LOCAL: Hollywood Park, Hill Country Village, 78247, 78232, 78216 April 2015

NORTH SIDE ELECTION PREVIEW

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MARCH 30 - APRIL 27, 2015

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EDITORIAL Executive Editor Managing Editor Thomas Edwards Will Wright News Staff Collette Orquiz and Bain Serna Contributing Writers Joyce Hotchkiss, Eileen Pace, Edmond Ortiz and Susan Yerkes

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Zone 1: 78204, 78205, 78209, 78210, 78212, 78215 Zone 2: 78213, 78230, 78231, 78248, 78249 Zone 4/5: 78109, 78148, 78233, 78239 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, 2015 Helen Publishing, LLC and Local Community News, LLC, all rights reserved.

I-35 toll lanes could be on horizon

T

he Texas Department of Transportation on Feb. 26 hosted a public forum at Morgan’s Wonderland to air proposed improvements along Interstate 35 in northeast San Antonio.

The $1.3 billion project – called the Build Alternative – would construct four elevated toll lanes, two in each direction on I-35, from the San Antonio Military Medical Center near the South Loop 410 exchange to FM 1103 in Schertz.

The proposal has been on the drawing board for several years. TxDOT, which estimates a 51 percent growth in area population from 2010 to 2040, said the project could alleviate congestion on three of the top 100 most crowded roadway segments in Texas.

The elevated toll lanes would be positioned between the existing main lanes and access roads, which will remain toll-free.

Many residents remained skeptical at the session. Some felt there’s no reason to construct additional lanes on a 15-mile stretch that’s currently in the final stages of expansion – especially the additional fees that could hamstring tax-weary drivers.

As another option, TxDOT also presented a No-Build Alternative, which would not make changes to the existing transportation network, except for unanticipated events after completion of the current I-35/Northeast San Antonio Expansion Project.

February’s public hearing preceded TxDOT’s online solicitation of additional public input, which was completed March 9. The comments will help officials during the next several months as they craft an environmental-assessment draft that will be presented and finalized this summer.

TxDOT has no timetable for what happens next. But rest assured, the final solution won’t please all drivers.

WILL WRIGHT MANAGING EDITOR FACEBOOK.COM/SALOCALCOMMUNITYNEWS

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SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM

LOCAL COMMENTARY

Keeping Fiesta 2015 fun but sober

by SUSAN YERKES

T

o many San Antonians, April means one thing: “Get your flip-flops on and grab a beer — it’s Fiesta time, and the party’s on!”

However, keep this in mind: April also is National Alcohol Awareness Month.

I thought about that after a recent conversation with attorney Joe Hoelscher, whose criminal-law practice focuses on DWI and substance-abuse cases.

“Fiesta is really big for us,” he said.

“Historically, I have made as much as 25 percent of my annual revenue off Fiesta-related arrests. Generally, you find the largest aggregation of lawenforcement officials in the state here

in San Antonio during Fiesta.”

That’s not to say Fiesta is one big booze-fest. Far from it. Considering the hundreds of thousands of folks who attend, Fiesta is a pretty family-friendly affair.

“When I moved to San Antonio and started hearing about Fiesta I thought, ‘Oh gosh, we’re going to have a lot of arrests,’” said Officer Misty Floyd, a San Antonio Police Department spokeswoman. “But in the last few years, we haven’t seen big spikes in DWIs during Fiesta. There’s definitely more of an effort on our part to keep things in line.”

Last year, police reported 402 DWI arrests during Fiesta, compared to 339 in 2013, but Floyd noted that Fiesta 2014 was extended over an extra week because of the Easter holiday. This year, the Fiesta Commission and police are celebrating the fact that for the last four years, not a single person has been killed in a traffic accident related to Fiesta.

While SAPD provides the bulk of manpower during the celebration, the Department of Public Safety has almost doubled its Fiesta force. Bexar County sheriff ’s deputies and deputy constables, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission officers and even Texas Department of Transportation personnel are also out

there working to keep Fiesta safe.

“Every law-enforcement agency is involved,” Bexar County Sheriff Susan Pamerleau said. “We don’t put on extra officers, but we use everybody we’ve got. DWIs are a daily problem in this community, not just during Fiesta. But Fiesta is a two- or three-week long party, so yes, we have to be more watchful.”

Maj. Richard Jauregui, of the TABC’s San Antonio regional office, is among those keeping watch. TABC agents, many of them undercover at Fiesta, are concerned with stopping anyone from serving alcohol to minors and folks who are already intoxicated.

“We use all the personnel in our office, and in the past we’ve brought people from around the district, although we’ve increased our staff enough here in the past few years that now we can handle it,” he said.

“Also, in the 15 years I’ve been in San Antonio, I’ve seen Fiesta become more controlled as far as our violations are concerned,” Jauregui added. “A lot of the nonprofits that put on Fiesta events have changed their ways. They have to have at least a temporary license to sell alcohol, and we also offer training to get their (alcohol) servers certified, and a lot of the groups

have been taking advantage of that.”

Meanwhile, TxDOT places extra emphasis on its Person Appointed to Stay Sober, or P.A.S.S., campaign promoting designated drivers, featuring warnings about DWI on TransGuide highway signs, and promoting its Sober Rides pledges and website.

“We try to remind people that a DWI can easily end up costing you up to $17,000, and you could lose not only your driver’s license, but your job,” TxDOT spokeswoman Laura Lopez said.

Along with Silver Eagle Distributors and Yellow Cab, TxDOT also helps sponsor the Fiesta Commission’s Fiesta Safe Rides program, which distributes $20 taxi vouchers to folks who plan to drink but don’t want to drive drunk.

“This year, we’re giving out 2,500 free $20 taxi vouchers for use during Fiesta,” interim Fiesta Commission Executive Director Phil Nelson said. The vouchers are available at the Fiesta Store, 2611 Broadway.

There’s a fine line between having fun and having too much fun, and that line can get blurry faster than your vision after a few too many brewskis. So keep that $17,000 penalty box in mind, and party like there is a tomorrow. ¡Viva Fiesta!

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YOUTH VEGETABLE GARDEN In this program geared to families with elementary-age children, Ruby Zavala of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and Master Gardener Carol White offer gardening information along with hands-on activities. Participants get a free plant, too. The session runs from 9 to 11 a.m. in the Salado Creek classroom near the eastern entrance to Phil Hardberger Park, 13203 Blanco Road.

NEISD TRUSTEES MEETING North East Independent School District trustees meet at 5:30 p.m. on the second Monday of each month in the NEISD board room, 8961 Tesoro Drive.

NATIVE PLANT SALE The San Antonio Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas will be selling a wide array of plants from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The event takes place at the north end of the parking lot at the eastern entrance to Phil Hardberger Park, 13203 Blanco Road.

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SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS, CAMP 1325 The Alamo City Guards, Camp 1325, holds its monthly meeting at 7 p.m. at Grady’s Bar-B-Q, 6510 San Pedro Ave. Members and guests are welcome to eat beginning at 6 p.m.; no reservations are required. The Camp meets the first Thursday of each month. For more, visit www.alamocityguards.com.

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SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM HAPPENING continues from pg. 04 helps taxpayers whose incomes totaled $60,000 or less in 2014 prepare and e-file federal tax returns. VITA volunteers will be available at Thousand Oaks Bra nch Library, 4618 Thousand Oaks Drive, and other locations. For more on all the services offered, including Express Service and Virtual VITA, and a full list of sites, visit www.vitasa.org.

RETIRED TEACHERS MEETING North San Antonio Retired Teachers Association holds its monthly meeting at San Pedro Presbyterian Church, 14900 San Pedro Ave. A 9:45 a.m. “meet and greet” will precede the program, which begins at 10:15 a.m.

There will be two speakers – Betty Wells and her pet, who is a therapy dog, and Jake Yetterberg, who will talk about the services offered at Independence Hill Retirement Resort Community. The group meets the third Wednesday of each month during the school year. Members are encouraged to bring friends.

APRIL 15

CHRONIC PAIN SUPPORT GROUP Meetings are 4-6 p.m. the third Wednesday of each month at Baptist HealthLink, 288 W.

APRIL 15

Bitters Road. One main topic per hour is covered in group discussions, which may be large or small. A syllabus and more information are available at http:// chronicpainsupportsa.wix.com/cpsgsa.

Get Into The ActionInterstate Action

SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION The San Antonio Chapter of the national organization holds its monthly luncheon at 11:30 a.m. at the Petroleum Club, 8620 N. New Braunfels Ave. Lunch costs $25.

RSVPs are required. Call Bob Clark at 402-0871, or email to reservations@sarsat. org by the Monday prior to the meeting.

The chapter meets on the third Wednesday of each month, except July and August.

APRIL 15

APRIL 16

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

APRIL 21

HOLLYWOOD PARK The City Council meets at 7 p.m. at City Hall, No. 2 Mecca Drive.

EVENING AGLOW MEETING San Antonio Evening Aglow International, a Christian “transformational kingdom” group, meets

APRIL 21

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MARCH 30 - APRIL 27, 2015

HAPPENING continues from pg. 05 the third Tuesday of each month for fellowship, song and an inspirational message. The gathering starts at 7 p.m. at Anne Marie’s Catering, 12475 Starcrest Drive (at Bitters Road).

Everyone is welcome to attend. For more, visit www.aglow.com.

SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS, CAMP 153 Hood’s Texas Brigade, Camp 153, holds its monthly meeting at 7 p.m. at Grady’s Bar-B-Q, 6510 San Pedro Ave. Members and guests are welcome to eat beginning at 6 p.m.; no reservations are required. The Camp meets the third Tuesday of each month.

For more, visit www.hoodstexasbde.com.

APRIL 21

SINGLE PROFESSIONALS NETWORK This friendship group for single, mature adults will host a social at Blanco BarB-Q, 13259 Blanco Road, starting at 5 p.m. SPN holds weekly events.

For more, go to www.spn-sa.org.

APRIL 22

APRIL 30 - MAY 2

GARAGE SALE The Hollywood Park Homeowners’ Association is sponsoring the annual City-

Wide Garage Sale. The deadline to request a place on the map of sale sites is April 17, and a link to the registration form is on the HOA’s website, www.hptxhoa.com.

NEISD COMMUNITY ONGOING EDUCATION This spring, the North East Independent School District is offering a variety of adult and community-education classes, including instruction on home and garden techniques, community choir, culinary arts and financial planning. For more, call 407-0140 and choose option 3, or visit links through the NEISD website at www.communityed.neisd.net.

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. LI-ION VAPE, 11403 O’Connor Road, Suite 118, provides customers with e-cigarettes and other vaping supplies to fit their needs, offering low prices in an environment that includes a vaping lounge. Open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

For more, call 455-4009 or visit facebook. com/LiionVape. (See story on page 13)

MORGAN’S WONDERLAND HOSTS SENIORS Let age work in your favor during Senior Fridays at Morgan’s Wonderland, 5223 David Edwards Drive. For $8, every second and fourth Friday, there are senior activities 11 a.m. to noon. For more, call 495-5888 or visit www.morganswonderland.com.

2. CHICKEN EXPRESS, 3111 Thousand Oaks Drive, offers drive-thru service and fast and casual dining, with a menu featuring fried chicken, chicken tenders and fish. Open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. For more, call 277-0776 or visit www.chickene.com or facebook.com/ChickenExpressSanAntonio.

(See story on page 14)

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p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday; noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday. For more, call 2338676 or visit www.kidzoodle.com.

4. TODAY’S VISION-BULVERDE, 17230

Bulverde Road, Suite 104, offers eye examinations that detect possible visual complications for children and adults.

Open 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30-5:30 p.m. Monday and Friday; by appointment only Tuesday; 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30-6:30 p.m. Wednesday; closed Thursday; and 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Saturday. For more, call 307-4749 or visit www.todaysvisionbulverde.com.

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SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM LOWDOWN continues from pg. 06 960-3642 or visit www.enhancedentaldds. com or facebook.com/EnhanceDentalSA.

6. FURNITURE BRAINS, 3435 Thousand

Oaks Drive, Suite 109, offers mattresses and furniture. According to the management, “We operate for less, mark up less and you save.” Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and by appointment on weekends. For more, call 473-9508 or visit facebook.com/furniturebrains.

IN OTHER NEWS

LADY BIRD JOHNSON PARK IMPROVEMENTS began with a groundbreaking Feb. 24. District 10 City Councilman Mike Gallagher joined other city officials and area residents in turning the first shovels of dirt to ceremonially start the project. “I am excited about the improvements scheduled for Lady Bird Johnson Park,” Gallagher said. “This is a wonderful park named after a wonderful woman. As she was a lifelong advocate for beautifying our nation’s cities and highways, it is only appropriate that we continue to enhance and beautify this park that is named after her.” Several improvements are underway at the park, 10700 Nacogdoches Road, including new

signage, fencing, landscaping and irrigation.

Also on tap are lighting for the pavilion and basketball court; a new walkway to the community center; additional picnic units; directional signage; and parking upgrades at the softball complex and soccer fields. The $1.6 million project is scheduled to be completed this fall.

40 Conquering Cancer Years of

AREA LEADERS, LED BY Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff and Hollywood Park Mayor Chris Fails, hosted mayors, city administrators and other suburban leaders in a Feb. 12 conference that focused on a number of issues facing San Antonio-area communities. Key agenda items included discussions on bills filed in the 84th Legislature, ways area communities could leverage joint purchasing power, and possibly banding together in support of ride-hailing companies such as Uber and Lyft.

“The suburban cities within Bexar County represent a wide array of ethnic and economic groups that came together today and the greatest result was how we all found common ground,” Fails said. Added Wolff: “I think we had a great meeting and would like to bring the group together more often to discuss important issues that affect us all.

LOWDOWN continues on pg. 08

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MARCH 30 - APRIL 27, 2015

LOWDOWN continues from pg. 07 Each small city has a different identity and set of issues, yet we were all able to come to a consensus on many of the items discussed.”

WHATABURGER HELD A RECENT “SUPER DUPER CELEBRATION” at 17311 Bulverde Road to recognize the “superhero spirit in all of us” with free kids’ meals for children 12 and under in costume. “Our Super Duper Celebration is an opportunity for families to spend quality time with their little heroes and enjoy a free kid’s meal on us,” said Whataburger Director of Operations David Bladel Jr. A face painter, balloon artist and Whataburger’s mascot, Whataguy, added to the fun, company officials said.

FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, San Antonio International Airport won the firstplace ranking in the “Best Improvement by Region: North America” category of the 2014 Airport Service Quality Awards. The award, sponsored by Airport Council International, relies on appraisals and feedback from passengers about their experiences from check-in through gate departure at more than 285 airports in the United States. Included were passengers’ views on 34 key service indicators. ASQ award categories included: Best Airport by Region, Best Airport by Size,

Best Small Airport and Best Improvement.

City officials said the San Antonio airport, which serves nearly 8.4 million passengers annually and ranks among the nation’s top gateways to Mexico, has continued its focus on customer experience and convenience.

ALAMO AREA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS RECENTLY ANNOUNCED recipients of its 2015 Air Quality Stewardship Awards, which recognize businesses, agencies and other organizations for voluntary efforts reducing air pollution and improving the region’s air quality. This year’s award was expanded to include individual projects sponsored through one or more organizations. Honorees included San Antonio Missions National Historical Park; San Antonio College’s William R. Sinkin Eco Centro project; and the Capital Skymine project, directed by the Zachry and Skyonic corporations. Receiving honorable mention was the Demand Response Transit project forged by the cities of Cibolo, Garden Ridge, New Braunfels and Schertz; commissioners courts from Comal and Guadalupe counties; The McKenna Foundation; and VIA Metropolitan Transit’s Demand Response Transit project. All will be honored at a 9 a.m. ceremony commemorating Earth Day on April 18 at San Antonio’s Woodlawn Lake.

resilience in terms of adapting to disasters and hurricanes and things like that.”

The analysis springs from SA2020, a shared community snapshot for Alamo City improvements this decade, produced following a series of public forums in 2010.

“SA2020 is the vision of a great city, a world-class city that’s walkable, has great transportation, great neighborhoods and smart growth,” Dugan said. “The (comprehensive) plan is the blueprint for turning (that) vision into reality.”

The plan should be completed in early 2016. Dugan said input was sought from 26 Bexar County municipalities, plus those in adjacent counties.

Handling growth will be essential to the proposal. Studies predict almost twice today’s population — currently 1.4 million, according to federal figures — in the greater metro area by 2040, officials said.

“We’re looking at how to distribute (the addition of) 1½ million new people, half a million new housing units and half a million new jobs in a way that reduces traffic congestion, or at least doesn’t make it worse,” Dugan said.

One theme is mixed-use development, which would provide housing closer to workplaces and lessen commutes, he

PLAN continues from pg. 01

City’s population could double by 2040

by EILEEN PACE

T

he City Council Comprehensive Plan Committee’s outline for San Antonio’s growth during the next 25 years could have sweeping implications for the North Side.

The comprehensive plan will help strategize overall expansion through 2040, a road not taken in San Antonio since it implemented its 1978 Master Plan, said John Dugan, the director of the city’s Department of Planning and Community Development.

“There was an update in certain areas in 1998,” he said, “but now we’re looking at the entirety. Plus, we’re doing a transportation plan, a sustainability plan and a big waterrisk plan ... as part of the comprehensive plan to (include) other values — air quality, water quality, things to do with

PLAN continues on pg. 09

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SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM PLAN continues from pg. 08 said, “and where we have a lot of jobs now with no housing, we need to look at bringing housing in. That’s the case for almost all of our major growth centers.”

Those include the South Texas Medical Center, the University of Texas-San Antonio, and San Antonio International Airport, he said.

Appointed by the council, the committee began meeting last summer, chaired by District 8 Councilman Ron Nirenberg. It developed an advisory group comprised of 50 to 60 local representatives to tackle core issues, including transportation, housing, green and healthy neighborhoods, historic preservation, military and environment.

NORTH SIDE GROWTH Dugan said on the North Side, the area surrounding the airport has the greatest potential for future employment.

“One of the 2020 smart-growth objectives and visions is to use vacant development sites and infill sites to accommodate much of the future growth,” he said.

“There may be potential for 20,000 to 30,000 more jobs around the airport.

There’s a potential for huge re-investment and expansion, particularly office space and multi-family housing. There’s also potential

there for development around a Lone Star Rail station a mile or so from the airport.”

The proposed Lone Star Rail District would link San Antonio and Austin and relieve traffic on Interstate 35.

NORTHEAST REVITALIZATION Dugan pointed to the area around Rolling Oaks Mall as a prime site for mixed-use development.

“The area around Loop 1604 and Interstate 35 is another huge potential growth area,” he said. “Lone Star Rail could also be key, with a rail station out there.”

In the Northeast Corridor along Perrin-Beitel and Nacogdoches roads, District 10 Councilman Mike Gallagher said a $125 million investment is already in action, and the comp plan’s priorities parallel the district’s revitalization goals.

“We were able to get a $100,000 grant from the city from the 2015 budget for corridor enhancement,” Gallagher said.

“We have pushed for a number of bond projects — streets and drainage in particular — and those projects are underway.”

TRANSPORTATION Transit is key to both Districts 9 and 10.

“We have a large number of people in

PLAN continues on pg. 10

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District 10 who have jobs downtown, in the inner city, or out at the (South Texas) Medical Center. We’re working with VIA (Metropolitan Transit) on a transit station somewhere along Perrin-Beitel, both near 1604 and further in,” Gallagher said.

Councilman Joe Krier said District 9 residents responding to surveys have increasingly expressed a need for bus service.

“In District 9, practically everybody owns a car – most own more than one,” Krier said. “My sense is the reason interest has gone up in bus service in recent years is that, as the baby boomers get older, they can see the day when they’re not going to be driving those cars to the doctor or downtown or the grocery store.”

The concern is bigger than it was 10 or 15 years ago, he added.

VIA is building a park-and-ride terminal at U.S. 281 and Stone Oak Parkway.

Experience bonds MacArthur, Madison students

MILITARY Gallagher said the comp plan addresses the importance of continuing a good relationship with the military.

“We’ve got to make sure that if any issues come up involving the installations, that we do whatever the city can in that regard,” the councilman said.

by COLLETTE ORQUIZ

I

t was his first medal ever, and he gave it away to a rival wrestler.

During a junior varsity wrestling tournament Jan. 21, Madison High School sophomore Matt Silva took down one opponent after another to win the first-place honor.

The winner’s perspective changed after he learned his first competitor, MacArthur High School freshman Earl Johnson, has special needs.

“I didn’t know about his condition until I won … He just had that drive, and I was like, ‘Wow, this kid really deserves it,’” Silva said.

“So I decided to give (the medal) to him.”

Word of Silva’s actions reached the ears of MacArthur Principal Peter Martinez, who gives students, staff and teachers on campus “Holy Cow” awards for going

From left, MacArthur’s Earl Johnson, Madison’s Matt Silva and North East Independent School District Superintendent Brian Gottardy attend the presentation of a special citation for Silva during NEISD’s trustees meeting on Feb. 9. Photo courtesy NEISD

above and beyond what is expected.

Martinez and other school staffers discuss those worthy of the award during faculty meetings throughout the year.

They choose a different person in the community every other month.

“I think it’s important to do that, because we too often recognize when people aren’t doing a good job,” Martinez said.

On Jan. 27, Martinez presented Silva with a Holy Cow Award, featuring both the Madison and MacArthur logos and a small

plastic cow with a bell around its neck.

“It’s a bit of a tongue-in-cheek there because we’re the Brahmas, which are sacred cows in India,” Martinez said. “But at the same time, it’s really about that exclamation of ‘Holy cow – that was really fantastic!’”

Martinez said he has presented Holy Cow Awards since he became MacArthur principal in 2011. Silva’s Holy Cow citation marked the first time such

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SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM WRESTLER continues from pg. 10 recognition was given to someone outside of MacArthur’s school and community.

Martinez said it was a special occasion, one that served as another example of why North East Independent School District schools are so unified.

“I think it represents what we want to most see in our kids – that they look beyond the surface level and really seize opportunities to do something good for someone else,” Martinez said.

Silva briefly considered keeping his first-place medal, but soon realized it had a better purpose than just hanging on his wall. So, with Johnson’s family present, Silva presented Johnson with the medal.

“He was just very inspiring, I wanted him to keep moving forward, to keep continuing his goals,” Silva said.

Girls started crying, and even some boys shed tears as they witnessed the act, Silva said. A handful of his peers praised him for such a good deed, though Silva insisted he wasn’t looking for any recognition.

Johnson said he considers Silva a “great friend” and is thankful for the medal.

“I do really like it; it was nice of him,” Johnson said.

Silva said he and Johnson have become good friends and they exchange

messages every now and then. He said he tells his buddy to “keep up the hard work, just keep driving.”

Martinez said that although Johnson isn’t a student who talks a lot, he is a happy kid and a “good, sweet character.”

“He’s big just like me, he’s just kindhearted, loving (and) he has a great smile.

His smile could go on for days,” Silva said of Johnson, whose nickname is “Big Earl.”

Both students were reunited off the wrestling mat on Feb. 9, when NEISD Superintendent Brian Gottardy honored Silva for his sportsmanship.

With Johnson’s grandparents in attendance, Silva received a commemorative Superintendent’s Coin and a plaque that included the quote, “Character is doing the right thing when no one is watching.”

Silva said his parents raised him to have a “kind heart” and to not be selfish.

“It’s not always about me, me, me, it’s always about how can I make the day better for the world around me,” Silva said, adding that he hopes others will also take the time to make someone else’s day instead of their own.

Silva and Martinez said such acts of good sportsmanship can bring two schools together.

“Even though we may be different schools, at the end of the day we’re still NEISD,” Martinez said.

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ELECTIONS continues from pg. 01

Crowded mayoral field, six propositions on SA ballot

by EDMOND ORTIZ

N

orth Side voters will have seven candidates to consider for two San Antonio City Council seats May 9, a crowded mayoral field and six propositions on the ballot.

Hollywood Park will also hold an election for a council seat.

Early voting is April 27 to May 5.

DISTRICT 9 In the San Antonio elections, incumbent Joe Krier hopes to secure his first full term as the District 9 representative, but he has plenty of competition from challengers Lori Slusher, Jeffry Van Slycke, Richard Castanon and Bert Cecconi.

Krier, 68, a veteran businessman who led the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce from 1987 to 2007, was appointed in November 2013 to the office after incumbent Elisa Chan stepped down to stage an unsuccessful bid for a state Senate seat in the GOP primary.

Krier then won a special election for the post in May 2014. Many credit him with helping put the city into a position to become a major hub for military medical training following four rounds of base closings under the Base Realignment and Closure process.

Slusher, 53, worked in the oil and gas industry before focusing on real estate, investing and government affairs with USAA. She has a master’s degree in business from the University of the Incarnate Word.

“My vision for San Antonio includes focusing on quality of life for our residents, while establishing responsible, thoughtful planning for our growth,” she said.

Van Slycke, 58, teaches English Language Arts at Judson High School.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in ELA, and will complete his master’s degree in literacy this fall. He is a former San Antonio Police Department officer.

Van Slycke opposes toll roads, saying, “Traffic is a priority – toll roads are not the solution.”

CECCONI

GALLAGHER

KRIER

SLUSHER

TIDWELL

VAN SLYCKE

In filling vacant city positions, especially high-profile ones, Van Slycke believes the city can choose from plenty of local qualified professionals, thereby saving money now spent on numerous

national searches to fill those positions.

Van Slycke also emphasizes focusing on the basics in developing

ELECTIONS continues on pg. 15

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Located at 11403 O’Connor Road, Suite 118, Li-ion Vape opened Jan. 1.

The well-lit environment includes a vaping lounge and friendly staffers.

“Vaping has changed our lives. In return, we wanted the opportunity to help and change other smokers’ lives,” owner Aimee Leavell said. “Our philosophy is to provide quality vaping products

that help people find an alternative to smoking, providing friendly service and satisfaction to each and every customer.”

Leavell said Li-ion Vape patrons can shop while socializing with fellow vapers.

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a conservative city budget.

“San Antonio must attend to its priorities – public safety, traffic and drainage – before it gives away our tax dollars or borrows on top of funded projects through longterm planning,” he added.

Cecconi, 79, a retired dentist and Air Force colonel, previously ran for council – namely in 2003 and 2007 as a District 8 resident. A redrawing of district lines switched him to District 9.

In past campaigns, Cecconi backed successful proposals to freeze property taxes for senior citizens and extend council term limits.

Castanon, 50, a small-business owner and retired Marine, worked with a binational institution in conjunction with the North American Free Trade Agreement. He has also worked with several regional and national nonprofits, including the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project.

Castanon said he supports smallbusiness development, alleviating traffic congestion in the district, and ensuring safer communities through more direct engagement with residents.

DISTRICT 10 Air Force retiree Mike Gallagher, 68, hopes to win a full first term as the District 10 representative. In January 2014, the longtime Northeast Side activist was appointed to fill the position vacated after Carlton Soules stepped down to unsuccessfully challenge Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff in the November general election.

Gallagher previously presided over the Northeast Neighborhood Alliance and chaired the city’s Board of Adjustment. Prior to that, he served on numerous city boards and committees.

He is a Graduate-in-Residence at the National War College and earned degrees from New Mexico State University and University of Oklahoma.

According to campaign officials, Gallagher is stressing strengthening neighborhoods, public safety, fiscal responsibility, transportation and infrastructure.

“I will not waiver in my goal to ensure the completion of the numerous programs and projects planned or currently underway in District 10,” he stated on his campaign website.

Opposing Gallagher is Celeste Montez-Tidwell, 47, who has worked in customer service and public relations for several years and served with numerous local youth organizations.

Montez-Tidwell has a degree in

communications from San Antonio College, and majored in criminal justice at Temple University. Caring for emergency first responders, managing the city’s growth, and fostering economic development in District 10 are among her key issues.

“The way we grow – whether sprawling as (it is) now, or in a planned way that increases density and creates walk able communities where people can live close to work and shopping – makes a difference,” she said.

MAYOR/BALLOT PROPOSITIONS Several candidates are vying for San Antonio mayor, including incumbent Ivy R. Taylor, the former District 2 councilwoman who was appointed to the spot last year after President Barack Obama appointed Julian Castro as secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

Other candidates in the crowded field include Paul A. Martinez, Douglas S. Emmett, Michael “Commander” Idrogo, Raymond Zavala, Mike Villarreal, Tommy Adkisson, Leticia Van de Putte, Rhett Rosenquest Smith, Julie Iris “MamaBexar” Oldham, Cynthia T. Cavazos, Gerard Ponce, Pogo Mochello Reese and Cynthia Brehm.

Voters in San Antonio will also decide six propositions.

Four involve changes to the City Charter. Proposition 1 gives voters an opportunity to weigh in on streetcar and light-rail projects; Proposition 2 relates to paying the mayor and council members a livable wage; Proposition 3 sets adequate time limits to fill by election vacancies for the mayor and council members; and Proposition 4 scrubs outdated language in the charter.

Also, voters will be asked to decide continuing a 1/8th-cent sales tax to protect the Edwards Aquifer and extending the Linear Creekway Parks Development program.

For more, including polling sites and times, visit www.bexar.org/elections.

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HILL COUNTRY VILLAGE, HOLLYWOOD PARK There are no contested city races in Hill Country Village, which will not stage a May election.

There will be only one contested race in Hollywood Park, where Place 3 incumbent David Neugebauer, a consulting firm executive, is being challenged by Justin Moore, a photographer and usability engineer.

Running unopposed is Place 1 incumbent Steve Phillips. Cullen Schwarz drew no opposition in Place 5, which became open after incumbent Holly McBrayer declined to run for re-election.

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