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

Metrocom communities embrace ride-hailing services Frustrated by new San Antonio ordinance, Uber will operate outside city limits PG.14

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President Harold J. Lees Publisher Gregg Rosenfield Assoc. Publisher Rick Upton EDITORIAL Executive Editor Managing Editor Thomas Edwards Will Wright News Staff Collette Orquiz and Bain Serna Contributing Writers Olivier J. Bourgoin, Joyce Hotchkiss and Susan Yerkes ART Creative Director Florence D. Edwards Production Designer Pete Morales Contributing Photographer Rudy B. Ornelas Contributing Illustrator Jeremiah Teutsch ADVERTISING Advertising Director Marc Olson Account Manager Controller Shawn Hoey Keith Sanders READER SERVICE Mailing Address 4204 Gardendale Ste. 201 SA, TX 78229 Phone Fax (210) 338.8842 (210) 616.9677 Advertising Inquiries molson@salocallowdown.com Story Ideas tips@salocallowdown.com Website www.salocallowdown.com LOCAL Community News publications Zone 1: 78204, 78205, 78209, 78210, 78212, 78215 Zone 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.

Be heard in May 9 elections

S

tatistics indicate a nationwide trend toward declining voter turnouts for local elections, especially those held in the spring instead of November.

A good example can be found in Bexar County, principally during May elections.

Data for San Antonio and its suburban cities indicates voter turnouts dropped from 11.61 percent in 2009, to 7.07 percent in 2011, to 6.94 percent in 2013.

It’s important to note that voters cite a variety of reasons for going to the polls — and staying away, too. Some want to select their favorite candidates for elected positions, but research also indicates it’s the pocketbook issues that usually attract the most votes.

On May 9, North Side voters will consider seven candidates for two San Antonio City Council seats, choose from a crowded field of mayoral candidates and decide six ballot propositions. In Hollywood Park, Place 3 Councilman David Neugebauer faces one challenger.

Many residents will cast ballots during early voting, which began April 27 and lasts through May 5. Atop the San Antonio ballot is the race for mayor, where appointed incumbent Ivy Taylor will face several other hopefuls.

San Antonio’s District 9 election features incumbent Joe Krier, who seeks his first full term against three challengers – a year after winning a special election to fill the unexpired term. Another recent council appointee, Mike Gallagher, faces one challenger in his bid for a full term in District 10.

Six propositions – four involving changes to the San Antonio City Charter – will also be on the ballot.

It’s up to voters to play a vital role in deciding the issues and candidates that will have an impact on the futures of their communities.

WILL WRIGHT MANAGING EDITOR FACEBOOK.COM/SALOCALCOMMUNITYNEWS

3

SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM

LOCAL COMMENTARY

S.A. is proud to be Military City USA

by SUSAN YERKES

M

ay is national Military Appreciation Month, and it’s a good time to think about why San Antonio’s nickname — “Military City U.S.A.” — is so appropriate.

More than three centuries ago, conquistadores arrived at the San Antonio River and established the Presidio San Antonio de Béjar as the headquarters of Spanish colonial power. The Alamo was a strategic defense post in Texas’ struggle for independence. Texas Rangers and Confederate troops came and went.

In the 20th century, the U.S. military began a steady expansion here.

The first military airplane flew at Fort

Sam Houston’s parade field in 1910, and by 1950 Randolph, Kelly and Lackland were official Air Force bases.

While the federal Base Realignment and Closure process shook the city with the shutdown of Kelly AFB, more change has expanded Brooke Army Medical Center and rebuilt Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, now part of the massive Joint Base San Antonio.

Lackland is also the beating heart of Air Force basic training. Fifty Fridays a year, hundreds of young men and women graduate from basic to become airmen.

In April, I attended one of those graduations, along with hundreds of invited friends and family members who hailed from across the country to cheer their loved ones as they stepped into the Air Force ranks. After the ceremony, I noticed real estate agent John Thurman, a tall civilian gentleman, warmly greeting some of those visitors as they swarmed out of the paradeground bleachers.Thurman has become a passionate proponent of civilian outreach to the rank-and-file military folks stationed here, and to those who visit town to see enlistees or do business.

As an “Honorary Commander,” an unofficial designation given to civilian volunteers who help the Air

Force (the Army calls them “Honorary Quartermasters”), Thurman wants families to know San Antonio is a friendly place, one they’ll want to enjoy while they’re here, and return to in the future.

Thurman is one of many such community volunteers, from the venerable MilitaryCivilian Club and the Ambassadors program to the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce’s Military Affairs Committee.

It’s not just about patriotism, or warm and fuzzy feelings for the folks in the armed services. It’s also good business to appreciate visitors. One recent study indicates that military-related visits generate 2 million hotel-room stays a year. And that’s just one aspect of the enormous economic and professional impact the military has on our town.

This year, as groups and individuals around town geared up for May’s Military Appreciation Month events, headlines announced the Army is considering a $95 billion budget cut and “force reduction.”

The Chamber estimated the city could lose thousands of military and civilian personnel over the next five years.

The hard fact is that these days, while the military presence is still strong here, America’s armed forces are eversmaller and leaner, if no less proud and patriotic. In World War II, when Kelly

was in its heyday, more than 10 percent of Americans had family members in the service. Today that number has shrunk to less than 1 percent. And there’s not much that most folks can do about it but adapt.

Thurman and many other San Antonians are doing what they can to boost San Antonio’s image with the many visitors who travel here to visit or work with the military.

Just saying “thank you” to active-duty folks and veterans is another way we can all help – as many do. The nonprofit Paseo del Rio Association’s May 16 America's Armed Forces River Parade is a great time to show your support. From May 1-16, you can also donate to the group’s Yellow Ribbon Project. For a $5 donation, you can sponsor a yellow ribbon to help line the River Walk as a visible show of gratitude (see https://www.thesanantonioriverwalk. com/events/yellow-ribbon-project). This fall, San Antonio’s Celebrate America's Military, organized annually around Veterans Day, is another time when opportunities to say “thank you” abound.

As Military City U.S.A, we have much to be proud of, and much to be grateful for. How can you help express that in your life today?

For comments, email syerkes@ salocallowdown.com.

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APRIL 27 - JUNE 2, 2015

HAPPENING LOCAL

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

OUR GUIDE TO YOUR MONTH

HAPPENING KEY

FITNESS

ART

HOLLYWOOD PARK GARAGE SALE The Hollywood Park Homeowners’ Association is sponsoring the annual City-Wide Garage Sale. For more, visit the HOA’s website at www.hptxhoa.com.

APR 30 - MAY 2

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.

MAY 7

MAY 7

TALK

OUTDOOR

MUSIC

FOOD

YMCA of Greater San Antonio invite the community to come together for a day of prayer, peace and reflection during the Annual Prayer Breakfast, 7:30-8:30 a.m. at Trinity Baptist Church’s Tripoint Center, 3233 N. St. Mary’s St. at U.S. 281 North.

Scheduled guests include Mayor Ivy Taylor, Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller of the Archdiocese of San Antonio and Rabbi Mara Nathan of Temple Beth-El. Doors open and breakfast is served at 6:45 a.m.; pre-service music starts at 7:15 a.m. Cost is $10 for individuals; tables for eight are $80, and are available by calling Trinity Baptist Church at 733-6201 or visiting online at www.dayofprayersa.com.

NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER CELEBRATION Trinity Baptist Church and the

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MAY 11

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

N E I GH BO R N E I GH BO R N E I GH BO R H e llo

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S A L E S Call Bob Clark at yo uo t oan swe rn yo uryo M e dic are que s .Le t me h' e l p yo be c me fl ue t in M e dic are an dtio tn os ge th e r we l l fin du a plan MAY planthroughouttheyear.Cal l me t oday to fin do utif uds qual if y. t h at may fit yo ur n ee .are Chiropractor, speaker and author A GE N TS I N C E2 0 0 7 or email to reservations@sarsat.

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C me to day t oat fin dl o ut if yo q ual if y.ntina MedicareAdvantage at his Lifestyle Chiropractic and Wellness C all no w rye a. pe rs o nal c o ns n.

T h e repo are n umbe r al ol f reas o nst h al o w ultatio f o r uen ro ll me ® A GE N T S I N C E 2 0 0 7A U N I T E D H E A L T H C R ES A L E S M e di c are S o l uti o ns rtfo l i o pro duc tsw i th i n th eU ni te dH e al th c are Tatri here are at n umbe ro o f as on sar. that al lo f ort en rollme tin a ut Me dic are A dvan tage p l an h ro ut th e ye C al lwme o day ton fin do if yo uq ual if y.

U N I T E D H E A L T H C A R A L E S P c i aD e L augh Garz are Center, 16350 Blanco Road, Suite 106. To HILL COUNTRY VILLAGE A GE N T S I N C E 2 0 0 7ES planthroughouttheyear.Callmetoday tofind outif you qualif y.

V O L U N T E E R – MAY A GE N T S I N C E 2 0 0 7 P atri c i a D e L a Garz a 2 1 0 488682 6, T T Y 7 1 1 p. de l agarz ai ns uranc e @gmai l . c o m reserve a spot, and to enter a drawing for a COUNCIL The City P atri c i aD eL a Garz a V O L U N T E E R – 21 V O L U N T E E R – o ntrac te d, i nde pe nde nt l i c e ns e d7 age nt auth o ri z e d tos e l l 2 1 0 488682 6, T T Y 1 1 p. de l agarz ai ns uranc e @gmai l . c o m C 2 1 0 488682 6, T T Y 7 1 1 massage or a copy of his book, call 496-1066. p. de l agarz ai ns uranc e @gmai l . c o m Council meets at 5 p.m. e di c areS o l uti o nspo rtfo l i o . pro duc tsw i th i n th eU ni te dH e al th c are M C o ntrac te d,pe i nde pe nde nt i c e ns d age nt o ri z e d tos e l l C o ntrac te d, i nde nde nt l i c e ns e dl age nt e auth o ri z e dauth tos e l l at City Hall, 116 Aspen Lane. ®S M e di c are o l uti o ns po rtfo l i o .nspo pro duc ts w i th i nw th eU te dH e al th c are M e di c are S o l uti o rtfo l i o . pro duc ts i th i nni th e U ni te dH e al th c are HOLLYWOOD PARK MAY CITY COUNCIL SAN ANTONIO CIVIL MAY 19 The Council meets at 7 WAR ROUND TABLE 21 p.m. at City Hall, 2 Mecca Drive.

The group meets the third Thursday of each month at Grady’s EVENING AGLOW MEETING Bar-B-Q, 6510 San Pedro Ave., for a 6 MAY San Antonio Evening Aglow p.m. dinner and 7 p.m. meeting. Those 19 Plansareinsured throughUnitedHealthcareInsuranceCompany and itsaf filiated companies,a MedicareAdvantageorganizationwitha International, a Christian interested in Civil War history are lansareinsured throughUnitedHealthcareInsuranceCompany and itsaf filiated companies,a MedicareAdvantageorganizationwitha Plansareinsured throughUnitedHealthcareInsuranceCompany and P it s af fil edt.En co mp an ie s , M ep dic are an t age o rgan n wit M e dic are ciat ontrac ro llme ntin t h eaplan de ends ontA hedv plan ’sc o ntract re newalizat withio Me dic are.ha Medicarecontract.Enrollmentintheplandependsontheplan’scontractrenewalwithMedicare. “transformational kingdom” group, invited to share stories and ideas.

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Y 0 0 6 6 _ 1 31 2 0 6 _ 1 6 2 2 4 6A c c e pt e d S P R J 9 5 30io 8E 84 2 A F 9 Medicarecontract.Enrollmentintheplandependsontheplan’scontractrenewalwithMedicare. meets the third Tuesday of each month reservations required. For more, contact 8E 84 2 A F 9 Y 0 0 6 6 _ 1 31 2 0 6 _ 1 6 2 2 4 6A c c e pt e d S P R J 9 5 30 Y 0 0 6 6 _ 1 31 2 0 6 _ 1 6 2 2 4 6A c c e pt e d S P R J 9 5 30 for fellowship, song and an inspirational Nancy Hodges at lyndz76@yahoo.com or 8E 84 2 A F 9 8E 84 2 A F 9 message. The gathering starts at 7 p.m. at Daniel Snell at surveyking@satx.rr.com.

Anne Marie’s Catering, 12475 Starcrest Drive (at Bitters Road). Everyone is MORGAN’S WONDERLAND Get 25% off the welcome. For more, visit www.aglow.com.

ONGOING HOSTS SENIORS Let age work Eye-Refresher in your favor during Senior SONS OF CONFEDERATE Fridays at Morgan’s Wonderland, 5223 David Combo only at MAY VETERANS, CAMP 153 Edwards Drive. For $8, there are senior 19 ReLumaUSA.com Hood’s Texas Brigade, Camp activities 11 a.m. to noon every second 153, holds its monthly meeting at 7 p.m. and fourth Friday. For more, call 495-5888 at Grady’s Bar-B-Q, 6510 San Pedro Ave. or visit www.morganswonderland.com.

Before ReLuma use Jeffrey Addicott, director of the Center for Terrorism Law at St. Mary’s University GOODWILL PICKUPS ONGOING Goodwill Industries offers Law School, will discuss the Battle of Palmito Ranch, the last battle of the Civil donation pickup services for War, fought near Brownsville in 1865. large amounts of clothing, household 8 weeks after ReLuma use Members and guests are welcome to items and furniture at Bexar County eat beginning at 6 p.m.; no reservations residences. For more, call 271-8881 or are required. The Camp meets the third fill out pickup forms available at www.

Tuesday of each month. For more, goodwillsa.org/home-pickup-services. visit www.hoodstexasbde.com.

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

® ®

ELSEWHERE IN SAN ANTONIO

RETIRED TEACHERS MEETING MAY North San Antonio Retired 20 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. The group meets the third Wednesday of each month during the school year. Members are encouraged to bring friends.

WORLD WAR II IN THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHS: LOOKING BACK MAY 10 The McNay Art Museum, 6000 N. New Braunfels Ave., marks this year’s 70th anniversary of the end of World War II and San Antonio’s long history as a military town, in an exhibit of famous images featuring locals who helped participate in the war effort. Tickets are $10 for 12 and older, $5 for seniors, students and military.

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

SUBMITTING EVENTS: Email all

MAY 20

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

12 weeks after ReLuma use

Wendy saw dramatic improvements in her appearance after using ReLuma Eye Cream and Lash. Before she started using ReLuma, Wendy says that she never had eye lashes to speak of and mascara irritates her eyes. After only 4 weeks of using ReLuma Lash and ReLuma Eye Cream, Wendy started to notice more luscious lashes and the puffiness and wrinkles around her eyes had started to diminish. Now, 12 weeks later, you can see the difference that ReLuma has made to Wendy’s eyes and lashes.

Use discount code LCN515 at checkout by June 5th, 2015.

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APRIL 27 - JUNE 2, 2015

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Pediatric Coupon can only be used for non-insured procedures due to insurance regulations. Orthodontic Coupon may be used for all insured and uninsured patients. Coupons have no cash value and must be used at time of service only.

Pediatric Dental • Sedation Dentistry • Tooth Colored Fillings

Includes: Child/Adult Exam, Diagnostic X-Rays, Intraoral & Extraoral Photographs, Study Models, PLUS $100 off when treatment begins (Value $560) Only new dental patients are eligible for these offers.

Pediatric Coupon can only be used for non-insured procedures due to insurance regulations. Orthodontic Coupon may be used for all insured and uninsured patients. Coupons have no cash value and must be used at time of service only.

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

Open and Opening Soon MODA MIA, 18720 Stone Oak Parkway,

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LOCAL LOWDOWN

WOOD FLOORS • CARPETS • TILE & GROUT • UPHOLSTERY

Restore ... Don’t Replace.

Air Ducts

Suite 152 in Stone Oak Plaza, offers apparel and accessories for the contemporary woman, with modern, bohemian and chic styles. Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. For more, call 494-2557 or visit www.shopmodamia. com. (See story on page 12)

NAPA FLATS, 1301 N. Loop 1604 West

in The Vineyard, opened in January, featuring Californian, Mediterranean and Italian fare. Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Sunday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For more, call 504-2555 or visit www.napaflats. com/sanantonio. (See story on page 13)

ALL-N SPORTZ, 10801 Nacogdoches

Road, has softball and baseball equipment and apparel, with batting cages available. Open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 3

Address of local business Name of local business

p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For more, call 314-7164 or visit www.all-nsportz.com or facebook.com/All-N-SportzElite.

DEVLYN OPTICAL, 2923 Thousand Oaks

Drive, Suite 5, provides a wide selection of fashionable designer frames, prescription lenses and prescription sunglasses. Open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. For more, call 960-4714 or visit www.DevlynOptical. com or facebook.com/DevlynOptical.

GASTROENTEROLOGY CONSULTANTS OF SAN ANTONIO-NORTHEAST, 12850

Toepperwein Road in Live Oak, features board-certified physicians dedicated to clinical medicine and offering a variety of services and options for patients. Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday. For more, call 614-1234 or visit www.gastroconsa.com.

LOWDOWN continues on pg. 07

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SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM LOWDOWN continues from pg. 06 IN OTHER NEWS

CONSTRUCTION FORMALLY BEGAN ON IMPROVEMENTS at Comanche Lookout Park, as District 10 City Councilman Mike Gallagher joined other city officials and area residents March 18 in launching the project at the park, 15551 Nacogdoches Road. The $700,000 project, funded through the city’s 201217 bond, will include trail improvements, parking, landscaping, irrigation, erosion control, benches and picnic tables.

THE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT PARTNERSHIP on March 27 announced its NEC Enhancement Matching Grant Program, which will assist commercial property owners and tenants with costs of making façade, landscape and signage improvements to their businesses. The program’s goal is to create inviting streetscapes that will lead to commercial corridor revitalization by increasing customer traffic and business development. The program will aid goals contained in the Northeast Corridor Revitalization Plan, approved

by City Council last year to encourage reinvestment in an area that includes two key commercial corridors – on Perrin Beitel

Road from Loop 410 to Thousand Oaks Drive, and Nacogdoches Road between Thousand Oaks and O’Connor Road.

EISENHOWER MIDDLE SCHOOL RECEIVED a $1,000 check from Methodist Healthcare on April 2 for having the most participants in the American Heart Association’s Red Dress Heart & Soul Run in February. The school’s campaign to raise awareness included several fundraisers, which included an Art for the Heart event and Hoops for Heart faculty-student basketball game.

Years of

SUMMA CUM LAUDE GRADUATES ARE BEING HONORED at all North East Independent School District high schools in separate ceremonies and receptions through May. Each year, the top NEISD students are recognized for superior academic achievement, which include earning 100plus grade-point averages during their high school years. The district recognized 814 Summa graduates in 2015. High school ceremonies were held at Reagan (Feb. 26), MacArthur (March 5), Johnson (March 26), Madison (March 31), Churchill (April 8), International School of the Americas (April 14) and Roosevelt (April 21), with Lee scheduled to host its event May 14.

LOWDOWN continues on pg. 08

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APRIL 27 - JUNE 2, 2015

LOWDOWN continues from pg. 07 HUNDREDS OF NORTH EAST INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT Special Education students participated in the district’s 32nd annual Special Olympics, held April 2 at Blossom Athletic Center. The studentathletes were greeted by mascots and cheerleaders from each high school, and guided by Peer Assistance Leadership and Service students from the district’s middle schools and high schools. After the torch run around the track, the athletes headed out to their events with their assigned PALS buddies for the day. Students competed in running events and field events they practiced for at their home campuses.

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 U.S. 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.

MORGAN’S WONDERLAND CELEBRATED ITS FIFTH ANNIVERSARY with a party and festival April 10 at the park’s Rapier Trust Starlight Amphitheater. The world’s first ultra-accessible theme park designed for special-needs individuals was established

by Gordon Hartman, Gordon Hartman Family Foundation CEO who, along with wife Maggie, established the facility in 2010.

Entertainers at the event included country music singer Holly Tucker of NBC-TV’s “The Voice,” recently crowned Miss San Antonio 2015 Emma Faye Rudkin and comedian Dominic Fournier. “We held our grand opening April 10, 2010, with NBA legend David Robinson and actress Eva Longoria as special guests,” Hartman said in advance of the event. “Since then, we’ve welcomed more than 500,000 guests from all 50 states and 54 other countries.” The inspiration for Morgan’s Wonderland, the Hartmans’ 21-year-old daughter Morgan, joined in cutting a birthday cake celebrating the venue’s fifth birthday.

RESIDENTS OF NORTH SIDE NEIGHBORHOODS near Blanco Road and

TEXAS HOUSE SPEAKER JOE STRAUS was named 2015 Texan of the Year by the Texas Legislative Conference, which held its annual meeting in New Braunfels on March 26-27. Straus, R-San Antonio, accepted the award at the March 26 banquet and delivered the conference’s opening address the following morning. Topics included discussions on economics of energy exploration, federal intervention, the state’s infrastructure and leadership dynamics within the 2015 Texas Legislature. Another honoree, former first lady and the conference’s 2005 Texan of the Year, Laura Bush, closed the conference with an address on the Taking Care of Texas initiative, which she founded to promote the mutual benefits of economics and conservation in the state.

Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, recently was named 2015 Texan of the Year during the Texas Legislative Conference’s annual meeting in New Braunfels. Photo courtesy JoeStraus.org

Loop 1604 can easily donate used and new goods at the newest Goodwill Industries community donation station, which opened March 20 at 16915 Blanco Road. For more, call 924-8581 or visit www.goodwillsa.org.

ALAMO AREA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS’ ALAMO REGIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ACADEMY recently received a donation of lawenforcement training equipment from Global Priority Security, a subsidiary of Zachry Corp., and will lease and renovate GPS’s former training facility at 12625 Wetmore Road, Suite 436.

The new 20,700-square-foot area will house

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SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM LOWDOWN continues from pg. 08 the academy and AACOG’s Homeland Security, Regional 911 and Criminal Justice Planning programs. The facility includes classrooms, offices, reception areas and police training simulators. Also included are spaces to stage scenario, tactical and dispatch training. The $2.5 million donation includes $1.2 million in gear. “The equipment will enable us to increase the level of training we are able to provide and to continue the training mission GPS initially set out to provide in the Alamo region,” said Diane Rath, AACOG executive director.

EAGLE FORD CONSORTIUM WILL HOST more than 1,000 key community, industry, education, business and workforce development leaders May 2729 at the fourth Eagle Ford Consortium Conference, to be held this year at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in San Antonio. The conference will set and review Eagle Ford Shale community planning objectives in the ever-changing energy marketplace and how some have adopted rules to establish proper balance in their areas.

State officials and local leaders will address several other topics during the event. For more, including sponsorship

and ticket information ($275 per individual), call Cindy Taylor at 9125868 or visit eaglefordconsortium.org.

WELLMED CHARITABLE FOUNDATION on April 1 announced that more than $140,000 raised last year by WellMed employees and WellMed Medical Management will be distributed to 31 charities through the foundation’s 2015 GIVE Campaign. The annual effort, titled Generous Individuals Value Everyone, is a grass-roots effort designed to give back to communities served by WellMed staffers who live and work in Texas and Florida. Employees choose from a list of charities to make one-time or year-round donations through payroll deductions, which are matched by WellMed Medical Management and the Rapier Family Foundation, founded in 2008 by WellMed Chairman and CEO Dr. George Rapier and his wife, Kymberly.

In addition to eight national charities earmarked for funds, nine San Antonio local-market charities will receive funds. They are the Battered Women’s Shelter, Boys & Girls Clubs, Catholic Charities, Christian Assistance Ministry, SAMMinistries, Kronkosky Place for Seniors, Meals on Wheels, Project MEND and San Antonio Food Bank.

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APRIL 27 - JUNE 2, 2015

DISC GOLF continues from pg. 01

Rocky Duque de Estrada, a project manager with San Antonio’s Parks and Recreation Department, sits in front of a map of the disc-golf course at McClain Park. Photo

by Rudy Ornelas

City officials encouraging area input into future facility planning

by WILL WRIGHT

W

ith the dawn of spring, area residents are emerging from winter hibernation to enjoy disc golf in ever-greater numbers.

For almost a decade, many have sought refuge at McClain Park, a quiet, wooded facility located behind Longs Creek Elementary School, 15700 O’Connor Road. Since its creation in 2007, the park’s 18-hole, 5,533-yard layout has challenged players – experienced and novice alike.

The course draws enthusiasts from across the San Antonio area. Unlike its cousin, traditional golf – where players use clubs to drive dimpled round balls onto greens – disc golf requires participants’ deft handling of three varying Frisbee-like saucers.

Rocky Duque de Estrada, a project manager with San Antonio’s Parks and Recreation Department, said McClain Park’s topography brings out the best – and perhaps worst – in competitors seeking to conquer dense trees, natural grasses and numerous water hazards.

“It all makes for a very challenging course,” he said.

McClain Park entices all comers to a sport formalized during the 1970s.

And, like traditional golf, the goal is to make par on each hole. But instead of targeting holes sunk into greens, disc golfers take aim at elevated metal baskets, each encased with mesh linings, to achieve

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par, which is 56 shots at McClain Park.

Also akin to traditional golf courses, McClain’s disc players can choose from three levels of difficulty.

There’s a long — or championship — layout for experts, intermediate course for midrange competitors and a shorter version for beginners.

“McClain (has) a good mixture of short and long holes, some of them through the woods and others out in the open,” said Orlando Pereida, a nearby resident and longtime disc enthusiast.

“It’s good for pros and amateurs.”

Duque de Estrada said disc devotees embrace the course’s varied landscape.

“There’s a good balance for players, in terms of their having to deal with the challenges of the terrain,” he said.

The facility is named for 1998 Madison High School graduate Bryan McClain, one of 12 people killed in Texas A&M University’s November 1999 bonfire collapse. The park was dedicated in November 2001; however, construction on the disc course didn’t begin until late 2006. The original layout, built for $106,000 and designed by disc players Shawn Low and Wayne Atkinson, was completed in early 2007.

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SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM DISC GOLF continues from pg. 10 Antonio Disc Club, Professional Disc Golf Association and other area clubs, are held at McClain, which will be home to the McClain Invitational on Oct. 24. The Twisted Flyer’s Battle in the Briars was held there April 4, and the McClain Meltdown is set for June 27.

McClain has undergone a few improvements since opening, largely necessitated by its location within a flood plain. Boulders were added to a low-water crossing along the fourth and fifth holes in 2010, and a pedestrian bridge was constructed over one more water-prone area the following year.

Scott Hougland, another veteran disc player, said local enthusiasts are pleased with McClain, which he rates as San Antonio’s top course.

“It’s got that feel that you’re not in the city while playing,” he said. “It feels like you’re out in the country and I’m very pleased with that aspect. It’s a fun and fair challenge for all sorts of skill levels who come out to play the course.”

While Hougland and Pereida favor the layout, both believe the city could up its game.

There’s only one covered pavilion, located at the park entrance. Although benches are located across the course, the

11 facility lacks permanent and/or temporary toilets, as well as water fountains.

“It’s not uncommon to see 200 to 500 people on that course on a weekend day,” said Hougland, an SADC member and area PDGA event organizer. “There’s no parking lot, which shouldn’t be shared with a school, and there are no facilities to get water or go to the bathroom.”

He added: “It’s not a criticism of the course, but of the city’s understanding of the popularity of that particular course.”

Hougland said he and other disc-golf proponents are lobbying for improvements.

Duque de Estrada said all suggestions are welcome through Parks and Recreation offices and City Council representatives, with upgrades possible from a future city bond election.

McClain Park is open – free to all – daily from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. Alcohol is prohibited; golfers should bring their own discs.

“We’re very happy we can serve such a unique community of park-goers,” Duque de Estrada said. “Disc golf is very popular throughout the country and is gaining even more popularity.”

For more, visit the disc-golf link at the city website, www.sanantonio. gov/parksandrec, or visit www.pdga. com for links to local PDGA events at McClain and other area venues.

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APRIL 27 - JUNE 2, 2015 Moda Mia, which has opened a second location in Stone Oak, is stocked with trendy apparel and accessories for the contemporary woman.

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Moda Mia debuts second North Side location

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un prints, vibrant colors and the latest trends from the runways of New York City and Los Angeles line the shelves and racks at Moda Mia, a fashion boutique that recently opened a second North Side store.

The venture began online in 2008, and owner Glenda Alvarez opened a brick-and-mortar outlet the following year at 6449 Blanco Road. A change of scenery in early 2014 brought the owner to Alon Town Centre, 10003 N.W. Military Highway, Suite 2113.

Now, Alvarez has christened a second shop for far North Side residents. The new store, opened this past December, is located in Stone Oak Plaza, at 18720

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“We’re very excited that we can serve the community in any aspect that we can,” Alvarez said.

Moda Mia sells apparel and accessories for the contemporary woman, with modern, bohemian and chic styles.

“We do offer great prices and it’s all the latest trends,” the store’s creator said.

A Houston native, Alvarez lived 12 years in Mexico and returned to the United States at age 21 to teach.

She later decided to change careers.

Inspired by her mother’s boutique, Alvarez opened one of her own.

A mother of two girls, Alvarez said she thinks like a customer in regards to pricing, understanding

family budgets can be tight.

Her goal is to help patrons find whatever they need, whether it’s matching colors to suit a person’s appearance or finding the right size and style.

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SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM

From a rack of lamb imported from New Zealand (far left) to a fresh caprese salad (middle left ) to gelati made in-house (left), Napa Flats features a wood-fired kitchen with fresh, health-conscious dishes. Photos by Collette Orquiz

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Napa Flats’ wood-fired grill adds flair to its dishes

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he recently opened Napa Flats features a woodfired grill that provides a fresh approach to the food, according to the management.

The restaurant, 1301 N. Loop 1604 West in The Vineyard, is the third location for the budding chain; a fourth was scheduled to open in Austin in April. The first debuted 18 months ago in College Station and the second in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in September 2014.

“We’d like to settle into our four restaurants and run them for about a year or two and then we plan on expanding to a total of 14 places immediately afterward,” said managing partner Juan Gonzalez.

The 4,000-square-foot restaurant at

the 1604 and Blanco Road address was once the home to Johnny Carino’s, but the space had been vacant for a couple of years. The new restaurant has a staff of about 130 and seats 246 patrons inside and another 30 on the patio.

“We completely gutted the place and moved things around in order to create the look and the feel we wanted,” Gonzalez said.

Food is cooked in a wood-fired kitchen.

“I guess the best way to describe it is unique with a California and Italian/ Mediterranean influence,” Gonzalez said, adding he and the other partners met while working at Outback Steakhouse.

“We are not an Italian restaurant and we just as easily serve anything from (guacamole) to a hummus plate. We are health-conscious. Everything is panseared in olive oil – not a lot of butter.”

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APRIL 27 - JUNE 2, 2015

RIDE-HAILING continues from pg. 01

Area mayors support choice, safety options for their residents

by WILL WRIGHT

T

hough ride-hailing may be over for now in San Antonio, a coalition of 25 suburbs is welcoming Uber and Lyft to their communities.

San Francisco-based competitors Uber and Lyft refused to accept stricter rules from San Antonio and ceased operations April 1 in the Alamo City.

However, suburban leaders’ February and March meetings produced a coalition that paved the way for ridehailing in their communities.

Windcrest became the first to take the wheel March 25, when its City Council unanimously approved an interim operating agreement with Uber.

“We look forward to Uber doing business in Windcrest – we think they are a valuable commodity for any city to have,” said Windcrest Mayor Alan Baxter, who joined other area mayors in a show of solidarity during a news conference.

In early March, the San Antonio City Council approved new standards for ridebooking companies, requiring random driver drug testing and background checks, and tighter rules regarding vehicle inspections and insurance requirements.

However, other area leaders OK’d Uber’s current driver and vehicle standards, saying ride-hailing provides their residents with an alternative that offers enhanced safety at a cheaper cost. In coming weeks, other communities will follow Windcrest’s lead and hop on board.

Baxter noted the city’s largest employer, Rackspace, supports Windcrest’s stance.

While no agreements have yet been formalized with Lyft – which didn’t respond to requests for comment – Uber expects to soon receive similar concords from other Bexar County cities.

City councils in Hollywood Park and Converse were scheduled to discuss and possibly approve resolutions April 21.

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competition and innovation,” Hollywood Park Mayor Chris Fails said. “I will do anything I can to allow new businesses to thrive in our town as long as they operate in a manner that is legal, ethical and safe.”

Customers access ride-hailing services through smartphone apps.

The companies assign those requests to local drivers, who shuttle the customers to and fro in their personal vehicles.

“Ride-sharing drives better choices,” Uber spokeswoman Debbee Hancock said. “The people of Bexar County have demanded access to a safe, reliable ride, and we applaud these mayors for working hard to provide it, making the streets of Bexar County safer for everyone.”

For months in municipalities throughout the nation, Uber and Lyft have battled intense lobbying from cab companies threatened by the new competition. It continues in Texas, where both companies are spending $1 million in its own lobbying effort against legislation that could strictly regulate their operations throughout the state.

Uber arrived in San Antonio last spring and gained popularity following Fiesta festivities.

“When we launched last March, we never anticipated we’d spend our (first) anniversary being unable to operate in the Alamo City,” Hancock said.

Uber and Lyft hit the road when San Antonio’s new ordinance went into effect, just days after the meeting of mayors – which included those from Alamo Heights, Olmos Park and Hollywood Park – chauffeured in a new era in area ride-hailing.

Windcrest’s accord – also to be adopted elsewhere – calls for ride-hailing trips to initiate and end in Windcrest and surrounding communities as well as one-way destinations within San Antonio. Two-way travel within city limits is prohibited, but oneway trips are permissible, as long as Uber vehicles operate under permits issued by surrounding cities.

“It’s our interpretation that if any of the trips originate in Windcrest or any other city that signs the agreement, they can go freely,” Baxter said.

Baxter noted the city’s largest employer, Rackspace, supports Windcrest’s stance. While no agreements have yet been formalized with Lyft – which didn’t respond to requests for comment – Uber expects to soon receive similar concords from other Bexar County cities.

City councils in Hollywood Park and Converse were scheduled to discuss and

possibly approve resolutions April 21.

“I am in support of free markets, competition and innovation,” Hollywood Park Mayor Chris Fails said. “I will do anything I can to allow new businesses to thrive in our town as long as they operate in a manner that is legal, ethical and safe.”

Converse Mayor Al Suarez lamented the end of ride-hailing programs in San Antonio, but added Converse has no ride-hailing restrictions.

“In a suburban area like Converse, with little to no taxi service, this might be another viable option for our citizens to enjoy,” Suarez said. “We are inviting both Uber and Lyft to Converse for discussion at the April 21 meeting, and resolution of support may follow.

“The city of Converse has traditionally been a big supporter of small business, free enterprise and, of course, the American dream.”

Schertz Mayor Michael Carpenter said: “We currently don’t regulate in this area.

Sometimes, the most business-friendly, citizen-oriented thing a municipality can do is choose not to legislate.”

San Antonio Mayor Ivy Taylor said she wanted ride-hailing to remain, but only if the companies followed the city’s new guidelines. She called it “sensible” for San Antonio to require background checks, vehicle inspections and random drug tests for ride-booking drivers.

Meanwhile, ride-hailing proponents cited marketplace options and safety factors.

“We believe competition is a good thing,” Alamo Heights Mayor Louis Cooper said. “There are a lot of people who like taxis, but they like Uber, too, and they want both of them to stay.

“We want our citizens to have a choice – and it’s shortsighted by the city of San Antonio (for it) not to allow our citizens that choice.”

Hancock said dozens of area business leaders and more than 13,000 riders and drivers have urged San Antonio politicos to embrace ride-hailing.

“Despite this, city officials have created a regulatory climate that makes it impossible for us to meet the high standard of service that riders from over 170 cities across the U.S. have come to expect,” she said. “By adopting these rules, San Antonio officials have eliminated thousands of jobs and a safe transportation alternative from their city.”

Ride-hailing has not been permanently driven away from San Antonio.

“Make no mistake, we are not giving up on San Antonio, and will work hard to bring Uber back,” Hancock said.

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