San Antonio Council Weighs Phase-Out of Horse-Drawn Carriages as Bexar Prosecutors Face Case Backlog

San Antonio City Council was scheduled to meet Thursday morning to vote on a timeline for gradually ending horse-drawn carriage operations in the downtown area. Five licensed carriage companies currently operate in the city.

Under the proposed schedule, the industry would have three years to wind down its businesses. Council members can change that timeline when they take up the vote.

Elsewhere, Bexar County commissioners spent time this week on the backlog of pending cases in the District Attorney's Office. District Attorney Joe Gonzales acknowledged several challenges, including staff shortages, a new case-management computer system, and the time prosecutors need to review a growing volume of body-camera footage now used as evidence.

"I just want to make sure the public knows that we are doing everything we can to address the issues we face," Gonzales said. Commissioners continued to fund overtime for the office to work through the backlog, which includes high-stakes criminal cases.

Organizers of next year's NCAA Final Four, set for April 4 to 7, are recruiting volunteers. San Antonio expects about 100,000 visitors for the men's college basketball event, which is projected to bring more than $400 million to the local economy. Roughly 2,500 volunteers are needed to welcome visitors and staff music festivals and fan events. Applicants must be at least 18, pass a background check and commit to three work shifts between March 31 and April 7.

In Comal County, the city of New Braunfels and county officials are urging residents to be cautious around unfamiliar animals after another confirmed rabies case. The county has recorded 24 cases this year, its highest total since 2018. Comal County Public Health officials said the latest case was found in a fox outside New Braunfels city limits. Officials reminded residents to take care around wild and feral animals such as foxes, raccoons, bats and skunks, as well as stray dogs and cats.

With the holidays approaching, psychologist and author Kenneth Barish offered advice on handling political disagreements at family gatherings. Barish, whose book "Bridging Our Political Divide" explores how people can coexist peacefully despite their differences, said the best approach to difficult table talk is to aim for a dialogue rather than a debate. He encouraged people to listen well and try to understand why someone feels passionately about a cause.

The Witte Museum in San Antonio will hold its 17th annual tamalada on Saturday, December 14, giving residents a chance to learn to make tamales. Cassandra Santillán of the Witte said the event brings people together during the holidays. "Since it is very labor-intensive, the best way to do it is to share the work," Santillán said. Participants will take home a dozen tamales they made themselves. Registration closes at midnight Thursday.

As for the weather, Thursday morning was expected to start in the 30s before warming to a sunny high of 65. The night was forecast to be mostly cloudy with a low around 56.