In a ruling that was divided along party lines, a state appeals court on Thursday dismissed Attorney General Ken Paxton's challenge to Austin and Travis County pandemic-related orders that placed a curfew on businesses during the New Year's weekend. The orders, which barred food and beverage service after 10:30 p.m. amid a surge in local COVID-19 cases, were in place for only one night before the Texas Supreme Court blocked enforcement, leaving nothing to settle because the issue was moot, the Austin-based 3rd Court of Appeals said in a 2-1 ruling. The court's lone Republican, Justice Melissa Goodwin, disagreed, arguing that the issue remains live because Austin and Travis County officials continue to "vigorously defend their authority to adopt and enforce the local orders and do not concede that (they) were invalid or unlawful."