Good morning,

Do your statewide and legislative public servants know where you stand? Have you told them, yourself? Find their contact information at the bottom of this email. And, yes, a phone call or note is almost always better than an email.

Here is today’s Texas Minute.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

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Texas is sort of opening. At yesterday’s briefing, Gov. Greg Abbott said his stay-at-home order is expiring on April 30... but many businesses – including barbershops, hair salons, and gyms – won’t be able to open until May 18 or later.

Gov. Abbott is permitting retail shops, malls, theaters, and restaurants to reopen this Friday, but only at 25 percent occupancy. As Brandon Waltens reports [[link removed]], new statewide restrictions will be applied as those businesses are allowed to reopen over the next month. The governor did not address what medical or scientific data his “strike force” relied upon to arrive at the 25 percent number.

Vulnerable populations, such as senior citizens and those with pre-existing conditions, are advised to continue staying at home. The governor said no local jurisdiction can levy a fine for someone not wearing a mask, though masks are recommended by state and federal officials.

Per the governor’s latest orders [[link removed]], sporting activities are forbidden if “more than four participants play the sport at a time.”

“Sorry son, [Gov. Abbott] says you can’t get back out on the baseball field yet. Want to go hangout somewhere totally germ-free like a mall or movie theater?” – Buddy Kipp [[link removed]], Empower Texans Director of Communications

Starting on page 39 of the governor’s 64-page booklet [[link removed]] on phase 1 of reopening the state, one finds the operational requirements for worship services as well as “funeral services, burials, and memorials.” Those include alternating rows of attendees, allowing households to sit together, but ensuring two chairs or six feet space between individuals not in the same households.

Liberty Counsel is calling on the churches around the country to open and believers to start meeting again on Sunday, May 3, which they are calling ReOpen Church Sunday [[link removed]].

“The lockdowns have closed churches at a time of greatest need, and they must reopen to meet the burgeoning needs of the community. Churches are now more essential than ever to bring comfort, hope, and help to the people they serve. Each church is different and each one must assess when and how best to reopen.” – Mat Staver, founder of Liberty Counsel If you’re enjoying the Texas Minute, let your friends know! Send them to TexasMinute.com [[link removed]] so they can sign up. If you get someone to put your email address – [email protected] – in the “How did you learn about us” box, we’ll send you one of our cool, limited-edition Texas Cannon stickers.

Join me and Texas Right to Life’s Jim Graham at 3pm for the Jim & Michael Show, streaming live on Facebook [[link removed]]. The archived show will be available on our YouTube channel [[link removed]] and website [[link removed]] shortly afterward. “It is the pinnacle of selfishness to relegate others to poverty, hunger, homelessness, domestic violence, depression, and suicide for an imagined feeling of safety. You have the right to stay in your home if you choose.” – Matt Rinaldi [[link removed]]

Keller resident and college professor Kris Kittle shares with Robert Montoya [[link removed]] her fight in North Texas for education, and how parents can start making a difference.

“I don’t have any qualms or any problems reaching out to the superintendent … if there is something that is unjust that needs to be addressed or something that he needs to be informed about. He only knows what his people are telling him. I feel as a parent—as someone who is boots-on-the-ground, seeing these things—I can make sure he is aware of what’s going on. And then it’s up to him on how he’s going to handle it, but he knows people are watching.” – Kris Kittle, Ph.D Number of the Day

878.7

The length in miles of Interstate Highway 10 in Texas, between Orange in the east and El Paso in the west. Interstate Highway 10 runs a total of 2,460 miles, from Jacksonville, FL, to Santa Monica, CA, meaning one-third of I-10 is in Texas.

[Source: Texas Department of Transportation; Federal Highway Administration]

Quote-Unquote

“The last hope of human liberty in this world rests on us.”

– Thomas Jefferson

Have You, John?

Referred us to your family or friends? Would you do so today? Subscribing [[link removed]] is free, fast, easy... and did we mention it’s free?

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Case Data

Current as of 5:45pm, 4/27/2020

​ Texas Data

Population: 28,995,881

Total Tests: 290,517

Reported Cases: 25,297

Patients Recovered: 11,170

Total Fatalities: 663

Source: Texas State Department of Health Services

​ ​ Federal Data

Population: 328,239,523

Reported Cases: 957,875

Patients Recovered: 109,311*

Total Fatalities: 53,922​

Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;

coronavirustracker.us*

​ ​ Texas Unemployment

New coronavirus-related claims [[link removed]] for the week ending...

Feb. 22: 7,053

Feb. 29: 7,393

March 7: 6,368

March 14: 16,176

March 21: 158,364

March 28: 276,185

April 4: 313,832

April 11: 273,567

April 18: 325,100

April 25: 365,700

So far this week: 18,500

TOTAL: 1,768,238

Source: Texas Workforce Commission

​ ​ Influenza Data; 2017-18*

Total U.S. Cases (estimated): 45 million

Total U.S. Hospitalizations: 810,000

Total U.S. Fatalities: 61,000

* Most recent available.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [[link removed]]

​ Your State Officials and Lawmakers

Governor of Texas

Greg Abbott - R

(512) 463-2000

Lt. Governor

Dan Patrick - R

(512) 463-0001

Attorney General

Ken Paxton – R

(512) 463-2100

Comptroller

Glen Hegar – R

(512-463-4600

Land Commissioner

George Bush – R

(512) 463-5001

Commissioner of Agriculture

Sid Miller – R

(512) 463-7476

Railroad Commissioners

Wayne Christian – R

Christy Craddick – R

Ryan Sitton – R

(512) 463-7158

Texas Senate, District

Update your address so we can show your state senator [[link removed]] -



Texas House, District

Update your address so we can display your state rep [[link removed]] -



Something not right?

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Managed / Update Your Email Preferences [[link removed]] Request A Speaker [[link removed]] Contribute [[link removed]] Michael Quinn Sullivan

CEO, Empower Texans

Texas Scorecard & Texans for Fiscal Responsibility

​www.EmpowerTexans.com

www.TexasScorecard.com

(888) 410-1836

PO Box 248, Leander, TX 78646

PO Box 700981, Dallas, TX 75370

PO Box 12862, Odessa TX 79768 The Texas Minute is a quick look at the news and info of the day that we find interesting, and hope you do as well. It is produced on week days and distributed at 6 a.m. (though I'll probably take the occasional break for holidays and whatnot).

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