A heartfelt farewell was held Friday for Jacala Lathrop longtime manager at Sharpe’s Department Store in Nashville as she celebrated her retirement after 24 years of service she has been a familiar face to both staff and customers for more than two decades she also celebrated another major milestone—her 50th wedding anniversary and she is the mother of two Lathrop spoke about her time at Sharpe’s and shared who will be stepping into her role Lathrop is looking forward to some well-deserved rest—and a new chapter She mentioned spending more time with family Lathrop also took a moment to thank those who have supported her throughout her career Jacala Lathrop leaves behind a legacy of commitment and community spirit that has left a lasting mark on Sharpe’s and the Nashville community Matthew Craig SAN ANTONIO – Jacala Mexican Restaurant fans are waiting for the owners to announce the start of construction after the business burned down in March But the owners say the state of the economy will influence their decision on whether or not to reopen said they have been grieving the loss of their beloved parents’ restaurant The sisters and owners say the community has been asking for a reopening date or news that the business will rebuild “We’ve run into so many obstacles,” Lambert said but she is focusing more on selling jarred salsa With the cost of getting products and permits and rising inflation Lambert said she doesn’t see how it can be possible to reopen But she said she would consider a partnership We start with a small little Jacala,” Lambert said She said she has former staff ready to return if she decides to reopen but y’all will be first to know,” she said It will also soon be available for purchase on Amazon Jacala Mexican Restaurant demolition paused to salvage mementos spared by fire Copyright 2022 by KSAT - All rights reserved Email Newsletters KSAT RSS Feeds Contests and Rules Contact Us KSAT Internships Careers at KSAT Closed Captioning / Audio Description Public File Current EEO Report Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Info FCC Applications Copyright © 2025 KSAT.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group Our Caltrans Bay Area family and the world faced them together 2020 changed the world and we changed with it serving the people of our state in a year like none in our lifetime John Huseby was among our Caltrans staff staying on task Below is just a small sample of some of the images John captured Whether it was the eerie Orange Glow Day by the Bay storm preps or the cute goats Caltrans hired John’s images sometimes went viral via our Caltrans Social Media platforms like Caltrans Bay Area Twitter @CaltransD4 they just summed-up something you can’t always put words to Note: If you’d like Caltrans Bay Area Photography to capture your Caltrans project/event in 2021; contact them here.   here’s a look at 2020 in the rear-view-mirror ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ There's a strange beauty to the Orange Day Most of the abundant wildfire smoke couldn't penetrate the thick layer of Bay Area fog below it But the double-layer of smoke and fog blocked out most of the sun's rays took these pictures in the middle of the day  _________________________________________________________________________________________________ SAN ANTONIO - Firefighters are battling an early morning blaze at an iconic North Side restaurant Thursday atJacala Mexican Restaurant off West Avenue near Fredericksburg Road Firefighters noticed smoke coming from the restaurant when they arrived They were able to put out a small fire inside the restaurant but smoke was still billowing out of the roof It was determined that there was a fire inside one of the attics that had spread throughout the roof firefighters were pulled from inside the restaurant and they were forced to battle the blaze from outside Nobody was reported inside the restaurant at the time of the fire Eddie Latigo menus now treasured finds amid the mountain of debrisJessie Degollado SAN ANTONIO – Demolition of the iconic Jacala Mexican Restaurant was paused Friday while crews searched through the building gutted by Thursday’s massive fire Among the treasured finds were a few menus with a photo of Rudy and Del Quinones gently held the menus that were soaked and stained with soot and mud We’re proud of what it became in the community.” including one of Governor Greg Abbott and his family as well as a group photo of the owners and others at a table enjoying margaritas after a busy Mother’s Day at the restaurant “The memories are unbelievable that are here,” Hooker said Lambert said she remembered a young woman who as it turned out had come for her last meal before she planned to kill herself After she heard people at a nearby table talking about the goodness of life “I was going to go home and commit suicide Hooker said someone had called Friday wanting to reserve a table for 50 only to be told the restaurant had burned down Lambert said the day of the fire remains a blur but she’ll always remember the outpouring of love and support from customers and even other restaurants La Fogata called the day of the fire offering jobs for Jacala’s 40 employees Hooker said it wanted “to hire everybody 100% at 100% of their pay.” As a board member of the San Antonio Restaurant Association Lambert said it’s further proof of what Jacala meant to the community but you all have come together and you all have embraced us,” she said but it’s too early to say if the restaurant will re-open “We have to kind of dust ourselves off and see where we’re going.” Solano County - Caltrans is scheduled to begin pre-construction work for the Interstate-80 (I-80)/State Route 29 (SR-29) Separation Bridge project in Vallejo.  The eastbound I-80 offramp at SR-29/Sonoma Blvd will be reduced from two to one lane and will remain largely open but may be intermittenly closed during various overnight closures.  Azian Bermea SAN ANTONIO – A fire that broke out early Thursday morning destroyed a long-time Northwest Side restaurant and took with it years of memories for the owner and the local community Only a shell of the building that was home to Jacala Mexican Restaurant remains at the corner of West Avenue and W RELATED: Early-morning fire destroys Northwest Side restaurant Cynthia Lambert says she watched her father build up the business over the years starting with just a tiny restaurant in 1949 Lambert had been running the restaurant along with her sisters up until the time of the fire San Antonio firefighters originally responded to what was a report of smoke at that site around 6:30 a.m says crews initially found the source of the smoke he says as they began to check for hot spots in the attic they soon noticed flames shooting through the roof all crews were pulled out of the business and continued fighting the fire from outside The unusual construction of the building allowed the flames to burn for hours “Different attic spaces and roofs on top of each other so it was very difficult for us to get to the fire,” he said It took fire crews hours to put out the flames Lambert said the restaurant employed 50 people she told KSAT 12 News that the owner of nearby La Fogata restaurant has offered to hire all of the displaced workers Fire investigators were not able to determine the cause of the fire right away In the middle of the commotion surrounding the fire police say a driver experiencing a medical episode crashed his pickup into a ladder truck and the man was checked out by EMS personnel at the scene Police said they did not plan to issue any citations Katrina Webber joined KSAT 12 in December 2009 but after living in Gulf Coast states for the past decade It's not unusual to find her singing karaoke or leading a song with her church choir when she's not on-air Contra Costa County – Caltrans has reopened northbound State Route 242 (SR-242) in Concord after completing the first of two weekends of major roadway rehabilitation and paving work.  July 9 at 10:00 PM and fully reopened on Monday Northbound SR-242 is scheduled to be closed again for the second and final weekend of work starting on Friday Northbound SR-242 will be closed between the SR-242/I-680 separation and the Concord Avenue onramp in Concord The Concord Avenue on ramps to northbound SR242 will remain open during these closures The Clayton Road off ramp from northbound SR242 will be closed from Friday night until Sunday morning each weekend motorists heading eastbound towards Pittsburg and Antioch are advised to use Northbound I-680 to connect with Eastbound State Route 4 (SR-4).  Local traffic is advised to use alternate routes including Monument Boulevard Motorists should watch for detour signs and expect weekend traffic delays on Willow Pass Road Caltrans and the Bay Area Toll Authority thank you for your continued patience as we work to replace 31 joints on the upper deck of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge We know this work is inconvenient to you and greatly appreciate your understanding as we perform this essential work on this workhorse bridge which has served the Bay Area for the past 63 years is being replaced by a new joint that features a rubberized seal designed to shrink and expand with the changing temperatures This will prevent cracking of the surrounding concrete road deck Next year 30 joints on the lower deck of the bridge will also be replaced in conjunction with a bridge painting contract 29 of the 31 joints have now been replaced Work continues on the remaining  2 joints on the upper deck of the bridge The final two joints are expected to be in place by the end of the second week of July and the upper deck project is still scheduled for completion by the end of July Contra Costa County - Caltrans has scheduled two weekends of full and partial highway closures on Northbound State Route 242 (SR-242) in Concord.  During these closures Caltrans will perform major roadway rehabilitation work on northbound SR-242.  Northbound SR-242 is scheduled to be closed starting on Friday July 12 at 10:00 AM.  A second weekend closure is scheduled starting on Friday northbound SR-242 will be fully closed overnight but one lane will be re-opened on northbound SR-242 during the daytime Northbound SR-242 will be closed both weekends between the SR-242/I-680 separation and the Concord Avenue onramp in Concord Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker We have the address for the funeral home & the family on file If you're not happy with your card we'll send a replacement or refund your money Miguel Gómez Jr., 59, died from cardiac arrest in his home in San Antonio, Texas on January 22, 2021. A resident of the Woodlawn Lake area, Mr. Gómez was born on June 10, 2021 in Eagle Pass, Texas to Juana Valdéz and Miguel Gómez. Raised in... View Obituary & Service Information created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories © 2025 Mission Park Funeral Chapels & Cemeteries Made with love by funeralOne When Earthbound popped up during last week's Nintendo Direct, fans briefly hoped that Mother 3 might finally get its much-requested English release. Those hopes were ultimately dashed, but this gorgeous new trailer is a small consolation prize for fans desperate to play Shigesato Itoi's classic RPG. Developed by Curiomatic, the Youtube channel behind the popular Smashified series of videos, it offers an arresting glimpse of how a full-blown remake might look, from the battle system to a cameo by the Mecha-Drago. Similar to 2019's remake of The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening it meticulously recreates familiar scenes from Mother 3 using clay figures — a nod to the advertising of the first two games illustrator Omni Jacala tells IGN that the project took a team of 22 creators more than two years to produce "hundreds of props," and more than 30 environments — all for a trailer that lasts just over three minutes work began on the project at the end of 2019 The team hoped to release the trailer in time for the 15th anniversary of the original game but it wound up taking another year to "fully realize our vision," Jacala says Jacala says the team was inspired by Itoi's ability to "craft beautiful stories within the constraints of the limited hardware at his disposal." Like its predecessors, Mother 3 was a 16-bit RPG with colorful but otherwise relatively simple visuals. It gained fame in North America thanks to the way that it married mature themes with comic visuals, which in turn inspired a number of independent RPGs, mostly notably Undertale "The stories definitely speak to themes of family coming of age—things that often have a profound impact on those who play it The many let's players who have played the game can certainly speak to that," Jacala says I think that the original games being in that sort of top-down classic RPG style makes it necessary for players to use their imaginations to fill in the gaps And that’s not to discount Itoi's writing at all but something about primitive graphics leaves room for the imagination to elevate the experience above what we see on the surface." The team decided to use clay figures to "fill the gap" with the first two games "The Mother/Earthbound series is well known for the clay figures that were produced to promote the first two games the creators of the game never made clay models for the third game so we felt there was a need to sort of fill a gap We felt that going for a stop-motion aesthetic akin to the likes of Studio Laika or Aardman Animations would be appropriate to carry on the tradition of the figurines," Jacala explains In choosing the scenes to depict from the game Jacala says that the team went with moments that don't have as much significance without context The result is a trailer that gives viewers a feel for Mother 3 without ruining its biggest surprises In the wake of last week's Nintendo Direct we're no closer to an official release for Mother 3 but Curiomatic's imagined remake can let us dream Katrina Webber Azian Bermea SAN ANTONIO – A fire has destroyed a Northwest Side restaurant and is giving fire crews all they can handle as the flames have yet to be extinguished as of early Thursday morning at the Jacala Mexican Restaurant in the 600 block of West Avenue not far from West Hildebrand and Interstate 10 According to San Antonio Fire Department Spokesman Woody Woodward firefighters arrived to find both flames and smoke after they went into the building Woodward said as firefighters started opening up some areas flames shot through the roof of the restaurant A battalion chief called the firefighters out of the building and the fire has continued to burn since They have not yet been able to determine an exact cause told KSAT 12 she is heartbroken about the fire She said the restaurant was previously designated by the state as a Texas treasure and that the restaurant has about 50 employees Jacala is known as the “oldest originally owned Mexican restaurant in San Antonio.” Lambert said today they were planning a big event for St Patrick’s Day and are not sure what they will do now since Woodard said the building may need to be demolished Authorities also said while firefighters were on the scene the driver of a truck had a medical episode and crashed into a fire truck According to the San Antonio Fire Department website Ben Spicer is a digital journalist who works the early morning shift for KSAT By Rand Duren San AntonioPeople eat lunch Henry's Puffy Tacos San Antonio.Puffy tacos at Los Barrios Mexican Restaurant was built into and around a former Dairy Queen when it opened in 1978 It was here that original owner Viola Barrios and her family “perfected the puffy taco,” co-owner and Viola’s daughter Diana Barrios-Treviño is fond of saying.News RoundupsCatch up on the day's news you need to know GoogleFacebookBy signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy SAN ANTONIO — “Our regulars call Section 2 the Dairy Queen,” says Travis Williams, assistant general manager at Los Barrios Mexican Restaurant. The San Antonio Tex-Mex standard-bearer was in fact built into and around a former Dairy Queen when it opened in 1978. It was here that original owner Viola Barrios and her family “perfected the puffy taco,” co-owner and Viola’s daughter Diana Barrios-Treviño is fond of saying. They’ve certainly perfected their brand of Tex-Mex. Los Barrios, though crowded, is almost silent. If there’s music, no one is listening. All you hear is a low, murmuring meditation over combination platters and, of course, puffy tacos. Food writer and Tex-Mex expert Robb Walsh wrote in the Austin Chronicle in 2004 that evidence suggests the puffy taco — corn masa dough that is fried and molded with spatulas — was born in Austin. There, it was called the crispy taco. Like many Tex-Mex staples, everyone's grandmother also invented it. But the item we call the San Antonio puffy taco was born, or rather, popularized, at Henry Lopez’s Henry’s Puffy Tacos Express in the Alamo City. Ask Imelda Sanchez, Lopez’s daughter and vice president of general business operations at Henry’s Puffy Tacos. “My father was making puffy tacos at his brother Ray’s restaurant, Ray’s Drive Inn, in the 1950s,” she says. Ray’s, now owned by Arturo Lopez, another of Sanchez’s uncles, is a puffy taco palace frozen in time. Wood paneling and cheesy Mexican decorations — a señorita there, a tourism poster here — define the main dining room. The restaurant’s back room has more in common with a roadside curio shop than an eating hall, crammed as it is with bric-a-brac such as a taxidermied wildcat, black-and-white photos and a 1926 Model T. When Ray’s Drive Inn opened in 1955, the dish was sold as a crispy taco. The name puffy taco didn’t come into common usage until Henry’s Puffy Tacos Express served them in 1978. The term puffy taco was created as a marketing tool, Sanchez says, to highlight the 1,700-square-foot building. It’s since become a matter of pride. The Lopez name and the puffy taco are synonymous. One can’t be mentioned without the other. Sitting in the original Henry’s Puffy Tacos location on West Woodlawn Avenue, a squat, counter-service establishment, it’s easy to see why. The tortilla has a crispy, just shy of flaky, exterior. Its center is chewy, which, in concert with the ground beef, lettuce, tomato and cheese, cools and heats, giving the palate crunch, salt and a touch of sweetness from the tomato. It’s a masterpiece. The puffy tacos at Ray’s Drive Inn are even better. If they were any lighter, they’d flit away into the firmament. Get the fajita. More importantly, don’t forget to flash your lights for car-side service. The puffy taco even serves as entertainment. In 1987, Jaime Lopez, CEO of Henry’s Puffy Tacos, created Henry the Puffy Taco, a new mascot for the San Antonio Missions minor league baseball team. The Lopez family doesn’t have a monopoly on the homegrown nosh. Two other San Antonio families bear visiting on a puffy-taco tour. All have locations fairly close together north and west of downtown. In 1949, Rudolph and Adelfa Quiñones opened Jacala Mexican Restaurant. Its current location, the second, has the trademark Tex-Mex establishment look: wrought-iron chandeliers, brick archways with inlaid mirrors and Christmas lights. The walls are lined with out-of-chronological-order Fiesta San Antonio framed posters. On the tables, cheese enchiladas share real estate with the iconic fried treat, which the Quiñoneses lay claim to on the restaurant’s website. Jacala’s are easily consumed in two to three bites. They share a chewy mouthfeel with Henry’s version. Although officially the order is a platter of three with the same filling, it doesn’t hurt to ask to have the plate customized. At the Barrios clan’s restaurants, Los Barrios Mexican Restaurant and La Hacienda de Los Barrios — the latter a gastronomic megaplex that includes playgrounds and an expansive, live oak-shaded patio featured several times on the Food Network — the puffy tacos are customized at will. “You want it with queso Chihuahua, shrimp or only guacamole? Sure. Anything the customer wants,” Barrios-Treviño tells me before putting the plate holding a fresh-from-the-fryer puffy taco shell to her lips. “Mick Jagger’s lips,” she jokes. It’s the only time Barrios-Treviño’s arms and hands cease gesticulating during our conversation at La Hacienda. Barrios-Treviño’s passion led her to Washington, D.C., where she made San Antonio puffy tacos on the White House lawn. Indeed, the puffy has traveled far. It can be found in Whittier, Calif., at Arturo’s Puffy Tacos, owned by none other than Ray’s Drive Inn owner Arturo Lopez. That operation has also been featured on the Food Network. El Real Tex-Mex Café in Houston, for which Walsh is a consulting partner, offers a shrimp variation. Vivo Restaurant in Austin serves a tofu puffy taco. Closer to home, Tupinamba in North Dallas has its own off-menu rendition. Desperados’ flaky rendition hews closer to a taco dorado, the progenitor of the puffy taco, than the Alamo City favorite. Yet, besides at least one restaurant in New York City, Goat Town, and Bar Amá’s, recently opened in Los Angeles, the puffy taco has resisted export efforts. Perhaps it’s because shortcuts can’t be taken when preparing puffy tacos. They are an almost immovable feast in a time when foods are advertised as quick and easy. “Good food shouldn’t be easy,” Barrios-Treviño says. For now, we’ll have to content ourselves with trips to San Antonio, where a Lone Star treasure is found at home plate or on the dinner plate. José Ralat-Maldonado is a Dallas freelance writer. He blogs about tacos at thetacotrail.com. Find classic puffy tacos at these San Antonio spots. Henry's Puffy Tacos Express, 3202 W. Woodlawn Ave.; 210-433-7833. henryspuffytacos.com Henry's Puffy Tacos, 6030 Bandera Road; 210-432-7341. henryspuffytacos.com Jacala Mexican Restaurant, 606 West Ave.; 210-732-5222. jacala.com Los Barrios Mexican Restaurant, 4223 Blanco Road; 210-732-6017. losbarrios1.com Hacienda de los Barrios, 18747 Redland Road; 210-497-8000. lhdlb.com Ray's Drive Inn, 822 SW 19th St.; 210-432-7171. raysdriveinn.net Join the conversation Thank you for reading. We welcome your thoughts on this topic. Comments are moderated for adherence to our Community Guidelines Please read the guidelines before participating 2017 at 7:36 pm PT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}NAPA COUNTY CA -- Caltrans announced that as of Wednesday morning the dedicated right-turn lane from eastbound Trancas Street in Napa to southbound state Route 121 is closed until further notice to accommodate construction of a new Sarco Creek Bridge "Southbound SR-121 from Trancas Street will continue to be open to local residents only," said Vince Jacala of Caltrans District 4 "The new traffic configuration is necessary for worker and public safety." Jacala said Caltrans worked closely with the city of Napa on a new traffic configuration which will be in effect until construction of the bridge is completed Closure of SR-121 at Sarco Creek Bridge began last week and will remain in effect as crews prepare to demolish and rebuild the bridge Caltrans expects the project will take about six months to complete "Stationary mounted signs and changeable message signs will be strategically stationed to provide information regarding reduced traffic lanes and other construction information," according to a Caltrans statement More information about the Sarco Creek Bridge project is posted on the Caltrans website Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.