A San Antonio native actor brought a piece of Stars Hollow to Texas recently when he filmed a Panera Bread commercial in a Central Texas suburb. It’s no secret San Antonio’s northern enclaves are some of the ritziest in the area, but what ZIP code is its wealthiest? The answer may surprise you. Here are the top headlines readers clicked on this week:
‘Gilmore Girls’ duo reunited at Texas Panera for playful soup ad
San Antonio native Jared Padalecki starred in a new Panera Bread commercial promoting the chain’s fall soups, filmed at the Kyle location. Locals saw the restaurant closed with camera crews and later recognized it in the 60-second spot featuring Padalecki and fellow “Gilmore Girls” alum Matt Czuchry. The ad riffed on their on-screen rivalry as they bantered over which soup, including autumn squash, tasted best. Padalecki rose to fame on “Gilmore Girls” and later led “Supernatural” and “Walker,” and Panera operates multiple Texas cafes including in San Antonio.
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San Antonio’s wealth clustered in Northside ZIP codes, but downtown topped the list
San Antonio’s highest-earning ZIP codes were concentrated in northern Bexar County suburbs like Alamo Heights, Olmos Park and Terrell Hills, yet downtown’s 78205 posted the top average income at $237,000. Bexar County’s average income sat just under $76,000, trailing the state and big-county averages, while nearby Comal and Kendall counties averaged $113,000 and $163,000. Austin’s 78746 led Texas with a stunning $994,000 average.
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Texas congressman’s aide died after setting herself on fire; probe found no sign of others involved
Regina “Regi” Santos-Aviles, a regional director for U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, died after she poured gasoline on herself and was engulfed in flames in the backyard of her Uvalde home. Police said surveillance footage showed she was alone when the fire began, and investigators reported no indication of foul play while the medical examiner had not ruled on the cause and manner of death. Santos-Aviles had recently separated from her husband and shared parenting of their 8-year-old son. The case drew political scrutiny after a Gonzales campaign post appeared to use the Uvalde police chief’s title in an endorsement without authorization, prompting its removal…