Inside the Moon
Famous Mazochs A2
Columbian Peace Vote A6
The
Issue 658
Island Moon
The voice of The Island since 1996
November 24, 2016
Around The Island
By Dale Rankin You know fall has arrived on The Island when your Saturday morning alarm clock is .12 gauge. The duck season is in full bloom through Sunday so expect the cacophony to carry on along the Laguna Madre until then. The fishing continues to be good all over The Island. Anglers have been catching flounder in the canals and there are several reports of Spanish mackerel being caught from the beach fifteen to twenty miles down Padre Island National Seashore. Large trout have also been caught up and down area beaches. We can always tell when the fish are moving because the shores of Packery Channel by the bridge fill up with wade fisherpersons; maybe the mathematically inclined amongst us could come up with a formula there - 2 fisherpersons X 78-degree water = 10 SPH (Specks Per Hour). Offshore fishing has also reportedly been good on the days when the wind lays down enough to go out.
Red Light talkin’ The agenda for the next meeting of the Island Strategic Action Committee, 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, December 6, at Schlitterbahn, is not out yet but expect a discussion of the traffic light currently being installed at the SPID/Aquarius. The original plan for the light has hit some snags as the 105-room hotel which was the raison d'être for the light in the beginning has, at least for now, disappeared from the plan. The question at hand is what kind of warning device, if any, should be placed on the JFK Causeway as drivers approach the high point in the bridge, and the blind spot behind it, as they approach The Island from the Flour Bluff side. The fear is that on busy days traffic at the light will back up onto the bridge and drivers coming over the top will have nowhere to go when they encounter stopped cars on the downside.
Turkey Bowl A18
Texas Rangers A6
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Tortuga Dunes Headed for New Ownership
Tortuga Dunes as originally envisioned By Dale Rankin After almost a decade of inactivity due to the cost of flood insurance the moribund Tortuga Dunes beachside development along Zahn Road north of Packery Channel appears headed for new ownership. Developer Jeff Lampkin, the driving force behind the successful beachside mixed-use development Cinnamon Shore in Port Aransas, has made an offer to buy the 137 acre-tract, with
66-acres of developable property at a price, according to sources, of under $3 million, according to the listing the property had been on the markets since spring, 2016 at price three times the final purchase price. The remainder of the property on the site must be maintained as wetlands. “We have the property under contract,” Lampkin said last week. “So far we have not decided what we will do with it if we buy it.”
The dune walkover is ready for use. Lampkin said building singlefamily homes, as envisioned by Forestar Group which originally developed the property, is unlikely. When Forestar built and marketed the property in 2008 they told potential buyers that while federal
Where There's Smoke...
flood insurance was not an option due to FEMA restrictions placed on the property due to its location adjacent to the Gulf of Mexico, a deal had been struck with Lloyds of London to provide private insurance. However, according to potential buyers at the time the original cost of a slab for a 2000 square-foot house could have run as high as $225,000 with monthly flood insurance premiums at around $5000 per month.
In spite of the obstacles the original investors went ahead with Phase I of the project which included building infrastructure including, electric power, water, telephone, and gas and
Tortuga cont. on A4
December 9-10
La Posada!
The La Posada Lighted Boat Parade and the activity leading up to it are only four weeks away. The Old Farmer’s Almanac calls for higher than normal temperatures this year and the Old Farmer usually knows about these things. The kickoff party is Tuesday December 6 at Scuttlebutt’s, bring your toys. For full schedule and information see the section in this issue.
If you have an interest in what happens at that intersection the ISAC meeting will be the place to get information and/or make your opinion heard.
Port A talkin’ We had a big night at Shorty’s last Saturday as the Moon Monkeys stayed out till way past dark. Our old friend Michael Martin came down from S.A. and we old geezers who usually set with the sun risked throwing out backs out by dancing. We’re trying to limber up for the Turkey Bowl at the Back Porch Bar at the end of this month. The annual event is a bittersweet time because it marks the end of the season at the venerable outdoor bar and we kind of wander around in circles until next February when they reopen. It’s almost time for the Winter Texan Season which means things will heat up at The Gaff as the belt sanders take to the track. There is a rumor that the Winter Texans only go to see those belt sanders crash but we don’t’ believe that. We think they go because it’s free.
La Posada talkin’ It’s about time to La Posada everybody so get some toys ready and make sure your blender is working. There is no heartbreak like a broken blender at a La Posada party. We once knew a guy who had to stir his batch of margaritas with a boat oar and after that the thing would only paddle his boat in circles. The bad news was he never really got where he was going, but the good news was that he never go lost either, he just ended up right back where he started. But then isn’t that the case with just about everything in this world. Say hello if you see us Around The Island.
A large brush fire broke out Monday afternoon on the back of The Island south of Sea Pines. Investigators said it appeared whoever started it arrived by boat because there were no tire tracks to the site. It started west of the houses and the wind blew it away from the subdivision so no structures were threatened.
A little Island History
Thanksgiving: An Alternative Story
plunder and profit. Four-fifths of the cost for the venture was paid for We all grew up hearing the story by noble lords, including the Earl of Thanksgiving. You know the of Orford, the Baron of Romney, one, the Pilgrims suffered through a the Duke of Shrewsbury, Sir John tough winter with the Somers, and Lord help of their Native Richard Bellomont American friends and a tall, gout-ridden, then threw a big party sixty-year old Irish to celebrate and bang, aristocrat who was we got Thanksgiving. heir to a baronetcy Well, that makes for a in Ireland but broke. warm and fuzzy story Bellomont managed but that may not be to bring King William exactly how it went III of England into the down. project and Kidd was Author Richard presented with a letter Zacks in his book of marque, signed “The Pirate Hunter personally by the – The True Story of CaptainWilliam Kidd King which reserved Captain Kidd” tells 10% of Kidd’s a slightly different captured loot for the version. Crown, and subsequent historical evidence suggests that the King may England 1695 have even fronted some of the money The story begins in England in 1695 for the voyage himself. when some of the most powerful At the time, Bellomont had secured men in the Empire put financial an appointment as Governor of backing behind the voyage of Massachusetts Bay in the New ship captain William Kidd whose World and was looking to add the mission was to put to sea and raid the ships of England’s enemies for Alt-Thanksgiving cont. on A4 By Dale Rankin
It Wasn’t Official – But the First Thanksgiving in America was Celebrated on the South Texas Plains in 1534
Thanksgiving holiday as we now know it began to take shape. Days of Fasting were called for after the drought of 1611, and for relief from the plagues of 1604 and 1622; in 1588 it was the defeat of the Spanish Armada, and in 1705 the deliverance of Queen Anne, then the failure of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605.
By Dale Rankin
It wasn’t an official Thanksgiving as there was no such thing yet. It was November, 1534 and four shipwrecked Spanish wanderers making their way across the prairies of what is now South Texas had little to be thankful for – at least until the end of November rolled around and their fortunes began to change.
Lord Belmont
A Moorish prediction Before 1536 there were 95 Church holidays, plus 52 Sundays, when people were required to attend church and forego work and sometimes pay for expensive celebrations. In 1536 reforms reduced the number of Church holidays to 27 and the
These were Protestant celebrations that were foreign and probably unknown to the four Catholic Spaniards who had found themselves washed upon what is now the Alabama shoreline on November 4, 1528. The men had set out from Spain in 1527 to seek their fortune in the New World. On their voyage to Florida by way of Santo
First Thanksgiving cont. on A4
A2
Island Moon
Thanksgiving Day buck on The Island. Photo by Tanya Childers
November 24, 2016
TV Crew Films Mazoch Home
The Mazoch home at the end of Whitecap is always the highlight of the Christmas light tour of The Island. The decorations have caught national attention and this month a cable crew was in town to shoot a feature story.
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November 24, 2016
Moon Monkeys Mike Ellis, Founder
Letters to the Editor
Distribution Pete Alsop Island Delivery
Dotson on Point
Coldwell Banker Advertising Jan Park Rankin Classifieds Arlene Ritley Production Manager Abigail Bair Contributing Writers Joey Farah Andy Purvis Mary Craft Christiansen Jay Gardner Todd Hunter Dotson Lewis Ronnie Narmour Brent Rourk Photographers Miles Merwin Jeff Dolan Mary Craft Ronnie Narmour Office Security/Spillage Control (Emeritus) Riley P. Dog
Mr. Lewis, Great summary article for proposed revision of veterans medical care. It was important enough as an issue for President Truman to appoint General Omar Bradley to heading the VA just after WWII ended. I am retired navy, serving 4 years active duty in the Vietnam Nam era, then after a break in service I reenlisted and retired from the reserves as an E9 after 21 years combined service. Maybe things have changed, but I was taught early in my service that VA medical benefits were reserved for those honorable veterans with a service connected disability. I never expected, nor felt I merited, free medical care for life simply because I served, and survived it without a disability. There are about 20 million veterans living now, a vast majority without disabilities, do the planned revisions include all veterans? (I imagine a huge increase in the VA's medical budget). If not, the public, for the most part, are laboring under a common misconception. I have lost count of the people I have met who thought medical care was free for veterans, just because they wore a uniform. I have nothing but respect and support for the honorable men and women who have surrendered a part of their life to wear a uniform in defense of my life and liberties. I enjoy your articles, keep writing. Respectfully, James Boisvenue, Padre Islander
Merger Proposal Publisher Dale Rankin About the Island Moon The Island Moon is published every Thursday, Dale Rankin, Editor / Publisher. Total circulation is 10,000 copies. Distribution includes delivery to 4,000 Island homes, free distribution of 3,000 copies in over 50 Padre Island businesses and condos, as well as 600 copies distributed in Flour Bluff, 1,400 copies on Mustang Island and Port Aransas businesses. News articles, photos, display ads, classified ads, payments, etc. may be left at the Moon Office.
The Island Moon Newspaper 14646 Compass, Suite 3 Corpus Christi, TX 78418 361-949-7700 editor@islandmoon.com Facebook: The Island Moon Newspaper
Where to Find The Island Moon Port Aransas Lisabella’s Restaurant Pioneer RV Park
Sandpiper Condos WB Liquors Port A Arts
North Padre
Stripes @ Beach Access Rd. 1A
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A Mano
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CVS
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Whataburger
Spanky’sLiquor
Doc’s Restaurant
IGA Grocery Store
Snoopy’s Pier Isle Mail N More
Carter Pharmacy
Island Italian
San Juan’s Taqueria
Brooklyn Pie Co.
Wash Board Laundry Mat
Holiday Inn
Ace Hardware
Port A Parks and Rec
Texas Star (Shell)
Public Library
Scuttlebutt’s Restaurant
Chamber of Commerce Duckworth Antiques Back Porch Woody’s Sports Center Shorty’s Place
Jesse’s Liquor
Subway Island Tire And all Moon retail advertisers WB Liquor
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Giggity’s
H.E.B.
Stripes @ Cotter & Station
Liquid Town
Gratitude Gift Shop Keepers Pier House Port A Glass Studio The Gaff
A3
Island Moon
Whataburger on Waldron Ethyl Everly Senior Center Fire Station Police Station Stripes on Flour Bluff & SPID
As a Del Mar College Regent and strong advocate of a 'Southside Academic Campus' for academic students principally from The Island, Flour Bluff, and Southside to truly prepare them for TAMU-CC junior/senior years and graduate or professional school, I congratulate the TAMU Chancellor, Retiring President Dr. Flavius Killebrew, and Interim President Dr. Kelly Quintanilla for the TAMUCC and TAMU-Kingsville 'Merger Proposal'. We all need recognize that graduate or professional school is crucial for Del Mar College academic graduates to become well educated future leaders of the Coastal Bend area's businesses, professions, education, government, and civic organizations. Three things are vital for Padre Island, Flour Bluff, and Southside academic students: first, TAMU-CC and TAMU-Kingsville need become an 'Emerging Research Institution' with more doctoral and professional programs with the 'Merger Proposal' being key; second, there need be a minimum of $30 million in research expenditures and funding from the Texas Research Incentive Program, Core Research Support Program, and the National Research University Fund with the 'Merger Proposal' being the key; and third, needed is more land space for TAMUCC graduate and professional programs that has been disappearing with little space left, towit: (a) the Island Campus has along Ocean Drive parking lots because of landing planes to next door NAS and has a large baseball park; and (b) Momentum Campus is being used for out of area students with dormitories and athletic programs that need be shifted to Kingsville with the 'Merger Proposal' being key. In short, the Chancellor and Interim President need to keep moving forward! Guy Watt
Homeowners Wanted Analogous to the national elections and the evaluations of what has transpired, hopefully you have reflected on our local governance as well. I am eager to hear of the many ways you wish to be involved to enhance life here on the Island. I suggest you read your copy of the homeowners' covenant that some think merits an "update" or a complete revision to include what is important to YOU as a homeowner. Your input is valued; share as best you can. What you observe in your immediate area may be unknown to others. Please speak out and help to make our Island life even better. Please write down your observations and perceived possible solutions. Our local paper, the Moon, can assist you in voicing your views. We will have two openings on our board this March; consider how possibly you, or someone you know, could enrich our governance. Home ownership, for many, is the largest financial investment we have; help safeguard it and our community. Get informed and involved. Sincerely, Barbara DeToto
Mail Thieves on The Island About 6 a.m. on Wednesday morning, November 16, I was going out to my garage to get something from the freezer when I spotted a car pulled over by the mailboxes for our 12 unit townhouse complex. The mailboxes are in 2 rows. I didn't recognize the vehicle and thought perhaps the young woman standing there opening one of the mailboxes on the lower row was collecting the mail for someone. When I saw her empty one of the mailboxes on the
lower row and put it on the passenger seat and then turn her attention to emptying a mailbox on the top row, it became clear to me, she was after the mail and the potential identity theft that goes with it if there's a preapproved credit card application in the mix of mail. I decided to walk down the driveway and approach her--she was standing outside the open passenger side door. I asked if she was getting the mail for someone and she said yes, her Aunt Jill Garza who owned several units in the buildings (we are two buildings of 6 townhomes in each). As a board member for the HOA, I know the names of all the owners and Jill Garza is not one of them. I proceeded to ask her what unit her aunt owned, she said 505. I told her no, the owner of that unit is XYZ. She said "Oh, I mean 705." I told her, again, no, the owner of that unit is ABC. She had leaned over in the car talking to the driver at one point so I got a glimpse of the driver. At that point I told her to give me the mail she had in her arms so I could return it to the proper mail boxes and that I would be calling the police. I was by the rear of the vehicle and was able to clearly see the Texas temporary tag and memorize the number which I wrote down as I immediately went into my unit and called 911 to report the incident and describe the vehicle and the persons. It took about 30 minutes for a police officer to respond. He asked what kind of vehicle they were driving, I responded a light color sedan though I couldn't confirm 2 or 4 door. He informed me that the tag information I had given when I placed my 911 call had come back registered to a truck. Clearly, these were people intent on obscuring their identity thus a stolen tag as well as committing mail theft, a federal offense and a felony. Later in the morning, as per recommendation of my Department of Homeland Security son-inlaw, I reported the incident to the Flour Bluff Post Office Supervisor who called the report in someone up the chain of command from him. There you have it, Doreen Kinkel
Tortuga Permitted? To the Editor of the Island Moon We noticed your enthusiastic note on the front page of the November 17 Moon about the Tortuga Dunes development that has been on hold for several years. Are you and the developer aware of the Corpus Christi and Nueces County restriction of building no nearer to the sand dunes than 350 feet? In 2008, Tortuga Dunes, to our complete disgust, bulldozed within inches of the dunes, totally ignoring the fact that the dunes were being destroyed. Why is it so difficult to appreciate the beauty and value of these natural structures for so many living and visiting here? Not only are they an ecological distinctive environment, but they are natural protection from the damage created by aggressive waves and storms. I would expect an editor to be aware of these facts and to endorse sound development that serves the community's broader needs-not blindly encourage commercial ventures that ruin the very reason the island is a unique and beautiful place to live, work, and visit.
Did Ya Hear?
By Mary Craft mkay512@aol.com
New Advertisers Raggdoll Boutique Too will have a Black Friday sale offering twenty percent off all merchandise all weekend. The Padre Island store is located at 14457 S.P.I.D. near WB Liquor. Only their store in Port Aransas located at 124 E Ave. G will be open on Sunday.
Business Briefs The Holiday Inn Thanksgiving Brunch will be served 10:30 am - 2 pm and cost $29.99. Reservations only - call 949- 8041 Ext. 115. My Coastal Home Furniture Store is having a sale with up to 50% off selected items on Black Friday. There are stores located in Port Aransas, Rockport and North Padre. The Holiday Home Tour of seven Island homes sponsored by Padre Island Enrichment Club will be held on Sunday, December 4th 12;30 – 5:30 pm. There will be music, food, shopping trip raffle and more. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the POA office at 14015 Fortuna Bay, the Blue Crab Boutique on Compass and at all the homes. For info call Katherine Pierce 960-0327. Proceeds benefit the PIE scholarship fund. Fiesta a la Playa at La Playa Mexican Grille in Port A will have gourmet hors doeuvres, silent auction, raffle prizes, live music and more on Sunday, November 27th 5 – 8 pm.
Schlitterbahn Thanksgiving Holiday Buffet will be served 11 am - 2 pm at a cost of $29.99 and $12.99 for children under age 10. The 3rd Annual Enchanted Forest Christmas Auction sponsored by Timon’s Ministries will be held Thursday, December 1st 6 - 9 pm at the lower level of Doc’s Seafood & Steak Restaurant. Tickets are $25 and include two drink tickets and hors doeuvres.
There will be many unique wreaths and trees on display for purchase.
The Mazoch home at the end of Whitecap is always the highlight of the Christmas light tour of The Island. The decorations have caught national attention and this month a cable crew was in town to shoot a feature story. The widening of Hwy 361 in Port A to four lanes from Avenue G to Access Road 1A is just about completed. Brooklyn Pie Padre Island is a proud supporter of toysfortots. Bring in a toy and get 5% off your order. Offer is valid until the La Posada boat parade.
Snoopy’s Pier now serves a grilled mahi salad.
Michael and Gloria Skwierawski, Regular Visitors and Nueces County property owners. Editor’s note. We are not aware of any buildings there within 350 feet of the dunes. A reading of the permitting of the work there, after several complaints such as yours, found that the permit to reform the dunes was issued by the city and approved by the Corps of Engineers. Any permitting for buildings would be a separate permitting process which to our knowledge has not been initiated/ If you know of a "commercial venture" there that permits a building within 350 feet of the dunes please let us know and we will check it out. Dale
Island Water is Just Fine There is some confusion regarding the recent water analysis of Island water. Filtered tap water was distilled and it was the brownishblack residue left behind after distillation that was submitted for analysis by the Moon, NOT tap water. The process of distillation purifies water by removing salts, minerals and metals. Indeed, an analysis of the liquid residue following distillation, and published by the Moon, revealed high levels of all of these and a high pH. The brownish-black color was most likely derived from oxidized manganese and iron found in the water. These are normal findings for distillation residue.
New Chef's at the Island Grille Restaurant located in the Holiday Inn
veteran cemeteries on foreign soil. Find more information at WreathsAcrossAmerica.org. The Wreath Laying Ceremony in Killeen is organized by the Friends of the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery. You can find more information at WreathsforVets.org.
Corpus Christi - Saturday, December 17, at 11:00 a.m. Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery
9974 IH 37 Access Road, Corpus Christi, TX. 78410
Sponsored by the Veterans Band of Corpus Christi
Our tap water is completely safe. You can find an analysis of Corpus Christi water on-line if you want to be assured. The minerals in our water come from the rocks and soils through which the water comes in contact. This is nature's way of supplying us our trace minerals. If you choose to purify your water through distillation, just don't drink the brownish-black stuff left behind! Laura Murphy, Ph.D.
Wreath Laying To honor our fallen military heroes and their family members this holiday season, Commissioner George P. Bush, the Texas Veterans Land Board (VLB) and their partners invite members of their communities to attend a wreath laying ceremony at one of four Texas State Veterans Cemeteries in Abilene, Corpus Christi, Killeen and Mission. Donations for the purchase of holiday wreaths, and volunteers for the preparation, placing and retrieval of the wreaths are also requested. The goal is to place a wreath on every grave and monument at each Texas State Veterans Cemetery. The Wreath Laying Ceremonies in Abilene, Corpus Christi and Mission are in partnership with Wreaths Across America, a non-profit organization with more than 1,100 participating locations in all 50 states, and 24 national
Aquarius Light. Contirubuted by Karen Winship
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The Island Moon Newspaper
A4
Alt- Thanks cont. from A1
going in and out of London.
governorships of New York and New Hampshire to his resume in hopes of garnering a combined salary of 1800 pounds a year and to reverse his falling fortunes, which he eventually did.
For the luckless Kidd there was little to be thankful for, but today 319 years later we still celebrate the holiday that his exit from America engendered from a gouty governor with a burnt rope instead of a treasure.
Scheming governor Kidd did indeed put to sea but when he found
First Thanks cont. from A1 Domingo a Moorish woman had predicted that few of the men who went ashore would survive and anyone who did survive would be blessed by God who would perform great miracles through them. By November of 1534 the four survivors had arrived on the Isle of Misfortune and had little to be thankful for other than their simple and unlikely survival.
They talked with a “click” On the blustery night of November 4, 1528
the pickings of foreign vessels too slim for his likings he was accused, subsequent historical evidence also casts doubt on his guilt, of instead raiding ships belonging to the English East India Company which did not win him any friends in Jolly Old England. Kidd was subsequently arrested in New England where by this time Bellomont was in fact Governor. Charges of piracy were brought against Kidd and he was clapped in irons and Bellomont, while scheming to get his hands on part of Kidd’s loot, was also scheming to keep himself from being blamed for bringing King William into a pirating adventure which could have landed him in the Tower of London or worse. Battling fits of gout with visions of being drawn and quartered made for a chilly October in Boston town for the scheming governor.
October thanks
Boston at the time was under the staunch ecumenical spell of father and son ministers
Captain Kidd's ship was later recovered
Increase and Cotton Mather whose beliefs were far enough on the conservative side that Bostonians didn’t celebrate Christmas based on the belief that is was a pagan holiday. Since the 1660s ministers and governors in New England had been singling out various fall days in October for a thanksgiving, usually based on the harvest season for the local crops. The day of thanksgiving varied by region according to the ripening of the local harvest and in the northeastern portion of the continent that was always in October.
But as Governor Bellomont wrung his hands and pondered his uncertain future in Boston he had little to be thankful for until the middle of October when a letter arrived by ship from England. When he opened the letter he learned that Parliament had given orders to the Admiralty to send a ship to Boston to bring the jailed accused pirate Captain Kidd back to England to stand trial. Immediately, instead of facing trial for making the King a financier of a piratical cruise Bellomont now would be absolved of any guilt, which would now fall exclusively on the woebegotten Captain Kidd, and in fact the Right Honorable Governor Bellomont would be entitled to any of Kidd’s loot that he could find.
Oh Thanksgiving!
If ever there was a man with a reason for giving thanks it was Governor Bellomont. He decided that all his loyal subjects should share in his joy and in his jubilation on October 23, 1695 declared that then and forever more the last Thursday in November of each year would be the day of giving thanks for the good fortune that had befallen him; no Tower of London, no drawing and quartering. Thanksgiving for all!
A gouty Lord and a burnt rope
But alas his euphoria didn’t last long. The very next day the ship St. Antonio which Bellomont had dispatched to the island of Santa Catalina in what is now the Dominican Republic sailed into Boston Harbor and presented him with a burnt rope, called a “bass cable”, that had once been attached to the treasure Kidd had left there. The rope ended at the water’s edge and had been burned asunder by another pirate who knew of the treasure and sailed off with it. The gouty lord was left to sit in Boston and finger his burnt rope and think of the treasure that might have been.
On the positive side, Americans got the Thanksgiving Holiday followed by Black Friday. Captain William Kidd was convicted in a show trial in London then hauled through the streets in a cart from Newgate Prison to the banks of the Thames River in Wapping to be hanged. Along the way he was informed of the death of Governor Bellomont and celebrated in a pub so that by the time he reached the Execution Dock was drunk as, well, as a drunken sailor. He proclaimed his innocence as the floor under him fell away but his bad luck was not over. The rope around Kidd’s neck broke leaving him dazed and sprawling to the ground as he looked up at his three companions on the gallows and saw his fate; he was lifted back up and ten minutes later told the clergyman present, one Paul Lorrain, to send his love to his wife and daughter back in New York, saying that his greatest regret “was the thought of his wife’s sorrow at his shameful death.”
Nonetheless the clergyman Lorrain rushed to the printer where he published the “deathbed confession” of the notorious captain which immediately sold 5000 copies in London.
Kidd’s body, as was the custom with famous pirates, was left hanging until the waters of Thames washed over it three times before it was removed and carried twenty-five miles down the river to Tilbury Point where the river meets the sea where it was hoisted in chains on an oak gibbet to be “plainly seen” by all the ship traffic
November 24, 2016
Island Moon the Indian diet. “It was the best time of year for these people,” Dorantes later told the Mexican Audiencia. “For, although they have almost nothing else to eat other than these prickly pears and a few snails they search for, they fill their bellies day and night. That makes them very happy, because for the rest of the year they waste away from hunger.”
The first Thanksgiving It was also the only time of year when the four Spaniards who lived apart, got to see each other and in the Prickly Pear Season of 1533 they had begun to plan their escape. Now in autumn of 1534 it was now time to move. As the new September moon waxed they bided their time until its full face would shine its light on the trails they would follow to the place of rendezvous they had agreed on. The
Tortuga cont. from A1
propane lines, as well as a wastewater pump station and 95 six-acre single-family lots.
Optimism was in the air as the property was marketed at a Caribbean styled development. The original marketing material painted a glossy picture of what was to come.
“Tortuga Dunes, a sun-drenched paradise nestled on Mustang Island, is Forestar Group's newest ultra-luxury, master-planned community
Much of the area is covered by wetlands which cannot be developed.
- just a short drive from downtown Corpus Christi and just steps from the sandy beaches and warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.”
a group of Karankawa Indians were huddled around the hearths of their open-sided wigwams on the Isle of Misfortune sheltering from the violent storm which was upon them. As they had always done they migrated to the Texas Coast each fall, leaving behind the long hot summers of the upland river valleys where they ate fruits and seeds and hunted the bison. They came to the barrier Islands, now called Galveston, Mustang, and Padre, where fish and cattail roots would keep them fed through the season of the Blue Norther. The Karankawas had seen passing Spanish ships on the horizon but they were now about to come face to face with the Spaniards for the first time. The Karankawas were later described by the Europeans as tall and angular people, unlike the builds of the squat, thicker Indians they would later encounter inland. Little is known of the Karankawa culture as they left little behind in the way of structures or writings. Their unusual appearance and the peculiar “click” which was part of their language and was also peculiar to the tribes of the African shore has lead modern linguists to speculate that their origins may have been from that part of the world. Their origin is still the subject of speculation. As the storm abated the Karankawas set about their business; the men inspected fishing traps set along the Laguna Madre, others waded out with their bows ready to shoot the large black drum and sheepshead that came to shelter in the calm shallows. The women searched for fresh water and uprooted the tubers which the tribe ate for their starch, and searched the beach for driftwood for fires. It was there they first sighted something rising and falling with the sea as it came closer to them and their shore. It was a boat much larger than the canoes they knew and the children were dispatched to tell the men of the approaching boat which by now they had realized was filled with men.
The first Thanksgiving Now, six years later, in November of 1534 only four of the original shipload of men had survived to make their way to South Texas. Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, Andrés Dorantes de Carranza, Alonso del Castillo Maldonado, and an black Moroccan Berber slave named Esteban (later called Estevanico) who had made the Atlantic crossing in bondage, had seen much hardship and suffering at the hands of the elements and the cannibalistic Karankawa. They were trying to get to the Spanish settlements in Mexico. The four had survived thus far by making themselves valuable to the Karankawas along the coast by gathering wood and performing whatever task they could find to stay in the good graces of their captors. Six years of living among the Indians left them little but their survival to be thankful for but had taught them a few things about life among the Karankawas and their roles had eventually evolved to that of shamans whose charms were valuable to the primitive coastal peoples. Cabeza de Vaca’s account of his journey, Shipwrecks, would later fascinate Europe. It told stories of shamanism, miracles, and how the four survivors became the first celebrities of the New Word, celebrated from the Indian campfires of the Texas plains to the court of the Spanish King. How it came to be should be regarded as cause for the first Thanksgiving story of the New World.
The season of the tunas Castillo and Esteban, who were kept together among the Iguace band of the Tonkawa Indians, began to work as “doctors” among the Indians as early as 1533. De Vaca did the same among the Karankawas with whom he lived. The American Indians, unlike their Spanish visitors who were fresh off the Inquisition, were tolerant of other belief systems and were inclined to incorporate other religious practices into their own. The Indians found comfort in the incantations and rituals which the Spaniards brought with them from their training in the Catholic Church. Their acceptance as shamans was helped by the long blonde beards of the Spaniards and the “sunburned” skin of Esteban which made them mysterious to the Indians. Each year in the late summer the scattered bands of the Karankawas gathered in the area just south of the Nueces River. Their daily wanderings took them from the mainland to the island in search of food, but as the days grew shorter they migrated to the inland prairies in search of the ubiquitous prickly pear cactus which grew there. It was during this time of year when the tunas fruit of the prickly pear ripened to a bright red and became the staple of
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tunas season was winding down but would provide sustenance for the four as they fled their captors. As the four men gathered they made their decision.
Phase II, which was never undertaken, was to add 39 additional single-family lots, along with 48 townhomes and condominiums, and 37,000 square-feet of commercial space at the corner of Zahn Road and Park Road 22. Aside from bordering the Gulf of Mexico the site is surrounded by public land and wetlands which likely will never be developed.
“And so, Oviendo recorded, “believing that it were better to do their duty as Christians and as noblemen, which each of them was, than to live like godless savages, they entrusted themselves to Our Lord” and fled. “And Jesus Christ in his infinite mercy guided them, showing them the paths they should follow, while God tamed the wild hearts of the indomitable savages.” As so it was they rushed headlong into the brush country of South Texas with no idea of where they were going or how they would get there. With fear driving them forward at the end of the first day of their journey Oviedo later recorded, “It pleased the Mother of God that the very same day at sunset, they came upon some Indians of the kind they had hoped for. They were very gentle and although they had heard something of the Christians, they know nothing of how badly we had been treated. This was a very good thing from the point of view from a bunch of sinners.” By now the end of November was approaching and the three Spaniards and the former slave were free of their captors and headed out across the South Texas flatlands. They had plenty to be thankful for in what history will record was almost one hundred years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock and was in fact, the first Thanksgiving in North America – if not in record at least in deed.
Holidays Can Bring Increase in Scams The City of Corpus Christi wants to remind residents about possible scams in the area regarding utility workers. The holiday season can usher in a higher number of scams including utility company imposters. Residents and businesses should always ask for identifying information from utility workers. City employees can provide the following: City Issued Identification: includes employee photograph, City logo, and bar code; City Vehicle: includes City Logo and department information Uniform: includes City logo and employee name Utility employees work a variety of hours both during the day and night. If you are unsure of work being done in your area you can contact the City of Corpus Christi Customer Call Center at (361) 826-2489 (CITY). If you cannot positively identify the City utility employee, the city is urging residents to call the Police Department non-emergency number at (361) 886-2600, if you believe it is an emergency please call 911.
The cobblestone streets at Tortuga Dunes are in place along with the water and utilities.
However, aside from the cost of flood insurance the high traffic on the beach adjacent to the property made selling homes which started above $500,000 difficult and worked stopped in 2009 with little or no sign it would ever proceed.
Then, according to those with knowledge of the project, the original owners expressed a
The pump station was build and paid for the developer who was reimbursed by the city when it was tied into the city’s system. desire to have the project off their books by the end of 2016. The property is currently zoned as Planned Use Development area but Lampkin said that may have to be addressed.
Best Black Friday Sales
With total holiday spending expected to reach $656 billion this year — up from nearly $631 billion in 2015 — the personal-finance website WalletHub conducted an in-depth analysis of 2016’s Best Stores for Black Friday. WalletHub surveyed 8,000 deals from 35 of the biggest U.S. retailers’ 2016 Black Friday ad scans to identify the stores offering the biggest discounts in various product categories, such as “Appliances,” “Jewelry” and “Toys.” Best Black Friday Retailers (Avg. %
Discount) 1 Macy's (63.35%) 2 Stage (62.81%) 3 JC Penney (62.79%) 4 Harbor Freight (62.58%) 5 Gordmans (61.59%) 6 Kohl's (58.15%) 7 Shopko (55.55%) 8 Fred Meyer (49.70%) 9 Craft Warehouse (45.03%) 10 Sears (43.89%)
Key Stats Macy's has the highest overall discount rate at 63.35 percent, whereas Big Lots has the lowest at 23.52 percent. The overall average Black Friday discount is 39% The “Toys” category has the biggest share of discounted items, 28.26 percent of all offers,
“We believe the property has great potential,” Lampkin said, who is familiar with the rules and restrictions for building beachside developments due to his work with Cinnamon Shore which is currently expanding.
Development of the property was further complicated when in 2007 a policy, known as the 350-foot rule, widely acknowledged to be one of the most stringent beach setback restrictions in the nation, went into effect. It gave builders wide latitude to remove dunes more than 350 feet beyond the dune vegetation line, provided they construct new ones of equal size. The rule had been enforced for nearly a decade by simply delaying the permits of builders who wanted to build nearer to the beach, but became official in 2007.
So the reconfigured dunes at the site were closely watched when Hurricane Ike came roaring ashore in 2008 which in some places on the Texas Coast took as much as 80 feet of width and caught the construction at Tortuga Dunes with only about 60% of the newly-built dunes covered with vegetation. The dunes weathered the storm with very little damage.
Lampkin said he expects to close on the property around, if not by, the beginning of 2017.
November 24, 2016
November Moon Phases
A5
Island Moon
Stuff I Heard on the Island By Dale Rankin It all sounds so simple. When you Google what is most certainly the most common query this week, “How to Fry a Turkey” the explanation seems pretty straightforward. “Heat peanut oil in a turkey fryer or a very, very large stockpot to 350 degrees F. Lower turkey into hot oil, very carefully, making sure it is fully submerged. Fry turkey for 3 minutes per pound plus 5 minutes per bird. Remove turkey from oil and drain on paper towels.”
Sounds easy if you say it real fast. Turkey…check Paper towels…check Big pot…check Butane heater…check
Tides of the Week Tides for Bob Hall Pier November 24 - December 1
Day
High /Low
Tide Time
Height in Feet
Sunrise Moon Time Sunset
Th
24
Low
6:05 AM
0.6
6:57 AM
Rise 2:43 AM
24
High 1:01 PM
1.4
5:34 PM
Set 2:58 PM
24
Low
6:26 PM
1.2
24
High
10:51 PM
25
Low
6:33 AM
0.4
6:58 AM
Rise 3:34 AM
25
High 2:13 PM
1.6
5:34 PM
Set 3:32 PM
25
Low
7:40 PM
1.3
F
25
High
11:02 PM
26
Low
7:00 AM
0.3
6:59 AM
Rise 4:25 AM
26
High 3:07 PM
1.7
5:34 PM
Set 4:07 PM
26
Low
8:56 PM
1.3
26
High
11:10 PM
27
Low
7:26 AM
0.2
7:00 AM
Rise 5:16 AM
27
High 3:51 PM
1.8
5:34 PM
Set 4:44 PM
M
28
Low
7:51 AM
0.1
7:00 AM
Rise 6:07 AM
28
High 4:30 PM
1.8
5:34 PM
Set 5:23 PM
Tu
29
Low
8:17 AM
0.0
7:01 AM
Rise 6:58 AM
29
High 5:07 PM
1.9
5:34 PM
Set 6:05 PM
W
30
Low
8:43 AM
-0.1
7:02 AM
Rise 7:49 AM
30
High 5:43 PM
1.9
5:34 PM
Set 6:49 PM
Th
1
Low
9:11 AM
-0.1
7:03 AM
Rise 8:39 AM
1
High 6:18 PM
1.9
5:34 PM
Set 7:37 PM
Two shots of vodka for focus…check. Now how much oil was that and what kind am I supposed to buy? This year will mark my fourth try at frying up a turkey and if doing the same thing and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity then I should go ahead and schedule a Fire Department call at my house for Thursday afternoon.
Stand back and let me show you how it’s done son 18
1.4
Su
26
1.4
Sa
Moon Visible
A little simple math…how big is that bird… hey kid, come here I need you to do some cyphering.
11
1.4 6 2 0 0 1
I was more than half a decade ago when my old friend Island Mel who was not shy about his turkey frying expertise showed us all how it is done…or more accurately how to turn a turkey fry into a floorshow for the slightly alarmed but not really in danger witnesses. It was a fine afternoon on Eaglesnest or Hawksnest, I can’t remember. There were about thirty of us there and Mel was waxing philosophic on how much better his fried bird was going to be than those namby-pamby oven cooked birds that the poor old plebeians OTB had to choke down. He had a big old pot on the back patio and a gallon or so of peanut oil and a bird that would barely fit in the pot. He described the intricacies and subtleties that only an expert bird fryer like Island Mel would know and we all nodded in wondered if Mel actually knew what he was doing.
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“He’s gonna blast that bird into space!” someone said, and no one disagreed.
“Everybody stand back,” Island Mel says as he hoists the bird of which the bottom part is charred due to the previous low-oil dunking. “Here she goes!”
He drops the bird into the pot and the flames shoot high enough that they singe Island Mel’s eyebrows.
“It’s supposed to do that,” Mel says as he takes a few steps back. “She’s gonna cook now!” But that’s not what happened.
That baby’s gonna blow!
I imagine it like the noise that comes up through the casing of an oil well right before the blowout. There was a gurgling, then some bubbling up around the outside edge of the pot, and then…whoosh! Hot oil went flying and as it did the flame spread with it; all over the cement patio as we all tried to push through the door for the safety of the house at the same time, nobody thought anything about pictures with a cell phone. “The bird is angry,” someone screamed.
“Get the hose!” Island Mel said, and somebody did because, well, Island Mel had done this before and he was the expert. Mel began spraying the cement patio with water to put out the fire but instead of putting it out it pushed it out to the grass in the yard which started throwing up dark smoke and flame.
“Spray water on the house,” somebody yelled, “It’s gonna catch the house! Call the fire department.”
“This happened once before,” Mel said. “You got to contain the flames.”
I noticed that Mel had the garden hose in one hand but still clutched his Bud Light with the other and hadn’t spilled a drop. When the heat’s on Island Mel is cool as the back of the pillow. The flames had Island Mel surrounded and were sneaking up on him from behind. I remembered an old joke about the guy whose heels were on fire and his culo was catching.
Thermal dynamics make my brain hurt
“Yea, it cool,” Mel said. “It’s cool.”
The first problem Island Mel encountered was calculation of volume- as in how much oil do we need. His second problem had to do with thermal dynamics and beer -he didn’t know anything about thermal dynamics and he was drinking beer. When he poured the peanut oil into the giant pot it only filled about two inches up from the bottom. We pointed this out to Mel, but not to worry, Mel was an expert.
“We’re gonna need more oil, Island Mel said, and we all agree because after all, Mel was the frying expert. Someone was dispatched to Stripes but as it turned out lack of peanut oil was a common problem on our Island that day so the messenger returned with oil of undetermined nature.
Nov. 25 Nov. 26
By this time word has spread through the crowd that Island Mel was playing with thermal dynamics and everybody was outside waiting to see what was going to happen next.
“Hey Mel, your culo is catching,” I yelled.
In went the bird but still the peanut oil barely made it up a third of the way and out came the turkey.
Cruise Control Laid Back Texas
“Get the bird back out here,” Mel said.
The answer came soon enough.
“When we put the turkey in it will squish it all the way to the top,” he said, and we nodded but got our cell phones ready to shoot video of whatever was about to happen next.
The BACK PORCH
finish.
“It’s all they had? Well, it’ll have to do, doesn’t matter anyway,” Mel said. “Hey Mel, don’t different kinds of oil have different flash points.” “Who’s frying this bird?” “You are Island Mel.” “Well, okay then.”
But the fact is it wasn’t cool at all. When Mel had successfully spread the fire from the cement on the patio to the grass in the yard it left a film of cooking oil, of undetermined nature, covering the cement and in the confusion Riley P. Dog had been the only one to keep his cool… or his culo for that matter…and he was licking up that tasty oil as fast as he could wag his tongue before anybody saw him. I just let him go, a dog with stomach problems was going to be the least of the problems if the house caught.
“Stamp it out!” somebody yelled and we all ran out into the back yard and started doing the duck step waddle like a bunch of dumb hicks trying to stamp out literacy before it spread to the village. I heard somebody curse in Spanish when they dropped their beer in the flames. Somebody had the good sense to shut off the butane but in the melee the pot full of what was left of the oil and the turkey got knocked over spreading even more oil on the patio where Riley P. had kicked his tongue into high gear working to keep up. After a few minutes of duck step waddling the backyard was put out and everybody headed toward the bar. The grass healed up pretty quick but the patio for years showed a charred black patina. Island Mel didn’t have any eyebrows for a while and his face was kind of red for about a week, which was about how long it took for Riley P. Dog’s innards to return to normal.
“Mel’s right,” we said. “Frying a turkey is a lot more fun than cooking one in the oven! Let’s do
In went the new oil and up went the flame under the pot. Somewhere around about 160 degrees the smoke started. “That’s gonna make it taste so good!” Island Mel said, and we all agreed even as we fingered our cell phones in our pockets. Somewhere up around the high 200s the oil started to look like a witches brew, like maybe something was coming to life in there, and the smoke got thicker and we all took a big step back. “Hey Mel, is it supposed to be smoking like that? Something doesn’t look right.” “Turn up the burner Mel, I think that thing is ready to blast off!” “It’ll be fine once we get her up to 350,” Mel said, and turned up the burner. There would be no halfway measures on this Day of Thanksgiving. It was time for the big
Safety first... this again next year.”
“Heat peanut oil in a turkey fryer or a very, very large stockpot to 350 degrees F. Lower turkey into hot oil, very carefully, making sure it is fully submerged. Fry turkey for 3 minutes per pound plus 5 minutes per bird. Remove turkey from oil and drain on paper towels.” Sounds easy if you say it real fast.
A6
Island Moon
Senior Moments
Texas Rangers Founded November 24, 1835 By Dotson Lewis
Special to the Island Moon Dotson’s Note: For you on this Thanksgiving home and ended up moving to Texas in 1872 Day is another November 24th in Texas history. at the age of 22. He joined the Austin militia It was on this date in 1835 that the Texas unit known as the Travis Rifles before moving Rangers were founded. I am willing to wager on to a company of Texas Rangers led by an adult beverage (cheap wine) that none of you Captain Leander McNelly. Armstrong’s most Moon Monkeys has ever heard of more than one famous exploit as a Ranger by far was his of these Texas Rangers whose feats are related capture of John Wesley Hardin in the spring of below. Of course, the wager does not apply if 1877. Hardin, Texas’ most infamous gunfighter, any of you are a direct descendent of one or was said to have killed at least 20 men in the more of those mentioned below. Sarah Pruitt decade following the Civil War; some said the total reached as high as 40. By 1877, he was on contributed to this article. the run, wanted by the Rangers for the killing Eight Famous Texas Rangers of Comanche County Deputy Sheriff Charles After riding to victory alongside other Texan Webb. Though he was recuperating from a forces in the war for independence, the rough- gunshot wound, Armstrong sought and won and-ready Texas Rangers served as the new permission to work the Hardin case. He and his republic’s primary law enforcement agency. team tracked Hardin to Pensacola, Florida, and They proved their mettle yet again in the confronted the gunfighter and his gang in a train Mexican War, but many Rangers went on to car. Though various versions exist as to what fight against their former U.S. army comrades when Texas joined the Confederacy during the Civil War. From Wild West train robbers and gunfighters in the 1870s to bootleggers and gamblers in the 1920s, criminals in Texas faced the wrath of the Rangers. Now an elite police squad tasked with the state’s most serious criminal investigations, the Texas Rangers have undergone many changes in their colorful history—and some particularly memorable characters have emerged over the years.
John Coffee Hays
Born in Tennessee, Hays arrived in San Antonio in 1837, shortly after Texas won its independence from Mexico. By 1841, at the tender age of 23, he was a Ranger captain. A fearless fighter and skilled leader, Hays won his fame defending Texans from raids and attacks by both Native American (Comanche) groups and Mexican bandits. More than any other man, he would come to symbolize the Rangers of the Texas Republic era. During the Mexican War (1846-48), Hays’ Rangers scouted, defended U.S. supply and communication lines from attacks by Mexican guerrillas and fought alongside regular U.S. army troops, earning a national reputation for their bravery. After the war, Hays went further west to California, where he made his name in politics, real estate and ranching and helped found the city of Oakland. Hays and his men were usually outnumbered in their skirmishes with Comanche and Mexican forces, but managed to hold their own thanks to their highly effective use of a more modern weapon: the revolver.
Ben McCulloch
McCulloch followed his neighbor and family friend Davy Crockett from Tennessee out to Texas in 1835. He came down with the measles and didn’t make it to the Alamo before its fall, but joined Sam Houston’s army for the Battle of San Jacinto. After joining the Rangers, he fought courageously against Comanches at the Battle of Plum Creek and other engagements and was named Hays’ first lieutenant. During the Mexican War, McCulloch earned the distinction of chief scout for General Zachary Taylor’s army. In 1849, McCulloch joined many other fortune-seekers who headed to California during the Gold Rush. By the time the Civil War* broke out, he was back in Texas, and in May 1861 became a brigadier general in the Confederate Army. Assigned to defend Indian Territory in Texas, he contributed greatly to the Confederate victory at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek in August 1861. In March 1862, McCulloch was killed in the Battle of Pea Ridge in northwestern Arkansas.
William “Bigfoot” Wallace
The 19-year-old Wallace (whose more-thansix-feet, 240-pound stature earned him the nickname “Bigfoot”) was at home in Lexington, Kentucky, in 1836 when he learned that his brother had been killed by the Mexican army in the massacre at Goliad. He headed to Texas looking for payback, but the war was over by the time he arrived. Wallace decided to stay on in the new Texas Republic, and eventually moved to San Antonio. After joining the Texan Army to repulse a Mexican invasion in 1842, he was captured and spent two years in a notoriously brutal prison at Vera Cruz. Upon his return to Texas, Wallace joined the Rangers, and would serve under Captain Jack Hays; in the 1850s, he led a Ranger company of his own. An opponent of secession, Wallace stayed in Texas during the Civil War*, continuing his defense of the frontier against attacks by the Comanche, Union soldiers and deserters. In his later years (he died in 1899), Wallace regaled friends and neighbors in South Texas with tales of his wild frontier life, earning a reputation as a Texan folk hero.
John B. Armstrong
Yet another Tennessee native, Armstrong clashed with Reconstruction-era authorities at
Colombians Vote on Peace Accord Will the 54 Year Old Civil War Ever End?
By Brent Rourk It is the best of times and it is the worst of times in Colombia for much the same reasons as times are in most countries; it is difficult to keep a lid on crimes, Bogota expands as if there were no limit to its growth, traffic and pollution in Bogota are equally unhealthy, and most workers make a modest if not low wage. On the other hand, most people find jobs, Colombia is a geographic wonder, incorporating a vast variety of ecological zones, and Colombia still retains a cultural diversity from countryside natives to big city, modern offerings.
During a recent Sunday, for those who might have missed this on the world news, Colombian people went to the polls to vote on one solitary issue; whether or not Colombia should accept a peace accord between the Colombian Government and the well-known group FARC – Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) a rebel, guerilla group at war with the government for 54 years. Unlike in many countries where the president or a congress or parliament or other governing body decides and creates treaties and accords, Colombia has assigned that vital task to the people who decide by voting on the measure. The 54 year war has resulted in over 220,000 deaths and a huge waste of money and time. Ten years ago the government proposed an accord that was summarily turned down.
happened next, the most commonly told story is that Hardin’s gun snagged on his suspenders and Armstrong was able to hit him over the head, knocking him out. Armstrong then sent Hardin back to Texas to stand trial for Webb’s murder.
John B. Jones
Checking Out the Process
In 1874, Jones, a distinguished veteran of Texas forces in the Civil War*, was chosen to head the Frontier Battalion, a newly created organization composed of six large Ranger companies and tasked with protecting the Texas frontier. Under his firm hand, the Rangers reached new levels as a state police force, helping preserve law and order in the chaotic period following the Civil War* and Reconstruction. Train robber Sam Bass, one of the most notorious outlaws of the time, eluded capture until July 1878, when one of the members of his gang turned informer, writing to Jones of Bass’ plans to rob a small bank in Round Rock. Jones’ Rangers met the robbers there, and in the ensuing gunfight Bass was fatally wounded. In 1879, Jones was given even greater responsibility as adjutant general of the state of Texas; he died in service in 1881.
Captain Bill McDonald
If Bass’ death marked the passing of the traditional Texas frontier villain, Jones’ death marked a transition for the Texas Rangers, who were forced to modernize in order to confront the changing world around them. Bill McDonald was one of the most visible Rangers to emerge in this new era. As a Ranger captain from 1891 to 1907, McDonald took on numerous high-profile criminal cases, including illegal prizefights, bank robberies, murders and riots. He earned a reputation for his marksmanship, as well as for being the source of one of the most famous Ranger sayings: “One riot, one Ranger.” Though McDonald probably never said exactly that, it’s a pretty good statement of his attitude. As one story goes, McDonald arrived in Dallas to stop a prize fight, and when community leaders asked when his fellow Rangers were arriving, he said “Hell! ain’t I enough? There’s only one prize-fight!”
Frank Hamer
After Frank Hamer helped capture a horse thief on the ranch where he worked, the local sheriff recommended him to the Texas Rangers. Hamer joined the Rangers in 1906, and became part of a company that patrolled the South Texas border. He left the Rangers periodically over the years to take different law enforcement jobs, but by 1922 he had become a senior Ranger captain in Austin. In the 1920s, Hamer was a key figure in preserving law and order in Texas’ oil boom towns. But it was in 1934, after he retired as a Texas Ranger, that Hamer scored his biggest triumph: hired as a special investigator for the state prison system, he spent 102 days tracking the infamous outlaws Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, finally ending their multi-state crime spree in a police ambush in Bienville Parish, Louisiana. *Better known in my circles as: “The War of Northern Aggression” Dotson’s Other Note: Do you remember hearing of the exploits of this elite eight? If I owe anyone an adult beverage, please contact me so that we can meet up for the pay-off.
A very lean, unclaimed dog waited immediately outside of the opening to the restaurant, mere feet away from speeding cars. Its emaciated stomach and ribs reflected massive hunger and lack of meals. Piercing and sad canine eyes stared sadly at all of the restaurant patrons.
A mountain restaurant oven - making arepas and coffee
Finally, a soon to be sainted restaurant worker kindly gave one of the dogs a decent portion of what my tired and old eyes detected as meat and potatoes. The dog’s tail rose to half-mast and in seconds it wolfed the food down, altogether eliminating any wasteful chewing process, let alone leisurely enjoying the handout.
I displayed considerably more restraint than the hungry dog, savoring every bite of my filling lunch while chatting with my companion Maria. We compared the arepas, soups, and sausages to others we have eaten in Colombia and we discussed the beautiful scenery we had passed on the way to our late lunch destination.
Radio Updates on the Vote
A radio in the background had been playing more traditional Colombian music, until ‘up to the hour’ voting results were broadcast. The restaurant suddenly became silent and the patrons listened intently. Within a minute loud cheers broke the silence as a radio journalist announced that the ‘NO’ vote was leading in a few counties. The restaurant patrons, obviously in favor of the ‘NO’ vote (declining the peace accord and continuing the war) were very animated and excited about the voting progress
Colombian Mountains I traveled back to Colombia to visit a close friend and to see for myself how Colombia was reacting to the voting process and the vote. I spoke with several people that week in Colombia about ‘El Voto’ (the vote), and the sides seemed strongly entrenched, neither willing to listen to the other, only to decry and solidify their own position and rationale [that sounds more than vaguely familiar as I compare the reaction of Colombian views of the accord to our two recent presidential candidates and the Presidential Election.] Remarkably, it was apparent that Colombians were truly split on the accord, offering a wide range of reasons for voting ‘SI’ or ‘NO’.
Trying to Persuade Colombians Seemingly in vain, I tried several days before the vote to persuade Colombians to vote ‘SI’ – to accept the accord, stop the killings, and take a positive step forward, not forgetting the terrible tragedies of the long war, but rather to ensure that there could finally be peace. I wrote a letter to a large Bolivian newspaper encouraging Colombians to vote ‘SI’, probably viewed by some Colombians as an intrusion on their personal business. After all, why should a ‘gringo’ from the states have any right to say anything about what goes on in Colombia. Others of the ‘SI’ persuasion were pleased and grateful for my efforts. My reason for writing the article hinged on my basic belief about peace – Peace over War. I gave every effort, in spite of my passionate beliefs about stopping the war, to avoid causing an international incident, however, I chatted unabashedly and comfortably about it with Bogota locals.
Voting Day – Sunday in a Mountain Restaurant
Frank Hamer (far right) and three other members of the posse who ambushed and killed Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker.
quickly, mere feet in front of the restaurant opening as the pleasant wafts of freshly made arepas, sausages, and soups permeated the air trapped inside the tiny carved out restaurant.
The People Not Congress Decide Peace Accords
After 4 recent years of careful talks between the Colombian Government and FARC, including decisive assistance from other countries, the Colombian citizens prepared to head to the polls again to vote on that one measure. Would they vote to accept the peace accord (SI) or would they vote to refuse the accord (NO) thereby leaving the country in continued turmoil?
Samuel H. Walker
Soon after Samuel Walker joined Hays’ Ranger company in 1844, they and 14 other Rangers took on some 80 Comanche in the battle of Walker’s Creek. Armed with the first practical revolver, designed by Samuel Colt, the Rangers came out on top in the fierce clash. Walker was seriously wounded, but recovered to become a celebrated Ranger captain during the Mexican War. In late 1846, he made some simple suggestions to improve Colt’s revolver design, and the upgraded “Walker Colt” became the deadliest weapon of the war. Walker was killed in a clash with Mexican forces at Huamantla in October 1847.
November 24, 2016
As I traveled in the mountains outside of Colombia on the Sunday of the national vote, I ran across signs that simply stated ‘SI’ or ‘NO’, obviously referring to accepting (SI) or not accepting (NO) the accord. Carved into a mountain on a very narrow, winding road with the most picturesque view imaginable was a very small eating hole (literally) restaurant where
Restaurant fare in the mountains the day of the vote - Colombian chorizos and arepas
as it was delivered by the strong voice on the radio. It was unanimous as all of the restaurant patrons, except me, were strongly against accepting the peace accord. Smiles, laughs, back pats, and nodding heads continued for several seconds.
Clearly, it was in my best interest to be absolutely quiet, eat my delicious country fare, and continue to chat with Maria. Except for a brief faciaI show of disappointment aimed at Maria, I showed no emotion about the vote, but did witness how excited the dozen patrons were. They had their reasons. For all I know some of them were loyal FARC members, but although curious I did not know and I did not ask. Still, I was hoping that hungry voters would fill the ballot box with ‘SI’ votes – feeding hunger for peace, like the restaurant worker who fed the lean dog.
Maria and I completed our meal, picked up a few arepas ‘para llevar (to go)’, side-stepped the still hungry dog, took one more look at the amazing scenery, and headed back to Bogota. The country was on pins and needles as votes were tabulated and broadcast.
I wondered how well Colombians really understood the issues at hand with the vote. I wondered how many had been impacted and how they were voting. What values or beliefs were at the core of their vote? Were they voting like their friends or family members did (sometimes very common)? What would influence the vote one way or another? Gender? Age? Religion? Socio-economic status? Rural vs. urban? Party lines? College vs. high school and lower educated? Would they have the best interest of the country in mind as they voted?
Turn Down the Accord
The restaurant carved in the rock with a majestic view and a very thin dog about a dozen local patrons casually ate some traditional, rural Colombian culinary offerings, including home-made arepas, chicken soup, a plate with boiled sausages, chorizos, potatoes, and plantains, and piece of cooked pork on the bone. To call it a restaurant was a stretch, yet it had a stunning view of the green mountains and valleys and the mystical ascending and descending fog and clouds. Cars sped by
In the end the ‘NO’ won by about 60,000 votes, and by a percentage of 50% (SI) to over 49% (NO). Close, but no cigar. On Monday, most of the country went on about its business with many chatting about the vote, and by Tuesday it was history – at least for much of Colombia, at least until the next citizens are killed, and at least as long as the fighting and violence escape the eye of the average Colombian. Who will die next? Will peace prevail at some point? When?
Give Peace a Chance
Current Colombian President Juan Santos [National Unity Party], viewed as unpopular in some circles, and considered a step down from the previous President Alvaro Uribe [Colombia First Party], is tirelessly focusing on ending the war and will continue to do so with both national and international assistance. We can only wish the Colombians the best and we can hope that sane heads prevail. As John and Yoko once crooned, Give Peace a Chance!
November 24, 2016
Taming the Channel: An Epic Story
Editor’s note: This story first appears in the November newsletter of the Port Aransas Preservation & Historical Association and is in conjunction with an exhibit currently on display there.
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Island Moon
November and December. They have channels made of reeds and get fish only during that time, afterwards they subsist on roots. At the end of February they remove to other parts in search of food, because the roots begin to sprout and are
Island Moon on a Spoon
To Brine or Not to Brine: Elevate Your Turkey!
By Chef Vita Jarrin Gobble Gobble! November has arrived and it’s never too early to start planning Thanksgiving dinner. Part of reducing holiday stress, requires planning and preparation. It’s one of my favorite holidays to cook for, because it’s unique, and one of the most traditional yet versatile meals served. America is a melting pot when it comes to diverse cultures, therefore, every culture, sets their table with traditional and non-traditional fare in order to take part of this nationwide celebration. That said… I wanted to kick off November’s column with some “food for thought”. Planning the menu and how to execute it early on, eases the anxiety for those that either dread “cooking from scratch” or for those that are content making their usual, traditional meal because switching it up, is nerve racking and complicated!
This exhibit tells the story of the capture and taming of the Aransas Pass. The story begins with the Karankawa, the first islanders, and ends with the final extension of our jetties and dredging of a harbor for Port Aransas in 1919. The cast includes Spanish explorers, early ‘Texians’, and the armies of three warring nations. Prior to being tamed the channel moved southward at a rate of over 200’ per year. Arresting this steady migration was going to require skill, vision, money and determination.
not good any more.”
The Pass: A Route to Exploration The Spanish Wealth, power and fame enticed Spanish exploration away from the Caribbean colonies to the American mainland in the early 16th century. Alonso Alvarez de Piñeda set sail from Jamaica, intending to sail east around Florida. Strong winds forced his fleet of four ships to change course and sail west into unknown waters. In 1519 Piñeda sailed into the Aransas Pass and named the bay Corpus Christi. Running along the Gulf Coast from the Florida Keys to southern Mexico, Piñeda noted rivers and inlets along the way, creating the first map of the region
A railroad the length of the proposed jetty had to be built out into the sea to accomplish this job. A steam locomotive, crane, pile driver and flat cars full of rock had to be transported by barge to the construction site. After the rocks were dumped into the sea the cars had to be returned by barge and traded for loaded ones. The job required tons of dynamite, thousands of trees, millions of pounds of stone and more than a hundred laborers.
The Pass: A Route to Sustenance
Fall and winter offered the bounties of the
inshore waters such as redfish, oysters and turtles, while spring and summer required the skill of a hunter to kill bison and deer found inland. Karankawa families traveled in small dugout canoes to move between their summer and winter homes. Roots, nuts and fruits gathered during the inland stay rounded-out the Karankawa diet. “To this island we gave the name of the Island of Ill-Fate. The people on it are tall and well formed, they have no other weapons than bows and arrows with which they are most dexterous. The men have one of their nipples perforated from side to side and sometimes both; through this hole is thrust a reed as long as 2 ½ hands as thick as 2 fingers; they also have the under lip perforated and a piece of cane in it as thin as the ½ of a finger. The women do the hard work. People stay on this island from October till the end of February, feeding on the roots I have mentioned taken from under the water in
To brine? Or not to brine? Yes… Brining is similar to marinating. You immerse the meat or poultry in a liquid that is infused with herbs and spices as well as salt and sugar in order for the product you are brineing to take on additional flavor prior to cooking. The acid from the juice, breaks down the tissue in the muscle, therefore, by adding juice, you are tenderizing your meat. You can leave the protein immersed in the liquid, anywhere from 4 hours to 24 hours. When I brine chicken or turkey, I like to leave in the refrigerator overnight. Place it in a turkey roaster or bin, (use a clean plastic bag inside, before adding liquid; this helps water from splashing) and if turkey isn’t fully immersed, you flip it every 8 hours. If the turkey is too big, you can also use a cooler, filled with ice, and bag the bird in the brine and cover with more ice. Before you are ready to cook it, remove from liquid and rinse it for a few minutes, under cold water, and then pat dry. How you should season it, is in next week’s column. Stay tuned! In summation, this concept, is similar to using stock or drippings instead of water. If you make a soup, sauce or gravy, the stock or drippings, add much more flavor than just tap water.
It took over fifty years and five attempts before final success. Both private and government groups weighed in before the task was completed.
Long before Spanish and French explorers sailed along the Texas coastline indigenous peoples, the Karankawa, claimed the lands from Galveston to Corpus Christi Bay as their own. Nomadic by necessity, the Karankawa migrated with the seasons following the food sources.
So let’s talk Turkey! Realistically, whether you’re a pro at cooking turkey or tackling it for the first time…that big ole bird can be intimidating. There are so many tips and tricks these days that for most of us, just picking one up at the grocers and shoving it in the oven is effort enough. However, turkey is the star of the meal. How do we avoid serving a tough, dry bird? Here is a simple solution (pun intended) for a better tasting, juicy turkey.
The French More than a century later, French ships entered the Gulf. With the backing of King Louis XIV, René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle left the port of La Rochelle, France in 1684 with plans of wedging a French settlement between Spanish holdings in Texas and Florida. La Salle’s flotilla consisted of four ships laden with the necessary men and provisions for the French to stake their claim. The expedition ended in death, misery and failure; the Gulf of Mexico remained Spanish waters. **In 1995 Texas Historical Commission archeologists discovered La Salle’s ship the Belle in Matagorda Bay. Artifacts from this famous ship can be viewed at the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History and the Texas Maritime Museum in Rockport.
The Pass: A Route to Settlement The shallow, narrow pass that connects the Gulf of Mexico to inland waterways was a necessary feature to get goods and people onto the isolated central Texas coast. But the constant movement of this natural channel often led to maritime disasters, especially when combined with rough seas. An 1834 account describes such a journey: “We arrived at the pass, which we found stormy and bad. Notwithstanding the dangers of trying to cross the bar, the captain announced his determination to enter at any hazard. As our little schooner reached the bar, a rough sea broke on her, and a heavy swell threw her from the channel and she became unmanageable …. Another heavy sea struck her … [lifting] the vessel into shallow water, where she was permanently fixed.” John Linn Three centuries of exploration proved the importance of the pass, resulting in more accurate charts, but failed to harness or tame this important waterway.
It’s because you are layering flavors from the beginning. Poultry has a very bland, flavor profile. Therefore, layering flavors enhances your turkey while it’s raw and continues to pick up flavors, through the cooking process. My favorite brines, consist of a simple mix of water, salt, sugar and infusing the liquid with citrus such as lemons, limes and oranges, apple skins, apple juice, and to add savory, I add spices, herbs, garlic, etc. ***NOTE***Always make sure, that you cool the water by making it in advance and placing it in the refrigerator, for it to cook down, before adding your meat. If you lack the time to do so, you may cool it with ice also, but it may dilute your sugar and salt content, therefore, you may want to add extra, if using this process. Also, always clean your sinks, counters, bins, coolers etc. with bleach in order not to cross contaminate.
Easy brine recipe: 3 gallons cold water 4 C apple cider 4 C orange juice 2 C brown sugar ¾ C kosher salt 2 red onions quartered 6 cloves garlic smashed 4 TBS peppercorns 4 bay leaves 4 Rosemary sprigs Heat above ingredients in a sauce pot and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and set aside and let cool. Once cool, refrigerate overnight or for at least 4 hours. Immerse turkey in bin or roaster and cover. Turn turkey over if needed, every 8 hours.
Tip of the week: In order to perfect your turkey for Thanksgiving, start experimenting with different brines and spices on chicken. You can brine and season your chicken, until you find the right combination for your Thanksgiving turkey. Not only will you have a delicious chicken for dinner, you will end up cooking, serving and eating a very delicious, flavor packed, memorable turkey for the holidays.
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November 24, 2016
Island Moon
SPORTS Sports Talk Special to The Island Moon
Nice Pants, Bud
Hired To Be Fired By Dotson Lewis
By Andy Purvis Special to the Island Moon
Special to the Island Moon Dotson’s Note: In July 1977 I accepted a very challenging, newly created position as the Executive Director of the newly formed notfor-profit corporation the “Southwest Officials Association.” The objective and goal of this new organization was to educate and train officials (referees, umpires & etc.) to work (officiate) sports contests for the UIL & TAAPs (Texas High Schools Public & Private), SWC (Southwest Conference), SWAC (Southwest Athletic Conference), SLC (Southland Conference), LSC (Lone Star Conference) and other athlete conferences and all levels of schools, public and private. It was hoped by many of our members that they would become skilled to the point that they would be hired by the NFL, MLB and/or NBA. With all that being said, it was quite a shock that I was immediately thrown into the cutthroat war of win at all costs. That is the not so well kept secret of major college and professional sports. The following is an example of that war. Thanks to Cedric Golden of ‘American-Statesman’ who wrote the following Charlie Strong article.
Charlie Strong Just Did the One Thing He Couldn’t Afford To — Lose
felt more like 15,000. Here’s the tough part of big-time collegiate athletics: When a fan base becomes disenchanted with the head coach, it starts looking for what it deems to be better options. Strong appeared set to be the head coach in 2017 had he beaten Kansas and TCU to finish 7-5. That would have represented progress on a grand scale even though there are some who already had turned their gaze toward Houston’s Tom Herman. Now, after Saturday’s gut shot, even more Texas eyes are glancing that direction because the most crushing defeat of Strong’s career came on the same weekend that Herman’s Houston Cougars shut down Heisman favorite Lamar Jackson and Louisville’s College Football Playoff chances. They’re not talking about Herman’s losses to SMU and Navy.
A journalist extraordinaire, he covered everything from Cassius Clay, the war in South Vietnam, to the double that Ted Williams hit off Hal Newhouser, but it was tennis that made him tick. He was funny and smart; a historian by nature, this guy enjoyed sharing the history behind the events he covered, especially tennis. In fact he wrote several tennis encyclopedias. For 35 years he brought us up close and personal with the professional tennis results at the All England Club known as Wimbledon. Short in statue and sometimes bearded with a wisp of hair, you could spot him in the crowd by his wardrobe. He wore his heart on his sleeve and no one had more friends than this guy. Outlandishly colored clothes, glow-in-the-dark
expressed Deford. Collins was hired almost immediately on August 7, 2007, by ESPN and teamed with onetime NBC partner Dick Enberg on the network’s coverage of Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, the French Open, and the Australian Open. Bud was in heaven.
In 1994, Collins was elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame located in Newport, Rhode Island. In 1999, Bud Collins was awarded the Red Smith Award for his sports writing, by the Associated Press Sports Editors. Collins was also inducted into the National Sportswriters and Sportscasters Hall of Fame in 2002. In 2009, Boston University awarded him the master’s degree in public relations which he had never completed, citing his writings on the
Now, Texas is Herman’s job to have. Strong will coach the Longhorns against TCU, but I don’t see him coaching them beyond that game. His office just took a hit from which it will not recover. It’s over.
College Football Appears Set For A Hectic Coaching Carousel This OffSeason. (Thank you to Ezra Siegel of Sports Day, dallasnews.com for the below information) LSU already fired head coach Les Miles, while high-profile programs such as Texas, USC and Oregon may have openings at season's end.
pants, a Buster Brown bowtie; I’m sure he never had a stylist lay out his wardrobe. You got the feeling that he never even turned on the light in his closet, when he picked them out. He was as much a showman as McEnroe or Connors.
On a bleary day in the American heartland, Charlie Strong’s coaching tenure at Texas took a critical hit. A loss to Kansas won’t get Shaka Smart fired, but we’re talking about football here. Texas football. The Longhorns don’t lose to Kansas. Shoot, college football doesn’t lose to Kansas. It’s been a bit since Gale Sayers, Bobby Douglass and John Riggins played in Lawrence. The guys who beat Texas won’t have their names emblazoned on the Memorial Stadium walls, but they made the memory of a lifetime at Texas’ expense on Saturday. Simply put, the Horns gave it up to the worst football program in America.
Who is pictured above?
Kansas entered the game with a 2-50 record in its last 52 Big 12 contests and a 1-21 record in coach David Beaty’s tenure. So Texas and Rhode Island now share something in common: Both have lost a football game to the 2016 Kansas Jayhawks.
However, there is still a heavy price for programs to get rid of their head coaches. According to USA Today, seven coaches would command buyouts of over $20 million, while several more would cost over $10 million.
The Rams can at least use the excuse that they play in the FCS. Texas has no excuse. And for Charlie Strong … it’s over. He dropped to 16-20 in his first 36 games here and will finish without a winning record in the regular season for the third straight year. A win next Friday over TCU won’t mean much because it came after a loss to Kansas. His tenure will soon come to an end. It’s a tough business and losses happen, but a team that knows its coach needs to win to save his job can’t turn the ball over six times and think they’ll still come away with a road win, not even against Kansas. “The game was over,” Strong said of the 2110 fourth-quarter lead that got away. “Guys are hurting in there.” You feel for the man behind those teary eyes. Strong is a likable coach who is genuinely loved in the locker room by his players and his assistants. But this isn’t a Harlequin romance. It’s big-time collegiate athletics where coaches are paid millions to deliver wins and not lose to teams like Kansas. After wins over Baylor and Texas Tech, we talked about how tough it would be for Texas President Gregory L. Fenves to part ways with Strong if he finished with a winning record in the regular season. Now Fenves’ decision has been made easy. The 24-21 overtime loss was as bad as it sounds, much worse considering the opponent. This time there wasn’t a Vince Young to convert a fourth-and-18. There wasn’t a Case McCoy to ride on a white horse and save Mack Brown’s bacon in the final seconds. This time it was a dazed and confused Shane Buechele making inexplicable decisions at critical times and former Heisman Trophy candidate D’Onta Foreman putting the ball on the ground twice, the second time coming when the Horns were in position to put the game away. “We never should have been in that position,” left tackle Connor Williams said. “We should have executed better. There’s really not much to say. It’s saddening.” It’s a real sports paradox, friends: Strong got off the plane in Lawrence desperate to return for a fourth season and get the Horns into a bowl game after that 3-5 start. He couldn’t afford another toe-stubber like the 24-0 noshow at Iowa State in 2015, but we all figured the Horns were beyond that by now. They played a good West Virginia team tough and had enough horses to quickly dismiss a Kansas team before an announced crowd of 25,697 that
USA Today's Brent Schrotenboer rounded up the highest buyouts, with Texas' Charlie Strong, Oklahoma's Bob Stoops and Texas A&M's Kevin Sumlin ranking toward the top: Jimbo Fisher, Florida State: $33.1 million Urban Meyer, Ohio State: $27.4 million Jim Harbaugh, Michigan: $25.6 million Kirk Ferentz, Iowa: $25.3 million Bob Stoops, Oklahoma: $24.8 million Nick Saban, Alabama: $23.3 million Dabo Swinney, Clemson: $20 million Lovie Smith, Illinois: $19.3 million Chris Petersen, Washington: $16.4 million Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M: $15.4 million According to USA Today, Texas would be forced to pay $11.2 million to part ways with Strong, who sits at 5–6 this year after finishing under .500 in his first two seasons. Many believe Strong is on his way out. Texas paid Mack Brown a $2.8 million buyout in 2013, paving the way for Strong's hiring. It's unclear which coaches will be on the move. But there's bound to be a lot of money floating around college football this winter.
His interviews could be as overwhelming as his enthusiasm. You knew you were about to be “big time” when he asked you for a few minutes of your time. This guy covered tennis like Willie Mays covered centerfield. The man had more stories than Will Rogers. Spinning yarns may have been what he did best. He wrote like Damon Runyan and reminded me of Don Knotts. After you saw his given name you understood why they nicknamed him “Bud”. It was tennis star Chris Evert who walked off the court after one really tough loss at Wimbledon and said, “Nice pants, Bud,” as she passed by. It’s funny now, but thinking back, he just looked like a guy who should be called Bud.
Beginnings Arthur Worth “Bud” Collins Jr. was born in Lima, Ohio, on June 17, 1929. Bud graduated from Berea High School in 1947. His father was an athletic director and coach at BaldwinWallace University; Bud attended the same school and graduated in 1951. At the age of 18, Bud drove with two of his high school friends to Forest Hills for the 1947 Nationals (the forerunner of the United States Open). After he served in the U.S. Army, Collins moved to Boston in 1959 and enrolled in graduate school at Boston University. He did not complete the requirements for his master’s degree in public relations. Collin wrote part-time for the Boston Herald and become their lead sports columnist. “I’m a hacker,” Bud once said. “But I love the game.” Collins teamed with Janet Hopps in 1961, and they won the National Indoor Mixed Doubles at Longwood Cricket Club of Boston. He also reached the finals of the French Open Senior Men’s Doubles in 1975, playing with Jack Crawford. He also coached tennis at Brandeis University before taking his dream job at the Boston Globe in 1963. His words were magic. Collins covered the Davis Cup play in Australia, the Nationals for NBC in 1964, and the United States Open for CBS from 1968 to 1972. He covered the “Impossible Dream” season of the Boston Red Sox in 1967, as they played their way into the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. Collins was also a candidate for Mayor of Boston, in 1967. He then returned to NBC to cover Wimbledon. Bud joined Donald Dell to call tennis matches for PBS television, from 1974 to 1977. Collins did play-by-play for “Breakfast at Wimbledon,” starting with its inception in 1979.
Soul of the game
Kevin Sumlin-Lost Saturday Dotson’s Other Note: I have/had many friends over the past 70 plus years in the coaching business and to a man, they were vividly aware that they were “hired to be fired.” What are your thoughts excluding pro sports, of: “It’s whether you win or lose, but how you play the game?” After all, it’s only a game. Your comments, suggestions, questions and concerns regarding Sports Talk articles are greatly appreciated, please call the Benchwarmers at 361-560-5397 weekdays, Mondays thru Fridays, 5-7 PM, or contact me. Phone: 361-949-7681 Cell: 530748-8475 Email: dlewis1@stx.rr.com Have fun -30-
After 35 years, during the 2007 Wimbledon tournament, Collins announced that NBC had chosen not to renew his contract. Frank Deford of Sports Illustrated expressed his displeasure in the move. “There isn’t another American journalist so identified with his sport as Bud is with tennis. He is the very soul of the game, as historian, as authority, as devotee, as enthusiast,”
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history of tennis as sufficiently scholarly. The Boston Globe quoted a paragraph from his last piece, a story from 2011 about Serena Williams at the U.S. Open. Read and enjoy the work of a true storyteller. “Sister Serena is back. Bold, blasting, and bell-ringing--a woman with a cause to turn the world upside down as her property once again,” wrote Collins.
Bud Collins considered himself as much a print journalist as a television personality. He was a walking encyclopedia. His writing was filled with funny adjectives, spot-on metaphors, and references to history. He covered every major tennis event more than a few times and was known for his stories from Wimbledon. He called Wimbledon the true tennis championship of the world. Collins was a writer and senior editor for the World Tennis magazine.
Happy ending depends on where you stop your story
Last September 15, 2015, they hung a plaque with Bud’s name on it in the media center of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center (U.S. Open). The center was named the Bud Collins Media Center and the plaque said, “Journalist, Commentator, Historian, Mentor, and Friend.” Collins led the way to tennis popularity and showed the way to newspaper reporters who wanted to be broadcasters.
Collins penned many books. His first was entitled The Education of a Tennis Player. It was written with the help of Rod Laver, in 1971. Evonne! On the Move followed in 1974 with Evonne Goolagong Cawley’s assistance. In 1989, Bud wrote My Life with the Pros and Total Tennis.
Bud Collins fell in his hotel room, while attending the 2011 U.S. Open Tennis tournament in New York. The fall resulted in torn tendons in his left leg which required many surgeries to repair.
A little bit of tennis left us on Friday, March 4, 2016, with Bud Collins. He was 86 years of age. Bud Collins, the voice of American Tennis died at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts. He suffered from Parkinson’s disease and dementia. After hearing about Collins’ death, Mike Lupica wrote, “It is worth saying again today, that no media figure ever meant more to any sport than Bud Collins has to tennis.” Bud left behind his wife, photographer Anita Ruthling Klaussen, a daughter, seven stepchildren and 11 grandchildren.
Orson Welles once said, “If you want a happy ending that depends of course on where you stop your story.” Bud Collins will be missed but I dare say never forgotten, and that, my friends, would make him happy. Andy Purvis is a local author and radio personality. Please visit www.purvisbooks. com for all the latest info on his books or to listen to the new radio podcast. Andy’s books are available online and can be found in the local Barnes & Noble bookstore. Andy can be contacted at purvis.andy@mygrande.net. Also listen to sports talk radio on Dennis & Andy’s Q & A Session from 6-8 PM on Sportsradiocc. com 1230 AM, 96.1 FM and 103.3 FM. The home of the Houston Astros.
November 24, 2016
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Island Moon
The Traveling Moon Gets Around!
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Moon over Mauritius Port Aransas locals Suzanne (left) and Melanie McCann take the Moon to Mauritius. The two were in Southern Hemisphere on the island nation off the Mauritius. Mel and Suzanne were taking a week long class in CranioSacral Therapy. The island offered a little different take on the usual class as they were able to learn aquatic therapy in the Indian Ocean and have some hands-on experience with lions, tigers and rhinos and other exotics in the animal preserve. As part of the class, they spent a couple days volunteering skills at a children’s home and a home for the disabled as well as exploring an island a little different from their own. - Thanks for your paper and your work! Suzanne
Parker Burkett in South Lake Tahoe with the Padre Moon
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November 24, 2016
Island Moon
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13830 Hawksnest Bay completely updated inside/out 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, 2 dining, 3 living, over 4500 sq. ft., $725,000. Cindy Molnar 549-5557 to preview.
13722 A La Entrada 3 bedrooms, 4 baths, 2 car garage w/3,769 sq. ft. located on a wide canal. Gourmet kitchen, dramatic fireplace, cathedral ceilings, office & more! $1,150,000. Charlie 443-2499.
556 N. Bayberry Pl. 3 bedroom, 2 bath home near FBISD. Ready to move in. Large backyard and carport. Very clean. $145,000. Jody 281-731-6027 or Kellye 361-5220292.
New One Story home by RT Bryant offers three bedrooms, two full baths. Large master, hurricane windows, tile floors, granite counters. $244,900. Terry 549-7703.
Beach Club One bedroom furnished. Move in ready. 3rd floor view of Lake Padre. Outstanding amenities. Short/long term rentals allowed. Call Cheryl.
14945 S. Padre Island Dr. Corpus Chris�, TX 78418 (361) 949‐2131 (877) 269‐2131
www.rentpadreisland.com Superior Service, Outstanding Reputa�on since 1999 Looking for Professional Long Term Property Management Services? Our services include: Tenant Qualifying CollecƟons of Rents CoordinaƟng Repairs & Maintenance Professional Itemized Monthly Statements MarkeƟng/AdverƟsing
Looking for Long Term Rental Property? Below are some of our available rentals:
15002 Leeward #5306 2/2 $1000
14434 Cabana #208 2/2 $1500
14861 SPID #113 3/2.5/2 $1650
13941 SPID Comm. Space $1500
15214 Caravel 3/2/2 $1850
13705 Cayo Gorda 4/3.5/2 $3200
Beach Breeze #503 3/2.5/1 $1650
MysƟc Harbor #207 1/1 $1000
14214 Ambrosia #102 3/2/1 $1500
Open Sunday 11/20/16 2‐5 p.m.
Great investment! Duplex each with 3/2/1, plus an oversized RV/ Boat garage. 12’x73’x15’. Spacious open floor plans. Ceramic tile. Carrie 361-949-5200.
13854 Doubloon 3/2/2 waterfront with 2nd dining or study, multi-level deck w/bar and boat lift plus many extras, $429,900. Cindy Molnar 549-5557.
14929 Schooner 3-2-2 interior home. Full of light and space. Split bedrooms. Bonus room. Tile and carpet. 1,753 sq. ft. Plantation shutters. Call Cheryl 563-0444.
Gorgeous 3/2/2, 2014 built at quiet South end, no thru traffic. Split bedrooms, open floor plan, sharp MBR suite, superb kitchen. 1,658 sq. ft. Mark 688-4320.
Looking for Vaca�on Rental Services you can trust? Call Padre Escapes, Padre Island’s Premier Vaca�on Rental Company at 361‐949‐0430 Visit us online at www.padreescapes.com email at vaca�on@padreescapes.com
13530 Queen Johanna 3/3.5 custom waterfront Mediterranean retreat. 2 masters, cook’s kitchen, dual zone A/C and high impact windows. Call Cheryl/Tony.