LOCAL: Hollywood Park, Hill Country Village, 78247, 78232, 78216 March 2014

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INSIDE

Medical guide

pg.11 Getting you the up-to-date information about the latest trends in health care

HILL COUNTRY VILLAGE

PLUS

Vol. 2, Issue 4

pg. 04

HOLLYWOOD PARK

Gallagher says he won’t be idle in District 10 seat

What's

INSIDE your community

pg. 03 local commentary SUSAN YERKES EAT

COMMUNITY NEWS NORTH CENTRAL 78216 78232 78247

03/2014

New councilman has long career in military, public service on behalf of North Side

Senate District 25 GOP race is heating up Plenty of contested spots on tap in March primaries

by will wright

Photo by Collette Orquiz

pg. 17 Box 903

Modern sports bar harkens back to the old days

buy

T

hree candidates vying for the state Senate District 25 Republican nomination took part in a recent two-hour debate in hopes of showing voters which of them is the most conservative.

Incumbent Dr. Donna Campbell of New Braunfels and challengers Elisa Chan and Mike Novak, both of San Antonio, preached to a mostly tea-party choir, addressing topics including school education, toll roads, streetcars and Obamacare – all hot-button

Election continues on pg. 11 Photo by Collette Orquiz Photo by Collette Orquiz

pg. 16 Adelbridge & Co. Firearms

Gun shop aims for fair prices and the best deals

fantastic deals

coupons INSIDE Discover the city through LOCAL deals from restaurants, retailers and services in your community, and save money while you do it! pg. 19

Photos by Joshua Michael

Mac skate club rolls out art exhibit

In latest endeavor, group’s works featured at ITC by collette orquiz

A hybrid of artistic creativity and athletic ability has MacArthur High School skateboarders getting more than just air.

Working with the school’s art club,

Skating continues on pg. 10

Straight Teeth Without Braces or Messy Impressions

2

March 2014

From the editor tedwards@salocallowdown.com

President Harold J. Lees Assoc. Publisher Publisher Gregg Rosenfield Rick Upton

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Editorial Executive Editor Thomas Edwards News Staff Collette Orquiz and Will Wright Contributing Writers Ron Aaron Eisenberg, Joyce Hotchkiss, Eric Moreno, Travis E. Poling, Gianna Rendon and Susan Yerkes ART Creative Director Richard Fisher Jr. Contributing Photographers Josh Huskin and Joshua Michael Contributing Illustrator Jeremiah Teutsch Advertising Advertising Director Jaselle Luna Account Managers Kelly Jean Garza and Marc Olson Controller Gerard "Jerry" Sulaica READER SERVICE Mailing Address 4204 Gardendale Ste. 201 SA, TX 78229 Phone (210) 338.8842 Fax (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

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Zone 4: 78109, 78148, 78233, 78239 Zone 5: 78108, 78132, 78154, 78266 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, 2013 Helen Publishing, LLC and Local Community News, LLC, all rights reserved.

Making mistakes and fixing them

W

e’re only human here at LOCAL Community News, and just like everybody else we make mistakes.

When that happens, believe me, we feel upset. Not only because our error is out there for everyone to see in black and white, but because we’ve let down our readers.

The editors, writers, designers and proofreaders at LOCAL take great pains to check every story, every photo caption, every news brief and every calendar item to ensure they are factual.

But when you process hundreds of thousands — or even millions — of words, dates, times and concepts day in and day out, year-round, the law of probability indicates that something wrong is going to slip through sooner or later.

We try our best to make sure the newspaper is free of errors. But when a mistake is discovered, we react very quickly, verifying that we committed a gaffe and then correcting the problem the very next issue.

During my tenure here since the autumn of 2012, we have run only a few corrections. Each one cut me as deeply as a knife, and that’s because I hate making mistakes. And I don’t want to disappoint readers and our sources.

But I also know we have to own up to the errors when they happen and fix them as soon as possible.

Our staff has made a pledge to our readers: To provide the most factual data possible. The community relies on us to deliver correct information, and if our credibility is compromised then the trust of our readers is diminished.

And while we continually strive for perfection, it is likely we occasionally will stumble no matter how hard we try.

All I can ask is that readers remember “to err is human, to forgive, divine.”

Thomas Edwards executive Editor facebook.com/salocalcommunitynews

3

salocallowdown.com

local commentary

the fray on talk radio and myriad blogs, threatening to create a controversy.

And then the prospective honoree himself put the kibosh on the plan.

“I don’t want to draw the community into further contentiousness,” Cisneros wrote in a thanks-but-no-thanks letter by susan yerkes to Chamber leaders, citing his ongoing hat’s in a involvement with various city projects name? (including airport expansion) and national efforts to pass immigration reform. He Sometimes, also believes that landmarks should bear more than you the monikers of people who have died. bargained for. That’s But the Lila Cockrell Theater, Henry B. the lesson folks at the Gonzalez Convention Center, Nelson Wolff San Antonio Hispanic Municipal Stadium, Cyndi Taylor Krier Chamber of Commerce Juvenile Correctional Treatment Center, learned when they launched a shortHoward Peak Greenway Trails System, Phil lived campaign to rename San Antonio Hardberger Park and Paul Elizondo Tower International Airport for former Mayor indicate San Antonio civic leaders like to www.toro.com Henry Cisneros. honor their peers while they’re still standing.

The concept failed to take wing.

In fact, some folks first floated the Within a week, the plan was put “on Cisneros Airport idea decades ago. hold.” For now, that is a wise move.

“A group of us who volunteered for Although many supported the idea after Henry’s campaigns back when he was Exclusive TimeCutter SS Hispanic Chamber Chairwoman Patricia Smart Speedmayor talked about naming the airport Stout announced the campaign to rename for himSales way backPrice then,” one longtime $2,399.00 the airport at the group’s annual gala, a Cisneros supporter told me when the flak 3‐in‐1 cutting system chorus of Cisneros-bashers leapt into about •the recent initiative started to fly.

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Hispanic Chamber chair. I believe it is time he is recognized like other mayors and county leaders,” Stout told me.

“We respect Henry’s wishes, and we are putting this on hold,” added Chamber CEO Ramiro Cavazos.

“But we will still move forward, and work with other community leaders, to do something. When you go back and look at all the good things Henry did and still is doing —the airport, economic development, education, the downtown library…The library would be another appropriate place…”

The downtown San Antonio Public Library, famously designed by brilliant Mexican architect Ricardo Legorreta, has come up several times as a place to name in Cisneros’ honor.

The Alamodome seems like a good fit to me, since it was one of Cisneros’ major initiatives.

Bottom line: San Antonio has a lot of venues. Somewhere out there, one is waiting for Cisneros’ name.

Now it’s your turn, readers.

What do you think?

Email comments to syerkes@ salocallowdown.com

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Aside from the controversy it might generate, the airport-naming idea also has practical drawbacks in terms of civic strategy.

On the one hand, there are plenty of airports named for people, including New York’s LaGuardia and JFK, D.C.’s Reagan National, California’s celebrity cluster (John Wayne and Bob Hope airports), New Orleans’ Louis Armstrong Airport, and Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport and Bush Intercontinental.

But while San Antonio’s airport has expanded impressively in recent years, this city is still, alas, not one of the country’s high-profile “hub” destinations. It’s a connector airport, lacking the passenger traffic that makes the big hubs household names. “With an airport our size, people from other places may not associate a person’s name with the city. I’m all for naming something in town for Henry, but we need to keep our city’s name out there on the airport,” one long-time aviation industry leader told me.

If not the airport, what would be an apt edifice to bear Cisneros’ name? The idea is not going away.

“We think Henry is very deserving.

Remember too, that he has served as our

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local our turn

Views and opinions about your community.

Put the brakes on wasteful toll roads

E

ven though residents for years have said no to toll roads and the double-dipping taxation they represent, it seems local officials are determined to stick their hands into our wallets by creating these wasteful projects on the North Side.

The Texas Department of Transportation recently unveiled a plan to allocate about $825 million to fund expansions of Interstate 10, U.S. 281 and Loop 1604.

Included is the transformation of 281 into a four-lane tolled expressway from Stone Oak Boulevard to the Bexar-Comal county line, as well as tolled connector ramps at the I-10/1604 interchange.

Construction should start by early 2015.

Highway officials euphemistically

North Side program reaches out by reading from the heart Volunteers with nonprofit serve elderly, visually impaired, seniors and wounded warriors by collette orquiz

S

urrounded by elderly women in wheelchairs, with the turn of a page Gloria Merrell starts reading a book with a big smile on her face.

Happiness oozes from Merrell, the founder of Readings from the Heart, a nonprofit that sends volunteers to read to those at assisted-living, seniorcitizen and adult-care centers, as well as wounded warriors at military centers and the visually challenged.

She started the North Side organization in April 2013 and finalized all the paperwork by October.

Now she wants to bring smiles to the faces of others who just might benefit

March 2014

proclaim the new toll roads are different from traditional ones because they will have managed lanes — motorists in singleoccupant cars will have to pay, but people in car pools and using mass transit won’t.

Sadly, several local elected officials cheered the announcement, saying the tollways are needed to handle the area’s continued growth.

Don’t these officials get it? Residents already fork over enough to the state for drivers’ licenses, plates, registration and other fees that create and maintain roadways. Now we’re going to have to pay for the “privilege” of driving on roads our taxes already built?

Haven’t these bureaucrats already noticed that traffic isn’t exactly zipping up and down Texas 130, the multimillion-dollar tollway boondoggle that was supposed to relieve heavy traffic on Interstate 35 from San Antonio to Austin?

And now they want to do this to

other major thoroughfares?

There is a reason why San Antonio is the largest city in Texas without a toll system — because the people don’t want one and have repeatedly said so.

Even worse, the plans call for local tax monies to be used for the projects, including a new $10 hike for vehicle registration and a cut of local sales taxes called the Advanced Transportation District sales tax. To some, this represents almost triple taxation.

This is just another tax burden promoted by politicians and bureaucrats who think they know what’s best for the rest of us.

Even worse, the frontage lanes to these toll roads are surely going to become clogged as motorists routinely divert off the highway to avoid more taxation — er, tolls.

Taxpayers need to let our elected leaders know — again — that it’s time to put the brakes on plans to cover the North Side in toll roads that will only waste money and cause bottlenecks.

Send letters to the editor to tedwards@salocallowdown.com or snail mail them to Local Community News, 4204 Gardendale, Suite 201, San Antonio, TX 78229. We reserve the right to edit for taste, grammar and length.

from having a story read to them.

“I’m 73 years old and I feel like I’m 53 years,” Merrell said. “I feel 20 years younger. I know it sounds hokey, but every day I get up and I feel like it’s worth getting up for.”

Reading sessions take place seven days a week for an hour at the various centers and at different times. The readings are planned around volunteers’ schedules.

When they cannot make it, Merrell fills in.

Volunteers are sent all over the city, including to senior communities such as Adante, Patriot Heights, Mystic Park, The Heights, The Forum, Lincoln Heights, Autumn Winds and Kingsley.

The second branch of the nonprofit involves a multicultural program for children. They hear stories about different countries, meet someone who grew up overseas and taste the cuisine of that country.

Merrell, a retired educator, wants to continue bringing joy to young ones by allowing them to learn about other cultures. Though Merrell loves reading to anyone who will listen, her heart goes out to children.

Partnering with the Children’s Shelter, Merrell made her vision a reality. Each month the kids travel to a different country through books. A special

guest who grew up in that country tells stories and also brings a local dish or sweets for the listeners to try.

“What better understanding

Gallagher continues from pg. 01

NE Side resident served Reagan by eric moreno

N

ew District 10 Councilman Mike Gallagher wants to make one thing clear: He didn’t get appointed in late January just to warm a seat.

When second-term District 10 Councilman Carlton Soules, a selfavowed conservative, announced he was stepping down to run for Bexar County judge in the GOP primary, he left a void in what continues to be a fast-growing part of San Antonio.

That hole was filled Jan. 30 when the City Council unanimously voted to name the retired Air Force colonel to the position for the remaining three months of the term.

“I made it clear to every one of the decision-makers that I did not intend in knowing the world we live in, especially when they’re growing up, to understand the people of the world we live in than by learning now,

Gloria Merrell founded the nonprofit Readings from the Heart as a volunteer-staffed service providing reading sessions across the city at senior communities and other venues. The service also has a multicultural program for children. Photo by Collette Orquiz

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to be a placeholder,” Gallagher told LOCAL Community News. “I have already made my intentions known that yes, I will be running for the District 10 seat when this term is over. It’s vital to keep things going on the right path they currently are.”

The special election is May 10.

Gallagher’s appointment comes just a few weeks after Joe Krier was named to the District 9 seat; Councilwoman Elisa Chan left in October to pursue a run for the state Senate District 25 seat as a Republican.

Gallagher, a longtime neighborhood leader, was among a group of three finalists narrowed from a wider candidate pool of seven hopefuls.

Mayor Julian Castro and other council members said there was a consensus the appointee had to be able to hit the ground running and continue with the initiatives Soules started.

Dozens of residents endorsed Gallagher, telling the council it was clear he was the ideal candidate.

Up until his appointment, Gallagher, 67, served as president of the Northeast

Neighborhood Alliance. He also was chairman of the San Antonio Board of Adjustment, and was the former president and current vice president of the Northern Hills Homeowners Association.

He worked directly with the outgoing Soules on many of the programs focused on the Northeast Corridor (identified as the stretch that includes Nacogdoches and Perrin-Beitel roads).

After retiring from the Air Force with nearly 30 years of service as an air traffic controller and a public affairs officer, Gallagher settled on the Northeast Side. He began to get involved in grassroots neighborhood organizations before founding the Northeast Neighborhood Alliance.

“We’ve been working hand-inhand with Councilman Soules for quite awhile now on getting things accomplished,” Gallagher said. “One of the first things I did after being selected for the position was meet with all of the current members of the staff. After

when they’re little?” Merrell said.

She did not expect to come so far in such a short time, but the pace picked up with help from the United Way, including an advertisement for volunteers.

Numerous volunteers make Readings from the Heart possible. Merrell said she was surprised by the willingness and dedication of others to read to strangers.

“My volunteers are retired teachers, business people, military brides, college students,” Merrell said. “They are wonderful; I am so lucky.”

Volunteer Susan Chambers reads mostly at assisted-living centers, where residents need extra help and may have cognitive issues.

“They all sit there and listen to me, and some of them express their appreciation,” Chambers said.

Chambers, 59, works as a qualityassurance manager at Standbio Laboratory in Boerne, but lives in Alta Vista and primarily reads at centers near her home.

“I like to read, and I like to hear myself talk. It’s perfect,” Chambers quipped.

She mostly chooses stories from the 1930s and 1950s, when the majority of her audience was young. It helps them interact and relate, and stimulates their brains. Though Powers is not a nurse, she believes she’s making a difference.

“They’re stuck where they are, whatever their circumstances are I don’t know, but I know when I read to them their minds open up,” Chambers said.

Chambers said Merrell has a “gigantic heart” and hopes other volunteers enjoy the founder’s vision just as much as she does.

Merrell interviews each volunteer to see if the organization is a good fit for them.

The majority are enthusiastic and want to start immediately. Though she fears that someday the volunteers might dry up, Merrell remains amazed at how passionate they are about reading to others.

“It’s overwhelming to me (and) it still kind of sets me back how giving people are with their time,” Merrell said.

Someday she hopes to have a brickand-mortar location to hold summer programs for children and provide a place for others come to hear readings.

Merrell credits her husband as her primary supporter, saying he gives her the push she needs, whether emotionally or monetarily, to keep her dream alive.

The nonprofit Readings from the Heart has faced several challenges, including a need for donations to help transform a room in Merrell’s home into an office. To donate or volunteer, go to the website readingsfromtheheart.org.

Gallagher continues on pg. 15

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March 2014

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

Open and Opening Soon 1. BOX 903, 903 E. Bitters Road, Suite 313, is a new sports bar that offers “box seating” for patrons and several high-definition screens. Other features include music, table games, cocktails and beer. Bar hours are 3 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. For more, call 499-0064 or visit http://www. box903.com. (See story on page 17) 2. ADELBRIDGE & CO., 10130 San Pedro Ave., Suite 101, is a premier Internet firearms dealer but also has opened this location in North Central. The store buys used guns, but also offers new and collectible guns. For more, call 265-1146 or visit http://www. adelbridge.com/. (See story on page 16) 3. CRAWDADS SPORTS BAR & GRILL, 12333 West Ave., bills itself as “A Cajun Pour House” offering authentic Cajun and Creole cuisine under the watchful eye of co-owner Brandon McLure, a Louisiana native. Other co-owners are McLure’s wife, Paula McLure, and her sisters Sara Duano and Tracy Jaso. The bar has 30 big-screen high-definition televisions, seats 192 patrons and has a private room for meetings and parties. Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to midnight Friday, 9 a.m. to midnight Saturday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. For more, call 314-2339 or visit the eatery on Facebook at www.facebook.com/crawdadspourhouse.

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1

WALTER EDWARDS, a custodian at Hidden Forest Elementary School, has been named by students as one of their favorite staff members. The students cited his hard work and sense of humor, according to a release.

WOODSTONE, NORTHERN HILLS AND STAHL elementary schools surpassed a goal of

4

having at least 100 families representing each campus attend a recent sampling showcase held by the O’Connor Road H-E-B. Each school received a $1,000 check from the grocery store.

2

MADISON HIGH SCHOOL received a $5,000 offers customized personal training services designed to help patrons achieve their health and fitness goals, according to co-owners Steven Powell and Michael Hawkins. The center specializes in oneon-one personal training, weight loss and nutrition, rehabilitation, athlete training, boot camps and group training. Hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and personal training seven days a week by appointment. For more, call 265-3727 or visit the center on Facebook at www. facebook.com/BeastModeCustomFitness.

IN OTHER NEWS UIL HAS REALIGNED SCHOOLS ON THE NORTH SIDE, which means area

coaches got pretty much what they hoped for in the University Interscholastic League’s biennial district alignments for 2014-16, which were released on Feb. 3.

North East Independent School District’s seven high schools will vie in District 26-6A for football and basketball.

CHURCHILL HIGH SCHOOL is one of nine area public schools that will have a float in the Battle of Flowers Parade April 25.

“The Magic Of Make Believe” is the theme.

A $300 stipend is awarded to each school to assist with makeup and costumes.

check during a ceremony on the Northeast Side recognizing First Choice Emergency Room’s newest facility. The marching band, cheerleaders, choir and JROTC took part in the ribbon cutting Jan. 30, and the staff at First Choice presented the check as part of its community outreach, officials said.

HOLLYWOOD PARK DETECTIVE ROBERT CLINE received a letter of commendation

and was recognized for his work with the San Antonio Police Department’s Burglary Task Force to help stop several vehicle break-ins in the city, officials said.

Chief Shad Prichard said in a web release, “Without a doubt, this is the kind of service and professionalism that is expected of our officers and Detective Cline represented this agency above and beyond the call of duty.”

THE MAZAL HOLOCAUST LIBRARY IN HILL COUNTRY VILLAGE “has been divided and

gifted to two universities” — the University of Colorado-Boulder and Texas A&M UniversitySan Antonio, according to the website www. anti-semitism.net. At some future point the collection of Holocaust-related materials, believed to be the largest such private collection in the country, “will be reunited, at least virtually, for scholars and students worldwide,” the website added. Businessman Harry W. Mazal, who made Hill Country

Village his home after his retirement, amassed the collection valued at more than $1 million during three decades with the primary goal of debunking those who deny the Holocaust ever happened, officials said. Mazal died in 2011 and the future of the collection remained in question, according to the website. The library “had more than 20,000 books and 100,000 documents, as well as photographs and videos about the Holocaust, anti-Semitism, racism and bigotry,” according to www.anti-semitism.net.

NEW DISTRICT 9 COUNCILMAN JOE KRIER reports that he is out and about getting to know his constituents. In a recent newsletter post, Krier said, “I spent the morning walking through the Blossom Park subdivision with their leadership to see firsthand some of their drainage issues. I and your District 9 staff are working to get the city to expedite cleaning out some of their drainage channels.”

A SPECIAL ELECTION for the District 9 and District 10 slots is set for May 10 after being approved by the City Council. If needed, a runoff will be June 14. Both seats are filled by appointees — Joe Krier for District 9 and Mike Gallagher for District 10. The pair have said they plan to run for the seats.

The District 9 spot was vacated in the fall when Elisa Chan stepped down to run in the Republican primary March 4 for state Senate District 25. Carlton Soules left his District 10 seat Jan. 30 to campaign in the Republican primary for Bexar County judge.

According to officials, the city clerk is accepting applications through March 10 for candidates.

FILING FOR SEATS in area school board

and municipal elections closed Feb. 28 for the May 10 election. Spots that are up for grabs include: Hill Country Village — mayor, Place 2, Place 4; Hollywood Park — mayor, Place 2, Place 4; and the North East Independent School District — districts 2, 3 and 7. Early voting is April 28 to May 6.

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March 2014

Happening LOCAL

Communications is offering two college scholarships for women who are going back to school after an absence of at least three years. Applicants must have a high school diploma or General Education Development certificate and must be planning to major in a communicationrelated field. More information and an application form are available at www. awcsa.com, or by contacting Becky Huff at 830-500-2349 or beckyh@edenhill.org.

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

h a pp e n i ng k e y

OUR GUIDE TO YOUR MONTH

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GIRLS SOFTBALL LEAGUE

Registration is under way for spring league play for girls’ fast-pitch softball teams. Divisions start at age 8 and younger, and go to 14 and younger. Games will be played from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at various sites, including Alva Jo Fischer Softball Complex, 10700 Nacogdoches Road, and Rusty Lyons field at 6300 McCullough Ave. Team managers should call 207-3114 or 207-3127 to register their team, or for more information.

mar

MACARTHUR BAND The

MacArthur High School band presents the second annual Brahma Stampede 5K Fun Walk/Run! at 9 a.m. at Pavilion 2, McAllister Park, 13102 Jones Maltsberger Road. Registration on race day starts at 8 a.m. with tickets $30 for the public, $15 for students. For more, contact James Ragsdale at 356-7770.

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fitness outdoor Music

greet” at 9:45 a.m.; the meeting begins at 10:15 a.m. The meeting place is San Pedro Presbyterian Church, 14900 San Pedro Ave., and members are encouraged to bring a friend. Meetings are held the third Wednesday of the month.

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SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION The San Antonio

HILL COUNTRY VILLAGE The

LOW VISION EXPO More than 40 agencies and vendors 1 providing services and products to people with vision loss will be represented. A symposium featuring a trio of experts is also scheduled. The event takes place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Colonial Hills United Methodist Church, 5247 Vance Jackson Road. It is free and open to the public. For more, contact the Low Vision Resource Center, 829-4223.

North San Antonio Retired 19 Teachers Association will open its monthly meeting with a “meet and

through mar 21

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Castle Hills is looking for vendors of food as well as arts and crafts for its Fiesta Castle Hills event on April 12.

Anyone who’s interested can call 344-9507 or email fiestacastlehills.texas@gmail.com.

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City Council meets at 5 p.m. in City Hall, 116 Aspen Way.

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HOLLYWOOD PARK The City Council meets at 7 p.m. in City Hall, 2 Mecca Drive.

DENIM & DIAMONDS GALA

This event at the Club at Sonterra, 901 Sonterra Blvd., will benefit Rolling Hills Catholic School in Stone Oak. For information on tickets, table sponsorships and more, call the school at 497-0323 or contact gala chair Robyn Chappell at robyncchappell@yahoo.com.

Elsewhere in San Antonio VENDORS WANTED The city of

East Independent School District is out for the holidays.

mar

Chapter of the national organization will hold its monthly luncheon meeting at the Petroleum Club, 8620 N. New Braunfels Ave., at 11:30 a.m. Lunch costs $25. Reservations are required and should be made with Bob Clark, 4020871, or reservations@sarsat.org, by the Monday prior to the meeting. The chapter meets on the third Wednesday of the month (except for July and August).

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SPRING BREAK The North

FOOD

complete with refreshments, provide an opportunity for people 16 and older to learn about, and apply for, positions as lifeguards at city-operated pools. Computers will be available to file the online application, and participants are urged to bring a swimsuit in order to take the skill test, which will be required for employment. The events are from 2 to 4 p.m. at the San Antonio Natatorium, 1430 W. Cesar E. Chavez

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JCC SPRING BREAK CAMP The Barshop Jewish

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Community Center’s full-day camp sessions include early arrival and late-stay options. Activities will include sports and field trips. For more, call 302-6859 or go to www.jccsanantonio. org. The JCC is at 12500 N.W. Military Highway, at Wurzbach Parkway.

TEXAS FRONTIER WEEK Just in time for Spring Break, the 10-14 Institute of Texan Cultures means exploring re-creations of 1800s buildings at the museum’s Back 40 outdoor education area. Discover the log house, barn, one-room schoolhouse, adobe house and frontier fort, as well as enjoying fun family activities. Hours for Frontier Week are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day. Admission is $8 for adults, age 12 to 64; $7 for seniors; $6 for children, age 3 to 11; and free with membership or identification from the University of Texas at San Antonio or Alamo Colleges. For more, call 458-2300 or visit TexanCultures.com. The museum is at 801 E. Cesar E. Chavez Blvd.

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POOLS TO OPEN The San

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Antonio Parks and Recreation Department will open pools at four parks during Spring Break. They are Lady Bird Johnson, 10700 Nacogdoches Road; Woodlawn, 221 Alexander Ave.; Heritage, 1423 Ellison Drive; and South Side Lions, 3100 Hiawatha St. Hours will be 1-7 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

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Skating continues from pg. 01

Skateboarding means pushing beyond limits the MacArthur Skate Club recently displayed their skateboard decks at the Institute of Texan Cultures as part of what officials are calling a unique traveling Smithsonian exhibit, “Ramp It Up!” Reagan Beres, supervisor of the skate club, said the ITC approached her after they searched online for high school skate clubs and stumbled upon MacArthur.

Beres said she felt like they hit the lottery.

“While it’s a sport, it’s completely a creative endeavor. Most sports you don’t get to encompass art, music, photography, filming — and skateboarding has all of that,” Beres said.

Feeling very fortunate, a handful of the skate and art club students had the opportunity to showcase their handpainted skateboards and photos.

Brett Zettner, Cody Smith, Rye Beres

and Seth Arzola-Boyson number among the skate club members featured at the exhibit. Zettner had free rein on the designs he featured.

“I guess I’m a little more driven artistically, and she chose me to get to choose my first two boards,” Zetter said. “So I pursued the kill.”

Both Zettner and Smith had skate decks shown at ITC, while Rye Beres had a deck and a video, and ArzolaBoyson exhibited photographs.

All of the students agreed the exhibit presented them with a great opportunity.

“It felt great. People saw what we could do, and not just be dirtbags,” Beres said.

The exhibit ran from Nov. 2 to Jan. 5, and can be viewed online at http://www. texancultures.com/ramp_it_up_texas_style/.

The club has come a long way from its early days trying to gain legitimacy to being featured in a major exhibit, members said.

The skate club formed in 2002, but not without years of struggling to convince the administration they were more than a bunch of slackers involved in a dangerous sport.

Students many times approached Reagan Beres, who is the Advanced Via Individual Determination coordinator/

AVID elective teacher, but whenever they presented their proposal to school leaders, it was turned down.

“That year, 2002, that group of boys just wouldn’t take ‘no’ for answer,” Beres said.

While school officials kept saying “it’s too dangerous, it’s a liability,” Beres encouraged her students to push harder.

They compiled statistics and created a comprehensive presentation, and found that skateboarding injuries ranked between golf and volleyball. Those two sports are mainstays at high schools across the district, and the skaters argued the point.

The administration agreed, and the skate club has been nose-grinding and kick-flipping ever since.

But what makes skating so great?

“Everything,” Zettner said.

There are no bad parts to skateboarding, according to the students.

“Every time you land a new trick, it just gets better and better. You keep getting better and better, every time you fall it just brings you back and makes you push harder,” Zettner said.

While there is always a chance of falling or “eating it,” the adrenaline that comes with defying gravity while atop a plank

and four wheels is incredible, the skaters said. Arzola-Boyson said skateboarding shaped him into the person he is today.

As far as the slacker image that has dogged the skateboarding community for years, the members of the skate club say that isn’t them, and their supervisor is on their side.

“I think the common misconception is that it’s for lazy kids, which defies all logic, because it is truly, truly an athletic endeavor,” Beres said.

To be in the skateboard club, students have to keep up with their academics and adhere to the same rules as the sports teams on campus.

The club gathers to discuss different activities and they meet every Wednesday at Lady Bird Johnson Community Park to skate. However, most members eat, sleep and breathe skateboarding, and are out at the skatepark every day.

While skateboarding does have its risks, most of the skateboarders recover easily and keep trying to motivate others.

“Skateboarding to me means pushing yourself to the limit. Even though it can be pretty risky, the risk is worth every penny,” Smith said.

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Election continues from pg. 01

Primary looms

Members of the audience attending the Jan. 27 Texas Senate GOP candidate forum ask questions about the upcoming March 4 primary. Photo by Josh Michael

issues for the conservative faithful.

Chan is the San Antonio District 9 councilwoman who stepped down this fall to run; Novak is a former Bexar County commissioner.

The fiercely contested race for District 25 is among several voters will consider when casting primary ballots on March 4.

“That’s probably one of the more interesting races we’ve got in the city and county and region,” said Henry Flores, who holds a distinguished professor’s seat in political science at St. Mary’s University. “All three (candidates) are politically astute.”

Flores said each GOP candidate is well funded, making the outcome hinge on who comes across as the most conservative.

Other noteworthy runs include nine hopefuls from both parties in a crowded field to succeed Bexar County Precinct 4 Commissioner Tommy Adkisson, a Democrat who is trying to unseat longtime County Judge Nelson Wolff, a fellow Dem. District 25 cuts a large swath through parts of Bexar, Guadalupe, Travis and Hays counties and all of Comal and Kendall. In 2012, Campbell upset longtime incumbent Jeff Wentworth of San Antonio in the GOP primary before swamping Democrat Daniel Boone in the general election.

Because of redistricting, Campbell seeks re-election two years early for the usual fouryear term. If she wins the primary, she’ll again face Boone, the lone Democratic candidate.

Campbell, an emergency-room doctor with strong tea-party ties, was a political newcomer before toppling Wentworth. Novak touts his credentials as a solid business and community leader. Chan, co-owner of Unintech on San Antonio’s North Side, was a three-term councilwoman but also ran into some trouble last summer when a secret recording revealed her making unfavorable comments about gays.

“Campbell has the power of being the

incumbent and she’s very well organized,” Flores said. “Novak has a lot of roots in that (area), and a very good fundraiser, so he’s going to be very competitive, and I think Chan is also very well organized and has good money behind her.”

The Jan. 27 debate, held at the San Antonio Firefighters Banquet Hall, contained popular conservative talking points, though the candidates’ approaches differed.

Each said parents should have more say where their children attended schools.

Each railed against light rail and streetcars in downtown San Antonio and tolling existing roadways. All agreed government should not obstruct business expansion, but remain free from restrictions inhibiting economic growth. Each came out in favor of Texas’ Voter ID law and united in their distaste of Obamacare.

Campbell cited and defended her record, Chan attacked Campbell’s record, and Novak took the middle road.

“I think (Novak) is the more mainstream conservative of the three,” he said. “Chan’s attacks are typical of an underdog – and I think that’s the way she sees herself in this election.”

Flores said Chan’s comments against homosexuality – which created a national stir – might be her Achilles heel.

“Her only weakness is all those circumstances she left City Council with – the question is whether or not the opposition will pick up on it and use it against her in the campaign,” he said.

Both Novak and Chan face uphill battles, Flores said, but either could win if the race goes to a runoff.

“I would give Campbell the advantage – only because she’s the incumbent,” Flores said.

Meanwhile, several candidates from both parties are seeking to succeed Adkisson, who served 15 years as a county commissioner. Tommy Calvert Jr., Nicole Elizalde, Joaquin Gonzales, Debra Guerrero, Richard Moore and Sheila McNeil are the Democrats; the Republicans are Reinette King Alecozay, Alan Baxter and Tim Wilson.

Then there’s Adkisson, who has a formidable challenge in supplanting Wolff, the long-standing county judge and former San Antonio mayor regarded as a community institution. It’ll be Adkisson’s second attempt to become county judge. He won the Democratic nomination in 1992, only to lose the general election to Cyndi Taylor Krier.

The primary winner will face either GOP nominee Carlton Soules, who stepped down Jan. 30 as the San Antonio District 10 council representative, or Gerald Ponce in November’s general election.

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MEDICAL HEALTH CARE

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Electronic medical records coming to SA by travis e. poling

L

ogging on to the computer to check personal medical records could become as commonplace as checking your bank account or a credit score in the near future. The idea being put in place by Healthcare Access San Antonio is one executives say will not only place health knowledge in the hands of patients, but also save lives and money.

Working with hospital systems and physician practices, the nonprofit organization is compiling thousands of medical records available only to the patient and medical providers with patient permission.

“If you’re in Dallas or Houston and in a car wreck, the emergency physician needs to see your records,” said Kimberly Harris, who heads marketing and business development

for HASA. Harris likens it to going to France on vacation and using a bank card from back home to get money.

The initiative is one of several around the country to create a healthinformation exchange. That includes medical records from hospitals and doctors that could be accessed from anywhere as needed by the patient, and a personal health record that could include test results, medications and doctor and insurance information to make things more convenient for the patient.

The Baptist Health System, Methodist Healthcare System, Christus Santa Rosa Health System, Nix Health System and University Health System have all provided secure patient records to HASA. Those 600,000 patient records eventually will be connected to a statewide network,

MARCH 2014

said Gijs Van Oort, CEO of HASA. In all, more than 1,900 doctors and 83 hospitals in the region have signed on as interested parties in the health-information exchange, according to HASA. It’s all part of a federal effort to connect health care providers across the state and in neighboring states. Because of the size of Texas, the state has opted to give the task to regional groups such as HASA. All are overseen by the Texas Health Services Authority. HASA received federal funds in 2010 to launch the initiative in Bexar and 22 surrounding counties.

Like credit reports, the patient records allow people to check their data for accuracy, something that could be important in case of an emergency.

“A lot of people simply want to see their

A lot of people simply want to see their record (at the doctor’s office or hospital) and sometimes find the information is not correct

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record (at the doctor’s office or hospital) and sometimes find the information is not correct,” Van Oort said. It also is a way to educate the patient, track data for chronic diseases and “gives them more purpose to take action,” he added.

While larger medical groups, which mostly are using advanced electronic record-keeping systems, have seen the value of the health-insurance exchange idea, it has been a harder sell to doctors in solo practice, Van Oort said.

The advantage for solo doctors is they can easily get access to their patients and patient records without so much paper changing hands or long waits.

Van Oort also said doctors are doing their patients a favor if they file patient records with the exchange because the data is easily accessed by an emergencyroom doctor in times of great need.

What’s more, front-office staff can readily call up insurance and billing data without seeing the patient’s medical records, he said.

Dr. Ramone Figueroa, who heads technology initiatives for San Antoniobased medical group and insurer WellMed, said all the clinics in the

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WellMed family will soon be on one system that can help generate reports on who needs a mammogram or some other type of preventive care.

The clinics, which serve about 45,000 senior citizens in the San Antonio area and 55,000 in Austin, El Paso, Corpus Christi, the Rio Grande Valley and parts of Florida, once had 11 different electronic medical record systems.

In the works for WellMed is a portal where patients can securely check their test results, past reports and even make an appointment.

Figueroa said he understands the need for the systems to talk to one another, even outside the clinics.

“San Antonio’s patients are mobile and one time they might go to the Methodist System and the next time the Baptist System,” Figueroa said.

Van Oort said smaller hospitals sending patients for additional specialty care in San Antonio also will benefit from

the records exchange. For example, a hospital transferring a patient from Del Rio to San Antonio by helicopter or ambulance had to put the paper records with the patient for transport.

Under the HASA system, the San Antonio hospital can search records electronically and be ready; meanwhile, the doctor back home can access the San Antonio records for follow up care.

Harris said future steps include health-provider access, as needed, to living wills and power-of-attorney records if a patient is unable to decide on medical treatment for himself, and health coaching for patients, especially those with chronic disease.

As the system rolls out, those interested in preregistering for their own patient records page can go to HASATX.org and click on MyHASA. Those who sign up will receive information on the program when it is available.

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Cedar pollen nothing to sneeze at, but there are some solutions by gianna rendon

S

an Antonians gasping for relief whenever cedar season is in full bloom may be glad to know there are some remedies for their misery.

Michael Bimler, a San Antonio College student and a Hollywood Park resident, suffers from cedar and other pollen allergies.

“The cedar is ridiculous,” Bimler said. “It puts me in bed for two or three days if it’s really bad outside.”

The so-called mountain-cedar pollen season usually lasts from December through February. Allergists report this year has been one of the worst in about two decades, and Bimler agreed. He typically uses over-thecounter medications such as Zyrtec.

There are various ways an allergy sufferer can get some aid during the so-called “cedar fever” season.

Dr. Edward Brooks, from the division of immunology and infectious disease in the department of pediatrics at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, said there are three main

messy impressions!

allergy-treatment approaches: avoidance, medications and allergy shots.

If you are allergic to animal dander, then you can just avoid the animal, but it’s more complicated with cedar and other pollens, many of them airborne.

“There’s not a whole lot you can do (to avoid cedar) besides not going outside,” Brooks said.

Sufferers can keep windows closed

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There’s not a whole lot you can do (to avoid cedar) besides not going outside Dr. Edward Brooks

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on days when the pollen count is high, Brooks said. If you have allergies, Brooks also suggested washing your face when you come inside, and taking a shower before you go to sleep to get rid of pollen.

The most effective medications are topical intranasal corticosteroids, Brooks said. They are prescription

Allergies continues on pg. 14

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MEDICAL HEALTH CARE

14

Allergies continues from pg. 13 nasal sprays that relieve a stuffy nose and other nasal problems.

Since they are steroids, there might be side effects, which can occur after using an excessive amount, Brooks said.

There are other medications an allergy sufferer can use, such as antihistamines, which relieve itching and sneezing; medications such as Singulair can help with congestion.

Avoid over-the-counter nose sprays, Brooks said, because it is easy to get addicted to them.

Allergy shots are a way to help patients become desensitized so they no longer react to allergens, Brooks said. It is the only cure for allergens; the shots are available through allergists.

Mike Anderson, a pharmacist and the owner of Shavano Park Wellness Pharmacy at 14603 Huebner Road, offers traditional prescription services as well as natural homeopathic products for allergy sufferers.

Anderson sells Cedar X, which helps with cedar-allergy symptoms such as congestion. It is an oil that is inhaled.

The pharmacy also offers relief from other spring allergies with Spring Allergy Mix, a drop applied under the tongue that relieves congestion, itchy eyes, tickling throat and sneezing.

The natural products have no additives, chemicals or dyes in them, Anderson said.

“They are very safe,” he added.

There are other ways to combat allergies that do not require a visit to the store.

“The reason why you have allergies is basically because you have some deficiency in your immune system,” Anderson said.

“So your body can’t fight off whether it’s a cold or a particular allergen or pollen or whatever it is. So if you improve the function of your immune system, then you can reduce your exposure to those things and the severity with which they affect you.”

Increasing your intake of vitamins C and D will help strengthen an immune system, Anderson said. A good source of vitamin C comes from eating citrus fruits and vitamin D from exposure to the sun, Anderson said.

Anderson has a wellness radio show on WOAI 1200 AM called “Wellness Matters” from 3 to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.

MARCH 2014

Pediatricians find challenges and many rewards by ron aaron eisenberg

F

rom educating parents about whether children need antibiotics to protecting youngsters from cancer, today’s pediatricians say their jobs keep them busy — but also feeling rewarded.

“I love my job,” said pediatrician Ryan Van Ramshorst. “I just love going to work every day knowing I’m making an impact on children and their families.”

One of the biggest challenges faced today by pediatricians is helping parents understand when antibiotics should be used.

He and his colleagues prescribe them only when truly needed, Van Ramshorst said. According to the latest research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, evidence indicates that “unnecessary antibiotics can be harmful by promoting resistant organisms

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Dr. Leah Jacobson said at her practice, Through the Years Pediatrics, she often tries to discuss with families when it’s right to take antibiotics.

“We consciously try to limit prescribing antibiotics. Over the years the tendency was to offer an antibiotic whenever a parent requested one for their children,” said Jacobson, a boardcertified pediatrician and a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

According to the academy, about 10 million antibiotic prescriptions are written every year for upper respiratory infections that likely won’t improve from antibiotic use.

Plus, unnecessary antibiotic use puts children at risk of side effects or a potential allergy to the medications, and increases the risk of antibiotic resistance by bacteria, AAP researchers said.

Another issue Jacobson has seen is parents choosing not to vaccinate their children.

“One of the first things we do with new patients is discuss vaccinations with their parents,” said Jacobson, a mother of three who serves on the Bexar County Medical Society board of directors. “If a parent says they do not want their children

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vaccinated, we politely tell them our practice is not for them and encourage them to seek out another pediatrician.”

She added, “We are seeing diseases in children we thought we wouldn’t see again, like pertussis – whooping cough.”

That disease is largely preventable with the vaccination DTaP — a three-in-one vaccine protecting against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, physicians say.

According to the CDC, children who haven’t received DTaP vaccines are at least eight times more likely to get pertussis than children who received all five recommended doses of DTaP. Pediatricians also recommend the vaccine that fights the human papillomavirus, or HPV, which causes several cancers including cervical cancer in girls and genital warts in boys, for children 11 and 12 years of age.

The HPV vaccine was embroiled in a political battle in Texas a couple of years ago when Gov. Rick Perry wanted all children in the state to be vaccinated.

That flap led some parents to refuse the vaccine, known to many as Gardasil.

“We need to do better getting more girls and boys vaccinated with HPV because that will save lives,” Van Ramshorst said, The CDC reports cervical cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women around the world. In the United States, about 12,000 women get cervical cancer every year and some 4,000 are expected to die from it.

According to HealthGrades.com, there are an estimated 633 pediatricians within 25 miles of downtown San Antonio.

So how does a parent pick one?

Experts suggest talking to friends and neighbors for recommendations on a pediatrician. Suggestions include looking for pediatricians whose office staff seems caring, welcoming and professional.

For more information on pediatricians and children’s medical care, visit the American Academy of Pediatrics website at www.aap.org.

Editor’s note: Author Ron Aaron Eisenberg and his wife, Gina, have a special interest in pediatrics. They recently adopted three children – a girl, Reagan, born in September 2011; and twin boys, Kennedy and Carter, born May 2013.

15

Gallagher continues from pg. 05

Mike Gallagher, a retired Air Force colonel and a longtime Northeast Side neighborhood leader, has been appointed as the new councilman for District 10. He plans to run for the spot May 10. Photo by Josh Huskin

speaking to all of them, I thought it was best to keep everybody in place so we can just keep moving ahead full steam.”

One of the programs important to Gallagher is improving the Northeast Senior Multi-Service Center, located at 4355 Center Gate.

The renovations to the center are expected to be completed in 2015.

“The center is an important project,” Gallagher said. “When it is completed, it is something that will not only benefit the citizens of District 10, but also will help out people in District 2 and District 9. Community is important, and that’s the work that we will be doing.”

Gallagher continues on pg. 19

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March 2014

BUY LOCAL

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

New gun shop aims for best deals, owner says by collette orquiz

T

he newest gun shop on the North Side wants to give customers the biggest bang for their buck, whether it is for hunting, sport or protection.

Promising fair prices and billing itself as an alternative to pawn shops, Adelbridge & Co. Firearms opened in October at 10130 San Pedro Ave., Suite 101.

Owner Jonathan Hirsch has been an Internet retailer specializing in firearms and accessories since 2010, with a business background dating to 2005.

“It’s a good business to be in. It was one of the industries that was growing as the economy was shrinking,” Hirsch said.

Adelbridge & Co. Firearms features collector items, Glocks, hunting rifles,

semiautomatics, sporting rifles, revolvers, sound suppressors (also called silencers), optics, ammunition and other gear.

Both Hirsch and his associate are experienced hunters and wellversed in gun specifics to ensure that customers walk out happy.

“We like to steer customers towards what’s going to be best for their hunt,” Hirsch said.

He said there are two pricing tiers — Internet and retail. Since he started in the industry primarily as an Internet dealer, he decided to keep the same pricing, which he said typically is 10 percent to 15 percent less than other retailers.

His store also offers discounts for military personnel and police officers.

Adelbridge & Co. Firearms also

buys and trades with customers, and even conducts “straight trades” where one gun is traded for another without money being exchanged.

“We treat customers well and give them fair prices for trade-ins and fair prices on new guns,” Hirsch said.

The store is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and closed Sunday.

Buying and selling guns and accessories is what Adelbridge & Co. Firearms is all about, but at fair prices and with great customer service, according to owner Jonathan Hirsch. Photos by Collette Orquiz

ADELBRIDGE & CO. FIREARMS 10130 San Pedro Ave., Suite 101 For more, call 265-1146 or check out http://www.adelbridge.com

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EAT LOCAL

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

Box 903 brings modern twist to sports bar by collette orquiz

B

efore Congress lifted Prohibition in 1933, bars selling bootleg alcohol were called “boxes” to deter suspicion they might be illegal watering holes. Fast forward to 2014, a North Side bar has created a Prohibitionera vibe with a modern twist.

Box 903 at 903 E. Bitters Road offers classic cocktails while maintaining the comfiness of a friendly local sports bar.

“We don’t want to pigeonhole ourselves just in that little genre — it kind of gets classified as upscale, hoity toity,” said general manager Dana Tyson. “We still want to keep that neighborhood bar feel.”

The spot on East Bitters Road has

gone through many incarnations, but the recent remodeling and rebranding to create Box 903 focuses on providing the best place to watch sports games paired with Prohibitioninspired cocktails, Tyson said.

Five flat-screen televisions line the wall behind the bar, and five larger screens line the opposite side to offer plenty of sports-watching options.

The tavern features box seating, karaoke and other entertainment.

Tyson said Spurs games always have the sound on.

Box 903’s cocktail menu features Midnight Moon Moonshine, a premium craft spirit based on the legendary recipe of Junior Johnson and his family, which brewed the spirit

before, during and after Prohibition.

The menu also features Hillbilly Pop made with moonshine, root beer and a splash of vanilla.

“It’s a little something different in this area,” Tyson said.

Patrons also can sip beer from the bottle or from one of six rotating taps; there is wine, too. Happy hour is 3-8 p.m. with $1.50 off any drink, along with daily specials.

Hint: Try the Red Eye, a Bloody Mary-inspired cocktail made with jalapeño-infused moonshine.

Box 903 is open 3 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Box 903 serves more than just typical drinks with a Prohibition-inspired cocktail menu including the Red Eye (top photo), a Bloody Mary with Midnight Moonshine infused with jalapeños, and the Cool Water (bottom photo), a cucumber martini. Photos

by Collette Orquiz

Box 93 903 E. Bitters Road, Suite 313 For more, call 499-0064 or check out www.box903.com.

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March 2014

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

Recent

Home sales in SA start 2014 with a bang

PROPERTY LISTINGS

Houses sell in two to three months in 78216, 78232 and 78247 ZIPs

by Travis e. poling

S

an Antonio home sales stayed strong in the first month of the new year on the heels of the best year of sales since 2006. Even in a month when sales tend to be slow, January saw a total of 1,348 sales in the area, up 7 percent from January 2013.

The data compiled by the San Antonio Board of Realtors from Multiple Listing Service data found that two-thirds of the sales were priced at less than $200,000 and nearly a third were $200,000-$500,000.

“December 2013 closed out our biggest sales year since 2006, so it is no surprise January 2014 showed an increase over January 2013,” said SABOR Chairman Missy Stagers. “San Antonio’s growing economy has allowed more people to realize the dream of homeownership and the affordable home prices mean they can make their money go further.”

The median sales price of a home in San Antonio rose 7 percent to $161,000 and the average price in January was $14,701, up 6 percent over the same month in 2013. Houses sold in January moved an average of 75 days after hitting the market, 16 percent faster than a year ago, SABOR reported.

In the northern sector of San Antonio from Blanco to Judson roads, median

prices and the number of closed sales were mixed, but inventory tightened and sales were faster across the ZIP codes of 78216, 78232 and 78247.

In 78216, the median price dropped by 26 percent to $106,500 and the number of closed sales dipped by the same margins to 12 for the month, according to data from the Texas Market Trends Report. But houses sold faster in the area with sales happening an average of 65 days after listing, compared to 125 days the previous January.

The median price in 78232 was up 14.3 percent to $194,250 and the number of closed sales climbed by three to 30 for the month.

In the 78247 ZIP code, median sales were relatively flat at $140,000, up just 4 percent. But homes on the market moved twice as fast at 64 days and closed sales were up by 13 to 45 houses sold in January.

SABOR’s President and CEO Angela Shields said strong sales early in the year portend even better results later in the year, when even more people are in the market to buy a home.

“The winter months can be a slower sales time in housing, but this year we have been experiencing tremendous growth and expect to continue that trend as winter winds down and we enter the spring buying season,” Shields said.

Street Address

List Price

SQ. FT.

Built

BR

FB

ZIP

2230 Orange Blossom

$149,500

1,715

1973

4

2

78247

12207 Melon St

$149,888

1,724

1980

3

2

78247

13906 Bluff Ln

$649,900

4,545

1983

5

5

78216

1602 Possum Path

$199,000

2,425

1992

4

2

78232

2602 Moss Bluff St

$139,900

1,336

1983

3

2

78232

15230 Moonlit Grove

$147,500

2,768

1986

4

2

78247

14291 Savannah Pass

$335,000

2,662

2005

3

2

78216

6330 Fox Creek St

$145,000

1,629

1983

3

2

78247

16530 Fox Knl

$159,500

1,591

1983

3

2

78247

10 Great Wood

$255,000

2,094

2002

3

2

78232

Real Estate LOCAL Trends ZIP Code Median sold price New listings

Custom work at a discount price

Licensed, Bonded and Insured Military & senior discounts

78247

JAN-13

$144,000

$169,900

$139,500

JAN-14

$106,500

$194,250

$140,000

27

34

67

21

44

76

Average days on market

JAN-13

125

88

135

JAN-14

65

83

64

Closed sales

JAN-13

16

27

32

JAN-14

12

30

45

Under contract Months supply of inventory

JAN-13

21

39

49

JAN-14

22

43

44

JAN-13

5.5

4.1

5.2

JAN-14

5.1

2.4

3

Source: San Antonio Board of Realtors: Texas Market Trends report The properties are new listings put on the market from Jan. 6-Feb. 1. The properties may no longer be on the market by publication date or prices may have changed.

Local Community News assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions.

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In addition, more improvements are coming in the fall to Comanche Lookout Park, where about $700,000 will pay for additional parking, exercise equipment and trails in the shadow of the park’s landmark tower.

Construction is expected to last about six months, but will not affect nearby neighborhoods, officials said.

The 96-acre park, located at Judson and Nacogdoches roads, also is the home of the Julia Yates Semmes Branch Library.

Before filling the council slot, Gallagher sat on numerous boards and committees, including posts for the city of San Antonio such as the Neighborhood Code Enforcement Task Force and the Northeast Corridor Revitalization Steering Committee.

“There were several reasons why I did not want to just serve these three months, but also to seek re-election was to make sure that I want to continue what Councilman Soules did regarding the funds from the 2012 bond program,” Gallagher said. “He did a lot of work to improve the green spaces in our

district, as well as to improve the parks and libraries in the area.”

Gallagher has already shown he is not afraid to tackle serious issues as a councilman.

During a recent decision in favor of a nearly $852,000 health initiative that would provide city-sponsored birth control to teen girls, Gallagher was the lone dissenting vote on the council.

Critics of the measure include several religious and social conservatives.

While serving in the Air Force, Gallagher was the senior White House social aide for President Ronald Reagan, the media relations director for Army Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf during Operation Desert Storm, and the director of public affairs for United States Air Forces Europe.

He also served as the director of public affairs for the Air Force’s largest command, the Air Combat Command.

His final post before retirement was at the Pentagon, where he was the special assistant for public affairs to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

“Serving has been just a big part of my career,” Gallagher said.

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Any Large Cheesecake or 3 Layer Cake

(NO limit; excludes custom cakes.)

Large inventory on hand. Call ahead to check availability and place custom orders. www.ultimatecheesecakebakery.com

(210) 494-5496 12914 Flagship, San Antonio, TX 78247

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Delivering

BREAKFAST • LUNCH • DINNER Since 1986

CATERING

DELIVERY

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DELIVERY

ng Deliveri TONIO’S FAVORITE RE S TA U R AN N A N A S TS Right to your door!

Little Italy COMMUNITY NEWS

WWW.EATOUTIN.COM

+ lots more!

4204 gardendale Ste. 201 SAN ANTONIO, TX 78229

For delivery call or order online 447-3777