The Love Shack Boutique has participated in the annual Marine Toys for Tots Foundation for the past four years. However, this holiday season, Amy Gonzalez, the owner of the San Antonio adult store, said Toys for Tots denied her business from participating as a donation site.

Gonzalez told MySA she was taken aback when she received the rejection email at the end of November. She said this year would have been the fifth toy drive with the foundation. Gonzalez said she attempted to plea her case to Toys for Tots, saying her business shouldn't have anything to do with the mission to help children in need.

"We've been successful and haven't had any issues," Gonzalez said of the toy drives over the years, adding that the Toys for Tots - San Antonio chapter told her that her business "wasn't a good fit" for the foundation.

Love Shack Boutique's mission

Twelve years ago, Gonzalez said she opened the Love Shack Boutique to empower individuals and provide a space where people can buy products for sexual health, wellness and pleasure. While the mission remains a focus, Gonzalez said the business has evolved into a community resource.

"Doctors refer patients to us. We do an annual food drive for the food bank. We work with the San Antonio AIDS Foundation...We are very active in our community, and that's why I was taken back by this organization that we've been supporting for many years saying 'no thanks'," Gonzalez said.

Toys for Tots distributes more than 677 million toys to over 301 million children in the country. The San Antonio chapter has distributed over 45,000 toys to nearly 14,000 children in Bexar County. This season, the local chapter has drop-off sites at many locations, including a few bars and a vape shop.

"It just doesn't make sense to me," Gonzalez said. "They let a vape shop set up and liquor stores set up boxes. Why are we being called out?"

MySA has reached out to Toys for Tots for a comment on the matter.

Toy drive continues

Over the years, Gonzalez said certain organizations have rejected her donations and support. When it first occurred in 2015, she said she felt "really defeated." Gonzalez said she still gets emotional when it happens but added it doesn't stop her from finding an organization that needs help.

Since she emailed her customers about the rejection, Gonzalez said she's been flooded with organizations and nonprofits willing to accept the toys from her drive. She plans on continuing the toy drive at both of her locations from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, December 7. The locations are at 1580 Babcock Road, San Antonio, TX 78229 and 10038 Potranco Road, Suite 105, San Antonio, TX 78251.

"We're still going to have the toy drive, and we're still going to help out children in our local community. This isn't going to deter us," Gonzalez said.

WASHINGTON —

Lost in much of the debate over "hostage diplomacy" after last week's rare prisoner swap between the U.S. and China is that in addition to the three Americans, three Uyghurs were on the flight from China. The exchange highlights Beijing's persecution of ethnic minorities prompting renewed international scrutiny.

A U.S. State Department spokesperson confirmed to VOA that the three Uyghurs were on the flight but declined to provide additional details "out of respect for their privacy."

"The Biden-Harris Administration has continuously advocated for cases of humanitarian concern, including Uyghurs," the spokesperson told VOA. "We are pleased that these [Uyghur] individuals are home with their families."

Among those freed was 73-year-old Ayshem Mamut, the mother of prominent Uyghur rights advocate and Uyghur American lawyer Nury Turkel.

According to Turkel, the last time he saw his mother was 20 years ago, when she traveled to Washington for his graduation from American University.

"Her last trip to the U.S. was in the summer of 2004, when she came to D.C. with my late father for my law school graduation," Turkel told VOA.

Turkel's parents stayed in the U.S. for about five months before returning to China. Since then, his mother had been barred from leaving the country.

"The Chinese authorities never specifically said why my parents couldn't leave the country," Turkel said. "However, I believe a travel ban was imposed on my parents because of my decades-long advocacy work and my U.S. government service from 2020 to 2024."

Turkel served as a commissioner and chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) from 2020 to 2024. In response to his advocacy for religious freedom for oppressed communities, he was sanctioned by China in 2021 and Russia in 2022.

Turkel described the reunion with his mother as a profoundly emotional moment, crediting years of persistent advocacy by individuals and institutions across multiple U.S. administrations.

"This reunion is a testament to the U.S. government's steadfast commitment to human rights and justice for the Uyghur people," Turkel said. "I am so proud of our country and leadership at the highest level — President [Joe] Biden, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Secretary [Antony] Blinken and countless national security professionals invested so much time and energy over the years."

He added that the reunion has been transformative for his mother.

"For my mother, this moment represents a rebirth of joy and humanity," Turkel said.

"After decades apart, she can finally experience the love and laughter of her grandchildren — a connection that transcends the pain of separation and reminds us of the enduring power of family. She is profoundly grateful to those who made this reunion possible, especially Ambassador Nick Burns, whose compassionate actions reflect the best of humanity."

Advocates push for continued U.S. action

Rayhan Asat, a fellow at the Atlantic Council and a Uyghur lawyer whose brother, Ekpar Asat, remains imprisoned in China, welcomed the release but called for continued efforts to secure freedom for other Uyghurs.

"I urge President Biden to secure Ekpar's release and bring him home during the remainder of his presidency. His continued imprisonment sends a chilling message that participating in U.S. programs comes with grave risk," Asat told VOA.

Ekpar Asat was sentenced to 15 years in prison after participating in a U.S.-China cultural exchange program organized by the State Department.

"As the Ambassador emphasized today, the state of U.S.-China relations hinges on the choices China makes, including its support for unjust wars. One of those choices must be to end the ongoing genocide against the Uyghur people," Asat added.

Ferkat Jawdat, another Uyghur American advocate, expressed mixed emotions about the release. Jawdat has lobbied U.S. administrations to secure the freedom of his mother, whom he has not seen since 2006. She has been barred from leaving China for nearly two decades.

"While I'm very happy for @nuryturkel and his family's reunion with their mother, I'm very sad that my mom was excluded from this," he wrote. "I've been asking the U.S. government for years for the same when I met with former Secretary of State @mikepompeo and @SecBlinken," Jawdat said in a tweet on social media platform X.

Turkel offered a message of hope and resilience to the global Uyghur community, encouraging them to remain steadfast in their advocacy.

"To my Uyghur communities around the world, I urge you to hold onto hope and faith," Turkel said. "My family's reunion is a living testament to the possibility of change, even in the face of immense challenges. Share your stories, advocate for your loved ones, and know that your voices matter."

He emphasized that international attention and tireless efforts are making a difference.

"The world is listening, and there are people tirelessly working for justice and reconnecting families like ours," he added. "Together, our resilience and solidarity can pave the way for others to experience similar moments of joy and relief."

Texas fans are not happy about their mascot being barred from the SEC Championship Game, aka the Longhorns and Bulldogs rematch, this weekend. So, naturally, they decided to do something about it.

Bevo XV, the steer at nearly every Texas football game, will not be in attendance because there isn’t enough space on the sidelines to accommodate his enclosure, SEC officials told The Athletic. However, Georgia's Bulldog, Uga XI, will be at the game, which prompted Texas fans to call out the SEC on social media and through a petition.

The Change.org petition has around 6,000 verified signatures as of Friday, December 6. Longhorn Nation described the issue in the petition as an "exclusion" that "feels like an unnecessary cut, particularly when the game was already set in Georgia."

"We believe this to be an unbalanced decision by the SEC, favoring Georgia by permitting their mascot while barring ours," Texas fans wrote in the description. "Bevo is a symbol of our school spirit and unity, a rallying point for our team that cannot be sidelined or silenced. We wish to underscore the fact that this imbalance tarnishes the sporting spirit of the SEC Championship."

Texas fans then went on to say they are "calling on the SEC to consider and rectify their decision" and encouraged other fans to "stand up for our school, our team, and most importantly, for Bevo" and sign their petition. MySA reached out to the petition starter for comment.

And let's not forget this also means that the iconic meeting between the two mascots since their 2019 viral moment has once again been postponed. Uga did not make the trip to Austin on October 19 when the Bulldogs upset the Longhorns, who were ranked No. 1 in the nation.

Texas and Georgia will face off for a second time this season on Saturday, December 7, but this time in Atlanta. The No. 2 Longhorns are seeking redemption for their only loss this season, while the No. 5 Bulldogs are back in the championship game for the fourth-straight year.

All that to say, the stakes are high and tensions are even higher as Texas fans want the Longhorns to take home the W this Saturday with their beloved mascot by their side. @UTBarstool on X, a diehard Texas fan account, posted the link to a petition to, "Reinstate Bevo's Right to Attend the SEC Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium."

MySA reached out to the SEC for comment on Bevo.

For the second straight year, District 26-6A rivals Westlake and Lake Travis met in the state quarterfinals in a showdown of Central Texas' top two programs. And for the second straight year, it's the Chaparrals who'll be playing in the state semifinals.

Westlake held on for a 24-17 win Friday night at Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex. Two late interceptions by Elliott Schaper and George Jones sealed Westlake's victory.

There were three other state quarterfinals going on Friday night involving Austin-area teams:

∙ Vandegrift beat San Antonio Harlan 47-14 at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos in Class 6A Division II.

∙ Wimberley held on for a 36-33 win over Sinton in San Antonio in the Class 4A Division II regional final.

∙ Llano fell to Edna 41-14 in San Antonio in the Class 3A Division I regional final.

WATCH THE UIL PLAYOFFS ON NFHS NETWORK

This was our thread for live updates and scores from the Westlake vs. Lake Travis showdown as well as for Vandegrift-S.A. Harlan, Wimberley-Sinton and Llano-Edna:

Central Texas playoff updates

∙ Class 6A Division I: Westlake def. Lake Travis 24-17

∙ Class 6A Division II: Vandegrift led San Antonio Harlandale 25-7 at halftime in San Marcos.

∙ Class 4A Division II: Wimberley leads Sinton 36-19 after Cody Stoever's 98-yard touchdown pass to Nolan Waida. There's 7 minutes left in San Antonio.

∙ Class 3A Division II: Llano will lose to Edna; the Yellowjackets trail 41-14 with 2 minutes to go in San Antonio.

Westlake beats Lake Travis 24-17

Westlake has beaten Lake Travis 24-17 in their Class 6A Division I state quarterfinal playoff game at the Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex.

Lake Travis' last-chance drive had the Cavaliers inside Westlake's 25-yard line, but Chaps defensive back George Jones picked off a Chaston Ditta pass to secure Westlake's 24-17 win.

(Jones, who once attended Lake Travis, also had two picks in Westlake's win over the Cavs on Oct. 25.)

Westlake (13-1) will play the winner of Saturday's Galena Park North Shore-Humble Atascocita game in next week's Class 6A Division I state semifinals. That game will kick off at Katy Legacy Stadium at 2 p.m. regardless of Westlake's opponent.

Lake Travis down to its final drive

There's 1:30 left in the Westlake-Lake Travis Class 6A Division I state quarterfinal. The Chaps still lead 24-17, but turned away a Lake Travis drive that had reached Westlake's 10-yard line. The Cavs' first two plays faltered. Both were running plays. And on third down, Chaston Ditta was forced to scramble and Westlake's Elliott Schaper picked off Ditta's pass, giving the Chaps the ball with 3:42 left.

The Cavaliers, however, forced a Westlake punt and Lake Travis has the ball at Westlake's 38-yard line with 1:30 left to play, trailing the Chaps 24-17.

Llano cuts into Edna lead

Down in San Antonio, Llano quarterback Luke Davis' 18-yard touchdown pass to RJ Coplin has cut Edna's lead to 27-14 with three minutes left in the third quarter of their Class 3A Division II regional final.

Westlake goes on top of Lake Travis

Westlake has retaken the lead over Lake Travis in their Class 6A Division I state quarterfinal playoff game at Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex. Rees Wise's 17-yard touchdown pass to running back Brandon Clark has the Chaps leading 24-17 with :39 left in the third quarter.

Clark also had a 21-yard catch to start what became a three-play scoring drive following the Lake Travis turnover.

Update: No, Lake Travis did not capitalize on Westlake's mistake

Over at Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex, Lake Travis has squandered its opportunity after it had recovered a Westlake fumble. The Cavs have just fumbled it right back; after Chaston Ditta found Patrick Colby for a 15-yard gain, Westlake's Thompson Bennett punched it look and the Chaps recovered.

Still in the third quarter. Still 17-17.

Vandegrift is looking good at halftime

Down at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos, Vandegrift is leading San Antonio Harlan 25-7 at halftime. Vipers quarterback Miles Teodecki has thrown for 234 yards and three touchdowns and Brendan Fournier has scored on a 3-yard touchdown run. And the Vipers' defense has made two fourth-down stops.

Vandegrift has never trailed.

Will Lake Travis capitalize on Westlake's mistake?

Lake Travis has seized momentum in the second half of their Class 6A Division I state quarterfinal with Westlake. Now what will the Cavaliers do with it?

Lake Travis trailed 17-10 at halftime, but quickly took control of this game by forcing a three-and-out on Westlake's opening drive of the first half. The Cavs then quickly marched downfield and tied the game 17-17 on a Chaston Ditta touchdown pass to Patrick Colby. And now, on Westlake's ensuing drive, Chaps running back Grady Bartlett fumbled and Lake Travis' Lawson Watkins recovered.

The Cavs have the ball.

Central Texas playoff scores, updates

∙ Class 6A DI: Westlake 17, Lake Travis 17 (3rd)

∙ Class 6A DII: Vandegrift 25, San Antonio Harlan 7 (halftime)

∙ Class 4A DII: Wimberley 29, Sinton 12 (halftime)

∙ Class 3A DII: Edna 20, Llano 7 (3rd)

Lake Travis pulls even with Westlake

Lake Travis has tied Westlake 17-17 on Chaston Ditta's 7-yard touchdown pass to Patrick Colby. There's 6:26 left in the third quarter.

Westlake, Lake Travis are in the third quarter

... and the Chaps opened the second half with a three-and-out series.

One note courtesy of our own Jay Plotkin, who's covering tonight's game at Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex: with his first-quarter touchdown run, Lake Travis running back Vann Hopping has 29 rushing touchdowns this season, which ties Shaun Nixon (2013) for the school record.

Westlake leading Lake Travis at halftime

They're at halftime at Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex. Westlake leads Lake Travis 17-10 in their Class 6A Division I regional final.

The Chaps avoided some late drama right before halftime. Westlake went for it on fourth-and-1 from its own 47-yard line with less than a minute left. But Lake Travis defenders stuffed Westlake's Elliott Schaper (yes, the linebacker) to take advantage at midfield. But the Cavs couldn't do anything with the opportunity.

Westlake will get the ball to start the second half.

Other Central Texas playoff updates:

∙ Class 6A DII: Vandegrift 0, San Antonio Harlan 0 in the first half in San Marcos.

∙ Class 4A DII: Wimberley leads Sinton 14-12 at halftime in San Antonio.

∙ Class 3A DII: Edna is leading Llano 20-6 at halftime in San Antonio.

Westlake leads Lake Travis nearing halftime

There's 2:20 left in the first half at Kelly Reeves Stadium. Westlake leads Lake Travis 17-10.

The Cavs were trailing 17-7 and faced fourth-and-goal from the 1, but the play was spoiled by a false start penalty. So head coach Hank Carter opted for a 23-yard field goal from Braydon Doane.

Earlier in the second quarter, Lake Travis gambled on a fourth-and-1 from its own 31-yard line and failed to convert. The Chaps turned the short field into a 17-7 lead on Grady Bartlett's 4-yard touchdown run.

Meanwhile, down in San Antonio, Edna is leading Llano 20-6 in the 2nd quarter.

Westlake ties Lake Travis in first quarter

Well, that didn't take long. Westlake has answered Lake Travis' early touchdown with a touchdown of its own. Rees Wise found Cash Robin for a 37-yard pass that proved to be the big play of the drive. Wise punched it in from 5 yards out to tie the game up 7-7 with 8:03 left in the 1st quarter.

Were you expecting a defensive battle tonight? Not so far.

Lake Travis takes early lead over Westlake

Lake Travis has gone up 7-0 early in its Class 6A Division I regional final against Westlake at Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex. Cavs quarterback Chaston Ditta hit Josiah Thomas for a 55-yard gain, and then Ditta's 17-yard keeper run set up Vann Hopping's 2-yard touchdown run with 10:42 left in the 1st quarter.

Chaps, Cavs are ready to kick off

They're about to kick off at Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex. We've got two writers there: Rick Cantu and Jay Plotkin.

Here's a pregame weather update from Jay: "It's chilly and windy, but so far dry. Let's hope it stays that way."

State semifinals info for Westlake ... or Lake Travis

Regardless of who wins tonight's Class 6A Division I regional final at Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex, next week's Class 6A Division I state semifinal will see either the Chaps or the Cavaliers traveling to the Houston area.

The Westlake/Lake Travis winner will play the winner of Saturday's 2 p.m. Galena Park North Shore vs. Humble Atascocita quarterfinal in the state semifinals at 2 p.m. at Katy Legacy Stadium.

Tonight's playoff schedule for Central Texas teams

We've got five teams still alive and four state quarterfinals tonight, as Westlake and Lake Travis are playing each other.

Class 6A, Division I: Lake Travis (12-1) vs. Westlake (12-1), 7 p.m., Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex

Class 6A, Division II: Vandegrift (12-1) vs. San Antonio Harlan (12-1), 7:30 p.m., UFCU Stadium in San Marcos

Class 4A, Division II: Wimberley (11-2) vs. Sinton (13-0), 7:30 p.m., Harlandale Memorial Stadium in San Antonio.

Class 3A, Division I: Llano (12-1) vs. Edna (12-1), 7 p.m., Heroes Stadium in San Antonio

‌‌

‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌

Featured Articles

‌‌‌Read it now

“An essential read for anyone dealing with the aftermath of a truck wreck” – Attorney Cory Carlson

Leave a CommentKnow something we don’t? Leave a comment to let us know.

*We appreciate your feedback and welcome anyone to comment on our blog entries, however all visitor blog comments must be approved by the site moderator prior to showing live on the site. By submitting a blog comment you acknowledge that your post may appear live on the site for any visitors to see, pending moderator approval. The operators of this site are not responsible for the accuracy or content of the comments made by site visitors. By submitting a comment, blog post, or email to this site you acknowledge that you may receive a response with regard to your questions or concerns. If you contact Grossman Law Offices using this online form, your message will not create an attorney-client relationship and will not necessarily be treated as privileged or confidential! You should not send sensitive or confidential information via the Internet. Since the Internet is not necessarily a secure environment, it is not possible to ensure that your message sent via the Internet might be kept secure and confidential. When you fill out a contact or comment form, send us an email directly, initiate a chat session or call us, you acknowledge we may use your contact information to communicate with you in the future for marketing purposes, but such marketing will always be done in an ethical way.