Despite health warnings, Fourth of July revelers flock to Dallas-area lakeshores

Even as cases — and deaths — of COVID-19 soar in North Texas, especially in Dallas County, hundreds of North Texans celebrated the Fourth of July holiday with cookouts, swimming, and mask-free fun Saturday.

Gov. Greg Abbott has mandated that masks be worn at all times in public places, and has banned public gatherings of 10 or more people unless allowed by the mayor or county judge. The county judges in Collin and Ellis counties preemptively approved all such gatherings, but those in Dallas, Tarrant and Denton counties did not.