Category: San Antonio News

A local third grade teacher who had school supplies stolen from her front porch is sending a big thank you to the community for stepping in with generous donations.

Audrey Webber teaches at the Harmony School of Excellence.

She said whenever she wants to do something for her students, she just goes for it.

“There are a lot of programs we have that have noise or reads to the students,” Webber said. “If the students didn’t have headphones, it would sound like chaos in the room. I have a class of kids.”

Webber said that is when she took it upon herself to order headphones for each of her students.

“That way they can focus and not be distracted by their neighbors who are sitting right next to them,” she said. “I wasn’t about to ask the parents to get the headphones for the school year. That is not my style.”

On January 7, she was notified that her package had been delivered.

“When I got the notification on my phone that it had been delivered, I was like, ‘Yay!’ They even put a picture of where they put it but when I got home it wasn’t here.”

After realizing her neighbors hadn’t seen or moved her package, Webber took to her Nextdoor app for three reasons.

“I wanted my immediate neighbors to know this is happening now,” Webber said. “Number two, I was being snarky, and number three, I wanted the people. If it was someone in the neighborhood that took it, I wanted them to know, ‘You didn’t steal from me. You stole from kids and shame on you!”

Webber said after she posted, she began getting several responses from people wanting to help.

Amazon even stepped in and helped refund her money so she could get more headphones.

“I told people that I was all good and that everything worked out, and I still kept getting responses from people who were saying they wanted to help anyways,” Webber said. “I was hesitant at first but then I put my Amazon wish list because I thought, this was for my students. Not for me.”

She said she received over 100 responses.

“I don’t know how to affectively thank these people,” she said. “This was something bad and look what it turned into. I never expected people to read this message much less, say, ‘We can all help.’ Someone even posted, ‘Let the community help but spelled community with a capital UNITY so I thought that was nice.”

Webber received pencils, color paper, journals and more.

She said she wants porch pirates to know one thing.

“You never know what you are taking and you never know who you are taking it from,” she said. “You might be taking something that someone really depends on. It could really cause them some damage and that makes me sad that some people think that is ok to do.”

Webber also said she can’t thank her community and neighbors enough.

“Thank you from the bottom of my heart is not enough,” she said. “I don’t know what else I can say. It is amazing. I am going to sit here and start crying. It is amazing.”

Webber said she wants this experience to be a life lesson to her students.

“Even though something bad happens, something good can always come from it,” Webber said. “This was bad but the bad was this ‘big.’ And the good that came from this amount of bad is just huge!”

Webber said the school supplies are helping more than just her classroom. They are helping the entire district.

If you would like to donate any supplies to help, you can contact the Harmony Public School South Texas District through their website or by phone at (210) 267-9954.

More on KSAT:

Gifts pour in after Alazan Apache Courts toy drive theft

Two Johnson High School students were killed in a fiery two-vehicle crash on the North Side Saturday afternoon, according to Johnson HS Principal Gary Comalander.

The crash happened at 3:50 p.m. Saturday, in the 23200 block of Bulverde Road and TPC Parkway, near the high school’s entrance.

It’s unclear what led to the crash, but deputies said the impact led to both vehicles bursting into flames, entrapping the two drivers. Both of them were pronounced deceased at the scene.

A letter was sent out to the student body and parents from Principal Comalander on Sunday, saying counselors and support from District STAN counselors will be available to all students.

You can read the full letter below:

“Dear Johnson HS community,

I have some sad news to share with you. Yesterday there was a terrible accident that occurred on Bulverde Road at the Johnson HS entrance. This accident involved two fatalities involving our Johnson students.

We trust you will best know how to share this information with your children. We will have our counselors and support from District STAN counselors to meet and talk with students in need. Our counselors will be available in our library starting at 8 AM for any student needing support throughout the day. If you have any concerns about your child, please do not hesitate to reach out to your child’s counselor.

The families are in our thoughts and prayers during this tragic time.

Sincerely,

Gary Comalander

Principal Johnson HS”

Further details are limited at this time. We’ll bring more updates as they become available.

More on KSAT:

Two people killed in fiery crash on city’s North Side, deputies say

Actor and comedian Bob Saget, 65, was found dead in an Orlando hotel room Sunday evening, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies said they were called to the Ritz Carlton Hotel just after 4 p.m. for an unresponsive man in a hotel room. That man was later confirmed to be Saget.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators said they found no signs of foul play or drug use and that the Medical Examiner would soon determine his cause of death.

Saget was best known for his role as Danny Tanner on the sitcom “Full House.”

Further details are limited at this time. We’ll update this story as more information becomes available.

Earlier today, deputies were called to the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes for a call about an unresponsive man in a hotel room. The man was identified as Robert Saget & pronounced deceased on scene. Detectives found no signs of foul play or drug use in this case. #BobSaget pic.twitter.com/aB1UKiOlmi

— Orange County Sheriff’s Office (@OrangeCoSheriff) January 10, 2022

It’s been three weeks and there’s still no sign of 3-year-old Lina Khil, who disappeared from a playground within an apartment community on the city’s Northwest Side last month.

On Sunday, members of the Afghan community and other volunteers said they are not losing hope and are continuing their search relentlessly.

In the last 20 days, the volunteer groups have searched near and far, combing through ditches, the brush, and even the murky waters of a creek in hopes of finding Lina.

Frank Trevino, a volunteer who has formed part of the search party since the AMBER Alert was made, said the group won’t rest until she’s found.

“At this point, we are searching areas, hopeful that we’ll get a lead or find something that pertains to Lina,” said Trevino.

The search party canvassed areas near Huebner Road, not far from where Lina was last seen on Dec. 20. CEO of Eagles Flight Pamela Allen said they’ve maintained an open line of communication with the FBI, SAPD, and the community.

“We have a lot of tips coming into my website, my Facebook, even people calling me with tips and we quickly get those over to the FBI and this area specifically is one we’ve been getting tips to look in,” said Allen.

Lina has been the subject of an AMBER alert for nearly three weeks. Last week, that AMBER alert was discontinued.

Police said they had received a tip that led them to search a nearby creek. The FBI had called for a dive team that flew in from Washington D.C. and searched every inch of the area, but their efforts weren’t successful.

“Efforts are going to continue to be relentless. This is a mother whose arms are empty. She does not have her Lina in her arms, and we are going to make that sure that we help with that,” said Allen.

Lina’s disappearance continues to be a missing person case and anyone with any information is asked to call SAPD’s missing person unit at 210-706-7660.

More on KSAT:

AMBER Alert discontinued for 3-year-old Lina Kihl, but child still missing and search has not stopped, SAPD says

A Houston mother who is charged with child endangerment after her son was found in the trunk of her vehicle while at a drive-thru COVID-19 testing site has bonded out of jail, according to officials.

According to KSAT’s sister station, KPRC, Sarah Beam was taken into custody around 3 p.m. Saturday, but posted a $1,500 bond nearly two hours later.

Her charge stems from Jan. 3, when she pulled into a Cy-Fair ISD drive-thru testing site when a witness said they heard a noise coming from her trunk.

When Beam opened the trunk, that’s when witnesses found her 13-year-old son lying down inside.

She told the witnesses she put her son in the trunk since he was COVID-19 positive and wanted to protect herself from exposure while taking him for additional testing at the site, KPRC reports.

However, witnesses told Beam she needed to place her son in the backseat of her vehicle before she could get a test.

She complied and witnesses then notified police of the incident.

Police were also able to obtain surveillance footage, which showed when her son got out of the trunk and into the backseat, KPRC reports.

Beam was employed as a teacher with Cypress Falls High School, but she is currently on administrative leave following this incident.

Cy-Fair ISD released this statement last week to KPRC in relation to the incident:

“CFPD was alerted that a child was in the trunk of a car at a drive-thru COVID-19 testing site earlier this week. Law enforcement conducted a full investigation, resulting in a warrant for arrest. Thankfully, the child was not harmed.”

More on KSAT:

Houston mother charged after son found in trunk at drive-thru COVID testing site, officials say

If you think you have too many subscription services, just wait until you find out that Taco Bell now has one you can join.

That’s right, the taco chain is offering a taco subscription service and it’s only $10.

According to a news release from Taco Bell, the “Taco Lover’s Pass” allows subscribers to redeem one taco a day for 30 consecutive days, and there are seven taco options to choose from.

Subscribers can choose the following tacos: a crunchy taco, crunchy taco supreme, soft taco, soft taco supreme, spicy potato soft taco, Doritos locos taco, and the Doritos locos supreme taco.

Taco Bell says the subscription can be bought and accessed through the Taco Bell app and you must be a rewards member to sign up for the pass.

More on KSAT:

San Antonio restaurant makes USA Today’s 10 best new restaurants list

A search is underway for an 82-year-old man last seen in Bay City on Sunday, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Hairl Eugene Bundick was last seen around 7 a.m. in the 300 block of PR 503 in a black GMC Sierra with Texas license plate GSSZ2122.

Police said Bundick is diagnosed with a cognitive impairment, and his disappearance “poses a credible threat to his own health and safety.”

Bundick is described as being six feet tall, with gray hair and gray eyes. He was last seen wearing a Dallas Cowboys hat with a star, an orange-striped western shirt with a torn pocket and khaki pants.

Police said he also has a large cut on his right hand, which may be bandaged.

Anyone with information regarding Bundick’s whereabouts is asked to call the Matagorda County Sheriff’s Office at 979-245-5526.

It’s 2022 and with the start of the new year, so many people have new goals and resolutions. We always hear about fitness resolutions – and eating healthier – but what about financial resolutions and saving more money this year?

Mannik Dhillon, president of Victory Capital Solutions at Victory Capital Management, joined Leading SA to discuss what you should think about when setting new financial goals for 2022.

“It’s time for the new New Year and new resolutions and new beginnings, and it’s a great time to set an on your calendar to say, take a look at what’s going on financially in your life,” Dhillon said.

Dhillon said everyone’s budget and plan are different, and there are a lot of unexpected obstacles that may cause you to make a change.

“Did you achieve everything you set out to last year, whether that was from a saving, investing or budgeting perspective? You know, things might be different. People might be trying to save for a house. Maybe they had a baby and they want to figure out how to save for their college education. So it’s a great time of year to do that,” Dhillon said.

There are easy ways to evaluate your plan and think ahead, he said.

“First and foremost, make a budget, review a budget. So take a look at the last year. Did you spend money in the places you thought? Maybe things came up that were surprises. And I always like to tell people, don’t forget to pay yourself in that budget. You know, oftentimes we sit down and we look at all the places that our money goes. There isn’t a line item for ourselves in terms of savings and investing. And that’s really then the second thing save for a rainy day. We know unexpected things happen. We just went through a terrible pandemic, save for a rainy day, have enough expenses off to the side and then invest for the future, not only yours but also your children’s,” Dhillon said.

Dhillon said you don’t need a set number to start saving or investing in the future.

“You don’t need a lot of money to get started. That’s, I think, one of the things that people don’t understand. You know, we have clients that call us every day to start an automatic investment plan, always on $50 a month. And that’s it. That’s something that is achievable for most folks, and they can take advantage of the compounding the market offers as well as they don’t have to try to time the market that way. It’s a great time to look at your existing portfolio as well, like your 401K plan, your retirement plans, and then don’t forget the kids. Those education savings plans are a great way, and you know, nowadays you can use them for more than college. You can use them for high school, middle school and elementary,” Dhillon said.

He added that it’s important to understand your means and your goals.

“Make sure you’re investing and you’re investing enough to meet those goals you have. Take a look. It’s like I said those retirement plans as contributions and what you’re setting aside. And then the next thing is, are you diversified appropriately? And what that really means is, do you have the right mix of different assets so this can be bonds, could be stocks, could be real estate and other things, commodities and don’t try to time market swings,” Dhillon said.

Inflation, interest rates, and the consumer price index have been the talk of the financial world, but Dhillon said you should try and perfectly time the market.

“There’s going to be a lot of focus on interest rates and inflation like we’ve already heard about. And those aren’t just things that Wall Street needs to worry about. They’re going to impact everyday life for everybody. And so it never hurts to seek out an expert to discuss ideas,” Dhillon said.

Dhillon also discussed investing in cryptocurrencies.

“It’s definitely an interesting new space. You know, the underlying technology behind it has the potential to be quite disruptive for all things we deal with in everyday life. You know, it is appropriate for some people, you know, but they have to step back and think about, Can I handle the volatility? Can I? When should I allocate? Which one should I allocate to?” Dhillon said. “You know, it’s never a good idea to have all of your portfolio in something as volatile. So I think it’s something people have to step back and take a look at back to. What are my goals? What am I trying to achieve? And does an asset class like that fit into it?”

You can watch the full interview with Dhillon in the video player above.

ORLANDO, FLA. (Ivanhoe Newswire)– Scientists estimate that between 200 million to 500 million people meditate worldwide. And more than 14% of Americans have meditated at least once.

This popular practice is known to improve focus and make you feel better, but research is also showing it has powerful effects on the brain.

It can help you focus, keep you calm and now research is showing meditation may also improve the way your brain works.

A study out of UCLA found people who meditated for an average of 20 years had more grey matter volume throughout their brains.

Grey matter helps you control movements, maintain memories, regulate emotions, and more. A review from Johns Hopkins found mindfulness meditation helped reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and pain.

And a team of researchers at Harvard found eight weeks of mindfulness meditation actually increased cortical thickness in regions of the brain, including the hippocampus, an area that rules learning and memory.

Anyone can meditate. If you’re new to the practice, try to set aside five to 10 minutes each day. Find a place where you feel calm. Sit and focus on your body and your breath. If your mind wanders, gently guide it back.

Popular apps like Headspace, Calm, and Buddhify are good resources and many offer guided meditation options. Remember, this simple practice could have big impacts on your brain.

Other studies have shown meditation can reduce the risk of being hospitalized for coronary disease by 87%. And it can relieve the symptoms of insomnia 75% of the time.

Sources: https://disturbmenot.co/meditation-statistics/ https://www.simplypsychology.org/what-is-grey-matter-in-the-brain.html https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2015/02/09/7-ways-meditation-can-actually-change-the-brain/?sh=308d6db61465, https://www.headspace.com/https://www.calm.com/, https://buddhify.com/, https://www.mindful.org/how-to-meditate/

Contributor(s) to this news report include: Julie Marks, Producer; Robert Walko, Videographer and Editor. To receive a free weekly email on Smart Living from Ivanhoe, sign up at: http://www.ivanhoe.com/ftkThyroid Awareness Month: Secret Signs of Thyroid Disease

DETROIT, MI. (Ivanhoe Newswire) – Achondroplasia is the most common genetic form of dwarfism, affecting one in 20,000 people. Right now, there’s no cure, but some patients may opt for surgery to lengthen their arms and legs.

Ivanhoe has more on a young woman who has become a champion for others who are short in stature, in the hopes they’ll feel comfortable weighing all their options.

As far back as she can remember, Chandler Crews knew she was the smallest girl in school and dance class.

“It kind of finally clicked at 16. I was like, oh, like, I’m really not growing anymore. This is it.” Crews said.

Full-grown at three feet, ten inches. Born with achondroplasia, Chandler’s size made it tough to drive a car or use a public restroom, “They were kind of like a challenge.”

Plus, a severe bow in her legs started to cause back and hip pain. Chandler decided to undergo limb lengthening.

“She decided that she needed a little more to be able to do the things she needed to do,” Philip K. McClure, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at the International Center for Limb Lengthening says of Chandler.

Chandler started documenting her journey. She had one surgery that added four inches to her arms and a new, less-invasive follow-up procedure on her legs that added a total of 13 inches in height.

Crews says, “Today I’m four-eleven.”

But getting here wasn’t easy physically, or emotionally, “Limb lengthening is a controversial treatment in the dwarfism community” Crews explains.

Some are even angry at her for doing it. That’s why she founded The Chandler Project, a non-profit that provides the latest information on medical advances and supports those considering it.

“Chandler has educated a lot of us, even in the world where we do it regularly on what it is that we’re really doing and that’s been amazing,” Dr. McClure said.

“I wanted to show people like, this is really what it’s like going through it.”

For Chandler, it’s about choosing longer limbs, boosting her confidence and her independence.

In addition to founding The Chandler Project, Chandler has been a public speaker at schools, national and international conferences and testified before the food and drug administration about the challenges of living with achondroplasia.

Sources: https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/achondroplasia/ www.thechandlerproject.org

Contributor(s) to this news report include: Cyndy McGrath, Producer; Kirk Manson, Videographer and Editor.

To receive a free weekly email on Smart Living from Ivanhoe, sign up at: http://www.ivanhoe.com/ftk