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In recent days, national attention has turned to a fierce clash between pop culture and politics, anchored by none other than Jimmy Kimmel. His outspoken monologue about the assassination of Charlie Kirk set off a storm of reactions that led to an ABC suspension and sharp responses from the White House. On his late-night show, Kimmel criticized how some MAGA-aligned voices reacted to Kirk’s death, accusing political actors of exploiting the tragedy for personal and political gain. ABC, owned by Disney, responded by suspending Jimmy Kimmel Live! for several days. The President then publicly applauded the suspension, framing it as accountability and a needed check on media excess, while critics decried it as censorship and undue political influence.Kimmel’s defenders argue that comedians—especially late-night hosts—exist to push boundaries, provoke, and hold public figures accountable. Silencing that voice, they contend, risks chilling effects on media and culture at large. Satire has always been a way to speak truth to power, and when political authority applies pressure, the role of comedy and journalism becomes even more essential. His suspension only seemed to strengthen that argument; when Kimmel returned, his viewership soared, showing that audiences not only valued his voice but wanted the discourse to continue.Yet others argue his remarks went too far. By making political inferences while the case was still under investigation, Kimmel’s comments, they say, veered into speculation. Broadcasters, after all, must balance the responsibility of critique with care for accuracy. His suspension raised uncomfortable questions about whether media companies acted independently or under government pressure—a line that, if crossed, blurs corporate action with state censorship. And in today’s climate of hyperpartisanship, where every word can inflame division, his words may have fueled more division than dialogue.From the President’s perspective, criticism from such a high-profile platform reaches massive audiences and inevitably becomes part of the larger debate about the media's role. As the nation’s leader, he carries a unique weight, and supporters argue he is right to call out commentary that feels biased or opportunistic. Through agencies like the FCC, presidents also influence broadcast oversight, and some believe platforms must meet certain standards to prevent the spread of false or harmful speech. Supporters see the President’s response not as censorship, but as accountability and a rejection of double standards in the media.But others caution that when political leaders pressure networks, it edges dangerously close to suppressing dissent. Leveraging government or regulatory
power against critics risks turning the media into a battleground of retaliation rather than a space for honest debate. If only some voices are punished, it suggests selective enforcement driven by politics, not principle. The precedent set in moments like this can be lasting: if political pressure dictates who speaks, the health of public discourse is in jeopardy. You can support Kimmel’s right to speak and still expect responsibility when commentary treads into unverified or harmful territory. Likewise, pushback from power is inevitable—but the question is whether that pushback respects democratic norms or crosses into coercion. Ultimately, the way networks, regulators, and the public respond sets the tone for what kind of dialogue we allow in this country. Beyond government and corporations, communities, civic groups, and everyday viewers have the power to shape standards through their own participation and their own demand for fairness.This moment asks us to reflect on the fragile balance between speaking truth to power and holding speakers accountable. It invites us to talk with our neighbors, comment online with respect, and remind ourselves that when a voice is silenced, we must always ask why, not just who. Because when power suppresses critique, we all lose a piece of the public sphere. The question remains for all of us: do you agree with Jimmy Kimmel, or do you think the President was right to push back? Let’s talk about it…
Kenneth Mumma: “You can't lie for 10 years and expect me to believe he is finally telling the truth... by the way didn't he lie to cause Disney to fire him?”
Gregorio De La Paz: “All these shows are just igniting more hate. Am I happy that he got fired now because now all those people have to look for a job? Am I happy that he's not spreading bs? Yes, also, the view needs to go ASAP.But truthfully, America is waking up.As a result, these shows ratings are in the tank and corporate was just looking for a way to get rid of them.”
Anthony L. Green: “You can’t talk about anything anymore cause everyone starts getting into their feelings!! If you disagree with the narrative now you are labeled, attacked and cancelled it seems! Seems like you can’t have your own opinion, you gotta agree with the sheep or else!!”
Herb Rockman: “Jimmy only pointed out facts. Late night hosts stopped telling jokes a while ago, the truth is ridiculous enough.”
Edward Gretchner: “Everybody’s replaceable”
Amanda Cena: “Funny how so many are offended because of what Jimmy said. How many times has Trump said something that is offensive, racist, trivial and the list goes on of the lies that man tells? It has happened countless times. All other presidents prior to this clown have been ridiculed, mocked
even threatened and they kept it moving. We have heard way worse coming from Trump”
Kelly Narvaez: “Here’s my honest opinion…. Society has lost itself entirely. Did I like Charlie Kirk and agree with his philosophies? No, but I do not believe he deserved to die in such a horrible way. Those are his opinions and views which he has every right to have. Do I believe Jimmy Kimmel should’ve been fired for his views and opinions? No, just like Charlie Kirk, those are his views and opinions, and he has the right to them. It is called freedom of speech and everyone is entitled to have it. It doesn’t mean we have to agree with them, but it is their right. If you don’t like what they have to say then just don’t listen or maybe try and understand how they come upon those opinions and views. This is where society has gone wrong. We can no longer have civil discussions and try to understand each other and come to respectable solutions. We choose violence. We choose hatred, and until we wake up and realize that things will just get worse.
Mary Svetlik Watkins: “Disney pulled the plug because viewership was low. Kimmel espoused hate and lied on air many times. One thing people forget, freedom of speech only pertains to the government arresting you for what you say. You are not free from the repercussions of your words.”
Rick Carter: “I like Jimmy in the McDonald's uniform “
Jinxs Fifty-Eight: “Maga!!!”
Todd Forbes: “Disney /ABC fired him!!! Why is he crying about Trump!!! What’s next - can we blame Trump for the titanic sinking!!!????”
Michelle Martinez-Gomez: “Ecclesiastes 7:21-22: ‘Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you. Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others’. This encourages a mindset of not being easily offended by others' words, recognizing our own faults.”
Rick Gutierrez: “The racist pedophile president can go to hell…”
Kevin Kottke: “If an employer does not like what you do no matter what it is. Then they can do what they feel is right. It was the higher ups that yanked him.They are about making money; look what happened with the recent Snow White. They lost over 200 million dollars and considered it one of their bigger flops because they allowed people to speak about their own beliefs than the movie.So I think that they don’t want to lose more money over controversial issues.”
By Dr Ricardo Romo
Patricia Ruiz Healy for
Mel Casas (1929–2014), a pioneering Chicano artist and influential educator, was born in El Paso’s Segundo Barrio during the Great Depression.
Raised in the city’s poorest neighborhood, Casas began drawing as a teenager while attending El Paso High School. Although the school offered strong academics, he encountered discrimination because of his accent and skin color—an experience that shaped his later critiques of cultural identity, race, and representation in the United States.
After high school, Casas took a job with the Pacific Fruit Express railroad before being drafted into the U.S. Army in 1950. He served in the Korean War, where he was wounded in combat and awarded the Purple Heart. Returning to El Paso, he used his G.I. Bill benefits to attend Texas
Western College (now the University of Texas at El Paso), completing his bachelor’s degree before pursuing graduate studies in Mexico. He earned his MFA from the University of the Americas in Mexico City in 1958.
Casas began his teaching career at El Paso’s Bowie High School, where he mentored students including Gaspar Enriquez, who went on to become a prominent Chicano artist. In 1961
Casas accepted a teaching position at San Antonio College, where he remained for more than fifty years. While he initially worked in abstract expressionism, by 1965 he shifted direction and embarked on his celebrated Humanscapes series. Over the next two decades, Casas produced 150 largescale works, roughly six by eight feet, along with hundreds of additional paintings characterized by wit, cinematic imagery, and sharp cultural commentary.
The Humanscapes challenged viewers to recognize how media, particularly film and advertising, shaped ideals of beauty, sexuality, and race. Many canvases featured the white female figure—the “Barbie Doll Ideal”—as a critique of American popular culture’s narrow representations of gender and race. His biting social observations, often conveyed with humor, became a hallmark of his work.
During this period, Casas also played a central role in the emerging Chicano
art movement. He was a founding member of the San Antonio collective
Con Safo, active in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The group sought to assert the legitimacy of Chicano art as a distinct form of American art rooted in community struggles and cultural identity. Con Safo gave Chicano artists visibility in an art world that had excluded them, while also promoting social justice through visual expression.
Casas’s influence extended far beyond his paintings. As a teacher, he shaped generations of
artists and inspired wider recognition for Latino art. His career as both artist and educator was marked by a commitment to questioning cultural assumptions, elevating underrepresented voices, and placing Chicano experience at the center of American art history. By the time of his death in 2014, Casas had created more than 750 works and was recognized as one of the preeminent voices of Chicano art. His legacy continues through his art, his students, and the movement he helped define.
By Yvette Tello
It was a pleasure speaking with the San Antonio Health Research Center (SAHRC) team about the upcoming Bienestar/ NEEMA 6th Annual Youth & Family Health Festival. This beloved event, rooted in San Antonio’s South and Westside communities, continues to make a lasting impact on the health and wellness of families across our city.
The team truly value La Prensa Texas’s mission to provide factual information and stories that matter to our families. Together, we see the importance of launching a new series that focuses on family health, healthcare infrastructure, and attainable solutions. As part
of that series, La Prensa will be sitting down with Dr. Treviño to discuss the Bienestar/NEEMA Coordinated School Health Program and the Bienestar Adult Healthy Lifestyle Program, two initiatives that have shaped healthier futures for thousands in our community.
The festival itself is a vibrant celebration of health, culture, and community. This year, organizers are expecting between 1,000 and 1,500 attendees, with more than 70 vendors offering free and low-cost services for children, parents, and grandparents.
The Bienestar/NEEMA Coordinated School Health Program, an obesity and diabetes prevention curriculum, has already reached over 225,000 students in Texas schools, while
the Adult Healthy Lifestyle Program continues to inspire families to make long-term changes. The festival is a showcase of these successes and a reminder of the work still to be done to close health gaps in our city.
This year’s festival will offer a wide range of screenings for all ages, including: PAD Screenings – SAVE Clinic
Fatty Liver Screenings – Texas Liver Institute
A1C Screenings – Community Labs
Mammograms & STD Screenings – University Health & Texas Diabetes Institute
Beyond health resources, the festival will also feature food, music, and family-friendly activities that celebrate San Antonio’s cultural spirit.
Special Attractions
Festivalgoers will be treated to a special appearance by Tejano star Shelly Lares and will enjoy the energy of Univision TV personality Valeria Barriga, who will serve as Master of Ceremonies.
Event Details
• When: Saturday, October 18, 2025
• Time: 10:00 a.m.
– 1:00 p.m.
• Where: Avenida Guadalupe Cultural Arts Grounds
• Cost: Free to the Public
We Need Your Help!
Help us spread the word about this important event by engaging on social media and inviting your networks. Together, we can ensure families on the South and Westside gain access to the resources and strategies they need to live longer, healthier lives.
The Bienestar/NEEMA Youth & Family Health Festival is more than an event — it’s a movement to take back our health, one family at a time.
Por Sendero Deportivo
Jorge Calderón “Shamu”, de 68 años de edad y nativo de Sabinas, Coahuila, quien por su trayectoria beisbolera jugando en Little League y Pony en Piedras
Negras, así como de mayor edad en San Antonio con el club Rieleros, donde dejó foja de bateo con promedio de .280, fue nombrado padrino de Liga Abierta dominical de
Liga Potranco que preside
Simón Sánchez con aval del artista Eloy Rocha, dueño del complejo deportivo y social Potranco.
Calderón, lanzó la primera bola en el estadio Potranco Baseball Field, donde tuvo en la receptoria a sus amigos Cabiche, al bate “El Primo” y de ampayer a Nacho Cortes.
Shamu quien se destacó jugando la inicial durante su participación en partidos a nivel internacional emocionado agradeció este homenaje, deseando todo lo mejor a los ocho equipos que estarán participando en la temporada invernal.
Resultados: Acereros 8 Dodgers 7. Piratas 9
Diablos 7, con pitcheo del abridor Gaspar Beltrán y relevo del ganador novato
Max Vega, quien dedicó su valiosa actuación en memoria su abuelo Coco Vega, ha quien Piratas estarán honrando el resto de la temporada.
Broncos de Reynosa SA de Linda Garza, derrotó a White Sox con pizarra de 16-2 carreras.
En partido amistoso entre Los Rojos y Astros, que finalizó empatado 7-7, al final se le festejó al timonel Jimmy Martínez por su 59
cumpleaños. Y a la vez José Sánchez, compilador y comentarista vía La Prensa Texas le presentó flamante trofeo a Gustavo Torres “Speedy”, campeón de bateo de la temporada regular categoría Masters 50+ Liga Potranco.
Speedy Torres, jugador estelar de Astros de Pedro Espinoza, con promedio de bateo .484
En las fotos aparecen: Shamu, Speedy Torres. Nacho Cortes, Cabiche y El Primo. (Fotos de Franco).
Se convirtió en bicampeón de bateo ya que en el 2023, jugando con Charros Potosinos de su gran amigo Catarino Obregón, se coronó campeón de bateo con promedio de .625. Rol de juegos Abierta: Campo 1 a las 10am Acereros vs Broncos. 1:30pm Dodgers vs Piratas. Campo 3: 10am Yankees vs White Sox. 1:30pm Diablos vs Texas Jay’s.
Trinity University today announced a landmark $25 million gift from the Malú and Carlos Alvarez Family to establish the Carlos Alvarez School of Arts and Humanities. Among the largest gifts in Trinity’s history, this investment secures the future of disciplines at the core of a liberal arts education and ensures that generations of students will continue to think critically, create boldly, and lead with purpose.
“The Alvarez family’s extraordinary generosity affirms the timeless value of the arts and humanities at the heart of a Trinity education,” said Trinity President Vanessa B. Beasley, Ph.D. “This transformational gift ensures that generations of Trinity students will be inspired by disciplines that center culture, creativity, and the human experience to expand our understanding of the world and our place in it.”
The gift endows the dean’s position,
establishes new scholarships, and funds opportunities for undergraduate research, internships, and global study. It also supports faculty through endowed professorships, professional development, and recruitment, while creating a flexible excellence fund to spark innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and community partnerships.
“With this extraordinary gift from the Alvarez family, we not only honor Carlos’s legacy but also strengthen the foundation of the arts and humanities for generations to come,” said Rubén Dupertuis, Ph.D., founding dean of the Carlos Alvarez School of Arts and Humanities.
Honoring Carlos Alvarez’s Legacy
Carlos Alvarez, founder of The Gambrinus Company and a longtime civic leader in San Antonio, passed away in April 2024. Born in Acapulco,
Mexico, Alvarez built his success in the U.S. beer industry while dedicating his life to expanding opportunities for others. Alongside his wife, Malú, and their family, Alvarez supported causes ranging from education and health care to the arts and disaster relief.
“Carlos believed that education and the arts open doors to understanding ourselves and one another,” said John Brozovich, Alvarez’s son-in-law, president and CEO of The Gambrinus Company, and Trinity trustee. “This commitment to Trinity University reflects who he was as a husband, father, and leader. Our family is honored to see his values live on through the Carlos Alvarez School of Arts and Humanities.”
Malú Alvarez, the daughter of Carlos and Malú Alvarez, added, “It is very meaningful for my mother and our family to honor my father’s legacy in expanding access to education and his belief in the transformative power of the liberal arts by naming the Carlos
Alvarez School of Arts and Humanities.”
The Alvarez family has been a driving force at Trinity for nearly two decades. In 2005, their support launched the Mexico, the Americas, and Spain (MAS) Program, which has expanded students’ global perspectives through study abroad, internships, research, and
cultural programming. Their latest investment builds upon this legacy, ensuring that Trinity continues to prepare students for a globally interconnected future.
Together with the University’s recent investments, including the opening of Dicke Hall in 2022, the Carlos Alvarez School of Arts and Humanities represents a bold step forward, strengthening Trinity’s position as a national leader in liberal arts education.
discrimination based on his skin color and Spanish accent. Although he had access to excellent academic programs, these formative years were marked by social exclusion and discrimination, which later influenced his critical perspective on cultural identity and social justice.
By Dr. Ricardo Romo
Mel Casas, a native of El Paso, moved to San Antonio in 1961 to teach art at San Antonio College. Over the next fifty years, Casas established himself as one of the nation’s preeminent Chicano artists. His celebrated "Humanscapes" series, which spans 150 works produced between 1965 and 1989 and an additional 600 paintings, is remarkable in its complexities, wit, and incisive cultural examination. He was also a prominent educator and a key figure in the Chicano
art movement, as well as a founding member of the artist collective Con Safo, which advocated for visibility and empowerment for Chicano artists during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Casas was born during the start of the Great Depression in 1929 in Segundo Barrio, blocks away from the Rio Grande and El Paso’s poorest neighborhood. He began drawing as a young teen and attended El Paso High School, a predominantly Anglo school. It was in high school that he first experienced
Following high school graduation, he worked for the Pacific Fruit Express, a railroad company, as an iceman. In 1950, at the age of 21, he was drafted by the U.S. Army and fought in the Korean War. He was wounded in battle and was awarded a Purple Heart for bravery. He returned to El Paso and used his G.I. Benefits to enroll at Texas Western [now known as UT El Paso]. After earning his Bachelor’s degree, Casas enrolled in graduate school in Mexico and received an MFA from the University of the Americas in Mexico City in 1958.
When Casas returned to El Paso after graduate school in Mexico City, he found a job teaching art at El Paso’s Bowie High School. One of his prized students was Gaspar Enriquez, now a prominent Latino artist who also grew up in El Paso’s Segundo Barrio and attended UT El Paso. Enriquez followed
Casas to teach art at Bowie High School, where he remained for 33 years. Enriquez now lives and paints in San Elizario, Texas, a historic town just southeast of El Paso, plays a prominent role in the El Paso art community, and exhibits his own work in his gallery. Casas taught high school for a short period, but left El Paso for a college teaching post in San
Antonio in 1961.
Casas, who died in 2014, is one of the pioneering artists credited with the early creation and subsequent evolution of Chicano art. While producing his own work and teaching at San Antonio College in the early 1970s, he was also instrumental in founding the art collective Con Safos. During
many of these Casas paintings, Ramos noted, the white female figure is prevalent, or what he calls the "Barbie Doll Ideal.” Art critics, including Ramos, suggested that Casas was interested in elevating race as a dominant component in American popular culture.
In Casas’s best-known painting of the series, “Brownies of the Southwest” [1970], he delivers an incisive satirical critique of how Mexican American and Indigenous cultures were trivialized in American mass media and advertising during the mid-20th century. Carlos Jackson, art history professor, described the painting, which was included in a Patricia Ruiz-Healy Gallery catalogue, as addressing “Chicanos’ relations to U.S. culture (a young Chicana eating brownies and participating in the Girl Scouts), Chicano political identity (becoming a Brown Beret), and Chicano historical identity (acknowledging Mexican and indigenous roots). Additionally, the painting relates Chicano art to the wave of U.S. pop art.”
document the Frito Bandito's existence and embody the public outrage around it.” Ultimately, community efforts were successful. In 1971, Frito-Lay retired the Frito Bandito.
this time, several Chicano artists from South Texas and San Antonio began reflecting on how their art differed from the artistic styles they had studied in college. The group recognized the need to name the art they were creating, as it represented a new form of American art. They chose to call it Chicano Art. This era signified a new Latino art focused on social justice issues. They created murals that told community stories and images that often included references to indigenous heritage.
In the early 1960s, while teaching art classes at San
Antonio College, Casas focused largely on abstract expressionism. In 1965, however, he began his Humanscape series, a shift that Smithsonian Curator for Latino Art E. Carmen Ramos suggested “coincided with his interest in psychology and popular media culture, especially film.” The Humanscape paintings were large (roughly 6 x 8 feet) and often included cinematic images.
Ramos noted that initially the series “explored how the media shapes our standards of beauty and sexual desires.” In
The Smithsonian American Art Museum [SAAM] purchased Casas’s “Brownies of the Southwest” Humanscape 62 in 2012. The curators described the work as a satire related to the “trivialization of Mexican and Indigenous cultures in American mass media and advertising.” The visual images are all set on a large canvas. The iconography is a reference, according to SAAM, to “brownness” and Mesoamerican heritage.”
Casas also wanted to address the issue of the stereotyping of Latinos by the media. He was quietly involved in the campaign to eradicate the Frito Bandito TV ad, which, according to SAAM curators, was “the sombrero-totting stereotypical mascot for Frito-Lay corn chips.” Casas, Ramos explained, created “Brownies of the Southwest” amidst this debate “to both
At the time he created “Brownies of the Southwest,” Casas was deeply immersed in his Humanscape series. The large central image in each Humanscape painting— Casas numbered the paintings in the series consecutively— suggests a TV or movie screen populated with everyday life imagery. It should be noted that only a small number of his Humanescape paintings dealt with Chicano topics.
Casas’s “Kitchen Spanish” is perhaps one of the other better-known pieces from the Humanscape series. Over the past fifty years, a steady flow of workers from Mexico has come to the U.S. to labor on American farms, in industries, and in homes. Household workers are prevalent in Texas, and Casas did not miss the opportunity to make a social comment about their employment in many middle and upper-class homes as well as in many restaurant kitchens.
Many Latina household workers clean homes, care for children, and cook for employers who do not speak
Spanish. The language barrier is often an issue, as most recent immigrants are not fluent in English. Thus, employers attempt to learn a few words in Spanish to communicate to the workers what needs to be done. What makes “Kitchen Spanish” unusual—and perhaps reveals Casas’s unique brand of satire—is the way the housekeeper expresses the Spanish words in the painting. Is the housekeeper teaching the family Spanish? It seems so, but she must essentially say “Sí” (yes) to everyone: the children, the woman who hired her, and even the dog and cat. She is responsible for serving everyone.
“Kitchen Spanish” reminds viewers that Texas, like many other states, relies heavily on Mexican workers, many of whom are undocumented. These workers are responsible for numerous unpleasant and dirty chores that homeowners would rather avoid. This is a timeless theme about labor and those who perform it, one that resonates even more strongly today, given ongoing debates about immigration, who should do what work, and the current construction of a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico. The artwork of Mel Casas enhances an understanding of Latino culture and also addresses the pressing political issues of our time.
San Antonio’s contemplative green space endures as one of Linda Pace’s most personal gifts. San Antonio, TX — September 30, 2025 — Ruby City is proud to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Chris Park, the one-acre urban oasis of lush gardens and contemporary art created by artist, collector, and philanthropist Linda Pace in memory of her son, Christopher Goldsbury (1972-1997). Since its opening on October 28, 2005, Chris Park has offered San Antonio a rare green refuge just south of downtown, where visitors can reflect and encounter art and community in equal measure. To commemorate this momentous occasion, Ruby City will host a series of special events throughout October including a public celebration of the park scheduled for Saturday, October 18th from 2:30 to 5pm. The celebration will include tours of the park, remarks from special guests accompanied by a celebratory toast, beautifully designed cake from Oh Yeah Cakes, music by Santita, and experiences led by local storyteller, dancer and author of Loteria Remedios, Xelena González. Guests will also
have an opportunity to collect a commemorative hand printed poster designed by local artist Gilbert Martinez or a plant cutting from Chris Park, itself. Posters and plants will be available in limited quantities and will be distributed on a first come first served basis.
On Sunday, October 19th, the community can participate in a special tree sitting meditation led by practitioner, Reiki master, multi-instrumentalist & composer, Pamela Martinez. Martinez leads monthly meditation sessions in Chris Park.
The month will wrap with a new exhibition opening to celebrate a solo show by artist Daniel Rios Rodriguez. Open This Wall, will be celebrated on Saturday, October 25, 2025, with a gallery walkthrough and reception 2-5pm and will be on view through Sunday, October 4, 2026 in Studio at Chris Park.
Conceived with the vision of honoring her son through art and nature, Pace worked with landscape architects Jon Aherns and Rosa Finsley to design a space that blends vibrant plantings, contemplative garden “rooms,” and playful areas such as Tumble Hill, a grassy berm for children. The
park also features poetic, site-specific artworks by artist Teresita Fernández, including Starfield, where tiny blue lights trace the constellation on the night of Chris’s birth, limestone benches etched with passages from Chris’s journals, and jewel-toned glass pavers of Wednesday’s Child.
In her book, Dreaming Red, Pace wrote of being tortured by the Victorian nursery rhyme Monday’s Child, the name of the original nursery rhyme, that only associated specific attributes or potentials with the children born on those days.
“Wednesday’s child”, the day of Chris’ birth, was “full of woe.” Fernandez’s reinterpretation of the rhyme, along with Pace’s execution of the pavers which light up at night, associate Wednesdays with descriptors that match the full spectrum Chris’s life and character, as it does for every child. Pace summed up the appeal and power of Chris Park by stating that it, “…is something growing, something living and forever, just like the imprint of somebody you love.”
Over the past two decades, Chris Park has become a beloved site of repose, play, and inspiration.
With its wisteria-draped entrance, bamboo groves, and carefully curated plant species—from various native plants to Hong Kong orchids—the park continues to welcome thousands of visitors each year. Maintained privately for public enjoyment, Chris Park endures as both a living memorial and a cornerstone of Ruby City’s mission to share the transformative power of art. “Chris Park remains one of Linda Pace’s most intimate and truly transformative gifts to San Antonio,” said Elyse A. Gonzales, Director of Ruby City. “In 2001 Linda identified the plot of land and began realizing the Park with the idea that it would embody art, nature, and personal memory and create a space of healing, joy, and community. It’s such a remarkable place, especially when you consider that in 2001, Camp Street was considered far away from the liveliness of downtown, somewhat dangerous and industrial. The Park, the STUDIO space in the Park, the CAMPstreet building, which Linda bought at the same time and turned into residences, and now Ruby City, were all realized by Linda and made this a lively neighborhood that privileges nature and art and anchors creativity and community in San Antonio.” About Ruby City: Ruby City is a contemporary art center in San Antonio, TX, dedicated to providing a space for the city’s thriving creative community to experience works by both local and internationally acclaimed artists. Envisioned in 2007 by the late collector, philanthropist and artist Linda Pace, Ruby City presents works from the Linda Pace Foundation Collection of more than 1400 paintings, sculptures, installations and video works. The building which opened in 2019 is designed by Adjaye Associates and is part of a campus, which also includes a sculpture garden Chris Park, a oneacre public green space named in memory of Pace’s son, and Studio, an auxiliary exhibition space which presents curated shows and programming throughout the year. Ruby City is open Thursday through Sunday, 10am to 6pm. Admission is always free; reservations are recommended. Information and reservations are available at www.rubycity. org. For further information please contact: Head of Public Engagement & Communications, Patricia Morales at pmorales@ rubycity.org
San Antonio have joined forces to expand access to free, highquality early education and child care for student parents on the Southside. In partnership with the National Head Start Association’s ‘Kids on Campus’ initiative, the Ray Ellison Family Center at Palo Alto College will now host the first Kids on Campus Head Start program in Texas, designed to support the unique needs of student-parents and their children. A launch celebration will take place on Thursday, October 9, 2025, at the Ray Ellison Family Center on the Palo Alto College campus. This partnership provides on-campus child care and early learning opportunities at no cost to qualifying families, allowing parenting students to
focus on their education with peace of mind. By removing one of the greatest barriers to higher education, Palo Alto College and AVANCE are creating pathways for student parents to persist, graduate, and build brighter futures for generations to come.
“Over 16% of our college students are parents, and many are balancing coursework, jobs, and family responsibilities beyond that,” said Dr. Robert Garza, president of Palo Alto College.
“This collaboration with our long time partners AVANCESan Antonio ensures our parenting students don’t have to choose between caring for their children and navigating their educational goals.
Through this partnership, parenting students gain access to on-campus, no-cost, high-quality early learning and child care. Their children benefit from engaging, developmentally appropriate education while also witnessing higher education in action, which can spark future academic aspirations for their own lives. Palo Alto College, in turn, strengthens student persistence, retention, and completion by addressing essential family needs and creating an environment where student parents can thrive.
Parenting student, Lorena Salinas
Partnerships like this one have solidified Palo Alto College as a place of opportunity, care and corazón for the past 40 years, and we will continue to expand on that for many years to come.”
shares, “Without this partnership, I wouldn't be able to continue my studies with such peace of mind. The faculty here makes us feel so loved.
They are welcoming every day, and my son adores every single one of the staff. They have supported my son and made me, a struggling student parent, feel heard and supported, like a true member of their family.”
“This is more than childcare, it is about breaking barriers for families,” said Yesenia Alvarez-Gonzalez, Executive Director of AVANCE-San Antonio. “Through this partnership, we are reimagining what is possible for studentparents by creating pathways for both parents and children to learn, grow, and succeed together.”
It is time to recognize how intertwined the lives of student parents and their young children are, and that bringing together the right support on campus can play a powerful role in driving student success. The health and wellbeing of young children is inextricably linked with their parents’ financial stability, and research by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research shows that a single mother with an associate degree will earn roughly $329,500 more over her lifetime than she would with only a high school education. This initiative represents a long-term investment not only in students, but in the Southside community’s educational and economic future. Learn more: www.avancesa. org
By LPT Staff
Today, Bexar County Tax Assessor-Collector
Albert Uresti, MPA, PCAC, led three Courage Flag-Raising ceremonies to mark the beginning of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
The ceremonies took place at the Southside, Downtown, and Rocket Lane Tax Office locations, bringing together citizens, county employees, elected officials, survivors, and families currently
battling breast cancer. Each event included a prayer and moment of reflection in honor of those affected. At the Southside Tax Office and Precinct 1 Office, Pastor Robert Flores of Mercy Church offered the opening prayer at 9:00 a.m. The Downtown Tax Office at Vista Verde Plaza followed at 10:30 a.m. with a prayer from Pastor Jimmy Robles of Last Chance Ministries. The final ceremony at the Rocket Lane Tax Office and Precinct 4 Office was held at 2:00 p.m.Throughout the month of October, the Pink Courage Flag will fly proudly at all five Bexar County Tax Office locations. Uresti emphasized that the flag serves as a reminder of the importance of early detection, community support, and continued hope for a cure.
“We are proud to once again lead the charge against breast cancer by kicking off a month full of events tailored to raising awareness about the importance of early detection,” Uresti said.
“We stand together with our citizens, co-workers, mothers, daughters, sisters, and spouses who have been affected.”
He closed with a message of hope:“I look
forward to the day when there is a cure for breast cancer and it no longer threatens the lives of so many women. Until that day, we are here to make sure that no one battles alone.”
Today’s ceremonies set the tone for a month of unity and action as San Antonio rallies in the fight against breast cancer.
Por Franco
Jugadores del equipo Los Rojos-The Reds, mediante partido amistoso celebraron el 59o cumpleaños de su manager y jugador Jimmy Martínez, contra Astros en categoría Masters 50+ celebrado el domingo 28 de septiembre en el campo 2 del complejo deportivo y social Potranco.
Los Rojos, después de las espectaculares acciones que culminaron con un empate de 7-7 carreras, ofrecieron sorpresiva fiesta de cumpleaños
al timonel y dueño del equipo Jimmy Martínez, quien a la vez alineó jugando el jardín central y bateó par de imparables y anotó carrera.
Cabe destacar que Los Rojos y Astros de Pedro Espinoza, jugaron en espectacular partido con sello grandioso tras la gente de Espinoza, logró empatar el cerrado marcador.
Ambos equipos cerraron la espectacular contienda amistosa sin anotaciones para en tiempo regular quedar empatados 7-7, lo cual sirvió
para que ambos equipos observaran a sus jugadores y nuevos fichajes que les servirán para sus respectivos rosters en la siguiente temporada, que de nueva cuenta será organizada por su fundador Simón Sánchez, quien tiene el apoyo del artista Eloy Rocha, dueño de Potranco Baseball Field.
Las estadísticas seguirán siendo llevadas por José Sánchez, compilador y narrador de jugada por jugada.
Para el festejado Jimmy Martínez, este evento deportivo y social, fue de gran importancia, ya que después de
haber jugado en el jardín central y batear par de imparables, felicitó a sus compañeros con especial atención a familiares de ellos que colaboraron en la organización de rica cena y del alusivo pastel de cumpleaños con su fotografía estampada que hizo emotivo su cumpleaños.
Jimmy fue acompañado por su familia, sus padres Jim Martínez Sr., y Lupe Martínez. Su bella esposa Bertie Martínez, sus hijos Jesse y Jay.
Todos ellos disfrutaron deliciosa cena de carne asada, refrescos y pastel. Y a la vez disfrutaron de los temas
musicales “Las Mañanitas y Happy birthday”
“Agradecido porque me dieron un cumpleaños maravilloso. No lo esperaba pero lo disfruté y en grande porque Los Rojos y mi familia me acompañaron demostrando su amor por mí. Esté evento siempre lo recordaré. Muchas gracias a todos ellos”, dijo emocionado el feliz cumpleañero Jimmy Martínez, quien por primera vez guió a Los Rojos al playoff con el respaldo defensivo y ofensivo de sus compañeros.
(Fotos de Franco).
ALAMO COLLEGES DISTRICT
Purchasing & Contract Administration Office: (210) 485-0100 Fax: (210) 486-9022
The Alamo Colleges District is releasing the Request for Proposal (RFP) on September 29, 2025, unless otherwise indicated, on the date shown.
RFP# 2026-0080
Purchase of Construction Services for Sundance Renovation at Northeast Lakeview College
Proposal Deadline: October 31, 2025, at 2:00 PM
Specifications are available by visiting the Alamo Colleges District website: www.alamo.edu/purchasing or by emailing dst-purchasing@alamo.edu
I’m excited to share with you why I’m running to be your next Bexar County District Clerk. For over 33 years, I have served in this office, starting as an entry-level clerk and working my way up to Division Chief. I know this office from the inside out, and I know what it takes to make it work better for you. Public service is part of my family’s legacy. My father served in the Elections Department, my sisters with the Sheriff’s Office, my brother in purchasing, and I’ve dedicated my career to the District Clerk’s office. Together, my family has given over 136 years of service to Bexar County. For us, serving the community isn’t politics—it’s who we are. The District Clerk’s Office touches people’s lives in very personal ways—whether it’s an adoption, a civil lawsuit, a divorce, or a felony case. These are your records, and you deserve an office that treats you with respect,
dignity, and efficiency.
If elected, I will: Expand online access to records, so you can take care of business without driving downtown or paying for parking.
Offer curbside service and open satellite offices across the county to save you time and stress. Make sure our seniors and veterans get the
special attention and service they deserve. Provide regular training for staff, so everyone who walks through our doors receives consistent, professional service.
I am not just talking about change—I’ve lived this work for more than three decades and I know how to deliver solutions. My promise is simple: a
District Clerk’s Office that is transparent, accountable, efficient, and people-focused. This election is about trust and about putting the community first. I ask for your support and your vote in the 2026 Primary Election.
Together, we can build a District Clerk’s Office that works better for every resident of Bexar County.
Thank you, Christine “Chris” Castillo
Learn more at: www. votechriscastillo.com
EARLY VOTING: FEBRUARY 17th –FEBRUARY 27th ELECTION DAY: MARCH 3, 2026
