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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

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Island Moon The Island Newspaper since 1996

Island Area News ● Events ● Entertainment

July 12, 2012

The Island where July means its time to do the Skeeter Dance

Around The Island

By Dale Rankin editor@islandmoon.com

Both the Fourth of July Weekends have come and gone now and things are settling back to the normal summer season for us. The attitude for we Islanders toward the summer tourist rush is sort of like what one of the Apollo astronauts said about flying a space mission, we try to maintain an even strain.

Next Publication Date: 7/19/2012

Updates on Island projects

Packery Channel, Water Exchange Bridge, Schlitterbahn

Year 15, Issue 431

Facebook: The Island Moon

Whale Shark!

By Dale Rankin

Packery Channel

When the summer season arrives we know it’s time to make sure we have clean sheets on the bed in the guest bedroom because all of our friends from north of Swinney Switch will be coming down soon enough to put their toes in the sand and we will be glad to see them. It is one of the many benefits of living on the sand bar that we get to see all of our friends without having to drive anywhere; if we just sit tight through the summer they will all come to see us.

We can always take heart in the notion that what happens on The Island leaves on Sunday.

A big attaboy One of the side effects of all those civilians coming to town is that they leave behind a fair amount of refuse that somebody has to pick up. Why someone would think that it’s alright to drive off the beach and leave behind twenty four empty glass bottles is beyond the meager cognitive abilities of we Moon Monkeys. In what world is that okay? Do they think those things just wash out to sea and disappear by themselves?

Our city’s beach maintenance department has done an admirable job this season of staying ahead of the problem. Prior to the season our City Council increased the number of people on the beach crews from three to six and the difference is noticeable. They also added police officers whose sole job is to keep the peace on the beach and that too has proven to be a very effective move.

But beyond what the city has done we’ve had some people who have really stepped up to help out. In the past week members of the Future Farmer’s of America have walked our beaches from the South Packery Jetty all the way to Kleberg County picking up trash. We would have run a photo of them in this issue but we didn’t find out they were out there until after they were finished. So instead of a photo we’ll just give them a Moon Attaboy and our thanks. It looks like the future of farming will be in good hands.

Dredging of Packery Channel from the SH 361 Bridge through the jetties was cut short due to the beginning of the turtle season and stopped about 500 feet short of the mouth leaving a 24,000 cubic foot sand plug which has left the opening with a depth of about 6 (6-10 ft depending on where you are across channel) feet. The natural sand movement around the channel’s opening has changed since Hurricane Ike passed through in 2008 and the result is Island Projects Continued on A8

Aplomado Falcon Chicks Released at Mustang Island State Park First time release to increase habitat for endangered bird of prey

Windstorm blows through

The colorful Aplomado Falcon is regaining a foothold in parts of Texas where they disappeared more than a half-century ago. On July 1, biologists began releasing captive-bred Aplomado Falcons to the wild for the first time at Mustang Island State Park to take advantage of additional habitat that the endangered birds of prey need to survive.

In the last couple of issues we have been writing about a potential disaster looming over a big hike in windstorm insurance rates for the Texas Coast. A hearing by the state regulators was to be held at City Hall this Friday, July 13.

But we’re happy to say that while a rally is still planned for 9:45 a.m. the hearing by the state insurance board has been cancelled.

“We are delighted to have Mustang Island State Park as a partner in this recovery effort,” said Bill Heinrich of The Peregrine Fund, an Idaho-based conservation organization focused on birds of prey. “The park helps fill in a gap in habitat between falcon populations that are

We could give you a lot of high flown reasons about procedure and protocol and such about why the meeting was called off but the unvarnished truth is that we kicked up so much dust over the issue we scared the pants off them and they blinked. The chairperson of the state insurance board, with the acquiescence of our governor tried to sneak one by the goalie and we blocked the shot. They tried to hike our rates by running it through the regulatory process and dodge the legislature where they know they can’t win and on Tuesday a letter from the commissioner went out which says the matter should be decided by the legislature. The chairperson of that committee issued a statement which in part read: “Due to apparent confusion among some interested parties as to the nature and purpose of the public hearings…these hearings previously scheduled…are postponed.

For clarification…first and foremost, none of the proposed rules relate to or impact rates charged to TWIA policyholders.”

Falcon Continued on A2

Secondly, we want to thank the folks over at Island In The Son Methodist Church for their efforts in beach cleanup. We do have some photos of them in this issue and we guess it is safe to say the future of Methodistism is in good hands as well.

Since this is a family newspaper we’re just going to call that balderdash. The fact is that the sitting chairperson of the insurance board is an interim appointment by the governor and must be confirmed by the legislature next January in order to have the job permanently.

It soon became clear that if she continued to carry water for him and the other people from the Texas Panhandle that her confirmation had about the same chance of survival as an ice cube in an Amarillo parking lot on July 4.

Around Continued on A3

A little Island History: The Battle of Padre Island

Civil War Battle Leaves Union Ships Stranded Near Whitecap Beach

Editor’s note: In the last issue we told you that before manmade changes to The Island that Corpus Christi Pass ran from the Laguna Madre at a point where Fish Pass now begins, parallel to the beach to a point near the end of present day Whitecap where it emptied into the Gulf of Mexico.

A whale shark recently seen offshore near the Island.

Photo by Louis Hinkle

On the Rocks

Rigs and Their Habitats Being Removed From Texas Waters

By Jay Gardener Well folks, I am bummed out. This “Idle Iron” program that the President and Bureau of Ocean Energy, Management, Regulation, and Enforcement (BOEMRE, and I pronounce it “bummer”) are perpetuating is killing some essential fish habitat off our Texas coastal waters. I’ve written on this subject before, some of you loyal readers know, but this time they’ve hit even closer to home with us here in the coastal bend.

Rigs and their environments disappearing You all know that they’ve removed three out of ten of our nearshore rigs within ten miles out of Packery Channel in the past year. The double-green rig that was due out of Packery is now a single rig, along with the old “Samedan” off Bob Hall, and a smaller rig that was barely two miles out of Packery. However, what we saw two weeks ago at one of our favorite rigs was disconcerting, and now Arthur, Bizzy, and Sarah brought back evidence that is the sum of our worst fears. They’re removing the “Black Rig”, which is approximately 23 miles southeast out of Packery Channel.

nice rips when the winds blow steadily. This position has attracted not only fish we like to catch and eat, but also a large variety of corals and other sessile tropical organisms that call the rig legs home.

On the Rocks Continued on A2

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 public has been very interested in viewing our releases of endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle hatchlings at Padre Island National Seashore this year. So far this year, we have held 22 releases that have been open to the public and collectively nearly 10,000 people have

The following is an account of the battle from the two leaders, first the Union, then the Confederate.

From the Union Leader

Battle Continued on A4

Hitching a ride on a whale shark

Popular Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle Hatchling Releases Winding Down for this Year

In 1861 Union and Confederate troops fought a battle there which ended with the Confederates in possession of two Union ships which were abandoned near the mouth of the channel.

U. S. FLAGSHIP NIAGARA, Off Fort Pickens, December 2, 1861. SIR: I have the honor to report the arrival at this place on

The Black Rig has been one of our favorite destinations for years now; as it is due southeast out of Packery, the heading is very convenient (basically you’re supposed to drive your boat into the waves so you can ride them home if your motor(s) conk out). It is a very reasonable distance out of Packery and sits up on the edge of a shelf before a drop-off and has a “ridge” that runs to the south of it that has held some

Spectators gather at a turtle release event at Padre Island National Seashore

attended. Of these, nearly 1,000 people attended the July 4th release. Attendees are a mixture of our local residents and people that are visiting from other areas. Many people travel long distances to attend, and many tell me that they planned their vacation here around the hope of seeing a hatchling release. After the many hours of our hard work to find and care for the fragile eggs, it is great to see the public’s enthusiasm and support during the releases.

Although hatchlings from most of the nests found this year have been released, there are still a few potential chances to see a hatchling release at the National Seashore this year. The dates of the releases depend on the when and how fast eggs in our incubation facility hatch. The best remaining opportunity to view a hatchling release this year will be during the week of July 8 and from about July 24-August 1. These are the only remaining groups of clutches found on the same day that we still have in incubation. To Turtles Continued on A2

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Turtles Continued from A1 hold a release, it is best to have a few clutches to draw from, so that if hatchlings from one clutch become active and have to be released during the night before a scheduled public release, there is still at least one other clutch available for a public release the next morning. After these groups are released, only five Kemp’s ridley clutches will remain in incubation and these were laid on five different days. Because of this dispersion in projected release dates, it will be difficult to schedule and hold a public release for these last five clutches.

Our public releases are held in front of the Malaquite Beach Visitor Center at Padre Island National Seashore, starting at 6:45 am. No fee is charged to enter the park to attend these releases. For information on when and where

Island Moon

July 12, 2012

Falcons Continued from A1 our next release will be held call our Hatchling Hotline at 361-949-7163 or visit our Facebook page titled Padre Island NS Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery.

Nesting update Through July 9, 208 Kemp’s ridley nests have been confirmed on the Texas coast so far this year. The final tally for 2012 could increase slightly since there are a few days left in the nesting season. Also, a few previously undetected nests may be located, particularly at sites being monitored in south Texas where tracks from a nesting female were found earlier this year, but a nest could not be found then.

Additionally, five loggerhead turtle nests have been confirmed in Texas this year, including three on North Padre Island.

Loggerhead nesting could continue for nearly two more months. For the latest tally of sea turtle nests found in Texas, visit the Padre Island National Seashore website at www.nps.gov/pais. We are also posting updates about nests on our Facebook page titled Padre Island NS Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery.

already well-established and self-sustaining in South Texas.”

Since 1984, The Peregrine Fund has released Aplomado Falcons in wide-open grassland areas that provide native food and shelter. They are raised in captivity at The Peregrine Fund’s World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise, Idaho.

When chicks are about a month old, they are flown to the release sites by LightHawk, a volunteer aviation group that donates flights for conservation projects. Fast flights on private aircraft are the best way to ensure that the chicks arrive with little stress and in good overall health, Heinrich said.

until the 1950s when their range was restricted to a few areas in Mexico, most likely due to the combined effects of habitat changes, pesticides and human persecution.

For the recovery effort, the falcons have been released on both private and public lands.

The Peregrine Fund has enrolled more than 2 million acres of private Texas ranchland in the Safe Harbor Program, which was developed

Over the last three years, LightHawk volunteer pilots have transported more than 200 Aplomado Falcon chicks to support the reintroduction effort. This latest flight to Texas is being donated by Carl Mattson and Julie Boyd, of Denver, Colo., who will be piloting their Cessna 210 turbo.

When the chicks reach Mustang Island State Park, they will be placed at newly constructed “hack sites.” Each site consists of a large wooden

with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to reduce landowner concerns over endangered species on their property and to provide access to habitat for the falcon.

Aplomado Falcon recovery is a cooperative program with federal, state, and private partners, including The Peregrine Fund, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program.

Thank you for your support during the 2012 nesting and hatchling release seasons! We hope to see you at a hatchling release this year.

Did you know?

• Northern Aplomado Falcons were put on the U.S. Endangered Species List in 1986. box atop a platform raised 10-12 feet off the ground for protection from predators. The birds will be fed while they become accustomed to their new surroundings. A few days later, the door will be opened and the birds will be able to fly freely. They will continue to be fed and monitored at the hack site for about two months while they hone their flying and hunting skills and are able to survive on their own.

Currently there are about 34 nesting pairs in South Texas, spread to the north and south of Mustang Island, including the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge Complex and Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge. Aplomado Falcons were widespread in the American Southwest

• Aplomado is a Spanish word for dark grey, the color of the bird’s back. Adults have a long banded tail and a black cummerbund, contrasting with a white upper body. A distinguishing characteristic is a white dash above each eye. They are 15-17 inches in length and weigh 9-14 ounces.

• The falcons feed primarily on small birds and insects caught in the air. They require open grasslands and savannahs where tall cacti, yuccas and taller pines and oaks grow in open stands.

• Aplomado Falcons nest in old stick nests of hawks and other birds constructed in tall yuccas and lay usually two or three eggs.

On the Rocks Continued from A1

If you will remember, the Black Rig was the location last summer where I finally got to see and photograph my first whale shark while diving with Scott Flory (shown riding said whale shark).

This whale shark picture was sent in to the folks that are keeping track of these things and it was a newly identified whale shark that had not been documented before. The info can be found at http:// www.whaleshark.org/encounters/encounter.jsp?number=29201117027

Knee-jerk reaction

While the events that led to the deaths of some workers and the terrible tragedy of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and resulting environmental damage were indeed massive, there was a knee-jerk reaction in Washington that caused the Department of the Interior (DOI) and the BOEMRE to begin enforcing the removal of platforms and structures no longer in service for more than one year. The cost of removing rigs is almost as much as constructing and placing them; oilfield operators were just as happy as fishermen to leave them be. The fish and other organisms that are calling the rigs home are extremely happy for the operators to leave them be.

To be sure, there have been several pieces of legislation that have been introduced in both the Senate and the House (Sen. Vitter (R-La) and Rep. Palazzo (R-Ms) that would place a moratorium on removing these structures. Our own Blake Farenthold has also supported a moratorium, and even Gov Rick Perry has called for a review of the program. However, the legislation has a daunting road ahead of it, and I haven’t seen any traction in the year that it’s been on the table. I believe it’s just political posturing in an election year, and nothing will come of it. A lot of hot air to attempt to gain votes.

Save The Blue

Dr. Bob Shipps has proposed to the Gulf Council that some of these rigs qualify as Essential Fish Habitat, which many of us have known for years, however I don’t believe that the Council will trump BOEMRE regarding that designation. An organization, Save The Blue, is advocating a moratorium as well, and they actually have a live feed from two underwater cameras mounted on some rigs outside of Galveston. It’s really cool, check them out at www.save-the-blue.org

At the end of the day, nothing that is being proposed or “pushed” has the traction to get anything done, in my mind. I would hope that our Federal Government would see the error of their ways and change the mandate with a pen-stroke; but it’s not going to happen. What we need to do is to accept the destruction of artificial habitats and move forward. I think we need to get back on track with creating artificial reefs, and I will repeat my battle cry that “we need an approved artificial reefing site out of every Texas Pass.” Let’s extend that to the entire Gulf States, why not? We need to focus on streamlining the process, and especially getting the regulations relaxed concerning a) what kinds of material we can put down, and b) how much clearance is necessary over the top of placed reefs. We need to be able to put smaller material down mixed in with larger pieces for increased productivity, and we also need to be able to build reefs up into the photic zone (sunlight).

At the end of the day, there are no easy answers, but its’ clear that we need to band together. See what we’ve been doing at http://ccatexas.org, and I’ll see you On the Rocks.

July 12, 2012

Around Continued from A1 While we don’t endorse candidates for office here we do give credit where credit is due and in this case it goes to our State Representative Todd Hunter who took the lead on this issue and brought it to a successful conclusion. It turns out that participatory democracy sometimes works after all.

Moon market The third Island Moon Market is scheduled for Saturday, July 28 on the Michael J. Ellis Seawall. The number of vendors continues to grow and the idea seems to have struck a chord with Islanders who come around to visit. We hope to have the folks from Pee Wee’s animal shelter out there again with dogs and cats looking for permanent homes.

We’ll see you there and in the meantime say hello if you see us Around The Island.

Attention Skaters!

Designers of Flour Bluff Skate Park Need Input After more than a year of fundraising the Flour Bluff Skate Park is about to become a reality.

Several possible designs for the new park are being considered and the designers need input from local skaters to help.

On Thursday, July 19 at the Ethel Eyerly Senior Center, at 6 p.m. the drawings for the park will be available for public viewing to allow for input from all those in attendance.

Island was transported to jail. Moon Witnesses told police that while the bible was an unabridged King

James version it was un-annotated so was not heavy enough to do much damage to the A Tennessee Bible preacher’s face.

Thumping In a jailhouse interview Garrett told a local news channel that she did in fact strike the

Stuff I Heard on the Island

A 64-year old woman hasher been preacherininTennessee the head with bible because, “He’s got the demon in him.” arrested after hitting her minister in the face with her bible. Calls to the demon were not returned by press time.

The woman was a member of the Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Selmer (pop.

4396), a city 100 miles east of Memphis, until the congregation voted to remove her from the church for transgressions unknown. When informed of the ouster the woman, Ina Garrett, threw her bible striking the minister in the face. The minister took at swing at Garrett but did not connect.

Deputies were called to “remove a woman who was not wanted” and she was transported to jail.

Witnesses told police that while the bible was an unabridged King James version it was unannotated so was not heavy enough to do much damage to the preacher’s face.

In a jailhouse interview Garrett told a local news channel that she did in fact strike the preacher in the head with her bible because, “He’s got the demon in him.”

Calls to the demon were not returned by press time.

PACT in Rehearsals Island In The Son at the Movies for Musical “Annie” The Port Aransas Community Theatre has just cast more than 30 children and adults for the Broadway musical play “Annie”. Performances are scheduled for Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights on August 2,3,4 and 9,10,11 at 7:30 PM and two matinees on Sundays August 5 and 12th at 2:30 PM. All performances will be at the PACT Theatre, 2327 HWY 361, in Port Aransas.

In the story Annie was left at an orphanage as a tiny baby with only a half of a heart locket and a note that her parents would be back to claim her as soon as they were able. She is so anxious to find her parents and hates living in the orphanage so much because it is run by the cruel Miss Hannigan, that the other orphans help Annie run away. While out on the streets, Annie finds a yellow colored dog who also has no home and they become good friends. She named him Sandy.

Will Annie find her parents? Will she and her new friend Sandy be safe on the streets?

Will they be okay? Come to the theatre and join “Annie” in her adventure as soon as the performances begin.

Tickets will be pre-sold starting on Tuesday, July 17 at $15. for Adults and $10. for 12 years old and under. Call 361-749-6036 for further information.

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Island in the Son United Methodist Church invites you to a “family night at the movies” on the 3rd Friday of each month. This event is free, open to the public, and features a familyfriendly 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, July 20, is “Seven Days In Utopia.” Showtime is at 7:15 PM at the church – join us!

SEVEN DAYS IN UTOPIA follows the story of Luke Chisolm (portrayed by Lucas Black), a talented young golfer set on making the pro tour. When his first big shot turns out to be a very public disaster, Luke escapes the pressures of the game and finds himself unexpectedly stranded in Utopia, Texas, home to eccentric rancher Johnny Crawford (portrayed by Robert Duvall). But Johnny’s more than meets the eye, and his profound ways of looking at life force Luke to question not only his past choices, but also his direction for the future.

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!”

by Dale Rankin If things go as planned when voters go to the polls in November mixed in with all the other items on the ballot will be a vote on city bonds.

The list of potential projects currently runs to about $150 million but expect that to be whittled down considerably by the City Council before it get before voters.

The way the numbers work $55 million in bonds can be approved without a tax increase; so $55 million is the magic number and that amount of bonds should get through without much opposition but anything above that is likely to be a matter of contention. District 4 City Council Member Chris Adler has requested, through the Island Strategic Action Committee, a list of potential Island projects we would like to include in the package. Our failure to provide a list in previous bond elections has resulted in our getting very few projects and we should not let that happen again. Our share of the debt in that $55 million will run to about $7 million but we will not get that much in projects. The emphasis in this bond package is on streets and the streets on The Island are generally in much better shape than those OTB. So what should we ask for? The POA has put forward a list of possible project that are a good starting point.

Park improvements The city parks on The Island get a lot of use and have been neglected in recent years. For the past three years kids from Seashore Learning Center have been collecting aluminum cans in order to pay for the portable restroom at Billish Park.

They have collected $8000 in cans and while their effort is commendable, the fact that they have to collect cans in order to have a restroom at a city park is absurd. The park’s facilities, basketball courts, running track, pavilion, get a lot of use by kids and by older residents and if it is left to the city they would have to decide whether to leave the park for restroom breaks or go hide in the bushes. That just isn’t right. So the first item on our list should be restrooms at Billish Park, and come to think of it restrooms in all of our parks doesn’t seem like an outlandish request either.

Also on the POA list is money for a community center at Billish. We currently don’t have a community center, although there are several scattered elsewhere around the city, and we have a regular need for one. The POA would maintain it but we need city money to build it.

It is something that has been discussed for years and this might be our chance to get it done.

The POA is also asking for money to put a dog park at Aquarius Park. The cost is estimated at about $40,000. Ours is a dog friendly Island and a sand bur free place to take them for some play time seems like a great idea to me.

Each of those improvements seems reasonable and very cost effective and there may be some others that could be added.

Improvements at The Flats I have arbitrarily and capriciously dubbed the area behind Snoopy’s Pier Ernie’s Flats after Snoopy’s owner Ernie Buttler who has had a steady business there since 1980. If anyone has earned that right it’s Ernie. That 81-acre area has never had a name and it gets old calling it That Area Behind Snoopy’s so Ernie’s Flats it is.

All of the amenities you see there and some you can’t see were built by Ernie and at his expense. That includes the road in and out and a three-inch water line. Jurisdiction over the area has shifted over the years between the City of Corpus Christi and the Texas General Land Office which owns the land. It seems that when it comes to collecting rent and sales taxes down there both organizations step right up, but when it comes to providing essential services and facilities its been up to Ernie.

For instance, the existing water line, which Ernie built decades ago, isn’t large enough to accommodate a fire hydrant which is required by city code but requires an eight inch line. The same line also supplies Doc’s and Marker 37 with water.

The road, which Ernie also built, needs widening to accommodate the traffic at the three businesses there. It also needs to be raised to get it above the high water mark during heavy rains and high tides and widened to accommodate the crowds at the businesses there which are extremely popular with visitors and Islanders alike.

To their credit the city’s engineering department has recognized the needs there and has worked up a list of things that need to be done, including putting in an eight-inch water line, fire hydrant, and street and drainage improvements. The question is one of funding and since streets are the focus of this bond package and this is one of the busiest and oldest streets on The Island it seems like this bond package is a good way to fund these improvements.

The businesses there have all been paying state and city taxes for years but no one has yet to be able to find out where the city’s share of that money went. If they find it I think it is safe to say it would be more than enough to pay for the much needed improvements in that area. In the meantime, including it in the bond package seems like a great idea to me.

Asking to have basic city services to three businesses that have been paying into city coffers for decades seems like a pretty reasonable request from where I sit.

The POA has taken the lead in putting together our wish list for the bond package which must be finalized by August 13. If you have something you would like to include contact Maybeth at the POA. If there is one thing our history with bond packages has taught us it is that while me may not get everything we asked for we are certainly not going to get things we don’t ask for.

Now’s the time to ask.

Funding for Lights at North Packery Parking Lot Approved Dive In For a Deep Sea Adventure And Explore God’s Word!

ISLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 14030 Fortuna Bay @ Gypsy Corpus Christi, TX 78418

July 16 – 20

(Monday through Friday)

9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

For more information & to Register Call the Church Office at 361-949-8770 OR Visit our website at www.islandpresby.com

Lost Parrot

The Corpus Christi City Council on Tuesday approved $129,813 for installing lighting at the parking lot and boat ramps on the north side of Packery Channel. The agreement with American Electric Power (AEP) calls for about twenty poles along Zahn Road and across the parking lot the north Packery Jetty.

The lighting is part of a 2008 bond package.

The parking lot was completed in 2009.

The lighting contract calls for AEP to install “underground primary and secondary electrical distribution to serve 7-250 watt high pressure sodium street lights along the access road and 14- 400 watt high pressure sodium flood lights for the parking lot.”

Still to come on the north side of the channel are permanent restrooms. Currently those using the cabanas and boat ramps must walk more than 1000 feet down the north jetty to the portable restrooms located on the beach at Zahn Road.

Register Today!

This is Bitsty the Parrot. She is lost somewhere on The Island. She says a lot of words, barks like a dog and is very sweet. If you see her call Gerri Kilti at 512-541-9584.

[She is green]

Summer 2012 Youth Basketball Showcase Tournament Series

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361-461-5144 Island Resident-Brooks J. Sheehan

The Corpus Christi Parks & Recreation Department is offering the second tournament of the Youth Basketball Showcase Tournament Summer 2012 Series at the Corpus Christi Gym (3202 Cabaniss Parkway) and Ben Garza Gym (1815 Howard St.).

The August 11, 2012 tournament will follow the 3-game guarantee is $150 per team. This tournament is for boys and girls GRADE DIVISIONS (1 & 2), (3 & 4), (5 & 6), (7 & 8), (9 & 10), and (11 & 12).

REGISTRATION will be held Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm at City Hall (1201 Leopard St.), 3rd floor, Parks & Recreation. Registration for this tournament will close on August 3, 2012.

The Parks & Recreation Department is dedicated to providing quality, structured, affordable and fun programs for youth.

For more information, call the Corpus Christi Gym at 851-1612 or the Athletics office at 8263478.

The Mischief Posse of Port A left their mark on the Mayor’s house on the Fourth of July.

A 4

Battle Continued from A1

Volunteers Are Needed

Summer TAAF Games of Texas July 26–29 Do you want to be in the middle of the action as top athletes from throughout Texas compete for GOLD right here in Corpus Christi? We are looking for volunteers who will play an important role in making our Olympic-style sporting event a BIG success.

ABOUT THE GAMES: Over 8,000 top athletes are expected to come to Corpus Christi to compete in 13 sports featured in the Texas Amateur Athletic Federation (TAAF) 2012 Summer Games of Texas, presented by CITGO. This event will be hosted July 26–29, 2012. The state will be watching as the best athletes ignite the flame within. Amateur, recreational, and young Olympic hopeful athletes will converge in Corpus Christi to compete in 13 sports hosted at various venues throughout the city. SPORTS CATEGORIES are: baseball, boxing, fencing, golf, Judo, kickball, skateboarding, softball, swimming, table tennis, tennis, track & field, and triathlon.

Many volunteers are needed for us to host this event so that it will be a great experience for all our participants and visitors. We could use your help throughout the four-day weekend along with the days leading up to it. We will rely on our Games of Texas volunteers to help us tackle the many components of our events, from the preparation to the post-event tasks— from passing out water, to sending thank you letters to our sponsors, and more. Volunteers are needed to help with the 13 sporting events (listed above) and additional events.

Not only are our volunteer opportunities rewarding, but they offer a great opportunity to meet new people, help us be ambassadors for our city and have fun in the process.

Interested individuals may download the Volunteer Registration Form from the Summer 2012 TAAF Games of Texas website at ttp:// taaf.com/index.cfm?load=page&page=161 .

Fax the completed form to 361-826-3864 or email it to Rosie@cctexas.com. Don’t wait, register today! You will be contacted within 10 days of receiving your form. For more information, please call 361-826-3454.

Island Moon

the 27th ultimo of the U.S.S. DeSoto and the U.S. bark Afidnight, and on the 29th ultimo of the U. S. gunboat schooner Rachel Seaman.

The Afidnight I have dispatched to cruise on the coast of Texas, between Galveston and Matagorda Bay; pg 803 v16.

396 WEST GULF BLOCKADING SQUADRON. Expedition in search of Confederate schooner from Corpus Christi, December 7, 1862. Report of Acting Master Johnson, U. S. Navy, commanding U. S. S. Sachem. U. S. S. SACHEM, Aransas Bay, Tex., December 8, 1862. SIR: I beg leave to make the following report: I caused to be captured on the night of the 6th instant, about 9 p.m. in a small schooner and sloop loaded with salt, about 400 bushels, and three men belonging to Corpus Christi. I learned from them at once of an armed Confederate schooner having left Corpus Christi for the pass, for the alleged purpose of sounding the channel.

I at once went on board of U. S. bark Arthur and reported the same to her commanding officer, Lieutenant T. F. Wade. It was thought best to send an expedition to capture her, the Arthur to proceed in advance to Corpus Christi Pass, while a boat expedition from the Sachem proceeded by way of Corpus Christi Bay. The Arthur accordingly got underway at 3 a.m. and boats from this vessel at 6 a.m., consisting of 18 men and two boats, in charge of Mr. A. H. Reynolds, acting ensign, and G. C. Dolliver, masters mate. After proceeding about 28 miles, a schooner hove in sight, standing toward Corpus Christi. She at once changed her course and stood direct for Corpus Christi Pass, Mr. Reynolds and the expedition chasing her, and then about 5 miles astern.

The chase was continued for 8 miles, and at 11 a. m., when within about 150 yards of the Pass, and then under a high bluff of land called Padre Island, being hard pressed by the boats, she was run ashore, officers and soldiers abandoning her, and took refuge behind sand hills. As soon as our boats rounded the point of land, they were attacked by volleys of musketry from behind those hills, wounding Mr. Reynolds badly, and killing two of the Sachems crew and wounding two more; also killing a man, a refugee from Corpus Christi, whom I asked as a favor to join the expedition. Mr. Reynold’s party being within 30 yards of the enemy, was compelled to land his men opposite, on Mustang Island, where he could choose his distance, and there

fought the enemy for one hour and a half, defending his boats.

Receiving another wound in the mean- time, and finding all hopes of assistance from the bark impossible, he was compelled to abandon his boats, bring in his wounded off with him, and making his retreat to this vessel by and to this bay, a distance of 30 miles, and arriving on board at 12, midnight. I at once sent a boat on board the Arthur for her doctor, who came in and cared for the wounded. Mr. Reynolds is badly wounded, one man severely, and one slightly. It was ascertained that the rebels had considerable forces on Padre Island, besides the forces on the schooner. I can not say too much in favor of Mr. Reynolds in so ably conducting this expedition against such odds as were brought against him, and as a brave and very efficient officer.

And Mr. Reynolds compliments Mr. Dolliver to me for rendering him very efficient service during the whole engagement, but especially after Mr. Reynolds having received the last but most severe wound, which I most cheerfully recommend for your consideration.

The names of the killed and wounded are: Mr. A. H. Reynolds, acting ensign, two wounds in right side, badly; Thomas Mollman, in right arm, slightly; John Carey, landsman, in breast, etc., severely; William Nicholson, landsman, killed, shot through the head; Benjamin F. Cowen, landsman, killed, shot through the breast, Peter Baxter, a refugee from Corpus Christi, and a native of the city of Perth, Scotland, killed.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Amos JOHNSON, Rear-Admiral D. G. FARRAGUT, Acting Commanding Western Gulf Blockading Squadron. P. S.J wish to state, also, that all the arms were saved, excepting those of the killed and those belonging to John Carey, severely wounded.

Report of Captain Wilike, C. U.S. Army. Corpus Christi, Tx., December 8, 1862.

From the Confederate leader: MAJOR: I have the honor to report that on the 5th instant myself, Captain John Ireland, and 7 of his men went on a surveying expedition in the Queen of the Bay, to ascertain the depth of the channel at Corpus Christi Pass by actual

July 12, 2012

measurement. The boat was in charge of Jack Sands, Pat Reil, and Tom Simpson. Corpus Christi Pass is about 5 miles long, and has a bar outside of the Gulf and another inside one toward the bay. We found 5 feet water on the former and 3 feet on the latter. The wind was very contrary, and it took us one day and a half to ascertain these facts, when we were compelled to cast anchor and stay overnight in the middle of the channel, the wind being due north and the channel too narrow to beat. On the morning of the 7th we detected the bark Arthur outside, evidently cruising for us, for when they had detected us they stood off into sea to beat back to Aransas Pass.

Captain Ireland and myself went to Mustang Island to watch her, but arrived [too] late at the Gulf shore to find out if she had left any boat behind. We watched her until 11 o’clock, when the wind turned toward the east, and we returned to the boat to weigh anchor. At 12 o’clock we started homeward. When near the inner bar we detected two of the enemies launches fully manned, who had come into our rear over the mud flats near Shell Bank. They were about 2 miles from us and we could not find out if there were any more hidden behind the shore, so I gave orders to turn our boat around and run nearly before the wind back toward the Gulf.

The boats were in hot pursuit, using both sails and oars, and gained slightly on us, so that they were a little over a mile behind us when we arrived at the bluffs of Padre Island. We ran the Queen ashore close to the hills, jumped out with the most necessary baggage in case we should lose the boat, and took position on the hills, keeping ourselves hid. They came in close, and at about 200 yards we opened fire on them.

The first two shots disabled 2 of their men, and they at once changed their course and took position in the center of the Pass, all the while shooting at us, but without any effect, while our balls were flying close to their boats, probably wounding some of them, for they at once went across the channel to Mustang Island, ran both boats ashore, and jumped out as fast as they could, leaving everything in their boats except their guns, which were not fastened to their bodies which returned to the fire, and ran farther up the beach, taking position about 1,000 yards opposite to us.

From there they fired occasionally on us, but

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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.

This 1887 map of Padre Island shows Corpus Christi Pass as it existed during the Civil War and in the years immediately after. Notice the pass enterers the Gulf near the end of present day Whitecap. The triangular shaped island just to the north of the pass is where the seawall is currently located and was notated on many old maps as The Middle Ground and it marked the southern end of Mustang Island.

their shot fell short, while one of our men at that distance killed one of theirs. When they saw that even at that distance they were not safe against our shot they retired still farther and disappeared behind the hills. During the time the breeze had become stronger and driven their Located in the Loma Alta Plaza boats from shore. One came right toward us, Captain Ireland, with 2 men, went waist14254 SPID, Suite 109 and deep into water, securing her. He found one dead body and a wounded man in it, besides a 949-4848 good many articles of clothing and arms. The other boat, whose sail was still flying, drifted toward the Gulf, and Jack Sands took a small boat, went over, and took her also. Captain Ireland then succeeded in shoving the Queen into deep water, and after securing the corpse AuntSissysKitchen@stx.rr.com Offering Gourmet Take-Out Meals of the man who lay shot on Mustang Island we www.AuntSissysKitchen.com soon after ward made good our retreat toward Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday Corpus Christi, where we safely landed about Hours: 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. 9 oclock in the evening with our whole booty.

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Located in the Loma Alta Plaza 14254 SPID, Suite 109 I must mention here the bravery of all the Visit our website at www.AuntSissysKitchen.com men. Captain Irelands men were selected from 949-4848 among the best shots of his company, and 1 For weekly menus

take pride in mentioning their names, for they did really such very good execution. They were W. E. Goodrich, W. Saffold, F. G. Roberts, Full Service Catering Available S. K. Elliott, John Keill, John Haley, and Nat Henderson, all from or near Seguin. About For Private Parties Captain Ireland I need not mention anything to you, for he behaved exactly as you would have a brave man to behave. We were 7 armed men against their 22, for Captain Ireland and myself had only six-shooters and the three boatmen had nothing. The latter did their part in shouting and urging on our men. We took 2 launches (one Recipient of the People’s Choice Award metallic), with full equipments in sail and oars, 6 great-coats, 4 percussion muskets, 1 doublePatty brings a bright new smile to Michelle’s Salon. Patty, formerly barrel shot-gun, 3 holster pistols, 4 cutlasses, 1 2011this Taste of the of Sport Clips next to Lowes. Mention ad and receive 25% Island off bayonet, 3 cartridge boxes, 3 pistol cases, and any chemical service and guys, you will receive a complimentary sundry small articles, which I had turned over to scalp massage on your first visit. If you are looking for a military the quartermaster and ordnance officer. Three of cut or a super fade, Patty is your girl. As always, Walk-ins welcome the great-coats were issued by my order to the three sailors, two of whom have since they are in the service re- ceived neither pay nor clothing and scarcely any rations, for they belong to no company, and nobody has ever drawn for them.

I believe I can direct the quartermaster to issue to them rations and pay them their wages and let some of the captains draw their clothing for them. They are good sailors, and I wish to retain them in that branch for our boats. Have I a right to do that or must they join a company l I would request you to send me an answer to that question.

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I remain, very respectfully, your most obedient,

H. WTLLKE, Maj. E. F. GRAY, Captain, Commanding Post.

July 12, 2012

Island Moon

Letters to the Editor We The People The Supreme Court finally voted out corrupt partisan politics and voted in Obama Care.

The court interpreted and implemented the constitution as written and understood by all.

“By the People, for the People, of the People.”

I’m currently not a member of any of our corrupt political parties. I will cast my vote for the person, male or female, who’s ideology will stimulate the minds of Americans.

Editor’s note: We got this letter from Islanders Doug and Diane Popma who found it in a newspaper in Maui. Unfortunately, for now at least it looks like the push to ban singleuse plastic bags in our town has been thrown away – or at least recycled until after the city elections.

Hey Dale, We were recently in Maui and found the enclosed article about the plastic bag problem.

We though you might be interested.

Doug and Diane Popma

John P. Doyle

Thank You I want to thank Jan, Dale, Miles, and everyone who took the time to stop by my table July 6 while I was signing copies of The Lost King at the Port Aransas Art Center during First Friday.

Thanks also to The Island Moon for spreading the word about the event! -- Devorah Fox Devorah Fox

Martini Alley Dear Family and Friends, Just to let you know the saga of Martini Alley is finally coming to an end. The sale should be final on Tuesday. Of course, we had moved it to Pensacola to use as a dock condo when we visit Shannon, et. al. But, no sooner did Stephen get it tied up, than an offer came through to buy from the Houston area just where it was before we left! It’s just like when someone wants to get pregnant-and nothing happens until you adopt.

Then twins or triplets come along.

Anyway, to the point; we are keeping up with our predictably-unpredictable selves and decided to just sell our house and move to Florida. Grandkids are growing up quickly, whether we want it or not and Derek and Shannon should be in that area for the next three years. So, that’s what we are doing. For sale sign went up Friday evening and had first showing yesterday. Not planning on buying there until we sell our house, so we could be in Texas for a while. And, we still have the condo here on the island, so if anyone wants to use itjust holler and we will see if its available.

That’s enough news for now. Will keep you posted.

Love to all, Diane

Bluewater Kayak Classic August 11 The 3rd annual Corpus Christi Bluewater Kayak Classic will be held on Saturday August 11. This is an offshore kayak only kingfish, ling, and Spanish Mackeral tournament. Rules and online registration info can be found at www.bluewaterkayakclassic.com.

Check in and weigh in will be located behind the Nueces County Parks Office by Bob Hall Pier. We will have 1st 2nd 3rd place kingfish, plus a prize for the Average Joe kingfish which will be the Kingfish that is weighed in closest to the average weight of all kingfish combined.

We also have side pots for the heaviest ling, and heaviest Spanish Mackeral. $10.00 each.

100% payout. We only had 6 local anglers last year out of 46, and hope for more local participation this year.

Who Are the Moon Monkeys

Mike Ellis, Founder

Lafitte Dr.

“Bring Your Own Bag” effort has benefited Maui.

I want to talk about the BOYB that stands for “Bring Your Own Bag.” Here in the Maui County we started the BOYB not too long ago. Before that we were using plastic bags to carry out groceries and things we buy at the store. Using plastic bags made our island look dirty and polluted because people were just throwing their plastic bags all over the place. They would get caught in fences, stay in the grass and maybe get into our beaches.

But after we started the BYOB, the island started looking clean. Well, I think that this was a great idea and that all the islands should start doing this – especially Oahu because there are so man people living there. It could make a difference if they that change. It is also a way of going green. Everything would look and be cleaner and make our island beautiful.

Leah Yanos Kahului

Lost Cat Hello editor at the PI Moon. We just recently lost our cat from our home on the 1500 block of Punta Espada Loop.

He is a white/tan Himalayan mix with bright blue eyes and is just about a year old.

He has no tags and goes by the name baby girl, I know his name is a long story..

Anyway we were hoping you could post a picture of him in your next edition of the Moon.

We are also hoping we find him by then as we have knocked on all our neighbors doors.

We can be reached at 361.949.3047.

Best regards, Marc A. Perez

Shaved Ice Say Moon Monkeys!

Why is the Shaved Ice guy taunting us with a sign in the middle of SPID @ Whitecap? I’ve seen the sign everyday, but can’t seem to find any shaved ice....

Trina Elwell Well Trina, we’ve been wondering the same thing. We do know the shaved ice person has set up before in the lot right across the street from Whitecap Liquor but hasn’t been there of late that we know of. All we can tell you is that if you want to know if he’s out there shaving his ice call Kathy at Whitecap and she can tell you. But you are right, seeing that sign on a hot summer day makes us long for the ice man, but when he cometh we know not.

Distribution

Subscriptions

Pete Alsop Island Delivery Coldwell Banker Advertising Jan Park Rankin Raeanne Reed Office Lisa Towns Classifieds Arlene Ritley Design/Layout Jeff Craft Contributing Writers Joey Farah 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 Thursday, Dale Rankin, Editor / Publisher.

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

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

Dale, I’m one of the old guys that came in April to ask about mail subscriptions for winter Texans.

(There’s an assumption in there that I wasn’t the only one.) You politely gave me a pencil stub that wouldn’t write and a piece of paper that seemed to have been sprayed with PAM then took my name and address but didn’t offer much hope.

I understand it may make no business sense to offer same and I have no complaint with that.

However, you do need to know that telling me it’s available on Facebook is about as valid as telling a double amputee that prostheses are available. Yeah, it’s true but it’s a poor substitute.

So, please take my info, tuck it into a safe spot and if the situation ever changes, let me know.

Thanks, Terry Wright Well Terry, I still have that pencil but I have to admit I don’t have the PAM encrusted note.

When we first took over the Moon subscriptions were $35 per year and we had a couple hundred of them. When we checked postal rates we discovered the annual cost of mailing each copy which was then every two weeks, was more than $60. We figured that even though we lost a little on each subscription we would make it up in volume. That didn’t work out so well.

Many of our Winter Texan readers only want the paper mailed certain months out of the year and keeping track of that got to be time consuming and the Moon Subscription Department is nonexistent so it created quit a bit of confusion.

Now with us being a weekly the cost of an annual subscription is about $120 for postage.

That seems rather high to us so we decided to put the paper on Facebook for free instead. We still do have about forty or so subscriptions we mail out and if you will e-mail or call with your information we’ll get you on the list.

So in spite of the busted pencil and the PAM paper there is some hope Terry. Get in touch and we’ll fix you up.

News From Your

A5

By Maybeth Christensen

Rather than doing a response “Letter to the Editor” I thought I would write about what the POA has done and what it has NOT done.

business. But, when it comes to safety and when the Police ask, we try to be helpful.

The Texas Department of Insurance hearing First, for anyone who knows me, knows I love which was to take place this Friday at City Hall the whole idea of the vending carts. I have been has been “postponed” Tuesday morning with an trying to come up with a SAFE place where they could be. The corner of Whtiecap and Park Road 22 is not the The Texas Department of Insurance place. hearing which was to take place

The Police Department, as well as this Friday at City Hall has been the City Code Enforcement officer, asked for my assistance in trying to “postponed” Tuesday morning with solve what was becoming a dangerous situation. So, I contacted the property an announcement which came out at owner and asked if he had given about 10:30 AM. anyone permission to park on his property at that intersection. He said he had not. I then asked if we could install No Trespassing Signs and he said “be my announcement which came out at about 10:30 AM. I think all of the activity by our State guest, and thank you.”

Legislators forced the Commissioner to rethink At no time has the POA said anything about the proposed rule changes. the vendor parking at any of the driveways of We will be sending out another email advising the local businesses. If the vendors are able to residents of the cancellation. Hopefully, the work a deal with the owners and they have the proper permits from the City, I say wonderful! “postponement” will be permanent and the If they do not, it is up to the property owner to Legislature will be able to develop a better solution for the 14 coastal county residents and do something about it. property owners.

I had a conversation just this week with We are at the very busy time for boating and someone who is looking at creating a vendor our ramps are being used. Remember, you need area. I encouraged them to go for it. We all like to be able to buy the fresh produce and have to have a 2012 sticker on your trailer and a blue missed the produce lady who used to be in the sticker on your vehicle. Also, there is a time limit for leaving your trailer at one of the ramps Realty World area.

– 72 hours! We have towed trailers which were The “mean” POA gets blamed for a lot of using the ramps as storage areas and we will things we just do not do. We are not anti- tow more.

Moon Phases I saw your Moon Phase for July in the 7-5-12 edition of the Moon and have a question. Why is July called the Full Buck phase when deer start growing antlers in March or early April and antler growth continues until late August or September? Maybe Mark Twain was right when he said “People who do not read the newspaper and uninformed, people who do read the newspaper are misinformed”.

Gary Dukes 13802 Suntan Your argument here Gary is with the Farmer’s Almanac which began publishing such things in 1818, 17 years before Mr. Twain was born and a publication with which he was distinctly familiar.

The Almanac says, “Historically, the Native Americans who lived in the area that is now the northern and eastern United States kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to the recurring full Moons. Each Full Moon name was applied to the entire month in which it occurred. These names, and some variations, were used by the Algonquin tribes from New England to Lake Superior.”

We’re guessing that the period during which deer grow antlers is not uniform across the globe, or even across the U.S., and the Native Americans in the northeast who were very astute observers of such things, named the July Moon based on what they saw there and not in South Texas which in 1818 was still part of Spain, three years before it became part of an independent Mexico.

Twain called humor “mankind’s greatest blessing and humor has always been part of the

Farmers’ Almanac’s blend of wit and wisdom.

It’s late fall and the Indians on a remote reservation in Montana asked their new chief if the coming winter was going to be cold or mild.

Since he was a modern chief, he had never been taught the old secrets. When he looked at the sky, he couldn’t tell what the winter was going to be like. Nevertheless, to be on the safe side, he told his tribe that the winter was indeed going to be cold and that the members of the village should collect firewood to be prepared.

But, being a practical leader, after several days, he got an idea. He went to the phone booth, called the National Weather Service and asked, “Is the coming winter going to be cold?”

“It looks like this winter is going to be quite cold,” the meteorologist at the weather service responded.

So the chief went back to his people and told them to collect even more firewood in order to be prepared. A week later, he called the National Weather Service again. “Does it still look like it is going to be a very cold winter?”

“Yes,” the man at National Weather Service again replied, “it’s going to be a very cold winter.”

The chief again went back to his people and ordered them to collect every scrap of firewood they could find. Two weeks later, the chief called the National Weather Service again. “Are you absolutely sure that the winter is going to be very cold?”

“Absolutely,” the man replied. “It’s looking more and more like it is going to be one of the coldest winters we’ve ever seen.”

“How can you be so sure?” the chief asked.

The weatherman replied, “The Indians are collecting a ton of firewood!”

Texas Gulf Coast Vacation Home Sales Buck U.S. Real Estate Doldrums Eagle Ford effects felt in rising sales, vacation rentals Cinnamon Shore, the Texas Gulf Coast’s only New Urbanism style beach community, on Tuesday announced plans to rapidly expand -- adding a third condominium building and opening a $1-million swimming pool -- in response to rising demand for second homes and resort vacations in Port Aransas.

to accommodate guests and homeowners during a sold-out summer rental season. The half-acre pool complex will feature game and event fields, a beverage and food bar, a gelateria, and shade cabanas. At the same time, Cinnamon Shore has begun taking contracts on a third condo building, which is still in the design phase.

Cinnamon Shore, modeled on the pedestrian friendly beach village of Seaside, Florida, broke ground in 2007 and has sold more than $80 million in vacation properties -- homes, condos and lots -- priced from $135,000 to $2 million amid the U.S. recession and real estate downturn. The luxury resort is located on Mustang Island just outside the town of Port Aransas.

As of mid-June, annual rental returns at Cinnamon Shore had already surpassed gross revenues for the previous year. The average rental income produced, should you decide to place your house in the vacation rental pool, is 10 to 12 percent of your purchase price. This is because demand for quality homes exceeds the supply, Cinnamon Shore sales director Lee Ann Peters said Eagle Ford Shale-related activity pumped $4.9 billion into Nueces County, home to the coastal towns of Corpus Christi and Port Aransas, in 2011. Earlier this year, Forbes magazine recognized Corpus Christi as the sixth-fastest growing economy in the United States and one of the best places to retire for its growing economy, mild climate, culture and affordable real estate.

The 64-acre master-planned beachfront community has drawn a steady stream of buyers mainly from San Antonio, Austin, Dallas and Houston. The 18-month-old economic boom from Eagle Ford Shale activity also has created new investors who are looking to diversify their wealth, and a newly affluent population of vacationers flocking to Mustang Island from nearby drilling areas.

Texas is ready for a world class beach destination. Cinnamon Shore is delivering the accommodations and amenities sought by the most discerning vacationers who in turn are delivering record rental revenues to our homeowners, Jeff Lamkin, chief executive of Cinnamon Shore developer Sea Oats Group, said.

Lamkin noted that the nearby Newport Golf Club provides the area with a luxury anchor attraction in the top-ranked Arnold Palmer Signature Links Golf Course, and that Texas water park developer Schlitterbahn has announced plans to build its next water park just 10 miles south of Cinnamon Shore. 􀁬The restaurants of Port Aransas are excellent and the beaches are close to so many thriving population centers. The Texas coast in and around Mustang Island is quickly becoming the place to be,” Lamkin added. The resort will open its second condominium building on July 15 and its swimming pool complex in late July

Facts About Eagle Ford Shale And Cinnamon Shore Sales at Cinnamon Shore’s on-site restaurant, Lisabella’s Bistro & Bar, touted as a truly remarkable establishment by Texas Monthly, also have set records since it relocated from Port Aransas to Cinnamon Shore in December Calls to Cinnamon Shore by potential buyers and renters are up by 400 percent over last summer’s level Sales of condominiums, home sites and homes to Corpus Christi residents are up four-fold over the past six months 12 of the 16 units in Three Town Center were sold before the condominium building opens on July 15, and Cinnamon Shore has taken contracts on two units for a yet-to-be built third condominium building Year-to-date rental revenues at Cinnamon Shore homes have already surpassed rental revenues for all of 2011

Island Moon

A 6

Senior Moments

By Dotson Lewis dlewis1@stx.rr.com

Senior of the Moment

Thurman Byrd Thurman Byrd, a resident of Flour Bluff, was born in Coleman County, Texas on December 6, 1914. He was the 6th of 13 children (6 Boys and 7 girls). Thurman’s family were all farmers.

TByrd says “When his dad said ‘Frog,’ you better Hop!” Ten hours a day milking cows, feeding horses, slopping pigs, then it was time to get to the fields, plowing, picking cotton and everything else that had to be done.

In 1934 the large Byrd family decided to move to the Coastal Bend and landed at Chapman Ranch where they all started working for a dollar a day. At the end of the week they were paid half their wages in cash, and the other half had to be spent at the Ranch grocery store.

a new contract for the on-field officials. The NFLRA has been an organized union since 1993. The contract under which both were operating expired with the close of the 2011 season, and the negotiations to establish a new one have been pugnacious in the strongest sense of the word. At this writing both sides have walked away from the table, with each blaming the other for this predicament. Nothing positive is happening.

are 70 1/2 years old. In order to figure out what that amount is, you must first find your account balance on December 31 of the previous year. Then divide that number by the applicable distribution period or life expectancy. You can find those numbers in the Life Expectancy Tables in the IRS publication on IRAs.

The league has said they will hire “replacement” officials and has already begun interviewing a couple hundred prospective candidates. With 16 games each week the league needs to hire 112 replacement officials. These will be mainly former officials (not affiliated with the NFL) or current high school, community college, and small college officials. Division 1 (major college) officials have declined consideration, feeling they would jeopardize their current standings in the college system.

Share Your Thoughts on the Books That Shaped America

Some major points need to be considered: First, the integrity of the NFL game lies squarely on the shoulders of competent game officials.

It has been my experience that the proper training of NFL officials takes three to five years, following successful high level college careers. NFL athletes are the best in the world, with only 1,700 able to compete each week; only the demonstrably best officials should be matched with their level of play. Even then it takes qualified officials several years to gain the trust and respect of the NFL players and coaches. While fans don’t go to NFL games to see officials, replacement officials will become an unwanted focus during the 2012 season.

Further, a primary concern for game officials is player safety. Having a knowledgeable eye for late hits, unnecessary contact, hits on a defenseless player and helmet to helmet contact comes only with experience in the NFL game.

Finally, in negotiations the best, and perhaps the only, way to resolve differences is meeting and working through all details of the contract. Compromise, the art of give and take, is axiomatic to any successful negotiation.

Agreements are rare without it. When opposing sides take the bully approach, respect and trust deteriorate and negotiations often fail.

Thurman Byrd circa 1935 After a while they decided it was more fun and a lot more profitable to go fishing for a living, so they moved to Flour Bluff and started fishing.

Thurman was a commercial fisherman from 1935 to 1940.

From 1940-1942 he owned and operated an auto repair garage and was the chief mechanic.

He married Irene in 1942 and TByrd worked at O & R on the NAS Corpus Christi as aircraft mechanic until 1952. In 1950 he and Irene opened Byrd’s café, operated it until 1962. In 1955 Thurman restarted his commercial fishing career. In 1963 after they leased the café, his wife joined him fishing. He started with a small boat and graduated to a larger boat and fished from San Antonio Bay to the Land Cut. One of their biggest hauls was 1,300 pounds of fish in one night. They quit commercial fishing in 1992. After he quit fishing he started gardening again. Irene passed away in January 1997.

Compromise, not bullying, holds true in all human relations including successful marriages and child development.

Moment Tech Talk Know The Lingo Abbreviations for phrases and jargon reduce the amount of typing you need to do when chatting via instant messenger, text messages or just writing a letter. Here are some of the most common abbreviations. If you are a Grandparent, you will impress your Grandchildren if you know and use the following: AFK: away from the keyboard AFAIK: “as far as I know” indicates the comment is true to the best of your knowledge BIAB or BRB: is used to let the recipient know that you’ll be away for a short while with BBIAB (be back in a bit) or BRB (be right back).

GJ: This abbreviation of “good job” is a quick way to tell someone he did well.

IDK; Short for “I don’t know,” used when you are unable to answer a question or query.

IMHO: “in my humble opinion” Demonstrate some modesty before writing;

Senior of the Moment Thurman Byrd tending his okra patch Thurman an avid gardner, grafted a peach limb on to a plum tree and produced peaches. He loves to work in the soil and see what he could grow. He always has some kind of garden even in drought conditions. He collects his rainwater and makes the most of it.

Most of the time, Byrd is in the yard/garden hoeing, mowing, chopping or lopping. He is usually outside while the sun is shinning.

After Thurman’s so-called retirement, he played pool and loved to dance. He went to all the Senior Centers dances. He married his current wife, Pat, in April 1998 and taught her how to shoot pool and dance.

Thurman competes in Wii Bowling, his highest score is 299, his ambition is to score a perfect 300. Not bad for a 97 year-old! Hang in there TByrd, let us know when you bowl the perfect game and we will have a party!

Moments Sports Talk Written by Jim Tunney, Retired NFL Referee.

After further review...The National Football League (‘the league”) and the National Football League Referees Association (“the union”) are locked in an impasse attempting to negotiate

/www.irs.gov/publications/p590/ar02. html#en_US_2011_publink1000231217

The Library of Congress recently launched a new exhibition about Books That Shaped America. It features influential books that were written by Americans, such as:

July 12, 2012

Activities at the Ethel Eyerly Senior Center 654 Graham Road (Flour Bluff) Phone: 361-937-3218 Monday Silver Haired Fitness 10 am

•

Catch-22

•

The Catcher in the Rye

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•

The Great Gatsby

•

To Kill a Mockingbird

Computer Interest Group 12:30-2 pm

•

Little Women

•

Uncle Tom’s Cabin

Currently, there are 88 books on the list and the Library of Congress hopes you will select the ones that you think shaped America and touched your life the most.

They also want you to nominate books that you think are important, but aren’t on the list.

View the list of books that shaped America and then take the survey to share your thoughts http://www.loc.gov/bookfest/books-thatshaped-america/

Wii Bowling 12:30 pm

Tuesday Bingo 10 am ($.50 Cards) Silver Life Fitness (Co-Ed) 11 am Zumba Table Tennis & Table Games 12:30 pm

Wednesday Silver Haired Fitness 10 am

Moment Notes

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Suspicion arises over voters’ ages (CallerTimes Saturday July 7 Headlines)

AARP Chapter 4181 1 pm 2nd & 4th Wednesdays

Petition cites 110-year olds in Brooks County Alice-There are about 325 supercentenarians in the country and 79th District Attorney Armando Barrera finds it hard to believe 18 of them voted in the Brooks County primary in May.

Thursday Silver Life Fitness (Co-Ed) 11 am Zumba Wii Bowling 12:30 pm

In the petition to contest the election filed Friday, Barrera lists 18 voters who were all born on either Jan 1, 1900, or Jan1 1901, making each of them more than 110 years old. “Can you believe it?” Barrera said.

“Maybe they found the fountain of youth?

Quilting Guild 2nd Thursdays Starts 10 am

Dotson’s reaction: I think it’s great that 110 year olds vote. They are to be commended.

If these really old folks can vote, all of us between the ages of 21 & 109 should do so.

A well kept secret: if a voter can’t get out of their car to vote, a poll worker will bring the “E-slate” to the car and they can cast their vote. How about that for “curb service?”

Silver Haired Fitness 10 am

A REMINDER-Election Day- Plan now to vote Primary Run-Offs July 31, 2012 Early Voting for Primary Run-Offs-July 23-27, 2012 If you have questions and/or comments regarding “Senior Moments” please contact Dotson at the Email address shown above, or Phone 361-949-7681; Cell 530-748-8475

Friday ($7 month, Ladies Only) Table Tennis 12-5 pm Bingo 12:30 PM ($.50 Cards) Line Dancing 2 pm

Ethel Eyerly Monthly Dinner/Dance 4:30-7:30 pm Friday July 19, 2012 Tickets are $5 & are on sale now!

Please call 937-3218 for more information and reservations.

JK: Abbreviation of “just kidding,” and tells the recipient that you were just joking around.

SCREENPRINTING

K: This shorthand indicates that the message has been acknowledged.

EMBROIDERY

PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS

L8R or TTYL: The first is shorthand for “later” or “see you later” when saying goodbye, or if you plan on communicating in a bit, you can use TTYL (talk to you later).

LOL: Let your chat buddy know his comment was funny enough make you “laugh out loud.”

NVM: Short for “never mind,” which tells the recipient to disregard the last comment.

PLZ: When asking for help, it’s always nice to say “please.”

SFSG: Let your recipient know that everything is OK thus far by saying “so far so good.”

TBH: You can let someone know you are serious about a statement by leading with TBH, or “to be honest.”

TYVM: This is an abbreviation for “thank you very much.”

Try the foregoing, you will make an impression and you might even like it.

If you tried it, U DUN GUD!

Moments in Passing What percent of an IRA does a person have to take each month after they are 70 years old?

If you have a traditional IRA, you must receive a minimum distribution starting when you

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July 12, 2012

Island Moon

Legislative Update

Dee-Scoveries

Todd Hunter, District 32

What Could Be Better?

State Agencies Undergo Sunset Review Process – Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board July 9, 2012 - Over the past month or so, I have been outlining Texas’ sunset review process. The agencies I have covered so far include the Texas Education Agency, the Correctional Managed Health Care Committee and the Railroad Commission and several others. As a reminder, in order to identify and eliminate government waste, duplication and general inefficiencies in state agencies, the Texas Legislature established the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission (Commission) in 1977.

The sunset review process is designed to review each of these agencies every twelve years. This review is done by taking up a certain number of the state agencies each session when the Texas Legislature convenes.

In last week’s article we examined the Texas Education Agency which is responsible for the oversight and administration of the public school system in Texas. In this week’s article we are going to look at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board which is responsible with providing the Texas higher education system with leadership and coordination. In 1965 the 59th Texas Legislature created the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and since that time they have been working to help achieve excellence for our state’s college students.

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is administered by a nine member board, which is appointed by the Governor. Each member serves a six-year term and no member is allowed to be employed in education or to serve on a community college board of trustees.

In addition to appointing the members of the board the Governor also appoints the members who will serve as the Chair and Vice-Chair.

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board outlines their mission statement as “to work with the Legislature, Governor, governing boards, higher education institutions and other entities to help Texas meet the goals of the state’s higher education plan, Closing the Gaps by 2015, and thereby provide the people of Texas the widest access to higher education of the highest quality in the most efficient manner.”

Beginning in 2000 the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board launched “Closing the Gaps by 2015”. The goals of the initiative are to increase access, improve

postsecondary completion rates, develop additional research opportunities, and to improve the quality of higher education in Texas. An economic analysis was done by the Ray Perryman Group and funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The economic study showed that if Texas is able to achieve the outlined goals of “Closing the Gaps by 2015”, the state would see an increase of $489 billion in direct spending, $194 billion in gross state product, $122 billion in personal income, and the creation of 1,023,000 new jobs in the State of Texas by 2030. The return in investment is estimated at $8.08 for every $1 invested.

If you are interested in learning more about the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, you can go to their website at www. thecb.state.tx.us. On their site you can find more information on “Closing the Gaps by 2015”, information on applying and paying for college and many other things. Some of the other agencies we will review in the upcoming weeks include the Texas Board of Professional Engineers, the Board of Pardons and Paroles, and a number of other agencies currently going through the sunset process.

If you would like to learn more on your own about the Sunset Advisory Commission or other agencies undergoing the sunset review process, you can go to www.sunset.state.tx.us.

If you have any questions regarding the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board or the sunset review process, please don’t hesitate to contact either my Capitol or District office.

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@ haouse.state.tx.us or at 512-463-0672.

By Devorah Fox devorahfox@aol.com devorahfox.com Back for your summer visit to Port Aransas and can’t find your favorite shop, the Island Woman Boutique?

Never fear, it’s still here.

It’s just moved to a new location.

Come October, 2012, Carolyn Andrews will be celebrating her shop’s first anniversary at its current address in the Tower Center on Highway 361. Before the move, Carolyn enjoyed six years in the Shops at Pelican’s Landing.

Prior to entering the world of retail, Carolyn was in corporate communications, working for a big company.

She and her husband lived in Boerne. She commuted to San Antonio while he commuted to Kerrville.

They moved to Port Aransas to be closer to their inlaws, and for several years, Carolyn telecommuted, working her San Antonio job via the Internet and telephone conference calls.

Carolyn and her husband love Port Aransas for all the reasons visitors come here, “but we don’t have to go home. We are home!” Port Aransas is “the funnest little town,” she says. “We can get around in a golf cart, on a bicycle. Port A has good restaurants, good bars, an Art Center...and it’s all close and friendly. We love being near the water.”

After several years of telecommuting, Carolyn became frustrated with corporate life and wanted to make a change. She saw an ad for

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For more information, visit the Web site at www.islandwomanboutique.com, send an email to islandwomanboutique@gmail.com or just come by Suite F in the Tower Center, 1726 Highway 361. (Be sure to say “hi” to Tootsie, the white poodle who helps Carolyn hold down the fort.) I’ll see you there.

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PortA

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Island Woman continues to stock casual wear from Fresh Produce, an apparel line begun by Thom and Mary Ellen Vernon who offered Tee-shirts from a kiosk at the 1984 Olympics and sold out. Most of the Fresh Produce items bear the “made in USA label.” The colorful, high-quality soft cotton fabric is preshrunk and long-wearing.

Carolyn loves being in the shop which gives her an opportunity to meet people from all over the US and Canada. “I buy clothes and shoes for a living,” she says and with a smile asks, “What could be better than that?”

TWO TONS of STEEL

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in the Flax line of clothing with buttons carved from palm tree fruit seeds, as well as gauze clothing by Maria de Guadalajara. LA Blend clothing features exclusive batik prints and colors from Indonesia that are fade resistant.

Carolyn’s shop also has bath and body items, shoes, and lots of jewelry, some of which is specially made for Carolyn here in Port A. For the rest, “I hunt high and low!” Carolyn says. Check out the drink coasters that look like little flip flops or the handbags crafted from one continuous zipper. There’s also the attention-grabbing vests, jewelry and handbags made from recycled drink-can pull tabs by the Walleska Company. It’s “eco-chicc”: Ecologically Conscious Organization Celebrating Honoring Inspiring Creative Communities. Brazilian native Walleska Tepping combined her social consciousness with her creativity to provide a craft and an industry that could be pursued by Brazilian woman whose only other option was pretty much agriculture.

The BACK PORCH

The Deadbeats

A7

the Island Woman Boutique and bought it, even though she had never worked in retail before.

Carolyn’s mother had been a shopping queen, one whom Carolyn wishes had lived to see her daughter get into the boutique business.

“She could walk my feet off shopping.” Linda Hansen, the boutique’s former owner, helped Carolyn for several months during the transition.

When asked if retail had any surprises for her, Carolyn said, “Every day is a surprise. You can never outguess the public” because tastes are always changing. “It’s always a challenge, trying to hit the nail on the head, to know what people want next.”

Like other Port A merchants, Carolyn learned that the shopping and therefore her buying seasons here are a little unusual. “Our customers are so different. We are really blessed to have not just the local customers, but also the extra group of customers” who have second homes or RV’s in Port Aransas or who are visiting tourists. She appreciates the loyal customers who visit her shop just to see what’s new.

And what is new? She has recently brought

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

Island Projects Continued from A1 less scour (deeper region) at the mouth and the formation of a bypass bar just offshore of the mouth of the channel which may be either beneficial, by transferring sand around the channel mouth seasonally from side to side, or a problem depending on what happens this summer season.

Deidre Williams at the Conrad Blucher Institute at A&M Corpus Christi who monitors the channel for the city told the Island Strategic Action Committee Tuesday night the remaining shoal near the mouth (the shoal is inside the Entrance Channel NOT outside the channel) could be of benefit by blocking the entry of sand into the channel mouth directly from the Gulf.

The opportunity for sand to enter the mouth of the channel would be new for Packery. In the past the channel mouth was very shallow due to shoaling and the region around the mouth in the Gulf was very deep- the uphill climb clearly limiting sand entry from the Gulf. Should the plug of sand be removed, the channel mouth and nearshore would be nearly the same depth, possibly allowing for sand to enter directly from the Gulf. However, she said if the sand begins to be impounded along the west side of the Entrance Channel shoal it could lead to the growth of the shoal and would need to be removed in the future. A survey will be conducted during July to determine if the Entrance Shoal is expanding enough to require removal or if it serves the channel better to leave the shoal for now as a protective measure.

Current plans call for a wait and see approach through the summer season.

She told the ISAC that since the premature opening of the channel by Hurricane Emily in 2005 the width of the channel at (-5 ft depth) inside the SH 361 Bridge has doubled in some sections due to water flow. Between 2006 and 2008 the channel widened at a rate of up to 34 ft/yr and since 2008 the width has increased by about 1.5 ft/yr. Most of the expansion has been on the east side of the channel in the tidal flats but some areas on the west side, where residences are located, have lost as much as 1-10 ft (Note for your information-20ft was only in the water- the navigable channel bank---).

Williams said the beach on each side of the channel jetties has pushed seaward since the channel opened increasing the width of the beach to about 500 feet nearest the jetties. The beach is afforded protection by the jetties an alongshore distance of 2,000 ft to the north, just past Turtle Cove development and 4,000 ft to the south, up to about the Holiday Inn. The sand from the recent dredging of the channel was placed from just south of the Holiday Inn to the south end of the seawall, the first major dredging since its opening in 2006. The beach has increased in width by 80-100 feet at the south end. She said the prevailing southeasterly wind is already moving some of that sand north where it will serve to increases the width of the beach from there to the South Packery Jetty.

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July 12, 2012

Inside the channel a small portion of the Basin Shoal was left after dredging and is located near the entrance to Lake Padre which Williams said does not impede boat passage through the channel but if it persists may need to be marked with a buoy.

“The channel is healthy and hasn’t required a lot of maintenance,” Williams said. “That is not by happenstance but by design.” During planning, dredging was predicted at 1 to 3 year intervals but was not needed until 6 years after the channel opened, indicating a successfully designed inlet.

Park Road 22 Bridge

Permitting for the Park Road 22 Water Exchange Bridge is ongoing. Currently the city engineering department is waiting on a decision form the Army Corp of Engineers about what the exact nature of the impact from the bridge will be. That determination will impact the bridge’s design which has been done but is contingent on the Corp’s decision. Once that decision has been made the city will push forward with the permitting process. A tentative start date for the bridge has been set for the end of 2012.

Gypsy Bridge repairs

Repairs to the underside of the bridge on Gypsy are complete and work is set to begin soon on the road surface which still has a metal plate to cover a pothole. The guardrail which was recently destroyed by a car has been replaced.

Street lights on the new Aquarius Extension The city engineering department has put in a request with AEP to install the lights. The normal turnaround time for such projects is 4-12 months.

Improvements to Whitecap Water Treatment Plant

We recently reported that the Whitewater Treatment Plant has exceeded state limits on bacteria in its outflow more than twenty times since 2009, in some cases as much as 27,000% over the allowable limits. The cure for the problem is a Ultraviolet Light treatment process that is expected to cost between $3-$5 million and will not be installed until at least 2014.

In the meantime the city is looking for other ways to stop the problem in the interim which may be cheaper than the UV system to install but will be more expensive to operate.

Restrooms along Packery Channel

The city has placed a portable restroom at the parking lot north of the Packery where street lights are soon to be installed. Plans to build a permanent restroom there are on hold until new FEMA maps are released later this year which may change the designation of the area’s vulnerability to flooding and ease restrictions on the design requirements for the structure and reduce the cost. The original estimated cost of the restrooms was placed at $1.4 million but ISAC members declined to approve payment at that amount from the Island Tax Increment Finance fund. A similar restroom facility on Corpus Christi Beach was put out to bids and the price came back at over $600,000 due to the Americans with Disabilities Act which requires a ramp to reach the facility which must be at least nine feet above ground level. If the area around Packery Channel is rezoned in the new FEMA maps that requirement may not be necessary.

Schlitterbahn Waterpark and Resort

Developer Paul Schexnailder told ISAC members in their Tuesday meeting that the park’s developers now have a term sheet in hand from lenders, meaning that negotiations on financing for the park are nearing completion.

“We’re moving forward,” he said. “We will be doing work on the site in August but not turning dirt. There is still much work to be done on permitting before we start digging.”

He said the previously stated schedule for the $524 million dollar park and development that calls for it to be open by next summer is still in place, “at this moment.”

Seashore News

Join them on Tuesday, July 17th for music by Kayla Nicole from 5:30 to 6:30 and Marshall Influence from 6:30 to 7:30. Food provided by Costa Sur and Padre Pizzeria. Co- Sponsored by the Island Car Wash and Island Architects. Save the Date: Tuesday, July 17th.

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Emily Maxham, Jacob Hinojosa, Jenna Christensen, Kadence Abel and Shirley Fischer check out a lizard

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Aiden Ayud with [grandpa] Mike McClure who put on reptile show

$2.00 Pints 4:30 Full to 6:30 p.m.

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Ethan Templeton holds a small snake

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July 12, 2012

Island Moon

Italy – History, Charm, Beauty, and Exquisite Cuisine

A9

By Brent Rourk From enchanting, quaint canals to green rolling hills to bustling cities with buildings two thousand years old, Italy proudly offers charming treasures for just about every traveler, tourist, or explorer. If you have time and money to visit only one other country, then you should seriously consider making Italy your next restaurant stop. It is unquestionably one of a handful of countries that I will revisit with the same anticipation I relished before my initial visit. Simply put, there is so much to see and experience, more than once. How can so much history be rolled into one country? How can so much beauty fill the horizon?

If Venice cannot captivate your eyes, heart, and palate, then arguably such a place does not exist.

This paradise is comprised of countless islands separated by beautiful blue and turquoise waters. Each island has its own special identity and offers housing, dining, or a luring factory or store that happily raises your eyes and reduces your pocketbook. Delightfully, your senses are on constant overload and you might find

Venice Gondoliers taxi tourists than Italian food? Home-made Italian food in Italy, of course. Venice generously offers countless restaurants that serve excellent food.

Be adventuresome and try different dishes each evening. There are too many tasty Italian fares to restrict yourself to just one vacation dish.

Clam fettuccini to die for anybody? Mouth watering fish dishes? Perfectly prepared pasta?

Also, a lovely lunchtime visit to one of the delicatessens on the islands might prove Italy’s claim to the world’s culinary capital. You be the judge.

Four or five days in Venice will provide you with a veritable life time of memories.

Florence will provide a different though equally alluring attraction.

Old cobblestone roads and stone and stucco homes lead to the treasures of Florence – The Uffizi Palace, The Duomo of Florence, The Basilica of San Lorenzo, The San Lorenzo Market, The Rome Through the years Academia Gallery, Palazzo Strozzi, The Old Bridge, Boboli Gardens, yourself full of a sense of wonderment that Piazza Della Repubblica, and Michelangelo’s you had as a child. Everywhere you look you David for starters. An excellent website for see bright colors, incredibly well-preserved searching Florence is http://www.italyguides. ancient buildings, and that ever-present maze it/us/italy_travel.htm. It is extremely easy to of blue canals, home to hundreds of boats and get around Florence by bus or taxi. Automobile gondolas that leisurely carry visitors or locals traffic is blatantly choking. If your hotel is and hurriedly transport goods throughout within a mile of the Duomo, then I suggest daily Venice. You smell salt water, Italian pastas, walks in that neighborhood to explore the vast popcorn, and other unknown culinary treats. history and masterworks Stores displaying the of architecture and art. latest Italian fashions, Summer temperatures can premium leather exceed 40 C so take water, goods, handmade sunscreen, and a hat. A lace, and the prize taxi will gladly oblige of Venice, stunning taking you to more distant hand blown glass, all Florence destinations, invite you to look, including one of the top touch, and, of course, notch restaurants that purchase. Venice was overlook the city and once the center of paint a gorgeous picture commerce and power in the afternoon or early during Italy’s long sunset. No visit to Italy past, and its stout and is complete without The narrow canal and Ponte dei Sospiri proud buildings also thoroughly exploring all (Bridge of Sighs) invite you to explore. that Florence has to offer.

The architecture and Four full and active days color of the old homes and businesses on the in and around Florence is a time machine come canals create the quintessential postcard or the true. gem of your photograph collection. You will be Rome, the center of one of the world’s most irresistibly drawn to the colorful gondolas. It is ok. No need to feel guilty. Pay the driver the state impressive and influential civilizations, is a controlled fee and take the slow tourist gondola mammoth metropolis that brings to life what with your family, friends, spouse, or significant you read in your history texts or romance novels other. Have your camera ready, relax, and enjoy about Rome. Decidedly European in look and the scenery. Spend a fascinating morning on feel, Rome proudly offers unbeatable shopping, the island of Murano, historic home to hand unsurpassed dining options, and unending blown glass where undoubtedly, you will find festivity (and traffic). No structure is more the perfect treasure to tote home. What is better recognizable and iconic than The Coliseum, but that spectacular building is obviously only one of many architectural wonders that will keep

you insightfully inspecting many Rome neighborhoods.

Others include The Roman Forum, Temple of Antonious, The Pantheon, Piazza Della Rotunda, St. Peter’s Basilica, The Vatican, Campo de Fiori (morning and evening), Trevi Fountain, Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Steps), and more. Don’t forget the art museums and art stores as well as the evening strolls through historic areas like Trevi Fountain with an irresistible and delicious gelato. Taxis and the metro serve tourists well and will efficiently get you to virtually any ruin or restaurant you desire (take cold water with you and protect your wallet and valuables). I found that the corner delicatessens in Rome will amaze and delight you with their simple and tasty dining options, and will give you a chance to meet locals at the small tables in front of the delicatessens. Five days in Rome will both excite and tire you.

Italy offers more than the three hub cities above.

For those who love wine and the countryside, few areas rival Tuscany in beauty. Old walled cities, rolling hills of vegetables, fruit or olive trees, and grape vines surround quiet and quaint towns that welcome the traveler. The mesmerizing landscapes and interesting towns might seriously invite or incite you to search for local real estate adds or bulletins. To get the feel of the culture (and the taste of the wine) your visit to Tuscany might include an afternoon at a winery, where you will be welcomed with a dazzling array of local wines and tasty snacks (cheeses, meats and fruits). Enjoy the afternoon in one of these wineries or vineyards and then perhaps take a nap before sampling some of the best Italian dishes at a local restaurant. I thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon in one of dozens of available vineyards and even had some of my favorite wines sent to my home here on the island weeks later.

Other areas and places in Italy I have visited that should prove to be well worth your time include Bologna, Naples, Sienna, San Gimignano, Pompeii (the old ruins are a ‘must see’), and anywhere in Tuscany. There is much more to Italy so consider visiting other notable and popular areas such as Turin, Milan, and Cinque Terre to the north or Bari, Brindisi, and Sicily to the south. Two weeks touring Venice, Florence, and Rome will prove to be an unforgettable experience. Extending your trip by a couple of weeks to experience other parts of Italy will make it unparalleled.

Italians are generally very warm, humorous, and generous

The Grand Canal in Venice

people who make visitors feel at home. If you speak Italian, then you will make instant friends.

Many older Italians remember or recall hearing that thousands of American soldiers gave their lives as American troops swept through Italy during World War II. Many Italians are eternally grateful for our involvement and the visitor to Italy might see old cemeteries that are home to those soldiers who gave their lives. For those who love to visit UNESCO World Heritage locations, there are 47 of them in Italy; more than enough to keep a traveler busy for months.

Fortunately, many travel options exist if you are considering visiting Italy. For those adventurous travelers backpacking, hitching, and taking the trains will work, though you will need patience and time. Making your own reservations and planning your own trip can be rewarding so check out airline fares, hotel prices and availability, and rental car fares and then chart your own path. What fun! Please remember that if you choose to discover Italy by car, then you will find that traffic is definitely frustrating and parking is sadly scarce, especially in Rome and Florence. A dozen or more travel companies offer escorted trips to many locations in Italy.

The benefit of being in a group and exploring Italy by van or bus is that you do not have to worry about parking or entrance fees and you will be able to sample many different locations. Also, some escorted tours include the ‘big three’ cities (Venice, Florence, and Rome) as well as several other locations. Other escorted tours specialize or focus on one location such as Tuscany, Venice, or Sicily. Other tours focus on coastal towns, walking tours, spa tours, or art tours.

Check reputable companies that offer reasonably priced tours, such as Gate 1, G Adventures, or GoAhead Tours (among others).

Check their websites online and begin your planning process.

Tell them where you heard about their company. Regardless of the option you choose for exploring Italy, you will enjoy your visit completely. You will discover Italy’s vast history and experience its beauty, and most likely you The Campanile in Venice will begin planning a return trip.

Beach House Realty

361-332-1021

15334 Bowsprit-East Facing Waterfront, Recent Remodel, shows like New! Standing Seam Aluminum Roof, Granite, Gas, Cooks Kitchen, Sophisticated Style!

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Beautiful, well maintained 3/2.5/2 home in prestigious Pelican Cove Subdivision. In ground pool, covered patio, boat lift and easy access to Redfish Bay! This home has beautiful hardwood and tile floors, granite counter tops in bathrooms and kitchen! An extra room with Dry/bar and one whole wall a wine cooler...awesome for entertaining! Easy to see just give me a call!

$649,000 MLS# 118102

2

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Realty, LLC 575 E Goodnight • Aransas Pass, TX • 78336

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Ready to go, just move in or rent out--vacation rentals okay. Bring your boat. $174,700 Beach House Realty, Gail D. Spinn, Agent 2217 State Highway 361, Suite A-1, Port Aransas, Texas 78373

A 10

Island Moon

The Travelling Moon

July 12, 2012

4 of July Boat Parade th

Catch of the day

Felicia Breen from Alton, Illinois caught her first red snapper monday in Port A

Jack Gibbs takes moon on his trip to paris and London. He was one of children chosen to represent the US as a people to people ambassador.

Surf camp Photo by Raeanne Reed.

First Annual 4th of July Cardboard Boat Race

Island Creations Remodeling

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

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

960-0327

Hats off – and lifejackets on – to the folks over the Padre Island Yacht Club who pulled off the First Annual Fourth of July Cardboard Boat Race.

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

While the number of boats wasn’t great it was a fun kickoff which ended with both boats finding the bottom. The Moon’s entry was hung up in design but we’ll be there next time…with out life jackets.

Concrete

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

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

Doing Everything a Home or Business Needs

The Island Moon Newspaper T-Shirts are here!

Get yours for only $19.95 plus $5.05 shipping and handling. Or you can purchase them at The Island Moon Markets held the fourth Saturday of every month. Shirts come in grey or white short sleeve T-Shirts sizes L. XL and XXL. Tank Tops come in Aqua and White in sizes Med and Large.

Only

19.95

$

The Office Grand Re-Opening Party! TO1 Join us on Monday, July 16th as we reopen our doors at

The Office Lounge.

Come by and meet the new staff, move yourself on the dance floor, relax, play some games or just drop in. Remember date night.

Hope to see you soon!

To order by mail please send your checks made payable to J. Park to The Island Moon, 14493 S.P.I.D., PMB 220, C.C., Tx 78418.

Roni Owner / Stylist

Denice Stylist

Amy Stylist

While Supplies Last

Bron’s Beach Carts

Hair Salon

New location 15033 S.P.I.D.

Color Services starting at $65

Hair Cuts $25 with Color

949-0794

www.theislandsedgehairsalon.com

Best Rates, Best Carts

Live music at Scuttlebutt’s! Blues every Thursday night.

7/12- Antone & The all Stars, 7/19 Rich Lockhart Band Best Happy Hour on The Island every day 3-7. Check it out!

Call 361-290-7143 for pricing and reservations.

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

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

Great service, friendly people.