LOCAL: Hollywood Park, Hill Country Village, 78247, 78232, 78216 June 2014

Improving school safety for NEISD campuses City representatives, superintendent, police chief meet with parents to discuss crosswalks and traffic

PG.06

COMMUNITY NEWS VOL. 2, ISSUE 7

HILL COUNTRY VILLAGE

HOLLYWOOD PARK

NORTH CENTRAL

78216 78232 78247

JUNE 2014

PG.13 WEST AVENUE PROJECT TO IMPROVE DEADLY LOW-WATER CROSSING Construction slated for January, could take 18 months

WHAT'S

INSIDE YOUR COMMUNITY

PG.05 With win,

Krier’s focus turns to basic city services District 9 councilman wants to build on infrastructure, public safety, fire and police; pushes for referendum on streetcar project

MacArthur High School

BREAKING BARRIERS

PG.16 Hidden Forest

PTA helping raise money for track About 20 percent of funding already committed

FANTASTIC DEALS

COUPONS INSIDE Discover the city through LOCAL deals from restaurants, retailers and services in your community, and save money while you do it! pg. 19

PG.14

The Burmese Project, an offshoot of MacTeach, pairs student-tutors with refugees

PG. 03 COMMENTARY

Shrinking Blue Hole reflects water woes

PG. 17 BUY: BASIS New school set as basis for education

WWW.SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM

PG. 18 EAT: Los Cabriteros Authentic goat dishes on North Side

2

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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 and Will Wright Contributing Writers Olivier J. Bourgoin, Joyce Hotchkins, J.E. Jordan, Eric Moreno, Eileen Pace, Travis E. Poling, Lucille Sims Thomas and Susan Yerkes ART Creative Director Florence D. Edwards Production Designer Pete Morales Contributing Photographers Aiessa Ammeter Contributing Illustrator Jeremiah Teutsch ADVERTISING Advertising Director Jaselle Luna Account Manager Kelly Jean Garza, Amber Montemayor and Marc Olson Controller Keith Sanders READER SERVICE Mailing Address 4204 Gardendale Ste. 201 SA, TX 78229 Phone Fax (210) 338.8842 (210) 616.9677 Advertising Inquiries rupton@salocallowdown.com Story Ideas tips@salocallowdown.com Website www.salocallowdown.com LOCAL Community News publications

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A big welcome to new readers

W

ith great pleasure, I’d like to welcome another newspaper to the LOCAL Community News family of quality publications.

This month the LOCAL edition serving the greater Stone Oak and Encino Park communities north of Loop 1604 debuts.

The launch of our newest paper marks another milestone for our 2-year-old company.

During that short time, a vision to offer hyperlocal news content to readers in targeted zones through direct mail has grown from two initial newspapers to six, boasting a press run of more than 200,000 copies.

The readers holding the new Stone Oak publication are going to learn what fellow residents across the greater San Antonio area already know — LOCAL delivers in-depth coverage of neighborhood news, ranging from new restaurants and businesses to school activities and government.

We hope readers living in ZIP codes 78258, 78259, 78260 and 78261 will find LOCAL as informative and enjoyable as established audiences from Shavano Park and Alamo Heights to Cibolo and Garden Ridge.

In addition to great stories, other features offered each month include insightful commentary from veteran journalist Susan Yerkes, the Happening LOCAL calendar, synopsis of major stories and business items in LOCAL Lowdown, and stories about new dining spots and services under the EAT and BUY sections.

We look forward to hearing your suggestions and comments. Send them to tips@salocallowdown.com.

THOMAS EDWARDS EXECUTIVE EDITOR FACEBOOK.COM/SALOCALCOMMUNITYNEWS

3

SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM

LOCAL COMMENTARY

Shrinking Blue Hole reflects water woes

by SUSAN YERKES

I

t’s going to be a long, hot summer, and here in droughtstricken South Texas, that has once again brought water issues

to the forefront.

My musings about water got jump-started recently when my friend Rhon Bayes made a short film about the Blue Hole — the headwaters of the San Antonio River.

I first visited the spot on what was then Incarnate Word College in the mid-1980s with the late Amy Freeman Lee, president of the college board at the time. She recalled swimming and boating in the clear blue waters flowing from the artesian spring, but during our trip, the deep stone well was far from full.

The most recent visit with Bayes’ film crew was a sad surprise. The stone well was dry as a bone, the parched bottom in disrepair.

Where green space once surrounded the area, now parking lots, a retirement center and nursing home loom over the dry creek bed and the Blue Hole itself. Traffic noise from Broadway drowns out nature.

Yet something sacred still remains — and some people have begun to reclaim, in some measure, the gift of water.

Back in 2008, the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word took a big step to preserve the last remaining undeveloped property they owned – 53 acres, including the Blue Hole, in the Olmos Creek Basin. They created the Headwaters at Incarnate Word, a nonprofit to protect and preserve the legacy of the springs.

Long-time conservationist Helen Ballew, Headwaters’ executive director, is leading the restoration effort. Volunteers are cleaning trails, removing invasive brush, replanting native vegetation and creating footpaths. Students on field trips learn about the once-flowing streams that sustained humans here more than 10,000 years ago.

The group is even in discussions with the National Park Service about expanding the Missions National Historical Park to include the Headwaters Sanctuary.

You Make Dollars, because Clothes Mentor Makes Sense Emalee Grover enjoys her work as owner of Clothes Mentor in Park North and Stone Oak. She joined the Clothes Mentor team two years ago and fully supports the concept of going green.

Clothes Mentor caters to savvy, brand-conscious women in their 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s by offering desirable styles EMALEE GROVER and low prices. Compared to consignment and thrift stores, Clothes Mentor features brand names, top-quality designs and merchandise in excellent condition. Their stores shine and make shopping desirable. They help women look great and save money.

When you are tired of what you have in your closet and ready for something new come in and let our amazing staff help you find a new style. Shop all the top brands at 50- 70% off mall store prices EVERYDAY! All your favorite brands under one roof.

“We focus on better brands and designer women’s brands in excellent condition.

Everything we sell is from local women who sold it to us. Commonly found brands include Chico’s, Ann Taylor, Coach, Banana Republic, White House/Black Market, Lane Bryant and many more,” Emalee says.

“The best values are on designer purses. Brands like Coach, Tory Burch, Dooney and

“You look at it (springs) now and it’s sad,” Ballew said. “In a way, it symbolizes the disconnect between humans and the natural world we depend on for survival; the way we draw water from the Edwards Aquifer like it’s going to last forever.”

Civic leader George Brackenridge gave the Sisters of Charity more than 500 acres in the area. In the late 1800s he built a home (now the restored Brackenridge Villa), near the Blue Hole. Brackenridge owned the municipal water supply company, and his engineers suggested drilling wells to tap the aquifer’s clean, fresh water.

“In 1891, when (Brackenridge) drilled the first big Edwards well, the springs went dry.

He knew what was causing it. But he made the choice to supply clean water to a city where people were dying of dysentery for lack of it.

To me, that is a symbol of the trade-offs we make,” said Gregg Eckhardt, an environmental scientist with the San Antonio Water System.

Eckhardt cited the sad state of Medina Lake as a metaphor for the most pressing water issues South Texas faces today.

“It’s not just the drought. The whole Hill Country is being gentrified; big ranches cut into smaller parcels, and everyone drilling their own well, putting in dam structures to hold water, “ he said.

The Trinity Aquifer, which adjoins the Edwards, is being pumped faster than it can recharge.

“Everybody loves the Hill Country, and we’re loving it to death,” said Annalisa Peace, director of the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance, a coalition concerned with water issues. “Comal, Bandera, Kendall, Bexar, Williamson, Travis and Medina counties have among the fastest-growing populations in the country now, and the practices we have of development are just unsustainable.”

San Antonio itself is in good shape.

With conservation and recycling, SAWS is pumping the same amount of water from the Edwards that it did 30 years ago, when the city’s population was smaller.

And as Eckhardt noted, the springs supplying the Blue Hole will almost surely flow again – when we get enough rain.

But with a forecast of progressively hotter and drier years, it’s critical to remember how important the ecosystem of land and aquifers all around us is to our daily lives.

Isn’t it time to restore the sanctity of the Blue Hole, the legendary source of the water sustaining this city for centuries? What do you think?

Email comments to syerkes@ salocallowdown.com.

Burke, Kate Spade or Michael Kors might sell for $500 at the mall can be $100 or less. This is a great way to get those high-end brand names at a lower cost,” she adds.

Here are some useful tips to ask yourself when cleaning out your closet.

• Does it fit?

• Have I worn it in the past 12 months?

• Is it likely I will ever wear this again?

• Does it represent my current style?

• If I was shopping right now, would I buy this?

Ladies, if you answered NO to any of these, then it’s time for you to go GREEN with Clothes Mentor by selling us your gently used clothing that you are no longer wearing. We pay CA$H on-the-spot for womens clothing, shoes, handbags, & accessories. We are looking for items that are in great condition and that are current to stores in the last 1-2 years. We accept buys everyday, no appointment needed. Bring your clothing in a basket or bag OFF the hanger in ready to wear condition. We buy sizes 0-26, maternity, plus size and petites.

Not only will you have some extra cash in hand and an organized closet, but you’ll be out with the old and ready to bring in the new you.

Buy, wear, sell — think Clothes Mentor Park North and Stone Oak Visit one of our locations today!

742 NW Loop 410, 210-979-6500 or 1150 N Loop 1604 W, 210-479-5500

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Straight Teeth Without Braces or Messy Impressions

OUR TURN Views and opinions about your community

Educate, don't teach the test

T

exas lawmakers must continue efforts to reduce a reliance on one-size-fits-all standardized tests in public schools.

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Not only are all the exams unnecessary, they also create a culture where educators are teaching the test instead of giving students a broad education.

Schools should continue to promote vocational training to better serve those students who don’t want to go to college.

Our leaders must ignore the siren’s lure of the so-called testing lobby, which is guided by profit motives and not the educational needs of students.

Parents and educators should have a say-so in how high-stakes tests such as the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness are handled, putting the issue back in the hands of the community.

To bring out the best in our youth, the education process needs to stay with local school boards and parents.

These standardized tests, when used, should not be the basis for deciding whether

LOCAL LETTERS MONEY FOR STREETCARS BETTER SPENT ON JOBS, EDUCATION EDITOR: My husband and I are

in total agreement with the antistreetcar editorial published in the April LOCAL Community News.

We think the streetcar initiative is a bad idea that doesn't benefit the people of San Antonio. As taxpayers, we would rather see that kind of investment put to better use, such as education or technical training programs to improve the caliber of talent or the workforce in San Antonio. That in turn would attract more companies to the city and, consequently, fuel our city's economy.

As residents of the city, we want to make sure politicos aren't pushing their own agenda, but are doing what is best for San Antonio and its people.

Ayon Wen-Waldron

PRE-K PROGRAMS CREATE BETTER STUDENTS EDITOR: In response to Susan

Yerkes' recent column on the Pre-K 4 SA program, I say "yes" to effective pre-kindergarten programs.

Research shows that caring teachers and

JUNE 2014

a child moves on to the next grade. Instead, the exams are better utilized as one of many indicators to determine how much a child has learned and plan the curriculum accordingly.

And families shouldn’t be kept in fear of the tests. Many parents, for instance, don’t realize the law allows them to opt their child out of the STAAR test based on religious or moral beliefs. The child still has to satisfy grade-level or graduation requirements.

Gov. Rick Perry during the last legislative session signed a new law that rolls back testing requirements, reducing the number of end-of-course exams required of Texas students.

The Legislature has listened to parents and made some necessary changes. But elected leaders mustn’t stop there.

Already in place as of last summer are greater flexibility for school districts and pupils, additional control at the local level and a decrease in state-mandated tests.

This year, educators are also looking at a system that asks students to start thinking early on about a career and pick the appropriate courses through high school.

Nobody wants Texas students to fall behind their peers in other states or countries. But leaders also have to realize that education is not a cookie-cutter process.

The editorial board is Harry Lees, Gregg Rosenfield and Thomas Edwards

involved parents are the greatest factors, by far, that influence student learning.

Pre-K can help students who have needs to be school-ready, better than anything else.

Michael J. Brown

TOLL ROADS USEFUL EDITOR: Regarding the recent editorial

about toll roads: I like toll roads. Not that I have more money but the fact is, if it will save me time and grief, I'll be happy to pay the toll. I take Texas 130 anytime I'm driving north from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Interstate 35 is packed with 18-wheelers in the corridor between San Antonio and Austin. I'm happy driving to Seguin and cut up through 130.

My other gripe is the amount of personal pickups. This is Texas, so the truck is the vehicle of choice. However, the mega-land yachts are becoming ridiculous. Road dimensions have not changed since they were first designed, yet the trucks have become bigger. Drivers are not getting any better. They buy larger and larger vehicles, yet they drive worse. Driving through a parking lot holds little joy due to the size of the trucks and their numbers.

I would love to tax the vehicle based on size. I have a truck, but it is midsize and I only drive it when I need to haul stuff.

Rob Lee

5

SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM

LOCAL LETTERS

WIN continues from pg. 01

STREETCARS ARE NEEDED DOWNTOWN EDITOR: In the April edition of LOCAL Community News, the editorial made an unpersuasive case against streetcars. I want to live in a city with a vibrant and lively downtown.

The editorial was partially right stating streetcars would serve “gawking tourists,” but the last time I looked they brought a ton of money to our city and paid enormous sums into our tax system. Streetcars are not bad for the city, not on this issue.

Modern streetcars do not “chug chug” as the editorial noted, but offer a smooth, quiet ride.

Another point in the newspaper’s opinion piece is that streetcars will be paid by those parts of Bexar County not served by the new system. A true statement, but I do not believe this is the first or last time this will happen.

I helped pay for the new Loop 1604/U.S. 281 exchange, but I do not use it. The San Antonio International Airport terminals (which bring in lots of tourists) do not serve our residents who do not fly, even though they help pay for it.

Finally, let’s look at what the streetcar system is trying to accomplish. Downtown San Antonio, unlike Houston and Dallas, is not blessed with wide streets and sidewalks. People making bus transfers pack certain stops. As more people come to our city, this will increase to a choking point. Establishing two transit centers on each side of downtown will allow more buses to be brought into the system.

However, unless you have a smooth, seamless transfer system offered by the streetcars, you still have a clogged, noisy downtown. The cost at $280 million is small compared to the $1 billion we just spent on each of the Loop 410 lane expansions, the two 410 interchanges, the 1604/281 interchange and new construction on Interstate 10 and 1604.

I support the streetcar proposal.

Bruce Ashton — Member of the National Association of Railroad Passengers

Hollywood Park elects new mayor, two council members

by LUCILLE SIMS THOMAS

E

merging victorious from the May 10 municipal election, Joe Krier said he plans to use his term as the San Antonio District 9 councilman to focus on drainage issues, street repairs, library services, fire and police protection and enhancing area parks.

He also is pushing for a referendum on a controversial, multimilliondollar downtown streetcar project.

Meanwhile, Hollywood Park also elected a new mayor and two council members.

Krier defeated four other candidates for the seat and said he is ready to move ahead quickly on what he contends are key issues for the North Side district, which includes one of the fastest growing areas in the city — Stone Oak. “I am grateful that the voters in District 9 shared my belief that the primary issue was getting back to supporting basic city services — and by that I mean adequate funding for streets and drainage, making sure we have the best police and fire that we can afford, taking care of our libraries and making sure that we are taking care of and expanding our parks,” Krier said.

Krier, the president of the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce (now the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce) from 1987-2007, was appointed to the council Nov. 7, with then-District 10 Councilman Carlton Soules and District 2 Councilwoman Ivy Taylor casting the dissenting votes in an 8-2 decision. The

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was starting would require a lot more than four or five months to finish.

“It was really rewarding to me to be able to help fix these problems in neighborhoods and to be at City Hall on the big-picture issues. And, residents in subdivisions who asked for my help repeatedly said to me, ‘We’d like a councilman who will be here to see these projects through,’” Krier said.

The “big-picture issues” at City Hall include the city’s budget for next year, the police and fire contract and the matter of impact fees, which involves detailed discussions with San Antonio Water System.

The city budget process starts next month. Krier said he is ready to jump right in, but he also wants to hear opinions from District 9 residents.

“My first effort will be to get into the middle of that (budget process) to learn as much as I can about it and to argue that we spend next year’s budget on basic city services,” Krier said.

The councilman has open-door hours in a session called Java with Joe 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesdays at his district field office, 16500 U.S. 281 North at Thousand Oaks Drive, Suite 290.

HOLLYWOOD PARK Voters in Hollywood Park decided to reauthorize the town’s ¼-cent sales tax for street repairs with 94 percent of the voters giving it their approval.

In addition, incumbent Sudie Sartor defeated Dan O’Brien for the Place 2 seat while Chris Murphy defeated Andrew Moon for the Place 4 seat.

Councilman Chris Fails ran unopposed in his bid to become mayor.

I VIEW THE ELECTION AS A MANDATE FOR THE ISSUES THAT I TALKED ABOUT JOE KRIER, DISTRICT 9 COUNCILMAN

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District 9 seat came open when Elisa Chan stepped down to run for the Texas Senate District 25 seat in the Republican primary, which she lost March 4.

Four opponents squared off against Krier in the special election to fill the unexpired, one-year term for District 9: Corey Clark, Weston Martinez, Bert Cecconi and Donald Oroian.

Krier, who is married to former state Senator and Bexar County Judge Cyndi Taylor Krier, won with 57 percent of the vote in the balloting. He holds the seat until the term expires in May 2015.

The councilman said he doesn’t think the city currently spends enough on streets and drainage. He was constantly being told by his constituents that maintaining and improving basic city services should be a priority, he added.

“I view the election as a mandate for the issues that I talked about,” the councilman said.

He also believes residents deserve to vote on the proposed downtown streetcar project, which is projected to cost about $280 million, and said he intends to keep working to put the issue before voters. Streetcars have not existed in San Antonio since the 1930s. Proponents argue they will help spur downtown growth and attract tourists; critics say they are impractical, old-fashioned and too expensive.

When he was first appointed, Krier said he did not intend to run in the special election. But a few months after being on the job, Krier realized that not only did he really enjoy being a councilman, he also decided most of the projects he

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JUNE 2014

A recent community meeting on improving pedestrian safety for students at North East Independent School District campuses highlighted the need for greater awareness among pupils and drivers. Photo by Aiessa Ammeter

NEISD continues from pg. 01

Hundreds of motorists break bus-passing law

by EILEEN PACE

The City of San Antonio Metropolitan Health District and the YMCA of Greater San Antonio have teamed up to

Fight Diabetes!

Whether you are at risk for type 2 diabetes or are currently living with diabetes, we have a FREE program for you!

YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program Helping those at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes adopt and maintain a healthy lifestyle in order to reduce their chances of developing the disease.

For more information call (210) 924-8858

Y Living Program This family-based program empowers the family to obtain total wellness through enriching the Spirit, Mind, and Body. For more information call (210) 924-8858

Diabetes Self-Management Program Through a series of six healthy living workshops, this FREE program empowers individuals to take control of their health and safely manage diabetes.

For more information call (210) 207-8744

For more information about these programs please call today or visit us online at: www.DiabetesHelpSA.com

C

oncerns about making crosswalks and traffic areas safer for students at North East Independent School District campuses took center stage during a recent brainstorming session with police, city leaders, educators and parents.

Audience members shared ideas with District 9 Councilman Joe Krier, NEISD Superintendent Brian Gottardy and Police Chief William McManus ranging from more emphasis on chaperoning students as they walk to school, to educating motorists about proper driving in school zones and around buses, more enforcement of antitexting laws and additional collaboration.

Much of the discussion was prompted by the death of Tatyana Babineaux, 9, who was struck and killed by a hit-andrun driver while she was walking to Larkspur Elementary School in January.

Krier during the meeting May 5 said Tatyana’s death near Braesview Street and Larkspur Drive made schoolzone safety very personal to him.

“We met with neighborhood associations and streets people and the Police Department and came up with a lot of changes that make that (Larkspur) school zone safer,” Krier said.

“What we wanted to do tonight is to say to the rest of District 9 … tell us about your schools, tell us about your school-safety issues.”

Mike Frisbie, director of the city's Transportation & Capital Improvements Department, told residents at the meeting in the Piper-Bass Community Student Center the

city has begun replacing, repairing or adding signage and flashing lights, and in some cases, overhead flashing beacons to warn drivers to slow down once they hit a school zone.

However, it’s going to take time to work through the 1,100 school zones in San Antonio and the city can only proceed as the budget allows.

Gottardy said the district has about 68,000 students, and only 60 percent are eligible to ride the bus.

“So 40 percent of students are being driven to school by mom or dad or they’re driving themselves, or ride their bikes or walk to school,” he said.

Gottardy said the district has a program to train teachers and administrators in some schools to help kids cross the street.

“Our (NEISD) Police Department offers a variety of pedestrian- and driversafety programs to schools including a school crossing-guard training program.

(NEISD) police officers are out early in the morning and late in the afternoon to help with traffic flow and help students who are crossing the street,” Gottardy said.

He said the district is particularly proud of a new program called the Walking School Bus, which recruits parent chaperones to walk students to and from school in the morning and afternoon.

“We encourage parents in the neighborhood that don’t have transportation to get together," Gottardy said. “Obviously when you have 5-, 6-, 7- and 8-yearolds, 9-, 10-, 11-year olds walking, you really need an adult presence around.”

FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY

Frisbie said although the city is enhancing warning systems, safety does not depend solely on motorists.

“What we see with pedestrians a lot is that false sense of security,” he said.

"They think that driver sees them and

NEISD continues on pg. 12

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JUNE 2014

HAPPENING LOCAL

East. The after-graduation party is designed to give seniors a safe place without drugs or alcohol to celebrate the start of their new life. For more, call Patty Allen at 414-0883.

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

OUR GUIDE TO YOUR MONTH

HAPPENING KEY

ART

FITNESS

FITNESS IN MCALLISTER PARK The big park at 13102 Jones Maltsberger Road offers a number of Fitness in the Park classes on Saturdays. At 10 a.m., it’s Adult Circuit Training; meet at the outdoor fitness equipment. At 11 a.m., it’s Interval Training at the Turkey Roost Pavilion. And at 1:30 p.m., also at the Turkey Roost Pavilion, it’s Family Friendly Yoga. For more on all the San Antonio Parks and Recreation fitness offerings, go to www.sanantonio.gov/ parksandrec/fitness_in_the_parks.aspx.

SATURDAYS

LAST DAY Classes end for the North East Independent School District’s 2013-2014 academic year. For graduation dates, visit the district’s website at http://www.neisd. net/ and click on District Calendars.

JUNE 5

TALK

OUTDOOR

MUSIC

FOOD

TRAIL WATCH VOLUNTEERS The city’s Parks and Recreation Department is recruiting Trail Watch Volunteers in San Antonio parks and the Howard W. Peak Greenway Trail System. Volunteers must be 18, friendly, passionate about the parks and commit to four hours a month. An orientation with an overview of the volunteers’ roles, as well as information on trail safety, is 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Lou Hamilton Community Center, 10700 Nacogdoches Road. For more, call 207-8603 or email Meredith.Tilley@sanantoniogov.

JUNE 7

PROJECT GRADUATION This takes place for MacArthur High School seniors after commencement exercises June 8 and lasts into the wee hours of June 9 at The Main Event, 1911 N. Loop 1604

JUNE 8

REDLAND ROAD A public meeting to discuss improvements from the 2012 bond project for the busy roadway is 6 p.m. at the Thousand Oaks Bible Church, 15801Jones Maltsberger Road. It is hosted by District 10 Councilman Mike Gallagher.

JUNE 9

DAY CAMP & VBS San Pedro Presbyterian Church is offering a day camp/vacation Bible school titled God’s Wonderful World of Water. There will be theme-related field trips, science activities, Bible stories, crafts and games.

The program runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily and costs $50 per child, which includes a sack lunch and field-trip admission fees.

It is geared to those who have completed kindergarten through fifth grade. Call 494-6560 or register online at www.sppcsa. net. The church is at 14900 San Pedro Ave.

JUNE 10-13

JUNE 16

TRUSTEES of the North East Independent School District meet at 6:30

p.m., 8961 Tesoro Drive at the district’s headquarters building.

COMMUNITY MEETING Residents of City Council District 10 are invited to catch up on the latest developments affecting the Northeast Side at 7 p.m. at the Northeast Service Center, 10303 Tool Yard.

JUNE 16

JUNE 16

HOLLYWOOD PARK City Council meets at 7 p.m. in City Hall, 2 Mecca Drive.

EVENING AGLOW Meeting Aglow, a Christian “transformational kingdom” group, meets the third Tuesday of the month for fellowship, song and an inspirational message. The gathering starts at 7 p.m. at Anne Marie’s Catering, 12475 Starcrest Drive (at Bitters Road). Everyone is welcome to attend. For more on Aglow International, go to www.aglow.com.

JUNE 17

SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION The San Antonio Chapter of the national organization will hold its monthly luncheon meeting at the

JUNE 18

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SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM Petroleum Club, 8620 N. New Braunfels Ave., at 11:30 a.m. Lunch costs $25.

Reservations are required and should be made with Bob Clark, 402-0871, or reservations@sarsat.org, by the Monday prior to the meeting. The chapter meets on the third Wednesday of the month (except for July and August).

begun. Some of the acts during the 201415 season: Bill Cosby, Garrison Keillor, the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, and “50 Shades! The Musical.”

Tickets are available at www.tobincenter. org. The center is at 100 Auditorium Circle.

FIGHTING DIABETES The YMCA and San Antonio Metropolitan Health District are offering a pair of free programs geared to preventing diabetes. The YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program is open to adults 18 and older with a body mass index greater than 25; it is a supportive 12-month mix of classes and monthly maintenance sessions. The Y Living Program, for families, offers information in a 12-week series of holistic wellness classes.

Both are offered at the Walzem YMCA, 5538 Walzem Road. Call 924-8858 for more.

ONGOING

CHRONIC PAIN SUPPORT GROUP Meetings take place the third Wednesday of the month at Baptist HealthLink, 188 W. Bitters Road, from 4 to 6 p.m. One main topic per hour is covered in the group discussions, which may be large or small. A syllabus and more information are available at http:// chronicpainsupportsa.wix.com/cpsgsa.

JUNE 18

JULY 15

HILL COUNTRY VILLAGE The City Council meets at 5 p.m. in City Hall, 116 Aspen Lane.

ELSEWHERE IN SAN ANTONIO

TOBIN CENTER TICKETS The ONGOING inaugural season’s schedule of entertainment at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts has been released and ticket sales have

SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS The international organization’s Alamo City Guards Camp 1325 will hold its monthly first-Thursday meeting starting at 6 p.m. at the Grady’s Bar-B-Q at 6510 San Pedro Ave. The meetings are open to anyone interested in Civil War history; no reservations are

JUNE 5

needed. More on the SCV is available at www.alamocityguards.com.

TAP ACADEMY Third Coast Rhythm Project will start a new six-week series of adult tap-dance classes for absolute beginners in early June. Mini-camps for young dancers also will be offered this summer: Rhythm & Rhyme for ages 5-7 and Tap Kids for those 8-12. For more, call 348-8005 or going to www.thirdcoastrhythm.com. The organization’s studio is at 8055 West Ave., Suite 111, in Castle Oaks Village center.

JUNE 5 JULY 12

YOGA DAY IN THE PARK This event is a fundraiser for Yoga Day, a nonprofit with a mission to teach hatha yoga to lower-income segments of the population. It runs from 8:30 a.m. to noon at Brackenridge Park, between the San Antonio Zoo parking lot and the Tony Martinez Softball Field. For more, go to http://www.yogadayus.com/.

JUNE 7

FOURTH ANNUAL ART IN THE DARK Celebrate San Antonio Lighthouse for the Blind's “The Touch…The Sense…The Feel…” of Art 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Witte Museum,

JULY 12

3801 Broadway, for a fundraiser that benefits education programs for sightchallenged children. Each piece will be draped and the artist will discuss the piece and show their other works. Guests can touch the art, but no peeking. Tickets are $25 in advance, $35 at the door. For more, call Nancy Lipton at 531-1533, email nlipton@salighthouse.org or visit http://www.salighthouse.org/events.

SYMPHONY’S 75th The San Antonio Symphony will celebrate its 75th anniversary with a classical concert followed by a festive reception. The concert, at the Majestic Theatre, 224 E. Houston St., will include works performed during that first concert in June 1939. Afterward, there will be dessert, Champagne, jazz and a full bar at the St. Anthony Hotel. VIP tickets that include both concert and party cost $150 and can be purchased through a link at www.sasymphony.org or by calling the symphony box office at 223-8624.

JUNE 14

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JUNE 2014

LOCAL LOWDOWN

1

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

Open and Opening Soon 1. LOS CABRITEROS, 17660 Henderson

Pass, is an upscale Mexican restaurant and grill that specializes in cabrito, or young goat roasted over an open flame. It just opened. The restaurant also offers other fare including Latin American cuisine and tapas. Open for lunch, dinner and late. For more, call 468-2904. (See story on page 18)

2. BASIS SAN ANTONIO NORTH, 318 E.

Ramsey Road, is a new charter school that just broke ground; campus officials are now taking registrations. The school will open in the fall with a projected enrollment of 500 students, but the goal is to eventually have 800 students. This is the second institution in Texas from the nationally ranked BASIS charter schools; the first is at 8519 Floyd Curl Drive. The newest campus will serve grades five through eight. For more, call the interim number at 319-5525 or visit http:// basissanantonio.org/. (See story on page 17)

3. WALMART NEIGHBORHOOD MARKET,

MacArthur View and Nacogdoches Road, is an environmentally friendly, energy-efficient 41,000-square-foot store expected to open in early 2015, according to a company news release. It will feature fresh produce, meats and dairy products, frozen foods, dry goods and staples, a pharmacy with $4 prescriptions, deli foods, bakery items, canned and package goods, condiments and spices, and pet and household supplies. The store will provide up to 95 jobs, and Walmart is looking to hire honorably discharged veterans. The store is part of Walmart's initiative to create a smaller-format store that offers a "quick and convenient shopping experience."

4. THAI TOPAZ, 2177 N.W. Military

4

3

2

Highway, has opened a second restaurant where La Scala in Castle Hills used to be. Thai Topaz specializes in central Thai cuisine and uses spices, fresh herbs and fresh produce the staff grows or purchases.

It has a bar and private party rooms. For more, visit http://www.thaitopaz.com.

East Independent School District voters May 10, Place 2 incumbent Edd White won election to a sixth term, defeating challenger Bob Coster. Running unopposed were Sandi Wolff, wife of Bexar County Precinct 3 Commissioner Kevin Wolff, for the Place 3 slot, and Place 7 incumbent Brigitte Perkins.

IN OTHER NEWS

OUTGOING HOLLYWOOD PARK MAYOR DAVID ORTEGA, in a farewell message to

IN THE ONLY CONTESTED RACE facing North

residents as his tenure ended, said he is "reminded of the many successes the town has enjoyed over the past 10 months," according to a city website. Among those successes cited by Ortega are the selection of a new police chief, an "overwhelmingly positive audit of our administrative department," a strong Economic Development Committee, a push to improve the overall value of residences in the city and continued cooperation with neighboring Hill Country Village to counter encroachment

by San Antonio, which "continues to creep into our respective boundaries."

POLICE CHIEF SHAD PRICHARD of Hollywood Park received congratulations from city officials after recently being awarded the Master Peace Officer Certification along with an Academic Achievement Recognition Award from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.

OFFICER ROBERT HERNANDEZ, an eight-year veteran of the Hollywood Park Police Department, has achieved his Advanced Peace Officer Certification through the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, according to city officials. He also finished training in sign language and will bring those skills to the force.

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SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM AS THE CITY GEARS UP FOR 2015 budget discussions, District 10 Councilman Mike Gallagher said residents have outlined how they want their tax dollars spent. Priorities in District 10 "have always been for security and infrastructure to include police and fire protection, streets, drainage, parks and libraries," he said. The councilman is also asking residents to weigh in on projects they don't want the city to fund.

THIS PLACE MATTERS, an initiative promoted by the city's Office of Historic Preservation starting in May to highlight historic landmarks, could include Hardberger Park on its list of notable sites around town, according to District 9 Councilman Joe Krier. "The Park, named after former San Antonio Mayor Phil Hardberger, houses a stunning preservation of century-old trees right in the middle of urban growth and expansion," Krier said in a news release. He is asking residents to throw their support behind the park and share their views with the historic preservation office.

According to Krier, "Sharing your special place is easy — have a photo taken at your favorite place (make sure you or someone in the photo holds the ‘This Place Matters’ sign).

Upload your photo and short story to http:// www.preservationnation.org/take-action/ this-place-matters/. Tell your family and friends to view your special place online or

L U X U R Y

S E N I O R

submit their own and contact the Office of Historic Preservation at ohp@sanantonio. gov to add your photo to their website.”

HARMONY HILLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL celebrated its 50th anniversary with a parade in front of the school April 17. The school invited back former principals, teachers and students along with the community and families for the party. David Dagere, the principal who helped open Harmony Hills in 1963, was one of the special guests.

Superintendent Brian G. Gottardy of the North East Independent School District, board members and executive staff walked in the parade.The school also selected El Rey and La Reyna: Rick Gutierrez, a teacher at Harmony Hills for 33 years, and Cindy Walker, special education assistant for 23 years. The Churchill High School Drum Line kicked off the event.

MACARTHUR HIGH SCHOOL senior Sarea Alexander recently was named the KZDC 1250 AM ESPN San Antonio High School Athlete of the Week, according to officials. She received an award certificate from former NFL All-Pro and Lombardi Award winner Dat Nguyen. Alexander recently won the triple jump and long-jump events in the University Interscholastic League Region IV-5A/4A Meet.

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NIKOLE PENA, a junior at MacArthur High School, was one of the North East Independent School District students who recently appeared on NBC’s “Today” show to represent Girls Inc. on a national level as part of the show’s “Love Your Selfie, Reclaiming Beauty Week,” officials said.

CHRISTIN ENGELBERT, a senior at Madison High School, has been named to the 2014 class of Texas Young Masters and was recognized in an awards ceremony at the Paramount Theater in Austin. State officials hailed her as one of the top 20 talented students in fine arts and awarded her a two-year college scholarship, according to a release.

FIVE STUDENTS from Harris Middle School brought home the gold during the 75th Annual Meeting of the Junior Historians of Texas Competition in Austin, campus officials said. Seventh-graders Jackson Crowell and Adison Denham won first for their group website “The United Nations: The Right and Responsibility to Protect Against Genocide.” Seventh-graders Angela Canonizado and Miwa Stowers, along with another classmate, won first place and a cash prize for their group exhibit, “The Immigration Experience.” Earlier this year, all five won fourth-place medals in their

competition categories at the Regional National History Day Competition.

The team is coached by teachers Dottie Griffith and Sheriden DeCastro.

ARTWORK BY HANNAH WEBSTER of MacArthur High School took second place in a design contest for the cover of the 2014 Battle of Flowers Band Festival program. The contest was sponsored

by The Battle of Flowers Association during Fiesta. The 76th annual Band Festival was held at Comalander Stadium on April 24. Webster received $200.

THERE WILL BE A JUNE 14 RUNOFF election for two board positions in the Alamo Community College District.

Lorena Pulido and Albert Herrera will face off in District 4, while incumbent Gary Beitzel will face challenger Clint Kingsbery in District 8. District 9 incumbent Jim Rindfuss easily defeated challenger Felix Grieder during the May 10 balloting.

THE JUDSON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT recently commissioned San Antonio-based Bartlett Cocke General Contractors to build the district’s third comprehensive high school. It will be located near Nacogdoches and Evans roads.

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NEISD continues from pg. 06 think they’re going to stop, when a lot of times (that pedestrian) is not seen.

So they really need to pay attention and continuously watch where they’re at.”

McManus told the group that safety in school zones involves cooperation between police, the city, educators and the parents.

“One thing we must remember is that we cannot ticket or arrest the safety issue away,” McManus said. “When we’re present, when people see us, they’re going to slow down and do right. But there are 1,100 school zones throughout the city and we can’t be at all of them.”

SEVERAL SUGGESTIONS

Residents called attention to several locations where school-zone signage has been damaged or working improperly, with lights flashing at incorrect times.

Others expressed concern that children are walking to school while talking on phones or texting, and wondered if it was possible to regulate their phone use.

Jill Rudik, a resident of a Coker Elementary School neighborhood off Bitters Road, showed the group signs she created using pictures instead of words to clarify the notexting phone law in school zones.

JUNE 2014

“We had noticed last year that too many people were driving by while talking or texting on a cellphone,” Rudik said. “The signage that we have out there is written in English, so I’m suggesting a sign in universal language with a visual representation.”

McManus said before City Council passed an ordinance in 2010 banning texting in school zones, he recommended prohibiting talking on handheld cellphones as well.

“It was not well-received. So we kind of settled for the no texting,” he said.

But the chief said the ordinance is difficult to enforce.

“The driver is always going to say, ‘I wasn’t texting, I was looking up a phone number,’ or ‘I was answering my phone.’”

Rudik also suggested a more durable paint for crosswalks around schools.

“I’ve noticed they paint them at the beginning of the school year. And it actually fades in the first couple of months, so I wondered if there was some other kind of paint that stays or some kind of rubberized, more durable striping system," she said.

Frisbie said the city is is considering different products that last longer and offer the best reflectivity.

Rudik also emphasized parent and child education. She sees parents parking across the street to avoid long lines in the school drop-off lanes, and children often run between cars to get across the street.

“Whenever humans mix with tons of metal in the same space, it’s a cause for concern,” Frisbie said “We need to encourage pedestrians of all ages to cross at the right spot.”

across the state that piloted this program.”

The fine for illegally passing a school bus is $1,250.

“There’s no excuse for it,” Krier said.

“I mean, think about that — we’ve got 13 school districts in this larger city area. So if it’s 700 times in one day in one school district, there are thousands of people violating the law around school buses in Bexar County.”

SCHOOL-BUS SAFETY

CONTINUED COLLABORATION

Gottardy said traffic violations around school buses are also serious.

Students are not supposed to wait at the curb, he said.

“Students are supposed to wait at least six feet away from the curb and 10 feet in front of where the bus is going to stop, but that’s hard to get kids to do,” he said.

He said NEISD is part of a state pilot program using a camera system that takes video of cars that illegally pass a school bus.

A gasp rose from the crowd when he described the number of vehicles illegally going around a stopped school bus while loading or unloading children.

“It was 750 times in one day – twice on the right side of the bus,” Gottardy said. “And we were one of many districts

The concerned groups must continue working together, the chief said. “We can’t arrest it away. We can’t ticket it away. We can’t awareness it away. It’s got to be a continued collaboration and a continued effort among all of us,” McManus said.

“We can’t assume that people are going to obey the traffic regulations. We can’t assume kids are going to cross where they’re supposed to cross. But they’re kids, so we’ve got to make the effort.”

Now that the 2015 city budget is under review, Krier asked constituents to continue to provide input regarding safety.

In the meantime, Krier has asked parents to talk to their children about pedestrian awareness just as they would the dangers of talking to strangers or using drugs and alcohol.

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SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM WEST AVENUE continues from pg. 01

Proposed detours through business district raise some concerns

by ERIC MORENO

A

nearly $7 million project to improve a treacherous low-water crossing on West Avenue near a flood-prone area where a woman lost her life last year could begin construction

by January, officials said.

While many recognize the need for the improvements, which are being funded by the voter-approved bond of May 2012, some fear detours from the 18-month project could interfere with traffic flow in and out of a nearby business district.

The construction project involves West Avenue where it crosses Salado Creek, West Rhapsody Drive and North Loop Road.

“I know it’s hard to believe, but there was

a time when it rained a lot in San Antonio,” District 9 Councilman Joe Krier said during a recent meeting with residents at Coker United Methodist Church. “However, when we do have a lot of rain now in San Antonio, this area is particularly prone to flooding.

The roads become (unsafe) and I don’t need to tell anyone how dangerous that can be.”

During the public update on construction to eliminate the lowwater crossing at West Avenue, Krier was joined by representatives from the city’s Transportation & Capital Improvements Department.

According to city officials, the site has proven deadly during flooding. Last year, a 30-year-old San Antonio woman drowned when she was swept away by floodwaters after her car stalled in the 400 block of West Rhapsody. Police found the victim, later identified as Lisuli Aguirre of San Antonio, in the 200 block of West Nakoma Drive.

“That portion of West (Avenue) is prone to flooding where it crosses over Salado Creek, so this project will reconstruct the bridge and roadway to allow it to withstand a 25-year flood event,” said Melissa Sparks, a Transportation & Capital Improvements spokeswoman. “We’ll also ensure that

WEST AVENUE continues on pg. 14

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JUNE 2014

WEST AVENUE continues from pg. 13 the new bridge will have a railing to protect vehicles and pedestrians.”

New construction will eliminate the lowwater crossing by replacing the box culvert structure with a more pedestrian-friendly bridge, officials said. The project also includes new sidewalks, curbs, some road reconstruction and a new traffic signal.

“The project is currently still in the design phase,” Sparks said. “We’re planning to start construction in January 2015 and finish in approximately 18 months.”

With a budget of $6.63 million, the upgrades also will realign North Loop at West Avenue to create a safer intersection with better visibility.

During the work, the city will close the area where the bridge is being constructed for safety reasons.

A detour will use West Nakoma, North Park Drive and North Loop.

The city has pledged to keep access open to residences and businesses.

“This is going to be a major construction project, with a lot of components involved,” said Project Manager Richard De La Cruz, an engineer with Transportation & Capital Improvements.

“We are going to be constructing this

The city is planning to make comprehensive changes to a low-water crossing on West Avenue at Salado Creek, improving safety. Photo by Aiessa Ammeter

project in multiple phases, in great part to accommodate having to relocate all of the existing utilities in the area.”

According to De La Cruz, this includes CPS Energy’s electric and transmission services, San Antonio Water System’s water and sewage lines, and cable and telephone providers Time Warner Cable, Grande Cable and AT&T — all of which will have to be relocated to avoid lengthy interruptions of service.

“We are loaded with utilities in the area,” De La Cruz said. “We are actually moving two CPS transmission towers due to widening the bridge.”

To address the concerns of residents

and merchants, city representatives visited businesses and sent out notices regarding the meeting at the church.

“We used electronic signage to help get messages out to citizens passing through the area. As the project gets closer to construction, there will be another public meeting,” Sparks said. “We plan on using email to provide progress updates to anyone who signs up to receive the notice. During construction, an inspector will ensure the work area is safe and the traffic-control plan is maintained to maximize access to the area.”

Still, some have concerns about what impact the detours will have

on businesses in the area.

Alison Sampson is the president of Dripping Wet Water Inc., 413 W. Nakoma.

Her business received a notice about the construction prior to the meeting.

“Our business, like most of the businesses located on Nakoma, is not a retail business. Nakoma is an industrial street with warehouses and 18-wheelers, not storefronts,” Sampson said. “In order to make deliveries, the trucks have to stop traffic and back into the business driveways. Much of the time, a person has to go into the road to stop traffic so that trucks can make the wide turns required to back in. The extra traffic will make this even more dangerous.”

The city will continue to address concerns from residents and businesses during the construction process, officials said.

“We’re committed to addressing any issues that residents and business owners foresee now so the construction process is smooth for everyone,” Sparks said. “Our capital projects officer’s contact information was provided at the meeting and we started visiting the closest businesses in person before the meeting was held.”

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SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM BURMESE continues from pg. 01

Teacher says program takes dedication

by COLETTE ORQUIZ

S

tudent-volunteers at MacArthur High School are building a cultural bridge through tutoring and music to help connect with refugees from Burma.

Mang Lam Nuam (left) receives instruction from Farnaz Seddlighzadeh (right), who created the Burmese String program, a facet of the MacTeach tutoring service at MacArthur High School. Seddlighzadeh said teaching music transcends any language barrier and helps the newcomers build their confidence. Courtesy photo

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“It’s great for the Burmese kids. It helps them make a connection,” said the Rev. Chad Chaddick of Northeast Baptist Church, a partner in the program with MacArthur. “I think it’s paying dividends in the lives of the kids in terms of helping them prepare for the necessities of school life, testing and all those kinds of things.”

The volunteer program — called the Burmese Project — started two years ago.

The refugees first settled in the South Texas Medical Center area a few years earlier with the help of Catholic Charities and First Baptist Church after coming

from Burma, officially known as the Republic of the Union of Myanmar.

When those apartments started filling up, the immigrants found living quarters near Northeast Baptist Church, 2930 MacArthur View.

Chaddick said the church has worked with the newcomers since the beginning, and even started a program for the adults called HOPE — Helping Others Practice English.

“It’s been a learning process for us, in terms of trying to discover what their needs were and seeing how best we could help them,” Chaddick said.

The church and MacArthur started collaborating after a member of the congregation met with Steve Davidson, the founder and supervisor of MacTeach, the tutoring program at the school. The Burmese Project is an offshoot, according to officials.

The group stopped meeting at the church and moved to the school, where resources such as computers were more plentiful. Chaddick said the church helps with the day-to-day needs of the Burmese families, including

BURMESE continues on pg. 16

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Kendal Richey (middle) tutors Burmese refugees Dig Ngain Siam (left) and Kmwee En Paw (right) as a part of the Burmese Project at MacArthur High School. Richey helps them with homework and more during sessions on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Courtesy photo

BURMESE continues from pg. 15 necessities and transporting their children to the tutoring sessions.

MacTeach is a 4-year-old program catering both to MacArthur students and pupils from other campuses who need help in a variety of subjects.

“Anything they needed help with, we would tutor them,” said Laura Smith, a senior leader with MacTeach.

There are 48 MacArthur students dedicating their time to helping students with homework and more.

The program is multifaceted, with tutoring at Oak Grove and Serna elementary schools and MacArthur, sessions for Advanced Placement classes and testing, as well as the Summer Immersion program, the Burmese Project and the recently added Burmese String program, which teaches violin.

Eleven Burmese children attend tutoring, with more expected in the coming year.

Farnaz Seddlighzadeh, a senior leader for MacTeach, started the string program

TRACK continues from pg. 01

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Supporters: Track could benefit community, not just school

by J.E. JORDAN

A

group of parents and administrators at Hidden Forest Elementary have joined forces to raise funds for a running track, soccer fields and viewing stands to be constructed at the school by spring 2015.

The project, with an estimated cost of $250,000, has already received about 20 percent of its funding, thanks primarily to the efforts of Hidden Forest PTA members, school officials said.

The new features will be built on a back field of the campus. It replaces an improvised course students run or walk laps on that leads through the bus loop in front of the school, around the visitor

with the Burmese after the idea came to her when she was volunteering at the Episcopal Church of Reconciliation with the enrichment program. A youth orchestra was also using the space. She contacted the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio to borrow instruments, and from there 11 of the refugees enrolled in the music instruction, which has 10 student instructors.

“It’s been really fun… A lot of them, they love it, and then it’s great to see how many new doors it opens for them, and it just increases their confidence and just everything changes for them,” Seddlighzadeh said.

One perk of the program is the children get to take the violins home with them so they can practice. Davidson added that because there are no language skills involved, the students are picking up the notes and sounds very quickly, and they stand a little taller.

The program recently received a donation from a tutor’s father that parking lot and across the blacktop.

“We have a great field which is being under-utilized,” said Andrea Sharp, president of the PTA. Sharp said the track could become an asset not just for students, but for the surrounding community.

“We’re obviously nestled nicely into a community,” said Sharp, who has one child at the school and an older child who formerly attended there. “A lot of people walk and run and it’d be great to have a track – not only for the school, but for the neighborhood.”

Hidden Forest, 802 Silver Spruce St., has an enrollment of 552 students in kindergarten through fifth grade.

Sharp and three others with ties to the school are on a committee spearheading the initiative: Mops Dayal (who goes by Mops), a PTA member with two children enrolled; alumna Sondra Rangel, also of the PTA and a member of the Campus Improvement Committee, with two children at Hidden Forest and “two to go one day”; and grant writer Patricia Jaramillo, a professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio with a pair of children attending Hidden Forest.

The four call themselves SPAM, an acronym taken from the initial of their first names. Principal Deanna

enabled them to buy music stands, books, bow replacements and more.

Davidson said the tutors have to earn the trust of each child they assist. The program takes a lot of dedication.

“Other people are depending on you.

It’s a responsibility,” Seddlighzadeh said.

Smith said she and the other volunteers believe in the goal of MacTeach, which means being there for students who need help.

Seddlighzadeh and Smith said they spend 11 hours a week tutoring on top of their own classwork and extracurricular activities.

Davidson said the hours are actually a little higher because the volunteers donate plenty of extra time to help the children.

“You can’t put a price tag on this, this is just too cool,” Davidson said.

The Burmese Project is at 6:30 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday, and lasts for an hour. The Burmese Strings program is 5:45 p.m. Tuesdays, and wraps before the tutoring session.

Though the school year is coming to an end, some tutors plan on working during the break at the Serna Summer Immersion program. Using grant money, they hope to utilize some of the Serna teachers, and for five weeks they will teach both low-income students and the Burmese pupils.

Seddlighzadeh and other violin tutors will also keep teaching the strings program.

Jessup has lauded their work to get the community behind the project.

Committee members said Hidden Forest educators stress athletics to create healthier, well-rounded students and improved academics.

“We want to be an example of what school should be like,” Mops said.

Strolling through the bare, dry field, committee members and Jessup pointed out cracks large enough for a child’s foot to slip into and said large sinkholes have been known to appear.

Rangel, recalling her days as a student, said, “We used to come out here to look for clover and ladybugs.

It looked exactly the same then.”

If SPAM has its way, that will not be the case next year. With construction costs estimated at a quarter of a million dollars, the committee has already acquired one challenge grant of $50,000.

Members are seeking the balance mostly from businesses and foundations.

Construction entails leveling a sloping field, laying a base foundation and constructing a running track, with a soccer field in the center. The soccer field

TRACK continues on pg. 17

17

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New school touts itself as BASIS for education

by COLETTE ORQUIZ

N

ATIONALLY RANKED, TUITION-FREE BASIS CHARTER SCHOOL is getting ready to open its second campus in San Antonio where science, mathematics and fine arts are at the forefront of education.

BASIS San Antonio North is being built at 318 E. Ramsey Road and should be ready for the 2014-15 academic year, starting in August. Registration is under way.

The existing school is at 8519 Floyd Curl Drive.

“We offer a very rigorous curriculum, but coupled with getting kids to really love fine arts and thus loving education,” said Abigail Hasberry, the school director at BASIS Charter School in the South Texas Medical Center.

The first BASIS Charter School was started in 1998 by Olga and Michael Block,

TRACK continues from pg. 16 would be one-quarter size, appropriate for children up to age 10, and viewing stands would be constructed — if funds allow.

District 9 Councilman Joe Krier said a big, open track is the ideal exercise place for the neighborhood because it lends itself to development at a relatively low price.

Another reason to support the plan is its usability, the councilman added.

“Not only would it be available for kids, and we all know kids need more exercise, but the school would make it available to grownups around the neighborhood,” Krier said. “And I like things that have multiple uses because we get more benefit from it and it will be in use more often.”

Having raised some one-fifth of the total projected cost makes it easier to approach potential donors, the councilman said.

“These folks starting out with that makes it a whole lot easier to go to foundations, other private donors and say, ‘This is not just some strange idea, it has a lot of merit, and we’ve already raised part of the money,’’’ Krier said. “I’m excited that they’re this far along with it.”

The council districts and the mayor’s office have access to discretionary funds that can be used for capital improvements. Krier said he has encouraged the committee to file an application for funds from District 9.

the vice dean at Charles University in Prague and a Stanford-educated economist at the University of Arizona, respectively.

Olga Block moved to the United States from the Czech Republic and was unimpressed by the standards of American schools for her daughter, but liked how they made children think and question, Hasberry said.

There are 12 BASIS schools in the U.S., with four campuses opening in the fall including the new one on Ramsey, which is an open-enrollment public charter school. The new facility will enroll 510 students in grades fifth through eighth the first year, and eventually extend through 12th grade. The eighth graders will be the first graduating class, eventually bringing the total student capacity to 810.

The teachers are experts in their fields,

Others have also joined the call to push for the sports-and-exercise amenities.

Ron Clary, the associate superintendent for operations at North East Independent School District, sent a letter of support applauding the efforts of the PTA to “enhance the quality of life for our students and communities.”

Mops said that support is essential because, when complete, the track will be maintained by NEISD. Adam Conine, Hidden Forest Homeowners Association president, likewise supports the project, writing in a letter the HOA recognizes the project’s potential benefits to “the overall well-being of the residents of the neighborhood.”

The San Antonio Metropolitan Health District agrees. In another supportive letter, Assistant Director Anil T. Mangla offers the assistance of Metro Health in data analysis and interpretation of outcomes for the project, to be used in seeking grants.

Citing the tripling of childhood obesity and its health risks, Metro Health officials said they endorse any projects that encourage physical activity in schools and make San Antonio’s communities healthier.

Mayor Julian Castro has also joined the outpouring of support in a letter expressing the aim of the Mayor’s Fitness Council.

For more information or to help with funding, email the PTA at hiddenforestpta@gmail.com.

and many hold doctorates. Hasberry said the new school has hired an “amazing staff ” from diverse backgrounds and disciplines. “(It) gives children the freedom to ask questions … If they’re taking a class from a generalist, they just can’t get into that deep knowledge and that deep kind of passion for that subject,” Hasberry said.

Students are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunities BASIS has to prepare them for college. Pupils on average take 10 Advanced Placement courses; are required to take Latin and either continue Latin or choose from French, Mandarin or Spanish; and take part in the arts and sciences. “(The) emphasis (is) on having a wellrounded child,” Hasberry said. “So if you expose them to all those disciplines,

there’s something that’s just going to catch them and captivate them.”

There are still some open spots for the school year. To register, go to basisschools. org. For more information, call 319-5525.

The newest BASIS Charter School at 318 E. Ramsey Road, which is under construction and should open in August, will mirror an existing campus at 8519 Floyd Curl Drive (pictured). Officials said BASIS San Antonio North will provide a worldclass education for fifth- through eighth-grade students the first year. Photo by Collette Orquiz

BASIS SAN ANTONIO NORTH 318 E. Ramsey Road For more, call 319-5525 or visit basisschools.org.

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

Los Cabriteros promises authentic goat dishes

by OLIVIER J. BOURGOIN

M

EAT LOVERS HAVE A REASON TO REJOICE with the debut of Los Cabriteros, which specializes in dishes made from baby goat prepared in the asada style of Monterrey, Mexico.

The restaurant is at 17660 Henderson Pass.

Owners Ramón Gonzalez and his wife, Guadalupe, are seasoned restaurant operators with experience on both sides of the border. Hailing from Monterrey, Ramón Gonzalez has a deep passion for the traditional food of his homeland.

“I am a fanatic for excellent service and I care greatly about having food prepared and served following the traditions of the region from Nuevo Leon where my family came from,” Gonzalez said. “Our

recipes are very simple, but yet very traditional. What you get here is a real piece of cabrito asado, straight from the goat to the grill and to your plate.”

The restaurant opened April 7 in the spot once occupied by Fonda Argentina.

“We import our own cabrito meat.

They are slaughtered at under 30 days of age to ensure the most tender meat possible,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez said he strives to make meals at Los Cabriteros authentic in every detail.

Consider the machito, a small and tightly packed bundle of coarsely chopped meat from baby goat liver, heart and kidneys wrapped in tripas. It is served with hand-rolled tortillas and tortilla chips from the Sanitary Tortilla Co., a local business in operation since the 1920s.

Added to the mix are three homemade salsas — a roja, a verde and a very tasty molcatejeada, as well as large pieces of flatbread-style flour tortillas heated on the grill.

For cocktails, try El Cabrón — the old goat — a margarita made with 1800 Tequila Reserva Anejo, Grand Marnier, agave nectar, lime juice and simple syrup. There also is El Matador — the bullfighter — a martini with Herradura Silver Tequila, lime juice, olive and jalapeño juice and simple syrup.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 11 a.m. to midnight Thursday through Saturday.

Los Cabriteros specializes in grilling asada-style baby goat, with a selection of cuts that include the rionada or lower back (left). The restaurant also offers plenty of side dishes such as the guacamole a la Mexicana (above). Photos by Collette Orquiz

LOS CABRITEROS

17660 Henderson Pass For more, call 468-2904.

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