High honor

San Antonio saluted as best place in the U.S. for military veterans

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San Antonio is among the best cities for vets.

San Antonio is living up to its “Military City USA” moniker. Ahead of Veterans Day on November 11, a new study ranks Alamo City as the best place in the U.S. for military veterans.

The study, done by Veterans United Home Loans, looked at the 100 largest U.S. cities as measured by population and weighed four broad factors: economic wellness, employment, availability of VA benefits, and quality of life for veterans. Next, the study used 20 metrics to evaluate the strength of those four factors in each city.

In the end, San Antonio came out on top, thanks in part to above-average rankings for veteran unemployment and cost of living. About 250,000 veterans and 80,000 active-duty personnel live in the San Antonio metro area.

Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted that it was “no surprise” that a Texas city topped the Veterans United Home Loans list. An article published in 2018 on Medium.com noted that San Antonio’s warm and sunny climate, friendly nature, and reasonable cost of living make it attractive to veterans.

Elsewhere in Texas, Arlington ranked third and Fort Worth ranked ninth in the Veterans United Home Loans study.

In another new ranking, this one from personal finance website WalletHub, Austin topped San Antonio to claim the No. 2 spot among the best places in the U.S. for veterans to live. WalletHub examined data for the 100 biggest U.S. cities based on population and broke down its rankings into four general categories, with Austin appearing at No. 7 for quality of life, No. 11 for employment, No. 17 for the economy, and No. 20 for health.

In the WalletHub study, Fort Worth came in at No. 13 overall. Meanwhile, Plano landed at No. 14, Laredo at No. 19, and San Antonio at No. 21.

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A Night at the Market

San Antonio's Pearl unwraps holiday lights for night market series

Photo courtesy of Pearl

Pearl side streets are at their coziest when holiday decor is up.

The magic of the night market is returning to San Antonio's Pearl for the 2024 holiday season. A news release promises "festive music, unique local makers, and one-of-a-kind holiday finds" on Wednesday Evenings.

Like an extension of the usual farmers and summer makers markets held on the weekends, these markets will bring local vendors to the streets. Holiday Night Markets are scheduled for November 27 and December 4, 11, and 18 from 5-9 pm.

Although Pearl hasn't provided a list of vendors, we do know they'll be selling seasonal goods. Produce is not on the menu, so shoppers will still need to stop by the farmers market for their veggies.

Pearl Holiday Night Market The Holiday Night Markets are a lot like farmers markets in the same location.Photo courtesy of Pearl

The markets will be surrounded by Pearl's other holiday initiatives, including a holiday tree that lights up November 29, the day after Thanksgiving. In response to a question on Facebook about when carolers would stop by, Pearl could not give a date but confirmed that there would be different entertainment every week.

There will also be an opportunity to donate to several charities via Giving Machines from November 18 to December 8. The five benefactors in 2024 are the San Antonio Food Bank, Wish for Our Heroes, Alamo Head Injury Association, Vibrant Works and Catholic Charities of San Antonio. Donors can choose which they want to receive their gift.

Pearl Giving Machines The Giving Machines are like vending machines that drop gift cards into a collection bin to show contributions.Photo courtesy of Pearl

“We are delighted to welcome The Giving Machines back to Pearl in 2024,” said Pearl CEO Mesha Millsap in a separate press release. “Last year's overwhelming response showcased the incredible generosity of San Antonians during the giving season. We're excited to once again offer our community a chance to come together and make a tangible difference in the lives of our neighbors.”

Let me know if you have any questions. I am sharing a link to a folder of high-res images here to include markets, the tree and the Giving Machines. Our Giving Machines event takes place this morning at 10:30 a.m. and we opened a media pass through 11am for that press conference.

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