ServeSa: Bringing hope to San Antonio’s refugees from across the globe

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SAN ANTONIO — After seeing a video online of struggling refugees in need of assistance to assimilate into the San Antonio area where that they have been relocated, Emmanuel Roldan decided to jump in and do something. Roldan, 22 and a full-time student, decided to start an organization, ServeSA, to aid refugees and immigrants of limited means who need help adapting to life in this Southwest U.S. city. “Our main focus is to really empower individuals and different organizations to serve the community they are located in,” Roldan said. When the organization launched in January of 2010, mainly worked with homeless individuals. But after it opened a center, Haven for Hope, in May of last year, its primary focus shifted from the homeless to refugees.

Smoking ban sparks San Antonio debate

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SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Step into any local bar on a Friday night and you’ll likely find yourself engulfed in a sea of smokers—and smoke—a scene San Antonio’s City Council wants to change. Only one of three major U.S. cities that still allows smoking in public restaurants and bars, the Alamo City is embroiled in a heated debate over a citywide smoking ban and the right to light up in public places. “I’m guessing bar business will go down by 21%,” said Diamond Dave, general manager of the popular Downtown bar and grill, Broadway 50/50. He makes this prediction on the heels of the hot-button issue approved by the City Council in August., The updated smoke-free ordinance takes effect Aug. 19, 2011  “I see it affecting our business pretty adversely,”  he said.