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ERCOT prepping for winter electric demand

The grid operator has been closely watched since mass outages in 2021.

News

Mural of Spurs-themed vela unveiled in downtown San Antonio

The artist calls it an "emotional gift" to the city.

Vending machine "with heart" sets up in San Antonio

Instead of snacks, the vending machine is stocked with cards representing items needed by nonprofits.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's vice-presidential chances

A prolific fundraiser, the border governor is a Trump loyalist.

Politics

Betty's Co. mobile clinic drives reproductive health forward

The clinic can see about 24 patients a day.

Betty&#x27;s Co., a reproductive health care service, is changing the way people in San Antonio get gynecological care through a mobile clinic that travels throughout the city.Why it matters: The San Antonio company focuses on bridging reproductive health gaps, especially for college-aged individuals. It offers discreet wellness services that can be paid for out of pocket, allowing young people to take care of their health issues without involving family insurance.

Nation's first degree combining medicine, AI comes to San Antonio

The degree puts San Antonio in the national AI spotlight.

The first known dual degree in the U.S. to combine medicine and artificial intelligence is available in San Antonio.Driving the news: The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and UTSA are teaming up to offer a combined doctor of medicine and master of science in artificial intelligence to form a five-year program.

Illustration of a health plus made of binary code slowly fading. 

COVID-19 hospitalizations increase in Texas

The increases mirrors a national wave of COVID-19 cases.

COVID-19 hospitalization rates across Texas increased 44% between June and July amid signs of a late summer wave sweeping the country, Alex Fitzpatrick and Kavya Beheraj report.By the numbers: The average COVID-19 hospitalization rate nationwide rose about 17% between June and July, per the latest available CDC data.

Bexar County heat-related death tally unknown

Texas heat deaths are rising, but it's hard to get local data.

Climate

Amid dangerously high temperatures forecast to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="continue for much of August" data-vars-click-url="https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/WK34/gifs/WK34temp.gif" data-vars-content-id="1e779ff2-1362-4c01-8477-32fad228521e" data-vars-headline="Bexar County heat-related death tally unknown" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/WK34/gifs/WK34temp.gif" target="_blank">continue for much of August</a>, Bexar County officials can&#x27;t easily tell the public how many people are dying of heat-related causes.Why it matters: &quot;We can&#x27;t begin to deal with the public health risks of extreme heat unless we know the scale of the consequences of it,&quot; Jeff Goodell, Austin-based climate change reporter and author of the new book <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="&quot;The Heat Will Kill You First,&quot;" data-vars-click-url="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/29/books/review/the-heat-will-kill-you-first-jeff-goodell.html" data-vars-content-id="1e779ff2-1362-4c01-8477-32fad228521e" data-vars-headline="Bexar County heat-related death tally unknown" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/29/books/review/the-heat-will-kill-you-first-jeff-goodell.html" target="_blank">&quot;The Heat Will Kill You First,&quot;</a> tells Axios.

Illustration of white lilies wilting in the heat. 

What to know as another heat wave hits San Antonio

Hydrate and stay in the air conditioning when possible.

It&#x27;s dangerously hot outside. And the heat <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="isn&#x27;t going" data-vars-click-url="https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/610day/610temp.new.gif" data-vars-content-id="927f9fb5-47f3-4021-9e6e-686c7540d12f" data-vars-headline="What to know as another heat wave hits San Antonio" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/610day/610temp.new.gif" target="_blank">isn&#x27;t going</a> <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="away anytime soon" data-vars-click-url="https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/814day/814temp.new.gif" data-vars-content-id="927f9fb5-47f3-4021-9e6e-686c7540d12f" data-vars-headline="What to know as another heat wave hits San Antonio" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/814day/814temp.new.gif" target="_blank">away anytime soon</a>.Driving the news: San Antonio remains under an excessive heat warning until at least 9pm Thursday, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="per the National Weather Service" data-vars-click-url="https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=29.4246&amp;lon=-98.4946#.Y7X8ZezML0o" data-vars-content-id="927f9fb5-47f3-4021-9e6e-686c7540d12f" data-vars-headline="What to know as another heat wave hits San Antonio" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=29.4246&amp;lon=-98.4946#.Y7X8ZezML0o" target="_blank">per the National Weather Service</a>.

Illustration of a thermometer shaped like an upwards arrow, with the mercury rising.

Texas kids losing Medicaid insurance in overwhelmed system

Lapsed coverage means kids miss emergency medical care.

More than a million Texans, most of whom <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="are children" data-vars-click-url="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/medicaid-enrollment-and-unwinding-tracker/#children-disenrollments" data-vars-content-id="af8f4c6e-442b-43eb-ade3-216c5e548869" data-vars-headline="Texas kids losing Medicaid insurance in overwhelmed system" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/medicaid-enrollment-and-unwinding-tracker/#children-disenrollments" target="_blank">are children</a>, lost <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Medicaid health insurance" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/05/25/medicaid-unwinding-off-guard" data-vars-content-id="af8f4c6e-442b-43eb-ade3-216c5e548869" data-vars-headline="Texas kids losing Medicaid insurance in overwhelmed system" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/05/25/medicaid-unwinding-off-guard" target="_self">Medicaid health insurance</a> in recent months as paperwork fell through the cracks.<ul><li>Overwhelmed technology, outdated information and a lack of resources for state employees are creating major gaps in the public health system for people with low incomes.</li></ul>

Choropleth map showing Medicaid disenrollment rates in the U.S. as of Nov. 14, 2023. Over 35% of Medicaid enrollees have been disenrolled. Texas had the highest rate at 64%, while Illinois had the lowest at 10%.

Where to find help navigating Medicaid loss in Texas

Federally qualified health centers can help.

More than a million Texans, mostly <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="children" data-vars-click-url="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/medicaid-enrollment-and-unwinding-tracker/#children-disenrollments" data-vars-content-id="107efae5-ab2a-4bca-ac5d-9fc78f531f5e" data-vars-headline="Where to find help navigating Medicaid loss in Texas" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/medicaid-enrollment-and-unwinding-tracker/#children-disenrollments" target="_blank">children</a>, lost <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Medicaid health insurance" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/05/25/medicaid-unwinding-off-guard" data-vars-content-id="107efae5-ab2a-4bca-ac5d-9fc78f531f5e" data-vars-headline="Where to find help navigating Medicaid loss in Texas" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/05/25/medicaid-unwinding-off-guard" target="_self">Medicaid health insurance</a> they were eligible for in recent months as paperwork fell through the cracks.Ana Rangel works at <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Los Barrios Unidos Community Clinic" data-vars-click-url="https://losbarriosunidos.org/about-us/" data-vars-content-id="107efae5-ab2a-4bca-ac5d-9fc78f531f5e" data-vars-headline="Where to find help navigating Medicaid loss in Texas" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://losbarriosunidos.org/about-us/" target="_blank">Los Barrios Unidos Community Clinic</a>, with locations across Dallas. She helps eligible families re-enroll in Medicaid after they&#x27;ve lost coverage or helps them find insurance elsewhere.

Illustration of a wall of cracks with bandaid-shaped red crosses

San Antonio, Texas face some of highest food insecurity in the nation

The San Antonio Food Bank is seeing pandemic-level demand.

As Texans prepare to celebrate the holidays, some San Antonians are still struggling to put food on the table.What&#x27;s happening: The San Antonio Food Bank has seen pandemic-level demand over the last year, president and CEO Eric Cooper tells Axios.

New San Antonio hospital for women and children

Colors and art at the hospital help children feel at ease.

Business

University Health&#x27;s new hospital <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="for women and children" data-vars-click-url="https://www.universityhealth.com/sayhello?utm_source=corpcomm&amp;utm_medium=web&amp;utm_campaign=typed_URL&amp;utm_content=sayhello_typed" data-vars-content-id="8b37de26-925a-48b6-a4cd-227ba3941f7c" data-vars-headline="New San Antonio hospital for women and children" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.universityhealth.com/sayhello?utm_source=corpcomm&amp;utm_medium=web&amp;utm_campaign=typed_URL&amp;utm_content=sayhello_typed" target="_blank">for women and children</a> will offer specialized, regional care in one location — the first in South Texas to do so.Driving the news: The hospital at the University Health campus in the Medical Center will open to patients in August. There isn&#x27;t a set opening day yet, a spokesperson says.

The new Women's and Children's Hospital has plenty of windows that let in natural light and offer Medical Center views.

San Antonio's new hospital for women and children opens

The new <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="University Health Women&#x27;s and Children&#x27;s Hospital" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-antonio/2023/07/26/new-hospital-women-children-san-antonio-university-health" data-vars-content-id="fcbd81dc-cefc-47fe-b233-7a03ff2058d5" data-vars-headline="San Antonio&#x27;s new hospital for women and children opens" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-antonio/2023/07/26/new-hospital-women-children-san-antonio-university-health" target="_self">University Health Women&#x27;s and Children&#x27;s Hospital</a> is officially open after a long and meticulous morning of moving on Tuesday.Why it matters: The new hospital offers specialized, regional care in one location — the first in South Texas to do so.

Health 🩺

Betty's Co. mobile clinic drives reproductive health forward

Nation's first degree combining medicine, AI comes to San Antonio

COVID-19 hospitalizations increase in Texas

Bexar County heat-related death tally unknown

What to know as another heat wave hits San Antonio