🌱 Texas Bill To Protect Rural Land + Teens Talk Hair Discrimination

Good morning, San Antonio! Elaine Thompson here, your host of the San Antonio Patch newsletter. Let's get this day started off right, with a quick guide to the most important things happening in town. Today we'll cover...

• Texas bill to protect rural land from being taken over by development.
• A San Antonio man was arrested for child pornography on his Cloud account.
• Teens speak up to express concerns over hair discrimination.

But first, today's weather:

An a.m. shower; breezy, humid. High: 86 Low: 67.

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Here are the top stories today in San Antonio:

1. A bill would dedicate $2 billion to create the Texas Land & Water Conservation Fund. Over 240,000 acres of rural land are lost to development every year in Texas. Amanda Fuller says the fund could go toward "Land conservation, habitat restoration, implementing improvements on working agricultural lands. And on the water side, it can be used to help shore up our water resources." Additional funds could also go toward outdoor recreation and trails for residents to enjoy. WOAI has more details.
2. A San Antonio man was arrested on Tuesday after law enforcement found child pornography on his Cloud account. Henry Gonzalez, 48, "is facing five counts of possession of child pornography, a third-degree felony," according to Bexar County Jail records. His bail is set at $100,000. A tip was sent to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in May 2022, leading to Gonzalez's arrest. Check with KSAT San Antonio for further updates.
3. San Antonio teenagers spoke up against hair discrimination. The Lemonade Circle is a nonprofit "dedicated to empowering young women of color from 5th through 12th grade." Amaya Simmons said, "I wanted to make sure that the council understood that hair discrimination is very degrading, and that we want this change in our city." More details at WOAI.

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Today in San Antonio:

• Gracie Yates Live: at Fralo's (5:30 PM)
• San Antonio Magazine Best of the City Party 2023 at Ivy Hall (6 PM)
• Honest & Open Parent Education (HOPE) *Virtual* (6 PM)
• Candlelight: A Tribute to Juan Gabriel at Magik Theatre (6:30 PM)
• Mainstream Jazz at The Cove (6:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• "No free lunch" for schools: "School lunch programs are already under financial strain, and now that they face a loss of federal subsidies, districts could be forced to cut budgets elsewhere." (San Antonio Current)
• "San Antonio throws out police citation": "A PETA member was handing out leaflets promoting the merits of veganism when an SAPD officer wrote him a ticket." (San Antonio Current)
• Father killed daughter and wife, then himself: "Police said a man shot and killed his wife and young daughter before turning the gun on himself. The medical examiner identified the man as 43-year-old Jeremy Martinez." (FOX 29)

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You're officially in the loop for today! I'll see you around.

— Elaine Thompson

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming San Antonio Patch newsletter? Contact me at sanantonio@patch.com