COVID-19 has frayed all sorts of relationships: husbands and wives who aren’t used to spending so much time cooped up together, parents and kids with differing opinions on how safe to play it during a global pandemic. And, to be sure, it’s worsened the already fractious relationship between Texas’ Republican leadership and leaders of the…
The party Demetria McFarland’s family throws every Juneteenth is so big they usually need at least three trailer-size smokers to cook enough food for everyone. McFarland’s brother-in-law invites extended family each year to his home in the rural East Texas countryside near Marshall, and it typically takes several days of work to prepare for the gathering.…
The San Antonio Botanical Garden is celebrating the opening of its newest exhibition — OrigamiintheGarden² — with a day of festivities on Saturday, September 19. Created by artists Jennifer and Kevin Box, the outdoor exhibition captures the delicate art of paper folding using museum-quality metals. On opening day, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., visitors to the…
San Antonio’s Chocollazo, known for stunning handmade chocolates and sweet treats, has unveiled plans for a new handmade ice cream concept: Black + White Modern Creamery. “Life isn’t about how many times you get knocked down, it’s about how many times you get up,” read Chocollazo’s Tuesday Facebook post. “We had plans to open a…
Sea World Entertainment Inc. is laying off 242 Alamo City employees as it reels from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the San Antonio Express-News reports. Declining attendance led the theme park to jettison jobs across a variety of departments, including animal trainers, ride mechanics, theater technicians, performers, food service workers and officials in marketing and merchandising,…
Two congressional subcommittees on Tuesday announced an investigation into the chain of command at Fort Hood following a recent spate of deaths at the Central Texas Army base. The House Oversight and Reform Committee’s Subcommittee on National Security and the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel said they are seeking documents and information about…
Bill Miller Bar-B-Q celebrated Labor Day by unveiling two new dishes via social media: a new sausage breakfast sandwich and the return of its turkey plate. The San Antonio-based chain’s breakfast sammie features egg, cheese and a sausage patty served inside one of Bill’s signature biscuits. The turkey plate — available until October 4 —…
Charles “Chop” Roundtree, a Black teen fatally shot in 2018 by a San Antonio police officer, is among 22 people being honored by the Seattle Seahawks as part of its players’ support of the Black Lives Matter movement. The NFL team this season will include names of people it identified as victims of police brutality…
Spurs Sports & Entertainment and nonpartisan nonprofit MOVE Texas have teamed up to offer a free, safe and quick drive-through voter registration event at the AT&T Center on Tuesday, September 15. By some recent estimates, there are 5 million-plus unregistered voters in the state, many of whom are younger and people of color. Getting those voters…
San Antonio’s bicycle commuters, social riders and bike-safety advocates now have another way to speak up. The City of San Antonio is seeking community input as it develops new policies on pedestrian and light-vehicle traffic and expands on its existing plan guiding bicycle usage on city streets. City officials will use a newly launched interactive…
Say it ain’t so: Texas staple Luby’s may soon be no more. On Tuesday morning, the San Antonio-born cafeteria chain said in a news release that its board of directors has “approved and adopted a plan of liquidation and dissolution … that provides for the sale of the company’s assets and distribution of the net…
On a normal first day of school, Texas children would wake up early to cram into school buses, eager to huddle and chat with their friends in the hallways before streaming toward their classrooms. On Tuesday, as many of the state’s biggest urban and suburban districts return for their first day of in-person instruction, there…
In a series of Instagram posts, SA fixture Joey’s bar announced an end-of-summer drive-in movie event series, starting mid-September. The team at Joey’s has transformed the lot behind the pool hall into a backyard-style drive-in movie site, boasting their entire menu as cinema-style refreshments — including beer and margaritas. Located at 2417 N St Mary’s…
Bexar Stage is closing its San Antonio theater, Spectrum News reports. Like many individuals, small businesses and even corporate chains, the improv theater troupe is shuttering its Pearl-adjacent venue because it’s unable to afford the rent. Bexar Stage Executive Producer and Artistic Director Tina Jackson knows that she’s far from the only theater chief in…
Pity U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. For all of his Twitter baiting and bullying, he just can’t seem to get celebrities to line up behind his brand of combative conservatism. In his latest bout of pop-culture pearl clutching, the Texas Republican — who loves the 1987 cult flick The Princess Bride — has developed a case…
The Jovita Idár Little Library and Pantry is the latest in a network of free pantries popping up all over San Antonio. Founders — and roommates — Krys Sustaita and Ale Tierra say the “take what you need, leave what you can” mindset is a much-needed one amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “The Pantry is in…
Two iconic Texas entities have teamed up to announce a partnership that’s sure to hit pay dirt: Whataburger has been named the “Official Burger of the Dallas Cowboys.” “We couldn’t be happier to have a teammate like Whataburger,” Jerry Jones Jr., Dallas Cowboys Executive Vice President and Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, said in a…
By the age of 16, Atticus Sandlin has become a sex education expert. As a student at Hebron High School in Lewisville Independent School District, in the suburbs of Dallas, he built what he calls a “sex ed mini career,” educating himself through internet research, conferences and advocacy groups — then turning around and educating…
Through a small notice tucked into the state’s business register, Texas appears to have acknowledged that the 2020 census count is going badly. With just a month of counting to go in the crucial decennial census, the self-response rate for Texas households has barely topped 60%. As census workers have followed up in person with…
From the grunge-era wash of Soundgarden clones to the present-day glut of soundalike stoner rock bands, plenty of acts make the incorrect assumption that channeling ’70s arena rock swagger is just about closing your eyes and riding a cool riff. Turns out, that’s only part of the job. The bands of that era that stood…
Remember when U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz shut down the federal government to make a point? Looks like the Texas Republican is headed back into familiar territory — this time over a new round of pandemic stimulus checks. Cruz’s insistence on attaching an unpopular school choice plan to the package is threatening to upset the balance…
In June, a large study in the United Kingdom suggested that the steroid dexamethasone could help reduce the risk of death for critically ill COVID-19 patients. Now, more evidence suggests that steroids are an effective weapon against the coronavirus. Researchers from the World Health Organization combined data from seven randomized clinical trials for severely or critically ill…
It’d been about three years since Cleveland artist Stephen Manka came across a cache of more than 2,000 metal dildos, and he hadn’t quite yet hit on the right idea for how to use them. Solid copper, the dongs were decades old and someone — he won’t divulge the source, who prefers to remain separate…
Standing in front of a blue curtain adorned with the seal of the Republican Party of Texas, Allen West offered up what he deemed an “instructional video” for Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins. It had been a week since Hollins had announced his office would send an application for a mail-in ballot to every registered…
The ACLU today sent a letter to hundreds of school districts across Texas demanding that they revise dress codes that the civil rights organization calls “unconstitutional and discriminatory.” The letter, which went out to almost 500 districts, including some near San Antonio, says policies mandating different hair lengths for male and female students are “outdated” and “harmful,” leaving…
Rebecca Creek Distillery wants to “Give Teachers A Hand … Sanitizer” this school year through a giveaway for Alamo City educators. The “Give Teachers A Hand … Sanitizer” event aims to add to the more than 25,000 gallons of sanitizer the SA-based distillery has given away since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The jovially…
San Antonio’s answer to Paris’ Pont des Arts bridge, which became internationally popular for its hundreds of padlocks until the locks were outlawed five years ago, will be temporarily relocated. The City of San Antonio announced today the “Love Lock Bridge” fence, which is actually a walkway that runs parallel to the San Antonio River,…
A teenage boy hacks a military computer and finds himself in control of the U.S. nuclear arsenal, almost starting World War III — at this point, that could be a news story from 2020. Thankfully, it’s just the plot of WarGames, the 1983 movie starring Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy, which is the next film…
San Antonio-based mixed-media and textiles artist Bárbara Miñarro is making the break into fashion. Her new line of accessories, Breakfast Friend, debuted last month with a selection of hand-painted purses and colorful beaded earrings. Miñarro decorates reclaimed and vintage handbags with an array of designs featuring fruit, pastries and other (sometimes odd) items you might…
In an effort to keep local COVID-19 hospitalizations on the decline, San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg urged residents to keep their guard up over Labor Day weekend. In comments during his Thursday night press briefing and on social media, Nirenberg pleaded with residents to avoid crowds, continue wearing masks and to maintain distance from people…
After nearly two months of having its theatrical release postponed because of COVID-19, filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s long-awaited sci-fi thriller Tenet, which was originally scheduled to hit screens in mid-July, is finally here and projected to make at least $35 million from now till Labor Day. Pandemic be damned, amirite? We jest. Be smart and wear…
Later this month, the House of Representatives is expected to vote on whether to remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act. It would be a historic vote — the biggest move for marijuana legalization ever taken by Congress. The Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act would remove cannabis from the federal list of controlled…
Spooky season is upon us and to kick things off, Terror High Film Festival is calling for submissions from local horror filmmakers. Presented by the Association of Creative Multimedia Partners, a San Antonio nonprofit, Terror High aims to celebrate the disgusting, frightening and macabre through the works of local and regional artists. Creative minds are…
Drinkers who like to keep it local take note: independent craft distillery Still Austin Whiskey Co. has released a high-rye straight bourbon whiskey made from 100% Texas-grown grains. The bourbon is aged for at least two years in new charred American Oak barrels. Its mash comprised of 70% non-GMO white corn, 25% Elbon rye and 5%…
A Texas assistant attorney general sent dozens of tweets over the past several months threatening violence against progressives, spouting racist and transphobic rhetoric, casting doubt over the seriousness of the coronavirus pandemic and sharing QAnon conspiracy theories. On Thursday, he lost his job with the state agency after national media reported on his social media…
San Antonio has gained another locally owned restaurant with this week’s opening of Gold Feather Birds and Beers. The fried chicken eatery will serve up chicken and waffles, wings, nuggets, sandwiches and more. Gold Feather’s menu boasts ten wing sauces, four wing dry rubs and handmade side items such as sriracha cole slaw and duck…
The Bexar County sheriff’s deputy who shot and killed a Black former Army sergeant during a mental distress call late month also shot and killed a man undergoing a similar crisis 10 years ago, the Express-News reports. Deputy John A. Rodriguez, 52, fired on and killed Damian Lamar Daniels, 30, on August 25 as the…
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is being sued by the landlord of its Park North Shopping Center location for months of unpaid rent, MySA reports. According to the online news site, a company affiliated with Sterling Organization, a private equity real estate firm based in West Palm Beach, Florida, filed suit last month, seeking $660,000 in back…
Four San Antonio businesses will be featured on the inaugural episode of Beyond the Block, a new show that leads homebuyers on an exploration of a prospective neighborhood before they sign the dotted line. In the episode — which airs Thursday, September 3 on the food- and travel-focused channel Tastemade — realtor Andrew Tyree takes first-time homebuyers Mi…
This story was published originally by ProPublica, a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox. It’s not a matter of if a privately built border fence along the shores of the Rio Grande will fail, it’s a matter of when, according…
Edwards Aquifer Authority’s upcoming drive-through Fiesta de Septiembre will allow locals to enjoy a socially distanced version of San Antonio’s favorite holiday. On September 12, EAA will host a drive-through, contactless event, set to include music, food, goodie bags and a car decorating contest. Guests are able to purchase an EAA 2020 Fiesta Medal and food…
If you went to school on San Antonio’s Northeast side, you probably remember the excitement that preceded Enchilada Wednesdays. Now, some lucky European kiddos know that excitement too. “NEISD’s famous ENCHILADA recipe made it all the way to a school in Stockholm, Sweden!” a weekend North East Independent School District Facebook post read. “We love…
For any shutterbugs in San Antonio looking to enjoy art through a different lens, Presa House Gallery is hosting a solo photo exhibition by local photographer Charlie Kitchen starting this Friday. Titled “On the Mountain at Dawn,” the show features large format and 35mm photos Kitchen took along the roadways that connect Texas to the…
Construction on the second location of Southtown’s Friendly Spot is set to start in November, the San Antonio Business Journal reports. According to a September 1 filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, the project will occupy 2,520 square feet at 2041 South W.W. White Road, on SA’s East Side. The concept will…
Republican U.S. House candidate Tony Gonzales’ enthusiasm for supporting President Donald Trump’s border wall may have landed him in an ethical quandary, the Express-News reports. A pair of TV spots showing Gonzales shaking hands with a fake U.S. Border Patrol agent may have overstepped ethical and legal boundaries, according to political experts interviewed by the daily.…
Lots of us give our bods the summer off. Just in time for that annual belt-loosening, Texas’ Blue Bell Creameries has released a new, limited edition flavor: Fudge Brownie Decadence. The new flavor mixes chocolate French ice cream, fudge brownie chunks, whipped topping swirls and chocolate flakes. Hey, why skimp when the calorie counting is…
With the pandemic slashing attendance at indoor movie theaters, the rise in popularity of drive-ins has been evident locally with pop-up theaters staged by Rooftop Cinema Club and EVO Entertainment Group. Now, add the New Mission Outdoor Theater to the mix — although its developer is aspiring for a little more permanence. Named after the…
A San Antonio woman’s online auction of old clothes to raise money for a trip and upgrade her wardrobe has touched off a bidding war that hit $5,100 at press time. The object of those rapid-fire bids? A 1996-era Selena T-shirt. Briana Garcia put a shirt honoring the late Tejano queen up for bid via…
The union representing San Antonio ISD personnel has filed a grievance against the principal of Burbank High School, saying she retaliated against a teacher who raised concerns about the campus’ reopening plans. The San Antonio Alliance of Teachers and Support Personnel alleges Principal Irene Talamantes placed teacher Luke Amphlett on administrative leave after he warned…
Chainsaws, generators and construction tools will be on board with San Antonio Zoo team members as they head to Louisiana Thursday to help restore the Alexandria Zoo. The 33-acre park in Alexandria, Louisiana, received extensive damage from Hurricane Laura. Strong winds ravaged the site when the Category 4 storm made landfall in late August. “The wind…
The San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA) has announced a series of virtual tours that will be available for K-12 students throughout the 2020-2021 school year. The tours, which launch on Tuesday, September 15, will be free for Texas schools and available for a nominal fee to other schools nationwide. The virtual tours cover a variety…
Sixty years after the site’s discovery, visitors to Natural Bridge Caverns can now experience its Discovery Tour in a new light — literally. A new lighting system has been installed by experts from Cave Lighting, CL., who incorporated more than 1,200 fixtures that use less than 5,000 watts of power to illuminate the interior of…
Starting this week, San Antonio public television station KLRN is offering free local livestreaming to make its programming more accessible to viewers. KLRN is the PBS station for South Central Texas, covering 33 counties including those in the greater San Antonio metropolitan area. Anyone located in the station’s coverage area can access the new livestream. Along…
Metallica and promoter Encore Live are refunding $50 to ticket buyers who attended its “drive-in concert” last weekend at Fiesta Texas. In an email to the Current, Metallica’s publicity firm Nasty Little Man said the set by opening act Three Days Grace and the headliner’s first three songs were omitted during broadcast of the concert…
This weekend, Alamo City Theatre will debut “Shakespeare in the Parking Lot,” San Antonio’s only drive-in live theater experience. Presented in partnership with — and next door to — Sanchos Cantina & Cocina, SPL combines COVID-19 safety precautions, chips and salsa, low cost entertainment and family-friendly theater all in one. The performance is also sponsored…
The Texas Democratic Party on Monday launched a week-long scramble to contact 1 million unregistered voters across the state and get them onto the rolls before November. The effort is the largest such outreach by the TDP to date and part of its bid to shift the state blue, or at least purple, this election…
PechaKucha San Antonio’s switch to streaming for its most recent event went so nice that they’re doing it twice. The arts and culture series will return to the web for its 39th edition with a slate of speakers sharing their passions in PechaKucha’s trademark 20 image x 20 second presentation format. The digital event will be livestreamed…
The U.S. Army has appointed one of its most senior commanders to lead an in-depth investigation into the death of Specialist Vanessa Guillén at Fort Hood, according to details released this week. Army officials also directed Maj. Gen. John Richardson IV to assume command at Fort Hood, effective Wednesday, demoting commander Maj. Gen. Scott Efflandt to deputy…
Culinary hotspot the Pearl will welcome new Asian-American restaurant Best Quality Daughter this fall, giving what began as a popular dining pop-up a permanent home. Food-focused dream team Jennifer Hwa Dobbertin and Quealy Watson — chefs and owners of Tenko Ramen, also at the Pearl — are spearheading the new venture, which aims to bring…
Southtown will gain another craft cocktail bar this fall, as Amor Eterno — a new venture helmed by local bar owners Brian Correa and Aaron Peña — is poised to bring puro flavor to the arty and thriving neighborhood. Correa and Peña, owners of iconic Bar America and the Squeezebox respectively, will open the new…
In expectation of a heavy November election turnout, Bexar County is sending mail-in ballot applications to all registered voters over the age of 65. In the past, the county only provided those applications to people who requested them. However, during a Tuesday evening press briefing County Judge Nelson Wolff said the proactive move could help…
Ideally, students and teachers returning to classrooms this fall would be tested for the novel coronavirus “as much as in major league sports,” says Diana Cervantes, an epidemiologist at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. In Texas, that will not happen. With no plans for widespread testing and a virus still spreading quickly…
Editor’s Note: The following is CityScrapes, a column of opinion and analysis. The coronavirus pandemic has revealed a great deal about San Antonio and its residents. Our people have demonstrated a remarkable degree of compassion, resilience and charity. Our local governments have demonstrated a willingness to recognize the seriousness of the community’s needs and the imperative…
This Friday, Artisan Distillery will showcase Afro-Latina artist Akaimi Davis in a solo exhibition titled “Bits & Pieces: Elements of a Black American Artist.” An activist, mother and cancer survivor, Davis is known for using her paint as a medium for advocacy against racism and injustice. Curated by Michelle Delgado, “Bits & Pieces” presents a selection…
Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales has dropped felony assault charges against Mathias Ometu, the Black man detained by police last week after they mistakenly identified him as a suspect in a domestic violence case. After Ometu declined to give his name to officers, they handcuffed him during the encounter, which took place last Tuesday.…
After months of quarantine, the idea of home as a personal sanctuary has a whole new meaning for many of us. This month, Clamp Light Gallery will debut the exhibition “Home Sick,” which aims to make viewers think about how our relationship with our homes has changed in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis. Curated…
Fun fact: Charrería, not soccer, is Mexico’s only official sport. Rooted in the hacienda culture of Mexico, charrería is analogous to the American rodeo tradition, but with a lot more artistic flair. This month, the Alamo City’s resident charros — the Asociación de Charros San Antonio — aren’t letting COVID-19 prevent them from showcasing this time-honored…
Bombay Bicycle Club, shuttered under Texas’ bar-closure order, has reopened as a restaurant. As part of its reconfiguration, the popular near-downtown hangout has added new menu items, an updated patio and the Oak Room, a 1,850-square-foot seating area built in the parking lot. The menu features items such as a honey Buffalo fried chicken sandwich,…
The San Antonio Police Department has released body-cam footage of officers detaining a Black man jogging in Northwest San Antonio who turned out to not be the suspect they were seeking. In a statement released concurrently on social media, Police Chief William McManus defended the actions of the officers, saying they “acted appropriately, within their legal…
One San Antonio police officer got more than chicken with his dinner from a Northeast side Popeyes, MySA reports. An employee of the fried-chicken chain was fired over an accusation that he spit on the officer’s food and yelled “ACAB” as the officer sat in the drive-thru line, according to the news site. ACAB is…
KENS5 Assistant News Director James Keith went on a Twitter blocking spree this weekend after criticism from local reporters and former San Antonio mayor Julián Castro over how the station handled issues of race in a recent story. Things kicked off on Friday when Keith tweeted about a KENS5 story on a local man’s arrest…
In a tweet, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott reiterated his resistance to lockdowns and hinted that he’ll next week outline “next steps” in reopening businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “I said last month that Texas wouldn’t have anymore lockdowns — despite demands from mayors [and] county judges insisting on lockdowns,” Abbott tweeted Monday night in response…
Through a consistent string of releases, Alamo City-based rapper Heartless the Monster has captivated listeners with smooth, baritone vocals and lyrics that dissect love and relationships. Now, on his most recent single “Guava,” the artist is moonwalking into pop territory while still retaining his intoxicating rap pheromones. The move seems to be paying off: the…
Local photographer Daniel Grove knows virtual schooling during pandemic the pandemic isn’t exactly fun or engaging. In response, the father of four is offering his skills to school-aged kids as arts-focused electives take a backseat during COVID-era online lesson plans. “I had a client who came to me asking if I would consider teaching her…
In recent years it looked like SeaWorld would finally turn the corner on its long, trouble-filled path to recovery, but then the pandemic hit and, like every other theme park, the company was forced to shut down for months. Now, as the Orlando-based theme park chain looks to recoup some of its lost revenue, they’re…
Selma Tex-Mex eatery Chuy’s is hosting a Fresh Lemonade Stand School Supply Drive to benefit nearby Coronado Village Elementary School on Saturday, September 5. The restaurant will be serving up fresh, flavored lemonade for every donation of school supplies made to the on-site stand during noon and 8 p.m. Saturday. $5 cash donations will also…
Noodle lovers, rejoice! The creators of Yai’s Mobile Kitchen have announced the development of Hello Paradise, a new, noodle-based concept near the Pearl. Dara and Kusol Maknual, in-laws of local craft cocktail trailblazer Jeret Peña, will join forces with their son-in-law to introduce a new Thai restaurant in the building most recently occupied by Jason…
Roadmap Brewing, situated just north of Downtown San Antonio, took to Instagram Monday to inform fans that the brewery would be pushing forward with decreased curbside hours and an “extremely small skeleton crew.” Owner Dustin Baker shared that the brewery had reached a point during the pandemic that rendered the changes necessary, given the limitations…
1000 Degrees, a Northside SA pizza and wing shop, is making Mondays a bit more bearable with $5 Margherita pizzas from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. $5 gets you a 10” Margherita pizza — that’s the classic basil, mozzarella and tomato sauce combo — on their signature Neapolitan-style crust. Widespread belief is that a pizzaiolo…
Tejano-Norteño band Intocable’s drive-in concert at Freeman Coliseum, originally planned for this past Sunday, hit a hurricane-sized snag last week. On Thursday, the band announced on social media that it was postponing the planned concert due to the conversion of Freeman’s parking lot into a makeshift hospital for evacuee patients fleeing Hurricane Laura. The concert is…
On Sunday, the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office busted a cockfighting ring in the southeast part of the county, KSAT reports. BCSO deputies were dispatched to the scene of an alleged rooster fight at the 15500 block of Henze Road on Sunday afternoon. Crime scene investigators and animal control were called in to help investigate the…
This weekend, some people looking to grab a tasty Sunday treat at a Northeast-side Dairy Queen got more than they bargained for, News4 San Antonio reports. Customers and employees of the fast food joint were terrorized during a robbery at the Dairy Queen located on Perrin Beitel Road near Loop 410 late Sunday night. At…
An arrest has been made in connection with the discovery of three deceased individuals in Killeen, including yet another soldier stationed at Fort Hood, MySA reports. The body of Specialist Freddy Delacruz Jr. was found among the remains of two other individuals in a Killeen apartment earlier this year, officials said. Over the weekend, officers…
The Classic Theatre gave theater-goers a deeper look into how it’s handling live performances for the first entry in its outdoor-only 13th season in a recent email newsletter. The season opens in October with the Shakespearean tragedy Macbeth. Though Macbeth is infamously known as “The Scottish Play” amongst thespians due to superstitions surrounding a history of perilous…
Beginning Monday, the Alamo is offering real-time virtual tours of the grounds via Zoom. In A Story Bigger Than Texas: Virtual Alamo Tour, Alamo tour guides will lead guests through a one-hour tour of the Alamo’s 300 year history. Virtual guests will be able to ask questions and chat with their guides throughout the tour.…
A dozen Texas Senate members are reupping their request for a congressional investigation into the Fort Hood military base after a soldier was found dead earlier this week, becoming at least the ninth person stationed at the Killeen post to have been found dead this year, according to officials and media reports. The body of…
As schools and universities across Texas begin reopening, families, students and educators are adjusting to remote instruction, schools are preparing to file weekly reports on COVID-19 cases and universities are providing free on-campus coronavirus testing. The Texas Tribune spoke to epidemiologists and health experts about what the state can expect with schools and universities resuming online…
In March, Rebeca “Becky” Clay-Flores raised a few eyebrows when she forced Sergio “Chico” Rodriguez into a primary runoff for Precinct 1 Bexar County Commissioner. Last month, she was thrust further into the spotlight when she won the primary runoff, essentially ending the administration of her long-serving opponent. Last year, influential political figures advised her…
With the COVID-19 pandemic grinding on, Metallica offered fans a newly taped concert for an evening at the drive-in. The Saturday, August 29 screening, which took place in San Antonio and dozens of other cities, served as a reminder that life these days is all about moments, some of them fleeting. The blazing summer heat…
This is the first in an occasional series of columns from the San Antonio Heron called “How Things Work.” Recently, while reporting on the East Side’s Friedrich Lofts and the West Side’s Tampico Apartments, two high-profile developments in the downtown area, the rents the developers were forecasting seemed exorbitant, especially for units deemed “affordable.” So I…
Texas is proposing to cut nearly $3.8 million in funding from programs that offer low-income residents access to contraceptives and breast and cervical cancer screenings, while leaving intact a robustly funded program that discourages women from having abortions. Texas health officials proposed the cuts while taking great pains to avoid belt-tightening in most other programs…
The first ready-to-drink canned cocktail appeared long before this pesky pandemic made us wonder if we’d ever see the inside of a bar again. It was 2014, and the cocktail was an Old Fashioned — not an especially difficult to drink to execute, but that was not the point. Grab-and-go convenience was more likely the…
Nothing says “summer” like the taste of a freshly made s’more hot off a campfire — gooey toasted marshmallow, chocolate and graham cracker all meld together to form the perfect bite. Too bad it’s going to be hotter than hell this weekend, eh? If campfires are not your idea of a good time when it’s…
It’s rumored that we’ll be feeling the heat this weekend as record high temperatures head our way. What better way to survive the scorcher than with a frosty beverage in hand. Lucky for us, Southtown cool spot The Good Kind was kind enough to share the recipe for its Hibiscus Lime Margarita, a unique twist…
The wait is finally over for X-Men fans. Originally scheduled for release in theaters in April, The New Mutants is now at a big screen near you. We, however, don’t have a review for you since Twentieth Century Studios decided not to screen it for critics. Nevertheless, we have a lot of other stuff to…
San Antonio’s Our Lady of the Lake University is offering teletherapy services to evacuees of Hurricane Laura at no cost. The university’s Community Counseling Services has provided bilingual psychiatric services to San Antonio’s West Side for more than 40 years, and it’s now expanding those offerings to another group in need. Laura, a Category 4…
The Briscoe Western Art Museum is offering discounted admission to Hurricane Laura evacuees this weekend. All evacuees will receive 50% off admission to the museum, which is also extending its visiting hours to 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The longer hours and discount will be available through Sunday, August 30. All evacuees will be…
Upscale grocery Central Market has tapped into international talent to offer a free virtual cooking class to customers over Labor Day weekend. First on the roster is multi award-winning Scottish Chef Gary Maclean, the world’s first industry professional to hold the title as a country’s National Chef. Chef Maclean will hold a midday virtual cooking…
Editor’s Note: This is the latest in a series of essays from San Antonio readers who support our SA Current Press Club fundraising initiative. Texans have two hometowns, the one where they grew up and San Antonio. This paraphrased observation by folklorist J. Frank Dobie came to me when my family and I moved here 12 years…
Ted Nugent may believe in “Cat Scratch Fever,” but he does not believe in the coronavirus, which officials say has killed more than 171,000 Americans. In fact, he thinks it’s all “bullshit.” Nugent, 72, who says his Kill It & Grill It diet is the reason he can “outrun puppy dogs for a short distance,”…
After a Democratic National Convention that raised questions about its limited roles for Texans, the state’s Republicans kept a light footprint at their national gathering this week — and seemed just fine with it. While Democrats emphatically argue that the state is in play this November — and polls back them up — Republicans are trying…
Are you still mourning the cancellation of SA’s biggest party? Cake Thieves Bakery has got you covered. The bakery, known for a vegan-friendly menu of sinfully delicious baked goods and sandwiches, is teaming up with vegan Mexican food spot La Botanica for a — surprise — 100% vegan Fiesta-themed pop-up. From 8 p.m.-12 a.m. Friday,…
Tacos Muchachos — a cozy West Side spot known for Mexican street food — is holding a barbecue plate fundraiser on Friday, August 28, so it keep its doors open, MySA reports. As an extra incentive to bring in customers, the family-owned business is offering a 10% lifetime discount to anyone who purchases a plate…
When Chris and Jennifer Cobb opened Kuhlman Cellars in October 2014, they viewed their north-of-San Antonio winery as the next stage of their “wine life,” not a foray into the restaurant trade. But, now, as the COVID-19 pandemic wreaks havoc on their industry, the Cobbs have little choice but to get into that business. To…
Nine in 10 Americans say COVID-19 has put stress on their personal finances, according to the National Endowment for Financial Education. But that figure is likely far worse in San Antonio, according to a new study from the personal finance site Smart Asset. The Alamo City ranked 9th on the company’s list of U.S. cities experiencing the most…
On Tuesday, Texas Public Radio’s virtual storytelling event Worth Repeating returns for the second edition of its “Reckoning with Racism” series. “It’s 2020 and a reckoning with racism, both past and present, is long overdue,” San Antonio Poet Laureate and event host Andrea Vocab Sanderson said during the two-part series’ first installment. Following the usual…
Despite the recent influx of guests fleeing Hurricane Laura, San Antonio’s hospitality industry is continuing its deep job cuts. Luxury property JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa is laying off 462 workers, or half its staff, the Express-News reports, citing details from affected employees. Its downtown Marriott Rivercenter and Marriott Riverwalk properties are…
With emergency permission for using plasma donated by recovered COVID-19 patients to treat sick ones, some researchers are once again raising concerns that the push for speed is getting ahead of the science. No randomized controlled trials have shown that convalescent plasma works against COVID-19 yet. Even so, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced…
Model — and daughter of extravagantly wealthy San Antonio personal injury lawyer Thomas J. Henry — Maya Henry is now engaged to pop star and former One Direction member Liam Payne. U.K. rag The Daily Mail broke the story Thursday with paparazzi photos of Payne and Henry leaving a swanky London restaurant, the latter now sporting…
Mayor Ron Nirenberg is asking for a “full accounting” of an incident in which San Antonio police detained a Black man jogging and wrestled him into the back of a patrol vehicle. The man, 33-year-old insurance adjuster Mathias Ometu, was held in Bexar County Jail for two days on charges of assaulting an officer as…
When audiences last saw actor William Sadler’s Grim Reaper during the end credits of the 1991 sci-fi comedy Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey, he was on his way to a space station to play a concert as the bass player of the fictional band Wyld Stallyns. Although Death tried to break out on his own…
Starting Sept. 8, Texas will require school districts to file weekly reports on new COVID-19 cases among students, teachers or staff, state education officials announced Thursday. School administrators must fill out a form including any new COVID-19 cases the school was notified of the previous week, whether the cases were contracted on or off-campus, and whether…
Volare Italian Restaurant has moved all operations to an Olmos Park location it opened last year, shuttering that longstanding Broadway pizzeria that served as its home base for more than 30 years. “Recently, we have been operating out of our McCullough location, and have made the decision to say goodbye to our first home,” read…
The recent push to get San Antonio residents to fill out the 2020 U.S. Census looks to be paying off. The Alamo City experienced the fourth-biggest increase in Census self-response rates among U.S. metros since early May, according to a study by financial site Smart Asset. The research compared the change in response rates between May…
If the phone number included in the full-page newspaper ad that appeared in Thursday’s editions of the Los Angeles Times, New York Times and Washington Post is to be believed, The Daily Show host Trevor Noah’s fake legal firm might be based in San Antonio. In massive yellow font at the bottom of the ad…
Popular Broadway food truck Chilaquil will open its first brick-and-mortar location in October at the Pearl’s Bottling Department. Chilaquil’s menu offers traditional Mexican street and comfort foods, with its focus being elaborate versions of chilaquiles, a favorite consisting of tortilla chips smothered in salsa, cheese and more. The eatery will also offer tortas, mollettes, quesadillas and…
San Antonio’s Plaza Club is moving on up — to the 30th floor, that is. Known for providing movers and shakers with city skyline views and white-tablecloth business lunches, the members-only club will reopen on the 30th floor of the Weston Centre in 2021, the San Antonio Business Journal reports. The new space will offer panoramic…
Black Lives Matter activists are calling out San Antonio Police Chief William McManus over his opposition to proposals city council will vote on in coming weeks that would eliminate police use of no-knock warrants and chokeholds. On Tuesday, council’s public safety committee voted 4-1 to move the two proposals to consideration by the full council.…
Editor’s Note: This event has been postponed to September 27, 2020. It was originally scheduled for Sunday, August 30. Classic rock tribute band SA Lights has been rocking it for San Antonio’s homeless population every month for the past nine years. On Sunday, September 27, the band will host a free meal and clothing drive…
Tiger King’s Carole Baskin, a San Antonio native, isn’t happy with the way she’s being portrayed in Hollywood since the Netflix documentary raised her profile. During the newest episode of The Pet Show podcast, Baskin says she “could just slap” Chloe Fineman over the comedian’s impression of her on Saturday Night Live. In the SNL skit, which aired…
Pluckers Wing Bar is marking the return of its Teacher Freebie Fridays by offering free happy hour appetizers to San Antonio educators with valid faculty ID. The Austin-based chain’s two SA locations, both located on the North Side, will provide one complimentary appetizer per two people from 3-7 p.m. every Friday, provided one can show…
You’ve got to hand it to storm chasers: they’ve got guts. In addition to putting themselves at risk for flash floods, gale-force winds and storm surges, they’ve also got to worry about lightning strikes. The latter resulted in a “holy shit” moment for KSAT weatherman Justin Horne as he reported live on Hurricane Laura, which…
As a teenager growing up in Panama, Victoria Suescum experienced one of her first real-world art encounters in the unlikeliest of places: outside a hole-in-the-wall bar. A far cry from the paintings she’d seen in books, the artwork in question was a six-foot beer bottle being painted on the exterior of a bodega. “[The painter]…
On Wednesday, the Milwaukee Bucks decided as a team not to take the court for Game 5 of their first-round playoff series with the Orlando Magic. The Bucks were protesting the shooting of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, by a white police officer in Kenosha, Wisconsin. On Sunday, Blake was shot seven times in…
Former city councilman Mario Salas launched the San Antonio Coalition for Police Accountability this summer with one goal in mind: to make Alamo City safer for its Black residents. The coalition is the first of its kind in the city. Born in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death, it consists of local Black leaders and…
Metal fans around Texas are mourning the sudden loss of Riley Gale, vocalist of Dallas crossover thrash band Power Trip. According to a statement released by the band, Gale died Monday evening at the age of 34. A cause of death hasn’t been released. The band asked for privacy and added that “funeral and visitation…
The search for love during a pandemic can seem daunting. Maybe even impossible. But there’s good news: anyone ready to get out of the quarantine induced rut and get back into the social scene can do so with some help from the Good Kind Southtown, which is giving San Antonians a chance to meet people…
Remember the Alamo? The historic downtown mission — thought by some to be an overrated tourist trap — has reopened its grounds for those who appreciate its charm. According to an email newsletter, the Alamo gardens, Living History areas and Wall of History are now open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily, and the…
Gov. Greg Abbott cautioned East Texas residents that they could face “unsurvivable” 10- to 15-foot-high storm surges if they don’t leave before the Hurricane Laura makes landfall Wednesday evening. Laura, expected to grow into a Category 4 hurricane, according to the National Weather Service, will likely strike the coast near the Texas-Louisiana border around 7…
Silver Eagle Beverages, one of the nation’s largest Anheuser-Busch distributors, has awarded 33 students with academic scholarships, 23 of those hailing from the Alamo City. Silver Eagle’s scholarships cover up to $4,500 per academic year for dependent children of its employees. The scholarships can be used to fund up to five years of an undergraduate…
As many in South Texas are aware, deer hunting season opens in November. In advance of the big date, the San Antonio Food Bank is asking area hunters to consider making donations of cash or … meat. Yep. You read that right. The Food Bank’s Hunters for the Hungry will process donated whole deer and…
Mark Saltillo was juggling. It was Sunday night and his 9-year-old son was hungry, so Saltillo started on dinner while preparing for the first day of his last semester at El Paso Community College — at least he hopes it’s his last. Money has been tight. There are electricity bills, groceries and $650 per month…
The Republican Party’s congressional campaign organization advised outside conservative groups to target Democratic House candidate Gina Ortiz Jones of San Antonio for being gay, the Huffington Post reports. DemocratFacts, a National Republican Campaign Committee website offering election strategies for outside groups, recommended slipping reminders of Jones’ sexual orientation into ads, according to HuffPost. Prior to…
Sgt. Elder Fernandes — the latest in a string of soldiers who have gone missing from Fort Hood near Killeen — is believed to have been found dead, MySA reports. Army officials called the Fernandes family Tuesday evening and asked to meet in person, family attorney Natalie Khawam told the news site. The family arrived…
Austin’s Infamous Brewing Company is using its cans as a weapon to ratchet up pressure on Governor Greg Abbott to let breweries and wineries operate their tasting rooms during the pandemic. The brewery printed Abbott’s office phone number on the bottom of the latest run of its Bugsy’s Amber Ale and is asking customers to…
San Antonio U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro has launched an investigation into Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s controversial address to the Republican National Convention while on a diplomatic trip to Israel. In a statement, Castro — the Democratic chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee — said Pompeo used a taxpayer-funded trip to participate…
Long-running synth pop act Hyperbubble is popping off to new a home base in St. Louis, but not before gifting San Antonio with an album of covers and teasing the release of its long-awaited movie Cowgirls & Synthesizers. In case you hadn’t heard, the duo — composed of husband-wife team Jeff DeCuir and Jessica Barnett…
