Coronavirus in Texas: Dallas salon owner jailed after reopening wants to donate to Laredo beauticians arrested for working

This weekend’s biggest developments

• Texas reports 38,869 cases and 1,088 deaths
• Dallas salon owner says she plans to donate to Laredo beauticians arrested for working during pandemic

In Sunday release, Texas reports 38,869 cases and 1,088 deaths

[4:30 p.m. Sunday] Texas reported 1,009 more cases of the new coronavirus Sunday, an increase of about 3% over the previous day, bringing the total number of known cases to 38,869. No new counties reported cases Sunday; over 85% of the state’s 254 counties have reported at least one case.

Harris County has reported the most cases, 7,803, followed by Dallas County, which has reported 5,619 cases. See maps of the latest case numbers for each county and case rates per 1,000 residents.

The state has reported 39 additional deaths, bringing the statewide total to 1,088 — an increase of about 4% from Saturday. Harris County reported eight additional deaths, bringing its total to 168 deaths, more than any other county.

As of Sunday, 1,626 patients are known to be hospitalized in Texas. That’s a decrease of 109 patients from Saturday. At least 501,776 tests have been conducted. — Anna Novak

Dallas salon owner says she plans to donate portion of funds raised

[5 a.m. Saturday] The Dallas businesswoman whose beauty salon has become a cause célèbre in the controversy over coronavirus restrictions struck a philanthropic tone Friday and said she plans to donate a portion of the money raised for her cause.

Shelley Luther, a Dallas hair salon owner who was jailed earlier this month for illegally reopening her business during the coronavirus pandemic, said she was going to donate some of the money raised from a GoFundMe account to help Ana Isabel Castro-Garcia and Brenda Stephanie Mata, the two Laredo businesswomen who were arrested after offering beauty services at their homes in violation of a Webb County stay-at-home order, the Dallas CBS station reported.

She said after paying her mortgage and legal fees, she wants to aid the Laredoans in paying their fines and attorney fees and add some head-start money, the station reported.

Luther was ordered to serve a seven-day jail sentence after ignoring a cease-and-desist letter and ripping up the document during a rally in Dallas County. State District Judge Eric Moyé handed down the sentence after offering Luther a chance to apologize for her actions, which the shop owner refused to do.

Luther was released from jail after Gov. Greg Abbott amended his policies to eliminate jail time for people who violate his orders. The Texas Supreme Court granted an order that led to Luther’s release.

The salon owner also reportedly said she was going to offer some of the money from her charity account to South Dallas, the CBS affiliate reported. — Julián Aguilar