MANNY PELAEZ

The owner of a San Antonio bar is crediting his security team for reacting quickly to an early morning shooting.

Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez said he would vote against the proposed new police contract, but it appeared to have the support necessary to pass.

A local realtor on San Antonio’s facilities bond committee said there was no justification to include money for a questionable K9 nonprofit in the city’s latest bond package.

The proposed expansion of a veteran service dog program in San Antonio has been criticized as voters decide whether to give it more than $2 million in city bond money.

The San Antonio City Council is hoping the revamped car brand from the Back to the Future movie franchise will bring economic success back to San Antonio in the future.

In comments, council members tried to get out front of likely criticism that they were were throwing cash at an untried company.

After being extended five times over the past two years, San Antonio's eviction moratorium is coming to an end on Feb. 28.

Commentary: A cite-and-release ordinance would establish guidelines for officers to favor citations over arrests.

A request filed by Councilman Manny Pelaez (D8) for city staff to consider a cite-and-release program for marijuana possession did not satisfy some advocates who seek to include other misdemeanors.

Though San Antonio already participates in a cite and release program, it wasn’t passed by city council, and District 8 Councilman Manny Pelaez says it’s time to “codify something.” But with Pelaez submitting his request for a marijuana-only program - just one day after meeting with SA Stands member who want to include several other misdemeanors - the coalition smells a rat.

The utility needs council’s support to institute a two-pronged approach to raising customers’ bills: a 3.85 percent increase to the base rates and a bump in the fuel adjustment charge. Combined, CPS officials say those changes would raise the average residential customer’s bill by about 3.3 percent - or $5.10 per month.

The Rock at La Cantera will include a Spurs training center as well as a research institute, medical offices and commercial development.

The city’s director of airports presented city council members with a a new Strategic Development Plan to expand the San Antonio International Airport’s capacity and turn it into a “world-class” facility.

Though they’re avoiding an all-out offensive, San Antonio business groups are resisting the idea of expanding the city’s non-discrimination ordinance commonly referred to simply as the NDO.

San Antonio purchased the Alameda Theater in 1994. City Council approved a final round of funding for its restoration on Thursday.

Councilman Manny Pelaez (D8) seeks to make lessons on teen dating violence and domestic violence mandatory for San Antonio students.

San Antonio councilman Manny Pelaez is asking that city council consider a request to mandate that any school district or university that takes city funds teach family violence, teen dating, or sex trafficking to students, without the option to opt-out.

Marilu Reyna, a public relations professional for nonprofit Baptist Child and Family Services, would represent SAWS' southeast quadrant.

The “Human Performance Campus” would contain a new training facility for the team; restaurant, retail, and commercial space; a “human performance research institute;” a 22-acre park; and an outdoor plaza. Bexar County Commissioners have already committed $15 million toward the project, and the San Antonio City Council will vote Thursday on providing $17 million in tax rebates.

San Antonio’s Metropolitan Health District will begin handing out $100 H-E-B gift cards in an effort to boost arm jabs.

In order to encourage Bexar County residents to get the coronavirus vaccine, Metro Health will give out $100 HEB gift cards.

City council voted Thursday morning 9-1 to approve $1 million of federal grant dollars to spend on up to 10,000 gift cards that will be given to people who complete their vaccination series at Metro Health vaccination sites.

District 8 Councilman Manny Peláez will hold the town hall on his Facebook page from 6-7 p.m.

As the city of San Antonio continues to grow, the homeless population is becoming even more apparent.

Mayor Ron Nirenberg created a new utilities committee while assigning City Council members to nine total committees.

Raising the homestead exemption would not translate to a big savings boost, other council members argued.

The Committee on Emergency Preparedness presented its analysis of what went wrong during the extended freezing temperatures and how the city and its utilities could prepare better next time.

“I don’t think there’s going to be a lot of surprises, if you’ve been paying attention," one of the report's lead authors said this week.

After San Antonio skipped Fiesta 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic, City Council members said they were excited for Fiesta 2021.

As members of the bicycling community gathered at a City Council meeting Thursday, it didn’t take long for conversation to turn to how much is left to make San Antonio more bike-friendly.

Defense attorney Patrick Hancock criticized Manny Pelaez’s efforts as “inappropriate,” “cold” and uniformed.

“If the plea bargain does not include imprisonment, then that plea bargain will be perceived by San Antonians as insufficiently serious,” the letter reads.

The emergency preparedness committee chair briefed City Council on information the group has received so far from CPS, SAWS, and COSA.

This week determined substantial changes across Bexar County, from tax measures to...

Three incumbent San Antonio council members earned sizable early voting leads, while seven races remain close.

Taking city incentives like fee waivers or tax abatements could mean future housing developments in San Antonio would be required to accept housing vouchers, like Section 8, from their renters.

Here's a chance to plant your own tree.

The approval of an ordinance that would require future housing developments that receive city incentives to consider tenants with housing vouchers has been delayed by...

With several crowded races on the ballot — more than 80 candidates are running for 11 seats — hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions and expenditures have run through local campaigns.

SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio seniors will soon be able to sign up for a vaccine registry, which could make it easier for them to get an appointment. The San Antonio City Council members present voted unanimously Wednesday afternoon. AdIt could take three to four weeks to develop and open up the registry, Bridger said, which the city will develop with Health Access San Antonio (HASA), a local, health information organization. So Courage, along with District 3 Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran and District 7 Councilwoman Ana Sandoval, called for a special city council meeting to address it again. “Once ready, the registry will make it significantly easier for residents 65 years and older to obtain a vaccine appointment.”

SAN ANTONIO – Northwest Side homeowners living on Prue Road are concerned about the increasing number of crashes on a segment of the road called “Dead Man’s Curve” and asking the city to find a solution to slow down drivers. Robert and Belinda Hughes say five vehicles have crashed into their backyard fence in 20 years. “Most recently, it has been occurring more frequently this last year, about a month and a half apart,” Robert said. “Everybody takes that curve like they’re speed racing because it’s such a winding road. “Although some of the long-term solutions may take time to develop, we will continue to coordinate between the City departments and neighbors.

SAN ANTONIO – Community leaders stood united Thursday in a press conference outside the Bexar County Courthouse to condemn racist graffiti found on the windows of a Northwest Side ramen shop. On Sunday, Noodle Tree owner Mike Nguyen went to the ramen shop to find racist graffiti that read, “no masks,” “ramen noodle flu,” and other derogatory remarks. Ad“It’s important that the people of San Antonio know that this is not who we are,” Gonzales said. Others who spoke up for the Asian community in San Antonio included San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, Police Chief William McManus, and Councilman Manny Pelaez. The support was appreciated by members of the Asian community, like Christina Lew, the president of the San Antonio chapter for the Chinese American Citizens Alliance.

H-E-B is getting some heat from San Antonio council members for its face mask policy for customers. Greg Abbott announced he is lifting his face mask order. Before, his H-E-B comment he asked all local business owners to think about their neighbors when making their face mask mandate decision. According to the Washington Post, Target, CVS, Starbucks and Kroger are some of the retailers that will continue to require customers in Texas to wear face mask while in its stores. You can watch the full city council meeting below:Priscilla Aguirre is a general assignment reporter for MySA.com | priscilla.aguirre@express-news.net | @CillaAguirre

A Park Policeman patrols along the River Walk as snow falls, Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg on Tuesday announced the formation of a committee that will look into why the city and utility companies were not better prepared for their response to a winter storm that paralyzed the city for a week. Rice Jr.: RetiredNirenberg said while he wants a prompt and comprehensive effort by the committee, he wants members to be thorough in their work. The mayor asked that City Manager Erik Walsh provide support to the committee with appropriate city staff that will coordinate with CPS Energy and San Antonio Water System, and to include any experts or stakeholders as necessary. AdThe announcement comes one day after the CPS Energy Board of Trustees voted Monday for a review and audit of CPS Energy, which the utility president and CEO, Paula Gold-Williams said Tuesday she “absolutely welcomes” and “(is) ready to participate.”Related Stories:

A precautionary boil-water notice was issued Wednesday for the San Antonio area. "I don’t how the hell anyone’s going to boil water if they have no electricity," Pelaez told San Antonio Water System officials. People without power — more than 200,000 CPS Energy customers as of Wednesday evening — can boil water on a natural gas stove. She used the time between rolling blackouts to boil water and eggs for later, then fill thermoses and five-gallon tubs with purified water. The worst of the winter weather appears to be behind San Antonio, with the forecast calling for sunshine and rising temperatures this weekend.

CPS EnergyCPS Energy CEO Paula Gold Williams speaks during a 2017 energy symposium. She said the power company will make improvements to customer communications "after we get out of this storm. "Nirenberg also questioned why San Antonio Water System pumping stations weren't considered critical infrastructure that would be spared rolling blackouts. "Councilman Manny Pelaez said there will be ample time down the line conduct a postmortem on the power outages. She said she was less concerned about the "why" of the problem than when power would be restored.

SAN ANTONIO Frustrations are building over the unfinished De Zavala Road Project. Rose said she is sometimes stuck in her neighborhood and has to navigate through miles of construction. Sacha Pokharel said the combination of heavy rain and road work has her worried. Im just here stuck because Im scared to go, scared to leave, Pokharel said. What weve gotten so far is headaches, and quite honestly, its unacceptable, Pelaez said.

However, it includes various commitments to pursue racial equity, like reviewing policies and procedures to eliminate racial bias and working with historically marginalized communities to find solutions for health equity issues. The resolution resulted from a merger of drafts supported by District 2 Councilwoman Jada Andrews-Sullivan and District 7 Councilwoman Ana Sandoval, with input from the city's Office of Equity and the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District's Office of Health Equity. The document references various challenges people of color face, including worse health outcomes and harder economic circumstances in Bexar County. That section had been added upon District Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran's request after an Aug. 7 Community Health and Equity Committee meeting. At current, public health is slated to receive $19.3 million in the upcoming budget.

San Antonio Amid questions over how a proposed sales tax-funded workforce development program would operate, San Antonio City Council members remain concerned about the fate of a popular aquifer protection program. Some also raised the issue of what would happen to the Edwards Aquifer Protection Program. The 1/8 cent that the city is considering for the workforce development program currently funds Linear Creekway Parks and the Edwards Aquifer Protection Program. "I'm going to support a ballot initiative on one condition -- and that is that I get trustworthy and concrete assurances that our Edwards Aquifer protection will continue to protect the Edwards Aquifer," Pelaez said. Voters first approved using sales tax money for aquifer protection in May 2000 and have approved similar taxes three times since then, most recently in 2015.

San Antonio Almost all of the San Antonio City Council members raised fists in solidarity with police reform advocates at a meeting Thursday. And city council, I am calling on you to raise a fist or take a knee if you stand in solidarity with us today.Almost all of the council members could be seen raising their fists during the the moment of silence. If you truly cared and wanted to make a change, you would put together some things that would make a change now, impact now, Pharoah Clark told council members. The council members were considering a resolution outlining priorities for discussions with the San Antonio Police Officer Association for the next union contract. Some of the speakers criticized the council for the upcoming break, though council members and the mayor said that doesnt mean they are going anywhere.

San Antonio As protesters continue to call for police reform, San Antonio City Council members are indicating they have a mind to listen to them. Council members shared their thoughts for changing the San Antonio Police Department during a virtual briefing Wednesday by Chief William McManus and city staff on police-community relations and current policies and procedures. City staff said they do. Officer disciplineMeanwhile, a presentation by Manus and city staff heavily featured the current investigation and disciplinary process for officer misconduct. If theyre not, we get police officers back on the department that need to be fired, McManus told council members.

SAN ANTONIO – Chants of “Black Lives Matter" echoed throughout City Council Chambers on Thursday morning as protesters demanded Mayor Ron Nirenberg and council members take action on police funding. Protesters filled council chambers as council members approached a vote on an ordinance amending the Fiscal Year 2020 annual operating budget, which had been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. WATCH: San Antonio City Council, Mayor Ron Nirenberg to vote on $191M ‘recovery and resiliency’ plan, budget adjustmentsThursday’s demonstration is the latest in San Antonio that has protested the death of George Floyd, which has sparked turbulent protests around the world against racial injustice. Speakers urged council members to “defund the police” and later shouted over them as they made remarks. I’m not going nowhere.”"We never in a million years expected to fight terrorism in our own damn city" A lot of emotion at city council today as #blacklivesmatter supporters gathered to urge council to "defund the police," often shouting over council members.

I want to get a job, but I cant, said Rodriguezs 20-year-old son, Daniel who is currently enrolled at San Antonio College. That represents $7 million in payments, leaving $18 million left in what was possibly the largest city-run housing assistance program in the country. Eighty-five landlords who have accepted rent through the City housing assistance program have agreed to reduce their rent by 25 percent, Houston said. Under these Department of Housing and Urban Development guidelines, a San Antonio family earning $72,000 a year or below would qualify. Lupita Valdez, a COPS/Metro leader and administrator at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, is helped Sonia and Daniel Rodriguez fill out the application for housing assistance.

Councilman Manny Pelaez (D8) launched a #HeroBehindTheMask awareness campaign to promote wearing cloth face coverings, which are now required in public settings to stem the spread of the coronavirus. San Antonio Police Chief William McManus was the first to participate. SAPD Chief William McManus was revealed as the first #HeroBehindTheMask, an initiative launched to get residents comfortable with wearing masks. One of the soon-to-be-revealed national celebrities has been vocal about the need to follow public safety rules, he added. Residents are advised to wear cloth coverings only and reserve medical-grade masks such as N-95 respirators for health care workers and first responders.

Typical committee meetings and policy discussions have halted, and the weekly working group meetings that have replaced them are not open to the public. That has contributed to some Council members feeling left out of the governing process. Council members should be involved in some of these conversations regarding health policy, Sandoval said. While their field offices may be closed, Council members said they are still taking calls for assistance with utility bills and fielding other requests. Once the coronavirus outbreak subsides, the working groups will continue to manage and evolve throughout the recovery phase, Hartman said.

City Manager Erik Walsh issued a new directive to City employees Friday in an attempt to limit the spread of coronavirus: if the employee or a member of their household is returning from international travel, the employee is expected to self-quarantine for 14 days. This resident was the first confirmed case of coronavirus unrelated to the repatriated evacuees quarantined at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. Responding to Walshs new precautionary directive, Councilman Manny Pelaez (D8) plans to self-quarantine as he and his family will return from spring break in Colombia. After seeing Walshs directive, Pelaez called the city manager to see if it would apply to him. Walsh told the city councilman that he couldnt give Pelaez orders, but Pelaez thought it would be a good idea to follow the same guidelines as City staff.

San Antonio City Council unanimously approved Thursday a rule that requires new buildings including City-owned buildings, churches, restaurants, hospitals, and retail shops to have a baby changing station in at least one bathroom on each floor that is accessible to males and females. We all have our war stories, Development Services Department Director Michael Shannon said at a previous meeting about the new rule. The Real Estate Council of San Antonio, Building Owners and Managers Association, San Antonio Hotel and Lodging Association, and the San Antonio Restaurant Association supported the new rule, Pelaez said. Buildings undergoing major renovations also must comply with the new rule. Pelaez was thankful he wont be a beneficiary of the new rule.

SAN ANTONIO – Voters in San Antonio will have a chance to choose whether to continue providing sales tax dollars to Pre-K 4 SA, which would effectively decide if the free prekindergarten program will be able to continue. The San Antonio City Council voted 8-1 on Thursday to order an election on whether to extend the 1/8 cent sales tax for eight more years. Bexar Facts results show support for Pre-K 4 SA ahead of City Council voteMany council members indicated their support for the program from the dais. More than three-quarters of the program’s funding comes from the sales tax revenue. Without the tax money, Pre-K 4 SA CEO Sarah Baray said the education program would not be able to continue in its current form.

The City of San Antonio is set to lean on private companies and academic institutions to develop a new research and development program. City staff introduced the idea, which it is calling the R&D League, on Tuesday during the City Councils monthly Innovation and Technology Committee meeting. If you really think about every multi-billion-dollar, vertically-integrated organization on the planet they have an R&D department, Pelaez said. UTSA professors would in the third R&D League project develop a data-informed approach to draw boundaries for neighborhood empowerment zones, a designation created by the state to increase and preserve affordable housing. Assembling the R&D League constitutes the final project, Kinnison said.

SAN ANTONIO – The Alamo City is growing -- more businesses, more people, and it’s expanding, especially on the Northwest side. And we’ve been doing close to nothing,” Councilman Pelaez said. Another tough issue Councilman Pelaez wants to focus on is gun violence. And well, that’s the equivalent of driving from here to New York,” Councilman Pelaez said. It’s inevitable,” Councilman Pelaez said.

click to enlarge Ben Olivo / San Antonio HeronSingle-family developments like this one on West Craig Place in Beacon Hill will now be regulated to 35 feet or 2.5 stories. In 2001, as a result of a citywide conversion to a new zoning system, multi-family-zoned properties were left scattered throughout neighborhoods. It produces a lot of market-rate, expensive housing that drives up land values and causes displacement, making the income segregation in this city worse.. Ill end with reminding you that the real people in San Antonio include people who live in apartments. District 3 Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran was absent from the vote for a personal matter, but her chief-of-staff said she supported the ordinance.

He relies on Bandera Road to get to his classes at the University of Texas at San Antonios downtown campus. The State Highway 16 Bandera Road Corridor Plan, launched earlier this year, is the first corridor plan developed under the guidance of the SA Tomorrow comprehensive plan. TxDOT staffers and consultants with TxDOT and the City gathered Tuesday night at Brandeis High School for the first of two open houses to explain the Bandera Road study and to get public feedback. Pelaez told the Rivard Report on Tuesday that road safety is worrisome to him and many of his constituents. Neighborhoods need connections to Bandera Road that are safe and pleasant with sidewalks, crosswalks, trees, and bike lanes, he added.

Bridger and two City Council members got the message, and two cricket fields are in the early stages of construction near O.P. Officials are hoping to have the new cricket fields on San Antonios Northwest Side ready for play in April. San Antonio already is home to several dozen cricket teams, including 10 in the San Antonio Cricket Association. Sol Hooda, the associations president, said he approached the City about providing cricket fields six years ago and was turned down. Cricket of San Antonio currently plays many of its matches at Tom Slick Park near Loop 410 and Highway 151.

SAN ANTONIO - A San Antonio city councilman wants to double the cap for campaign contributions in City Council and mayoral elections. District 8 Councilman Manny Pelaez filed a Council Consideration Request on Thursday, proposing the City Council vote to double the limit on individual campaign donations per contribution cycle from $500 to $1,000 in City Council races and $1,000 to $2,000 in mayoral races. The previous City Council voted down a proposal in June 2018 to raise the City Council and mayoral campaign donation limits to $750 and $1,500, respectively. This time around, Pelaez's CCR is supported by District 1 Councilman Roberto Trevino, District 4 Councilwoman Adrianna Rocha Garcia, District 5 Councilwoman Shirley Gonzales and District 6 Councilwoman Melissa Cabello Havrda. But a spokesman said Friday the mayor's opinion was that the process should be led by public committees, such as the Ethics Review Board, not the City Council.

San Antonio City Council could soon consider doubling its self-imposed cap on campaign contributions from $500 to $1,000 for individual donors to district representatives and $1,000 to $2,000 for mayoral campaigns. Councilman Manny Pelaez (D8) submitted a council consideration request Thursday that could trigger another debate over campaign finance reform if the measure receives support from the Councils Governance Committee. Bexar County Commissioners Court has no campaign contribution limits for individuals or entities while Bexar County judicial candidates are capped at $5,000. Mayor Nirenberg, Trevio, Gonzales, Pelaez and former Councilman Rey Saldaa (D4) voted in favor of that change. Council members Rebecca Viagran (D3) Ana Sandoval (D7) John Courage (D9), Clayton Perry (D10), and former Councilman Greg Brockhouse (D6) voted against the change.

Signarama, the worlds largest sign franchise, just celebrated the grand opening of their newest location in San Antonio. Located at 12651 Vance Jackson Rd., Suite 118, the new Signarama commemorated the opening with an official ribbon cutting ceremony hosted by the North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce and The Greater Boerne Chamber of Commerce. Councilman Manny Pelaez also attended to present a proclamation on behalf of the City of Antonio. Guests in attendance had an opportunity to tour the facility, speak to experts, and learn about the services available at the new location. Hours of operation are from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

District 8 Councilman Manny Pelaez first announced the town halls after mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton, Ohio. State Rep. Ray Lopez was at the town hall and made it clear he wanted a special session called to address gun legislation. Pelaez kicked off the town hall off with statistics, as he has done in past town hall meetings. A voluntary city gun buyback program was proposed recently but was not backed by San Antonio Police Chief William McManus. The entire purpose of the series of town halls was to bring forth different viewpoints regarding the topic of gun violence.

SAN ANTONIO - UPDATE (9/12/19): The third and final town hall meeting on gun violence is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Ecological Center at Hardberger Park. The town hall will be a community forum, emphasizing steps that the public and governing bodies can take to reduce the risks of gun violence. (Previously)Public safety and support for people who witness shootings were just some topics discussed at the second gun violence town hall organized by District 8 Councilman Manny Pelaez. The panelists included Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus, Fire Chief Charles Hood and University of Texas at San Antonio Police Chief Gerald Lewis. The panelists also talked about the Fusion Center, which allows different agencies to all work and communicate together.

District 8 City Councilman Manny Pelaez will host the final installation in his three-part town hall series on gun violence and mass shootings. Copyright 2019 by KSAT - All rights reserved.

SAN ANTONIO - Public safety and support for people who witness shootings were just some topics discussed at the second gun violence town hall organized by District 8 Councilman Manny Pelaez. The training that our law enforcement departments undergo was also discussed by some panelists, who pointed out that they can't stop every shooting. The panelists included Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus, Fire Chief Charles Hood and University of Texas at San Antonio Police Chief Gerald Lewis. The panelists also talked about the Fusion Center, which allows different agencies to all work and communicate together. The next town hall meeting is scheduled for Sept. 10.

Public safety and support for people who witness shootings were just some topics discussed at the second gun violence town hall organized by District 8 Councilman Manny Pelaez. Copyright 2019 by KSAT - All rights reserved.

click to enlarge Sanford NowlinMayor Ron Nirenberg responds to a question during a press conference Tuesday. "It seems like there's been opportunity after opportunity after opportunity to take action and prevent the delay," said H. Drew Galloway, executive director of MOVE Texas. "It seems like there's a pattern by the entire council of not owning up on paid sick time. "There's nobody leading on paid sick time," Galloway said. "There's no champion on council for paid sick time."

click to enlarge Sanford NowlinActivist Joleen Garcia leads paid sick time advocates in a rally outside of City Council chambers. Mayor Ron Nirenberg and three of the four council members who publicly stated their opposition to the city's delay of its paid sick time ordinance were briefed on the delay plan and agreed to it, Councilman Manny Pelaez told the Express-News Councilman Roberto Trevio was the only member who told city attorneys he opposed the delay before the city and business groups struck a deal to push back the ordinance, Pelez told the daily paper for one of its podcasts.Last month, a state district judge approved a deal pushing back the start date of San Antonio's paid sick time rule from August 1 to December 1. City council approved the measure last year after labor and progressive groups including some who campaigned for Nirenberg's reelection mounted a successful petition drive asking for its adoption.Business groups sued over the measure's implementation, however, and the city attorney's office agreed to the four-month delay, saying it would allow time to refine legal details of the ordinance and win support from employers.After the delay plan came to light, Nirenberg and council members Roberto Trevio, Melissa Cabello Havrda, Ana Sandoval and Jada Andrews-Sullivan took to Twitter to voice their opposition.Only Havrda spoke to the, telling the paper she didn't feel like she was adequately briefed and adding that she later informed City Attorney Andy Segovia she couldn't support the delay.Nirenberg's office didn't respond to the's request for comment on the report. "Ultimately, what we need is a city council and a city government that's transparent and accountable to the community," said Michelle Tremillo, executive director of the Texas Organizing Project one of the groups that facilitated the paid sick time petition drive. "We don't have that."