Category: San Antonio News

A family is displaced after flames tore through their North Side home overnight, according to the San Antonio Fire Department.

The fire happened around 10:27 p.m. Saturday in the 19000 block of Encino Brook.

According to SAFD, the fire started in the garage before it quickly spread to the attic.

Eventually, the flames broke through the roof as fire crews continued their efforts to extinguish the fire.

Firefighters were able to contain the flames, but the damages to the home were significant, estimated at $150K, according to fire officials.

The family was able to safely escape the fire and no injuries were reported. SAFD said they had another place to stay in town.

The investigation into what caused the fire continues.

Gov. Greg Abbott asked Texas businesses on Saturday to stop selling Russian products in response to the invasion of Ukraine.

“I’ve asked the members of the Texas Restaurant Association, Texas Package Stores Association & all Texas retailers to voluntarily remove all Russian products from their shelves,” Abbott tweeted Saturday. “Texas stands with Ukraine. #StandWithUkraine”

With restaurants and liquor stores singled out in his Tweet, one of the most likely targets of product pulls would be Russian vodka, at which the governors of Ohio and New Hampshire have also taken aim.

I’ve asked the members of the Texas Restaurant Association, Texas Package Stores Association & all Texas retailers to voluntarily remove all Russian products from their shelves.

Texas stands with Ukraine.#StandWithUkraine

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) February 26, 2022

John Steves, the manager of Hargrove’s Fine Wine and Spirits, said his store had already been planning on pulling its handful of Russian brands, though it hadn’t yet done so.

“I cannot believe the Russians are pulling this stunt and we stand with the Ukrainians,” Steves said. “So we will be pulling all of the Russian products and we will not ever be ordering any more.”

Diana Keele, a customer at Hargrove’s, thinks it’s a good way to show support.

“It’s all about the money at the end of the day, to some extent. So I think it’s the right thing to do,” Keele said.

But although vodka and Russia may be permanently linked in Americans’ minds, many of the best-known brands in the United States are not produced there, as USA Today and the Philadelphia Inquirer have reported.

Even Stolichnaya, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports, is made in Latvia — a NATO member and when a Kansas liquor store removed Stoli vodka in protest over the invasion of Ukraine, KSNW reached the Stoli Group reached out to the owner to say as much.

“With regard to us being Russian, we are absolutely NOT a Russian company,” Damian McKinney, Stoli Group global CEO wrote in a letter. “We are a global organization with a significant portfolio of spirits and wine brands from around the world, with Stoli’s European Global HQ based in Luxembourg. Stoli Premium and Elit are manufactured and bottled in Riga, Latvia.”

The Stoli Group has also posted on its website “Stoli Group stands for peace in Europe and in solidarity with the Ukrainian people #LiberateUkraine.”

How many will follow Abbott’s request is yet to be seen. KSAT 12 visited six liquor stores on Saturday evening and Hargrove’s was the only one to go on the record with that stance.

Still, Steves sees it as the store doing its part.

“Well, what else are we going to do? I’m a little old to be taking up arms,” he quipped. “We all have to do what we can do. And that’s all we can do, but we can do that.”

More on KSAT:

San Antonio bakery offers more than sweet gesture to Ukraine by donating proceeds

Images of devastation in Ukraine, that for most San Antonians are a world away, hit especially close to home for Anna Afanasieva.

The native of the war-torn eastern European country has been keeping a close eye on the events unfolding in her homeland.

“Everybody’s there. All my friends and my family are there,” she said. “It’s really hard for me to watch everything from the distance without being able to affect it in any way.”

She decided to channel those helpless feelings, though, into an effort to help.

As co-owner of Laika Cheesecake and Espresso, Afanasieva decided to donate all of Saturday’s proceeds from the Alamo Heights business to support the people of Ukraine.

Customers quickly got behind the effort, standing in long lines for a chance to chip in.

“For the Ukranian nation, just stay strong. Just keep pulling together as one nation,” said Chris Medellin, one of hundreds of people who showed up.

On Saturday evening, Afanasieva said she did not yet have an exact count when it came to sales for the day.

However, the turnout far exceeded anything she was expecting because they advertised the event only using social media.

She said customers began lining up as early as 9 a .m., and the line never let up.

Her staff, she said, had been working non-stop.

“I’m very, very grateful for all the support that we received,” Afanasieva said. “I expected that people would come and support but not in these quantities, honestly.”

Aganasieva suggested that anyone who wants to help the effort going forward should donate to the cause.

More on KSAT:

San Antonio community shows support for cheesecake shop donating profits to UkraineHow to help the people in Ukraine

From rounding up sheep and cattle, to search and rescue missions, K9 officers have taken on a number of roles throughout their careers.

The most significant role though is serving as a best friend for those who need their utmost support — military veterans who are battling post-traumatic stress.

These K9 officers are making all the difference in Bandera at Warriors Heart ranch.

“These dogs are helping reduce the risk of suicide in our veterans and that’s a pretty big purpose that I feel like they probably understand,” said Michelle Axmaker, K9 manager at Warriors Heart.

Axmaker says once a dog gets past basic obedience skills, the dog advances to a more specific extensive service-dog training.

“We’re going to spend 120 hours per behavior. A behavior we might train them to do is to mitigate anxiety,” said Axmaker.

The dog is trained to repeatedly touch their handler until they stop the knee bounce associated with nervousness or intense feelings and the anxiety drops.

Another skill the K9 can learn is how to assist with easing nightmares—something Axmaker says her dog Otis has helped her with.

“It became very intrusive in my life. I was taking a lot of medications, going to therapy, working with EMDR and it wasn’t helping those nightmares to go away,” said Axmaker.

Otis, Axmaker’ s companion, friend and service dog, went through the training and was put to work.

“His job is very important. When I start to vocalize in my sleep, he’ll put a paw in my face, give me kisses on my face and of course that’s going to wake me up,” said Axmaker.

The affection these dogs show even helps reduce the veteran’s dependency on prescription drugs.

“One hundred percent of our clients have been able to reduce meds for their patients, for their sleeping disorder, depression, anxiety because of the dog,” said Axmaker.

Veterans at Warriors Heart can apply to the K9 academy to train their K9 to their specific PTS disability or they can learn to be a dog trainer. Axmaker says either program has proven to be a game changer in the lives of veterans learning to cope with PTSD.

The dogs come to Warriors Heart from shelters, rescues, and public donations. Out of a hundred dogs, at least two make the cut. The end goal is not only to provide a service but to save a life.

Warriors Heart offers addiction, chemical dependency, and PTSD treatment for active and military veterans and first responders. For more information on this program, visit warriorsheart.com or call the Warriors Heart 24-hour Hotline at 844-448-2567.

Fourteen people were shot before dawn Saturday morning at a hookah parlor and police said one person died and that two of the victims suffered critical injuries.

The shooting happened at about 3:15 a.m. and preliminary information indicated there was a party during which two people got into an altercation and exchanged gunfire, striking multiple people, said police Capt. Dori Koren.

Koren told reporters no arrests have been made and no suspect descriptions were immediately available.

Police went to the business after receiving multiple 911 calls, Koren said.

Officers secured the scene and rendered aid, including applying tourniquets and administering CPR, Koren said.

A public memorial service will be held Wednesday for a San Antonio fire engineer who recently passed away due to complications of COVID-19.

Lyle Crawford died Feb. 16 after a long battle with the virus, according to the San Antonio Fire Department. Crawford began working with the San Antonio Fire Department in 2007 and was most recently assigned to the EMS Division.

“Known for a fierce dedication to his friends and family, all who knew and loved Lyle will forever be grateful for our time with him. Our SAFD family extends our most sincere condolences and sympathy to the Crawford family, and dedicate ourselves to forever being a part of their lives and wrapping them in love and support,” SAFD officials said in a Facebook post.

Attendees will arrive at 9 a.m. at Community Bible Church, located at 2477 N Loop 1604 E, and the memorial service will begin at 11:00 a.m., according to the San Antonio Fire Association.

The service will be open to the general public.

More on KSAT:

Search underway for man accused of assaulting woman in her own home, BCSO saysSan Antonio police make arrest in third fatal child abuse case this month

Editor’s note: Each weekend, we share five stories that captured the attention of the Alamo City over the past seven days. Here are the most-read stories of the week. 1. Hill Country spirits maker enters new frontier with whiskey distillery. The folks at Frontier Spirits have broken ground on a “farm-to-bottle” whiskey distillery just outside of Fredericksburg. 2. San Antonio parks in No. 5 spot for worst traffic in Texas. The study shows the typical…

If you’re looking for a way to support the people of Ukraine this weekend, all it takes is some cheesecake or a coffee at this San Antonio dessert shop.

Laika Cheesecake and Espresso shared on social media Thursday that amid the Russian attack on Ukraine, all of its sales this weekend, including Friday, will go toward helping the Ukrainian army.

“Many innocent lives are being affected- including personal friends and family. This donation will go to help secure not only our friends and family but an entire peaceful country being confronted with needless violence,” the shop said on social media.

Laika Cheesecakes is located at 4718 Broadway and is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. You can learn more about the shop’s offerings here.

The City of San Antonio has also showed its support for Ukraine by lighting City Hall in blue and yellow overnight Friday.

“Our hearts break for our Ukrainian residents as they watch these horrors unfold. Their families are in our prayers, and we are all hoping for a swift, diplomatic end,” said San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg on Twitter.

🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/Gcv1ogwF0s

— Mayor Ron | Get vax’d! 💪 (@Ron_Nirenberg) February 26, 2022

More Russian forces were seen moving into Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, on Saturday, according to the Associated Press. Ukrainian residents are also being warned of street fights breaking out, urging them to stay safe by remaining indoors and taking cover.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was asked to evacuate the capital Friday night; however, he turned down the offer, saying “I need ammunition, not a ride,” the AP reports.

U.S. officials are estimating more than 50% of Russian combat power has entered Ukraine as of yet.

Read more about the Ukraine-Russia crisis on KSAT’s world news section.

With more than 60% of the U.S. population vaccinated, more and more people are starting to get the travel bug again. This spring break is being anticipated as one of the most traveled times of the year.

Whether you’re thinking about getting away for a few days or a few weeks, some insider travel tips can save you time and money.

First, plan to fly on a Tuesday or Wednesday, or in the afternoon on Saturday to bag cheaper domestic flights. Save even more by booking the first or last flight of the day. You can plug in your home airport and getaway location into google flights or kayak explore to see the cheapest times to fly. Sign up for free e-mail alerts. Sites such as google flights, Scott’s Cheap Flights, or airfare-watchdog to get early access to coupon codes and flash sales.

Consider buying a vacation package. Online travel agencies lock in lower fares early and combine them with cheap hotel stays. Also, consider different lodging options, Redweek is a timeshare rental platform that allows any traveler to book a trip from a timeshare owner that isn’t using it.

One recent price comparison, Marriott’s Aruba surf club for 7 nights, booking it through this Redweek, saved the buyer five hundred dollars.

Daily deal sites have gotten in on the act, too, with Groupon Getaways and LivingSocial Escapes. But you have to be ready to purchase immediately. Don’t forget to take advantage of best-rate guarantees from hotel chains such as Hyatt and Marriott Bonvoy when booking directly. If you find a better rate on a third-party site for the same hotel within 24 hours of making your reservation, Marriott Bonvoy will beat the lower rate by up to 25 percent.

Sources:https://usafacts.org/visualizations/covid-vaccine-tracker-states/ https://www.cnbc.com/select/how-to-save-money-when-you-book-travel/

Contributor(s) to this news report include: Marsha Lewis, Producer; Roque Correa, Videographer and Editor. To receive a free weekly email on Smart Living from Ivanhoe, sign up at: http://www.ivanhoe.com/ftk

Bexar County sheriff’s deputies are searching for a man who is accused of assaulting a woman inside of her own home just four days ago.

The incident happened Tuesday Feb. 22 when Miguel Lopez went to the woman’s residence, where he was not allowed at.

Deputies said when the woman confronted Lopez, he allegedly punched her in the eye. She claimed she felt dizzy and was unable to see after the encounter.

Lopez allegedly pushed the woman until he made his way inside of the home, according to the BCSO. But, she was able to safely escape and call 911.

When deputies arrived at the home, Lopez had already left and he’s been on the run since.

Upon further investigation, authorities found that Lopez has a criminal history and that he was out on bond for family violence at the time of the alleged assault. He also violated a protective order, deputies said.

Anyone with more information on Lopez’s whereabouts is urged to call the BCSO at 210-335-6000.

More on KSAT:

Suspected drunk driver arrested following scuffle with deputies in SW Bexar County, deputies say