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Restaurants and retailers, movies and museums: Some life returns (with limits) on May 1, governor says

A sign out Salvation Pizza thanks residents for supporting local businesses in the Rock Rose area of The Domain in North Austin. (Karen Brooks Harper)
All retail stores, restaurants, malls, movie theaters, libraries and museums will be allowed to reopen with just 25% capacity this Friday, May 1, according an executive order issued on Monday by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
Gyms, bars, barbershops and nail salons are among businesses ordered to stay closed, but that could change as early as mid-May, Abbott said.
The Republican governor's previous stay-at-home order, which allowed only essential businesses to open and required restaurants to serve to-go in an effort to curb spread of COVID-19, will expire this week.
"Now it's time to set a new course," Abbott said in a news conference Monday. "A new course that responsibly opens up business in Texas."
Abbott's plan has a testing and contact-tracing element, which includes increasing testing capacity to 25,000 tests per day in Texas, engaging 3,000 members of the Texas National Guard in mobile testing sites throughout the state, and building a team of up to 4,000 contract tracers to "box in" the virus, Abbott said.
The new rules also seek to strengthen protection of elderly Texans with new protocols for group homes and requirements that businesses follow extra safety measures with elderly and otherwise vulnerable populations.
Sole proprietors of all types may once again go back to work, not just those in essential industries. Outdoor sports with fewer than four participants are allowed again, and some travel and hospital restrictions were relaxed.
The order negates local rules that ban these businesses from opening, and wipes out face mask requirements and other stay-at-home orders across the state because the executive order will supersede county and city ordinances, Abbott said.
His office strongly suggested that Texans continue to wear face masks, but said they are not mandatory. Similarly, businesses are allowed to open, but not required.
If the current allowances don't result in a spike in coronavirus-related hospitalizations and deaths by mid-May, the rules will be further relaxed and Phase 2 of the reopening will go into effect on May 18, he said.
That includes an increased capacity for the businesses allowed under Phase 1 and perhaps more businesses added to the list, he said.
Abbott said he ran the entire plan by Dr. Deborah Birx, the Trump administration's coronavirus coordinator, and her team.
"She said the Texas plan was great," Abbott said. The Trump Administration and advisors "have truly been available to us on a 24/7 basis."
House Speaker Dennis Bonnen reminded Texans that limited capacity and increased protocols at businesses may slow things down at first.
"We're going to have to show patience," he said.
Nearly 2 million Texans have filed unemployment claims, Abbott said. Some 1.6 billion claims have been processed and $2 billion in benefits paid, he said. The economy has been on hold long enough, he said—even as social distancing and stay-at-home orders proved effective.
Last week, state parks were reopened and restrictions were loosened on surgeries in anticipation of the new order.
"The lives saved are priceless," he said, "but the price has been steep."
See the governor's plan here.
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Popular
Austin FC kept rival FC Dallas to a draw Saturday night as it pulled off a 2-2 comeback. (Austin FC/Twitter)
Despite a 2-0 deficit, there was a pot of gold for Austin FC after all as it celebrated its annual Pride Night with rainbows and a 2-2 comeback draw to FC Dallas Saturday night.
After three FC Dallas losses last season, the Dallas derby draw marks the first time Austin FC has tied against its Copa Texas rival. Austin continues to edge over FC Dallas as it sits at 3rd in the MLS West.
Here are the biggest takeaways from the match:
A somber start
¡Ya Basta! Enough! End Gun Violence. #uvaldestrong
— Los Verdes (@LosVerdesATX) June 26, 2022
📷 @arubiophotospic.twitter.com/3PiVdTPtik
Decked out in colorful hues for LBGTQ+ Pride, Verde fans started the match on a somber note as they held up banners to take a stand against gun violence before the match.
As the national anthem began, fans held up banners with the names of each child that was killed in the Uvalde school shooting and a plea to "end gun violence."
The supporters' section was also dotted with Pride flags and a "Bans off Our Bodies" banner in protest of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
(Claire Partain/Austonia)
(Claire Partain/Austonia)
FC Dallas earns a 2-0 lead
Paul Arriola is there to put it away and put @FCDallas ahead! pic.twitter.com/Z4AMmM6lp3
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 26, 2022
That sober tone continued onto the pitch. With midfielder Daniel Pereira's absence due to a red card, the Verde and Black lost two goals to FC Dallas by the 70th minute of play.
FC Dallas played it sneaky for the first half of the match, giving Austin FC plenty of room to hold possession as it waited to strike on a Verde error. That mentality proved dangerous for Austin as Dallas' Paul Arriola took advantage of Brad Stuver's deflection to score the first goal of the night in the 57th minute of play.
Dallas struck once more as Brandon Servant pushed past the Verde line to score the second goal of the match.
#DTID double their lead!
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 26, 2022
The substitute Brandon Servania with a fine finish within five minutes of coming on. 💥 pic.twitter.com/IZm0YsPxG5
Austin FC strikes back
Sebastián Driussi pulls one back!#AustinFC are still in this one. 👀 pic.twitter.com/Yoi0x768jb
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 26, 2022
But energy quickly returned to Austin's favor thanks to Designated Player Sebastian Driussi, who scooted past several FC Dallas defenders alongside Moussa Djitte to snag an unlikely first goal for Austin.
A full Verde comeback
Late drama in this Texas Derby!@AustinFC ties it up, Danny Hoesen with the diving header. 😱 pic.twitter.com/Jk2f4fIEXG
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 26, 2022
Austin's subs proved deadly as momentum returned to the home team toward the end of the match. A well-placed cross from Nick Lima—and a diving header from a fresh-legged Danny Hoesen—helped the team secure the draw with a second Verde goal in the 84th minute of play.
Hoesen, who was Austin's first starting striker last season, has now scored two goals with the team after a yearlong injury stuck him on the bench.
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(Bob Daemmrich)
Hours following the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark ruling that guaranteed a constitutional right to an abortion, on Friday, about 1,000 people gathered in Republic Square with signs calling for change.
The rally, organized by the group Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights Texas, started at the federal courthouse on Republic Square on Friday at 5 p.m. before the crowd marched to the Texas Capitol. More protests are expected to ensue over the weekend.
People showed up with all types of signs like Mindy Moffa holding up, "Keep your filthy laws off my silky drawers."
Austin joined cities across the country that saw protests for a women's right to an abortion after the ruling.
According to a recent UT poll, 78% of Texas voters support abortion access in most cases.
Sabrina Talghade and Sofia Pellegrini held up signs directed at Texas laws. A Texas trigger law will ban all abortions from the moment of fertilization, starting 30 days after the ruling. When state legislators passed the trigger law last summer, it also passed laws for more protection of firearms, including the right to open carry without a permit.
Lili Enthal of Austin yells as around 1,000 Texans marched to the Texas Capitol.
From the Texas Capitol, Zoe Webb lets her voice be heard against the Supreme Court ruling.
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