Texarkana Gazette | Arkansas & Texas

Arkansas & Texas

Texas OKs P-EBT pandemic food benefits to families with children Because of school closures from COVID-19, Texas received approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide more than $1 billion in pandemic food benefits to families with children that have temporarily lost access to free or reduced-price school meals. Published May. 27 2020 @ 12:05pm

Arkansas' health chief announces departure as coronavirus surges Arkansas' top health official said Tuesday he will step down this summer, but that he has no disagreement with the governor's response to the coronavirus pandemic, even as new cases continued to rise. by Associated Press Published May. 26 2020 @ 10:41pm

Judge eases Arkansas petition signature rule A federal judge has temporarily blocked the state from enforcing a requirement for signatures on initiative petitions to be witnessed in person because of the coronavirus pandemic. by Associated Press Published May. 26 2020 @ 10:39pm

Abortion rights groups drop suit over ordinances Two reproductive rights groups have dropped their lawsuit against seven small East Texas towns that had declared abortion-rights organizations "criminal organizations" in anti-abortion ordinances that prohibit them from operating within city limits. by Associated Press Published May. 26 2020 @ 10:38pm

Abbott reopens water parks, food courts Texas Gov. Greg Abbott took another step Tuesday in his phased reopening of statewide activities after the coronavirus lockdown. by Associated Press Published May. 26 2020 @ 10:27pm

Prison conditions ease spread of illness, but some see human neglect The coughing began in the bunk below where Nikki Rust slept at the McPherson Unit, Arkansas' largest women's prison, on New Year's Day 2014. Published May. 26 2020 @ 10:18pm

FBI: Only one attacker in Texas base shooting The FBI said Tuesday that its investigation points to only one attacker in the shooting at a Texas naval air base, days after the agency suggested another person involved might be on the loose. by Associated Press Published May. 26 2020 @ 10:17pm

U.S. attorney for Eastern Texas resigns A U.S. attorney in Texas who was appointed by President Donald Trump announced his resignation Tuesday, providing no explanation for his unusually abrupt departure. by Associated Press Published May. 26 2020 @ 10:17pm

Small Texas hospital is finding ways to save COVID-19 patients Before the doctor unzipped his COVID unit's plastic curtain, he grabbed a laminated photo from a hook labeled "Faces Behind the Mask." He draped the photo over his protective suit so patients could see who he was: Dr. Joseph Varon, 58, bald and trim with intense blue eyes. Published May. 26 2020 @ 8:50pm

839 new virus cases reported in Texas as reopening continues AUSTIN — As Texas continues to reopen during the coronavirus pandemic, health officials said Sunday that there were 839 new cases of the virus reported in the state for a total of 55,348. by Associated Press Published May. 24 2020 @ 9:25pm

Senate Education Committee studies waiver impact on Arkansas schools LITTLE ROCK — In June the Senate Education Committee will hear a report on the effect public schools have seen due to the recent widespread requests for waivers from education standards. Published May. 24 2020 @ 7:29pm

HHS announces $392,105,000 distribution to nursing facilities The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services began distributing 749 payments totaling $392,105,000 to skilled nursing facilities in Texas to help them combat the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Published May. 24 2020 @ 7:28pm

Large hail, tornadoes damage North Texas region The town of Bowie, about 65 miles northwest of Fort Worth, was hit hard by one tornado about 9 p.m. Friday, the National Weather Service confirmed Saturday. A weather service survey team concluded from damage patterns that the twister rated an EF1 with winds estimated at up to 95 miles per hour. by Associated Press Published May. 24 2020 @ 1:24am

Ex-congressman Allen West of Florida injured in Texas crash The former congressman was in stable condition after having been airlifted to a hospital, according to a Saturday night post on West's Facebook page. by Associated Press Published May. 24 2020 @ 1:19am

Judge demands ICE better explain why it won't release kids A federal judge on Friday criticized the Trump administration's handling of detained immigrant children and families, ordering the government to give the court detailed information about its efforts to quickly release them in the wake of the coronavirus. by Associated Press Published May. 23 2020 @ 11:52pm

Protesters rally for lifting all COVID restrictions on Texas AUSTIN — As more sectors of the Texas economy reopened from the freeze of the coronavirus pandemic, a few dozen anti-government demonstrators rallied Saturday at the state Capitol to demand that all limitations be lifted. by Associated Press Published May. 23 2020 @ 9:13pm

Arkansas active coronavirus cases continue to spike LITTLE ROCK — The number of new coronavirus cases reported in Arkansas continued to spike Saturday — a trend Gov. Asa Hutchinson partially attributed to more widespread testing for COVID-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus. by Associated Press Published May. 23 2020 @ 9:13pm

Arkansas Game and Fish Commission approves changes to 2020-21 hunting regulations The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission voted Thursday to approve many changes to the Commission's Code of Regulations, including many wildlife regulations that may impact hunters during the 2020-21 hunting seasons. Published May. 23 2020 @ 1:20am

Group claims Texas naval base shooter voiced support for clerics The suspect killed during what the FBI is calling a "terrorism-related" attack at a Texas naval air base voiced support for hardline clerics, according to a group that monitors online activity of jihadists. by Associated Press Published May. 22 2020 @ 10:53pm

Texas court holds first U.S. jury trial via videoconferencing DALLAS — The potential jurors popped onto the screen one by one. They confirmed their names and told the judge how they were connecting to the court: on laptops, tablets and iPhones. by Associated Press Published May. 22 2020 @ 10:52pm

Bars and bowling alleys among expanded openings in Texas AUSTIN — Texas bars, bowling alleys, skating rinks and even some strips clubs began to reopen ahead the Memorial Day weekend as the state continues to gradually restart one of the world's largest economies after it was ravaged by shutdowns caused by the coronavirus epidemic. by Associated Press Published May. 22 2020 @ 10:51pm

Arkansas hits new peak of active coronavirus cases LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas hit a new peak of active coronavirus cases on Friday as businesses that had shuttered because of the pandemic continued to reopen. by Associated Press Published May. 22 2020 @ 10:50pm

With waterways busy and fatalities up, boating safety urged ahead of Memorial Day weekend National Safe Boating Week is May 16-22 and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is reminding Texans to be safe this Memorial Day weekend and all summer long by following the law and taking basic safety precautions while on the water. Published May. 22 2020 @ 5:09pm