San Antonio

San Antonio International Airport is urging travelers to arrive early, plan parking, and check flight status as U.S. holiday air travel surpasses 8 million domestic passengers. Officials report increased flight activity, higher parking demand, and longer security lines, and advise use of rideshare and off-site parking options. The airport is coordinating with airlines, TSA, and local agencies to manage record holiday crowds while maintaining safety and operational readiness.

More than 50 military and veteran families remain on the waiting list for holiday support through the Soldiers’ Angels Adopt-A-Family program in 2024. The nationwide initiative matches sponsors with eligible households of deployed service members and low-income veterans to provide children’s gifts and grocery gift cards for holiday meals. Organizers report the program is in its final stretch and continue to seek individual, group, and corporate sponsors before seasonal deadlines. Interested sponsors can register online, review guidelines, and adopt one or more families still awaiting assistance.

San Antonio City Council will vote on a proposal to move city elections from May to November to cut costs and increase voter turnout. The measure would align municipal races with state and federal contests, adjust the city’s election calendar, and change logistics for Bexar County election officials. The article details the proposed changes, legal framework, turnout and cost data, public input, and potential implementation steps if the council approves or rejects the change.

Local philanthropist Harvey E. Najim will partner with the San Antonio Food Bank in December 2025 to expand holiday food distributions for children and families facing hunger. The collaboration will fund additional food, logistics and outreach to reach thousands of households in high-need areas when schools close and regular meal programs pause. The food bank will use its network, warehouses and volunteers to deliver child-focused food boxes through multiple distribution events and will track the number of children and families served to guide future efforts.

San Antonio-area schools will receive $647,156 to expand student mental health services, with funding directed to training and retaining school-based mental health professionals, increasing crisis response capacity, enhancing counseling access, and supporting data tracking, outreach and partnerships with community providers across multiple campuses.

San Antonio will hold a public Hanukkah menorah lighting to honor a rabbi with ties to the city who was killed in a terror attack at a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney that left 15 dead. Local Jewish leaders, interfaith clergy, and city officials plan to attend the event, which will feature traditional prayers, the reading of victims’ names, and heightened security. Organizers say the ceremony will serve as a public act of remembrance and solidarity and will be open to all residents during the Hanukkah period.

The San Antonio Zoo opens Congo Falls, a new gorilla habitat featuring what officials describe as the world’s tallest gorilla tower, bringing gorillas back to the zoo in San Antonio, Texas. The immersive exhibit offers multi-level viewing areas, naturalistic landscaping, and educational displays on gorilla biology and conservation. Congo Falls aims to support animal welfare through vertical space, enrichment, and flexible habitat design while providing visitors with close viewing opportunities within a controlled and accessible environment.

The San Antonio City Council is set to vote on accepting a $3 million U.S. Department of Homeland Security grant to continue the Texas Anti-Gang Program in the city. The proposal would route federal funds through the Governor’s Office to support the San Antonio Texas Anti-Gang Center and its multi-agency operations targeting organized criminal street gangs. The council’s decision will determine whether the city continues this DHS-backed public safety partnership at the current funding level.

Bexar County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public to help identify a suspected “porch pirate” linked to multiple package thefts in the Wildhorse area near San Antonio. Deputies report several recent incidents of parcels taken from front porches as holiday deliveries increase. Investigators are reviewing home security footage and urging residents to check their cameras, report suspicious activity, and secure deliveries. The Sheriff’s Office has stepped up patrols and will release images or video once confirmed useful for identification.