COVID-19 Watch

Popular South Texas beach destination extends emergency orders as COVID-19 rages

South Padre Island has issued new measures to combat COVID-19.

Photo by Daniel Cavazos

As South Texas struggles to contain the COVID-19 virus, a popular San Antonio vacation destination is extending its emergency orders through Labor Day and beyond.

On August 5, South Padre Island issued an emergency management order — the city's second — now banning all canopies, pop-up tents, and umbrellas larger than eight feet. The new order from Mayor Patrick McNulty effectively bans structures where groups bigger than two can congregate.

The order remains in effect until September 16, well past the summer holiday.

Moving forward, all umbrellas must have a diameter of eight feet or less, and all "shade structures" must have a single pole. SPI beachgoers may also only have two chairs under each umbrella and all groups must will separated by a minimum of 15 feet from outside edge/tip of the structure. (So, basically, all umbrellas must be at least 15 feet apart.)

All other setups, whether shaded or not, must also be at least 15 feet away from the structure.

Local vendors must also adhere to the updated order, and space their single-pole structures at least 15 feet from each other. Vendors may also only place chairs and umbrellas in the "front row." The "second row" of chairs and shade structures can only be set up after being rented, and only if they can be spaced according to the updated rules.

Fines of up to $500 can be issued for violating the mayoral order.

"Our hope is that by imposing these measures quickly and firmly, we will help bring this national emergency to an end quickly and help revitalize the economy we all enjoy as soon as possible," reads the mayor's order.

South Texas has been one of the country's hottest spots for COVID-19 in recent weeks, with over 37,000 cases of the novel coronavirus confirmed across the Rio Grande Valley's four counties as of August 6, with Cameron County, home to SPI, being hit particularly hard. Cameron and nearby Hidalgo are in the top eight U.S. counties with most confirmed COVID-19 cases, according to Texas Public Radio.

To date, Cameron County has 15,865 confirmed cases, with 5,710 of those occurring in the last seven days, according to data from the New York Times.

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Airline News

San Antonio gets nonstop flights to this Washington, DC airport

Photo courtesy of American Airlines

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American Airlines will soon introduce long-awaited nonstop flights between San Antonio (SAT) and Washington, D.C. (DCA). One flight will be scheduled daily, starting in March.

Tickets for the new service will be available on sale starting December 23 through aa.com or American’s mobile app.

The route was tentatively announced in October, but the U.S. Department of Transportation has now formally approved the application by American Airlines.

“This new service will offer convenient nonstop access to our nation’s capital for San Antonians, while helping further connect customers to our comprehensive global network," said Brian Znotins, American’s Senior Vice President of Network and Schedule Planning, in a press release. "American thanks the many elected officials and citizens who supported our application, and we look forward to welcoming customers onboard this new service soon.”

Flight 1718, reflecting the year San Antonio was founded, will depart SAT at 6:35 am and arrive in DCA at 10:41 am. Flight 1947, reflecting the year the U.S. Air Force was established, will depart DCA at 7:45 pm and arrive in SAT at 10:43 pm.

“This long-awaited connection to our nation’s capital is a game changer for our community, opening doors to countless opportunities for travel and economic development,” said San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg. “I’m grateful to those who have championed this effort and for the bipartisan support of our representatives in the Senate and House, whose advocacy was instrumental in making these flights a reality. We look forward to the positive impact this nonstop service will have for years to come."

San Antonio City Manager Erik Walsh echoed the sentiments about economic development and pointed out some growth already happening in San Antonio. The release also notes that San Antonio is the largest city in Texas lacking nonstop service to DCA and the largest city in the U.S. with a majority Hispanic population without nonstop service to DCA.

“Serving the fastest-growing city in the country, SAT has achieved record-breaking passenger numbers throughout 2024. This nonstop service to and from DCA addresses a need for our military, business, educational and research communities, among others. It also promotes competition and offers more travel options for passengers flying to and from San Antonio, enhancing connectivity as we continue making progress on the airport Terminal Development Program.”

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