KERA News

Get live updates throughout the day on how COVID-19 is affecting North Texas.

The Austin native will take the helm of The Texas Newsroom, a public radio journalism collaboration that includes NPR, KERA in North Texas, Houston Public Media, KUT in Austin, Texas Public Radio in San Antonio and other stations across the state.

Thousands are without power Tuesday as communities begin cleaning up after a string of powerful storms — including four confirmed tornadoes — blew across North Texas Monday night.

The state also resumes distributing the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, and other efforts to vaccinate the public are ramped up.

Also, some large vaccination hubs, such as ones in Arlington and McKinney, begin winding down operations as vaccine demand declines.

But some places, like Dallas County, are starting to exhaust their vaccine waitlists, and more walk-up appointments are becoming available.

Also, 5 million Texans are fully vaccinated, and at least 8 million people have received one dose.

At least 4 million Texans are fully vaccinated, and 11 million have received at least one dose. More doses are on the way in record numbers.

Case counts also continue to fall in North Texas, and Dallas moved out of the most restrictive red tier.

Vaccine distribution efforts to benefit those in underserved populations also ramp up.

Also, many places still require masks despite the end of the statewide mask mandate.

Bryan Riser, a 13-year veteran of the force, has been fired from the department after being arrested.