

Cover Story
Border Brawl: What’s Abbott trying to prove in his showdown with the feds?
Gov. Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star and seizure of Shelby Park are little more than political theater, according to experts — albeit with real-world consequences.
San Antonio-based Whataburger partners with Cholula on fiery new ketchup
The South Texas burger chain offered the ketchup as a limited-edition condiment in 2022. Now it’s on grocery shelves.
Serial killer hysteria returns to Austin after another body pulled from Lady Bird Lake
Police gave no indication there were signs of foul play. Just the same, social media lit up with speculation.
San Antonio’s first Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar drops late February opening date
The 7,500-square-foot location will integrate dining space with an open-plan retail store.
Owner of San Antonio’s Extra Fine, Barbaro launching two new concepts
Extra Fine’s second location and an as-yet-unnamed pizza joint are slated to open downtown this summer.
More than half of San Antonio renters ‘cost-burdened’ by housing, study finds
The percentage of San Antonians financially squeezed by their rent payments is higher than the statewide average, according to a new analysis.
Country music superstar Toby Keith has died at 62
His last San Antonio performance was during the 2022 Stock Show and Rodeo.
Ted Cruz wants law making it harder for folks to see politicians flying away to Cancun
The senator from Texas’ proposal would let lawmakers glide through airports with ‘expedited screening outside of public view.’
Why this South Texas county closed half its early voting sites for 2024
A new law requires small counties to increase early voting days and hours — with no new money from the state.
UFL’s San Antonio Brahmas release regular season schedule
The Brahmas will kick off the season at home against the D.C Defenders on March 31.
Nashville’s The Peach Cobbler Factory opens first San Antonio shop
The chain doles out a variety of cobblers and other desserts such as churros, cinnamon rolls and Belgian waffles.
Selena killer Yolanda Saldivar speaks out in new docu-series airing later this month
Selena & Yolanda: The Secrets Between Them airs Feb. 17 on the Oxygen True Crime network.
Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks coming to San Antonio’s Frost Bank Center in May
General admission tickets go on sale this Friday at 10 a.m.
House Speaker Dade Phelan, enemy of the far-right, faces toughest reelection yet
Attorney General Ken Paxton, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and former President Donald Trump are accusing Phelan of being a ‘RINO,’ even as Phelan has overseen the passage of some of the most conservative bills in recent history.
Eagle Pass residents say right-wing convoy, not migrants, making border town unsafe
At least one person tied to the convoy was arrested, and an immigrant processing center was evacuated following threats, Democratic lawmakers said.
California-based Black Bear Diner plans third San Antonio location
The new store will open on the far West Side in Monterrey Village.
Texas taxpayers have so far paid $124 million for Abbott’s migrant bus trips
Gov. Greg Abbott’s program has sent 100,000 migrants from border communities to Washington D.C., New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, Denver and Los Angeles.
San Antonio’s Bliss makes Yelp’s list of 100 most romantic restaurants
Reviewers described the south-of-downtown restaurant as “gorgeous” and “cozy yet elegant.”
Here’s why COVID-19 isn’t seasonal so far
Human immunity and behavior may be more important than weather for driving seasonality.
TxDOT cancels weekend work on San Antonio’s Loop 1604 and I-10 interchange
The state agency said the delay is due to rainy weather.
Abbott’s border standoff fueled by a climate crisis he helped create
Record levels of forced migration are tied to an environmental collapse that Republicans worsened on behalf of the fossil fuel industry.
Eagle Pass migrant facility reportedly evacuated due to threats from militia
Some 175 migrants were relocated to other facilities around the state after someone threatened to torch the Eagle Pass site.
Colin Allred outraises Ted Cruz campaign at end of 2023
Allred also dominated in fundraising over state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who had the second highest haul among the Democrats running.
San Antonio Rodeo’s Western Heritage Weekend kicks off Friday
From the 5K Stampede to the Western Heritage Parade, here are the pre-rodeo festivities taking place around the Alamo City.
San Antonio’s H-E-B tied in ranking as nation’s best grocery chain
H-E-B jumped from the No. 3 spot on last year’s survey to tie for the top spot with Costco and Publix.
These San Antonio bars and restaurants are offering Valentine’s Day eats and treats
Couples looking to celebrate can grab dinner reservations or amp things up with special events including a murder mystery party.
Award-winning Broadway show The Book of Mormon returning to San Antonio this spring
Tickets are now on sale for the musical, which has grossed $750 million since its 2011 opening.
Abbott appointee slams brakes on American Indian/Native Studies course
The course was getting a first read after years of review. Then, the chair of the state Board of Education said he needed more time to assess it without ‘drama or controversy.’
Far-right conspiracy theories rule at Dripping Springs’ ‘Take Back Our Border’ rally
Speakers accused the federal government of weaponizing COVID, and one claimed Jewish Americans are funding border crossings by terrorists.
San Antonio City Council approves code of conduct, but not without debate
Some on the dais warned that the document’s vague wording could allow council to punish members over unpopular views.
San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama picked for NBA’s 2024 Rising Stars showcase
In the Spurs’ Jan. 10 win over Detroit, he became the youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double with zero turnovers.
Mural of sought-after Stanley cup pops up near downtown San Antonio
The mural by local artist Colton Valentine is a depiction of a limited-edition Stanley cup that sold out in Target stores earlier this month.
If violence erupts on Texas border, blame Greg Abbott, Democratic lawmakers say
Lawmakers, including San Antonio’s Joaquin Castro and Greg Casar made their warning ahead of this weekend’s ‘Take Back Our Border’ rally.
Watch this week: Donald Glover and Maya Erskine heat up Amazon Prime in Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Plus everything else new on Netflix, Max, Hulu, Peacock and the rest of the streaming services.
Glitch in financial aid form is keeping students with immigrant parents from applying for college grants
Parents without a Social Security number still cannot complete the new FAFSA online. The U.S. Education Department has not said when it plans to fix the issue.
San Antonio Israel-Hamas ceasefire resolution unlikely to ever happen
Both District 1 Councilwoman Sukh Kaur and District 8’s Manny Pelaez said they have no interest in debating the matter.
Texas AG Ken Paxton sues 5 cities where voters cast ballots to decriminalize weed
The group behind the ballot initiatives called the suit an ‘obvious attempt to deflect from Paxton’s embarrassing legal jeopardy and diminishing political influence.’
Former Bexar Sheriff’s Office corporal gets 15 years in murder case
Giovanni Ceja was convicted of striking and killing a man with a vehicle and fleeing the scene.
Federal complaint faults Texas Medicaid software glitches for removal errors
Health care advocates have asked the Federal Trade Commission to investigate Deloitte software errors they say disenrolled qualified Medicaid participants.
San Antonio has 19th-highest STD rates in the nation, according to new study
Laredo was the only Texas city with a higher rate.
San Antonio Zoo asks Boomers to include it in their estate planning
Boomers are expected to leave $11.9 trillion in assets to charity over the next 11 years, according to one report.
San Antonio joins prestigious network of global cities of gastronomy
San Antonio is one of only three U.S. locations to get an invite into the prestigious Delice Network, a global club of 25 food-oriented cities.
Under Ken Paxton, Texas’ civil Medicaid fraud unit is falling apart
After the chief of the attorney general’s Civil Medicaid Fraud Division was forced out last year, two-thirds of attorneys have quit the unit, leaving it at its smallest size since Paxton took office.
After censure votes, San Antonio City Council to debate code of conduct
In less than two years, individual council members have been accused of drunk driving, fleeing the scene of an accident and berating a colleague.
San Antonio won’t reschedule this year’s canceled Martin Luther King Jr. March
The annual march honoring the late civil rights leader is one of the largest in the country.
Ventriloquist Nacho Estrada, best known for shows at San Antonio schools, has died
The performer was a fixture on school campuses in the ’80s and ’90s, and his comedic act urged kids to stay in school and steer clear of drugs.
San Antonio police arrest man accused of hitting woman in viral video
The case gained the public’s attention after online posts by self-identified internet detective TizzyEnt.
Texas ranks as the nation’s most Stanley Cup-obsessed state
The Lone Star State averages more than half a million Google searches monthly for the consumer-craze cups.
San Antonio Spurs, Wembanyama merchandise among NBA’s top sellers this season
It’s the first time since the 2015-16 season that a rookie has cracked the top 15 best-selling jerseys list.
WWE-announcer-turned standup comic Jonny Loquasto playing San Antonio on Saturday
After being laid off from WWE, Loquasto opted for a life in standup comedy.
Explosion leads Texas cops to secret marijuana-growing operation
A car was also seen leaving the property after the fiery blast, according to a news report.
Texas House candidate offers to lead ‘armed civilian militia’ to U.S.-Mexico border
LULAC warned on Monday that Gov. Greg Abbott’s extreme immigration rhetoric is putting Latinos’ safety at risk.
Live Music in San Antonio This Week: FIDLAR, Young Dubliners and more
Drummer extraordinaire Brian Blade is also bringing his jazz group, The Fellowship, to Jazz, TX.
San Antonio nonprofit SA2020 closes, says funders refused to back its racial equity work
The group said its funding drop-off intensified after it posted a statement calling for a Gaza ceasefire.
Texas Supreme Court to hear legal challenge to ban on transition-related care for kids
A fight over allowing transgender children to access puberty blockers and hormone therapies could hinge on justices’ interpretation of parental rights.
Texas alt-country trailblazer Will Johnson playing San Antonio’s Lonesome Rose
Johnson’s visibility reached a new high when he joined indie songwriter supergroup Monsters of Folk.
Anonymous note listing 10 reasons to love San Antonio goes viral
One specific item bashing Houston got folks fired after the list was posted online.
Pro-Palestinian protesters crash San Antonio Mayor’s Dream Ball
Saturday’s disruption came two days after activists shouted down Councilman John Courage during a press conference.
Musical adaptation of romcom Pretty Woman comes to San Antonio’s Tobin Center this week
The show tells the same unlikely love story we know and love from the 1990 film.
National Democrats back Michelle Vallejo for 15th congressional district
The U.S. House Democratic campaign arm added Vallejo to its ‘Red to Blue’ program, which supports promising candidates challenging Republican incumbents.
‘Take Back Our Border’ convoy heads for Texas border town of Eagle Pass
A similar convoy of self-described ‘patriots’ is expected to depart Dripping Springs in coming days.
San Antonio’s Alamo Colleges set new enrollment record
The five-campus district experienced a 10% year-over-year admissions jump while other community colleges face enrollment slumps.
Bad Takes: Stop treating homelessness and road deaths like unsolvable problems
Genuine freedom means taking care that we can all flourish together.
San Antonio Spurs take on the Cavs ahead of annual Rodeo Road Trip
The Saturday, Feb. 3 game will be a rematch of the teams’ close game in early January.
San Antonio artist Joey Fauerso celebrates a prolific decade with new book
You Destroy Every Special Thing I Make compiles projects and exhibitions that coincided with international residencies and high-profile grants.
San Antonio’s Nuevo Leon Bakery has closed
The East Side fixture has served commuters and school kids for nearly three decades.
Texas GOP vice chair challenges Matt Rinaldi for party leadership
Dana Myers has been critical of the party’s ties to Defend Texas Liberty PAC, a hard-right group that’s been tied to white supremacists.
San Antonio-born Church’s Chicken featured on new Hulu series about hot peppers
The 10-part documentary series Superhot is now available to stream on Hulu.
Texas attorney general requests transgender youths’ patient records from Georgia clinic
This is at least the second time Ken Paxton’s office has sought such records from an out-of-state provider since Texas banned transition-related care for kids.
San Antonio’s Lala’s Gorditas issues plea for business amid temporary slump
The owner asked for help on social media due to a winter downturn in customers.
Early catalog of San Antonio-born band Butthole Surfers getting vinyl reissue
The first three releases in the series will drop March 22 on Matador records.
Nonprofit news site San Antonio Report voluntarily recognizes its employee union
Workers said they’re still pushing for the reinstatement of an editor laid off earlier this week and will pursue a federal complaint over her filing.
Texans face a bigger burden than ever to pay rent, study finds
More than half of the state’s 4.2 million renters spend at least 30% of their income on rent and utilities, according to a Harvard University report.
Freetail Brewing Co., Mi Gente: San Antonio’s biggest food stories of the week
Freetail, a 15-year-old purveyor of craft brews, was listed on a site for people looking to sell businesses.
Downtown San Antonio Tex-Mex staple Rio Rio has closed
The owners of the River Walk restaurant opted not to renew its lease.
Steve McCraw, Greg Abbott: The top 10 headlines in San Antonio this week
A story about a man removed from a Texas-bound flight due to his farts also was among our most-read stories.
Pop heartthrob Justin Timberlake’s latest tour stopping at Frost Bank Center
The artist will appear May 27 in San Antonio as he tours in support of the new album Everything I Thought It Was.
Annual ‘El Segundo de Febrero’ exhibition opens at Centro Cultural Aztlan Feb. 2
The exhibition commemorates the 176th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
Texas had 26,000 pregnancies from rape since enacting total abortion ban
Apparently, Gov. Greg Abbott was unable to make good on his pledge to ‘eliminate all rapists.’
Believe the Hype: Cullum’s Attaboy continues to excel thanks to an unrivaled attention to detail
The restaurant drew breathless praise when it opened in 2022.
Hispanic and teen fertility rates increase after abortion restrictions
More than 16,000 babies were born in Texas in 2022 than in 2021, a new study from the University of Houston shows.
Anti-LGBTQ+ laws in Texas may violate human rights treaties
Four nonprofits are urging the United Nations to pressure the federal government to protect queer residents of the Lone Star state.
San Antonio man sentenced to federal prison for trying to burn down cell towers
Sean Aaron Smith, 30, pleaded guilty to arson and firearms charges and received a six-and-a-half-year sentence.
Nearly 12,500 Texans are owed back wages. Here’s how to check if you’re one of them.
An online federal database allows workers to check whether they’re owned back wages that an employer once skimmed.
San Antonio Councilman John Courage formally declaring run for mayor
Courage’s council colleagues Manny Pelaez, Adriana Rocha Garcia and Melissa Cabello Havrda have also signaled they may run.
Six San Antonio-area chefs, restaurants named James Beard semifinalists
In addition to San Antonio, some semifinalists are located in Seguin and Lockhart.
Texas’ Blue Bell Ice Cream releases new cinnamon bun-inspired flavor
The new flavor is now available for a limited time in pint and half-gallon sizes.
Billy Joel and Sting to play San Antonio’s Alamodome this fall
Tickets for the two Rock & Roll Hall of Famers’ show go on sale Friday, Feb. 2.
Texas abortion laws front and center in Biden’s White House bid
Two Texas women who were forced to leave the state to terminate non-viable pregnancies will be part of the Biden campaign’s reelection campaign.
Texas could swap land in Boca Chica State Park with SpaceX
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission is scheduled to vote in March on a deal that environmental advocates, the Esto’k Gna Tribal Nation of Texas and local officials oppose.
Dallas and Lockhart could become the next Texas cities to decriminalize weed
Activists are now collecting signatures to get marijuana decriminalization on the November ballot.
San Antonio Report staff walks off job after layoff of audience editor
The layoff comes as workers at the nonprofit newsroom seek union representation.
Briscoe Western Art Museum’s free, animal-themed festival returns on Saturday
The Wild West Wildlife Festival features activities that animal-lovers of all ages can enjoy.
Texas-bound flight returns to gate due to farting passenger
‘We all breathed a sigh of relief when he was removed,’ one passenger wrote in an online post.
San Antonio U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro calls on Biden to federalize Texas National Guard
Gov. Greg Abbott vowed to deploy more razor wire along the southern border after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that federal agents can remove the barriers.
Assclown Alert: Refusing to make good on a pledge to resign with Texas DPS Chief Steve McCraw
McCraw said he would resign if his agency failed Uvalde. Mounting evidence suggests DPS did just that.
San Antonio’s Gurwitz International Piano Competition to commence this week
The 10-day competition will be held at venues across the Alamo City.
DeLorean deal shows the need to develop San Antonio’s economy instead of chasing pipe dreams
Earlier this year, DeLorean officials asked to terminate a generous incentive deal the city offered to the startup.
San Antonio Spurs face Timberwolves Saturday in what’s likely to be a tough rematch
Expect another statement performance from Victor Wembanyama in a rematch with Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Burger Boy opens seventh San Antonio store on city’s South Side
The first 10 customers to visit the latest location will receive $50 gift cards.
Comedian Anthony Jeselnik comes to San Antonio on Bones and All tour
Jeselnik likened his onstage persona to a ‘comedy version of a horror movie’ in a New York Times interview.
Live Music in San Antonio This Week: Moving Panoramas, Los Texmaniacs, Lyle Lovett and more
Los Texmaniacs’ show will include appearances by San Antonio music luminaries Augie Meyers and Flaco Jimenez.
San Antonio Film Commissioner Kimberly LeBlanc surveys the moviemaking landscape
Among other things, LeBlanc discussed MovieMaker magazine again naming San Antonio one of the Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker.






