Texas continues to buckle under a brutal winter storm

Trump's being sued, charges against Amy Cooper are dropped, and I have to learn what a Galecki is.

THE BIG STORY   At least 10 people have died as Texas faces a brutal winter storm and massive power outages   Texans are dealing with a winter storm that's killed at least 10 people, as people in the state deal with brittle cold, consistent blackouts, and contaminated water. As of Tuesday night, more than 3 million homes were without power.    Worse is that many are turning to their barbecues, generators, and cars as sources of heat, leading to a rise in carbon monoxide poisoning calls. The number of deaths due to the cold weather are likely to rise, and in Galveston County the medical examiner's office has asked for a refrigerated truck to handle a surge of deaths.  The snow and windchill in Texas is no joke — 8 inches of snow and 15 degrees below zero, the coldest it's been in the state in decades. Here are some photos of how Texans are handling it.  A family tries to stay warm inside their Houston home after it lost power. Brett Coomer / AP   HELP US FIGHT FOR TRANSPARENCY   Our journalists filed 58 Freedom of Information Act lawsuits during Trump's presidency — more than any other media organization in the US. We have no plans to slow down, but pursuing that work is expensive and time consuming.   That's why every BuzzFeed News Membership sign-up or one-time contribution from now until March 15 will go toward our FOIA fund. When you contribute, you'll become a BuzzFeed News member and receive special member-only emails, including an inside look when we publish the next major FOIA scoop. Help us reach our goal of $100,000 for our FOIA fund by contributing here. STAYING ON TOP OF THIS   The Texas storm left officials scrambling to administer COVID vaccines before they expired   Another unintended consequence of a southern snowstorm: Officials need to get the state's COVID vaccine stock into the arms of Texans before they expire. "No one wants to put vaccine at risk by attempting to deliver it in dangerous conditions," Chris Van Deusen, a spokesperson for the Texas Department of State Health Services told BuzzFeed News' Clarissa-Jan Lim. "Local providers have postponed vaccine clinics because it is not safe for people to be out across much of Texas."    On Monday, the building that stored Harris County's supply of Moderna vaccines lost power. Its backup generator failed too. The fridge storing the vaccines failed to send out a warning that the temperature had risen above the level required to keep the doses. By the time officials figured it out, they had six hours to distribute 8,300 doses.    The county ended up giving the vaccine to three hospitals, the Harris County Jail, and Rice University. SNAPSHOTS   Former Drag Race contestant Sherry Pie apologized in a television interview for catfishing multiple men. Joey Gugliemelli pretended to be a casting agent in order to trick aspiring actors into sending sexual "audition" videos, including one where a victim masturbated on camera.    A last-minute deal between a Trump official and ICE's union has been squashed. The deal would have given the union the power to "indefinitely delay" President Joe Biden's immigration policy changes.    Tyler Posey said being on OnlyFans is "mentally draining." Is this the kid from Maid in Manhattan????? Jesus Christ, I am the oldest woman alive.    The Biden Administration is ending the use of the term "illegal alien" in government communications. As a "legal alien" this is great news, but no one liked any of my suggestions for alternatives, namely "honey from another country" and "she gets it from her motherland." Relax, Elamin is coming back tomorrow.  Actress Kaley Cuoco suggested on Instagram that her relationship with Johnny Galecki was "boring" and "forgettable." I don't know what these words mean. Can I type anything here? Noted gooberant Coolleen Kooley posted on Tally-Ho that her fling with Chomp Franks involved too many teeth.  JUST A COOL MOMENT IN HISTORY THAT I CAN'T WAIT TO EXPLAIN TO A CHILD IN TWENTY YEARS   A member of Congress is suing Trump for conspiring to incite the Capitol insurrection   Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Democrat from Mississippi, filed a civil rights lawsuit on Tuesday against Trump, his lawyer Rudy "I'm Melting" Giuliani, the Proud Boys, and the Oath Keepers for conspiring to incite the Capitol insurrection last January.    "Thompson is alleging that Trump and Giuliani incited the mob that descended on the Capitol to prevent Congress from certifying the Electoral College vote," reports Zoe Tillman, "while leaders of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers 'acted in concert to spearhead the assault.'"    The suit is under the "Ku Klux Klan Act," a law that includes a section that says it's illegal to conspire to stop a public official from "discharging any duties." ALL BIRDS ARE BAD EXCEPT OWLS   Charges have been dismissed against Amy Cooper for falsely accusing Christian Cooper, a Black birdwatcher, of assault   Remember that lady in Central Park who flipped out last May because she saw a Black man looking at birds and then called the police claiming he threatened her life? Well, after five therapy sessions as a part of a "restorative justice program," her misdemeanor charge for falsely reporting an assault has been dropped. Christian Cooper didn't want to press charges against Amy Cooper, but the DA said that she "engaged in racist criminal conduct." As reported by Tasneem Nashrulla, "Cooper was then sent to the Critical Therapy Center where she was provided with 'psychoeducation and therapy services' about racial equity that were designed for 'introspection and progress.'"   Man, that was just last May. How far we've come! Things are definitely, absolutely very different now. Have you considered that your pet doesn't actually like you? Like how would you know? What if they have a rich internal life that includes the daily struggle of having to listen to you every day and they absolutely hate it, like you're just some exhausting roommate they have to deal with until they finally get ringworm and die. Just something to think about today, Wednesday, the Monday of the middle of the week.   Scaachi 📝  This letter was edited and brought to you by Brandon Hardin and BuzzFeed News. You can always reach us here.     👉 Your support of BuzzFeed's journalism does not constitute a charitable donation, and your contribution is not eligible for a tax-deduction. This is part of an effort to explore a deeper relationship with our most active supporters. 🔔  Want to be notified as soon as news breaks? Download the BuzzFeed News app for iOS and Android (available in Canadian, UK, Australian, and US app stores). 💌  Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up to get BuzzFeed News in your inbox! Show privacy notice and cookie policy. 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