Your Vote Starts Tuesday. Here's Your Game Plan.

Last week we walked through every race that matters to our communities. This week, do something about it. Early voting for the March 3 primary starts Tuesday, Feb 17, polls open 7 AM — and you can vote at any Harris County early-voting location, not just your home precinct. If last week's issue made you think "I should look into that," Tuesday is the day; if not, go to harrisvotes.com, pull your sample ballot, and spend ten minutes with it first. It's also one of the biggest weeks on the calendar all year — Pasadena's State of the City Thursday, La Porte's Mardi Gras on Main Saturday.

Come prepared (30 seconds): harrisvotes.com → "Polling Locations" → your address for every early-voting site, hours, and wait times. Early voting Feb 17–27, 7 AM–7 PM, any Harris County location. Bring valid photo ID (driver's license, passport, military ID, or handgun license; full list at votetexas.gov).

Watch on YouTube →

Liberty Watch — Your Government, This Week

The early-voting game plan above is this week's centerpiece. Early voting Feb 17–27; Election Day March 3.

Prosperity Spotlight

Dimensions Comics, Music & More — "Houston's FIRST genre comic store": comics, books, movies, music, and collectables. 323 W Main St, La Porte.

The Health Nut — 2606 B Center St, Deer Park. A mom-and-pop health-food store and restaurant serving Deer Park 45-plus years; lunch 11–2.

Monument Inn — 4406 Independence Pkwy, La Porte. Seafood overlooking the Houston Ship Channel.

Taquitos Don Agaves — 2302 Strawberry Rd, Pasadena. Authentic Jalisco tacos — bistec, suadero, pastor, birria.

Growth & Learning

Tuttle Twins — illustrated books teaching kids 5–11 about free markets, personal responsibility, and individual liberty; a natural complement to "Know Your Schools."

Check out the Tuttle Twins →

Affiliate link — David uses these with his own kids.

Carried over: the La Porte Public Library's $20,000 Hancher Foundation digitization grant, 34 La Porte HS AP Scholars, San Jacinto College's $500,000 Houston Endowment grant and new leadership, and two local Certified Emergency Manager credentials — all detailed in our Week-1 Growth & Learning roundup.

We spend a lot of ink holding government accountable for financial sustainability. Fair question back at us: how sustainable are your own finances? Since last August I've run a simple, almost boring options framework — target around 1% a week, an hour or two to manage, none of the day-trading drama. It runs on the philosophy we preach here: systems over speculation, consistency over chaos, control what you can actually control. (It's the framework I use personally; the founder goes by Troy.)

Check out Low Stress Options →

Sponsors support the mission, never influence the message — I don't recommend anything I don't use.

Service Spotlight — CrowdHealth

My family of four has never carried traditional health insurance. We used a health-sharing ministry for years and recently switched to CrowdHealth. The model: a per-person monthly subscription for the platform and advocacy team, then each month you contribute toward another member's bills — never more than your set max. When you have an event, you pay a $500 commitment and the community covers the rest. We're testing it live right now on a $6,000 ER visit — CrowdHealth negotiates it down, I pay $500, the crowd covers the rest. No claims department, no denial letters. Our family runs roughly $400–660/month versus $1,500–2,500 for traditional Texas family coverage. What sold me: unlike an insurer, CrowdHealth doesn't profit from sickness — it's members helping members.

Learn how CrowdHealth works →

Referral link; paying member since January.

Service Opportunities

Be An Election Worker — Harris County, early voting Feb 17–27 and Election Day March 3; paid. harrisvotes.com/work-election.

Your School District Needs You — campus volunteer programs across all three districts, La Porte ISD HELPS Mentoring, the education foundations, and CTE career-day speakers. You don't need a child in school to help.

Loving La Porte — Michael and Kristy Hanks joined Joseph Daughtery, who feeds 80–150 kids at the La Porte Library after school, 3–4 times a week, out of his own pocket. They're building toward a community center (food pantry, clothing, life skills, laundry, tutoring). 84% of La Porte Elementary students live below the poverty line. Volunteer: setup 2:15 PM weekdays, Harris County Library, La Porte. Donate: Michael Hanks, 832-867-3499, mhanks11@hotmail.com. LovingLaPorte.org.

Blue Santa milestone — La Porte PD served nearly 1,000 children this season (up from 600–700). Registration reopens October 2026.

Pet of the Week

Rex — a lovable 2-year-old Akita Shepherd mix ready to be your Valentine. Deer Park Animal Shelter, 4221 Luella Ave.

Community Calendar

Pasadena State of the City — Thu Feb 19.

DEKA Mile — a functional-fitness event combining strength and endurance challenges over a one-mile course; a fun way to test yourself and cheer on local athletes.

Mardi Gras on Main 2026 — Sat Feb 21, 4–8 PM, Main St & Five Points Plaza, La Porte. Free. Bayou eats (voodoo egg rolls, crawfish étouffée, beignets, king cake on a stick), craft beer garden, live music. 11th year.

From Local Theory

New album release: Local Theory's "Flesh and Blood" is out this week. Hear it and the full catalog at localtheorymusic.com.

Take Action This Week

Vote early (Feb 17–27) at any Harris County site · pull your sample ballot at harrisvotes.com · bring valid photo ID.

Value for Value

TAAL provides value freely; you give back based on the value you receive. No paywalls, no required subscriptions. We feature paid local sponsorships — but their support never influences our message. Three ways to give: Time (share it, show up, report back), Talent (submit stories, photos, expertise), and Treasure (support the mission when you receive value).

Support Think and Act Locally →