Good morning North Texas,

Here’s what I have for you today. 

✍️ Did you know you can get paid for taking good notes at Dallas public meetings? The Dallas Documenters, a program initiated by the Dallas Free Press a few years ago, trains community members on how to take notes to help increase transparency in local government. You can search for upcoming meetings here, and also look at the record from past meetings. Fort Worth has its own program, too. How cool! When the program launched, folks were getting $20/hour to document virtual meetings and $23/hour for in-person ones. They even pay you to train. If you’re interested, here’s how to get started. 

💰 Today starts a week of Dallas budget meetings—fun stuff, I know. The city will debate how to spend its money, and there will be opportunities for you to weigh in. Here’s a list of all the details to join in-person or virtually. 

🚑 In today’s newsletter, you’ll find a powerful story from a local woman about how Affordable Care Act insurance coverage saved her life. Today is the 16th anniversary of the bill’s signing, and its impact feels more relevant than ever (especially as Americans struggle with health care costs after ACA tax credits expired Dec. 31). 

🍔 Also, catch my review of a delicious burger place I’m shocked I hadn’t heard about it sooner. 

Local news is essential for democracy.

Our reporting cuts through false narratives, documents what’s actually happening in our communities, and provides voters with the clear, factual information they need—especially when the stakes are high.

Wendy Dean, and her partner Smitty, were insured through the ACA Marketplace just weeks before she got sick. (Photos courtesy of Wendy Dean)

By the time 45-year-old Wendy Dean convinced her doctor to take her pain seriously, she was issued a death sentence. An infection that could have been easily treated had gained strength, and was killing her.

When I wrote a note on an online forum about the upcoming anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, Dean, now 56, responded quickly. The mother of two thinks about what could have been if she had not suggested that her, and her then boyfriend, find an ACA Marketplace plan together. A month didn’t even go by before she was depending on that insurance to survive. She’ll tell you she pulled through because of strong will, Obamacare, and God. 

Caption. (Joi Louviere/ Courier DFW)

Overlooking Denton’s downtown square is an easy, breezy burger joint I can’t believe I’m just now trying. To enter LSA Burger Co., step through an inconspicuous doorway and take the stairs up to an open-air restaurant and bar. The menu is filled with burger varieties, loaded fries, and a pretty good selection of other sides. Don’t ignore their desserts! We’ll get to those in a second.  

Here’s what I tried:

As a person who tries to stay away from anything too cheesy most days, the brisket queso was worth the risk. My lovely server Diana told me that people eat the queso with the burger, but I had to draw the line there. 😂 The burger was moist and had your usual toppings, including bacon and cheddar, but what set this off was really the Dr. Pepper barbecue sauce.  Are you drooling yet? The garlic parmesan fries were also delish and came with some magical sauce for dipping. But let’s get to the crumble. 

I was actively ordering the pecan pie when my server suggested their season crumble, made with blueberries and pecans. It was really the most elevated gooey butter cake you could ever wish to have. 

She came back out to see my reaction after trying it, and boy, did I give her one. It involved me asking a lot of questions and her telling me that the staff had been working to get the item on the menu permanently—right now, it’s only seasonal. Then the chef who invented the concoction came out, and I’m pretty sure we had an entire strategy meeting about how to get this delicious cake into more people’s mouths. Yes, it was that good. 

I’ll definitely try the pecan pie on my next visit, because I can only imagine how good that’ll be. Now, there is an LSA Burger Co. in Grandscape as well, but you won’t find these desserts there, according to its website. So if you have a sweet tooth like me, you gotta head to Denton.

Have you tried this place or think you know a spot that’s way better? Let me know!

Don’t Sleep On is a weekly series where I shout out DFW events and businesses I think you should try. Have a suggestion? Reply to this email.

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Joi Louviere . It was edited by Kimberly Lawson.

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