Category: San Antonio News

Editor’s note: This story was published through a partnership between KSAT and the San Antonio Business Journal.

A San Antonio-area community has ranked as one of the hottest neighborhoods in the nation for homebuyers.

Homebuying platform Opendoor calculated the top 10 ZIP codes in the country last year, based on data from local multiple listing services. The list ranked neighborhoods by the number of homes that went into contract within 90 days of listing.

Many of the hottest neighborhoods in the country are in the Sun Belt, not a surprise to anyone following the national housing market. Three other Texas cities made the list — Leander and Katy in the Austin area and Forney in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

“One of the commonalities in this top 10 list? A warm climate,” wrote Rob Reiling, head of city operations for Opendoor, in a report. “From Tennessee to Texas to Georgia to San Diego, Americans are relocating for a number of reasons — and enjoying comfortable weather is one of the perks.”

The 78130 ZIP code, which includes most of New Braunfels plus surrounding areas, ranked No. 4.

The full list includes:

Clarksville, Tenn., 37042Leander, Texas, 78641Katy, Texas, 77494New Braunfels, Texas, 78130Yukon, Okla., 73099Loganville, Ga., 30052Forney, Texas, 75126Temecula, Calif., 92592Greater downtown San Diego, 92101Celebration, Fla., 34747

New Braunfels is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, having grown 56.6% over the last decade, U.S. Census data found. Given its close proximity to both San Antonio and Austin, the city has become popular with transplants both from Texas and from out of state.

Chris Westrom, senior general manager for Opendoor in San Antonio, said New Braunfels’ access to big-city amenities while still having natural spots to explore helped propel it to the top of the list.

“There’s convenience when you want it, and it’s easy to get outside and away from people when you don’t,” Westrom said in an email. “Texas offers no state income taxes, not to mention nice weather, which are only two reasons why people are flocking to the state.”

The region’s housing market continues to attract attention nationwide. Zillow Group Inc. (Nasdaq: Z and ZG) ranked San Antonio No. 4 on its list of the top hottest housing markets in 2022.

Austin, which took the top spot last year, dropped to No. 10 due to decelerating home-value growth, according to a Zillow economist.

Westrom said he expects suburban areas with larger, newer and affordable homes will continue to be popular.

“Over the past few years, we’ve seen the market consistently strengthen,” Westrom said. “Assuming no changes in interest rates, there’s little reason to believe the market will decline this year.”

Click here to read the full story in the San Antonio Business Journal.

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A home in the 300 block of Dolores Avenue on the West Side was the target of a drive-by shooting this week.

Four people were inside the home and one woman was hit in the leg and taken to the hospital. San Antonio police said it happened around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.

As of Thursday, the suspects are still on the run.

A woman who lives at the house that was targeted didn’t want to go on camera, but she said her brother’s girlfriend was hit but is okay and back at home.

She was still shaken up and said she wasn’t sure why her home was targeted, adding whoever shot at them in the morning came back that same evening.

SAPD said they did go back to the home around 8 p.m. for a call of shots fired, but found no evidence of a shooting. Although neighbors in the area did hear gunfire.

“I believe there was about 10 and then the second time there was about 11 and then last night, six more,” said one man who did not want to be identified.

With the suspects not being caught, neighbors are fearful another shooting is coming. At least one bullet missed the home it was aiming for and hit another man’s fence.

“They go to target one home and innocent people get hurt and it’s scary… like I say, we’ve never experienced something like that.”

SAPD investigators did not describe the suspect’s vehicle.

They said this was an isolated incident and that the public is not in danger.

In 2021, more violent crimes turned into homicides in San Antonio. SAPD Chief William McManus said he hopes to dissect problem areas into micro districts to be able to better investigate.

More on KSAT:

SAPD chief breaks down how police hope to prevent another upward trend in homicide casesWoman shot in drive-by on West Side; 4 taken in for questioning

The San Antonio City Council approved the first CPS Energy rate increase in eight years, and it’s just the beginning of the many more rate increases.

The 3.85% CPS Energy rate and fuel cost increase approved by San Antonio City Council on Thursday is just the beginning of more rate hikes for the utility’s customers in the near future.

CPS Energy projects it will be returning before the city council every couple of years with a rate evaluation and possible increase estimated to be over 10% on top of the 3.85% increase that was just passed.

The new rate hike expected to take effect on March 1, 2022, will bring in about $73 million.

CPS Energy President and CEO Rudy Garza said it’s a starting point to move the company in the right direction. He said it helps the company start the plans to determine what systems to purchase and what infrastructure changes to make.

“All this investment does is allow us to get the project going so that we can come back to you in a couple of years and let you know that number’s $250 million, $300 million. It is going to be a big investment and I’m not going to, you know, hide from that. It’s the brains behind, you know, all of the CPS Energy operations,” Garza said.

One of the first purchases to be evaluated is the 22-year old computer system that runs the grid.

The rate increase approval also includes fuel charge costs to help pay for the $418 million in extra costs brought on by the 2021 winter storm. That cost could also increase pending legal challenges to the bill.

The company says it will give rate evaluations annually and come back with a possible rate change request in 2025 and 2027, each projected to be 5.5%.

The company has promised transparency with how it moves forward. In the next month, the CPS Energy board will discuss a probe into the company’s structure and operations. And in the next 12 months, the company will begin to discuss the next phase for its coal plant at Calaveras Lake.

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San Antonio City Council approves CPS Energy rate hike

According to CPS, the base rate increase will support infrastructure resiliency such as power generation and projects to support extreme-weather operations.

UPDATE: This livestream has concluded. Watch video on demand above.

As the March 1 primary election nears, Democratic Bexar County Judge candidates will take part in a forum Thursday evening, giving voters a chance to learn more about them.

The forum, hosted by the Bexar County Democratic Party, will start at 6:30 p.m. It will be livestreamed in this article.

All four Democratic candidates who are competing for the county’s top elected position will be participating in the two-hour forum. They include:

Ivalis Meza Gonzalez, former mayoral chief of staffIna Minjarez, state representative in House District 124Gerard Ponce, administrator and former mayoral candidatePeter Sakai, former district court judge

What to know

With Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff’s decision not to seek reelection, voters will choose a new person to the office for the first time since 2001.

The departure has not only attracted current and former elected officials, but a few outsiders, too.

On the Democratic ticket, mayoral Chief of Staff Ivaliz Meza Gonzalez, State Rep. Ina Minjarez, former mayoral candidate Gerard Ponce and former district court judge Peter Sakai are vying for the party’s nomination. The winner will go on to face the winner of the Republican primary — small business owner and licensed peace officer Nathan Buchanan or Bexar County Pct. 3 Commissioner Trish DeBerry.

The candidate who secures the Democratic nomination would be a favorite to win the race in the general election later this year. Bexar County has not elected a Republican as county judge since 1998.

After the campaign filing deadline passed, KSAT sent each candidate a questionnaire about why they’re running for one of Bexar County’s most important elected offices. You can read their responses here.

Early voting for the primary begins on Feb. 14, with election day slated for March 1. The deadline to register to vote is Jan. 31.

To check your voter registration status in Bexar County, click here. To find out which precinct you live in, click here.

Read more on our Vote 2022 page:

The races to watch for Bexar County in 2022Bexar County Judge candidates tell KSAT why they’re running

The move comes as the Hill Country city continues to attract more attention from multiple industries.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day falls on Monday, Jan. 17, and while it is a federal holiday, the city’s COVID-19 testing sites will stay open.

The city says that Curative Testing locations and Community Lab Mass Testing Sites and select vaccination clinics will be open unless otherwise noted. Find testing sites here.

The COVID-19 hotline will also be open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. for people with questions about testing or vaccines.

However, many municipal offices will be closed in observation of the holiday. Public safety and emergency services will remain open.

Here’s what will be open and closed for MLK Day in the city:

Open:

Police will be on dutySAPD’s detention center and the magistrate court will remain openFire and EMS personnel will be on duty3-1-1 Call Center will be operational from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.The COVID-19 Hotline will be operational from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.All Curative Testing locations and Community Lab Mass Testing Sites and select vaccination clinics will be open unless otherwise indicatedAnimal Care Officers will be on dutyCode Enforcement Officers will be available for inspections and emergency coverageDowntown parking visitors will enjoy an on-street parking meter holidayLa Villita and Market Square shopsCity parks and trails

Closed:

SAPD’s Administration and Records SectionSAFD Administrative OfficesSan Antonio Municipal CourtAll Metro Health clinicsAnimal Care Services Lobby and Adoption CenterHousing Assistance HotlineHomeless Connections Hotline (210-207-1799)All Senior/Adult Comprehensive Centers and Senior Nutrition SitesWillie Velasquez, Claude Black and Frank Garrett community centersChild Care Services administrative officesHead Start administrative offices and school district sitesPre-K 4 SA Centers, CEO and corporate officeDead animal collection crews will be off dutyRecycling, organics recycling and garbage for Monday, Jan. 17 will be collected on Tuesday, Jan. 18 and those regularly scheduled on Tuesday, Jan. 18 will be collected Wednesday, Jan. 19Bitters and Nelson Gardens Brush RecyclingBulky waste collection centers and household hazardous waste sites (Frio City Rd., Rigsby and Culebra)The Darner Headquarters and Park Reservations OfficeCity of San Antonio Community Centers, the Natatorium, Fairchild and McFarlin Tennis Centers and the Barrera Community Fitness CenterLimited Fitness and Park classes will be held. Please check the schedule.Office of the City Clerk, Passports, Vital Records and Municipal Archives and RecordsAlamodome Offices and Box OfficeCentral Library and all branch librariesDevelopment Services DepartmentOffice of Historic PreservationPlanning DepartmentNeighborhood and Housing ServicesThe Carver Community Cultural CenterSpanish Governor’s PalaceLa Villita and Market Square Administrative OfficesCentro de Artes Gallery at Market Square is closed until further noticeCulture Commons Gallery at Plaza de Armas is closed until further notice

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In-person MLK March canceled again due to COVID-19 surge, virtual ideas neededMetro Health reports highest new COVID-19 case count in Bexar County since pandemic began

A San Antonio police officer was arrested early Thursday after investigators said he struck a woman in the face during a domestic dispute.

Officer Christian Harris, 28, was arrested just before 3 a.m. after Bexar County Sheriff’s deputies responded to an assault call, according to an SAPD media release.

Deputies said Harris attempted to leave the scene but was stopped a block away and taken into custody, the release states.

He was booked into jail on a Class A misdemeanor charge of assault causing bodily injury-married just before 6 a.m., magistrate records show.

Harris has worked for SAPD since 2016 and was most recently assigned to the department’s east substation.

SAPD officials said Thursday Harris has now been temporarily suspended without pay.

BCSO officials have not released preliminary information on Harris’ arrest.

Harris’ bond was set at $2,500. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Feb. 14.

The officer’s mugshot was not available at time of publishing, but SAPD provided Harris’ service photo. We will post his mugshot when it’s made available through Bexar County.

To contact the Family Violence Prevention Services, the crisis hotline is 210-733-8810. Find more resources for victims of domestic violence here.”

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Texas’ beloved grocer H-E-B has once again been named among the best grocers in the country.

A report from Dunnhumby lists H-E-B at No. 2, beat out only by Amazon. Other area retailers like Trader Joe’s, Costco, Sam’s Club, Walmart and Target also made the list.

According to the report, “H-E-B maintained its spot at number two, continuing to display its strategic superiority over the competition by holding its ground on its traditionally strong balance of great Price perception and great Quality perception.”

Dunnhumby cited H-E-B’s private brand as a major factor in the ranking, in addition to the grocer’s improvement across digital platforms in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is the second year in a row that Amazon has claimed the top spot. The previous year, H-E-B reigned at No. 1.

The report states that Amazon “is the retailer with the strongest Customer value proposition” and that it “continues to benefit from the growing importance of Digital and Speed, which already happen to have been its biggest competitive advantages before Covid.”

Dunnhumby lists the following as the top grocers in the nation for 2021:

AmazonH-E-BMarket BasketWegmansAmazon FreshAldiTrader Joe’sSam’s ClubCostco 1Walmart Neighborhood MarketTargetPublixWalmartBJ’s WholesaleFareway

Fifth Annual US Grocery RPI

Comedy, concerts, and monster trucks are on the Alamo City agenda in the days ahead. Here are our picks for the top things to do in San Antonio this weekend. Thursday, January 13 Marcia Ball in concert Jazz, TX welcomes acclaimed pianist, songwriter, and vocalist Marcia Ball to the stage. Audiences can expect a lively show complete with rhythm, blues, and true Texas flair. Tickets are extremely limited. See what is still available here. Friday,…