Best Thing In Texas
July 9, 2021
A Fort Worth 10-Year-Old Has Collected 40,000 Books for Kids in Need
Orion Jean has also donated 100,984 meals and 619 toys, making the rest of us look lazy.
Best Thing In Texas
Reminders of why we love our state so much
Best Thing In Texas
June 14, 2021
Swimmers, Rejoice: Balmorhea State Park Is Reopening
A West Texas oasis, the world's largest spring-fed pool has been closed for the better part of three years.
Best Thing In Texas
June 7, 2021
Texans Lined Up to Shop at a Lufkin Bakery After Its Pride-Themed Treats Prompted a Backlash
When a batch of rainbow cookies led to a canceled order, people opened their wallets to support the East Texas shop.
Best Thing In Texas
May 26, 2021
Luka Dončić and Dirk Nowitzki Had a Moment Last Night
A photo of the Mavs' past and present superstars during Dallas's win over the L.A. Clippers captured an NBA passing of the torch.
Best Thing In Texas
May 18, 2021
Eat ’Em Up, Kats! Sam Houston Wins First Football Championship
The Bearkats are the state’s first FCS winner since the tournament began, and its first NCAA Division I champ since the University of Texas in 2005.
Best Thing In Texas
April 23, 2021
Whooping Cranes Are Nesting in Texas for the First Time in Over a Century
One of the rarest birds in North America is making a comeback.
Best Thing In Texas
April 8, 2021
Happy Trails to Patches, the Austin Dog Who Was Adopted After Waiting 1,913 Days
We’re not crying, you’re crying.
Best Thing In Texas
April 6, 2021
UTRGV Just Won Its Third Consecutive National Chess Championship
Bow down to the greatness of the Vaqueros, who are the best in the nation (again).
Best Thing In Texas
February 22, 2021
The Best Thing in Texas: Everyone Who Helped Us Survive the Winter Storm
Celebrities and regular folk alike came together to offer hot food, clean water, and warm beds.
Meanwhile in Texas
February 9, 2021
“I’m Not a Cat,” Says West Texas Attorney Who Accidentally Applied Zoom Filter
“If the country can have a chuckle at my expense today, I’ll accept it," he says.
Best Thing In Texas
January 29, 2021
The Best Thing in Texas: A San Antonio Fifth-Grader Cashed Out His GameStop Stock for $3,200
It's a simple victory in an extremely complex story.
Best Thing In Texas
January 21, 2021
The Best Thing in Texas: Bernie Sanders Travels Across the State as a Meme
He’s visited the Alamo, waited in line at Franklin Barbecue, and cheered on the Astros (virtually).
Best Thing In Texas
January 15, 2021
The Best Thing in Texas: Willie Got the Vaccine, Y’all
Thank goodness.
Best Thing In Texas
December 16, 2020
The Best Things in Texas, 2021
Not everything that happened last year was terrible. Here are a few reasons we kept hope alive.
Best Thing In Texas
December 16, 2020
The Best Things in Texas, 2021: H-E-B’s Charles Butt
During a very tough year, no Texas CEO did more—for customers, students, and voters.
Best Thing In Texas
December 16, 2020
The Best Things in Texas, 2021: Lina Hidalgo and Chris Hollins
In Harris County, two public officials fought off legal challenges to hold a successful election in the middle of a pandemic.
Best Thing In Texas
November 30, 2020
The Best Thing in Texas: Detroit Lions Fans Are Donating to Deshaun Watson’s Charity to Thank Him for the Whupping He Gave Their Team
The Lions have been mired in mediocrity—but Deshaun and the Texans may have helped break the fever.
Best Thing In Texas
November 24, 2020
The Best Thing in Texas: Hundreds of People Are Knitting Tiny Sweaters for a Hairless Possum in Lubbock
Are possums ugly? Not when they’re wearing tiny purple sweaters, they’re not!
Best Thing In Texas
October 19, 2020
The Best Thing in Texas: An Austin Teen Is One of the First Girls in the Nation to Earn the Rank of Eagle Scout
Abby Winkelman, 14, says she hopes her achievement will inspire other girls.
Best Thing In Texas
August 4, 2020
The Best Thing in Texas: Curbside Larry Is the Hero We Need in These Times
We pulled up and opened the trunks of our hearts, and the Harris County Public Library’s instantly iconic pitchman quickly deposited himself inside.
Best Thing In Texas
April 27, 2020
The Best Thing in Texas: Willie Nelson Is Autographing the Face Masks People Send Him to Raise Money for More Face Masks
The redheaded stranger is socially distancing—thank you for your concern.
Best Thing In Texas
April 10, 2020
The Best Thing in Texas: A Parade for Mami in San Antonio
When the coronavirus forced 83-year-old Herminia Valdez to quarantine, her family found a creative and safe way to lift her spirits.
Best Thing In Texas
March 24, 2020
The Best Thing in Texas: Re-creating the Ice Day Challenge From Quarantine
A Dallas family goes viral once again.
Best Thing In Texas
March 16, 2020
The Best Thing in Texas: Whataburger Delivered Food to H-E-B Employees
Two beloved Texas institutions team up in a moment of crisis.
Best Thing In Texas
March 4, 2020
The Best Thing in Texas: Tim Duncan Is Undefeated as Head Coach of the Spurs
The former player racked up his first win temporarily coaching the San Antonio team.
News & Politics
December 18, 2019
The Best Things in Texas: The New Freedom Riders
Volunteers from across Texas, the U.S., and abroad have been making the trek to the border to help immigrants trapped in legal limbo.
Best Thing In Texas
December 18, 2019
The Best Things in Texas 2020
Last year, countless Texans acted in ways that brought honor to our state—or just made us grin. Here's a look at a few dozen of them.
Best Thing In Texas
December 11, 2019
The Best Things in Texas: The Year of Lizzo
The flute-playing, body-positive, take-no-prisoners breakout star transformed our ideas of what a pop icon looks and sounds like.
Best Thing In Texas
November 27, 2019
The Best Thing in Texas: The Unranked Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks Dramatically Defeat Duke’s Basketball Team
The underdogs beat college ball's powerhouse with an astonishing buzzer beater.
Best Thing In Texas
October 31, 2019
The Best Thing in Texas: Megan Thee Stallion’s Web Crime Series ‘Hottieween’
Vampires and private investigators loom large in the Houston rapper's spooky new show.
Best Thing In Texas
October 16, 2019
The Best Thing in Texas: Trae tha Truth, Houston Hero
The rapper continues to lift up those in need in his hometown.
Best Thing In Texas
October 11, 2019
The Best Thing in Texas: It’s Cold
After the longest summer we can remember, the seasons are finally changing.
Best Thing In Texas
September 27, 2019
The Best Thing in Texas: Tony Romo Is a Legit Professional Golfer
He’s good at everything!*
Best Thing In Texas
September 20, 2019
The Best Thing in Texas: Imelda Edition
The storm’s consequences have been serious, but people affected by it have found ways to be joyful nonetheless.
Best Thing In Texas
August 12, 2019
The Best Thing in Texas: Once Again, Simone Biles Shows Why She’s the Greatest of All Time
Over the weekend, she became the first person ever to perform two gymnastics moves.
Best Thing In Texas
August 7, 2019
The Best Thing in Texas: This 11-Year-Old Is Showing the World What El Pasoans Are Made Of
After last weekend's mass shooting, Ruben Martinez created the viral #ElPasoChallenge to inspire random acts of kindness.
Best Thing In Texas
July 24, 2019
The Best Thing in Texas: Tim Duncan Is a Spur Once More
“Coach Tim” has a nice ring to it.
Best Thing In Texas
June 21, 2019
The Best Thing in Texas: Willie Nelson Performs a Guy Clark Tune on the ‘Tonight Show’
The Red Headed Stranger honors his fellow Texas troubadour with two tracks on his new album.
Best Thing In Texas
May 28, 2019
The Best Thing in Texas: A Fallen Soldier Returns Home Almost 70 Years Later
Texas GI Hershell Riggs went missing in 1950, but his family never gave up hope he’d come back home.
Best Thing In Texas
May 21, 2019
The Best Thing in Texas: Austin Billionaire Robert Smith Pays Off Morehouse College Student Loans
The richest black man in America made a big announcement during his commencement speech to the graduating class of 2019.
Best Thing In Texas
May 7, 2019
The Best Thing in Texas: A San Antonio Native Stopped the San Diego Synagogue Shooting
“Armed only with a mean face,” former sailor and soldier Oscar Stewart became a hero.
Best Thing In Texas
April 25, 2019
The Best Thing in Texas: An Escaped Kangaroo Takes a Wimberley Walkabout
This marsupial on the lam from an exotic wildlife ranch has become the talk of the Hill Country.
Best Thing In Texas
March 21, 2019
The Best Thing in Texas: This Fella Brought a Dang Longhorn to a Petco
It's the opposite of a bum steer.
Best Thing In Texas
March 12, 2019
The Best Thing in Texas: A Missouri City Donut Shop Finds Sweet Victory, Thanks to the Internet
The power of social media. And donuts.
Best Thing In Texas
March 6, 2019
The Best Thing in Texas: This Beaumont Principal’s “Tucked In Tuesdays” Bedtime Reading Warms Our Hearts
Belinda George makes sure that every student at her elementary school gets read to at night.
Best Thing In Texas
February 26, 2019
The Best Thing in Texas: The Clippers Gave Dirk Nowitzki a Standing Ovation
The giant of Texas basketball got the classiest of send-offs.
Best Thing In Texas
February 21, 2019
The Best Thing in Texas: A Message in a Bottle Washed Up on Padre Island—57 Years Later
The missive was part of a 1962 study that attempted to track the flow of ocean currents.
Best Thing In Texas
February 14, 2019
The Best Thing in Texas: A Baker Made Valentines Out of a Canceled Order
When life handed Mary Lee of Magnolia Lee Baking dinosaurs, she made dino-valentines.
Best Thing In Texas
February 7, 2019
The Best Thing in Texas: A Scottish Mountain Man Was Rescued—After His Distress Signal Was Picked Up in Houston
70-year-old Ken had been living off the grid for 25 years when he fell ill.
Best Thing In Texas
January 29, 2019
The Best Thing in Texas: Thousands Showed Up for Burial of Unaccompanied Veteran
When no next of kin could be located, Texans showed up en masse to make sure this veteran’s service was honored at his burial.