Party No More: Dallas County Limits Social Gatherings to 10

That backyard barbecue (provided you can actually get all the supplies for it) is going to have to wait – Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins announced further restrictions on how many can gather in one spot at any given time.

Jenkins’ newest announcement limits recreational gatherings to 10 or fewer in an effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

“We are seeing a rapid community spread and we have to act aggressively,” he said.

The announcement comes on the heels of the morning announcement of a total of 39 known COVID-19 cases in the county.

House parties, barbecues, pick up basketball games are all verboten if they draw more than 10 people. So far, it’s the most strict policy in North Texas. Community gatherings like weddings and funerals are also limited to 50 people, according to the order.

All gyms and workout facilities are also closed.

But that wasn’t the only change – Jenkins also has ordered a 60-day halt on eviction hearings by Dallas County justices of the peace.

“We can ill afford to have people couch surfing or homeless,” he said.

He also lifted restrictions on when trucks can make deliveries, allowing them now to operate at any hour to deliver to stores since shelves continue to be emptied.

Dallas County commissioners will meet Thursday to vote on whether to extend the current emergency order.

 

Bethany Erickson

Bethany Erickson, former Digital Editor at People Newspapers, cut her teeth on community journalism, starting in Arkansas. She's taken home a few awards for her writing, including first place for her tornado coverage from the National Newspapers Association's 2020 Better Newspaper Contest, a Gold award for Best Series at the 2018 National Association of Real Estate Editors journalism awards, a 2018 Hugh Aynesworth Award for Editorial Opinion from the Dallas Press Club, and a 2019 award from NAREE for a piece linking Medicaid expansion with housing insecurity. She is a member of the Education Writers Association, the Society of Professional Journalists, the National Association of Real Estate Editors, the News Leaders Association, the News Product Alliance, and the Online News Association. She doesn't like lima beans, black licorice or the word synergy.

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