It was an event that left an indelible mark on Texans – what exactly happened as a winter storm and blackouts rolled across the Lone State State? There had been warnings for years that Texas’ power grid was vulnerable. Yet on a mid-February morning in 2021, the lights went out for millions of Texans – leading to shortages of food, water, heat – and hundreds of deaths. A step-by-step look at how a grim chapter in Texas history unfolded earlier this year – leading to questions we’re still grappling with today. From the podcast The Disconnect, the 2021 Texas power crisis as it unfolded, on this special edition of the Texas Standard:
Episodes
October 3, 2023
Fall is finally here. What does that mean for Texas’ drought?
Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan has faced increasing pressure to resign since Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial – and a special session of the Legislature starts next week. El Paso, a city with a reputation as welcoming to migrants, is now at a breaking point, according to its mayor. Angela Kocherga of KTEP El Paso has […]
October 2, 2023
We’re tracking Texas cryptids all October
From guns to religion, free speech and more, a very loaded docket awaits the Supreme Court as it begins a new term. Why a race for Houston’s top financial officer is getting so much attention. A plan to consolidate schools in San Antonio could leave behind almost 20 empty buildings – and the district needs […]
October 1, 2023
Texas Extra: An immigrant to ‘The Country of the Blind’
Author Andrew Leland is losing his vision. Turning that experience into a memoir gave him the opportunity to process his experiences, including the ways his blindness is perceived by others. But “The Country of the Blind” also contextualizes blindness within a larger world. Leland spoke to the Standard’s Shelly Brisbin on her podcast, Parallel. This is an extended cut […]