Cover Story
Out of Reach: Why San Antonio can’t get a grip on its affordable housing crisis
With construction costs and interest rates soaring, developers are struggling to make the numbers work for their affordable housing projects.
San Antonio’s Six Flags Fiesta Texas to add new roller coaster, E-sports gaming center
Plans also include adding 11 additional rides to Fiesta Texas’ existing water park.
Favor delivery service and Feeding Texas team up to fight hunger
The partnership has the potential to raise $50,000 for Texas food banks.
Texas is the third-highest beer-producing state in the U.S., new study shows
The Lone Star State produced more than 600 million gallons of beer in 2022, putting it behind only Colorado and California.
San Antonio’s Pearl complex gets ridiculed online after offering visitors 3 hours of free parking
The Pearl announced it’s offering visitors a ‘Holiday Special’ with free three hour parking until Dec. 29.
San Antonio named one of the best U.S. cities in which to ring in the new year
The recent study also named SA as the second-best place in Texas to celebrate New Year’s.
Armed militia protesting San Antonio drag show on Tuesday has history of provocation
The same group was involved in a tense standoff with Black Lives Matter protesters downtown in 2020.
Cuba 1918 opens on San Antonio’s South Side, serving Havana-inspired breakfast and lunch
The Cuban cafe’s owners hope it will help revive the Quintana neighborhood near Port San Antonio.
DACA deal for ‘Dreamers’ fizzling as Texas Republicans prioritize border security
The House passed the American Dream and Promise Act in March 2021, which would allow DACA recipients, or “Dreamers,” to apply for permanent residency and end the legal limbo that has repeatedly jeopardized their ability to stay in the United States.
San Antonio police deny online rumor of serial killer loose in the city
SAPD officials said they have found “no factual basis on these claims.”
San Antonio named among the ‘Grinchiest’ cities in the nation, study says
It’s likely the Alamo City was unfairly labeled a Grinch, considering the report heavily weighted charitable donations and holiday spending per capita, and we’re among the poorest big cities in the U.S.
Why Texas is unlikely to let voters decide on abortion access
A Texas Democrat is proposing a constitutional amendment stopping future abortion restrictions. Voters would have to approve it — but Republican lawmakers aren’t likely to put it in front of them.
San Antonio’s H-E-B will surprise 10 local nonprofits with $1,000 each as part of annual event
Those interested can join a team of H-E-B partners as they caravan throughout San Antonio to make the surprise donations.
San Antonio Councilman Clayton Perry’s hit-and-run arraignment rescheduled for January
The rescheduling of the court date follows SAPD’s decision to file DWI charges against Perry.
San Antonio high schools to begin testing for tuberculosis Monday after student falls ill
100 people at Northside ISD’s Brandeis, Clark and O’Connor high schools will be tested this week.
Via 313 to bring more Detroit-style pizza to San Antonio with new location on city’s West Side
Detroit pizza features a square shape and deep-dish base, which is piled with cheese and toppings, then baked until the edges crisp.
Upon a Burning Body delivers searing hometown performance at San Antonio’s Vibes Event Center
The San Antonio-formed band delved into a deep catalog of melodic-yet-crushing material while the frenzied crowd ate it all up.
San Antonio’s ‘shit sandwich cop’ working as a police officer again, this time in Floresville
Officer Matthew Luckhurst’s rehiring was the centerpiece of an investigation into Texas’ lax and fragmented oversight of police licensing.
Delayed Texas maternal mortality report to be released next week, state says
Due in September, the report was delayed to allow a full review of 2019 cases, the state health agency said. That review didn’t change the findings.
On the margins of downtown San Antonio, a maligned neighborhood mobilizes to save itself
Born of segregation and redlining, the near West Side has long been mostly Latino, mostly low-income. Redevelopment pressures are closing in, and neighbors are working to keep it affordable for some of the city’s poorest residents.
Texas House Democratic Caucus elects Trey Martinez Fischer as its new chair
Martinez Fischer replaces Rep. Chris Turner of Grand Prairie, who has led the caucus since 2017 and did not seek reelection.
Nearly half of the San Antonio Spurs’ Twitter followers are fake, study says
The Silver and Black have 1.4 million fake followers on Twitter, according to the report with ranked the team as having the sixth-highest number of fake followers.
San Antonio Spurs selling Tim Duncan autographed memorabilia in charity auction
Items include Duncan signed jerseys and photos from the Silver and Black’s 2003 and 2014 championship runs.
Luna Rosa, LadyBird Beer Garden: San Antonio’s biggest food stories of the week
Openings and new opportunities for local food pros dominated this week’s most-read Current food news.
Self-proclaimed San Antonio ‘dad bar’ Three Star Bar reopens after hiatus, ownership change
The bar has reopened with new leadership and plans for late night eats.
San Antonio Starbucks workers rally to celebrate one-year anniversary of first union store
In the past year, nearly 270 Starbucks locations, including five in San Antonio, have unionized.
Texas court rejects lawsuit against San Antonio doctor who violated the state’s abortion ban
A San Antonio judge ruled that people who aren’t directly harmed by an abortion have no standing to sue over its provision.
UFC will return to San Antonio’s AT&T Center in March 2023
The last time the UFC brought the octagon to San Antonio was in 2019.
Batchelor Trial, Cannabis Decriminalization: The top 10 headlines in San Antonio this week
Crime and punishment played heavily in the San Antonio Current‘s most-read headlines this week.
Condé Nast names San Antonio one of the hottest U.S. travel destinations — based on its food
The travel magazine praised the Alamo City as ‘the growing culinary destination in the Lone Star State.’
New food truck park slated for San Antonio’s Government Hill neighborhood
El Camino owner Ricky Ortiz’s new food truck park, Bésame, will offer a full bar and feature a rotation of food trucks.
Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner arrives in San Antonio after 10 months in Russian custody
Griner was transported to Brook Army Medical Center’s reintegration center upon her arrival.
Texas drag shows become a right-wing target amid rising extremism
LGBTQ Texans say lawmakers and right-wing figures are misrepresenting what happens at all-ages performances to propagate hate and violence against queer people.
Bad Takes: Starbucks calls its workers ‘partners’ but treats them like anything but
On Friday, Starbucks workers in San Antonio will rally in Labor Plaza to demand management at long last bargain with unions in good faith.
Picks Bar to host official San Antonio Spurs watch party this Saturday
Fans can watch on the big screen as the Silver and Black take on the Miami Heat.
UTSA quarterback Frank Harris to return for one more season with Roadrunners
Harris said that he initially had no desire to return for another season, but changed his mind after praying and talking to family.
San Antonio’s El Remedio food truck empire opens first brick-and-mortar restaurant
The upcoming spot is less than a mile from USAA headquarters and occupies the old Gibby’s Ice House location.
San Antonio muralist Colton Valentine unveils portrait of Big Red-swigging Santa Claus
The mural, across from the San Antonio Museum of Art, puts an Alamo City spin on Father Christmas.
San Antonio poet Naomi Shihab Nye will join quartet Agarita for its latest collaborative performance
Nye will read selections of her poetry throughout a program that features works by Olivier Messiaen, Ludwig van Beethoven and more.
Houston native Brittney Griner, a WNBA star, released from Russian custody in prisoner swap
The Texas basketball star was first detained in February and was recently moved to a Russian penal colony.
Former San Antonio-area cop gets 8-month federal sentence over threat to shoot Joe Biden
‘Even when made by senators and congressmen who have this inflammatory rhetoric, words have consequences,’ the judge told the former Judson ISD police officer.
Daughter of San Antonio car dealer Ken Batchelor going to trial this spring over fatal car wreck
Kendall Lauren Batchelor, 23, is accused of driving the wrong way down State Highway 46 while intoxicated, resulting in a fatal collision.
Little Bites: San Antonio food news includes hiring events, TABC inspections, seasonal menus
The inaugural New Year’s Eve party at the Pearl’s Carriqui is also making food news.
Vegans, rejoice! Philadelphia Cream Cheese launches plant-based spread
Philadelphia is the first big brand of cream cheese in the U.S. to take the plant-based plunge, according to company officials.
San Antonio-area Mi Casa Tamales will close, rebrand after 15 years in business
In an online post, the restaurant said it will retain the same ownership but reopen after rebranding and remodeling.
San Antonio Police Department files DWI charge against Councilman Clayton Perry
It’s now up to the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office to decide on whether to pursue a case.
Philanthropist Harvey Najim funding three large San Antonio Food Bank holiday distributions
The distributions will take place in South, East and West Bexar County ahead of the holidays.
Tobin Center will present free screening of holiday comedy Elf on Friday
The star-studded film has become a holiday classic for millennials and elder Gen Zers.
On Your Feet! brings the story of Gloria and Emilio Estefan to San Antonio’s Majestic Theatre
Critics have hailed the jukebox musical as an inspiring tale that blends personal and political narratives.
Live Music in San Antonio This Week: Donovan Melero, Rod Wave, Zoé and more
San Antonio’s Upon a Burning Body is making a hometown pitstop in honor of its latest album Fury.
Texas lawmakers ask state agency to delay power market redesign until after 2023 legislative session
In a Monday committee hearing, lawmakers questioned whether a Public Utility Commission proposal to redesign Texas’ electricity market would lead to the building of more natural-gas-fired power plants. Regulators say it would.
San Antonio’s Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa now offering CBD treatments
Anybody need another sign that CBD has fully entered the mainstream?
Youth in the United States are using cannabis more and losing interest in alcohol, new study finds
The expansion of legal weed in the U.S. has made the substance easier for kids and teens to access while boosting the perception that it’s safe, researchers say.
Pop-country queen Shania Twain coming to San Antonio’s AT&T Center next fall
It’s been five years since the singer’s been on tour, and tickets go on sale this week.
Officials in three of five Texas cities that voted to decriminalize weed are trying to derail those efforts
Activists said they don’t plan to give up ground after voters overwhelmingly cast ballots for decriminalization.
San Antonio’s upcoming Make Ready Market lands 5 more food hall tenants
Local talent joining the food hall includes Chilaquil owner Orlando Aguirre, who will serve Mexican fare, and chef Zach Garza, who will manage the facility.
New Year’s Day best time to see a UFO in San Antonio, study says
People have reported at least 446 UFO sightings in San Antonio, according to the National UFO Reporting Center.
Erik Cantu, San Antonio teen shot by now-former police officer, readmitted to hospital
The update on Cantu’s condition comes days after ex-SAPD officer James Brennand was indicted by a grand jury for attempted murder.
San Antonio-based Rackspace blames email outage on ransomware attack
Officials warned that the breach could bring revenue losses to its Hosted Exchange business line, which has $30 million in sales.
Actor and comedian Godfrey posts up at San Antonio’s LOL Comedy Club for four nights this week
Known for his role in Zoolander, the comedian has also appeared in films including Johnson Family Vacation and Soul Plane.
After online attacks, San Antonio venue The Starlighter cancels drag shows for rest of 2022
In an online statement, the venue said it felt ‘unsafe’ after being bullied and subjected to anti-LGBTQ+ statements on Twitter.
LGBTQ+ activists spam the shit out of Texas far-right group that wants people to ‘report’ drag shows
Far-right group Defend Our Kids Texas asked people to post the name, email address and location of drag shows. It’s unclear what the group plans to do with the info.
San Antonio-area home values expected to drop 11% from summer peak, report says
Median home prices here have already declined for five consecutive months, according to the San Antonio Board of Realtors.
San Antonio’s Elotitos Corn Bar has opened its new Government Hill location
The Government Hill shop is the second for the locally owned business.
The San Antonio Spurs’ Thursday game against the Rockets renews a longtime Texas rivalry
Both Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell are on track to break Danny Green’s franchise record for three-pointers in a season.
Red Hot Chili Peppers will play San Antonio’s Alamodome next spring on 23-date tour
General admission tickets go on sale Friday, and presale offers begin Tuesday.
San Antonio’s Rackspace faces stock drop, online complaints after ‘security incident’ shuts down email
Some customers whom the company migrated to a new email platform are complaining on social media that they’re unable to restore inboxes, according to one report.
San Antonio’s Luna Rosa Puerto Rican Grill y Tapas taking over Rosario’s former Southtown spot
The South Alamo restaurant will be the second location for family-owned Luna Rosa.
As food festivals proliferate, San Antonio chefs have to decide whether they’re worth the effort
The events can be high-pressure additions to chefs’ already busy schedules, not to mention, they can be money-losing propositions.
Suspect in Vanessa Guillén murder pleads guilty to accessory to murder after the fact
Cecily Aguilar, 24, walked back her original plea of ‘not guilty’ last week.
Comedian Brian Regan headed to San Antonio’s Empire Theatre on Thursday
The comic got his first big break after an appearance on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson in 1991.
San Antonio stop of the Trinity of Terror tour was big on blood, shock and relentless metalcore
Motionless in White and Ice Nine Kills delivered the night’s high points, but Black Veil Brides and Atreyu helped deliver a solid package.
How researchers are working to fill the gaps in long COVID data
To design new studies, researchers are working across specialties and partnering with patients.
Alex Jones files for bankruptcy after juries award Sandy Hook parents almost $1.5 billion
A handful of the Texas-based conspiracy theorist’s companies already filed for bankruptcy. Earlier this year, a Texas jury awarded Sandy Hook parents $49 million in a defamation case against Jones.
Feds arrest Texas man charged with threats to Boston doctor who cares for transgender children
The 38-year-old Hill Country man faces up to five years in prison, if convicted.
Study: San Antonio home to one of the most underrated and most overrated tourist attractions
The Japanese Tea Garden was among the most underrated attractions, while SeaWorld was one of the most overrated.
Justice Department tried to hide report warning that private border wall in Texas could collapse
The report confirms a ProPublica and Texas Tribune investigation that found the privately built fencing could collapse during major flooding. The federal government resisted making the findings public for more than a year.
Where to park and how to get to the UTSA Championship Game at the Alamodome on Friday
Eleven lots will offer free parking, and VIA Park and Ride fares from Balcones Heights start at $1.30.
Invasion Clause, Murder Trial: The top 10 headlines in San Antonio this week
Another of our top stories detailed ethics questions about a syndication deal that tiresome and tireless bloviator U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz inked for his podcast.
Girl’s Night, Tenko Ramen: San Antonio’s biggest food stories of the week
From permanent closures to an eastward expansion, our top stories this week spanned multiple aspects of the food and beverage business.
Girlfriend of San Antonio teen Erik Cantu retains high-profile attorney Ben Crump after police shooting
Crump, who’s also representing Cantu, has said he only takes cases that ‘shock the conscience’ of the American people.
7Brew Drive Thru Coffee chain coming to San Antonio next year
The Arkansas-based chain has three locations in North Texas, and it’s entering the Alamo City after an influx of coffee competitors.
San Antonio City Council members call for ban on horse-drawn carriages downtown
If adopted, the ban would take effect by the end of the year, although those with existing permits would be allowed to let them expire.
Laid-back LadyBird Beer Garden opening in San Antonio on Friday
LadyBird Beer Garden, a new concept from the team behind Gold Feather, will serve elevated bar food along with beer and craft cocktails.
San Antonio’s Rose Hip Coffee truck expands with Olmos Park brick-and-mortar market
Rose Hip Market officials said they’re seeking local vendors who sell at farmers markets to help stock its shelves.
Bad Takes: The legal arguments against Biden’s student debt forgiveness make no sense
While all eyes were on Elon Musk setting fire to Twitter, another billionaire spent his spare time suing to stop Biden’s modest student debt forgiveness.
Former San Antonian Darren Le Gallo directs Dustin Hoffman and Sissy Spacek in Sam & Kate
Sam & Kate is currently available on VOD.
Grand jury indicts San Antonio officer accused of shooting Erik Cantu for attempted murder
District Attorney Joe Gonzales told reporters that his office will seek the maximum punishment against the former officer.
Decades-in-the-making documentary Neil Young: Harvest Time now showing in San Antonio
The beautifully shot film captures Young in a series of now-legendary locations where his hit album Harvest was recorded.
San Antonio nonprofit Culinaria launching Third Coast Cocktail Summit in January
The summit will feature educational sessions, seminars and panels focused on the beverage industry throughout Texas and the United States.
San Antonio’s Tenko Ramen closing permanently on Dec. 31
The noodle house was the last remaining original tenant of the Pearl’s Bottling Department food hall.
Grand jury indicts former San Antonio police officer accused of shooting unarmed teen
Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales will give an update on the former officer’s indictment Thursday afternoon.
San Antonio glass artist Adam Smolensky puts an irreverent spin on neon signs at FL!GHT Gallery
Roughly eight years after establishing himself as a local artist know for borosilicate glass pieces — from pipes and pendants to stemware and sculptures — Smolensky challenged himself to learn a new skill set: neon.
San Antonio City Council picks Michael Gallagher to fill seat left vacant by Clayton Perry
A retired Air Force Colonel, Gallagher served on city council between 2014 and 2017.
San Antonio native accused of luring migrants onto Martha’s Vineyard flights added to lawsuit
Along with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, the defendants in the suit now include Perla Huerta, 49, who grew up in San Antonio.
Ethics complaint accuses U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of accepting gifts from San Antonio-based iHeartRadio
The filing alleges Cruz may have violated a federal ban on lawmakers taking gifts from lobbyists by accepting free production and marketing for his podcast.
WTF Food News: Hot Pockets — yes, that Hot Pockets — launches line of cargo shorts
The shorts’ literal insulated hot pocket is a bit on the nose, but we’ll allow it.
Texas grid still vulnerable to extreme winter weather, ERCOT estimate shows
Changes to Texas’ power grid have improved ERCOT’s ability to keep power flowing during major winter storms, but in an extreme scenario, the grid could still face rolling blackouts, a seasonal assessment shows.
Little Bites: Craft brewery birthday parties and rare whiskey tastings are making San Antonio food news
Yet another to-go Christmas meal — complete with cocktails — is also making food news.
Groundbreaking exhibition at San Antonio Museum of Art examines legacy of La Malinche
According to the exhibition’s curators, ‘Traitor, Survivor, Icon’ is the first comprehensive visual exploration of Malinche’s significance and cultural impact on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border.
Extremist militia plans to protest Christmas-themed drag event in San Antonio next month
A local social justice group planned a counter-protest outside the Aztec Theatre but opted against it, citing security concerns.
Texas Hill Country’s William Chris Vineyards makes list of Top 100 Wineries in the World
It’s the first and only Texas winery to be included on the prestigious list, which is curated by over 500 wine experts across the globe.
San Antonio’s 2023 New Year’s Eve party will feature live music, dancing and fireworks
This year’s celebration, themed ‘Dancing in the Streets,’ is expected to draw around 70,000 people.
San Antonio Spurs facing Phoenix Sun as rival returns to top of Pacific Division standings
Both teams are grappling with injuries ahead of their Sunday, Dec. 4 game.
Same-sex marriage bill passes U.S. Senate over objections of Texas’ Ted Cruz and John Cornyn
Constitutional law experts dispute the claim by Texas’ two senators that the bill would invite lawsuits against religious groups.
Comedian Sandra Bernhard comes to San Antonio for show benefitting area LGBTQ+ organizations
Bernhard is returning to Texas for her first San Antonio performance in a decade.
Ballet San Antonio’s annual production of The Nutcracker returns to the Tobin Center
Prior to each performance, attendees can check out a market in the Tobin Center lobby to find last-minute gifts for even the pickiest recipients.
Classic Theatre of San Antonio debuts one-man play version of A Christmas Carol this week
Actors Ray Seams and Kurt Wilkinson will play author Charles Dickens on alternating nights.
Live Music in San Antonio This Week: Ice Nine Kills, Drugdealer, Atreyu and more
A bevy of heavy bands are headed our way, but so is French Police, which has a modern take on new wave.
Powerful new album After Now by South Texas-tied jazz duo looks for hope amid national turmoil
The album, which also features San Antonio Poet Laureate Andrea ‘Vocab’ Sanderson, takes listeners on a complex, ambitious and compelling ride.
Assclown Alert: Declaring ‘invasions’ and taking them back with Gov. Greg Abbott
‘There’s a very specific, established path for invoking the Invasion Clause,’ one expert said. ‘You don’t just do it in a tweet.’
