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What is happening in Texas right now is stunning. Roughly a quarter of the state was without power today amid freezing temps. No power means no heat for many families. No juice for medical devices or phones to get help. No heat means pipes are freezing, bursting and flooding.
Reporter @chucklindell with the @statesman chronicled just some of the struggles Texans are facing amid the storm. https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2021/02/16/without-power-texas-families-cope-unending-cold-safety-fears/6763156002/
One man said it fell to 37 degrees inside his home Tuesday. Every hotel he called was either booked or without power.
When their supply of wood ran out, another couple rolled lawn bags tight and tied them into paper logs. Then turned to charcoal. Then paper towels.
When their supply of wood ran out, another couple rolled lawn bags tight and tied them into paper logs. Then turned to charcoal. Then paper towels.
Now residents are being asked to conserve water -- even turn off faucets that had been dripping to prevent pipes from freezing over -- to avoid a citywide boil notice. https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2021/02/17/winter-weather-texas-southwest-austin-lost-creek-boil-water-notice/6782508002/
Emergency crews are being flooded with calls for service. https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2021/02/15/winter-storm-texas-hundreds-austin-report-broken-water-pipes-request-medical-services/6760606002/
And there's no definitive end in sight: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2021/02/17/texas-power-outage-winter-weather-ercot-operators-sidestep-resignation-calls/6783599002/
At the @statesman, many in the newsroom lost power at their homes days ago. You could see the steam off @gabrielle_munoz tea in an early morning zoom call due to the frigid temperatures in her home. Pipes have burst at homes of editors and reporters, leaving them without water.
New editor @manny_garcia1 went on a rescue mission yesterday because his truck could handle the treacherous roads. He brought many staffers who were otherwise stranded without power to shelter at the Statesman office, which still had heat and water.
Through it all, the team's top priority is simple: Serve the community. Their personal situations are the last thing mentioned in any conversation. They just want to be able to get important information out to those who need it. They are determined to find a way to keep reporting
Most of the stellar coverage is being provided free to the community as a public service. It has to be. Yet, it is heartening to see that even though the stories are free, people are subscribing to support their work.
If you don't already subscribe to your local newspaper, please do. You'll never find a group of people more caring and dedicated to their communities.
Follow along as the @statesman continues to work to explain just how this happened and what the future holds. And if you're looking to help those impacted, here's how: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2021/02/15/how-to-help-how-get-food-shelter-resources-during-texas-winter-storm/4486821001/
