This week on bigcitysmalltown, we examine the evolving landscape of angel investing and startup growth in San Antonio and South Texas. As the city’s early-stage innovation ecosystem matures, a new generation of founders and investors are shaping the region’s entrepreneurial identity. Host Bob Rivard sits down with Sebastian Garzon, managing partner of Alamo Angels, to discuss the group’s growth from a handful of local investors into a regional network with more than 140 members and $7 million de...
Sep 19, 2025•37 min
This week on bigcitysmalltown, host Bob Rivard speaks with Brandon Seale, a San Antonio-based energy entrepreneur and historian, about one of Texas’s most consequential yet least understood events: the 1813 Battle of Medina. Seale discusses his years-long efforts to locate the lost battlefield and the surprising discoveries that are reshaping the historical understanding of early Texas. Bob and Brandon trace how an executive leading cross-border energy projects became deeply invested in uncoveri...
Sep 12, 2025•42 min
This week on bigcitysmalltown, we revisit a pivotal chapter in San Antonio’s history: the closure of Kelly Air Force Base and its transformation into Port San Antonio, as the city prepares for the upcoming San Antonio Aviation and Aerospace Hall of Fame luncheon. Host Bob Rivard is joined by Christopher Mammen, executive director of the Dee Howard Foundation; Tullos Wells, long-time community leader and member of the Kelly closure transition committee; and Kathryn Bolish, program manager at the ...
Sep 05, 2025•37 min
This week on bigcitysmalltown, we examine the work of Gardopia Gardens, a San Antonio nonprofit at the intersection of public health, food access, and neighborhood safety. Founded by Stephen Lucke, Gardopia uses urban gardening and education as a response to longstanding challenges in San Antonio’s food system and community health landscape. Cory Ames sits down with Lucke to trace his path from local student, collegiate athlete, and aspiring medical professional to nonprofit founder and environm...
Aug 29, 2025•50 min
This week on bigcitysmalltown, we focus on the intersection of community, identity, and the outdoors through the work of Black Outside, Inc. Founded and led by Alex Bailey, the San Antonio-based nonprofit is dedicated to reconnecting Black youth with nature—an effort rooted in generational healing, cultural history, and a reimagining of what belonging in outdoor spaces looks like. Cory Ames sits down with Bailey to discuss the evolution of Black Outside, its ties to family legacy, and the organi...
Aug 22, 2025•44 min
This week on bigcitysmalltown, we examine the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo’s pivotal role in the city’s cultural and economic landscape and explore what may be its biggest transition yet. As plans for a new arena and significant east side redevelopment—known as Project Marvel—move forward, questions emerge about the future of the Stock Show, its historic partnership with the Spurs, and how proposed investments could reshape year-round activity in the area. Bob Rivard sits down with Cody Dave...
Aug 15, 2025•27 min
This week on bigcitysmalltown, newly elected District 6 Councilman Ric Galvan joins host Cory Ames for an extended conversation about the close race that made him the youngest member of San Antonio’s City Council—and the immediate challenges facing the city as he steps into office. Galvan reflects on what motivated his campaign, how neighborhood involvement and grassroots support shaped his candidacy, and the razor-thin margin by which he won. With just over a month in post, he shares early insi...
Aug 08, 2025•55 min
This week on bigcitysmalltown, we examine San Antonio’s historic summer of flooding and the urgent questions facing the city and region. In June and July 2025, San Antonio and surrounding areas experienced two of the deadliest flood events in Texas history—catastrophic disasters that overwhelmed infrastructure, claimed dozens of lives, and exposed vulnerabilities in both local response systems and long-term planning. Cory Ames is joined by Rick Trefzer, Deputy General Manager of the San Antonio ...
Aug 01, 2025•52 min
This week on bigcitysmalltown, we meet Ariana Chaudhary, a San Antonio high school student and founder of Access to Specialist Knowledge (ASK), a nonprofit connecting frontline doctors in underserved regions around the world with volunteer U.S. medical specialists. Ariana launched ASK at 14 after witnessing first-hand the challenges faced by healthcare providers in Uganda. Now 17 and a student at Health Careers High School, she leads an organization that has facilitated more than 35,000 medical ...
Jul 25, 2025•34 min
This week on bigcitysmalltown, we examine the changing landscape of small business support in San Antonio through the lens of Launch SA—a city-backed resource center for entrepreneurs and business owners. Now operating under a new partnership with Geekdom and led by director Matthew Espinoza, Launch SA is navigating a critical moment of transition and growth nearly a decade after its inception. Guest host Cory Ames sits down with Espinoza to discuss how Launch SA is responding to post-pandemic c...
Jul 18, 2025•40 min
This week on bigcitysmalltown, we look at the evolving landscape of professional soccer in San Antonio, focusing on San Antonio FC and their role in building international connections through sport. Host Bob Rivard and Co-Host Cory Ames are joined in the studio by Marco Ferruzzi, San Antonio FC Sporting Director, and Jose Lizardo, Director of Toyota Field and Star Soccer Complex. Together, they discuss San Antonio FC’s decade-long growth, the challenges of operating within the USL Championship, ...
Jun 27, 2025•36 min
This week on bigcitysmalltown, we examine how San Antonio residents are rethinking their relationship with nature—starting in their own front yards. Guest host Cory Ames interviews Monika Maeckle, author, naturalist, and founder of the Texas Butterfly Ranch and the Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival. Maeckle’s new book, Plants with Purpose , explores why traditional lawns may be a liability for San Antonio, and how reimagining our landscaping choices can have a measurable impact on water ...
Jun 20, 2025•44 min
This week on bigcitysmalltown, we sit down with Mayor Ron Nirenberg as he prepares to leave office after serving eight years as mayor and a total of twelve years in San Antonio’s city government. Bob and Mayor Nirenberg review major initiatives, including the expansion of Pre-K 4 SA, the $1.2 billion municipal bond dedicating unprecedented resources to affordable housing, and the launch of the Ready to Work workforce development program. The discussion also delves into the city’s approach to pro...
Jun 13, 2025•48 min
This week on bigcitysmalltown , we examine the transformation underway at Brooks—formerly Brooks City Base—on San Antonio’s Southeast Side. Over the past decade, Brooks has shifted from a dormant military installation to a growing center for business, education, healthcare, and residential development. We explore the decisions and investments that brought this revitalization to life and what it means for the future of the South Side and the city as a whole. Host Bob Rivard is joined by Leo Gomez...
Jun 06, 2025•38 min
This weekend on bigcitysmalltown, we turn our attention to San Antonio’s mayoral runoff as Bob Rivard sits down with candidate Rolando Pablos for a focused conversation on city governance, economic growth, and the future of San Antonio. With early voting underway Tuesday and the race narrowed to two candidates, this episode offers a timely look at the decision facing local voters. Bob and Rolando discuss the central issues shaping this year’s mayoral race—from economic development and workforce ...
May 24, 2025•50 min
This week on bigcitysmalltown, host Bob Rivard sits down with Sarah Dingivan, outgoing CEO of the San Antonio Legal Services Association (SALSA), and Gregory Zlotnick, board member for SALSA and faculty at St. Mary’s University School of Law. Together, they discuss the organization’s mission to bridge the gap in civil legal services for San Antonians with limited means—at a time when demand has never been higher. The conversation explores SALSA’s evolution from a small volunteer initiative to an...
May 23, 2025•58 min
This week on bigcitysmalltown, we examine the role of the Texas Biomedical Research Institute—better known as Texas Biomed—in San Antonio’s scientific community, the rapidly changing landscape of research funding, and the challenges of combating misinformation in an era of political division. Host Bob Rivard is joined by Dr. Larry Schlesinger, president and CEO of Texas Biomed, for a conversation that touches on Dr. Schlesinger’s personal background as the child of Holocaust survivors, his caree...
May 16, 2025•48 min
This week on bigcitysmalltown , we bring you a special live-recorded conversation with world-renowned behavioral economist and ad executive Rory Sutherland, hosted at the Geekdom Event Center in downtown San Antonio. Known for his provocative ideas on creativity, design, and human behavior, Rory joins host Bob Rivard for a wide-ranging and thought-provoking dialogue about how cities like San Antonio can unlock their potential—not by copying others, but by thinking differently. They discuss: • Wh...
May 09, 2025•1 hr 36 min
This week on bigcitysmalltown, we examine San Antonio’s fourteen-year effort to build a more equitable early childhood education system—an undertaking rooted in the city’s fight against generational poverty. Host Bob Rivard traces the origins of Pre-K 4 SA, from its formation by a blue-ribbon task force under then-Mayor Julián Castro, to the launch of universal pre-K centers across the city, and its ongoing impact on young children and working families. Bob is joined by Peter J. Holt (chair of E...
May 02, 2025•57 min
We conclude our April series of conversations with San Antonio’s leading mayoral candidates as Bob sits down with Rolando Pablos—a businessman, attorney, and former republican Texas Secretary of State—to discuss his campaign, priorities, and vision for the city. Pablos shares his personal and professional background, shaped by his experience as an immigrant and his decades of public and private sector leadership. The conversation examines key issues facing San Antonio, including the city’s persi...
Apr 21, 2025•50 min
We continue our series of interviews with leading candidates for San Antonio mayor. Bob is joined by District 8 City Councilman Manny Pelaez, an attorney with deep roots in both public service and economic development, as he seeks to become the next mayor of San Antonio. In a wide-ranging conversation, Pelaez shares his personal story as the son of Colombian immigrants and his longstanding commitment to issues of domestic violence and community service. The discussion covers his role in bringing...
Apr 20, 2025•51 min
We continue our series of interviews with leading candidates for San Antonio mayor ahead of the May 3 election. Bob welcomes Gina Ortiz Jones, an Air Force veteran and former Undersecretary of the Air Force under the Biden administration, for a wide-ranging conversation about her bid to lead the city. Ortiz Jones discusses her personal journey from growing up on the Far West Side to her national security work in Washington, and how those experiences have shaped her approach to local issues. The ...
Apr 19, 2025•49 min
In this bigcitysmalltown episode, Councilwoman Melissa Cabello Havrda shares her personal background growing up on the West Side, her legal and public service career, and her early influences—including time spent working under former mayors Ed Garza and Lila Cockrell. The conversation covers key challenges facing the city, from the crowded mayoral ballot and the influx of outside campaign money, to major development projects like Project Marvel. They discuss: The need for stronger candidate vett...
Apr 18, 2025•45 min
In this episode, Bob continues our coverage of San Antonio’s crowded mayoral race with Councilwoman Dr. Adriana Rocha Garcia of District 4. A professor of marketing at Our Lady of the Lake University and former president of the San Antonio Housing Trust, Rocha Garcia shares her journey from growing up on the city’s West and South Sides to her leadership on the city council. They discuss her priorities as a mayoral candidate—from continuing the city’s affordable housing push and evolving the Read...
Apr 14, 2025•47 min
This week on bigcitysmalltown, we delve into San Antonio's dynamic political landscape as our city prepares for its first mayoral race without an incumbent in sixteen years. With Mayor Ron Nirenberg's term concluding, the upcoming election on May 3 stands as a significant moment in the city's history, marking both the end of an era and the beginning of potential change. Our guest, Beto Altamirano, is an entrepreneur and business owner known for creating San Antonio's 311 app, now vying for the m...
Apr 11, 2025•44 min
This week’s Last Word delves into the ominous impact of President Trump’s tariffs on San Antonio and Texas. As the trade war with Canada and Mexico intensifies, the city braces for economic repercussions. Politicians have transformed tariffs into weapons of political retribution, overshadowing San Antonio’s success in advanced manufacturing and global trade. Bob examines the economic fallout as San Antonio faces potentially devastating tariffs, with goods and services inflating by up to 50%. The...
Apr 05, 2025•6 min
This week on bigcitysmalltown, we explore the vibrant culinary landscape of San Antonio, with a spotlight on one of the city's longstanding culinary institutions, Biga on the Banks. Celebrating its 25th anniversary at its iconic location on the Riverwalk, Biga on the Banks stands as a testament to culinary excellence and perseverance in a competitive industry. Bob sits down with Bruce Auden, renowned chef and driving force behind Biga, alongside his business partner Perny Shea, to discuss the re...
Apr 04, 2025•37 min
This week's Last Word dives into the ongoing battle between local and state government in Texas, focusing on San Antonio's fight to retain control over its financial future. With Republican lawmakers seeking to tighten their grip on predominantly Democratic cities, proposals like requiring a two-thirds majority for bond approvals loom large, threatening to stall essential capital projects. Bob unpacks the political motivations behind these legislative moves, the implications for San Antonio’s in...
Mar 29, 2025•7 min
This week on bigcitysmalltown we delve into the evolving landscape of homelessness support and services in San Antonio. As Kim Jeffries, the CEO of Haven for Hope, prepares to depart her role to take on the establishment of a comprehensive homeless shelter in Las Vegas, she joins host Bob Rivard to reflect on her journey in the San Antonio nonprofit sector. Kim's tenure at Haven for Hope offers a unique lens into how the city has grown and adapted to meet the needs of its vulnerable communities....
Mar 28, 2025•48 min
This week’s Last Word addresses a pressing local decision San Antonio faces amidst national upheaval. With jobs at risk due to political chaos in Washington, city leaders are contemplating hiring displaced federal workers. While the intention is noble, the reality presents tough choices—maintain fiscal discipline or succumb to political theater by expanding the city payroll unsustainably. Bob analyzes the balance San Antonio must strike: the importance of fiscal restraint during economic uncerta...
Mar 22, 2025•5 min
