SPI PLOWS AHEAD WITH JULY 4 BLOWOUT DESPITE WARNINGS; AT JAILS 44 INMATES, 46 STAFF TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID-19

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

It doesn't matter to South Padre Island Mayor Patrick McNulty and his city commissioners that beaches in the majority of Texas cities and the rest of the country - including those of  Cameron County - have been closed for July 4th as the COVID-19 contagion spreads out of control.

Even Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has done a 180-degree turn and is now mandating the wearing of face masks or coverings to stop the contagion.

The death count in South Texas is now 60 with four reported in Cameron County overnight and another seven in Hidalgo. Cameron County reported 101 new cases overnight and Hidalgo reported another 268, and Starr County another 81.

Ninety Texas cities are reporting a record number of cases today.

Even the Cameron County Sheriff's Dept., where Omar Lucio was making political points for his reelection on having no COVID-9 cases in the jails has now admitted to local media that they had been under-reporting cases and confirmed there have been 44 positive cases detected there and that at least 46 department employees have tested positive for the virus.

Prisoners report to family members they have not been provided with face masks or other protective equipment and that no social distance measures are in place. Many have reported their fellow inmates are exhibiting the symptoms without being able to separate themselves from other prisoners.

Abbott, a Gregg-come-lately, has grudgingly paused the "opening" of the Texas economy after his state, along with Florida, California, and 30 other states report surges in positive cases. Miami Beach has been closed as have beaches in California. As a result, 19 states have reversed their "'openings."

But McNulty and SPI - still trying to make up for Spring Break and Holy Week - remained open through Memorial Day, Father's Day, etc. - even after  the recent uptick forced the county to shut the beaches down, has refused. This weekend it will host thousands of visitors from the four infected Rio Grande Valley counties.

Locally, hospitals report that have reached their capacity to take active cases and an infusion of nurses from the state and even as far as New York, have been bussed to help local health providers with the overflow.

So how is McNulty going to enforce social distancing, the mandatory of wearing face masks on the beach?  He can't. And neither he - nor the commission - seem to care.