Weekly Newsletter March 29, 2025

Dear Democrats,

Kendall Scudder is our new Chair of the Texas Democratic Party! He was elected by the State Democratic Executive Committee on Saturday. The son of a paramedic and corrections officer and graduate of Sam Houston State University, Kendall’s election to Chair continues his long-time work in the party, from Precinct and County Chair to candidate and TDP Finance Chair. His youth, enthusiasm, and progressive approach are a breath of fresh air.

But as he said after his election, “The challenge that we’re facing right now is terrifying for this country and for this state, and a lot of people are counting on us to come together and do the right thing and make sure that we are building a Texas Democratic Party that is worthy of the grassroots in this state. Let’s build a party that the working men and women of this state can be proud of.” Nacogdoches looks forward to seeing him at our Beans and Jeans fundraiser, where we will show him that he has our support.

Bit of a lengthy newsletter this week since there will not be one next week – off to our grandson’s first birthday party!

Upcoming events in the next few weeks 

Events flagged with an * have  more information below.

1. *The Nacogdoches County Commissioners Court will meet on Tuesday, April 1.

2. *The Nacogdoches City Council will hold a work session on amendments to the noise ordinance and their regular meeting on Tuesday, April 1.

3. The 21/7 Association will hold their Candidate Forum from 5:30pm to 7:00pm on Thursday, April 3, at the Thomas J. Rusk Elementary School, 411 North Mound Street. Come meet candidates running for City Council and School Board and get registered to vote – last day to do so before the election. 

4. The Farmer's Market Spring Fling will be held on Saturday, April 5, at 107 Pearl Street. Live music, children's activities, petting zoo, food trucks, shopping, community non-profits, and much more, so come on down, enjoy spring in the park, and maybe register a few voters for November.

5. Indivisible and its partners are planning to hit the streets with mass marches in Washington and cities across the country on Saturday, April 5. They are working to confirm protests in every major metro area in the country. And they anticipate hundreds of demonstrations in towns and smaller cities nationwide. You can register to attend protests here: https://www.mobilize.us/handsoff/?org_ids=41275

6. *The Historic Landmark Preservation Committee will meet on Monday, April 7.

7. The Nacogdoches County Democratic Party will meet on Monday, April 14, in the Courthouse Annex, 203 West Main Street. The Executive Committee will meet at 5:30pm. This will be followed at about 6:00pm by the general monthly meeting.

8. *The Planning & Zoning Commission will meet on Monday, April 14.

9. The Nacogdoches NAACP unit will hold their Executive Committee meeting on Tuesday, April 15, at 5:30pm, in the Little Zion Baptist Church, 305 Shawnee Street. The monthly General Membership meeting will start after this meeting, at 6:20pm. Contact the NAACP Secretary, Lisa Colston, at (504) 905-8720, for more information.

10. *The Nacogdoches County Commissioners Court will meet on Tuesday, April 15.

11. *The Nacogdoches City Council will hold their regular meeting on Tuesday, April 15.

12. Representative Pete Session’s office informed us that he will hold a town hall on Wednesday, April 16, from 5:30pm to 6:30pm at the HEARTS Veterans Museum of Texas, 463 State Highway 75 North, in Huntsville.

13. *The Zoning Board of Adjustment will meet on Thursday, April 17.

14. The Nacogdoches Community Coalition will meet at 5:30pm on Monday, April 21. Contact Celena Garrett (936) 615-2797 or Joyce Mills (936)-552-9324 before you go, we may meet in the E.J. Campbell building at 420 Shawnee Street

15. Tuesday, April 22, is the first day of Early voting in the City of Nacogdoches and Nacogdoches ISD joint election. The only polling place will be the Nacogdoches County Courthouse Annex, 203 West Main Street. Polls will be open from 8:00am to 5:00pm Tuesday through Friday this week and 7:00am to 7:00pm Monday and Tuesday, April 28 and 29.

16. The 21/7 Association will have their monthly meeting on Tuesday, April 22, at noon at Cypress Ridge, 2701 Logan Circle. Contact Nancy Niehaus for more information.

17. *The Zoning Ordnance Subcommittee will meet on Tuesday, April 22.

18. *Nacogdoches County Hospital District Board of Directors should meet on Tuesday, April 22.

19. There will be a protest rally on Saturday, April 26, starting at 2:00pm on North Street across from the entrance to SFA. The theme will be announced before the event.

20. Sacred Heart's annual Multicultural Festival will take place from 10:00am until 5:00pm on April 26-27 at 2508 Appleby Sand Road. Celebrate over 30 years of food, music, and dance.

21. The Nacogdoches County Democrats will hold their traditional Beans and Jeans fundraiser/supper on Tuesday, April 29, starting at 5:00pm in the Old Tyler Road Café, 603 Old Tyler Road. Our guest speaker will be Kendall Scudder. Music, silent auction, cash bar. For tickets contact Anna Kay Johnson at (303) 204-7373 or email johnwattnacdems@gmail.com.

Fight the Bluebonnet Curriculum!

The Bluebonnet Curriculum is a Christian-based curriculum for grades K-5 which violates the Establishment Clause in the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. It violates the separation of church and state, requiring teachers to become untrained and unwilling preachers. It is not inclusive for students who practice other religions. The School Board approved this curriculum without public or parent input. This decision needs to be reversed immediately.

Sign the petition demanding this reversal here: https://chng.it/T2VNkpnTZJ

Boycott Dates

As part of the national protest against Trump and Musk we will be boycotting companies that support these two. Vote with your wallet by boycotting:

o   April 7-14 – Walmart

o   April 18 - Economic Blackout #2 (no shopping!)

o   April 21-28 – General Mills

Nacogdoches City Council

The Nacogdoches City Council will hold a work session at 4:00pm and their regular meeting at 5:00pm on Tuesday, April 1, in the City Hall, 202 East Pilar Street. See the City’s “Friday Update” for more information about meeting 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.

During the work session the City Council will consider possible revisions to the City's noise ordinances, including the addition of a sound equipment permit requirement.

During their regular meeting they will discuss, among other things, a contract to provide professional architectural and engineering services for the design and construction of three fire stations for a total amount of $1.8 million.

Commissions and Committees

The Historic Landmark Preservation Committee will meet at 4:00pm on Monday, April 7, in City Hall.

The Planning & Zoning Commission will meet at 5:00pm on Monday, April 14, in City Hall.

The Zoning Board of Adjustment will meet at 4:00pm on Thursday, April 17 in City Hall

The Zoning Ordnance Subcommittee will meet at 4:00pm on Tuesday, April 22.

Nacogdoches County Commissioners

The Nacogdoches County Commissioners Court will meet on Tuesday, April 1, 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, April 17, at 5:00pm in the E.J. Campbell District Support Center Annex, 420 South Shawnee Street. Go to their website for more information.

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

20 April           Easter

22 April           First day of early voting in Local Election

29 April           Last day of early voting in Local Election

29 April           Nac Dems Beans & Jeans fundraiser

3 May             Local Election

3 May              Ability Strong festival

Keep on resisting!

Mike Strong

Nac Dems