Early voting kicked off yesterday, with a stacked ballot for most Texans.

But what do some of those elected officials on your ballot do? Our DFW political correspondent Katie Serrano helped break it down.

✅ US Senators are responsible for passing federal laws and an annual budget to fund the military and federal agencies.

🚂 The Railroad Commissioner is elected to a 6-year term and regulates drilling permits, pipeline safety, natural gas utilities, and coal mining. The position aims to prevent resource waste and protect the environment.

💰 The Comptroller is responsible for managing the state’s money and collecting taxes. The office will oversee Texas’ new private school voucher program, which will allow families to use taxpayer money on private school tuition.

👀 In case you missed it: The most clicked link in Friday’s edition was how to check your ballot on BallotReady.

🥳 After closing in 2023, Tex-Mex restaurant Spanish Village will be reopening at 4720 Almeda Road in 2027. This time, the spot will be sandwiched between retail stores and an event space.

🍖 $72,000 of unpaid rent is what’s forcing barbecue joint Fainmous BBQ to close, owners Jamie and Karen Fain said on social media. Located in Sawyer Yards, the Fains are hoping to continue their catering business.

🎬 Just over a week after announcing that the last Houston-area Alamo Drafthouse was closing, Flix Brewhouse announced it had acquired the Cinco Ranch movie theater. It’s set to open Feb. 23.

🍕 Mr Gatti’s Pizza, which is headquartered in Fort Worth, is eyeing the Houston market for its next major expansion. Despite having 230 locations, only two are currently in the Houston area.

The SAVE ACT, or the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, recently passed the House and is set to go before the Senate sometime next week. The bill aims to keep noncitizens from registering to vote, despite the issue being “vanishingly rare.”

Critics say the added paperwork could especially harm married women, people of color, and transgender Americans whose documents may not match, or anyone who doesn’t have easy access to those records. You can read more on the act here.

This week, I want to know:

Would the SAVE Act help or harm voters?

✊ A new generation is stepping up. Houston students gathered at Memorial Hermann Park on Monday to protest ICE and show the power of youth organizing.

🏫 Parents, teachers, and community members say HISD’s school closure plan lacks transparency, and they’re demanding a real voice in the decisions. See what they’re saying.

✅ Erica Lee Carter has been unanimously appointed county administrator, taking the helm of 16 departments and pledging to elevate communication, collaboration, and service delivery across the county.

🏈 Harris County Commissioners Lesley Briones and Tom Ramsey are helping advance a landmark public-private partnership with the Houston Texans to bring the new Toro District and its projected $34 billion economic impact to Northwest Harris County.

By Sam Cohen

Texas is known for its pride, and Houston is no exception. Pride in heritage and tradition—and in the preservation of both—is pervasive here, and that extends to Freedmen’s Town, one of the most significant historical contributions to Houston’s history.

Established in 1865, shortly after Juneteenth, Freedmen’s Town was built by formerly enslaved people who had just been emancipated. While many Freedmen’s Towns exist across the US, the Houston community stands out as the first and largest settlement in Texas for those determined to build a free life.

You can visit Freedmen’s Town to learn about its history and tour the area where Black freedom first took root in Houston.

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

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