From 1964 to 1968 — the years between the Beatles’ Ed Sullivan appearance and the psychedelic tidal wave that engulfed the music scene — the Alamo City produced a clutch of timeless garage rock classics. Short-lived bands including the Outcasts, the Stoics, the Chayns, the Five Canadians, Sweet Smoke, the Laughing Kind, the Argyles and the Pandas…
The Texas House of Representatives has approved a bill preventing cities from restricting natural gas in new buildings, a trend undertaken by some California cities to curb greenhouse gas emissions. House Bill 17 received House approval Tuesday on a 113-34 vote. It was voted out of House State Affairs Committee shortly after its hearing less than two weeks…
Splashway Waterpark and Campground will host a family-friendly outdoor wine walk for two weekends in April, allowing folks to soak up sunshine and vino in the tiny Texas town of Sheridan. If you’ve never heard of Sheridan, you’re not alone. The town two hours east of San Antonio is home to fewer than 1,000 people…
Former NBA Champion and San Antonio Spur David Robinson is trading in his jersey for an apron to help raise scholarship cash for local IDEA Public Schools students. Robinson will team up May 20 with Alamo City chef and Food Network “Iron Chef Gauntlet” alum Jason Dady to host “Cooking with IDEA,” a live-streamed fundraiser for…
Sandwich chain Jersey Mike’s is building more than just subs this month — it’s also filling up its karma bank. For the 11th year, Jersey Mike’s and local nonprofit Eva’s Heroes are joining forces for a monthlong fundraiser to support of individuals with intellectual special needs. Throughout March, a portion of every Jersey Mike’s sub…
San Antonio-based chef Tim McDiarmid on Tuesday launched a new picnic-style food festival featuring bites from local culinary pros as well as beer, wine, cocktails and music. Evenings at Ivy is a new chef series helmed by McDiarmid — owner of Ivy Hall, Tim the Girl Catering and The Good Kind — that will benefit…
We understand that in the current political environment it can be really tough to tell the difference between real news stories and satire, which is precisely why we’re letting you know that the Mendoza Line is a weekly work of satire. Bexar County Commissioner Trish DeBerry, whose public relations firm has a contract with the San…
It’s not as if we need more reasons to take our fur babies out on the town, but if you don’t do it on National Puppy Day, you deserve a swat on the nose with a newspaper. Turns out many San Antonio eateries and bars offer dog-friendly spaces, and some even have puppy treats on…
Texas’ health department said Tuesday that all of the state’s adult residents will be eligible for coronavirus vaccinations starting Monday. “We are closing in on 10 million doses administered in Texas, and we want to keep up the momentum as the vaccine supply increases,” said Imelda Garcia, associate director of the Department of State Health Services,…
On Monday, the San Antonio Zoo introduced a new resident to the public. Jeda, a 3-year-old male tiger, came to the Alamo City on February 9 from another Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited facility in Florida. He was placed in a 30-day quarantine while staff monitored his health and habits. After the quarantine, he was introduced…
CPS Energy has sued at least nine natural-gas suppliers, including giants BP Energy and Chevron, alleging they charged excessive rates as it struggled to keep the power on during February’s winter storm. The suits, filed Monday in Bexar County District Court, allege the suppliers overcharged the city-owned utility tens of millions of dollars, imposing “commercially…
After closing its doors in December due to San Antonio’s surge in COVID-19 cases, Artpace has reopened to the public. Visitation will be on an appointment-only basis. In addition to its current exhibitions on view — the group show “After Carolee: Tender and Fierce” and José Villalobos’ “de los otros” — Artpace’s Spring 2021 Artists-in-Residence…
San Antonians can enjoy live music, great food and local history from the comfort of their cars at this year’s Brackenridge Park Conservancy fundraiser, “A Promenade Through the Park.” On Wednesday, March 24, attendees will wend their way through the historic park in a safe and socially distanced drive, which includes portions of the park…
Last month’s record-setting freeze has added insult to injury for Texas food banks, as many brace for produce shortages from devastated farms and groves, CNN reports. The 21 food banks in Texas saw an increase in food assistance needs since last March as a direct result of the COVID-19 panic, but last month’s cold snap…
Republican lawmakers in Texas are attempting to cement more bricks into the wall they hope will shield their hold on power from the state’s changing electorate. After more than 20 years in firm control, the GOP is seeing its dominance of Texas politics slowly slip away, with some once reliable suburbs following big cities into…
Individuals or businesses with creative needs are now able to take advantage of Pearl Studio, a new content-creation center in San Antonio. Located at Pearl Brewery, Pearl Studio is a one-stop shop for photo and video production, with various equipment such as backdrops, paper rolls, c-stands, changing rooms, speakers and more in its 900+ square…
In the wake of Gov. Greg Abbott lifting the statewide mask mandate, Bexar County and University Health System are uniting to encourage Alamo City residents to share via social media why they’re still masking up. “It’s important to reiterate this whole effort, because we understand this is going on for a long time, and folks…
Texas Restaurant Association President and CEO Emily Williams Knight, Ed.D. is taking her expertise on the road to fulfill a newly created role with the National Restaurant Association as Chief Collaboration Officer and EVP of Industry Relations. After two years of leading the TRA — an influential food and beverage trade association — Williams Knight…
Vegan food chain Project Pollo is giving away 1,000 of its People Project sandwiches today, gifting the flagship menu item it created to help feed those in need. Founder Lucas Bradbury introduced the People Project sandwich — featuring three breaded meat-free chik’n strips topped with house aioli and stacked with dill pickles — as a means…
Likely Bexar County voters support a trio of direct-payment programs designed to help struggling residents, including a one-time cash payment to those financially harmed by last month’s winter storm, according to a new poll. A survey from nonprofit journalism site The Appeal and progressive firm Data for Progress shows that local voters favor using direct payments…
Spring breakers and college hoops fanatics will bring a $25 million boost to the San Antonio economy, according to the group responsible for drawing the the women’s NCAA basketball tournament here. The San Antonio Local Organizing Committee told TV station KENS5 that visitors, including those in town for tourney, will whisk in a windfall for downtown — a welcome…
It’s clear that there are more people trying to get across the border between Mexico and Texas, that state officials are concerned about increases in human trafficking there and that the state’s Republican politicians are trying to pin those troubles on the country’s Democratic president. It is not at all clear that the people of…
Attention, fizz aficionados: bottled-water cult phenomenon Topo Chico will launch a hard seltzer line this month, and the Lone Star State will get one of the first tastes. The new seltzers will be available in four flavors: Tangy Lemon Lime, Exotic Pineapple, Strawberry Guava and Tropical Mango. The slim, 16-ounce cans will retail in packs…
Kent Taylor, founder and CEO of the Texas Roadhouse restaurant chain, died by suicide Thursday after suffering from severe post-COVID symptoms, according to a statement from the company. He was 65. “Kent battled and fought hard like the former track champion that he was, but the suffering that greatly intensified in recent days became unbearable,”…
More than 900,000 first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine are headed to the Lone Star State. The Texas Department of State Health Services said it’s delivering more than 685,000 doses this week to 481 providers in 183 counties. At the same time, the federal government is delivering 230,000 doses to Texas pharmacy locations and qualified…
More than a year after the novel coronavirus had spread to all corners of the globe, officially becoming a pandemic, we still don’t know where it came from (SN: 3/11/20). Many researchers agree the virus most likely came from nature, probably harbored in bats. Even so, conspiracy theories claiming that the virus came from a…
During last year’s presidential campaign, it was obvious that President Joe Biden was not solidly on board with cannabis. For most of Biden’s political career he has considered marijuana a “gateway drug” — something that may not be so bad itself, but opens the door to harder drug use. Not only that, Biden was a…
San Antonio resident Mike Nguyen is afraid to be outside these days. Earlier this week, he was driving with his colleague when they pulled over to help someone pick up boxes, but he froze up when they parked the car on the side of the street. He couldn’t leave the car. It’s not that he…
A University of Texas at San Antonio professor’s work on COVID-19 has been cited twice by the World Health Organization — one of the most significant recognitions a research scientist can rack up. UTSA assistant chemistry professor Francis Yoshimoto wrote The Proteins of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS CoV-2 or n-COV19), the Cause of COVID-19, which focused on the…
Bexar Count District Attorney Joe Gonzales, Mayor Ron Nirenberg and San Antonio Police Chief William McManus joined members of the Asian American community in condemning the recent vandalism of the Noodle Tree restaurant, KENS5 reports. In comments issued Thursday, local leaders said the vandalism appears to be a hate crime, and they pledged to prosecute…
Black and Hispanic Texans, who have already been disproportionately killed and hospitalized after being infected with COVID-19, appear to be vastly underrepresented among those getting shots across the state, according to state health data that still paints an incomplete picture. The state health department’s limited demographic data has clouded the picture of the disparities statewide…
There was plenty of breaking food news during the week, and some of it left a bitter taste in our mouths — namely the racist graffiti scrawled on chef Mike Nguyen’s Noodle Tree restaurant. Nguyen has faced insults and death threats for speaking out on CNN about Gov. Greg Abbott’s decision to lift the statewide…
A couple of MIA famous people were among the Current’s most-read stories this week, those being former President Donald Trump and Spurs Assistant Coach Becky Hammon. Well, their likenesses, to be more precise. Turns out the wax museum in Alamo Plaza had to put its Trump dummy in storage after too many people frustrated by…
If big, bodacious imperial porters are your jam, buckle up for this one. Lone Star State-based Garrison Brothers Distillery and Oskar Blues Brewery have joined forces to create a limited edition specialty ale that the brewery calls “a barrel-aged Texas behemoth.” This puppy weighs in at 10.3% ABV, so we’re inclined to agree. The 7th Flag…
Live from the Southside magazine, Scooby Van of San Antonio and Brooster’s Backyard Icehouse will host the first annual Southside San Antonio Book Fair, a literary event focused on South Texas authors. The free May 16 event will include a kid’s writing contest, a used book drive and up to 20 authors who will be…
Chef Elizabeth Johnson’s plant-forward restaurant Pharm Table will open in its new Southtown digs March 23, offering dinner, lunch, brunch and a brand new bar program. The expanded menu features starters, soups, small plates, salads and desserts, all built on what chef Johnson calls an apothecary kitchen focus. The eatery is based on her Ayurvedic…
Looks like those good manners U.S. Rep. Chip Roy put on his 2020 campaign ads didn’t stick. The San Antonio-Austin Republican is once again under fire for his apparently incurable case of verbal flatulence. This time, he made what appeared to be a pro-lynching remark during a Thursday congressional hearing on the wave of anti-Asian…
Many lunar new years ago, I made my one trip to China. Already a little bored by card-carrying Cantonese cuisine as it was then served in the U.S., I was expecting a kind of epiphany of the so-this-is-what-it’s-supposed-to taste-like sort. Didn’t happen. This might have had to do with the fact that we were closely…
Progressive Teri Castillo is facing 10 other candidates in the crowded race to represent San Antonio’s vibrant, though economically hard-hit, West Side on city council. As we chat via Zoom, Castillo, 29, tells me what it was like growing up in her neighborhood — the setting for stories she grew up hearing about how her…
Assclown Alert is a column of opinion, analysis and snark. Little surprise that when Gov. Greg Abbott announced his controversial plan to kill off the statewide mask mandate, the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce quickly fired off a statement effusively praising the move. After all, when was the last time the Chamber met a business…
This year’s San Antonio Book Festival will be an online affair, but that doesn’t diminish the star power of the event, which will feature authors ranging from Chicano lit luminary Sandra Cisneros to science fiction powerhouse Jeff VanderMeer. The online festival will take place April 9-11 and include a lineup of 200 local, regional and…
Despite adding leading Rookie of the Year candidate LaMelo Ball to their roster, expectations were low for the Charlotte Hornets heading into the regular season. Ball’s gifted passing game, paired with inspired play from former Celtics Terry Rozier and Gordon Hayward, has helped turn things around for a Hornets squad that has already reeled off…
On Valentine’s Day, the major utility that supplies electricity to West Texas readied for a severe winter storm. Hired contractors prepared to fix power lines, managers started up the storm emergency center, and operators reviewed the list of facilities that should — no matter what — keep power during an emergency: 35 of them on…
The Hispanic Heritage Foundation on Wednesday revealed the recipients of its 22nd Annual Regional Hispanic Heritage Youth Awards, including seven students from the San Antonio area. The awards are an educational grant program for Latinx high school seniors who excel in the classroom and community and exhibit excellence in categories including business, education, entrepreneurship, social justice…
As part of this legislative session’s predictable push to curb reproductive rights, Texas lawmakers have tucked language into a restrictive anti-abortion bill meant to make it harder to overturn in court, the Texas Tribune reports. What’s more, the bill’s added provisions would clear the way for any Texan to sue abortion providers they don’t think are…
Dough Pizzeria Napoletana is headed to Flavortown. COVID-19 isn’t keeping Food Network’s Guy Fieri from sampling savory stuff from across the country, and he’s featuring one of SA’s own on the pandemic-era iteration of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. The program tapped Dough to send Fieri ingredients so he can recreate the artisan pizza spot’s newest…
Military-themed apparel company Grunt Style opened a brick-and-mortar space at Fort Sam Houston this week, the first in a nationwide expansion, the San Antonio Business Journal reports. The new store is at the Post Exchange Shopping Center, or PX, 2503 Funston Road — one of two retail locations Grunt Style plans to open this month. The…
Under the banner of its GenerationNEXT education initiatives program, the Tobin Center has launched a program to provide funding for undergraduate internships in Bexar County. For the annual Bexar County Arts Internship Program, the Tobin Center will select 10 nonprofit arts organizations to receive funds for one undergrad to help with special projects in the…
In early February, on a warm, sunny day, Marie Crabb left campaign literature for her neighbors in the Lone Star neighborhood on the south side of San Antonio. She wore a black cloth mask and a casual outfit with grey sneakers. At one point, she stopped to notice a person in a motorized wheelchair driving…
After weeks of social media blowback, San Antonio restaurateur Lisa Wong was granted approval from the Historic and Design Review Commission to build a new location of Rosario’s in Southtown on Tuesday, MySA reports. Though the HDRC had previously given Wong conceptual approval in earlier meetings, neighboring restaurateur Peter Selig objected to the new design.…
Authorities arrested a San Antonio man Wednesday afternoon on weapons and ammo charges near Washington, D.C.’s Naval Observatory, the official vice presidential residence, National Public Radio reports. Paul Murray, 31, was stopped by Secret Service agents after they received an intelligence bulletin originating from Texas, according to NPR. He was arrested by D.C. police and…
After quietly hosting an array of private events and weddings, San Antonio’s newest whiskey distillery, Devils River, will open its doors to the public Wednesday evening, MySA.com reports. The new downtown space includes a coffee shop, a basement speakeasy, a main dining area and a lounge that overlooks the distilling equipment and an outdoor music…
The Esperanza Peace and Justice Center along with the Latino Collection Resource Center at the San Antonio Public Library’s Central branch are bringing the 5th Annual Femme Frontera Filmmaker Showcase back as a streaming event. The showcase and Q&A will feature seven short films from filmmakers around the world that highlight the stories of underrepresented…
One Texas rep wants to serve up the TABC’s last call. The mission of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission may be “to serve the people of Texas and protect the public health and safety,” but State Rep. Mayes Middleton, R–Wallisville, thinks the commission has failed to do either for Texas small business owners since the onset…
Texas-based group Patriot Front was responsible for 80% of racist, antisemitic and other hateful messages tracked in the U.S. by the Anti-Defamation League last year in its annual report on white supremacist propaganda. Dallas-headquartered Patriot Front, which espouses racism and antisemitism and prominently uses former President Donald Trump’s “America First” messaging, was responsible for 4,105 of…
There’s only one day of the year that green beer is considered acceptable, and that day has arrived. It’s St. Patrick’s Day, and as luck would have it, plenty of San Antonio food and beverage businesses are offering special menu items and deals to celebrate the party-heavy holiday. Black Laboratory Brewing will offer its St.…
Following through on a promise to prioritize anti-abortion legislation, a panel of Texas senators approved a slate of abortion restrictions Tuesday and sent them to the full chamber for consideration. Among those seven pieces of legislation was Senate Bill 8, which would ban abortions after a fetal heartbeat has been detected, which is before many…
Turns out feelings run deep when it comes to Donald Trump. Who’d have thunk? Louis Tussaud’s Waxworks in Alamo Plaza has packed away a figure of the former reality show star-turned-former president after visitors took out four years’ worth of frustrations on it, according to the Express-News. The blond-coiffed dummy suffered damage from both punches…
In the latest development in an ongoing battle between strip club XTC Cabaret and San Antonio officials, a state district judge has denied the city’s request to shut the club down, the San Antonio Express-News reports. Judge Laura Salinas this week turned down the city’s request for a temporary restraining order. Her ruling occurs as…
Roadmap Brewing Co. will participate in Things We Don’t Say: Craft Beer for Mental Health, an initiative that invites independent brewers to “smash the stigma surrounding mental health.” The only Texas brewery participating at press time, Roadmap will join others in creating an IPA from a base recipe, then adding their own individual twists. A portion…
The San Antonio Zoo has taken in a tiger cub and bobcat that were confiscated by the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday. The zoo estimates the tiger is roughly 14 weeks of age and the bobcat is around 5 years old. It will provide safe housing and veterinarian care for both animals until it…
Well, that was quick. Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday night announced the resignation of Public Utility Commission Chairman Arthur D’Andrea. The move came hours after Texas Monthly posted a recording of the regulator assuring investors he’d try to stop the reversal of wholesale power charges from February’s winter storm. The audio — reportedly of meeting closed…
When the last legislative session ended with huge wins for Texas public schools in the form of increased funding and teacher raises, higher education leaders looked to 2021, hopeful it would soon be their turn. Texas Higher Education Commissioner Harrison Keller, who took the helm in the fall of 2019, started meeting with state lawmakers…
Shotgun House Coffee Roasters has launched a beer and wine program at its Buena Vista-area coffee shop and roastery. The homegrown operation now offers a boutique selection of vino and craft brews for on-premise consumption, which its owners say is curated to satisfy a variety of palates and budgets. The shop’s hours have also been extended from 8…
California-based Dog Haus will open the doors of its first San Antonio location this weekend, giving local diners a shot at its award-winning gourmet hot dogs and handcrafted sausages. The grand opening of Dog Haus Biergarten Stone Oak will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, according to a Facebook event…
In honor of Women’s History Month, Alamo Beer Company will team with Black Swan Yoga to hold donation-based outdoor yoga classes that benefit the San Antonio arm of nonprofit Dress for Success. The hour-long classes will take place on the brewery grounds from 11 a.m. to noon during the remaining Sundays in March. Following the session, patrons…
At least 57 people in Texas, including three in the San Antonio area, died due to last month’s catastrophic winter storm, according to preliminary data released Monday by the state’s health department. Hypothermia accounted for the majority of storm-related deaths, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. The agency also recorded deaths from…
After receiving national media attention last fall, San Antonio’s mural celebrating Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon is already gone. Created by artist Sebastien “Mr. D1987” Boileau, who runs the Houston-based company Eyeful Art, the mural featured a portrait of Hammon above the Alamo City skyline emblazoned with the phrase “NEVER STOP.” Hammon is the second female…
Quelle surprise. Multiple media reports documented maskless and tight-packed crowds at Texas’ South Padre Island last week, following Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s decision to lift the statewide mask mandate and capacity restrictions. Many Texan school districts — including the majority of San Antonio’s — held their spring breaks last week, and more across the country…
After picking social media fights with celebrities from Seth Rogen to Daisy Ridley, Sen. Ted Cruz has found a new Twitter target: the U.S. military. In his latest online moment of outrage, the Texas Republican and armchair seditionist appears to be worked up that military officials dared register their offense at Tucker Carlson after the Fox…
The highly anticipated Canopy by Hilton San Antonio Riverwalk hotel will open next month, bringing panoramic views to diners and drinkers via Domingo Restaurant and Otro Bar. The hotel, which commands the corner of East Commerce and North St. Mary’s streets, will open the onsite bar and restaurant April 15, MySA.com reports. Domingo is billed…
Throwing in with other Republican lawmakers looking to make voting harder, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Monday he’s backing a pair of “election integrity” bills that would rein in municipalities’ efforts to expand poll access. Abbott trumpeted efforts in the Texas Legislature to safeguard against fraud and create uniform voting rules. However, voting-rights experts say those…
The head of the San Antonio Police Officers Association (SAPOA) is dismissing a recent call for the FBI to look into alleged harassment of volunteers working for a ballot initiative that would strip the union of its ability to engage in collective bargaining. In a statement provided to the Current, SAPOA President Danny Diaz called…
Locals can make their fantasies a reality with a brand new attraction at the San Antonio Zoo. In Dragon Forest, which opened on March 12, visitors journey through a medieval kingdom and meet its 15 resident dragons. Embracing the renaissance faire spirit, Dragon Forest has great food like turkey legs, kettle corn and Bavarian nuts…
Ever since San Antonio native, animator and filmmaker Paul Briggs was a teenager, he wanted to work for Walt Disney Animation Studios. Briggs, who attended Alamo Heights High School, got that opportunity in the late 1990s when he landed a position in the visual effects department at the studio and began contributing to animated projects…
We understand that in the current political environment it can be really tough to tell the difference between real news stories and satire, which is precisely why we’re letting you know that the Mendoza Line is a weekly work of satire. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is reportedly urging Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan…
Springtime in Texas is synonymous with fresh, bright produce and light, effervescent wines — two things and SA’s Copa Wine Bar and Tasting Room will serve up during a Spring Fling dinner scheduled for Thursday, March 25. The four-course prix fixe event will feature seasonal ingredients such as grilled vegetable pizza and shrimp-and-asparagus skewers served…
San Antonio’s Brew Monkey Beer Co. has a new name in the wake of a trademark infringement suit accusing it of confusing consumers by picking a name too close to that of an Austin-area beer producer. A recent Instagram post announced that the Alamo City brewpub will hold a March 27 event to celebrate its new moniker:…
Early Sunday, vandals spray-painted racist graffiti on San Antonio chef Mike Nguyen’s Noodle Tree restaurant. Phrases such as “kung flu,” “hope u die” and “go back 2 China” were splashed in red paint across the storefront and seating area, visible from UTSA Boulevard. The defacement followed an appearance by Nguyen on CNN last week to speak out…
Councilman Roberto Treviño’s recently approved relief plan for local food workers hasn’t grabbed as many headlines as his involvement in the Alamo Plaza plan, but the $14 million initiative stands to bring substantial help an industry still struggling amid the pandemic. The plan will provide nearly $10 million in aid to local bars and restaurants…
The Biden administration is calling in the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help it care for a record number of teens and children arriving at the border unaccompanied by their parents, the Washington Post reports. The influx of young asylum seekers has outstripped the feds’ current ability to house them in detention sites and tent shelters,…
Jackie Rodriguez-Navar, who dances under the name La Morena, has been performing at tapas spot Carmens de la Calle since 2000, delivering some of the most exhilarating, live flamenco performances in the Alamo City. Last fall, Carmens celebrated its 20th anniversary, and its reputation as a live music venue rests largely on the popularity of…
Lieutenant governors almost never interrogate witnesses at public hearings. It’s not that it’s illegal, just that that sort of showboating is not done. That’s the business of senators and representatives. A lieutenant governor grabbing the mic is the legislative equivalent of a parent taking over a student’s science fair project. But there was Dan Patrick late…
In an interview last August, Joe Biden made a pledge: “There will not be another foot of wall constructed in my administration.” It was the first time the then-presidential candidate made such a clear promise. On January 20, hours after assuming office, he took executive action to pause wall construction for two months, idling excavators and…
COVID-19 testing has dropped to its lowest point in Texas since last fall, and health experts say the trend reflects the overall improvement in the course of the pandemic statewide. During the February winter storm that left millions of Texans without access to electricity or water, testing rates dipped below 50,000 tests per day on average for…
Artist Frida Kahlo’s love of nature played a key influence on her work, and the San Antonio Botanical Garden’s planned “Frida Kahlo Oasis” exhibit will explore that connection this spring. The exhibit — which opens May 8 — will include marigolds, elephant ears, agave and bougainvillea in an area shaded by oak trees. The display…
San Antonio’s Back Unturned Brewery and Weathered Souls Brewing Co. appear to have resolved a social media row that erupted last week over questions about how one planned to use charitable funds. The drama unfolded when social media users accused downtown’s Back Unturned of paying proceeds from its charitable Black Is Beautiful ale to the…
Folks who enjoy Comfort Cafe will soon have another way to dig into its hearty, stick-to-your-ribs fare, according to the eatery’s Facebook page. “Serenitystar/Comfort Cafe has been offered a great opportunity once again,” a Friday Facebook post read. “And that is to open up a second location right here in San Antonio at Los Patios.” The existing…
Bill Miller Bar-B-Q will begin reopening dining rooms in San Antonio, Austin and Corpus Christi after months of operating solely via takeout and delivery due to the pandemic. On Friday, the Alamo City-based chain shared a list of thirty locations where it’s resumed dine-in service. It briefly welcomed customers back into dining rooms in May,…
A fight has broken out among Texas Republicans over Gab, the embattled social network favored by the far right. The state GOP made clear Thursday it would not delete its Gab account after vice chair Cat Parks called on it to do so two days earlier — and got backup from Gov. Greg Abbott, who said…
Current readers apparently have a taste for three-chord rock, police accountability and political humor. Not necessarily in that order. Stories on Countdown City’s vibrant ’60s garage rock scene, allegations that Fix SAPD volunteers faced harassment as they collected petition signatures and a satirical swipe at Gov. Greg Abbott were among our most-read articles of the…
Sen. José Menéndez, D-San Antonio, and State Rep. Jessica González, D-Dallas, on Thursday filed bills in their respective chambers that would enshrine equal protections for LGBTQ+ Texans. Senate Bill 1540 and House Bill 3860 would add sexual orientation, gender identity and veteran status to Texas’ current housing and employment nondiscrimination laws. What’s more, the bills would protect all…
This week, many of the Current’s most-read food stories came with a side of drama. We’re talking a slugfest between the city and a North Side strip club, death threats leveled at a local restaurant owner unafraid to speak his mind and the closure of a local barbecue institution. But it wasn’t all saltiness and…
Lone Star State native Matthew McConaughey has organized a virtual benefit concert dubbed We’re Texas to benefit residents affected by last month’s devastating winter storms. “A lot of Texans are hurting right now,” the Oscar-winning actor said in a release. “After the disaster of the worst freeze here in over 70 years, so many are still…
Mad Dogs Management Group, operator of several downtown-area bars and restaurants, next week will throw open the doors on its latest venture, Little Rhein Prost Haus. The new Bavarian concept is a remake of the group’s Little Rhein Steak House, located in La Villita. The eatery underwent a remodel during a recent closure, and Monday, March…
Local adventure outfitter Mission Kayak has negotiated to make excursions along the business district of the San Antonio River Walk available all year long, according to a social media announcement from the company. “After 2 long months of negotiations between City of San Antonio, Go Rio (the river barge comany [sic]) and Mission Kayak an…
CPS Energy, San Antonio’s city-owned utility, has sued the operator of Texas’ power grid for “excessive, illegitimate and illegal prices” during last month’s winter storm that led to widespread, lengthy outages. The suit alleges grid operator the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) violated the state constitution by overcharging utilities such as CPS for wholesale power.…
Police accountability activists have asked the FBI to probe the “continuous and systemic” harassment of volunteers who worked on the petition drive that landed Proposition B on San Antonio’s May 1 citywide ballot. That ballot measure — hotly opposed by the San Antonio Police Officers Association (SAPOA) — would strip SAPD officers of their ability to collectively…
Following the departure of director Anjali Gupta, whose tenure ended late last year, art space Sala Diaz has named artist Heyd Fontenot as its 2021 consulting director. In addition to running the experimental nonprofit venue in San Antonio’s Cultural Arts District, Fontenot will also take the reins of Sala Diaz’s Casa Chuck residency program. Fontenot…
SOLI Chamber Ensemble is joined by Grammy-winning electric guitarist D.J. Sparr for a virtual performance in which “phasing, loops and funk meet rock, flavors of jazz and contemporary classical harmonies to bring electrifying energy to the ear.” The concert, titled Electrified Air, will be free to view on SOLI’s YouTube channel. Following the group’s usual…
Another San Antonio restaurant has succumbed to tumultuous year. Restaurateur Moses Hernandez-Trujillo confirmed Tuesday that his Two Step Restaurant & Cantina has closed it doors permanently, the San Antonio Business Journal reports. The Tex-Mex-inspired barbecue restaurant had been shuttered since last March, in what was intended to be temporary closure due to the pandemic. But…
All hail La Reina! Legendary Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla-Perez will receive a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s Grammys, which air Sunday, March 14. Rap pioneers Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, jazz vibraphonist Lionel Hampton, opera singer Marilyn Horne, rap duo Salt-N-Pepa and edgy rock band Talking Heads will also receive the honor.…
After a nudge from a San Antonio musician and label owner, the Velvet Taco restaurant at the former Tacoland site will include memorials to the beloved music venue’s late owner, Ram Ayala, by artists who were regulars there. Velvet Taco revamped design plans for the Pearl-area eatery after Jeff Smith, owner of SA’s SausTex Records,…
On October 20, a San Antonio activist who goes by the name Justice the Musician arrived at Cody Library to collect signatures from early voters for a petition to repeal the part of the Texas Government Code that gives police officers the right to collectively bargain. Justice was working on behalf of advocacy group Fix…
After a months-long hiatus, the flagship location of San Antonio’s Commonwealth Coffeehouse & Bakery has reopened with some intoxicating additions to its drink menu. The chain’s Alamo Heights location — known for luscious coffee and an uber-Instagrammable atmosphere — closed in October to undergo aesthetic modifications, mySA.com reports. During the downtime, the owners also added…
The Indie Lens Pop-Up Series — presented by ITVS, Independent Lens, KLRN and Presa House Gallery — continues with an online screening of the documentary Coded Bias, made by award-winning filmmaker Shalini Kantayya. The film follows computer scientist Joy Buolamwini, who realized that facial recognition technology failed to accurately detect dark-skinned faces or those of…
Gather your thinking caps and be ready to laugh as The Office! A Murder Mystery Parody enlists your help in identifying the Scranton Strangler. The Tobin Center is hosting an authorized parody event that allows fans to help Michael Scott solve a murder mystery. Based on hit TV show The Office, the live theatrical parody will…
The first in a series of three workshops on community and family history preservation, the Museo del Westside and Esperanza Peace and Justice Community Archives present Historias Familiares, a virtual workshop on caring for family photographs, documents and memories. Attendees will learn practical, budget-conscious solutions for taking care of family historical materials by certified archivist…
The Spurs welcome fans back to the AT&T Center for the first time in over a year on Friday night when they take the court against former Texas Longhorn Mo Bamba and the Orlando Magic. San Antonio joins 14 other NBA franchises to have fans in attendance, with a reduced capacity of 3,200 Spurs faithful.…
When COVID-19 hit the United States around this time last year, San Antonio’s Contemporary Art Month became one of the many events canceled in its wake. This year, things are different. CAM executive director Nina Hassele and the board were determined to get creative and hammer out a new way to carry on the celebration…
For Contemporary Art Month’s Perennial exhibition, guest curator Doreen Rios has brought together a series of video works that are being shown in two outdoor screenings at Blue Star Contemporary. The exhibition, titled “Here, the rivers run both ways,” explores the multidimensional concept of territory, expanding “on the notion of wandering, the intimate – yet…
The following is Current Events, a column of opinion and analysis. Call Gov. Greg Abbott’s elimination of Texas’ mask mandate “neanderthal thinking,” as President Joe Biden did. Or call it a political acquiescence of the most craven and cynical kind. You’d be right in either case. Abbott’s decision to strike down the mask rule on…
