Weekly Newsletter March 17, 2025

Dear Democrats,

At first glance Chuck Schumer’s decision to vote for the Republican’s budget bill might have seemed logical, if averting a government shutdown really would help Americans and frustrate Donald Trump. But as Democrats from Nancy Pelosi to Alexandria Ocasio Cortez shouted, Americans will be hurt by Trump no matter what and Republicans have refused to negotiate with Democrats on this bill or anything else. As Beto put it, “Democrats voting for something they oppose without any input from them at a time that our country is on the express train to authoritarianism? That’s appeasement. There is no good reason to vote for this Trump power grab.”

We are working on four fronts, against Trump/Musk in Washington, against Republicans in Austin and Nacogdoches, and preparing for the 2026 election. Join one of our Nac Dem committees so we can all work together.

Upcoming events in the next few weeks 

1. SFA’s spring break will be from March 8 to March 18.

2. The Nacogdoches Community Coalition will meet at 5:30pm on Monday, March 17, in the Little Zion Baptist Church, 305 Shawnee Street. Our guest speaker will be Sean Hightower, former board member of Memorial Hospital.

3. The 21/7 Association will have their monthly meeting on Tuesday, March 18, at noon at Cypress Ridge, 2701 Logan Circle. Contact Nancy Niehaus for more information.

4. Weekly Dem social Friday, March 21 at 5:00pm at the Fredonia Brewery, 138 N Mound Street. Come vent, plan, or just hang out with friends.

5. The Nacogdoches County Democratic Party’s Executive Committee will have a leadership retreat on Saturday, March 22, for the county chair, precinct chairs, committee chairs, and past leadership.

6. There will be a protest rally on Saturday, March 29, starting at 2:00pm on North Street across from the entrance to SFA. The focus will be on protecting Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

7. West Side community clean-up day, sponsored by Nacogdoches Code Enforcement, will take place on Saturday, March 29, Ritchie Street Park, 800 Ritchie Street. More information closer to the event.

8. The State Democratic Executive Committee First Quarter 2025 regular meeting will be held in Austin on Saturday, March 29. The two major items on the agenda will be presentation of the April 2025-March 2026 Annual Operating Budget for SDEC approval as well as the selection of the next State Chair. Our two CD-17 chairs, Bart Ewald and Donna Wright, will represent us.

9. The 21/7 Association will hold their candidate forum on Thursday, April 3. Come meet candidates running for City Council and School Board and get registered to vote – last day to do so before the election.

10.The Nacogdoches County Democrats will hold their traditional Beans and Jeans fundraiser on Tuesday, April 29, starting at 5:00pm in the Old Tyler Road Café, 603 Old Tyler Road.

Nacogdoches City Council

The Nacogdoches City Council will hold a regular meeting on Tuesday, March 18, at 5:30pm, in the City Hall, 202 East Pilar Street. There will also be a Work Session starting at 4:00pm, just before the regular meeting. See the City’s “Friday Update” for more information about meetings and more on their Facebook site https://www.facebook.com/CityofNacogdoches. Agendas for city meetings can be found at https://www.nactx.us/agendas. Meetings are streamed at www.nactx.us/1198/Channel-21.

The Work Session will focus on possible regulation of short-term rental properties (e.g., B&Bs). The agenda for the regular meeting includes:

- two zoning changes on Seale Street near Reedy Street, from agricultural to multi-family so that townhouses can be built there

- amendments to various sections of the City's zoning ordinance, updating definitions of housing types and group homes, changing the Zoning Board of Adjustment officers and procedures, and updating the Land Use Schedule in accordance with new definitions.

Nacogdoches County Commissioners

The Nacogdoches County Commissioners Court will meet on Tuesday, March 18, at 9:00am in the Commissioners’ Courtroom, Suite 170 of the Nacogdoches County Courthouse, 101 West Main Street. Recordings of meetings are posted on the county website.  

NISD School Board meetings

The NISD School Board will have a regular meeting on Thursday, March 27, at 5:00pm in the E.J. Campbell District Support Center Annex, 420 South Shawnee Street. Go to their website for more information.

The NISD School Board will also meet in executive session on Tuesday, March 18, at 5:00pm to discuss hiring a new superintendent and appointing an interim superintendent.

Nacogdoches County Hospital District

Nacogdoches County Hospital District Board of Directors meets on the fourth Tuesday of every month at 5:15pm in Memorial Hospital’s Auxiliary Conference Center, 1204 North Mound Street. For information about the Hospital District go to their website https://nachd.org.

Major holidays and events in Nacogdoches and elsewhere in the near future

1-31 March     National Women’s History Month

3 April             Last day to register to vote in Local Election

3 April             21/7 Association candidate forum

5 April             Farmers Market “Spring Fling”

14 April           Executive Committee and Nac Dems monthly meetings

22 April           Earth Day

22 April           First day of early voting in Local Election

22 April           Last day to apply for ballot by mail for Local Election

29 April           Last day of early voting in Local Election

29 April           Nac Dems Beans and Jeans fundraiser

3 May             Local Election

Regards,

Mike Strong

Nac Dems