SATX-NSA: Impact 10/21/2025

Early voting runs from Oct. 20-31 for the Nov. 4 election, and voters in Bexar County will vote on whether or not to raise the county’s venue tax.

The details: Bexar County residents can vote at designated polling centers throughout the county. Local options include Shavano Park City Hall, Brook Hollow Branch Library, Encino Branch Library and Parman Branch Library at Stone Oak. 

What's on the ballot? Voters will decide whether or not to pass the Bexar County venue tax, which would raise the hotel occupancy tax, or HOT, from 1.75% to 2%. Funds from the HOT and the 5% tax on short-term car rentals would be used to fund multiple venue projects.

The venue tax is divided into two propositions, with Proposition A potentially funding repairs and renovations to the Frost Bank Center and Freeman Coliseum, as well as the expansion of the grounds into a permanent home for the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo. Proposition B will fund a portion of the downtown Spurs arena, if approved by voters.

San Antonio’s premier ballet academy and performance group is recognizing a big milestone this October.

The details: Ballet San Antonio celebrated its 40th anniversary in the Alamo City with a performance of ‘Giselle’ on Oct. 17-19 at the Tobin Center for Performing Arts.

“We are so excited to bring back ‘Giselle,’ supported by an incredible cast and the brilliant choreography of Edwaard Liang,” Evin Nicole Eubanks, the chief executive officer for Ballet San Antonio, said.

The context: Ballet San Antonio features a group of top professional ballet dancers, putting on three productions each year as a resident company of the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts.

As for classes, there are two separate programs—one for children up to age 18 and another for adults, according to the website.

In addition to a competitive team and learning programs, the ballet also participates in a variety of community outreach programs.

• Tobin Center, 115 Auditorium Circle, Ste. 20, San Antonio

An eclectic local pizza joint in Boerne is currently expanding with plans to open a new bar and lounge later this year.

The details: Darkside Brick Oven Pizza Co. is in the process of constructing a new bar behind the restaurant at 25 Truss Drive in Boerne, just off of Hwy. 46.

Called Darkside After Dark, Owner Michael Hawes told Community Impact he expects it to open sometime in November.

The restaurant, known for its 70s and 80s themed decor and Star Wars memorabilia, will add to its diverse array of film tributes with this new Predator-themed bar.

The context: Darkside Brick Oven Pizza Co. serves up a wide range of New York-style thin-crust pizzas, from white margherita to BBQ brisket and more, according to the menu.

There’s also a selection of desserts, salads and sandwiches available as well.

Complete with jungle foliage, a Predator sculpture and a crashed helicopter, Hawes said the area is a true testament to the original movies from the 1980s.

• 25 Truss Drive, Boerne

As water restrictions and shortages become more common in Texas communities, state lawmakers are asking voters to approve $20 billion to fund new water supply projects and improve existing systems over the next 20 years.

The overview: If voters approve State Proposition 4, which is on the November ballot, the state will create a dedicated funding stream to help local utilities access more water and upgrade their infrastructure. Without the new funding, Texas’ water crisis could deepen, experts say.

“We’ve got 1,500+ people moving to Texas every day, and not one of them is bringing a single drop of water with them,” Dean Sharp, who leads the management division of the Texas American Water Works Association, said Oct. 16.

Key takeaway: Despite the $1 billion annual price tag, Proposition 4 would not create any new state taxes or increase costs for Texans, lawmakers and experts said. Beginning in 2027, the money would come from existing sales tax revenue and be deposited in the Texas Water Fund, a state account that voters approved in 2023.