bigcitysmalltown with Bob Rivard

This week on bigcitysmalltown, we examine the changing face of San Antonio’s startup scene through the lens of Geekdom, the well-known downtown tech hub entering a new phase. 

Cory Ames is joined by Charles Wooden, CEO of Geekdom, to discuss the organization’s shift from coworking to a membership-driven club model—and why the focus is increasingly on supporting startups past the “Valley of Death”: that risky stage between launch and true validation.

They explore:

• Charles Wooden’s personal journey from Michigan to San Antonio and into local tech leadership
• Geekdom’s evolution since 2011 and why it’s moving beyond coworking
• The impact of COVID-19, rapid changes in downtown, and how local entrepreneurs are adapting
• The growing partnership between Geekdom, Launch SA, and the City of San Antonio
• The significance of the MIT REAP program and what it could mean for retention and growth of innovative companies in San Antonio
• The vital role of UT San Antonio’s downtown expansion in fueling local talent and entrepreneurship
• What success looks like for Geekdom and the broader ecosystem over the next decade—and how locals can get involved

For anyone following the economic and civic development of San Antonio, this episode offers a detailed look at how one institution is redefining its mission in a rapidly shifting landscape.

-- --

GET THE NEWSLETTERS

📬 Get Texas Field Notes, a short Friday dispatch on the places, trails, and people making San Antonio and Texas wilder and wiser. Free, most Fridays. Subscribe here.

-- --

FOLLOW CORY

🎥 Watch on YouTube
📸 Follow on Instagram
🔗 Connect on LinkedIn

-- --

CONNECT WITH BIGCITYSMALLTOWN

📸 Connect on Instagram
🔗 Join us on LinkedIn
🎬 Subscribe on YouTube

SPONSORS

🙌 Support the show & see our sponsors

THANK YOU

⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts
⭐ Rate us on Spotify

This week on bigcitysmalltown, filmmaker Ben Masters joins Cory Ames for an in-depth look at Texas’s rivers, conservation, and the stories behind Deep in the Heart 2: Texas Rivers out in theaters, now. 

Set beside a Hill Country creek, the conversation traces Masters’ journey from Amarillo to acclaimed wildlife filmmaker, uncovering what it takes to capture Texas’s landscapes on film and the social, ecological, and historical factors shaping the state’s water.

They discuss:

• The logistical and creative challenges of filming Texas wildlife

• How rivers have shaped Texas’s cities, towns, and ecosystems

• The complicated legacy of dam building and water infrastructure in the state

• Why community-driven conservation efforts are crucial for the future of Texas rivers

• The lessons learned from restoration victories, like the recovery of the Neches River

• What Texans can do to support vibrant, healthy waterways for generations to come

Deep in the Heart 2 opens a window on familiar landscapes, exploring both what’s been lost and what’s possible if Texans invest in stewardship and sustainable water management.

-- --

GET THE NEWSLETTERS

📬 Get Texas Field Notes, a short Friday dispatch on the places, trails, and people making San Antonio and Texas wilder and wiser. Free, most Fridays. Subscribe here.

-- --

FOLLOW CORY

🎥 Watch on YouTube
📸 Follow on Instagram
🔗 Connect on LinkedIn

-- --

CONNECT WITH BIGCITYSMALLTOWN

📸 Connect on Instagram
🔗 Join us on LinkedIn
🎬 Subscribe on YouTube

SPONSORS

🙌 Support the show & see our sponsors

THANK YOU

⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts
⭐ Rate us on Spotify

This week on bigcitysmalltown, we examine the newly redrawn Congressional District 35 and its implications for San Antonio, Bexar County, and surrounding rural communities. As political lines shift, so do the issues and challenges facing candidates and residents in the district.

Bob sits down with Johnny Garcia, Democratic candidate and sheriff’s deputy, to discuss the stakes of this pivotal race, the changing demographics of District 35, and how national partisan dynamics are playing out on deeply local terms.

They discuss:

• How redistricting has transformed District 35, shifting its profile from an Austin-anchored stronghold to a district rooted in San Antonio and neighboring counties
• The impact of national politics and party strategies on local races in Texas
• Garcia’s law enforcement background and how it shapes his approach to public safety, immigration, and criminal justice reform
• Economic challenges faced by local businesses, workers, and families—especially in the context of tariffs, inflation, and affordable housing
• The importance of grassroots engagement, earning the Latino and young voter support, and the role of outside money and national figures in the race

As early voting approaches, this conversation provides insight into one of Texas’ most consequential congressional races and the issues at the heart of San Antonio’s future.

-- --

GET THE NEWSLETTER

📰 If you enjoyed this conversation, sign up for Bob Rivard's Midweek — sharp takes on San Antonio's politics, culture, and civic life, delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Independent, nonpartisan, and free to read.

Subscribe here.

-- --

CONNECT

📸 Connect on Instagram

🔗 Join us on LinkedIn

🎥 Subscribe on YouTube

SPONSORS

🙌 Support the show & see our sponsors

THANK YOU

⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

⭐ Rate us on Spotify

This week on bigcitysmalltown, we focus on the future of San Antonio and other Southwestern cities through the lens of urban design, infrastructure, and climate resilience. 

Bob sits down with Duke Reiter, architect, educator, and founder of the Ten Across initiative, to examine the challenges and opportunities facing the cities connected by Interstate 10—from water scarcity and aging infrastructure to rapid growth, affordable housing, and the realities of climate change.

Their conversation explores why San Antonio is at the crossroads—literally and figuratively—for issues shaping the region’s future, how public-private partnerships like the new Central Texas Alliance can bridge gaps between local and state government, and what lessons from Phoenix might inform San Antonio’s evolution.

They discuss:

• The origins and goals of the Ten Across project
• How Southwestern cities are coping with water shortages and infrastructure strains
• Prospects for mass transit, rail, and new mobility solutions in rapidly growing metro areas
• The impact of data centers, energy demands, and economic development along I-10
• Emerging issues around affordable housing and university expansion in downtown cores
• How San Antonio and Phoenix are responding—or failing to respond—to heat, extreme weather, and climate adaptation planning

If you want a clear-eyed look at the forces shaping San Antonio’s next decades, this episode brings regional perspective to local challenges.

-- --

GET THE NEWSLETTER

📰 If you enjoyed this conversation, sign up for Bob Rivard's Midweek — sharp takes on San Antonio's politics, culture, and civic life, delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Independent, nonpartisan, and free to read.

Subscribe here.

-- --

CONNECT

📸 Connect on Instagram

🔗 Join us on LinkedIn

🎥 Subscribe on YouTube

SPONSORS

🙌 Support the show & see our sponsors

THANK YOU

⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

⭐ Rate us on Spotify

This week on bigcitysmalltown, we take a closer look at one of San Antonio’s cornerstone cultural institutions as it enters its centennial year—the Witte Museum. Marking 100 years since its founding in 1926, the Witte continues to serve as the city’s foremost museum of nature, science, and Texas heritage.

Bob sits down with Michelle Cuellar Everidge, President and CEO of the Witte, to dissect the museum’s deep local roots, its evolving role in the community, and the challenges and opportunities that come with stewarding a historic collection in a rapidly changing city.

They discuss:

• The museum’s origins, including its earliest collections and civic partnerships

• The ongoing responsibility to document, preserve, and interpret Texas’s prehistoric and indigenous narratives—such as the famed White Shaman Preserve in Val Verde County

• How the Witte’s expansion, including its educational programming and acquisition of the Herzberg Circus Collection, shapes accessibility for local schoolchildren and families

• The broader landscape of San Antonio’s museums: how collaboration and competition influence cultural growth across the city

• What’s ahead for the Witte as it looks beyond its 100th anniversary, including upcoming exhibitions and a focus on fostering a “curious generation” of Texans

For listeners invested in the institutions that define San Antonio—and the larger questions of how those institutions serve and reflect their communities—this episode offers an in-depth look at the past, present, and future of the Witte Museum.

-- --

GET THE NEWSLETTER

📰 If you enjoyed this conversation, sign up for Bob Rivard's Midweek — sharp takes on San Antonio's politics, culture, and civic life, delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Independent, nonpartisan, and free to read.

Subscribe here.

-- --

CONNECT

📸 Connect on Instagram

🔗 Join us on LinkedIn

🎥 Subscribe on YouTube

SPONSORS

🙌 Support the show & see our sponsors

THANK YOU

⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

⭐ Rate us on Spotify

This week on bigcitysmalltown, we look at how UT San Antonio's Klesse College of Engineering is driving new ambition among San Antonio students—and earning global attention in the process. 

As UT San Antonio continues its evolution into a Tier 1 research institution, the experience of freshman-led Team 210 Robotics provides a window into both the campus culture and the resources shaping today’s engineering talent.

Host Bob Rivard is joined by Israel Elizondo and Dyshana Torres, two undergraduates whose team won the 2026 Siemens Immersive Design Competition, an international challenge with 1,900 entries from 350 universities worldwide. Their winning project—RoboRowdy—automates 3D print farms, showcasing both technical skill and initiative.

They discuss:

• How a student-driven idea grew inside a UT San Antonio dorm and became a winning global engineering project

• The processes, faculty support, and university investment behind Team 210’s success

• What it means for San Antonio—and for UT San Antonio—to compete on a world stage alongside Princeton, Georgia Tech, and international universities

• What’s changing for local students as programs, internships, and research expand at UTSA

• Personal stories from Israel and Dyshana about college access, scholarships, and navigating first-generation experiences

• The role of immersive engineering, virtual reality, and AI in shaping education and careers for San Antonio’s next generation

Tune in for a candid conversation about opportunity, preparation, and change at one of the city’s fastest-evolving institutions.

-- --

GET THE NEWSLETTER

📰 If you enjoyed this conversation, sign up for Bob Rivard's Midweek — sharp takes on San Antonio's politics, culture, and civic life, delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Independent, nonpartisan, and free to read.

Subscribe here.

-- --

CONNECT

📸 Connect on Instagram

🔗 Join us on LinkedIn

🎥 Subscribe on YouTube

SPONSORS

🙌 Support the show & see our sponsors

THANK YOU

⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

⭐ Rate us on Spotify

This week on bigcitysmalltown, we take a close look at the evolution of solar energy in San Antonio, a city that now leads Texas and ranks among the top five in the nation for solar capacity. As CPS Energy’s long-running rebate programs wind down and the policy landscape shifts, what does the future hold for local solar initiatives—and for the residents and businesses looking to take part?

In conversation with Robert Miggins, CEO and co-founder of Big Sun Solar, the discussion explores how commercial solar has changed over the past decade, examines San Antonio’s municipal solar project—the largest in Texas, and the second largest in the U.S.—and unpacks how regulatory and economic factors have shaped the city’s unique position in the energy sector.

Topics include:

• The impact of policy changes and waning rebates on San Antonio’s solar growth
• How cost, regulation, and the utility landscape affect solar adoption across the state
• Details and outcomes of the City of San Antonio’s major municipal solar project
• The new community solar initiative making solar accessible to renters and apartment dwellers
• The evolving role of solar, wind, and battery storage in Texas’ energy future

Tune in for an in-depth conversation about the opportunities and challenges facing solar energy in San Antonio, and what it means for the city’s future.

-- --

GET THE NEWSLETTER

📰 If you enjoyed this conversation, sign up for Bob Rivard's Midweek — sharp takes on San Antonio's politics, culture, and civic life, delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Independent, nonpartisan, and free to read.

Subscribe here.

-- --

CONNECT

📸 Connect on Instagram

🔗 Join us on LinkedIn

🎥 Subscribe on YouTube

SPONSORS

🙌 Support the show & see our sponsors

THANK YOU

⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

⭐ Rate us on Spotify

This week on bigcitysmalltown, we examine how San Antonio is preparing for—and managing—the increasing threat of extreme heat. As another sweltering summer grips the city, heat is no longer just an annual inconvenience but a growing risk to public health, infrastructure, and the local economy.

Cory Ames speaks with Laura Patiño, Director of the Department of Resilience and Sustainability for the City of San Antonio. The conversation focuses on the city’s new Heat Resiliency Playbook, what makes San Antonio’s climate challenges distinct, and how neighborhoods most affected by heat are shaping the response.

They discuss:

• What the data reveals about the rise in extreme heat days in San Antonio
• How heat impacts everything from electricity bills and public health to transportation and tourism
• Strategies in the Heat Resiliency Playbook: from cool pavements and tree planting to resilience hubs
• Tracking the effectiveness of solutions—and the challenges of funding and coordination across departments
• Why keeping heat resilience a priority is critical for San Antonio’s future

For a closer look at a city adapting to new climate realities, listen wherever you get your podcasts or visit bigcitysmalltown.com.

-- --

GET THE NEWSLETTER

📰 If you enjoyed this conversation, sign up for Bob Rivard's Midweek — sharp takes on San Antonio's politics, culture, and civic life, delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Independent, nonpartisan, and free to read.

Subscribe here.

-- --

CONNECT

📸 Connect on Instagram

🔗 Join us on LinkedIn

🎥 Subscribe on YouTube

SPONSORS

🙌 Support the show & see our sponsors

THANK YOU

⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

⭐ Rate us on Spotify

This week on bigcitysmalltown, we examine the latest ALICE data and the stark realities of financial hardship facing working families in San Antonio and Bexar County. 

According to a new report from UnitedforALICE and United Way, 44% of local households are struggling to afford basic needs—even when earning more than twice the federal poverty line.

Host Cory Ames is joined by Stephanie Smith of United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County, and Jonathan Gurwitz, United Way board member and partner at K. Harvey Brand Partners, to break down what the ALICE numbers reveal and what they mean for the city’s present and future.

They discuss:

• What ALICE means, how this data set is developed, and how it differs from federal poverty measurements
• The specific challenges impacting working families, including childcare, housing, and stagnant wages
• How local factors—from citywide childcare initiatives to workforce training programs—are addressing, or failing to address, the needs of nearly half the county
• The complex causes and cascading effects of financial strain on mental health, physical well-being, and the broader community
• What policymakers, business leaders, and citizens should take away from this data as San Antonio considers budget priorities, new legislation, and future investments

For a clear-eyed look at how economic realities are shaping San Antonio—and the responses underway to meet those challenges—listen wherever you get your podcasts, or visit bigcitysmalltown.com.

-- --

GET THE NEWSLETTER

📰 If you enjoyed this conversation, sign up for Bob Rivard's Midweek — sharp takes on San Antonio's politics, culture, and civic life, delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Independent, nonpartisan, and free to read.

Subscribe here.

-- --

CONNECT

📸 Connect on Instagram

🔗 Join us on LinkedIn

🎥 Subscribe on YouTube

SPONSORS

🙌 Support the show & see our sponsors

THANK YOU

⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

⭐ Rate us on Spotify

This week on bigcitysmalltown, we turn our attention to Knight Aerospace—an innovative San Antonio company with a global footprint, yet little name recognition. Based at Port San Antonio, Knight Aerospace specializes in creating advanced modular systems for military and government aircraft, enabling rapid transformation for missions ranging from medical evacuations to VIP transport.

Bob sits down with Bianca Rhodes, CEO and president of Knight Aerospace, to examine her journey from the Rio Grande Valley to the helm of a company at the intersection of manufacturing, medicine, and aviation. The discussion traces the company’s evolution, how the region’s educational and business infrastructure shapes its workforce, and where San Antonio fits in the broader aerospace and biomedical landscape.

They discuss:

• The origins and unique business model of Knight Aerospace

• How the company pivoted during the Ebola and COVID-19 crises

• The realities—and opportunities—facing women in aerospace and manufacturing in San Antonio

• San Antonio’s economic and educational challenges, and what’s needed for the city to reach its potential

• Rhodes’ faith and commitment to educational outreach, workforce development, and her work with local nonprofits

For those interested in how local industry, education, and civic leadership intersect in San Antonio’s growth story, this conversation provides a grounded look at both the possibilities and the obstacles ahead.

RECOMMENDED NEXT LISTEN:

▶️ #98. Public School Funding in Texas: What San Antonio’s Business Leaders Want Lawmakers to Fix – Host Bob Rivard sits down with top business leaders Mario Barrera and Luis Rodriguez to tackle the urgent crisis facing public education funding in San Antonio. If you care about the city’s economic future and the challenges local schools face, this episode delivers an essential look at how funding decisions today will shape tomorrow’s workforce.

-- --

GET THE NEWSLETTER

📰 If you enjoyed this conversation, sign up for Bob Rivard's Midweek — sharp takes on San Antonio's politics, culture, and civic life, delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Independent, nonpartisan, and free to read.

Subscribe here.

-- --

CONNECT

📸 Connect on Instagram

🔗 Join us on LinkedIn

🎥 Subscribe on YouTube

SPONSORS

🙌 Support the show & see our sponsors

THANK YOU

⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

⭐ Rate us on Spotify