Houston to enforce masks with fines

HOUSTON (AP) – Houston’s mayor is instructing police to begin issuing $250 fines for flouting statewide mask orders.

Mayor Sylvester Turner said Monday he made the move in hopes that August will stamp out a grim summer resurgence of COVID-19 that is now responsible for at least 7,000 confirmed deaths in Texas.

The state as a whole has seen encouraging trends in hospitalizations and infection rates.

But Turner described August as a critical month as schools approach reopening and fall flu season lurks around the corner.