San Antonio Current — April 8, 2020

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THE QUARANTINE ISSUE

How To Stay Safe, Sane & Entertained While San Antonio Shelters In Place

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CURRENT | April 8 – April 21, 2020 | sacurrent.com

in this issue San Antonio Current

Issue 20-08 /// April 8 - April 21, 2020

20 Arts

Publisher: Michael Wagner Editor-in-Chief: Sanford Nowlin

Need a Better State of Mind?

Editorial

Food & Nightlife Editor: Lea Thompson Calendar Editor: Kelly Merka Nelson Contributing Arts Editor: Bryan Rindfuss Staff Writer: Chris Conde Digital Content Editor: Sarah Martinez Contributors: Ron Bechtol, Daniel Conrad, James Courtney, Jade Esteban Estrada, Dan R. Goddard, Lance Higdon, Steven G. Kellman, Hannah Lorence, Kiko Martinez, M. Solis, Gary Sweeney Editorial Interns: Brianna Espinoza, Trevor Flynn, Steven Hargis, Katie Hennessey

Don’t forget to communicate

Creative Endeavors

Advertising

San Antonio’s art organizations are bring their collections, and more, to our living rooms

Marketing and Events

10 Ways to Celebrate Fiesta at Home

Sales Manager: Joseph Allen Account Manager: Mallory Jochen, Cristal Colleli Account Executives: Mike Valdelamar Digital Sales Specialist: Mike Valdelamar Marketing and Events Director: Cassandra Yardeni Events Manager: Chelsea Bourque Marketing + Events Coordinator: Nina Rangel Marketing & Events Interns: Tom Willoughby

Stimulating Minds

Stay curious at home with help from San Antonio’s kid-friendly museums

Creative Services

Creative Services Manager: Tina Corbeil Graphic Designer: Samantha Serna Graphic Design Interns: Pedro Macias, Raquel Prado, Gabriela Rivera

Circulation

Circulation Manager: Justin Giles

Business

Business Manager: Sonia Acosta

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Art Credit

20 Feature

28 Food

Silver Lining

Margaritas to go soften the blow of self-isolation

The Quarantine Issue

Size Matters

How to Stay Safe, Sane & Entertained While San Antonio Shelters in Place

07 News

The Opener Assisting Ourselves

The coronavirus pandemic will challenge San Antonio to rethink its economy — and its future

Survivor’s Struggle

After years of lip service, Texas must make real progress to provide clemency for survivors of domestic violence

Fire Sale

Both San Antonio’s tenants and landlords are bracing for COVID-19’s turmoil

Dangerous Maneuvers

The ineptitude of Donald Trump and Dan Patrick make Gov. Greg Abbott look like he’s got COVID-19 under control. He doesn’t.

When it comes to tacos, there’s a logic to the scale of tortilla you use

Editor’s Notebook

Keep the Current Free and Local.

Join the SA Current Press Club.

San Antonio Leaders Cry ‘Cover Up’ Over Pentagon’s Refusal to Report Coronavirus Rates at Bases

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Cinema by Subscription Stream these movies with San Antonio ties while you’re staying safe at home

19 Music

THE QUARANTINE ISSUE

How To Stay Safe, Sane & Entertained While San Antonio Shelters In Place

The Show Must Go On

Despite scrapped gigs and tours, San Antonio artists are still putting out strong new releases

If you have seen Tom Hanks’ Castaway, you know that finding diversions can help pass the lonely hours.

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A new study compiling FBI crime data ranks San Antonio as the top city in the nation for drunk driving arrests from 2009-18. Saytown tallied 77,357 drunk-driving arrests over that 10-year stretch, beating out far more populous New York and LA, not to mention Las Vegas, a party town overrun with amateur drunks.

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A day after handing down an executive action rife with verbal gymnastics to avoid being called a “stay-at-home order,” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott posted an online video attempting to clear up exactly what he meant. Critics blasted Abbott for sewing confusion by trying to look like he’s adhering to his “local control” philosophy while still telling people to stay home.

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Sixty-six of the 84 residents at a San Antonio nursing home at the center of a COVID-19 outbreak tested positive for the disease last week. Based on its inspection record, the facility, Southeast Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, had the lowest Medicaid rating. Mayor Ron Nirenberg said the city will scrutinize the nearly 50 local nursing homes with substandard ratings of 1 to 3 stars.

We need a little levity at a time like this, and the San Antonio Zoo happily provided it on April Fool’s Day. Zoo officials punked the media with a fake news release saying they’d treated the elephants to an outing at deserted Brackenridge Park. A handful of outlets, including national political site The Hill, took the bait and ran stories. — Sanford Nowlin

YOU SAID IT!

“If you come to the store, don’t come with your entire family.

I was in the store yesterday and because people are bored, they’re like, ‘Hey, let’s all go to the grocery store.’ So, a family of six showed up. Send one person, that way you lessen the ability for the virus to spread.”

— Scott McClelland, H-E-B President to Houston TV station KPRC.

news

That Rocks/That Sucks

Twitter / @seanhannity

ASSCLOWN ALERT

Sean Hannity Fox News commentator — and top Trump Administration propogandist — Sean Hannity has made a career of twisting facts and peddling conspiracy theories.

Now, a new report from the nonprofit watchdog group Media Matters for America labels Hannity one of the chief sources of dangerous misinformation about the coronavirus pandemic. The analysis documents some 50 specific examples in which the commentator misrepresented facts about the outbreak to benefit his far-right agenda.

On March 9, for example, Hannity opined that young, healthy Americans have no reason to fear coronavirus. Two days later, on his radio program, the commentator dished up a conspiracy theory about the “deep state” using coronavirus to spin the public.

Last week, the number of Texans applying for unemployment benefits in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic took another steep climb. Nearly 276,000 applied — a 1,604% increase over the 16,176 who sought benefits during the week ended March 14. The applications rolled in as attempts to reach the Texas Workforce Commission overwhelmed its systems, resulting in busy signals and crashing websites.

Migrants detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement have staged hunger strikes and protests over fears the COVID-19 pandemic will sweep through overcrowded detention centers. Meanwhile, immigration legal aid group RAICES Texas and the ACLU have sued to force the release low-risk migrants, including detained families. “An infection like this, which already may be happening, can easily overrun a facility and also its local health care system,” U.S. Rep.

“Taken as a whole, his commentary falls into six discernible themes: peddling unproven treatments, comparing COVID-19 to other illnesses or focusing on other ways people can die, defending Trump’s response to the pandemic, blaming the media and journalists, downplaying supply shortages, and attacking local and congressional responses,” Media Matters writes.

Of course, there are real-world implications for the words Hannity uses. A recent Pew Research poll found that 79% of Fox News viewers believe the media had overstated the potency of the virus.

Pew Research also cited that the average age for Fox News viewers as 65. COVID-19’s most devastating effects are on elderly people, especially those with underlying health conditions.

In this case, it’s hard to tell who’s more deserving of the assclown designation, Hannity himself or the myriad advertisers who still buy time on his show. Among those are Expedia, Progressive Insurance, Bayer and Ford Motors, Media Matters kindly points out. — Sanford Nowlin

Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, said during a recent call with reporters.

As of press time, it looked inevitable that Mayor Ron Nirenberg would extend San Antonio’s stay-at-home order through April 30. The move comes as COVID-19 infections in the city escalate and as data modeling suggests the peak of infections in Texas won’t hit until early May. — Sanford Nowlin

Wikimedia Commons / Gage Skidmore

Find more news coverage every day at sacurrent.com

news CITYSCRAPES

Assisting Ourselves

The coronavirus pandemic will challenge San Antonio to rethink its economy — and its future

BY HEYWOOD SANDERS Editor’s note: The following is CityScrapes, a column of opinion and analysis.

S

an Antonio, like every community across America, faces an unprecedented public health crisis. That crisis will tax every part and resource of our healthcare and emergency response systems.

Our elected officials have done the right thing in imposing a stay-at-home order and limiting business. And they will likely have to do more to buttress our first responders and healthcare workers. But the impact of the coronavirus extends well beyond public

health to the very fabric of our economy and society.

The dramatic fall-off in travel has shuttered local hotels, and the stay-at-home order has shrunk the business at local bars, restaurants and entertainment venues. And this impact has extended well beyond the hospitality sector to a host of firms and businesses, including the Current.

The economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic is also being felt by local governments, particularly the City of San Antonio and suburban cities. The

Aimee Wyatt

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CURRENT | April 8 – April 21, 2020 | sacurrent.com

sharp fall-off in retail activity is shrinking sales tax dollars, and effectively non-existent travel has carved into local sales and hotel tax revenues. The city has already taken steps to reduce and focus its spending, and likely far more drastic efforts will be needed as stay-at-home requirements stretch into and even through May, and perhaps beyond. Yet even as local governments are being forced to reconsider spending priorities and cut back, the needs of San Antonio residents are growing and becoming more apparent every day.

We need our city and county governments to step up and play a far larger role in supporting the neediest and most vulnerable in our community.

The city charter includes a specific provision, “Public Assistance,” that provides for just that role. It allows the city government to “appropriate its funds, in the exercise of a governmental function, for the assistance of needy persons to provide for them the basic necessities of life in accordance with categories of such persons as may be defined by ordinance.”

That charter provision grew out of the failure of the city to aid its distressed populace during the Great Depression, and it was the focus of some serious debate in writing the 1951 charter. But it is clear that the city has a role to play in providing “the basic necessities of life,” not just public services and infrastructure.

That assistance needs to be focused on those made most vulnerable by the coronavirus threat and the stay-at-home requirements, particularly the elderly, the disabled, the homeless and the unemployed. Our local network of nonprofit organizations has long provided much of our community safety net. But now the role of the Food Bank, Meals on Wheels and their counterparts has become even more crucial. Local government needs to provide increased financial support to these organizations so that they can greatly expand their services and outreach.

Just as it needs to assure basic necessities, the city needs to work with local school districts in providing a continuity of education for our next generation. The longstanding digital divide in this community has become a yawning chasm as families struggle to connect to teachers and educational resources online. As a community, we can ill-afford to lose months of schooling, just as we need to ensure that all students at all levels can take part in online teaching.

Finally, as this crisis abates — and it will abate — we need to have a far broader community conversation about our economic future. We have spent literally decades investing in tourism and the visitor economy, expanding the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, financing the city-owed Grand Hyatt, improving the Alamodome, spending on the River Walk and visitor amenities. The future of tourism and the convention business will likely look very different from the past. We need to show the courage required to debate and plan for a different San Antonio economy.

Heywood Sanders is a professor of public policy at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

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Cathy Marston

Survivor’s Struggle

After years of lip service, Texas must make real progress to provide clemency for survivors of domestic violence

BY CATHY MARSTON

O

n April 4, 2019, I testified to the Texas House Corrections Committee about the need for clemency for survivors of domestic violence who defended themselves or their children.

All session long, Gov. Greg Abbott signaled support for House Bill 3078, which would have created that clemency process. Then, shortly after the end of the session, he issued a last-minute veto.

On February 20 of this year, Abbott and Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles Chair David Gutierrez created a clemency process for survivors of sex trafficking and domestic violence, unveiling it just in time for Super Tuesday.

Please forgive me if I’m skeptical that this will go anywhere, given the governor’s past record.

Legislators and victim advocates have known since the 1980s that Texas police were wrongfully arresting abused women. Abbott claims he supports public safety, but clemency for battered women is a political football he’s spiked or punted at his whim. Meanwhile, incarceration rates of women nationwide have increased 700% over the past 20 years.

The clemency process Abbott introduced in February is the first effort in Texas to free trafficking survivors, and it’s long overdue.

“They shouldn’t be criminalizing people for their own victimization in the first place,” Allison Franklin, a program director for trafficking survivors at SAFE Alliance. “But it’s a step that they’re viewing individuals as victims, not criminals.”

Abbott’s equivocation is unconscionable, as some survivors recommended for clemency in the 1990s are

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CURRENT | April 8 – April 21, 2020 | sacurrent.com

now elderly or terminally ill, costing taxpayers money and the state moral high ground.

Survivors Are Waiting The Legislature unanimously passed HB 3078, which would have created a clemency review board comprised of stakeholders such as formerly incarcerated survivors themselves. After the governor’s veto, the parole board issued denials to Sherry Nance, Carla Gautney and Cynthia Campbell Ray, all survivors of domestic violence.

The Texas Council on Family Violence, or TCFV, recommended these women for clemency more than two decades ago.

At present, the governor in Texas can only issue a pardon upon the written recommendation of a majority of the Board of Pardons and Paroles.

TCFV recommended 102 survivors for clemency, mostly women, after the 1991 Legislature unanimously passed a resolution lauded as the first effort in the United States promoting clemency for battered women who defended themselves or their children.

However, to date, Texas’ Board of Pardons has recommended only one of those survivors for a full pardon: Becky Wardlow, who killed her batterer in self-defense.

Neither Democratic Gov. Ann Richards nor Republican Gov. George Bush signed that pardon. The board later paroled Wardlow, which freed her but left her conviction intact.

I served more than nine years in the Texas criminal justice system after being arrested for defending myself

HB 3078 co-author State Rep. Senfronia Thompson (middle) meets with advocates during the 2019 legislative session.

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against an abusive partner and regrettably taking things into my own hands. I was coerced into a plea bargain by court-appointed counsel, abusive jail staff and a biased judge. I was also worn out from a two-month hunger strike.

While in prison, I began collecting case data that shows criminalized battered women defended themselves or a child 48% of the time. In 33% of the cases, women were dragged in under the “law of parties” when their male batterer killed a child or another person.

“Texas is committed to empowering the survivors of domestic abuse and human trafficking and developing a stronger justice system,” Abbott said when he posted the new clemency guidelines in February.

Yet, on March 30, as part of the state’s COVID-19 response, he issued an order barring releases from county or municipal jails of those charged with, convicted of, or having a history of offenses involving physical violence or threats of physical violence. While this doesn’t apply to prisoners, it means jailed survivors in the justice system have a slim chance their applications will be passed from the Board of Pardons to the governor.

The effort to win clemency for abused women takes place within a national effort for dignity for criminalized women. The National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls began a clemency campaign in 2019 to free “#SurvivedAndPunished” women, along with women who are elderly, terminally ill and long-timers with sentences in excess of 10 years.

We all pay into a prison-industrial complex that is punishing survivors. Please write and call Gov. Abbott and Board of Pardons and Paroles Chairman Gutierrez to get these women home.

Cathy Marston is founder and executive director of Free Battered Texas Women.

Fire Sale

Both San Antonio’s tenants and landlords are bracing for COVID19’s turmoil

BY JAMES DOBBINS

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he national economy is crumbling at its fastest pace on record. In a mere two weeks, 10 million people applied for unemployment benefits, with many millions more unemployed expected to file later this year.

The looming specter of economic depression has become a significant threat to the real estate industry and both renters and landlords. Small, middle-class investors face risk from the turmoil to come, as both their jobs and passive income evaporate.

Seth Teel, a broker and local real estate investor, usually receives his tenants’ payments on time. But, last Thursday, the day after rent was due, he hadn’t received a single check. As a landlord, Teel tries to work with his tenants by setting up payment plans.

“And, you know, they are not being paid a living wage,” Teel said. “I can weather a couple of months without payments. Unfortunately, I can’t file for eviction.”

Teel has one tenant he wants to evict due to non-payment, opening the unit for a more stable renter. However, because of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, Bexar County has temporarily halted eviction hearings. With no rent coming in at the moment, that may be the least of Teel’s problems.

“I paid my bills this week and last week, and I had way more going out than coming in. In March, things just started to slow down. April is going to be even worse.”

Teel is preparing 60 days at a time. That’s how long he believes his business can survive without rent payments. After that?

“Push comes to shove, if I can’t work with lenders and can’t get a small business loan, I’ll go back to brokerage and put the properties up for fire sale.”

As one can imagine, the potential flood of desperate sellers dumping properties on the market later this spring is frightening for folks relying on their equity to survive the crisis.

Renters have even fewer options.

Trea, who asked his surname be kept private, is a resident of Cavello Lofts in Southtown. The single father lives with his son, 6, and daughter, 8. His rent is $680 per month after government assistance.

After two job losses this year, Trea has been unable to pay his rent and now faces eviction.

“We have nowhere to go from here,” he said.

As a last resort, he had hoped to move into his parents’ house, but that option is no longer available.

His mother just lost her job, and his father is facing reduced hours. And his sister will be moving back into their parent’s house after her life in Hawaii fell apart from a divorce.

James Dobbins

“It’s a nightmare. A lot of places I’m looking to live have a long waitlist, a year, or two years because I’m low-income. I can’t even pay application fees,” he said.

“The one place I found [accepting low-income] is not allowing move-ins because of COVID.” Trea is selling his belongings and waiting for the eviction process to proceed once the courts reopen.

For now, he continues to look for a new job and a place for his children to live.

If the crisis continues much longer — the expected peak of San Antonio’s COVID-19 spread may still be weeks out — Trea says his last option will be to live on the street.

“I’ve been homeless many times in my life after the Navy,” Trea said. “It’s not news to me.”

Kenny Wilson is a former banker and current CEO of the homeless shelter Haven of Hope. He hasn’t seen an increase in homelessness yet, but he expects that to change soon.

“We’re full,” Wilson said of the shelter’s capacity.

“Unless the city and the state work something out, there’s going to be a backlog of delinquencies and an influx of people out of their homes.”

Wilson is facing reality head-on. The shelter and care facilities he manages, with the help of more than

200 employees, serve as the primary safety net for approximately 1,700 homeless individuals.

“It’s one thing to say we’re not going to evict anybody, but landlords have rights, too. They have to make money,” Wilson said. “Most of those income properties have mortgages.”

For now, Haven for Hope doesn’t have additional room and resources if a massive wave of the newly homeless people seeks out its services.

The full medical and economic catastrophe hasn’t even started in San Antonio. The city and county could see thousands of fatalities before the current wave of infections subsides.

The cascading effect of so much death and economic disruption has the potential to crush the local real estate and rental market, leading to countless foreclosures, evictions and increased homelessness.

With reduced property tax collections, the crisis may ruin the city budget, resulting in more service cuts.

Wilson summed up the dire situation: “There are so many tenants and mortgagees out of work they won’t be able to pay. But you got to get a stand-down for everybody from top to bottom. The knee bone is connected to the shin bone. It’s all connected.” sacurrent.com | April 8 – April 21, 2020 | CURRENT

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news CURRENT EVENTS

Dangerous Maneuvers The ineptitude of Donald Trump and Dan Patrick make Gov. Greg Abbott look like he’s got COVID-19 under control. He doesn’t.

BY SANFORD NOWLIN

U

nlike President Donald Trump, Gov. Greg Abbott hasn’t been caught on video dismissing the novel coronavirus as a hoax.

Nor has he used his time at the mic for tone-deaf praise of his own TV ratings or godlike medical knowledge.

Likewise, Texas’ Republican governor hasn’t gone on Fox News like his right-hand man, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, to urge old people to go ahead and die so they don’t ruin the economy for their grandkids — and Wall Street.

As infections ticked up across the state, Abbott held frequent press briefings, appeared in TV spots urging social distancing and issued plenty of executive orders — some of which appear reasonable on their surface.

In short, Abbott’s not been an embarrassment on the scale of his divisive, bomb-throwing lieutenant or our reality-show president. But that’s not to say he’s done all he can to protect his constituents during this unprecedented crisis. Nor that he’s placed the wellbeing of Texans over his own political agenda.

For many, the first sign Abbott — an outspoken abortion opponent — was willing to place political points over people’s safety was his March 24 order temporarily banning abortions, except in cases where a woman’s life or health is at risk.

While Abbott justified the action by saying it frees up medical resources for pandemic response, few abortions are conducted in hospitals. It’s also nearly impossible to envision a scenario where abortion clinics would be used to treat COVID-19 patients.

Worse, the order, now being fought over in federal court, could force some women to make dangerous drives out of state to obtain the procedure.

Abbott’s mishandling of the crisis came further into focus last Wednesday when he was forced to issue a video clarifying what he actually meant when he issued a murkily worded order the previous day appearing to ask residents to shelter in place.

The problem was this: the governor’s order and its accompanying press conference were layered with verbal gymnastics to avoid calling his action a “stay-

Wikimedia Commons / Gage Skidmore

at-home order,” the same language used by municipalities such as San Antonio, not to mention other states.

“This is not a stay-at-home strategy,” Abbott stated emphatically during the announcement. “This is a standard that is based on essential services and essential activities.”

Whatever that means.

It doesn’t take an astute observer of Texas politics to understand Abbott’s nebulous language meant to play both sides — taking action to limit interactions while trying to look like he wasn’t imposing a topdown solution. “Local control” has been a signature issue for Abbott during his time in office.

As Texans look to state government for clear answers on how they should respond to this crisis, Abbott’s lack of clarity isn’t just irresponsible, it’s potentially deadly.

But the most dangerous of Abbott’s political maneuvers is contained in the order itself: an exemption he carved out for churches. By designating religious services as essential, he cleared Texas congregations to gather in violation of health officials’ recommendations on social distancing.

The order provides some wiggle room for enforcement by saying that, ideally, services should be conducted remotely. It also stipulates that all in-person events should be canceled in communities “experiencing substantial community spread.” Both provisions are broad and lack legal teeth.

Abbott, an evangelical favorite, is smart enough to know religious services are capable of becoming deadly petri dishes. Authorities in South Korea placed the cult-like Shincheonji Church at the center of that country’s outbreak. Closer to home, two people died from COVID-19 after a church choir practice in Washington state that also sickened 45 of its 60 attendees.

As we look back on the pandemic, history will likely judge Trump’s mixed messages as one of the largest contributors to the scale of the U.S. tragedy. Abbott’s naked attempts to play both sides could land him on the same page.

The governor’s maneuvers during this unprecedented health crisis may qualify as staying on political message, playing to the base or taking bold steps to ensure his reelection. But they sure as shit don’t qualify as courage or leadership. sacurrent.com | April 8 – April 21, 2020 | CURRENT

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CURRENT | April 8 – April 21, 2020 | sacurrent.com

T I U R F L EA

news EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK

Keep the Current Free and Local.

Join the SA Current Press Club.

BY SANFORD NOWLIN

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lot has changed in my three decades as a working journalist. The online revolution pitched old business models out the window, newsrooms enacted deep layoffs and corporate buyouts left media outlets in fewer hands. All that came at the expense of independent local coverage.

That said, I’ve never seen anything like the turmoil gripping local media right now.

An unprecedented public health crisis is grinding our economy to a halt, forcing advertisers to make difficult spending choices and postponing events that help fund the San Antonio Current.

After 34 years serving this community, our paper needs to rethink how it operates, and I’m asking you to be a partner in that journey.

No, the Current isn’t about to close its doors. We’re still printing and distributing.

More readers than ever access our online content. Even so, we’re facing the same tough realities as other news organizations affected by this crisis. As the coronavirus shut down the city, we were forced to temporarily lay off 10 hard-working members of our staff.

Once we weather the worst of this catastrophe, we’d love to rebuild our newsroom quickly and expand to tackle difficult stories with a new ferocity. But that’s going to be tough.

Ad dollars have been moving online for years now, only to be scooped by corporate giants such as Facebook and Google with no ties to our community. While The New York Times and Washington Post seem to be doing OK, local journalism is in crisis. You’ve seen the endless cavalcade of layoffs. You can feel how much the Express-News has shrunk when you pick it up in the morning.

In these difficult times, our city needs deeper, more insightful and harder-hitting news coverage, not less. There’s still much the Current wants — no, make that needs — to do. We’re still eager to hold local leaders accountable, introduce you to important community figures and shed light on homegrown arts and culture.

And we also want to make sure everyone, regardless of income, can access our work.

The Current has been a free publication since its inception, with nothing shielded behind paywalls, nothing reserved for

subscribers only. Providing our content for free, both in print and online, may be a stubborn idea, but it’s one we refuse to give up on.

That’s why we have created the SA Current Press Club.

If you value the Current’s voice, vitality and mission, we invite you to make a secure contribution, much in the way you do to your local PBS or NPR outlet. To take that step, visit us online at sacurrent.com/SupportLocalJournalism.

We know our request comes as other organizations reach out to fund worthy missions during this time of crisis. But we also know others in San Antonio share our view that independent local journalism is key to building a better city. No doubt, many of you will view this as an investment in the community we love.

In exchange for your support,

we’ll offer access to special events, cool custom swag, a membership card and other perks to let you proudly proclaim your membership in the family. Beyond that, you’ll know your contribution helped sustain, and perhaps expand, a staff of scrappy, no-nonsense journalists dedicated to bettering our city.

Working together, let’s keep the San Antonio Current free, local and fiercely independent.

San Antonio Leaders Cry ‘Cover Up’ Over Pentagon’s Refusal to Report Coronavirus Rates at Bases

BY SANFORD NOWLIN

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he U.S. military says it will no longer report the number of COVID-19 diagnoses at its bases, triggering cover-up accusations by San Antonio and Bexar County officials.

On the evening of Friday, March 27, a coronavirus webpage set up by Joint Base San Antonio confirmed 28 local military personnel, dependents and retirees had tested positive for COVID-19. However, shortly after, the tally was erased from the page, according to local media reports.

The Pentagon, citing security concerns, two days later told national news media that it’s stopped offering a facility-by-facility breakdown of cases. Going forward, it will only offer updates to its aggregate infection numbers.

“I don’t know what the rationale is, but

the public has a right to know,” Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff said in an interview with the Current. “Employees at the bases need to know. That’s something we need to be very careful about.”

Few of the roughly 87,000 people working at San Antonio-area military facilities live on base, heightening the potential for infections to spread through the larger community, Wolff said. That makes it vital for local health officials to be able to track on-base cases.

At press time late last week, the Department of Defense reported 1,500 infections and five deaths so far among military personnel, civilian workers, dependents and contractors.

“This is a global pandemic, and the public has a right to know the number of COVID-19

Trip Advisor

cases within our community,” San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said in a statement emailed to the Current. “Additionally, the lack of information is complicating a coordinated pandemic response at the state and federal level.”

City and county leaders are already at odds with the Trump White House over its lack of transparency when it shipped

Americans evacuated from Wuhan, China and stranded cruise ships to Lackland AFB for federal quarantine.

“It’s disconcerting,” Nirenberg told the Washington Post last month. “Throughout the course of this, what I’ve seen is that the lack of coordination at the highest levels of this president’s administration is simply stunning.”

sacurrent.com | April 8 – April 21, 2020 | CURRENT

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Cinema by Subscription Stream these movies with San Antonio ties while you’re staying safe at home

BY KIKO MARTINEZ

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ow many of you are missing your dose of Selena right now? After all, the movie, partially shot in San Antonio, is screened somewhere in the city at least monthly. Maybe the quarantine is making you feel a little Bidi Bidi Bum Bummed.

You can, of course, rent Selena online any time you want. But, if you’re already subscribed to some top streaming services, it’s not necessary to pay extra to see films with San Antonio ties. Although the list below isn’t exhaustive, here are a few movies linked back to the Alamo City that you can watch right now, assuming your subscription game is on point.

Netflix In the 2018 drama Rich Kids, a group of underprivileged teenagers break into the home of a wealthy family to feel what it’s like to live on the opposite end of the income bracket. The film stars two San Antonio natives, Amelia Rico and Alessandra Mañon.

Rico, a 2000 graduate of Brackenridge High School, plays the mother of one of the central characters who breaks into the house. In the opening scene, her family is evicted from their own home for missing multiple rent payments.

She lashes out at her husband for his failure to provide for them.

“We all know that Latino representation is needed in Hollywood,” Rico told the Current during an interview last month. “The film really gets into the heart and human story of these kids and what drives them, rather than just focusing on the negativity of their actions.”

Mañon, a 2009 graduate of Incarnate Word High School, stars as Jasmin, one of the teens who spends an entire afternoon swimming in the rich family’s pool, wearing their clothes and drinking their alcohol. Her character “establishes her power through her sexuality,” Mañon explains.

“It makes sense that she has a little bit of this wild streak, because she uses it as a mask to feel like she is in control of her life,” the actress told the Current. “The film changes the idea of the sexy Latina stereotype, because it shows who she really is as a person.”

Find more film stories at sacurrent.com

Also on Netflix, you’ll find a handful of filmmaker and San Antonio native Robert Rodriguez’s movies, most importantly the original 2001 family adventure Spy Kids and

Rich Kids - Netflix

the original 2005 neo noir Sin City; actor and San Antonio native Gil Birmingham’s masterful modern western Hell or High Water; and actress, first-time director and San Antonio native Noël Wells’ dark comedy Mr. Roosevelt.

Amazon Prime If you’re into documentary crime dramas, Amazon Prime has 2016’s Southwest of Salem, the true story of four Latinas from San Antonio — Elizabeth Ramirez, Kristie Mayhugh, Cassandra Rivera and Anna Vasquez — who were wrongly convicted of sexually assaulting two young girls in 1994. After serving 15 years in prison, the women were finally exonerated, and their records expunged.

“Their case is not just about the San Antonio Four, it’s about gay rights,” director Deborah S. Esquenazi told the Current in 2016. “It’s about women’s rights. It’s about Latino rights. Their case represents something so much bigger.”

If you were like everyone else and watched Netflix’s documentary Tiger King, the stranger-than-fiction San Antonio story The Imposter from 2012 is much better.

Another documentary you need to see is filmmaker and San Antonio native Duane Graves’ 2000 film Up Syndrome, a touching

The 2018 drama Rich Kids, available on Netflix, features to San Antonio actors.

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portrait he made about his childhood friend Rene Moreno who was born with Down syndrome.

Disney + The 1994 comedy caper Blank Check was shot in San Antonio. You’ll recognize locations including Fiesta Texas and the River Walk. The story follows a 12-year-old boy who cashes a check for $1 million from a criminal who wants the money back.

Director and San Antonio native Stephen Herek is getting a lot of love at Disney+. Four of his movies from the 1990s are streaming there: The Mighty Ducks, The Three Musketeers, Mr. Holland’s Opus and the live-action version of 101 Dalmatians.

Plus, animator, voice actor and San Antonio native Paul Briggs lends his voice to Yama, an underground bot fighter, in Big Hero 6; Two Fingers, a frog hunter, in The Princess and the Frog; and Marshmallow, a snow monster in Frozen and Frozen II.

music

The Show Must Go On Despite scrapped gigs and tours, San Antonio artists are still putting out strong new releases

BY CHRIS CONDE

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he pandemic has shut down venues across the country, forcing artists to cancel shows and whole tours. That also includes plenty of bands and musicians from San Antonio.

Even so, some of our city’s most creative musical minds are continuing to release recordings while quarantined. In the past few weeks, we’ve discovered a wealth of new downloads running the gamut from bedroom pop and dreamy indie rock to hip-hop and snarling punk.

No doubt, some of that recorded output will help bring in much-needed income while local musicians wait for gigging to return. But from the new releases we’ve sampled, it’s clear that love of music and dedication to craft played the biggest part in their creative processes.

What follows is a selection of San Antonio artists that have recently pumped out new music. In this day of downloads, you don’t even need to leave the safety of home or wait on mail order to obtain copies. If you like what you hear, consider opening your wallet and helping any or all of these folks through a difficult time.

SpyMC

One of the hardest working rappers in San Antonio, Jose Angel Perez — or SpyMC — been a tireless advocate for our indie hip-hop community while simultaneously showcasing his own ferocious flows. Lucky for us, the emcee last week dropped a new compilation called The Unmastered Tape, and it goes hard. spymc. bandcamp.com/album/the-unmastered-tape

Midnight Cleaners

On April 1, local bedroom popsters Midnight Cleaners released a compilation of their older demos, reaching all the way back to 2014. Please Don’t Keep Me Waiting just might be the catchy, chilled sound all of us need to get through this pandemic without a mental breakdown. midnightcleaners.bandcamp.com/album/pleasedont-keep-me-waiting

36th

36th, real name Demitri Crisp, is one of San Antonio’s most sought-after producers. He’s worked with big independent rap artists including Johnny Polygon, Vel the Wonder and

Midnight Cleaners

others. Recently, 36th has been using Instagram to stream his live beat-making sessions.

That strategy has helped him win over new clients who want to purchase his pulses, and it also makes for some entertaining listening. instagram.com/__36th__

Cheap Charm

Released just before the pandemic hit, newcomer Chas Walters, better known under the moniker Cheap Charm, released one of the funkiest indie pop albums to hit San Antonio in recent years. The 10-song Self Portrait drifts from sexy R&B to more experimental sounds with a deft ease. Let it be the dance party that makes you forget you’re in quarantine. cheapcharm.bandcamp.com/releases

D.R.O.

It’s been four years since we’ve received a full-length album from D.R.O., one of the most talented rappers and producers in San Antonio. And If, released March 23, may be the best work to date from the artist born Dillon O’Con. Pairing complex cadences with production that weaves into psychedelic territory, this em-

cee has set a new bar for San Antonio hip-hop. theofficialdro.bandcamp.com/album/if

The Blands

Nasty and overdriven punk outfit The Blands recorded its new EP The Glaze while college spring-breakers were partying at the coast and giving each other the coronavirus. We’d say these young fellows spent their time far more productively. Just as awesome as the music itself, all sales of the EP will benefit beloved Northside music venue Imagine Books & Records, which has been fighting off eviction. theblands.bandcamp.com/album/the-glaze-ep

Old Dogs (Be Safe)

Combining the trending lo-fi, dreamy indie sound with elements of ’90s grunge, Old Dog (Be Safe)’s self-titled Be Safe EP makes a perfect soundtrack for lounging during the long, quiet hours of quarantine. While the band utilizes enough dynamics to keep listeners on their toes, the chilled-out vibes also make a good backdrop to read all those books you’ve been meaning to catch up on. olddogsbesafe.bandcamp.com/album/be-safe

Find more music coverage every day at sacurrent.com

THE QUARANTINE ISSUE

How to Stay Safe, Sane & Entertained While San Antonio Shelters in Place

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CURRENT |

s the folks who put out a publication focused on arts, entertainment and leisure, we get it: staying at home sucks.

Sure, the extra family time is nice, and we can still take invigorating walks around the block and stream movies to our heart’s content. But keeping entertained, stimulated and well fed isn’t exactly easy while we’re living bunker life. To that end, we collected some enriching ways to while away the hours, from learning new arts and crafts to whipping up pantry-friendly dishes created by some of SA’s best-loved chefs. Some rough weeks may lie ahead, but let’s lean on each other to make the best of them.

April 8 – April 21, 2020 | sacurrent.com

Need a Better State of Mind?

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Don’t forget to communicate

rinity University professor Erin Sumner doesn’t like the term “social distancing.” As a scholar of interpersonal communication, she knows that for us to thrive during this time of physical separation, we can’t stop being social animals.

“Let’s call it ‘physical distancing,’ which is a better description for what we should be doing,” Sumner said. “Socially, we should be engaging even better than before. That’s what we need to do more of because of the physical rifts between us right now.”

The more alternate ways we find to interact during our time hunkered down, the better our state of minds, she added. Whether it’s playing a game with friends over video chat or texting to check in with a grandparent or elderly neighbor, we should keep the lines of communication open.

Here are three tips Sumner has for strengthening our social interactions during the weeks we’re spending physically separated.

Be physically distant, not socially distant. The more we can think of quarantine as a physical separation not a social one, the better off we’ll be. If you work from home, set up times to connect with your coworkers on the phone so we know there’s a real human being on the other side of those emails. If you have a weekly book club or drinking night with friends, keep it going via video chat. Every little bit of interaction helps.

Use human connections to lower stress. There’s plenty to feel anxious about right now, from our health to our finances to our feelings of isolation. Research shows that the more affection and human connection we feel, the more buffered we become from stress. If you’re feeling frazzled, jump on the phone and have a deep and meaningful conversation. You’re not just helping yourself. Chances are the person on the other end also needs to hear your voice.

Focus on technologies that improve social connections. Interactions via video chat and text messaging can improve our interactions, while research shows that some types of social media actually make us feel more cut off from each other. Look for technology-aided interactions that have real meaning and strengthen our bonds rather than dividing us. Also, don’t forget to introduce older friends and relatives to new technologies that help them stay in touch through this difficult time. — Sanford Nowlin sacurrent.com | April 8 – April 21, 2020 | CURRENT

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arts Creative Endeavors San Antonio’s art organizations are bring their collections, and more, to our living rooms

BY KELLY MERKA NELSON

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ust because you can’t walk through the exhibition halls of local museums doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy them from home.

San Antonio’s major art organizations have found clever ways to provide entertainment, education and even projects to do at home while we shelter in place.

For those of us who missed out on their latest exhibitions before the shelter-inplace order came down, San Anto’s art institutions have found virtual ways for us view them at home. Curators Suzanne Weaver and Lana Meador give the highlights of the San Antonio Museum of Art’s “Texas Women” exhibition in a special virtual tour (samuseum.org), while the McNay Art Museum has posted video lectures that dive deep into its exhibitions “Fashion Nirvana: Runway to Everyday” and “Siempre Selena” (mcnayart.org).

Both museums also have digitized collections online for you to peruse at your leisure.

For people of all ages itching to create, Artpace and Ruby City have come to the rescue. Every Tuesday, Artpace is releasing

10 Ways to Celebrate Fiesta at Home

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an Antonians knew shit was truly getting real when Fiesta was pushed back to November. Even though the main festivities won’t commence until fall, there’s no reason why we can’t get into the party spirit at home.

Here are 10 suggestions for staging a DIY, stay-at-home version of San Antonio’s favorite holiday. You’ll be surprised how much money you save.

1. Make a flower crown from all that toilet paper you hoarded.

2. Line up paper boats in the bathtub for a miniature River Parade. Only have

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a new workshop from a former artist in residence as part of its #ArtpaceAtHome initiative.

Learn the basics of anything from zine-making to creating 3D assemblages from printed satellite maps (artpace. org). For its part, Ruby City is releasing weekly art challenges and tutorials that celebrate San Antonio cultural icons, including Cruz Ortiz and the late, great Chuck Ramirez (rubycity.org).

Looking for more of a party atmosphere? Anyone feeling Fiesta FOMO can tune into Ruby City’s April 10 online

Fiesta party, then return for more fun when the art center celebrates founder Linda Pace’s birthday on April 17. Those of us who have been missing our book clubs can get cracking on Artpace’s April Reading Red Book Club pick — Linda Nochlin’s essay “Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?” — and join a virtual discussion on April 25.

a shower? Turn your houseplants into Battle of the Flowers parade floats.

3. Crown yourself Rey Feo. After all, who’s gonna stop you?

4. Host your own personal Cornyation. Bonus points for donning a full drag ensemble, making props from cardboard and using a hairbrush as a microphone.

5. Clean out your junk drawer and make your own versions of all the 2020 Fiesta Medals you wanted to collect this year.

6. Celebrate Night at Home San Antonio, or NAHSA. Crowd your living room furniture around you for that authentic claustrophobic feeling and proceed to get blind drunk.

7. Rope the kids into an impromptu Battle of the Flowers marching band festival. No musical talent? No problem: blast brass band music from your phones while you stomp around in formation.

8. Recreate the crowds at Oyster Bake by blocking yourself in again with furniture while you shuck your own oysters.

Don’t forget to blast an old Eddie Money 8-track for ambiance.

9. Give a family member or roommate five paper tickets each time they grab you a beer from the fridge.

10. DIY some cascarones with eggshells, scotch tape and confetti made of ripped-up junk mail. — Kelly Merka Nelson

CURRENT | April 8 – April 21, 2020 | sacurrent.com

Shutterstock

But what’s the best way to keep up with all these online happenings? Believe it or not, it’s newsletters. Yes, we’re all used to ignoring them as if they’re spam, but SAMA, the McNay, Artpace, Ruby City and others are bringing all this and more to your inbox each week. Just hop on over to their websites to get added to their lists.

PANDEMIC

2020

cpsenergy.com

THE POWER OF

AFFORDABILITY Reliable gas and electric services aren’t a luxury – they are necessities. Making services affordable for you is a priority for us, especially during the extraordinary times we are currently facing. We offer programs to help reduce your energy bill, including rebates, increased efficiency products and services, and tools to help you manage your power needs and usage. It’s one reason we’re among the highest-rated utility companies in the United States. If you need assistance to manage your energy bill, please call us at (210) 353-2222.

Reliability | Customer Affordability | Safety | Security | Environmental Responsibility | Resiliency

sacurrent.com | April 8 – April 21, 2020 | CURRENT

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YOUR HOMETOWN SPICE STORE SINCE 1985.

DATE: MAY 5th, 2020 RE: REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE SEALED PROPOSAL FOR BIDS FOR RENTAL VANS AND NON-CDL BOX TRUCKS. The San Antonio Food Bank is soliciting bids to furnish the following rental vehicles: - (6) Non-CDL Cargo/Panel Vans - (3) 16 Foot Non-CDL Box Trucks with lift gates our children’s summer feeding program and will be in service from 05/28/2020 to 08/21/2020.

Please include all associated costs (i.e. mileage, physical damage, liability etc.). Only Non-CDL vehicles listed above will be considered for this solicitation. Please note all bids and contracts are subject to review by TDA. Bid due Date and Time: 5/4/2020 10 A.M. Central time Bid Opening Date and Time: Bids will be opened at 11 A.M. Central Time on Tuesday May 5th, 2020 at the San Antonio Food Bank (Address below). Bidding organization representative welcome to attend opening.

Bid delivery procedures: Sealed bids must be hand delivered by time and date listed above to Chad Chittenden or Heather Guzman.

San Antonio Food Bank C/O: Chad Chittenden 5200 Enrique M. Barrera Parkway San Antonio, TX 78227 Evaluation/Voting Members: George Cox: Procurement Coordinator, San Antonio Food Bank Chad Chittenden: Director of Food Industry Partnerships, San Antonio Food Bank Heather Guzman: Children’s Program Manager San Antonio Food Bank

SOUTH TEXAS SPICE CO. Retail - Institutional - Specialty Blends 8oz. - 300lbs. or more

210.436.2280 • 2106 Castroville Rd • 78237 24

CURRENT | April 8 – April 21, 2020 | sacurrent.com

Questions on this communication may be directed via e-mail to: Chad Chittenden Director Food Industry Partnerships, San Antonio Food Bank cchittenden@safoodbank.org through 10:00 A.M. Central Time on 5/4/2020.

Stimulating Minds

Look at Cute Animals Instead of Coronavirus News with the San Antonio Zoo

Stay curious at home with help from San Antonio’s kid-friendly museums

BY KATIE HENNESSEY

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eeping kids occupied after finishing the day’s schoolwork can present challenges in the stay-at-home environment. Luckily, a couple of San Antonio’s kid-friendly museums have created online outlets for curiosity and wonder beyond school hours. Those offerings provide hands-on activities and virtual learning experiences sure to keep young minds engaged.

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Witte Museum

Just because the doors are closed, doesn’t mean you can’t “Witte Where You Are.” The museum’s new YouTube series provides interactive virtual learning opportunities for kids and family alike.

Set in the backyard of the museum, the Witte team hosts engaging videos to follow along with at home. Viewers get a chance to be “backyard scientists” and “history detectives.” The Witte’s videos include, “Ropes and Brands,” a history of ropes and branding methods used by South Texas cowboys, and “Bird Watching,” which has tips for seeking out birds, animals and insects native to the region.

For aspiring meteorologists, Witte S.T.E.M. Manager Sarah Rowley set up a weather station to demonstrate the tools scientists use to track the weather. She even shows viewers how to make their very own backyard weather stations.

Shutterstock

wittemuseum.org/witte-where-you-are.

The DoSeum

The DoSeum’s staunch commitment to inspiring the joy of learning isn’t taking a backseat to coronavirus-induced closures. The museum’s newly updated DO It At Home webpage gives kids and families hands-on learning experiences to keep minds active and curious. The site

offers do-it-yourself activities, virtual storytelling, science-based Q&A videos and health and wellness readings. One such DIY project gives kids a way to explore storytelling abilities with a downloadable “Create a Comic Book” template. Online story readings include books such as Little Roja Riding Hood, a bilingual update to the familiar fairytale. thedoseum.org/ do-it-at-home.

t’s hard not to panic when we’re stuck inside reading news about the COVID-19 pandemic all day.

But the San Antonio Zoo is here with a cure. To stay connected with the public while its doors are closed — and help us calm the fuck down while they’re at it — the zoo has launched a new media page featuring live feeds of resident animals, educational videos and even zoo yoga.

Currently, the page has two live animal cams: a calming look at floating moon jellyfish — which can also be viewed on Twitch — and a “kangaroo cam” featuring the zoo’s two Matschie’s tree kangaroos, Omeo and Libby.

For anyone hungering for fresh content, the zoo will livestream new videos on Facebook Mondays through Fridays: Animal Chats at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. and Zen Zoo yoga at 10:30 a.m. sazoo.org/media. — Kelly

Merka Nelson

Shutterstock

Sherwood Forest Faire Bringing Renaissance Fest to YouTube Hear ye, hear ye! Anyone looking to get medieval while stuck in quarantine need look no further than Sherwood Forest Faire.

After the pandemic forced the popular renaissance faire that takes place in McDade, Texas, each spring to close its grounds, organizers converted the fest into an online affair.

The first episode of the Virtual Faire dropped on YouTube on Saturday, March 28, featuring three hours of live performances filmed at Sherwood earlier this year. The second episode featured longsword duels, a jousting tournament and acts including the Dublin Harpers and the Hands of Fatima Belly Dancers, and more episodes are slated to come on April 11 and 18. All episodes will be available for free on YouTube.

To support its performers, Sherwood is requesting donations from fans, who can submit the dollar amount of their choice via PayPal. Viewers can also purchase from swag tiers on Etix, with options ranging from a personal picnic with Lady Marian to a massive private feast in Sherwood's Great Hall that will let fans and performers celebrate together when this all blows over. sherwoodforestfaire.com/virtual-faire. — Kelly Merka Nelson

Sherwood Forest Faire

sacurrent.com | April 8 – April 21, 2020 | CURRENT

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arts Raiding the Quarantine Pantry

San Antonio chefs share easy food and drink recipes to whip up at home

BY LEA THOMPSON

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e’re not going anywhere for a while, but that’s no reason to settle for the sad boxed meals you panic-bought last week.

We reached out to four top San Antonio chefs and bartenders and asked them to supply creative recipes using simple kitchen staples. The rule many that are already in your pantry — so you can enjoy great dishes and cocktails, even in the midst of a quarantine.

David Caceres, La Panaderia

Eggless French Toast Local bakery and café La Panaderia is known for its delicious breads and timeless dishes. In keeping with that theme, chef and co-owner Caceres created this French toast recipe guaranteed to create a simple yet satisfying breakfast — even if you’re out of eggs.

Ingredients 1 liter of whole milk 3 tablespoons of almond milk 1 tablespoon of cinnamon 1-2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, or to taste 3 tablespoons of sugar, or approximately 5 packets of low-calorie sweetener Sliced sourdough bread, or preferred pan dulce, that’s at least a day old 1 teaspoon of chia seeds (optional) Powdered sugar (optional) Mixed berries (optional)

Directions Add milk, almond milk, cinnamon, vanilla extract, chia and sugar to a mixing bowl and whisk until items are fully combined. Submerge bread slices into the mixture one at a time, making sure to fully coat both sides.

Coat a medium-sized skillet with nonstick cooking spray and heat to medium/high heat. Place bread onto the skillet for up to five minutes, then flip and repeat on the other side. Remove the French toast from the skillet and top with powdered sugar and mixed berries.

Elizabeth Johnson of Pharm Table

Baba Ganoush

Quarantined life means many of us are checking to see what’s in the fridge more often and snacking on leftovers. This healthy Persian-inspired dip from Pharm Table chef Johnson is a great way to pep up sliced vegetables without the guilt. If you don’t have some of the spices, there are plenty of mail-order options.

Ingredients 2 large eggplants 1 tablespoon of oil 1⁄2 cup of raw cashews 26

CURRENT | April 8 – April 21, 2020 | sacurrent.com

1 teaspoon of sliced fresh turmeric 1 teaspoon of ginger, grated 1⁄4 cup of tahini Sea salt Sumac 1/4 cup of lemon juice

Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drizzle sheet pan with oil. Split eggplants in half lengthwise, and place them on the pan, flesh side down. Cut slits in the skin of the eggplant and insert pieces of turmeric. Roast in oven until soft, about 1 hour. Let cool, then scoop eggplant out of skin and set aside. Soak cashews in hot water for 15 minutes. Strain, then place in blender and blend on high, adding water as needed to make a paste. Add cooked turmeric, ginger and tahini. Blend until smooth.

Add eggplant. Blend until smooth. Season with salt to taste. Season with sumac and fresh lemon juice on top.

Rebel Mariposa, La Botanica

a softer version of a classic 50:50 martini, but the same approach can be used to make other spirit-forward cocktails such as the Negroni or Manhattan.

Ingredients 750 ml bottle of navy strength gin, such Hayman’s Royal Dock Bottle of dry vermouth, such as Dolin Dry

Directions Wash your hands for 20 seconds, then empty half of one bottle into a clean measuring cup. Pour half of the other bottle into that partially emptied bottle to fill it.

Then add what’s in the measuring cup back in the other bottle to fill it as well. Put both full bottles into the freezer, wait a couple hours and pour yourself a Martini, and another after that, and more for days to come. When serving, express the oil of a lemon peel over the drink for enhanced aromatics. If you’re able to find them, enjoy some Castelvetrano olives on the side.

Crispy Vegan Tacos

At La Botanica, chef and owner Mariposa is all about bringing community together through flavorful, vegan meals like these crispy tacos, which are perfect for feeding a family. You can find taco shells at any grocery store, but Mariposa swears by the ones from Adelita’s Tamales & Tortilla Factory at 1130 Fresno Road.

Ingredients 1 package of frozen Gardein Ultimate Beefless Ground 1/2 cup tomato sauce (add more if you want it to be extra saucy) 1 packet of taco seasoning 8 corn taco shells 1 bag of GO VEGGIE Vegan Mexican style cheddar cheese shreds 1 avocado Lettuce, shredded Cilantro, rough chop Tomato, diced

Directions Bring large sauté pan to medium heat. Add tomato sauce, stir in taco seasoning and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the Beefless Ground and cook for another 5 minutes. Lower the heat to simmer for about 2 minutes.

Spoon the “meat” into the taco shells. Garnish with lettuce, tomato, cilantro, vegan cheese and avocado.

Houston Eaves, The Esquire Tavern

50:50 Freezer Martini

You can’t venture inside The Esquire Tavern right now, but its beverage director is happy to share his secret to making great freezer cocktails. Eaves’ recipe offers

CUPBOARD COCKTAILS

Save the liquid from chickpea cans to shake up fancy stay-at-home drinks

L

et’s face it: You need a drink. I know I could use one.

There’s nothing wrong with pulling the cork on a bottle of favorite vino, popping the tab on a popular beer — or even retreating to an old favorite cocktail. But let’s face this reality: you may have some time on your hands. Why not use it to get just a little creative? And stocking the pantry against long home stays may have given you some unexpected tools to aid in that endeavor.

Here’s one: aquafaba.

Never heard of it? You’re not alone. The liquid that you usually drain off and discard when opening a can of chickpeas, aquafaba has only recently come to the attention of bartenders as a substitute for egg whites.

Yes, it foams. Which is also why it’s become popular with vegans and those who’d simply prefer not to consume raw egg whites.

Good thing for us, that foam is essential to several classic cocktails.

The one likely to be most familiar to even casual consumers is the Ramos Gin Fizz. It requires a strong shaking arm or the gauntlet of tireless ‘tenders that The Modernist recently employed in a benefit event featuring the drink. Those cocktail crafters efficiently passed

DON’T JETTISON THE JUICE the tin from one shaker to the next until ten or so had had their way with it. We won’t attempt that at home.

Instead, we’ll stick to a simpler rendition.

Gin FabaFizz 2 ounces of gin, preferably a full-bodied one such as Sipsmith V.S.O.J., a high-juniper, overproof bottling 1 tablespoon of aquafaba, finestrained 1 ounce of simple syrup, sugar dissolved in an equal amount of water ½ ounce of lemon juice ½ ounce of lime juice Club soda or Topo Chico to top Sprig of rosemary for garnish Directions: The recipe I was using as a springboard called for putting the club soda into a mixing tin, then adding all the other ingredients, including the aquafaba, and shaking for a minute with ice. Many recipes using egg white call for what is called a “dry” shake, in which you vigorously shake the egg white solo for 20-30 seconds, no ice, to emulsify it.

After that, the remaining ingredients go in. Some recipes, such as the one below, call for the aquafaba to be treated the same way, and I tried that here. No dice — apparently, a single tablespoon isn’t enough mass moving around to encourage an emulsion.

So, I added all the other ingredients except the Topo, preferring to douse it on top after the drink had been strained into a glass.

Older-but-now-wiser tip: To avoid frozen fingers, put a tea towel around the shaker before your one minute, or more, of shaking.

And to answer your inevitable question — no, the drink doesn’t taste of chickpeas.

So, let’s try another: a classic sour with bourbon.

This originally was a serves-two recipe, and it called for shaking 2 tablespoons of aquafaba first. But even in times of unusual duress, I didn’t think I needed to be drinking for two. So, I cut the recipe in half and used the above method of adding everything to the tin and shaking it all together, vigorously. No Topo this time. Additional word of caution: seat the upper tin well on the lower — the more vertical the better — as a minute of shake is a long time, and leaking can occur. Ahem.

ChickTx Bourbon Sour 2 ½ ounces of whiskey (I used Ranger Creek .36 Bourbon) 2 ½ ounces of lemon juice 2 ounces of simple syrup 1 tablespoon or more of aquafaba, fine strained 2 Luxardo cocktail cherries, skewered for garnish Directions: Shake, shake, shake and strain into highball glass over a large ice cube. The garnish may seem like a luxury, but these not-cheap cherries will always be in my pandemic pantry. Might as well weather the storm with panache. — Ron Bechtol

Save the water from canned tomatoes to add zing to your cocktails Just FYI, tomato water is a thing. At least it is among the cocktail cognoscenti.

Usually obtained by chopping up fresh tomatoes and letting them drain through a sieve lined with cheesecloth, the water is a pale pink and appealingly translucent suggestion of the turgid, traditional tomato juice some of us drink only on airlines.

Cocktails made with tomato water stealthily suggest, say, a Bloody Mary without resorting to this classic brunch cocktail’s over-the-top excesses. Bacon garnishes need not apply, for example.

But since we’re working with pantry staples in trying times, and many of us have stocked up on canned tomatoes, there’s a previously untapped source of tomato water waiting in the wings. Especially as many recipes ask you to drain and discard the liquid canned tomatoes are packed in. Yes, some straining is required, and the results are likely to vary brand to brand. I used Cento peeled, whole plum tomatoes because they’re Italian and, frankly, I like the label.

Start by draining the tomatoes through a semi-fine sieve into a stainless or glass bowl, trying not to press too much. I slit the tomatoes to allow a little more of their trapped juice to escape. This process will take some time. When you’re tired of waiting, remove and refrigerate the drained tomatoes, line the same sieve with about four layers of cheesecloth, then strain the remaining juice once again to obtain a liquid that’s somewhat clear with streaks of red. If the idea of an almost totally clear liquid intrigues, further draining the tomato water though a coffee filter will do the job — but I reserve that kind of obsession for picking the perfect pair of socks in the morning.

The easiest drink to make with your hard-won water is a variation of a martini. I’m usually a gin-or-die guy when it comes to martinis, but I’m willing to make an exception in extraordinary times. Grab that bottle of vodka you surely have hanging around — no problem if it’s citrus-flavored. The following proportions, and even ingredients, can be varied to suit the intensity of your tomato water. Unlike the perfect Martini, nothing’s sacred except a cold temperature. You can even shake it if you prefer.

Tomatini 2 ounces of tomato water 1 ¼ ounce of vodka or more, depending on intensity of tomato water 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice, or lemon if that’s all you have Pinch of salt A couple shakes of Tabasco or Cholula (optional) Directions: Combine all but hot sauce in a glass with ice, stir enough to chill and dissolve salt, strain into a chilled Martini glass since we might as well do this right.

Dash in the hot sauce and garnish with cherry tomatoes if you have them. As this is low-alcohol, feel free to rinse glass and repeat.

As an added note, I tried this with a splash of dry white vermouth but wasn’t thrilled. You might feel differently.

Of course, the elephant in the room when it comes to tomato cocktails is the above-mentioned Bloody Mary, but we’re going to go in a slightly different direction.

A commonly thought-of precursor to that most famous of brunch drinks is the Red Snapper, a ginbased cocktail that eschews some of the excesses of its better-known progeny. As I’m using tequila, let’s call it a— Huachinango 4 ounces of tomato water 1 ½ ounce of reposado tequila (I used El Jimador, since it doesn’t need to be fancy) 1 teaspoon of fresh lime juice 4 drops Worcestershire sauce 3 drops Tabasco sauce A couple of grinds of black pepper A pinch of salt or celery salt or both ¼ teaspoon of prepared horseradish (optional) Directions: Combine the ingredients in a highball glass with ice or stir with ice in a separate glass. Doing the latter allows you to double strain to remove the particles of horseradish, if that matters. As this is a clearer and cleaner drink than the Bloody Mary, it mattered to me.

Attentive imbibers may notice that swapping out the tequila for a local craft beer will yield a variation on a Michelada. Go for it. — Ron Bechtol Shutterstock

sacurrent.com | April 8 – April 21, 2020 | CURRENT

27

Silver Linings

Margaritas to go soften the blow of self-isolation

BY BRYAN RINDFUSS

A

s we grapple with the new normal, it’s only natural to look for silver linings — wherever they might be found. Some of us have become a lot more familiar with “personal space” and “me time” while gaining greater appreciations for concepts like community and global unity.

And many now have an abundance of “quality time” — to virtually reconnect with friends and family, reboot shelved projects, walk or cycle, or maybe unplug from the madness and read a good old-fashioned book. While these side effects are likely to be among the most memorable, and least-horrible, takeaways of the current crisis, we’d be remiss to ignore an anomaly facilitated by a waiver that lets Texas restaurants to sell booze with take-out and delivery orders.

Yes, we’re talking about margaritas to go.

As outlined by Gov. Greg Abbott, the waiver offers “enhanced delivery options during this temporary period of social distancing.” While one could argue San Antonians are increasingly appreciative of our unique culinary landscape, we don’t exactly need a special occasion to raise a glass, even if it’s made out of plastic. Local imbibers aren’t too proud to rock a disposable cup, and many have fantasized about a time — albeit under different circumstances — when getting a marg out the door didn’t require an “iced tea” to go and under-the-table sleight of hand.

To survey the boozy angle of the Alamo City’s fleeting curbside culture, we sampled 10 take-out margaritas. A few things to keep in mind: we maintained social-distancing protocols and spaced out our visits, and we obtained a snack at every establishment we visited — it’s the law. More than a few margarita mainstays — including La Fogata and Rosarios — were also temporarily closed at press time.

What’s more, our budget was beyond tight, so we favored spots offering individual margaritas. Rather than a hyper-critical “review” of margaritas to go, which seems unfair given the circumstances, the idea was to highlight the options while reminding readers of how sorely San Antonio’s service industry is hurting right now.

Anything we can safely do to support small businesses right now won’t go unnoticed. For those who find pickup or delivery too risky, there are other ways to support your favorite establishments and their staffs — including but not limited to purchasing gift cards and donating to crowd-funded relief endeavors such as San Antonio Tip Jar.

Paloma Blanca

An Alamo Height institution since 1997, Paloma Blanca puts an upscale spin on Mexican classics and takes margaritas seriously. From a menu that includes eight margarita options — including two named after its upper-crust ’hood — we opted for the most affordable, the basic house marg ($8.50). Available frozen or on the rocks with $2 flavor addins (from mango to a shot of red wine), the standard struck a winning balance of sweet, tart and strong — the tequila and fresh-squeezed lime juice were prevalent enough to cut through the triple sec and sweet-and-sour. Delivered curbside to a waiting area behind the restaurant, the frozen we ordered truly came to life when poured out of its white paper coffee cup and into a salted glass back home. 5800 28

CURRENT | April 8 – April 21, 2020 | sacurrent.com

Bryan Rindfuss

Sanchos

time, so we reluctantly opted for a $40 “At-Home Margarita Kit,” entailing a 375 ml. bottle of Lunazul reposado tequila, a shaker of house-made sweet and sour, limes and salt. Billed as ingredients for “approximately six margaritas,” the kit’s ratio could use a recalculation, as there was barely enough mix for three margaritas — and we dig a heavy pour. Multiple locations, torchystacos.com.

Soluna

Not long after we got the green light on this project, we called the Taco Cabana flagship on Hildebrand to suss out their margaritas to go — only to learn that nearly every San Antonio location was out of tequila. Not only did this confirm that we were on to something, it made it even more important to revisit TC’s margaritas. Two days later, the eagle landed, and we scooped up a $2 frozen, which paired nicely with bean and cheese tacos in the backyard. Like others out there, TC’s is a mix-at-home affair that comes with an airplane-size bottle of tequila. However, it was surprisingly satisfying and balanced with a wallet-friendly price tag to match. Multiple locations, tacocabana.com.

Torchy’s

While there are multiple La Fondas in town, the age-old La Fonda on Main is undeniably the original, as it’s been serving up Tex-Mex favorites since 1932. Now owned by Cappy and Suzy Lawton, La Fonda has temporarily consolidated with its Alamo Heights sibling Cappy’s. While the menu is essentially a pared-down version of Cappy’s fare, $8 margaritas — made with fresh lime juice, tequila and triple sec — are up for grabs in one of the more unassuming packages we encountered. Sealed in a plastic bag labeled with “margarita!” in Sharpie, the concoction tasted fresh, strong and tangy — and it even fared well in the freezer overnight.

5011 Broadway, (210) 733-0621, lafondaonmain.com.

Broadway, (210) 822-6151, palomablanca.net.

A service-industry fave thanks in part to its barebones vibe and late-night hours, Sanchos has risen to the unfortunate occasion with mix-at-home packages like the Quart-antine Margarita Kit ($18.99) and the Apocalypto Margarita Kit ($28.99), along with individual 12 oz. margaritas ($4.75).

Although the frozen mix is fairly standard, it maintains its icy composure for a remarkably long time — and the ability to add as much or as little of your airplane-size Jose Cuervo bottle puts you in the pilot’s seat. 628 Jackson St., (210) 3201840, sanchosmx.com.

Beloved for its elevated take on Mexican cuisine, lush patio and potent margaritas, Soluna is a scene unto itself.

Helmed by La Fogata founder Jesse Calvillo, the Alamo Heights destination is keeping busy in the “Stay Home, Work Safe” era by offering curbside to-go and delivery of signature dishes along with traditional margaritas and chispas — super-dry, booze-forward, hand-shaken margaritas on the rocks. Pushing the envelope on curbside delivery, we showed up on bicycles to pick up a $12 chispa (along with a half order of nachos to make it legal) — all of which went down quickly and smoothly in the parking lot. 7959 Broadway, (210) 930-8070, solunasa.com.

Say what you will about Torchy’s sliding into the Alamo City, but their consistently busy parking lots suggest some here have made fast friends with the Austin empire and its self-professed “damn good” tacos. Not all locations were offering “pre-mixed, individual margaritas to go” at press

Taco Cabana

La Fonda on Main

El Jarro de Arturo

Favored by locals in the know since 1975, El Jarro de Arturo is among the more original eateries in the Embassy Oaks area. Tucked into a busy shopping center, the restaurant is pushing mix-at-home kits — their $45 package yields 3.5 servings — but thankfully also offering individual pours. Delivered curbside with a smile, our house marg on the rocks ($9) was refreshing and not overly sweet. It only got better when we added an extra splash of tequila back home. 13421 San Pedro Ave., (210) 494-5084, eljarro.com.

Jacala

Established in 1949, Jacala bills itself as the “oldest originally owned Mexican restaurant in San Antonio.”

Housed in a former grocery store in Monticello Park, the colorful and casual haunt is loved for its old-school vibes and award-winning enchiladas. Shuttled out to our car by a cheery woman seemingly unfazed by the light rain, our budget frozen ($2.99) was an incredibly smooth sip and had a bright, natural flavor. What perhaps stood out most here was the accompanying snack — a simple order of bean and cheese nachos that were perfectly toasty and melty straight out the box. 606 West Ave., (210) 732-5222, jacala. com.

Mi Tierra

No such roundup would be complete without a visit to the Market Square icon Mi Tierra. Like others, the Cortez family’s 24/7 landmark is bundling its booze offerings into packs intended for groups (or seasoned boozehounds).

Combining a substantial amount of mix, a 375 ml. bottle of Cazadores reposado tequila and four lemons, Mi Tierra’s $20 Margarita Pack was far from our favorite, as the mix tasted overly sweet and slightly artificial. The included lemons — along with several limes we added — helped tone down the sweetness, and the tequila was plentiful enough for a few straight-up shots. Easily more remarkable than the kit was seeing how Mi Tierra has bridged gaps by transforming into a neighborhood mercado. When we arrived, groceries were being loaded into the back seat of a car from a shopping cart. And inside — where we were instructed to retrieve our order — shelves were stocked with eggs, milk, bread and paper towels while employees packed up household staples for pick-up. 218 Produce Row, (210) 239-9215, mitierracafe.com.

Bryan Rindfuss

SIZE MATTERS

When it comes to tacos, there’s a logic to the scale of tortilla you use

food

Chacho’s

Home of the rightfully intimidating and allegedly word-famous “Monster Kong Nachos,” Chacho’s has won a loyal following with its supersize approach. Something of a stoner-friendly underdog, the small Texas chain is still serving up all-day breakfast and “sloppy” burritos around the clock. Also available are its curiously strong, lime-forward frozen margaritas ($6.99) that easily stand up to more expensive options. Multiple locations, chachos.com.

Tacos — like men — are a varied bunch. They come in different sizes, tastes and shapes. But there’s one thing they all have in common, whether thick or thin, big or small, soft or hard.

You know what I’m referring to here: tortillas. (My apologies if you thought I was still talking about guys.)

The corn or flour foundation on which tacos are built plays the biggest role in their size. And while San Antonio wisdom seems to be the bigger, the better, the abundance of different tortilla sizes available suggests that isn’t always the case.

One important thing to get out of the way is the reason corn tortillas are smaller than their fluffier flour counterparts. Most corn tortillas range from four to six inches and seldom get much larger. Without much gluten, they can only get so big before crumbling to pieces.

So, with an empty belly, I hit up my main taco lady on the Southside for some answers about what tortilla sizes are ideal for what type of taco.

Street Tacos - The most diminutive of tortillas, street tacos’ corn wrappers are usually no larger than five inches in diameter. The tiny, thin tortillas fit easily in the hand.

They’re travel friendly, because who eats street tacos sitting down? Usually served with trompo, pastor, or asada, grilled onions, radish, salsa and jalapeño, street tacos are supposed to serve as antojitos — snacks — which explains the small size. That said, they’re so delicious it’s impossible to have fewer than two.

Tacos Dorados - Simply put, tacos dorados are crispy tacos. Corn tortillas take on a golden hue when fried, which explains the literal translation of the fancy-sounding name. Cool, right? Not like those store-bought flaccid, pale tortillas. While tacos dorados tend to be on the smaller side, they accommodate a broad spectrum. Anything can fit within their crunchy confines — even Taco Bell fillings, although those really shouldn’t.

Puffy Tacos - The fluffy cousin of street tacos, these corn tortillas are deep fried until they become puffy clouds that hold picadillo or shredded chicken, along with cheddar cheese, iceberg lettuce and tomatoes. Their crisp-yet-airy texture make them just as worthy as the more elegantly named tacos dorados. The pillowy treats were invented in San Antonio and are girthier and more indulgent than their crispy counter parts. But who’d expect any less from this city?

Breakfast Tacos - Breakfast tacos are San Antonio’s lifeblood. At their most basic level, they’re flour tortillas filled to the brim with whatever we want. Beans. Eggs. Potatoes.

Brisket. The possibilities are endless. The best flour tortillas should be about six to seven inches, meaning they’re big enough to be hearty while still fitting easily in the hand. Tacos, above all, should be convenient and delicious.

Super Tacos - The hulking monstrosities known as super tacos are built with tortillas as large as 12 inches in diameter. Most are roughly the size of three regular breakfast tacos. Eating a taco bigger than your head isn’t an easy feat. Perhaps I’m stirring the frijol pot here, but too much of a good thing gets tiring. Eating should be fun and delicious, but these can be overwhelming to consume in one sitting. Not to mention, too much filling is going to make even the best flour tortilla soggy — 12 incher or not.

Before anyone gets mad that I left out gorditas, flautas, chimichangas and burritos, my taco expert pointed out that these items are not tacos. Sure, some gringa on the internet said otherwise, but I’m not about to disparage the wisdom of anyone selling tacos for over 20 years on Pleasanton Road.

So, what did I learn from this exploration? Sometimes bigger is better, but it isn’t necessarily the best. It’s not the size of the tortilla. It’s what’s inside. But hey, barriga llena, corazón contento. Full belly, happy heart.

— AMANDA LORRAINE LOZANO

Amanda Lozano

Find more food & drink news at sacurrent.com

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CURRENT | April 8 – April 21, 2020 | sacurrent.com

ID#

YEAR

MAKE

MODEL

VIN

CHARGES

3162622

2000

OTHER

TRAILER

CA878118

$6,992.95

3528848

2006

TRAILER

TRAILER

5N6200F2571016125

$2,859.60

3217357

2005

FORD

TAURUS

1FAFP53295A153418

$6,496.80

2943424

2000

OTHER

TRAILER

NOT VISIBLE

$9,874.20

2946471

1900

OTHER

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NO VIN

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2303424

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TRAILER

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16HPB16242H092085

$43,258.80

3098162

2012

FORD

F150

BURNT

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2994659

2000

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F150

BURNT

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3116312

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CHEVY

COBALT

BURNT

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2953030

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BUICK

REGAL

BURNT

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3151732

2000

CHEVY

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CIVIC

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$6,020.50

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BURNT

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OTHER

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3001188

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OTHER

OTHER

NO VIN

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3096216

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OTHER

OTHER

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COROLLA

NO VIN

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3498320

2000

OTHER

OTHER

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3374638

2000

OTHER

OTHER

NOT VISIBLE

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2997292

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TRAILER

UTILITY TRAILER

NO VIN

$9,166.45

2793960

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OTHER

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NOT VISIBLE

$9,469.55

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