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Longboard Competition A2 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

Turtle Update A3

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Spring Migration A9

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The

Island Moon The Island Newspaper since 1996

Island Area News ● Events ● Entertainment

April 19, 2012

Photo by Miles Merwin

The Island Where Photographers Catch Lighting in a Bottle

Around The Island

By Dale Rankin editor@islandmoon.com Wow what a week! Weather has dominated the Island lifestyle for a few days. First it was the wind. The wind was so strong it almost blew the weekend right into the first of the week but then on Monday the bottom fell out of the sky and deluged The Island with heavy rain and hail.

The overhangs at the gas pumps at Island shell stations became the most popular spots around when the marble sized hail started rattling the roofs of our cars but you had to get there early to get a good spot. It reminded us of those stories in college lit where the people with fallout shelters had to decide which neighbors to let in and which to lock out. We’re here to tell you friends when the hail starts falling the social compact breaks down in a hurry. It makes you think maybe old Edmund Burke had it right about man in his nature state.

It had been so long since we had a gully washer that all the loose palm leaves and plastic bags rousted out by the high winds clogged up the drains and we had some lakes in the streets. The high wind blew over garbage cans and a lot of that refuse found its way into storm drains and over on Whitecap a downed power line blocked traffic for a while. Traffic on The Island came to a stop except for people seeking shelter for their hail-pelted cars.

Then came the lightening. There were three hits that we know of. One was on Primavera where lightening hit an occupied house knocking a hole in the roof and causing an injury and at the same time burning up the electrical system of a boat on a trailer outside that was plugged into a battery charger.

Then over on Granada at Las Haciendas condos lightening blew a hole in a roof as well.

The strange thing was that after the storm when residents turned on their tap water something that looked more like dark sludge came out instead of water. Apparently it happens frequently in that area after storms. After a few minutes of running water it clears up but it is still a bit of a mystery why it happens after storms.

Then over a Harbor Island just across from Port Aransas the ferry system was knocked out of commission when a lightening hit knocked out both regular and back up power and caused some delays for a while.

It was touch and go there for a short while and then the next day the sun came out and the wind died down and everything got back to normal and it was just another day in paradise.

Schlitterbahn Update Talks on the tax incentives for Schlitterbahn are ongoing. The City Council has discussed them the past three meetings in Executive Session but has said nothing publicly so we can only report what we hear, which is that things are moving forward but have hit a bit of a snag over the fact that some of the site for the proposed development is a special taxing district and that is causing some snags.

That said, the word for the potential park’s owner is that the deal will get done and the park will be built and at the end of the day his say is the one that matters. We’ve said since the beginning we believe the chance of the park being built is at least 80% in favor and as time passes that number gets higher.

Say hello if you see us Around The Island.

Aquarius Extension Starting to Look Like a Street

The curbs are in, the medians are in , the roadbed is down, and the Aquarius Extension is starting to look like a street. Completion of the $1.4 million Aquarius Extension project is set for early June and looks to be on schedule.

The only thing conspicuously missing now are the hike and bike trails.

Next Publication Date: 4/26/2012

April 28 Big Day on The Island

Facebook: The Island Moon Newspaper

Tex the Longhorn

Year 15, Issue 419

1st Annual Island Showcase Coming April 28-29

Homes, boats, and the Island Lifestyle Showcase The 1st Annual Island Showcase is just around the corner. Thirty five homes have signed up to take part in the parade of homes and only a few vendors spots remain.

The event is set for Saturday April 28 and Sunday April 29 and the homes will be open for public viewing from 1-5 on both days.

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.

There will be a showcase for Island home improvement companies at the Seashore Learning Center gym on Encantada and a Trade Days for Toys where people can bring boats, recreational vehicles, and fishing gear to sell or trade. The Trade Days will be at Brisco King Pavilion and will run from 1-5 but participants are requested to arrive by 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 28 and check in. The event is free and the idea is to trade and sell with other Islanders who have unused gear setting around.

You may have seen Tex the Longhorn and his human Kenny wandering around The Island lately.

Tex is getting used to his new Island surroundings and has been walking up and down the SPID, or like seen here at the corner of SPID and Whitecap. Kenny is a longtime professional rodeo cowboy and rodeo clown but has now come down to The Island to help with the Horse Riding on the Beach stables during the busy season. Kenny also has longhorns in Bandera and Ft. Worth.

As of right now Tex says photos only, no rides, but he might change his mind as he gets settled in.

Big Weather

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.

Boat tours of the homes can be arranged by calling ahead.

Just head to the Island and follow the signs. It’s a chance to get an inside look at the Island and the beautiful homes along the canals.

Spoil Island Cleanup Set for April 28 It’s a time to give something back

By Fred Edler The Spoil Island cleanup is just around the corner and is scheduled for Saturday, April 28, 2012.

We enjoy a wonderful island paradise.

Unfortunately due to careless individuals and strong winds our beautiful waterways and undeveloped “islands” become littered with debris. The Padre Island POA Beautification Trust in conjunction with the Padre Island Yacht Club, Sponsor and Host the “Spoil Island Clean Up” each year.

Volunteers are needed to patrol and clean the waterways and shores of the canal system that gives us so much beauty and enjoyment. If you have ever boated down the canals, fished the shore line or swam in the canal system, it’s time to give back a half day of your time to keep our island beautiful.

Cleanup Continued on A7

Adopt-A-Beach Spring Cleanup set for April 28

The high winds and rain that hit The Island this week included some hail and lightening. At least three lightening strikes were reported, this one leaving a hole in a roof on Granada, and streets flooded in several areas. No serious injuries were reported.

Time to SandFest Baby!

SandFest Weekend Will Draw 100,000

10,000 Texans to tackle trash in nation’s biggest coastal cleanup Thousands of volunteers across the state are making plans now to take part in the AdoptA-Beach Spring Cleanup Saturday, April 28.

In the Coastal Bend, volunteers will hit 11 beaches..

The 26th GLO Adopt-A-Beach Spring Cleanup will run from 9 a.m. until noon. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. at eleven sites in the Coastal Bend area.

Texas — home to the nation’s first all-volunteer beach cleanup in 1986 — boasts one of the biggest all-volunteer beach cleanups in the world. More than 10,000 Texans are expected to participate in the Adopt-A-Beach Spring Cleanup coastwide.

Volunteers may register on-line for the Spring Cleanup at www.TexasAdoptABeach.org or at 29 of the 30 check-in sites (advanced registration required for St. Jo Island) beginning at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, April 28th . Each volunteer will be given data cards, gloves, pencils and trash bags. All volunteers are advised to wear closed-toe shoes, bring sunscreen and plenty of drinking water.

Adopt A Beach Continued on A6

The beach in Port Aransas will be a beehive of activity this weekend as 100,000 people descend on the Official Texas Sand Sculpture Festival “Texas SandFest.”

also feature over 200 amateur sculptors.

Things kickoff on Thursday and continue through Sunday on the beach between Horace Caldwell Pier and points south. It is the largest Master Sand Sculpting Competition in the United States.

Things kick off on Thursday with judging on Sunday. See the map in this issue for location and park and ride.

SandFest is a qualifying contest for The World Championships and aside from the pros will

The event is free unless you want to get up close the professional sculptures for a photo and that costs $2 each day.

Sandfest Map on Page A10

A 2 Top Ten Longboarders in U.S. to attend

Island Moon

Island to Host Cinco de Mayo Longboard Pro Invitational Surf Competition

April 19, 2012

Seashore News

The Island will play host to the top ten longboard surfers in North America on Saturday, May 5 at Packery Channel. The event will, called the Cinco de Mayo Longboard Pro Invitational will feature men’s, women’s and junior divisions and will have a prize purse of $4000.

Nationally ranked longboarders Tony Silvagni, Justin Quintal, Pat Nichols, and Steve McClean, are justa few who have committed to attend.

There will be a Dos Equis soundstage for the event where a live CD recording of the lineup will take place. The headline band is The Weakday Boyz.

Sean Slater will be on hand to hand out personal invitations to the top two finishers in each divisions for the Slater Brothers Invitational to take place in Cocoa Beach next October.

The divisions are: Mens Pro Longboard, Women’s Pro Longboard, Jr. Pro longboard, Shortboard Expression Session, Waveski Champs

Okay, this is where it gets entertaining.

This guy is not hanging 10 toes over, he is hanging his heels over surfing backwards going down the face of the wave. Heels is a crowd favorite and it is just the coolest thing to watch. This is going to be a real spectator friendly event (surf permittingpray for surf!!) since folks will be able to get out on the jetty and get up close and personal.

This is local hottie Nathan Floyd of Wind and Wave Surf Team who has really blown up his longboard skills in the last year. Photo by official TGSA photographer G Scott of G Scott Imaging.

The Story Teller’s Garden and the Butterfly Garden at Seashore Learning Center are places for fun, stories, studying and hard work.

Tatiana Ortiz and Nickoli Ortiz work hard preparing the gardens, while Sadie Gaines and Fischer Phillips enjoy a story. Dax Thompson finds the garden a good place to study and a group of boys focus on microhabitats.

UNDERWORLD

Registration party at the Scuttlebutt’s parking lot the night before with live music, grilled burgers.

Bachelor & Bachelorette Gifts Menswear Small - 5x Costumes: Halloween, Mardi Gras, etc. Dog Costumes Incense Candles Lotions Glowing Neon LED Novelty Items Socks Shoe Shines Fun Classy Practical Island Sandfest!

Shop Welcome Bachelor & 106 315 S. Alister, suite Bachelorette Gifts (Across from IGA Grocery store) Port Aransas Menswear Small - 5x Open Monday, Thursday, Friday & Costumes: Saturday 10 Halloween, to 5 Sunday 12Mardi to 5 Gras, etc. Dog Costumes Closed Tuesday & Wednesday Incense Candles Lotions Glowing Neon LED Novelty Items Socks Shoe Shines Fun Classy Practical Island Shop

UNDERWORLD

Paul’s Seafood The Freshest Seafood Available Super Discount Prices 9810 S.P.I.D. (Flour Bluff) 361-939-7447

Steve is originally from The Island and at last weekend’s NSSA East Coast Champs surfing competition held in New Smyrna Beach Florida, he beat all the young guns this last weekend to take the win.

IMPRESSIVE! He will be competing in the Cinco Event here on The Island.

Cookies for the Troops

Biggest Island Loser to be Named May 6

J-B BOUTIQUE PORT A BEACH LODGE

315 S. Alister, suite 106 (Across from IGA Grocery store) Port Aransas Open Monday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday 10 to 5 Sunday 12 to 5 Closed Tuesday & Wednesday

Belinda Sanchez 830-328-7201

Grand Opening 3/1/12 Fashion Shows March 10, 17, 24 Open Monday- Sunday 8:00 am - 10:00 pm 2016 On the Beach Joe Sanchez III 210-844-9840

Two of 20 cases of “Cookies for Troops” make their way up the crew ladder of a C5 Galaxy at Lackland AFB, joining an additional 90,000 lbs of cargo already on board.

The cookies were donated by Port Aransas citizens through the last Girl Scout cookie sale.

The C5 is bound for Europe and then on to combat zones further east and will be piloted by Islander and AF Reservist Major Jason Towns.

The final weigh in will be on Sunday afternoon, May 6th and some happy loser will take home $500! The Second Place winner will receive a $100 cash prize. This is a Community Program of the Island Foundation, a Not for Profit Foundation that holds the Charter for both of our Island Seashore Charter Schools.

Tarpon Ice House this weekend!

It’s Time to Rock the Swamp!

The Louisiana Swamp Romp & gumbo Cook-Off is scheduled for Saturday, April 21, at the Tarpon Ice House in downtown Port Aransas, Texas.

The event, long held in Austin, Texas, has now come to the Texas Gulf Coast.

It’s Cajun! It’s Zydeco! It’s all about the music and the food! It’s the largest celebration of everything from the Bayou. .Crawfish, crawfish and more crawfish! Crawdads will be available for sale from 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. or until they run out.

Gumbo Cook-Off Tasting/Judging 5:00 p.m. Music begins at 5:00 p.m. Headline Act: Ponty Bone & The Squeezetones.

Admission is $8.00 (in and out stamp provided). Children 12 and under FREE. (Bring a non-perishable food item and receive a $1.00 discount on admission) Applications for entry in the Gumbo Cook-Off are being accepted. A limit of 20 entries. Applications for Arts & Crafts booths are available on a limited basis. All items sold must be approved in advance and be in good taste. Preference will be given to Cajun/Louisiana, and Mardi Gras items. For applications call (512) 762-5401.

Put your dancing shoes on and join in the celebration!

Sponsored by The Island Moon, Port Royal Resorts, Ozarka Water, Gratitude, & Castaways.

Benefiting the Island Arts Center and The Helping Hands Food Bank of Port Aransas.

Ponty Bone

April 19, 2012

Island Moon

First Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle Nests Found

By Donna J. Shaver, Ph.D. Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery National Park Service Padre Island National Seashore e-mail: Donna_Shaver@nps.gov The 2012 Kemp’s ridley sea turtle nesting season has begun! For the second year in a row, Padre Island National Seashore Biological Technician Shauna Ertolacci found the first documented nest of the year on the Texas coast.

This year, she found the first nest at the National Seashore on April 12, about 5 miles from where she found the first nest in 2011.

trained to aid with nesting detection efforts on the Texas coast, from the Bolivar Peninsula to Boca Chica Beach, and turtle patrols are underway. However, it is a very large area to patrol, driving and searching conditions are poor this year due to large amounts of seaweed on the beach, it only takes about 45 minutes for the turtles to nest, and signs of nesting disappear quickly. Several nests are located by beachgoers each year, especially in developed areas of the Texas coast. You can help by watching for nesting while you are on the beach and reporting it to a passing turtle patroller or to me by calling 361949-8173, ext. 226.

You can learn about what to do if you see a nesting turtle by visiting the Padre Island National Seashore website at www.nps.gov/pais. The website also contains information on nest totals in Texas and our hatchling releases. We also post updates about nesting and hatchling releases (including photos and video clips) on our Facebook page entitled Padre Island NS Division of Kemp’s ridley sea turtle nesting at Padre Island Sea Turtle Science and Recovery. My National Seashore. While laying eggs, the nesting dog Ridley helps find difficult-to-locate turtle enters a trance-like state, as shown here nests and has a Facebook page named Ridley Ranger. “Like” these two pages to receive our updates.

Kemp’s ridley is the most

endangered sea turtle species in the world, and Padre Island National Seashore is the most important Kemp’s ridley nesting beach in the U.S. Each year, more Kemp’s ridley nests are documented at the National Seashore than at any other location in the U.S. Twentyone Kemp’s ridley nests have been documented on the Texas coast so far this year, from April 12-15. Fourteen of the 21 nests were found locally, including 10 at the National Seashore, one on North Padre Island north of the National Seashore, and three on South Padre Island. The remainder included three found on Galveston Island, two on Biological Technician Jim Howard with a Kemp’s ridley that just nested at Padre Island National Seashore.

South Padre Island, and two on Boca Chica Beach.

After they were done laying eggs and covering the nest, four of the females found nesting at the National Seashore were transported to our laboratory for attachment of a satellite transmitter. You can view their movements on www.seaturtle.org. Go to the satellite tracking link and look for the Padre Island National Seashore Kemp’s Ridley Tracking Program 2012. We will attach transmitters on six more nesters that are found this year, and their locations will also be posted on www.seaturtle.org.

Eggs from 15 of the nests found at the National Seashore and northward on the Texas coast were collected and brought to our Incubation Facility for protected care. The eggs will hatch and hatchlings will be ready for release sometime between May 28 and June 6, and we will attempt to hold the first hatchling release of the year that is open to the public. Each year, we hold 20-30 of these public releases and thousands of people come to the National Seashore to watch us release the hatchlings. As eggs are placed into the incubation facility, the projected hatchling release dates for the eggs from each nest are placed on the National Seashore website at www.nps.gov/pais. When the eggs begin to hatch we will have a better idea about when the release will occur. The latest information on the releases can be obtained by calling the Hatchling Hotline at 361-949-7163.

We want to find Kemp’s ridley turtles that nest here and their nests, so that we can document them and protect them from human related and natural threats. Hundreds of people have been

Kemp’s Ridley Turtle Roundup So far this year, 19 Kemp’s ridley nests have been confirmed on the Texas coast including (north to south in state): 0 Bolivar Peninsula 3 Galveston Island 0 Brazoria County, N. of Surfside 0 SurfsideBeach 0 Quintana Beach 0 Bryan Beach 0 Brazoria County, N. of Sargent Beach 0 Sargent Beach 0 Matagorda Peninsula 0 Matagorda Island 0 San Jose Island 3 Mustang Island 9 North Padre Island, including 9 at Padre Island National Seashore 2 South Padre Island 2 Boca Chica Beach

Did Ya Hear?

A3

By Mary Craft

email your business news to Mary Craft at mkay512@aol.com

New Advertisers Bron’s Beach Carts- Just in time for Sandfest a new motorcart business has opened up in Port A. Bron’s Beach Carts is offering brand new carts for rent. Stop by and check out his herb garden and welcome him to The Islands. Or you can call him for a reservation at 361-2907143.

Underworld in Port A has trendy clothes and accessories, novelty gifts and party favors.

They have costumes available for you and your pet. Check out all their fun gift ideas. They are located across from IGA.

Stuff, food booths and arts and crafts. There is entertainment for the kids including critters to ride around. The next fair is May 13th noon – 7 pm.

Bancock Star Thai on the Island has opened a new restaurant in Port Aransas. It is located on Cotter street in the shopping center with the T-Shirt shop with the giant shark. They are currently only open for dinner take-out service but they hope to be open for lunch soon.

Paul’s Seafood in the Bluff now also houses Paul’s Recycling. Bring in your aluminum, copper, brass and batteries for cash. While you are there take home some of the freshest seafood available

Business Briefs Atomic Omelette is a new locally owned business that has great food and friendly service. The three egg omelettes are very tasty without tasting eggy. They offer many varieties including the spicy atomic with serrano peppers, red sweet peppers, onion and cheese, the veggie omelette, egg white omelette and made to order omelette. They are served with delicious small red potatoes and a fruit cup. For pancake lovers try their bananas foster or white chocolate macadamia pancakes. It is located near Cimmarron and Airline and is open util 4 pm daily except Mondays The lighthouse property on Windward Drive has had the lower level completely gutted and re-done. It has a vented kitchen and is ready to be leased to anyone looking to open a restaurant on the Island. The property itself is for sale for $800,000.

The Island gas stations have had the same gas prices as in town lately. Let’s hope that keeps up.

Gratitude in Port A now has sand jewelry just in time for the SandFest visitors. You can take home a piece of the beach with these sandfilled gems.

Coastal Crush Art Walk & Creations Fair will be held at the Gateway Center at the corner of Waldron and SPID the second Sunday of each month. The vendors include All Things Duct Tape, Cakes baked in a Jar, Tie Dye

Game Warden Association Fishing Tournament Set for June 15 -16 For families looking for a weekend on the water and a great music event look no further than the 3rd Annual Texas Game Warden Association Fishing Tournament on Fathers Day Weekend (June 15th and 16th) in Port Aransas.

The Game Warden Association uses the tournament to raise money to put on fishing and outdoor events for kids throughout the year. There are cash payouts for 1st,2nd, and 3rd place for Speckled Trout, Redfish, and Black Drum.

There will be divisions for Youth, Individuals, and Guided.

Entry fees are $60 per person and all tournament events will be held at Roberts Point Park in Port Aransas. There are several fishing spots and piers around the area where anglers can try their luck.

Live music will begin at 4 p.m. with Bri Bagwell, followed by Cody Johnson, Turnpike Troubadours, and at 10:30 headliner Pat Green will take the stage.

For more information see their website at http://tgwa.justgofishin.com/.

A 4

Island Moon

April 19, 2012

Gone Fishin’ Old Man Island Capt. Joey Farah (361)442_8145 Facebook@ Farah’s Backwater Fishing Adventures Leaving the dock at first light is the moment I let everything go. A smile twitches as I watch God’s Eye open up over the dunes of Padre Island. When I pass the last channel into Padre Isles I feel like I left it all behind. Every island, cabin, and fishing spot has memories and stories in my past. This week I passed the Big Islands south of Pure Oil Channel and in the orange light of the rising sun the tall salt cedars glowed.

Memories of camping there with childhood friends ran like a movie, bug bites and the smell of a smoldering campfire were all that were missing.

DIE YOU MOTHER &*^&$%!” BOOOMM!!

Barefoot through stickers and shells we ran, my motor wouldn’t start and my heart raced as I yanked on the rope. The 8horse fired up and

On The Water

Guinea Eggs For Breakfast Friday evening we pulled up to our camping spot and put out the Sail Line. We gathered wood and set up our fire, seined for bait, and shot everything we could with BB guns. As darkness fell we checked the line, sounds of redfish and trout flopping in the bottom of our aluminum boat echoed across the water. The campfire popped and crackled as old timbers dried in the summer sun sent glowing dreams up into the moonlight. Jim’s favorite trick was to hide cans of beans in the coals. When we were staring into the flames, thoughts flashing like the sparks in the fire light BOOOMM!!!

REFRIED TIMEBOMB BEANS EXPLOSION EVERYWHERE! Sometime during the night we would bait the line one more time and pass out in the sleeping bags. In the grey morning light we boarded the boats on an expedition to OLD MAN’S ISLAND. This was the original Salt Cedar Island and the cabin was surrounded by trees. The Old Man loved birds, and we would see him stand feeding his flocks like pictures of Jesus speaking to his followers.

Pigeons, ducks, doves, chickens, turkeys, swans, geese, and African Guinea Fowl. The Guinea fowl laid eggs all over the island and were the coolest breakfast a bunch of boys in a skiff ever fried up. Fish and Guinea Eggs! He had run us off before with harsh words, but we thought he would still be asleep. We spread out on the island, each with a small pile of speckled eggs wrapped in our shirts. Then someone yelled “HERE HE COMES!” As we ran we could hear him shouting “I’M GOING TO KILL YOU, YOU SON OF A &*$%#!! We thought we were going to die. KaBOOM “YOUR GONNA

at the Cabin. He would spend half the week at the cabin and the other with his wife. On Old Man’s Island he was God. I think about that every time I pass bye. My brother Mike and I visited the island last summer with his kids. The Old Man’s Cabin was gone and in its place was a brand new house, way too clean, way too new.

The ducks, geese, and the turkey were all gone.

We both walked around the trees and looked at old trash beneath the cedar needles. The Old Man’s heart and soul was still there, we felt it.

John Gordon with a nice red in 40mph winds. Shrimp and Popping cork from Peniscal Point.

Lots of big trout still waiting for you.

Fishing is still on Fire despite stained water, high tides, and some really windy conditions.

Strong incoming tides through Packery Channel cleared up some of the Brown Tide close to home. With the fall of the tide look for it to come back up from the south. Fishermen using shrimp and popping corks have been doing well even in stained water. Laguna Shores shoreline is stacked with nice redfish and scattered trout.

The King Ranch Shoreline area is a good drift as well. The deeper areas of Emmort’s Hole are holding schools of Black Drum. Target these deep areas with live shrimp on the bottom, you might be surprised with your catches of drum, trout, and whiting from the anchored boat in deep water. Try using a small circle hook with your live shrimp under a cork and on the bottom.

Your hook ups will improve and the hook is not swallowed. The east side of the Lagoon will be the cleanest water around, clean enough for some successful fishing with soft plastic. The deep flats south of Bird Island and the eastern reaches of Baffin Bay are receiving clean water

at lightning speeds of up to 12mph we got out of range of the shotgun. As we looked back we saw the old man running across the island in his underwear and tee-shirt, gun in hand, screaming. There in front of him was a ragged and wet coyote with his prized turkey dangling from his mouth. The dog dropped the big bird and made his escape back into the Lagoon and towards Padre Island. We didn’t hold on to any of the eggs and I haven’t had Fried Guinea Eggs since. We later made good friends with the Old Man and he let us fish under his light

Isle Mail N More All your Packaging needs FedEx, UPS, USPS Gifts

Big winds = big reds drifting the rockpiles of Baffin Bay!

from the northern flow from Port Mansfield.

Spoil islands and sand bars in this area are excellent wade fishing areas and are holding reds, trout, and flounder. The windy side of these spoil dumps are usually the most productive for most fishermen. Water conditions are still poor in the interior of Baffin Bay but fishing is good for anglers using live bait. Deadman’s Hole and the backside of Mustang Island all the way to Port A has held some great water and good numbers of fish. The fishing pressure is building because of many anglers going north with the stained water. Fish the tidal flows in and out of Shamrock Cove. Flounder and Trout will be holding along the edges of channels and guts with good water flow. The open shorelines of Corpus Christi Bay are great places this time of year for wade fishing with soft plastics. Look for grass shoals along the beaches between the Fish Pass and Shamrock, Trout push bait up all the way to the sand , redfish patrol the shallows for mullet and crabs. Sometimes a short ride north is better than the longest trip south. Much of this area is accessible by truck and kayak.

Many thanks to the gentleman who wrote in the letter to the editor last week, that was a very nice comment. I’m not a highly educated author, just a Flour Bluff High School Grad that loves sharing my adventures on the water and maybe passing on a bit of knowledge to others that love the Ocean. For the next few months the waters of our area will be very active with fishermen and boaters alike. Take your time when in your boat. I see some very dangerous maneuvers from folks that either don’t know better or are just not paying attention. Keep your cool and have a great time. The Live Croaker Season is drawing near. The months of May, June and July see the opportunity for anglers of all ages and levels of fishing savvy to enjoy top quality Speckled Trout Fishing. If you want to entertain out of town guests, family and kids, or business clients think about booking a fun summer time trip ahead or even a last minute afternoon adventure. Follow our catching on Facebook@ JOEYFARAH’S BACKWATER FISHING ADVENTURES. KEEP THOSE LINES TIGHT!

(361) 949-9325 14493 S.P.I.D, Ste A Corpus Christi TX 78418

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

April 19, 2012

Island Moon

Letters to the Editor Bridge Dale, Your article on the on the Park Road 22 Bridge (AKA The Bridge to No-Where) while informative takes substantial liberties with the historical facts of its development.

The bridge was NEVER approved by voters!

What was approved was $1.4 million for the installation of water transfer culverts meant to improves the quality of water in our canal system.

Certainly the cost of the bridge has not escalated from $1.4 million to $8.5 million in that the bridge or any version of it has never existed until recent developer demands for it.

Its cost has always been approximately $8.5 million.

pegged

at

Howard Ludlow Palo Seco Howard, Thanks for the letter. We probably should have addressed this sooner as we get this question a lot. I wrote a story for Mike back in 2004 when the bridge project first started. That’s a lot of Moon Memory Cells back so I had to look through some old stories and city records to refresh my memory.

Here’s what I found out: I interviewed Mark Scott in 2004 when the bridge project was put on the ballot for bonds that year. Mr. Scott told me then that the $1.4 million was to pay for the city’s share of the cost of upgrading the culverts to a bridge. He was the primary source for the information since it was at his request that the project was placed on the bond package since he was then the District 4 council member.

At that time Paul Schexnailder had a written agreement with the city to put in water exchange culverts when he developed the adjacent property. The cost of the culverts at that time was estimated at $900,000 to be borne

by Mr. Schexnailder. The proposal by Mr. Scott, which led to it being on the ballot and approved by voters was to combine the $1.4 million of city bond money with the estimated $900,000 it would cost Mr. Schexnailder to install the culverts for a total collective contribution from the two of $2.3 million with the idea of converting the culverts to a water exchange bridge to allow for boat passage. The estimated cost of the bridge construction at that time was $6.5 million, but as it turned out later, that did not include design costs.

When I contacted Mr. Schexnailder in 2004 after talking to Mr. Scott, Schexnailder said no one had contacted him about the plan and his intention was to install culverts and not a bridge, but since he did not develop the surrounding property in the ensuing years after 2004 he was never obliged to build the culverts by his agreement with the city, and there was no effort to build the bridge until now.

The plan in 2004 when the bonds were passed was that Texas Department of Transportation would pay the remaining cost of converting the plan for culverts to one for a bridge. TxDot was to put in the difference between the $2.3 million raised locally and the total cost of $6.5 million.

That’s what the 2004 vote was for.

The exact language on the ballot was concise, it was under the heading of “Proposition #1 Streets” which contained several projects for an aggregate sum of $63,350,000 and the project line item simply said “Park Road 22 Bridge.”

That is what was approved by voters – nothing mentioned that I can find about culverts. My recollection from that time is that since our city was spending a total of $95 million on bond projects and Island property owners were going to pay just under $30 million of that amount it

occurred to someone downtown that maybe just maybe there out to be at least one project on The Island in there somewhere – you know, to make us feel part of things. About the only thing we could come up with at the time was to upgrade the proposed but yet un-built culverts to a bridge just in case we ever needed one later on.

Texas Shipwreck Locations

A5

Editor’s note: When it comes to beach combing in South Texas there is always one thought in the back of everyone’s mind; maybe I’ll find a Spanish doubloon. So in the interest of channeling the inner child of beachwalkers across our state we are running the first part of a list showing every shipwreck along our coast. This is the second half of our list of shipwrecks. The first part ran last week. Stop by the Moon office to get a copy if you missed it.

At the time it would have been a Bridge to Nowhere and in fact would still be if it were built today. The only way the bridge will make any sense is if the developer digs canals to connect to it on each side and that is the caveat for the bridge to be built now.

So in fact what voters passed was $1.4 million in bonds to pay for the city’s share of the cost of building a bridge rather than culverts. But alas, since our Legislature back in the late 1980’s began pilfering the state gas tax for things other than the road building for which it was intended – billions for prisons as I recall – TxDot now has no money to help with the bridge (or much of anything else).

The question of passing bonds to pay for culverts was never put on the ballot for the simple reason that Schexnailder had already agreed to install culverts at his expense years before the 2004 bond issue was conceived; hence, a vote for taxpayers to pay for the culverts would have meant the entire cost would have passed from Schexnailder to the city since Schexnailder had already agreed to pay for them; there was no need for a vote on the culverts because the culverts were already paid for.

The notion that voters passed bonds to build culverts and then the developer later demanded a bridge is a popular one and feeds the narrative of a greedy developer demanding money from taxpayers; a good story but not true.

As for the cost, until recently the cost has been nothing but speculative as there has not been any design drawings or actual cost estimates until now but the first estimates that I saw put the cost of the bridge at around $6.5 million – again not including design costs – and that was in 2004. The cost of the bridge remained about the same all along but due to the dropping cost of construction the scope of the bridge was expanded without increasing the cost. As bridges go this one is a bargain.

As of now the $6.5 million cost still stands for the actual construction. The $1.4 million for design is coming from the 2004 bond money and the council has said they will use 2008 bond money to pay for the actual construction of the bridge – with no money from TxDot - but as of now have not taken a formal vote to that effect.

That’s what I know about the bond vote and funding for the project.

Dale

Seatbelt Tickets DPS writing tickets for seatbelt violations is just plain stupid. If a road is shared with golf carts, who don’t have any safety equipment, motorcycles have no seat belts, if you ride in the back of a truck no seat belt, no problem.

This violates the 14th ,equal protection under the law, but do they care if they support an unconstitutional law? Do they have all the other more important crimes covered? No. Do they pull over every vehicle for this or just the nice ones they know can pay the ticket? (carloads of people, more people in car than seatbelts avalible) NO!!! They have blinders on for carloads. And why is a highway patrol in the middle of a small town? I agree the state should encourage seat belt use but has gone over the line when it screws us on the 14th amendment.

So go ahead, rant, you have the platform to say what many of us already know.

Paul Slobojan Port Aransas

Who Are the Moon Monkeys

Mike Ellis, Founder Distribution Pete Alsop

PAC Fundraiser Set for April 26 The Island United Political Action Committee will hold a fundraiser on Thursday, April 26, at 6:00 p.m. the Sand Bar at Holiday Inn Sunspree.

The Grammy Award Winning John Garza Band will perform along with the V-Twin Band.

Island Delivery Coldwell Banker Advertising Jan Park Rankin 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 Danniece Bobeché 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.

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

Island Moon

A 6

April 19, 2012

Adopt A Beach Continued from A1 The Texas General Land Office Adopt-ABeach Cleanups are held rain or shine!

Texans who are not able to attend the cleanup can help keep their beaches clean by making a tax-deductible donation online at www.

TexasAdoptABeach.org. There are several different Adopt-A-Beach sponsorship levels ranging from $25 to $25,000, allowing both individuals and corporations to contribute to this major cleanup effort. Statewide coastal cleanups are held every spring and fall.

To learn how you can participate, or for additional information on the AdoptA-Beach Program, please visit www.

TexasAdoptABeach.org or contact the GLO at 1-877-TX COAST. Those interested may also become a fan of the program at www.facebook. com/texasadoptabeach where event details and results will also be posted.

Coastal Bend Adopt-A-Beach Spring Cleanup sites North Padre Island, Corpus Christi—Kleberg County Check-in: Padre Balli Park Office, 15820 Park Road 22 Contact: Jim Needham—Surfrider Foundation, 361-825-2708, james.needham@ texasadoptabeach.org; Todd Dwyer, 361853-9877, todd.dwyer@texasadoptabeach. org; Ilene Jantz, 361-563-4119, ilene.jantz@ texasadoptabeach.org Padre Island National Seashore—Kleberg County

Island in the Son at The Movies Island in the Son United Methodist Church is now featuring a “family night at the movies” on the 3rd Friday of the month. This event is free, open to the public, and features a family-friendly movie, usually with a Christian-based theme.

We provide the popcorn and soda – but BYOC (bring your own candy). This month’s movie, on Friday, April 20, is “COURAGEOUS”.

Showtime is at 7:15 PM at the church – join us!

A brief description of the movie follows: “Four men, one calling: To serve and protect. As law enforcement officers, Adam Mitchell, Nathan Hayes, David Thomson, and Shane Fuller are confident and focused. Yet at the end of the day, they face a challenge that none of them are truly prepared to tackle: fatherhood...Filled with action-packed police drama, COURAGEOUS is the fourth film from Sherwood Pictures, the moviemaking ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia. Viewers will once again find themselves laughing, crying, and cheering as they are challenged and inspired by everyday heroes who long to be the kinds of dads that make a lifelong impact on their children. Protecting the streets is second nature to these men. Raising their children in a Godhonoring way? That’s courageous.”

Island in the Son United Methodist Church is located at 10650 Highway 361 on Mustang Island, between Newport Pass Road and Beach Access Road #3 (on the west/Laguna Madre side of the highway). “Come as you are!”

Island PAC Board Vacancies The Island United Political Action Committee (IU-PAC) requests nominations for five executive board positions that are vacant or due to expire this year. Nominees must be registered in Precints 40 or 81 to vote in Corpus Christi city elections. Please send your name and contact information to Bill Brendel - wbrendel@stx. rr.com or visit the Island United PAC website ( http://www.islandunitedpac.com/).

Nominations should be received by May 14, 2012 for inclusion on the ballot to be presented at the June 13, 2012 IU-PAC Annual Meeting at the Island Holiday Inn.

Rep. Farenthold Receives Goodwill National Policymaker Award for 2012 Congressman Blake Farenthold (TX-27) is a recipient of the Goodwill National Policymaker Award for 2012. This award recognizes a federal lawmaker who has clearly demonstrated support for Goodwill’s public policy priorities.

Rep. Farenthold had the following comments and attached is a copy of the release sent by Goodwill Industries International.

“I am honored to receive this award from Goodwill Industries but the real recognition goes to the dedicated men and women who work every day to make Goodwill’s mission a success.”

Located in the Loma Alta Plaza 14254 SPID, Suite 109 949-4848

Check-in: Malaquite Visitor Center, 20420 Park Road 22 Contact: William “Buzz” Botts, 361-9498068, buzz.botts@texasadoptabeach.org Mustang Island State Park, Corpus Christi— Nueces County Check-in: 17047 State Highway 361 Baffin Bay, Rivera—Kleberg County Check-in: Kaufer-Hubert Park, FM 628 Contact: Susan Ivy, 361-595-8591, susan.

Full Service Catering Available For Private Parties

Port Aransas—Nueces County Check-in: Avenue G at the beach Contact: Deno Fabrie, 361-749-0256, deno. fabrie@texasadoptabeach.org St. Jo Island/Port Aransas - Nueces County Check-in: 8:00 a.m. – Fisherman’s Wharf, 900 Tarpon Street Contact: Deno Fabrie, 361-749-0256, deno. fabrie@texasadoptabeach.org *Limited access – reservations required Rockport—Aransas County Check-in: Rockport Beach Park beachfront pavilion Contact: Tom Staley, 361-729-2213, ext. 226, tom.staley@texasadoptabeach.org Aransas Pass/Redfish Bay—Nueces County Check-in: Lighthouse Lakes Park, 4 miles east of Aransas Pass on Highway 361 Contact: Richard Gonzales, 361-779-7351, richard.gonzales@texasadoptabeach.org Portland-San Patricio County Check-in: Sunset Lake Park, 201 Sunset Drive, adjacent to Highway 181 Contact: Aneita Ortiz-Cedano, 361-779-7351, aneita.cedano@texasadoptabeach.org Contact: Mike Mullenweg, 361-749-5246, mike.mullenweg@texasadoptabeach.org Corpus Christi Beach—Nueces County Check-in: Texas State Aquarium 2710 North Shoreline Boulevard Contact: Kara Hahn, 361-881-1259, kara. hahn@texasadoptabeach.org Cole Park (Kid’s Place), Corpus Christi— Nueces County Check-in: 1526 Ocean Drive Contact: Angela Gonzalez, 361-826-3673, angela.gonzalez@texasadoptabeach.org

Trivia Question of the Week The town of Indianola once rivaled Galveston as the busiest port in Texas. What happened to it?

Trivia Question of the Week from last issue What was the unusual cargo delivered by ship to the port of Indianola near Port Lavaca in 1856.

It was May 14, 1856 when the Indianola Bulletin pulled off one of the first great scoops in Texas newspaper history. In the days before there were telegraph lines the Bulletin made use of stringers in cities and town such as China Grove, Seguin, Victoria, Crockett, Cuero and New Orleans.

The stringers job was to gather information then through whatever means necessary get it to the Bulletin newsroom as fast as possible. It was through this method that on May 14 the transport ship Supply under command of Brevet Major Henry C. Wayne would arrive at Indianola with a cargo of camels to be sent to West Texas by the Army as part of an experiment to see if they could indeed be used as ships of the desert.

But even before the thirty four camels made it off the Supply there was trouble.

As the Supply came through Pass Cavallo its draft was too deep to get to the port at Indianola and the camels had to be loaded one at a time from the Supply to the smaller steamship Fashion. But the rough weather and generally aggressive deportment of the

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the true dromedary is a special breed of the Arabian camel developed for riding as well as for racing and can maintain a pace of ten miles per hour all day. However, since the Army was less interested in racing than using the camels as pack animals it bought no dromedaries as the Arabian and Bactrian are the most docile of the breed; not because of their ability to be trained or to development affection for the masters, but because they are essentially too dumb to learn much more than to kneel for loading and with their brain of only one pound their survival instincts are well developed.

The sight of the camels and their dark skinned Mediterranean masters bought along to manage the beasts The locals were dumbstruck when one of the camels kneeled and was loaded down with four cotton bales weighing 1256 pounds and rose without difficulty and walked off with his burden.

In his book Texas Camel Tales Chris Emmett quited on Joe Fimble of Victoria who said, “When the keepers of the animals would move them around from place to place, a

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The USS Supply, which brought to Indianola the shipments of camels imported by the War Department in 1856 and 1857 for military experimentation in Western Texas. At left is the warship USS Vermont. Photo Courtesy US Department of the Navy and Smithsonian Institution camels made the transfer impossible so both ships headed north to the southwest pass of the Mississippi River where in smooth water the camels were moved.

In his report to Secretary of War Jefferson David, Major Wayne wrote: “On being landed and feeling once again the solid earth beneath them, they \became excited to an almost uncontrollable degree, rearing, kicking, crying out, break halters and, by other fantastic tricks, demonstrating their enjoyment of the liberty of the sail. Some of the males, become even pugnacious in the excitement, were with difficulty restrained from attacking each other.”

The arrival of the camels brought commerce in Indianola to a halt as the citizenry turned out to marvel at the newly arrived cargo. The group included both Bactrian two humps and Arabians with one. There was even a hybrid with the Major called a “Booghdee.”

The Arabian camels stands about seven feet to the top of the single hump and are often eroniously called dromedaries. However,

rider on a horse would be setn ahead of the camels and shout to the teamsters, “Get out of the road, the camels are coming!” This was done because both horses and mules were frightened at the unfamiliar scent of the camels. Oxen on the other hand didn’t seem to mind the camels, Then on June 4 the camels set out in caravan across the prairie toward Victoria. Along the way a Mrs. Robert Clark of helped her mother knit a pair of socks from camel hair and send them to President Franklin Pierce with a letter which read, “My dear sir: I have the honor to enclose herewith a pair of socks knit for the Preisent by Mrs. Mary A. Shirkey of Victoria, Texas (lately of Virginia) from the pile of one of our camels.

I have made the first article of clothing out of (camel) wool in the country.”

A second shipment of camels was landed at Indianola on February, 10, 1857, fortyone camels from the steamship Suwanee.

The camel experiment was successful and the ships of the desert transported supplies

April 19, 2012

Island Moon

On the Rocks

Legislative Update

Todd Hunter, District 32

CCA

Texas Film Industry

In 1971 the Governor Preston Smith created the Texas Film Commission. Governor Smith believed that it was “ in the social, economic and educational interest of Texas to encourage the development of the film-communication industry,” and that “Texas has a uniquely vast array of resources, natural, human and economic, which lend themselves to the firm and orderly development of a healthy film production industry.” Since that time Texas has continued to grow and expand the film industry in the state to include films, commercials, video games and even animations.

Today the Texas Film Commission is under the administration of the Governor’s office and is currently headed up by Evan Fitzmaurice who serves as the Director of the Film Commission.

The Commission outlines that “whether you are an industry professional or new to the business, we are here to help with your film, television, commercial, animation, and video game projects.” In fact you can go to the Film Commission’s website at www.governor. state.tx.us/film and search through their “Job Hotline” which offers information on film, television or commercial projects that need both cast and crew.

Texas offers numerous unique and extraordinary opportunities that make the State of Texas ideal for the film industry. With over 268,000 square miles, Texas is the ideal shooting location. The terrain in Texas is more diverse than anywhere else in the country. Along the Texas coast, you have amazing beach sceneries to take advantage of and in northwest Texas you have the southern tip of the Rocky Mountains.

In addition to the incredible scenery that Texas offers, mild winters and warm summers add to the advantages of making films in Texas.

It is because of all the unique features that Texas has to offer that today Texas is home to approximately 130 local production companies.

These companies have strived to develop a creative and vibrant film industry and in doing so have managed to attract filmmakers from all over the world. In fact, in 2007, Director Paul Thomas Anderson chose Texas as the primary filming location for the Academy Award winning film “There Will Be Blood”.

The film received an Academy Award for Best Cinematography. Over the years, Texas has established an impressive list of critically acclaimed films and television series.

Here is a brief list of those films and television series which have been filmed or animated in Texas: • True Grit • No Country for Old Men • Seven Days in Utopia

By Jay Gardener

• Pearl Harbor

With so many films being shot in Texas, thirteen permanent film sites have been set up throughout the state. The list of permanent sites includes the Coastal Bend’s very own USS Lexington. The USS Lexington was used in the Oscar award winning movie “Pearl Harbor” and used in an episode of the popular SyFy series “Ghost Hunters”.

Other permanent sites include Indian Cliffs Ranch near El Paso and the Texas Battleship near Houston which is the last remaining U.S. Navy ship to have served in both World Wars and the world’s only remaining battleship modeled after the HMS Dreadnought.

According to the Motion Picture Association of America, the motion picture and television industry in Texas is responsible for 41,269 direct jobs and approximately $1.5 billion in wages. These jobs are including both production and distribution related type jobs.

In addition, Texas has averaged over 100 film and television productions each year over the past several years. Between 2009 and 2010, 103 film and 45 TV projects where shot in the Great State of Texas.

If you have questions regarding the film industry or any other 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, 361-9494603).

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.

Cleanup Cont. From A1

If you have a boat, we need you and your boat.

If you don’t have a boat we will find a skipper that needs a crew; but we really need you to come out and help.

Boats will begin loading up and forming crews at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, April 28 at the Padre Island Yacht club. Water and trash bags will be provided. Dumpsters will be present at designated boat launch parks to dispose of the debris. The entire community is invited to participate.

A hamburger lunch will be provided at the Padre Island Yacht Club, for all volunteers, around noon.

• Friday Night Lights (Movie) • Friday Night Lights (TV Series) • Transformers: Dark of the Moon • TLC’s The Little Couple series • Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines • The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius Seasons 1-3

Please complete the Spoil Island Cleanup Volunteer form and email to: 3rdcoastfred@att. net Let’s keep our Canal System clean and beautiful.

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Wednesdays Prime Rib with Twice Baked Open 11 am - 2 am Potato Kitchen Closes @ 1 am

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So last weekend I headed out to Rockport on this past Saturday morning; I had been asked to do a lunch presentation to the 4th Annual Women in the Wild event out at the Port Bay Hunting Club by Brandi Reeder, Game Warden and organizer of the event. I had been asked to talk about CCA and our Habitat projects, and especially Cedar Bayou, which is finally getting some attention lately. Brandi’s event has grown by leaps and bounds, she really pours her heart and soul into this event. The mission statement is to “provide women a safe and fun environment to familiarize themselves with some of the outdoor recreational opportunities that we have here in the Coastal Bend”. Ladies can choose from a whole list of great activities, including firearms, kayaks, camping, fly fishing, self-defense, game processing, habitat identification, Archery, Geocaching, landscaping, and boat equipment and operations. All classes are taught by accredited Game Wardens, who for the most part volunteer their time as well. Ladies that have never had the opportunity to try many of the great activities we have around here are not only given the chance to give it a shot, but also to gain pointers and become proficient at it.

I stood around the archery range for a few minutes, and one teacher from the Rockport area (sorry, didn’t get her name) not only shot a compound bow for the first time, but after 7-8 arrows was actually getting it in the bullseye! Close enough for government work, for sure!

The self-defense section was probably the most entertaining on one hand, and likely the most useful and critical class on the other. If you’re interested in joining up for next year, make sure to get an early jump on registration, as they will fill up for sure next year at Women-in-the-Wild-2012 on the town of Rockport website. In addition, make sure to contact Brandi Reeder if you’re interested in becoming a sponsor. CCA was one of many sponsors, and I promise we will help sponsor it again next year.

Something occurred to me the other day (uh, oh, here he goes right off the Reservation). So if and when they build the new water exchange bridge under Park Road 22, we will then have a new Island! What will we call it? Will it be Padre Island? What will the island section from Packery to the water exchange bridge be called?

I would assume North Padre, but since South Padre Island is already taken, what about the “new” Island on the south of the new bridge?

And for goodness sakes, we can’t call it the Water Exchange Bridge (or WEB, because that just isn’t sexy) When I lived in Key Largo, the first bridge you went over after Homestead was/ is called Jewfish Bridge; that’s how you know you were then on Key Largo. Back when the Keys succeeded from the US (yup, Texas isn’t

the only bunch that can do it) the line was drawn and then-Mayor of Key West Dennis Wardlow declared independence from the US for one hour, then summarily surrendered and asked for one billion dollars in Federal Aid. While it was mostly a tongue-in-cheek protest again a “border station” that was set up just south of Florida City, a new tourism industry was born. Many Keys residents still proudly consider themselves residents of the Conch Republic (as I did when I lived there). I could see something like this occurring if/when the bridge is constructed and the canal dredged.

What would we call ourselves? And the two islands would be split right down the middle of Cruiser Street canal and the Main Canal, with the Gypsy Street bridge being another dividing line between the two “Republics”. I challenge you all to put on your thinking caps regarding new symbols, flags, t-shirts, ball caps, and of course what the new Republic(s) will be called.

Email me your ideas to jaygardner@scientist. com and if someone comes up with a real doozy

Zep Gettin’ Worked or a great idea that I use in my article, I will give you a free, official, brand-new, never-beenworn, Conch Republic ballcap from Key West to join in the spirit. Remember, they even have their own Independence Day, which happens to be April 23rd (this Monday). We could really have some fun with this.

Fishing has been hit or miss with the weather lately. Zep and I got out before it all went down hill with the wind and the rain and managed to get worked by some jacks at the end of the Port Aransas jetties. I’m expecting the spring to get cranked up here in the next week and the beach and offshore fishing should be good.

My condolences to Bob Borden, aka ccbobber’s family; his spirit will be missed on Tyler’s board corpusfishing.com and at the Big Shell Clean ups. We’ll see you on the sand in the sky, sir.

Just Published

New Local History Book!

The Robert Mercer family kept a daily diary for 11 years in the mid 1800s about their life and times on Mustang Island. They called the diary the Mercer Logs as they were bar pilots.

The Mercer Logs are unprecedented in that they are the only record of the early pioneer days on Mustang Island.

The Port Aransas Preservation and Historical Association has published this invaluable historical record by way of the book, The Mercer Logs: Pioneer Times on Mustang Island, Texas. Local historian and PAPHA board member J. Guthrie Ford, Ph.D., chose approximately 250 verbatim log entries and organized them in topical chapters, such as Extreme Weather, Maritime World, and Ranch and Cattle Era. This 110 page, coffee-table size book, of which only 251 were printed (each book is numbered), also contains 28 images, photographs, and maps pertinent to the Mercer family.

The Mercer Logs book is available at the gift shop of the Port Aransas Museum, open Thursday through Saturday, 1-5. The book can also be mail ordered by clicking on the Gift Shop tab at www.portaransasmuseum.org.

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Island Moon Police Blotter

A 8

Stuff I Heard on the Island

by Dale Rankin My friend Tim called from San Antonio the other day. Tim’s a television photographer for the Fox affiliate up there and you know those Fox people are all a little touched in the head to begin with.

But anyway Tim says he has a foolproof way to get right out of jury duty and still get your parking validated. Over the years Tim has made getting out of jury duty a kind of hobby. I have to say he’s been creative. He started out with the usual dodges; you know, “Anyone who won’t take the stand in their own defense is obviously guilty and should be executed,” “Anyone who files a frivolous lawsuit…executed,” “Burglary…executed.”

That got him out of most jury pools pretty quick but it took too much time. He had to sit through voir dire and fill out a lot of pesky and irritating forms that only served to put him on the jury list so kept getting called back.

Well, this time when got called he didn’t wait for voir dire. When they called out his name instead of answering “here” he stood up and shouted, “.12 gauge, .12 gauge shotgun is what it was!” and then sat back down. It turns out that shouting “.12 gauge shotgun” during jury selection is not prosecutable under Texas law. It might make everyone uncomfortable, but then again that’s the whole point.

“They give me the bum’s rush right out the front door of the courthouse but not before I made them validate my parking slip,” Tim said.

“I asked them to pay for my lunch and handed them the receipt but I don’t expect anything to come from that.”

Ah, the joys of participatory democracy.

Speaking of democracy…

Our local politicians are fond of saying they want to make Corpus Christi “World Class” in this and that; you know, World Class beaches, World Class downtown, etc. First off, I’m not even sure what World Class means in this context. But if they can make our beaches look like St. Bart’s well, hey, they got my vote.

And if they can make our downtown look like Manhattan well, that would be a World Class Trick that anyone would be proud of.

But one thing we are World Class in is Beach Restroom Spending. In the past few months our city planners have pitched to various governing bodies the building of bathrooms. The common theme is the cost. In each case the cost was the same; $1.4 million. Apparently that’s the going rate for a World Class Bathroom these days.

Now while I’m no expert on the building of bathrooms I’ve been using them for quite a while and I’m thinking that you can sure build a World Class Bathroom for $1.4 million. The first World Class bathroom at $1.4 million was pitched to the Island Strategic Action Committee and they balked. The cost comes

from the requirement of having to build the thing off the ground in order for it to survive surge tides during a hurricane. That means to meet ADA requirements there has to be a ramp and other amenities all way up in the air.

Tool Thief, Bad Time to Be in Acapulco

4/16/12, 04:18 am Aggravated Robbery 10121 SPID

A 34-year-old victim reported to Officers he was having trouble sleeping and decided to go for an early morning walk. The victim told Officers he cut through the parking lot of Gulf Coast Marine when he was approached by a White male who asked for the time.

When this was pitched to the ISAC one of the members of the committee pointed out that he owns a business on the beach and his restroom are on skids and cost $40,000 – that is to say a cool $1 million less that the World Class Bathrooms being proposed. Instead of building them way up in the air he builds them on skids and when a hurricane is comeing in he just drags them off the beach to higher ground.

Seems like a common sense solution to me – a million dollar solution in fact.

The victim reached into his pocket for his cell phone when the male confronted him demanding his phone. The suspect swung a small wooden bat and struck the victim a couple of times. The victim sustained minor injuries.

World Class bathrooms

Anyone having any information regarding this crime is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS or the Corpus Christi Police Department Homicide/Robbery Bureau at 361886-2841.

The next World Class Bathrooms were proposed for Corpus Christi Beach on North Beach – not a beach I would personally consider World Class but that’s just me. The last I heard those are moving forward and should be World Class. That’ll be worth the drive over there just to see those.

Then on Tuesday the World Class Bathroom plan moved indoors when the City Council was going through the difficult process of deciding which local social service agencies to fund. They have the unenviable task of having to decide between funding small business incubators and senior citizen centers. It’s a zero sum game where the only way to pay Peter is to rob Paul and Paul is usually not very happy about that.

In the midst of the parade of un-funded groups appearing before the council as the council is having to scrounge for a few thousand here and a few thousand there City Councilman David Loeb, to his credit, pointed out that a senior citizens center in Flour Bluff was getting some new restrooms at a cost of…wait for it…that’s right $1.4 million! These were indoors and didn’t have to be up in the air but apparently there is no escaping the $1.4 million price tag for World Class Bathrooms hereabout.

April 19, 2012

The suspect is described as a White male, 20 to 24 years of age, 6’ to 6’2” feet tall and weighing 160 to 180 lbs. He was last seen wearing a black long-sleeved shirt and black shorts. He was last seeing fleeing towards 1100 Sunburst.

Jingle Jangle of Tools Replaced by the Clinking of Handcuffs 4/15/12, 12:33 am Theft

5798 Staples

A witness reported to Officers he was at the O’Reilly Auto Parts when he was approached by a Hispanic male who was complaining how expensive tools were. The witness engaged in conversation with the male, but could hear what he believed to be tools inside the man’s pant leg.

The male left the store without paying for the items.

The male was located at the Park Apartments where he was found to be in possession of multiple tools. Leonardo Benavidez (08/26/70) was arrested for the theft of tools valued at $195.

Benavidez’s Class “B” Theft charge was upgraded to a State Jail Felony when it was discovered he had two or more previous convictions for Theft. He was booked at the City Detention Center and the recovered tools returned to O’Reilly Auto Parts employee.

Acapulco, Mexico. In the resort city of Acapulco, police arrested three men who were the driver and passengers in an SUV with seven bodies, five of them decapitated.

Police Calls 100 block Mariners Drive 4:18 a.m. April 11 Burglary of Habitation 6800 block Hwy. 361 4:53 p.m. April 13 Burglary of Habitation 14300 block Emerald St. 8:36 p.m. April 12 Burglary of Habitation 14300 block Emerald St. 8:36 p.m. April 12 Burglary of Habitation 14500 block SPID 5;08 April 15 Theft of gasoline 15000 block Leeward Dr. 3 a.m. April 15 Theft over $1500 14700 block Whitecap 2:22 a.m. April 13 Warrant 15500 block Cruiser 3:35 p.m. April 17 Unauthorized use of motor vehicle 15400 block Seamount cay 10:22 p.m. April 13 Harassment 15400 block Fortuna Bay 11:46 p.m. April 11 DOA

I’m paraphrasing here but Loeb said something like, “I’m not against senior citizens going to the restroom but dang, $1.4 million? That seems a bit high.”

I must say I agree but that does sound like a bit of an understatement, you know like, the Titanic is a bit late.

Then again I guess if you want to be World Class and all you got to pay the restroom fiddler. But I got to wonder if you will feel $1.36 million more relieved after you leave the $1.4 million facility over there on Corpus Christi Beach than when you leave the $40,000 facility on the Island beach. That’s a lot of relief friends.

I’m not sure I would even know what $1.36 dollars of relief would feel like, but I’m betting it would be World Class baby.

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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.

April 19, 2012

Island Moon

Spring Migration

A9

Authentic Crafts & Culture From Way Beyond the Border Just inside Port Aransas City Limits.

Handmade Arts, Glassware, Clothing, Jewelry.

And much more…

Come out & see us.

“Don’t worry–You have a place for it!”

1726 State Hwy 361 In the Tower Center 749-1828

Roni Owner / Stylist

Hair Salon

Denice Stylist

Amy Stylist

Receive a complimentary gift certificate for a full service hair shaping / cut when you purchase $50 in AVEDA STYLING products.

Certificate can be used by the purchaser or given as a gift!

New location 15033 S.P.I.D.

Color Services starting at $65

949-0794

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Hair Cuts $25 with Color

The annual spring bird migration is in full swing.

Orioles, Buntings, Warblers and Grossbeaks to name a few are arriving daily to the delight of birding enthusiasts and nature photographers. Photos

by Miles Merwin.

Beach House Realty

361-332-1021

CHARMING WATERFRONT single bedroom condo with washer/dryer. Remodeled interior, beachy colors, tile floors, upgraded bath, elec box/plugs switches replaced, ceiling fans, new baseboards, window coverings, privacy door on patio. This is a must see showing pride of ownership. Close to the proposed new Schlitterbahn and convenient to everything. Think investment! $105,900 WATERFRONT--Fortuna Bay’s finest! 3/2 penthouse with high ceilings, completely redone in style with stainless, glass tile, granite, quality fixtures throughout, sumptuous baths, attractive furnishings, storage closet, boat dock, community pool/hot tub, tile/carpet.

Ready to go, just move in or rent out--vacation rentals okay. Bring your boat. $185,900 Beach House Realty, Gail D. Spinn, Agent 2217 State Highway 361, Suite A-1, Port Aransas, Texas 78373

A 10

Island Moon

Bron’s Herb Garden

April 19, 2012

Sandfest Map

The owner of Bron’s Motorcarts plants an herb garden on the edge of his new business. Bron likes to fire up his infrared Bar B Que grill at the end of day and make a good home cooked or business cooked meal.

Photo by Jan Rankin

The Traffic pattern for Sandfest and the Park & Ride Locations

Now Open

Bron’s Motorcarts located at 314 East Avenue G. Best cars in Port Aransas.

Great service, friendly people.

The Travelling Moon

Call 361-290-7143 for pricing and reservations.

PARADISE P LIMOUSINES Welcome to Luxury in Paradise!

Now Providing

Shopping Excursions Party Rentals to Port A & Corpus

(361) 877-LIMO (5466) www.ccparadiselimos.com

15201 S. Padre Island Dr. Ste 250 Corpus Christi, TX 78418

This photo was taken after my taping on Wheel of Fortune. I was a contestant on the show and it will air on Thursday, April 26th. Photo taken outside Entertainment Studios in Culver City, California Pictured: Sharon Adams, contestant and my husband, Capt. Samuel Adams

Island Creations Remodeling

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

960-0327

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

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Concrete

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

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Get the attention you deserve.

Selling a home?

Want results?

15334 Bonasse #903

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Call

361-949-7281

Scuttlebutts Caters Scuttlebutt’s great food is now available for catering. It’s also a great place to have your office party. Check out our website for special deals on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Scuttlebutt’s - where the locals go to eat.

14254 SPID 361-949-6769 www.scuttlebuttsbarandgrill.com