UT Health San Antonio has launched the multidisciplinary Limb Optimization Program, which will deliver advanced care for individuals with congenital conditions, deformities or dysfunction due to trauma.

What you need to know: According to a news release, the program seeks to improve the quality of life and functional outcomes for patients by combining limb preservation, amputation care and reconstructive solutions. The program is the first in South Texas to offer osseointegration, a state-of-the-art procedure in which the prosthetic limb is directly attached to the skeleton. 

The program is led by Joseph Alderete, a retired army colonel and associate clinical professor in the department of orthopaedics at the Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine at UT San Antonio.

The Limb Optimization Program is composed of a collaborative team of surgeons, rehabilitation specialists, prosthetists and researchers, with expertise in orthoplastics, behavioral health, nutrition, physical and occupational therapy, orthotics and prosthetics and translational research, the release states.  

This Hill Country-born jewelry chain is continuing to expand in the San Antonio area with the opening of a new retail center.

In case you missed it: James Avery Artisan Jewelry officially opened a new store in North San Antonio on Jan. 17, according to a news release from the company.

It’s located at 13440 San Pedro Ave., just off of Hwy. 281 and inside the Courtyard Plaza shopping center that borders Bitters Road.

“Even as we grow outside of the Lone Star state, we’re continuously seeking ways to support and invest in locations close to home,” said Karina Dolgin, the company’s chief product and revenue officer. “This highly traveled area in San Antonio offers our guests a convenient location to discover new pieces, personalize their jewelry and tell their stories.”

More details: Founded in 1954 in Kerrville, James Avery offers fine, handcrafted jewelry in both sterling silver and 14K gold, according to the news release.

• 13440 San Pedro Ave., San Antonio

Bara Ekhlayel said he has always been enamored with the café culture found throughout Europe.

“Especially the way cafés serve as gathering places, not just somewhere to eat,” Ekhlayel said in an email to Community Impact.

How we got here: In 2018, Ekhlayel said he put his entrepreneurial skills to the test by opening his own café called Crepeccino Cafe & Creperie in the Medical Center area of Northwest San Antonio.

“I wanted to bring that European café experience to San Antonio, but with a modern twist that felt welcoming and accessible to our community,” he said.

Then, in 2025, the success of Ekhlayel’s first brick-and-mortar eased into a second, larger location in Cibolo to serve residents of the Northeast San Antonio Metrocom area.

• 857 Cibolo Valley Drive, Ste. 208, Cibolo

Year over year, the number of homes sold increased in the 78148 and 78154 ZIP code in December according to the most recent data compiled by the San Antonio Board of Realtors.

Some details: The average prices of homes listed for sale in the Northeast San Antonio Metro area over the past six months were between $267,300-$387,700, according to the data.

In December, the majority of homes sold in the Northeast San Antonio Metrocom were in the $200,000-$399,999 price range. Homes spent significantly less time on the market in the 78148 ZIP code in December 2025 compared to December 2024, according to the data.

Eight Republican candidates are running to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate during the upcoming March 3 primary election.

The big picture: Republican incumbent John Cornyn is seeking a fifth term as Texas' senior senator. Each state has two U.S. senators—Cornyn currently serves alongside Republican Ted Cruz.

Seven Republican candidates are challenging Cornyn for the Republican nomination: John O. Adefope, Anna Bender, Virgil John Bierschwale, Sara Canady, Wesley Hunt, Gulrez “Gus” Khan and Ken Paxton.

If no candidate receives more than 50% of the votes in the Republican primary, a runoff election will be held between the two top vote-getters on May 26.

Looking ahead: The winning Republican candidate will face the winner of the Democratic nomination in November; the winner of that election will be sworn in to the U.S. Senate in January 2027.

Three Democratic candidates are running to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate during the upcoming March 3 primary election.

The overview: Jasmine Crockett, Ahmad R. Hassan and James Talarico are competing for the Democratic nomination for a six-year term in the U.S. Senate.

The details: Each state has two U.S. senators, with Ted Cruz and John Cornyn currently representing Texas. Cornyn, whose seat is up for election, is running for reelection in an eight-way Republican primary.

The winning Democratic candidate will face the winner of the Republican nomination in November; the winner of that election will be sworn in to the U.S. Senate in January 2027.