Category: San Antonio News

Struggling to decide where to book a staycation? Having trouble figuring out lodging recommendations for visiting friends or relatives? Conde Nast Traveler may have the answer. The magazine just published a list of what it claims are the nine best hotels in San Antonio. In no particular order, they are: Hotel Havana. Conde Nast Traveler says the Cuba-inspired hotel is “the perfect sport for creative types, couples seeking a romantic getaway, or anyone planning to…

Ukraine’s minister of digital transformation says equipment to use SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service has arrived in his country.

Mykhailo Fedorov thanked SpaceX founder Elon Musk for the equipment in a Twitter post on Monday that was accompanied by a photo of boxes on the back of a truck.

Starlink — here. Thanks, @elonmusk pic.twitter.com/dZbaYqWYCf

— Mykhailo Fedorov (@FedorovMykhailo) February 28, 2022

Musk replied with his own tweet saying: “You are most welcome.”

The tech billionaire said over the weekend that Starlink was now “active” in Ukraine and more equipment to use it was on the way. That followed a public request from Fedorov for the service.

On Saturday, Federov tweeted Musk saying, “while you try to colonize Mars — Russia try to occupy Ukraine! While your rockets successfully land from space — Russian rockets attack Ukrainian civil people! We ask you to provide Ukraine with Starlink stations and to address sane Russians to stand.”

Roughly 14 hours later Musk responded saying Starlink service was active in Ukraine and more terminals were en route.

Starlink is a satellite-based internet system that SpaceX has been building for years to bring internet access to underserved areas of the world. It markets itself as “ideally suited” for areas where internet service is unreliable or unavailable.

According to CNN, Starlink uses satellites that operate in low-Earth orbit, which allows for fast upload and download speeds and continuous coverage.

University Health will close its COVID-19 vaccination center at Wonderland of the Americas at the end of the week.

After 14 months in operation with more than 500,000 COVID-19 shots administered, the vaccine center will close at 6 p.m. on Friday.

“We are truly honored to have played such a big role in helping so many people in the community get protected. We appreciate our incredible Wonderland staff who have served with great skill and compassion,” University Health officials said in a press release. “We also want to thank everyone in the community who came to the mall and rolled up their sleeves to protect themselves, their families and those around them.”

University Health will continue to offer COVID-19 vaccines and boosters at its pharmacy locations.

For a complete list of testing sites and vaccine pop-up clinics, visit covid19.sanantonio.gov or call 311 and select option 8.

Also on KSAT:

Where to get tested for COVID-19 in San Antonio, Bexar CountyHere are the COVID-19 vaccine pop-up clinics taking place around San AntonioWhere to get a COVID-19 vaccine, booster in San Antonio

Surprises can be fun, but not when they come in the form of a home emergency. Burst pipes, overflowing toilets and power outages can be stressful, overwhelming, and scary.

Bailey Carson, a home care expert at Angi, shares tips on when and how to tackle home emergencies by yourself and how to know when it’s time to call in an expert.

“Whether you’re a homeowner or a renter, it’s likely you’re going to come upon an unexpected home issue or project,” said Carson. “It could be something really minor, like a shower rod that has fallen down, or it could be something major, involving a power or plumbing issue. It’s important to know what to do in the case of an emergency. If it’s something you can’t fix yourself, be sure to have a few pros’ numbers on hand, so you don’t feel like you’re starting from scratch.”

Broken pipes can mean leaks and even major water damage. Calling in a plumber for an emergency – especially during off-hours can cost up to $200 per hour, plus materials and supplies, but you can try to slow the water flow until normal business hours by shutting off the main water valve to your home. Just make sure the water isn’t leaking near electrical equipment. If it is, leave it be and call in a pro right away.

“Clogged toilets can lead to leaks and water damage if left unresolved. Plus, they can be a real hassle if you need that toilet in use,” said Carson. “Start by turning off the water valve behind your toilet bowl. This will prevent any overflow. Next, try a traditional plunger. If that doesn’t work, head to your hardware store to pick up a drain snake. If that’s still not solving the issue, it’s probably time to call in a pro.”

HVAC issues can be a horrible surprise, especially if it happens in the middle of a snowstorm or heatwave. If your HVAC unit suddenly stops working, turn off your thermostat and check the power source to the unit and your electrical box. Resetting the outlet or a blown fuse can be a simple solution to this problem. If those don’t work, it’s time to call in a local HVAC specialist to figure out what went wrong.

“If your power suddenly goes out, check your electric box and see if you’ve simply blown a fuse,” said Carson. “It could be a really easy fix of just flipping it back on. However, if that doesn’t work, or you know the power outage could be due to weather, call your electric company to see how long they estimate before the power might be back. If it’s going to be a while, you might want to consider heading somewhere else. If you decide to stay home, make sure you have flashlights and candles on hand, and use it as a great excuse to eat all that ice cream in your freezer before it melts.”

There are a few tools that are helpful to have around in case of a home emergency. For cleaning up messes or leaks, have a 5-gallon bucket, duct tape, rubber gloves and heavy-duty rags on hand. To shut valves or tighten bolts, have an adjustable wrench, slip joint pliers, screwdrivers, and Allen keys along in your toolbox.

“If an emergency hits your home and you don’t know what to do, don’t guess, call a pro,” said Carson. “Remember that the longer issues are left unresolved, the more damage they can cause, so don’t delay. By example, a simple leak can turn into flooding. If the situation is dangerous, leave your home for somewhere safer before trying to handle it. However, if it’s not too dangerous, stay home and try to keep the issue under control until the expert arrives to truly fix the problem.”

One man is dead and another man is critically wounded following a shooting at a Northwest Side apartment parking lot early Tuesday morning.

Officers were called around 1:40 a.m. to the Forest Ridge Apartments near Fredericksburg Road and Donore Place in the Medical Center after receiving word of shots fired.

SAPD said they arrived to find one man shot in the neck and another with a gunshot wound to the head. Both men were taken by EMS to an area hospital in critical condition, where one later died.

At this time, police say they don’t have much to go on. A motive is not currently known. They also do not have a description of a possible suspect or suspects.

The names and ages of the two men shot have not been released.

The San Antonio Police Department, the San Antonio Fire Department and EMS all answered the call.

The investigation is ongoing, police said.

Story 2//(1:40am) shooting Fredericksburg rd (Fredericksburg rd / Donore pl)According to Sgt’s and cptnTwo males were shot in the parking lot of this apartment complex. One male was transported POV to hospital with a gunshot to the neck. The other a 28 year old male was transported to university hospital in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the head by ems. Police don’t know what led to the shooting or any description of suspects. Sapd safd and ems on scene.

Texas legislature passed a handful of meaningful changes to lien laws last year that are now in effect. Here are a few things for owners, lenders, contractors and subcontractors to keep in mind.

A male passenger inside a vehicle was wounded in a shooting on the city’s Northeast Side early Tuesday morning, San Antonio police said.

The incident occurred around 12:30 a.m. in the 6700 block of Raintree Forest, not far from Toepperwein Road and Lookout Road.

According to police, the man in his late 20s or early 30s was a backseat passenger with two other people inside a car and were traveling near Nacogdoches Road and Toepperwein when a car parked on the side of the road started firing several gunshots.

Police said the victim in the car was struck in the leg by the gunfire. The driver of the car drove to a home on Raintree Forest where they called for help. The victim was taken by EMS to Brooke Army Medical Center in stable condition.

SAPD the suspect vehicle fled following the shooting. They have not yet been found. A description of the car and/or suspect has not been released.

Authorities could not say whether this was a targeted shooting or simply random gunfire. The investigation is ongoing.

After a deadly afternoon in the city, following several weeks of shootings and gruesome abuse cases, many are wondering what is behind the violence increase.

Shots rang out at a downtown bus stop Monday afternoon following an argument between a 22-year-old man and a 30-year-old man.

“San Antonio is getting worse. It’s getting bad,” said Barbara Quionez, who uses the bus stop where the shooting happened.

One man was shot in the head and upper torso on St. Mary’s Street.

“Somebody’s probably going to die because of an altercation, and somebody is real quick to pull out a gun to settle that,” San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said.

The Bexar County Medical Examiner confirmed a death in the case.

Hours later, a woman was killed outside of a North Side business on Interpark Boulevard.

“A lot of the violence in the city is caused by altercations, arguments, road rage,” McManus said.

Mary Beth Fisk, CEO of The Ecumenical Center, said the increase in violence could be caused by compounding trauma and stress from two years of the ongoing pandemic.

“So often what we see with multiple traumas is people will turn to ways they can express that trauma or let go of that concern,” Fisk said.

Across the U.S., throughout the pandemic, there has been an increase in violent crimes, specifically murders. According to AH Datalytics, there was a 5.7% increase in murders from 2020 to 2021.

The FBI’s crime data explorer shows Texas has a higher rate of violent crime offenses by population compared to the U.S. as a whole.

“We’ve seen an increase in so many areas in our community that are so concerning,” Fisk said.

She said it’s not uncommon to have more feelings of irritability or anger with the state of the world, but it is important to address those feelings healthily.

“Find ways that are relaxing to you and try to focus on those particular areas, and certainly never lose the vision of our joy,” Fisk said.

Whether it’s a mental health professional or someone you trust, talking with someone can also be beneficial. Fisk said this is regardless of whether you have been personally affected by the violence in our city or are run down by hearing about it day after day.

“It’s very important that, at this point, you look for those lifelines that can support you through this difficult time,” Fisk said.

The Ecumenical Center is a nonprofit with counselors available online and strategically placed throughout the city. While resources are limited because of a huge increase in need, Fisk said they’re still here to help.

The memorabilia and the honors from a career in the FBI are everywhere in Christopher Combs’ office, but they are far from the only memories he carries with him as he leaves his job as the special agent in charge for the San Antonio District of the federal agency.

In a far-reaching interview with KSAT anchor Steve Spriester, Combs spoke about everything from Sutherland Springs to the emotional toll of the job.

Combs, a native New Yorker who had never been to San Antonio before being transferred, says he has fallen in love with the Alamo City.

“The minute I got here, I realized I’m never leaving,” Combs told KSAT’s Steve Spriester.

Special Agent Combs has been the local face of the FBI for eight years. He is the person answering questions at crime scenes, often trying to piece together the most horrible crimes you can imagine. The sprawling San Antonio FBI District runs from Brownsville, along the border, then north through San Antonio, Austin and Waco.

Direct and to the point, he is an FBI agent through and through, but Combs is also very candid about the “on the job” events that shaped him professionally and personally.

“I think the biggest event in my career was being at the Pentagon on 9/11, six minutes after that plane hit. And then I was the FBI commander at the Pentagon on 9/11,” Combs said.

He leaves as the bureau’s longest-serving special agent, eight years in San Antonio and 26 years with the FBI.

Combs said the case he’s most proud of is catching the Austin serial bomber before he killed again.

“We brought 600 FBI Agents into Austin. We were able to catch that bomber working with the Austin police, working with the state police, the ATF, all of the partners. And we saved lives there, and I’m very proud of that,” Combs said.

The case that affected Combs the most was the mass shooting at the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs.

“I’ve been to five active shooters. That was one of them. That was the worst thing I’ve ever been involved with — the tragedy of it, the horror of it. It’s hard and, you know, we don’t really divorce ourselves. I think that’s what people believe,” Combs said. “But, you know, FBI agents are just people, right? And that horror affected us greatly and affects me to this day, affects my people to this day. Like that’s just horror, and it’s horrible, and unless you’ve been in there and seen something like that, it’s hard to even describe it to you — what that could do.”

As for current threats, there’s one that stands out to Agent Combs –ongoing threats to the Jewish Community, like the synagogue attack in Dallas.

“Our domestic terrorism squad here and in Austin is very dedicated to looking at that threat and to making sure that we’re ahead of it, that we’re identifying the people that are threatening the Jewish community,” Combs said.

It’s a concern he says he will carry with him long after leaving. Along with that, he also has faith in the FBI, an agency that he says is in good hands.

“I believe in this job. I serve God, and that was my calling. And you know, I’m happy to walk out after 26 years at a great career and a great FBI and a great city. I really am,” Combs said.

Combs also talked about crime rates and getting bad officers off the streets. You can see more from his interview with KSAT’s Steve Spriester in a “Breakdown Extra with #StephandSteve” in the video player below.

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He fired at officers after he shot and killed a man in 2020, and on Monday, Greg Anthony Delgado took a plea deal that left several in the courtroom unhappy.

On February 21, 2020, Luis Guerrero crashed his truck off Darby Blvd near Highway 90 after he was shot in the chest and abdomen by Delgado.

Two years later, both the victim and defendant’s families gathered in Judge Velia Meza’s courtroom where Delgado settled his fate with a plea deal.

“The the pleas that Mr. Delgado are voluntarily made, and I will accept all the pleas,” Meza said.

Delgado was charged with murder, aggravated assault against a public servant, attempted capital murder of a police officer, possession of a controlled substance and possession of deadly weapon in a penal institution.

Delgado pleaded no contest to murder and guilty to the latter four charges.

Although Delgado pleaded no contest to murder, he was found guilty. Delgado was sentenced to 50 years in each case. However, Guerrero’s family is frustrated that the sentences will run concurrently.

“That actually made me angry,” Ashly López said. López is Guerrero’s niece. “(Delgado) never showed no emotion. He seemed, like, unbothered.”

Guerrero’s mother, Amalia Vera was also present in the courtroom. She said Delgado has caused a lot of harm, and his sentence of 50 years isn’t nearly enough.

In a press release, Bexar County District Attorney, Joe González said, “This defendant has shown he has no respect for the law. Even while he has been in jail awaiting the resolution of the charges from this one event, this defendant has shown he continues to be a threat to law enforcement and others by repeatedly being found with weapons in the jail. Our community is safer with this defendant behind bars.”

Delgado must serve at least half of his sentence before he qualifies for parole.