July 9, 9:57 p.m., 300 block of Elizabeth: A yard man at the property contacted the homeowner to say he had found a pistol in the back yard. The homeowner told police the pistol may have been related to a recent vehicle burglary where a suspect was arrested in the back yard. The officer checked that the weapon was unloaded and took it back to the department.
ALAMO HEIGHTS
Traffic stop nets pot
July 6, 1:53 a.m., 5000 block of Broadway: Spotting a speeding vehicle, a patrol officer hit his lights and followed the car, which at first refused to stop, and finally pulled over near the University of the Incarnate Word. After calling for a cover officer, the first officer told the driver he was driving recklessly and got him out of the car. While patting him down for weapons, the officer found a metal smoking pipe and a bag of marijuana on the driver. He was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia, speeding, no insurance and possession of marijuana in the total of less than 2 ounces.
Criminal mischief
July 6, 1:20 p.m., 100 block of West Fair Oaks Place: A woman who was house-sitting a residence reported a window on the back door had been broken while she was away. Although the window was near the door’s dead bolt, the person was not able to gain entry.
Tools stolen from garage
July 7, 9:48 a.m., 200 block of Kennedy Avenue: A construction foreman told police that $5,000 worth of power tolls were stolen from a garage that was under construction. The door jamb had been found pried open and broken. The foreman told police he suspected a former employee of the theft.
Burglary of vehicle
July 7, 1:50 p.m., 5900 block of Broadway: A vehicle owner reported that the built-in DVD player in his car had been stolen while it was parked behind his business. Two pairs of sunglasses were also missing. There were no signs of forced entry.
OLMOS PARK
Jewelry goes missing
July 16, 5:14 p.m., 200 block of Parkhill Drive: A couple informed police that two valuable jeweled rings were missing from their house. They had checked everywhere in the house, but were now thinking some workers who were in the house recently might have taken the rings.
Gas thief uses invalid card
July 13, 7:53 p.m., 4300 block of McCullough: A clerk in a gas station said a woman had gassed up her vehicle and driven off the premises. The driver has left a credit card and when the clerk tried to charge the purchase to the card, it came back as invalid.
Plants stolen from business
July 9, 5:50 p.m., 4300 block of McCullough: After being flagged down on McCullough, a business owner reported that two pottery planters and three trees had been stolen from in front of his business. He said this is the second time this has happened.
Calendar - July 31
Thursday, 31 July 2008
Friday
National Catfish Month benefits 100 Club
Good Time Charlie’s Café & Bar at 2922 Broadway is marking National Catfish Month by donating a portion of sales from its catfish platter to The 100 Club of San Antonio, an organization is dedicated to assisting the families of firefighters and police officers who have died in the line of duty. The restaurant is near the Witte Museum and San Antonio Zoo. Visit www.gtcsatx.com for additional menu items and business hours.
‘Amazing Texas’ at Twig
T. Jensen Lacey will discuss and sign copies of the book “Amazing Texas: Fascinating Facts, Entertaining Tales, Bizarre Happenings, and Historical Oddities about the Lone Star State” at 5 p.m. at The Twig Book Shop, 5005 Broadway.
Friday-Aug. 31
‘High Hair and Jalapeños’
A collaboration between long-time San Antonio director and choreographer Gloria “G.L” Liu, director/choreographer Phill George (a former San Antonio actor and director now living in New York), writer Peter Morris and noted British composer Michael Jeffrey, has culminated with the world premiere of “High Hair and Jalapeños,” a musical comedy that lovingly spoofs “everything San Antonio.” The show will run at The Cameo Theatre, 1123 E. Commerce St. in St. Paul’s Square. Friday through Monday will be special preview performances, followed by the official opening and media night Aug. 7. Tickets are $33 general admission with special discounts for seniors, military and students. Show days and times are Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Call 212-5454 for reservations and ticket information.
Saturday
NE Bexar Co. Democrats
The Northeast Bexar County Democrats will meet at 8:30 a.m. at the campaign headquarters located in the San Pedro Towne Center, 7122 San Pedro Ave., Suite 114. A continental breakfast will be served and the meeting starts at 9 a.m. Campaign strategies and their implementation will be discussed, as well as training in the use of voter databases. For more information, call 979-2008 or 824-1329.
Saturday-Sunday
Dog Days of Summer
Bring your four-legged friends to the San Antonio Botanical Garden, located at 555 Funston at North New Braunfels Avenue, for special pet-related activities are planned from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free with admission to the garden. A $5 donation per dog will be collected and given as a contribution to local animal groups. Check the Web site at www.sabot.org for more information.
Sunday
Focus on the environment
Texas Public Radio, in collaboration with the San Antonio Library, the San Antonio Library Foundation, and the Southwest School of Art & Craft kicks off its yearly “Focus on the Environment” with Chris Jordan’s acclaimed photographic exhibit, “Running the Numbers: An American Self Portrait.” The series, displayed through Aug. 29 at the Central Library, 600 Soledad, and at the Southwest School’s Navarro Campus, 1201 Navarro at Augusta, casts light on the staggering levels of mass consumption in America. Jordan will also give a free lecture at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Municipal Auditorium, 100 Auditorium Circle
Free family day at SAMA
Just in time for Olympic fever, the San Antonio Museum of Art will be hosting a free family day from 1 to 5 p.m. Children can tour the special summer exhibition, “Visions of Victory: A Century of Sports Photography” and learn the basics of photography. Discover the art of pinhole camera photographs (one of the oldest forms of photography), learn about daguerreotypes and enjoy lots of other fun sports and art themed activities. The museum is located at 200 West Jones Ave. For more information, call 978-8100 or click on www.samuseum.org.
Sunday-Aug. 29
Chris Jordan photo exhibit
Large-scale digital photographs of American mass consumption that “depict the quantity of things we consume and the quantity of things we discard” by Seattle-based Chris Jordan are on display at the Southwest School of Art & Craft, located at 300 Augusta. The exhibit is in collaboration with Texas Public Radio, the San Antonio Public Library Foundation, and the San Antonio Central Library. All exhibitions are free and open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
Monday
Howard holds pre-K registration
Pre-kindergarten registration for the 2008-2009 school year begins Monday and will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 3 at Howard Early Childhood Center, 7800 Broadway. For more information, visit www.ahisd.net or call 832-5900.
Wednesday
Live country music
The Cavender Chevrolet 2008 Live Music Series at The County Line is held every Wednesday from 6 to 10 p.m. at County Line Bar-B-Q, I-10 West between Wurzbach and Huebner roads. Wade Bowen will be the featured performer. Attendees are asked to make a monetary or food donation to benefit the San Antonio Food Bank.
Miraflores Park Phase I construction
The San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department holds a public meeting to review and receive comments from citizens regarding the Phase I construction documents for Miraflores, a portion of Brackenridge Park, at 6 p.m. at the Lion’s Field Adult and Senior Citizens Center community room, 2809 Broadway. For more information, call 207-2879.
Aug. 8
San Pedro Springs Gallery grand opening
The San Pedro Springs Gallery hosts an official grand opening celebration from 6 to 10 p.m. at 1012 North Flores, directly across from Green Vegetarian restaurant. Parking is available behind the gallery or at Baggett Claims next door. San Pedro Springs Gallery is housed in the historic 1883 Charles Ochse House on the site of the original 1738 San Pedro Acequia that supplied the San Fernando settlement with its water. During the grand opening event, the gallery will showcase owner Michael Hyatt’s clay pottery and jewelry.
Aug. 9
‘Get Out More Tour’ at Quarry
Backpacker Magazine is bringing the “Get Out More Tour” to Whole Earth Provision, 225 East Basse at the Alamo Quarry Market. The tour’s outdoor experts, Randy and Sheri Propster, will visit San Antonio to empower local audiences with trail-tested tips as the tour travels to 55 venues in 35 states, inspiring more than 55,000 hikers to get out more. To see a tour schedule and learn more about the Propsters, visit the Get Out More Web site at www.backpacker.com/getoutmore.
Criminal attorney scraps plans for office near local school
Thursday, 31 July 2008
By Tony Cantú Contributing Writer
Facing community protest, a prominent criminal attorney who had hoped to relocate his offices to a vacant Alamo Heights-area church has abandoned his plans.
Former judge Wayne A. Christian, who now practices criminal, family and military law at his offices on McCullough Avenue, had sought to relocate his offices to 139 Hiler at the intersection with Nacogdoches Road. The address is the former home of a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints house of worship, and was later sold to a Sherman, Texas-based diocese of Charismatic Episcopalians who subsequently abandoned plans for an outreach center there.
The site’s proximity to Alamo Heights Junior School – a mere 20 feet away — drew concern from parents fearing close contact between children and the attorney’s client segment that were facing criminal charges.
“I don’t want to disparage Mr. Christian … his (design) plans are beautiful,” said resident Lolly Minor. “But we’ve lived here for 30 years and we cherish our safe neighborhood. We don’t want any negative influences.”
Other residents concurred. “It’s a little scary,” said Carole Miller, mother to two children, ages 9 and 12. “I don’t want his clients in our backyard.”
Brandi Hollingshead, PTO president at the junior high school, added: “When I heard these criminal attorneys were considering this spot for their office, I knew it would be such a negative influence that would be brought to our neighborhood. Children would be walking to and from school and being picked up. And there are countless activities all day until dark that will put our children potentially in harm’s way.”
To his credit, residents say, Christian presented his plans to nearby residents both personally and at hearings throughout June and July as he sought a required zoning change to transform the small church into business offices to house his four-attorney practice.
But some residents contend the lawyer de-emphasized – others saying he omitted entirely – the criminal specialty of his law firm. Research into the practice by one resident yielded the breadth of the attorney’s work, raising the red flag that galvanized them to oppose the project.
“He never mentioned criminal,” Minor said, referring to that aspect of the attorney’s practice. “It was during conversation with one of our neighbors that we learned about this.”
Soon after, petitions against the proposed move began to circulate. Alamo Heights Independent School District representatives added their voice to the opposition. Panicked mass e-mails were dashed off into the ether of the Internet.
“The criminal attorney … will therefore attract a variety of and quantity of clients involved with Internet sex crimes, child pornography, drug conspiracies, aggravated sexual assault and DWI/DUI charges,” read one such missive sent out by Hollingshead in early July.
Another zoning hearing was scheduled for Aug. 5, but, given the outcry and level of passion against his project, Christian recently alerted board members of his decision to pull out of the plans. Christian did not respond to a request for comment from the North San Antonio Times.
Olmos Park picks firm to build new City Hall
Thursday, 31 July 2008
By Tony Cantú Contributing Writer
Olmos Park officials are continuing negotiating with a contractor to begin building a new City Hall complex, with groundbreaking expected this fall.
Acting on a recommendation of a City Hall Building Committee, City Council members recently approved negotiating with Guido Brothers Construction Co. – the winning bidder for the project – to construct the complex. In a telephone interview Friday, City Councilman Joe Izbrand said the project would include a new fire station at an estimated cost of $800,000 and a municipal building costing roughly $1 million.
“We expect that in our August council meeting, we will be at a point of finalizing that agreement,” Izbrand said. “Guido Brothers has a great reputation. The interaction we’ve had with them has been very positive.”
He said contract approval was likely to occur at the regular meeting Aug. 28 – which was rescheduled from Aug. 21 to accommodate vacationing Council members and city staff.
Guido Brothers was one of several bidders responding to a previous request for proposals (RFP) issued by the city. Their selection would be the penultimate step before completion of a project years in the making.
“Guido Brothers was a standout for us, and we’re excited to be getting into discussions with them,” Izbrand said. The Councilman noted the company has worked on prominent local projects, including renovation of the landmark St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in downtown San Antonio.
“They understand the significance of this project to Olmos Park,” Izbrand said of Guido Brothers. “It’s not the largest project they will do, but they recognize how important it is to us.”
Olmos Park has set aside funds toward construction of a new City Hall for several years in anticipation of future growth, buying property across the street from existing city quarters at 119 W. El Prado Drive to expand the existing municipal footprint. Renderings for the new complex were unveiled in December.
“This is something that will be there for 75 to 100 years,” Izbrand said of the planned complex, reiterating the importance of the project to the community.
In other recent city business, an advisory committee was formed to provide input toward potential creation of railroad quiet zones.
Councilman Jeff Judson has spearheaded creation of quiet zones, which would ban train operators from blowing their horns when passing through town.
Judson and other zone proponents have cited noise pollution, erosion of property values and health concerns with exposure to the high-decibel horns as reasons to establish the zones.
Committee members expected to make an imminent presentation to council are: Michele Blaker, Steve Browne, Rick Byrd, Robert Craig, Sandy Hornberger and Maggie Sledge.
Also, the city is looking into the possibility of recycling hazardous materials – paint, chemicals, mercury-containing light bulbs and the like – for recycling. Izbrand recently asked the city manager and fire chief to explore the program’s creation.
“A lot of people in the community, like me, are putting in those new fluorescent light bulbs into their fixtures that contain mercury,” Izbrand said, citing the long-lasting lighting as an item targeted for recycling under the program. “Even though those bulbs contain just a small trace of mercury, our goal should be to find an environmentally responsible way to get rid of them.”
But Izbrand acknowledged launching hazardous materials recycling poses both financial and logistical challenges. So far, no firms with expertise on such specialized recycling have been identified, and an early estimate on potential cost yielded a price tag of roughly $7,000 for just a few pickups.
“I don’t think there’s an easy answer,” Izbrand conceded. “We’re still in the talking phases, but based on 30 days of research, this is not a cheap process.”
Still, he said he envisions a time when such recycling will be commonplace: “Ideally what we’d like to see is maybe a couple of times a year, residents could put their items out on the curbs or potentially use the fire station as a drop-off point.”
On another front, the city is expected to take action during a special meeting Aug. 18 to approve creation of an economic development corporation. The corporation would allow adding an extra quarter-cent to the local sales tax – bringing the rate up to the maximum allowed – to raise nearly $100,000 a year for municipal infrastructure improvements.
Because creation of the corporation requires voter approval, council must act quickly to qualify it for insertion in a November ballot, Izbrand said. Council members discussed potential use of corporation-derived proceeds during their July 17 regular meeting, learning from city attorney Marc Schnall that proceeds could be used toward establishment of the aforementioned railroad quiet zones.
Tower takedown
Thursday, 31 July 2008
A staple of the San Antonio skyline for 82 years, the old silver Hildebrand water tower is disappearing, piece by piece. Contractors for the San Antonio Water System began dismantling the steel tank from the top down late last week. “It’s sad to see the oldest elevated water tank in the city go away,” said Kelly Neumann, vice president of SAWS engineering and construction. “At one point, it was literally the highest point of the city and everything was built south of the tower.” At one time, discussion was underway to rehabilitate the old tank; however, early estimates were too costly and the 1 million-gallon storage capacity and current elevation were no longer adequate for service needs. Photo by Marvin Pfeiffer
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