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January 16, 2014
A $2.4 Billion Island
The only difference between men and boys is the size of their feet and the price of their toys.
Around The Island
By Dale Rankin editor@islandmoon.com
There were two big booms in the night sky near the end of Whitecap on Tuesday. Speculation was they were sonic booms but as of this writing there is no confirmation from the military – and likely never will be. We had similar booms a couple of years back in that area that according to residents were accompanied by blue flashes of light and came from the Whitecap Wastewater Treatment Plant. The city, like the military never confirmed.
Photo by Miles Merwin Next Publication Date: 1/16/2014
Year 17, Issue 509
Property value evenly divided between North Padre and Port Aransas but tax rates are miles apart
If it’s a choice between booms from airplanes or from a sewer plant we’ll go with the airplanes every time. Explosions and sewer plants should be kept as far apart as possible.
Dock of the bay
Schlitterwork An aerial photo of the latest work done at Schlitterbahn taken in the past few days Docks being removed along Commodores The old boat docks across Commodores from the entrance to the country club are no more. After years of fighting the weather they are being torn out by the POA. They will not be replaced.
Island diaspora There is a quiet diaspora going on here on our Island. Quiet but discernable. Slowly but surely a handful of homeowners on the north end of Padre Island are moving south, to the quiet end of The Island in anticipation of growth, and the potential traffic and noise it brings to the north end. From Primavera and Carlos Fifth they come. To El Socorro and Punta Espada Loops they go in search of quietude. Quietly they move. But perceptively. Seeking solace in the portion of The Island where an open window at dusk brings only the sound of the surf. Quietude
Coyote and raccoon carcasses found The carcasses of more than sixty raccoons and coyotes have been dumped on private property south of Sea Pines since late December, the latest being last weekend. The skinned raccoons have been found on three separate occasions by Islander David Pierce who manages the property Around continued on A3
Cold Stunned Turtles Donna J. Shaver, Ph.D. Chief, Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery, National Park
Messages in a Bottle
By Dale Rankin How much is a barrier Island on the middle Texas Coast worth? According to figures from the Nueces County Appraisal District records the answer, including both North Padre Island and Port Aransas is $2.4 billion in fiscal year 2012-2013, the last year complete district figures are available. The numbers were taken from the appraisal district rolls by Islander Chad Feerick, of CAF Landman & GIS Consulting, LLC which Value continued on A7
IUPAC Provides Informational Candidate’s Forum for County Commissioner District 4 Race By Brent Rourk The IUPAC will provide an opportunity for Island residents to learn more about the Republican candidates running for County Commissioner District 4 on Monday, February 10. This will be another in a series of informational candidate forums that IUPAC provides for the islanders. The forum will be held at the Holiday Inn on North Padre Island beginning at 6:30 PM and ending at 8:00 PM. The candidates are Norm Baker, Brent Chesney, and Joe McComb. The IUPAC continued on A3
(left to right) Darcy Trett P.A. resident and owner of Third Coast Inn, Suzanne Piette P.A. resident and Hot Dog Lady, Dianna Aston. Photos by Donald Hatch By Sheri Henneberger Sailor Sheri is the communications manager with the Port Aransas Chamber of Commerce/ Tourist Bureau. An SOS bottle, filled with messages of hope from all over the world, sailed along an aqua trail of diamond sun-drops Saturday, January 11, 2014. Led to Federal waters by dolphins and Roseate Spoonbills, the crew of Los Ninos cast the bottle into the strong currents of the Gulf, with wishes for goodwill to everyone everywhere.
frostbitebetty@gmail.com
Last Wednesday as a cold front raked across the Coastal Bend 78 cold stunned green turtles were recorded on the Texas coast. This was the second largest number found cold stunned on a single day since cold stunning began in Texas this winter on November 25, 2013. All were found in the upper Laguna Madre. An estimated 563 cold stunned turtles have been documented in Texas since this event began on November 25. All were green turtles except for one hawksbill and one loggerhead. Of these, 457 were found alive and transported to rehabilitation. Most of those rescued during November and December have already been released into warmer Gulf of Mexico waters. Thank you to the National Park Service, ARK, Sea Turtle, Inc., Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Sea World San Antonio, NOAAFisheries, Texas Sea Life Center, Texas Master Naturalists, Gladys Porter Zoo, University of Texas, other organizations, and private citizens for their help to find, rescue, document, transport, rehabilitate, and release cold stunned turtles on the Texas coast this year.
Two big pieces of news here in Frostbite Falls: first of all, the weather warmed up! Weather is always big news here, don't ya know. Today it was even raining a bit mixed with frozen pellets. Fifty degrees warmer than last week and the rain is still freezing up. The other news here is the new YMCA. Half the town turned out for the Grand Opening, and now we have all those activities that the Winter Texans have in Port A. So Betty tried out the Intro to Zumba class. First big warning sign was that wall of mirrors. You have to see what you really look like, along with all the other blue-hairs, instead of imagining that your dance moves are just as cute as the peppy instructor. After 45 minutes of footwork dyslexia, Betty was darn sure she would rather be in the band. Bert says one of these days he will go walk on a treadmill and then sit in the hot tub.
Frostbite Betty continued on A11
Winter Texan Roundup page A14
The Message in a Bottle Project was born last fall when Dianna Aston, a children’s book author, former journalist and founder of The Oz Project, moved from San Miguel de Allende, Mexico to Port Aransas. Traveling Message in a bottle continued on A8
Yo Tuve Un Hijo (I Had a Child) – Part 1
Frostbite Betty
Greetings From Frostbite Falls, MN
Dianna Aston casting bottle into the Gulf and Jim Johnson popping cork in celebration
By Brent Rourk
Los Desaparecidos
[This is the second in a series about my travels in Brazil and Argentina during Christmas and the New Year Holiday 2013-2014 and the first in a series about ‘Los Desaparecidos’. This revelation tugged at my heart, and though its history is known more widely to Argentinians and available in history books and on the net, I found it to be of special significance. It is about the young people who disappeared in Argentina from 1976-1983 called ‘Los Desaparecidos’ (The Disappeared Ones) and their amazingly strong mothers. Sometimes travel presents beautiful places, engaging cultures and warm people. Sometimes travel forces one to look at some sad chapters in history. Such is the case with this story.] Painfully pacing, many mothers walked the circle around the central statue at the Plaza de Mayo in downtown Buenos Aires, Argentina. They had demonstrated this way for years. Keeping to tradition, these very old mothers wore a signature white scarf around their heads and necks as they protested, silently at first and then with the courage to speak up. Though different numbers of saddened women appeared, these weekly protests became a regular event week after week and year after year on Thursday afternoons at 3:00 PM. Excruciating sadness darkly painted their faces while their eyes revealed a haunting refrain of torture. They were determined. Desaparecidos continued on A4
Her child rests in the dirt - lost in the Dirty War
A 2
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January 16, 2014
The Travelling Moon Gets Around
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Shay Francis & John Lamphear, Montanita, Ecuador. It is always summer somewhere with the Island Moon!
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This light shallow running skiff is extremely quiet and surpasses the needs of any fisherman while remaining easy to maintain and surprisingly affordable
The Moon traveled to Australia for 5 weeks with Jo Ann & Butch Smith, Nancy Krause and Butch Shulz. We were able to spend a week each in Tasmania, Melbourne, Sydney, Coffs Harbor, and Cairns. What a great trip down under, it was beautiful. We then made our way back home to Padre Island through Guam, Hawaii, Las Vegas, Colorado, and Florida. Wow what a trip but feels good to be home.
Island Red Hatters Are Out Of This World!
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On January 7th, the Island PIPPs Chapter of the Corpus Christi Red Hat Society visited the Robert Wollman Planetarium at King High School. The Planetarium is the largest facility of this kind south of San Antonia.The gals saw stars, asteroids, planets and satellites.The public is invited to the Planetarium on Tuesday evenings at 5 & 7 P.M. Call the Planetarium Director Laura Peck at (361) 906-3400 ext. 22170 or email her at king.ccisd.us and click on the Planetarium link for reservations.After the Planetarium, the gals lunched at the Town & Country Cafe.
Michelle Scott took the Moon with her to see George Strait in concert at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin
Winter Texans of the Week
Mary and Ernie Berends
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We live on Lake Reno, south of Alexandria, in central Minnesota from May to September. In October we move to our hunting “shack” on the prairie in southwestern Minnesota. When the blizzards arrive and the snow drifts get too deep, we load Jake, our dog, and head to our winter home here. We found Port A by accident after Ernie retired and we took a trip to the valley. On our way home we visited here and decided the beach, fishing and small town was for us. We both grew up in small towns, so having 3 stop lights (at that time) was something we really liked. It is now our 5th winter. It took us a while to appreciate how much this town has to offer. We love the music venues, the city’s park and rec activities, JELM, and UTMSI lecture series. It has been easy to meet people and now we look forward to coming every year to get together with our winter friends. We are thankful we found P.A. and didn’t end up in the Rio Grande Valley. Now when we return to Minnesota, we miss all the fun activities, especially the music because we have nothing like it back there. We are also fortunate that one of our daughters is married to a fishing fanatic so they come here from Michigan for a week every spring with their two sons. So while Ernie and Mike fish, everyone else plays on the beach. Of course our grandsons love the golf cart rides. Can’t do that in Michigan! We also have a married son with 2 children (Omaha) and another married daughter in Michigan.
January 16, 2014
Island Moon
Moon Monkeys
Letters to the Editor Canal Bridge
Mike Ellis, Founder
I am writing to follow up on the prospect of constructing a bridge over the canal at Escarpment and Almeria Avenue. The purpose would be to allow water flow, resulting from the waterway connection and bridge that Schlitterbahn is constructing, to the rest of the canal systems north of Escarpment. As we know, the canal system is stagnant, and I can’t imagine that the tremendous benefit to the ecosystem and homeowners would not dramatically outweigh the relatively low cost to construct such a bridge.
Distribution Pete Alsop
If this obvious benefit to the health of the ecosystem in the canals and the Laguna Madre is not under serious consideration, it is my hope that others who would realize the benefit would voice their support and promote this improvement in any way that they can.
Island Delivery Coldwell Banker Advertising Jan Park Rankin Patrick Kelliher
Sincerely, Mitchell Davis Kalogridis
Classifieds
Andy Purvis
The Port Aransas Theatre, would like to use the smallest 2 words there are...
Devorah Fox
"Thank-you"....to all of you...
Arlene Ritley Design/Layout Jeff Craft Contributing Writers Joey Farah
Mary Craft
Our first play of the year, has been a huge success... however, this never could of happened without all of us, working many hours, together on all the huge lists of "Things to Do"
Maybeth Christiansen Jay Gardner Todd Hunter
Whatever your role, was in this play... we thank-you, again...
Dotson Lewis Ronnie Narmour
All the hours, the cast has put into these last few weeks, will never be known, unless you have walked in their flip flops......they volunteered many hours....and they are still smiling!!!!
Brent Rourk Dr. Donna Shaver Photographers Miles Merwin
This is the last week, Jan. 16, 17, 18, @ 7:30 and Sunday's matinee Jan 19 @ 2:30
Jeff Dolan Mary Craft Office Security/Spillage Control
AND then on with Steel Magnolias... Jan. 30th... Darlene Theatre Manager
Icebreaker Thought this might be of interest
Norwegian Icebreaker heads up the Mississippi River As you may have seen on the news it's been very cold in Appleton ...
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.
So cold, in fact, that the City Government has borrowed a Norwegian Icebreaker to clear the Mississippi River for fishing and migrating waterfowl. The Icebreaker is starting near Neenah and working northward. Here is a picture as the hard work of ice breaking begins. Impressive!
News articles, photos, display ads, classified ads, payments, etc. may be left at the Moon Office.
The Island Moon Newspaper Corpus Christi, TX 78418 361-949-7700 editor@islandmoon.com Facebook: The Island Moon Newspaper
Port Aransas Lisabella’s Restaurant Pioneer RV Park Stripes @ Beach Access Rd. 1A
Port A Glass Studio The Gaff Wild Horse Saloon Tarpon Ice House
North Padre
Miss K’s Catering & Bistro
All Stripes Stores
Amano
Whataburger
Felder Gallery
Doc’s Restaurant
Island Woman Boutique Coast Club Coffee Waves Moby Dicks Spanky’sLiquor IGA Grocery Store Port A Business Center Carter Pharmacy
Duckworth Antiques Back Porch Woody’s Sports Center Shorty’s Place The Flat’s Lounge Giggity’s Stripes @ Cotter & Station
Internment Camps Dear Dotson: I was moved to tears by your article on the internment camps. Juxtaposing the memories of a local and one of the internees was brilliant. Probably most people would prefer to forget about what America did to its Japanese citizens out of fear, but I think we need to be reminded every now and then. Thank you. Jean
mkay512@aol.com
New Advertisers Baypoint Remodeling and Construction does high quality additions, remodels, decks, patios, flooring, tile and landscaping. They are VA builder approved and electrical and plumbing licensed. Call Danny Dang at 2885215.
Business Briefs Mad Meats has their sirloin, green and red pepper, onion, mushroom and tomato kabobs on special for $5 each instead of $6. Owner Chad picked up Louisiana boudin this week from the airport. You can pick up some fresh pork, shrimp or crawfish boudin, as well as, some gator. Their high quality ground beef consists of 80% sirloin, 10% filet and 10% ribeye. They now carry rack of lamb and bone in ribeye. They are located next to Scuttlebutt’s. The Rusty Jeep on Cut Off Road in Port A has new owners and I heard that they are expanding the patio and will be serving Carribean food. If anyone has more info please email me. Island Fitness Center has yoga classes on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. They also have pilates, zumba, sculpting, power circuit, and kickboxing/dance classes. For a full class schedule go to islandfitnesscc. com or call 361-949-3298. They are located next to Hawthorne Suites on SPID. Padre Island National Seashore Two Hour Guided Birding Tours are offered daily at 9:30 am and 2:30 pm and are free. The tours meet at the Visitor’s Center. There is also an interactive birding class at the center on Wednesday and Saturday at 1 pm. The Port Aransas Garden Club will host its 26th annual Port Aransas Tour of Homes on Saturday January 25, 2014. The tour originates from the Port Aransas Community Center at 408 N. Alister Street. This year’s “A Glimpse of Island Life” tour features nine homes showcasing older homes, modern condos and beachfront living. Five homes will be on the bus tour and all nine will be on the self-guided tour. Morning bus tours will be available for $25.00 per/person at 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM. Self-guided tours will be between 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM. The self-guided ticket is $20.00 p/p and tour maps will be provided at the Community Center. Bus tours and self-guided tickets can be purchased at Mustang Island Art Gallery 2222 Hwy 361, Gratitude 316 N. Station Street and through their website www. portaransasgardenclub.org and on tour day at the Port Aransas Community Center.
Get Out On Thursday Evenings For Fun By Brent Rourk Back by popular demand and organized by the Padre Island Kiwanis Club and cosponsored by a host of island businesses, BINGO is returning to North Padre Island. The Kiwanis Club is planning six consecutive Thursday evenings of BINGO beginning on January 23rd at the Holiday Inn. BINGO revelers can expect to see cash prizes, door prizes, and loads of fun during the evening. Games begin at 7:00 PM and food and drink will be available for purchase both before and during BINGO. Kiwanis officials recommend that BINGO fans bring their family, neighbors and friends to BINGO. Get out on a week night for two hours of fun – a great way to break the monotony of week nights at home. Try your luck at guessing one of the jokes and riddles. Meet new people. Kiwanis organizers invite folks from Port Aransas, Flour Bluff and North Padre Island.
IUPAC continued from A1 audience will have the chance to ask questions of each candidate.
Island Italian Ace Hardware
Though IUPAC, a not for profit and nonpartisan organization, will be organizing the event, it will NOT be endorsing a candidate. This is an opportunity for you to learn more about each candidate prior to voting. The early voting period will be from February 18th to February 28th and voting day will be held on March 4th.
Holiday Inn Texas Star (Shell) Jesse’s Liquor Padre Isles Country Club
Subway
Chamber of Commerce
Island
Snoopy’s Pier
Wash Board Laundry Mat
Public Library
Susan Swanson
Isle Mail N More
Scuttlebutt’s Restaurant
Port A Parks and Rec
Norwegian Icebreaker heads up the Fox River .
CVS
San Juan’s Taqueria
by Mary Craft
B-I-N-G-O Returning to the Island January 23
15201 S. Padre Island Drive, Suite 250
Where to Find The Island Moon
Did Ya Hear?
The IUPAC was formed in 2008 to unite the 6200 registered voters on The Island behind candidates in non-partisan races.
Island Tire And all Moon retail advertisers WB Liquor
Flour Bluff H.E.B. Liquid Town
Fire Station
Gratitude Gift Shop
Police Station
Keepers Pier House
Stripes on Flour Bluff & SPID
A3
Guest Column
Tips for Finding the Right School for Your Child
By Andrew Campanella If you’d like to send your child to a different school next year, now’s the time to start the process of researching your options. As Texas prepares to commemorate National School Choice Week later this month at 460 events across the state, many parents will begin evaluating the educational opportunities that are available for their children. Believe it or not, seats in schools are already beginning to fill up for the 2014-2015 school year. Interest in school choice – the process of actively choosing a public, charter, magnet, private, or online school – is high. That means that waiting until the spring or the summer to begin researching schools for your children could restrict your options. No handbook or tipsheet can truly guide parents through the entire process of selecting a school, because choosing schools is an individual experience that will be unique to every family. However, parents can start by making a list of the attributes that they hope to find in an ideal school. Ask yourself: what’s most important to you and to the academic, social, and emotional well-being of your child? Is it the academic performance of a school, school safety, the instructional methods, the qualifications of teachers, the school’s educational theme, a school’s shared values, or other factors? Once you’ve identified what matters most, start looking into the options available to you. In addition to the local public school, you may be eligible to send your child to a school outside of your ZIP code, or in a different school district. Look into nearby charter schools and magnet schools. Don’t leave private and faith based schools off your list! You might be able to find scholarships to cover the costs of tuition. And for some families, online learning and homeschooling work best. To find the options available to you, look at information from the Texas department of education, as well as information on state-based education reform or school choice organization websites. For states with charter and magnet schools, there are often state-based associations that provide directories of these types of schools, along with application information. Private schools and scholarship programs can be researched through state chapters of the Council on American Private Education or the National Association of Independent Schools, or through local places of worship (for faithbased schools). For a directory of most schools in your area, along with parent rankings and some performance metrics, parents can visit this website: greatschools.org. With your list of requirements and your list of schools in hand, start making appointments to visit the schools. Ask to sit in on classes, and make sure to ask as many questions as possible of teachers, the administration, and support staff. You’ll want to find out what motivates the adults in the building, while also seeing how the students in the classes respond to their teachers. Ask yourself: is this a place where I’d want to send my child for most of his or her weekday waking hours? Finally, make sure to talk with other parents – and to your own children. Ask parents how the schools’ administrators treat parents, and whether they welcome, or discourage, parental involvement. And most importantly, ask your children about their perceptions of the schools that you’ve visited. Find out what excites and motivates your child at school, but also ask about their worries, concerns and apprehensions. Making the decision to change schools certainly isn’t easy. And switching schools isn’t a piece of cake, either. But if you start now, and plan out the journey, you’ll find that the destination – a great school for your child – is well worth the diligence and effort.
Around continued from A1 for the Jones family, of Kansas City, who own the property. The remains of twelve coyotes were found on the property last weekend. While there is no law against taking raccoons for their pelts, dumping them on private property is against the law and police (the land is in Corpus Christi City Limits) and Texas Game Wardens are searching for the culprits. Investigators speculate that the animals were trapped over a period of time and kept frozen until the price for their pelts rose, at which point they were skinned and their carcasses dumped. Last weekend Pierce also found coyote traps on land just north of Zahn Road on the Tortuga Dunes site. Traps were also found last summer on the Jones property and Game Wardens found the owners and the traps were removed. The owners of the traps found recently have not been positively identified. Coyote pelts currently sell for about $40 each and, there is no law against trapping them; unless it is on private property which is trespassing. Hunting on private property has become an issue in the past few months, particularly after a trespasser’s car got stuck in loose sand on the Jones property and ignited a 500-acre brush fire. The land is posted and under state law anyone who enters the land and takes wildlife can be charged with a felony.
Republican night
Whataburger on Waldron Ethyl Everly Senior Center
Member Padre Island Business Association
Member Padre Island Rotary Club
A meet and greet for Island voters is set for next Monday, January 20, at Mikel May’s Beachside Bar & Grill at Bob Hall Pier. Republican candidates for fourteen local offices will attend, including State Representative Todd Hunter and U.S. Congressman Blake Farenthold. If the Democrats hold a similar meeting between now and the election we will let you know. The primary elections for both parties are March 4 with early voting beginning on February 18. Vote early and vote often. In the meantime say hello if you see us Around The Island.
Island Moon
A 4
Desaparecidos continued from A1
Island Obituary
The Military Junta Under the regularly brutal leadership of successive military rulers Jorge Videla, Roberto Viola, Leopoldo Galtieri and Reynaldo Bignone during troubling times in Argentina, young people began to disappear - Los Desaparecidos (the disappeared ones). It was called the ‘Dirty War’, launched by the government against alleged subversives from 1976 to 1983. The exact number of missing was never made clear because the military government kept few records. A number generally accepted is 30,000 missing (as claimed by the mothers), perhaps a meaningless number when referring to grains of sand or toothpicks, but savagely disturbing when referring to young people who were methodically scooped up by the military, tortured, killed, and secretly and disrespectfully thrown somewhere. Virtually all of los desaparecidos were not affiliated with violent leftist guerillas. They were simply demonstrating. They were typically taken to one of 340 detainment camps (Centros Clandestinos de Detencion or CCDs) and then tortured. Of course, all of los desaparecidos were never granted trials. Gone in an instant, these young kidnapped souls were never seen alive again. A government commission [without concise records] later put in charge of determining the number of missing put the total at 11,000. The malicious military juntas in Argentina could not and did not accept opposition, including demonstrations and protests. So they did what murderous military leaders have done for millennia; they kidnapped and killed. People were summarily swept off of streets or removed from their residences. Mothers wept in private, afraid to ask about their children let alone demand answers from a rigid and repulsive military dictatorship that forbade any discussion about los desaparecidos.
A Brave Group of Mothers Marches In 1977 a brave group of mothers of the kidnapped young adults appeared at the Plaza de Mayo, across from the pink Presidential Palace (La Casa Rosada). Tired of getting no answers about their children, grief-stricken mothers bravely summoned the courage to take their plight public. The mothers wanted answers and were prepared to give their lives in order to get those answers.
William(Bill) Reid Johnson Jr. April 26, 1932 – January 7, 2014
William(Bill) Reid Johnson Jr., passed away on January 7, in College Station, Texas after a brief illness. He is the husband of Joan Kianka Johnson. William was born in Syracuse, NY on April 26, 1932 the son of Dr. William Reid Johnson and Mary Youker Johnson. He was the devoted father of 6 children, 12 grand children and 4 great grand children. He loved the Island and the people here and will be greatly missed.
Courage in the face of tragedy bore? These weekly marches inevitably became international news and in short time human rights groups traveled to Argentina to aid the stricken mothers. The government could no longer ignore what it had heartlessly created. The organization of white-scarved mothers in Argentine also served as a model to mothers in other countries in South America in the 1970s like Chile, Brazil, and Uruguay where citizens also disappeared at the hands of their authoritarian regimes. Gradually, a few answers surfaced, and even a few bodies. Finally, middle level military men were tried for the disappearance and murder of los desaparecidos. The highest military officials expected exemption from the charges and many of the ones charged claimed that their fault was minimal, if not non-existent, because after all they ‘were only following orders’. The trials dragged on and became daily headline news that riveted the eyes and ears of all Argentinians. Very few officials were imprisoned and while most were freed. Again it was the mothers who took a lead in resisting the new 1983 government’s decision to pardon the military officials responsible for the ‘Dirty War’. The new government also established a National Commission to investigate los desaparecidos, however, the military had destroyed whatever records that it created.
In the meantime, the new government, seeking to monetarily compensate the families of the desaparecidos, Lost her son offered a ‘settlement’ with conditions. Seeking to end the grief and continuous heartbreak, a portion of It would not be easy as police warned that if the white scarved, grieving mothers accepted the grieving mothers, frequently accompanied the government’s offer. Another portion resisted by other supportive family members, spoke ‘buy-outs’ and yet another portion supported while marching, then they would all be jailed. the new government’s admission and apology. Undaunted, mothers marched in the circle, Within years fewer marching mothers met on silently at 3:00 PM on Thursdays, every Thursday afternoons at the Plaza de Mayo. Thursday. Gradually, their purpose became Ultimately, the immediate pain and sympathy publicized, creating pressing questions and felt by many empathic citizens diminished as demanding real answers. The mothers became the years passed, though pain still smoldered courageous and chanted, “We want our children, in the hearts of the mothers, regardless of we want them to tell us where they are. No whether or not they accepted the government’s matter what our children think, they should not settlement or hush money. The legal wrangling be tortured. They should have charges brought continued for over 20 years regarding who before them. We should be able to see them”. was responsible and who should be brought The march of the mothers marked the first to trial. In 2003, laws protecting the guilty time that anybody spoke out against the brutal were finally repealed, forcing the matter again government and its policy of torturing and to the forefront of public awareness. A few killing of its own citizens. More mothers of more soldiers and government officials were los desaparecidos joined the weekly marches jailed. A handful of determined organizations and all of them eventually wore a white scarf, want the guilty to pay. The general consensus symbolic of a white dove of peace. Others say is that hundreds, if not thousands, of soldiers the scarf represented the diaper that babies wear, who were responsible for the deaths of 30,000 suggesting that these children were snatched Argentinians are still alive and walk among the from life too young. citizens of Argentina, escaping responsibility What had the military done with teenagers and for their heinous actions. young adults, some married with children or even expecting children of their own? Where were los desaparecidos? Who was responsible? Finally, questions emerged but answers were slow to follow. The dirty secrets of the despotic dictators and military minions were buried as were the bodies of the demonstrators who were callously killed and tortured.
White Scarves Become an Icon The white scarves became the powerful icon uniting the marching mothers while at the same time methodically galvanizing public support. Eventually, white scarves were painted around the circle where the mothers marched. More mothers marched over the years with saddened eyes, pain-etched faces and heavy hearts. These were mothers whose souls seemed stolen and whose hearts were broken. How could any parent live in peace after witnessing the senseless kidnapping of their child? How could a loving mother forget the life and love that she
January 16, 2014
And los desaparecidos? The majority of those bodies still fill untimely, unnecessary, and unknown dirt graves, scattered about Argentina. Desaparecidos’s souls remain hidden and imprisoned in dirt and mothers’ hearts remain broken. Does another global tragedy prematurely sift back into the haze of history with its share of untold secrets, lies, revisions, non-believers, and questions, the biggest being ‘Why?’ and still ‘Where?’ [See the next issue for the conclusion of this story: A lone marcher continues her vigil 30 years later and an exhibit at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes in Buenos Aires shows scarf-clad mothers of the Los Desaparecidos. In the meantime check the flowing sources: http://www.yendor.com/vanished/, http:// digitalunion.osu.edu/r2/summer06/herbert/ dirty_war/desaparecidos.html, http://www. desaparecidos.org/arg/eng.html, http://www. desaparecidosband.com/.]
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He is survived by his wife of 61 years and children: M. Terry Johnson of Arlington, VA; William Reid Johnson III and wife Janice of Round Rock, Tx; Tina Stein and husband Harold of Castroville, Tx; Rebecca Ann Vardakis ad husband Peter of Morris Plains, NJ; J. Brian Johnson and wife Cheryl of North Padre island, Corpus Christi, Tx; and Elizabeth Gay Johnson of Charolotte, NC. William was a 1954 graduate of Wake Forest University.A veteran of the Korean war and He had a long career in the pharmaceutical industry before retiring and opening his own buisiness on North Padre Island in 1989. He and his wife moved to the Bryan / College Station area in 2013.
Memorial services were held at Callaway-Jones Funeral Home on Friday, January 10, 2014 In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Judes at StJudetributes.org, Tribute: William Reid Johnson Jr.
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January 16, 2014
Island Moon
A5
Backwater Adventures Horses on the Beach
On the Rocks By Jay Gardner Well, I promised you loyal readers an update on the scoping meeting for the potential trout and flounder reduction. TPWD did a fine job of presenting the information that was given to them (Islander Perry Trial was in charge). There were the usual loud mouths in the room that disrupted the proceedings as normal, several starting their filibuster with “I’ve been fishing the Texas coast since the last time Santa Ana rode through…..” These types of folks rarely add anything substantive to the meetings, and we all have to sit there and listen to someone’s life story instead of talking about the subject matter at hand. Anyhoo, the room was mostly divided, with some folks against potential reductions because the data didn’t show that there has been a sharp decline, and actually there’s been a slight uptick of the populations. However, what no one mentioned or pointed out was that while the trout populations may be on an uptick over the past three years, they are still lower than the historical levels of the 80’s (after the gill net ban, and despite two freezes in the 80’s). In the end, I don’t think it will pass. There weren’t enough robust discussions regarding the future of trout populations with logical, preferred alternatives. In addition, I got reports from up the coast that the scoping meetings were well attended in those parts, and the issue was unanimous to leave the limit at 10. What may change is the flounder giggingprohibition season however. Despite a good three-year up-tick, and lots of good reports of increased flounder populations, TPWD is considering increasing the no-gigging ban from mid-October through the current November closure, into December. Folks were either against the further reduction, or mildly for the change. I have a feeling the TPWD Commission will take this one to the next level however.
By Joey Farah Old Man Winter continues to keep our temperatures lower than average. The water temperature at Bob Hall is currently 55 degrees, and has been hovering in the mid-to-lower 50’s for quite some time. This has resulted in the lack of fishing (mostly catching) for sure, but has also caused a fairly substantial die-off of many sessile organisms in the surf. If you’re a starfish junkie, head on out to the beach right now; there are starfish to be had by the truckfulls. The best way I’ve found to preserve them is to soak them in rubbing alcohol for a few days to “fix” them (formalin works better, and don’t
Emily with a KRS trout
Farah’s Fishing Adventures Living on the Island we expect palm trees, pastel colored buildings and flip flops. Well Padre’ Island is much more and most of us have not had the chance to experience this Island the way so many have seen it in centuries past. Just past Bob Hall Pier is place of adventure and family fun that you and your kids can find a memory to last a lifetime. Horses on The Beach is a truly one of a kind place where you can slip into the old west and a time when Padre’ Island was a cattle ranch along the Wild Horse Desert. I mounted my horse, “Capt. Morgan” and stood with the winds in my face as an approaching storm came in over the tops of the dunes. As I sat looking out from the saddle I gave it my best Lonesome Dove pose and enjoyed the grand view of nature sitting six feet off the ground. As the group eased out and we climbed into the dunes along a simple trail the valleys and hills and the beautiful vistas of our Island shown bright in the mid-day sun. The most amazing sight was when we crested the top of the dunes and we looked upon the sea. This made my heart sail back to so many travelers and explorers who found their destination after such a long and adventurous trail. Once we were on the beach we passed the occasional beach visitor and proudly rode bye as if to say, “yeh I’m on
use bleach). Then dry them slowly for a few days OUTSIDE. Starfish left in the back of a vehicle or out in the sun without proper fixative will smell BAD. A piece of hardware cloth or even a baking/cooling rack gently placed over them will help with curling as they dry. After they’re completely dry after a few days, you can try a clear spray acrylic over the top. I’ve had mixed success with the acrylic, and some have come out just perfect. Get out to the sand, beachcombing is really good right now. What has been mediocre is my fishing success this year. 2014 has started off with some intermittent catches and skunks. We tried the river the other day for white bass, and despite a glowing report from others in the know, Jamie was the only one that struck. I got skunked. Then the next day Emily was over from Tampa and we went out in the skiff to the King Ranch shoreline to drift. We proceeded to catch a few fish, although she skunked me by catching all the keepers, including losing a nice trout right at the boat (although it would have been oversized and released anyway.) Hopefully the clouds will part and I’ll get back in the game soon.
Kids over six are welcome. Photo by khloe Harmon
Who put that house in the road?
Police Calls
Tides for Corpus Christi (Bob Hall Pier) January 16-22, 2014
Day
High /Low
Tide Time
Height in Feet
Sunrise Moon Time Sunset
Moon Visible
Th F Sa Su M Tu W
16 16 17 17 18 18 19 19 19 19 20 20 20 20 21 21 21 21 22 22 22 22
Low High Low High Low High Low High Low High Low High Low High Low High Low High Low High Low High
8:49 AM 5:19 PM 9:17 AM 5:29 PM 9:44 AM 5:41 PM 12:29 AM 2:51 AM 10:10 AM 5:55 PM 12:40 AM 4:06 AM 10:36 AM 6:09 PM 12:54 AM 5:30 AM 11:05 AM 6:23 PM 1:19 AM 7:06 AM 11:34 AM 6:35 PM
-0.5 1.2 -0.4 1.1 -0.3 1.1 0.6 0.7 -0.2 1.0 0.6 0.7 0.0 1.0 0.4 0.6 0.2 0.9 0.2 0.6 0.4 0.9
7:20 AM Set 7:22 AM 5:57 PM Rise 6:41 PM 7:20 AM Set 8:00 AM 5:58 PM Rise 7:33 PM 7:20 AM Set 8:36 AM 5:59 PM Rise 8:24 PM 7:20 AM Set 9:11 AM 5:59 PM Rise 9:16 PM
99
7:20 AM Set 9:46 AM 6:00 PM Rise 10:08 PM
88
7:19 AM Set 10:20 AM 6:01 PM Rise 11:02 PM
7:19 AM Set 10:57 AM 6:02 PM Rise 11:57 PM
Arrest Warrant
On January 9, 2014 around 10:00 a.m. the Corpus Christi Police Department SWAT team served an arrest warrant on the 900 Blk of Brambling Circle. David McDonald (49) was arrested for Aggravated Assault. McDonald was transported to the city detention center. A total of 15 firearms were seized. 6 pistols, 6 rifles, 3 shotguns. At this time no further details regarding the make, model or caliber of the seized firearms will be released.
Tides of the Week
a horse, jealous?” The waves washed under the feet of Capt. Morgan and my eyes flirted with the sand as shells and starfish streamed bye. The excitement of the ride was overwhelming but at the same time there was a majestic peace and relaxation that came over everyone that shared the ride. When we came back through the dunes and saw the stables and corrals, I felt composed and relaxed. Any worries and troubles that I might have had were gone. The kids enjoyed the horse ride and had just as much fun in the FREE PETTING ZOO. The kids loved the goats, chickens, ducks, pony, and the sweet potbellied pig. They are the perfect place for birthdays for grownups or kids. Lots of room, tables, chairs, a fire pit for parties, and so much more. I could only imagine having a great time with a sunset and a great fire with friends and family, under the stars watching the magic of a good flame. When life gets a bit heavy on your back head just south of Bob Hall, even for a few minutes to get the kids out of the house. There is a Free Petting Zoo and a gateway to relaxation for all that pass through. Thanks to everyone that helped us out and made our experience so warm and exciting.
Police Blotter
The Big Shell Clean Up will be here before we know it, on the last weekend of February. Make plans to join us On the Sand to “show up, suit up, and get it done.” We’ll see you out there.
Jamie with a white bass
Coryn with a friend from the zoo
99 97 93
4200 block Bay Bean Jan. 7 One minute after midnight Credit Card Abuse A very rude awakening for an Island couple about 2:30 Monday morning when a truck came crashing through their back fence. It happened on a street off of Sea Pines near Cabo Blanco. The driver tried to flee the scene but was detained by the homeowner and arrested by police. Luckily nobody was seriously hurt.
Student arrested Thursday, January 9 1:04 p.m. 2601 Waldron Road Flour Bluff High School
81
73
Corpus Christi Police took a 14 year old boy into custody at Flour Bluff High School, 2601 Waldron Road, for arson Thursday. Corpus Christi Police responded to an arson complaint at 1:04 pm after a faculty member discovered a 14 year-old student set a backpack on fire in a restroom. The Officer took the 14 year old into custody and delivered him to the Nueces County Juvenile Detention Center.
Guns seized in The Bluff Thursday, January 9 10:00 a.m. 900 Brambling Circle Flour Bluff
14200 block Cabo Blanco 2:21 a.m. Jan. 13 Criminal mischief $1500-$20,000 15400 block Salt Cay Jan. 7 8 a.m. Criminal mischief $1500-$20,000 15300 block SPID Jan. 10 6:53 p.m. Jan. 10 Gasoline theft 14900 block Schooner Dr. Jan. 8 9 p.m. Criminal mischief $50-$500 14500 block Compass Jan. 9 Criminal mischief $50-$500 13900 block Cabana North Jan. 9 8:34 a.m. Criminal mischief $500-$1500 Flour Bluff 900 block Bramling Circle Jan. 8 Aggravated assault with deadly weapon 1200 block Baywood Jan. 7 7:26 p.m. Assault by contact 10500 block SPID Jan. 6 3:01 p.m. Aggravated assault with deadly weapon 2900 block Santana Jan. 12 8:06 a.m. Aggravated assault with deadly weapon 2600 block Waldron Road Jan. 8 12:55 p.m. Burglary of habitation
Farah's Fishin' Photos
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Jim Poole with one of those magical ten pounders this week.
A 6
Island Moon
Letters to Riley
The best I can tell cats are crazy. By Riley P. Dog
January 16, 2014
Stuff I Heard on the Island by Dale Rankin
My cats got a book for Christmas. Apparently my humans think cats can read. Cats can’t read! And even if they could they wouldn’t tell anybody. They’re cats! Stoopid Cats!
Twenty years ago this week on January 14, 1994 two things happened. First, the trial of twelve Branch Davidians who had survived the raid, standoff, and fire at their compound in Waco went on trial in federal court in San Antonio.
The book is by a human, named John Bradshaw, ands it’s called “Cat Sense.” If you ask me John Bradshaw doesn’t have much sense if he thinks cats have sense. They’re cats! Stoopid Cats!
Second, I met Corpus Christi attorney Doug Tinker. The two were related because Tinker was defending the only defendant who federal agents identified as firing at them during the federal raid on their Waco compound. His name was Brad Branch and none of the other defense lawyers thought he would ever get out of jail alive. In his career Tinker had a history of taking on the most seemingly hopeless cases like that of Yolanda Saldivar who admitted to shooting iconic local singer Selena on live television while holding a gun to her own head. Tinker kept her out of the death house and Brad Branch ended up serving less than six years in prison.
It has a study in there by a human in Japan and it confirms what we already know. Cats have selective hearing. According to this human cats can recognize their own human’s voice all the time, it's just that most of the time they just don’t care. Only 10% of the cats in this human’s study flicked their tails when their human called them. The rest just sat there…like cats! Even though they knew it was their human talking to them. He says humans try to apply human logic to cats – humans call it being anthropomorphized. I don’t know what that means but according to this book written by a human in some place called England cats are still essentially wild animals. They wandered into human encampments when humans first started to store harvested grains, which attracted mice, which brought the cats.
managed to get a press credential and set up a radio studio inside the cramped press room shared by almost one-hundred reporters and at the end of each day as we all wrote our stories we had to block out his musings as he spread his message to his fellow travelers far and wide in full voice…Commando raid…Gestapo tactics…Big Brother…Federal lies…illegal warrant. Day after day it went on until finally when the big verdict came down the man raced to his microphone to share his victory with his eager audience only to find his microphone cord had been cut clean by an unnamed reporter fed up with his sotto voiced broadcasts. Undaunted the man mounted a bench in the courtyard in front of the federal courthouse and began
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
We dogs have all been bred from our wolf ancestor for various purposes so we evolved. Cats don’t have a purpose according to this human, and their evolution has been held back because of frequent interbreeding with wild cats. Those Tom Cats are sweet talkers. This human says cats have maintained a semi-feral state by the practice of neutering – I don’t know what that is but it doesn’t sound very good. As a result the only males available for female cats to date are the wildest and least human-friendly Tomcats who have left their humans behind. According to this human 85% of all cat mating is with feral cats. That explains all that commotion in the backyard in the middle of the night. So as a result when cats interact with humans they have to rely on their natural social (or antisocial) behaviors which aren’t very developed. They purr as a signal to their cat mothers to stay still and feed them, and when they knead the carpet with their paws – my humans call it making biscuits – they are trying to get milk out of the carpet like it’s their mother cat. Stoopid Cats! You can’t get milk out of a carpet. If you could we dogs would all be fat and happy! The fact is, at least according to the human who wrote this cat book, your cat thinks you are another cat. When he rubs up against a human’s leg he is treating the human like a friendly cat. When they stick their tail straight up in the air it is the way they greet another cat. If a dog sticks his tail straight up in the air you better back up because he’s either about to let fly or he’s gonna bite and either way it’s best to back up. When a cat brings a dead animal or some other strange object into the house it’s for a
very cat reason. This human says that mice and other rodents leave scent marks behind to communicate with each other and cats sniff these out and wait downwind for the hapless prey to come back. So all the cats hang out at the same place looking to attack and when one of them kills something they take it into the house to keep the other cats from eating it.
Cats are crazy. Once they get in the house they remember that canned cat food is a lot better tasting than a dead mouse so they just leave the mouse and eat the catfood – which was there before they bothered to kill the mouse! Stoopid Cats! This human says he has been studying cats for more than 30 years. What human in their right mind would want to study cats for thirty years?! Get a real hobby buddy. Or better yet get a dog! All he has figured out is that cats haven’t evolved like us dogs – never mind the tailpiping and toilet drinking – and the fact is that cats think their humans are really just giant cats! Giant cats that walk around on two legs and don’t purr! Stoopid Cats! So the next time you think your cat understands what you are saying just remember, the cat doesn’t even care what you are saying even if he could understand you. He thinks you are a giant talking cat. At least according to this human. I’m starting to think humans might be crazy too. I’m not sure. But not as crazy as cats. Stoopid Cats!
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A few days before the trial Tinker showed up in San Antonio and one of his closest friends there was a restaurant owner who was also a friend of Doug Tinker with Yolanda Saldivar mine. She hung around with San Antonio Spur Dennis Rodman, now an international diplomat – or shouting his script to the sympathetic crowd something, and the son of a local district judge who gathered and cheered. who was a big barrel-chested fellow who liked A little rebellion is a good thing to wear high heals and women’s dresses (the I remember thinking at the time that it was a son not the judge) and sing karaoke. metaphor for everything that had brought us So Tinker, Rodman, our friend and David the to that point. The entire weight of the federal oddly attired karaoke singer, would ride around government had been thrown at a bunch of town in a white Town Car from one karaoke misguided but mostly – with a few exceptions bar to the next where they would go in while – harmless souls and when the system tried to David belted his baritone version of Somewhere shut them up they took it to the streets. While Over the Rainbow and then head back to the car. I didn’t agree with much of what they were Tinker fit right in. saying I couldn’t help but think about the words To see him making the rounds with this crowd of Thomas Jefferson who said, “a little rebellion on weekends then turn up in Federal Court on now and then is a good thing.” Monday morning is something I will never The crowd would gather behind us during live forget. When I moved to The Island years later shots and chant and shout. Most reporters got he was friends with Moon Mike and writing for mad but personally I liked it. I thought the scene the Moon and we had many laughs about it. For accurately captured the spirit of the times and, a guy in such a serious line of work Counselor after all, that is what live television is supposed Tinker had a robust sense of humor. to be about.
Judge Bullcrap
How the judge who signed the original search warrant was ever able to preside over the resulting trial in a case like that I never understood. Clearly he had a dog in that fight and, in my opinion should have recused himself. More on that later.
A salesman showed up with a small dirigible with a live camera attached to it that provided low-level aerials of the crowd below. No cameras were allowed inside the courthouse so we hired a sketch artist to draw for us but after several days of drawing the same people inside the courtroom in different ways I told her to stay outside and draw pictures of the crowd which I could have shot with the camera instead. I just found what was going on outside a much more telling tableau of the times than what was going on inside and as the action inside seemed to be more and more stacked against the defendants the action outside ratcheted up accordingly. It was later said the Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh was there but if he was I never saw him.
Constitutionalist Movement
When the going gets weird
The second thing that was unique about that trial was what happened outside the courtroom. When the trial began there was a small army of journalists there along with a few of the Davidians who were not charged. But as the trial wore on and the judge’s rulings continued to pile up against the defendants in what seemed like a scripted trial with a predetermined ending outrage built and by the time the six-week long trial was over a troop of observers had congregated, more in protest than anything else, and I watched day by day what became known as the Constitutionalist Movement was born right before my eyes.
Some of the hangers-on were in fact a bit wildeyed. But others were constitutional scholars of varying talents who debated Locke verses Burke and the breaking of the Social Compact. It was Jeffersonian.
In my more than ten years covering trials the Branch Davidian trial stands out for a couple of reasons; one, what I still consider to be a travesty of justice committed by the presiding judge Walter Smith who was reported to refer to one of the defendants from the bench during the trial as a “crazy murdering SOB” and called part of a pleading by a defense attorney by the legal term “bullcrap.”
I became well versed in the happenings at Ruby Ridge, posse comitatus, and the Turner Diaries. One of the Davidian sympathizers
And then there was me and Tinker, attending court by day, karaoke hangers-on with a crossdressing weightlifter and a quiet, sullen, wildhaired NBA player by night. When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.
Coastal Bend Travel Fair to be held in Rockport-Fulton The Texas Coastal Bend Regional Tourism Council (TCBRTC) chose Paws and Taws -Fulton Convention Center for its annual Coastal Bend Travel Fair. The Travel Fair will be held on January 30, from 10am-3pm. The TCBRTC promotes tourism in eighteen counties which include: Aransas, Bee, Brooks, Calhoun, DeWitt, Goliad, Jackson, Jim Wells, Karnes, Kleberg, Live Oak, Matagorda, McMullen, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio and Victoria counties. Their mission statement is to educate to visitors what the Coastal Bend offers. The Coastal Bend Travel Fair is free to the public and will consist of over 40 booths showcasing various tourist attractions. There will also be Special Exhibits and Door Prizes. Food and Drink will also be available. TCBRTC President, Nancy Deviney, along with Wilford Korth, President of the Mid-Coast Chapter of Master Naturalists, arranged for Free Nature and Birding Seminars presentations to be presented throughout the day. The presentations will consist of the following: “Fishing Choke Canyon”; “Birding the Coastal Bend”; “Padre Island National Seashore Turtle Recovery Program”; “Texas Alligators”; “Texas Master Naturalists – A Unique Volunteer
Organization”; “Marine Plastic Pollution-How our use of plastics is impacting the world”; and “Why San Antonio Bay is important to Texas Fish and Wildlife”. “We are excited to have the Coastal Bend Travel Fair return to Rockport-Fulton. This gives us a chance to showcase our community, while promoting the entire Coastal Bend area” says Sandy Jumper, Rockport-Fulton Chamber of Commerce- Director of Tourism and Events and newly elected Vice President of TCBRTC. “Having the representatives from other chambers and surrounding organizations work together is beneficial not only for the success of future tourism to our local communities but marketing and promoting the Coastal Bend as truly a unique package,” states Diane Probst, President/CEO of the Rockport-Fulton Chamber of Commerce. For more information the Coastal Bend Travel Fair or how to be part of the TCBRTC go to www. txcoastalbend.org or contact Nancy Deviney, TCBRTC President, at nancydeviney@yahoo. com For more information on the RockportFulton Chamber of Commerce www.rockportfulton.org.
Kids’ “Feed the Birds” Story and Craft Program at Janet F. Harte Public Library!
Janet F. Harte Public Library will offer a fun program for children ages 5 and up on Saturday, January 25, 2014 at 2:00 p.m.
361-949-1900
Meanwhile the photographer who had shot the video of the raid in Waco and had the klieg light shot off the top of his camera somehow obtained a VIP card to a local gentleman’s club and the girls became regular trial attendees mixed among the conspiratorial crowd.
“FEED THE BIRDS” Story and Craft Program will be offered at the Janet F. Harte Public
Library on Saturday, January 25, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. Kids, come have fun listening to a story and making a simple bird feeder craft. For ages 5 and up, free, and open to the public. The library is located at 2629 Waldron Rd. in Flour Bluff. For more information call 937-6579.
January 16, 2014
Island Moon
A7
Senior Moments
Island Real Estate
Help us Promote Our Island Home! By Mary Lou White 361-960-9460 marylou@baxterbrooks.com When I open my new yearly calendar, I know that the days from January to May will be packed with activity. The first major project is the Padre Island Showcase. This year we are changing to a one day event. The day of choice is: 8 February 2014, Saturday from 9-5. This will be our THIRD year to host this promotion of our Island Lifestyle. It is also one of the few venues in the Coastal Bend that is FREE to the consumer. As Island residents, we make the trek Over The Bridge often, if not TOO often. For those of us, who have driven hours or even days to get to the coast, it is a small price to pay for the pleasure of living by the water. However, if I drive OTB two or even three times per day……in town residents might drive OTB two or three times per year. This is our opportunity to promote our unique position on the planet earth. To highlight the fact that we have more to offer, than just a walk on the beach.
The Vendor Show
and subdivision. For those, not living on the Island, but might be thinking about residing here, it is a Golden Opportunity. For those, who already live on the Island, but might be thinking of changing or listing your home, it is a lucrative situation, as well. This tour covers all price ranges and all subdivisions.
Ethel Eyerly Activities By Dotson Lewis, dlewis1@stx.rr.com Special to the Island Moon Dotson’s notes: The Ethel Eyerly Senior Center is back with a full activities schedule which is shown below. Winter Texans are welcome. Also shown below are the Del Mar College Senior Education Computer classes which are available for registration.
Contact Information
Ethel Eyerly Community Center
Dale Rankin is the concept guy….and I am the worker bee. Therefore, if you have any questions or concerns, need forms or figures, or want to be involved…… volunteers are always WELCOME….just call: 361-9609460 or email: marylou@baxterbrooks.com But most importantly, mark your calendar for 8 February, 2014 and join us to celebrate our Island Lifestyle. A healthy, thriving business and residential community is an asset, to all of us. Being informed is a good thing……
Nutritious Meals Served For Persons Age 60 and Over AT 11:30 A.M. ($1.50 SUGGESTED MEAL DONATION)
_____________________________________ _________________________________
The Seashore school GYM, on Encantada will be the location, once again, for Island businesses to promote their products and services. 10X10 booths are still available and we have exhibitors that will be joining us for the third year. As an Island Resident, please stop by to see what your Island community has to offer and make contact with home improvement companies that will be displaying their products and have the time to explain their area of expertise. Personally, I always prefer an initial face to face conversation over a phone or email contact anyday. As we all know, your Island home is under constant attack by the elements and this is the perfect venue to find out the latest technology to keep your property value in top condition. AND you don’t have to use your auto fuel to drive OTB! For those visitors, not living on the Island, it is a chance to discover a reason for returning. Something unique that will draw you back to linger, in the future.
Padre Island Real Estate Ticker
Lots and Land For Sale From $31,000 to $1,200,000
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Residences For Sale From $89,900 to $1,495,000
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Commercial Properties For Sale From $150,000 to $12,000,000
3
Multi Family Units For Sale From $329,900 to $1,100,000
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Total Active Listings on Padre Island
Mustang Island Real Estate Ticker
The Home Tour Island Realtors showcase their listings on the Island. In the past, over 30 homes have been open for viewing. To view that many homes, through the normal appointment process, would take days, if not weeks. Each home on the tour, will display a special “Showcase Home” sign. Maps will be available, at the Vendor Show. Island subdivisions are totally unique. Each street contains homes built in different decades and that vary widely in square footage. It reflects the slow pace of Island development, in the past. However, this year will emphasize the new construction that permeates every street
164
178
Lots and Land For Sale From $40,800 to $5,650,000
198
Residences For Sale From $75,000 to $2,400,000
15
Commercial Properties For Sale From $125,000 to $3,000,000
2
Multi Family Units For Sale For $550,000 and $635,000
393
Total Active Listings on Mustang Island
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There’s No Time Like Now to Plan Your Future
MONDAY Silver Haired Fitness 10-11 AM ($8/mo-Ladies Only) Computer Interest Group 12:30-2 PM Wii Bowling 12:30 PM TUESDAY Zumba Gold (Co-Ed) 10:30-11:30 AM ($20/mo. or $4/session) Table Tennis & Table Games-12 PM WEDNESDAY Silver Haired Fitness 10-11 AM ($8/mo-Ladies Only) AARP Chapter 4181 Meeting @ 1 PM (2nd & 4th Wednesdays) THURSDAY Zumba Gold (Co-Ed) 10:30 AM ($20/mo, or $4/session) Wii Bowling & Chair Volleyball - 12:304:45 PM Quilting 2nd Thursday of the Month FRIDAY Silver Haired Fitness 10-11 AM ($8 mo – Ladies Only) Table Tennis – 11 AM Bingo -12:30 PM ($.50 Cards) Activities are subject to change upon supervisor’s approval. The City of Corpus promotes participation regardless of color, national origin, sex, disability or political belief. Reasonable accommodations are provided upon request with the American with Disabilities Act. For assistance or to request a reasonable accommodation, please call 361-826-3461 at least 48 hours in advance. Upon request, this information can be available in large print and/ or computer disk.
Del Mar College Senior Education Computer Classes All seniors (50 and above “we don’t ID”) are encouraged to attend these class offered by Del Mar College Continuing Education Department. Classes are taught by volunteers and the tuition for each class is only $5 (that’s 23.8 cents an hour for a 21 hour class). The class rooms are state of the art, each registered student is assigned a computer for “hands on” learning. Volunteer “Floor Instructors” are available to insure that you do not get lost. We start with the basics, and as you can see offer more advanced classes.
Neal Nelson, AAMS®
If you would like to register for a class by phone, please call 361-698-1328. Or you
Financial Advisor
can register in person at the DMC Center for Economic Development (South Campus) 3209 South Staples. If you would like further information and/ or volunteer to be an instructor, please call/ Email Dotson. Phone: 361-949-7681 Email: dlewis1@stx.rr.com
DMC Spring 2014 Senior Education Classes (That are still open for registration) Windows 7 Monday-Wednesday- Friday 8:30-11:30 AM-January 29, 31; February 3, 5, 7, 10, 12 (21 hours) Introduction to the Internet 8:30-11:30 AM-February 14, 17, 19, 21, 24, 26, 28 (21 hours) Introduction to Microsoft Excel 8:30-11:30 AM-March 3, 5, 10, 12, 17, 19, 24 (21 Hours) Seminars 6 hours each; Tuition for each seminar: $5 Tablets (Galaxy & etc.)-Smart Phones (Windows 8 etc.) 8:30-11:30 AM-Tuesday & Thursday; January 21 & 23 (6 hours) Social Networking (Instant Messaging, Face Book, Texting, Tweeting etc.) 8:3011:30 AM-Tuesday & Thursday; January 28 & 30 (6 hours)
Senior Moments Computer Interest Group Weekly Meetings You are invited to attend the weekly meeting of the Senior Moments Computer Interest Group 12:30-2:00 PM, every Monday. The meetings are held at the Ethel Eyerly Senior Center, 654 Graham Road (Flour Bluff) Phone: 361-9373218 We discuss current computer topics of interest and during every meeting we have a question/ answer session. Some of the topics we discuss are: Websites of Interest, Latest Technology (tablets, laptops, desktops), Back to the Basics (Windows 7 Help & Support, Windows 8 Help & Support), Security Concerns, Computer Education (Tutorials, You Tube). If you would like to discuss a topic or have a topic discussed or suggest a guest speaker, please contact Jack Young : Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. or Dotson Lewis dlewis1@ stx.rr.com Please bring your flash drive if you want copies of discussion items, power points & videos. We have 5 computers for your use and we have access to the Internet by a Wi-Fi hotspot. Bring your laptop/tablet and access the internet. Please call/Email your friends and invite them join us for a fun-filled & informative hour and a half. Dotson’s Note: These meetings are free we have plenty of room. All are welcome.
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14646 Compass Street Suite 4 Corpus Christi, TX 78418 361-949-9500 www.edwardjones.com
Value continued from A1 compile property tax and other numbers for private clients.
Member SIPC
That num ber is evenly divided between the two ends of The Island with $1.2 billion of total taxable property value in Port Aransas and $1.2 billion on North Padre Island. Early valuations for the City of Port Aransas place the value of taxable property in its city limits for 2014 at $1.4 billion, and budget estimates for North Padre also place the taxable value of property there at $1.4 billion, however, neither of those figures can be confirmed until final numbers are in from the Nueces County Appraisal This is the temporary clubhouse at Schlitterbahn. District. So for the purposes of this story we will use numbers from the The 9 hole course is open as is the driving range and putting green. 2012-2013 fiscal year. None of the figures here include the value of stateCity of Corpus Christi for that period was much owned land. higher at .570557 cents per $100.
Follow the money To be exact, according to those numbers for that fiscal year property on North Padre is worth a total of $1,205,548,871 with $983,553,301 worth of property on the west side of SPID and $221,995,570 on the east side.
W illiam a. T hau iii, P.C. “F ormer U.S. N avy L awyer ”
l Divorce and Separation l Child Custody and Support l Adoption/Guardianship l Paternity Cases l Wills and Probate
l Auto Accidents l Personal Injury l DWI l Criminal Justice l Military Law
ConvenienT Flour BluFF loCaTion 9708 S.P.I.D., Suite A-101 s C orPus C hrisTi (361) 937-5513 s T oll F ree 1-877-888-1369 Licensed by the Supreme Court of Texas Former President of the Corpus Christi Family Law Association (1999-2000) Selected as a Texas “Super Lawyer” in November 2003, October 2004 and October 2005 Issues of Texas Monthly
It is also not possible to determine how much property tax Islanders actually pay because the aggregate amount of exemptions – for homestead, over 65 years-of age, etc.- are not compiled by the district for Island property alone. However, based on the tax rates from the tax entities that collect property taxes on North Padre Island for the fiscal year 20122013 the bill for Island property owners inside the Corpus Christi City Limits (rounded and not including payments for bonds) in descending order breaks down as follows: Flour Bluff ISD $13 million City of Corpus Christi $6.9 million Nueces County Taxes $4.2 million Del Mar College District $3.2 million Nueces County Hospital District $958,000 Emergency Service District $315,000 Farm to Market Road Fund $51,000 In Port Aransas property owners (again without deductions or bonds) would have paid $4,230,801 in city taxes and 13,086,834 in Port Aransas Independent School District taxes based on appraised values.
Port Aransas tax rate less than half of Corpus Christi The city tax rate in Port Aransas, for fiscal year-2012-2013 was .350944 cents per $100 of valuation on property, while the rate for the
As a result of a 10% tax increase approved by the Corpus Christi City Council for the current fiscal year that rate increased to .585264 cents per $100 of valuation (adjusted for rising appraised values) meaning it is more than twice that of Port Aransas which also increased by 5% but will still be lower at.252004 cents per $100 of value. Stated another way Island homeowners in Corpus Christi City Limits are paying more than twice the property tax on a home of similar value located in Port Aransas.
Countywide According to the Nueces County Appraisal District figures for fiscal year 2012-2013 there was about $27 billion in taxable property in Nueces County with about $16 billion of that in the Corpus Christi City Limits. According to the 2014 budget for the City of Port Aransas the tax value of land in that city increased by 15% to $1.4 billion in 2013 from $1.2 billion in 2012, however those figures have yet to be confirmed by the appraisal district. Also according to the Nueces County Appraisal District numbers for year 2012-2013 the median sales price of a home sold in the 847 square miles of Nueces County was $169,900, an increase of 7.1% from 2011-2012 prices, and monthly real estate inventory declined to around 6.2.months. The report also says Nueces County has 170,000 pieces of property consisting of 3,536 industrial and utility properties and 9,213 mineral properties. The values remained static countywide for real properties and increases were seen in industrial properties for that year, and over the five year period ending last year, overall values increased by 20% primarily due to increased value of industrial properties and new construction.
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Winter Beach Cleanup February 8
Island Moon
Five Coastal Bend beaches targeted for trash pickup Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson is calling on volunteers for the 10th Annual Winter Beach Cleanup Saturday, Feb. 8 at five Coastal Bend beaches. The cleanup will take place from 9 a.m. to noon. The locations participating in the Winter Beach Cleanup are: • Padre Island National Seashore, at the Malaquite Visitor Center, 20420 Park Road 22. Contact Buzz Botts at 361-949-8068 or via e-mail at buzz.botts@texasadoptabeach.org. • Port Aransas. Check-in is at Avenue G at the beach. Contact Deno Fabrie at 361-749-0256 or via e-mail at deno.fabrie@texasadoptabeach. org • Aransas Pass/Redfish Bay. Check-in is at Lighthouse Lakes Park, four miles east of Aransas Pass on Highway 361. Contact Richard Gonzales at 361-779-7351 or via e-mail at richard.gonzales@texasadoptabeach.org. • North Corpus Christi Beach. Check-in is at the Texas State Aquarium, 2710 N. Shoreline Blvd. Contact Rosanna Gossett at 361-8811203 or via e-mail at rosanna.gossett@ texasadoptabeach.org.
• Kid’s Place at Cole Park. Check-in is at 1526 Ocean Drive, contact Angela Gonzalez at 361826-3673 or via e-mail at angela.gonzalez@ texasadoptabeach.org. The Winter Beach Cleanup is one of three all-volunteer seasonal cleanups coordinated through the Adopt-A-Beach program of the Texas General Land Office. Most trash found on Texas beaches is left there by litterbugs. Since 1986, Adopt-A-Beach volunteers have picked up enough trash to fill a line of dump trucks 90 miles long, making it one of the most successful volunteer programs in the nation. Volunteers record data on the trash to learn more about the causes of marine debris and to help mitigate pollution along Texas’ 367 miles of coastline. The Texas General Land Office’s AdoptA-Beach program is funded primarily by private contributions. To help out, or for more information, call the Adopt-A-Beach program at 1-877-TXCOAST or visit our Web site at www.texasadoptabeach.org.
Message in a Bottle continued from A1 thousands of miles, she began stopping to talk to the people on the side of the road, the poor, the homeless, the hungry. Most were veterans. She talked to minimum wage workers, oilfield workers and jobless Americans—people who were struggling to stay alive. On October 1, 2013, when the elected officials in Washington, D.C. shut down the nation’s monuments, parks, museums and Amber Alerts, she had an epiphany. After listening to so many people’s stories of despair, hopelessness and desperation, she decided to begin collecting their hopes, dreams, wishes and prayers in a notebook. She thought she would gather a dozen messages for an SOS bottle. Four months later, there were more than one hundred messages from people all over the world. The United States, Mexico, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Senegal, Thailand, Germany and Columbia, most written in their own languages. “I realized that it was time to show the world our true faces—our true colors, our stars and stripes,” she said. “To take back our country from the people in power whose decisions have made our hearts hungry for peace and freedom, and made the people of the world see us as ugly Americans. Nobody’s dream was to continue to fight each other in wars that tear us apart. These messages are the songs in the hearts of the world’s people. Their desire for peace and goodwill to all.”
Among the messages: “Why do we do these things…like casting messages in a bottle, writing in airplane exhaust systems in the sky, holding banners up at football games for millions of viewers to see? It is because we want to feel the connection among us, the invisible thread stitching the quilt of the world’s people together….And now you have this bottle, dear one – proof that you are
not alone, nor will you ever be. Please share the contents of the bottle with everyone you know. YOU are the messenger now!” Minnesota “Love, Light and Happiness!” Thailand. “My wish is that every soul finds the greatest love inside for each other…We are ONE…We all have the birthright to eat and sleep warm.” Mexico “Everyone will find their peace and happiness.” Sri Lanka “Be the change you want to see!” “It started out so simply,” Aston said. “to put our messages in a bottle—but last Saturday became the third happiest day of my life. The birth of my children are the first two.” Friends aboard the trawler, Los Ninos, stuffed all the letters into the bottle, decorated with nail polish paintings of flowers, hearts, rainbows and stars. With purple and red LED lights tucked among the messages, the bottle floated toward its destination. “As we took turns reading the messages from all points of the globe, and placing them into the bottle, there wasn’t a dry eye in the bunch – truly a moving experience,” said Jim Johnson. “I’m eternally grateful to the crew of Los Ninos: Captain Scott Russ, Sheri Henneberger, Jim Johnson, Richard Dunn, Darcy Trett, Suzanne Piette and the dear photographer, Donald Hatch,” Aston said. “We cast that bottle with all our hearts. Save Our Souls! What happens in the world now is up to us—all the overlooked and unsung people with so much power.” Aston’s next dream and project, with the help of friends, is to build a huge wooden ark in Port Aransas, a museum for veterans. Ark for Veterans coming soon!
STATE
January 16, 2014
New Year Brings New Laws Part III By Todd Hunter, District 32 On January 1, 2014, new laws that were passed during the 83rd Regular Legislative Session went in to effect for the first time. These new laws range from bills addressing residential lease agreements to the training of employees at the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. Each of the bills that took effect on January 1 went through a 140 day legislative session. During that 140 day period, these bills went before House and Senate Committees before going before the Texas House and Senate as a whole and then going to the Governor’s office. The laws mentioned below represent some of those pieces of legislation that passed and went into effect on January 1: • SB 60 according to its Bill Analysis amended current law by authorizing the placement of a security freeze on the consumer file or other record created or maintained by a consumer reporting agency regarding a person that is under the age of 16 years old. Currently, credit consumers may place freezes on their credit file to prevent identity thieves from opening lines of credit in their name. Because of the fact that most children do not have an established credit file, they are particularly susceptible to tarnished credit histories in the event that their identity is stolen. • SB 771 amended current law to require Child Protective Services supervisors at the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services to complete training prior to assuming the role in a supervisory position. Prior to this bill, a supervisor had up to 60 days after starting in his or her new role to complete their training. According to a previous Senate committee on Health and Human Services interim report, they were able to identify some possible changes in protocol that they found could end up helping reduce the turnover experienced by the agency. • SB 945 amended current law to try and help patients in hospitals understand the level
of training of those that are providing direct patient care. Specifically, this bill requires that a health care provider in a hospital wear a photo identification badge that clearly states the name of the provider, what department they work in, and their title. In addition to that, the badge must also include the state of provider’s status as a student, intern, trainee, or resident. • SB 1120 amended current law which pertains to a residential tenant's lease obligation following the loss of the leased premises as a result of a natural disaster. Generally, after a natural disaster, an apartment or property management company will often relocate a resident to another unit if the unit the tenant is renting is uninhabitable. This bill prohibits an apartment or property management company from requiring a displaced resident to sign a new lease with a term for longer than the existing lease term before relocating them to a habitable unit. It is important to learn and know about the new laws that were passed by the 83rd Texas Legislature. If you would like to view any of the other legislation that was passed during the 83rd Regular Session, these websites are great resources: • The Texas Legislature at www.capitol.state. tx.us . • The Texas House of Representatives at www. house.state.tx.us . • The Texas Senate at www.senate.state.tx.us . If you have questions regarding any of the information mentioned in this article, please do not hesitate to call my Capitol or District Office. As always, my offices are available at any time to assist with questions, concerns or comments (Capitol Office, 512-463-0672; District Office, 361-949-4603). Rep. Hunter represents Nueces County (Part). He can be contacted at todd.hunter@house. state.tx.us or at 512-463-0672.
House Passes U.S. Congressman Blake Farenthold’s OPM IG Act Bill provides oversight to $2 billion OPM revolving fund WASHINGTON— The U.S. House of Representatives this week passed a measure to provide oversight of the $2 billion Office of Personnel Management (OPM) revolving fund that federal agencies pay into for Human Resources services, including federal background checks. H.R. 2860, the OPM IG Act, passed unanimously, and was written by Congressman Blake Farenthold (R-TX), and co-sponsored by Congressman Stephen Lynch (D-VA). Farenthold and Lynch are Chairman and Ranking Member, respectively, of the House Oversight and Government Reform Federal Workforce Subcommittee. “For many years, there have been increased referrals of alleged fraud within the revolving fund operations, including in the background investigations used to determine an individuals’ eligibility for a security clearance,” said Congressman Farenthold. “That’s a big problem with serious national security implications. Weak federal background checks have led to events like the Navy Yard shooting and the leaking of sensitive information by Edward Snowden.” Investigations have revealed a number of cases involving the falsification of background
investigations, including reporting of investigations that never occurred, recording answers to questions that were never asked, and documents recording checks that were never conducted. In June, OPM Inspector General (IG) Patrick McFarland testified before the Federal Workforce subcommittee, stating OPM’s revolving fund programs “have been operating in the shadows for far too long,” adding that “sunshine is the best disinfectant.” “My bill will allow the OPM IG to use a portion the monies they already have to pay for related audit and investigative work,” continued Congressman Farenthold. “It will root out fraud within the background check systems, and increase the transparency and accountability of the federal government.” The OPM revolving fund has not been audited since the 1990’s, despite internal requests for audits and investigations into alleged failure by senior officials to comply with federal contracting rules and reports of preferential treatment toward certain vendors. H.R. 2860 specifically requires the OPM to budget up to .33% for internal investigations and requires audits of this fund by the OPM’s Inspector General.
Great Seafood and Burgers Libations Amusements 18 Holes of Minature Golf
All-You-Can-Eat Fried Shrimp Wednesdays 13.95 Prime Rib Thursdays $15.95 Open 11 am - 2 am
One Bite & You’re Hooked Kitchen Closes @ 1 am
2034 State Highway 361
361 749- Taco (8226)
6th Annual Surf-‐N-‐Turf Race Half-‐Marathon, 10K/5K Run & 5K Walk
Presented by Padre Island Baptist Church to benefit PIBC Missions Programs
DATE: Saturday, January 25, 2014
START TIME: 7:00 AM Half Marathon Start 8:00 AM 10K and 5K Start
PLACE: Briscoe King Pavilion at Padre Balli Park on Padre Island. Take S Padre Island Drive to Padre nd Island. Continue past 2 stop lights, @ 2 flashing yellow light, turn left into Padre Balli Park entrance. DISTANCE: Half Marathon run, 10K and 5K run, 5K walk. COURSE: Both road and beach, mostly beach. Course maps will be available online at www.theislandchurch.com follow the Surf N Turf link, also at packet pickup and on race day. PACKET PICKUP: ¥ Friday, Jan. 24, Padre Island Baptist Church, 14253 S. Padre Island Dr., noon to 7 pm (preferred) ¥ Race day at Briscoe Pavilion 6:30 am Ð 7:30 am. RACE DAY CHECK IN and SIGN UPS: 6:30 am Ð 7:30 am at Briscoe Pavilion POST RACE FUN!!!! Free pancake breakfast and post race refreshments for racers (bib required), door prizes, music and awards for top winners in each age category. T-SHIRTS guaranteed only to racers registered prior to January 11th REGISTRATION FEES; ❒ $20 under 18 if postmarked by January 10 ❒ $25 per person if postmarked by January 10 ❒ $30 for 10K/5K after January 10 or race day ❒ add $15 for half-marathon **Discounts for groups of 10+, contact race director at pibcrunners@gmail.com Register online at: www.rrptiming.com (additional fees apply)
January 16, 2014
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26th Annual Port Aransas Tour of Homes
Celebrating our fiftieth year, The Port Aransas Garden Club will host its 26th annual Port Aransas Tour of Homes on Mustang Island Saturday January 25, 2014. The tour originates from the Port Aransas Community Center at 408 N. Alister Street Port Aransas, TX. 78373. This year’s “a glimpse of Island Life” tour features nine homes showcasing older homes, the new and modern, condos and remodeled residences and beachfront living. Five homes will be on the bus tour and all nine will be on the self-guided tour. With the bus tour ticket you also have the option to continue with the self-guided tour in the afternoon. Morning bus tours will be available for $25.00 per/person at 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM. Self-guided tours will be between 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM. A featured home in Cinnamon Shores The self-guided ticket is $20.00 p/p and tour maps will be provided at the Community Center. Bus tours and selfTickets, refreshments, Raffle and Silent Auction guided tickets can be purchased at Mustang items will be available at the Community Center Island Art Gallery 2222 Hwy 361, Gratitude 316 during tour hours starting at 8:30 AM. N. Station Street and through our website www. Port Aransas Garden Club formed in 1964 portaransasgardenclub.org after Thanksgiving to encourage interest in beautification of the and on tour day at the Port Aransas Community city. Proceeds from Club activities are used Center. Bus tour tickets are limited to 90 per for landscaping, various civic projects and each tour, self-guided are unlimited. For scholarships for Port Aransas High School ticket information call Cherie Hoffman at seniors. 361-876-4375 or email portagardenclub@ PAGC is a 501©3 non-profit organization. hotmail.com. Follow us at our website www. portaransasgardenclub.org, our Facebook page All contributions are tax deductible. PAGC Port Aransas Home Tour and at our blog http:// is a member of the Port Aransas Chamber of portaransasgardenclubhometour.blogspot.com/. Commerce, KPAB, and the Corpus Christi For all other information, contact chairperson Garden Council. Virginia Moser at 361-834-4130.
Texas Sea Life Center
The Texas Sealife Center had a volunteers’ day last weekend to help get things ready for a busy year. The center has already had a steady stream of cold stunned turtles along with various birds and reptiles.
Close Call
A very close call for an Island couple after a car came crashing through their back fence Monday morning at about twothirty. It happened just off of Sea Pines road. Awakened by the crash the couple ran out to find two men sitting inside of a totaled pick up truck and their fence obliterated. The driver fled on foot but the homeowner gave chase and subdued him until police arrived. The driver was arrested on suspicion of DUI. The passenger was picked up by a relative. Fortunately, no one was hurt.
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Island Moon
January 16, 2014