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Yearly Archives: 2021

Texans Used Mutual Aid To Help Their Communities Through A Devastating Winter Storm

Texans used mutual aid to help their communities through a devastating winter storm

When the massive winter storm hit Texas last week, University of Texas at Austin student Sam Miles noticed that there seemed to be a lot of need expressed on social media that got lost “in the void” because there wasn’t a centralized system for keeping track of requests. Miles decided to use her large Twitter presence to help: She created a Google Form to track what individuals needed and who could fulfill their requests. What started as an oatmeal drive…

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Axis Deer Had Overrun The Hill Country. The Winter Storm Devastated Them.

Axis deer had overrun the Hill Country. The winter storm devastated them.

LEARN MORE: You can learn more about ongoing efforts related to the Axis Deer Control Project here.  The spotted fawn was leaning against the screen door of Daniel Oppenheimer’s back porch near Luckenbach. Oppenheimer found it when he ventured outside on the first morning of last week’s record freeze. The fawn had died in the night. Oppenheimer’s power, water, and Internet would not be restored for several days. With little else to do, he wandered the land with his dog.…

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Lift Station Generator Failure Causes Wastewater Spill

Lift station generator failure causes wastewater spill

Approximately 1 million gallons of wastewater overflowed into the San Marcos River early Thursday morning following a generator failure, the City of San Marcos announced Friday. The city said the generator failure occurred at its main wastewater lift station — located near River Road and the Interstate 35 frontage road.— which moves sewage to the treatment plant. Read more from the San Marcos Daily Record here. 

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New Water Institute To Explore The Resource’s Impact On Society

New water institute to explore the resource’s impact on society

UTSA has launched the Institute for Water Research, Sustainability and Policy. Led by Saugata Datta, the Weldon W. Hammond Jr. Endowed Distinguished Professor in Hydrogeology, the institute brings together faculty across UTSA to collaborate in the areas of water quality, water quantity, flood control and water policy. Researchers will study the effect of climate change on water resources in the San Antonio area, South Texas region, I-10 corridor and the United States-Mexico border. Eventually, they will expand their studies to…

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“One Thing After Another”: Rural Texans Faced The Same Storm — With Unique Hardships

“One thing after another”: Rural Texans faced the same storm — with unique hardships

As humanitarian aid workers in Armenia and South Sudan, Jerry and Meaghan Kenney have huddled around wood stoves to keep warm and bathed with buckets for lack of water. But the couple didn’t expect they’d need such survival skills to get through the winter storm at their home outside Hudson, in deep East Texas. The Kenneys, who have a 1-year-old and 3-year-old, had only intermittent power and water last week, and remain under a boil water notice. Read more from…

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Some Hill Country Residents Could Be Without Power For Weeks

Some Hill Country residents could be without power for weeks

While the power is on in nearby Fredericksburg, homeowners in the rural parts of Gillespie County have been told it could be several weeks before they’re able to turn the lights back on. “This is what’s left of our mailbox,” said Michael Cahill, remarking at the missing portion of his mailbox post taken down by a falling power line. “There’s no mail getting out here anyway because the roads are closed.” Read more from Matthew Mershon with Spectrum News here. 

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Hays Trinity Groundwater – Water-Wise Speaker Series

Hays Trinity Groundwater – Water-Wise Speaker Series

The Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District has announced its 2021 Water-Wise Speaker Series. Subject matter experts will discuss a variety of water topics important to Hays County residents.  Hays County is listed by the US Census Bureau as the second fastest growing county in the United States. Great schools, good housing, proximity to growing business opportunities, and a beautiful landscape are all drivers for our growth.  Its most precious resource is water. The Trinity Aquifer deep below has a limited…

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Where To Volunteer In Austin Right Now

Where to volunteer in Austin right now

Due to last week's crisis, thousands of Austinites are still in need of clean water, food, and other essential items. From online phone banking to hands-on work, here's how you can help. Emergency Essentials Distribution Mayor Pro Tem Natasha Harper-Madison and her team are kicking off another day of food, water, and other essential item distribution at 1 p.m., with volunteers scheduled to meet anytime starting at 10 a.m. to lend a hand. To help, just show up. Check Harper-Madison’s…

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Energy Officials: Extreme Cold Crippled Natural Gas, Wind, Coal, And Nuclear Plants

Energy officials: Extreme cold crippled natural gas, wind, coal, and nuclear plants

Every type of power generator suffered problems as a winter storm gripped Texas this week, with state and local power officials saying their industry was caught off guard by an unprecedented deep freeze. “I don’t know of one technology in producing power that has not been affected by these freezing cold temperatures,” CPS Energy President and CEO Paula Gold-Williams told reporters Tuesday. “It is very hard to start a plant and keep it going at these temperatures.” Read more from…

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“We Are Resilient People”: Texans Share How They Weathered The Winter Storm

“We are resilient people”: Texans share how they weathered the winter storm

After days without power or running water, many Texans say they're frustrated, but determined to overcome the latest challenge thrown their way. We caught up with several people to hear about what they endured as a historic winter storm with catastrophic consequences swept across the state. There's Victoria Forton, a new mom trying to keep her baby warm in Pflugerville. And Sara Deraud, a Grapevine woman concerned about her grown son five hours away. Read more from Todd Wiseman, Alana…

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