's [here.]( Debris from the October 2019 tornado remains at various houses on Orchid Lane in Dallas on Tuesday. FEMA has rejected Texas' request for a disaster declaration, which leaves Dallas without aid for at least more than $30 million in uninsured damage. (Lynda M. Gonzalez/Staff Photographer) POLITICS[FEMA rejects Texas’ disaster request over Dallas’ October tornadoes, denying region millions of dollars]( The Federal Emergency Management Agency has rejected Texas’ request for a major disaster declaration – denying it millions of dollars in federal relief funding – over the destructive October tornadoes that smashed through Dallas County. FEMA administrator Pete Gaynor told Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in a March 31 letter, obtained by The Dallas Morning News, that the “damage from this event was not of such severity and magnitude as to be beyond the capabilities of the state and affected local governments.” [Abbott is working on an appeal, his office confirmed on Tuesday.]( Also: Texas Democrats [sued state and county election officials Tuesday]( to demand mail-in voting for elections scheduled during the coronavirus pandemic. And: Texas lawmakers on Tuesday backed a $3 billion oil purchase [to stabilize global markets and replenish the nation's strategic reserve.]( ADVERTISEMENT  PUBLIC HEALTH[Dallas County commissioners vote to limit judge Clay Jenkins’ emergency powers]( Dallas County commissioners voted Tuesday afternoon to limit some of Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins’ power. Commissioners voted on an amendment to require Jenkins to notify commissioners before placing any more restrictions on essential businesses without first notifying them and giving them a chance to call a meeting. The amendment also requires him to get a majority vote before extending his shelter-in-place order past April 30. [The unanimous vote came after several tense exchanges between Jenkins and several commissioners.]( Jenkins abstained from supporting a part of the amendment that required him to get approval from commissioners to extend the shelter-in-place order.  Also: Dallas County [reports 106 new coronavirus cases, 19th death]( Tarrant County reports 5 more deaths related to the virus.   And: The North Texas Food Bank announced Tuesday that [an employee tested positive for the coronavirus.](  BUSINESS [100 American Airlines flight attendants have been diagnosed with COVID-19, union says]( About 100 American Airlines flight attendants have tested positive for COVID-19, [a number union leaders say is likely to increase]( according to a message to members from the Association of Professional Flight Attendants. That’s still less than 1% of the 25,000 flight attendants at American Airlines. But companies, including air carriers, have been hesitant to divulge how many of their workers have contracted the virus at the center of a global pandemic that has shut down much of the economy and almost all of the world’s air travel.  Also: Southwest Airlines will cut half of its flights in June, [or roughly 2,000 a day]( as hope diminishes for a robust return to flying in time for the summer travel season.   And: Albertsons and the nation’s largest food employees union are working together [to try to get grocery workers classified as first responders]( during the coronavirus pandemic.  ADVERTISEMENT (Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) PHOTO OF THE DAY Rudy Sanchez of Dallas sits in the shade to work on his gear while fishing at Lake Tawakoni State Park on Tuesday in Wills Point, Texas. State parks [temporarily closed at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the name of public safety due to the coronavirus pandemic]( Texas Parks and Wildlife officials announced. EDITORS' PICKS - Don't miss it: Here’s when you can [see 2020’s biggest, brightest pink supermoon]( over Dallas-Fort Worth. - Guess who: There's a [new richest man in Dallas]( in Forbes' annual billionaires ranking. - Education: UT-Austin President Greg Fenves confirmed [he is leaving this summer to lead Emory University]( in Atlanta in the fall. ADVERTISEMENT FINALLY... [With fewer flights up in the air, your weather forecast could be less accurate]( Weather forecasts depend on data — the more data, the better the forecasts. But as fewer people travel during the coronavirus pandemic and airlines cut back on flights, [the accuracy of those forecasts could suffer.]( Commercial flights don’t just get travelers from Point A to Point B. They also collect important weather data while in the air. That data is sent to weather offices across the country, and it is also used for weather models around the world. 👋 That's all for this afternoon! 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