New Braunfels ISD announced Joe Alexandre as the district’s new director of construction and planning in a Jan. 20 news release

The gist: Alexandre has over 25 years of experience in both the public and private sectors, most recently serving as the director of construction and planning for Hays CISD, the release states. 

Before his time at HCISD, Alexandre spent 10 years as the project and construction manager of capital projects at Texas State University, where he managed projects ranging from $20 million to $180 million.

Quote of note: Alexandre said he is looking forward to working toward the future of NBISD.

“I am honored to join NBISD, and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve a district that has a strong emphasis on students, community, and long-term planning,” Alexandre said in the release.

Before you go: Alexandre will begin his new role with NBISD on Feb. 2.

Bob and Rachel Pineda have been cheese connoisseurs in New Braunfels since they first debuted their local cheese shop in 2021.

Since then, the pair have already outgrown their original location off of Landa Street—moving into a larger, more event-friendly space in May 2025.

“We were really small to start with, but we kept getting asked about classes and events, and it was really hard to do in that [old] space,” Rachel Pineda told Community Impact.

What’s changed: Otto’s Cheese Shop—now located at 2345 Loop 337, Ste. 100—has the ability to host public and private events, classes, dinners and more, all focused on cheese.

Thanks to the new location, the Pinedas said they were able to open a dining room and install a large wine cabinet to host these events, plus serve customers full meals.

On the menu: While Otto’s may have moved across New Braunfels, they still offer the same cheese selection as before.

• 2345 Loop 337, Ste. 100, New Braunfels

A winter storm is expected to bring potential freezing rain to the San Antonio area this weekend as local officials urge residents to begin taking precautions for the event.

What residents should know: The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for all areas just north of Bexar County on Jan. 24-25 for the potential of significant ice accretion from freezing rain and sleet.

This includes all of Kendall and Comal counties and the cities of New Braunfels, Boerne, Bulverde and Spring Branch, according to the watch.

Although Bexar County and San Antonio are not under the winter storm watch, the National Weather Service said freezing rain will still be possible Saturday night into Sunday in the Alamo City.

What is there to do? The National Weather Service urges residents to check in on elderly neighbors and family, and to dress in layers if outdoor travel is necessary.

A far-reaching winter storm is expected to bring below-freezing temperatures, wintry precipitation and “dangerous ice” to Texas beginning Jan. 23, according to the National Weather Service. As residents brace for days of potentially hazardous conditions, state leaders said Jan. 22 that the Texas power grid “has never been stronger” and will withstand the storm.

What's happening: Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 134 of Texas’ 254 counties, telling reporters that the northern two-thirds of the state—from San Antonio to the Panhandle—will be impacted by the storm.

Officials said they do not expect a repeat of the widespread power outages that occurred during Winter Storm Uri in 2021, emphasizing that changes have been made in recent years to harden the grid against extreme weather. The governor said some Texans could see “local, isolated” outages due to fallen tree branches or ice on power lines.

"The severity of it is not quite as great... as Winter Storm Uri," Abbott said. "That said, people would be making a mistake if they don't take it serious."