In an effort to reduce incarceration rates and increase rehabilitation for low-level offenders, who have mental health conditions, substance abuse issues or are experiencing homelessness, the San Antonio City Council voted to fund $30,000 of a $100,000 study to create the Bexar Jail Diversion Center on Feb. 11.

The City Council also voted to form an ad hoc committee composed of city and county officials, and housing and local nonnovernment organizations to lead the effort.

The big picture: According to city documents, the ad hoc committee will bring together local government, health and housing organizations to create an alternative to jail, which will help bring down the San Antonio Police Department’s workload, reduce daily bookings tied to mental health and substance abuse and create a lower recidivism rate overall.

Zooming in: According to the presentation, around 80-100 people are booked per day with mental health and substance use issues who have been arrested for criminal trespassing, with 46% of these admissions being people experiencing homelessness.

A new, high-end restaurant has opened its doors to the public in Stone Oak, offering upscale steakhouse fare and ambiance.

What’s happening: Katerina Restaurant officially opened for business on Feb. 9, according to a social media announcement from company staff.

It’s located at 18740 Stone Oak Parkway, just off of Loop 1604 and adjacent to the Stone Oak Plaza shopping center.

The restaurant’s location was the former home of Frida Mexican Restaurant & Bar, which closed in September 2024, according to previous reporting from Community Impact.

On the menu: The menu features a variety of upscale steakhouse fare, from the braised beef short rib to the coriander-crusted duck breast.

There’s also pizzas, specialty soups and salads, plus a selection of libations from cocktails to mocktails, according to the menu.

DJ’s Bar & Grill is the sister restaurant to Katerina, co-owned by Katerina Akimova and Dick Jones. The eatery is also located on San Antonio’s North side, at 1806 N. Loop 1604 W.

• 18740 Stone Oak Parkway, San Antonio

One of Bexar County’s oldest community nonprofit organizations is set to celebrate a big milestone throughout the rest of 2026.

How we got here: The YMCA of Greater San Antonio is celebrating its 150th anniversary of serving communities in South Central Texas.

“We’re not just celebrating our history, we’re looking to our future in the community,” Louis Lopez, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio, said at a Feb. 16 press event kicking off the celebration.

What’s happening: Throughout 2026, the YMCA will host events at various area branches to celebrate this milestone.

Check out the anniversary webpage here to see a complete list of events.

The official 150th celebration will take place on Sept. 26 from 6 to 11 p.m. More details will be released closer to the event.

• Branches across the Greater San Antonio area

This Hill Country chain serving cocktails to-go has announced the permanent closure of all locations in San Antonio, New Braunfels and Boerne.

What’s happening: Roc-N-Ritas is closing all five of its locations in the greater San Antonio area, according to a Feb. 13 social media announcement from the business:

• 112 E. San Antonio Ave., Boerne
• 2864 Thousand Oaks Drive, Ste. 101, San Antonio
• 5726 Babcock Road, San Antonio
• 211 Elliot Knox Blvd., New Braunfels

• Locations across San Antonio

Early in-person voting in Texas’ primary elections begins Feb. 17 and lasts until Feb. 27.

How it works: Texas has an open primary system, where voters decide at the polling place whether to cast ballots in the Democratic or Republican primary. Voters may not participate in both primaries.

What to expect: Voters will be given a ballot with a slate of statewide seats and other races determined by the voting precinct they live in. During early voting, registered voters can visit any polling location in their county.

Candidates who win their primaries will advance to the Nov. 3 midterm election.

Why it matters: Early voting gives registered voters the opportunity to cast their ballots before primary election day March 3.

Voter advocacy groups and experts told Community Impact that a vote in the March primaries is “the most impactful vote” Texans can cast, due to consistently low voter turnout and competition in certain races. Over 18 million Texans are registered to vote, although about one-fifth of registered voters participated in recent primary elections.