Noi Mahoney

Chrysta Bell

One of San Antonio's most beautiful and talented ladies is singer-songwriter Chrysta Bell. I've had the luck to profile her for a couple of different newspapers. Here's one of her latest videos:

Best BBQ in Texas

It's Kreuz BBQ and Libby's favorite cook, Roy Perez!

Southside mystery lake

While I was covering the groundbreaking for the Zarzamora Street Project last week, a South Side resident told me I should do a story on the "Southside Mystery Lake."

He said there's a lake all fenced up behind those woods over there, pointing across the street to a wooded area. The lake is big, and 40 to 60-feet deep, he said.

I was curious. I did indeed find the lake, all fenced up and locked away. It's on private property. It is big, and it looks deep. I am still investigating

New Zarzamora Street project

For years, South Side residents have been complaining about South Zarzamora Street. They called it "the Southside Roller Coaster" because it had so many potholes and dips.

Now, the city has begun a $17.9 million street renovation project:

The Zarzamora Street project is part of the city’s $550 million bond program. The $17.9 million project will rebuild South Zarzamora Street, between Hutchins Street and Loop 410 South, to five lanes, adding a center left turn lane and two 5-foot bike lanes. It also includes curbs, street-lamps, sidewalks and driveway approaches. Hunter Boulevard and two nearby ditches will also be improved.

The project is scheduled to be completed in 2010.

H-E-B protesters come out in force

Around 300 residents gathered at Roosevelt Community Center on June 10, fighting to keep the H-E-B from closing permanently on July 31. The S.O.S. Group (Save Our Store) and several neighborhood associations organized the meeting to get public input about the future of H-E-B store No. 6 at 2701 S. Presa St.

Ruben Espronceda, chairman of the S.O.S. Group, told the 300 people in attendance at Roosevelt Community Center that the fight is not over.

"H-E-B wants to close the store, I say ‘no yet’," Espronceda said. "That’s why we are here tonight."

San Antonio River extension

City officials held a goundbreaking for the Mission Reach extension of the San Antonio River on June 2.

The entire $250 million — and counting — San Antonio River Improvements Project, which envisions a 13-mile-long, unbroken park along the river from Hildebrand Avenue down to Mission Espada, is a partnership between the Army Corps of Engineers, Bexar County, the city of San Antonio, the San Antonio River Authority and the San Antonio River Foundation- Tracy Idell Hamliton/ Express-News staff

Photo by Rita Zenzen Heck for The Southside Reporter

Best BBQ in Texas?

My friends and I recently took a road trip to Lockhart, Texas, home of the famous Kreuz Market. Kreuz is an old BBQ joint where they serve food on paper. You don't get plates or utensils. In fact, they laugh at you if you ask for a plate or fork. Its greasy, messy and damn good. (Photos of Kreuz Market, the BBQ and my friends Libby and Mike)

Texas Monthly magazine has the top 50 BBQ joints in Texas in its current issue. Kreuz is No. 2.

Lavaca neighborhood 'moving up'

This photo was taken May 27 on Barrera Street in the Lavaca neighborhood, just south of downtown San Antonio. Some homeowners were moving a historic house to Barrera Street. The owners, the Trevino family, own about 70 percent of the houses in the Lavaca neighborhood. They plan to fix up this house and rent it out.

Lavaca is just southeast of the Southtown and the King William District in SA, some of the most expensive real estate in town. Lavaca's home prices start around $90,000 and go up to $400,000. It's a very cool, artsy neighborhood.

CPS Energy back to Southside

 

Almost a year after closing its only South Side customer service center, CPS Energy will reopen the facility later this summer.

City Officials said CPS would reopen the full-service customer center by the end of June or in July. It will most likely reopen at its old site at 509 S.W. Military Drive, said City District 3 Councilwoman Jennifer V. Ramos.

"It will open probably in the old space because that facility is still owned by CPS and it has all the technology and equipment needed," Ramos said. "But in the long run, CPS is still looking for a smaller space to permanently house their service center."

The photo is from August 2007 when members of the Save Our Services Coalition protested outside CPS Energy headquarters on Navarro Street. Coalition members include, Tony Mandujano, far left and coalition chairman Ruben Espronceda.