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 87 and a low of 49.
The tropics: The National Hurricane Center continued to monitor a system south of Jamaica that was expected to strengthen into a tropical depression by this weekend. So far it poses a minimal threat to Central America. The Atlantic hurricane season ends on Nov. 30.
Bexar County groups get $11M to fight opioid problems
Bexar County commissioners voted on Tuesday to move forward on the distribution of more than $11 million to local organizations to battle opioid use disorders.
The money comes from the county's share of a legal settlement against major opioid manufacturers because of the national opioid crisis.
Commissioners directed Andrea Guerrero-Guajardo, the head of county public health, to proceed with negotiations with 13 providers of treatment or prevention services.
The three biggest local recipients are Crosspoint, Alpha Home, and San Antonio Lifetime Recovery.
Bexar County tax break approved for developer of Pearl area residences
Bexar County commissioners on Tuesday approved county tax breaks for two developments in the Pearl area that will add a combined 275 living units.
Commissioners approved a 10-year, 40% tax break on real and personal property investments for Oxbow Real Estate for the developments known as Iselta at 102 East Josephine Street and The Mira at 1200 East Elmira.
The county tax breaks are valued at more than $1.4 million. But the new properties will be valued at $129 million.
County Judge Peter Sakai said that will still generate new property tax revenues for other taxing entities, including the City of San Antonio and for schools.
VIA appoints new president and CEO
The VIA Metropolitan Transit board appointed Jon Gary Herrera as its new president and CEO, effective in January. He is the first Latino to hold the role.
Herrera is a San Antonio native who has served as VIA’s senior vice president of public engagement since 2017.
It will be his job to oversee VIA through the construction and launch of its advanced rapid transit lines that will run north to south and east to west in the next several years. ART is one of the biggest projects VIA has taken on in recent history.
Current President and CEO Jeffrey Arndt is retiring after 13 years in the role.
Immigrant groups prepare for Operation Aurora's mass deportation risk
Mass deportation was a winning issue for Donald Trump's campaign for president. But immigrant rights groups plan to fight back.
In 2025, Republicans will hold all the political power in Washington — with the White House and control of both houses of Congress. That means mass deportations of millions of non-citizens will likely be funded and authorized.
But Priscilla Olivarez, senior policy attorney and strategist for the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, said immigrant communities can prepare themselves. “All individuals in the U.S. regardless of their immigration status have certain rights and protections under our Constitution," she explained. "You have the right to remain silent and can refuse to speak to an ICE agent. You also have a right to demand a warrant.”
Olivarez said if Trump follows through with mass deportation project named Operation Aurora, it would damage the economy with the loss of workers in agriculture, construction, hospitality, medical and child care. This would drive up costs for food, housing and other services.
VA: Veterans living with homelessness at a record low
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' Point-In-Time measurement began in 2009.
The PIT count is an annual count of sheltered and unsheltered people that takes place one night in January.
Since 2023 there has been a 9.7% decrease in veteran homelessness, according to this year's results. In addition to the national decrease in homelessness, Texas also had a decrease from last year.
Last month, the VA announced it permanently housed nearly 48,000 veterans in the 2024 fiscal year.
New Braunfels continues record growth on national stage
A study conducted by SmartAsset ranked 610 cities across the U.S. based on the one-year change in population, according to recent U.S. Census Bureau estimates.
Silver Spring, Maryland, ranked first for one-year population growth at 12.86%, while New Braunfels followed closely at 12.49%.
The rest of the top five populations for one-year growth are also in Texas and Maryland, including Glen Burnie, Maryland; and Texas cities Georgetown and Atascocita (northeast of Houston).
New Braunfels grew by nearly 30% over five years to almost 111,000 people. The size of the working-age population in New Braunfels, ages 20 to 54, also grew by nearly 22% over one year.
Turkeys are cheaper but that may change soon
Turkey prices are lower this year but state experts said that may change as the holiday season progresses.
Texas A&M Agriculture Economics researchers explained that the wholesale prices for an 8-to-16 pound bird is 99-cents per pound, compared to $1.12 last year.
A 6% drop in turkey production and avian influenza outbreaks are expected to impact supply.
Experts said this may result in slightly higher prices in the days leading up to Thanksgiving.
State legislator's bill ties public school funding to their arts programs
Tuesday was the first day Texas lawmakers could file bills for the upcoming legislative session. State Rep. James Talarico -- Austin-area Democrat and a former middle school teacher -- authored legislation that would increase state funding for the arts in public schools.
He wants to increase funding for music, art, dance and theater classes. To do that, he’s proposing a change to the Texas school finance system. He wants the Legislature to create a fine arts allotment.
Public schools would be eligible for more funding based on the number of students taking fine arts courses. Texas already has student-based allotments for things like special education, bilingual education and school safety.
In a statement, he added this same bill passed the Texas House during the last legislative session in 2023.
The 89th Legislature convenes in Austin on Jan. 14.
