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The Island Moon
Issue 530
June 12, 2014
15th Annual July 4th Boat Parade to Include Live Music and Fireworks
Around The Island By Dale Rankin editor@islandmoon.com
The first day of summer is still a week away but it feels like it’s already here with the sultry weather. The Sargassum weed continues to pile up on our beaches, but the good news is that the turtle nesting season is off to a roaring start. There even was a daylight nesting this week as the turtles like the windy conditions to cover their tracks as they come ashore. See the photos at the top of this page.
Ski Basin Accident A young boy was hit by a boat last weekend while being towed behind a Jet Ski at the Ski Basin and is, as of this writing, remains in critical condition with head injuries. Witnesses said he was riding on an inflatable raft with another boy when the impact left him floating face down in the water. The boat that hit him stopped and took him to a nearby house where an ambulance was waiting. No criminal charges have been filed and none are expected, it looks to be an accident and nothing more. But it brings attention to the ever increasing number of people who crowd into the Ski Basin each weekend and the need for some monitoring of watercraft.
Beach driving along the seawall The move to ban vehicles from the beach in front of the seawall is creeping its way through the city bureaucracy slowly. The next step is for the matter to go before the Watershore and Beach Advisory Committee next. Council members Colleen McIntyre and Chad Magill are spearheading the effort and the Island Strategic Action Committee formally requested that the City Council enforce the ordinance that has been in place since 2008 making the seawall beach pedestrian only. Currently it is actually illegal for vehicles to drive south-to-north on the seawall beach but that ordinance has never been enforced.
Water water everywhere
The voice of The Island since 1996
Get ready for the Mother of All Deck Parties! This year marks the fifteenth year for the Padre Island 4th of July Watercraft Parade and the second year for the accompanying Island Blast! Fireworks Show and live music. The celebration, which will be on Friday, July 4, will also feature a free concert by recording artists Statesboro Review. Since the band played the July 4 party last year they have been on the CMT charts, had several songs on the Texas Top Ten list and toured Europe. They will play at the parade judge’s party which has been held for fifteen years on the combined decks of the homes between 13758 and 13764 Three Fathoms Bank. The homes belong to, among others, Ann Weber and Harald Meyer. The public is invited to attend and boaters can hear the music from the main canal. The music will kick off at 7 p.m. and end when the fireworks begin at 9 p.m.
How it began The 4th of July parade was the brainchild of Ann, Harald, and Island Moon founder Mike Ellis after a couple of particularly brutal La Posada Lighted Boat Parades when
Island Blast continued on A3
PACT 20141015 Board of Directors By Brent Rourk
The Port Aransas Community Theatre is diving into the new year with the newly elected 2014-2015 Board of Directors in place and a few extremely entertaining plays ready to perform. The 2014 Board of Directors consists of; Sandra Little (President), Patsy Balcom (Vice-president), Margaret Price (Treasurer), Penny Pillack (Secretary), Betty Crawford, Larry Paton, Ashley Knotts, and Rick Adams. The theatre managers are Darlene Secich and Sally Jo Bartlett (Interim) and the Volunteer Coordinator is Mary Hammond. Congratulations to the new Board and continued success for PACT.
The next step is to dig a test well at Billish Park in preparation for the building of a pond there to provide irrigation water to drown out the sandburs that now have the run of the park.
At the recent annual meeting Patsy Balcom and Betty Crawford announced the $20,000 donation made to PACT from the Sandfest proceeds.
PIBA Mixer
July 10, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20: Beauty and the Beast. Another not to be missed summer production.
The location of the PIBA mixer this month is at the new Alex Harris development Nemo Cay Resort on…wait for it…Nemo Court! The event kicks off poolside at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 17. For the directionally challenged Nemo Court is the street that runs off SPID next to the Coldwell Banker office so there should be plenty of street parking. We’ll see you there and in the meantime say hello if you see us Around The Island.
Inside the Moon...
Before Exploring Cave Ruins A4
By Dale Rankin
New Board Voted In
Two ponds recently dug at the entrance to Balli Park are a reminder that even in the midst of a drought our Island is afloat on a sea of fresh water just beneath our feet. Within hours of the two holes being dug they filled up with fresh water and have become very popular with Island birds.
Palmilla Beach Brings New Type of Development to The Island
Weekly
Upcoming Events
July 31, August 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10: Godspell. Ken Yarbrough has wanted to do this for some time. It is sure to be good. NOTE: Godspell Auditions have been postponed from June 9 and 10 until probably the following week. For more information about PACT productions, auditions, prices, and dates please contact PACT at 361749-6036.
Schlitterbahn from the Air
Work on the pool and surrounding buildings is well under way. Photo by Dale Rankin
By Dale Rankin
In the past year the explosive growth on both Padre and Mustang Islands has brought with it a great quanity of new developments. But now as the Schlitterbahn Beach Country Resort prepares to open, and high-end home
prices continue to climb a new type of development is entering the Island market that is unprecidented in its scope and ambition. Palmilla Beach Resort & Golf Club on the southern end of Port Aranas
Palmilla continued on A9
Kemp’s Ridley Nesting and Hatching Update By Donna J. Shaver, Ph.D.
Farah's Backwater Adventures A7
Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery National Park Service Padre Island National Seashore e-mail: Donna_Shaver@nps.gov From June 4-9, we nearly doubled the number of Kemp’s ridley sea turtle nests that had been found and protected in Texas this year. As of the morning of June 9, 91 Kemp’s ridley nests have been located in Texas. Sixty-eight of the 91 nests were found in the local area, including 58 at Padre Island National Seashore, 7 on North Padre Island north of the National Seashore, and 3 on Mustang Island. It is the peak of the Kemp’s ridley nesting season so hopefully more nests will be found soon.
Hill Country Design at Home A11
Please report nesting Although turtle patrollers discovered most of these nests, some were found by beachgoers. Please watch for nesting Kemp’s ridley turtles while
Turtles continued on A8
Live Music A18
A little Island history
The Fate of the Silver Fleet and the March of the 300
The year was 1553 and the place was Cuba. The Plata Flota (Silver Fleet) set sail from the New World for Spain with its load of precious metals. Noblemen and merchants alike were aboard headed for home; their fortunes made in the form of chests bulging with casks of silver coins and bars of bullion. The Royal Fifth belonging to the King of Spain was also aboard. The twenty ships of the flotilla that had gathered from across the New World in Cuba set out on their triumphant journey home. They headed northeasterly toward the Florida Keys making haste due to the hurricane season. They had lingered in Cuba only long enough to take on food and fresh water and now were barely out of port in Cuba when an unexpected hurricane swept them before its winds and seas, searing rigging and pushing them westward. Three ships in the vanguard made their way back to Cuba but the remainder were tossed in the storm until only three survived long enough to wash ashore on Padre Island.
A dire piece of misinformation The maps of the time called The Island by different names; Isla de Bayan, Isla Blanco, Isla de Corpus Christi, Isla de Santiago, Isla de las Malangutas and alternately showed
it as one long unbroken Island and sometimes as two or three Islands broken by “rivers.” But desolate as their maps showed it to be The Island was believed to be uninhabited; a dire piece of misinformation. The shipwrecked sailors lingered at the wreck site for days gathering what supplies they could. But their hesitation proved to be the deciding factor in their fate. On the sixth day after the wrecks washed up there appeared a band of
tall, naked, armed, inhabitants. The Spaniards made signs that they were friendly and soon the Indians began to mingle with them and left to return with food. The Spaniards built fires and began to eat the venison and fish brought by the natives. But before they could finish the Indians fell upon them with shouts and volleys of arrows. The Spaniards retaliated with crossbows and drove the Indians into the dunes.
History continued on A5
A2
June 12, 2014
Island Moon
The Travelling Moon Gets Around
Islanders Tim & Pat Oman took the Moon to this This stadium in Epephesus. It once held 25,000. They still use it for concerts and their guide said he saw Sting at it.
Deno and Diana Fabrie with pirate at the Jimmy Buffett concert at Circuit of the Americas in Austin. May 31. Parrot heads of Port Aransas mascot Port A Pete looks on.
First floor bar inside the main Schlitterbahn Building Photo by Dale Rankin
Holey Island Road
The Road to Paradise. Well, it may not exactly be the Road to Paradise but without a doubt Beach Access Road 3-A at the north end of Windward (actually it runs to the beach off of St. Bartholomew past the north end of the Michael J. Ellis Seawall) is without a doubt the holeyest road on The Island. Years of bureaucratic wrangling between the Texas General Land Office, Nueces County, and the City of Corpus Christi over who actually owns the Holey Island Road has left it an orphan when it comes to repair work. The result is that the most used pathway to the beach on The Island has more holes than pavement. The Island Strategic Action Committee has asked the city staff to try and determine once and for all who is tasked with maintain this crucial Island pathway.
RAY HERRERA DIRECTOR Operations VOTED BEST Pet Services
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CHRISTI KRESSER VETERINARIAN Cats & Dogs
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The loneliest johns on The Island. Each week thousands of beachgoers use the Holey Island Road to pack the beach south of Packery Channel. To accommodate the crowd are but two portable restrooms located next to the jetty, which makes for a long walk across hot sand for beachgoers, unless they want to take the hike to the middle of the seawall to the restrooms in the city parking lot. The two portable restrooms are still the only facilities located adjacent to the South Packery Jetty fourteen years after a bond election was approved to dig Packery Channel which also included permanent restrooms at the location.
Red Hats go Island Style
Well-Behaved Cats, Dogs & Owners Always Welcome Experts Claim Flea, Tick, Mosquito Infestations Will Hit Record Numbers In 2014
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On May 14th, the Island PIPPs Chapter of the Corpus Christi Red Hat Society lunched at the Mikel May Restaurant at Bob Hall Pier. The food was delicious and the service was commendable. Door prizes and and a dice game brought much laughter. After lunch, the PIPPs visited the island's Texas Sealife Center where they rehab birds, turtles, etc. They do need volunteers.
June 12, 2014
A3
Island Moon
Moon Monkeys Mike Ellis, Founder
Letters to the Editor
Golf Carts
Can someone let me know the regulations about driving off-road vehicles on the island? I know about golf carts but what about a Polaris Ranger? Shelli Howard Finger
Here's the reg for golf carts library.municode.com/index. aspx?clientId=13945
Distribution Pete Alsop
Chapter 53 - TRAFFIC
Island Delivery
Sec. 53-109. Operation of golf cart.
Coldwell Banker
As authorized under Texas Transportation Code Section 551.404(a), a person who holds a valid driver's license may operate a golf cart on a public highway with a posted speed limit of not more than thirty-five (35) miles per hour if:
Advertising Jan Park Rankin Classifieds Arlene Ritley Design/Layout Jeff Craft Contributing Writers Joey Farah Andy Purvis Devorah Fox Mary Craft Maybeth Christiansen
(1) The person is employed by a political subdivision of the State of Texas, and is performing a duty for the political subdivision that requires the operation of a golf cart owned by the political subdivision;
Todd Hunter Dotson Lewis Ronnie Narmour Brent Rourk Photographers Miles Merwin
Sometime in the last few months the ICW channel marker numbers from the Causeway south to Baffin have been changed. What used to be #58 at the entrance to our Island homes is now #45. Marker #127 that led to King Ranch shoreline is now located at the north end of Baffin, six miles further south. All "hookand-line' charts for the area are now out of date, including the ones currently for sale at Academy, Roy's, and other tackle shops. Calls and emails to the Army Corp of Engineers have not been answered as to why and when the changes were made and what notifications were given to the boating pubic. Please use caution if you use these charts or are new to the area.
Island
Beach Driving I work on the sea wall and traffic needs to be banned, just in front of the sea wall, before a little one gets killed...I see close calls daily Kevin Sean (From Facebook)
SEA Winner Riley P. Dog Editor/Publisher/Spillage Control Supervisor Dale Rankin About the Island Moon
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.
Corpus Christi, TX 78418 361-949-7700 editor@islandmoon.com
SEA 2014 boat winner is Timothy Krebs with Gulf Coast Marine owner and boat donor Billy Holmes. He won a 2014 20’ Shallow Stalker Cat, with a 150 hp Evinrude V-Tec, Coastline Trailer, and Casting Platform from Blue Streak Fabrication.
Facebook: The Island Moon Newspaper
Lisabella’s Restaurant Pioneer RV Park Stripes @ Beach Access Rd. 1A
The Gaff Tarpon Ice House
North Padre
Amano
Whataburger
Felder Gallery
Doc’s Restaurant
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
Last year the addition of the live music was one innovation, along with the first Island fireworks show which blasted off to great reviews. The fireworks show was the brainchild of Sharon and Jerry Watkins who raised the $16,000 needed. The first show ran about twenty-five minutes and was easily visible from anywhere on The Island, with the best views being from the boats anchored up around the Yacht Club along the main canal, and from fingertip homes on the west side of The Island. Watkins said this week he is still taking donations for this year’s show, however, the funds are already available to insure the show will take place.
So everybody get ready for the Mother of All Deck Parties and some Fire in the Sky on the 4th of July!
Wild Horse Saloon
All Stripes Stores
Coast Club
temperatures forced Islanders to dig in their closets for their fur-lined flip flops. The parade route is on the main canal, beginning near the Padre Island Yacht Club where muster of boats begins around 6 p.m. and the parade kicks off at 7 p.m. No pre-registration is required.
To donate to the fireworks show drop donations off at the POA office and they will find their way to Jerry. If you have questions about the parade or party call Harald at 361 937-2423.
Port A Glass Studio
Miss K’s Catering & Bistro
Island Woman Boutique
Island Blast continued from A1
“People on The Island really stepped up after last year’s show,” Watkins said this week. “The POA really helped us raise money through its membership, and what I can tell you is that this year we will definitely have a fireworks show on the 4th of July.”
Where to Find The Island Moon Port Aransas
Rick Beekman
“The only requirement for being in the parade is you have to show up,” Harald says. “If you don’t show up then I guess you can’t be in the parade. But if you show up, well, there you go.”
The Island Moon is published every Thursday, Dale Rankin, Editor / Publisher.
15201 S. Padre Island Drive, Suite 250
Ginger Michelle Warne U can drive anywhere it's 35mph or lower. But the seats have to have seatbelts, and kids 6 and under or 60lbs and under are to be in regular child safety seats harnessed in.
I have a waterfront home. My house "FACES" the water. ( My face is on the front of my head) Why does everyone insist that my front door is facing the street?
Mary Craft
The Island Moon Newspaper
(6) If the golf cart is operated on portions of Mustang and Padre Island within the city limits that are south of Packery Channel.
Numbers changed,
John Diggins
News articles, photos, display ads, classified ads, payments, etc. may be left at the Moon Office.
(5) If the golf cart is operated on a highway within the city limits on Mustang Island east of S.H. 361 and north of Packery Channel; or
Waterfront Home
Jeff Dolan Office Security/Spillage Control
(4) The person is employed by a restaurant, hotel, or tourist related business, and is transporting supplies between two (2) facilities under common ownership in a golf cart owned by the restaurant, hotel, or tourist related business;
Robert Johnson Note the "if," in the ordinance above. There are 6 categories that qualify. Golf carts generally aren't made with seat belts, unless specially modified. Nowhere does the ordinance mention seat belts.
Why do they say I go out the back door to get to the water that is in front of my house??? I* guess I should have asked Riley P.-He was a very profound philosopher.
Dr. Donna Shaver
(3) The person is employed by a restaurant, hotel, or tourist related business, and is transporting guests in a golf cart owned by the restaurant, hotel, or tourist related business, to and from the parking lots to the business;
(2) The person is crossing a public highway at a marked or designated crossing that connects portions of the golf course separated by the public highway;
Jay Gardner Chad Peters
Ace Hardware Holiday Inn
Prudential Real Estate Center is now Berkshire Hathaway Home Services which is a good sign for the market and a great sign for you. Contact an agent at the Island branch at 949-7033 or visit them at 14200 SPID. Warren Buffet is the CEO, president and chairman of Berkshire which has its headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska. Turner’s Gardenland is offering 25 percent off all glazed ceramic pottery and they have a large variety of sizes, colors and styles. They also have a large selection of items being offered at 25 to 50 percent off. Stop by and load up on garden essentials and tell them the Moon sent you. The Open House at 15330 Tortuga Ct is on Sunday, June 15th 2 – 5pm. It is a beautifully updated 1833 sq. ft. 3 bedroom 3 bath canal home with boatlift and three levels of decking listed for $399,900. Call Debra Casso at K & M Premier Real Estate 765-5203 for more info.
Business Briefs La Isla (the island) Mexican Restaurant has started construction in the marine building next to Subway on Park Road 22. They have applied for a mixed beverage license. Mikel May's Beachside Bar & Grill at Bob Hall Pier now serves breakfast daily 7 am - 10:30 am in the restaurant side that is air conditioned and has linen tablecloths The 66th Annual Shrimporee at Aransas Pass will be held this weekend. There will be many bands and lots of activities for the kids and of course shrimp. Pat Green will be taking the stage at 10 pm on Friday, June 13th. Tickets are $7 for adults and $3 for kids 7-12. The new CCPD substation on the Island is at Zahn Rd in the Tortuga Dunes building. The substation is staffed with two officers daily, and volunteers will be there when officers are not available. Have your child safety seat installed, operation ID, or report a crime. Take some time to drop in and visit your Police Station. Padre Island National Seashore will offer a variety of fun and educational activities on Saturday, June 14, 2014 from 10:00 a.m to 2:00 p.m. for National Get Outdoors and Junior Ranger Day. Other than the park entry fee, there is no charge to participate in any of the activities. National Get Outdoors Day is an annual event to encourage healthy, active outdoor fun. They will have sand sculpting lessons, kite building, live animals, education programs for families and much more! Scuttlebutt’s is having a special for Dads on Father’s Day with prime rib, crab stuffed shrimp, baked sweet potato and asparagus for $24.99. Junior Brown is performing Saturday, June 14th 9 pm at the Black Marlin Bar & Grill in Palmilla Beach & Golf Resort in Port A. Island Blast! fireworks display donations can be made at the POA office near Billish Park and at Whitecap Liquor.
The King's Redress
Texas Star (Shell) Jesse’s Liquor
New Book from Island Moon Writer
Scuttlebutt’s Restaurant Subway
Book Three in The Bewildering Adventures of King Bewilliam, The King's Redress will be here soon from Island Moon columnist Devorah Fox.
Island Tire And all Moon retail advertisers WB Liquor
H.E.B.
Back Porch
Liquid Town
Woody’s Sports Center
Whataburger on Waldron
Shorty’s Place
Ethyl Everly Senior Center
Keepers Pier House
Bealls in Flour Bluff has an insert in this issue of the Moon with sale items and coupons. Help support this convenient department store with a great selection of adult and children’s clothing lines, shoes, accessories, jewelry and home items.
Latin Talk played at Amano's Grand Opening in Port A last Saturday night
Island Italian
Duckworth Antiques
Gratitude Gift Shop
New Advertisers
Snoopy’s Pier
Flour Bluff
Stripes @ Cotter & Station
mkay512@aol.com
Isle Mail N More
Chamber of Commerce
Giggity’s
by Mary Craft
CVS
Public Library
The Flat’s Lounge
Did Ya Hear?
We'll be celebrating the launch during First Friday at the Port Aransas Art Center, 323 N. Alister in Port Aransas, between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. Drop by, have some refreshments, enjoy the photography exhibit and get your copy of The King's Redress autographed.
Fire Station Police Station Stripes on Flour Bluff & SPID
Member Padre Island Business Association
Member Padre Island Rotary Club
Can't make it to First Friday? Then come to the PARTY, also at the Art Center, on Sunday, July 6, from 1 to 3 p.m. You might even see knights in shining armor.
A4
June 12, 2014
Island Moon
The Cliff Dwellings
By Captain Sail Offcourse Working our way down Rogers Canyon in Midday August heat was an extreme bit of effort. The trail guides all recommend not using the trails during this time of year because there is nowhere to escape the heat. The area is all rock and even in the shade it is like being inside an oven. Making our way down to where Rogers Canyon and Reavis Ranch trails split Leonard and I looked at the maps and found we had to keep following Rogers Canyon Trail to the Cliff Dwellings. By now Leonard had drunk both his beers and was thirsty and hungry. Being as I was the only one to bring trail rations, I found myself sharing my water and Slim Jims with Leonard. We pressed on down the trail to where it crossed the stream and came across an old campsite. There were large boulders placed in circles to form the four directions. This looked to be an old Spanish campsite. Looking around I noticed it was a strange place to make a camp as it was where two washes meet. Little did I know that this could be the rock markers to show the lesser canyon trail to follow up to the mine.
Further down the canyon From this point on the trail becomes indistinct as there are many large boulders in the creek. The best path was on the higher east side of the creek but it was slowly leading away from the creek the farther we went down the canyon, so we headed down to the creek and the shade of the trees. We found a spot in the shade with a small pool of water and sat down to rest. Looking around I pointed out to Leonard that this was a strange place for native pecan trees to be growing in the high desert surrounded by rock cliffs.
up the creek towards us, they finally spotted us the Country Club golf course! We never saw and came over. They wanted to know where the again and I wondered where they had gone the trail was that we had come down. Looking as the only vehicle at the trailhead they were them over I noticed they did not have anything headed for was our van. with them, except the Run Leonard Run! boy had a botta-bag that looked about half Heading down the stream empty slung over his to the Cliff Dwellings shoulder. I pointed we stopped and read the to the rock behind us sign that told about the and showed them how Indians that used to live we had come down. here. Looking at our map The boy scrambled up again we saw we needed the rock and the man to head across the creek slowly made his way and up the steep hillside. to the top of the rock. Up we went climbing He turned and looking the ever increasing slope down at us said we towards the hill top to Entering the Cave Ruins had a lot of gear. where the mine is. When we got above the tree line After they left I told Leonard that by the looks of them it would we could not find the gap in the wall, off to the not surprise me if they ended up as two that left looked impassable, so off to the right we died in this wilderness. They had no map, no climbed. We were working our way along the compass, no food, no shelter, no nothing! Not hillside and Leonard was falling farther and even walking sticks to fend off rattlesnakes! I farther behind. I was standing there waiting on am sure they thought we looked out of place him when he started waving both his arms like too, with our golf clubs, like we were out at windmills and stomping his feet in high goose steps yelling OUCH! OUCH! OUCH! He had stepped on a ground wasp nest and they were mad! I yelled “Run Leonard, Run” and he took off down the steep rocky slope right past me with the wasp on his tail. After about 50 feet he slid like a baseball player stealing a base right into some small cactus! I went over to him and killed several of the wasps that would not leave him.
Movement down the creek caught my eye and I spotted a man and a boy of about ten headed
Cave Ruins
Padre Island's Only Bar & Grill on the Beach ~ Bob Hall Pier • Padre Balli Park ~
Live Music on Weekends
He had cut his finger in the slide and was bleeding. We headed down to the basin and I got out my medicine kit. Found the sting ease and had him wipe it anywhere he felt a sting. I found some Aspirin and had him take two of those with some water. Looking deeper I found some antiseptic wipes, Band-Aids and antibiotic ointment. We got him all patched up and I reminded him that everything out here wants to kill him so he needed to be careful because it would be hard for me to drag him out of there.
Playing through We took off again up the dry creek bed and now Leonard was really falling behind because of the pain in his feet where the wasp had got inside his boots and stung him on the ankles. We had not gone far when a huge rattlesnake that stood up off his rock it had been sunning itself on looked me right in the eyes. I jumped back what seemed like ten feet. It hissed so loudly that Leonard thought I had stepped on a can of Fix-a-Flat. The snake did this for a long time then started rattling its tail. I called back to Leonard to “Come check this snake out!” Leonard refused to move and he was going to stay where he was. This huge monster snake had our way blocked, so I started throwing rocks at it. Instead of backing down the snake would strike out everywhere a rock bounced off his rock, but slowly my aim got better and I hit him twice. I then took my 9 iron and dispatched that bad tempered snake with a good old golf swing. With the snake no longer a threat we moved on up the creek. Looking up the ridge I could see the saddle that the rock monument sat on, so out of the creek bed we went fighting our way through thick brush and Steep hill sides. I had to keep calling Leonard while waiting on him to catch up. We made it to a little Knoll on the side of the hill and Leonard had had enough!
Cliff Dwellings arrow marker He jumped up and down on a tree screaming he could go no farther uphill! I looked up the hill and we were within sight of the monument and I begged him to continue on but it was to no use. We had come so close and taking the hard trail only to turn around within sight of the goal! I guess even Millions of dollars worth of gold is not incentive enough for Leonard!
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Bay Area Fellowship Padre Island Campus 15201 SPID Ste. 200 • Corpus Christi, TX 78418 361.993.5900 • bayareafellowship.com
June 12, 2014
A5
Island Moon
Police Blotter Island Road Rage 13800 Topsail Street June 4 6:44 p.m. Driving While Intoxicated Corpus Christi Police Officers were dispatched to the 13800 block of Topsail Street for a disturbance with a drunk driver. A 50 year old male caller was reporting that an intoxicated male followed him to his home and was threatening him. He told officers that the driver of a green Jeep Wrangler was driving about 20 mph down Aquarius Street and he was driving his car following behind the Jeep going in the same direction when the Jeep came to a complete stop in the roadway. The male honked his horn and drove around the stopped Jeep and then the driver began honking his horn and followed the male. The male pulled into his house and the suspect stopped in front of his house in the middle of the road. The male approached the driver of the Jeep and observed him to be intoxicated, and took the keys from him and contacted the police. Officers found the Jeep parked in the roadway in front of a home in the 13800 block of Topsail Street and after an investigation they determined the 72 yearold driver was intoxicated. He was arrested and charged with Driving While Intoxicated, a Class B Misdemeanor, and his vehicle was impounded.
Couldn’t find a taxi with red lights on top 600 Elizabeth Street (not on The Island) June 7 2:32 AM Offense: Unauthorized Use Of An Ambulance Corpus Christi Police Officers responded to the 600 Elizabeth Street, Spohn Shoreline Hospital for a report of a stolen ambulance. A 38 year old male told officers he parked the ambulance on the north side of the hospital in the ambulance parking area, and went inside to get a patient. The ambulance was left running and when the male driver returned he saw the ambulance being driven away down Morgan Ave. Officers then saw an ambulance traveling at a high rate of speed south on Kostoryz Rd. from S. Padre Island Drive. Officers observed the ambulance going all over the road with the overhead emergency lights going off and on. Units were able to stop the stolen ambulance in the 5600 block of Liptonshire St. and took Joey Castro (05/31/1996) into custody. Further investigation found that the suspect
Stuff I Heard on the Island
had ran over two residential mailboxes in the 3700 block of Prosper Street and the driver was also found to be intoxicated. He was charged with Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, a state jail felony, Reckless Driving, a Class B Misdemeanor, and Driving While Intoxicated, also a Class B Misdemeanor. He was additionally charged with resisting search, a Class A misdemeanor, when he began to physically resist officers while at the hospital being treated.
Man delivers car to Police Station – in a hurry Downtown Police Station June 6 8:40 a.m. 321 John Sartain Street Corpus Christi Police Officers assisted outside agency law enforcement with a vehicle pursuit that ended in the police department parking lot at 321 John Sartain. Rockport Police contacted a 50 year old male in their city for a disturbance. The suspect fled in a black two door vehicle into Portland, and across the Nueces Bay Causeway and the Harbor Bridge into downtown Corpus Christi. The suspect turned onto Shoreline Blvd. and then turned onto Water Street. The vehicle stopped in the back police department parking lot near the employee entrance of the police station. The 50 year old male was quickly taken into custody by officers. CCFD EMS responded and the suspect was checked by medics before being taken back to Rockport where he will probably die before he lives this down.
Police Calls Marina Dr. and SPID 1:30 June 5 Damage to vehicle other than collision 14500 block Compass 9 a.m. June 4 Burglary from motor vehicle 14300 block Commodores 11:30 June 3 Theft $50-$500 13800 block Topsail 6:37 p.m. June 4 DWI 14800 block Granada 8 p.m. June 3 Burglary of vehicle 15300 block SPID 7:08 p.m. June 6 Gasoline theft 15400 block Dyna 8:05 p.m. June 7 Criminal mischief $500-$500 15300 block Isabella Ct. 5:45 p.m. June 8 Injury to a child/elderly/disabled
History continued from A1 Flight of the 300 The Spaniards knew that to stay was to perish and so began the Flight of the 300 survivors. The Karankawas followed their path as the Spaniards moved southward with the Indians following along behind the dunes, occasionally attacking only to be driven back by the Spanish crossbows. When a red discarded jacket caused great amusement among the Indians the Spaniards began buying time for their flight by shedding articles of clothing for the Kronks to amuse themselves with. Soon the Spaniards were completely naked and the Padres among them sent the women ahead lest they see the men in their nature state. The naked sunburned party trudged ever Southward in the mistaken belief they were only a few days march from the city of Panuco when in fact they were more than forty days from safety.
in the eye, who was buried under a bush behind the dunes with only his face showing. He was left to die but regained consciousness and set again on his journey south traveling at night and following the blood trail of his doomed comrades. The other survivor was Francisco Vasquez who returned to the wreck site and was found by salvage ships in 1554. On his return to Spain Mena told his tragic story to fellow priest Augusta Davilla Padilla who published it in Spain before 1560. Today only one known copy of his work still remains and it is in the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.
by Dale Rankin
I remember the penultimate moment like it was yesterday. The yellow-shirted bouncers had me by the seat of the pants and the scruff of the neck and were about to use my forehead as a battering ram to hit the bar on the fire door. “He's a no return,” the Big Boss said as they give me the old heave ho. “A no return.” I couldn't really see the fire door all that well because of the blue spots still spinning in my head after they stood me upright for a nano second and fired a flash bulb off a foot from my face. “Hey,” I yelled above the techno thump, “you forget to liberate my coat.” “Go back to Florida and get another one,.” the man said. “But don't come back in here.” The next thing I knew I was standing on 5th Avenue in below freezing weather all by myself. My friends had decided to light a few matches and throw them into the ash tray; those were the days when you could smoke in bars even at Trump Bar at Central Park south in New York City. “You'll never get a decent flame like that,” I said. “You need some of these.” I handed her some cocktail napkins and presto – the fire alarm in the ceiling went off like a Libertarian required to re-file his income tax. But my friends were females and when the Yellow Shirts showed up it was me they blamed. The next thing I remember the boys in the yellow shirts were using me as a guided missile aimed at the fire door. “I've been thrown out of better places than this,” I gurgled. Which was a black lie. This was by far the best place I’d ever been thrown out of. “No return,” is what the man said. So what, I figured, I'll never go back into that rip off Trump Bar again anyway Let 'em serve the tourists.
Go Spurs Go! A couple months later the San Antonio Spurs are playing the New York Knicks in the NBA finals at Madison Square Garden. It's game five and we have a chance to clinch. I've been a Spurs fan since The Whopper was flaying his way around thecourt. I got to be there. I'm living in West Palm Beach and I get my television friends in San Antonio to leave me a press pass at the Will-Call window and by the fourth quarter I'm sitting on the baseline as the Little General hits the winning jump shot and the silence in the Garden is deafening. Those of us in the SA press contingent suppressed our urge to scream at the top of our lungs and run off into the Manhattan night. The only question is where the party is going to be. In those days NBA teams, at least the Spurs, still flew commercial. They didn't drive to the airport after a win. They went to the hotel and left the next day. “So where's the party?” I ask. “Trumps,” comes the answer.
Avery Johnson in the 1999 Playoffs That was three months ago right? They must throw a lot of people out of that place every day. They'll never remember one guy who started a little old blaze in the ashtray.
So there we are We're in Trumps and it was a great night. A team from little old San Antonio has mastered the Urban Game. It was heady stuff. We had no idea at the time that we would go on to win three more championships and go on a run that in the back of the Spurs' Nation mind we know as the Golden Age of Spurs Basketball. There on Central Park South we were in the belly of the beast that considered itself Ground Zero for the game and we turned The Garden into a tomb. It's sports as the great leveler at its best. Then came trouble. “Sir, could you come with me?” says the fellow in the yellow shirt. They must want to apologize for last time I figure as I find myself in the manager's office looking at a wall with a dozen or so Polaroid photographs taped to it. “Is that you?” the man in the yellow shirt says, and points to a photograph of a guy who is obviously me. “Well, it kind of looks like my brother,” I squeak. I notice that the hand-written notation under my overexposed but squirmingly clear photo says, “NO RETURN.” The next thing I know I'm back out on 5th Avenue only this time it's not cold. My friends come out, “Hey what's going on man?” “They accused me of making a pass at Evana,” I said, which of course was another black lie. I wasn't about to tell them I was banned for setting fire to the ashtray and setting off the fire alarm then having my head used to open the fire door while leaving my coat behind. “We'll ask the bouncer,” they said, for they knew my tenancies. Now if the Spurs get to game six in Miami; Why was it they threw me out of Club Liquid… Go Spurs Go!
The wreck of one of the ships was found about one mile behind the dunes centuries later and a Spanish broach from the period was found 37 miles down The Island. All that remained from the promise of the Silver Fleet and the March of the 300.
The children were the first to fall by the wayside as lack of water and food took their toll and the Indians killed the stragglers as they fell, often the mothers who stayed behind rather than leave their children alone. As they crossed an unknown “river” on a makeshift raft they lost their crossbows and now were defenseless. Only two survivors were ultimately left to tell the tale. One was Fray Marcos de Mena who was wounded by six arrows, one
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Padre Island National Seashore to host Get Outdoors and Junior Ranger Day.
Padre Island National Seashore will offer a variety of fun and educational activities on Saturday, June 14, 2014 from 10:00 a.m to 2:00 p.m. for National Get Outdoors and Junior Ranger Day. Other than the park entry fee, there is no charge to participate in any of the activities. National Get Outdoors Day is an annual event to encourage healthy, active outdoor fun. In addition children may earn their Jr. Ranger badges by completing a short booklet of educational activities. Participating partners including the Texas State Aquarium, the South
Texas Botanical Gardens and Nature Center, and Texas Sea Life Center will offer opportunities for families to experience traditional and nontraditional types of outdoor activities. We will have sand sculpting lessons, kite building, live animals, education programs for families and much more! Feel free to bring a friend or make it a family outing, and enjoy the experience! For additional information contact the Malaquite Visitor Center at (361) 949-8068.
CCA Texas Presents Monumental Check for Cedar Bayou's Restoration $1.6 Million Dollars Given Toward Multimillion Dollar Project
On the Rocks By Jay Gardner
direction, water temps will get hot) and it will die back a little, and the seagrasses will be able to keep up with the lower concentrations and the water will slowly clear over the next couple of months into the fall. A hurricane might speed it up temporarily, but remember, a lot of rainfall will just wash a bunch of nutrients into the water, and we’ll be back at square one again. It’s been here, and it’s here to stay. Enjoy the times when it’s light.
We finally got Pawel out on the skiff this past Saturday, and it was a complete zoo on the water. The brown tide owns the laguna from north of the causeway all the way past Baffin and into the Landcut. That stuff is being extra persistent this year, and the bloom is one of the thicker ones I’ve seen in a while. Several things have kept it going, the main one being the long winter we had and the winds being inconsistent for months. This kept a lot of nutrients in suspension, which allows the brown tide alga (Aureoumbra lagunensis) to thrive. A common misconception is that brown tide can be “flushed out” by rains, and while this is true under extreme conditions (i.e. hurricane) our average rainfalls really have no effect on it. Research has shown that brown tide has been around for a long time, and the cycles range in length based on environmental conditions. Some researchers think that the longest recorded brown tide event in the early 90’s (seven years) was a result of the 1989 freeze, which removed a lot of mullet (which filter feed on the brown tide and other organisms) and also all the dead bodies released a lot of nitrogen into the water, which literally acts as fertilizer.
We bombed around up north, and tried to fish a corner in Deadmans area. We were burned by no less than 6 boats. “Burned” is when people have a tower on their boat, and drive around in
jeff and jake redfish wearing sunglasses the flats at a very slow rate of speed and literally look for fish. This is an extremely disruptive behavior, and I would really like to see it stop. It’s borderline illegal (harassing fish and fishermen alike). It ruins the flats for anyone fishing there, as it spooks the fish. It’s a selfcentered, rude behavior, and people were doing it all over the place up north. So needless to say we didn’t catch much.
Even further into the conspiracy theory model is that fertilizers and nutrients from local ranching operations and adjacent agriculture fields are running off into Baffin and the laguna, which keeps the algal blooming for longer periods. I don’t necessarily think it’s the entire cause, because the core samples that were taken in Baffin as a result of a modern study show that brown tide cycles have been around for thousands of years, long before we showed up on the scene over this way.
This weekend is Father’s Day, so don’t forget to call your dad if he’s still around. Remember those that aren’t. Sargassum still owns the beach, and it doesn’t matter if “the reports” tell us it’s lightening up. There’s tons and tons on the beach down south, and it will take a long time before driving is decent again. Good to see you Ana, Pawel, Marcie (the Canadians) and hope to see you soon. Glad you could make it down Jeff and Jake, and actually managed to get a photo of you two with a fish, although it was really tougher than it was supposed to be. Shoot me an email at jaygardner@scientist.com and I’ll see you on the rocks when this stuff clears up a bit.
Brown tide hasn’t been shown to kill fish outright, however, what the organism does is shade the seagrass, and cause it to die back. Sand pockets get bigger, and sea grasses get thinner, which allows the winds to kick up more sediment, which compounds the shading factor, causing even more grass to die back.
Rockport, Texas - On May 21, 2014, Coastal Conservation Association Texas (CCA Texas) presented Aransas County with a check for $1.6M to help fund the restoration of Cedar Bayou in Rockport, Texas. After being sealed in the 1970s and decades of negative impacts from siltation and low water flows, a $9.4M construction project is underway to open Cedar Bayou and Vinson Slough. "CCA has contributed $1.6M to this project, and all of these funds have come from our local chapter banquets and our volunteers raising those dollars," said CCA Texas Executive Director Robby Byers. "It is a tremendous effort on everybody's part." This historic effort, which began construction in May 2014, will create the vital connection from Mesquite and Aransas Bays to the Gulf of Mexico. Cedar Bayou is a natural pass that separates San Jose Island from Matagorda Island. Dredging efforts date back to the 1930s, but partial efforts, siltation and misplacement of spoil materials have eventually led to the pass and adjacent Vinson Slough being sealed. The
pass is going to be put back to its original state, which has not been done since 1979.
June 12, 2014
My buddy JD asked me the other day what it’s going to take to get rid of the brown tide. The answer is; time. The brown tide will use up it’s resources, environmental factors will change (the winds will come from a consistent
"The restoration of Cedar Bayou is good for everybody in Aransas County, the state of Texas, and I believe around the country," said Aransas County judge Burt Mills. "The impact of what it is going to do for the ecosystem in the bays here is going to be phenomenal."
Beach Driving You can’t tell by looking but there are eight steps from the top of the seawall to the beach. But sand dredged from Packery Channel and used to re-nourish the beach now inundates the seawall, making it ineffective against surge tides in case of a large storm.
Judge Mills signed the dredging permit for Cedar Bayou and Vinson Slough on August 3 of 2011. Although the pass has been dredged numerous times throughout history, this is the bayou's largest and most comprehensive effort to date. "Cedar Bayou is an iconic pass, and it rings very deeply with anglers in this part of the world," said CCA Texas Volunteer and Chairman of the Board Mark Ray. "We'll always be there to support the project and help identify funds to keep the pass open."
About four feet of dredge sand has also accumulated against the rocks that make up the South Packery Jetty.
The restoration of Cedar Bayou is set for completion by October 15, 2014
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Island Moon
Backwater Adventures
Grown up Croakers
By Joey Farah Farah’s Fishing Adventures
monofilament leader, but a #4 or#6 hook with light tackle. The heavy leader will still allow you to catch the reds and other species but if you hook a shark you will have a greater chance of landing the fish. Shrimp, squid, and cut bait all work, sometimes we would bait the hook with everything we could find. Get out and enjoy the summer, make an adventure even one hour at a time.
Many summer fishermen have been ready for the very popular live bait season that usually kicks off around the first of May. With the heavy and long winter, everything has been a bit late. Fish migrations, spring bull tides, and the availability of live croakers of the right size. In the last few weeks the bait stands have had the live croakers but without fault to them they have been very small. These adolescent baitfish are too small to make any loud grunts or wiggle enough to make vibrations to attract fish from any distance. The trout as well have not been ready for them, feeding heavily on live shrimp and not baitfish. Well things started to change this week. Just as the kids got out of school the little croakers have grown up and are working very well out in the bay now.
MARKER 37 FISHING TOURNAMENT
Shake Rattle and Roll I have been very successful with using small rattles to make a little more noise with my croaker fishing. The TEXAS RATTLER CHATTER WEIGHTS are completely encapsulated rattles that are white or have reflective tape on them. Anglers can use them as a swivel between the main line and the leader, or attach an “O” ring to it and keep the hook close to the rattle. I prefer to use them with a short 12” LEADER. In dirty or stained water a shorter leader brings the bait closer to the noise the fish will be coming to. As soon as you hook a bait on the line and it is wiggling you will hear
A quick limit of trout we smoked in the Upper Laguna Madre this week on live bait. the rattle, and so do the trout. The rattles with the tape on them will come back riddled with bite marks from trout attacks. I cast out my baits and let them settle, then only shake the rattle with the tip of the pole, without moving the bait. The rattle and stop vibration brings aggressive strikes even when the fish are not aggressively feeding. These CHATTER WEIGHTS can be used when fishing with shrimp or lures as well and if you look up Texasrattlinrig Steve on Facebook you will find lots of ways to rig up and call in fish in these stained waters.
BOB HALL MONSTERS Last week I saw some pictures of a large shark they caught and walked to the beach then photo shot and released all in front of the restaurant at Bob Hall. Pretty cool I thought, so last night we took a walk down the pier with all 5 of our kids. There were fishermen of all kinds out there and from all walks of life. The anglers close to the beach were using small hooks and peeled shrimp to catch whiting as fast as they could cast out. Folks in the middle were using cut bait to catch nice redfish and small sharks. At the end of the pier the shark hunters had their camps set up and had the head of a 10ft hammer along with some Another nice trout along the King Ranch Shoreline on smaller 6 foot sharks out
on the ground as well. While we were there a man was fighting a large shark for over an hour and finally cut the line, then as we left another big shark was hooked and battled all the way to the beach and released, a large tiger shark. With this much action some might not think it was a great time for the beach, but they are there all the time, hell the water is too dirty to see them don’t worry about it. Every kid dreams of catching a shark, so take some time and head out after supper with some cut bait and try to catch a summer memory. Most of the shark fishermen believe that sharks can feel the metal leader so use some strong #60-#80 pound
Marker 37 is hosting a great fishing tournament on July 11th. This is going to be a three fish tournament with one redfish and two trout. There is a guided and non-guided divisions and some big prizes. More than anything it will be a great time with live bands and food, and lots of good people. If you have never fished in a tournament this will be a good one to start off with. It’s easy to go catch two trout and a redfish, right? I think I will be fishing with my wife and looking forward to having a great day. The Marker 37 Seminar Event we had went very well so I think we may look to do something that afternoon again. I will let you know more details next week. Look on Facebook for all the details of the tournament! Keep those lines tight and your hooks sharp! I’m going surfing, sharks or not!
Martin G with a nice trout from Baffin on live croaker.
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A8
Senior Moments
Stay Young with the Health Benefits of Red Wine
By Dotson Lewis, dlewis1@stx.rr.com Special to the Island Moon
Dotson’s Note: The “Senior Moments” articles are dedicated to adults of all ages. At times, we need to stop reminiscing and remember that we only live once (as far as I know) and therefore should devote ourselves to enjoying life. This article is aimed at those “non-winos” among us. Are we having fun yet? While your health-freak friends spend hundreds of dollars on weird miracle fruit juices, you can sit back and relax. As it happens, a red wine habit might just be the key to staying young longer.
Fermented foods have long been associated with good digestion. The probiotics and microbes found in fermented foods contain lactic-acid that nourish the good bacteria in your GI tract. Some red wines contain more lactic acid after going through a secondary fermentation that makes the wine taste smoother.
Harte's Heroes, (from left): Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi President and CEO Flavius Killebrew, Corpus Christi Mayor Nelda Martinez, Dr. Donna Shaver, Dr. Patrick Burchfield, Dr. Pamela Plotkin, Luis Jaime Peña, Carol DeMoss with Sea Turtle, Inc., Les Hodgson, and Dr. Larry McKinney. Six recipients have been honored with the 2014 “Harte’s Heroes” Award for their efforts, which have been instrumental in furthering the successful recovery of the critically endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle. The Harte Research Institute (HRI) at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi honored five individuals and one organization during the annual “Harte’s Heroes” award ceremony and reception held Thursday, June 5, at the Art Museum of South Texas. Each year, the HRI commemorates “World Oceans Day” by recognizing individuals and groups who have demonstrated their passion for protecting and preserving the vast natural resources of the world’s ninth-largest body of water.
Remember, everyone’s physiology is different. Talk to your doctor before doing anything rash.
The Health Benefits of Red Wine Red wine is full of polyphenols including proanthocyanidin; a powerful antioxidant. In fact, some red wines have more antioxidants than commercial grape juice, raw blueberries and even miracle fruits like Açaí. In the fruit juice category, a fullbodied red wine will even beat pomegranate juice. How are antioxidants measured? Antioxidant rich foods have traditionally been measured using the ORAC method which stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. Every food has a varying ability to absorb free radicals in a controlled environment. ORAC scores range from 50 for a carrot to 5,200 for a teaspoon of cinnamon.
Red Wine vs. Antioxidant Rich Foods • Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips – 9,000 (1/4 cup) • Full-Bodied Red Wine 7,700 (6 oz glass) • Blueberries – 6,500 (1 cup) • Pomegranate Juice – 5,500 (6 oz glass) • Cinnamon – 5,200 (teaspoon) • Açaí Juice – 3,030 (6 oz glass) • Cooked Tomatoes – 1,350 (1 cup) Why antioxidants? Free radicals cause destruction of our body’s cells and antioxidants stop them. Recent studies have shown antioxidants reduce the risk of some diseases, such as heart disease and cancer. Upcycled winery waste has even been used for skincare. Did you know that for every 2 bottles of wine made there is one bottle of grape waste produced? The waste includes things like seeds, stems, and grape skins; all of which are loaded with nutrients. But where does all this good stuff go? Some wineries, like Willamette Valley Vineyards in Oregon have a rigorous composting program, but most just throw it away.
For every 2 bottles of wine produced there is a bottle of waste. With as much as 4 billion bottles of wine consumed every year in the United States, upcycling the waste is serious business. That’s enough wine waste to fill the Empire State Building (every year!).
Anatomy of a Wine Grape Wines with high antioxidants are the dark red wines. Since antioxidants come from the pips and skins of a grape, as well as contact with oak, you’ll find that full-bodied red wines aged in oak have the highest antioxidant properties. If you can’t see through your wine, it has lots of polyphenols.
How Much Wine is Too Much? The goodness of red wine can be easily countered with the negative effects of alcohol. So how much wine is too much? According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans: “Alcohol should be consumed in moderation. It is not recommended that anyone begin drinking alcohol or drink more frequently on the basis of potential health benefits.”
Moderate Drinking Definition glasses of wine for men daily
1 glass of wine for women daily (sorry about that) The major issues the DGA points out is that pure alcohol is very high in calories (almost as high as fat). High calorie foods are one of the major problems with American’s diets. If you’re drinking wine, it’s important to acknowledge that wine is not calorie free.
Harte Research Institute Recognizes Kemp’s Ridley Champions during Annual ‘Harte’s Heroes’ Award Ceremony
Health Benefits of Fermented Foods
The health benefits of red wine are greater than you might think. Besides having antioxidants, fermented foods are good for digestion and alcohol itself has also shown some surprising traits over long-term moderate use. Discover the health benefits of red wine and how much you should consume to live well.
2
June 12, 2014
Island Moon
Here are some common fermented foods: Yogurt & Some Cheeses, Real Sauerkraut, Kimchi (Yuk!), Sourdough Bread, Tempeh & Soy Sauce, Beer, Cider, Wine & Sake.
Benefits of Moderate Drinking Over the years, several long-term studies have been conducted comparing drinkers to non-drinkers. There have also been studies comparing wine drinkers to spirits/beer drinkers. Here are some of the more interesting findings: • Wine drinkers have a 34% lower mortality rate than spirits/beer drinkers. • Moderate drinkers have 30% less risk than non-drinkers of developing type 2 diabetes. • Brain function declines less quickly in moderate drinkers than non-drinkers. Red wine and dark chocolate are supposedly good for you, but resveratrol may not be why. Some people tout red wine as a means to a longer, healthier life. Those who like dark chocolate sometimes do likewise. Their conviction stems from a component of both, the antioxidant resveratrol. Does scientific analysis support those beliefs? A study analyzed data from 783 men and women age 65 and older (average age, mid-70s at the start of the study). Participants adhered to a normal Western diet, with resveratrol coming primarily from wine. No one took resveratrol supplements. Laboratory analysis of urine samples revealed the amount of resveratrol that had been metabolized by their bodies. During the next nine years, 27 percent of the participants who did not have cardiovascular disease at the start developed it, 5 percent of those who had been free of cancer were diagnosed with the disease and 34 percent of the participants died. The likelihood of having died during this span was virtually the same in those who had the lowest levels of resveratrol metabolites, indicating little to no consumption, and in those with the highest levels. People who consumed the most resveratrol were as likely to have developed cancer or cardiovascular disease as were those who consumed the least. Older adults may be affected by dietary sources of resveratrol, besides red wine and dark chocolate, include grapes, peanuts, blueberries and cranberries. Most studies on the plantbased antioxidant have been done on animals or involved high-dosage supplements. Data on dietary sources of resveratrol came from the participants’ responses on questionnaires. The findings do not negate the possibility that wine and other dietary sources of resveratrol have health benefits, but suggest that, if they do exist, they may stem from other components. I’ll drink to that!!! Dotson’s note: Do you believe you should “have a little wine for thy stomach’s sake?” Questions and/or comments are welcome. Please snail mail or Email The Island Moon or call Dotson at 361-949-768 or 530-748-8475 or Email: dlewis1@stx.rr.com
Ethel Eyerly Community Center The Ethel Eyerly Community Center in Flour Bluff is open with a full activities schedule. All are welcome.
“Without the tireless commitment of our ‘Harte’s Heroes’ and other dedicated people and organizations like them, the smallest and rarest of sea turtles would have disappeared from our oceans by now,” said Dr. Larry McKinney, HRI Executive Director. “Unfortunately, the Kemp’s ridley is once again threatened, not only by disasters natural and man-made, but by federal funding cuts for conservation programs. In the face of these challenges, we must redouble our efforts to save the only endangered marine species that breeds exclusively in the Gulf’s waters.”
The 2014 Harte’s Heroes are: • Dr. Patrick Burchfield, Chairman of the Science Advisory Board for Sea Turtle, Inc., is one of the world’s leading authorities on the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle. Beginning in 1973, he pioneered research of the rarest of all sea turtles and, for more than 30 years has been the driving force behind the Rancho Nuevo Sea Turtle Project, the only place in the world where large groups of the Kemp’s ridley are known to nest. He currently serves as Executive Director of the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas. • Les Hodgson represents the United States on the Consultative Committee of Inter-American Conference on Sea Turtle Restoration, serves on the board of the Texas Shrimp Association, and is a member of the Kemp’s Ridley Sea Recovery Team. In 1995, the co-owner of Marco Sales, a thriving shrimp wholesaler in Brownsville, Texas, used a $30,000 donation from the NFI Shrimp Council to spearhead the construction of a camp at the second largest nesting beach in Tepehuajes, Mexico.
• Luis Jaime Peña, a native of Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, studied biology at Universidad del Noreste in Tampico, Tamaulipas. In 1987, he made his first trip to the Rancho Nuevo turtle camps where he had the opportunity to work on nest data management, which led to his appointment as the camp’s field crew coordinator in 1997. Peña became the Operations Director for the U.S. Contingent of the Kemp’s Ridley Binational Project and was named the Gladys Porter Zoo’s Curator of Conservation Programs in 2007. • Dr. Pamela Plotkin is Director of Texas Sea Grant, an organization that for more than 30 years has been a leader in funding research about the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle. Now a Research Professor in the Oceanography Department at Texas A&M University, Plotkin began her career in the early 1980s as part of the bi-national Kemp Ridley Sea Turtle Program. Since then, her research has focused on the mass nesting behavior of sea turtles. She is currently leading efforts to call attention to the declining number of Kemp’s ridley nests in Mexico and Texas. • Dr. Donna Shaver, Chief of the Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery at the Padre Island National Seashore, is Principle Investigator for a Natural Resources Damage Assessment study to determine potential injury to the Kemp’s ridley population from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. In addition to helping develop the Department of Interior’s restoration activities for sea turtle nesting, she has initiated a widely acclaimed sea turtle program that integrates conservation, research, and public education activities. • Sea Turtle, Inc. is a non-profit organization that rescues, rehabilitates, and returns injured sea turtles to their natural environment. Founded in 1977, the organization was originally formed to protect the Kemp’s ridley but has recently expanded its mission to include the conservation of all marine turtle species. The organization helps fund three bi-national projects: a beach patrol project with Mexico that locates the nests of Kemp’s ridley, incubates the eggs, then releases the hatchlings into the Gulf of Mexico; the Michoacan (Mexico) project to conserve nesting black turtles and their eggs; and the Shell Beach project in Guyana, South America, to help the Leatherback sea turtle.
Turtles continued from A1 you are on the beach. Immediately report nesting turtles to a passing turtle patroller or by calling 361-9498173, 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. 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.
Hatchling Releases
to watch these releases and thousands of people attend each year.
Eggs from all nests found on the Texas coast are retrieved from the beach for protected incubation to help keep them and the resulting hatchlings safe from predators, high tides, human disturbance, and other factors that could harm or kill them. Eggs from most nests found at Padre Island National Seashore and northward on the Texas coast are brought to our incubation facility at the National Seashore for protected care.
If you are interested in attending a release you should first check the website www.nps. gov/pais for those projected release dates. 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.
Eggs incubate for about 48-53 days and hatchlings are released when they emerge from their eggshells and become active. When eggs are placed into our incubation facility, we place the projected release dates for the hatchlings on the National Seashore website. The projected release dates encompass this 6-day-long window for that nest.
The more clutches that we have hatching at a given time, the better chance that we will be able to hold a release them. This provides “insurance” so if some of the hatchlings become active and must immediately be released in the middle of the night, others potentially are still available for a public release.
Hatchlings are not held for viewing, but each year the public is invited to attend about 2030 of our hatchling releases. These public releases are held in front of the Visitor Center on Malaquite Beach at Padre Island National Seashore, starting at 6:45 am. No fee is charged
Hatchlings from the first nests found this year will be ready for release sometime between June 13 and 18, and we hope to hold our first public release of the year then. However, only 3 clutches will hatch then and they will likely hatch at different times, so it could be difficult to hold a public release for them. Typically our releases are scheduled when multiple nests are hatching at once. For the eggs that we have already found and are incubating, there are two promising release windows. The first is between June 27 and July 8, when hatchlings from 17 clutches will be ready for release. The second is between July 21 and July 31 when hatchlings from 33 clutches will be ready for released. Note that releases will likely not be held each one of these days, but the overall chances of seeing a release is much greater during these days. It is still the Kemp’s ridley nesting season so more nests will likely be found this year. As nests are found and the eggs are placed into our facility we will add information about them to our website.
June 12, 2014
A9
Island Moon
La Palmilla continued from A1 is stakng its claim to the first high-end resort destination on The Island complete with county club/resort amenities, homes, condominiums, and an 18 hole golf course that rivals any course in the state, including the TPC San Antonio course which is home to the Texas Open. The Palmilla course is ranked among the top three in the state by The Dallas Morning News and in the top 15 in the world by Arnold Palmer, who helped design the course.
population within driving distance to support a unique set of amenities,” Koontz said. “We will prove up the market as we roll through the phases of development.” Officials also said recently they are considering a hotel development which could include a scaled convention center and conference center in partnership with a hotel partner. The Black Marlin Bar & Grill, located on Beach Access Road just north of the golf cart bridge which passes over SH 361, is open to the public for lunch every day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and dinner on Fridays and Saturdays from 5-9 p.m. The upstairs bar is open from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. every day, weather permitting. The concert series there kicked off last Saturday to a full house for Ray Wylie Hubbard (for more on the music there see Ronnie Narmour’s music column).
Phase I of development at Palmilla Beach is already well underway with completion of the pool and surrounding developments expected this summer, several homes under construction and the Black Marlin Bar & Grill is open for business and sponsoring a full summertime slate of live music.Adjacent to the restaurant is a three-story observaton tower which offers beach and ocean views.
New condo development Phase I of the proeject includes spec houses which are part of what will be known as Village North and will include construction of homes on 75 single-family lots. Palmilla officials said recently they are close to breaking ground on an 18-unit condominium development which is already “about 40% subscribed.” The units range from 1,357 to 2817 square feet . “We are the only development of this kind on
Inside the restaurant
the Texas Coast,” said Bart Koontz, President and CEO of Koontz McCombs which bought the property from the original developers. The “McCombs” part of the name is San Antonio businessman Red McCombs, former owner of The San Antonio Spurs and Minnesota Vikings. “We will offer sites with boat slips on the Island Moorings side of highway 361 and beachfront and fairway sites on the east side. No one else in the state can say that.”
The development is ushering in a new type of resort destination lifestyle that is new to the area, but likely a harbinger of things to come as Texas’ population and the number of Island visitors grows and brings changes in demographics.
Overall the Palmilla development includes 700 acres with 350 acres on the west side of the highway where a condominium development will eventually be built. “When we looked at the market we saw enough
Golf course
Courtyard
LIVE MUSIC EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT!
Join us every Saturday night this Summer for great food, cold drinks and live music overlooking the gulf at the Black Marlin Bar & Grill, located in Palmilla Beach Resort & Golf Club.
JUNE 14 JUNIOR BROWN JUNE 21 HAL KETCHUM JUNE 28 RANKIN TWINS JULY 5 JASON EADY JULY 12 BRIAN KEANE
JULY 19 ROB BAIRD JULY 26 MARK MCKINNEY AUGUST 2 ADAM HOOD AUGUST 9 TEJAS BROTHERS
EVENT DETAILS: BlackMarlinPortA.com
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2 5 8 S N A P D R A G O N • P O R T A R A N S A S , T E X A S 7 8 3 7 3 • 3 61 . 7 4 9 . 4 6 5 3
A10
Island Moon
June 12, 2014