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

pg.19 CASTLE HILLS PUBLIC TRANSPORT

VIA BUSES WILL KEEP ROLLING FOR NOW Transit agency wants to spend $380,000 to repair city streets, alter routes

pg.15 Questionnaire

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coupons INSIDE Discover the city through LOCAL deals from restaurants, retailers and services in your community, and save money while you do it! pg. 35

Vol. 3, Issue 3

castle hills

Feasibility study outlines several uses of public land

COMMUNITY NEWS shavano park

north central

78213 78230 78231 78248 78249

What's

SEPTEMBER 2014

pg. 29 BUY LOCAL

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pg.16 New North

Side hospital aims to ease patients’ fears

Forest Park promises hotel-like atmosphere, coffee bar and robots

Amateur and professional artists will find quality art supplies at new store location on Callaghan Road

pg. 31 EAT LOCAL

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pg.23

pg.26 Community

Academy has programs for participation in District 8 Volunteer opportunities offered to residents

Batman of San Antonio Shavano Park Caped Crusader aids charity events, visits with sick children www.salocallowdown.com

New stand-alone location on De Zavala has pickup window

pg. 03 local commentary SUSAN YERKES Looking at police, fire contracts

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SEPTEMBER 2014

From the editor tedwards@salocallowdown.com

President Harold J. Lees Publisher Gregg Rosenfield

Assoc. Publisher Rick Upton

Editorial Executive Editor Thomas Edwards News Staff Collette Orquiz, Bain Serna and Will Wright Contributing Writers Ron Aaron Eisenberg, Joyce Hotchkiss, Eileen Pace, Gianna Rendon, Travis E. Poling, Lucille Sims Thomas and Susan Yerkes ART Creative Director Florence D. Edwards Production Designer Pete Morales Contributing Photographers Rudy B. Ornelas Contributing Illustrator Jeremiah Teutsch Advertising Advertising Director Jaselle Luna Zone Manager Marc Olson Account Manager Anne Elizabeth Chacon Controller Keith Sanders READER SERVICE Mailing Address 4204 Gardendale Ste. 201 SA, TX 78229 Phone Fax (210) 338.8842 (210) 616.9677 Advertising Inquiries molson@salocallowdown.com Story Ideas tips@salocallowdown.com Website www.salocallowdown.com LOCAL Community News publications Zone 1: 78204, 78205, 78209, 78210, 78212, 78215 Zone 3: 78216, 78232, 78247 Zone 4: 78109, 78148, 78233, 78239 Zone 5: 78108, 78132, 78154, 78266 Zone 6: 78258, 78259, 78260, 78261 For advertising, customer service or editorial, please call us at 210-338-8842 or write to us at: Local Community News 4204 Gardendale Ste. 201, San Antonio, TX 78229 Reproduction in whole or in part without our permission is prohibited, 2014 Helen Publishing, LLC and Local Community News, LLC, all rights reserved.

Editorials are not news stories

S

ometimes I get letters from readers who want to agree, disagree or just comment on “Our Turn” in LOCAL Community News, the editorial that offers opinions on weighty matters of the day.

Many times the letter writers say something like, “Too bad whoever wrote ‘Our Turn’ didn’t have the courage to put his or her name on it.”

Actually, “Our Turn” is signed each month, and the names of the editorial board run at the bottom — Harry Lees, Gregg Rosenfield and myself. The three of us select a topic for each issue and then a staff member is assigned to write “Our Turn” based on that consensus.

The editorial is considered the “voice of the newspaper” and is never signed in the traditional sense. Instead, it is an opinion piece chosen by the newspaper’s senior management that offers a viewpoint hopefully informed by reason and research.

Sometimes readers get editorials confused with news stories and features, which do carry bylines — the name of the writer.

Rest assured, the three people who select the editorial topics for LOCAL— Lees, the company president; Rosenfield, the publisher; and myself, the editor — hang our names out there every month. We’re not hiding.

Just look for the little box at the bottom of “Our Turn.” We welcome your calls, cards, emails and letters whether you’re for or against our take on an issue, or just want to add your voice to the conversation.

Thomas Edwards executive Editor facebook.com/salocalcommunitynews

5

salocallowdown.com

local commentary

S.A.’s red-hot political football by susan yerkes

Budgets are no fun. Just thinking about the city of San Antonio’s annual budget is enough to give me a headache.

Since San Antonio’s fiscal year starts Oct. 1, the City Council is scheduled to vote on the 2015 budget in September.

This year we’ve already heard plenty about one of the biggest, and most contentious, budget issues — so-called legacy costs for police and firefighters.

Legacy costs — expenses a business or organization has incurred in the past that stretch into the future — are a big deal these days, mostly when it comes to health care and pension benefits. Back in the 1980s, many folks criticized the

city for committing to extremely high legacy costs for public-safety folks, in the wake of bitter city bargaining with the police and fire unions. A quarter of a century later, the chickens are coming home to roost. City Manager Sheryl Sculley knew it would be a tough battle.

Nobody likes giving up benefits.

And when unions get involved, it’s natural they should fight tooth and nail to protect members’ benefits while negotiating for more.

With that in mind, for over a year now, Sculley has taken her compelling case to the city through the media. When it comes to heath plans and pension contributions, San Antonio’s police and firefighters receive far more, and pay far less, than their civilian counterparts. That includes zero health insurance premiums for themselves and their families, and their deductibles are $250 and $500, respectively. San Antonio’s first responders have a deal almost unparalleled anywhere in or outside Texas.

In the last 10 years, the city’s share of medical costs for public-safety personnel jumped from $21.46 million to nearly $52 million. In the same decade, those costs for civilian city employees (who have taken some benefit reductions) increased from $15.74 million to just $20.25 million.

You can see where this is going.

Whether the city will eventually go broke can be argued depending on whose statistics you use, and there’s a mind-numbing array to choose from, including the city’s at http:// www.sanantonio.gov/info.aspx, and the combined police and fire unions’ at www.PublicSafetyFacts.com.

The key issue is more simple: As legacy costs continue to rise, our tax dollars keep stretching to provide basic city services beyond police and fire protection, from libraries to street maintenance. Nationwide, city leaders call it crowd-out and many U.S. cities have taken a giant hit because of it.

Last fall Manhattan Institute senior policy adviser Stephen Eide produced a detailed study on crowd-out in which he said rising legacy costs force cities to either raise taxes, take on more debt or spend less on schools, roads, public transport, libraries, assistance for the poor and other public functions.

“Troublingly, many governments are choosing (to cut non-legacy spending), creating the paradox of government that spends more and more to do less and less,” Eide said. It’s an eyeopener, no matter where you live.

So far, the negotiations on the police and fire contracts, which nominally expire Oct. 1, have been unproductive. A breakthrough

before the final council vote on the new budget is unlikely. No problem for the unions, since a generous evergreen clause in their contracts keeps current provisions intact for 10 years after the deal expires.

Sculley, however, says another provision in the union contracts allows the council to unilaterally change employee benefit plans when they approve a new budget. If that happens, the unions will almost surely go to court, dragging out the process and costing more taxpayer dollars.

To get council members’ support for a fight with the powerful and popular police and fire unions will be tough, but Sculley reportedly has support.

While the union benefits have dramatically boosted San Antonio’s legacy costs, folks who run smaller cities are also increasingly focused on crowd-out, and the need to keep careful watch on future benefits obligations.

The only way you have a say in how your taxes are spent is to let your elected leaders know you’re paying attention to where your money is going now, and what today’s commitments mean to your future tax rates.

What do you think about legacy costs?

Let your elected representatives know.

And while you’re at it, let me know, too.

Email syerkes@salocallowdown.com.

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SEPTEMBER 2014

OUR TURN Views and opinions about your community

Streetcar provides valuable lesson

W

hen the people speak, elected leaders would be wise to listen.

Such is the case regarding San Antonio’s aborted plans to funnel $32 million to an ill-advised downtown streetcar project. The politicians changed their minds after a petition calling for a charter-amendment vote that could have derailed the proposal landed at City Hall with thousands of signatures.

Now the City Council under new Mayor Ivy Taylor has decided to pull its support. Meanwhile, the amendment could be on the May ballot.

In a LOCAL Community News editorial several months ago, we urged city leaders to abandon the project, which carries a total price tag of $280 million or more.

Though VIA Metropolitan Transit has pushed the project for months as part of a larger multimodal transportation system, it’s clear to see the 5-plus miles of

tracks that would service the downtown area serve only a few, not the many.

San Antonio abandoned streetcars in the 1930s, and with good reason: Their day is long over. Today the city and a dozen surrounding communities have an excellent bus system provided by VIA. Downtown streetcars would just be a novelty to dazzle a few tourists’ eyes, but at $280 million, do we really need them?

There was never community consensus for the streetcar system, which represents a colossal waste of taxpayer money.

A better use for that money is local street repair and maintenance projects, or reallocating funding to pay for the expansion of U.S. 281 and Loop 1604, thereby replacing the use of proposed tolls.

The widespread lack of public support for the streetcar initiative has been no secret to local leaders.

Opposition started growing the minute the public learned of the deal.

Any future projects of this magnitude — including streetcars and light rail — deserve a public vote, rather than bureaucrats and politicians alone deciding the issue.

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

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

OUR GUIDE TO YOUR MONTH

happening key

fitness

ART

HABITAT RUMMY In this class at Phil Hardberger Park, children 7 to 10 years old learn what constitutes a habitat and then apply the various components to habitats required by different animals. The session runs from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the Salado Classroom near the park’s eastern entrance, 13203 Blanco Road. Donations are accepted but not required. Class size is limited and children must be registered; call 207-3280 or email susancampbell@ sanantonio.gov for registration.

sept 16

BOOK SALE The Friends of Cody Library will be selling 30,000 books of all types – including textbooks – to benefit programs and projects at the branch library. Members of the group get an early look from noon to 4 p.m. Sept. 19; you can join at the door by paying the yearly dues of $15.

Sales to the general public take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 20 and 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sept. 21. The Cody Branch Library is at 11441 Vance Jackson Road.

sept 19-21

MOVIE NIGHTS IN CASTLE sept HILLS The next one is at dusk 19 on The Commons, located on Lemonwood Drive between the fire station and municipal building.

FINE ART SALE The Winston School San Antonio will host an exhibition and sale, presented by Walter Edelman of Edelman Fine Arts Ltd. of New York, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Original, unframed oils and prints will be for sale. Part of the proceeds will benefit the school, which is at 8565 Ewing Halsell Drive. For more, call 615-7485 or go to www.winston-sa.org.

sept 20

sept 22

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

SCHOOL BOARD North Side Independent School District trustees meet at 7 p.m. at the administration offices, 5900 Evers Road.

sept 23

LATE BLOOMING WILDFLOWERS A short tour of the Urban Ecology Center and the savanna at Phil Hardberger Park will identify blooms that are showing up now. Wendy Thornton, who is both a master naturalist and a master

sept 27

40 Conquering Cancer Years of

Happening LOCAL

TALK

outdoor

Music

FOOD

gardener, will lead the walk. Participants can plant bluebonnet seeds to take home, too. The program, from 9 to 11 a.m., is free but donations are welcome. The Urban Ecology Center is near the park’s western entrance, 8400 N.W. Military Highway.

MEET THE GOP CANDIDATES A free, informal meetand-greet session with Republican candidates for local, state and federal offices runs from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 4201 De Zavala Road.

sept 30

ST. GEORGE EPISCOPAL CHURCH MENTAL HEALTH FAMILY SUPPORT GROUP This gathering takes place the second Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. in the meeting room of the Parish Building (near the nursery). Patients and their family members, friends and providers are all welcome. St. George is at 6904 West Ave.

OCT 8

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

Elsewhere in San Antonio LEARNING FOR LIFE There’s no ONGOING reason grownups can’t be back in class, too – in fun, interesting or challenging classes and courses offered

by North East Independent School District Community Education. This month and over the course of the fall, the school district program has a dizzying selection of classes – financial subjects, arts, music, crafts, gardening/landscaping, cooking, computers, genealogy, dancing and much more. Many of the classes are held at the Community Learning Center, 8750 Tesoro Drive. To check out the offerings and register for a class, go to https://communityed.neisd. net/ComEdWeb/root/default.aspx.

Happening continues on pg. 08

THE Answer for Cancer The Cancer Therapy & Research Center lives right here in San Antonio. For four decades our team of experts has pursued one mission – conquering cancer.

CTRC has a world-class team of physicians focused on helping you and your loved ones find their answer for cancer.

CTRC’s oncologists, surgeons, radiologists and many others work in collaboration to review each diagnosis and make decisions as a team - for every patient.

If you or a loved one is facing cancer, let CTRC be the answer.

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SEPTEMBER 2014

HAPPENING continues from pg. 07

The Institute is at 801 E. Cesar Chavez Blvd.

MEOW MONDAYS AND WOOF WEDNESDAYS The Animal Defense League, 11300 Nacogdoches Road, reduces dog and cat adoption fees on these two weekdays in order to help more animals find “forever homes.” On Wednesdays, dogs more than 4 months old cost $35 to adopt; for puppies up to 4 months, the fee is $60. On Mondays, any cat can be adopted for just $20. Free food and some medical care and insurance are included. All ADL pets have been examined, vaccinated and spayed or neutered if they’re old enough.

The League’s hours are 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily. For more on the adoption process, go to www.adltexas.org or call 655-1481.

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. This month’s speaker is Tim Lee, executive director of the Texas Retired Teachers Association. The meeting place is San Pedro Presbyterian Church, 14900 San Pedro Ave., and members are encouraged to bring a friend. The group – whose members have taught in districts all over San Antonio – meets the third Wednesday of the month during the school year.

THROUGH SEPT 29

YOUNG QUILTMAKERS The “Texas Art Quilts and Modern Masterpieces” exhibit THROUGH at the Institute of Texan Cultures JAN 11 now has a related show – “Texas 4-H Quilts and Student Masterpieces.” That show features six student quilts, made as part of 4-H studies of textiles and clothing; some students create such bedcovers for charitable organizations, including Quilts of Valor and Project Linus. Both exhibits are open during regular hours, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Monday through Saturday and noon-5 p.m.

Sunday. Admission ranges from $6 to $8.

SEPT 17

SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION The San Antonio Chapter of the national organization will hold its monthly luncheon meeting at the 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, 4020871, 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).

SEPT 17

Happening continues on pg. 09

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salocallowdown.com HAPPENING continues from pg. 08 RANCH CHIC FASHION SHOW The American Cancer Society will present a show – with the help of Wrangler, Cavender’s and jeweler Kendra Scott – featuring Westernthemed clothing modeled by cancer survivors. The event is from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Rosenberg Sky Room, 847 E. Hildebrand Ave., on the University of the Incarnate Word campus. Individual tickets are $75; a row of 10 seats is $800.

To reserve a seat, contact Renee Silber at 595-0249 or renee.silber@cancer.org.

SEPT 18

“TWO WOMEN LOOK WEST” This exhibit at the Witte Museum is subtitled “Photographs of King Ranch by Helen C. Kleberg and Toni Frissell,” which lets you know it will have an insider’s viewpoint.

Kleberg and her husband, Robert, ran the ranch, and Frissell was a well-known New York fashion photographer in the 1930s and ’40s. More than 50 photos of ranch life during that era will be on display, along with items owned by the Klebergs, in the Russell Hill Rogers Texas Art Gallery at the Robert J. and Helen C. Kleberg South Texas Heritage Center. Admission to the museum, 3801 Broadway, ranges from $7 to $10.

sept 19 - jan 4

WALK TO END ALZHEIMER’S This fundraiser, which targets a prominent form of dementia, starts with registration at 7 a.m. at the AT&T Center, AT&T Center Parkway at East Houston Street. A 5K race starts at 8:30 a.m. and a 2-mile walk sets out at 9:40.

Participants are asked to make a personal donation to the cause and also raise money from others. Registration is required; to register, go to www.alz.org and enter a San Antonio ZIP code under Find a Walk to get to the page with a registration link.

ACADEMIC SKILLS/SAT & ACT Prep/Subject Tutoring

SEPT 20

LANDA NIGHTS The gardens around the Landa Branch Library are the setting for this annual event raising funds to maintain the lovely site. The party, which runs from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m., will feature dancing and a raffle. Dinner will be provided by The Monterey, with some all-star support: chef Andrew Weissman, Biga on the Banks restaurant and Bakery Lorraine, plus noted bartender Jeret Pena. Individual tickets cost $100, and raffle tickets are $100; tables for eight can be reserved starting at $1,250. Tickets are available through a link at landagardens.org/blog/. Landa Library and Gardens is at 233 Bushnell Ave.

Sept 26

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Happening continues on pg. 10

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

#FitPass2.0 @SAParksFitness 210.207.3000

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SEPTEMBER 2014

HAPPENING continues from pg. 09 WESTON WRIGHT “LIGHTING THE WAY” 5K/10K This annual fundraiser for the San Antonio Lighthouse for the Blind will feature chiptimed 5- and 10K runs/walks. Check-in starts at 7 a.m. and runners set off at 8 a.m. While those races are going on, there will be fun relay races for youngsters 5 to 10 years old. Registration runs until Sept.

25; the cost is $30. Register through a link at www.salighthouse.org/events/. The event takes place at the Wheatley Heights Sports Complex, 200 Noblewood Drive.

SEPT 27

WATERSAVER LANDSCAPE TOUR This annual tour focuses on landscapes that use water wisely but also feature smart, color-filled design and minimal maintenance. There will be several representative landscapes in one neighborhood, plus a variety of distinctive yards in other parts of town.

The tour runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; there’s no admission cost. A list of the addresses in the tour will be available at www.watersaverlandscapetour.org.

oct 4

www.salocallowdown.com

facebook.com/salocalcommunitynews

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 the TrinityUniversity of Chicago football game is Oct. 11. A full lineup and links to register are at web.trinity.edu/x9953.xml.

oct 10-12

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, and there will be a “Bulls Barrels and Blackjack Rodeo.”

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 14

Submitting events: Email all

the details along with your contact information two months in advance to tips@salocallowdown.com.

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

Open and Opening Soon 1. FAIRY TAILS PREMIER PET SERVICES,

based in 78230, provides professional dogsitting and dog walking, says owner Zindy Infante, a certified pet-sitter. Services can cover a few hours to a few days. Also offered is a no-obligation free in-home consultation.

Overnight sitting and pet-taxi services also are available. For more, call 620-1867, email zindy@fairytails.com or visit www. fairytails.com. (See story on page 30)

2. ASEL ART SUPPLY, 8127 Callaghan

Road, just moved to this new location, which is a few doors down from its previous home. Since 1951, the chain of art-supply stores has been a one-stop shop for art, graphic, architectural and engineering needs. Hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

For more, call 340-7686 or visit http:// www.aselart.com/. (See story on page 29)

3. MCALISTER’S DELI, 5886 De Zavala Road,

Address of local business Name of local business

Suite 100, recently relocated to a stand-alone building for better parking in the De Zavala Oaks shopping center and features a “call ahead” window. The restaurant, owned by McAlister’s Deli franchise group Southwest Deli, is known for sandwiches, spuds, soups, salads, desserts and McAlister’s Famous Sweet Tea. The chain, founded in 1989, has 17 restaurants in Texas and New Mexico and more than 325 locations in 24 states.

Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10:30 a.m to 10 p.m.

Friday and Saturday. For more, call 6940060 or visit https://www.facebook.com/ McAlistersDeZavala. (See story on page 31)

4. LENNYS SUB SHOP, 11503 N.W. Military Highway, Suite 117, recently opened in the Alon Town Centre, where the store features hand-sliced sandwich meats, Philly cheesesteaks, hot dogs and other eats.

Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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5. DERMATOLOGY CLINIC OF CASTLE HILLS, 1650 Lockhill Selma Road,

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6. FANTASTIC SAMS HAIR SALON, 8503 N.W. Military Highway, Suite 115 in the Alon Town Centre next to H-E-B, has LOWDOWN continues on pg. 12

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LOWDOWN continues from pg. 11

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Fantastic Sams provides haircuts for men, women and children at value prices, according to the company. A free shampoo massage is included with every haircut. It is also a full-service salon offering blowouts, color treatments, highlights, root touchups, perms, updos and wax treatments.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and closed Sunday. For more, call 408-9075.

7. TWIN PEAKS NORTH, 702 N.W. Loop 410 at Blanco Road, announced a September opening in the Park North shopping center.

The national chain, which started in a Dallas suburb, has 54 locations in 20 states. The mountain-lodge themed sports restaurant features wait staff known as Twin Peaks Girls who wear shorts and lumberjack-style crop tops. Twin Peaks North will feature 55 high-definition flat-screen televisions, a fireplace on the outdoor patio, a made-fromscratch “hearty American favorites” menu and 21 draft beers served at 29 degrees. For more, visit TwinPeaksrestaurant.com.

8. KIVA KITCHEN & BATH, 10003 N.W. Military Highway, plans to open a showroom in the Alon Town Centre

by mid-September. For more than 60 years Kiva has partnered with designers, architects and builders. It offers a variety of appliances, plumbing fixtures, cabinets, countertops and hardware. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. For more call, 826-9652 or visit www.KivaHome.com.

IN OTHER NEWS

IN ORDER TO ENCOURAGE MORE PRIVATE INVESTMENT OF CAMPUS-ORIENTED developments around the University of Texas at San Antonio, District 8 Councilman Ron Nirenberg recently asked city staff to develop a zoning overlay district near the main campus on Loop 1604, as well as the downtown campus. According to a release, “The new ‘university district’ would help steer private investment of campus-oriented developments around the UTSA main campus in a continued effort to assist the university’s positive impact on San Antonio and help it achieve Tier One status.” Councilwoman Shirley Gonzales, whose District 5 includes the UTSA downtown campus, co-sponsored the council consideration request. “UTSA is an important economic, educational and cultural asset for District 8 and the

LOWDOWN continues on pg. 13

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salocallowdown.com LOWDOWN continues from pg. 12 entire city,” Nirenberg said. The proposed university zone would ensure that student cultural offerings and housing capacity keep pace with demand while helping maintain safety and quality of life for nearby neighborhoods, officials said. The 2012 Student Housing Market Demand Assessment found that nearly 94,000 college students live in the San Antonio area, a population projected to exceed 127,000 in the next decade.

THE NORTHSIDE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT ADOPTED A $1.2 BILLION BUDGET for fiscal year 2014-15, including a “no increase” tax rate for the fourth year in a row, officials said. The property tax rate will remain at $1.36 per $100 valuation, according to the district. In a statement released by trustees, “The adopted tax rate is less than the tax rate that was projected in School Bond 2010 by $0.1016, which translates to an annual savings of over $160 for the average value home in Northside.” The district, the fourth largest in Texas, was expected to have an enrollment of 103,000 students by September.

STAFF MEMBERS AT RAWLINSON MIDDLE SCHOOL TOOK THE ALS ICE BUCKET

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The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is a social media phenomenon to raise awareness about the disease and increase donations to fund research. In the nationwide, viral campaign, participants generally accept a challenge from one party and dump a bucket of ice water over their heads, and then issue a challenge to another group.

LEE HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR JOCELYN HERNANDEZ took on the issue of environmental sustainability this summer as one of 22 students selected nationwide to take an all-expense-paid trip to Southeast Asia as part of the American Youth Leadership Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The international exchange experience, June 28 – July 24, took Jocelyn to Singapore and Malaysia. The

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and Assistant Principal Iris Escandon.

program aims to inspire students to consider careers in science, sustainable development or international studies – jobs that call for a global perspective, school officials said.

THE SKIN CANCER CENTER OF SAN ANTONIO is expected to move its main location by mid-September from Spurs Lane to 10007 Huebner Road, Suite 102, at the intersection with USAA Boulevard.

Board-certified dermatologist Virnalisis M. Gonzalez founded The Skin Center of San Antonio in 2010. The new, 2,500-squarefoot dermatology center is around the corner from its previous location and will offer free parking, easy access from Interstate 10, three large medical rooms for general dermatology, two suites for cosmetic and skin surgery procedures and an equipped room for the treatment of psoriasis and vitiligo patients using laser technology, according to a release.

THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER HAS NAMED THE NORTH EAST SCHOOL OF THE ARTS one of the top 10 high schools in the nation where young talent can get a start, according to the North East Independent School District. The list of the top 10 schools considered a “launch pad for teenage talent” was released in conjunction with the trade paper’s annual list of the top 25 drama schools in the country. Established in 1997, NESA is a magnet program on the campus of Lee High School. The program offers studies in cinema, creative writing, dance, instrumental music, musical theater, tech theater and visual arts.

IT’S NOT EASY LIVING WITH ASTHMA, BUT FAMILIES AND STUDENTS AT CASTLE HILLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL recently learned more about how to treat the condition during an education night at the school. Representatives from the Association of Asthma Educators set up stations at the school, and students from the University of Texas Health Science

University of Texas at San Antonio President Dr. Ricardo Romo (left) and District 8 Councilman Ron Nirenberg celebrate the placement of new street signs on the downtown campus, a move that coincides with an initiative

by Nirenberg and District 5 Councilwoman Shirley Gonzales to encourage more business investment around the main UTSA campus on the Northwest Side and the downtown facility. Photo by Rudy B. Ornelas

Center at San Antonio also volunteered, according to campus officials.

Students took breathing tests to measure inflammation in their airways and learned how to properly use inhalers. Meanwhile, parents crawled through mockups of airway tunnels to understand how difficult it can be for asthmatics to draw breath.

“It’s so important to take care of our kids and their health needs,” Principal Betsy Asheim said in a news release.

STUDENTS AT JACKSON KELLER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ended the summer session with a drawing of 20 Splashtown tickets to encourage perfect attendance.

The school partnered with Grande Communications. According to officials, students with perfect attendance and daily bus tags were placed in a random drawing to win tickets. Winners were selected during morning announcements

by Summer School Principal Andrea Hall

TWO NEW STAFFERS HAVE JOINED CENTURY 21 SCOTT MYERS, REALTORS, including Candace Gillette, a native of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Jennifer Delgado. Gillette previously worked for many years with the Broward County Sheriff ’s Department. Delgado was among the top salespeople for Costco, where she sold memberships and upgraded the level of membership of existing members, officials said. The realty firm is at 11830 Wurzbach Road in The Elms shopping center.

15

salocallowdown.com

Shavano Park City Manager Bill Hill (left) and Mayor A. David Marne showcase a recent feasibility study that will help the community decide how best to use a 17-acre public parcel near City Hall. Photo by Rudy B. Ornelas

SHAVANO PARK continues from pg. 01

Mayor promises process will be transparent

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HAVANO PARK — A feasibility study, town-hall meetings and a questionnaire answered by residents will help determine the fate of a 17-acre parcel of public land next to City Hall, including using it as a possible park someday.

The process was set into motion after City Council Aug. 27 heard a summary of the feasibility study for the parcel, outlining several uses for the land.

“The feasibility survey was done to see what was possible,” said Mayor David Marne after the council meeting. “We received that report, which is now online for every citizen to see. In the future, we are planning on having community meetings, like town-hall meetings, to talk about the feasibility study.”

Residents will have a chance to weigh in, too.

“After that, and in conjunction with that, there will be a questionnaire

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SHAVANO PARK continues from pg. 15 survey sent to all citizens to determine what they would like to see done with the municipal tract or not done with the municipal tract,” Marne said.

The mayor said a neutral, unbiased third-party marketing and communications company will conduct the survey questionnaire and compile the results for city leaders, who will look for a consensus from the public on what to do with the property.

Any decisions regarding the parcel will involve a full public process, the mayor added.

The feasibility study strictly is an area assessment, in addition to presenting concepts for the parcel, said City Manager Bill Hill.

“What we’ve done is contracted with a firm to determine what is feasible (for the municipal tract),” Hill said. “It will only tell us what is feasible and what is not. No one has put pen to paper on what we exactly want to do. No one’s even thought of that yet.”

The $25,000 feasibility study was conducted by LGA/Weave, a partnership between Lauren Griffin Associates Landscape Architects and Weave Architecture. IDS Engineering Group also assisted. The city authorized

the contract in the spring.

The study examined various aspects of the tract, including size and structure, water drainage and runoff.

“From the beginning, the idea was to look at the constraints and opportunities that are presented on the site of the municipal tract,” LGA/Weave Joint Venture Project Manager Becky Schenker told the council. “We determined that basically you could do whatever you wanted to do. There is plenty of room to do many things.”

According to Schenker, the municipal tract could be used for open-air and screened pavilions, grass lawns for outdoor theater, park buildings and restrooms, shade structures, music pavilions, picnic areas, nature trails, playground and outdoor-fitness equipment, a swimming pool and splash pads and athletic facilities and fields.

Both Schenker and city officials said the feasibility study is not a set plan, only a way to show what could be developed on the tract if the community supports any of the initiatives.

“These are not recommendations or even a design,” Schenker said. “We needed some way to show you what could happen and to show you a possible future vision for the site. These are just some of the different ways to think about it.”

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physician-owned medical facility is ready to open its doors on the North Side after breaking ground last January.

New North Side hospital Forest Park Medical Center San Antonio celebrates its opening with 'Boots, Barbecue & Blessing' Oct. 7. Photo by Collette Orquiz

Members of the staff at Forest Park Medical Center San Antonio say they hope to provide residents with an anxiety-free hospital visit in a state-of-the-art facility.

Chief Executive Officer Julie Seale said she understands it can be scary having a procedure done or admitting a loved one to the hospital, but staff members try to make the experience easier from the

FOREST PARK continues on pg. 17

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salocallowdown.com FOREST PARK continues from pg. 16 minute someone walks through the door.

“The attention to the details is just more hotel-like, definitely not hospital-like,” Seale said. “It’s just nice, quiet and relaxing. We try to take the stress out of health care.”

Forest Park Medical Center is at 5510 Presidio Parkway between Vance-Jackson Road and Interstate 10. Loop 1604 is just to the north.

The 150,000-square-foot hospital features 54 private inpatient rooms, 12 operating rooms and full support services and is the first medical center within the Dallas-based company to have a cardiac catheterization lab. The hospital is 70 percent owned by physicians, with 104 doctors —most of them primary-care — invested in the project, officials said.

The public opening is Oct. 7, with free barbecue, raffles and tours. The "Boots, Barbecue & Blessing" event is 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and also features the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. The first medical procedure at the center is scheduled for Oct. 21.

Forest Park Medical Center will have six different locations across Texas by spring 2015, with other facilities in Dallas, Frisco, Fort Worth and Austin, officials said. Four are open now.

Seale said each location has its own

identity tailored to the needs of the host city. The company model in San Antonio provides a health care alternative to the South Texas Medical Center.

Forest Park is hoping to attract patients from the North Side as well as from Boerne, Westover Hills and Stone Oak. District 8 Councilman Ron Nirenberg said high-quality patient services are needed in one of the city’s fastest-growing corridors.

“Forest Park’s location near I-10 and 1604, where there is an existing ecosystem of medical services, research and regional transportation development, continues to assert San Antonio’s position as the epicenter for medicine in South and Central Texas,” Nirenberg said.

Forest Park does not feature delivery of babies or open-heart surgery, but does offer neurosurgery, urology and gynecology, as well as the cardiac cath lab.

The center also has an emergency room, and an intensive-care unit with six beds and a private waiting room.

When patients walk through the doors they will check in at the front desk and receive a pager. To the left there are electronic screens that will give patients an idea of when they will be called. After checking in, they can choose a private

FOREST PARK continues on pg. 18

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18 FOREST PARK continues from pg. 16 waiting room just off of the lobby or go upstairs to where there is both indoor and outdoor seating, as well as a Starbucks.

All of the operating rooms are on the second floor, as is the ICU. The decor features textures and colors that make the center seem less like a hospital and more like a luxury hotel, right down to the sheets and towels, officials said.

“It’s all to give you sensory feeling and it also has a calming effect," Seale said.

In addition to regular patient rooms, the facility offers family or VIP rooms, where loved ones can stay in an offsuite in the same room. Other features are sliding doors, a sofa that turns into a bed, a refrigerator and a television.

According to Seale and Allison Burum, a senior account executive at the Edelman public relations firm, which is representing the hospital, each medical center has competitive pricing and works closely with health insurance companies.

The North Side hospital will have two da Vinci robots, which help doctors perform operations better by offering magnification during surgeries. Operating rooms also feature windows that let in natural light.

SEPTEMBER 2014 The nurse-to-patient ratio is one nurse for every four patients, meaning they have more time to spend with their charges, Seale said.

“First of all, it is a beautiful facility, but when you’re looking at having a medical procedure done it’s about the quality of care you’re going to receive and the physicians and we have just some absolutely wonderful partners in this market,” Seale said.

Forest Park also gives back to the community and has partnered with Wounded Warriors, breast cancer and prostate charities and more. Seale said while they help financially, the staff also likes to give back in a hands-on way.

The company is also looking forward to expanding to other markets.

“It’s all because of the success that’s been achieved to date we’re able to grow and expand like this and create a name for ourselves in all of these markets,” Burum said.

Seale said while the health care market in San Antonio is highly competitive, patients and their families are the ones who benefit.

“If you want to compete in this environment, you’re going to have to step it up, and I think when you look back three to five years from now, I think we’ll raise the bar on health care delivery in San Antonio,” Seale said.

19

salocallowdown.com VIA continues from pg. 01

Mayor says critics of VIA haven’t offered solution by lucille sims thomAs

C

ASTLE HILLS — Voters will have to wait until at least May to decide if VIA Metropolitan Transit buses will continue rolling through the city, but in the meantime the transport agency is offering $380,000 to repair local streets.

The issue stems from complaints by some council members over the summer that $495,000 in sales-tax money paid to subsidize VIA is better spent on repairing and maintaining infrastructure.

Voters twice in recent years turned down bond issues that would have funded the street work.

But city officials let the deadline of Aug. 18 pass without voting to put the issue on the November ballot after VIA announced it will give $380,000 to Castle Hills as part of a $2 million Metropolitan Planning

VIA Metropolitan Transit, which had been facing a possible loss in funding from the city of Castle Hills to divert tax subsidies for the bus company to street repairs, has offered to fund $380,000 in infrastructure needs. File photo

Organization grant being divided among the 12 suburban cities that use VIA’s services.

Charlie Gonzalez, VIA’s chief of public engagement, said the grant money is not in response to recent City Council discussions on removing VIA buses from Castle Hills streets.

“I didn’t want people to get the impression that suddenly we’re offering money,” Gonzalez said. “This was something that’s always been in the works. It’s something that I’ve been seeking for about a year and a half and we were just very fortunate to get the money from the MPO.”

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Mayor Tim Howell said the council must vote to accept the money from VIA, along with some major route changes worked out in partnership with VIA officials.

He said the city’s economic lifeline is Northwest Military Highway and, with that in mind, VIA buses would stop going down Lockhill Selma Road and instead use the busier street.

“I just feel like if we move the major route over to Northwest Military, we put it right in the economic artery,” Howell said. “My bet is that people would be willing to come out to Castle Hills more and ride the bus.”

According to Gonzalez, just about all of the suburban cities using VIA have needs such as bus shelters and repairs to roadways abutting or next to bus stops. In the past, VIA has tried to financially assist those cities with some of the costs of maintenance and repair.

“But what we did earlier this year, we put in for a grant from the MPO and the MPO granted us $2 million,” Gonzalez said.

“Now, it wasn’t all earmarked for suburban cities, but our board of trustees voted to

VIA continues on pg. 20

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VIA continues from pg. 19 allocate the entire $2 million to be divided among our subscribing cities that pay a ½-cent sales tax to have VIA service.”

Gonzalez said the amount of money each city receives is based on a percentage formula that analyzes how many bus miles are traveled in the different municipalities.

Howell said public transportation is good policy and critics of VIA haven’t shown him what the alternative would be.

“I would like to hear the alternative to how do you get people around within the city in general. San Antonio has trolleys downtown — they have different forms like that. I would like to hear how are you going to get these people to the inner parts of our city?” Howell said.

The mayor is pleased with the $380,000 offered by VIA as part of the MPO grant, adding it may keep the issue of VIA staying in the city from being placed on the May ballot during the next municipal election cycle.

“If you look at what the positive effects will be then — what has happened with that money they’ve given us — I don’t know whether or not the citizens would want to go ahead with it or not,” he said.

At a July town hall meeting, most residents who spoke favored keeping

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It's all in the cards for Castle Hills girl by collette orquiz

S

eeing the outcome of a card game is never easy, especially if your vision is nonexistent.

But that hasn’t stopped Richard Turner, 60, a blind man often described as the world’s top card-trick expert whose notable talents will be highlighted in a documentary due out late next year called “Dealt.”

Turner has also gained plenty of young fans while teaching classes for 12 summers at San Antonio Academy in Monte Vista.

“It’s a story that just sounds like fiction but it’s real,” said Luke Korem, director of the upcoming documentary, which includes segments at the academy. “It’s important because Richard is extremely inspiring. You can’t help but be inspired and entertained when you’re around him.”

Turner, born in 1954 or the “year of the full deck” as he calls it (including jokers, an entire deck has

Michaela Vail of Castle Hills (left), who has sight limitations, listens to card-trick mechanic Richard Turner (right), who also is blind, during a summer class at San Antonio Academy. Photo by Collette Orquiz

54 cards), is sometimes billed as a card magician, but he considers himself a card mechanic because of the way he manipulates the outcome of the deck.

“I could explain what I’m doing, but it’s not how it’s being done, it’s that it’s being done,” Turner said.

This summer was particularly special because Korem and a film crew out of Austin spent time at the academy to capture Turner teaching and joking with his students.

“I thought it was really fun... and I liked learning all the tricks,” said Michaela Vail, 12, from Castle Hills.

“I think it’s really good that he does because I feel like he stands for the blind community in general.”

Michaela has been attending Summer at the Academy for the past couple of summers and was invited to be a part of the documentary because of her own sight limitations. She was born with a genetic defect called Leber’s congenital amaurosis. Her father, Neal Vail, said what vision Michaela does have occurs in the periphery, but she can see things up close and very large.

Turner’s classes are two and a half hours long, and his son Asa, 19, has been helping since he was 7. The elder Turner teaches students simple tricks to take

home and show their family and friends.

While he’s regaling the kids with anecdotes, the one trick he teaches them is the five-dollar or dozen-cookie trick.

When all is said and done, his young learners are able to trick a friend or family into handing over money and sweets.

It’s all in good fun, Turner said.

“People enjoy being fooled and people enjoy fooling people, so it works both ways,” he added.

When Turner is not teaching at the academy, he is flying to locations near and far, most of the time with his son and wife, Kim. He is booked for card gigs and motivational speaking events until September 2015.

Turner started learning his craft in 1961 while watching the television show “Maverick,” featuring James Garner as a Wild West poker-playing cardsharp.

At the time, Turner still had his sight.

Because he was the oldest in the family, Turner said he felt like he had to win.

That meant finding ways to make sure he always controlled the outcome of a game.

At 9, Turner and his younger sister contracted scarlet fever. One day they could see the chalkboard at the school and the next day they

CARD TRICKS continues on pg. 22

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CARD TRICKS continues from pg. 19 couldn’t. Turner attributes the disease to his loss of sight, since there is no history of blindness in his family.

Though he is without sight, Turner reports an unusual side effect known as Charles Bonnet Syndrome in which he sees colors, shapes, patterns and images.

In addition, he is able to see in both the blue and red spectrums, no matter the brightness of the environment. There is no medical explanation for condition, he said.

When he turned 21, he became a student of the late Dai Vernon, who was considered the world’s best card-trick expert at the time.

“It was just the greatest experience; blessing, if you would,” Turner said.

Turner also spent years practicing for hours each day — at the grocery store, on the road and even chatting on the phone.

“Unlike a piano player, I can practice anywhere and everywhere, and what I would do is, I would take a move that I want to learn, I would analyze it, break it down piece by piece, moment by moment, frame by frame and get it in my subconscious and then it would become an obsessive habit,” Turner said.

Turner still practices about four hours a day.

While Turner has turned shuffling

cards into a show of magic and mystery, he’s had plenty of other adventures, too — swimming with sharks, driving a motorcycle until his father told him to stop and earning a black belt in the martial arts.

Korem said now is the perfect time to tell Turner’s story. He said the card mechanic motivates others.

“I don’t try to inspire them, it just somehow happens,” Turner said.

With nine months of filming in the can, production won’t be complete for another three months. The crew has worked around the clock editing and transcribing interviews and footage for release in the fall of 2015.

“If we were to tell the story 40, 50 years down the line, say when he’s passed away and it’s historical, it wouldn’t be the same,” Korem said. “You’re not going to get to live the moments.”

A handful of people have asked to document Turner, but Korem was given the green light because his father is a professional magician and a longtime friend of the card mechanic.

Next stop for the film crew, Turner and Turner’s family is The Magic Castle in Hollywood, the clubhouse for the Academy of Magic Acts and a nightclub for magicians and those who love illusionists.

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Dressed as the Batman of San Antonio, Anthony de la Garza uses the costume of the DC Comics superhero and his own positive personality to inspire and empower children. Photos by Collette Orquiz

CAPED continues from pg. 01

De la Garza joins forces with Justice League of SA

by GIANNA RENDON

S

HAVANO PARK — Anthony de la Garza knows wearing a mask and a cape doesn’t necessarily make someone a hero, but in his role as The Batman of San Antonio he is doing his best to improve others’ lives — especially children.

The Shavano Park resident has even helped form the Justice League of San Antonio with like-minded individuals who dress up as their favorite superheroes and perform charitable works.

“The costumes are fun, but we always tell every kid that not every hero wears a mask or a cape,” said de la Garza, 41. “It’s as simple as doing the right thing for the right reason.

Anyone can be a superhero. It’s not that hard.”

De La Garza experienced a superpowered epiphany seven years ago on Halloween, when he went into a Walmart dressed as Batman to buy candy and

came out with a new mission in life.

Many people who wanted pictures stopped him in the store. Eventually, a couple approached him and asked if he could take a picture with their hospitalized son.

De la Garza said he was too busy.

His Caped Crusader suit had been custom made and he planned to go to cosplay contests around the city to earn back some of the money.

“We shook hands and exchanged phone numbers,” de la Garza said. But as soon as the parents left, “I felt so bad — like this is the whole reason I wanted to do this and I just said ‘maybe.’”

So he bought a bunch of Batman memorabilia and made a gift bag for the boy, then headed to the hospital.

“I remembered reading a story where Christian Bale (an English actor who portrayed Batman in several movies) would go out to children’s hospitals when he was done filming and would see these kids,” he said. “And I thought if he had time to do it, I have time to do it.”

When he arrived at the hospital, the boy immediately lit up and his mom began to weep.

De la Garza flipped through the child’s medical chart and started to read it.

“Do you know what this says?” de la

CAPED continues on pg. 24

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CAPED continues from pg. 23 Garza asked the boy. “This says that you’re a fighter, that you’re really strong and that you have a really strong spirit. I’m not saying there’s not going to be hard days, and days where you’ll want to quit and days where no one would blame you if you quit. But that’s not what a hero does.

A hero never quits, no matter what.”

Doctors and nurses filled the room, and one physician approached de la Garza.

“The doctor came up to me and said, ‘You know, there’s a lot we can do for his body, but what you did for his spirit, that fire you lit inside him, that’s amazing.

We can’t do that,’” de la Garza said.

He has been visiting young patients at CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital ever since. In addition, de la Garza helps nonprofits and makes goodwill appearances at private events and birthday parties.

Most recently, he aided a food-donation initiative and participated in the “Stuff the Bus” school-supply drive at H-E-B. “If I can put that cape on to help somebody, that’s definitely what I’m going to do,” de la Garza said.

De la Garza has been a fan of Batman, a DC Comics icon, since he was a child.

If I can put that cape on to help somebody, that’s definitely what I’m going to do.

ANTHONY DE LA GARZA

CAPED continues on pg. 25

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salocallowdown.com CAPED continues from pg. 24 One reason he likes Batman, aka billionaire Bruce Wayne, is because Batman doesn’t have any super powers — he’s a normal man just trying to do good works.

Most people know that Batman, created by writer Bill Kane and artist Bill Finger in the late 1930s, trained in the martial arts and crime detection to avenge his wealthy parents after they were murdered. He fights bad guys and crusades for justice.

Del la Garza is a fan of “The Dark Knight” movies and said they inspired him to get a Dark Knight-style Batman suit.

Now, he isn’t alone. He participates in charity events with The Justice League of San Antonio. In the DC Comics universe, the league is a super-powered force for good that includes Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash and several other heroes.

The San Antonio team started with Nick West (Superman) and Katy Mills (Wonder Woman). It has grown and now includes two Green Arrows and three different Catwomen on a rotation.

West said de la Garza is always enthusiastic about every event they do. “(The Justice League) has the same mission as mine, just go out,

empower kids (and) try to be a really positive force,” de la Garza said.

Children are excited to see Batman, but it’s the response from the adults that is often the most rewarding.

“Actually it’s the adults who have the best reactions,” de la Garza said. “Kids will usually try to debunk what they see. They are desensitized to what they see. But adults will be like, ‘Oh my God, it’s Batman! I love you!’”

He said men will ask for pictures of Batman punching them, and both men and women ask him to carry them.

“To anyone who has ever taken a picture with me, if I’m not smiling I apologize, but I promise you I am smiling on the inside every time,” de la Garza said. “I’ll look at myself in the suit and the kid in me jumps up: ‘I’m Batman! I’m Batman!’”

Although de la Garza said he has many fond memories as Batman, one of his most memorable comes from a Blue Santa event, where law enforcement officers provide Christmas gifts to kids from struggling families.

De la Garza noticed some children cutting in front of a boy in a wheelchair and so he went over to him.

De la Garza put his cape on the boy and pretended the wheelchair was the Batmobile. He showed the boy

how to rev it up by flipping imaginary switches and how to drive “standard.”

Although the Batsuit is fairly heavy, de la Garza ran behind the boy and pushed him around while making engine noises. The child was yelling at the top of his lungs, “I’m Batman! I’m Batman!” de la Garza said.

De la Garza asked the boy what he wanted for Christmas; he replied that he wanted to walk.

Although de la Garza couldn’t make that happen, he promised the child that Santa Claus had something special for him. So Batman went over to

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Santa and explained about the boy.

Santa reached into his bag and pulled out a present in Batman wrapping paper with a remote-controlled Batmobile inside. Santa said he and his wife bought it to give to someone really special.

“Although I never got to see him opening the gift, I could imagine, and it’s the little stories like that that make it all worthwhile,” de la Garza said.

For more information or to contact The Batman of San Antonio, “Like” his page on Facebook as well as The Justice League of San Antonio or follow him on Instagram.

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SEPTEMBER 2014 while directing programs for the Annenberg Public Policy Center.

At the center “we worked on trying to get people re-engaged with their government as part of identifying and developing municipal policies,” he said.

The academy is not a building or a place but a concept, an idea that works to bring people together through two-way communication between Nirenberg and the public.

Debbie Saldana, president of the Shenandoah Homes Association, said the academy is helping bridge a gap for those who want to know more about local governance.

“Frankly, I had not done much with council since former council representative Diane Cibrian left office,” Saldana said. “But

DISTRICT 8 continues from pg. 01

Involvement with student leaders is sought

by RON AARON EISENBERG

S

ick of city government and don’t care about elections?

Then District 8 Councilman Ron Nirenberg wants you — to get involved in the Community Academy.

Nirenberg said he created the academy in an effort to get more District 8 residents engaged in the way the city works and get more young people voting.

“In fact, we are looking for people who are fed up with city government because we want to get them involved in the process, to let them know they can make a difference,” he said.

According to the councilman, the Community Academy is an extension of what he learned while earning his master’s degree from the Annenberg School of Communications at the University of Pennsylvania and, later,

District 8 Councilman Ron Nirenberg says the Community Academy offers residents a way to re-engage in municipal government. Photo by Rudy B. Ornelas

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when Nirenberg was elected, he made clear he wanted community participation in his work and he actively recruited people in the district to get involved. So I have been very much involved and am enjoying it.”

Some of the academy’s initiatives include Citizen Advisory Councils to explain the councilman’s position on issues, a Graffiti Abatement Task Force and various community meetings, including monthly town halls, biannual consortiums of homeowners associations and conversations with members of District 8’s faith community.

Nirenberg created and launched the academy shortly after winning the District 8 City Council election in May 2013.

DISTRICT 8 continues on pg. 27

we are looking for people who are fed up with city government because we want to get them involved in the process, to let them know they can make a difference.

RON NIRENBERG DISTRICT 8 COUNCIMAN

27

salocallowdown.com DISTRICT 8 continues from pg. 26 He appointed Noah Howe and Chris Stewart as the academy’s directors. At the time, Howe was still in high school and Stewart was an undergraduate at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

In spite of their youth, their selection came as no surprise to those who know Nirenberg. Both young men had been instrumental in helping Nirenberg win the election.

“I have always sought out students and young adults to work with me, and Noah and Chris did an amazing job in the election and in the creation of the Community Academy,” Nirenberg said.

It is also part of an initiative

by Nirenberg to encourage young people to vote.

“I am totally invested in the idea that we need to work with young people to show them that government works when people get involved in it,” Nirenberg said.

When Nirenberg was elected to council, only 6.94 percent of eligible voters went to the polls citywide. In his district, which featured a bitterly contested race, only 9.78 percent of eligible voters cast ballots.

“I strongly believe we need to engage people in the process and work of government if we are ever going to

do something about the appalling lack of voter participation in municipal elections,” Nirenberg said. “Getting people involved will also help address the very low opinion too many people have of government and elected officials.”

Involvement with student leaders is a key.

“What we were trying to do in targeting students was to work with student government, talk with students and try to get them involved in projects and programs,” said Howe, who has since moved to Austin to complete his undergraduate degree at the University of Texas.

“Fewer than .03 percent of eligible voters who are UTSA students voted in the 2011 municipal elections. That was a shock to me,” he added.

The task was not easy at first.

“It was harder than we thought it was going to be to engage younger people,” said former academy co-director Stewart. “We were successful in terms of laying down foundations to get people involved, but there is so much more to be done to engage students in the process of government.”

He praised Nirenberg for the effort and noted, “It was an amazing initiative on Nirenberg’s part. It is also amazing

DISTRICT 8 continues on pg. 28

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that Nirenberg gave Noah and me so much responsibility and trust.”

But the invitation to get involved extends beyond students to the entire district, which stretches across parts of the North and Northwest sides.

“We are trying to inculcate a culture of active citizenship in District 8 and hopefully the rest of the city. We get people involved in so many ways,” Nirenberg said. “For example, we are using grass-roots techniques – going door to door – to let people know what their government is doing for them or to them.

And we ask for their participation.”

The less a resident is involved, the more Nirenberg wants to get that person engaged.

“We are looking for the people who are disengaged and we are trying to get them involved – re-engaged in city government,” he said. “My hope is some of what we are doing can be replicated citywide.”

Dedicated volunteers form the backbone of the effort, said Hudson Kyle, Nirenberg’s communications and outreach manager.

“The academy is a core of committed volunteers in the community who are supporters of Councilman Nirenberg’s

DISTRICT 8 COMMUNITY ACADEMY n A core group of committed volunteers in the community n First line of contact for volunteers n Citizen Advisory Councils n Graffiti Abatement Task Force n Community meetings including town halls, consortium of homeowners associations To join or find out more, call 207-7086 or email academy@CouncilmanRon8.com.

SOURCE: San Antonio City Council District 8 Office

team,” Kyle said. “They are advocates in the community who want to participate in the work of our municipal government.”

“They are our first line of contact when we are asking for volunteers for an event,” he added.

U.S. Rep. Pete Gallego, D-Alpine,

recently recognized the work of the Community Academy during a ceremony at City Hall.

To get involved in the academy, to volunteer or to get information, contact Kyle at 207-7086 or email academy@CouncilmanRon8.com.

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

Manager: Picture this — good deals at Asel Art Supply

by COLLETTE ORQUIZ

T

hough the store recently moved a few doors down, Asel Art Supply still offers the paintbrushes, drafting pencils, charcoal, canvases and other products the chain has provided students and professionals for years.

The store relocated from one side of the Grandview shopping center to the other, at 8127 Callaghan Road, creating more visibility, according to store manager and South Texas coordinator John Reinhart.

There is another location at 1524 N. Main Ave. “We are a company that focuses on good-quality to high-quality materials for artists, art students (and) hobbyists,”

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Reinhart said. “We are a hardware store where artists come and get their tools.”

Asel Art Supply was founded in 1951 by brothers Herb and Kenny Asel. In 1973 they sold the company to a group of investors.

From there, it grew from two stores in Dallas to 12 now open across Texas.

The art supply store is an employeeowned company, meaning workers earn more shares in the business over time.

Budding artists, professionals, students, architects and hobbyists will find an array of high-quality art and drafting items at a good value, Reinhart said. Asel Art Supply is known as a destination for oversized canvases, and sells Fredrix products for half off every day.

Reinhart said the store is not like an impersonal “big box” retail outlet, and employees take pride in being able to chat with their customers and advise them.

“We’re very much about you ending up with the right material for what you want to do, rather than selling you something and going, ‘Good luck, go play with it yourself,’” Reinhart said.

Though not an artist, Reinhart has worked for the company nine years and watched his customers’ creativity and talents blossom under the guidance of the store’s trained staff.

“We have a knowledgeable staff who will

Asel Art Supply provides tools, paints, canvases and more for students to professional artists. Employees are well versed in the products to make sure customers do not buy something they don’t need, said manager John Reinhart. Photos by Collette Orquiz

always help you. We can deal with a novice to a professional and we have the materials to satisfy everybody,” Reinhart said.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

ASEL ART SUPPLY 8127 Callaghan Road For more, call 340-7686 or visit www.aselart.com

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SEPTEMBER 2014

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

North Side dog-sitting service has tails wagging

by BAIN SERNA

Z

indy Infante has made her lifelong love of animals the foundation of Fairy Tails Premier Pet Services, a certified domestic dog-sitting, dog walking and pet-taxi service catering to the needs and schedules of owners and their canine companions.

“All my services are provided in the client’s home, so their pets get to relax in the comfort and safety of their own environment,” said Infante of her caninecare business that launched this spring.

She said Fairy Tails provides dogsitting for just a few hours to a few weeks, including overnight.

Since she sits with the dogs in the clients’ homes, the pets stay in a place that is secure and familiar, allowing them to

more easily follow their customary diets and routines, as well as helping soothe any separation anxiety. It also limits their exposure to other animals that may be ill.

The dog walking and pet-taxi services are designed to work with a client’s busy schedule, ensuring their dog gets exercise and arrives in a timely manner to any destination, according to Infante.

Fairy Tails also offers yard cleanup, dog birthday parties and emergency key service.

“Most people love their dogs. The difference between me and most people is that I love all dogs,” Infante said. “I get just as excited when I walk into a client’s home to visit their pets as I do when I come home to my dog. It never feels like work to me, and I feel blessed and thankful that I get to do what I love for a living.”

Potential clients can contact Infante for a free consultation.

Most people love their dogs. The difference between me and most people is that I love all dogs

Zindy Infante, owner of Fairy Tails Premier Pet Services, poses with her dog Tobie during a photo session with Cindy Kelleher (off camera) for Infante’s website. Fairy Tails provides domestic dog-sitting, dog walking and pet-taxi services.

Photo by Collette Orquiz

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Based in 78230 For more, call 620-1867, email: info@fairytails.com or visit www.fairytails.com

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

Plenty of parking at new McAlister’s Deli location

by COLLETTE ORQUIZ

P

arking is no longer an issue for those wanting to dine at McAlister’s Deli in the De Zavala Oaks shopping center. To better accommodate hungry customers, the company built a stand-alone restaurant to make dining-in a better experience.

“It made sense for us to move the building a hundred feet down the street so we could add the parking that we needed, and we were also able to add our pickup window as well,” said Ivan Ostrander, vice president of operations.

The eatery is now located at 5886 De Zavala Road, Suite 100.

McAlister’s Deli opened in 1989 in a converted gas station in Oxford, Mississippi, and spread to over 325 locations in 24 states.

Ostrander said the eateries are known for McAlister’s’ Famous Sweet Tea, which is so good that it had to be called famous.

Fresh ingredients and a warm, friendly atmosphere set McAlister’s Deli apart from other quick-casual dining restaurants, according to Ostrander.

“What really makes us unique is the variety on our menu,” Ostrander said.

The selections include many American regional favorites — sandwiches, soups, salads and spuds, or baked potatoes.

The new restaurant is one of eight with a pickup window where people can order ahead of time, either by phone or online.

When they arrive, they simply drive through to pay and take home lunch or dinner.

“It really makes sense to us.

We’re able to bring our quality to our guest without the guest getting

McAlister’s Deli, known for its Famous Sweet Tea (above), sandwiches (left) and spuds, expanded parking for customers by moving just down the street to 5886 De Zavala Road, Suite 100. Photos by Collette Orquiz

out of their car,” Ostrander said.

Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Sunday through Thursday, and 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

MCALISTER'S DELI 5886 De Zavala Road, Suite 100 For more, call 694-0060, or visit facebook.com/McAlistersDeZavala

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SEPTEMBER 2014

EAT LOCAL

New York-style deli sandwiches at Lennys Subs such as the Deluxe Club (pictured) are prepared with freshly sliced meats straight from a deli case. Chris Alford recently opened a franchise store from the nationwide chain in the Alon Town Centre. Photo by Collette Orquiz

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

Owner invites customers to dive into Lennys Subs

by EILEEN PACE

F

rom the meatball sub to the black-bean veggie sub, Lennys Subs’ new store at the Alon Town Centre offers fresh-cut, New York-style deli sandwiches.

The restaurant at 11503 N.W. Military Highway, Suite 117, is owned

by Chris Alford, who wanted to branch out after serving in the Marine Reserve and the U.S. Border Patrol.

He tasted sandwiches from Lennys at a catered lunch and was so impressed that he opened a franchise in the nationwide chain.

“I took my family to eat there, did my research that night and called the company the next day,” he said. The first store, founded by Len Moore, debuted in 1998 in Tennessee.

Alford said Lennys is different from most sub shops.

“We have the Philly cheesesteak, which is cooked fresh,” he said. “Very few sub sandwich shops are actually doing any real cooking. Most of the cold cuts at most places come out of the package – but it’s the opposite here.

Ours comes out of the deli case and goes onto the slicer, as if you were at a deli on the Lower East Side or the Bronx.”

A native of Kentucky, Alford is here to stay. He chose the Alon Town Centre for his first shop because it’s in his own neighborhood, and he feels residents appreciate the quality of the food.

“I’m a foodie; we live in the kitchen.

We don’t eat out a lot and we just love cooking,” Alford said. “I like to think that I know at least a good sub from a bad sub.”

The casual dining, family-friendly restaurant seats about 50. Alford takes the service up a notch from the usual sub shop, with no trash cans, preferring to provide staff to clear tables and refill drinks.

“I live and die by the service I provide my customers,” he said. “Also, I’m a nostalgic guy, so seeing the deli case open with the meats and cheeses in it recalls a bygone era, which resonated with me.”

Alford said he’s all about growing, learning and spending time with his family. When he recently returned to school to earn a master’s degree in history, he did his reading assignments alongside his kids while they did

their homework in the evening.

He also wants to add more stores.

“My goal is between three and five stores.

I have definite plans to open more locations, but the timeline is flexible,” Alford said.

Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. Nutrition information for all menu items is available online.

LENNYS SUBS 11503 N. W. Military Highway, Suite 117 For more, call 492-1098, or visit www.lennys.com

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L U X U R Y

S E N I O R

A P A R T M E N T S

One Month Free!

SEPTEMBER 2014

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

Real Estate LOCAL Trends ZIP Code

78213

78230

78231

78248

78249

JUL-13

$109,000

$235,000

$230,000

$268,000

$185,000

JUL-14

148,500

263,000

263,000

275,000

174,805

New listings

JUL-13

42

63

19

54

83

JUL-14

38

54

13

32

93

Average days on market

JUL-13

85

82

81

46

83

JUL-14

51

65

111

59

66

JUL-13

28

57

13

29

72

JUL-14

28

35

17

31

68

JUL-13

20

48

15

33

60

JUL-14

34

30

3

16

48

JUL-13

3.7

2.7

3

3.1

2.6

JUL-14

3

4.5

2.5

2.6

2.3

Median sold price

Wedgwood Senior Apartments is a 55+ Luxury Apartment Community that offers peace of mind in a gated complex. We are conveniently located in the Castle Hills neighborhood of San Antonio, across from the Park North Shopping Center, Alamo Draft House Movie Theater and close to the North Star Mall, Quarry Golf Club, great restaurants and places of worship. ~We offer spacious Studio, 1 & 2 bedroom apartments available in a variety of floor plans. ~Housekeeping and meal plan options are available.

We feature an attractive list of apartment and community amenities, as well as several personal care services that are available for our residents to choose from. We invite you to come relax by our newly renovated swimming pool, relax in our salon/spa and socialize with other residents in our movie room and new fitness center. For your convenience, we also offer an onsite restaurant with a delivery option available and a courtesy shuttle to get you wherever you need to go!

Call today for more Information!

No Deposit or Community Fees!

(855) 803-9836

WedgwoodApartments014@myLTSMail.com

www.WedgwoodTexas.com

6701 Blanco Road San Antonio, Texas 78216

Closed sales

Under contract

Months supply of inventory

Source: San Antonio Board of Realtors: Texas Market Trends report The properties are new listings put on the market from early July 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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