Quantcast
Hotel Emma Facebook

Editor’s note: It’s that time again — time to check in with our top stories. Here are five articles that captured our collective attention over the past seven days.

1. 7 San Antonio staycation spots to spoil your special someone this Valentine's Day. Alamo City is bursting with romance, and we've got you covered with the best places to spoil your special someone this year.

2. Popular Pearl brunch spot remixes with new weekend DJ nights. The popular local haunt just announced a new limited-time music series launching this month.

3. Where to see the once-in-recorded-history green comet approaching San Antonio. Okay, so the weather wasn't super ideal for stargazing this week, but there may still be time to catch this rare opportunity.

4. Here are the top 5 things to do in San Antonio this weekend. Locally inspired happenings and live performances make it easy to explore all that Alamo City has to offer this weekend.

5. Texas scores top ranking among best states for dating, says new report. This Valentine’s Day is for the unattached, and it turns out Texas is a pretty great place to be single.

Ad Placement 300x100
Ad Placement 300x600

CultureMap Emails are Awesome

Texas rises through the ranks of most innovative states, says new report

MOVING ON UP

The Lone Star State has again taken a step up on an annual report that ranks the most and least innovative states in the country — this time cracking the top 15.

Texas ranked No. 15 in personal finance site WalletHub's 2023’s Most and Least Innovative States ranking. It's a steady improvement for the state, which ranked No. 16 in 2022 and No. 17 in 2021.

The report analyzed the 50 states and the District of Columbia and how each performed across 22 key metrics, including population of STEM professionals, venture capital investment activity, number of technology companies, patents per capita, and more. The data was pulled from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Science Foundation, National Center for Education Statistics, United States Patent and Trademark Office, and other records.

Here's how Texas performed at a glance:

  • No. 18 – for share of STEM professionals
  • No. 16 – for projected STEM job demand by 2030
  • No. 25 – for eighth grade math and science performance
  • No. 21 – for share of science and engineering graduates aged 25 or older
  • No. 13 – for share of technology companies
  • No. 31 – for R&D spending per capita
  • No. 18 – venture capital funding per capita

For the 11th year, Texas won Site Selection Magazine's Governor's Cup, the governor's office announced earlier this year. The award, which Texas has won 19 times since its inception in 1978, recognizes the nation’s top-performing state for job-creating business relocations and expansions.

"Texas truly is America’s economic engine, and we stand apart as a model for the nation. When choosing where to relocate or expand their businesses, more and more innovative industry leaders find themselves at home in our state," Governor Greg Abbott says in a news release about the award.

"I congratulate the exceptional economic development teams at the local, regional, and state level who have worked so diligently to attract and retain these growing businesses and the jobs they create in diverse communities across this great state," he continues.

The most innovative states included the District of Columbia, which ranked at No. 1, followed by Massachusetts, Washington, Maryland, and California, respectively. The least innovative state was identified as Mississippi, followed by Louisiana, North Dakota, West Virginia, and Arkansas, respectively.



Source: WalletHub


Access to quality education is a significant contributor to each state's innovation economy, the experts say in the report.

"Investing in education, particularly K-12 but also at the University level, it is no accident that innovative ecosystems develop in states with strong education systems and research universities," says David L. Deeds, professor at the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis. "These institutions build strong capable modern workforces that attract capital, and jobs and create innovations. The benefits do not happen overnight, in fact, they take years if not decades, but consider what The UC’s or the University of Texas at Austin have meant for the development of premier innovative ecosystems."

San Antonio reels in big names for South Side poetry festival

FREE VERSE

From Dr. Carmen Tafolla's This River Here to Miss Congeniality, San Antonio has long provided fodder for poets and moviemakers alike. Now, the two art forms are coming together during a spectacular cultural event at the Mission Marquee Plaza.

The City of San Antonio World Heritage Office will once again salute rhythm and rhyme during Viva Poesía: Palabras, Música, y Cultura on April 1, 6-10 pm. The annual bash, made possible in part by the City's Department of Arts and Culture, kicks off National Poetry Month by honoring the artistic influence of local poets.

In honor of the Mission Drive-In's 75th anniversary, this year's theme will be "For Reels! A Poetic Tribute to the Movies." Guests can hear original works from a star-studded lineup, including San Antonio's past Poet Laureates Tafolla, Andrea "Vocab" Sanderson, Jenny Brown, and Dr. Octavio Quintanilla. Local spoken word artists Eddie Vega, Rooster Martinez, Arrie Porter, Isabel Brown, and Ollie McCrary will also perform pieces created especially for the event, celebrating the magic and nostalgia of films.

During the event, Department of Arts and Culture Director, Krystal Jones, will introduce San Antonio's new Poet Laureate, Nephtali De León, to San Antonio's literati. Emceed by Anthony "The Poet" Flores, Viva Poesía will also feature live performances by local comedians, the Wonder Theatre, the San Antonio Philharmonic Brass Ensemble, Como Las Movies, and more.

The family friendly event will also offer engaging activities for the younger set, like make-and-take art activities and interactive workshops led by local artists and poets. Plus, pop-up vendors will serve grub and drinks throughout the evening.

The event is free and open to the public, with free on-site parking. More info about Mission Marquee Plaza and its jam-packed 2023 season can be found online.

"Vast artistry, rich culture, and vibrant traditions make San Antonio a city filled with diverse creativity," said District 3 Councilwoman Phyllis Viagran via a release." The entire family is invited to experience the sights, sounds, and festivities of Viva Poesía…."

San Antonio home sales continue to decline in February, latest report shows

REAL ESTATE REPORT

Home prices went up and sales went down in February, an inauspicious prediction for both homebuyers and sellers in San Antonio’s real estate market. That’s according to the latest market report from the San Antonio Board of Realtors (SABOR).

The latest Multiple Listing Service (MLS) data shows steady price increases in the San Antonio area. The average home price is now at $365,679, an $8,700-plus increase from 2022. Median home prices have hit $310,000, which is a smaller increase from last year, but $50,000 more than 2021.

Despite new home construction skyrocketing at the same rate, existing home sales have dropped by 28 percent. Homes are also staying on the market much longer than they did in February 2022, at around 70 days.

SABOR’s 2023 board chair Sara Briseño Gerrish shared her insights on the current market.

“The months of inventory is being reported at 3.3 and 93.5% of homes closed of their original listing price,” she said. “To close February, there were 3,531 new listings, 2,407 pending listings and 9,712 active listings.”

To add to February’s home sale woes, Bexar County saw a 16.4 percent decline with only 1,612 closed listings, while average prices increased 4.4 percent to $341,204.

Statewide, only 21,838 homes were sold in February, a 14 percent decrease year-over-year.

The full report can be found on sabor.com.