Robert Rivard

A cascade of recent reports has described unprecedented growth in every category measured—population, employment, new business starts, manufacturing indices, traffic counts, in-migration, school attendance, and airport enplanements—highlighting the dynamism of the two “anchor cities” of Central Texas: Austin and San Antonio. In The Austin–San Antonio Megaregion: Opportunity and Challenge in the Lone Star State, authors Henry Cisneros, Robert Rivard, and David Hendricks reflect on the implications of this growth in light of what will be required to sustain the economic attractiveness and quality-of-life attributes that sparked this moment of expansion. In asking fundamental questions such as “Is this much growth actually good for the region?” and “If it is, are we prepared for it?” this book grapples with the realities of infrastructure. What emerges is a vision for this burgeoning urban corridor that, if implemented, can position the region to continue to thrive: attracting economic development and supporting a superior standard of living for its citizens for years to come. In their preface, the authors state, “The task before us is not easy, but it can be done. It is not a matter of liberal or conservative politics, of red or blue ideologies; it is a matter of realistic leadership and practical public consensus. The reality of the Austin–San Antonio megaregion is becoming more evident every day to those of us who live here. We try in this book to undergird those impressions with facts, data, and scenarios for the future.” The Austin–San Antonio Megaregion can serve as both a blueprint for future planning and a springboard for informed discussion about growth in this vital region.

The Kronkosky Foundation Story provides a broad review of the twenty-five-year history of the Albert and Bessie Mae Kronkosky Charitable Foundation. Albert and Bessie Mae Kronkosky were committed to creating a legacy of “profound good” through charitable giving across four Texas counties that were dear to their hearts. The private foundation, formed in 1995 with a mission focused on health and human services (especially for children and the elderly), arts, and culture, has had a significant impact on San Antonio and the surrounding area. The book recounts the Kronkosky family’s history and how they came into the wealth that eventually led to the foundation’s creation. The nonprofit organization’s story is one of exemplary management and wide-ranging positive impact on a community, and an examination of how local giving has changed in recent decades. The Kronkosky Charitable Foundation exists in perpetuity, and their story stands as a testament to philanthropic commitment to a community.

San Antonio is in the national spotlight as one of the fastest growing and most dynamic emerging major cities in America. Yet local lore has it that every Texan has two hometowns--his own and San Antonio. The Alamo City's charm, colorful surroundings, and diverse cultures combine to make it one of the most interesting places in Texas and the nation. In San Antonio Uncovered, Mark Rybczyk examines some of the city's internationally known legends and lore (including ghost stories) and takes a nostalgic look at landmarks that have disappeared. He also introduces some of the city's characters and unusual features, debunks local myths, and corrects common misconceptions. Rybczyk embraces San Antonio's peculiarities by chronicling the cross-country journey of the World's Largest Boots to their home in front of North Star Mall; the origins of the Frito corn chip and chewing gum; the annual Cornyation of King Anchovy; and Dwight Eisenhower's stint as the football coach at St Mary's University. This completely updated, new edition of San Antonio Uncovered highlights San Antonio as a modern, thriving city with the feel of a small town that sees beauty in the old and fights to save it, even something as seemingly insignificant as an old Humble Oil Station; and its diverse inhabitants as those who appreciate the blending of the old and the new at the Tobin Center and fight to save what's left of the Hot Wells Hotel.

In December 1998, San Antonio Express-News reporter Philip True vanished during a solo backcountry trek in western Mexico, home of the reclusive Huichol Indians and the Chapalagana, the Twisted Serpent Canyon, a 150-mile long gash that twists and plunges through the heart of the Sierra Madre. Five days later his editor, Robert Rivard, was part of a small search party that, nearly miraculously, tracked a trail of feathers that had leaked from True's sleeping bag to find his body. Trail of Feathers is the story of the search for True and of the quest to bring his killers to justice. It is also the story of another perplexing mystery: Why had True taken such a dangerous trip, into such a raw, uncivilized wilderness, alone and without sufficient safety preparations, in the first place? After an unhappy and unsettled youth, True was at the age of fifty finally settling down to a career and a wife he loved. His first child was about to be born. What was he running from, or to? Rivard's search for answers to these questions leads him deep into the Sierra Madre Occidental, one of Mexico's last true wildernesses, and deep into the secrets of Philip True's past. It also leads him into his own past, and an acknowledgment of the ways in which his life and True's mirrored each other. Suspenseful, atmospheric, and moving, Trail of Feathers is more than a true crime tale it's a classic tragedy about how the past reverberates destructively into the present , for individuals, for cultures, for nations.