DISTRICT 3

The San Antonio Police Department will open a new police substation on the South Side.

Residents in California's vast Central Valley region are bracing for another round of powerful storms.

Evacuation warnings were in place in rural Northern California on New Year’s Day after a powerful storm brought drenching rain or heavy snowfall to much of the state, breaching levees, snarling traffic and closing major highways.

Poll shows 57% of locals support the ban.

Members of City Council are pushing to ban horse-drawn carriages in downtown San Antonio, citing “inhumane” treatment and the environmental impact of traffic.

Residents in a South Side neighborhood say they no longer feel safe at home. Concerns are growing due to fights and drug use by a growing homeless population in their area.

Illegal street racing is once again fueling concerns on the Southwest Side. People in the area say there’s been a recent uptick in late-night street racing on Southwest Military Drive and are looking to local leaders for answers.

Started in 2021 following some smaller-scale pilot programs, the outreach team has 11 positions - one for each city council district and another for downtown. But in the little over a year-and-a-half since the first team members started, the city says it has had five resignations from the team.

The Uvalde City Council on Tuesday night unanimously accepted the resignation of District 3 City Councilman Pete Arredondo, who is also the embattled school district police chief.

The embattled police chief for the Uvalde school district who was recently sworn in as a District 3 councilman has resigned, he told the Uvalde Leader-News on Saturday.

The town hall covered a wide variety of issues like homelessness, street racing, prostitution, drugs, and shootings.

Following an increase in gun violence, District 3 Councilwoman Phyllis Viagran and SAPD Chief William McManus are co-hosting a public safety town hall.

An advisory committee made up of council appointees has created the first draft of a new council district map, based on the 2020 U.S. Census numbers. Under the proposal, nine out of 10 districts would have their boundaries shifted.

A major Christmas weekend storm caused whiteout conditions and closed key highways amid blowing snow in mountains of Northern California and Nevada, with forecasters warning that travel in the Sierra Nevada could be difficult for several days.

Rebecca Viagran has her eyes on Texas’s 35th Congressional District, according to two sources, including one close to her. Though she did not definitively confirm her plans, Viagran told KSAT she is “seriously considering” running for the seat as a Democrat and is “looking forward to making an announcement on Saturday, Dec. 11.”

The South Side could get a new San Antonio Police substation as part of the 2022 bond program, which the police department has indicated would also mean expanding the department.

Residents living along Sligo Street on the South Side seem to be on the same page when it comes down to wanting speed bumps. This need became even more critical after a teen was struck by a car while trying to catch the bus for school.

East Southcross has now become a notorious major thoroughfare on San Antonio’s Southeast Side. SAPD records show there’ve been 59 crashes and one fatality in the past 10 years on that road.

Neighbors living along East Southcross where an SUV crashed through a home injuring a child is hoping for a police crackdown on speeders.

When San Antonio City Council members return from their break next month, the top issue on their agenda will be the city budget. Fixing roads and streets will be part of the discussion.

The current councilwoman, Rebecca Viagran, has reached her four term limit, leaving the seat open. Competing to replace her on the council is her sister, Phyllis Viagran, and Tomas Uresti, a former Harlandale ISD school board trustee and state representative for District 118.

San Antonio City Council District 3 will see new leadership after the May 1 election since incumbent Rebecca Viagran reached her limit of four terms.

SAN ANTONIO – Over the past eight years, District 3 Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran has been instrumental in the growth on the city’s South Side. Viagran joined Leading SA on Sunday to discuss the next steps for her district and her own career as she nears her term limit. “Some economic development we are seeing, the job growth with TJX, with the medical schools and in advanced manufacturing hub here in San Antonio, with Toyota and Navistar so close to one another. “And I’ve learned so much and what I would love to do is continue to work in public service. I will always keep all options for public service on the table.

SAN ANTONIO – The South Texas Veterans Health Care System administered Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to enrolled veterans at Texas A&M University-San Antonio on Saturday. The South Texas VA said they aspired to vaccinate 500 veterans living on the South Side of San Antonio who have difficulties reaching other vaccination sites offered throughout the area. San Antonio Metropolitan Health District reports more than 16,000 COVID-19 cases have been reported in District 3, and 256 people have died of COVID-19 in that area. “We have a high percentage of people that do not have health insurance in the southern sector of San Antonio,” Viagran said. RELATED: How to register for the COVID-19 vaccine in San Antonio when appointments are available

District 3 Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran says enough is enough. Viagran said she’s paying special attention to the stretch of Commercial Avenue near Sunglo Drive. Speeding vehicles is an issue Viagran says has been plaguing the area for years now and keeping people up at night, too. “Is it making the road from four lanes, two lanes on each side, to just one lane on each side with the center turn lane? Vigaran said depending on the chosen course of action following community input and traffic evaluations, there could be physical changes to this stretch of Commercial Avenue as early as this summer.

SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio’s District 3 is the largest area in the city and is also home to the most food deserts, where large portions of the population lack access to fresh fruits and vegetables. “We do not have any access to readily available fresh fruits and vegetables, unfortunately, because of the lack of grocery stores out there. She says the community needs a big-box grocery store. We got fresh fruits and vegetables -- avocado, tomato, cucumbers,” Viagran said. “We got that fresh fruit and partnered with that Corner Store to have that food out there at a reduced cost.”District 3 has eight convenience stores that carry fresh produce.

SAN ANTONIO – The University of the Incarnate Word Cardinal Clinic and San Antonio Metro Health District are hosting a drive-thru flu clinic on Saturday. Before the flu shot clinic, District 3 Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran along with Mayor Ron Nirenberg and UIW leaders will host a ribbon-cutting and kick-off ceremony for the drive-thru free flu vaccination campaign. Doctors across the country are urging people to get their flu shot and help the country avoid what they are calling a 'twindemic" of the flu and COVID-19. The Metro Health Immunizations Clinic is open by appointment only at this time. For more information please visit the Metro Health website.

BOERNE, Texas – The city of Boerne has postponed the May 2020 general election for City Council District 3 due to the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis. City officials said the general election has been postponed until Nov. 3. Greg Abbott issued a proclamation suspending certain provisions of the Texas Election Code and Texas Water Code to allow all local political subdivisions that are utilizing the May 2 uniform election date to postpone their election to the Nov. 3 uniform election date, city officials said. City officials said the District 3 council member currently holding office will continue to exercise the same duties until the council member takes his or her oath of office following the November uniform election. The unopposed council members for Districts 1 and 5 will take their oaths of office at the first city council meeting in May 2020, city officials said.

SAN ANTONIO – Two City Council members are self-quarantining and virtually attending Thursday’s City Council meeting due to the novel coronavirus. San Antonio councilman voluntarily quarantines after vacationAdViagran said she was notified Tuesday that two attendees at the Congressional City Conference - National League of Cities, which she also attended, tested positive for the virus. #SouthsideSticksTogether Posted by Rebecca Viagran on Thursday, March 19, 2020She said the two patients are not from San Antonio and that she believes she is at low risk of exposure and not feeling any symptoms. City Council to vote on extending bar, restaurant closures for 30 daysCity Council will vote on Thursday to extend an emergency declaration that bars and restaurant dining rooms to close amid the coronavirus pandemic. AdCOVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new virus, stands for coronavirus disease 2019.

SAN ANTONIO – City Council voted to extend a San Antonio’s emergency declaration ordering bars and restaurant dining rooms to close amid the coronavirus pandemic. Closures will be extended for 30 days until April 19, City Council voted Thursday. Restaurants and stores that violate the emergency order could pay civil penalties and fines, Nirenberg said Wednesday. Assistant City Manager Colleen Bridger told City Council that 13 potential cases are under investigation. Read more about Bridger’s presentation here:COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new virus, stands for coronavirus disease 2019.