PRESS RELEASE: VLB now offering $417,000 for home purchases, $100,000 for land Benefits for Texas veterans continue to grow with unanimous vote by board VLB now offering $417,000 for home purchases, $100,000 for land Benefits for Texas veterans continue to grow with unanimous vote by board   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 26, 2012 AUSTIN - Texas veterans can now take advantage of the VLB's low-interest rate loans to borrow as much as $417,000 to buy a home and $100,000 to buy land. The Texas Veterans Land Board voted unanimously today to increase the home and land loan limits in the latest expansion of benefits under the leadership of Chairman Jerry Patterson. "Texas veterans have more than earned this increased VLB benefit," Patterson said. "Increasing these loan limits gives Texas veterans additional purchasing power to buy the home of their dreams or a find a little piece of Texas to call their own." Since taking office in 2003, Patterson has raised the amount Texas veterans may borrow for a home from $150,000 up to $417,000. Buying land throughout the VLB has gotten easier, too. Under Patterson's direction, the VLB has reduced the minimum acreage that could be bought with a VLB land loan from five acres to one acre, making it easier for veterans to buy lots closer to urban areas. A Texas veteran can simultaneously have a VLB land loan, a VLB home loan and a VLB home improvement loan. The Texas Veterans Land Board was created in 1946 to help veterans returning from World War II buy land for agricultural purposes. The program has changed over the years as land prices rose sharply and VLB land loan amounts have increased from the original $7,500. "No other state can match what the VLB offers: low-cost home, land and home improvement loans; skilled nursing facilities and cemeteries - all exclusively for Texas veterans or their spouses," Patterson said. "And all of our programs are self-funding, which is good news for Texas taxpayers." For more information on Texas Veterans Land Board home, land and home improvement loans, Texas State Veterans Homes, or Texas State Veterans Cemeteries, call 1-800-252-VETS (1-800-252-8387), or visit the Veterans Land Board Web site at www.texasveterans.com. More Info...  

The Running of the Wiener Dogs in Buda, Texas by Celia Hayes Let me say up front that we're still a little unsure of how to pronounce 'Buda' – although most of the people that we met there last weekend pronounced it 'B-yu-dah', which is fair enough. For those unfamiliar with the geography of South Texas, it is a once fairly independent and separate little community about an hour's drive north of San Antonio on IH-35, and close enough to Austin that it and the similar little community of Kyle are more or less bedroom slippers to Austin, as Boerne and Bulverde are now bedroom slippers to San Antonio. We decided to go to support a friend who has a dachshund and who had a vendor booth for his bird feeders and ornamental lanterns, and because the mental vision of galloping wiener dogs was too much cuteness to resist. It seems to have begun as a sort of adjunct to a Lion's Club hotdog roast fund-raiser, and then someone suggested the notion of racing dachshunds as an attention-getting device. The whole thing took off from there, and now Buda has fully embraced the image of being the Wiener Dog Racing Capital of Texas – well, anything is better than slipping into dull suburban anonymity. The Wiener Dog Races in Buda a have just had their fifteenth run, so I can pretty much say it is now a well-established tradition – as being a very well organized one. The event itself takes place in a city park in the older part of town, and in order to keep the traffic and parking situation from getting totally out of hand, the Lions' Club very cleverly set up the parking lot in a huge empty field behind the equally huge Cabela's outlet, just off the highway, and shuttled people to and fro in school-buses, which seemed to come every five minutes or so. Getting to the festival itself was practically painless, although I did feel for those people who were juggling folding chairs, kid-strollers and a dog or two on leashes. Did I mention that this was a totally dog-friendly event? Why, certainly it was. Although only dachshunds or mostly-dachshunds can run as contestants in the races, other dogs were totally welcome into the venue itself, and even into many of the shops open on Main Street. I think about a third of the people there had dogs with them, my daughter says no, more like half ... but as there were as many attendees who had multiple dogs, so it probably came out pretty much like. And if you didn't arrive with a dog, there were opportunities offered by various dachshund rescue associations to leave with one, if you were so inclined. Dachshunds are jolly little dogs, friendly for the most part – and they made a fine show in the first heats, too. None of them lost interest half-way down the track, although some owners of fine racing wiener dog stock tell us that the racing is something that they really have to be in the mood for doing. A lot of the vendors had dog and dog-related items; stuffed sock dogs, metal art featuring wiener-dogs, jewelry ... and dog treats, of all kinds. The two creators of OohLaLa Gourmet Dog Treats even went so far as to tell us that their dog treat cookies were so wholesome and good that they could even be eaten by humans. There was one thing that we did notice, though ... the whole of that afternoon in Buda, we didn't see a single cat. I wonder why? More Info...  

Exploring Buda, Texas-Just 45 Minutes North of San Antonio by Celia Hayes We didn't spend all of last weekend watching the wienerdogs run; the Buda City park where that event took place was pleasingly located right next to old down-town Buda, so when we had enough of wandering around between pavilions, we walked along the three or four blocks that constitute Buda ... and looked around. It's one of those sweet, small towns which retain enough of their original late 19th century buildings to be quite charming, even if those buildings mostly run along one side of the street ... because the railway runs alongside the other. Buda's town founding fathers set aside a 150-foot wide reserve of land between Main Street and the International and Great Northern railway line. The International and Great Northern may have been the reason for being in the first place, and the trains still rumble through on a regular basis. Originally, the town was named Du Pre, but on discovering that there was another town with the same name, everyone agreed to call it Buda. Some sources say the name came from a local mispronunciation of Spanish for 'widow', since the Carrington House hotel and restaurant was the major landmark in town and a number of respectable widows worked there as cooks. Then again, it might have been homage to refugees from the failed Hungarian revolt in the mid-1800s, who settled thereabout. Time was when the trains would stop in Buda, passengers would detrain, hurry across Main Street and have a quick meal in the Carrington House dining room. The Carrington is still here – a splendid Texas-Victorian pile with a metal roof and wide porches and galleries on two floors, but it is not a hotel any more. It's now office space and an antique store. There are several more antique stores along Main, a florist shop where a corner gas station used to be, a number of pleasant-looking restaurants and bistros and the Wildflour Cakery & Boutique, set up in a brand new-built-to-look old building. (Note: the Mexican Vanilla Cupcakes are to die for!) Some of the older buildings seem to go on nearly forever – and everyone knows when the trains come through. I think I would get used to it, eventually, and I always loved to hear the sound of a distant train at night, but I think that you need to be about half a mile away for the nostalgic effect to work. One of the shop owners told me of some buildings across the railroad tracks – also new-built-to-look-old, which were supposed to have stores and offices on the ground floor and residential lofts above ... but alas, the prospective tenants found the noise of trains rumbling past at all hours, a few yards away, just a little too much. I was assured, however, that the newer housing developments in Buda are far enough from the rail line that the romantic effect is achieved, rather than the earsplitting one. I was tempted to no end by one of the antique places, and shelf after shelf of National Geographic magazines from the 1930s and 1940s. When I was a kid, one of our neighbors had a whole collection of them, and I thought they were fascinating. Not the articles so much, but the advertisements, especially the wartime issues. Maybe I will go back and buy a few for old time's sake. Or at least, for some of the Wildflour Cakery's cupcakes. More Info...  

A Dog-Friendly List of San Antonio Condos for Sale Check out my new San Antonio dog-friendly Condo list. by Randy Watson Hi, my name is Randy Watson and I am a self-confessed dog lover. I am also a real estate agent with Mission Realty, in San Antonio. Texans love their dogs and cats... and here in San Antonio we are no exception. Dogs and cats are loved everywhere, except it gets a little tricky when it comes to buying real estate that accepts your pets. Especially when looking to buy: condominiums, townhomes and villas; since each may have its own rules and regulations regarding pets. Single family homes have fewer, if no restrictions regarding pets. (A word of caution, some HOA's, even towns/cities may have dog restrictions.) Moving to a new area, whether across town or across the country is stressful enough, especially, if you have pets. It can be frustrating to fall in love with the perfect home, only to learn that your fur-baby is too big or weighs over the condo complex limit. As a lifelong dog owner, I enjoy helping buyers and sellers who have pets with all their real estate needs. (I don't want you to think we're just limited to dogs and cats... if you have other animals, we can help with them too. Not many condos allow Longhorns, though... How about a nice farm or ranch for sale? ) My team of agents and I can help you find a dog friendly condo community that will welcome you and your dogs. #call-now-condos# Many condominiums for sale in San Antonio allow pets, but, even so, it may not be exact the right condo for you and your furry friend. I happen to think that dogs need to have lots of green space. Just because the Condo board rules allow pets, doesn't mean that is the right place for you and your dog. A condo that is a building in the middle of a parking lot with little to no grass or trees, doesn't have a lot to offer for your dog, unless there are some nature trails or they are next to a park. Some condos allow pets, but what they really mean is that they don't really want pets. So you find out the rule is you must carry your dog through the lobby. (That's pure craziness.) Or they only allow cats or non-shedding dogs under 12lbs. Don't get frustrated, there are many San Antonio pet-friendly condos complexes that not only allow big dogs, but maybe allow 2 or 3 dogs, too. Me and my hound, Milo (actually he's an Australian Shepherd) are hunting down San Antonio condos for sale that not only allow pets, but welcome them with pet-centered amenities such as dog runs, dog wash tubs, and poop-bag dispensers near the potty areas. Maybe the condo complex has a nice dog park or trails nearby. We'll check it out and see if we get the 2 paws up from my dog, Milo. I've started creating a list of San Antonio dog-friendly condos for sale. It is by far, not a complete list and I'll add to it as I find out more. If you happen to live in or know about a San Antonio dog-friendly condo please let me and Milo know and we will add your condo to our list.  #call-us# Put us to work to find you a San Antonio condo for sale that fits you, your pets and your lifestyle. We are condo specialists, we specialize in Medical Center condos for sale, Alamo Heights condos, New Braunfels condos or downtown San Antonio condos for sale.  Call Team Randy Watson at 210-319-4960 to help find you a San Antonio Dog-Friendly Condo.   More Info...  

Happy Mothers Day! Hi Mom, Happy Mother's Day! Sorry, I am unable to be with you today, but I will see you soon. Happy Mother's Day to all the Mothers Everywhere! I love you! I hope all Mothers have a great day! God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers. - Jewish Proverb The sweetest sounds to mortals givenAre heard in Mother, Home, and Heaven.~William Goldsmith Brown M-O-T-H-E-R"M" is for the million things she gave me,"O" means only that she's growing old,"T" is for the tears she shed to save me,"H" is for her heart of purest gold;"E" is for her eyes, with love-light shining,"R" means right, and right she'll always be,Put them all together, they spell "MOTHER,"A word that means the world to me. More Info...  

The Beauty of Garden Ridge Real Estate by Randy Watson Located about 19 miles north east of downtown San Antonio, Garden Ridge is a serene bedroom community with about 3,250 residents. Situated in Comal County, it has all the amenities of the big city without the hustle and bustle. It is the perfect solution for families seeking a residence in a peaceful area with easy access to the big city. Commuting to the city is a breeze given the proximity of Garden Ridge to Interstate 35 and is a quick trip to the airport. Though only about a little over seven square miles yet still have numerous sub-divisions. Some examples of Garden Ridge real estate include: Georg Ranch, 7 Hills Ranch, Wild Winds, Park Lane Estates, Oak Meadows Estates, Forest Waters Creekview, Ramble Ridge, Wild Wind, Trophy Oaks, Arrowood Estates, Regency Oaks and the Enclave of Garden Ridge. Home prices start around $300,000 and most homes are situated on spacious lots which afford privacy as well as enough space for even large families. The average household income in Garden Ridge was at $128,000 in 2011. The community is served primarily by Comal Independent School District. The high school is Canyon High School. A new school, Garden Ridge Elementary, has recently started functioning and this institution was recently the recipient of an "exemplary" rating from the Texas Education Agency. (As with any school information, please confirm with the school district the schools that service homes you intend to purchase.) Garden Ridge has an interesting history which can be traced back to the mid-17th century. Native American Indians, Spanish, and German settlers all made this region their home at some time or the other. The coming of the railroad to the region saw a drastic rise in the development activity in the locality. Garden Ridge was incorporated in 1972 and at the time was populated predominantly by descendants of early German settlers. Many longtime residents have numerous anecdotes to share with newcomers to the community. This is just another way to make people feel welcome. The community has many churches in the area, including: Triumphant Lutheran Church, Bracken United Methodist, Northeast Bible Church, Garden Ridge Church of Christ, Garden Ridge Community Church and Covenant Baptist Church. Bracken Village and Rolling Oaks Mall are the two major shopping destinations in the vicinity. The former is a haven of small shops and restaurants that remind one of life in the 19th century. Restaurants in the Garden Ridge area cater to a variety of tastes and offer authentic American cuisine along with Italian, Mexican, Chinese, and German specialties. They range from fast food chains to exclusive restaurants with appropriate décor and lighting. Nature is bountiful in Garden Ridge and this is illustrated at the exquisitely landscaped Paul Davis Park. There is a significant deer population in the area which speaks volumes about the emphasis laid on the need for a green environment in the midst of modern living and development. The open spaces with rolling hills and numerous canyons provide a lot of opportunity for outdoor recreation and family activities. The Bracken caves, home to the famous Bat Cave, are close by and are home to the world's largest colony of Mexican free-tailed bats The Natural Bridge Caverns are yet another natural attraction just outside of Garden Ridge. Hundreds of calcite formations, that have taken shape over centuries, can be seen here. The Natural Wildlife Ranch is another great place for family outings. Children and adults alike get to experience wild and exotic animals up close and learn more about them. Numerous annual events are held in Garden Ridge and nearby. These range from the Easter Egg Hunt to the Summer Music Camp to Comal County Fair, Wurstfest and Oktoberfest. Caroling in the Caverns at Natural Bridge Caverns is an event unique to the area. Community participation ensures that bonhomie and camaraderie is rejuvenated on a regular basis. The community has its own police department and the water company is city-owned. As a courtesy, the Garden Ridge police department will conduct house checks for owners who are going to be out of town and also does home security surveys for home owners. There is also a new community center which can be used for rentals and other community events. Northeast Methodist Hospital is the biggest medical center in the area. Those with interests in volunteering or civic activities, there are organizations such as the Garden Ridge Lions Club, Garden Ridge Women's Club, the Garden Ridge Republican Club and the Bracken Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary. The Forest waters Lodge is a good place for families while Awanas Club is for the kids. More Info...  

The Spur's Dynamic System by Randy Watson Who would have thought the San Antonio Spurs had it in them? Even with three future Hall of Famers on the roster, no one thought they would be this good. How many people wrote them off? They are pretty much the same team as last year, right? And the year before? What did they do then? Well, that does not matter exactly because they did not win a championship and they did not shine at all, certainly for anyone outside of San Antonio. Well, how things have changed. Duncan is playing like he is still a college student at Wake Forest. Where did those energetic legs come from? Is it because Gregg Popovich (Pop), the Spur's coach, knows how to manage an NBA team? Or is it because Duncan decided to work extra hard in the extended off season? It is probably a bit of both. Take a Breather, Think about the Future Let's look at Peyton Manning. Yes, you read that correctly. The future Hall of Fame QB, in the NFL, who is coming off a surgery and who has never seen the bench in the NFL because he refused to come out and give the second string QB an opportunity. Manning should have had Pop as a coach but would Manning have listened? There was game after game when the Colts were blowing out the opposition and 5 minutes to go, Manning is still in the game slinging passes all around to his favorite receivers or handing the ball off. It never made that much sense to me and Manning possibly missed last season because of it and he may never be the QB he used to be. The Spurs are another story. Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker have received the rest that they seemed to have needed and both are just clobbering their opponents. Duncan's stellar play has been mentioned. But the big three have some serious help and this is known to the league because the league is getting smashed right now by the onslaught of the Spurs. The Spurs have added Tiago Splitter, Gary Neal, and Kawhi Leonard which has proved to be respectable additions. The Spurs are deeper than ever before and this has the league petrified. Only one team stands in their way and that is the Thunder. The Heat were the favorites to come out of the east but that idea has been dashed because of their golden center, Steve Bosch, went down with some sort of lower leg injury after he fell awkwardly on it. This type of injury to a key player would devastate most teams as it has the Heat but not the Pop led Spurs who have quietly built a team that is deep and formidable. This is not the first time the Spurs have done this and Sean Elliot for sure knows all about that. A Winning Business, a.k.a. NBA Team, Model On top of the big three being fully rested and ready to whip some teams, the Spurs have another outstanding player who has been being developed by their winning and spectacular talent developing system. He goes by the likes of Danny Green. Green averaged about 9 points this season along with 4 rebounds. He plays the 2-guard position, stands around 6'6" and is an athletic 210 pounds. His play in the post season has been stable and his production has been consistent. He is just another reason why Spurs' fans in the Alamo City are smiling. The state of Texas is thriving. The economy is poor but Texas is holding its own. If it is not Dallas winning an NBA championship, why not the Spurs? Well, the Oklahoma City Thunder may have some issues with that. 2007 Revisited Some people say the Spurs should not have won a championship in 2007 because what Robert Horry did, smashing Sun's outstanding point guard Steve Nash into the scorer's table actually hurt the Suns because Amare Stoudemire was eventually suspended for Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals which gave the Spurs a serious advantage. They won Game 7 and the Cleveland Cavaliers did not stand a chance against the Spurs or the Suns if the Suns happened to make it. So in essence, should the Spurs win it this year? Do they deserve a championship or are they up one already because of the unsportsmanlike play from Horry? The Imposing Teams from the West Well, you could argue Shaquille O'Neal has 2 rings he does not deserve, along with the Lakers, and Kobe but oh well, back to 2012. It is a case of deja vu because two outstanding teams in the West will meet up again and the East has nothing to offer. Well, the Celtics could be a challenge to someone. More Info...  

Articles in and around South Texas including San Antonio real estate trends. Focus on San Antonio and South Texas area events, festivals, places, food, cooking, happenings, even some Texas history and folklore. Collaborative thoughts and observation Gov. Perry Renews Proclamation Extending Drought Emergency Rick Perry, Governor of the State of Texas, issued an Emergency Disaster Proclamation on July 5, 201I, certifying that exceptional drought conditions posed a threat of imminent disaster in specified counties in Texas.  18th day of May, 2012, Governor Perry renewed the disaster proclamation and directs that all necessary measures, both public and private be implemented to meet that threat. This state of disaster includes the counties of Andrews, Aransas, Archer, Armstrong, Atascosa, Austin, Bailey, Bandera, Bastrop, Baylor, Bee, Bell, Bexar, Blanco, Borden, Brazona, Brewster, Briscoe, Brooks, Brown, Bumet, Caldwell, Callahan, Cameron, Carson, Castro, Childress, Clay, Cochran, Coke, Coleman, Collingsworth, Colorado, Comal, Concho, Coryell, Cottle, Crane, Crockett, Crosby, Culberson, Dallam, Dawson, Deaf Smith, De'Witt, Dickens, Dimmit, Donley, Duval, Eastland, Ector, Edwards, El Paso, Fayette, Fisher, Floyd, Foard, Fort Bend, Frio, Gaines, Garza, Gillespie, Glasscock, Goliad, Gonzales, Guy, Guadalupe, Hale, Hall, Hansford, Hardeman, Hartley, Haskell, Hays, Hemphill, Hidalgo, Hockley, Howard, Hudspeth, Hutchinson, kion, Jackson, Jeff Davis, Jim Hogg, Jim'Wells, Jones, Karnes, Kendall, Kenedy, Kent, Kerr, Kimble, King, Kinney, Kleberg, Knox, La Salle, Lamb, Lampasas, Lavaca, Lee, Lipscomb, Live Oak, Llano, Loving, Lubbock, Lynn, Martin, Mason, Matagorda, Maverick, McCulloch, Mclennan, McMullen, Medina, Menard, Midland, Milam, Mitchell, Moore, Motley, Nolan, Nueces, Ochiltree, Oldham, Parmer, Pecos, Potter, Presidio, Randall, Reagan, Real, Reeves, Refugio, Roberts, Runnels, San Patricio, San Saba, Schleicher, Scury, Shackelford, Sherman, Starr, Stephens, Sterling, Stonewall, Sutton, Swisher, Taylor, Terrell, Terry, Throckmorton, Tom Green, Travis, Upton, Uvalde, Val Verde, Victoria, 'Ward, Webb, 'Wharton, Wheeler, Wichita, 'Wilbarger,'Willacy, Williamson, Wilson,'Winkler, Yoakum, Young, Zapata and Zavala. Gov. Perry Renews Proclamation Extending Drought Emergency More Info...  

Commemorating Armed Forces Day Message May 19, 2012 Armed Forces Day is a special day assigned for the commemoration and recognition of military service member's unique and necessary sacrifices for the good of all. Observed every third week of May since 1949, the holiday continues giving people more insights and opportunities to realize how noble and how great the profession of the military is. Thanks to all United States Veterans that have served, are serving and will choose to serve in the United States Military. US Army, US Navy, US Air Force, US Marine Corps and the US Coast Guard. Thank you for your service! More Info...  

SATXBlog Crossword Puzzle 9-"Classics" Print and Solve the Crossword Puzzle #9. We also have a daily interactive crosswords puzzle, too! "Classics?" by Myles Mellor Across1. Certain sandwich5. Broodish10. Sky box?14. Celestial15. City in Rio de Janeiro16. It gets pumped17. Classic film20. Lt.'s inferior, in the Navy21. Carry away, in a way22. Floppies, e.g.23. Ticket info, maybe24. Floor items26. Stephen King title29. Threat word30. Drink from a dish33. Group of eight34. Horned mammal35. Old Italian bread36. Classic film39. Bolted40. Lions' prey (pl.)41. Great success42. Load from a lode43. Arctic sight44. Underline45. "Go ahead!"46. Swaddle47. "M*A*S*H" extra50. Garlicky mayonnaise52. Car accessory55. Classic film58. Carpet type59. Moss-like60. Org. with a mission61. Seafood selection62. Executive branch, informally63. Calendar span Down1. "Lord of War" star2. Old Spanish kingdom3. Garden decorations4. Departure announcement5. Happy face6. Turkic language7. Real8. Crushing defeats9. Hong Kong actress, Sally10. Fuzzy fruits11. Pupil's place12. Honky ending13. Aims18. Creep19. Periphery23. Bait25. Military acronym26. "All for one and one for all," e.g.27. Greek god liquid28. Cubic measurement29. Provide, as with a quality30. Fine thread31. Met expectations?32. Agreements34. With footnotes, e.g.35. Ill-gotten gain37. Unappealing fruit?38. Kind of unit43. Central points44. Electrical transformer45. Dreary song46. Omnivorous mammal47. Physics calculation48. Canyon sound49. East Indian lentil sauce51. Mosque prayer leader52. Braveheart hillside53. Civil rights icon, to friends54. Apple spray56. Place for sweaters?57. Unspecified number Click for the Answer to Today's Crosswords Puzzle #9. | Press Here to PRINT More Info...