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PODCAST

bigcitysmalltown with Bob Rivard

The bigcitysmalltown podcast, hosted by Bob Rivard, is dedicated to telling the stories of San Antonians working to make the city a more sustainable, better educated, equitable and prosperous city. We want San Antonio to become a destination city for talented and creative people, and a city where young people born or raised here want to build their futures here. We embrace diversity, multiculturalism, and every individual’s right to realize their full potential without fear of oppression.Each

society & culture news commentary

All Episodes

49:40

141. Why San Antonio Isn’t Running Out of Water — A...

bigcitysmalltown with Bob Rivard ·

2025/10/10

This week on bigcitysmalltown, we examine the present and future of San Antonio’s water supply—a topic at the center of new rate increase discussions and long-term regional planning. San Antonio has quietly become a national leader in water conservation, with steady water use despite decades of rapid population growth, distinguishing itself from many fast-growing Texas cities now facing water shortages. Host Cory Ames sits down with Robert Puente, CEO of the San Antonio Water System (SAWS), t...

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38:13

140. The Food Bank is Harvesting Solutions to San...

bigcitysmalltown with Bob Rivard ·

2025/10/03

This week on bigcitysmalltown, we examine the role of food sustainability and local agriculture at the San Antonio Food Bank—an organization best known for feeding more than 100,000 people each week, but less recognized as one of the city’s largest farming operations. Host Cory Ames sits down with Mitch Hagney, Director of Food Sustainability at the San Antonio Food Bank, to discuss how the Food Bank is rethinking traditional emergency food services through innovative farming practices and cl...

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38:59

139. How San Antonio is Turning Construction Waste to...

bigcitysmalltown with Bob Rivard ·

2025/09/26

This week on bigcitysmalltown, we examine San Antonio’s evolving approach to urban growth and resource management through the lens of the city’s deconstruction and circular economy initiatives. San Antonio stands out as the largest city in North America to adopt a deconstruction ordinance, shifting how older buildings are taken down and how building materials are valued, reused, and kept within the community. Cory Ames sits down with Stephanie Phillips, Senior Deconstruction & Circular Ec...

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36:54

138. Alamo Angels: The Future of South Texas Startups

bigcitysmalltown with Bob Rivard ·

2025/09/19

This week on bigcitysmalltown, we examine the evolving landscape of angel investing and startup growth in San Antonio and South Texas. As the city’s early-stage innovation ecosystem matures, a new generation of founders and investors are shaping the region’s entrepreneurial identity. Host Bob Rivard sits down with Sebastian Garzon, managing partner of Alamo Angels, to discuss the group’s growth from a handful of local investors into a regional network with more than 140 members and $7 million...

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42:18

137. Rediscovering San Antonio’s Forgotten Battle

bigcitysmalltown with Bob Rivard ·

2025/09/12

This week on bigcitysmalltown, host Bob Rivard speaks with Brandon Seale, a San Antonio-based energy entrepreneur and historian, about one of Texas’s most consequential yet least understood events: the 1813 Battle of Medina. Seale discusses his years-long efforts to locate the lost battlefield and the surprising discoveries that are reshaping the historical understanding of early Texas. Bob and Brandon trace how an executive leading cross-border energy projects became deeply invested in uncov...

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36:59

136. San Antonio’s Aerospace Past Is Powering Its Future

bigcitysmalltown with Bob Rivard ·

2025/09/05

This week on bigcitysmalltown, we revisit a pivotal chapter in San Antonio’s history: the closure of Kelly Air Force Base and its transformation into Port San Antonio, as the city prepares for the upcoming San Antonio Aviation and Aerospace Hall of Fame luncheon. Host Bob Rivard is joined by Christopher Mammen, executive director of the Dee Howard Foundation; Tullos Wells, long-time community leader and member of the Kelly closure transition committee; and Kathryn Bolish, program manager at t...

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50:05

135. Planting Change in San Antonio through Community...

bigcitysmalltown with Bob Rivard ·

2025/08/29

This week on bigcitysmalltown, we examine the work of Gardopia Gardens, a San Antonio nonprofit at the intersection of public health, food access, and neighborhood safety. Founded by Stephen Lucke, Gardopia uses urban gardening and education as a response to longstanding challenges in San Antonio’s food system and community health landscape. Cory Ames sits down with Lucke to trace his path from local student, collegiate athlete, and aspiring medical professional to nonprofit founder and envir...

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43:53

134. The San Antonio Nonprofit Bringing Black Youth...

bigcitysmalltown with Bob Rivard ·

2025/08/22

This week on bigcitysmalltown, we focus on the intersection of community, identity, and the outdoors through the work of Black Outside, Inc. Founded and led by Alex Bailey, the San Antonio-based nonprofit is dedicated to reconnecting Black youth with nature—an effort rooted in generational healing, cultural history, and a reimagining of what belonging in outdoor spaces looks like. Cory Ames sits down with Bailey to discuss the evolution of Black Outside, its ties to family legacy, and the org...

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27:26

133. How the Spurs Arena Could Change the San Antonio...

bigcitysmalltown with Bob Rivard ·

2025/08/15

This week on bigcitysmalltown, we examine the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo’s pivotal role in the city’s cultural and economic landscape and explore what may be its biggest transition yet. As plans for a new arena and significant east side redevelopment—known as Project Marvel—move forward, questions emerge about the future of the Stock Show, its historic partnership with the Spurs, and how proposed investments could reshape year-round activity in the area. Bob Rivard sits down with Cody D...

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55:11

132. San Antonio's Youngest Councilmember on the...

bigcitysmalltown with Bob Rivard ·

2025/08/08

This week on bigcitysmalltown, newly elected District 6 Councilman Ric Galvan joins host Cory Ames for an extended conversation about the close race that made him the youngest member of San Antonio’s City Council—and the immediate challenges facing the city as he steps into office. Galvan reflects on what motivated his campaign, how neighborhood involvement and grassroots support shaped his candidacy, and the razor-thin margin by which he won. With just over a month in post, he shares early i...

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52:26

131. Too Much, Too Fast: San Antonio’s Floods and the...

bigcitysmalltown with Bob Rivard ·

2025/08/01

This week on bigcitysmalltown, we examine San Antonio’s historic summer of flooding and the urgent questions facing the city and region. In June and July 2025, San Antonio and surrounding areas experienced two of the deadliest flood events in Texas history—catastrophic disasters that overwhelmed infrastructure, claimed dozens of lives, and exposed vulnerabilities in both local response systems and long-term planning. Cory Ames is joined by Rick Trefzer, Deputy General Manager of the San Anton...

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33:41

130. San Antonio Teen Bridges Global Healthcare Gaps...

bigcitysmalltown with Bob Rivard ·

2025/07/25

This week on bigcitysmalltown, we meet Ariana Chaudhary, a San Antonio high school student and founder of Access to Specialist Knowledge (ASK), a nonprofit connecting frontline doctors in underserved regions around the world with volunteer U.S. medical specialists. Ariana launched ASK at 14 after witnessing first-hand the challenges faced by healthcare providers in Uganda. Now 17 and a student at Health Careers High School, she leads an organization that has facilitated more than 35,000 medic...

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37:45

125. The Man Behind Brooks: How Leo Gomez Reimagined...

bigcitysmalltown with Bob Rivard ·

2025/06/06

This week on bigcitysmalltown, we examine the transformation underway at Brooks—formerly Brooks City Base—on San Antonio’s Southeast Side. Over the past decade, Brooks has shifted from a dormant military installation to a growing center for business, education, healthcare, and residential development. We explore the decisions and investments that brought this revitalization to life and what it means for the future of the South Side and the city as a whole. Host Bob Rivard is joined by Leo Gom...

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56:46

120. Why San Antonio’s Future Starts with Early...

bigcitysmalltown with Bob Rivard ·

2025/05/02

This week on bigcitysmalltown, we examine San Antonio’s fourteen-year effort to build a more equitable early childhood education system—an undertaking rooted in the city’s fight against generational poverty. Host Bob Rivard traces the origins of Pre-K 4 SA, from its formation by a blue-ribbon task force under then-Mayor Julián Castro, to the launch of universal pre-K centers across the city, and its ongoing impact on young children and working families. Bob is joined by Peter J. Holt (chair o...

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50:25

119. The Mayor’s Race: Rolando Pablos on Economic...

bigcitysmalltown with Bob Rivard ·

2025/04/21

We conclude our April series of conversations with San Antonio’s leading mayoral candidates as Bob sits down with Rolando Pablos—a businessman, attorney, and former republican Texas Secretary of State—to discuss his campaign, priorities, and vision for the city. Pablos shares his personal and professional background, shaped by his experience as an immigrant and his decades of public and private sector leadership. The conversation examines key issues facing San Antonio, including the city’s

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51:02

118. The Mayor’s Race: Manny Pelaez on Ferocious...

bigcitysmalltown with Bob Rivard ·

2025/04/20

We continue our series of interviews with leading candidates for San Antonio mayor. Bob is joined by District 8 City Councilman Manny Pelaez, an attorney with deep roots in both public service and economic development, as he seeks to become the next mayor of San Antonio. In a wide-ranging conversation, Pelaez shares his personal story as the son of Colombian immigrants and his longstanding commitment to issues of domestic violence and community service. The discussion covers his role in bringing

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49:23

117. The Mayor’s Race: Gina Ortiz Jones on Public...

bigcitysmalltown with Bob Rivard ·

2025/04/19

We continue our series of interviews with leading candidates for San Antonio mayor ahead of the May 3 election. Bob welcomes Gina Ortiz Jones, an Air Force veteran and former Undersecretary of the Air Force under the Biden administration, for a wide-ranging conversation about her bid to lead the city. Ortiz Jones discusses her personal journey from growing up on the Far West Side to her national security work in Washington, and how those experiences have shaped her approach to local issues. The

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45:26

116. The Mayor’s Race: Melissa Cabello Havrda on...

bigcitysmalltown with Bob Rivard ·

2025/04/18

In this bigcitysmalltown episode, Councilwoman Melissa Cabello Havrda shares her personal background growing up on the West Side, her legal and public service career, and her early influences—including time spent working under former mayors Ed Garza and Lila Cockrell. The conversation covers key challenges facing the city, from the crowded mayoral ballot and the influx of outside campaign money, to major development projects like Project Marvel. They discuss: The need for stronger candidate

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46:35

115. The Mayor’s Race: Adriana Rocha Garcia on...

bigcitysmalltown with Bob Rivard ·

2025/04/14

In this episode, Bob continues our coverage of San Antonio’s crowded mayoral race with Councilwoman Dr. Adriana Rocha Garcia of District 4. A professor of marketing at Our Lady of the Lake University and former president of the San Antonio Housing Trust, Rocha Garcia shares her journey from growing up on the city’s West and South Sides to her leadership on the city council. They discuss her priorities as a mayoral candidate—from continuing the city’s affordable housing push and evolving the Ready to

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44:06

114. The Mayor’s Race: Beto Altamirano on...

bigcitysmalltown with Bob Rivard ·

2025/04/11

This week on bigcitysmalltown, we delve into San Antonio's dynamic political landscape as our city prepares for its first mayoral race without an incumbent in sixteen years. With Mayor Ron Nirenberg's term concluding, the upcoming election on May 3 stands as a significant moment in the city's history, marking both the end of an era and the beginning of potential change. Our guest, Beto Altamirano, is an entrepreneur and business owner known for creating San Antonio's 311 app, now vying for the

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134 results

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