Inside the Moon
Moon on a Spoon A4
First Friday A2
The
Issue 678
Island Moon
The voice of The Island since 1996
April 13, 2017
Around The Island
By Dale Rankin We had gone about our business under cloudy but largely rain-free skies this week until Tuesday evening when the bottom fell out, and the wind whipped up and blew our palm trees flat on the southwest side for a while. But as of mid-week things are back to normal and it looks like Chamber of Commerce Weather for this weekend.
Fishing A11
Fish Fry A7
Mudfish Boil A14
Free
Weekly
FREE
Food Truck Festival Frenzied Fun
Wrong Way drivers We have had six reports of wrong way drivers on SPID in the past few weeks. Out of Towner’s making left turns on the Westside of SPID mistakenly turn into the inner lane on the southbound side of SPID causing some near wrecks. We had a similar situation about ten years ago and the one-way signs were put in place. But over the years the signs have disappeared and the high oleander bushes in the median obstruct vision just enough to cause confusion. So be careful as the busy summer season approaches and more visitors find our Island.
Brush fire down south
Schlitterbahn Corpus Christi hosted the second annual Food Truck Festival last Saturday. See page A2 for more photos by Jan Rankin.
Solar Powered Restrooms Coming to Packery Channel
A blown trailer tire caused a stir on our little sandbar last week when it started a brush fire that kicked up a pall of black smoke visible all over The Island. We Islanders get nervous when we see fire down south because the prevailing winds have often brought them within striking distance of south Island homes. This one was stopped short of structures by firefighters.
Blowing in the wind
After fourteen years of planning, discussing, design, and re-design, barring any unforeseen problems, new portable, air conditioned restrooms will be coming to the beach on both sides of Packery Channel by this summer season.
The Corpus Christi City Council is expected to approve $302,668 in funding for the project in the next two weeks. Funding for the project was on the council agenda on Tuesday but pulled before a vote but is expected to be reintroduced and approval is expected. Funding will come from Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone #2 which captures property tax on new construction within the zone which
includes the area around Lake Padre and Packery Channel. The portable restrooms end years of redesign work after the early plans ran the cost of permanent restrooms, which had to be elevated and able to withstand a hurricane, to over $2 million. The portable restrooms will be located at ground level and can be removed from the beach as a storm approaches. The plans for the more cost-effective facilities originated with the Island Strategic Action Committee in late 2016 in order to reduce costs, the plan was then approved by members of the TRZ board and lacks only council approval for implementation.
Mayoral Candidates Come to The Island
Island PAC endorses Joe McComb in May 6 election By Dale Rankin When the eight candidates for mayor of Corpus Christi in the May 6 Special Election came to The Island Monday night the topics of conversation strayed from the normal political topics of taxes and city services. A crowd of about 150 Islanders gathered at the Holiday Inn for the endorsement process held by the Island United Political Action Committee and listened as the candidates ran through a wide range of topics old and new from dog parks to development, to water, to blighted and vacant downtown property. Vacant downtown property was not popular. Half of the candidates spoke up in favor of punitive city taxes aimed at pushing the owners of vacant or blighted undeveloped downtown property to build. “We are subsidizing low taxes downtown,” said challenger Jonathon Garison. “ We need to force the issue.” “If they have an empty lot or building downtown we need to hit them with
The large patch of sand surrounding Lake Padre that has been producing sand storms in recent high winds will soon have a covering of native grass according to plans from the landowner. A layer of topsoil with native grass seeds imbedded will be spread over the property in the coming weeks to keep the sand from moving with the breeze. That will be good news to homes and businesses located downwind. The weather has calmed down, and Easter and SandFest are quickly approaching so get out there and have some fun everybody. But watch out, it is seagull mating season and they can get testy if you aren’t careful. The Island is like a single’s bar for our winged friends right now and we all know what kind of trouble that can mean. Walk between the gulls friends, and say hello if you see us Around The Island.
a fine,” said attorney and candidate Mark Di Carlo. “We need to go to forced condemnation,” said perennial mayoral candidate Ray Madrigal. “I would just point out that what you are suggesting is illegal,” said AtLarge City Councilman and mayoral candidate Joe McComb who won the endorsement of the registered Island voters who chose the winner . “I am a believer in the rights of property owners and we don’t need to be condemning someone’s property just because we don’t like what they are doing with it.” “We have to slow down new development,” said challenger Larry White, “otherwise our infrastructure will never catch up.” Then reversed field. “We need more money from development to pay for infrastructure.” The topics discussed ran the gamut. “Why are the electric lines on The Island not buried like is called for in
Candidates cont. on A4
A little Island history
Jim Fox was a Bad Man Until a Ranger Showed Up
Editor’s note: it wasn’t too long ago that our area of South Texas was still home to outlaws and the Texas Rangers called to catch them. This is the story of two men, an outlaw and the Ranger sent to catch him. This account comes to us from writer and area historian Hobart Huson in his book Refugio. By Hobart Huson In the 1870s there was a noted gunman who frequented our part of Texas. His name was Jim Fox but was not related to any of the old Refugio families of the same name. he is said to have hailed from one of the Southern States. Jim had a number of notches on his gun. Among his victims were Bob Davis of Mississippi, whom he killed at Beeville; a constable, whom he
killed at Goliad; and the well-known gambler Neil Black, whom he killed at Riddleville. Jim was a wanted man, and the Rangers were out to get him. A section of the came in to Goliad between paydays, and their captain learned that Jim Fox was then at Refugio. He detailed Ranger George Allen to go to Refugio and bring back Jim Fox dead or alive. George had dressed up in his Sunday cloths, intending to take in a picnic, at the time he got his orders. His Captain told him not to change clothes, so he went as he was. The following is an account of the capture of Jim Fox at Refugio, as told by an old Ranger.
A preacher or a race horse man The little town of Refugio lies about 40 miles south of Goliad, and George upon parting with the captain realized
that he had a long, hot dusty ride ahead of him, but he was equal to the occasion, so late in the afternoon he rode up to the old horse rack standing on the Public Square of Refugio, and, dismounting, he walked into a grocery store, where there were congregated a goodly number of men. “How de do, gentlemen,” he remarked as he entered the door, at the same time glancing into the face of each man present. Then stepping to the counter he ordered a box of sardines and a box of crackers, which he proceeded to eat while listening to the comments of those about him concerning himself. “Say, Jack, he is alright. He’s a preacher,” remarked one. “Preacher your foot,” replied another. “What do you know about
An account of the capture of desperado Jim Fox in The Inner Ocean newspaper, Chicago, January 23, 1910. History cont. on A4