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Inside the Moon

Souper Bowl A2

Spring Break A2

The

Issue 674

Island Moon

The voice of The Island since 1996

March 16, 2017

Around The Island

By Dale Rankin The weather threw a cool, windy, and overcast blanket on the first weekend of Spring Break 2017 as scattered showers caused many potential breakers to party in place rather than head for The Coast.

Things began picking up during the week and by Tuesday afternoon our beaches were fairly full from Newport Pass south to PINS with most of the Spring Break beach action taking place in the usual spot just south of the bollards in Port Aransas. Ronnie has been reporting busy beach traffic all along the Port Aransas beaches but lines in the restaurants have been bearable. Look for things to pick up considerably this week if the weather holds.

Police this year are allowing twoway traffic from Zahn Road north.

There have been the expected smattering of violations which attach to a Spring Break crowd but so far no serious problems.

One of the annual Rites of Spring here at the Word Factory is listening to the police scanner from Port Aransas and it has been active so far this Spring Break. On Tuesday police answered a call for a golf cart broken down in the middle of the street.

“Eight people on a six-person cart,” came the call. “A wheel fell off.”

We suggest the police call for that should be a “four-minus-one.” There have been several calls for kids doing donuts on the beach, people passed out, one naked man, two lost kids (or lost parents) and one case of charges filed after visitors trashed a condo.

But for the most part things have gone smoothly.

Island troublemakers A check of police reports in this issue will show that the roving band of troublemakers that have been vandalizing Padre Island for the past several weeks moved their operations to the south end of The Island where there were seven reported incidents of vandalism and/or theft in a twentyfour hour period last weekend. So far none of the crimes are serIous, unless of course it is your car which is burglarized, but keep your garage door down and if you leave valuables in your car at night they may or may not be there the next morning.

Bravo District The CCPD’s Bravo District which includes The Island covers 403 square miles and stretches from The Island to Staples Streets, and out west all the way to the OSO wind farms, Bravo commander Captain Chris White told an Island neighborhood group last week. It is staffed with a total of 45 officers, divided into five shifts with nine officers on duty at any given time. White said that he tries to keep at least one active officer on The Island at all times and officers are distributed around the Bravo district according to the number of crimes reported in a given area. The Island, not surprisingly, is not at the high end of that list. In January there were a total of 30 property crimes reported on The Island, 115 districtwide. White said that most of the violent offenses reported around the district are for family violence.

White said the best thing residents can do is to make sure and report any crimes they are aware of, no matter how minor, because those numbers will be reviewed each week to help assign officers where they are needed; squeaky wheel gets the grease. For non-emergency reports call the police at 886-2600.

Hunker down everybody, we’re only one week away from getting through Spring Break 2017 and breaking through to the other side, SandFest will be here before we know it!

In the meantime, say hello if you see us Around The Island.

Fishing A11

Container Gardening A4

Live Music A18

Free

Weekly

FREE

Big Spring Break Weekend

Island Grocery Store Looking Like a Reality

By Mary Craft After decades of waiting the possibility of a grocery store on Padre Island looks like it is finally going to become a reality.

Island Developer Moshim Rasheed said this week he is well into discussion with two grocery chains who have both expressed an interest in opening branches on The Island.

Spring Break 2017 may have started out rainy, but some people just can't be stopped.

More Spring Break 2017 photos, page A2

Water Exchange Bridge Bids Come in High

By Dale Rankin

“There has been a lot of activity lately on this project and right now it looks like the shopping center may open June 2018,” Rasheed said Wednesday. He said renderings have been sent to the store chain 365 by Whole Foods Market and Sprouts Farmers Market and we are waiting for them to send back proposals and demands. They will dictate the shape and location inside the shopping center so work will be started once the anchor store is determined.”

Negotiations for design modification to begin

When bids for the proposed Park Road 22/SPID Water Exchange Bridge on The Island were opened at City Hall on Wednesday there were two bidders and both came in at about $1 million more than is currently available for the project.

Local company Hass-Anderson Construction. Ltd, was the low bidder at $11,696,319 with North Texas based, Structural Assurance, LLC., bringing a bid of $12,101,062. Both are above the $10.7 million available for the job with $6.7 million of that coming from city bond money and the remaining $4 million from funds committed to the project from the Island Tax Re-Investment Zone.

“This is not a deal killer,” said bridge

designer Chip Urban. “We will start to look at some design engineering and see if we can get to the number that we need to be.”

Urban and District 4 City Councilman Greg Smith who attended the bid opening said the designers and city staff will now work with the low bidder to bring the project in with the funds available. It is not clear if the issue will have to go back before the city council. One option, which surfaced within hours of the bid openings was to award the bid to Hass-Anderson and do a redesign of the bridge by lowering the retaining walls along the sides of the bridge.

The current design of the bridge calls for three concrete spans of about

40 feet each, the middle span would be slightly wider at 48 feet which would cover the waterway allowing for fourteen feet of boat clearance from the water line to the bottom of the bridge. The two adjacent arches would each be 40 feet in width and cover cart and pedestrian paths connecting the east and west side of the roadway.

City staff told the Island Strategic Action Committee last week that construction on the bridge could begin as early as October. Still to be completed is an agreement to finish dredging the last piece of the canal to connect the water from the bridge to the existing canal system on the west side of SPID. Less than 500 feet of a new canal remains to be dug.

POA to Hold Second Vote for Board

No candidates reached a majority in first round

By Dale Rankin

Island property owners will face a second round of balloting to fill two seats on the Padre Isles Property Owners Association Board of Directors after none of the eight candidates in the race garnered a majority of the votes at last Saturday’s annual members meeting.

A total of 1549 ballots were cast, members could vote for two candidates, with 774 votes required to reach a majority and a seat on the board. The vote total marked a high water mark in terms of participation constituting about 20 percent of a quorum of all member

A little Island history

By Dale Rankin We have a lot of visitors to our Island this week and when people come to The Island they like to hear a pirate story. So here’s one.

In the early part of the 19th Century Spain was sending millions of dollars of gold each year from the rich mines in Mexico back to Spain. The ships used to transport the gold were slow, bulky vessels – cargo ships – and it was not unusual for one of them to carry in excess of $100,000 in its hold.

It didn’t take long for Gulf pirate Jean Lafitte to figure out that if he used small, light, fast, shallow draft vessels he could hide along our Island until he saw a mast on the horizon and pounce for his plunder. One of his favorite places to hide was behind Padre Island in the mouth of Baffin Bay. A cut at or near the spot where the Mansfield

of the organization, both voting and non-voting, when the usual number, according to Board President Brent Moore, is about 12 percent.

A crowd gathered at the P.O.A. AnnuaL Homeowner's Meeting last Saturday

The requirement for a majority vote caught many of the members assembled by surprise as POA officials initially said only a plurality would be needed with the top two vote getters taking seats on the board.

POA attorney John Bell said that changed last week.

“The POA has adopted Robert’s Rules of Order,” Bell said Monday, “and those rules require a majority vote for board seats unless the organization’s bylaws have been amended to only require a plurality and the POA has not done that. I informed the POA of that last week.”

POA cont. A4

The store would be located at a new development on land owned

by Rasheed along SPID, between Whitecap and Seashore Middle Academy. Rasheed said the planned Sprouts store would be about 12,000 square feet and a 365 Whole Foods store would be 12,000 – 14,000 square feet. Rasheed has also recently been communicating with the Aldi store group. The 365 by Whole Foods Market is a chain that was launched about a year ago with the concept of smaller more affordable natural and organic food stores than the larger Whole Foods stores.

The second largest unit planned for the new center is a 5,000 squre foot space where there has recently been an interested party considering placing a bank branch at the site, but it looks like that will not develop.

“There was a bank interested but their walk in business has slowed due to the popularity of online banking so they are hesitant to open another branch,” Rasheed said. “Instead I may put in a 24 hour restaurant like an IHOP. There will be 8 – 9 other shops each 12-1500 square feet and there have been many people showing an interest. The rent is $1.50 per square foot plus triple net which is very reasonable for this neighborhood.”

Rasheed is also working on a Microtel hotel at a site along SPID on the south end of The Island which is set to open in spring 2018.

A Pirate Story for our Visitors

Channel now cuts through The Island gave him a way to quickly get out to open water and pursue his prey.

He also used a small reef island in Corpus Christi Bay that over time became known as Lafitte Island. He would return to his hideout behind The Island after his attack and if he took on too much gold or silver to carry into the shallows he would bury it on The Island to be retrieved on his return to his base in New Orleans, Galveston, Campeche, or finally the town of Bagdad, Mexico which he is reported to have founded just below the Rio Grande River and which still exists today.

Some of the caches of Spanish silver and gold were said to have been left behind for various reasons and were later found buried in the sand near the mouth of the pass to Baffin Bay by a treasure hunter. While it is known that Lafitte buried and left some treasure on Padre Island the exact location

is the stuff of lore. One persistent story is that he buried one treasure under a huge millstone on which is described “Dig Deeper.” So if you find a millstone on The Island with the words “Dig Deeper” inscribed on it please call the Island Moon

office and let us do the dirty work.

So as you travel around our island this week keep your eye out for buried Spanish treasure and if you don’t find any treasure at least now you have a pirate story to take home.

A2

March 16, 2017

Island Moon

Spring Break 2017: First Look

Souper Bowl Raises Thousands of Dollars for Charities

The Art Center of Corpus Christi puts on a super Souper Bowl event each year to raise money for the Food Bank of Corpus Christi. Volunteers throw pots and bowls of all colors, shapes and sizes all year in preparation for this night. Ticket holders get to select a bowl and fill it with delicious soups from local restaurants. The Island was proudly represented by three popular restaurants who served up samples of signature soups: Island Time Sushi, Black Sheep Bistro, and Aunt Sissy's Kitchen. Joan Sowash of Aunt Sissy's Kitchen took home the People's Choice Award for Best Soup with her magical potion of tortellini, beef, and mushroom. This years event featured 23 restaurants, 700 soup bowls sold of 1,000 made, and raised $10,000 for each organization- The Art Center and the Food Bank. Photos by Debbie Noble

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March 16, 2017

A3

Island Moon

Moon Monkeys Mike Ellis, Founder

Letters to the Editor

two open positions on the POA Board.

As our platforms for major reform are essentially the same, and I would rather have Attorney Marvin Jones on our Board, than me (considering that it's likely only one of us could get elected).

I fully endorse Attorney Marvin Jones, as he has the knowledge, experience and the legal qualifications to make a real difference for positive change in the Board of Directors of our Padre Isles Property Owners Association.

Please vote for positive and legal change.

Please vote for Marvin Jones.

Distribution

Robert Algeo

Pete Alsop Island Delivery

Seashore Donations

Coldwell Banker Advertising

Dear Moon Editor,

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

A Texas sized thank you to all the PIPOA Annual Meeting attendees who donated money to Island Foundation Seashore Charter Schools.

I have been making presentations throughout our Island community this year sharing our history, highlights, and asking for donations to our new construction plans which will replace three aging, temporary facilities with one permanent facility. At the meeting, Carter Tate brought a collection can and made the first donation. Brent Moore matched his donation and sent the can around the room. By the end of the meeting, we had collected $3,002 from the audience! Many people told us they would be joining us at our annual gala fundraiser Whoop It Up on Saturday, April 1 as well. (Tickets available online at IslandFoundation.com.) We are grateful for the generous support of our Island neighbors.

Thanks to everyone in our community who has heard about our need and given their support. Every dollar counts when you are a public, charter school. We are grateful for every donation and offers of assistance. I will keep you posted on our fundraising progress and plans for breaking ground.

Time for a Change I have withdrawn as a candidate for our POA board, to clear the way for those who have a real chance at winning a majority. I sincerely thank everyone who voted for me. Those votes meant a lot and I am determined as ever to continue working with other property owners to make our island even better. I believe the time for change is now.

Safety. Responsibility. Communication. That says it all.

The foundation of my campaign ran on those principles and I still believe that our voices need to be heard. We have an enormous and diverse population of property owners who are intelligent, resourceful, and highly-skilled individuals who could come together and make a real difference in the quality of our lives on the island and our peace of mind. My wife and I often talk about day-to-day problems. She might have one idea. I might have another. And together we come up with the most amazing solutions that are better than what either of us could of thought of on our own. If we as a community are allowed to get involved, we can do the same and solve whatever issues we face.

•

We need to go back to our mission and honor the promises we’ve made to homeowners. Seawalls need to be repaired now. Especially the ones that have not been repaired since that bad rainstorm last April.

•

It is imperative that we have leadership who will be responsible stewards of the dues we’ve paid and will not be so eager to give that money away or waste it.

•

We need to curb crime on the island and not just blame the victims.

•

Most of all we need to hold ourselves to a standard of ethics that does not violate state laws and has no tolerance for conflicts of interest.

Lisa Scheerer Island Foundation Development Director

POA Elections On March 11th, no one received the required majority of votes and another election for board members will be held on April 1.

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

I want to thank everyone who voted for me on March 11th. Since a change in the direction of the board is essential, I am withdrawing as a candidate for the board and recommend you transfer your vote to Marvin Jones who represents the best chance for needed change.

The long term solution is a change in the election procedures of the POA Board. ALL members of the board should have to be elected every election. Board actions, such as the illegal attempt to build a community center when the board lacked the authority for that action and ill-advised actions like telling property owners when and how to trim their palm trees, should have consequences.

Five members of the POA Board should be from different areas of the island with each member representing approximately five subdivisions and about 1,000 property owners.

If the City of Corpus Christi Council wasn’t required to represent the city as a whole, all council members could be, for example, from downtown, the south side, or Ocean Drive, etc. Likewise, the POA Board needs to represent all property owners.

In my opinion, the only interest appropriate for a POA board who has collected over $10 million in funds from dues paid by property owners is to fulfill the promises made to those owners and use those funds for the purposes intended.

Certainly homes in extreme disrepair need to be dealt with fairly, but never should homeowners face a bulkhead that has gone without repair for nearly a year while the plant police are fretting over palm fronds.

Again, I thank those who voted for me. I ask that you consider giving your vote to Marvin Jones at our April 1st election.

Best wishes, Dennis Sprout

Did Ya Hear?

By Mary Craft mkay512@aol.com

New Advertisers Scott Callender Insurance Agency is an independent agency to serve your life insurance, medicare supplements and much more. He is an Island resident and can be reached at 548-4905 or scottcins@yahoo.com.

Garage sale at 15958 El Soccorro Loop on March 18th & 19th 9 am – 4 pm. Items include a cement mixer, neon sign, artwork, fishing gear, video games, furniture, books, new Serger sewing machine, 40 ft. RV cover and more.

Business Briefs James Gay former manager of The Boathouse Bar & Grill is now manager of Dragonfly Restaurant. Stop by and see him on St. Patrick’s Day and enjoy the specials – Irish lasagna, bangers & mash with onion gravy, corned beef & cabbage and trifle dessert.

The items are also available for take-out.

The Black Sheep Bistro/Barrel is having their grand re-opening this Friday on St. Patrick’s Day with a shrimp and crawfish boil with potatoes on the patio and music by John Eric 6 – 8 pm. The day’s special will be corned beef and Cabbage and they will have $2 pints and $4 Smirnoff vodka.

Mikel May’s Beachside Bar & Grill at Bob Hall Pier will be hosting a St. Patrick’s Day Party with entertainment provided by The Cuveralls Band 7 pm – 11 pm.

The Waterline Bar below Doc’s Seafood & Steaks Restaurant will be having St. Patrick’s festivities with drink specials.

Schlitterbahn Resort will have green beer and music by The Rockaholics for St. Patrick’s Day 6 – 10 pm.

Scuttlebutt’s Bar & Grill will have $3 Lone Star green beer for St. Patrick’s Day. Chris Saenz will be performing starting at 6 pm and there will be food and drink specials all day.

Thanks again for your support,

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

All Stripes Stores

A Mano

Angry Marlin

Coffee Waves

CVS

Moby Dicks

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

Jesse’s Liquor

Subway Island Tire And all Moon retail advertisers WB Liquor

Shorty’s Place

Flour Bluff

Giggity’s

H.E.B.

Stripes @ Ferry Landing Gratitude Gift Shop Keepers Pier House Port A Glass Studio The Gaff

Liquid Town Whataburger on Waldron Ethyl Everly Senior Center Fire Station Police Station Stripes on Flour Bluff & SPID

Kent Kerr Dear Editor, I have been following the issues between the POA Board and residents of our beautiful island since before we found the little plot of land we now call home. I was very apprehensive to get involved with such a mess and am frankly appalled at how residents have been targeted by the board and its employees. I am appalled at how our aging population is left to fend for themselves and how the POA Board President feels beautification trumps safety. I had the benefit of attending the Concerned Citizens Meeting last night. The turnout was much greater than I’d anticipated and I’m glad I had the opportunity to meet Marvin Jones, among others. I was sad to learn that Dennis Sprout, and then Bob Algeo, had resigned their candidacy for a POA Board position. Mr. Tate and Mr. Hulse were in attendance as well. We each took turns airing our concerns and took turns discussing the issues. NO Security Guard was required for anyone’s safety. I can honestly say that after hearing Marvin’s plan for POA Board reform, i.e. term limits for all board members, better transparency between residents and the board and hiring a bookkeeper to get our finances under control, etc., I am filled with brand new hope that our little place in paradise can be what we dreamed it could be when we first moved in. Marvin has given much of his own time, money and energy to make sure that what the board is doing is within legal limits.

He understands Texas and Federal law and believes we are all bound by the same laws, regardless of position. Most of all, he’s not afraid to call someone out if he thinks they are wrong. If you are undecided on who will get your vote, whether it’s because your candidate stepped down or you simply did not know there was a vote, please take the opportunity to talk with Marvin. If you are tired of issues never finding resolution because “we’ve always done it this way”, talk with Marvin. I promise- he’s a no-nonsense approachable fellow. I encourage you to find out for yourself what revolutionary ideas he has in mind to shake up the status quo.

I personally endorse MARVIN JONES for PIPOA BOARD 2017.

I thought the city said they were going to actively monitor the traffic and deliberately time the light to avoid this back up. I was stopped at the crest of the bridge coming onto the Island. There was a cop and a city worker sitting at the light watching us back up.

Dangerous and negligent in my opinion. Photo taken Wednesday at 3pm. Lisa Scheerer

Michelle Jeffers Dear Island Moon, Four POA Board Candidates have stepped aside, including myself, with endorsements going to Attorney Marvin Jones. I have withdrawn my name from this current POA election, because it may be a long shot for both Marvin Jones and I to both win the

The new traffic circle at the end of Whitecap is now complete.

A4

March 16, 2017

Island Moon

POA cont. from A1 Bell went on to say that even in the event that Robert’s Rules had not been adopted Section 209 of the Texas State Property Code likewise would require a majority vote to win unless superseded by POA bylaws. In past POA elections the plurality standard had been used.

Saturday’s meeting was suspended, not closed, and will be continued at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 1, at Seashore Learning Center Gymnasium, that same site as Saturday’s meeting. POA Executive Coordinator Beth Christensen said Tuesday that ballots for the new election are expected to be in the mail by Friday, March 17.

“Since it is a continuation of the (previous) meeting, there are no new applicants; however, four candidates have notified the office they no longer want to be considered and asked to be removed from the ballot,” she said

Doug Bird to be Saltwater Legend Series Hall of Fame 2017 Honoree

High profile fishing guide & entrepreneur Doug Bird will be honored as the 3rd recipient of 2017 during the Saltwater Legend Series™ Hall of Fame Enshrinement ceremony on Friday, March 24th. Friday’s event will be held 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Marker 37 Marina (open to the general public).

the

Venezuela-made

Jumping

Minnow.

Bird, 75, and his wife of 55 years, the former Jean Ann Clark of Corpus Christi, moved to the edge of the Texas Hill Country about three years ago to be near their son Clark. Conveniently, there is a Veterans Affairs hospital in Temple. The Canada-born Bird is a disabled American vet.

Millions of Laguna Madre-Baffin Bay fish died in that freeze, followed by an insidious brown tide bloom that lasted for about seven to eight years. This was no fun for lure anglers and guides. Bird went south to the lower coast and returned to bass fishing for part of the year.

A fish-killing freeze in 1983, forced Bird to fish the surf or offer bass trips at Coleto Creek Reservoir. But the good old days returned in 1987 only to be knocked down again in 1989 by another bitter winter.

The vote tally for Saturday’s election were: Stan Hulse 641; Carter Tate 570; Bob Algeo 547; Marvin Jones 451; William Kent Kerr 275; Dennis Sprout 112; David Dare 98; George Potter 97.

This year’s inductee is a posthumous induction of artist and outdoorsman Herb Booth (19422014). Herb was a wildlife and sporting artist starting in 1967. His work is represented in major public and private collections, and his stamp and limited edition print commissions have helped raise thousands of dollars on behalf of wildlife through Ducks Unlimited, the Gulf Coast Conservation Association, the National Wild Turkey Federation, and other groups devoted to habitat conservation.

Bell said that if two candidates do not reach a majority vote in the April 1 balloting another election will be necessary.

Who's Coming to Dinner Spring Break 2017 March 11-March 18

March 18-March 25 U. of Arkansas, Northwestern University, Kansas State, University of Kansas, University of Nebraska, University of Wisconsin, Tulane University

Doug Bird, pioneer fishing guide, to be honored on March 24th Bird’s big break came one summer, when he took Houston Chronicle Outdoor Editor Bob Brister to Baffin Bay. It was a successful two-day hunt for big trout. They threw a topwater plug called a Jumping Minnow and a teakwood Florida plug from Trader Bay. Brister was impressed, which came across in his 1986 column, sparking an avalanche of guide bookings for Bird, not to mention a fair amount of attention from other outdoor writers outdoor writers.

During the early years, Bird worked as an offshore captain in summer and a Laguna/ Baffin Bay guide during the other seasons, eventually adding duck-hunting trips out of his cast-and-blast barge and cabin near the mouth of the land cut. He employed a cook at the cabin and had a crew of guides on the payroll.

Bird helped many guides along the way as he earned a reputation as a lure-only chaser of big trout. His favorite lures included the Cordell Broken Back, a soft plastic under a Mansfield Mauler and

Feeding the birds can quickly turn into a Hitchocok movie if you're not careful!

Container gardens have long been used to add a spot of color by a front entrance or expand planting space in city lots, balconies and decks.

Don’t let past experience and tradition limit your vision. Try one or more of these attractive, fun and functional ways to include containers in your landscape, large or small.

Crews were out at South Pac preparing the beaches for our Spring Break Guests.

The veteran fishing guide’s health was deteriorating, forcing him to retire from the business around 2008. After relocating to Temple, Bird joined the Centex Bass Hunters to learn from the locals. He now competes in area club tournaments and occasionally he wins one or places high in the field. Club standings have him ranked in the top 10, based on tournament points.

Add vertical interest to any garden or garden space. Select a large attractive container filled with tall plants like papyrus and canna. Or elevate a small pot on steppers or an overturned pot for added height. Create height with smaller pots and plants by strategically stacking and planting them into a creative planting. Try setting any of these planters right in the garden to create a dramatic focal point.

Create a privacy screen or mask a bad view.

Use an arbor or other support for hanging baskets and then place a few containers below for an attractive screen. Or create a garden of containers to provide seasonal interest using a variety of plants. Use trees, shrubs, and ornamental grasses for height. Save money by purchasing smaller plants. Elevate these on overturned pots for added height and impact.

Mask the mechanics by wrapping the pots in burlap. Then add a few colorful self-watering pots in the foreground for added color and beauty. Fill these with annuals or perennials for additional seasonal interest.

Booth was nominated and selected by his peers who were previously inducted into the Wall of Fame.

The Wall of Fame is located in the Robert J. Hewitt/ O’Connor & Hewitt Foundation Collections & Education Center. The Texas Maritime Museum is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit privately-funded and the “Official Maritime Museum” for the State of Texas located across from the Rockport Harbor. Hours of Operation are Tuesday – Saturday from 10 am – 4 pm and Sundays from 1 pm – 4 pm. Closed Mondays. For more information call 1-866729-AHOY, or check out the website www. texasmaritimemuseum.org.

Saturday, March. 25th the live weighin event will be held from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Marker 37 Marina. Saturday’s event welcomes the general public to a funfilled day with vendors, music, weighin, awards ceremony and much more.

Island Political Action Committee Endorsements May 6

All admission to the events on both days is free of charge. Food & beverage will be available at the Hall of Fame Ceremony on Friday night.

Meal tickets can be purchased at the event for $12.

Come help us select a mayoral candidate to endorse in the upcoming May 6 Special election. The Island United PAC will hold a mayoral candidate forum on April 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn. All registered Island voters are eligible to vote in the endorsement process.

Five Creative Ways to Use Containers in Your Landscape

by Melinda Myers

But the birds they do want feeding.

Monday, March 20, 2017 at Noon in the Maritime Collections and Education Center of the Texas Maritime Museum, one individual will be inducted into the Texas Maritime Museum’s Perry R. Bass Memorial Sports Fishing Wall of Fame. This exhibit opened in March 2007, and inducted the Honorable Judge C.H. “Burt” Mills and Sam Caldwell last year.

Mr. Bass was not only an integral part in the founding of the Texas Maritime Museum, but was also known as an avid angler, and conservationist, insuring future generations will be able to experience the thrill of “the big catch.” It is his legacy in this area which became the basis for honoring Mr. Bass in the naming of the Wall of Fame.

Christensen said the candidates this time are Stan Hulse, Marvin Jones, George Potter and Carter Tate.

Harvard, Colorado State, Ohio State, U. of Oklahoma, U. of Tulsa, Oklahoma State, Rice, Sam Houston State, Southern Methodist University, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, U. of Texas, North Texas, U. of Arkansas, U. of Colorado, Slippery Rock University, Texas A&M Kingsville, Texas State.

2017 Induction Ceremonies for the Perry R. Bass Memorial Sports Fishing Wall of Fame

Bring the garden right to your back door for ease of harvest and added entertainment. A self-watering patio planter, windowbox, or rail planter reduces maintenance and makes harvesting herbs as easy as reaching out the window or backdoor. Plus, guests will have fun harvesting their own fresh mint for mojitos or greens for their salads.

Define outdoor living spaces within your landscape. Use containers as walls and dividers to separate entertaining and play areas from quiet reflective spaces. And consider using pots with built in casters or set them on moveable saucers to make moving these pots easier. This way you can expand and shrink individual spaces as needed simply by moving the pots.

Create your own vacation paradise. Use planters filled with cannas, bananas, palms and New Zealand flax for a more tropical flare. Add some wicker furniture to complete the scene. Or fill vertical gardens, an old child’s wagon, metal colander or wooden and concrete planters with cacti and succulents. Add some old branches and large stones. You’ll feel as though you’ve hiked into the desert.

All you need is a bit of space and creativity to find fun new ways to put containers to work for you in the garden this season.

An updated list of registered voters will be available but if possible bring your voter registration card with you to speed up the process. Votes will be counted that night and the winner announced. The PAC will then use email, social media, and the esteemed Moon to spread the word so that we can help promote a United Island vote.

Candidates have until March 27 to file. You must be registered by April 6 to vote. Early voting takes place April 24-May 2, and Election Day is May 6. Voter turnout in special elections is notoriously low, so all our votes on Election Day will make a big difference.

Attention

Boat Owners!

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Phil Bandish with a Loggerhead turtle caught by accident unharmed and released back into the surf at 11 a.m.

Photo by Debbie Noble

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March 16, 2017

Island Moon

Stuff I Heard on the Island

A5

By Dale Rankin For the past two years I had been noticing that the ground around the orange tree in my backyard was littered with hollowed out orange rinds. At first I blamed it on my friends who occasionally like a little citrus with their gin but when I did the math I came to the conclusion that if my friends needed that much citrus their gin intake was way above normal and it might be time to get some new friends. But as spring turned to summer and finally to winter it became obvious that even my friends didn’t need that much orange juice for imbibing and some other force of nature must be at work.

Flying rats!

Tides of the Week Tides for Bob Hall Pier March 16 - March 23

Day

Th

16

High 7:01 AM

16

Low

1:32 PM

16

High 5:17 PM

17

Low

17

High 8:10 AM

Sa

18

Low

18

High 9:31 AM

Su

19

Low

1:43 AM

19

High

11:12 AM

M

20

Low

2:40 AM

20

High

12:47 PM

Tu

21

Low

3:46 AM

21

High 1:41 PM

W

22

Low

4:55 AM

22

Th

23

23

F

High /Low

Tide Time

Height in Feet

Sunrise Moon Time Sunset

Moon Visible

1.3

7:37 AM

Set 10:13 AM

0.9

7:38 PM

Rise 11:27 PM Set 10:51 AM

83 75

90

1.0

12:18 AM

0.2

7:36 AM

1.3

7:39 PM

0.2

7:34 AM

Rise 12:18 AM

1.3

7:39 PM

Set 11:30 AM

0.1

7:33 AM

Rise 1:09 AM

1.4

7:40 PM

Set 12:13 PM

0.1

7:32 AM

Rise 1:59 AM

1.4

7:40 PM

Set 12:58 PM

0.1

7:31 AM

Rise 2:49 AM

1.5

7:41 PM

Set 1:47 PM

0.1

7:30 AM

Rise 3:36 AM

High 2:14 PM

1.5

7:41 PM

Set 2:39 PM

Low

6:00 AM

0.1

7:29 AM

Rise 4:23 AM

High 2:39 PM

1.5

7:42 PM

Set 3:34 PM

12:56 AM

I got my answer this week as I was standing in my backyard minding my own business when suddenly a giant rat flew down and almost hit me in the head. When I say flew I mean he dropped right out of the sky and hit the table about two feet in front of my face. To say it startled me would be a bit of an understatement.

I called him a name not found in the Bible and smashed my palm down on the table where he landed and he ran one way and I ran the other. I had seen the dark shadow of a backyard visitor scurrying across the white gravel in the backyard but judging by the size I figured it must be a possum. I was in active denial because truth be known marsupials in general and possums in particular scare the daylights out of me. I once got trapped in a port-o-can at a Willie Nelson picnic by an angry Luckenbach possum that looked way too much like George Jones.

But denial becomes impossible when a giant rat lands on the table right in front of you. On examination is was clear that after depleting the supply of low hanging fruit on the orange tree he had been using the shade structure over the patio to reach the top of the tree and it was not his first time to use my table as his landing spot on his way to the ground.

“The stray cats will get him,” I was told, but I knew it was a lie meant to appease me. This big healthy fellow could have held his own with any of the stray cats around our fingertip. If they saw this guy coming they would run and apparently

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Fiery Rats in my pants I asked my rat chasing friends how best to deal with this creepy problem and the responses varied from shotgun use, to rat poison. I don’t like poising animals so that’s out, and I can tell you that if I open up on a backyard rat with my scattergun the shots won’t stop until I am out of ammo and that’s sure to bring the cops. If you think the shooting from duck hunters gets a rise from Islanders, just wait until we all open up on the rat population.

Then two nights ago as I stood in my backyard waiting for the dog, who is absolutely no help on this problem unless the rat gets near her food bowl, to do her business when all of a sudden here he came again. Startled by the dog he came running full tilt boogie across the yard and ran right between me and the dog, not more than six feet from where I was standing. It happened so fast I didn’t even have time to react.

I once booked a band called the Pear Rats who named themselves after the rats who run out from under prickly pear cactus when the thorns are burnt from the cacti to allow cattle to eat them.

“We put rope around our pant legs to keep them from running up into our underwear,” they said. “That’s just a nuisance unless they are on fire, and then it’s a real problem.”

Rats, fiery or otherwise running up my pant leg. I can’t even think about that. All I can say is that if my backyard friend had run up my pants leg it would be my widow who would be writing this story.

“How did it happen ma’am?”

“We’re not sure. The neighbor said he just jumped off the deck into the canal screaming words not heard in the Bible as he swam off around the corner.”

So if you find me floating face down in the canal in the next few weeks, check my pants for rats. In the meantime, I’ll be drinking my gin without oranges.

And so it goes.

The King Of The Ferret Leggers

Very Junior Editor's Note: Since Dale is concerned this week with the possibility of a rodent-in-the-pants situation, it was decided undemocratically to republish the best story about "puttin' em doon" ever written. This was first published by Donald Katz in "Outside" in 1987. It is reprinted here.

Mr. Reg Mellor, the "king of ferret legging," paced across his tiny Yorkshire miner's cottage as he explained the rules of the English sport that he has come to dominate rather late in life.

"Ay lad," said the 72-year-old champion, "no jockstraps allowed. No underpants — nothin' whatever. And it's no good with tight trousers, mind ye. Little bah-stards have to be able to move around inside there from ankle to ankle."

Some 11 years ago I first heard of the strange pastime called ferret legging, and for a decade since then I have sought a publication possessed of sufficient intelligence and vision to allow me to travel to northern England in search of the fabled players of the game.

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had already been doing that since my rat friend was still here.

Basically, the contest involves the tying of a competitor's trousers at the ankles and the subsequent insertion into those trousers of a couple of peculiarly vicious fur-coated, footlong carnivores called ferrets. The brave contestant's belt is then pulled tight, and he proceeds to stand there in front of the judges as long as he can, while animals with claws like hypodermic needles and teeth like number 16 carpet tacks try their damnedest to get out.

From a dark and obscure past, the sport has made an astonishing comeback in the past 15 years. When I first heard about ferret legging, the world record stood at 40 painful seconds of "keepin' 'em down," as they say in ferretlegging circles. A few years later the dreaded one-minute mark was finally surpassed. The current record — implausible as it may seem — now stands at an awesome 5 hours and 26 minutes, a mark reached last year by the gaudily tattooed 72-year-old little Yorkshireman with the waxed military mustache who now stood two feet away from me in the middle of the room, apparently undoing his trousers.

"The ferrets must have a full mouth o' teeth," Reg Mellor said as he fiddled with his belt. "No filing of the teeth; no clipping. No dope for you or the ferrets. You must be sober, and the ferrets must be hungry — though any ferret'll eat yer eyes out even if he isn't hungry."

Reg Mellor lives several hours north of London atop the thick central seam of British coal that once fueled the most powerful surge into modernity in the world's history. He lives in the city of Barnsley, home to a quartermillion downtrodden souls, and the brunt of many derisive jokes in Great Britain. Barnsley was the subject of much national mirth recently when "the most grievously mocked town in Yorkshire" — a place people drive miles out of their way to circumvent — opened a tourist information center. Everyone thought that was a good one.

When I stopped at the tourist office and asked the astonished woman for a map, she said, "Ooooh, a mup eees it, luv? No mups 'ere.

Noooo." She did, however, know the way to Reg Mellor's house. Reg is, after all, Barnsley's only reigning king.

Finally, then, after 11 long years, I sat in front of a real ferret legger, a man among men. He stood now next to a glowing fire of Yorkshire coal as I tried to interpret the primitive record of his life, which is etched in tattoos up and down his thick arms. Reg finally finished explaining the technicalities of this burgeoning sport.

"So then, lad. Any more questions 'for I poot a few down for ye?"

"Yes, Reg." "Ay, whoot then?"

"Well, Reg," I said. "I think people in America

will want to know. Well ... since you don't wear any protection ... and, well, I've heard a ferret can bite your thumb off. Do they ever — you know?"

Reg's stiff mustache arched toward the ceiling above a sly grin. "You really want to know what they get up to down there, eh?" Reg said, looking for all the world like some working man's Long John Silver. "Well, take a good look."

Then Reg Mellor let his trousers fall around his ankles.

A short digression: A word is in order concerning ferrets, weasel-like animals well known to Europeans but, because of the near extinction of the black-footed variety in the American West, not widely known in the United States.

Alternatively referred to by professional ferret handlers as "a shark of the land," "a piranha with feet," "fur-coated evil," and "the only four-legged creature in existence that kills just for kicks," the common domesticated ferret — mustela putorius — has the spinal flexibility of a snake and the jaw musculature of a pit bull.

Rabbits, rats, and even frogs run screaming from hiding places when confronted with a ferret. Ferreters — those who hunt with ferrets, as opposed to putting them in their pants — sit around and tell tales of rabbits running toward hunters to surrender after gazing into the torchred eyes of an oncoming ferret.

Before they were outlawed in New York State in the early part of the century, ferrets were used to exterminate rats. A ferret with a string on its leg, it was said, could knock off more than a hundred street-wise New York City rats twice its size in an evening.

In England the amazing rise of ferret legging pales before the new popularity of keeping ferrets as pets, a trend replete with numerous tragic consequences. A baby was killed and eaten in 1978, and several children have been mauled by ferrets every year since then.

Loyal to nothing that lives, the ferret has only one characteristic that might be deemed positive — a tenacious, single-minded belief in finishing whatever it starts. That usually entails biting off whatever it bites. The rules of ferret legging do allow the leggers to try to knock the ferret off a spot it's biting (from outside the trousers only), but that is no small matter, as ferrets never let go. No less a source than the Encyclopaedia Britannica suggests that you can get a ferret to let go by pressing a certain spot over its eye, but Reg Mellor and the other ferret specialists I talked to all say that is absurd. Reg favors a large screwdriver to get a ferret off his finger.

Another ferret legger told me that a ferret that had almost dislodged his left thumb let go only after the ferret and the man's thumb were held under scalding tap water — for ten minutes.

Mr. Graham Wellstead, the head of the British Ferret and Ferreting Society, says that little is known of the diseases carried by the ferret because veterinarians are afraid to touch them.

Reg Mellor, a man who has been more intimate with ferrets than many men have been with their wives, calls ferrets "cannibals, things that live only to kill, that'll eat your eyes out to get at your brain" at their worst, and "untrustworthy" at their very best.

Reg says he observed with wonder the growing popularity of ferret legging throughout the seventies. He had been hunting with ferrets in the verdant moors and dales outside of Barnsley for much of a century. Because a cold and wet ferret exterminates with a little less enthusiasm than a dry one, Reg used to keep his ferrets in his pants for hours when he hunted in the rainand it always rained where he hunted.

"The world record was 60 seconds. Sixty seconds! I can stick a ferret up me ass longer than that."

Continued on A7

A6

March 16, 2017

Island Moon

Senior Moments

The Space Race-1957

Anecdotingly

Dog Gone Wild

By Abigail Bair

By Dotson Lewis Special to the Island Moon Dotson’s Note: About 4 AM on October 5, Allen convinced engineers to strap a Geiger 1957, my jangling phone woke me up. Since counter his team had designed to the first I was a member of a CMMI team in the Air American satellite, Explorer 1, launched on Defense Center at Fort Bliss, Texas, an early January 31, 1958. The experiment confirmed morning phone call was routine and usually the existence of Earth's magnetic field by meant that we (my team) were going to conduct detecting a doughnut-shaped region of higha surprise command maintenance inspection energy particles encircling the planet. Scientists of one of our Nike Ajax missile launch sites. I now know Earth has two such "Van Allen Belts" was completely surprised by the Site NCOIC which can be hazardous to both satellites and on the phone urging me to get out to the site astronauts.

ASAP. The on duty operators were hearing Boost for science a beeping sound they could not identify. It Sputnik's launch forced Americans to rethink sounded like it was coming from some place out in the atmosphere. I was out the door, in my car the notion that they were the world's most and on my way in less than two minutes. As technologically advanced nation. "Many people I rushed toward the site which was about six were flabbergasted that the Russians, of all miles from where we (my wife, daughter & I people, could do it," recalled William Burrows, lived), I told myself that this had better be good, author of This New Ocean, a detailed chronicle or some heads were going to roll. My thanks of the space age. to Elizabeth Howell, Ker Than and William "The Communists bragged that they invented Burrows for their contributions to this article. the airplane, radio, television, rockets and so on, so Americans made jokes that they probably Sputnik - 1 also took credit for inventing baseball and With a single shot, the Soviet Union vaulted bubble gum," Burrows said. "We laughed and ahead in the Space Race. The country sent ridiculed them. Then Sputnik. POW! They Sputnik, the world's first artificial satellite, really did have muscle." into space on Oct. 4, 1957. The small satellite What followed was an unprecedented push in brought the Soviet Union into the technological spotlight and demonstrated that the country was the United States to educate the nation's youth in science and mathematics. In 1958, Congress capable of modern feats. passed the National Defense Education Act to provide scholarships for aspiring scientists, engineers and mathematicians.

"Sputnik made everybody think about science and technology more seriously," said David Thompson, an astrophysicist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland.

Aspiring Astronomers

Sputnik Was The World's First Artificial Satellite, Launched Oct. 4, 1957.

The program sent a shockwave through the American public. A new definition of time was created; this was the "Space Age." The launch also sparked soul-searching among Americans, who had felt a sense of technological superiority amid a post-war economic boom. Was the United States falling behind? Could Sputnik be a play on the part of the Soviets to put arms in space? Is space a worthy place to compete for world prestige?

These were all questions Americans asked in the months following the beach ball-sized satellite's trip into Earth orbit. Meanwhile, the Soviets quietly launched bigger and more powerful satellites, demonstrating they were in space to stay.

Sputnik ("traveling companion" in Russian) was a silver sphere with four long antennas. It was about 22 inches in diameter and weighed 183 pounds. Circling the Earth every 98 minutes, it used a radio beacon that was able to pinpoint spots on the Earth's surface.

Working with a group of German rocket engineers who had built the V-2 rocket program that threw missiles at London, the Soviets spent about a decade after the Second World War plotting how to lob a satellite into space.

According to Russian Space Web, Sputnik was actually a scaled-back version of the satellite the Soviets had hoped to launch.

While the Soviets had plans to put a 1,000to 1,400-kilogram (2,205 to 3,086 pounds) satellite into orbit, they wanted to do it in time for International Geophysical Year of 1957-8, when the United States had a publicly stated goal of launching a satellite itself. Issues with one of the planned scientific instruments threatened that timeline, so the Soviets compromised with a simpler satellite to meet that date.

Sputnik may have been a compromise, but in the eyes of the world it was a large feat. The beeping noise it played from space echoed in worldwide radio broadcasts, as well as on television sets for the few who had the technology at the time.

The Scientific Legacy of Sputnik Sputnik's launch stunned the world and changed it, too. It heralded in dramatic fashion a new "space age," created an identity crisis in the United States, led to the creation of NASA and began a flurried race between the world's two superpowers to place a human on the moon.

Sputnik touched all walks of life. For politicians, its launch provided a new and powerful way to stir up patriotism. Winning the space race was not only a matter of national security, they said, but of national pride.

For engineers, the space age represented a new set of daunting technological hurdles to be overcome. The engineers were the group tasked with inventing machines capable of escaping Earth's gravity and reaching the moon, as well as ways to keep humans alive in space and to communicate with them from the ground.

For people of a military mindset, Sputnik represented an awesome and frightening new way of waging war. The same technology needed to loft a satellite into space could also be adapted to hurl a nuclear warhead at your enemies from half a world away.

For environmentalists, the photographs of our planet in full that came out of the space age were a powerful propaganda tool. The "Blue Marble" image taken by the crew of Apollo 17 spoke volumes about Earth's fragility and the interconnectedness of life and humanity.

But all of these things would come later.

Arguably the first people to fully grasp Sputnik's significance and to exploit its technology were scientists for whom the beeping metal ball represented a radical new way of studying our planet and the universe.

Scientists made their first major discovery of the space age a mere three months after Sputnik's launch. American scientist James Van

The U.S. government's push for scientific education was made easier in many ways by Sputnik. The satellite was a technological marvel that inspired an entire generation of students—and not just aspiring engineers.

Some astronomers trace their interest in space to the Sputnik-era.

"Everybody was going out to try to see these satellites that had just been launched and I went out and said 'You know, these other things in the sky are more interesting,'" Thompson said.

"There are stars out there and planets.'"

"I was a kid and it sounded very exciting," said Mario Livio, a senior astronomer at the Space Science Telescope Institute in Maryland. "At the time, the first name that I remembered for this was an 'artificial moon.' That of course had its own feelings that went with it: 'Humans have created their own artificial moon.'"

I’ve been so sick the past few days, I thought (somewhat legitimately) that this was going to be the final missive from my death bed. The Rev (my Mother) brought home some horrible, hot zone level contagion, evidently from the Presbyterian Church in Alice and infected both the G.P. and myself. The parental units only got runny noses, fevers and scratchy throats that made them sound like Ertha Kit. I got all of the above and gastrointestinal explosions that can only be accurately described in terms of kilotons. I'm generally kind of a weakling, immune wise, plus I have a marked tendency toward hypochondria which is only intensified by an infatuation with WebMD. Two weeks ago, I entered a preliminary diagnosis of a bug bite on my arm as being that of a Brown Recluse. Then, in a panic, I looked up Brown Recluse bites on Google Images at 3 a.m. Fair warning: do not look up Brown Recluse bites on Google Images. It's a bad idea. Also, I did not have a Brown Recluse bite, I had a scab shaped like a pistol that fell off the next day. I'm fairly sure the dog ate it.

I blame the dog...

Up until about five days ago, Stadler (my hydrophobic black lab) had one joke. She stops dead in the middle of the road on the dog jog and pretends to have to poop, causing myself and my bike (Gertrude) to skid to a stop.

Then, as I’m recovering my aplomb/balance, Stadler starts trotting off, looking over her right shoulder with a big ole dog smile all over her face. It’s not a very funny joke. Now, she’s invented a new hilarious hilarious. She waits until I fall asleep, and sneaks over to my side of the bed, toenails click, click, clicking on the hardwood floors. Then she huffs directly in my face until I awaken, push up my sleep mask, and yell, “What?!?” You’re not going to believe this, but I swear my dog just looks at me with this huge sloppy grin that just says,”HI!!!!!!”

Then she jumps back on the bed, turns the mandatory three circles on her end and goes RIGHT BACK TO SLEEP while I toss and turn for several hours. I tried locking her out of my room, but that resulted in two hours of crying and a pretty serious attempt to break down the door. I thought about making her sleep in the car in the garage, but decided I’d get nailed for animal cruelty because of what I could only imagine would be incessant bawling about the unfairness of it all. For three nights, this went on: I pass out, click... click.... HUFFFF… .”HI!!!!” Soo funny. Then the Rev intervened by bringing home the plague. My Labrador weakened immune system just couldn’t take the germ load. By Sunday, I was in pretty bad shape. I wound up in bed for two days, blessedly dog-joke-free due to ingesting a vat of Cherry Flavored Nyquil (they’re lying about the

cherry part). I was on a pretty weird trip. I kept having very strange fever dreams about baking in pot bellied stoves, exploding bunnies, lava, and Skittles. I’m pretty sure this is the same reason L’il Wayne had to quit it with the Purple Drank. Thus ends any similarity I might have to L'il Wayne.

Spring Break Stadler reigned unsupervised and managed to essentially track the entire backyard (currently a promising understudy if the Okefenokee Swamp ever sprains a metaphorical ankle) into the house. Evidently, it took about 37 minutes of incapacitated human for Stadler to go feral. I arose from my coma Tuesday morning to find a slew of saucer sized doggie paw prints all over my once white tile floors, my deliberately dark brown couch, and a single print halfway up the wall in the hallway (as if she'd jumped to see how high she could leave her mark). There were also four gigantic sticks (which I don’t know how she managed to wrestle through her dog door) chewed halfway up on the living room rug, along with every single toy from her toy box, several pairs of my pants, a billion used Kleenexes chewed into tiny chunks of fluffy white, one house slipper, and my emergency backup roll of toilet paper. It was a disaster.

My dog lay right in the middle of her nest, looking up at me with a big grin on her face that just screamed: “HI!!!!!”

Faced with this kind of mess, especially when both the eating and excreting ends of my body were still extremely untrustworthy and might blow at any second, I admit I did think about just burning the whole house to the ground and moving to a country where dog ownership was forbidden due to obvious ecological concerns. Instead, I stomped back into the bedroom, got a laundry basket, stomped back, got a trash bag, and started pulling apart the Great Pyramid of the Unsupervised Canine. Stadler was very helpful, trying to bring everything I put away back. Eventually, most of the Kleenex fluff found its way into the vacuum cleaner, which also dissuaded the dog’s attempts at an assist because Stadler believes in the necessity of Minimum Safe Distance (about 40 feet away) when the vacuum cleaner has been deployed. The floors were slowly and grudgingly mopped, and gradually the house began to smell less like a family of especially unwashed medieval serfs had died of plague, and more like Murphy’s Oil Soap and melty wax thingys. Stadler did pull out all her toys again, except for the indestructible stuffed bone toy made by Goodyear which she hates because she can’t wreck it. Still, I feel like I won “Survivor”, though, rather than a million bucks, my prize is evidently one mostly usable slipper and two pairs of my own pants. I’ll take it.

Lasting Legacy For many scientists, Sputnik's greatest legacy is the space observatories such as Hubble that it paved the way for. Space telescopes "opened up new wavelength regimes or bettered the capabilities in a given regime by a factor of ten" compared to ground telescopes.

"The studies of the microwave background from space started with COBE and continued through to W M A P , " said Steven Weinberg, a Nobel laureate in physics who Sputnik's launch platform worked at the University of Texas in Austin. "That has really made cosmology into a precision science and given us our best evidence about inflation."

Others think Sputnik's contributions to science are more subtle. The space age also encouraged scientists in all disciplines to entertain new ideas, said spaceflight historian Roger Launius, chair of the Division of Space History at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.

PHOTO RE-ENACTMENT: Not my actual dog, but the happy smile and the mess approximates what Stadler (I-am-full-on-feral-even-though-I'm-totally-scared-of-thebathtub Bair) did to our living room. FEMA still hasn't shown up, but I'm not expecting them until next week. This is why we can't have nice things.

Pickleball Teams Get Creative

"We had no idea in the past until we started to explore space what the potential hazards as well as opportunities there were out there," Launius said. "When did the theory that the dinosaurs had a sudden mass extinction as a result of an asteroid emerge? Had we not flown in space, we would never have even considered that as a possibility."

Dotson’s Other Note: We would hear the beeping sound intermittently every 90 minutes or so. As I recall, it was a day or so later we were informed about Sputnik 1. Many of us were very concerned that the Cold War may have gotten hot! One good thing that came out of this event was the fact that very shortly we noticed a large (very large) increase in our budgets. Perhaps this rendition brought back some memories of almost 60 years ago. It was of those times that many of us will never forget.

On January 12, 1979, Captain Glenn Shoop at the controls of the British Airways Concorde G-BOAE (N94AE), and Captain Ken Larson at the controls of the Air France Concorde F-BVFC (N94FC) made a stunning parallel landing on the two West runways at D/FW to open Braniff Concorde Service.Your thoughts regarding this or any articles appearing in The Island Moon are greatly appreciated. Thank you for reading and commenting on Senior Moments. I can be reached at: dlewis1@stx. rr.com and/or Land Line: 361-949-7681 Cell: 530-748-8475.

Please Note: The next Veterans Round Table Meeting will be Tuesday, March 21, 2017, 9-11 AM, 3209 S. Staples. All Veterans, their families and anyone interested in Veterans affairs, are invited. Coffee & doughnuts are provided. Hope to see you there. Also our Veterans Radio Round Table is on the air on KEYS AM 1440, 8 – 9 AM, Saturdays. The next will air March 18, 2017.

Please listen and call in. The listener/text line is: 361-560-5397…It’s your show.

Hang in there/Have fun!

A group of El Constante Winter Texan pickleball players transformed a little used tennis court at Parker Park in Flour Bluff into a pickleball court using blue painter's tape to mark temporary lines on the tennis court. The group played on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

March 16, 2017

A7

Island Moon

Ferrets cont. from A5 So at 69, Reg Mellor found his game. As he stood in front of me now, naked from the waist down, Reg looked every bit a champion. *** "So look close," he said again. I did look, at an incredible tattoo of a zaftig woman on Reg's thigh. His legs appeared crosshatched with scars. But I refused to "look close," saying something about not being paid enough for that.

"Come on, Reg," I said. "Do they bite your — you know?"

"Do they!" he thundered with irritation as he pulled up his pants. "Why, I had 'em hangin' off me —" Reg stopped short because a woman who was with me, a London television reporter, had entered the cottage. I suddenly feared that I would never know from what the raging ferrets dangle. Reg offered my friend a chair with the considerable gallantry of a man who had served in the Queen's army for more than 20 years.

Then he said to her, "Are ye cheeky, luv?"

My friend looked confused.

"Say yes," I hissed.

"Yes." "Why," Reg roared again, "I had 'em hangin' from me tool for hours an' hours an' hours! Two at a time — one on each side. I been swelled up big as that!" Reg pointed to a five-pound can of instant coffee.

I then made the mistake of asking Reg Mellor if his age allowed him the impunity to be the most daring ferret legger in the world.

"And what do ye mean by that?" he said.

"Well, I just thought since you probably aren't going to have any more children ..."

"Are you sayin' I ain't pokin' 'em no more?" Reg growled with menace. "Is that your meaning?

'Cause I am pokin' 'em for sure." *** A small red hut sits in an overgrown yard outside Reg Mellor's door. "Come outa there, ye bah-stards," Reg yelled as he flailed around the inside of the hut looking for some ferrets that had just arrived a few hours earlier. He emerged with two dirty white animals, which he held quite firmly by their necks. They both had fearsome unblinking eyes as hard and red as rubies.

Reg thrust one of them at me, and I suddenly thought that he intended the ferret to avenge my faux pas concerning his virility; so I began to run for a fence behind which my television friend was already standing because she refused to watch. Reg finally got me to take one of the ferrets by its steel cable of a neck while he tied his pants at the ankle and prepared to "put 'em down."

A young man named Malcolm, with a punk haircut, came into the yard on a motorbike.

"You puttin' 'em down again, Reg?" Malcolm asked.

Reg took the ferret from my bloodless hand and stuck the beast's head deep into his mouth.

"Oh yuk, Reg," said Malcolm.

Reg pulled the now quite embittered-looking ferret out of his mouth and stuffed it and another ferret into his pants. He cinched his belt tight, clenched his fists at his sides, and gazed up into the gray Yorkshire firmament in what I guessed could only be a gesture of prayer. Claws and teeth now protruded all over Reg's hyperactive trousers. The two bulges circled round and round one leg, getting higher and higher, and finally ... they went up and over to the other leg.

"Thank God," I said.

"Yuk, Reg," said Malcolm.

"The claws," I managed, "aren't they sharp, Reg?" "Ay," said Reg laconically. "Ay." Reg Mellor gives all the money he makes from ferret legging to the local children's home. As with all great champions, he has also tried to bring more visibility to the sport that has made him famous. One Mellor innovation is the introduction of white trousers at major competitions ("shows the blood better").

Mellor is a proud man. Last year he retired from professional ferret legging in disgust after attempting to break a magic six-hour mark — the four-minute-mile of ferret legging. After five hours of having them down, Mellor found that almost all of the 2,500 spectators had gone home. Then workmen came and began to dismantle the stage, despite his protestations that he was on his way to a new record. "I'm not packing it in because I am too old or because I can't take the bites anymore," Reg told reporters after the event, "I am just too disillusioned." *** One of the ferrets in Reg's pants finally poked its nose into daylight before any major damage was done, and Reg pulled the other ferret out.

We all went across the road to the local pub, where everyone but Reg had a drink to calm the nerves. Reg doesn't drink. Bad for his health, he says.

Reg said he had been coaxed out of retirement recently, and he intends to break six — "maybe even eight" — hours within the year.

Some very big Yorkshiremen stood around us in the pub. Some of them claimed they had bitten the heads off sparrows, shrews, and even rats, but none of them would compete with Reg Mellor. One can only wonder what suffering might have been avoided if the Argentine junta had been informed that sportsmen in England put down their pants animals that are known only for their astonishingly powerful bites and their penchant for insinuating themselves into small dark holes. Perhaps the generals would have reconsidered their actions on the Falklands.

But Reg Mellor refuses to acknowledge that his talent is made of the stuff of heroes, of a mixture of indomitable pride, courage, concentration, and artless grace. "Naw noon o' that," said the king. "You just got be able ta have your tool bitten and not care."

Send letters and photos to editor@ islandmoon.com Keep your money secure with these online banking tips

By Kelly Trevino Regional Director, Corpus Christi Better Business Bureau Using a smartphone, tablet or computer to manage your finances is a convenient way to monitor your money from anywhere at any time. At the same time, it’s important to be cautious when checking your account balance online or with a mobile banking app.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, more than 9,600 complaints against banks and lenders were reported by Texas consumers in 2016. Also, bank fraud was ranked as one of the top five types of identity theft, with more than 3,900 complaints reported to the FTC. Better Business Bureau serving the Heart of Texas and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) offers the following safe banking tips: Avoid “card skimming” at ATM machines.

Card skimming occurs when scammers attach a device to an ATM machine or gas pump to “skim” the information on your debit or credit card when you swipe them. When combined with a hidden camera, the scammers are able to record your Personal Identification Number (PIN). To help protect yourself, examine the area surrounding the ATM for possible concealed cameras. Also, stand close to the machine when entering your PIN, and cover the keypad with your hand.

Use a credit card for online transactions.

Avoid using a prepaid debit card or debit card when ordering anything online. According to the FDIC, debit cards are considered less beneficial than credit cards for major purchases or online buying because of the limited protections in cases of fraud.

Keep your transactions secure. Safeguard your bank account information, credit card numbers, Social Security number and other personal data when you use the Internet. Don’t use an unsecured Wi-Fi network, such as the

Island Moon on a Spoon

networks open to the public in coffee shops and restaurants, when checking your bank account balance. Also, don’t send personal information or account numbers through email or text messages.

Research any app before downloading it.

Just because the name of the app resembles the name of your bank doesn’t mean that it’s the official app for the bank. It could be a fraudulent app designed to look like the real one. Make sure to download the app from a legitimate app store.

Secure your mobile device and the app.

Depending on the type of mobile device or smartphone, most have technology now that requires a PIN number or fingerprint to unlock the phone. Whether you access your account through the bank’s website or mobile app, create a strong password and one that’s not easy to guess. The FDIC recommends a password contain combinations of upper and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols and a PIN with random numbers, and not the last four digits of your Social Security number.

Be on guard against unsolicited emails or text messages appearing to link to a financial institution’s website. These could be phishing messages containing some sort of urgent request (such as a warning that you need to “verify” bank account or other personal information) or an amazing offer (one that is “too good to be true”) designed to lead you to a fake website.

Scammers use this tactic to gain access to your personal information and other sensitive data.

Kelly Trevino is the regional director for the Corpus Christi/Victoria area of Better Business Bureau serving Central, Coastal, Southwest Texas and the Permian Basin. Kelly is available for media interviews and speaking engagements.

You can reach her by phone: (361) 945-7352 or email: ktrevino@corpuschristi.bbb.org.

Pump Up The Jam

By Chef Vita Jarrin While the East Coast and Midwest are shoveling snow, we here on the Island are blessed with beautiful sunny days. As a matter of fact, our weather and beaches are so perfect this time of year that we receive busloads of spring breakers and visitors from all over the U.S. One of most popular methods of cooking in this environment is grilling. It’s versatile because anyone can grill--from a novice cook to a BBQ expert. It’s hard to mess up a burger or chop on the grill. But one thing that is often overlooked, is the added flavor we can get from using other sauces such as a chimichurri, (a Mexican or South American sauce or marinade) or a sweet jam infused with herbs or heat, instead of just using a typical BBQ sauce.

Not many people think of using a jam when grilling, but I want to encourage those of you whom have never tried it to do so. The sweetness of a peach or berry intensifies with heat, and the sugars caramelize, adding a slight sweetness. If you love spice, adding a pinch of cayenne, or habañero, will balance the sauce even more.

Additionally, buying a jar of prepared jam at the store, and or storing several in the pantry, allows for you to add an in-depth level of flavor that will leave your guests wondering where you catered your food from.

Peaches and various berries are my go-to when making a fruity BBQ Jam. I mainly use these sauces on blander cuts of meat such as chicken and pork. However, you can use these jam based sauces on various other meats such as lamb, venison, and duck as well as salmon, shrimp, halibut, etc.

If you have time to make a jam or preserve from scratch, nothing would compare to that.

However, if you don’t, utilizing a store-bought

product works as well. Just be sure to purchase one that is made from real fruit. If you’re using sugar free products, I am certain you can find a jar of sugar free jam and not miss out on any of the flavor.

Habañero or Chile Peach Jam 1 jar of your favorite peach jam or preserves 1 tsp. finely diced habanero or chili paste (optional) ¼ C orange juice ¼ C Water 2 Tbs. soy sauce 2 Tbs. apple cider vinegar 2 cloves fresh zested garlic Dash of cinnamon In a sauce pan, heat the jam, and add all the above ingredients. Stir over medium to low heat, allowing the jam to release its sugars.

As it cooks down in the next ten minutes, it will concentrate and reduce into a thick sauce.

You can adjust the spice level and thickness to your liking. If it appears too chunky, you can let it cool and then blend it to smooth out the texture. You can also use half the sauce to marinate the meat in a bowl and the other half to brush over the meat while grilling. ***NOTE*** NEVER re-use the sauce that touched raw product. Toss after every use. Do not cross contaminate your sauce with a brush by brushing raw meat and saving the rest of the sauce. Throw it away after each use. If you are using sauce for that meat or fish, use it and discard the rest. Only save un used product and make sure to date it.

Tip of the week!

Keep in mind you can use other jams and preserves in place of the peach. Try several as you go and match them up with the protein of your choice. You can also make these sauces ahead of time, however keep in mind, they only last about a week, once you prep them.

The important thing is to Have Fun! Try New Things! Happy Eats… Enjoy!

Island Foundation’s Annual Gala Fundraiser

Saturday, April 1 Live Music

Auctions

7:00pm Light Appetizers

Schlitterbahn Veranda Tickets & Information at IslandFoundation.com Proceeds benefit Seashore Charter Schools

Get Your Tickets Today. Every Dollar Counts.

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March 16, 2017

Island Moon

SPORTS Sports Talk Special to The Island Moon

March Madness & Etc.

“We did things in those days that you just don’t see today,” said Mager in 1999. “The athletes Special to the Island Moon today are great – bigger and stronger than we Dotson’s Note: I am were. But the smarts has gone out of the game. writing this on “Selection Only a couple of teams, like Utah with [John] Sunday.”

Early this Stockton and [Karl] Malone, play the game like morning (very early since a team.” the clocks were moved forward one hour) a The CCNY team compiled an impressive 17-5 friend who is an old* college basketball fan record during the regular season, but no one and I got to talking about our earliest memories expected the Beavers to be a force in the NIT, of college basketball. Almost immediately the which was the premier tournament at the time. question came up; “what happened to the NIT In fact, of the 12 teams selected to play in the (National Invitational Tournament)?” Since NIT, CCNY was the 11th team chosen.

“March Madness” starts very soon, I believe The Beavers opening round foe was San you would like to have a review or hear for Francisco, the defending NIT champ. CCNY the first time the evolvement of spring college pulled off a shocking 65-46 win, which set up basketball tournaments….so here goes: the classic showdown with Kentucky. Holman and Rupp made plans to take in South Pacific, The NIT (National Invitation the hottest show on Broadway, the day after the Tournament) game. That’s how certain Rupp was that his The NIT is a postseason tournament with a 32team bracket that currently plays second fiddle to the heavily broadcasted and lucrative NCAA Tournament. The NIT started as top dog in 1938 as a six-team tournament. The tournament was the brain child of the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association. The games were originally hosted at Madison Square Garden. Having MSG the location for the whole thing was genius. It added to the appeal and notoriety of the tournament. The best way to get exposure as a basketball player in the ‘30s & ‘40s, was playing in New York City’s biggest venue.

If you wanted to be seen by pro scouts, you wanted to play a game at MSG.

By Dotson Lewis

No Boys Allowed

By Andy Purvis Special to the Island Moon It has been said that competition begins when you look into a man’s eyes. You can tell that he is ready. One look at this guy and you knew it was “game on.” This man was one strong sonof-a-gun. With his massive physique, he could rip a phone book in half. This guy’s hamstring had hamstrings. I’m not saying this guy was Superman, but we’ve never seen them together in the same room. This fellow was half-man, half-amazing and was well worth the ticket. He was a bit scary and played somewhat irritably.

He was also big; if you saw his shadow, you’d run like hell. No matter how many people were on the basketball court, he was the one you would notice first. For a big man, this guy owned a fine shooting touch from the outside.

Standing 6’ 11”, he was so tall that when he stood up, he looked like a ladder unfolding.

Watching him play, I could feel the excitement

to play against is Nate Thurmond,” said Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Teammate Walt Hazzard said, “His presence on the court was unbelievable. As for blocking shots, I’ve seen guys get offensive rebounds and then go back 15 feet, to make sure they can get a shot off. They knew Nate was there.” Rick Barry said, “Nate was one of the greatest centers to ever play the game, and I was privileged to call him a teammate and a dear friend. Like a true warrior, he battled his illness to the very end.”

“It’s double demoralizing to a guy if you score on him at one end and shove him out at the other end,” laughed Nate. “I could look in a guy’s eyes and know he’s demoralized. Blocking shots still turned me on.” Running into a screen set by Nate Thurmond was like running into a Coke machine. Nate suffered knee problems

The NCAA Tournament In 1939, the baby-big brother was born. The NCAA Tournament started its existence as the less attractive tournament to earn an invite into for two very big reasons:

Nate Thurmond

1. They didn’t play at MSG, but random sites throughout the country, so the exposure was limited, and 2. The NCAA didn’t start allowing multiple teams from the same conferences into the tournament until 1975.

Adolph Rupp team would triumph and remain in New York.

“This young team of mine is better than the group which won the NIT as sophomores,” Rupp boasted before the game.

Nat Holman The NCAA tournament had one thing going for them, they started with more teams, eight.

The NIT saw that as a slight, and expanded their tournament to eight in 1941, and the pissing contest of expansion began.

The Demise of the NIT Looking at the expansion of the two tournaments over the years is almost comical.

After that initial expansion by the NIT, the NIT upped their field again in 1949, to 12. Then of course, 1951 rolls around, and the NCAA doubles their field from eight to 16. But that only lasted a year, until the NCAA went to a varied 22-25 format from 1953-1974. The NIT answered by expanding to 14 in 1965, and then to 16 in 1968. The slow-down in expansion was the mark of the NIT’s fall from grace, they wouldn’t expand again until 1979, to 24, and by then they were already second fiddle.

The 1979 NCAA tournament was definitely not the nail in the coffin, but it was essentially the NIT’s pallbearer. The NIT was just barely reaching 24 teams while the NCAA had a deep 40 team field. Larry Bird’s Indiana St. Sycamores met Ervin “Magic” Johnson’s Michigan St. Spartans in the finals and put on a show that let everyone know they would be the household names of the NBA for the ‘80s.

If the Bird and Magic showdown happened in the NIT, who knows maybe the NIT gets more financial contributions, and expands further to compete with the NCAA tournament throughout the ‘80s.

Holman had his own view. He started three black players, Ed Warner, Floyd Layne and Watkins, against the all-white Wildcats. The 6-7 Watkins won the opening tip from Kentucky’s 7-foot Bill Spivey and the tone was set.

CCNY handed Kentucky its worse loss under Rupp, 89-50. Holman and Rupp never made it to South Pacific. “I think they lowered the flag in Kentucky,” said Mager. “Rupp said, ‘I sent my poor boys back home.’ We had too many ethnic groups on our team. He didn’t like blacks and Jews.”

With the Kentucky victory behind them, the Beavers confidence grew. They cruised past Duquesne 62-52 to advance to the championship game against Bradley. City trailed 29-18 after 14 minutes so Holman went to Mager. By halftime CCNY had trimmed the lead to 30-27.

After six ties and seven lead changes in the second half, CCNY prevailed 69-61. Mager had scored 14 points but the Beavers weren’t ready to celebrate yet. The NCAA was on the horizon.

CCNY opened with a 56-55 win over Ohio State. Then the Beavers outlasted N.C. State 7873, setting up a rematch with Bradley. Mager, who played at Lafayette, sank what proved to be the winning basket but it was Irwin Dambrot, a Taft product, who had 15 points and a key blocked shot down the stretch that secured a 7168 triumph.

The CCNY Basketball Team Wins Both the NIT and the NCAA

“During the tournaments we were so wrapped up in the games we didn’t even realize what an accomplishment it was,” said Mager. “I remember one day seeing a headline in the Post and thinking, ‘Hey, we must be doing O.K. The Post actually picked us to win the NIT so that was a feather in their cap.”

They were oblivious to the history they were making, naive about their remarkable accomplishment. The 1950 CCNY basketball team completed a Hoop Dream of a season that no team will ever duplicate. The Beavers won the NIT and NCAA in the same year. They beat the likes of San Francisco, Kentucky, N.C. State, Ohio State and Bradley – twice.

Eleven months after completing the Grand Slam, CCNY was rocked by a point-shaving scandal that changed the face of college basketball in the city. Seven players on the CCNY team were charged with their involvement in fixing games during the regular season, but there was no wrongdoing during the tournaments.

The Big Apple truly was the Mecca of college basketball that year. And the players were the least caught up of anyone in winning what many refer to as the Grand Slam of college hoops.

Players at LIU and NYU also were charged.

In the aftermath of the scandal, the Board of Higher Education banned scholarships at all City University colleges. The balance of power in college basketball shifted from New York to schools that now comprise the ACC and SEC.

“It was very exciting when it happened but we didn’t get all caught up in it at the time,” Norman Mager, the super sixth man of the squad told The Post. “We had a good group of guys that just meshed together. We weren’t the biggest team but we were a smart club that had a cross section of all the qualities you’d want in a basketball player: speed, jumping, moving without the ball, shooting. We were truly a team.”

The team was coached by Nat Holman and he didn’t have a player taller than the 6-foot-7 Leroy Watkins, a key reserve who played a huge role in the 89-50 crushing of Adolph Rupp’s Wildcats.

Holman was a visionary. He believed more in ball movement and pick-and-rolls than he did in set plays. He preached the fast break. He change his starting five based on the opponent. And he had a group of players – all New York City high school stars – who had learned to play that breed of ball on the streets and in the schoolyards of the Big Apple.

*Old as in age and an old (very) college basketball fan.

Dotson’s Other Note: At the time it was a miracle that one team could win both the NIT and NCAA basketball tournaments. A sideline note: Kentucky Coach Rupp evidently didn’t learn the lesson. Fast forward 16 years, when he lost the 1966 NCAA championship game to Texas Western College (coached by my friend Don Haskins). Today most of us never hear of the NIT unless we have a dog in the hunt. In future editions of The Moon, we will discuss ‘March Madness’ & ‘Bracketology’ as the NCAA tournament unfolds. 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-

Send letters and photos to editor@islandmoon.com

in my chest. They say that the NBA stands for “No Boys Allowed.” He would become one of the most dominant defensive players and rebounders in the league. He let it be known that the space between the foul lanes was his office. That’s where he conducted his business, the business of playing defense. Everything you are and everything you want to be gets tested in the paint. Hand-to-hand combat under the basket was his specialty. Some say the demon is spirit and the warrior is confidence, and they battle constantly inside each of us. If you have enough confidence, you will perform at the level you think you can. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Hitch your wagon to a star.” That star would go by the name of Nate Thurmond.

Nathaniel “Nate” Thurmond was born on July 25, 1941, in Akron, Ohio, the hometown of LeBron James. He attended Akron Central High School before enrolling at Bowling Green State University. While at Akron Central, Nate played with another future NBA star by the name of “Gus” Johnson. Central went undefeated during the Ohio State playoffs, until meeting Middletown High School led by future Hall-ofFamer, Jerry Lucas. While at Bowling Green, from 1960-63, Nate averaged 17.8 points per game and pulled down 17 rebounds per game.

He was named first-team All-American by The Sporting News during his senior year.

On April 30, 1963, Thurmond was taken by the San Francisco Warriors with the third pick of the first round of the 1963 NBA draft. Nate made his debut on October 19, 1963. He would be named to the NBA All- Rookie team at the end of his first year. Nate would emerge a star the next year, after Wilt Chamberlain was traded to the Philadelphia 76er’s during the 1964-65 season. During the 1966 and 1967 seasons, Nate averaged scoring 21.3 points per game and pulled down 22.0 rebounds per game.

With the help of Rick Barry, Thurmond led the Warriors to the NBA finals twice, only to lose to the Boston Celtics in 1964 and the Philadelphia 76er’s in 1967.

Every athlete is looking for his ta-dah moment.

Nate found his. Thurmond became the very first player to record a quadruple-double in a single game. On October 18, 1974, while playing in his first game with the Chicago Bulls against the Atlanta Hawks, Nate scored 22 points while pulling down 14 rebounds, dishing out 13 assists and also blocked 12 shots. There is a chance that he may have done this several times, since blocked shots were not kept as a statistic before the 1973-74 seasons. Only three other NBA players have achieved a quadrupledouble: Alvin Robertson, Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson. Nate once grabbed 42 rebounds against the Detroit Pistons in a single game and still hold the record of 18 rebounds in a quarter, against the Baltimore Bullets, in February of 1965.

September 3, 1974, Thurmond was traded to Chicago Bulls for Clifford Ray and a 1975 firstround pick. On November 27, 1975, Nate was traded again to Cleveland Cavaliers. In 1976, Thurmond, now 33 years old came off the bench to replace an injured Jim Chones, to help lead the Cavs to the NBA Eastern Conference Finals, only to lose to the Boston Celtics.

Standing 6’ 11” and weighing 235 pounds, Thurmond battled with the likes of Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Willis Reed and Wilt Chamberlain. Here are a few fine words from his friends. Jerry West once said, “Nate played with incredible intensity, especially on the defensive end of the floor.” “The toughest center for me

which led him to surgery on both knees during his career. Nate Thurmond never wore another number but the #42. That number has now been retired by both the Golden State Warriors (March 8, 1978) and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

On February 9, 1986, I attended the NBA AllStar festivities at Reunion Arena in Dallas, Texas. It was there that I got to see Nate Thurmond in person for the first time. Nate, 44 years old at the time, was chosen to play for the West team in the Legends’ Game. Some of his teammates included Elvin Hayes, Tom Gola, Cazzie Russell, Calvin Murphy and Jack Marin.

The West won 53-44. Thurmond participated in five consecutive Legends’ Games from 19841988. These games were discontinued after the 1992 season, because of the injuries sustained during these games by older players who were no longer in basketball shape.

“Nate the Great” retired after the 1977 season. He had scored 14,437 points (15.0) while grabbing 14,464 rebounds (15.1). Only four other players have averaged over 15 rebounds per game during their career: Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Bob Petit and Jerry Lucas. He was also an excellent passing center, as he served up 2,575 assists during his career.

Thurmond played for a total of 15 seasons in 964 regular season games. He was a seven-time NBA All-Star. Five times, he was named on the NBA’s first or second All-Defensive team, and seven times, Nate finished in the top five in total rebounds. In 1985, Nate Thurmond took a trip to Springfield, Massachusetts, to be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. He was also named one of the NBA’s 50 greatest players in 1996. Nate was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.

A f t e r retirement, Nate attempted to do some broadcasting, but later opened a restaurant called Big Nate’s BBQ. He would sell his restaurant after 20 years. He was given the title “ Wa r r i o r s ’ Legend & Ambassador” Thurmond, left against by the Warriors Kareem Abdul-Jabbar organization.

Nate Thurmond left us on Saturday, July 16, 2016. Nate was living in San Francisco, California, with his wife Marci and is also survived by a son, Adam, from a previous relationship. He was 74 years old. He had battled leukemia and lost. It turns out that leukemia was one of the few things that were tougher than Nate Thurmond.

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.

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Island Moon

Seashore Happenings

A9

The Traveling Moon Gets Around

After learning that the Padre Isles Property Association’s proposed $100,000 donation to the Seashore Charter Schools was not possible some of the hundreds of people that attended the annual POA homeowners meeting made donations to the school. According to Lisa Sheerer ( pictured above) three thousand dollars was collected. A big Thank You to everyone who dipped into their wallets to donate to our Island Foundation schools.

Photo by Dale Rankin

Shane Johnson took The Moon to Villa Veranza in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. We're officially jealous of that infinity pool.

A10

March 16, 2017

Island Moon

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Private patio. Well cared for property. $114,900. Charlie Knoll 361-443-2499.

15350 Yardarm 3/2.5/2 waterfront home with two living and two dining areas. Boat dock. Tile roof, stucco construction. New tile downstairs. $399,000. Terry 549-7703.

Palm Bay Village #905 2 bedroom, 2.5 bath pool side townhome. Granite counters, open floor plan, furnished. $234,900.

Call Terry 549-7703.

14901 Canadian Mist 4/2.5/2 with 2,342 sq. ft. of living space.

Backs up to a pond and the golf course. Two stories with master located down. $270,000. Charlie 443-2499.

Marquesas #401 2/2 unit Great complex $184,900

Beach Club Condos #375 2/2 unit close to beach $162,900 #394 Studio Pool, hot tub, and more $99,000

Anchor Resort #196 1/1.5 remodeled unit $139,900 Palm Bay Village #905 2/2.5/2 poolside unit, open floor plan $234,900

Call Charlie 443-2499 or Terry 549-7703 to view!

Lot 9 Block 218 Cruiser Great waterfront lot perfect for multifamily construction. 80x120. $160,000.

Call Shonna Soderqvist 510-3445.

13830 Hawksnest Bay completely updated inside/out 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, 2 dining, 3 living, over 4500 sq. ft., $699,900. 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.

Great Mustang Island 2/2 condo, updated, covered veranda, pool/spa, private beach access, short term rentals apply, $180,000. Call Dorothy 361-5638486.

14138 Atascadera 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 2 car garage waterfront home with 1,911 sq. ft. of living area. Covered patio with hot tub.

Boat dock and lift. $364,000.

Terry 549-7703.

New Golf Course construction.

Enjoy incredible views from this 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2 car garage home with 2,315 sq. ft. Tile throughout. Call Cheryl.

El Constante #217 Great views of the Gulf from this 3 bedroom, 3 bath condo with 1,060 sq. ft. of living area. Fully furnished. $194,900. Call Terry 549-7703.

Wonderful 4-2.5-3 new construction. Corner lot. Room for a pool.

2254 sq. ft. Tile floors. Mudroom and butler’s pantry and much more. 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  Collec�ons of Rents  Coordina�ng Repairs & Maintenance  Professional Itemized Monthly Statements  Marke�ng/Adver�sing

Looking for Long Term Rental Property?

Below are some of our available rentals:

14861 SPID #113 3/2.5/2 $1650

14901 Canadian Mist 4/2.5/2 $2000

14806 Highland Mist 3/3/2 $2500

13953 Fortuna Bay 5 & 7 2/2 ea. $1200 ea.

Mys�c Harbor #308 1/1 $850

Spinnaker #207 2/2 furnished $1200

Beach Breeze #503 3/2.5/1 $1550

14205 Jacksh A 3/2/1 $1425

214 Las Palmas St. 3/2 $1300

Duplex for Sale. Each unit has 3/2/1, open plan, oversized RV garage 12’x73’x15’. RV has 30 amp & 50 amp power & hook ups.

Carrie 361-949-5200.

13914 Mingo Cay 1 bedroom, 1 bath waterfront condo with boat slip, covered patio and washer/ dryer hook up in unit, $115,000.

Call Cindy Molnar 549-5557.

Portofino #407 4th floor corner unit w/3 bed., 2 baths, 1,406 sq. ft. of living space. Wonderful beachfront complex, great pool. $190,000. Cheryl 563-0444.

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