Hurricane Katrina: 10 Years Later

Aug 26 - Sep 1, 2015 / Vol. 29 / No. 34

Cover Story

Transplanted San Antonians Reflect On Hurricane Katrina 10 Years Later

A decade ago, New Orleans’ levees broke, flooding 80 percent of The Big Easy and changing the lives of half a million people. Hurricane Katrina — a Category 5 monster storm — washed ashore in Louisiana on August 29, 2005, killing nearly 2,000 and displacing 273,000 others. That was more than half of the city’s…

10 Things You Have To Do This Weekend

Thu 9/3 “The Wandering Flight” Internationally renowned artist Cecilia Paredes is known for blending in. Using paint and fabric to carefully camouflage her body against wallpaper backdrops, her “photo performances” make the viewer question where identity ends and environment begins. In “The Wandering Flight,” Paredes’ photographs tell the tale of a dream of flying; yet,…

San Antonio Officials Find 9 Confederate Symbols In Inventory

As institutions and governments throughout the South continue to remove Confederate symbols, aftershocks from the debate over how to handle the Confederacy’s legacy still ripple through San Antonio. The backlash against the Confederate flag and other symbols began after Dylann Roof allegedly shot and killed nine people on June 17 at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal…

Aural Pleasure: ‘Miley Cyrus And Her Dead Petz’

The pop-ology of Miley Cyrus has been a tricky course. She’s not the cherubic Disney star she became famous for. The 22-year-old’s grown up enough to be her own person and despite her “obscene” antics (enough so to be bestowed the honor of “worst celebrity role model for children” in Britain) she actually stands for…

‘National Geographic’ Recommends A San Antonio Missions Visit

This year, the San Antonio Missions join a blue hole in the Bahamas, Ethiopa’s New Years Day (September 11) celebration and The Three Castle Route in Sigulda, Latvia in National Geographic’s “Best Fall Trips 2015” guide. Granted World Heritage Site status on July 5, the Missions San José, San Juan, Concepción, San Antonio de Valero (commonly called the…

The FBI Has Opened Civil Rights Investigation Into Shooting

Update: Tuesday, September 1, 2015, 5:08 p.m.: The San Antonio Express-News reports the FBI has opened a civil rights investigation into the shooting. Update: Tuesday, September 1, 2015, 12:40 p.m.: Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, issued this statement on the shooting and video:“The encounter is extremely disturbing as it appears to show an unarmed man…

Local Beauty Experts Launch Chalet Cosmetics Makeup & Skincare Line

SPONSORED Chalet Cosmetics is creating a whole new way to shop local. A new brand of cruelty-free, eco-friendly makeup and skincare that embodies a lifestyle. Cindy and Andrea Rodriguez are a mother daughter team that are the most recent in a line of business women in the beauty industry. It started over 50 years ago…

Spooky! Sheraton Gunter Announces Ghost Tours

Ghosts aren’t for everyone (and they’re most certainly not real, right …), but if you’re into that sorta thing (all things amazing and spooky) there’s a new ghost tour in town for you. The Sheraton Gunter Hotel (205 E. Houston St.) will host five nights of ghost touring from October 27 through 31. There will…

So Are You Going To Eat Blue Bell Or Not?

Blue Bell is finally back. The Brenham-based creamery was forced to pull its products from store shelves last spring after 10 people fell ill and three people died after contracting listeriosis from consuming Blue Bell products. Today, the months-long Blue Bell drought ended in Austin and Houston where the company’s ice cream is now available.…

The Old Main Assoc. Opens Tomorrow

Jeret Pena (Brooklynite, The Last Word, Stay Golden) is unleashing his next concept on the world this September 1 at 5 p.m. The Old Main Association is effectively replacing Beat Street Coffee Co. & Bistro (& Burgers & Whiskey or whatever they turned into towards the end there) at 2512 N. Main Ave. with classic…

Polls Are Open For The First San Antonio Fashion Awards

The first San Antonio Fashion Awards is drawing closer. With all of the candidates being nominated, now it’s time for the people to vote. The contest asks Alamo City residents to choose the best of the best in 11 different categories that range from make-up innovator of the year to fashion-artist of the year. “Our…

SA Food Pics: Here’s Some Lunchtime Inspiration

It’s a free for all this week in SA Food Pics and we’ve got it all for you to drool over. Anything you can possibly dream about was claimed Insta-worthy this weekend and some of the pics include a Cap’n Crunch Donut from The Original Donut Shop (3307 Fredericksburg Rd.), a colorful antipasti from Florios Pizza (7701…

5 Things You Have To Do This Week

Monday, August 31 Syfytonians  Local filmmaker and self-proclaimed “urban journalist” Alejandro Cabrera admits he didn’t know too much about superheroes and comic books, aside from recent mainstream franchises like Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy but was quickly intrigued when Alamo City Comic Con rolled into town for its second year in 2014. In his first…

5 Shows To See This Week

Monday, August 31 Nina Diaz Open Mic At the front of Girl In A Coma and her thrilling solo band, San Anto’s Nina Diaz hosts the Limelight’s weekly open mic. Try not to fan out too hard. Free, 9pm, Limelight, (210) 735-7775 Monday, August 31 Savagist Atlanta metal quartet Savagist has a taste for brutal fare…

Local Bars Honor Late Sasha Petraske With Daiquiri Toast

The cocktail world is still navigating the absence of the late Sasha Petraske, a consultant and bartender who helped develop the concept for Bohana’s Bar and co-founded the San Antonio Cocktail Conference. Petraske died on Friday, August 21 at 42. To honor his memory, bars around the globe will make and toast daiquiris at 9…

An Open Letter To The San Antonio Spurs: Give Lil B A Tryout

On Twitter earlier this week, the Philadelphia 76ers’ D-League affiliate invited Bay Area rapper Lil B to try out for the 2015 roster. Most likely, it’s a (successful) attention grab for the NBA’s third-worst team last season. For Lil B, as unique, prolific, hysterical and positive as he is, is not very good at basketball. In the…

Andy Dick Visits Alchemy Kombucha And Culture

Can we all agree News Radio is one of the best sitcoms ever? Yes? OK, good. Anyway, Andy Dick (Suddenly Susan, was out at Alchemy Kombucha and Culture (1123 N. Flores St., 210-320-1168) for reasons unknown other than they have fun food and fizzy kombucha.  “He was very nice, cracked some jokes about Joe) Rogan…

Jason Dady Hosts Texas Chef Week

Chef Jason Dady of B&D Ice House, The Duk Truck, Shuck Shack, Tre Enoteca, Tre Trattoria and Two Bros. BBQ Market will host the first annual Texas Chefs Week here in Saytown from September 14 through 19. The event will feature several big names from multiple cities in the Lone Star State.  The dinners will…

Texas AG Ken Paxton Burns Through 3 Lawyers In 3 Months

After Lone Star State Attorney General Paxton was arraigned Thursday on accusations of committing financial crimes, his lawyer abruptly quit, The Dallas Morning News reported. Paxton, who is charged with two felony counts of securities fraud and a count of third-degree failure to register, made his initial appearance in a Fort Worth court Thursday. According…

9 Ways To Get Your Drink/Grub On This Week

Thursday, August 27: Missions Untapped is eager to see if any of their craft beer lovers can carry a tune. Show them what you got from singing a heart wrenching edition of Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart” or you can get sentimental and tell yourself, “I’ll never let go, Jack” from singing the “My…

That Time David S. Rubin’s Cat Rode Out Hurricane Katrina

The stories of those who survived Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans’ subsequent levee failure are often tragic. However, no matter the level of human loss and destruction, there are stories of hope. David S. Rubin, formerly the contemporary art curator for the San Antonio Museum of Art, was in Amsterdam for vacation when the storm…

Get Your Drinking Shoes On: The Brew Mile Is Coming To San Antonio

Here’s a form of exercise I can support — the kind that’s interspersed with alcohol consumption. The Brew Mile, a mile-long race that requires participants to down a frosty brew at each quarter-mile, is coming to San Antonio. The race will take place at Wolff Stadium on Oct. 30, which wraps up with an open-bar…

Last Call For San Antonio Music Awards Voting

From Best Accordionist to Best DIY Venue, over 15,000 ballots have been cast so far in the 2015 San Antonio Music Awards. With a year of such exciting growth and change, we’re thrilled to see what you consider the top tier of San Antonio music. But hurry; there are only five days left to cast…

10 Things You Have To Do This Weekend

Thu 8/27 Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory Fans of the scrumdiddlyumptious cult classic Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory can thank Madeline Stuart — an LA-based interior designer who, at 10, convinced her filmmaker father to adapt Roald Dahl’s 1964 masterpiece. Revered for his work on serious documentaries — including Four Days in November…

The Monterey Is Closing This November

I say this without irony or hyperbolic tone: It is a sad day for lovers of esoteric food. The Monterey (1127 S. St. Mary’s St., 210-745-2581) is closing its doors this November on its fifth anniversary. The restaurant’s closing is rational when it comes down to it. Co-owner Chad Carey, who fashioned the gastropub as…

7 Thoughts I Had While At Paramour’s Soft Opening

I don’t want to give too much away before tonight’s official opening of Paramour (102 9th St., Suite 400), Downtown’s first rooftop bar. But here’s a quick run-through of what went through my mind for the few hours I was there last night.  1. Wear dresses at your own risk. It’s a bit drafty and…

Who Wants A Free Helicopter Ride?

Get ready to take flight while having the time of your life, dust off your gold chain and sneak away your mother’s shoulder pads of the ’80s. Boot Jack Bar is celebrating their three year anniversary with an 80’s themed celebration in Bergheim, TX at 1 FM 3351 N.  just between Fair Oaks Ranch, TX and…

Tacos N Tequila Is Hosting A Hatch Feast

Tacos and Tequila (1915 Broadway at E. Josephine St., 210-314-8226) is giving us insight on recipes that keep their costumers’ mouths full and kicking with spicy flavors.  It’s not really a secret though that TNT wants to add some fire under your rear. They’ve been importing chile peppers from Hatch New Mexico for 19 years…

10 Shows To See This Weekend

Thursday, August  27 Todd Rundgren Pennsylvania power-popper Todd Rundgren made his mark on the stage with tunes like “I Saw the Light” and “Bang the Drum All Day.” But his greatest achievements have occurred behind the mixing board, having produced Meat Loaf’s Bat Out of Hell and the New York Dolls debut record, among many…

Austin’s Stargayzer Festival Announces 2015 Lineup

For its second year, Austin’s Stargayzer Festival returns to the Red River area with one of the most exciting LGBT music festivals in the nation. From October 15-17, Stargayzer invades Elysium, North Door and Cheer Up Charlies with over 20 announced queer artists performing.  Headliners include Erase Errata, a Bay Area post-punk outfit that returned in…

San Antonio Journalists React To Virginia Live TV Shooting

Update: Wednesday, August 26, 2015, 4:49 p.m.  ABC News reports that Flanigan has died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at roughly 12:30 p.m. CST. The outlet has also published his 23-page manifesto detailing his grievances and motivations.  The original post continues below.  The nation is reacting to the shocking video of a deadly shooting on…

Caliente Hot Glass Studio Doubled The Size Of Its Operation

A local glass-blowing outfit is inviting the public to an open house celebrating an expansion that doubles the size of its studio. The San Antonio Current featured Caliente Hot Glass Studio in October 2014 when we explored the city’s art glass scene. The studio (1411 North Hackberry) creates custom glass art, sculpture and functional pieces.…

SAPD Arrests Man Accused Of Dousing Dog In Acid

Police arrested the alleged monster who is accused of what Animal Care Service’s has called the worst case of animal abuse in San Antonio. Last night, in a Facebook post, ACS said the San Antonio Police Department’s East Side Property Crimes Detectives, working in partnership with ACS cruelty investigators, arrested a suspect late Tuesday afternoon.…

Our Top 10 Fave Movies And Shows About College Life

College is going to be full of piles of homework, sleeping in the library and, more importantly, spending late nights on your couch using Netflix as an excuse to procrastinate. Budget your time wisely and use your binge sessions to help prepare you for one of the most important stages in your life. Here’s our…

A Resource Guide For Paying Back Student Loans

So you got accepted to college and applied for student loans to pay for this once-in-a-lifetime experience. While in school, you’ll be concentrating on your studies, looking for romance, going to parties and growing up. During such an exciting and formative time, forgetting about those student loans might be easy. But don’t put them aside.…

You Need Our 2015-16 College Guide In Your Life

More than any other themed issue or special publication we assemble each year, the San Antonio Current’s College Guide relies on the strengths and ideas of our bright-eyed and bushy-tailed interns. Collectively representing local colleges and universities alongside out-of-town institutions like the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M-College Station, our talented summer crew…

Why Your College Major Doesn’t Actually Matter In Life

Uchennaya Ogba planned to be an engineer all along. Ogba, a native of Nigeria, graduated from Trinity University in 2010 with an engineering science degree. And he put it to use at first, designing solar modules for a company in Miami right out of college. It was a great gig. Ogba enjoyed the work and…

The Case For Gwar As The Greatest Band In The Universe

Soon after Gwar’s Pustulus Maximus answered the phone, I knew I had not prepped right for the interview. After cordialities, I jumped into an introductory round of questions for the guitarist of the world’s fake-bloodiest, most theatrical band. I was promptly interrupted. “Let me back up for one second, are you interviewing me, or the…

10 Essential Texas Road Trips For College Students

You’ve finally made it to college, and your parents are walking out of your dorm room when you feel it — freedom. One way to make the most out of it? The tried-and-true college road trip. Whether you were born and raised in the Lone Star State or just moved here, odds are you have…

Backpacking Basics: Tips From A World Traveler On A Budget

Traveling can offer an excellent perspective on life but often people are discouraged because it can get expensive. That’s why you have to do it efficiently. Personally, I always expected to travel in my later years because it just seemed so out of reach. But luckily I took a risk and backpacked throughout Western Europe…

Get Carded: Where To Go To Get That Student ID Discount

One of the perks of being in school is the abundance of student discounts — running the gamut from museums and movie tickets to fast-food eateries and even “the world’s biggest store.” Whether you’re shopping for interview clothes on a tight budget or looking to get cultured on the cheap, make your student ID the…

8 Types Of Roommates You Might Meet In College

Living with strangers definitely comes with some risks; however, sometimes living with your closest friends can be a bad as well — the struggle is real. To help you prepare, here are the types of roommates you may encounter during your college years: 1. The Early Bird Whether it’s early to bed or early to…

School of Rock: 5 College-Friendly Venues To Check In Town

As the San Antonio music scene grows bigger than stacks of homework or young-adult acne, it’s time to take a break to get down to the philosophy of music. With six major universities, numerous community colleges and institutes to choose from, SA is host to loads of college students looking to groove away the high-intensity…

The Art Of Writing Passive-Aggressive Post-it Notes

Address a broad and vague audience. This applies regardless of the number/gender of people you live with. Deflect your thoughts to a secondary source. “If you need any assistance on how to use the washing machine, please refer to ehow.com.” Make sure to include “I’m not the only one who thinks so” or some other…

Where To Head When Wee-Hours Hunger Strikes

When it comes to late-night dining — whether you’re winding down from the club, just getting off work or craving a midnight bite — SA’s options are growing and varying from taco joints to bona fide eateries serving Italian fare. Taco lovers can find their fix within the usual suspects (aka their favorite late night…

8 Campus Clubs To Indulge Your Quirky Side

Do you have a hankering for Monopoly? Or perhaps you prefer to lead the life of Clark Kent, a superhero in disguise? Or maybe you have a passionate, but closeted love of bees? Say no more and do something about it. There are all sorts of quirky college clubs for all you social butterflies. While…

Fickel And FoodWhore Meet At Rodriguez Butcher Supply Co.

San Antonio feels like the smallest big city in Texas. Where six degrees of separation are usually enough for most folks to find some sort of connection, San Antonians can do it in two. I’m exaggerating, of course, but it’s hard to shake this feeling when we take an even closer look at two business…

College Tips From The Editor Of UIW Student Newspaper ‘Logos’

Congrats! You’re going to college! Now, some of you may be attending your dream school, your second choice, even getting your basics done at a community college before transferring to a four-year school. Either way, it’s still exciting! Like most of the people I have met on the road of higher education, my parents didn’t…

Balancing Act: Avoiding Burnout As A Working Student

If being broke was a joke, I’d be pretty dang funny. No money, no sleep and untold amounts of stress nicely sums up everyday life for the typical college student. Today’s society demands a college degree, but for those like myself, that degree costs more of my sanity than my money. The Center for Law…

Solar Monopoly Or Democracy? CPS To Shift SA Solar Landscape

The sun is ripe for harvesting in San Antonio. The numbers bear it out: San Antonio ranks as one of the nation’s top 10 cities for solar production and solar energy potential. But solar in SA will soon change. Funds for the industry-leading rebate from CPS Energy, which engendered so much growth, may evaporate. And…

Where To Day Drink (Responsibly) Near Campus

When classes have you feeling Britney circa 2007, it’s necessary for your sanity to have your own near-campus Cheers — a place where everyone knows your name, but more importantly, your drink. We’re pretty sure there are some studies out there that prove drinking while working is more efficient because it helps you relax ……

SMABRD ’15 Helps Mark 1-Year Freetail’s Brewniversary

It’s a Lisa Frank wet dream — there’s a nuke-strapped lady Sperm whale spewing flames from her blowhole, a purple-black pega-bat horse with flowing pink mane and a tame uni-kitty tabby. They all made the cut for a flyer not for a drug-fueled rave but to spread the news of Freetail’s “Super Mega Awesome Bottle…

Flavor File: Fairview Coffee Opens, Culinaria Ends This Saturday

Fairview Coffee Bar & Grub (3428 N. St. Mary’s St., 210-731-8009) opened its doors on Monday. The barista-owned joint also serves as a nano-roaster and baking lab and will feature breakfast (vanilla bean waffles with either blueberry lemon or strawberry balsamic compote), lunch and coffee to the Riverside neighborhood. A little fire couldn’t keep deter…

Malik Rose’s Philly’s Phamous Cheesesteaks Grows Wheels

Even on a sticky summer afternoon when temperatures scrape triple digits, Malik’s Philly’s Phamous Cheesesteaks still draws plenty of customers. First founded by Spurs’ alum Malik Rose, the business has been revived as a popular food truck by Rose’s cousin Robert Rose and wife McKayla, who run the truck themselves. While Malik is no longer…

Play Ball: The Storied History Of Mexican-American Baseball In South Texas

Texas held its first high school baseball state championship four years after World War II — a time when racism and indignities toward Hispanics throughout the state ran rampant. Those hardships didn’t stop the 1949 El Paso Bowie High School baseball team, whose members grew up in poor Mexican neighborhoods, from beating every single anglo…

Free Will Astrology, Week Of August 24

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You like to run ahead of the pack. You prefer to show people the way, to set the pace. It’s cleaner that way, right? There’s less risk you will be caught up in the messy details of everyday compromise. But I suspect that the time is right for you to try…

Savage Love: Ashley’s Ashes

Please do a public-service announcement about the Ashley Madison hack, and request that NO ONE look up information on ANYONE other than their own spouse. I’m a former AM user. I’ve been married to my wife for 20 years. We met when we were both 20 years old. Seven years ago, I made a selfish…

The Must-Have College Albums You Should Keep In Heavy Rotation

There’s no denying that your college experience will be an emotional rollercoaster. Whether you’re hosting your first party or you’ve just become a victim of the Turkey Drop, there’s a song for everything. Here are some must-have albums to get you through the next four years.  Breakup Albums You’ve just broken up with your high…

Swiping 101, Or How Not To Be A Tinder Troll

College is a hectic time for many young people. Plenty of students can’t even find the time to go to the bookstore to buy scantrons, let alone time enough to date. Fortunately, social media apps such as Tinder have blessed busy students with the ability to search for potential partners with the ease of a…

How College Affects The Parent-Child Relationship

College presents an awesome opportunity for young people to discover themselves. It also presents potential new tension in the oft-awkward transition of the parent-child relationship. Stephen M. Gavazzi, who teaches human sciences at Ohio State University, likened parenthood to coaching. “The successful transition to college requires mothers and fathers to reshape their efforts into a…

Stars Guard Jia Perkins On Being A Baller – And Pro Mom

It was clear early on that Jia Perkins would make her life all about basketball. And after turning into a well-respected player at one the country’s women’s basketball powerhouse college teams, her chances to go pro looked real good. Then, in her senior year, she got pregnant. In her mind, the news surely meant that…

Keeping Tabs: Overlook The Pronunciation And Grab A Texas Viognier

First things first: it’s pronounced vee-oh-nyay, y’all. Second, this very Frenchie-sounding grape is poised to become the major white wine grape of Texas. Move over chardonnay, you’re so last century. Here’s some proof: in 2013, at least 14 Texas wineries bottled viognier. There have been scholarly symposia on the subject. Lone Star viognier has beat…

Date Ideas Under $20

Whether you’re trying to shake things up with your boo or figuring out a nice date suggestion for your Tinder/OKC match, higher education puts a dent in your wallet, throwing a monkey wrench into your dating life. Branch out from the Netflix/pizza nights and try impressing your plus one with these cheap dates. Arcade Bars…

Crisis Averted: How To Avoid Disaster In College

For many teenagers, college is the first time they are given a chance to fully experience life without the guidance of their parents. Some think, “Yea! Party time!” while others are thinking, “Okay, let’s not screw this up.” The minute your parents walk out your dorm room door, things are going to get interesting. Or,…

So You Tossed The Cap In The Air … Now What?

Drunk with joy, students skip across the stage completing the arduous process of earning an education. In today’s market, however, finding a job can be a bit of a buzz-kill following graduation happiness. Abreetta Goode, career services counselor at the University of Incarnate Word, recommended that students get a head start. She says beginning early…

Alamo Colleges Aim To Cut Down Time It Takes To Earn A Degree

San Antonio College President Robert Vela, former student trustee Jacob Wong and District 8 trustee Clint Kingsbery made a case for creating academic pathways for students to save money and time. Kingsbery and Wong are made presentations at district colleges to help employees understand the importance of Alamo Institutes and the district’s new advising model.…

6 Acts You Can’t Miss At The Sophomore Edition of Float Fest

For its sophomore year, Float Fest returns with an odd combo of independent music, camping and the Lone Star pastime of tubing. Unfortunately, you cannot float the river and shotgun Lone Stars to Paul Wall (6:30pm on Saturday) — you’ll have to get your ass out of the San Marcos River and in front of…


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