BEAUMONT, Texas — Could Texas be back in business soon? Governor Greg Abbott tweeted Wednesday: "Since my last orders in July, Covid numbers have declined—most importantly hospitalizations. I hope to provide updates next week about next steps."
It's welcoming news for businesses that have been waiting for a chance to reopen. "We're just a neighborhood bar, just trying to get the door back open," Bobby Parham said.
Soggy Bottom Saloon is like many bars across the state desperate for the opportunity to reopen. "We're not pouring corona in a cup and issuing it out. The only Corona we got here is bottled up, and it's from Mexico, and it tastes pretty good," Parham said.
After several weeks of being closed, owner Bobby Parham has started to feel optimistic after Gov. Abbott recently tweeted he would revisit opening more parts of the state.
"I'm feeling hopeful, but I can't really go into the extreme planning stage of actually scheduling an open date,” Parham said. “That would come with me hiring bands, everything. So, it's hard. I wish he would give us a little more insight."
Texas has seen coronavirus cases drop in the last month, along with the state's positivity rate, which is just over 10 percent. That’s the lowest it has been since June.
In Southeast Texas, the numbers reflect what we are seeing across state. Jefferson County Judge Branick points to the county's 14-day average as the reason why the governor is making the right decision.
"It's something that I'm thrilled to see,” Branick said. “We're back at the level that we were at the first of July. Gov. Abbott has a lot more physicians and epidemiologists at his disposal than I do. So trust, whatever he does, it will be appropriate."
Back in July, Soggy Bottom Saloon did not look as empty as it does now. Parham defied the governor's order which led to consequences.
"The consequences was being suspended 30 days,” Parham said. “The way I felt about that- was it worth that suspension being that we were closed anyway?"
Now that Parham's liquor license is back in effect, he just waiting to put it to use. "It's difficult, just not knowing for sure," Parham said.
The governor is expected to announce future reopening plans sometime next week. That's when Texans will learn that fate of several industries who have been impacted by coronavirus restrictions.
