Island moon 4 17 2014section a

Sandfest 2014

Inside the Moon...

Fish Stories A4

Progress at Schlitterbahn A7

Following Columbus A6

The

Island Moon Weekly

FREE

Sandfest A11

Free

Photo by Tim Burdick

April 17, 2014

The only Island in Texas with more renegade pigs than deep sea charters.

Around The Island

By Dale Rankin editor@islandmoon.com We’ve hit the sweet spot of the Island season and now it’s time to get out the white pants and seersucker jacket for the big post-Easter season.

Fishing is picking up, most of the tourists and Spring Texans have gone OTB, and the Chamber of Commerce weather arrived with the first day of Passover; lent is almost over, Cinco de Mayo will be here before we know it, and life is good on our sandbar so get out there and enjoy it.

An end to sandburs in our time One of the few drawbacks to being an Island kid is that if you want to play baseball or soccer, or any sport that involves grass, you have two choices; you can play in the street or go OTB. The reason is the ubiquitous and evil sandbur.

Many, if not most, Island yards are gravel or cement and if there is grass, it most likely has sandburs, so Island kids have to play in the street. It’s just a fact of Island life that we all take for granted. But one of the great things about The Island is that no matter what subject you pick the chances are that some Islander is an expert at it and horticulture is no exception.

Islander David Dunseth, whose story appears on this page, has hit on an idea that, if put into effect can change all that. If implemented it can be the End of the Sandbur In Our Time, at least in our parks.

We have all become so used to seeing no people in our Island public parks that we don’t even think about it anymore. Even our dogs cast a wary eye on them because they know if they go out there they won’t get but a few steps without picking up a ready supply of burs. It’s just how it has always been.

The solution is a combination of two things; water and grass. We know it can be done because the fairways at the golf course are sticker free and that’s how they do it; grass and lots of water. Over the years our city has pretty much given up on our parks because the cost of water and the systems to deliver it to park grass are budget busters. But right now there is $500,000 available to improve Billish Park and that combined with David’s idea can be a real game changer. We have a chance to impact the Island lifestyle with little more than smart design.

Sounds like crazy talk This may sound crazy but within a short time we could actually be using our parks. David’s idea is brilliant in its simplicity. Water is the problem, or more specifically, lack of water.

But over the years David has been hand-drilling wells all over The Island and what he has found is that six feet below the surface of our parks is a free and ready supply of fresh water. When the new canals were dug at the Schlitterbahn site last year one of the problems they encountered was that they immediately filled up with water; fresh water that seeped in at the rate of nine inches per day. So why not dig a storage reservoir in the park and pump water from it to help the grass crowd out the stickers? Not only does the pond solve the water problem – free water on site! – it also provides the fill sand to build a berm on the southeast side of the park to keep the prevailing wind from blowing a new sticker crop in from off site.

To their credit, as soon as city planners heard this idea they acted. The high water table is unique to The Island so it wasn’t on the park department’s radar, but when they heard about it they showed up the next day and David took them on a tour of all the parks on The Island and the idea of using ponds to crowd out the sandburs immediately took hold.

We have the water, we have the idea, all we need is the momentum to get it done. Just think about it, a baseball/softball field where we can have an Island league, a soccer field which kids can actually use, parks that people and pets can actually go to.

It may sound like a pipe dream folks, but it can become a reality. It begins with the simple act of digging a hole and letting it fill up with water.

A simple solution to a chronic problem. David has provided the solution, now it's up to the rest of us to get it done. Let’s get busy.

Next Publication Date: 4/24/2014 Facebook: The Island Moon Newspaper

A Pond in Billish Park The Island sets on a layer of fresh water six feet below the surface

Year 17, Issue 522

Seventy-Five Percent of Fire Hydrants on The Island Need Repair

Editor’s note: Islander Dr. David Dunseth has a PhD in Aquatic Management and Science and has managed aquatic projects in The United States and abroad. He spoke at a public hearing held by the city last week to gather ideas for planned improvements at Billish Park. His idea to include a pond in the plans met with approval from Islanders and city planners.

By David Dunseth On April 8 at the Seashore Learning Center a public meeting was held to present the current plan for improvements to Billish Park and to get input from Island residents on features they would like to have included in the development which voters have already approved $500,000 in bonds.

Billish Park continued on A5

IUPAC to Provide a Meet and Greet

By Colleen McIntyre City Council District 4 The City’s ISO rating helps to determine how much we will pay for our fire insurance.

Currently, we are rated a 2 - better than 99% of the nation’s cities. In our last evaluation, the only ding we received was for hydrant maintenance.

Last September, while putting out a blaze in the mini-storage unit south of Encantada, Corpus Christi firefighters had a hydrant fail, create a sink hole, and cause a truck to sink into the

roadway. When this happened, we all began looking at our hydrants a little more closely.... some of us a lot more closely!

Prior to these two events, the firefighters would test hydrants and the water department would repair and/or replace any hydrants that were not functioning satisfactorily. The process did not require checking for corrosion. To be fair, most communities in our nation do not deal with the corrosion we face every day, so the

Hydrants continued on A5

Precinct 4 Country Texas Wildflowers 2014 Commissioner Candidates Radiant Displays Throughout and Others Line Up to Meet Islanders

the State

By Brent Rourk As we head towards another election on May 27th the IUPAC will provide a meet and greet opportunity so that islanders can meet the candidates. This informal meeting will be held at Mikel Mays on Wednesday, April 30th from 6 to 8 pm.

Come on out and meet the two candidates for the County Commissioners Precinct 4 runoff election, Brent Chesney and Joe McComb, who will be available for a meet and greet. Also in attendance will be City Council members, Mayor, State Representative, Todd Hunter and many more of our Local and State Elected Officials who will be running for Office or reelection in November.

IUPAC is a non-partisan island organization committed to providing election information for islanders. They have provided several meet and greet opportunities as well as question and answer sessions with candidates. IUPAC is also committed to encouraging islanders to vote and represent the island in city elections.

28th Spring AdoptA-Beach Clean-Up Approaching Need Volunteers to Help Clean Beaches

By Brent Rourk As beaches come and go our local beaches are fairly clean, however, the currents still deposit all types of refuse on a daily basis and beach users are not always considerate about picking up all of their trash. Responding to the need to maintain the Gulf Coast beaches the 28th spring Texas General Land Office Adopt-A-Beach clean-up will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 26th.

In the fall over 11,000 dedicated volunteers gathered at 31 different Coastal Bend sites to begin a day of beach clean-up efforts that helped remove 207 TONS of trash from Texas beaches. Keeping our beaches clean means not only keeping them attractive, but also keeping

Cleanup continued on A3

By Brent Rourk Planning a day trip to photograph Texas Wildflowers is not without its challenges, especially if you aren’t sure exactly where to go.

Maps, cameras, lenses, snacks and meals, water, gas and bathroom stops, weather, clothing, and the unexpected all play a role in making the

trip go smoother or not. Fortunately, reliable information about where wildflowers are at their peak is more forthcoming these days and with keen research, a wildflower aficionado or photographer can plan a successful and colorful one day wildflower road trip.

Flowers continued on A9

A little Island History

Announcing Their Presence with a Prarie Fire

Editor’s note: This is part three of a story first printed in Texas Game and Fish Magazine in 1945. It chronicles he journey of two men commissioned by the state of Texas in 1928 to explore the land bridge which bifurcated the Laguna Madre between North and South Padre Islands. The idea was to dig the Land Cut, which was eventually done, to allow the through flow of water and vessels.

However, these men set out on their journey with a map which showed the land bridge was only five miles long when it fact it was twenty miles long and ten miles wide. They took only enough food and water for what they though would be a one-say journey.

In our last installment their guides had left them alone and the men, a Mr. Tucker and the writer, now were two days wandering and out of food and water and had split up and were near death in the dry South Texas land until a ranch hand from the Kenedy Ranch came to their rescue.

By J.G. Burr It is said that some parts of Texas are so dry that hogs had to be soaked to make them hold slop. That was what I needed but I took

only a few swallows at first. It was the best water I ever drank, so it seemed. Then a paper was handed me signed by Mr. Tucker stating that I was somewhere in the Laguna area and to find me if possible. Then I knew that Tucker had found a ranch house. The cow hand slid

History continued on A6

A 2

Island Moon

April

17,

2014

The Travelling Moon Gets Around

Traveling Moon Visits the British Isles

This photo of the Island Moon was recently taken in Cozumel with Cindy Nelms and Carolyn Mitchell. We almost did not get to go as the Cruise Ship was delayed in leaving the port due to the oil spill. Although we missed Honduras and Belize, the Island Moon had a free ride making it through the Gulf of Mexico and on to Mexico!

No Sign of Loch Ness Monster

Restaurant

& Wine Bar

-SUNDAY BUBBLY BUBBLY ALL HALF PRICE!

Including: Mimosas, Champagne Cocktails and House Specialty Champagne Martinis

-SUNDAY BRUNCH11:00 - 3:00 PM -MONDAYALL WINES 1/2 PRICE by the glass or by the bottle

$6

Wine Flights Every Day

Yes, the Island Moon is on the move again.

This time Dave & Sharon Kitchie (North Padre Island - Winter Texans Jan & Feb 2014) are shown while traveling “across the Pond” in March of this year. They traded an island (North Padre for the north portion of the British Isle) and bodies of water (Gulf of Mexico and the Laguna Madre for the Irish Sea and the North Sea) to see England and Scotland while visiting their son Dan. Here Sharon and Dave are shown in front of the restored and much photographed Eilean Donan Castle in Dornie Scotland adjacent to the Isle of Skye.

for their efforts in all they do. Also, want to say hello to the group, headed by Pastor Tom Dietzel of the ELCA, that assembled weekly at the German Bakery.

Observations

For my compadres at the Padre Island National Seashore – please excuse my failed attempts.

As the weather warms and beach season gets underway, there are countless sightings of Portuguese Men of War, Cabbage Head Jellyfish and other creatures along the beaches of Padre Island. While visiting the shores of a lake near Fort Augustus Scotland, I was hoping to be able to report to you a successful sighting…..

But alas, my efforts came to naught. For after several walks and drives over a two day period along Lake Ness (Loch Ness) I was unable to even catch a glimpse of “Nessie - the Loch Ness Monster”. Wishing you all an eventful year and looking forward to seeing you again in the Spring of 2015.

Traveling around a portion of England and Scotland we had the opportunity to see many things, but one item that impressed me most was the number of local bakeries. The variety of pastries and breads available at local establishments in both large and small communities was amazing. Here in our small city of Fulton NY, such an establishment used to exist, but no longer. Those residing on North Padre Island should be appreciative that you have a local European style bakery, the German Bakery, readily available. I appreciated the owners and the staff of the German Bakery

Continue to receive (and heartily enjoy) updates on the exploits and the ever increasing fame of Padre Island’s own ukulele group.

Thank you Joe for all you do.

Just a thought, in this age of “political correctness – it’s all about diversity, have you ever thought to add an accordion and/or bagpipe section to augment your ukulele string section?

361-749-2212

3500 Island Moorings Parkway at The Island Moorings Yacht Club & Marina in Port Aransas

www.labaratariarestaurantwinebar.com

-THURSDAYMARTINI MADNESS! $6 executive martinis

HOURS

Monday, Thursday, Friday 4 pm - 10 pm Saturday Noon - 10 pm Sunday 11 am - 10 pm Closed Tuesday & Wednesday

Jerry and Debbie Bravenec and Berry and Pat Langford with the Island Moon in Los Suenos, Costa Rica.

RAY HERRERA DIRECTOR Marketing Operations Public Relations

Www.padrevet.com

361-949-8200

CHRISTI KRESSER VETERINARIAN

14802 Compass Dr. Corpus Christi, TX 78418

VOTED BEST Veterinarian 2006-2013

**Military & Loyal Clients - 20% OFF Grooming/Boarding

*SAVE

up to $75.00 On 1 Year Supply

Ronnie and Cindy Ward from Port Aransas, TX vacationing in Dubai, UAE pose with The Moon in front of the Burj Al Arab.

$50.00 REBATE $25.00 Discount per Dr. Kresser

Experts Claim Flea, Tick, Mosquito Infestations Will Hit Record Numbers In 2014

Give Your Pets The Protection They Deserve!

Trifexis - Cheristin - NexGard Dr. Kresser Recommended Manufacture Guaranteed

*($50 REBATES) Only 10 of 25 rebates left in APRIL **Must Present Coupon At Drop Off

The Island Moon made it to the island of Nuka Hiva, part of the Marquesas with Bill and Susan Weaver

April 17, 2014

Moon Monkeys Mike Ellis, Founder

Island Moon

By Jennifer Wither

Here is a handy DESIGN TIP to keep in mind when choosing colors for your next project.

The human eye can interpret over 10 million different colors. However, in good design; the eye can only handle seeing 5 things…. AT ONE TIME. In this particular home, the eye was so busy processing all the different paint colors, flooring, draperies and furnishings…. that it became overwhelmed with variety. The mind’s eye had no place to rest, no place to find “Ahhhh” , because it was too busy, desperately trying to

Pete Alsop Island Delivery Coldwell Banker Advertising Jan Park Rankin Classifieds Arlene Ritley Design/Layout

UNITY + VARIETY= HARMONY Kern and I decided to paint her entire house a Kilem Biege, from Sherwin Williams, or what Kern likes to refer to as “Realtor Biege”. We also decided to paint the kitchen cabinets the same color white as her existing molding then apply a soft grey stain for a little definition and depth perception. By providing unity in the walls and a smoother transition into the cabinets we no longer had too much variety in the 2 of the most staple items in the house. Now the different flooring disappeared and the walls were the perfect backdrop for pops of color in her furnishings and decor. We were now able to start the design process over using unity as our base and adding peaks of interest, instead of overwhelming with variety.

SO when choosing the perfect paint colors for your home remember KISS (Keep it Simple Silly)

Jeff Craft Joey Farah Devorah Fox Mary Craft Jay Gardner Todd Hunter Dotson Lewis Ronnie Narmour Brent Rourk Dr. Donna Shaver Photographers Miles Merwin Jeff Dolan Mary Craft Office Security/Spillage Control

Living Room Before

Living Room After

CCA Texas to hold its 3rd Annual Concert for Conservation on May 17

SPID Work Schedule

Featuring Headliner Hank Williams Jr.

Riley P. Dog Editor/Publisher/Spillage Control Supervisor Dale Rankin About the Island Moon

The Island Moon is published every Thursday, Dale Rankin, Editor / Publisher.

Total circulation is 10,000 copies. Distribution includes delivery to 4,000 Island homes, free distribution of 3,000 copies in over 50 Padre Island businesses and condos, as well as 600 copies distributed in Flour Bluff, 1,400 copies on Mustang Island and Port Aransas businesses.

News articles, photos, display ads, classified ads, payments, etc. may be left at the Moon Office.

The Island Moon Newspaper 15201 S. Padre Island Drive, Suite 250 Corpus Christi, TX 78418 361-949-7700 editor@islandmoon.com Facebook: The Island Moon Newspaper

Where to Find The Island Moon

Pioneer RV Park

Port A Glass Studio The Gaff Wild Horse Saloon Tarpon Ice House

North Padre

Miss K’s Catering & Bistro

All Stripes Stores CVS

Amano

Whataburger

Felder Gallery

Doc’s Restaurant

Island Woman Boutique

Snoopy’s Pier

Coast Club Coffee Waves Moby Dicks Spanky’sLiquor IGA Grocery Store Port A Business Center Carter Pharmacy

Isle Mail N More Island Italian

Texas Star (Shell) Jesse’s Liquor Padre Isles Country Club

Wash Board Laundry Mat

Subway

Chamber of Commerce Duckworth Antiques Back Porch Woody’s Sports Center Shorty’s Place The Flat’s Lounge Giggity’s Stripes @ Cotter & Station

"Last year's event was a huge success, and we anticipate an even bigger turnout this year," said Robby Byers, CCA Texas Executive Director.

"The CCA Concert for Conservation is a fun, exciting way of spreading the message about the positive work CCA does along the coast."

Advanced General Admission tickets can be purchased now for $35. A 4-pack of General Admission tickets are on sale now for $99.

Advanced Reserved Seating tickets can be purchased now for $125. Day of Show General Admission tickets will be available for $45.

Crews on the Park Road 22 and SH 361 resurfacing and improvement project will begin working six days a week starting next week when they are scheduled to work on Saturday, April 26.

However, work will be suspended this weekend for Easter, beginning Friday, April 18, and continuing through Sunday, April 20.

Weather permitting, the anticipated work schedule for the week of April 21-26, is: • Waldron Road through the JFK Causeway Resurfacing continues with single lane closures eastbound and westbound on Park Road 22 with intermittent ramp closures.

To accommodate the majority of commuter traffic, eastbound PR 22 lane closure will begin at 7 a.m. and end at 4 p.m. Westbound PR 22 lane closure will be from approximately 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

• JFK Causeway to SH 361

Single lane closures eastbound and westbound on Park Road 22 with All tickets include a CCA membership, but please note: Attendees will need to fill out a 1 1 intermittent ramp and crossover closures for resurfacing work. Eastbound lane Member Information card at the concert in closure will be 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and order to process their CCA Memberships. westbound lane closure will be from about 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Creating Dreams for Island Homeowners since 1987

• • • • •

New Homes Remodels Additions Repairs No job too big or too small

Call 774-7043 for estimate www.billgoinhomes.com

Note: If any crossovers are closed, traffic will have to use the PR 22 / SH 361 intersection for westbound PR 22 access and the westbound to eastbound turnaround at the JFK bridge for eastbound PR 22 access.

• PR 22 / SH 361 intersection Work will continue on left- and right-turn lane improvements on eastbound PR 22 and concrete curb removal and replacement on SH 361 at the convenience store.

This work will require single lane closures eastbound and westbound on PR 22; single lane/right lane closure on SH 361 from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; and single lane and leftturn lane closure on Commodores Drive from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Police will assist with traffic control at the intersection and motorists should expect delays.

Motorists also should allow for additional travel time, watch for flaggers, police officers and work crews, be patient and proceed with caution through work zones.

New Advertisers Residential Property Tax by Robert Maupin serves property owners concerned about their residential property, exemptions and personal property renditions. His certification as a property tax consultant along with serving six years on the Nueces County Appraisal Review Board and living on the Island for 35 years have well prepared him to argue appraisals. Call “Bob” at 946-2092 or email him at remaupin@sbcglobal.net.

Custom Home Exterior owner Tom Sheehan has been remodeling homes since 1985 and is dedicated to providing quality workmanship at a fair and reasonable price.

He can beautify your home both inside and out and even add extra space with an addition.

Call 949-2100 for an estimate.

them safe and healthy. Animals and people are injured every year from debris on our beaches left behind by currents or beach users.

Over 400 local volunteers helped clean the beaches from Aransas Pass to the Padre Island National Seashore. The top 10 items from the trash collected last fall from the 21 mile long local stretch of the Coastal Bend Clean-up consisted of:

Island Tire

1 Cigarette butts

And all Moon retail advertisers

2 Plastic pieces

WB Liquor

Flour Bluff H.E.B. Liquid Town Whataburger on Waldron Ethyl Everly Senior Center Fire Station

Gratitude Gift Shop

Police Station

Keepers Pier House

Stripes on Flour Bluff & SPID

The Schlitterbahn Golf Gourse has special "Pardon Our Mess" prices until June 1st.

Weekdays 9 holes with cart is $20 and 18 is $25 and on weekends rates are $25/$30.

Every day walking rate is $12/$16. Rates are further reduced after 3:30 pm daily. Members enjoy even lower rates. Range balls are $3 for a small bucket and $5 for a large. Call 9498006 to reserve a tee time.

La Palma Mexican Restaurant owners have a family member opening a Mexican restaurant on Park Road 22 in the old Island Marine building next to Subway. The maintenance done on U.S. customs boats currently there will be moving to the new building behind it. I was told the name will be Island Mexican Restaurant and will be open in a couple of months.

Local singer/song writer John Eric was selected to compete at the America's Got Talent auditions in New York. The summer series starts May 27th and John does not know which episode he will be on. His wife Robin is the one who encouraged him to enter the contest. John has played many venues in the area including Doc's, Island Italian and Scuttlebutt's on the Island.

The newly remodeled Island Fitness Gym offers yoga, pilates, spinning and HIIT classes.

They also have a kickboxing and dance class on Saturday mornings at 10:00 am. Personal trainers are available to help you reach your fitness goals. Contact them at 361-949-3298 or go to their website at islandfitnesscc.com.

“C” Horse Forge Private School of Horseshoeing has come to the Island with lessons on the beach. Owner Frank Cadena is a certified master farrier with 40 years experience. If you would like to learn how to make horseshoes and how to shoe a horse call Frank at 232-3773.

The Black Sheep Bistro and Island Moon Project for Ashley Knotts' 7th grade class at Seashore Middle School Academy was to name an entree with a historical local significance. Some of the names submitted were Karakawa Killer Crab Cakes, Baffin Bay Burger, Linguini Madre, Briscoe Bone-in Rib Eye, King Ranch Carrot Cake, Yellow Rose Tort, Black Sheep LaSalle'd, Laguna Lamb Dunk and Santa Ana Salmon. The Moon Monkeys will select the winner and award $50.

The 17th Annual Kiwanis Easter Egg Hunt will be held at Billish Park on Gypsy at 11 am on Saturday, April 19th. The Rotarian Rubber Duck Race will be held afterward with donated prizes that include a $1000 Visa gift card, big screen TV and a South Padre Island vacation condo. Tickets are $5 and enters one duck in the race.

Scuttlebutt's Seafood Bar & Grill will be closed Easter Sunday but after that day will be the perfect place to watch the NBA playoffs.

Celebrate National Park Week with free admission and educational programs at Padre Island National Seashore April 19 – 27. Check out their web site for tour times and events.

If you would like to put an ad in the Moon write to editor@islandmoon.com and we will send you a rate sheet.

Cleanup continued from A1

Holiday Inn

Scuttlebutt’s Restaurant

Public Library

BEFORE/ LIVING BEFORE/ LIVING This year's Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) Concert for Conservation will be held at the Sam Houston Race Park on Saturday May 17, 2014. Headliner Hank Williams Jr. will play his first Houston performance in 13 years. Other performers slated for the event are 38 Special and Wade Bowen.

No activity during Easter weekend (April 18-20)

Ace Hardware

San Juan’s Taqueria

Port A Parks and Rec

mkay512@aol.com

Business Briefs

Maybeth Christiansen

Stripes @ Beach Access Rd. 1A

by Mary Craft

Padre Island Landscape & Masonry offers Flagstone, Hardscape, sod, plantings and more with free design estimates. Call Mike 940-312-8567

Andy Purvis

Lisabella’s Restaurant

A3

Did Ya Hear?

find unity. Unity creates peace and harmony. A little variety creates and peaks interest, but an eye too busy never finds harmony.

Contributing Writers

Port Aransas

KISS When, Realtor Kern Egger, called me to assess a home she was interested in purchasing; her main concern was the 7 different wall colors, that the previous owners had randomly painted thru-out the home. The home’s design was an open floor plan so from the entry you could see a menagerie of colors from each living area.

The colors were of good hue and blended well together as a whole, but why did they not look good displayed in this home? Why did they give such an unsettling almost disturbing feeling?

Distribution

3 Plastic bottle caps 4 Glass pieces 5 Foam pieces 6 Straws, stirrers 7 Food wrappers 8 Bottle caps (metal) 9 Lids 10 Cigar tips In addition to those items there were many other dangerous types of trash collected from our local beaches including fishing line, rope, glass bottles, plastic grocery bags, take out containers, forks, knives, spoon, lighters, wood, and a myriad other items.

The Adopt-A-Beach program stretches for

hundreds of miles along the Gulf Coast during the fall and spring beach clean-ups. Volunteer efforts go a long way in keeping our beaches clean. This year’s state Adopt-A-Beach sponsors include Shell Oil Company, HNTB, Apache Corporation, Halliburton, SeaWorld San Antonio, Schlumberger, Siemens Caring Hands Foundation, Trusted Senior Specialists, Corona del Mar and Keep Texas Beautiful.

Locally, the North Padre Island Kiwanis Club will help organize and staff the clean-up efforts next to the Padre Balli Park Office (near Bob Hall Pier). They will also provide hot dogs and water for volunteers, who should report between 8:30 and 9:00 am. Local volunteers can also report to the Padre Island National Seashore Visitor Center.

All volunteers are reminded to wear sunscreen, shoes, sunglasses, and a hat. Take mosquito repellent and for your safety stay off the dunes.

Do not disturb the habitat of nesting shorebirds and do not pick up hazardous materials (see clean-up officials at the site for particulars about what to do if you run across hazardous materials).

For more general information about the AdoptA-Beach program call 1-877-TXCOAST or visit their website at texasadoptabeach.org. For information about the local Padre Balli Park Office site beach clean-up contact Jim Needham at 361-825-2708.

A 4

Island Moon

April 17, 2014

Backwater Adventures Blood Moon

On the Rocks

By Jay Gardner

By Joey Farah

And another reason I don’t like going OTB. Customer service is just about dead. I’m sure many of you loyal readers can relate to this story in some way. So I head over to The Big Paint Store, like the people that just deal in paint, and they have “paint” at the end of their name there at the corner of XX and XX behind Sam’s (you know who I’m talking about). Zep had told me that they had some grit and crushed walnut shells that people use as an additive to deck paint to make it non-skid. As the Team is putting on the last layer of topcoat this evening, now is the time to add stuff to the top coat. I figured a Wednesday during lunch wouldn’t be all that bad to slip in and out of the paint store. I was wrong.

The skiff So I walk in and start looking on the shelves.

Not a big place. The manager is at one of the registers as I walk by looking at the shelves, hoping to find what I needed without asking.

He’s helping what is obviously a repeat customer, and they’re BS’ing and generally not being efficient. He says, “I’ll be with you in a minute.” I just say “thanks”. There are 5 other employees, all appear to be mixing paint for orders, and again, no one is in any kind of hurry. In addition, they are not making eye contact with me or the one guy standing in line.

The manager is doing more paperwork for a gallon of paint for the regular than I’ve seen in court records in a contentious paternity suit. The boys keep mixing their paint, scurrying around and ignoring the customers. I finish doing laps around the store, not finding what I’m looking for after a few minutes. I could have simply interrupted and asked if they had the product I

was after, it’s not like it was loud and busy, but I figured I’d be polite and wait. So I get in behind the one guy in line, and he mutters something like “good luck”. Should have been my first clue. Again, the manager announces, “I’ll help you in just a minute.” By this time, I’ve been in the store for about 10 minutes. Several other people get in line behind me, and after 20 minutes of being in the store, the regular is still standing there, nothing getting done, and no eye contact from the workers. The ladies behind me start to get agitated, and finally after 25 minutes, they help the guy in front of me.

At half an hour (to the minute), the manager says again, “I’ll help you in just a minute” then grabs his keys and wallet and walks out the door! The ladies behind me ask “Did he just say he was going to help and then go to lunch?!” after a few seconds I replied “Yup, he did.

And this is what you do when the manager does that!” and I turned and walked right out the door myself.

The manager was in the parking lot, leaning on the bed of a truck, BS’ing with what I guess was another regular who had just showed up. While he had 4 people in line in the store! I just walked back to my truck shaking my head, staring at the manager.

He then gets the gall to act upset at me, like it’s somehow my fault, and yells, “Did they help you in there?” I said “You told me three times you were gonna help me.” To which he replied “well, can I help you?” To which I replied “Obviously not!” smiled, got in my truck and drove away leaving him standing in the parking lot.

As I drove away, I noticed the two ladies behind me had come out of the store and witnessed the conversation. They immediately got in their cars and drove away too. Customer service is dead! But wait! I walk into a big box store down the street, one of the workers immediately asks me what I’m looking for, tells me right where it was, and I walk out with what I need, a happy camper again, in less than 5 minutes.

If you’re trying to be a specialty store, and only have a few limited over-priced products, then you’d better have a little bit better customer service. Whether you’re a fishing guide, paint store, or chicken place. The customer is why you have a business and a job. Get it right slackers. Sorry for the rant, and I’ll be fishing soon and everything will be just peachy. See you all On the Rocks.

Farah’s Fishing Adventures With the rise of this Full Blood Moon the first Spring Tide of the year is pumping into the back bays of our area. The water is warm and the bait is plentiful making the waters from Port Aransas south to Port Mansfield prime for an explosion of both fish and fishermen. Some of the strategies that have been working are changing while classic spring and early summer patterns are starting to take hold. The tides of change are here and the threat of cold fronts diminishing with every sunny day.

Trophy catch of the year. My beautiful bride Leah and my five children. What a stringer!

The predominant winds are now overpowering from the southeast and pushing currents from south to north. This is the annual flow of bait and game fish from the southern part of the Laguna Madre’ north into the Land Cut and eventually into Baffin Bay. This

Another Baffin Bay redfish in winds over 25mph. Popping corks and live shrimp. migration will happen in pulses with every rise of tide during southeast wind patterns.

Fishermen that follow these migrations will be astonished with the distance in which fish and bait can move just over night. There are two ways to target this migration, by following groups of fish, and by fishing classic travel and holding areas. One must look at small details

PERMANENT COSMETICS

Speci

al Wax 25.00 &$Eyebrow

B i k i n i Lipliner Eyeliner,

Zack Danny and Rex with a few of their Baffin Bay drum this week. Zack was on a spring break Easter combo trip.

s Pedicure...$20.00 s Manicure...$10.00 s Full Set from...$22.00 - $30.00 s Fill...$15.00 - $20.00 s European Facial...$40.00 In Big Shell Plaza on the Island NEW Around corner fromLOCATION! Subway Sandwich Shop

14457S.S.P.I.D. 14225 P. I. D.,Suite Suite109 7 Corpus Christi, TX 78418

Island Presbyterian Church Holy Week Schedule April 13

Palm Sunday 10 Am Worship Child Care Available

April 17

Maundy Thursday 6 Pm Communion Child Care Available

April 20 Easter Sunrise With Island In The Son Whitecap Beach 7 Am Communion Sanctuary Service

times and larger ones when the bite is on.

I like to think of the Corpus Christi Bay Complex, The Boat Hole, The Upper Laguna Madre’ (east and west sides), south of Bird Island, the mouth of Baffin, the back of Baffin, South Shoreline of Baffin, The Yarborough Pass area, Rocky Slough, and the North and South end of the Land Cut as the Zones of our area. At times these areas become more or less concentrated with bait and game fish. Anglers can plan trips in the boat and even on land to explore one or several of these areas for fishing success. Many times I see a group of fishermen go out and fish hard only to discount all areas after they “checked them out.” Just remember that if the times you were there the fish were not biting doesn’t mean they were not there. If more than a few of the key factors are present then this late in the spring you can count on there being good fish in the area. Presence of bait, varied birds, good water quality, and lack of fishing pressure are all keys to productive fishing.

I cannot say enough about the new soft plastics that I have had the chance to experiment with over the last few weeks. The DOA AIRHEADS are unbelievable. The shad shaped body and lifelike colors are making it my #1 choice in my Trophy Trout Fishing. My favorite colors are the Rainbow Trout and the Silver backed glow shad.

Roy’s bait and Tackle has quite a selection just tell them I sent you over. The smaller CAL series soft plastics have been my choice when the bite is slow or when I am getting fish knocking the larger Airhead around without eating it. During the spawn the large mature trout are attacking the Airhead to protect its eggs and young from predation. I’ve been using a light 1/16th ounce jig head and floating the bait over isolated grass beds and sand pockets within large grassy areas.

I have been sneaking up like a heron, keeping my silhouette low and unseen. Watching like a hawk for any long black shadows moving along the sides of the open sand. I have been moving away from the other fishermen and slowing my presentation down to the real time speed of a wounded baitfish, becoming the bait. Like I suggested last week the largest of the game fish have become smart and shy away from any human pressure in the bay. There is a monster trout that I believe is holding up along two rocks in Baffin, I’ve seen her four times. Two of the encounters we have hooked her with live shrimp and popping corks in high winds drifting from the boat. Both times it was the first drift into the area and a precise cast between the two rocks.

Once from myself and another from a customer, each time she struck the bait and tail walked out of the water thrashing her head and has come off the hook within seconds. The other two times I’ve slipped up on her in calm conditions and watched her follow my top water and DOA AIRHEAD like a hound. One time I actually saw her go sit back down in a sand pocket and ignore my lures for five min. before she sneaked off into the grass. This is her hunting spot and she knows it well. Any disturbance buttons up her mouth and sends her on the defense. This last week I laughed as I saw a boat dumping seven wade fishermen out from the northern coast onto the flat where she lives, I had to chuckle, they didn’t have a chance.

every day to determine the location of the best concentration of these TIDE RUNNERS. When I leave Marker 37 in the morning my first clue is the direction of the current at the JFK. If the current and the wind match, it is going to be good fishing within 10 miles. If they are clashing then a trip south may be the best call.

As the day progresses and Gulf tides flux then fish along the ICW and the adjacent flats may turn on, but game fish will not feed hard when they are clashing. Second, I pay close attention to areas holding groups of birds, of all kinds.

Every bird species feeds on specific organisms thus hold the key in dissecting the happenings of the bay. Terns will hover over tiny minnows, laughing gulls will dive in groups picking up shrimp chased to the surface by game fish. Even sea gulls floating on the surface along the ICW will indicate areas where shrimp have settled in their night’s travels. When you see groups of Blue Herons hunting along the same small area, count on there being redfish close by after the same crabs. Blue Herons are very territorial and do not hang out together unless they are eating well. Make a SLOW drive down the Intracoastal and pay attention to the water color, tidal direction, birds, and even fishing pressure. This time The lineup at Marker 37 Marina was impressive last of year following the lunar feeding weekend for one of the first big tournaments of the tables is also very important because year. of the wealth of food sources. Use small lures during the light feeding

Marker 37 Marina Report Flocks of gulls are in the lights along with live shrimp and speckled trout every night at the end of the pier. Live shrimp and small soft plastics are the best bet when they are on top. Glow/ chartreuse shrimp tails and DOA shrimp casted out past the light and slowly swam back into the glow will get hit quick.

10 Am Communion Childcare Available

14030 Fortuna Bay Dr.

The big bull drum are still coming through at night and eating shrimp, crab, and sea lice. This will hold strong for a few more weeks until the big boys all make it back out to sea. The keeper sized drum will remain through the summer and will move from the flats to the channel with the up’s and down’s of the tide. Adding a small piece of FISHBITES to the hook will raise your chances especially if your bait gets ripped off.

With the high winds red fishing has been hot. This fish we hooked in the Bad Lands of Baffin.

Redfish are flowing in following the shrimp and walking the pier at sun rise casting live shrimp along the sides of the pier will surprise you. The first hour of the day along that long pier can be some of the best fishing on the Island. Come have a free cup of coffee and take a walk at first light, you will have one hooked up before I leave the dock.

April 17, 2014

Island Moon

Billish Park continued from A1 Among those present were a number of island residents, our city park commissioners and assistants. Our Island City Council woman, our POQ Executive Director and four board members, the landscape architect and his assistant, and two small, vocal, but charming girls who were in favor of a butterfly garden and kid’s fishing pond.

This article is the contents of a presentation given at the meeting which focused on the importance of a pond to the successful development of the park. The attendees voiced strong support for this proposal. No objections were heard.

The Island has an unusual resource – a perched, unconfined, freshwater-bearing aquifer floating on deeper, denser, saltwater! The top of the aquifer is approximately six feet below ground level and, from personal experience of handdrilling several wells on The Island; it extends to a depth of at least twenty feet. The water quality is excellent for plants and ideal for aquatic life.

In the past, especially during periods of drought, the lack of fresh water has been the limiting factor in the park’s success.

Excavation of a pond into the shallow water table is a quick, easy, and relatively inexpensive solution to this problem.

There are a number of good reasons for featuring a pond in the park. The water can be used for irrigating a sport fields, such as soccer and baseball. With proper soil amendments like free city mulch, sodding, regular, watering, and monitoring a nice sandspur-free grass surface can be established and maintained. A prefect example of this is the fairways on the former golf course. The benefit is that our children need not go OTB to practice and participate in their sports.

Given The Island’s subtropical climate, adequate watering by irrigation in combination with good gardening methods assures the excellent growth of a tremendous variety of trees, plants, and shrubs. Areas in the par, particularly around the pond, can be landscaped to create beautiful, enjoyable gardens.

Another significant advantage for having a pond is that the current plan calls for building a berm along Gypsy side of the park to reduce the effect on the vegetation of the prevailing southeasterly winds and to impede the windblown migration of sandspurs from outside to inside the park. This large requirement for fill material trucked from a distance would be very expensive. The size of the pond can be adjusted to make the excavation and fill requirements equal. On-site fill material will greatly reduce the cost of building the berm!

The pond can serve as a wildlife habitat for numerous animals both aquatic and terrestrial.

Migratory and residential birds need fresh water. Birdwatching could become a common attraction in the park! A pond surrounded by trees and gardens where animals can feed, drink, rest, and do whatever they do, can create a wonderful, and enjoyable, natural environment that will draw Island residents to the park.

The pond can be stocked with fish – bass, bream, catfish, tilapia, and gambrisia minnows to control mosquito larvae. Parents can bring their children to the pond to fish.

Hopefully, persuasive reasons have been given to garner support for a pond in the park. If you missed the last meeting, then plan to attend the next one so that your voice may be heard.

Tides of the Week

Day

High /Low

Tide Time

Height in Feet

Sunrise Moon Time Sunset

Moon Visible

Th

17

High

6:37 AM

1.9

7:02 AM Set 8:44 AM

97

17

Low

10:54 PM

-0.1

7:55 PM Rise 10:31 PM

F

18

High

7:38 AM

1.9

7:01 AM Set 9:36 AM

18

Low

11:40 PM

-0.1

7:55 PM Rise 11:30 PM

Sa

19

High

8:44 AM

1.9

7:00 AM Set 10:32 AM

19

Su

20

Low

12:34 AM

20

High

9:51 AM

M

21

Low

1:35 AM

21

High

10:52 AM

Tu

22

Low

2:48 AM

22

High

11:41 AM

W

23

Low

4:11 AM

23

High

12:15 PM

23

Low

6:57 PM

23

High

10:18 PM

Th

24

Low

5:40 AM

0.5

6:55 AM Rise 3:41 AM

24

High

12:40 PM

1.5

7:59 PM Set 3:40 PM

24

Low

7:08 PM

0.9

6:59 AM Rise 12:27 AM

1.9

7:56 PM Set 11:31 AM

0.0

6:58 AM Rise 1:21 AM

1.8

7:57 PM Set 12:33 PM

0.1

6:57 AM Rise 2:11 AM

1.8

7:57 PM Set 1:35 PM

0.3

6:56 AM Rise 2:57 AM

1.6

7:58 PM Set 2:38 PM

92

by Dale Rankin

A few months back we moved from our condo on the main canal to the southside of The Island. It never occurred to me how much difference there is between the two but man, the southside is quiet, real quiet. I was used to the dog going crazy every few minutes every time a boat would pass, now he rarely gets the chance as passing boats are fewer than passing airplanes. In my office I have two aerials of The Island from 2000 and 2012 and the difference in the number of houses in the Sea Pines area is astounding. In 2000 there were barely twenty houses there and now there are barely twenty vacant lots; the same for the area around Billish Park. Our Island is filling up fast and the pace of change is likely to accelerate by several orders of magnitude in the next few years. But I guess change is after all the only constant.

Mystery booms We continue to get reports of loud booms on The Island. In the past they have been primarily on the south end of The Island but the latest, a few Sunday nights back, was more in the center.

There was no power outage so a it wasn’t a transformer. The cause is still unknown but there is no mistaking the events.

GLO Land Sale Last issue I talked about the proposed sale of 3680 acres of land owned by the Texas General Land Office in Kleberg County. The plan was/ is for a local trust to buy the land and have the Nueces County Coastal Parks Board manage it.

There deal was/is worked out between Nueces County, the trust, and the GLO lacking only the approval of the Kleberg County Commissioners Court to happen. Last Thursday the matter came

standard practices do not mention this. Further, firefighters were making these checks between calls on a less than regular basis - often while flushing hydrants.

City staff met, evaluated the system, and decided it would be best to put the entire hydrant maintenance program in the Water Department.

Last month, with a new set of inspection criteria in hand, the crews evaluated all 485 hydrants

85 77 66 55 44

1.1

Stuff I Heard on the Island up for a vote at their meeting in Kingsville and they punted. Padre Island National Seashore is putting on a full court press to go back to the original plan to have the Texas Nature Conservancy buy the land and donate it to PINS to become part of the park, and Kleberg County Commissioners are asking why the six miles of beach included in the land is being put under the tutelage of Nueces County rather than Kleberg.

The commissioners said they have two conditions for the sale; one, they want the beach to remain free to the public, and two, they want it to remain as assessable to the public as it currently is; that is to say completely unfettered.

According to information provided by park officials at the meeting in Kingsville the PINS plan does not meet that criteria because if the beach became part of the park beach they told the court beach driving would be blocked by bollards placed approximately two miles south of Bob Hall Pier which would require drivers to access the beach by way of Park Road 22 and to pay the park fee.

In light of those terms and their reluctance to turn control of the beach over to Nueces County the Kleberg officials tabled the matter and are now approaching the trust themselves to have the trust still purchase the land but leave it in the hands of Kleberg Control rather than it being managed by Nueces County. If that happens they plans call for no change in the current setup along the Kleberg Beach.

Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson has given them time to see if they can put a deal together but has not, publicly at least, set a firm timetable.

We’ll keep you updated as things progress.

1.3 33

on the Island. They found seven hydrants in need of replacement and 75% in need of repair, heavily rusted, or with deteriorated bolts. They have already replaced the seven hydrants and, beginning with the most serious situations, have begun repairs. They have ordered 9000 bolts and will be repairing our hydrants for the remainder of the year.

The new program calls for annual testing and evaluation of the hydrants.

Internal Inspection Findings

7:56 PM

-0.1

A5

Fire Hydrants continued from A1

Tides for Corpus Christi (Bob Hall Pier) April 17-24 2014

By Michael Olivarez Distribution Superintendent City of Corpus Christi On Monday, March 17, 2014, the Department’s Fire Hydrant crew was tasked with conducting visual inspections of all fire hydrants located throughout the Island in Corpus Christi. There are 485 fire hydrants on the Island that were inspected by our crew. The Island was broken up into three different zones. Each zone consisted of approximately 163 fire hydrants.

During the inspections, crews documented findings on the maintenance and inspection sheet they encountered during the inspection.

The inspection forms were categorized by the findings: Good, Paint Only, Repairs. Be advised, 75% of the fire hydrants on the Island require some form of repair, heavily rusted or deteriorated bolts. Once the visual inspections were complte, crews began working on making improvements in Zone 3. Attached with this document is the fire hydrant inspection sheet crews utilized to make note of what maintenance would be needed for the fire hydrant.

Conclusion: Based on the finding and number of maintenance issues documented, the Department has purchased 9,000 bolts/nuts to replace deteriorated bolts. The department’s Fire Hydrant and Valve Crews will continue to make repairs in the area. We have dedicated our construction crew to assist in repairs as their schedules permit (Mon.-Thu.) and on Fridays. We are also allocating resources from our leak crews to assist on these repairs and their work load permits.

Serving: Padre Island, Flour Bluff, Port Aransas, Mustang Island and Rockport.

9 9 9 9

9 9

Landscape Design h Decks and Docks First Time Cleanups h Shade Structures/ Pergola Demolitions & Scraping h Outdoor Kitchens We install: Plants, Palms, Rock, h Boat Lifts Sod, Pavers and Outdoor Decor. h Fences & Gates Yard Maintenance h General D&D Repair Concrete Drives/Patio & Retaining Walls

We’re your full service outdoor solution! Give us a call today.

Tim Arlitt - Decks & Docks Specialist 361.229.2530 Sami Wilson - Landscape Designer 361.949.2691

IslandLandscapingDecksAndDocks.com Quality & Insured.

A 6

STATE

Island Moon

Human Trafficking Joint Committee

By Todd Hunter, District 32 On Friday April 4, 2014 the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives appointed the House members for the Joint Interim Committee to Study Human Trafficking. I am very pleased that the Speaker has once again given me the honor of serving as a member of this very important committee.

As many of you are aware, the Texas Legislature is not currently in session. The Texas Legislature constitutionally meets for 140 days every odd numbered year, which makes the next official session for the Texas Legislature to meet, January 2015. It is important to note however, that this does not mean that the Texas Legislature stops working. In fact, the period in between sessions, often referred to as the interim, is when the Texas Legislature identifies and studies the important issues facing the State of Texas in preparation for the next legislative session.

In 2009, I was appointed chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence. During this time frame, I learned about the issues relating to human trafficking in Texas. In 2011, I filed and passed HCR 68 which created a joint committee of Texas Senate and Texas House members to study the issue and come up with ideas for laws to address human trafficking. In 2013, several important laws were passed based on the work of the joint committee. Also, in 2013, I passed HCR 57 which will allow for additional studies in 2014 in order to propose new and workable laws to address human trafficking in 2015.

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, human trafficking is defined as the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for one of three purposes: • Labor or services, through the use of force, fraud or coercion for the purposes of

subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.

• A commercial sex act through the use of force, fraud, or coercion.

• Any commercial sex act, if the person is under 18 years of age, regardless of whether any form of coercion is involved.

Between 2008-2010, data was collected through the Human Trafficking Reporting System. During that time period federally funded task forces opened more than 2500 cases of suspected human trafficking. Out of those 2500 cases approximately 82% were classified as sex trafficking, with about 1,000 of those incidents involving allegations of prostitution or sexual exploitation of a child. The remaining cases were connected to trafficking for labor purposes and other unknown reasons. If you would like to learn more about these statistics and many others, you can go to the Bureau of Justice Statistics website at http://www.bjs.gov/ index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=2372 .

It is important to know that human trafficking is not exclusive to one segment of society.

Human trafficking involves victims of all races, age groups, both males and females and United States Citizens, as well as non-citizens.

Individuals seeking to force people in to human trafficking do not discriminate amongst their victims and often prey upon those who are most vulnerable.

History continued from A1

After we had ridden for a few miles into the night the Mexican stopped the horse and dismounted. He lit a match and set the grass afire.

“Why did you do that,” I asked in his native tongue, for he “no speak much English.”

“So the ranch folks will know that we are coming in. A searching party is ready start out if am too long in finding you,” he said.

In a few miles I had drunk all the contents of the jug and was ready for more water when the ranch house, with its blinking lights, appeared in the distance.

As we rode into the yard there was a happy moment and Tucker almost pulled me out of the saddle as I was attempting to dismount.

“How are you feeling,” he asked.

“All right but mighty thirsty,” said I. Just one thing save you,” he said. “You did not lose your head. If fever had set in you might have wandered from the Laguna and never been found alive.

Interrupted by a boggy slough On entering the house he recounted his own experience which was tragic enough. He had gone far down the Laguna until interrupted by a boggy slough which he undertook to go around.

After miles of trekking he decided to turn back.

His endurance was fast failing and he must have relief soon. Climbing upon an eminence he looked for a windmill. He saw three which seemed to be about fifteen miles distance. He picked out one to go to which he afterward learned was the only one where anybody lived.

He started across the rattlesnake-infested pasture land, narrowly escaping being bitten.

He ran into a herd of Brahman cattle with bulls which are said to be dangerous. He made ready to defend himself if attacked, knowing that the bulls might be worth a thousand dollars each if he had to kill one; but the animals did not molest him.

As he neared the ranch house his strength was about gone. He hoped someone would see him and lend assistance. He fired his pistol to attract attention but no one stirred. With another mighty effort of the will he got as far as the cow pen where he sat down hoping someone would come along. Nothing happened, so with another desperate effort he reached the ranchhouse door

faint and speechless. He could only make signs.

They gave him water and he spoke, not Spanish but English and the ranch Mexicans knew no English. Then Tucker talked to them in French and they understood that a man was stranded in the Laguna.

Born into this vale of tears So, with my return, the crisis was over and we began to feel pretty good. I was still making trips to the water bucket, while the smell of fried chicken was wafted from the kitchen. And that fried chicken, how fine it tasted! And then the hot biscuits and honey, with other delicacies, certainly made it worth while to be born into this vale of tears. Another luxury was that fine night’s sleep from which we awoke refreshed and ready for the 35 mile wagon ride to the Kenedy Ranch headquarters. We could not pay for the kind treatment by our host but we left $15 as a token of our appreciation.

It was a slow drive with a mule team over sand roads, and at noon the team was unhitched and fed while we lunched on more fried chicken.

Late in the afternoon we reached the palatial home of Captain John Kenedy who made us welcome and gave us supper.

How much of the Laguna distance we traversed on foot could not be determined without consulting a geodetic map of the coast. This map showed that twenty miles below Baffin Bay the Laguna widened to ten miles. When Tucker reached that westward bulge he turned west and at the edge of the bulge there was a long, muddy slough running northwestward which he was unable to cross. How far he followed the slough cannot be known but Captain Kenedy said that to go around it would call for a probably 40mile detour. The tracing on the map would indicate as much. Not only so but the sand flats were 22 miles long instead of the five miles we had expected to walk. Hence the wise and only conclusion to reverse his plan and head for a ranchhouse.

The and flats which are included in the bulge are accounted for by a tropical storm and a tidal wave in 1836 which swept over Padre Island carrying much of the island into the Laguna, said Captain Kenedy who got the story from an old Mexican General. That storm, said the Captain, drove a ship over the island and beached it on the mainland, and parts of the wreckage are still to be found in the earth. Much history and legends stems from the adventures of the Laguna and its island, some of which will be mentioned later.

Next time: Cutting the pass at Murdoch’s Landing.

April 17, 2014

By Capt. Sail Offcourse In Georgetown harbor I prepared for the open ocean by changing the raw water pump impeller, oil and filters. I set out to the south pass with friends in a catamaran sailboat. We headed out past Channel rocks early in the morning while it was still dark. This was a nerve wracking task as there is a large reef there to the north just southeast of Welk Cay. All things went well and by the time the sun was up we were well on our way to Cape Santa Maria on the north end of Long Island. Long Island was originally named Yuma, and was rechristened Fernandina

by Christopher Columbus in on his first visit in 1492. Evidence of Arawak Indian occupation at that time has been substantiated by the discovery of an Indian village in the vicinity of Glenton.

Cape Santa Maria is a bold and conspicuous headland off which shoals extend for three miles to the north. In strong weather these break heavily, but in calm weather they are difficult to detect. We stayed five miles offshore to avoid these reefs and the “Cape Effect” was so strong we thought we would never get past the cape yet we managed to get by.

We were attempting to make Rum Cay but the wind was too far east to get a good heading without a lot of tacking. We were now out in the true open ocean where offshore skills determine the success of a cruse. In this remote part of the Bahamas the distances are greater and yachting services are somewhat scarce, the boatman’s lot is one of self-reliance and resourcefulness. Here, south of the twenty-second parallel, where the Trade Winds blow a steady twenty to twenty-five knots in the winter and fifteen knots all summer,

Rum Cay

On league night, the rules are a little different and ensure every player has a turn with just about everyone else. Of course, the primary directive is that everyone has fun even though a good story may prove match point. Citing an old joke, the tennis courts are now dubbed the "bull pasture", and presently, the league competes every Wednesday at 5:30 pm so long as the courts aren't wet or demolished.

Retracing the Columbus Route

Rep. Hunter represents Nueces (Part) County. He can be contacted at todd.hunter@house.state.tx.us or at 512-463-0672.

Here are some pictures of a bunch of good ole guys playing tennis last Wednesday on the remaining courts of the Padre Island Country Club. There were plenty of teams that night and both courts were put into play. The group has a unique history and has been playing doubles tennis at the Country Club since 1990. Bob Koester, an 80 year old with a wicked switch-over volley, remembers duck hunting on the grounds back before golf courses, homes, and streets sprang up. A few years ago, the group branded themselves as the "Old Farts and Cold Beer Tennis League on Padre Isle".

back and told me to get into the saddle. A back seat would have been plenty good for me but he insisted, so I climbed stiffly into the saddle and we were off for a ride.

If you have questions regarding any of the information or giving opportunities 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, 361-9494603).

Tennis

By Dwight Jackson

a strong and competent crew is essential.

Vagrant currents have been reported as far east of Acklins Island as the Silver Banks. Where we were there is a strong northeasterly current that flows from Castle Island. The current increases as you approach the reefs of Conception Island, which ended up our destination as the wind and current took us closer. Conception Island is a land park under the protection of the Bahamas National Trust. It provides a watering place and sanctuary for migratory birds. Its beaches are known laying sites for green sea turtles and it reefs provide the best in virgin dive sites. This park has been set aside for yachting, beachcombing, skin-diving, and to preserve the natural beauty of the area for the enjoyment of all.

We pulled in and set our hooks in the sandy bottom in the bay at the west north-west end of the island in fourteen feet of water close in to the beach. We went snorkeling the reef that extends to five miles off the western tip of the island, and it was pristine.

There is not much that has changed about this island since Columbus was here.

making a camp on the island. The captain remained on board with one midshipman and ten seamen until the ship broke up.

Then all of them, less the boat parties, were marooned on Rum Cay. They were rescued soon after the news of the disaster was known. The first line I dropped in and was in only a short time when the line went taunt, then the rod handle snapped, and watched the 10 ought Penn reel go skipping across the water. Locals said it had to be a large Marlin. Moments later my friend hooked into an extremely large Wahoo that took off jumping and when it spooled out the line kept going jumping to the horizon. We concluded the fish here were too large to take and gave up fishing outside the reef. Inside by the coral heads we caught several nice snappers and cooked them up for dinner.

Early in the morning we took off to the south to Clarence Town, Long Island to meet another yacht that was headed our way. About six miles north of town is a network of caves worth exploring, with gigantic stalactites and stalagmites, and places where Indians carved out stone bowls centuries ago. Long island once enjoyed a period of great prosperity, more so perhaps than any other island of the group, as the soil is fertile and well suited for the growing of cotton, corn, fruit, and other crops. When first resettled by American Loyalist in 1790, more than four thousand acres were put under cotton alone, while stock raising and farming flourished. With the abolition of slavery, however, the plantations were abandoned. When we entered the harbor there was an abandoned sailboat on the reef that had misjudged the entrance to the harbor. Clarence Town is one of the prettiest settlements in the Bahamas, and has the two largest churches outside of Nassau. We waited here for our other traveling yacht to show up that night.

The next day we three yachts took off for Little Harbor ten miles to the south as Clarence Town harbor has a surge in it that can be uncomfortable. I looked online before writing this and saw you can buy this beautiful harbor for a cool $12,000,000.00, consisting of three hundred forty acres. I sure wish I had that kind of cash on hand! It would be like owning paradise, good anchorage, the best fishing, clean clear water, a large sandy beach and beautiful reefs. When I was there I walked the shore outside the harbor and saw pallets and other plastics that said Cadiz, Espania so I knew that this was the exact line Columbus had taken.

This harbor was the third stop he had made in the New World.

Early the next morning we took off for Rum Cay, formerly known as Mamana. After we cleared the south reef there were thousands of tuna hitting the surface feeding on bait fish.

HMS Conqueror, sinking near Rum Cay It was an awesome sight and I had to get my fishing pole out and try my luck, but did not catch anything as it took too long for me to get my gear out as I still remembered the fishing trip on the Cay Sal Bank. When I had my rod rigged the tuna were on the horizon, so I missed a chance at a good fish. We made Rum Cay with plenty of light to get past the coral heads on the inside of the reef in St. Georges Bay off Port Nelson dock.

We went fishing off the wreck of the 101-gun man of war HMS Conqueror, built in Devon in 1855 and which served in the Crimean War. She was lost on Sumner Point Reef, Rum Cay, on December 13, 1861. All 1,400 aboard survived.

The wreck is preserved as the Underwater Museum of the Bahamas. She was 20 nm out in estimating her position and, after making her landfall, cut rounding the southeast point of Rum Cay too fine and went hard on the reef. Her captain, fearing that his crew (most of them could not swim in those days) would drink themselves insensible when it became obvious the ship was lost, ordered all ale, wine, and spirit casks to be broken and their contents ditched. He then sent the two largest ship’s company unloaded everything they could salvage, and set about

THEMinor MEDICAL CENTER + Emergency Family Healthcare Minor Surgery Lab X-Ray

Occupational

Flu Shots now available!

Flu Shot Clinics Given on Friday Afternoons Open 6 Days a Week

No Appointments Necessary Mon-Thurs, Appointments available Fri-Sat Mon. - Sat. 8am - 6pm 14433 SPID “On the Island” Corpus Christi, TX 78418 www.tmcpadre.com

Water Access Laguna Madre

361-949-1900

April 17, 2014

Island Moon

A Message from Colleen McIntyre Corpus Christi City Council, District 4

Fishing Lines While you are on the Causeway or Hwy361 next week, you’ll notice some extra trucks out with our TXDOT crews. AEP, Grande, Time Warner and AT&T are teaming up to clean the fishing lines that have collected along three areas of wires. Over the last several weeks, they have been meeting with a contractor, TXDOT, Texas Parks and Wildlife, and US Fisheries and Wildlife to create a work plan to safely clean the lines.

The three areas they will be cleaning are popular fishing spots. I don’t fish, but I’m told that a cast over these lines has little chance of hooking a fish. Unfortunately, it has a tremendous chance of hooking one of our local or migratory birds. AEP is called out on a fairly regular basis to cut the poor birds down; hopefully, before they die. If you fish in these areas, please be careful when you cast.

Thank you AEP, Grande, Time Warner and AT&T for tackling this project.

Pond The most important task before the City Council today is ensuring a safe water supply for the residents and businesses of Corpus Christi and 18 other cities in our region for decades to come. We have a path forward to meet this challenge through Mary Rhodes Pipeline

II, reuse, conservation, and desalination.

The second challenge is maintenance of our infrastructure and facilities. For too long, Corpus Christi has built things only to sit back and watch them deteriorate. We have begun an ambitious maintenance program on our streets, revamped our mowing, are working on our utility maintenance program, and are forming a facilities maintenance department to oversee maintenance of all of our facilities.

At last week’s town hall, Dr. David Dunseth suggested putting a pond in Billish Park. This fits beautifully with both of these Council’s focuses. Building something without a plan for maintenance and operation is merely flushing money down the drain. We planted grass at Billish Park years ago and even installed irrigation in parts of it. Unfortunately, during a drought, watering was decreased, and the portion not planted and irrigated soon took over and now have a park full of sticker burrs. You can always tell an Island kid: He’s the one who takes his shoes off to run in the street and puts them on to run in the park.

In addition to being a beautiful addition to the park, a pond will provide irrigation for the newly planted grass, protect our investment, and keep sticker burrs at bay without using any of our valuable water. I appreciate Dr. Dunseth presenting his idea at the Billish Park public meeting and look forward to the Bond 2012 improvements in the park.

Police Blotter Thought he saw a spaceship Tuesday, April 15, 10:17 p.m. 15800 South Padre Island Drive Discharging a Firearm Inside the City Limits Corpus Christi Police arrested a 42-year-old Johnnie Shull or discharging a firearm inside the city limits and for public intoxication at Padre Bali Park Tuesday night. Corpus Christi Police responded to a complaint of a man who discharged a firearm in the air at the park. Officers found the man with a pistol and arrested him for discharging a firearm inside the city limits and for public intoxication.

Possum Policy Corpus Christi Citizens who transport trapped opossums to Animal Care Services are not in violation of the regulation prohibiting the transport and release of nuisance fur bearing animals, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife Assistant Commander Kevin Davis. According to Davis, “Since the City of Corpus Christi has obtained necessary authorization from the department to allow a mechanism for release of nuisance furbearers to the wild, it is the position of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Law Enforcement Division that individuals transporting nuisance opossums to the city for disposal as allowed under the city’s letter of authorization is permissible.” Animal Care Services will still be responsible for the reporting guidelines required under Texas Administrative Code Chapter 65.

The message from Assistant Commander Davis, Wildlife Law Administrator for TXPWD, came in response to a concern raised by a Corpus Christi resident during public comment at last week’s city council meeting.

The resident informed the city council that citizens who transport trapped opossums to the Animal Care Services facility were in violation of this regulation. Animal Care Services had requested and received a waiver from Texas Parks and Wildlife in March, allowing staff to release trapped opossums back into the wild on city owned property. According to Davis, as long as citizens are abiding by the terms set out in the city’s program and transport the opossums directly to the city facility, they are covered under the letter of authorization issued by Texas Parks and Wildlife. The waiver only applies to citizens transporting nuisance opossums said Davis. Citizens who have trapped high risk rabies carrying wildlife such as skunks, raccoons, and foxes should continue to call ACS for transport. ACS employees will pick up these animals regardless of whether they are caught in a city or privately owned trap.

“Living Drug Free Starts at Home” (Corpus Christi, TX) – The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), along with the Corpus Christi, Aransas Pass, Portland, Sinton, and Alice Police Departments and the Kleberg County Sheriff’s Office, will provide the public another opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. On Saturday, April 26th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., DEA along with its local law enforcement partners nation-wide will host the Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. This is a free service and nine Take-Back locations will be available within the Coastal Bend Community.

This initiative addresses a vital public

safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse.

Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.

Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing unused medicines – flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash – pose potential safety and health hazards.

“Prescription drug abuse is a major epidemic across the country and DEA is committed to reducing the potential for misuse by providing a safe and secure method for Americans to clean out their medicine cabinets and properly dispose of unwanted, unneeded, or expired medication,” said DEA Administrator Michele M. Leonhart. “This nationwide community effort prevents home medicine cabinets from becoming sources of dangerous – and even deadly – drugs.”

DEA is in the process of approving new regulations that implement the Safe and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010, which amends the Controlled Substances Act to allow an “ultimate user” of controlled substance medications dispose of them by delivering them to entities authorized by the Attorney General to accept them. The Act also allows the Attorney General to authorize long term care facilities to dispose of their residents’ controlled substances in certain instances. DEA is in the process of drafting regulations to implement the Act.

A7

Club News

The Island Moon provides this space for Island organizations. If you are a member of a club and want to get the word out about your events and/or projects send them along and we will get them in.

Be sure to include a brief description of what your organization does and a contact person for those interested in joining.

Send the info to editor@islandmoon.com and we will include it. Or call us at 949-7700.

Rotary Club of Padre Island Corpus Christi – The Rotary Club of Padre Island is hosting their biggest fund raiser of the year – The Rubber Duck Race. Duck Race tickets are available up until Race time Saturday April 19th, at the Boat Ramp near Billish Park, following the community Easter Hunt at approximately Noon. You can purchase your tickets from any Island Rotarian up until the event! All proceeds benefit Rotary Community and International Service projects.

The Padre Island Rotary meets every Tuesday at noon at the Boathouse Bar and Grill (upstairs), 15241 Leeward Dr, Corpus Christi, TX 78418. For more information contact Jacqueline Carlson at 361-331-8618 or jcarlson@jmcarchitecture.com.

Padre Island Uke Club – Would YOU like to learn to play the ukulele? We can teach you to play 5 songs in 60 minutes! No musical experience necessary. We meet every Tuesday at the Island Italian Restaurant at 15370 Park Rd 22. Beginners meet from 6-7 PM and more advanced players from 7-8 PM. Everyone is welcome. $3/person donation is requested.

Loaner ukuleles available. Need more info?

Call: Joe Sexton at 361-500-8955 Or email: PadreIslandUkeClub@gmail.com P.I.E. Padre Island Enrichment Club, Inc, celebrated its first 25 years last week. See the story in this issue. P.I.E. strives to enrich the lives of Padre Island women through social activities and community involvement. Full membership luncheon meetings are held the second Friday of each month at the Holiday Inn. Members may also participant in special interest clubs (bunco, bridge, spades, books, etc) that meet throughout the month. For more information about PIE, please contact Katherine Pierce, President, at 361 960-0327 or Sandy Leber, Membership Chair, at 361 949-4175.

KIWANIS Club of Padre Island. The Kiwanis Club of Padre is wrapping up their annual nut sale. All Proceeds Help Children!

They will also host their annual Easter Egg Hunt in Billish Park.

The Kiwanis meet at noon each Wednesday at Black Sheep Restaurant. For more information contact Karen Wilson at 361-446-4626. e-mail at karenwilson61@gmail.com.

PI Dog Group (PI Dog). Meets monthly for dog and owner activities, training and education.

Next activity Saturday, April 5. Meet at 9:00 am at the parking lot at Bristol Pavilion at Padre Bali Park for a beach walk. Bring leash, water for your dog & you, poop bags, etc. Free to join! To join visit padreislanddogpark.com or contact Bev (bevhoffman@aol.com) or Lyn (lyn.edler@gmail.com).

IUPAC (Island United Political Action Committee): Maximize representation of Corpus Christi residents on Padre and Mustang Islands in area government by promoting and supporting, by the endorsement process, proactive and unified voting in non-partisan races and other issues and referendums put to public vote.

Contact Persons: President – Linda A Walsh lawalshva@yahoo.com 361-445-7999.

Secondary Contact Person: Member – Brent Hess, bhess0604@gmail.com. 361-774-0089.

Meetings: Open to the public, meetings are held the first Wednesday of each month.

Parrot Heads of Port Aransas – A not-forprofit organization whose purpose is to assist in community and environmental concerns and provide a variety of social activities for people who wish to volunteer. Founded in 2009 the club motto is “Partying With a Purpose.”

To join go to portaransasparrotheads.com or call Donnie Simpson 210 367-2674.

Padre Island Yacht Club - A members only Club, however we invite all Island residents to visit us. The PIYC is about boating, friendship and enjoying living on Padre Island. We collect more toys than any other organization in the area for the US Marines “Toys for Tots” program with La Posada events, including the Lighted Boat Parades. To schedule a visit or find out more information please contact John Diggins Phone 361-867-1313 as the Rear Commodore/ Membership for 2014.

POA - Padre Isles Owners Association. The Association’s primary responsibility is to maintain the Common Areas, assess and collect the annual fees and provide information and assistance to property owners. .. Membership in PIPOA is automatic for anyone acquiring record legal title to any property within Padre Isles. Their office is located at 14015 Fortuna Bay Drive on The Island. (361) 949-7025, padreisles@pipoa.net ARK – Animal Rehabilitation Keep. Located in Port Aransas the ARK is affiliate with the University of Texas at Austin Marine Science Center. They handle the rehabilitation of most species of wildlife in the area with an emphasis on marine animals. They care for abut 1300 animals each year, including about 300 sea turtles and more than 100 species of birds. If you find an animal in peril they can help Tony Amos is the Director. 750 Channel View Dr. Port Aransas. 361 749-6793, 361 442-7638. afamos@mail.utexas.edu.

Island Strategic Action Committee. Is a 14-member committee which meets (usually) at 5:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month at the Comfort Suites on Windward Drive. The committee’s purpose is to advise the Corpus Christi City Council on matters pertaining to The Island.

Island’s PIPPs Chapter of Corpus Christi Red Hat Society. In 2004 a group of Island ladies got together under a Palapa and founded the Padre Island Palapa Pals (PIPPs). Our only rule is that there are no rules! We are all about fun and friendship. We meet once a month for lunch and various fun outings from cupcake making to CPR.

Coastal Bend Collection Sites are listed below: Kiii TV 5002 South Padre Island Drive Corpus Christi HEB 3033 S. Port Avenue Corpus Christi HEB 5313 SaratogaBlvd Corpus Christi HEB (Flour Bluff) 1145 WaldronRd. Corpus Christi HEB (Annaville) 11100 Leopard St. Corpus Christi

Under the Bridge Serving South Texas Seafood for Over 30 Years Open Daily 11:00 - 10:00

HEB 1600 Wildcat Blvd.

Portland HEB 409 E. Kleberg Kingsville HEB (Aransas Pass) 101 E. Goodnight Ave Aransas Pass

Specializing in South Texas Seafood Since 1980

HEB (Sinton) 106 S. San Patricio Sinton HEB (ALICE) 1115 E. Main St Alice

Police Calls 100 block Zahn Road 1 a.m. April 12 Assault with injury 14000 block SPID 3:57 p.m. April 12 Assault with injury 13900 block Sea Anchor 10 p.m. April 13 Burglary of a vehicle 15200 block Capstan 11 p.m. April 9 Assaul with injury

AlsoNow Accepting Visa Mastercard & Scoopy’s Veranda Discover With Sweet Treats, Soups, Salads & Sandwiches

Snoopy’s Scoopy’s

(361) 949-8815 (361) 949-7810

15800 block Punta Espada Loop 1:43 p.m.

April 9 Fraud use of identifying information

13313 S. Padre Island Drive Corpus Christi, TX 78418 We now have Gluten Free Pizza!

Schlitterbahn Progress

LIVE MUSIC

Thursday John Eric, Friday Brian Winfrey Friday Ruben Limas

♥ Reservations Recommended ♥

Lunch Specials

Work has begun on hotel rooms.

Swim up Bar

Monday

Unlimited Spaghetti Salad

6.50

Tuesday

9 inch Sub for 6 inch Price

6.50

Wednesday Thursday

Pasta Menu Full Order for 1/2 order price Salad with a 6-inch Sandwich & Drink

6.50

Friday

Unlimited Dinner Salad

5.99

Hours: Mon- Thurs 11 AM - 9:30 PM Fri - Sat 11 AM - 10 PM Sun 5-9:30 PM 15370 SPID (Just south of Whitecap) 949-7737

A 8

Island Moon

April 17, 2014

Riders On The Orphan Train Presentation To Visit PACT A ‘Must See’ Multimedia About the Ignored History of Unwanted Children

By Brent Rourk Once in a great while a traveling show arrives in or around Corpus Christi that shouts ‘See me!’ and definitely Riders on the Orphan Train is one of them. Coming to the Port Aransas Community Theatre on April 30th at 7:00 pm the presentation is purposely crafted to touch your soul with a slice of American History rarely reported and sadly forgotten.

Out” system) was essentially a one way ticket out of New York for orphans between 1854 and 1929. Almost 250,000 children were ‘Placed Out’ as minister Charles Loring Brace, the person who initiated the program, termed it. A radical thinker, he surmised that thousands of New York City homeless and orphans would have a better chance of succeeding if they were ‘placed’ in farms or homes in other states.

New York was a giant city teeming with kids during times when parents could and did easily abandon children or conveniently sent them to an orphanage.

Orphanages were full of children and the only hope some of these children had was to find a loving family. The organization that Brace and a group of local businessmen formed, Children’s Aid Society of New York, managed the ‘Placing Out’ of homeless children and orphans.

Regularly, trains containing 10 to 40 orphans left New York for pre-designated railway stations in other states. By 1860, there were 30,500 miles of railroad track and 11 different railroads that met in Chicago. Tracks stretched into every state and rail was the least expensive and quickest way of transporting orphans out west to homes looking for children.

The Children’s Aid Society created contracts that were signed by adopting parents.

Included in the contract were stipulations involving term of Orphan Train adopting mother and her children retention, age, school directives, communication between the about the orphan trains, and the children parent and the society, and removals and agents who rode them. The museum’s Orphans were dropped off at pre-selected collections, exhibitions, programming and railway stations across the country with research will engage riders, researchers, and the accompanying agents. After the Orphan Trains general public and create an awareness of the ground to a halt, well-groomed children stepped Orphan Train Movement.

Brace was convinced that the out onto the platform where they came face to Children ready to be sent west from New York Anna Jo Miller Bassett was a young girl, orphans, if shipped to loving face with groups of strange men and women, Marvelously talented presenters Alison homes in virtually every state in the United an event that undoubtedly filled some orphans living in a Catholic orphanage in New York Moore and Phil Lancaster put on an extremely States, would have a better life if transported with hope and others with fear. Children were when she was grouped with 20 other children entertaining and personalized show that explains west, north, or south, but out of New York. As encouraged to improve their chances of being and two adult sponsors and sent to Katy the orphan train in ways that ‘reading about it’ it turns out, thousands of families throughout adopted by singing or performing, however, Station in Whitewright, Texas. There she was just cannot begin to explain. After experiencing the United States were seeking children and many prospective parents were clearly more adopted by a loving family, graduated from this humanistic multimedia approach the promised to provide loving homes to children interested in the child’s strength and working high school, and attended college for a while viewers will begin to feel what different who then could attend school, learn traits, and promise. Could the child do hard work in the before getting married. She decided to write her story for her children, grandchildren, and great stakeholders in the Orphan Train felt. Their fields? Could the grandchildren. Anna was fortunately adopted wonderfully refreshing and deeply touching child become an by a very loving family. One of her sons later approach involves audio visual presentation of extra hand on the moved to Corpus Christi. archival photographs, musical ballads and a farm or ranch? question and answer period after the hour and Alton Lou Clement (later renamed Lee Children who Nailing) and his two brothers were placed on a half presentation. were not selected an orphan train in New York in 1926 when he Both Alison and Phil have extensively and by adults in one was 9 years old. Alton and one of his brothers passionately researched this largely unknown town were then had been living in a New York orphanage for component of American history. Their talents shuffled to other two years. His mother died and his unemployed as authors, researchers, musicians, and artists stations and towns father could not take care of seven children. combine with their strong personal attachment until they found Four other siblings had been placed in foster to this topic and their boundless enthusiasm to a home. Many homes in the New York area. The three brothers ultimately create a poignant and heartrending children ended up arrived in Texas and were split up. Alton was revelation about how thousands of unwanted being shuffled from adopted by a couple of different families but children eventually found homes. It is a human family to family only for days. He eventually found a loving odyssey of strength, conviction, love and fate and town to town. home and parents. He wrote his story in 1991 told by two compassionate and experienced The inevitable ten years before he died in 2001. professionals who have traveled around the results of the United States sharing the story.

Children line up for the orphan train There are thousands of personal stories now Orphan Train available from those orphans who rode the Orphan Train Beginnings movement were bitter sweet, ranging from trains. Many incredibly powerful stories can establish a foundation for a productive life. irrefutable success for the majority of the also be found in “Orphan Train Riders: Their To help contextualize the presentation it might Once Brace and the Children’s Aid Society be helpful to understand exactly what this advertised, established orphanage contacts orphans to wretched horror for some. Most forgotten piece of American History was and in New York and town coalitions interested orphans were adopted and how it operated. The Orphan Train (or “Placing in adopting children in the west, and hired claimed by loving homes while other children, not so fortunate, agents and sponsors, it began were placed in situations that transporting placed children resembled indentured servitude, with the first ‘Orphan Train’ causing additional terrifying going to Dowagiac, Michigan experiences and emotional scars in 1854. for orphans already traumatized .

Serious Children’s Aid Society efforts and programming were devised to make the relocation more purposeful with positive results. Typically, contact was established between the Children’s Aid Society and a coalition of adults in a community who advertised and managed the process from their end, finding families and establishing meeting dates.

Agents Hill and Comstock-with their group of orphans

Dropping Children Off at Railroad Platforms

De luxe Nails

Mon - Sat 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Sunday 11 a.m - 5 p.m.

This chapter in American History was largely buried and unreported until a PBS documentary exposed the Riders of the Orphan Trains in 1993.

Orphan Train Stories The Orphan Train Heritage Society of America, Inc. (OTHSA), founded in 1986, preserves the history of the orphan train era, a period when thousands of children were relocated across the country.

Another valuable resource in researching the Riders of the Orphan Train is the National Orphan Train Complex. The mission of the National Orphan Train Complex is to collect, preserve, interpret, and disseminate knowledge

Deluxe Pedicure with Hot Stone Massage & Paraffin Hot Wax Offering: s Eyelash Extension s Pink & White Full Set s Solar Nails s Nail Design s Gel Nails s Waxing

s Manicure

t Sanitary

and Professional Nail Service t Gift Certificates Are Available

361 949-1794 14493 S. Padre Island Dr., Unit B Appt. or Walk-in Corpus Christi, TX Welcome Next to Padre Pizzeria

78418

The BACK PORCH April 18

Ruben V

April 19

Scarecrow People

April 25

Lisa Morales

April 26

Austin Heat

May 2

Thomas Michael Riley

The

May 3

$2BACK Wacky Wednesdays!

PORCH ON THE WATERFRONT

132 W. Cotter St. Bar

PortA

Most Orphans Finally Find a Home Most Riders of the Orphan Train were fortunate enough to find wonderfully accepting homes, and many of the stories reflect the joy that children felt when they found caring and supportive parents hundreds and even thousands of miles from the orphanages and streets of New York City that they previously called home. The majority of these ‘placed children’ were content if not delighted with their new family and were pleased that their journey to be loved and to find a family who would take them finally ended.

Some placed children ran away, not to be found again. Others found homes where strict parents beat them and made them work long and hard hours. Though there were cases of abuse, servitude, and cruelty, the majority of the children found a peaceful place they could call home.

Live Music

The BACK PORCH Bar

Own Stories” published by the Orphan Train Heritage Society of America.

After being either homeless or being sent to one or more orphanages, after being spilt up from their parents and sometimes siblings, and after being uprooted from the only home they knew, Orphan train children in Arizona most orphans welcomed a Photo Courtesy of Phoenix Public library safe and supportive home in a new land. Though far from New York City, ‘placed’ children formed RESIDENTIAL nurturing and productive bonds with their PROPERTY TAX SERVICE adoptive parents and embarked on a life with close support and guidance. For thousands of Robert E. (Bob) Maupin New York City children it was the welcome end to a history of unfortunate, sad, and often unimaginable conditions.

oPEN 7 dAYS + nOON-2AM Rankin Twins

Orphan Train

Serving the property owners of Upper Padre Island concerning the value of their residential property, exemptions and personal property renditions.

My certification as a Property Tax Consultant along with six years as a member of the Nueces County Appraisal review Board and thirtyfive years on the island have well prepared me to argue appraisals and help with renditions and exemptions.

Ph (361) 946-2092 Email: remaupin@sbcglobal.net

The last official orphan train from New York arrived in Sulpher Springs Texas in 1929. A few unofficial trains still ran as late as the early 1930s. Many scholars, historians, and experts in the field of adoption consider Brace’s organization one of the first real adoption agencies in the United States.

Circle Wednesday, April 30th on your calendar and pay a visit to the Port Aransas Community Theatre for a stirring and expressive presentation about the Riders of the Orphan Trains. Admission is free.

For additional reading and information please check out the following: www. ridersontheorphantrain.org/ , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orphan_Train , http://orphantraindepot.org/ , www.pbs.org/ wgbh/amex/orphan/ , and http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/ encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=2400

April 17, 2014

Island Moon

Flowers continued from A1

Ask Locals

Corpus Christi provided an amazingly delightful opportunity to behold a large city lot of Bluebonnets 3 weeks ago. The empty lot on the corner of Kostoryz and Holly was painted deep blue for a couple of weeks. Recently, Bluebonnets have been spotted on Highway 37 north of Corpus Christi. A cemetery in Rockport treated the eye to multiple wildflowers within the past two weeks.

Weather plays such an integral part as to when wildflowers bloom and where.

Rain and the sun both determine how bountiful wildflower fields will be and when they will blossom. Normally, wildflower websites like bluebonnetlove. com or wildflowerhaven.com mention weather factors when presenting information about wildflowers. Because weather varies from area to area and county to county, wildflowers will blossom at different times during the spring. But many experts agree on one thing; all indications are that it is going to be an excellent wildflower season.

A9

markers and more. A picnic lunch works great as does finding a local restaurant to boost your energy.

Once you arrive in an area or a town, do not be bashful about asking locals (in a very friendly manner) where they would recommend you go to photograph wildflowers. Locals working in nurseries, chambers of commerce, restaurants, and convenience stores regularly know the scoop on wildflowers in their area.

Corpus Christi Wildflowers

Using a wildflower guide while on your trip is a must because it will help you identify the flowers and might provide information on where and when they blossom. Last Sunday my navigator, friend, and assistant consulted my wildflower guide repeatedly for useful information.

Last weekend I asked a few clerks in a convenience store (where I bought a cup of coffee and snacks) about stunning wildflower displays in the Kenedy, Karnes City, Stockdale, and Seguin areas. Not only were they glad to help out, but a customer in line volunteered priceless tips. Of course, they were correct. We saw fields and road sides full of Paint Brush, Bluebonnets, Pink Evening Primrose, Thistle, Indian Blanket, Bluestem Prickly Poppy, and more. Rural folks regularly keep track of wildflower seasons and thoroughly enjoy seeing the waves of wildflowers blossom. Oddly enough, rural cemeteries can be wildflower bonanzas as they present a carpet of colors with protruding headstones.

Most of the fields of wildflowers seemed to glow with color, even with blankets of clouds at times overhead.

North on Highways 181 and 123. I stopped countless times to view and photograph flowers on both sides of the highways and roads. As I drove north I took detours on side roads that looked interesting and might hold surprises.

They did.

Most wildflower enthusiasts I observed were respectful of private property and nature itself.

A good rule of thumb is to stay off of private property unless personally invited to view flowers by the owner. Realistically, you should be able to get terrific views from the roadside or from the road side of the fence. Great lenses help bring the flowers even closer.

I tip-toed and tap danced through flowers to prevent trampling them. Those who know me know that it might be challenging for me to tip-toe and tap dance around wildflowers, but I cannot stand the thought of trampling flowers, not even one among millions.

On April 6th I drove up Highway 37, crossed over at exit 69 (Highway 72) and then went

Explore Side Roads Highway road sides are hit and miss with wildflowers, but often offer patches of flowers that can stretch for miles. Rural roads, both paved and unpaved, are frequently a treasure trove of wildflowers.

My experiences have taught me that it is always wise to allow time to take the road less traveled.

Get off the highway and follow a country road a few miles.

Explore.

You might be surprised. If you find very little on a side road, then head back to your main highway and continue on your journey. Enjoy finding other nuggets like old barns, cemeteries, old homes, old farm equipment, animals, rivers and creeks, butterflies, historical

Island Creations Remodeling

Total Renovation & Remodels, Outdoor Kitchens & Spas, Additions, Kitchen & Bathroom Upgrades, Sunporches, Replacement of Windows and Doors, Roofing, Painting & Stucco

Landscaping GEORGEOUS Condo at Gulfstream

Insured Member, Padre Island Business Association Member, Builders Association, Corpus Christi

960-0327

14810 Windward #220

$310,000

Design work, Yard Maintenance, Decks, Pergolas, Installation of Rock, Grass, Plants, Trees, Walkways, Paths, Tree Trimming, Container Planting, Vacant Lot Mowing & Shade Covers. All Kinds of Fencing, Pressure Washing & Deck Staining & Sealing

Concrete

Driveways, Patios, Sidewalks, Patio Overlays, Decorative Stamping & Staining, Decks, Bulkheads, Grouted Stone Walls & Patios, Decorative Stone Paver Driveways & Patios

Owned & Operated by Island Residents David & Katherine Pierce References Available Upon Request Commercial & Residential

Doing Everything a Home or Business Needs

Join us this weekend as we continue our brand new series on Heaven! What is Heaven going to be like? Is it real? How can you get in? Are there rewards in Heaven? Join us as we discover what Heaven is really like.

PASTOR BIL AND JESSICA

Series Continues April 18th - May 4th Join us on Sundays at: 8:30 AM, 10:00 AM & 11:30 AM

Bay Area Fellowship Padre Island Campus 15201 SPID Ste. 200 • Corpus Christi, TX 78418 361.993.5900 • bayareafellowship.com

A 10

Island Moon

April 17, 2014