🎬 Zoo goes Hollywood

👋 Say hello to a new week.

Today's weather: Sunny with a high in the upper 90s.

Today's newsletter is 881 words — a 3.5-minute read.

Hispanic Heritage Month brings San Antonio several opportunities to celebrate and reflect on the city's history of Latino struggle and triumph.

The big picture: The month started Sept. 15 and runs through Oct. 15 nationwide to honor Latinos' contributions to America.

• It also coincides with Independence Day in Mexico and several Central American countries.

In San Antonio, there are plenty of chances to celebrate across town.

Here are a few of our favorites:

🪅 Check out The Rock at La Cantera's free Hispanic Heritage Month programming starting Friday.

• Frost Plaza will host local musicians Llamativa and Vanita Leo, vendors and a lowrider car show from 6-11pm.
• The Rock will also host a screening of "Wish" on Oct. 4 at 7:30pm.

🩱 Make a splash at the Puro Pinche Pool Party's Hispanic Heritage Month edition Sunday from 11am-4pm.

• There will be a DJ spinning Latino dance beats, food and a voter registration booth.
• $35 tickets include a complimentary cocktail.

🎷 Celebrate the inaugural International Latin Jazz & Arts Festival at UTSA's downtown campus on Oct. 5 from noon-11pm.

• The free music event — headlined by the Grammy Award-winning Spanish Harlem Orchestra — will include food and workshops.

🎻 Enjoy over 20 years of tradition at the free Diez y Seis Mariachi Festival at the Arneson River Theatre on Oct. 12 from noon-9pm.

• Hear mariachi performances from local and regional middle and high school students.

🩺 Prioritize wellness at the free Hispanic Heritage Health Fair at Barrio Dog on Oct. 12 from noon-4pm.

• There will be health screenings, resources, vendors and more.

🥳 Join the seventh annual Fiesta Alegria, hailed as the city's official end to Hispanic Heritage Month, on Oct. 19 at Plaza Guadalupe.

• The free event features a long lineup of music from 4:30pm-midnight.

Make a plan

The San Antonio Zoo's conservation efforts will be featured in "Escape From Extinction Rewilding," a documentary narrated by Oscar-winning actress Meryl Streep.

The latest: The film from the nonprofit American Humane is a sequel to "Escape From Extinction." The San Antonio Zoo appears in both documentaries, showcasing its conservation work with whooping cranes and Texas horned lizards, the state reptile.

How it works: Rewilding aims to restore ecosystems by protecting wild areas, reducing human interference and allowing nature to regulate itself.

• The zoo's Texas Horned Lizard Reintroduction Project, launched in 2017, has returned more than 200 horned lizards to the wild.
• Its whooping crane conservation program dates back to the 1970s.

What they're saying: "Rewilding is a vital approach to conservation that allows us to restore natural ecosystems and protect these vulnerable species," American Humane CEO and president Robin Ganzert said in a statement.

• "We hope that this documentary will not only highlight the significance of rewilding, but bring together film-goers across the country, and around the world, in support of the humane treatment of animals."

What's next: San Antonio is one of 25 cities where the documentary will be shown.

• Screenings begin Thursday at Santikos Palladium and Santikos Embassy.

Tell a friend

🚧 Developers might demolish the iconic Pig Stand diner on Broadway, which closed last year, to build a 211-room AC Hotel. (Express-News 🔒)

🚰 The San Antonio Water System is asking residents to help identify lead pipes — which can cause health problems — as it prepares an inventory to comply with new federal regulations by Oct. 16. (SA Report)

🗣 U.S. Senate candidates Ted Cruz (R) and Colin Allred (D) agreed to a live debate on Oct. 15, weeks before Election Day. (Texas Tribune)

A judge sentenced a couple whose dogs attacked and killed 81-year-old Ramon Najera last year to 15 and 18 years in prison. They were also fined $5,000 each. (KSAT)

SAWS' new watering rules help manage the water supply.

What to expect: Landscape watering allowed once per week from 5–10am and 9pm to midnight on a day determined by street address.

• New non-compliance charges.
• Stage 3 surcharges for top users.
• Hand-water any time or day.

Review the new rules.

The average rent in San Antonio has increased by 14% since 2019, but it's still lower than the national average.

The big picture: A surge in new apartments is helping to ease rent hikes across the country, but the national average rent remains 19% higher than pre-pandemic levels, per CoStar Group data.

State of play: 9,000 apartments have been added to San Antonio this year with another 6,000 expected by year's end, according to the SA Business Journal.

Yes, but: There aren't enough renters to fill them, which could possibly lower rents this year, per the Business Journal.

Zoom in: The average asking rent in San Antonio rose from $1,108 in the fourth quarter of 2019 to $1,266 in the second quarter of 2024, per the CoStar Group data.

• Rents have stabilized over the past two years, the data shows.

Reality check: The region feels less affordable than it did several years ago, but our average rent is still cheaper than the U.S. average of $1,713.

Share with a renter

Calling all local news enthusiasts! We aim to be your go-to source for timely, relevant stories that impact our community.

Help us continue our mission to keep you informed by becoming an Axios San Antonio member today.

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👋 Hey, it's Madalyn! Last week, I stopped by Isidore for a special event where small bites and drinks were in full rotation.

The vibe: The restaurant's aesthetic matches the rest of Pullman Market — an elevated space where industrial design meets elegance.

What to try: The Maravilla Margarita ($16).

• It's a smoky-sweet mezcal margarita garnished with chiles and a peach slice for a bold but balanced flavor.

What's next: Booking a reservation to try more of the menu.

Pro tip: Pullman Market offers up to two complimentary hours of parking at its lot on Newell Avenue.

Help conserve water by following the new rules.

2024 changes include:

• New watering hours from 5–10am and 9pm to midnight.
• Drip irrigation is allowed on Mondays and Fridays from 5–10am and 9pm to midnight.
• Non-compliances charges.
• Stage 3 surcharges for top users.

Stay informed with the new rules.

Thanks to our editors Chloe Gonzales and Bob Gee.

🥳 Madalyn is at the Axios Local retreat in Minneapolis, catching up with her talented coworkers.

🌞 Megan is very happy to be in Minneapolis in cooler weather, on the Mississippi River and hanging out with coworkers.