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 91 and a low of 70. A cold front this week will bring slight chances of rain to the region and highs in the mid 80s.
The tropics: There is no significant tropical activity in the Gulf or Caribbean regions. The Atlantic hurricane season ends on Nov. 30.
Hundreds of thousands of early ballots already cast
More than 315,000 Bexar County voters have cast an early ballot.
The Bexar County Elections Department said Sunday that's about 25% of registered voters so far.
Polls are open today through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Spurs coach slams Trump
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich went on a 12 minute tirade against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump at a press conference on Saturday.
He said Trump is a danger to the country and a poor moral example. “This is the biggest whiner that ever walked on the face of the earth," he said. "He’s like the worst example of a 5th grade bully that I’ve ever seen. Would you want your kids to act like he does?”
Popovich added that Trump is unfit to be president: “You wouldn’t have him babysit your kids. You wouldn’t hire him. If you had a small business, you want that man in your business? There’s no way. But you’re going to vote for him for president?”
Popovich, the winningest coach in NBA history, has a history of speaking out against racism and calling for social justice.
County commissioners address aid for homeless, mental health
Bexar County commissioners were expected to direct millions of federal COVID-19 relief dollars into services for mental health, the homeless, and individuals with substance use disorders when they meet today.
The UT Health Science Center alone could receive more than $10 million to assist and treat people in need, including a mobile medical team to reach the homeless.
In other action, commissioners will consider a nearly $7 million makeover for the county crime lab. Also on the agenda is nearly half-a-million dollars to help support the Classical Music Insititute, Ballet San Antonio, and San Antonio Opera.
Commissioners will open the meeting with a proclamation that honors Central Catholic High School's State Champions Baseball team.
50 days of no rain for San Antonio
The last rainfall was recorded on Sept 5. This is the fourth time this century that San Antonio has endured a rainless streak of at least 40 days.
The U.S. Drought Monitor showed 90% of Bexar County in Extreme Drought, the second highest level of drought.
The Edwards Aquifer is at a near-historic lows. Its water levels rapidly dropped.
The aquifer sat at just 626 feet as of Sunday. That's around 40 feet below average.
The San Antonio Report's CityFest begins today at TPR's HQ
Panelists will meet at TPR's headquarters today from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. to discuss the future of downtown San Antonio. Participants include City Manager Erik Walsh, Andres Andujar of Hemisfair, Trish DeBerry of Centro San Antonio, UTSA’s Veronica Salazar and Weston Urban’s David Robinson Jr.
On Tuesday, former mayors Phil Hardberger, Ivy Taylor, Henry Cisneros and Nelson Wolff will headline the keynote luncheon at the Witte Museum.
More information can be found at cityfestSA.org.
Aid worker: North Carolina storm victims still need help
A San Antonio resident working with a recovery organization in North Carolina said flood victims are in dire need.
Matthew Clark of San Antonio is logistics chief for the non-profit Ground Force Humanitarian Aid. He’s currently in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, near the hardest hit area of the floods. He said lives are still upended.
He added that his group has heard that of livestock are being put down due to a lack of hay for feed.
Recovery groups are also coordinating donations for things like generators and winter clothing as cold weather begins to set in. Learn more here.
Loved ones lost celebrated in Hemisfair
Día De Los Muertos at Hemisfair filled downtown San Antonio this weekend with music, food and memories.
The holiday observed on Nov. 1 and 2 has traditionally been a quiet, personal family event, celebrated at home or at a local graveyard, communing with memories, and the spirits of loved ones who have died.
In the past decade or so though, as the nuanced cultural attributes of the Southwest have emerged and been captured by ever-present cameras, the observance of Día De Los Muertos has grown exponentially.
On Saturday and Sunday, the Hemisfair grounds was filled with festive music. Sidewalks were adorned with almost 80 altars honoring the dead.
