State of the City – Week of 11/1/2022

Dafny Flores, Staff Writer

Assistant City Attorney for San Antonio James Kopp is seeking to withhold the release of public information on the case of seventeen-year-old Erik Cantu and ex-police officer James Brennand. On Oct. 2, Brennand shot Cantu in a McDonald’s parking lot. Three days after the incident, the San Antonio Police Department released a portion of graphic body camera footage of the incident. As per the Texas Public Information Act, KSAT News requested the release of additional footage from Brennand’s and other officers’ cameras, as well as the police report. Kopp sent a letter to the Texas Attorney General asking if the public records could be withheld from the public under an exception in state law, as the Attorney General has the authority to decide if records are liable to be released to the public. The Texas Attorney General has not responded to Kopp’s initial request at this time.

America Ferrera paid a visit to the West Side Avenida Guadalupe neighborhood to mobilize Latino voters for the Midterm elections. Future voters and participants were joined by Harness — a company Ferrera co-founded — as well as When We All Vote and The Jolt to educate locals on voting on Oct. 29. 

As flu season begins, an outbreak of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and other respiratory illnesses is impacting pediatric wards in the city. RSV targets children under the age of two and infected infants have a 95% chance of survival. Dr. Mandie Tibbal Svatek, a pediatric hospitalist and associate professor at University Hospital, cautiously informs parents of the whereabouts and environment their children partake in to reduce the transmission of RSV and other respiratory viruses.

The University of the Incarnate Word’s women’s soccer team is accusing the university of contributing to inequality and inequity within the athletic department. In an anonymous speech, players expressed their frustration with the university, claiming they received unfair treatment. The women’s soccer team had to travel 500 miles to Thibodaux, Louisiana, to compete with Nicholls State by bus, while in the same week, the football team received a plane as transportation as they traveled to compete against the same opponent. 

San Antonio will no longer be paying for daily transportation of asylum-seeking immigrants. The city paid more than $700,000 to relocate 2,538 immigrants in July, August and September. The service will now be provided by Catholic Charities. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will reimburse the city for bus and plane tickets.

In November, military personnel will receive free admission to the San Antonio Zoo. The advertisement is for all active duty, retired and veteran members.