Items

• 
  2021-02-16

  Creatives Meet in The Cloud

  During a pandemic, creatives continued to collaborate online through the platform Zoom. In this picture, Jackson Scoggins, William Way, and I (Spencer Bolding) meet and discuss the beginnings of Jackson’s new magazine about a local record label. We spent our first semester interviewing key characters in the creation of Dolfin Records over Zoom, often having to explain the mechanics to those new to the program. After a series of recorded interviews, we put together an in-depth timeline of the beginning of Dolfin Records that will go into our first issue. Creatives will always find a way to create. #HST269 #zoom #localmusic #Dallas #Dolfin #zine #DIY #musicians #art #deepellum #pandemic #creative
• 
  2021-02-04

  US Rep. Yvette Harrell seeks to spare NM from Biden's ban on oil and gas leases

  This article from Carlsbad Current Argus reporter Adrian Hedden explains NM District 2 Congressional Representative Harrell's efforts to preserve the oil-and-gas driven economy in New Mexico. The oil and gas lease referenced here applies to federal lands, and the ban of new lease issuance impacts existing operations. Much of southeastern New Mexico is federally owned, while nearby Texas is predominantly private land. The effect of this ban, if successful, would merely drive operations a few miles across the state line without largely impacting production from within the Permian Basin; it will, however, destroy the New Mexico economy, approximately 40% of which depends on oil and gas operations within the state. This article and topic are important to me because of my familial ties to New Mexico, but also because it demonstrates the unintended and myopic objectives set forth in this particular executive order. The economic impact of this ban would further exacerbate community and statewide problems related to COVID-19 as homeless has recently spiked in that region, and the disappearing tax base has further inhibited county and state programs and operations.
• 
  2021-01-26

  Documents that Explore Vaccine Differences Between States

  It shows the differences in vaccines between states which will be valuable in the future.
• 2021-01-25

  COVID 19: Statistic's Influence and Final Thoughts

  During the Covid-19 pandemic, the statistics have played a major role in my family's decisions. For instance, if the numbers are increasing dramatically, we will try to stay far away from large groups of people and social gatherings. A good example of this was during December 2020, when the cases skyrocketed. Normally, my family travels to either Texas or New York to visit relatives during the holidays, but this year was one of the few times that we weren't able to follow that tradition. Instead, we hung out in our house and played board games the entire holiday. My final thoughts on Covid 19 are "disappointed" and "sad". I feel a deep sadness for all of the people who have lost friends, family, and loved ones during this pandemic, but I am sure my words cannot compare to their sorrow and feeling of loss. I am also disappointed and angry that some people refuse to follow the guidelines put into place by the experts on this sickness, and instead spread the disease to other people, causing unneeded problems and sadness. Final log -O.Y.
• 
  2020-12-09

  Covid: 'How a picture of my foot became anti-vaccine propaganda'

  A woman named Patricia developed severe blisters on her feet several days after receiving a placebo COVID-19 virus. While attempting to raise money for her medical bills, her story became twisted, causing it to spread across the internet that the vaccine had caused her new skin condition - even though this was not the case.
• 
  2021-01-19

  Reflections on Covid from the perspective of the Immune compromised.

  Personal Reflection
• 
  2021-01-17

  Old and New: Holidays in Round Rock Texas

  These documents tell the story of my COVID-19 Holidays. It is important to me because it shows what changes I experienced in my holiday plans and offers a unique perspective. Description of images: 4th of July Concert at the Dell Diamond Baseball Park in Round Rock TX. Note the 4-person "Pods" on the grass indicated by the blankets. The blankets were brought by people who had purchased a Pod. Google Santa Tracker Dec. 24th, 2020.
• 
  2020-04-03

  The Game of COVID Life

  During the quarantine, my wife and I were having a hard time trying to adjust to our jobs being remote. We were not used to staring at computer screens for 8+ hours. The feeling of stress was overwhelming. I’m sure everyone in the world can relate to this experience. We really needed something to raise our spirits after time passed by and the world was still shut down. When my wife and I first got married in 2019, we had a problem of spending money on board games of all kinds. We ended up with a collection of 47 board games by the time COVID started (we began our marriage with about 12 board games). The thing is, with our jobs (my wife being a Public Library Administrator and I being a teacher and coach), we hardly had time to play some except a few. Who would have thought that we were unknowingly preparing for a quarantine. Our collection helped us escape reality for a bit each time we played. Game nights became a regular occurrence and we still hold them to this day. We were able to connect more as a couple and strengthen our relationship. The sounds of dice being rolled, cards being shuffled, and game pieces being moved remind me how board games helped us cope with the unexpected changes in our lives and recharge our batteries to keep going forward.
• 2021-01-14

  Virtual Learning

  During these past 9 months, I've had more time than I would usually have. Virtual learning was boring and I couldn't focus as well as I would in a class. I would zoom from a desk in my dining room with the cold feeling of the hard tile under my feet. My dogs would sometimes jump up on my chair or sit at my feet, they are no lapdogs they are three large chocolate labs that would sit with me. Sometimes if I got tired of the usual setting I would head outside and sit under the bougainvillea tree with the smell the lavender under my nose. Besides school I would travel, we went to Arizona for a baseball tournament which was rather enjoyable, I love baseball with the sun beating down on your neck and the feel of dirt in your shoes after a play at second, it was like heaven. During the summer I went on a trip to Texas but that doesn't have anything to do with virtual learning. Virtual learning was a challenge but I am glad that we are back to school in person.
• 
  2020-03-27

  The Struggles Of Small Businesses During Covid-19

  During the coronavirus pandemic, financial inclusion is more critical than ever. Small businesses are vulnerable to the health and economic impact of this global pandemic. They are less likely to have access to quality and affordable health care and paid leave to care for sick family members or themselves. Without appropriate savings, credit, and insurance it will be hard for them to weather the storm and deal with business disruptions and maintain a stable livelihood. Small businesses are at the heart of America's economy but hundreds of thousands of them have been pushed to the brink of failure due to Covid-19. I live on the southside of San Antonio and here there are multiple small businesses that I see everyday. Recently, I see signs in front of businesses that speak to me and worry about the families it is going to affect with the closure of the business. Since the pandemic most businesses do not have the cash flow for three months of expenses.
• 
  2020-12-13

  Pick Up Only Orders At Local Restaurant

  While some restaurants have opened their dining rooms there are still some places that are only to-go or pick up only. This past weekend I traveled from San Antonio to Houstonand visited a few restaurants. Most of them allowed customers inside but Taco Flores was only doing pick up only. The small restaurant is in tune with the coronavirus and has raised their standard of cleanliness to protect their customers and employees. These changes included changing their orders served in disposable plates, individual containers for their sauces, one time use of plastic utensils are available for every order among others changes. With these smaller family owned restaurants we see a higher level of safety when running their day to day operations. They also expanded the way their customers can still enjoy the dishes they love without leaving the safety of their homes. They have expanded to the food app Grub Hub. This is a great way for the community to stay connected to the restaurant.
• 
  2020-12-01

  Local Restaurant Staying Safe During The Pandemic

  The last few months of the pandemic has gotten out of control to a point where I do not even like to go out to eat. I mostly have home cooked meals or order food to be delivered to my house. The 1st of December was my brother's birthday and we decided we were going to have a nice meal for him. He chose where he wanted to eat and he chose Kona Grill. When arriving there we had to be put on a waitlist to get seated. They did not allow us to wait in the restaurant but outside to enforce social distancing. When we were being seated I was looking around and they had followed the CDC recommendations and had tables six feet apart and had a reduced capacity. During dinner I had to use the bathroom and there was a sign saying any person experiencing symptoms were not allowed in the restaurant, employees were mandated to wear masks at all times and customers were asked to wear masks when possible. Within the restaurant it is known that when you are at your table a mask is not required but when not at your table a mask is highly suggested to be worn.
• 
  2020-03-03

  How To Get Your Workplace Ready For Covid-19

  The World Health Organization released a document on March 3rd, 2020 and it gives advice on how a company should deal with the coronavirus. Within the document it highlights four main topics, simple ways to prevent the spread of covid-19, how to manage covid-19 when organizing meetings and events, things to consider when you employees travel and finally getting the workplace ready for covid-19 in case it arrives in your community. The WHO recommends that companies make sure that the workplace is clean and hygienic by wiping down surfaces that are frequently touched and used. Also promote that everyone is washing their hands. WHO recommends also to have a plan of attack of what to do if someone becomes ill with covid-19 in the workplace.
• 
  2020-11-21

  Food Bank Lines

  During the COVID-19 pandemic there were food lines in many metro cities. One city in particular that had long lines was Dallas, Texas.
• 
  2020-11-08

  Interview with a San Antonio Nurse, Christina Mena

  Christina Mena, a nurse in San Antonio, shares her experiences of working in a cardiac clinic during the pandemic.
• 
  2010-11-12

  COVID-19 is so bad in the US we can't even decide who has it the worse

  The US literally cannot determine which state has the worst COVID infections because it's all just bad.
• 
  2020-10-25

  Trapped at the Border: Asylum seekers protest Matamoros camp conditions

  On October 25, 2020, over fifty of 1000+ people in the Matamoros Border Camp gathered along the barbed-wire fence to protest their living conditions. The Migrant Protection Protocols (M.P.P.), a Trump Executive Order, requires many Spanish-speaking asylum seekers to stay in Northern Mexico until granted a court date. In March 2020, the administration sealed U.S. borders and closed immigration courts as part of the COVID-19 emergency response. Many asylum seekers trapped in the camps may never get a full hearing. Although protests could provoke retaliation from Mexican and U.S. immigration officials, these families demonstrated because they felt desperate. As in much of the southern border, cartels plague the Brownsville-Matamoros region. Many South and Central American migrants have experienced kidnapping, theft, extortion, and rape on their journeys through Mexico. In the camps, bounded by a fifteen-foot fence and heavily armed security forces, they face daily threats from poisonous snakes, hurricanes, flooding, and unsanitary conditions. Because the Mexican government does not give camp occupants sufficient resources, nonprofit organizations like Catholic Charities and Team Brownsville provide food, water, and medical care. On the day of the protest, two U.S. citizens from a Methodist ministry stood with demonstrators inside the camp. The asylum seeker who organized this demonstration sent her two daughters (ages 9 and 11) across the Rio Grande, accompanied only by a cartel-affiliated coyote (guide), to turn themselves into Customs and Border Protection (CBP). While she misses her daughters every day, she believes that separation is safer for them than remaining in Mexico or returning to Honduras. She trusts that God will protect everyone in the Matamoros camp because their cause is just. After the protest, I held her hand through the gate’s wire diamonds and promised to pray. Some protesters held signs with Bible verses like Matthew 25:35-40, while others called for the protection of LGBTQ+ migrants and an end to MPP. Many protesters addressed the U.S. presidential election. Voten inteligentemente, one sign reads – vote intelligently. Joe Biden promised that, if elected, he would repeal M.P.P. within the first hundred days of his presidency. Asylum seekers realize that without a leadership change, they have very little chance of entering the U.S. I witnessed this reality while I stood in an hour-long customs line, waiting to cross the International Bridge back into Brownsville. The line held a mix of Mexican and U.S. citizens, including a family carrying spider-shaped piñatas and orange-frosted cupcakes for a Halloween party. A group of two adults and three children passed me in line. I watched them approach CBP officers, a journalist following close behind. Five minutes later, a security officer was escorting the family back to Matamoros. The journalist noticed me watching and stopped to explain: “They asked for asylum, but CBP said no. They have to wait in Mexico.” “No somos malas personas. Solo queremos vivir.” The mother repeated this phrase like a mantra as she passed us, holding her six-year-old daughter’s hand. We are not bad people. We just want to live. *This is a photograph that I took on my cell phone outside the Matamoros, Mexico border camp on Sunday, October 25, 2020. Faces are blurred to protect their privacy.
• 
  2020-07-31

  ‘It’s hell living there’: Texas inmates say they are battling COVID-19 in prisons with no A/C

  Conditions in Texas prisons notoriously unhealthy, these inmates face inhumane living conditions during a pandemic.
• 
  2020-08-14

  Texas prison system still tops US in virus cases, as deaths and criticism mount

  A father who has been incarcerated for 30 years holds a baby prior to imprisonment; this man died in prison without seeing his family during the last months of his life.
• 
  2019-05-10

  The Penal System Today is Slavery’: Lawmakers Finally Start to Talk About Unpaid Labor in Texas Prisons

  Protestors demonstrate in public against the abuse of prison inmates forced to work for slave wages in unhealthy conditions.
• 
  2020-08

  Healthcare Heroes Week Celebration

  Mayor Zimmerman, Sugar Land Texas, proclaimed August 24-28, 2020 “Healthcare Heroes Week.” The community wants to show their appreciation for all the work they have done and for the sacrifices they have made.
• 
  2020-10-07

  Young Doctor Dies of Covid

  This doctor worked in the emergency department at a hospital and refused PPE repeatedly because there was such a shortage of it. The article addresses the fact that so many medical professionals have died because of inadequate PPE.
• 
  2020-10-27

  Texas social workers can no longer discriminate against LGBTQ Texans or those with disabilities

  After backlash, the Texas government rescinded a recent action they proceeded with.
• 
  2020-09-02

  Justice For Sophie March

  This social media post is in regard to a march. This march was a crowdsourced effort to save a 9-year-old Texas girl, Sophie Long, from her mother and stepfather that had been allegedly molesting her repeatedly. After a gag order had been placed on Sophie’s father for publicly revealing this information, a judge that allegedly was friends with Sophie’s mother placed a gag order on him and banned him from seeing Sophie. Furthermore, a GoFundMe started by Sophie’s father to raise money for legal fees was taken down. The police, some of whom were alleged to be friends with Sophie’s stepfather, refused to intervene. Following the public spread of this information on social media, a group of young, far-right libertarians that called themselves the “boogaloo boys” (who are mostly known for marching in solidarity with Black Lives Matter protesters against police brutality in May-June 2020) organized a march near the judge’s house in which they would protest the handling of Sophie’s case. This picture details when and where the march would be taking place. The ad mentions instructions to bring supplies such as guns and ammunition, water, flags, and heavy equipment like wood chippers or stump grinders. The last bit is a reference to some boogaloo boys’ belief that pedophiles are subhuman, which spawned several memes about pedophiles and other child predators being thrown through wood chippers feet first. Ultimately, the march proved successful. Sophie’s case was assigned to a new judge, her stepfather and mother are being investigated for the sexual abuse of a child, and Sophie and her brothers are in the custody of their father for the time being. This digital artifact, when examined, is an illustration of how little faith the American public has in the police or the court system’s ability to execute true justice in the country, and how many see it fit to take on that responsibility themselves through their own means.
• 
  2020-09-04

  Precautions and Code of Student Conduct at St. Mary's University during COVID- 19 Pandemic

  This email is relevant and important because it is a clear example of how life as a St. Mary's University Student has changed. The email discusses the precautions the students and faculty should be taking in order to ensure the health and safety of everyone at St. Mary's. The email also lays out the possible consequences for students (especially on campus) who aren't following the rules in the Code of Student Conduct relating to these COVID Precautions. As I am a student with all online classes, living at home- therefore I am not on campus- this email does not affect me in a huge way. I am also not going to any in-person classes however, I think it is great that these precautions be enforced and closely monitored as the health of other students and professors or faculty who are on campus may be jeopardized. It is important that students learn to respect others and that they understand that their actions can affect a large group of people and not just them.
• 
  2020-10-21

  Taking a break from the fridge

  A restaurant in Texas changed their sign to reflect what many Americans are thinking eight months into social distancing.
• 
  October 14th 2020

  Socially Distanced Sports Performance

  Due to socially distancing guidelines at St. Mary's University the sports performance team has been forced to be creative in the ways they train their athletes. This includes having team workouts outdoors, using the spaces they have. This allows the teams to workout during the day together when the recreation and athletic center is being used by the public. The athletes are challenged by the Texas heat at times but they love a challenge.
• 
  2020-06

  Graduating in a Pandemic: St. Mary's University Hosts Diploma Pick Up

  The object is a post from St.Mary's University Linkedin account. The account posted pictures of seniors picking up their diplomas from campus. Amidst the first few months of COVID-19, many changes occurred, especially in academia's traditional spaces. A huge tradition and milestone for students was the spring 2020 graduation. Many Universities, including St.Mary's, held virtual commencement ceremonies that included words from faculty and a program that listed every graduate's name with their major and any awards or affiliations. To provide students their physical degrees, many schools mailed degrees to students, but St.Mary held an event where students and their families could come to campus and pick up their diploma. Hosting an event like this for students and their families was significant because not having a traditional graduation ceremony was a significant loss for those working towards walking the stage. St. Mary's University has a diverse student body of international and first-generation students. All students dream of walking on the stage to get the rewards of their hard work in college. This was not just a loss for students but also family members looking forward to a significant moment. To give students and their families the rewarding celebrity moment, St.Mary's staff and faculty hosted a diploma pickup with safety precautions.
• 2020-10-10

  Masks are not required at polling places in Texas

  Though democracy has won two important cases in Texas, the Texas Supreme Court upheld the additional week of early voting and struck down the limit of ballot drop off boxes to one per county, Texas voters must still face unnecessary risk to exercise their right to vote. Governor Greg Abbott issued both of the orders mentioned above and also issued a state wide mask mandate in the summer of 2020 for all counties with more than 20 reported Covid-19 cases. Masks became a requirement in those counties in the case that social distancing was not possible, places like a polling place where record voter turn out will force people to be waiting in lines for long periods of time and also being with lots of people indoors. The governor's mask mandate does come with a few exception. One being polling places. Texans are not required to wear a mask at a polling place because the governor believes this presents an undue burden to anyone that does not have a mask. This is an especially bogus argument in a state that requires voters to present ID. Not to mention it would be easy enough for the state to offer masks at the polling place.
• 2020-08-28

  A Love Story Made Possible by Covid-19

  Right as Covid-19 had seriously begun to hit the world in March of 2020 and was deemed a global pandemic, I had my heart broken by my boyfriend of a year and a half. I was not able to recover from the relationship like most people typically would by going out with friends and partying because of the lockdown. I was left all by myself. With no siblings, no friends in my area and a very small family, I had to find other ways in which to communicate with others so that I wouldn't lose my mind. In July of 2020, I joined Bumble and decided to get back in the dating game, that's when I met Jacob. Jacob and I matched because he was on vacation in Florida, however, we matched and began talking on the day that he was flying back to his home in Houston, Texas. We kept in contact though and were presented with our first Covid-related blessing: cheap plane tickets. As college students who are unable to afford most things, when we found out that a roundtrip from Houston to Florida only cost $58 we jumped on that opportunity. Jacob flew out to Florida so he could take me on our first official date, which went amazing. We continued talking when school started and that is when we realized we were presented with another Covid-19 related opportunity. Since all of my classes were online and airplane tickets were still cheap, I was able to fly out to Texas for a week and be with him. Although Covid-19 is a terrible and deadly disease, it has allowed me to find somebody that I can call my own, because without the pandemic we would not be able to afford to see each other nearly as regularly and my school schedule would not allow me to leave the state at random to be with him. love, oppurtunity, bumble app, happy, unexpected
• 2020-09-29

  How COVID-19 changed my life for the better.

  The coronavirus is a topic that will go down in history books forever. The crazy impact that it has had on not only America, but the whole world is immense. Knock on wood, I have been very lucky and have not been exposed to the virus, nor has anyone close to me. I have been extremely blessed to have the opportunity to continue working, as well as go to school. Corona sent me home in March where I finished my Freshman year off strong. Unsure of the future plans for my education, I had people reach out to me with job opportunities and when COVID was in the beginning stage, I was able to fly to Texas and work at a daycare for a month, expanding my knowledge on the ins and outs of the business. When I returned home, I had two more people call me, one to be a babysitter and the other to work in marketing at a lawyers office. With extra precautions, I have been working with both for about three months now, while taking five courses online. I have been able to save a substantial amount of money, while also doing extremely well in my classes. My first semester at school was my first taste of any type of freedom; I spent way too much money and did not give school the attention I needed to. I fear that if I wasn't "forced" to stay home, I would have repeated the same mistakes this semester. Although this pandemic is a horrible matter that I hope dies down soon, I have been one of the lucky ones that have experienced positive outcomes, rather than any impositions.
• 
  2020-08-21

  12 Texas Nursing Homes Approved to Restart Family Visits

  This is a Twitter post linking to an article about some Texas nursing homes opening to family visits. Isolation from family and friends has been a serious issue for seniors living in long term care facilities. There is a balance that must be struck between the prevention of both the spread of COVID-19 to vulnerable populations and reduction of isolation that can lead to severe mental and physical decline in older adults. With my grandfather in a similar situation and his health declining rapidly, this article really hit home how protection from COVID-19 may likely result in increased deaths of seniors suffering from isolation.
• 
  2020-03-20

  Texas family's 'staycation' recreates canceled Disney vacation at home amid COVID-19 closures

  I think this is a great article that shows the resilience of people during trying times. The Hern family in Texas was all ready for their trip to Disney when Covid struck and cancelled their trip. They would not let that get them down through, this video shoes not only their love for Disney but their creativity and positive attitude while they recreated what their trip might have looked like. This is such a great depiction of not allowing social distancing to change your positive life, of going with the flow and making the best of a tough situation.
• 2020-08-10

  Finding Out My Grandfather Has Terminal Cancer in the COVID-19 Pandemic

  In the midst of an already chaotic season, my family and I received news that my grandfather has colon cancer. It started with the doctors first finding multiple masses on his colon as well as his liver. As time passed, multiple tests, scans, etc. were done and the results came back as cancerous. When we got the phone call that it was incurable, all I wanted to do was drop everything and go see him but then I remembered.. We are in the middle of a pandemic. So then the anxious thoughts started to creep in of whether or not I would have a chance to see him before he dies. My grandfather lives in Texas, while my husband and I live just outside of Nashville, Tennessee. We had a trip scheduled toward the beginning of the summer and had already pushed back so I didn't want to reschedule this trip once more knowing it could be the last time I see him. Coming to a conclusion was very challenging. We changed our minds back and forth multiple times and almost didn't go. However, my husband and I were able to pack up a week's worth of clothing and technology (I am a full time student at the moment) and we drove down to Texas. We were given the opportunity to see my grandfather at my grandparents house while we wore masks. Overall, the trip was great. My husband and I were grateful for the chance to see my family, especially my grandfather. While the decision of if we should see him or not was a difficult one that took a lot of thought and guidance, I am glad we went in the end.
• 
  2020-05-14

  Texas is spending $45 million on new coronavirus tests that prisoners are administering to themselves

  "The state purchased 300,000 oral swab tests from a months-old California company. So far, only highly-infected prisons are using them for mass testing." The test has a 10% rate of false negatives. This test was given a rapid approval by the FDA and they have said anyone with symptoms and a negative test should be retested. The worry is without accurate testing of most inmates that the virus will spread widely and quickly due to unsanitary and cramped conditions.
• 
  2020-06-16

  Texas prisons will accept county jail inmates again, three months after the coronavirus halted intake

  In an effort to slow the spread of Covid-19 inside of the state of Texas correctional facilities all transfers were halted in April but in beginning July 1 Texas will begin transfers. This all happens as the states case count and positivity rate begin to sky rocket. By mid July Texas becomes one of the nations three biggest hot spots.
• 
  2020-07-14

  Thousands of Texas prisoners still have the coronavirus. More than 25% of inmates at four units are infected.

  "Two Texas prisons each have more than 670 inmates with active coronavirus infections, according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, the highest counts seen at any state lockup since the pandemic began." What makes this Covid so scary in a prison is that if caught it can turn a short sentence into a defacto death sentence. For this reason many advocate early release for nonviolent offenders but Texas Governor Greg Abbott does not agree.
• 
  2020-07-04

  He was supposed to be in prison less than a year. Instead, he died after catching the coronavirus.

  A former Texas teacher was sentenced to a few months in prison to go through a rehab program after committing repeat DWIs. While incarcerated he contracted Covid and died. Texas has the highest mortality rate in its prisons, higher than even the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
• 
  2020-08-07

  The only Texas prison reporting zero coronavirus cases is where inmates make soap. But that’s not what’s credited with protecting it.

  One prison unit in all of Texas still doesn't have any confirmed Coronavirus cases in incarcerated persons or staff. The Roach Unit attributes this to being located in a community with a low population and following the rules set out by the state for corrections facilities. Ironically, this facility is also where soap and hand sanitizer is also made for prisons. Though most prisons will not allow hand sanitizer to be given to inmates because it contains alcohol, they could drink it or use it as an accelerant to start a fire. While the warden states he is just following the rules, others say it is his strict adherence to the rules that has kept everyone healthy. Other facilities could possibly use this facility to learn from.
• 
  2020-07-16

  Mask Requirements

  Science is usually something that I felt comfortable understanding at face value, in certain situations. Epidemiology, virology, and the like are areas where I would like the smartest person in the room to have the loudest microphone. It seems that this is not always the case in politics, especially with science that is less than flattering. This item was added TAGS v6.1.9.1. I originally searched under the hashtag #florida. Within that search, I have chosen to add the following tweet because it shows the disjointed response between the federal and state governments, not to mention local municipalities, over the pandemic. Link to the Washington Post article: (https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/07/16/coronavirus-live-updates-us/?p9w22b2p=b2p22p9w00098&no_nav=true)
• 
  2020-07-16

  Fudging the Numbers

  I don't think that I can ever remember the CDC being a political entity, or one that ever really enjoyed any portion of the national spotlight. Rather than serving as a unifying, unbiased source to prevent the spread of the virus, it has become yet another battlefield in the ongoing culture war surrounding the coronavirus. This item was added TAGS v6.1.9.1. I originally searched under the hashtag #florida. Within that search, I have chosen to add the following tweet since Florida is one of the new virus hotspots. It also speaks towards the inherent doubt present in a significant portion of the population concerning the virus.
• 
  2020-07-15

  Teachers hold sit-in protest at Texas Capitol to demand changes on reopening schools

  On Wednesday, July 16th, 2020 Austin, Texas area teachers held a sit in/protest around the state capital building to express their fear of being forced to go back to in person school this fall. School begins in one month. Having personally watched this protest be planned I know that the reason they chose this location was because they could not get onto the capital grounds. Entrance to the grounds are barricaded and National Guard troops are present. I also know that TEA, Texas Education Agency, has announced they will work from home until January 2021. How can they look out for themselves but send precious students and teachers back to work?
• 
  2020-06-26

  Judge Orders ICE To Free Detained Immigrant Children Because Of COVID-19

  Excerpt from article: Citing the unrelenting spread of the coronavirus, a federal judge has ordered that all children currently held in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody for more than 20 days must be released by July 17.
• 
  2020-06-24

  New York imposes travel restrictions on visitors from Texas, the latest coronavirus hot spot

  Early in the pandemic states like Florida wanted to force people from New York to quarantine upon arriving in the state. Now New York state New Jersey, and Connecticut want people from the states with large outbreaks now to self quarantine. These states include Texas, Florida, and California. Both Texas and Florida were two of the earliest states to reopen after almost the entire country found themselves under some variation of stay at home order in March and April.
• 
  2020-06-24

  North Texas family shaken after 18 relatives test positive for COVID-19 following family gathering

  At about five months into the pandemic in the U.S. almost all states have lifted their stay at home order and many people are going back to business as usual. One north Texas family held a surprise 30th birthday party. The host, who thought his cough was due to working construction, unknowingly infected 7 people at the party of 25 attendees. Those seven people went on to infect others in the family and now 18 within the family are positive for covid. Within the family are also a couple, one an EMT and the other a doctor, who both refused to go to the party.
• 
  2020-06-25

  US coronavirus: 'Apocalyptic' surges feared in some cities

  While New York City, state, and surrounding areas were hit hardest initially, five months into the pandemic it is Texas, Florida, and California that appear to be the next hardest hit areas. These states also happen to be the most populous in the nation. All three are concerned about the record breaking number of new cases each day and are putting various amounts of legislation into practice to help slow the spread of the virus but they are mainly relying on people using good judgement, which as a resident of central Texas I can tell you has been lacking. Governor Greg Abbott of Texas has rolled back some of the states reopening plans but is mainly telling people to wash their hands, wear a mask, and maintain social distance.
• 
  2020-03-29

  Texas Governor Signs Executive Order to Stop Early Release from Prisons/Jails Due to Covid

  In an effort to slow the spread of covid-19 inside of US prisons and jails some inmates have been release early or sent home, on house arrest. As discussions were happening across the country regarding this idea Texas Governor, Greg Abbott, signed an executive order to stop early release from the states correctional facilities.
• 
  2020-06-18

  Sunbathing in a Face Mask

  Face masks began to be seen on many people. This couple even wore them to the beach while they were vacationing from Houston, TX. The beaches were closed down for a period, and when they reopened, people wanted to take precautions against the Coronavirus..
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  2020-05-02

  Coronavirus Wedding in a Drive In

  When the virus hit, all great plans were canceled: vacations, concerts, sporting events, and weddings. This couple found a way to get married safely--at a drive in theater. The guests watched from their decorated cars, dressed in PJs. Those that couldn't attend were able to watch the festivities on social media. The bridal party practiced proper social distancing--they were 6 feet apart.
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  2020-04-05

  Joint DOD-USAF Guidance on the Use of Cloth Face Covers

  These documents outline the proper use of cloth face masks on US military installations per the US Department of Defense and the Department of the Air Force. Also included is a memo to all personnel at Joint Base San Antonio (Fort Sam Houston, Lackland and Randolph AFBs, and Martindale Army Airfield) from the base commander addressing the DOD's COVID-19 responses, and how they will be implemented on base. This resource also includes a tutorial on how to wear and create homemade PPE.