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: It's going to be sunny and windy with a high near 44 and wind gusts as strong as 30 mph. Mostly clear tonight, with a low around 28.
Town hall meetings looking for feedback on Spurs arena
Bexar County Commissioners this week took no action to place a proposed downtown Spurs arena before voters in May.
Now County Judge Peter Sakai and Precinct 4 Commissioner Tommy Calvert have called for two town hall meetings to hear from residents on the matter.
The meetings are planned at Freeman Coliseum on Jan. 25 and Feb. 1 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Calvert says commissioners held off on the vote because more needs to be known about the project's total cost, funding method, and long-term implications.
ATF report sheds light on weapons used by Mexican cartels
Latest data by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives finds nearly three-quarters of weapons used by Mexican cartels come from the Southwestern U.S.
This includes Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas.
Pistols and rifles are smuggled to Mexican states with Arizona-to-Sonora as the main trafficking route.
Cartels increasingly use untraceable privately made firearms — often purchased without background checks in the U.S.
SAISD: Challenges remain in addressing heating failures
In a letter to parents this week, San Antonio ISD Superintendent Jaime Aquino said the district had spent more than $75 million to improve their HVAC systems following heater failures last year.
More than 300 mechanical components have been replaced, including 15 boilers.
But district officials estimate that it would cost nearly $600 million to bring their facilities up to industry standards.
Aquino said the district can’t replace every school’s HVAC system, and that replacing one part of outdated systems can cause another part of the system to breakdown.
San Antonio warming centers open for residents
More than 50 warming centers are open across San Antonio during this cold spell, including at city libraries, senior centers, and park facilities.
Brian Chasnoff, a Communications and Engagement Officer with the city, said the city is constantly monitoring weather conditions to determine what warming stations are needed.
"Right now, we are operating at level one, but we are evaluating on a daily basis if we need to operate at a higher level," he said.
VIA is offering free rides to and from warming centers across San Antonio through Jan. 11 on all VIA bus, VIA Link, and VIAtrans services.
Paxton sues TikTok a second time
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Thursday he is once again suing TikTok.
Paxton alleges the popular social media platform deceptively markets its app as safe for minors despite showing inappropriate or explicit content.
The lawsuit claims TikTok lied about its safety standards, and falsely said that videos with drugs, alcohol, and nudity are infrequent.
Paxton filed a separate lawsuit against TikTok last year alleging the company unlawfully operated its platform in a manner that put the online safety of Texas children at risk.
New MLK mural installed on the city's East Side today
A new mural over the north New Braunfels bridge honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. goes up today.
An older, faded mural was removed last year and a public art contest took place to select its replacement.
San Antonio District 2 City Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez said the unveiling comes just in time for this year's annual Martin Luther King Jr. March.
"(The artwork) very much holds to original themes of coming together, unity, and living on in Reverend, Dr. Martin Luther King's dream," he said.
