Express Briefing

Our 52 Weeks of Food Trucks series returns today with a look at a trailer that gives peanut butter and jelly sandwiches an adult flavor upgrade. Check our Taste team's page before lunch. Thunderstorms that pounded the San Antonio area Wednesday night are likely to linger into the weekend, though with less intensity. In San Antonio today, expect a high of 74 with more showers. With all this rain in the forecast, you should check out our interactive flood risk map. It allows you to enter a property address or zoom and drag the map to see the percentage of properties in a given area that are at risk of flooding in the next 30 years

The White House has tapped Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez to lead the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement — the agency that Gonzalez challenged under former President Donald Trump. Gonzalez wasn't the only Texan in national political news yesterday. Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is suing the federal government over a program that provides debt relief to racially and ethnically diverse farmers and ranchers that he says discriminates against white ones, including himself. With three days left in April, don't expect to see the sun much before the calendar flips to May. It'll be mostly cloudy today with possible showers and a high of 90.

Today is the last day for early voting in the local election. If you're headed to the polls today, check out our voter guide and the complete list of our Editorial Board's recommendations. Election Day is Saturday, and we'll have a lot more on the races on expressnews.com. Express-News subscribers, you can have a ball at a future game at the AT&T Center! Enter for a chance to win tickets to the San Antonio basketball game on May 2. Don't put away your umbrellas and rain boots just yet. More precipitation and thunderstorms are expected, thanks to a front and dry line that will move through the area this week. In San Antonio today, expect a high of 85 with possible showers.

Is Texas "very close" to herd immunity, as Gov. Greg Abbott says? On Fox News earlier this month, Abbott told a national audience that it’s a matter of simple math. Here's a fact check on that claim. Keep reading for more on vaccinations and herd immunity. Worlds are converging in Boca Chica, and despite a groundswell of supporters around the world, not all of SpaceX’s South Texas neighbors are thrilled with a rocket factory and launch pad in their backyard. Our top story over the weekend took a look at 'Starbase, Texas.'

A Texas-led effort to address the migrant surge, a history of the chancla, and a $3.6 million Cordillera Ranch 'villa,' here are the stories to start your day. Top Stories: Cordillera Ranch retirement home is an entertainer’s dream Texans lead bipartisan effort to address migrant surge at border The chancla has become a venerated symbol of Mexican American culture. Here’s why and how.

The Justice Department is opening a sweeping investigation into policing practices in Minneapolis after a former officer was convicted in the killing of George Floyd there, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Wednesday. In political news a little closer to home, the possibility of Matthew McConaughey as a candidate for Texas governor was one of the topics of conversation on this week’s episode the Express-News’s Puro Politics podcast. Check it out here.

In Minnesota and Texas, friends and family reacted to the verdict in a watershed case involving the death of an unarmed and handcuffed Black man under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer. Derek Chauvin was convicted Tuesday of murder and manslaughter for pinning George Floyd to the pavement last year.

A settlement is reached in the wrecked Ferrari case, Fort Hood honors Vanessa Guillén, and SAWS enacts Stage 2 water restrictions. Read more in today's Express Briefing.

Early voting is set to begin today for local elections, including heavily contested races for San Antonio mayor and City Council seats, two propositions and a number of suburban and school district contests. We have a whole lot more information below. We'll be keeping an eye on the Sutherland Springs trial as it enters its third week. On Friday, a leading researcher on mass shootings testified for the Air Force that the gunman targeted First Baptist Church to “defend” his second wife from embarrassment.

The Biden administration announced Thursday the U.S. is expelling 10 Russian diplomats and imposing sanctions against dozens of companies and other people, holding the Kremlin accountable for interference in last year's presidential election and the hacking of federal agencies. In the midst of a pandemic season perhaps hazardous to NBA players’ health, rest days might finally be in the offing for some prominent Spurs. San Antonio hosts Portland tonight, then visits Phoenix on Saturday. Our Spurs Nation newsletter delivers the info you need the morning after every game.

The San Antonio City Council has serious business on its plate today regarding the long-discussed, often-stalled makeover of Alamo Plaza. Here’s a primer to explain the significance of the decision facing the council. The Texas Department of Transportation will host a virtual public hearing from today until May 1 on the proposed expansion of FM 1560 from two lanes to four lanes between Bandera and Culebra Roads. Here's how to make your voice heard.

President Joe Biden will withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on America that were coordinated from that country, several U.S. officials said Tuesday. That's later than an agreement under the Trump administration, but leaves no room for additional extensions. Gov. Greg Abbott’s news conference in front of Freeman Coliseum was a prime topic of conversation on this week’s episode of the Express-News’ Puro Politics podcast. Reporter Brian Chasnoff joined Gilbert Garcia to talk about it. Express-News subscribers, you can have a ball at a future game at the AT&T Center! Enter for a chance to win tickets to the San Antonio basketball game on May 2.

The police officer who fatally shot 20-year-old Daunte Wright, a Black man, during a traffic stop in a Minneapolis suburb on Sunday, apparently intended to fire a Taser, not a handgun, as the man struggled with police, the city’s police chief said. Family, friends and admirers of Ron Snider, credited with bringing new energy to downtown New Braunfels with the reinvigorated Krause’s Cafe, will gather at Krause’s tonight for a memorial to toast Snider, who died April 2 at age 70. Express-News subscribers, the ball's in your court! Enter for a chance to win tickets to the San Antonio home team basketball team on May 2.

Over the weekend, San Antonio kids who have a parent in prison got to learn from former Dallas Cowboys and college stars at a one-day football camp. Read more about the event organized by Prison Fellowship here. On today's date in 1981, NASA launched its first space shuttle. 40 years later, the program leaves a "mixed legacy." Was it worth it? Like every Monday, we have more from this week in history below.

The civil trial between survivors and families of the 2017 Sutherland Springs shooting and the federal government continues today, following emotional testimony from his parents. Reporter Guillermo Contreras has the latest below. And in another step toward normalcy, the city announced many facilities will re-open to in-person services starting next week.

The massive loss in power generation during the Texas blackout in February was caused primarily by power plants freezing up under historically cold conditions, according to a new report by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas. Texas counties that are poorer, whiter, less-educated and where former President Donald Trump won a larger share of the vote have vaccinated a fewer people than the state average, a new analysis found. Here's what that means for Texas' ability to quickly reach herd immunity for COVID-19.

Yesterday, Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo testified on Day Six of the Derek Chauvin murder trial that the now-fired officer violated departmental policy in pressing his knee on George Floyd’s neck and keeping him down. Today, Bexar County commissioners will take up issues related to COVID-19 testing in schools, pandemic recovery, and a lawsuit involving the 2019 death of a jail inmate. Listen to today's Express Briefing for a full roundup of San Antonio's top headlines. Subscribe to the San Antonio Express-News to support quality local journalism.  

As the coronavirus pandemic eases its grip on San Antonio, hunger persists in the city. That was evident at a special food distribution event for the holiday weekend. In the Texas Legislature, a bill on the fast track to approval has civil rights groups saying Black and Hispanic voters will be disproportionately affected. Here's what you need to know about the debate surrounding Senate Bill 7. The NCAA women's basketball tournament in San Antonio wrapped up last night, and the championship game of the men's tournament is tonight. The matchup between Baylor and Gonzaga is one made in hoops heaven.

The recent influx of Central American migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border was a prime topic of conversation on the latest episode of our Puro Politics podcast. The podcast featured U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, a veteran centrist Democrat whose district includes eastern San Antonio and much of the South Texas border region. Keep an eye on our Taste team's page this morning for our latest stop on our tour of San Antonio food trucks. This week's review features one of San Antonio’s best Philly cheesesteaks. Is it time for lunch yet? Listen to today's Express Briefing for a full roundup of San Antonio's top headlines. Subscribe to the San Antonio Express-News to support quality local journalism.

With the easing of coronavirus restrictions, more people will have access to in-person church services on Easter Sunday, but the traditional Good Friday passion play will be virtual for one more year. The Derek Chauvin murder trial continued Wednesday in Minneapolis. Witnesses saw video of the arrest of George Floyd last spring. Here's a report from the courtroom. Listen to today's Express Briefing for a full roundup of San Antonio's top headlines. Subscribe to the San Antonio Express-News to support quality local journalism.

The video of George Floyd gasping for breath was essentially Exhibit A as the former Minneapolis police officer who pressed his knee on the Black man’s neck went on trial Monday on charges of murder and manslaughter. Here's a report from the trial's start. The Express-News is still accepting nominations for our 2021 Top Workplaces competition. Any organization with 35 or more employees in the San Antonio area can participate. Click here to learn more. Listen to today's Express Briefing for a full roundup of San Antonio's top headlines. Subscribe to the San Antonio Express-News to support quality local journalism.

It's a good time to be a basketball fan in San Antonio, with the Spurs in the middle of a nine-game homestand and the NCAA women's basketball tournament rolling along. Heading into tonight's game against Sacramento, Spurs guard Derrick White has drawn 45 charges in 171 career NBA games. Neither bumps nor bruises — nor the occasional chipped tooth — can stop him from sticking his nose in on defense. Connecticut makes its 15th consecutive appearance in the Elite Eight, some have labeled the best women’s basketball rivalry of the current century. UConn-Baylor, Part IX, figures to make for pretty good television, too.

First time claims for unemployment benefits rose for the second consecutive week, reaching the highest level since July. Weekly claims in Texas last week increased by about 6,500. The death toll from last month's winter storms has climbed to 111, according to updated figures released Thursday by the Department of State Health Services. The San Antonio region could be in for another round of wet weather this weekend, but the National Weather Service says it is too early to say how much rain will fall Listen to today's Express Briefing for a full roundup of San Antonio's top headlines. Subscribe to the San Antonio Express-News to support quality local journalism.

The U.S. Senate took its first steps to advance one of Democrats’ top legislative priorities, convening a hearing on a sweeping elections bill that would expand voting rights and blunt some Republican state legislators’ efforts to restrict access to the ballot box. In Texas, Republicans have begun lining up behind a Democratic-led bill that would draw down billions in new federal Medicaid dollars, but with key compromises including work incentives for recipients. Here's what you need to know about HB 3781. Listen to today's Express Briefing for a full roundup of San Antonio's top headlines. Subscribe to the San Antonio Express-News to support quality local journalism.

Feeling lucky, basketball fans? We're giving away two tickets to the April 21 home game at the AT&T Center in San Antonio. Click here to enter. And the Express-News is still accepting nominations for our 2021 Top Workplaces competition. Any organization with 35 or more employees in the San Antonio area can participate. Click here to learn more. Listen to today's Express Briefing for a full roundup of San Antonio's top headlines. Subscribe to the San Antonio Express-News to support quality local journalism.

President Joe Biden’s economic advisers are preparing to recommend spending as much as $3 trillion on efforts aimed at boosting the economy, reducing carbon emissions and narrowing economic inequality, beginning with a giant infrastructure plan that may be financed in part through tax increases on corporations and the rich. The Express-News is still accepting nominations for our 2021 Top Workplaces competition. Any organization with 35 or more employees in the San Antonio area can participate. Click here to learn more.

As many as 26 percent of San Antonio residents have COVID-19 antibodies, according to a study from Texas Department of State Health Services and University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston researchers. After several postponements, jury selection will resume today for the long-delayed capital murder trial of a San Antonio man accused of shooting a police detective nearly five years ago. Otis Tyrone McKane, 36, is charged with killing SAPD Det. Benjamin Marconi.

As state Republicans push to restrict voting, a new poll shows a majority of Texans want more time to vote early and do not approve of threatening voters or those who assist them with felony charges for violations. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will be in Atlanta today. They'll meet with Asian-American leaders  to offer support to the community after the shooting deaths of eight people, six who were Asian women, at spas around the metro area. Read more about anti-Asian bigotry in San Antonio below.

A white gunman was charged Wednesday with killing eight people at three Atlanta-area massage parlors in an attack that sent terror through the Asian American community. The sheriff said it was too early to tell if the attack was racially motivated — “but the indicators right now are it may not be.” You're invited to watch as Soledad O’Brien brings diverse voices together to explore issues of identity in "To Be an American: Identity, Race and Justice." The all-digital 90-minute show premieres tonight at 6 p.m. Here's how to watch.

Authorities seized a tiger and a bobcat from a two-story brick home in a southeast Bexar County neighborhood. The 5-year-old bobcat and 13-week-old tiger were taken to the San Antonio Zoo, where they will be housed temporarily before moving to a wildlife sanctuary. Jeremy Martinez, 25, was arrested at the home. San Antonio police found and arrested a mother who had been missing with her 18-month-old child since January. Authorities charged 20-year-old D'Lanny Reaneille Chairez with abandoning or endangering a child. Police said they have not found her son, James Avi Chairez, but believe he may still be in the San Antonio area.

The presence of antibodies — proteins in a patient’s immune system that fight off infections — tell researchers that those individuals had contracted the coronavirus in recent months. According to a a study from Texas Department of Health Services and UT Health, as many as a quarter of Texas residents have COVID-19 antibodies. In an update to the situation at the Texas-Mexico border, the U.S. government plans to use a Texas convention center to hold up to 3,000 immigrant teenagers as sharply higher numbers of border crossings have severely strained the current capacity to hold youths.

Even though overcast skies and temperatures in the low 70s brought just a trickle of customers to kick off spring break, Texas’ tubing outfitters are hopeful that the weeks and months to come will bring a chance to recover from the pandemic’s economic devastation. Here's what they told us. At the U.S.-Mexico border, the Biden administration is turning to FEMA for help managing and caring for record numbers of unaccompanied immigrant children who are streaming into the United States by illegally crossing the border.

It's still nearly four months away, but there's reason to hope this year's Fourth of July celebrations will be something like normal. You know, like before COVID-19 hit. President Joe Biden pledged in his first prime-time address Thursday night to make all adults eligible for vaccines by May 1 and raised the prospect of “independence from this virus” by the Fourth of July. Keep an eye on the Express-News Taste team's page today as our 52 Weeks of Food Trucks series continues. If you missed any previous entries, catch up here.

Congress approved a sweeping $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package on Wednesday, authorizing a flurry of new federal spending and a temporary yet dramatic increase in anti-poverty programs to help millions of families still struggling amid the pandemic. Staying in Washington, President Joe Biden directed his administration to order another 100 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine, growing a likely U.S. surplus of doses later this year while much of the rest of the world struggles with deep shortages.   Listen to today's Express Briefing for a full roundup of San Antonio's top headlines. Subscribe to the San Antonio Express-News to support quality local journalism.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's executive order rescinding all COVID-related restrictions takes effect today. But the city of Austin is flouting the governor's order and will continue to require residents to wear masks. Texas is a year away from its March primary elections and there is already plenty of chatter that Gov. Greg Abbott could face his first challenge from the right after only token opposition in his past two campaigns. Here are some of the names that keep coming up. Listen to today's Express Briefing for a full roundup of San Antonio's top headlines. Subscribe to the San Antonio Express-News to support quality local journalism.

Bexar County commissioners will get an update on the county’s plumbing assistance program, aimed at helping residents affected by last month’s winter storm, during an in-person meeting this morning at the County Courthouse. We'll post updates here. We're accepting nominations for our annual Top Workplaces competition. Click here for more information. And we're launching our newest newsletter, The Docket, on Friday. Click here to receive our best crime and courts stories in your inbox every week. Listen to today's Express Briefing for a full roundup of San Antonio's top headlines. Subscribe to the San Antonio Express-News to support quality local journalism.

CPS Energy customers won’t see extra charges on their February bills stemming from the winter storm that iced over Texas last month. In less good news, the CDC published a study showing evidence that COVID restrictions — such as the mask requirement that Gov. Greg Abbott rescinded — clearly decrease COVID cases and deaths, while opening up restaurants causes them to spike. Listen to today's Express Briefing for a full roundup of San Antonio's top headlines. Subscribe to the San Antonio Express-News to support quality local journalism.

The countdown is on to April 16, the deadline to nominate your company for our 2021 Top Workplaces competition. Click here to participate or call 210-348-3758. Wednesday in South Texas, Starship SN10 stuck its landing. Then it exploded. Here's a closer look at what happened and why SpaceX fans were encouraged. Listen to today's Express Briefing for a full roundup of San Antonio's top headlines. Subscribe to the San Antonio Express-News to support quality local journalism.

Join Express-News Features Editor Emily Spicer for a timely conversation with vaccine scientist and tropical disease and coronavirus expert, Dr. Peter J. Hotez. Come back to this page at noon today. Our latest episode of the Puro Politics podcast is all about the questions surrounding county commissioner Trish DeBerry, her public relations firm and its $175,000 contract with SAWS. Check out all our podcasts here. Listen to today's Express Briefing for a full roundup of San Antonio's top headlines. Subscribe to the San Antonio Express-News to support quality local journalism.  

The state is launching its “Save Our Seniors” initiative in 26 counties this week, setting aside 8,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses for elderly and homebound Texans. Find out more about the program and why Bexar County isn't on the list yet. Now that the Food and Drug Administration has approved Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine, Texas is awaiting its first shipment of the third vaccine to be approved since the pandemic began. The state could initially receive more than 200,000 doses. Listen to today's Express Briefing for a full roundup of San Antonio's top headlines. Subscribe to the San Antonio Express-News to support quality local journalism.

On Friday, President Joe Biden visited Texas for the first time since taking office. Here are the biggest takeaways from his trip to Houston. Early Saturday, the House approved a $1.9 trillion pandemic relief bill. That ships the massive measure to the Senate, where Democrats seem bent on resuscitating their minimum wage push and fights could erupt over state aid and other issues. Listen to today's Express Briefing for a full roundup of San Antonio's top headlines. Subscribe to the San Antonio Express-News to support quality local journalism.

Gov. Greg Abbott is assessing when he may lift the statewide mask mandate he implemented last July to slow the spread of COVID-19. Here's what you need to know about vaccine distribution in Texas and what it means for safety precautions. This morning, the Express-News Editorial Board will meet with Mayor Ron Nirenberg, County Judge Nelson Wolff and U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro to talk about the historic winter storm, power outages and what should happen next. Join us live at 10 a.m.

You're invited to our Talking San Antonio webinar today! Join the conversation with Columnist Gilbert Garcia and VIA's Chief Strategic Officer Marisa Bono at noon by signing up here. We are also inviting our readers to watch live as the Express-News Editorial Board interviews leaders from SAWS and CPS Energy in the wake of last week's devastating winter storm. You can watch those meetings here at 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Listen to today's Express Briefing for a full roundup of San Antonio's top headlines. Subscribe to the San Antonio Express-News to support quality local journalism.

The Bexar County Commissioners Court will meet Tuesday morning, returning to an in-person gathering after holding its last two regular meetings virtually. Here's a look at what's on the agenda. The Supreme Court has rejected a last-ditch attempt by former President Donald Trump to shield his financial records,  Listen to today's Express Briefing for a full roundup of San Antonio's top headlines. Subscribe to the San Antonio Express-News to support quality local journalism.

In the aftermath of this week’s winter storm, San Antonio plumbers say they are overwhelmed with thousands of calls from desperate homeowners. And the backlog of repairs is likely to get much worse. In a news conference Friday, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in a news conference laid out his top four priorities as the state begins its recovery process after the winter storm that knocked out millions of Texans’ power and water supplies

San Antonians have one more chance to make their voices heard publicly about what they think is the best way to preserve and promote historical finds at San Pedro Creek, including what’s left of one of the oldest Black churches in Texas. Monday is a federal holiday, some schools will still have classes. Some may choose to go virtual or even cancel classes as the area deals with wintry weather San Antonio is expecting a high of just 26 degrees with possible flurries Listen to today's Express Briefing for a full roundup of San Antonio's top headlines. Subscribe to the San Antonio Express-News to support quality local journalism.

From last year’s recession to a soaring stock market, enhanced unemployment benefits and economic stimulus payments, even ordinary tax filers face changes. Here's what you need to know.  In San Antonio today, expect a high of 42 cloudy skies. Although the forecast calls for highs in the low 40s again Saturday, an arctic blast arriving Sunday night will bring cold that could break records.   Listen to today's Express Briefing for a full roundup of San Antonio's top headlines. Subscribe to the San Antonio Express-News to support quality local journalism.

Key members of the Texas Senate chided Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton yesterday for handing out $40 million in pay raises to members of his staff without approval of the Texas Legislature. In San Antonio today, expect a high of 42 with possible thunderstorms. Make sure to keep coats and mittens handy this weekend. The region is about to get hit with an arctic air mass that may produce snow for the area. Listen to today's Express Briefing for a full roundup of San Antonio's top headlines. Subscribe to the San Antonio Express-News to support quality local journalism.  

As the city's coronavirus positivity rate continues to show signs of improvement, officials have detected the first known cases of the more contagious U.K. strain of COVID-19 in two local residents. Mayor Ron Nirenberg called it "a wake-up call." The Spurs took on the Golden State Warriors again after an epic game-winning shot Tuesday night. Here are highlights from last night.   Listen to today's Express Briefing for a full roundup of San Antonio's top headlines. Subscribe to the San Antonio Express-News to support quality local journalism.

The Senate launches Donald Trump’s historic second impeachment trial today, with lawyers for the former president insisting he is not guilty of inciting mob violence at the Capitol. Also today, Bexar County Commissioners Court is set to discuss workforce training and the county’s federal and state legislative agendas in a virtual meeting set to start at 9 a.m. Listen to today's Express Briefing for a full roundup of San Antonio's top headlines. Subscribe to the San Antonio Express-News to support quality local journalism.