Helotes

Helotes (h-LOH-tis) is a city in Bexar County, Texas, located on the far northwest side of San Antonio. It is part of the San Antonio-New Braunfels metropolitan statistical area. The town name is derived from the Spanish word elote, which can mean "ear of maize", "corncob", or simply "corn", but exactly how the town came to be called Helotes is still a subject of debate. The city is home to Oak Valley golf course, the first golf course in South Texas to be fully lit at night. Helotes was the hometown of the late Texas State Senator Frank L. Madla, who died after his home on the south side ofSan Antonio caught fire on November 24, 2006. On April 28, 1953, the town was hit by a violent 1 mile (1.6 km) wide F4 tornado struck the city, damaging or destroying multiple structures. After a decade of planning and negotiation, Helotes became an incorporated city in October 1981. The Cornyval Festival is an annual tradition bringing in local vendors and thousands of area residents to celebrate the town's namesake. The annual festival is held in the valley of Helotes Creek where it exits from the Texas Hill Country. According to the city's website, the city is about 16 miles (26 km) northwest of downtown San Antonio and 2 mi (3 km) southeast of Charles W. Anderson Loop, the outer belt around San Antonio, Texas.

History

Helotes is a town in San Antonio County, Texas. The town was founded in 1858 by Dr. George Marnoch. Helotes became an incorporated city in October 1981. It was the hometown of Texas State Senator Frank L. Madla, who died after his home on the south side of San Antonio caught fire on November 24, 2006. On April 28, 1953, the town was hit by a violent 1 mile (1.6 km) wide F4 tornado, killing two people and injuring 15 others. The city's name is derived from the Spanish word elote, which can mean "ear of maize", "corncob", or simply "corn", but exactly how the town came to be called Helotes is still a subject of debate. The local Native Americans planted corn (maize outside the US) in the fertile valleys of the area, and feed corn was a major crop grown in the 19th and early 20th centuries. In the 1960s, the first annual Helotes Cornyval festival was held to celebrate the opening of a new post office. The landmark John T. Floore Country Store is actually a dance hall (or "honky tonk") that draws top country music talent, including Willie Nelson, who still plays the venue on occasion. After a decade of planning and negotiation, Helotes was incorporated as a city in 1981. To this day, residents struggle with the dilemma of maintaining the city's rugged country charm, while at the same time allowing for the development of modern suburban facilities and businesses.

Overview

Helotes is one of the most desirable suburbs of San Antonio. The Cornyval Festival is an annual city tradition bringing in local vendors and thousands of area residents to celebrate the namesake of the town. Helotes is home to Oak Valley golf course, the first golf course in South Texas to be fully lit at night. Old Town Helotes includes John T. Floore's Country Store, All That Glitters, L&M Feed and Supply, Mander Automotive Service, First Baptist Church of Helotes, Elf Hardware, Helotes Tactical Firearms, and Helotes Creek Winery, and El Chaparral Mexican Restaurant. The town was incorporated in 1981 and has a population of over 7,000. It is located in the eastern part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes the cities of Austin, San Antonio, and Laredo. The city is located on the Texas Turnpike, which runs from San Antonio to Austin. The San Antonio Express-News is the largest newspaper in the state, with a circulation of more than 2.5 million. It was founded by Lorenzo Morales, a pillar of the Helotes community who was instrumental in settling the town in the early 1980s. It has been the site of several major construction projects, including the construction of the Oak Valley Golf Course, which was built on vast acres of land acquired by the Morales family in the 1970s and 80s. The first golf courses in the U.S. were built in the 1950s and 1960s.

Geography

Helotes is located in northwestern Bexar County in the valley of Helotes Creek where it exits from the Texas Hill Country. The city is about 16 miles (26 km) northwest of downtown San Antonio. Texas State Highway 16 runs through the community, leading northwest 30 mi (48 km) to Bandera. According to the United States Census Bureau, Helotes has a total area of 6.6 sq mi (17.0 km²) of which 0.004 square miles (0.01 km²), or 0.06%, is covered by water. The Charles W. Anderson Loop, the outer beltway around San Antonio, is 2 mi (3 km) southeast of the center of Helote's. The town is located on the Texas River, which flows into the San Antonio Ship Channel from the Gulf of Mexico. It has a population of about 2,000. It is one of the smallest towns in Texas, with the largest population of any city in the state, followed by San Antonio and San Antonio-Laredo, with a total population of 3,856. The community is located near the Texas-Mexico border, which is about 30 miles (48km) to the northwest. It was founded in the early 1900s by German immigrants. The area was once known as the "Helotes Valley" because of the Helotes River, a tributary of the Rio Grande. The name comes from the Helote Creek, which was once the main source of water for the town.

Demographics

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 9,030 people, 2,837 households, and 2,467 families residing in the city. The average household size was 2.91 persons, and the average family size was 3.13 persons. The population was distributed as 26.8% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 10. 8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median income for a household in theCity was $76,951, and for a family was $80,090. The per capita income for the city was $29,534. About 2.0% of the population were below the poverty line including 2.4% of those under the Age of 18 years and 2.9% of a 65-year-old or older, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The city is located on the banks of the Red River. The Red River flows through the center of the city and into the Mississippi River. It is the only city in the state that is not on the National Highway System. It was the site of the World War II-era Battle of the Bulge, which was fought between the United States and the Soviet Union in the 1940s and 1950s. The town is located near the junction of the Mississippi and Red Rivers. It has a population of about 9,000.

Education

Helotes residents are zoned to the following schools in the Northside Independent School District. The district is based in San Antonio, Texas. Helotes is located in the north side of the city, near the border with Mexico. The city is located on the San Antonio River, which runs through the center of the town. The Northside School District is based near the city of San Antonio. It is the largest school district in the district, with more than 100,000 students. The school district has a population of more than 50,000 people. It was founded in the 1950s and has been in existence since the 1960s. It has a budget of $1.2 million. The current superintendent is Dr. Hector P. Garcia, who also teaches at the University of Texas at San Antonio's San Antonio Medical Center. He is also the former headmaster of Helotes Elementary School and the former principal of Los Reyes Elementary School. He has served as the superintendent of the district since 2007. He was elected to a second term in 2010. He will serve a third term in office in 2014. He also served as mayor of Helote in 2012. He previously served as president of the Helotes Chamber of Commerce in the 1990s. He currently serves as the chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Helmotes School District, which represents the town's business and community leaders. The town is home to a number of non-profit organizations, including the National Institute of Business and Economics.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Helotes, Bexar County, Texas = 10.9. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 71. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 80. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Helotes = 6.3 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 9,030 individuals with a median age of 35.7 age the population grows by 113.31% in Helotes, Bexar County, Texas population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 1,437.58 residents per square mile of area (555.04/km²). There are average 3.06 people per household in the 2,982 households with an average household income of $90,009 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 7.10% of the available work force and has dropped -0.03% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 32.84%. The number of physicians in Helotes per 100,000 population = 267.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Helotes = 32.1 inches and the annual snowfall = 0 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 85. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 225. 95 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 42.8 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 24, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Helotes, Bexar County, Texas which are owned by the occupant = 90.62%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 8 years with median home cost = $216,120 and home appreciation of -11.80%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $19.31 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $4,962 per student. There are 15 students for each teacher in the school, 571 students for each Librarian and 395 students for each Counselor. 10.26% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 25.57% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 16.20% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).