Not subscribed to local news but still want to stay up-to-date on the happenings around town? Look no further. Highlighting notable stories from external San Antonio news sources, State of the City summarizes the most captivating news headlines of the week. This week’s topics range from a San Antonio high school teacher arrested and charged with indecency with a child to the tallest highway ramp on the North Side opening up.

San Antonio teacher arrested

Pricilla Castro, an assistant teacher at KIPP University Prep High School, has been terminated after being linked to an indecency with a child case involving a 15-year-old student earlier this year. The affidavit states that Castro engaged in inappropriate behavior during school hours on May 23 and that Castro allegedly continued contacting the student through blocked phone numbers. An internal investigation at KIPP Texas Public Schools has been launched, and the school has terminated Castro’s employment. The San Antonio Police Department is asking anyone who may have been affected to call the SAPS Special Victims Unit office at (210) 207-2313.

Key city official in Project Marvel plans to retire from the City of San Antonio

Lori Houston, an Assistant City Manager and a key architect forProject Marvel, is retiring from the City of San Antonio after 23 years. Houston was credited with spearheading the planning and development of Project Marvel, the city’s plan to create a sports and entertainment district in Hemisfair. Houston plans on spending more time with her family before working part-time as an advisor with consulting firm ULTRAte Strategy. Houston is one of five assistant city managers. She was appointed to the role in July 2015.

Tallest flyover ramp in San Antonio opens on Northwest Side

The Texas Department of Transportation says the thirteen-story ramp is the third flyover ramp to open in the past eight months in San Antonio. TxDOT opened the ramp on Thursday, which connected Westbound Loop 1604 to eastbound Interstate 10. The 13-story ramp is part of the Loop 1604 North Expansion project that allows drivers to access the ramp just past the intersection with NW Military Highway. 

“This direct connector is the highest one we have, not only on this project, at about 128 feet high, but also pretty much in the San Antonio region,” TxDOT-San Antonio District Engineer Charles Benavidez explained. 

The crews constructed the ramp using 10.7 million pounds of steel and over 33,000 feet of concrete beams.