Last night, President Donald Trump delivered his first State of the Union address of his second term. The economy was a hot topic, with Trump saying, “Today, our border is secure. Our spirit is restored. Inflation is plummeting. Incomes are rising fast. The roaring economy is roaring like never before, and our enemies are scared. Our military and police are stacked, and America is respected again, perhaps like never before.”

Fact check: Trump’s tariffs were recently struck down by the Supreme Court for being “unconstitutional.”

According to recent polling, Trump faces a 60% disapproval rating, his lowest since the Jan. 6 riots. If you’re feeling like Trump hasn’t lived up to his promises or pushed his authority too much, you’re not alone. Polls show 65% of voters believe Trump has overstepped his authority in his second term.

Someone who also wasn’t feeling Trump last night was US Rep. Al Green (D-Texas), who was escorted from the room for waving a sign that read “Black people aren’t apes,” an apparent response to Trump’s recent social media post that showed former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes.

How are you feeling after last night’s State of the Union? I’d love to hear your thoughts, positive or negative.

Speaking of using your voice: Early voting ends Friday! It’s typically less crowded, and you can vote at any polling site—so if you’re planning to participate, now’s the time.

Phones aren’t allowed in the voting booth, so bring your handwritten notes!

In case you missed it: The most clicked link in Monday’s edition was about the Black History Month Celebration honorees.

Our weekly rundown of Houston’s latest business.

🥯 PopUp Bagels, the social media sensation, is opening a location in Town & Country Village at an undisclosed date. The shop is known for its “grip, rip, and dip” bagels, which are dipped in either cream cheese or butter.

👨‍🍳 Headed by James Beard Award-winning Chef de Cuisine Tom Cunanan, intimate 26-seat restaurant The Green Room is set to open its doors March 5 in the Heights.

🍗 Arizona-based Lo-Lo’s Chicken & Waffles is headed to Houston! Located along the Gulf Freeway, the restaurant is hosting a grand opening this weekend. The first 97 guests will receive a surprise.

😋 After five years of operating out of farmer’s markets on the weekends, Reginald Scott is offering elevated Southern comfort at a brick-and-mortar location on Yale Street starting March 3.

It’s still up in the air whether the SAVE Act will pass this week, as the vote hasn’t yet reached the Senate. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said that Democrats will block the act, claiming “it is designed to disenfranchise Americans who don’t readily have access to a birth certificate or passport.”

That’s why I want to know:

Would the SAVE Act help or harm voters?

Here’s what you’re saying:

“The cheating isn’t from the Democrats, it’s from the people of the government with low character…I believe also voting should be a right of all legal Americans…” — Cynara W.

“Voter fraud is real and has been for many decades. Only citizens should be voting. Voter ID will ensure that requirement is met. There are NO barriers to providing the appropriate documentation.” — D. Radcliffe

Fact check: Over the years, cases of voter fraud have been found to be less than 1% in swing states.

“The SAVE Act is a waste of time and an unnecessary burden on voters. We already had to be citizens and show our IDs to vote, and noncitizens trying to vote is already both illegal and incredibly rare, so it doesn’t make voting more secure. It does, however, make it harder for citizens to register to vote. Because the act will require “documentary proof of citizenship” in addition to a photo ID to register to vote, you’ll now have to bring something like a passport or birth certificate in addition to your photo ID (again, photo ID was already required!) Lots of registered voters don’t even have a passport or easy access to their birth certificate. We don’t need more obstacles to vote!” — Anna M.

“Non citizens should not vote but changes that affect women , transgender [people], and people of color absolutely should not occur!!!! These are a number of qualified voters that will be hurt by this act!! I feel like we are taking massive steps backwards, soon woman and other minorities will have to fight for voting rights all over again.” — Beverly D.

🗣 After SCOTUS struck down President Donald Trump’s tariffs, Houston lawmakers spoke out. Here’s what Christian Menefee and Al Green had to say.

🏥 Amid rising rates of colon cancer in people under 50 years old, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center is opening a new clinic on Pressler Street. (Houston Chronicle)

🌈 A first-of-its-kind survey aimed at Houston’s LGBTQ+ community is officially open, spearheaded by the Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce, the Montrose Center and Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research. Open until June, the survey covers topics such as healthcare access, experiences with discrimination, and housing security. (Chron)

❗ Some families of the Camp Mystic flooding victims are suing the state of Texas, claiming that the camp “failed to enforce a requirement that a girls’ camp have an evacuation plan.” The camp announced plans to reopen this summer at a different location, but Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is urging the Department of State Health Services to deny the license. (NBC News)

By Katie Serrano

A federal judge has temporarily blocked three school districts in Texas from enforcing parts of Senate Bill 12, a new state law that went into effect on Sept. 1 and bans diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in K-12 public schools.

In August, the ACLU of Texas, the Transgender Law Center, and Baker McKenzie filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Genders & Sexualities Alliance Network, Students Engaged in Advancing Texas, the Texas American Federation of Teachers, a teacher, and two students, arguing that SB 12 violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments, as well as the Equal Access Act.

On Friday, US District Judge Charles Eskridge ruled that the three districts named in the lawsuit—Houston, Katy, and Plano ISDs—can’t enforce four sections of the law.

Now, the three districts won’t be able to restrict school-sponsored DEI efforts, prohibit staff from referring to students with names or pronouns that they are not assigned at birth, bar instruction about sexual orientation or gender identity, or ban student clubs based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

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Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Sierra Rozen with reporting by Katie Serrano. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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