Category: San Antonio News

‘Tis the season for holiday baking, festive foods, and maybe even some Christmas cocktails. But without the right balance, these indulgences can negatively affect our health, whether it be mentally or physically.

That’s why ‘New You’, a health and wellness series on the KSAT 12, is once again bringing together a group of experts to share some tips to staying healthy during the holidays.

Watch the livestream event in the video player above or on KSAT.com on Tuesday, Dec. 14, at 2 p.m.

Meet the panelists:

Talli Dolge is the CEO of Jewish Family Services. Through her expertise and years of experience advocating for mental health awareness on a local and national scale, she’s become a familiar face on our KSAT livestreams. Read more from Talli here.Anafer Barrera is a Registered Dietician with My Nutrition Studio with a bachelor’s in International Nutrition from UT Austin and her master of public health from UTHealth in Houston.

The panelists will join KSAT anchor David Sears to share helpful tips on self-care and nutrition to keep you looking and feeling your best throughout the year-end and beyond.

Plus, get quick and easy fitness ideas to burn a few extra calories in between last-minute shopping and frantic cookie making. It’s all about balance!

Looking for specific advice? Ask our panelists a question in the section below.

Discover more ‘New You’:

‘New You’: Connecting physical therapy, training provides unique recovery plan for clients

‘New You’: F3 Alamo offers fellowship and fitness for men in San Antonio

‘New You’: Switch up your routine with outdoor workouts at San Antonio Botanical Garden

Funeral arrangements for a 59-year-old Bexar County sheriff’s detention cadet who died after suffering a medical episode during a physical exercise training have been announced.

Cadet Kevin Reaux’s funeral service will be held on Dec. 16 at 10:45 a.m. at Cornerstone Church located at 18755 Stone Oak Parkway.

BCSO officials say the funeral is open to the public, and the sheriff’s office will be live streaming the service on their Facebook page.

Cadet Reaux was honored by the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office last week.

The sheriff’s office provided an honor escort for Reaux from the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office to Mission Park South Funeral Home, located in the 1700 block of SE Military Drive.

Authorities said Reaux died at the beginning of a BCSO training academy for 13 cadets. As they began their physical exercise training, Reaux began to experience shortness of breath and was allowed to rest.

Authorities said as the cadet was resting, he began to feel worse and eventually lost consciousness. Academy instructors performed life-saving measures and called for medical help.

Reaux was taken to Methodist Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The Medical Examiner has determined his death as cardiovascular disease.

Sheriff Javier Salazar released the following statement regarding Cadet Reaux’s death.

“The loss of Cadet Kevin Reaux is heartbreaking, especially given the fact that he lost his life at the start of his new career with the Sheriff’s Office. Although I only spoke to him briefly while welcoming his new cadet class yesterday, his honorable character was shown by his willingness to serve our community. We ask for your thoughts and prayers for his blood family and his family in blue.”

Reaux is survived by his two daughters.

More on KSAT:

Pedestrian hit by car on West Side, suffers life-threatening injuries‘You can rot in jail!’ Children lash out at their father in court for killing their mother

Update: The Bexar County Medical Examiner has identified a 33-year-old man who was fatally shot at a Northwest Side car wash Saturday.

Authorities say Jeremy L Bedwell died from gunshot wounds, according to the ME.

The shooting happened on Northwestern and Wurzbach Road.

Police say Bedwell got into an argument with Caesar Martinez, 18, and one of Martinez’s family members when he was shot.

Martinez was taken into custody and booked for murder.

Original:

A man is dead and a teen is in custody for murder following a shooting at a Northwest Side car wash overnight, according to San Antonio police.

The shooting happened around 9 p.m. on Saturday, at a car wash on Northwestern and Wurzbach Road.

Police said it’s unclear what led to the shooting, but when officers arrived, they found a 33-year-old man behind the car wash unresponsive with a gunshot wound to the hip.

The man was rushed by EMS to University Hospital but died minutes later.

The shooter, identified by police as Caesar Martinez, 18, got away from the scene but was later located at a gas station across the street from the car wash.

Upon further investigation, police said they believe an argument broke out between Martinez, one of Martinez’s family members, and the 33-year-old man at the gas station, leading up to the shooting.

Martinez was booked for murder and his family member was taken into custody for questioning, police said.

According to Bexar County court records, Martinez is being held in the Bexar County Jail and his bond is set at $150,000.

Further details are limited at this time. This is a developing story and we’ll bring more updates as they become available.

More on KSAT:

Man dies after truck bursts into flames following crash on Northwest Side, police say

Update: The Public Works Department will hold a news conference at 10 a.m. Tuesday to discuss the San Antonio River Maintenance Program. The department will also talk about items found in the riverbed. The news conference will be livestreamed in the video player above.

The River Walk will look different this week, and that’s because the city is going to drain it for routine maintenance.

The City of San Antonio’s Public Works Department said portions of the San Antonio River will be drained beginning Sunday, Jan. 23 through Sunday, Jan. 30, if weather permits.

The draining “is vital to ensuring it remains clean and a beautiful attraction for residents and visitors,” city officials said in a news release.

The heart of the River Walk, including the river loop near The Shops at Rivercenter, will be completely drained. The main channel from East Josephine Street to East Nueva Street will be partially drained.

During this time the Go Rio Cruises will not operate in the downtown or Museum Reach areas.

Alamo Street between Market and Commerce streets will also be closed to vehicle traffic and pedestrians.

Animal rights advocates are celebrating a new Texas law that is catching up to a San Antonio ordinance that has been in place for years.

Starting Jan. 18, 2022, unattended dogs will no longer be allowed to be restrained with chains or heavy weights outdoors in the state of Texas. The practice has been banned in San Antonio city limits since Oct. 2017.

SB 5 also prohibits an owner from leaving a dog without adequate shelter, shade from direct sunlight, drinking water and an area that allows the animal to avoid standing water and exposure to excessive animal waste.

Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 5, also known as the Safe Outdoor Dogs Bill, on Monday following the Texas Legislature’s third special session.

The governor previously vetoed a version of the bill, SB 474, in June saying the wording was too “micro-managing.”

“Senate Bill 474 would compel every dog owner, on pain of criminal penalties, to monitor things like the tailoring of the dog’s collar, the time the dog spends in the bed of a truck, and the ratio of tether-to-dog length, as measured from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail,” Abbott said in a veto statement for SB 474. “Texas is no place for this kind of micro-managing and over-criminalization.”

The veto drew outrage on social media and #AbbottHatesDogs started trending on Twitter shortly after Abbott released his veto statement.

Jamey Cantrell, president of the Texas Animal Control Association, told the Texas Tribune that he believes the outcry on social media is what pushed Abbott to sign SB 5.

“If there was no outcry… it would still be something that we’d be planning on working on next legislative session,” Cantrell said.

A report from the Texas Tribune earlier this week points out that SB 474 and SB 5 are similar, however, the latter outlines the appropriate treatment of a tethered dog more clearly.

The new law bans the use of heavy weights and chains as restraints and states that dog collars must be made of “material specifically designed to be placed around the neck of a dog.”

Additionally, the new law eliminates the 24-hour rule that previously barred law enforcement from intervening if an animal was observed in inhumane or illegal conditions.

Violations of the new law will be considered a Class C misdemeanor and will be punishable by a fine of up to $500. Repeat offenders could face a Class B misdemeanor.

Related:

Laws penalize owners for leaving pets out in cold weatherHowl you doin’, pets? Keep your dogs, cats safe on Halloween with these tipsSan Marcos animal shelter clearing out dogs before renovations, some at risk for euthanasia

It’s a pervasive problem. And in Bexar County and Texas, the numbers show domestic violence is an increasingly deadly problem.

But every single day, there are people working to help save lives and get survivors out of their abusive relationships. One of the tools at their disposal is protective orders. But when it comes to what protective orders are and what they actually do, there’s often confusion.

In this episode of KSAT Explains, we’re breaking down what you need to know about protective orders, as well as hearing from two domestic violence survivors about their experiences and how they got out.

(Watch the full episode on-demand in the video player above.)

SMART. IN-DEPTH. LOCAL: Click here for more episodes of KSAT Explains

Stories of survival: Meet two women who got out of their domestic violence situations

For this episode, we talked to two brave women who survived their abusive relationships and are now on the other side. Elizabeth Rejino, and another survivor who asked that we conceal her identity, are two very different people with very different experiences. But they both escaped their abusers, thanks in part to being able to successfully apply for protective orders.

Click the video player below to hear their stories.

Just a piece of paper?: Protective orders and the Bexar County Family Justice Center

The Bexar County Family Justice Center is one of several local agencies that helps victims of violence.

“What’s fantastic about it is you’re bringing all these different agencies and disciplines, professionals to one location under one roof to be able to provide those services to survivors. So survivors don’t have to go all over town trying to connect the dots for the services they need,” said Crystal Chandler, the executive director of the Bexar County Family Justice Center. “The center acts to connect those dots for them, whatever their particular need is, whether it be with our onsite providers or our community partners that are off site and doing warm referrals.”

The center offers adult counseling, child therapy, clothing, legal help, financial literacy courses and other resources.

The center also houses the Protective Order Unit, which includes victim advocates, paralegals, prosecutors and an investigator to help victims through the process of obtaining a protective order.

A protective order is often confused with a restraining order. Restraining orders are used in civil lawsuits. They can be used to protect a person or property. If an abuser violates a protective order, the consequences can be severe. They can be arrested or charged with a crime.

“Some people say that protective orders are just a piece of paper and, I guess, in a way they are, but how they empower a victim, a survivor and their children is priceless,” Chandler said.

Most of the center’s referrals come from law enforcement or an outside agency.

“Nine times out of 10 with law enforcement, they’re being referred to us to get a protective order to remove either the abuser from the situation or get the victim and the children out of this situation,” said Nathan Hanson, a crime victim liaison.

The Family Justice Center doesn’t grant protective orders. There is a process that the center will walk victims through before a district court judge can sign off on an order. Advocates and staff will talk with victims to find out what the best plan of action is for each victim. A protective order may not be for every person.

“Maybe the client just wants counseling. Maybe they’re not ready to leave their abuser because that’s all they’ve known,” Hanson said.

A victim can fill out an intake form online if they would like to seek a protective order. They can also call the center at 210-631-0100 and staff will help them fill out the form over the phone.

Once the form is completed, a crime victim liaison will contact the victim to gather more information.

“Within 24 hours, a member of the staff is reaching back out to them, making contact and following up on their interview,” said Jordan Cadenhead, a felony prosecutor.

The victim must also fill out a danger assessment, which will provide the center with a score to determine the level of risk for each applicant.

“During the danger assessment, it’s measuring the lethality score. How serious of an incident it is. How likely is it that the abuser has the ability to kill our victims,” Hanson said

If a victim indicates that a weapon was used during their abuse or that they were strangled, that would indicate their case needs to be placed on a high-risk list. The staff will move quickly to file a temporary protective order.

“We’re talking three days. That’s how quickly they move through applying for a protective order to having a temporary protective order that’s effective and in full force and effect. And that’s a conservative number. Most of the time, it’s done within 24 hours,” Cadenhead said.

A low score on the assessment doesn’t necessarily mean the victim will not get placed on the high-risk list. Cadenhead said the staff may notice red flags that the assessment wasn’t able to capture.

During the process, a victim will also work with an advocate who can help with evidence for their case.

The Bexar County District Attorney’s Office list the following items that can bolster protective order applications:

A police report or a police report case number.If a police report has not been made, the Family Justice Center can offer guidance.Photo(s) of injuries.Copies of electronic communications between the victim and abuser (e-mails, social media chats).Letter(s) received from the abuser.Video and audio recording(s) from the abuser.A current address for the abuser.Valid state identification document.

Once a judge reviews an application and decides to grant a temporary protective order, the victim will be issued a date for a permanent protective order hearing. The abuser is then served with a notice of the hearing and any orders approved by the judge.

Serving the protective order is Yvette Martinez’s job. She’s an investigator with the Bexar County Criminal District Attorney’s Office. She told us that the job of tracking down the abuser is sometimes a tricky one.

“I use a lot of law enforcement tools, and I run people through to find where they live, where they work,” she said. “It’s basically all hours of the day and night.”

The staff at the center understand that this process can be arduous. They understand that protective orders are not bulletproof vests. Some of them have lost clients.

“I specifically remember … one of the clients that had just been through our office, left our office and she was murdered outside of our office,” said Irma Alvarez, the center’s Protective Order Supervisor. “We felt horrible. There [are] no words to say.”

Combating domestic violence

It may be impossible to end domestic violence. There are no clear-cut, easy solutions, but it’s important not to turn away from the problem. Because combating domestic violence requires awareness and compassion.

According to the Texas Council on Family Violence, 228 Texans died because of domestic violence last year – a 23 percent increase from 2019. In Bexar County, 17 people died due to domestic violence in 2020, compared to 13 in 2019.

Knowing how to spot red flags is key to prevention. Here are a few, courtesy of the National Domestic Violence Hotline:

Embarrassing or putting you downControlling who you see, where you go, or what you doKeeping you or discouraging you from seeing your friends or familyPreventing you from making your own decisionsPreventing you from working or attending schoolBlaming you for the abuse, or acting like it’s not really happeningDestroying your property or threatening to hurt or kill your petsThreatening to commit suicide because of something you’ve done

If you know someone in a domestic violence situation, compassion and patience can go a long way. The experts we talked to said a fear of being judged and not being believed are some of the factors that stop victims from reaching out for help.

But reaching out is the first step.

Now that the unidentified survivor we spoke to is no longer living with her abuser, she’s able to enjoy some of the simple things that many others might take for granted.

“I’m able to sleep. I am able to buy myself the basic necessities,” she said. “I’m furthering my education.”

Rejino told us there are beautiful things on the other side of this struggle.

“So don’t give up,” she said. “I’ve seen people give up and they end up right back in the same position.”

Domestic violence resources if you or someone you know needs help:

National Domestic Violence Hotline: Call 1-800-799-7233 or text “START” to 88788Bexar County Family Justice Center: Call 210-631-0100Family Violence Prevention Services: Call 210-733-8810Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline: Call 1-800-422-4453National Sexual Assault Hotline: Call 1-800-656-4673Rape Crisis Center: Call 210-349-7273StrongHearts Native Helpline: Call 1-844-762-8483SAPD Non-Emergency Line: Call 210-207-7273Trans Lifeline: Call 1-877-565-8860

The Justice Department announced Wednesday that it has opened a statewide investigation into the conditions of five Texas juvenile correctional facilities.

The investigation comes on the heels of reports of sexual and physical abuse that have plagued the Texas Juvenile Justice Department for years.

While the announcement didn’t list any specific allegations that have been brought against the TJJD, there have been several arrests of TJJD staff in recent months.

Devin King, 29, was arrested Friday for allegedly touching the breast of an 18-year-old detainee while he worked as a detention officer, according to the Texas Tribune. That incident was first reported in July – the same month Gov. Greg Abbott tasked the Texas Rangers with investigating reports of illegal behavior at the TJJD.

Abbott wrote a letter to the Director of the Texas Department of Public Safety and said that certain TJJD staff were allegedly engaging in potentially illegal behavior with TJJD youth.

One month prior, former juvenile detention officer Ramon Montanya, 31, was taken into custody for a June 2019 incident. Montanya was seen on camera restraining a 13-year-old by placing the child’s arm behind his back and then lifting his arms up. Montanya then hyperextended the child’s arm, fracturing his shoulder.

Todd Hanks, 50, was also arrested in June on charges of indecency with a child and sexual contact with a person in custody. Hanks was suspended without pay before an interview with TJJD’s Office of the Inspector General, before being fired and arrested.

According to the feds, the investigation will examine whether the state is providing children at the facilities “reasonable protection from physical and sexual abuse by staff and other residents.”

Investigators are also looking into excessive use of chemical restraints, excessive use of isolation and whether the state provides adequate mental health care.

“Too often children held in juvenile detention facilities are subject to abuse and mistreatment, and deprived of their constitutional rights,” said assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division Kristen Clarke.

The Justice Department said in the release that no conclusions have been reached in regards to any allegations.

The investigation will be conducted under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA) and the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, according to the Justice Department.

Both statutes give federal investigators the authority to “investigate systemic violations of the rights of young people in juvenile correctional facilities.”

Executive Director of the Texas Juvenile Justice Department Camille Cain said “the Texas Juvenile Justice Department will cooperate fully with the United States Department of Justice. We all share the same goals for the youth in our care: providing for their safety, their effective rehabilitation, and the best chance for them to lead productive, fulfilling lives. That has been the agency’s mission since I joined TJJD, and it remains our constant focus.”

Anyone with relevant information is encouraged to contact the department via phone at 1-866-432-0438 or by email at TX.Juveniles@usdoj.gov.

Related:

TJJD: Youth development coach arrested after sexual contact with minor at Texas juvenile detention centerTexas Juvenile Justice Department employee accused of improper sexual activity, arrested“They are hurting them”: Advocacy groups ask feds to investigate sexual assaults, gang violence in Texas youth lockups

San Antonio’s COVID-19 risk level lowered to “mild” this week for the first time in months, but local officials are still urging people to take precautions to further slow the spread of COVID-19.

That means continuing the drive for vaccines, masks and “whatever we can to beat this pandemic,” Mayor Ron Nirenberg Tweeted this week.

Health officials are also encouraging people to get the COVID-19 vaccine booster shot if they are eligible.

Booster shots are available for Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine recipients who completed their two-shot regimen at least six months ago, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The patient must also be 65 years or older; or they can be at least 18 years old and live in long-term care settings, have underlying medical conditions, work in high-risk settings, or live in high-risk settings.

If you qualify and would like to get the booster shot, here are some options on where to go:

Alamodome: The Metropolitan Health District is offering the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine booster shot on Wednesdays-Fridays at the Alamodome. The drive-thru vaccine clinic will be open from noon-8 p.m. on those days. No appointment is necessary, but people can book a spot online. Individuals will need to take their immunization cards to confirm their two previous inoculations.Costco: The wholesale grocery chain says COVID-19 vaccine availability varies by location. To schedule an appointment, click here.CVS: The Pfizer booster shot is available at all 495 locations in Texas. Those interested are encouraged to make an appointment online at CVS.com or MinuteClinic.com to make sure their preferred time, date and location is available. When scheduling an appointment, people will be asked to provide the manufacturer and date of their last COVID-19 vaccine.H-E-B: Patients may now schedule a Pfizer COVID-19 booster dose at H-E-B stores online. The grocery chain recommends making an appointment to minimize wait times. People should bring their COVID-19 vaccine record to their booster appointment.Metro Health pop-up clinics: Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine booster doses will be given at all Metro Health vaccine pop-up clinics. No registration is needed, according to the city’s website. For any questions, call 311 or 210-207-6000 (select option 8), or email COVID-19@sanantonio.gov. For a list of pop-up clinics, click here.Sam’s Club: Patients can schedule their appointment for the Pfizer COVID-19 booster shot online.Walgreens: Eligible individuals can make an appointment at Walgreens to get the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine booster shot. Immunizations can be scheduled by visiting Walgreens.com/ScheduleVaccine, by calling 1-800-Walgreens or by contacting a local Walgreens store. For more information on requirements, click here.Walmart: The chain is offering the Pfizer COVID-19 booster shot both in-store and at off-site events at skilled nursing facilities. To schedule an appointment at a store, you can scan a QR code that’s directly in Walmart stores or visit Walmart’s website. Stores also have walk-in availability.

Read also:

COVID-19 positivity rate down to 3.9% in Bexar County, officials sayPfizer asks US to allow COVID shots for kids ages 5 to 11

In June of 2000, the state’s top-ranking Roman Catholic clergyman, along with his secretary were held hostage for several hours in San Antonio.

According to the Associated Press, 40-year old Nelson Antonio Escolero, an unemployed man from El Salvador, went to visit Bishop Patrick Flores.

San Antonio police say Escolero was upset with the government over his possible deportation for driving with a suspended license and he believed Flores could help him.

That’s when police say Escolero held Bishop Flores hostage in his office, threatening to kill him if he didn’t help, because “he had a lot of power.”

That standoff with police lasted for a total of nine hours.

His secretary, Myrtle Sanchez, was set free, unharmed, after about three hours.

Sanchez told police that at one point, a grenade-like device was used to threaten Flores, but it turned out to be fake.

Police say its “pin” was actually just a paper clip.

Bishop Flores was eventually released unharmed as well.

As for Escolero, he was ultimately convicted of two counts of aggravated kidnapping and sentenced to 65 years in prison.

Flores passed away at 87 years old in 2017.

He was the first Mexican-American Catholic Bishop in the country.

Find latest episodes here.

KSAT News Now streams live on all KSAT digital platforms Monday through Friday at 11 a.m.

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