Dec 15-28, 2021
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Moving to Texas for more freedom? Not so fast. Study ranks the state 49th in personal liberties
For a second consecutive year, Texas posted the highest annual population growth among U.S. states, according to Census figures, and many of its new residents cite the state’s laissez-faire governance as part of the draw. But if you’re searching for greater personal freedoms, a new study suggests you’d best look elsewhere. That analysis, published by self-described libertarian think…
How code enforcement fuels displacement in San Antonio
Richard Montellano says he didn’t take the code violation notices that seriously at first. Then a few years ago, city code compliance officers started showing up at his home on San Antonio’s West Side every few months to document deteriorating conditions like leaning walls and a cracked foundation. Montellano, 63, who lives alone and inherited…
San Antonio experiences largest growth in six-figure salaries in Texas, beating out Austin
Tesla may be moving to Austin, HP to Houston and Charles Schwab to Dallas — but the Alamo City had the highest growth in six-figure salaries in Texas, according to a according to a new study from real-estate software company Stessa. From 2015-2020, the San Antonio-New Braunfels metro logged a 163% increase in positions paying…
Austin nightlife concept The Lucky Duck to open in downtown San Antonio next spring
Folks familiar with Austin nightlife scene may recognize a newcomer to San Antonio’s downtown area: The Lucky Duck. The Austin bar will open its first SA outpost next spring at 810 North Alamo St., news site MySA reports. That will put it in the vicinity of popular drinking establishments Roadmap Brewing, Bentley’s Beer Garden, La Roca…
Dior the latest brand to ‘indefinitely’ drop rapper Travis Scott following Astroworld tragedy
Two weeks after Anheuser-Busch put the kibosh on Travis Scott’s Cacti line of hard seltzers, luxury brand Dior has postponed a collaboration with the rapper, fashion news site WWD reported Tuesday. Dior announced the indefinite halt nearly two months after Houston’s Nov. 5 Astroworld music festival featuring the hip-hop star turned deadly. Ten people died and…
San Antonio singing drag queen Ada Vox powers her way into the Queen of the Universe finale
San Antonio’s Ada Vox has belted her way into the finals for Queen of the Universe, the new Paramount+ singing competition show for drag performers. Vox’s powerful performance of Lizzo’s “Cuz I Love You” earned her a spot on the season finale of the RuPaul-produced show, where she’ll compete against Aria B. Cassadine of Atlanta…
Military housing provider of Texas’ Fort Bliss pleads guilty to fraud, will pay $65 million in fines
One of the largest providers of privatized military housing to the U.S. Armed Forces — including at El Paso’s Fort Bliss — will pay more than $65 million in fines and restitution to resolve a federal fraud case, according to Justice Department officials. Military contractor Balfour Beatty Communities LLC pleaded guilty to one count of…
New dance hall taking over San Antonio’s shuttered Cooter Browns eyes early 2022 opening
Come February, San Antonio’s boot-scootin’ population will have another spot to try out. That’s when Stetson Dance Hall plans to open inside the space that recently housed C&W venue Cooter Browns, MySA reports. The new spot — helmed by the owners of San Antonio nightspots the Hangar, Stetson Bar and Stout House — experienced construction…
Centers in San Antonio, other Texas cities are out of the only antibody effective against omicron
The Texas Department of State Health Services says its regional infusion centers in San Antonio and four other cities have run out of the only monoclonal antibody treatment believed effective against COVID-19’s surging omicron variant. Those infusion centers — also located in Austin, El Paso, Fort Worth and The Woodlands — won’t be able offer the…
Willie Nelson to perform at San Antonio’s Majestic Theatre in March
After a touring hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, country music legend Willie Nelson is on the road again — and coming to San Antonio. The 88-year-old and his band will perform at the Majestic Theatre on March 21 and 22. Nelson’s other Lone Star State appearances include stops at notable venues such as Billy…
Massive indoor-outdoor beer garden Camp 1604 now open in Northwest San Antonio
Folks who love beer and the outdoors in equal measure can now get their camp on without having to leave city limits. Camp 1604, a new indoor-outdoor beer garden unveiled by developers summer, opened for business Monday in Northwest San Antonio’s Rim Crossing Entertainment District. Beyond a selection of craft beers from San Antonio and surrounding…
Reward increased to $150,000 for information on missing San Antonio girl Lina Khil
San Antonio Crime Stoppers is offering a $50,000 reward — on top of $100,000 already being offered by the Islamic Center of San Antonio — for information on Lina Khil, the three-year-old whose disappearance has grabbed national headlines. Khil disappeared from a park near the Villas Del Cabo apartment complex in Northwest San Antonio Dec.…
Arbitrator upholds firing of Bexar County Sheriff’s Office lieutenant who was at Jan. 6 Capitol riot
An arbitrator has upheld the firing of a lieutenant with the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office who lost her job after sharing Facebook photos of herself near the Jan. 6 siege of the U.S. Capitol, KSAT reports. BCSO terminated Lt. Roxanne Mathai, 47, in June. Her dismissal came after Sheriff Javier Salazar said he’d forwarded the…
Striking San Antonio Symphony musicians picket home of the chair for the orchestra’s managing body
Musicians from the San Antonio Symphony picketed the home of Kathleen Weir Vale, board chair for the Symphony Society, Thursday to protest a proposed labor contract that would slash the orchestra’s pay and number of full-time musicians. Wearing classical concert attire, including tuxes and evening dresses, the striking musicians marched silently in front of Vale’s home in the tony…
New unscientific survey says Texas’ favorite Christmas sweet is … um … peppermint bark?
Online bulk candy purveyor CandyStore.com has released another one of its questionable surveys, this one maintaining that the Lone Star State’s favorite yuletide treat is — wait for it — peppermint bark. Huh? Yes, if we’re to believe the company’s 2021 Most Popular Christmas Candy by State poll, the minty, chocolatey — and, to some, rich-to-the-point-of-nauseating…
San Antonio’s Bar Ludivine, Amor Eterno, Tony’s Siesta holding Christmas night bar crawl
San Antonians looking to snag craft libations after entertaining family now have an excuse. Near-downtown drinking establishments Bar Ludivine, Amor Eterno and Tony’s Siesta have organized a Christmas night bar crawl with a limo bus shuttle. Festivities will begin at Bar Ludivine at 8 p.m. and at 9 p.m. at both Amor Eterno and Tony’s Siesta…
Tex-Mex chain Chuy’s to open new suburban San Antonio location in New Braunfels
Funky, Elvis-loving Tex-Mex chain Chuy’s will soon be bringing its “big as yo’ face” burritos to a new location in New Braunfels, the San Antonio Express-News reports. The Austin-based chain will build the new, 6,630-square-foot restaurant in the southwest quadrant of Interstate 35 and FM 306, according to a filing from the Texas Department of…
Thousands of students at San Antonio’s Alamo Colleges will have access to free textbooks next year
Thousands of cash-strapped San Antonio community-college students may breathe a sigh of relief at the start of the next semester. A new, $17 million textbook rental program is being extended to students at all five Alamo Colleges during the spring semester, the San Antonio Express-News reports. The initiative will run through summer of 2022 and be…
Analysis: Gov. Greg Abbott says Biden is doing ‘nothing’ at the border. Facts don’t bear that out.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has made border security key to his 2022 reelection campaign, spending state funds to add to President Donald Trump’s border wall, escalating anti-immigrant rhetoric and jailing migrants for minor property crimes. One of the Republican governor’s most frequent refrains — repeated both online and during border photo ops — is that…
San Antonio’s South Park Mall to gain new Ojos Locos sports bar
South San Antonio residents soon will be able to kick back with a Loca Rita, the signature marg of the Ojos Locos sports bar chain. The Dallas-based company will take over a freestanding building in South Park Mall’s parking lot, MySA reports, citing state filings. The conversion of the former 10,000-square-foot auto shop will run $800,000,…
San Antonio Peruvian restaurant Rocoto’s Grill will permanently close its doors in January
One of San Antonio’s only Peruvian restaurants will permanently shut down in early January after more than 11 years in business. Rocoto’s Grill, located at 10555 Culebra Road, shared the news Monday in a Facebook post, saying “after deep reflection, we have come to the difficult decision of closing our doors.” The post didn’t disclose…
PETA buys San Antonio billboard a block from Petco store blasting the sale of birds as pets
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has bought a billboard roughly a block away from the Petco chain’s location on 13909 Nacogdoches Road calling the sale of birds inhumane. “Image a lifetime in lockdown,” reads the sign, which shows a bird perched inside a confining cage. “Life in a cage is no life at all.…
Bexar County deputy indicted for assault over allegations she struck a handcuffed teen
Bexar County Sheriff’s Deputy Abigail Rios has been indicted on charges of official oppression and assault over accusations that she hit a handcuffed teenager, the Express-News reports. Rios, an eight-year BCSO veteran, turned herself in Wednesday after a county grand jury indicted her on a separate charges of assault-bodily injury and official oppression, according to the daily.…
Gov. Greg Abbott sticks with hands-off approach to COVID-19 as omicron spreads
As other states are mobilizing to respond to the rapidly spreading omicron variant, Gov. Greg Abbott is not budging on his hands-off approach to the coronavirus pandemic that was cemented months ago. In March, Abbott ended the statewide mask mandate, marking the beginning of a sharp shift toward preaching “personal responsibility” and an outright rejection of…
Toadies frontman talks about new material, the band’s legacy ahead of Dec. 28 show in San Antonio
Fort Worth’s Toadies may be best known for the 1995 hard-rock radio staple “Possum Kingdom,” but aside from a five year hiatus in the early 2000s, the band has been plenty prolific beyond that. It’s released 10 albums, many on its own Kirtland imprint, and continues to hit the road. Its most recent jaunt —…
Bad Takes: The Texas Lottery is a losing proposition for ticket buyers — and for the state’s schools
Bad Takes is a periodic column of opinion and political analysis. The late, great comedian Norm Macdonald told a funny joke the very same year Texans amended the state constitution to permit a lottery. “Hey, you ever get a lottery ticket as a gift? That’s what I got for Christmas, guy gave me a lottery…
San Antonio’s Weathered Souls lands an ale on Hop Culture’s Best Beers of 2021 list
The end of every year is full of best-of lists, ranking everything from whiskey to holiday lights. San Antonio’s Weathered Souls Brewing Co. snagged one such honor this week: its Habitual Line Stepper Imperial Stout landed on Hop Culture magazine’s 21 Best Beers We Drank in 2021 list. Habitual Line Stepper pulled rave reviews for…
Two San Antonio spots land on Yelp’s ranking of Texas’ 10 best places for tamales
The words “tamales” and “holidays” are nearly synonymous in San Antonio. After all, who doesn’t enjoy unwrapping a savory, masa-encased package of goodness almost as much as unwrapping a Christmas present? Turns out, more than 1,500 Texas businesses turn up on Yelp when someone searches for the word “tamales,” and the review site used its…
Spanish chain specializing in cured meats to open its second U.S. location in San Antonio
Pork savants rejoice! Downtown San Antonio will soon be home to the second U.S. location of luxury jamón purveyor The Enrique Tomas Experience, MySA reports. The Spanish chain, which specializes in high-end cured meats, will soon open in the former Maria Mia Mexican Bistro space at 849 E. Commerce St., the news site reports. The shopfront is…
Need a COVID-19 test in San Antonio ahead of the holidays? Here’s where they’re available.
Ahead of Christmas and New Year’s gatherings, San Antonio Metro Health recommends people get tested before going to large parties or visiting grandparents or other elderly relatives. With the omicron variant spreading, local health officials also recommend testing five days after exposure to a person who tested positive for COVID-19 or as soon as someone…
Texas Monthly’s Taco Trail listing updated to include 5 new San Antonio spots
Texas Monthly’s taco editor has updated the publication’s Taco Trail roundup to include five additional San Antonio havens, including a beloved local mainstay. New to this year’s roundup are eateries Milpa from chef Jesse “Kirk” Kuykendall and Aroma, a new mobile trompo wagon from Jaime Hernandez of La Fonda de Jaime 2.0. Other local taco joints added…
Gov. Greg Abbott has touted the state’s efforts to build a border wall, but many details remain a mystery
On Saturday, Gov. Greg Abbott unveiled nearly 900 feet of newly constructed border barrier on state-owned land near the Rio Grande in Starr County, six months after he promised to finish what former President Donald Trump started. It was the first section of what’s expected to be a nearly 2-mile stretch of wall, and it followed…
San Antonio Spurs’ Manu Ginobili and Becky Hammon among 2022 Basketball Hall of Fame nominees
Manu Ginobili, who helped the Spurs win four NBA championships, and team assistant coach Becky Hammon are among the nominees for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022. Longtime NBA coach George Karl, who played for San Antonio from 1973-1978, is also on the list. Ginobili helped dominate the court during the Spurs’…
The Omicron Variant is Surging. Here’s What We’ve Learned So Far.
With omicron spreading globally at a dizzying pace, scientists are scrambling to learn as much as they can about the latest worrisome variant of the coronavirus. First spotted in South Africa and Botswana at the end of November, omicron is already poised to soon become the dominant variant — dethroning delta — in some regions,…
Netflix’s original 2021 holiday movies, ranked
We’re not afraid to admit this: we love a good made-for-TV holiday movie — the cheesier the better. Are you a still-single 30-something who gets magically stuck in a literal snow globe in order to find true romance this Christmas? Great. Have you fallen in love with a hot ghost who can only appear in the…
These San Antonio eateries are ringing in 2022 with special New Year’s Eve dinners
There may be no more satisfying way to ring in the new year than letting someone else worry about serving up the food and drinks. Thankfully, a bevy of San Antonio restaurants are offering special New Year’s Eve menus to help ring in the year. From indulgent gourmet specialties to cozy pajama parties, these spots…
Beto O’Rourke says utility bills rising as Gov. Greg Abbott forces Texans to pay for February freeze
Beto O’Rourke’s isn’t just accusing Gov. Greg Abbott of being asleep at the wheel during the Texas’ deadly February freeze — the former Democratic congressman is blasting Abbott for passing on its steep cost on to ratepayers. In a video message shared late last week, O’Rourke, who’s running to unseat Abbott, said the two-term GOP…
Yelp names San Antonio’s La Panaderia the best spot in Texas for hot chocolate
San Antonio certainly has no shortage of spots for buñuelos and champurrado, but only one of them was recently named the best spot for hot chocolate in Texas by review site Yelp. La Panadería, owned and operated by siblings and business partners David and José Cáceres, was the only Lone Star State business to make…
San Antonio-based Whataburger teases new mystery sauce on Twitter
Talk about a saucy Whatamystery. San Antonio-based Whataburger teased a surprise addition to its sauce lineup Monday by tweeting an image of a blacked-out condiment container and a simple, if slightly ominous, message: “It’s coming.” 👀🔥 see you soon pic.twitter.com/JoafFDWNc2 — Whataburger® (@Whataburger) December 20, 2021 Currently, the beloved Texas burger chain offers five condiments…
Dutch company spending $272 million to buy Texas firm that makes lights for marijuana growers
Texas may lag other U.S. states in cannabis reform, but just the same, a thriving industry surrounding weed cultivation is sprouting up around the state. In the latest sign of that trend, Netherlands-based lighting company Signify NV has struck a $272 million deal to buy Fluence, a Texas company that sells grow lights to legal cannabis…
Restaurant chain Shawarma Press kicks off Texas expansion with store inside San Antonio Walmart
Irving-based Mediterranean chain Shawarma Press is kicking off a rapid statewide expansion, starting with a location inside a San Antonio Walmart store. The fast-casual outfit serves up appetizers, salads, wraps and pastries as well as its namesake dish, shawarma — thin slices of chicken or beef slow-roasted in juices on a rotisserie. As part of…
Grand jury declines to charge deputy who fatally shot San Antonio veteran Damian Daniels
A grand jury won’t bring charges against a Bexar County sheriff’s deputy who fatally shot a combat veteran last year while the man was experiencing a mental health crisis, KSAT reports, citing confirmation from the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office. Deputy John Rodriguez shot Damian Lamar Daniels, a Black Army veteran, outside his Northwest San…
San Antonio comedian Larry Garza headlines roast, living memorial in his honor
Exiting stage left has never been part of the plan for local stand-up comedian Larry Garza. When he was diagnosed with Stage 4 kidney cancer in 2016, the co-founder of the sketch comedy crew Comedia A Go-Go wasn’t about to let the disease steal his spotlight. So, he did the only thing he knew would…
Texas Supreme Court agrees to hear case on the legality of smokeable hemp in the state
The fight over the legality of smokeable hemp in Texas is headed to the state’s highest court. The Texas Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a request by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to overturn an appeals court ruling declaring the state’s ban on the sale of smokeable hemp products unconstitutional, legal website Law360…
Comedians Sal Vulcano and Chris DiStefano bring their Babefest 2021 tour San Antonio Dec. 27
As a member of the comedy troupe The Tenderloins, NYC-born Sal Vulcano stars on TruTV’s Impractical Jokers, the channel’s most popular show. The Tenderloins goes back a long way, since the four members became friends in high school. They began posting clips on sites like YouTube before winning It’s Your Show in 2007. Vulcano also…
On Sunday, the increasingly hot San Antonio Spurs will will face off with still-cold Detroit
Despite adding Arlington native Cade Cunningham to their roster with the No. 1 overall pick in last summer’s NBA draft, fortunes haven’t exactly shifted in Detroit for the Pistons. Cunningham and company endured an extended losing streak earlier this season and arrive in San Antonio on Sunday, Dec. 26 with one of the worst records…
COVID-19 testing is complicated right now. Here are answers to 6 big questions
A friend texted me recently because her daughter’s class had a coronavirus outbreak and my friend had some questions about COVID-19 testing. Testing has been on lots of other people’s minds and in the news lately, too. President Joe Biden announced recently that insurance providers must reimburse people for at-home coronavirus tests, and millions of…
This Christmas, be like Alice Cooper
You don’t need to look like a “good” person to be a Mr. Nice Guy. A viral photo being shared on social media Monday shows the “Godfather of Shock Rock,” Alice Cooper, humbly serving food to the needy. Alice Cooper serving food at a shelter…… pic.twitter.com/qatNjMTPiM — Humphrey Bogarts hungover pissed off ghost (@Robertsixto2) December…
The push to ban books in Texas schools spreads to public libraries
When the Llano County Library shuts down for three days this week, starting Tuesday, it won’t be for the holidays. Instead, a group of six librarians in this small Central Texas county will be conducting a “thorough review” of every children’s book in the library, at the behest of the Llano County Commissioners Court. Their…
Massive $4 million Nicha Comida Mexicana location planned for San Antonio’s South Side
A new 7,800-square-foot restaurant slated for construction at 3331 Roosevelt Ave. will replace homegrown Tex-Mex chain Nicha Comida Mexicana’s original location, the San Antonio Business Journal reports. The $4 million project — which includes a patio, drive-thru and adjacent parking area — would replace the restaurant’s current Southside location at 3119 Roosevelt Ave. near Mission…
Live Music in San Antonio This Week: Nina Diaz, Toadies and more
The days around Christmas aren’t exactly prime time for live music, but those looking for some pre- and post-holiday rock and blues have solid options this year. Hometown powerhouses Nina Diaz and Ruben V will take the stage Christmas week, offering an opportunity step away from the fam for a few hours. Then, the week…
San Antonio family looking for thief of huge, handmade Whataburger Christmas yard decoration
Late Sunday, San Antonio woman posted a social media plea for a Christmas miracle: “If anyone sees, found, or took our Whatachristmas sign, please please please return it.” ’Tis the season to keep it classy, San Antonio. Veronica Garcia of the Christmas display-happy suburb of Windcrest shared her plight to Facebook and the Nextdoor app,…
San Antonio’s West Side gains craft beer haven in new Big Hops location
Craft beer lovers may rejoice in the news that another Big Hops location has opened its doors, this one on San Antonio’s West Side. The new Big Hops, located at 12991 Potranco Road, took to Facebook over the weekend to share that it had welcomed its first customers, offering the same rotating draft system and…
Texas whiskeys star in these warming winter cocktails
Winter is the season of warming spices and deep and the rich, complex flavors of cherry, cranberry and pomegranate. Sure, you could get your fix of traditional winter flavors from pie, but we’re going the boozy route. Whether your idea of a perfect winter evening involves roasting marshmallows over a fire or binging cheesy seasonal…
Man struck by gunfire outside The Heat Nightclub near downtown San Antonio
Gunfire on the Main Drag, San Antonio’s LGBTQ+ nightlife district, struck a worker overnight and left the man with a possible life-threatening injury, KSAT reports. Police believe the gunfire stemmed from an earlier fight at The Heat Nightclub since it erupted shortly after two groups who’d been involved left the building, according to the TV…
Airbnb cracking down on New Year’s Eve party rentals in San Antonio
Party-and-dash revelers, consider yourself warned. Rental platform Airbnb has implemented new anti-party rules will make it harder for people to rent San Antonio homes through its app to hold New Year’s Eve parties. Guests without a history of positive reviews on its platform won’t be able to make one-night reservations for entire houses. What’s more,…
Mannheim Steamroller will give San Antonio an extra jolt of holiday cheer Dec. 28 at the Majestic
It’s a few days after Christmas, sure, but you can still say “‘Tis the Season” and enjoy the tunes. And if you enjoy … um … relatively contemporary Christmas music, you may well dig instrumental outfit Mannheim Steamroller. It’s newer than Rudolph or Charlie Brown, ya feel me? This tour celebrates the 35th anniversary of…
Khruangbin’s Saturday show at San Antonio’s Tobin Center unlocked a spiritual journey
No place in the world seemed holier Saturday than the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, where Houston psychedelic trio Khruangbin sermonized on the first of two sold-out nights at the venue. The band’s performance was an hour-and-a-half nomadic musical passage from the vintage influences of what was through the futuristic sounds of what might…
With questions about omicron’s severity still unanswered, Texas braces for new COVID-19 wave this winter
As the omicron variant of COVID-19 quickly spreads across the United States, public health experts fear that Texas’ health care system could once again be overwhelmed by the disease within weeks. “It’s really accelerating fast,” said Dr. Peter Hotez, a virologist at Baylor College of Medicine. “I think we’re going to be in the middle…
San Antonio TV personality David Elder’s Tex’s Hot Chicken having soft opening this weekend
Spice-loving San Antonians can sink their teeth into local TV personality David Elder’s fiery concept Tex’s Hot Chicken this weekend in nearby Boerne. The mobile outfit posted soft opening hours to its social media pages late Thursday, noting that the truck would serve up a limited selection of menu items Friday through Sunday from 11…
Yet another San Antonio native to appear on a celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay cooking show
South Texas continues to be a hotbed for TV cooking competitions to recruit culinary talent — although the latest San Antonio native to get scooped up isn’t even a trained chef. Alamo City native Amber Rebold has landed on the new Gordon Ramsay cooking show Next Level Chef, which sets out to prove that kitchen badasses…
Texas’ Shiner Beer debuts Berries & Cream brew inspired by TikTok’s Little Lad phenomenon
Shiner Beer has jumped on a viral TikTok trend involving a what-were-they-thinking advertising character named Little Lad and his borderline-creepy affinity for berries and cream. On Thursday, the Texas brewery launched a limited-edition Berries & Cream brew inspired by Little Lad, who made his debut in a 2007 Starburst candy commercial. In the ad, the…
Distiller near San Antonio is only Texas outfit to land on Whiskey Advocate’s 2021 best-of list
Andalusia Whiskey Co.’s 2021 Stryker Texas Smoked Single Malt Whiskey has landed on Whisky Advocate’s list of the 20 best bottles of the year. Andulusia — located in Blanco, about an hour north of the Alamo City — was the only Texas distillery to earn a spot on the list, which featured heavy-hitters from around…
Butthole Surfers film, Great Christmas Light Fight: The top 10 headlines in San Antonio this week
As per usual, political shakedowns, shenanigans and stupidity still dominate newsfeeds, but a look at the Current’s most-read stories of the week suggests readers may just want to tune that shit out. And who can blame ’em? The story that racked up the most reader traffic this week was about yet another local family winning a…
Colt’s Sports Park Bar, Big Red-flavored beer: San Antonio’s biggest food stories of the week
The Current’s most-read food stories this week primarily centered around new dining and drinking spots, from a 21-and-up eatery in New Braunfels to a South Side bar-slash-sports park. Folks also wanted to know all the deets about a new partnership between grocery giant H-E-B and a brewery that crafts a puro beer made with Big…
San Antonio’s Sari-Sari Filipino Restaurant, Market and Bakery suffers early morning break-in
A family-owned San Antonio business is asking for the public’s help in identifying a burglar who made off with its safe early Friday morning. Sari-Sari Filipino Restaurant, Market and Bakery shared the news — and surveillance footage — Friday morning via social media. Images appear to show a man lying on his stomach trying to…
San Antonio’s Second Pitch Beer Co. the latest local brewery to score H-E-B shelf space
San Antonio residents love grocery giant H-E-B for many reasons, and the chain’s willingness to devote cooler and shelf space to local craft brews is one of them. New-ish Alamo City suds factory Second Pitch Beer Co. will soon be stocking its brews in as many as 13 San Antonio-area H-E-B locations, and according to…
Texas’ renewed voting-roll purge is flagging citizens, including some in San Antonio, as likely non-citizens
Texas’ 2019 attempt to kick 100,000 people it identified as non-U.S. citizens off its voter roles blew up into a national embarrassment. The purge, based on faulty data, was shut down amid a flurry of federal lawsuits and cost then-Secretary of State David Whitley has job. Now, the Texas Secretary of State’s office is at…
Watching in a Winter Movieland: There are plenty of films to choose from this 2021 holiday season
If your true love really wanted to give you something special, they’d forget about the French hens and turtledoves and turn the next couple of weeks into a massive movie marathon featuring some of the most anticipated releases of the year. Studios, unfortunately, didn’t allow the Current to pre-screen the Marvel sequel Spider-Man: No Way…
Interview: Boxer Gilberto Ramírez puts 42-0 record on line Saturday at San Antonio’s AT&T Center
Light heavyweight Mexican boxer Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramírez (42-0, 28 KOs) will put his undefeated record on the line when he steps into the ring Saturday with Cuban boxer Yunieski “The Monster” González (21-3, 17 KOs) for a 12-round fight at the AT&T Center. The winner will secure a mandatory challenge for the WBA Light Heavyweight…
Rink Reels film series to feature Disney classic The Mighty Ducks at San Antonio’s Travis Park
Practice your “Flying V” during a free screening Saturday of the 1992 underdog hockey movie presented by the Rotary Ice Rink, Center City Development & Operations Department and Slab Cinema. The Mighty Ducks stars Emilio Estevez as Gordon Bombay, a Minneapolis lawyer sentenced to community service after being arrested for drunk driving. His punishment is…
Landmark bill containing ‘I Am Vanessa Guillén Act’ poised to become law
Sweeping changes to how the military justice system handles and prosecutes sexual assault and misconduct are set to become law, ignited after Fort Hood Army Spc. Vanessa Guillén was killed last year, Times News Network reports. The “I Am Vanessa Guillén Act,” included in the National Defense Authorization Act, will allow victims of sexual assault and sexual…
Slab Cinema Arthouse showcases groundbreaking filmmaker Ousmane Sembène on Sunday
Presented by Slab Cinema, the double feature from Senegalese filmmaker Ousmane Sembène makes a compelling package for movie lovers. His 1966 drama Black Girl is believed to be the first film made by a Black African in sub-Saharan Africa. The film, which runs 65 minutes, follows a Black girl from Senegal who travels to France…
San Antonio brewery’s Big Red-flavored beer now available at H-E-B stores
The San Antonio brewery that created a cult fave with its limited-edition Big Red-flavored beer is now bringing it to a wider audience through H-E-B grocery stores, TV station KSAT reports. Islla St. Brewing, helmed by J.D. and Joshua Peña, in June of 2020 launched a craft beer called Big Rojo, brewed with the most…
Martini Madness: Turns out, making the perfect one is a lot of work
The Martini may well be the most discussed, maligned and fetishized spirituous drink out there — and the craziness didn’t start with Mad Men-era two-or-more-Martini lunches. As early as 1896 the cocktail as we more-or-less know it today was mentioned in a book titled Stuart’s Fancy Drinks and How to Mix Them. Its formula was…
Texas Monthly names Gov. Greg Abbott ‘Bum Steer of the Year’ and lambastes San Antonio idiots
It’s that time when Texas Monthly trots out its Bum Steer Awards, an annual recognition of the dumbest, douchiest and most dastardly characters dragging the Lone Star State into the gutter. In what should come as little surprise, the mag named the illustrious Gov. Greg Abbott — who certainly checks all three boxes — as…
New study names San Antonio fifth-best weekend getaway in the U.S.
A new analysis from luggage storage start-up Bounce has named the Alamo City the fifth-best U.S. city for a weekend break. Based on metrics such as average accommodation costs, the number of things to do and how long it takes to get from the airport to the city center, San Antonio tied with Albuquerque, N.M.,…
These San Antonio restaurants are offering Christmas dinners for dine-in and to-go
As another stressful year comes to a close, no one’s going to judge you for not wanting to prepare a feast for your fam on Christmas Day. It’s been a hell of a stretch, and there’s something to be said for leaving holiday food prep to the pros. That’s where these five San Antonio eateries…
Assclown Alert: Self-help guidance from with Capitol insurrectionist Jenna Ryan
Assclown Alert is a column of opinion, analysis and snark. Remember Jenna Ryan, the charming North Texas real estate agent who bragged that her blonde hair and white skin would keep her out of jail for participating in the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection? You may recall that prediction didn’t exactly hold water. Last month, a…
San Antonio bar and restaurant Lucy Cooper’s Ice House opens New Braunfels location
San Antonio 21-and-over bar and restaurant Lucy Cooper’s Ice House has opened its second outpost, this one in New Braunfels. The New Braunfels Nightlife Facebook page shared the news in a Wednesday post, listing operating hours for the second Lucy Cooper’s starting Wednesday, Dec. 15. Owner and executive chef Braunda Smith confirmed the news with the…
Creative Exchange: Weird wine, unique cocktails and local art will be on the menu at Hands Down
In March of 2019, San Antonio artist couple Amada Claire Miller and Nicholas Frank opened a pair of kindred exhibitions at FL!GHT Gallery that explored themes surrounding currency, exchange… and booze. In the main gallery, Frank’s “Demos Schmemos” investigated “the corrosion of democracy and mutual trust” via sculptural vignettes referencing Ancient Greek obolus, drachma, spittoons…
Central Texas music gathering Float Fest will return in 2022 after a three-year hiatus
Float Fest, an event that combines live music with the Texas tradition of floating down a lazy river, will return in 2022 following a three-year lapse, organizers said Wednesday. The gathering will take place July 23-24 in a new location. The 765-acre private ranch near the town of Gonzales will offer more camping options, floating accessibility,…
San Antonio avant-metal group The Grasshopper Lies Heavy releasing split LP with WOORMS
San Antonio avant-metal trio The Grasshopper Lies Heavy may not have played many live shows during the pandemic, but the band has certainly been prolific. Beyond prolific, in fact. Early next month, Grasshopper will drop its third release in 10 months: Various Plants and Animals Under Domestication, a split album with sludgy Louisiana outfit WOORMS.…
San Antonio’s The Hayden will offer Jewish-Chinese Christmas menu Dec. 21-23
Alamo Heights-area eatery The Hayden will offer a Jewish-Chinese Christmas menu next week in homage to a tradition owner Adam Lampinstein shares with other members of the U.S. Jewish community. Many Jewish families go out for Chinese food and a movie on Christmas Eve since they celebrate the separate winter religious holiday of Hanukkah. “While…
Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay moves North American restaurant headquarters to Texas
Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay won’t have to travel too far to scope out Texas culinary talent. The TV host and businessman has moved his North American restaurant headquarters to the Lone Star State, the Dallas Morning News reports. Officials helping with the expansion told the daily that the company made a big leap, from Los Angeles…
Self-professed San Antonio-area Boogaloo Bois member gets two-year sentence on gun charge
A man from the San Antonio area who claimed membership in the radical right-wing Boogaloo Bois has been sentenced to two years in prison for illegal firearm possession, according to federal authorities. Cameron Emerson Casey Rankin, 22, of Karnes City was sentenced Dec. 8 after he pleaded guilty to one count of possessing of a firearm he was…
Idol Breaker: Singing San Antonio drag performer Ada Vox makes the jump to new reality series
Ada Vox, the drag queen who grabbed the national spotlight by finishing in the top eight on the 2018 season of American Idol, is back. First, she’s back in her native San Antonio. Following her break on Idol, the South San High School grad relocated to Hollywood to build on her career, but the tough…
Lightwire Theater’s holiday extravaganza comes to San Antonio on Sunday
Not feeling the holiday spirit yet? Lightwire Theater’s dazzling neon puppets tell a one-of-a-kind Christmas story created to awaken hearts. In this eye-popping performance, a young bird named Max gets lost on his journey home and ends up at the North Pole, where he encounters dancing poinsettias, caroling worms and the wicked Rat King. Backed…
Comedian and actor Felipe Esparza swings into San Antonio’s Tobin Center Friday
Like any number of successful comics, Felipe Esparza straddles the line between comedy and acting. You may know him from Netflix’s Gentrified, Adult Swim’s The Eric Andre Show or NBC’s Superstore. Or maybe you caught his podcast What’s Up Fool? Hey, it could you checked out his dual-language comedy performance on Netflix Bad Decisions/Malas Decisiones…
Soprano Sarah Brightman to sing holiday tunes and classic hits at San Antonio’s Majestic Theatre
Grammy-nominated English soprano and songwriter Sarah Brightman is in the holiday spirit. Famous for her three-octave vocal range, Brightman will take the stage at the Majestic Theatre to perform classic Christmas songs and some of her greatest hits alongside a full orchestra and choir. Brightman got her start on stage back in 1981 when she…
