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361-949-7700 editor@islandmoon.com The Island Newspaper since 1996 Facebook : The Island Moon Newspaper
December 19, 2013
Merry Christmas Ya'll!
Around The Island
By Dale Rankin editor@islandmoon.com
It’s an exciting time of year Around The Island. A collective groan went up last Sunday punctuated by a smattering of cheers as Cowboy fans lamented the latest collapse of America’s Choking Team and Island Cheeseheads threw their pointy hats in the air and celebrated the Packers’ biggest comeback since JR Ewing. One of the great things about our Island is that we have fans of teams from New York to Seattle and most everywhere in between so football season takes on a diverse hue hereabouts. It makes for vigorous wagering and endless trash talking; the problem for we Cowboy fans is we are mostly on the receiving end the last few years (decades). Anybody want to buy an NFL team… The 39th Annual La Posada Lighted Boat Parades went off under clear skies and a brisk wind last weekend. Thanks to the good work of the folks over at the Padre Island Yacht Club it was the best organized parade in memory and raised almost $15,000 for Toys for Tots. We have plenty of coverage in this issue.
Barefoot Mardi Gras The next big event on The Island agenda will be Barefoot Mardi gras in early March. This year the event will be a fundraiser for the Island Blast! 4th of July Fireworks Show; the second year for Fire in the Sky on the 4th of July. Barefoot Mardi Gras has quickly become an Island tradition and the fireworks show looks to follow in its footsteps. We look forward to both in 2014.
Island Moon Home Showcase And speaking of Island events the Island Moon Home Showcase is set for Saturday, February 8 once we turn the corner into the New Year. Mary Lou White is once again organizing this showcase for Island homes. If you have a house for sale and want to get involved contact Mary Lou at the address included in this issue.
Island of Darkness It was Black Sunday for half of our Island last weekend. Seems a transformer blew over by CVS and blacked out the northern half of The Island; another reminder of the fine line between civilization and anarchy.
The Island Ukeharmonic The Island Ukulele Club is off to a brisk 4/4 start. Only a couple of weeks ago the idea was broached and now it won’t be long before Island seagulls are dancing to Tiptoe Through the Tulips. Where do we sign up? See the story in his issue.
Island Anchorman Islander and local television icon Joe Gazin scheduled a special midnight preview of the new movie Anchorman 2 on Monday. About fifty people showed up for the Will Ferrell laugher. An anchorman watching the Anchorman – there is some harmonic balance there.
Season to be jolly A local Social Psychologist has debunked the Holiday Depression Myth that says the Holiday Season is the height of the Depression Season. Dr. Steven Seidel says that the start of spring is actually the time of year when a higher number of people experience feelings of frustration, sadness, and anxiety. So we got that going for us. Have a great Christmas and say hello if you see us Around The Island.
Next Publication Date: 12/26/2013
City Projects on The Island
Work on Water Exchange Bridge to Begin in Summer 2014
La Posada Boat Parades Light up the Canals Toy Collection Boats Kept Busy
Island Police Boat Becalmed in Ignominious Bureaucratic Malaise By Dale Rankin Editor’s note: Four Corpus Christi City Council Members spoke to the Padre Island Business Association Luncheon on Thursday, December 12 about ongoing city issues and projects. What follows is a summation of each of their remarks.
District 4 Council Member Colleen McIntyre. Park Road 22 (SPID) Water Exchange Bridge. Work is due to begin in the summer of 2014. Previous reports from other sources place completion of the bridge before the summer of 2015. Island Police Boat. Islanders have contributed just under $25,000 to pay for half of the estimated $50,000 to purchase and outfit a police boat to patrol Island canals to monitor excessive wakes and other violations of city code. As of this writing the word from the city is that the Police Chief who told the Island Strategic Action
Fleet Award Winner "Last Call" By Brent Rourk, Brent Rourk, Miles Merwin, and Jan Rankin contributed photographs for this story. Stretching from the Padre Island Yacht Club
Vehicle Ignites Fire That Burns 550 Acres Landowners request city address trespassing
Projects continued on A8
Cookies, candies and kleenex By Mindy J. Niles
Editor’s note: Long-time Islander Mindy Niles passed away this year. Mindy was a close friend of Mike Ellis and his Island Moon. She left us this story about a Christmas past. It’s that time of year again, the one we all look so forward to!! Flames flicker from the fireplace, smoke winding up the chimney and into the cool night air. Houses are bedecked with strings of colored lights and palm trees are decorated beyond recognition. Wreaths are hung upon the door to greet holiday guests and special family fare is prepared. Cookies, candies, kleenex... WAIT! That’s the time of year I was thinking of….. ahCCHHOOOO. Kleenex! That’s what I had in mind. Just as sure as Thanksgiving rolls around and one’s mind turns to Christmas and all its doo-dah, I am reminded once again that I should have bought that Kimberly-Clark stock when it was down. Drat! Is it the parties that encourage the sharing of pathogenic organisms? The gatherings that are moved inside, while during the other 10 months of the year they are generally held out of doors? Are we Islanders for once held victim by the maladies affecting the rest of the land locked country? Sniffsniff.
By Dale Rankin It began early Saturday afternoon when a 24year old military officer allegedly drove his car off the end of Sea Pines onto 1260 acres of deep dry grass on private property in Kleberg County. His destination and his purpose are unknown but the result of his sojourn is 550 acres of scorched earth.
By Dale Rankin
We’ve all heard the stories of buried Island Treasure.
Mindy continued on A8
Jean Laffite
revealing relaxing beach scenes. Her peaceful and colorful landscapes invite the viewer into the space to relax and enjoy the sunset or the sand. Recent Southwest images reflect yet another side of Staut’s talent, skill, and interest. Artist continued on A7
Fire continued on A7
Two Million in Pirate Treasure at the Bottom of a Texas Lake
We have all been there… and trust me, the flu and cold season has arrived on Padre. One can judge the extent of the spread of the winter woes
“Art is a fantastic journey”, asserts local artist Carolyn Staut. What kind of artist is she? What has her journey been like so far as an artist? At first glance Carolyn Staut’s fabulous art radiates attractive colors and images of local nature and culture, including fine pastels of shells, peaceful shorelines, and handsome bird images. Many of these paintings are taken from her own photographs.
It was just before 2 p.m. on Saturday when calls began ringing into the Fire Department. People were seeing large amounts of thick black smoke waft into the air on the far south end of The Island between Sea Pines and Padre Island National Seashore.
A little Island history
By Brent Rourk
Metal earrings are fused with riveting swirls of color and design, some with additional stones or dangling gold animals. Her line of purses and handbags are more subdued in tone, instead
building to waiting vans and trucks in the parking lot, a long, enthusiastic line of volunteers moved hundreds of bags of toys while they socialized and enjoyed some welcome warmth La Posada continued on A4
Local Artist Fractals The Island
Invariably, a viewer sees more in her artistic talents; riveting abstracts and geometrics that fire an entire palette of brilliant colors. Her geometric paintings pulse with striking colors, almost electric at times. Her abstracts either invite or defy explanation but regardless invite and please the eye.
Photo by Miles Merwin Year 16, Issue 505
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One told of a man going egg-hunting on The Island and returned with his pockets filled with Spanish coins. Another man, an Englishman known as "Buttermilk" Bill, found $4,000 in gold coins near Devil's Elbow. Spanish ships full of New World Gold run around.
But many of the treasure tales along our section of the coast are connected to the pirate Jean Lafitte, who was driven from Galvez's Island in 1820 and established two bases along the Texas Coast; on of them at the south end of St. Joseph's Island, just across from Port Aransas. The wife of one of his pirates, a woman known later as "Grandma" Frank, told the story that Lafitte's treasure — more than $500,000 he took away from Galveston — was buried in a mott of live oak trees at False Live Oak Point. After the last of the treasure was buried, and Lafitte came back alone, he supposedly told Mrs. Frank, "There is enough treasure in those
woods to ransom a nation."
Near but Oso far away… Other tales say that Lafitte buried his treasure on the Oso, or at the mouth of the Nueces, or at a place later called the Treasure Dunes at Packery Channel. Those are tales which spark the imagination. But another story has echoed through the years with enough detail and believability to send hunters probing the bottom of Hendricks Lake near Galveston looking for $2 million in Mexican silver which has a better than average chance of actually being there.
The beginning It all began when a Spanish brig named the Santa Rosa left Vera Cruz Mexico in the spring of 1816 with $2 million in Mexican silver ingots and sailed out along the lower Texas coast bound for Madrid, Spain. The ship was blown off course by a storm and took refuge in the shallows of Matagorda Bay. After two days anchored in the bay the Santa Rosa continued its voyage but as the crew was setting sails an armada led by Lafitte attacked. Laffite looted the silver and returned to his lair, the Red House near Galveston. Then in the summer of 1816 Lafitte gave the order to move the silver from his base on Campeachy and head up Trammell’s Trace through what is now Carthage, Marshall, and Texarkana with the History continued on A8
Island Moon
A 2
December 12, 2013
Island Christmas
Send Travelling Moon Photos to editor@islandmoon.com
Island Creations Remodeling
Father James Derkits of Trinity By the Sea Espiscopal Church in Port A conducts the Children's Sermon
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
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
Elizabeth Marshall is having fun at the IGA company Christmas Party last weekend in Port A
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
Get Six Years of Product Protection Free on New Suzuki Outboards from 40 to 300 HP
Getting into the Christmas spirit at Giggity'
Just Say...
GIMMESIX!
Santa (Randy King) and Elf Pepper Mintstix (Lennette Griggs) the Keeper of the Naughty and Nice list interviewed children at the IGA in Port A
Buy a new 40 to 300 HP Suzuki 4-stroke outboard from October 1 until December 31, 2013 and you’ll get Suzuki’s standard three-year limited warranty, plus Suzuki’s three-Year Extended Protection Plan at no extra charge. It’s a value worth up to $1640. Whether you’re looking to repower or shopping for a new boat, now’s a greet time to buy a new Suzuki outboard. For complete details, see your participating Suzuki Marine dealer or visit www.suzukimarine.com.
You Get Suzuki’s Standard Three Year Limited Warranty Plus An Additional Three Years of Extended Protection At No Extra Charge
Christmas P.I.E. Party!
This offer is good through December 31, 2013
www.suzukimarine.com On December 13th, the Padre Island Enrichment Club (P.I.E.) members lunched at the island's Holiday Inn Beach Hotel. The program was a Christmas Party. The members brought bags of gifts for Toys For Tots and Timon's Ministries along with playing a game for ornament exchange and singing of Christmas carols.
Gimme Six Extended Protection offer applies to new (unused, not previously warranty registered) Suzuki DF40A through DF300AP 4-stroke outboard motors. Promotion applicable to eligible stock in inventory which is sold and delivered to buyer between 10/1/13 and 12/31/13 in accordance with the promotion by an authorized Suzuki Marine dealer in the continental US and Alaska to a purchasing customer who resides in the continental US or Alaska. Within 60 days of purchase date, customer should expect to receive an acknowledgement letter with full copy of contract including terms, conditions and wallet card from Suzuki Extended Protection. If an acknowledgement letter is not received in time period stated, contact Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. – Marine Marketing at 714-996-7040, ext.2242. The Gimme Six Promotion is only available for recreational, non-commercial use. There are no model substitutions, benefit substitutions, rain checks, or extensions. Not redeemable for cash. Suzuki reserves the right to change or cancel this promotion at any time without notice or obligation. This promotion can be used in conjunction with other Suzuki offers. Registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Don’t drink and drive. Always wear a USCG-approved life jacket and read your owner’s manual.
d 1
10/8/13 8:06 AM
HAPPY HOLIDAYS! RAY HERRERA DIRECTOR Marketing & Operations
PadreVet.com
361-949-8200
CHRISTI KRESSER VETERINARIAN
14802 Compass Dr. Corpus Christi, TX 78418
Thank You Islanders! For Voting Dr. Christi Kresser The Best Veterinarian In South Texas & The Coastal Bend Area Voted The Best Of The Best Veterinarian 2006 - 2013 BRING THIS AD IN & RECEIVE A *FREE sample of puppy or kitten food **BRING THIS AD IN & RECEIVE 20% OFF On Any Services *While supplies last **No Coupons on Boarding or Grooming during Holidays
On January 10th, P.I.E's event will be a favorite BINGO! Everyone is invited not just members! There will many prizes! Make reservations by noon on Wednesday, January 8th to PIELuncheon@aol. Contact Sandy at 949-7145 concerning membership. Pictured left to right: Marine Cpl. Thomas Rios, Kae Berry (Executive Director of Timon's Mimistries) and Navy HM3 Tony Garza.
2013 Christmas Light Display Winners
Street-Side:
Waterside:
14329 Bluefish
13533 Peseta
13810 Commodore
14325 Dorsal
14902 Aquarius
15377 Bowsprit
14106 Bounty
13901 Keel
14825 Cobo de Baro Circle
13726 Cayo Cantiles
13926 Seahorse
13778 Three Fathoms
13814 Captains Row
15802 Punta Espada
15009 Dasmarinas
13729 Eaglesnest
15301 Isabella
15806 Punta Espada
14106 Palo Seco
14212 Playa del Rey
15950 Punta Espada 14025 Coquina Bay
Commercial:
13766 Three Fathoms Bank
Coastline Properties
13778 Three Fathoms Bank
Coldwell Banker Realtors
13762 Three Fathoms Bank
Snappy
Snappy is looking for his forever home. Ms Miley was pulled from Aransas County Animal Control, very pregnant. We thought the babies would come 'any day'...well, that turned into several weeks wait...but the wait was well worth it, of course! 8 BEAUTIFUL babies If you'd love Miley or one of her babies forever, please email us at info@ guardiansrescue.org —Or come by our Adoption Event Saturday 11 - 3:30 inside Ace Hardware on the Island. Come out and meet our babies in search of their forever homes. They'd really love to have a new home for Christmas!
December 12, 2013
Moon Monkeys
Island Moon
Did Ya Hear?
Island Obituary
Mike Ellis, Founder
Darwin James Hayes Darwin James Hayes of Port Aransas, TX was born in Lawton, OK on July 28, 1964. He was born into the Pohocsucut family of the Comanche tribe and was adopted by Viola and James R. Hayes of Lawton. James married Debra Greenway on May 14, 1995. He is survived by Debra, two step-children, Erik Chandler of Dallas and Heather Freeman of Corpus Christi; one sister, Patricia Hayes-Wauqua; two nieces, Amber Howell and Juanita Nevarez and his mother, Viola Hayes of Lawton. “Grumpy” has three grandchildren Abby, Eliza and Hendrix as well as an immeasurable number of friends. In the last year James had reconnected with his biological siblings, Marcia Hayden, John Hayden and Sarah Hayden Morris. James Hayes was a man of tremendous intellect and many talents. He was among other things an artist, writer, chef, friend, protector, advocate and story teller…especially a story teller. The rich oral tradition of the Native American culture was practiced well by James Pohocsucut Hayes . Anyone who had the great fortune of knowing James will have a story to share. James always had an audience. You are loved Hippy James.
Distribution Pete Alsop Island Delivery Coldwell Banker Advertising Jan Park Rankin Patrick Kelliher Office Lisa Towns Classifieds Arlene Ritley Design/Layout Jeff Craft Contributing Writers Joey Farah
by Mary Craft
mkay512@aol.com
New Advertisers Orthopaedic Associated of Corpus Christi announced the formation of South Texas Bone & Joint located at 601 Texan Trail Suite #300. There are eight surgeons with specialties in adult joint reconstruction, hand and arm, spine,foot and ankle and sports medicine. Call 854-0811 for appointment. Realtor Mike Raymor has one of the few waterfront lots available. It is located at 15338 Tortuga and is selling for $160,000.
Business Briefs
They lived and laughed and loved and left. - James Joyce, Finnegans Wake
Letters to the editor
Devorah Fox Mary Craft Maybeth Christiansen
Dondi esta la barca?
Jay Gardner Todd Hunter
We fired up the chimenea and had our annual Christmas party to coincide with La Posada. The boats were wonderfully decorated. But, alas, by the time the toy barge came by our spot on Dasmarinas our guests had been gone for at least an hour. We still have the toys.
Danniece Bobeché Ronnie Narmour Brent Rourk Dr. Donna Shaver Photographers
Why not have the toy barge lead the parade to start things off? That way the other boats have more time to line up in a more orderly procession. The long gaps between boat appearances makes you wonder if the parade is over or not. And the last boat should carry some kind of sign indicating it's the last one.
Miles Merwin Jeff Dolan Mary Craft
Never One Around When You Need One 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.
The Island Moon Newspaper
Where is the island police officer?? I walk my dog along the west end of Whitecap. Drivers routinely ignore the 35MPH speed limit. OK, I can give them a pass at 40MPH. But many drivers along that stretch are routinely doing well in excess of 50 MPH. There are joggers, bike riders and dog walkers using Whitecap every day. We've already had one tragic death along that road. Where is the island police officer?? BTW, God bless the islanders who tried in vain to save the dog that was killed on Park Road 22. How can people abandon a pet?? "The more people I meet, the more I love my dogs". Rick Gangemi
15201 S. Padre Island Drive, Suite 250 Corpus Christi, TX 78418
Birders: Take The Footit Challenge
You simply choose an area for birding, either one, two or three+ miles radius from your front door. I think many of us are suckers for January and birding. I hhave been for 40 years, even to listening for Tawny Owl most years on January 1st at 00.04 (ish). Everything is new. A fresh start, no birds on the list. birdingbyfoot.blogspot.co.uk/ Mark Reeder
Sewer smell
Robert Danesi
Like having a power outage for 5 hours yesterday was not bad enough. When power came on we had a horrible sewer smell inside our house. Then this morning both of our toilets backed up. Called the city and they came out and could still smell the sewer gas outside. Their response was when you live near a lift station you are going to smell the sewer. Does anyone else have this issue near Jackfish and Ullberg park area? Janet Granger
Beamers Thank You to all our business partners and friends who voted Beamer's # 1 Sports Bar for the third year in a row. It's a tribute to you also as our customers see your product in our restaurant. Come see us so we can say thanks in person. Our dine in menu offers 40% off most adult entrees until the end of the year. If we can provide you or your employees food for any needs. Please let us know.
Andy Purvis Fishy photo
361-949-7700
A3
editor@islandmoon.com Facebook: The Island Moon Newspaper
Two Sisters Vintage is having a one-year anniversary celebration this Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Stop by for a glass of wine and maybe pick up a Christmas gift. They are located in the Padre Station shopping center next to Lyco’s nails. CrossFit Gym is opening in the former Grounded Coffee Shop location in Loma Alta Mall. Islanders Melody and Vladimir sold their gym in Del Rio that they had for three years to make the move here. They hope to open in about a month with promotions. IGIC (Island Grocery/Internet Café) in the Subway strip mall on SPID is closed for the holidays. The Sand Bar at the Holiday Inn will be open this weekend with live music. The 90 Proof Band will be playing Saturday 6 - 10 pm. The PAYC Basketball League is looking for kids for their 1st - 2nd grade league and 3rd - 4th grade league. Games are played Saturday mornings in Port A. To register contact Amanda Patterson at apatterson@guildmortgage.net. Dr. Christy Kresser at Padre Island Animal Hospital was again named Best of the Best Veterinarian as she has been since 2006. Bring in her ad in this issue to receive 20% any service and a free sample of puppy of kitten food. Padre Island Yacht Club is a members only Club that any Island resident can join., The PIYC is about boating, friendship and enjoying living on Padre Island. They collected more toys than any other organization in the area for the US Marines “Toys for Tots” program with La Posada events, including the Lighted Boat Parades. To schedule a visit or find out more information please contact Susie Paramore, Rear Commodore & Membership Director @ 361-290-6696. KIWANIS Club of Padre Island is kicking off their holiday nut sale. The new crop of Texas Pecans are from the Durham Pecan Company, Comanche, Texas. The prices range $11per bag for pecans to $5 per bag for peanuts. See any club member to get a bag. Guardians Rescue is having an adoption event at the Ace Hardware on the Island on Saturday from 11:00 until 3:30. If someone on your Christmas list has a puppy or kitten on their wish list then Ace is place to be.
B-I-N-G-O Returning to the Island
By Brent Rourk
Where to Find The Island Moon Port Aransas Lisabella’s Restaurant Pioneer RV Park Stripes @ Beach Access Rd. 1A
Port A Glass Studio The Gaff Wild Horse Saloon Tarpon Ice House
North Padre
Miss K’s Catering & Bistro
All Stripes Stores
Amano
Whataburger
Felder Gallery
Doc’s Restaurant
Island Woman Boutique
Snoopy’s Pier
Coast Club Coffee Waves Moby Dicks Spanky’sLiquor IGA Grocery Store Port A Business Center Carter Pharmacy
CVS
Isle Mail N More Island Italian Ace Hardware Holiday Inn Texas Star (Shell) Jesse’s Liquor Padre Isles Country Club
San Juan’s Taqueria
Scuttlebutt’s Restaurant
Wash Board Laundry Mat
Subway
Port A Parks and Rec Public Library Chamber of Commerce Duckworth Antiques Back Porch Woody’s Sports Center Shorty’s Place The Flat’s Lounge Giggity’s Stripes @ Cotter & Station
Island Tire And all Moon retail advertisers WB Liquor
Flour Bluff H.E.B. Liquid Town Whataburger on Waldron Ethyl Everly Senior Center Fire Station
Gratitude Gift Shop
Police Station
Keepers Pier House
Stripes on Flour Bluff & SPID
Could someone please tell me what kind of fish is on the top of page A5 of last week’s Moon? Kathy Gifford Hess
Looks like a red drum on the left and a black drum on the right... Kevin Holdsworth
Official 2014 Coastal Bend Calendar Now Available Sporting fabulous scenes of the Gulf Coast, the exclusive Official 20143 Coastal Bend Calendar is now available at Padre Island Mail Plus for only $10.00. Depicting gorgeous landscapes unique to the Coastal Bend, this calendar also features several exceptional photographs not usually seen by many locals or visitors to our area. The wall calendar is extra-large (11” by 18”) and permits the option of showing the month calendar or one of the large 11” by 14” glossy, color photographs. A list of co-sponsors and coupons is included as well as a short list of emergency numbers for North Padre Island, Port Aransas, Aransas Pass, and Rockport. This calendar is perfect for your business, home, or for gifts to others not living in this area. It is durable, spiral bound, and striking. Spectacular and glossy photographs reveal some of the best in the Coastal Bend, including the La Posada Boat Parade, our July 4th fireworks, a brilliant Gulf sunrise, a colorful beach scene, distinctive sand dunes, and a magnificent White Ibis and its reflection searching for food. Also included are photographs of one of the first Kemps Ridley turtle hatchings of 2013 released near the National Seashore, one of our famous Coastal Bend piers, a large, lonely and misplaced tree stump majestically waving to the beach 20 miles South of the National Seashore, a Man of War Jellyfish stranded on a small rock and arching upward, one of the last of the Coastal Bend shrimp boats (The Polly Anna), and the famous oil rig Olympus being towed into the Gulf with beach goers in the foreground. David Devlin, owner of Padre Island Mail Plus, declares, “This calendar is a spectacular collection of area photographs with highlights of Coastal Life. It captures and emphasizes the
Back by popular demand and organized by the Padre Island Kiwanis Club and cosponsored by a host of island businesses, BINGO is returning to North Padre Island. The Kiwanis Club is planning six consecutive Thursday evenings of BINGO beginning on January 23rd at the Holiday Inn. BINGO revelers can expect to see cash prizes, door prizes, and loads of fun during the evening. Games begin at 7:00 PM and food and drink will be available for purchase both before and during BINGO. Kiwanis officials recommend that BINGO fans bring their family, neighbors and friends to BINGO. Get out on a week night for two hours of fun – a great way to break the monotony of week nights at home. Try your luck at guessing one of the jokes and riddles. Meet new people. Kiwanis organizers invite folks from Port Aransas, Flour Bluff and North Padre Island.
Cold Stunned Turtle Update By Donna Shaver, Ph.D.
diversity of our impressive location. It should be an addition to every household and it is a wonderful gift item. Without question it is the best collection of photographs in a calendar that I have ever seen. They were carefully selected from a huge and recent library of photographs of noted area photographer Brent Rourk.”
Member Padre Island Business Association
To date, 315 cold stunned turtles have been documented in Texas since this event began on November 25. One was a hawksbill and all others were green turtles. Fortunately, 265 of the 315 were found alive and remained alive through transport to a rehabilitation facility. Most that are currently undergoing rehabilitation are at the ARK and Sea Turtle, Inc. However, a few are at University of Texas at Pan American Coastal Studies Laboratory, Gladys Porter Zoo, Texas Sea Life Center, and NOAA-Fisheries Galveston Laboratory.
Member Padre Island Rotary Club
Island Moon
A 4
December 12, 2013
La Posada continued from A1 Boat Parade Award Ceremony
Parades
early Sunday morning. Unwrapped games, stuffed animals, musical instruments, dolls, and a brigade of bicycles interrupted the solid, moving line of large black plastic bags inflated with toys headed to less fortunate children for Christmas. The volunteers were near the heartwarming end of La Posada 2013.
With the parades completed, La Posada Parade Marshall Jim Weatherill, serving what will his last year as marshal, announced the parade award winners.
Twelve hours earlier many of the same volunteers braved strong winds and unusually cold temperatures to participate in the 39th annual La Posada Parade that featured 16 fabulously decorated boats. Several of the volunteers had also participated in Friday evening’s parade on the Northern end of the island where 6 boats ran a smaller course. Toy collector boats were kept extraordinarily busy, charting courses through wind and cold to pick up bags of toys. After the last exhausted crews dropped off their toys at the Yacht Club, the lower level was overflowing Padre Isles Yacht Club packed to the gills with toys with toys.
A Second Truck A second truck was hailed to transport the large number of toys, thanks to a very generous local public that contributed bag after bag of toys. Unsurprisingly, the young Marines still looked fresh, strong and happy, even after a couple of days and nights of helping collect toys from hundreds of houses during the two La Posada Boat Parades. Volunteers quickly paused from their work in the toy line to observe how full the van and then the first truck were. Some of the volunteers enjoyed a quick sip of java and commented, “Can you believe how many toys?”, “That’s incredible!”, “I wonder how many toys there are”, “The toys never end”, and “This is wonderful”. This after all was really the essence of La Posada – generosity, giving, and love. After loading the trucks, all of the volunteers headed upstairs at the PIYC to enjoy a scrumptious potluck breakfast and the La Posada Boat Parade awards ceremony.
Both parades entertained thousands of islanders. Several parties were gorged with people, food, music and Christmas Spirit that spilled out into the canals. Some of the parade watchers sang songs for the parade boats. Hundreds of the watchers waved and shouted, “Merry Christmas” or “Thank You” to the parade boats as they proudly motored by each house.
Judging The boats were judged by a respected panel of locals who mindfully reviewed every parade boat as it peacocked and postured in front of the judging station (thanks to islanders who loaned their decks for judging). Some parade boats played Christmas music while a few offered choirs that sang several bars of Christmas favorites.
Fleet Award: Last Call (Roy and Kathie Coons) Most Patriotic: 1st - Barnicle Betty (Tom Younghans), 2nd – Chakara2 (Minor Peeples) Most Traditional: 1st – Tenacious (Mike and Cindy Taulbert), 2nd – Knot Secure (Trevor Johnson) Island Spirit: 1st – Winnibargeo (Bill and JoAnn Petersen), 2nd – Cuz We Can (Bill Rouse)
La Posada Expanding The La Posada Boat Parades concluded two weeks of La Posada events including the boat parades, the kick-off party at Scuttlebutt’s and the Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration at Port Royal. Without question, everybody will treasure a favorite La Posada memory or two or more for many years to come. Hopefully, everybody will remember what a special time it is; filled with generosity, friendship, and love.
Marines Receive Donation Check The La Posada Planning Committee then presented the Marines with a $14,000 check from donations and proceeds from auctions at the La Posada Kick-off Party that was held on
The La Posada Committee and probably more volunteers than can be counted had all planned and prepared for these two nights. Some of the planning extended over the course of many months and involved dozens of volunteers.
Most Joyful: 1st – High Point (Fred and Roberta Soward), 2nd – Group Therapy (Judy and Chester Stuckey)
December 3rd at Scuttlebutt’s. The Marines will purchase more toys with those funds, especially toys for older age groups. Final announcements and reminders filled the room as happy parade winners clutched their remarkably creative trophies.
The Spirit of La Posada But what still echoed in the large room upstairs at the PIYC and also in the hearts of the departing volunteers were the words of Jim Weatherill when he declared, “It’s all about the kids”. Indeed it is. With the toys and cash donations raised this year, about 7000 more Texas children will have a toy and a better Christmas this year. A huge thanks to the Padre Island Yacht Club, the Marines, everybody who made La Posada 2013 possible, the thousands who enjoyed the events, and the countless islanders who donated a toy. See you during next year’s La Posada events.
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Two full trucks and a van of toys leave the Padre Isles Yacht Club.
Marines collecting toys.
Orthopaedic Associates of Corpus Christi
A line of bicycles races to new homes.
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CHARLES W. BRECKENRIDGE, M.D.
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RYAN B. THOMAS, M.D.
JUSTIN KLIMISCH, M.D.
FRANK A. LUCKAY, M.D.
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December 12, 2013
Backwater Adventures
Island Moon
Dam Roadway!
Job Half Finished Along JFK is Ecological Mess
On the Rocks By Jay Gardner The plan was to meet Curtis between the 6 and 10MM of PINS and go on a pompano hunting mission around midmorning. After leaving my wallet on the icecart at Stripes and having to re-trace my steps and collect it (thanks to the unknown person that found it in the parking lot and turned it in!) I once again headed south with 5lbs of fresh shrimp and high expectations for the day. As I topped the rise on the Seashore at the End of the Asphalt and got my first look at the beach in several weeks, my heart almost skipped a beat. The conditions were better than you could imagine; completely flat surf, air temperatures in the 60’s, a very light breeze, and the water color was a beautiful “trout green” out as far as you could see in the mid-morning light. I took the right turn headed south and noticed that the beach was hard-packed from the water line almost all the way up to the base of the dunes. Driving is excellent, being 10 out of 10 right now.
Roll South to the Nicaragua I bombed down and found Kip around the 6MM, and stopped to talk with him for a bit and fill him in on Curtis showing up. He had just started fishing, and suggested that he would wait for Curtis and that I should bomb down a little farther and look for a better spot, and I landed at a nice point just shy of the 10MM. After around a half hour with no bites, Kip rolls up and still no Curtis. We finally figure that the day is moving along pretty fast, and if we wanted fish in the box we would have to roll South.
A5
they weren’t having much luck either.
Bumping in the 50s Kip had to head off the beach for Mariah’s recital at the Seashore Academy, and I caught up with Scott and Brice somewhere in the 50s. They had been bumping down the beach as well with no more to show for their efforts than we did. It was a really tough fishing day, with only hardheads and a few whiting on the chalk board. Even the hardhead bite was slow, likely due to the cold water temperatures. We all witnessed cold-stunned hard heads milling around in the wade-gut, and likely the bird action and dolphins working extremely close to shore were taking advantage of the cold-stunned fish. Although we kept our eyes peeled, we didn’t see any cold-stunned turtles thankfully. Around mid-afternoon we decided to fish our way off the beach, stopping at a few places here and there. None of us had ever seen the beach look that absolutely gorgeous and not had better fishing. After stops in the 40’s and 30’s, I made the executive decision to head back to the 10MM and post-up there for the rest of the day. The original spot resulted in more hard heads, and even they were slow. While standing around visiting, we noticed Brice’s rod slowly bumping around, and he walked over to check on it. Next thing we know, he’s hooked into a solid fish, and eventually gets in a drum somewhere in the 25-30lb neighborhood; a nice toad of a drum that was released to spawn more little drum.
When the new JFK Causeway was finished a decade ago the first 1300 feet of it leaving the Flour Bluff shoreline and heading for The Island was raised to allow for water passage. For thousands of years Mother Nature used a prevailing southeast wind to blow life-killing flotsam and jetsam from the Laguna Madre into Corpus Christi Bay. The idea of raising the northern end of the JFK Causeway was to kick-start that process which had been blocked for three decades by the impervious JFK. But when it was all said and done the old roadway which blocks the
movement of dead, floating seagrass from the Laguna into the Bay was left in place. The result, as you can see here, is that the dead floating grass blocks the sunlight to the shallow water below which Mother Nature intends to be the incubator for a wide variety of sea life which cannot flourish in the darkened waters. The cost of removing the old seabed has been estimated by the Texas Department of Transportation at about $400,000 but so far no action is underway to correct the problem. Dale Rankin
Whipin’ the coral It was a very pretty day, although the fishing had a lot to be desired. With the holidaze upon us and folks coming in town, I highly recommend getting out on the sand and show your family and guests the shining jewel that we all love so much. The beachcombing is excellent right now with lots of things washing up, including whip coral (the yellow stuff), angel wings (pen shells), whole sand dollars (more down south) and a variety of other shells. If you find something you’d like to know what it is, send me a picture at jaygardner@scientist.com and have yourselves a Merry Christmas!
Heavy boxes over the holidays
Brice Bludau with a drum Great waterfowl hunting over the holidays here locally. Introduce a young hunter this year for Christmas. Joey Farah IV. Awesome pintail.
After a few more stops we found ourselves all the way down at the wreck of the Nicaragua at the 51MM, and Ozzie was there walking the dog on his way back north off the beach after a scouting trip for his next charter. The water wasn’t as clean on the south end of the beach as it was up north, but we threw a couple rods out, and I saw a drum in the wade gut while walking out to cast which was a positive sign. After a while I caught a drum that looked about the same size as the one I saw, and we joked that I just caught the only fish in the ocean. Guide Jeff Wolda stopped by for a brief visit, and indicated
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Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi researchers are studying what can be done to control recently sighted invasive lionfish that can have a devastating effect on local ecosystems. Lionfish, venomous marine fish previously found mostly in the western Pacific Ocean, have been appearing in the Caribbean since the 1980s, and are becoming increasingly sighted off Florida. In 2012, the fish was spotted 40 miles from Port Aransas.
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Paula Hunten with a great padre island black drum. PIYC Farah
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Tides for Corpus Christi (Bob Hall Pier) December 20-26, 2013
Day
High /Low
Tide Time
F
20
Low
20
High
Sa
21
21
Su
Sunrise Moon Time Sunset
% Moon Visible
9:57 AM -0.2
7:15 AM Set 9:22 AM
94
6:41 PM 1.5
5:39 PM Rise 8:46 PM
Low
10:26 AM -0.1
7:15 AM Set 10:00 AM
High
6:58 PM 1.4
5:39 PM Rise 9:37 PM
22
Low
10:54 AM 0.0
7:16 AM Set 10:35 AM
22
High
7:15 PM 1.3
5:40 PM Rise 10:29 PM
M
23
Low
11:24 AM 0.2
7:16 AM Set 11:10 AM
23
High
7:31 PM 1.2
5:40 PM Rise 11:21 PM
Tu
24
Low
3:24 AM 0.6
7:17 AM Set 11:44 AM
66
24
High
6:53 AM 0.7
24
Low
11:56 AM 0.4
24
High
7:46 PM 1.2
W
25
Low
3:31 AM 0.4
7:17 AM Rise 12:15 AM
57
25
High
9:05 AM 0.8
5:41 PM Set 12:20 PM
25
Low
12:30 PM 0.7
25
High
7:59 PM 1.1
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Height in Feet
89 83 75
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Letters to Riley
by Dale Rankin
There’s a lot going on around these parts, so in no particular order here goes.
By Riley P. Dog
Police boat As you may have noticed on the front page of this issue the move to get a police boat for our canal system is dead in the water. A promise from the police chief was that if we Islanders would raise half of the estimated $70,000 or so needed to buy the boat the PD would staff it with two uniformed officers.
It’s been a good year for us dogs and cats on The Island. I’m not sure about the coyotes. So thank you for looking out for us. Now I have a request…. PLEASE SEND HOTDOGS!
The idea was met with a fair amount of skepticism due to a long string of broken promises to the Island from the OTB Powers That Be but we Islanders took it at face value and in just a few months raised about $25,000. But when we started getting close to asking the city for their matching funds we found out that the police chief was “not authorized” to make the promise to staff it. I’ll leave you to decide for yourself exactly what that means.
My humans are starving me and they have cut off the catfood. I’m withering away Santa Paws. I’m withering here. There is a present under my tree with my name on it but I sniffed it and it ain’t no dang hotdog. Some stoopid collar or something. Or maybe even something for the cat. Stoopid Cat! So Santa Paws please send hotdogs as soon as possible to the Save The Riley P. Dog Foundation in International Falls, Minnesota. Send as many as you can Santa Paws. I’m withering away here. Withering I say. I’ve been a good boy, Santa Paws, unless you count eating catfood and two loaves of banana bread I found in the garbage, and I think any dog would eat that if he could get it.
I’m counting on you Santa Paws. Everybody have a good Christmas, be nice to your fourlegged friends and we’ll see you on the other side.
Merry Christmas ya’ll.
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Those of you who read this column regularly know that my tolerance for bureaucratic malaise is not very high and this type of issue is the reason why. We now have seven different law enforcement agencies with boats running in our canals. Some enforce game laws, others boating safety, but five of the seven agencies sole purpose is to chase drug smugglers so they can collect any money they seize to buy more boats. Certainly the border must be patrolled, I get it. But the single biggest complaint we hear from Islanders when it comes to our canals is the lack of enforcement of the No Wake laws. There is no money to be seized from No Wake scofflaws so nobody much cares to enforce those laws. That is what the police boat was going to be there for; that and to curb the madness at the Ski Basin and other non-beach locals during the peak summer months when visitors turn the canals into party zones. We Islanders currently pay over $180,000 per year from the Island Tax Increment Financing Zone for boats to patrol Packery Channel. They are based downtown. When is the last time any of us saw a city boat patrolling Packery Channel? I would remind the brass in our Police Department that the idea of a police boat for the canals did not originate on The Island. It was brought to the Island Strategic Action Committee by police officers who saw a need for it and asked us for help making it happen. We did our part. We raised the money and lived up to our end of the bargain and now it’s time for the police department to do the same. I will remind the OTB Powers That Be that we are still but 4% of the city’s population and 15% of the tax base. We pay more than our fair share and we don’t ask for much but we’re asking for a police boat. City elections are in November.
Signs of growth
& Wine Bar
Nueces County Tax Collector Kevin Kieschnick reports that his office is licensing 750 out of county cars per month. This is aside from new cars being bought and old cars being renewed; this is new people moving to town. There have been 2600 new registrations in the past two years. In the past two censuses, 2000 and 2010, our city has grown by about 4% each time, just barely above natural growth which accounts for births and deaths, while the remainder of the state grew at 14% and 24% respectively in each of those two counts. We had some catching up to do and it looks like it’s happening.
Growth pattern There is a pattern emerging from our growth as well that, based on previous experience, shouldn’t be surprising. I lived in both San Antonio and Austin through the 80s and 90s as the growth in those cities began to take off and there is a common theme between the patterns there and here; in each case downtown is the last piece of the puzzle to fall into place.
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I lived in downtown San Antonio when both Seaworld and Fiesta Texas (now Six Flags Fiesta Texas) were built and it was dead. Dead. As the city’s outer limits grew by leaps and bounds the Riverwalk languished. But when the tourists began arriving in numbers at the theme parks they started looking for something to do after they went to the parks and the Riverwalk was the answer. By that time the city had spent in excess of $20 million doing pretty much exactly what we are doing downtown now; tearing up downtown streets to change the direction of traffic, closing other streets to create pedestrian areas. It was all wasted money. All they succeeded in doing was driving mom and pop businesses out of business – check Chaparral Street these days. It wasn’t until private money showed up that positive things happened.
But the fundraising is going to continue on the grounds that if we stop collecting money then the idea of getting the boat is dead for good. As long as we’re raising money the project is still alive.
This isn’t over.
Restaurant
December 12, 2013
Stuff I Heard on the Island
Dear Santa Paws
Dear Santa Paws,
San Antonio Riverwalk in quieter times The same pattern happened in Austin. When development pushed the city center north residential property was added to downtown and now more than 70,000 new residential dwellings have been built there. The tallest residential building west of the Mississippi River is now at 3rd Street and Congress. I’m no urban planner but I have eyes to see. I see the same type of pattern emerging here. The theme park coming to The Island will draws people here who haven’t been here before. After a day at the park and a day on the beach they’ll be looking around for more to do. Corpus Christi, like San Antonio and unlike Austin, has/had plenty of empty downtown buildings that can be turned into residential. A healthy downtown residential population will spawn restaurants, night spots, and retail, the tourists will find them and downtown will flourish. Downtown residential development was the key to both San Antonio and Austin’s downtown revitalization; in both cases I would point out the success was not due to public money; downtown came around when private money brought it around. I see a similar pattern happening here. When downtown turns the corner, and it will, it won’t be because city taxpayers spent $70 million on a downtown park. It will be because private investors decide it is an idea whose time has come. The San Antonio and Austin examples have shown us that downtowns do not have to be the The center of a healthy local economy, only A center of a healthy local economy. Here’s betting that our downtown will be a completely different place in the not so distant future and it won’t be because we gave the streets a publicly funded makeover. It will be because out-of-town money comes in and bigfoots the traditional resistance to progress that Corpus has a well deserved reputation for. We’re growing whether we like it or not and worry not for downtown; if the San Antonio and Austin examples hold true downtown will be a different place sooner rather than later. Money talks.
December 12, 2013
Fire continued from A1
Kayak Hijacked Monday, December 16, 2:16 p.m. 15338 South Padre Island Drive (storage area) Theft (Penal Code Section 31.03) State Jail Felony A 67-year-old man reported a theft at 15338 South Padre Island Drive Monday to the Corpus Christi Police. The 67-yearold man told Officers some unknown person stole his eleven foot kayak valued at $1,800 dollars.
Broken window Monday, December 16, 2013, 8:10 a.m. 14254 South Padre Island Drive Criminal Mischief (Penal Code Section 28.03) Class A Misdemeanor A 31-year-old man reported a damaged window at a business at 14254 South Padre Island Drive Monday to Corpus Christi Police. The 31-year-old man told Officers some unknown person broke the window to the front door of a restaurant and estimated the cost to repair the damage at about $900 dollars.
Police Calls 14200 block SPID 4:19 p.m. Dec. 10 Building fire 14900 block SPID 10 p.m. Dec. 14 Burglary of vehicle 3440 block Compass 3 a.m. Dec. 15 Burglary of vehicle 13900 block Primavera 11:02 p.m. Dec. 12 Warrant 1400 block Granada 7 p.m. Dec. 11 Burglary of vehicle 14700 block Whitecap 2:30 a.m. Dec. 15 Warrant 15000 block SPID 3 p.m. Dec. 14 Theft $1500-$20,000 15200 block Barataria 9:51 p.m. Dec. 13 Public intoxication 15100 block Barataria 9 p.m. Dec. 15 Theft $500-$1500 12800 block Doubloon 10:19 p.m. Dec. 11 Assault with injury 13900 block Primavera 11:02 p.m. Dec. 12 Warrant 13700 block La Calle Entrada 2:05 p.m. Dec. 13 Credit Card abuse 15800 block SPID 11:07 p.m. Dec. 12 Public intoxication 16200 block SPID 1:42 p.m. Dec. 14 Criminal trespass/Illegal dumping 5001000 pounds
When brush trucks from the Corpus Christi Fire Department and Flour Bluff Fire Departments arrived they found the vehicle belonging to the man engulfed in flames which were being whipped by a strong wind blowing in from the northwest. Soon twenty-foot high flames were being pushed toward Park Road 22 and crews closed the road and prepared a fire line to stop the fire at that point. Islander David Pierce who manages the property for the Jones family trust out of Kansas City rushed to the scene and found the source; a trespasser. For the past several years Pierce has been attempting to stop trespassing on the property with signs and regular checks but his efforts so far have not been able to stop the hunters and others from entering the property illegally. Just before the fire jumped the roadway the wind shifted to the north and the fire began roaring southward toward a shooting range on land owned by the Texas General Land office where a dozen shooters continued their target practice, seemingly unaware of the approaching inferno. Developer Paul Schexnailder owns the property directly adjoining Sea Pines, where the fire starter entered by driving past No Trespassing signs. The driver, and many others, had driven past the signs and across/around a ditch dug on the south side of Sea Pines and entered the 1260-acre Jones site without permission. When his car became stuck in soft sand the heat from the engine ignited the deep, dry grass and the fire was on. Since Saturday a barricade has been placed across the road leading onto the property – the latest of several over the years - and city crews are said to be preparing to locate cement barriers there, and possibly other Island locations, to prevent further unwanted incursions onto the 6500-plus acres of privately-owned, undeveloped land on The Island. The fire is the latest in a long line of problems that have caused private landowners to request that the city begin blocking access to the private land from public roadways on The Island. In November owners of the Manti Group requested that the city block access to their land along Packery Channel from SPID because of excessive dumping of trash. Further south the Texas General Land Office is in the process of selling 3860 to Kleberg County due to unregulated public use of the land, which includes the impromptu shooting gallery. The GLO lacks the staff to manage and maintain it. In the Saturday incident the driver was not charged but, according to police records, was cited for trespassing, reckless destruction, and illegal dumping 500-1000 pounds, ironicly for leaving the burned out hulk of his vehicle behind on the property. No one was hurt and no buildings were damaged, however, firefighters at the scene said if the wind had been out of the southeast, like it is most of the year, they may not have been able to stop the fire before it reached neighborhoods on the south side of Sea Pines.
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Black line shows burned area.
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A Texas Tradition: 2013 Texas Capitol Ornament
By Todd Hunter, District 32
The holidays are a time for traditions and the Texas Capitol has one of its very own. Every year, a new Texas Capitol Ornament is created in recognition of the beautiful architectural features displayed in our Texas Capitol building. As we celebrate this holiday season, I want to take the opportunity to discuss the background and history behind this year’s 2013 capitol ornament. This year’s ornament was designed to feature and depict the stunning skylights found in the Texas House and Texas Senate Chambers. This skylight feature dates back to 1887 and was originally designed and created to be used as a decorative glass ceiling. Nearly 50 years after first being installed, one of the skylights fell in the Senate chamber, spawning an investigation. The investigation was done by architect C.H. Page and engineer William E. Simpson. During the investigation, they prepared the “Building Survey Report of the Texas Capitol, 19381939” for the State Board of Control, which was at that time, responsible for the care of the Capitol Building. The report created by both the architect and engineer resulted in the removal of the original decorative glass skylights. Some historians believe the original glass skylights to have been removed around 1947 and they were subsequently replaced with a sound absorbing material. Following the removal of the original glass skylights, the skylights were acquired by state officials and the general public. Many people cut them down and used the glass for decorative purposes which was included in table tops and small home windows. In 1983, the State Preservation Board was created and given the responsibility for the Texas Capitol building. Since the boards creation, there has been no record of any glass problems.
In 1993, the Texas Capitol extension project was completed and provided a significant additional amount of space to its Capitol occupants and thereby improved the Capitol’s functionality. This expansion literally doubled the available square footage of the Capitol and also provided two floors of underground parking. A few years later in 1995, following the completion of the Capitol Extension, the State Capitol building underwent a comprehensive restoration of both the interior and exterior parts of the Capitol building. During that time many features of the Capitol were restored to their original designs, including the glass skylights. These skylights were replaced with reproductions due to the fact that the original skylights were lost. The replacing of this significant architectural feature helped to return the House and Senate chambers back to their original appearance. Finally, in 1997, the grounds surrounding the Capitol building were also given a renovation in order to create a park-like atmosphere. Each and every year, the state of Texas has a tradition of featuring a special and unique holiday ornament modeled after the many historical architectural design elements of the state Capitol building. If you are interested in starting your own tradition of collecting this year's 2013 Texas Capitol ornament or previous ornaments, they are available at the Texas Capitol Gift shop or their website at: www. texascapitolgiftshop.com If you have questions regarding any of the information mentioned in this article, please do not hesitate to call my Capitol or District Office. As always, my offices are available at any time to assist with questions, concerns or comments (Capitol Office, 512-463-0672; District Office, 361-949-4603). Rep. Hunter represents Nueces County (Part). He can be contacted at todd.hunter@house. state.tx.us or at 512-463-0672.
Agents Offer Checklist for Texans Buying Health Insurance Inside or Outside the Exchange December 16, 2013) With some progress being reported on repairs to Healthcare.gov, many consumers are moving forward with efforts to purchase coverage through the electronic marketplace. However, gaining access to the website may only be the beginning of an exercise that could leave many consumers uncertain about key details regarding the coverage they choose. Mark Bellman, president of the Texas Association of Health Underwriters, offered this assessment of the dilemma that many consumers may experience: “So many consumers will be focused on the pricing of the coverage available and may not be taking the time to consider details that, if known, might cause them to make other selections. The cheapest deal may not be the best deal.” Bellman continued, “Questions like, ‘Is my current doctor included in the plan?’; ‘How much will my out-of-pocket expenses be?’; and ‘Will I be able to receive the same medications that I’m currently taking?’ are among an array of important details that most will want to know before making a choice. Many will discover, after it’s too late, that their doctor or preferred hospital are not in the networks of the plan they select.” Because of complications in using the website immediately following its rollout, consumers now have until December 23, 2013, to purchase policies that will take effect January 1, 2014. Overall enrollment for the year will end on March 31, 2014. Members of the association that Bellman leads are working feverishly to help Texans meet the deadline and make the right choices at no charge to the consumer, a fact that many fail to realize, since agent commissions are paid by insurers. Bellman added, “The cost of purchasing a policy will be the same for a consumer that uses an agent as one that does not. The commissions an insurer expects to pay are already built into
the cost of a plan, so the price inside or outside the Exchange is the same whether or not an agent is involved.” He continued, “Consumers are, in a way, leaving money on the table if they don’t seek the assistance of insurance professionals in shopping for coverage that best meets their needs and preferences.” Following is a brief checklist covering some of the considerations that health agents address with their customers when assisting them in choosing coverage: 1. Check whether your doctor and hospital preferences are included in the plan’s network. 2. Check to determine what you will have to pay out-of-pocket on things like deductibles, co-pays, and possibly co-insurance. 3. Make sure the plan covers any medical services or benefits that you require as well as future health care needs you may have. 4. Make sure the plan covers any prescriptions that you must take. 5. Ask about processing time and what will happen after you apply so you will know what to expect. Bellman commented, “Many of the navigator organizations that the government is funding to assist consumer sign-up are recognized groups that make significant contributions to our society. While their efforts are well-intentioned, we may be placing an unrealistic burden on them given their lack of expertise and experience in providing counsel on coverage options and in managing sensitive personal data.” Reports of efforts to defraud consumers have led state and federal agencies, including the Federal Trade Commission, to warn consumers to be cautious in providing social security numbers, credit cards, bank accounts and other personal information to individuals purporting to be involved in assisting with insurance registration.
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Island Moon
Real Estate Roundup
Return to the Sun! By Mary Lou White 361-960-9460 marylou@baxterbrooks.com I left Corpus Christi on 21 November, to have Thanksgiving with family and friends in Tennessee. I used to travel frequently, but Real Estate is not a profession that lends itself to being away. Therefore, I rarely have to navigate my way through airports, these days. Thank Goodness, because it was not a great experience. In the housing industry, they are constantly addressing the need to keep up with population growth and changing demographics, apparently, the airport terminal industry missed that memo…..overcrowded, dirty, lack of maintenance, not user friendly….. the list is endless. To be honest, this is just the tip of the iceberg. It is indicative of the aging infrastructure in the United States. Which brings me back to my original goal for this article: Thank Heavens for Texas.
Return to Prosperity and Sun Sometimes you are too close to see the forest for the trees. If you leave and come back, you see a situation in a new light. For the entire three weeks I was gone, I think I only saw the sun maybe two days. It was grey, it was cold and for three days we were snowed in. Of course, even upper Texas got in on some of that action. I did not clear the cloud cover until the final leg of my flight from Houston to Corpus Christi, which was a vivid reminder of why we chose to move here, in the first place. No wonder we are a magnet for Winter Texans. In addition to warm winter weather, we have a thriving economy that is being fueled by the endless demand for energy. Everywhere you look, there is construction taking place, in private, commercial and industrial sectors. That translates into jobs and people with jobs are much, much happier!
The Secondary Element When my neighbor brought over my mail, it took two arms to accept the load. After sorting, I homed in on the Christmas cards sent by family and friends, better organized than I am. After reading numerous cards and letters, I realized there was one common theme, in almost every one. We moved this year OR we are going to move in 2014. This just proves my theory, that people are sick and tired of being sick and tired. You can scare the American public into nonaction for only so long, then they will decide to move on with their plans regardless of the economic situation. Of course, in Texas, we were lucky to miss the full brunt of the economic shock wave and we saw a definite turn around
early last year in the real estate market, here. Now, I am seeing that change reflected in these written testaments from people living all across the USA. My sincere hope for 2014 is a stable world that will allow people to focus on their own lives and work towards investing in a better future for everyone. Being informed is a good thing…..Happy Holidays and it’s good to be back!
Padre Island Real Estate Ticker
3
Multi Family Units For Sale From $329,900 to $1,100,000
11
Commercial Properties For Sale From $150,000 to $12,000,000
170
Lots and Land For Sale From $32,000 to $1,200,000
196
Residences For Sale From $79,900 to $1,495,000
380
Total Active Listings on Padre Island For Sale
45
MLS reported Closed Properties in November 2013 on Padre Island
11
Lots and Land
34
Residences
3
Multi Family Units For Sale From $550,000 to $635,000
15
Commercial Properties For Sale From $125,000 to $3,000,000
172
Lots and Land For Sale From $40,800 to $5,650,000
213
Residences For Sale From $79,500 to $2,400,000
403
Total Active Listings on Mustang Island For Sale
35
MLS reported Closed Properties in November on Mustang Island
1
Multi Family Unit
5
Lots and Land
29
Residences
The first day you have that little tiny disconcerting tickle in your throat, a funny scratchiness in the roof of your mouth, and/or a slight stuffiness to the ears. You try to write it off to a pizza burn, or maybe yelling your football team to victory on Sunday. That could explain the throat or the mouth, but the ears…. Aahhh… there’s the rub. That first morning of wretchedness you awaken with breath coming in and out of only one nostril. You flip to lie on the other side and after a short spell, your other nostril now is stopped up, and all your suspicions are realized. You have it. It ain’t goin’ away anytime soon, and you are gonna' SUFFA’! In anticipation of the end of November, I always replenish my Robitussin DM, the Tylenol and the numbing nasty nefarious throat spray. The later is now available in “cherry” (right) which is slightly less despicable than the previous Pine Sol flavored variety. It is just plain evil, but required if you are to persevere. Last year I was prescribed some heavy duty cough syrup which I think, if sold on the street could net me some serious bucks. It is priceless however and I would not dream of parting with so much as a drop, so don’t even think it. I dole it out by the ¼ teaspoonful, though the instructions call for a full teaspoon every 12 hours. I tried that on the first dose, and didn’t wake up for nearly 24 hours. By day two, the red nose rivals that of Rudolph the day after the long ride. This is about the time you need the Aloe coated tissues and resort to smearing something gooey like Vaseline or moisturizer on your painful proboscis. A word of advice, do not attempt to clean your glasses with this particular type of tissue. Disaster. Day three dawns with the added dimension of a throat which feels it has swallowed a shattered champagne bottle (sans the champagne). This accompanied by lungs that gurgle and coo not unlike new| baby doll you Font bought Size: your 3.5” xthat 2.5” Maximum
Judge Chesney is a big believer in preventative maintenance and talking with these fine students now is certainly a proactive approach to being a public servant. Judge Brent Chesney has delivered this message and others to children all over Nueces County for the three years he has been on the bench. Judge Brent Chesney is the presiding judge in Nueces County that handles Juvenile criminal matters. For more information please contact Judge Brent Chesney at 361-561-6056
History continued from A1 ultimate destination being St. Louis, Mo. where he had a large cache of treasure. He assigned the job to a brutish fellow by the name of Gaspar Trammel, for whom the trace was named, who loaded it into six wagons and set out. Two hundred miles north near a lake fed by the headwaters of the Sabine River the entourage was encamped for the night when a scout rode into camp and informed Trammel that a group of Mexican soldiers was a mile away and closing fast. Trammel ordered his head driver, Robert Dawson, to cut the horses’ leads and roll the wagons with the silver into the lake, which was done. When the Mexicans attacked only Dawson and two others managed to escape. The Mexican colonel drove the remaining wagons to San Antonio only to discover the silver was gone. The colonel returned to the lake to find that recent rains had risen its level five feet and obliterated any evidence of the missing wagons. Dawson made his way to St. Louis and eventually back to the lake but never found the silver. Later, in 1895 three Mexicans, carrying maps, returned to what by then was called Hendricks Lake and began to drain it but seepage refilled it as fast as they drained it. Other various attempts also met with failure.
Lucky strikes
Mindy continued from A1 by the Puffs supply on the shelves at HEB. Just this week, the shelves were approximately 50% bare, with no sign of the smelly aloe tissues available at all! Proof.
Juvenile and Family court Judge Brent Chesney will be addressing the Port Aransas middle school students on Thursday December 19th at 9:30am in the middle school gymnasium and the elementary students at 11:00 am at Olsen Elementary school. "The students in Port Aransas are outstanding and this attempt is simply me doing what I can as a PROACTIVE public servant to help make sure these issues are addressed and emphasized before any trouble occurs," Judge Brent Chesney said.
Mexican trouble
Mustang Island Real Estate Ticker
Judge Brent Chesney to Address Port Aransas Students
toddler for Christmas. Yummy, the delights of the season! No whining until day 3. Until that time you continue to write it off to maybe… allergies, something passing through with that last front. By day 3 you know you have not dodged the flu bullet. (This applies to women only. Men begin to whine and moan on day one, in anticipation of the possibility of a germ infecting their tender beings.) Kleenex everywhere. Stuck in ladies sleeves, pockets, purses and coats. At a bridge gathering it is not unusual to find them in the chair, or scattered like crumbs on the way to grandmother’s house between card tables. I consider myself the Kleenex Queen with at least a six pack always on hand. If my supply gets any lower than that, I begin to get a tad nervous. Day 4, 5 or 6 calls for some rethinking of your situation. You are still alive and you are feeling that you just might survive yet another visit by the uninvited virus. Not quite time to put away the tissues or Tylenol but a time to truly appreciate what it feels like to breathe using your entire nose, and to value your lung capacity like never before.
Then in 1928 three fishermen brought up three silver bars from shallow water in the lake where they had launched their boat, but that was all they found. In 1959 a Houston drilling company was drilling in the area and as part of their operation set off dynamite near the lake causing some of it to drain. At the bottom they found an old wagon wheel and several pieces of wood that looked like they were part of an old freight wagon at least one hundred years old. They found nothing more. In 1975 two divers found pieces of wood and metal fitting from a wagon, and the iron rim of a large wooden wagon wheel but nothing more. The lake hides its secrets in twelve feet of muddy gumbo. All attempts to make Hendricks lake surrender them up have failed. And whatever happened to Jean Lafitte himself. The stories are as murky as the bottom of Hendricks Lake, but the best evidence assembled over the centuries is that the pirate Lafitte and the Jean Lafitte who lived in St. Louis and died in Alton, Illinois in 1854, were one and the same. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.
The first day of real recuperation calls for admiring those folks who are really sick, suffering from more serious illnesses. Time to take stock of those other 300 plus days of the year when you feel like wrapping Christmas packages or stuffing turkeys. So what if it’s May that’s no excuse.
December 12, 2013
Projects continued from A1 Committee he would provide two officers to staff the boat and is now reporting he was “not authorized” to make that promise. The police boat project is in dry dock until further notice. No word on what will happen to the money collected. Frontage road along SPID. (From Commodores north to Jackfish). Will be resurfaced, no firm date but within seven-year cycle. Traffic Contra Flow on SH 361/Packry Bridge. A plan is being formulated to allow for traffic on the third lane of the bridge to reverse flow during peak hours. Regional Parkway. Planning is underway for a second causeway to The Island which would cross from Yorktown Road in Flour Bluff to Sea Pines on The Island. It is a longterm project but planning is underway.
City Council At-Large Member Mark Scott Water Supply. The City of Corpus Christi supplies water to 18 cities in the region, including 500,000 residents. The Corpus Christi system is one of the few which draws water from four sources; Lake Corpus Christi, Choke Canyon Lake, Lake Texana, and the Colorado River system. The new section of the Mary Rose Pipeline will come on-line in 2015. The current cost of water is 89 cents per 1000 gallons, water from the Mary Rose Pipeline will cost $1.30 per 1000 gallons. The current cost for desalinated water is $5 per 1000 gallons. 40% of the water use in the city is for industrial use. Plans are underway to replace some of that treated water with affluent from city treatment plants. The Mexico-based company Oxychem is bringing $1 billion of new development to the port area.
City Council At-Large Lillian Riojas According to the Milken Institute Corpus Christi has gone from 44th to 17 in new job creation since October, 2012. During that time 7000 people have found work, with 4200 of those being newly created jobs. Unemployment in the area is 5.5% while the national average is 7.3%. Estimates are that 65,000 new jobs will be created in the area in the next ten years. Of that number, $13 billion in investments in the energy sector will create 1300 of them. The local workforce is aging. By 2017 fully 50% of the workforce at Valero Energy will be of retirement age; by 2017 that number will be 54%.
City Council At-Large David Loeb The city has added two additional ambulances and is staffing them with existing staff. 80% of calls to the Fire Department are for medical emergencies, only 2% are for fires. 15 firefighters respond to each house fire call. A re-organization of city staff is underway. The Medic 14 District in Corpus Christi was making 1500 calls per month, the tenth highest number in the nation. This was due to the population’s lack of health care and their use of Emergency Service as their primary health care. Each EMS call costs $1000. By reorganizing Medic 14 the ambulances stationed on The Island are spending less time making calls OTB. A restructuring of the City’s Utility Department around cash flows rather than tasks will cut the budget by 50% and (eventually) the workforce by 30% without effecting service. The old system maintained redundant crews for checking sewer, water, and gas lines meaning three crews often traveled to the same worksite. The new system has one crew checking all lines. Currently four separate city departments are responsible for mowing grass. Under the organization the Parks Department will do all the mowing. Streets and Storm Water are currently in the same department. Under the new system Streets will become its own department. By industry standards the City is currently under funding the employees’ pension system by $6 million per year. The current employees pension fund is only funded at 85% of what is needed to keep it solvent. Funding the city’s workforce is the biggest long-term problem the city faces.
Since it’s only day 2, I’m resplendent in my flannel pj’s with a mismatched totally tacky bathrobe, tissues in my pockets and cherry throat spray never far from reach. I sincerely hope the sniffles pass by your house this winter or at least don’t hit you just before LaPosada weekend! If someone should be so kind as to share the virus with you, please stay home. Stay in. You won’t be doing anyone a favor by coughing into their airspace, and remember… Typhoid was traced back to one woman by the name of Mary.
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December 12, 2013
Island Moon
A9
Artist continued from A1 Finally, dark smaller canvases exhibit characters reminiscent of fine Dutch painters like Rembrandt or Vermeer. These images masterfully combine dark background, skilled control of light, and discerning detail that impeccably illustrate the essence of her subject; revealing character, mood and personality.
“Finally, art resurfaced after I had surgery ten years ago and was confined to home and started thinking about painting again and started painting on the computer”, she acknowledged. The intense love that she felt earlier in her life about art resurfaced, refilled her palette and refueled her desire to learn and create more.
touches them, then I am happy. I do it for my own enjoyment. I learned a long time ago that if I just create for other people then I lose the joy of creating. It has to come from me. I am most pleased with my works that give me joy and a sense of accomplishment”.
What do all of those have in common? Carolyn’s art is all done on the computer. She has taught herself to paint using computer software and she has taught herself Fractal Art, an art form that came to life in the 1980s and became entrenched not only in art but in animation.
Learning on her own, she has followed her own interests, passions, subjects, and styles to create the wide spectrum of art she now produces. She did take an art class one year ago about wire wrapping because as she declared, “I love shells and I wanted a way to incorporate them in jewelry”.
A self-taught artist, Carolyn has branched out to appreciate and incorporate many different art styles, however, the computer is her chief tool for creating her masterpieces. Carolyn reflected, “ It took five years to learn fractal art. It is done on the computer and printed on canvas, metal or paper. Sometimes I mix organic things with the fractal art”.
Attempting to pin her down to declare a favorite art style is next to impossible as Staut offered, “My favorite is whatever I am doing at the time. Art is an adventure to learn new things, techniques, and challenges to see what I can do next”.
Currently her art spotlight is focused on watercolors and she is swiftly devouring that style with its unique skills, applications, and possibilities. Her watercolors are presently the only art not created on the computer. Carolyn shared, ““I am exploring water color now. I am also adapting my watercolor to jewelry”.
Welcome to the world of Carolyn. A generous sampling of her art is shown on the Fine Art America website or you can view it in person at Padre Island Mail Plus where owner David Devlin will gladly show you her paintings, handbags and earrings and explain the processes that she uses to create her fantastic pieces. Her art is also shown at WWW.Redbubble.com Carolyn began dabbling in art about 40 years ago when she took a few painting classes in Costa Rica. She was instantly hooked and subsequently began her life long career as a self-taught artist. Focusing her college studies on social work, Carolyn did not take any art classes. After taking those first classes in Costa Rica, she enjoyed art for several years and then took a break when her children came along, but like a buried, burning passion, art was still there somewhere in her blood waiting for an opportunity to reappear.
A New Brunswick, New Jersey native, Carolyn and her husband first settled in Corpus Christi in 1990 but moved around with her husband as his career in the United States Coast Guard involved periodically relocating. She is happy to be back in Corpus Christi and because she loves shells, she is convinced that she is living in the perfect area. What inspires her? “Nature inspires me”, she quickly responded. “I am also a photographer. Sometimes a photograph comes out beautiful and I think I would like to paint that”. With the incredible landscapes, seascapes, beaches, shells, and birds, there is an abundance of nature in the Corpus Christi area for Carolyn to draw on for her inspiration.
Staut does admit that there are a few artists who influence her creative process including Monet (and the trail of talented impressionists), O’Keefe, and Vermeer among others. When pressed to suggest what viewers might find important or meaningful in her art, Staut honestly and directly conceded, ““I create art for myself and if somebody sees my joy and it
Though art is such a personal experience to Carolyn, one that she accepts, nurtures and thoroughly and enthusiastically explores on her own, she intensely encourages and advocates the value and place of art in public education. “I think that art and music help us to develop our joyful expression of creativity. Children are
so open to new things and open to creativity. Art and music are other doors to open creativity. They should be in our schools for all children, particularly for those who do not have the means to afford private lessons”, Staut disclosed. In discussing the emotional elements and impact of her art Carolyn reflected and then revealed, “I enjoy a sense of peace, joy of color, and meditative drawing – a form of drawing and doing a meditation at the same time. Meditating helps get all of the monkey chatter out of my brain and really helps me with my concentration.” Carolyn is a warm, confident and outgoing artist, yet it took her years to show her work. She admitted, “I painted for 4 or 5 years and never showed anybody a thing. I have not shared my artwork for long”. She has since shown her work in Corpus Christi at shows, online, and, of course, now on the island. All of Carolyn’s art reflects a keen interest in color, light and nature. Whether it was created on the computer or by hand, the viewer will no doubt find a style, print or piece that they love as much as Carolyn did when she created it.
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