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Published monthly by the Villages of Westcreek Owners' Association
Communications Committee - September 1, 2020 Edition!
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"When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind."
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As required by the governing documents of the Villages of Westcreek Owners Association Inc., a meeting of the membership will be held on September 10, 2020 at 7:00pm via Zoom.
CLICK HERE for Meeting Notification/Agenda and details!
Submitted by: Jacob Fey, VWOA Community Manager
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COMMUNITY POOLS UPDATE
During this unprecedented time of COVID-19, the Board has chosen to follow local city and county guidance when it comes to what is open and what is closed for resident use in the Villages of Westcreek.
In June, as the city prepared to open city pools and splash pads, the Board opened Westcreek pools with State mandated capacity limits in place. As the virus situation locally worsened, the city announced it would not open its pools. The Board, again following the city and county as a guide, voted to close the pools.
The Board is continuously monitoring the local situation and guidance provided by local officials. It is our hope to be able to reopen the pools before the pool season is over should our local COVID-19 situation begin to improve. Updates to amenity availability will be sent out via constant contact.
MONUMENT BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT
The Woods monument project has been completed. The electrician replaced the current lighting with a longer light to fully illuminate the monument. The next scheduled monument replacement will be the Country Oaks across from the Woods monument. It will be replaced with the same rock style monument as the Woods.
The monument beautification project is ongoing throughout The Villages of Westcreek. The Maintenance Department continues to work on trimming and cleaning out each monument. All monuments have been re-mulched and are awaiting new plantings. Maintenance is currently working on trimming trees and re-mulching the median on Military.
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IMPACT ON COMMUNITY GATHERINGS AND AMENITY USE
As we are all well aware, the concern over the COVID-19 pandemic is a grave issue for our nation and community. The Villages of Westcreek Owners' Association wants to make sure we are all doing our part as individuals and as a community to help stay ahead of the curve and slow down the spreading of this virus.
The Board of Directors will follow city, county, and state guidelines to determine the reopening of amenities and classes. The status of the community openings and closures are as follows:
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The Sports Park Fields, Dog Park, Walking Track, and Tennis Courts are OPEN. Per the county's latest declaration of public health emergency, all members of the community should practice social distancing of 6ft or more and group gatherings/activities of 10 or more are not permitted in the park at this time.
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All VWOA Sports Programs are on hold in compliance with Social Distancing guidelines.
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The Tot Lot and Basketball Court are closed until further notice.
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The Community Center and Sports Park Pools closed until further notice.
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All Community Center classes and activities have been canceled until further notice.
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The monthly "Garage Sales"are permitted the 2nd Saturday of every month.
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Due to the county's restriction on gathering sizes, all "in-person" Committee and Board Meetings are suspended until further notice. Should city and county guidelines change, meeting announcements will be sent electronically and posted to the VWOA website. In the interim, these meetings may be held via Zoom. A separate communication will be sent out when these meetings are scheduled.
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We are monitoring the situation closely and will notify the community of any other updates as they impact meetings, activities, and access to amenities, etc. These communications will be sent out in the "What's the Buzz" publication and posted on our website and Facebook page. We appreciate your understanding and attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community.
Submitted by: Heather Mallia, VWOA Treasurer |
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Deed restrictions have been successful in many residential and mixed-use developments. These protective covenants are the basis for ensuring a quality environment as well as assisting residents in maintaining the property values.
Deed restrictions cover things such as: allowed land uses, setbacks, utility easements, materials, colors, etc. to be used plus the procedures for dealing with non-compliance. Generally, their purpose is to: - preserve, so far as possible, the natural beauty of the properties;
- avoid harsh contrasts between structures and landscape;
- guard against the use of unsuitable materials and the erection of poorly designed or proportioned structures;
- encourage and secure the erection of attractive improvements that are harmonious and compatible with their sites; and,
- enhance and maintain the environmental quality and economic value of the Homeowner's property.
Contact our Standards Department if you have any questions on any of our Deed Restrictions and Standards. Submitted by: Jacob Fey, VWOA Community Manager
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COVID-19 AND FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS
The Board understands the effect on the community that COVID-19 has had and the financial hardships it has created.
If you have been affected and unable to make your HOA assessment payments, please email the office staff or Community Manager with your request for relief of the late fees assessed. We will review each request on a case by case basis and communicate back to each homeowner individually. Submitted by: Jacob Fey, VWOA Community Manager
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JOINT GENERAL, SPECIAL, CHARTER AND BOND ELECTION NOVEMBER 3, 2020
EARLY VOTING & ABSENTEE BALLOTS
There are two (2) ways to vote early in Texas: in person and by mail/absentee ballot. Either option will eliminate waiting in long lines on Election Day.
EARLY VOTE PERIOD - TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13-FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30
During early vote, voters may vote at any location. View Early Vote Locations Listing and Hours for addresses, a map, and directions to polling sites. www.bexar.org/2237
IN PERSON
Registered voters may vote early at a convenient polling location within their political subdivision. Unlike early voting by mail, you don't need to state a reason for voting early in person. Polling locations may vary from election to election and will be posted on the Bexar County Elections Department homepage as the information becomes available.
CURBSIDE VOTING
This service is available to any voter who has difficulty walking or standing for long periods. Please call ahead to the Elections office so that the early voting clerk at your vote center can be notified that you want to vote from your car. All polling locations in Bexar County have the Express Touch voting unit for curbside voting use.
BY MAIL/ABSENTEE BALLOT
Voting by mail/absentee ballot has been available to elderly voters and voters with physical disabilities in Texas for decades. Applications for a ballot by mail may be submitted to the Bexar County Elections Department anytime in a calendar year but no later than 11 days before Election Day.
YOU MAY VOTE BY MAIL IF YOU ARE:
- Going to be away from your county on Election Day and during early voting
- Sick or disabled
- 65 years of age or older on Election Day
- Confined in jail, but eligible to vote
COVID-19 VOTING BY MAIL UPDATE
On May 27, 2020, the Texas Supreme Court determined that the lack of immunity alone is not a "disability" for purposes of voting by mail. However, the court also stated that a voter can take into consideration aspects of their own health and health history when determining whether in-person voting will cause a likelihood of injury due to a physical condition.
To request a ballot by mail based on a disability, an eligible voter can check the box for disability on the request form and submit to the Bexar County Elections Department which will then provide a ballot by mail. If you would like an application to request a ballot by mail please visit, the Early Voting & Absentee Ballots page. www.bexar.org/1573/Early-Voting-Absentee-Ballots
Applications to vote by mail may be requested from the Bexar County Elections Administrator, Jacquelyn F. Callanen at 210-335-(VOTE) 8683 or by mail at: Jacquelyn F. Callanen, Bexar County Elections Administrator, 1103 S. Frio, Ste. 100, San Antonio, TX 78207.
Applications for a ballot by mail may be submitted to the Bexar County Elections Department anytime in a calendar year but no later than 11 days before Election Day.
The early voting clerk must receive your marked ballot by 7:00 PM on Election Day.
For further information, please call 210-335-0362.
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CANDIDATE - RICHARD GENTRY
Hello fellow homeowners, my name is Richard Gentry. I have lived in the Villages of Westcreek for just over 11 years now. I am a father of 3 and my wife is a teacher for NISD. I have worked in the Medical Sales Field for the last 16 years, and before that I served 6 years active duty in the US Army. My family and I all stay very active in the community and in the programs offered here in Westcreek. During my 11 years here, I have served on the Board of Directors for about 7 years with a few breaks in between terms, and I have participated as a coach in all of the youth sports programs for 9 years. I love this community and the people that live here. There are a lot of great things that Westcreek has to offer to all of us and our families, and that is what makes Westcreek such a great place to live. During my time on the Board, I have consistently pushed for infrastructure improvements, additional adult and youth programs, and transparency from the Board to the community. Some recent achievements from the last 2 years have been additional lighting in the Sports Park, the Sports Park bathroom expansion, replacing the parking cables in the Sport Park parking lot with boulders, nightly constable patrol program for the neighborhood, security camera system in the park, food truck events, new family activity days in the park, and we are currently working on beautifying all of the monuments in the HOA. Even with all of these improvements the Board has still been able to put money into savings and kept the HOA financially sound, without raising the assessments. With that said, we still have plenty of room for improvement, and the Board is currently working on more ideas to keep Westcreek the best community in San Antonio and the surrounding areas. If given the opportunity to serve on the Board for another 2 years, I promise to continue giving the same honesty, dedication, and passion to the HOA that I always have. I'm asking for your vote so that we can all continue with the improvements to our community and the effort to help keep Westcreek a great place to live and raise our families. |
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CANDIDATE - HEATHER MALLIA
My name is Heather Mallia. I'm a homeschooling mom to two boys, 14 and 11. My husband and I have been married 23 years, eighteen of which we have called Villages of Westcreek home. My hobbies include reading, running, hiking, spending time with my family, Bunco nights in the neighborhood, and volunteering.
I love to stay actively involved in the community. I have previous Board experience, serving as Member-at-Large (now called Assistant Secretary) in 2006 and Vice President in 2007. More recently, I served as Vice President in 2018 and I'm currently serving as Treasurer. My committee experience extends to almost every committee in Westcreek. I am currently serving as Board liaison to the Communications Committee and the Suggestions & Recommendations Committee. I volunteered for the Finance Committee for several years and in 2019 served as the Chairman of that committee. Over the years I have also served on the Sports Park Committee (Chairman), RFID Committee (Secretary), Ad Hoc Fence Committee, Elections Committee, and Strategic Planning Committee. I feel having volunteered in so many different areas within the Villages of Westcreek, I have an extensive understanding of our community's needs and the inner workings of the HOA.
Serving on the Board is a huge commitment that I am prepared and willing to take on. I believe in full transparency by the Board and I'm a huge proponent of open communication. I have always believed that our homeowners deserve a voice and have worked to ensure homeowners' concerns are heard. Together we can ensure decisions made are for the best interest of the homeowners, the Association, and the community as a whole to maintain and increase our property values and to make this neighborhood a great place to live.
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CANDIDATE - RICHARD RIGGIE
No Bio or picture submitted!
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SOLICITATION FOR VOLUNTEER ARC MEMBERS
The Villages of Westcreek Owners' Association is currently recruiting to fill vacancies on the Architectural Review Committee (ARC). The ARC shall consist of 3 Regular Members and 2 Alternate Members. You must be a homeowner to be appointed by the Board of Directors to serve on this committee.
The primary objective of the ARC is to enhance and preserve property values throughout the community while being as consistent and fair as possible with their decisions and recommendations. The ARC has the authority to:
- Adopt and administer the review process on behalf of the VWOA;
- Review and approve or disapprove plans and specifications for each Property Improvement Application (PIA) regarding changes to the premises;
- Make changes to the "Standards for Architectural Design and Property Maintenance" as deemed necessary in accordance with the CC&Rs and applicable Federal, State and local laws; and,
- Make reasonable efforts to assist the applicants with their requests and any other concerns regarding the "Standards."
ARC members will be trained and expected to conduct business using an automated system. This system allows ARC members to view, comment, approve or deny PIAs digitally.
Ideal candidates will
- have access to a computer and internet.
- be available on a consistent basis to meet in person should homeowners request a meeting to discuss their PIA.
- Have knowledge of the VWOA's current standards.
HOW TO APPLY!
CLICK HERE to send an email to the VWOA Community Manager to submit your name for consideration. Be sure to include your home address, phone number and email address.
Submitted by: Jacob Fey, VWOA Community Manager
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The office will be closed Monday, September 7, 2020, in observance of Labor Day!
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VWOA OFFICE OPENING
We are happy to announce the office is open for regular business (M-F 9am-6pm). The plexiglass barriers are up for the safety of the staff and residents. We are committed to the health and safety of our residents, and to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, individuals are required to wear masks and practice social distancing when they are in the building.
On June 22, 2020, Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff put out an executive order to all commercial entities in Bexar County which requires visitors to wear a mask in order to enter business premises and receive services. With this being said, please cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face covering when entering the Villages of Westcreek Community Center.
Please note the following: - Limit 4 people maximum in the lobby.
- If you need to meet with specific staff members, you will need to schedule an appointment by calling 210-679-8761.
SOCIAL DISTANCING Social distancing, also called "physical distancing," means keeping space between yourself and other people. To practice social or physical distancing: - Stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arm lengths) from other people.
- Tape Markings will be set up outside of the VWOA office for Social Distancing.
- Do not gather in groups.
FACE MASKS REQUIRED - Cloth face coverings should NOT be placed on children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.
- Keep at least 6 feet between yourself and others, even when you wear a face covering.
RFID CARDS We are happy to announce that we have started the process of issuing residents their Radio Frequency Identification Cards. Simply come to the office during our regular business hours (Mon- Fri 9am-6pm). RFID cards will be issued in the Community Center Hall. - Please enter the side entrance by the Community Center Pool.
- All residents and children over 12 will need to be issued an RFID Card.
- This process can take approximately 5 to 10 minutes to issue the new cards to each household since we must take new photos of each cardholder.
- Limit 4 people maximum in the Community Center Hall.
RFID CARDS WILL BE ISSUED DURING THE FOLLOWING HOURS: - Morning Session -10 am till 1 pm.
- Closed for Sanitizing - 1 pm till 2 pm.
- Afternoon Session - 2 pm till 5 pm.
RFID CARD FEES: - First RFID Card for Homeowners is FREE.
- Replacement RFID cards fee is $20.00.
- Tenant's RFID cards fee is $10.00 (Updated Lease Needed).
If you need a Replacement RFID card or Tenant's RFID card, please drop by the VWOA Office first to prepay your fees. PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING:
- Homeowners will be responsible for bringing their own furniture, the normal pool furniture will not be out for use.
- Sports Park pool will be closed on Tuesdays for cleaning.
- Community Center pool will be closed on Mondays for cleaning.
- RFID cards will still be mandatory to enter the pool for any residents 12 years of age or older.
- NO guests allowed, residents ONLY.
- Access will be first come first serve, there will be no reservation times or sign-up sheets available.
- Click here or the COVID-19 Pool Rules!
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Your 4th Quarter Assessment of $99.00 is due on October 1, 2020.
On October 30, 2020, all accounts with outstanding balances begin incurring a late fee of $20.00, plus a delinquent interest charge.
CLICK HERE for more information about how to pay your assessments and our Billing/Collection Policy.
NOTE: The Office is open Monday thru Friday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, excluding holidays. In addition, the Office is open on the 2nd Saturday each month from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
PAYMENT OPTIONS
- Payments can still be made here at the VWOA onsite office during business hours.
- Payments may also be mailed to our office, made payable to VWOA, at 12395 Military Dr. West, San Antonio, TX 78253. You can also mail your payment directly to Spectrum Association Management, P.O. Box 299008, Lewisville, TX 75029. Mailed payments are processed electronically; please do not send cash!
- You may drop off cash (in a sealed envelope), check, or money-order at the drop box, located to the right of our front entry doors at the business office. Make sure you include your address on your check/money order.
- Cash is accepted in the office.
- Card Payments will be accepted only after the homeowner is registered with Spectrumam.com.
- Pay by Phone- 1-877-342-6233 (your account number needed).
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If you need extra time to pay your assessments, fill out the form on the website below to see if you qualify for a payment plan. Payment plan requests are reviewed within two business days, and if approved, a payment plan agreement will be emailed to sign and return to our office within five business days.
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Our next scheduled Community Yard Sales will be held on Saturday, September 12, 2020. Community Yard Sales listings will be posted on the VWOA website, the day prior to the event.
If you wish to add your yard sale to the listing, please call the VWOA Office at 210-679-8761 by 12 noon on the Friday before the scheduled yard sale.
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SUPPORT OUR LOCAL FOOD TRUCKS
If you know of a Food Truck that you think would be interested in joining the "StrEATS of Westcreek," have them contact the VWOA Office at 210-679-8761 during our normal business hours. There is a small $25 fee for each truck that participates in the program. We only allow one truck per evening.
CLICK HERE to view the StrEATS of Westcreek Food Truck schedule and menus!
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For those who wish to widen their driveway:
- Driveway width extensions on either side of the driveway may not exceed the left or right outer edges of the garage.
- Any width extension that exceeds the outer edges of either side of the garage is considered a walkway that may not be used to park vehicles on.
- Concrete flatwork must be broom-finished to match the driveway. Other material may be used such as paver stones, flagstones, rocks, gravel, brick, and crushed or decomposed granite that are mortared or not mortared in place.
- To apply for approval, submit a Property Improvements/ Change Application (PIA) to the Architectural Review Committee (ARC) for review.
- Include a copy of your Plat/Lot Survey marked to show the location(s) of your proposed improvement.
References:
Submitted by: Beverly Hover, Standards Manager
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As you drive through our community, do you ever see a maintenance issue that you would like to see addressed by the Owners' Association? Maybe it's a problem with a specific property not being maintained in accordance with our governing documents or an issue with property maintained by the Association.
If you answered "Yes," the Association needs your help in identifying these areas so they can address these problems to protect the property values in Westcreek. Listed below are three optional ways you can report an issue to the Association. Option 1 - Report a Violation Online
This is one of the simplest ways to report an issue. The online tool takes a few minutes to complete and has an option where you can upload an image to your report. Click here to report a violation online! Option 2 - Report a Violation by Phone
Call 210-679-8761 and speak to the Standards Manager. Option 3 - Report a Violation by Email
Send an email to [email protected]. Include the address of the violation and a description of the violation. You should also include your contact information in the event we need further information. No matter how you choose to report an issue, please be sure to include the property address of the alleged violation along with your contact information in the event we need to follow-up with you. Under no circumstances will the Association disclose the name of any party reporting an alleged violation. These reports are confidential. Submitted by: Beverly Hover, Standards Manager
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MOST WESTCREEK SPORTS AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES ON HOLD
Westcreek Sports and Social Activities remain on hold in accordance with the current state situation regarding COVID-19. We are eager to get things going again but are continuing to wait for changes in the current status of social distancing. We continue to monitor the situation and look forward to when we can all get back together. Once we have that date, we will look at the schedule and put a plan in place to get things back to normal and get our community together again with sports and events!
We thank you for your continued support and understanding! As soon as we know more, we will be reaching out with updates. In the meantime, please remain safe and we will see you all soon.
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2020 FALL SOCCER REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
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JUST IN TIME FOR THE FINAL DAYS OF SUMMER
For printable puzzles and fun activities like Mazes, Connect the dots, Hidden pictures, and more, check out this link:
Free Online Mazes in 3 difficulty levels
Word Search
Coloring Pages--Lots of categories including movies, video games, animals, and more
Pokemon Printable Crafts
Submitted by: Michelle de Jongh, Communications Committee Secretary
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SEPTEMBER MONTHLY GARDENING TIPS
Annuals
- This is a great month for prepping your fall annual garden beds, but it's a little too early to start planting cool-season transplants in the ground.
- Containers are a great choice for annuals as they can be moved around to protect plants from all types of weather. Plant them with some transitional, less-heat tolerant, types of annuals like: calibrachoa, bacopa, petunias.
Bulbs/Tubers/Rhizomes
- In Texas, you shouldn't be planting bulbs this month, but you should be buying them from the nurseries or ordering them for planting in late October-December.
Groundcovers
- If areas have been prepped, you can begin planting groundcovers.
Herbs
- Keep pinching flower stalks off of basil so you can promote new leaves growing. Once the weather cools, basil can deteriorate fast, so enjoy the leaves while you can.
- Great time to plant perennial herbs.
- Many herbs can start to be revived as the weather cools off. Trim dead areas, and/or cut the herb back by a 1/3, give them a little fertilizer and make sure their watering needs are met.
Lawns
- It's just about time to put down your fall weed pre-emergent to stop those weeds from taking over your turf. The ideal time to apply is is after the first good September rain. The weed pre-emergent you put down in September helps to prevent those future, pesky, springtime weeds.
- Repair areas of lawn ravaged by chinch bugs, plugs and slabs of sod can be used to fill in dead spots.
- Finish up dethatching lawns.
- If the weather is guiding us, fertilize lawns mid-September with organic fertilizers like Texas Tee or Medina; or fertilize next month with synthetic formulas like Rainbow Gardens 18-6-12 (winterizer/fertilizer that is specially formulated for lawns in our region).
Perennials
- Good time to bump potted perennials up to a larger container if needed. Remember to always use a potting mix in containers, never garden soil.
- Tidy up perennial gardens. Cut back faded flowers and brown stalks.
- Perennials that have bloomed out about 80% should be cut back and fertilized no later than September 1st so that they have time to rejuvenate and bloom again in fall.
- Replenish mulches in beds if needed; a 2" - 3" layer is perfect.
- A few favorite fall-bloomers are: Mexican Bush Sage, Mexican Mint Marigold, Texas Fall Aster, Plumbago, Cigar plants
- Take cuttings of plants that are not cold-tolerant.
Roses
- If you didn't prune your roses in August, try to get it done early this month.
- Hold off on planting and transplanting roses this month, it's still too warm.
- If it hasn't rained in a week, water deeply and thoroughly (they need at least 1" of water weekly).
Vegetables
- You can plant a lot this month: Root crops (carrots, beets, etc.), Cole crops (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, etc.), many types of peas, greens, and more.
- Warm-weather veggies like cucumbers, eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, anything with a seed inside, HAVE to go in no later than mid-September.
- Hold off on planting spinach transplants; they like it a little cooler.
- Newly planted vegetable transplants need more water than established vegetables.
- If you are growing transplants of your own, feed them with a half-strength dose of water-soluble fertilizer about once a week.
Fruit/Nut Trees
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Continue watering pecan trees in order for kernels to fill in shells adequately for a nice plump nut.
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Water should be applied at the dripline of the tree (not the trunk) and be a soaking watering.
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Late summer/early fall consistent watering is crucial for proper pecan development. Pecans need at least 2" of water each week through October.
Submitted by: Michelle de Jongh, Communications Committee Secretary
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FALL ASTER - Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
Sun/part shade. Nearly evergreen, with low-growing, aromatic foliage. Purple and yellow daisy-like blooms make a dramatic display in autumn (and occasionally in spring.) Fall aster spreads gradually by stolons.
Click here to learn more about this beautiful plant, maintenance requirements and plant features from Garden Style San Antonio!
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BCESD 2 BREAKS GROUND ON NEW STATION
They recently broke ground on station 124 located at 14515 Omicron Drive San Antonio, TX, 78245.
This has been in the works for several years and marks a new milestone for Bexar County Emergency Service District No. 2. This new station means even faster response times to emergency incidents.
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SpotCrime is an independent, commercial site that provides crime mapping and incident information.
Official Police Reports can be obtained from the BCSO Central Records Office. Contact information, fees, and hours of operation can be found on the Central Records page.CLICK HERE to view SpotCrime mapping for the Villages of Westcreek.
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Submitted by: Patrol Administration Deputy Meyer, Bexar County Sheriff's Office
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