Section A final

Inside the Moon...

Seashore News A2

Blucher Park On the Rocks 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

Island Showcase Map A9

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Sandfest 2012 A12

Local Music Scene A11

The

Island Moon The Island Newspaper since 1996

Island Area News ● Events ● Entertainment

April 26, 2012

Photo by Miles Merwin

There’s a fine line between fishing and just sitting there looking stupid

Around The Island

By Dale Rankin editor@islandmoon.com It looked for a while on Saturday that SandFest was about to turn into SandBlast but Mother Nature gave us a pass and we had two beautiful days to enjoy the beach and the sand sculptures.

It was a great weekend to be on the beach and we are running many photos of the events in this issue. The wind blew much harder over the weekend on the Padre end of The Island than it did on the Port A end but it was enough to knock down some tents at SandFest.

Now this weekend the activity moves to the Padre end with the First Annual Island Showcase and the Spoil Island Cleanup. See the stories in this issue for more details on each but the Spoil Island cleanup starts early and the Island Showcase starts at 1 p.m. so there will be time to do both on Saturday. It will be a busy weekend on our Island.

Windstorm brewing There is a storm brewing over our windstorm insurance rates in the Coastal Bend region.

When we took this gig we were told there would be no math so without going into great detail here’s the gist. There is an ongoing tug of war on windstorm rates between the interests of people in the Texas Panhandle and the Gulf Coast area.

The Panhandle has frequent tornados that cut relatively narrow swaths of destruction while the Gulf Coast has infrequent hurricanes which cut wide swaths of destruction.

They are both in the same risk pool and windstorm insurance is like a giant game of Whack A Mole; if you lower rates in one region then you must raise them in another and that throws the issue into the Whack A Mole of Austin politics. Currently there is about $3.7 billion in the windstorm fund and that is deemed inadequate by those in the know if we get a major hurricane and a rash of tornadoes in the same year. The question is whose mole is going to pay?

Generally speaking Windstorm rates are currently about 1% per year of the replacement value of a home – not assessed tax value, insured replacement value. The increase would take that number to 3% in the Gulf region and there are two ways to get that done. The first is to go through the legislature but there’s a problem there for the Panhandlers. State Representative Todd Hunter, who represents The Island and much of the area where the increase would hit, sits on the House Calendars Committee and has been fighting the good fight to block the legislative route. Plus, the Gulf region is more populous than the Panhandle so it has more clout in the state House.

So our Governor, who is from the Panhandle, has done an end run. He’s appointed a chairman to the Texas Department of Insurance Board who is on the side of the Panhandlers and they are moving through the regulatory process to have the increase for the Gulf Coast in place before the legislature goes into session next January. That would mean the legislature would have to take proactive action to reverse the increase – a much more treacherous undertaking than simply blocking new legislation. This rate increase most likely would attach not only to homes in our region but cars, boats, and other items as well. It is a big deal with far-ranging implications for growth.

Around Continued on A3

Kemp’s Ridley Turtle Count For 2012 Season So far this year, 45 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 2 San Jose Island 3 Mustang Island 24 North Padre Island, including 23 at Padre Island National Seashore 10 South Padre Island 3 Boca Chica Beach

Next Publication Date: 5/3/2012

Big Day Saturday

Facebook: The Island Moon Newspaper

Year 15, Issue 420

North Padre Island Marine Wife Wins Big on “Wheel of Fortune.”

Island resident Sharon Adams wins $110,500 on the game show “Wheel of Fortune “ including $100,000 she won in the bonus round after correctly solving the puzzle. The show airs tonight, Thursday, April 26th at 6:30 P.M. on Channel 3.

Originally from Fort Lauderdale, FL, Sharon currently lives on North Padre Island where her husband, Samuel, serves as a flight instructor in the U.S. Marine Corps. She is a big fan of “Wheel” and grew up watching the show each night with her parents. Samuel recently returned home from Afghanistan so they hope to use her winnings to take a trip to the Caribbean for their five year anniversary. Sharon tried out to be a contestant in Los Angeles, CA.

1st Annual Island Showcase This Weekend

Homes, boats, and the Island Lifestyle Showcase

The 1st Annual Island Showcase kicks of at 1 p.m. on Saturday and runs from 1-5 p.m., both on Saturday and Sunday.

More than thirty five homes have signed up to take part in the home showcase and the vendor’s spots at the gym at Seashore Learning Center on Encantada are full. Maps of the homes included in the tour can be picked up at the gym at that time, or can be found in this issue of the Moon.

Showcase Continued on A9

Spoil Island Cleanup Set for April 28th 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 28th, 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.

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.

Island Cleanup Continued on A6

Packery Channel is the place for surfing this weekend!

Cinco de Mayo Longboard Pro Invitational Surf Competition Attracts Top Ten Longboarders The Island will play host to the top ten longboard surfers in North America on Saturday, May 5th at Packery Channel. The event, 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 pass 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: Men’s Pro Longboard, Women’s Pro Longboard, Jr. Pro longboard, Shortboard Expression Session, Waveski Champs. Registration party at the Scuttlebutt’s parking lot the night before with live music, grilled burgers.

Cost to taxpayers as high as $500,000

New Rules for Beach Maintenance Force Service Cut on County Beaches

By Dale Rankin Just as Nueces County and the City of Corpus Christi were about to sign an interlocal agreement to end years of overlapping jurisdictions for beach maintenance an eleventh hour dustup has not only killed the deal, at least for now, but could cost Nueces County and the City of Port Aransas more than $500,000 per year in increased beach maintenance costs.

Beginning this week the county has stopped maintaining the beach north or Packery Channel and Newport Pass and is only picking up trash there until further notice.

The additional costs arose when the Army Corps of Engineers informed Nueces County by letter last week they could no longer use their equipment operators as turtle spotters during beach maintenance, and further that each piece of equipment working on the beach must have a dedicated turtle monitor during the months from April to October when Kemp’s ridley sea turtles come ashore to lay eggs. Currently both the City of Corpus Christi and the City of Port Aransas have one monitor for each area of beach where maintenance crews are working simultaneously with several pieces of equipment. The new rules, included in the letter from the Corps of Engineers to county officials say each piece of machinery must have its own monitor. A requirement that county officials say would cost them more than $200,000 per year.

Currently the City of Corpus Christi pays for a turtle monitor to be present while heavy machinery is working on the beach and is reimbursed the cost from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Nueces County, until now, has taken a different route; rather than hire a separate person to operate the machinery and watch for turtles, they sent their machinery operators to classes to become certified turtle spotters.

However, after an apparent inquiry from the City of Corpus Christi the Fish and Game Service contacted the Corps of Engineers who notified Nueces Country last week they must hire separate turtle spotters for each piece of equipment on the beach.

“This is going to cost the Nueces County Parks Board more than $200,000 per year out of a $2.7 million operating budget,” said Nueces County Parks Board Chairman, Charlie Zahn. “It’s unfunded mandate that comes in the middle of a budget year.”

The same mandate if applied to the City of Port Aransas would cost about $300,000 per year, according to David Parsons, Deputy City Manager of Port Aransas.

“As of right now we have not been told we have to hire a separate person for each piece of machinery,” Parsons said. “It is really not

Beach Maintenance Continued on A2

Distressed Swimmer Pulled from the Gulf at Sandfest

by Ronnie Narmour A 41 year old Austin woman was saved from drowning by four Port Aransas policemen.

It happened about 3:20 p.m. on Saturday during SandFest at mile marker 8. According to Police Chief Scott Burroughs, the officers were flagged down by people on the beach and the Coast Guard was immediately called in. The four officers, Seth Rosebrook, Carlos Del Moral, Olan Kelley and Michael Hannon, stripped down and sprung into action swimming out two to three hundred yards to assist the woman in distress without the aid of flotation devices. The woman who wasn’t seriously injured was brought to shore and met by her mother who thanked the officers for their quick response.

Photos by Miles Merwin

A 2

Seashore News

Island Moon

Seashore Middle Academy 6th and 7th graders spent three days at the Outdoor School at Camp for All in Burton, Texas. The courses ranged from physical challenges such as the climbing wall and high ropes to nature journaling and team building.

On the Rocks Blucher Park

By Jay Gardener We had a pretty good fallout this past week with the cool front that moved through the area. During spring migration, when all the birds are flying with the southeast breeze (more like gale lately, LOL) and they encounter a north wind associated with a cool front, they “fall out” and land where they’re at.

It gives us locals a chance to see birds that don’t normally hang out here, such as hooded warblers and hermit thrushes.

I took a two hour lunch last week and moseyed down to Blucher Park to see what was shaking down there. Blucher is a great little park nestled in the middle of downtown (actually, uptown) and has a lot of native habitat that has been enhanced by various groups. As many birders know of fallouts, the park was literally packed with more birders than birds. It was so busy, and some folks were being so loud, it was disturbing the birds. It reminded me of one of my professors who said, “you can definitely study things to death.”

So a birding area that would typically be fun and good was actually turned into a disturbance by the very folks that were looking to enjoy it.

(Clockwise from Top Left)

Hannah Ilausky and Ashlynn Carnley shoot compound bows during an archery session. The lesson included both recurve and compound bows. Photo by Isaac Fluhr.

Practicing her paddling, Jessica Bruner navigates the lake during a kayaking lesson.

Students’ favorite part of the session was tipping the kayak over and practicing recovery techniques. Photo by Shannon Trial.

Devin Gomez moves across the high ropes course, eyeing the next dangling handhold. The ropes course was a favorite for many of the participants. Photo by Sandy Bernal.

Scaling the vertical wall, Jesse Huang approaches the top. Camp instructors focused on “challenge by choice,” encouraging each student to set his or her own goals and then meet or surpass them. Photo by Isaac Fluhr.

Life has been moving pretty fast around the island and town lately folks, I’ve been working long hours in the oil patch and trying to get things done around here too. So busy that I actually managed to miss Sandfest this year (boo!) First time in like 4 years I haven’t been there. I’m sorry to have missed so many folks that I typically run into out there. I’ll catch you next year Capt. Steve.

Oh, and by the way, T-Joe, I’m still checking on that question for you. Have patience.

At least we managed to get the bunks on the Donzi trailer and got the lift all squared away.

Thanks Zep, Travis, and Dwade for giving up your Sunday afternoon to get some work done.

Have faith that it will benefit us when its time to go offshore (hopefully sooner than later, but I’m not holding my breath with this wind we have lately). Also, anyone on the Island feel like changing the outboards on the 32’ Donzi?

Jeff will pay you. Email me at jaygardner@ scientist.com

Now Open

April 26, 2012

We actually went in town and worked Earth Day – Bay Day last Saturday for Friends of Padre. We also had the Padre of Padres there with us, and Capt Billy Sandifer was a big

black and white warbler hit with some of the crowd. Thanks also to Island resident Todd Naehr, Tyler Thorsen, Aaron “Topdog”, and my mentor David “Doc” McKee for showing up and helping educating the masses. Also thanks guys for serving on the board of Friends of Padre; a truly worthy cause.

Well folks, I gotta keep it short this week due to the fact that here it is Wednesday and I’m just writing all this. Another 15 minute article Jan. Gotta make momma proud, right? LOL I want to give a shout out to my buddy Bobby McMorran and his lovely wife Allison who are visiting from California this week. We’ll have some good times, and hopefully you can visit everyone you want while you’re here, including Mr. and Mrs. Rockstar (the Hills) and also Indy and Steve at the Rancho Grande. See you all on the rocks next week for sure!

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

Great service, friendly people.

Call 361-290-7143 for pricing and reservations.

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nuecesstone@gmail.com

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Hooded Warbler

Beach Maintenance Continued From A1

necessary. The guy sitting in the front end loader has the best view to see turtles nesting on the beach, and in fact most of the nests we have found have been spotted by equipment operators. We have never had a case of a turtle taking due to heavy equipment on our beaches.”

The county has four pieces of heavy equipment that will have to be accompanied by a spotter unless the new rule is altered; the City of Port Aransas has eight pieces of equipment.

Zahn has requested that the Corps of Engineers show where the county’s beach maintenance permit requires a separate person, other than the equipment operator, be hired as a turtle spotter, and further, where it requires a separate monitor for each piece of equipment. In the meantime, he said, the county has placed a spotter with the machinery working around Bob Hall Pier but lacks the manpower to have a spotter with machinery cleaning the county beach at Newport Pass so all maintenance except trash pickup has been halted there.

County officials say the City of Corpus Christi had the same opportunity as they did to draft their Corps contract to combine the jobs of turtle spotter and machinery operator. However, instead the city signed a contract which mandates the two jobs be separate and currently use a system similar to that of Port Aransas in which a turtle spotter scans the beach before work begins and stays on sight as the work progresses.

The problem began, county officials say, when someone from the City of Corpus Christi called U.S. Fish and Wildlife and questioned the county’s practice of combining the two. That prompted the letter from the Corps of Engineers, Zahn said, which contained the edict, that so far applies only to the county, that not only can the two jobs not be combined but each piece of machinery must be accompanied by its own turtle monitor.

The problem between the county and the City of Corpus Christi came just as the two were about to sign an agreement to swap areas of responsibility for beach maintenance to reduce costs and increase service. Currently the city maintains the beach south of Bob Hall Pier, while the county maintains the area north of the Pier to Whitecap, then city jurisdiction picks up from Whitecap to Packery Channel and continues North, across Packery, to Newport Pass where once again county jurisdiction takes over, until the city again takes over north of Newport Pass. It is a hodgepodge system that evolved over the years and has city and county crews literally passing each other on the road as they move from one stretch of their beach to another. The proposed interlocal agreement would have reassigned congruent sections of the beach to each and improved service without increasing costs. That agreement appears dead, at least for now, as county officials say they were “thrown under the bus” by a city worker who called U.S. Fish and Game. The city has not yet responded directly to the charge.

April 26, 2012

Island Moon

Did Ya Hear?

Real Estate Roundup

By Mary Craft

By Mary Lou White Twice this week I have been asked to verify the price on the same lot.

Both parties already live on the Island and thought the lot in question would be a good investment. It is a wonderful “fingertip” lot, to be sure. Even though the two different “investors” actually live on the Island already, both were surprised by the price. This is a common theme, in our office. Usually, it occurs when we have “property seekers” from outside our area. Many walk through the door assuming that our real estate market has been as hard hit as areas in Florida, California, Nevada or Arizona. Thankfully, that has not proven to be the case. Primarily, because we had not overbuilt to begin with. Our inventory has been very consistent and actually has declined during the past year. Since supply and demand determine the price of a commodity, we have been lucky to remain fairly steady during the turbulent real estate market that started in mid-2008, when the financing segment ceased to function properly and still leaves many members of our society without options.

Pricing Factors Unique To The Island It takes quite a while to learn the subtleties of pricing on our Island. If it is hard for agents and appraisers to determine prices, then what about the poor Buyer, who arrives from somewhere else? We actually had a training class this week about the appraisal process. The financing industry is moving toward a “formula” for home appraisals, to rate homes, similar to the “formula” they have put in place to rate borrowers. It reduces time and personnel, if you can plug set values into a computer, rather than use the “value factors” that involve human opinions. The immediate reaction, in our office, was one of trepidation. We already suffer from appraisers being brought in from cities as far away as Austin. That simply doesn’t work. We are not a “subdivision” where all the homes are of similar size, similar age, similar lot criteria and similar building components. Water lots are much higher in price than “dry” lots, even though they can be across the street from each other. Water lots also vary with regard to space over the water. Patio lots and Garden lots can be very different when it comes to decks and docks over the water. Age of homes can vary as much as 35 years , which leads to huge differences in building materials and floor plans. We have one story and two story homes sitting side by side, ranging from 1300 square feet to a few over 4000 square feet. The difference in roofing material, storm shutters,

Around Continued from A1 This is a problem that must be solved in Austin but one that will hit home if we lose. A group of local representatives flew to Austin last week to meet with the insurance commissioner but this is a fight in which our governor and the insurance commissioner he appointed have not done us any favors. They are working the system to shift the burden of increased costs from their base in the Panhandle to rate payers in our area.

We’ll keep you posted as things develop.

Time to kill Kenny We had a mistake last time when we re-named the new Island Steermaster Kenny. The writing on the cocktail napkin we wrote it down on was hard to read and somehow Glen turned into Kenny. Sorry about that.

So say hello if you see Glen walking Tex, his Longhorn steer with a saddle, Around The Island.

Yacht Club Offers Boater Education Discussion Padre Island Yacht Club invites you to attend a Boater Education Panel Discussion, “Cruising and Anchoring in Corpus Christi Area Waters,” Thursday, May 3rd, 7:00 at the Yacht Club.

Please bring your charts, cruising guides, fishing maps, etc. so that you can mark them with information of interest to you.

For more information, contact Bev Hoffman, Cruising Director, at 949-3112 or 949-7551.

windows, doors, boat lifts and landscaping are all very subjective factors. How the home is oriented to the compass points is a huge point with many buyers. I use the compass on my phone, at practically every showing. The sum of all these variables can dictate prices that seem quite shocking to many first time property seekers. I had someone arrive from San Antonio about two weeks ago seeking a “beach house”, meaning a single family home situated directly on the beach, and willing to pay $200,000 cash. It was a very sad process to show the eager buyer that his criteria was going to have to change dramatically. Needless to say, he went back to San Antonio without making an offer.

The “Hot” Lot Market These last two or three months, we have seen a steady increase in new homes being built, on the Island. The price of lots has a direct impact on the final sales price, especially for “spec” homes, built by area builders. It appears that lots are being purchased while they are still affordable. Especially, “dry” lots. As of today, the lowest price “dry” lot on the MLS system is priced at $19,999 and the lowest price “water” lot is priced at $99,000. We are down to 42 active water lots for sale. Some lot prices have actually been increased recently. Therefore, it is not surprising to see investors making inquiries.

For those who have money to invest, the choices are fairly common. The bank, stocks and bonds or real estate. Being informed is a good thing.

Island Real Estate Ticker 8 Commerical Properties For Sale From:$150,000 to $4,557,465 1 Multi-Family Complex For Sale For: $2,500,000 114 Island Lots and Land For Sale 42 Parcels on a canal or water From:$99,000 to $395,500 72 Parcels not on the water From:$19,999 to $199,900 203 Island Residences For Sale 81 Attached homes From:$55,900 to $495,000 69 Detached homes on a canal or water From:$224,900 to $2,200,000

A3

53 Detached homes not on the water From:$139,900 to $513,000

PAC Fundraiser Set for April 26

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

New Advertisers Wix Property Tax Experts, LLC can help you reduce your property tax. They specialize in properties over $200,000. Call Chris Pahany at 949-5130 for your property tax consultation.

BBN Financial Services, LLC can get you 8% compounded monthly on your IRA. Call 517-206-5189 for details.

Harbor City Realty in Aransas Pass offers the best service for the best results. They currently have listed a half acre waterfront canal lot with decking, two boat lifts, huge fish cleaning station, shore power and jet ski docking for $395,000. Call Liz at 758-8777.

Wolfe Construction, Inc. offers free hail and wind inspections. If your roof was damaged you may be able to get it replaced through your homeowner’s insurance. The company has been in business over 35 years and requires no front money just payment in full upon completion.

Call 949-1180 for your free estimate.

Gopher Gone does just what the name says it will remove those pesty gophers from your property. Call Grant Seger at 816-5624.

Texas Windstorm Insurance Association is advising any homeowner with wind or hail damage to contact their insurance agent.

Do not make any permanent repairs until the association has sent out an adjuster. You may call TWIA directly at 1-800-788-8247.

Padre Island Baptist Church Flea Market extravaganza will be held Saturday, May 5th 8 am – 1 pm. Come shop the wide variety of items from the individual vendors at the church parking lot. Proceeds benefit the Summer 2012 Dominican Republic mission trip.

Amongst the salads on the menu are avocado stuffed with crab-mango and seared tuna.

Cinco de Mayo Longboard Pro International Surf Competition will be held Saturday, May 5th at the Packery Channel. The Friday night before there will be a registration party at MDC Surf Company and Scuttlebutt’s parking lot with grilled burgers and live music.

Wheel of Fortune winner Islander Sharon Adams can be seen winning her $110,00 on the Thursday, April 26th show.

Padre Island Enrichment Club plans a huge garage sale for Saturday, May 5th. If you have any items to donate call 944-0147 or 409-5392202.

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.

Business Briefs

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

Grocery Store on the Island may be coming to a strip mall planned near the southwest corner of Whitecap and Park Road 22. Let’s hope this rumor is founded.

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.

Costa Sur Cevicheria & Cafe, a Peruvian eatery, will be opening Monday, April 30th inside Mail n More. Some of the seafood items Nicolas Mackrizz will be serving are ceviche, sashimi and leche de tiqre which is a lemonlime shot with fish and aji. The sandwiches will include capre that has tomato, basil, mozzarella, queso fresco and olive oil on ciabatta and apple turkey sandwich with thin sliced granny apples.

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/.

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 Tea Party News Alert As we all know, the Texas primary election for President, U.S. Representative for District 27 and U.S. Senator will take place on Tuesday, May 29.

On Tuesday, May 1, we will have a rare opportunity to hear the Candidates for District 27 - both Republican and Democrat - enter into a debate for two hours. The event will be hosted by the Constitutionalists at B&J Pizza on Staples street from 5:00 until 7:00.

Since the venue has limited seating, we are fortunate that the event will be televised live on KUQI. This is channel 11 on Time Warner and Grande and channel 38 on Dish.

This is a fantastic opportunity for all of us to hear what the candidates have to say and decide who we wish to back or vote for.

We will not have a meeting of the Island Tea Party on Thursday, May 3rd. We are working on a meeting of substance on May 22nd. Please mark your calendar now and we will let your know details as soon as they are finalized.

Padre Island Baptist Church 14253 S. Padre Island Dr.

Invites you to a

Flea Market ~ Yard Sale Extravaganza Saturday, May 5

!

8 am - 1Dolor pm ???

Lorem Ipsum Sit Amet Come shop from the individual vendors gathered on the Padre Island Baptist parking lot! Many items including housewares ~ electronics ~ household items ~ décor ~ Nick nacks ~ collectibles ~ sporting goods ~ toys ~ furniture ~ one of a kind items ~ and more!

PROCEEDS BENEFIT THE SUMMER 2012 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC MISSION TRIP! Info: 361.949.8273

Happy hour 4-6 pm Tuesday through Friday

Island Moon

A 4

April 26, 2012

Island Crime Blotter

Stuff I Heard on the Island

Copper Theft Crime Of The Week

by Dale Rankin A lot of the stuff I hear on The Island comes in the form of questions. A few of the same questions keep coming up so I’ll address them here, in no particular order…

How is the economy on The Island doing?

While I did sit/sleep through way too many economics classes in grad school I can’t claim to be any kind of economist. What I can say is this: There are currently 45 houses under construction on The Island with another 12 going through permitting. Some of the real estate people I’ve spoken to are actually worrying about having enough inventory, new businesses are going in on a regular basis, and many of the existing businesses have “Help Wanted” signs out.

for not wearing seatbelts – or something less, even in golf carts.

million in twelve months of construction. That takes some planning.

Let’s just put it this way, when I get to Port A, which is often, the first thing I do is try to call Tony over at Paradise Limo and see if he is heading that way. Tony’s an ex-cop from Louisiana and if there’s one person I want on my side it’s a Louisiana cop.

If that all comes about look for dirt to start flying at the Schlitterbahn site around the end of June.

Why are people still being allowed to drive on Ellis Beach in front of the seawall?

That’s a very good question. The city council voted three years ago to put in bollards down there to limit driving and the Texas General Land Office has approved the plan but for whatever reason it hasn’t been done.

The short answer is that the business owners along Mike Ellis Seawall haven‘t raised enough of a stink. We labor in a Squeaky Wheel system.

That sounds like a pretty good economy to me, so my answer is that while we may not be back to where we were a few years ago, our economy is doing pretty well and things are looking to get better.

Are we going to get casinos on The Island?

If the last two summers are any indicator this season should be our best ever as the last two have set records for sales tax and hotel room numbers.

Will the proposed Park Road 22 (SPID) Bridge affect the water quality in our canals?

According to the hydrologist who spoke at the recent briefing on the bridge it will make a difference but not as much as the Packery Channel did. The biggest advantage will be that, in conjunction with Packery, it will allow for water circulation that will provide some level of tidal action in the canals. The other advantage is that the Gulf water that does come in, no matter how much or how little, will enter the back of the canal system where it is needed the most.

The current plan calls for the council to approve the funding for the Park Road 22 Water Exchange Bridge in August. At that point work will begin on digging the new canals to connect to the bridge. Work on the bridge will not begin until the canals are done; otherwise council members up for re-election (most of the current council) open themselves up to the charge of building a Bridge to Nowhere – and nobody wants that.

The canals probably won’t be done by next summer when Schlitterbahn should be finished, but they might be and even if they are work on the bulkheads almost certainly will not be. Look for construction on The Bridge to begin late this year at the earliest, but probably the middle of next year with a projected thirteen-month completion time.

I’d put the probability here at about 50-50, or maybe 60-40 against. Here’s the scenario I see playing out. If the legislature in its session next year approves enabling legislation allowing gambling by county option then we could see a local election in November of 2014. The question will be where the casinos would go.

The last thing to go in will be the businesses along the new Island Walk development which won’t start construction until about a year after Schlitterbahn opens.

The gaming companies who have already visited The Island with this in mind have said their preferred location is on the back side of The Island in the city limits of Corpus Christi.

But the answer to the question is yes; I think Schlitterbahn will be built. It’s not a done deal until the papers are signed. But I think the project is too far down the track now to stop unless something really unexpected comes along.

However, from what I hear the most likely bill that can muster legislative support is to put casinos on existing dog and pony tracks which means we would not get one on The Island.

What I can say with relative confidence is that for there to ever be a casino on The Island there will have to be a vote by the general public to put it there. How that vote would go is anybody’s guess.

So the short answer to the questions is, I don’t know how much it will help the canal water quality, but anything is better than the water exchange we currently have across SPID – which is none.

This is a very aggressive timetable and many imponderables can come into play all along the route.

So there you have it. We’ll answer more questions as they come along.

Crime of the Week I am Senior Officer Kirk Stowers with your Corpus Christi Crime Stoppers Crime of the Week.

This week we are at the 13,900 block of Whitecap at a house under construction. The owner told police that an unknown person broke the rear door to the house to gain entry. Once inside, the person stole the Air Conditioner coil made of copper tube. The estimated cost for this AC coil is $2,500.

This house was targeted by criminals days earlier when the exterior Air Conditioner unit valued at $3,500 was stolen.

Copper thefts have increased nationwide in recent years which results in increased costs for consumers.

If you know who is responsible for these thefts call Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS, or log on at 888tips.com. We want your information, not your name. The information you provide could earn you $1000 in cash. Information Provided

by Corpus Christi Police Department’s Financial Crimes Unit Over the last few days, customers have made their banks aware of a scam that is hitting the Coastal Bend area.

The customers are receiving a text on their phone that typically reads “CREDIT UNION… YOUR CARD IS NOW DEACTIVATED – PLEASE CALL 361-xxx-xxxx” Customers are then asked to put in their account number.

This is a scam and an attempt to obtain your account number along with your PIN. DO NOT respond to any messages that are similar to this.

If you receive a message like this, contact your bank/credit union in person or by a verified phone number and advise them. If you have responded to the text advise your bank immediately

Why do guitar players always tune their G String sharp?

This one is a real puzzler. Why do babies cry? I don’t know why. They must think it gives them more punch when they wade into Stairway to Heaven or when they “play some Lynyrd Skynyrd man.”

Are we ever going to have another fight over banning cars on the beach?

All I can say is I hope not. Islanders, like the rest of the city, split pretty much right down the middle and it was a close-in dirty fight. It took us four years to get over that and I think if we ever have another one it will be even nastier.

I asked my friend Mo who fronts a band in Port A and he doesn’t know either. If Mo don’t know then don’t nobody know.

What’s a beautiful lady like your wife doing with a schmuck like you?

So the answer is I sure hope not, Guy Davis and I are too old to be rolling around in the parking lot.

I get this one a lot. Refer to the answer above.

Are the cops in Port Aransas out of control?

Is Schlitterbahn going to be built?

I get this one a lot lately too. Here’s what I think is going to happen. Sometime between June 5th and 26th our City Council will sign an agreement with the developers of the project on tax incentives – my understanding is that an agreement on terms has already been worked out but there is some legwork still to do on the numbers. It will take another several weeks at the least to work out the details and sign the paperwork then planning will begin in earnest.

The plan is for the developers to spend $40

This is a tough one. Let’s put it this way; in each of the last three years I have been stopped on either Spring Break or another holiday while driving around in Port Aransas. The officers have never been Port Aransas police, they’ve always been rent-a-cops with something like State Police written on their shirts.

The most common complaint I hear about cops in Port A is there are just too dang many of them on holiday weekends and they pull people over

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Island Moon

Letters to the Editor Race for the Cure Dear Family and Friends, On May 12th I am lacing up my sneakers and running the 15th annual Susan G. Komen San Antonio Race for the Cure to raise dollars for the fight to end breast cancer. On that Saturday morning, I will wake up bright and early to join 30,000 other men, women and children.

Together, we will make a stand against breast cancer! All of the money I raise will support Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s promise to save lives by empowering people, ensuring quality care for all, and energizing science to find the cures. Your donation will help get us closer to a world without breast cancer.

I can’t do this without you, but fortunately, your part is easy! All I ask for you to do is commit to sponsoring me. My part is a little tougher.

My goal is to raise $(insert your fundraising goal) for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. I know I can do this with your help, and I hope to surpass it! Last year, Komen San Antonio awarded grants totaling $950,000 to local programs that provide breast cancer screening, treatment and education in our community (for a complete listing, please visit: http://www. komensanantonio.org/grants/current-grantrecipients/). And more than $350,000 went to breast cancer research.

Every $125 raised could provide a life-saving mammogram. Please donate as generously as you can by sending in your check (please put my name in memo section) payable to: Susan G. Komen for the Cure P.O. Box 6477 San Antonio, Texas 78209 No donation is too big or too small!

We will find the cures to breast cancer…why not help find the cure a little sooner?

Yours in the fight!

Cynthia Jones Former Islander

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.

Port Aransas Cart Club Treasure Hunt

The Port Aransas Cart Club is having a Treasure Hunt in Port Aransas on Saturday May 5.

Entry Fee is $10--(Must Use Licensed Golf Cart) and registration is from 8-9 a.m. at the Port Aransas Community Theatre Parking Lot. The Treasure Hunt starts off at 9 a.m. sharp.

There will be cash Prizes of 1st-$75, 2nd-$50, 3rd-$35 places Raffle: Tickets $1 each or $5 for six.

The club was organized in February of 2011 with the he purpose being to promote safety, and educating the public on the advantages of owning a Golf Cart and obeying the laws.

Call: Mike Secich at 749-7144 for more information.

Who Are the Moon Monkeys

Distribution Pete Alsop Island Delivery Coldwell Banker Advertising Jan Park Rankin

By Maybeth Christensen

Dear Editor: Mr. Schexnailder comes up with another absurd scheme for getting the most out of the land he owns on this fragile island, and everybody puts out the welcome mat in the name of growth! Dale Rankin writes elegant, persuasive editorials in praise of growth. Island movers and shakers (who seem to be in the real estate business) provide the loudest voices for ever more growth, and have effectively silenced the voices of those of us who would prefer a more rational approach to growth.

Look at a map of South Texas. That sliver of land hugging the coast, so narrow that you can barely see it, is our little island, usually referred to as a “barrier” island. There isn’t much to it. Something so fragile as a barrier island deserves a special kind of stewardship, an idea which seems to be unheard of on this island.

Where are our environmental watchdogs?

Any construction on a barrier island should be done with humility, acknowledging its extreme vulnerability to powerful hurricanes.

That vulnerability perhaps explains why our business architecture is so ugly. Business people are not fools. They build their buildings and strip malls as cheaply and ugly as possible because they know that one day a powerful hurricane will strike them down. They make sure they get the maximum profit for the minimum investment. People who invested in expensive, oversized out of scale homes on tiny lots on this fragile island are gambling with nature, and chances are, will one day lose the gamble.

I think it is time to call a halt to the rapid growth that everyone praises. Let’s admit it. We have not been proper stewards of our beautiful island. We have shirked our role as steward of the land in the name of growth. We are and will always be a tourist destination, and the attraction is our Gulf beaches. These fabulous beaches will never be on anyone’s “most beautiful beaches” list, but you won’t find beaches like this anywhere else.

The sand on our beaches has an unusual texture which other beaches lack. This texture binds the sand into a tightly packed surface, one on which you can actually walk without worrying about the status of the tides.

Doctors tell us that the best thing we can do for our health is walk, and our beaches provide the best places for walking for free. As a tourist destination we must accommodate the tourists as best we can. We don’t need to change the nature of the Island to do that. Tourists need hotels and restaurants and gas stations. They do not need a Schlitterbahn. No one needs a Schlitterbahn except Mr. Schexnailder.

Sincerely, Jean Garland

Operation Graduation Fishing Tournament Dale, Thank you so much for helping us advertise this tournament. It truly is one of our final attempts to save “operation Graduation 2012”.

If we do not raise enough funds we will have to cancel this Corpus Christi/ Flour Bluff tradition for the first time in over 50 years. I am working on this because I have a son who is a senior.

I am proud to be a part of a standing tradition as well as support something that offers a drug/alcohol free environment for seniors on their graduating night. I hope we can save “Operation Graduation”. Thank you for helping us advertise the event. Also, please think of anyone or anyway we may be able to acquire more support and send the info to me. I would be happy to follow any lead or direction you may have for us. I have enclosed the info below for the event: Michelle Solarek Island

Mike Ellis, Founder

News From Your

Schlitterbahn Has everyone gone crazy?

PIE Plans Huge Garage Sale for Fundraiser The Padre Island Enrichment Club, Inc. (PIE) is having a huge garage sale fundraiser on Saturday, May 5. All proceeds will go to our scholarships fund for Padre Island Seniors. If you have items to donate, or have leftovers from your garage or estate sales, please call (361)944-0147 or (409)539-2202.

A5

There will be a large number of “Clean-Up” activities this weekend. The very popular Litter Critter will be in the POA parking lot starting at 9 AM, Saturday morning. So, along with picking up litter on the spoil islands and beaches, clean out those garages and bring the unwanted items to the “Critter.”

deal of the trash used to end up on vacant lots -- although some folks still can’t resist dumping on vacant lots, or in the construction bins builders are required to have at their construction sites.

We have volunteers on hand both Saturday and Sunday to help with directing traffic and unloading as well as setting aside “gently used” items and metal for recyclers.

Two months ago we started closing the parking lot at 6. It has helped to keep some order to the mess that accumulates, eliminates the dumpster divers, and keeps the trash out of the landscaped area.

It’s not quite that bad, but we certainly have seen a dramatic increase in

Someone said the other day that it seems like there is a house under construction on every street.

Someone said the other day that it seems like there is a house under construction on every street.

I had a message left on my voice mail one Litter Critter weekend. The caller was upset that the POA looked so terrible! Unfortunately, she did not leave her number for me to return the call and assure her that this only happens once a month - every last weekend of the month.

By the number of people who drop off stuff, it is safe to say the majority of our residents really appreciate the convenience of being able to get rid of things so easily.

Before we started the Litter Critter, a great

construction. We were averaging about 15 per month. We currently have 43 houses under construction.

With construction comes a large number of workers. As a precaution, please remember to close garage doors, lock your doors and don’t leave valuables in your car - even if it is locked. It is better to be cautious and aware than it is to lose your valuables in a burglary. I’m not saying the workers are going to take your things, but just reminding folks you need to pay attention.

Obituary

Islander Clyde Smith Passes Away at 53 Former owner of Hooks restaurant

Clyde Hess Smith, Jr. passed into eternity at the age of 53 on April 12, 2012 in Temple, Texas.

Born on October 30, 1958 in Waco, Texas, Clyde was a devoted husband, son, father, friend, and Kappa Sig.

He grew up an Air Force brat of Clyde H. Smith and Susan Shultz Smith, traveling throughout the United States. Early in his life he discovered a passion for rocks, shells and earth sciences, which culminated at Baylor University. He graduated in 1983 with a BS in Geology, and soon after, started an environmental technology company, RSA, with his good friends and partners, Randy Rosengarten and Tony Horton.

Clyde was preceded in death by his father, Clyde H. Smith.

Clyde is survived by his wife of five years, Laura Myers Smith, his two daughters, Sydney Alcala and her husband Don, and

Sabrina Smith. He is also survived by his mother, Susan Smith, and his sisters, Erin Smith, Adele Vincent and Sarah Feist; as well as nieces and nephews, Nicholas and Emily Vincent, Morgan and Ashdan Hernandez, and Lillian and Amelia Feist.

Also his aunt Judi Chandler, and her husband Donald; his uncle Thomas Smith and his wife Connie Thrush Smith; his aunt Elizabeth Mitchell; his former wife, Karen H. Smith; and many cousins, friends and coworkers, many of whom gathered in his last hours at the hospital.

Clyde has deep roots in America, with ancestors having served our country in the Revolutionary War and Civil War. Much of his family came to America in the 1600 and 1700s. His grandfathers, Bernard A. Smith and Irvin T. Shultz were both professors at Baylor University. His father Lt. Col. Clyde H. Smith served 23 years on active duty in the Air Force, and Clyde Jr. enjoyed the adventures of living in so many interesting places.

Clyde’s charismatic disposition and love for travel gave him many friends across the world and he will be missed.

1st Annual Operation Graduation Fishing Tournament Be the first to win big trophies for big fish or other prizes guided division adult non-guided division children’s divisions fishing off pier included but you can fish anywhere students $25 Adults $50 per person, $90 a team of two Guided division $100 |(no need to be a register guide to compete in this division)

Saturday May 5th 7 to 2 Must be in weigh-in line by 2PM game warden will do weigh ins all state regs apply Fun for the kids: live shrimp races, horse rides, lollipop game, cakewalk, etc.

Prizes: Stiffy poles, oil, live bait, fishing accessories, fish print, stereo or GPS install (equipment not included), fishing trip for four, etc.

Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/ /FlourBluffSaveOperationGraduationFishingTournament

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

A 6

Island Cleanup Continued from A1

Island Moon

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.

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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Trivia Question of the Week

What settlement in the area was founded in order to bring Irish immigrants to the area?

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

By Dale Rankin The port town of Indianola was born and died through suffering. The town was situated near sea level on Matagorda Bay near Port Lavaca from 1844-1886. During that time Indianola grew from a camp of immigrants running from suffering in Europe into a cosmopolitan port city. Before the first of two storms hit the city in 1875 Indianola was regarded as second only to Galveston in commercial and maritime supremacy and was a threat to the older port because of Indianola’s location nearer to the heart of Texas, and points west, which were then being settled by immigrant Europeans.

Indianola was the port for trade with Chihuahua and the eastern terminus for the shortest overland route to California. The town that became known as the Mother of Western Texas was founded after the earlier settlement of Matagorda, situated on the left bank of the Colorado River and which had the first newspaper in the state, failed due to raids by Comanche Indians and the development of a silt bar deposited by the river along the narrow eastern arm of the bay which prevented the approach to Matagorda by ships entering the bay through Pass Cavallo. Cargo had to be shifted to lighter vessels and ferried the final four miles of the route, which was expensive and tiresome.

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Then in 1839 things changed for the mid-coast region of Texas when a decision was made, against the wishes of Sam Houston, to move the seat of state government from Houston to the center of the state along the Colorado River, which was then the edge of the Texas frontier.

The state needed a deep water port that would feed people and trade goods into the Heart of Texas but as often happens politics got in the way of good judgment and the port town of Calhoun, from which the country now takes its name, was founded in 1839 on the northeastern end of Matagorda Island. There were two reasons for locating Calhoun on the east side of Matagorda Island: First, the constant fear of invasion by Mexico from the sea meant that Calhoun could defend the pass into Matagorda Bay, and second; the lawmakers who were about to move from the safety of Houston to the Republic’s new capitol in the state’s center wanted a fort between them and the Mexican Navy.

It was immediately apparent that Calhoun’s location was a disaster for commercial traffic.

Many of the other local towns had been put to the torch during the recent Texas Revolution and the sites of the seven military camps set up the new Republic in the area were not suitable for ports so the hunt for a site for a new port was begun. By early 1840 the military camps were gone and there was no town of significance along that area of the coast. Then in August of that year an Indian attack on Victoria pointed out the region’s vulnerability.

The arrival of a German Prince The events which began the life of the town of Indianola began in 1842 in Germany with the formation of the Adelsverein at Biebrich am Rhein. The stated purpose of this group was to sponsor those willing to immigrate to escape the economic depression there and the political upheaval that went with it. The Adelsverein secured grants from the Republic of Texas for land and each household wanting to immigrate deposited 600 gulden ($240) to pay for passage.

The next problem was where to land.

Prince Karl zu Solms-Branufels set sail for Texas in May 1844 with the first group of emigrants hot on his heels. When he landed at Galveston he immediately realized that city would not work as the port of entry for the Germans and he sailed west along the coast looking for a place for a new port. He looked at Port Lavaca, which he described as “a town of four houses” set high on a bluff away from the inland swamps but saw that the sand and mud bars in Lavaca Bay made the landing of large ships impossible. Had that not been the case Port Lavaca would likely have eventually supplanted Galveston as Texas’ largest port.

On the west side of the bay near Gallinipper Bar was a spot called Indian Point where vessels carrying cargo and people could dock.

Indian Point was connected to the mainland by a series of low islands made of fine, white, crushed shell which heavy rain and tides did not disturb. What the Prince saw was a deep water port with a land bridge to the interior of Texas.

Indianola was born.

German settlement

ConvenienT Flour BluFF loCaTion

It was here that Texas’ first German Protestant minister, the Rev. Louis Ervendberg held the first Weihnachtsfest complete that December complete with a Christmas tree for the new Texans. Those families were the first of many thousands of Germans who would arrive at Indianola and eventually fan out across Texas and found towns with German names which are today part of the daily Texas vernacular.

In January 1845 the first wagon train of immigrants set out across the plains bound for the Comal Tract of land, at the current site of the town of New Braunfels in Comal County between Austin and San Antonio. The Comal River, called Las Fontanas by the Spanish, would provide the water supply for the first group of immigrants who landed at Indianola and set out for their new homes.

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The group soon purchased the land which became the town of Fredericksburg and in the fall of that year 5,247 men, women, and children arrived in Indianola from Bremen and Antwerp and the rush was on.

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Indianola grew and prospered. Warehouses sprang up along the wharfs. With the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848 a

commission was sent to West Texas to survey the Texas/Mexico border. The commission left New York in 1850 and landed in Indianola, the settlement of West Texas was begun in earnest with Indianola as the port of entry. The town’s future looked bright.

The Civil War came and went, but during the war when the markets for Texas beef were cut off by the Union blockade the herds of unattended Texas Longhorns swelled to eight million head. In 1869 a process for canning the meat using carbonic acid gas created a boom for ranchers shipping canned beef out of Texas and canneries began popping up along the Indianola wharfs. In 1871 the Texas Legislature approved the incorporation of the Indianola, San Antonio and El Paso Railroad Company. Hotels sprang up, as did general stores, an ice cream parlor, then in 1871 came regular trips from New York by steamship which disembarked passengers in Indianola for overland passage to San Antonio, and then a telegraph connection from Indianola through Corpus Christi to Mexico was established; Indianola was booming.

Trouble

Then came September 1, 1875 when the United States Signal Service office in Indianola received by wire from Washington the news of a burgeoning hurricane sent from the ship Tautallon Castle off the coast of Africa. The report generated little interest in Indianola but no doubt would have if it had listed the hurricane’s point of landfall – Indianola. The storm hit the Caribbean and veered west northwest splashing over 100-foot cliffs and swamping ships. But on through early-September ships continued steaming out of Indianola for open water with no knowledge of what was ahead.

On the 15th Rockport took the brunt of the storm and experienced ship captains refused to go to sea after seeing the “highest tides they had ever seen on the coast.” In Indianola business went on without knowledge of the coming storm.

By the morning of the 16th the tide had broken over the beach and was running in the streets. Wooden buildings on Main Street began to collapse and by mid-day the wharfs were gone and the streets were rivers. The cement courthouse was jammed with refugees as the storm slammed into the coast that night and breakers in the streets made evacuation impossible. Winds reached 150 mph.

A cubic yard of salt water weighs 1728 pounds and the surge tide of 15 feet bore down with all its weight on the town. By the time the eye passed over the town in the hours after midnight all the water that had been built up inland by the storms furry reversed course and headed back out to sea. With it went half of the town of Indianola, washed out to sea and gone along with the people who lived there.

When reporters from the Victoria Advocate rode into town the next morning they brought back a note from W.H. Crain, the Indianola District Attorney:

“We are destitute. The town is gone. One-tenth of the population are gone. Dead bodies are strewn for twenty miles along the bay. Ninetenths of our houses are destroyed. Send us help, for God’s sake.”

Indianola’s unfettered access to deep water had been her life’s blood and now was her downfall. Entire families were gone and in their place were piles of debris. Most of those left relocated to San Antonio but a few hardy souls stayed to rebuild. By 1886 it was clear that Indianola would never be the dominant Texas port originally envisioned. Realizing their town would never be a freight and transit port again residents turned to making it a resort town with fishing, yachting, great seafood restaurants and swimming as the main attractions.

Another hit

Then came the summer of 1886 when a hot and dry and unusually strong easterly wind blew sand that pelted the citizens who were still wary from their 1875 experience. But they thought that the Signal Corps now had the means to warn them of an impending storm. It turned out that a simmering feud between the U.S. Signal Corps and their counterparts in Cuba made reliable reports about storms crossing the Cuban Island impossible to get in the U.S.; a problem that would also contribute to the devastation of Galveston in its 1900 hurricane.

By the time the warning came the tide was already in the streets of Indianola. An inbound train was blown off the tracks; the tracks were washed away two miles inland. A lamp left lit, ironically in the Signal Corps office, blew over and set the downtown ablaze. The storm tore through Texas with 85 mph winds doing $250,000 worth of damage to the Government Hill section of San Antonio.

The people of Indianola had seen enough. On September 20 the Commissioners Court issued an order moving the County Seat from Indianola to Port Lavaca. Indianola was no more. In April, 1887 what little was left of the town was destroyed by fire and the railroad line was torn out. The post office shut down in October and the town was officially dead. The hurricane that hit Indianola in 1875 was the first to ever hit a populated area of Texas and eventually barriers and seawalls were erected but it was all too late for Indianola.

What was once the gateway to West Texas is now a small subdivision at the end of a two lane road near Bayside. You can reach it if you want to but will see little to indicate it was once was the second largest port in Texas.

The rise and fall of Indianola is a stark testament that we live at the edge of the Big Water at Mother Nature’s pleasure and sooner or later she’s going to remind us of that.

April 26, 2012

Island Moon

Yard of the Month

Adopt-A-Beach Spring Cleanup set for this Saturday, April 28

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.

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.

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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. ivy@texasadoptabeach.org 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

The Island Gardeners presented Mr. Gary Sparschu at 15233 Barataria the Yard of the Month Award for April. What an interesting collection of potted cacti and succulents along with beautiful palm trees and blooming perennials. It’s amazing!

*Limited access – reservations required Aransas Pass/Redfish Bay—Nueces County Check-in: Lighthouse Lakes Park, 4 miles east of Aransas Pass on Highway 361

Andy Stansel, Manager

Contact: Richard Gonzales, 361-779-7351, richard.gonzales@texasadoptabeach.org

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 Check-in: Malaquite Visitor Center, 20420 Park Road 22

THE MEDICAL CENTER +

Contact: William “Buzz” Botts, 361-9498068, buzz.botts@texasadoptabeach.org

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

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361-949-1900

Island Moon

A 8

The morality of Healthcare

By Colin Sykes My dictionary defines immorality as “behavior which is contrary to the moral code of the community”, by that definition, the current proposal by Conservatives, to “roll back” President Obama’s healthcare care law, is immoral.

The current law is imperfect and incomplete, thanks largely to the opposition engendered by the Health Insurance lobbyists. However, it should not be overruled by the Supreme Court, most probably by another 5 to 4 margin. The law contains much that is beneficial to the general public, and like it or not, in the final analysis we are, or should be, our sister or brother’s keeper.

The law should instead, be “rolled forward” to a Single Payer, tax supported, system of extended “Medicare”, with everybody “in”, and nobody “out”.

This could be phased in, gradually, by lowering the age of accessibility to Medicare benefits, and paid for, by raising the age for retirement, and enacting the recommendations of the Bowles Simpson Commission Report, for debt reduction and financial recovery.

The United States, the richest country on the planet, is the only advanced industrial country, which does not provide universal healthcare for its’ citizens, and that, is a disgrace.

Some politicians are fond of telling us that we, in the USA, have the finest healthcare that is available anywhere. That statement is just not true. It is most certainly not true for the vast majority of the population. It may be true for the fortunate who are financially able to pay directly or indirectly for the high cost of care. The inconvenient truth is, that the United

Legislative Update

Nations’ World Health Organization was less generous in their assessment of the quality of America’s healthcare system.

In an international comparative survey, the United States was placed 37th..It was ranked below Costa Rica, and marginally better than Cuba.

For the record, France was judged the best provider of healthcare. England was placed 18th, and Canada 30th.

To add insult to injury, we have to pay twice as much for equivalent health care as citizens in industrialized countries receiving universal health care.

They do it for less, by emphasizing early detection and prevention, instead of using “last chance”, emergency treatment.

The health of vast numbers of our children is at risk. They are our future, and their intellectual development requires early access to good health care in their pre-school years The April 9th issue of the Caller Times highlighted the fact that there are “A million Texas kids without insurance” a similar situation exists across the country.

It is time to put our house in order and join the rest of the industrialized world by establishing Universal Health Care in America.

All of this can be accomplished by endorsing and passing legislation contained in HR676, which is National Single Payer Healthcare legislation for improved Medicare for All.

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April 26, 2012

Todd Hunter, District 32

Texas Travel and Tourism Industry

Texas is a wonderfully diverse state not only geographically but in its attractions and population. Texas provides tourist with beautiful ocean sceneries along the Texas coast, amazing woodlands found in East Texas’ piney woods, as well as beautiful desert landscapes in West Texas. The Texas travel and tourism industry provides a multi-billion dollar positive impact annually to the State of Texas’ economy.

The Texas travel and tourism industry does many things for our state including generating jobs, helping to improve the state’s infrastructure and helping to beautify our state. In fact, based on information found at www.travel.state.tx.us , which is a website maintained by the Office of the Governor, Economic Development and Tourism, the economic impact of travel and tourism in 2010 to the State of Texas was approximately $57.5 billion in total direct travel spending. This amount accounted for a 9.8 percent increase over the previous year.

If you were to break it down, the $57.5 billion translates in to $150 million a day, $6.5 million dollars an hour or $100,000 a minute being spent across the State of Texas by travelers.

While the amount of direct spending in travel was up, so was the need for lodging. From 2009 to 2010, the demand for lodging increased by 6.3 percent. In 2011, it is estimated that hotels in Texas collected $7.4 billion in revenue by selling more than 85 million roomnights. By the same token, air travel to Texas destinations increased by 3.4 percent. It is estimated that 198 million domestic travelers visited destinations throughout Texas in 2010 with 70% of those travelling for leisure purposes. Additionally, 7.4 million international travelers came to Texas and spent an estimated $4.3 billion.

While direct travel spending increases the need for venues and lodging, it also helps businesses balance their books and provide

for additional work hours for their employees. It is important to know that the Texas travel and tourism industry helps to support approximately 529,000 jobs in the State of Texas with earnings estimated at $16.5 billion. While the travel and tourism industry, like many others was impacted by the recession beginning in 2008, of the 74,700 jobs added by the State of Texas nearly 30,000 of them were in the Leisure and Hospitality sector.

In January 2012, employment in the Leisure and Hospitality sector increased by 4,100 jobs over the previous month.

It is clear that the travel and tourism industry is an important part of the Texas economy. What most people may not know is how beneficial it is to our state and local governments. In 2010, $3.9 billion in state and local tax revenue was generated by direct travel spending and that does not include property taxes. These tax revenues represent between 7-8 percent of all local and state tax revenues collected. When you include federal tax revenues generated by the travel and tourism industry, the total increases to $7.6 billion collected in local, state and federal tax receipts. This represents $850 in tax revenue from each Texas household; again this does not include property taxes.

If you have questions regarding the Texas travel and tourism 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, 361-949-4603).

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.

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Day And Night Boardwalk Shopping Center off Kenedy Bridge to the first right.

A Message for Texas Windstorm Insurance Association Policyholders We’re here to help.

If your property has been damaged by recent wind or hail storm events, please contact your insurance agent or call TWIA directly at 1-800-788-8247 to report your claim.

Once we are aware of your claim, we will assign an adjuster who will contact you as quickly as possible.

If necessary, please make any minor repairs to protect your property from further loss, and keep receipts for any work.

Please do not begin making permanent repairs until a TWIA-assigned adjuster has contacted you and inspected your property.

Once you have reported the loss you may be assured we will process your claim as quickly as possible.

Texas Windstorm Insurance Association

April 26, 2012

Island Moon

A9

Island Showcase

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Showcase Homes 1. 13725 A la Entrada Calle 2. 14213 Almeria 3. 15377 Beaufort Court 4. 15334 Bonasse Court #903 5. 15373 Bowspirit Court 6. 14106 Cabana North 21

7. 14981 Canadian Mist 8. 13826 Captain’s Row 9. 15226 Caravel

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10. 15333 Caravel

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11. 15349 Cartagena Court 12. 13706 Cayo Cantiles

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13. 14427 Compass Street #A14

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14. 14518 Dragonet 10

15. 13757 Eaglenest Bay

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16. 16009 El Soccorro Loop 35

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17. 15601 Finistere

36 37

18. 13826 Gunwale 19. 14025 Hawksnest Bay

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20. 13825 Hawksnest Bay

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21. 14806 Highland Mist 22. 15326 Isabella

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23. 15242 Isabella 24. 13821 Jolly Roger 27

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25. 13926 Longboat

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26. 13901 Mingo Cay #5 27. 13934 Mingo Cay #A

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28. 15917 Palmira

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29. 15825 Portillo 30. 13702 Primavera 31. 13549 Royal Fifth Ct. 32. 15385 Sabre

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33. 14214 San Felipe Drive

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34. 15602 Three Fathoms Bank 35. 13918 Whitecap Boulevard

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36. 13934 Whitecap Boulevard 37. 14721 Whitecap Boulevard

Island Showcase Continued from A1 Roni Owner / Stylist

Hair Salon

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Color Services starting at $65

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. An Island home will be featured on the cover of the Home section in the Sunday Corpus Christi Caller Times.

and check in. It, and all events, free and the idea is to trade and sell with other Islanders who have unused gear setting around.

In addition to the displays by home improvement companies at the Seashore Learning Center gym on Encantada a Trade Days for Toys where people can bring boats, recreational vehicles, and fishing gear to sell or trade will be held at Briscoe King Pavilion and will run from 1-5 but participants are requested to arrive by 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 28

The idea of the event is to showcase the Island lifestyle in every form. The event is the first annual and all Islanders are encouraged to participate by contacting Mary Lou White at 960-9460 or by e-mail at marylou.white@ coldwellbanker.com

A home under construction at 13934 Whitecap will showcase a solar panels system and green design plan that will keep the home’s utility bill under $50 even in summer months.

We’ll see you there.

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The Best Service, The Best Results

A 10 Photos by Miles Merwin

Island Moon

April 26, 2012

Sandfest 2012

Gopher Gone Gopher Removal

Grant Seger 361-816-5624 grant.seger@gmail.com Mary Ann McShane, Realtor, GRI, SRES e-mail: malm335@sbcglobal.net Corpus Christi Realty Group Considering a move to the Island?

Let me help you find your piece of Paradise - waterfront or interior homes, condos, townhouses, lots Considering selling your Island Property?

Call me for a free consultation to obtain the current market value along with tips to make your property the one buyers will put on their “must see” list

Island Office (361) 215-8629

Beach House Realty

361-332-1021

Island Creations Remodeling

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

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

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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

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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

Call 361-949-7281

Mary Melick Real Estate

Season’s Greetings & Happy Holidays 27 Years Experience ● Commercial & Residential Member On The Island

On Padre Island Duane Ebert 361-658-2459 | 361-949-0661 decksanddocksnorthpadre.com Member Padre Island Business Association

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Duane Ebert Cell: (361) 658-2459 Bus: (361) 949-0661 28 Years Experience l Commercial & Residential

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