Gonzalez draws large crowd at his fundraiser

L-R: Congressman Charlie Gonzalez, Dr. Louis Escareno, former Councilman Roger Perez, former Spurs Player Mike Gale, Frank Gonzalez & former SAISD Board President Dr. William Elizondo, Valero Executive Kim Bowers, Judge Monica Guerrero, Barbie Scharf-Zeldes, Bexar County Commissioner Paul Elizondo, Robert Rodriguez, Cris Alderete, Judge Johnny Gabriel & wife, Construction Trades President Bob Salvatore, Valerie Grace, Bette Graham White, former County Judge John Longoria, Bill Merriman, event held in church

Congressman Charlie Gonzalez fundraiser was held at Sunset Station, Thursday, May 31st.

Charlie Gonzalez dresses like James Bond at event

L-R: Congressman Charlie Gonzalez with State Senator Leticia van de Putte's daughter, former Balcones Heights Councilman Steve Walker, former Bexar County Democratic Party Chair Joyce Peters, showgirl, Judge Karen Pozza & daughter, showgirl, Judge David Berchelman, Vegas poster, buffet, sign in workers, poster, poker material

Casino Politico, a fundraiser for Congressman Charlie Gonzalez was held at the Spires in the Sunset Station complex, Thursday, May 31st. Gonzalez wore a white tuxedo and carried a glass with olive in it in one hand and poker chips in the other, posing with guests as James Bond Agent 007.

Walker Report posts for the 1,300th time!

Steve Walker (photo)
Editor, Walker Report

The Walker Report just posted for the 1,300th time, and boy am I tired! We also hit 30,000 hits as of yesterday since January 10th when we put a sitemeter on the blog. Who knows how many visits we had before then. Can you say, "milestone?"

The Walker Report is moving right along. We are everywhere. We will cover the opening of a coke bottle if people show up! We have covered military, community, political (both parties & non-partisan) religious, educational, entertainment and who knows what next? Let us know and we will post it. Everybody is welcome. No personal attacks on anyone.

Always remembering that Walker Report is primarily a political blog, we are continually expanding and diversifying as we speak. Media views us as well as elected officials. KTSA's Chris Duel has us linked on his website as does Editor & Publisher Kathy Clay-Little on her African-American Reflections and of course publisher R.G. Griffing on his San Antonio Lightning. Can you say "diversity?"

Here is a recap of just some of the people, activities or events we have covered just this year.

• Former President Bill Clinton, Senators Hillary Clinton, John McCain, Charles Schumer, Ken Salazar & Robert Menendez, Congressmen Ciro Rodriguez, Charlie Gonzalez, Steny Hoyer, Nick Lamson, Sylvestre Reyes, other Presidential candidates Gov. Bill Richardson, Senator John Edwards, Mayor Rudy Guiliani
• Art-opening of the Smithsonian museum Museo de Alameda, Sculpture Dominion, SAMA exhibit featuring Fernando Botero, Fiesta related events
• Casa Navarro, UTSA Downtown & 1604 campus, SAISD related stories, (Agnes Cotton Elementary) Harlandale ISD postings, (dedication of Adams Elementary & Board) Memorial Day honoring military, numerous Generals featured, full coverage of the opening of the Center for the Intrepid at Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC)
• City Council races, future candidates for Congress & Sheriff
• and of course my favorite unbiased postings on-Red Light Cameras in Balcones Heights!!

We are looking to continue to cover every event possible and every day people, especially those that mainstream media sometimes forgets. We didn't get named second best blog in San Antonio for nothing. Next year we hope to be #1.

Steve Walker, Walker Report Editor

UTSA Professor receives $400,000 career award

by Kris Rodriguez (photo)

UTSA Public Affairs Specialist

Carola Wenk uses GPS Technology to determine real-time traffic conditions

Carola Wenk, assistant professor of computer science at The University of Texas at San Antonio, has been awarded a five-year, $400,000 Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to study geometric shape handling in theory in practice.

In Greece this past summer, Wenk, who joined UTSA in 2004, used data from GPS receivers in school buses and taxis to develop real-time traffic estimation and prediction systems.

“I would like to apply similar technology here in San Antonio and maintain a database for each road segment to determine current travel situations using GPS receivers in cars traveling all over this area,” said Wenk.

Wenk received her bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in math and computer science from Free University of Berlin and completed her post doctoral research at The University of Arizona in Tucson.

Earlier this month, she was the recipient of UTSA’s 2007 President's Distinguished Achievement Award for Research Achievement for Tenured and Tenure-Track Faculty.

The University of Texas at San Antonio is one of the premier institutions of higher education in South Texas and one of the fastest growing universities in the state. One of nine academic universities and six health institutions that comprise the UT System, UTSA is the second largest institution in the system. Celebrating its 37th anniversary, UTSA serves more than 28,300 students enrolled in 63 bachelor's, 43 master's and 20 doctoral degree programs.

Supporters gather at Mi Tierra for Lourdes Galvan

L-R: District 5 Council candidate Lourdes Galvan & husband, Robert, , Gina Castaneda, former County Judge John Longoria & Sheriff's Deputy Hector Delgado, Ray Lopez, Lupe Rodriguez, Gerardo Menchaca, Sheriff's Deputy Hector Delgado, JoAnn Ramon, Jaime Martinez & the Cesar Chavez committee, Yoli Arrellano, National LULAC Treasurer Jaime Martinez & Alice Guerra, District 5 Council candidate Lourdes Galvan & Jaime Martinez, San Antonio Police Officer's Association PAC Secretary Ervey Banda, Lourdes & PAC Chairman Felix Rendon