Inside the Moon...
Riley P. Dog’s Canadian Cousin A5
Fishin’ With Farah A3
The Island Moon Published by Island Moon Publishing, LLC 15201 S. Padre Island Drive Ste. 250 Corpus Christi, TX. 78418 editor@islandmoon.com (361) 949-7700
Beach Fun Then & Now A 9
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India: The Best of Times A 10
Spring Break 2012 A11
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Island Moon The Island Newspaper since 1996
Island Area News ● Events ● Entertainment
March 29, 2012
Photo by Miles Merwin
The Island With More Gorillas than Grocery Stores
Around The Island
By Dale Rankin editor@islandmoon.com We’ve had Chamber of Commerce Weather hereabouts of late. Fishing continues to be good and the beaches from the north sticks (north end of Padre Island National Seashore) to Newport Pass have been drivable with your basic two wheel drive vehicle. From there south, on PINS, it is touch and go – mostly touch and no go – as soft sand continues from about the 6 mile marker all the way down past Little Shell at about 26 miles. A few intrepid souls have reported making the trip but the ones we have talked to say they won’t be doing it any more for a while- with the exception of Montana who is hard core and owns a small jeep and makes two trips per week down there for fishing. The Sargasso weed is starting to wash up in greater quantities and Captain Morgan who recently passed this way at the helm of one of the wooden Columbus ships said that offshore he encountered large, thick mats of floating seaweed dense enough to foul his prop. We’ve noticed recently that the beach cleaning crews in Port Aransas have begun piling the beached weed up in large piles which they later use to fill man-made gaps in the dunes known as Maintenance Dunes. At first glance it looks like the crews are blasting gaps in the dunes, which they are, but as dune expert Greg Smith pointed out, they then fill the gaps with the large piles of seaweed. This serves two purposes; first it stops the practice of dumping the seaweed in front of the dunes which serves to narrow the beach over time. Second, it allows for dunes higher than the norm to be built up in the gaps meaning that over time it raises the protective dune line all along the beach.
Next Publication Date: 4/5/2012
Spring Break by the Numbers Here are the totals from the height of this year’s Sprig Break from March 12-18 provided by the Convention and Visitors Bureau. Visitors bought 35,163 Room nights in 51 hotels across the city. Average cost was $80.00 per night Downtown and I-37 and Airport hotels had 90% occupancy rate, Island hotels were at near 100% Cars visiting Island Beaches had 3.5 passengers Based on the 3.5 person-per-vehicle number, using the traffic counters placed on the main Island roads during Spring Break: 109,351 people visited the beach near Zahn Road. 208,327 visited beaches from Packery Channel South to the Kleberg County line. The State Aquarium had 40,838 visitors 5,515 of those in one day. The Lexington had 21,242 visitors
Shell of a Mess
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Year 15, Issue 415
Solar Powered Homes on the Island Not just a pipe dream anymore By Dale Rankin How many times have we Islanders asked each other, “With all the sunny and windy days we have on The Island why aren’t there more homes with solar panels and wind turbines?” The answer is that there is and there are about to be a lot more. A company out of the Rio Grande Valley has installed solar panels on one Island home and is working with a local builder to construct an energy efficient Gianluca Ferrario installed the solar panels on this home on Whitecap that will include solar roof panels. house on Cuttysark (top) and on the house in Flour Bluff
(below).
The company, SPI Go Green this week completed installation of solar panels on its second home located in Flour Bluff and has five more homes under contract. We will get to wind turbines later. The most common questions asked about solar power for homes; how much does it cost and how long does it take to recoup the initial investment? Can I go completely off the power grid and be energy self sufficient. Let’s take these in order.
Solar by the numbers
The cost to install a solar energy system varies by the size of the home. If the size of the solar system is scaled to the size of the home then
Solar Continued on A6
Curb Aquarius
If a storm threatens the dune gaps can quickly be filled in to avoid giving Mother Nature an opening in the dune protection line which is the main defense against hurricanes. It is a good plan that has been proven to work.
What’s all that hammering? A drive around The Island of late reveals a large number of homes under construction. For exact numbers on Island real estate see Mary Lou’s column in this issue. There doesn’t seem to be a pattern in terms of where they are going up, some on Whitecap, others scattered around the neighborhoods. The ICF Styrofoam homes seem to be becoming more popular. The inventory of homes for sale has dropped below a six-month supply which is considered a benchmark of a healthy market and realtors report that condos and vacant lots are selling very well. The buying seems to be driven by a combination of factors but having the Eagle Ford oil play pumping more and more black gold out of the hundred mile swath of Central Texas doesn’t seem to be hurting. During the Texas Women’s Angler Tournament last summer we counted just north of $20 million worth of boats lined up for the weigh in and most had names like Dry Hole, Gusher, Oily Rag, or some other oil patch related theme. One exception was Day Money owned by George Strait who came down from Rockport to hang out at the Back Porch while his wife fished.
Islander Scott McFarland got tired of looking at a duck blind on land behind his house and decided to remove it. The land is owned by developer Paul Schexnailder and is marked no trespassing but the blind that was built there was built to last. McFarland said the shotguns opened up around 6:30 during the last duck season and after calling various agencies got no reaction so he went to work on the blind.
At any rate, the last two summers have been huge for tourist dollars on The Island and according to Keith Arnold from the Convention and Visitors Bureau this season looks to be just as good or better and the new homes going up are signs that the real estate market is looking up as well.
The blind was meant to last and had four-byfour posts cemented into the ground, some of which will have to be cut down with a
Park Road Bridge We get asked a lot about whether the city is actually going to build the Water Exchange Bridge to connect Lake Padre to the Island canal system. All we can say is that they say they are. In the council meeting this week the council affirmed that they plan to use $8.5 million from the 2008 bond election to build it and the staff told the council that there is a total of $13 million left in the bond funds that will become available by late summer. As talks for the Schlitterbahn Waterpark & Resort have moved into the detail stage the bridge looks more and more like the lynchpin in the deal. The publicly stated schedule is still to break ground on the park no later than June with opening by next summer. We’ll keep you informed as things progress.
Island Showcase Don’t forget the First Annual Island Showcase coming up at the end of April. If you have a home for sale or if you work in the home improvement it’s a way to showcase your work. In the meantime say hello if you see us Around The Island.
Shells Continued on A8
Antiques Roadshow Looking for Volunteers Antiques Roadshow is coming on August 4. KEDT is looking for 120 volunteers who are fans of the show to help make this event a big success! All volunteers will receive two major perks: the opportunity to have two items appraised, and an Antiques Roadshow polo shirt. Who knows, maybe the item you bring in will be the next $100,000 find! Volunteers are required to attend a mandatory training session on Friday, August 3, from 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. where you will be assigned to stations and trained on your responsibilities for the event. Volunteers must arrive by 6:30 a.m. Saturday morning, August 4. Your shift will end around 7 p.m. and, although you will be able to take short breaks, you must be able to be stand on your feet for 10-12 hours on Saturday. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. This will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! To sign-up to be an Antiques Roadshow volunteer in Corpus Christi on August 4, please send us an e-mail.
Crews are now running the curbs on the north end of the Aquarius Extension project and putting the finishing touches on the roadbed on the south end. The project is on schedule for completion by mid summer.
Blake Farenthold to Speak at Island Tea Party
On Wednesday, April 4th, Blake Farenthold, our Congressman, will speak at Padre Isles Country Club at 6:00 p.m. He will inform everyone what is going on in Washington D.C. as well as the redistricting situation in Texas. Notice we will meet on Wednesday because of Blake’s schedule, not our usual Thursday meeting. Come and bring your friends.
1st Annual Island Showcase Set for April Still time to enter homes, vendors, volunteers needed The First Annual Island Showcase is barely one month away and the slots for showcase homes are filling up quickly. The event is a celebration of the Island lifestyle and will feature tours of homes, both by land and water, and will also be a showcase for companies who work on Island homes, decks, and landscaping. It will run from 1-5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday April, 28 and 29. Organizers are looking for more homes to show and there are still a few vendor spots available for the showcase at the Seashore Learning Center gym on Encantada.
They are also looking for Islanders with antique cars for display, as well as Islanders with golf carts who wish to participate. They also are asking if anyone with a boat can provide canal tours for Island visitors. The idea is to showcase the Island lifestyle in every form. The event is the first annual and all Islander are encouraged to participate by contacting Mary Lou White at 960-9460 or by e-mail at marylou. white@coldwellbanker.com.
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Island Moon April First, No Foolin’!
March 29, 2012
Betsy Does One-Woman Art Show
Congratulations to Victoria Epstein, 7th grader at FBJH for winning the Regional Spelling Bee. She will advance to the National Spelling Bee in Washington DC the last week of May. Congratulations and good luck Victoria!
On March 22nd, the P.I.E. Bridge Groups held a Bridge Tournament along with a luncheon at Los Cabos Cafe & Cantina. Winners from left to right: 1st place : Kathy Coker, 2nd place: Carolyn Loe, 3rd place: Ginger Koclanes & 4th place: Lynn Phares.
On Sunday night April 1, at the Tarpon Ice House, the much enjoyed Open Jam by Rockin’ Ricke will be decorated by a one-night-only art show of a variety of this winter’s work by Winter Texan Betsy Bowen. Ready or not, she is heading north to Minnesota; while here Betsy has been illustrating a book about hawks, and diving into the lively Port A music scene with her sketchbook, as well as making woodcuts with her son Jeremy Bowen at Port A Glass. That’s the new-ish colorful shop next to the Gaff which includes the dazzling fused glass jewelry and tableware by Sheri Hargrove, y’all come in there, pronto! info for captions: sketches are pen-and-ink (one of those is Rockin’Ricke - file name wrong); paintings are acrylic on paper, for Hawks of Hawk Ridge (working title), by Laura Erickson, University of Minnesota Press, fall 2012 [please cite this somewhere, thanks] Thanks Ronnie and Dale, I’ll miss you. (heart) Betsy
Super musically talented Kayla French is a 14 year old Island resident. She’ll be playing this Saturday from 7pm to 9pm at Barnacle Bill’s at Bob Hall Pier on Padre Island out on the new patio. Come out, bring the family and have some good food and maybe a few drinks and listen to some great music! Kayla also leads worship for Bay Area Fellowship Students ministry. It is for student’s grades 6-12 every Wednesday from 6:30-8 at Bay Area Fellowship on Padre Island. There’s pizza, games, fellowship and message so bring tweens and teens by to check it out.
www.bayareafellowship.com
We Invite Your Family to Join Us To Celebrate the Resurrection Of Our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ! 15201 SPID Ste 200 (Behind Prosperiity Bank )
March 29, 2012
Dog Seeking Room Mate(s)
Island Moon
Meet Riley! This sweet little lamb is as cute as can be! He has a soft white curly coat and golden brown eyes. He was found last month in pretty bad shape. He was underweight, had mange, and was totally terrified. Despite this rough beginning, he has a gentle, yet silly personality. He loves just being with people. We think that Riley is a two year old, 20 lbs, poodle-bassette hound mix male (a poodassette!). He is currently neutered, utd on shots, and is on heartworm preventative. Riley gets along great with other dogs, but is not sure around cats. He has done well with potty training and currently sleeps in a crate. This little guy needs a loving, forever home. If you would like to meet Riley, please contact John or Karen @ 361-877-8521.
Did Ya Hear?
A3
By Mary Craft
email your business news to Mary Craft at mkay512@aol.com
New Advertisers Island in the Son invites you to join them Holy Week. Palm Sunday worship is at 10 am and Maundy Thursday Service is at 6 pm. Easter morning will have a SONrise service at 7am outside the church and you are invited to bring a lawn chair. There will also be service at 10 am. The church is located on HWY 361. Island Presbyterian Church will have Hosanna in the Highest processional with choir and bells. Maundy Thursday service with tenebrae and communion at 7 pm. Easter Sunrise Service will at the end of Whitecap Beach at 7 am. “Christ the Lord has risen today” Easter service with horns and choir will be at the church at 10 am. Roosevelt’s at the Tarpon Inn is having an Easter buffet lunch 11 am – 3 pm. Due to limited seating reservations are encouraged. Call 749-1540 or 876-0809. They are open daily for dinner 5 pm – 10 pm. Multi-Family Garage Sale at the cul-de-sac at the end of Fortuna Bay Drive on Friday, April 6th 9am – 3 pm and Saturday 8 am until noon. There will be tons of clothing, furniture, books, etc. and they warn that early birds will be shot! Bay Area Fellowship has The Crown series beginning this Easter. Easter service times are Saturday, April 7th at 6pm and Sunday morning at 8:30, 10:00 and 11:30.
Business Briefs The Sushi Bar will be moving to the south side of Corpus in less than a month. They will be in the strip mall near Staples and Saratoga where The Office Lounge 2 (TO2) is located. There will be a large area of restaurant seating and a long bar. The Office Lounge will be transformed into a sports bar with bands playing on weekends. The name has not yet been decided but there will be pool tables, electronic darts and a dance floor. The wall between where the Sushi Bar is currently will be taken out and the decor will be changed to a beachy one. Construction on the Sushi side will begin in about a month during which time the Office will remain open. When work begins on the Office side the business will be temporarily closed. Padre Pizza will be featured on KZTV Action 10 Kitchen Cops segment on Thursday, March 29th for scoring 100% with their annual health department inspection. Clean establishment and great pizza!
The Schlitterbahn Resort plans call for a five story hotel near the planned bridge. The current clubhouse location would house a fitness center, spa and restaurant. A pro shop would be built where the driving range is. The water park, with its meandering tubing, would be covered to use year-round. Of course, this depends on if it all goes through. Johnny D’s Restaurant is now closed Mondays and Sundays. They are open for dinner the other days 4:30 – 10 pm. Come enjoy their popular rack of lamb. There also have seafood specials appropriate for the Lenten season. Melissa Maupin Fish Prints will be available for viewing at the Corpus Christi Festival of the Arts in the Art Center on Shoreline. Saturday, March 31st hours are 10 am – 7pm and Sunday 10 am – 6 pm. Beachside Grill in the Holiday Inn will have the Easter Bunny on April 7th & 8th during breakfast and lunch. The restaurant has an all new lunch menu. The Sand Bar will have Karoke for the first time Friday, April 6th. Enjoy happy hour until 7 pm Monday-Thursday with $2.25 domestic beer and well drinks. Paradise Limousines is a great idea for outings with family and guests that come to visit. Also perfect for prom night, weddings, and bachelor and bachelorette parties. Call 9491161 or 877-LIMO (5466)
Join us for Oyster Reef Building Coastal Bend Bays Foundation and Texas A&M Corpus Christi we will be assisting Dr. Jennifer Pollack with a volunteer based oyster recycling project. You can read more about the project by visiting the website OysterRecycling.org. We will be helping build an educational oyster reef on Goose Island State Park! Volunteers are needed! Please wear work clothes, closed-toe shoes, and gloves. Please RSVP to cbbf@baysfoundation. org. All volunteers will need to fill out two indemnity forms, found here and here. The next volunteer days will be Saturday, April 28th and Saturday, May 19th. All times are schedule for 8:30-11:30am.
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Island Moon
March 29, 2012
Gone Fishin’
Don’t Let The Best Times Pass You By Capt. Joey Farah Jfarah72@yahoo.com (361) 442-8145 Time passes us faster than we can comprehend, how we utilize it means everything in life. The art of knowing when to go fast and hard, or slow down and savor the moment is a lifelong struggle. Small decisions at crucial moments change our lives forever. In fishing as in life timing is everything, the difference is that it is much easier to swallow our mistakes on the water. Utilizing lunar tables and tide charts will unlock many of our oceans secrets for anglers looking for a rich and bountiful life on the water.
on the surface with no fear are all sign that predatory fish are not on the prowl. We take the time to fry fresh fish sandwiches on the boat, explore islands, and check out water conditions in various spots when fish are not feeding. To catch fish during these slow periods position yourself in deeper locations within productive “ZONES.” Deep water will hold more fish and bait. Dormant fish will often retreat to deeper water or suspend while at rest. Downsizing your hooks, using larger weights to cast farther from the boat, the use of smaller lures to promote bites and varying your techniques, cork size, the way you set the hook, all of these small details may mean the difference in one or two fish every little while when waiting out a slow period. Many times the largest of game fish will take baitfish by surprise being the first to feed on unsuspecting bait. I often cast
The last few weeks we have been blessed with some huge catches of fish, along with even bigger smiles. With the masses of bait available game fish have been busy aggressively stuffing themselves to the max on every major feeding. I’ve seen trout swollen with shrimp and small baitfish, whiting and reds plump with small sand eels, and black drum pooping out clumps of small clams and pieces of small crabs. Being on the water every day sometimes from dawn to dusk opens the book on when the mature game fish are active. Lunar feedings happen four times every 24hours, 2majors and 2minors. Aim your angling efforts towards the major Coryne Farah with a 28 lb bull drum from a windy periods. Position yourself over afternoon in the Boathole areas showing good water with an abundance of bait of all kinds. If your chart in different directions bringing lures and baits says that fishing will peak at 2 o’clock get out into view from different angles. Trout will early. Try a few places in interest, then anticipate most often sit facing into the wind so casting the bite to start climbing two hours before the into the wind will bring the bait into their face. peak then drop off sharply afterwards. Experimenting with different techniques and baits during the slow times keeps confidence on On The Slow Days your side and puts a few extra fish in the box. We can make calculated estimates on when and Some of my favorite comments when talking where fish will be feeding and what technique with local fishermen are... should be best but in reality it is not up to us and “We went over there and it was full of small at times there is just not anything eating. When fish” times are tough I try to point out the obvious signs which let us know that we are not the only “Its still too early in the season, the trout are ones with empty boxes. The repositioning of not in yet.” fishing boats every hour is a good sign that most “There isn’t any fish hanging out in that area folks are having a hard time. Cows laying down we fished it all morning without a bite.” on the shoreline, birds hanging out on islands I usually ask them when they went out and find not interested in feeding, and mullet laying out quickly that they struggled over a weekend just following a Full Moon, when fishing is historically slow. Sometimes its mornings that there is no good feedings but an aggressive afternoon bite. Plan your efforts accordingly, most modern phones have apps that will show peaks in the lunar feedings, web sights are easy to find as well as many fishing publications also print monthly charts to send anglers out at the right time. Remember, fish might skip major and minor feedings times and push to be active on other high points when weather or conditions suit them best.
Nice sunset basket of fish, timing is everything
This Weeks Bite I would like to challenge any of you that are curious to get the major and minor lunar points and watch not only your fishing improve but the weather change regularly on these points. This week look for slow catching early in the mornings Thursday through Saturday behind major feeding times occurring before first light. Shrimp and other bait will be frolicking in the night getting eaten by hungry game fish before you wake up. Minor feedings will pick up catching mid-morning after 10am and peak again late in the evening. Afternoons will be best for catching with warm breezy conditions. Next week as we enter the month of April the week before the Full Moon will put major feeding times at first light and all morning. This will be the best fishing of the month as Trophy Trout will be in Pre-Spawn and willing to attack and eat our offerings. Savor those moments when the weather is perfect and the Laguna Madre looks like glass, these are the times when to enjoy the beauty of our wonderful back yard. When she screams with gusty winds and currents roll the bottom she is calling you to ride her swells to Sam Million from Michigan with one of his limit of black drum just north of the JFK Causeway great fishing. Those days when you are looking across the water on your way turn on the flats along the Flour Bluff shoreline. to work and the bay looks smooth and flawless Drift water 3 to 5 feet deep with soft plastics calling you to turn around and call in sick, go and shrimp and popping corks. to work we are probably praying for wind and Baffin Bay UNBELIEVEABLE I’ve found fish. Time your fishing outings and vary your techniques to match the best times for our game boxes of Black Drum, sheephead, and whiting fish to eat. At least keep an open mind to the while bottom fishing in three to four ft. of water fact that you might not be such a bad fisherman along gravely sand bottoms. Trout have started they might just be full. Follow our fishing to come in from the south with a good flow and catching on FACEBOOK under Farah’s of green water. This will hopefully push out Backwater Fishing Adventures and get some some of the Brown Tide produced by Dredge good “when and where’s,” and as always KEEP Mud thrown out into the area by the Corps of YOUR LINES TIGHT AND YOUR HOOKS Eng. Drifting with shrimp and popping corks over the major rock piles will produce some SHARP! awesome catches. Corpus Christi Bay On mornings with light Beach and Offshore Flat seas open up some winds head out to the gas wells in Corpus Christi Bay, live shrimp fished with light great snapper fishing inside state waters, lots weights will hook you up with nice Speckled of Ling holding on structure within 15miles of shore on their annual migration north. Trout and Sandies. Upper Laguna Madre Outgoing tides have been great for Black Drum in the Boathole area but turn trout off when stained water is pulled up from the south. Look for incoming tides to
Marker 37 Pier Anglers still catching some monster drum day and night with crab and sea lice. Lots of small trout under the lights and keeper redfish on live mullet.
W illiam a. T hau iii, P.C. “F ormer U.S. N avy L awyer ”
l Divorce and Separation l Child Custody and Support l Adoption/Guardianship l Paternity Cases l Wills and Probate
l Auto Accidents l Personal Injury l DWI l Criminal Justice l Military Law
ConvenienT Flour BluFF loCaTion 9708 S.P.I.D., Suite A-101 s C orPus C hrisTi (361) 937-5513 s T oll F ree 1-877-888-1369 Licensed by the Supreme Court of Texas Former President of the Corpus Christi Family Law Association (1999-2000) Selected as a Texas “Super Lawyer” in November 2003, October 2004 and October 2005 Issues of Texas Monthly
Johnny D’s
15605Johnny SPID nD’s 949-2500 15605 SPIDHours: n 949-2500 Hours:
Open TuesSat4:30 4:30 - 10 PM Open Tues- Sat - 10 PM Sunday 4:30 9 PM Sunday 4:30 - 9 PM Closed Monday Closed Monday
Happy Hour Happy Hour 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
$2.00 Pints 4:30 Full to 6:30 p.m. Service Bar Located on Padre Island, Johnny D's offers Island dining at its best. Serving Corpus Christi with the freshest local
seafood and culinary masterpieces, order the rack of lamb and you'll be calling your friends from the table! Hours of operation are Tuesday-Saturday 4:30 to 10pm and Sunday 4:30 to 9pm
$2.00 Pints 15600 SPID On the Island 949-2500
Featuring 7 Draft Beers HOURS-Closed SUNDAYS & MONDAYS Located on Padre Island, Johnny D's offers Island dining at its best. Serving Corpus Christi with the Check our website forfreshest daily local specials seafood and culinary masterpieces, order the rack of lamb and you'll be calling your friends from the table! Hours of and more information TUES-SAT 4:30 till 10:00 on 4:30 Tap operation are Tuesday-Saturday 4:30 to 10pm and Sunday to 9pm www.letseat.at/johnnydsrestaurant Daily Features.15600 Fresh Fish. SPID On the Island 949-2500 Great Daily Dinner Specials We will cook your catch.
Full Service Bar
March 29, 2012
Island Moon Calling All Artists Age 60 and Over
Letters to the Editor Sandpiper
Dear Editor, Hello! I am writing you on behalf of Sandpiper Condominiums. I recently had an owner drop off several copies of The Island Moon at our front desk, which she borrowed from the IGA Family Center in Port Aransas. I began wondering if it might be possible to receive your weekly publication on a more regular basis for our guest and residents to enjoy. We are located right in the middle of Mustang Island so we often refer guests to attractions on North Padre as well in Port A. It might be rather beneficial to have more literature on North Padre, and our winter residents really enjoy your publication. Please feel free to contact me via e-mail or by telephone. Thank you! Sincerely, Veronica R. Anderson Sandpiper Front Desk Editor’s note: You can now pick up copies of the Moon at Sandpiper Condominiums.
Golf Carts Mr. Dale Rankin: Would it be possible to run an article about the golf carts on the roads on the Island? I have seen a number without seatbelts, “slow moving vehicle” signs and various other things that are required on the vehicles to make them street worthy. Now I am seeing young children driving them on the streets, no parent around or on the vehicle, children standing on the back seat area while going 30+ down the streets. I believe you need to have a driver’s license to operate a golf cart on the street. Apparently these kids think they are toys and their parents let them drive them. It does not set a good example for other children who see this and don’t know why their parents won’t let them have fun on the carts too. If there is an accident (heaven forbid) with these children, we could loose the privilege of driving them around the island. More and more carts are showing up and this needs to be nipped in the bud before something serious happens. I feel an article in the Moon outlining the rules for carts along with the type of insurance required for them (same as your automobile) would be helpful to everyone. I took all the information to MaBeth at the POA that I could find regarding street legal carts which is more than required by the City. These vehicles that go 30-35 are considered a vehicle and require seatbelts and other things. Thank you for your consideration of this inquiry. Charlene Forest
Plastic Bags aren’t just Litter
I”m frustrated with the city council’s decision to ignore the plastic bag problem and pretend its a littering issue. “We need to enforce the laws we have” doesn’t even make sense when it comes to the plastic grocery bag issue. Most of the bags we see in our trees and flying around our airspace weren’t thrown on the ground by careless litterbugs. Some certainly were, but even the most responsible citizen of Corpus Christi, who puts all their shopping bags in their blue recycling bin is bound to lose a few to the wind at least once during the year. When the lids blow open, or the cans start skidding down the road, their contents become part of the environment. This isn’t just about littering, its about common sense. Don’t make the bags illegal, just charge a quarter for each one and use that money to fund a program that cleans up the mess. Jeff Craft Mainlander
Sandfest is Just Around the Corner As we get ready to make the turn from March into April it’s time to start thinking about Sandfest. Texas Sandfest in Port Aransas is the biggest Sand Sculpting Competition in the U.S. and runs from April 20th - 22nd. It regularly draws a crowd of over 100,000 people who come to see the sand sculptures, and other activities. We Moon Monkeys will have a booth this year near the music tent. We’ll see you there.
First Friday at Port Aransas Art Center The First Friday Reception at the Port Aransas Art Center is set for Friday, April 6. It runs from 5:30-7:30 at the Port Aransas Art Center 323 N. Alister, in Port A. There will be live music and refreshements and the event is open to the public. This month will be the “Island Women” Group Show featuring artists: Clementina Rivera, Sarah Searight, Victoria Marcella Allen and Jane Andrle Gillette April Sponsors are A Mano and Pam and Matt Landry.
Swamp Romp
Editor’s note: Thanks for the letter Charlene. The City Council passed the ordinance allowing golf carts on Island streets with a speed limit of 35 mph or less. It requires them to have lights and other safety gear but does not require a special permit to run on city streets. Most golf carts have a maximum speed of about 19 mph. The ordinance passed specifically omits “mules” or other vehicles similar to golf carts because they have a higher top-end speed making them more dangerous. We’ll revisit the subject and get something more detailed in the next issue.
Port Aransas welcomes The Louisiana Swamp Romp & Gumbo Cook-Off kicking off on Saturday afternoon, April 21, 2012 at the Tarpon Ice House in downtown. It’s Cajun! It’s all about the music and the food and the largest celebration of everything from the bayou. Ponty Bone & The Squeezetones are the featured headline entertainment. Opening act to be announced.
Flour Bluff Hornet Soccer Playoff action is at Hornet Stadium Friday, March 30. Girls play Victoria East at 6 pm and boys play Victoria West at 8 pm. GO HORNETS!!
The Louisiana Swamp Romp began in Austin, Texas in the mid-1990’s showcasing the talents of familiar Cajun & Zydeco musicians Steve Riley, Chubby Carrier, Marcia Ball, Boozoo Chavis & Ponty Bone & The Squeezetones. The folks who created this music festival are now residents of Port Aransas and are bringing this 1st Annual Louisiana Swamp Romp to the Texas Gulf Coast. Planning for the 2013 event has already begun.
Who Are the Moon Monkeys
A celebration of everything Louisiana would only be complete with GUMBO. A Gumbo Cook-Off will begin at 3:00 pm on April 21, 2012 with awards announced at 5:30 p.m. Applications for the Gumbo Cook-Off are currently being accepted. For applications please call The Tarpon Ice House at (512) 7625401. Entry fee is only $25.00.
Mike Ellis, Founder Distribution Pete Alsop Island Delivery Coldwell Banker Advertising Jan Park Rankin
Come join in the fun and test your Gumbo culinary skills. The Louisiana Swamp Romp & Gumbo CookOff Benefit The Island for the Arts and The Helping Hands Food Pantry of Port Aransas.
Mayor’s Council on Aging to Host Senior Art show ‘Art From The Wise Heart’ on May 4 Registration runs through April 20 The City of Corpus Christi’s Mayor’s Council on Aging (MCOA) and the Treehouse Art Collective, LCC are co-sponsoring ‘Art from the Wise Heart’ on Friday, May 4, 2012 in celebration of Older Americans Month. The public is invited to this free art exhibit from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Water Street Market, 309 North Water Street, Corpus Christi. It will be hosted in conjunction with First Friday Art Walk. Artwork created by talented local older adults will be featured in this show. In addition to the exhibit, a reception will be held by Treehouse Art Collective, LCC and sponsored by Mirador. Information about the many services offered to local seniors will be available. The MCOA is a coalition of volunteer representatives of senior groups, service providers, and advocates for seniors, seeking to raise awareness of the needs of the city’s older adults, coordinate available resources, and develop a network for local seniors’ affairs in and around the city of Corpus Christi, Texas. The mission of the MCOA is ‘to help older persons lead dignified, meaningful lives in an
age-friendly community.’
“This event will highlight the many artistic talents of local senior artists who continue to contribute to our community through their passion for the arts and cultural events,” said Janna Shoe, MCOA member. “In recognition of Older Americans Month, we are celebrating all senior citizens across the nation, not only those living in Corpus Christi. As part of that national celebration, the ‘Art from the Wise Heart’ event will feature many talented Corpus Christi senior artists and the cultural impact they still have on our community.”
Seniors age 60 or older (as of May 4, 2012) who wish to participate, may pick up a registration form from their nearest Senior Center or online at www.ccparkandrec.com or at www.treehouseartcc.com . Categories are Painting, Drawing, Photography and Poetry. Deadline to submit forms and entries is Friday, April 20, 2012. For more information, contact the Corpus Christi Senior Community Services Division at 361-826-3150. We invite you to Live. Learn. Play!z
Don’t Mess with Texas Scholarship Open to High School Seniors Texas high school seniors who care about the environment have the chance to win a college scholarship by composing a 350-word essay explaining what they’ve done to improve the litter situation in their community. The ninth annual Don’t Mess with Texas Scholarship is sponsored by BASF Corporation’s Freeport, Texas, location in partnership with Keep Texas Beautiful. Don’t Mess with Texas is accepting essays for the 2012 Scholarship March 15 through April 20, 2012. The first-place winner will receive $3,000. The second- and third-place winners will receive $1,000 each. Don’t Mess with Texas is a litter prevention campaign sponsored by the Texas Department of Transportation. The scholarship is one
of TxDOT’s efforts to generate more youth involvement in the campaign.
Eligibility: Any high school senior graduating spring 2012, who currently resides and attends school in Texas. Seniors planning to further their education at an accredited two- or fouryear college or university (public or private) in Texas. Timeline: March 15, 2012 – April 20, 2012. Materials are due via email or must be postmarked by April 20, 2012.
Requirements: A 300 to 350 word-essay identifying a litter problem in the student’s school or community and the action he or she took to address it. A completed Don’t Mess with Texas Scholarship application sent online or by mail with the essay by April 20, 2012. For the application, mailing address or further details, visit www.DontMessWithTexas.org.
78418America Hosts Community Health & Wellness Fair
78418America, a local nonprofit corporation, in partnership with Corpus Christi Parks & Recreation Senior Services, is hosting a community Health & Wellness Fair to be held at the Ethel Eyerly Senior Center located at 654 Graham Road, in Flour Bluff off Waldron Road on Saturday, April 28th from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome. There will be games for the kids, door prizes, drinks, snacks, and admission is free.
The goals of the fair are to increase health awareness and disease prevention by providing health screenings, educational information, and related activities; to provide disaster preparedness information; to increase awareness of local, state, and national health services and resources; to motivate participants to make positive health behavior changes; and to teach self-care practices.
Rockport Aquarium Lecture Series The Aquarium at Rockport Harbor announced today that it is hosting a two-day “Inaugural Lecture Series” to launch the grand opening of its new Education Center. The two-day event will be held on Friday, March 30 and Saturday, March 31. It will feature both FREE and PAID lectures throughout both days. The Aquarium Education Center is located at 706 Navigation Circle in Rockport, Texas, at the Rockport Marina/Harbor area. The Aquarium Education Center is pleased to feature “expert” discussions on some of the most amazing Creatures living in and along our Gulf Waters, including Whooping Cranes, Dolphins, Stingrays, Sea Turtles, Shorebirds, Coral Reefs, Shrimping, local history..... and much more!!!! Please visit www.rockportaquarium.com for the full speaker lineup and details! Call 361-7270016
A partial list of exhibitors includes 2-1-1 Texas/United Way, Coastal Bend Blood Center, Communities in Schools S.T.A.R. (Services to at Risk Youth) Program, Corpus Christi Fire Department Mobile Fire Safety Trailer, Corpus Christi – Nueces County Public Health District, and Driscoll Children’s Hospital.
78418America is a newly formed local nonprofit corporation whose mission is to promote community and improve welfare for residents of the 78418 zip code through neighbors helping neighbors. For more information about the Health & Wellness Fair and 78418America, visit their website at www.78418America.net. contact Desiree Evans, Executive Director, at (361) 249-0461 or des.evans@78418America. net.
Deadline extended
Plastic Bag Photo Contest
Due to popular demand, Coastal Bend Surfrider chapter’s SkipthePlastics.org Plastic Bag Photo Contest is extending the entry deadline to April 20, 2012. Join us at our booth to see the photos and for Contest Judging at Earth Day- Bay Day on April 21 at Heritage Park.
Send original and unstaged photos of Corpus Christi’s loose plastic bags to plasticbagbanphotocontest@gmail.com. Please include name, contact information, and location of photo with each entry. Please remember to BYOB---bring your own bag--to keep Corpus Christi Beautiful.
For information about Skip the Plastics contact Neil McQueen, 361-765-4445 and for photo contest information, Pat Gardiner, 361-7395507.
Office Lisa Towns Classifieds Arlene Ritley Design/Layout Jeff Craft Contributing Writers (In no particular order) Devorah Fox Mary Craft Maybeth Christiansen Dr. Tom Dorrell Jay Gardner Todd Hunter Mike (Murph) Murphy Ronnie Narmour Dr. Donna Shaver Photographers Miles Merwin Office Security/Spillage Control Riley P. Dog Editor/Publisher/Spillage Control Supervisor Dale Rankin About the Island Moon The Island Moon is published every Wednesday, Dale Rankin, Editor. 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 15201 S P I D. Suite 250. For more information call 361-949-7700 or contact the Moon at 15201 S Padre Island Dr., Suite 250, Corpus Christi, TX 78418 or by e-mail to editor@islandmoon.com.
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Patty brings a bright new smile to Michelle’s Salon. Patty, formerly of Sport Clips next to Lowes. Mention this ad and receive 25% off any chemical service and guys, you will receive a complimentary scalp massage on your first visit. If you are looking for a military cut or a super fade, Patty is your girl. As always, Walk-ins welcome
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On the Rocks
Island Moon
CCA By Jay Gardener Writers note: Most of you probably don’t know that while I am one of the several V.P.’s on the CCA-Corpus Christi Chapter, I also sit on the CCA-Texas State Board, and most importantly, chair the Habitat Today/Fish for Tomorrow Committee (HTFT, found at http:// www.ccatexas.org/home/habitat/habit-todayfor-fish-tomorrow/). While CCA is best known for its story about redfish, it’s very apparent that habitat is an imperiled critical component to the overall “fish picture.” To that end, CCA State Director Mark Ray created the HTFT Committee over a year ago to formalize some early efforts that had been moving in that direction, previously under the tutelage of John Blaha. Many great projects have already been completed, such as marsh plantings, wetlands restoration, and debris clean ups that have directly benefited the Resource. One of the most recent projects we have undertaken is funding $500,000 for the opening of Cedar Bayou and Vinson’s Sloughs, right up the coast in Aransas Bay. I presented the project at the most recent State Board meeting, and told part of the story of my experiences with Cedar Bayou. Based on the reception I received for my “fish tales”, I was asked to write a story about it for the Currents Magazine, the CCA State newsletter, which can be found at http:// www.ccatexas.org/currents/ I know that many of you likely aren’t members of CCA and wouldn’t normally get to read the story, so here it is, Part I. I first visited Cedar Bayou many moons ago when I was doing a short stint with USFWS sampling the National Wildlife Refuges (NWR’s) up and down the Texas Coast. Matagorda Island NWR was on the list, so we loaded up our sampling gear in the boat at Goose Island and headed out there for a few days. Our job was to complete fisheries sampling on the NWR and associated pass (Cedar Bayou). This was back in 1995 just after the most recent dredging episode, and the first thing I noticed as we pulled into the boat house there at HQ was the amount of tripletails hanging around! There were at least two dozen palm-sized ‘tails loafing around the pilings (potentially another species that benefits from open passes). We spent several days surveying the area, marking grids, pulling seines and nets, and running the sampling protocol.
Hook line and sampling The last couple of days we were there, it was time for tagging redfish, via “hook and line sampling.” We borrowed a truck from “Doc” McAllister (thanks for the hospitality and stories!) and began running the roads along the levies and Brundrette Lakes towards Panther Point. Previous “fisheries experience” had taught me that redfish are suckers for water moving through the culverts that joined all the lakes, and we started tagging a few dozen redfish. I think I tagged the most, around 25, although you might get conflicting stories from my co-workers on how many they tagged, LOL.
Now, this was in September, and you could feel fall coming on; convention told us that it was about time for them to be moving on. Texas experienced its first solid cold front of the season that next weekend, and fall really got kicked off. Sure enough, two weeks later, someone gets a call at the office from a fisherman from Bob Hall pier; they had caught two redfish down the coast that I had tagged at Cedar Bayou! Two! Evidently those redfish had made it out of the recently dredged pass, spawned, and were headed south to do more of the same. So I have directly seen the benefits to Cedar Bayou being open. I wish I would have gotten the chance to thank the recreational fisherman who called in the re-captures myself, but c’est la vie.
Right brain science For you “right-brained” folks out there, here’s some “science.” Now we all have heard that passes serve as migration corridors for fish, crabs, shrimp, and other organisms from the bays to the Gulf. And we’ve all heard that passes serve as “highways” for these organisms to complete their critical migration
Solar Continued from A1 the larger the home the quicker the initial investment will be paid back. This may seem counter-intuitive but it is a simple economy of scale equation.
power to run a home for about three days. However, if the power to the home goes out so do the batteries. The batteries are there only to store power through cloudy days.
On the high end a home SPI Go Green did in the Rio Grande Valley with 8000 square feet has had monthly electric bills as low as $22 per month and the highest has been $300.
But with 320 days each year on The Island which have enough sun to produce solar power most of the homes installing the solar systems now forgo the batteries and simply sell the excess power back to the grid.
The system in the home seen in these photos installed this week in Flour Bluff will cost about $45,000. But with tax credits of $15,000, and an AEP rebate of $1.75 for each watt the new system generates, the initial cost is cut by twothirds immediately bringing the initial cost to the homeowner of $15,000. At that rate by through monthly savings alone the homeowner will break even in about five years. With a minimum guaranteed life of the system at 25 years that means the homeowner will get twenty years of month savings after the initial outlay is covered. That does not include any income generated by selling unused power back to the grid. On a home of 2000 square feet the initial cost will be about $15,000 and the same tax credits and rebates apply bringing the initial cost down to about $5,000. That initial investment will be recouped in about six years through saving on the monthly bill. But if the home reaches the point where it sells at least 100 kilowatt hours of power each month back to the grid that income goes to reducing the payback period for the initial cost outlay, reducing the six-year payback. “The 100 kilowatt hours per month sold back to the grid is really the break point,” said Gianluca Ferraria, a certified installer and inspector with SPI Go Global.“The money paid to the homeowner for the energy sold to the grid is tax free. The Internal Rate of Return on a solar system varies with the amount of power used in the home. But on average the IRR is 12%-18%. That’s better than Wall Street right now.” The numbers get complicated for people whose Island home is a second home. Since they may only use power in the house during weekend visits their monthly savings on the utility bill will be small, but during the week when they are not there the system is selling power back to the grid and can sell up to 500 kilowatt hours per month at whatever kilowatt rate they are currently paying for their power.
routes to and from the stable salinities of the Gulf and the estuarine conditions of the bay systems. Ecologically speaking, this is known as “Estuarine-Ocean Coupling” whereas organisms are able to use the conditions found in the bay and Gulf systems to the best of their advantage for “spawning, breeding, feeding, or growth to maturity.” ( that’s the tail-end of the definition of Essential Fish Habitat, or EFH). It’s important to remember that these same conditions apply to our very own Packery Channel. The opening of the pass has helped many numbers of fish increase their ability to migrate to and from the Gulf, and no example is better for our neck of the woods than flounder. Coupled with some tighter regulations, Packery Channel has helped increase our flounder populations to the point where I’ve heard a couple of old-timers mention the phase “like it used to be.” That gives me a deep swelling of pride that the world isn’t all headed down the drain pipe; some things CAN and ARE getting better due to efforts of many people that have all made these things happen.
March 29, 2012
Another thing that is counter-intuitive for solar powered homes is that the higher the cost charged for each kilowatt hour by your provider the better the deal for the homeowner, provided the home is generating excess power. The reason: if the solar system is generating more power each month than the home is using the cost paid to the homeowner for the excess power which is sold back also rises.
Batteries Installing batteries with the system will increase costs by about 50%. Homes can be equipped with batteries that can store enough
“While you are at work your home is selling power to the grid that will cut your energy bill,” Ferrario said. “Even on a cloudy day there is enough sun to produce power.”
Can I get completely off the power grid?
Can an Island home be energy self sufficient? The short answer to the question is yes. For an existing home Ferrario’s company has partnered with local company Bodine-Scott and they will do an energy inspection on the home for about $300. Once the inspection is done AEP will provide a rebate for the changes needed to make the home energy efficient. Once the changes are done the house is ready for a solar system to be installed. There is one home on The Island, on Cutty Sark, which currently has solar power, another home along Whitecap is currently under construction and will be built from the ground up with energy efficiency in mind and will have a solar system. “A home built with the ICF Styrofoam blocks and with the right solar system can be completely energy self-sufficient,” Ferrario said. “The ICF homes are becoming more and more popular and we are installing solar systems in many of them.”
The most efficient systems are those where the solar panels can be pointed directly at the sun on the hottest day of the year. On the Island that means SSW when the sun is in the center of its annual migration across the sky.
What about wind power
As with many things in the application of green power the use of wind turbines for homes is also counter-intuitive. With all the wind we have on The Island wind would seem to be the most efficient system for home use. It isn’t.
Once again economies of scale dictate the numbers. The Island, over time, has an average daily windspeed of 14 mph. That works fine for the huge wind turbines we see as we drive along I-37 north of Corpus Christi. However, for a smaller home turbine an average daily speed of 25 mph is needed.
“When it is cloudy the solar panels are still making power,” Ferrario said. “When the wind is not blowing the turbines are just a yard ornament.”
So there you have it. Solar power for homes has arrived on our Island. Ferrario will be part of the Island Showcase on April 28 and will available to explain more about the systems and answer questions.
Trivia Question of the Week Trivia Question of the Week from last issue What is this a photo of?
Part II next week will be another great example of the need for passes, and especially the proximity of passes to critical habitats. Hope y’all enjoyed reading, email me your cheers or jeers at jaygardner@scientist.com and we’ll see you on the rocks now that spring break is about over!
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This week’s Question Did Spanish explorer Cabeza de Vaca pass through the Island?
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This photo is an aerial of the Port Aransas Traffic Jam taken from about 1000 feet by Jason over at Skydive South Texas. He was flying back to Port Aransas after dropping skydivers into the Schlitterbahn park in South Padre and you can see the line of cars making its way up Alister and onto the beach. If you are going to have to be around a Spring Break traffic jam we recommend an airplane.
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March 29, 2012
Island Moon DEE-SCOVERIES
Legislative Update
Todd Hunter, District 32
Everything Old is New Again
Cruise Industry Study Committee Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) 5, known as the cruise industry bill, was filed as the Senate companion to House Concurrent Resolution (HCR) 29 which I was proud to have the opportunity to file during the 82nd Regular Legislative Session. These resolutions were filed as a result of numerous town hall meetings which I hosted throughout District 32. At the town hall meetings I was asked why has the cruise industry not been expanded to the South Texas coastline. For these reasons, I was very pleased when Speaker of the Texas House Joe Straus named me as the Co-Chair of this interim committee. The discussion about bringing the cruise industry to the South Texas coast has been on the minds of numerous people in our area for years. The Cruise Industry Committee will give us the opportunity to work with the travel industry in order to study the possibility of bringing cruise ships to the South Texas coast and the economic impact it can have on our region and the State of Texas as a whole. In short, this committee will hopefully help bring cruise ship business a step closer in recognizing that the South Texas coastline is a great location for the travel and tourism industry. According to a cruise industry overview performed by the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association, a record number of an estimated fifteen million passengers took cruises in 2010. Of that fifteen million, approximately eleven million were out of North America. This increase in passengers has resulted in a large impact on the annual occupancy of the cruise ships. The cruise industry has also added twelve new ships to their lines. Following historical data since 1980, it is estimated that the annual increase of passengers is around 7.4%. The recent large annual increase shows a clear desire of people to take advantage of sea travel. Utilizing a 2009 economic report compiled by the Cruise Line International Association, North American cruise lines, their employees and passengers produced approximately $35
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by Devorah Fox
billion in gross economic output in the United States. The cruise industry also generated 313,998 jobs paying out $14.23 billion in wages and salaries. During this same period, cruise industry direct spending was estimated at $17.5 billion dollars. Additionally, it is projected that a cruise ship requires 950 crew members and that those crew members spend over $300,000 in onshore spending in the ship’s U.S. homeport. It is clear that the cruise industry represents a possibly significant economic boost to South Texas if the cruise industry would choose to locate a departure port out of one of the ports located south of Calhoun County and north of Cameron County.
and asked Joe for a shop for her birthday. He was concerned that might be out of their reach and suggested that they simply have the occasional garage sale. But Jay Jones clued them into a boat barn with an office attached that was available. The Duckworths decided it would be perfect. I have to wonder how the compact space is going to contain all the Duckworths’ enthusiasm and ambitions. “Small shop, big vision,” says Tiffany and she’s not kidding.
Like this one: Duckworth’s Antique and Furniture Shop, owned by Tiffany and Joe Duckworth. It just opened March 4, 2012, which coincidentally is the second anniversary of when Tiffany first came to Port Aransas. One of her talents, and she has many, is she’s a henna tattoo artist. Henna, for the uninitiated, is a vegetable dye that can be used to create body art. The lacy, intricate patterns have been a part of Mediterranean and Asian traditions for centuries, but henna can also be used to create popular designs like seagulls and butterflies. It’s especially popular with children because it’s not permanent and will eventually fade or wash away. Tiffany had come to Port Aransas to do henna tattooing at one of the tattoo parlors, now closed. She met Joe who was working at Castaway’s restaurant at the time. They stayed together but didn’t get far from Castaways, since owner Jay Jones offered them the space above it which they renovated and converted into an apartment. Since it’s across the street from the Tarpon Ice House, “we get a free concert every night” Tiffany says.
Sure you can go there to shop for classic antiques, but there is so much more. The Duckworths plan to offer small furniture, tables and chairs that aren’t necessarily antique. They also buy and refinish items that look interesting. They might take a new item and distress it for that shabby chic look. So the selection ranges from small items to large, from vintage to contemporary.
If you have questions regarding any of the information mentioned in this article, please do not hesitate to call my Capitol or District Office. As always, my offices are available at any time to assist with questions, concerns or comments (Capitol Office, 512-463-0672; District Office, 361-949-4603).
Rep. Hunter represents Aransas, Calhoun, Nueces (Part) and San Patricio Counties. He can be contacted at todd. hunter@house.state.tx.us or at 512-463-0672. Creating Dreams for Island Homeowners • • • • •
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2011 Taste of the Island
A reader of my blog — you do know I have a blog, right? At http://devorahfox. com, you can read more about these and other Dee-Scoveries. Anyway, a reader remarked the other day that he liked reading about all the interesting little shops and businesses. He said that for a small place like Port Aransas it seemed like there was a lot going on, with new enterprises popping up all the time.
Using 2010 census data, South Texas is home to over two million people, as well as having a close proximity to over two million people in the San Antonio area and a strong North Mexico market. At the end of the day, South Texas represents one of the fastest growing regions in the state. Along with the population in South Texas and its surrounding areas, the region offers a robust tourism industry, a wealth of natural resources and deep water ports which could be used to host a cruise line.
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In Boerne, Tiffany had been surrounded by antique shops and even lived in a vintage home. She caught the antiquing bug there and by the time she made the move to Port A, already had quite the personal collection of antiques. She thought it might be fun to have an antique store
In the shop you’ll also find on display work by
local artists. An artist herself, Tiffany created the “brick” wall. A singer and songwriter as well, Tiffany invites other musicians to come and play. “You don’t have to buy anything,” she says. “Just come by, see what’s going on, hang out. What we’ve got on display will always be changing and there’s always something happening.”
You might want to target Fridays for your visit. Fridays, Tiffany says, will be “pie day,” when
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she’ll offer homemade pastries for sale. Joe says that Tiffany is a wonderful baker.
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Or you might want to check out the “take it or leave it” box. Tiffany got the idea from the “Free Box” in Telluride, Colorado. Donate an unwanted item, or search among the contributions for your own treasure. Of course the contents of the take it or leave it box will be reflective of the people who live in and pass through Port Aransas. The box would probably be a great subject for an ethnographic study of the city. If someone gets a big grant to do this, remember, you read about it here first.
Have antique items of your own that you’d like to sell? The Duckworths don’t take items on consignment, but they’ll give buying it due consideration, and they’ll be kind and gentle if they don’t think it’s something that they want to handle. (The bedroom furniture that I had for sale was a bit more than their shop could accommodate. But if you’re interested in a 1923 dresser, landscape mirror, vanity with triple-frame mirror and chair, send an email to devorahfox@aol.com.)
For more information about Duckworth’s , call (409) 996-3741, send an email to duckworths@ live.com or visit them on Facebook. Or, just stop by at 219 W. Cotter Street. I’ll see you there. — http://devorahfox.com
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Island Moon
Stuff I Heard on the Island By Dale Rankin We got a call from Diver Dave yesterday about a washing machine found in the canal over on Running Light. We’re not sure how it got there but even though we kind of need one we’re pretty sure that one isn’t going to ever work again. As is the custom here at the Word Factory we put the idea through the rinse cycle…that’ll have Maybeth agitated. That’s Maybeth over at the POA and Maybeth gets agitated when people throw fishheads in the canal, you can bet she got agitated when she found out there was a washing machine down there. Diver Dave has a unique perspective on our Island. He’s sees it from the sub-marine side since, among many other things, he dives to clean the hulls of boats that have been setting in their slips too long. He also gets calls to go looking for things people have lost in the water and sometimes things they have run over in their boats. He hasn’t run across the Canalligator yet but I’m sure he’s keeping an eye out for him.
Net Diving A few weeks ago Dave got a call to go over to the ship channel near Ingleside to try and retrieve a net lost overboard by a shrimper. I was always under the impression that our ship channel was only about forty-five feet deep but Dave says at that point it is just over sixty. He knows that because he wears a depth finder that sticks at the lowest depth he hit on his dive. He said when he dropped over the side of the boat that within about twenty five or so feet he was in a pitch black world. There was no opaque green sunlight making its way down, there were no yellow streaks, there was pitch black. As Dave put it, “Even the lights we wear on our arms and heads so they can find our bodies if we drown didn’t do any good.” As you can tell aside from being a diver Dave’s a bit of a poet as well.
Retrieving a shrimp net from sixty feet of water in a shipping lane is pretty easy if you say it real fast. According to Dave though the trick is to not get run over by a ship while you’re doing it. You get a schedule of the ships that are coming by your spot and as soon as one passes by you go. Then you have to get the net to the surface before the next ship comes by and pins you to the bottom. All the while you’re wearing a full face mask and not only can you not see anything the only thing you can hear is your own breathing. It’s a surreal world down there.
Nets and crab traps This time the job was complicated by the fact that the net was fastened to the ground by being wrapped around a piece of pipe left behind by a dredge. Two previous divers had tried and failed to bring it up until Diver Dave finally got there and finished the job.
Transistordale (San Antonio), HOBO (Corpus Christi), and The Newton Gang (Brooklyn NYC) are tentatively included in the line-up. The live music and fun games will begin at 2 p.m. and continue until 10 p.m. The Gaff is known for delicious pizza, cold beer, and unique events, such as Pirate Pub Crawls and Beltsander Races.
Free booth spaces for non-profit organizations will be available at this event. Vendor spaces and sponsorships are also available for the festival. Rae of Light, a business consulting and event planning company, is producing the event. More information about The Gaff is
Shells Contnued from A 1 chainsaw. When he removed the wooden floor this collection of spent shotgun shells is what he found. After several homeowners complained during the recent duck season of shots being fired near their homes the city staff began looking into pertinent law to decide whether the city, county, or state had responsibility for establishing and/ or enforcing hunting and firearm laws in the Laguna Madre near Schexnailder’s land which border homes along Primavera. The city staff told the Island Strategic Action Committee that the city has jurisdiction in any area annexed into the city limits before 1983. State law says the city may not interfere with hunting on tracts of 10 acres or larger inside the city limits if they were annexed after the 1983 date. Almost all of The Island, including the area where the blind removed by McFarland, were annexed prior to 1983 meaning that the Corpus Christi City Council has jurisdiction and can pass rules on where hunting is allowed. Current city law forbids shooting firearms within 1000 feet of homes along Oso Bay but the ordinance does not apply to The Island.
City staff told the ISAC they are now checking to see exactly where the city has jurisdiction and where they do not. They told the committee that the City Council has the authority to restrict of ban hunting in any area of the city annexed before the 1983 date, which would include all of the Laguna Madre between The Island and the Flour Bluff shore. Schexnailder has filed a letter with the city telling them that anyone hunting on his land is doing so without permission and can be cited by the city. Homeowners along the Laguna are currently circulating a petition to ask the council to ban hunting in the Corpus Christi City Limits after they say the found shotgun pellets in their swimming pools from hunters who waded across the Laguna from Flour Bluff to the edge of the Intracoastal Canal and fired toward houses along Primavera. The council has not said when/if they will act on the issue. Dale Rankin
He got the net loose from the bottom and got it to the surface just as a tanker came bearing down on them. By the time they hauled it up and got the boat fired up they were staring down the muzzle of an oncoming boat pushing a bow wake big enough to surf. Dave says mostly what he finds in our canals is old crab traps. The old homeowner moves out and forgets he left some crab traps behind and the new person drops theirs on top. If there’s much of anything else down there Dave says he couldn’t see it because there is pretty much no visibility. When he drops a tool he has to skim the bottom with his chin in order to be able to see it. In the case of the washing machine he used a winch and pulley system to get the thing up on his truck and over the bulkhead. There are a million stories in the Island canals. It’s Dave’s job to find them.
Pirate’s Funky Country Music Festival
Port Aransas The Gaff’s Pirate’s Funky Country Music Festival, is scheduled to take place Saturday, April 7, 2012. This familyfriendly Silly, Texas Country Music event, fit for pirates and Spring Breakers alike will offer plenty of fun and activities.
March 29, 2012
available at www.gotothegaff.com. Non-profit organizations, and other potential sponsors and vendors should email raeddrady@gmail.com or go to www.ewmediagroup.com or www.rae-oflight.com. Names of the primary sponsors, and more details will be released around March 23, 2012.
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Day And Night Boardwalk Shopping Center off Kenedy Bridge to the first right.
Pee Wee’s Animal Shelter
South Texas Grassroots Band Sundays 6:30-9:30
Peewee’s Animal Shelter is located at 1307 Saratoga and has been in operations since May, 1997. Peewee’s presently houses over 300 animals, including dogs, puppies, cats, kittens as well as, pigs, goats, rabbits and other barn animals. Peewee’s relies on donations only for its operation. Shelter operations are accomplished strictly by donations. Peewee’s does not get any government, city or federal funding. Peewee’s helps those animals no one else will - the sick and the stray. The volunteers at Peewee’s work tirelessly to rehabilitate poor orphaned pets in the hopes that they will find new, loving homes. The dogs and cats are spayed/neutered, given regular heartworm preventative, and are on flea & tick prevention and medications as needed. Peewee’s does not discriminate due to age or health conditions of the pet. Please visit Peewee’s Pet Adoption World & Sanctuary at 1307 Saratoga Road. You can call them at 361888-4141 but they do not have staff to answer phones so please leave a message.
VIENNA PIANO TRIO
March 29, 2012
Island Moon
A9
Corpus Christi Chamber Music Society Presents For almost 20 years, the Vienna Piano Trio has been performing regularly in virtually every major music center in Europe, the Americas, Australia and the Far East. “One of the world’s leading ensembles of violin, cello and piano.”
Matthias Gredler, violoncello,
~Washington Post
Stefan Mendl, Piano,
Wolfgang Redik, Violin
Saturday March 31st,
Wolfe Recital Hall
Del Mar College - Music Department East Campus 7:30 p.m. Tickets at the door 7 p.m. $25 adults, $10 Student. Cash or check Call 884.5775 for more information www.corpuschristichambermusic.org
Concert Sponsor The Morris L. Lichtenstein, Jr. Medical Research Foundation
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Tuesdays are awesome!
Prime Rib, twice baked & veggie just $19.99 Plus, all bottles of wine are half off too! Come eat!
Fish Prints & Coastal Art You’re invited! Please come by and see me at:
14254 SPID 361-949-6769 www.scuttlebuttsbarandgrill.com
Corpus Christi Festival of The Arts Art Center of Corpus Christi & Sherrill Park 100 Shoreline Blvd.
Sat., March 31, 10:00– 7:00 & Sun., April 1, 10:00– 6:00 Free admission: art, dance, film, music, food & fun Melissa Maupin 361-815-2028 mmaup@ymail.com
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Island Moon
March 29, 2012
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