News

For many people the new year means a new start, and with it another chance to change.

"All women [want] to lose weight is my first one [resolution]" said Sandra Orendain, a native of Mexico and San Antonio resident. "And the second one is to be healthy and to do more exercises."

I suppose it is because I have largely made my living these past 20 years with my voice -- though certainly not as a singer -- that I have come to value the sound of a voice and what it reveals; both when the voice is alive, and perhaps more importantly, when that speaker is no longer with us.

Kerrville, Boerne and San Antonio host Camerata SA concerts this weekend

Personal Expressions will feature Anastasia Storer and Matthew Zerweck, violins; Emily Freudigman, viola; and Ken Freudigman, cello. These Camerata San Antonio musicians play together in chamber music as well as at the San Antonio Symphony.

As the world rings in the New Year, thousands of San Antonio residents and visitors will flock downtown to celebrate the arrival of 2013. Organizers say it’s the largest free New Year’s Eve celebration in Texas, and expect 250,000 people in downtown San Antonio.

A special piece written by Marin Alsop on NPR included a photo of her conducting the Sao Paulo Symphony Orchestra in a concert on a Brazilian beach. Twenty thousand listeners attended! Wow! An outdoor concert in December?

A look at the latest weather forecasts for points in South America quickly reminds us that it is presently Summertime (and one would hope the livin’ is easy) throughout the Southern Hemisphere.

More cases have come to light in the ongoing Air Force inquiry of military training instructors at Joint Base Lackland. The investigation that unofficially began 18 months ago has revealed an overall problem with abuses of power by instructors.

The first case of sexual assault was reported in June of 2011, and a year later the air education and training commander ordered a command investigation into allegations against more than a dozen training instructors.

The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag warning for the western part of South Texas due to "critical" fire conditions. The warning is in effect from noon to 7 p.m. due to a dry cold front that will drop temperatures across the state.

Winds of 15 to 20 mph are expected and may reach up to 30 mph in some places. These gusty winds make the danger of wildfires especially high when paired with low humidity and very dry air. Outdoor burning is not recommended, and any fires that do start will likely spread rapidly.

When I sit back and think upon my youth my thoughts often turn to television; I am an American after all. One program that gripped me in those days was "In Search of…" where Leonard Nimoy would explore various topics; everything from Bigfoot to the mysterious underwater monoliths thought to be the foundations of Atlantis.