A state court of appeals Monday put a stop to Fort Worth ISD’s mask mandate, which went into effect this morning. The Second Court of Appeals in Fort Worth granted a temporary injunction, saying that the Texas Supreme Court has upheld the status quo as lawsuits move forward in conflicts between local governments and state authorities over face masks. The …

With most school districts tracking COVID-19 data along with the state, it may be confusing to see different numbers for a campus or district. A lag in reporting data and a potential difference in what types of tests are reported to the state could contribute to dramatic discrepancies in case numbers. Wylie ISD’s own COVID-19 dashboard, for example, is updated …

The number of North Texans hospitalized for COVID-19 remains high, continuing to strain the region’s hospitals, according to experts at UT Southwestern Medical Center. But those numbers may soon start to decline in some parts of North Texas, UTSW’s latest forecast says. In Dallas County, new daily hospital admissions have recently fallen, and the number of total hospitalizations is expected to remain …

Dallas is considering a settlement agreement with the state health department over allegations of improper patient medical care provided by city paramedics. Texas’ Department of State Health Services since last year has been investigating 17 potential violations involving Dallas Fire-Rescue and initially proposed a $217,500 fine. But the state proposed a settlement last Wednesday stemming from only nine allegations that could …

DeSoto ISD students who have either tested positive for the coronavirus or who were in close contact with someone who tested positive began virtual instruction on Monday, the district said in the news release. Guidelines for students who participate in virtual learning include presenting a positive test, results are documented by a licensed physician and the student is identified as …

The city of Plano is now taking applications for its annual BEST Neighborhoods Designation program. Applicants for the program include resident groups that are working to make Plano a place where people want to live, work and play, the city announced. The application has 20 qualification questions, five narrative questions, and a presentation. Narrative responses can be made either virtually or …

Dallas Police Chief Eddie García voiced confidence in his crime-reduction plan on Monday as murders and robberies trended down across the city during the first half of the year while aggravated assaults were slightly higher than last year. Violent crime — which includes murders, robberies and aggravated assaults — was down about 6.3% across Dallas from January to July this …

A 24-year-old man faces a murder charge after a fatal shooting this month at a Pleasant Grove home. Efren Enrique Medina was arrested Friday in connection with the slaying of Jeremy Jimenez. His attorney could not immediately be reached for comment. Police were called the morning of Sept. 3 to a home in the 6100 block of Overlook Drive, where officers found …

Health authorities are closely watching an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a new strain of coronavirus known as COVID-19. Here are the answers to key questions about the outbreak: What is the virus? Scientists have identified the virus as a novel, or new, coronavirus. The name comes from the Latin word for crowns or halos, which coronaviruses resemble under …

AUSTIN, Texas (KTRK) — As Texas braces itself for Tropical Storm Nicholas, Gov. Greg Abbott has signed a proclamation for a disaster declaration and adds that Nicholas will not pose a threat to the power grid. “The Public Utility Commission is in contact with electric utilities along the projected path of Tropical Storm Nicholas and utilities have begun that public …