LOCAL: Castle Hills, Shavano Park, North Central, 78213, 78230, 78248, 78249 July 2014

INSIDE

Medical guide pg.19 Bringing you the most recent news and latest trends in health care

Vol. 3, Issue 1

castle hills

What's

INSIDE your community

pg.11 Mayor, council

at odds over Shavano Park political signs

Placards posted on grounds of municipal offices: Free speech or clutter?

shavano park

north central

Study looks at controlling trash in creekbeds near San Antonio River’s headwaters

CASTLE HILLS

CITY HALL

SAGA Mayor resigns in latest fracas, still wants to help town Battle lines drawn, city manager wants to step down

pg.14 North

Side church expands specialfantastic deals needs coupons INSIDE ministry

www.salocallowdown.com

JULY 2014

from Shavano Park area found in Olmos Basin

Scholar’s summer includes gearing up for national convention

Discover the city through LOCAL deals from restaurants, retailers and services in your community, and save money while you do it! pg. 31

78213 78230 78231 78248 78249

pg.12 Pollution

Latin a lively language for Clark tutor

pg.17

COMMUNITY NEWS

Group served has grown to several hundred in three decades

pg.09 pg. 26 BUY LOCAL:

GET YOUR VAPE ON

New business could be key to kicking the smoking habit

pg. 28 EAT LOCAL:

GEORGE'S KEEP Bar introduces fresh cocktails to suit moods of summer.

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From the editor tedwards@salocallowdown.com

President Harold J. Lees Publisher Gregg Rosenfield

Assoc. Publisher Rick Upton

Editorial Executive Editor Thomas Edwards News Staff Collette Orquiz, Bain Serna and Will Wright Contributing Writers Alexis Fernandez, Ron Aaron Eisenberg, Joyce Hotchkiss, Eileen Pace, Travis E. Poling, Lucille Sims Thomas and Susan Yerkes ART Creative Director Florence D. Edwards Production Designer Pete Morales Contributing Photographer Rudy B. Ornelas Contributing Illustrator Jeremiah Teutsch Advertising Advertising Director Jaselle Luna Zone Manager Marc Olson Account Manager Anne Elizabeth Chacon Controller Keith Sanders READER SERVICE Mailing Address 4204 Gardendale Ste. 201 SA, TX 78229 Phone Fax (210) 338.8842 (210) 616.9677

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Advertising Inquiries molson@salocallowdown.com Story Ideas tips@salocallowdown.com Website www.salocallowdown.com LOCAL Community News publications Zone 1: 78204, 78205, 78209, 78210, 78212, 78215 Zone 3: 78216, 78232, 78247 Zone 4: 78109, 78148, 78233, 78239 Zone 5: 78108, 78132, 78154, 78266 Zone 6: 78258, 78259, 78260, 78261 For advertising, customer service or editorial, please call us at 210-338-8842 or write to us at: Local Community News 4204 Gardendale Ste. 201 San Antonio, TX 78229 Reproduction in whole or in part without our permission is prohibited, 2014 Helen Publishing, LLC and Local Community News, LLC, all rights reserved.

14-CPS-0472 ES Ad_Local Community News_V2.indd 1

6/20/14 11:22 AM

New reporter joins LOCAL newsroom

L

ast month I announced to readers that LOCAL Community News has achieved another milestone by adding a sixth publication to our chain of informative and entertaining newspapers.

Now I have some more wonderful news to share: We are also welcoming a new reporter, Bain Serna.

His inclusion brings to four the number of full-time journalists on our staff.

Bain makes a welcome addition.

Not only is he quick-witted with a ready smile, but he also is a good observer of the human condition, excellent qualities for a reporter.

But don’t let his easygoing manner fool you. He has a competitive spirt.

Bain holds black belts in taekwondo and judo, has fought professionally in mixed martial arts and has been a high school wrestling coach. There are several videos on YouTube of Bain’s matches.

Bain proudly served our country during his enlistment with the Army as an infantryman, and was even deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq.

He is still in the Army Reserve.

In addition to his other talents, Bain is also an experienced journalist. He has covered a variety of stories for the Karnes Countywide, has written BUYs and EATs for LOCAL as a freelancer, and has worked as a contributing writer for other publications.

Bain will bring a wealth of experience and insight to his new role. I am excited about his debut with LOCAL, and I know we will see great stories from him.

Thomas Edwards executive Editor facebook.com/salocalcommunitynews

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OUR TURN Views and opinions about your community

Forget soda scolding, stick to city services

C

ity governments should not spend public funds to scold people who imbibe sugary drinks. Instead, City Hall must remain focused on delivering basic functions such as streets, drainage, parks, libraries, and police and fire services.

However, not too long ago the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District asked the City Council to help fund the broad-based advertising campaign “Soda? No Thank You.” Metro Health’s director, Dr. Thomas L. Schlenker, said the goal is to cut down or eliminate sodas being consumed by adults on a daily basis, from 64 percent to 49 percent by June 2017.

He also wants to reach women because research shows they control the purchasing in families, including what drinks kids have.

Though no price tag was mentioned, the campaign includes print, television,

the Internet and outdoor advertising.

The underlying reason for the slam on sodas is to reduce obesity and other health-related conditions, including diabetes. A recent Gallup poll indicated the Alamo City has the second-highest obesity rate in the United States.

Metro Health has a laudable objective, but it shouldn’t involve turning city government into a soda nanny.

There are more pressing issues for City Hall to take care of: traffic lights in school zones, an adequate public safety presence, filling potholes and spraying for mosquitoes, and all the hundreds of other services a city is expected to provide residents to ensure their well-being, comfort and security.

San Antonio — or any city — has better things to do than tell Little Johnny to put down that soda, like fixing and improving infrastructure.

What’s more — in spite of the jokes from Charles Barkley about the so-called “fat” women in San Antonio — the population actually is beating the obesity problem.

According to Metro Health’s own figures, the city’s obesity rate has dropped 35.1 percent in 2010 to 28.5 percent in 2012, and that includes people cutting down on sugary drinks.

Obviously, current campaigns have

already done an effective job of getting the message out about quaffing too many sugary drinks per day, so why spend funds better used to improve traffic commutes, buildings and education?

That’s what a city should be doing.

What’s next? An all-out ban on sodas? A campaign to eradicate hamburgers and enchiladas?

While this is not an all-out assault on large sodas like the one mounted in New York City by former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, using city funds to shake a finger at folks for popping the top on a Big Red is a waste of money.

Allow parents to teach their kids to make better choices, and permit current programs to continue to help trim the area’s obesity rate.

-the Local Community News editorial board includes Harry Lees, Gregg Rosenfield and Thomas Edwards.

Send letters to the editor to tedwards@salocallowdown. com or snail mail them to Local Community News, 4204 Gardendale, Suite 201, San Antonio, TX 78229.

We reserve the right to edit for taste, grammar and length.

local letters Water situation is serious Editor: Susan Yerkes’ recent column

on the Blue Hole was an absolutely wonderful article on water preservation.

The history of the Blue Hole and the population growth of certain counties was very interesting and informative.

I hope area homeowners and city officials take the seriousness of this situation to heart.

Thanks for exploring and writing this article.

Gwynne Vosburgh

Light rail in SA would help Editor: The city of San Antonio really

needs streetcars and trolleys. Unfortunately, voters were misled by the opponents and the tea party, including state Sen. Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels. Many of the opponents do not understand that lightrail transportation, or LRT, is very useful in keeping a number of cars off the road.

Of course, it will not reduce congestion 100 percent, but LRT does makes a difference.

Opponents and the tea party do not understand that our traffic is bad enough — like Los Angeles — because we don't have light rail. San Antonio hasn't had any rail-transit transportation since 1932.

LRT will attract local riders and tourists if voters aren't sleepy. — David Pattison

Play Get Fit Earn Prizes Join us for the next installment of San Antonio’s City-Wide fitness and wellness adventure. Challenge yourself to live healthier, stay fit, and get to know your City! Fit Pass 2.0 is an interactive fitness scavenger hunt taking place from June 14th through September 2014. Earn points for completing challenges and participating in wellness activities throughout San Antonio for a chance to win big prizes! For more information visit www.sanantonio.gov/parksandrec

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JULY 2014

local commentary

Can the bicycle dreams come true? by susan yerkes

W

hen it comes to biking, San Antonio is still behind many major cities. But environmental awareness, a health-conscious population and growing national enthusiasm for biking have been catching on here.

You see a lot of people out on bikes these days. There are more bike racks, bike shops, bike lanes and signs on the streets.

This spring, however, the smooth ride hit a pothole when residents on a stretch of South Flores Street asked City Council to remove recently created bike lanes from their roadway, and the council caved in despite a vocal protest. The city had just spent a cool million creating the lanes, as designated by its own master plan for biking. Now, the city will spend another $745,000 un-striping them and striping an alternate designated bike route. The argument, which created bad vibes on both sides, is a vivid reminder the wheels of change don’t always spin smoothly when it comes to sharing the road.

“A couple of years ago I thought maybe San Antonio had hit a tipping point in moving forward with active transportation — walking, biking and so on, but the first time we ran into a wrinkle the council backed off,” said Scott Ericksen, the veteran public involvement coordinator for the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, which brings together city, county and other major stakeholders to plan transportation projects.

“That skirmish was a reminder that cycling and walking are not truly built into our culture at the neighborhood level yet,” Ericksen said. “But we’re still moving in the right direction.”

It takes time to change attitudes. Many folks are still not aware a cyclist has as much legal right as a semi-truck to be in any lane. Did you know there’s a city “Safe Passing” law that requires motorists to give a minimum three feet of space when passing a cyclist? An ordinance requiring bike lights at night places some responsibility on bikers, too.

Also, the San Antonio B-Cycle bike-

sharing program has brought biking further to the fore, especially with the expansion of near-downtown housing and entertainment.

Julia Murphy with Green Spaces Alliance of South Texas points to positive changes. The biggest was the passage of a comprehensive regional master plan in 2011 that eventually will bring more than 1,700 miles of bike routes, bike lanes, paths and greenway trails. Back in 2000, there were only 36 miles of such facilities. Today there are 284 miles built or in the planning on streets, and another 86 in greenways. Pretty impressive.

“When I left San Antonio in 2002, I thought it was never going to be bike-friendly,” said Jack Sanford, a widely respected bicycle advocate with Austin-based Bike Texas. “But a lot has changed. There’s an amazing energy. The trails system is ahead of most cities in the U.S. Where things are still lacking is the on-street system.”

Sanford said one of the best moves city leaders could make would be to work with a national set of progressive engineering standards created by the National Association of City Transportation Officials.

NACTO’s Urban Bikeway Design Guide, which was recently endorsed by the Federal Highway Administration, includes wider bike lanes (up to 10 feet), including a full foot or two of “buffer” striping.

“That would help a lot more people feel safe to ride the streets, and San Antonio is still pretty far behind in that area,” Sanford said. Back in 2010, an MPO bike study found a whopping 325,000 area residents — at that time, 15 percent of all adults and 48 percent of folks under 20 — had ridden a bike during the past 30 days. Unfortunately, most also said they didn’t feel safe. But change is coming.

“I’ve seen an explosion in the number of riders,” said Bill Simons, co-owner of Bike World and a member of the B-Cycle board. “It’s not just all of a sudden cars are going to love bicycles. But drivers will get used to it as more bikes are on the road.”

Associate Probate Judge Oscar Kazen, chairman of the MPO’s Bicycle Mobility Advisory Committee, has seen the changes up close. Building better bike infrastructure is about something that goes beyond cycling.

“It’s about a vision of the city itself — how it should just be normal to have walkable, bikeable streets for everyone.

It’s about taking time to slow down and consider quality of life,” Kazen said.

Bottom line: Despite some speed bumps, this area is on the way to a brighter biking future. This is no time for backpedaling. Ride on!

Send your thoughts to syerkes@ salocallowdown.com.

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Happening LOCAL

Plan your month with our calendar of upcoming events in the community.

OUR GUIDE TO YOUR MONTH

h a p p e n i ng k e y

fitness

SCHOOL BOARD Trustees of the North East Independent School District meet in open session at 6:30 p.m., 8961 Tesoro Drive.

JULY 14

CASTLE HILLS A town-hall meeting to discuss VIA Metropolitan Transit and the Comptroller’s Office is at 6:30 p.m. in City Council chambers, 209 Lemonwood Drive.

JULY 15

MOVIE NIGHTS The city of Castle Hills sponsors a movie night at the Commons, located at Lemonwood Drive and Honeysuckle Lane next to City Hall. Starts at dusk.

JULY 18

NORTHSIDE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT Trustees meet at 7 p.m. in the board room, 5900 Evers Road.

JULY 22

WILDLIFE WEDNESDAYS: FISHING FUN This class will teach kids 5 to 10 years old some key skills for fishing, including tying knots, baiting hooks and casting.

The class runs from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.; to register a child, call 207-3280. The group will meet at the basketball courts near the western entrance to Phil Hardberger Park, 8400 N.W. Military Highway. The class is free but a donation to the Phil Hardberger Park Conservancy is suggested.

JULY 30

ART

TALK

outdoor

Music

FOOD

NATURE WALK: POETRY IN NATURE Poet and teacher Mobi 26 Warren helps participants see the natural world in new ways, and shares her own poems and those of others who express their love of the outdoors poetically.

The walk starts at 8 a.m. at Phil Hardberger Park’s Urban Ecology Center, near the park’s western entrance at 8400 N.W. Military Highway. There is no cost for the two-hour excursion, but donations are welcome. To reserve a spot, call 207-3280 or 226-8339.

JULY

CASTLE HILLS The city will hold a 2015 budget worksop at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall, 209 Lemonwood Drive.

JULY 28

JULY 28

SHAVANO PARK The City Council meets at 6:30 p.m. in City Hall, 900 Saddletree Court.

IMPROVE YOUR SWIM TECHNIQUE FOR TRIATHLETES Even if you’re just working on fitness, this class will teach proper freestyle stroke mechanics and help improve overall efficiency and control in the water. The classes, which are for adults 18 and older, run from 7:15 to 8:15 p.m. each Monday at the pool at Barshop Jewish Community Center, 12500 N.W. Military Highway. For the cost and to reserve a place, use the link under Fitness and Wellness/New & Upcoming Classes at www.jcsanantonio.org or call 302-6909.

AUG 11 aug 18, 25 Sept 8

ST. GEORGE EPISCOPAL AUG CHURCH MENTAL HEALTH 13 FAMILY SUPPORT GROUP This gathering takes place the second

Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. in the meeting room of the Parish Building (near the nursery). Patients and their family members, friends and providers are all welcome. St. George is at 6904 West Ave. CULINARIA RESTAURANT WEEK This segment of the celebration of San Antonio food spotlights noteworthy restaurants.

Participating eateries will offer three-course fixed-price menus that feature skillful food/wine pairings in two price ranges — $10 lunch/$25 dinner or $15 lunch/$35 dinner. They include Bob’s Steak & Chop House, 5815 Rim Pass Drive; Habanero’s Grill, 17711 Interstate 10 West; Kirby’s Prime Steakhouse, 123 N. Loop 1604 East; Myron’s Prime Steak House, 10003 N.W. Military Highway No. 2101; Paesanos 1604, 3622 Paesanos Parkway; Sustenio, 17103 La Cantera Parkway; Wildfish Seafood Grille, 1834 N. Loop 1604 West; and Zedric’s Colonnade, 9873 I-10 West.

Reservations are recommended, and should be made with the individual restaurants.

aug 16-23

VEXLER THEATER SEASON The Sheldon Vexler Theater at Barshop Jewish Community

aug 23 may 30

Happening continues on pg. 06

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HAPPENING continues from pg. 05

TPR CINEMA TUESDAYS The Texas Public Radio film feast rounds out its 2014 season with some great oldies. July 15 offers 1976’s “Network,” with Peter Finch and Faye Dunaway; July 22, it’s “The Thin Man,” a now80-year-old classic. Topping it off is “E.T., The Extra-Terrestrial” on July 29. The films are screened at the Santikos Bijou theater, 4522 Fredericksburg Road. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. except for “The Thin Man,” which will be shown twice, at 6:45 and 8:45 p.m.

Tickets are $10 for TPR members, $15 for nonmembers. Reserve a seat online at www. tpr.org/topic/cinema-tuesdays or by calling 614-8977 by noon the day of the show.

JULY 15, 22, 29

Center has announced the lineup for its 16th season. The opening production is “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”; “The Trojan Women,” “Talley’s Folly” and “Rumors” follow. Season tickets are on sale now: $68 for general admission, $65 for seniors (65 and over) and military, and $60 for JCC members. They can be purchased online through a link at www.jccsanantonio.org.

Elsewhere in San Antonio MATISSE AND PICASSO: A FRIENDLY RIVALRY The McNay Art Museum serves up an exhibition of two 20th-century masters. Works by Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse in a wide range of media – even their prints and theater designs – allow comparison of their styles and a glimpse of how they may have influenced each other. Admission, including to this exhibit, ranges from $5 to $10. The museum, which is at 6000 N. New Braunfels Ave., is open Tuesday through Sunday.

aug 10

BALET SAN ANTONIO SEASON The resident ballet company at the new Tobin Center for the Performing Arts will launch its new season

THROUGH OCT. 16

The dreaded but alluring bloodsucker himself — Count Dracula — swoops in for a series of performances this fall at the new Tobin Center for the Performing Arts as Ballet San Antonio launches its new season. "Dracula," based on the popular Victorian-era vampire novel by Bram Stoker, is Oct. 16-19 with choreography by Artistic Director Gabriel Zertuche. Courtesy photo

with “Dracula” Oct. 16-19. Following that is the holiday favorite “The Nutcracker,” Nov. 28-Dec. 7; “Romeo & Juliet,” Feb. 12-15; and “Balanchine” March 27-29. Season tickets start at $99. For more, or to purchase tickets, go to http://balletsanantonio.org/.

SARR WOMEN’S 5K RUN/WALK The 35th annual installment of this San JULY Antonio Roadrunners event will 19 follow a route through Alamo Heights; it raises funds for various charities and is open to all ages. Registration ends July 16 if you’re registering online or at one of the sponsoring running stores; it ends July 14 (the postmark date) if you’re mailing in the form. The entry fee is $30 July 13-18 and $35 on race day. The chiptimed run sets off from the Lincoln Heights H-E-B, 999 E. Basse Road, at 7:30 a.m. July 19. For more, and to find the registration form, go to www.saroadrunners.com.

SAN ANTONIO URBAN PET MARKET Vendors of pet products and services; adoptions; dog agility demonstrations; and food trucks for the humans are all part of this free monthly event at Travis Park, East Travis and Navarro streets downtown. It runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and offers lots of pet information as well as shopping, and all proceeds go to animal rescue groups. It takes place the third Saturday of the month except for September, when it’s on the second Saturday. For more, go to http://sa-urbanpetmarket.com/.

JULY 19

ARTBITES PRESENTS: DINING WITH MATISSE Get a tour of the San Antonio Museum of Art’s big Henri Matisse exhibition with chef Maite Gomez-Rejon. That will be followed by a hands-on cooking class and a French meal inspired by the travels of Matisse. The event runs from 4:30 to 8 p.m. and costs $75 for museum members and $100 for nonmembers; register by calling 978-8121. The museum is at 200 W. Jones Ave.

JULY 15, 22, 29

Submitting events: Email all the details along with your contact information two months in advance to tips@salocallowdown.com.

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LOCAL LOWDOWN Take a quick look at what’s new in the community from opening and closings to news tidbits.

Open and Opening Soon

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1. GEORGE’S KEEP, 17101 LaCantera Parkway, opened in March in Éilan. It offers vanilla-and-peach infused tequila, as well as daiquiris, the Gold Rush, the Fitzgerald, the Eastside, Tequila Honeysuckle, Bee’s Knees, Old Fashioned and more. Hours are 3 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday.

For more, call 310-3733 or visit http:// georgeskeep.com. (See the story on page 28) 2. JIMMY JOHN’S GOURMET SANDWICHES, 11224 Huebner Road,

Suite 202, opened not too long ago at this location. It is the latest San Antonio shop in a chain that advertises the fastest delivery of subs and other sandwiches. The nationwide company has been making gourmet sandwiches since 1983. In addition to orders by phone, customers can make selections online or from a tablet. Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. For more, call 697-3333 or visit jimmy johns.com. (See the story on page 29)

3. FANCY FEET BALLROOM, 555 W. Bitters Road, Suite 125, has moved to its permanent location in the back of The Alley on Bitters, formerly Artisans Alley.

The studio specializes in private and group lessons. Instructors offer an array of dance choices; they will work around a student’s schedule. Sessions are by appointment only. To schedule one, call 802-1678 or visit www.ffbsa.com. (See story on page 27) 4. GET YOUR VAPE ON, 13212 Huebner Road, provides batteries, mods and e-cigarette starter kits designed for every

Hope for the right diagnosis, personalized treatment, and compassionate support lies in the hands of our team of cancer specialists at the CTRC, the only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Cancer Center in Central and South Texas. Here, the highest level of excellence in cancer research and quality of care is the standard of care.

budget. The store also offers a wide range of e-cigarette accessories and e-juice, with exclusives to fit every taste. Also coming soon are Sunday Vape Church afternoon workshops. Hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. For more, call 492-2819. (See story on page 26)

5. H&M, 15900 La Cantera Parkway,

debuted June 12 and fashionistas are flocking to the 27,000-square foot clothing store, the first in South Texas. It is located in the Shops at La Cantera. The store features clothing for women, men and the younger set, with sections devoted to lingerie, sports clothing, maternity apparel, plus sizes, shoes and cosmetics. The company was founded

by Erling Persson in Västerås, Sweden, in 1947. The first store was named Hennes and specialized in women’s clothing. There are about 3,200 stores in 54 countries today — including eight locations in the Lone Star State. Hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m.

Sunday. For more, visit www.hm.com/us.

IN OTHER NEWS

TWO STUDENTS FROM THE NORTHEAST SCHOOL OF THE ARTS headed to New York City to take the stage on Broadway, thanks to the Las Casas Foundation, officials said. Aria Braswell and Aaron Taylor participated in the National High School Musical Theater Awards June

LOWDOWN continues on pg. 08

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JULY 2014

HAPPENING continues from pg. 07 25-July 1. Braswell and Taylor are the only students representing San Antonio; 65 young stars participated in NHSMTA — know as The Jimmy Awards in honor of James M. Nederlander, a Broadway theater owner and producer — and six are from Texas. The two North East students were selected as winners of The Jimmy for their performances during the recent Las Casas Performing Arts Scholarship Competition, and they also received college scholarships valued at $3,000 each.

DISTRICT 8 COUNCILMAN Ron Nirenberg highlighted the collaboration between San Antonio’s public and private sectors to provide refugee relief programs at the World Refugee Day event held at St. Francis Episcopal Church on June 20. More than 10,000 refugees have been resettled in San Antonio since the program began several years ago, according to government estimates. Many of those transplants now live on the North and Northwest sides.

Nirenberg has convened meetings with partner-service providers in order to create more cooperation and identify gaps in service, according to officials. “Our priority is to open lines of communication among groups with similar goals,” Nirenberg said.

“By streamlining and coordinating, we will be able to increase the effectiveness of refugee services in our community.”

IN AN EFFORT TO INCREASE BROADBAND ACCESS across the city, District 8 Councilman Ron Nirenberg recently filed a request asking city staff to assemble and publish a comprehensive strategy to accelerate deployment of IT infrastructure. Nirenberg said he wants to “ensure equal broadband access and bridge the digital divide; to assert the city’s role (in) the expansion of mobile data capacity; and to define the role and management of a municipally operated fiber network,” according to a news release. “A unified strategy for digital communication in San Antonio will recognize that access to broadband and mobile service is a necessity in the 21st century economy,” Nirenberg added.

DISTRICT 9 COUNCILMAN JOE KRIER reminds residents he has moved his office hours for meetings with the public — known as Java with Joe — from Monday to Wednesday. From 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., visitors can schedule a private, first-come, first-served appointment with Krier. From 10:30-11:30 a.m., the councilman holds open-group discussions, and walk-ins

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are welcome. “I invite any resident who wants to discuss a District 9 issue or just wants to have a cup of coffee with me, to come out to our District Office for Java with Joe,” Krier said in an online newsletter. Those who want to meet with him at another time are urged to contact Constituents Services Chief Adam Trevino at adam.trevino@sanantonio.gov or 207-0955. Krier’s district field office is at 16500 U.S. 281 North, Suite 290.

Also, the City Council does not meet in July, so there will be no Java with Joe. GREAT HARVEST BREAD CO. at 2276 N.W. Military Highway, No. 109B — as well as another location at 20079 Stone Oak Parkway No. 1103 — has new owners, according to a news release. Abel Pena and Monique Brim recently purchased the bakeries. Both locations will continue to offer fresh-baked breads, cookies and other sweet treats, along with a full line of sandwiches in the coming months.

Also available is an expanded indoor and outdoor seating area at the Northwest Military Highway location and free wireless Internet and a coffee and espresso menu from local roaster What’s Brewing, at both stores. The satellite bakery on Northwest Military Highway is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through

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For more, visit www.GreatHarvestSATX. com or visit the Facebook page at San Antonio Great Harvest.

A SUIT AGAINST THE STATE OF TEXAS CLAIMS the civil rights of Hispanic English language learners are being violated by a lack of adequate instruction in high schools statewide, including in the North East Independent School District. The suit says the problem exists across Texas, according to an Associated Press story in the Austin American-Statesman. The suit “alleges that English language learner programs are underfunded and poorly monitored, and that instructors are often not properly trained,” according to the AP. The suit also contends that “high school English language learners ‘across Texas continue to perform abysmally due to the grossly deficient language programs,”’ the AP story stated.

The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund filed the 27-page complaint on behalf of the League of United Latin American Citizens in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.

Texas Education Commissioner Michael Williams is named as the chief defendant in the civil action. Texas Education Agency attorneys have shared the complaint with the state Attorney General’s Office.

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salocallowdown.com CASTLE HILLS continues from pg. 01

Councilman wants VIA vote on November ballot

by LUCILLE SIMS THOMAS

C

ASTLE HILLS — Though he resigned as mayor in protest after some council members put the city manager on notice for her job, Bruce Smiley-Kaliff still plans to help the city from outside the dais.

Smiley-Kaliff tendered his resignation in a surprise move June 10 during a City Council meeting involving an emotional discussion about whether to retain City Manager Rita Hoyl — a 21-year municipal employee.

Hoyl herself submitted a letter early this month letting the council know she planned to step down in 30 days, although city leaders had voted to keep her on until October, when her performance would be reviewed.

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of Hoyl, decided to resign his position rather than continue working with a new voting bloc he says “now (has) the votes to do whatever they want to do.”

That doesn’t mean he is going to sit idle, he added.

“A lot of people don’t realize that a private citizen has much more at their disposal than an elected official,” SmileyKaliff said. “So what I’ve learned as a councilman and what I’ve learned as the mayor gives me the perfect combination of knowledge and attitude to be able to still work very effectively with the business community and with our citizens.”

The council members the former mayor referred to include newly elected Councilman Douglas Gregory and newly elected Councilwoman Lesley Wenger, as well as veteran Councilman John Squire. Gregory and Wenger are political allies, and their campaign during the May 10 election was assisted by Wenger’s husband, former Mayor Bob Anderson.

Gregory and Wenger have made no secret of their wish to end tax subsidies to VIA Metropolitan Transit and channel the funds instead to street maintenance and other infrastructure needs.

But the issue that brought things

CASTLE HILLS continues on pg. 10

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CASTLE HILLS continues from pg. 09 to a head for Smiley-Kaliff occurred on June 10, during the council’s first regular meeting after the election, when members decided to give Hoyl a grace period until October before deciding whether to extend her contract.

Gregory said the question of whether to continue with Hoyl has come up a lot, with the issue polarizing the community.

“In the end, I brought a resolution to get her to come back and visit this issue in October,” said Gregory, who has previously served on the council.

Smiley-Kaliff, who served three years as a councilman and three years as mayor, was not happy with attempts to oust Hoyl, who he said has served the city well as interim city manager on several occasions and as city manager since 2012.

Smiley-Kaliff continues to tout the city’s accomplishments under Hoyl, adding he did not want to become a distraction or an excuse “for this council — if they don’t succeed — to blame their failure on.”

He said Hoyl has been an asset.

“We’ve established new businesses; we’ve established a stable Police Department, Fire Department personnel — all under the leadership of an excellent city manager who is a 20-year plus employee (and)

Former Castle Hills Mayor Bruce Smiley-Kaliff looks very relaxed these days, a stark contrast to the contentious June 10 City Council meeting where he resigned after other council members put City Manager Rita Hoyl on notice for her job. Photo by Rudy B. Ornelas

who has served as interim city manager numerous times to back our city up,” Smiley-Kaliff said. “She’s probably the best qualified city manager and the best performing city manager that we’ve ever had in the history of our city.”

Tim Howell, a councilman and mayor pro tem, was named the acting mayor after Smiley-Kaliff announced his resignation.

Howell had also expressed his support for Hoyl, adding she deserved a chance to prove herself to the new council.

Howell has been on the council since

2008. Smiley-Kaliff had a year left on his term, but has indicated he will not run again.

At press time, the council had scheduled a meeting to discuss whether to name someone other than Howell as interim mayor or call a special election; and decide what to do about the city manager's position.

Hoyl was on vacation and unavailable for comment.

Howell said he enjoys serving the city in any capacity.

“My family has lived in Castle Hills for over 60 years,” Howell said.

“I know the residents here and I know the comings and goings of the city. I’m very familiar with city government.”

Echoing what Smiley-Kaliff said about the limits of the mayor’s power, Howell noted the mayor can only decide an issue when the council is locked in a standoff.

“It would be great to be mayor, but it would take away my voting privileges because the mayor has no privileges except in a tie,” Howell said.

Gregory wouldn’t comment on whether he wants to run for mayor in May. “I’m just trying to be the best councilman I can be,” he said.

He did make it clear that he wants to move quickly to get the VIA issue on the November ballot, calling it his first and primary goal.

Howell said he thinks there’s still so much material and information that needs to be considered about VIA. “I think that it’s extremely important for a city of any size to have public transportation coming into the city. I also believe that there are avenues that can be found other than VIA to make that happen,” Howell said.

According to Gregory, Wenger and Squire headed to Austin to discuss with the state Comptroller’s Office other options for VIA, with a presentation before council to follow.

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salocallowdown.com SHAVANO PARK continues from pg. 01

Alderwoman says too many signs pose safety hazard

by LUCILLE SIMS THOMAS

S

HAVANO PARK — A forest of political signs sprouting outside City Hall during election season has left the mayor at loggerheads with City Council over whether the placards are symbols of free speech or just clutter.

While Mayor A. David Marne cites the need to uphold the First Amendment, some council members argue the proliferation of signs makes City Hall unsightly.

In spite of the philosophical impasse, the council a few weeks ago voted 3-2 to limit the number of political signs a candidate can place at City Hall, with Marne refusing to sign the ordinance.

After being brought up for a vote three times and passing each time, the measure went into effect without his signature.

Marne defended his stance.

“It is my belief that those signs are a form of speech and as mayor I was disappointed that council people wanted to limit speech,” Marne said. “It didn’t make sense to me and therefore I refused to sign the ordinance for it to pass.”

But the new law comes with stipulations.

Candidates for political office are now limited to placing only three signs on City Hall grounds shortly before elections are held. The signs can be as big as 6-by-6 feet.

City Hall is an official polling place and the ordinance does not limit how many political signs residents can put in their yards.

Alderwoman Michele Bunting Ross brought the ordinance before the council after a resident complained about the number of signs popping up at City Hall. Ross also told her colleagues safety was an issue, because the signs obscure the views of drivers, interfere with the sprinkler system and become a traffic hazard when they blow over.

“I think what it comes down to is this: What I’m elected to do as a City Council person — I believe that my job isn’t to do what I personally feel is what I should do, like the mayor,” Ross said.

“I believe it’s to find out what citizens want to do. I don’t think it’s a violation of free speech. I know it’s not.”

Marne countered that he hasn’t

received any complaints from residents about the signs at City Hall, adding he doesn’t know why it became an issue.

“I don’t understand how someone believes that they are serving the public by limiting the number of signs someone has.

But that’s their (City Council) right to do and I only vote if it’s a tie,” the mayor said.

Since City Hall is a polling station, state law says the council can’t prohibit electioneering, but it can pass reasonable rules dictating how electioneering is handled.

Ross said code enforcement officers with the Police Department will enforce the new ordinance.

“I just think it’s important to have a balance — and I think aesthetically it needs to be pleasing. Safety-wise it can’t

be cluttered and obstruct views and for that reason I support the ordinance,” Ross said. “When citizens call me and say they have a problem, I listen to them.”

Officials said few small cities allow City Hall to be used as a polling place, but elected leaders in those towns usually limit the number of political signs placed on the grounds.

Marne has only used his option to decline signing an ordinance once before when he worried a proposal violated a person’s Second Amendment rights.

“I spent 20 years in the military defending the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic,” Marne said.

“I could not in good faith sign an ordinance that limited someone’s free speech — the whole reason I started in politics.”

It is my belief that those signs are a form of speech and as mayor I was disappointed that council people wanted to limit speech.

A. DAVID MARNE, SHAVANO PARK MAYOR

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JULY 2014

OLMOS BASIN continues from pg. 01

Cleaning up: Next step is field studies

by EILEEN PACE

A

public/private partnership is conducting a research project to determine the best ways to manage a trash buildup along the creeks and tributaries that flow from the Shavano Park area south into Olmos Basin.

Leading the study is the San Antonio River Authority, which recently created a video presentation to educate the public about the pollution flow. The study could be finished in six months.

SARA asked for public input at a recent workshop to gather more information about trash hot spots along the chain of creeks that starts north of Loop 1604 near Camp Bullis and Shavano Park, then ends near the headwaters of the San Antonio River.

“The trash pollution problem is systemic within urban watersheds and we are seeing this problem a lot

Some of the trash polluting the Olmos Creek Watershed is dumped near Shavano Park and Camp Bullis, then is carried south to the Olmos Basin.

Courtesy photo

in our creeks and streams,” said Karen Bishop, who leads the Sustainable Watersheds Program at SARA. The Olmos Creek Watershed draining to Olmos Dam is extensive, about 32.4 square miles, officials said. The dam is sandwiched between Alamo

OLMOS BASIN continues on pg. 13

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13

salocallowdown.com OLMOS BASIN continues from pg. 12 Heights and Olmos Park, just north of the San Antonio River’s headwaters.

A grant from the Jack and Valerie Guenther Foundation allowed the river authority to plan the watershed cleanup campaign, Bishop said.

“Several years ago, through citizen input, we created the Olmos Basin Alliance to start looking at the trashpollution problem – what kind of trash is there, how frequently it was coming into the (San Antonio River) basin and that sort of thing,” she said. “And we developed educational messaging. We put videos in movie theaters and on TV, and through that effort, private citizens started learning about what we were doing.”

About 50 area residents attended the public meeting and several more offered input later.

HDR Consultants provided maps and staff members to talk with residents, who brought information on hot spots where trash and debris build up during rain events.

Laura Sampson, a water resources engineer-in-training with HDR, said the debris is visible by satellite after major rain events.

“Even on Google maps if you zoom in enough you can see trash, particularly in this area,” Sampson said, pointing to a tributary near Airport Boulevard and U.S. 281 where there’s a 90-degree bend.

It’s a problem affecting the North Side, not just the Olmos Basin, she added.

“It flows into Olmos Basin,” Sampson said. “You’re talking about near the (South Texas) Medical Center, absolutely, there’s all sorts of tributaries, there’s the main stem of Olmos Creek, there’s Rock Creek, there’s the west stem of Olmos Creek, there’s up near the airport. There are all sorts of areas where we could collect trash before it reaches the park.”

The maps showed the originating areas for trash that ends up in the Olmos Creek area at the Olmos Dam. The northwest end reaches north of 1604 near Interstate 10 and Shavano Park.

“They placed dots on the maps to indicate hot spots and I think in some cases the consultant just grabbed paper and flat-out wrote down what people were telling them,” Bishop said. “Some people left us with long lists of things that they’ve seen in the community.”

Lissa Martinez, a North Central resident, pointed out places where she said people have unlimited opportunity to dump large debris into the normally dry creekbed west of San Pedro Avenue.

Martinez said dead-end streets in the neighborhood backing up to the creek offer no barriers to the waterway.

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Martinez said. “You don’t even have to work hard to get anything over the edge.

The fence is no higher than this table.”

The residents reporting such hot spots “are hikers and cyclists – they’re outdoor enthusiasts who use the park system,” Bishop said.

The Guenther Foundation offered a $60,280 matching grant for the research project.

“So we went to the city of San Antonio, the city of Alamo Heights and the San Antonio River Authority,” Bishop said.

“And we’re each giving a one-sixth share to match the half share of the Guenther Foundation for the study.”

“Consultants are going to be making recommendations as to the kinds of permanently installed track collection systems that would be appropriate for the watershed, how many there would need to be, and where they would need to be placed,” she added.

Once the community has the final set of recommendations, SARA will ask government agencies to start looking at funding opportunities for the installation of permanent trash-collection devices, barriers and other practices as well as operations and maintenance of whatever systems are installed.

Bishop says there’s precedent for the public-input method in caring for the San Antonio River.

“When we were addressing bacteria back with the River Walk watershed, we used public education and outreach, and we saw a 48 percent drop in bacteria in the River Loop area,” she said.

Bishop said consultants are in the process of investigating the information from residents and adding their own data gathered for the study. The process is expected to take half a year.

“The next step is for the consultants to conduct their field studies and make their recommendations. There’s going to be another public input meeting after they’ve got the their study recommendation completed,” Bishop said.

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JULY 2014

SPECIAL NEEDS continues from pg. 01

Director says special-needs members ‘love unconditionally’

by BAIN SERNA

A

couple’s search nearly 30 years ago for a church that would welcome their specialneeds child helped create a North Side ministry catering today to hundreds of worshippers with physical and developmental challenges.

The program even became the template for similar services at other San Antonio houses of worship, according to officials at University United Methodist Church, 5084 De Zavala Road.

The special-needs ministry at the church now numbers about 300 adults, 25 teenagers and 12 children, according to officials. The overall membership at the church — which goes by The U — is 6,000.

“It’s one of the first, if not the first,

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Evette Burns (left) and Max Tovar (right), who is blind, attend bingo night as part of the special-needs ministry at University United Methodist Church. The games are held 7 p.m. Thursdays. Photo by Collette Orquiz

ministries in San Antonio for specialneeds (worshippers),” said Mike Schulz, an associate pastor. “That’s a source of pride and it’s gotten us used to being around special-needs. I think that’s a blessing

SPECIAL NEEDS continues on pg. 15

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salocallowdown.com SPECIAL NEEDS continues from pg. 14

Troy Jackson (left) and Jamie Bentley (right) play with cards specifically made for those who have vision problems during bingo night at University United Methodist Church. The social event provides members of the special-needs ministry a chance for fun and prizes. Photo by Collette Orquiz

When the family went to UUMC, they asked church leaders if Robert would be accepted. The answer, the Guzleys said, was a resounding “yes,” and that was the impetus to start the special-needs ministry at the church. At first it began with teenagers from the church youth group volunteering to play with Robert and one other child with special needs.

Then, Jackye Guzley worked to expand the

special-needs ministry into what it is today.

“We started growing,” Guzley said. “We got a name. People knew that if you had a child with special needs there was a place for you. We would do whatever the parents wanted, whether it be inclusion or a separate setting or whether it be someone just playing with their child. So people started coming.

“It provides the community a place for people to be able to go to worship and

SPECIAL NEEDS continues on pg. 16

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for our church and for me personally because there are people with special needs around and you have that interaction.”

Love and compassion for “special people” has become a hallmark of the church, which serves as a spiritual home and gathering place for those with cognitive, intellectual and developmental challenges, as well as others who may be physically disabled, said Susan Galindo, director of the special-needs ministry at UUMC. “We meet the spiritual, emotional and practical needs of families and individuals who have special needs,” Galindo said.

“Our church embraces infants through senior adult-aged people with a very wide range of abilities. It is our mission to make disciples of all people and to bring dignity and purpose into their lives. We believe that although the physical body may be challenged in many ways, the spirit and soul of a person are without disability.”

It was 28 years ago that Greg and Jackye Guzley came to the church with their then3-year-old autistic son, Robert, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Greg Guzley, a physician and Navy veteran, and his wife, a registered nurse, couldn't find an area church that would accept and handle the unique challenges presented by Robert.

heal. After you have a child with special needs, as you handle any adversity in life, you need to be able to go to church and access God. You need to be able to worship and heal and understand and grow.”

As the special-needs ministry prospered at UUMC, other congregations took notice, with some deciding to launch their own programs.

“When other churches wanted to create a model for special-needs ministry, we were the go-to people,” Guzley said. “We did consulting from all over. People would call us who heard about our program and say, ‘How did you do this?’ and we would teach them and show them.”

The ministry’s programs and activities — which include nonreligious therapy — are open to anyone regardless of faith, Galindo said.

“All ministry and program opportunities at the church are open to everyone,” she added. “We do have special-needs oriented opportunities as well.”

UUMC has a “sensory motor playroom” filled with $10,000 worth of therapeutic play equipment specifically geared toward children with special-needs that combines play with nurturing.

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16 SPECIAL NEEDS continues from pg. 15 open to the public at no cost.

Many occupational, physical, behavioral and speech therapists use the room with their clients, and parents also visit it to support the therapy their children are receiving, according to Galindo. Those wanting access can call the church to reserve the room.

First-time visitors also need to sign a waiver, and then they can use the room as often as needed. It is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, with extended hours on Thursday to 8 p.m.

Regularly scheduled events for specialneeds members include a Bible study at 10 a.m. and worship service at 11 for adults with special needs, both on Sunday, as well as bingo every Thursday from 7 to 8 p.m.

Sunday school for children with special needs is from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., and after that the children can join their parents in the regular worship service.

Helping Hands is a day-habilitation program at UUMC for special-needs adults, providing a pre-vocational environment for adults who have intellectual and developmental challenges.

“This program has 42 members who come daily for fun and fellowship and to serve the community,” Galindo said. “We will soon be opening an additional day

JULY 2014

They love unconditionally, forgive easily, laugh at their mistakes [...]

One day I hope to be more like them. susan galindo, director of special-needs ministry

habilitation program focused on serving senior-aged adults who have special needs.”

The special-needs ministry also plans several events and activities during the year for its members, including participation in ministries and events with the remainder of the congregation.

“I learn so much from this incredible group of people,” said Galindo of the special-needs community at the church.

“They love unconditionally, forgive easily, laugh at their mistakes, and love God fully.

One day I hope to be more like them.”

17

salocallowdown.com LATIN TUTOR continues from pg. 01

‘Dead’ language actually very much alive, teen says by collette orquiz

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HAVANO PARK — “Carpe diem” — Latin for seize the day — could well be the motto of a Clark High School scholar bypassing the usual summer jobs to offer her services as a tutor in the language of ancient Rome.

For Caren Valenciano, 16, Latin is anything but a dead tongue. And while some of her peers might be scooping ice cream, monitoring the swimming pool or grilling burgers as part of their summer-break employment, Caren decided to help others learn the language of emperors, poets and conquerors.

“I’ve always been pretty good at Latin,” Valenciano said. “I liked it, so I thought maybe I could help out a new freshman who may be having some trouble.”

She recently placed an ad in the

Junior Caren Valenciano (left) enjoys Latin so much she participates in academic contests at Junior Classical League conventions. She has won several Latin competitions and is gearing up for a return trip to a national meet with 40 other students from Clark High School. Photos by Collette Orquiz

Roadrunner, the newsletter for the city of Shavano Park, after seeing other people her age advertise baby-sitting services.

A friend also told her it was a good idea after he started tutoring in another subject.

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And while she is still waiting on prospective clients, Caren is staying busy this summer.

She is gearing up to head to the Junior Classical League National

Convention with the Latin Club along with 40 other members from Clark.

Last year, the junior took first-place honors at both area and state, and attended nationals for an academic contest in Roman history with an emphasis on the imperial period.

Her return to nationals this summer comes after achieving first in area and third in state in Roman history, but this time the competition focused on the Republic era with Julius Caesar.

Nationals are being held at the end of July on the campus of Emory University in Atlanta. Caren said Clark’s Latin Club is being recognized for having the largest JCL chapter, with 251 students.

She started learning and taking Latin classes two years ago as a freshman at Clark.

“It’s a little bit more work extracurricular-wise than some of the other languages, but it’s really, really fun,” she said.

She became interested in Latin as a student at Hobby Middle School when representatives from Clark’s Latin program visited the campus dressed in togas and as Roman gladiators.

They also handed out fliers.

She credits Clark’s Latin instructor, William Lee, for keeping students

LATIN TUTOR continues on pg. 18

18

ADVERTORIAL

JULY 2014

LATIN TUTOR continues from pg. 18 interested in the timeless language.

“It’s all due to Mr. Lee. He’s really big in the Latin community; we’re really lucky to have him,” Caren said.

Latin is a very useful language, Caren said; a lot of the words on her English vocabulary tests look familiar. Latin is the source of the root words for the Romance languages including French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and Romanian, but English also uses many Latin-based words.

“I see it so much now that I’ve been in it for two years,” Caren said. “You just see derivatives all over the place. I mean, I don’t think it’s dead at all.”

Knowing Latin is even helping Caren and her classmates study for the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, especially the vocabulary section.

Caren hopes her knowledge will help club members prepare for the upcoming convention, and she wants to streghthen the relationships among students in the program.

When she’s not studying Latin, Caren is marching with the school band and guiding the trumpets as head section leader.

She also volunteers at the Cody Branch Library.

To inquire about her tutoring

“The Happy Handyman is BACK!” Looking at homes, and magazines the appliance color of choice is still Stainless Steel. And now they are even putting a coating on them that keeps them from finger printing. If you are looking at your kitchen and you have a old color or even miss matched appliances and you want to change it, it’s not that hard. Giani makes a kit that you can easily use to change your appliance color. You know Giani – it’s the company that makes the counter top paint to change your laminate to look like granite. They took remodeling your appliances a easy week end project. Refinishing your appliances always took a pro and some real dollars to get it done. Now you can brush on a real stainless steel finish, with Liquid Stainless Steel. The kit comes with everything you need from the foam brush to the liquid stainless steel and the top coat. It even includes a DVD for you to plug in and watch. The DVD will show you how to clean the surface, how to apply the finish, and how to put on a topcoat. You have several options with the top coat. One coat is mat, 2 coats is semi gloss, and 3 gives you a high gloss. Remember the higher the gloss the tougher the finish. The Liquid Stainless Steel kit comes in 2 sizes. The small kit covers 19 sq feet and the large kit covers 75 sq ft. So what can you cover with the Liquid Stainless Steel? Well the easy answer is of course refrigerators, stoves, microwaves. But you can do washer and dryers, cabinets, counter tops and do some real updating.

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Caren Valenciano displays some of the awards she’s received for her expertise in Latin at both area and state conventions. She hopes her success will show other students that she can help them in their studies of Rome's ancient language. Photo by Collette Orquiz

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Dr. Bernard Rust, who has been practicing dentistry for more than 40 years, said technology is improving patient comfort and procedures each day.

“We have seen amazing advances in technology in the dental field.

Computers have enabled dentists to make the patient experience more comfortable and much quicker,” said Rust, whose practice is at 13341 U.S. 281 North at Bitters Road. “Computerguided implant placement and CT cone beam X-rays take the guesswork out of implant placement. Cadcam technology has given us the ability to take precise

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He added, “These impressions are much more accurate and there is no more messy impression material. This is a wonderful thing, especially for patients with a strong gag reflex.”

Digital dentistry has also made advances with the use of the VELscope, a hand-held device used for a more sophisticated level of oral examination.

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Holistic healing gaining ground in Alamo City

by ROSE MARY BUDGE

P

ainting contractor Don Garrett was having big problems with his neck and upper back. Then, he discovered Heeling Sole, which offers Ashiatsu barefoot massage. His aches and pains have since abated.

Retired school teacher Pam Wilkinson suffered from Bell’s palsy, a facial paralysis. She found her answer at the Integrative Healing Institute where owner Kim Krost used a special oil to counteract the condition.

Garrett and Wilkinson praise such medical approaches and the ancient concept of holistic healing.

Whether you live in the older parts of the city or in newer neighborhoods such as Stone Oak and Encino Park, holistic practitioners are making their mark.

Some, such as chiropractors and tradition-steeped herbalists, have a long Texas history. Others are relative newcomers.

An example of innovation is Farm to Juice, which is capitalizing on the nation’s health and physical-fitness craze. Featuring cool drinks made from fresh fruits and veggies, it’s a hot holistic destination in Stone Oak. Today, San Antonio has more holistic practitioners of all types than 10 years ago — acupuncturists, Reiki masters, energy workers, massage therapists ... the list goes on and on, noted Sherrie Reimers, naturopathic doctor and president of the San Antonio Holistic Chamber of Commerce.

According to Reimers, the conventional medical community has become more accepting of holistic techniques.

“I recently worked with a team including an M.D., an acupuncturist and a massage therapist to restore health to an 81-year-old woman,” Reimers said, adding the patient was so energized by the efforts she went dancing.

Sounds like magic, right?

But, Reimers emphasized that utilizing all applicable and legitimate methods in establishing an individual’s wellness — in other words, relying on the holistic concept of health care, fosters a cooperative relationship — simply makes sense.

Sandra Carrell Tremblay, director of the Alamo Heights Chiropractic Health Center for 20-plus years, also

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believes in medical cooperation. She said physicians and surgeons have been very accepting of chiropractic medicine’s value, readily referring patients her way.

Krost of Integrative Healing, which offers a variety of methods including massage, lymphatic drainage, aromatherapy and reflexology, isn’t as convinced about holistic medicine’s acceptance, while conceding attitudes may be shifting and physicians gradually becoming more comfortable with the field.

Although the word “alternative” is often used as a synonym for holistic practices, these groups emphasize that it’s really a misnomer. They explain that holistic is an unchanging, timeless idea, while alternative is a medical category constantly in flux, as today’s alternative may be tomorrow’s mainstream.

Yoga is an apt illustration, according to Kristal Cuevas, owner of Southtown Yoga Loft. She noted nobody bats an eye these days if you say you’re into yoga. It has smoothly segued from far-out to cool and trendy.

“We’ve got an athlete’s yoga class, a prenatal class and a fun, family yoga class going on at the Loft, and I think such down-to-earth sounding things at studios have contributed to yoga’s acceptance and popularity,” Cuevas said.

21 Nowadays, there’s a type of yoga to suit almost anyone’s needs, and Jeni Spring, owner of Heeling Sole, just may provide the easiest-to-do version of all. It’s called Ashi-Thai or “yoga for lazy people,” and she said the therapist does the stretching work while the client reaps the fitness benefits.

Spring’s specialty is Ashiatsu barefoot massage, a sort of surfing motion performed by the therapist’s feet on the patient’s back that, she said, can cover a larger area than a hand massage and reach deeper into body tissues.

However, not all holistic practitioners are legitimate, she warned. Move into any new or unfamiliar therapy with caution, she advised. Thoroughly research the methods. Inquire about the practitioner’s training. Look for a license. Such steps can ensure safety and guard against quackery.

Spring also believes more must be done to educate the public and the conventional medical community.

For more information about holistic medicine, visit the American Holistic Health Association website, www. ahha.org, the American Holistic Medical Association website, www. holisticmedicine.org, and the website of the Holistic Chamber of Commerce, www.holisticchamberofcommerce.com.

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JULY 2014

Anti-toll critics not giving up the fight

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ike it or not, both critics and proponents agree — future tolling on portions of Loop 1604 and U.S. 281 on the North Side seems as inescapable as an expressway with no exit.

Longtime toll-road critic Terri Hall called the plans, “Too complex, too inaccessible, poorly conceived and a Texas-sized bad deal for taxpayers that won’t solve the traffic mess out there.”

Nonetheless, state and local officials maintain the toll lanes will be built, and the process could start in just a few months.

“We must add capacity to the roadway to meet our needs through 2030. Tolling U.S. 281 and Loop 1604 on the North Side is the only viable answer to the gridlock we face,” said Renee Green, the Bexar County engineer and director of public works, as well as the Alamo Regional Mobility Authority engineering operations director.

The latest plan combines controlled access and tolled highway lanes for eight miles

from 281 north of 1604 to the Bexar-Comal county line. Some of the current roadway would become non-tolled frontage roads.

Additionally, lanes would be added and tolled on 1604 from 281 west to Culebra Road.

Even conservative activist Jeff Judson, a public policy consultant and former president of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, said toll roads are likely.

“My crystal ball says we are going to have toll roads. They are inevitable, unless we solve the funding problem,” he said.

Absent tolling, there are no federal, state or local revenues available to build new highways to meet current traffic demands, let alone the expected increase during the next few years, Judson noted.

His solution would be to capture motorvehicle taxes for highway construction, and stop plans for a proposed multimilliondollar streetcar system in downtown San Antonio, reprogramming those funds for highway construction.

Green agreed with Judson about the dearth of highway-construction resources.

“The problem you have without toll roads is there is no funding to cover the added capacity. The proposed project would cost $458 million and we only have $228

TOLL continues on pg. 24

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WARM WEATHER SAFETY TIPS Summer can be a fun and exciting time of the year filled with barbeques, pool parties and constant outdoor fun. It can be very rewarding to the body and mind as the sun provides important nutrients like Vitamin D and improves psychological well-being.

Unfortunately, it can also be a dangerous time of the year, especially for older adults.

For senior citizens, keeping cool – and hydrated – is more than just a matter of comfort; it can be a matter of life and death.

Dehydration, or the loss of water and salts from the body, is one of the most common forms of heat-related disease. Other forms of heat-related illnesses include heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke.

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24

JULY 2014

TOLL continues from pg. 22 million on hand to build it,” Green said.

The days of single-source funding for roadways is long gone, Green said.

Some wish to do nothing, but Green contends this would spur a domino effect of backups adding to traffic jams across the region.

According to the planners, there is just too much traffic on the highways.

“There are 80,000 vehicles a day on U.S. 281 North from Loop 1604 to the Bexar-Comal county line,” Green said. “That roadway, in its current configuration, cannot handle more than 90,000 vehicles a day without becoming gridlocked, and we are almost there.”

Last year, the North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce highlighted the area’s explosive growth by issuing a statement on an environmental-impact study, which analyzed traffic levels on 281 north of 1604 to Borgfeld Road.

The Chamber cited stark statistics from the Texas Department of Transportation and other sources, “The portion of U.S. 281 0.3 miles north of Loop 1604 saw Average Daily Traffic (ADT) of 133,000 in 2010. ATD will rise to 205,000 by 2035.”

Also noted by the Chamber: “Employment growth along the corridor

has also risen from 3,312 in 1980 to 25,635 in 2005, and is projected to increase to an estimated 43,635 in 2035.

Also, according to an analysis conducted by the SA-Bexar County (Metropolitan Planning Organization), the number of residents living in census tracts adjacent to the portion of U.S. 281 that is being studied will reach 142,240 by 2035, an increase of 93 percent from 2005.”

The congestion is adversely affecting other North Side roads, officials said.

“Drivers are now spilling over onto Blanco, Bulverde and other parallel roads. Some suggest we build overpasses along U.S. 281 and Loop 1604 to ease traffic congestion … but that approach won’t work,” Green said.

Environmental-impact plans are pending approval by the Federal Highway Administration in Washington, which Green expects by late summer or early fall.

Once OK’d and design work is completed, officials estimate construction could start in 2016, and the entire project possibly finished by 2018, with completed sections opening in stages.

Hall argues the RMA plan “fails to fix congestion on Highway 281 outside Loop 1604 in Bexar County,” and suggests tolling portions of 1604 will cause greater congestion.

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JULY 2014

BUY LOCAL Learn more about newest purveyors of goods and services in your area

New vape shop offers a wide selection, flavors

by COLLETTE ORQUIZ

Q

uitting tobacco cigarettes is not easy, but e-cigarettes filled with flavored liquids sold at Get Your Vape On could be the answer to kicking the habit, the owners said.

Co-owners Carleton Brown and Hector Lopez recently opened the shop at 13212 Huebner Road. The pair hope to inspire people to make the switch to vaping, especially after Brown watched his wife struggle to stop smoking.

“I saw how much it helped my wife quit smoking... vaping was the only thing that actually got her on the road to complete cessation of smoking,” Brown said.

The hardest part of putting down a cigarette is the oral fixation, but with vaping — which uses a battery-powered pen-like object containing liquids flavored

with a small amount of nicotine that is atomized — you can still keep some of the same habits, the staff said.

Though the experience simulates smoking, it is vaping. Medical research into vaping is under way, but proponents say the practice offers a reduced risk to nicotine users.

“You can grab a pen, you can hit on it like an actual cigarette,” Brown said. “You just don’t have any of the carcinogens from the tobacco product and then you can step down on the nicotine.”

Customer service is paramount at Get Your Vape On, and Brown said the staff will do everything to make sure patrons are satisfied.

The store also has a selection to match everyone’s budget, he added.

Get Your Vape On offers 11

Several popular flavors of vape juice (above, left) and vaping pens are available at Get Your Vape On, which recently opened at 13212 Huebner Road. Photos by Collette Orquiz

premium lines and more than 200 flavors. The staff watches for chemicals known to cause health issues.

“Every line that we carry we make sure that they disclose everything that’s in their ingredients in their e-liquids,” Lopez said.

One of the brands sold is 5 Pawns out of California, which includes the Castle Long Reserve aged in a bourbon barrel.

The flavor practically sells out before it even hits the shelf, the owners said.

Vaping enthusiasts will enjoy Vape

Church on Sundays at the shop, where they can attend a workshop and make their own vaping pen from start to finish.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

GET YOUR VAPE ON 13212 Huebner Road For more, call 492-2819, email info@getyourvapeonsa.com or visit getyourvapeonsa.com

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BUY LOCAL Learn more about newest purveyors of goods and services in your area

Dance studio promises fun footwork for all ages

by BAIN SERNA

D

ance styles ranging from the exciting to the exotic are taught and practiced at Fancy Feet Ballroom, a studio that recently debuted in its new space at The Alley on Bitters, 555 W. Bitters Road, Suite 125.

“The studio is small, but warm, welcoming and charming,” said Jenna Avenell, owner and lead instructor.

“We work hard to create and cultivate a family atmosphere and environment.

Our group classes are intimate, which allows the student to have more oneon-one attention from the instructor.”

The new studio is located in the back, where there is more parking, staffers said. “(Fancy Feet Ballroom) started in the living room of an apartment in July 2013. We moved into a temporary space in November 2013, and into our actual

studio in April 2014,” Avenell said.

Many variations on dance styles — Latin, ballroom, country, western, standard, social and fitness — are taught by the instructors to students of all ages, backgrounds and experience levels.

The dance studio specializes in private and group lessons, offering an array of instruction choices.

Also, instructors work around a student’s schedule.

Avenell said dancing is a form of art, fitness and culture. It serves a social function that has at its core the rhythms and choreography of artistic self-expression.

In addition, dance offers health and wellness benefits that prove therapeutic and fun.

Avenell said her greatest satisfaction as a dance teacher is “watching our students

Jenna Avenell (left), the owner and lead instructor at Fancy Feet Ballroom, works on steps and technique to a country song with dance student Tim Ribble (right). Photo by Collette Orquiz

go from ‘I have no idea what I’m doing’ to ‘Wow, this is so much fun and I tell everyone about what you guys are doing here.’”

Call or visit the website to learn more about individual lessons and group schedules.

FANCY FEET BALLROOM 555 W. Bitters Road, Suite 125 For more or to schedule lessons, call 802-1678 or visit www.ffbsa.com

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28

JULY 2014

EAT LOCAL Learn about the newest neighborhood places for breakfast, lunch, dinner or drinks

George’s Keep: A little hard to find, worth the search

by COLLETTE ORQUIZ

T

hough the door is not easy to find, once you’re inside George’s Keep expect the laid-back atmosphere and craft-cocktail menu to make the search worthwhile.

Down from Piatti’s and up a couple flights of stairs, George’s Keep is nestled within Éilan Hotel, Resort & Spa, 17101 La Cantera Parkway, Suite 1200. Created by Stephen Mahoney, Blue Box and Green Lantern, George’s Keep is forging its own identity.

“What they’ll find when they come here is very courteous, enthusiastic service, an amazing space in a beautiful complex and some of the best cocktails in the city,” said Steven Martin who, along with Johnny Bernal, is a general manager.

George’s Keep is styled as a cozy neighborhood bar with a focus on

Bartender Jennifer Pendergast at George's Keep (left) pours Made To Crave into a chilled glass. Crave Juices (above) are the stars of two drinks for the summer, Green Light District (above, left) and Made to Crave (above, right). Photos by Collette Orquiz

cocktails, according to Martin.

The menu boasts 12 new cocktails for the summer season.

“It’s a very well-rounded menu, a nice balance of vodka, rum, gin, tequila, bourbon (and) whiskey cocktails,” Martin said. “We aim to please everyone, hoping everyone (will) like at least one drink on the menu that’s right up their alley.”

Happy hour is 3 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and all day Sunday, with $5 cocktails such as the Old Fashioned, Fitzgerald, Tequila Honeysuckle and daiquiris.

Martin wants to keep patrons coming back, he said, because George’s Keep

offers a vibrant and fun atmosphere.

Hint: Fresh off the summer menu is the Made To Crave. Created with Crave Juices’ Crave-Aid, red cabbage, ginger, lemon and apple, the libation has a slightly fruity taste.

It is mixed with gin and simple syrup.

Hours are 3 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Monday through Saturday and 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday.

GEORGE'S KEEP 17101 La Cantera Parkway, Suite 1200 For more, call 310-3733 or check out www.georgeskeep.com

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29

salocallowdown.com

EAT LOCAL Learn about the newest neighborhood places for breakfast, lunch, dinner or drinks

New Jimmy John’s keeps it ‘freaky fast’ by alexis fernandez

J

immy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches guarantees “freaky fast” service when customers place an order, according to Jeffrey Sparrow, the owner of the recently opened franchise at 11224 Huebner Road.

The store — located just east of Interstate 10 — debuted March 4, joining several other Jimmy John’s around San Antonio.

The new restaurant is part of a submarine-sandwich franchise that has built a reputation on exceptionally fast deliveries, staffers said.

“Subs so fast, you’ll freak,” Sparrow said. “We try to make our sandwiches in 30 seconds or less.”

In addition to rapid service, Jimmy John’s guarantees fresh ingredients every day.

The eatery also offers fresh-baked bread.

“Our definition of fresh is definitely

leagues above what other people say,” Sparrow said. “We come in at six in the morning, every morning, and prepare all of our bread fresh here in the shop and slice all of our meats and veggies every day.”

Jimmy John’s fast service allows patrons to order food without the long waits or even leaving the office. The staff tells customers to just sit back and call in, or visit the website, and wait less than 15 minutes for one of the many sandwiches and sides to arrive.

Of course, customers can just stop by to order a sandwich and enjoy a meal in the restaurant, which staffers say is perfect for the whole family.

Jimmy John’s offers deliveries to homes and businesses that can be reached in about five minutes in order to ensure a speedy delivery.

Hours are 11 a.m to 10 p.m. daily.

Jimmy John’s focuses on making sandwiches fast and with fresh ingredients, such as the Gargantuan (above). It is filled with Genoa salami, smoked ham, capicola, roast beef, turkey, provolone cheese, onions, lettuce and tomato on a mayo-smothered French bun drizzled with homemade Italian dressing.

Photo by Collette Orquiz

JIMMY JOHN'S GOURMET SANDWICHES 11224 Huebner Road For more, call 697-3333 or visit www.jimmyjohns.com

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30

JULY 2014

Live LOCAL From real estate trends and neighborhood listings to home improvement, we’ve got you covered.

Real Estate LOCAL Trends ZIP Code

78213

78230

78231

78248

78249

MAY-13

$208,950

$241,000

$234,750

$310,000

$168,000

MAY-14

129,000

198,850

259,900

315,000

174,500

New listings

MAY-13

33

60

17

34

84

MAY-14

37

51

20

43

87

Average days on market

MAY-13

61

150

72

106

83

MAY-14

106

74

58

62

44

MAY-13

34

49

18

29

85

MAY-14

29

39

19

27

61

MAY-13

27

59

14

27

60

MAY-14

23

34

12

22

51

MAY-13

3

3

2.1

2.8

2.3

MAY-14

2.9

3.2

2.8

3

2

Median sold price

Closed sales

Under contract Expires August 31, 2014

Months supply of inventory

Source: San Antonio Board of Realtors: Texas Market Trends report

Expires August 31, 2014

The properties are new listings put on the market from early May 2014. The properties may no longer be on the market by publication date or prices may have changed. Local Community News assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions.

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FOOD AND DRINKS PROVIDED

JIMMY’S EGG 8055 West Avenue, San Antonio, TX 78213 (Corner of West Ave. and Lockhill) 11:30-12:00 Networking • 12:00-1:15 Lunch and Networking Event TOPIC:

One-On-One Networking Event – Everyone will have a few moments with every attendee, giving everyone an opportunity to showcase their services. Have your presentations ready, as this will be a great way to promote your services to a VERY influential group. Please RSVP, as we need to plan for the event.

TO RSVP OR FOR MORE INFO CALL:

BROOKE CRAIG (210) 884-1525 or MARC OLSON (210) 669-3973 www.castlehillsshavanoparkba.org

The Castle Hills/Shavano Park Business Alliance believes the benefits of the Alliance are a direct relation to the amount of effort, interest and participation given by the members of the group.

$10 MEMBER RSVP $12 MEMBER NO RSVP $12 NON-MEMBERS RSVP $15 NON-MEMBER NO RSVP

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salocallowdown.com

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*Offer can only be used during dinner hours. Multiple certificates will not be accepted. Offers valid for dine-in only. Not valid with/or at Happy Hour and with any other offers. No cash value. Does not include tax or gratuity. Certificate is void if altered, defaced, copied, transferred or sold through any online auction. expires August 31, 2014 , must present this offer

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