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The Island Moon
Issue 531
June 19, 2014 Around The Island By Dale Rankin editor@islandmoon.com
We’re kind of proud of our typos here at the Word Factory but this one has got us beat. It makes you wonder if the Copy Editor at the Sentinel asked the reporter, “Hey, are we sure this guy is on drugs” before he approved the story.
The voice of The Island since 1996
November ballot
$90 Million in Bonds
Weekly
Schlitterbahn Park Opens Limited opening set for Saturday
Nothing for The Island but $13.5 Million Tab By Dale Rankin It took less than an hour Tuesday for The Island to be shut out of a proposed $90 million bond package from the City of Corpus Christi that appears headed for a November ballot. When District 4 Council member Colleen McIntyre proposed adding a $2 million to the bond package to open the sand-filled water passage under Encantada Avenue on The Island the response from the naysayers was quick and unequivocal.
Seaweed report The ubiquitous weed is still lining much of our shoreline hereabouts but for now at least, has stopped arriving in the quantity we have become accustomed to of late. The Sargassum Advisory System at Texas A&M Galveston shows very few seaweed mats off the central Texas coast and as the summer winds shift from the east to the east-southeast the majority of the weed mats will move north of the Coastal Bend. So if the prognosticators are correct the worst of the weed season may be behind us.
Fire in the Sky! Don’t forget that the 2nd Annual Fire in the Sky Island Blast is on for Friday, July 4. The public is invited to view the parade with the judges on the decks at the homes between 13758 and 13764 Three Fathoms Bank where the Statesboro Revue band will be playing. Jerry Watkins who is organizing the event says he has raised enough money to make sure the fireworks will go up but is still in need of donations to cover contingencies. Donations can be dropped off at the POA office. The launch site is at the end of Whitecap next to the Padre Island Yacht Club so the show will be visible from just about anywhere on The Island. As anyone who saw last year’s show knows this is a chance for Islanders to throw the Mother of All Deck Parties and if there’s one thing we Islanders know it’s how to throw the Mother of All Deck Parties. We’ll see you there and in the meantime say hello if you see us Around The Island.
“I know we are entering the election cycle so it is the pandering season,” said At-Large Council member David Loeb, who has received the endorsement of Island voters and the Island United Political Action Committee (IPAC) in his last three races. “And everyone wants something for their district, but we are building streets not bridges.” Loeb was a strong supporter of the ill-fated $72 million Destination Bayfront project downtown, which if approved would have been paid for with bond money, which was rejected handily last year by voters both citywide and on The Island.
Bonds continued on A15
Island Moon ArtWalk Set for This Saturday, June 21 The 2014 version of the Island Moon ArtWalk will kick off on the Michael J. Ellis Seawall, just north of the city parking lot, this Saturday, June 21. The event is free to vendors and the public. Vendors can begin setting up at 8 a.m. For questions visit our Facebook page at theislandmoonnewspaper or e-mail at editor@islandmoon. com. There is no need for vendors to register in advance.
Ski Basin Weekend
Barring any unforeseen obstacles, as of this writing on Wednesday, the new Schlitterbahn Beach Country Resort will open its doors at 9 a.m. on Saturday, June 21, for a soft open with the Swim-Up Bar, Kiddie Pool, and concession stand open. The open is aimed at attracting potential members. Admission is free to current and prospective club members. Entry will be by way of a sidewalk on the east side of the main building and beginning Saturday the park will remain open throughout the summer with additional rides and the main building open as they are completed. The opening of the entire 60-acre park was delayed three weeks due to expansion of the original design.
First Turtle Hatchling Release Held as Nesting Continues By Donna J. Shaver, Ph.D. Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery National Park Service Padre Island National Seashore The first public release of Kemp’s ridley sea turtle hatchlings on the Texas coast this year was held at Padre Island National Seashore on Monday June 16. We were thrilled at the turnout for this first release of the season. Between 500 and 600 people attended and cheered on the turtles as they crawled down the beach and entered the surf. Each year, Padre Island National Seashore invites the public to attend about 15-30 releases of Kemp’s ridley hatchlings. These releases are open to the public free-ofcharge, and are held starting at 6:45
am in front of the Malaquite Visitor Center at the National Seashore. Park rangers gather on the deck of the Visitor Center at about 6:15 am on release mornings to greet people that are attending and deliver
short educational programs about the turtles. After the releases, many people go to the Visitor Center where they see displays about the turtles and pick up literature about them and our
Turtles continued on A6
A little Island history
When The Island was a Ranch
When rancher Patrick Dunn built structures on The Island to support his ranch operation more than one hundred years ago he was unable to simply call up a lumber yard in Corpus and ask them to deliver so many board feet of lumber, so many kegs of nails, so many hinges, or so much glass. There of course was no causeway, lumber was expensive, and transportation to The Island was difficult. Like Padre Balli, John Singer, and all those who had built structures on Padre before him, Pat Dunn turned to The Island itself for his materials.
Bounty from the Nicaragua He found them on the beach, where the Gulf delivered a constant supply of hard and softwood boards of all lengths and widths. Dragged to one of the camps they became the huts, kitchens, fences, and corrals. Shingles were hand made from rough lumber. The sea also supplied furniture. Barrels with the tops removed and filled with sand became small stoves. Stools and chairs came in and found their way to the camps. Indeed it is said Dunn furnished his headquarters home with furniture from the Nicaragua, an unlucky Mexican ship that stranded on Padre in 1912 or 1913. Tar barrels floated in and were
melted to close holes. Other barrels collected rainwater. Ropes of all sizes were used for a variety of purposes. The sea and island were generous and Dunn took advantage of it. In an architectural sense he in fact adapted his structures to the environment and used available materials in their construction. In relation to form the structures were not elegant. They were simple, plain, and rough like the men who lived in them and the island upon which they stood.
Sweet water easy to get Throughout The Island Dunn constructed the wells which were the
most unusual feature of the Padre Island cattle operation. Again using lumber from the beach Dunn first built a rectangular frame about eight feet by two feet. A hole was then dug in the sand, usually near a sand dune, and the frame inserted in the hole. Water, which did not run off but which was rather trapped in the sand, slowly seeped into the tanks. According to Dunn, at one time or another there were as many as 75 of these tanks spread out on the island. Keeping them clean was a constant task, but it was easily accomplished
History continued on A5
A2
June 19, 2014
Island Moon
The Travelling Moon Gets Around
Schlitterbahn Opens This Saturday
Ryan Cuevas Nunez Took the Moon to New York City
Islander Angela Amaral traveled to the Boston marathon finish line and took the Moon along.
RAY HERRERA DIRECTOR Operations VOTED BEST Pet Services
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CHRISTI KRESSER VETERINARIAN Cats & Dogs
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Veterinarian 2006-2013
One if by land…Two if by Moon! The Island Moon went with Eddie and Angela Amaral and little Dalena to Boston, MA at the Paul Revere statue at North Church downtown. Angela also took the Moon to the finish line of the Boston Marathon.
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The Island Gardeners awarded yard of the month for May to Jaci and Don Schunck at 13965 Jactar. The front yard begins at the mailbox surrounded by palms and tropicals and proceeds to a courtyard complete with bench and birdbath. Their backyard is a beautiful arrangement of palms, citrus trees and blooming shrubs. A good friend called to recommend the Schunks.
Please call Dianne with suggestions for yard of month at 5630951
Winner will be announced July 1st
June 19, 2014
A3
Island Moon
Moon Monkeys Mike Ellis, Founder
Distribution Pete Alsop Island Delivery Coldwell Banker Advertising Jan Park Rankin Classifieds Arlene Ritley Design/Layout Jeff Craft Contributing Writers
Letters to the Editor
Golf Carts
In the June12, 2014 edition of the Island Moon, a reader inquired as to the legality of operating golf carts on city streets. You properly cited the law. However, I think you should have expanded on the answer since she specifically asked about the Polaris Ranger. The newly enacted law in Corpus Christi allows operation of golf carts on Island roads under specific conditions. The first condition is that the vehicle must be a golf cart. The vehicle in question, a Polaris Ranger is NOT a golf cart. It is classified as a Utility Vehicle (UTV). UTV's are not included in the recently inacted golf cart law. Likewise, vehicles such as John Deere Gators, Kawasaki Mules, Arctic Cat Prowlers, Yamaha Rhino, Honda Big Red, Bennche Bighorn, etc.etc.etc. are also not allowed to be driven on city streets. They are not in the same category as the golf cart. The vehicle must also not exceed 25 miles per hour. Some of these UTV's have speeds up to 55 miles per hour. Even if they are marketed as "Beach Editions" or other beach vehicles, they may be allowed on the beach but not on city streets according to the newly enacted law.
Joey Farah
I believe there is a misconception about the law but it is clear that the law was designed to allow only golf carts on the streets. The speed limit on the road must be below 35 miles per hour, hence golf carts are not allowed on Park Rd 22 and SH 361 north of Park Rd 22. .The law is not being explained to people since some are under the impression that they are legal operating a UTV or other off road vehicles on city streets. The vehicle must be a Golf Cart not an UTV or other off road vehicle. Soon golf carts will be allowed in areas being developed by Schlitterbahn. The UTV's are much larger and much more powerful. They may not be capable of operating in the golf cart designed areas and may have too much horsepower to be safely operated on some walking and riding paths. The law needs to be specifically explained to people so as to not leave people confused. Concerned Island Golf Cart owner. Michael Kaiser
Commercial Trotline Fishing
Andy Purvis Devorah Fox
Island Moon,
Mary Craft Maybeth Christiansen Jay Gardner Chad Peters Todd Hunter Dotson Lewis Ronnie Narmour Brent Rourk Dr. Donna Shaver Photographers Miles Merwin Jeff Dolan Mary Craft Office Security/Spillage Control
Riley P. Dog Editor/Publisher/Spillage Control Supervisor 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 15201 S. Padre Island Drive, Suite 250 Corpus Christi, TX 78418 361-949-7700 editor@islandmoon.com Facebook: The Island Moon Newspaper
Here is some factual information about commercial trotline fishing that should be of interest to all sports fishermen. The trotlines with a yellow float about every 40-50 feet apart are called a float line with the main line about three fee under the surface. If you drift across the lines with your outboard tilted up you will not get tangled up in them or cause any harm. If you are on a plane while motoring you can go across the lines without getting the main line in you propeller. When you see two yellow floats about 10 – 15 feet apart, that is the end of one line and the start of the next line. If you see yellow floats about 100 years apart, that is a bottom line with the mainline on the bottom. All trotlines are baited to catch black drum only. A few redfish are caught at times and released because of the possibility of losing the commercial license if caught keeping one. The
commercial license sells for $10,000 and can be bought from the holder of one only. About 98% of all drum caught on a trotline are caught at night. Most of the drum fall off into the deeper water and Intracoastal Canal during the day because of the heavy boat traffic, especially in the shallow waters.
Backflow Test
Thank You
Dale.. Last week I received a letter from a local plumbing business regarding our annual backflow test. The purpose seems to be to confuse residents about the new 'extended' testing dates adopted by city recently. I called the city utility dept. this morning and was told to ignore the letter as they seem to be trying to drum up business for themselves. I also called Hebert's Irrigation and was told basically the same thing. It seems pretty unethical to me and I figured people should be warned. I thought about posting it on your page on Facebook, but figured more people would see it if it was in the paper. Thanks Ann Vanderpool
The bottom lines are baited with small cut up pieces of crab legs and pinchers, with small pieces of shrimp being used in the winter months in shallow water. Every drum that is caught makes for more feeding grounds for trout and redfish. Without the commercial catch of drum, they soon take over all feeding grounds in the Laguna Madre because of the large amount of for that drum produce and their breeding habits. Bobbie Kimbrell City
Dear Port Aransas Family, Thank you, thank you, thank you for all your support and prayers during Marco's illness and passing. It's at times like these that I realize how important my family and friends are to me. Thank you for your cards, notes, food, donations and love. I am so thankful that I live in Port Aransas and am surrounded by such compassionate people. Love, Sally Marco Thanks so much. Sally
Port A Happenings Halfway to Christmas After-hours play continues from 6:30 – 8:30pm, this Saturday, June 21, will be Halfway to Christmas, with holiday themed fun. Christmas themed activities at the pool during those hours will be included in the wet play. June 28: Pizza Night, with one piece of pizza with a paid admittance. The pool is located at 700 Clark Pkwy, off Ross Avenue. Family Dance Night
Where to Find The Island Moon Port Aransas Lisabella’s Restaurant Pioneer RV Park Stripes @ Beach Access Rd. 1A
Port A Glass Studio The Gaff Wild Horse Saloon Tarpon Ice House
North Padre
Miss K’s Catering & Bistro
All Stripes Stores
Amano
Whataburger
Felder Gallery
Doc’s Restaurant
Island Woman Boutique Coast Club Coffee Waves Moby Dicks Spanky’sLiquor IGA Grocery Store Port A Business Center Carter Pharmacy San Juan’s Taqueria Wash Board Laundry Mat Port A Parks and Rec
CVS
Snoopy’s Pier Isle Mail N More Island Italian Ace Hardware Holiday Inn Texas Star (Shell) Jesse’s Liquor Scuttlebutt’s Restaurant Subway Island Tire And all Moon retail advertisers WB Liquor
Public Library Chamber of Commerce
Flour Bluff
Duckworth Antiques
H.E.B.
Back Porch
Liquid Town
Woody’s Sports Center
Whataburger on Waldron
Shorty’s Place
Ethyl Everly Senior Center
The Flat’s Lounge Giggity’s Stripes @ Cotter & Station Gratitude Gift Shop Keepers Pier House
Fire Station Police Station Stripes on Flour Bluff & SPID
Come boogie with us as DJ Ken Yarbrough spins music for dancing at our next Family Dance Night, Thursday, June 19. Made for groups or solos, we will do line and other dance lessons along with just music to dance any way you want. Dancing will be 6:30-8:30 pm at the pavilion in Roberts Point Park near the ferry. Refreshments will be provided, but the public may bring their own. Bring someone or come alone; get exercise or just listen to music. The free event is courtesy of Port Aransas Parks and Recreation.
Sunset Sounds Though we had to wait an extra week [the Sunset Sounds free concert is usually the second Saturday of the month], this band is worth the wait. Aloha Dave and the tourists will bring the beach to the park with their surf rock, reggae and shag music filling the night on Friday, June 20. It also will be a t an earlier time, 6:30-8:30pm. Meet at the Patsy Jones Amphitheater in Roberts Point Park. People may bring a chair or blanket, along with any food or drink they choose. The event is kid and dog [leashed] friendly. Watch the sun set over the Corpus Christi Ship Channel or let the music move you to dance in the grass. It is provided monthly from April through October courtesy of the Port Aransas Parks and Recreation Department.
Did Ya Hear? by Mary Craft mkay512@aol.com
New Advertisers Fins Grill & Icehouse is looking for people who want to have fun while they work. The Red Dragon Pirate Cruise Ship needs bartenders and servers. Fins needs cooks, bus people, host and servers. Deep Sea Headquarters needs a bartender for the palapa bar, counter help and dock hands. Corpus Christi Realty Group welcomes Nancy Ludlow formerly with Keller Williams. The office is located at the Clock Tower strip mall near White Cap. Stop by for a free consultation to obtain the current market value along with tips to make your property the one buyers put on their “must see” list. Call Mary McShane at 215-8629 or Nancy at 215-774-8130. Padre Island Baptist Church Vacation Bible School is free for K-6th grade and will be held June 23 -27 9 am until noon. Sign up at theislandchurc.com or call Steve at 949-8273.
Business Briefs Island Time Sushi & Seafood is having their gas line, plumbing and the rest of the electrical work done this week. The hood for the kitchen will be coming in a few days and work is progressing smoothly. This family owned and run business will be opening in July and Romeo will be there to greet you. The restaurant is located in the rear building of the Subway strip mall on Park Road 22. The POA is looking for people who have a boat and would like some extra spending money to do canal clean-up. They provide the nets and containers. Schlitterbahn is opening this Saturday, June 21st at 9 am. for current members and for those who would like to sign up for membership. Local favorite Gary P. Nunn will be at the Back Porch in Port A on Saturday, June 21st and national favorite Hal Ketchum will be at the Black Marlin. AE Tech Services can help you design and maintain a website, do virus protection and removal, service all versions of Windows and Mac and much more. Us Moon Monkeys have had computer issues for years but thanks to Andrew not anymore. Call 739-3199 or visit their website. The Moon Artwalk will be held on Michael J. Ellis seawall in front of the parking lot this Saturday, June 21st at 9 am until mid-afternoon depending on when each individual vendor wants to pack up. Island Made Art in Port A has moved to the shops next to Phoenix Restaurant on Alister. Join them for drinks and appetizers at their grand opening on Saturday 21st 5 – 9 pm. The Sunset Sounds monthly free concert at Roberts Point Park in Port A will have Aloha Dave and the Tourists entertaining the folks 6:30 – 8:30 pm. Just bring a cooler and a chair to this family friendly event. Palmilla Beach Golf Club in Port A is hiring maintenance grounds crew and a golf steward for full time with benefits. Apply in person or call 749-4653. Costa Sur Restaurant is open but not expanded – that will happen down the road. They do now have a full bar. Island Blast Fireworks donations can still be made at the POA and Whitecap Liquor. It’s almost that time. Black Sheep Bistro is no longer open for lunch. The Barrel next door now has a full bar and a new tapas menu. It will start serving infused drinks and craft cocktails that are mixed drink concoctions that Angela has to memorize by next week. So if you see writing on the inside of her wrist you will know why. Sushi is now being served at a separate bar in the corner Wednesday - Saturday. Rumor has it a hookah bar will be opening on the Island. We shall see…… If there is something you want your neighbors to be aware of or just something they might find of interest write a Letter to the Editor at editor@islandmoon.com.
Lifeguard Class Learn the skill if being a lifeguard by attending a class to be held soon. It will be held Monday through Friday, June 23-27, from 9am-5pm. Attendees will receive Red Cross lifeguard certification in the classes at the pool. It is open to age 15 and up. Cost is $175 for the complete course. Contact Bonney Maurer 361-749-2416 or register at www. aquatictraining.net.
Catamaran Cruise Still a few slots if you book now to enjoy sailing and island beachcombing from the S/V Isla with Capt Tom Doran. Two cruises are scheduled through the Port A Parks and Recreation in June. The second is set for Tuesday, June 24, from 9am to noon. Space is limited so contact Community Program Coordinator Pam Greene at 749-4158 or pamg@cityofportaransas.org to make a reservation. Open to adults and children, but kids under 10 must be accompanied by adult. Small children must bring their own life jacket. The cost is $15 per person. Food and drink is allowed onboard. Meet at Woody’s Sports Center.
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14457S.S.P.I.D. 14225 P. I. D.,Suite Suite109 7 Corpus Christi, TX 78418
A4
June 19, 2014
Island Moon
Georgia Gold By Capt. Sail Offcourse Living aboard a sailing yacht you meet many people from all walks of life. Many leave a lasting memory to be forever thought of, and one such character, is Drunk Chief Jeff. His whole thing was to see how many “hits” he could get on his webpage. He so wanted to be on Jackass that he has let his friends abuse him in weird ways, all on video and posted to the internet. It is his thing that has given him things to do and talk about. He is the brother of the infamous Andy Dick in Hollywood. Last year for the fourth of July several of us single sailors including Jeff were wanting something to do so we decided to go to the mountains of Georgia and pan for gold. We looked on the net for the richest area to prospect. The area that came up most was Dahlonega in northeast Georgia. The towns website claimed it was “pure gold” and has been a mining town since 1828. The Consolidated Gold Mines and gold processing mill, built in the early 1900's, was the largest gold mining operation east of the Mississippi River. Most of the mill buildings are gone but the tunnels deep below in gold bearing
rock still remain. There are tours of this old mine that any visitor may enjoy. Then there is the Crisson Gold Mine that is an actual open pit gold mine established in 1847, and was worked commercially until the early 1980s. There is a 125-year-old stamp mill that is still used to crush quartz rock which contains gold. This crushed rock is called ore. In addition to the stamp mill, the mine has rod mills and jaw crushers that are occasionally used. All of these antique gold mining machines along with the open pit mine can be seen when visiting Dahlonega. The mine sells ore by the 5-gallon bucket, so you can pan for the gold at the gold mine, or you can take the ore home with you. We looked the area over and then looked at the Geological maps of the area. The gold belt runs from northeast to southwest right through town, so it was settled that we had found our spot. We did not want to do it the touristy way so we started looking for areas that were close by that we could search out our own find. Up stream from the Crisson Gold Mine there is some property that the Lost Dutchman Association has a claim on. This looked to be a promising spot so we got the address and phone number and tried to reach the contact. They never responded but we knew how to get to the campsite so we made our plans. We would leave Thursday evening after we all got off work. Everyone was looking forward to the trip back into time. We rounded up our gold mining gear and Jeff did not care to be mining but wanted to be “Cook” and no one disagreed with that arrangement. The day arrived
and we loaded up and headed for the hills. It was a pleasant six hour drive from our Marina to the mountains. It was late that night, drizzling and we could not find the dirt road to where we had picked out so we ended up on top of a mountain beside a stream. There was a flat spot that we parked the Jeep on to wait till daylight so we could find the road we needed. Doug and I got out and were enjoying the fresh mountain air, and looking at the terrain. I noticed that under the light of the full moon that there was a golden glitter where we had parked. I got my flashlight out and started inspecting the rocks we were parked on. Sure enough it was flour gold that was in the rock! I started crawling around on hands and knees picking up the reflective pieces that I could find. It did not take long and I had more than I could hold so I got out a Chicken Feed bag I had brought along for just such a thing. Doug watched me for awhile and the pronounced that I was crazy and would regret crawling around in the Georgia clay. He could not see what I saw in that rock I was picking up , but he was thinking nuggets not microscopic. I kept at it for about half an hour then tried to pick the sack up and couldn’t. It was so heavy that both of us could not budge it. There was only one thing to do, I dug a hole and put half the load in it and covered it up. I then tried
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to pick my sack up and could barley do it so I struggled with it and put it in the back seat where I was sitting.
While we had been doing this Jeff had been doing what he does best and that is drink beer. By now he was drunk and could not get comfortable behind the wheel so he piled out of the jeep and curled up on the ground in a mud puddle but happy that he had his pillow! When he woke up he wanted to know why we had let him do such a thing! He had Georgia red clay with golden sparkles like metal flake all over himself! Our answer was that he could not be convinced in his state of mind to listen to reason.
June 19, 2014
News from your POA
A5
Island Moon
By Maybeth Christensen
Stuff I Heard on the Island by Dale Rankin
Important Information About The Litter Critter!!!!!!
The Litter Critter Schedule will be: June 28, July 12 and 26, and August 9 and 23. I will keep reminding you about the new schedule and location in the weeks ahead. We are pleased the City worked with us to find an alternative location. The popularity has grown so much in the last few months, that the City became concerned about a potential fire hazard. Lawrence Mikolajczyk along with Council member Colleen McIntyre worked to find an alternative location and a change in the schedule.
Due to the popularity of the Litter Critter, the City and we have developed a new plan and location. Starting June 28, the Litter Critter will be located on the wastewater treatment property at the end of Whitecap. The hours will be from 7 AM to 4 PM and it will only be open on Saturday. But, we will have the Litter Critter on the SECOND (2nd) and FOURTH (4th) Saturdays of every month. Again, the hours will be 7 AM to 4 PM.
There will be more bins as well as “claws” at the new location. Volunteers will also be on hand to direct traffic and help move things thru the area. There will be designated reuse areas as well as separate bins for clippings. The clippings are shredded and then returned to the Island as mulch which is available at Billish, Douden and Ulberg parks for free. Are you retired, have a boat, and looking for some extra spending money? We are again in need of a person who will do canal clean-up. We have nets and containers for the trash as well as a place to dispose of the stuff. If you are interested, stop by the office and visit with me. Debris in our canals is a constant problem. The wind is not our friend when it comes to blowing stuff into the canals.
History continued from A1
by bailing them out and then cleaning the sides and bottoms. Unlike the water supply on the mainland, sweet water was never a problem on Padre. During the 1940s Burton Dunn, Pat's son who had taken over management of the ranch after his father's death in 1938, decided to modernize the place by constructing windmills. The windmills functioned properly, but they marked no improvement over the time-tested tanks. Old timers silently shook their heads and wondered why anybody would want to spend money building expensive windmills when the tanks had always supplied more than enough good water.
Round ‘em up move ‘em out For ten months out of the year the cattle on Padre peacefully grazed. Dunn and his men moved up and down The Island checking on the new calves, taking care of distressed animals, and cleaning the water tanks. Twice a year, usually in May and October or November, it came time to round up the herd and cut out coasters for market. Dunn adapted the cattle drive or roundup to the island's conditions. With a foreman, about twelve vaqueros, a cook, and the necessary baggage and camp gear, Dunn first proceeded down the island to Green Hill, the southernmost camp. (This camp is today called the Dunn Ranch.) After making any necessary repairs to the traps and corrals, the men were ready to begin the drive. Proceeding another thirty miles down the island to a fence Dunn had constructed in the area of the present-day Port Mansfield Channel, they slept on the beach. Getting up at 4:00 in the morning they ate breakfast and then spread out across the island in the form of a "V". When the men were in place the drive got underway.
Cow nature in general cow nature in particular According to Jim Lynch, who pushed many of the Padre Island roundups, the function of the men on the wings was to throw the cattle to the center of the "V" where they strung out and moved north. The foreman pushed the whole operation. He was always a man who, as J. Frank Dobie described him, "savvied the cow—cow psychology, cow anatomy, cow dietetics—cow nature in general and cow nature in particular. He must know how to water a herd, graze it, drive it, hold it up, string it out, manage it at will and yet leave it free to thrive and be contented." On Padre the foreman's main job was to move back and forth across The Island making sure that one of the wings did not get ahead of the other and that the herd was properly strung out. Cripples and outlaws, who could upset the herd, were either left behind to be picked up later or tailed to quiet them down. Tailing was a dangerous vaquero sport. It consisted of reaching down from the horse, grabbing the tail of an angry cow, and wrapping the tail
around the horn and hump. If the vaquero was successful, and he usually was, the outlaw was violently thrown to the ground. Upon release the dazed animal docilely joined the string. If the vaquero missed, the cowboy could be dragged from his horse or the horse badly gored.
Working the herd Slowly moving north the men on the wings continued to throw the cattle to the center of the "V". The herd gradually grew in size. When it approached Green Hill, three men were stationed on each side of the trap. Their job was to make sure no cattle got past the trap into the next section of the island. After the herd had been placed in the trap, the task of working the animals got underway. Calves were separated out into one of the working pens, where they were branded, castrated, and, in later years, vaccinated. Other cows were run through dipping vats or, again in later years, sprayed. The major concern, however, was to separate out the yearlings and other stock which would be taken to market. Once the work was complete and the prime beeves selected, the rest of the herd was turned out. They slowly drifted back down the island and resumed grazing. The technique of the "V" type drive between the two bodies of water on each side of The Island was repeated between Green Hill and Black Hill. Again the vaqueros spread out across Padre with the wings throwing the cattle to the center, where they joined the animals from Green Hill. Reaching Black Hill, the cattle collected between Green and Black Hills were branded and vaccinated. When the cattle ready for market had been added to those from Green Hill, the herd resumed the slow drive up the island. The same roundup technique was employed between Black Hill and Novillo and Novillo and headquarters at the top of the island. It usually took about three weeks to a month to work the entire island and collect a herd at the north end. The work, however, was not yet over. Dunn and his foreman still faced the problem of getting the cattle off Padre to the mainland. From the headquarters pens, Dunn and his men drove the herd to the Laguna Madre where they forded that salty body of water to the Peta Island holding pens on Flour Bluff. Cattle in general are good swimmers, but those from Padre Island were so good they became known as sea lions. At the Peta Island pens, the herd was sold on the spot or arrangements were made to drive it to another mainland ranch. In later years Dunn acquired still another place on Flour Bluff about two miles from the Peta Island pens. Here he kept his equipment and horses.
Next time: Trucks and the Intracoastal change ranch life on The Island.
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I learned a long time ago that if you want to find out how many widgets are coming out of the back of the Widget Factory each month you don’t go ask the CEO of the Widget Factory; go find the guy who is stamping numbers on the widgets as they leave the assembly line. He won’t tell you how many widgets are supposed to be coming out, he’ll tell you how many are actually coming out. That being said, I attend and observe a lot of meetings of various governmental bodies on a regular basis and hear a lot of plans, budget items, and promises. But to find out what’s going on you just have to drive around. So last weekend, at the peak of the traffic flow on both Saturday and Sunday I drove The Island from one end to the other. Here’s what I saw.
Ad hoc beach road
The ferries can’t keep up Starting on the north end of The Island at the ferry landings, the lines are debilitating. When I rolled into the Back Porch about 3 p.m. I found many people who had tired of sitting in the line and opted out. The story was the same for each; they got in the line and because of oncoming traffic and congestion it took them half an hour just to make a U-turn and get out of line. New improvement in the system call for phone apps that will give real time automated information on the wait at the ferries, but I’m not sure that will help that much. If the phone app says the wait is one hour or more then I’m driving around. If knowing how long the wait is will decrease the time it takes to cross it’s only because the wait is driving people away. This is a lingering problem with no solution on the table. The JFK Causeway is going to be a crowded place for a long time.
Ad hoc beach road
The question of how to regulate traffic on the beach along the Michael J. Ellis Seawall is getting more complicated by the week. As more and more people find their way to the beach south of the Packery Channel the beach there is getting more and more crowded, even as driving conditions squeeze pedestrian and vehicles into a smaller and smaller space. For more on this subject see Jay Gardner’s column in this issue.
Port A traffic Alister Street lacks pedestrian crossings except at intersections but that doesn’t stop pedestrians from crossing. Foot traffic mixed with trafficjamming golf carts on the main drag is a witch’s brew of peril. On the beaches the human flow shows decisively that people don’t like bollards. The area of the beach without bollards fills up completely before anyone ventures to the non-vehicle beaches. This is not a political statement, just an observable fact. I know improvements to the Port A traffic system are in the works, but from the looks of things in the summer season it’s hard to see how they are going to keep up with the demands of growth.
State Highway 361 The seventeen-mile landing strip between Port Aransas and Padre Island needs to be four lane; now. The line of cars on both Saturday and Sunday was bumper to bumper in both directions and moves slowly enough it encourages the less cautious drivers among us to take stupid changes. People pass on the shoulder, they pass in spite of oncoming traffic. It reminds me of the old 1604 Death Loop in Bexar County. God forbid that anyone wants to make a left turn in either direction. With all the development, new and old, along this road it is only getting worse. In the offseason two lanes is fine; in the summer season which will only be stretched further into the spring and summer two lanes will result in an escalating body count. The traffic has outgrown the road.
SPID/SH 361 Intersection The new construction at the SPID/State Highway 361 intersection has greatly improved traffic flow there. There have been some high impact collisions as drivers adjust to the changes. One problem has been in the new right turn lane onto Commodores where drivers turning onto the access prior to reaching the intersection have been hit from behind by oncoming drivers who assume they are going to turn right on Commodores. I have personally seen two bad wrecks there in the past few weeks. But overall the design of the work at the intersection has helped greatly, especially at peak traffic periods.
New picnic tables on Packery Channel
The (relatively) new picnic tables and shade structures along the north side of Packery Channel are not getting much use. Even at the peak hours on Saturday and Sunday afternoon none were being used. There is plenty of parking and some people do fish in the channel from the parking lot but they don’t use the structures. Part of the problem, I think, is that there is no way to drive to the beach from there unless you have a monster truck and don’t mind driving through the dune line. There is a makeshift driveway that cars have wallowed out but that doesn’t seem to be enough to get people to use the new structures.
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Sunday at Michael J. Ellis Beach
Part of the problem is that we have not yet worked out how to manage the huge amount of sand that has been placed on the beach there from the three major dredging project in the channel since 2005. The sand now is piled up to the top of the seawall in most places which means there is eight feet of sand that has been put there. Prior to the dredging and beach renourishment the beach there was less than one hundred feet wide and stopped at the bottom of the seawall. The idea was to use the sand to widen the beach to make more room for people and vehicles. That has partially happened as the beach is wider than it was prior to the dredging but instead of pushing the sand seaward to widen the beach the prevailing winds have pushed it against the seawall and the dry, sift sand brought up from the bottom of the channel finds its way to the seawall which makes driving on most of the beach impossible.
When the South Packery Jetty was first built the rocks there were about four feet higher than the beach, now the sand covers the entire side of the rocks meaning that four feet of dredged sand has found its way to the jetty. All of this sand which has been removed from the Packery just keeps migrating with the prevailing southeast wind and instead of being used to widen the beach has made the beach higher.
We need a better long-term plan for managing this section of the beach.
Roads
The roads leading to and from the beach need attention. The Beach Access Road 3-A is a mess. As we mentioned last week, this road which leads to the beach at the north end of the seawall is probably the busiest beach access road on The Island and is full of holes and often covered with the sift sand from Packery Channel which has been placed on the beach.
It leads to Windward where pedestrians cross from the hotel and condos on the west side of Windward to the Holiday Inn and parking lot to get to the beach. Not only is there no crosswalk, there isn’t even a Pedestrian Crossing sign. The width of the road encourages drivers to speed creating a potentially lethal vehicle/pedestrian mix. As it stands it will unfortunately probably take some kind of an accident before anything is done.
Kleberg County Beach
The eight miles of beach in Kleberg County is as full on weekends as the rest of the local beaches. In years past that was not the case but increased beach traffic has found its way there and any obstacles to traffic there would create huge problems elsewhere.
The lack of attention to driving conditions at the so-called Natural Beach at the north end of the Kleberg beach also create problems because due to the often tough driving conditions there many beachgoers can’t use that beach and cause crowding elsewhere.
The fact is that our beaches are more and more crowded every year and we don’t have a comprehensive beach management plan in place. The head-in-the-sand approach is quickly reaching critical mass and needs to go.
Generally speaking I would say that our roads and beaches, as they now exist, are just about at capacity on weekends during the season and any plan that in any way inhibits traffic must be carefully thought out or the Law of Unintended Consequences could wreak havoc.
We are the stewards of this resource and the ad hoc approach has brought us about as far as it can take us.
A6
Island Moon
On the Rocks
Turtles continued from A1 conservation efforts. The projected release dates for the clutches that have been placed into our incubation facility can be found on our website at www.nps.gov/ pais. As more Kemp’s ridley nests are found and the eggs are placed into our facility we will add information about them to our webstie. The projected release dates for each clutch encompass a 6-day-long window. Release dates are dictated by the turtles themselves. These newborn turtles are released when they have emerged from their eggshells, are physically ready, and begin to become active. It can be
Between about June 28 and July 8, hatchlings from 17 nests should be ready for release. harmful to release them too early or too late. As the date that you are interested in approaches, start calling the Hatchling Hotline (tel. 361949-7163) for the latest information on the next upcoming release. We will announce public hatchling releases on the Hatchling Hotline and on our Facebook page titled Padre Island NS Division of Sea Turtle Science & Recovery. The next public release will be held sometime between June 28 and July 4. In fact, between about June 28 and July 8, hatchlings from 17 nests should be ready for release. Because so many clutches will be hatching, there is a great chance that we will be able to hold public releases on many of these days. It is easiest to schedule a release when multiple clutches are hatching because this provides “insurance” so that even if some turtles are not yet ready or had to be released in the middle of the night, others might still be available for a public release at 6:45 am. Another window of dates with high probability for releases is between about July 22 and 31, when hatchlings from 32 nests will be released. A few other clutches will hatch in between the two spans of high probability release dates, but those nests are not clustered and thus it will be more difficult to hold public releases for them.
Nesting continues
Mustang Island. Kemp’s ridley nesting could continue until mid-July. Nesting by loggerhead and green turtles could also begin any day and continue through mid-September.
Please report nesting Although turtle patrollers discover most nesting by Kemp’s ridley turtles in Texas, some is found by the public or other people that work on the beach during the nesting season. Please watch for nesting Kemp’s ridley turtles while you are on the beach. Immediately report nesting to a passing turtle patroller or by calling 361-949-8173, ext. 226 (North Padre Island) or 1-866-TURTLE5 (elsewhere in Texas). If you see a nesting turtle, please do not rush up her or you could frighten her back into the water without nesting. Please do not step on the tracks left in the sand by the nesting turtle or it could make it much more difficult for us to locate the nest and protect the eggs. To learn more about what to do if you see a nesting turtle and to obtain the latest information on the number of nests found this year, visit the Padre Island National Seashore website at www.nps.gov/ pais or our Facebook page titled Padre Island NS Division of Sea Turtle Science & Recovery. We thank the many people and organizations that have reported nesting, remained at nest sites until turtle patrollers arrived, or aided at nest sites that turtle patrollers found this year. We greatly appreciate your support and assistance.
Kemp’s Ridley Turtle Count So far this year, 98 nests have been confirmed on the Texas coast including (north to south in state): 1 Bolivar Peninsula 1 Galveston Island 0 Brazoria County, N. of Surfside 1 Surfside Beach 0 Quintana Beach 0 Bryan Beach
This is the busiest time of year for the Turtle Patrol at Padre Island National Seashore. Not only are we caring for eggs and releasing hatchlings, but it is also still the Kemp’s ridley nesting season. So, our patrols are still in full force, and nesting turtles and nests are still being found.
0 Brazoria County, N. of Sargent Beach
Since my article last week, 7 more Kemp’s ridley nests have been documented in Texas. As of mid-day on June 17, 98 Kemp’s ridley nests have been recorded in Texas, including locally 61 at Padre Island National Seashore, 8 on North Padre north of the National Seashore, and 4 on
4 Mustang Island
0 Sargent Beach 1 Matagorda Peninsula 2 Matagorda Island 0 San Jose Island 69 North Padre Island, including 61 at Padre Island National Seashore 18 South Padre Island 1 Boca Chica Beach
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By Jay Gardner We launched the skiff at 6:15am this past Saturday morning and set out with high hopes for some nice fish in the laguna, amid 50 million other boats. If you’re planning on doing some fishing in the laguna this summer, make sure to do it on a weekday. The fish were all run over by 7:15am and the bite went cold. At least Roadkill Willie got a hard head. With the winds and the dirty water, just hire Capt. Joey Farah if you want to catch fish. Well, we’ll see what happens at the Watershore and Beach Advisory Committee meeting that I co-chair with Cameron here in July, if we make quorum. The ISAC tasked the City with implementing the closure in front of the seawall that everyone is paying attention to (again) and that I wrote about last time. In the interim, I got my hot little hands on a copy of the 2008 Ordinance that was passed and poured through it quickly. There were a few things that jumped out at me. Despite all the bollards that are described and shown poorly in the mediocre drawings (not signed or stamped) this ordinance doesn’t actually take cars off the beach in front of the seawall. It still allows two-way driving (if the beach is wide enough) near the water! It basically places bollards PARALLEL to the seawall, and cordons off the middle section for safety. It does NOTHING to help keep traffic away from kids entering and exiting the water, which I believe is the most important idea. In addition, there are a handful of head-in parking spaces along the seawall (again, where the beach is wide enough) to allow for 79 parking spaces in each one (6 are shown on the drawings for 474 spaces). It would keep some of the cars off (those who show up late and don’t get one of the parking spots) but would not stop traffic in front of the seawall. The only change we would have between now and implementation of the ordinance is there would be LESS ROOM TO PARK. I’m against the ordinance as written, despite my feelings regarding shutting it down for safety reasons, because it won’t make it any safer. I think this Ordinance should be revisited, and at the end of the day, it should be changed, even if we have to go to a vote. In fact, I have a feeling that the reason the City hasn’t implemented that plan is because basically it’s outdated. Constantly having to move the bollards and maintaining the beach would also be a nightmare.
Roadkill Willie with a monster hardhead. Photo by Jay Gardner
At the end of the day, the Ordinance had good intentions when it was created and voted on. However, the most important fact is that this Ordinance was passed before Packery Channel was open. No one could have foreseen how Packery would affect beach usage, and the Ordinance was pre-mature. For one, the long line of Spring Breakers “cruising the beach” that were the main cause of the safety concerns in front of the seawall have been cut off by Packery. They no longer parade down in front of the seawall; they were re-directed farther north and now all stay on the north side. That constant stream of vehicles mixing with pedestrians and causing a safety hazard has been actually alleviated by the channel. Concurrently, the south side has seen the development of a quieter Local Beach, and the tourists and Locals that hang out there don’t drive in front of the seawall on General Principle. I was talking with Cliff Schlabach the other day, and neither one of us have driven in front of the seawall at least since Packery has been open. For myself, it has been around 8-10 years ago, and I was doing bird surveys during the winter when no one was out. The idea is that the situation has changed, and before we haul off and implement something that was dreamed up over 6 years ago prePackery Channel, we might take another look at it, and do it right if we’re going to do it. We need a unique solution for our unique situation. Anyhoo, shoot me a note at jaygardner@ scientist.com and I’ll see you on the rocks.
One of the craziest portions to the Ordinance is that part of the plan was to erect bollards from the north end of the seawall almost all the way up to the south packery jetty. This would close off Local Beach to driving (what appears to be) within 50-75 feet of the water, but would allow two openings for “boat launches” near the north end. I can tell you right now that the City could put those bollards up and they wouldn’t last half of a season in that area. Not only would they be pulled up and burned by tourists with jacked up trucks, they would be a dangerous hazard if a couple were left up and someone hit one in the dark because the rest (or a good section) was missing. The bollards (and configuration of them) in front of the seawall is one thing, but trying to section off the Local Beach is not going to make you any friends or make things safer. Yet another reason I’m betting the City hasn’t implemented the Ordinance yet.
Small trips can be big adventures for young anglers. Photo by Farah
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June 19, 2014
A7
Island Moon
Backwater Adventures Coryne Farah with a state snapper. The winds will calm down soon and allow local anglers to take advantage of the new Lonestar SEA Reef project in Texas state waters where snapper season is open all year.
By Joey Farah Farah’s Fishing Adventures As temperatures soar the fishing is heating up as well. Live bait trout fishing has been most popular but the anglers drifting with live shrimp and lures have been doing very well on reds and drum with some sheepshead and trout in the box as well. When using shrimp look south for the best action, Baffin Bay has less pin perch to steal your bait and lots of fish holding to the rocky structures. The water along the backside of yarborrow pass is green and wading the drop off with soft plastics has been a sure thing for both trout and reds at first light. The beach has been plagued by seaweed but fishing small hooks with small baits in the first two guts at high tide has been filling the coolers with whiting, no limit in size or number,
and great eating. The big Marker 37 tournament on July 12th will be a blast. One redfish and two trout is all you have to weigh in. They are going to have a great band and catering from RUDYs Barbecue on Friday night and live music on Saturday at the weigh in. This is a great family tournament with both a guided and non-guided category with money and prizes galore. Start getting your game plan together and come on out for a great time. We will have some seminars after the weigh in at the marina on live bait fishing and looking for fish along the Laguna Madre. Call Marker 37 for any questions or look them up on Facebook. Sorry for the short story this week I'm between trips in the heat and on the run. Keep those lines right and the hook sharp folks!
Tides of the Week
Tides for Corpus Christi (Bob Hall Pier) June 19-26, 2014
Lori Hall with a pair of first light trout. Notice the difference in spot traits on these fish. Migrating fish.
Live bait fishing has picked up with the availability of live croaker. Live shrimp under the lights at night along the intracoastal canal and in the canals has been good. The birds are working every night at sunset at Marker 37 come out and check it out, bring a rod the trout are there too.
Day
High /Low
Tide Time
Height in Feet
Sunrise Moon Time Sunset
Th
19
Low
2:22 AM
0.3
6:34 AM Rise 1:04 AM
19
High
9:17 AM
1.2
8:27 PM Set 1:30 PM
19
Low
4:29 PM
0.5
19
High
10:03 PM
0.9
F
20
Low
3:47 AM
0.7
6:34 AM Rise 1:44 AM
20
High
9:33 AM
1.2
8:27 PM Set 2:29 PM
20
Low
5:10 PM
0.2
Sa
21
High
12:33 AM
1.1
6:34 AM Rise 2:24 AM
21
Low
5:39 AM
0.9
8:27 PM Set 3:28 PM
21
High
9:46 AM
1.1
21
Low
5:54 PM
-0.1
Su
22
High
2:32 AM
1.3
6:34 AM Rise 3:05 AM
22
Low
7:37 AM
1.0
8:27 PM Set 4:25 PM
22
High
9:53 AM
1.1
22
Low
6:38 PM
-0.3
M
23
High
3:41 AM
1.5
6:35 AM Rise 3:48 AM
23
Low
7:21 PM
-0.4
8:28 PM Set 5:21 PM
Tu
24
High
4:33 AM
1.6
6:35 AM Rise 4:32 AM
24
Low
8:03 PM
-0.5
8:28 PM Set 6:16 PM
W
25
High
5:17 AM
1.6
6:35 AM Rise 5:19 AM
25
Low
8:42 PM
-0.5
8:28 PM Set 7:08 PM
Th
26
High
5:54 AM
1.6
6:35 AM Rise 6:09 AM
26
Low
9:18 PM
-0.5
8:28 PM Set 7:58 PM
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A8
June 19, 2014
Island Moon
Senior Moments
Social Networking Concerns
Dee-Scoveries
Read Me a Story by Devorah Fox devorahfox.com
By Dotson Lewis, dlewis1@stx.rr.com Special to the Island Moon
Dotson’s note: More and more Seniors are using “Social Networks” to get or stay in touch with family, friends and those with the same interests. Recently I had the privilege of speaking to the Southside Rotary Club. They requested that I speak on “The Perils of Facebook.” Sparked by their interest, and questions from a number of “Moon Monkeys,” here is my take on some current concerns with Face Book and another popular social network, LinkedIn.
The Perils of Facebook
Facebook is the most popular social networking site on the internet today that allows you to connect with family, friends, and acquaintances by posting status updates and sharing pictures, videos, and links. There are currently over 1.26 billion people on Facebook, so you’re bound to find someone you know on the site.
With more than 1.26 billion users, Facebook has become a staple in today's modern culture, a revolutionary social and marketing tool, a massive industry with its own vernacular. Let me add a new phrase, the "Facebook Fumble." This is one with devastating repercussions.
By nature, Facebook was designed to connect with old and new "Friends." It's like having a high school reunion online, anytime. You can "Like" people, photos, comments and corporate brands and receive regular "Posts" on your "Wall." You can create "Groups" of individuals with similar interests. You can also "stalk" others from a virtual distance by viewing photographs, comments of others.
Facebook is so ingrained into our society it's even one of the fastest ways to spread news, outrunning the television and media outlets to breaking events. These days, people wake up to the morning cup of “Joe” (coffee to youngsters), and read their Facebook before other news sources.
Unfortunately, all this social enabling, while entertaining and immensely useful to re-connect with people, is causing a threat to the family and marriage.
Who remembers life before Facebook and Twitter? Social networking has become such a natural part of our lives that we now don't think twice about writing all our innermost thoughts online for all to see. I have Facebook friends I never actually talked to in real life and haven't seen since school, but I know everything that's going on in their lives, I've seen photos of their wedding and their new baby and I even know what they had for dinner last night.
Our behavior on social networks like Facebook has a huge impact on how others see us. The content and frequency of our status updates, the links we share and the photos we post all give an idea of who we are and what we're like. Sometimes it's not accurate; I know quite a few people who have an online persona that's completely different to how they are in real life. And it can be used to our advantage - if we use it wisely.
But the problem is sometimes we forget who else is going to see what we get up to online. Potential employers now check Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn as a matter of routine before hiring anyone. With some sites like Facebook, there are security settings that mean you can keep members of the public from seeing your profile, but others, like Twitter, are completely public. Everyone can see what you write and how often - if a recruiter knows you're currently working but can see you're tweeting all day, that's not a good sign. Don't be like Connor Riley, who was offered a job by Cisco but then lost it after tweeting negative comments about the prospect of working for them.
Equally, you have to be careful about what you say and do online in case your current employer sees it. Complaining about your job, being rude about customers or just posting content that others might find inappropriate is a risky business. Here are some examples of people who suffered unforeseen consequences from their social networking:
Ashley Payne, a high school teacher from Georgia, was asked to resign from her job because her school saw photos of her drinking on Facebook. They felt the photos 'promoted alcohol use.'
Kimberley Swann from Essex in the UK, was fired after three weeks from her job as an admin assistant; she'd written on Facebook about how
boring it was - even on her first day. Cameron Reilly, a guard at Buckingham Palace, was sacked after he posted rude comments about Kate Middleton, because she didn't look at him as her car drove past. Three Burger King Employees from Ohio were fired after posting a photo showing one of them standing in two tubs of lettuce used in the restaurant. Although it was posted anonymously, the restaurant and consequently the employees were identified within twenty minutes. All these mistakes were avoidable; just by taking a second to think about who might see their status, all these people could still be employed. But the problem with social media is that sometimes you don't have any control over what happens. Paul Marshallsea from Wales was sacked from the charity he worked for after footage of him heroically wrestling a shark in Australia went global. He was on extended sick leave from work and his boss was unimpressed, despite the universal praise he received for his courage.
A delightful way to grab some Island Time is to lose yourself in a book. Even more magical is to lean back and have someone read to you. Remember being a kid and being transported when Mom or Dad or Grandpa or Grandma would read you a story?
Heather Miller, MY PEOPLE OR MYSELF, Young Adult
You can recapture that feeling on Saturday, June 21 2014, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m at the Estelle Stair Gallery at 406 South Austin Street in Rockport. The Rockport Writers Group is hosting its 3rd Annual Rockport Writers Roundup. Members of the RWG will read selections of their work as well as be on hand to sign their books and answer questions. Experience hearing a book excerpt, short story or poem in the voice of the person who wrote it.
David Bayless, THE FISHERMAN AND THE ARTIST, Love Story
Rockport Writer Group President John Howell will open the program with a brief introduction to the RWG which has been in existence since 1988. Members are writers who practice writing as a craft and want to improve their skill and technique with the goal of being published. They meet twice a month to share what they’ve learned about writing and to encourage each other in the development of writing skills. An
Mike Peters, BOOK OF LIES, Literary/ Thriller SHORT FICTION
Kay Butzin, BANK JOB, Flash Fictio Woody Davis, A LITTLE LONG IN THE TOOTH, Disturbing Fiction Lynda Schuessler, THE FLAMINGO CAPER, Short Story CREATIVE NONFICTION Kathleen Monju, MIRROR, MIRROR, Domestic Abuse Mary Wallace, MAMA AT THE ZOO, Childhood Memory POETRY Becah Hall, SELECTED POEMS David Bayless, I’M SORRY, BABY, Prose Poem
The short version of this dissertation is that nothing is private any more. Social networking has changed the way we communicate and the downside is once we've written something, it's out there and we can't take it back. So check those security settings and think twice before updating your status, because you never know who's looking at them. It could be a recruiter. It could be your boss. Or, worst of all, it could be your mother.
Dramatic Reading Rebecca Ballard
The Wine of Mine Winery, located at 264 S. Commercial Street in Aransas Pass, has donated a selection of wines for guests to sample in between readings. Along with the wine will be light refreshments. A drawing for a door prize will be held at the conclusion of the readings.
LinkedIn Users May Sue for Invasion of Privacy LinkedIn must face a lawsuit by customers who claimed it violated their privacy by accessing their external email accounts, downloading their contacts' email addresses and soliciting business from those contacts, a federal judge said. U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose, California, found that while customers consented to LinkedIn's sending an initial "endorsement email" to recruit contacts, they did not agree to let the professional networking website operator send two reminder emails when the initial email is ignored. This practice "could injure users' reputations by allowing contacts to think that the users are the types of people who spam their contacts or are unable to take the hint that their contacts do not want to join their LinkedIn network," Koh wrote in a 39-page decision released last week. "In fact," she added, "by stating a mere three screens before the disclosure regarding the first invitation that 'We will not ... email anyone without your permission,' LinkedIn may have actively led users astray." Koh said customers may pursue claims that LinkedIn violated their right of publicity, which protects them from unauthorized use of their names and likenesses for commercial purposes, and violated a California unfair competition law. She dismissed other claims, including a claim that LinkedIn violated a federal wiretap law, and said customers may file an amended lawsuit.
Rockport Writers Group important function of the RWG is the “readand-critique.” Writers can bring their work to share and get constructive criticism. The selections for the Roundup represent just about every genre: history and mystery, children’s and young adult books, memoir and fantasy. This year the program will include a “duet” performance; two Rockport writers will provide the voices of the two characters in the work.
For more information about the Rockport Writers Group, send an email to kaybutzin@ sbcglobal.net or visit the group’s page on Facebook, www.facebook. com/rockportwritersgroup. To learn more about the Wine of Mine call (361) 944-9463. For more information about the Estelle Stair Gallery, call 361 (463-1059). I’ll see you there.
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The program includes: BOOK EXCERPTS Rebecca Ballard, WILD GAME, Thriller Pat Chapman, TEA ON THE GREAT WALL, Memoir Devorah Fox, NAKED CAME THE SHARKS, Murder Mystery
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Crystal Braswell, a LinkedIn spokeswoman, said the company is pleased that some claims were dismissed, and "will continue to contest the remaining claims, as we believe they have no merit." LinkedIn is based in Mountain View, California, and had about 300 million users at the end of March. Larry Russ, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The lawsuit seeks class action status, a halt to the alleged improper email harvesting and marketing, and money damages. It is among a series of cases challenging the extent to which Internet companies can mine user data to boost profits. Last September, in a separate decision critical of some of Google's practices, Koh let Internet users, some with gmail accounts and some without; pursue a lawsuit challenging the search engine company's practice of scanning emails to provide targeted advertisements. Dotson’s note: Do you use “Social Networking?” What do you think of the whole thing? Questions and/or comments are welcome. Please snail mail or Email The Island Moon or call Dotson at 361-949-768 or 530748-8475 or Email: dlewis1@stx.rr.com
The BACK PORCH oPEN 7 dAYS + nOON-2AM Live Music Jerry Diaz
June 19
Shinyribs
June 20
Gary P. Nunn
June 21
Green Light Pistol
June 26
Tommy Alverson
June 27
Joe King Carrasco
June 28
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June 19, 2014
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Island Moon
Paddle For Parkinson’s Relay Meeting This Saturday
Paddle For Parkinson’s will hold a Relay/ Fundraiser 101 meeting on Saturday, June 21st. Those interested in doing a practice paddle of the relay route can come to Billish Park Boat Ramp at 9:00 am. The park is located at 15601 Gypsy and the ramp is on the western side. An organizational and informational meeting will be held at the park pavilion at 10:00 am. Posters and raffle tickets will be available, as
well as sponsorship and volunteer opportunity information. Please forward this to anyone that may be interested in participating in the August 30th fundraiser event which includes the relay, as well as food, music, a raffle and door prizes, etc. If interested, but unable to attend; please call 960-9597 for more information or visit www.catchthecure.org. We’re also on Facebook!
The
Island Moon Newspaper
Vacation Bible School!
June 23-27 at Padre Island Baptist 9 am to noon É for K-6th completed. Free! Sign up @theislandchurch.com Call Steve at 949.8273 for more info. Padre Island Baptist Church Ð 14253 S. Padre Island Dr.
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June 19, 2014