RE Newsline April - 2023

What Do You Really Know About Our United States?

Many of us were born in one state or another in the United States and either remained there for the rest of our lives or moved on to find “greener pastures.” Looking at a map of the United States one may wonder how one’s state got its name and/or how its shape was determined. It is well known that borders of countries and states are usually determined by the location of geographical parameters including rivers and mountains but the shapes of some of our states may leave one scratching their head and wondering, “why?”

Looking at that same map of the United States it is easy to note that some of the states in the northeast are smaller and seem crammed together. Mark Stein in his book “How the States Got Their Shapes” suggests that the most important influences that determined the shapes of the states were the American Revolution, the construction of railroads, the proposal for the Erie Canal, and the issue of slavery. I would add influences from treaties associated with the Louisiana Purchase, the Mexican cessation, the Gadsden Purchase, the Texas annexation, formation of the Oregon Territory, the Alaska Purchase and the formal annexation of the Hawaiian islands.

The state borders on the northeast evolved initially from the colonies established by the British crown prior to the American Revolution. Later it was resolutions of disputes between the states over the lands that had been granted to various individuals by British Kings Charles l and Charles ll. Later, when Thomas Jefferson noted the uneven arrangement of those borders he suggested all borders be determined only by specific degrees of latitude and longitude as the country added more states.

We must remember that a number of large tribe like the Crow, Arapaho, Mojave and Zuni, to name only a few, occupied the lands of the United States for thousands of years before the Spanish, French and English explorers arrived and established their sovereignty over the territories. Within each large tribes were a number of smaller bands, each with their own chief residing in various parts of the original land mass that was to become the United States. Their languages remained in the areas long after the explorer’s arrivals and in some cases influenced names assigned to rivers mountains, cities and to the states themselves.

But the name for Delaware, the first state admitted to the union, comes from the title of the 3rd Baron De La Warr that was Sir Thomas West, the first Governor-General of Virginia. Delaware is unique in that its name was assumed by the local Lenape tribe, rather than the state being named from

a local Indian language as was usual, and the name was subsequentially given to the Delaware Bay and River.

The name Pennsylvania is a British derivation and means Penn’s Woods as it was land originally deeded to Sir William Penn by King Charles II in repayment of a debt, and that grant, during the 1700s, continued to add land so that its northwestern sector finally bordered the Erie Canal. Another large area of land was granted to the king’s brother James, Duke of York, although ownership of this territory was disputed by the Dutch. The area which is now New York, named for the Duke, was once called New Amsterdam. Another part of that land had been given to friends of James and later became New Jersey, named for a British isle in the English Channel. An eight year border dispute between New York and Maryland to the south, was finally settled by establishment of the MasonDixon line which separated the northern and southern states during the Civil War. Maryland was named for King Charles’ wife Henrietta Maria known as Queen Mary.

As in the naming of Delaware and Pennsylvania most of the states on the East Coast were named for either prominent people, places in England, like New Hampshire or for British kings and queens. This would also include the states of Georgia and, to the west, Washington. Some exceptions on the east coast would be Maine where the name could have come from the name of a French colony (Mayne). Vermont is thought to have come from the French for “green mountain” (vert mont). Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon first saw land to the far south on April 2, 1513 (Palm Sunday) and named it Florida for the Spanish name for the Easter season, "Pascua Florida," (Feast of Flowers).

In the case of Rhode Island its name may have come from Dutch explorer Adrian Block who had named the state 'Roodt Eyland' (red island) or from Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano who had remarked that the island looked like the Greek island of Rhodes. There are two other states in the original 13 that derive from Indian languages, i.e. Connecticut from a Mohican/Algonquin Indian word "quonehtacut", which means "long tidal river," and Massachusetts from an Algonquian Indian word that means "a big hill place."

The state borders to the west, determined as much as possible by latitude and longitude, look as if drawn with a ruler and most states bear names that derive from those of Indian tribes or from words in their languages. It is important to note that Texas and California were the only two states allowed to establish their own state

lines as they were extremely influential and there was a concern they might secede from the union. California’s name supposedly came from a romance book published in 1510 about an island paradise near the Indies where beautiful Queen Califia ruled over a country of beautiful black Amazons and contained lots of pearls and gold; however, others claim the name is originally of Creek Indian origin and means “meeting place,” and still others say that the name comes from a Native America phrase, kali forno ("high hill"). As for Texas, although there is some dispute most agree it is from the Caddo Indians of eastern Texas who called their group of tribes the "Tejas," meaning "those who are friends."

Continuing west the name Michigan is derived from the Indian words "Michi-gama" meaning "large lake" or from the Chippewa Indian word "majigan" which means clearing. Indiana was originally part of the Northwest Territory and its name means "Land of the Indians", or simply "Indian Land. “O-hii-zuu,” pronounced “O-he-o”and meaning “something great” pertain to the state that was called Ohio. Kentucky’s name is from the Iroquois Indian word "Ken-tah-ten," which means "land of tomorrow." The most common belief is that the name of Tennessee derives from a Cherokee village called “Tanasqui” and was first applied by European settlers to the Tennessee River. The name Alabama is thought to come from a combination of two Choctaw words; Alba and Amo. In Choctaw, "Alba" means vegetation, herbs, plants and "Amo" means gatherer or picker. "Vegetation gatherers" would be an apt description for the Alabama Indians who cleared much land for agricultural purposes. Mississippi is named after the Mississippi River and comes from the Anishinaabe Ojibwe or Algonquin name for the river, "Misi-ziibi," meaning "Great River.”

Minnesota is from a Dakota Sioux Indian word "mnishota" that means "cloudy water" or "milky water." and refers to local rivers. Iowa is actually a French adaptation of the Sioux 'ayuhwa' meaning “one who puts to sleep” and refers to the local tribe. Missouri gets its name from a tribe of Sioux Indians called the Missouris and means “Town of the large canoes.” The name for Arkansas is that used by Algonquian Illinois Indians to describe the Quapaw Indians of this part of America. They called them the 'Arkansa' meaning 'wind people' as the wind featured strongly in the mysticism of many native tribes. And, looking less like it was drawn with a ruler is Louisiana , named by the French explorer Sieur de La Salle in 1682 to honor King Louis XIV of France

Dakotas are part of the Sioux tribe, and in the Siouan language “Dakota” is believed to mean “friend” or ally and applies to both North and South Dakota. Nebraska is from an Oto Indian word that means "flat water" referring to the Platte River, and the Omaha Indians called the river "ib?pka" (sic) meaning "broad river." The Kansas River was named by the French after the Kansas, Omaha, Kaw, Osage and Dakota Sioux Indian word "KaNze" and like some other states it was named after the river. Oklahoma derives from two Choctaw Indian words meaning 'red people'. “Okla” or “ukla” means “people,” “tribe” or “nation” and “homa” or “huma” which means “red,” the true native American.

Created out of the Idaho Territory in 1864, the name Montana is a derivation of the Latin word "montaanus" which means mountainous. Wyoming comes from the Dakota "mscheweamiing" meaning "at the big flats" or "large plains." Colorado is from the Spanish, "ruddy"or "red" as early Spanish explorers in the region named the river for the reddish silt that the water carried down from the mountains. New Mexico is an Anglicized version of the Spanish "Nuevo Mexico" where an Aztec spelling means "place of Mexitli," an Aztec god. Idaho originated from the Nez Perce language meaning "the Land of many Waters" which includes the Snake, Salmon, Clearwater, North Fork Clearwater, Selway rivers, and more. Nevada comes from the Spanish for '”snow-capped” and Utah from the Ute tribe and is probably a term derived from the Apache 'yudah' or yuttahih' meaning “those who live further up in the mountains.” Some believe that the name Arizona derives from the Basque aritz onak ("good oak") that was applied because the oak trees reminded the Basque settlers of their homeland.

The origin of the name Oregon is unknown but may have come from the French word Ouragan which means Hurricane and was a former name of the Columbia River. Alaska derived from an Aleut, or Unangam idiom, which symbolically refers to the mainland or shore of Alaska. A couple of theories exist for the name Hawaii. One is the name comes from the words "Hawa"(new homeland) and "ii" (small and raging), or the name comes from the traditional discoverer of the islands, Hawaii Loa.

Regardless of the state one is from, the United States appears to be one well put together country “from sea to shining sea.” There is a rich heritage apparent when one looks back on all the native Indian tribe and explorers’ contributions, the land purchases and dispute resolutions that together made these United States “the land of the free and the home of the brave.”

Pat Farrell / Senior Contributing Writer

The Great SABOR Food Fight

One of the most competitive contests of the year is back! You can now submit your form to participate in the 2023 Great SABOR Food Fight. In 2022, more than 20 companies joined the effort to help the San Antonio Food Bank. In total, we collected more than 10,000 pounds of food to help our community. Can we beat that this year?

Tier 1, which is companies with 101 or more employees, will be collecting cereal. Tier 2, which is companies with 26 – 100 employees, will be collecting macaroni and cheese. Tier 3, which is companies with 1 – 25 employees, will be collecting bagged rice and beans. Items can be collected at your office from April to May and can be delivered to SABOR by Wednesday, May 31 at 4:30 p.m. You can also have

donations shipped to the SABOR office (9110 W. IH-10).

Please note, all companies must be SABOR members and must complete an entry form. Please avoid industrial sized containers and single serving sizes. Items delivered need to have your company’s name on them to receive credit. If you would like a donation bin for your office, contact the San Antonio Food Bank.

Why should your company participate? You can help support over 58,000 people that the San Antonio Food Bank serves weekly, win a trophy and of course, bragging rights. Will you join in on the Great SABOR Food Fight? Email communications@sabor.com to enter the contest today!

RE Newsline Happy Hour at The Jewel

Charlotte and Scott Small with Keller WIlliams Legacy

Writers Abel and Janie Pena-Menchaca

Ali Underwood and Alicia Castleman

Diedra Walsh with Elmo, Pianist and Tyk, DJ

Teri Lucas, Aterj Realty and Michael Goff with JB Goodwin Realty

Cathey Meyer, RE Newsline with Ernest Salinas for District 1 City Council

Robert Guerra with Barton Carpets and Karen Evans with RE Newsline Portrait of Rudolph Valentino by Artist Gilbert Duran at The Jewel

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TAP FCU Spring Mixer April 2023

Krista Cross and Cindy Mundy , both Bluebonnet Insurance

Ruben Sanchez, Matt Martinez and Rick Munoz, all Grainger with Paula Grigsby, TAPFCU

Madge Rashell, Guild Mortgage and Caden Povolish, TAP FCU

Anna Pena, Guest and Tony Rivera, TAP FCU

Pat Daugherty with husband Dale Daugherty, TAP FCU Board

Annette Slater, Landlord Property Management and Daniel Cruhm, TAP FCU

Andrea Bohnert, Guild Mortgage and Scott Jauregui, Keller Williams Heritage

David Moore, Texas Title Assurance with Lauralee Dear and Michelle Lopez and Linda Heisler, all TAP FCU

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Dayton Schrader, eXp Realty and Michelle Noble, Certainty Lending

THE WAY I SEE IT

No Foolin’ No Parking

Entering a parking lot in the days before handicap parking was a free-for-all of jockying for that coveted front row position. Those were the days before MEGA stores were built with football field sized parking lots. Shopping was an intimate experience with grocery stores baggers who carefully stacked your precious goods in paper bags and automatically carried them to your car. With that service, front space parking was not necessary, but in the sizzling summers, it was always coveted. The arrival of handicap parking was long overdue. Many shoppers had conditions limiting their mobility and the one or two spaces reserved for them was dedicated space well used.

In those early reserved parking years, it was entertaining watching the parking parade of circlers waiting their opportunity to slide into a dedicated space even though there was usually a very close space nearby that was easily accessible to any store’s entry. Then one day, The

Expectant Mother’s spaces appeared. In perusing the parking lot, one could spy an open space just next to the blue and silver handicap signs only to discover a designated reason for that opening. Like an expanding family, the expectant mother signs grew in some institutions to read, ‘Reserved for mothers with small children.’ Please, my mother had four small children who rode unsecured in a seat beltless station wagon and could dodge and weave with the best of them in a parking lot. We are all still alive.

As retail and grocery stores began to expand their square footage footprint, they likewise expanded their reserved spots for handicappers and expanding families. No longer are front space parking slots available, but the definition of handicap has definitely altered. The over-use of the hanging blue tag by family members of those requiring the precious spot is out of control. Truly, there are circumstances where one cannot determine what a disability

might be, but I am fairly certain when they are carrying a case of Schiltz beer to the oversized Ford F350, the disability was left at home.

Our recent pandemic allowed for the alteration of everyday errands. One of those is the touchless delivery of one’s purchase to the security of their vehicle trunk directly in front of the grocer/retailer. Yet another row of convenient parking is now reserved for those who mistakenly think no one touched their purchases. I have seen plenty of tactile contact, coughing, sneezing and customer goods co-mingling on those personal shopper towers. Contactless really means too lazy to get out of the car. On that note, why can’t those dedicated ‘text us when you are here’ signs be moved to the end rows of the parking lots, allowing those of us ready and willing to shop on our own more convenient parking?

Adding to the fun of checkerboard parking is the battle of the strip center retailers. Scattered throughout any number retail spaces shared with restaurants, retail stores, pharmacies, spas, boutique hardware shoppes, and CBD dispensaries are a variety of signs explaining who can and cannot park in various open spaces. The do-not-park-here-unless signs are enough to drive a shopper right back to the Amazon wagon. Unlike handicap signage that comes

with the threat of a hefty fine, I am not so sure what the penalties for violating a handwritten sign that says ‘for Blow Out customers only.’ They may not fine you, but I can hear the air hissing out of my tires. Although, that would be counter productive as now that space will be occupied until the auto club arrives . . . .

In full parking awareness, I recently was a volunteer for a project at a local university. While they wanted my time, they did not want to offer me parking on the campus lots. At first, I just thought I would park anywhere I wanted, get a ticket and deal with the issue later. My first pass through the university lots offered a serious parking enforcement tactic—the boot. Not only were there several booted vehicles, but each vehicle had a nasty gram plastered on their windshield. Message received. I did acquire legitimate parking in the visitor lot from a kind police officer. When I returned to my vehicle, he was booting the car next to me. He told me they did not ask to use the space and will rue the boot. Fancy university talk.

These days, when I finally do find a space to park, it seems the spaces are much smaller. My little Prius does not take that much space but when wedged between the F350 and the Expedition, not a lot of door opening room is left, but that is fodder for another rant.

Cathey Meyer / Contributing Writer

Phillips & Associates Realty 10-Year Anniversary & Rock -N- Roll Awards Party

Tom Phillips, Burry Carr and Dana Phillips

Brandy Tavernier, Tom Phillips, Dana Phillips, Kaitlynn Phillips, Elizabeth Blue, Stacy Barton and Jordan Phillips

Scott Cummins, Cornerstone Home Lending, Amber Libert, University Title and Adam Chambers, Cornerstone Home Lending

Dana Phillips Premier Team (L-R) Duncan Elliott, Michelle Keller, Dana Phillips, Kaitlynn Phillips, Shayne Marley and Jordan Phillips

Precious Sides, Brandon Sides, Jeff Garvens and Traci Garvens

SAAREB February 2023 Meeting

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Kiotti Coquillian , Elite Productions and Events and Monique Slater, Keller Williams City View

Jean-Marie Warren , PrimeLending and Brian Paris, Keller Williams City View

Xavier Toson, Speaker

Gil Armendariz , SMP Mortgage and Maudel Hardie, Hardie & Associates

Arlene Swan, Vortex Realty

GUEST COLUMN

Aly Crawford / Contributing Writer

All the Water We Cannot See

The basins and creeks direct and send rain water through San Antonio. We can see the clues of our intricate and well-managed water system across the city. But, so much of the water we depend on flows and moves below the surface and behind the scenes.

The northern half of San Antonio sits atop the Edwards Aquifer. This massive underground water system stretches for over 100 miles and is hundreds of feet deep! From the small town of Las Molas Springs, past Uvalde on highway 90 West, through San Antonio, and continuing northeast along I-35 towards Kyle, Texas. It is home to endangered plants and animals like amphipod crustaceans, even types of snails, blind catfish and the Texas Blind Salamander. Current estimates put the aquifer at over 90% capacity and estimate it is storing 55 million acre feet of water. An amount truly hard to fathom. But, as with the sad carrots slowly turning to

mush in the back of my fridge, what is out of sight is often out of mind.

Just feet below our feet water has collected between impermeable layers of rock and clay. And though we sometimes refer to aquifers as “underground lakes,” there is not a Hades-esque river of death we can paddle through. Much of the water stored in our aquifer has soaked through the cracks and crevices of the Edwards limestone. The aquifer is more like the inner pores of a sponge than a body of water. These life-giving waters have flowed up and been a part of the success of our region since early settlers arrived. Now, the Edwards, Trinity, and Glen Rose Aquifers supply millions of Central Texans with clean locally sourced and filtered water.

Most of northern San Antonio and the hill country sit atop the Edwards Aquifer Recharge and Transition Zones. The permeable

limestone rock that sits just below the soil line in this part of Texas allows rain water to percolate down into our aquifer. We refer to this refilling process as recharge. Most recharge occurs in streambeds, fault joints and occasionally, sinkholes. It is hard to detect and measure exactly where recharge occurs. For instance, there could be a fracture at the surface that you would hardly notice if you were wandering around the countryside, but cracks and joints in the rock lead down to cavities below ground where water can soak deep into the limestone rock. These faults, along with varying porosities and permeabilities of the limestone, control the movement of water into and through the aquifer. Geographically the recharge area is quite small, with much of the water contributed from the watersheds above, coming from cities as far away as Kerrville and Fredericksburg. But this is also where we can play a role in our underground water system. Pollution in runoff, paving over high recharge areas, and improper use of this small delicate region can deeply contribute to the in flow of water in our aquifer. People living and working on the Recharge Zone must refrain from dumping used motor oil, cleaning agents, and other common household chemicals.

Further south, some parts of San Antonio sit atop the Artesian zone, which is the area where water is able to flow up to the surface through springs. No one built the aquifer, but we have been able to drill down to create wells bringing the filtered fresh water to the surface. Though natural discharge also occurs at San Marcos and Comal Springs, most of the water used by residents near and in Greater San Antonio comes from the many Edwards wells all over the city where water is pumped out, stored in tanks, and distributed to the locals. Though millions of underground acres are full of water sometimes during high water use or times of drought water in the top 5-10% of the Edwards formation can run out. When this happens springs and wells can stop flowing, not only affecting people but the endangered plants and animals that depend on this water from the springs.

Protecting the water of the Edwards Aquifer comes down to thoughtful and strategic development and use. The water we use to wash, clean, cook and drink is deeply connected to our environment above and below ground. We cannot allow our limited view from the surface to understate the importance of this natural underground wonder.

Let’s Take A Look At Our First Quarter

Women’s Council of REALTORS® is sustained by the following 4 pillars:

EDUCATION : Education is the key to any successful business and we provide that for you by putting together powerful and enriched events with topics and speakers who, not only educate us but give us tools to grow our business. Let’s take a look. ��

January: “Mastering My Finances” In this event Duy Le, a financial professional, taught us about understanding one’s retirement options, how taxes affect retirement income and about using cash value life insurance as a tax-free retirement plan. Then Ed Guerrero, CPA spoke about tax strategies for REALTORS®: proactive tax strategy, expanding your deductions list and after year deductions. Finally, Beverly Davidek, Attorney, reminded us of the importance of protecting our family & pre-

serving our legacy by having a will and trust.

March: “Sales Mastery” (Master your Market) In this event Matt De la Cruz spoke to us about the 3 keys to sales mastery: Product knowledge, sales skills and attitude-mindset. We also discussed how to overcome objections in 6 steps. During this event we also had a ceremony where we pinned our new members!

NETWORKING: We have “Lots of Fun”. For myself, being a REALTOR and a Leader is one of my life’s dreams. I love my new career. And when you love working in Real Estate it really isn’t work-It is FUN! We work hard, but we also like to enjoy ourselves.

February : “Pooch & Boots” was our first membership mixer for the year and we had a blast! There were giveaways, a contest for best dressed pooch and their owner (western

theme) and we had 5 new members join WCR that night.

April: Are you a member or considering becoming a WCR member? Get ready to come and network at our upcoming membership mixer event “Spring Bling” April 13, 2023 5pm-7pm Location TBD.

REFERRALS : Do you know how much money can be made through NETWORKING through WCR? Networking is the best “sales tool” available to us and only costs us time. Investing in ourselves is never a wrong idea. With WCR, we have a valuable member benefit, called the “Member Finder Feature” that includes your full profile, biography and online referral platform that extends nationwide. Just last week one of our new members needed to send a referral to Jackson, Michigan. She was able to connect with a WCR member there and get a sizeable referral fee for herself. Also, 4 months ago I received a referral from a WCR member in Dallas that resulted in a $540,000 sale. That agent also received a substantial referral from me. This is a huge “member benefit $$$.”

LEADERSHIP: We are a leadership organization, the Council seeks to prepare its members for leadership positions at local, state and national levels, and actively encourages involvement in leadership opportuni-

ties. Our members move up quickly to become part of a board of directors which is not confined to the Council alone but to SABOR (San Antonio Board of REALTORS), to other organizations or to City of San Antonio positions that you may want to pursue. Last month during our industry event we had 2 of our new members participate in the program of the day and had several sign up for teams in different areas to assist with planning and running the network. This just makes us happy because we get to connect and grow together as leaders.

The Women's Council would like its members and future members to support each other’s goals and encourage and guide each other to become successful businesspeople and leaders.

Follow us on Facebook (Women’s Council of REALTORS® San Antonio) and Instagram to stay connected.

If you would like to join WCR and be part of this group of successful women call us at 210-279-4507

If you are a member and want to get more connected by being part of our planning teams call us at 210-4870157

If you want to partner with our network as a Business-Strategic Partner this year we would like to talk to you more about the opportunities for you so call us at 720-838-0269

Let’s Connect and Bring Great Things to San Antonio!

Adriana Rodriguez / President San Antonio Women’s Council Network

GUEST COLUMN

Karen Evans / Contributing Writer

VIVA FIESTA!!!

Fiesta is an almost three-week celebration where the city streets come alive with VIVA FIESTA! And Fiesta Medals are the Queen of the party!!!

The First Battle of Flowers Parade occurred in the spring of 1891 when local women decorated horse-drawn carriages, bicycles, and buggies to honor the fallen heroes who fought for Texas in the Battle of the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto. Back then, 15,000 spectators enjoyed the one-hour parade. Today over 550,000 folks from around the nation gather to watch this colorful, musical, and patriotic parade! This Fiesta Parade is my favorite because of our spectacular high school marching bands, the Texas Cavaliers on horseback, and the "Show Us Your Shoes" royalty and Order of the Alamo. It is also the only parade in the United States produced entirely of women volunteers. Because of these remarkable women, we now have over 75,000 volunteers, three major parades, and thousands of medals sold and exchanged for hundreds of thousands in non-profit dollars.

Visit www.battleofflowers.org for

Fiesta Medals on sale locations.

Battle of Flowers Parade-Where Fiesta Reigns Friday, April 28

Fiesta Medals began in 1946 when The Cavaliers had commemorative coins made for children in the hospital. It was not until 1971 that King Antonio XLIX Charles G. Orsinger became the "Father of Fiesta Medal Tradition," and the medal craze was born. Orsinger took his King Antonio coins and poked holes in them. He then added colorful ribbons with pins, inventing The Fiesta Medal we wear and collect today!

The Fiesta medal has certainly unrolled over the years. Today, Fiesta Medals can be created to look like anything your heart desires. Crazy cartoon characters, your glittery logo, or your shiny, smiling face. Medals are now designed for big companies and organizations so they can sell to the public and donate the proceeds to charities of their choosing. If you are selling your medals, add your contact information to the backside. Fiesta Medals have become a valuable marketing tool. The sale of Fiesta

Medals raises millions of dollars of income for San Antonio non-profits and services.

San Antonio is Militay City USA! And San Antonians love our Military, and we love Fiesta Medals! "The military and Fiesta both are part of San Antonio's DNA," Mayor Ron Nirenberg observed. "Service members from across Joint Base San Antonio are chosen each year to represent their respective military service as part of Fiesta's Military Ambassador Program."Fiesta Medals are a fun and profitable way for our Alamo City military groups to get their name into our community and raise much-needed money. No other military installation in the world has the opportunity to be involved in the Fiesta Medal Mania that is right here in our beloved San Antonio!

Here it is, the 2023 Fiesta Medal Event Calendar!

April 6, 6-9pm Helotes Fiesta Medal Bash @ Floore's Country Store 14492 Old Bandera Rd.

April 8, 12pm-4pm Fiesta Medal

Mercado @ La Tuna Icehouse in Southtown Hosted by Spurs Jesus

April 12, 10am-2pm Fiesta Vendors Event @ The Inn at Los Patios

Retirement Community 8700 Post Oak Lane Contact Melissa Gonzalez 210-7893946

April 15, 1-7pm Fiesta Medals Mercado @ Rolling Oaks Mall 6909 N. Loop 1604 E

markets.queretroarts@gmail.com

April 20, 4-10pm Pin

Pandemonium@Fiests Fiesta Travis Park

Suzi Otis Garrett

suzi@fiestasanantonio.org

Exciting news! Fiesta 2023 is your chance to collect the greatest Fiesta Medal ever made. This year RE Newsline's Publisher & Chief David Crawford designed our first Fiesta Medal in honor of his precious grandson Travis, and it's for sale! And ALL the proceeds benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation—a San Antonio non-profit that is near and dear to us here at Newsline. Join our staff, readers, and friends at our Real Estate Newsline Happy Hour & Fiesta Medal Party on April 5th at Picks Bar or Visit www.realestatenewsline.com/cfmedal to donate to the cause and take home your medals.

Please call me. Karen Evans! 210526-1420 for details about our Medals or our great magazine, RE Newsline. VIVA FIESTA! VIVA!

NARPM

We Have Places To Go And People To See

One of the many things I love about NARPM is the amount of people with determination, stamina, leadership skills and the ability to multitask. No one ever said it would be easy to join or lead an organization and yet someone must do it. This is why we appreciate every director, chair, co-chair, and affiliate partner who steps up to participate and lead for the year. Such as this year's goals; they’ve been written down and shared with our organization and the job is to get our plans into existence by following through on budgets, grow our membership and bring high quality content to the forefront all while running our own personal businesses. This brings me to another reason I love NARPM. Our organization is filled with centuries of property management experience and expertise and what

better place to be, than surrounded by them, my second family that I have learned and grown with. This year's speakers are coming from across the property management spectrum to share with us their best industry information and get us producing at a higher level. Did I mention we also have the best legislative leaders?

People that care and involve themselves in legislative topics at local, state, and national levels may not be for everyone, and some organizations lack this component, but not our group. In fact, by the time you read this, we’d left and returned from our Hill Visit in Austin for REALTOR® Day at the Texas Capital. And lastly, there's always room for giving a helping hand and this year we’re working closely with several organizations to

ensure they have extra hands to help meet their goals. It’s been great to meet and work with individuals at Habitat for Humanity, Sleep in Heavenly Peace, and Dress for Success. Come join us in this experience. I’m sure you won’t regret it. It boosts morale and just puts a smile on your face!

If you’re in the property management industry and would like to check us out, reach out as your first visit is on us. Check us out at: https://www.facebook.com/N ARPMSanAntonio and http://www.sanarpm.wildapricot.org

April calendar of events: Apr 12 Office Social Apr 25 Broker Owner Conference

*2023 will be filled with new educational classes, speakers, and more opportunities for charitable events. Do not miss your opportunity to serve, gain industry knowledge, and make new friendships. If you are interested in joining or would like to discuss it, do not hesitate to reach out to us. For membership information or our calendar of events please visit:

http://www.sanarpm.wildapricot.org

Brenda Davila / SAMAC, NARPM President

Jill Cortissoz, Old Republic Title with Yvonne Castro Perez, New Braunfels Elite Realty

GUEST COLUMN

Sopfiela Grannum/ President of IREP

Independent Real Estate Professionals (IREP)

“The purpose of IREP is to provide a forum for the exchange of information common to REALTORS®, supporting Affiliates and Associates of the Real Estate Industry. To provide opportunities to combine resources for the benefit of all IREP members.” I have had the privilege of repeating these words every third Tuesday of the month in the SABOR auditorium at 11:30 am for the past two years.

I’m privileged to say the Officers of the organization are Sandra Largos of JPAR San Antonio as Vice President, Gwen Derry of Old Republic Title as Secretary, and Pat Farrell of Pat Farrell, REALTOR® as Treasurer. These beautiful and inspiring women standing with me, along with our committee members, strive to add value for IREP members, and all involved by keeping the member needs and

desires on top of mind. IREP brings Real Estate awareness to agents of Independent Brokerages to enhance the networking opportunities among members, to exchange listing information at each meeting, and to share information and knowledge related to the sales of real estate and changes in real estate law, contracts, financing, and other real estate matters.

With so many real estate professionals of different ages, creeds, backgrounds, and varying levels of knowledge from SABOR members that are on The Board of Directors, MLS Committee, Diversity Committee, SAAREB members, NARPM members, TRLP alumni, NAHREP and more in the room, IREP is a melting pot of expertise, connections, and encouragement for all to learn from. As the 2023 IREP President, fellow

REALTOR®, MLS member, 2023 TRLP student holding designations in GRI and TAHS this year I have a sense of excitement, security, and adventure, knowing that IREP will be significantly more impactful than ever before by contributing to the public through volunteering and participating in community events that highlight education on how to obtain homeownership, ways to save money when maintaining a home and options for retaining the home during uncertain times.

We aim to bring more awareness of IREP and its member benefits through our monthly speakers and sponsors that address topics on the resources you have as a SABOR member to include free lead generation, business planning, new construction lending, best ways to use the MLS, overcoming doubt, downpayment assistance and more. And in the month of May instead of our annual member BBQ we will be having our first membership drive Cookoff that is sure to be a delicious event, and let me not forget the live interactive safety defense demonstrations and gun safety event in September for REALTOR® Safety Month just to name a few of the programs.

IREP has a family feel rec -

ognizing birthdays, anniversaries, and other impactful occasions in the members' lives. In December we take the opportunity to acknowledge Members, Speakers, and Sponsors at our yearly New Officers Installation & Holiday Party, where we come together in fellowship playing games, winning prizes, laughter, and good food after a yearlong of leadership activities.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank SABOR for providing a space for IREP’S monthly meetings for education, lunch, and networking. IREP would like to invite you to reach out to Pat Farrell @ Pat@PatFarrell.com for an application to qualify and pay the $30 yearly membership dues. If you would like to help IREP continue to add value for its members by becoming a future IREP Speaker or Sponsor, please reach us at irepsanantonio@gmail.com.

Stay connected with IREP through our Facebook page “Independent Real Estate Professionals”. We look forward to seeing you at the next meeting.

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us” Oliver

Holmes

Capirotada (Mexican Bread Pudding)

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar or piloncillo

1 1/4 cups water

2 (3 inch) cinnamon sticks

4 1/2 cups (1/2 inch) cubed French bread (about 8 ounces)

1/4 cup golden raisins

1/4 slivered almonds or pecans toasted

2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Cooking spray

3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese or sharp cheddar cheese (or Queso Oaxaca)

Preparation:

Combine first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes. Discard cinnamon sticks.

Combine bread, raisins, nuts and butter in a large bowl. Drizzle with warm sugar syrup, tossing gently to coat. Spoon mixture into 8 inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with cheese of your choice. Cover with foil; chill 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bake for 20 minutes, uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes or until cheese is golden brown. Serve warm.

1-May Dayton Schrader eXp Realty

Dixie Lyon Fathom Realty

Marsha Bane Bane Properties

Kathy Miner Keller Williams City View

2-May Sam Razban Keller Williams Legacy

Connie Cooper Cooper Realty

Ian Riles Alan King & Assoc.

3-May Sherry Rubins Keller Williams City View

Jo Ann Guevara RE/MAX Associates

Dora Martinez Levi Rodgers R/E Group

Mike La Rochelle Old Republic Title

Albert Navarro Realty Executives of S.A.

4-May Brenda Scott Century 21 Scott Myers

Sharon Veatch Keller Williams Boerne

5-May Kimberly Bragman Phyllis Browning Company

Geraldine Sherrod Sherrod Real Estate

Mavis Brown Realty Executives of S.A.

Kim Voyles Magnolia Realty

Rita Eubanks Luxury Homes

6-May Charlie Ruffo Realty Executives of S.A

JP Martin Kuper Sotheby’s International

7-May Randy Waldrep JPAR San Antonio

8-May Tami Price Real

Heather Hart JPAR San Antonio

Pearl De La Cruz Northwest Real Estate

Lauren Porter Old Republic Title

9-May

Reus RE/MAX North San Antonio

Foster Foster Family Real Estate LeRoy Romo Coldwell Banker D’Ann Harper Shirley Hernandez Capital Title

Lisha Spellman Kristalli Real Estate 11-May

12-May

Mino Rubiola Realty

Johnson Premier Realty Group Candy Gregory Home Team of America

13-May Mike Singleton Century 21 Scott Myers Realty

Mike Hermes, Jr Phyllis Browning Company

Annette Slater Landlord Property Management

14-May Latrice Martin Coldwell Banker D’Ann Harper Tom DeWine ERA Colonial 15-May Brian Shantz Keller Williams City View

Sharp Vortex Realty 16-May Ann Van Pelt Phyllis Browning Company Brenda Steele Coldwell Banker D’Ann Harper Amanda Hallmark Keller Williams Boerne Rainbeau Presti RE/MAX Preferred Terri Cantwell Jorgensen Realty Executives of S.A.

17-May Hagan Retzloff Capital Title

18-May Natalee Newell Phyllis Browning Company

Scott Aranda Texas Real Estate Firm

Karen McManuis Full Spectrum Realty

Pamela Garrett Vortex Realty

19-May John Harris RE/MAX North San Antonio

Neelan Kinger Vortex Realty

20-May Julia Stewart eXp Realty

Sherri Hurley JB Goodwin Realtors

Andy Ruffo BHHS Prudential Don Johnson

Jim Dawson Found It

21-May Patricia Dehle RE/MAX North- San Antonio

Sonja LeJeune Vintage Texas Realty

22-May Karen Fulghum Premier Realty Group

Kim Paul Coldwell Banker Stagecoach Realty

Luke LeGrand Keller Williams Legacy

23-May Karen Roland Coldwell Banker D’Ann Harper Realtors

24-May Cheri Morris All City Real Estate

25-May Jeremy Shaw Collective Realty

Gina Candelario Kuper Sotheby’s International

26-May David Flax Old Republic Title

27-May Courtney Pfeiffer Keller Williams Boerne

Robert Morales United Realty Group of Texas

Patrick King JPAR San Antonio

Paula Grigsby TAP-FCU

28-May Linda Dietz Century 21 The Hills Realty

29-May Tanya Power Power and Peel Real Estate

30-May Lonnie Lynn The Lynn Group

31-May Jenny Bingham RE/MAX Associates Boerne

Ray Blankenberg Texas Premier Realty

Gloria Zarate Vortex Realty

Christine Denney DFW Elite Living

VAREP

Veterans Association Of Real Estate Professionals (VAREP)

San Antonio is Military City USA and home to several military installations, including Joint Base San Antonio, which is the largest joint military installation in the United States. VAREP San Antonio Chapter serves as “boots on the ground” and achieves its mission by providing education to both the real estate and veteran communities, veteran advocacy, and resources to veterans and their families. It is our goal to educate those in the real estate community to become knowledgeable and well versed when working with veterans and their families; particularly when using the VA loan benefit. Statistics show only 15% of veterans have utilized this benefit and we would like that number to increase.

Established in 2011, the USA Homeownership Foundation, Inc. DBA Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals (VAREP), is a non-profit 501(c)(3) and HUD-approved housing counseling organization dedicated to increasing sustainable homeownership, financial-literacy education, VA loan

awareness, and economic opportunity for the active-military and veteran communities. The San Antonio Chapter was established shortly after the National Association and it is important to know that although we are called “The Veterans Association “ you do not need to be a veteran to join us and participate in the organization’s mission.

Currently VAREP has 32 chapters nationwide in 18 states and has another 13 chapters in formation. We are comprised of veteran advocates from diverse backgrounds all with a common goal of positively affecting the lives of those who have served us. Our members come from all sectors of the real estate, housing, and financial-services industries.

One keyway that we help veterans is through our Homeownership Program which provides them with resources and support in purchasing a home. This includes education on the home buying process, access to affordable financing options, and assistance in finding the right home for their needs.

Many veterans have not had the opportunity to receive education on how to handle their personal finances therefore we, as a HUD certified counseling resource, can help to bridge the gap by offering financial education and counseling services to veterans and their families. This includes topics such as budgeting, credit repair, and debt management. VAREP is empowering veterans to take control of their finances and build a solid financial foundation for their future.

In addition to our work in the community, we also advocate for policies and legislation that support veterans' access to affordable housing and financial resources. VAREP works closely with local, state, and federal policymakers to ensure that veterans' needs are taken into account and that policies are designed to support their unique challenges and opportunities.

This year our educational programs for those associated with the local housing industry have included four Lunch and Learns, one member Mixer and one Military and Veteran Housing Certification (MVHC) course.

In January we covered the TREC rule changes and the contract updates. February, in preparation for the tax season, CPA Ed Guerrero gave us tax strategies to use so we get to keep more of our hard earned money. We also had a fun time at our member mixer in February at Charlie Browns Neighborhood Bar and Grill. Stay tuned for more mixers!

In February we also had our first MVHC course for the year, which covers the important things to know about the VA loan. If you have not yet taken this course you are missing out on some valuable information as it really goes in depth about that loan product and debunks all of the current misinformation about it. Then in March at our Lunch and Learn we heard from Attorney Lisa Guerrero about the importance of preparing for the disposition of one’s estate and also the importance of having an up-to-date will. Our next Lunch and Learn will be on April 19th from 11 am to 1 pm at SABOR. And especially, SAVE THE DATE: April 29th. We will have our fun Poker Run which includes a short scenic tour of the Hill Country by motorcycle or car as you stop along the way to collect the cards you will need for your poker hand. Prizes will be awarded at the last stop.

To learn more and get involved contact Tom Phillips, Membership Director (210) 857-2375 or Judy Goldick, President (210) 577-9748 or visit our website at https://varep.net/san-antonio/

Our local VAREP Chapter is a vital resource for veterans and their families in San Antonio as we help increase homeownership, financial literacy, and economic opportunity for them. VAREP is empowering veterans to achieve their goals and build a stable future for themselves and their families. Come join us!

Judy Goldick / President VAREP San Antonio

Carnavale de Esperanza @ Esperanza in Boerne

Susan Hallmark, Kuper Sotheby’s International Realty, Michael Carpenter and Jess Steitler both with Scott Felder Homes, and Angie Crenshaw, Coldwell Banker D’Ann Harper Realtors

Jeff Martin, Integrated Holistic Builders and Elysia Fulcher, Purple Bird Insurance.

Lucila Mendez, JB Goodwin Realtors, and Juan Medina, husband

Don Rarick and Kelly Atkin, both The Lookout Group, Inc with Maren Wood, Tradcraft

Mary Mirelez and Jada Jo Smith both with Orange Blossom Real Estate

Kimberly and Jacob Hernandez, Levi Rodgers Real Estate Group

(left and far right) Larry Allen and Bertha Luna both Monticello Homes with dancers at event.

Scan to see and download more pictures from this event and others.

Kellie Sue Daniels and Denise Martinez both with Coldwell Banker D’Ann Harper Realtors