Category: San Antonio News

Although the weather will be pleasant at times this week in South Central Texas, a double-dose of cold fronts will bring weather whiplash.

Temperatures will fall from the 80s into the 40s. And just as it becomes more comfortable mid-week, a late season freeze is likely by the week’s end.

Here’s what you need to know:

SUNDAY

Warm & muggy with a high in the low-80sBreezy with winds from the south at 10-15 mph, gusting up to 25 mph

MONDAY

A cold front will arrive predawnA few morning showers are possible, but not much rain is expected — maybe up to a tenth of an inch in spotsTemperatures will fall into the 50sWINDY, with gusts from the north up to 35-40 mph

TUESDAY

Cloudy and chillyTemps in the 40s with a few sprinklesShowers most likely east of I-35

WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY

Pleasant, with plenty of sunshine60s Wednesday, 70s Thursday

FRIDAY

Another front will move through, dropping temperatures back into the 50sA small chance for rain (20%)

SATURDAY

A late-season light freeze is likely Saturday morning, with temps rebounding to near 60° in the afternoon

7 DAY FORECAST

STAY IN-THE-KNOW

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There are numerous charter schools—public and private—around the Alamo City.

Some San Antonio school districts have several charter schools. In fact, SAISD has an entire section of its website devoted to in-district charter school programs.

The head of San Antonio Charter Moms, Inga Cotton, joined Leading SA on Sunday to talk about the charter schools and navigating the process.

“So I think for my own kids, their experience during the pandemic made them feel disconnected with their teachers and their peers. And in order to get them reengaged, I tried to really listen to them about what their dreams were for, what they wanted to be when they grew up, and they both woke up that they want careers in technology. And so I researched and found a charter school that specializes in technology and so, they do all their core classes but they also get electives and clubs that fit into the careers that they’re interested in,” Cotton said.

Cotton said now her kids are much more motivated in school.

“They get to interact with people working in those fields. And it’s gotten my kids much more engaged and motivated to reconnect with school and think about their future. And I think that’s what folks are ready for is that we’ve experienced so much disruption and trauma from the pandemic, but it’s time to think about a brighter future and how we can help our kids get ready for that,” Cotton said.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, many parents became more engaged in their children’s education and many families have re-evaluated their school choices.

“Families got an up-close look at what schools like when their kids experience distance learning or doing school from home. And for some families, they needed a different setting. They needed full-time online or they needed full-time in-person. And just getting that up-close look, they realized they needed to look more closely at what type of school is going to serve their kids the best. And that’s the kind of resources we offer. So charter schools offer kind of specialized learning models. And the challenge for parents is to try to sort those out. If you got, you know, which school offers, what type of learning and what’s going to be the best fit for their own children,” Cotton said.

Cotton mentioned that there has been immense growth in charter school options, and more parents are reaching out for guidance.

“San Antonio Charter Moms started in 2012, so we’ve been at it for a while. We have seen a lot of growth in the number of charter school options. One of the biggest changes is in San Antonio ISD. They offer choice schools, so they have over 90 campuses that offer specialized learning programs. But there’s also been growth in the open-enrollment charter schools. And what’s great about those is that you don’t have to live in any particular part of town or host any particular school district. So, if there’s if your neighborhood by the school isn’t going to be the right fit, there’s a lot of other options out there,” Cotton said.

You can find guidance and more information on the programs here. But Cotton said you have to start somewhere.

“So basically, tip number one if you can, plan ahead. So schools have already held open enrollment for this coming school year, but also, don’t give up hope because schools are still making offers to students on the waiting list. But if this all sounds confusing, the waiting list, lottery, open enrollment, we have resources to explain that. We have a blog post on our site as SACharter.com. They also have a really active Facebook group, it’s almost 9000 members, and it’s, you know, moms and dads helping each other to answer these questions. And we also have in-person events. We just had one in Universal City, and we’re planning ahead,” Cotton said.

And in planning ahead, SA Charter Moms will be hosting an event Saturday, March 26, at Main Pavilion at the Greenline at Brooks.

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

If you receive a call that appears to be from CPS Energy and the caller tells you to dial another number and make a payment, hang up!

CPS Energy said it has received several reports Sunday of scammers spoofing the numbers they’re calling from and displaying its own telephone numbers.

The scammers are telling customers to dial another number and make a payment.

If you receive one of these calls, CPS Energy urges customers to record the phone number the person is telling you to call, hang up and report it.

Residential customers can report the scam calls at 210-353-2222 and commercial customers should dial 210-353-3333.

“Dawn at the Alamo” commemorates the moments that led to a significant chapter in Texas history. Sunday morning marks 186 years since the Battle at the Alamo.

Many gathered at the local landmark to honor the brave and remember the sacrifices that were made on March 6, 1836.

The annual ceremony features music, historian speakers and reenactments. Gary Luinstra is with the San Antonio Living History Association.

He has participated in the ceremony since 1988 and was pleased to see a large turnout this year.

“This was just absolutely awesome to have this many people out this year,” he said.

J.D. Humber and his son Everett traveled to the Alamo City from Abilene. J.D. said his son is a member of the Sons of the Republic of Texas.

He said this morning’s event marks a significant piece of Texas history.

“This is just part of who we are, so we wanted to come honor those men who gave their lives on both sides and just celebrate what is Texas,” he said.

The day of remembrance will conclude with “Remember the Defenders.” The event begins at 6 p.m. Sunday. Click here for more information.

If you are a landlord, you probably have rental renovations on your to-do list.

Mallory Micetich is home care expert at Angi.  She says if you want to spruce up your rental property, start by renovating the kitchen.

“A nice kitchen makes a great impression on prospective renters, and it doesn’t take too much time or money to give it a fresh look. Start with smaller updates like repainting cabinets, installing new lighting, adding a fresh backsplash, painting, or even adding more workspace like a floating island.”

Micetich says landlords that are willing to invest a little more money in upgrades like new appliances have a great way to attract good-quality tenants.

The bathroom is another important room to renovate. A modern bathroom is a sign that your property is well-maintained and updated regularly.

It may sound like an expensive endeavor, but many bathroom renovations can be relatively simple and inexpensive. Experts say try retiling the floor, adding in a shower door, installing a new vent or replacing the hardware.

Micetich agrees. “Updating the flooring is one of my top recommendations when renovating a rental. You don’t need to replace the floors completely to give them a modern look – consider buffing or sanding hardwood to refresh them without breaking the bank,” Micetich says.

If you are a landlord and property owner who is willing to invest a little bit more, think about a surface like laminate floors or tile that are extremely durable.  

It is a more economical way for you to keep the floors clean between tenants who have pets.  This option means offers more of a limited impact on your floors. If you prefer carpet, a deep cleaning is an absolute must between every tenant.

For the quickest and easiest way to update your rental, look no further than the paint on your walls. You can also easily upgrade your space by adding storage.

“Nowadays renters are always looking for top-notch amenities. When you have a standalone rental, sometimes it can be hard to compete with big units and big buildings that can offer things like pools and other facilities,” Micetich says.

She also recommends upgrading existing appliances by replacing them with newer models.  New appliances are a great way to attract quality tenants.

Micetich says, “You can also add some other amenities that will make the space feel like home. Thinking about a fenced yard or outdoor space, or if you have the ability, maybe even something like a pool or a hot tub.”

She also advises not to forget about the windows.  If they are drafty or look like they need an update, make the switch to energy-efficient windows. They are inexpensive, and they can be a real selling point to renters because they will help keep energy costs down.

A man is in critical condition after he was struck by a vehicle while walking on a Loop 410 access road on the East Side overnight, according to San Antonio police.

The incident happened around 4:37 a.m. Sunday in the 700 block of SE Loop 410.

Police said the 26-year-old man was walking on the SE Loop 410 northbound access road, where there are no sidewalks and minimal lighting.

A vehicle in the area tried to avoid the man as he walked in the roadway but was unable to and struck him, according to officials.

The man sustained serious injuries and was taken by EMS to the Brooke Army Medical Center. At last check, he was in critical but stable condition, according to police.

The driver fled the scene and SAPD says when located, they will be charged with fail to stop and render aid – SBI.

The investigation continues.

More on KSAT:

Pedestrian fatally struck by SAPD patrol vehicle responding to call on West Side, police say

This week, the city and union negotiators reached a tentative deal to cover officers for the next four and a half years.

There were compromises on both sides, but overall Ananda Tomas, executive director of Act 4 SA, said this is a step in the right direction.

“In the 1980s, we gave SAPOA the whole store,” Tomas said. “Since then, we have been fighting to win at least share ownership of that store shelf by shelf, aisle by aisle. This is a win in terms of winning back another aisle.”

The new potential contract came with changes in key areas. Tomas says discipline is a big one.

“The inclusion of an officer’s past record into not only consideration for discipline but also to arbitration is a huge win for the community for us,” Tomas said.

The contract limited the powers of arbitration, which in the past has allowed fired SAPD officers to get their jobs back.

Now an arbitrator can only overturn a firing if the police chief doesn’t establish that conduct would make the entire department look bad or that “law and sound community expectations” would be seen as a good reason to fire them.

While Tomas is happy with this step, she doesn’t think it’s good enough.

“We also have just seen with our sheriff’s contract that they removed the arbitrator altogether and now appeals move to the Civil Service Commission,” Tomas said. “And that is absolutely something we could have done with this contract as well. That used to be the pathway for appeals before outside arbitrators were brought into this.”

“We accomplished the two things that we set out to do. One, which was a fair contract and two, which we had due process for the officers,” Danny Diaz, president of the San Antonio Police Officers Association, said.

Diaz is happy with how negotiations turned out and is ready to begin the process of explaining the changes to members.

“We are coming out to our membership and then once we do that and God willing, everything works out and we ratify this contract,” Diaz said.

Before it’s ratified, city council and SAPOA need to sign off on the contract.

Tomas said she can’t predict if everyone will give it the green light, but she hopes there’s a discussion about changes to civilian oversight that were not included in this contract.

“At one point, the civilian review board, known as the CARB, was actually on the list of priorities for the city, but it fell off before they finalized their terms. I don’t know why this happened,” Tomas said.

She hopes the community who said they wanted changes to the civilian review board included in the contract will reach out to their city counselors. Even if it’s not included this time, she hopes it’s on the record when contract negotiations come up again in 2026.

In this new contract, there was no change to the evergreen clause, which keeps the contract’s terms in place even after it expires. Though officers’ pay is frozen during that time.

As it stands in the current contract, the evergreen clause is staying at eight years. Tomas wishes it were reduced.

“We need to reduce this to give incentive for both parties to negotiate, come to an agreement quicker, be able to give concessions quicker, but also not wait for a more favorable political climate,” Tomas said.

Finally, the length of the contract itself. As it stands now, the contract is four and a half years.

Tomas wishes that the time frame would be reduced down to three years or even two because of the evergreen clause and time to negotiate after it is expired.

“A negotiation could take anywhere from one to three to four years. So you are really literally only getting a once in a decade chance to get any type of reform to our contract, and that’s frankly just not soon enough for the community,” Tomas said.

Overall, she thinks this new contract is the best she’s seen since the 1980′s but by no means is it “enough.”

“Since we gave away everything in the 1980s, I think we are there, but I don’t want to say that it’s still a contract we should agree on yet. I think we can push further,” Tomas said.

A pedestrian is dead after a San Antonio police officer struck him with a patrol vehicle while responding to a call on the West Side, according to SAPD.

The incident happened around 8:30 p.m. Saturday on W Commerce Street and NW 39th Street.

According to SAPD PIO Michelle Ramos, the man is in his 60s and was wearing dark clothing when he was struck.

EMS pronounced the man dead at the scene. The officer is a two-year veteran with the police department.

Neither of their identities have been released at this time.

The investigation is still in its preliminary stages and information is subject to change. We’ll bring more updates as they become available.

More on KSAT:

3 people displaced, several without power after South Side house fire, SAFD says

A Florida teacher was hospitalized and a five-year-old student could be facing charges after police say the child attacked her.

The incident happened just after 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Pine Lakes Elementary in Pembroke Pines, Fla., according to a report from KSAT’s sister station WKMG.

An incident report stated the student was in a “cool down” room after he and a 4-year-old started to throw things around and flip chairs. The child reportedly used his fists and feet to hit his teacher.

When officers arrived at the school, they found the teacher sitting on the ground against a wall. The teacher was feeling “faint,” “weak, and dazed,” according to WKMG.

The teacher was taken out of the classroom on a stretcher by fire personnel and then transported to an area hospital.

The 5-year-old is facing a charge of aggravated assault with hands, fists and feet, WKMG reported.

You can read the incident report down below, courtesy of WKMG.

More on KSAT:

Man killed in house fire on city’s Northeast Side, San Antonio firefighters sayMan hit, killed by vehicle while crossing West Side street, police say

San Antonio police need the public’s help identifying and locating a man they said robbed a Southeast Side smoke shop last week.

The incident happened Feb. 27 at the Headrush Vape & Smoke, located in the 4000 block of E. Southcross.

Police said a man was looking at a water pipe in the store when he displayed a stun gun and threatened an employee with it. The man stole merchandise and then fled the scene.

The man is between 20-25, is 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighs around 140 pounds with facial tattoos.

Anyone with information on the suspect’s identity or location can earn up to $5,000 for passing along the information to Crime Stoppers.

You can submit tips at 210-224-STOP or at www.sacrimestoppers.com.

More on KSAT:

SAPD searching for two men who robbed West Side pawn shopHave you seen this man? SAPD says he tried to rob a pizza delivery driver at gunpoint.