The polar vortex’s icy grip on much of America has Arctic Greenland seeming like a toasty vacation spot by comparison.

The U.S. Department of Labor says Dollar General has agreed to pay a $12 million fine and improve conditions at its thousands of retail stores nationwide to make them safer for workers.

Luther’s Cafe has been shut down for nearly a week, and now the owner is considering selling the establishment.

Luther became nationally known at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 when she refused to shut down her Dallas salon in defiance of emergency orders. She was sentenced to a week in jail but was released after only a few days.

Getting more bang for your buck used to be the mantra of dollar store shoppers everywhere, but times are changing - and prices are rising.

Dollar General is one of the first major companies to announce extra pay for workers who get vaccinated. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)As vaccinations continue across the U.S., some companies are offering financial incentives to encourage their workers to get the shots. Instacart Inc., the grocery delivery service, announced Thursday that it would provide a $25 stipend for workers who get the COVID-19 vaccine. It joins others, including Trader Joe's and Dollar General, which plan to pay workers extra if they get vaccinated. Those challenges provide a strong incentive for companies to get their workers vaccinated, said Laura Boudreau, an economics professor at Columbia Business School who specializes in labor rights.

State Rep. Drew Springer, R-Muenster, spoke during a Texas Tribune panel in 2019. Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas TribuneState Rep. Drew Springer of Muenster prevailed over fellow Republican Shelley Luther in a special election runoff for a state Senate seat that was animated by Gov. Luther is the Dallas salon owner who was jailed earlier this year over her refusal to close her business due to coronavirus restrictions. While not as bombastic, Springer also expressed disagreement with some of the governor's coronavirus handling, even after earning Abbott's endorsement. Luther and Springer finished neck and neck in the initial six-way special election in late September, with Luther leading Springer by 115 votes. He loaned Luther $1 million before the September election and directly gave her $700,000 in the runoff.

Greg Abbott's campaign has made over a quarter-million dollars worth of in-kind contributions in support of state Rep. Drew Springer's campaign for state Senate. Greg Abbott stayed out of the September special election for a Texas state Senate seat in rural North Texas, content to let his coronavirus response become a flashpoint between two members of his own party. But now that the race is down to a Saturday runoff, Abbott has gone all in. Abbott endorsed Springer earlier this month, making official a preference that many had suspected after Luther spent months lacerating Abbott’s pandemic management. The two finished close together in the six-way September special election, with Luther edging Springer by 115 votes.

Dallas salon owner Shelley Luther and state Rep. Drew Springer, R-Muenster. Greg Abbott announced Saturday that Dec. 19 will be the date for the special election runoff to succeed state Sen. Pat Fallon, R-Prosper. The runoff in Fallon's solidly red district pits state Rep. Drew Springer, R-Muenster, against fellow Republican Shelley Luther, the Dallas salon owner who was jailed earlier this year over her refusal to close her business due to coronavirus restrictions. Luther and Springer finished close together in the Sept. 29 special election, which included three other Republicans and a Democrat. Luther edged out Springer, 32.17% to 31.93%, ahead by 164 votes out of 68,807 total.

Dallas salon owner Shelley Luther and state Rep. Drew Springer, both Republicans, are headed to a runoff for a Texas Senate seat. Credit: The Texas TribuneRepublicans Shelley Luther and Drew Springer are advancing to a runoff in the special election to replace state Sen. Pat Fallon, R-Prosper, according to unofficial election returns. The two were each getting about 32% of the vote late Tuesday in the six-way special election, with 96% of polling locations reporting. Greg Abbott called the whirlwind special election for the seat a little over a month ago. Springer spent some of the closing days of the special election campaigning mostly virtually, forced to quarantine after his wife tested positive for the coronavirus.

Shelley Luther and state Rep. Drew Springer are among six candidates looking to replace state Sen. Pat Fallon, R-Prosper. The special election was triggered by Fallon’s nomination in August to replace former U.S. Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Heath, on the November ballot now that he is director of national intelligence. Abbott has not endorsed in the special election, and a spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on the race. Another statewide political figure who looms over the special election is Lt. Gov. Among the Republican candidates, the referendum on Abbott’s pandemic decisions is not limited to Springer and Luther.

Republican Texas Senate candidate Shelley Luther received a $1 million campaign loan from conservative megadonor Tim Dunn. Credit: The Texas TribuneSign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. The conservative megadonor Tim Dunn is backing Shelley Luther in her Texas Senate bid with a $1 million loan, a large amount for such a race. Luther's campaign confirmed the $1 million loan Friday evening, three days before a campaign finance deadline in the race. In a statement explaining his support for Luther, Dunn praised her for standing up to what he described as bipartisan government overreach in the fight against the pandemic.

Greg Abbott released a statement Wednesday expressing his dissatisfaction with the jailing of Dallas salon owner Shelley Luther who was also issued a citation for violating the stay-at-home orders and reopening her business Salon A la Mode. She was subsequently ordered to spend a week in jail by a Dallas Judge after continuing to operate her business, defying the Stay Home, Work Safe orders issued by Abbott. “I join the Attorney General in disagreeing with the excessive action by the Dallas Judge, putting Shelley Luther in jail for seven days. As I have made clear through prior pronouncements, jailing Texans for non-compliance with executive orders should always be the last available option,” said Abbott. The first case confirmed in the U.S. was in mid-January and the first case confirmed in San Antonio was in mid-February.