Stating the absolutely obvious

Looks like bad fake money is circulating around San Antonio again.

SAN ANTONIO -- Crooks are getting crafty with counterfeit money. Often, counterfeit pens can't detect if bills are fake or real, since many bills are made on real currency paper.

"What they've done is they've taken a $10 bill and they've cut zeros off of another $10 bill to make it appear to be a $100," explained Rick Brozek, who owns a Schlotzsky's franchise in San Antonio.

(from WOAI-TV)

This has been done before. But what's really strange is that the poor entrepreneur actually felt the need to point the following out to people old enough to hold jobs [the emphasis is mine]:

Brozek also has a tip he now trains all employees to follow: Always read the written text on the bill. If the writing doesn't match the number on the corner, it's fake.

I weep for our future.

Your county government at work -- getting re-elected

Hahahahahahahahahahaha!

The signs for his Republican opponent, Susan Pamerleau, didn't register with County Commissioner Tommy Adkisson.

Neither did the white SUV outfitted with more of her signs parked near the valet station on Ivy Lane.

And Republican Justice Marialyn Barnard, who's running this fall to keep her seat on the 4th Court of Appeals, was useless as a clue. She was strolling up the walk to retired healthcare executive Bill Rasco's house in Terrell Hills, just ahead of Adkisson.

Now, Barnard isn't a person — and those aren't signs — you'd expect to see outside a fundraiser for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill White.

Unless you're Tommy Adkisson.

Yes — Tuesday evening, the three-term commissioner strode into his rival's first fundraiser, thinking it was an event for White.

(from Greg Jefferson at the Express-News)

And guess what? No one noticed right away! No one!

Well, almost no one.

GOP activist Carol Van De Walle said that when Adkisson stepped onto the covered front porch and planted himself in front of the table with guests' nametags, nobody but her seemed to notice.

Really, who expects the opponent to show up at your candidate's fundraiser?

“He was looking down at the little box with all the nametags,” said Van De Walle, who went to high school with Adkisson.

She stepped up to her old classmate and said: “Tommy, you're not going to find your nametag.”

It then dawned on him that he was in the wrong place. But before scurrying away, he hugged Van De Walle.

Sorry, that's just too funny! And Adkisson isn't even my County Commissioner! Really, doesn't he have any handlers?

Banning worm digging

Alan at Blogonomicon found what is apparently the best place in San Antonio to dig for worms. It's so good, in fact, it's banned!

Hitchcock knew how dangerous they were.

You just never know when -- or why -- someone might try to break into your house.

Police say the unidentified woman woke the family living in the 8400 block of Magdalena Run by banging on the front door, ringing the doorbell and yelling that birds were inside her home. However, the family had no idea who this woman was.

Police say the woman used a brick to force her way inside and broke the glass in the door. She reached through and opened the door from the inside and got into the home. The man tried to get her to stop but she kept advancing toward him. Police say he hit her in the head with a metal piece of a hydraulic pedal. She was unresponsive when officers arrived.

(from WOAI-TV)

The woman was taken to the hospital, but there's no word of her condition. If she lives, she's lucky.

Seeing a nightmare come true

I hope no one goes through what this poor woman had to experience.

SAN ANTONIO - A phone call Thursday morning lead police to a body and a suspected killer.

Thirty-eight-year-old Luis Alfonso Gonzalez was arrested by San Antonio Police for murder.

...

SAPD was first tipped off about the murder by Gonzalez's wife, who phoned police when her husband came home covered in blood and claiming that he had killed a [wo]man.

(from KENS-5)

There might be more to this story, but right now my heart goes out to that man's wife.

On this day, 42 years ago ...

... a person in San Antonio died in a monorail accident.

I don't think you will ever hear of such a thing again.

(Read San Antonio Remembers to find out details.)

Someone who needs to be taught how to think more

Did you think no one would notice your freakin' huge bus!??

SAN ANTONIO -- News 4 WOAI has obtained an update on a school bus driver who drove through a rail road crossing to beat a train.

A viewer used a cell phone to capture video of the incident, which happened about a about a week and a half ago on Basse Road, just west of US-281. We learned the driver is from the school right down the street, the School of Excellence.

(from WOAI-TV)

Supposedly the driver was disciplined, but the story doesn't say in what "excellent" way that was.

Taking political slacktivism to a new low

What if they held an election, and no one came?

Here's "what if":

SAN ANTONIO -- It's an uncontroversial issue; there is no tax hike, no bond at stake, no highly contested seat, all reasons why Southside ISD has had less than 1% of it[s] voters cast a ballot in its election.

The district needs voter approval to move $0.13 of the tax rate of $1.3689 from going into the Interest and Sinking Fund and into the Maintenance and Operations budget. The district estimates the simple readjustment will provide an additional $2.6 million for schools.

The problem is that with just a few days left until the election (Saturday, September 18) less than 100 people have voted. Southside ISD has almost 10,000 voters and has spent more than $23,000 to hold the election.

(from KENS-5)

See, the problem is, no one has been listening to P. Puff Diddy Daddy, nor have they been taking him seriously. They just don't think they will die if they don't vote.

Rooting for the home team

"El Grande," a major drug cartel figure, was captured by the Mexican military.

MEXICO CITY — Mexican special forces marines captured Sergio Villarreal Barragan, allegedly a top member of the embattled Beltran Leyva cartel who appears on a list of the country's most-wanted fugitives, in a raid Sunday in the central state of Puebla, the government said.

Villarreal, known as "El Grande," did not put up any resistance when he was arrested along with two accomplices as they left a residence in Puebla city, according to government security spokesman Alejandro Poire. The raid involved 30 Navy marines, five vehicles and a helicopter.

(from MSNBC.com)

So, why is a lowly blog about strange things in San Antonio pointing this story out to you, since it took place in Mexico? Because of the fashion displayed by the fugitive.





Go Spurs Go, way down in Mexico!

Grand theft strings

If you wanted a violin, and you didn't want to pay for it, would you think it would be worth it to use armed robbery? One guy in town did recently.

A student on his way to school Tuesday morning was robbed of his violin and case, police said.

The incident triggered a brief lockdown at Clark High School where the student attends. He told officers a man approached him in the 5100 block of De Zavala, showed a handgun stuck in his pocket, and demanded the instrument.

Police later arrested Johnny Villarreal, 20. He faces two felony charges: aggravated robbery and unlawful use of a handgun in a school zone, along with a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge.

(from the Express-News)

Man, somebody sure was jonesing for a hit of concerto.

Spider monkey!

In North Bexar County! Watch out!

Stephen Tello, president of Primarily Primates, said the “ruddy black” monkey, named W.C. Fields, escaped last Tuesday when strong winds from Tropical Storm Hermine pulled open the creature's wire enclosure.

An 87-year-old nearby resident fed the fugitive some watermelon in his garage at one point, but it wasn't a good idea, Tello added.

“Now he's associating open garages with places to go get food,” he said.

Plus, watermelon is not good for a monkey's tummy and “I wouldn't want him to have diarrhea all over people's houses,” Tello added.

(from the Express-News)

I hope they catch that monkey! Believe me, no one wants diarrhea from W.C. Fields all over their house.

Someone who gave it a lot of thought, but not enough

Sometimes the bad guys just don't think their capers all the way through.

A suspect using a front-end loader hauled away a bank's automated teller machine, but police said the man ran away when an officer spotted him.

The man drove up to the ATM at the Capital One bank at Ingram and Hwy. 151 on what police said was a possibly stolen front-end loader.

Investigators said the man smashed down the structure holding the ATM, scooped the machine into the tractor's bucket and started to drive away.

But officers then showed up at the bank. They said they saw the man driving the front-end loader and the ATM out of the parking lot.

Police said their officers followed the man as he drove the loader into a weed-covered field. But the man's escape attempt fizzled when the loader got stuck in mud.

(from KSAT-12)

The burglar got away, but I have a feeling he will get caught for this, or some other, crime before too long.

Taking up more space in your garage

When the City of San Antonio went to a two-bin system of waste disposal (blue for recyclables one day a week, brown for everything else on another day of the week), I thought it was a pretty good idea. The system is not too complicated, so no one can really argue that they don't want to participate because it is difficult to understand, and the bins are pretty large and can accommodate a lot of stuff.

And so far, it seems to be working out nicely.

So far.

Now the City wants to take that success and add to it and complicate it until it turns into a freakin' mess. Get ready for food bins!

SAN ANTONIO -- Officials with the city's Solid Waste Management Department said the department plans on adding a third collection bin for organic waste.

In addition to brown trash bins and blue recycling bins, residents would have a green bin, specifically for green waste.

"On your collection day for your blue recycle day, you'll have your green cart, as well as an option for your yard waste program," said David McCary, director of Solid Waste Management.

...

McCary said the green bins would be for green waste, such as leaves, grass, fruits and vegetable, but the exact rules may take some getting used to.

"I think there's a ... learning curve to this and I think that as that curve moves forward, it's gong to be impressive for people to know, 'Yes, I can put shredded paper in the bin,'" said McCary.

(from KSAT-12)

I wonder how all these extra bins will look when people start storing them on the sides of the houses because there ain't no more room in the garages. Homeowner associations are going to love this one.

But wait, there's an out!

Residents that don't want an organics bin won't need one, if they are already composting at home. In those cases, the bin [] would be optional.

No problem then, because I certainly compost at home. Don't you?

Oh, wait. Is composting allowed in the deeds and restrictions?

Tropical Storm Hermine!

Just blew through. I hope every one's OK. I haven't checked it closely yet, but the level of my rain gauge as I see it from my back kitchen window looks to be at least three inches.

Stay dry.

Pipe bombs and Molotov cocktails

Can you think of a better way to keep somebody safe?

Investigators say a 17-year-old girl admitted to planting pipe bombs and Molotov cocktails at a Northwest side home, because she wanted to protect her friend.

Temera Renee Sparks is charged as an adult with crimes, including arson and conspiracy to commit arson. Investigators say she admitted to planting a pipe bomb on the target's car last Monday and security cameras caught her in the act. That explosive failed to detonate, however, but neighbors were evacuated from their homes for hours. Affidavits detail how she was trying to protect her friend, who is the intended victim's daughter.

She also admitted to throwing Molotov cocktails at the home in mid-July and trying to set the home on fire with a pipe bomb.

(from WOAI-TV)

The target's ex-wife is supposedly involved, too. Sounds like there is a lot more interesting information to come out regarding this case.

Lost hope

Sabra tells you about it, and shows you a picture, too.

SUV crashes into house

Car, house, person. No fences were involved, though.

The accident happened around 8:30 p.m. near Walzem Road and New World. Police said the driver of a Lincoln Navigator came around a corner too fast and hit the house and a car that was in the driveway at the home.

A man sitting on the front porch was hit by the SUV. He was taken to Northeast Baptist Hospital with leg injuries but is expected to be all right.

(from WOAI-TV)

And that driver? Got to be the worst navigator on Walzem Road.

"Frustrated Crime Victim Puts Billboard On Front Yard"

A man takes a bite out of crime -- with a sign.

Over the past eight months, [Juan Monsivais] said thieves in the overnight hours have pried open the toolbox in the back of his pickup parked in his driveway, making off with the necessary tools of his trade, time and time again.

Fed up, Monsivais proclaimed his predicament in a big way. After the last break-in on Monday, he yanked out a sheet of plywood, grabbed a spray paint can and scrawled "Fourth time this year somebody broke in my truck!!!"

Even then, Monsivais wanted a hammer to finish the job. Instead, he said he told his son, "Bring a rock or something because they stole the hammer."

(from KSAT-12)



That's a lovely sign. But isn't this just asking for more break-ins? After all, now all of the KSAT viewers know that you park your tools out in the driveway.

He said though potential thieves may see the sign as an invitation, he's not willing to risk his life or the lives of his family over a few tools.

Oh. Oh, I see. OK. Then why did you let the cameras onto your property?

Just wondering.

"12 year old dared by friends dies in accident"

This is not a good game to play.

A dare turns deadly for a 12-year-old girl on the city's west side Friday night. Police say Casandra Perez and a group of teens were daring each other to run across the Loop 410 access road outside Skateland West at 11:30 p.m. She and a friend were running across the road and the friend made it safely across. However, police say the friend turned around in time to see Casandra get hit by a car exiting the freeway.

She was taken to University Hospital where she died from her injuries.

(from WOAI-TV)

It's like playing Russian Roulette with traffic.

Clever ad campaign?

Or crazed movie fan?











You decide.