Hello D6,

I hope everyone is having a good Memorial Day weekend.

Regarding last week's events, let’s talk about property crime and school safety.

The Public Safety Committee approved a $1.4 million ReACT grant application to continue the work of the SAPD’s Auto Crimes Task Force.

The Task Force’s primary goals are to reduce auto burglary and auto theft; and educate the public on property crime prevention strategies. The annual grant, which has been a growing part of our public safety budget since 2011, will fund 1 police sergeant, 9 detective investigators, and 2 administrative civilian positions.

Last year the Auto Theft Task Force recovered 1,526 vehicles, valued at $28.5 million, and arrested 539 individuals.

Click on the image above to see a News4 story regarding the Auto Crimes Task Force funding.

Also last week, the Public Safety Committee discussed security in our city’s schools. The discussion was prompted by a proposed ordinance (also known as a CCR) that sought to bolster coordination between the SAPD and the many ISD’s across the city. The CCR also proposed hardening school security.

SAPD Chief William McManus provided a detailed brief that outlined the fact that all of the coordination items suggested in the proposed ordinance were already in place. The hardening of school security, which could include placing an armed police officer in each of the city’s campuses, is part of an unfunded state mandate that went into effect last year with the approval of HB3.

There are more than 580 elementary, middle, and high schools in San Antonio, which would make fulfilling the mandate a daunting task. That said, our children’s safety and security is my and the SAPD’s top priority, and it will be regularly discussed in the Public Safety Committee, which I chair, to ensure that every precaution is taken in every campus in our city.

Speaking of schools.

I always love the opportunity to speak with students across the city. They are the future, and it’s important that we encourage and inspire them to succeed.

A special thank you to Valley Hi Elementary School for the invitation to participate in their Career Day and address their 5th grade students.

I am always excited to share my education and career journey and I wish them a great summer as the school year comes to an end.

Congratulations to the newly installed board of the San Antonio LGBT Chamber of Commerce!

It’s always an honor to stand for representation and fight against discrimination. Thank you, Executive Director Luis Vasquez, and Board President Justin Muñoz for the gracious invitation to deliver the keynote address at their installation ceremony. Their leadership will be instrumental in fostering an environment where all members of our community can thrive. 

I’m focused on supporting the San Antonio LGBT Chamber of Commerce in every way I can. This means advocating for policies that promote fairness, creating programs that support LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs, and ensuring that the chamber remains a beacon of inclusivity and support. I’ve got your back!

I was honored this week to join SAPD Chief William McManus to celebrate the graduation of Police Cadet Class 2023-Delta.  Congratulations to the 37 graduates of the Academy!

I appreciate your commitment to serve and protect the residents of San Antonio. As the chair of the Public Safety Committee, rest assured that I will always be committed to advocating for you as you embark on your career in our City’s police department and the public safety of our growing community.

I was delighted to participate in the 2024 Older Americans Month Celebration themed “Powered by Connection” to present the Senior Community Service Awards.

Together with the City/County Joint Commission on Elderly Affairs, WellMed Charitable Foundation and DHS, the Senior Community Service Awards recognize the significant contributions of San Antonio’s older adults for the life and welfare of the community and its people.

Our elders inspire the younger generations and demonstrate that making contributions to their community can lead to essential life skills, like respect, patience, and leadership abilities.

Congratulations to all the Annual Senior Community Service Awards honorees! From the bottom of my heart, thank you for all you’ve done for our community, for our families, and for our future.

Have a great week!

Councilwoman Melissa Cabello Havrda

SAPD Calls for Service - Last 7 Days

Click on the image for interactive map.

Construction and Maintenance Notices

March 1st - June 28th

• Military Dr W and Potranco Rd
  • Fiberlichgt, LLC
  • robert.pash.fiberlight.com
  • (435) 687-7836

March 8th - July 8th

• Culebra Rd
  • Starting at 10603 Culebra Rd, Crown Castle is aerial fiber attachments at an existing CPS utility pole along Culebra Rd. Aerial fiber to route west along Culebra Rd. At 10151 Culebra Rd, fiber turn turn north at an existing utility pole, and route along the west side of Les Harrison Dr. At the north side of 10151 Culebra Rd, aerial fiber to transition at an existing utility pole to underground conduit. Underground conduit by direction bore to continue north along Les Harrison Dr. Underground conduit to terminate at HH at 5802 Les Harrison Dr.

March 8th - July 8th

• Weybridge and Hardesty
  • Starting at 10603 Culebra Rd, Crown Castle is aerial fiber attachments at an existing CPS utility pole along Culebra Rd. Aerial fiber to route west along Culebra Rd. At 10151 Culebra Rd, fiber turn turn north at an existing utility pole, and route along the west side of Les Harrison Dr. At the north side of 10151 Culebra Rd, aerial fiber to transition at an existing utility pole to underground conduit. Underground conduit by direction bore to continue north along Les Harrison Dr. Underground conduit to terminate at HH at 5802 Les Harrison Dr.

March 29 - July 19

• Google
  • 9550 Westover Hills Blvd
  • Stonegate Hills & Aviara

March 20 - July 20

• Google
  • 9760 Braun Rd
  • Tezel Trls

April 4th ​to June 4th

• Jim Bowie from Town Hill Dr to Viva Max Dr. , weather permitting.

April 4th ​to June 4th

• Townfield Dr from War Arrow Dr to Townwood St., weather permitting.

April 9th to June 9th

• Oakhill Dr from Ingram Rd to War Arrow Dr., weather permitting.

April 15 to June 15  

• Pipers Creek from Joe Newton St to Culebra Rd ., weather permitting.

March 7 - July 7

• Old Tezel Rd
  • Within COSA right of way, start path at approximately 9418 Guilbeau Rd proposing to bore for an estimated 3,514 ft along Old Tezel Rd.

March 1 - July 1

• Rue De Bois
  • Within COSA right of way, start path at approximately 9303 Rue De Bois proposing to softscape for an estimated 4,407 ft and bore 400 ft along Rue de Bois, Autumn Branches, Autumn Sunrise and Braun Rd.

March 2 - July 2

• Guilbeau Rd.
  • Within COSA right of way, start path at approximately 9418 Guilbeau Rd, proposing to softscape for an estimated 1,812 ft and bore 418 ft along Guilbeau Rd between Old Tezel Rd and Tezel Rd.

May 3 - September 3

• Tezel Rd
  • Within COSA right of way, start path at approximately 8181 Tezel Rd proposing to bore for an estimated 609 ft along Tezel Rd.

Council Meetings and Committees

BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETINGS WEEK:

• Fire Fighters’ and Police Officers’ Civil Service Commission Meeting
• Removing Barriers to Affordable Housing Technical Working Group
• Economic and Workforce Development Committee
• Southern Edwards Plateau Habitat Conservation Plan Coordinating Committee Meeting
• Linear Creekway Parks Advisory Board Meeting
• Head Start Policy Council Meeting

ACS Pet Of The Week

Thanos: Destroyer of stereotypes, mender of hearts. 

Last month, Thanos was spotted slowly moseying around near a local Wal-Mart when a resident spotted him. The resident thought Thanos’s sluggish behavior was due to an illness and called 3-1-1 for help. Animal Care Officer Legate responded to the call to find a calm and friendly Thanos waiting nearby and took the pup to ACS to be evaluated by our veterinary team.

After a thorough evaluation, our clinic team determined that Thanos was not ill...just a super chill 3-year-old blocky-headed pup.

Over the past month, Thanos has been hanging out in our field managers’ office, and we’ve learned that he LOVES treats, cuddles, and naps! This overgrown lap dog is known for leaning into his loved ones and sleeping the day away. If a large, cuddly, couch-potato sounds like your ideal next best furiend, Thanos is your guy! Visit us between 1 pm and 7 pm to meet him today!

Community Bulletin Board

The Bond Project will construct roadway improvements to include sidewalks, curbs, driveway approaches, drainage, bicycle facilities and other improvements as applicable and within available funding.  This is a multi-phased project. 

Click on the graphic above for more information.

Mental Health Matters!

The Teen Mental Health Survey, created by teens for teens ages 12-19 in San Antonio, is now live. By filling it out today, teens can help improve teen mental health in San Antonio!

Take the survey here: https://publicinput.com/v2030

Did you know that we have an interactive Apartment Inspections dashboard? Stay up to date on inspection activities for apartment units. For more info: https://app.powerbigov.us/view...

COSA Construction Resource Toolkit

As progress continues in our City so does construction.  I am reaching out to remind you that COSA has a Construction Resource Toolkit to help small businesses impacted by construction in their area.  This guide includes contacts, strategies, and other resources to help small businesses prepare and navigate the construction experience. This Toolkit is available digitally at the links listed below. 

• EDD Programs & Grants page
• Construction Resource Toolkit-ENGLISH
• Construction Resource Toolkit-SPANISH

The Texas Legislature recently enacted HB 114 requiring all school districts to implement mandatory disciplinary alternative education program (DAEP) placement for students found in possession of, using, selling, giving, or delivering e-cigarettes or vaping devices on school grounds or at a school-related event.

This alternative school placement, required by law, is made regardless of whether the substance being vaped is a controlled substance or not.

We ask that you discuss this new state law with your child(ren).

Pack your school bag with resources from San Antonio Public Library!

Local libraries offer school resources for students of all ages

The school year is once again upon us, and San Antonio Public Library (SAPL) wants to remind students and their families of the educational resources available at your library year-round. Throughout the year, SAPL is packed with free resources to support children, teens, and adults on their educational journeys.

In addition to a collection of over 2 million items and dozens of free online databases, SAPL offers online tutoring, Wi-Fi, low-cost printing services, and more for all ages. Sign up for a free SAPL card today to kick off the school year and enjoy several services and resources to assist in your educational pursuits. Visit MySAPL.org/CardSignUp or stop by your nearest SAPL location to register.

SAPL’s educational resources include:

Read-alongs

Available at all SAPL Locations

Do you have a young child learning to read or reading English or Spanish for the first time? Read-alongs, print books with built-in audio narration, are available in a range of English and Spanish titles. They are an entertaining, self-guided way to help enhance your little one's literacy skills. To borrow a read-along, visit the read-along shelf at your nearest SAPL location. Introduce children to the pleasure of independent reading and let them embark on a delightful literary journey with read-along stories. To learn more about these selections and to browse them in our collection, visit the children's services section of the SAPL website.

MySAPL App

Download instant access to the San Antonio Public Library collection on your phone or mobile device. The MySAPL app is free, easy, and available for both iOS and Android users — take the library wherever you go!

PrintOnline

Available at all SAPL Locations

PrintOnline is a mobile printing service available to all library cardholders. Get printing in four simple steps:

1. Access the PrintOnline portal
2. Upload documents from home, the office, a coffee shop, or anywhere you have internet access
3. Visit your nearest branch library to print your files
4. Enter your SAPL card number into the print kiosk at your library to finish printing your documents.

Free Indoor & Outdoor Public Wi-Fi

Available at SAPL Locations

You’ll always have the Wi-Fi password at SAPL! Wi-Fi is available at all SAPL locations daily.* Indoor Wi-Fi is available during normal service hours and outdoor Wi-Fi is available from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. every day.

* Locations undergoing building improvements or other projects may have adjusted hours. Details listed at MySAPL.org.

Ask a Librarian
Call (210-207-2500) or chat online (Ask.MySAPL.org)
Librarians are teachers in disguise. They’re available to make book recommendations for your next research project or help with account questions.

Homework Help

Daily | 11 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.

Connecting you to Homework Help heroes is what we do. Free online homework help from professional tutors is available in a variety of subjects for students in kindergarten through college. Available 11 a.m. to 11:59 p.m., seven days a week in English and Spanish. For more information, visit SAPL’s expert help website.

SORA App

SAPL has partnered with every public school district in the area to offer students unlimited access to age-appropriate materials in our digital library even if you don't have a SAPL card. Thanks to the Sora app by OverDrive, San Antonio students at participating schools can easily browse our extensive library. Head over to Sora’s website to see if your school is participating!

FAFSA Assistance   

Monday – Thursday, 1 p.m. - 10 p.m.

College preparation just got a little bit easier! Brought to you by Brainfuse, FAFSA tutors are available for live assistance Monday through Thursday, 1:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Visit SAPL’s featured services page for details.

Database Access
Looking for the August 1973 issue of National Geographic for a research project? Need access to over 60 years of articles about rock music? From Aardvarks to ZZ Top, San Antonio Public Library is your doorway to over 170 online databases, including popular news databases like the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. Some databases are library-use only, so visit your nearest SAPL location for these resources. To get started visit our database guide.

For more information on Back-to-School resources provided by SAPL, visit our guide.

Animal Care Services Extends Shelter Hours to Encourage Lifesaving

 San Antonio Animal Care Services (ACS) has expanded shelter hours to give would-be adopters, fosters, and rescue partners more opportunities to help pets in need. The municipal shelter will be open two additional hours, with adoptions and other services now available from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays. Weekend hours remain unchanged, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The $25 special adoption rate continues through the end of July. This special rate applies to dog, cat, puppy, and kitten adoptions. 

Fosters Desperately Needed to Help Local Pets in Need

 San Antonio Animal Care Services (ACS) and local animal welfare partners have been flooded with pets in need, including dozens of puppies and kittens. Fosters are urgently needed to provide temporary care for pets as they become adoption ready. Foster applications are available via the following links:

• Animal Care Services at: www.saacs.info/foster
• San Antonio Pets Alive! at: www.sanantoniopetsalive.org/programs/foster
• Animal Defense League at: www.adltexas.org/foster-application/

Fosters will receive food and other supplies for their temporary pets including medical care and vaccinations. Interested residents should check with the program of their choice for additional resources. 

Always dispose of pesticides properly

Pesticides and herbicides can be a convenient way to protect plants from pests and weeds. But when used or discarded incorrectly, these chemicals pose great risks not only to our ecosystem and wildlife, but also to our water, soil, air and human health.

The best way to avoid the perils of pesticides and herbicides is to stop using them altogether. But if you must use them:

• Always carefully read the product label and follow the disposal instructions exactly.
• Only purchase what you need and use it until it’s gone to avoid leftovers.
• Never discard these items in your trash bin for regular collection.  
• Don’t ever pour them down sink drains, toilets or storm drains.

Pesticides and herbicides must be disposed properly at a household hazardous waste site. For a schedule of monthly drop-off events, visit sa.gov/swmd.

A higher-paying career is now within your reach. San Antonio’s unprecedented Ready to Work program offers tuition assistance for education and job training.

Career coaches are with you from start to finish to evaluate what you need now to get started, guide you through career planning and get you enrolled to begin your path to securing a quality, higher-paying job.

No other program offers more support to ensure participants reach success. If you are ready for a change, take advantage of this opportunity now.

There are three easy ways to learn more and apply:

      1. Online: Visit readytoworksa.com

      2. Phone: Call 3-1-1 and ask for Ready to Work

          3. In Person: Visit Alamo Colleges District, Project Quest, Restore Education or Workforce Solutions Alamo

Animal Care Services joins Daisy Cares to feed hungry pets in San Antonio 

Pet food donations sought as holidays near and needs increase   

The San Antonio Animal Care Services (SAACS) team is joining Daisy Cares, a local non-profit, to host a holiday pet food drive that will help both organizations support pet parents in need by filling their pet pantries.    

Bags of dog and puppy food are especially needed in addition to other new or gently used pet items. All donations will be divided between the Daisy Cares pet food pantry and the SAACS Community Animal Support and Assistance (CASA) program, which uses a case management approach to assist pet parents in need with food, humane care support, and veterinary resources.   

Residents can bring pet food donations through the end of November to Animal Care Services during regular business hours. SAACS is located at 4710 State Highway 151 and is open on weekdays from 1 - 7 p.m. and 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. on weekends (except on City holidays). All donations are tax-deductible.

CPS energy has launched an updated webpage with information to help keep customers safe in the event of an outage: www.cpsenergy.com/prepare and in Spanish www.cpsenergy.com/preparar.

Customers are also encouraged to update their emergency contact information with CPS in case of an emergency.

For more information visit http://cpsenergy.com