It was a tough day returning back to school Monday for Johnson High School students after two of their classmates were killed in a fiery crash Saturday afternoon near the campus.

Melinda Cox is a parent of a Johnson High School student who was friends with one of the two victims.

Like many students on campus, Cox’s son has been deeply impacted by the news.

“I think children often cope in different ways,” she said. “They might not say anything or be very upset. That is one of the hard things is figuring out where each student is and try to provide what that particular student needs.”

She said as a parent, she too has been impacted.

“All of this was coming in through social media. And you are just hoping that none of it is real, but then you find out that it was real. Your mind kind of scrambles,” Cox said. “The first thing you think of is your family and friends and everyone involved. Also, this happened next door to our Bexar County Volunteer Fire Department. Those young men and women had been on our campus and worked with our students doing programs with kids. They know these kids and know this campus, and your heart just goes out to them having to do their job and do their job so close to home.”

She said shock is still the main feeling of emotion for most.

“Not only had we lost two of our Johnson students, but it literally happened on our front doorstep,” she said. “It will be a grim reminder everyday as these students pull into campus. They lost two of their classmates, so they will never really recover from that. But they need to know that this Johnson community is here for them.”

Cox said the loss is being felt all across the district.

“All of our students are great students,” she said. “I know it is a loss that is felt because they were engaged in so many different groups of friends and so many different activities and so many different parts of campus. It has a trickle-down affect because they were popular, fun, sweet, kind kids.”

Cox said she is thankful the district has stepped in with counseling efforts needed for students.

She also said they will continue to keep the families of the victims in their prayers and will help whenever they are needed.

Cox also said she hopes this loss encourages others to hold your loved ones close.

“Go home and be thankful for their family and friend and neighbors and classmates and just take care of each other,” she said.

At this time, the cause of the crash is still being investigated and details are very limited. The names of the students have not been released.

Also on KSAT.com:

Driver shot in car on Highway 281 near downtown in apparent road rage incidentSan Antonio man sentenced to 33 years in prison for murder of his cousinTwo toddlers found tied up at Southeast Side home, officials say

The North East Independent School District is temporarily increasing pay rates for substitute teachers.

NEISD officials say the substitute pay rate will be as followed:

Certified Teacher- $120Degree/Non-Certified Teacher- $110Long Term Teacher- $150Special Education Instructional Assistant- $98

Substitutes will also be eligible to receive a one-time $100 incentive if they complete 20 days within one of the four 9-week periods, district officials say. Additionally, subs who accept assignments on Fridays will receive an extra $20 for that day.

The temporary pay rate increase will remain in effect through June 30.

The increase comes amid a struggle to maintain staffing within the district. Last week, NEISD reported about 700 teacher and staff shortages for both Jan 3. and Jan 4. On Jan 7., 945 staff members were absent, 672 of those members were teachers, NEISD Executive Director of Communications Aubrey Chancellor said. ,

On Monday, 806 staff members were absent. Of those, 554 were teachers, Chancellor said.

With this increase of teacher absences comes the demand for substitute teachers.

In a letter sent out by NEISD Superintendent Dr. Sean Maika, he said the district is in dire need of substitute teachers.

“Each morning, I receive a list of schools with the number of teacher and staff absences. When teachers are absent, we call in substitutes; however, the number of available subs has not been covering the number of teacher absences this week. When that happens, campus office staff and staff from the District’s administration building are deployed to cover in the classrooms,” Dr. Maika said.

Those who are interested in applying as a substitute can do so through the NEISD Human Resources website.

More on KSAT:

NISD, NEISD report 2,000 teacher & staff absencesBonuses, pay raises aim to fight teacher shortage across San Antonio-area schools

If you’ve ever used a fake name when signing up for a new service online as a way to protect yourself, that doesn’t really prevent companies from tracking you. Using an alternative or fake email address is an easy and more effective way, according to Consumer Reports.

These days many big tech companies track and share details about almost everything you do on the internet. That includes what you search, the sites you visit and the people you connect with online. But, how do they know who you are?

“One of the main ways that they do it is tying your identity together using your email address,” said Consumer Reports Tech Editor Thomas Germain.

To limit that, Germain said you may want to try an alternative or fake email service.

“There are a number of these tools and they all work a little bit differently, but basically, they give you an alternative email that isn’t tied to your real identity that you can plug in when you’re signing up on a new website,” he said.

Maybe you’ve seen “Sign in with Apple,” on some sites. It generates a random, unique email address for Apple users. Then, any emails from that site can be forwarded to your regular inbox without them ever knowing your real address. You’ll get the emails you need without being tracked.

The Firefox browser offers Firefox Relay. It allows users to create up to five fake email addresses for free or get unlimited ones for 99 cents a month.

“And then there are a number of temporary email services that give you an email inbox you can use, but then it self destructs after about 10 minutes,” Germain said.

For most temporary email services, you don’t have to create an account. 10MinuteMail, Temp-Mail, Minute Inbox and EmailOnDeck are popular services.

Something like this could come in handy when you’re asked for an email address to get an instant online discount, for example.

A bonus to using any fake email address is getting less spam in your real inbox.

If you think creating an extra Gmail or other email account will keep big tech from tracking you, think again. Consumer Reports says if you’re using the same devices, companies will easily be able to identify you.

Also on KSAT.com:

How to put 2022 financial resolutions into motion and take steps toward the futureHere’s what you need to know during tax season if you received monthly child tax credit payments in 2021Taco Bell launches $10 taco subscription service

A jury on Monday decided on a 33-year prison sentence for Edison Carraman, who was found guilty of the 2020 murder of his cousin, Kristopher Carraman, last week.

Edison Carraman is the first murder suspect convicted in Bexar County in 2022. Though in-person trials were suspended in January due to a surge in COVID-19 cases, this trial was allowed to continue because the jury was selected before the pause was implemented.

After the verdict was read, family members of Kristopher Carraman gave victim impact statements.

“No remorse, no sympathy, no guilt and no apologies for what you’ve done says a lot about you and your family,” said Michele Carraman, Kristopher Carraman’s mother.

Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales issued the following statement after Edison Carraman’s sentencing:

“Family disputes occur, but should never be resolved by violence. This defendant’s bad decisions have lasting effects on this entire family. This jury’s verdict does not bring back Kristopher Carraman, but I hope it brings them some peace.”

San Antonio Police Investigator Kevin Dorsey took the witness stand last week and talked about how he was able to find a suspect to the murder so quickly.;

Several witnesses at the scene were able to tell responding officers who they saw shooting from a black car.

“I was able to look up the name that was given on the radio by the responding officers and that name was Edison Carraman,” Dorsey said.

During cross examination, defense attorney Raymond Martinez asked Dorsey how he was able to quickly conclude that Carraman was the shooter and if he knew for sure there wasn’t more than one person inside the vehicle where shots were fired from.

Dorsey said that family members at the scene were witnesses to the crime and one of them had not only witnessed the shooting, but also had a text message exchange with Edison Carraman, who stated he was going to the house on West Pyron Avenue.

A crime scene investigator also took the stand last week and showed photos of evidence collected at the scene.

Those photos included shell casings from the scene and a bullet fragment that was found inside the victim’s baseball cap.

Last Thursday, Tommy Hamilton, an SAPD detective, testified in the trial.

After responding to the shooting call on West Pyrone Avenue, he was told to go to 3131 Owasso Street where Edison Carraman lived.

There, he questioned Edison Carraman in the back of a patrol unit where he is seen telling Hamilton he did not shoot his cousin and that he had been at home.

Dr. James Feig, the Bexar County medical examiner of Kristopher Carraman’s case, testified that the 23-year-old suffered a through-and-through gunshot wound to the head.

However, the defense raised questions about who was responsible for pulling the trigger to begin with after Crystina Vachon, a forensic scientist, testified she had indeterminant findings of gunshot residue on both Edison Carraman’s clothes and hands.

“Is it possible to shoot a firearm, handle a discharged fire arm, or be in close proximity to a discharged firearm and not get gunshot residue on you?” asked the state prosecutor.

“Yes, it is,” said Vachon.

Related:

Man shot, killed by cousin wanted to make peace, family says

Officials release mugshot of man accused of fatally shooting cousin

CPS Energy Board of Trustees unanimously approved a 3.85% rate increase Monday. They also approved a regulatory asset, or a fuel adjustment charge increase, which the utility says will recover $418 million in fuel costs from last February’s winter storm.

CPS Energy officials say this is the first rate increase in eight years.

“We’re appreciative of the approval we gained today from our Board of Trustees to move this process forward to City Council and we’re thankful to the leaders of both the Rate Advisory Committee and the Citizens Advisory Committee for attending today’s Board meeting and sharing the perspectives of their respective committees,” said Rudy D. Garza, interim president & CEO of CPS Energy.

The 3.85% rate hike, along with the regulatory asset — an .80% fuel adjustment charge increase — will impact customers’ bills depending on how much power and gas is used.

CPS Energy officials say that the rate hike for the average residential customer could add $3.84 to their monthly bill and an additional $1.26 per month for fuel adjustment charges.

The fuel adjustment charge would spread the $418 million to be recovered over 25 years, officials said.

Despite the Board of Trustee’s approval, the San Antonio City Council still has to approve the rate hike. Council Members are expected to vote on the rate increase Thursday.

If approved by the council, the increase would take effect on March 1.

You can read more on the proposed rate request here.

More on KSAT:

5 things to know about the CPS Energy rate hikeFate of CPS Energy rate hike uncertain ahead of San Antonio City Council voteWinter storm issues exposed a cascade of scandals at CPS Energy in 2021

More than 1,700 acres of brush is scheduled to be burned at Joint Base San Antonio-Camp Bullis from Jan. 18-26.

According to a news release, the prescribed burn is intended to reduce fuel loads, such as dead vegetation and thick brush, that officials said will lessen the risk of future, potentially catastrophic, wildfires.

Residents who live near the northwest portion of JBSA-Camp Bullis may see or smell smoke coming from the military post during those dates.

JBSA Fire Emergency Services personnel are coordinating with the Bureau of Land Management, the Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as fire departments in the surrounding areas to ensure the burn happens safely and remains fully contained throughout the scheduled period, the release said.

The post comprises more than 27,000 acres of ranges, training areas, and wildlands and is a crucial training location for JBSA service members.

Also on KSAT.com:

Nirenberg, Wolff ask Gov. Abbott for additional state contract nurses ASAP amid ‘dramatic surge in hospitalizations’Army Times investigation finds suicides, morale crisis in wake of Operation Lone Star at Texas borderBoerne bridge demolition scheduled for this month; I-10 main lanes to shut down

An expanded system may be the Alamo City’s best bet.

Child Protective Services and San Antonio police are investigating after two toddlers were found tied up and home alone on the Southeast Side.

The discovery happened Sunday afternoon in the 400 block of Bailey Avenue near Rigsby Avenue.

CPS said the two children were taken to the hospital to get checked out. There is no word on their condition.

A related younger child was found somewhere else with a relative.

San Antonio police have not said if any arrests have been made.

KSAT will update this story as more information becomes available.

A man was shot in an apparent road rage shooting Monday afternoon on Highway 281 near downtown.

According to a San Antonio police officer at the scene, a pickup rear-ended a car around 1 p.m. at an undisclosed location. The drivers of both vehicles pulled over to the shoulder of southbound Highway 281 near the Interstate 35 south exit near the Pearl.

The driver of a Dodge Ram pickup truck got out and started shooting at the vehicle he rear-ended, police said.

The driver in the car was hit in the upper body, police said. He ran on the shoulder of the highway and collapsed. He was taken to Brooke Army Medical Center in stable condition.

The shooter, who police said was cooperating with officers at the scene, was taken to Public Safety Headquarters for questioning.

Police are trying to find out details of what prompted the shooting.

Also on KSAT.com:

San Antonio man accused of repeatedly shoplifting at Dollar General arrested, records showSan Antonio man demands justice after wife killed in crash with suspected drunken driverMan dead after being shot while leaving hookah lounge on NW Side, officials say

Recent reports from the Army Times into poor conditions and an uptick in suicides among Texas National Guard soldiers tied to Operation Lone Star have state lawmakers concerned over how the soldiers are being treated.

The investigation, published on Dec. 23, found that four Texas National Guard soldiers — including one from San Antonio — died by suicide over a two-month span amid Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s escalating border mission.

The San Antonio man, Pfc. Joshua Cortez, sought a hardship release from the involuntary activation to the border mission because he was preparing to accept a new job he had sought for months.

“I’ve been waiting for this job and I’m on my way to getting hired,” the 21-year-old mechanic wrote in his request for a hardship release, obtained by the Army Times. “I missed my first opportunity in September when I had to go on the flood mission in Louisiana. … I can not miss this opportunity because it is my last opportunity for this lifetime job.”

After his request was denied, Cortez died by suicide in San Antonio on Nov. 6.

The other soldiers include:

Sgt. Jose L. De Hoyos, of Laredo, Texas, who died on Oct. 26. He was a member of the 949th Brigade Support Battalion’s headquarters company.1st Sgt. John “Kenny” Crutcher, of Dallas, who died Nov. 12, as time ran out on his temporary hardship waiver. He was the top NCO for B Company, 3rd Battalion, 144th Infantry.1st Lt. Charles Williams, a platoon leader in Crutcher’s company, who died Dec. 17 while on pass.

Retired officials told the Army Times that morale began deteriorating as Abbott ramped up the border mission from a voluntary effort of 1,000 soldiers to activating roughly 4,000 troops on involuntary orders over the fall.

Soldiers deployed to the border have also endured poor living conditions while seeing their benefits slashed, along with payroll issues that have kept them from getting paid on time, according to the Army Times.

The Texas Military Department released a statement saying only two of the four soldiers featured by the Army Times “were on orders in support of Operation Lone Star” and that tying their deaths to Operation Lone Star would be a “grave assumption.”

“One suicide within our ranks is one too many, and we all grieve for those who are left behind. In such complex situations, a person’s decision to take this desperate measure is again, the result of numerous factors,” the statement said. “The Texas Military Department takes pride in the robust set of services available to help service members cope with personal challenges free-of-charge. The services include a resiliency and substance abuse prevention program, 24/7 behavioral health provider, a chaplain and medical health professional which are located in every OLS task force.”

The department also stated that it is addressing pay issues, while the living conditions for soldiers at the border will improve over time as they work on the infrastructure.

After the Army Times reports were published, some lawmakers worried about the wellbeing of the soldiers.

“It’s tragic that we’ve lost four soldiers,” Democratic state senator and Navy veteran César Blanco told the Texas Tribune. “We need to make sure that the Texas Military Department is deploying mental health services to these regions to ensure that these guardsmen are doing OK.”

Blanco said some of those issues will need to be addressed in the next legislative session in 2023.

“These are the questions we’re asking, and I think some of these things the Legislature needs to address in the next legislative session,” he said. “In the meantime, these are things that can be addressed by leadership in the House, Senate and the governor, as well as members of the committee that have oversight over the Texas Military Department.”

Meanwhile, the governor’s office responded to the reports by pledging to “ensure all who are deployed in Texas and overseas have the support they need.”

Read more:

Texas lawmakers deplore mistreatment of National Guardsmen sent to border dutyAllen West blasts Gov. Greg Abbott over suicides, pay problems among National Guardsmen at the border