Between Chance and Choice: Dane Rousay Presents Solo Percussion Debut
Think of all the drummers you know. For most of us, we are thinking of friends who drum in local bands or ostensibly great celebrity drummers like Dave Grohl or Lars Ulrich or Travis Barker or fucking Tommy Lee. Or, depending on your musical education, taste, and generation, perhaps you’re thinking of Ginger Baker or…
Prepare to Be Offended by ‘Queen of Mean’ Lisa Lamapnelli
Personified, the rapidly changing face of stand-up comedy circa 2017 might look a little bit like Lisa Lampanelli. The self-crowned “Queen of Mean” rose to royalty through her memorable appearances on Comedy Central Roasts (of Hugh Hefner, Larry the Cable Guy and the current President of the United States), where she dished out vulgar takedowns…
Get Ready to Rumble with the LGBT Smackdown ‘Wrestle Empire’
Possibly the most unusual aspect of San Antonio’s annual Pride Bigger Than Texas Parade and Festival (taking place July 1 in Crockett Park), Pride Championship Wrestling (PCW) bills itself as “the first LGBT wrestling organization in San Antonio and the United States.” Presented in partnership with The Royal, Sovereign and Imperial Court of the Alamo…
Music Picks: Shows To See This Week
Polyphia Thursday, March 30 Polyphia sounds like the song playing in the background during the flying level in every video game ever. Distorted, poppy, jazzy, metal guitar riffs accompany technical drumming to produce a sound that is half hilarious, half awe-inspiring and 100 percent goofy. Still considered part of the “djent” movement, even though the…
Estate Coffee Co. Is Offering Donuts Daily ’til Noon
Donuts are so hot right now. Days before Bakery Lorraine announced the upcoming opening of Maybelle’s, their donut shop inside the Pearl, Estate Coffee Co. finally announced daily donuts options. Made by owner Brian LaBarbera, the old school donuts are available ’til noon (or until they sell out). Flavors vary by day — honey lavender…
Mexican Free-Tailed Bats Could Be Safe From Bat-Killing Fungus Recently Found in Texas
For the very first time, a fungus that causes white-nose syndrome, a disease that’s decimated bat communities in other parts of the United States, has been detected in Texas. According to the Dallas Observer, pseudogymnoascus destructans, the disease-causing fungus, has been found among the tri-colored bat, the cave myotis and the Townsend’s big-eared bat across caves…
Contemporary Art Month Draws to a Close with a Free Celebration in CHRISpark
Although certain Contemporary Art Month exhibitions carry over into April and beyond (there’s still plenty of time to take in standout shows like “Reflections on Landscape and Memory” and “Ángel Rodríguez-Díaz: A Retrospective, 1982-2014”), the citywide celebration familiarly known as CAM officially draws to a close on Friday with an outdoor shindig in the Linda…
Inkers and Ink Fans Unite for This Weekend’s Alamo City Tattoo Show
The art of tattooing one’s body is a phenomenon that has been practiced by many cultures for many purposes, starting as early as the Neolithic time period. In ancient Egypt, tattoos were used to mark status, to heal or even to punish. In Paleolithic Japan, tattoos were spiritual and decorative. In 1980s-era Britain, tattoos became…
Bow Down to the Queen of Tejano at Slab’s 20th Anniversary Screening of Selena
Seemingly stronger with each passing year, the legacy of slain Tejano icon Selena Quintanilla-Pérez thrives in the modern era, inspiring heartfelt tributes, imaginative fan art, big-name covers (by everyone from Solange to Bruno Mars), diverse impersonations and even a MAC cosmetics line prompted by an online petition. Adoring fans celebrate her birthday, observe the anniversary…
Free Will Astrology (3/29/17- 4/4/17)
ARIES (March 21-April 19): The dragon that stole your treasure will return it. Tulips and snapdragons will blossom in a field you thought was a wasteland. Gargoyles from the abyss will crawl into view, but then meekly lick your hand and reveal secrets you can really use. The dour troll that guards the bridge to…
Savage Love: Positive Thinking
Q: Gay guy here. Met a guy online. He came over. We had incredible sex and then a great conversation lasting several hours. But — and you knew there was one coming — he told me that he lied about his HIV status. (I asked him before meeting him, like I do with anyone.) He…
A Very Strange Thing Happened When This Witness Came Forward About a San Antonio Police Shooting
James Brantley had just left a bar and wanted some chicken wings before heading home the morning of February 28, 2014, so he stopped by the Chacho’s off Perrin Beitel Road. It was there, while parked in the restaurant’s drive-thru lane, that Brantley claims he saw Robert Encina shoot and kill an unarmed Marquise Jones as…
Texas Can’t Use Fiction to Justify Executing People Anymore
The U.S. Supreme Court sided with a Texas death row inmate Tuesday, ruling that the state’s standard for measuring intellectual disability in cases of capital punishment were outdated and non-medical. In the court’s opinion, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg said the state should hold capital punishment cases to the same strict scientific standards as any other…
SA Public Library Opens New Branch on East Side
This past weekend the San Antonio Public Library system celebrated the grand opening of Schaefer Library on the East Side. “We are so excited to bring this long-awaited and innovative library to this community,” Ramiro Salazar, director of the San Antonio Public Library, said in a press release. Located on Highway 287 near the S.…
Life of Outspoken Atheist, San Antonio Murder Revisited in Hated Woman
In 1964, Life magazine called Madalyn Murray O’Hair, atheist activist and founder of American Atheists, “the most hated woman in America.” The year prior, O’Hair was involved in the historic U.S. Supreme Court case that declared Bible reading unconstitutional in American public schools. Thirty-two years after the landmark ruling, O’Hair, at the age of 76,…
San Antonio’s Homeless Population Dropped Ever-So-Slightly in 2016
The number of homeless San Antonians has remained relatively unchanged over the past year, according to new data. In January, volunteers counted a total of 2,743 homeless people living both on the streets and in shelters on a single evening. In January 2016, that number was only 38 people fewer. At same time, however, the…
Maverick Music Festival 2017 Releases Final Lineup
The fifth installment of Maverick Music Festival announced the complete schedule with stage times for all bands on its website, pushing the 2017 lineup to over 40 performers across three stages on April 7 & 8, 2017. Included in the lineup is actually a pretty good number of local acts like indie pop performer Wayne…
Tim Duncan Welcomes Baby with Girlfriend, Reveals His Love for Comic Books
In the off chance you haven’t heard by now, Spurs hall-of-famer Tim Duncan and girlfriend Vanessa Macias welcomed their daughter last week. While many suspected Macias was pregnant after spotting a bit of a baby bump at Duncan’s retirement ceremony in December, Duncan only confirmed the birth of their first child together on the latest…
Severe Weather Expected for San Antonio Tonight
Better get out the umbrellas and find a safe spot to park your car tonight because it looks likes were in for an evening of thunderstorms with a chance of hail. According to the National Weather Service, San Antonio should expect showers and thunderstorms after 1 p.m. Tuesday with potential winds as high as 25…
Teen Takes Senior Photo with Big Red
When they’re not getting negative attention for San Antonio from Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Fox’s Daytime at 9 gets first sip of a tasty Big Red scoop. The station’s morning show reported on Ohio teen Eric Willford’s peculiar senior portraits, which included a San Anto staple. Willford, from Columbus, Ohio, took a liking…
The Otherworldly Work of ‘Trans-Dimensional’ Artist McKay Otto
In the Silo of McKays at the Hill Country Science Mill in Johnson City, Wimberley artist McKay Otto has placed seven Tibetan singing bowls below seven abstract paintings inside the 40-foot-tall repurposed grain silo. When one of the bowls is struck with a wooden mallet, the distinctive ringing tone sets off subtle, ethereal vibrations that…
How the Tea Party Taught Texas Progressives to Troll Their Government
In Texas, it began in the parking lot of a South Austin grocery store. Congressman Lloyd Doggett had set up the casual neighborhood meeting outside a Randalls supermarket on August 1, 2009 to answer questions about the new president’s sweeping health care plan, recently dubbed “Obamacare.” Doggett wasn’t expecting a crowd — it was the…
Austin’s Music Scene through an Existential Lens in Song to Songs
A week or so before I finally sat down for Terrence Malick’s Song to Song, I shared this Twitter musing: “Like bebop, I see Terrence Malick’s oeuvre as a singular, perhaps sublime art form for which I am simply temperamentally unsuited.” Misplaced modifier notwithstanding, that fairly neatly sums up the trepidation with which I’ve come…
Mendez Cafe’s Ham and Egg Taco Has Hints of Pancake And It’s Delicious
Reposted with permission from The Tacoist. When the waitress brought my order of four tacos at Mendez Cafe on the South Side, the plate smelled unlike tacos. It smelled like — sniff, sniff — pancakes? Syrup? I wrote “cinnamon” in my notes, but upon reflection that observation may have been off target. It’s hard to tell…
Luminaria Announces New Artistic Advisory Committee and a Return to Hemisfair
Devised by former San Antonio Mayor Phil Hardberger in the multidisciplinary vein of illuminated nighttime arts festivals like Paris, France’s citywide Nuit Blanche, Luminaria has evolved, morphed and bounced around downtown since its inception in 2008. Under the direction of former Southwest School of Art exhibitions director Kathy Armstrong for the last two years, the perennially…
Texas Judge Sued for Starting Court Hearings With Prayer Sessions
A Christian, an atheist, and a religiously unaffiliated person are suing a Montgomery County justice of the peace for opening his court sessions with a Christian prayer. No, this isn’t the start to a bad joke — the three are arguing Judge Wayne Mack has violated their constitutional right to a religion-free government. And religious…
San Antonio 100: The Addictive, Garlicky Knots at Miss Ellie’s Pizza of New York
We’re compiling a list of our favorite 100 dishes in the city with the San Antonio 100. Check back weekly for a new dish we love that either screams SA or you need to enjoy ASAP. Miss Ellie’s Pizza of New York, a classic pizza parlor tucked away in a small shopping center at Bitters…
David Blaine Is Coming to San Antonio
If you remember watching television in the ’90s then you probably remember David Blaine’s captivating network debut special David Blaine: Street Magic. which aired on NBC in 1997. Throughout the special, Blaine travels to a few cities and performs for downtown pedestrians who either are shocked and amazed by his card tricks or freaked the…
Loose Cow Charges at Temple Police Officer
The Temple Police Department faced a rather unusual challenge last Friday when they had to chase down a large cow on the loose. Officer Gabriel Estrella told KCEN-TV that he received a call about the cow and spotted it roaming around through neighborhoods. As seen in the dashcam footage uploaded to TPD’s Facebook page, Temple…
Diana Ross Returns To San Antonio
A living legend in her own right, Diana Ross got her start in the music industry when she joined The Primettes, a group that eventually changed their name to The Supremes, signed on to legendary record label Motown and became one of, if not the most successful female groups of all time. After performing with the trio…
A Donut Shop Is in the Works For Bakery Lorraine — Here’s What We Know
Looks like Bakery Lorraine has let the cat out of the bag — well, sorta. Posted on Facebook Friday afternoon, Bakery Lorraine released a bit of information about Maybelle’s Donuts & Fried Pies and took to the comments, saying San Antonians can expect something new at the Pearl’s food hall. An official list of the…
Voting Ends this Week for Best of San Antonio 2017
There are only a handful of days left to get your votes in for Best of San Antonio 2017. If you haven’t already voted for the best tattoo shop, the best menudo or best micheladas in town, head over to the Best of San Antonio voting page and lock in your votes before 11:59 p.m. this…
Congressmen Hurd, Castro Join Border Rally Against Trump’s Wall
About a hundred Mexican and U.S citizens linked arms across the Texas border Saturday in a sign of solidarity against President Donald Trump’s promised border wall. “Building a wall from sea to shining sea is the most expensive and least effective way to do border security,” said Congressman Will Hurd, who hosted the “bilingual, bipartisan,…
Going Up? K23 Will Host Mr. Elevator in May
The latest in a string of exciting 2017 show developments for K23, San Antonio’s best DIY venue, is Mr. Elevator. The California psych-pop outfit, formerly know as Mr. Elevator and the Brain Hotel, will bless the little venue that could on May 7, with support from Austin’s The Rotten Mangos and SA’s Sunjammer. Mr. Elevator,…
Detox and Vicky Vox: Two Drag Stars for the Price of One
Beyond serving up two drag stars for the price of one, Rey Lopez Entertainment’s latest extravaganza boasts unusual potential in that both Detox (last name: Icunt) and Vicky Vox have the chops to go beyond lip-synching and sing with highly amusing results. Since meeting in Los Angeles and forming a bond as drag mother (Detox)…
Boiled Over: Southern-Style Peanuts Are Making Their Way Into SA Snack Culture
A familiar smell wafted from an unknown source when we made it to Lowcountry’s opening night on November 25 of last year. Was my mom hiding in the back? Was I having a stroke? No, the scent of pinto beans was coming from a large Crock-Pot on the counter, safely tucked away by two porcelain…
Pinko Hits the Road This Week With Some New Music
Pinko is a mash-up of raw intensity and ferocious shredding — a sound smart, groovy and sure as shit not metal core, despite the traces of hardcore punk that punctuate the music. Consisting of members from The Grasshopper Lies Heavy, Sohns and Ghost Police, Pinko’s intense and chaotic sound isn’t surprising. Frontman Guillermo Mendez leads…
Real Ale Adds Gin, Whiskey to Roster With ‘Real Spirits’
As Real Ale prepares for its 21st anniversary of brewing quality craft beer in the Hill Country, owner Brad Farbstein is making a passion project come true. The whiskey and gin fan will launch Real Spirits Distilling Co. this April with a party, distillery tours and specialty cocktails. Though years in the making, Real Spirits truly…
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Brings Its Eclectic Repertoire to the Tobin
In 1958, Alvin Ailey launched his company with the goal of providing more opportunities to black talent, but he soon opened up the troupe to dancers of all racial backgrounds, continuing to promote diversity while casting based only on talent. This diversity was also extended to dance styles — Ailey was known to hire dancers…
How I Spent Spring Break: Sid Miller Edition
On Thursday, Israeli officials visited Washington, D.C. to discuss the future of Israeli settlements in Palestine. While they came to no solid conclusion, the White House released a statement hinting the countries were “moving toward a peace agreement.” But it appears Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller has his own agenda. As federal officials met in D.C.…
Texas Booze Cops Caught Partying With Taxpayer Money
If you know anyone who helps run a bar or brewery or occasionally throws events with adult beverages in Texas, you’ve probably heard some grousing over the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, which regulates all things booze in the state. That’s because, to critics of how the agency currently operates, TABC’s rules and enforcement actions often strain…
The 8th Annual Paella Challenge Has New Digs
The late, great Mitch Hedberg once said, “I like rice. Rice is great when you’re hungry and want 2,000 of something.” Your mantra for Sunday’s eighth annual Paella Challenge sponsored by Corona and hosted by chef Johnny Hernandez should definitely be “Come Hungry.” Have a light dinner the night before and a light breakfast on…
15 Percent of Female Undergrads at UT Austin Say They’ve Been Raped
While defending her campus sexual assault bill at the state capitol Thursday, Texas Sen. Joan Huffman unleashed a sobering statistic: 15 percent of female undergrads polled at the University of Texas at Austin say they’ve been raped. “It’s beyond troubling,” said Huffman, a Houston Republican. “It’s shocking.” Huffman pulled this number from a yet-to-be released…
Spurs Grind Out Victory Against Grizzlies
#SPURSWIN! pic.twitter.com/1CnWChaGSi — San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) March 24, 2017 LaMarcus Aldridge joined the 15,000 point club on Thursday night in San Antonio, reaching the career milestone in a gritty 97-90 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. Aldridge led the Spurs in scoring with 23 points, settling further into a comfortable rhythm since returning from a…
SA Lawyer Accused of Having Sex With Clients Says Others Do It “All the Time”
San Antonio defense attorney Mark Benavides was running for a local judge’s seat in 2015 when he was arrested and charged with coercing women to have sex with him as “payment” for his legal services. Since then, the case has snowballed into nearly three dozen criminal charges, which include having sex with a minor, inducing…
Síclovía Celebrates World Heritage with a Sunday Ride Through Southtown to the Missions
In a modern world dominated by screens and smartphones, events like Síclovía are a refreshing, energizing and fun way for the entire family to sign-off, unplug and adventure around designated car-free San Antonio streets on bikes, skates or in running shoes. The cycle-centric concept Siclovía (Spanish for “cycleway”) has its origins in 1976 Columbia, when…
Newly-Discovered Photos of The Rolling Stones’ 1975 HemisFair Gig On Display This Weekend
Have you ever gone through your phone and thought, Holy shit, I forgot I even took this photo? Well, that’s sort of what happened to SA native Norman Avila recently, only it wasn’t some hip photo of his morning latte he’d forgotten about, but rather he stumbled upon a roll of film documenting The Rolling…
La Vernia High School Athletes Arrested on Sex Assault Charges in Alleged Hazing Incident
Police have arrested “several” student athletes at a South Texas high school on sexual assault charges following an alleged hazing incident. Officials in La Vernia, about 30 miles east of San Antonio, put out a press release Thursday afternoon after reports started to circulate of students being arrested at La Vernia High School. According to…
Garcia Brothers Talk Brisket Tacos, Longevity, Changing Clientele
Reposted with permission from The Tacoist. Garcia’s Mexican Food would be easy to miss if it weren’t for the cars parked around the building and up and down the streets in the surrounding neighborhood of Beacon Hill. If you walked by the place when it was closed, you might think it’s a pawnshop because of…
Vans Warped Tour Announces San Antonio Date
Vans Warped Tour is coming to SA for another round this year on July 29 at the AT&T Center. Expect to see Texas natives Bowling for Soup, post-hardcore band Hawthorne Heights and Indiana rock favorites The Ataris among the 60+ bands slated for this year’s lineup. Tickets start at $39 and can be purchased at…
The New York Times’ ’36 Hours in SA’ Was Pretty Spot On
The New York Times’ published an article titled “36 Hours in San Antonio” early Thursday morning and it was actually a pretty a solid list of places to eat, drink and hang out in the Alamo City. The Times’ suggests travelers stop by the River Walk on their first day in San Antonio, followed by a…
Woman Arrested After Shooting Into Vigil Mourning San Antonio Man
On Wednesday evening, a woman fired shots into a crowd mourning the death of a San Antonio man under a Highway 281 overpass. According to police, Margaret Ruiz was upset that she hadn’t been invited to the vigil for Luis Arista, who died in a fiery crash near Hildebrand Ave. on 281 early Saturday morning. She arrived…
Drag and Burlesque Performers Unite to Support Pride Center at the Emerald Ball
From its earliest stages as a group of concerned citizens (2009) to the development of a board (2011) and the opening of administrative offices on East Mistletoe (2014), the nonprofit Pride Center San Antonio (aka The Center) has dedicated itself to supporting the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and ally community in Bexar County. As…
The Spurs Kick Off the Week with a Monday Matchup Against the Cleveland Cavaliers
It’s been a tough March for the Cleveland Cavaliers, with a slew of injuries affecting key players including Kevin Love, Kyle Korver and Andrew Bogut, who was released after seeing less than a minute on the court before suffering a broken leg. San Antonio is no stranger to injury woes, most notably big man LaMarcus…
Rick Perry Really Doesn’t Like That Texas A&M Just Elected Its First Gay Student Body President
Sure, former Texas governor Rick Perry is now charged with overseeing the nation’s nuclear arsenal as head of an agency he once proposed eliminating. But guv goodhair still has plenty of time to weigh in on the things that really matter in his home state. Like Texas A&M University recently electing, for the first time ever,…
Artist Benjamin McVey Invites the Community into his ‘Open’ Studio
A Houston native who earned a BFA in communication design from Texas State University in 1995 and an MFA in studio art from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2012, artist Benjamin McVey set up shop in Artpace’s Main Space in late January and will remain there through April 30. Formerly known as…
Local Synthpop Duo Hyperbubble Celebrates 20 Years of Crafting ‘Pretty Plastic’
Quite possibly Contemporary Art Month’s wackiest offering, “Pretty Plastic” celebrates two decades of the ever-playful, retro-futuristic stylings of Hyperbubble — a local synthpop act comprised of married couple Jess and Jeff DeCuir. Art scene fixtures who’ve performed at Luminaria, the McNay, SAMA and Blue Star, Jess (vocals, theremin, keyboards) and Jeff (vocals, synthesizers, sequencers) have…
We Finally Know What’s Going Into the former Mezcalería Mixtli
The sign has been up for some weeks now and we finally know what will take Mezcalería Mixtli’s place at The Yard on McCullough. Sabor Cocina Bar, owned by chef Federico Guillen formerly with Rosario’s Mexican Cafe y Cantina, doesn’t have an opening date yet. The restaurant has added a gas line and stove to…
Taquitos West Ave. Opens Second Location
Even if you’re not familiar with the outdoor kitchen, styrofoam plate, delicious taco set-up that’s Taquitos West Ave., you’ll want to pencil in a restaurant visit for their second location. Open for just under a month, Taquitos and Panaderia West Ave. is more than 2,000 square feet of taco goodness. Orders are placed at the…
A Vegetarian Virgin Turns Cannibal in the French Horror Flick Raw
Despite Raw being a movie that will test your gag reflexes, this smart and unsettling film by first-time writer/director Julia Ducournau knows what it’s doing, and does it very well indeed. Raw belongs to the tradition of horror films in the mode of Carrie, which couch female empowerment stories within the trappings of conventional fright…
El Luchador Bar Opens this Summer off Roosevelt
Four friends are opening a neighborhood cantina this June and San Antonians can get a sneak peek this Sunday during Siclovia. The space at 622 Roosevelt is leased by Ricardo Briones, Jesse Campos, Vanessa Martinez and Billy Mendoza, who are hoping El Luchador will keep that cantina vibe while making it accessible for others around…
Bexar County Commissioner Gets Breath Monitoring Device On His Car After Drunk, Pantless Whataburger Incident
When he rear-ended two cars in a Whataburger drive-thru lane at 3 a.m. last summer, Bexar County Commissioner Kevin Wolff wasn’t wearing pants. He was also incoherent, he later admitted to reporters, saying the first thing he remembered from that morning was waking up on a steel bench inside a jail cell — that is,…
A North Side Neighborhood Really Wants Its Geese Back
Three geese have gone “missing” from Eden Pond, and a North Side neighborhood would really, really like to have them back. Folks from the Eden Homeowners Association near Thousand Oaks and Tavern Oaks by McAllister Park are worried someone has stolen their three geese, who went missing sometime last weekend. The neighborhood is so worried…
Gov. Abbott Wants Small Government, Big State
This session Gov. Greg Abbott turned his “Fed Up!” predecessor’s obsession with state control into an actual policy priority. While other state lawmakers worry about the budget or the state’s dismal record of protecting its most vulnerable kids or ginned-up fears about public bathrooms, here’s what Abbott decided was an emergency item for the legislature:…
10 Things You Have to Do This Weekend
Thu 3/23 San Antonio Flavor San Antonio’s ultimate dining event returns with a night of bites from 35 local eateries (Frank, Kimura, Folc, The Bin and Botika among them), plus craft beer, wine and cocktail samples, live entertainment and a Culinary Showdown. $60-$80, 6-10pm Thu, San Antonio Museum of Art, 200 W. Jones Ave., (210)…
Canadian Percussion Ensemble Scrap Arts Music Lands in SA with Two Tons of Instruments in Tow
Formed in Vancouver, Canada in 1998, Scrap Arts Music bills itself as an “internationally renowned, athletic next-generation percussion ensemble.” Informed by the backgrounds and passions of founders Gregory Kozak (jazz, world music, avant-garde composers) and Justine Murray (design, stage direction, vernacular architecture), the outfit brings a truly fusionist approach to physical performances of entirely original…
Man Rides Stick Pony, Swings Rubber Chicken in His Underwear at the Alamo
When does performance art go too far? Matthew Silver thinks most performance artists don’t go far enough. Silver, who calls himself a performance artist and clown, according to mySA, was almost arrested this past weekend when he went to the Alamo, dropped his pants, rode a stick pony around the plaza and proceeded to swing a…
Latin Rockers Enanitos Verdes Make a Rare Appearance in San Antonio on Friday
Since 1979, it only took Mendoza, Argentina’s Enanitos Verdes (“Little Green Dwarves”) two songs to become one of the most popular rock en español bands ever. Pop hymns “La Muralla Verde” (“The Green Wall”) and “Lamento Boliviano” (“Bolivian Lament”) will still be playing on Latin pop-rock radio and parties after the end of the world,…
Comedian Louie Anderson On Starting the Third Act of His Life
Although considered by many to be at one of the high points of his 30-year-career as a stand-up comedian, Louie Anderson wouldn’t mind if journalists scrapped the word “resurgence” for something a bit more poetic. “This isn’t really a resurgence,” Anderson, 63, told the Current during a phone interview earlier this month. “This is a…
Judge Issues Warrant Forcing Key Witness to Testify in Marquise Jones Lawsuit
On Tuesday, a judge in the federal lawsuit filed against SAPD and the off-duty cop that shot and killed Marquise Jones issued a warrant forcing a key witness, whose previous statements contradict the city’s narrative of the shooting, to testify when the case goes to trial next week. It’s just one more twist as the…
Inspiring Books for Getting Through Hard Times
Like a lot of writers I know, I spent the first month after the election of Donald Trump trying to dig myself out of the abyss into which I had fallen. For me, one of the ways to get inspired to resist an administration that wants to set back the progress of several decades, and…
Sit With the Cool Kids During the First Saint City Supper Club Dinner
Supper Clubs became popular in the ’30s and ’40s and now San Antonio has another. Joel Rivas, foodie, Supper Club mastermind and owner of Silverhill Care Solutions, is keeping all of the details of the Saint City Supper Club under lock and key. Once you arrive at the venue you will learn about the chef,…
Beignets and Coffee Will Come Together at Estate this Weekend
Beignets are what’s for breakfast this weekend as Michael Grimes of Southern Grit Flavor visits with chef Ben Annotti of Oak & Salt. Grimes will take over the wee kitchen space for a beignet pop-up for all to enjoy with Estate coffee this Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (or sell-out). Grimes, a native…
Bush Returns to SA This Summer
The year was 1996. MTV was sucking in audiences across the planet for pretty much 24-hour coverage of the phenomenon known as MTV Spring Break, which that year was happening at Panama City Beach in Florida. The crowd watched Gavin Rossdale, at what seemed like the risk of being electrocuted, play “Glycerine” as rain poured…
Women Dress in ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ Robes to Protest Anti-Abortion Laws at Texas Capitol
While the Texas Senate has seen protestors before, yesterday’s appearance of a group of women dressed in red robes may have been a first. Dressed right out of the highly acclaimed novel from Margaret Atwood The Handmaid’s Tale, which has seen a spike in popularity since the last November’s election, pro-choice protestors gathered in the…
Woman Finds Four-foot Rattlesnake Near Home Outside of San Antonio, Kills it With Shotgun
There are hundreds of things we love about spring — the weather is finally perfect, the sun is shining most of the day, wildflowers are in bloom — but there’s one thing we can definitely do without: rattlesnakes. Now that we’ve had warm weather for a while now, Texans should be on the lookout for…
Texas Senate Passes Bill That Would Allow Doctors to Withhold Info From Pregnant Women
On Monday, the first of a slate of anti-abortion bills filed in the Texas Legislature cleared a major hurdle. Critics insist the bill, which the Texas Senate passed by a 21-9 vote Monday, would leave it up to doctors to decide what information is worth sharing with a woman carrying a fetus with severe disabilities or…
The Gang’s Back Together For Another Dose of Trainspotting
br> Poverty, narcotics, no future: the characters from Trainspotting (1996) seemed ill-fated to see Y2K, much less survive into the second decade of the new millennium. Yet here they are, worse for wear (or not), in the sequel, T2 Trainspotting. The original iteration of the film brought widespread notice to the relatively unknown British director…
Former UTSA President Inappropriately Hugged, Touched, and Photographed Female Employees, According to Investigation
In February, Ricardo Romo, longtime president of University of Texas at San Antonio, was unexpectedly put on administrative leave — months before he had intended to retire. The only explanation University of Texas System gave at the time was that it had something to do with Romo’s “conduct.” But documents from the internal investigation, first…
Judge Says Texas Immigration Raids Were Retaliation
Last month, the first major round of raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement under Trump sparked fears of widespread immigration sweeps in Central Texas. ICE insisted it was doing nothing different, saying the action was a continuation of an Obama-era enforcement program, meanwhile immigration attorneys and advocates cited hazy reports of agents hanging out…
Brain Candy Live Conjures a ‘Play Date with Walt Disney, Willy Wonka and Albert Einstein’
Despite the cringes it might elicit, scientific “edutainment” is at the core of Brain Candy Live — an impossibly cool and nerdy collaboration between niche celebrities and “everyday heroes” Adam Savage and Michael Stevens. Playing on the wits and smarts of Savage (a former MythBusters host who’s built models for sci-fi kingpins ranging from Star Wars…
Three Years Later, Marquise Jones’ Death Still Looms Over SAPD
The man’s voice over the intercom sounded so slurred, the cashier at Chacho’s & Chalucci’s could barely understand him. So someone else inside the green Cadillac tried to shout food orders over the drunk driver, while a manager made his way outside the restaurant to check on the busy drive-thru lane. As the bars approached…
New Health Grocery Story Opens March 29
Natural Grocers, which has one location off NW Military Highway, will open its Alamo Heights store on March 29. In a preview event that showcased their products, the brand shared news of the date and some background on what San Antonians can expect to see. Natural Grocers, a Golden, Colorado-based health food store is known…
Snacks on the Run: More Races Are Blending Food, Booze and Health
There seem to be three types of runners. Those who run as a way of life, those who only seem to run to the fridge, and then there’s the runner who does both. The growth of 5Ks, 10Ks and half marathons around the city isn’t limited to San Antonio, either, as more runners are competing…
Over 70K Pounds of Beef Recalled at Texas-based Packaging Company
If you’ve recently purchased boneless beef products from Waco-based H & B Packing Co., you’re probably going to want to go ahead and toss it in the garbage. The Texas packaging company issued a recall for the product, which tested positive for E. coli O103 and could have effected 73,742 pounds of boneless beef. The items were…
Celebrate Spring with a Free Cone from Dairy Queen
What better way to celebrate the beginning of spring than with a frozen, tasty treat from Dairy Queen? All non-mall locations of the fast food chain will be serving up free vanilla ice cream cones to celebrate the arrival of the new season. Go grab yourself a free cone, head outdoors and bask in the…
Turn Up The Heat: Enrique Iglesias and Pitbull Are Coming To SA
Throw the top down on your Jeep and scream “aye papi!”, because two of Miami’s international stars are making their way to San Antonio. On Saturday, June 17, singer Enrique Iglesias and rapper Pitbull will perform at the AT&T Center with Latin American pop boy band CNCO, who will be joining the two on a…
AG Paxton Attacks High School for Creating a Prayer Room for Muslim Students
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has built a career on protecting religious liberties in public spaces. Texans (and the country) were reminded of this commitment in December, when Paxton sued a Killeen middle school for not allowing a teacher to post a Bible quote on her classroom door. But when he recently caught wind of…
When the Cook’s Wearing a White Paper Hat like at Taco Rey, Trust Him
Reposted with permission from The Tacoist. As soon as I saw the white paper hat, I knew this place was legit. The portly cook on the flattop at Taco Rey donned a short order cook hat. The more I thought about it, the happier I became — this cook didn’t have to wear the hat,…
Music Picks: Shows To See This Week
Tiffany Wednesday, March 22 In the Facebook group Dead Mall Enthusiasts, you can skim through galleries of strangely alluring photos of empty malls posted by members — a reminder of a time when the mall was the epicenter of culture and fashion in Middle America, a time when shoppers could catch concerts while leaving Structure…
Labor Leader Dolores Huerta to Speak in SA in Celebration of Women’s History Month Program
In celebration of Women’s History Month, Palo Alto College Performing Arts Center presents an evening with United Farm Workers co-founder and activist Dolores Huerta. Recognized for her work as a labor leader and farm workers’ rights advocate, Huerta’s fight for equality for women, workers and immigrants has cast her into the spotlight of Latino and…
Here’s How Trump’s Budget Cuts Hurt Disabled, Elderly Veterans
Navy veteran Thomas Carlucci, 69, lives in a constant state of pain. It’s so debilitating, he says, he has to spend most of his time in a motorized wheelchair. “The more active I am, the worse the pain gets,” he said. That’s why, instead of standing up and cooking his own meals, going out to…
The ‘Game of Thrones’ Live Concert Experience Brought the 7 Kingdoms to San Antonio
“If you don’t silence your cellphone, you will be boiled alive in the blood of your children” boomed the voice of Cersei Lannister at the beginning of last night’s Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience, an once-in-a-lifetime experience for both mega-fans of the medieval fantasy series and the uninitiated. Based on writer George R. R.…
Sheriff’s Office Employee Allegedly Warned Murder Suspect About Warrant, Told Him to Run
The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office says a jail worker tipped off a capital murder suspect who came to the lockup to retrieve his belongings after he’d been released the day before. Officials say that after Luis Manuel Saldivar Jr., a clothing room tech at the jail and near five-year veteran of the sheriff’s office, told…
Hill Country Woman Charged With Mutilating, Stabbing Daughter to Death Could Face Death Penalty
A grand jury this week handed down a capital murder indictment against the Hays County woman accused of stabbing her five-year-old daughter to death, meaning capital punishment could be on the table as prosecutors pursue the case. Police say that on January 5, the father-in-law of 24-year-old Krystle Villanueva called 911 saying she’d attacked and…
A Condensed Guide to Sunday’s CAM Open Studios Tour
A favorite among the signatures of Contemporary Art Month, the CAM Open Studios tour offers the community an up-close-and-personal view of San Antonio creatives in work spaces as varied as the artists themselves. Presenting something of a Choose Your Own Adventure Sunday, the daylong, entirely free affair requires a bit of mapping and planning but…
Green Beer or Jameson?: Where to Party this St. Patrick’s Day
St. Patrick’s Day is here. On a Friday. Our livers aren’t ready. Grab a green T-shirt or socks, or what have you, and go drink some Guinny. McFinnigan’s Pub will host their annual block party from noon to 2 p.m. with Jameson shots, Irish Car Bombs (which are way more controversial than you may realize)…
Local Charter School Accused of Serving Rotten Meat to Reopen Monday
A San Antonio charter school accused of serving students rotten meat will reopen Monday after being closed for a state investigation last week. State education officials have found the San Antonio School for Inquiry and Creativity to be in compliance with food safety and hiring laws (parents alleged the administration hadn’t run criminal background checks…
High Wheel Releases a New Beer for St. Patrick’s Day
HighWheel Beerworks, a product of Dorcol Distilling + Brewing Co., will release a new ale this week as part of their Brewer’s Keep Series. Timed for a St. Patrick’s Day release, the Irish red ale is sweet and malty on the forefront, but has a dry finish. At 5.5 percent ABV, you can have more…
Trinity University Coaches, Athletes Sign Open Letter Opposing Anti-Trans Bill
More than 55 members of the Athlete Ally community have signed an open letter that was published this morning in opposition of Senate Bill 6, Texas’ anti-transgender bill. Signatures by Trinity University coaches and San Antonio residents Aly Lilley, Julie Jenkins, Gretchen Rush and Tracy Shoemake, as well as Trinity University sports management chair Jacob…
First Abortion Clinic to Reopen After Texas Law Forces 21 to Close
Next month, one of the 21 abortion clinics forced to close by Texas’ sweeping anti-abortion law will reopen. It’ll be the first clinic to open in Texas since the Supreme Court overruled the law, HB2, in 2016 — and will be run by the very clinic that pushed this fight all the way up to…
Stay Golden Social House Will Close this Summer
Bar-goers in San Antonio have until June to enjoy the breezy patio, boozy cocktails and fun beer selection. The building that houses the Stay Golden Social House, owned by cocktail guru Jeret Peña, was sold to Silver Ventures (the Pearl’s developer) and will be turned into a 10-story office building. The building was given the…
New Argentina-based Coffee Shop Opens in Medical Center
A new kind of coffee shop opened in the city’s Medical Center area as of February 24. Operator-partner Pablo Czarnik and wife Basia opened a location of Argentina’s Cafe Martinez to the Alamo City, and have two more shops in the works. Czarnik’s background is in management — he ran Chicago’s Hard Rock Cafe before…
New Tubing Spot Opens Near San Antonio this Weekend
Floating the river just got more convenient for San Antonians with a new tubing spot in Seguin opening this Saturday — just in time for spring breakers to get their fix before heading back to class. Appropriately named Seguin Tubes, the tubing spot is situated on the Guadalupe River and will be open only on…
Mills Superb as Starter, Despite Spurs Falter
MOOD pic.twitter.com/2nhdIb9e03 — San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) March 14, 2017 With quarterback Tony Parker sidelined by back stiffness, and backup Dejounte Murray still mending a sore left groin, Patty Mills assumed the starting point guard duties in San Antonio for a third consecutive game. Despite a solid 13-point, 6-assist outing from Mills, the Spurs fell…
“DWI Dude” Arrested for Scamming Clients out of $1.2 Million
A San Antonio lawyer known as the “DWI Dude” has been arrested on federal charges for swindling $1.2 million from clients in a phony bribery scheme. Jamie Balagia (also known as the “420 Dude” for his marijuana law expertise) had allegedly convinced clients that he needed $2 million to successfully bribe judges and prosecutors in…
At The Drive In and Gay Rapper Cakes Da Killa Tear Up SXSW
Legendary Texas post-hardcore band At the Drive In recently announced their first record in 17 years, along with a string of tour dates to support it (one in San Antonio, heads up), but not before a brief, sort-of surprise stop at this years South By South West festival. The crowd that had rushed to the…
10 Things You Have to Do This Weekend
Thu 3/16 “Becoming” San Antonio artist Jesse Amado presents his latest solo show, “Becoming,” smack dab in the middle of Contemporary Art Month. Continuing in the widely celebrated vein of his recent work, this new collection finds the consistently innovative and whimsically confounding artist playing with concepts as divergent as materiality, design, religion, politics and…
Folc Owners Are Suing Previous Landlord
San Antonio’s burgeoning food scene is once again facing a hiccup in tenant/landlord relations. This time, the owners of Folc and Park Social have filed a lawsuit against their previous landlord Carolea LLC. In the suit, partners Luis Colon and Daniel Eisenhauer allege their former landlord breached their lease contract signed in June 2014 by…
Bill Would Make It a Misdemeanor to Chain Your Dog in Texas
State Rep. Sarah Davis filed a bill Tuesday that would allow for pet owners to be charged with misdemeanor in Texas for chaining up a dog. House Bill 1156 would prohibit a person from chaining their dog outside with a restraint that has a weight or is shorter than five times the length of the…
LaMarcus Aldridge Is Cleared to Play After Heart Arrhythmia
The Spurs have cleared LaMarcus Aldridge to resume all basketball-related activities after the power forward experienced an irregular heartbeat last week, forcing him to miss his next two games. Aldridge, who has a history of minor heart issues, underwent a series of tests and consultations over the weekend to ensure he could safely return to…
Guard at San Antonio Detention Center Admits to Sexually Abusing Inmate
A guard at a San Antonio private detention center pled guilty Tuesday to sexually abusing an inmate — and now faces up to 15 years in federal prison. According to testimony from her victim and other detainees, Barbara Jean Goodwin — a guard at the Central Texas Detention Facility — forcibly performed oral sex on a male…
Cured’s Steve McHugh Is SA’s James Beard Award Finalist
The finalists of the James Beard Foundation Awards were announced this afternoon and one familiar face has been named to the shortlist for Best Chef Southwest. Steven McHugh of Cured at the Pearl for Best Chef Southwest. McHugh opened Cured in 2013 after a career with John Besh Restaurant Group. Cured is known for its…
