Cities & Counties
Construction begins on new San Antonio Animal Care Services hospital
By Edmond Ortiz City leaders gathered Feb. 3 for the ground-breaking ceremony on San Antonio Animal Care Services’ veterinary hospital. According to local officials, the 17,000-square-foot facility will be nearly six times larger than SAACS’ current 3,000-square-foot clinic, allowing staff to provide more critical pet care. Development of the new veterinary hospital at the SAACS…
Sheridan wins Schertz runoff election
By Edmond Ortiz Dr. Robert Sheridan was the winner of a Jan. 31 runoff election to fill a vacant Schertz City Council seat. Sheridan, a retired Air Force medic and a parks and recreation commission member, received 65% of the vote to beat John Carbon, a U.S. Air Force veteran and a current city planning…
Schertz runoff election set for Jan. 31; primary voter registration due Feb. 2
By Edmond Ortiz The end of January and the start of February also herald one special runoff election in a Northeast Side suburb, and a key deadline for voters wanting to cast a ballot in the leadup to this fall’s midterm elections. Schertz runoff election Schertz voters are asked to head to the polls for…
News Briefs (Jan. 29): Southtown bar serves up gourmet hot dogs; Kendall County to help Comfort merchants; 1900s Gruene storefront to host new business
By Edmond Ortiz This new slate of San Antonio-area news briefs features a new cafe/bar concept in downtown, the closure of a Southtown Italian eatery, a new partnership between a Southtown bar and a gourmet hot dog stand, local government support for Comfort merchants, and the planned reopening of a century-old New Braunfels storefront. El…
Bexar County leaders OK projects on Blanco Road, Southwest Side park
By Edmond Ortiz Bexar County Commissioners took action Jan. 20 to approve a large-scale road widening project and a park improvement initiative, with both efforts designed to positively impact opposite parts of the county. Blanco Road Commissioners awarded a $28.2 million bid to the construction firm Dan Williams Co. to oversee the expansion of Blanco…
San Antonio leaders begin weighing the city’s next potential bond package
By Edmond Ortiz According to some San Antonio officials, an increase to the city’s property tax rate might be needed to support the city’s next potential bond issuance before the end of this decade. What you should know. City Council was briefed by top city staff Jan. 21 on the city’s next bond cycle, where…
San Antonio panel advances Hemisfair, South Side construction projects
By Edmond Ortiz The San Antonio Historic and Design Review Commission recently approved a new commercial development at Hemisfair, and a new public swimming center for the city’s South Side. Hemisfair On passage of the Jan. 21 meeting consent agenda, the HDRC recommended conceptual approval of a project at 400 E. Market St. at the…
How the San Antonio area is preparing for the big freeze
By Edmond Ortiz San Antonio-area authorities and nonprofits are getting their community members ready for what meteorologists are calling one of the more major winter weather events to hit the region in recent years. What is happening The approaching storm, called Winter Storm Fern by the Weather Channel, is due to affect more than 200…
San Antonio leaders pledge transparency after tense meeting about local ICE operations
By Edmond Ortiz An oft-heated, six-hour San Antonio City Council meeting ended with local officials pressing the need for transparency and additional discussions regarding the federal government’s immigration enforcement tactics in town. What is happening Nearly 180 people signed up to speak at the special council meeting that addressed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) increasing…
New affordable apartment complex opens in Tobin Hill
By Edmond Ortiz Local officials and affordable housing advocates say a newly opened apartment complex in the Tobin Hill neighborhood can help people seeking affordable housing options just north of downtown. What you should know City officials and leaders from project partners gathered for a Jan. 21 ground-breaking ceremony for the Four25 San Pedro Apartments…