Since 1945, the Alamo Colleges District has provided post-secondary education opportunities in the San Antonio area. The district began with two campuses and, by the end of 2025, had five campuses educating more than 80,000 students each year.

Put into perspective: Chancellor Mike Flores said the district began with the union of San Antonio College and St. Phillips College, originally named the San Antonio Union Junior College District.

Over time, three additional campuses were developed, serving communities on the Northeast, Northwest and South sides of the San Antonio region, which includes Bexar County and seven surrounding counties.

Flores said the district's primary goal is to serve the community with education and resources at an approachable cost. Alamo Promise was launched in 2019 to help provide no-cost education to students in need. Academic programs have also expanded over the years, with the district now offering four bachelor's degree programs, including operations management, nursing, cybersecurity and cloud computing.

• 2222 North Alamo St., San Antonio

This local pizzeria in Boerne has expanded, unveiling a brand new bar and lounge this fall.

What’s happening: Darkside Brick Oven Pizza Co. officially opened its new bar called Darkside After Dark on Nov. 13, Owner Michael Hawes said in an Instagram post.

The restaurant, known for its 70s and 80s themed decor, music and Star Wars memorabilia, has continued the trend with this new Predator-inspired bar.

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.

First opening in 2024, Hawes said they’re already on the brink of outgrowing the space they have in Boerne, and adding a bonus bar was a necessity.

How we got here: As an avid collector since his youth, Hawes wanted to create a space where local residents could enjoy the nostalgia of days past.

• 25 Truss Drive, Boerne

To celebrate the opening of the new UT Health San Antonio Center for Brain Health, representatives from The University of Texas System, UT Health San Antonio, and the academic health center of The University of Texas at San Antonio held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 1 p.m. on Nov. 12.

The details: According to a news release, the 103,000-square-foot facility will house diagnostics, therapy, specialty care and research. The new brain center will include 91 rooms for exams, testing and treatment, 12 infusion chairs and a 7T MRI scanner. Additionally, the center will feature lounges and rooms dedicated to meditation, art and music.

• 4940 Charles Katz Drive, San Antonio

Texans began receiving full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits Nov. 14, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission announced. The renewed SNAP payments came after two weeks of delays due to the 43-day federal government shutdown, which ended Nov. 12.

The overview: SNAP is a federally funded program that provides low-income individuals and families with monthly stipends to spend on groceries. The food assistance program ran out of funding Nov. 1, one month after the government shut down amid disagreements over federal health insurance subsidies.

The details: Over 3.5 million Texans receive SNAP benefits each month, according to Feeding Texas, the statewide network of food banks. Payments are issued on a rolling basis throughout each month.

“For SNAP clients who receive benefits on or after the 14th of the month, full benefits will be issued on their normal issuance date,” the HHSC website states. “SNAP clients who already received partial benefits will receive the rest of their monthly amount on or after Nov. 14.”