Voting and Elections:

Last week, the Texas Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in favor of San Antonio voters getting the chance to vote on a charter amendment, also known as Proposition A. The amendment, proposed by the San Antonio Justice Charter, aims to decriminalize abortion and marijuana, among other topics. The City Council voted to place the amendment on the city’s May 6 general elections ballot; however, this move was legally challenged by Texas Alliance for Life, an anti-abortion group. The Court’s ruling did not address the legality of the proposition — it only stated that the election should proceed as planned with the amendment in question on the ballot. Therefore, any challenges to the legality of the charter amendment will have to wait until after the election has occurred.

Crime:

A San Antonio man and woman were sentenced for their role in a SIM card swapping fraud scheme on Wednesday, March 15, at a federal courthouse in San Antonio. According to the Department of Justice, the individuals in question, 24-year-old Zena Elisa Dounson and 22-year-old Andrew Percy Trujillo, “conspired to access and transfer assets from victims’ cryptocurrency accounts via SIM swapping.” Trujillo was sentenced to 33 months in prison, three years of supervised release and ordered to pay “approximately $282,000 in restitution.” On the other hand, Dounson received a split sentence of two months in prison and five years of probation while also being ordered to pay $282,000 in restitution. 

A 21-year-old man has been arrested in relation to a deadly car crash that killed three San Antonio natives. Isaac Munoz faces three counts of Failure to Stop and Render Aid – Death, News4SA reports. The incident occurred when Munoz’s Ford F-350 slammed into a Hyundai, killing 23-year-old Matthew Lindsey, 23-year-old Daniella Harris and 24-year-old Spencer Jandreau. Munoz’s bond has been set at $500,000.

Misc:

On Wednesday, March 15, a tree limb unexpectedly broke and fell on a family at the San Antonio Zoo, resulting in seven individuals being hospitalized. One of the family members, an eight-year-old girl, is in critical condition. Tim Morrow, president and CEO of the San Antonio Zoo, explained that the cause of the breakage is under investigation. The family’s loved ones have since created a GoFundMe to help the family with their medical expenses. 

A San Antonio resident has won $1 million after purchasing a Powerball ticket from a convenience store located in the city’s Northside. The drawing for the ticket took place on March 4, and the winner has chosen to remain anonymous. 

After being mostly closed for three years due to the pandemic and construction, the Central Library is set to reopen on April 1. The opening will be commemorated with an event, which will begin with a speaking ceremony at 10 a.m., followed by a ribbon cutting. According to Texas Public Radio, three floors of the library have undergone “major renovations.” Renovated areas include the children’s library and the first and third floors.