We Have an Issue: Political Hopefuls Put Their Heart Into It

I don't want to torture the metaphor here, but there is some symmetry to our March primary endorsements debuting in the Valentine's Day issue. There's just no not-corny way to say this: The candidates our Editorial Board has been meeting with – 15 meetings over two weeks, all on Zoom – by and large are in this because they love their communities and want to do their part to improve them. They are first-time candidates and political lifers. Advocates for justice, housing, education. Political staffers and community organizers inspired to move into the hot seat of elected office. Precinct chairs, PTA volunteers, neighborhood association members. Frankly, there are too many qualified candidates across the board – a bounty of talent – and we had to make some tough decisions. There are folks that we like and respect who didn't land our endorsement. We're probably going to tick some people off. We usually do. Just don't think we take these things lightly. Whether they get our endorsement or not, all of these candidates are considering, or continuing, a career of public service, and I commend them for it.

You can find our endorsements right here, along with voting info. We spotlight quite a few of these races in our giant March primary package. Early voting runs Feb. 14-25; Election Day is Tuesday, March 1. Find all our past coverage, plus a streamlined, no-filler version of our endorsements, at austinchronicle.com/elections.

We weren't planning on making a fuss over Valentine's Day but then Kevin Curtin, that softy, pitched a story about the married musician Carolyn Wonderland and satirist A. Whitney Brown. Kevin spent what sounds like a magical afternoon with the pair; it's a real treat getting a peek at their partnership. Check out that story here.

Online This Week

Watch: Mélat Delivers "The Lesson" on Love: Austin R&B vocalist stops time in serene black and white video.

The Devil's Work: Austin Powell speaks with Spoon frontman Britt Daniel about his return to Austin and confronting Lucifer on the Sofa.

Day Trips & Beyond: Travel columnist Gerald E. McLeod rounds up ways to celebrate Mardi Gras, Valentine's Day, seafaring, and more across the state this month.

Master of Disaster: Culture Editor Richard Whittaker speaks with Roland Emmerich about sneaking his sci-fi epic Moonfall past the studio.

COVID Can't Stop Tool: David Brendan Hall reviews the band's San Antonio show, two years in the making.

Java Any Way You Can Get It: Wayne Alan Brenner test drives three coffee liqueurs, a canned coffee cocktail, and origin-roasted beans.

Coming Soon! The Austin Chronicle's annual "Best of Austin" Readers Poll returns next week. Pick up next week's issue or go to vote.austinchronicle.com to vote in the first-round ballot's 175(!) categories.