DALLAS—Texas let its pandemic freak flag fly on Wednesday.After getting the green light from Gov. Greg Abbott last week, a slew of businesses here lifted all COVID-19 restrictions on Wednesday despite dire warnings from health experts and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.In McKinney, Fox News host proclaimed “this is freedom” while standing maskless inside a restaurant. In Houston, a bar planned to host a “mask off” party, only to after coming under intense public scrutiny. In Dallas, an began cataloguing maskless businesses in the area, only to immediately block the author of...…DALLAS—Texas let its pandemic freak flag fly on Wednesday.After getting the green light from Gov. Greg Abbott last week, a slew of businesses here lifted all COVID-19 restrictions on Wednesday despite dire warnings from health experts and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.In McKinney, Fox News host proclaimed “this is freedom” while standing maskless inside a restaurant. In Houston, a bar planned to host a “mask off” party, only to after coming under intense public scrutiny. In Dallas, an began cataloguing maskless businesses in the area, only to immediately block the author of...WW…

Filed under:Faced with financial uncertainty and risks to their own health, many restaurant employees don’t feel safe working in these environmentsFollowing , many bar and restaurant workers across North Texas are not looking forward to going back to work once their workplaces can resume operations at 100 percent capacity next week. The decision, which saddles local governments and privately owned businesses with the task of enforcing an essential public health measure, will undoubtedly have a disproportionate impact on these workers.Sean Dudley, a bartender in Dallas and a student at the...…Filed under:Faced with financial uncertainty and risks to their own health, many restaurant employees don’t feel safe working in these environmentsFollowing , many bar and restaurant workers across North Texas are not looking forward to going back to work once their workplaces can resume operations at 100 percent capacity next week. The decision, which saddles local governments and privately owned businesses with the task of enforcing an essential public health measure, will undoubtedly have a disproportionate impact on these workers.Sean Dudley, a bartender in Dallas and a student at the...WW…

Dallas' independent source oflocal news and cultureKEEP THE DALLAS OBSERVER FREE...Since we started the Dallas Observer, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Dallas, and we'd like to keep it that way. With local media under siege, it's more important than ever for us to rally support behind funding our local journalism. You can help by participating in our "I Support" program, allowing us to keep offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food and culture with no paywalls.Don't Miss OutSIGN UP for the latestnews, free stuff and more!Become a member to...…Dallas' independent source oflocal news and cultureKEEP THE DALLAS OBSERVER FREE...Since we started the Dallas Observer, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Dallas, and we'd like to keep it that way. With local media under siege, it's more important than ever for us to rally support behind funding our local journalism. You can help by participating in our "I Support" program, allowing us to keep offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food and culture with no paywalls.Don't Miss OutSIGN UP for the latestnews, free stuff and more!Become a member to...WW…

DALLAS—First a , , food, or all of the above in what .Now authorities in Austin seem determined to add a slew of COVID-19 deaths to the tally.Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Tuesday that he planned to end the state’s mask mandate and push all businesses to fully reopen, ignoring the pleas of local officials—and the state’s slow vaccination rollout.“It is now time to open Texas 100 percent,” Abbott said at a . “Every business that wants to be open should be open.” As the nation’s second-largest state, Texas may become the first domino in a series of reopenings that go against the advice of...…DALLAS—First a , , food, or all of the above in what .Now authorities in Austin seem determined to add a slew of COVID-19 deaths to the tally.Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Tuesday that he planned to end the state’s mask mandate and push all businesses to fully reopen, ignoring the pleas of local officials—and the state’s slow vaccination rollout.“It is now time to open Texas 100 percent,” Abbott said at a . “Every business that wants to be open should be open.” As the nation’s second-largest state, Texas may become the first domino in a series of reopenings that go against the advice of...WW…

DALLAS—First they had to deal with a , an historic assault that wiped out their power, , , or all three at once.Now they have to deal with bosses denying them pay.Internal company emails and text messages obtained by The Daily Beast indicate that dozens of employers in Texas, many of them in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, have told people who were unable to go to work or work remotely due to loss of electricity during last week’s destructive winter storm that they must consider the lost days as vacation, or otherwise go without pay.These are not small businesses, either. Several large...…DALLAS—First they had to deal with a , an historic assault that wiped out their power, , , or all three at once.Now they have to deal with bosses denying them pay.Internal company emails and text messages obtained by The Daily Beast indicate that dozens of employers in Texas, many of them in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, have told people who were unable to go to work or work remotely due to loss of electricity during last week’s destructive winter storm that they must consider the lost days as vacation, or otherwise go without pay.These are not small businesses, either. Several large...WW…

Collectively, mutual aid groups in Dallas-Fort Worth have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars over the past week to feed and house people impacted by Winter Storm Uri. With their Venmo and CashApp accounts full, though, these groups are running into a major snag: account holds and transfer delays imposed by these mobile payment platforms.As and , mutual aid groups have worked around the clock to raise donations and distribute funds to those who need immediate relief. “Folks here in Texas here are sinking and we have neighbors from all over the world donating to the cause,” says Kirby...…Collectively, mutual aid groups in Dallas-Fort Worth have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars over the past week to feed and house people impacted by Winter Storm Uri. With their Venmo and CashApp accounts full, though, these groups are running into a major snag: account holds and transfer delays imposed by these mobile payment platforms.As and , mutual aid groups have worked around the clock to raise donations and distribute funds to those who need immediate relief. “Folks here in Texas here are sinking and we have neighbors from all over the world donating to the cause,” says Kirby...WW…

One week ago, a Dallas encampment for unhoused people called Camp Rhonda was making headlines as as Texas prepared for what turned out to be one of the most brutal winter storms in its history.In response, a collective of local activists and organizers sprung into action to ensure that Camp Rhonda’s residents could stay warm and have enough food to eat as for Dallas-Fort Worth.As the metroplex faced single-digit temperatures, howling winds, and snow that all but brought the city to a grinding halt, these activists have managed to support the sheltering of dozens of homeless individuals in...…One week ago, a Dallas encampment for unhoused people called Camp Rhonda was making headlines as as Texas prepared for what turned out to be one of the most brutal winter storms in its history.In response, a collective of local activists and organizers sprung into action to ensure that Camp Rhonda’s residents could stay warm and have enough food to eat as for Dallas-Fort Worth.As the metroplex faced single-digit temperatures, howling winds, and snow that all but brought the city to a grinding halt, these activists have managed to support the sheltering of dozens of homeless individuals in...WW…

DALLAS—As a raged across Texas over the weekend, Akilah Scott-Amos received an alarming message from her power company: Please switch services because “prices are about to explode.”The 43-year-old owner of an organic skincare and apothecary shop was initially confused by the message from Griddy, which sells wholesale power for a monthly membership, but she began to look for other providers.Then she checked her bill.“I paid $450 for one day. I was in shock,” Scott-Amos told The Daily Beast on Wednesday. “It made no sense because we have a gas heater, a gas fireplace, and we have been keeping...…DALLAS—As a raged across Texas over the weekend, Akilah Scott-Amos received an alarming message from her power company: Please switch services because “prices are about to explode.”The 43-year-old owner of an organic skincare and apothecary shop was initially confused by the message from Griddy, which sells wholesale power for a monthly membership, but she began to look for other providers.Then she checked her bill.“I paid $450 for one day. I was in shock,” Scott-Amos told The Daily Beast on Wednesday. “It made no sense because we have a gas heater, a gas fireplace, and we have been keeping...WW…