Ryan Loyd

Take A Look At The First Drawings Of The New Convention Center

Ryan Loyd — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 21:07:35 +0000

The San Antonio City Council got their first look at the designs for the new expanded Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center this week.

At the council session, Michael Sawaya, director of Convention and Sports Facilities, said almost immediately after taking the podium that San Antonio has outgrown the current setup.

He said it’s important that San Antonio remain competitive for conventions going forward.

"It’s about sustainability, about quality and about convenience for the customer, about being a one-stop shop destination," he said.

Local Research Funding Could Be Threatened By Sequestration

Ryan Loyd — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 17:30:19 +0000

The effects of federal budget cuts known as sequestration have scientists and medical researchers worried that funding will start to be cut.

Research and medical discoveries depend on a plentiful supply of money, but if lawmakers in Washington, D.C. slash funding, research can’t be conducted.

That could mean a new generation of researchers won't have jobs according to Research!America President Mary Woolley, who said that will be detrimental to the country in the next 10 years.

Spurs Stars Dedicate New Learning Center At Wheatley Middle School

Ryan Loyd — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 15:30:27 +0000

The Spurs are holding a one-game advantage in their showdown with the Miami Heat for the NBA Finals, and despite the pressure, the team took time Wednesday to dedicate a new learning center at Wheatley Middle School.

NBA Commissioner David Stern said this is the 811th NBA live, learn and play center of its kind. Teams who make the finals are given an NBA grant to give back to their communities.

Hunger Study Map Highlights Local Need In Bexar County

Ryan Loyd — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 22:15:23 +0000

Feeding America, the nation's leading domestic hunger nonprofit, has released its Map the Meal Gap study for the third year.

Bob Aiken, the organization's president, said it’s the only study that maps food insecurities county by county across the nation. The World Health Organization defines food security in three parts: Food availability of sufficient quality, access to appropriate nutrition, and appropriate used based on nutrition and care.

Massive Bat Cave Stirs Texas-Sized Debate Over Development

Ryan Loyd — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 21:16:00 +0000

The Bracken Bat Cave, just north of San Antonio, is as rural as it gets. You have to drive down a long, 2-mile rocky road to reach it. There's nothing nearby — no lights, no running water. The only thing you hear are the katydids.

The cave houses a massive bat colony, as it has for an estimated 10,000 years.

SAPD Officer Arrested, Charged With Criminal Mischief

Ryan Loyd — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 20:48:21 +0000

San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said the officer, Sergio Hernandez, was asked to finish his drink and leave Stacy's Bar on Blanco as it was closing early Thursday morning.

McManus said he was escorted out when he got angry and then kicked the door and knocked out the plexi-glass to the door.

Hernandez is assigned to the south patrol and is a 10-year veteran of the department. McManus said he will be referred to SAPD's Officer Concern Program.

Election Official Says Lesson To Be Learned From Voter Card Confusion

Ryan Loyd — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 21:45:00 +0000

Try as they might, voters and elections officials aren’t always on the same page when it comes to information needed to vote.

That played out in real life Monday at the start of early voting when District 5 David Medina’s campaign said a voter who went to the Las Palmas Library to cast a vote couldn’t do so, which is because she’s not a resident of District 5.

Progress And Setback In First SA2020 Report Card

Ryan Loyd — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 20:40:21 +0000

The first report card for San Antonio's goal-setting and transformation program, known as SA2020, has been released and city leaders will be pleased that many areas are making progress, but there is still work to be done.

The report ranked progress on each line item with one of five marks:

Shovels In Hand, Kids Break Ground On New Children's Museum

Ryan Loyd — Fri, 31 May 2013 22:23:00 +0000

Children stood over a sandbox full of bright blue sand with plastic shovels, and after Mayor Julián Castro and onlookers counted down from five, the kids dug into the granules and lifted it into the air with their shovels.

The event marked the official groundbreaking of the new San Antonio Children’s Museum to be built at Broadway and Mulberry.

The 5.5 acre site will feature a parking lot with nearly 250 spaces, and a 30,000 square foot outdoor area for kids to play, learn and discover.

City Council Facing 2014 Budget Challenges

Ryan Loyd — Fri, 31 May 2013 15:16:32 +0000

The city’s financial forecast for the rest of fiscal year 2013 looks good according to San Antonio City Manager Sheryl Sculley. She told the city council the city is $5 million ahead of budget.

But the concern lies in the next fiscal year, where she and her staff predict a $35 to $50 million shortfall.

Sculley said 75 percent of the budget goes toward core services like police, fire, public works and parks and city council usually doesn't reduce funding for those services.