La Posada Land Parade photos by Miles Merwin
Issue 556
Free
The voice of The Island since 1996
The Island Moon
December 11, 2014 Around The Island By Dale Rankin editor@islandmoon.com
The first La Posada Land Parade set off from Briscoe King Pavilion Monday night right on schedule and toured Island streets to great fanfare advanced by the clarion call of accompanying fire engines which led the posada. This is the first year for the land parade and it was a good one. We include many photographs in this issue and are getting ready for the Big Event Saturday night. There is a lot going on Around The Island this week, here is some of it.
Traffic light Preparations continue to place a traffic light at the SPID/Aquarius intersection. As of this writing the city’s Transportation Committee is expected to take up the issue at its December 22 meeting. Meanwhile, the number of traffic accidents along the SPID JFK Causeway has taken a shocking turn for the worse in the past few weeks. When a driver tried to pass on the shoulder on the causeway two weeks ago he hit a stalled car which resulted in a fiery crash which destroyed two cars; last weekend a high speed crash into a utility pole near the north end of the causeway killed the driver; a pedestrian crossing SPID just north of Commodores last weekend was hit by a van and when an on-duty officer with a prisoner onboard stopped to help his car was hit by another driver; there have also been three wrongway drivers on SPID reported to us in recent weeks. Keep in mind this is in a slow time of year for Island traffic. What is clear is that our Island is getting busy and traffic is increasing. What is becoming increasingly clear is that some type of traffic plan which covers the roadways from the Port Aransas ferries, down The Island, and the JFK Causeway is way overdue. Lack of attention won’t stop the traffic increase.
Packery Channel monitoring adds Lake Padre and Island canals A Map of the area included in the study is on page A2 of this issue. The Corpus Christi City Council this week approved a $510,000 contract to monitor Packery Channel for the next year. Study of the area around the channel began two years before it was actually opened in order to establish a baseline for beach conditions to be compared to the beach after the channel opened. Since 2008 a total of $2.1 million has been spent to conduct three seasonal surveys of the channel.
District 4 City Councilwoman Colleen McIntyre says there is ample information available for the placing of a traffic light at the intersection of South Padre Island Drive and Aquarius and is working with developers of an adjacent project to have the light in place by June, 2015. “There is a study from the Corpus Christi Metropolitan Planning Organization done in 2001 which calls for a light at the intersection,” McIntyre said. “ And the traffic engineer hired by the developer has plugged the numbers from the
La Posada Schedule By Brent Rourk December 11th – Captain’s meeting for Lit Parade Boats at PIYC 7:00 l a Annu P.M. Residential and Commercial. Captains must LA POSADA attend. Lighted Boat Parade December 12th – La Posada Boat Parade North side begins at 7:00 P.M. Bring lots of toys for Toys for Tots. A flotilla of collector boats will collect toys from docks. People must flash yellow lit collector boats with flashlight to have toys picked up. Enjoy the parade on the North Side of the Island as the boats make two passes around this short course.
th
December 13th – La Posada Boat Parade South side begins at 6:00 P.M. A flotilla of collector boats will collect toys from docks. People must flash yellow lit collector boats with flashlight to have toys picked up. See parade route.
Island Moon Artwalk this Saturday 10 am -2 pm at Schlitterbahn For information call 589-4200
We’ll see you there and say hello if you see us Around The Island.
The engineer, Gilmer Gaston, was hired by the San Antonio real estate
The move was approved by the Island Strategic Action Committee (ISAC) in early December and does not need a vote by the city council for approval. However, this week Scott Harris, Chairman of the city’s Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) issued a letter asking that the
Light continued on A9
La Posada! Lighted Boat Parades Friday and Saturday Toys For Tots has already raised $20,000
Average salary is $75,000 By Dale Rankin The Corpus Christi City Council voted Tuesday to cancel the collective bargaining agreement with the Corpus Christi Professional Fire Fighters Association which had been in place since 1976. The unanimous move by the council (Councilman Mark Scott was absent) comes on the heels of the recent city elections in which the Fire Fighters Association endorsed a slate of challengers in the council races, failing to endorse a single incumbent. It also comes in conjunction with an ongoing lawsuit by the association contending that the city is not negotiating in good faith. That suit was filed after a similar suit filed by the city against the association alleging the same was dismissed for lack of merit by a judge. The 38-year old contract vacated by the council contained a clause which forbade council members from speaking publicly about negotiations; that prohibition ended with the now defunct contract.
Firefighters continued on A6
Inside the Moon
Padre Island Yacht Club Commodore Vic Schreck with toys collected for Toys For Tots
By Dale Rankin
If you don’t live on a canal you still have time to make friends with someone who does, but not much time. The 40th Annual La Posada Lighted Boat Parade will leave the docks this Friday and Saturday, December 1213. The parades start at 7 pm Friday and 6 pm Saturday For the parade route see the map in this issue. Meanwhile, the Toys For Tots program organized and managed by the Padre Island Yacht Club and the U.S. Marine Corps has already raised $20,000 from Islanders to pay for toys for kids around Texas who otherwise might go without this Christmas.
Islanders donate fully 20% of the toys collected by Toys for Tots in Texas. Look for the parade boats with yellow flashing lights; they are the collection boats for toys. And as you fan out across our Island this weekend for parade parties, remember the words of Island Moon founder Mike Ellis who said, “An Island party is like a seven layer bean dip. When it starts out it’s a bunch of separate layers but by the end of the night it’s all mingled together, just like the guests at the party.”
NaNoWriMo A5
Sports A8
So get out there and mingle everybody, it’s time to La Posada!
More La Posada info on A14
La Posada Land Parade A11
Remembering Pearl Harbor A12
th
40
Annual
(As a side note Lake Padre is no longer technically a lake but is in fact a sound because since the dredging of Packery Channel it is connected to the open Gulf of Mexico.
The La Posada season is in full swing everybody, the weekend weather looks to be great. Get your toys ready and get out there and have some fun!
McIntyre said traffic congestion in the area is caused by the left turn lane from SPID onto SH 361 and it has been reduced by longer turn lanes at that intersection. She also said a traffic plan from 2012 which looked at traffic at the SPID/Aquarius intersection found that a light would not cause traffic problems on the JFK bridge.
firm of Turner Busby Development which owns nine acres on the east side of SPID at the location and plans to build a $30 million development called Packery Pointe which would include a 101 room motel 50,000 square feet of retail space, and a restaurant.
City Torches Firefighters’ Contract
Island Living
What is different about this year is that it will be the first time the Island canal system and Lake Padre will be included in the study (see diagram) to establish a similar baseline for conditions in the channels and the lake prior to the anticipated opening of the Park Road 22/SPID Water Exchange Bridge which will connect Lake Padre to the existing canals via the waterway under the bridge.
Tis the season
peak traffic load which was done during Spring Break of 2012 into his modeling and it shows the light will not cause congestion in that area.”
40
Money for the studies comes from Reinvestment Zone #2 which captures property tax on new construction inside the zone, which covers the area around the channel and the Schlitterbahn development, since the forming of the zone in 2003.
Water flow from that channel will, accompanied by a widening of the water gate leading from Packery Channel into the canals, is expected to increase water circulation in the canal system where percolators now are used to enhance the oxygen supply.
Weekly
Councilwoman Says No More Study Needed for New Island Traffic Light By Dale Rankin
FREE
LA POSADA
Lighted Boat Parade
La Posada Registration A14
The ladies of P.I.E (Padre Enrichment Club) held their first Holiday Home Tour last weekend at ten homes around The Island. We will feature more of them in the next few issues. This is the home of Edwin and Rebecca Hawn’s home features a deck which overlooks Packery Channel. More photos on A2 Live Music A16
A2
Island Moon
December 11, 2014
Padre Island Enrichment Holiday Home Tour
Island Jewelers GO
Don't Sell Your Gold or Silver!
To Island Jewelers
Let's Make Something New Together!
Edwins's party deck Edwin and Rebecca Hawn
30% Off Catalog Sales! On-Site Repair Watch Repair Watch Batteries Ring Sizing Link Adjustment Starting at $15 Loma Alta Plaza • Next to Scuttlebutts Open Tuesday - Friday 11-6, Saturday 11-5
Pool overlooking Packery Channel.
361-867-8028
Master bedroom
The Shower in the Master Bedroom
NOVEMBER 2014
The area outlined in red is being studied in anticipation of the opening of the Park Road 22 Water Exchange Bridge
JOIN US AS WE REDISCOVER THE TRUE STORY OF CHRISTMAS! Pastor Bil and Jessica Cornelius invite you to join us at Church Unlimited this Christmas season as we experience the story of Christ’s birth in a brand new way! Bring your friends and family for a community-wide celebration you don’t want to miss! PADRE ISLAND CAMPUS CHRISTMAS SERVICE TIMES
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24TH 6:00 PM & 8:00 PM JOIN US THIS WEEKEND FOR OUR REGULAR SERVICE TIMES AT 8:30 AM, 10:00 AM & 11:30 AM CHURCH UNLIMITED • Padre Island Campus 15205 SPID, SUITE 200 • Corpus Christi, TX 78418 WeAreChurchUnlimited.com
December 11, 2014
Island Moon
Moon Monkeys Mike Ellis, Founder
Healing Network The Healing Heroes Program provides financial assistance for services and treatments to veterans injured in the line of duty while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11/01. Healing Heroes Network has a network of professionals to provide quality care for the soldiers who have been put on waiting lists or denied treatments at the VA. Healing Heroes Network knows that healing isn't an overnight process and can't be put off.
Distribution Pete Alsop
Since December 2008, Healing Heroes Network has provided thousands of therapeutic treatments, including Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, Massage Therapy, Acupuncture, Counseling ,Ortho-Bionomy and more. Most needed therapies are ongoing rather than a onetime fix. Healing Heroes Network is striving to become the tool that our warriors can use to help them lead healthier and more productive lives.
Island Delivery Coldwell Banker Advertising Jan Park Rankin Classifieds Arlene Ritley Design/Layout Jeff Craft Contributing Writers
To be eligible for the Healing Heroes Program, you must: • have been injured while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan
Joey Farah Andy Purvis
• have been injured on or after September 11, 2001.
Devorah Fox Mary Craft
To Apply Go to WWW.Healingheroes.org or call 877.470.4376
t Christiansen Jay Gardner
Once your application is received, Healing
Chad Peters
Did Ya Hear?
Letters to the Editor Heroes Network will review it for completeness and determine eligibility. Healing Heroes Network will notify you within one to two weeks whether your application has been approved, if more information is needed, and what the next course of action will be. If you are on the Island and would like to speak to a Healing Heroes Ortho-Bionomy provider contact Lynda Simpson @ 970.234.0348 and she can help you with more information. Lynda Simpson 970.234.0348
Traffic Light Dear Editor: Who thought it was a good idea to put a light at Aquarius and Park Road? I bet not many people other than the money-business conglomerate that now controls the Island. Now the island residents, who call this home and not their business, have to contend with another driving issue. Next we will have to contend with speed bumps at the bottom of the bridge to prevent pile-ups. Regards, Gary Sparschu
Port A Happenings…
Ronnie Narmour Brent Rourk
Rocket Fest
Dr. Donna Shaver
Calling all rocket enthusiasts!
Photographers Miles Merwin
In honor of last week’s NASA Orion launch, the Parks and Recreation Department will host an open hobby rocket launch this Saturday, Dec. 13, 12 to 2pm.
Jeff Dolan Mary Craft Ronnie Narmour Office Security/Spillage Control (Emeritus)
It will take place at the Community Park in-line skating rink, 700 Clark Pkwy, off Ross Ave. There will be several launch pads, just bring your own rockets, engines, and igniters. Hot dogs will be provided for all participants. 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
Where to Find The Island Moon Port Aransas Lisabella’s Restaurant
Port A Arts
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
Ace Hardware
Wash Board Laundry Mat
Texas Star (Shell)
Holiday Inn Jesse’s Liquor Scuttlebutt’s Restaurant Subway
Chamber of Commerce
Island Tire
Duckworth Antiques
And all Moon retail advertisers
Back Porch
WB Liquor
Shorty’s Place
Flour Bluff
Giggity’s
H.E.B.
Stripes @ Cotter & Station
Liquid Town
Gratitude Gift Shop Keepers Pier House Port A Glass Studio The Gaff
The display is open to the public weekdays 8am - 5pm, Dec. 15-19 and same times on Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 22 and 23, in the Port Aransas Civic Center, 710 W. Avenue A. Businesses, civic groups, families, groups of friends or individuals decorated trees in celebration of the holiday. Once again Parks and Recreation will have a sign-in with money donated to the EMS Toy Round-up for each name. Any business or organization wanting to help with this endeavor, may partner with Parks and Recreation to increase the amount to donate to the Toy Drive. There is no admission charge, but dry or canned goods will be accepted for the Port Aransas Helping Hands Food Pantry.
Yoga on the beach
All Stripes Stores
Woody’s Sports Center
Bring your friends or family to visit the Port Aransas Parks and Recreation Enchanted Holiday Forest 2014.
Nancy Myers with lead a free yoga session on Saturday, Dec. 13, at 8am, as she does each month. The lesson will be on the beach at Horace Caldwell Pier at the end of Beach Street in Port Aransas. Be on time as yoga instructor will take class indoors if weather is bad.
A Mano
Public Library
Enchanted Holiday Forest
WB Liquors
Stripes @ Beach Access Rd. 1A
Port A Parks and Rec
High winds or rain will cancel the event.
Sandpiper Condos
North Padre
Pioneer RV Park
and drinks.
We will need help chasing down rockets as they re-enter Earth’s atmosphere, so bring some friends, lawn chairs,
Whataburger on Waldron Ethyl Everly Senior Center Fire Station Police Station Stripes on Flour Bluff & SPID
Bring a towel or mat suitable for use on the sand.
Stained glass class Learn to make a glass on glass Christmas tree ornament from stained glass expert William Vickery. This is the second class Parks and Recreation is offering this month. Cost is $40 each. The class on Tuesday, Dec. 16, will start at 9:30 am, at the Girl Scout hut in the Parks and Rec building, 739 W Ave A, on corner of Cut Off Road. Participants must register with Parks and Recreation Community Program Coordinator Pam Greene at 361-749-4158 or pamg@ cityofportaransas.org. Not enough signups could cause cancellation.
Kids Christmas Party Families are invited for a free Christmas party on Wednesday, Dec. 17, at 5:30pm in Civic Center, 710 W. Ave A. Come get a photo with Santa, get a gift bag, cookies and punch. The annual event is courtesy of Port A Chamber, Rotary Club, Boatmen’s Association.
Dance Night Have fun and get some exercise at the Dance Night set for Thursday, Dec. 18, 6:308:30pm. This month’s event will be held at the Community Center, 408 N. Alister. Learn some dance moves, dance, socialize, or listen to music. Bring someone or come alone. There is no charge, and we provide refreshments.
Breakfast with Santa Come out for a free pancake breakfast that will include Santa. It will be 8 to 10am, Saturday, Dec. 20, at the Community Center, 408 N. Alister. Courtesy of the City of Port Aransas Parks and Recreation Department and the Port Aransas Kiwanis Club, this will be an annual event starting this year.. Kids served first, but the whole family is invited.
Polar Express Where else can you wear pajamas, watch this Christmas movie, and enjoy yummy treats for free? On Sunday, Dec. 21, in Port Aransas you can, thanks to the Parks and Recreation Department. Reservations are required to attend the free showing by calling 749-4158. Doors open at 6:30pm, and the movie begins at 7:05pm, at the Port Aransas Community Theatre, 2327 Hwy 361.
27th Annual Port Aransas Tour of Homes January 31 The Port Aransas Garden Club will host its 27th annual Port Aransas Tour of Homes on Mustang Island Saturday January 31, 2015. The tour originates from the Port Aransas Community Center at 408 N. Alister Street Port Aransas, TX. 78373.
receive when checking in at the Community Center located at 400 North Alister. Each home will have hostesses/hosts answering your questions about the historical and decorating significance. The self-guided tour ticket is $20.00
Come visit the beach and enjoy a “Glimpse of Island Life.” From island resort properties to cottages with historical significance you will visit homes showing off island living at its best with remodeled and new construction exemplifying life in the Coastal Bend
Bus tours and self-guided tickets can be purchased at Mustang Island Art Gallery, 2222 Hwy 361 and Gratitude, 316 N. Station Street after December 15. Tickets can be purchased via our website www.PortAransasGardenClub. org using PayPal or on tour day at the Port Aransas Community Center. Bus tour tickets are limited to 90 per each tour, self-guided are unlimited. For ticket information call 361-813-2508 or email portagardenclub@ hotmail.com. Follow us at our website www. PortAransasGardenClub.org and our Facebook page Port Aransas Home Tour and our blog portaransasgardenclubhometour.blogspot. com. For all other information contact Virginia Moser, chairperson, at 361-834-4130.Tickets, refreshments, raffle and silent auction items will be available at the Community Center during tour hours with doors opening at 8:30 AM.
The Port Aransas Home Tour is one of few remaining tours offering a ‘bus tour party’ in the morning and a self-guided tour in the afternoon. Our bus tours at 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM, leaves the driving to the professionals and allows the exceptionally knowledgeable, verbose Garden Club members to guide you on your journey and provide a world of information and entertainment along the way. Four homes and a casita will be on the morning bus tours. Any guest, who takes a morning tour, is welcome to return on the afternoon self-guided tour to see the remaining homes not included in the morning tour. Your $25.00 ticket covers the bus tour and the self-guided tour making it an all day excursion. Relax, sit back and enjoy the semi-narrated, sometimes hilarious antics of the PAGC’s Cruise Staff while “the wheels on the bus go ‘round and ‘round. . . “ The bus agenda provides plenty of time to see the town and explore the fine shops and restaurants. Our self-guided tour is from 1:00 – 5:00 P.M. with nine homes for your viewing pleasure. A map and brochure is provided to keep you on the path to our wonderful homes which you will
by Mary Craft mkay512@aol.com or @padreeyelander on twitter
New Advertisers The Estate Sale at 15113 Cane Harbor off of Whitecap is on Saturday, December 13th at 9am. It is cash only and items must be picked up same day. The 3 bedroom home will have both indoor and outdoor items for sale. Piano Lessons on the Island has hours available 9 am – 2 pm for ages 4 and up. Thirty minutes a week lessons cos $75/ month. Call Holly at 563-0500.
Business Briefs The Island Moon Art Walk will be held at Schlitterbahn 10 am – 2 pm on Saturday, December 13 with live music. For more info contact jgreer@schlitterbahn.com or call 589-4200. Joey’s Backwater Adventures is offering gift certificates for a day of indepth fishing instruction and finding new spots on the water. What a great unique Christmas gift from one of our best fishing guides that is a perfect gift for an Islander. Call Joey at 442-8145 The La Posada Boat Parade starts at 7 pm on Friday, December 12th and 6 pm on Saturday.
Barataria Dr.
Todd Hunter Dotson Lewis
A3
Port Aransas Garden Club formed in 1964 to encourage interest in beautification of the city. Proceeds from Club activities are used for landscaping, various civic projects in Port Aransas and scholarships for Port Aransas High School seniors. PAGC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All contributions are tax deductible. PAGC is a member of the Port Aransas Chamber of Commerce, KPAB, and the Corpus Christi Garden Council.
JB’s Bakery is having a Christmas Open House on Saturday, December 13th 10 am – 2 pm with free samples and hourly door prizes. Padre Island Mavens is a group of investors and potential investors who meet for lunch on the first Wednesday of each month at the Boathouse Restaurant to discuss the stock market and individual stocks for purchase. New Club members are welcome. The president of the club is Henry Quigley. The Padre Island Yacht Club at the end of Whitecap maintains a marina with 26 boat slips (40’ X 14’ with 30 amp service) and courtesy docks. Contact PIYC Dock Master Barratt Sturtevant at bcsturtevant59@gmail.com) for any interest in the marina. A Mano in Port A on Hwy 361 is having a 25% off sale on all Christmas décor starting Friday, December 12th. The sale includes all tin Christmas trees, ornaments and nativities. Gulf Coast Marine recently celebrated their 60th anniversary and is the oldest marine dealership in the Coastal Bend. Bill Homes Sr. started the business in 1954 and it is now run by his son Billy Holmes, Jr. The dealership is located in Flour Bluff at 10121 SPID. Schlitterbahn Beach Country Club Golf Course will host a Toys for Tots Golf Tournament on Saturday, December 13th at 9 am. Registration is limited to 60 players and the fee is $35 for members and $45 for non-members and includes an Italian buffet. You can get $10 off the entry fee with a toy. Call the Tenth Hole Pro Shop at 949-8006 to sign up. The Port A Rotary Club Kids Xmas Party will be held at the Civic Center 710 W. Ave A on Wednesday, December 17th at 5:30 pm. The kids will get a gift bag, cookies, punch and a photo with Santa. The Litter Critter will be here Saturday, December 13th 8 am – 4 pm at the end of Whitecap by the water treatment center. The 1st Annual Pancake Breakfast with Santa in Port A will be held at the Community Center 401 N. Alister on Saturday, December 20th 8 – 10 am. It didn’t take long after last issue was put out on the street for me to learn about the typo in my last column. I kept getting texts asking “What exactly will my dog learn during sex week?” The brief should have read that the Animal Hospital is having a SIX week Obedient Dog training special for $65 in December. If I do have another typo I hope it is as entertaining. Donnie Narmour was supposed to proof my Briefs last week.
La Posada Land Parade Photos by Miles Merwin
A4
Island Red Hats Are A-Glistening!
December 11, 2014
Island Moon
The Travelling Moon Gets Around
On December 2nd, the PIPPs Chapter of the Corpus Christi Red Hat Society held thier Christmas gala at the Dragonfly Restaurant. There were gifts, games, a Red Hat design cake, good food and lots of cheer. Pictured left to right back row: Mikki Garrow, Judy Johnson, Jaki Boyd (Vice Queen), Debbie Adams, Sofia Solis,Dianne Hanelt, Katie Clark (hostess), Bebe Gale (hostess) & Pearl Benoit.Front row: Trude Ferguson, Judy Marsyla, Lauret Bridgford, Pat McKeone, Nancy Horsley, Mary Leja (Queen), Clara Mosley (hostess), Joan Clay, Arleen Ward, Melly Dinkel & Pat Diggins. Not pictured: Rosanne Milroy & Joani Sarkiss
25% Off All Christmas Decor Starting Friday! Including all tin Christmas Trees, Nativities and Tree Ornaments
Lillie Mae Cazalas, Millie Partin and Tracey Cazalas took the Moon with them to Disney World. It was a surprise trip for Millie's 6th birthday from her "Mae Mae". Peace to all, Lillie Mae
cuttlebutt’ s S SEAFOOD BAR & GRILL
Medical Mondays!
1726 State Hwy 361 Suite A • 749-1828 Next to Tower Center’s Old Location
10% Discount if you’re wearing scrubs or have a hospital I.D.!
14254 SPID Phone: 361-949-6769 scuttlebuttsbarandgrill.com
Restaurant
& Wine Bar GET HOOKED ON OUR COASTAL CUISINE!
DINNER FRI & SAT 5–9 PM
BURGER
NIGHT
THURS 5–9 PM
Featured burgers include our Tex-Mex Burger, Lamb Burger, Stuffed Burger, The Big Challenge & more!
HAPPY HOUR MON–WED 3–6 PM
$3 PINTS & $4 WELLS $5 WINES & COCKTAILS
258 SNAPDRAGON • PORT ARANSAS 3 61.74 9. 4 6 5 3 • OPEN DAILY BLACKMARLINPORTA.COM
-SUNDAY BUBBLY BUBBLY ALL HALF PRICE!
Including: Mimosas, Champagne Cocktails and House Specialty Champagne Martinis
-SUNDAY BRUNCH11:00 - 3:00 PM -MONDAYALL WINES 1/2 PRICE by the glass or by the bottle -THURSDAYMARTINI MADNESS! $6 executive martinis
$6
Wine Flights Every Day
361-749-2212
3500 Island Moorings Parkway at The Island Moorings Yacht Club & Marina in Port Aransas
www.labaratariarestaurantwinebar.com
HOURS
Monday, Thursday, Friday 4 pm - 10 pm Saturday Noon - 10 pm Sunday 11 am - 10 pm Closed Tuesday & Wednesday
December 11, 2014
Island Moon
Stuff I Heard on the Island
Dee-Scoveries
The Stories Behind The Stories by Devorah Fox devorahfox.com By now you have eaten your last leftover turkey sandwich and Thanksgiving, not to mention the month of November, is a pleasant memory.
NaNoWriMo isn’t the only writing that Deborah does. Her short story Glitter and Glue ” made it to the final selection round for an anthology, “Chicken Soup for the Soul: Hope & Miracles.”
A group of dedicated writers only put the nail in November’s coffin the evening of Dec. 7, 2014, at the Thank God It’s Over party, a celebration to mark the end of National Novel Writing Month.
Stacey Tuley worked on “Lessons from Loss.” The book’s synopsis describes it best: "Life has a certain way of slapping us in the face when we least expect it. In the midst of these dark
NaNoWriMo challenges participants around the world to write 50,000 words (about 175 pages) between Nov. 1 and 11:59:59 p.m. on Nov. 30. The novel can be any genre, in any language. There is no prize for winning except for bragging rights. In fact you have to buy your own “Winner” T-shirt. So why do it? For many people who have always wanted to write a novel, NaNoWriMo is the kick in the pants they need to get going. The community that grows around the effort gives encouragement and the deadline provides motivation to persevere. For many, it’s such a satisfying experience that they participate every year. Trophies and awards at the TGIO dinner with iconic NaNoWriMo Viking helmet In our “home” region of Corpus Christi, Texas, US, 107 novelists participated and wrote a total seasons, our inherent nature drives our wayward of 2,612,025 words. Not everyone “won” quest to understand the unfathomable cruelties NaNoWrimo but in this case winning isn’t of our world. We search without resolution for the point. What’s important is giving it a try the reasons behind our anguish. If we don't and giving it your all, writing despite holiday dinners, house guests, bouts of the flu, writer’s block and sheer exhaustion. The stories behind the stories often rival the actual novels for drama and suspense. NaNoWriMo 2014 winner David Carpenter’s project was “The Empyreal Queen.” David says, “I hit 50,000 words by the end of November, but I'm guessing it will take more than twice that to finish it. The second half of the story line and character arcs need a lot of work.” His project started out as a picture, a visual art prompt posted on the web site I09. “The artwork depicted a young man wearing clothes suggestive of a desert caravan, kneeling in front of a robotic pack animal, rifle in hand. David says, “It's the kind of picture that conjures up images of adventure and derring-do, so I took the prompt and wrote a 200 word story about the character and situation depicted. I enjoyed writing it, so I decided to make it the starting point for my NaNoWriMo effort in November.”
David considers the project as homage of sorts to another author that he admires, Andre Norton. “It’s a nod in the direction of an author whose work was a big influence on me in the early part of my life,” he says.
The British Empire and its House of Lords were built on cartels. The Crown handed them out, the Lords ran them and kicked back to the Crown in exchange for the Crown keeping out competition. The drug cartels in Mexico work the same way except guns and bullets are substituted for the Crown. The barriers to entry there are pretty high.
Barriers to entry It’s macroeconomics 101; if you can maintain an inefficient market by the use of guns, the crown, or government regulations those already in the cartel can charge above market rates by creating insurmountable barriers to entry. It’s what keeps K Street in business in our nation’s capital, the drinks flowing at the Brown Bar in Austin, and the cabs running in Corpus Christi. While Uber and Lyft run people all over town in Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio in Corpus Christi five companies – the taxi cartel – have used City Hall as their barrier to entry to maintain their inefficient monopoly by keeping out the competition.
By the numbers Here are some numbers: The cost per mile for an Uber ride in Dallas is $1.20 per mile; in Houston $1.20 per mile; in San Antonio $1.50 per mile; cost of a taxi ride in Corpus Christi $4.65 per mile, plus a $3.72 start fee for opening the door when you get in, and a $2.40 drop fee, for closing the door when you get out. According to phone calls to three of the five taxi companies in Corpus Christi the cost of a ride from The Island to Corpus Christi International Airport (21 miles) is going to run between $87 plus fees, to $104 with fees. And that, according to the operators, is with a one hour wait and “may vary since that’s just an estimate.” The same ride with Uber or Lyft with the higher San Antonio rate would run $31.50.
What do you think we are a taxi service!?
embrace some hard and seemingly unfair lessons, chances are we will not endure well. With the well being of ourselves and those we hold dear at stake, we are given no choice in the matter. We can't undo tragedies, we can't bring back loved ones that we have lost, we can't always reverse the illness that we find ourselves and our loved ones in the midst of. So what do we do?” Stacey says that in her writing “I am sharing my experience, strength, and hope so that perhaps it may help on your life's journey. The events of 2004 drastically changed my life personally, as well as my family's life. We will never be the same. Our journey of healing and restoration continues, but with each challenge we look to God, our constant, faithful, and steady source of strength. Praying that you are strengthened on your journey and that you will be equipped to handle what life throws your way as you embrace these lessons from loss.”
NaNoWriMo projects will not necessarily see the light of day. There’s absolutely no guarantee that the novel will ever be published. A NaNoWriMo novel isn’t even long enough to interest Winner, participants and supporters at the TGIO party most publishers. Although there have been successful novels that are roughly 50,000 words long, most Deborah Gatchel attempted NaNo a couple commercial novels run from 65,000 to 100,000 times several years ago. This year her husband words or more. decided that she should participate. “I have Many writers, however, continue writing long been working on a trilogy, but thought I needed after NaNoWriMo is over and do go onto share a break from that series, so prepped for another their writing. All three of my published novels, book that I had on the back burner,” she says. “The Lost King,” “The King’s Ransom” and “Then, 12:01 a.m. Nov 1, I decided to go with “The King’s Redress” began as NaNoWriMo the final book of the series. The first two weeks projects. For NaNoWriMo 2014 I wrote 50,896 I did well, keeping ahead of goal most of the words toward Book Four in that series, working time and was at 25k on the 15th. Then I had title “The Redoubt,” and hope to have it finished to be out of town for my girls' tournament. I and between covers by Summer 2015. came back with a migraine, so, in one and a half Think you might like to stop talking about weeks, wrote 200 words. I got back to writing on Thanksgiving Day. I wrote the remaining that novel you’ve always wanted to write and 25k in four days. I met some great people during actually start writing it? Target NaNoWriMo that time as we hung out together on Facebook 2015 or consider Camp NaMoWriMo held doing writing sprints and cheering each other in April and July. Visit nanowrimo.org and across the finish line. I managed to finish with campnanowrimo.org for more information. I’ll see you there. —http://devorahfox.com two hours to spare.”
THEMinor MEDICAL CENTER + Emergency Family Healthcare Minor Surgery Lab X-Ray Occupational
Quadrivalent Flu Vaccine Now Available! The superior Quadrivalent Vaccine has a broader coverage than the Trivalent vaccine which is more readily available
Open 6 Days a Week
No Appointments Necessary Mon-Thurs, Appointments available Fri-Sat Mon. - Sat. 8am - 6pm 14433 SPID “On the Island” Corpus Christi, TX 78418 www.tmcpadre.com
Water Access Laguna Madre
Cartel: an association of manufacturers or suppliers with the purpose of maintaining prices at a high level and restricting competition. A coalition or cooperative arrangement between political parties intended to promote a mutual interest.
The cost of a ride from Port Aransas home to North Padre would run a whopping $93! That is if you can get a taxi from in town to come and pick you up because they don’t want to have to dead hall out there. I can say from personal experience you will get home from Port A faster by sticking out your thumb than calling a taxi from in Corpus Christi to come get you.
Municipal Leader Gloria Vasquez (right) awards winner Deborah Gatchel (left)
the image that inspired David Carpenter's story
by Dale Rankin
361-949-1900
I recently gave a fellow Islander a ride home from CC International Airport after our plane arrived (late) at midnight and he had been
A5
waiting an hour for a taxi which never showed up. There were none in the cue at the airport. Cartels are by nature inefficient and don’t have to provide an inconvenient service as long as everyone in the cartel is inefficient. That’s why they call it a cartel.
Local barriers to entry I called City Hall this week and asked what I had to do to get a taxi medallion. The answer: pay a Registration fee of $15 per vehicle and a Street Usage fee of $100 per vehicle every three months. To form my own company I must have a minimum of five cabs which means a minimum of $500 per quarter – the equivalent of five rides to the airport. I was told that the city makes no money from taxi operations and for further information referred to a fellow who was too busy to call me back – or he’s at the airport waiting for a taxi. When I asked about Uber or Lyft I was told “those are illegal.”
The business model For those unfamiliar with Uber or Lyft the business model is simple; drivers who register with either company and provide background information and – this is important – a rider on their insurance that covers commercial carrying – are placed in a database and their whereabouts when they are “on duty” are tracked through their cell phones and they respond to texts to the Uber/Lyft dispatch. I have personally used Uber several times, most recently in Hollywood, California. In each case the driver arrived within five minutes and the fees were less than $5 dollars. Less than $5! As soon as the car was dispatched, by cell phone, the driver’s name, photo, and customer rating popped up on my phone. The locals I was with had their favorite Uber driver on their speed dial. There is no cash involved. The point of sale is by credit card where a 20% tip is automatically added. There were two levels of service in L.A. – one with regular vehicles like most of us drive – they must be no more than three years old – and another with luxury cars which was slightly more expensive, but not by much. How many times have all of us complained about the lack of a taxi service on The Island to get us home after a night out? Our city says they don’t want people driving after they drink – no they want them to pay $4.65 per mile for the cartel to drive them. The taxi companies are using regulations as their barrier to entry to bar competition so they can maintain their artificially high prices. The city – according to the fellow I spoke to – are calling everyone else outlaws, and in the meantime we’re thumbing our way home from Port A. Does this make sense to anyone; yes, the cartel.
Under the Bridge Serving South Texas Seafood Dishes for Over 30 Years Open Daily 11:00 - 10:00
Specializing in South Texas Seafood Dishes Since 1980 AlsoNow Accepting Visa Mastercard & Scoopy’s Veranda Discover With Sweet Treats, Soups, Salads & Sandwiches
Snoopy’s Scoopy’s
(361) 949-8815 (361) 949-7810
13313 S. Padre Island Drive Corpus Christi, TX 78418
A6
December 11, 2014
Island Moon
A Family Tradition By Erica Rose Bertero – www.ericaroseb. com beachgalbare@gmail.com
PINS Fines
Firefighters continued from A1 “My belief is that this is the only way to get to an agreement,” City Manager Ron Olson told the council before the vote. “We are stuck in an endless loop in our negotiations and the only way out is to start over.”
Five drivers who left deep ruts in a sensitive area of Padre Island National Seashore where driving is prohibited will pay over $150,000 in fines according to Park officials.
Here are a few facts about the current proposals on the table according to Olson.
Erica Rose Bertero is a local blogger and writer – you can read/follow her blog “BEACH GAL BARE” at www.ericaroseb.com. She can be reached at beachgalbare@ gmail.com
• The association cannot strike, the city cannot lock out the firefighters so service will continue as usual. • 80% of the current responses by firefighters are for medical calls.
This holiday season, I decided to ask my mother to teach me how to make tamales. She has been making them for our family for years – as far back as I can remember – and the tamale tradition would usually begin after Thanksgiving, so that she had plenty of time to prepare for Christmas. You can eat tamales year round at any Mexican food restaurant – but in our family, tamales were made from scratch once a year. We always enjoyed them for the Christmas holidays and through to the New Year, until the last one was eaten. My mom would usually ask for help from her grown daughters and daughter-in-law during one step of the process, which was when it was time to spread the masa (dough) on the hojas (corn husks). Sometimes we would help with the grinding of the meat, but mostly we sat around the kitchen table to take part of the process that took the longest amount of time. This was our version of a tamalada, or a tamale-making party. I was somewhat aware of the hours it would take my mom to cook the meat for the tamales – more aware of the effort it took to assemble each individual tamale – only to watch in amazement at how little time it took for my loved ones to eat the fruits of our labor.
City of Port Aransas
Three Apply for Port A City Council Vacancy
Place 1 Council Member Robert Petitt Resignation Applications for Appointment Update Port Aransas City Council Unexpired Term Three (3) individuals have expressed interest in being appointed to replace City Council Member Robert “Bob” Petitt to fill his unexpired term ending in May 2015. Former Mayor ProTem Frederic (Rick) Pratt, Paul Cooke Moore and Laura L. Degenhardt have submitted applications for appointment. A copy of the Press Release advising of a new opening was sent to each of those citizens that requested appointment to the Place 3 in August 2014. As of this date only Rick Pratt and Paul Moore have indicated interest, no response has been received from John Scott or Mallory Kollaja. Place 1 candidates are: 1. Frederic J. (Rick) Pratt Former Mayor Pro-Tem & Council Member 639 E. Avenue B, Port Aransas Place 5 – term limits 2005, 2007, 2009 (361) 549-6328 2. Paul Cooke Moore 1000 N. Station Street #111, Port Aransas (713) 515-1270 3. Laura L. Degenhardt 326 E. Cotter Avenue, Port Aransas
• The current average annual salary for a CC firefighter is about $75,000. • The total annual compensation package for a firefighter is $104,160l
In July 2011, five individuals drove their vehicles into a prohibited area of Padre Island National Seashore causing extensive injuries to sensitive tidal flats. Park Law Enforcement Rangers, Natural Resource Specialists and a Damage Assessment Case Officer from the National Park Service’s National Damage Assessment Office conducted a comprehensive investigation and assessment, into the identities of the responsible parties and the nature and extent of the injuries. With the assistance of the Department of Interior Solicitor’s Office, the National Park Service (NPS) submitted claims for costs and damages, under the Park System Resource Protection Act, to each of the five drivers and their insurance companies. The Park System Resource Protection Act, 16 U.S.C. § 19jj, provides that any person or instrumentality who injures, destroys or causes the loss of any Park System resource is liable for response costs and damages. By the end of 2014, in an out of court settlement, all five drivers and their insurance companies agreed to pay over $150,000 in costs and damages to the NPS.
Police Blotter Single Vehicle Crash Closes SPID Friday afternoon Friday, December 5, 2:06 p.m. 10200 South Padre Island Drive Vehicle Crash with Fatal Injuries
Corpus Christi Police responded to a single vehicle crash on the 10200 block of South Padre Island Drive Friday afternoon and learned a 33-year-old man did not survive the crash. Corpus Christi Police closed the westbound lanes of the access road and exit ramp of the 10200 block of South Padre Island Drive for a couple of hours while the Corpus Christi Police Traffic Safety Section investigated the crash. Investigators learned that the 33-year-old man was the only occupant of a black 2005 Nissan Altima and traveled west on Park Road 22 from Padre Island into Flour Bluff at 2:00 in the afternoon. The Altima took the Flour Bluff Drive exit, lost control, and left the roadway then struck the support structure for the NAS Drive overpass. No other vehicles per people were involved in the crash. The Corpus Christi Fire Department Emergency Medical Services arrived and determined the 33-year-old man did not survive the crash. Corpus Christi Police Investigators continue to gather information and evidence in order to determine the cause of the crash. Anyone with any information about this crash who has not spoken to investigators should call the Corpus Christi Police Traffic Safety Section at 886-2600.
• Prior to cancellation of the old agreement, part of the discussion could have increased the number of firefighters from 414 to 490. That now is unlikely. • Firefighters do not pay for their city health insurance which has no deductible, pays all costs for generic drugs, has a $20 co-pay for non-generic drugs, with a maximum co-pay of $500 per year. • The city and the association are $31.8 million apart on agreement for a new contract. • The contract proposed by the association, according to Olson, would cost the city approximately an additional $10 million per year, in perpetuity, the price of the threeyear agreement that has been discussed is the $31.8 million figure. • The increase cost would equal about 25% of the current fire department budget.
Wind-tidal flats are a very limited and specialized environment existing within a few centimeters of sea level. Wind-tidal flats such as those in Padre Island National Seashore support large blue-green algal mats, which host the most productive and diverse benthic communities in the Laguna Madre. This nutrientrich environment is an important winter and migration foraging habitat for shorebirds, including the federally threatened Piping plover and the highly imperiled Red knot.
• The increase would mean a tax increase for citizens of 16% which is not allowed by state law. The tax increase would equal $100 for each $100,000 of property value. • Cancellation of the collective bargaining agreement will likely prompt the association to ask a judge for an injunction to stop the city from terminating the agreement and force the issue into arbitration.
The five drivers in this incident created over two miles of vehicle tracks, destroying two acres of algal mats and impacting an additional eleven acres by changing the natural hydrology of the site. The tracks broke through the algal mat crust, sinking as much as eighteen inches into the ground. The displaced sediment formed ridges along the outer edges of the tracks. These deep ruts not only destroyed the algal mat within the tracks, but also disrupted the natural surface hydrology or flow of water across the flat, impacting the algal mats over a much larger area.
The Corpus Christi Professional Fire Fighters Association released this statement after the council vote. “Today’s council action was a complete surprise to the Corpus Christi Professional Fire Fighters Association. We did not receive, nor were we given notification of this action regarding our contract, and we still have not received any “Official” notification of the time of this News Release. The Union has made numerous offers to the City Staff to get back to negotiations, our latest offers was made on or about December 2, 2014, and we have not yet received an answer to that offer.
Padre Island National Seashore will use the settlement monies to implement restoration of the injured area which will include re-grading the tracks by hand, thereby restoring the natural hydrology, and monitoring the return of the area to its natural state.
The Association was only made aware of this action today thru the News Media.
Operating a motor vehicle within the confines of Padre Island National Park is prohibited except on park roads, in parking areas and on routes and areas designated for off-road motor vehicle use.
The City keeps perpetuating inaccuracies that the Union has “demanded” 31.8M in current contract negotiations. The City’s NEWS release is a GROSS misrepresentation of the Associations (sic) contract proposals.”
Military Value Projects Move Forward
Long-term Study of Mexican Oil Spill May Reveal Future Deepwater Horizon Impacts
(773) 951-6959 The last day to submit an Application for Place 1 on the Port Aransas City Council is Friday, December 12 at 5pm. The City Council will consider each applicant with an appointment made at the Thursday, December 18, 2014 City Council Meeting. Applications can be obtained at City Hall, 710 W. Avenue A or by calling City Secretary Irma Parker. Candidates will be administered
• The new contract terms proposed by the association would increase the average firefighter’s total compensation package to $128,000.
Two Texas State Agency Boards gave approval today in Austin to the City of Corpus Christi, giving the green light to move forward with $4.5 million in military value projects. The Texas Military Preparedness Commission (TMPC), which includes former State Representative Connie Scott, approved five projects benefiting the Strategic Military Port. The Texas Public Finance Authority (TPFA) consented to repurposing the City's existing debt to provide funding for the projects.
The Harte Research Institute (HRI) for Gulf of Mexico Studies at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi will receive approximately $1.25 million over the next three years to work with Mexican colleagues in the southern Gulf of Mexico to look for residual impacts from the Ixtoc I oil spill of 1979-1980 on coastal areas, fisheries, and the deep sea.
In partnership with the Port of Corpus Christi, Sam Rankin Road will be upgraded and reconstructed between Port Avenue and Resaca Street, improving access to the Strategic Military Port at the Port of Corpus Christi. The Port of Corpus Christi is designated as one of 22 Strategic Military Ports in the nation.
This long-term study will reveal what impacts may be in store 30 years after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill. Dr. Wes Tunnell, Associate Director of HRI, is leading the project.
To ensure compatibility with the flight training mission of Naval Air Station Corpus Christi (NASCC), the City of Corpus Christi will identify and acquire properties to eliminate encroachments and create a buffer zone around NASCC flight training fields. Two additional joint projects with NASCC include construction of a dedicated truck lane and entry at the South Gate of NASCC on NAS Drive, as well as enhancements to segments of NASCC's perimeter definition and improvements to shoreline stabilization.
“We are very pleased with the funding of this project,” said Tunnell. “It gives us the opportunity to work with our Mexican counterparts once again and re-examine the Gulf’s other major oil spill, Ixtoc.” Tunnell is joined in this research effort by HRI endowed chairs: Drs. Jim Gibeaut, John Gold, Paul Montagna, Greg Stunz, and David Yoskowitz.
At Corpus Christi International Airport (CIAA), the City of Corpus Christi is supplementing taxiway improvements to facilitate safe transit of U. S. Coast Guard (USCG) aircraft as part of the construction of the USCG new facility for Air Station Corpus Christi.
On Friday, November 14 the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) awarded $140 million to 12 research consortia to conduct scientific studies of the impacts of oil, dispersed oil, and dispersant on the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem and public health. These research investments focus on improving fundamental understanding of the implications of events such as the Deepwater Horizon spill, and on developing improved spill mitigation, oil and gas detection, characterization and remediation technologies.
"Corpus Christi continues to be proactive in improving infrastructure and strengthening the military missions of our local military installations," Mayor Martinez said. "We appreciate the ongoing cooperation and support from Governor Rick Perry's Office, the TMPC, Commissioner Connie Scott, and the TPFA."
The consortia were chosen following a competitive, merit review process that evaluated research applications submitted in response to proposals.
The City will repurpose proceeds from a 2007 Texas Military Value Revolving Loan through the issuance of tax notes. The funds will be available in the first quarter of 2015.
“It is another indication of how effective the Harte Model of integrated multidisciplinary research can be in helping us understand the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem,” said Dr. Larry McKinney, HRI Executive Director. “We have a great team of Gulf experts at HRI and the partnership with the C-IMAGE is an exciting opportunity to join an established consortium with a history of innovation and discovery.”
"These projects to be implemented by the City of Corpus Christi and our partners demonstrate our commitment to protecting our military installations," Mayor Martinez emphasized. "These efforts will ultimately result in safe guarding our Country's national security and providing jobs for our families."
GIFTS CERTIFICATES AVALIABLE
949-0794 www.theislandsedgehairsalon.com
Michelle Matthews
Hair Cuts & Color, Waxing, Hair Extensions, Special Occasion Hair, Airbrush Make Up, Feather Extensions Are you tired of wearing mascara? Do you suffer from black circles of smudged mascara? Do you want to have long beautiful lashes 24/7, even when you swim? Do you want longer fuller eyelashes? If you answered YES to any of these questions, we have the answer..........
XTREME™ EYELASH EXTENSIONS Michelle is a Master Hair Stylist having learned from the best and having trained top stylists herself. She is an expert Colorist and Make Up Artist, and was the former Stylist and Make Up Artist for Miss Oklahoma.
Hours Tuesday‐Friday 10am‐6pm Saturday 9am‐2pm
Walk‐Ins Welcome * Late Appointments Available
14813 S.P.I.D. Corpus Christi, TX 78418 (Next Door to Island Wash) Salon: 361‐949‐4890 www.michellessalon.com
December 11, 2014
A7
Island Moon
Backwater Adventures By Joey Farah
On the Rocks
Farah’s Fishing Adventures
December Fishing and Cheer After a good early cold snap we have been enjoying very mild winter conditions lately and fish have been feeding very regularly. The flats warmed up and filled with bait after the last warm up and the game fish followed. As of now the best trophy trout fishing is going on in the shallows along the King Ranch Shoreline and Baffin. Large mature females have been cruising the shallow sand pockets devouring their choice of mullet, perch, and shad, in preparation for the cold weather to come. The drifting with soft plastics has been great as well with lots of action and some nice stringers coming from the flats in 5 feet of water. The big flounder have started to move the last few weeks and anglers are sneaking out to try to put their two flat fish on the table and finding them with ease. Beach fishing is getting good too with whiting and pompano showing up along the beach at high tide. Overall if you get burned out in the Christmas shopping over the bridge come home and go fishing.
By Jay Gardner the Coastal Bend Bays Foundation award for 501 (c) (3) Organization at the yearly Environmental Awards Ceremony that was held last week. For those of you that don’t know, Friends of Padre is the organization started by our beach hero Capt. Billy Sandifer to mainly support the Big Shell Clean Up and other efforts regarding the Padre Island National Seashore. The yearly gala was held at Northshore Country Club, and lots of folks were on hand for the ceremony. Congrats to Billy, David McKee, Aaron Baxter, Clay Wernli, Gabe Goodman, Jeff Wolda, Cody Moravitz, and Tyler Thorsen. Please plan on joining us at the Park for this years’ Big Shell Clean Up, which is a big one as it is the 20th anniversary of the first one. We will start a little later this year, at 8am on February 28th at the V.C. (Visitors Center). I will be reminding all of you loyal readers as time gets closer.
Christmas parties are abounding, and the oldies station on the radio has been playing Christmas tunes since Thanksgiving day. I had to remove it from my radio presets to avoid going loco before I even start Christmas shopping (which usually happens two days before the Big Event). It will be here before we know it. Do your shopping early!
Drifting with shrimp and popping corks is on fire in Baffin Bay. anglers. The limits on flounder gigging and the reduced winter limit will and has made the difference in the quality of flounder fishing. Many anglers choosing to only keep the larger of the fish they are landing. Flounder love white don’t forget that. A small piece of white fish bites on the hook can even help when fishing with bait.
I need to print a retraction from my last article, although it’s a little too late. Thanks for the note Paul. I mistakenly printed that the new flounder regulations included no gigging in December. That is incorrect. Daily bag is 5 fish except from Nov. 1-30, when the daily bag limit is 2 fish and flounder may be taken only by pole-and-line; and from December 1-14, when the daily bag limit is 2 fish and flounder may be taken by any legal means. Possession limit is equal to the daily bag. Back when this issue was being scoped
Next week is going to fly by. I’ll be down in
Christmas Made Easy
Look for sheepshead to fall into the Packer Channel in large numbers on the next big cold front witch will drop the tides out. Trophy Trout This is the time of year that most outdoorsmen grab their guns and leave the boat behind. This year I have seen more fishermen on the flats wade fishing than years past during the fall. These big mature trout get pushed out of the shallows during the spring rush of fishing pressure. With less boats and wade fishermen stomping the bottom of the bay they get to hunt and patrol the flats as they please. Their first priority is to eat and save energy before it gets very cold. We have seen some monsters up in just inches of water, most of the time uncatchable as they see us first. The silent lonely wade fishermen making slow movements and precise casts to likely hunting spots is the man who finds the largest trout on the end of his pole. I find that slow sinking larger baits like the DOA Airhead rigged with a light long shanked jig head is the perfect bait. The longer it flutters in front of the eyes of an older trout the better chance you have of her getting up off her bed to slam it. Pick apart the small sand pockets and changes in the shoreline. As baitfish move down the edge small points will funnel them out to big trout hiding in the pockets on the outside of these points. Stand and wait, keeping your distance, and give a few casts then wait. Repeated casts into a specific spot will spook large fish, try a different angle of cast over the same area as well. Keep it slow and specific and you will find explosive attacks from some very big fish. They are holding up in position waiting for bait to roll bye, be the victim.
On the Drift With large parties on my boat we most of the time are drift fishing the Lagoon or Baffin with soft plastics and sometimes live shrimp. The live shrimp and popping corks have been filling the box with trout, reds, sheep head, drum, and more. Over the rock piles in Baffin Bay life is boiling before the chill of winter. Make drifts over the rocks with a long drop of 30” or more under your cork. Use #2 or #4 circle hooks to get the best results with live shrimp. The soft plastic bite is so much fun, the eyes are free to scan the bay floor below you and dream of where your next fish may be hiding. The lessons learned from picking your targets, casting precisely, and getting strikes are priceless. These make us better fishermen. The time of day, weather, and lunar bite is dictating my choices of color, size, and presentation. For the sport angler vary between bright colors, darks, and naturals. These have been changing from spot to spot, and hour to hour. The smaller 3and4” DOA CAL shad is perfect small paddle tail that has been getting swallowed up by fish all over. Pink is still one of the best producers as well as root beer/chart. I have found most of the fish moving between 3’and 5’ of water. When cold fronts chill the water they will move out to the deeper areas that you cannot see bottom in. As fish and bait warm up they will move out to the shallow edges and soak up some sun rays and set up for ambushing bait. The fishing for flounder along the ICW has been finding some real “SADDLE BLANKETS” in the hands of
For the first time in years I started shopping sooner than later. For many of you finding that special something that will surprise our friends and loved ones can be a stumper. I am going to shoot out a few suggestions for everyone to use as fuel for the fire, before you set out over the bridge into the streets of Christmas mayhem. Gift certificates from me for a day of in-depth instruction and finding new spots on the water is a great thing to give your man or woman who has everything known to man for fishing. Knowledge is the only thing you can’t buy off the shelf, and some guides don’t give out the right information in the right way, all along having a good time and catching fish. I interview my guests with questions about what kind of fishing they do, where they fish, and what they want to learn. I give a Christmas Discount too. Surf Lesions for kids and adults!! Morgan Faulkner is a pro surfer who grew up in Port Aransas and has been extremely successful supporting and giving back to the local surf community. He is great with kids and can patiently teach anyone to stand up on a surfboard. Like anything it is all in the way you explain and show someone how to do it. You don’t have to start off deep and it is the absolute best feeling in the world, well maybe second. It’s better than fishing! Texas Surf Camps can be found on Facebook, or call them for gift certificates for family or friends (361)749-6956. Wind and Wave surf shop has some great gift ideas that won’t break your wallet, but still make the kids think you know what is cool. Wallets, sun glasses, watches, hammocks, and stylish clothes. Sometimes with their dress codes at school a nice hat or stocking cap with a popular surf brand on it is what they like to show off. Skate boards like crazy! You can get the whole family everything from long board skateboards and down all sizes. We love going over to the Sea wall and skate on these winter days. It melts the mind and frees the soul almost like riding a wave. Then there is the fishing stuff…… I hate gift cards so here are some grab items. Quality hook pliers, new dock ropes for the boat, GPS unit, Power Pole, New Sun Glasses, WOMAN FISHERMEN LOVE GOOD COSTA DEL MAR SUN GLASSES. (Don’t get her men styles) Roy’s has some great quality all weather gear, hats, jackets, gloves. FOOTCUSH pads for the floor of the boat to stand on! Look up STIFFY PUSH POLES, this is a local business that is just over on Yorktown. Kevin Shaw is one of the best and successful tournament fishermen and has sold his push poles all over the world. One visit to his shop could be all you need. He has the push poles, stick anchors, fish pliers, floundering lights, measuring sticks, GIFT CERTIFICATES FOR WADEFISHING LADDERS, and a hundred other cool little things you would never think of or find at the store. Look them up on the net at STIFFY FISHING PRODUCTS. These are just some out of the box suggestions and hopfully they set out a spark in your Christmas Cheer.
Friends of Padre Award the valley and out on South Padre throughout the week working on a variety of projects. After that, dove season cranks back up and it will be time to get the shotguns back out and hang out in south Texas pastures. This time of year really is the best, as there are no crowds, the weather is usually decent, and there in an abundance of activities to do around here. I love it. Drop me a note at jaygardner@scientist.com
last year at the public meetings, it appeared that the regulations were going to include no gigging in the first two weeks of December, and I had assumed that it passed. It seems that the TPWD Commission re-wrote that at the last minute to include gigging in December, which is all fine and dandy, because at least there was another reduction. But I goofed in printing that. Good news is, since they passed the limit reduction several years ago, the flounder have really made a strong come-back, and people are able to catch them with consistency. While you can only have two during the “winter run”, the flounder are very large, and two large flounder is a bunch of fillets. I believe it’s been very successful, just ask anyone else that’s been fishing for them recently. Jacob and I hit the beach the other day looking for pompano south of Bob Hall Pier, and the conditions were just fine, however the fish didn’t cooperate. Well, the whiting were thick, so we wouldn’t have gone hungry that day, but not from the target species. The beach is GREAT this time of year, with very few people out there. There are a lot of wintering birds around on the beach, including piping plovers, red knots, American oystercatchers, and Franklin’s gulls. Shelling is also excellent at this time of year without throngs of tourists combing every square inch of the beach.
I’d like to give a shout out to the Friends of Padre Some great trophy trout wade fishing in the last few weeks. Organization, as they received Photo by Joey Farah
Corpus Christi Realty Group
HAVE FUN AT THE LA POSADA PARADE AND BE SAFE! SEE YOU OUT THERE. HO,HO,HO!!
15217 South Padre Island Drive Suite 108
We’re on the ISLAND to serve you!
Considering a move to the Island? Mary Ann McShane 361-215-8629
Let us help you find your piece of Paradise - waterfront or interior homes, condos, townhouses, lots
Nancy Ludlow 361-774-8130
Considering selling your Island Property?
Call us for a free consultation to obtain the current market value along with tips to make your property the one buyers will put on their “MUST SEE” list
Soft plastics have been a lot of fun and very productive.
Island Creations Remodeling
Total Renovation & Remodels, Outdoor Kitchens & Spas, Additions, Kitchen & Bathroom Upgrades, Sunporches, Replacement of Windows and Doors, Roofing, Painting & Stucco
PRICE REDUCTION!
Landscaping Beautiful Home! Extra wide garage Beautifully maintained Updated!
15957 El Soccorro Loop
$247,500
Insured Member, Padre Island Business Association Member, Builders Association, Corpus Christi
960-0327
Design work, Yard Maintenance, Decks, Pergolas, Installation of Rock, Grass, Plants, Trees, Walkways, Paths, Tree Trimming, Container Planting, Vacant Lot Mowing & Shade Covers. All Kinds of Fencing, Pressure Washing & Deck Staining & Sealing
Concrete
Driveways, Patios, Sidewalks, Patio Overlays, Decorative Stamping & Staining, Decks, Bulkheads, Grouted Stone Walls & Patios, Decorative Stone Paver Driveways & Patios
Owned & Operated by Island Residents David & Katherine Pierce References Available Upon Request Commercial & Residential
Doing Everything a Home or Business Needs
A8
December 11, 2014
Island Moon
SPORTS Push Down, Turn Left
Sports Talk-Special to The Island Moon
By Andy Purvis Special to the Island Moon
College Football Final Four Teams Selected By Dotson Lewis Special to the Island Moon Dotson’s note: Most of what I have heard in the past 24 hours or so are “sour grapes” regarding the teams selected by the committee to fill the slots in the first annual College Football Championship Series. Of course it will be changed to eight teams no later than 2016 and most likely will be changed by next year. Don’t say I didn’t warn you; as I stated in a previous issue of The Moon, the Selection Committee critically needs revamping. I will start the campaign immediately after the National Championship Game. In the meantime, Big 12 fans, especially those for Baylor & TCU, eat your hearts out…the blame should start with those in the “Ivory Tower” of the Big 12 and end with the inept members of the Selection Committee. In the meantime here are the facts.
Ohio State joins Alabama, Oregon, and Florida State in the first College Football Playoff.
especially after we lost our quarterback. But I knew if you're going to reach for the top, you have to go through the top, and the last several years, Alabama has certainly been at the top of college football." What complicated the College Football Playoff selection committee's final rankings release on Sunday, however, was the fact it had released weekly rankings since Oct. 28. Though the committee met each week and started from scratch on its selection and seeding process, the weekly rankings felt more like power rankings, with teams sliding up and down based on what they had done the previous weekend. Various criteria were thrown out to justify moves, from strength of schedule to a vague concept of game control. Undefeated Florida State twice dropped below one-loss teams, and TCU had been consistently ranked ahead of Baylor, despite losing when the two teams played earlier this season.
On a good day, he could get four brand new tires and a tank full of gas in less than 14 seconds. He would make his living going around in circles and getting in and out of car windows. All that was needed was about 3,500 pounds of equipment, four tires, an occasional quick fist, and nerves of steel. Add cat-like reflexes, 360-degree vision, and a bucket of chips on your shoulders and you have a professional race car driver. One mistake could cost you the race, your life, or both. This fellow spent a lot of time pushing down and turning left on race tracks all across the country. Why, because he was a professional race car driver, and a darn good one.
The top four seeds, announced Sunday afternoon, will play in the Sugar and Rose Bowls Jan. 1, with No. 1 Alabama playing No. 4 Ohio State in New Orleans at 8:30 p.m. ET and No. 2 Oregon playing No. 3 Florida State in Pasadena, Calif., at 5 p.m. ET. The winners of those games will meet for the national championship on Jan. 12 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. As expected, the fourth spot of the four-team field was the most contentious. Three teams — Ohio State, TCU and Baylor — all made compelling cases for securing the spot.
Terry Labonte
Baylor finished No. 5 in the Playoff rankings, and TCU was sixth. The Big 12 was the lone Power Five conference left out of the Playoff. TCU had been No. 3 in the rankings entering Sunday's final decision by the Playoff selection committee. All three won convincingly this weekend, with the Horned Frogs thrashing Iowa State, 55-3, Baylor beating Kansas State, 38-27, and Ohio State cruising to a 59-0 win over Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship game. But all three also had blemishes on their résumés; the question became, who had the smallest one? Ohio State's issue was a brutal loss at home to Virginia Tech back in September. Baylor had the weakest non-conference schedule. TCU lost to Baylor. While Long acknowledged the Buckeyes' loss was damaging, he also said on ESPN that Ohio State overcame it by beating nine bowl-eligible teams, and with its performance in the Big Ten championship game with backup quarterback Cardale Jones, who was replacing J.T. Barrett, who replaced Braxton Miller just prior to the start of the season. "With the championship game, Ohio State demonstrated they were a total team and did overcome replacing two quarterbacks," committee chairman Jeff Long said. "Ohio State's performance in a 13th game gave them a quality win over a highly ranked team. ... Ohio State earned that spot." "It was really about Ohio State's movement up," Long added to ESPN. "It was their performance on the field that made a difference to the committee.”We said going into this weekend that three through six was very close. I will say Ohio State was decisive at No. 4, they were voted in there clearly. Ohio State was clear-cut over five and six." Of TCU, Long added, "It looks like a long drop from three to six, but it was really 3a, 3b and 3c. It was razor close." Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said he returned home from Indianapolis around 4 a.m. but couldn't sleep. He spent time planning out recruiting travel for the coming week and eventually watched the final ranking reveal with athletic director Gene Smith, calling the overall experience "very stressful." Meyer and Alabama coach Nick Saban headline a marquee coaching matchup in the Sugar Bowl, another chapter in a series of highprofile games between the two.
Art Briles-Baylor Head Coach Not a Happy Camper All of those weekly rankings — which gave a glimpse at what the committee was thinking and valuing — made Sunday's final reveal even more mysterious, outside of Alabama and Oregon, which were locked in for the top two spots. Would an undefeated ACC champion fall out of the final four entirely? Would Baylor leapfrog the team it beat? How much respect did the committee have for the Big Ten? In short, there was no shortage of questions and/ or controversy in the first year of the Playoff. Finally, on Sunday, there were some answers. Perhaps the most interesting message Long and the committee sent on Sunday was one that came between the lines. By rewarding Florida State, which rose to No. 3 after beating Georgia Tech in the ACC title game, and Ohio State, which is in the field after winning the Big Ten title game in its 13th game, Long suggested that the reason the Big 12 got left out of the Playoff was its lack of a championship game. He said that the committee did not pick Ohio State to avoid the debate between the Big 12 cochampions and their head-to-head result; they did not choose the path of least resistance. Still, it remains clear that the lack of a title game and the labeling of co-champions hurt both Baylor and TCU. Your suggestions, comments, questions and concerns are appreciated. Call the Benchwarmers 361-560-5397 weekdays, Mondays thru Fridays, 3-6 p.m. or contact me. Phone: 361-949-7681 Cell: 530-748-8475 Email: dlewis1@stx.rr.com
“Texas Terry’s” most favorite moment occurred on March 28, 1999, at the Texas Motor Speedway, near Fort Worth, Texas. I was there! Labonte had a great car that day (Kellogg’s #5 Chevrolet Monte Carlo) and displayed 500 miles of great courage. Terry had run upfront most of the race, but after a poor pit stop, Terry found himself running second behind Dale Jarrett. Labonte proceeded to run Jarrett down and caught and passed him with less than ten laps to go, for the win. An estimated 200,000 fans, including myself and friends, began to get up out of our seats. “It was then I noticed the crowd,” said Terry Labonte. “Everybody was standing up. I knew I couldn’t let them down.” I had been a guest of Miller Brewing Company and remembered that there were so many people we had to park several miles from the track to catch a bus into the facility. I had never
Terry Labonte drove ten seasons for Billy Hagan, three years for Junior Johnson, and eleven years for the Rick Hendricks teams. Labonte also spent some time with Richard Petty, the Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman team, along with the Joe Gibbs team and Michael Waltrip team. On October 17, 2014, at the age of 57, Terry Labonte announced his retirement. He will be missed.
Terry Labonte also won the 1989 IROC Championship and holds the all-time record for longest drought between Sprint Cup Championships (12). His brother Bobby was the 2000 Winston Cup Champion. He was elected one of NASCAR’s 50 greatest drivers in 1998 and has been inducted into the National Quarter Midget Hall of Fame. Terry sat on the pole for 27 of his races and also finished in the Top Ten, 361 times. The Labonte brothers have a park named after them in their home town of Corpus Christi, Texas, and were both chosen for entry into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, in 2002. They continue to support the Ronald McDonald House here in Corpus. There is no doubt that the NASCAR Hall of Fame awaits his presence. Andy Purvis is a local author and radio personality. His newest book “Greatness Continued” in now available to order online at bn.com, Amazon, Google Books, Bookamillion, etc. You may also purchase all three of his latest books at the local Barnes & Noble Book store in Moore Plaza. All three books are also available in e-book format, Kindle, Nook, Apple I Pad and Kobo. Please visit www.purvisbooks.com for more info and leave a message in the guest section. You may also contact him at purvis. andy@mygrande.net and don’t forget to listen to Story Time with Uncle Andy on Tuesdays 5-6 PM and Dennis & Andy’s Q & A Session each Thursday night from 6-8 PM on ESPN 1440 KEYS.
Give Barber Joe Gift Certificates!
2001(I-37 Suntide (I-37Christi Exit 7) Corpus Christi 2001 Suntide Road Exit Road 7) Corpus
Nov.138 && 14 9 Dec. 13 & 14 Sept.20 & 21 Sept.20 Nov. 8 &&921Dec. 9 to95to 4 Sunday 9 to 4 Saturday 9 to 5 Saturday Sunday
"We're very honored to represent the Big Ten conference against a great team in Alabama," Meyer said during a teleconference later Sunday. "We're still a very young team. I wasn't sure it would be this year. I thought next year we could reach this,
Where Guys Go For Shaves and Haircuts
Oregon Linemen
Need a Stocking Stuffer Idea?
Tides of the Week
Tides for Corpus Christi (Bob Hall Pier) December 11-17, 2014
Terrance Lee “Terry” Labonte was built on November 16, 1956, in Corpus Christi, Texas. All that it required was a bit of racing fuel for blood, some sheet metal for hide, a little oil pressure for a pulse and a heart the size of an 8-cylinder motor. This guy loved the sport and talked about automobile racing like your grandmother talks about recipes. Growing up, his weekends were spent on paved and unpaved tracks all over South Texas, especially around San Antonio and Corpus Christi. In 1978, Terry eventually found his way to Darlington, South Carolina, where he finished fourth in the longest race he had run up to that point. He finished seventh at Richmond, Virginia, the following week and was on his way to a fine career, where he competed in 890 races spread out over 36 years. Terry Labonte would take the checkered flag 22 times and was crowned a twotime NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion in 1984 and 1996. Terry and his younger brother, Bobby, learned about cars while watching their father work on and build cars as a hobby, for their friends. Terry is also the father of former Nationwide Series driver, Justin Labonte.
been to any sporting event attended by this many people, including Super Bowl XXVII, played in 1993, at the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles, California. We had seats in a suite, but I wanted to go down next to the track to experience the race from trackside. I stood right at the fence for a few laps. For those of you who have never been to a NASCAR event, the roar of the engines was unbelievable, but it was not the kind of noise that hurts your ears. I had a soft drink in my hand and noticed that when the cars roared down the straightaway in front of me that the displacement of the air created a vacuum that sucked the beverage up and out above my cup and then the liquid fell back into the cup as they passed. After the race, I also noticed what felt like saran wrap on my bare arms. Sure enough, it was a light coat of high-octane racing fuel that permeated the air. It was interesting that at trackside, you can only see the cars as they make their way to your right around the first turn and then you can follow them down the back stretch into the next turn. Then all you can see is a blended glimpse of colors from the cars as they pass by at 200 plus mph. It gave me goose bumps, and you can’t fake goose bumps. It was powerful and the kind of rush you would feel if several F-4 Fighter Jets were to fly overhead.
Day
High /Low
Tide Time
Height in Feet
Sunrise Moon Time Sunset
Th F Sa Su M Tu W
11 11 12 12 13 13 14 14 14 14 15 15 15 15 16 16 16 16 17 17
Low High Low High Low High Low High Low High Low High Low High Low High Low High Low High
11:12 AM 7:44 PM 11:44 AM 8:02 PM 12:16 PM 8:21 PM 4:21 AM 8:24 AM 12:49 PM 8:38 PM 4:37 AM 10:46 AM 1:26 PM 8:54 PM 4:59 AM 1:32 PM 5:01 PM 9:05 PM 5:24 AM 2:19 PM
0.1 1.5 0.3 1.4 0.5 1.3 0.7 0.8 0.7 1.3 0.5 0.9 0.8 1.2 0.3 1.1 1.0 1.2 0.1 1.3
7:09 AM 5:35 PM 7:10 AM 5:36 PM 7:11 AM 5:36 PM 7:11 AM 5:36 PM
Moon Visible
Set 10:50 AM Rise 10:28 PM Set 11:26 AM Rise 11:19 PM Set 12:01 PM
82
Rise 12:10 AM Set 12:35 PM
56
7:12 AM Rise 1:01 AM 5:37 PM Set 1:10 PM
47
7:12 AM Rise 1:53 AM 5:37 PM Set 1:46 PM
37
7:13 AM Rise 2:47 AM 5:37 PM Set 2:24 PM
28
74 65
A $50 Barber Joe gi/ cer1ficate buys any haircut, hot lather razor neck clean up, hot towel service and a smooth straight-‐razor shave. 1 hour of pure relaxa1on. I’m INSIDE Padre Island Mail, 15037 Park Rd 22. 8-‐5, Tue-‐Sat. Make online appts at BarberJoeSexton.com Or, call 361-‐500-‐8955.
December 11, 2014
Island Moon
Airtales
Light continued from A1 matter be placed on the committee’s agenda for its December 22 meeting. McIntyre said the installation of a traffic light does not normally go before the council and may or may not go before the TAC. “The only thing that would normally come before the city council is approval of any city expense to modify the roadway,” she said. Harris’s letter, in part, said: “I want an action item on this month’s agenda to receive comments, discuss, and either approve or disapprove the proposed traffic light on Padre Island. I would like to hear from the developer and review the traffic impact study that was done as well. I have heard that the study was done during the month of November? Not an ideal time of the year to measure traffic in our beach community… “The TAC is a public forum for this type of proposal improvement and I am quite surprised that we have not seen this on our agenda yet or even heard any community on it yet. From what I can gather from the Padre Island Business community there has been limited City of CC staff representation on this proposed traffic light either. “We need to hear from the public and the staff and I think the TAC should be on record as to whether or not we think this traffic light is a good idea of not.” Voters in November approved bonds which include $1 million in funds for improvements to the SPID corridor in that area, some of that money could be used to pay for the cost of warning signs on the JFK Causeway as well
as moving the existing overhead illuminated traffic sign to a new location. Walter Busby, Managing Partner with Turner Busby told ISAC members the company will spend $425,000 to pay for the light, to modify the intersection, and to install a monitoring system that will regulate the cycle of the light to keep traffic from backing up to the top of the JFK Causeway. The state, through the Texas Department of Transportation, has left the question of placing the light at the intersection up to the City of Corpus Christi. Busby told the ISAC committee that according to a traffic study he conducted last November an average of 17,000 cars per day pass by the intersection, with 23,000 the daily average for the year. Peak daily traffic in summer months, he said, is 32,000 vehicles per day. Gaston said the light will work in 120-second cycles; 70 seconds of a green light for SPID traffic, 15 seconds for left turns into the new development and 20 seconds for turns from Aquarius onto northbound SPID. It will also include a pedestrian crossing with buttons to control the light. He told the group that the Aquarius light would be a “cue cutter” which would break up traffic that currently backs up at the Commodores/SPID intersection.
By Jason Towns
A9
old-for-this piling into my four-foot-deep hole: my supply of concrete exhausted at the exact same time as hole to put it in! Anyone who's ever completed such backyard endeavors knows this never actually happens.
Maj. Jason Towns, USAFR Owner, Skydive South Texas Although time is limited this week for a full "Air Tales" column, I must submit this photo of my recent successful man-project: The Classic Island Swing Set on the Cheap!
The whole thing has been such a sturdy success I now intend to incorporate a tree-house into the tree-end of my contraption. This could take some time but of course must be done by summer. (And next year perhaps it will support a zip-line direct to the canal??)
Lowe's bottom line took a major blow last week as this Island Dad succeeded in one of the most major of fatherhood projects with the purchase of only two-- yes TWO-- pieces of lumber! (Along with four lag bolts and two bags of Quickrete.)
Several folks have already mentioned the major engineering flaw in my design: "As the tree grows, the whole thing goes awry!" Or at least catty-whompous, which is a more commonly useed word for "awry".
With a single treated twelve-foot 6x6 and a single 4x4 of the same, I relied on our trusty Texas mesquite to do the rest. Three swings are now capable of going Full Swing with absolutely zero wobble! (Unless a grownup decides to try, in which case the wobble is slightly more than zero...)
To those I say this: Everybody keeps telling me how fast little girls grow up. "So fast you miss it. It happens before you know it. You'll wonder where the years went." Etc etc. Sounds to me like much faster than a mesquite can get catty-wompous.... I'll take my chances.
The most satisfying moment of the construction was when setting the extremely heavy I'm-too-
“It is .9 of a mile from the top of the bridge to the intersection,” Gaston said. “Warning lights will tell people there is a light ahead.” As of Wednesday afternoon it was unclear what would happen if the Transportation Advisory Committee voted against the light.
Elizabeth Towns enjoys her new homemade swingset Zahn Road will be closed for several more days as crews work to repair the roadway.
Padre Island's Only Bar & Grill on the Beach ~ Bob Hall Pier • Padre Balli Park ~
Happy Hour Daily 3-7
Shrimp Boil Every Wednesday!
Open for Breakfast Saturday & Sunday 7 am
Live Music on Weekends
What the Hole!?
VOTED BEST Veterinarian 2006-2013 Dr. Christi Kresser
RAY HERRERA DIRECTOR
padrevet.com
CHRISTI KRESSER VETERINARIAN
DECEMBER 18th & 19th 11am - 3pm
Puppy Kitten Package What type of animals are digging these holes? Multiple dirt piles are being dug up by the wet lands on DasMarinas and Aquarius by Schlitterbahn. Diane Schauer Pawlak
$5 Dollar Donation $99 We’ll Match Each $5 Donation 25% OFF Dental Services “NICE LIST”
Basic Spay/Neuter Dhlpp Rabies, Parasite Screen
CAT Wednesday
Dogs, Cats & Owners Always Welcome
Animal Hospital of Padre Island 14802 Compass (361) 949-8200 Check Website For Specials
A10
Island Moon
December 11, 2014