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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

Photo by Ronnie Narmour

The

Island Moon The Island Newspaper

Island Area News ● Events ● Entertainment

October 21, 2011

The Island Where Red Tide Gives Us The Blues

Around The Island

By Dale Rankin editor@islandmoon.com Feels like rain Riley P. Dog awoke from a sound sleep the other day and ran to the door in a yelping frenzy of the kind usually reserved for when he has a sticker in his foot. But he wasn’t limping and when he got outside he just stood there batting his eyes, running his tongue in and out, and barking.

Red Tide, Red Tide You are burning our eyes Our olfactories are inflamed The fish are floating Belly up on our beaches But at least we finally got some rain.

It was rain.

It had been so long since he and his canine kind had seen water falling from the sky they thought it might be a thief in the night; or the morning as it were.

We got a good gullywasher for about an hour for the first time in a long time.

It was just enough to revive the grass so it could crowd out the bumper crop of sand burrs that have ruled our sandbar of late and knock the salt off our power lines to keep the power outages at bay. A little rain and the beautiful October weather on our Island. We ask you friends, what could be more better?

Man what a fortnight. There’s good news and not so good news aplenty but we try to see the glass half full. Let’s get the bad news out of the way first. The Red Tide is back. Our fisherpersons started reporting its presence about three weeks ago in the area from the Mansfield Cut up to Little Shell. But it didn’t take long for the southeast wind to blow it up our way and now it is spreading making itself felt by the allergenic and nonallergenic alike.

You know the bleary-eyed, nose runny, can’t seem to get enough sleep feeling that seems to last all day. The last time we had the Red Tide a couple of years ago it got into the water in our canals and lasted until the first good cold spell in December.

The dead fish washing up on our beaches are the testimony to its power. That last time we had Red Tide it was said to be the cause of the deaths of coyotes who ate the bountiful supply of dead fish – sort of like Eve eating the apple – so if you take your dog friends to the beach make sure to keep them away from the temptation to sample the Red Tide Fish Supply.

Moon Monkey Jay who knows about such things says the cause is some red dust that originates in Africa and finds its way aloft and onto our shores and when it mixes with some pollywogs in our water creates Red Tide (that’s the technical explanation). For a less technical explanation see Jay’s column in this issue. All we know for sure is that there is indeed a fungus among us.

Island burning We had a scary brush fire over the weekend that nearly got some buildings. It started along a canal just west of SPID and spread like – well, a wildfire.

The peculiar thing is that it followed a good rain just days before but our Island had been parched for so long it just soaked it up and the fire found some friendly conditions for the wind to move it around.

One of the benefits of not having a lot of trees – especially pines – on our Island is that our grass fires are not polydimensional. There isn’t any fuel overhead for them to burn.

If we can just get ahead of them before the wind takes over they can be stopped.

So enjoy the great weather, don’t get the Red Tide Blues, and say hello if you see us Around The Island.

Traffic Count for Aquarius Extension Complete

Next Publication Date: 11/04/2011

City Council Approves $8.1 Million for Water Exchange Bridge Construction

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By Dale Rankin The Corpus Christi City Council has approved $8.1 million for the design and construction of the Park Road 22 Water Exchange Bridge.

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NOTE: TRAFFIC COUNTS REPRESENT THE AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC (ADT).

CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI TEXAS

The initial traffic count by the city as part of the Aquarius Extension project has been completed. These figures show the number of vehicles per day that pass each designated portion of the street.

As of this writing the legal wrangling aimed at delaying the project by an Aquarius resident, and a counter measure from the City Attorney’s office, aimed at asking a judge to order that the project be allowed to move forward immediately, is ongoing.

The project to complete the portion of Aquarius from Dasmarinas on the south to Commodores on the north was approved by voters in 2008 but the suit claims the plans changed after the vote and what voters approved is not what is being built. The disagreement revolves around whether the new street is too wide and will cause congestion at the point where it joins the existing Aquarius.

The city’s projections are that the street will be finished by the early fall of next year if construction is begun by the end of 2011.

SUBJECT: TRAFFIC COUNTS PADRE ISLAND

money from the grant could also be used to raise the SPID roadway from Commodores south to Whitecap to prevent flooding during high tides and aid in evacuation of the The Island during tidal surges

Proposed Roadway elevation

Red Tide Has Arrived

Water Level

In its October 11th meeting the council voted 8-0 in favor of the project with District 3 Councilwoman Pricilla Leal abstaining.

The vote means the project will now move to the Texas Department of Transportation for design and engineering work and the project will come back to the city for final approval before actual construction will begin. That process could take as long as a year.

The city staff is also applying for a $12.5 million grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Infrastructures Investments Program. Specifically, the grant would be a Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant. City Engineers have told the council the application for the grant must be in by the end of October and an answer is expected by the end of February.

They also said if approved,

Island’s Council Member Running for Mayor

Dog-Gone Days Music Festival Features Max Stalling

The height of the Doggie Social Season is almost upon us and this year will be combined for the first time with the biggest musical event of the year on North Padre.

The 6th Annual Dog-Gone Days Music Festival and Dog & Owner Costume Contest is set for Saturday, October 29the at the Animal Hospital of Padre Island, located at 14802 Compass Dogs Continued on A 2

40 ft

It started on PINS but now the Red Tide has found its way to the shore of Padre and Mustang Islands.

Dead fish began turning up on our shores last week and they continue to come in. Two years ago when the last Red Tide event hit is stuck around until almost New Year. For more on what causes it see Jay Gardner’s column in this issue.

The House That Troy Built

-14 ft

Elevation of Current Roadway

Saturday, October 29

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Year 15, Issue 399

City staff applying for $12.5 million federal grant that could also raise SPID from Commodores to Whitecap

The Island’s City Council member is running for Mayor.

District 4 Council Member Chris Adler has told the Moon she will run for Mayor in the next round of city elections scheduled for November of 2013.

Adler was first elected in 2009 and is now midway through her second two-year term in the District 4 seat. She is the first announced candidate for the seat. The 2013 election will be the first round of city elections held in November in conjunction with Gubernatorial and Presidential elections.

City elections have traditionally been held in the spring.

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caused by hurricanes.

The bridge, as currently designed will provide a fortyfoot channel for water to flow from Packery Channel through Lake Padre and into the Island canal system under SPID at a point near the site where the 11th hole on Padre Isles Country Club now exists. It would also include paths on each side for pedestrians and golf carts to pass under the roadway.

Because of the current elevation of the roadway the bridge would raise the road less than three feet in order to provide the twelve feet of clearance from sea level to the bottom of the bridge.

The bridge project was originally conceived in early 2004 as strictly a water exchange project with underground conduits to allow for passage of water. However, as engineers got into the design of the Bridge Continued on A 3

Casinos and Cruise Industry Can Happen Here in Next Five Years

Home on Almeria drawing attention from the city and POA

By Dale Rankin There are two things that can be said with certainty about the additions part-time Islander

in order to have a life,” he says.

Along the way he has drawn the attention of neighbors who have complained to the city

Troy Arrington has made to his property on Almeria. First, they are ambitious, and second, some neighbors don’t like them.

Arrington bought his house and the lot across the street at the Almeria elbow just off Encantada about a year ago.

Since then he has added an ambitious dock and deck to the back of the house and covered the vacant lot with gravel where he parks vehicles connected with his fishing charter business Hammerhead Adventures. He has two trailers that will each sleep six people, trucks to pull

and to the Island POA about everything from his trucks being parked on the street to the height of the fence around his lot, to his stringing electrical cords across the street while his crews are working.

He points out that while he has received several warnings from the POA and the city, he has yet to receive any fines.

“They tell me what I have to do and I do it,” he says.

He has built a deck on the water side of his house that is designed to withstand the mightiest of hurricanes. His fence has 6x6

them on the soft sands of PINS, and a fourth trailer with a deck about ten feet off the ground with a handrail where he can sit to fish.

He says one of the reasons he founded Hammerhead adventures was to provide free fishing trips to wounded soldiers under the Float A Soldier program.

Arrington was badly injured when he fell though a skylight while working on his construction job and fell 30 feet, suffering seven concussions and leaving him with difficulty walking and causing him to be hypersensitive to heat.

Originally from Dallas, where he still has a home, he says he has spent $2 million on constructing his Island home to allow him to get around on his property with as little difficulty as possible.

“I had to spend a lot of money

posts every four feet with facing on both sides. His deck has 8x8 posts every four feet with 2x12s sunk vertically all around to stop erosion. His backyard landscape and deck contains 1000 bags of concrete – 3500 cubic feet - that extends four feet below the surface. The deck surface is constructed of planks of pressed treated pine each held in place by four brass screws at each underlying brace. It is all held down by hurricane straps. The entire backyard structure is free standing. It is separated from the house by a few inches of daylight.

“Even if the house blew down the deck would still be here,” he says Inspectors first told him he would have to tear the back of the deck off because it was a room. However, it is open at the bottom and he now says he has been told he can leave it as is.

State Rep. Todd Hunter speaks to Island business owners

By Dale Rankin A cruise industry and casino gaming could become realities in the Coastal Bend in “three to four years,” according to a State of the Island style speech

by State Representative Todd Hunter, (R – District 32) ) at the October luncheon for the Padre Island Business Association.

Hunter said it is time for the state of Texas to take a look at The Island for development and in the next year and a half the area will have frequent inquiries from around the country about doing business here.

“I don’t think The Island gets enough representation across the board,” he said. “The two Island voting precincts have the highest voter turnout in Nueces County.”

Hunter is chair of the House Calendars Committee which must schedule bills before they can go to the House floor for a vote. That means that Hunter will be at the Nexus of fights expected in the 2013 Legislature over windstorm insurance, cruise ships for the area, and a probable gambling bill.

In the last session a windstorm bill that would have increased rates along the Coastal Bend Casinos Continued on A 7

House Continued on A 2

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House continued from A1

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Texas Adopt-A-Beach Fall Clean-up

By Mike Murphy http://www.glidesociety.com/gulfbreeze2 The 8th sorta annual Canal Crawl Circumnavigation through the canals of Padre Isles was held on October 8, 2011. Costumes with Columbus Day and Halloween themes were part of the fun as eleven windsurfers explored the waters around Padre Isles in search of the infamous travelling trophy. This year the event was organized by Kevin Robbins, last year’s winner and the photographs were taken by Julie Murphy.

Captain Kevin Robbins, the Viking, became the first back to back winner Circumnavigation... then and now When island resident Roy Tansil originally started this series in 2000, there were three windsurfers in each of the first three events. The original course started and finished at the boat ramp on Encantada. It required sailing under

Race committee discusses start with Hapi Ofi (Salt Dog) the Gypsy street bridge before entering the main canal to the Laguna Madre. Next it was through three more narrow canals back to the finish across the street from the boat ramp. A fundamental goal of the Canal Crawl was to have a continuous circumnavigation through the canals without any back tracking.

The original course was changed in 2007 with the start and finish at the boat ramp at Whitecap and Caravel. This four plus mile course maintained the circumnavigation tradition, added a leg along the Intracoastal Waterway and a shallow water leg across the flats between the Intracoastal and Point Tesoro main canal. Most of the canals along this route are fairly wide giving windsurfers a little more opportunity to navigate but the shallow flats usually prove to be difficult.

Growing... another record turn-out The Canal Crawl once made the pages of Windsurfing Magazine where it was dubbed Windsurfing’s Weirdest Race.

Any nonmotorized water craft are always welcome and although a Stand Up Paddle (SUP) board scored an impressive fourth place finish last year, no SUPs joined the fleet this year. However, a Hobie 16 catamaran with skipper Pablo Perez and crew Vilma Ithier became the first sailboat to complete the course, taking some videos along the way.

This year’ milestones were a record total of eleven windsurfers, including six first time explorers, with everyone successfully completing the course. Classes were created for any category with three or more participants, these included in

order of finish, the following: Ladies - Alissa Inman, Michelle Hasti, Sue Behr Kevins’- Kevin Robbins, Kevin Berry, Kevin Behr Windsurfer One Design - Mike Murphy, Dave Hasti, Kevin Berry First Timers - Ernesto Monroy, Clarence Holstrom, Kevin Berry, Michelle Hasti, Kevin and Sue Behr Overall - Kevin Robbins, Ernesto Monroy, Mike Murphy, Clarence Holstrom, Dave Hasti, Kevin Berry, Alissa Inman, Michelle Hasti, Don Gentry, Kevin and Sue Behr Challenging…..newbies or vets Part of the tradition and much of the challenge of the Canal Crawl is making it through the completely inconsistent and shifty wind throughout the course. This year, the moderate winds and high water level, made navigation favorable although several veterans noted that it was still a challenging race.

From the start, ladies veteran, Alissa, led the armada followed closely by veteran Kevin Robbins and first timer Ernesto. Alissa maintained the lead down the Intracoastal Waterway leg then Kevin moved into first position across the shallow flats. There were more position changes in the fourth leg around the Cobo de Bara boat ramp.

Kevin maintained his lead and Ernesto moved into second place, both holding their positions to the finish.

Twice there was a close battle for third position, Alissa dropped to fourth place following a tacking duel with Mike as they approached the boat ramp.

Clarence and Dave overtook Alissa early in the final leg and Clarence was pressing hard for third position halfway through the final leg. At one point Clarence and Mike were side by side about to begin a tacking duel but Clarence fell into the water and finished in fourth place.

Fun... gettin’ more better Thanks to Robert McGonigle for being the official starter and keeping up with the class finishes again this year. Also a lot of credit is due to all the first timers for being part of the largest Canal Crawl on record. Last year, Kevin Robbins became the second first timer to win and this year completed the course in record time of 45 minutes to become the first ever back to back winner.

As Kevin proved last year and Ernesto did this year, first timers are able to overcome any local knowledge advantage and be very competitive.

Everyone seemed to have a good time, successfully completing the course in conditions that proved to be challenging to all. The Canal Crawl is intended to be fun and give windsurfing more local exposure; the traveling trophy will be collecting dust until the winner Kevin Robbins organizes the next event.

First timers Ernesto (right) and Clarence placed 2nd and 4th in the Overall Class

Alissa takes the lead at the start of the 8th Canal Crawl Circumnavigation

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The complaints began when Arrington began several months ago placing large stone blocks on his lot across the street. Things intensified when he began hauling in twelve truck loads of gravel to cover the entire lot. His plan to build a garage for his small fleet of trucks was denied by the POA because under their rules the bottom floor of a structure must have living space. Instead he used wooden beams to separate a parking area from the rest of the lot and plans to park the vehicles for his business there, a move which has drawn the wrath of the city which has told him he cannot keep commercial vehicles in his residential neighborhood.

For now, other than the parking issue, Arrington and the POA and the city have reached an uneasy truce. The POA has given him a variance for his 7-foot high fence – six feet is usually the limit – and the construction on his house and vacant lot are almost done.

It remains to be seen how it will all end up.

wanner

St. on the Island. Good dogs are encouraged to attend, and a special section will be set aside for biters, snarlers, diggers, growlers, runners and jumpers.

Ray and Dr. Christi have decided to kick it up a notch this year by bringing in Texas Music favorite Max Stalling who packs houses around the country with his blend of Country, Americana and Texas styles. Stalling is a native of Crystal City and a graduate of Texas A&M University.

Recently after the release of his hit single “I Know Ord Ord” a group of unnamed cadets from A&M made a midnight raid on Stalling at his home in the wee hours and awakened him with a bucket of

cold water. “At least they didn’t use flour,” he said.

He has topped the Texas Music charts for more than a decade with hits like “San Antonio Girl,” and crowd favorite “Heat of the Wide Afternoon.”

He also has a star on the South Texas Music Walk of Fame at Executive Surf Club.

Besides the Dog and Owner Pet Costume Contest the Dog Gone Days includes a Chile and Fajita Cook-Off, a silent auction for charity, and Dog Agility, Obedience, and Trick Competition. Riley P. Dog will not be entering any of those as he is neither agile, obedient, nor tricky but he wil be there in his costume along with a big crowd of Islanders and their pets (good cats are welcome too).

Doors open at 5 p.m. For more information see www.ceobythebay.com or www.padrevet.com.

We’ll see you there!

Lee Swanner

361-695-0603

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October 21, 2011

Wind Power

Island Moon

Desperation is the mother of innovation.

By A. E. Holland Americans have been having a conversation about changing the way we live since the early 1960’s. It is one thing to have a conversation and its another thing to get so desperate for change that you’ll do anything necessary to achieve it.

So if desperation is the mother of innovation then evolution is its sibling. I have seen the product of this evolution and it is green. It is living green and living clean. The evolution of our time demands clean water, clean energy, clean air. It is necessary now because we can.

This green movement is a grass roots movement based on consumer demand. It is taking place one person at a time. The national economy has been consumer driven for some time and so I believe the green revolution will be driven by consumers.

Consumers who know that there is more out there for themselves and their families and who want to put their money where there mouth is. How much was your electric bill last month? How much did you pay for water? Did you like it? I didn’t . I asked myself “What in the world are we doing?

How can we be using so much?”. I know many of you did the same thing.

Holistic Approach What I have learned about using wind power has been moving in a more wholistic direction.

Let me explain. To be wholistic means looking at the whole picture, in context. It is really not appropriate for the average homeowner to install a wind turbine on their property without evaluating the energy efficiency of their entire home. Installing a wind turbine to generate approximately 15% of overall energy needs for a home just doesn’t make any sense if your windows and attic insulation are less efficient than they could be. Saving energy in your home is the foundation that needs to be in place before any attempt is made to generate electricity. In the long run a homeowner would find themselves spending money to generate electricity (return on investment for a personal wind turbine is around 19 years) and overspending on electricity because of poor insulation at the same time. The logical starting point for being more green and for saving money on your electric bill is to evaluate the overall energy efficiency of your home or business. When that is accomplished then it is appropriate to consider generating electricity with a wind turbine or with solar panels. The

Bridge Continued from A 1 bridge they realized that the cost of installing the underground pipes and the building of a bridge was almost the same since the roadway would have to be torn up in either case. The idea of a bridge was born and placed on the city bond issue in 2004 and approved by voters citywide at a total cost of $8.1 million, the actual cost now approved by the city council. About $1.8 million of that is in fees to outside engineers and consultants with the remainder in actual construction.

In recent months the bridge has emerged as the linchpin in a much larger project that would bring a 3500 ft. Beach Walk and Schlitterbahn Resort and water park to the land just west of the Park Road (SPID). The developers of those projects have entered into Memorandums of Understanding that require them to dig the canals that would connect Lake Padre and the canal system to the bridge.

Design and permitting work is now underway for the canals. If all the projects are done the Schlitterbahn park is tentatively scheduled to open in Spring of 2014 with completion of the bridge to come soon after that.

Islanders packed council chambers during both of the meetings where the bridge was discussed. The combined project of the bridge, the new canals, and the Schlitterbahn park now move into the

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It’s Always Sunny on the Island

What If We Were All Socks?

By Sunny Reed least expensive wind turbine that I am aware of at this time is $10,000.00, including installation.

A higher rate of production can be found in a wind system costing around 20,000.00 installed.

There is one installer who is willing to work on residential projects, this same installer will maintain anything that he installs. Wind turbines that pass city guidelines are considered safe.

Large scale wind farms make sense for large corporations. Revolution Energy, LLC. is starting construction on a wind installation called The Harbor Wind Farm on Port Corpus Christi property. The volume of energy that they are able to produce gives them a return on their investment much more quickly. The initial capital investment makes sense because they are expecting to access stronger wind currents that are up higher in the air and the wind turbines are larger for harvesting more energy. The Harbor Wind Farm Project is projected to cost 20 million dollars for 6 wind turbines. It will begin operation in early 2012 and is expected to generate 30,000,000kWh/year of clean energy. That is equal to the energy needs of nearly 2,500 homes. It will interject 7 million dollars into the local economy for construction related activity. Welcome green energy to Port Corpus Christi!

My son comes up with random questions daily. He asked this one about being socks while I was giving him goldfish crackers in the pantry. My answer was “well, we would be stinky and floppy.” He liked that answer. Later, when telling my Dad the story we got caught up thinking of all the ways we were really like socks.

We all stink sometimes. Some of us stink more than others. Some of us don’t do enough to get a stink on. Others stink it up for everyone in a mile radius.

We are protective. We protect what is inside of us, however a lot of friction causes holes, which reveal the truth.

We have the potential to be soft. When people pour on the good stuff, we soften up real easy.

We get lost. Whether it was young twenties or mid-life, we all lose sight of our people sometimes.

We get tossed around. Sometimes it feels like nobody cares.

Green Future I have seen the future of energy use and production in the United States and it is green. It is clean, it is quiet and it is smart. The more I know the more I know I need to learn. The science of green technology is intriguing and will continue to develop exponentially as consumers demand more and more. There is no way that fossil fuels can sustain current energy demands. I think we all know that. Basic economics tell us that supply and demand determine price. As consumers if we can find a way to create less demand for fossil fuels and distribute energy demands to greener sources we are benefiting ourselves. Green energy technology creates a new supply to meet our demands.

Finally, thank you to all those folks who have been reading! I have enjoyed talking to you all.

With that in mind I can be reached via e-mail at islandnews.holland@gmail.com. You may send questions, comments or suggestions to this e-mail. In the mean time make it green time. Pick up some trash, recycle more. It is a small world after all.

Finding our partner completes us. Ahhh… someone to roll up into a ball with.

When we get cleaned up people seem to enjoy us more. Nuff said.

Decoration and designs draw a crowd. When we have a lot going on, people may even want to show us off. However, that doesn’t change the fact that the decoration is a tad annoying.

So maybe you’re feeling like a sock today. Are you dirty and in need of a good cleansing with some softener? Or maybe you’re wondering if you will ever find your match? Well, cheer up.

Socks never go out of style, everyone loves a soft one and they always are made with a partner. If you’re feeling floppy, fill yourself with something of value that will shape you. That way you won’t take the shape of anything you rest on His latest question was directed to my husband while repairing our sink. “What if you ate that whole sink Dad? “ Not sure I can go anywhere with that one.

Art Center for the Islands presented the 5th annualo PA Art About Artwalk on Saturday october 15th. Pictured above are Sally Marcos and Brenda Barnett.

Photos by Ronnie Narmour

permitting phase. The Army Corps of Engineers which has been looking at plans for development of the canals and park on nine of the current 18 holes on Padre Isles Country Club is expected to rule soon that the ponds on the Country Club grounds are all man-made and therefore not subject to the restrictions and rules that govern development of wetlands. If that determination is made it could cut the time necessary for the permitting of the water park from about ten months to less than four and speed up the time line for construction on the park to begin.

Some rezoning would also be necessary Some rezoning would also be necessary due to the need for Public Use Development zones around the Beach Walk (canals) and the water park. Current plans call for about 3300 feet of canals to be dug with a portion of them having retail, residential, and hotel space along the banks.

Approval of the zoning changes are the only further council action needed for the entire development to move forward.

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Island Moon

Letters & Opinion Seashore Happenings Trunk or Treat Fall Festival at Seashore Learning Center The fun starts at 5:30 on Friday, October 28th, when kids go from car trunk to car trunk collecting treats. Participants can decorate their trunks with Halloween decorations, dress in costume and hand out treats to the Trunk or Treaters. Reserve a parking space to participate. See the school website islandfoundation.com or call the school at 949-1222. After the treats are gone, everyone can head across the street to the brand new Fall Festival. Fun activities include a Haunted House, Face Painting, Cupcake Walk, Chicken Poop Bingo, Roulette Wheel, Ghoulish Game of Cards and a Food Court with hot dogs, pizza, and drinks.

There’s even a jail so you can have friends or loved ones arrested. Don’t miss the fun!

Free and Easy Way to Support our Island Schools You can make such a difference for our schools!

We all shop for groceries, sometimes two or three times a week or more. Now turn those shopping trips into easy cash for Seashore Charter Schools.

Look for the Box Tops 4 Education logo on hundreds of products in almost every aisle of the store. Clip the coupons and drop them off at one of the schools or at the POA office. Each box top is worth ten cents to the school. If each of the 6000 plus residents of the Island saved just one box top a week , that would mean an extra six hundred dollars for the school each week. You do the math - look what we could do in a year! Be a part of a community dedicated to education and save those box tops. Thank you!

A community notice St. Andrew Fall Community Flea Market will be Saturday, October 22 from 7 am – Noon. Rent a booth for $25.00. Open to the public. For more information, call or email Cliff Johnstone 8167338 or cjohnstone@s-gins.com Sincerely, Clifford Johnstone CLU, ChFC

Who Are the Moon Monkeys

Mike Ellis, Founder Distribution Pete Alsop Island Delivery Coldwell Banker Advertising Jan Park Rankin Office Lisa Towns Classifieds Arlene Ritley Design/Layout Jeff Craft Contributing Writers (In no particular order) Devorah Fox Sunny Reed Mary Craft Chris Adler Maybeth Christiansen Dr. Tom Dorrell Kendal Ezell Jay Gardner Diane Halfety Todd Hunter Mike (Murph) Murphy Ronnie Narmour Dr. Donna Shaver Photographers Andre LaVoy Patrick Lewis 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 other Friday, Dale Rankin, Editor.

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

Mailed subscriptions are available in the US and are $100 per year. Next day home delivered subscriptions are $100 per year on Padre Island and in Flour Bluff.

News articles, photos, display ads, classified ads, payments, etc. may be left in the Moon tray at Isle Mail & More, 14493 S P I D. 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.

Proposition 2 on November 8 Ballot

On November 8, 2011, Texas voters will have the opportunity to consider approving Proposition 2.

This proposition is a constitutional amendment that allows for the issuance of additional general obligation bonds by the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) in an amount not to exceed $6 billion outstanding at any time for water supply, water quality, wastewater and flood control projects.

Since 2000, the TWDB has funded 256 projects totaling $2.15 billion through the programs impacted by Proposition 2. Entities of all shapes and sizes across the state have borrowed funds from the TWDB, all with the same goals: to improve water, wastewater and flood control infrastructure and to provide additional water supplies for Texans.

Jerry Chapman, general manager of the Greater Texoma Utility Authority, an entity that has often taken advantage of the TWDB’s financial assistance programs, touts the TWDB as a great resource. Throughout all economic conditions over the years, “the TWDB has been a secure source of funding for projects in our area and across the state,” Chapman said. “The financial resources available through the TWDB are essential to the economic development of the state.”

For many Texas communities, the TWDB gets them a foot in the door to expand their options for future financing. “We had no credit rating at first,” David Davenport, general manager of the Canyon Regional Water Authority, a TWDB borrower, said. “Now we’re able to sell bonds ourselves because of the TWDB’s help in the beginning.”

In light of the record-breaking drought most of the state has been experiencing this year, the need for financial assistance for water-related infrastructure is more evident than ever. The TWDB recently released its draft State Water Plan, and the report confirms that we do not have enough water to meet the state’s demands during times of drought. The plan estimates that the state’s population will increase by approximately 82 percent over the next 50 years, while its existing water supplies decrease by 10 percent.

Those numbers also pack a significant economic punch. Without sufficient water supplies, economic models show that by 2060 Texas businesses and workers could lose approximately 1.1 million jobs and $116 billion in income in a drought of record.

Current estimates indicate that $231.2 billion will need to be invested in the state’s water-related infrastructure over the next 50 years. Because Proposition 2 provides one of the state’s key funding resources for water-related infrastructure, this proposition can help communities meet the financial challenges of building and repairing their infrastructure.

The bonds authorized by Proposition 2 are designed to be self-supporting and paid for by those local governments and communities that use them. If Proposition 2 does not pass, the TWDB will soon exhaust its current bonding authority, leaving the agency without the financial resources to assist with projects like those with the Greater Texoma Utility Authority and the Canyon Regional Water Authority.

The TWDB is a state agency that administers cost-effective financing programs for water supply, wastewater treatment and flood control infrastructure projects.

Texas Water Development Board

Animal Control Reinstates Opossum Pickup City of Corpus Christi Animal Control plans to reinstate opossum pick up beginning October 17, 2011. Any opossum caught in a private trap will now be picked up by Animal Care on weekdays as a service to residents. There will be no pickup on weekends so residents should adjust the traps accordingly. To have an opossum picked up from a private trap, contact the City call center at 8262489 (CITY) to schedule the pickup.

Residents can also bring opossums to Animal Control between the hours of 1:00 PM till 5:00 PM on weekdays and 1:00 PM till 5:00 PM on Saturday are asked to leave the traps at the south gate for pickup while residents wait in the lobby.

Animal Control is located at 2626 Holly.

For more information contact the City Call Center at 826-CITY or Animal Control at 8264630.

Green Bay Packers Season Tickets We are honored to update you with the status of our 2011 rankings for the Green Bay Packer season ticket waiting list. We gained 379 spots from being at 52,560 to now 52,181. At this rate we will be season ticket holders in 137.68 years.

Can’t wait to get there and “ GO PACK GO” Thanks Erik and Brenda Draaijer

3 Chords And The Truth Hi Ronnie, I just read your most recent contribution to the I M. Thanx for all the good entertainment info.

Just one FYI - you may want to check song credits on Gary P. Nunn CDs you will that many of his songs are written by Larry Joe Tailor.

Take care, Neal Trolinger

My name is Hoja and this is my story.

Schlitterbahn Vote Editor, When the original issue of extending Aquarius, and also of a bridge to facilitate water flow and limited navigation into Lake Padre were on the ballot, I voted for both of them.

The bridge was to connect the nearest approach of the canal to Lake Padre, thereby enabling water to flush through the canal under the Gypsy bridge, via the main canal parallel to Whitecap, into the Laguna Madre. This would, it was said, allow low-clearance boats access to the gulf without going the distance to Packery Channel, and would clean up the water in the canals south of Whitecap.

The Aquarius extension would merely have allowed an alternate route to Commodores which would have been safer for bicyclists and pedestrians, as traffic would be much slower and lower in volume. There was no mention of a bridge, or a new canal.

This greatly expanded and hugely expensive project has been foisted on the islanders who, like myself, voted for something else.

Who might have done this? I can only guess that there are many business interests with a profit motive who are using the distorted interpretation of passed bond issues to further their financial goals.

This will bring island residents far more traffic and congestion, especially on the causeway; more crime, lower water pressure, and probably more frequent power outages.

The flushing effect would be mostly eliminated for the areas south of Whitecap, and, aside from possibly quicker gulf access, I see no other real benefit to the proposal for residents.

I would think the Schlitterbahn would be far more beneficial to businesses on North Beach and the added traffic and crowds would be far easier to manage in that area. There are far fewer permanent residents in the immediate area to be affected adversely by this.

Why doesn’t the City Council give us a chance to vote on this, or at least take an unbiased survey of island residents? Is there enough support for a petition drive to push for a chance to vote?

Don Gentry

Pee Wees Ad Federation Every year, the American Advertising Federation-Corpus Christi Chapter (AAF-CC) assists a nonprofit organization with their efforts to raise funds or supplies to meet their mission in the community.

This year, AAF-CC has chosen to support Pee Wee’s Pet Adoption World and Sanctuary and will hold our second annual “Pause - the Creative Community Takes Time Out” fundraising event and mixer on Saturday, Oct. 22. The event is scheduled from 2 to 5 p.m. at Tavern on the Bay at Harrison’s Landing, located at 108 Peoples Street T-head.

“Pause” is specifically designed to help our fourlegged friends in the Coastal Bend. Pee Wee’s will have pets for adoption at the venue but also needs assistance in continuing their mission to provide sanctuary for yet to be adopted animals.

In the spirit of Halloween, “Pause” will feature several family-oriented activities that include a pet costume contest on the dog/cat walk, trick-ortreating with pets, photo opportunities and other offerings as a way to bring the community together and build more awareness about homeless animals in the Coastal Bend. It’s also a great opportunity for families to find a new “family member” by giving a Pee Wee’s pet a new home.

Times are tough right now … especially for our four-legged friends who need some help and community generosity. To find out more about how you can help through sponsorship or serving as a vendor, please don’t hesitate to contact me at 361-815-4111 or meddleman@delmar.edu or melinda.eddleman@yahoo.com. Yvonne Olvey 361-876-5620 or yvonnne.olvey@gmail.com Let’s work together to support Pee Wee’s during “Pause” on Oct. 22. Our four-legged friends will thank all of us for our efforts. You can also view information on AAF-CC’s Website at www.aafcc.org/.

Trivia Question of the Fortnight In the last issue of the Moon we ran this photo and asked what it was.

Island Tea Party Meeting Wednesday, November 2, 2011 the Island Tea Party will meet at Los Cabos Café (9601 SPID – corner of SPID and Flour Bluff Drive). Dinner and drinks will be available at 5:30. The meeting will begin at 6:30 to discuss the Tea Party plans for the upcoming 2012 election year.

Jim, Ken, and I need your input regarding what you want, when and where we should go, and the best direction to proceed according to your goals.

This is YOUR tea party, and we ask for your thoughts and assistance.

This is a very important meeting, so mark your calendars to attend!

October 21, 2011

Well, Joe Blankenship called to let us know that it is a Fish Aggravation device that attracts fish and that they are used a lot in Mexico.

I am not really sure how I got to where I am right now but I am very thankful to be here. My life began somewhere in south Texas which is a very difficult place to be a female pit bull puppy.

If I was a pedigree my papers must have gotten lost in the move, or one of my brothers or sisters ate them! I guess I am lost like hundreds if not thousands of other animals in these parts. I don’t remember who took care of me, playing very much, enjoying the beach and chasing the birds through the surf. I do remember a lot of pain, both emotional and physical.

I think my job in this life was to have as many puppies as I could as often as I could. I always wondered why the puppies I had could only stayed with me for a few weeks and then they were gone.

One veterinarian told me that I have had multiple litters in a very short time and this is not good for me, or my puppies. Somewhere in my second, third, or even fourth litter I became very sick and weak. It could have been those little red ants that constantly were eating at me; maybe it was the small worms in my heart, or the parasites eating my insides, the infections in my lungs, or maybe just a broken heart and spirit. Either way I had to press on for the puppy’s sake, as well as my own survival.

Sometime during the first week of October 2011 I lost everything that I had tried my best to maintain. My lavish living environment with all the ants, my last litter of puppies, my handler, my food and water which was meager but it was mine.

My wonderful world was gone in an instant. This is where things really go very dark for me and I cannot even speculate on how the events unfolded to land me in the middle of Hwy. 44 walking in a circle with a head injury. Somebody told me I was lying on a pile of discarded lumber off to the side of the road covered with a sheet earlier in the day, I just can’t remember. I do know that two men picked me up off of the highway and placed me under a tree with some water. I believe they were there to help me, but I was already to sick and injured so I passed out again while more ants ate at my flesh.

As I lay under this tree with the other fallen leaves I knew that I was dying. It would be slow, it would be painful, and I would be alone. But at the same time I realized I would be free of the pain and suffering very soon; I would cross that rainbow bridge to a place where all animals can be happy and forget about their pain. So I didn’t think about those red ants eating at me again, the knot on my head, the inability to breath, or the weakness of my heart, my hunger, my thirst, the heat, or the loneliness; I just waited to die.

After a while I heard a voice with an accent that I had never heard before. He was very excited and at the same time worried about me; that was something new to me. Maybe he was from the rainbow bridge and it was time to go. Soon there was another voice there; he also spoke very excitedly about me. Strangely no-one touched me, no one held me, no one cared for me; they just looked at me with sorrow and maybe a little bit of guilt knowing what was going to happen to me. Another person then came over and he also looked at me with sorrow in his eyes; but he also had something else in his eyes; anger. But I knew that his anger was not directed at me but at who ever did this to me. This man touched me, he held me for a moment, and then he picked me up and brought me to where I am now.

At this new place I heard the doctor say I most likely will not live through the night. I was not ready to give up now, I want to do so many things that I don’t even know what they are called; but I am going to do them. So, I lived through the first night! Every day I am getting a little stronger and healing as best as I can. The doctors tell me that I have infections and fluid in my lungs, a concussion that gives me “dizzy eyes” a lot of nasty bugs inside of me, worms in my heart, some bumps, bruises, and a few cuts to deal with.

My prognosis is still day to day; but I hope by midweek of October 10, 2011 I will be strong enough to begin my heartworm treatments and a few other medications for some other issues. I am told that my healing process will take up to 120 days and I will need a safe place to do my recuperation.

The first man that found me was from England and asks about me everyday and I want to thank him for not leaving me there like so many others have done to me in the past. The second man who came to me was a policeman and I also want to thank him for doing the best that he could within the law and customs of this part of south Texas.

The third man who came to me brought me here.

He cannot keep me and I will miss him but he already has three dogs with similar stories to mine and just does not have the room for another. He has told me that all he wants for me is to be happy, to be loved, and to be cared for until it is truly my time to cross that bridge. I know he will watch over me until I am ready to go to a real home where I am loved and truly appreciated. I also need to thank the doctors and technicians who are helping me through this process. Without their knowledge and caring I would still be suffering like many of my homeless and abused friends in this community.

My name is Hoja (o ha); which means “leaf” in Spanish. This is my story to date. Please help me as well as others like me in this community change their story. Please call us at The Moon 949-7700 if you can help.

Thank you Hoja

October 21, 2011

Island Moon

A little Island history

Meanwhile Back at the Ranch...

A Gunfight Breaks Out and a Feud Goes Out of Control

This is the latest in a series of stories based on the book Taming the Nueces Strip by Texas Ranger George Durham who was recruited by Ranger Captain L.H. McNelly who raised a company of Rangers to put an end to the raids on ranches and towns in the area between the Nueces River and the Rio Grande that had occurred throughout 1875. It was now late 1876 and the full scale battles in the Strip were over. The Rangers’ job now was mopping up the roving bands of bandits operating independently in South and Central Texas and bringing them before courts. In the last issue the Rangers had been called to meet McNelly in the Menger Hotel in downtown San Antonio.

By Dale Rankin After leaving McNelly in the Menger the Rangers were headed back to Carrizo Springs to take another crack at arresting rancher and Border Lord King Fisher. The talk around San Antonio was that all of the stolen stock moving from Central and South Texas into Mexico was going through Fisher’s Ranch outside Carrizo Springs.

A shoot out with rustlers Due to McNelly’s recent illness Lieutenant Lee Hall had been named the new commander of the Ranger troop. Lee ordered the men to take 25 men and head into King Fisher country and round up anyone they came across. The Rangers were given ten minutes to get ready to ride out of San Antonio and after two days of hard riding and spending the night in a cold camp in the brush they were in Carrizo Springs.

In short order they had five prisoners and after dangling one of them from a tree limb at the end of a rope he told them where to find the camp where the latest bunch of stolen horses were being kept.

The man’s name was Noley Key and he told them to head for a camp near the west end of Espantoso Lake where Fisher and his men were moving a herd of horses stolen from East Texas through to the Devil’s River in the next few days.

He told them that King Fisher had left a couple of days ago with a herd of about 150 stolen steers for delivery in West Texas. Unknown to the Rangers until later Fisher had stopped overnight at the Maverick Ranch located at the headwaters of the Medina River. Key told the Rangers there would be about six or eight men holding the horse herd and the Rangers rode to a point about half a mile from the bandit camp and dismounted.

The bandits had a sentry out and he fired a shot narrowly missing Ranger Sgt. Armstrong.

Armstrong answered with one shot and the sentry fell dead. The Rangers rushed the camp and the fight was on. There were seven men around the fire and five Rangers.

The Rangers charged with their repeater rifles firing wild and the bandits did the same with their pistols. Four bandits went down in the first few volleys and the three still on their feet were wounded. A Ranger by the name of Boyd confronted a bandit well known to the Rangers from previous encounters. His name was John Martin and he was a big Kansan who was in The Book listing Texas outlaws as One-Eyed John who before coming to Texas had worked the border between Kansas and Missouri as a bushwhacker.

He was known for his skills with a knife.

One-Eyed John had emptied his revolver and was now backing toward the brush brandishing a knife.

Boyd leveled his rifle and fired but it jammed.

One-Eyed John charged and Boyd pulled his Bowie Knife. The other Rangers watched. Their creed was that once a Ranger engaged a bandit one-on-one the rest stayed out. It was the Ranger’s fight to win or lose.

One-Eyed John outweighed Boyd by a good fifty pounds but that made him slower than Boyd and he was also hampered by a bullet wound through his hip. Boyd was cut but not badly injured and worked his way around Martin’s left side where he couldn’t see. He came up behind Martin and Durham who was there said when he drove the blade of his Bowie Knife home the Rangers could hear bones crunch. Both men went down in a heap in a puddle of six inches of water. Boyd attached himself to the bigger man’s back and held on.

The fight went on for over a minute and finally Boyd stood up but Martin didn’t. Boyd was taken to the doctor and where it was determined that “the knife wounds hadn’t found a hollow spot.

The Rangers took stock of the bandits. One lived about thirty minutes and when he died that tallied seven of them dead. Only four of them could be identified, one of the dead was the informant Noley Key who was shot “while trying to escape.”

The stolen horses stampeded during the firefight and not a single one was recovered. Then Rangers made a sweep of the brush from the camp and twenty two bandits were rounded up and they began the 35-mile march back to Eagle Pass.

The biggest feud in Texas One of the Rangers who was more of a writer than a Ranger managed to get a dispatch off by telegraph which was printed in the San Antonio the next day. This would distress McNelly but he and the Rangers all knew he was destined for firing anyway. The state blamed the expense of treating his illness and keeping him in the Menger Hotel - about $200 per month - but everyone also knew the real reason was that once he had cleared the organized bandit gangs from the Nueces Strip his brand of justice was no longer politically expedient. Every now and then you had to let some bandits surrender or the rest had no reason to do anything but fight to the death; which was fine with McNelly but now some of the bandits, like Fisher, had lawyers. Eventually King Fisher was rounded up three more times but the Rangers never made a successful case against him.

But McNelly wasn’t done yet. The Rangers were ordered to DeWitt and Karnes counties north of the Nueces Strip to quell the most violent feud in Texas’ history. In the past five years more than 150 people had been killed without a single indictment much less conviction. Things were so bad that the judge in that area with the unlikely name of Judge Pleasant had not been able to hold court in five years for fear of his life. The feud was centered in the town of Cuero.

What became known as the Taylor Sutton feud had begun as a disagreement between two men; Buck Taylor and Bill Sutton. It all started in 1868 when Taylor drove a herd of horses to East Texas for sale. He had collected the stock from several horsemen and when he got to the sale the horses brought to him by Sutton turned out to be stolen and caused Taylor much trouble. When Taylor returned to Cuero he told anyone who would listen that Sutton was a horse thief - fighting words then and now. Bill Sutton shot and killed Buck Taylor and Taylor’s friend famed rancher Jack Chisholm.

It turned out that a man by the name of John Wesley Hardin was related to the Taylors and came over from his home in Gonzales and killed Bill Sutton and three black reconstruction police who tried to arrest him. It was the beginning of a career as a gunfighter that would leave more than twenty five men dead before Hardin was captured by Rangers in Florida, went to prison and eventually became a lawyer in El Paso where he was shot to death over a poker game.

After the killing of both of the men who the feud was named for the feud was on in earnest. By the time the Rangers were called in it had been going on almost ten years. But something had to be done when the local doctor Philip Brazell was dragged from his house in the middle of the night and killed. But the capper was that the doctor’s twelve year old son who saw the killing and recognized the culprits was killed too.

Judge Pleasants had seen enough. He called in the Rangers.

Next issue: The Rangers end a feud.

Haley The Hairstylist At Michelle’s Salon 361-949-0401 Call For An Appointment Color, Hi Lites, Cuts, Perms Late Appointments Available On Request

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Island Moon

October 21, 2011

Did ya’hear?

Business Briefs...

By Mary Craft

New Advertisers Avon Independent Sales Representative Kris Dugat can help you choose from the many products available including makeup, jewelry, fragrances, bath & body plus more. There are many gift sets available for the holidays. Visit krisd.avonrepresentative.com or call 816-8594.

Casa Bella Salon in Port A believes your hair is and expression of you and Kathryn or Jade hope to help you make your statement. Look for coupons in their ad for a Brazilian blowout for $120 or 25% off any color service. They are located at 1023 Highway 361, Suite G. Call 3311197 or 749-CASA for your appointment.

Done Right Detail does just that. They do interior/exterior detailing, stain and minor rust removal, and undercoating. They are located at 2138 Flour Bluff Drive and are open MondayThursday 8am-5pm and Friday-Saturday 8 am9pm. Call 937-1518 to find out more.

South Texas Marine Center is the premier dealer for Skeeter, Hurricane and Parti Kraft boats. They have a skilled service center with 5 Star Certified Yamaha, Evinrude, Johnson and Mercury technicians. They are located on Highway 44 in Alice. Visit southtexasmarine.com for more info.

Animal Friends of Port Aransas invites you to their first Annual Howl-O-Ween Dog Costume Contest and Hot Dog Fixings Sunday, October 23rd 3pm-7pm at Roberts Point Park. There will be silent auction items and a live auction featuring a hog hunt for two on the famous King Ranch.

South Texas Green Energy uses a Tex-Cote Super-Cote Coolwall that provides your home with maximum protection against the elements without ever having to re-paint. It is better than paints or stains and much less expensive than vinyl or metal siding. Call John Bustos at 7460362.

Business Briefs Padre Island Baptist Church First Annual Art Festival will take place Saturday, November 12th 10am-5pm. There will be artists from all over Texas selling their works of art. There will be food, fun and music throughout the day.

The Rotary Club of Southside Corpus Christ honors Representative Todd Hunter as our Hometown Hero on Thursday, October 27th at 6 pm. The event will be held at the Corpus Christi Country Club. There will be dinner, cash bar, silent auction, raffles and other surprises. For more information contact president-elect Erasmo Nava at enava@sntarchitects.com or 854-1471.

The Island Presbyterian Church will have their Annual Fall Festival/Mission Fair/ Chili Dinner on Sunday, October 30th 4 pm - 6 pm. Everyone of all ages is invited to wear Halloween costumes.

The Lifesaving Grace Band will perform and there will be plenty of games and treats. The church is located at the corner of Gypsy and Fortuna Bay. V-Fit is offering membership for $50/month or $10 drop-in fee for non-members. The fitness center, hopefully, will be open by the time you read this. They have a separate room for personal training and a classroom for Zumba, Pilates, Boot Camp and more. It is located in the new Pelican strip mall.

Dragonfly Restaurant has A Thanksgiving dinner-to-go that serves 4-5 people for just $99.

Get 10% off if you order by November 15th. They now serve draft beer and also sell cigars. Their new Tapas Happy Hour menu items include harissa salad, pork meatballs, pasta bowl, lamb ravioli and papas brava. You can find their daily specials on their Facebook page.

Johnny D’s By the Sea will be offering drink specials on Tuesdays and back by popular demand is rib night Wednesday. They are open for dinner daily and closed Sundays and Mondays.

Vino 2 VanGogh is an interactive art lounge located on the Island in the strip mall closest to the bridge. It is a unique fun place to create your own masterpiece. Local artists provide “follow the leader” instruction and provide the paint and canvas and the best part is no artistic experience is necessary. There is a pumpkin painting party just for the kiddos on Saturday, October 22nd 1pm3pm for $25/child. That evening for the adults is “Venice at Twilight” featuring this Monet painting that will be re-created by the patrons. Soft drinks, bottled water and cheese trays are provided or you can bring your wine bottle. It is $40/person for this session that is 7pm-10pm which is enough time to complete your masterpiece. Call 949-5010 for more details or visit vino2vangogh.com.

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Located on Padre Island, Johnny D's offers Island dining at its best. Serving Corpus Christi with the freshest local seafood and culinary masterpieces, order the rack of lamb and you'll be calling your friends from the table! Hours of operation are Tuesday-Saturday 4:30 to 10pm and Sunday 4:30 to 9pm

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Live music most Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays

October 21, 2011

Casinos continued from A1 by 40% did not make it through the Calendars Committee for a vote by the entire House.

Cruise industry Hunter also predicted that the Coastal Bend will see a dock for cruise ships in the not so distant future.

“It’s going to happen,” he said. “Somewhere between the Turning Basin in the ship channel, Ingleside, or Port Aransas the cruise industry will develop here.”

Current federal law prohibits any cruise ship not built and registered in the United States from docking at two consecutive American ports, it must dock at a foreign dock in between. The law was the result of Section 27 of the Merchant Marine Act of 1920 known in nautical circles as the Jones Act. The Jones Act, whose passenger provision actually dates back to the Passenger Vessel Service Act of 1886, wasn’t specifically intended to keep cruise ships from calling at consecutive U.S. ports, it was meant to protect the American shipbuilding industry But since the last cruise ship built in American was launched in the 1950s the Act effectively has kept the cruise industry from developing in Texas where requiring stops at consecutive stops along the Coast is apparently a non-starter.

To fix the problems Congressman Blake Farenthold has introduced House Resolution 2460, the Creating and Restoring U.S. Investment and Stimulating Employment (CRUISE) Act, which would amend U.S. maritime law to allow foreign cruise ships to call at multiple U.S. ports consecutively.

For many years a gambling boat in South Padre skirted this law by leaving the Port of Brownville and heading south into Mexican waters where it would make radio contact with a Mexican port.

This constituted a foreign “port of call.” But for the middle Texas Coast putting in at a foreign port means a long trip and has effectively kept the industry at bay.

The Texas Legislature last session passed Senate Concurrent Resolution 5, or the Cruise Ship Industry Study Bill, which calls for the Lieutenant Governor and the Speaker of the Texas House “to provide for a joint interim legislative study regarding the development the cruise industry on the Texas coast between Calhoun and Cameron counties and its potential economic impact.” SCR 5 argues that besides Galveston there are three Texas major deepwater ports between Cameron and Calhoun counties capable of serving as cruise line ports; Brownsville, Port Lavaca, Corpus Christi.

The Port of Brownsville has already been studying the possibility of attracting cruise ships

Island Moon

as a port-of-call. Officials from several South Padre cities and counties formed the Cruise Line Committee which commissioned a $25,000 feasibility study in 2009. That study, completed in 2010 determined that attracting cruise ships to Brownsville is feasible.

It took Galveston more than twelve years to land its first cruise ship, beating out the Port of Houston, which built a $100 million cruise ship facility that sits unused. Galveston now has twelve cruise ships per week and expects to add more in the near future.

Hunter said he expects a hearing on SCR 5 by the end of the year.

“A cruise ship industry can happen here in three to four years,” he said.

Casino Gaming The other issue with a huge potential impact for the Coastal Bend is casino gambling.

“I am disappointed we Texans talk about gaming and do nothing” Hunter said. “I think Texans should have the right to vote on the subject.”

Texans annually spend about $2 billion dollars in casinos in neighboring states where casinos are allowed. The WinStar Casino just north of the Red River in Oklahoma is the third largest casino in the world. Several casino operators have expressed interested in the Coastal Bend in recent months, Hunter said. However, when a potential bill came up in the last session of the Texas Legislature the potential locations for casinos in the state did not include Nueces County.

“The Texas House will not vote on a gaming bill unless Nueces County is included,” Hunter said, since he will not let it pass out of the Calendars Committee. Hunter and his staff have made exploratory visits to Las Vegas and spoken with casino owners and he says their primary area of interest is the area on the back of North Padre Island between Mustang State Park and Port Aransas.

“I predict that when you watch a gaming bill you will see operators looking at The Island,” he said.

“Not just casinos but resorts. If we had gaming in Texas last year there would have been $2 billion more dollars in the state budget.”

Hunter said he expects fights in the next legislative session over water rights, the cruise and gaming industries, and business development plans that “are not a tax.”

As for his own plans, he said plans to stay in his House seat through 2014 – one more term – then look at a run for either Texas Land Commissioner, State Comptroller, or a third position which he did not name.

“There is good news for The Island,” he said. “In the next year and a half the real estate industry in Texas will be looking at The Island.”

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A 8

Island Moon

Stuff I heard on the Island

By Dale Rankin

Way back when I started writing for a living I figured there were two great advantages to the Writer’s Life. The first was pointed out by my dear grandfather – Granddad – who lived out in the sand burr prairies of Western Oklahoma where the night skies are free of light pollution and the crisp bowl of the heavens stretches from low horizon to low horizon broken only by the occasional windmill and coyote howl.

One night we were sitting on top of one of those windmills with our rifles with flashlights taped to the barrels waiting for the coyotes that had been harassing his cats and chickens when we saw a craft of some sort with a flashing light moving overhead at about a thousand feet. What was unusual was that it was making no sound at all.

We scampered down off our perch and jumped in his green 1969 Coronado with white leather bucket seats and push button radio headed off down the red dirt section roads chasing that thing in the sky as Granddad reached around the .22 long rifle propped between the seats to jam on the radio buttons trying to find out if it was the War of the Worlds for real this time.

We drove for hours on those section roads which ran in 90-degree lines while our prey cut across country in its silent path oblivious to our pursuit.

We finally had to give up for lack of gas but for years Granddad would run to the grocery store in Sayre, Oklahoma to pick up copies of the various “newspapers” at the checkout stand at the Sayre Grocery & Feed.

Cubs win, aliens land According to those publications aliens had landed just about everywhere on earth except Sayre where apparently their curiosity could find no purchase. But if they ever showed up Granddad was ready with his .20 gauge Ithaca pump leaning against the front door and a box with enough peanut butter and sardines to hold out in the storm cellar for about a year until the aliens had figured out that there wasn’t anything in Sayre worth occupying. After everyone went to bed at night I’d put on my shoes – you couldn’t walk down the hall to the bathroom without your shoes or the sand burrs would eat you up – and go out there by the door and spread a little peanut butter on a sardine and choke it down. I decided when the aliens came I was bringing along mustard.

Over time Granddad became truly bitter over the fact that the “local” newspapers were part of

the great coverup about the aliens landing that he knew had already taken place because he had read it in “the papers.”

“It’s all over the News of the World and the Star and the Enquirer and even the Globe that never gets anything right,” he said. “But not a word in the Daily Oklahoman or the Amarillo GlobeNews.”

The longer the aliens’ presence went unreported the more Granddad was certain the conspiracy had dug its extraterrestrial tentacles into the brain pan of our government. He knew there was something up there because we had seen it. He would give me updates when we visited.

“It looks like they got to everybody,” he said one day. “Even Walter Cronkite won’t report it. I guess they got to him too.” Then when he found out I was going to work for one of the Big Daily Newspapers he was ecstatic!

“Finally, someone will tell us the truth,” he said.

Then about a year later when I visited him he was unusually quiet. Finally, he said, “So what have you found out?”

“About what Granddad?”

“You know what.”

When I explained that the only aliens I had encountered were the ones who came up from Mexico by way of their swimming skills he never brought up the subject again. I had gone over to the other side and squandered the chance to cash in on one of the two reasons for becoming a writer; to expose the alien invasion.

There was only one reason left and I soon found out it had it limits too.

Larry Big Hands Johnson I grew up in the years after Watergate when we thought all we had to do to fix the world was to tell people what was going on and cats and dogs would sleep together.

But I soon found out that if you brought an agenda to a newspaper newsroom you didn’t last long.

After a couple of stories about the Capitalist Pigs or the Orwellian Government you were put on Double Secret Probation. If you followed that with an expose about the Council of Foreign Relations or the John Birch Society you were either fired or given your choice between the religion beat or the Sports Department where you were free to work out your adjectives with impunity.

One friend of mine who was banished to the religion beat countered by writing a story about an Easter service in which he used the word

“allegedly” several times. He was nailed to the journalistic cross and sent to writer’s purgatory – the Society Page.

Another tried to come back from the Sports Section – or the Toy Department as we news types called it – but ran into trouble when he wrote that “Police are looking for a suspect identified as Larry ‘Big Hands’ Johnson for the strangulation of his girlfriend.” Being known as Big Hands might have been a compliment in the Toy Department but it was out of bounds on the Police Beat. He too joined the ranks of the Society Writers where no one at the Spring Cotillion was concerned with the size of anyone’s hands or feet – at least not that they admitted.

Do you know who I am!?

So if we couldn’t expose the Great Alien Invasion or make the world safe for democracy then what was the use of pursuing the writer’s life? We called it the Do You Know Who I Am Syndrome and as a hazing device it was unparalleled. When a new recruit would come on staff we would tell them, “If you get stopped by the cops, or if you are going in somewhere there is a cover charge, just say ‘do you know who I am? Do you know who I am? I’m a writer at the newspaper and you don’t want to make me mad’.”

This of course was the worst advice since Nixon took us off the Gold Standard. If you are hauled down by the cops or confronted by an angry bouncer the last thing you want to try is to claim some kind of immunity due to the fact you are a reporter. It’s a sure ticket to jail or a back alley tune up but great fun to hear about when your newly hired reporter shows up for work with a black eye and cuff marks on his wrists.

“Gee, that’s the first time that didn’t work,” you say with a straight face. “Maybe you didn’t say it right. Next time look them straight in the face and say, “This town is a tuna sandwich and I’m in the cactus juice again.”

The City Editor would have to call the newbie in and explain that he had been had by a bunch of reporters with a twisted sense of humor and it was okay for it to happen once but if it happened again you will be fired, not only because it is wildly inappropriate but also because anyone who would fall for it twice is a stupid twit. Threatening police officers and business owners with bad press if they don’t give special treatment not only is against company policy it is almost certain to increase your bail. “Did they give you that line about cactus juice and a tuna sandwich?”

“Yes.” “Well, if you use that you’ll end up on a Code 22.”

“What’s a Code 22?”

“Twenty-four hours in the State Hospital for

October 21, 2011 observation while they wait for the drugs to wear off.”

Writer’s requiem I was reminded of this recently when a writer friend from the old days called and said he had successfully pulled off a “Do you know who I am” prank on an unsuspecting newcomer last week. He is living on the East Coast now and I hadn’t talked to him in awhile. I asked him how he is doing and his cryptic response was: “I think I should spend more time in Houston.”

I’m not sure why, but I get that.

Real Estate Roundup

By Mary Lou White One of the things I like most about being in Real Estate, is the diversity of the job.

Everyday, you are meeting new people and in many cases becoming involved in their life story.

To me, Buyer’s represent the beginning of a saga.

They are writing the first chapters of their life here on the Island. This is especially true, because so many new owners are moving here from other locales. Usually, they are excited to be here and anxious to find a property that fulfills their wish list. We don ‘t see many first time home buyers . That means , the Buyers , in most cases have owned homes in the past and they are bringing those experiences and judgments with them on their search for property here.

Selling Your Home The flip side of the coin, represents the Sellers.

Their story represents the final chapters in their home. The decisions ahead can seem monumental. It is a hard concept to embrace, that the moment the “ For Sale” sign goes up, you are now giving access to your home to other people.

Once the contract is negotiated and signed, you are essentially living in someone else’s new home. Suddenly, the decisions to be made and the demands that must be met can seem overwhelming.

The big questions of course revolve around where

am I going to live next and how am I going to move everything out of this house in the next so many days? To compound this dilemma, your home is being invaded by inspectors and there are requests for documents that you probably haven’t seen since the day you moved in. This is the scenario that I see all too often. There is one simple solution. It starts with a trip to the office supply store. Buy the largest binder you can find, 3” or more. Put every document that pertains to your home inside. Critical components that you will have to pay to replace are: The Survey The survey of your property will have to be provided to the Buyer, along with a signed and notarized form from you, saying that you have not changed anything since you purchased the home. If major changes have been made then a new survey will be needed. Order that and have it available when you list the house for sale Elevation Certificate.

An elevation certificate is another critical document. Without it, the Buyer cannot obtain insurance or even get a quote from an agent.

Because we live on a barrier Island, every home must have at least one Windstorm Certificate or WPI 8. Again, no certificate-no insurance. If you replaced or upgraded your windows, doors, roof, deck, dock, or remodeled—they must be recertified. Don’t wait until the boxes are piled up and the movers are scheduled, to begin this process.

The Binder That binder should include: Your Deed, your loan statements, your POA statements, your THREE insurance policies that cover homeowners, flood, and windstorm. Receipts from anyone who worked on your property. Especially, warranties and invoices that cover any major replacement or repair for a key component . Manuals for appliances that will remain in the home, when you leave. Utility suppliers, security alarm companies that monitor your home, pool components and maintenance information, and finally, automatic sprinkler systems. The truth is: Find it now or find it later. Make life as easy for yourself as possible.

One quick trip to “THE BINDER” can save your sanity and allow you to concentrate on the next chapter of your life. Being informed is a good thing……

Patty brings a bright new smile to Michelle’s Salon. Patty, formerly of Sport Clips next to Lowes. Mention this ad and receive 25% off any chemical service and guys, you will receive a complimentary scalp massage on your first visit. If you are looking for a military cut or a super fade, Patty is your girl. As always, Walk-ins welcome

Real Estate Ticker of the Fortnight 270 Island Residences for sale / 127 Detached homes for sale / 79 Detached homes on a canal/ water 234 Island lots or Land for sale / 65 parcels on a canal/water

Reggae Fest at the Gaff Photo by Ronnie Narmour

October 21, 2011

Island Moon

A9

News From Your

By Maybeth Christensen You may have noticed green algae in some of our canals. Since we went for so many months without rain, there was a large build-up of fertilizer and can help us by scooping such which was washed into the canals with last them out and disposing week’s rains. This causes the algae growth. It of them in your garbage normally will last 5 - 7 days. bin.

It is a good time to remind everyone about the The Island schools will need to not use so much fertilizer. All 692 storm have their annual Trunk or Treat and Haunted water drains on the House on Friday, October Island run directly into All 692 storm water drains 28. They will also have a fall our canals. That is why with food and games. on the Island run directly festival it is so important to Encantada by Seashore Learning keep debris, including Center may be closed for a few into our canals. grass and sand out of hours that evening. If it is not, the gutters. Removal please drive slowly and watch of that material is the responsibility of the for the kids. Activities will be on both sides of property owner which abuts the curb and gutter.

Encantada.

I continue to get calls from folks who tell me The Island Art Walk is coming up fast. Sunday, about neighbors washing the dog feces off their November 6, Noon to 4 at Billish Park. If you want decks and into the canals. The other thing people to display your work, call JoAnn Smith 949-7114 keep doing is throw their fish cleaning remains for information. For the rest of us, plan to stop into the canal. Please DON’T! The water over that afternoon to see the talent we have on exchange in the canal system is not great enough the Island and support our local artists by making for all that material to degrade nor are there a purchase. enough creatures in the canals that need the food.

We all need to work together to keep our canals The Third Annual Padre Island Business Association Mixer hosted by the POA is set for clean.

Tuesday, November 15, 5:30 - 7:30. All Island The marine science specialist who regularly residents are invited to stop by, have some food checks the canal water quality tells me he saw and refreshments, and meet many of our Island some dead fish in a few canals over this past business owners. weekend. He advises those are a result of the red tide. I noticed quite a few dead fish in the area Saturday, October 29 is the last Saturday of the along Park Road 22 just before the bridge. You Month which means the Litter Critter will be in the POA parking lot starting at 9 AM. Some folks were confused in September about which weekend was the LAST weekend. Also, the glass recycling was a huge success. We are working to bring it to the Island on a more regular basis.

NOTICE OF BOARD POSITIONS

There are 3 positions to be voted on at the March 10, 2012, Annual Meeting The term of office is for 3 years.

Candidates must be 18 years of age and be a resident owner in good standing with the Padre Isles Property Owners Association Resumes are due in the POA office 14015 Fortuna Bay Drive

By November 15, 2011

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A 10

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Island Moon

October 21, 2011

A 11

Istanbul - A City on Two Continents

POA Recycles!

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You got your brown glass, you got your clear glass, and you got your plastic.

There was plenty of all three as Islanders lined up to drop off their reusable for recycling at the POA office. The event was a smashing success and there will be more. We’ll keep you posted on dates.

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I had not planned on going to Turkey, in fact, I have never considered it. I just did not think of it as a place to vacation but how wrong did that turn out to be. My brother Carl and sister Lana spent four days there and claimed it was the most beautiful city on the planet and that they wish they had made their stay longer. They flew from there to meet my brother Steve and I in Belgrade, Serbia to spend a week in my parents’ homeland.

I decided to take the 1 1/2 hour flight to Istanbul on the extra two days of travel I had after they left for home.

Istanbul is a place like no other and an absolute jewel. I could just spend days walking the cobblestone streets of the “old city” full of color from its food vendors, to pastry shops, to street vendors to cafes with bright tablecloths. The people are attractive, charming and more than glad to help you.

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The Republic of Turkey replaces the sultans’ rule It is a Muslim country but one I would describe as a “to each his own” rather than a radical one.

Turkey became a democratic, secular republic ending the rule of the sultans of the Ottoman Empire in the early 1920s so this has been the lifestyle for most citizens their lifetime. I would say 2/3 of the women wore stylish Western garb and the other third were a mix. The mix portion all wore scarves and a fitted trench coat with straight legged pants or full length dress. I probably saw a dozen in the full black robe with just their eyes showing. Of course, I can only speak for Istanbul which is a metropolitan city of 13 million.

The geography of this city is interesting in that it is divided by a waterway, the Bosphorous Strait, with Europe on one side and Asia on the other. The small northern European portion borders Greece and Bulgaria. Turkey is considered part of the Middle East and this population of 80 million are neighbors to Iran, Iraq and Syria.

Istanbul, the former Constantinople, has a rich history that is thousands of years old. The area was ruled by the Hungarian Empire, Roman Empire and since the 1400s the Ottoman Empire. Amongst the many museums to visit there are some must-see sites in the Sultanahmet district which has a large main square once host to chariot races. There are many quaint hotels within walking distance some with roof top restaurants with a view of busy Bosphorus and the beautifully lit up mosques. Be prepared to be awaken at dawn by the call to prayer coming from the loud speakers at the mosques which is a reminder you are in a unique place indeed.

Massive, intricately designed temples of worship There are two spectacular mosques on the square, the Sophia Hagia is a museum and the Blue Mosque still holds prayers but is open to the public when it does not. The Blue Mosque is called that because the tiles are mostly in this favorite Turkish color.

In fact, that is where the word turquoise came from. President Obama visited this enormous, intricately detailed temple of worship in 2009. He, as everyone else, had to remove his shoes to enter as is the custom in all mosques. Women without shawls are given a blue shawl to enter.

Mosque interiors are decorated with geometric designs and not holy people because they feel those images would be distracting to prayer.

The main square has many cafes, pubs and restaurants along it and surrounding it. The outdoor seating is ideal for people

watching.There is a wide variety of Turkish meals to choose from and they are all quite tasty. It is like no other food I have eaten and I already miss it. There are pastry shops with baklava but also so much more. Some of the cafes have decorative water pipes on tables to be used for your smoking pleasure, tobacco that is.

And for the shopaholics......

The first shopping mall on earth is walking distance from here. The Grand Bazaar was built in the 1400s and has 4000 shops under one roof with 21 gates to enter. This was built as a trading center as this city was the central hub.

There are high end jewelry stores, many carpet vendors, shops with crates of spices, ceramics, leather goods and much more. The more affordable shops are located outside on the surrounding streets with no traffic allowed. Plan on doing alot of walking.

Do not even think about renting a car. The streets of the old city were not built for car traffic. Most streets can only accommodate one vehicle one way. If you try to turn onto a street with another car approaching you must wait for it to go by first. Taxis are everywhere and there are also trams and the second oldest underground train system built in the 1800s that is clean and updated.

If you are out and about and need to use the restroom look for a “WC” (water closet) sign. You normally need to go downstairs to it and pay one lira. The stalls just have a hole in the ground. Look for “Modern WC” if you want the luxury of sitting not squatting.

Enjoy a cruise with a view of two continents A Boshporous cruise is a nice relief because you can cruise and sightsee instead of walk. There is a 4 hour tour that takes you to the Black Sea. Along the way are beautiful waterfront homes, palaces, mosques and fortresses. The boat anchors for 30 minutes for those who want to partake in a refreshing swim. There is also a short stop at a coastal village with pubs, cafes, ice cream shops and souvenirs. Food is included in the $60 tour and is made on board and includes an appetizer, lunch and a sliced banana with honey and crushed walnuts for dessert. The boat is not that big so it is conducive to conversation with

others on board who are from all over the world but not many Americans. This city has recently become a popular cruise ship stop and I heard there are Americans that come off the ships for day excursions.

For nightlife Taksim Square is a pedestrian only place to go with trendy shops on the main drag and pubs with live music on the offshoot streets. I enjoyed the Turkish folk music and their modern music and their Efes beer was not bad either.

Plan a trip to this Middle East treasure and you will return with memories of many unforgettable sights, sounds and smells.

A 12

Island Moon

October 21, 2011