LOCAL: Metrocom March 2015

INSIDE: HEALTHY & WELL IN 2015 COSMETIC PROCEDURES

GROWING OLDER

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New trends address seniors' quality-of-life issues

more than

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DETAILS ON VARICOSE VEINS • DENTAL IMPLANTS & MORE

ELECTION PREVIEW PG.28 Metrocom voters

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COMMUNITY NEWS VOL. 2, ISSUE 9

ISD trustees, bond measures on ballots

BRACKEN CIBOLO CONVERSE GARDEN RIDGE LIVE OAK SCHERTZ SELMA UNIVERSAL CITY WINDCREST

MARCH 23 - APRIL 20, 2015

PG.26 New senator

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Menéndez says he’ll actively represent state District 26

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as nine lives for feral cats throughout Metrocom

Converse becomes latest city to adopt TNR ordinance

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2-15 GP Community News.indd 1

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3/15 34373-15

3

SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM

FROM THE EDITOR wwright@salocallowdown.com

President Harold J. Lees

Publisher Gregg Rosenfield

Assoc. Publisher Rick Upton EDITORIAL Executive Editor Thomas Edwards Managing Editor Will Wright News Staff Collette Orquiz and Bain Serna Contributing Writers J.E. Jordan, Carole Miller, Eric Moreno, Bonny Osterhage, Arthur Schechter and Susan Yerkes ART Creative Director Florence Edwards Advertising Design Pete Morales Contributing Photographers Rudy B. Ornelas and Leland Outz ADVERTISING Account Manager Dawn Radick Controller Keith Sanders READER SERVICE Mailing Address 4204 Gardendale Ste. 201 SA, TX 78229 Fax Phone (210) 338.8842 (210) 616.9677 Advertising Inquiries rupton@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 3: 78216, 78232, 78247 Zone 6: 78258, 78259, 78260, 78261 Reproduction in whole or in part without our permission is prohibited, 2015 Helen Publishing, LLC and Local Community News, LLC, all rights reserved.

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

Growth to abound throughout Metrocom

C

ity managers from Selma, Schertz and Cibolo addressed 2015 plans for their cities during a recent Schertz Chamber of Commerce luncheon. It’s going to be a busy year for those municipalities, as well as the Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City Independent School District.

Residential building permits are up in Schertz, where notable activity includes FedEx’s 202,000-square-foot ground distribution center, the newly expanded H-E-B Plus at FM 3009 and Interstate 35, and residential developments at Nor-Tex Farms, The Parklands and The Crossvine, which staged its grand opening March 21.

Selma is welcoming businesses to Forum Pointe at Old Austin Road and I-35. A 25-acre site at Titan Industrial Park will soon house O’Reilly Auto Parts’ 380,000-square-foot distribution center, expected to employ 250 to 350 workers. Liberty Pass, a $19 million housing complex at Lookout and Jordan roads, will feature 104 apartments for veterans.

In Cibolo, which city officials estimated grew by more than 246 percent from 2004 to 2014, a new Walmart, at Cibolo Valley Drive and Borgfeld Road, will open in October, and by 2016 a new H-E-B will open at the corner of Main Street and FM 1103.

The Shops at Cibolo Bend, at Cibolo Valley and Main, is slated for a CVS pharmacy, Auto Zone and other venues. Cibolo officials are also planning a youth-sports complex on FM 78, a new community center, and new or expanded parks in the city.

SCUCISD’s new elementary school is scheduled to open in August near Green Valley Road and FM 1103 in Cibolo. The district is in the midst of upgrading Lehnhoff Stadium and expanding Steele High School. In March, it began the first phase of improvements at Dobie Junior High School.

Put on your hard hats, because the theme for 2015 is growth.

WILL WRIGHT MANAGING EDITOR

4

MARCH 23 - APRIL 20, 2015

LOCAL COMMENTARY

Remember Alamo, don’t forget plaza

by SUSAN YERKES

I

n the chilly pre-dawn hours of March 6, 1836, Mexican Gen. Antonio López de Santa Anna ordered the final assault on a band of freedom fighters holed up in a Spanish mission-turned-fortress called the Alamo near the San Antonio River.

The battle was fierce and bloody. In a couple of hours, every defender was dead.

In the aftermath of the slaughter, soldiers on the side of an independent Texas carried the cry “Remember the Alamo!” into the decisive Battle of San Jacinto, which led to the defeat of Mexican troops.

Today, there’s hardly a soul in Texas who

NOT YOUR DADDY’S CHAMBER

by MAGGIE TITTERINGTON

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, the first Chamber of Commerce in the U.S. came about in 1773 and were made up of tradesmen to protect commerce. Fast forward a couple of hundred years, and chambers that our grandparents and parents were a part of were made up of business friends and acquaintances and were basically for: - tradeshow/expo participation - access to business information - group health insurance - increase their bottom line.

Times...they have a-changed….

Now, with social media, satellite television, internet and non-person access to anything 24-7, one could believe that the need for such an association is obsolete.

And they would be wrong.

doesn’t know the story of the Alamo.

The question is not if we remember the Alamo. It’s how we will remember its surroundings, known as Alamo Plaza. Some want decisive change, or “placemaking” — a big buzzword in urban planning. And let’s face it, Alamo Plaza isn’t exactly a jewel-box setting for the Cradle of Texas Liberty.

Today, the Alamo is surrounded by a jumble of traffic and tourist shops. Beyond the walls of the well-kept grounds, there’s little that reflects the Alamo’s significance to history. First-time visitors often leave scratching their heads and muttering, “Is that it?” For true-blue Texas history buffs that can be a bitter pill. Over the years, several glorious plans have been put forth to create something more impressive than the “Alamo experience” of today.

Most have ended up on the shelf.

One reason is the expense of reshaping Alamo Plaza. Another is the sheer number of landowners involved, from the city, state and federal governments to individuals and businesses. But in 2011, when the state General Land Office took over control of the Alamo, the stage was finally set for serious change. Then-San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro’s “Decade of Downtown” initiative added more impetus.

On March 6, 2014, the City Council

More than ever, chambers of commerce are not only more relevant but they must serve multiple purposes and generations - baby boomers to millennials. Though the basic needs of networking events, information, group benefits and sales are the backbone, it is HOW we deliver it to our members, that makes the difference.

“ONE COULD BELIEVE THAT THE NEED FOR SUCH AN ASSOCIATION IS OBSOLETE. AND THEY WOULD BE WRONG.” I am a strong proponent (and always will be) of face-to-face time and the value of it in building trust and connection. Hand in hand with this value, we must embrace the diverse and changing needs of our members as well as new members, by providing events that target that business’s specific needs and clientele.

Today’s member business wants to see value in the events that they participate in, whether that be in increased visibility to increased bottom line. As a result, events that chambers produce must evolve to meet those needs as well as keep an eye on the trends.

Instead of one business expo, diversify into three events that each encapsulate a

passed an ordinance to form a new Alamo Plaza Advisory Committee. In December, after months of discussion, with plenty of community input, the council approved a new Master Plan for Alamo Plaza. Next, the city will hire planners to create a blueprint for change.

There has been serious talk of the city leasing Alamo Plaza to the state to further streamline the process, and that might make more state funds available.

The land office has already begun raising money for a state-of-the art visitors’ center, and a place to showcase the extraordinary collection of Alamo artifacts British rock legend and Alamophile Phil Collins has donated to Texas.

The new plan incorporates more of the original footprint of the Alamo. And while the Spanish mission will always be most vividly remembered because of the battle, the plan also brings in more of the history of San Antonio itself. The native peoples who settled here, Spanish soldiers and missionaries, Mexicans, Texians, Tejanos and many more immigrant groups played key roles in shaping San Antonio. They’re all part of the story of Alamo Plaza.

Alamo aficionados need not fear that change will detract from the legend that has stirred hearts worldwide. But creating

a richer context for visitors to experience the Alamo is a promising vision.

Downtown housing is booming, HemisFair Park is shaping up, and the Broadway corridor is bustling with residential life. What a great time for Alamo Plaza to re-emerge as a beautiful, and more meaningful, center of downtown. That could help connect the city in new ways.

By all means, showcase the “13 Days to Glory” siege of 1836. But in addition, connect the place more clearly with the original La Villita, the river and the historic Spanish missions on the South Side.

Connect it to the reconstructed Main Plaza, where the new sound and light show at San Fernando Cathedral draws people together.

Connect it better to the Institute of Texan Cultures. If Alamo Plaza is closed to traffic, as some suggest, expanded parking on downtown’s fringes will also be critical.

For more than a century San Antonio has been recognized as one of the nation’s most enchanting cities, in large part because of the richly diverse cultural mix that bubbled out of years of conflict, transition and cooperation.

Let’s hope this time the stage is set for truly memorable change.

Yerkes can be reached at syerkes@salocallowdown.com

section of industry, thus creating value to the member, targeted marketing of their potential clients and insurance of that member’s participation.

Chambers provide business education through speakers, workshops and seminars. As new processes, programs and laws will always be a factor in our growing economy, we arm our members with up to date facts as well as the know-how to kick their businesses into gear, take it to the next level or sustain where they are. Whether live or interactive webinar, we give members the option to choose their time wisely and also acknowledge different ways that we want to learn.

Advocacy has become a major component, not only in local government but state and national. Your local chamber of commerce builds relationships with city councils and governments, as well as county and state representatives to be aware of standards that may be changing, to speak on your behalf or innovate for more business

Think of the chamber of commerce as a stock that you invest in. When we invest, we’re IN and we’re in to grow, and we hope for that eventual big pay off.

When you invest in a chamber, you are investing in future: of your business; of your area and of your community. When clientele see that chamber door decal, or that plaque on the wall or that directory listing in bold, they know that your business is invested in their community; to say not OF the community but IN it. That’s the relationship that builds trust and business. THAT is the big payoff that stays.

Maybe we ARE our Daddy’s chamber after all.

Maggie Titterington is the President of the Schertz Chamber of Commerce. For more information on how to join, email president@schertzchamber.org.

5

SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM

LOCAL LETTERS PRESIDENT NEEDS TO WORK WITH CONGRESS EDITOR:The purpose of this letter is to voice my displeasure about your brief column in the February LOCAL Community News; specifically, your comment in the last paragraph.

While perhaps unintended, even so or not, to imply Congress should work with the president to resolve the funding issue on national defense, also implies the president has, and is continuing to do, all that he can do.

I don’t think you or I are in a position to really know.

I would advocate that the president and Congress need to work together, but that is the nature of our system. Not intending to sound partisan, but our Congress, like the judicial branch, is an equal in our structure of the three branches of government.

While the president is considered the leader of the Democratic Party, the executive branch and our country, he, along with his staff, hold the same level of power, though different processes, than either of the two remaining branches.

As a result, cooperation is a two-way street – which is something many, regardless of party

affiliation, believe does not exist. I am one of those many. Unfortunately, we as individuals usually bear the consequences of this system.

DEAN VANDE HAY, SCHERTZ

WHITE HOUSE WASTING OUR TIME EDITOR: I’m a 75-year-old retired Air Force veteran who had the privilege of serving this great nation of ours in the Command and Control Division as a noncommissioned officer in charge of one of the largest bomb wings in the Strategic Air Command. My son now serves as an anti-terrorist officer at one of our largest Air Force bases.

What concerns me most today is not our Congress wasting time squabbling about Obamacare, but President Barack Obama wasting his and Congress’ time by not being willing to sit down and work in a reasonable way to at least try to solve some of the challenges facing us.

Believe it or not, there are lots of folks in Congress and the military who just might have an idea or two of value.

So, just maybe, instead of continually blaming Congress or our former president, why should Obama not just sit down and try to work with them?

WALT PULKINEN

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MARCH 23 - APRIL 20, 2015

HAPPENING LOCAL

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

OUR GUIDE TO YOUR MONTH

HAPPENING KEY

FITNESS

COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS FUNDRAISER, GALA Communities In Schools of South Central Texas is in the midst of activities leading up to its annual fundraising gala. CIS, which benefits at-risk schoolchildren in several area school districts, will hold its yearly “Rock ‘n Roll for Kids,” at 6 p.m. March 28 at the New Braunfels Civic/Convention Center, 375 S. Castell Ave. in New Braunfels. For more, call CIS at 830620-4247 or visit www.cis-sct.org.

THROUGH MARCH

SCHERTZ CHAMBER EVENTS The Schertz Chamber of Commerce has the following activities in March and April. For more, call 566-9000 or visit www.schertzchamber. org. The monthly Biz Ed, business-

MARCH/ APRIL

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TALK

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education class, featuring a mini-seminar

by Chuck Wall, is 8-10 a.m. March 25 in the Bluebonnet Room at Schertz Civic Center, 1400 Schertz Parkway. Admission is $10; free to Chamber members. A ribboncutting event for the renovated H-E-B Plus in Schertz is 11 a.m. March 27 at 17460 Interstate 35 North. The Chamber’s quarterly Small Business Forum, featuring a question-and-answer session with business development services staffers from Schertz, is 5:30-6:30 p.m. April 2 (rescheduled from March 26) at the Schertz Civic Center.

For more, contact the Chamber offices.

The Chamber’s monthly mixer is 5:30 p.m. April 16 at H-E-B Plus in Schertz.

Admission, featuring networking, refreshments and Chamber Cash Drawing, is $10; free for Chamber members. The Chamber’s Spring Fling Fiesta, attracting

customers to local commerce, is April 16-26. Entries limited to the first 20 Chamber businesses to register. Cost is $30. Contact the Chamber for details.

The Chamber will host a “Meet the Candidates” forum, featuring Selma City Council hopefuls, at 6:30 p.m.

April 23 in the council chambers, 9375 Corporate Drive. The Schertz ShootOut, an opportunity to network with up to 95 local companies, is 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Schertz Civic Center. Cost is $10 for Chamber members; attendance is limited. Contact the Chamber for details.

The Schertz Chamber Toastmasters convene each Monday at 6:45 p.m. at the Comfort Inn & Suites meeting room, 5571 Interstate 35 North in Selma.

ESTATE-PLANNING SEMINARS Free estate-planning seminars, presented by attorney Cimarron Gilson of CG Law Office, are 10-11:30 a.m. March 21 and April 25 in the Pastoral Center of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, 16075 N. Evans Road in Selma. Seating is limited. For reservations, call 566-6700 or email wills@cimarronlaw.com. For more, visit www.tricountylawyer.com.

MARCH 21, APRIL 25

THE CROSSVINE’S GRAND OPENING From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., developers will celebrate the grand opening for the first phase of The Crossvine, a master-planned development featuring single-family houses on 50-, 60- and 70-foot plots constructed by David Weekley Homes and Ryland Homes.

The event, which kicks off at 8869 FM 1518 in Schertz, includes giveaways and walking tours of model homes, resort-style pool, pavilion and 12-mile greenbelt system, and other activities.

For more, visit www.thecrossvine.com.

MARCH 21

SCHERTZ ANNUAL SPRING CLEANUP Schertz is sponsoring the final weekend of its monthlong event for residents to drop off hazardous materials and other items not usually included through the city’s normal waste-collection procedures, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Bexar Waste site, 2221 FM 3009. For more, including information about the acceptability of certain refuse, call 566-5454.

MARCH 21-22

HAPPENING continues on pg. 07

7

SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM HAPPENING continues from pg. 06 LIVE OAK CITIZENS ASSISTING POLICE FUNDRAISER Live Oak Citizens Assisting Police is hosting a car wash, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Cascades Car Wash No. 4, 2809 Pat Booker Road. Funds raised will help LOCAP purchase necessary equipment to support and assist the Live Oak Police Department. For more, contact the LOPD at 653-0033.

MARCH 28

SCHERTZ-CIBOLO LIONS CLUB EASTER IN THE PARK The event, co-sponsored by the Schertz-Cibolo Lions Club and H-E-B, is 10 a.m. to noon at Pickrell Park, 703 Oak St. in Schertz. Registration for Easter Egg Hunts, for children up to age 10, begins at 9:30 a.m.; the hunts commence at 10 a.m. Other attractions include free eye screenings for children 6 and under, games, a bouncy house, snacks, snow cones, ice cream, prizes and special appearances from Leo the Lion and the Easter Bunny. For more, call Rhonda at 705-1179 or visit SchertzCiboloLionsClub/Facebook.

APRIL 4

CIBOLO VALLEY BAPTIST CHURCH EASTER EGG HUNT The church, 5500 FM 1103 in Cibolo, is hosting a free, communitywide Easter Egg Hunt on the church grounds for preschoolers (11-11:30 a.m.), kindergartners through third-graders (11:30 a.m. to noon) and fourth- through sixth-graders (noon to 12:30 p.m.). For more, visit www.cibolovalleychurch.org.

APRIL 4

TRIUMPHANT LUTHERAN CHURCH EASTER WORSHIP SERVICES The church, 21315 Bat Cave Road in Garden Ridge, hosts a 6:30 a.m. sunrise service, an 8:30 a.m. traditional service and an 11 a.m. contemporary service featuring a praise band. A free breakfast will be served in Fellowship Hall from 7:15-10:30 a.m. For more, call 651-9090 or visit www.triumphantlutheran.org.

APRIL 5

SCHERTZ VOLUNTEER FAIR APRIL Schertz is sponsoring a 9 Community Volunteer Fair, 5:30-7 p.m. at the Schertz Civic Center, 1400 Schertz Parkway. Learn about

HAPPENING continues on pg. 08

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MARCH 23 - APRIL 20, 2015

HAPPENING continues from pg. 07 resources and services available to city residents, and how they can volunteer for civic and area nonprofit organizations. For more, call Brenda Dennis at 619-1000.

FIRST BAPTIST ACADEMY AUCTION BENEFIT First Baptist Academy will host its 11th annual Golden Eagle Silent Auction Benefit, a fundraiser for school activities, from 3:30-7 p.m. at the school, 1401 Pat Booker Road in Universal City. The venue’s top yearly affair will feature an array of goodies up for bids, including tickets to sporting events and amusement parks, and handmade items created during class projects. For more, call 658-5331 or visit www.fbauc.com.

APRIL 10

512-757-1761 or 830-387-8222, or to register, visit www.athleteguild.com.

NEISD TRUSTEES MEETING North East Independent School District trustees regularly meet at 5:30 p.m. on the second Monday of each month in the NEISD boardroom, 8961 Tesoro Drive, in San Antonio. To confirm dates and times, call 407-0533.

APRIL 13

UC VETERANS PARK FUNDRAISER The Veterans Park-Universal City Committee is conducting a barbecue and live auction fundraiser, with all proceeds benefiting Veterans Park in Universal City, noon to 5 p.m. at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4676, 202 W. Aviation Blvd. Barbecue-dinner plates, $8 each, will be available throughout. Live auction is 2-5 p.m. For more, call 550-2645 or 658-7179.

APRIL 18

SHAKE, RATTLE AND RUN 2015 Lone Star Parkinson Society Inc. and Comal County Parkinson Support Group host a 5K run/ walk benefiting Parkinson’s disease research and treatment, 8-10 a.m. at Pavilion 16 at Landa Park in New Braunfels. Registration is $20 before April 5, $25 between April 6-10 and $35 on race day. For more, call

APRIL 11

CLEMENS HS PROJECT GRADUATION FUNDRAISER The inaugural Cow Patty Festival, benefiting Clemens High School’s Project Graduation, is 4-10 p.m. at Niemietz Park,

APRIL 18

HAPPENING continues on pg. 09

2015 NLC

Summer Youth Camps Challenge Robotics Challenge Robotics summer camp is a fun-filled interactive hands-on experience giving students an opportunity to design, build and program robots. The camp allows students to work in small teams guided by teachers and teacher assistants. The program is to generate curiosity and interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education.

Elementary School - NXT July 20-24, 2015 Middle School - EV3 July 13-17, 2015 July 20-24, 2015 High School - Matrix July 6-10, 2015 $185 per person LIMITED SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE

FOR MORE DETAILS CONTACT US AT:

Visit Our Website for more information: www.alamo.edu/nlc/workforce

Basketball Camps Our Basketball summer camps provide outstanding fundamental instruction in a fun and competitive atmosphere. The camp will cover footwork, ball handling, defensive drills, and shooting techniques, free throw shooting, oneon-one and two-on-two drills, conditioning, and scrimmaging with emphasis on sportsmanship.

Fundamentals Camp: Grades 3-8 August 10-12, 2015 (8:00-12:00) $65 per person Advanced Camp: Grades 6-9 August 10-12 (1:00-5:00) $85 per person

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Sports, Splash & Cooking Camps Want to have fun, get fit, and play games while learning basic sports skills? Would you like to participate in hands-on cooking classes?

Healthy nutrition, sports, fitness, and wellness all in one camp! Campers will have fun outdoors, learn about healthy living, and have lots of fun playing games in a variety of sports and learning to apply end goals and team concepts.

Ages 8-12 co-ed August 3-7, 2015 (8:30-4:30) $120 per person

The Unity 3D Game Design Camp will introduce students to the fundamentals of programming 3D game design by using the Unity 3D game engine. This course is designed as a beginner’s course; no prior programming experience is required. Campers will learn how to apply physics to objects in the game, and also how to combine assets to create complex objects.

Middle School August 3-7, 2015 (8:30-4:30) $185 per person High School August 10-14, 2015 (8:30-4:30) $185 per person LIMITED SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE

1201 Kitty Hawk Rd. Bldg. #800, Universal City, TX 78148 Phone 210.486.5784 Moses Thompson Fax 210.486.9116 210.486-5304 Michael Vaughn nlc-workforce@alamo.edu

Like us on FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/nlc.workforce

The Alamo Colleges are an EOE. For any special accommodations or alternative format, contact the Title IX Coordinator. 210.486.0200

diScount When SellinG your

SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM HAPPENING continues from pg. 08 618 FM 78 in Cibolo. Attractions include Cow Patty Bingo, barbecue-dinner plates, silent auction and local vendor booths. The organization still seeks sellers and business sponsors. For more, contact Sandra Kearns at clemensprojectgrad2015@gmail.com.

SCHERTZ-CIBOLO LIONS CLUB CASINO NIGHT The organization will hold its sixth annual event 7-11 p.m. at the Schertz Civic Center, 1400 Schertz Parkway. Funds benefit the organization’s scholarship programs, vision screening, feeding of needy families, community service and other projects. Tickets, from $40 to $50 at the door, include dinner, cocktails, live music and dancing, live and silent auctions and gaming chips. For more, call Darlene at 710-6558 or Jake at 332-2255, or visit SchertzCiboloLionsClub/Facebook.

APRIL 24

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MARCH 23 - APRIL 20, 2015

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

CIBOLO VALLEY BAPTIST CHURCH

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Celebrate Easter With Us Sunrise Service 7-8am 8-9am Light Snacks

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Children’s Worship 9am & 11:30am Children will hear the Resurrection Story, do crafts and hunt eggs.

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LI-ION VAPE, 11403 O’Connor Road, Suite 118 in San Antonio, provides customers with e-cigarettes and other vaping supplies. Find low prices and friendly staffers in a well-lit environment including a vaping lounge. Open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For more, call 455-4009 or visit LiionVape/ Facebook. (See story on page 29) BG’S MEXI-SOUL RESTAURANT & CATERING, 602 Main St. in Schertz, is

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a family-owned Mexican-food eatery, offering breakfast, lunch and dinner with catering services available. Open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

For more, call 860-4836 or visit www. bgscatering.com. (See story on page 30)

GASTROENTEROLOGY CONSULTANTS

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Address of local business Name of local business

OF SAN ANTONIO-NORTHEAST, 12850 Toepperwein Road in Live Oak, features board-certified physicians dedicated to clinical medicine and offers 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.

BRACKEN SPA, 18426 Second St. in

Bracken, offers a full array of body massages, reflexology treatments, and hair and waxing services. Open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with after-hours appointments available.

For more, call 960-7721 or 772-8523 or visit BrackenSpa/Facebook.

SUREPOINT SELF STORAGE-FM 1103, 21586 Interstate 35 North in Schertz, at the corner of FM 1103 and I-35, recently

opened, featuring climate- and nonclimate-controlled units, mini-offices for businesses, security features and electronic-gate access. Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. For more, call 6561103 or visit www.1103selfstorage.com.

IN OTHER NEWS A TEAM OF HOLT CAT EMPLOYEES RECENTLY COMPLETED installing permanent building signage at Boysville’s 78-acre campus at 8555 E. Loop 1604 North.

Established in 1943, Boysville offers care, guidance and education through a full range of programs and services for Texas boys and girls unable to remain at home due to family disruption, abuse or neglect. To replace the decades-old signs, each composed of limestone and iron lettering, HOLT CAT volunteers brought in heavy equipment.

ALAMO AREA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS RECENTLY ANNOUNCED recipients of its 2015 Air Quality Stewardship Awards, which recognize businesses, agencies and other organizations for voluntary efforts reducing air pollution and improving

LOWDOWN continues on pg. 11

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SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM LOWDOWN continues from pg. 10 the region’s air quality. This year’s award was expanded to include individual projects sponsored through one or more organizations. Honorees included San Antonio Missions National Historical Park; San Antonio College’s William R. Sinkin Eco Centro project; and the Capital Skymine project, directed by the Zachry and Skyonic corporations. Receiving honorable mention were the Demand Response Transit project forged by the cities of Cibolo, Garden Ridge, New Braunfels and Schertz; commissioners courts from Comal and Guadalupe counties; The McKenna Foundation, and VIA Metropolitan Transit’s Demand Response Transit project. All will be honored at a 9 a.m. ceremony commemorating Earth Day on April 18 at San Antonio’s Woodlawn Lake.

COMAL INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT collected multiple awards for excellence in school communications during the Texas School Public Relations Association’s annual convention in February. CISD Communications Coordinator Jason Gordon received one Best of Category honor, six Gold Star Awards, five Silver

Star Awards, and five Bronze Star Awards for excellence in feature and news writing, as well as photography. The conference recognizes communicators in school districts, education foundations, education associations and organizations for outstanding work in both print and electronic media. The winners were announced Feb. 25 at TSPRA’s Star Awards Celebration at the Omni Hotel-Colonnade in San Antonio.

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WAGNER HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES JORDAN CLARKSON AND ANDRE ROBERSON saw their basketball jerseys retired and raised to the gymnasium’s rafters during a Feb. 13 ceremony. The honored players, who now play in the NBA, led the Thunderbirds to Class 5A state basketball tournaments in 2009 and 2010. The Los Angeles Lakers, in 2014, selected Clarkson, a guard who played for college teams at Tulsa and Missouri. The Oklahoma City Thunder, in 2013, picked Roberson, a forward/guard from Colorado.

CARL MONTOYA WAS FORMALLY NAMED to succeed outgoing Judson Independent

LOWDOWN continues on pg. 12

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MARCH 23 - APRIL 20, 2015

LOWDOWN continues from pg. 11 School District Superintendent Willis Mackey, who announced his retirement last year, during a special meeting of the JISD board on March 3. Montoya served in the same position at Brownsville ISD since 2011, and has spent the past 36 years in secondary school education, holding various teaching and administrative positions. Montoya will spend the rest of the spring transitioning for Mackey, who served as JISD superintendent for eight years and will formally retire following the current school year.

COMAL INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDENTS celebrated the life of Martin Luther King Jr. by learning about the late civil-rights leader’s message of achievement through nonviolence. CISD pupils attended classes on Jan. 19, the federal holiday established in King’s memory and observed by most area schools. On Jan. 22, district trustees approved CISD’s 2015-16 calendar, which included MLK Day as a school holiday. CISD students learned much about King and the civil-rights movement during the 2015 observance, with presentations during the week at

D

Judson Independent School District trustees appointed Carl Montoya to succeed Superintendent Willis Mackey, who is retiring at the end of the school year. Photo courtesy Judson ISD

Mountain Valley, Spring Branch and Canyon middle schools, Canyon Lake High School, and other district campuses.

COUNSELORS AND ADMINISTRATORS FROM PARK VILLAGE AND PASCHALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS recently received accolades by the Texas School Counselors Association, which recognizes schoolcounseling initiatives through its annual Counselors Reinforcing Excellence for

LOWDOWN continues on pg. 13

13

LOWDOWN continues from pg. 12 Students in Texas program. Awards go to schools demonstrating excellence in guidance and counseling in steering students to higher performances en route to helping them achieve social, personal and career aspirations. Both Judson Independent School District programs – supervised by Ernest Cox, JISD’s director of guidance and counseling – won on their performances in several categories.

Recognized were counselor Misty Ornelas and Principal Marsha Bellinger from Park Village Elementary, and counselor Kirsten Hadas and Principal Anthony Willard at Paschall Elementary. Judson High School and Judson Middle School were also finalists for the awards.

SAMUEL MOWER’S EFFORTS TO BEAUTIFY HIS CAMPUS at Smithson Valley Middle School recently led to his completing requirements for Eagle Scout. The eighth-grader presented Principal Michael Keranen with two handcrafted park benches and three handcrafted chessboards in the school library – as part of his involvement with his friends in the school’s chess club.

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Cataract Detection & Prevention In this day and age, more than 22 million Americans age 40 and older have cataracts, and according to the National Eye Institute, by age 80, more than half of all Americans will either have a cataract or have had cataract surgery. However, perhaps one of the most concerning aspects of these impactful statistics is the fact that there are currently no medications or treatment options besides surgery to correct cataracts making it the most frequently performed surgery. While most people who are affected by cataracts will not usually begin showing symptoms until at least age 40, cataracts can also occur among young adults or children. Risk factors that can lead to developing cataracts at a younger age include certain diseases, hereditary influences, eye injuries, eye disease, smoking and more. While cataract surgery is a very delicate, detailed operation, it is also one of the safest operations done today. The procedure is extremely quick and non-invasive, and more than 95% of surgeries are successful. Plus, because cataracts are now removed under a local anesthetic, patients are able to go home the same day and most people only experience a minor discomfort following surgery. In many cases, patients can see well enough to resume their normal activities a few days after having cataract surgery, while their vision will continue to improve over the following weeks. Because there is no definite cause of this disease, there is currently no way to prevent age-related cataracts. The best chance a person has for preventing cataracts is to avoid certain risk factors that have been proven to increase your risk of developing this vision problem. These risk factors include a family history of cataracts, certain diseases, such as diabetes, long-term steroid use, long term exposure to UV rays and excessive sunlight, smoking, unhealthy eating habits and certain eye injuries or diseases. Cataracts are easily treatable through today’s advanced technology. During a cataract surgery procedure, a surgeon will remove the clouded lens of the affect eye, then replace it with a new intraocular lens (IOL). Doing this requires a small incision at the edge of the cornea. The surgeon inserts a small ultrasonic probe that breaks up the clouded lens into a bunch of tiny parts, which are then suctioned out of the eye. From there, an intraocular lens is inserted to replace the cataract. This is then perfectly aligned by the surgeon resulting in the return of vision. Stitches are usually not needed for this surgery. So if you or someone you may know has questions or concerns about cataracts, please call to set up an appointment to talk to Dr. Klufas about this common condition.

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SKIN DEEP

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NOT SO ‘VEIN’ AFTER ALL Dr. Greg Hamon, of The Vein Institute of San Antonio, 7940 Floyd Curl Drive, said that although many women experience problems with spider or varicose veins after menopause, it can start much younger.

“I’ve seen girls as young as 19 with fairly bad spider veins. Estrogen is a very big venous violator. If they’re on some sort of supplement like birth-control medications, they can tend towards having spider veins,” Hamon said.

The bigger factor is genetics, he added.

“If one parent had them, your chance of getting varicose veins is 67 percent,” Hamon said. “If both had them, your chance is 98 percent.”

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and for medically necessary conditions have eliminated the need for general anesthetic and shortened recovery time.

Hamon, who studied at the American College of Phlebology and performed vascular surgery for nine years in California, has used lasers for the past 12 years at The Vein Institute to treat varicose veins. Pulses of laser light are delivered inside the vein, which causes it to collapse and seal shut. For spider veins a tiny needle injects a medication that irritates the lining of the vein. In response, the veins collapse and are reabsorbed.

Both procedures are done in-office under local anesthesia. Following the procedure, a bandage or compression hose is placed on the treated leg. Patients are able to walk immediately and most are able to return to work the next day following spider-vein treatment. Varicose-vein laser

SKIN continues on pg. 16

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SKIN continues from pg. 15 treatment requires a few days recovery.

“That vein that’s treated is gone forever. It can never cause a problem again,” Hamon said. But since the function of the veins depends on the health of valves within them, other veins branching off from the treated vein can develop problems.

Hamon said there is no surefire prevention, but the best thing is to stay healthy and, in cases where there is a family history of vein problems, consider “some compression stockings from an early age, especially if you’re on your feet a lot.”

BEYOND THE TOOTH FAIRY Here’s a shocking statistic from the American Dental Association: About 25 percent of adults 60 and older no longer have any natural teeth. The most common causes of tooth loss are periodontal — or gum — disease and tooth decay (cavities).

Because the teeth of older people can decay due to gum recession, they may have new decay at higher rates than children.

The effects of tooth loss are not confined to the mouth. The ADA

warns an abnormal bite or missing teeth can lead to other health problems.

Even without tooth loss, smoking, coffee and tea consumption, poor dietary habits and hit-or-miss hygiene can rob smiles of their sparkle. A number of local dentists offer both surgical and nonsurgical ways to preserve existing teeth, to replace missing teeth and to make smiles more attractive.

Dr. Terry Lee, a dental surgeon with 24 years’ experience, explained some of the procedures available – from surface whitening to implants.

Lee called dental bleaching “a very excellent procedure for people who want a better, brighter smile – the best smile they can get.” However, before bleaching, the mouth must be healthy. Cavities must be filled, gum problems addressed, and teeth should be professionally cleaned, said Lee, who is

SKIN continues on pg. 17

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WellMed is a medical group with a network of primary care physicians and specialists. WellMed accepts Original Medicare and select Medicare Advantage health plans.

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SKIN continues from pg. 16 with DDS Dentures & Dental Services, 6051 FM 3009, Suite 250 in Schertz.

The in-clinic bleaching procedure takes only 10 to 15 minutes. But Lee said his clinic can also give patients a do-ityourself kit for use at home. The cost of the in-home treatment is about the same, but saves the patient trips to the clinic for repeat bleaching. (Over-the-counter products are not approved by the ADA – only those prescribed and dispensed by a dentist.) If you smoke, the whitening effect will not last long; smoking stains the teeth, as do many foods and some drinks. Check with your dentist for dietary advice for the days after treatment.

Dental implants are artificial toothroot replacements that are used as a part of prosthetic dentistry to compensate for tooth loss. Implants can stabilize existing dentures and act nearly like natural teeth.

Lee said the depth of posts for implants depends on how much bone the patient has left in his jaw. Dental implants can help prevent further bone loss and gum disease and keep the facial structure from collapsing. Implanting is a three-step

process in which a metal crown is fitted over the titanium post, and finally covered with a natural-looking ceramic cap.

If the bone has already degraded and there is not enough to support implants, Lee said the procedure is “not impossible but very difficult.” There are bone grafts, he said, but adds that is a much more complicated procedure and more costly.

Lee said it is difficult to say how long implants will last because “implant surgery hasn’t been around that long.”

“We do see some patients lose implants due to lack of proper care. Just because you have implants doesn’t mean you don’t have to take care of them, because bone is alive.”

Smoking increases the risk that a dental implant will fail to integrate with bone tissue, and also affects gum health.

Although natural teeth can be replaced by dentures, implants, or a combination of both, Lee stressed, “Taking care of your own teeth is probably the best way to go. With the level of dental care we have in the U.S., there’s no reason for a patient not to retain their own teeth for a very long time. Coming to a dental clinic for cleaning and checkups is not easy, but I urge people to check it out.

Good preventive measures go a long way.”

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Cold laser therapy is a popular treatment used to heal wounds and reduce pain, in the case of post-surgery, for example. HIVAMAT, which was developed in Germany, is another method for promoting healing of sprains, strains, muscle aches, spasms and swelling. It was first used by the San Antonio Spurs and is still used by athletes and professional sports teams. Surprisingly, it’s even promoted to help reduce cellulite.

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SENIORS continues from pg. 18 hair salons, pools and movie theaters.

Independence Hill, 20450 Huebner Road, offering full-service apartments, garden homes and assisted-living communities, has added a computer center and classes in social media, email, photo sharing, texting and video chatting.

“We encourage technology use because it’s a big, evolving world and this helps residents stay connected with friends and family members,” said Martha Weld, executive assistant.

Independence Hill also utilizes the Wii gaming system for golf, bowling and other activities the elderly can enjoy in spite of physical limitations.

Another trend is a new “high-tech, house call” program from WellMed, which helps seniors with persistent illnesses manage their conditions, with minimal disruption to their lives.

Known as palliative care, this service provides the same procedures received in a clinic such as X-rays, joint injections and more, all from the comfort of their residences.

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20

urgent care center,” said Dr. Elizabeth Glazier, associate medical director.

Professionals are also rethinking a “onesize-fits-all” approach to chronic conditions such as diabetes. According to Dr. Jennifer Argumedo, with Diabetes America, “The goal now is not ‘strict’ control, but instead we focus on ‘adequate’ control,” she said.

Several reasons precipitated the retooling. For example, the current consensus is that slightly elevated bloodsugar levels may be OK depending on the patient. However, whenever those levels dip too low in elderly patients, there’s an increased chance of them becoming weak or dizzy, making them susceptible to falls.

“We don’t want them to fracture a hip or sustain any injury that may decrease their quality of life and their ability to live independently,” Argumedo said.

Another approach is ensuring older residents are given the dignity they deserve.

At Arden Courts of San Antonio, 15290 Huebner Road, an assisted-living facility focusing on memory care, the term is embodied through specialized programs and activities designed to honor those in the last stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

21

SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM CATS continues from pg. 01

SAFCC offering humane approach in reducing cat colonies

by SUSAN YERKES

C

ONVERSE – In January, the City Council passed a measure to implement a Trap-Neuter-Return program for feral cats. In the past few years, a rapidly growing number of Texas and U.S. communities have adopted similar actions.

Converse resident Melissa Youngblood, a staunch supporter of the city’s TNR ordinance and feral-cat volunteer, comforts one of her rescued cats. Photo by Leland Outz

Among area cities, San Antonio’s City Council endorsed a TNR measure in 2007; followed by Bulverde and Windcrest in 2008 and 2009, respectively, and Kirby in 2013.

Windcrest and Kirby claim great results.

“It’s hard to argue with the logic of TNR,” said longtime program advocate Jenny Burgess, founder of the

San Antonio Feral Cat Coalition.

“Cats are highly territorial animals, and the area where they settle becomes their home,” she added. “If you remove a group of feral cats from a public park, for instance, you just open up the area to a new colony.

“We trap the cats and clip the tip of one ear, a universal signal to show the cat is

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neutered and part of a colony, and we return them to their home, where volunteers take responsibility for feeding them.”

SAFCC also partners with PetSmart and various area veterinarians and agencies, finding homes for litters of kittens or socialized cats, while publicizing those offering low-cost spay and neuter services.

Residents in several communities who seek more humane and effective ways to manage feral-cat colonies have driven area municipalities’ increased involvement in adopting TNR measures. Many of those initiatives were created after consulting SAFCC for advice and assistance.

Last fall, Burgess met a kindred spirit in Converse City Councilwoman Deborah James.

“I had a vision (for Converse) to have a TNR program years before I became a councilwoman,” said James, a lifelong animal lover. Since moving to Converse in 1996, James said she has rescued 161 homeless dogs and 20 cats – personally paying for spaying and neutering, then finding them homes.

“I met Jenny Burgess through a friend, and we talked to the city manager about a TNR ordinance last September,” James added. “He said, ‘Go for it!’ We studied

the city of San Antonio’s ordinance, and talked to people in Kirby, where (officials said) their feral-cat population has come down considerably since they passed a TNR ordinance.”

Her City Council passed its TNR decree in a 5-2 vote on Jan. 20.

“I had a hard time making some council members understand we weren’t changing the existing animal ordinance – just amending it to accept the SAFCC and allow TNR in the city,” James said. “One (councilman) opposed it because his dogs bark at night when feral cats are around.

“We had to fight hard to explain how SAFCC trains people to use TNR, and the benefits it could bring the city.”

According to Converse’s Animal Control division, the average cost to trap and destroy one feral cat is $50 in time and materials, which amounted to about $2,000 for 40 cats in 2014.

Through SAFCC, which provides safe trapping methods, food and low-cost spay and neuter services for volunteer cat-colony caregivers, James predicts Converse’s TNR program won’t only save the city money, but also serves as a model

CATS continues on pg. 22

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Do you cough or feel short of breathe when you exercise?

Do you feel that all your “colds” travel to your chest and turn into bronchitis? Do you have difficulty breathing? You may have asthma or exercise induced asthma. Asthma is a lung condition that causes a person to have difficulty breathing. In most people with asthma, the difficulty with breathing only occurs episodically. When this does happen, it is known as an asthma flare-up or an asthma attack. A person having an asthma flare-up may cough, wheeze (make a whistling sound while breathing), be short of breath, and/or feel an intense tightness in their chest.

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MARCH 23 - APRIL 20, 2015

CATS continues from pg. 21 for communities seeking to reduce feral-cat numbers in a humane fashion.

Converse resident Melissa Youngblood was among the enthusiastic proponents of the city’s TNR ordinance. Like James, Youngblood said she has been rescuing homeless animals for years.

She attended the first SAFCC training session in Converse in mid-February.

“We lost our son in Iraq in 2005.

He was such a big rescuer of homeless animals all his life, (so) we thought we would carry on his tradition,” Youngblood said. “In January 2006, four pregnant cats and one mom with a litter in tow showed up at our house.

“A neighbor put me in touch with the (SAFCC), and we got them all fixed and released back to our area. Last time I counted, in July 2014, we had found homes for 24 cats in those eight years. My husband works at a service station, and he feeds a (nearby) feral-cat colony there.”

Some of Youngblood’s feral cats have become beloved family pets.

“Meow Meow is one of our favorites,” she said. “He saved my little granddaughter’s life when he

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pounced on a rattlesnake that she was just about to walk right into.”

Converse’s TNR ordinance allows SAFCC to hold regular workshops explaining safe TNR techniques and colony management, and suggests ways citizen-volunteers can manage public-area cat colonies.

James said the city’s Animal Control division, which still removes cats deemed as public nuisances, has established its own TNR program and has applied for grant funding.

TNR proposals have also taken root in Live Oak, Universal City and Schertz, where proponents hope those city councils will act. James said she’s working with Universal City and Schertz officials on SAFCC addressing those city councils about implementing TNR ordinances.

“Each city has a slightly different method of doing this,” Burgess said.

“Right now a lot of the requests are coming in for us to address area councils or homeowners associations.”

SAFCC hosts several free training workshops each month in the greater San Antonio area. For more, call 877-9067 or visit www.sanantonioferalcats.org.

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Brown, a reservist pilot with the 435th Fighter Training Squadron at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, was recently honored in the contest sponsored by Military Spouse magazine and Armed Forces Insurance.

“Being a military spouse can be incredibly difficult and we ask a lot of them without a whole lot of spotlight or public

WIFE continues on pg. 25

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SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM WIFE continues from pg. 24 appreciation,” Penn Brown said. “Military leadership has finally started to realize this and I’m glad there are recognition programs like this one for us to let them know how important they are and how much we value their contributions.”

The competition had several levels.

Initially, nominations placed through the Military Spouse website were narrowed to 18 finalists, as the top three entries from each U.S. military branch was chosen, with Alexandra Brown among them.

Although Brown didn’t win the overall national award, she said merely contending for the title meant a great deal.

“It was an honor and privilege to be nominated by my commander for my work as a key spouse and my work as an OPSEC (Operational Security) member and social-media safety educator,” she said. “I did not expect to advance to the top tier nationally; it was a humbling experience to be considered in that regard.”

Lt. Col. Mark Schmidt, 435th Fighter Training Squadron commander, nominated Brown for the award.

“Alex is uniquely qualified because of her passion for the 435th,” Schmidt said. “It is

obvious that she cares and thinks of every family member in our squadron, which equates to hundreds of spouses and kids.

She knows them all and cares for them all.”

Increasing social-media and onlinesafety awareness for military families is a top priority for Brown, who led classes on the topics before fellow military spouses. She also helped ensure information from JBSA’s three San Antonio-area Military & Family Readiness Centers was made available.

An OPSEC Professionals Society member, Brown founded a Facebook site educating families about the importance of real-life online security, a resource proven beneficial in helping national OPSEC program managers reach military families lacking access to such knowledge.

“Information is so important to military families,” Schmidt said. “Unfortunately, information can be used against our families and the Air Force. No doubt, Alex is the keeper of information and protects our squadron from outsiders. She is brilliant and it is great to recognize someone who quietly protects so many people.”

Loura Winkels, community readiness consultant with JBSA-Randolph’s Military & Family Readiness Center, agreed.

“It is a pleasure to know and work with

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someone of Mrs. Brown’s caliber,” Winkels said. “She willingly shares her time to help educate other military spouses and their families about Military & Family Readiness programs and resources.

“Her willingness to volunteer her valuable time and her in-depth knowledge of social media and what impact it can play in operations security is admirable.”

Brown said her most important role is being a devoted wife and mother of three. Her desire to put the needs of others first puts her on a higher level, according to her aviator husband.

“I’m very proud of all the hard work and selfless volunteerism she’s given to the men, women and families of Joint Base San Antonio over the last couple of years,” Penn Brown said. “There are so many deserving spouses, and I’m humbled knowing that the JBSA leadership appreciates her efforts and thinks as highly of her as I do.”

Alexandra Brown said she has learned to enjoy the present, be flexible and resilient, and to never write anything in ink on her calendar.

“Life is impossible to plan too far in advance,” she said. “I appreciate all the small moments in this unique life. My family and friends are my greatest joys.”

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SENATOR continues from pg. 01

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by ERIC MORENO

S

AN ANTONIO – José Menéndez promises he’s up to the challenge of representing his District 26 constituents in the Texas Senate.

New state District 26 Sen. José Menéndez (D-San Antonio), who took his oath of office on March 4, vows to actively pursue his legislative agenda.

Courtesy photo

runoff for the seat, which GregoryaLeticia W.Vanelection Bauman de Putte vacated to run for

- 9710 ) 651-1444 (210later ) 471 office 210where • cellmayor San Antonio this spring.

“This district encompasses the(area 8345 Blvd.

• Selma, TXHouse 78154 “I’ve served in the of I grew up; the area where I live andVentura work,” Representatives for over 15 years and before he said. “I have a passion to serve,www.TexanRepairSystems.com and I that I was on the (San Antonio) City Council,” thought the combination of circumstances Menéndez said. “The entire time (I was) on made it perfect for me to run for the Senate.” the council, I worked closely with Sen. Van de On March 4, Menéndez formally Putte and I had always admired her work.” assumed his new legislative duties The new senator, serving out the following a swearing-in ceremony in the remaining two years of Van de Putte’s term, Senate chambers, where Republicans, represents one of Texas’ largest senate 20-11, outnumber Democrats.

The House District 124 incumbent SENATOR continues on pg. 27 defeated Trey Martinez Fischer in

27

SALOCALLOWDOWN.COM SENATOR continues from pg. 26 districts, which according to U.S. Census estimates, totals more than 800,000 residents.

The Central Catholic High School and Southern Methodist University graduate won election to the San Antonio council and House District 124 in 1997 and 2000, respectively, where the state representative served on the committees on State Affairs, and Defense and Veterans’ Affairs, chairing the latter.

Menéndez said he’s determined to hit the ground running by implementing the most important components of his legislative agenda.

“The most important issue that I have already discussed with my colleagues is the conversations that I have had over the years with many retired teachers,” Menéndez said. “Many of them, especially those who retired years and years ago, have not had cost-of-living adjustments in their retirement packages.

“A lot of these people are living in poverty. I don’t feel there has been put enough of a value on the teaching profession as there should be, so I filed a bill for a teacher pay raise – which is something I really want to work on.”

Also of priority is alleviating traffic congestion along the Interstate 35 corridor from San Antonio to Austin. According to Menéndez, Austin is now one of the top-five most congested traffic cities in the country, with backups trickling down into District 26.

“It used to be San Antonio had the reputation of being a city where you could get anywhere within 20 minutes,” he explained. “Now, many of us are getting stuck in traffic for a long time. What this also does is help to ruin our clean air.

“We are one of the largest (clean-air) cities in the nation, but that is going to go by the wayside if we don’t do something to get cars moving on the streets.”

Traffic woes, Menéndez added, are now being keenly felt within the Universal City-Schertz-Cibolo-Converse-Selma area, rated among the most quickly expanding Texas regions and is experiencing growing pains associated with fast development.

“That area is really booming – so many people are moving in there on a daily basis,” he said. “A lot of people are going (there) because of the good public schools. It is our job to make sure those schools (remain) good, and that they have the resources that they need.”

Menéndez also plans to tackle water

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and utility needs during his first term, seeking a state remedy to avoid electrical brownouts, which occurred in San Antonio during the harsh winter of 2011.

Another blip on Menéndez’s radar this session is reaching out to local governments, neighborhood groups and homeowners associations across the district – to hear the wants and needs of the public before helping them draft a future plan.

“I want to be actively involved with the citizens of this area,” he said. “I want them to know that they have representation in the

Texas Senate that will be of value to them, and that their issues and concerns are just as important as everyone’s in the district.”

Addressing constituents’ concerns, as well as others statewide, will help ensure prospects for all Texans.

“We cannot allow a state like ours to not invest in its future,” Menéndez said. “When I say invest in our future, I mean all of us, legislators, educators, parents – we all have a role to play in the success of our state, and we all need to step up and do what needs to be done.”

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MARCH 23 - APRIL 20, 2015

ELECTIONS continues from pg. 01

Comal voters to select four trustees, decide $147.4 million bond

by WILL WRIGHT

M

etrocom voters will head to ballot boxes May 9, selecting city council and school district board members, with some deciding critical bond measures.

Residents in Universal City, Live Oak and Selma will elect new city council members, with trustees up for election in the Judson and Comal independent school districts. The electorate will consider bond measures of $9 million and $147.4 million in Selma and CISD, respectively.

Nobody will go to the polls in Garden Ridge as three projected candidates – mayor and two council seats – were unopposed when official filings concluded Feb. 27.

Here’s a brief look at area candidates and ballot proposals:

JUDSON ISD These races promise plenty of drama, as eight candidates jockey for three trustees’ positions. Board President Steve Salyer will face challenger Rick Page for District 1’s single-member seat. Two at-large seats are in play. Incumbent June Adair will face Reneé Paschall in Place 6. Place 7 incumbent and Assistant Board Secretary Sonny-Peter Merrell – who was appointed to fill the unexpired term created by Beth Williams’ resignation – is drawing opposition from Melinda Salinas, Rod “Chico” Tanner and Misty Dunn-Suarez.

Paschall’s candidacy has been questioned because she currently sits on the Converse City Council, and holding both positions at the same time might constitute a conflict of interest, officials said.

JISD Communications Director Steve Linscomb said the Texas Election Code forbids candidates from seeking election to two different positions on the same ballot, which Paschall isn’t seeking to do.

Paschall, who was re-elected to the Converse council in November, said she won’t run for another council term if elected to the JISD board. However, she

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Several candidates are running for three City Council slots. Mark Ford challenges Place 4 incumbent Kevin Hadas; Karen Rutledge and James Parma vie to succeed Place 5 incumbent and Mayor Pro Tem Phil Swinney, who declined pursuing another term; and in Place 6, incumbent Jose Silva is up against challenger Kenneth Polasek.

Also on the ballot is a $9 million proposal for roads improvements and land acquisitions involved with the city’s stake to improve Lookout Road. Selma has already committed $4 million to the project, which will widen Lookout from two to five lanes, install center turn lanes and construct a bridge at Cibolo Creek, and other improvements. City officials have said the project is critical to enhancing the area’s economic development.

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On Feb. 4, the City Council selected a new mayor, mayor pro tem and council member following the January death of Mayor Andrew Dalton. Place 2 Alderman and Mayor Pro Tem Nadine Knaus, interim mayor during Dalton’s absence, was chosen as mayor, with Shelby Trial appointed to Knaus’ former position.

Because Knaus, Trial and Place 3 incumbent Bryan Lantzy were unopposed in their respective elections following the filing deadline, on March 4 the council canceled the May vote.

COMAL ISD Four of the seven single-member district trustees’ seats are being contested. Voters, who rejected a $451 million bond proposal in 2013, are asked to approve a scaled-down measure, which appropriates $147.4 million for new schools and district-wide improvements.

In District 1, Board Vice President Stephen Smith battles challenger Denise Cordova; District 2 incumbent and Board President David Drastata opposes Cheryl Koury, and District 5 incumbent and Board Secretary Amy Freund faces Gwen Pain.

Prior to the March 9 filing deadline for his seat, District 6 incumbent Marty Bartlett was unopposed.

On Feb. 26, CISD trustees approved placing the new bond package on the May ballot. If passed, $94 million will be earmarked for two new schools to relieve enrollment at Smithson Valley and Canyon middle schools, which are each expected to reach capacity by 2018. A 1,150-pupil facility is slated near Borgfeld Road in the Kinder Ranch area, with a 1,050-student school projected off Hubertus Road in Garden Ridge.

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Three City Council positions were slated for the ballot, though only one will be contested. Incumbents Mendell Morgan of Place 1 and Mayor Pro Tem Aaron Dahl representing Place 5 are unopposed in reelection bids. Either Paul Lukich or Anthony Brooks will replace Place 3 incumbent Eric Sanchez, who declined to run.

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also didn’t indicate she would resign from the Converse council, either.

“Should I not win, I am still allowed, by law, to continue to serve out my term with the city of Converse,” she said.

However, Linscomb said there’s still the possibility that Paschall, if elected to the JISD board, might have to either vacate her current office or decline serving as a school board trustee.

“If she was elected to (the) JISD board, she would then have to choose one or the other because they are taxing entities that overlap,” he said. “Ms. Paschall is aware of the situation and apparently is fine with that possibility.”

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Li-ion Vape caters to new and experienced vapers

by BAIN SERNA

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AN ANTONIO — Li-ion Vape is now open to provide smoking alternatives to new and seasoned vapers.

The store features e-cigarettes, vaping supplies and an array of accessories for those who want to kick the cigarette habit.

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

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

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

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

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

“We provide a choice of quality vaping products,” she said of the store’s wares, which range from various starter kits and advanced personal vaporizers to flavored e-liquids including Li-ion Vape’s house brand and other premium choices.

The venue also has short seminars – ranging from “how-to” courses to help new vapers, to technique instructions for advanced consumers.

Leavell insists it’s not too late for folks to change their habits – for themselves or for loved ones – through alternatives to traditional smoking.

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

BG’s multifaceted menu is a hit with area customers

by WILL WRIGHT

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CHERTZ – A few years ago, Jeff Bass was looking to invest in a good restaurant.

“My (original) partner and I were actually going to do a franchise,” he said.

“We came in here and spoke with the owners, who wanted to get out of the business. That’s when we made the deal.”

These days, BG’s Mexi-Soul Restaurant & Catering at 602 Main St. features a wide range of home-cooked entrees ranging from brisket and ribs to shrimp and fried catfish.

Bass owns the venue and brother Anthony is the manager.

“When we took over, they were doing Mexican food and Southernstyle cooking,” Bass said. “We just sort

of kept along with that theme.”

The catfish plates are a big draw among his customers, which include workers at nearby Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, as well as dozens of area retirees, Bass said.

“We don’t use foreign catfish, but instead feature farm-raised catfish, which has a better texture and not fed with any preservatives,” he said, adding that BG’s batter recipe helps create a distinctive taste.

Along with catfish and brisket plates, Bass said his shrimp Po-Boys “are definitely a favorite.” Other popular plates include fried and barbecue chicken, sausage, fajitas, enchiladas and ribeye steak, served with an array of side items, salads and desserts. The seafood platters – featuring shrimp and oysters – include hush puppies or onion rings.

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BG’s pork chop platter includes optional side orders of yams, collard greens, a cornbread muffin and peach cobbler for dessert. Photo by Rudy Ornelas

breakfast tacos, pancakes and omelets.

Bass said the restaurant caters many JBSA, civic, school and church events during the year. It is open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

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