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September 19, 2013
Photo By Lisa Towns
The Island where we talk like Pirates every day! Next Publication Date: 9/26/2013
Around The Island
By Dale Rankin editor@islandmoon.com When the Chinese coined the phrase “may you live in interesting time” they probably weren’t thinking about The Island but they could have been. After years of hearing that sooner or later The Island “is about to explode” we are now riding the wave of that explosion. Last week we told you about a $550 million liquid natural gas plant that is coming to Harbor Island and will mean a terrific boost to the tax base in Port Aransas. This week we have more news about the Port of Corpus Christi and projects coming there that when completed will actually double the amount of taxable property in Nueces County – adding $16 billion in value to the current $15 billion. That’s a lot of Bs. At the same time on Padre Island work is moving quickly on the Schlitterbahn Beach Country Waterpark which is on schedule to be open next summer. But the waterpark is only one piece of a much larger $550 million development that will include a 3600-foot canal, which is almost completely dug, and retail and lodging which will be unique on the Texas Coast. It is a time of change on our little Island and we have a front seat at the parade; interesting times indeed.
Reefing madness The artificial reef going in just off the coast is about to become a reality. As of this writing the material that will become the reef is on a barge making its way from the port area downtown to Port Aransas where it will await better weather offshore. By the time the next issue comes out we should have pictures of it being put into place in 73 feet of water, about nine miles east/ northeast of Packery Channel. Check our Facebook page theislandmoonnewspaper for updates.
Mosquito Fleet Thursday is Talk Like A Pirate Day and there’s big parade planned for Port Aransas, see Ronnie’s Around Port A column in this issue for more information. But down south past the Mansfield Cut there is a real pirate problem. Jay Gardner wrote about it a few issues back but now the problem seems to be getting worse. Texas Game Wardens are playing hide and seek with the fish pirates who are sneakingup from Mexican waters and stringing illegal gill nets and trotlines off the Texas coast. The wardens report that the trotlines are hard to find because there is usually no sign on the surface except a floating jug or other item that is often seen at sea. The pirates poach game and their nets catch anything that happens to swim by – including a great number of sharks. They are referred to as the mosquito fleet because when one of them is caught the rest scatter like mosquitoes. Pirates are one type of cultural exchange we don’t need with our neighbor to the south.
El Grito! And speaking of our friends down Mexico way, Monday marked the 203 year of Mexican Independence from Spain. Mexican Independence Day is celebrated in the Zocalo in Mexico City where the words of Father Miguel Hidalgo calling for Mexicans to throw out the Spaniards are read aloud to a huge crowd. The exact words of the El Grito have been lost to history so each historian since 1810 has pretty much made up their own; as our Mexican friends are fond of saying there is the right way, the wrong way, and the Mexican way. Viva la diferencia! Say hello if you see us Around The Island.
P.I. DOG To Hold Dog Walk on Saturday Padre Island Dog Owners Group is pleased to announce a Dog Walk at Billish Park on September 21st at 9:00 a.m. We will have a Beginning Rally course for you to try and some jumps in addition to the walk around the park. A short organizational meeting will be held, so bring a mat or towel for your dog to lie on and a folding chair for you. We will have a chest of bottled cold water for you and your dog. Our next activity will be an AKC Canine Good Citizen Class/Basic Obedience Class that will begin on Monday, September 30th. This course will consist of seven lessons with the eighth class being the CGC test. The class will be taught by the Obedience Club of Corpus Christi. We will have registration for the class at the Dog Walk. Class size will be limited to fifteen dogs, so call Dog Walk continued on A13
Is it Time to Raise the Price on Beach Parking Permits?
Facebook: The Island Moon Newspaper
Year 16, Issue 492
The Island’s Window to the World
Eagle Ford has made Port of Corpus Christi an “Export”
Record $1.5 million raised this year By Dale Rankin Visitors to area beaches so far this year have bought 137,004 Beach Parking Stickers, already surpassing the total amount for last year of 119,000. The $12 stickers so far have produced $1.5 million in revenue which is split between the cities of Corpus Christi and Port Aransas and Nueces County. The breakdown is as follows: So far this year the City of Corpus Christi has received $708,814; Port Aransas $570,133; Nueces County $261,953. The Hotel/Motel Occupancy Tax (HOT) has produced another $1 million this year in Corpus Christi and the City of Corpus Christi has spent $1.8 million on beach maintenance with the $1 million from the HOT being supplemented by the $708 million from the permit revenue, and $62,737 from the Texas General Land Office. But the recent uptick in Beach Parking Permit sales and the record number of visitors who packed the beaches this year, and the Parking continued on A4
Island Moon ArtWalk This Saturday at the Seawall One of the drawbacks to being a weekly paper and doing weekend events is that we go to press on Wednesday and the weekend weather can change a lot between Wednesday and Saturday. So here’s the deal. We are doing the Island Moon ArtWalk this weekend at the seawall but not rain or shine. Only shine. We have about twenty five vendors so far and it looks like it will be a great event – weather permitting. The forecast calls for storms but the weather wonks have been wrong before so we’ll see. As always the event is free to vendors and the public.
At any time there are between twelve and twenty ships waiting outside the channel at Port Aransas to load. This year marks the first in thirty years for the Port of Corpus Christi to export more oil and gas than it imports. By Dale Rankin Officials from the Port of Corpus Christi this week made their annual strategic planning report to the Corpus Christi City Council. Among the highlights: - More than $16 billion in new development is under contract for the port area, including Harbor Island in Port Aransas. - This year marks the first time in thirty years that the Port of Corpus Christi has exported more oil and gas then it has imported.
Schlitterwork!
Port continued on A4
The Island Has a River!
As of this publication we will be there. If it is pouring rain well, we’ll take a rain check. Keep on eye on our Facebook page theislandmoonnewspaper for updates. ArtWalk continued on A4
It’s Almost Time to Adopt-A-Beach Fall Cleanup set for September 28 It’s time to start looking for your gloves and boots to get ready for the 27 Annual Adopt-ABeach cleanup on September 28. Volunteers may register at check-in sites between 8:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. on Saturday, September 28 (St. Jo Island volunteers must register in advance.) The cleanup will take place at 29 sites around the state. Now in its 27th year, 446,000 Adopt-A-Beach volunteers have picked up 17 million pounds of litter from the Gulf Coast. To participate, register at www.TexasAdoptABeach.org. Volunteers should wear closed-toe shoes, a hat Adopt-A-Beach continued on A3
La Posada Logo Contest It will be here before you know it! By Brent Rourk The Padre Island Yacht Club is sponsoring a contest to design the official logo for the 2013 La Posada Lighted Boat Parade and events. The winning logo will be used on both the official La Posada T-shirt and the new La Posada Flag as well as other La Posada sponsored events. The winning design must include the Island Symbol (the fish sculpture welcome sign you see when you come to the Island over the La Posada continued on A4
Work continues to turn the single-story clubhouse at Padre Isles Country Club into a two-story building. Meanwhile, the Island’s first and so far only river got some water in it this week when rains filled up the path that will become the river around the Schlitterbahn Beach Country Resort. The path of the “lazy”
By Joey Farah
river is cut but the water was unexpected. Also at the site, crews ran the first concrete in the project as part of the wave pool is taking shape. The rains early in the week didn’t slow down progress at the site as it drains quickly… it’s sand you know.
Following the Migration
Farah’s Fishing Adventures Many of you have seen all the trucks parked along the side of the Packery Channel and areas close to the JFK. The herds of redfish I’ve been speaking of in the last few weeks are flowing through the area. With the rise of the tides with the last storm the fall run has started. Much more than a movement here but throughout the entire bay system. Baitfish are marching out to the beaches and birds, game fish, and anglers are all following for the fall feast. This morning as we fired up the Blazer Bay and headed south around looming clouds we passed erupting schools of mullet along the Intracoastal Canal. Brown pelicans dove and ate as we pointed out ruffled water in the flats marking schools of reds rising to the surface.
My office. Best Backyard ever There seems to be too many options at times. We had an agenda for the day, a few big reds and some quality trout. More than that an old Following the Migration continued on A9
A 2
Island Moon
September
19, 2013
The Travelling Moon gets Around...
Yard of the Month!
The Island Garderners awarded yard of the month for September to Fred and Lana Shelton at 13709 Seahorse. Their landscape is very colorful with plumerias, esperanzas, jatrophas and many other tropicals. The Sheltons have graciously agreed to be one of our island homes to be included in the First Annual Garden Tour on the island presented by the Island Gardeners. The garden tour is coming up on October 19th. In the meantime drive by the Sheltons beautiful home for a taste of what’s in store for you in October. More about the garden tour in future editions of The Moon. As always, if you know of someone deserving of Yard of the Month please call Dianne @ 563-0951
This summer teachers from Port Aransas ISD, researchers, and graduate students from UTMSI traveled to Kaktovik, AK to teach a summer science camp for elementary school students, and to collect samples for our marine biology research. Kaktovik is located on Barter Island, which is on the eastern North Slope of the Alaskan Arctic. (The photo includes: Carrie Harris, Jill Smith, Marilyn Cook, Tara Connelly, and Stephanie Smith).
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Ronnie Pate and his son Mathew Pate took the Moon with them to Yellowstone National Park.
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The Kiwanis Club of Padre Island installed officers and directors for 2013-2014 at an installation dinner on September 10, 2013. Kiwanis Division 4 Lt. Governor Robert Gonzalez installed Karen Wilson, President; John Vaughn, President Elect; Nancy Ludlow, Secretary; and Gladys Choyke, Treasurer. He also installed Jane Angeline, Sandra Muir, LaDonna Powell, Mark Pugh, Leslie RiceHart, Ann Weber and John White to serve on the Board of Directors for 2013-2014. The club also welcomed to membership Clare Bouse, Francene Kline, Susan Vaughn and Linda Walsh.
Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time. The Padre Island Club meets every Wednesday at noon at The Barrel, 15201 S Padre Island Dr, Ste 110, on the Island. Please join us for lunch any Wednesday. For more information about the club, please call Karen at 361 949-0325.
Left to right: President Karen Wilson, Lt. Governor Robert Gonzalez, Treasurer Gladys Choyke, Secretary Nancy Ludlow and President Elect John Vaughn.
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September 19, 2013
Island Moon
A3
Senior Moments By Dotson Lewis
WWII War Crime Trials
dlewis1@stx.rr.com Nuremberg (1945-1949) & Tokyo (1946-1948)
The city of Nuremberg was chosen for the trials of the ‘major war criminals’. Nuremberg had witnessed the infamous Nazi Party rallies and by
When the war (World War II) finally ended, and VJ (Victory over Japan) day was being celebrated many of us (Americans), including this then-17year old; were very concerned that our enemies in Germany and Japan would not be punished for the atrocities that they had committed during the conflict. At that time I had no idea that I would be in close proximity to one of the trials that were to follow. Below is what Paul Harvey often said is “the rest of the story.”
Defendants at Nuremberg In Germany, the Nuremberg War Crime Trials were held 1945 to 1949. I followed very closely the radio and newspaper accounts of these trials. To refresh your memory, the most famous trials at Nuremberg were those of the major war criminals and these were held from November 20th, 1945 to October 1st, 1946. The trials at Nuremberg held after these dates were for the so-called lesser war criminals. As the war reached its end in 1945, the Allies had become aware of appalling atrocities that had taken place in Eastern Europe - what was later called the Holocaust. The outrage caused by these appalling discoveries led to a clamor amongst the Allies that those responsible should be brought to account along with those in the Nazi hierarchy who had waged war in general. Member Padre Island Business Association
After initial disagreements with regards to how the Allies should punish those responsible for war crimes, President Harry (“give ‘em hell!”) Truman gave his full support for a judicial process whereby those arrested would stand trial in public for the allegations made against them. Those men on trial would be given the opportunity to defend themselves.
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The BACK PORCH
The legal basis for the trial was established by the ‘London Charter’ which was issued on August 8th, 1945. This charter restricted the first trials to major war criminals from the Axis nations only. Therefore, allegations of Allied war crimes could not be heard. The court could only hear allegations of war crimes from September 1st, 1939 on. The legal jurisdiction of the court came from the ‘Instrument of Surrender of Germany’ which had transferred political authority over Germany to the Allied Control Council which was given sovereign power over Germany.
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The first trials at Nuremberg were for 24 senior Nazis. The International Military Tribunal formulated four indictments, all or some of which were made against all 24 men. The four indictments were: 1) Participation in a common plan or conspiracy for the accomplishment of crime against peace. 2) Planning, initiating and waging wars of aggression and other crime against peace. 3) War crimes. 4) Crimes against humanity.
Of the 12 defendants sentenced to death by hanging, two were not hanged: Hermann Göring committed suicide the night before the execution and Martin Bormann was not present when convicted (he had, unbeknownst to the Allies, most likely been killed trying to escape from Berlin in May 1945). The remaining 10 defendants sentenced to death were hanged.
Dotson’s Note: As I said earlier I had no idea that I would be in close proximity to one of the trials that would follow. These were the Japanese War Crimes Trials, I will relate to you in the remainder of “the rest of the story” in next week’s issue of The Island Moon.
and sunscreen. They will be provided with data cards, gloves, pencils and trash bags.
2708 or Todd Dwyer, 361-853-9877, Gladys Choyke, 361-816-1243.
Then on November 2 another, and first-time, cleanup will take place on Padre Island National Seashore. We will have more on that event as it gets closer.
Padre Island National Seashore - Check-in: Malaquite Visitor Center, 20420 Park Rd 22. Contact: William “Buzz” Botts, 361-949-8068.
The cleanup does more than simply remove litter from the beach. Data collected from previous Adopt-A-Beach cleanups played an important role in the passage of an international treaty (MARPOL Annex V) restricting the dumping of plastics in the world’s oceans. In 1991, the International Maritime Organization prohibited the dumping of trash, except for finely ground food scraps, into the Gulf of Mexico.
Oct. 5 BACK PORCH
$2 WackyBar Wednesdays!
Local cleanup sites in the area are:
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holding the trials there, it would emphasize the party’s end. Also the large Palace of Justice had been largely undamaged by Allied bombing and it contained a large prison within its complex.
Adopt-A-Beach continued from A1
Larry Joe Taylor
ON THE WATERFRONT
Defendants at Nuremburg
North Padre Island - Check-in: Padre Balli Park Office, 15820 Park Rd. 22. Contact: Jim Needham—Surfrider Foundation, 361-825-
Baffin Bay, Loyola Beach, Riviera - Kleberg County. Check-in: Kaufer-Hubert Park, FM 628 Contact: Susan Ivy, 361-595-8591. St. Joseph Island - Check-in: 8:00 am, Fisherman’s Wharf, 900 Tarpon Street. Contact: Deno Fabrie, 361-749-0256.
Port Aransas - check-in: Avenue G at the beach. Contact: Deno Fabrie, 361-749-0256.
Mustang Island State Park - Check-in: Park Headquarters Parking Lot, 17047 State Highway 361. Contact: Clarissa Flores, 361749-5246.
Rockport - Check-in: Rockport Beach Park beachfront pavilion Contact: Kerry Goodall, 361-729-6661.
Aransas Pass/Redfish Bay -Nueces County. Check-in: Lighthouse Lakes Park, 4 miles east of Aransas Pass on Hwy. 361. Contact: Richard Gonzales, 361-779-7351. Corpus Christi Beach - check-in: Texas State Aquarium, 2710 North Shoreline Blvd. Contact: Rosanna Gossett, 361-881-1203. Cole Park - (Kid’s Place), Corpus Christi Nueces County Check-in: 1526 Ocean Drive.
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Island Moon
A 4
Building a Farley Boat
Port continued from A1
Texas Skiff
By Joe Calvey, Sr. Summer came to an end as the crowds left the beach, traffic became less of a death race and my family returned to San Antonio. I looked at the orbital sander sitting next to the Farley Boat my teenage son Joey and I were building and felt like more than just a part time resident. I was feeling pretty lonely because they took the dog too. Our boat building project is possible because of the Port Aransas Historical Association. In an effort to preserve and revive the history of wooden boat building Farley Boat Works was reconstituted in 2011 under the direction and guidance of Rick Pratt.
they were joined by a soulful harmonica player, 95 year old boat builder Bubba Milina gave the songs sweet depth as he easily played along. After a few songs the crowd closed in as Bubba stunned everyone by singing some old standards from an earlier time. He soon abandoned performing and did the jitterbug with Cam Pratt. Beers, burgers and blues have a way of relaxing people and this crowd opened up during the evening. Several of the group offered to teach classes over the winter at the boat works. Classes being discussed included wood carving, rock carving, marlin spike rope work and photography to mention a few. Work returned to the shop following the weekend break. Our boat was upside down as was the boat being built by Wendy and her husband which they will auction off Oct. 4th at the Abilene Country Club to help find the cure for muscular dystrophy.
- The port will build 8000 feet of new railroad lines to the port at a cost of $46 million. The new rails will allow trains of 110 rail cars to line up on the same track.
At their September meeting the Island Strategic Action Committee (ISAC) instructed staff from the city’s Parks and Recreation Department to begin inquires with the four entities whose permission would be necessary for the price hike. The price would likely rise to increments of $5 to simplify the process of making change for Parks and Recreation employees who must make change on the beach. In order for the price to rise to either $15 or $20 it would take the permission of the City of Corpus Christi, the City of Port Aransas, Nueces County (most likely through the Nueces County Coastal Parks Board chaired by Port Aransas resident Charlie Zahn), and finally the Texas General Land Office.
- More than $30 million in new roads will be built in the port area, with $22 coming from the Texas Department of Transportation. - Five new crude oil docks are currently under construction. - The four things that are driving the rapid expansion at the port are: an inexpensive labor pool; oil and gas production in the Eagle Ford shale play; plenty of water; and the availability to build desalinization plants when they become needed.
Burt Moorhouse, Beverly Bolner and Rick Pratt at the shop Labor Day BBQ
We chose a Texas skiff. This type of flat bottom boat has coursed the back waters and bays for more than 100 years. One down right crazy story is how the Farley brothers would string a half a dozen or so of these skiffs together and tow them out into the Gulf of Mexico, load fishermen into them then set them adrift. Later they would collect those hardy souls and return to port. We will be sticking to the inner coastal waters.
- Martin Midstream which, as The Island Moon reported exclusively last week, has purchased 254 acres of port land on Harbor Island for $34 million where they plan to build a $550 million liquid natural gas export facility. They will build five docks for ocean-going barges at the site where the Texas Treasure gambling ship used to dock.
We began in late July and the weeks went by as the progress of the boat went off without a hitch primarily due to the sole employee of Farley Boat Works, Darrell Lynn. Prior to Lynn’s hiring the boats were built entirely by volunteers helping one another. That camaraderie still exists but because of Lynn’s twenty years of woodworking experience, there are five boat builds going on now.
Bubba Milina plays the harmonica board is a 6 x1 inch board. There is an identical board on the bottom of the boat. These boards give the flat bottom some rigidity and protection. After fiber glassing and gel coating the bottom they need to be bolted together. This leads to having to drill holes in the bottom of the boat. Scary. First you position the board directly over the interior board. Screw it in place with screws that have some caulking on the threads. Then get under the boat. Hopefully this will be the only time the boat is upside down with you under it. Next mark on the interior board drill holes alternating from side to side. Drill a pilot hole
Popular program There is a two year waiting list. The size of the shop limits the number of boats that can be built at one time. The shop equipment is first class, well maintained and professional due to the generosity of the local supporters. Many of the volunteers like Chuck Tise and Blake Kappel build items for an annual fundraiser. Looking at that orbital sander I knew my days and evenings would be filled with the sound of sand paper on wood. But first there was the little matter of some gel coating that wouldn’t cure properly. Not having experience in an area of boat building is not a long term liability unless you don’t try and improve. This is after all a working museum. Fortunately for the Farley Boat Work’s students shop manager Darrell Lynn is more than willing to step up and try something new. When the gel coating failed to cure in a few small areas he researched what went wrong and found the answer then talked with other builders about the problem we encountered. A lesser boat builder would have tried to keep it quiet.
- Due to the limited height of the Harbor Bridge some ships have to take on ballast in their stern in order to get under the bridge. When they do the harbor pilot cannot see around the bow of the ship and a second harbor pilot must be brought on board. - “The Port of Corpus Christi is currently out of land to develop,” Frank Brogan told the city council. “Five years ago we thought we had twenty years worth of land but we did not see the Eagle Ford coming. We are out of land but we are looking for ways to expand. This is an exciting time to be working with the Port of Corpus Christi.”
So we sanded and smoothed over the thin areas where the gel coating failed then added atwopart primer paint as well as two coats of bottom paint. The boat was balanced upside down on some carpeted saw horses for this step. This will become important later on.
While no formal vote was taken by the ISAC there appears to be support from the 14-member city advisory committee for both the increase in parking sticker price and for the earmarking of the funds for beach promotions.
Port Aransas Mayor Keith McMullen has said he would support the increase if the money is used for promoting The Island. Chairman Zahn has not stated his position, nor that of the Nueces County Coastal Parks Board.
And mark you calendars for November 1617. The Beach Running World Championships are being held here for the first time ever and the Island Moon ArtWalk will be your Island headquarters for the event. When they first approached us to participate we told them we’re not really runners, but then they told us there is a Barefoot Division and we’re in.
Perry Finger applies a coat of paint to the bottom of the Farley boat known as Pescado en Fuego at each mark. From the top side a build partner will drill a bolt hole down the pilot hole. From the inside a larger hole drill bit is used to accommodate the bolt, washer and nut. Wear ear plugs and eye protection.
Where’s that dog? The bolts need to be coated in caulking before they are inserted and after tightening the bolts a caulking line all around the outer board needs to be laid down. Caulking tubes have a pull tab at the end of them that needs to be pulled out. Pulling it out makes the squeeze handle operate a whole lot easier. Just trust me on this.
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La Posada continued from A1 JFK). It should also include the words ‘La Posada’ and ‘Toys for Tots’ in the design. Other considerations include lighted boats, houses decorated in festive holiday lights and whatever else your own great imagination can create.
95 year old soul singer Labor Day weekend was approaching as we headed off to the nearest box store. I bought foot powder while the others bought a gas powered barbecue grill. Wendy and Wayne Shack were going to throw a BBQ back at the shop.
Logo designs must be submitted by October 15, 2013. Please email all designs to the La Posada Committee at 3rdcoastfred@att.net. For more information call Fred Edler (361-9494749) or Brent Rourk (361-244-7603).
The best way to get the word out about something is to have Wendy in charge of letting people know. She can get the news to people quicker with nothing more than a phone.
All profits from flag and t-shirt sales will be donated to the U.S. Marines “Toys for Tots” program. La Posada will be held December 13th and 14th this year so circle and reserve those dates.
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Gel Coating and lower sacrifice board in place.
The suggestion from the ISAC at their meeting last week was to use the additional revenue from the price hike strictly for promoting Island beaches. Currently the City of Port Aransas keeps the revenue form the permits sold in its city limits, along with its HOT, for use in promoting tourism in the city. On Corpus Christi beaches one-third of the money raised from the stickers sold goes to the Corpus Christi Convention and Visitors Bureau which uses it to promote attractions throughout the area, including but not exclusive to the beach. The suggestion from the ISAC is to earmark the increased revenue, from Corpus Christi beaches as well as those in Port Aransas and Nueces County, to use solely to promote beaches from Port Aransas to the Padre Island National Seashore.
This is the third year for the event but the first here on our Island and several thousand runners are expected and the post-race party will be at the Island Moon ArtWalk. To register go to RunOnTheBeach.com
The winner of the contest will be awarded a ride for 2 on a boat in the Saturday Night La Posada Lighted Boat Parade. The winner will also be included in all parties where your boat stops during the parade and be recognized in The Island Moon Newspaper as the Logo Contest winner for La Posada 2013.
Denny Larkin and Jerry Gant set up to play guitar in the area around the table saw. Soon
That process usually takes about one year to complete so any increase in sticker price would not take effect until 2015.
ArtWalk continued from A1
There is not much more to build out after this. On our boat we will finish out a storage box, anchor box and cutting a couple of upper floor removable boards followed by 100 hours of sanding. I miss my family but I wish the dog was still here.
Work begins on Rick Pratt’s boat, from left, Pratt, Denny Larkin, Perry Finger and Mick Boudreau
Parking continued from A1
subsequent rise in beach cleanup costs, have raised questions about whether it is time to raise the $12 price for the permits.
Before the break things were a bit loud and messy. Running the length of the interior floor
Texas Skiff
19, 2013
- The Cheniere Liquid Natural Gas facility planned for the port will bring $10 billion in investment alone.
Scary hole in bottom of the boat
We are working in the last location where the Farley family built fishing boats, a tin storage building on Avenue C. We have been privileged to learn and assist in the building of our very own Farley boat. There is a reasonable shop fee to pay and the actual cost of materials to construct a boat of your choosing in an actual working museum.
September
s Manicure
361 949-1794
Appt. or Walk-in Welcome Next to Padre Pizzeria
t Sanitary and Professional Nail Service t Gift Certificates Are Available
14493 S. Padre Island Dr., Unit B Corpus Christi, TX 78418
September 19, 2013
Moon Monkeys Mike Ellis, Founder
Letters to the editor Fat Fishermen Ate All My Tacos
If you want to treat yourself to a nice breakfast taco at the Stripes on Whitecap you would be well advised to skip Saturday mornings. The joint is jammed with a flotilla of fat fishermen ordering tacos. Why are all fishermen on The Island obese? Is it because they’re sitting around on their boats all day, guzzling cheap beer?
Distribution Pete Alsop
Or is more due to the somnolent, sedentary, snail’s pace at which their sport proceeds?
Island Delivery Coldwell Banker
Either way Riley P. Dog has a better chance of catching a stoopid cat then you do of waiting behind a physically fit fisherman ordering a Saturday morning taco at the Whitecap Stripes.
Advertising Jan Park Rankin Patrick Kelliher Office
Robert Danesi
Lisa Towns
Travelling Moon
Classifieds Arlene Ritley
Thank you for getting our picture in the paper this week. The girls in NY and NJ were able to see it on line. You made our whole group happy. Hope to see you soon.
Design/Layout Jeff Craft Contributing Writers
Joyce Skowronski
Joey Farah Devorah Fox
KPAB
Mary Craft
Dear KPAB Members,
Maybeth Christiansen Jay Gardner
Welcome to our new season. Our first general membership meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 24, at 6 pm at the Ellis Memorial Library in the Board room. All members, prospective members, and friends & family are encouraged to attend! We will discuss events for the year ahead.
Todd Hunter Danniece Bobeché Ronnie Narmour Brent Rourk Dr. Donna Shaver Photographers
On Saturday, September 28, will be the Fall Adopt a Beach cleanup. Come join the fun! Come to Ave. G at the beach at 9 am, and don’t forget to attend the free lunch with goodies at Roberts Point Park Pavilion. For more details, call Deno Fabrie.
Miles Merwin Jeff Dolan Mary Craft
Our annual Fall Appreciation Dinner is planned for Monday, October 28. It will be held at the Community Center from 5:30 till 7:30. Come and bring a dish, or just come and eat. Our theme is still Port Aransas: It’s our World. We will have dishes from around the world. Hopefully, our Bavarian Team will return and entertain us with German food and beer! Office Security/Spillage Control
I hope to see you at all of our events!
Riley P. Dog
Julie Findley
Editor/Publisher/Spillage Control Supervisor
Chair, KPAB
The Island Moon is published every Thursday, Dale Rankin, Editor / Publisher. Total circulation is 10,000 copies. Distribution includes delivery to 4,000 Island homes, free distribution of 3,000 copies in over 50 Padre Island businesses and condos, as well as 600 copies distributed in Flour Bluff, 1,400 copies on Mustang Island and Port Aransas businesses. News articles, photos, display ads, classified ads, payments, etc. may be left at the Moon Office.
15201 S. Padre Island Drive, Suite 250 Corpus Christi, TX 78418
Facebook: The Island Moon Newspaper
Where to Find The Island Moon
Pioneer RV Park Stripes @ Beach Access Rd. 1A
Tarpon Ice House
North Padre 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
Coming up: October 14th 7:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. at the Seashore Middle Academy (SMA) gym. Todd Hunter will present the Constitutional Amendments that we will be voting on in November. He will also discuss HCR56 – Cruise ship industry in South Texas and HCR59 – Water Desalination. Council Member Colleen McIntyre will discuss all of the city bond issues that we will be voting on in November. PIDOG. PI Dog Group (PIDOG). A group of Islanders is working on setting up a dog park for our 4-legged friends and in the process have started a dog group so dog owners can find more opportunities to play with their pups. If you’re interested in joining the dog group you can call Bev Hoffman at 949-7551 or sign up on the website. Speaking of the website, you can learn more about the park as well - just head over to: www.PadreIslandDogPark. com. Art Center of Corpus Christi ¡Caliente! A Night In Old Buenos Aires. Join us for the Art Center of Corpus Christi’s annual fundraising event, ¡Caliente! on Thursday, November 7th from 6-9pm. ¡Caliente! A Night in Old Buenos Aires, will feature live music, live art demonstrations, an iron pour with guest participation, Raku demonstrations, a photo booth, a caricature artist, tango dancers, live music, tile painting, food from the finest caterers in town, an open air themed Art Market, and so much more!
Padre Island Yacht Club - A members only Club, however we invite all Island residents to visit us. The PIYC is about boating, friendship and enjoying living on Padre Island. We collect more toys than any other organization in the area for the US
Wild Horse Saloon
Amano
Meetings: Open to the public, meetings are held the first Wednesday of each month.
Or President Cheryl Henry henry9090@ aol.com 361-215-4622.
The Gaff
All Stripes Stores
Contact Persons: President – Linda A Walsh lawalshva@yahoo.com 361-4457999. Secondary Contact Person: Member – Brent Hess, bhess0604@gmail.com. 361774-0089.
For membership, call Sheila at 949-2702 or email srlipstreu72@aol.com.
Port A Glass Studio
Miss K’s Catering & Bistro
IUPAC (Island United Political Action Committee): Maximize representation of Corpus Christi residents on Padre and Mustang Islands in area government by promoting and supporting, by the endorsement process, proactive and unified voting in non-partisan races and other issues and referendums put to public vote.
On September 13th the program will be Larry Running Turtle who will present the Native American spiritual path. He is the author of the book “The Pipe and the Pen.” Make your reservations by noon Wednesday, September 11th to PIELuncheon@aol.com.
editor@islandmoon.com
Lisabella’s Restaurant
Be sure to include a brief description of what your organization does and a contact person for those interested in joining. Send the info to editor@islandmoon.com and we will include it. Or call us at 949-7700.
Motto: “Bloom Where You Are Planted”
361-949-7700
PERMANENT COSMETICS
Speci
al Wax 25.00 &$Eyebrow
B i k i n i Lipliner Eyeliner,
s Pedicure...$20.00 s Manicure...$10.00 s Full Set from...$22.00 - $30.00 s Fill...$15.00 - $20.00 s European Facial...$40.00 In Big Shell Plaza on the Island NEW Around corner fromLOCATION! Subway Sandwich Shop
14457S.S.P.I.D. 14225 P. I. D.,Suite Suite109 7 Corpus Christi, TX 78418
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The Island Moon provides this space for Island organizations. If you are a member of a club and want to get the word out about your events and/or projects send them along and we will get them in.
P.I.E. Padre Island Enrichment Club, Inc. Mission Statement: To enrich the lives of residents on Padre Island (women) through social activities and community involvement.
The Island Moon Newspaper
Club News
VIP tickets are available for advanced purchase online for $75 and includes a private reception from 5-6pm, a free raffle ticket, a drink at the bar, one “Artist in Action” token to use towards an activity of your choosing, first pick of silent auction items, and a rose corsage.Tickets are available for advanced purchase online at www.artcentercc.org/events/caliente
Dale Rankin About the Island Moon
Port Aransas
Island Moon
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 @ 361-589-4097. From the Commodore: There are some misinformed members that continue to spread incorrect information that I’d like to clear up: The PIYC Board is NOT discussing nor in the past discussed donating funds to the CCPD Canal Patrol Boat! Parrot Heads of Port Aransas – A notfor-profit organization whose purpose is to assist in community and environmental concerns and provide a variety of social activities for people who wish to volunteer. Founded in 2009 the club Their motto is “Partying With a Purpose.” Everyone is invited to the Parrot Heads Big Party on Oct. 4-6 in Port A at the Sand Castle Hotel. There will be a Friday night sunset cruise and beach bonfire (w/hot dogs), a turtle release by Tony Amos on Saturday morning, a bar crawl in pirate boats or a poker shopping run thru Port A and Saturday night will be the big dance with Jerry Diaz and his band. There also will be a Cheeseburger in Paradise burger bar and a Chinese auction and live and silent auctions. On Sunday there will be a recovery/farewell brunch. We are raising funds for the A.R.K. (animal recovery keep) of Port A and the Food Pantry. Please come and join us for a weekend FULL of fun so please come to our Latitude and give your Attitude a Port A adjustment!! You can see more info and sign up at portaransasparrotheads.com. To participate or for questions call Donnie Simpson 210 367-2674. POA - Padre Isles Owners Association. The Association’s primary responsibility is to maintain the Common Areas, assess and collect the annual fees and provide information and assistance to property owners. .. Membership in PIPOA is automatic for anyone acquiring record legal title to any property within Padre Isles. Their office is located at 14015 Fortuna Bay Drive on The Island. (361) 949-7025, padreisles@pipoa.net ARK – Animal Rehabilitation Keep. Located in Port Aransas the ARK is affiliate with the University of Texas at Austin Marine Science Center. They handle the rehabilitation of most species of wildlife in the area with an emphasis on marine animals. They care for abut 1300 animals each year, including about 300 sea turtles and more than 100 species of birds. If you find an animal in peril they can help Tony Amos is the Director. 750 Channel View Dr. Port Aransas. 361 749-6793, 361 442-7638. afamos@mail.utexas.edu. ISAC: Island Strategic Action Committee. A 14-member committee which meets (usually) the at 5:30 on the first Tuesday of each month at the Padre Isles Country Club. The committee’s purpose is to advise the Corpus Christi City Council on matters pertaining to The Island. The next meeting will be on Tuesday, September 10 at Padre Isles Country Club. Island’s PIPPs Chapter of Corpus Christi Red Hat Society. In 2004 a group of Island ladies got together under a Palapa and founded the Padre Island Palapa Pals (PIPPs). Our only rule is that there are no rules! We are all about fun and friendship. We meet once a month for lunch and various fun outings from cupcake making to CPR.
A 6
Around Port A
By Ronnie Narmour
International Talk Like a Pirate Day Parade… Thursday, September 19th is International Talk Like a Pirate Day, which probably doesn’t mean much in most parts of the world, but in Port Aransas it’s reason enough to throw a parade. We so enjoy our parades more than most! This particular parade will start out at the Gaff (as many of our parades do) with their resident pirate boats leading the way. But this year you might notice a famous new participant… Kinky Friedman will be in attendance. It just so happens that the Kinkster will be performing at the Gaff later in the evening and has graciously agreed to join in the festivities. Could we go so far as to call him our little parade’s “Grand Master”? Sure, why not? So, don your best pirate attire and brush up on your aaarg’s and hit the streets of downtown Port A at around 5:00 today. Hint: here’s a few pirate words to get you started… ahoy, avast, aye aye, beauty (as in “come here me beauty”), grog (of course), shiver me timbers, booty and lass. For those of you who might be a little timid at first, here’s a link to an online “Pirate-to-English translator”… www.talklikeapirate.com.
September Moonfire… Also, after the Kinky Friedman concert tonight, the monthly Full Moon Moonfire will be raging at Beach Marker 25. Just look for the crowd at the spirit pole and bon fire. The Moonfire is open to all! Come on out and howl at the Moon in your best piratese and bring your own refreshments. Firemaster Deano Fabrie tells us, “We welcome all, but the weather may be an enemy to the party. There is more of our current weather brewing in the Gulf. Remember, if it is raining or the water is up to the dunes we will not be there. That is about the only reason that we cancel.” BTW, The Indian names for the September Full Moon are Full Barley Moon, Full Big Feast Moon and Full Hunting Moon.
New PAPD officers on track for hiring… In case anyone is wondering what’s happening with the controversial hiring of two new police officers to the Port Aransas PD, Chief Scott Burroughs informed us that “We are still conducting background checks. Assuming everything checks out, I expect we will extend job offers in the next week or so.” You may remember a few weeks ago when Port Aransas 2013 “Citizen of the Year”, Suzanna Reeder, addressed City Council hoping to dissuade that
decision by suggesting that the department retrain their existing officers correctly and put officers in management positions on weekend patrol. She went so far as to call the PAPD a department with a “speed trap mentality concerning alcohol and drugs in this community.” When asked to respond to these comments, Chief Burroughs offered, “The Port Aransas Police Department is authorized 17 sworn positions including the chief of police. We have one lieutenant with primary duties as a detective and he also supervises CID, Dispatch/ communications, and Animal Control. The other lieutenant oversees patrol operations and serves as the dayshift patrol supervisor.” He went on to say, “We currently have 12 officers assigned to patrol; two of the 12 are supervisors and two of the 12 are designated as executive officers (executive officers have the authority to approve reports for other officers when no supervisor is on duty). All officers, including supervisors, have patrol responsibilities. During peak periods, spring break, holidays, and major events patrol is supplemented by lieutenants, detectives, and the chief of police.” The Chief added, “Through August 31, 2013 (excluding spring break) the Port Aransas Police Department, as a whole, made 217 alcohol related arrests. (135 arrests for public intoxication, 46 arrests for DWI, 19 arrests for enhanced DWI (involved in accident, had prior DWI convictions, BAC above .15, or had a child in the car at the time of the offense) and 17 other alcohol related offenses. To keep things in proper perspective, that is an average of about 2.25 alcohol related arrests per patrol officer per month or about one alcohol related arrest per patrol officer every two weeks. “ And finally, Chief Burroughs added, “During the same time the Port Aransas Police Department made 41 drug related arrests. That is an average of about one drug related arrest per patrol officer every two months. As far as training goes there was a time when our officers were not afforded the training opportunities that they should have been exposed to. But over the past four years we have substantially increased training. The state mandates that officers receive 40 hours of continuing education every two years; we strive to participate in a minimum of 40 hours of training every year for each officer.”
By Riley P. Dog
Today, I was taken by my human, Mary, to see Dr Kresser for some cat shots. Dr Christi is sending a picture of me and my human to you guys. I look gorgeous after my most excellent recovery. I am singing “I am Siamese if you please”, from “The Siamese Cat Song”. Yes, the best revenge is to live well! This includes lowering my standards to nap with my human. I have fun chewing her tooth brushes and shoes, napping in the bathroom sink and watching Animal Planet and Southpark. Only thing, I have to stay in the house now and share it with Wilson cat (think “Castaway”). Here’s Beggin Bits to you, Riley. Flamer, Riley’s Note: Flamer was the cat that some bad person shot with a pellet gun a while back but Flamer is doing good now after Dr. Kristi fixed him up. Way to go Flamer! Some humans are not good humans. Stoopid Humans! Last weekend I went to the Hill Country with my humans and I got to swim in the pool and float around on a big old inflatable couch with my new friend Phil from Brenham and it sure was fun. From our pool we could see all the way to somewhere, I don’t know where I’m a dog, but some humans kept pointing at me and Phil and our big ole couch floating around there in the pool and saying something about white trash but I didn’t see any trash and I’m not really white. I’m more gold and silver and black than white so I don’t know what they were talking about. Humans are funny. My humans took me to a big yard where there were some squirrels and a lot of grass and I chased the squirrels but I didn’t catch any. They are fast movers they sure are. But I made good use of that grass because all I got in my yard at home is some rocks and some hard stuff where you can’t bury anything. I don’t know why humans like hard stuff so much. I like grass better. Humans are funny that way. Then my humans took me to a place where they sell food from Mexico and some guys
Island Moon
September 19, 2013
Stuff I Heard on the Island
Letters to Riley From Flamer to Riley P:
with some music instruments came over and my humans paid them five dollars to go over to the next table and sing Happy Birthday to some people they didn’t know and who weren’t really having a birthday. My humans thought that was real funny but the strangers seemed to like it and they asked them to sing another song and they sang a song about a One Ton Tomato. Boy that’s a big ole tomato! Boy I’d like to have a One Ton Tomato full of hotdogs. I sure would. I still haven’t been able to get the can of catfood open that a nice human sent me. I can’t pull the ring on the top open. I don’t have any thumbs! Why don’t I have any thumbs? It just doesn’t make any sense. Humans have thumbs. Why don’t dog have thumbs? Can someone help me? Then my humans took me to a street where there were some busriders. I sure do like to bark at busriders. They are funny. Standing around waiting for a bus to come by. Where are there cars? Humans are funny. Some nice humans on our island are having a dog party in the park this Saturday morning. I’m going to go. They are going to have some stuff for dogs to jump over but I don’t jump. I go around. Why do some dogs jump when they can go around? Dogs are funny people. Then they are going to have an Obedient class but I don’t do that either. They are trying to make a dog park and I hope they get all the stickers out when they do. Dogs don’t like stickers. We know they are there but we can’t see them. Like cats. Stoopid Cats! Don’t forget to send me some hotdogs to the Save Riley P. Dog Foundation in International Falls, Minnesota. My Canadian humans will send them right to me. They taste better after they go through Canada. Everything tastes better when it goes through Canada. I don’t know why. I think it has something to do with humans. I’ll see you guys on Saturday and don’t forget to bring some hotdogs!
Great Seafood and Burgers Libations Amusements 18 Holes of Minature Golf
Prime Rib Wednesdays Twice-Baked Potato & Salad Open 11 am - 2 am $15.95 Kitchen Closes @ 1 am
One Bite & You’re Hooked
2034 State Highway 361
361 749- Taco (8226)
by Dale Rankin
Saturday found me standing in front of the Bexar County Jail on the Westside of downtown San Antonio in exactly the same place I stood almost thirty years ago wondering why all the plants in front of the new jail were dead. This time I was there to visit a friend who has hit a bad patch. Thirty years ago I was covering county government for the San Antonio Express-News when a lawsuit filed by an inmate represented by attorney Gerry Goldstein had forced Bexar County to sign a consent decree which called for the county to build a new jail at a cost of $14 million. Government projects being what they are the jail was eventually built for $43 million and turned over to the county sheriff for operation.
Cockfighting in Bexar County impossible The sheriff at the time was Joe Neaves, the last in an unbroken line of Democrat sheriffs stretching all the way back to Reconstruction. Joe had his problems over the years. First, he testified under oath in the DWI trial of a friend that he had personally seen the defendant drink “more than two six packs” and then drive home without any problem. “Some people can just handle it better than others,” the High Sheriff said, as drunks all over town pledged their undying support for the Peace Officer Sage. Joe was also was ridiculed for advancing the idea of allowing citizens to carry concealed guns at a time when San Antonio’s murder rate topped 200 dead per year; an idea that was ahead of its time. But those troubles were behind Joe now but the election season brought more. I had been tipped by a lawyer friend that Sheriff Neaves had been videotaped by an undercover DPS agent at a cockfight near Floresville a few weeks before and hauled before a grand jury where he denied being aware of any such cockfighting activity. “Cockfighing in Bexar County, impossible,” he told everyone. Attending a cockfight was a misdemeanor, lying about it under oath was a felony and if the stories were to be believed DPS had proof. The story making the rounds was that if the High Sheriff was re-elected he would be indicted for perjury. Nothing was ever proven, but right on cue a month before the election Neaves stopped making many personal appearances and when he did it was to denounce “people who buy ink by the barrel.” An elected official who didn’t run for re-election in those days could keep whatever money was left in his Office Holder Account tax free and it looked like Old Joe had decided to take the money and run.
Flea market to High Sheriff Running against him was a Republican no one had ever heard of named Harlon Copeland who in civilian life was part owner of the Eisenhauer Road Flea Market which specialized in the sale of stolen power tools and car stereos with the cords cut clean. No one gave him a chance to win. But I did. Bexar County was becoming a two-party system (story for another day) and people were tired of the Good Ole Boy Mentality. Times were changing. On election night I called the flea market and at the stroke of midnight the New High Sheriff, resplendent in a Western cut Virgin Polyester suit with matching hat met me and a photographer in the Sheriff’s office in the Bexar County Courthouse where he informed me he “Walked softly and carried a big stick” like Gary Cooper. Once in office Copeland declared war on prostitutes in Mahncke Park, “they need to find a day job,” and tried to hang a cocaine charge on then former Governor Ann Richards with evidence so non-existent even Republicans told him to shut up. He once evacuated ten square blocks of town at 3 a.m. during a raid on a speed lab because he found what he thought was a stick of dynamite which turned out to be a woman’s personal toy which he promptly displayed for television cameras. When one of his deputies was arrested for exposing himself to young girls Sheriff Harlon refused to take action, “What he does in his own time is up to him,” said the High Sheriff. This was not a
brilliant man.
Redemption on the jailhouse floor So a few months after the new jail opened and Sheriff Harlon was large and in charge I was standing in front of the jail looking around. There are 4563 stories in the jail; one for every soul ensconced there. Most are stories of innocence misplaced, wrong roads taken, and the discovery of redemption on the jailhouse floor. Jails are not happy places. As I stood there so many years ago it occurred to me that even the plants in front of the jail were hopeless and dead. This was strange since the new jail had been open only a few months. I asked the deputy at the front desk what happened to the plants. He pointed across the lobby to the men’s room where a piece of ¾ inch plywood with the words “Out of Order” spray painted in black was nailed over the door. Even by government standards having the new restrooms last only a few months was sub par; and further, what did that have to do with all the dead shrubbery in the jail yard? My answer came soon enough as I watched jail visitors furtively slide behind the plants out front to answer nature’s call. Plants and urine don’ mix well and it was the Out of Order restroom that was killing the plants.
Government job I pulled the sheriff’s budget and found that in the three months since the new jail opened the plants had been replaced three times; once a month at a cost of $43,000 per whack. That’s $129,000 in new plants and another $43,000 soon on the way. That’s a pretty good contract to have. The contractor was a lady who owned a nursery in La Vernia and a little checking found that she was also the Frequent Companion of the man who walked softly and carried a big stick – The High Sheriff Himself. It was a microcosm of how county government works in Texas.
Free brake job Some years later when I was working for the CBS station a Democrat named Ralph Lopez who was running against Copeland pulled me aside and told me that as we spoke a van belonging to the sheriff’s Campaign Manager was up on blocks in the parking lot at the jail where it was getting a brake job courtesy of Bexar County taxpayers. I drove over there and sure enough there was a van with an Elect Harlon Copeland bumper sticker up on blocks with a county worker changing the brake pads. The license plate tracked back to Ms. Colleen Cody, Copeland’s Chief of Staff while he was in office and his Campaign Manager when he ran. I got Harlon on camera… “Hey Sheriff, is that Colleen Cody’s van out there getting a brake job in the county motor pool?” “Yea, it sure is.” “Can just any old body bring their car in here for a free brake job?” “No, only my friends.” “My truck needs a brake job, can I bring it in?” “Nope, only my close friends.” “So only friends of the sheriff can get free brake jobs at the county motor pool?” “That’s right.” As I said the High Sheriff was not a brilliant man. Lopez won the election only to resign later after pleading no contest to accepting an all-expenses paid golf/fishing trip to Costa Rica from a company which held the food contract for the county jail. Harlon is deceased now, Ralph I assume is off playing golf at his own expense someplace, and the last time I saw Joe Neaves he was selling sausage on a stick at the Battle of Flowers Parade. Such is Life After Politics. I’m happy to report that the shrubbery at the Bexar County Jail is alive and well these days. Bexar County has its first ever female sheriff, and as far as I know High Sheriff is the only job in Texas where getting jail visitors to pee on the shrubbery is good for your love life. You can’t make this stuff up folks.
Talia
Urgent need for a foster for beautiful Talia! If you can, or know someone who can foster this sweet, deserving girl please call Belinda at 361-510-5980. ♥ Talia has been spayed and is up to date on her shots. She is a very loving girl and has lived with other dogs and cats. Here is Talia’s story: This gorgeous, very pregnant girl followed the homebuilder’s van to a home under construction on the island. She stayed there the entire day. A friend of mine lives on that street and when she saw her, she called me and i went out to meet her. It was love at first sight! The poor girl was shivering, she was so cold. After warming her up, she promptly fell asleep in my lap. On May 6th, Talia gave birth to 6 perfect and beautiful babies! Sadly, two babies that we named Mocha and Pudge did not make it...Mocha left us on May 12th and Pudge went to join Mocha on May 15th. Of the 4 remaining puppies, 2 have now found their forever homes and 2 are available for adoption.
September 19, 2013
Island Moon
A7
Angler’s Alley University Researcher says Recent Rains On the Rocks By Jay Gardner Not a Drought-Buster for Salty Bays Way back in 1979 my dad parents went and visited the old homestead this
Since the beginning of September, Corpus Christi has received what some have called ‘drought-busting’ rains, including four inches of rain on Sunday, Sept. 8, and a drenching from outskirts of Hurricane Ingrid. And while the moisture has made the grass turn a little greener in the Coastal Bend, unfortunately, it isn’t falling upstream in our parched reservoirs, which means it isn’t making it downstream into the bays.
was involved in an accident at work where a pulley pulled out of the ceiling and fell and crushed part of his skull. Due to the nature of his injury, they pulled out some of his bone and put in a ceramic plate. While he recovered fully, the cold of the northern winters in Ohio gave him terrible headaches. My mom’s sister, Aunt Sis and her late husband Uncle Walt had left the high unemployment rates and union strife with unrest of the Midwest and headed south to this place I had only heard about; Texas.
“No one wants to see a hurricane. But those storms come with a vast amount of freshwater and that is what is needed,” said Larry Lloyd, Researchers at the Conrad Blucher Institute for Surveying and Science (CBI). “What we are seeing now is just a drop in the bucket.” Since the drought began, researchers from the Conrad Blucher Institute for Surveying and Science (CBI) have monitored the salinity levels of area bays, especially the Nueces Bay. The CBI researchers hope these heavy rains will prove to be beneficial to the bays that are so important to our local economy. When the bay gets too salty, the sea life will start to die.
due to an agreement the City of Corpus Christi has with the state that says they must release a certain amount of water into the Nueces Bay to keep the bay from getting too salty. Those releases of vital freshwater stopped earlier this year when the watershed levels got too low due to the severe drought. “That management program helps. But without water in the lake to release, it can only do so much,” said Lloyd. “And while the rain falling directly into the bay is good, it’s not good enough.”
“The average salinity for sea water is 35 parts per 1,000,” said Lloyd. “But 28 is the optimal number for shrimp and fish to reproduce. Right now, the Nueces Bay is at 41 parts per 1,000.”
On Sept. 1, the combined lake levels of Lake Corpus Christi and Choke Canyon Reservoir were 33.4 percent. On Sept. 16, it was 32.8 percent, a decrease despite local flooding rains. Lloyd says it will take weeks of rain, like we’ve been having, to make a difference.
Even with the rain over the past week, the salinity levels have not budged from what they were a month ago. This is especially important
“We have been in a drought a really long time,” said Lloyd. “We need a lot more to get where we need to be.”
3225 Nassau 13941 Jacktar 3225 Nassau 13941 Jacktar Flour Bluff Padre Island Flour Bluff
past summer, and little had changed. While we had the Brooks across the street (they still live there!), our second-nearest neighbors were a good half-mile away. My closest friend lived three miles up the road. We really were out in the country. Would I have left for the big city of Columbus? Would I have found Texas on my own? Who knows what’s behind the doors we don’t open and leave far behind us. And while I may not have been born here, I beat a lot of you by a few decades, ha!
The Road Taken
Both my dad and Uncle Walt were/are I guess what’s making me feel nostalgic is that electricians, and while the unions of the north my parents dropped the bomb on my last week. could guarantee fair wages, they couldn’t always guarantee actually working and getting After 33 years of being here in Corpus they paid. Uncle Walt had been down here a few times, and when work came up they pulled stakes and came down. It didn’t take long or many phone calls, and my dad headed down on his motorcycle with a few tools and went to work with him wiring what became the McCreless Mall in San Antonio. Dad saved up and sent for us to come down and check it out. None of us had ever flown before, and it Mom, Aunt Sis, and Aunt Grace was a grand adventure. We arrived during the summer and I can still remember to this day the heat that hit me when are pulling up stakes and moving to Houston, we stepped off the plane. It was oppressive to Tomball to be exact. My sister and brother- inlaw are up there with two young grandkids, say the least. and I suppose I could see the allure. Add that The Road Not Taken to the fact that my sister works for the ISD up We had a great time visiting, seeing the beach there, and they had an opening for an electrician for the first time, the Mother Lagoon, and paying a bit more than Dad is making here. So everything fun about this place. It was only a few once again work is calling him away to another months later after our return that the decision adventure. I’ll miss having y’all close.
My boat will run in only 4” how
Padre Island
! D E ! D C DUCE EDU RRE
was made to pull up stakes and head South. At the time, it was pretty rough leaving my friends and teachers at school. School at Flour Bluff in the 4th grade was really advanced compared to the farming community school I had left there at Leesburg-Magnetic in Ohio. I struggled at first, but thanks to some extra attention by Ms. Ramella, by the time 5th grade rolled around I was caught up.
Fisherman’s Fisherman’sdream dreamhouse! house! Well Well maintained maintainedthree threebedbedLots of decks overlooking Lots of decks overlooking room, room,two twobathroom bathroomwith with water. Covered parking in the double garage and enclosed water. Covered parking in the double garage and enclosed front liftlift&&dock frontand anda aboat boat dock porch, porch,split splitbedrooms, bedrooms,easy easy installed in 2011 and rated for installed in 2011 and rated for maintenance maintenanceyard, yard,great great 4500 lbs. New roof installed island home. Access 4500 lbs. New roofi nstalled island home. Accesstoto Feb. boat Feb.2013. 2013. “turn “turnkey”. key”. boatramp ramp&&playground. playground. Offered Offered Offeredfor for$274,500 $274,500 Offeredfor for$199,900 $199,900
I really can’t imagine what my life would have been like if we hadn’t moved here. My
Well loyal readers, time to do the Tropical Storm Shuffle. At this writing Investigate 93L is spinning around the Yucatan, and it’s that time where everyone starts to wonder where the boards are that cover the windows and are the batteries in the radio still good. While it looks like she’s headed south, we should all take the time to find all that stuff and at least mentally review our escape plans. That way no one winds up On the Rocks. I’ll see y’all around, around my hometown.
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My boat will run in only 4” how about yours? Broker Associate Broker Associate 361-739-3225 361-739-3225 amanda@whittenrealestate.com amanda@whittenrealestate.com
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www.gcmboats.com 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 7/1/13 and 9/30/13 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. Customer will receive a copy of the Suzuki Extended Protection contract summary at the time of purchase from participating dealer and 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.
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Mary Ann McShane, Realtor, GRI, SRES e-mail: malm335@sbcglobal.net Corpus Christi Realty Group Considering a move to the Island? Let me help you find your piece of Paradise - waterfront or interior homes, condos, townhouses, lots Considering selling your Island Property? Call me for a free consultation to obtain the current market value along with tips to make your property the one buyers will put on their “must see” list
Island Office (361) 215-8629
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New Law Requires Motorists to “Move Over/Slow Down”
By Todd Hunter, District 32
As many of you may already know, September 1st marked an effective date for many of our state’s new laws. One new law which took effect at the beginning of this month is a change to how motorists operate their vehicles near and around Texas Department of Transportation’s vehicles which are stopped on the side of the road. Some of you may have already noticed bill boards notifying the public of this new change in law.
For a number of years, Texas law has required that motorists either slow down or change lanes when passing a stationary authorized emergency vehicle using visual signals or a stationary tow truck using their equipment. With the recent change in Texas law, that list will now include a Texas Department of Transportation vehicle which is not separated from the roadway by a traffic control channelizing device and is using visual signals. The new statute defines a traffic control channelizing device as equipment used to warn and alert drivers of conditions created by work activities in or near the traveled way, to protect workers in a temporary traffic control zone, and to guide drivers and pedestrians safely. The term includes a traffic cone, tubular marker, vertical panel, drum, barricade, temporary raised island, concrete or cable barrier, guardrail, or channelizer.
In order for the motorist to be in compliance with the new law, the motorist will be required to either vacate the lane closest to the vehicle if traveling on a highway with two or more lanes; or reduce the motorist speed to twenty miles an hour below the posted speed limit or to five miles an hour when the posted speed limit is twenty-five miles an hour or below.
It is important to note that those found guilty of violating the new law could be subject to hefty fines. According to the Executive Director of the Department of Transportation, more than 100 TxDOT employees have been struck and killed by motorists since 1938. The Executive Director also stated that “we are hopeful that this new protection for our crews will lead to fewer preventable deaths and injuries.”
*Reminder* TEXAS ARMED SERVICES SCHOLARSHIP My office is accepting scholarship applications from students who reside in House District 32. Each state representative has been asked to nominate one student to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is responsible for overseeing the Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program. In order to be considered for the Texas Armed Services Scholarship, a student must meet two of the following four academic criteria at the time of the application: • Graduate or have graduated high school with the Distinguished Achievement Program (DAP) or the International Baccalaureate Program (IB); • Have a high school GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale; • Achieve a college readiness score on the SAT (1590) or ACT (23); • Ranked in the top third of their graduating class. This is an exciting opportunity for any student seeking to enter the armed forces by way of a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program at a civilian college. If you are a student who would like to be nominated for this scholarship program, please submit a cover letter along with proof that you have met the required academic criteria to either my Capitol office in Austin or my District office in Corpus Christi. 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 (Part). He can be contacted at todd.hunter@house.state.tx.us or at 512-463-0672.
Your chance to get involved!
Citizen’s Police Academy Puts You Behind the Badge
The Corpus Christi Police Department offers a unique experience for the citizen’s of Corpus Christi. The Citizen’s Police Academy (CPA) follows curriculum and training methods that are similar to the traditional academy, but the students are not police officers; they are you, active members of our community. The Citizens’ Police Academy is a program that began in 1988 and is being offered by the Training Division of the Corpus Christi Police Department. The purpose of the CPA is to give the citizens of our community an inside look into the world of police work. The academy is creating a growing number of responsible, well informed citizens with the potential of influencing public opinion in regards to police practice and service. For these reasons, much time and energy has been devoted to developing an informative overview of the fundamentals of police work, taught by both management and non-management representatives of the department. Students meet on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. for eleven weeks. Course topics cover virtually every aspect of police work.
Graduates of the academy are not ready for street patrol. However, graduates will have a better understanding of department operations and they will have gained a better understanding of the problems and policies facing the Corpus Christi Police Officer. Students, on a voluntary basis will be scheduled for a four-hour tour of duty with a patrol officer and will participate in a familiarization course in the use and safety of firearms.
Then in the second quarter, Moran found himself in the company of Governor Rick Perry, as they made their way toward the east end zone. There, Moran was joined by Texas A&M University President Dr. R. Bowen Loftin, Texas Department of Motor Vehicles Board Chairman John Walker III, and My Plates President Steve Farrar. Walker presented Moran with the one and only 12THMAN license plate.
By Brent Rourk
Part 3 of a series Shrimp season for both Gulf and Federal waters opened 30 minutes after sunset on July 15th and since that time local shrimpers have been harvesting shrimp in the Gulf waters. According to TPW, “Federal waters (from 9 to 200 nautical miles offshore) will open at the same time that state waters will open. The National Marine Fisheries Service chose to adopt rules compatible with those adopted by Texas.” Why is there a season for shrimp? How productive is it? What kinds of shrimp are caught? Where? Who are these people who harvest?
Migration
They usually migrate from bays to the Gulf when they reach 3 to 5 inches. They remain in the Gulf for the remainder of their life cycle. White shrimp remain in bays longer and attain a longer length before heading out into the Gulf where they are caught in near shore waters. Pink Shrimp are caught more along the middle and southern coasts of Texas.
Purpose of the Season According to Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPW), “The opening date is based on an evaluation of the biological, social and economic information to maximize the benefits to the industry and the public.” Like any valued wildlife, protection is necessary to ensure it existence. Typically, one stage or another in the life cycle of the animal is vulnerable to being over harvested or eliminated altogether at a critical point in its development. Protection is needed and the best way to protect the species is to allow it time to mature without having its numbers perilously decimated. The exact purpose of the closed Gulf season as it applies to Brown Shrimp is to protect them as they migrate “from the bays to the Gulf of Mexico until they reach a larger, more valuable size before harvest and to prevent waste caused by the discarding of smaller individuals. “According to TPW. Obviously, continued trawling throughout the year would erase that protection and seriously endanger shrimp populations, as well as negatively impact the entire food web associated with shrimp. The season was determined, as outlined in TPW publications, “after the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Coastal Fisheries Division used the best available scientific information including samples collected by using trawls and bag seines in TPWD routine data collection.” After the season was established, local shrimp boats began making their plans to visit their favorite productive spots in the Gulf waters and have typically been returning with a decent catch of shrimp. In Port Aransas there are a few shrimpers who sell their wares on the docks at varying times in the morning. Locals lineup to be the first to get a bag or two of fresh shrimp. Perhaps the largest shrimp trawler in the Coastal Bend, the PollyAnna, heads back to port at about 9:00 A.M.
Types of Local Shrimp Our coastal waters are home to brown shrimp, pink shrimp, white shrimp and to a lesser extent seabob, rock shrimp, and royal red shrimp. The brown shrimp account for about 80 percent of the shrimp caught in the coastal bays and Gulf. Pink shrimp according to TPW, “inhabit bays from late fall through early spring, primarily
Bait Shrimpers
Shrimp are used regularly as bait by Coastal Bend fishermen and consequently demand for bait shrimp is very high along the coast. If not eaten by natural predators (such as sea trout and red drum among many other sea creatures) or scooped up by a trawling net, shrimp might be able to live for two years, preferring warm water (68 degrees and above) where they grow rapidly.
You might have noticed lines forming early in the morning at local bait stores where ‘not quite awake’ fishermen purchase bait shrimp in the hopes of having a successful fishing venture. Demand for bait shrimp is very high because frequently live bait shrimp at the end of a fishing line have a magical way of attracting fish.
From Seines to Trawls
In the 1940s trawls began to replace long seines that were used on the shore line and either pulled by hand or horse and caught only those shrimp that stayed close to shore. Trawls opened up the shrimp industry considerably, allowing boats to fish the bays as well as the deeper and richer Gulf waters. Once refrigeration and transportation improvements were added, the shrimp industry was set to catch record numbers of shrimp. It did just that, opening up markets for shrimp that previously had not existed or were weakly and rarely serviced.
Most commercial shrimp are caught in commercial trawls, which are wide nets that form a cone shape, tapering down to the end of the net, called a cod-end. The wings of the trawl are attached to doors that hold the trawl open with the help of lines as it moves across the bottom of the bay or gulf. Both shrimp and some bottom fish are scooped up into the open trawl and collected in the cod-end.
How productive is the Texas shrimp industry? Statistics released by TPW reveal that Texas shrimp landings average almost 32 million pounds valued at $88 million to the commercial shrimper. Not a bad haul.
Who are These Shrimpers
Shrimpers are intrinsically tough and tireless folks who have learned how to deal with weather, boat malfunctions, net problems, equipment failures, and difficult schedules to provide bait shops, stores, restaurants and individuals with bags of shrimp.
Course Begins: November 5, 2013 Course Location: 4510 Corona Dr. Course Time: 6:30 Pm - 9:30 Pm. Contact: Sgt. Denise R. Pace Office: (361) 826-4073
The man honored as an official 12THMAN in front of 88,000 roaring Aggies didn’t even know it was coming. Dan Moran was just excited he was getting to attend the college game of the season at Kyle Field, home of the 12THMAN, as a proud member of the Class of 2003.
September 19, 2013
Shrimp Season Going Strong Now
For more information and to obtain an application, visit the ccpolice.com website, click on “Join our Team”, “Sign up for the Citizens Police Academy” and download the application, complete it, fax it to (361) 8264073 or mail it to 4510 Corona Dr., CC, TX 78411.
12 Man Plates Fetches $115,000
along the middle and lower Texas Coast” while white shrimp, “… are also caught in the bays, but are more common in bays along the upper coast, where there is adequate freshwater inflow.” A previous article contained the life cycle of the shrimp in our areas. What was missing is that each female releases 100,000 eggs at a time that hatch within 24 hours. Their challenging life cycle then begins as outlined in that article Shrimp grow slower at temperatures of 60 degrees or less. Bait shrimpers usually go out on shorter runs and might to out a couple of times a day to ensure fresh and live bait shrimp for the Coastal Bend fishing industry.
If you think casually driving to the grocery store for a bag of frozen shrimp is difficult, try heading out to the Gulf at 6:00 P.M. in unpredictable seas (sometimes 5 to 10 foot swells) and managing the boat and equipment as you try to find large quantities of shrimp all night, returning at 9:00 A.M. the next morning, only to do it again the next day. Imagine trawling and trying to net sufficient quantities of shrimp while minimizing damage to the sea floor and making sure that you follow all shrimping and fishing rules and regulations. Oh yes, and please do not endanger protected and off season marine animals. It is not for the weak, lawless, and unmotivated.
We will get to know these shrimpers more in the next article.
Texas A&M Regent Tony Buzbee, Class of 1990, former Marine Corps infantry officer and winner of the 12THMAN Plate Auction, won the plate with a bid of $115,000 Thursday and instructed that the plate be given to Moran. “Dan Moran epitomizes what it is to be a 12THMAN, not only to Texas A&M University, but to our country,” says Buzbee.
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September 19, 2013
Island Moon
Backwater Adventures
A9
Sponsored by Waypoint Marine
Following the Migration - continued from A1 By Joey Farah Farah’s Fishing Adventures friend came back to the Baffin and Laguna Madre’ and we wanted to see the sights and take in all of the beauty of our love affair with the best backyard ever. We cut across the Lagoon towards the King Ranch and watched as the sun shined its first yellow gold over the trees along the horizon. Everything looked so green I almost forgot how baked it was last year. The first flocks of ducks buzzed the shoreline sparking a glow in my eye looking forward to another great duck season ahead. Rounding a small cove I saw a dozen large redfish dart away
Terri Neilson with one of many bull reds from our waters this week under the boat as we cut through the school. We landed around the mouth of Baffin and had yet to see another boat. So much changes when you have the place to yourself. Without the buzz of roaring outboards and the checkered surface of boat wakes, you could let your imagination run wild as to where our first cast could be. With the recent high tides I always look towards the funnel areas and shorelines to concentrate both bait and game fish.
Right on the money
One of many bull reds from local waters this week.
Our first stop was on the money tight along the bank. The first bait to hit the water got whacked. Good trout and then a 35-inch redfish, most of the bites were hard but the fish were reluctant to eat the baits. With so much to feed on this time
of year many times it is hard to get game fish to eat larger baits. As the mid-morning bite began our rods bent more often and when the big trout turned on we were on fire. As quickly as they started the bite slowed within an hour. Look for the lunar feeding times to mark the changing of the tides as well and crank up the fishing during these peak times. With all the variety of food sources in the water right now you need to make an effort to not just be in the right place but be there at the right time. Big slicks in deep water had us nose to the wind on the way home, giving up the location of resting Island locals Tim and Libby King with Tim’s biggest trout to date. Slow afternoon bite but some quality catches. schools of fish rolling out with the next low tide. Ranch shoreline are hunting the masses of tiny minnows hiding up along the grass washed up Learn the migration on the bank. A wade along the shallow sand The ins and outs of migrating fish in the pockets with soft plastics would find a trout Laguna Madre’ and Baffin area has always or redfish in most every sand pocket. Moving been what intrigued me most about our area. current flowing over the rock piles in Baffin are The annual movements of fish and bait are calling my name, to throw popping corks over much more consistent than any of us. Learning live shrimp would be the bomb. and piecing together the puzzle is a game of love for the area. Brown Nine Mile Hole pelicans are showing me Nine Mile Hole is on fire right the location of shad and now with both trout and reds, finger mullet along the live croaker and piggy perch island gaps of Night Hawk along the grass with the high Bay. The flocks of white tide is producing big fish. The cattle herons and blue anglers on the jetty and Bob herons along the King Hall Pier have been HOGG’N the bull reds on live mullet. And to get the kids into action throw some small hooks with squid or shrimp in the surf and it’s a nice whiting almost every cast. Like I said, I’m glad my job is being IFA Redfish on the water, cuz there is just too Tournament much going on out here to miss September out. 20th - 21st, 2013 Have a Good Week and get out MAGNUM TROUT between Anglers On Wheels II and enjoy the Island. showers this week. Mr Casey September 26th - 27th, 2013
September Fishing Tournaments
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Cats
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A 10
Island Moon
September 19, 2013