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Community Corner

🌱 Restaurant Grants + SA Tech + Home Sales + Food Truck + Pigs

The quickest way to get caught up on the most important things happening today in San Antonio.

Gabriela Cantu Couvillion's profile picture
Gabriela Cantu Couvillion, Neighbor
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Welcome back, San Antonio! Let's get you all caught up to start this day off on an informed note. Here's what's going on in San Antonio today.

First, today's weather:

Very windy; cooler. High: 59 Low: 32.

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Here are the top stories today in San Antonio:

  1. On Wednesday, Jan. 12, the Hispanic Chamber of Commer announced a new $2 million grant program for Hispanic-owned restaurants "impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic." The Chamber, in partnership with GrubHub, will provide 300 grants "ranging from $5,000 to $10,000," and they're seeking applicants from San Antonio, as well as from other cities. To qualify, "eligible businesses must be majority Hispanic-owned, have an active employer identification number (EIN), employ less than 20 full-time staff members, and have been in operation for at least 9 months from the date that the application is submitted." To apply, complete this online form and submit it by Wednesday, Jan. 26. Send any questions the application to press@ushcc.com and for more information on the grant program, visit: (mySA)
  2. The IMG Studio in San Antonio "is developing a video game to help train and recruit service members," and help pilots and engineers who are working on and maintaining the planes. The company also joined Pilot Pipeline from New York "to broaden the reach of the game," which "will also be used for commercial airlines to recruit pilots." James Chandler, chief technology officer with The IMG Studio, said, ""In the next 20 years, there's going to be about 500,000 or half a million pilots that need to be on the commercial side. We're not even talking the Air Force that need to be recruited. So, this is going to be a powerful tool for the commercial side as well." For more details on the San Antonio tech project, visit: (KSAT San Antonio)
  3. San Antonio is among the "top U.S. markets for home sales in master-planned communities" and according to a report by the RCLCO Real Estate Advisors, "the San Antonio metro area was home to one of the 50 top-selling master-planned communities last year." No. 43 on the list, D.R. Horton Valley Ranch community on the West Side, sold 478 homes in 2021. Although "that was down 9 percent from 2020," it was still "an impressive figure." According to experts, the COVID-19 "pandemic may have contributed to a slight dip" in homes sales in Valley Ranch, but it also "brought about higher demand for homes in master-planned communities across the board." Gregg Logan, managing director of RCLCO, said "the survey results indicate demand for new single-family homes in master-planned communities remains high, 'with favorable demographic tail winds suggesting this strong demand will continue in 2022.'" For more details and to see how other Texas metro cities ranked nationally in home sales, visit: (culturemap.com)
  4. If you're rushing in the morning and don't have time for breakfast, The Breakfast Truck located at 1203 S. Alamo St. is now serving breakfast for those on the go! The new mobile eatery owned by Sean and Venus Albert opened on Monday, Jan. 10 and it's open during the weekdays from 8 a.m.-noon. Guests can choose from four breakfast options, including coffee or orange juice, and can expect "their orders hot and ready within 10 minutes." Best of all, everything on the menu costs $9.99! Sean Albert said, "There are a million taco trucks [in the city], but there really isn't much that offers a quick traditional breakfast in this part of town." For more information, visit: (San Antonio Current)
  5. "This little piggy went to the market, this little piggy stayed home, and this little piggy cried 'wee-wee-wee' all the way" to San Antonio! " Giant pigs have been roaming around the Alamo City, which is a big mystery and a "pork-sized problem," but Animal Care Services (ACS) is trying to explain "where they could be coming from." Katelyn Van Hofwegen from Animal Care Services said, "We do get pigs every once and a while, but it is unusual to have so many." She added, "They may 'have' been owned. They were just free roaming in the streets. So, we don't know where exactly they came from at this time. But it is illegal to own pigs as pets here in San Antonio." As the pigs can't be adopted, the ACS is trying to find organizations that can care for them but at this time, "it's unclear how long the animals will be under ACS's care." For more information and for a news report video of the pot-bellied pigs, visit: (KENS5.com)

Today in San Antonio:

  • New Braunfels VFW Post 7110 Veterans Fair at 600 Peace Ave. (11 a.m.)
  • Vinyasa 101: Beginner's Yoga Workshop at Honest Soul Yoga. (3:30 p.m.)
  • "The MLK You Don't Know" Online Presentation Digital Event. (7 p.m.)

From my notebook:

  • "It's a San Antonio Spurs NBA All Star double vote day! 'Y'all' know what to do... go to vote NBA All-Star 2022, the NBA App or tweet using #DejounteMurray and #NBAAllStar." (Instagram)
  • Help! San Antonio Pets Alive! needs fosters! We have so many adorable puppies and dogs that are in need of a foster! These sweet babies are at our Medical Care Center and would love to relax in a foster home until they find their forever families. Please help spread the word to anyone looking to foster! Foster application at: Foster–San Antonio Pets Alive! Appointment Link for Medical Care Center at: Appointments - San Antonio Pets Alive! Email: foster@sanantoniopetsalive.org." (Instagram)
  • "Come by and shop over 30 booths along the San Antonio River Walk, each with unique, handcrafted goods. Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sundays, 11 a.m.- 8 p.m." (Facebook)
  • "DreamWeek / DreamVoice is a city-wide summit promoting the exchange of ideas on universal issues facing multicultural communities. With over 200 events in and around downtown San Antonio now through Jan. 30, the opportunities to participate in DreamWeek's 10th anniversary are endless. Find an event that speaks to you today. https://bit.ly/3pC1WR1." (Facebook)
  • "A great event to find the right school for your kids! Learn more about the San Antonio School Fair happening at the San Antonio Food Bank at: http://ow.ly/P1my50Hu8mk." (Facebook)

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You're officially in the loop for today! I'll see you soon.

— Gabriela Couvillion

About me: I'm an active mom of two grown sons and lifelong San Antonio resident. I received a BA in Spanish from the University of Texas at San Antonio, and in my free time I immerse myself in creative writing. Thanks for reading Patch, and feel free to reach out if you have any news and happenings you think may appeal to our readers!

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

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