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By Yvette Tello
Today, I received a phone call from someone who said that since I am the publisher of my newspaper, I should consider not hanging out at "raunchy bars" and posting that I drink shots. By raunchy, he meant rock bars. For decades, rock ’n’ roll has carried a certain reputation. To some, it’s the music of freedom, rebellion, and passion. To others, it’s “raunchy”—loud, wild bars and late nights that don’t fit their idea of respectability. When rock first exploded in the 1950s, it was condemned as dangerous and corrupting. Elvis Presley was criticized for shaking his hips on TV. Later, heavy metal bands were accused of promoting devil worship and drugs. And yes, rock bars and venues have long been painted as “raunchy” places where trouble brews. Rock ’n’ roll has always challenged norms. It was never supposed to look polished or perfect. The same bars that some say are “raunchy” are also places where community is built, where local musicians get their start, and where friendships form over shared love of music. The energy can be loud, raw, and in-yourface—but isn’t that the point? Rock gives people a space to let go, to be themselves, to celebrate life without judgment. Do we call it raunchy because it’s truly negative— or because it refuses to fit into society’s box? Do you think rock ’n’ roll and rock bars are “raunchy,” or are they simply misunderstood spaces of freedom and expression? Let’s talk about it…
Gary Zeinert: “Something that took me about 50 years to learn …. What other people think or don’t think of you doesn’t matter … also something to think about is when people talk mess about the life you’re leading it’s a sign that they’re unhappy with their own life and too scared to make changes … so they take the easy way out .. which is criticizing other people. FTG”
Debi Rivas: “I’m with you all the way! I love all kinds of music, but rock ’n’ roll has my heart—it’s never been about fitting in, it’s about living free. I love my bars, my shots, and making memories
loud and proud. Life’s too short to fade quietly… let’s go out bold, unapologetic, and legendary together!”
Timothy Lambert Donovan: “Some people can't stand to see other people enjoying their lives. They want to pull you down to their level of misery.”
Jeff Hull: “I think there's Rock-n-Roll and then there's the people who listen to Rock-n-Roll. Both are based in freedom. of expression. The same individuals who look down on it are the same individuals that actually set it in motion. It's because of prejudices and control issues that Rock-nRoll was formed. A sort of "f -u" if you will. Excuse the language. A particular group of people wanted something different. The bubble gum pop music and the stiff and stuffy classical music that was playing for decades before got boring. So Rockn-Roll gave them that freedom from what was a form of oppression. Rock-n-Roll wasn't about impressing someone or status. Rock-n-Roll was and is about spreading your wings and not just flying but soaring. Escaping that stiff and stuffy cage of those who looked down their noses and those ready to break free from the norm.I think it's also important to mention that it gave even more freedom to the oppressed African American. As all American music is based on the Blues. Before Elvis ever swayed his hips. Little Richard was shooting and following at the piano. The black man and his struggle created Rockn-Roll. The white man took the credit. Rock-n-Roll is FREEDOM!”
Elisa Tamez: “Girlfriend, I admire your taste in music and fun! Rock out!”
Luis Estrada: “If that person that called you thinks it's raunchy and displeases him, then he should stick to his type of genre and stay in his own lane.”
Henrietta Hernandez Well I go to Rock Bars, and Gay bars!... I am a decent person ...educated, married, christian and a rocker!
Christopher Mora: “I dunno some rock bars are kinda raunchy then other rock bars like the Hard Rock Cafe is a multi-billion worldwide conglomerate…”
Cleto Rodriguez: “ I’m a little bit country and you’re a little bit rock and roll and a bit raunchy, and a tad bit Cochina!! lol love ya my friend! “
Frank Burton: “Well, there are a lot of double meaning songs. I don't think it's any more raunchy than other music though. I think that gut must've been one of those Christian prudes that wanted to ban Rock and Roll and rap music back in the 80s. The reality is his opinion is the most important one to him but doesn't run the rest of our lives. I like the old Wiccan saying which says "If it harm none, do what ye will" which means "If it harms no one, do what you will".
Adolfo Cuellar: “Was it the mayor from “Footloose” that called you?”
Jay Kotlan: “I think you may have to spend some time mopping up the vomit at the end of the night but it's worth the price of admission.”
Belinda Aldana: “It wouldn’t be Rock if it wasn’t raunchy. It’s because it doesn’t fit the norm and that’s the beauty of rock, it challenges the status quo and brings people together through music, Just another Karen or not, rock will always have a special place in people’s hearts, from lawyers to doctors and beyond, rock’s diversity is its strength”
Gregorio Carlos Gutierrez: “First and foremost, there is only one judge and that is Jesus Christ. As we enter responsible adulthood, choices will have to be made. Will we choose to live our life the way people want to see us live it? Or will we beat to our own drum and live the lifestyle we choose for ourselves. It is definitely not about Rock Bars, Country Bars or Spanish Cantinas because I can tell you from personal experience some of the most selfish, judgemental and rude people I have met were at Church. That did not discourage me as I chose another congregation. Ultimately, it comes down to if what we're doing is right? Or is what we are doing wrong, and that question can only be answered by you. Remember, even Jesus in all his miracles was still judged and crucified. Haters are always gonna Hate disguising it with good intentions. Blessings Always!”
By Dr Ricardo Romo
Salomón Huerta is a Los Angeles-based painter and printmaker widely recognized as a visionary interpreter of Latino art, celebrated for his enigmatic portraits and evocative depictions of domestic and suburban architecture that reflect his Mexican American heritage and formative years in Boyle Heights. With a career spanning over twenty-five years, Huerta’s works have earned places in prestigious collections, including the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles and San Diego, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City.
Born in 1965, Huerta moved to Southern California
as a child and grew up in the economically challenged Boyle Heights/Ramona Gardens area, a neighborhood marked by industrial decline, poverty, and intense social change throughout the 1970s and 1980s. His early environment—a public housing project affected by gang violence, deindustrialization, and high youth dropout rates—deeply informs the expressive power and social context of his work. Huerta’s exceptional artistic skills enabled his pursuit of formal training, earning a BFA from Art Center College of Design and an MFA from UCLA.
Huerta is best known for his distinctive portraiture, particularly his “Back of the Head” series, which features subjects depicted
from behind with meticulous realism against bold, glossy backgrounds. This unique approach challenges traditional conventions of identity and representation, intentionally obscuring facial features to invite viewers into an abstracted, universal experience. Critics have lauded Huerta’s paintings for their “cool, precise realism combined with jeweltone color backgrounds,” emphasizing the way he uses anonymity and detachment as a means to interrogate perceptions, biases, and cultural stereotypes. Works such as the “Luchador” series further complicate notions of identity by portraying masked Mexican wrestlers, where ambiguity becomes a vehicle for exploring broader questions of self and community.
Art historians see Huerta’s practice as a sophisticated blend of classical technique,
modernist composition, and postmodern social critique, resonant with East Los Angeles’s rich visual culture. As part of the “New Latin Cool,” his paintings employ vivid palettes and streamlined forms, stripping away specific cultural markers and compelling viewers to project their own associations. Huerta’s work actively participates in a dialogue about racial, social, and cultural identity, questioning the ways viewers assign meaning and stereotype.
Beyond portraiture, Huerta’s acclaimed “Home” series explores the architecture of modest Los Angeles residences— painting bungalows and tract homes with increasing size and scope. These images offer a nuanced critique of beauty, class, and belonging in landscapes shaped by economic and urban
dynamics. Critics note his ability to balance warmth with unflinching realism, rendering scenes that are both deeply personal and universally resonant.
In January 2025, Huerta and his wife, fellow artist Ana Morales-Huerta, endured the tragic loss of their Pasadena home in the Eaton Fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in California history. Emerging from this adversity, the Huertas continue to create and sell art, raising funds while actively contributing to relief efforts and community rebuilding in Los Angeles. Through ongoing dedication to portraiture and representational painting, Salomón Huerta exemplifies resilience and imaginative interpretation, remaining at the forefront of Latino artistic expression in contemporary America.
EJEMPLO A AVISO DE SOLICITUD Y DECISIÓN PRELIMINAR PARA UN PERMISO DE CALIDAD DEL AIRE NÚMERO DE PERMISO: 43833
SOLICITUD Y DECISIÓN PRELIMINAR. SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78238, ha solicitado a la Comisión de Calidad Ambiental de Texas (TCEQ, por sus siglas en inglés) una enmienda al Número de Permiso de Calidad del Aire 43833, que autorizaría la instalación del Southwest Research Institute ubicado en 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, Condado de Bexar, Texas 78238. Esta solicitud se presentó a la TCEQ el 20 de noviembre de 2024. La instalación propuesta emitirá los siguientes contaminantes: amoniaco, dióxido de silicio, monóxido de carbono, contaminantes peligrosos del aire, sulfuro de hidrógeno, óxidos de nitrógeno, compuestos orgánicos, material particulado incluyendo material particulado con diámetros de 10 micras o menos y de 2.5 micras o menos, plomo y dióxido de azufre. El direc tor ejecutivo ha completado la revisión técnica de la solicitud y ha preparado un proyecto de permiso que, de ser aprobado, establecería las con diciones en las que la instalación debe operar. El director ejecutivo ha tomado una decisión preliminar de emitir el permiso porque cumple con todas las reglas y regulaciones. La solicitud de permiso, la decisión preliminar del director ejecutivo y el bosquejo del permiso estarán disponibles para su visualización y copia en la oficina central de la TCEQ, la oficina regional de la TCEQ en San Antonio y la Biblioteca Bazan, 2200 West Commerce Street, San Antonio, Condado de Bexar, Texas a partir del primer día de publicación de este aviso. El archivo de cumplimiento de la instalación, si existe alguno, está disponible para su revisión pública en la oficina regional de San Antonio de la TCEQ. La solicitud (cualquier actualización inclusive) está disponible electrónicamente en la siguiente página web: https://www.tceq.texas.gov/permitting/air/airpermit-applications-notices.
COMENTARIO PÚBLICO/REUNIÓN PÚBLICA. Puede enviar comentarios públicos o solicitar una reunión pública sobre esta solicitud. El propósito de una reunión pública es para brindar la oportunidad de enviar comentarios o hacer preguntas sobre la solicitud. La TCEQ convocará una reunión pública si el director ejecutivo determina que existe un grado significativo de interés público en la solicitud o si lo solicita un legislador local. Una reunión pública no es una audiencia de caso impugnado. Puede enviar comentarios públicos adicionales por escrito dentro de los 30 días posteriores a la fecha de publicación de este aviso en el periódico de la manera establecida en el párrafo CONTACTOS E INFORMACIÓN DE LA AGENCIA a continuación.
RESPUESTA A LOS COMENTARIOS Y ACCIÓN DEL DIRECTOR EJECUTIVO. Después de la fecha límite para los comentarios públicos, el director ejecutivo considerará los comentarios y preparará una respuesta a todos los comentarios públicos relevantes y materiales o significativos. Debido a que no se han recibido solicitudes de audiencia oportunas, después de preparar la respuesta a los comentarios, el director ejecutivo puede emitir la aprobación final de la solicitud. La respuesta a los comentarios, junto con la decisión del director ejecutivo sobre la solicitud, se enviará por correo a todos los que hayan presentado comentarios públicos o estén en una lista de correo para esta solicitud, y se publicará electrónicamente en la Base de Datos Integrada de los Comisionados (CID, por sus siglas en inglés).
INFORMACIÓN DISPONIBLE EN LÍNEA. Cuando estén disponibles, la respuesta del director ejecutivo a los comentarios y la decisión final sobre esta solicitud podrán consultarse a través del sitio Web de la Comisión en www.tceq.texas.gov/goto/cid. Una vez que tenga acceso al CID utilizando el enlace anterior, ingrese el número de permiso para esta solicitud que se proporciona en la parte superior de este aviso. Este enlace a un mapa electrónico de la ubicación general del sitio o instalación se proporciona como cortesía pública y no como parte de la solicitud o aviso. Para conocer la ubicación exacta, consulte la solicitud. https://gisweb.tceq.texas.gov/LocationMapper/?marker=-98.61,29.452222&level=13.
LISTA DE CORREO. Puede solicitar ser colocado en una lista de correo para obtener información adicional sobre esta solicitud enviando una solicitud a la Oficina del Secretario Oficial a la dirección a continuación.
E
DE LA AGENCIA. Los comentarios y solicitudes públicas deben enviarse electrónicamente a www14.tceq.texas.gov/epic/eComment/, o por escrito a la Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Office of the Chief Clerk, MC-105, P.O. Box 13087, Austin, Texas 78711-3087. Favor de tener presente que cualquier información de contacto que proporcione (nombre, teléfono, dirección de correo electrónico y dirección física inclusive) será parte de los registros públicos de la agencia. Para más información sobre el proceso de tramitación de permisos, favor de llamar al Programa de Educación pública de la TCEQ sin costo al 1-800-687-4040, o bien visitar su sitio web, www.tceq.texas.gov/goto/pep. Para información en español, favor de llamar al 1-800-687-4040. También es posible consultar oportunidades de participación pública en nuestro sitio web, www.tceq.texas.gov/goto/participation.
También se puede obtener más información de la SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE en la dirección indicada anteriormente o llamando a Sra. Amber Chapman, Científica Ambiental Líder al (210) 522-3271.
Fecha de Emisión del Aviso: 15 de agosto de 2025
Por Franco
La empresa Spurs Sports & Entertainment, propietaria del equipo Spurs de San Antonio [ Pentacampeón en la NBA], mediante boletín oficial informó la transferencia del comentarista Dan Weiss, quien por su excelente desempeño en transmisiones televisivas en equipos de la misma empresa, lo nombraron comentarista oficial de los Spurs, quien transmitirá los partidos en la estación de radio WOAI 1200 AM en jugada -por -jugada comenzando la temporada 202526, llenando el sitio de Bill Schoening, quien se jubiló al final de la pasada temporada 202425. Shoening, dejó excelente legado cubriendo los partidos de Spurs y a la vez
destacando las obras comunitarias de la franquicia Silver &Black.
Los partidos del rol regular de Spurs seguirán siendo presentados por televisión en el canal deportivo FanDuel Sports Network Southwest y FanDuel Sports Network app, con los comentarios del pre-juego y después del partido.
Weiss, nativo de Weston, Massachusetts, graduado de Norheastern University, en 2009 se unió a SS&E, como comentarista en jugadapor-jugada del equipo de Hockey profesional San Antonio Rampage, (American Hockey League), donde tuvo gran éxito hasta el cierre del equipo en 2018.
También a la vez durante esos años Weiss, estuvo colaborando en transmisiones de partidos del equipo
Austin Spurs sucursal de San Antonio Spurs en la G-League, así como con el equipo femenino San Antonio Stars afiliado a la WNBA, y del club San Antonio FC en el soccer USL Championship.
Una de sus características fue darlo todo en cada transmisión de los espectaculares partidos que antes de unirse a SS&E, logró narrar en los equipos Phoenix Mercury, Phoenix Roadrunners. Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies y Corpus Christi Ice
Rays, recibiendo como el ECHL Broadcaster of the Year 2005-06.
“Dan tiene la experiencia para seguir la tradición establecida por Bill Schoening, por lo qué deseamos que él continúe haciendo su propio trabajo ya qué cuenta con suficiente experiencia y pasión por el juego” dijo el ejecutivo Mike Kickirillo, Senior Director of Broadcast at SS&E. Weiss, agradeció por haber sido nombrado como la nueva voz de Spurs, indicando lo siguiente. “Un honor y
privilegio será narrar los partidos de Spurs de San Antonio. Así como unirme a los seis personajes que han estado al frente del micrófono desde 1973, con su primer comentarista Terry Stembridge hasta Bill Schoening. Por lo qué espero seguir adelante con esas tradiciones y colaborar con todos los proyectos de nuestra institución que serán de gran ayuda entre nuestra comunidad y el deporte del baloncesto” dijo Weiss. (Fotos cortesía SS&E).
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Southwest Research Institute, ha solicitado a la Comisión de Calidad Ambiental de Texas (TCEQ, por sus siglas en inglés) lo siguiente: Enmienda del Permiso 43833, que autorizaría modificación de Southwest Research Institute ubicado en 6220 Camino Culebra, San Antonio, Condado de Bexar, Texas 78238.
Información adicional sobre esta solicitud se encuentra en la sección de aviso público de este periódico.
By J. Gilberto Quezada
In the meantime, Mariano Jiménez, who was now in control of Coahuila, Nuevo Santander, and Nuevo León, instructed his aide Father Gutiérrez to incite the revolution in Laredo, Revilla, Mier, Camargo, and Reynosa. The governor of Nuevo Santander wrote to Viceroy Venegas, "...that revolution and terror raged in the settlements on the Río Grande." Sometimes in February 1811, Jiménez sent four insurgents to Texas for the purpose of spreading favorable news of revolutionary achievements. It appears from their activities that they had definite instructions to strengthen by propaganda the highway to Texas for Jiménez's army of revolutionaries. The insurgent envoys were: Ignacio Aldama, a member of the Chief Staff of Mexican Insurgents and was commissioned to the United States to secure troops and munitions; Father Salazar, a chaplain and an author of revolutionary pamphlets; two Franciscan friars, and several soldiers. They remained in Laredo for four days. Father Salazar was not very happy over conditions in this border town and wrote a letter to Jiménez saying that the situation in Laredo was "not favorable to the cause." He also said that the people were indifferent, troops discontented, and the commander, Captain José Díaz de Bustamante, indecisive. Captain Bustamante refused to be removed as Captain by stating that he preferred to hand over the district under his command to the French, the English, or the barbarous Indians, rather than embrace the cause of the revolution.
On June 22, 1811, Don José Joaquín de Arredondo, Military Commander of the province, issued a decree containing eight precautions that should be
observed to reduce the scandals and abuses that had been introduced by the revolution.
Two months later, Captain José Díaz de Bustamante sent a letter to General Joaquín de Arredondo, requesting reinforcements to protect the border area and also to aid Lt. Col. Ignacio Elizondo's campaign in Coahuila to destroy the insurgent government of Aranda.
On August 10, 1811, José Antonio Benavides, Alferéz of the Villa of Laredo, sent a letter to General Félix María Calleja del Rey, reassuring him of his support, loyalty, and fidelity, stating in part, "My general, you will see that the individuals who guard the villa are nativeborn dwellers. Men whose qualities of valor, spirit, vigor, and serenity are required for the present circumstances. They offer to sacrifice their lives for the defense of our beloved king, country, and religion. With these virtues, I recommend them to my general, begging him to pardon any faults in my management, taken into account that my only desire is to find the right course....Believing the results of these, will hopefully be with my best intentions and wishes for serving the king and country. For which, I will be willingly to sacrifice my life without overlooking the greatest sacrifice, and whatever means would be justifiable, for which reason if it would please my general. A small reinforcement of arms should be made available to make the border safe against the continued attacks from the enemy. I shall make available immediately from my own resources, and put at your disposition the quantity of one hundred rifles and another amount of sabers. The arms will be distributed at cost among the loyal patriots of this land should this be to the liking of my general. The arms would remain
stored for later use against the invasion of the insurgents. My aims are and usefulness in whatever is in the interest of the royal service of my majesty, and honor and for the defense of my country. It would please my greatly if my Excellency would send as many orders and mandates as necessary. I can not find more glory than to blindly obey your commands, practicing to the letter of the law your resolutions and dispositions with that wisdom and military knowledge that God has bestow upon your Excellency for the defense of this vast and beautiful continent. May God keep your Excellency many years."
The impact of the economic depression caused by the revolution was keenly felt in Laredo, especially after greedy merchants began to take advantage of the citizens. Consequently, on March 29, 1812, the attorney general for the Villa of Laredo, Manuel Dovalina, issued a decree regulating the sales of certain commodities, and cornering of the market on any one commodity was prevented by requiring all merchants to offer their goods at retail in the plaza for three days before a deal at wholesale could be made. The decree stated in part that the price of commodities of first necessity be adjusted to the price, weight and measure set out in the following provisions:
1. Everyone selling meat shall give five pounds for a real, including bone pertaining thereto.
2. Those selling candles shall gie four ounces for half a real.
3. He who sells bread shall give twelve ounces for half a real, after it is taken from the oven.
4. Under no circumstances shall anyone kill (dress) beef in the country and bring it into this town,
though anyone may do so here or in their own ranches.
5. That anyone selling green hay shall give half an arroha for half a real, and dry hay at ten pounds for the same price.
6. Those selling stove wood shall charge half a real per load.
7. He who sells pork lard and beef tallow shall do so at two and one-half reales per pound for the former and one real for the latter.
Anyone, without exception, who fails to comply with any of the above provisions, shall be punished by a fine of 25 pesos for the first offense, double for second and three-fold for the third, and the proceeds shall be used for the construction of government buildings in this town, and in order that no one may claim ignorance, this decree is published by posting in the principal corner of the plaza."
Remaining loyal to the Spanish crown, Alcalde José Gonzáles, who was in command along the frontier, issued a decree on March 9, 1813. He called on all loyal Spaniards to cooperate in apprehending traitors to the mother country. The alcalde stated that the preservation and defense of the Villa de Laredo called for unity among the citizens so that they might: "better serve God, the King, the native land and the honor of the Spanish arms." Furthermore, he commanded each male between the ages of fifteen and sixty to present himself at headquarters with his arms in order that he might be assigned to duty. The decree also stated that: "... those failing to report to arms will be treated as traitors to the Spanish monarchy and sent to the Governor so he may apply such penalty as the offense deserves....The punishment of death will be inflicted on those dealing with traitors, insurgents or with Indians allied with the revolution....and also without
regard to sex, the same penalty will be imposed on those furnishing aid to the enemy, whether it be foodstuffs, horses, money or jewels which they have in their houses. Death will also be imposed on those who furnish shelter to any of the enemy or have knowledge where any of the enemy may be found and not report the fact immediately to the commander....The revolution must be suppressed, and Alcalde Gonzáles intends to enforce the decree to the letter."
As we can see by the information culled from the Spanish Archives of Laredo, the people of the Villa of Laredo remained loyal to the Spanish Crown. The revolution ignited by Father Miguel Hidalgo’s monumental and inspiring Grito de Dolores reverberated powerfully across the province of Nuevo Santander and throughout New Spain. His vision for Mexican independence took root not only through his own courage, but thanks to the pivotal role played by Doña María Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez, better known as La Corregidora of Querétaro. As Chief Magistrate, Doña Josefa’s contributions were indispensable. Her unwavering commitment and strategic coordination helped galvanize the early insurgency, making her a cornerstone of the movement. In retrospect, Father Hidalgo’s success was inseparable from her bravery and foresight.
A good friend of one of my readers sent me the following photograph of the tomb of Doña María Josefa Ortiz de Dominguez taken in the city of Santiago de Querétaro.and the involvement of the Villa of Laredo with the Mexican Independence Movement took place 215 years ago on Tuesday, September 16, 2025.
By Dr Ricardo Romo
Salomón Huerta, a Los Angelesbased painter and printmaker, is known for his enigmatic portraits and compelling depictions of domestic and suburban architecture reflecting his Mexican American heritage and upbringing in Boyle Heights. Over the past quartercentury, Huerta’s works have been acquired by the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; the Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego; the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City.
Born in 1965, Huerta moved to Southern California at age four and grew up in the Boyle Heights/ Ramona Gardens area of Los Angeles. When Huerta moved to Boyle Heights in the late 1960s, the area was undergoing an economic and social transformation. From the 1970s through the 1980s, Boyle Heights experienced a steady decline of local industrial jobs that had sustained earlier generations, particularly the shutdown of auto assembly plants and other heavy industries. This economic shift forced residents into low-paying, non-unionized jobs, often in sweatshop textile production or informal sectors, reflecting a broader regional trend of deindustrialization and economic restructuring in East Los Angeles.
The Ramona Gardens public housing project, where Huerta grew up, experienced intense gang violence through the 1980s and early 1990s, becoming known as one of the gang epicenters in Los Angeles. This was exacerbated by increased poverty, high dropout rates among youth, and aggressive policing policies focused on zero tolerance and incarceration. Huerta’s art skills provided a path for him to attend college: his art training includes a BFA from Art Center College of Design (1991) and an MFA from UCLA (1998).
Huerta's family history and early life in Los Angeles significantly inform his creative work that draws on vivid memories of urban life and social dynamics.
Huerta is best known for his distinctive portraits, often depicting subjects from behind, rendered with meticulous technique and placed against bold, glossy backgrounds. Reviewers emphasize Huerta's methodical portraiture—particularly the motif of painting subjects from the back, which challenges conventional notions of identity and representation. Huerta’s portraits of shaved heads stood out for their originality. His work expressed both the personal and the universal, offering a new perspective on preconceived ideas and racial profiling.
Los Angeles artist and master printer Richard Duardo introduced us to Huerta 15 years ago when Huerta was living in the San Fernando Valley. Harriett and I
visited his home studio, and there we first saw Huerta’s luchadores (Mexican wrestlers known for their colorful masks) and his backof-the-head profiles. We learned that Huerta had developed the luchadores series as a continuation of his earlier "Back of the Head" portrait works. These wrestler paintings portray a more abstract style of identity where the masks and faces underneath are depicted but intentionally obscured to create ambiguity and abstraction in the imagery.
The "Back of the Head" images created by Huerta have a complex origin and explanation. Huerta told reporter Zach Davidson of the Los Angeles Times that “the paintings of the back of the heads were about me challenging myself on portraiture. I wanted to create something that wasn’t stereotypical—something that was universal—with no clear identity.”
In a recent interview with Jesús S. Treviño, of Latinopia [August,
2025], Huerta elaborated on how he reached his decision to paint differently, noting that he said to himself: “I'm a figurative painter, I want to do a portrait, a kind of portrait that hasn't been seen before. I want to do something different beyond the Chicano community, like in the mainstream art world. So that's where it came about.”
The eminent art magazine Art in America explains Huerta’s shift to painting the backs of his subjects as a conscious strategy to challenge traditional portraiture and the viewer’s assumptions about identity. By eliminating facial features and depicting anonymous figures from behind, Huerta intentionally masks each subject’s identity while preserving subtle clues, such as skin tone and hairstyle. This move, according to Art in America, forces viewers to engage with the portrait based on their own perceptions, biases, and
experiences—creating a “vacuum” that the viewers must fill rather than immediately categorizing the sitter’s ethnicity, personality, or social class.
A Los Angeles Times article by Hunter Drohojowska-Philp highlighted Huerta's unique approach to portraiture in which he creates a sense of detachment and anonymity. [October 8, 2000]. Huerta’s work, Drohojowska-Philp commented, is noted for “its cool, precise realism combined with jewel-tone color backgrounds.”
The Drohojowska-Philp article also discussed Huerta’s avoidance of traditional facial expressions, inviting viewers to seek different connections and emphasizing a more abstract, color-focused approach while disguising both his subjects and himself.
Toro Castaño, an independent curatorial researcher and art historian based in Long Beach, California, focuses on visual
culture and postmodern forms.
He concluded that Huerta’s early works “are a syncretic blend of classical painting techniques, modernist composition, and a commitment to the Cholo aesthetic of East L.A.” Former Director of USC’s Graduate Fine Arts program, Josh Kun, buillt on this descriptive term to articulate post-Chicano artists “as engaging in a negotiation between tradition and change rather than discarding tradition outright.”
I found the "The New Latin Cool" article on the digital Artnet, which highlighted Salomon Huerta's unconventional approach to portraiture, quite revealing. Huerta's paintings, noted Artnet, recall bright palettes and streamlined compositions reminiscent of modern painters. By eliminating facial features and cultural markers, Huerta “creates a vacuum that compels viewers to project their own perceptions and biases onto his subjects.”
As part of the “New Latin Cool,” Huerta’s work explores “identity from racial, social, and cultural perspectives, questioning stereotypes and the viewer’s role in assigning identity.”
Huerta’s other well-known artworks include architectural and home scenes. His paintings of modest homes critique social concepts of beauty and class structure. These works are often inspired by landscapes and broader cultural settings from the Los Angeles neighborhoods most familiar to him.
David Pagel of the Los Angeles Times wrote that Huerta’s portraits of homes were “ruthless but warm.” Pagel noticed that compared with an earlier period, the images of lower-middle-class houses that Huerta had been painting in oil on canvas or panel
had increased in size. According to Pagel, Huerta first depicted snug bungalows and tidy tract homes, all realistically rendered to create the impression that viewers were standing curbside or perhaps passing by in a slow-moving car.
As Huera added second stories, porches, and garages to his modest homes, Pagel observed, the streets that ran parallel to the pictures’ lower edges disappeared.
The square footage of the lots grew, first gradually and then dramatically.
On January 7, 2025, a catastrophic wildfire tore through Southern California, primarily impacting Los Angeles County and the foothill communities of Altadena and Pasadena. Known as
The Eaton Fire, this blaze ranked as one of the deadliest and most destructive wildfires in California history. Huerta was painting in his Westwood studio that day when he received an urgent call from his wife, Ana Morales-Huerta, alerting him that the fire was approaching their Pasadena home.
The fire roared, driven by powerful Santa Ana winds gusting up to 100 mph and fueled by eight months of extreme drought and measurable rainfall. Only a few hours after the fire broke out,
flames rapidly moved into urban neighborhoods at the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. Over 52,000 residents and more than 20,000 structures were threatened by the fire, and more than 100,000 people were evacuated. The Huertas evacuated at 9 p.m., prioritizing items of immediate value and necessity and only what they could carry in two cars. By 3 a.m., the Eaton Fire destroyed their home.
The Eaton Fire became fully contained on January 31 after burning for 24 days. Over 9,000 buildings, including historic homes and landmarks in Altadena, were destroyed. Since the fire, Huerta and his artist wife, Ana Morales-Huerta, have been actively selling art online to raise funds for subsistence, continuing to work in portraiture and representational painting. Major arts institutions in Los Angeles raised $12 million in aid for artists affected by the wildfires, and efforts to support artists and community members continue. Courageous Latino artists like Salomón Huerta and his wife Ana, who lost their homes and many of their cherished paintings, continue their creative interpretations of Latino experiences.
Permítanos ayudarle a encontrar programas accesibles de pagos y asistencia que se adapten a sus necesidades.
A tax rate of $0.299999 per $100 valuation has been proposed by the governing body of BEXAR COUNTY.
PROPOSED TAX RATE - $0.299999 per $100
NO-NEW-REVENUE TAX RATE - $0.306953 per $100
VOTER-APPROVAL TAX RATE - $0.353016 per $100
The no-new-revenue tax rate is the tax rate for the 2025 tax year that will raise the same amount of property tax revenue for BEXAR COUNTY from the same properties in both the 2024 tax year and the 2025 tax year.
The voter-approval rate is the highest tax rate that BEXAR COUNTY may adopt without holding an election to seek voter approval of the rate.
The proposed tax rate is not greater than the no-new-revenue tax rate. This means that BEXAR COUNTY is not proposing to increase property taxes for the 2025 tax year.
A PUBLIC MEETING TO VOTE ON THE PROPOSED TAX RATE WILL BE HELD ON Tuesday, September 09, 2025, AT 9:00 AM AT the DoubleHeight Courtroom on the second floor of the Bexar County Courthouse, 100 Dolorosa Street, Suite 2.01, San Antonio, Texas 78205.
The proposed tax rate is also not greater than the voter-approval tax rate. As a result, BEXAR COUNTY is not required to hold an election to seek voter approval of the rate. However, you may express your support for or opposition to the proposed tax rate by contacting the members of the of BEXAR COUNTY at their offices or by attending the public meeting mentioned above.
YOUR TAXES OWED UNDER ANY OF THE RATES MENTIONED ABOVE CAN BE CALCULATED AS FOLLOWS:
Property tax amount= (tax rate) x (taxable value of your property)/100
FOR the proposal: County Judge P. Sakai, Commissioner R. Clay-Flores, Commissioner J. Rodriguez, Commissioner G. Moody, Commissioner T. Calvert
AGAINST the proposal: N/A
PRESENT and not voting: N/A
ABSENT: N/A
Visit Texas.gov/PropertyTaxes to find a link to your local property tax database on which you can easily access information regarding your property taxes, including information about proposed tax rates and scheduled public hearings of each entity that taxes your property.
The 86th Texas Legislature modified the manner in which the voter-approval tax rate is calculated to limit the rate of growth of property taxes in the state.
The following table compares the taxes imposed on the average residence homestead by BEXAR COUNTY last year to the taxes proposed to be imposed on the average residence homestead by BEXAR COUNTY this year.
The BEXAR COUNTY Auditor certifies that BEXAR COUNTY has spent $6,755,314 in the previous 12 months for the maintenance and operations cost of keeping inmates sentenced to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. BEXAR COUNTY Sheriff has provided BEXAR COUNTY information on these costs, minus the state revenues received for reimbursement of such costs. This increased the no-new-revenue maintenance and operations rate by $0.000814/$100.
For assistance with tax calculations for BEXAR COUNTY, please contact: The Office of the Bexar County Tax Assessor-Collector Albert Uresti, MPA, PCAC
Vanessa Bouchan
Property Tax Division Director
233 N. Pecos-La Trinidad, San Antonio, TX 78207
210-335-6602
SE HA PROGRAMADO UNA AUDIENCIA PÚBLICA PARA CONSIDERAR EVALUACIONES ESPECIALES SUPLEMENTARIAS CONTRA PROPIEDADES EN EL DISTRITO DE MEJORAS PÚBLICAS EN EL ÁREA DEL DOWNTOWN (PID). EL CONSEJO DE LA CIUDAD LLEVARÁ A CABO UNA AUDIENCIA PÚBLICA DE LA SIGUIENTE MANERA: Jueves, 18 de septiembre de 2025, a las 9:00 a.m. Salas del Consejo de la Ciudad Edificio Municipal Plaza 114 W. Commerce, San Antonio, Texas 78205
La lista de evaluación, que plasma las evaluaciones suplementarias propuestas, se ha elaborado de conformidad con las secciones 372.015, 372.016 y 372.019, V.T.C.A. capítulo 372 del Código del Gobierno Local, en su forma enmendada (la Ley), y se encuentra archivada y disponible para revisión del público de conformidad con la sección 372.016 (b) de la Ley en la Oficina de la Secretaria de la Ciudad, ubicada en 100 W. Houston, Planta Baja, San Antonio, TX 78205, de 8:00 am a 4:30 pm en días hábiles de la Ciudad.
GENERAL Y COSTO DE LAS MEJORAS Y SERVICIOS PROPUESTOS - La Ciudad contrata con Centro San Antonio, una corporación sin fines de lucro, para servicios suplementarios y mejoras dentro del PID. Estos servicios y mejoras incluyen servicios de limpieza como barrido de basura en las aceras, recolección de desechos suplementaria, lavado a presión y servicios de desinfección; eliminación de grafitis y control de aves; embellecimiento y paisajismo; servicios de embajador de hospitalidad y calidad de vida; mercadeo, promoción y programación de eventos; programación en apoyo de pequeñas empresas locales; administración de proyectos, planificación y servicios de investigación; y proyectos estructurales y especiales en el distrito para servir y beneficiar a los residentes y visitantes del PID.
COSTO ESTIMADO - El costo de estos servicios y mejoras se estima en aproximadamente $7,309,000 para el AF 2026.
MÉTODO PROPUESTO DE EVALUACIÓN SUPLEMENTARIA - La Ordenanza No. 2013-05-30-0380, aprobada por el Consejo de la Ciudad el 30 de mayo de 2013, estableció que el método de evaluación para el PID se basaría en el valor de la propiedad inmobiliaria y en un porcentaje del valor tasado de la propiedad inmobiliaria, según lo determine el registro actual del Distrito de Tasación de Bexar para propiedades comerciales y el Distrito Escolar Independiente de San Antonio para propiedades residenciales. El registro de propiedades inmobiliarias en el PID se ha presentado ante la Oficina de la Secretaria de la Ciudad para el acceso e revisión del público. La tasa de evaluación prevista es de $0.15 por cada $100.00 de valoración para propiedades comerciales y de $0.09 por cada $100.00 para condominios residenciales, excepto para aquellos sujetos a una exención de vivienda familiar, en cuyo caso la tasa de evaluación será de $0.045 por cada $100.00 de valor. La evaluación proyectada recaudará aproximadamente $5,710,000 para el año fiscal 2026 para financiar servicios complementarios y mejoras en todo el PID. El PID proyecta un saldo inicial de $903,000; una parte del cual se utilizará para cubrir el costo de proyectos estructurales y proyectos especiales de duración limitada que están planificados para el AF 2026.
LÍMITES PID - Los límites del Distrito propuesto incluirán ambos lados de cada calle y acera que se encuentren a lo largo de los siguientes límites: El Área del PID para el AF 2026 está delimitada por la IH35 al oeste; al este por Martin Street, al norte por Flores Street, al este por Savings Street, al norte por Main Street, al noreste por Quincy, al sureste por Baltimore, al noreste por N. St. Mary’s; al sureste porBrooklyn Ave.; al suroeste por Broadway; al sureste por McCullough Ave.; al sur por la IH 37 hasta E. Commerce Street; al oeste por Bowie Street; al sur por Bowie hasta Market Street; alrededor de la base del Grand Hyatt Hotel and Garage; al oeste por Market Street; al sur por S. Alamo Street; al oeste por Cesar Chavez Blvd.; al norte a lo largo de San Antonio River y al oeste por Nueva Street hasta la IH35. Cómo presentar comentarios públicos al Consejo de la Ciudad: Los miembros del público pueden comentar sobre este asunto del PID del Downtown publicado en la Sesión A del Consejo de la Ciudad del 18 de septiembre de 2025. Para inscribirse para hablar, visite www.saspeakup.com. Haga clic en reuniones y eventos y seleccione la Sesión A del 18 de septiembre de 2025 y el número de asunto en el que desea participar. NOTA: La inscripción de participantes cierra 15 minutos antes del inicio de la reunión.
Las preguntas relacionadas con este aviso de agenda deben dirigirse a Rita Basta, Departamento de Desarrollo y Operaciones del Centro de la Ciudad, (210) 207-4097.
/s/
Debbie Racca-Sittre Secretaria de la Ciudad
Ciudad de San Antonio
Por Sendero Deportivo
El trabuco de República Dominicana dirigido por el triunfador manager Hugo Franco y los coaches; Esequiel Pérez (ex liga mayor), y Juan Tierrablanca, conquistó su segundo campeonato consecutivo en el tradicional Torneo Clásico Latinoamericano presentado por el presidente Simón Sánchez y el artista Eloy Rocha (dueño del complejo deportivo y social Potranco en San Antonio, Texas), en el Estadio Potranco sede del circuito abierto Potranco Baseball League.
Esté evento deportivo fue una vez más dentro de los festejos del Labor Day, con partidos celebrados durante el sábado 30 y domingo 31 de agosto, con
la participación deportiva de los equipos representativos en la distancio de República Dominicana, Cuba, México y Puerto Rico.
En la jornada sabatina Dominicana blanqueó a México con pizarra de 4-0 carreras, con victoria para Enrique Gunes y relevo de Joel Inoa, esto de acuerdo a reporte del timonel Hugo Franco.
Puerto Rico de Edwin Ortiz Jr., y Francisco Navarro ganaron a Cuba con marcador de 10-1. El trofeo de campeón se lo disputaron el domingo las novenas de Dominicana y Puerto Rico. La gente de Hugo Franco, le respondió con gran éxito defensivo y ofensivo anotando seis carreras y a la vez apoyando el pitcheo del abridor derecho José “El
Látigo” López, quien lanzó una joya en ocho entradas sin permitir carrera. Su compañero Diego Dugarte, cerró la novena entrada para así dejar en cero carreras a los boricuas.
Látigo López, por su actuación fue elegido como el MVP recibiendo trofeo presentado por Eloy Rocha con felicitaciones del presidente Simón Sánchez quien extendió sus congratulaciones a los equipos participantes y al campeón República Dominicana, que recibió el flamante trofeo en el que sobresalió los colores patrios de los cuatro equipos participantes.
Hugo Franco, emocionado dijo lo siguiente “Nos gusta participar en este clásico porque cada equipo en su
alineación trae jugadores profesionales. Nuestro pitcheo fue una vez más el factor de los triunfos, así como el alto nivel de juego de todos nuestros jugadores.
He ganado este torneo tres veces con Vaqueros de Austin y dos con Dominicana, con subcampeón cuyos trofeos los tengo en mi vitrina”. Añadiendo lo siguiente “ Ahora solo nos resta seguir
adelante y prepararnos para regresar a Potranco durante el torneo Thanksgiving 2025, traeremos al trabuco Vaqueros de Austin, siempre me ha gustado ganar torneos de gran calidad beisbolera. Nuestras alineaciones se hacen con grandes talentos y de plano a mí nunca me ha gustado perder ningún partido y torneos”.
[Fotos de Cortesía por Hugo
By Yvette Tello
The historic La Margarita Restaurant at Market Square came alive with Fiesta spirit as State Representative Elizabeth “Liz” Campos, crowned La Reina Linda XII for 2026, hosted her crest unveiling celebration titled “Party With a Purpose.”The luncheon fundraiser was more than a festive gathering— it was a heartfelt tradition rooted in family memories and a commitment to education.
Representative Campos chose La Margarita as the event location in honor of her late mother, whose birthday always fell during Fiesta. After every parade, her father would bring the family to La Margarita to continue the celebration, making the venue a deeply personal backdrop for this milestone.
The official crest, designed by David Durbin of Monarch Trophy Studios, was revealed during the event. Each symbol reflects Representative Campos’ personal story:
Dragonfly at the top: Represents her father and family.
Two dogs at the sides: A tribute to her beloved German Shepherds.
Star and Capitol dome at the center: Signify Texas and her role in state leadership. Taurus zodiac at the bottom: Honors her and her mother’s shared birthday month.
Monarch butterflies: Remind all to embrace change and move forward.
The event raised $20,000 through ticket sales, a live auction, and raffle prizes. These proceeds benefit the Rey Feo Scholarship Foundation, which awards scholarships to local high school
seniors pursuing college, university, or trade school.In an exciting announcement earlier this month, the Foundation revealed a new initiative—$50,000 in scholarships for students enrolling in first responder programs at San Antonio College. This expansion reflects the foundation’s ongoing commitment to addressing community needs.
As La Reina Linda, Campos has pledged to raise over $100,000 for the Foundation, a requirement for the prestigious title. She joins Rey Feo and his royal court, who will visit more than 100 schools from January through April 2026, inspiring students and distributing medals and mementos.The event’s energy was elevated by emcees Michael Quintanilla (“Mr. Fiesta”) and Natalie Jones Gamez, and a stirring performance
by San Antonio’s own Mariachi Las Alteñas, an all-female mariachi ensemble. Elizabeth “Liz” Campos is serving her third term in the Texas House of Representatives, representing House District 119, which includes San Antonio, Converse, Live Oak, Schertz, St. Hedwig, and Universal City. As the first woman elected to represent the district, she is a trailblazer in both politics and community service.
Founded in 1947, the Rey Feo Scholarship Foundation has raised over $10 million, awarding scholarships to more than 7,000 students. What began as a medieval Spanish tradition of electing a “commoner king” to challenge the elite has evolved into one of Fiesta San Antonio’s most celebrated causes. In 2013, the title of Reina Linda was added to highlight the leadership of women in philanthropy and communitybuilding. In keeping with this mission, Representative Campos also participated in the “Día de Lotería” 2025 Board project created by Roberto Treviño of the Network for Young Artists. She selected the center spot, symbolizing her vision of being at the heart of the city’s cultural and educational future. With scholarship applications opening January 1, 2026 at reyfeoscholarship. com, the foundation continues to strengthen its impact, ensuring students— whether pursuing higher education or first responder training—have access to the resources they need to succeed. Representative Campos’ “Party With a Purpose” was not just a luncheon—it was the start of a royal journey blending heritage, family, and service to San Antonio’s future.
