Ryan Loyd

Gen. Edward Rice, who leads the Air Education and Training Command in San Antonio, has met with select members of Congress in the ongoing sex scandal at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.

Rice said unprofessional relationships at basic military training will not be tolerated.

Rice promised to establish and maintain an environment that he says is consistent with the high standards of professional conduct that the Air Force demands of instructors.

City council voted to approve the convention center expansion and the new council district map, and also ruled to approve the payday loan ordinance championed by District 1 Councilman Diego Bernal.

District 1 Councilman Diego Bernal said the reason he wanted to devise a plan to help people pay off their loans is because of the vicious debt cycle that the practice creates.

He said payday lending companies create an almost impossible way for people to get rid of the loan because of high interest rates.

San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro has gone national with his Pre-K 4 SA initiative, proclaiming at the Democratic National Convention that it’s one way he is invested in education for the youngest of his constituents. Castro is counting on the measure to pass in the general election to give thousands of four-year-olds a quality, full-day early education.

Rutgers University’s Dr. Steven Barnett, who is the director for the National Institute for Early Education Research, thinks the program will make a difference, despite what critics say.

“Simplistically said, San Antonio’s population growth during the decade is Hispanic, very much Hispanic," said David Mendez, who has been drawing redistricting maps for more than 30 years.

He said San Antonio is straightforward when it comes to redrawing city council district lines, but what was different for the Alamo City during this census round is where the growth was reported, and who was moving there.

District 2 Councilwoman Ivy Taylor said she wants to remain committed to code enforcement, as many residents had expressed during ten city-wide meetings to identify priorities in the budget.

However, during the voting process Taylor caused a little confusion when she motioned to adopt the budget, with the exception of the line item for Big Brothers, Big Sisters.

"She was just recently elected to the board," said City Clerk Leticia Vacek, "after this is voted upon we will have another motion voting for that particular funding."

Business Leaders from San Antonio’s Greater Chamber, Hispanic Chamber, North Chamber and Women’s Chamber, say they are behind Mayor Castro’s Pre-K 4 SA program.

“And we’re behind it for one simple reason," said Richard Perez, "and that is that we want to be known as a city of education.”

Perez, along with Ramiro Cavazos, Larry Anthis, and Dr. Yvonne Katz, spoke of the advantages the program would have with thousands of four-year-olds in the Alamo City.

The Capital Improvements Management Services Department (CIMS) could grow by eight project management positions under a plan devised by the city council.  

Like any other four-legged friend, she’s pretty happy and lovable, but Layka, a Belgian Malinois, is more than man’s best friend. She is literally a life-saver.

As the ceremony began, a serviceman read the award aloud to the crowd gathered to celebrate Layka.