Proclamation Allows More Services, Activities To Resume

AUSTIN — Gov. Greg Abbott on May 26 issued a proclamation giving the green light to more services and activities in a second phase of the state’s plan to reopen from mandatory pandemic closures.

The Phase II proclamation allowed water parks to open beginning May 29 on condition that the venues limit occupancy to no more than 25% of normal capacity. However, components of water parks that have video arcades must remain closed. Also, starting May 31, recreational sports programs for adults were allowed to resume but games and similar competitions must wait until June 15 to resume. Driver education programs can resume operations immediately.

Food-court dining areas in shopping malls were allowed to resume operations immediately, but malls are encouraged to designate one or more individuals responsible for health and safety practices on premises, including:

—Limiting tables to six individuals; maintaining a six-feet distance between individuals sitting at different tables;

—Cleaning and disinfecting tables between uses; and

—Ensuring no condiments or other items are left on tables between customer uses.

In other news, cumulative figures posted on May 31 by the Texas Department of State Health Services showed that some 64,287 people in Texas had been diagnosed with COVID-19 and 1,672 deaths resulting from the virus pandemic had been confirmed.

Protests erupt in cities

Crowds gathered in many cities across the nation in recent days to protest the May 25 death of former Houston resident George Floyd, 46, in Minneapolis.

A white Minneapolis police officer, assisted by three fellow officers, arrested and handcuffed Floyd, an African-American, then pinned him face down on a paved city street. Floyd, who was heard saying he could not breathe while he was pinned down, lost consciousness and was later pronounced dead. Video of the incident was captured by a bystander and posted on social media.