I hope everyone was able to enjoy some of the gorgeous weather we had over the weekend!

I went up to Austin for the day on Saturday and watched Bad Bunny’s halftime show with some friends—time well spent, in my opinion.

I’m curious: What do you like to do when Houston finally gets some beautiful weather?

In case you missed it: The most clicked link from Friday’s edition was Elkins High School students protesting ICE.

Love is in the air, for some of us at least! Valentine’s Day is this weekend, and a staple of the holiday, Sweethearts conversation hearts, reveal a lot about what love means to people. New sayings include “SPLIT RENT,” “SHARE LOGN,” “CAR POOL,” “BUY N BULK,” and “COOK FOR 2.”

Romantic, right?

This week, I want to know:

What’s your worst first date story?

🗣 Hundreds of students at Blanson CTE High School walked out on Thursday, taking a stand against ICE in a peaceful on‑campus demonstration. Their message rang out across Aldine: “We are humans, we have rights.”

🗳 Harris County will elect the first woman county attorney this year—but who it will be is up to November voters. Learn more about the candidates here.

🍫 Looking to satisfy your sweet tooth on Valentine’s Day? Check out this list of where to find the best sweet treats in Houston, from macarons to boxes of chocolate. (Houston Press)

❗ Harris County is being sued by voters with disabilities. The reason why? The plaintiffs allege the county lacks inclusive vote-by-mail options. (Houston Public Media)

By The Texas Tribune, Kayla Guo and Gabby Birenbaum

In a rare opportunity for Texas Democrats, this year’s primary for US Senate features a highly competitive race between two rising stars with national audiences and strong fundraising abilities.

US Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas is facing off against her former legislative colleague, state Rep. James Talarico of Austin, to be the party’s 2026 standard-bearer atop the ticket. The winner will face off against the prevailing Republican this November in what’s expected to be an uphill battle, given that no Democrat has won statewide office in Texas since 1994.

To help primary voters distinguish between Crockett and Talarico, we asked the candidates to share their views on a variety of issues ranging from immigration and energy to taxes and artificial intelligence. See where they stand, and how they differ.

Question topics

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Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Sierra Rozen with reporting by The Texas Tribune. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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