As the COVID-19 vaccine becomes more available, many places are now allowing walk-in appointments throughout San Antonio.

The City of San Antonio is working to distribute thousands of doses of the COVID-19 vaccines, including Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson and Johnson to eligible residents.

All adults are now eligible to receive the vaccine. Pfizer’s vaccine has been approved for children ages 12 to 15. Moderna is seeking that approval for its vaccine and it’s expected to be granted soon.

San Antonio doctor answers parents’ questions about Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for kids

To ensure seniors get vaccinated, the city has also established a COVID-19 vaccine waitlist for residents who are 65 and older. People can register online in English at sanantonio.gov/waitlist or in Spanish at sanantonio.gov/listadeespera. They can also call 311 and select option 8 or call 210-207-6000 for assistance. The hotline will be open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. daily.

Doses of the COVID-19 vaccines come from the federal government to the states to be distributed. Texas distributes its allotted vaccines to hospitals, pharmacies, local health departments, freestanding ERs and other clinics. All providers who receive the vaccine are instructed to use them immediately and not keep any in reserve.

How to sign up for a #COVID19 vaccine in #Texas.

Eligible people can sign up with a vaccination hub or a community vaccine provider.
🔹Vaccination hub info: https://t.co/7m6v4KF2Yn
🔹Community provider map: https://t.co/FDEZypNTdb#HealthyTexas #COVID19TX #EveryDoseMatters pic.twitter.com/e1zWLLBtdG

— Texas DSHS (@TexasDSHS) January 20, 2021

Many pharmacies are also receiving doses of the vaccine from the federal government through a retail pharmacy program.

Metro Health’s Alamodome Vaccine Site

The San Antonio Metropolitan Health District administers drive-through vaccines at the Alamodome. Residents can register for an appointment on the Metro Health COVID-19 vaccine registration website. People without internet access can call the 311 Customer Service COVID Hotline from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on weekends.

If appointments are available at the Alamodome, you can register for the vaccine online. Online registration is preferred, but if you need assistance you can call 311 and select option 8. Residents have reported that it can be difficult to reach someone by phone.Anyone that lives in Bexar County or in one of the other 26 municipal districts are able to come to the Alamodome to receive their COVID-19 vaccine, according to city leaders.

University Health

University Health offers the Pfizer vaccine free of charge to people 12 or older on a walk-in basis at multiple pharmacy locations. Locations include:

Robert B. Green Campus Pharmacy: Monday – Saturday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.Medical Center Pavilion: Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.Southeast Clinic: Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.Southwest Clinic: Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.Texas Diabetes Institute: Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

An adult family member or guardian must accompany children to provide written consent for the vaccination. Proof of age is not required.

Other places you may be able to find COVID-19 vaccines:

You may be able to find the vaccine through your primary care physician or other healthcare providers. You can call your providers to see if they have any available.

WellMed has recently consolidated vaccination sites, now taking all appointments at the Elvira Cisneros Senior Community Activity Center. The link can also be found here.

Several sites are now taking walk-in appointments, including Baptist Health Systems, St. Philips College and Texas Vista Medical Center.

Other pharmacies that administer vaccines include CVS Health, Walmart, Sam’s Club, and H-E-B.

Keep up with the latest vaccine news here.

Read more:

‘Come back for your second dose’: Metro Health says more than 100k in Bexar County haven’t gotten second COVID-19 vaccineKSAT Q&A: Pediatric infectious disease specialist answers questions about COVID-19 vaccine for kidsVaccine effort turns into slog as infectious variant spreads

As we near the close of a year that’s been defined by infection and social distance, there is some hope.

The news of successful vaccine developments comes as COVID-19 cases across the U.S. and in San Antonio are rising.

While there is a light at the end of the tunnel, medical experts are warning we are not in the clear yet.

Vaccine development and distribution are just part of the puzzle. Another essential piece is battling disinformation and convincing enough people to get the vaccine.

In this week’s episode of KSAT Explains, we looked at the science behind these vaccines, spoke with medical experts about their safety and got a better understanding of what it will take to end this pandemic.

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

What we know about the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines

Despite global efforts to find a COVID-19 vaccine, medical and health experts warned everyone that it could take a while.

The previous record for vaccine development was four years. But in early November, the world received welcome news.

Pzifer and Moderna had developed a vaccine that showed promise in clinical trials, but they were different from vaccines that had been developed in the past.

Their vaccines are what’s known as MRNA vaccines. It’s an approach that has not been used in humans before, however, researchers have been studying and working with them for decades.

The federal government approved the use Pfizer’s vaccine on Dec. 11 while the Moderna vaccine was expected to be approved around Dec. 17.

Dr. Ruth Berggren, an infectious disease specialist with UT-Health San Antonio, and Dr. Douglas Denham, Chief Medical Director at Clinical Trials of Texas, explained how the vaccines work and why this process can be effective.

Medical experts who spoke to KSAT Explains stressed we are still learning about these vaccines and this is just the start.

A question we asked is does the vaccine prevent people from spreading the virus or just from becoming infected?

“We still don’t really know how well it’s going to protect people. You can still get an infection and maybe not be as infectious, not have the full symptoms that you would get otherwise,” said Denham.

San Antonio-based Texas Biomed Research Institute worked with the Pfizer vaccine in animal studies.

Dr. Larry Schlesinger, President and CEO of Texas Biomed, said in their clinical trials the vaccine protected 100 percent of the animals from COVID-19. But even so, there was still a little virus detected in the nose of these animals.

“It just depends on how powerful the vaccine is in terms of virus, particularly virus in what we call the upper airways, the nose in the mouth where people cough out,” said Schlesinger.

While the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines will be the first to be distributed, there are more than 100 others in the pipeline.

COVID-19 vaccine and children

The initial stages of vaccine distribution is underway, but a group not expected to get approval for use any time soon is young children.

Pfizer included children 12 years of age and older in some of their later trials and Moderna also recently announced they would begin to incorporate children over 12.

But pediatricians around the country and in San Antonio have said this is a cause for concern.

COVID-19 vaccine distribution timeline in Texas

Developing effective COVID-19 vaccines was a challenge, but it wasn’t the only hard part. Getting millions of people vaccinated will be monumental task.

Texas is expected to receive roughly 1.4 million doses to start. Bexar County alone has a population of around 2 million.

We broke down what the distribution plan is in Texas and who is first in line to get the vaccine.

Are these vaccines safe?

Developing and distributing the vaccine are two significant moves in the right direction to end this pandemic. But enough people need to be willing to get the vaccine to stop transmission.

While the speed the vaccines were developed is unprecedented, it isn’t unexplainable.

These vaccines were built upon prior science that can be traced back to February 2003 when SARS was first identified. Still, a question a lot of people have is are these vaccines safe?

We answer that question and dive into the fear many medical experts have about disinformation with the vaccines.

When will this pandemic end?

This is the million dollar question. The answer is complicated because it relies on science and the actions of everyone.

The vaccine is currently voluntary so it remains to be seen how many people choose to get vaccinated.

“Some of the most recent estimates are that 40 to 50 percent of the population has said they won’t take the vaccine,” said Denham. “So if 40 to 50 percent of the patients don’t take the vaccine, then we’re not going to be able to eradicate this very quickly.”

Doctors say patience will also be key in determining how long immunity lasts, whether it’s through a vaccine or an actual infection.

“That’s a question I think we all want to know. I think there’s reasonable optimism that if there is some level of protection for even months, six months, a year or two years, as opposed to lifetime or five or 10 years, that’s still going to have a major positive effect on reducing transmission rates,” said Schlesinger.

We take a closer look at the challenges ahead even with a vaccine in the picture.

Much of 2020 has been defined by the novel coronavirus. But there’s been another big story, one that some argue is another public health crisis.

In August, after a summer of demonstrations demanding an end to systemic racism and police brutality, the City of San Antonio joined dozens of cities and counties across the country and declared racism a public health crisis.

In this episode of KSAT Explains, we take a look at how racism has shaped health outcomes, how the city plans to address the issue and what it means to treat racism as a public health crisis. (Watch the full episode in the video player above.)

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

An honest discussion

Three different people. Three different experiences with racism.

Glo Armmer writes corporate contracts by day and works in event planning and promotion by night. Pharaoh Clark is a personal chef and community activist. Josey Garcia has retired from the U.S. Air Force and is now a mother of eight and a community advocate.

Armmer, Clark and Garcia sat down with KSAT Explains host Myra Arthur to discuss their personal experiences and what they hope comes of the city’s declaration.

Why more cities and counties are declaring racism a public health crisis

On August 20, the San Antonio City Council passed a resolution declaring racism a public health crisis. But what does that mean?

More research is showing that race and health outcomes are related.

“We know that racism has an impact on individual health,” local epidemiologist Dr. Cherise Rohr-Allegrini said. “When you think of that collectively, it’s public health.”

Black women are four times more likely to die of pregnancy complications than white women. Latino children have a 50 percent chance of developing diabetes. The average life expectancy of Black Americans is four years lower than the rest of the U.S. population. These are just a few of the stats that have prompted cities and counties in at least 26 states around the country to declare racism a public health crisis.

But not everyone is on board.

Just take a look at the September Bexar Facts-KSAT-San Antonio Report poll. More than 600 registered Bexar County voters were asked by phone and internet if racism should be considered a public health crisis in Bexar County. 49 percent disagreed. 46 percent agreed.

Demonte Alexander, director of external affairs & special projects for Bexar Facts, said that a big indicator of whether someone agrees with the premise that racism is a public health crisis depends on political party affiliation and where a person lives. Alexander said that in Bexar County Precincts 1, 2 and 4, roughly 50 percent of those asked said they believe racism is a public health crisis. But that number dropped significantly for the North Side Precinct 3, which is the most affluent county precinct and has the largest percentage of white residents.

“In Precinct 3 alone, 60 percent feel like this is not an issue,” Alexander said.

But the City of San Antonio’s 2019 Racial Equity Indicator Report demonstrates that people of color often experience worse outcomes in education, health and housing. Here are some of the report’s findings:

Percent of residents 25 or older with less than a high school education: 25.7 percent of Latinos, 9.6 percent of Blacks, 4.8 percent of whitesPercent of residents who have delayed health care in the past year because of cost: 24.1 percent of Latinos, 17.9 percent of Blacks, 10.6 percent of whitesPercent of low birth weight births by race/ethnicity of mother: 14.6 percent of Blacks, 9.1 percent of Latinos, 7.5 percent of whites

What is leading to these disparate outcomes for people of color? A lot of things.

There are obvious problems, things like lack of access to health care and insurance. But there are also systemic problems that play a big role — a lack of access to healthy foods, safe outdoor spaces for exercise and transportation.

History has created systemic issues

A part of acknowledging that racism has played a role in these disparate health outcomes requires taking a look back to identify the root of some of these structural issues. Watch the video below for an explainer on the federal government’s role in denying resources to some communities.

What steps will the city take next?

Since the city’s declaration in August, a citywide action plan hasn’t been presented. But Dr. Sandra Guerra, the Interim Deputy Director of the Metropolitan Health District, said the city has been trying to create an equitable city even before the declaration.

The city’s Office of Equity is dedicated to advancing social equity and dismantling racism. Each year the office releases a report. According to the 2019 report, 4,000 city employees took equity training in 2019.

“It might be words on paper right now, but it definitely has a passion behind it,” Guerra said.

Guerra called the resolution a first step. It lays out some commitments, including:

The city will update the community twice a year about policies and programs that improve racial equityThe city will commit to engaging historically marginalized communities in the development of equitable health policies

But critics say the resolution doesn’t specify any immediate change or allocate money for this specific movement.

“We gave these resolutions with no teeth,” Alexander said. “And that’s where my criticism comes from.”

QUICK GUIDE TO WHAT ELSE YOU’LL SEE IN THIS EPISODE OF KSAT EXPLAINS:

The story behind what inspired a local vascular surgeon to open up her practice on the city’s South SideThe impact of historic racial redlining in San AntonioThe reason why even some who agree with the premise of the city’s resolution worry it will reinforce negative stereotypes

Election day 2020 will be unlike any other in history. Changes at the polls amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the volatile political climate have made this an unprecedented election. Many Bexar County residents are eager to cast their ballots despite the unique circumstances of this year.

SMART. IN-DEPTH. LOCAL: CLICK HERE FOR MORE EPISODES OF KSAT EXPLAINS

In this episode of KSAT Explains, we look at what you can expect to see at the polls, how polling locations have changed in Bexar County and why this year has inspired some people to get more involved in the political process. (Watch the full episode in the video player above.)

Mega voting sites

Voters will have plenty of options when choosing where to vote this year. There are 48 locations for early voting and about 280 locations to vote on election day.

Four of those locations are so-called mega voting sites. These sites are larger and equipped with more voting machines.

The largest of these sites in Bexar County is the AT&T Center. We previewed what the experience will be like voting at the home arena of the San Antonio Spurs and the Stock Show and Rodeo.

Bexar County is spending more than $200,000 on voter outreach and education advertising.

The goal is to connect voters to information about polling locations and safety protocols that are in place, and to remind voters that they can now vote anywhere on election day. You can learn more here.

Registering voters during a pandemic

The mission to get more people to the polls this year isn’t just one Bexar County officials are pushing.

There are volunteers who work every year to make sure voters are registered and informed.

They have adapted to take proper precautions amid the coronavirus pandemic, but their work has not slowed down in 2020.

In this episode, we profiled one of the activists behind Radical Registars.

Meet Valerie Reiffert in the video below. She was inspired to get involved after this summer’s protests against police brutality and racism.

What are the propositions on the ballot

The presidential election and many high-profile local races have received the most attention during this election cycle, but there are important propositions on the ballot.

We explained three propositions on the ballot that will shape part of the future in San Antonio. They include early education, workforce development and public transportation.

QUICK GUIDE TO WHAT ELSE YOU WILL SEE IN THIS EPISODE OF KSAT EXPLAINS:

What will this election day look likeVoter information campaignKey races to watch in 2020 election in Bexar County

RELATED: Who is on the November 2020 election ballot for Bexar County

RELATED: Here’s how, where to vote early in Bexar County

What kind of food do penguins like to eat? Brrrrritos! Just kidding.

SeaWorld San Antonio and KSAT are teaming up to bring you what we all need this year – a little happiness. This time, by way of the Penguin Cam.

You now have 24/7 access to view the roughly 250 birds at SeaWorld San Antonio, which includes four species of penguins: king, Gentoo, chinstrap and southern rockhopper.

Watch anywhere, anytime on all of KSAT’s platforms: on our KSAT-TV page on KSAT.com, on our free streaming apps, on our KSAT Kids’ page or by bookmarking this article.

🐧 What can you expect to see on the Penguin Cam?

There’s lots of movement, “instead of sleeping for hours at a time like us, penguins take short, sporadic naps throughout the day and night. This adaptation allows the colony to be on constant alert for predators,” said aviculture staff at SeaWorld San Antonio.

And while you might notice that these flightless birds aren’t exactly agile on land, they’re incredibly fast underwater.

“They generally spend the majority of their lives in the water, so their bodies are perfectly adapted for swimming,” said aviculture staff members. “Some species can swim quite quickly; the gentoo penguin, for example, can reach speeds of up to 22 mph, which is as fast as the average cruise ship.”

You’ll get to see penguins eat as well – the penguins are fed throughout the day with as much fish as they feel like eating. Fish, like herring, capelin, night smelt, and silversides, are tossed in the water in the penguin enclosure and also served on trays in the snow.

“Each individual bird has its own unique personality, so their typical behaviors and activity levels will vary,” aviculture staff said. “Some penguins spend much of their time swimming, while others seem to prefer climbing on rocks and snow piles or hanging out with their caretakers.”

🐧 What’s the deal with the tuxedos?

Aviculture staff said there’s actually an important reason penguins look so formal – having a bright belly and dark back allows the birds to camouflage in the water.

“If a predator were to look down at a swimming penguin, the bird’s dark back would blend in with the seafloor; on the other hand, if the predator were to look up at the penguin, the bird’s bright belly would blend in with the sunlight shining at the surface,” according to the aviculture specialists. “This type of coloration is common in other marine animals too and is known as ‘counter-shading.’”

Some of the penguins have also been given names by caretakers and visitors with certain penguins having fans that come to visit them specifically “like Freckles the rockhopper penguin and Janet the king penguin.”

Every penguin at SeaWorld San Antonio has a special identifying number that allows caretakers to keep accurate health, breeding, and training records and “colorful bands placed around their wings correspond to those identification numbers.”

🐧 But, they’re in a cage…

Many people express concern over keeping animals in “cages” or just generally contained within four walls.

The Penguin Encounter at SeaWorld San Antonio isn’t just a special opportunity for people to meet penguins up close. The park participates in the Species Survival Plan (SSP), “a program to preserve selected species in zoos and aquariums, many of which are struggling in the wild.”

“In addition to SeaWorld’s in-park efforts, the nonprofit Sea World & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund has sponsored projects around the globe that are related to penguin rescue and conservation, such as the Falkland Islands Penguin Census,” said aviculture staff.

Even better? All 18 species of penguins are legally protected.

If you want to learn more about SeaWorld San Antonio’s penguins, you can meet a penguin up-close in a guided Penguin Tour, or chill in the habitat with the whole flock in the Penguin Interaction Program.

Grab a jacket though – it’s 35 degrees in the penguin enclosure.

Visit http://www.seaworld.org/ for more information.

Related:

KANGAROO CAM: Live look inside the tree kangaroo habitat at San Antonio Zoo

Do penguins sneeze? Yep, and here’s what it looks like

Poop scoop: Satellite images reveal Antarctic penguin haunts

Wildfires burning in the western part of the country and an extremely active hurricane season: these two weather phenomena have become politically charged. Conversations about both have naturally turned into conversations about climate change.

But what role has climate change played in the fires and this hurricane season?

SMART. IN-DEPTH. LOCAL: CLICK HERE FOR MORE EPISODES OF KSAT EXPLAINS

In this week’s episode of KSAT Explains, meteorologists Kaiti Blake and Sarah Spivey explain why the answer to that question is nuanced.

Western Wildfires

You’ve probably seen the images by now. In early September, video and pictures emerged of a creepy, orange glow filling the skies over San Francisco due to smoke from surrounding fires.

Wildfires have affected several states this year, but it certainly seems that California has been experiencing the worst of it.

Here’s an overview of the the damage the wildfires have caused in California as of Oct. 7:

More than 8,300 wildfiresMore than 8,600 structures damagedAt least 31 people killedNearly four million acres burned

And the cost of fighting and suppressing wildfires in California is costly. Cal Fire estimates it could cost more than $370 million this year.

That number is part of a troubling trend. Take a look at the chart below to see how much costs to suppress wildfires have increased.

According to the Congressional Research Service, across the United States, ongoing wildfires in 2020 have already surpassed the 10-year annual average.

It’s a serious problem. But what’s making these wildfires worse? And what can be done to ensure improvements in the years to come?

The answer to both of these questions is twofold: both forest management and climate change.

Without proper attention to both issues, the wildfire situation on the West Coast could be repeated and made worse in years to come.

An Active Hurricane Season

For only the second time in history, the 2020 hurricane season has been so active it has exhausted the English alphabet.

The only other time this has happened was in 2005. That was the year of the devastating Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma.

And while this year has not been as catastrophic as 2005, Hurricanes Hanna, Isaias, Laura and Sally have caused more than $22 billion in damage.

This year is on schedule to be the most active Atlantic Hurricane season on record.

Of these storms, nine have made landfall on the U.S. mainland. And with Hurricane Delta expected to make landfall along the Gulf Coast after this episode debuts, we’ll have the most named storms to ever make landfall on the U.S. mainland in a single season.

Hearing this, it would be easy to attribute the increased activity to climate change. You would be partially correct, but it’s a bit more complicated than that.

What You Can Expect In This Episode of KSAT Explains

An explanation of what forest management has to do with the western wildfiresA look at how winds, heat and drier conditions contribute to the firesWhat makes hurricane frequency and intensity more intense

Editor’s note: On Jan. 19 the San Antonio Housing Authority terminated an agreement with a private developer to redevelop the Alazan Apache Courts, according to a memo from District 5 Councilwoman Shirley Gonzales. Click here to learn more.

In the heart of San Antonio’s West Side, there is a community of 500 families living in one of the nation’s first and now oldest public housing developments. The roots of the Alazan Apache Courts run deep.

Generations of San Antonio families have been raised at the courts, but now it’s uncertain if the housing complex will see another generation or even another few years.

SMART. IN-DEPTH. LOCAL: CLICK HERE FOR MORE EPISODES OF KSAT EXPLAINS

In this week’s episode of KSAT Explains, we examine the current battle over the Alazan Apache Courts, their impact and the future. (Watch full episode in video player above.)

SHIFT TOWARD MIXED-INCOME HOUSING

It’s no secret the courts need improvement. They were built out of cinder blocks and do not have central air, and providing internet access is a much larger challenge than it should be in 2020.

The future of The Courts is in limbo thanks to plans for redevelopment. A couple of mixed-income developments are planned for the area.

We broke down the reason we’ve seen a shift away from public housing toward mixed-income over the past several years.

NEED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING

In 2018, San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg’s housing policy task force released a report revealing the dire need of affordable housing in our city. The problem is that housing costs outpace incomes.

The housing policy framework found that between 2005 and 2016, the median sales price of a home increased by an average of 4.7 percent per year from $120,000 to $180,000.

The city’s area median income, or AMI, increased by an average of just 1.9 percent per year from $40,100 to $49,300.

In 2005, 54 percent of all the city’s households could not afford the median-priced home. That number increased to 59 percent by 2016.

In 2018, the city council adopted the housing policy framework to create more affordable housing.

The budget for 2019 included more than $17 million to implement those recommendations which included creating a coordinated housing system, rehabbing older homes and incentives for developers to build mixed-income developments. You can see the full report below.

SA Housing Policy Framework by RJ Marquez on Scribd

WHY PLANS FOR ALAZAN ARE CONTROVERSIAL

On the surface, plans to redevelop the courts make sense. The buildings are outdated and in desperate need of upgrades.

The San Antonio Housing Authority says there are many residents who would like to live elsewhere. But fears of gentrification and displacement are also real.

The desire for preservation extends beyond the courts and advocates are worried about maintaining the culture of San Antonio’s West Side.

KSAT’s Jessie Degollado explains why redevelopment plans are controversial.

HOW ALAZAN COURTS SHAPED WEST SIDE

The history of the courts is a major reason why a lot of people do not want to see the buildings demolished.

Here is a look at the courts beginnings and how the public housing development has changed the lives of thousands of West Side families.

QUICK GUIDE TO WHAT ELSE YOU WILL SEE IN THIS EPISODE OF KSAT EXPLAINS:

Plans for Alazan Apache CourtsDoes mixed-income housing workCultural impact of courts on West Side

The illegal transportation of wild pigs on the “underground wild pig railroad” has caused a massive explosion in population for the animals in a term Zoologist John “Jack” Mayer has coined a “pig bomb.”

All feral hogs are wild pigs, however, not all wild pigs are feral hogs, said Mayer. “Wild-living members of the [Sus scrofa] species are commonly and consistently referred to as wild boar, or occasionally wild pigs, in the scientific literature,” according to a Wildlife Society Bulletin from 2016.

Feral hogs are an invasive species largely introduced to North America by Spanish conquistadors in the 1500s. Since then, their numbers have skyrocketed due to the lack of predators and their relatively fast reproduction rate compared to other land mammals.

Mayer, who has been working with feral hogs/wild pigs for over 40 years, told KSAT that “starting in the 1970s and 1980s, wild pigs became the second-most popular big game animals in North America; second only to white-tailed deer in the numbers harvested annually.”

He said hunters who didn’t want to drive south or to the West Coast to hunt the hogs where they were located, and “very quickly figured out that this was something that they could fix. All they had to do was get themselves a trailer-load of pigs, take them to where they wanted them, turn them loose, and the pigs did the rest.”

The USDA also sites “translocation by humans” as one reason the feral swine population is increasing rapidly. Slide through the photos below to see the difference between the feral swine population from 1982 to 2019.

Feral hogs reproduce at an alarming rate with an average of five to six pigs per litter and one to two litters per year, according to Texas A&M Agrilife Extension, which estimates the feral hog population in Texas to be 2.6 million.

Additionally, Mayer said “literally every state” has a commercial fenced shooting operation offering a “wild boar hunt” and that at least one of these operations is also leaking pigs in every state. “Wild pigs don’t fence well.”

Roland Ortiz, owner of Ortiz Game Management, told KSAT last December that he equates “hog intelligence to dog or chimpanzee intelligence,” after trapping a 271-pound boar that jumped a fence on San Antonio’s Northwest side and attacked a resident’s potbelly pigs. Ortiz noted that hogs problem solve and communicate and “if you give them a way out they’ll take it.”

The USDA notes that feral swine are “intelligent animals” and if a trap used to capture the animals is improperly set, the swine “that are not captured will then be educated and much more difficult to capture later.”

Between the illegal transportation of pigs across state lines and the leaking fence operations “this is where the Pig Bomb came from,” Mayer said.

A report from June 2020 from the USDA states that feral swine have been reported in at least 35 states and estimates that the total population is “over 6 million and is rapidly expanding.”

A bill allowing the hunting of feral hogs without a license with consent of a landowner passed unanimously in the Texas Senate in April 2019, and the law went into effect on Sept. 1 of last year.

“Feral hogs can be found in 99% of Texas counties and cause an estimated $52 million in damages to Texas agricultural enterprises each year,” according to the Texas A&M Agrilife Extension.

A 59-year-old woman was also found dead in the front yard of her Texas home last November after she was attacked by several feral hogs.

So what can be done? The USDA, which has an entire campaign called “Manage the Damage” dedicated to stopping feral swine, lists the following as ways to help manage the feral swine population:

Fencing – Fences help deter feral swine but “if motivated or agitated [swine] can destroy most fences, which should be considered during construction.”Harassment – This is effective for immediate removal of feral swine from a particular area but “is not practical on a large scale, and will likely shift feral swine problems from one area to another.”Vaccination of livestock and pets – Feral swine carry disease which could be transmitted to livestock. These diseases include “leptospirosis, brucellosis, porcine reproductive & respiratory syndrome, porcine circovirus type 2, influenza, and E. coli.”Contraception – Studies are being conducted into the development of contraception for feral swine which “may be useful for very specific situations… however, there is no registered contraceptive for use in controlling feral swine populations at this time.”Trapping – Trap, bait and location are all factors when trying to trap feral swine. “Captured feral swine should not be moved or released back into the environment, and should instead be humanely euthanized once in the trap.”Snares – This is for use in specific situations where traps are considered impractical. “To assure the humane capture and dispatch of the animal, snares must be checked regularly and all snaring rules and regulations for your state must be followed.”Ground shooting – Shooting is considered effective when there are a few feral swine in a particular area. “If larger groups are observed, shooting a few individuals of the group can disrupt the social organization and cause them to disperse even further across the landscape, thereby increasing the potential for damage.”Aerial operations – This is ideal for grasslands and open landscape and is “an effective means of quickly and efficiently reducing feral swine numbers,” but it’s not permitted in all regions and may be cost-prohibitive.Toxicants – Research is currently underway to identify a “toxicant capable of effectively and humanely removing feral swine, without having an adverse effect on the environment and non-target species.”

More feral hog content from KSAT:

488-pound feral hog killed in Texas by wildlife removal expertsAbout 550 feral hogs removed from San Antonio military bases per year, officials say13-year-old Texan takes out 400-pound feral hog wreaking havoc on ranch411 lb. wild boar caught near San Antonio golf courseFunny mix-up at Bexar County natural area causes hikers to climb tree, call 911

It’s often a challenge for major cities, but a particular struggle for San Antonio: how to improve transportation across the area.

This week’s episode of KSAT Explains examines what the future of transit could look like for our city and how will we fund that future. (Watch full episode in video player above.)

CLICK HERE TO WATCH PART 1: SAN ANTONIO’S TROUBLED MASS TRANSIT HISTORY

SALES TAX TIMELINE

Part of the future of mass transportation in San Antonio could be decided with the transportation proposition that Bexar County residents will have the chance to vote on in November.

KSAT’s Garrett Brnger breaks down the long battle over an eighth of a cent sales tax that could help fund the future of transit in San Antonio.

HOW WILL EXTRA MONEY BE USED

If the ballot proposition passes in November, VIA will receive additional funding in 2026, but how will that extra money be used

We broke down the goals for transportation that will involve more than just adding new routes and more buses.

Those goals come with a cost which means San Antonio will need to increase current funding options and possibly find other sources. We currently fund transportation projects in the following ways:

Federal gas taxState gas taxSales taxVehicle registration feesBond funds

Increasing the state gas tax is one option for increasing funds. It has been 20 cents per gallon since 1991. General obligation bonds are another option, but require voter approval.

Other funding options include toll roads or a vehicle miles traveled (VMT) tax which charges drivers based on how many miles they have traveled.

OPPOSITION TO MORE VIA FUNDING

Not everyone agrees that giving more money to VIA is the clear cut solution to San Antonio’s transit issues.

District 10 Councilman Clayton Perry says VIA has proved its efficiency with the limited funding they receive, but he struggles with the idea of directing more tax dollars to the transit agency without a clear vision.

QUICK GUIDE TO WHAT ELSE YOU WILL SEE IN THIS EPISODE OF KSAT EXPLAINS:

What going on with VIA’s North Side facility and how it’s being usedCOVID-19′s impact on transportation in San AntonioHow workforce issues and transit are interconnected in San AntonioWhy transportation affects everyone

WATCH PART 1 OF KSAT EXPLAINS DEEP DIVE INTO MASS TRANSIT IN SA

Editor’s note: The Nov. 2, 2021 KSAT Explains livestream features portions of a previously aired episode. You can watch it live in the video player above. After Tuesday night’s livestream, you will be able to watch the 2020 version as a video on demand.

Transportation is a vital part of any major city, but it can also be one of the biggest sources of frustration.

SMART. IN-DEPTH. LOCAL: CLICK HERE FOR MORE EPISODES OF KSAT EXPLAINS

Many people have argued for years that more needs to be done to when it comes to mass transit in San Antonio.

From streetcars to light rails, there have been efforts to expand transportation offerings, but these efforts have not been successful.

Our primary mode of public transportation is VIA Metropolitan Transit, but there has been an ongoing struggle for years for added funding for the transportation service.

In this week’s episode of KSAT Explains, we examined San Antonio’s troubled mass transit history, the challenges ahead as our city continues to grow and what and lies down the road for VIA.

(You can see the full episode in the video player above.)

VIA OFFERINGS

When people think of VIA, they likely think of buses and that is still the transit agency’s mainstay.

Since it was founded in 1977 and hit the streets a year later, VIA has expanded ways to get riders get around the city.

Today, VIA operates 479 buses and 139 vans that travel on 96 routes in more than a dozen Bexar County member cities. We looked at how VIA has worked to meet the different needs of different riders.

FAILED TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS

Over the past two decades, there have been efforts to expand San Antonio’s transportation options.

One of VIA’s more ambitious proposals was for a $1.5 billion, more than 53-mile light rail system that would have stretched across the city.

Voters rejected the quarter cent sale tax increase to fund it in 2000.

In 2011, VIA introduced the modern streetcar project, but the $280 million dollar proposal was met with push back and ultimately fell apart.

COMPARING SA TO OTHER MAJOR TEXAS CITIES

VIA is underfunded compared to transportation entities in other major cities in Texas.

It’s one of the largest transit agencies that receives fewer operating dollars compared to Dallas, Austin and Houston. Those cities all get one full cent from sales tax.

VIA receives 5/8th of one cent, 1/8th through the advanced transportation district funds and half a cent through sales tax.

As the image below shows, it adds up to all of those cities, including Austin, having more funding that San Antonio.

Transportation like nearly everything else comes with a cost so when funding falls short, so does service.

We broke down some of the disparities in time and distances that current bus riders may face compared to those who use a car.

PUBLIC TRANSIT CRITICAL TO EQUITY

According to a VIA survey, 58 percent of its riders live in households without a car.

Having a reliable public transportation is necessary to many underserved communities and critical in the fight for equity.

QUICK GUIDE TO WHAT ELSE YOU WILL SEE IN THIS EPISODE OF KSAT EXPLAINS:

The history of VIA Metropolitan Transit and its funding issues from the startMeet some of the people who rely on VIA to get to work, school or run errandsHow much progress San Antonio has made with its transportation goals set out a decade ago