LOCAL: Hollywood Park, Hill Country Village, 78247, 78232, 78216 February 2016

SB-1168

New laws working for HOAs PG.17 Lawmakers wanted to create clarity, including on voting rules

RIDE-HAIL RETURNS

PG.13 Uber, Lyft joined in Alamo City by

Get Me; review will come in 9 months VOL. 4, ISSUE 3

HILL COUNTRY VILLAGE

HOLLYWOOD PARK

NORTH CENTRAL

COMMUNITY NEWS 78216 78232 78247

JAN. 25 - FEB. 29, 2016

FACING TIGHTER SCRUTINY

PG.11

Planned Parenthood office prompts amendment to Uniform Development Code by Councilman Gallagher

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FAST-AID URGENT CARE PG.18 Medical care for active lifestyles

Side customers opt to keep old analog meters PG. 04 LOCAL COMMENTARY SUSAN YERKES It's not until 2018, but San Antonio is getting ready for the big 3-0-0 bash

PG. 05 LOCAL EDITORIAL

PG. 09 LOCAL LOWDOWN

Ride-hailing companies create a private-sector opportunity and an alternative to subsidized mass transit

Offering a quick snapshot of new businesses, bars and restaurants, plus news updates

2

JAN. 25 - FEB. 29, 2016

“Introducing Dr. Prisiliano Salas Jr. and Dr. Rolando Perez Jr.”

FROM THE EDITOR

- Board Certified

tedwards@localcommunitynews.com

President Harold J. Lees Publisher Gregg Rosenfield Director of Operations Jaselle Luna Assoc. Publisher Rick Upton

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EDITORIAL Executive Editor Thomas Edwards News Staff Collette Orquiz, Bain Serna and Will Wright Contributing Writers Olivier J. Bourgoin, Ron Aaron Eisenberg, Joyce Hotchkiss, Eric Moreno, Edmond Ortiz and Susan Yerkes ART Creative Director Florence D. Edwards Contributing Photographer Rudy B. Ornelas Contributing Illustrator Jeremiah Teutsch ADVERTISING Zone Manager Marc Olson Controller Keith Sanders READER SERVICE Mailing Address 4204 Gardendale Ste. 201 SA, TX 78229 Phone Fax (210) 338.8842 (210) 616.9677 Advertising Inquiries molson@localcommunitynews.com Story Ideas tips@localcommunitynews.com Website www.salocallowdown.com LOCAL Community News publications 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 Zone 7: 78015, 78023, 78255, 78256, 78257 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, 2016 Helen Publishing, LLC and Local Community News, LLC, all rights reserved.

Tip to getting your news in LOCAL

N

ot long ago, a person who sent a press release that didn’t get published asked me, “What am I doing wrong?”

The answer is simple, I told her: “Either you didn’t follow our deadlines or the information wasn’t pertinent to the readers in our zones.”

Since this is the new year, let’s get back to basics for folks who want to send news items, calendar happenings, events or anything like that to LOCAL Community News.

LOCAL publishes six hyperlocal, free monthly community newspapers targeted to specific groupings of ZIP codes, or zones, reaching more than 200,000 readers.

These ZIP-code zones can be found at the bottom of the staff box, usually next to this column. They also are listed in the LOCAL media kit, available upon request.

If the news release details an event that isn’t in one of the ZIP codes, we probably won’t use the item. The information needs to be relevant to where our readers live and do business.

Second, as mentioned above, we publish monthly newspapers. That means the publications have an extended production schedule, similar to a magazine. Once layout has started, it is problematic to stop and tear up a page just to add a small item.

So please send those notices at least two months in advance if possible.

Even a month is OK, but I can’t promise inclusion. We’ll do our best.

The easiest way to submit your news is by email. Rocket the information to tips@localcommunitynews.com or tedwards@localcommunitynews.com.

We love our readers. We want to provide them with the most timely and relevant information possible, but we can only do so when everyone understands the submission guidelines.

THOMAS EDWARDS EXECUTIVE EDITOR

CORRECTION: A photo that ran in last month’s edition showing retired Navy Adm. William ‘Bill’ McRaven should have been attributed as a North East Independent School District courtesy photo.

Red Dress

5K FUN RUN & WALK at Methodist Stone Oak Hospital

—WHEN —

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27

7 a.m. Festivities and Late Registration 8 a.m. Red Dress 5K Fun Run & Walk

—WHERE —

METHODIST STONE OAK HOSPITAL

1139 E. Sonterra Blvd. San Antonio, Texas 78258 Help us honor those affected by heart disease. Wear red or your favorite red dress and join us for the Red Dress 5K Run/Walk around the campus of Methodist Stone Oak Hospital.

Along with Methodist Healthcare and the American Heart Association, your support will help the community lead healthier lives.

• $20 entry fee (all proceeds go to the American Heart Association) • Enjoy refreshments and various educational areas

Please register early at SAHealth.com/HeartandSoul

• Pets on leashes welcome

This will be a timed race to better recognize the success of participants Medals will be awarded to all participants

For more information on heart month events and for heart healthy tips: MethodistHealthcareSanAntonio SAHealth.com/HeartandSoul SAHealth210

23681_MHS_MSOH_LOCAL_Jan_2016_Zone6_ad_v1.indd 1

12/21/15 11:10 AM

4

JAN. 25 - FEB. 29, 2016

LOCAL COMMENTARY

Preparing for SA’s big 3-0-0 jamboree

by SUSAN YERKES

I

f there’s one thing San Antonio loves, it’s a party. So, you can bet the bash for the city’s 300th birthday, coming up in 2018, will be a big one.

City mothers and fathers have consistently considered early May 1718 as the official birth of San Antonio. Back in 1691, a Spanish expedition stopped at a fertile area around San Pedro Springs, called Yanaguana by the natives. On June 13, the feast day of St. Anthony of Padua, they named the spot in honor of the saint. The expedition continued onward, but the name was added to Spanish maps, and has endured.

However, most historians recognize 1718, when the mission and seat of government were actually dedicated, as San Antonio’s anniversary date. On May 1, Mission San Antonio de Valero was established on the banks of San Pedro Creek. Four days later, a presidio – a fortified base usually accompanied by Spanish missions – was established nearby. The surrounding Villa de Béjar soon grew to a whopping 300 residents.

In 1731, 55 Canary Islanders, sent

by Spain as the first official colonists, immigrated, and the cornerstone for San Fernando church was laid to mark the town center. By August the same year, the first municipal elections were held.

Growth during the first 150 years was pretty slow. By 1803, San Antonio counted 2,500 residents. By 1870 – after the Battle of the Alamo, the establishment of the Republic of Texas, U.S. statehood and the Civil War – the population numbered 12,000. Just seven years later, after the railroad arrived, inhabitants more than tripled to 37,000. The strong military presence brought more folks to town, as did a big exodus from Mexico during its revolutionary years.

And, look at us now: The seventhlargest city nationwide, with nearly 1.5 million residents – more than 2

million if you count the surrounding metropolitan area – and still one of the fastest-growing U.S. regions. Of course, there’s urban sprawl, traffic and all the headaches of big-city life to challenge us.

So, as we celebrate our 300th, it’s also critical to keep focused on planning for the future.

San Antonio is used to change. In 1968, years of planning came to fruition in HemisFair, the international exhibition, which played a major role in transforming downtown and establishing the city as a gateway to Latin and South America.

The fair lost money, but it changed the collective mindset of San Antonio. An equally important part of our history was the creation of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

It’s going to be hard to top such sweeping change for San Antonio’s big 3-0-0. The city’s Tricentennial Commission, led by Edward Benavides and Asia Ciaravino and a formidable board of directors (including Canary

Islands native and longtime champion of San Antonio international trade Dr. Alfonso Chiscano), promises great things.

We’ll start seeing the gradual rollout this spring.

Everyone will surely notice widespread emphasis on the historical Spanish missions after the honor of being designated a World Heritage Site. It will be fascinating to see how far along plans have come for an extensive revamping of the Alamo Plaza area by the city and state. A redesign of the HemisFair grounds will be further along.

I also hope the University of Texas at San Antonio Institute of Texan Cultures, originally built during HemisFair, will have a premiere place in showcasing the diverse and fascinating history of our corner of the state.

Right now, plans are still forming.

Check out celebrate2018.com and see how you can contribute. Let’s party like there is a tomorrow – a great one! syerkes@localcommunitynews.com

AS WE CELEBRATE OUR 300TH, IT’S ALSO CRITICAL TO KEEP FOCUSED ON PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE.

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OUR TURN Views and opinions about your community

Ride-hailing firms offer more options

T

he return of ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft to San Antonio this past fall — and new kid on the block, Get Me, in mid-January — will help accelerate the pace of affordable mass transit, especially for those on a tight budget.

While this is not to disparage the professional cab drivers who work tirelessly as ambassadors for the Alamo City, Uber and Lyft — with their hipster appeal to millennials, young professionals, students and others watching their pennies — open yet another avenue to accessible transportation in a growing city.

In spite of the bump in the road last April 1, when Uber and Lyft stopped operating in San Antonio (though rides continued in the suburbs), city fathers such as District 8

5 Councilman Ron Nirenberg worked hard to get both revving again on local streets.

As Nirenberg told the media, the requirements placed on both companies

by San Antonio at the time were in essence needless roadblocks, and created barriers to more transportation in an already heavily regulated industry.

Ride-hailing businesses also provide a private-sector answer to subsidized, public mass-transit systems by offering affordable, reliable and rapid door-to-door services.

These transportation network companies aren’t getting a free pass from San Antonio, either. Their services are on a nine-month trial basis, which will be reviewed to ensure there are no safety issues or other concerns.

The three are now on board with city terms stipulating increased vetting of drivers, overseen by the San Antonio Police Department.

Prospective customers access ride-hailing services through cellphone apps, and local drivers using personal vehicles shuttle these assigned passengers. With the city’s program, patrons can now verify operators who underwent additional background clearances.

It’s good to see the brakes have been taken off free enterprise and given the green light.

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

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6

JAN. 25 - FEB. 29, 2016

HAPPENING LOCAL

technology and touch on legal issues, and will answer questions. He’ll finish with a live demonstration. The library is at 20735 Wilderness Oak Road.

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

OUR GUIDE TO YOUR MONTH

HAPPENING KEY

NEISD TRUSTEES North East Independent School District 8 trustees are scheduled to meet at 5:30 p.m. in the NEISD board room, 8961 Tesoro Drive.

FEBRUARY

FITNESS

MADISON PRODUCTION Madison High School’s Theatre 4-6 Arts will present “Once Upon a Mattress” at 7 p.m. on campus, 5005 Stahl Road. For more, contact Courtney Lejeune at clejeu@neisd.net.

FEBRUARY

SUESSICAL THE MUSICAL For a bit of whimsy, the drama 4-6 department at MacArthur High School, 2923 MacArthur View St., is mounting a production of “Suessical the Musical” in Brady Memorial Auditorium.

Times are 7 p.m. Feb. 4 and Feb. 5; 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Feb. 6. For details, email Maggie Tonra at m-tonra@neisd.net.

FEBRUARY

THE MUSIC MAN Theatre Arts at Churchill 4-7 High School will put on “The Music Man” at 7 p.m. Feb. 4-6 and 2:30 p.m. Feb. 7 in Lanny Naegelin

FEBRUARY

ART

EVENT

OUTDOOR

MUSIC

FOOD

Theater on campus, 12049 Blanco Road.

Tickets are $10. For more, contact Clark Stevens at csteve4@neisd.net.

GET EDUCATED North East Independent School District’s 6 Community Education is holding a Community Education Fair 10 a.m. to noon in the Northeast Community Learning Center, Room 217, at 8750 Tesoro Drive.

Explore spring classes, visit with instructors, get hands-on demonstrations and register on-site for the sessions you want to take.

Light refreshments will be provided.

FEBRUARY

UNDERSTANDING DRONES Drone pilot Justin Moore, 6 a Hollywood Park resident, will present “Drones – Public Menace or Life-Saving Technology?” from 1 to 3 p.m. in Meeting Room A at Parman Branch Library. Moore will explain the

FEBRUARY

Changing Lives One Smile At A Time! $90.00 New Patient Special Offer includes comprehensive examination, oral cancer screening, x-rays, intra-oral diagnostic photos, routine cleaning and consultation. ($378.00 value)

BARSHOP JCC JEWISH FESTIVAL Through 13-17 FILM five days of film screenings, the Barshop Jewish Community Center aims to educate the community about Jewish identity, history and culture. The films will be shown at the Santikos Embassy 14 Theatres, 13707 Embassy Row. “Sabena Hijacking – My Version” opens the festival at 8 p.m. Feb. 13; in succeeding days, the shows are at 2, 5 and 7:30 p.m. For a full list of films and times, as well as seating and ticket information, go to www.jccsanantonio.org and click on Film Events under Arts & Culture.

FEBRUARY

HOLLYWOOD PARK The regular City Council 16 meeting is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. at City Hall, 2 Mecca Drive.

FEBRUARY

SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION The San Antonio 17 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 before the gathering.

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

FEBRUARY

CHRONIC PAIN SUPPORT GROUP Meetings are from 4 to 6 p.m.

17 the third Wednesday of each month at Baptist HealthLink, 288 W. Bitters Road. One main topic per hour is covered in group discussions, which may be large or small. A syllabus and

FEBRUARY

HAPPENING continues on pg. 07

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RETIRED TEACHERS MEETING North San Antonio Retired 17 Teachers Association holds its monthly meeting at San Pedro Presbyterian Church, 14900 U.S. 281 North. A 9:45 a.m. “meet and greet” will precede the program, which begins at 10:15 a.m. The group meets the third Wednesday of each month during the school year. Members are encouraged to bring friends.

FEBRUARY

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SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM FEBRUARY

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EVENING AGLOW MEETING San Antonio Evening Aglow 18 International, a Christian “transformational kingdom” group, meets the third Thursday 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. For more, visit www.aglow.com.

FEBRUARY

HOLLYWOOD PARK PLAY GROUP Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m., Hollywood Park moms and their small children can get together for playtime and snacks; meet at the swimming pool. For more information, call Janet Ruiz, 313-6098.

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TUESDAYS

BASURA BASH The annual cleanup of area waterways will 20 take place from 8 a.m. to noon, beginning at specific volunteer gathering spots. Assembly points along Salado Creek include Walker Ranch park, 12603 West Ave. (at the parking area off of Rhapsody Drive), and the trailhead at Robert Tobin Park, 150 Ira Lee near Loop 410. To volunteer, go to basurabash.org and click on Choose a Tributary under Event Information. The assembly points for each site are given, along with a registration link for that site.

FEBRUARY

UT Medicine Senior Health

DISTRICT 9 NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE Meetings are 23 held the fourth Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. in Stone Oak Methodist Hospital, 1139 E. Sonterra Blvd., in classroom No. 1. The hospital is just off U.S. 281 North. For more, call Art Downey, alliance president, at 497-8873.

HAPPENING continues from pg. 06

FELINE FRIDAYS The Animal Defense League will focus on reducing overpopulation by spaying or neutering 30 owned cats and 30 feral cats every Friday. Animals can be brought in 7 to 9 a.m., and it’s first come, first served until the 60 slots are filled. Fees range from $35 to $70, and owned cats must have proof of rabies vaccination. The cats will be ready for pickup between 4 and 5 p.m. the same day. The surgeries are performed at ADL’s hospital, 11215 Iota Drive, just off Nacogdoches Road. For more, go to

ONGOING

HAPPENING continues on pg. 08

UT Medicine Senior Health has board certified doctors and a caring staff who specialize in the challenges facing older adults.

Call (210) 450-9890 for appointments.

Visit UTMedSeniorHealth.org for more information.

2829 Babcock Road, Suite 525, San Antonio, Texas 78229

(located within CHRISTUS Santa Rosa North West, Tower 1)

Resurrection Baptist Church One Church,Two Campuses

Schertz Campus 1002 Live Oak Road Schertz TX

Redland Oaks Campus 16875 Jones Maltsberger Road San Antonio, TX

Ray Brown, Senior Pastor Worship Service: Sunday - Schertz: 7:45, 11:00a Redland Oaks: 9:30a Mid-Week Service: Wednesday - Schertz: 7:00p Redland Oaks: 7:00p Webcast: Sunday and Mid-Week Services Live on Website For directions to our campuses, go to: www.myrbconlne.org, download our mobile app, or call us at 210-658-0459

Radio Broadcast on KDRY 11:00AM Monday-Friday @ 4:00 & 10:00p, Saturday @ 2:00p, Sunday @ 3:00p

8

JAN. 25 - FEB. 29, 2016

HAPPENING continues from pg. 07 adltexas.org and click on Spay/Neuter Services under Programs & Services.

JAVA WITH JOE District 9 ONGOING Councilman Joe Krier meets with the public at his field office, 16500 U.S. 281 North at Thousand Oaks Drive. Resident appointments, in 15-minute intervals, are 9-11 a.m.

For more regarding dates selected and reserving time, contact district9@ sanantonio.gov or call 207-0955.

ELSEWHERE IN SAN ANTONIO

SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS, CAMP 1325 4 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. Speaker Richard Brewer’s subject is “The Dangerous Texas Frontier.” The Camp meets the first Thursday of each month. For more, visit www.alamocityguards.com.

FEBRUARY

FEBRUARY

4

AUDUBON SOCIETY MEETING The monthly meeting of the San Antonio Audubon

Society starts at 7 p.m. at The First Tee, 915 E. Mulberry Ave. For more, call 308-6788 or go to saaudubon.org.

“THE DIVINERS” The Barshop Community Center’s 4-28 Jewish Sheldon Vexler Theatre presents a drama, set in small-town Indiana during the Great Depression, that follows the friendship between a childlike young man and a disillusioned preacher. Performances are at 7:30 p.m.

Thursdays, 8 p.m. Saturdays and 2:30 p.m.

Sundays. Tickets, $16-$22, are available by calling the box office, 302-6835. The Vex is on the Campus of the San Antonio Jewish Community, 12500 N.W. Military Highway at Wurzbach Parkway.

FEBRUARY

ASIAN FESTIVAL With the Chinese Zodiac’s 13 Year of the Monkey just a few days old, the distinctive cultures of a wide swath of the globe will be celebrated from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the grounds of the Institute of Texan Cultures. Skills ranging from flower arranging to martial arts will be on display, along with traditions, music and cuisine. Adult tickets are $10 at the gate, or $5 for children 6-12; younger children are admitted free. The Institute is at 801 E. Cesar Chavez Blvd.

FEBRUARY

SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS, CAMP 153 16 Hood’s Texas Brigade, Camp 153, meets 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.

FEBRUARY

SAN ANTONIO CIVIL WAR ROUND TABLE 18 The group meets the third Thursday of each month at Grady’s Bar-B-Q, 6510 San Pedro Ave., for a 6 p.m. dinner and 7 p.m. meeting. Those interested in Civil War history are invited to share stories and ideas. No reservations are required. For more, contact Nancy Hodges at lyndz76@yahoo.com or Daniel Snell at surveyking@satx.rr.com.

FEBRUARY

STUDIO TOUR The ninth On and Off 20, 21 annual Fredericksburg Road Studio Tour offers a look at the work spaces and galleries of a wide array of artists in neighborhoods stretching from the Jefferson area east to Beacon Hill and Alta Vista. Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Feb. 20 and noon-5 p.m. Feb. 21. There’s no admission fee; catalogs with a full

FEBRUARY

list of artists and venues are available for $10 in advance or $15 on tour days.

For more, including where to purchase catalogs, go to onandofffred.org.

NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY OF TEXAS The monthly 23 meeting of the organization’s San Antonio chapter will start with a seed and native plant exchange at 6:30 p.m., followed by the program at 7. The meeting site is Lions Field Adult Center, 2809 Broadway.

FEBRUARY

THE POWER OF A DREAM Villa Finale Museum & 25 Gardens, 401 King William St., presents a talk by professor and architect William Dupont. His titles include director of the University of Texas at San Antonio's Center for Cultural Sustainability, and he will discuss the center’s work in preserving cultural heritage in ways that also improve quality of life. The conversation starts at 6 p.m. in the home’s Napoleon Parlors; tickets, $30, can be reserved by calling 223-9800.

FEBRUARY

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SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM

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

Open and Opening Soon

Address of local business Name of local business

1. LENNY’S SUBS, 17910 Bulverde Road, Suite 101 in the Bulverde Crossing shopping center, is an expanding national chain serving up sandwiches on freshbaked craft breads, featuring “World’s Best Philly Cheesesteaks” and meatball subs.

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

Sunday. For more, call 494-2132 or visit www.lennys.com. (See story on page 19)

collectibles and some sports memorabilia.

The store aims to offer the lowest prices and best customer service, and “the 20 percent discount on comic subscriptions can’t be beat,” according to a release. Hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For more, call 988-2339.

2. FAST AID URGENT CARE, 17910

Bulverde Road, Suite 115 in the Bulverde Crossing shopping center, offers minor emergency medical care, flu shots and physicals. Hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

For more, call 906-8478 or visit www. fastaid-uc.com. (See story on page 18)

N. Loop 1604 West, Suite 115 in The Vineyard at Blanco Road, offers fine linens, soft furnishings, bedspreads, decorative pillows, drapery panels, throws, bed skirts, upholstered headboards and home accessories. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. To learn more, visit www.lilialessandra. com or facebook.com/lilialessandra.

3. ALAMO CITY COMICS, 15681 U.S.

IN OTHER NEWS

281 North, carries comic books, toys, trading-card games, clothing, hard-to-find

4. LILI ALESSANDRA HOME, 1207

THE UNIVERSITY INTERSCHOLASTIC LEAGUE, the state’s governing body for

extracurricular public school activities, will release its biennial lists of competitive football and basketball districts for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 school years on Feb. 1.

Most area high schools are expected to remain in Class 6A, though their district assignments could hinge on reassignments of other regional schools. In November, the UIL announced plans to raise 6A enrollments by 50 students – from a base of 2,100 students to 2,150 and above.

North East Independent School District’s seven high schools – Churchill, Johnson, Lee, MacArthur, Madison, Reagan and Roosevelt – currently alone in District 26-6A, could either stand pat or be joined by others in changing the area’s competitive road map. The same could be said in District 25-6A, which last fall saw four of its seven football teams advance to the state quarterfinals for the first time since 2007. Steele, Clemens, Canyon, Smithson Valley, Judson, Wagner and New Braunfels might continue competing in the same district, see one of them join the NEISD schools, or possibly join an Austin-area 6A district. The announcement will be televised live in a morning broadcast on Fox Sports Southwest.

THE NORTH EAST INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT IS THE FIRST in San Antonio to

receive the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm to School Program grant of $45,000.

According to Sharon Glosson, executive director of NEISD’s School Nutrition Services, the district is planning to use the grant to build relationships with local producers and brainstorm ways to increase local purchasing for school cafeterias.

Some of the funds will also be used to assist with school garden planning and maintenance. The district is now eligible to apply for future implementation grants through USDA to fund more projects developed during this planning phase.

EVERY NORTH EAST INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT FACILITY NOW HAS access to SMART boards, as a result of the 2011 Bond Project’s Chalkboard Replacement Program. The SMART Board is a line of interactive whiteboards produced by Smart Technologies of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The SMART Boards went for a test run in a few math and science classrooms in 2009 and have now replaced all existing classroom chalkboards. The new installations include two dry-erase marker white boards on the sides of the SMART Boards. A total of 1,854 chalkboards were replaced across 46

LOWDOWN continues on pg. 10

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LOWDOWN continues from pg. 09 school district facilities, including some with dry-erase white boards covering chalkboards. NEISD sought to do away with chalkboards and chalk dust completely in the interest of comfort for asthmatic students, officials said.

NORTH CENTRAL THOUSAND OAKS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION 2016 memberships are due. The application is available online at nctona.com. The fee is $25, a little more than $2 per month, officials said. Memberships can be paid by using PayPal. There is also a place on the form for residents to choose to volunteer. Several committees are open, including chairman slots, and volunteers are needed for Cellular on Patrol.

THE INSTALLATION OF SIGNS BEGAN IN in January along Nacogdoches and Perrin Beitel roads to mark the El Camino Real Trail as it winds through City Council District 10 and beyond, according to Councilman Mike Gallagher. The modern roads are part of the original El Camino Real, which was used by very early Spanish settlers in Texas dating back to the 1600s to travel between various missions and other destinations. “San Antonio is a city rich in history, and I am pleased to see our own district receive historical distinction,” Gallagher said.

“We will be announcing ribbon cutting details as they are made available.”

BEXAR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT ON DEC. 15 unanimously approved an interlocal agreement with eight suburban cities in creating a cooperative purchasing program to give them greater acquisition power for commodities and services. Under the agreements, Schertz, Selma, Elmendorf, Grey Forest, Hollywood Park, Kirby, Leon Valley and Sandy Oaks can ride Bexar County contracts with vendors at no extra cost to the county. The co-op allows the cities to reduce expenses when obtaining goods and services, and increase participation of potential sellers in the bid-solicitation process. Adding more municipalities to the cooperative is probable. Participating cities will pay a 1 percent administration fee for each purchase made through the co-op, but the county has the ability to increase or decrease amounts in maintaining costneutral responsibilities for Bexar County.

CITY MANAGER SHERYL SCULLEY HAS appointed retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Noel Thomas Jones to serve as the city’s aviation director on a temporary basis after Frank Miller stepped down. Jones’ 12-month appointment began Jan. 11; the city will conduct a national search

JAN. 25 - FEB. 29, 2016 for a permanent director. Jones retired from the military on Sept. 1, 2015.

His final post was vice commander of Air Force operations in Europe.

BOTH TIP TOP CAFE LOCATIONS including the one at 13835 Nacogdoches Road will allow opencarry weapons in their restaurants.

The new law went into effect Jan. 1.

“That’s what the law allows,” said Jim Scott, Tip Top Cafe managing partner. “We will not infringe on the Second Amendment rights of our customers. An armed society is a civil society.” The company has been in continuous operation since 1938, and is known for its award-winning chicken fried steak and golden onion rings. For more, visit www.dewesestiptopcafe.com.

Under the new law, a person can carry a handgun openly or concealed as long as he or she is licensed by Texas or a state with reciprocity, according to opencarrytexas. org. By law, the handgun must be carried in a “shoulder or belt holster.”

SPURS SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT RECENTLY ANNOUNCED AN AGREEMENT with Bexar County and San Antonio to operate a new soccer franchise at Toyota Field in 2016. The deal, announced Dec. 22, may be a forerunner to local Major League Soccer. The city and county purchased the 8,500-seat stadium for $18 million.

SS&E agreed to a 20-year lease to run all operations, pursue an MLS club and donate $3 million to Morgan’s Wonderland, a special-needs theme park adjacent to Toyota Field at the corner of Wurzbach Parkway and Thousand Oaks Drive. In a release, SS&E stated it will operate a United Soccer League team beginning this year. USL is the largest professional soccer organization in North America, comprised of independent and MLSowned and operated squads. The accord eliminates the San Antonio Scorpions, a North American Soccer League team based at Toyota Field since 2013. “We are very excited to continue the growth of soccer in San Antonio, and we plan to operate a USL franchise as part of a proven path to Major League Soccer,” said Rick Pych, SS&E president of business operations.

“We look forward to bringing the highest level of soccer to San Antonio.” SS&E will also maintain the nearby South Texas Area Regional Soccer Complex, housing fields and additional resources for youth and adult recreational soccer leagues. Added Mayor Ivy Taylor, “The city and county’s purchase of Toyota Field is the first step toward bringing (an) MLS team to San Antonio. Today’s announcement marks significant progress toward achieving our shared goal.” Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff and Morgan’s Wonderland founder and Scorpions owner Gordon Hartman issued statements of support.

11

SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM CLINIC continues from pg. 01

Pro-life activists say more needs to be done

by RON AARON EISEBERG

T

he opening of a Planned Parenthood facility near a neighborhood has prompted District 10 Councilman Mike Gallagher to champion revised zoning that could limit where future outpatient surgery and dental offices are located.

The move — which calls for more notifications of residents and neighborhood groups, as well as additional scrutiny

by City Council — is being hailed as a victory by pro-life activists.

Gallagher’s amendment to the city’s Uniform Development Code, approved by City Council in a 7-4 vote in December, tightens the rules on opening ambulatory surgical centers and dental offices in neighborhood-

The opening of a Planned Parenthood office near a Northwest Side neighborhood led District 10 Councilman Mike Gallagher to push for changes to the Uniform Development Code, allowing neighbors more notification of potential clinics and dental offices. Photo by Rudy B. Ornelas

commercial and C-1 zoning districts.

“I am very much pleased with the UDC changes,” Gallagher said. “The changes now allow neighborhoods to have a voice in a very important process.”

In a community newsletter, Gallagher said by requiring a conditional use for the neighborhood-commercial and C-1 zoning districts, “Any business that falls under

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This allows neighborhood associations to receive prior notification “of a potential new clinic, or medical or dental operation requesting to operate

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in their area, and indicate their opinion to the Zoning Commission and their council member before a vote,” the Northeast Side councilman added.

Neighborhood-commercial districts include “small areas for offices, professional services, service and shopfront retail uses; all designed in scale with surrounding residential development,” according to a city website. Examples include petgrooming shops and bookstores.

C-1 districts involve commercial areas that have heavier traffic. They can include video-game arcades, small-animal clinics, office-supply stores and apartments.

San Antonio Family Association Chairman Patrick Von Dohlen called the Gallagher amendment “a pro-family, proresidential property owners’ rights victory.”

“With its passage, the Gallagher amendment should help bring public awareness of most any future situation where there is an attempt to move an abortion facility next to family homes,” he said.

For anti-abortion activists, the issue over locating same-day surgical centers came to a head when Planned Parenthood of South Texas purchased a building at 2140 Babcock Road in District 8 Councilman Ron Nirenberg’s district. The building, close to

CLINIC continues on pg. 12

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the Dreamhill Estates neighborhood, had previously been used for medical procedures.

According to its website, this Planned Parenthood doesn’t perform abortions but offers referrals.

Under zoning regulations at the time, the Zoning Commission and council found no reason to stop Planned Parenthood from locating on Babcock Road. The family of clinics provide a variety of women’s health services.

In addition to Gallagher and District 9 Councilman Joe Krier, Mayor Ivy Taylor and council members Alan Warrick, Ray Lopez, Cris Medina and Rebecca Viagran voted for the change.

It does not affect the Planned Parenthood facility on Babcock Road because UDC amendments are not retroactive.

“All surrounding property owners deserve to be notified openly in advance and have a chance to speak out about a new ASC (ambulatory surgical center) moving in next to them,” Dohlen said.

Gallagher hailed the change in the UDC. “I wanted to be sure neighborhoods had a voice in any changes involving dental offices or ambulatory surgical units,” he said.

“I had received a number of emails on the issue; complaints about neighbors not being

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the (South Texas) Medical Center oppose all our health centers, no matter where they are located,” Posada said. “We have made no changes to increase the building’s external footprint. This is the same 22,000-squarefoot medical office building where people have been seeking health care for 32 years.”

She added, “We’ve been providing health care at our new clinic since last summer, including Pap tests that screen for cervical cancer, breast exams, a wide range of birth-control options, abortion care, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, HIV testing and so much more.”

The issue is far from resolved, however. Dohlen called for “further changes in the UDC to address the definition of ambulatory surgical centers as it applies to abortion clinics.”

And he promised, “SAFA’s work to educate and bring justice to this improper situation will continue.”

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involved in the decision to place Planned Parenthood in the Dreamhill neighborhood.”

The clinics do not have to seek approval beforehand if locating in more substantial business districts such as C-2 or C-3.

Nirenberg, who cast a dissenting vote, said, “Neighborhoods have every right to have a voice in the process of rezoning and we do.”

“Unfortunately, the UDC amendment that was passed only paid lip service to that right – the vast majority of properties adjacent to residential areas are (zoned) C-2 and above and were untouched by the amendment,” he added.

“The end result is more red tape with no net effect. That’s bad governance,” Nirenberg said.

Planned Parenthood of South Texas spokeswoman Mara Posada noted the UDC amendment does not affect the facility on Babcock Road.

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Ride-hailing services Uber and Lyft have returned to San Antonio after ironing out differences with the City Council; in January, they were joined by Get Me. Passengers use an app to summon drivers. The companies are operating on a nine-month trial basis that will be reviewed by the city. Photo by Collette Orquiz

RIDE-HAILING continues from pg. 01

Uber plans to hire 10,000 more area drivers

by WILL WRIGHT

S

hortly after North Side passengers resumed using their apps to call on ridehailing services Uber and Lyft, a third shuttle service announced its debut in mid-January.

The new transit company, Get Me, joined the local ride-hailing competition on Jan. 14. The Dallasbased startup, which launched in 2014, not only caters to customers but also offers delivery services.

All three programs will operate on a test-drive basis over the next few months while the city determines how its new ride-hailing regulations are working out.

“If we find we need to tighten safety measures, we will,” said District 9 Councilman Joe Krier. “Public safety was one of the city’s main goals throughout negotiations with Uber and Lyft.”

Terri Hall, founder and director of the anti-toll group Texans Uniting for Reform & Freedom, praised the companies as alternatives to government mass transit.

“(Uber and Lyft) are the privatesector solution to safe, affordable, reliable and fast door-to-door service without government subsidized mass-transit systems,” she said. “We welcome them to San Antonio to provide practical options for the many (of those) who cannot yet afford a car of their own.”

Last spring, San Francisco-based competitors Uber and Lyft refused to follow stricter rules imposed by San Antonio, which required additional driver drug testing and background checks, plus additional scrutiny over vehicle inspections and insurance requirements.

During the summer, however, the city structured its new transportation network company ordinance for a ninemonth trial period, which includes a review of short-term effects and allows planners to propose changes “if the public safety or other data shows a need,” according to Mayor Ivy Taylor.

Both companies ceased operating in San Antonio on April 1, 2015, but continued in area suburbs, which mainly chose not to regulate.

Taylor asked city staffers to review the situation and suggest a model, which eventually paved the way for both businesses to return.

After a series of negotiations, preliminary agreements were reached when City Council approved revisions for ride-hailing operations on Aug. 13.

Uber hit the streets in October; Lyft rode in early in December. The duo is now on board with city terms calling for

RIDE-HAILING continues on pg. 14

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increased vetting of drivers, conducted by the San Antonio Police Department.

“Along with Uber, Lyft agreed to enter a pilot program with the city in which their drivers can voluntarily undergo additional background checks that will be included on their app profile,” Taylor said.

“We can’t know exactly what the utilization, costs or benefits of TNCs will be because we haven’t yet had these companies operating in San Antonio under our new system,” Taylor added. “We may have to adjust the structure in the future, but we often carry out this kind of analysis regarding city services and contracts, and TNCs will be no different.”

Prospective customers access ridehailing services through cellphone apps and are assigned local drivers using personal vehicles. With the city’s program, patrons can now verify operators who underwent additional background clearances through company mobile apps prior to scheduling rides.

Despite adverse publicity alleging misconduct by some ride-hailing drivers, as well as cabbies, in other cities, no such reports have surfaced in San Antonio as of early 2016.

Mike Gallagher, District 10

councilman, said, “There are currently no statistics on recent criminal activity for TNCs in San Antonio,” adding residents have the option to choose a driver who willingly underwent a 10-point background check with the SAPD. Gallagher said a council committee will examine developments during the trial period.

“We will be reviewing how the initiative has unfurled, and analyze how the public has utilized this new feature,” he said.

District 8 Councilman Ron Nirenberg said the city initially overreacted.

“The regulatory requirements that were imposed by cities like San Antonio — and later rolled back — were unnecessary obstacles to doing business here,” he said.

“I have seen no instances that should lead us to re-impose harsher regulations.”

After resuming operations, Uber issued a search for 2,000 additional local drivers and in January, announced plans to add 10,000 more area drivers before the end of the year.

During a Jan. 6 event attended by Taylor and other local officials, the company unveiled a new program.

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SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM

Sandy Matejka can’t help but smile when she sees her analog meter after struggling to get one from CPS Energy for over a year. The utility calls analog meters outdated and is replacing them citywide with smart meters, which can be read remotely and don't require a field visit. Photo by Collette Orquiz

SMART METER continues from pg. 01

CPS says smart meters reliable, no risk to health

by COLLETTE ORQUIZ

A

s CPS Energy continues building its smart grid to cut costs and increase efficiency by using wireless meters and other 21st century technology, some North Side residents are deciding to opt out.

They instead are exercising a provision that allows them to replace a smart meter with one that still requires a field visit from a meter reader, and they want other customers to know about the program.

“I just want the option to control my environment and my property,” said Sandy Matejka, who lives in the Thousand Oaks subdivision. “If someone makes a modification to my home, I want to know about it. It’s my home.”

According to CPS officials, the utility’s goal is to replace 740,000 electric analog and offsite meter-reading devices, or OMRs, as well as enhance 340,000 gas meters, with so-called smart meters by 2018. Smart meters use communication infrastructure — Wi-Fi, fiber or cellular — to report readings to the utility.

To date, 325,000 smart meters and devices have been installed.

“Analog meters, like rotary phones, are outdated and essentially not being manufactured any longer,” said CPS spokeswoman Christine Patmon. “Smart meters offer customers improved technology

and are the necessary foundation for our online portal, which provides customers a near real-time look at their energy use, and awareness to save.”

Rate increases totaling $290 million approved by City Council helped fund the program. In 2011, CPS rolled out the Smart Grid Initiative pilot program and installed 40,000 smart meters on homes.

Matejka said she wasn’t informed about the smart-grid program. CPS officials counter that they told customers 30 days before installation and reminded ratepayers by phone a week before the switch.

Matejka added she would have liked a choice to opt in to the smartgrid program rather than opt out.

Customers wishing to opt out must be the resident whose name is on the bill and not have had their service turned off due to three or more nonpayments in any 12-month period. The opt-out period in the Smart Meter Xchange Program lasts a year.

Staying with 20th century tech can be a little costlier, too, CPS officials said.

Homeowners who already have a smart meter but want to change are required to pay a $175 exchange fee; it’s $35 for low-income customers. Those who still have their analog or OMR meters and would like to keep them do not have to pay the exchange fee, but there is still an additional charge — $20 — for a monthly visit by a meter reader.

Monthly meter-reading fees are $10 for low-income customers.

Opt-out fees cover the extra cost of sending an employee to read the meter manually, which includes labor, fuel and vehicle maintenance.

The opt-out form is available at https://www.cpsenergy.com/ en/about-us/programs-services/ smart-grid/smart-grid-opt-out.html.

Consumers can also call 353-4264.

SMART METER continues on pg. 16

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SMART METER continues from pg. 15 CPS switched to the Smart Grid Initiative to keep up with growing power demands as well as to cut costs by curtailing field visits by meter readers and paying for vehicle upkeep, officials said.

“City Council did not vote on these new meters, so CPS is just totally in control of all of this, which is unbelievable,” said Matthew Troy, a real estate agent who also lives in Thousand Oaks.

Critics from the North Side to Alamo Heights have worried that smart meters may be harmful because they emit and pulse radio frequencies similar to other wireless devices including cordless phones and baby monitors.

CPS officials say the frequency is well within safety limits set by the Federal Communications Commission.

“According to an in-depth review of the scientific literature by the World Health Organization, the small amount of radio-frequency energy produced by smart meters is not harmful to human health,” Patmon said.

Matejka said not everyone is affected by frequencies the same way, and argues there are varying sensitivity levels.

“My daughter has had very bad migraines, random migraines. I’m not

ILLUMINATING THE SMART GRID CPS Energy says the Smart Grid Initiative is a major upgrade to its electrical grid and consists of three main components: A communications network, which consists of communication devices installed on utility poles, street lights, communication towers and substations.

An advanced distribution management system, which allows CPS to remotely manage its system.

Smart meters, which will be installed on homes and businesses and will communicate wirelessly to CPS Energy through the communications network.

SOURCE: CPS Energy

a medical expert, I’m not a scientist, but these things started coincidentally around the same time,” Matejka said.

Some have also worried the wireless meters mean personal data is not secure, or give the utility the ability to control air conditioning, heating and monitor homeowners’ activities.

Some even claim the meters catch fire.

CPS argues these are nothing but myths.

Troy said he tried to get his home and a few of his rental houses taken off the smart grid after seeing countless YouTube videos of meters catching fire.

“I own those houses and I don’t understand why my tenants are getting to decide what’s going to go in my house,” said Troy, who eventually got

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an OMR installed on his home.

CPS said smart meters are reliable and have many benefits.

“When completed in 2018, the smart grid is going to allow us to have automated, two-way communication between us and our customers, to respond to isolated outages quicker, and start and stop services remotely,” Patmon said.

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SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM HOA continues from pg. 01

SB 1168 AT A GLANCE

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orth Side homeowners and property owners associations are having generally favorable reactions to several bills passed by the Legislature in 2015 governing their organizations.

While lawmakers had relatively little impact upon HOAs and POAs following their 2013 session, last year’s Legislature ratified 39 specific laws with wider ramifications for POAs, HOAs and condominium associations.

Now with nearly five months passing since the laws were enacted, neighborhood leaders have few complaints.

“The last legislative session was generally positive,” said Art Downey, a North Side resident and board president of Texas Neighborhoods Together, an alliance of communities.

Downey also serves with the Stone Oak Property Owners Association, an umbrella group, and with his subdivision’s HOA. He also has led the District 9 Neighborhood Alliance, a consortium of 30 organizations.

Arguably, Senate Bill 1168 carried the most significant weight with HOAs and POAs. The bill amended numerous provisions in state property code which governs condominium and subdivision associations. It went into effect Sept. 1.

SB 1168 was meant to clarify and correct some legal provisions adopted during the 2011 legislative session.

One of the more comprehensive amendments changed the procedures and requirements for HOA voting and elections.

For example, HOAs only need to provide one

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Expanded the list of topics requiring a 72-hour notice prior to a board meeting, i.e. ending or borrowing money, filling a board vacancy and capital improvements Sen. Royce West (D)

Rep. Jason Villalba (R)

Revamped HOA procedures for acting on violations by dividing infringements into two categories: fixable and "incurable."

method of voting to owners, but must make balloting available by absentee or proxy.

Also, recount demands should follow a specific timeline. In addition, written ballots are no longer required for every vote, but are needed in elections to fill a board position.

These are just some changes in rules affecting HOA voting and elections.

Dallas-area state Sen. Royce West, a Democrat, authored SB 1168. Rep. Jason Villalba, R-Dallas was the House sponsor.

“Senate Bill 1168 made it easier to understand a lot of requirements,” Downey said.

“Senator West has been following this issue closely. His office and ours found ambiguities in the statute,” said Connie Heyer of Niemann & Heyer, an Austin firm specializing in property-owner association law.

Niemann said, for the most part, SB 1168 helped to define HOA voting rules and “tighten up the intent of the statute.”

The bill affects other aspects of governing

by HOA directors, such as expanding the list of topics requiring a 72-hour notice prior to a board meeting. The added subjects include lending or borrowing money, filling a board vacancy and capital improvements.

Also, SB 1168 revamped HOA procedures for acting on violations. Heyer

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said the bill better defines the two types of infringements — fixable and “incurable.”

Examples of curable transgressions include parking or maintenance infractions, failure to construct improvements according to approved plans, and ongoing noise issues such as a barking dog.

Some instances of offenses considered not curable involve shooting fireworks, loud parties, property damage or changing a landscape.

“Everybody should be able to have a chance to cure their issue before there

are consequences,” Heyer said.

However, if violators don’t, notices sent to owners no longer have to give people a chance to fix them — a fine or damage assessment can be issued immediately.

“We closed loopholes in the statute there,” she added.

Downey said better definitions of violations help, but more improvement is needed.

“There’s kind of a fine line,” he said.

“There has to be a way to enforce it.”

Heyer said her firm has received mostly positive reviews so far from HOAs and POAs statewide about the new regulations. She and Downey agreed, though, the level of any new law’s effectiveness depends on a point of view.

“Board members are trying to enforce deed restrictions, and property managers are trying to do their jobs,” Heyer said. “It helps when your association is professionally managed. It’s getting more difficult for associations that aren’t managed professionally because laws are becoming more intricate.”

Understanding new rules is the key, Downey added.

“We have a lot more resources than smaller neighborhood groups,” Downey said, referring to his Stone Oak POA board. “A lot of boards generally want to understand how they should function under the law.”

18

JAN. 25 - FEB. 29, 2016

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n today’s fast-paced world, time is perhaps more valuable than ever. Charlie Heausler, an Army veteran and owner of Fast Aid Urgent Care, fully understands the concept.

When he opened one of the city’s latest urgent-care clinics, the goal was to provide patients with quality assistance when they need it, and with minimal wait time.

The health center at 17910 Bulverde Road, Suite 115, in the Bulverde Crossing shopping center opened just before ringing in the new year.

“When patients get sick, they usually call their primary-care doctor to get seen and many times they are already booked and can’t see them,” Heausler said. “That’s

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The staff treats folks of all ages, from newborns to the elderly.

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At the new Lenny's Subs, shift leader Analysa Cruz (far left, top) dresses a mile-high turkey sandwich that comes with turkey, provolone cheese and any toppings customers want; Cruz preparing a Philly cheesesteak (far left, bottom); and (left) a finished cheesesteak with grilled onions, jalapeños, beef and Swiss and American cheeses.

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by OLIVIER J. BOURGOIN

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spousing the belief everybody deserves great food, a Clark High School alumnus helped open a new sandwich shop Dec. 14 at 17910 Bulverde Road, Suite 101, in the Bulverde Crossing shopping center.

John Molina partnered with Austinbased attorney David Kazen to debut the first of what they hope will become several Lenny’s Subs, a national franchise.

“He is the brain and I’m the labor,” Molina said.

The sub shop’s service concept differs from many fast-food restaurants. Employees bring orders to tables and discard diners’ trash.

“We’re not looking for tips, but we want to take care of our customers.” Molina said.

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Hot subs are cooked fresh and meats aren’t sliced until orders are placed. Breads are baked fresh daily.

“We go through 200 to 250 rolls per day,” Molina said. “Here, there is no charge for alterations to the menu.

Customers are allowed to make choices.”

Molina’s favorite is the Philly cheesesteak, one of the chain’s most popular offerings, according to its napkinholder declaration of “24 million sold.”

“Add some grilled peppers, mayo, lettuce, tomatoes, mushroom, the works and you’re in for a treat. You can also add a little jalapeños if you want,” he said. “The company — which started in 1987 in Memphis and has about 30 outlets there — did (its) research.

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