VOL. 8, ISSUE 6 | DEC. 15, 2020-JAN. 12, 2021
LOCAL COMMUNITY NEWS
LOCALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM
LOCAL OPINION | PG. 08
FRESH LOOK AT SAPD
HAPPENING LOCAL | PG. 07
LOCAL LOWDOWN | PG. 10
RIVER WALK LONE STAR DOG LIGHTS GROOMING
TALK LOCAL | PG. 04
PUBLIC ACCESS
CIBOLO • CONVERSE • GARDEN RIDGE • LIVE OAK • SCHERTZ • SELMA • UNIVERSAL CITY • WINDCREST
COVID-19's impact on homeless, renters, homeowners could linger
PANDEMIC PUSHES CHANGES TO URBAN LANDSCAPE
by EDMOND ORTIZ
THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC has stretched thin community resources, but some of the hardest hit may be those striving to keep a roof over their heads or just find shelter.
Meanwhile, property owners and landlords — many sympathetic to their tenants’ plights — are trying not to go bankrupt. Social-service agencies are assisting, but many SHELTER continues on pg. 14
by SUSAN YERKES
IT’S EASY TO TALK ABOUT RETURNING to normal when the pandemic is tamed. But, normal is unlikely to mean the same — especially when it comes to the fates of offices, malls and shopping centers.
Will large retail outlets turn into empty wastelands as online shopping and delivery services like Amazon expand? Will office towers PROPERTIES continues on pg. 12
by EDMOND ORTIZ
CITIES HELP IMPROVE FLIGHT SAFETY FOR RANDOLPH AFB RECENT CLEARINGS OF VACANT HOMES IN UNIVERSAL CITY, Schertz and Converse will make communities safer around Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph’s flight path, officials said.
The destruction of housing near the air base is the
initial use of a blanket intergovernmental support agreement, or ISA, between the Alamo Area Council of Governments
DEMOLITION continues on pg. 20
A Holiday Message to our o r Chamber Members,
Season's Greetings! No one would argue that this was a challenging year. As we reflect on our achievements and successes, we learned in 2020 that success was not measured in profit but sustaining, helping and speaking out for each other. It was about sharing in a time of need, walking alongside and partnering to make not only our businesses but community a safer and protected place. Thank you to our Members who continue to help us support commerce in our area. We are inspired by your strength, resilience and generosity. You showed that the spirit of the season wasn't just this month but shown this entire year of 2020. YOU are our heroes!
Your Chamber Team, Maggie Carol Angie Shelby
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210-619-1952 www.thechamber.info
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L O CA L C O M M U N I T Y N E W S DEC. 15, 2020 - JAN. 12, 2021
PUBLISHER Jaselle Luna EDITORIAL Editor
Thomas Edwards News Staff
Edmond Ortiz Contributing Writers
Jose T. Garza III, Arthur Schechter and Susan Yerkes ART Designer
E. Fisher Contributing Artist
Jeremiah Teutsch Contributing Photographer
Olivier J. Bourgoin ADVERTISING Senior Media Representatives
Dawn Radick and Joanne Torres Multimedia Account Representative
Michael Valdelamar Controller
Gracie Cortinez READER SERVICE Mailing Address
4204 Gardendale St., Ste. 107, San Antonio, TX 78229 Phone: (210) 338-8842 Fax: (210) 465-9455 ADVERTISING INQUIRIES Advertising@localcommunitynews.com STORY IDEAS tips@localcommunitynews.com EDITOR CONTACT tedwards@localcommunitynews.com Reproduction in whole or in part without our permission is prohibited, 2020 Local Community News LLC, all rights reserved.
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ON THE COVER – A contractor razes homes along East Lindbergh Boulevard in Universal City as part of a safety project meant to benefit Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph and cities surrounding the military facility. The destruction of housing near the air base is the initial use of a blanket intergovernmental support agreement. See the story on page 01. Courtesy photo/Universal City
TALK LOCAL
Not so remote PROMPTED BY THE PANDEMIC, city and county governments expanded attendance to public meetings through means other than turning out in person. The trend should continue even when the health crisis concludes. Residents wanting to stay safe but informed readily embraced the new formats: livestreaming, telephone attendance, videoconferencing, realtime access through social media, and other platforms. Many governmental entities already providing remote coverage of council meetings and commissioners courts added invites to planning, zoning, architectural reviews, town halls, historical commissions and so on. Proponents of transparency in government feared a suspension last spring of open-meeting laws due to COVID-19 represented a danger to democracy. There have been lapses, which need to be addressed. Meanwhile, a Governor’s Broadband Development Council report highlights the need for more high-speed internet connectivity in Texas, especially in underserved areas. When the 87th Legislature convenes in January, a top priority should be ensuring broadband access for all Texans. After in-person attendance eventually returns, enhanced remote viewing should be maintained, too, to keep government deliberations open to a wider audience. For more on the ‘Living’ and ‘Spaces’ stories, visit www. localcommunitynews.com.
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DECEMBER
PLAN YOUR MONTH WITH OUR CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS IN THE COMMUNITY.
HAPPENING
L O CA L C O M M U N I T Y N E W S
Next City Councils/ School District Meetings
Cibolo: 6:30 p.m. Jan. 12; 200 S. Main St. Converse: 7 p.m. Dec. 15 & Jan. 5; 406 S. Seguin Road
Garden Ridge: 6 p.m. Jan. 6; 9400
Schertz: 6 p.m. Jan. 5, 12; 1400 Schertz Parkway Live Oak: 7 p.m. Dec. 29 & Jan. 12; 8001 Shin Oak Drive
Municipal Parkway Selma: 6:30 p.m. Jan. 14; 9375 Corporate Drive Windcrest: 6 p.m. Dec. 21 & Jan. 4; 8601 Midcrown Drive Universal City: 6:30 p.m. Dec. 15 & Jan. 5; 2150 Universal City Blvd. Comal ISD: 6 p.m. Dec. 17; 1404 Interstate 35 North in New Braunfels North East ISD: 5:30 p.m. Jan. 11; 8961 Tesoro Drive in San Antonio
EDITOR’S NOTE: THE CALENDAR IS CURRENT AS OF PRESS TIME, BUT SOME EVENTS MAY HAVE BEEN POSTPONED OR CANCELED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS CONCERNS. ACCESS TO PUBLIC MEETINGS MAY BE LIMITED OR STREAMING ONLY. CHECK WITH THE LISTED CONTACTS FOR UPDATES.
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Judson ISD: 7 p.m. Jan. 21; 8205 Palisades Drive in Live Oak
Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD: 6 p.m. Dec. 15; 1060 Elbel Road in Schertz
DEC. 15
GARDEN MEETING Live Oak Village Garden Club gathers from 1-3 p.m. at the Live Oak Clubhouse, 7901 Shin Oak Drive. For updates or cancellations, call Jo Anna Wheeler at 210-655-1036.
DEC. 17
CIBOLO GRANGE MARKETPLACE Come and find farmers’ and artisan’s goods from 3-7 p.m. at Grange Hall, 413 N. Main St. in Cibolo. For updates or cancellations, visit facebook.com/CiboloGrangeFarmersMarket or contact cibolograngemarket@yahoo.com. HAPPENING continues on pg. 09
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OPINION
L O CA L C O M M U N I T Y N E W S DEC. 15, 2020 - JAN. 12, 2021
Fix, don’t defund, SAPD by SUSAN YERKES
IN JANUARY, City Manager Eric Walsh and his team start negotiations with the San Antonio Police Officers Association to replace the labor contract expiring Sept. 30, 2021.
Expect some fireworks. Discussions and public posturing, on both sides, are likely to be protracted. Not so long ago, former City Manager Sheryl Sculley took a strong stand to trim skyrocketing benefit costs in police and fire accords, which led to years of headlines, court fights and name-calling. Firefighters union President Chris Steele once accused Sculley of treating members like “greedy bastards.” She said it wasn’t her intent, but the description provided her memoir’s title, “Greedy Bastards: One City’s Texas-Size Struggle to Avoid a
Financial Crisis.” Talks with the fire union dragged on for years; renegotiation isn’t until 2025. The crisis of Sculley’s title is what could have happened without the contract changes the city team finally won: By 2031, the rising cost of police
and fire benefits, particularly health care, was projected to consume 100% of the city’s general fund. The new agreement, Sculley wrote, “will result in estimated savings of more than $100 million over the five-year term of the contract.” That’s good news. And, it still leaves the union members with far better benefits than most civilian city employees enjoy. So, what’s the “Defund the Police” movement? How will it affect contract negotiations? (I think “Defund the Police” is a misleading slogan. Most folks who use it actually mean shifting money in police budgets to other services such as mental health, domestic violence, homelessness and other things officers are called to handle.) But, have no fear. The city definitely is not defunding the San Antonio Police Department. In fact, in spite of an expected $120 million loss in revenue due to the pandemic, the police budget City Council approved for the coming year includes an $8 million increase. There’s another movement afoot in town, with a less divisive name – Fix SAPD. If you voted this year, you might’ve encountered their volunteers at the polls collecting signatures on two petitions for proposals they hope to get on
ballots during May elections. The petitions call for repealing two chapters of the Texas Local Government Code involving collective bargaining rights of police and fire unions, transparency of records, and hiring, firing and disciplinary issues. As fine as the force is today, a few bad apples – officers charged with drunk driving, domestic violence and assault – can tarnish the badge. Union-backed laws allowing even a few to hang onto their jobs via arbitration after being fired do the rest no favors. Many folks seem to agree — Fix SAPD reports thousands have signed the petitions. There are positive changes already. While boosting funds for police, the latest budget moves 20 SAPD civilians who work with victims of domestic violence to the Metropolitan Health District and assigns more officers to domestic-violence prevention. Chief William McManus has banned no-knock warrants and chokeholds, plus beefed up SAPD’s protocol for mental-health calls involving violence or weapons. No sweeping change, but moving in the right direction. We need to keep taking steps. Forget defunding the police. Let’s ask our leaders to focus on fixing what’s broken – for the good of the men and women who wear the badge, and all the rest of us. syerkes@localcommunitynews.com
One of the most well-respected and award-winning journalists in South Texas, Susan Yerkes pens a column each month for LOCAL Community News. A veteran of newspapers, television, radio and online, she calls San Antonio home.
DEC. 15, 2020 - JAN. 12, 2021
L O CA L C O M M U N I T Y N E W S
HAPPENING continues from pg. 07
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DEC. 22 & JAN. 12
CONVERSE LIONS CLUB
DEC. 18-23
CAVERN CHRISTMAS “Christmas at the Caverns” transforms Natural Bridge Caverns, 26495 Natural Bridge Caverns Road, just off FM 3009 in the Garden Ridge area, into a Yuletide wonderland with underground shows, carols, s’mores, zip lines, a maze, reindeer, a spelunking Santa Claus and more. Cost varies. For details and to purchase tickets, visit https:// naturalbridgecaverns.com/christmas/.
The group meets at 7:30 p.m. in Greater Randolph Area Services Program, 250 Donalan Drive in Converse. For updates or holiday cancellations, visit https://www.e-clubhouse.org/sites/conversetx/.
DEC. 22 & JAN. 12 OPTIMIST CLUB
The Windcrest Optimist Club gathers at 7 a.m. in the Windcrest Civic Center, 9310 Jim Seal Drive, at 7 a.m. For updates or cancellations, call Andy Biancardi at 210656-5117 or email apb437@yahoo.com.
DEC. 18
DEC. 22 & JAN. 12
The Universal City Police Department will hold a public auction for unclaimed vehicles from 9 a.m. to noon at Johnny’s Wrecker Service, 315 Pat Booker Road in Universal City. COVID-19 safety protocols will be enforced. For a list of automobiles, plus updates or cancellations, visit http://www.universalcitytexas.com/ Calendar.aspx?EID=3485&month=12&year=2020&day=23&calType=0.
The group meets at 6:30 p.m. in Windcrest Civic Center, 9310 Jim Seal Drive. For updates or holiday cancellations, visit http:// www.e-clubhouse.org/sites/windcresttx/.
POLICE AUCTION
DEC. 19
ART FANS Art fans assemble at 11 a.m. at The Youth Building behind Live Oak Clubhouse, 7901 Shin Oak Drive. For more including field trips, updates or cancellations, call Kat at 210-844-5315 or visit https://www.facebook.com/ LiveOakLeagueOfArts/.
DEC. 21
STRUGGLING WITH CANCER? The New Life Cancer Support Team, a community-outreach ministry of New Life Baptist Church, 101 North St. in Converse, meets at 7 p.m. in the Rupp Building. Those dealing with cancer are invited for emotional and physical support. For updates or cancellations, call 210-658-1972.
WINDCREST LIONS CLUB
DEC. 23 & JAN. 13
GARDEN RIDGE LIONS CLUB The group normally meets at 7 p.m. in Garden Ridge Community Center, 9400 Municipal Parkway. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual conferences will take place. For updates or cancellations, call Dick Holloway, membership director, at 210-651-7431.
DEC. 23 & JAN. 13
SCHERTZ-CIBOLO LIONS CLUB The group meets from noon to 1 p.m. at the Schertz Family YMCA, 621 Westchester Drive. Free admission; bring a lunch. Newcomers welcome. For updates or holiday cancellations, call 210-445-3980.
DEC. 26
MEET CONVERSE MAYOR Come to the City Hall lobby at 8 a.m., 406 S. Seguin Road, and chat with Converse Mayor Al Suarez. No appointment necessary. During the COVID-19 outbreak, face HAPPENING continues on pg. 16
LOCALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM
10
LOWDOWN DEC. 15, 2020 - JAN. 12, 2021
Cibolo Valley Baptist Church Love God, Love Others, Reach the World 5500 FM 1103 Schertz, TX (210)658-0525 www.cibolovalleychurch.org Christmas Eve Services 4:30 PM and 6:30 PM Sunday Services 9:00 AM Traditional 10:15 AM Bible Study (All Ages) 11:30 AM Contemporary Children’s Church 11:30 AM Celebrate Recovery 6:00 PM
TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT WHAT’S NEW IN THE COMMUNITY FROM OPENINGS AND CLOSINGS TO NEWS TIDBITS.
Open and Opening Soon
LONE STAR DOG GROOMING, 1420 Schertz Parkway, Suite 160 in Schertz, is a new pet-care business that includes pickup and drop-off services for canines to look their best. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, and closed Monday and Sunday. For more, call 210-566-1847 or visit https://www.lonestardoggrooming.com/.
Medicare Annual Enrollment is October 15-December 7.
IMAGINE A HEALTH CARE TEAM THAT ACTUALLY WORKS TOGETHER.
Accepting New Patients Your health is our number one priority. For for more information about WellMed, call 210-905-4270 (toll free). Calling this number will direct you to The Brokerage, a licensed insurance agency.*
Andrea Gabel, MD Family Medicine Mae Martinez, MD Family Medicine
Ashley Gilmore cuddles a fluffy friend at Lone Star Dog Grooming of Schertz, a full-service pet care business. Gilmore, 23, is the daughter of owners Melissa and Timothy Gilmore. The pet spa, employing four, serves some 10 to 15 dogs daily. Photo by Olivier J. Bourgoin
S.A. EVENT CO., 9150 FM 78, Suite 3, in Converse, offers linen and other rentals for special occasions. For hours and more, call 210-600-4414 or visit www.saeventco. com.
*The Brokerage, license number 2359, works with Medicare enrollees to explain Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement Insurance, and Prescription Drug Plan options. Enhealth WellMed, usted nos importa WellMed does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in its programs and activities. ATTENTION: If you speak English, language assistance services, free of charge, are available to you. Please call 888-781-WELL (9355). ATENCIÓN: Si habla español (Spanish), hay servicios de asistencia de idiomas, sin cargo, a su disposición. Llame al 888-781-WELL (9355). 請注意： 如果您說中文 (Chinese)，我們免費為您提供語言協助服務。請致電：888-781-WELL (9355)。 20_4995_WM_AD_AEPPROVIDER_ALL_JL_C073020
INTRINSIC NUTRITION, 513 Cibolo Valley Drive, Suite 113 in Cibolo, offers healthy teas, plus fresh-made smoothies
DEC. 15, 2020 - JAN. 12, 2021
L O CA L C O M M U N I T Y N E W S
and juices. Hours are 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. For more, call 210-6003389 or visit https://www.facebook. com/IntrinsicNutritionCTX.
IN OTHER NEWS:
FOR THE 2020-2021 ACADEMIC YEAR, CLEMENS AND STEELE HIGH SCHOOLS, plus Copperfield Elementary School, received the Purple Star Campus Designation recognizing Texas school districts and open-enrollment charter schools that meet the needs of military-connected students and their families. The three are among 100-plus institutions statewide to receive the distinction, with more than 20 in the greater San Antonio area.
BACKED BY THE UNIVERSAL CITY COUNCIL and the Industrial Development Corp. board, the town is issuing $3.5 million in sales-tax bonds to help support its longrange plan to revitalize the local Aviation District. One goal includes transforming seven blocks of the southern portion of Pat Booker Road and surrounding residential areas.
JUDSON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT TRUSTEES approved a $750 retention incentive for all full-time personnel working as of Sept. 1, and still employed by Dec. 1. “The Judson ISD board of trustees is so grateful and appreciative of the Herculean efforts that have been displayed by the Judson ISD family during this unprecedented time of COVID-19,” Superintendent Jeanette Ball said in a statement.
THE PETCO FOUNDATION HELD AN EVENT NOV. 10 at the Cibolo Petco
11
to award Dripping Springs-based nonprofit Service Dogs Inc. a $25,000 grant to fund training of emergency-services facility canines. According to a news release, these animals provide emotional support to front-line workers, such as hospital emergency-room staff, paramedics, firefighters and lawenforcement personnel.
FOURTEEN METROCOM-AREA STUDENTS MADE THE ROSTER of the annual San Antonio Sports All-Star Football Game set for 2 p.m. Jan. 30 at Heroes Stadium. Presented by H-E-B, the match showcases the top local high school seniors. Team Black includes: Alex Bouldin, Wagner, inside linebacker; Trey Brown, Judson, cornerback; L.J. Butler, Wagner, running back; Josiah Carillo, Roosevelt, ILB; DeWayne Coleman, Roosevelt; Max DiDomenico, Clemens, quarterback; Andrew Edwards, Clemens, wide receiver; Evaunte Freeman, Judson, defensive end; Daniel Powell, Wagner, outside linebacker; Nathaniel Pryor, Judson, defensive tackle; and Simeon Woodard, Veterans Memorial, CB. Three Steele players represent Team Gold: Wyatt Begeal, QB; Christian Garza, ILB; and Caleb Lewis, DE. COVID-19 safety measures will be in effect. Visit https://sanantoniosports.org for details.
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WAGNER HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR IAN FERNANDES is one of 120 violinists to land a spot in the Texas Music Educators Association’s 2020-2021 All-State Orchestras. This is the second year for Fernandes to play in the ensemble. Find LOCAL Lowdown at www. localcommunitynews.com.
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L O CA L C O M M U N I T Y N E W S
SPACES
DEC. 15, 2020 - JAN. 12, 2021
PROPERTIES continues from pg. 01
go dark, as companies lay off workers permanently, or ask them to keep telecommuting? Going forward, how will the urban landscape, and our lifestyles, be altered? For decades, Steve Nivin, professor of economics at St. Mary’s University and director of the SABÉR Research Institute, has closely tracked local, state and national economic trends. Area retail stores and shopping plazas were already feeling the impacts of online commerce before COVID-19 struck the country. “The pandemic hugely accelerated that trend,” Nivin said. “There are stores like Sears, where it was clearly the last nail in the coffin, and other big retailers going out of business or cutting back, but I don’t think this will eliminate physical retail.”
Just months ago, Sears shuttered its last San Antonio outlet. “There’s more to shopping than buying. We’re social creatures. A large part of shopping or going to the mall is hanging out with friends and family – a kind of entertainment,” Nivin said. “There will definitely be serious changes, but I think malls will be around even as some stores shift more to online.” Large footprints they created could morph into other uses. “Malls are very unusual animals, given the combination of small shops and big anchors,” said veteran San Antonio real estate broker and developer Ed Cross. “For the hardest hit, it wouldn’t surprise me to see different uses, such as schools, government offices, medical facilities, and even Amazon facilities such as lastmile distribution or storefront pickup. Also, (The Shops at) La Cantera have
Staying open, starting fresh by SUSAN YERKES
When the pandemic arrived, San Antonio bars and restaurants were among the hardest hit businesses. Shuttered or limited to bare-bones service for months, some, like downtown’s venerable Cadillac Bar and Mexican Manhattan Restaurant, succumbed. Economist and researcher Steve Nivin’s second-quarter report for the City Council on the
economic effects of the outbreak found 557 accommodation and food-service establishments permanently closed. Almost all — 555 — were microbusinesses, but accounted for 14.5% of the accommodation and food-service industry, which mirrors the Texas Restaurant Association’s statewide estimate of 15% permanent coronavirus-related shutdowns by September. Pre-pandemic, Nivin’s 2018
shown an open-air mall will work in San Antonio, so ‘cracking open’ the mall and exposing main-circulation hallways, which are really pedestrian main streets to the outside, may work as well.” Reimagining malls and big-box stores isn’t a new phenomenon, but COVID-19 is likely an accelerator. Early in the dwindling of brick-andmortar retail, around the time of the Great Recession, Windsor Park Mall was transformed into Rackspace’s headquarters, infusing new economic life into the Windcrest area. Wonderland of the Americas, on 61 acres of prime land in Balcones Heights at Loop 410/Interstate 10, has gone through several transitions. It still has retailers such as Target and Hobby Lobby, plus the Santikos Bijou Cinema Bistro, but also serves as a community-events host. The lower level is full of medical-related offices.
study on the San Antonio culinary scene indicated eateries and food services alone represented 103,000 jobs, and nearly $3 million in labor income. State orders closed pubs for months at a time, limited eating spots to curbside or deliveryonly, and led to worker furloughs and layoffs. Even when food establishments were allowed to reopen, Texas regulations decreed dine-in seating capacity had to be kept low to prevent the spread of the disease. The good news: business is coming back, if slowly, with slimmer menus and smaller staffs. And, even in these hard times, new restaurants continue to launch. Cappy Lawton has been running well-loved eateries for 50-plus years, including Cappy’s Restaurant, the adjacent
In addition, the “Little Shops” area offers short leases for beginning entrepreneurs. “Sid Weiss (a partner in the ownership group) saw the medicalcenter concept and we’ve had success with it,” said Wonderland Marketing Director Victoria Hernandez. “You have to think outside the box in this business.” Meanwhile, it’s more difficult to discern the survival strategies of nationally owned major San Antonio malls, since most are reluctant to share future plans or financial data. “Big malls can be converted to new uses. You look at what you can do with these spaces without tearing them down,” said Char Miller, longtime San Antonio professor and writer, now W.M. Keck Professor of Environmental Analysis and History at California’s Pomona
Cappyccino’s in Alamo Heights, and La Fonda on Main in the Monte Vista Historic District. “At the start of the year we were on track for our busiest and best year ever, and then kaboom! We were closed,” Lawton said. The economic impact proved severe. “One hundred and seventy people furloughed. Life has been very uncertain since then. We’re at roughly 65% of where we were pre-COVID, and about 20% of that is curbside,” the entrepreneur said. “Whether we’re open 50% or 75% isn’t that important – 6-foot social distancing has effectively cut the capacity of all restaurants in half. Virtually EATERIES continues on pg. 13
DEC. 15, 2020 - JAN. 12, 2021
L O CA L C O M M U N I T Y N E W S
College. “Given climate change, San Antonio is online for a spike in temperatures, so maybe we can convert these gargantuan enclosed buildings in ways that are smart and sustainable. There’s not a city in the Southwest with enough park space. Imagine North Star Mall with some cool gym-like features to serve kids, or a zip line.” Amazon continues to expand physically Miller noted, adding, “How ironic if Amazon effectively destroys the mall as a center of consumption, to make them into centers of distribution.” Ted Flato, founding partner of San Antonio’s internationally acclaimed Lake/Flato Architects, is a champion of adaptive reuse, as showcased in his firm’s design for the defunct Pearl Brewery property. The abandoned industrial area on 22 prime riverside acres became a 958,320-square-foot “sustainable village” of living, dining, entertainment, retail space, and recreation. Flato has put considerable thought into rebirthing large malls and strip centers. “Retail was shrinking well before the pandemic, and we were being hired by developers to look at rehabbing shopping centers. They are often strategic locations in big suburban areas,” he said. “And, surface parking is an enormous footprint, often bigger than what is inside.” Strategic location and the value of the real estate can make a mall ideal for transitioning into highdensity housing, supporting the “village” concept Pearl exemplifies, Flato said. Replacing acres of asphalt parking with high-density housing can support retail, restaurants and
offices. The 5.2-acre Quarry Village, with the 280-unit Artessa apartments, surrounded by the Quarry Golf Course, and the 54-acre Alamo Quarry Market, with its iconic industrial buildings and smokestacks, is another “new urban” neighborhood well-positioned to weather COVID-19 shutdowns and isolation. The outlook for growth is positive at Brooks, where Director of Planning and Development Marques Mitchell said there’s been no slowdown in housing expansion or light industrial manufacturing and distribution. The Cuisine Solutions plant announced in late 2018 it has begun hiring for its 290,000-square-foot operations. “Of the various elements on our campus, retail has been the biggest challenge, and it has taken a hit with the pandemic,” Mitchell added, “but (we) have land available for it and we’re working with developers to lease it.” In Converse, despite the crisis, expansion continues on an exponential track. With 3,000 new single-family homes platted and under construction, Converse Economic Development Corp. Executive Director Jimsi Kuborn said the growth trajectory is still strong. “We granted assistance to 48 companies this summer through COVID relief funds. Unfortunately, we lost a few small businesses, but we have seen the spaces refilled fast. The landlord of one restaurant had five offers to re-lease the space very quickly,” Kuborn noted. “Businesses are always looking for the next untapped market, and Converse definitely has that circumstance.” Office space is liable to be in flux here, as nationwide, for some time, Cross said. “First, it’s a big question as to when corporations are going to ask people to come back. I also think corporate
SPACES
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EATERIES continues from pg. 12
80% of people want to sit outside, and while La Fonda has a lot of outdoor tables, we’re limited at Cappy’s. It’s an extremely hard time for the whole hospitality industry,” he said. Lawton estimates about 70% of his personnel have returned. “We’ve lost probably about 15% forever – some have shifted to other work or left the city. Another 15% or so have people at home they’re taking care of, they’re scared to come back in, or they have children they’re home schooling,” he said. Lawton noted he’s still on track to reopen the iconic Mama’s Cafe at Nacogdoches Road and Loop 410 — a project years in the making. It, too, has been delayed by COVID-19. “We pay well, but we can’t find the 80 to 100 good people we need,” he said, so its reboot has been postponed to early 2021. Adam Lampinstein and his family are relatively new to San Antonio. They moved from El Paso, where he co-owned a restaurant
America is going to have a bunch of layoffs. That will mean downsizing (on) space. Most companies have leases, not ownership, so they may have 10,000 square feet now and only need 5,000,” he said. Cross added, “In my business right now, a lot of companies are saying they may try to sublease some of their space, but I’m not aware of any pre-COVID office decisions here that have been canceled — yet. I don’t think that is really going to manifest itself until early next year. San Antonio has more back-office workers, and (many of them) will be pushed
for several years. His wife became a dual-language teacher in Alamo Heights Independent School District. The restaurateur always wanted to run a deli with a Texas accent, he said, but never thought he’d do it in the midst of a crisis. His place, The Hayden, a “new-school deli” opened in mid-October with a full bar at Broadway and East Hildebrand Avenue. “We started this a year and a half ago, when no one could imagine the pandemic was coming. But, when you sign a lease and put half a million (dollars) into a space, you keep going,” he said. He’s reduced staff, trimmed menu items, and curtailed operating hours, he added, but business is steady. Lampinstein credited his education and experience in advertising with helping get The Hayden successfully underway. “We have really put a lot into social media, which is great. Most people who come in want to take pictures and post them, and that really helps get our marketing out,” he said.
out of offices to work remotely, which will lead to more co-working demand for spaces like WeWork.” Locales such as Pearl and downtown will benefit by offering Wi-Fi, food and entertainment, Cross said, but also, perhaps, surviving malls converting vacated department stores into co-working spaces. “This whole issue of repurposing buildings and real estate is going to be huge over the next 10 years,” he noted. “I am fascinated with the acceleration of all these trends. We are strapped to the back of a tiger, not sure where we are going.” LOCALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM
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LIVING
DEC. 15, 2020 - JAN. 12, 2021
SHELTER continues from pg. 01
wonder if it’s enough and for how long. One of those aided by a relief organization is Tiffany Shelton, who lives in a Southeast Side apartment with her daughter and niece. Before COVID-19, the certified nursing assistant had a reliable weekly workload, providing health care services for three to four patients in their residences, and working at a nursing home. Since the outbreak and resulting public-health restrictions, Shelton had to choose between servicing only one of those clients or the nursing home. She applied — and got hired — for
jobs at two businesses, but those nursing facilities saw local outbreaks. So, Shelton had to settle for her lone home health care patient. “I’m barely making 21 hours a week, give or take,” she said. “Things started to spiral. Bills started to stack up.” Shelton contacted SAMMinistries, which previously aided her. The organization is one of many extending life preservers to people struggling to stay afloat in the current emergency, which has caused job furloughs, layoffs and closures by numerous companies, nonprofits and governmental agencies. In the disease’s wake, the United States lost 10.7 million jobs by September,
Tenants’ rights and resources by EDMOND ORTIZ
Renters, especially those at risk of eviction, have various rights and responsibilities including: • An eviction notice doesn’t mean immediate removal. • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s current evictions moratorium applies to individuals earning less than $99,000 yearly, or couples earning $198,000 annually. • Eligible residents must prove in writing they’re unable to pay full rent or make a full housing payment due to substantial loss of household income and/or compensable hours of work or wages, a layoff, or out-of-pocket medical expenses caused
according to the University of New Hampshire’s Carsey School of Public Policy. Shelton is also among millions of renters nationwide hoping to stave off eviction. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a nationwide order Sept. 4 to protect an estimated 40 million renters from eviction through year’s end. CDC officials reason that mass evictions would hasten COVID’s spread by forcing millions of people into close quarters with friends or family, or into homeless shelters. However, landlords and managers of multifamily communities nationwide have used loopholes in the CDC’s directive.
by the pandemic. Visit https://www.cdc.gov/ coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/declarationform.pdf for details. • No moratorium relieves a tenant of paying unpaid rent and/or any fees or penalties.
Where eligible renters and homeowners affected by the coronavirus pandemic can turn for local aid: • Alamo Area Council of Governments’ Alamo Service Connection — utility payments for adults ages 60 and older; housing vouchers for disabled individuals ages 18-61 (210-477-3275 or info@askasc.org or www. askasc.org). • City of San Antonio Emergency Housing Assistance Program — rent, mortgage, utility and internet aid to qualifying individuals or families within city limits. In addition, qualifying households receive $150$300, based on household size, for food and other necessities (210-207-5910 or www.sanantonio.gov/ emergencyhousingassistance). • Bexar County Temporary Rental Assistance — available for qualifying individuals or families within Bexar County, but not inside San Antonio’s city limits (210940-1180 or www.habctx.org/TRAM). • SAMMinistries — rent, mortgage, utility aid to qualifying individuals or families. Relocation help is
They filed 20,500-plus evictions in 22 cities tracked by the Princeton University’s Eviction Lab between Sept. 4 and Oct. 17. San Antonio hasn’t been tracking local numbers, but the city and Bexar County do offer emergency housing aid and other COVID-19 assistance to eligible residents, organizations and businesses. The Alamo City received 34,775 household applications for emergency housing assistance, with 19,716 approvals by Nov. 2. By the same date, the municipal program exhausted $55.3 million out of a committed $67.5 million in COVID-19related local aid, including $45.6 million
also available (210-340-0302 or www.samm. org/get-help). • Randolph Area Christian Assistance Program — provides assistance for rent, food, prescription medication and utilities. RACAP also has extended emergency aid to eligible Universal City residents (https://racap.org or 210-658-1613). • Greater Randolph Area Services Program (GRASP) - offers emergency aid to qualified Bexar County or Guadalupe County households for rent, utility, food and medicine. (https:// grasp211.org/ or 210-658-6351). • American GI Forum — services for veterans: emergency housing for homeless, financial aid for rent and community resources. Relocation help is also available (210-234-4892 or www. agif-nvop.org). • Endeavors — Services for veterans and other vulnerable populations: emergency housing for homeless, financial aid for rent, and community resources through case management (210-4699664 or www.endeavors.org). • Workforce Recovery Program — free workforce training and education to San Antonio residents negatively affected in industries of hospitality, food service or retail, based on unemployment claims (210-224-4357 or www. workforcesolutionsalamo.org).
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to temporarily assist renters or mortgagors. The city has helped more than 53,000 individuals. Veronica Soto, San Antonio’s Neighborhood and Housing Services director, said even before this emergency, the Alamo City faced a challenge dealing with its chronically homeless and expanding affordable housing. “There’s a lot of gaps and lot of needs. Now, we have a full-blown housing crisis,” Soto said. “The people who before were house-burdened, experiencing homelessness, or were on the brink of homelessness, are now a larger number.” After the pandemic hit last spring, many people managed to get by with an incometax refund and/or federal stimulus check. Those who lost jobs received unemployment bonuses. Now, most can’t rely on such short-term fixes. “People who had never come for public assistance, who never imagined they’d be seeking assistance, are now seeking help to pay for their mortgage,” Soto said. Some local leaders say even more should be done for residents in the greatest danger as the pandemic continues, especially with flu season and winter on the way. District 10 Councilman Clayton Perry backs District 1 Councilman Roberto Trevino’s push for additional federal relief for hard-hit hospitality workers. “San Antonio’s response so far has been helpful, but I’d like to see assistance go further to help people who have lost their jobs due to COVID,” Perry said. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act helps fund many local government’s aid programs. But, uncharted waters are on the horizon. Starting Jan. 1, 2021, most significant CARES Act-backed initiatives and the CDC eviction moratorium expire. Soto and her counterparts expect another wave of residents seeking housing and other assistance.
LIVING
Landlords adapting to COVID guidelines by EDMOND ORTIZ
COVID-19 RULES HALTING EVICTIONS put many property owners at risk, they say; others are trying to give tenants a financial break without going under themselves. Many multifamily community-management companies, housingindustry groups and individual landlords have called regulations to temporarily upend suspensions of evictions overreaching and even unconstitutional. “The fact of the matter is that, like any business, we can’t provide services for free,” said Mike Rust, general operations manager for Highland Commercial Properties. HCP owns and operates 12 apartment communities in San Antonio, covering 1,271 apartment units, and 350 single-family rental homes. Rust added: “We have employees who count on us to support their own families. We provide water and electricity to many of our residents. All of our apartment residents receive free, high-speed Wi-Fi. We have normal repairs that need to be made. Of course, taxes and city fees aren’t going
down, so the potential impact is severe.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a nationwide moratorium on evictions through Dec. 31. CDC officials argue people left unsheltered could help spread the novel coronavirus by forcing folks to live with family in crowded conditions or increasing homelessness. The moratorium doesn’t completely stop evictions. Requirements call on tenants to demonstrate they have tried obtaining government assistance or attempted to pay their landlord. In turn, landlords can still contest the eviction protections in court. Meanwhile, the City Council passed an ordinance this summer requiring landlords and property managers to provide renters a “notice of tenant’s rights” to help curb any push for mass evictions spurred by nonpayment. The San Antonio Apartment Association urged property managers and owners to waive tenants’ late fees. HCP gave every resident 10% off April and May rents, plus a 5% June discount. HCP also opted to forgo
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fees, and postponed scheduled rent hikes. “In certain clear and compelling instances, we’ve waived all back rent,” Rust said. He added San Antonio’s coronavirus relief program has helped most residents who apply for and receive funds, and his firm’s properties negotiate with “residents who will work with us.” “Essentially, if they show us they are making an effort, we work with them,” Rust concluded. Even so, HCP has delayed some property upgrades due to direct impacts on the company’s income. Alamo Community Group, which developed and currently manages 11 affordable-housing communities citywide, guided eligible, affected residents through the city’s housing-aid program. “We’ve also helped our residents to locate other programs and resources outside the city of San Antonio, like the San Antonio Food Bank and Alamo Area Council of Governments,” said Michael Shackelford, ACG’s policy director. The apartment association also responded by updating members on guidance and actions taken by state and national apartment associations. The Texas Apartment Association in October launched an eviction diversion program in Bexar County and 18 others statewide, offering eligible participants up to six months of rental assistance, including debt started in April 2020.
SHELTER continues on pg. 17
LOCALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM
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ELECTRICAL SIGNAL THERAPY
DEC. 15, 2020 - JAN. 12, 2021
HAPPENING continues from pg. 09
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SCHOOL’S OUT
Randolph Metrocom area campuses will close for Winter Break. Vacation time in Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City and Comal independent school districts is Dec. 21-Jan. 4. North East and Judson independent school districts students are off Dec. 21-Jan. 1.
DECEMBER/JANUARY THE CHAMBER EVENTS
GREATER RANDOLPH AREA KIWANIS FOUNDATION The group meets at 7 a.m. in Jim’s Restaurant, 7000 N. Loop 1604 East in San Antonio. For updates or cancellations, email Cindy Newton at cindyn@satx.rr.com, or call 210381-4082, or visit www.grak.org.
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THROUGH DEC. 22
FORD HOLIDAY BOAT CAROLING Carolers on boats along the River Walk in downtown San Antonio will sing Christmas tunes from 6-8:15 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 6-9:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday. For more including COVID-19 restrictions, plus updates or cancellations, visit https:// www.thesanantonioriverwalk.com/ events/ford-holiday-boat-caroling/.
Universal City/San Antonio
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The city’s 62nd annual Light Up contest continues through the holidays as area residents illuminate their homes. This year’s theme, “Let Freedom Ring,” is a military tribute toured from your automobile. For more on the drive-thru activities including updates or cancellations, visit https://www.windcrest-tx.gov/190/Windcrest-Light-Up.
9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a variety of vendors representing local farmers, artisans and businesses, plus free attendance and parking. During the pandemic, COVID-19 safety protocols are enforced. For updates or cancellations, visit https://gardenridgemarketdays.com/.
The Chamber (Schertz-Cibolo-Selma area) offers several monthly activities. Upcoming festivities include an 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 15 luncheon at Schertz Civic Center, 1400 Schertz Parkway (Building 5), featuring guest speaker Craig Krause from Direct Development, who will discuss “The Placebo Effect.” From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 30, Methodist Hospital Northeast and The Chamber will host the Health and Wholeness Fair at the Schertz Civic Center with free admission. The Chamber offices will be closed Dec. 24-25, 30-31. For updates or cancellations, visit www.thechamber.info or email finance@ thechamber.info. For coronavirus information regarding local business’ schedule changes and/ or closures, go to The Chamber’s Facebook page or call 210-619-1952.
Neuromuscular reeducation Prevention of tissue atrophy Relaxation of muscle spasms Increasing/improving circulation Maintaining or increasing range of motion Adjunctive treatment of post-surgical pain Adjunctive treatment of acute post-traumatic pain Immediate post-surgical use to prevent blood clots Management and symptomatic relief of chronic pain
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CALLING ALL SHOPPERS
THROUGH JAN. 2
CHRISTMAS LIGHTS “Holiday Lights on the River Walk,” 849 E. Commerce St., will be illuminated nightly during Yuletide in San Antonio. For updates or cancellations, visit https://www. thesanantonioriverwalk.com/ events/holiday-lights-on-the-riverwalk-free/.
DEC. 15, 2020 - JAN. 12, 2021
L O CA L C O M M U N I T Y N E W S
SHELTER continues from pg. 15
It’s partially why San Antonio-area municipalities have been working with private-sector agencies and nonprofits, such as Castle Hills-based SAMMinistries, to support struggling community members such as Shelton for as long as possible. “We have a robust program that pays rent to landlords and property managers for renters needing assistance,” said Nikisha Baker, SAMMinistries president and CEO. “We see a need to continue providing that resource.” After the pandemic hit, Shelton’s apartment manager gave her and fellow tenants a list of agencies offering help. “SAMMinistries was the only place that called back,” Shelton said of her application process. “Everybody else we called was out
of funds, they had a long list, or you had to be in their ZIP code.” The organization also offers homeowners mortgage aid. Even so, Baker expects to see “an even larger number of families and individuals once the CDC moratorium ends.” The local homeless population got hit hard in multiple ways, too. Based on the Northwest Side, South Alamo Regional Alliance for the Homeless is the lead “continuum of care” agency for the city and county — an alliance of service providers addressing homelessness and supportive housing. Since the outbreak, SARAH has held weekly calls with partner agencies. Many homeless are more at risk of exposure to COVID-19, especially seniors and those with underlying health
LIVING
conditions. Guadalupe and Comal counties don’t have their own comprehensive relief programs, but Metrocom-area agencies such as Greater Randolph Area Services Program and Randolph Area Christian Assistance Program have stepped up. GRASP has been providing up to 25 families daily with rent, utility and food aid. Nearly half of GRASP’s clients are new applicants who’ve never reached out for help prior to COVID’s arrival. “As families return to work and school, we anticipate further challenges as some households are experiencing significant delinquencies for rent and utility payments and unable to catch up,” GRASP President/ CEO Jay Higginson said. GRASP and RACAP ran a Household Stabilization Program in Universal City,
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exhausting $150,000 in CARES Act funds that the municipality got from Bexar County. “The Universal City household (program) was a success and, if more funding becomes available in the future, the program will be offered again,” City Manager Kim Turner said. RACAP was boosted by monetary donations from the community, including residents who gave up their federal stimulus checks. “Our communities really came through for us, and we were ready at the start,” program director Jessie Fisher said. As for Shelton, her family’s rent is paid through 2020 thanks to SAMMinistries. But, job and housing prospects remain few and far between. “I’m just trying to stay above water,” she said.
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CONVERSE — In spite of a lingering legal challenge, Kate Silvas is optimistic she and fellow City Council members can set aside their differences during her second term.
The town’s former economic development director — the first city staffer in recent memory to win a City Hall seat — was sworn in once more at the Nov. 17 council meeting. Two weeks earlier, Silvas successfully regained her Place 4 spot with 2,353 votes during the Nov. 3 elections. She was dismissed from the dais in June 2020 after a temporary injunction, which had kept her in her post during a legal battle against the borough, was lifted. Silvas and Converse officials have been embroiled in a yearlong courtroom war after municipal leaders removed her in October 2019. Her critics said she asked city employees to process a large amount of paperwork without seeking permission from the city manager, which is required by Converse’s charter. The case is currently at the appellate level as city leaders argue they acted within their jurisdiction to remove the councilwoman during her first term. Silvas said she isn’t going to let ongoing legal issues prevent her from making the best choices for neighbors. “I do believe in this community and will continue to serve to the best of my ability,” she added. “What I learned (from my last
tenure) is that there is value in teamwork, which was what I attempted (the previous time). There’s value in listening, asking questions and making an educated decision. It is necessary to make sure we are doing the right thing for our citizens.” This go-round Silvas said she’s focused on promoting public safety, economic development and financial transparency. Fellow council member Deborah James, who won a reelection bid Nov. 3, said Silvas deserves a chance. “She was elected by the citizens of Converse,” James said. “She worked hard to win her seat.” The Police Department has been an issue in recent months. In September, Chief Ruben Saucedo resigned from his four-month-old job amid reports about internal strife leading to some officers leaving for other departments. As of press time, the town hadn’t yet filled the
DEC. 15, 2020 - JAN. 12, 2021
L O CA L C O M M U N I T Y N E W S
vacancy, and is working with the force to determine the department’s development, according to reports. Police morale was a concern Silvas said she mentioned to fellow council members a year ago, and as a mother, one of her goals is making Converse safer. Silvas referenced a recent methlab bust in a nearby subdivision as one example why city officials should emphasize public safety. “Our kids are growing up in a time and place where they need to know that they are safe and their well-being is looked after,” she said. Improving public safety increases Converse’s chances to attract additional businesses, Silvas said. The Police Department’s LOCALCOMMUNITYNEWS.COM
commitment to protecting the community has enticed local merchants to remain, the officeholder added. “(Business owners) would tell me, ‘Kate, we are in Converse because your police officers are doing their jobs,’” she said. “‘We know we can trust them, and are looking out for us.’ I want to make sure we are not chasing off qualified personnel. Our personnel are assets that get things done, and if we don’t treat them well, that is a problem.” Silvas said she’d work with town officials to bring medical services to Converse. To attract such enterprises, the city should upgrade its infrastructure, the
POLITICS
councilwoman added. “We have a growing elderly population and a growing population of children and young people who need access to medical services,” she said. “When you increase access to medical services in Converse, that means not having to commute to (the South Texas) Medical Center (in San Antonio) and waiting two or three hours for an appointment. Having access is important because it increases traffic, jobs and investment in Converse.” Fixing what she called financial discrepancies is also on Silvas’ to-do list this term. During her last stint, Silvas said she discovered an $8 million
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disparity between 2018 and 2019 audits. Upon inquiring, Silvas said she was told by city officials the monies were moved from Converse’s cash-reserves balance to its cash-equivalents budget to fund a radio-read water meter project, which didn’t get started until this year. Silvas said the answer still left her puzzled. “There have been too many irregularities to turn a blind eye,” she added. “I hope we come to terms with being truly transparent and communicate with the public on the things that matter to them and why.” Find this story and more at www.localcommunitynews.com.
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COMMUNITY
DEC. 15, 2020 - JAN. 12, 2021
DEMOLITION continues from pg. 01
and JBSA. Universal City solicited bids and managed the project, which included the clearing and cleanup of a residential concrete foundation, a rural tract with a mobile home, sheds and a water well, and three undeveloped parcels. “Demolition of these derelict homes is going to improve flying safety for the Air Force, promote public safety and remove the blight for the city and the residents of Universal City,” AACOG Executive Director Diane Rath said at a Nov. 10 socially distanced event in Universal City. Military and civilian leaders attended the razing of seven of the nine houses, on a stretch of East Lindbergh Boulevard. The properties sat within the “clear zones” — or areas requiring to be free of structures — of
aircraft approaches to runways at Randolph. The federal government has long sought to reduce the risk of military aviation accidents between air bases and adjacent civilian housing and businesses. Department of Defense studies in the 1970s and ’80s found most mishaps occur on or near landing strips. Home of the 12th Flying Training Wing, JBSA-Randolph is the only Air Force base with dual simultaneous instrument approaches on parallel runways. Randolph is also one of the Air Force’s busiest facilities, averaging more than 200,000 flight operations annually. AACOG facilitates the support accord between JBSA and San Antonio. However, now smaller towns surrounding military facilities are encouraged to use the ISA to address incompatible land uses, such as
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zones needing to be cleared of buildings. Officials said the agreement, and a Randolph Joint Land Use Study finished a few years ago, will lead to similar safety projects. The state funded the purchases of the 14 properties. “Under the blanket ISA, AACOG and its member governments can literally provide any service that we usually provide for the military, and the military is such an important part of this community,” Rath said. “Local governments have incredible in-house capabilities and buying power. The blanket ISA allows us to pass along the advantages of those capabilities and buying power to promote mission resilience, save taxpayer money and create efficiencies for JBSA.” Universal City Mayor John Williams said it only makes sense for his town and neighboring municipalities to do what they can to help preserve the flying training mission at Randolph. “We sort of grew up together,” Williams said of the evolution of both the base and the city. “We plan as a team and we work together as a team.” Brig. Gen. Caroline Miller, 502nd Air Base Wing and JBSA commander, thanked AACOG and leaders of neighboring cities for their assistance. “The demolition of these aged houses will help ensure the safety of our neighbors in Universal City and Schertz,
while also allowing JBSA mission partners to continue focusing on their core mission of training tomorrow’s military aviators,” she added. Newly reelected U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, who serves on the House Appropriations Committee, said adequate funding for defense is always important. He added it’s equally crucial to properly fund the Defense Community Infrastructure Program, which could help bolster initiatives such as clear zones and reconciling incompatible land use. “We’ve got to look at the communities that serve the military installations. We’ve got to make sure we put the money in there, and that we grow that money,” Cuellar added. Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Calvert, who chaired the Randolph Joint Land Use Committee, said expanding clear zones around Randolph by cities shows local governments are committed to preserving the missions at one of the area’s biggest public employers. “We’re also saving the military in terms of procurement costs,” Calvert said. “This is just a real win for us. We’re going to continue to have strong, bold action.” Find this story and more at www. localcommunitynews.com.
River of Life
Christian Ministry The Church Where the Spirit of God is Pouring Out! - John 7:38
We are a community dedicated to seeking God and serving people!
Join us
✦ Sunday School: 9:00 A.M. ✦ Sunday Worship: 10:30 A.M. ✦ Holy Communion: Senior Pastor Every 1st Sunday Bishop-Designate Springs ✦ River Women’s Day: Every 5th Sunday Co-Pastor Evangelist ✦ Wednesday Bible Study: Mary L. Springs 7:00 P.M. via Zoom
5624 Randolph Blvd., San Antonio, TX 78233 210-773-4430 • TheRiverSA.Com • msprings@satx.rr.com
Advance Your Career & Your Future Apply & Enroll now for Spring 2021 (in person, online, and remote synchronous instruction) -Apply by 01/04/21 -Registration now open for all students Learn more about our plans for Spring 2021 at alamo.edu/nlc/spring2021 The Alamo Colleges District is an EOE. For any special accommodations issues or an alternate format, contact the Title IX Coordinator, (210) 485-0200.
THIS SURE BEATS SITTING HOME ALONE What fun to make new friends at 80! Enjoy an inspiring, independent life at Esplanade Gardens where friendships are made, delicious meals are shared and dedicated staff are available to assist when needed.
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Change is Good
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FREE Public Montessori School within SAISD Now Accepting Applications Ahora Aceptando Aplicaciones PreK-3 thru 2nd Grade Offering Non-Dual Language and Dual-Language pathways Deadline to apply January 29, 2021
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Approximately 70% of total hospitalized cases of COVID-19 are indicated to have some type of underlying condition (the other 30% either do not have an underlying condition or their status is unknown). Among these cases, diabetes is the most common, followed by heart disease and obesity.
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DID YOU KNOW?
Almost 29 million Americans have diabetes – but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. About 84 million adults in the United States have prediabetes. The YMCA of Greater San Antonio and The City of The San Antonio Metropolitan Health Department have teamed up to fight diabetes from two fronts. Whether you are at risk for type 2 diabetes or if you have already been diagnosed, we have a FREE program for you! We can help you: · Make lifestyle changes to help prevent or delay the disease · Work with family members to reduce your entire family’s risk · Manage the disease if you have already received a diagnosis. We’ll teach you how you can take control of your health safely manage the symptoms of diabetes. Call 210-207-8807 or visit diabeteshelpsa.com for more information.
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