PG.23 SMART-METER CONTROVERSY
CAUSING STATIC IN ALAMO HEIGHTS Critics cite fire and privacy issues, CPS Energy says wireless technology is safe
INSIDE PG. 24 LOCAL SOCIETY
on the scene of the latest parties
INSIDE
MEDICAL GUIDE
PG.15 Bringing you the most recent news and latest trends in health care VOL. 3, ISSUE 4
ALAMO HEIGHTS
KING WILLIAM
COMMUNITY NEWS
MONTE VISTA
OLMOS PARK
TERRELL HILLS
OCTOBER 2014
Alamo Heights police report benefits of body cameras PG. 21 Department using
the devices a year before national call for action
PG. 29 EAT LOCAL Starfish Global Seafood Father and son team up to present new seafood styles with the debut of this Southtown restaurant.
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PG. 28 BUY LOCAL Ranger Firearms A new gun store on Austin Highway offers a broad selection of firearms and accessories, with a focus on customer service.
Surviving with style in ’09 Salon owner who beat breast cancer is giving back to those with disease
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President Harold J. Lees Publisher Gregg Rosenfield
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EDITORIAL Executive Editor Thomas Edwards News Staff Collette Orquiz, Bain Serna and Will Wright Contributing Writers Olivier J. Bourgoin, Rose Mary Budge, Joyce Hotchkiss, J.E. Jordan, Carole Miller, Eric Moreno and Susan Yerkes
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FROM THE EDITOR tedwards@salocallowdown.com
It's OK to share good news
S
ometimes the most important news comes from the most unlikely sources. And some of the most quiet. I’m talking about homeowners and property owners associations. It surprises me that we don’t hear more often from all the associations in the neighborhoods covered by LOCAL Community News. While many of these associations rely on Facebook, newsletters and websites to get their message out, it is still doubtful in this on-the-go age their communications about events and
developments reach all their members. These associations should consider designating a public relations person to submit newsworthy events to LOCAL. Think of us as another way to bridge the gap between association leadership and the homeowners or property owners. The entertainment media enjoys portraying these associations as control freaks obsessing over the width of a driveway or the color of paving stones — ever see “Over the Hedge” or “The Simpsons”? — but the truth is, these people are also doing good work in their communities by coordinating activities that improve the quality of life. We’d love to hear about those developments. We want to tell those stories and dispel the stereotypes. It’s as easy as sending a note to tedwards@salocallowdown.com or to our tips file at tips@salocallowdown.com. Silence is deafening. If these associations have a success story, we urge them to share it with the rest of the world.
THOMAS EDWARDS EXECUTIVE EDITOR FACEBOOK.COM/SALOCALCOMMUNITYNEWS
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OCTOBER 2014
LOCAL COMMENTARY
Blessed to give? Or just illegal? by SUSAN YERKES
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t may well be more blessed to give than to receive. But if San Antonio’s top cop has his way, either act could get you in trouble. Police Chief William McManus will retire from the force to take a $200,000plus job at CPS Energy in December. But before he goes, he’s pushing a pet project that would penalize both panhandlers and folks who give them money, food or “anything of value.” It’s hard for me to imagine why McManus, who is generally well-liked and widely respected, would feel strongly enough about his proposed antigiving ordinance to promise to pitch it aggressively to the City Council’s Public Safety Committee later this month. I can see how police can get frustrated with panhandlers. From the wild-haired guy waving an “ANYTHING HELPS” placard in the median of a busy street to the downtown sidewalk loungers trolling for spare change, beggars can range from irritating to downright dangerous. That was McManus’ argument back in 2011, when he helped push, and pass, a city ordinance making it illegal to ask for money within 50 feet of crosswalks, ATMs, bank doors, bus stops, checkcashing businesses, restaurants, parking meters and other favorite panhandling posts. There are also ordinances that ban asking for money on city streets. Those measures may well have curbed some public panhandling, but it still persists. The poor will always be with us. And some of the poor will always be more aggressive than others about asking “them who have” for handouts. McManus’ tough anti-panhandling stance is not new. In his prior posts in Dayton and Minneapolis, he proposed laws both to prohibit panhandling, and
if that wasn’t doable, (there’s this pesky constitutional-rights argument about freedom of speech) to force panhandlers to obtain official licenses to beg. It’s hard to imagine the wild-haired guy with the sign or the sidewalk loungers going through the governmental red tape to get a begging license. Finding ways to discourage people from asking for money, food or shelter can be tricky. Just making rules defining who has a “good” reason to ask is a challenge. Does the wild-haired newspaper hawker standing in the median collecting cash for his corporate employer have a more legally acceptable right to be there than the wild-haired guy flying a hand-scrawled sign? It would be great if we all could know in advance exactly how our donations will be used, so we support only behavior we approve. But even the biggest, most respectable charities can’t always guarantee what we give them will be spent on what we value. Of course, it ought to be against the law to solicit other people’s money on false pretenses. Oh, wait — it already is! We already have ordinances prohibiting panhandling, being a public nuisance, buying illegal drugs, public drunkenness and just about every single behavior this new ordinance purportedly aims to help stop. But targeting the givers is a new twist. In politics, “popular” counts. So it’s highly unlikely City Council will pass an anti-giving ordinance. The potential for blowback, ranging from the inevitable court challenges to the possibility of a miserly national image for the city, is too great. Perhaps the one good thing McManus’ quixotic quest can do is make us all think more constructively about how to deal with the dispossessed, and how to give to those in need in more truly helpful ways. Perhaps it will create new and positive public dialogue about the poor who are mentally ill, or rampant drug and alcohol addiction. Or who knows? Perhaps, now that the flood of undocumented immigrants across the Texas border has reportedly slowed down, those gun-toting, antigovernment militia folks who went down to “help” the Border Patrol will find a new mission — coming to San Antonio to help our cops stop the panhandling, and the giving, for good.
I CAN SEE HOW POLICE CAN GET FRUSTRATED WITH PANHANDLERS.
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OUR TURN Views and opinions about your community
Drivers, hang up
D
istracted drivers are the No. 1 menace on the road right now.
For that reason, San Antonio is moving in the right direction with a total ban on cellphone use while driving, including texting, unless a hands-free device is used. The San Antonio proposal is in addition to a new state law that makes it illegal to dial, text or otherwise use a cellphone in a school zone unless there is an emergency or the driver has pulled over. Outgoing San Antonio Police Chief William McManus has argued the last few years for a full ban on mobile devices. In 2010, the city prohibited using a hand-held mobile device (except for dialing telephone numbers or talking to another person) while driving a vehicle, with a fine not to exceed $200 per violation. In the time since the ban was approved by the City Council, police report there have been more than 1,900 accidents attributed to distracted motorists using handheld mobile devices. Six of those involved fatalities
and 28 resulted in serious injuries. Meanwhile, officers since 2009 have also issued 7,038 citations to drivers using handheld mobile devices. Some argue that existing distracteddriver laws are adequate, but police say they are virtually unenforceable. District 10 Councilman Mike Gallagher is pushing for the total prohibition on cellphone use. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that a driver conversing on a cellphone is 30 percent more likely to be involved in a wreck. According to Gallagher, 23 cities in Texas, including San Antonio, have some sort of texting ban. It’s already well known that driving and texting take a driver’s attention away from the road, decreasing handeye coordination and response time. Best advice? Two hands on the wheel and two eyes on the road. Gallagher’s call to toughen the distracted-driver law is not about too much government control. Instead, it is a means to keep everyone safer on area roadways. -The Local Community News editorial board includes Harry Lees, Gregg Rosenfield and Thomas Edwards.
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OCTOBER 2014
HAPPENING LOCAL
Plan your month with our calendar of upcoming events in the community. HAPPENING KEY
OUR GUIDE TO YOUR MONTH
FITNESS
“EDUCATION BY DESIGN” This THROUGH exhibit displaying a slice of San NOV 1 Antonio architectural history is subtitled “Drawings From the Collection of Ford, Powell & Carson, 1939-1970.” The recently discovered drawings include images of Trinity University buildings from the 1950s to the ’70s; student drawings from the art school in La Villita that were in the collection of architect O’Neil Ford, who also taught there; and alternative proposals for the design of the Tower of the Americas. The exhibit is in Trinity’s Michael and Noemi Neidorff Art Gallery. Hours are 1 to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and there is no admission charge. PROMOTING WOMEN IN THE DIGITAL WORLD Trinity University’s Lennox Seminar Series will focus on Women and Technology: Closing the Gender Gap in
THROUGH NOV 3
ART
TALK
OUTDOOR
MUSIC
FOOD
Technology and Entrepreneurship. Dates and speakers include: Oct. 8 – Kimberly Hambuchen, NASA robotics engineer; Oct. 13 – Trinity grads Amara Keller, Patty Wolf and Aly Miller in a Young Women Programmers Panel; Oct. 27 – Erin Pettigrew, vice president for business development at Gawker Media, speaking on “Women in Technology: A Firsthand Look at How We’re Making It”; and Nov. 3 – Amy McDonald Sanjideh, who worked on “Shrek” and “How to Train Your Dragon,” discussing her work as a technical program manager responsible for launching quality improvements to ads served on publisher sites through the Google Display Network. All lectures are at 7:30 p.m., but for specific venues call 999-8113.
THROUGH JAN 4
ART WITH LEGO BRICKS The San Antonio Botanical Garden has a garden-inspired installation – 27
Beautiful Private Estate
pieces of sculpture made entirely of Legos, 500,000 of them. Sean Kenney, a New York artist, has designed and built 14 displays around the grounds featuring birds, animals, plants and humans. Admission costs $8 to $10; the Botanical Garden is at 555 Funston Place, at North New Braunfels Avenue. It is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. HOWDY NIGHT It’s time for the annual Alamo Heights High School homecoming parade that begins at Cambridge Elementary School, 1001 Townsend Ave., and heads up Broadway to the high school, 6900 Broadway, for a pep rally and carnival. The parade starts at 4:15 p.m., booths and the carnival get under way 5-7 p.m. and the pep rally is 7:15 p.m. The homecoming game is 7:30 p.m. Oct. 10 against Seguin.
OCT 8
full lineup and links to register are at web.trinity.edu/x9953.xml. MENTAL ILLNESS AWARENESS WEEK ART SHOW This exhibit, presented by High Wire Arts and VSA Texas, has its opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 10 at High Wire, 326 W. Josephine St. The show will feature works by more than a dozen San Antonio artists who live with mental illness. After the opening, the show will be available for viewing during High Wire’s regular hours, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday through Friday. Mental Illness Awareness Week, Oct. 5-11, recognizes the challenges of dealing with mental illness and celebrates the victories of patients and their loved ones.
OCT 10-30
NEW WORLD FOODS To mark Hispanic Heritage Month, the San Antonio Public Library is presenting a series of programs at its branches, including this look at now-common and popular foods originating in Central and South America – avocados, jalapeños, jicama and more. An open-air market will be created as part of the all-day program – 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. – at the Tobin Branch Library at Oakwell, 4134 Harry Wurzbach Road.
OCT 11
TRINITY UNIVERSITY ALUMNI WEEKEND A host of activities will fill the weekend, including receptions by area of study – math and science, communications and education – as well as by class year, with 50 years’ worth of reunions. An all-alumni dinner is scheduled for Oct. 10, and there will be a golf tournament that day; the TrinityUniversity of Chicago football game Oct. 11 is also part of the fun. A
OCT 10-12
HAPPENING continues on pg. 10
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OCTOBER 2014
HAPPENING continues from pg. 08 SCHOOL BOARD The North East Independent School District board is scheduled to meet at 5:30 p.m., 8961 Tesoro Drive. Call 407-0553 to confirm dates and times prior to meetings.
OCT 13
ALAMO HEIGHTS The City OCT Council is scheduled to meet 13 at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 13, and again at the same time Oct. 27. The council has been meeting in the temporary city facility, 1248 Austin Highway, Suite 220, but could be returning to the renovated City Hall. Call 822-3331 to confirm location.
OCT 13
TERRELL HILLS The City Council meets at 5 p.m. in City Hall, 5100 N. New Braunfels Ave.
BRITISH NOVELIST SPEAKS Zadie Smith, an award-winning British novelist whose work has touched on race, class and identity, will speak at Trinity University as a guest of the Stieren Arts Enrichment Series. Her presentation, “An Evening with Zadie Smith, a Reading with Commentary,” is 8 p.m. in the Ruth Taylor Recital Hall. The lecture is free and open to the public.
OCT 13
OCT 16
OLMOS PARK The City Council meets 6 p.m. in City Hall, 120 W. El Prado Drive.
SCHOOL BOARD Alamo Heights Independent School District trustees are scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. in the board room at Central Office, 7101 Broadway.
OCT 16
WOMEN IN THE WORLD TEXAS WITW is a media organization that focuses on discussing and offering solutions for issues and problems confronting women around the globe. Its Texas program, co-hosted by Tina Brown, will include Gloria Steinem, Diane von Furstenberg, Eva Longoria, former U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and San Antonio’s Aaronetta Pierce, Mayor Ivy Taylor and City Manager Sheryl Sculley. Presentations by global activists and local military spouses are also on tap. Tickets range from $50 to $100 and are available at the Charline McCombs Empire Theatre box office and through Ticketmaster. The program begins at 9 a.m. at the Empire Theater, 226 N. St. Mary’s St.
OCT 22
DANCE WITH THE DEAD The “dead” at this annual Halloween ball are partygoers dressed as famous or infamous Texans of years past, and
OCT 24
everyone is encouraged to come in costume. The event at the Institute of Texan Cultures features a live band and also includes an art slam, a Dia de los Muertos exhibit and a cash bar; ghost tours are available for an extra charge. The party, which is for adults 21 and older, runs from 8 to 11:30 p.m. Tickets cost $25 and ghost tours are $10; for ITC members, it’s $20 and $5. A $500 table for eight includes wine and food, a ghost tour and other goodies. For more, call 458-2300 or go to www.TexanCultures.com. The Institute is at 801 E. Cesar Chavez Blvd. BOOTANICA FALL FESTIVAL The San Antonio Botanical Garden has lined up a variety of events for families, including a costume parade for children, and trick-or-treating on WaterSaver Lane. A sale of water-wise landscape plants is part of the activities, which run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Garden admission costs $10 for adults and $7 for children 3 to 13; there’s no charge for kids under 3. The garden is at 555 Funston Place.
OCT 25
WALK TO DEFEAT ALS The annual fundraiser, which benefits the ALS Association Texas Chapter, features a 3-mile walk at San Pedro Springs Park, 1315 San Pedro Ave. There will be children’s activities and a post-walk cookout,
OCT 25
too. Registration starts at 10 a.m. and the walk begins at 11 a.m. Participants, who are not charged to register but are asked to raise $210, can also register through a link at www.walktodefeatals.org; type ZIP code 78212 into the walk finder and it will bring up a link to the local walk. CIRCLEFEST The Circle School, 217 Pershing Ave., is holding a Halloween celebration from 4 to 8 p.m. with live music, food, arts and crafts, a silent auction and a raffle. The event features a Pumpkin Path, where children hear stories from costumed characters on a path lined with pumpkins and luminaria. Tickets are $5 for adults and free for children under 15. They can be purchased at the school from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. or from any Circle School cooperative member. Tickets will also be sold at the door the day of the event. The school is a nonprofit family cooperative campus “that focuses on teaching peace by building children’s knowledge of the world’s cultures.” For more, call 822-0461.
OCT 25
HAPPENING continues on pg. 11
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SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM HAPPENING continues from pg. 10 MAGIKOLOGY: A NIGHT AT THE IMPROV The Magik Theatre is holding a fundraiser with local celebrities and community leaders in a night of fast-paced, onstage improvisation and competition akin to the popular show “Whose Line is it Anyway?” The fun starts at 6 p.m. with a cocktail reception, hors d’oeuvres and pop-up performances by theater actors. The improv competition follows, with audience members voting on their favorite team. Proceeds benefit the theater’s programs, including Camp Showbiz, academy scholarships, X-celerated Theatre, Tickets to Literacy and Shakespeare in the Park. Tickets are $30. To purchase them, visit www.magiktheatre.org/magikology. For sponsorships, contact Renee Garvens at renee@magiktheatre.org or call 2272751. The theater is at 420 S. Alamo St.
OCT 25
ZOO BOO The wildly popular OCT Halloween bash at the San 30-31 Antonio Zoo for kids 12 and younger includes costumes and trick-ortreating, of course, but also offers games, face painting and lots of fascinating animals. It runs from 6 to 9 p.m. both evenings. Tickets – which are only sold at the zoo –
cost $7 for nonmembers and $6 for members until Oct. 29; on the 30th and 31st, they’re $8 and $7. There is no charge for children 2 and younger. Carpooling is strongly advised because of limited parking. The San Antonio Zoo is at 3903 N. St. Mary’s St. OLMOS PARK TERRACE 2014 UPTOWN ART STROLL Organizers have lined up 21 resident artists and more than 30 guest artists to display their work. Art lovers can find the perfect piece to hang on the wall or set on the mantle. Olmos Park Terrace is located just south of Basse Road between McCullough and San Pedro avenues, bounded on the south by Dora Street. All events are free and no-cost pedicab rides will whisk you to the different venues – just look for the yellow and purple tiedyed flags and signs out front. Maps will be available. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 1 and noon to 5 p.m. Nov. 2. For more, visitwww.uptownartstroll.org.
NOV 1-2
KIDS4KIDS This fundraiser NOV spotlights performances by 8 children to help children – the young, unaccompanied immigrants who have been streaming across the border into Texas. The show, produced by The Playhouse, will be performed at 2 p.m.
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and 5 p.m. Tickets cost $50 for adults and $20 for children; proceeds go to St. PJ’s Children’s Home and RAICES, the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services. Tickets are available at www. ThePlayhouse.org or by calling 733-7258. The Playhouse is at 800 W. Ashby Place.
ELSEWHERE IN SAN ANTONIO
ARTHUR O’KRENT GOLF CLASSIC This annual fundraiser, which benefits the American Heart Association and United Way, has a 1 p.m. shotgun start. Registration begins at 11 a.m. Playing sponsorships range from $495 to $10,000; more information and a link to a registration page, are at www.okrentgolf. com. An associated event, the Super Raffle, has $100 tickets and offers prize packages valued at $5,000. Play takes place on the Resort Course at La Cantera Hill Country Resort, 16641 La Cantera Parkway.
OCT 13
RETIRED TEACHERS The North San Antonio Retired Teachers Association will open its monthly meeting with a “meet and greet” at 9:45 a.m.; the meeting begins at 10:15 a.m. at San Pedro Presbyterian Church, 14900 San Pedro Ave., and members are encouraged to bring a friend.
OCT 15
!
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CATTLE BARON’S GALA “Camo Conquers Cancer” is the motto of this year’s fundraiser for the local work of the American Cancer Society. It runs from 7 p.m. to midnight at Rio Cibolo Ranch, 1101 Ulrich Road in Marion. Chris Story and headliner Kix Brooks will perform. Raffles and auctions are also on tap, along with specialty bars and plenty of food. Individual tickets cost $250, with tables for 10 starting at $2,500. For reservations, contact Renee Silber at 595-0249 or renee.silber@cancer.org. Information and a ticket-purchase link can also be found at www.cattlebaronsgala.org.
OCT 18
SAN ANTONIO SYMPHONY AT THE BARSHOP The Jewish Community Center presents a free concert by the San Antonio Symphony, an all-baroque program. The concert begins at 7 p.m. The JCC is at 12500 N.W. Military Highway.
OCT 21
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OCTOBER 2014
LOCAL LOWDOWN Take a quick look at what’s new in the community from opening and closings to news tidbits.
Open and Opening Soon
Address of local business Name of local business
3. MISSION ORTHODONTICS, 156 W.
1. STARFISH GLOBAL SEAFOOD, 709 S.
Alamo St., is a new Southtown restaurant with dishes prepared by chef Diego Fernandez, who co-owns the establishment with his father Rene Fernandez. The elder Fernandez also owns Azuca Nuevo Latino, which is next door and features Latin American food. Hours for Starfish are 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for lunch and 5:30 to 10 p.m. for dinner Monday through Thursday, and noon to 2:30 p.m. for lunch and 5:30 to 11 p.m. for dinner Friday and Saturday. For more or reservations, call 375-4423 or visit www.starfishsa.com. (See story on page 29)
2. PANZANELLA PIZZA, 111 W. Crockett
St. on the Riverwalk and 401 Pearl Parkway, are planned as new downtown eateries offering artisan-style pizza and salads to go, as well as wine and beer. The West Crockett location is expected to open in October and the other site, near the Pearl, will debut in December. Overseeing the menu at the new ventures is chef Luca Della
Casa, who appeared on “Food Network Star.” The owner is Chris Erck, who also has Swig Martini Bar (next door to the Crockett pizzeria), The Worm, Viva Tacoland and the Icehouse. Hours for the West Crockett location are 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. daily.
5
36 4
Sunset Road, Suite 100, is a new practice under Dr. Bartholomew Wilson offering “friendly and relaxed orthodontic care that will put you at ease while delivering the highest level of professional work possible… (to) achieve and maintain a healthy, aesthetic smile.” A complimentary consultation for Invisalign or other braces is available. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more, call 822-7797, check out www. missionorthodontics.com or visit www. facebook.com/missionorthodontics.
4. RANGER FIREARMS GUN SHOP, 1308
2 1
Committed to Health. Committed to Smiles. Committed to Community. Committed to...You.
Austin Highway, has opened its doors and aims to be a “one-stop shop” for sportsmen and gun enthusiasts. Staff members say patrons can buy a weapon as well as a hunting or a fishing license, and take concealedhandgun license courses and hunters’ safety classes. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more, call 822-4867 or visit http://www.rangerfirearmsoftexas. com/. (See story on page 28)
5. EUROPEAN WAX CENTER, 255 E.
Basse Road, Suite 1540, is now ready for business in the Alamo Quarry Market. The shop offers full-body waxing, which uses “comfort wax” that pulls only the hair, not the skin, “for maximum comfort and less irritation,” according to a release. Hours are noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday. For more, call 822-2212 or visit www.waxcenter.com/tx-san-antonioalamo-quarry or like them on Facebook at European Wax Center-Quarry.
6. CYCLE HUB, 1820 Nacogdoches Road, is a state-of-the-art indoor cycling studio, billed as the first of its kind in San Antonio. It is open every day, and there are even sessions for beginners. Class times on weekdays are 5:45 a.m., 9:15 a.m., 4:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. Saturday classes are 8 a.m., 9 a.m., 10:15 a.m., 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. On Sunday, sessions are 9 a.m., 10:15 a.m., noon, 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. For more, call 305-6969 or visit www.mycyclehub. com or facebook.com/mycyclehub. IN OTHER NEWS
ST. LUKE’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL WAS CHALLENGED by TMI-The Episcopal School
LOWDOWN continues on pg. 13
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SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM LOWDOWN continues from pg. 12 of Texas to participate in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, with more than 30 faculty and staff members participating on the first day of classes. In turn, St. Luke’s made a charitable contribution to fund research against the neuromuscular disease and has challenged St. James’ Episcopal School of Corpus Christi. LUCY MUNOZ has been named head volleyball coach at St. Anthony Catholic High School. She also is the personal skills development trainer for the S.A. Hornets, one of the city’s club volleyball teams. She has coached more than 20 teams for the club. Munoz is from San Antonio and is a graduate of Southside High School. NEW RESTRICTIONS ON USING WOODEN SHAKES AND WOODEN SHINGLES for roofs in Alamo Heights have been approved by the City Council after a report presented by Fire Chief Buddy Kuhn at the Sept. 8 meeting. The ordinance amends codes for building and building regulations, officials said. Kuhn indicated it will help improve the city’s insurance rating and safety. MARILYN ELDRIDGE IS THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE TERRELL HILLS CITY COUNCIL, which recently appointed her to
the Place 4 slot after Michelle Brady — a resident of the city for nearly three decades — stepped down. Brady is moving outside of the city limits. During the municipal elections in May, Brady unsuccessfully ran for the mayor’s seat, losing to then-Councilwoman Anne Balantyne. According to officials, Eldridge is a former president of The Junior League of San Antonio Inc. and has also been involved with the Battle of Flowers Association, a local women’s center, the San Antonio Bar Association, Trinity University Fine Arts Center, Southwest Foundation Forum, San Antonio Symphony League, Planned Parenthood of San Antonio and the Fiesta San Antonio Commission. TRUSTEES WITH THE ALAMO HEIGHTS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT have approved a $65.3 million budget for the 2014-15 academic year, which includes a 2 percent salary increase for all district employees and sets a beginning teacher’s pay at $49,000, a rise from $47,300, officials said. The overall property-tax rate is also going down, officials said, from last year’s $1.218 per $100 valuation to $1.205. GARNER MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS TOOK THE SPOTLIGHT at a recent board meeting
LOWDOWN continues on pg. 14
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OCTOBER 2014
LOWDOWN continues from pg. 13 of the North East Independent School District, leading trustees, executive staff and guests with the invocation and the pledge. Eighth-grader Amiya Ward started things off with the thought for the evening. She is a member of the National Junior Honor Society and choir and takes Pre-Advanced Placement courses. She was joined by her mother, Kisha Ward. Fellow eighth-grade student Michael Ellis led the pledge to the U.S. and Texas flags. He is also in the NJHS, participates in Theater Arts and Peer Assistance Leadership, and takes Pre-AP courses. His parents, Peter Ellis and Susan Mengden, accompanied him to the meeting. DR. AMY ELIZABETH ARNO SHIVONE HAS JOINED THE STAFF AT CHRISTUS FAMILY MEDICINE-ALAMO HEIGHTS, the health care ministry announced. Shivone is a native of San Antonio and graduated from Alamo Heights High School. Officials said she is a board-certified family medicine physician. She earned her bachelor of arts degree from Yale University, and then attended medical school at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. She completed her residency at the CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Family Medicine Residency Program.
ENTREPRENEUR B.J. “RED” McCOMBS, HIS WIFE CHARLINE McCOMBS AND OTHER DIGNITARIES ATTENDED a recent cocktail party at The Broadway Residences, a 20-story luxury residential high-rise at the southeast corner of Broadway and East Hildebrand Avenue, to celebrate the completion of the city’s 18-month, multimillion-dollar drainage improvement project at the intersection. Red McCombs, chairman and COO of McCombs Enterprises, was joined by Bart Koontz, president and CEO of Koontz-McCombs; Jenifer Brown, vice president of sales and marketing at The Broadway Residences; Tiffany Pritchard, director of sales at Palmilla Beach Resort and Golf Club; and residents and their guests. Koontz-McCombs developed The Broadway Residences, 4242 Broadway. SIBLING RIVALRY Alamo Heights High School graduates and brothers David Ryan Garza, 22 and a senior at Tyler’s Texas College, and Houston Baptist University sophomore Danny Garza, 19, faced off on the football field Sept. 20 at Rose Stadium in Tyler. Danny, an Alamo Heights 2013 graduate, is a long snapper. David, who graduated from the school in 2010, is a wide receiver. Houston Baptist won.
LOCAL LIVE MUSIC
Darksiderz, Asylum Black, 7 p.m., The Korova, $18
KEY: AT&T Center, 1 AT&T Center Parkway, (855) 286-2721
10/17 Suzanne Vega, 7:30 p.m., Charline McCombs Empire Theatre, $40.75/$126.35
Aztec Theatre, 201 E. Commerce St., Suite 300, 481-1200
10/18 The Tontons, 8 p.m., Sam’s Burger Joint, $10/$40
Backstage Live, 1305 E. Houston St., 689-2856 Charline McCombs Empire Theatre, 226 N. St. Mary's St., 226-5700 Freeman Coliseum, 3201 E. Houston St., 226-1177
10/15 Eagles, 8 p.m., AT&T Center, $65.55/$209.17
10/19 An Intimate Evening with Clint Black, 7:30 p.m., Majestic Theatre, $30/$50 10/20 The Contortionist, Intervals, Polyphia, 6 p.m., The Korova, $12
Majestic Theatre, 224 E. Houston St., 226-5700
10/21 An Evening with Susan Boyle, 8 p.m., Tobin Center, $47.50/4129.50
Sam’s Burger Joint, 330 E. Grayson St., 223-2830
10/22 Yellowcard, Memphis May Fire, Emarosa, 6:30 p.m., Backstage Live, $22
The Korova, 107 E. Martin St., 995-7229 Tobin Center, 100 Auditorium Circle, 223-8624 White Rabbit, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., 737-2221 10/9-10 An Intimate Evening with Art Garfunkel, 7:30 p.m/8 p.m., Tobin Center, $80/$100 10/10 Social Distortion, The Stone Foxes, Jonny Two Bags, 7 p.m., Backstage Live, $31/$35 10/11 Wild Party, RMRS, The Black Market Club, 8 p.m., The Korova, $12 10/13 Swing Nite: Johnny P and The Wiseguys, 7 p.m., Sam’s Burger Joint, $10 10/14 Combichrist, William Control, Davey Suicide,
10/23 The Amity Affliction, For The Fallen Dreams, Obey The Brave, Favorite Weapon, Exotype, 6:30 p.m., Backstage Live, $13.50 10/24 Burn It Down Tour: Jason Aldean, Florida Georgia Line, Tyler Farr, 7:30 p.m., AT&T Center, $41.88/$73.99 10/25 Tab Benoit, Guy Forsyth Blues Band, 7 p.m., Aztec Theatre, $17/$25 10/26 Casting Crowns, 7 p.m., Freeman Coliseum, $30.24/$72.90 10/27 Lil Bit’s Annual Halloswing Party: Two Tons of Steel, 7 p.m., Sam’s Burger Joint $10 10/29 Finch, Maps & Atlases, Weatherbox, 7 p.m., Backstage Live, $17
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OCTOBER 2014
MEDICAL GUIDE
IT’S A WONDERFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
Getting you the up-to-date information about your local health care providers
We’re proud to welcome Beverly Gutierrez, M.D., to the ACMG Downtown Nix family. At Alamo City Medical Group, everyone on our dedicated care team takes pride in our preventive care approach and works with you to achieve and maintain your best possible health and well-being.
Now accepting new patients, call 210-225-4810 for an appointment. Se habla español.
Bobbie Goff, a 10-year breast-cancer survivor, offers free hair care to patients as a way to help them cope with the disease. Her studio is at 362 W. Sunset Road. Photo by Josh Huskin
GOFF continues from pg. 01
Goff known for her boundless energy by SUSAN YERKES
O
n a late summer Saturday afternoon, Bobbie Goff stands in a sunny room of her salon on West Sunset Road with a new client.
The slender, middle-aged woman looks a little nervous – as does her husband, who has come with her for moral support. Goff runs her hand gently through the woman’s dark hair. It seems to just fall out into the stylist’s hand in big clumps. Goff, whose salon is at 362 W. Sunset Road, nods. “A couple of weeks into chemo?” she said. She tells the couple about the first day her own hair started coming out, shortly after starting chemotherapy in the wake of a double mastectomy. “It just came out in handfuls,” she said. “I tried to get my friends to help me shave my head, but nobody would do it. I guess they were afraid that with the chemo, they might hurt me. So I finally shaved it myself.” Today, Goff, a 10-year breast cancer survivor, is giving back through her profession. The woman in her chair is here today because Goff, a certified volunteer trainer with the American Cancer Society’s Look Good…Feel Better program, offers breast-cancer patients free headshaving, wig styling and other services. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, part of a nationwide, yearly campaign
to increase knowledge about the disease. Today, after assessing her new client’s hair, Goff opts to crop it in a close-tothe-head cut, rather than shave it. “You look real cute like that, and you still have enough hair for it,” she said. “Next time you come in, we may go ahead and shave it, but you don’t need that yet.” By the time the couple leave, both are smiling. According to the National Cancer Institute, about one in 12 American women will develop invasive breast cancer; most of them after age 40. While breast cancer rates have dropped in the past few years, nearly 23,000 new cases are predicted to be diagnosed in women (along with 2,360 new cases in men) this year alone. In San Antonio, the highest rates of breast cancer have been documented in ZIP codes 78205, 78257 and 78209. The latter is where Goff has had her cozy, homelike one-woman salon for more than 30 years. Goff has many admirers, including in the medical profession. “I’ve really noticed that people who believe their role in life is important, and who take active responsibility for their own care, tend to do better,” said Dr. Judith Thompson, a surgeon and specialist in breast cancer with a practice in New Braunfels. “Bobbie is that kind of person.” Thompson first knew Goff as friend, then as a client of the salon. When the cancer arrived, she became Goff ’s physician. “One of Bobbie’s greatest skills is bringing out the natural beauty in people,” she said. “She’s an artist, an entrepreneur and an active member of her community. She handled her cancer very well. I think the hardest part was losing clients when
GOFF continues on pg. 26
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MEDICAL HEALTH CARE
16
Local practices offer advancements in dermatology and cosmetic procedures by ERIC MORENO
A
ccording to the American Association of Dermatology, there are more cosmetic and dermatological procedures available for potential patients than ever before. These are available for patients at inoffice visits or as at-home treatments. One new technology is fractional resurfacing, a laser-based technology that allows dermatologists a safer way to treat patients with severe to extensive skin damage. The results increase the production of collagen, the protein that chiefly makes up the fibers of skin tissue. This allows for more dramatic results in the improvement of skin appearance and texture with less downtime for the patient. There are also new laser-based procedures used to treat varicose veins,
a medical condition in which the veins (generally in the lower extremities) become twisted and distended with blood. It can cause swelling, cramping and a host of other medical conditions. “At our clinic, we have a procedure that is new to our practice,” said Melissa Garrett of Skin Care Specialists of San Antonio, 2632 Broadway, Suite 401. “It is endovenous laser treatment of varicose veins. This procedure reduces the need for surgical vein surgery, reduces pain and recovery time.” Laser technologies are also being used to treat vascular lesions, such as birthmarks. A trained dermatologist can determine whether a patient’s birthmark would be receptive to treatment; infants are often eligible. Conditions such as psoriasis, acne, hyperpigmentation and more are now being treated with better results. There have also been significant advances in cosmetic
procedures to treat aging and scarring. “There have been some great advancements in the treatments of psoriasis,” said Dr. Christy Rainey of Dermatology of Castle Hills, 1650 Lockhill Selma Road. “Those include new injectable treatments as well as oral medications.” Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder. The most common form is plaque psoriasis. It is characterized by the appearance of scale-like lesions on the skin’s surface, and can result in psoriatic arthritis. “These new treatments can significantly improve the conditions of skin psoriasis and joint disease. Often I have prescribed these and have seen miraculous improvements in patients who have never had any kind of results before,” Rainey said. On the cosmetic side, a number of new
fillers have been developed that replace the lost volume and shape in skin and can allow a dermatologist to sculpt an area. Fillers are collagen-based materials that are injected underneath the skin. Dermatologists use the fillers to fill in sunken cheeks or lines or wrinkles around the eyes and lips. “There’s a newer type of filler ... called Voluma from Allergan,” Rainey said. “It has revolutionized how we inject the deep furrows around the mouth and nose. With the Voluma, we inject the filler. With this, we inject in the upper cheeks, the apple of the cheeks if you will, and that helps to give you a kind of facelift without having to pay for surgery or deal with the downtime of surgical procedures.”
DERMATOLOGY continues on pg. 17
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME GREAT ADVANCEMENTS IN THE TREATMENTS OF PSORIASIS. THOSE INCLUDE NEW INJECTABLE TREATMENTS AS WELL AS ORAL MEDICATIONS. DR. CHRISTY RAINEY, DERMATOLOGY OF CASTLE HILLS
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OCTOBER 2014
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DERMATOLOGY continues from pg. 16 Another common and well-known procedure is receiving injections of botulinum toxin (commonly known as Botox), which is renowned for its ability to diminish wrinkles and other facial lines. According to the AAD, new manufacturers have introduced botulinum toxin formulations in recent years, making pricing more
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MEDICAL HEALTH CARE
Local specialists report several successful weight-loss programs by J.E. JORDAN
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osing weight – it’s on everyone’s mind. New and improved solutions appear on the covers of nearly every magazine next to the supermarket checkout counter.
For every need there’s a diet, an exercise plan, a medical procedure or a device guaranteed to work. Locally, there are many options available to those who want to go beyond the traditional, self-orchestrated caloriecounting and gym-membership approach. Wellness coach Jeff Carrell runs the Functional Fitness Center at Alamo Heights Chiropractic Health Center, 4501 McCullough Ave., Suite 107. Carrell said the center's healthy weight-loss program works because it’s customized to the individual. “I always tell people they are not
a cookie and therefore a cookiecutter (approach) doesn’t necessarily work for them,” Carrell said. Participants take supplements which cause rapid weight loss when combined, Carrell said. Exercise plays a part as well. “We’re big believers in most people don’t move enough, and even those who move a lot might not do it in a way that’s most effective for them, so we encourage exercise,” he said. Carrell said the supplement program alone can achieve weight loss without exercise. However, exercise makes weight loss more sustainable, he added. Dr. Felipe Garcia-Ghinis is a boardcertified obstetrician gynecologist and the founder of Healthy Woman, an OB-GYN clinic at 2632 Broadway. After his brother lost more than 100
WEIGHT LOSS continues on pg. 19
9/24/14 12:41 PM
MEDICAL HEALTH CARE
OCTOBER 2014 WEIGHT LOSS continues from pg. 18 pounds in six months, Garcia-Ghinis wanted to know how he did it. “I decided to try it myself before I offered it to my patients,” he said. After losing more than 20 pounds by going high protein, Garcia-Ghinis offers a medically supervised diet utilizing foods sold through his office. Simply Slender, 18730 Stone Oak Parkway, Suite 106, offers an alternative to liposuction for body reshaping called i-lipo. The company’s website says it is medically tested and approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Megan Coleman, a certified nutritional consultant, said, “There are no needles, no downtime. You come in, you lie down underneath our (laser) paddles. They don’t hurt, they don’t zap, you’re just lying there comfortably for 35-45 minutes.” Afterwards, she said, the patient needs to do “about 20 minutes” of exercise “to work off calories released with the fat.” Kurt Jacquin at SuperSlow Zone, with locations at 11825 Interstate 10 West and 700 E. Sonterra Blvd., said the program he offers is all about strength training. However, he added, it does contribute to weight loss. Programs are set up for individuals according to whatever muscles and body parts they want to improve.
“We don’t do a typical rep as you would see in a normal gym or fitness center,” Jacquin said. “What we do is
a 10-second positive (contracting the muscle, as in curling a weight up) and a 10-second negative (extending the muscle, as in lowering the weight).” Each curl takes 20 seconds. “So we really don’t care about the number of reps you do, we time the muscle for how much work it actually does,” he added. For some, surgery brings about a change for the better. Gerald Townsend, 70, a professor at Texas A&M UniversitySan Antonio, found a new lease on life. “My gastric sleeve improved my life immeasurably,” he said. At 90 pounds lighter, his diabetes disappeared, and with it the need for expensive drugs. “I believe I have added 20 years of quality life with the surgery. My wife, Barbara, had the same surgery. We now eat less than half what we did three years ago. The benefit comes in quality of life and in the pocketbook.” With so many options to choose from, it’s easy to get confused. However, there are some basic truths to remember. The website for the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition (www. fitness.gov) offers guidelines. There are other approaches to weight loss as well. Yacon syrup, promoted by television personality Dr. Mehmet Oz, contains a substance the taste buds recognize
19 as sweet. But supposedly, 40 to 50 percent of the syrup is made up of fructooligosaccharide – sugar molecules connected in a way that renders them unrecognizable by the digestive system, making it a low-calorie alternative to sugar. The real magic happens in the large intestine, where the saccharides “feed the friendly bacteria in the digestive system,” leading to weight loss. Science Daily wrote on Sept. 3 that scientists at The University of Manchester in England theorize resetting a cluster of nerves in the center of the brain known as the “body clock” could lead to banishing excess pounds and inches without surgery. The study is using “clock logic” to treat diabetes. Patients eat, sleep and take medication at times that fit with their body clock in a bid to control the disease. Then there are the drugs – some already on the market, some still in trials. Contrave, also known as NB32, is the name of the latest weight-loss drug seeking FDA approval. Trial participants said Contrave improved their moods as well as their looks. Maybe that’s because one of its main components is widely used as an antidepressant. There are other weight-loss drugs already on the market, but most carry dire warnings regarding side effects.
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MEDICAL HEALTH CARE
20
The eyes have it: New developments in vision-correction surgery by CAROLE MILLER
V
ision-correction surgery has made some significant improvements since June 1989 when Dr. Gholam A. Peyman was granted the first laser-vision surgery patent. Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis — or LASIK — surgery was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1999 and, since then, millions of people have chosen this option. Since its approval, LASIK has undergone many incarnations and spawned a plethora of related treatments. Thanks to the 21st century’s constantly evolving technology, there are now so many LASIK options, the information can quickly become quite overwhelming.
Alternatives to traditional LASIK include Epi-LASIK, Wavefront-guided LASIK and IntraLase and LASIK for presbyopia. Other vision-correction procedures include photorefractive keratectomy, or PRK; laser epithelial keratomileusis, or LASEK; intraocular lens, or IOL surgery; automated lamellar keratoplasty, or ALK; Descemet’s stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty, or DSAEK; and Descemet’s membrane endothelial keratoplasty, or DMEK. Confused yet? Simply put, LASIK permanently reshapes the cornea using a laser. During this straightforward procedure, the surgeon creates a thin circular flap in the cornea and folds it back in order to access and then reshape the corneal tissue underneath. After that, the flap is replaced and serves as a natural bandage. Epi-LASIK utilizes an instrument called an epi-keratome. Wavefront-guided LASIK
is yet another choice that helps with loss of night vision after surgery (a common problem with some LASIK patients). Still another method, IntraLase, is sometimes called “All Laser” or “Bladeless LASIK” because the flap is created using a laser as opposed to a manual blade. These procedures have proven most effective for patients with myopia (near-sightedness) and hyperopia (far-sightedness). Sometimes LASIK is performed with one eye corrected for distance and the other for near vision as a remedy for presbyopia. Presbyopia, the familiar side effect for many after turning 45, causes loss of focus when reading close-up or fine print. But LASIK is not the only game in town. There is much more to correctivevision surgery than meets the eye. PRK involves the removal of the cornea’s outer layer and reshaping the cornea without making a flap. With PRK surgery, healing takes a few days longer than LASIK. LASEK is similar to PRK, but a finer blade called a trephine is used and the cornea’s outer layer remains. This technique has been found to work best on individuals with thin corneas. Yet another vision-correction option is ALK eye surgery, which is usually reserved for severe cases of near- and far-sightedness. The most common treatment for
cataracts is IOL surgery. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye that affects vision, usually related to aging. During IOL surgery, the cloudy lens is removed or cleaned out and replaced by a clear, manmade lens. Different forms of IOL surgery include clear lens extraction, or CLE, and refractive lens extraction, known as RLE. There have even been recent advancements in cornea transplants. New, revolutionary procedures include DSAEK and DMEK. During these outpatient procedures, the patient’s diseased tissue is dissected and replaced with precut donor tissue provided by organ donors. In a recent Consumer Reports survey, satisfaction with the surgeon was the biggest barometer for longterm success — so choose wisely. In addition, the American Academy of Ophthalmology reports that more than 90 percent of LASIK patients obtained 20/20 vision after surgery, are quite thrilled with the results and report seeing their glasses as half full (and living all alone in the drawer next to their contact lenses).
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21
SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM BODY CAMS continues from pg. 01
Cameras can bolster or disprove complaints against officers by BAIN SERNA
A
LAMO HEIGHTS — Questions about police conduct in Ferguson, Missouri, could pressure departments nationwide to equip all officers with body cameras, but Alamo Heights is already ahead of the curve. By November, the Police Department will have had the cameras for more than a year. Five body cameras were bought in July 2013 to be field tested, and five more in November of that year, city officials said. Officers said the small, body-mounted cameras have proven highly effective in recording incidents involving a police presence and encounters with the public. “We find that they are a useful tool,” said Assistant Police Chief Cindy Pruitt. “Our officers have a good rapport with the
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citizens to begin with. Now, everything is on video. When we’re conducting a traffic stop, when someone has called the police for any reason, that’s going to be on video.” There are 22 officers on the force, and the cameras are mandatory for those on patrol. The body cameras have gained more acceptance across the country from various law enforcement agencies, though not all departments use them or are required to use them. Wearing body cameras varies from department to department and from agency to agency, according to John Moritz, a spokesman for the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas. CLEAT is an umbrella organization that represents Texas police officers in legal and employment matters. “CLEAT believes that most decisions involving what equipment that officers should be required to use or not use are best left to the local law enforcement agencies and police officers’ organizations that work closely with their communities,” Moritz said. “They are the ones that are close to their communities and they know what their communities want, expect and deserve.” Discussions nationwide about requiring police to use body cams have been
BODY CAMS continues on pg. 22
HEALTH PROFESSIONS CERTIFICATE TRAINING
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San Antonio Academy proudly announces the Tex Hill Scholarship Program which provides tuition, fees, textbooks and uniforms to two fifth grade boys who will attend San Antonio Academy during their 6th, 7th and 8th grade years.
Visit sa-academy.org OR call 210.733.7331 for details.
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A study funded by the federal government is being conducted to determine how these training opportunities help people Improve their skills and find better jobs. During the study, eligible applicants will be selected by lottery to participate in these training opportunities. Not all eligible applicants will be selected to participate in these opportunities. This document was supported by Grant 90FX0018 from the Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of HHS.
BE HONEST. BE KIND. BE THE BEST YOU CAN BE.®
22
OCTOBER 2014
BODY CAMS continues from pg. 01 sparked by the controversial shooting death Aug. 19 of Michael Brown, a black 18-year-old, by an Anglo officer in Ferguson. It was later revealed Brown was wanted for questioning in a robbery. The officer-involved shooting prompted several nights of violence and looting, and sparked a national debate about officers’ interaction with communities of color. No body cam was available when Brown was shot, but speculation about what may have happened has gone all the way to Capitol Hill, where some in Congress are pushing for more police departments to use the devices. According to to the National Association of Police Organizations, U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-California, recently announced he is circulating a letter among his congressional colleagues that will be sent to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder. The letter urges the Department of Justice to “help fund local police departments’ purchase of small body-worn cameras in order to increase transparency, decrease tensions between police and community members and create a record of events.” NAPO officials, who met with Schiff, said, “Body-camera requirement decisions should be made on an agency-by-agency basis.” In Alamo Heights, the small cameras
are easily clipped on the sleeves, vests or shirt seams of an officer’s uniform. “I haven’t heard any complaints about them,” said Pruitt of officers who use the devices, as well as community members. “I think it’s beneficial in both directions.” “I think they’re beneficial to our law enforcement,” added Lt. Dennis Kelley, a 19-year veteran of the department. “We have video cameras in our cars and when the officers are away from their cars, it (the body camera) provides audio and visual recordings, so I think they are beneficial.” The body cameras have also disproven a complaint made against an officer, Kelley said. “The body cam proved that the officer acted within his scope of authority, and it backed the officer’s actions up and disproved the complaint made against them,” Kelley said. “In that regard, the officers are very thankful for them.” Kelley said a body cam can also expose improper conduct on the part of an officer, which could lead to corrective action. “We tried it out and we were pleased with the programs that we looked at across the country, and so we implemented it into our own regular operations,” Kelley said about when AHPD first began using the cameras. “We haven’t heard anyone complain about them.”
Alamo Heights police Lt. Dennis Kelley displays a small body-worn camera clipped to the front of his uniform. Officers say the devices provide beneficial audio and visual recordings. Some members of Congress want police departments to make the cameras part of standard equipment. Photo by Rudy B. Ornelas
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23 SMART-METER continues from pg. 01
City asks for a 12-month moratorium by BAIN SERNA
A
LAMO HEIGHTS — Plans by CPS Energy to install smart meters in the city have become a lightning rod for controversy, with residents worried about health effects and leaders calling for a yearlong moratorium. CPS officials say the smart meters are safe and downplay any claims about radiation, fires or illness, but Mayor Louis Cooper said Alamo Heights has sent a letter to the utility company asking for a 12-month delay on activating the devices until more research can be done. “I think it’s really in CPS’ hands right now,” Cooper said. “We have some citizens who have expressed some questions that they want answered.” The mayor asked CPS to respond to the request within 30 days. The utility company wants to replace older analog utility meters with modern digital smart meters in homes and businesses in Alamo Heights by the end of year, with a long-term plan to eventually install the devices across San Antonio. The new meters would relay information wirelessly, rather than requiring on-site checks by a CPS worker. Customers can choose not to have the smart meters, but they will pay higher fees, CPS officials said. During the Sept. 22 City Council meeting, several residents stepped forward to express concerns about the devices, including former Councilman Elliot Weser, a gastroenterologist and emeritus professor of medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. “The serious hazards associated with digital smart meters are abundantly documented by substantial data,” Weser said. “These meters can further erode our right to privacy by making our personal activities and habits available for monitoring, control and distribution. Most distressing to me as a physician are the risks and biomedical effects from the radiation associated with electromagnetic fields generated by these meters and their associated mesh-grid structure.” In a phone interview prior to the meeting, CPS spokesman John Moreno said smart meters are safe and are a more modern way to remotely monitor energy consumption. “The biggest concerns I’m hearing is that smart meters cause fires or smart
SMART-METER continues on pg. 25
24
OCTOBER 2014
LOCAL SOCIETY
Fashion fêtes with guests dressed to the ’09s
DAVID YURMAN AT NEIMAN MARCUS
Kyle Wilkinson, Avril Graham and Kimberly Frick
BOYSVILLE WILDEST AUCTION IN THE WEST
Mike Magoon, John and Brittany Hanna and Doreen Magoon
by CAROLE MILLER
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TOWN CLUB PALM BEACH CHIC
Mary Bush, Carolina Morell and Bryan Bush
scar Wilde once said, “You can never be overdressed or overeducated.”
Famous jewelry designer David Yurman made a personal appearance at Neiman Marcus along with his fashion friends Harper’s Bazaar Executive Fashion and Beauty Editor Avril Graham and Neiman Marcus President and Chief Merchandising Officer Jim Gold. Yurman gave VIP guests a peek at some of his exclusive new “lustworthy fabulous” pieces. After the show, guests were invited to take some “selfies” with the genius of the bejeweled himself! The Wildest Auction in the West is Boysville’s largest fundraiser as well as the harbinger of new Western trends, since it is traditionally the first Westernthemed party of the social season. Last year all the stylish cowboys
Rocio Heller, David Yurman and Paulette Jemal
Sophie and Zach Clarke, Justin and Carol Sobey Melinda Biggs, Carleton Soules, Chris Schultz, Laura Soules
David Yurman, Avril Graham and Jim Gold
and cowgirls raised $410,000 in one night to provide for the children living at Boysville, which offers physical, spiritual, mental and social assistance to youths who are victims of abuse. The Town Club end-of-summer pool party always signals the end of
John and Elizabeth Anne Dunlap, Mike and Diane Taylor and Steve Herlich
the fabulous summer season. This year the theme was Palm Beach Chic. Guests braved the heat wearing cool linen and gathered around the pool at the San Antonio Country Club for delicious food with cocktails that flowed almost as freely as the pool fountain.
Russ Sims, Lauri Jehl, Mike & Patty Colvard, John and Libby Williams and Martin Tomerlin
Jim and Lisa Wolff
Tuesday is the new FFiday! FREE PARKING 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Every Tuesday* *Some exclusions apply Simple. Free. Parking. Downtown Tuesday offers FREE parking at downtown city-operated garages, lots and meters on Tuesday evenings after 5 p.m. They’ve also partnered with over 70 businesses to provide Tuesday-only specials including drink discounts, free appetizers and buy one, get one deals. Find more at www.downtowntuesday.com.
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25
SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM SMART-METER continues from pg. 23 meters are an invasion of privacy and that’s just not true,” Moreno said. “The truth is, smart meters or any other meter for that matter do not cause fires themselves.” While there have been some media reports linking the meters to blazes, Moreno said the fires are sparked by bad meter housings, faulty meter sockets and bad or improper wiring, but not the meter itself. The CPS website at www.cpsenergy. com includes links to independent studies about the safety of smart meters, including a report and tests conducted by the Electric Power Research Institute, which concluded that smart meters are within safety guidelines and standards. Independent studies on the website report the wattage of the smart-meter radio frequency output is lower than other wireless devices such as Wi-Fi connections, cellphones, wireless home phones, walkie-talkies and baby monitors. But that still won’t alter some opinions, Moreno said. “The truth of the matter is that if someone is convinced that they’re dangerous, there is no way of changing their mind,” Moreno said. “That’s why there is an opt-out option for them.” The opt-out option allows a ratepayer the
choice to not have a smart meter installed, but it carries a $20 monthly opt-out fee. According to Moreno, the opt-out fee is meant to cover the extra cost of sending an employee out to read the meter manually, which is a labor cost, as well as vehicle maintenance and fuel. There will be an adjustment from $20 to $10 for low-income households in which residents participate in the opt-out option. Regardless, analog meters are on the way out, CPS said. If a customer decides to opt out, the patron will still have his analog meter replaced with a smart meter, also known as an offsite meter reading, or OMR, meter. It uses a radio-frequency signal that can be read by a meter reader walking or driving by. John Joseph, the founder of the Alamo Heights Neighborhood Association, and a number of other residents remain unconvinced about the safety of the devices. “So-called smart meters are neither smart nor safe,” Joseph said. “For a municipally-
CPS ENERGY IS PUTTING PROFIT AHEAD OF THEIR CUSTOMERS’ HEALTH AND SAFETY. JOHN JOSEPH ALAMO HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION FOUNDER
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owned utility, CPS Energy is putting profit ahead of their customers’ health and safety.” Joseph cited various studies, political leaders and organizations that have reported problems with smart meters. City officials said that they are looking at all sides of the issue. “The city does not put in smart meters, it’s the CPS utility company that’s responsible for that,” said City Manager Mark Browne. “Our city does not run its own utility. Our utilities are provided by CPS, who provides it for everybody in the San Antonio area. It’s their program.” Councilman Bobby Hasslocher said the discussion isn’t going away anytime soon. “It’s a program that CPS is wanting to convert existing meters on homes to smart meters, and there’s been some discussion on that,” Hasslocher said. “There are a number of residents that really question the liability of smart meters. We’re in the process of looking at that issue.”
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Homeowners Sell & Move But Why? We were on a listing appointment recently and learned that the sellers purchased their home in 1962. That is rare in today’s times when the average homeowner sellers and moves every 6 years. Why do so many people move so often? Let’s take a look: Growing Pains. Many times a “first house” is not spacious enough for a growing family. A need for more space such as more bedrooms and/or baths is the primary reason homeowners sell. Stepping Up. As homeowners become more personally successful with their careers and life, they want to move up to a better neighborhood, a better school district or a higher quality home. Big Money. Cashing in on the equity stored in a home makes a lot of sense to many home sellers. If the house was purchased at the right time and at the right price, a lateral move can actually lower payments! Job Moves. Life doesn’t always stand still and many home sellers are making transitions due to their careers. Job transfers and new opportunities across town or across the country is a reason many homeowners choose to put their property on the market. Empty Nesters. As the kids grow up and start heading to college or starting their own lives, we often find there is too much space and moving to a smaller house or even a condo makes more sense. For more ideas or a free home selling consultation, contact Gina Candelario or Michael Berger at 210.744.8265 who are both licensed real estate agents with Kuper Sotheby’s International Realty. Follow our Blog at www.Inside410.com
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26 GOFF continues from pg. 15 she couldn’t work as much as she wanted to. But she has been very persistent and done all kinds of creative things.” Goff creates and sells tapestries and weavings, and has shared her salon with other businesses, from wine-brokers to massage therapists. She is also a graduate of Lionheart Institute for Transpersonal Energy Healing. “Bobbie participates in all kinds of fundraising for cancer, donates to Locks of Love (hair collected for cancer patients) and shares her story openly. She’s a great example of a very strong survivor,” Thompson said. Like most breast cancer survivors, Goff never saw it coming. “I’ve always been really healthy. I love the outdoors, hiking, the ocean…I used to ride my bike 30 miles every morning before work,” said Goff, a resident of the Monte Vista Historic District. “The cancer came out of nowhere. I had just had a mammogram, and it was clear. A couple of weeks later, I found a lump,” she added. “The doctor told me I needed an operation right away. I chose to have a double mastectomy — why take a chance on doing this again? — and chemotherapy. I wasn’t afraid of the cancer, but it was a pain in the ass. I went back to work the first day out of the hospital, but I
OCTOBER 2014 wasn’t able to work as much for a while.” She laughed. “I never wore wigs, just scarves and cowboy hats. You know, I had more guys hit on me when I was bald than any other time in my life.” Goff chuckles a lot. At 60-something, she still has a youthful, carefree kind of energy, which she attributes to a fierce independent streak, boundless curiosity and a passion for her profession. She grew up loving fashion and beauty. In her childhood in West Virginia, where her father, Darrell Goff, was stationed with the Marines, she spent summers with her grandmothers. One ran the fashion section of a large department store; the other worked tirelessly with her church in the tiny town of Dixie, population 50. “I worked right along with both of them during the summers,” she said. Her mother did manicures for $1.25 each in a 12-chair barber shop, and Goff wielded scissors by the time she was in school. Even as a toddler, she was putting her mother’s hair up in pin curls every night, and brushing it out in the mornings. When her parents moved to San Antonio in her teens, she attended Edison and MacArthur high schools, and fashioned her own vocational education program.
GOFF continues on pg. 27
27
SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM
A GARDEN OASIS stop and smell the f lowers
GOFF continues from pg. 26 “I went to see the president of Broadway National Bank and told him I wanted to work for him,” she said. Goff chose employment rather than finish her senior year at MacArthur, but her passion for all kinds of learning continued. She attended classes at San Antonio College and audited courses that interested her, from law to fashion design, all over town. She found what she was looking for at Mims Classic Beauty College, where she became a licensed cosmetologist. Just a few years into the work, she found a major inspiration at a big hair show. “I saw one stage with a young guy in a T-shirt and baggy pants, and there were just a few people watching him, but what he was doing with his hair-cutting working with curved shears, layering, fascinated me, so I offered to help him shampoo and sweep up,” she said. “We didn’t even introduce ourselves until somebody came up and asked the name of our team. I told him I was Bobbie Goff, and he said, ‘I’m Paul Mitchell, so this is the Mitchell-Goff team.’ I really found my passion that day. Paul taught me there were two kinds of hair-cutting; emotional and technical, and how to combine them.” That was a few years before Mitchell
founded his famous beauty-products empire. He and Goff remained friends, and she still keeps in touch with Mitchell’s son and heir, Angus, as well as other international cosmetology entrepreneurs. “There’s a lot of science to these products,” Goff said. “Different hair has different needs. For instance, when your hair starts growing out after chemo, it’s usually real nappy and hard to handle. It’s like wet cotton after you wash it, so you need to know what to use.” Friends say Goff is filled with boundless energy. “Bobbie is one of the most unique individuals I’ve ever met,” said urologist Patricia Terry. “She’s extraordinarily independent, gregarious, open-minded and curious, and she sees the best in everyone. Halfway through her cancer treatments she was already thinking about ways to help other people with their self-image and selfesteem, what she could offer as a stylist. ” Goff was married twice in her early 20s, and once in her 40s. She has outlived all three former husbands. But as a mother of three, grandmother of 11 and great-grandmother of four children, she has much to live for today. “I’m pretty excited about being cancer-free for 10 years,” she said. “I do a lot of cancer runs and walks, so I plan to get a pair of shorts and have ‘10 Years Behind Me’ embroidered on my butt.”
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28
OCTOBER 2014
BUY LOCAL Learn more about newest purveyors of goods and services in your area
Ranger Firearms sets sights on customer satisfaction by OLIVIER J. BOURGOIN
A
fter years in the financial world, Edward DeWees III wanted to fulfill a longtime dream. He’s opened Ranger Firearms Gun Shop as a onestop location for shooting enthusiasts and those who love the outdoors.
“We truly have anything that anyone would need, from hunting equipment to scopes and ammunition; we have it all,” DeWees said. “We have eight trained employees and we also have our own gunsmith on staff. We can even develop a custom product for you, right here.” The store, which debuted in June, is at 1308 Austin Highway at Vandiver Road in a space previously occupied by Don’s & Ben’s Liquor.
“I grew up in this area. My wife, Robin, is past president of the Alamo Heights Junior School PTO. After working in the banking industry for many years, I had been wanting to open a gun shop for a while,” DeWees said. Customers can purchase a weapon, obtain a hunting or fishing license and even enroll in concealed-handgun license or hunter’s-safety classes. Other wares include a state-of-the-art portable grill that can be used anywhere, even where open-flame cooking is banned by law — such as on the beach. “It used to be that you could make a fire on the beach and grill your catch from the day, right there and then, but not anymore,” DeWees said. “This grill is legal, however, because it uses specially made, compressed-wood pellets as fuel.” It even folds up and can be carried like a suitcase.
VELUX® 3 Star Skylight Specialist
Gun shop owner Edward DeWees III has opened a store at 1308 Austin Highway that offers products ranging from weapons and ammunition to portable grills for cooking the day's catch. Photo by Collette Orquiz
The 4,500-square-foot store has plenty of room for other accessories, including decoys and calls for all types of hunting. The gun shop also incorporates futuristic technology. Some firearms have tracking-point laser systems and iPads that help a weapon’s “brain” lock onto a target and pull the trigger when the crosshairs tag the spot again.
“That way, it’s literally impossible to miss a shot,” DeWees said. Hours are 10 a.m to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
RANGER FIREAMS GUN SHOP 1308 Austin Highway For more, call 822-4867 or visit www.rangerfirearmssoftexas.com
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Our design team is available to work with architects, roofers or you, the homeowner to create the perfect skylight application to brighten the atmosphere of your home. No matter how large or small the project, our experienced installation technicians will ensure the project is completed to your satisfaction, backed with our Ten Year Guarantee. Ask about the 30% Solar Federal Tax Credit . . . Call our Residential Sales and Service for Your
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3115 N.W. Loop 410 | San Antonio, TX 78230 | M-F 7am-5pm Saturdays by Appt. Only
29
SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM
EAT LOCAL Learn about the newest neighborhood places for breakfast, lunch, dinner or drinks
Starfish shines in sea of Southtown eateries by ROSE MARY BUDGE
A
fter opening mid-summer in a 100-year-old building at 709 S. Alamo St., Starfish Global Seafood is making a real splash. The menu is directed by chef Diego Fernandez, who co-owns Starfish with his father, Rene Fernandez. The elder Fernandez also owns Azuca Nuevo Latino, which is next door and features Latin American food. The menu at Starfish is replete with temptations such mahi mahi and salmon with goat cheese spaetzle and Thai shrimp stir fry, which is served on a bed of buckwheat noodles, enhanced with kale and a peanut sauce. Between bites, visitors can admire the rustic brick walls, art-glass chandeliers and cooking bar that
COME AND JOIN US FOR ONE OF OUR
Cake Decorating
Classes
Bringing dishes from the surf to diners' tables, Starfish Global Seafood has opened in Southtown (above), and offers a range of tempting treats from the deep (left). Photos by Collette Orquiz
runs the length of the restaurant. Diego Fernandez, who studied at the Culinary Institute of America in San Antonio and received his degree from the CIA in Hyde Park, N.Y., calls Starfish a career dream come true. “Cooking has always been a passion of mine. I enjoy being inspired by food and my team and I thrive on the challenge of creating special dishes,” he said. Starfish serves both lunch and dinner. Desserts by pastry chef Maria del Carmen Fernandez make a
grand finale to any meal, including chocolate-pastry concoctions. Hours are 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for lunch and 5:30 to 10 p.m. for dinner Monday through Thursday, and noon to 2:30 p.m. for lunch and 5:30 to 11 p.m. for dinner Friday and Saturday.
STARFISH GLOBAL SEAFOOD 709 S. Alamo St. For more, call 375-4423 or visit www.starfishsa.com
Our mission is about life! The Village at Incarnate Word Senior Living Community • Independent Retirement Living • Assisted Living • Memory Care • Extended Nursing Care • In-Home Care & Concierge Services
Autumn Fest
Residents, Family and Friends, Please join us for our
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11 11:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M.
Your One Stop Shop
For All Of Your Cake, Candy, and Baking Needs! CAKE CLASSES, KIDS CAMPS, BIRTHDAY PARTIES...
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CHRISTUS Heritage Hall and Dubuis House Courtyard Enjoy games, face painting, bingo, food and fellowship. This event is free and open to the public. There will also be a special concert featuring renowned folk singer Tish Hinojosa 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. Tickets for the concert are only $15 and proceeds benefit the CCVI Legacy Fund (charitable assistance program).
Call 829-7561, ext. 147 for more information. 4707 Broadway St. | San Antonio, TX 78209
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Tish Hinojosa
Call us today for a FREE consultation or to learn more about how we can help.
License #’s 000777 (AL-A) 101505 (AL-B), 100473 (ALZ), 011872 (HCSSA)
30
OCTOBER 2014
LIVE LOCAL From real estate trends and neighborhood listings to home improvement, we’ve got you covered.
Real Estate LOCAL Trends ZIP CODE MEDIAN SOLD PRICE
G r a n a da H o m e s
NEW LISTINGS
Retirement Community on the Beautiful San Antonio Riverwalk with ALL BILLS PAID
AVERAGE DAYS ON MARKET
Efficiencies & One Bedrooms starting at $335 a month
CLOSED SALES
• Courtesy patrol provided for building • Fire detector system and emergency alert system in each apartment • On-site service coordinator to assist with supportive services to enhance standard of living • Chapel, game room, TV room, library, thrift shop, ballroom, laundry room, garden patio & restaurant • Lunch program available Monday – Friday • Socials – Birthday parties, bingo, bake & rummage sales, blood pressure & blood sugar checks and more • Government rental assistance available
w w w. g r a n a da h o m e s . n e t
(on Premises)
Men & Women Haircuts, Hair Color, Manicures, Shellac, Solar Nails, Spa Pedicures, Eyelashes and Waxing Mon-Sat 10a-6p, 210-227-4743
G r a n a da H o m e s 31 1 s o u t H s t. m a r y ’ s s t. s a n a n to n i o , t X 7 8 2 0 5
210-225-2645
78209
78210
78212
SEP-13
$68,000
$288,000
$135,000
$254,250
SEP-14
$187,500
$284,500
$86,251
$248,750
SEP-13
4
74
26
17
SEP-14
8
82
31
38
SEP-13
97
121
62
89
SEP-14
39
112
107
109
SEP-13
3
75
13
20
SEP-14
4
68
18
20
UNDER CONTRACT
SEP-13
1
58
15
21
SEP-14
6
59
21
17
MONTHS SUPPLY OF INVENTORY
SEP-13
7
3.8
8.2
4.2
SEP-14
7
4.3
3.8
5
Granada Homes Introduces…
Riverwalk Salon
78204
SOURCE: San Antonio Board of Realtors: Texas Market Trends report The properties are new listings put on the market from in September 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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SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM
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8434 Airport Blvd | San Antonio, Texas 78216 | 210-787-2959 | bmwofsanantonio.com
4204 GARDENDALE STE. 201 SAN ANTONIO, TX 78229
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