Category: San Antonio News

Residents and bar owners in the Tobin Hill community have been looking for a way to find a peaceful compromise on crime and noise issues plaguing the neighborhood for some time.

Vanessa Sandoval said her neighborhood is a peaceful area during the day, where people jog and walk their dogs. But starting at around 10 p.m. on weekends, the nightlife along St. Mary’s Street turns the neighborhood.

“Some people start what we call a ‘pre-game’ in, you know, drinking in their cars, getting the party started. It’s at that time when trash can start to be thrown out the window,” Sandoval said.

The noise and trash are more noticeable when bars close, she said.

“The 2:00 a.m. flex is strong. I’ve heard everything from people fighting outside my window, challenging each other outside my window. I’ve heard couples breaking up. I’ve heard best friends fighting. I’ve heard people vomiting outside my window. So it’s a totally different atmosphere at night,” Sandoval said.

She said she doesn’t mind it too much, but lately, there has been what she says is an increase in crime that concerns her.

“We try our best to roll with the punches of living in an area like this. But I don’t mind noise if it’s a bunch of people having a good time. It’s the gunshots and the fighting that are really alarming,” Sandoval said.

Don Houser says the parking situation and the vandalism and property damage are what he doesn’t like. He said his tires have been slashed on three different occasions since the start of the year.

“Now, I have to park down at the Pearl and walk. It’s like a 15-minute walk after to park at night, walk home. And in the morning, I have a 15-minute walk to go get to my car,” Hauser said.

District 1 Councilman Mario Bravo said he’s working with residents and business owners to develop a peaceful and effective solution. Town hall meetings have led to some ideas.

Bravo said some bar owners have taken a voluntary pledge to change drink prices, increase the entry age for patrons to 18 years old, change the happy hour times and even support changes to residential parking. The completion of a parking study is expected in about a month once the community approves it.

“In some streets, that could be eliminating parking on the streets. On other streets, it could be residential only parking during evening hours,” Bravo said.

Business owners are also considering chipping in to hire more off-duty police officers to patrol the area.

A City of San Antonio noise ordinance pilot program is also expected to help alleviate noise complaints in that area. Code Enforcement recorded about 40 complaints since October, when the pilot program started.

A community meeting that includes businesses and residents is set for St. Patrick’s Day on March 17 at 6 p.m. at St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church at 2504 N St. Mary’s Street.

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After missing out on the opportunity to play in the Alamodome last season, the Boerne boys basketball team soaked up every moment of their time on the court on Friday afternoon, as they prepared to take on Wichita Falls Hirschi in the UIL Class 4A State semifinals. The Greyhounds lost in the state semis last season, and they were looking for a better result this year.

Senior Devin Styles led the way, scoring a game-high 23 points, but Boerne saw an 11-point second-half lead evaporate against the Huskies in a heartbreaking 63-57 overtime defeat.

Styles set the tone in the first minute of play, forcing a steal and scoring on a layup to give Boerne the first points of the game. After nearly four minutes of scoreless basketball, both teams hit their stride, trading baskets until Styles put the Greyhounds up by two with a traditional three-point play. He scored 11 of the team’s first 13 points, and Boerne led 13-11 after one.

The Greyhounds continued to pick up the pace in the second quarter, building a six-point advantage on a three-pointer from Trevor Agarwal and a seven-point lead on a triple from Barrett Pape, who finished the game with 12 points. The Huskies managed to claw their way back into the game, but another layup by Styles with 31 seconds left in the frame stifled the comeback for the moment and gave Boerne a 27-22 lead at halftime.

In the third quarter, the Greyhounds threatened to run away with the game entirely. Koen Wolff converted a steal into a fast-break layup to put Boerne up 32-24, and a few minutes later, his two free throws gave the Greyhounds their largest lead of the game, 35-24. But Hirschi once again did not go away, cutting that 11-point advantage down to just six entering the fourth quarter.

Clutch layups from Houston Hendrix and Styles helped right the ship, as the Greyhounds maintained an eight-point lead. But a pair of turnovers changed the complexion of the game. Ernest Young and Jamarion Carroll capitalized with layups — each scored 19 points — and Herschi rallied from 42-34 deficit to force overtime with the game tied at 52. Agarwal broke a 54-54 tie with a triple in the extra frame, but that would prove to be the Greyhounds’ last basket, as Wichita Falls pulled away to win by six.

The Greyhounds finished their remarkable season with a 32-7 overall record.

Schertz police continue to search for the killer of a 21-year-old man who died after he was found shot in his vehicle in March 2021. They’re asking the public to come forward with any information that could solve this case.

Police found Jerod Jeffrey in the driver’s seat of a silver Mercedes sedan with multiple gunshot wounds at the Sycamore Creek Apartments in the 1000 block of Elbel Road on March 12, 2021.

First responders tried to save Jeffrey’s life, but he died from his injuries.

Witnesses told police they saw an unidentified man speaking with Jeffrey while he sat in his vehicle before the shooting. They said the man was then seen immediately leaving the scene after the shooting.

Anyone with information is asked to call Guadalupe County Crime Stoppers at 877-403-8477 or submit a tip online at www.gccsTIPS.com. Crime Stoppers may pay up to $5,000 for information that leads to a felony arrest.

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Whether you have cable TV or a streaming service, one thing remains the same — many of us are spending too much money on TV each month. Consumer Reports has some tips on ways you can save.

Use an antenna for broadcast channels to watch your local news and sports instead of paying for a cable-replacement service.

Consider bundling deals, like the one from Disney+ that includes Hulu and ESPN+ for $13.99 a month.

Also, look for promotions and take advantage of free trials. Some consumers try different services for a month or two, watch all the shows they want to see, and then unsubscribe.

Another tip is to embrace ads. The fastest-growing part of the business right now?

Ad-supported services like Tubi, Pluto TV, and Crackle offer many free movies and shows.

Be sure to check your credit card bills carefully to ensure you’re not still paying for a streaming service you don’t use anymore.

ALSO ON KSAT.COM

Watch free local news, weather and sports content live or on demand for free on the KSAT+ streaming app. Click here to download.

Six miles. That’s about how far you can drive on a dollar’s worth of gas right now — at least in my SUV.

It’s been a strange week-plus at the pump. The (relatively) good news is prices seemed to stabilize today. The bad news is they stabilized at about $4 a gallon. If you have a long commute or cart a few kids to various schools, sports, band practices, scouts, yada yada yada, you can easily drive 70, 80, 100 miles a day.

Apps like GasBuddy, Waze, AAA can help you find the lower prices around you.

If you’re watching the events in Ukraine unfold, you know it’s heartbreaking. There are ways to help by way of donations to so many non-profits. Of course, you want any donation you make to do the most good possible. So, we talked to the folks at CharityNavigator.org  and the BBB (Give.org)  for advice on how to give effectively. They also vet various charities and have lists on their websites.

One very creative way some folks have found to give is to book an Airbnb in Ukraine. They’re not going, of course, but the host gets paid quickly.

Finally, a not-so-new player in groceries is coming back to town. Kroger announced is it launching a home delivery service sometime later this year. The business model uses a hub in Dallas, and San Antonio is a spoke. Before long lots of little robots will be roaming their warehouse.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone.

Marilyn

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San Antonio hit a record high Friday for the price of regular gasoline with drivers paying an average of $3.99 per gallon.

“We saw another three-cent jump overnight in the average in San Antonio, which is now at the highest point ever,” said Daniel Armbruster, AAA Texas spokesperson.

According to AAA Texas, this current price surpassed the record from July 2008 when gas reached $3.96 per gallon in San Antonio.

But there are several ways to stretch your gas dollar. Armbruster said a bad habit many drivers have is something called jackrabbit starts.

“Jackrabbit starts can lower your fuel economy by about 40 percent, especially if you’re in stop and go traffic,” said Armbruster.”(And) you can literally lower your fuel economy by 15 to 30 percent at highway speeds just by accelerating too quickly.”

Another way to lower fuel economy is to avoid idling or warming up your car, especially with newer model cars.

“A car engine consumes one quarter to one-half gallon of fuel per hour when idling, but a warm engine only takes around 10 seconds worth of fuel to restart,” said Armbruster. “When it’s safe to do so, you can shut off your engine if you’ll be stuck for more than a minute and then just turn it back on.”

Another simple tip is to drive a bit slower. “Reducing highway speed even by just five to ten miles per hour can increase your fuel economy by seven to 14 percent,” said Armbruster.

There are steps you can take to save gas even before you get inside your vehicle. Check that your tires are properly inflated. Tires lose about 1 PSI every month. Having tires with lower pressure than what’s recommended by the maker can affect your fuel economy.

Drivers can also get discounted gas when they sign up for memberships at wholesale sellers like Costco and Sam’s Club. There are membership costs, but it’s often offset by the amount you will end up saving.

According to Consumer Reports, if a normal driver were to pay 20 cents less for gas for a full year, they would save more than $100, making up the membership fee.

Armbruster added that driving around searching for the lowest gas prices can be a waste of time and money.

“About 75 percent of drivers choose the gas station that they’re familiar with, regardless of price. It’s convenient. It’s on the route. You can download apps like the AAA mobile app, which is free and then find the cheapest gas near you that way,” said Armbruster.

There is the possibility for more price spikes in the coming days, but Armbruster says changing driver behavior is the biggest factor in stretching your gas.

“Over the past week, we saw some really big daily spikes 20, 25 cents in some areas, and we’ve seen that kind of cool down in the last 24 hours. But that doesn’t mean it’s over just yet,” said Armbruster. “If you want to save on fuel, change your behavior and also keep your vehicle maintained because if you let your vehicle go, you’re going to pay costs somewhere else.”

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San Antonio police are asking for the public’s help to identify and locate two people involved in a robbery at a convenience store on the North Side.

Two people were seen exiting a dark-colored SUV near the Quick Stuff in the 7100 block of San Pedro Avenue around 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

One person entered the store while the other waited outside. The person inside the store then stole a display case containing several items before leaving the store, police said.

Both people who exited the SUV then left the property on foot and got back in the SUV.

Police say an employee attempted to contact the suspects but stopped when a person in the SUV pointed a weapon at him.

Crime Stoppers will pay up to $5,000 for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in this case. To submit a tip, call 210-224-7867.

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San Antonio police are asking for the public’s help to identify and locate two people involved in a robbery at a convenience store on the Southeast Side.

Two people entered the Five Corners Food Mart in the 3500 block of South Gevers on Feb. 19 and flashed a weapon at the two clerks, SAPD said.

One of the people who entered the store demanded money from the register while pointing the gun at the clerks. The other person who entered used a hammer to break a coin-operated machine and took money from it.

Both of the robbers left the location on foot.

Crime Stoppers may pay up to $5,000 for information that leads to a felony arrest in this case. To submit a tip, call 210-224-7867.

Two Texas-based female powerhouses have launched an exclusive collaborative bridal collection. Popular jewelry designer and philanthropist Kendra Scott and Austin lifestyle blogger Emily Travis of Champagne & Chanel co- designed the collection, marking the first-ever influencer-designed partnership for the brand. As Travis is a dedicated wearer of the brand, Scott’s line has been with Travis during monumental moments in her life. While on her own wedding journey, Travis couldn’t imagine celebrating her special day without…