A data center proposal has been rejected in San Marcos outside Austin First reported by Community Impact Armbrust & Brown PLLC proposed a data center across two parcels of land: a 125-acre parcel already annexed into San Marcos and a 63.68-acre unzoned parcel The land is located at 904 Francis Harris Lane, adjacent to the Hays Energy power plant. Details of the data center were shared in agenda documents Plans for the data center were first announced earlier this month The San Marcos Planning and Zoning Commission recommended the denial of the data center applicant’s request to rezone the land and to amend the city’s Preferred Scenario Map The Preferred Scenario Map amendment would change the designation of the land from conservation/cluster to commercial/employment low The rezoning request would rezone the 200-acre parcel from future development and character district 2.5 to light industrial The current landowners are Highlander SM One LLC and a representative for Armbrust & Brown PLLC said the project would yield a tax revenue of nearly $3.02 million for the city as well as providing tax benefits and complementing the adjacent power plant The facility is also currently approved for 559 living unit equivalents (LUEs) from Crystal Clear Water LUEs represent the typical flow that would be produced by a single-family residence or 3.5 people said the project would include sound attenuation panels He added that the project would undergo a rigorous approval process with ERCOT It was also confirmed during the hearing that the facility would not be used for Bitcoin or as an artificial intelligence center The project will now need a supermajority vote by the City Council to go forward City Council public hearings are set to take place on April 15 The proposal is not the CloudBurst data center which was also proposed for San Marcos last month CloudBurst is planning a gas-powered data center with Energy Transfer San Marcos is located between Austin and San Antonio in Texas two of the state’s largest data center markets and Lumen all have a presence in San Antonio Data Centre Dynamics Ltd (DCD), 32-38 Saffron Hill, London, EC1N 8FH Email. [email protected]DCD is a subsidiary of InfraXmedia (ANS - Araguaiana) - On Friday 15 November 2024 the São Marcos and Meruri communities celebrated a Mass in Araguaiana at the tomb of the Salesian martyrs Fr João (Johann) Fuchs and Fr Pedro Sacilotti in honour of the 90th anniversary of their killing The celebration was led by Fr João Bosco Maciel Monteiro accompanied by other Salesians Fr Beatus Volkmar Tola Fr Ângelo César Cenerino and Fr Douglas Chrystiano Silva Souza prayers were also said in memory of Fr Rudolf Lunkenbein who were also murdered in similar situations Fr João Fuchs and Fr Pedro Sacilotti were Salesian missionaries dedicated to the evangelisation of the indigenous communities of the Mato Grosso region They worked in a period of intense challenges facing not only cultural and geographical barriers but also hostilities arising from defending the indigenous peoples against invaders of their lands and exploiters The mission of Fr Fuchs and Fr Sacilotti was rooted in the Salesian charism of St John Bosco focusing on education and promoting the welfare of the most vulnerable populations They worked to integrate the Christian faith with local values and traditions promoting the respect and dignity of indigenous communities their dedication put them in situations of great risk especially when confronted with economic interests that threatened the populations they protected both missionaries were assassinated near Rio das Mortes while defending the rights of indigenous communities against land invaders Their killing was regarded as the ultimate sacrifice of their lives for their faith and the cause of justice They have been remembered ever since as examples of dedication and missionary courage Source: Salesians in BCG Province ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007 This site also uses third-party cookies to improve user experience and for statistical purposes By scrolling through this page or by clicking on any of its elements A 30-year-old San Marcos man was arrested by Bryan police Tuesday on charges of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl from Bryan Ross Hunter Castillo is being held in the Brazos County Jail on charges of sexual assault of a child — a second-degree felony punishable by two to 20 years in prison — and online solicitation of a minor Castillo met his victim on an online chat website last August Eventually they began exchanging sexually explicit photos and videos of each other When police interviewed the victim in February she said they were both aware of their age differences which was corroborated in messages on her phone Castillo allegedly came to the victim’s house and had sex with her earlier this yer He also reportedly provided her with a vape and alcohol the victim told police that Castillo admitted to her that he was a pedophile and that he had previous relationships with underage girls the victim said she was afraid of Castillo because of previous threats to harm her or her family if she reported him Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email Email notifications are only sent once a day A College Station man was arrested Sunday and charged with sexually assaulting a Texas A&M student in 2022 A Bryan man was arrested Thursday for allegedly keeping a woman locked in his home where he assaulted her several times and choked her A traffic stop early Thursday morning resulted in the passenger of the vehicle being arrested and charged with manufacturing and delivery of m… A Bryan man was arrested on a charge of continuous violence against the family after he allegedly whipped a woman with a belt and choked her u… A Bryan man faces a charge of assault family violence impeding breath following an altercation with his partner on Thursday night Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account EdinburghOsvaldo Golijov’s remarkable take on Bach’s St Matthew Passion exhilarates with its singular mix of textures brought together into a triumphant mass by conductor Joana Carneiro interweaving a varied of Latin American musical styles and cultural traditions this is Christ’s suffering not as solemn biblical narrative but as a here-and-now human crisis: one told and re-enacted by the masses in language drawn from Spanish vernacular gospel pamphlets sold on street corners a set of specialist (and indefatigable) percussionists classical and traditional vocalists and dancers Formidable … soloist Gioconda Cabrera Photograph: Andrew Perry/Edinburgh international festivalOn paper it might sound exhausting; on stage is was exhilarating and while individual soloists had their standout moments – Luciana Souza’s haunting Kaddish and several formidable turns from alto soloist Gioconda Cabrera – the real triumph here was in the exultant massing of voices shifting musical styles and diverse instrumental textures shaped with fluid self-possession by conductor Joana Carneiro and underpinned by the exceptional work of both choirs’ artistic directors A St Matthew Passion in which choristers gesticulated in anger or Christ’s crucifixion was conveyed through capoeira would doubtless raise eyebrows but in Golijov’s prismatic interpretation – and when delivered with such conviction as here – that intertwining of music and movement feels utterly natural “Rituals that unite us” is the strapline for this year’s festival; on the strength of the standing ovation that instantly met this particular set of rituals it would appear they’ve started down the right track Applicant seeks to rezone land to Light Industrial A data center project has been proposed for 199 acres of land in San Marcos Proposed by Armbrust & Brown PLLC on behalf of Highlander SM One LLC the companies seek to rezone the land from Conservation Cluster to Light Industrial and annex 53.57 acres of the same land The data center project would lie on the western side of Francis Harris Lane south of the intersection with Grant Harris Road The annexation request was approved during a February San Marcos City Council meeting but the rezoning is not set to be decided until April Agenda documents from the February 19 meeting suggest that the land was previously zoned for single-family lots in 2022 but the land owner - Highlander SM One - has changed tack after this plan failed to come to fruition the owners have collaborated on a new vision for the broader Property: assembling Tracts 1 and 2 together and developing a data center – a use much more consistent with the adjacent power plant .. and with a lower overall traffic footprint for Francis Harris Lane." The site is adjacent to the Hays County power plant Details about the data center are sparse, but according to a report from the San Marcos Daily Herald the data center will use a closed-loop water system said during the February meeting: "Once this system is filled and set I do want to note the low infrastructure and government resources needed for a data center There is low traffic volume and no active loading docks Limited emergency services are needed because the data centers have their own security the centers have fire systems to protect the technology.” He added that the city will receive tax revenue from the project noting that a 94-acre development in Bexar County recently had a valuation of more than $300 million Mayberry also noted that the project is not the CloudBurst data center San Marcos City Council Member Amanda Rodriguez raised some concerns about the impact such a project could have on the grid “We have a grid that relies 48 percent on natural gas A grid that state lawmakers continue to worry that it’s going to fail The other five members of the board cast assenting votes Data Centre Dynamics Ltd (DCD), 32-38 Saffron Hill, London, EC1N 8FH Email. [email protected]DCD is a subsidiary of InfraXmedia (ANS - São Marcos) - The Salesian missionary presence in São Marcos welcomed the Extraordinary Visit of Fr Gabriel Romero Regional Councillor for Southern Cone America On this occasion Fr Romero was able to converse and interact with the Xavante indigenous community there Arriving at the Salesian community on Monday 4 November the Regional Councillor was warmly received by the Salesians of Don Bosco and the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians who work in the mission Fr Romero was warmly welcomed in the religious community by the Rector Salesian Brother Tarley da Guia Nunes da Mata and practical trainee Gabriel Coelho da Silva; and during the visit the Councillor had individual talks with his confreres to learn more about the missionary situation of the Salesians working in close contact with the Xavante people As the village of São Marcos is located within walking distance of the Salesian house Fr Romero was able to participate in various activities with the Xavante people He took part in the ‘Rosario Luminoso’ accompanying the statue of Mary Help of Christians carried in procession by the youth and adults of the community; and the prayer ended in the chapel of the Salesian house where the councillor had the opportunity to converse with the indigenous people Fr Romero also visited the village of Our Lady of Fatima; here too the Visitor had the opportunity to share in praying the Rosary and the procession with the statue of Mary Help of Christians; then he had the opportunity to converse with the Xavante children and the lay teachers at the local school a touching scene was repeated: long lines of adults young people and children formed to receive the blessing with the laying on of hands by Fr Romero: a profound sign of devotion respect and admiration of the Xavante towards the Salesians The gas supply has the capacity to generate 1.2GW of direct power a new US data center developer focused on artificial intelligence (AI) is planning a natural gas-powered facility in Texas the company has signed a ten-year supply agreement with midstream gas company Energy Transfer to provide its debut Texas data center with behind-the-meter power Energy Transfer will supply CloudBurst’s data center in San Marcos with up to 450,000 metric million British thermal units (MMBtu) of firm natural gas per day MMBtu is a unit used to measure heat content or energy value the gas supply has the capacity to generate 1.2GW of direct power The agreement is subject to CloudBurst reaching a final investment decision (FID) with its customer the supply agreement is expected to commence upon the data center energization “We are very excited about our close relationship with Energy Transfer and feel extremely confident in their ability to provide redundancy through their vast pipeline network and storage capacity,” said Cynthia Thompson The agreement is Energy Transfer’s first with a data center It has indicated that it is in discussions with several other data center operators and expects the sector to become a key customer base moving forward CloudBurst has shown an interest in signing additional supply agreements with Energy Transfer with Thompson stating: “We will work closely with Energy Transfer to identify additional potential data center sites on or close to their strategic natural gas pipeline network using our proprietary site selection software.” Energy Transfer has more than 105,000 miles of natural gas gathering intrastate and interstate transportation pipelines with a combined storage capacity of nearly 236 billion cubic feet CloudBurst was founded in 2022 and is headquartered in Denver The company claims to focus on the acquisition and operation of data centers suitable for large wholesale or AI deployments The San Marcos site will be its first development The supply agreement follows a trend of data centers seeking direct natural gas supply agreements to power their operations off-grid Last week, AI data center developer Crusoe entered into a multi-year framework agreement with natural gas-fired power provider Kalina Distributed Power to develop multiple colocated AI data centers powered by natural gas power plants in Alberta In addition, late last month, it was reported that the first Stargate data center planned for development in Abilene, Texas would be powered by a 360.5MW off-grid natural gas power plant Data Centre Dynamics Ltd (DCD), 32-38 Saffron Hill, London, EC1N 8FH Email. [email protected]DCD is a subsidiary of InfraXmedia Brazil – June 2024 - At the top of the hill of São Marcos in the Salesian missionary presence that bears the name of the Holy Evangelist the Superior of the Province of Campo Grande presided over the Mass for the 130th anniversary of the arrival of the Salesians in Cuiabá The Eucharist was concelebrated by the Rector of São Marcos Fr Beatus Volkmar Tola.  Salesian practical trainee Gabriel Coelho accompanied a group of students from the Philip Rinaldi school and some indigenous teachers to the celebration Brazil – July 2024 – The First Xavante Youth Day was held on 24 July at the Salesian Presence in São Marcos baed on "Your dreams have gone much further" involving 30 young people from the villages of the Indigenous Territory of São Marcos Salesians Cleiton Cecílio da Silva and Pablo Henrique Gomes Silveiro presented the Rector Major's Strenna 2024 "The dream that makes you dream" The meeting was also attended by the Director of the missionary presence who administered the sacraments to young people The relationship between the Xavante community and the Salesian Mission begins in the twentieth century when Salesian missionaries arrived in the region with the aim of evangelising and providing social and educational services offering formal education and medical assistance to the indigenous people they immediately committed themselves to promoting Xavante culture helping to integrate the Xavante into the broader context of Brazilian society and preserving important aspects of their cultural identity The Salesian Mission of São Marcos is still an example of this collaboration Brazil – September 2024 – On 7 September Salesian Deacon João Marcos de Almeida Molina was ordained a priest at the Church of Our Lady of Fatima by Bishop Luiz Gonçalves Knupp The ceremony was concelebrated by the Superior of the Salesian Province of -Campo Grande (ANS – Sangradouro) – Moments of dialogue prayer or simply sharing daily life: Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime is spending the days of his Animation Visit to the Salesian missions between the indigenous Boe-Bororo and Xavantes fully immersing himself in the reality of life of these peoples has aroused "deep emotion" and "enormous gratitude" in him the Rector Major met with the Salesian Missionary Community of São Marcos in the presence of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians who work with the Salesians the Rector Major addressed words of encouragement to his missionary confreres recalling that work with indigenous peoples is one of the pillars of the Salesian vocation Fernández Artime went to the village of Our Lady of Fatima which receives assistance from the Salesians from the missionary presence in São Marcos The village is about an hour's drive along a dirt path from the Salesian Mission house the white earth and the heat near 37° C intensifying the colours of the Xavantes' body paintings the Cardinal was greeted by the embraces of the local people and then continuing with the young people and adults who formed long queues to ask the Rector Major for his blessing With the priests already dressed for the liturgy the natives themselves asked for an entrance procession to show solemnity and respect for the religious celebration and for the president of the celebration And later the whole celebration was also animated with songs in the Xavante language with the whole assembly composed of adults stood in front of the prepared altar in the centre of the village the Rector of the missionary presence in São Marcos the Parish priest of the missionary community the Rector of the Salesian presence in Barra do Garças And since the arrival of the Salesian Rector Major in Meruri the Provincial of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians in Belo Horizonte was also present at the meetings with Cardinal Fernández Artime it is worth noting that the Cardinal received the title of citizen of the municipality of Barra do Garças and also the headdress as chief Xavante in recognition of the work carried out by the Salesians with the native populations the 10th Successor of Don Bosco arrived in the Salesian Missionary Presence in Sangradouro also welcomed in this case by a large and festive host of first nations people Later the Rector Major reached the Xavante village about 500 metres from the Salesian missionaries’ house accompanied by the Rector of the community to participate in the Warã at the centre of the village of Sangradouro – that is And in this moment of dialogue between authorities the elders thanked the Cardinal for his presence among the indigenous people and asked him to send other Salesians to work in the missions Before concluding his visit to the Salesian missions among the indigenous peoples of Mato Grosso on his penultimate international trip as Rector Major wanted to express his vision of the experience of this trip: "I already knew a lot about our missions in Mato Grosso thanks to the information received in Europe but now that I am faced with the reality of these missions the first feeling is one of deep emotion and thanksgiving to God for these decades and this anniversary of service this reality is a reason for enormous gratitude for all that all our brothers and sisters who have gone before us have done for these peoples." The 10th Successor of Don Bosco then concluded: "If it had not been for the presence of Don Bosco's charism the situation of these peoples would certainly be different or they would not be in some of these lands For this I am deeply moved by the gratitude they show us." Spend the day exploring San Marco on the Southbank of the St San Marco is a historic neighborhood just a few minutes from Downtown Visit San Marco's distinctive boutiques and art galleries and enjoy the full-fledged dining district which has plenty of outdoor cafe seating and diverse options Enjoy a progressive dinner or visit each restaurant for an unforgettable dining experience in one of Jacksonville’s most beautiful neighborhoods After a long day there is nothing more satisfying than sitting down at a local #OnlyinJax bar and sipping on a hand-crafted beverage The quaint San Marco neighborhood is home to many historic spots Who doesn’t want to head home from vacation or a business trip with fond memories and amazing Instagram worthy photos… “On location in Jacksonville,” has been part of movie production history for over one hundred years There's no shortage of public art in Jacksonville Download one of the maps below and start your tour today Please enable JavaScript to show the Partner Listings listings Looking for a fun way to explore the city with the help of a guide and brochures provide information on fun and exciting things to see and do while in Jacksonville Visit Jacksonville100 North Laura StreetSuite 120Jacksonville E-Mail this page Printable Format More Webcasts More White Papers A sign calling for the decriminalization of marijuana is posted at event hosted by Ground Game in Harker Heights in 2022 This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune A Texas appeals court has ruled that the city of San Marcos cannot enforce its voter-approved ordinance to decriminalize marijuana because it conflicts with current state law the state’s 15th Court of Appeals overturned a lower court ruling that denied a temporary injunction to prevent the city from enforcing the law The court determined that the city law “abused its discretion” by putting up any barrier to the full enforcement of drug-related laws “It is undisputed that possession of marijuana is illegal in Texas we cannot justify allowing state law to continue to be violated,” according to the ruling penned by Judge April Farris nearly 82% of San Marcos voters chose to decriminalize marijuana under Proposition A The effort was led by a group of advocacy organizations San Marcos Democratic Socialists of America the Hays County Democratic Party and the Texas Cannabis Collective which gathered 10,000 signatures for the petition The Proposition A ordinance ended citations and arrests by the San Marcos Police Department for misdemeanor possession of marijuana up to 4 ounces police can still cite or arrest a person for Class A or Class B misdemeanor possession of marijuana if it’s part of an investigation involving felony-level narcotics or violence the ordinance ended citations for possession of drug residue or drug paraphernalia prohibited the use of city funds or personnel to test the level of THC — the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana — and prohibited city police from using the odor of marijuana or hemp as probable cause to search a vehicle or home This ordinance applies to only the San Marcos Police Department and doesn’t affect Texas State University the Hays County Sheriff’s Office or other law enforcement agencies in the area Paxton sued San Marcos, along with Denton, Austin, Killeen and Elgin, last year for adopting ordinances or policies instructing law enforcement not to enforce laws concerning marijuana possession and distribution Paxton, in the lawsuit argued that these local ordinances or policies violate state law that requires the enforcement of drug-related matters like possession of marijuana or paraphernalia Hays County District Judge Sherri Tibbe dismissed Paxton’s lawsuit upholding the argument that the state was not injured when San Marcos reduced arrests for misdemeanor marijuana possession and that it allowed for resources to be used for higher-priority public safety needs The Office of the Attorney General appealed this decision the case was assigned to the 15th Court of Appeals where the state’s attorneys argued that the San Marcos ordinance obstructed the enforcement of state drug laws The city argued that the policy was voter-driven granting the temporary injunction while litigation continues This issue has been hotly contested in courts and city councils across the state for the past two years Travis County District Judge Jan Soifer dismissed Paxton’s lawsuit against Austin last year ruling there was no legal justification to try the case Paxton’s lawsuit against Elgin was resolved last summer via consent decree meaning neither side is claiming guilt or liability but has come to an agreement In Denton, where voters approved decriminalization by more than 70%, the implementation of marijuana decriminalization has stalled after City Manager Sara Hensley argued it couldn’t be enforced since it conflicted with state law The future of THC products in Texas is uncertain. Currently, lawmakers are debating Senate Bill 3 which would ban any consumable hemp products that contain even trace amounts of THC which would ban synthetic THC and products like gummies and vapes The House’s proposal focuses more on tightening regulatory loopholes allowing hemp-infused beverages and assigning the alcohol industry to regulate those products HB 28 would also limiting the consumption of such products to those 21 years or older and implement advertising regulations Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said he would move to force a special legislative session if lawmakers fail to pass the ban during the current session “Kids are getting poisoned today,” Patrick told the Senate earlier this year The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Your essential companion for starting the day in Denton Delivered fresh to your inbox every morning Wake Up gives you a curated snapshot of local news for the day as well as the day’s e-edition and trending stories you may have missed Sign up for the Denton Record-Chronicle's absolutely free weekly newsletter highlighting winners and finalists from the 2024 Best of Denton awards Your weekly guide to surviving college and thriving in Denton local news and more exclusive content in your inbox every Tuesday afternoon There's always something going on in Denton Check out what's on the local events calendar and plan a fun weekend with friends Get a roundup of the 10+ puzzles and games available from the Denton Record-Chronicle for free Sudoku and other brain-busters are new every day the latest in puzzles and word games with a Wordle vibe From minor traffic accidents to neighborhood watch updates stay informed on public safety with the week’s top crime stories in your inbox every Wednesday morning Don’t miss out on breaking news in Denton from weather and traffic to big events and important headlines Be the first to know the latest on new stores restaurants and other businesses in Denton County so you can live better here Get the scoop on all the thrilling victories nail-biting games and standout performances — straight from the sidelines of Denton-area high schools we bring you the highlights and updates from our hometown college teams Prepare for the polls and stay informed on the candidates issues and deadlines for Denton County’s key races Save money and find what you need with promotions from local businesses and special DRC offers What do you do when the school year is ending and you have one week to complete an assignment and you have a great idea but no resources This was the exact situation Dartmouth High freshmen Zachary Amaral Zachary Benoit and Lucas Sao Marcos found themselves in when given a week to complete an assignment depicting one of the planet’s numerous biomes a tough draw with temperatures in the 80s this time of year They problem-solved and decided they could record with a green screen and use computer software to impose their images into the Tundra The challenge: where could they get that green screen time She immediately coordinated with the university to give the high school group the use of their Hall-Hildreth IDEA studio while bioengineering master’s candidate Rebecca Ng supervised their time in the studio the quartet of freshmen submitted their assignment… and received an A “It’s a great community effort,” Ferreira said “The university did everything they could to find time and resources for the students to get their project done.” (ANS - Meruri) - Ever since the announcement of this Animation Visit of the Rector Major Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime meetings with the Boe-Bororo and Xavantes peoples have been foreshadowed as the most significant stages of the journey And now that the Tenth Successor of Don Bosco is actually in the Salesian missions dedicated to them all the attention of the Salesian Family towards these peoples even though so often placed in a condition of risk of social exclusion the Rector Major engaged in a fraternal dialogue session with Salesians and Daughters of Mary Help of Christians from various locations around Meruri They attentively listened to the Cardinal's words while he reciprocated by listening to the stories the indigenous leaders of the Boe-Bororo community met with the Rector Major accompanied by the Provincial of Brazil Campo Grande and the Rector of the Salesian presence in Meruri The indigenous elders discussed the community's situation while also receiving words of wisdom from the Cardinal who positioned himself as a paternal figure and friend to the Boe-Bororo Salesians and indigenous people gathered around the "Martyrs' Cross" in the courtyard of the Salesian presence to pray the Rosary together the Rector Major conveyed the traditional Salesian "goodnight" to those present emphasizing the significance of the day's meetings and the sanctity of the place He highlighted its sacredness as the site of the sacrifice of Frs Rodolfo Lunkenbein and Simão Bororo as well as its role as the community's home church where the first Salesian missionaries arrived in Meruri Due to the condition of the roads after heavy rainfall on Sunday it was not possible to reach the precise spot where four Salesian missionaries are buried accompanied by the Provincial of Brasilia Campo Grande and the Bishop of Barra do Garças Paulo Renato Fernandes Gonçalves de Campos listened to the account of the first missionaries as detailed in the historical letters proclaimed by Fr João Bosco Monteiro Maciel for the occasion The Rector Major then imparted the "Blessing of Mary Help of Christians" to all present and to the surroundings He proceeded to visit the cemetery where the Servants of God are interred joining with everyone in prayer for the eternal rest of their souls and for the official recognition of their martyrdom His visit to Meruri concluded with a Mass animated by indigenous youth adorned in their vibrant traditional attire and artwork the 10th Successor of Don Bosco underscored the faith exhibited by the royal official mentioned in the Gospel of the day He drew parallels between this faith and the steadfast commitment of the Boe-Boro people to their cultural practices and traditions the Provincial expressed gratitude to the Rector Major highlighting his longstanding affection for the Campo Grande Province particularly his dedication to the indigenous communities served by the Salesians "This affection and commitment will undoubtedly persist as Fr Ángel transitions to other roles within the Church." a group of Boe-Bororo youths performed traditional and recreational dances in honor of the visitors The Rector Major was also honored with ceremonial face painting reserved for esteemed guests and graciously interacted with those seeking photos or blessings the Rector Major proceeded to the Salesian missionary community of São Marcos where he was warmly welcomed by the Xavante people particularly by the enthusiastic children who joyfully exclaimed The Salesian parish priest of the community expressing gratitude to the 10th Successor of Don Bosco for his visit He emphasized the significance of the Xavante people in Don Bosco's missionary vision for South America and referenced key points from the Strenna 2024 eagerly sought blessings from the religious leaders Bishop of Barra do Garças reflected on this experience "It signifies the integration of the Church into everyday life—a culture where respect and the fusion of evangelization with cultural traditions are intertwined It's a testament to a people who have embraced the Gospel while honoring their unique cultural identity." the Rector Major joined the indigenous community at the village of São Marcos to pray the rosary in front of the illuminated statue of Mary Help of Christians Each mystery was accompanied by meditations and songs Cardinal Fernández Artime received words of gratitude from the Xavante elders for the Salesians' work He accepted their gifts and blessed everyone present invoking the intercession of Mary Help of Christians Source: BCG Province You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience Less specifically, I am at the CAPITÃO residency (named after a cat) it's a bunch of little plots of towns between lots and lots of land John Martin and Vincent Van Duysen have places nearby the cashed-up creatives and their pads on the coast are not the whole story The woven earth and bushes might be brittle and sharp called it a place "where the beatniks read Pessoa" if you’re old enough to know who the beatniks were or have heard of Fernando Pessoa he makes sense when walking through São Marcos do Campo where the tiny bars and terrace tables are packed with Sagres A bunch of old blokes drinking cold beers and getting drink drunk Surrounded by empty roads and grey sky and long sawdust fields withering under bulbous clouds with grit rain and nocturnal thunder The plains lead out to cork forests and their trees that make up 45 per cent of the species in the region. Most of the trees we saw were holm oaks and olive trees, with the occasional lemon and orange trees in the village looking seductive and just underripe The clouds peaked from behind the rippling yellow lines that glowed under the horizon They watered the grapevines that race across the hills like stretched stockings It has a view of the river Guadiana and on the horizon sits Portugal’s frontier with Spain The Monsaraz Castle sits above most of the whitewashed buildings constructed in the 14th century and still standing in the sunlight Nearby is the Orada Convent (built between 1700 and 1741) ornamented with ungilded wood carvings that wrapped around in a mostly baroque style developed from the Evora School Tomás bought six wines from Gota a Gota in Porto which come from a variety of regions in Portugal The Chapel of Bones in Evora is quite the cadaverous endeavour The Mayor of Campo and Campinho (two of the nearby villages) invited us to have Sunday lunch at his restaurant and we had a buffet situation alongside a big family celebrating someone’s 60th birthday A man was fishing there and spoke about ducks and fish and water levels and tourism (this was before he realised I couldn’t speak Portuguese) tender lamb and crumbling potatoes with a stew of beef stock and bread The bread in the soup was as juicy as the lamb Went into an artisanal pottery workshop in Sao Pedro do Corval where two ladies sat in an air-conditioned room and the wine can sometimes taste a bit like grease and the glare from the buildings is no joke for an epileptic Old men sit slouched on weaved picnic chairs There are weird wending walks from point to point uncomfortable stairs and dusty castle entrances and fading churches It feels like it’s in the middle of nowhere one of the dogs that always barks lets me pat her from the outside of a fence She growls at passing cars but stays calm near us The first night we consumed a bottle from the Douro in the North this was a fresh and unimposing white with a juicy Eggplant Parmigiana The nose had a touch of vanilla and on the palette Catarina opened this for lunch on our first Thursday It comes from the rich schist soils of central Vidigueira Trincadeira and Castelão combine into a bright and ripe red aged in old Portuguese oak and chestnut barrels and its vibrant lemony notes and sharp acidity were a real treat from the North Had my first Portuguese chook with this Vinho Verde with a balanced acidity that held for a good minute Tasted some Seville orange (don’t ask why) and stone this juicy situation lasted a touch too long Goes down the gullet with faint tastes of ripe plum and slightly tart raspberries Enter your details below to receive 30% off Amber Sceats jewellery Don’t let the weak dollar put a dampener on your travel plans +61 2 9293 0999 RUSSH.com is published by RUSSH Media Pty Ltd Showers this evening becoming a steady light rain overnight New Braunfels third baseman Gavyn Leos takes a swing during the Unicorns’ 3-1 loss to Clemens on Thursday New Braunfels baseball sits atop District 27-6A 13-3 in district) defeated San Marcos handily 7-1 on Friday capturing their first district title since 2018 The Unicorns lost to the Rattlers in the series’ first two games on April 2 (4-3) and April 5 (5-4) New Braunfels has closed its district campaign with seven straight wins New Braunfels left fielder Nolan Moore started off the scoring in the bottom of the first with an RBI double followed by a two-RBI single by third baseman Gavyn Leos for a 3-0 lead Moore and Leos struck again in the bottom of the third each bringing in a run to make the score 5-0 Adrian Villarreal and Austin Litton brought in two more runs for a 7-0 lead The Rattlers got their lone score off an error at the top of the sixth pitching a complete game with six strikeouts while allowing six hits and one run Luke Holt went 1-3 with a double and two runs and right fielder Henry Holt went 2-3 with a run center fielder Ryder Rutledge and Cole Tavarez each stole one base The Unicorns will move on to the bi-district playoffs where they will face San Antonio Churchill at the Blossom Athletic Complex in San Antonio Get the latest breaking news from The Herald-Zeitung. Sign up today Delivering entertainment and live music news straight to your inbox every Thursday morning Would you like to receive our daily news? Signup today!   Every Monday evening you'll get caught up with the top stories from the last week Broadway Off-Broadway Off-Off Broadway Cabaret Dance Opera Classical Music Minneapolis / St. Paul Connecticut Atlanta Chicago Los Angeles Central New York WEST END UK Regional Canada Australia / New Zealand Europe Asia Latin America Africa / Middle East TV/Movies Music Performances will run from May 2nd to May 11th Naomi Jane Voigt will return to Santa Barbara to take on the iconic role of Kathy Selden in the timeless musical "Singin' in the Rain." Performances will run at San Marcos High School Marquis Performing Arts Center from May 2nd to May 11th Directed by Shannon Saleh, this vibrant production features a cast that includes Naomi Jane Voigt as Kathy Selden a senior and long-time member of San Marcos' Theater Department brings his wealth of experience to the lead role of Don Lockwood Don Lockwood's loyal best friend and comedic sidekick sophomore Sebastian Marin steps into the spotlight for his first major role at San Marcos Elise Tsoukalas takes on the role of Lina Lamont the glamorous and self-absorbed silent-film actress who serves as the main antagonist in Don Lockwood's storyline Naomi Jane Voigt's artistic journey began at the tender age of four, and her prodigious skills have earned her acclaim in off-Broadway and regional productions, as well as performances at prestigious New York venues such as Feinstein's 54, The Players Club A philanthropic spirit infuses Voigt's work as evidenced by her dedication to causes close to her heart She produced and directed the Broadway Benefit concert "Bullets into Ballads" dedicated to combating gun violence Tickets for "Singin' in the Rain" are on sale now for performances from May 2nd to May 11th at GoFan Don't miss your chance to witness Naomi Jane Voigt's triumphant return to her hometown stage along with an extraordinary cast in this beloved Broadway classic For more information, visit the San Marcos Theater Department. Location: San Marcos High School Marquis Performing Arts, 4750 Hollister Avenue, Santa Barbara, CA 93110 "Singin' in the Rain" is a classic musical comedy that first premiered on Broadway in 1985. Set in 1920s Hollywood, the story follows the tumultuous love lives and careers of silent film stars as they navigate the transition to "talkies." Filled with memorable songs and iconic dance numbers, it remains a beloved favorite among audiences of all ages. The ultimate feel-good show hits the stage as Hartland Drama Club will present jukebox musical 'Mamma Mia!' in April. Learn more about the show and see how to attend. On February 20th, as part of the month-long Black History celebration, the Harlem School of the Arts will launch an important new, FREE music program, the Dizzy Gillespie Jazz Academy. Learn more! After experiencing it, and after the cast and crew put on one hell of a show, I just couldn’t shake my disdain for the actual material.   It sometimes seemed unworthy of these delightful performers. Rye Neck High School will be presenting a Sensory Friendly Performance of Grease, featuring softened lighting and sound, plus more. Learn more about the upcoming performance and see how to attend. and exclusive discounts on tickets to your favorite shows © 2025 - Copyright Wisdom Digital Media, all rights reserved. Privacy Policy Join us for Vanguard Philadelphia! Application deadline extended This is your first of three free stories this month Become a free or sustaining member to read unlimited articles Stand in the front yard of Jennifer Roberts’ house in San Marcos and it’s hard not to notice the giant wall across the two-lane street More than 40 feet high and stretching about a half-mile down River Road 20 apartment buildings form an imposing physical barrier — and represent a true change in her city Residents of the roughly 300 units and 1,000 bedrooms are mostly Texas State University students now blocks the view that those in Roberts’ longtime family home have enjoyed of trees along the San Marcos River Fed by springs that have attracted settlements to the area for more than 13,000 years the river and its pretty banks have been used by generations of San Marcos residents as a place to cool off during the long hot summers college students and “townies” mixed together But the City Council’s development decisions and the boom in private student housing have made that typically tricky relationship tenser in recent years Jennifer Roberts stands in the front yard of her home across the street from the Woods apartment complex was listed as the fastest-growing city in America according to 2014 census data The growth is mostly thanks to an expanding Texas State University — the largest employer and largest property owner in the city With the anchor institution showing no signs of slowing down and the invasion of national developers that have seized on a growing real estate opportunity to provide housing for an increasing number of college students city residents find themselves much more concerned about the consequences of that growth — including rising rents and flood waters — than noisy parties it’s just that this area has been consumed by Texas State and everything we have now is for the students and no one thinks much about the people that have lived here for a while,” says Roberts “I know many people who have lived in San Marcos for years who have moved out because almost every neighborhood in town now has one of these huge apartment complexes right next door to them.” Kevin Romig says that’s exactly what drove him to leave Texas State in 2013 — after he was granted tenure — for Northwest Missouri State “I used to tell my students that [San Marcos] should be used as an example of what not to do when planning a city,” says Romig who specializes in urban planning and water resources absorbing big housing needs like this might not be noticed,” says Jared Miller “But we are in many ways the canary in the coal mine on all this given the size of the city and the growth of the school We are feeling the pinch now that other cities are going to be feeling very soon with the way the student housing market is going.” a larger enrollment helps it become more recognized as a top-tier research institution which comes with a large amount of funding So new classroom and office buildings were prioritized over dorms The school seemed to not care much about what kind of housing was built — or where specifically as long as it was within a 10- to 15-minute bus ride to campus “The school saw that they didn’t get a return on building dorms … so they figured let’s keep our hands off that and let the private developers do it for us,” says Jay Heibert who was an adjunct business professor at Texas State University for six years Owners of single-family homes in older neighborhoods nearest to campus had the clout to keep the big apartment complexes out The little downtown area was also difficult to develop because existing buildings would have to be purchased and bulldozed Vacant properties farther out offered a cheaper alternative and there were property owners who wanted to cash in Enter complexes like the Woods — and approximately 12,000 other bedrooms built since 2012 Taking San Marcos’ population into account such growth would be like Austin adding 200,000 bedroom units in the space of four years The Texas State University campus (Photo by Meredith McGraw) the school has never asked whether the environment in San Marcos could support a growth of so many people,” Heibert charges given the water issues in this part of the state and having to build student housing in flood plain areas San Marcos is the bastard child of the university and the school really makes no effort to interact with the city.” the school does not see planning for housing as part of its purview the school expects to grow to 50,000 total students by 2020 which will leave San Marcos looking to accommodate 12,000 more students “There is not a plan where we work with the city and say we have 5,000 students coming in and we need additional housing,” says Joanne Smith vice president of student affairs for Texas State University When asked why they don’t get more involved “We have never said to developers or the city we want housing in one place [or another],” Smith adds She says the school’s main concern with off-campus private housing for students is the efficiency of bus lines operated by the school which were paid for by about $6 million in student fees last year (about $200 per student) “We are most concerned that students can get to class,” she says As far as adding more dorm units on campus Smith says their priority is having enough for freshmen (who are generally required to live on campus) That incoming class was about 7,500 this year New dorms are being built as older ones are torn down but the replacement units don’t offer any net gain About 27,000 undergrads now live off campus in San Marcos and longtime residents feel the dominating presence of the complexes that have been built to house them These private apartment buildings essentially create a separate class of living in San Marcos valet trash pickup (bags of garbage picked up at your door and carried to the dumpster for you) golf simulators and weekly barbecue parties and you’ll see a pool trimmed with palm trees The scene is more time-share condo development in Cancun than student housing at a state school “I think where students live and how they interact with the campus is a very important part of the college education experience,” Romig says “What [the university] helped create is an environment where the campus no longer matters much They are a bus ride away and the private developers provide what they need at the apartment.” The student apartment boom in San Marcos is a trend happening around the country — from Tuscaloosa But how the corporatization of college housing will play out for these communities with big anchor institutions at their center One thing is certain: National developers have jumped on this market opening at many “second-tier” schools with big enrollment growth (mostly in the South and mostly in states that have cut state education financing) — and much of the money fueling it all comes from federally backed student loans The nearly 27,000 off-campus Texas State undergrads are paying about $200 million each year in housing expenses to private real estate interests About 60 percent of students at Texas State get some student loans and some of that is used for housing and other living expenses Here’s how it works: Schools estimate the “cost of attendance,” which informs living expenses for loan purposes Texas State puts that total cost of living off campus at about $11,000 a year The average rental rates per person at these new apartment developments like the Woods are about $600 a month which works out to about $7,200 a year (the apartments require a 12-month lease) the “cost of attendance” estimates will inch up as well all supported on the back of government-backed student loans By-the-bedroom renting also gives real estate management more control over revenue Landlords place four strangers looking for an apartment in a unit with four bedrooms and four baths (Most of these apartment complexes tend to be part of chains publicly traded real estate investment trusts that might operate 40 apartment complexes of similar designs in college towns across the country.) with big metro areas like New York getting $2 and up and small towns like San Marcos usually in the 60-cent range about 1,750 square feet total (including the shared living room and kitchen) That total of $2,500 a month works out to be about $1.40 a square foot Although the rents for a single room may be affordable families that need more than one bedroom often find the unit’s price prohibitive.” reports that the single-bedroom market has gotten hot in the past four or five years and 110,000 beds have been added nationally to the student housing market in just the past two years The average single bedroom rent is $616 nationally which amounts to $813 million in rent each year for units that have just come online in 2014 and 2015 More troubling is that the popular rent-by-the-room policy dictates anyone over the age of two must lease their own bedroom So a couple with two children would have to rent four bedrooms at these apartment complexes In the Fair Housing Act, HUD clearly states that apartment policies where “occupancy is limited to one person per bedroom” could be a sign of discrimination against families with children “You can’t put in place unreasonable occupancy restrictions as it pertains to having children,” says Heather Way a law professor at the University of Texas Law School and an expert on housing law “You can’t prohibit children living in the same bedroom with their parents There are exceptions — such as senior communities with a large apartment complex that is not affiliated with the school in any way the owners cannot institute polices that make it difficult for families with children to rent there.” None of these large developers would comment for this story but on a January tour for prospective tenants complex representatives all noted that “anyone with a heartbeat needs a lease.” When asked about the presence of families with children because families with children “don’t want to live here anyway.” Woods of San Marcos apartment complex (Photo by Meredith McGraw) With these rent-by-the-bedroom units becoming the norm in San Marcos (between one-third and one-half San Marcos City Council Member Melissa Derrick tells the story of a woman who was transferring to Texas State University as a student — with three children under the age of 10 She was told by several apartment complexes that she would have to rent four bedrooms pushing the monthly cost to about $2,500 a month The city’s data on rent increases reflects how the private student housing boom has sent average rents skyrocketing: Census records show that rents for a one-bedroom apartment in San Marcos was $548 in 2000 That’s a 63 percent increase between 2000 and 2013 Household income for city residents increased by just 7 percent in that same time period “The problem is we have let developers do what they want to in this city,” says Derrick referring to pro-development San Marcos city councils of past build approach isn’t just pricing out renters There are also consequences for homeowners who are dealing with increased flooding thanks to all these new complexes San Macros sits in what geologists and climatologists call “flash flood alley,” the Interstate 35 corridor between San Antonio and Austin It’s one of the most flood-prone areas in all of North America especially when storms coming in off the Gulf of Mexico from the south join together with the storms from the high plains to the west These two forces will usually meet up in the Texas Hill Country just west of Interstate 35 A big storm can drop 10 inches of rain 35 miles west of San Marcos near Blanco and 12 hours later that water will be overflowing the banks of the San Marcos and Blanco rivers near Roberts’ house The rainfall caused flooding all over the region and 45 people were killed in Oklahoma and Texas from the storms with its modest homes on concrete slabs and single-wide trailers a V-shaped swath bounded by the convergence of the San Marcos and Blanco rivers just south and more than 100 homes suffered flood damages that required people to move out of their homes A public housing project in the neighborhood was damaged so severely that all 100 units were deemed unlivable and have yet to be rehabbed Those homes represented half of the entire number of public housing units in San Marcos Many in the Blanco Gardens neighborhood blamed their flooding on the Woods complex which was just finishing its construction when the May 2015 rains hit Their instincts were confirmed by a report completed in October by a private engineering firm for the city of San Marcos: Building the Woods on 45 acres near the river added as much as 2.3 feet of water into the Blanco Gardens neighborhood for that Memorial Day rain event As the San Marcos River overflowed its banks the water was funneled into the neighborhood thanks to “the Woods wall” instead of being allowed to percolate into the ground and eventually move downstream The San Marcos River flooded last May after 14 inches of rain fell on Central Texas a retired educator and musician who lives in Blanco Gardens and has seen five floods there says the water level measurements he took at his house in 1998 were 16 inches less than they were in last May “Fewer inches of rain produced higher flooding,” he says “And now there is proof that the apartment building on that property caused that increase But we told City Council that would happen three years ago.” San Marcos residents told city leaders that building a big apartment complex on the San Marcos River at that spot was going to increase flooding They had argued long before the Memorial Day flood — long before Woods welcomed its first student renter — that the city should buy the property and turn it into a park which would link parks and open space to the north and the south 75 percent of the residents said the city should buy the 45 acres and turn it into parkland the San Marcos City Council approved the property owner’s application to rezone the land to allow multifamily apartments More than 100 people showed up at the hearing regarding the change to speak in opposition Few of them talked about traffic congestion or noise from 1,000 Texas State University students; the majority were concerned about future flooding that might occur with such a large riverfront property paved over and built up Council said the property owner wanted too much money for the property but when it comes to [the property] you need to consider it is private property the property was not and will not be for sale They had every right to sue us if we were to pursue the property through eminent domain.” Guerrero also said he was swayed by the fact that the city would get 20 acres of park property near the river as part of the deal; the 20 acres was unusable for the housing development and was a way to reduce property taxes for the apartment developer with many residents still cleaning up from Memorial Day Students at the Woods were trapped in their apartments The U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development approved $25 million in relief funds to the city in February some of which will help Blanco Gardens residents comply with FEMA flood plain rules Many have found that to update their homeowners’ insurance they’ll have to pay to elevate their homes several feet at a cost their current insurance doesn’t cover The 2015 flooding in San Marcos prompted a City Council overhaul “Everybody got fed up with the old guard and the citizens booted them out,” says Beckett an activist who had questioned the city’s pro-development policies and is now serving on the San Marcos Planning and Zoning Commission “There was a movement going in that direction before but the apartment issue and the flooding was the final straw.” Two pro-development incumbent council members were defeated in November by two who had opposed the Woods complex from the beginning That moved flipped the council from one that had routinely rubber-stamped any real estate development proposal to one that has the votes to deny whenever it wants to The Woods apartments line the San Marcos River. (Photo by Meredith McGraw) “It was a tremendous lack of judgment on the city’s part to approve that apartment complex … Most of the [former] council members were in the real estate or construction business and the school needed to house the students that were coming there so you can see why this project was approved,” says John Thomaides a five-term council member who had voted against rezoning and still has his seat The recent backlash over the Woods has caused the city to reexamine many things They will no longer approve multifamily housing near single-family housing and many recognize that a “town-and-gown” balance must be struck “The school’s relationship to the city hasn’t always been perfect over the years but we have to work with them to make sure growth happens in the best way,” says Miller (He started his job in 2014 after the approval of many projects.) whether people want it to or not,” he continues “We had a huge rush to get apartment complexes built to satisfy that growth and we built a lot next to single-family neighborhoods City government has heard from the citizenry on that San Marcos is also taking steps to address housing affordability To respond to the fact that high rents have driven many Texas State employees to live outside the city San Marcos offers a program that gives professors a $5,000 no-interest loan for home down payment and closing cost assistance; it’s forgivable if they live in the house for five years And they’re looking at the potential for a special student housing zoning that might prohibit the rent-by-the-room model though there are many legal issues to resolve given that Texas state law regarding real estate is very much in favor of the owner and not the renter And any zoning changes would not be retroactive “We are in consultation with a number of other college towns to see what can be done about this rent-by-the-room model,” says Derrick a newly elected council member who is on the anti-development side of most issues and it certainly drives the rental costs in the city We are finding that we lack affordable housing for working-class people who aren’t paying their rent with student loans.” while larger anchor institutions have long played an outsize role in their surrounding communities the growth of the private student apartment industry has added a new big player at the table Cities like San Marcos are caught in an unreal place in terms of long-term planning The university estimates how many students they might have by certain dates but takes no real role in the where and when for the private housing Cities are often forced to be reactive in the planning decisions and must deal with pressure from the school and real estate developers and property owners to put the students in places that will not cause too many problems but also makes sure everyone makes money in that process Her grandparents bought a few hundred acres and farmed the Blanco Garden area in the mid-1900s (one of the streets in the neighborhood is Conway Drive But the area across the street was always open to anyone who wanted to lay around on the rocks and under the trees and go swimming in the spring-fed river At that point a pickup truck with some guys who must be university students drives by some of the guys living in the apartment got wake boards and they were surfing behind their pickup trucks in front of our house,” she laughs but I doubt anyone wants to live next to them either.” Our features are made possible with generous support from The Ford Foundation McGraw is a writer living in Lakewood Follow Daniel View all → and support the spread of solutions that liberate cities Become a free or sustaining member to continue reading Or you can join for free—because we never want to create a financial barrier to information about fostering greater equity U.S. donations are tax-deductible minus the value of thank-you gifts. Questions? Learn more about our membership options Free gifts cannot be shipped to locations outside of the United States All members are automatically signed-up to our email newsletter You can unsubscribe with one-click at any time You can go online and bring down all kinds of information on Rivers of Gold a limited partnership which intends to mine for gold in Nome Alaska and put on a reality TV show about gold mining in that frigid atmosphere (Environmentalists are protesting the project.) The general partner such as selling merchandise related to the show the producer of the TV show will be Kupcinet Productions which has had such successes as Judge Judy This is a special offering with lots of risks — including gold mining and and producing reality TV shows The person with the titles of Partner in Communications and TV Show Talent Director is San Diegan David Sao Marcos “David has worked closely with the principals developing the Rivers of Gold Reality TV Show personnel…he will be on our Alaska operations site for extended periods during the gold mining,” and will obtain celebrity talent and help out with the marketing of merchandise But for somebody in the communications business I called for more information about the mining and reality TV show Sao Marcos: “We are not discussing our business with anybody other than investors.” Then he hung up Sao Marcos attended Southwestern College 1986-1988 Before going into the gold mining/reality TV business According to records of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority In one case he was charged with fraudulent misrepresentation breach of fiduciary duty and violation of New York Stock Exchange Rules The complainant asked for $3 million and got $750,000.”It was settled without my allowing to clear myself,” he said at the time the complainant asked for $7,580 and got $4,999 FINRA shut down GunnAllen Financial for lack of capital Brookstreet Securities closed its doors after suffering heavy losses a judge ordered the brokerage’s chief executive to pay $10 million in a securities fraud case FINRA charged six of its former brokers for selling complex mortgage-backed securities to naive investors who were unaware of the risks The content that you are looking for is not available at this address This may be due to an internal fault or an error when typing Try getting in touch with our support service or looking for it using the search function What researchers found in a Texas neighborhood was shocking she suddenly wasn’t sure she had the courage to read it out to them “Using a research diagnostic blood test,” the letter read “we have determined that you may have been infected with a parasite.” The letter advised Reyes Ibarra to seek medical treatment Fifteen other residents of the tiny Texas community where Reyes Ibarra lives received the same test result after dozens gave blood and stool samples for an academic study They ranged from a woman who was pregnant to a two-year-old child The intestinal parasite is known by its scientific name Strongyloides (pronounced stron-ji-LOY-dees) It inhabits the guts of humans and other animals and its larvae are excreted during defecation If the larvae are able to contaminate soil – for instance because of a sewage leak – they can survive for up to three weeks they can burrow through the skin of a person walking barefoot where they are coughed up and then swallowed Water drainage pipes in the Rancho Vista community The Reyes Ibarra sisters say this area is prone to flooding and stagnant water during hard rains Photograph: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The GuardianStrongyloides can survive undetected in humans for decades But at certain moments – such as when the host is taking steroids – they can become deadly After the letters went out, a scientific paper was published about Reyes Ibarra’s neighborhood as part of the same research project But the parasite infections in her area have stayed under the radar in part because the researchers preserved the town’s anonymity They say no one with the ability to help is paying attention to their plight and there has been no systematic attempt to eliminate the Strongyloides The researchers argue that this cluster is linked to one crucial aspect of intense US poverty: despite their best efforts residents are subject to terrible sanitary system failures It feels like we’re screaming into a void and no one is listeningMonica Reyes Ibarra“I feel like everyone has passed the buck on this neighborhood because it’s low-income If the parasites had been found “in any other neighborhood even just across the county line where there are people of other races there would be an uproar: ‘how dare you keep us living in these conditions how are children potentially exposed to harmful parasites that are only found in other developing countries.’ That would be unheard of located less than an hour from the Texas capitol in Austin It comprises about 400 homes on a small number of streets and many of its inhabitants are Mexican Americans or immigrants from Mexico Often they work in lower-paying fields like construction or groundskeeping and have built their lives from the ground up in Rancho Vista Yet residents say that despite the taxes they pay which may themselves play a role in the parasite life cycle Sometimes the smell of sewage wafts in the breeze A dilapidated home in the Rancho Vista subdivision near San Marcos Photograph: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Guardian“It feels like we’re screaming into a void and no one is listening,” Monica said but moved with their parents to Rancho Vista when they were little They went to school in a nearby town and were bullied for living somewhere so downtrodden Walking to the school bus on dark roads lacking streetlights she and her friends made sure to carry sticks or rocks in case a stray dog became aggressive is studying for a master’s in public administration But the conditions in Rancho Vista are the same ones the sisters have seen their whole lives Veronica added: “This is literally the reality we live … it’s crazy.” Monica Reyes Ibarra points out an area of her father’s yard that is prone to flooding during hard rains Photograph: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The GuardianRancho Vista emerged in the mid-1980s A few residents described buying a half-acre for just over $10,000 It was “a little oasis for immigrant families” because it is located outside any particular city – it is “unincorporated” – there are fewer regulations and residents are freer to do renovations without inspections they also lack services that most Americans take for granted the homes have ageing individual sewer systems in which effluent from toilets showers and appliances is pumped into an underground tank next to the home liquid is allowed to percolate into the ground as a kind of rudimentary sewage treatment More than 20% of Americans have these septic systems, as they are known, including the very richest, such as those who live in the Hamptons area of Long Island In lower-income areas they can present a challenge: they occasionally need to be pumped out shifting the burden for an essential service on to a financially stretched resident The soil in Rancho Vista is mostly not considered compatible with septic systems in the first place because it is not permeable enough and can cause the systems to clog Ask people in Rancho Vista about their problems “I am embarrassed when people come because it smells and stinks,” said one resident who asked only to be identified by her last name She tries to avoid using too much water to prevent sewage overflows she has to go to a friend’s house or a restaurant To prevent overburdening the temperamental septic system kitchen sink and washing machine are simply piped straight out to her back lawn A series of pipes direct water from Aide Barrera’s kitchen sink and washing machine into her back yard Photograph: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The GuardianNot having a functional toilet was particularly difficult when Barrera was raising her kids “Thank God they understood they had to study to leave this place.” She could get the system fixed The scientist whom some residents came to know as the “parasite lady” Rachael Singer was a doctoral student at the University of Texas at Austin who had previously performed parasite surveys in Nicaragua She learned of Rancho Vista and its sewage problems through colleagues and decided to investigate winning residents’ trust and obtaining dozens of blood and stool samples “Knowing America has a history of [parasitic] infections” it seemed quite plausible that parasites would be found in a “region with failing sanitation infrastructure” Yet in recent years, more than one-third of residents in an Alabama community with sanitation breakdowns tested positive for hookworm the prominent parasitologist who co-authored the Rancho Vista paper in soil and wastewater samples from poor communities across five southern states Although it can be symptomless, Strongyloides is the deadliest of soil-transmitted parasites If an infected person takes immune-suppressing drugs such as steroids or chemotherapeutics or has a lowered immune system because of a disease like leukemia the worm can rapidly multiply throughout the body and cause death the 16 positive blood tests from a group of 97 residents is the highest percentage of positive blood samples found in a non-refugee population in the US (A positive blood test can also occur in someone who was previously infected but no longer is.) Singer believes that Strongyloides is being transmitted locally in Rancho Vista via the soil on which the community is built In support of this she cites the fact that an infant who has never traveled elsewhere was diagnosed Singer also hypothesizes that the stray dogs may be part of the transmission loop if their own infected waste is polluting the environment Dogs lies in the sun in a driveway in Rancho Vista Photograph: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The GuardianThe possibility remains that residents who tested positive acquired the parasite outside Rancho Vista only to be tested while living in the same place Outside experts say Singer’s conclusions are plausible – but not all are as certain as she is The results indicate that some residents “probably acquired the infection in their community” chief of the laboratory of parasitic diseases at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who was not involved with the original research “And I think the important piece is the only likely way that this could happen is for fecal contamination of the environment.” Another Strongyloides expert expressed caution because the Rancho Vista researchers do not have lifelong travel histories for all the residents who were tested and so do not know if they previously visited a place where Strongyloides is prevalent “Overall it’s suggestive there could be locally acquired infection in Texas but not quite as strong as I’d like to see in order to make that conclusion,” said Curtis Croker an epidemiologist with the acute communicable disease control program at the Los Angeles county department of public health Singer advised residents to take the letters apprising them of their test results to their doctors But she heard from several residents that they were never prescribed the treatment: a single dose of the drug ivermectin She and Monica believe that the best solution for their community is to be hooked up to a municipal sewer system Fixing the existing septic tanks would merely be a temporary remedy Sisters Monica and Veronica Reyes Ibarra speak of problems that plague the Rancho Vista community Photograph: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The GuardianYet according to San Marcos mayor Jane Hughson “there’s no legal responsibility because [Rancho Vista] is just an entity outside the city.” Rancho Vista can’t even apply to become part of San Marcos because their boundaries are not contiguous “They’re kind of in a no man’s land out there It’s not good and it’s sad – but the city can’t fix anything.” The Guadalupe county official representing Rancho Vista did not respond to a list of questions from the Guardian about the situation or how to resolve it They’re kind of in a no man’s land out there It’s not good and it’s sad – but the city can’t fix anything.Mayor Jane HughsonThe Reyes Ibarra sisters feel that many of their efforts have to come to nothing “Who do we talk to?” Monica wondered out loud as she sat with Veronica recently in their kitchen in Rancho Vista “It’s a little frustrating and a little embarrassing because I’m like “Then I think: unlike some of our neighbors we have more schooling than a lot of people in our neighborhood nothing is ever going to be done if we stop.” says that one of his greatest joys in Rancho Vista has been to watch his girls grow up – they now live in a handsome home that he helped to build himself in the community He says that although he was aware of the sewage contamination “it’s like living in another country as opposed to the United States,” he said The Guardian is partnering with Catherine Coleman Flowers, the award-winning sanitation researcher, to investigate sanitation shortfalls in the US. We’d like to hear from you if you face sanitation issues Every part of the house feels connected to the lush gardens The pool terrace leads directly to the living area while the raised terrace to the left links to the bedrooms For more information on Marcos Acayaba Arquitetos, read our interview the architect here escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox Elias Redstone is Wallpaper’s Australia editor and an acclaimed arts leader He is the founder and artistic director of Photo Australia / PHOTO International Festival of Photography Elias was senior curator of The Architecture Foundation He has curated exhibitions for museums and galleries internationally including Barbican Art Gallery London; Storefront for Art and Architecture New York; and Centre for Contemporary Photography His book Shooting Space: Architecture in Contemporary Photography is published by Phaidon Read today's Portuguese stories delivered to your email São Marcos da Serra is preparing to host another lively edition of the Folar Fair which will take place between the 18th and 20th of April in the Largo da Igreja de São Marcos da Serra with the support of the Parish Council of São Marcos da Serra the Society of Recreation and Instruction of São Marcos da Serra and Caixa de Crédito Agrícola Mútuo Terras do Arade the XXVII Folar Fair is already a reference event in the Algarve Mountains that brings together traditional producers and celebrates the traditions of local communities the culture and popular gastronomy of the Easter season The diverse programme promises a lot of fun with concerts by the fado singer Sara Gonçalves the group Trigo Roxo and the singer Jorge Guerreiro performances by groups from the Folkloric Ranches handicrafts and even lots of street entertainment mountain gastronomy will also occupy a prominent place with a comprehensive offering of sweets and various traditional and local delicacies The Municipality of Silves invites everyone to be part of this great party See the full programme at: https://www.cm-silves.pt/pt/32009/programa.aspx We appreciate that not everyone can afford to pay for our services but if you are able to, we ask you to support The Portugal News by making a contribution – no matter how small. You can change how much you give or cancel your contributions at any time. Send us your comments or opinion on this article. Reaching over 400,000 people a week with news about Portugal, written in English, Dutch, German, French, Swedish, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Romanian, Turkish and Chinese. Archdaily Brasil conducted an interview with the content director of this edition of the event, architect Marcos L. Rosa, on the main discussions raised at this Biennial, its multidisciplinary focus and the decentralized aspect of activities and exhibitions. ArchDaily: There are lots of discussion around the world about what is the purpose of an Architecture Biennial. For the team of this edition, how is this purpose set? What are the assumptions of making an event of this relevance and who is the public? Marcos L. Rosa: The title of the 11th Biennial - In Project - proposes to discuss the place of architecture, and also the place of the Architecture Biennial. We think that the Architecture Biennial offers us an opportunity to discuss urban space and its experience together with several other agents (not architects) who participate in the construction of the city, of its spaces, since they are the ones who experience them.  Action "Fronteira Livre". © Lauro Rocha / Goma OficinaThis approach reveals our willingness to talk about possible architectural designs, posing the challenge of discussing what they can be and mean. The Architecture Biennial is a place where one can find openness and freedom to question and rethink our way of acting, presenting alternatives, reflection and inspiration.  Observatory at Praça das Artes. Image © FLAGRANTE / Romullo FontenelleAD: How do you see the importance of the São Paulo Biennial in the world context? Why should international architecture look at São Paulo today?  MR: Architecture biennials from all over the world have very different content displays and lines of thought of their own. This is what strengthens them as both localized and international events. Historically, we can say that the São Paulo Architecture Biennial, besides being an international exhibition, has established itself as a space to talk about the challenges faced in Brazil, which are also relevant to the world, within an international context. The 11th Biennial is not only an exhibition, it is a process of research and exchange and it is a continuous schedule of actions throughout the city. Action "π (pi) microtopia= 1km". Photo: Cortesy of the authorsAD: As an assumption, the 11th Biennial intends to discuss processes. Not those that are already institutionalized, but those that experience design issues in a broader and interdisciplinary sense. Are there possibilities of identifying common characteristics among these experiences, that were raised and proposed? How can these common characteristics influence urban everyday life? MR: "In Project" suggests an event in construction, in a collaborative and collective way. The title comes from our desire to talk about possible architectural projects, launching as a challenge the discussion of what "In Project"  can be and mean, in order to expand the fronts of the architect's action. The exploration of this imagery of the architecture project was materialized in a process of learning along with other disciplines and knowledge. Action "Encruzilhada". Photo: Cortesy of the authorsWithin this perspective, something common among many projects is a claim on the right and place of speech of groups that traditionally did not take place in the debate about the city planning. For instance, in our official program, the discussion about the gender issue in the city sought to think about ways to contribute to a more equitable city in this and other aspects, which are rarely addressed in urban design. It is about dwelling on what it means to actually 'inhabit' our cities! Exhibition Imaginário da Cidade, at Sesc Parque Dom Pedro II. Image © FLAGRANTE / Romullo FontenelleAs we approach these actors, there is extensive learning and we may grow a lot as architects when questioning our role and ways of acting, relying on other knowledge and experiences, often spatialized in forms of occupation that can be understood as test constructs and pilot projects. AD: The 11th Biennial presents a format that differs from past editions in which the exhibition module does not configure its main body. The main activities happen all over the city, in the face of everyday urban problems. What were the decisions behind this attitude and what were the expectations? Biennial's Library, at Biblioteca Mário de Andrade. Image © FLAGRANTE / Romullo FontenelleAt some point we even considered not to include a traditional exhibition. This is because we wanted to focus on the process, to take the Biennial to the city, to unveil diverse forms of practices in the space and to reflect with generosity on many architectures found in the city. Finally, we decided that it would be important to hold an exhibition with the purpose of articulating the actions to an archive that resulted from the research carried out in the Biennial’s Observatory. The exhibitions present registers of moments, of 'lived contents', aligned with the notion that the space only becomes a place when it’s a lived space, a notion that transforms the experience and the perception about it. Flags pointing Praça das Artes as venue of the Exhibition Devires do Brasil and the Observatory . Image © FLAGRANTE / Romullo FontenelleAD: Thinking about the Brazilian and international context and also about the legacy proposed by this edition with what issues should the next edition of the Biennial work MR: I would be happy to see the next Biennial continue to focus on our territory to be internationally connected and contribute to our reality It seems important to me that a coherent project due to the representativeness of the event.  I also think it would be beneficial to the Architecture Biennial to propose an open call and adopt an open process to choose the curatorial team so anyone interested in participating could apply But I would not dare to define issues or themes not least because the most interesting of the Biennial the transformation of its reflections from many contributions as well as a refinement with current issues There are many themes and approaches and it is important to listen establish dialogues and recognize the contributions of many voices Check our coverage of the 11th Sao Paulo Architecture Biennial here You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email For more information, visit the Marcos Acayaba Arquitetetos website Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox. Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper* She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006 visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas Ellie has also taken part in judging panels such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022) John Walsh watches his team play Cedar Hill from the sidelines at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas last September will be the next head coach at San Marcos High School Former Guyer head coach John Walsh was introduced as the next head coach at San Marcos High School on Monday night San Marcos Consolidated ISD trustees approved the hire at a board meeting held via videoconference Walsh unexpectedly resigned from his post at Guyer on March 16 after 14 seasons at the helm of the Wildcats won 70.1% of his games and claimed two state championships “It is my expectation for our players to be very resilient in this challenging time of change,” Walsh said in an exclusive statement to the Record-Chronicle at the time of his resignation “I have all the confidence in you to respond like champions I walk away respecting the game I lived for Walsh led Guyer to the Class 6A Division II title game last season — his fourth championship game appearance He guided the Wildcats to title games in 2010 Walsh won 10 or more games in eight of his 14 seasons at Guyer He was the only head coach in Guyer’s history before Denton ISD hired Rodney Webb as his replacement on March 30 Walsh inherits a San Marcos team that has struggled in recent years San Marcos went 10-2 and won a district title before falling to Spring Westfield in the area round of the playoffs The Rattlers are in the highly competitive District 26-6A which includes defending 6A Division II champion Austin Westlake and perennial powerhouse Lake Travis and my family is excited about getting to San Marcos,” Walsh said in the board’s videoconference meeting “The more we dove into the school district and looked at what SMCISD had to offer I can’t wait to get my feet on the ground and start meeting people.” REECE WADDELL can be reached at 940-566-6869 and via Twitter at @ReeceWaddell15 the Saint Alphonsus Maria Liguori Province of Campo Grande Brazil (BCG) solemnly and significantly celebrated 130 years of missionary educational and pastoral activity in the State of Mato Grosso in the central-western area of the country the Salesians in the Meruri and São Marcos mission areas in addition to missions in Primavera do Leste and Barra do Garças found themselves before the cross planted in the ancient colony of Tachos the indigenous people of the Boe-Bororo and Xavante ethnic groups also participated in the celebration representing the original populations of Mato Grosso served by the Salesians In the early morning a commemorative Eucharist was celebrated by Fr João Bosco Monteiro Maciel Using the book written by the late Fr Giuseppe Corazza he also briefly described the history of the place citing the names of some of the first Salesian pioneers who founded the Don Bosco mission in Mato Grosso The entire assembly gathered there raised a prayer for all those who have given their lives for the cause of evangelisation and for all the collaborators who have supported the Mission entrusted by St John Bosco to his children the group went to the ancient cemetery of Tachos where the founders of the mission are buried: Salesians Bro Fr Manuel da Fonseca (died 28 April 1924) and the indigenous leader of the Boe-Bororo Everyone said a Hail Mary together on their behalf a sign of gratitude for the sweat and blood shed in the mission lands also known locally as the Salesian Mission of Mato Grosso operates in 21 Salesian presences in the central-western region of Brazil involving 122 Salesians from Don Bosco and countless lay people from the Salesian Family Their work is focused on educational institutions of various kinds in parishes The Salesians arrived in the central-western region of Brazil on 18 June 1894 when Bishop Luigi Lasagna and five missionaries landed in Cuiabá They began their activities in the parish of São Gonçalo do Porto and founded the São Gonçalo institute in Cuiabá who became the first Provincial of the Salesian Mission in Mato Grosso The Salesians then founded their institutes in Cuiabá and Corumbá agricultural schools and missions among the Bororo indigenous people with the arrival of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians the Salesians expanded their service among the Bororo the Salesian Mission has faced many challenges such as the loss of four Salesians in missionary activities the Salesian Province celebrated its centenary and inaugurated the "House of Dreams" in Chapada dos Guimarães The Salesian Social Works of the Province are a place that welcomes and transforms the lives of children and young people in situations of vulnerability In each of them the Sons of Don Bosco offer quality education and try to help these young people build a dignified future Today the Salesian presence in Mato Grosso remains strong with schools and universities in Cuiabá The mission remains focused on the evangelisation and education of young people The Salesian Family is active in carrying forward and spreading the mission of St John Bosco for the most needy young people and continues to generate vocations to religious with a new generation of Salesians formed by the vocational work carried out in the region the Salesians have dedicated their missionary zeal to the central-western region of Brazil Their presence in schools and communities has left a lasting legacy that continues to transform lives and shape the future of the region The history of the Salesians in the central-western region is a history of faith have sold the San Marcos Cafe and Feed Store on N.M Several Peacocks roam the area around the San Marcos Cafe and Feed Store on Friday The landmark restaurant south of the city is entering yet another era with its pending sale to a Michigan couple who have owned and operated the San Marcos Cafe and Feed Store on N.M plan to turn over the restaurant to new owners later this summer The days of Buddy the Chicken at the San Marcos Cafe and Feed Store are long gone and now the landmark restaurant south of the city is entering yet another era time for retirement,” said Susan Macdonell known as much for the poultry that greet diners outside as for the fowl on the menu inside breakfast crepes and giant cinnamon rolls at the cafe Friday morning was a lot about what would happen to the menagerie of peacocks ducks and other fowl that freely roam the grounds of the restaurant (An emu rescued by the Macdonells from the hills north off Madrid about five years ago and kept penned in the back died a few months ago.) dressed in her usual bright red apron over a faded blue shirt and jeans tried to assure patrons that as far as she knew the new owners were planning to keep things pretty much the same including letting the fowl roam more or less freely on the 5-acre parcel said nothing to leave patrons and neighbors thinking otherwise “It is such a charming and such a wonderful place,” Holloway said “Obviously [the Macdonells] have been in business and successful for 30 years so Mark and I plan to run it much the same way Tom and Susan have and we hope to be as successful as they are.” Holloway said she and her husband were married in Santa Fe in November 2012 after visiting here numerous times so we are very excited” to have found such a community-oriented business The Holloways currently live in Grass Lake and have operated several restaurant-related businesses They are expected to take over the San Marcos in late July or early August The San Marcos has not only survived but prospered in an area where so many other restaurants were launched with great hope sometimes even before the neighbors knew they were there It’s made money ever since we opened the doors — maybe not a lot of money might have succeeded if they had served only dinner primarily because three meals a day just got to be too much work for Macdonell who still does much of the cooking herself the only meal I didn’t serve was dinner Sunday night,” Macdonell said She said the Holloways plan to add a dinner menu They have wanted a place for dinner for a long time.” Macdonell said she tried closing on Mondays and Tuesdays “but then [author and art collector] Forrest Fenn screamed at me ‘Where are we going to eat?’ So I opened back up.” Macdonell figures the cafe derives about half its patronage from the tourist trade and the other half from locals Randy Travis and the more-than-occasional Sam Shepard and Wes Studi “Peacocks and movie stars kind of sums up the place,” Macdonell said who bought a home just down the road from the San Marcos may take off on a few trips or spend more time at another home they recently bought in southern Colorado the white Cochin bantam and unofficial maître d’: “He was so tame he didn’t realize he was a chicken,” Macdonell said “He would take walks with us and hold court out front.” make his way inside and sit on patrons’ feet “until we’d pick him up and shoo him out.” Buddy is likely the only chicken to have received an above-the-fold obituary in his hometown newspaper Russell left his mark until he disappeared during the New Year’s Eve snowstorm of 2006-07 Keep up with what's going on in the local business scene Receive a list of headlines from the latest edition of The New Mexican in your inbox every morning get a preview of The New Mexican's big Sunday stories and review highlights from the week Stay informed of the latest local news by receiving emails as soon as news is posted online Stay up to date with news from the Capitol during the legislative session and 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