Houston Style Magazine vol 31 No. 13

March 26 - April 01, 2020

Houston’s Premiere Weekly Publication

Volume 30 | Number 13

Complimentary

Judge Lina Hildago Issues Order to Harris County STAY HOME H WORK SAFE

Mayor Sylvester Turner

Coronavirus – COVID-19 US

03/19/2020 – Cases: 10,442 H US – Deaths: 150

Houston and Harris County 16 Critical Infastructure Sectors

03/26/2020 – Cases: 75,233 H US – Deaths: 1,070

STAY HOMEHWORK SAFE Reports on State of Texas, Harris, Fort Bend, Galveston Counties & City of Houston Follow Us #TeamStyleMag

Twitter @HoustonStyle

Instagram @HoustonStyleNews

H-E-B Launches Community Care Across Texas

Facebook: @HoustonStyleMagazine

CENSUS 2020: YES, I’m In. . .

Governor Greg Abbott Announces Texas Approval Of Major Disaster Declaration

Stimulus Checks Coming

N E W S | C O M M E N TA R I E S | S P O R T S | H E A LT H | E N T E R TA I N M E N T Support Black Owned Businesses

GUIDANCE FOR FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS Food has not been identified as a likely source of COVID-19 infection at this time; however, food businesses can play an important role in both protecting their employees and their customers from coronavirus infection by following the below personal and environmental hygiene practices.

VISIT WWW.HCPHTX.ORG OCEE 03/13/2020

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March 26 – April 01, 2020

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Stay home when you are sick with fever, coughing, and sneezing

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Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water for 20 seconds upon first arriving to work, after using the restroom, before and after eating and frequently throughout the day. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth

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Provide alcohol based (60%) hand sanitizers for use for both employees and customers by placing them at convenient/accessible locations

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Use sanitizing solution (i.e., one teaspoon of unscented household bleach in a gallon of cool water) to frequently sanitize commonly touched surfaces and objects such as electronics, door knobs, faucet handles, counter tops, cash machine key pads, dining tables frequently throughout the day. Change the sanitizing solution at least once every four hours

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Consider temporarily limiting self-serve operations. Examples of such operations include; salad bars, buffets and dispensers. Replace utensils frequently (approximately hourly) during peak use hours for self-serve style operations

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Ensure dishwasher and/or three-compartment sinks are used properly and have the appropriate level of sanitizer for final rinse (50-100 PPM chlorine-based sanitizer, follow product label for other approved sanitizers)

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Ensure sneeze guards are in place where required

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If you have food employees at higher risk for coronavirus with underlying health conditions, such as people 60 or older, people with underlying health conditions (heart disease, lung disease, or diabetes) or those with weakened immune systems or those who are pregnant: consider temporarily assigning them to non-public-contact duties

If you are a food business owner or a food worker and have questions related to your operation, please reach out to your Health Investigator or call 713-274-6300 to speak with office staff. For the latest information, please visit the following site: www.hcphtx.org\COVID-19

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Publisher Francis Page, Jr. fpagejr@stylemagazine.com Associate Publisher Lisa Valadez lisa@stylemagazine.com

Managing Editor Jo-Carolyn Goode editorial@stylemagazine.com Social Media Editor/Videographer Reginald Dominique reggiedominique@me.com

Stimulus Includes Individual Checks - Just When?

Sports Editor Brian Barefield

NATIONAL WRITERS

Jesse Jackson jjackson@rainbowpush.org

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Roland Martin www.rolandmartin.com Judge Greg Mathis www.askjudgemathis.com

PHOTOGRAPHERS Vicky Pink vhpink@gmail.com William Ealy Williamealy1906@gmail.com Semetra Samuel semetra@artistikrebelcreative.com

H-E-B Assist Our Most Vulnerable Neighbors

Mike Munoz artrepreneur91@gmail.com Robert Franklin editorial@stylemagazine.com

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MINORITY PRINT MEDIA, LLC

d.b.a. Houston Style Magazine & StyleMagazine.com Phone: (713) 748-6300 • Fax: (713) 748-6320 Mail: P.O. Box 14035, Houston, TX 77221-4035 ©2020 Houston Style Magazine, a Minority Print Media, L.L.C. Company. All Right Reserved. Reproduction in whole or within part without permission is prohibited. Houston Style Magazine has a 2019 audit by Circulation Verification Council (CVC). Houston Style Magazine is a member of the Texas Publishers Association (TPA), Texas Community Newspaper Association (TCNA), National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), Independent Free Paper of America (IFPA), Association of Free Community Papers (AFCP) and Members of Greater Houston Partnership(GHP).

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CENSUS 2020: Yes, I’m In. . .

www.stylemagazine.com

March 26 – April 01, 2020

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CORONAVIRIUS ORDERS March 24, 2020

Stay Home H Work Safe Orders By Judge Hildago Harris County Judge Lina Hildago

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hereas, on March 11, 2020, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo issued a Declaration of Local Disaster for Public Health Emergency to allow Harris County to take measures to reduce the possibility of exposure to COVID-19 and promote the health and safety of Harris County residents in accordance with Section 418.108 of the Texas Government Code; and Whereas, on March 13, 2020, a Declaration of State of Disaster was issued by Governor Abbott to take additional steps to prepare for, respond to, and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 to protect the health and welfare of Texans; and Whereas, on March 16, 2020, President Trump acknowledged the gravity of the COVID-19 pandemic, releasing strict new guidelines to limit people’s interactions, including that Americans should avoid groups of more than 10 people; and Whereas, on March 17, 2020, the Harris County Commissioners Court issued an Order at a Special Meeting of Commissioners Court approving the extension to March 25, 2020, of the Declaration of Local Disaster for Public Health Emergency declared by County Judge Lina Hidalgo and signed on March 11, 2020; and Whereas, on March 19, 2020, County Judge Lina Hidalgo issued an Order effective as of 8:00 a.m. on March 17, 2020, and continuing until 11:59 p.m. on March 31, 2020, requiring restaurants and bars to provide only carry-out, delivery or drive-thru services as allowed by law, and closing nightclubs, lounges and taverns, and restricting private clubs; and

Whereas, on March 19, 2020, Governor Abbott issued the first Public Health Disaster Declaration released in the State of Texas since 1901 and an Executive Order which, among other things, prohibits Texans from gathering in groups of more than 10 people; and Whereas, on March 24, 2020, the Harris County Commissioners Court issued an Order approving the extension until April 29, 2020, of the Declaration of Local Disaster for Public Health Emergency declared by County Judge Lina Hidalgo and signed on March 11, 2020, and extended at a Special Meeting of Commissioners Court on March 17, 2020 to March 25, 2020; and Whereas, the COVID-19 virus is contagious and spreads through person-to-person contact, especially in group settings; and Whereas, the COVID-19 virus causes property loss or damage due to its ability to attach to surfaces for prolonged periods of time; and Whereas, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) recommends an “All of Community” approach focused on slowing the transmission of COVID-19 through social distancing to reduce illness and death, while minimizing social and economic impacts; and Whereas, given the ongoing evaluation of circumstances related to the COVID-19 virus, the updated recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and the Texas Department of State Health Services, and the substantial risks posed by the COVID-19 virus to Harris County residents and their property, the following extraordinary measures

Similar Stay At Home Orders Have Been Enforced In California, New York, New Jersey, Ohio and Massachusetts.

must be taken to protect the public’s safety.

NOW THEREFORE, I, COUNTY JUDGE FOR HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY VESTED BY TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 418, HEREBY FIND AND ORDER: That the findings and recitations set out in the preamble to this ORDER are found to be true and correct and they are hereby adopted by the County Judge and made a part hereof for all purposes. This Order is in addition to any previous orders issued by the Harris County Judge and hereby incorporates all previous orders by reference, including the Order of March 19, 2020, pertaining to restaurants and bars.

SUMMARY. The virus that causes 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) is easily transmitted through person-to-person contact, especially in group settings, and it is essential that the spread of the virus be slowed to protect the ability of public and private healthcare providers to handle the influx of new patients and safeguard public health and safety. Because of the risk of the rapid spread of the virus and the need to protect the most vulnerable members of the community, this Order requires all individuals anywhere in Harris County, to stay at home – except for certain Essential Activities and work to provide Essential Business and Essential Government services or perform essential infrastructure construction, including housing. This Order takes effect at 11:59 p.m. on March 24, 2020 and will continue through 11:59 p.m. on April 3, 2020, subject to the limited exceptions and under the terms and conditions more particularly set forth below.

1.Effective as of 11:59 p.m. on March 24, 2020, and continuing until 11:59 p.m. on April 3, 2020: You can read the entire Harris County Stay Home Work Safe Order at: www.StyleMagazine.com

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March 26 – April 01, 2020

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Political News. . .

Senate Stimulus Bill Includes Individual Checks – But Don’t Expect The Money Right Away

By CNN / StyleMagazine.com

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ashington (CNN)The Senate unanimously passed a $2 trillion stimulus deal late Wednesday that includes sending checks directly to individuals amid the coronavirus crisis -- but it will likely take weeks before the money goes out.

President Donald Trump and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin are still pushing to get the direct payments issued by April 6, a White House official told CNN. The date was floated as a deadline earlier by Mnuchin during negotiations.

Mnuchin said Wednesday that the administration expects to begin issuing direct payments to taxpayers within three weeks of a stimulus package being signed into law.

“Our expectation is within three weeks we will have direct payments out where we have depository information,” Mnuchin said. “We’re looking to get a lot more information and we have procedures to do that.”

Mnuchin added that by the end of next week, the administration wants all banks to be able to originate loans on

a “same day” basis.

Under previous programs in 2001 and 2008, the government took longer than a month to distribute checks.

“It is extremely unlikely that people will get payments by April 6 -- just two weeks from now,” said Howard Gleckman, a senior fellow at the Tax Policy Center.

“It is more realistic to expect them in a month or two.”

A Republican Senate aide told reporters on Wednesday that they had heard estimates that the administration would be able to get started on about half of the rebates within a few weeks because the individuals had electronically filed their returns. The aide said that paper checks would “take a bit longer because the Bureau of Fiscal Service can only process and push out so many paper checks a week.”

“It’s a pretty significant number but it would probably take -- I think they were estimating four or five weeks to get the balance out,” added the aide. $1,200 for individuals, $2,400 for couples, $500 per child

Under the legislation, single

Americans would receive $1,200, married couples would get $2,400, and parents would see $500 for each child under age 17.

However, the payments would start to phase out for individuals with adjusted gross incomes of more than $75,000, and those making more than $99,000 would not qualify at all. The thresholds are doubled for couples.

About 90% of Americans would be eligible to receive full or partial payments, according to estimates by the Tax Policy Center. Lawmakers set aside $250 billion for the so-called recovery rebates.

Qualifying income levels will be based on 2019 federal tax returns, if already filed, and otherwise on 2018 returns.

(Mnuchin earlier this month delayed the filing deadline until July 15.)

There are provisions in the bill to include those who don’t earn enough to file returns, but some people may be missed, said Gleckman.

Americans might receive the stimulus payments slightly faster than in 2008 because more of them now file electronically and provide the IRS with their bank information, Gleckman said.

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March 25 – March 25, 2020

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Coronavirus Briefs. . .

Governor Greg Abbott, Announces Approval Of Major Disaster Declaration

By StyleMagazine.com Newswire

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overnor Greg Abbott today released a statement thanking President Trump for issuing a Major Disaster Declaration for the State of Texas. This announcement comes after the Governor requested the declaration—citing the need for

additional federal assistance to save lives, to protect property, public health, and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of COVID-19.

“Texas is aggressively pursuing and implementing all necessary strategies to limit the impact of COVID-19, and I thank President Trump for his swift action to issue a Major Disaster Declaration for the State of Texas,” said Governor Abbott. “The President’s declaration opens up new sources of funding for individual and public assistance that will help Texas respond to this public health emergency and protect public health and safety.”

Statement By Secretary Of Labor Eugene Scalia On Unemployment Claims

By StyleMagazine.com Newswire ASHINGTON, DC – Secretary in unemployment claims was not of Labor Eugene Scalia issued unexpected, and results from the t h e f o l l o w i n g s t a t e m e n t recognition by Americans across the regarding Unemployment Insurance country that we have had to temporarily claims: halt certain activities in order to defeat

“ T h i s l a r g e i n c r e a s e the coronavirus. The hard impact of this

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on American workers was anticipated in the bill passed by the Senate last night, which provides hundreds of billions of dollars in unprecedented funding for traditional unemployment insurance and pandemic unemployment assistance, and one-time cash payments of $1200 or more to Americans making $75,000

or less ($150,000 for those who are married). Perhaps more important, the Senate bill also provides incentives and funding for businesses to keep their workers on payroll, so that, as soon as possible, we can spring back to the strong economic conditions we enjoyed just weeks ago.”

US Unemployment Claims Skyrocketed Last Week - 3.28 Million – There Is More Pain To Come

By StyleMagazine.com Newswire wave of layoffs has gripped the ic, initial claims had been hovering in American economy in the past the low 200,000s each week, reflecting week as bars, restaurants and a strong job market. shops shut down across the country, The sudden spike is a major part of unprecedented efforts to control jolt to the labor market, which had been the spread of the coronavirus and keep a point of strength for the US economy health care systems afloat. during its longest economic expansion

On Thursday, investors got a on record. (Economists say that expansense of just how much damage is be- sion has ended, and the US economy is ing done. in recession.)

Initial jobless claims soared to And it’s not likely to be a onea seasonally adjusted 3.28 million in off. Morgan Stanley predicts that jobthe week ended March 21, according less claims could “remain at quite elto the Department of Labor. evated levels for the time being,” with

That is the highest number of layoffs continuing across the hospitaliinitial jobless claims in history, since ty, retail and manufacturing sectors. the agency started tracking the data in This could send unemploy1967. The previous high was 695,000 ment surging to an average 12.8% beclaims filed in the week ending Octo- tween April and June, according to the ber 2, 1982. investment bank. That would be the

The jump marked a massive highest unemployment rate on records increase from a revised 282,000 claims that go back to the 1940s. in the prior week. Prior to the pandem-

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School Districts Extends District-Wide Closures Through, April 10, 2020

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By StyleMagazine.com Newswire

s districts around the state and across the country continue to grapple with how to proceed in this unprecedented challenge to public health and education, Houston ISD, Fort Bend ISD, Alief ISD and Stafford MSD will extend the suspension of normal district operations through Fri-

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March 26 – April 01, 2020

www.stylemagazine.com

day, April 10 in an effort to support the nation’s need to flatten the curve of the COVID-19 pandemic.

More information log on: www.FortBendisd.org www.Aliefisd.net www.Staffordmsd.org

Houston Congress Members Introduce Key Legislation In The Wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic

16 Critical Infrastructure Sectors

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here are 16 critical infrastructure sectors whose assets, systems, and networks, whether physical or virtual, are considered so vital to the United States that their incapacitation or destruction would have a debilitating effect on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination thereof.

Presidential Policy Directive 21 (PPD-21): PPD-21 identifies 16 critical infrastructure sectors:

By StyleMagazine.com Newswire

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee

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ongresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, a senior member of the House Committees on Judiciary, Homeland Security, and Budget, announced today that she has introduced H.R. 6292, the COVID-19 Small Business Recovery Grants Act, to help struggling farmers, ranchers, and small businesses that suffered an economic loss due to the COVID-19 Pandemic:

“The COVID-19 Pandemic has irrevocably changed the lives of millions of Americans. It has affected every aspect of peoples’ lives from health to education to social life to employment, and I believe that is the United States Government’s responsi-

bility to support its citizens through this crisis. That is why I have introduced H.R. 6292, the COVID-19 Small Business Recovery Grants Act, which will help struggling farmers, ranchers, and small businesses that have suffered an economic loss as a result of devastation caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic.

“This legislation establishes a $1 billion fund to provide direct relief to eligible parties who have experienced financial losses due to the coronavirus. The bill supports the American people by preserving the economic viability of small businesses that have been devastated by the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Congressman Al Green

ongressman Al Green will introduce three bills essential to the House Financial Services Committee’s omnibus COVID- 19 package. The package was announced by Chairwoman Maxine Waters last week.

Congressman Green chairs the Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations.

He released the following statement:

Congressman Al Green stated, “In the wake of the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, I have put forth three critical legislative solutions. One

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Congressman Al Green offers zero-interest loans to strengthen minority depository institutions (MDIs).

The second provides resources for fair housing and enforcement. The third restores confidence in smaller banks and among depositors by lifting the current $250,000 limit on deposit insurance.”

“This pandemic has triggered a state of emergency across the globe,” he added. “As we discuss relief efforts for various industries that are essential to the U.S. economy, it is imperative that we work to relieve small businesses and persons whose previously limited resources may be taxed by such dire straits. This is why I have worked with Chairwoman Maxine Waters of the House Financial Services Committee to include legislation in her omnibus COVID-19 package that will safeguard these entities.”

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01. Chemical Sector 02. Commercial Facilities Sector 03. Communications Sector 04. Critical Manufacturing Sector 05. Dams Sector 06. Defense Industrial Base Sector 07. Emergency Services Sector 08. Energy Sector 09. Financial Services Sector 10. Food and Agriculture Sector 11. Government Facilities Sector 12. Healthcare and Public Health Sector 13. Information Technology Sector 14. Nuclear Reactors, Materials, and Waste Sector 15. Transportation Systems Sector 16. Water and Wastewater Systems Sector

March 25 – March 25, 2020

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H-E-B Launches Community Care Efforts Across The State To Assist Our Most Vulnerable Neighbors Starting Monday March 23rd, the Favor Senior Support Line will operate from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

By StyleMagazine.com Newswire

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-E-B has launched Texans Helping Texans, a community-outreach initiative that’s guided by digital innovation, compassionate philanthropy and the generous spirit and strength that brings together all Texans during uncertain times.

Helping seniors shop the safest way

Our Texas seniors need help — H-E-B and Favor are taking help to them.

H-E-B, in partnership with Favor Delivery, will launch a simple, low-cost solution that gives seniors access to their very own personal shopper by phone, allowing them to get essential food and supplies delivered to them, while remaining in the comfort and safety of their home. Beginning on Friday, March 20, seniors across Texas, age 60 and older, will be able to place orders with Favor using a curated list of

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products available from H-E-B.

“We heard from our customers loud and clear, and we’re ready to offer one of the safest, healthiest solutions in the marketplace dedicated to seniors who are worried about going out in public,” said Martin Otto, H-E-B chief operating officer. “Together with Favor, H-E-B is committed to helping Texans get the products they need while slowing the spread of coronavirus in our communities.”

H-E-B and Favor will staff its Senior Support phone line with volunteers from both companies to accept and process orders over the phone from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (updated 3/23), seven days a week. To access the Senior Support Line, call 1-833-397-0080. Built by the Favor engineering team, this system allows our company volunteers to process orders remotely from across the state. Seniors can also place their orders on Favor’s website, or by downloading the Favor app and searching for “H-E-B”. Seniors can place an orders

March 26 – April 01, 2020

via web and app from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week.

“Through this same-day service, a Favor Runner will personally shop all orders at H-E-B and deliver directly to the customer’s doorstep within just a few hours,” said Jag Bath, Favor chief executive officer and H-E-B chief digital officer. “To further promote social distancing, Runners will leave all orders placed through the Senior Support Line at the customer’s doorstep, eliminating close personal interaction.”

All delivery and service fees are waived for the first 30 days of the program.

Further helping Texans, orders will include a $10 tip, which goes entirely to the Favor Runner, who will personally shop and deliver items.

The response to this program has been overwhelmingly positive — and unsurprisingly, Texans want to help our seniors to make these deliveries even more affordable. We launched our new Senior Support Fund, an option for people to donate towards the Favor Runner costs of our Senior Support Line. 100% of all funds will be directly applied to seniors’ orders to ensure they have low-cost access to home delivery.

Gifts from the Senior Support Fund can only be applied on phone orders by a volunteer.

For more about the Senior Support Fund, visit to make a donation,

www.stylemagazine.com

visit https://favordelivery.com/SeniorSupportFund

To start, the Senior Shopping Support Line will be available from more than 240 H-E-B locations where Favor operates, with plans to quickly expand this service.

To find out more about the program, visit favordelivery.com/senior.

Compassionate philanthropy

In those areas where the delivery service is not yet available, H-E-B is working directly with local nonprofits to provide support to our most vulnerable neighbors: seniors, children and low-income families. Along with providing innovative solutions to help those in need, H-E-B is dedicated to the communities it serves, recently making a $3 million donation to support Texas nonprofits that provide aid to vulnerable communities and organizations conducting groundbreaking coronavirus research. Additionally, H-E-B delivered 15 truckloads of food and household supplies to Texas food banks.

#TexansHelpingTexans

H-E-B also launched its Texans Helping Texans checkstand donation campaign in all its stores across the state, giving customers the opportunity to support several organizations.

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n the wake of seeing if we have a temperature with a prolonged cough, trying to find water and supplies and ensuring we are wearing masks in public, something may have slipped your mind, the 2020 Census. Earlier this month residents across the country received an invitation to participate in the 2020 U.S. Census. It is the population count that occurs every 10 years that counts every living person in the country. Counts are taken via phone, email, and, new for 2020, online. Americans are asked 12 simple questions identifying their race, age, address, and other factors. Responses to these questions determine how federal funds are distributed, where new hospitals, parks, and libraries are built and even helps with the vision for transportation and housing. More than $675 billion dollars in federal funds annually are allocated to various social services according to Census data. Registration for the Census is needed for communities to receive the federal allocations they need to thrive. Taking the Census is telling the world that you are here and you matter so take the time to count you in.

“We are in a political climate where our votes need to matter and our votes will matter if our demographics are counted accurately,” said Rodney Waites, Houston-based Program Coordinator for Census 2020. “Many times both black and brown people are a closed-off people and so when we are in certain areas where we can not vote people in but be there for numbers to evoke change our voice can be heard. Without being counted in the Census that hinders that ability. It is not like the Census comes every year so with that being the case we need as many individuals as accurately as possible during the Census so that all individuals that are in and around not only the nation but our

CENSUS 2020: YES, I’m In. . .

By Jo-Carolyn Goode, Managing Editor

local level, our state level, our county level need to be accurately counted so that going forward some of these demographics and some things can be changed.”

Diving deeper into who individuals really are, questions ask individuals to say their ethnicity is more than African American but what origin of African American.

According to Waites, the Census wants to know how people are defining themselves.

“The importance of that is there are so many tiers of who we are the more that there are the more accurately they can be defined, especially in a place like Houston which is the most diverse city in the nation.”

Identifying one’s true self had posed as a barrier to the Census as some ethnic groups thought punishments would be placed on them if they were found to be let’s say an immigrant, for example. It was that

fear that hindered the truth of Census counting which would cause a lack of trust in the community. With more education and truth in the message and advanced technology, Waites says the Census is trying to remove all previous barriers felt. “This information is private and secure and you will not be fined, penalized in any realm for putting the truth down.”

The Census is also engaging more organizations to help spread the message of the importance of being counted. Just this week over 40 national and state-based partner organizations launched Black Census Week with a seven day social media campaign to increase Black participation in the Census before Census Day on April 1, 2020. The National Coalition on Black Civic Participation launched this initiative as a way of regrouping to get people count-

ed since the COVID pandemic won’t allow previously planned events to occur or allow field organizers to go door-to-door. Marc Morial, National Urban League President & CEO stressed, “This pandemic is as bad as we feared it would be, but we must move forward. We must encourage our people to fill out the forms online. The Census is power and we must be counted.”

Despite the impact that the coronavirus has made on the U.S., Waites indicated that a good number of responses had already been received from individuals who had completed the Census. However, more work still needs to be done to get more people registered for Census 2020. The biggest way they are tackling that issue is with education.

U.S. Census Director, Dr. Steven Dillingham visited the hard-to-count areas in Houston in African American and Hispanic populations to educate citizens to ensure all questions are answered properly thereby decreasing inaccuracies. The Rainbow Housing Assistance Corporation, a nonprofit organization that provides service-enriched housing programs for residents of rental housing communities throughout the country, is already incorporating census awareness in their programming to help citizens complete the Census.

Waites could not stress enough the importance of completing the Census but not just registering for it but doing so accurately.

The numbers that come from Census data collection are paramount especially in the Black and brown communities where there are options for certain benefits, subsidies, and assistance. The more accurate the data is the better the needs of the community can be addressed.

For more information on how to get registered for the 2020 Census, visit www.Census.gov.

If I could do one thing, I’d have a daycare closer to work.

If you could do one thing for your community, what would it be? More daycare centers? More funding for Head Start? Completing the 2020 Census is a safe and easy way to inform how billions of dollars in funding flow into your community for hundreds of services.

Respond online, by phone, or by mail.

Complete the census at:

2020CENSUS.GOV Paid for by U.S. Census Bureau.

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5/18 - 5/22 EARLY VOTING

STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION DISTRICT 6

Community Resources

Area Resources, Phone Numbers and Websites To Help Our Readers Navigate our Coronavirus Pandemic 211 Texas/United Way HELPLINE

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s always, our 211 Texas/United Way HELPLINE is here answering the call from our neighbors in need. 211 provides information about community resources and connects people to basic needs assistance and other social services, for which demand is likely to increase. You can also search the 211 database online here. 211 is not the number to call for emergencies or if someone suspects they have COVID-19.

Those concerned about or affected by COVID-19 should follow the Center for Disease Control guidelines.

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Texas State Department of Health Services COVID 19 Call Center 1-877-570-9779 Monday - Friday 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m Email: coronavirus@dshs.texas.gov http://www.dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus

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Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

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March 26 – April 01, 2020

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FOR HARRIS COUNTY RESIDENTS Harris County Office of Emergency Management

Harris County Residents Sign up to Receive Emergency Alerts www.ReadyHarris.gov

Harris County Public Health

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Coronavirus: The Background, The Spread, And The Pandemic

By Jo-Carolyn Goode, Managing Editor

I

n 2019, Americans were still on a holly high and jolly joy as we put away gifts that were once under the tree and took down our Christmas trimmings to welcome in a New Year.

We were preparing to sweep out the old and welcome in the new with visions of peace and prosperity because this was our year! Little did we know that soon our world would be flipped upside down filled with worldwide panic and fear unlike any of us have seen in our lifetime with the coronavirus pandemic.

The coronavirus is a large cluster of viruses that can cause symptoms ranging from the very mild to severe that are common in people and animals according to the Center for Disease Control. The virus originated from animals, bats specifically, that is why early cases were thought to be passed on by animal-to-human interaction but those cases are rare.

The first strain of the coronavirus was noted in 2003 with the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in China. Nine years later cases were recorded in Saudi Arabia with the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).

Now in 2020, we are talking about the coronavirus yet again but a different strain of it.

An assembly of individuals in a country more than 7,000 miles away from the United States started to experience severe symptoms of coughing, high fever, and other indicators of pneumonia. There were so many cases in Wuhan, China that Chinese authorities launched an investigation in December 2019 to learn of the cause behind so many sick individuals. What the people had in common were their association with seafood and live animals at the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in the Jianghan District in China. Scientists deduced that the people were infected by the SARS-CoV-2, which is associated with the coronavirus. As more and more individuals were diagnosed, health authorities tried to contain its spread with the largest quarantine in history in the city of Wuhan. But it was too late.

The coronavirus had already left the borders of Wuhan and had spread to 15 other cities. When cases of the virus started popping up in Italy, Iran, and South Korea and those new cases began to outnumber those in China researches went back to learn more about what was making people sick.

On January 7, 2020, it was officially confirmed that these individuals were suffering from a new disease that

was named the coronavirus, 2019-nCoV. Further research found that the newly named illness was not just something that people picked up at the seafood market but spreading quickly as epidemiology indicated that transmission was being done through person-to-person interactions rather than animal-to-person.

By January 30, 2020, almost 10,000 cases in 21 countries of the coronavirus had been reported. Seven of those were in the U.S. And that was the day that U.S. citizens started to pay closer attention since it was no longer an international problem but one growing in our own communities.

Coronavirus Strikes in the United States

After visiting with his family in Wuhan, China, a 35-year-old man in Washington State walks into a clinic to get checked out after experiencing symptoms of coughing and fever. A battery of tests was done including one for the coronavirus. On January 20th, it was confirmed that the man had the coronavirus and his diagnosis became the first official record of the illness in the United States.

During that month the coronavirus became known as a public health emergency of international concern by

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the World Health Organization (WHO).

By March 11, WHO declared it a pandemic and two days later Donald Trump weighed in to deem COVID-19 a national emergency in the United States.

The Coronavirus Panic Rises Nationwide

Today the Coronavirus has been documented in numerous continents, over 135 countries, and in every state in the U.S. And there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight. However, researchers are learning more and more about the disease, how it is spreads, the signs and symptoms, ways to contain it and how the public can protect themselves as best as possible.

Together by following the guidelines from officials, practicing social distancing and maintaining good hygiene the coronavirus can be a thing of the past and we can get back to life as we use to know it. Take this extend time to love our family and friends, grow closer to your spiritual power, and be a good steward of your resources.

SOURCES: CDC, New England Journal of Medicine, The Washington Post, Live Science, New York Times and Wikipedia

March 26 – April 01, 2020

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March 26 – April 01, 2020

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