A budding scribe publishes her first story in what she hopes marks the beginning of a writing career. Drive-in theaters became a safe place to seek entertainment during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sunset Cinema
Drive-in theaters have enjoyed a resurgence since last spring as the COVID-19 pandemic forced folks to find forms of entertainment that didn’t risk their health. Even before that, drive-ins were thriving in Texas, as we wrote about in Drive in, Chill Out in June 2019.
Can-Do Perspective
Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a 14-watt CFL for 20 hours, a computer for three hours or a TV for two hours.
Storm Surge
A record 30 named storms formed in the Atlantic Ocean in 2020. Thirteen of those named storms turned into hurricanes, and three of them—Hanna, Laura and Delta—brought high winds or heavy rain or both to Texas, which mobilized lineworkers across the state. See ‘That’s What Co-ops Are For’.
As the planet warms, scientists say, hurricanes are lingering longer and staying stronger once they make landfall.
Alas, hurricane season begins again June 1 and runs through November.
Worth Repeating
“Noble fathers have noble children.”
—Euripides
Ainsley Shaw researched the groundbreaking life of Texan Bessie Coleman to write her first published story.
Chris Salazar | TEC
A Career Takes Off
Nothing is cooler for an aspiring writer than to see her work in print for the first time.
Ainsley Shaw gets that thrill this month with the publication of Queen Bess Soared.
Shaw is a first-year student at Maastricht University in the Netherlands, but she began writing about Bessie Coleman, the Texan who became the first African American woman and first Native American woman to earn a pilot’s license, in 2020, when she was a senior at Leander High School.
Shaw, a Pedernales Electric Cooperative member, participated in the Leander school district’s Career Opportunities on Location week by shadowing the staff at Texas Co-op Power. “Being in a real writing environment has only reinforced my intention to pursue writing as a career,” she said of her cool experience.
Heavy Metal
The largest playable guitar in the world is 43 1/2 feet tall, 16 1/2 feet wide and weighs 1 ton, according to Guinness World Records. Built by students from the Conroe Independent School District Academy of Science and Technology, it’s modeled on a 1967 Gibson Flying V and was first played in June 2000 with the opening chord of A Hard Day’s Night.
A Big Deal
The Southwest Conference, the sports league that included most of the largest universities in Texas, disbanded 25 years ago this month. When it did, Baylor University, Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University and the University of Texas joined with the Big Eight to create the Big 12.
The SWC was formed in 1914 and pretty much dominated the college sports scene in Texas until June 30, 1996. Read Dawn of the Southwest from December 2014 to learn more.
Historic Hurler
San Antonio native Bill Gatewood threw the first no-hitter in the Negro National League 100 years ago this month. Pitching for the Detroit Stars, Gatewood no-hit the Cincinnati Cuban Stars on June 6, 1921.
High Hopes
Southwest Airlines took to the air 50 years ago this month with three planes serving three cities—Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. Their desert gold, red and orange 737s were cleared for takeoff June 18, 1971.
Recommended Reading
Gas With Class (January 2013) visited a fillin’ station that still offered full service.
