It’s always been hard to open a restaurant in San Antonio. Ask any local chef. But opening a new restaurant in the middle of a pandemic is uncharted territory. Since March, the COVID-19 crisis has forced nearly 12% of the state’s food and beverage businesses to permanently close their doors, according to the Texas Restaurant…
This week, the McNay Museum will showcase a new work by San Antonio artist Kelly O’Connor, who also serves as Ruby City’s head of communications and collections. The new, large-scale installation Multifaceted Woman will be on display in the museum’s AT&T Lobby. It is the ninth such installation in the space. O’Connor often uses iconic characters…
A motherlode of reading material is available for free from the San Antonio Public Library — and you don’t need to leave the house to access it. The content is available via the SAPL’s OverDrive collection, which mobile users can access through the Libby app, an award-winning, one-tap digital reading tool used by thousands of…
Air Force helicopter pilot MJ Hegar appears to have staved off a late push from State Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, and will face incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in November’s senate election to represent Texas. With just under one million votes counted late Tuesday night, Hegar, a decorated Air Force veteran who narrowly lost a U.S.…
On Tuesday, the Trump administration walked back recent guidance that would have deported international college and university students if they were enrolled exclusively in online classes this fall. The repeal follows outspoken criticism from universities, legal experts and higher education advocates, who deemed the rules unfairly punitive for foreign students. Federal officials agreed to reverse the…
Twenty-two-year-old Cecily Aguilar has pleaded not guilty to evidence tampering charges related to the murder of U.S. Army soldier Vanessa Guillen, KENS5 reports. Aguilar appeared Tuesday in federal court in Waco, where Judge Jeffrey Manske decided she would be held without bond until her trial begins, according to the TV station. She faces three charges…
The organizer of a Change.org petition with more than 3,000 signatures calling on the University of Texas at San Antonio to lower fall tuition has sent the petition to the university’s president and other administrators. Destiny Anguiano, a returning sophomore at UTSA, created the petition two weeks ago after the university announced that it was…
Need another sign that once reliably red Texas may be in play in November? Check out the Joe Biden campaign’s newest ad buy. The presumptive Democratic nominee will unveil a four-state media purchase Tuesday that includes TV and digital ads addressing Texas’ rising COVID-19 numbers, the Texas Tribune reports. “I will not abandon you. We’re all in…
One thing the pandemic has taught us is to embrace rasquache — doing what you can with what you’ve got — and that’s exactly what Chicana writer and teatrista Marisela Barrera is doing with the latest production of her one-woman show Tejana Rasquacha. Later this month, Barrera will stream two performances of Tejana Rasquacha online in a…
The food fight between the two GOP candidates vying to take retiring U.S. Rep. Will Hurd’s District 23 seat just got messier. On Monday, President Donald Trump’s campaign fired off a cease-and-desist letter to candidate Raul Reyes demanding that he stop implying in campaign materials that he’d landed a White House endorsement, Politico reports. The letter…
San Antonio’s Clementine has built a rep for thoughtful, delicious food, which is kind of a given when the owners are two of the city’s most celebrated chefs. This week, those chefs — John and Elise Russ — announced that their Castle Hills eatery is switching to a to-go model during the pandemic, allowing diners…
Following a successful May event that raised more than $13,000 for the San Antonio Food Bank, the Roadmap Brewing team is at it again. On Wednesday, the crew will release a 6.8% ABV New England-style IPA called Canned Goods and donate 100% of the profits from the sale of the special release to the SA…
H-E-B has landed the top spot on Food & Wine’s new 10 Best Supermarkets in America list. And the collective response from a lot of Texans was “duh.” After all, many of us already know just how exceptional the SA-based grocery giant is at everything from marketing to catering to local tastes. Not to mention, the company…
U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, will this week announce he’s vying to chair the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the Washington Post reports, citing congressional aides familiar with the effort. The move would pit Castro, who currently chairs the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, against senior members of the House for the role and potentially move the…
Three of the 217 election sites Bexar County planned to operate for the Tuesday, July 14 runoff won’t open after some volunteers declined to serve during the pandemic, officials said. Sites at Corbett Middle School and Cameron and Storm elementary schools won’t open, leaving 214 voting locations in the county, the Bexar County Elections Department…
Bexar County’s number of COVID-19 passed the 20,000 mark Monday as local officials warned that they may need to store the dead in refrigerated trucks, a morbid scene witnessed in New York during the early days of the pandemic. Local health officials reported 11 new COVID-19 deaths during a Monday evening briefing, including five people…
While offices, schools and other services remain closed, internet connection has become a necessity still out of reach for many San Antonio households. To help fill this gap, the Ella Austin Community Center opened a computer lab on its campus in late June. East Side families can access computers and the internet on Wednesdays from…
As San Antonio faces record-high temperatures over 100 degrees this week, the City of San Antonio is opening three new cooling centers to community members. The three new locations — the Carver Library, Collins Garden Library, and Mission Library — will be open to the public from noon to 7 p.m. July 13-17, and will…
In March, when colleges and universities across the country transitioned to remote learning at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement waived a requirement that international students studying in the U.S. must attend most of their classes in person. However, last Monday, with infections, hospitalizations and deaths spiking in much of…
Restaurant-focused nonprofit Culinaria has announced the expansion of Restaurant Weeks to a full Restaurant Month, from August 1 to 31. Typically, the Autumn iteration of Restaurants Weeks is a two-week-long event that encourages diners to get out and explore the city through food. To support restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic, however, Culinaria officials have extended…
Some residents of the Texas Hill Country had a bit of extra garnish for their morning commute today. Around 6:30 a.m. Monday morning, an 18-wheeler was positioned on the railroad tracks on Country Lane and FM 78 in Cibolo, Texas, when it was struck by a train, scattering the truck’s contents — condiments including pickles…
While CRE8ADA8’s contract was not renewed to continue with the federal Farmers to Families Food Box Program aimed to help feed American families, a social media account associated with CRE8AD8 claims it’s still distributing food boxes under a different company name. If you’ve been following the saga of San Antonio event planning company CRE8AD8, you’ll…
Locally-based fast food giant Taco Cabana has announced that select San Antonio locations now have the capability to deliver food and alcohol straight to your front door. TC fans can now place orders for delivery online, including the majority of the Tex-Mex menu as well as the $2 margaritas they’re currently offering as part of…
The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning for the San Antonio and South Texas area today until 8 p.m. San Antonians can expect temperatures as high as 106 degrees, with heat indexes nearing 113 degrees. Should temperatures reach 106 degrees, they will break the record temperature for both the day and the…
San Antonio’s Department of Arts & Culture is offering funds to individual artists and nonprofit art organizations who have accrued financial losses due to the pandemic through its new SA CARES 4 Art Grant Program. The grants will be available to qualified applicants who have experienced a decrease in business from March 13 onward due to…
Actress, TV host and Bird Bakery CEO/founder Elizabeth Chambers and actor husband Armie Hammer are going their separate ways after 10 years of marriage. Both confirmed the split on their Instagram pages late last week by sharing the same post and old photo. “Thirteen years as best friends, soulmates, partners and then parents,” the couple…
After the San Antonio area reported nine COVID-19 deaths Sunday, Mayor Ron Nirenberg warned residents to stay at home as much as feasible. “Prolonged face-to-face contact is the easiest way to transmit COVID-19. Don’t throw house parties. Don’t throw large social gatherings,” the mayor posted on Facebook. “This virus is nothing to celebrate. Stay home…
If we’ve learned anything after three years of the Donald Trump presidency, it’s that it really is about him. All the time. On Sunday, Trump tweeted that a reportedly flawed section of his South Texas border wall shouldn’t have been built by a private company and that the project was intended to embarrass him. “I…
Two dozen members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus have requested a virtual meeting with the CEOs of CoreCivic and GEO Group, private prison groups that operate immigrant detention centers for the federal government. Members of the caucus, chaired by Democratic U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro of San Antonio, warned in a July 10 letter that the crowded…
As Texas continues a weeks-long streak of setting grim coronavirus records, the most somber one was reached Friday: The virus has killed 3,013 people, according to the Department of State Health Services. Among the recent deaths were a Northeast Baptist Hospital patient in San Antonio who was in his 30s, a Grand Prairie man in…
The scientific debate over evidence that the coronavirus can float in the air for extended periods of time is intensifying. The World Health Organization has repeatedly downplayed the importance of such airborne transmission, instead emphasizing, with substantial evidence, the risks of close contact with infected people. But now, over 200 experts have signed an open…
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz on Friday said calls for a boycott of Goya Foods because its CEO praised President Donald Trump were an attempt to “silence free speech.” But one year ago, the Texas Republican encouraged people to boycott Nike after the company halted plans to sell shoes featuring the Betsy Ross flag that some say…
The prospect of temperatures reaching record highs this weekend makes us want to find the nearest pool and jump in — even if it’s one of those little plastic numbers from back when we were kids. And popping the top on an ice-cold brew helps too. In the spirit of chasing the 100+ degree weather…
Micheladas are an acquired taste. Still, you can’t deny that — every now and then, especially in hot weather — there’s something satisfying about the savory concoction of beer, tomato juice, spices and salt. With that in mind, we picked out a trio of locally brewed Mexican-style lagers to take your Micheladas to the next…
The VOD calendars are getting packed this summer. With many movie theaters closed because of the pandemic, streaming platforms seem to be the only place for cinematic solace these days. So, here we are, July 10, with six new reviews of movies that open this week. Be safe and try to have some happy movie-watching…
Centro San Antonio and Chamoy City Limits have partnered to distribute what San Antonians need the most during this pandemic: masks, hand sanitizer … and paletas. Centro SA and local artist Ana Fernandez’s Chamoy City Limits food truck will set up at different spots downtown from 2-6 p.m. this Friday and on July 17 and…
Nothing is more puro San Antonio than neighbors helping neighbors. That’s what happened when an anonymous Instagram user solicited support for a small plant seller on the South Side. Her post went viral and created an explosion of support for the backyard nursery. “I didn’t even know what was going on. I am old school…
It’s official: there will be no Fiesta San Antonio in 2020. After originally postponing the citywide party to November due to the pandemic, Fiesta officials announced Friday that the danger from COVID-19 is unlikely to subside in time to allow for the celebration this year. “It is with a heavy heart that we must announce Fiesta…
Warning the “worst is yet to come” with COVID-19 cases, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott told a Lubbock TV station he may execute a second stay-at-home order if people don’t follow his recent statewide mask mandate. “The public needs to understand this was a very tough decision for me to make,” Abbott said of the mask…
Latinx grocery staple Goya may be about to lose a big chunk of its market share. On Thursday, Goya CEO Robert Unanue made an appearance with President Donald Trump at the White House, during which he lavished praise upon the Cheeto in Chief despite a record that’s caused irreparable harm to the food company’s core…
Officials with the historic Pearl Stable have announced that the space, which has hosted thousands of guests over the past 14 years as a premiere venue, will no longer hold special events. “As of 7/31/20 Pearl will be closing the Stable as a private venue,” read an emailed statement from the Pearl development. “Over the course of the…
Going back on an announcement made earlier this week, the Texas Workforce Commission has reversed their decision to force jobless Texans to pay back unemployment benefits they may have received in error, the Texas Tribune reports. The Houston Chronicle originally reported that the Texas Workforce Commission had sent notices to more than 46,000 unemployed Texans…
A company with close ties to San Antonio techie-turned-Trump 2020 Campaign Manager Brad Parscale scooped up a $780,680 loan through the federal Paycheck Protection Program, Mother Jones reports. Parscale holds nearly 35% of the stock in CloudCommerce Inc., the financially troubled tech firm that landed the PPP loan, according to its yearend federal securities filing.…
Earlier this week, the San Antonio Food Bank issued a plea to the community, asking for volunteers to help distribute food to hungry families. At the time, the organization was at risk of having to scale back distributions for the foreseeable future due to a lack of helping hands. On Friday, Food Bank CEO Eric…
For Jeannette Rico, 30, a single mother and resident at Alazán-Apache Courts, the coronavirus pandemic has made accessing food harder than ever. “I have three children, and so it was hard to walk with them [to the nearest pantry] all at once,” Rico said, “but there’s nothing being given out, so that’s not even the…
According to a doctor at San Antonio’s Methodist Hospital, a 30-year-old local man recently died after attending a so-called COVID-19 party, KSAT reports. “One of the things that was heart wrenching that he said to his nurse was, ‘You know, I think I made a mistake.’ And this young man went to a COVID party,”…
Sen. John Cornyn, who’s faced criticism for downplaying the COVID-19 pandemic and latching onto racist conspiracy theories to explain it, is now questioning whether it affects children. When asked by Dallas TV station NBC 5 about how safe it is for Texas students to return to classrooms, the three-term Texas Republican said it’s unclear whether…
Sonus Complete is a health supplement by Gregory Peters that is specifically designed to provide relief to people who suffer from constant buzzing in the ears. All ingredients added in this supplement are 100% natural which makes it safe to consume with no fear of side effects. It aids in bringing you back to your routine…
In a move to ensure its financial stability, Spurs Sports & Entertainment will cut staff positions as the NBA works to resume its 2020 season, the San Antonio Business Journal reports. The downsizing comes nearly five months after the NBA season put its current season on ice due to the coronavirus pandemic. The San Antonio Spurs…
With Fiesta 2020 still tentatively on the books for November, the organizers of NIOSA have hired epidemiologist Cherise Rohr-Allegrini to brainstorm possible options for celebrating safely. One of the alternatives she presented to the Conservation Society of San Antonio, which runs the event, is a socially-distant, drive-thru NIOSA, the Express-News reports. NIOSA, or A Night in Old San…
Missing Texas Public Radio’s Cinema Tuesdays? Turns out, all you have to do is pop some popcorn, fire up your favorite streaming service and kick back on the couch to take part in a virtual version of the popular San Antonio film series. Beginning July 21, TPR will resume its Cinema Tuesdays online. While ongoing…
On July 22, a project called 10,000 Headshots will bring together 200 photographers nationwide to offer free headshots to people who lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. So far, only a single photographer is participating in the one-day event in San Antonio. Mink Headshot Studio is based in Austin but will be stationed in the…
U.S. Reps. Lloyd Doggett and Joaquin Castro have joined a chorus of local leaders calling on Brooke Army Medical Center to help handle the San Antonio area’s growing coronavirus crisis. Even though BAMC has treated non-military trauma patients for decades, the medical facility at Fort Sam Houston won’t treat civilians with COVID-19 unless they’re military…
Journey through distant lands, encounter magical creatures and laugh all along the way. San Antonio improv comedy troupe Bexar Stage is bringing a Dungeons & Dragons campaign to comedic life in Die of the Beholder, an ongoing set of live performances it streams every second and fourth Saturday. Dungeon Master Andre Villaplana leads the characters Maitae,…
With reported coronavirus cases in Texas child care facilities rising quickly, parents face terrifying uncertainty as they try to decide whether to entrust their children to child care centers. According to the state health agency, as of Wednesday, Texas children and staff reported 1,695 positive cases at 1,078 child care centers, about 8.8% of the…
San Antonio-based Zeus Delivery is coming to the aid of South Side fixture La Familia Bakery by purchasing all its available pan dulce and giving it away to patrons who stop in on Saturday, mySA reports. Customers can swing by La Familia for the free pastries starting at 9 a.m. And, while there, Zeus Delivery…
For all his power, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick hasn’t done much to assist his constituents during the pandemic. Unless, for some reason, you count doubling down on outrageous rhetoric as helpful. On a Fox News appearance Wednesday, the one-time right-wing radio host called Black Lives Matter a “communist organization” intent on taking over school…
The Alamo City’s Southern Roots Vegan Bakery has experienced an “unexpectedly jaw-dropping influx of orders” since being highlighted on recent lists of Black-owned businesses, according to its owners. In a July 7 Instagram post, the plant-based bakery requested customers be patient since its owners, the husband and wife team Marcus and Cara Pitts, produce each item from scratch…
San Antonio Spurs star Patty Mills has pledged to donate his entire NBA salary for the remainder of the 2019-2020 season to groups fighting for racial justice, including Black Lives Matter organizations. And that’s no small commitment. The 11-year NBA veteran and Australian native is expected to make $1,017,818.54 playing in the season’s eight remaining games.…
The Republican Party of Texas’ in-person convention next week has been canceled, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said Wednesday. The news came after Turner directed the city’s legal department to work with the Houston First Corp., which operates the George R. Brown Convention Center, to review the contract with the state party. Turner said officials with…
Although Artpace has closed its doors due to San Antonio’s spike in COVID-19 cases, the nonprofit artist residency program has opened up its parking lot. On Tuesday, Artpace announced on Twitter and Instagram that it extended its WiFi signal across its parking lot, giving the public free access. Anyone wanting to use the network need only park…
Alamo Colleges and the city of San Antonio are partnering on a program that pays students $450 a week as they work to become certified in fields including healthcare, information technology, manufacturing, welding and construction. City council last month voted 10-1 to approve a $70 million plan providing retraining to residents who lost their jobs…
The latest installment of Texas Public Radio’s Worth Repeating storytelling series, “Reckoning with Racism,” will stream on Facebook next week. This virtual event will serve as an outlet for San Antonians to share their stories of “self-realization about biases, latent racism or entitlement, experiencing racism personally, navigating the web of systemic, structural and institutional racism,…
The San Antonio Zoo is preparing to bring back the popular drive-through experience it launched in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The attraction will operate its Drive Thru Zoo tours on select days beginning July 12. The return comes after the success of its initial drive-through events in May — tickets for the first sold out in two…
Add San Antonio’s five-year-old Mala Luna Festival to the list of musical events cancelled by the COVID-19 pandemic. The fall event had emerged as a survivor amid a challenging music festival environment, dependably drawing top EDM and hip-hop acts including Rick Ross, Diplo and Lil Wayne. However, on Wednesday, Mala Luna’s organizers sent a brief…
The Texas Restaurant Association has asked Gov. Greg Abbott to revise the definitions of “bar” in his recent order closing drinking establishments in response to a spike in COVID-19 cases. In a letter to the governor, the TRA argues that if businesses now classified as bars but equipped with permanent kitchen facilities are allowed to reopen…
In time for summertime sipping, Hill Country-based Garrison Brothers distillery has released an 80-proof Texas bourbon infused with sweet stuff from family-owned institution Burleson’s Texas Wildflower Honey. The new HoneyDew whiskey will be available for purchase at Garrison Brothers Distillery starting July 18. It hits select liquor stores, bars and restaurants nationwide on August 1. Nancy…
If it seems like Democratic U.S. Senate candidate MJ Hegar is all over your television set, it’s not your imagination. The former Air Force helicopter pilot has landed $2 million in ad buys from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, reproductive-rights group EMILY’s List and her own campaign, the Texas Tribune reports. The blitz comes a…
Authorities closed downtown bar Drink Texas on Saturday night for violating Gov. Greg Abbott’s order that bans bars from opening during the pandemic, KSAT reports. Over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, city officials received 48 calls regarding violations of public health ordinances, including one that reported the Navarro Street establishment was open and serving…
As new COVID-19 infections stress San Antonio hospitals, the U.S. Army is dispatching 50 personnel to help handle the surge, Texas Public Radio reports. Local leaders have warned that hospitals could reach full capacity in a matter of days and that they’re prepared to activate a makeshift medical facility at Freeman Coliseum to handle patient…
Under the layers of brilliantly colored paint that depicted dream-like scenes, such as a woman split in half with nails in her skin or two identical women connected by a vein to their open hearts, was the emotions and reflections of Frida Kahlo’s turbulent life. Monday marked what would have been the beloved artist’s 113th…
If you grew up watching late Puerto Rican astrologer Walter Mercado entertain viewers on Univision, you’ll want to make sure you have a Netflix membership. The flamboyant, legendary TV personality will be featured in the new documentary Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado about his life and decades-long career. The title of the…
In a letter to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, State Sen. José Menéndez, D-San Antonio, warned that the state’s current hands-off approach to restarting public schools puts students and staff at risk for COVID-19 infections. Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath has deemed it safe for schools to reopen in August. However, beyond broad recommendations, state officials…
The San Antonio Zoo is offering an unusual guest experience this month: a train robbery. A mini-train robbery, to be exact. To mark the 50th anniversary of the event dubbed the “Great (Little) Train Robbery,” the zoo is holding an educational event on Saturday, July 18 that will double as a fundraiser. Guests will ride on the…
This fall, the University of Texas at San Antonio will offer a class exploring slain Tejano singer Selena through the lens of Mexican American identity. Sonya M. Alemán, associate professor of Mexican American studies, will teach “Selena: A Mexican American Identity and Experience.” The course will be offered through UTSA’s Department of Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and…
San Antonio-based artist Jennifer Ling Datchuk was recently highlighted in Vogue magazine as part of a project marking the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote. The piece also showcased 10 other diverse women artists. As part of the magazine’s Artist Statements project, which Vogue describes as “an…
A Texas yacht rock fan is circulating a petition to swap downtown’s now-departed statue of Christopher Columbus with that of a substantially less controversial Christopher — and one with legit Alamo City ties. Someone identified as Ed E recently posted a Change.org petition seeking a city council vote to put up a statue of San…
We’ll miss ya, Big Tex. In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the State Fair of Texas called off its 2020 season, marking event’s first cancellation since World War II. “With a heavy heart, we are announcing that the State Fair of Texas will not open for the 2020 season,” read a statement from the organizers. “We…
In yet another sign that COVID-19 is nothing to mess with, the German history-steeped Hill County town of Fredericksburg is putting off Oktoberfest until next year. Due to surging COVID-19 cases, the town — founded in 1846 and named after Prince Frederick of Prussia — will push back the 40th anniversary of its annual beer-and-sausage…
The Texas Medical Association has released a ranking of common activities — from pumping gas to pumping iron — based on how big a risk of COVID-19 infection they pose. The TMA’s new “Know Your Risk” chart rates activities on a scale of 1 to 10, with a ranking of 1 indicating low risk and…
Local restaurant and bar Web House, near San Pedro Springs Park, was given a citation last week for selling alcoholic drinks to customers waiting for takeout food orders in its dining room, News4SA reports. Web House is classified by the Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission as a bar, because more than 51% of its sales…
High-profile San Antonio businesses including the Bill Miller Bar-B-Q chain and the Thomas J. Henry law firm pulled in loans of $5 million or more under a federal coronavirus relief program meant to help small employers. According to newly released federal records, 25 Alamo City corporations were among the 400 Texas companies that borrowed $5…
Houston-area TV station ABC13 tweeted on Monday about a new mural honoring murdered Army Specialist Vanessa Guillén, referring to her as a “fallen solider,” and Twitter called the station out on its choice of words. “She was sexually harassed, assaulted, brutally murdered and dismembered by a fellow service member,” read one reply. “She’s not a…
On Wednesday, Texas poets will lend their voices to a women’s art-focused showcase hosted by the San Antonio Museum of Art. The free online event — Abstract Womanism: A Poetic Telling of Women’s Art — features a diverse lineup of poets, including Andrea “Vocab” Sanderson, the first spoken word artist to serve as the city’s Poet Laureate.…
The Texas Workforce Commission has sent notices asking 46,000 jobless workers to repay portions of their employment compensation, even though the state approved the benefits, the Houston Chronicle reports. The TWC says it mistakenly paid $32 million in benefits to thousands of Texans since March. It now falls upon the people who received the checks…
The Old Fashioned is one of the first build-in-the-glass cocktails — and one of the first cocktails, period. Once simply called the Whiskey Cocktail, this classic is certainly a foundational drink for any aspiring home bartender. Some even claim it’s a rum forbear. Just because it’s a Genesis creation doesn’t mean this initially simple combination…
Chefs Nicola Blaque and Lionel “Butch” Blache will open a new Caribbean concept called Mi Roti at the Pearl’s Bottling Department this Thursday. The menu, priced between $10 and $12, will feature an array of fresh proteins and toppings from which customers can build their own roti, a word that describes both a type of…
Warning it may be forced to cut back on large-scale food distributions during the pandemic, the San Antonio Food Bank said Monday it’s running short on volunteer workers. The Food Bank needs 400 volunteers weekly to help feed people during the COVID-19 crisis. Currently, it’s only able to schedule around 100 per week, meaning the…
Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, has joined the chorus calling for a Congressional probe into the death of Vanessa Guillén, a 20-year-old soldier stationed at Fort Hood who disappeared in April and whose body was identified Sunday. “On behalf of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, we extend our deepest condolences to the Guillen family and loved…
Sen. John Cornyn called it a “mistake” to extend benefits to unemployed Americans during the COVID-19 crisis on a Friday video call with the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants. “This is one area where we found that we did make a mistake, because we actually added a $600-a-week benefit from the federal government,” the…
Starting Monday, only individuals exhibiting symptoms associated with COVID-19 will be eligible for testing at San Antonio’s city-run test sites. The new restriction applies to city-operated free testing sites including Freeman Coliseum and the Cuellar Community Center. Beginning tomorrow, City-run #COVID19 test sites will only test those experiencing symptoms associated with the virus. If you…
Given the chaotic state of the world, there’s no better time for comfort food than right now. Enter July 6: National Fried Chicken Day. To help you celebrate, here are three San Antonio-area restaurants recognized for serving up crispy, delicious yardbird, either for dine in or takeout. Earl Abel’s // This iconic Pearl-area eatery is taking…
Hospitals in the Rio Grande Valley sounded the alarm Saturday as their beds filled to capacity with COVID-19 patients and some began transferring patients elsewhere. Ten of 12 hospitals in Hidalgo, Cameron and Starr counties are now on “diversion status,” which means all their beds are full, although Hidalgo County spokesperson Carlos Sanchez said it’s…
Well, so much for draining the swamp. Consumer watchdog group Public Citizen released a report Monday identifying at least 40 lobbyists connected to President Donald Trump that won more than $10 billion in federal COVID-19 relief for corporate clients during the pandemic. Five of those lobbyists are former administration officials whose work potentially violates the White…
Whether audiences know him as the vengeful ex-Federale in the Machete franchise or in one of the hundreds of other movie and TV roles he is credited with including Navajas in Desperado, Johnny 23 in Con Air or as Tortuga in his two-episode-turn on TV’s Breaking Bad, veteran actor Danny Trejo has had a full…
Stand-up comedians Bryan Callen and Brendan Schaub, who performed at the Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club June 25-27, respectively confirmed on the podcast The Fighter & the Kid Thursday and on Instagram Friday that they tested positive for COVID-19 after their San Antonio tour stop. “We’re morons and went on the tour and stuff,” Schaub said…
Let’s be clear: Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller’s online behavior is beyond problematic. But, for a change, the commissioner seems to have latched onto a cause a plurality of Texans can get behind. In a July 1 letter, Miller asked Gov. Greg Abbott to amend the recent order that closed all Texas bars so that wineries and tasting…
Even if we’re celebrating the Fourth of July at home this year, we can still fire up the grill to get our great ‘Murican party on. We asked four San Antonio chefs for insight on how to cook with flame at home. From seasoning tips to protein selection, these pros were more than willing to…
An ammonia spill in the San Pedro Creek this week has killed nearly 5,500 fish, according to a tally conducted by the San Antonio River Authority on Thursday. Ammonia entered the creek through a storm drain on South San Marcos Street after a leak in the refrigeration system at the nearby Kiolbassa Smoked Meat plant…
With COVID-19 forcing us to celebrate the Fourth at home, we reached out to a local chef with a penchant for panache for a refreshing summertime drinks to ensure our long weekend can still be lit — even if we’re stuck at home. “We’ve been drinking homemade lemonades and teas, like carrot lemonade, hibiscus tea…
San Antonio event planner CRE8AD8’s lackluster performance in fulfilling a hunger-fighting federal relief program contract has led to denial of an extension, the San Antonio Express-News reports. Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released a list of contractors approved for a second round of funding of the Farmers to Families Food Box Program. CRE8AD8 wasn’t…
Say what you will about the things Gov. Greg Abbott has been doing during this pandemic, but make note of the verb: “doing.” The governor has faced steady criticism since the pandemic became a statewide emergency in mid-March and the economy flopped. He was knocked at first for his reluctance to issue statewide restrictions to enforce social distancing…
Happy Fourth of July weekend! We’re sure the 1996 sci-fi blockbuster Independence Day will likely play in your house sometime over the next few days, but also try watching one of these new releases that will hit theaters (wear a mask!) and VOD platforms this week. Here are a few short reviews of Hamilton, The…
As Texas grapples with runaway COVID-19 numbers, Gov. Greg Abbott issued an order Thursday requiring most residents to wear masks in public places. The order requires people living in counties with 20 or more COVID-19 cases to wear masks that cover their nose and mouth while inside businesses or other public buildings. Face coverings are also…
After days of climbing numbers of COVID-19 infections and a staggering record jump of 1,268 cases on Tuesday, San Antonio’s number of new cases went up by just 439 on Wednesday. Finally, some good news, right? Maybe a sign that Judge Nelson Wolff’s order requiring local businesses to make masks mandatory is flattening the curve. Not so…
Hugman’s Oasis, a River Walk tiki bar still under development, was recently outfitted with the best in tropical decor and design by a legend in the trade: “Bamboo Ben” Bassham. The world-renowned design guru is responsible for some of the most iconic commercial tiki bar designs, not to mention hundreds of tikiphiles’ home bars. “Originally,…
COVID-19 displaced the music of orchestras from massive concert halls to the confines of digital speakers. Yet, through it all, the Youth Orchestra of San Antonio continued to train the next generation of musicians. Now, thanks to a new $50,000 National Endowment for the Arts grant, YOSA can keep its mission going through the pandemic. The…
It’s 11 p.m. and San Antonio resident Judy Sanders and her family have decided to shake off their cabin fever with a trip to Rooftop Cinema Club’s drive-in movie screening outside the front gates of Six Flags Fiesta Texas. Amid the COVID-19 crisis, Rooftop Cinema — which arranges showings at rooftop venues in Houston, Los Angeles,…
This Fourth of July, Taco Cabana, La Panaderia and Lick Honest Ice Creams are offering something sweet to celebrate Independence Day. If you’re looking to cool down over your long weekend, we’ve got ya, fam. La Panaderia | Multiple LocationsThe homegrown bakery chain is offering a patriotic twist on their croissants by filling one with…
A Floresville ISD board member is wanted for GTD: grand theft donkey. Alena Berlanga, who represents Floresville ISD’s District 6, is facing multiple misdemeanor charges for allegedly stealing a donkey. While the animal was in labor, no less. News4SA reports that Berlanga and her two accused accomplices — Nicole Sullivan and Pamela Johnson — heard…
When Vice President Mike Pence landed in Texas last weekend to reassure us that state Republican leadership and the Tweeter-in-Chief have this coronavirus thing under control, it was little surprise he did so at Pastor Robert Jeffress’ First Baptist Church in Dallas. Jeffress, one of the president’s most unflinching evangelical supporters regularly uses his sermons…
Political contests can get ugly, even between members of the same party. Case in point: the race between Tony Gonzales and Raul Reyes Jr. to decide which will represent the GOP this fall for the hotly contested 23rd District seat being vacated by fellow Republican U.S. Rep. Will Hurd. As early voting gets underway, the…
In a move that coincides with escalating COVID-19 cases nationwide, members-only bulk store Costco stopped selling its $20 half-sheet cakes, citing the need for limited personal contact and social distancing. The cakes, designed to yield 48 servings, were intended for big gatherings such as graduation and birthday parties. However, due to the recent, staggering spike…
A man believed to be involved in the disappearance of Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guillen shot and killed himself Wednesday morning, military officials said. Killeen police, U.S. marshals and Fort Hood criminal investigators were attempting to arrest the man, but when they confronted him, he produced a firearm and fatally shot himself. Authorities have not…
Local photographer Adnan Sakib captured a “once-in-a-lifetime” aerial video of the Saharan Dust Plume making its way through downtown this week. According to a report by The Washington Post, the dust plume lingered around Texas and Louisiana between Tuesday and Thursday. Sakib captured the video on Saturday at around 11 a.m., according to MySA. “I…
Black Lives Matter isn’t the first movement against systemic racism to take to the streets of San Antonio — nor will it be the last. In light of protests against police brutality both in San Antonio and nationwide, URBAN-15’s July episode of Hidden Histories brings together two generations of San Antonio civil rights leaders to…
Federal agents are holding at least one immigrant family at a San Antonio Homewood Suites hotel despite an earlier pledge from Hilton, Homewood’s owner, that it wouldn’t let federal agents detain immigrants at its properties. According to the immigration justice organization RAICES, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have detained a family of four from Haiti inside…
Unless one is familiar with the many boards and commissions that have helped shape San Antonio over the past 25 years, Grace Rose Gonzales may be a name that’s slipped through the cracks. But Gonzales moved up a notch in familiarity on Super Tuesday when, as one of four candidates vying for Bexar County Democratic…
Born in Laredo in 1963, Ethel Shipton grew up along the U.S.-Mexico border during a decidedly different era. By the age of 12, she was hopping on busses to visit relatives in downtown Laredo and walking across the bridge to explore the mercados of Nuevo Laredo — alone. Her late mother Angela Palacios Shipton — who…
An eerie vibe pervaded near the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River Wednesday. Dozens of dead fish floated in the murky water, and a pungent odor loomed over the area. A man fishing late that afternoon said he’d one seen one live fish in the several hours he spent at the confluence of the…
To mask or not to mask? To the dismay of many public health experts, that remains a question up for debate in the United States even as the coronavirus pandemic rages on. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that everyone wear masks when in public to curb the spread of COVID-19.…
Hundreds of the country’s immigration judges filed a lawsuit Wednesday alleging that the Trump administration is muzzling their right to free speech. The lawsuit cites a 2020 policy enacted by the Justice Department’s Executive Office of Immigration Review that prohibits judges from speaking about policy or law, even in their personal capacities, and requires immigration…
In advance of the Fourth of July weekend, Cameron County officials have closed county parks and beach access to South Padre Island in response to the surge in COVID-19 cases. The closures began Tuesday and will remain in effect until July 13. The emergency order, executed by Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino Jr., also introduces…
Citing concern over the state’s inability to slow the spread of COVID-19, State Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, sent a letter asking Gov. Greg Abbott to work with the Texas Legislature instead of going it alone. Even as diagnoses and hospitalizations spike across the state, Texas’ Republican governor has largely limited the response to…
With historic King William Street as the backdrop, singer songwriter Rudi Harst will bring his folk-rock-calypso blend live to July’s King William Concert series on Sunday, starting at 5:30 p.m. The King William Cultural Arts Association is streaming this and other performances over their Facebook and YouTube channels throughout the month. Harst has been writing music…
Editor’s Note: The following is CityScrapes, a column of opinion and analysis. Just one more thing. One more big thing. One more grand project with the promise that it would make San Antonio grow. That would make San Antonio great — and put it at the front rank of American cities. In the early years of…
On Tuesday, a small work crew quietly took down a Christopher Columbus statue that served as the focal point of a downtown San Antonio park since 1956. The statue, originally donated by Christopher Columbus Italian Society, had emerged as a flashpoint for activists, who say the explorer’s history of slavery and oppression of indigenous people…
This weekend, a gal in pink velour sweats stole our hearts with a hilarious video on TikTok, which set Twitter alight after getting shared by famous fashion blogger Bryanboy. In a stunning twist, it turns out that the viral sensation @cowgirlsosa reps the 2-1-0. In the video, @cowgirlsosa — a.k.a. Isabella Sosa — flips through…
The San Antonio Food Bank is calling out local event planning company CRE8AD8 for fulfilling just 40% of the business’ controversial federal contract to feed families hurt by the COVID-19 crisis, News4 San Antonio reports. Under a $39 million contract through the US Department of Agriculture’s Farms to Families Food Box Program, CRE8AD8 was required…
As San Antonio posted a new record in COVID-19 cases Tuesday, leaders passed rules requiring businesses to quiz workers and customers about potential symptoms and take their temperatures before they come inside. Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff signed the orders, which become effective Thursday. Bexar County tallied 1,268 new cases on…
Texas burger institution Whataburger is exploring Kansas City for its next expansion phase, and it’s also mulling moves into Tennessee and other Southeastern markets, the San Antonio Business Journal reports. “It’s a natural expansion for us,” James Turcotte, senior VP of real estate for the San Antonio-based chain, told the publication. “It fits our customer profile. It…
As statewide COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations continue to set records, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has once again appeared on Fox News to whip up a culture war around the pandemic. After drawing earlier headlines by saying old people should be willing to sacrifice their lives to protect the economy during the crisis, Patrick on Tuesday…
Another disturbing chapter of Texas history is unfolding in a rural prison town 58 miles south of San Antonio. Citing crowded conditions and a lack of safety measures, immigration experts say prisoners in the South Texas ICE Processing Center at Pearsall face high risk for falling victim to the coronavirus pandemic. As of June 21,…
