This is TPR's roundup of the latest headlines and news developments. It provides a succinct and clear summary of the stories TPR is following.
Today's weather: Expect a high today of 95 and a low of 65. Skies will remain sunny and clear through the weekend. Evenings will grow cooler and much more pleasant over the coming days.
The tropics: The National Hurricane Center continues to monitor Hurricane Milton — one of the strongest hurricanes of 2024 — as it moves across the Gulf of Mexico toward Florida. NPR reported that the massive storm was expected to affect most of Florida later this week. The Atlantic hurricane season ends on Nov. 30.
Baby boy dies after dog mauling in Converse
A one-year-old baby boy has died after being mauled by pit bulls at a home in Converse on Monday, according to the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office. It identified the child on Tuesday as Jiryiah Johnson.
Sheriff Javier Salazar said the 36-year-old babysitter left the home and left a 13-year-old girl with the baby.
He said that's when the dogs attacked the baby and the girl. "It was described to us almost as a tug of war between the 13-year-old over the baby with one of the dogs," he explained. "At a certain point, additional dogs came into the bedroom and joined the attack."
The sheriff said the girl was able to flee with the baby into another room and barricade the door until deputies arrived.
The woman was arrested and faced injury to a child charges.
San Antonio community marks one year since Oct. 7
The Jewish community in San Antonio gathered at Temple Beth El on Monday to mark one year since the Hamas-led attack in Israel, just as San Antonio Justice for Palestine and several local organizations held a rally in front of City Hall to mark one year since the ensuing war in Gaza began.
Nammie Ichilov, the president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of San Antonio, urged the community to remember the 1,200 people killed in Israel last year and the more than 100 hostages that are still captive. He also emphasized his hope for a quick resolution, a ceasefire, and an opportunity for real peace between Israel and the Palestinian people.
Organizers at City Hall protested the civilian death toll in Gaza and the U.S. government's support for Israel. Annalisa Maria Garcia, the policy and advocacy specialist at Culturingua, said the effects of the last year have rippled far beyond Gaza and the region.
Palestinian officials said nearly 42,000 people have been killed in Gaza in the Israeli response.
Fire union opposes Prop C on November ballot
The San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association opposes Proposition C on the November ballot. It would undo a 2018 charter amendment that placed salary and tenure caps on the San Antonio city manager.
A statement from the union’s president Joe Jones said his union’s position was nothing personal against City Manager Erik Walsh, but about sticking to principles.
The current caps limit a city manager’s tenure to eight years and their pay to 10 times the lowest paid salaried city employee.
Prop C proponents, including most of the city council, have said the power to hire, maintain, and fire city managers should be left up to elected leaders. In a statement, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said if Prop C fails, the San Antonio city council will struggle to retain top talent for the city manager role.
SAISD holds public meeting on ballpark
The San Antonio Independent School District held a public meeting on Monday night to discuss the possible sale of district land for the new San Antonio Missions ballpark.
Dozens of residents spoke late into the night, with the vast majority opposing any possible sale over concerns about how the ballpark project will displace potentially hundreds of residents at the Soap Factory Apartments.
Richard Aguilar, a retired clergyman who now works as the fundraising manager at the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center, an arts and cultural organization, said baseball isn’t worth the displacement the new ballpark development will cause.
Bruce Hill, who is on the Missions leadership team, said the Missions care about the SAISD community and want a deal that’s fair to them and Soap Factory residents.
The SAISD board president said it will be weeks or months before the board votes on any potential sale agreement.
Bexar County officials discuss rising rate of domestic violence homicides
The judge, sheriff, and district attorney of Bexar County led a joint news conference on Monday to discuss the rising number of domestic violence homicides in unincorporated areas.
There have been nine such homicides so far this year, compared to four in all of last year, and they represent more than half of all homicides in unincorporated areas.
District Attorney Joe Gonzales said his office works to prosecute all domestic violence cases, even when survivors have difficulty coming forward. Sheriff Javier Salazar said abuse often starts with threats and continues to escalate. County Judge Peter Sakai called domestic violence in Bexar County unacceptable.
They all said victims should reach out for help from one of the many agencies ready to assist. The county health department launched a help line for deputies to connect with experts to quickly access a victim's danger risk at the site of calls for help.
Appeals court pauses ruling calling voter security law unconstitutional
A federal judge ruled last week that a key part of the Texas 2021 voter legislation law SB1 was confusing, vague, and overly broad.
It only concerned the state’s attempt to block assistance with absentee ballots and meant the state could no longer investigate voter assistance efforts as a criminal act.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton cited this law when his office raided the homes of voting rights activists and a Democratic candidate for the Texas House searching for evidence of alleged voter fraud.
Paxton immediately appealed the decision and requested a stay. The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals granted a temporary stay until Oct. 10.
