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The top San Antonio stories of the year included allegations of domestic violence involving a top mayoral candidate, the immigration crackdown at the border and its impact on the city, and repeated questions about the slow-moving $450 million makeover of Alamo Plaza.

Greg and Annalisa Brockhouse at the Brockhouse election night party at Violas Ventanas on June 8. The couple now says Annalisa Brockhouse filed a false police report and a 2009 domestic violence incident didnt happen. But evasions during the campaign make it difficult to know what to believe.

A top story prize goes to Greg Brockhouse, an ambitious former councilman who would have bested Mayor Ron Nirenberg at the ballot box if not for an unfortunate incident in his past that he thought he had nipped in the bud.

In 2009, Brockhouses wife, Annalisa, called 911 to report that her husband, who had recently lost his job and had been drinking a lot, grabbed her and threw her to the ground. She told police that Brockhouse was trying to hit her and she kept trying to push him off, according to a police report.

After the Express-News obtained the report and revealed its contents in March inconveniently, in the heat of the mayors race Brockhouse repeatedly denied to local media that he knew anything about it. Likewise, city officials insisted the report did not exist.

Story:Past domestic violence allegations emerge against mayoral candidate Greg Brockhouse

Amid the candidates evasions, a local movement sprang up dubbed Met: Diversity Defeating Violence, bringing renewed focus to the issue of domestic violence here, where at least 29 people were killed in family violence incidents last year.

Eventually, after Brockhouse lost the runoff election in June, he and his wife acknowledged in a television interview that she had called police and accused him of domestic violence. But Annalisa Brockhouse blamed herself and her postpartum depression for an argument that she said escalated to the point that she made a false police report against her husband.

Brockhouse admitted that he and his wife had arranged to have the report legally expunged: a process they initiated shortly before Brockhouse launched his first campaign for City Council.

Related:Annalisa Brockhouse says she called police on her husband in 2009 even though he never harmed her

This rendering shows the appearance of Alamo Plaza under a master plan that would include an interpretation of the south wall and historic main gate of the mission and 1836 battle compound, made of structural glass. Other features include a 135,000-square-foot museum; historic footings of the historic walls displayed under structural glass; and interpretation of an acequia, or water canal, on the west end of the plaza.

After years of planing and fundraising, the project finally got a green light for construction to begin, despite litigation involving historic cemetery claims, opposition to potential building demolitions and lingering concerns about pedestrian access to one of San Antonios most cherished public spaces.

The Texas General Land Office and nonprofit Alamo Trust now manage a portion of the citys Alamo Plaza that falls within the historic footprint of the Mission San Antonio Valero and 1836 Alamo compound. The $450 million, public-private renovation includes $100 million committed by the state and $38 million from the city.

Under the plan, much of the plaza that had been within the walls of the mission-fort will be lowered 18 inches and enclosed with a 42-inch-high wall. The projects first phase may start in February with the relocation of the 1930s Cenotaph from its current spot to the south end of the plaza.

Story:Legal battle looming over Alamo cemetery in downtown San Antonio

The Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation and Alamo Defenders Descendants Association have lawsuits pending against the Land Office, city and Texas Historical Commission that seek to force the project to include comprehensive studies on the location and boundaries of cemeteries at the Alamo, among other matters. Bones and partial skeletons have been found during excavatons in the Alamo church.

Another concern is possible demolition of the 1921 Woolworth Building for a museum to house a $15.5 million collection donated by rock singer Phil Collins. The building once housed one of several local lunch counters that peacefully integrated in 1960.

Related:After listening to intense criticism, San Antonio commission approves first phase of Alamo overhaul

A Border Patrol Agent rescues a seven year old boy from Honduras after he fell out of a make shift raft and lost hold of his mother as Border Patrol agents respond to three rafts crossing the Rio Grande River in Eagle Pass, on Friday, May 10, 2019.

The border was in turmoil all year. Immigration courts were closed due to the government shutdown and reopened, the citys migrant center opened and closed, and the fates of asylum-seekers after crossing the border altered drastically from getting released into the country as their court cases played out, to being detained and sent back to Mexico or Guatemala.

In the spring, the federal government proceeded with plans for more border wall, which was expected to slice through protected habitat, a butterfly center and the grounds of a small church. Environmentalists and indigenous groups began sounding the alarms, worried the steel bollards and 150-foot enforcement of the border wall would destroy their land. U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, eventually added language in a budget deal protecting many, though not all, of the threatened areas.

By the end of March, tens of thousands of migrants were crossing the border and presenting themselves to the Border Patrol: the highest monthly arrest figures in years. They overwhelmed Border Patrol stations, and the Trump administration began releasing hundreds every day in communities all along the border.

Story:'No other solution': With children in tow, mothers' journey ends in death at the border

Meanwhile, San Antonios bus station downtown became a highly trafficked way station as migrants arrived from the border on their way to stay with family sponsors around the country.

To deal with the influx, the city ran an emergency Migrant Resource Center, where it provided food, clothes, toiletries, toys and medical services. The migrants slept at Travis Park Church. Overall, the city - in partnership with Catholic Charities, the Interfaith Welcome Coalition and the Food Bank - aided more than 32,000 migrants. Most were asylum-seeking families from Central America, though waves of Cuban, Haitian and African migrants also arrived.

The flow of migrants slowed down in the fall, and the Trump administration issued a new, controversial policy: Migrant Protection Protocols, also known as Remain in Mexico. Border Patrol agents stopped releasing migrants into the U.S. and instead began sending them back into Mexico to await their hearings. There, migrants are being kidnapped and extorted by gangs and have little to no access to legal representation.

Related:Kidnapped and attacked in Mexico, migrants are giving up their asylum claims

Julin Castro, a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, carries a rose given to him by a supporter as he leaves a rally at Hemisfair Park in San Antonio April 10. His campaign should be measured with different yardstick.

Among the crop of Democratic candidates for president this year, arguably none was more fixated on the plight of undocumented immigrants than former Mayor Julin Castro, who visited an encampment of hundreds who were stranded by the Remain in Mexico program.

Castro has struggled to gain traction in the polls, but his ongoing candidacy is big news here, where he was born and raised and served as mayor for more than two terms.

Story:San Antonios Julin Castro aims at the rich with wealth inequality tax

Hes the only Latino whos running. He also was the first Democrat with an immigration plan. He called for decriminalizing border crossings, a proposal that transcended conventional arguments for immigration reform. He earned a burst of attention after the first debate when he lectured former El Paso Rep. Beto ORourke on a section of federal law that made crossing the border a criminal offense.

Long after ORourke dropped out, Castro remains in the race but didnt meet the polling threshold for the December debate.

Related:Julin Castro sees lift in polls despite being knocked off debate stage

Lake Dunlap property owners have created a model of collaboration with the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority that could work for other nearby lakes.

The Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority planned to drain lakes McQueeney, Placid, Meadow and Gonzales until more than 300 property owners sued to stop the agency from doing so.

Two other lakes on the Guadalupe River have disappeared after spill gates on the aging dams there collapsed without warning: Lake Wood in 2016 and Lake Dunlap in May. The GBRA, which owns the dams, ordered the four remaining lakes to be drained, saying the structures were old, unsafe and lacked funds for repair. The state agency also outlawed recreational activities at the lakes.

Story:End of an era: Imminent danger along the Guadalupe will force the drainage of four lakes

The legal action saved the lakes, and some of the bans on recreation have since been lifted. But the conflict is far from resolved. Those who are suing the GBRA argue the agency must repair or replace the six dams it owns, while the GBRA argues the law does not require replacing those structures.

Lake Dunlap property owners arent waiting for the courts. In October, they agreed to form a water control and improvement district and place it on a ballot, perhaps in November. If approved, the owners would tax themselves and the GBRA would kick in some money to repair the dam and refill the lake.

Related:Quest to limit GBRAs spending fails

Texas Organizing Project supporter Kevin Lemelle had his thoughts on his cape. Lemelle celebrated with fellow supporters after the San Antonio City Council voted 8-3 to pass a revised sick leave ordinance on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019. City Council members Rebecca Viagran, Manny Pelaez and Clayton H. Perry voted against the ordinance.

Another seemingly endless court battle the fight over paid sick leave roiled the City Council.

An ordinance requiring San Antonio employers to provide paid sick leave to an estimated 354,000 workers who dont get the benefit was scheduled to take effect Dec. 1. But that was before state District Judge Peter Sakai sided with a coalition of local firms and business groups that wanted to stop the law from taking effect while they challenge it in court.

Story:Judge stops San Antonios paid sick leave ordinance from taking effect

The law would require all companies and nonprofits to give part-time and full-time employees one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked. Progressive groups had gathered more than 140,000 signatures to put the matter to a vote in November 2018, but the City Council adopted the ordinance outright last August.

The coalition sued the city in July to invalidate it, arguing it violates the state constitution by requiring employers to do more than the states minimum wage law requires. The lawsuit was paused to allow a council-appointed commission to make revisions, but business groups revived their lawsuit in November.

Related:Over business leaders objections, San Antonio City Council approves revised sick leave ordinance

FILE PHOTO Jonathan Saenz, president of Texas Values, leads a press conference for Save Chick-fil-A Day for religious freedom in the central court outdoor rotunda at the Texas State Capitol.

Only slightly less controversial than paid sick leave was the City Councils decision in March to cut Chick-fil-A out of an airport concessions contract. Councilman Roberto Trevio led the charge to exclude the fast-food chain, citing its history of donating to faith-based organizations that oppose same-sex marriage.

Mayor Nirenberg, meanwhile, said the chain was excluded because it doesnt open on Sundays, when a lot of travelers pour through the airport.

Story:Chick-fil-A Alamodome: New documents shed light on S.A. City Councils controversial vote and a never-before-seen proposal

Coming amid the mayors race, this put some wind in the sails of Brockhouse, who was looking to distract voters from that pesky, previously mentioned police report. It also inflamed conservatives across Texas and led the Legislature to pass a bill that prohibits government entities from taking adverse action against a person or business based on an affiliation with a religious organization.

But Chick-fil-A flipped the script in November when it announced its foundation would halt donations to three faith-based groups, causing formerly sympathetic conservatives to suddenly spit out their chicken nuggets.

Related:Brockhouse apologizes to Chick-fil-A for San Antonios decision to remove restaurant from airport plan

Another major story this year explored evictions San Antonios high rate of evictions. Between 2011 and 2018, the number of eviction lawsuits filed in Bexar County rose by more than one-third, the largest jump among Texas's five most populous counties.

Teresa Garcia says the couple can barely make ends meet on their monthly income from Social Security and disability checks for Joe, who lost a leg from diabetes complications.

During that time, almost 86,000 cases ended with families losing their homes.

Story: Kicked Out: An Express-News investigation into evictions

Experts say the figure could be low because its impossible to know how many tenants left before going to court. Records dont show why people were evicted, either. But housing advocates suspect the growing number of evictions can be blamed on a number of things, including rising housing costs that have placed more people in financial jeopardy in San Antonio, recently ranked as the poorest large city in the country.

Housing advocates say some landlords are driving and profiting from the city's eviction epidemic. One San Antonio landlord, Bexar Met Property Management, was behind more than 900 eviction filings last year. The company controls 21 properties in San Antonio and has been accused of failing to make repairs and keeping shoddy accounting practices, even though it receives millions of dollars in federal rental subsidies each year.

Related:Kicked Out: How we reported this series

Another bad-news story this year was that of King Jay Davila, an 8-month-old infant who was reported kidnapped by his purported father, Christopher Davila, in early January after Davila stopped at a gas station.

The maternal grandmother of baby King Jay Davila watches with sorrow as doves are released during a Feb. 2 ceremony to remember her 8-month-old grandchild.

Police immediately noticed that Davilas story was suspect. Moments before he went inside the gas station, Davila checked twice to make sure the driver door to the car was unlocked, according to surveillance footage. Moments later, a woman later identified by police as Davilas cousin walked directly to the vehicle without hesitation, opened the drivers door, entered the vehicle and drove away.

Several days later, Davila changed his story and claimed King had died after the car seat holding the boy fell off a bed and hit the floor. He said he did not call 911 because he panicked. He led police to a Northeast Side field, where he had buried King in a backpack.

Story: Family of missing S.A. baby slam SAPD as authorities search a West Side park

Davila was arrested and charged with injury to a child causing serious bodily injury by omission, a first-degree felony, and tampering with evidence, along with two other unrelated charges.

Police also charged Davilas mother, Beatrice Sampayo, 64, and his cousin, Angie Torres, 45, with tampering with evidence for their roles in allegedly trying to cover up the death by helping stage the fake kidnapping.

Related:'That's my blood': Stunned to learn of King Jay's death, San Antonio man says baby is his son

Yet another high-profile crime occurred Jan. 10, when San Antonio hairstylist Nichol Leila Olsen and her two daughters were found shot to death in a luxury home in a gated subdivision in North Bexar County.

The relationship between Nichol Olsen and her boyfriend, Charles Wheeler, has come under intense scrutiny since Olsen and her two daughters were found shot to death in Wheelers home near Leon Springs on Jan. 10.

The deaths remain shrouded in mystery because the case is still open as the Bexar County Sheriffs Office and the FBI continue investigating. Authorities havent yet released any findings on what provoked the violence or who was responsible.

Olsen, 37, and her daughters, Clark High School cheerleader Alexa Denice Montez, 16, and Leon Springs Elementary student London Sophia Bribiescas, 10, were found close together in an upstairs hallway at a million-dollar house in the Anaqua Springs Ranch development. At the time, the residence was owned by Olsens boyfriend, Charles Edward Wheeler, now 32, a former rodeo competitor turned business owner in the oil field industry.

Story:A single mother, her millionaire boyfriend and how their storybook romance ended in horror

The Bexar County Medical Examiners Office quickly ruled Olsens death a suicide and her daughters deaths as homicides. Autopsies found Olsen and Montez had each been shot once in the head. Bribiescas suffered a gunshot wound to her head and neck. A handgun was found near Olsens body.

Within days of the shootings, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar described Wheeler as a person of interest, but not a suspect. More than 11 months later, sheriffs officials havent publicly cleared Wheeler, but now say they cannot discuss who is or isnt a potential person of interest in the case.Wheeler has never been charged. His attorneys denied that he committed any crime and said they welcomed the FBIs involvement in the case.

Related:Mourners reject suicide ruling in triple shooting at gated San Antonio-area community

Staff writers Silvia Foster-Frau, Peggy OHare, Emilie Eaton, Scott Huddleston and Marina Starleaf Riker contributed to this report.

Design by Mark Dunphy.

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The Express-News Stories of the Year 2019 - San Antonio Express-News