Selena Forever

Texas lawmaker wants to create official holiday honoring Tejano legend Selena

If a new bill passes in Texas, April 16 would officially be Selena Quintanilla Perez Day.

She’s beloved for her music and cross-cultural contributions. Now fans of Selena Quintanilla Pérez may get an annual holiday to celebrate the Lake Jackson native.

On February 26, state Rep. Ana-Maria Ramos of Dallas filed House Bill 2492 to establish Selena Quintanilla Pérez Day on her birthday, April 16, turning it into an annual, statewide holiday.

Known simply as Selena and “The Queen of Tejano,” Selena made frequent trips to perform in San Antonio before her voice was silenced at age 23.

The text of the House Bill is succinct: “April 16 is Selena Quintanilla Perez Day in memory of the contributions to Tejano music of Selena Quintanilla Pérez, an award-winning singer and recording artist. Selena Quintanilla Peréz Day may be regularly observed by appropriate ceremonies and activities.”

Ramos’ filing fulfills stage one of a seven-step process to become law. The bill would need to go through the committee process before reaching the House floor, where all members will be able to vote on the proposal. The same process would need to be repeated in the Senate before the governor could sign the bill into law.

Once signed, the law would transform April 16 into a day of remembrance for this beloved performer who was murdered nearly 25 years ago.

On March 31, 1995, in Corpus Christi, Selena was shot and killed by the president of her fan club, Yolanda Saldivar, over accusations that Saldivar had embezzled funds belonging to Selena. A few weeks later, her birthday was declared “Selena Day” by then-governor George W. Bush. Ramos’ bill seeks to make this declaration permanent.

Selena racked up numerous awards during her short career, including a Grammy and "Best Female Vocalist of the Year" and "Performer of the Year" at the 1987 Tejano Music Awards. Jennifer Lopez portrayed her in a 1997 film, Selena, which includes many scenes filmed right here in San Antonio. Selena also received a star on the star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame posthumously.

Mourning for this fiery singer and personality has really never stopped, but it’s since transformed into a celebration of her spirit and style.

Check out the status of the bill as it moves through the legislature here. And if it becomes law, mark your calendar to blare some Selena tunes and remember her mid-April, every year.

celebrities politics music

Hold Your Horses

San Antonio City Council considers plan to phase out horse-drawn carriages

Getty Images

A scant majority of San Antonians like the idea of ending the practice.

In a special session on Thursday, October 31, the San Antonio City Council will deliberate on possibly phasing out horse-drawn carriages. A proposal called "A Just Transition from Horse Drawn Carriages" has led to a one-to-three-year plan for replacing the horses with electric carriages.

An early project proposal in November of 2022 — written by District 2 Councilmember Jalen McKee-Rodriguez and District 3 Councilmember Phyllis Viagran — laid out concerns for the horses' wellbeing, quoting the Animal Welfare Institute. Concerns included exposure to traffic and pollution, long periods standing and walking on hard surfaces, and extreme weather, among other things. In addition to the effect on horses, the request also mentioned environmental effects from slowed traffic.

It proposed completely stopping any new use of horse drawn carriages and letting any existing permits expire. The request also mentioned pedicabs as an alternative alongside the electric carriages, but the pedicabs seem to have fallen away from the public discourse.

Following up on the proposal, a city survey that concluded in August of 2024 found that of 50,476 respondents, a scant majority (51.98 percent) said they liked the idea to "Transition horse-drawn carriages to electric carriages and pedicabs and ban horse drawn carriages completely." Other options like changing hours and location of horse-drawn carriage use were unpopular, and 29.01 percent said they wanted to continue with the current system of use.

A majority of respondents (53.83 percent) had never ridden in a horse drawn carriage at all, and an strong majority of those survey takers cited the treatment of the horse as the reason they hadn't tried it. Those who had ridden on the carriages mostly liked it for the "historical and cultural experience," with examples including feeling nostalgic and learning about San Antonio's history.

The survey did not disclose how many of the people who rode on the carriages were tourists, but tourists made up 21.66 percent of respondents.

In addition to the survey, council members also unanimously voted on August 19, 2024, to have a plan drafted by city staff that would phase out the horse-drawn carriages in one to three years.

The only item on the special session agenda (aside from approval of minutes) is a briefing and possible action on the proposal, meaning that a decision is not guaranteed.

More information about city council meetings is available at sa.gov.

animals civic issues