The World Heritage Center, a new visitor hub highlighting the history of San Antonio's UNESCO-designated Missions, is set to open next month on the South Side.

Why it matters: The center preserves and shares the sometimes overlooked stories of the generations of people who built San Antonio's Missions.

By the numbers: The center has 5,500 square feet of indoor space and 4,500 square feet outdoors.

Zoom in: Exhibits will highlight the Missions' living legacies, including the preservation efforts and the work that went into securing the UNESCO World Heritage designation in 2015.

• Visitors will be able to interact with 3D images and videos featuring Missions descendants.
• Programming will include a speaker series, events where the community can meet descendants of the Missions and activities for children.
• An outdoor drum circle is expected to be completed by April.

Between the lines: A veranda designed by local artist Adriana Garcia wraps around the building and greets guests upon arrival. The veranda, gifted by the Tricentennial Celebration Commission, includes a heron and nopal (cactus) as its centerpiece.

• The heron, native to the San Antonio River, symbolizes life. The nopal represents the land's Indigenous people.
• Tiles inspired by the Missions' original frescoes complete the design.
• "It sets the stage for the interweaving of cultures that define our World Heritage San Antonio Missions," Colleen Swain, director of the World Heritage Office, tells Axios.

What they're saying: The center's focus is on people who've contributed to the timeline of the Missions and fills a knowledge gap, Swain says.

• "You can see the Missions, you can see the artwork, you can see the archaeology, but it doesn't really allude to the people that built those Missions and still live in the area, so it's really about sharing those under-told stories," she says.

What's next: The grand opening is Feb. 7 at 10am.

Tell a history buff

Tax brackets have changed and Social Security benefits have increased this year to help Americans deal with inflation.

Why it matters: The changes, which went into effect this month, will give millions of working and retired Americans more money for their day-to-day expenses.

State of play: The IRS has increased standard deductions, updated tax brackets, raised contribution limits for tax-deferred retirement plans and increased the mileage rate for 2025 tax returns that will be filed in 2026.

• The IRS changes will slightly boost paychecks for many working Americans.
• For all retired workers, Social Security benefits are estimated to increase from the 2024 monthly benefit of $1,927 to $1,976 as part of a cost-of-living adjustment.

Reality check: For many Central Texas families, the increases will not fully offset the effects of inflation.

• Texas' minimum wage — $7.25 per hour, in line with the federal rate — hasn't changed since 2009.

The other side: Texas is still among the U.S. states with the lowest costs of living and the lowest savings needed to retire, CNBC reported this month.

• Also, as of May 2023, workers in the San Antonio area had a mean hourly wage of $27.74, lower than the national average of $31.48, per the latest data available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Six of the seven SAPD officers who were shot in Wednesday night's Stone Oak standoff were released from the hospital yesterday.

• The seventh officer remains hospitalized but is expected to recover. (SAPD)

⏸️ A federal judge temporarily blocked President Trump's executive order on birthright citizenship, calling it "blatantly unconstitutional." (Axios)

⚖️ Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has prevailed against the State Bar of Texas in an ethics lawsuit over his role in attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 election. (KUT)

👋 Hi, it's Madalyn! Our team visited Leche de Tigre — a 2025 James Beard semifinalist and Michelin Guide-recommended gem — for a post-meeting dinner, and I may have discovered my new favorite dish.

What to try: The wagyu saltado ($46). It's enough to share with a friend — or maybe a Valentine — or to enjoy solo (we don't judge).

• It offers bold flavor with melt-in-your-mouth American wagyu teres major as the centerpiece complemented by the freshness of bok choy, tomatoes, onions and scallions.
• Expect layers of crispness and sweetness with each bite.
• It's served with a portion of rice for a fluffy texture that rounds out the dish.

Pro tip: Reservations are a smart move, considering the restaurant's growing popularity and intimate space.

• Don't be discouraged by outdoor seating, if it's all that's available. The greenhouse has plenty of heaters — and ambiance — to keep you warm.

Though we're missing out on the NBA Paris Games, Victor Wembanyama's hometown courts are a sweet reminder of Spurs pride that's spreading worldwide.

The latest: Wembanyama and the team unveiled two basketball courts in his hometown of Le Chesnay earlier this week as part of the Play Paris initiative, led by the Spurs' nonprofit arm.

• The project honors Wemby's journey from Paris to the NBA and aims to inspire young athletes.

Zoom in: The court design is a blend of the Spurs' alternate, retro-inspired logo that's often used on the Frost Bank Center hardwood, but the landmark Le Chesnay clocktower is in the center instead of the Tower of the Americas.

• Le Chesnay kids were among the first to use the court during a clinic Wemby held on Tuesday.

Between the lines: From hosting his teammates in his hometown to playing in the record-breaking NBA Paris Games, Wemby's had a whirlwind week.

🇫🇷 The bottom line: Allez, Spurs, allez!