KSAT Explains

Water may just be the new oil in Texas. As droughts become more frequent, cities continue to sprawl, and demand rises, the value of water is forecast to increase. With that in mind, where does the water for San Antonio, which sits on the edge of the Chihuahuan Desert, come from? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the pharmaceutical fentanyl is a synthetic opioid approved for treating severe pain, typically advanced cancer pain. Fentanyl is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine and is prescribed as transdermal patches or lozenges. The CDC says the most recent cases of fentanyl-related harm, overdose, and death in the U.S. are linked to illegally made fentanyl. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you've driven on Highway 90 in San Antonio, you've likely seen the signs directing you to exit at General Hudnell Drive and Port San Antonio. “There's a misconception that this is some sort of strange, off-the-grid federal enclave that operates under a different law, which isn't true,” says Port SA CEO Jim Perschbach. What is true is the name “Port San Antonio” does not necessarily reflect what happens on the campus nowadays. The term “port” leads you to believe it's a trade hub, which, in this KSAT Explains, we learn is only partly accurate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An important part of Latino culture is tradition, and in recent years, there has been a push to make voting another important cultural custom. Every election season, the Latino vote is a term that is discussed, but what does that mean? Is the Latino vote a sleeping giant? In this episode of KSAT Explains, we compare the “red and blue” of Latino politics, break down common misconceptions, and discuss the emerging wave of more Latinos making their voices heard. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meteorologists and weather experts in South Texas rely heavily on Doppler radar technology, but how does it work? How can a giant soccer-ball-shaped tower, known as the radome, detect clouds hundreds of miles away and send them to a computer as rain? In this episode of KSAT Explains, KSAT meteorologist Justin Horne visits the National Weather Service station in New Braunfels for answers, as well as the Bracken Bat cave which is a common hotspot on radar images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Whether it is Easter camping or just an afternoon picnic, San Antonians have a long history with Brackenridge Park. The centrally located green space offers miles of nature trails, the Sunken Garden Theater, the Japanese Tea Garden, the Witte Museum, and the San Antonio Zoo. But one area, in particular, is the center of a debate between San Antonio's Parks and Recreation Department and a group of local advocates. While centuries of history surround the entire 349-acre park, the highlighted portions (phases one and two) in the rendering above are the focus of this story. The question at hand is: Can the city preserve the park's rich history while protecting its fragile nature? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a question that might start a household debate; what can be recycled and what can't? San Antonio is the seventh largest city in the U.S., meaning we produce a lot of trash. However, two local recycling facilities are making a significant dent in the amount of recyclable material that ends up in landfills. Most San Antonio homes have access to color-coded bins to make the process easier, but deciding what goes in each bin can also lead to a debate. In this episode of KSAT Explains, we show you how two local companies combine humans and robots to streamline the recycling process and explain what recycling means. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You see them popping up on nearly every corner, small white boxes atop utility poles. Those boxes are providing 5G data to a number of devices like cellphones and cars. But what is 5G? In this KSAT Explains we breakdown what 5G means, what regulations are in place for the devices to be installed and what doctors are saying about the potential health risks associated with the technology. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Death is a topic hardly anybody enjoys talking about, but it's a harsh reality none of us can escape. For this KSAT Explains, our crew got a rare behind-the-scenes look into the Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office (BCMEO) to find out what happens when a body comes in with no trace of who they are. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've all felt it -- the heavy weight of paying more for necessities like groceries and fuel. Inflation is a term with a relatively simple definition, but dealing with it is far from easy. KSAT Explains. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You're told to speak up to prevent acts of violence. Alert someone when something seems... off. But if nothing illegal has happened- yet-who handles that information? And how? KSAT Explains. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the American labor shortage drags on, more local employers are looking to hire people with past convictions. For those candidates, it's a second chance. KSAT Explains. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More than a dozen laws were passed in 2019 focused on school safety after the Santa Fe school shooting. KSAT Explains what is in those laws and what other measures state officials have taken since the laws were enacted. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some Texas lawmakers who oppose red flag laws have argued that we already have laws that can force someone to give up their guns, so why do we need more? KSAT Explains. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of KSAT Explains, Meteorologists Sarah Spivey and Justin Horne take us inside Honey Creek Cave for a swim and to highlight how it now coexists with the fast-growing Comal County. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is no shortage of sun during a south Texas summer, so why don't we harness that energy to power our homes and businesses? The good news is we are. KSAT Explains. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The San Antonio River is mainly a tourist attraction, but there are dreams of making it a place people can swim one day. KSAT Explains. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After yet another mass shooting in America, many scrutinize guns laws and mental health services. Do the answers lie within those issues? We ask San Antonians who know best. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Antonio is rich in history from all walks of life. A small portion of that history can be found in the 1400 block of Main Street north of downtown.. KSAT Explains. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gas prices have hit record highs in Texas and around the country, so it begs the question: “how can we lower prices?” KSAT Explains. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lake Waco was the first Texas lake to get rid of the species, but can the same technique be used in other lakes? KSAT Explains in this week's episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Antonio may have its answer to cracking down on those who promote illegal street racing and often get the word out via social media. KSAT Explains. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new local arena is giving players a comfortable place to try and win millions in prize money. KSAT Explains. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Building and expanding highways have for decades been considered a solution for mass transit and getting people from one place to another. But recently, there's been a reckoning of sorts when it comes to highways and how they have historically shaped and reshaped cities - breaking up downtown density, increasing car dependence and, in many cases, dividing communities of color. President Joe Biden has proposed spending billions to reconnect neighborhoods that have been split up by highways. Some cities have already turned existing highways into boulevards, with dozens more considering similar measures. But here in San Antonio and Texas, when it comes to transportation news, we've been hearing a lot about expansion to keep up with our fast-growing region. In this episode of KSAT Explains, we take a look at the plans to ease traffic on Loop 1604 and Interstate 35, and why they're being met with pushback. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You may have seen them: tents set up near bridges or overpasses. Pop-up communities created by people living on the streets. It is a sensitive topic — homelessness and how to address it — and it is far from a new problem. For more than a decade, KSAT has been covering how homelessness has changed in San Antonio and the resources that are available in our community. But a new debate has emerged when it comes to homeless encampments, and the arguments over what to do about them have gotten louder. In this episode of KSAT Explains, we took a closer look at the debate over encampments by talking to people experiencing homelessness and those fighting every day to help them change that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of KSAT Explains, we're breaking down what you need to know about protective orders, as well as hearing from two domestic violence survivors about their experiences and how they got out. Editor's note: This episode won a national award from The Alliance for Women in Media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of KSAT Explains, we're diving into how the Edwards Aquifer works, why it's so heavily regulated and we're learning about the conservative efforts in place that help keep the Edwards Aquifer, and the creatures who call it home, healthy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Antonio is a city steeped in history. From the Missions to the Majestic Theater, Samuel Maverick to Henry Cisneros, there are countless stories of people, places and events that have helped bring us to where we are today. But for decades, much of our city's Black history has not been told. In this episode of KSAT Explains, we look at why those elements of our city's past are so important -- no matter your background -- and how it could influence the future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Explains team examines how a system with 15,000 children is supposed to work, the ways it's currently failing, and what you can do to help. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A KSAT 12 investigation looks at what we have learned about the disaster and lays out how city and state leaders have responded. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you think of San Antonio sports, you no doubt think of the Spurs. With five NBA championships and decades of competitive basketball, the Spurs have had success many other NBA cities envy. But for years city leaders have tried to attract another successful major professional sports team to San Antonio with little to no luck. San Antonio is the seventh most populous city in the U.S. and growing every year, so why can't the city attract another major franchise? That is the topic of this week's episode of KSAT Explains. We dive into San Antonio's history with professional sports, its future and the debate over using public funding to build new stadiums or arenas for pro sports franchises. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You've probably seen it -- junk dumped alongside a road as if someone didn't know what else to do with it or didn't care to find out. The KSAT Explains team found junk along a quiet residential street near Loop 410 and Rigsby avenue. A mattress, a toilet, an old carpet, a car seat, paint cans and more piled up on an empty lot. On this particular day, city crews were out cleaning up the mess. “There's really no need for this because we have many options to dispose of unwanted items,” Gutierrez said. And yet, it still happens on every side of San Antonio. And not just on city streets. Major highways, too. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Explore Texas Biomedical Research Institute's programs and ethical implications of the research on this episode of KSAT Explains. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Alamo is one of the most historic sites in the United States and it's located in the heart of downtown San Antonio. The Spanish mission was built more than 100 years before the start of the Texas Revolution, but it is best known for the battle that happened on its grounds in 1836. The Battle of the Alamo has been depicted in film and television for nearly a century. It has turned men who lived long ago into larger-than-life Texas legends. But recent headlines about the Alamo have focused on the controversial plans for its future. The topic has become a political lightning rod and raised questions about whose stories are prioritized and how those stories are told when discussing the past. In this episode of KSAT Explains, we examine the history, legacy and myths associated with the Alamo, as well as the battle over how the historic mission is remembered. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's often a challenge for major cities, but a particular struggle for San Antonio: how to improve transportation across the area. This week's episode of KSAT Explains examines what the future of transit could look like for our city and how will we fund that future. (Watch full episode in video player above.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode dives into the potential benefits of esports to student athletes, professional players and the local economy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of KSAT Explains, we took a closer look at a phenomenon underway across the United States, the recent surge of conspiracy theories and extremism and how to battle disinformation online. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many people have argued for years that more needs to be done to when it comes to mass transit in San Antonio. From streetcars to light rails, there have been efforts to expand transportation offerings, but these efforts have not been successful. Our primary mode of public transportation is VIA Metropolitan Transit, but there has been an ongoing struggle for years for added funding for the transportation service. In this week's episode of KSAT Explains, we examined San Antonio's troubled mass transit history, the challenges ahead as our city continues to grow and what and lies down the road for VIA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meteorologists Kaiti Blake and Sarah Spivey examine the weather events that have become politically charged. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The KSAT Explains team dives into the major role beer has played shaping the Alamo City . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode dives into San Antonio's history, evolution and future as a taco town Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week's episode of KSAT Explains, meteorologists Kaiti Blake and Sarah Spivey examine how climate change is affecting Texas, how you can reduce your carbon footprint and how this issue became such a political one. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This KSAT Explains episode covers the long history of some of San Antonio's favorite treats. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The KSAT Explains team looks at national movement to protest inequalities, systemic racism and social injustices. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Coffee used to be just a morning beverage or the drink people needed to start their day. Now it seems coffee is ingrained in our culture. Coffee houses have become social spots and several shops have popped up across San Antonio in the past decade. In this episode of the podcast, we take a deep dive into the coffee culture in the Alamo City. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Housed in the iconic Bonham Exchange nightclub is a San Antonio LGBTQ+ archive that was started by the late Gene Elder. The KSAT Explains team was given access to the Happy Foundation while researching for the Bonham Exchange episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The killing of George Floyd sparked nationwide conversations about police accountability and systemic racism. It also forced journalists to reexamine their work and apply more scrutiny to stories about policing and race. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cryptocurrency. One word. So many questions. In this episode, the KSAT Explains team talks about some of their biggest takeaways after spending a research learning about Bitcoin, NFTs and blockchains. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a 130-year-old tradition that's as San Antonio as it gets. And prior to last year, Fiesta had only been canceled during World Wars I and II. In this episode, the KSAT Explains team discusses what they've learned about how Fiesta transitioned from a party for the elite to a celebration for the masses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Few things in life are certain. But when it comes to San Antonio in the spring -- there's a good chance you're going to see some hail. Meteorologist Kaiti Blake joins this episode of KSAT Explains to break down the science behind hailstorms and why she's so fascinated by these weather events. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The end to the pandemic seems to be in sight. And slowly, the lights are coming back on in performance venues here in San Antonio. But venues across the country are still waiting for the aid set aside for them from the Save Our Stages Act, which was passed in December. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices