We've all seen it: That one alleyway we pass by filled with overgrown weeds and trash.

Driving the news: District 5 Councilmember Teri Castillo wants to give San Antonio's alleys a makeover to clean up sore sights while also creating more environmentally friendly surfaces that can reduce temperatures.

• She proposed the "green alleyways" pilot program this month.

Why it matters: Two-thirds of San Antonio residents live where the "urban heat island" effect raises temperatures by 8 degrees or more, per an analysis by nonprofit climate research group Climate Central.

• Heat islands — where heat is trapped by heat-absorbing surfaces like concrete and asphalt — can make cities less livable and increase the risk of heat-related health complications, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick reports.

Between the lines: Low-income neighborhoods tend to be hotter than wealthier ones.

Details: The proposed pilot program would redo alleyways with:

• Reflective materials and native plants to reduce the heat island effect
• Permeable paving or rain gardens to address stormwater runoff
• Light fixtures that would minimize light pollution
• A sense of place, by adding art, signs or other amenities residents want.

The big picture: More than 4,100 alleys across San Antonio do not receive trash pickup services, and maintenance responsibility falls on property owners. These alleys often have overgrown vegetation and breaks in the pavement that can result in water buildup and drainage issues.

What they're saying: Castillo's office has received complaints from residents about alleyways, but the city has limited resources to address concerns, she tells Axios.

• "We need to take every opportunity we can to be innovative with infrastructure but also with addressing the heat island effect," Castillo says.

Go deeper

Two days, more than 2,000 miles and lots of Buc-ee's billboards later, Miles Taylor and Jeremy Zorek completed the longest Megabus route, from New York City to San Antonio.

State of play: The friends left a Megabus stop near Hudson Yards around 2am Friday and arrived at Wonderland of the Americas just before 3pm Sunday.

• The route is exclusively operated by Megabus, unlike potentially lengthier trips that might include buses from the company's partners, Taylor tells Axios.

Context: Taylor and Zorek are transit enthusiasts who share their journeys on X, formerly known as Twitter, and YouTube.

• "The tagline that I quote is 'Push transit to its limits while attempting to be entertaining,'" Taylor says.

By the numbers: Taylor snagged one of Megabus' limited $1 fares because he booked early. Zorek did not.

• Taylor paid $8.49 (with fees) for the entire trip.
• Zorek paid $245.
• They traveled 2,005 miles, according to our stop-to-stop calculations.

Texas' favorite beaver was a highlight of their in-state experience.

• "Every time a Buc-ee's ad went by, we filmed it," Taylor says.

What they found: They rode VIA's Prímo route from the Crossroads Park and Ride to downtown, where they walked to the Alamo, rode a river barge and ate at Rio Rio.

• "The observation I had is that in terms of amenities and facilities, VIA is very people-friendly," he says.

What's next: Taylor and Zorek are flying back home to Boston and New York.

• Expect a video of the journey on Taylor's YouTube channel soon.

The Archdiocese of San Antonio removed two area priests accused of sexual misconduct. One served at St. Joseph in Honey Creek and the other at St. Monica in Converse. Neither has been charged. (KENS 5)

😞 Earl Abel's, known for its fried chicken and pies, will close its Broadway location near Pearl on Monday due to lingering impacts from the pandemic, short-staffing and inflation. (MySA)

🦇 Texas bats are dying from a fungal disease called white-nose syndrome. A state team recently found no bats at Government Canyon in San Antonio, home to around 18,000 bats decades ago.

• The declines affect bat-watching sites in San Antonio, Austin and the Hill Country. (Texas Tribune)

There's a bright new spot to play in an unexpected place: under a downtown highway overpass.

What's happening: The city opened the recreation area, dubbed The Pass at Market Square, over the weekend.

Details: It features a basketball court, pingpong tables, swing chairs and tables, murals and more.

• Find it under the Interstate 35 overpass between Dolorosa and Commerce streets, near Market Square and UTSA's new downtown campus.
• The $200,000 project came together with the help of two grants and design services from the Project for Public Spaces.

Zoom in: The play spot aims to make use of a space that's otherwise been empty, gray and surrounded by parking.

• Murals by local artists that will reflect the history of Market Square should be finished by October.

Zoom out: Other cities have transformed spaces under highway overpasses into destinations instead of pass-throughs.

• There's a dog park underneath one Tampa Bay overpass.

📬 Tell us: What improvements would make you want to hang out underneath a highway overpass?

• Hit reply and let us know.

😎 New job, new me. Check out the latest job openings.

1. Vice President of Technology and Innovation at VIA Metropolitan Transit.
2. Venue Operations Learning Manager at San Antonio Spurs.
3. Director of Market Operations at Smile Brands.

Want more opportunities? Check out our Job Board.

Hiring? Use code FIRST50 for $50 off your first job post.

👋 Madalyn here, with a new spot to check out at the Frost Bank Center, formerly known as the AT&T Center, when the Spurs tip off in October.

This month, I got a quick tour of the new Frost Club on the charter level of the arena. The concessions space radiates local pride throughout, especially in the "Puro Meter," a passageway with a light show that's activated by fan noise.

Yes, but: My favorite addition was a wall by the elevators that said it simply, "¡Por Vida!"

The bottom line: I'm looking forward to seeing Spurs fans post their photos by the wall during this exciting upcoming season.