Officials brace for dramatic upturn in COVID-19 cases

News and updates from Austin's news in your inbox Email not displaying correctly? [View Online]( [Statesman]( MORNING HEADLINES Start your day with a fresh roundup of news, features and commentary. Saturday's Top Story [Officials brace for dramatic upturn in COVID-19 cases]( [Officials brace for dramatic upturn in COVID-19 cases]( As more testing has come online, the amount of cases of the novel coronavirus in Texas has skyrocketed in recent days. [Read More »]( Local News [FORECAST: Rainy, chilly Saturday for Austin area]( [FORECAST: Rainy, chilly Saturday for Austin area]( Saturday forecast for Austin: Austinites seeking reprieve from a week of quarantining indoors due to the new coronavirus pandemic may want to bring along a jacket and umbrella. [Read More »]( [In Texas prisons, guards buy TP by the case]( [In Texas prisons, guards buy TP by the case]( Not even prisons are immune to the #toiletpaperapocalypse of 2020.On Wednesday, Texas Department of Criminal Justice officials imposed a one-roll-per-day buying limit on corrections officers at state prisons after they began buying it by the case from at least one prison commissary.“We figured this would happen and are on top of it,” Eric Johnson, director of commissary and trust funds at the TDCJ, wrote in an email this week obtained by the American-Statesman. [Read More »]( [US locking down 70 million people as virus strains Europe]( [US locking down 70 million people as virus strains Europe]( Three major American states are locking down their residents in the face of a rapidly advancing virus storm that is already severely straining health systems in parts of Europe. [Read More »]( [Round Rock charter school teacher tests positive for coronavirus]( [Round Rock charter school teacher tests positive for coronavirus]( A part-time music teacher at a charter school in Round Rock has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, an official said. [Read More »]( [Central Texas blood bank sees large shortages in donations]( [Central Texas blood bank sees large shortages in donations]( We Are Blood, the Central Texas blood bank, is down about 1,200 blood donations this month after a rash of cancellations for mobile blood drives started nearly two weeks ago because of the threat of the new coronavirus, officials said. [Read More »]( [Austin children s musician adapts to new reality with live Facebook shows]( [Austin children’s musician adapts to new reality with live Facebook shows]( Musician Will Dupuy is well known around western Travis County as Mr. Will, having played regular gigs entertaining children in the Lake Travis and Westbank areas, including Lakeway’s Table 620, Bee Cave Public Library and Laura Bush Community Library. [Read More »]( [Matthew McConaughey has a message for Texans: Stay home]( [Matthew McConaughey has a message for Texans: Stay home]( In a public service announcement released online by the Texas governor’s office on Friday, Academy Award-winning actor (and Texas native) Matthew McConaughey delivers a simple message to residents of the Lone Star State:"If you can, stay home. [Read More »]( Business [Walmart to hire 150,000 temp workers amid coronavirus outbreak]( [Walmart to hire 150,000 temp workers amid coronavirus outbreak]( Walmart says it will hire 150,000 temporary workers and also set up its parking lots for coronavirus tests as the world's largest retailer girds to deal with the unprecedented challenges of the fast-spreading outbreak. [Read More »]( Sports [It s all about the bike: McCallum cyclist earns national crowns on journey to world success]( [It’s all about the bike: McCallum cyclist earns national crowns on journey to world success]( Eli Husted and his bicycle made a left turn out of his driveway and took a spin around the world. [Read More »]( [The Dotted Line: Texas commit Hayden Conner among prospects ranked Nos. 35-31 on our Fab 55]( [The Dotted Line: Texas commit Hayden Conner among prospects ranked Nos. 35-31 on our Fab 55]( The recruiting calendar was altered when the NCAA prohibited in-person recruiting on and off of college campuses and high schools until April 15 because of the coronavirus pandemic. [Read More »]( [USA Track and Field joins swimming leaders in calling for Tokyo Olympics postponement]( [USA Track and Field joins swimming leaders in calling for Tokyo Olympics postponement]( USA Track & Field has joined USA Swimming in requesting that the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee push for the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. [Read More »]( [How the NFL is handling the coronavirus pandemic during its offseason]( [How the NFL is handling the coronavirus pandemic during its offseason]( Unlike the NBA and other major sports, the most popular league in America hasn’t yet needed to face tough decisions about whether to postpone games or cancel the rest of its season. [Read More »]( [Spurs Belinelli helps his native Italy during coronavirus pandemic with family, financial support]( [Spurs’ Belinelli helps his native Italy during coronavirus pandemic with family, financial support]( Just with how he has spent nearly every waking hour, San Antonio Spurs guard Marco Belinelli held a phone in his hand. [Read More »]( Opinion [Opinion: Sun starting to shine again on Texas government]( [Opinion: Sun starting to shine again on Texas government]( Texans had something to celebrate during Sunshine Week this year. But we also have more work to do to protect the public’s right to know about our government. [Read More »]( [Enchanted Rock in the time of COVID-19]( [Enchanted Rock in the time of COVID-19]( On Monday, two days after the declaration of the COVID-19 emergency, my wife and I planned to climb Enchanted Rock. [Read More »]( [Letters to the editor: March 21, 2020]( [Letters to the editor: March 21, 2020]( Waiving STAAR testinggets student’s high marksRe: March 17 article, “STAAR testing canceled for 2019-20 school year.”I was excited to read in the Statesman that Gov. [Read More »]( [Castillo: In dire times, we ve rallied together. We can do it again.]( [Castillo: In dire times, we’ve rallied together. We can do it again.]( Three days after 9/11 forever changed our lives, President George W. [Read More »]( Nation [Stranded cruise ship passengers describe chaotic flight home]( [Stranded cruise ship passengers describe chaotic flight home]( ATLANTA (AP) " On a chaotic flight home, some passengers who had been stranded for days aboard a cruise ship after being exposed to the coronavirus suffered breathing problems, many coughed and several fainted with no food or medical personnel provided, travelers said Friday. [Read More »]( [Military works to improve conditions for quarantined troops]( [Military works to improve conditions for quarantined troops]( WASHINGTON (AP) " It wasn't the welcome home that U.S. soldiers expected when they returned from war zones in the Middle East in the past week. [Read More »]( [Congress toils on $1 trillion rescue, Trump unleashes fury]( [Congress toils on $1 trillion rescue, Trump unleashes fury]( WASHINGTON (AP) " Negotiators from Congress and the White House, narrowing differences on a sweeping $1 trillion-plus economic rescue package, were set to resume top-level talks Saturday after President Donald Trump unleashed fury on those questioning his handling of the coronavirus outbreak. [Read More »]( [US locking down 70 million people as virus strains Europe]( [US locking down 70 million people as virus strains Europe]( Three major American states are locking down their residents in the face of a rapidly advancing virus storm that is already severely straining health systems in parts of Europe. [Read More »]( [Trump keeps talking during market hours; stocks keep tanking]( [Trump keeps talking during market hours; stocks keep tanking]( WASHINGTON (AP) " When President Donald Trump speaks, financial markets gyrate and quiver in real time. [Read More »]( World [China, on virus PR offensive, sends masks and experts abroad]( [China, on virus PR offensive, sends masks and experts abroad]( BEIJING (AP) " As the fight against a new virus shifts to Europe and beyond, China is supplying millions of masks and other desperately needed items to struggling governments, hoping to build political ties and defuse criticism that it allowed the disease to spread early on. [Read More »]( [Lockdowns multiply globally as virus strains health systems]( [Lockdowns multiply globally as virus strains health systems]( Major streets and highways were deserted in many parts of the world Saturday as curfews and lockdowns multiplied in the face of a rapidly advancing virus that is severely straining many health systems. Three American states with a combined population of 70 million are moving to restrict residents to their homes. [Read More »]( Austin360 [24-hour Magnolia Cafe closes temporarily due to the coronavirus]( [24-hour Magnolia Cafe closes temporarily due to the coronavirus]( One of the great truths in Austin for decades has been that if you’re hungry, no matter the time of day, you could hit Magnolia Cafe. [Read More »]( [Home Slice Pizza on South Congress closed temporarily following fire]( [Home Slice Pizza on South Congress closed temporarily following fire]( Home Slice Pizza on South Congress Avenue is temporarily closed following a small fire at its More Home Slice takeout operation. [Read More »]( [H-E-B and Favor launch delivery program for seniors amid coronavirus pandemic]( [H-E-B and Favor launch delivery program for seniors amid coronavirus pandemic]( H-E-B and Favor launch delivery program for seniors amid coronavirus pandemic [Read More »]( [Livestream from Luck: How it all went down with Willie and the boys, and friends]( [Livestream from Luck: How it all went down with Willie and the boys, and friends]( Livestream from Luck: How it all went down with Willie and the boys, and friends [Read More »]( [Get cocktails delivered to your door by Austin bartenders with new program]( [Get cocktails delivered to your door by Austin bartenders with new program]( Get cocktails delivered to your door by Austin bartenders with new program [Read More »](   [Learn more about RevenueStripe...](   [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( [Manage Account]( | [Contact Us](mailto:customercare@statesman.com) | [Privacy Policy]( | [Unsubscribe]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [Newsletters]( We have an app for whatever you want - news, weather, entertainment and more. 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