It's been almost six months since Winter Storm Uri left millions of Texans to face record cold temperatures, ice, and snow without electricity or running water.

The storm exposed the unpreparedness of our energy system and providers to handle such intense cold. It showed how vulnerable our otherwise strong state can be, but it also brought out the best in countless Texans who braved the ice to help neighbors in need and their community during an unprecedented disaster.

If you spend a lot of time online or talking with people from other states, you've probably heard a million and one opinions from people who aren't from here and weren't here to witness the everyday heroism ordinary people displayed.

Personally, I've seen the failure of our power grid and our leadership during the storm used to bash us. Yes, those are serious issues that needed to be addressed long before the worst cold snap many of us have experienced in our lifetimes, but you and I know it's not the whole story.

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I wish someone with a big budget and a worldwide platform would tell those stories and shine a light on the good as we work to repair the bad.

That's where I think HBO or Netflix could come in.

Austin Business Journal reports that both streaming giants have reportedly leased space in Central Texas to work on upcoming film projects. HBO has rented space in Kyle, while Netflix is setting up in East Austin.

It's not the first time big productions have been filmed around here, and it won't be the last. I remember one of the Walking Dead series filming in Central Texas fairly recently.

I just think it would be great if folks working on these projects heard first-hand accounts of people who survived the storm with help from their friends and neighbors, and were then inspired to tell those stories to a wider audience.

Texans really came together during a time of crisis, helping each other find food and water (or even fire wood), inviting neighbors or even complete strangers into their homes to keep warm, and assisting folks with the rebuilding process. Even people from other states were doing the neighborly thing and coming to Texas to help rebuild.

While the major problems and failures that left Texans in the dark shouldn't be ignored, neither should the generosity of so many people who showed that everyday people can and will choose to do good in the face of catastrophe.

It's Time to 'Stuff the Bus' for Central Texas Students

The new school year is just around the corner, and Central Texas students will face unique challenges as we put the pandemic behind us and look to the future.

One challenge no child should face is being without the essential school supplies they'll need to live up to their potential and achieve academic success.

That's where you and I come in. From July 19 to August 15, you can donate school supplies at the following locations. Donated supplies will benefit students in need in Belton ISD, Killeen ISD, and Temple ISD. (Click each district to view their 2021-2022 school supply lists.)

Test Your Texas: How Many of These Jeopardy! Questions Can You Answer?

Jeopardy! as we know it has been on the air since 1984, but the show got its start way back 1964.

Over the decades, the writers have managed to keep coming up with challenging questions to test the intellectual might of America's best and brightest (and sometimes softball questions for celebrities).

Texas is a place packed with personality, culture, and history, and there've been hundreds of questions/answers about the Lone Star State. Let's take a look at a few recent ones, and keep an eye out because we'll add more soon to test your Texas trivia skills and challenge newcomers.

How many of these can you get right without Googling?

Ten Weird World Records Set in Texas

 

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