They don't condone the words ...

... but they don't seem to condemn them, either.

This story is out of Austin, but, hey, we vote for the governor in San Antonio as well, so this is equally strange here.

AUSTIN, Texas - A Web site for U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison contained hidden phrases including "rick perry gay."

...

Hutchison spokesman Jeff Sadosky said Hutchison's campaign was not condoning those words and did not know thousands of people would be searching for them. He said they would be removed from the site.

Campaign officials said they bought a tool that generates the phrases to find out the most frequent Web searches using the two gubernatorial candidates' names.

(from the Austin American-Statesman via KENS-5) (AAS story here)

Here are the hidden phrases that were on Hutchison's website. Looks like a pretty thorough job of including just about every conceivable search string that might be related to the gubernatorial race. In fact, here's one grouping that seems focused on including just about every Texan alive:

Anderson County Andrews County Angelina County Aransas County Archer County Armstrong County Atascosa County Austin County Bailey County Bandera County Bastrop County Baylor County Bee County Bell County Bexar County Blanco County Borden County Bosque County Bowie County Brazoria County Brazos County Brewster County Briscoe County Brooks County Brown County Burleson County Burnet County Caldwell County Calhoun County Callahan County Cameron County Camp County Carson County Cass County Castro County Chambers County Cherokee County Childress County Clay County Cochran County Coke County Coleman County Collin County Collingsworth County Colorado County Comal County Comanche County Concho County Cooke County Coryell County Cottle County Crane County Crockett County Crosby County Culberson County Dallam County Dallas County Dawson County Deaf Smith County Delta County Denton County DeWitt County Dickens County Dimmit County Donley County Duval County Eastland County Ector County Edwards County Ellis County El Paso County Erath County Falls County Fannin County Fayette County Fisher County Floyd County Foard County Fort Bend County Franklin County Freestone County Frio County Gaines County Galveston County Garza County Gillespie County Glasscock County Goliad County Gonzales County Gray County Grayson County Gregg County Grimes County Guadalupe County Hale County Hall County Hamilton County Hansford County Hardeman County Hardin County Harris County Harrison County Hartley County Haskell County Hays County Hemphill County Henderson County Hidalgo County Hill County Hockley County Hood County Hopkins County Houston County Howard County Hudspeth County Hunt County Hutchinson County Irion County Jack County Jackson County Jasper County Jeff Davis County Jefferson County Jim Hogg County Jim Wells County Johnson County Jones County Karnes County Kaufman County Kendall County Kenedy County Kent County Kerr County Kimble County King County Kinney County Kleberg County Knox County Lamar County Lamb County Lampasas County La Salle County Lavaca County Lee County Leon County Liberty County Limestone County Lipscomb County Live Oak County Llano County Loving County Lubbock County Lynn County McCulloch County McLennan County McMullen County Madison County Marion County Martin County Mason County Matagorda County Maverick County Medina County Menard County Midland County Milam County Mills County Mitchell County Montague County Montgomery County Moore County Morris County Motley County Nacogdoches County Navarro County Newton County Nolan County Nueces County Ochiltree County Oldham County Orange County Palo Pinto County Panola County Parker County Parmer County Pecos County Polk County Potter County Presidio County Rains County Randall County Reagan County Real County Red River County Reeves County Refugio County Roberts County Robertson County Rockwall County Runnels County Rusk County Sabine County San Augustine County San Jacinto County San Patricio County San Saba County Schleicher County Scurry County Shackelford County Shelby County Sherman County Smith County Somervell County Starr County Stephens County Sterling County Stonewall County Sutton County Swisher County Tarrant County Taylor County Terrell County Terry County Throckmorton County Titus County Tom Green County Travis County Trinity County Tyler County Upshur County Upton County Uvalde County Val Verde County Van Zandt County Victoria County Walker County Waller County Ward County Washington County Webb County Wharton County Wheeler County Wichita County Wilbarger County Willacy County Williamson County Wilson County Winkler County Wise County Wood County Yoakum County Young County Zapata County Zavala County

"Stranded Boaters Rescued "

On Braunig Lake.

SAN ANTONIO -- A woman and two of her nephews were rescued early Wednesday after being stranded on Braunig Lake for six hours.

Gilda Valdez and her 7- and 27-year-old nephews launched from the Braunig Lake boat dock for a night of fishing around 10 p.m. when their boat's battery died in the middle of the lake.

Valdez then called 311 for help, but assistance never arrived due to a miscommunication between 311 dispatchers and 911 dispatchers who never sent rescue crews, Valdez said.

"It was a very, very long time," Valdez said. "I was more concerned about them."

Around 4 a.m., Valdez called 911 again, and this time, rescue crews were dispatched to the lake and got the boaters safely to land.

(from KSAT-12)

Perhaps this would be a good time to buy a couple of paddles, and then learn how to use them. Or at least teach your 27-year-old nephew how. Braunig Lake isn't that big.

A lot of pot

How do you fit $2 million worth of marijuana plants inside one house?

This way:

SAN ANTONIO -- Police seized 350 high-grade marijuana plants that were growing inside a home Monday night on the city's west side.

The plants, which ranged from 2 feet to 7 feet tall and worth an estimated $2 million, were being grown with a hydroponic lab at a home in the 9200 block of Adams Hill, police said. A lighting system, a ventilation system, carbon dioxide and other chemicals were found in the second story of the home.

"I've been told this appears to be the largest hydroponic seizure in San Antonio history," said Sgt. Chris Benavides of the San Antonio Police Department.

(from KSAT-12)

With that much pot, he probably had a hydroponic vegetable garden that was just as big. In case he got hungry.

"Mom Killed Baby With Knife, Sword"

This is so horrible, it took a while for me to work up the nerve to post it, though I'm sure most people have heard about it by now.

The police chief said that the crime scene was so horrific that officers at the scene were disturbed and severely affected by the slaying and may need counseling.

(from KSAT-12)

I warn you, the story is graphic. Don't click the link if you have a weak stomach.

"Man's Body Found Floating In SA River"

Definitely not something you'd want to see on the River Walk.

Witnesses called police just before 11:00 p.m. Saturday night when they saw a man's body floating on the San Antonio River, near the Pecan Street bridge in downtown. His name was not being released until police could contact next of kin, but we're told he was 54 years old, wearing a black sleeveless T-shirt and Khaki shorts.

Police tell us they're ruling this a "sudden death."

(from WOAI-TV)

"Sudden death," sure, but what caused the sudden death? A bullet can do it just as quickly as a heart attack.

"SUV Sails Off I-35 Overpass"

Watch out for things in the road.

SAN ANTONIO -- A black Jeep Liberty crashed nose-first into the asphalt of the AT&T Parkway Saturday night, plummeting more than 16 feet off the I-35 overpass.

Police say the driver of the SUV swerved to miss an object on the highway believed to be a folding table, and in the process lost control, struck the guardrail and plunged off the highway onto the roadway below.

(from KSAT-12)

The injuries are reported to be non-life-threatening, which is good.

But this goes to show that just about anything can end up on the blacktops of our daily commutes, and we'd do well to stay alert. One time, right on IH-10 between Vance Jackson and Crossroads, I had to swerve to avoid an entire chest of drawers. It makes me wonder how people can lose significant portions of their loads without noticing or without bothering to at least move it off the roadway.

Offering wipe to the masses

When I go to my local grocery store -- especially on Sundays -- I expect to see tables or stands set up with helpful, friendly people offering free samples of things like cheese, sausage, juice, and other items.

But I have never expected what Dave at Silver Creek 78250 found in his local H-E-B.

Strange stuff, indeed.

Putting away the Alamo

No, not the famous shrine. The one that goes by "Tony," whose ministry left an old, outdated hate-tract on my windshield last year.

He's been convicted of abusing children.

TEXARKANA, Ark. (AP) -- Tony Alamo, a one-time street preacher who built a multimillion-dollar ministry and became an outfitter of the stars, was convicted Friday of taking girls as young as 9 across state lines for sex.

Alamo stood silently as the verdict was read, a contrast to his occasional mutterings during testimony. His five victims sat looking forward in the gallery. One, a woman he "married" at age 8, wiped away a tear.

"I'm just another one of the prophets that went to jail for the Gospel," Alamo called to reporters afterward as he was escorted to a waiting U.S. marshal's vehicle.

...

The jury of nine men and three women took about 11 hours to consider the charges against Alamo. The 10-count federal indictment accused him of taking his underage "wives" across state lines as early as 1994.

...

Prosecutors said Alamo could face a total of 175 years in prison over violating the nearly century-old Mann Act, a morality law once aimed at stopping women from being sold into prostitution. Each count also carries possible fines of $250,000.

(from KENS-5)

When cultures clash

Speaking in a politically correct sort of way, that is.

Campanas de America has sung it for presidents, but they won't be singing “El Son de La Negra” on “Today.”

That popular folk song was the renowned mariachi's first choice for its performance Wednesday on the “Today” show. But the show's producers asked Campanas de America not to sing it when “Today” broadcasts from the Arneson River Theater next week.

“It's the mariachi national anthem,” said Belle Ortiz, manager of Campanas de America. “We always play ‘El Son de La Negra.' Everybody plays it.”

The reason for nixing it? “Because they didn't want to hurt anybody's feelings because of the name of the song,” Oritz said.

A “Today” show spokeswoman said this was not a case of political correctness.

“The song ‘El Son de La Negra' was by no means deemed too controversial for ‘Today,'” publicist Megan Kopf said via e-mail.

(from the Express-News)

Do you believe Ms. Kopf?

I'm not familiar with the song in particular, but I'm sure I've heard it before. Growing up in San Antonio gives you plenty of opportunities to hear mariachi music, and if that song is as popular as they say, I'm sure it's in the repertoire of any decent group. So I've probably heard it before, and I don't remember being offended.

Besides, if you don't have a good grasp of Spanish, I don't see how you could be offended, not unless you are hypersensitive and you can hear "negra" any time it is uttered in a loud, boisterous musical session. And then only if you had little knowledge about the Spanish language and assumed any time "negra" or "negro" were used they were meant to be insult. (Negro is the Spanish word for the color black, if you didn't already know.)

So, I tend to think the "Today" show is being a little too sensitive, and I don't believe Ms. Kopf when she says the song was "by no means deemed too controversial." I think it was entirely controversial in her mind or in the minds of her higher-ups. What do you think?

Faking it

Is this a legitimate news story about how to deal with the current drought, or is it a cleverly packaged advertisement?

You decide.

[Glemm] French is a green thumb and would normally have the lawn to talk about, but when his wife of 62 years had a stroke and was diagnosed with cancer, he had to be by her side.

So, French gave up all efforts to maintain a green lawn, which would have been extra difficult this year considering the dry, harsh conditions.

But, for Mrs. French's eightieth birthday, their lawn was green.

Mr. French contacted Texas Green Grass, Incorporated to dye their grass a rich verdant color that could fool Mother Nature. The turf paint is safe and EPA-approved, lasts about three months and costs about $200.

(from KENS-5)

A snarling pack at the Alamo

Do you think I mean this?

The Alamo, a revered home of Texas' fight for independence, is caught up in a modern-day clash over money, power and publicity.

Three of its top managers have quit since May, including the director who says the shrine's private guardians thwarted plans to bolster the Alamo's financial stability – which relies mostly on gift store sales.

David Stewart, who abruptly retired two months ago after seven years as director, said leaders of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas – longtime caretakers of the San Antonio landmark – suffer from a lack of business savvy that hinders decision-making and stalls innovations.

(from KENS-5)


Or do you think I mean this?

A pack of dogs caused a ruckus downtown at Alamo Plaza Saturday morning. Two rottweilers and a shepherd mix were roaming free near the city's busiest tourist destination. One of the dogs then attacked a 54 year old man, biting him on the arm. Officers had to improvise to capture the dogs before they attacked anyone else. Officers used their bicycles to coral the dogs, while using dog food to lure them into a police wagon.

(from KABB-29)

You decide.

"Smelly Situation Goes Up In Smoke"

Here's a prank that went bad.

SAN ANTONIO -- Two children escaped from a house fire on San Antonio's north side after witnesses said a flaming bag of excrement was thrown at their home.

The fire started early Thursday afternoon when one of the children, Joseph Gonzalez, said he noticed something with a bad smell, followed by an explosive sound at his home on the 12000 block of Stoney Crossing near McAllister Park.

"I was on my computer and I was just playing a game on it, and I smelt something really bad, I heard a big boom and I heard my mom's wind chimes going crazy," he said.

When he went outside to check, Gonzalez said he saw a burning bag of excrement that he been thrown at the home.

"It was bubbling and stuff, and it smelled really nasty," he said.

San Antonio Fire Arson investigations said the scene appeared to be suspicious in nature and would investigate what specifically caused the fire.

(from KSAT-12)

"Appeared to be suspicious in nature." A burning bag of shit. You don't say.

Oh, by the way, pranksters, you're supposed to leave it on the porch and ring the doorbell instead of throwing it at the house. That's the way it's usually done. Luckily no one was hurt, but the home did suffer some serious damage.

UPDATE: The Express-News reports that the poop story is just that, a story.

“Flaming poo is out,” said Melissa Sparks, spokeswoman for the San Antonio Fire Department. “It was definitely not flaming poo.”

Arson investigators said they found no evidence of anyone throwing a bag of dog feces at the house in the 12000 block of Stoney Crossing. They continue to investigate the fire, although they expect to rule it as an accidental fire.

I bet the investigators turn their attention to those children at home.

Car crashes into house

Almost!

OK, it didn't actually hit the house, but this car took out a stop sign, two fences, and a couple of gas meters before finally catching fire and burning up a bunch of grass.

According to investigators, a 66-year-old man was driving a car along Canyon Golf when, for some reason, he veered off the road.

After jumping a curb and knocking a stop sign 20 feet, the car went through two different privacy fences and hit two gas meter boxes before coming to a stop.

The car then caught fire, and the fire spread to the lawns of two homes. Firefighters were able to put out the flames before any homes sustained major damage. There was some exterior melting to a house reported.

The driver of the car was taken to a hospital for treatment but is expected to be okay. No other injuries were reported.

(from WOAI-TV)

"Exterior melting." That's one hot grass fire!

"SA Man Chooses Life With No A/C"

Would you give up air conditioning? One San Antonio man says he wants to have nothing to do with it.

SAN ANTONIO -- Mike Casey, a lawyer and native San Antonian, has lived without central air conditioning for nearly 30 years. By choice.

"I'm not uncomfortable, I'm not a martyr," said Casey. "If I were uncomfortable I would put an air conditioner in."

His home in the King William area was built in 1895, long before home cooling systems went beyond a hand fan. When he purchased the home in 1980, he installed ceiling fans in every room, but never thought twice about installing a big system. He almost always has a cool drink in his hand as one way to battle the heat. Monday afternoon, it was 90 degrees inside his home, which relies on mostly natural lighting through large windows during the day. Even in a button-down dress shirt, pants and a bow tie, Casey didn't break a sweat.

"This is Texas. This is the way it's going to be," said Casey.

...

His friends almost always introduce him as the guy that doesn't have an air conditioner, a trait he doesn't mind, especially in the summertime. When most people's summer electric bills average at least a few hundred dollars, his just tips the $100 mark. He thinks it'd be even lower if he stopped running the electric pump in his backyard water fountain.

(from KSAT-12. Video here.)

Hey, I grew up in a house without air conditioning. You can survive, but it's not very comfortable in the middle of a South Texas summer, and I have memories of sleeping with just a sheet on and a box fan running in the window. They're not very fond memories, though. I like my A/C just fine.

Car crashes into gym

Do you like running, but hate dealing with traffic? And does the thought of a treadmill at home make you shudder because of all those cars that come crashing through houses? You may be no safer in the gym.

No one was hurt Saturday when a woman drove her car through a wall and into a gym in Alamo Heights.

An employee told KSAT-12 News that he was in the middle of a class at Studio B in the 5300 block of Broadway when he heard a loud crash.

“I thought something happened outside,” Lionel Garcia said. “Then our equipment that was leaning up against the window started tumbling towards us and then I jumped back a little bit and saw this big white car come through.”

(from KSAT-12)

A couple who should have waited

If you're transporting a meth lab, and you suddenly feel the urge to show your girlfriend how hot you think she is, maybe you should just talk dirty for a while until you get to where you're going.

Deputies say a steamy sexual tryst between [Timothy] Overly and his woman in an Oldsmobile '88 got too hot to handle for a neighbor who called them in.

"As we walked up we found they were in a sexual twist," said Ino Badillo, from the Bexar County Sheriff's Office. But what deputies say they found inside Overly's car was even hotter.

Deputies say they found Drano, peroxide, a cooking burner, and a bottle marked with a skull and cross bones with muriatic acid inside. All the ingredients for an illegal recipe called: Meth.

But had Overly not been making out with his girlfriend 25 year-old Candace Prewitt, deputies say the couple may not have been caught with the drugs.

"Our narcotics officers talked to his mom," said Badillo. "She says she knows he cooks it!"

(from KENS-5)

The dude lives with his mother. If she didn't mind her son cooking up meth at home, surely she wouldn't have minded him bringing his girl over.

Three-legged sheep

I've seen three-legged dogs, but I don't think I've ever seen a sheep with a limb short. And I've certainly never seen one in a wheelchair.

All of the animals [at the Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in Kendalia] have a special story about how they came to live at the rescue. There's a blind cow, a goat with floppy legs that walks on his knees, a longhorn who nearly ended up mounted on his former owner's wall, and then there's Wylie, the 3-legged sheep.

"A predator had gotten hold of him and he lost one of his legs," said rescue founder Lynn Cuny telling the story of how Wylie arrived at the ranch.

Wylie was just a lamb at the time, but his back right leg was beyond repair.

"An amputation had taken place and he was just not doing well," Cuny said.

She and her staff nursed Wylie back to health, but it became clear he would likely never be able to walk. They were faced with two options, euthanize an otherwise healthy animal or find a way to make his life easier. Cuny chose not give up and began an exhaustive search to find a way to help Wylie get around. The search led to New York where they found a company that makes customized carts for disabled animals. Measurements were taken and casts were made for leg braces. In a few weeks, the cart arrived at the ranch.

...

The cart wasn't cheap, it cost the rescue around $2,000, but seeing how it has changed the sheep's life makes it worth every penny to Cuny.

"It took a lot to do it but every life is worth saving," Cuny said. "His life is certainly diminished because he's not out there just roaming around freely but he wants to live."

(from KSAT-12)



Would this be a bad time to say how much I love lamb chops?

"Liberty Bar Moving To Southtown"

The leaning restaurant is moving. But it doesn't look like the lean is going with it.

“We’re going to pack up and move house," said owner Dwight Hobart. "Lock, stock and barrel."

Liberty Bar has been at its current location for 25 years, but Hobart said the development of the Pearl Brewery caused the rent to increase. The building was known for its slanted floor, but Hobart said he could not afford to pay the rent and pay for the maintenance of the building at the same time.

“We had an unusual situation,” Hobart said. “This old building was in terrible condition. As you can see, it looks like it’s about to fall down. It isn’t going to fall down and we’ve got to great effort and expense to make certain that it doesn’t fall down.”

Hobart said the restaurant is moving to a building at 1111 South Alamo, in what used to be an old convent next to the St. Benedict’s Condominiums. He said the bar will located on the second floor and will offer the restaurant the chance more room [sic] to handle more people.

(from KSAT-12)

It won't be the same. The Liberty Bar's dangerous-looking lean was part of its charm, and, while its new location will no doubt have its own unique character, it won't be the same.

That's too bad. The food was good, even if it was a bit pricey. And it was a great place to have a special and memorable dinner with friends or visitors from out of town. I will miss it. How about you?



[Image courtesy of Purple on Wikimedia Commons]

Shameless marketing techniques ...

... and the television stations that help promote them.

I was never a fan of Michael Jackson, and I think the hoopla over his death is a bit much. But, at the same time, I can't help but feel that this "news" story capitalizes on the man's death to a silly degree.

SAN ANTONIO -- A San Antonio funeral home owner owns two gold caskets similar to the one in which Michael Jackson was laid to rest.

Dick Tips of Mission Park Funeral Chapels said he owns the only two in the state. He said the caskets, which are handmade, take more than a year to produce and cost $25,000.

“It’s handmade and it seals,” Tips said. “It’s airproof, airtight, waterproof. It would actually float once you seal this casket. You can’t get back into it once it locks down.”

(from KSAT-12)

Straight from the brochure.

Actually, I'm not so surprised at Tips's eagerness to take advantage of the marketing opportunity, but I am a little surprised that the KSAT team would let the man use them for free advertising.

There's no way the TV people could have known Tips had those two gold caskets before Jackson's funeral, and I doubt they were calling around to see who might have one. (If they did, then double the shame on them for their morbid interest!) Tips must have called the station himself, and I bet the news people were more than happy to get such good, shiny footage for the broadcast.

So shame on them. They let themselves be tools of a man looking to hawk his wares.

Bonus strangeness: the name of the funeral home owner itself.

UPDATE: I think Tips tipped off the Express-News, too.

Dress like a cow

Do you own a cow suit?

Then get some free Chick-fil-A on July 10.

On Friday, July 10 go into any Chick-fil-A® restaurant dressed as a cow and receive a free meal.

You can show your appreciation for cows by eating more chicken. Put on your best cow costume and head over to your local Chick-fil-A on Friday, July 10. Don't have a costume? Make your own using their starter kit.

(from WOAI's Free 4 All. Official site here.)

Man, I love Chick-fil-A. It's almost worth dressing up for free chicken!

Rain

After all this dry weather, a little rain can be little strange. This bit was from a couple of hours ago.

Slidin' away the summer

What do you do if you have record hot days, a hill, and a bunch of plastic?

You make a giant slip-n-slide, that's what you do.



(from KSAT's slideshow about what people are doing on their summer vacation)

Independence Day

Have a good one.

We're number 2!

And someday we will be number 1 in sweat!

The truth is in the pits. After An [sic] eight-year study conducted by Old Spice, Phoenix, Arizona was deemed the "Undisputed Sweatiest City."

...

But, Texas had a big turnout in the study. Seven Texas cities made it into the Top 20 All-Time Sweatiest Cities. San Antonio came in at No. 2 (obviously the study was concluded before the current heat wave) Dallas was No. 4, Houston No. 5, El Paso, No. 13, Waco No. 15, Austin No. 16 and Corpus Christi, No. 19. [parenthetical in original]

(from KENS-5)

Previously San Antonio was ranked fifth and sixth place on the Old Spice list. Someday, someday we will be on top. If we just believe.

Making it easy for the police

When deciding which convenience store to rob -- especially if it's just for beer and smokes -- make sure it's one where they don't know you.

On Monday night around 10:30, a store regular known to the clerks as "el diablo" walked into JP's Qwik Stop in Seguin. He got the attention of only one of the two clerks, and raised his shirt revealing the handle of a weapon. The clerk said the suspect told him, "I'm gonna kill a (expletive) in here."

...

Seguin police say they know exactly who "el diablo" is, and they're very close to making an arrest.

(from KENS-5)


This reminds me of a previous story, one which I had neglected to comment on earlier.

Two bandits backed their truck into a convenience store to bust through the door. But it's what they stole that has the owner scratching his head.

"You would be amazed by what they took," said Sammy Rana, the owner of the "Shop N Go" on South New Braunfels near Southcross. "They took a case of beer and cigarettes. No money!"

...

The good news for Rana: in CCTV video, the thieves can be seen clearly. They didn't wear disguises, nor did they bother to wash off the "for sale" sign or the phone number on the window of their vehicle.

(also from KENS-5)

Some crooks just beg to be caught.

Over 50,000 visits

Strange in San Antonio has passed a milestone: there have been over 50,000 visits to this blog since I started it in March 2006!

Thank you all for reading and keeping up, and I hope to continue sharing odd things from the Alamo City for as long as it is fun and interesting. Thanks again, and if you have a favorite strange thing that you've seen in our fair town, please feel free to share it with the rest of us.

Here are the details for the 50,000th visit.

"Toddler found alone surrounded by dog feces, urine, and trash"

I don't think this guy will be winning any "Father of the Year" awards. Ever.

A father is behind bars after a toddler was found home alone in what some describe as deplorable and dangerous conditions.

A neighbor called 9-1-1 around 1:30 p.m. Monday after he discovered the 15-month-old was alone inside a Northeast Side apartment. When officers arrived, they found the baby girl in a playpen surrounded by dog feces, urine, and trash.

...

Investigators said the little girl's father, 20-year-old Kaleb Wayne Butler, had taken off from the apartment and left her behind. Officers waited at the apartment for Butler to return and arrested him. He is now facing charges of endangering a child.

(from WOAI-TV)

Here's the mug shot of this fabulous piece of humanity.

"Thriller" at the Alamo

A bunch of Michael Jackson fans dancing to "Thriller" in front of the Alamo. Sound thrilling?

Not quite.



(video from 210SA)

I shudder to think the tourists actually saw that.

P.S: What's with the funky hair-like stuff hanging into the top part of the frame towards the end of the video? That's additional strange.

Wishing for a storm?

This seems like an odd item to run during a drought with record-high temperatures.



(from WOAI-TV)

Of course, this is Texas weather we're talking about. It is entirely possible that a freak storm can blow up out of nowhere, smashing windows and flooding creek beds where before there was nothing but dust and dry grass. And I will be highly embarrassed by this post if one does just that.

Burying the dead without a license

Remember when that body was found in a casket in the shed of an abandoned funeral home? It turns out the owner was a crook, and he wasn't even a licensed funeral director.

As the family of the late Ada Young searches for answers, public records show that Willie B. Hardy, the funeral home administrator who left Young's body in a shed when his business changed locations this month, has a criminal history including felony theft.

Officials from the Texas Funeral Service Commission said Hardy has not had a state funeral director's license since 1998. His expired license's status was listed as “revoked,” but a commission official could not say why it was revoked.

Neighboring residents discovered Young's body in a casket June 19 and notified police. Hardy said Young's family had not paid him for a funeral or to dispose of the body, so he had kept it since 2006.

Records show multiple charges against Hardy dating to the early 1980s with three convictions — including one for felony theft in 1998. A conviction from the 1980s was for a misdemeanor hot check charge and in 1999 he was convicted on a misdemeanor count of driving with a suspended license.

Hardy on Friday declined to comment on his criminal history.

He said he had worked with several licensed funeral directors, and that in the decade that he was unlicensed, he never claimed to have one. However, a funeral service commission official said license holders cannot have others perform funeral services in their name.

(from the Express-News)

He kept the body since 2006. Revolting.

I feel for the family of the woman. They thought she had been laid to rest a long time ago, but instead she had been stored in a hot shed for three years. That's inexcusable. I'm just glad some others have stepped up to help the family for free.

[Rhonda] Pickeree and other members of Young's family have begun to make funeral and burial arrangements, but plan to wait for the [DNA] test results to set a date.

When that time comes, the Collins Funeral Home will provide a free chapel service for the abandoned body — whether or not it is Young's — and the Camero Crematory & Funeral Home will cremate the body, also for free.

.

"Man seeks answers: homeowner caught in a Craigslist hoax"

Sounds like somebody got mad at somebody else, and then they came up with a creative way to harass that person.

The owner of a home in northwest San Antonio is trying to figure out who posted a Craigslist ad saying his houshold [sic] and garage items were free.

Bexar County authorities say this afternoon, someone posted a bogus ad on Craigslist. The ad said, "come take what you want for FREE!"

The ad even gave the access code to the house and said the owners were moving to another country.

(from KENS-5)

The article says a few people actually showed up in response to the ad.

That's messed up.


UPDATE: Ah, KABB has a bit more about it:

Bexar County Sheriff Investigators say a disgruntle [sic] employee used the Craig's List website to get back at a former boss. Neighbors of the people who live in the northwest side house say a disgruntled ex-employee posted a listing for "free household and garage contents."

It's always the disgruntled employee, isn't it?

Faking money -- badly

Sometimes counterfeiting works, and sometimes it doesn't. The same applies even if you are a real amateur at faking it.

SAN ANTONIO -- A local man was arrested and placed behind bars for allegedly trying to pass $10 bills as $100 bills.

Daniel Bryant, 20, was arrested following a year-long investigation. According to an arrest affidavit, Bryant and another man attempted to use a real $10 bill that was forged to resemble a $100 bill.

Detectives said that Bryant did manage to successfully use one forged bill at an area grocery store and did receive change back. When police searched Bryant's home, they found 12 more bills he was in the process of forging, police said.

(from KSAT-12)

You may ask, how did these guys fake a hundred with a ten-dollar bill? They cut extra zeros from one $10 and taped them onto another one to make it look like the bill said "100" instead. That's how. And I'm absolutely amazed that their Mickey Mouse trick actually worked in one instance. That grocery store clerk that took that altered ten-spot and gave change for a hundred must be feeling pretty embarrassed right now.

UPDATE: Here's KENS-5 video that shows how they did it.

Refusing to say who you are

Here's a strange case from San Marcos.

SAN ANTONIO -- At around 11 a.m. Monday, Texas State University police arrested a man who refused to give his name to the arresting officers. He was booked into the Hays County Sheriff's Department jail under a "John Doe" identity and he still refuses to reveal his identity.

The man was charged with failure to identify and his bond has been set at $2,500.

(from KSAT-12)

The police wonder if you might know who he is.

UPDATE: He's been identified. Here's the latest from KSAT:

SAN ANTONIO -- Hays County law enforcement officials now know the name of a jailed man who refused to identify himself.

The man was identified as David Prichard, 34, of Coleman.

Prichard refused to say who he was when Texas State University police arrested him Monday morning, Hays County sheriff's officials said.

.

"Glider Crash Lands On NW Side"

I don't think so.

SAN ANTONIO -- The pilot of a motorized glider was forced to make a crash landing early Tuesday afternoon on the city's northwest side.

...

It wasn't immediately clear what problem the pilot encountered, but his glider, a Lambada UFM-13, is equipped with a parachute that deploys when it experiences a problem. [emphases added]

(from KSAT-12)

Motorized glider? Is that anything like a motorized bicycle?

Sorry KSAT. It may have glider characteristics, but even the manufacturer considers it a full-on airplane.

The Light Sport ultra-light aircraft UFM 13 Lambada is an all composite, two-seat, side by side, single-engine, mid-wing aircraft.

The wings are equipped with the choice of a flapperon, where the flaps are assisted by spoilers or an aileron and dive brakes. The flapperon version has three positions 5°, 9° and 16° positions. The 16°position is assisted by spoilers on top of the wing that are automatically deployed with the single flap control/spoiler control lever. In this version the use of flaps/spoilers is limited to Vfe. The other version has dive brakes only and no flaps. The same control lever is used to operate the dive brakes up to Vne.

The gear is conventional with steerable tail wheel. The wheels are equipped with single lever hydraulic brake system. The main gear spring is made of fiberglass laminate and can be easily removed for service or repair.

The UFM 13 Lambada is equipped with three types of interchangeable wing tips. The extenders increase the wingspan to 15m/49ft for soaring, the short wing tips make the Lambada a great cross country machine with range of over 800 miles, and the super modern shark fins finish the plane.

I'd just call it a cool airplane.

"Dozens break into city pool to cool off"

Hooliganism, or pooliganism?

You decide.

Dozens of people jumped the fence to get into the San Pedro Park pool Monday. It is closed on Mondays, and no lifeguards were on duty. Some of the parents who spoke to News 4 WOAI about the break-in said it was too hot outside not to take the risk.

Park police eventually showed up and ordered everyone out of the pool and gave them a warning.

(from WOAI-TV)

C'mon, they could at least give them fifteen blessed minutes!

"Gator Spotted At Medina River"

OK, I guess we're just going to have to get used to the fact that there are alligators all over San Antonio! Another one has been spotted on the far west side of town.

SAN ANTONIO -- A San Antonio man said that he spotted a 9-foot-long alligator in the Medina River over the weekend.

Alfonso Hernandez said his sighting is no fish tale, it's the real thing.

For years, Hernandez has been coming out to the river not too far from Cagnon Road.

Hernandez said that he was able to take a picture of the gator with his camera phone.

"We've seen giant turtles. You see anything here in the river, but we never thought that we'd see an alligator in this part of the county," Hernandez said.

(from KSAT-12)

Cagnon Road is here:


View Larger Map

Earlier gator stuff here and here and here and here.

Busting hookers

This is news?

Two women in their 30's were picked up overnight on charges of prostitution, highlighting a criminal activity that authorities say is as old as time.

(from KENS-5)

"Old as time." You don't say.

"Body in casket found in abandoned funeral home"

Nice. You would think that a business owner would tie up loose ends before closing down the establishment, wouldn't you?

A resident living in the apartments above the funeral home went searching through a storage shed when he found the casket lying underneath several sheets. The female body inside the casket was dressed for a funeral.

The property’s landlord says the owner struggled to make rent and left without warning June 2.

She also mentioned a conversation in which she says he told her he was holding onto a body until the family could pay for a funeral.

(from KENS-5)

Human remains as collateral. Very interesting.

"Woman trapped for 34 hours in submerged car"

Holy cow! If you think something looks out of place, you might want to check it out. You could be saving someone's life.

[Nita] Dennis was on her way home to Carrizo Springs last Friday when she fell asleep at the wheel. Her car hit a concrete barrier on Highway 83 and landed in a creek filled with water.

"I don't even know how long I had been unconscious," Dennis told News 4 WOAI.

When she woke up, her leg was throbbing in pain, and she couldn't move.

"The whole car had crushed in around me," recalled Dennis.

To make matters worse, she was neck-deep in creek water.

"I remember looking to the sides of me on both sides, and I could actually see animals eating on me," Dennis said about the catfish who were in the water with her.

...

But it was 34 hours before help finally arrived.

"I'd seen feet come around," Dennis said. "And I'm like 'I'm here! I'm here!'"

(from WOAI-TV)

She was lucky. She was saved, and she had relatively minor injuries. But, oh, poor woman, will she ever be able to eat fried catfish again?

Putting up with blight to get your dream home

Would you live here?



Gwynn Griffith does, even though it is an old manufacturing plant in a run-down section of San Antonio. Her story even made it into the New York Times. She loves this house, and I'm pretty sure she fully accepts that she may never see a return on her investment given its location (the Times doesn't say, but I'm thinking it is on the East Side; there used to be a substantial industrial base over there).

Check out the slide show here. And, if you have ever complained about train noise before, make sure you check out the sixth picture.

UPDATE: Alan from Blogonomicon recognizes the place. He says it is on the near South Side. Read what he says about the neighborhood in the comments.

Express-News: Home to atheists?

It seems that the Express-News has taken to using the term "brights" to refer to the bloggers that contribute to MySA.com.




Do you think the editors are aware that the term has been claimed by an organization of atheists? Were you aware?

Fresh produce is cheaper! No, it's not!

KSAT-12 reports on the growing popularity of farmers' markets in the San Antonio area, and in the process the station produces some cognitive dissonance.

SAN ANTONIO -- Farmers' Markets are growing in popularity despite the drought and recession as people look for inexpensive fruits and vegetables.

...

The produce, which usually travels fewer miles and has fewer chemicals, has varying pricing, but is usually a little more expensive than supermarket pricing. [emphases added]

Perhaps they mean "inexpensive" in that the produce is cheaper than actually buying land and farming equipment and then growing it yourself.

Perhaps.

Child crashes into car

A baby falls out of a window, but her fall was mercifully broken by one of those house-crashing cars. Who knows, maybe the autos just hate the houses and really like the people in them.

Annayh Aguilar was in an upstairs bedroom about 10:30 a.m. with two other young children when she leaned against the screen of an open window, relatives said.

The screen popped out and the toddler tumbled out the window, falling onto the hood of a car parked below.

“The car broke her fall,” said her grandfather, Edmond Lizcano, 69, who was sweeping the driveway when his granddaughter fell.

“I was right out here when, all of a sudden, the baby came falling down,” he said. “We're really fortunate that car was parked there.”

(from Robert Crowe of the Express-News)

Bonus strangeness: The family lives on Catfish Lane.

And this story reminds me of the "Shaving Cream" song, which, if I remember correctly, has this verse:

My baby fell out of the window.
You'd think that her head would have split.
But good luck was with her that morning;
She fell in a big pile of shhhhhhh -- aving cream,
Be nice and clean,
Shave every day and you'll always look keen.

Ah, the classics.

Checking in

I anticipate a very busy week. Blogging may be light for a few days.

Taking the library fines way too seriously

I hope this turns out to be a great big misunderstanding, because otherwise the authorities in Killeen are just going to come out smelling like corpse flowers.

Twenty-one year-old Victoria Rogers says she wishes she could change the past.

The Texas mother has been a fugitive since January - wanted by authorities in Killeen, Texas.

"I apologized and said I didn't mean to," said Rogers.

...

During an ugly divorce, Rogers and her 5-month old son left Killeen and headed south to San Antonio - leaving behind a rocky relationship and a library book.

With so much else on her mind, Rogers says she forgot about the book. She says her ex-husband never told her about the notices in the mail.

She says she has offered to pay for the book, but the city of Killeen says it’s too late.

An arrest warrant has been issued.

(from KENS-5)

The article does say that Rogers can show up to court and pay a steep fine, so I guess she really wouldn't go to jail. But the fine is $340, which is pretty stiff for an unreturned book. I can see charging replacement cost, or double that, but that fine seems like a lot.

Has anyone faced fines from the San Antonio Public Library system? I'm curious as to what they might charge for an outstanding book.

UPDATE: Ah, here it is. The San Antonio Library has a maximum $10 fine for overdue books and a charge for the list price for lost items . Nothing about arrest warrants.

Setting fires

The San Antonio Police Department is looking for an arsonist. And they think he may have set at least 25 different fires on the South Side.

The San Antonio Police Department and Fire Department sent a plea to the community to help them catch an elusive serial arsonist.

Since the first of the year, investigators have linked as many as 25 fires to the same arsonist. No one has been hurt in the fires, but the fires have caused more than $200,000 worth of damage to homes, businesses, and churches on the south side.

...

"If this person is out there and listening, know that you are being watched, and you will be eventually caught," said Police Chief William McManus.

(from KENS-5)

There's a firebug out there. Be on the lookout.

Taking one for the story

Have you ever been tasered? If not, here's a good description of what it feels like, from freelance writer Steve Davidson's point of view.

... I could not help but wince and hold out for hope beyond hope that Universal City Police Sgt. David Kinney, armed with a TASER X26, was truly joking with me when he said dryly, “Don't worry, you being from the press will have no bearing on how this tasering goes.”

Fortunately for me, Sgt. Kinney was only teasing – at least in sentiment. The TASER X26, however, proved incapable of the same dry wit. I found this to be an immediate truism as its two silver darts, with attached barbs, pierced my waiting back at a great velocity, dropping my immobilized body immediately to the floor of the Universal City Public Works Building.

For me, the agonizing experience served as one of those defining moments arriving with a message delivered with great voracity. The message? I can now, emphatically, write a story about the effects of being tasered. I definitely have formed an opinion.

...

As I positioned myself before Kinney in preparation for my tasering, I silently wished he would recall my mentioning to him that my brother and son were police officers, placing me at least in an arm's length of the “brotherhood.” I silently longed for a return to that moment when I could have said “no” to my editor when he asked me to take on this assignment.

Mostly, I hoped Kinney's version of “five seconds” were as definite as mine.

All this was instantaneously removed from my mental faculties as the two metal pins fired from the TASER X26 entered my back with an immense velocity. I would have very much liked to have screamed out in pain, but this did not occur. I could hear myself groaning, but my firmly-pressed lips were not cooperating in allowing the pain to be released.

Strangely, of all things, I had an immediate awareness of my bladder. I prayed I would not be that one volunteer who loses such control. And, I appreciated very much the two volunteers standing beside. Their job? Guide me down to the floor.

(from the Northeast Herald)

The article is actually about the Universal City Citizens Police Academy, a program designed to teach citizens how the police department works and how they can better protect themselves, but Davidson uses his very memorable tasering episode as the framework to drape his story upon. It's good writing, and it entertains while it enlightens. It's a funny story about a serious and laudable program, and it's a good read, too.

Now, who wants to be tasered?

"Sleeping Man Killed On I-10"

How comfortable can a highway actually be? Is it actually preferable to sleeping anywhere else?

SAN ANTONIO -- The body of an apparent hitchhiker was found early Thursday morning on Interstate 10 on the city's far east side.

...

"He was in a sleeping bag," said said Deputy Chief Jeff Humphry of the San Antonio Police Department. "He has a backpack, a snapsack like he's traveling and a pillow laying by the curb ... It looks like he just laid down and went to sleep,"

The man apparently had been run over sometime between late Wednesday night and early Thursday morning.

(from KSAT-12)

That's as strange as people sleeping on train tracks. I've never understood that practice.

Did you catch it?

Remember this post I put up for Memorial Day? I intended it to be a serious post, and I used that particular picture because it was one of the best ones I took out at Fort Sam. But I took the picture of that particular headstone because it struck me as a bit odd in the first place (don't forget, this is "Strange in San Antonio").

Can you figure out what caught my eye on that headstone?

Car crashes into apartments

They are homes, right? So apartment buildings shouldn't consider themselves to be immune to car carnage.

SAN ANTONIO -- A woman who police said was making a drug transaction crashed her vehicle into an apartment complex while attempting to flee from officers early Wednesday.

Tactical Response Unit officers said they pulled the woman over after they witnessed a drug transaction, but she then sped off before they could approach her car.

The woman drove erratically through the Spring Hill Apartments in the 4800 block of Ray Bon, where she ended hitting two apartment buildings, startling some residents out of bed.

"They were surprised, a little frightened, but no one was injured," said Capt. Mike Gorhum of the San Antonio Police Department.

(from KSAT-12)

I don't think any fences were taken out, though.



UPDATE: On WOAI's website, I found this choice quote from a witness on the scene of this same accident.

Brittany Johnson says she saw the whole thing: “She just got out, dropped her wigs, dropped her flip flops, got her baby, and ran."

Wigs? Flip flops? Baby? All in one breath while describing a crazy crash? That is truly strange.

Car crashes into house

Another car. Another house. Another crash.

And the fence was hit as well.

Richard Daluz and Jen Rodriguez were watching television at their home in the 2100 block of Farmsville Drive at 9 p.m. when they got the startling surprise.

"It sounded like either a plane crashing outside or honestly, if lightning were to strike a couple feet away from you," Daluz said.

Before the car hit the home, it took out a mailbox and shattered a wooden fence, police said.

The boy had taken his father's car without permission so that he could play basketball in the driveway when he lost control, police said.

"He tried to back it up and he didn't realize how strong the car was," said Officer Michael Guzman of the San Antonio Police Department.

(from KSAT-12)

The boy was twelve. The police gave him a ticket for driving without a license.

Remember

Memorial Day 2009
Fort Sam Houston

Seymour Perkins -- still not settled

Remember Seymour Perkins, who died in February 2009? Apparently he can't be gotten rid of so easily.

The Fourth Court of Appeals District of Texas has reversed an order granting the city of San Antonio permission to demolish the home of Seymour Perkins. ...

Perkins died in February, but his family and lawyers continue to fight for the house which displays some of his artwork. He was a folk artist and his family hopes to renovate the building and turn it into a museum displaying pieces of his work.

(from KENS-5)

Wait a minute. Didn't his home burn down last October?

Strange. Very strange.

When journalism and politics mix

The objectiveness fades.

From the Express-News, which is losing one of its own to the mayor of San Antonio.

San Antonio Express-News metro columnist Jaime Castillo has taken a job in the administration of Mayor Julián Castro as director of communications and senior policy analyst.

Castillo will join a team led by Robbie Greenblum, a local attorney who has agreed to serve as the new mayor's chief of staff. Jed Maebius, an aide to outgoing Mayor Phil Hardberger, will stay on as a liaison to the City Council.

Hardberger's chief of staff, Larry Zinn, has agreed to work with Castro as an unpaid adviser on policy issues, including a major decision facing the city on whether to expand its use of nuclear energy, but will not stay on in a full-time capacity.

Castro said he asked Castillo to be part of the team because of his knowledge of city issues and his solid reputation in the community.

Interesting. It wasn't so long ago that Castillo wrote this of the mayor's race (which Julian Castro won, by the way):

She was followed on the air by opponent Diane Cibrian, who criticized perceived front-runner Julián Castro for accepting “undisclosed, unreported, secret money from the unions.” [emphasis added]

"Perceived" by whom? The press?

And then there's this:

By every measure, Julián Castro has to be considered the pole sitter. He's been more disciplined and polished than four years ago, more dogged in winning business support and more successful at raising campaign cash.

Arguably, this is a good characterization of Castro. But it sticks out a little when the journalist who wrote it accepts a job offer from the same politician less than a month later.

And then there's this, posted just 11 days ago:

In the end, what some called an uninspiring campaign by Castro turned out to be the smart campaign.

In 2005, he brandished a youthful aggressiveness by trying to be the candidate to do everything first.

This time, he painstakingly courted and won members of the business community who opposed him in wholesale fashion four years before.

And, despite carrying the most campaign cash, Castro's team even rationed its TV ads until very late in the campaign season.

“I think it speaks to his four-year organizing effort — lots of shoe leather and schmoozing,” Miller said.

It also speaks to a young man who learned that patience can be a good thing. [emphases added]

Politics. Journalism.

Mixed.

Bumbling crook

Heh heh heh. This is just too good.



That's a crook -- who has just ripped the cash register off the counter of a Mexican restaurant -- doing a face plant into a table after stumbling and falling. Go to WOAI's link, read the story, and be sure to watch the video.

Good stuff, Maynard.

Not strange in San Antonio

Actually this is pretty cool.

After ten months away, Sgt. David Velasquez was nervous.

He said, "It's always scary coming back to the kids because they might not understand that it is my job that I have to out there."

Tuesday Sgt. Velasquez returned from his tour in Iraq, and his first stop was W.W. White Elementary School where the Army sergeant surprised his twin 6-year old sons, Damion and David Jr.

The last time they saw their father was July.

When Sgt. Velasquez entered his sons’ classroom and made eye contact with his sons, the two seemingly froze for a brief moment before running to and hugging their father.

(from KENS-5)

That's heartwarming.

Crazy ants are coming

And they're on the march from Houston.

A destructive menace is heading west on I.H. 10 with San Antonio in its sites. It's the crazy Raspberry ant that was first spotted in Houston in 2002. No one knows where it came from or how to control it but it reproduces faster than any insect experts have ever seen.

"This is an alien species," says Sam Houston State University Entomologist Dr. Jerry Cook. "This is in higher densities than any other insects I've ever seen. They number in the billions and cover everything around them.

"Where you'll have 200,000 ants in a big fire ant mound, you'll have billion of crazy ants in one area, in that one group. They form a carpet of ant over acres that is several inches thick.

"It's a potential ecological disaster, displacing everything in front of it, other insects. Some people think getting rid of insects is good but it's not good for the environment. Insects play a vital role. When you destroy insects you destroy the food for birds and other animals that depend on these insect populations. It could affect our food supply, reducing the crop yield by 30 - 40 percent."

(from KENS-5)

Let's hope this isn't as bad as portrayed in the article. Despite scary visions of attacking, swarming, stinging ants, we've pretty much learned to live with fire ants. And remember all the warnings that preceded the approach of the killer bees from South America? Well, they're here, but somehow we weren't hit with the hellish, buzzing, doomsday scenarios painted by the b-movies. The bees are dangerous, they just didn't take over our towns like people thought they would.

Maybe the crazy ant won't be as bad, either. Granted, I don't like the idea of a "carpet" of ants spreading through my yard, but I'm not going to freak out just yet. Let's see how it plays out when they get here.

Thrashin' for the Lord

Skate punks around? Preach the word. Who knows, they might even listen.

On Sunday afternoons the gym at University United Methodist Church is transformed.

The skate church came about because kids would use the church parking lot to skate. University United Methodist decided instead of asking them to leave, they would invite them in.

...

After two hours of catching some air with a good board, they hear from the good book. While it may not look like it, it is a church service.

After 15 minutes of sharing the Word and prayer, the boys hit the ramps for another hour with this message:

"You don't have to get all clean, look right an[d] say the right things. Just be here and know that He loves you," said [the Reverend] Kit [Tomlinson].

(from KENS-5)

And, please, no tagging the Lord's house.

Oh, and don't forget, it's still sweeps month:

http:// www.kens5.com/ latestnews/stories/KENS20090516-SWEEPS-skatechurch.d9a8b87.html

Bringing pot to court

I don't know about you, but if I needed an attorney to represent me at the courthouse, I would want that person to be sharp, focused, and prepared for the day.

Attorney Regina Criswell was arrested at the Bexar County Courthouse after deputies say they discovered two ounces of marijuana and a chrome-colored marijuana pipe in her bag.

Deputies say Criswell was heading into the Courthouse to go to work. As is standard, security guards went through everyone's bags including Criswell's. That's when they say they found the baggie and pipe. Deputies were called over, and [they] questioned Criswell. The 50 year old woman admitted she knew the drugs were in her bag, but said they belonged to a client.

(from KENS-5)

Well, if you believe Ms. Criswell that the pot was indeed for her client, then what kind of lawyer would she be? What attorney condones the smoking of pot by their clients in a courthouse, and then agrees to transport the drugs herself? Seems to me to be a lack of good judgment, at the very least.

Chupacabras?

Or coyotes?

You decide.

SAN ANTONIO -- People who live in a neighborhood along Salado Creek say coyotes are killing their animals. Although families in Castle Hills Forest say they're excited about a new walking trail, they have real concerns about what may be lurking in the area.

Most anytime of the day, you can find people enjoying the wildlife or walking their dogs along the Salado Creek green-way. But when the sun goes down, something else comes out. Connie Priest has been talking with her neighbors. They all agree coyotes are becoming a big problem in their community.

Priest told News 4 WOAI the animals are getting a little too brave, "There's been other sightings in the neighborhood by people who have seen them walking in the street here."

(from WOAI-TV)

Get used to coyotes being around. They adapt well to urban environments.

"Burglars Use Doggy Door For Entry"

And Fido and Rex just let them do it.

From the backyard, the video shows the two burglars walk along the side of the home into the backyard, then the two suspects get on their hands and knees and enter the home through the small doggy door.

"After seeing the video, it's amazing how they fit through the doggy door," said the homeowner.

The video clearly shows the two burglars squeezing through the small opening, both slithering sideways to enter the home. The family's two dogs were shown wagging their tails and licking one of the suspect's faces as if it were a game. But once the burglars were inside the home, the game was over.

(from KSAT-12)

I like dogs, but sometimes they can be so dumb.

Jesus?

Or smudge?

You decide.



From the WOAI story:

The man told News 4 WOAI he recently cleaned his pool for the summer using a product called "Shock". During the cleaning, he said got some of the product on the side of the pool, and it left a stain. Despite efforts to remove it, the stain would not come out.

The man was working outside again last Saturday and stopped to take a break. When he glanced over at the pool where the stain was, he saw it resembled a man's face. After taking a closer look, he said he realized the face looked like that of Jesus Christ.

To try confirm he wasn't just seeing things, the man asked his wife to take a look at the stain after she arrived home from work. Without telling her his opinion, he asked what she could see. He told News 4 WOAI his wife's eyes opened wide and she said "It's Jesus!"

I don't know, maybe she said, "Oh, Jesus," because she was tired of him leaving stains on the side of the pool, and he just heard what he wanted to hear. After all, he certainly seems to be seeing what he wants to see.

Cactus tree

Have you ever seen prickly pear grow to the size of a tree? Dave's wife has, and she took pictures to prove it.

Oh, and don't forget to take a gander at this guy, who, of course, is typical of how Texans beef up their rides.

"Man stabbed at motel after ex-girlfriend's family shows up"

Man, family can be rough.

Police say that a man was at the hotel with his new girlfriend when his old girlfriend showed up. An argument started, and then the ex-girlfriend's family showed up.

Police say the man was stabbed under the arm and leg by one of the ex-girlfriend's family members. Police are still searching for the suspect.

(from KENS-5)

I don't guess that guy will be changing his mind about leaving that girl anytime soon.

Naughty, nasty fish

Dave at Silver Creek 78250 reports on a new restaurant coming to his neck of the woods. The title of his blog post is simply great.

Duking it out in Helotes

Ah, small-town politics. They always make for a good read.

Two distinct political parties have emerged in the small town: the reds and the greens.

The reds, who usually align themselves with Mayor Tom Schoolcraft, generally lean toward more and better development in the area, leading to more tax income for the city.

The greens, many of whom have said Myfe Moore is their de facto leader, on the whole dislike large amounts of development and speak on the platform of working for the environment.

The two groups have had a heated and well-publicized relationship in Helotes. Several incidents between the reds and greens have been documented in police reports.

Former City Secretary Judy Reichardt said her mailbox was painted green. Though the city was unable to produce a police report, Police Chief Morton Ault said he remembered the incident.

...

Though no police report could be found about dead animals, two reports were found regarding trash being thrown in citizens' yards. The complainants were kept anonymous.

The reds are not the only ones complaining. Police reports exist from members of the green party, as well, including the time the police were called to City Hall to witness the posting of a new agenda that former City Councilmembers Alina Eckhardt and Guillerma Contreras said Schoolcraft tried to block.

In other police reports, a box of dog feces were reportedly sent to City Hall with Alan's name on it, though the police were able to track that shipment and said they believe it came from a former co-worker of Alan's, not a Helotes enemy.

(from the Northwest Weekly)

But the important thing is this: Will they allow bikini waitresses into their city?

Practicing magic

If you have lived in San Antonio for some time, then you have probably already heard of curanderas, the "good" witches of Mexican culture, so this story may not be so strange to you. But, if you are an occasional visitor from elsewhere, then welcome to this profile of a local witch.

They are rejected by modern medicine for not having evidence to support their supernatural claims.

But there are many curanderas, healers, and even present-day witches, who still practice their healing craft and employ what they say are magical powers.

One woman on the south side has been doing this since the 1970s. She goes only by the name Bertie and prefers not to use her last name. She is disabled now, and doesn't get around much on her own, but she doesn't have to because believers come to her.

"You can create your own miracles," Bertie said. Her world is one of rituals, prayers and incantations.

"That's how it works....In the Bible, it tells you there are herbs for prosperity, health and for money," she added.

People have been coming to Bertie for decades to cure their stomach ailments and manage their arthritis and post-surgery pain without drugs.

But they also come to her to get their cards read and to remove hexes.

(KENS-5 story)

P.S.: It must be sweeps month again -- already! Why do I say that? Take a look at the URL for the above story, pasted here with the relevant portion highlighted.

www. kens5.com /news/specials/stories/KENS20090505-SWEEPS_Curandero.21f6ef50.html

The thin veneer of serious journalism flakes away.

Making it hard on yourself

Coins?

Is it ever worth it to steal coins?

Apparently one guy thought so.

SAN ANTONIO -- A man robbed the Palladium IMAX at the Rim Shopping Center of thousands of dollars in coins Monday.

Police said the man parked in the front of the theater at Loop 1604 and Interstate 10 and used a side entrance to enter the building.

The man took an elevator to the second floor, where he confronted the manager and forced him at gunpoint to open a safe and load trash bags with coins and bills, police said.

The manager and an assistance manager were forced to carry the bags, some [of] which tore due to the weight of the coins, to the man's car, police said.

(from KSAT-12)

Be on the lookout for anyone approaching a Coinstar with a wheelbarrow.