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361-949-7700 editor@islandmoon.com The Island Newspaper since 1996 Facebook : The Island Moon Newspaper
February 27, 2014
The only Island in Texas with more cell phone towers than pay phones
Around The Island
By Dale Rankin editor@islandmoon.com
The Island Moon Complaint and Venting of Steam Department has been working overtime this week as work has begun on the Island’s Lifeline to the World. Crews showed up en mass Monday morning and tore into the roadway along the SPID/JFK Causeway, dropping traffic to one lane in each direction. Those who had read either of the last two issue of the Island Moon know that it is a road repair and widening job aimed at – eventually – easing the traffic flow from the JFK to the SH 361/SPID/Commodores intersection. Those who didn’t read the Island Moon – and we feel true sadness in our Moon Monkey Hearts for you – weighed in with many useful suggestions some of which, like catering the lane closures to the traffic flow by time of day, have already been done; others – why are there so many guys standing around watching other guys work – which should be self evident. Keep in mind this is a government job. We have included the entire press release from TxDot in this issue which covers things pretty well. This was originally to be a simple “mill and fill” job aimed at reworking the overused roadbed, work that was well needed. But in the past month two items were added to the job which in the long run will have the most benefit/ impact for The Island. The left turn lane from SPID to SH 361 is to be lengthened by 1000 feet along the southbound lane. This is provide two full-blown left turn lanes to cut down on traffic jams that in the summer routinely stack back to the JFK in a single lane. The other improvement, equally important, is that the right-turn shoulder on SPID/PR 22 at Commodores Drive will be widened by four feet and lengthened by 800-1,000 feet. This is a crucial improvement. It’s importance will become clear this summer when the rightturn traffic for the Schlitterbahn park will begin using that lane and will be able to line up for 1000 feet without clogging the southbound lane. The evening southbound lane closure on the JFK beginning in The Bluff and continuing onto The Island adds about fifteen minutes to the drive to The Island so plan ahead.
Next Publication Date: 3/5/2014
Seawall Driving to go Before ISAC at March 4th Meeting
The seawall and seawall beach has gone downhill the past 5-10 years. We have to do something to keep it up for the residents and keep it up for the tourist attraction it used to be. The five residents on the seawall have formed a team to work with the city to achieve these objectives. The team includes Island House, Holiday Inn, Portofino, Gulf Stream, and El Constante.
Seawall continued on A6
Barefoot Mardi Gras This Saturday Five years ago the Mardi Gras celebration on The Island consisted of a single party on Saturday night before Fat Tuesday. Now, five years after Islanders Denise and Duane Ebert took charge of the event it has taken on a new identity, added a beach parade, expanded the Saturday night party and three kickoff parties and has raised thousands of dollars for Big Brothers and Big Sisters. The Fifth Annual Barefoot Mardi Gras began the festivities with three kickoff parties in the past two weeks and kicks into high gear with the beach parade on Saturday which kicks off at noon at Beach Access Road #4 and winds down the beach to the Briscoe King Pavilion parking lot. This year’s parade looks to be the biggest ever so get there early for a good spot. Then the festivities wind up at Briscoe King from 6-10 p.m. with the adult party Saturday night with music from Miss Neesie and Earfood from San Antonio, for more on the band see Ronnie Narmour’s music column in this issue.
For now it’s just one more reason not to go OTB – as if…
Early voting continues, Election Day is Tuesday
Time to Decide By Dale Rankin
To paraphrase Asleep at the Wheel – don’t panic when you see the blue light lit… As we reported last week we’ve had many calls about loud explosions accompanied by blue flashes of light on the south end of The Island of late. We had another early Sunday morning this week and the lines lit up with explanations from dynamite fishing to Jimmy Hoffa’s body reentering the earth’s atmosphere. But it wasn’t a Flying Mobster, nor a mythic Kaffob monster rising up from the Laguna, nothing quite so exotic; it was a high-riding barge on a northbound trailer on SPID near Sea Pines coming into contact with a low-hanging power line. The physics are pretty basic. The result was a large blue flame that lit up the south side of The Island for an instant and plunged it into darkness for a few hours. It’s a reminder that we Islanders need to keep a good supply of candles handy, or a dependable generator because the fact is we live on the delicate tail end of the United States Power Grid, just take a look southward from Sea Pines on a dark night, and there is a lot that can go wrong and often does. This incident took place just beyond the No Gas Beyond This Point sign. Enough said. It’s time for some Barefoot Mardi Gras everybody! Say hello if you see us Around The Island!
Year 17, Issue 515
What’s Holding Up Traffic!? Project to take four months to complete
By Bob Currie
It’s time for Barefootin’ Island style! If the weather is good, look for a visitor from the sky
Island of Blue Lights
Facebook: The Island Moon Newspaper
Editor’s note: This is a letter from Islander Bob Currie who is organizing an effort by property owners along the Michael J. Ellis Seawall to change the way the beach there is maintained and to remove vehicles from the beach in front of the seawall. They plan to appear before the Island Strategic Action Committee at their next meeting at 5:30 p.m., March 4, at the Comfort Suites on Windward Drive. The meeting, like all ISAC meetings, is open to the public.
Look on the bright side folks, the short term pain will quickly be forgotten after the long-term gain has kicked in. We need these improvements and they will be done by summer.
Island mailbox surfer
Photo by Jan Rankin
As of Tuesday a total of 6570 voters have cast ballots in Early Voting for both parties. On North Padre a total of 392 have voted – 353 Republicans and 39 lonely Democrats. In Port Aransas 170 ballots have been cast – 153 Republicans and 17 Democrats. Friday is the last day for Early Voting with Election Day next Tuesday, March 4.
Vote continued on A3
Island Veterans Remember the Forrestal Ceremony is Saturday in Brownsville By Dale Rankin When the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal pulled into port for the last time in Brownsville last week it marked the bittersweet end of an era for three Island veterans. “We were proud to be part of the Forrestal’s long history,” said Islander Ray Morais, who served as an AVH 3 on the ship’s Mediterranean Cruise in 1961. “We will be there in Brownsville to see her at the end of her service.” The 1,063-foot-long aircraft carrier entered the jetties at the Port of Brownsville ship channel last week headed for its final destination at All Star Metals’ ship-recycling facility, where it will be dismantled and sold for scrap; an ignominious end for such a proud lady. A ceremony honoring the ship and those who served on her, the first of the Navy’s
Forrestal continued on A3
Editors note: Here is the official version of the work going on along the SPID/JFK Causeway corridor from the Texas Department of Transportation.
Resurfacing, Operational Improvements For Park Road 22, Sh 361 Expect single lane closures beginning Monday (Feb. 24); work will stop for Spring Break.
A project is scheduled to begin Monday (February 24) to resurface a major portion of Park Road 22 and to make operational improvements at the road’s intersection with SH 361 on Padre Island. Weather permitting, crews will repair pavement and resurface the main lanes and shoulders of PR 22 from just east of Waldron
Traffic continued on A4
Port Aransas Actress on Screen Actors Guild Awards Nominating Committee Reminisces About Past Acting and New Movies By Brent Rourk It is common knowledge that the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards and the Golden Globe Awards are considered a precursor to the Oscars. What is not so well known is that one Islander this year, long-time Port Aransas resident Bonnie Isaac, was on the nominating committee for the SAG Awards. She was chosen by the Screen Actors Guild to be a member of the Nominating Committee that selects the five best movie actors from several categories and forwards those choices to the Selection Committee.
“It was a fun honor to be a part of the nominating committee. I carefully reviewed Bonnie Isaac in The Seven Year Itch play with 37 films over the course of a few weeks. I Joey Bishop and Cybil Shephard also read the production company printed but Bonnie took it seriously. She will not material, which was vast and creative as be eligible, according to SAG rules, to be a well as informative,” she said. “It was a cool and very interesting thing to be a part of, she Nominating Committee member again for 8 added, “I am pretty sure that I am the only years. Screen Actors Guild Nominating Committee There are 2100 randomly selected members Member in Port Aransas.” each year (from over 165,000 tactive SAG As part of the job Bonnie poured over the members) who have the opportunity to serve on library of printed material that SAG sent to her the Nominating Committee for film (an equal and then she sat down and watched movie after number of randomly selected members serve on movie, taking notes, comparing and evaluating. a Nominating Committee for television). Those It was a lot of work in a short amount of time, SAG continued on A7
A little Island history
Island was Once Home to Thriving Salt Mining Industry
By Dale Rankin When it comes to salt The Island has plenty. But not just the kind that sticks to your skin in the surf. There was a time when the south end of The Island was the source for thousands of pounds of salt production each year. Sixty miles down bay in the Laguna Madre, from the early 1850s to 1874 salt was a major industry. The Laguna Madre was extremely salty in those days and as the action of the wind and tide washed up the hyper saline water on the shore and the sun evaporated the water the residual were solid sheets of salt, like lake ice, which was cut away in blocks and loaded onto small boats and taken to mills where windmills would grind it into everything from table salt to ice cream salt, to salt licks for cattle. At its height the industry employed 150 men in the salt harvest and the mined product was taken to Captain Anderson’s salt mill in downtown Corpus Christi and then exported. The village of Laguna Vista, at a site now on State Highway 100 and Farm Road 510
twenty miles east of San Benito and five miles northwest of Port Isabel overlooking Laguna Madre in eastern Cameron County, was settled in the early 1800s by Mexican salt traders who transported salt through the region to northern Mexico. Ranchers followed the traders, and eventually a community was formed The industry met its end at the hands of a hurricane in September, 1874 when the location now known as Pensacal Point where
History continued on A3
A 2
Island Moon
February 27, 2014
The Travelling Moon Gets Around
WHERE THE LOCALS SHOP
at the Esplande
1702 HWY 181, N Portland, TX (361) 643-2129 140 E. Ave. G, Port Aransas, TX (361) 749-4484 501 S. Alister, Port Aransas, TX (361) 749-6994
JESSE'S LIQUOR
13947 SPID, Corpus Christi, TX (361) 949-8961 1623 Wildcat Dr., Portland, TX (361) 643-2300
February 26th - March 3rd Skyy Vodka 1.75L for $22.99 Evan Williams Black Label Whiskey 1.75L for $19.99 Rebecca Creek Whiskey .750ml for $34.99 Miller Lite 12 Packs for $10.99 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc .750ml for $14.99
Islanders Libby and Mark on the water landing at Sunbreeze Hotel Ambrgres Belize
Come see our large selection of vapor products. Family Owned & Operated since 1987 OPEN Monday - Saturday 10:00 a.m.- 9:00 p.m. Good friends from North Texas battled this and many more drum this week in the Upper Laguna Madre
RAY HERRERA DIRECTOR
PadreVet.com
Public Relations Operations Marketing
361-949-8200
CHRISTI KRESSER VETERINARIAN
Sea fog is no obstacle for real anglers. Photo by Matthew A. Perez
Islanders turn out to run the Color Me Rad 5k
Spay / Neuter Expo March 15th 2-5pm
Barefoot Mardi Gras Parade is this Saturday at noon
Voted The Best Of The Best Veterinarian 2006 - 2013 *DIRECTOR’S MARCH SPECIAL New Puppy/Kitten Exam 1st Set of Vaccinations (Rabies, Distemper) Parasite Screen & Spay/Neuter
$99.99 *BRING THIS AD IN & RECEIVE $25 Rebate + $20 OFF per Dr. Christi on 1 year supply of Trifexis
*Must Present Coupon at Drop-Off
Double-amputee Justin Rokohl from Orange Grove poses after his jump with Jason Towns of Skydive South Texas.
February 27, 2014
Moon Monkeys Mike Ellis, Founder
Island Moon
New Events Port Aransas Art Schedule for Coastal Center Youth Spring Bend Break Art Camp A group from the Corpus Christi Chamber of Week Commerce Leadership Class has developed an event schedule called “What's up Corpus Christi” which is a comprehensive events calendar available as a Free Android and iPhone application. The calendar can also be accessed at www. whatsupcc.org. Community members and/ or businesses can use the website to easily post about their upcoming events, free, if it meets the general event criteria. The group also has a Facebook page where you can find the daily events posted at www.facebook.com/ whatsupcorpuschristi.
Distribution Pete Alsop Island Delivery Coldwell Banker Advertising Jan Park Rankin
The What's up Corpus Christi team will be out at Padre Island throughout spring break actively encouraging beach-goers to download the app and find out about all the local fun and concerts happening that week and all-year-round! Please download the free Corpus Christi event application from your App Store.
Classifieds Arlene Ritley Design/Layout Jeff Craft Contributing Writers
First Friday at the Art Center
Joey Farah Andy Purvis Devorah Fox Mary Craft
The Port Aransas Art Center will hold its First Friday Reception March 7th 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the center. Live music, light refreshments will be served. This month features work by Tiddle Caylor and an All Member Show. This event features on display-Annual All Member Show Art. Member Artists compete for 1st,2nd & 3rd Place. Also from March 1st thru 29th the Public can vote for 1 piece of art from this exhibit for People’s Choice”. The winning artists are awarded a “Merit Show” in August. The center is located at 323 N. Alsiter in Port Aransas. Phone 361-749-7334.
Maybeth Christiansen Jay Gardner Todd Hunter Dotson Lewis Ronnie Narmour Brent Rourk Dr. Donna Shaver Photographers Miles Merwin Jeff Dolan
The Port Aransas Art Center 323 N. Alister 361-749-7334, will hold a Spring Break Art Camp for students from the third through the fifth grade from March 10th -14th, Monday thru Friday. The classes will run from 1-3pm and cost $25 for the week. Pre-register and pay by March 3 to sign up and pay early to save your spot! There will be a different instructor and art projects each day. Students will learn to be arty and have a lot of Spring Break fun at the same time!
The Secret Lives of Fireflies The Coastal Bend Audubon Society will present a lecture on the Secret Lives of Fireflies by Don Salvatore at the South Texas Botanical Gardens and Nature Center 8545 S Staples St, in Corpus Christi, on Tuesday, March 4, at 7 p.m.
Firefly Watch Watching fireflies is a special part of warm summer nights in New England. We watch, we enjoy, but do we really know what they are saying. This talk, by Don Salvatore of the Museum of Science’s Firefly Watch Citizen Science project will shed a little light on the secret lives of fireflies. You will also learn how you can participate in a scientific research effort to find out if these magical insects are disappearing from our landscape and if so, why and what can be done about it.
Mary Craft Office Security/Spillage Control
Vote Continued from A1 Four years ago with the Governor’s race at the top of the ballot just over 12,000 voters cast ballots countywide. The hottest race on the ballot this time is on the Republican side where three candidates are vying for the nomination for Nueces County Commissioner Precinct 4. The job pays a salary of $71,000 with a total compensation package of $118,294.
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 15201 S. Padre Island Drive, Suite 250 Corpus Christi, TX 78418 361-949-7700 editor@islandmoon.com Facebook: The Island Moon Newspaper
Where to Find The Island Moon Port Aransas Lisabella’s Restaurant Pioneer RV Park Stripes @ Beach Access Rd. 1A
Port A Glass Studio
Felder Gallery
Doc’s Restaurant
Coast Club Coffee Waves Moby Dicks Spanky’sLiquor IGA Grocery Store Port A Business Center Carter Pharmacy
Island Italian 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
Corpus Christi, TX 78418 Both Democrat and Republican Precinct 19 Port Aransas Community Center
Flour Bluff
Registered voters can vote at any location during Early Voting which runs until 7 p.m. Early Voting locations on The Island for both parties are at the Island Foundation Seashore Learning Center, 15801 SPID, and in Port Aransas at Port Aransas ISD Administration Building at 100 Station Street.
Port Aransas, Both Democrat and Republican 654 Graham Rd. Flour Bluff Precinct 18 Ronnie H. Polston County Bldg. 10110 Compton Rd. Democrat Flour
Bluff
High
School
2505 Waldron Rd. Precinct 18 (Auditorium)
Flour
Bluff
High
School
2505 Waldron Rd.
W illiam a. T hau iii, P.C. “F ormer U.S. N avy L awyer ”
l Divorce and Separation l Child Custody and Support l Adoption/Guardianship l Paternity Cases l Wills and Probate
Snoopy’s Pier
Ace Hardware
14030 Fortuna Bay Dr.
According to the county budget the current members of Commissioners Court in the three fiscal years for which they have set budgets have increased county taxes by 13.3%, a 7.8% tax hike last year alone.
CVS
Isle Mail N More
Precinct 81 Island Presbyterian Church
Precinct 6 Ethel Eyerly Community Center
North Padre Whataburger
Both Democrat and Republican
Precinct 6 (Auditorium)
l Auto Accidents l Personal Injury l DWI l Criminal Justice l Military Law
ConvenienT Flour BluFF loCaTion 9708 S.P.I.D., Suite A-101 s C orPus C hrisTi (361) 937-5513 s T oll F ree 1-877-888-1369 Licensed by the Supreme Court of Texas Former President of the Corpus Christi Family Law Association (1999-2000) Selected as a Texas “Super Lawyer” in November 2003, October 2004 and October 2005 Issues of Texas Monthly
Flour Bluff H.E.B. Liquid Town Whataburger on Waldron
Gratitude Gift Shop
Police Station
Keepers Pier House
Stripes on Flour Bluff & SPID
by Mary Craft
mkay512@aol.com
New Advertisers The Barrel Wine & Tapas Bar next to Black Sheep Bistro now has Wine Down Wednesdays with half price wine bottles with purchase of one of their tapas from their new menu. 2014 Winter 8-Ball Invitational Shootout Championship will be at Bernie’s Beach House 730 Trout St. Port Aransas. Doors open at 11:30am on Sunday March 2 and public player auction is at 12:20. 76 Players fought it out this season, come see the final 16 fight it out to the last man standing. The event is sponsored byThird Coast Billiards located at 221 W Ave A. Black Bear Fishing Lodge offers affordable Canadian fishing trips on Crow Lake and Lake of the Woods in Ontario. Winter Texans Patrcia and Val Synenko invite everyone to come visit their lodge. Check out their web site at blackbearfishing. com or email them at blackbearfishing@ gmail.com.
Business Briefs Black Diamond Oyster Bar on Rodd Field Road will be closing and will not be re-opening at a different location. We do not have a closing date. The .7 acre property was listed at $675,000 and was bought by a Suburu dealership. The Mesquite Barbeque Restaurant has new owners. Orlando and Debra Foster, former owners of Tejas Grill on Upper Broadway, have put in a new menu that includes angus beef burgers, red potato salad with rosemary, cuban press sandwich, shiner bock baked beans, homemade salad dressing, jalapeno BBQ sauce and more. They have just taken over this week so it will take a little time to get it all together. A barber shop is going to be located alongside the Island Mail Plus. More details next issue.
The ISAC Meeting this month will address several topics including the issue of driving in front of the seawall. Seawall property owners donated the parking lot land to the city in 1996 to in return have a ban on driving in front of the seawall. Another topic to be discussed is the speed limit along SPID. The meeting is open to the public and will be at Comfort Suites across from Holiday Inn on Tuesday, March at 5:30 pm. Scuttlebutt's will begin serving lunch on Mondays and Tuesdays starting this Monday starting at 11 am with a different soup each day. Cheddar ale and french onion are my favorites. The Mardi Gras Parade in Port A begins near the Gaff and Stingray's at 4:00 pm on Tuesday, March 4th. Big turnout expected with lots of decorated vehicles and walkers. Look for the annual Moon Monkey float and the tossing of the moon pies. The Barefoot Mardi Gras Parade and Party is this Saturday. The parade on the beach starts at noon at access rd 4 just south of Whitecap and ends at the Briscoe Pavilion parking lot. Jason Towns from Skydive South Texas will be joining the parade from the sky. This year will have the most entrants ever with some Island businesses participating with a float for the first time including Scuttlebutt's and The Boathouse Bar/Restaurant. Get there early to get a good parking spot and bring the kids – they love it! The adult party starts at 6 pm at the pavilion with Miss Neesy's Zydeco Band that gets everyone on their feet. There will be lots of great cajun food so bring your appetite and dancing shoes and of course BEADS! The Back Porch in Port A is now open daily with a great waterfront view. Enjoy drink specials every Wacky Wednesday and live music on the weekends. Early voting ends Friday, February 28th. Election Day is Tuesday, March 4th. Check out The Island Moon Newspaper Facebook for daily Island news and comments. Dunk Your Junk Day at the City of Port Aransas Citizens Collection Station (The Dump) will be this Saturday March 1st starting at 9 am.Port A residents only are invited to bring out their worn furniture, mattresses, Tvs, etc for proper disposal. Refrigerant must be removed for airconditioning units and freezers. Items not acceptable are asphalt shingles, drywall, tires, chemical waste, medical waste, paint and propane tanks.
Baffin Bay joins the Laguna Madre was hit wiping out a large salt warehouse belonging to the King Ranch and damaging another six miles down the island at a place called Murdock’s Landing, now known as Yarborough Pass. At the Curry Settlement, located on the Laguna Madre shoreline a few miles south of where the Malaquite Visitor Center is now located, 25,000 bushels of salt was also washed from the beach and the hurricane pushed water over The Island which left the salt deposits damaged to the point that salt mining was no longer economically feasible.
WB Liquor
Fire Station
Did Ya Hear?
History continued from A1
Island Tire And all Moon retail advertisers
Ethyl Everly Senior Center
A3
Black Sheep Bistro will begin serving lunch again this Monday 11 am – 2 pm. Check out their specials on their Facebook page.
14030 Fortuna Bay Dr.
The winner will preside as one of five votes on the Nueces County Commissioners Court which oversees a budget of $179 million with a $52 million carry over from the current fiscal year and a county with property totaling $20 billion in value. Growth in county property in the past year totaled $286 million.
Tarpon Ice House
Amano
Precinct 40 Island Presbyterian Church
408 N. Alister St.
Wild Horse Saloon
All Stripes Stores
Republican
If none garners 50% of the vote in the primary race a runoff will be held. There is no Democrat in the race so the primary is the de facto General Election.
The Gaff
Miss K’s Catering & Bistro
Island Woman Boutique
Vying for the job on the Republican ballot, in the order on the ballot, are: Brent Chesney, a former Corpus Christi City Council member and until recently a County Court Judge; Incumbent Joe McComb, and Island resident and businessman Norm Baker.
On Election Day the voting is 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and voters must vote in the precinct where they are registered. Locations are as follows:
Member Padre Island Business Association
Member Padre Island Rotary Club
It has also been postulated that when the Intracoastal Canal was opened it reduced the salinity levels in the Laguna Madre which cut the amount of salt being washed on the beaches.
But for a time the south end of Padre Island was the source of enough salt that it spawned an industry, and industry as it turns out, that was built on shifting sands.
A 4
New Enforcement Rules for POA
Editor’s note: The following is the new policy from the Board of Directors of the Padre Island Property Owners Association. It is printed here verbatim.
ENFORCEMENT AND FINE POLICY PADRE ISLES PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION POLICY NUMBER XXVII 2013 The Board of Directors adopts the following policy for addressing violations of the governing documents:
A. Remedies for Violations: 1. Remedies. This policy applies to all violations of the Declaration, Covenants, Bylaws, and recorded rules and regulations of the Association (collectively, a Violation). The Board of Directors may respond to a Violation with any of the remedies listed below. The below-listed remedies shall be in addition to any other remedies provided by the Declaration, Covenants, Bylaws, State statute, or other law:
B. Enforcement Procedure The following outlines the general enforcement procedure for Violations. Strict compliance is not necessary, as long as the Owner is given fair notice and all statutory conditions for enforcement have been met. 1. Courtesy First Notice. The Association shall mail a courtesy notice letter to the Owner involved that identifies the alleged Violation, requests that it be corrected within a specified time, and advises of the remedies the Association can impose if non-compliance continues. This step shall not apply for repeat/ recurrent Violations for which a notice was sent within the preceding 12 months. 1. Formal Notice. In the event the Violation is not corrected within the specified time, or recurs within 12 months, the Association shall give the Owner written notice by certified mail, return receipt requested that: a. Describes the Violation and states the remedy to be imposed, including amount and beginning date of the proposed fine; b. Allows the Owner a reasonable time, by a specified date (which date may be shorter than the cure period allowed in the letter sent pursuant to step 1), to cure the Violation and avoid imposition of the remedy; provided, this provision shall not apply if the Owner was given certified mail notice and a reasonable opportunity to cure a similar Violation within the preceding 12 months;
b. Record a notice of non-compliance in the County Official Public Records; c. Impose costs of collection of enforcement (including attorney’s charges) against an owner; and d. Assess a fine against the owner and the owner’s property. 2. Vicarious Liability. Property owners are responsible for all Violations of their tenants, Guests, invitees, or occupants.
c. States that not later than the 30th day after the date of the notice of Violation, the Owner may request a hearing before the Board to contest the matter;
3. Administrative Fee. The Association may charge an administrative fee of not more than $35 per notice to defray the time and cost of processing violation notices.
5. Imposition of Fines. The Board gives standing orders to the Executive Coordinator to apply this procedure and, if the Violation is not timely cured, impose finds according to the Rules and Regulations and the fine schedule set forth below. If the fine for the Violation is neither specified in the Rules nor within one of the categories shown on the schedule, the Board will set the fine in its reasonable discretion. In setting the fine, the Board may consider all factors it deems relevant, including the nature of the Violation, the frequency, and effect on neighboring owners and properties. 6. Repeat Violations. The fine for a repeat Violation within 12 months will be higher than for the previous violation(s). 7. Fine Period. As a general rule, fines for a discrete incident will be imposed on a per occurrence basis. Fines will be imposed on a daily or weekly basis if the Violation is of a continuous or ongoing nature.
d. Advises that the request for hearing must be in writing and delivered to the Association. e. States that attorney’s fees and costs will be charged if the Violation is upheld. 3. Hearing. Upon receipt of a request for a hearing, the Board shall promptly schedule the hearing and give the owner at least ten (10) days’ advance notice of the date, time, and place of the hearing. 4. Delivery of Notice. A certified mail letter that is returned to the Association due to the owner’s failure or refusal to claim the letter shall be deemed received by the owner on the 5th day after the postmark date of the letter. 5. Notice of Fine. If a fine is imposed, the Association shall notify the owner of the levied fine within 30 days of imposition of the fine. This notice need not be sent by certified mail. 6. Exemptions. The foregoing procedures do not apply to a lawsuit seeking a temporary restraining order or temporary injunctive relief, or to the collection of regularly scheduled assessments and late fees.
C. Fine Schedule. Except as provided in the Rules and Regulations, or as modified by the Board, the fine schedule will be as follows:
8. Exceptions. The Board may depart from these guidelines and impose a fine at a greater
1st Offense
$50
2nd Offense
$100
3rd Offense
$150
Traffic continued from A1 Road in Flour Bluff to SH 361. The project will require various single lane closures throughout the limits of the project. In an effort to minimize disruptions during peak traffic periods, eastbound closures are scheduled from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and westbound closures will be from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Motorists are urged to allow additional travel time during the project. All work on the entire project will stop from March 7-16 for Spring Break. The operational improvements at the intersection of PR 22 and SH 361 will involve lengthening the dual left turn lanes from PR 22
to SH 361 by about 1,000 feet each. Also, the right turn shoulder on PR 22 at Commodores Drive will be widened by four feet and lengthened by 800-1,000 feet. The lengthened turn lanes and wider shoulder are designed to ease congestion and to improve safety for motorists on southbound PR 22. All work is expected to be completed in about four months. Traffic control will be in place for the lane closures. Motorists are advised to slow down, plan for additional travel time, watch for work crews and proceed with caution through work zones.
February 27, 2014
Senior Moments
Hero Was Critical of His Country’s War Role
rate, provided that the owner is notified in advance of the amount of the fine and given a reasonable opportunity to avoid it.
a. Levy a damage assessment against an owner;
4. Non-Exclusivity. These remedies are cumulative, and may be imposed in combination with each other. For example, the Board may, for the same Violation, improve a fine, and charge attorney’s fees incurred incident to enforcement.
Island Moon
By Dotson Lewis, dlewis1@stx.rr.com Special to the Island Moon
through an interpreter Dotson’s note: In the last two issues with Harold L. Jones, of The Island Moon we related the story then owner of a bed of Captain Colin P. Kelly Jr and his son and breakfast in Colin P. Kelly III. In my research for the Unionville, Nev. Sakai articles, I saw a familiar name, Saburo rated the visit one of Sakai. I remember him in 1947 as a the great events of his member of the Rooster Club in Tokyo. life. Much to my surprise, Saburo Sakai (as I recall, was addressed by his friends "His cockpit exploded as “Number 3 Son”) was the Zero in orange flames, and pilot who was credited with shooting his head went back down Captain Kelly’s B17 over the against the headrest," Philippines; also he was credited with Jones told reporters crippling a transport plane which had at that meeting. "I among others, a passenger named Saburo Sakai thought he was gone." Lyndon B. Johnson. I knew Sakai-san But Sakai's Zero was one of the oldest members of the club and had been a Zero pilot. I had not seen plummeted 7,000 feet, apparently extinguishing the flames in the dive. Struggling for or heard of him since 1948. consciousness, he used his silk aviator's scarf--a He fully expected to die. piece of which he later gave to Jones--to wipe That was Aug. 7, 1942, over Guadalcanal, the blood from his good eye, and, with his left when a bullet blinded his right eye, paralyzed arm useless, flew the plane 560 nautical miles his left side and drenched him in blood. There over the next five hours, back to his base on were other close encounters in his 200 air New Guinea. battles over the Pacific, but he had foreseen his The legendary survival flight is memorialized death months before any of them. in a painting in Sakai's hometown of Kyushu "I knew when we went to war with the United States it was a lost cause," he said in 1954. "I expected to be killed."
Saburo Sakai--the ace Japanese pilot who shot down 64 American, Australian and Dutch fighter planes during World War II to become a legend and the subject of books and a movie-did finally die. But death came more than half a century after the war ended and as he pursued a personal campaign to repair relations with his former enemies and prod his countrymen into confronting Japan's past. Sakai died September 22, 2000 in Tokyo after suffering a heart attack while dining with American military officers at the Atsugi U.S. naval base in Japan. He was 84.
The closer you get to the Emperor the fuzzier everything gets. Weary of the Japanese citizenry's blaming the war solely on its military, former Imperial Japanese Navy Aviation Pilot 1st Class Sakai spoke strongly at a Tokyo news conference on the eve of the anniversary of Japan's Aug. 15, 1945, surrender: "We were ordered to go die for victory. . . . Who gave the orders for that stupid war? The closer you get to the emperor, the fuzzier everything gets." Japan, he felt, had for decades whitewashed the war-related decisions made by the late Emperor Hirohito and the politicians who surrounded him. "We were following his orders," Sakai said in 1995. "After the war, the emperor should have quit, shaved his head and retired to a temple to take responsibility." Sakai, who sent a daughter to college in Texas to "learn about democracy," made more than two dozen trips to the U.S. over the years, meeting many of the pilots he formerly tried to kill. He made similar trips to Australia, where his captured Japanese Zero fighter plane sits in the National War Memorial in Canberra. Unlike American aces, Sakai had no medals or trophies. Except a small one he won by downing U.S. pilots in a 1971 golf tournament at the American Fighter Aces Association reunion in San Diego. Most touching of Sakai's peaceful encounters with Americans perhaps was his meeting in San Gabriel in 1983 with the U.S. Navy tail gunner who nearly killed him over Guadalcanal. Brought together by aerial warfare buff Henry Sakaida of Mission Viejo, Sakai chatted
showing his bullet-riddled Zero carrying him away from Guadalcanal--upside down.
Never mustered out of the Imperial Navy despite the loss of his eye, Sakai taught combat pilots until he was ordered back into combat over Iwo Jima near the end of the war. He was wounded four times and was one of only three survivors of the 150 pilots in his prewar outfit.
A gifted pilot, but never a strong student, Sakai learned to fly at the Navy Fliers School in Tsuchiura, one of 70 men selected from 1,500 applicants. He first went into combat over southeastern China in 1938.
Sakai kept meticulous notes on his combat years and later turned them into 10 books, including "Samurai of the Sky," which was made into a 1976 Japanese movie.
Within those notes, eventually confirmed by American records and pilots, was Sakai's near-miss that could have altered history. On June 9, 1942, he shot at an American Army bomber called the Heckling Hare over his New Guinea base. He crippled the B-26 Marauder's right engine, but was unable to down the plane because it dived into a cloud.
Aboard on a fact-finding mission for President Franklin D. Roosevelt was a Texas congressman, Lyndon B. Johnson.
In 1964, when Johnson was President, Sakai said he had only fulfilled a routine duty by firing on the aircraft and that he considered Johnson "a real patriot deserving the highest esteem."
"I cannot but feel that President Johnson is a man of great courage and responsibility," he said then, "in view of the fact that he voluntarily took part in the hazardous aerial mission over Lae, one of the strongholds of the Japanese aerial front line in the South Pacific at that time."
In addition to his daughter, Michiko Smart, who studied in San Antonio and married a former U.S. Army captain, Sakai is survived by his wife, Haru, another daughter and a son, and two grandchildren. Michiko Sakai Smart speaking at her Father’s memorial service October 14, 2000 Dotson’s Note: Your comments regarding the foregoing article; and your memories of long or not so long ago will be greatly appreciated. Email: dlewis1@stx.rr.com Phone: 361-9497681 Cell: 530-748-8475
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There’s No Time Like Now to Plan Your Future Neal Nelson, AAMS® Financial Advisor .
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February 27, 2014
Island Moon
A5
Backwater Adventures Hook Smart Angling Choices
On the Rocks By Jay Gardner
By Joey Farah Farah’s Fishing Adventures
Anyone heading down the Island this past Saturday morning could see the light plant in the VC parking lot from a long ways away. Ainsworth Trucking had yet again topped themselves by lighting up the entire parking lot for the start of the Big Shell Clean Up this year, in addition to the “rolligon” they brought to haul trash out as well.
Tough to boot
Out of The Fog
Mentors Dr. David McKee and Capt. Billy Sandifer. beach collecting bags, and Travis Baines helped lead the Ainsworth truck and trailer crew. CCACorpus Christi provided the hotdogs again this year, and Daniel Dain at Domino’s had the pizzas there with a nice addition of Canadian bacon to the roster.
Sharkathon
Final counts say that over 540 volunteers showed up to hit some of the hardest sections of beach to clean, and the conditions were pretty tough to boot. While the winds were decent and the temperature oddly pleasant compared to what normally occurs, the driving was just flat out tough. We had three vehicles go down on us in my section alone, from a damaged tire on my co-leader Bizzy’s truck before we got out of the chute, to an overheated transmission that needed to be hauled off the beach, to Repo’s battery that died on him down the beach at the 22MM. This clean up was not for the faint of heart, but folks stuck it out and got the job done.
Sharkathon boardmembers were there in full force helping out, taking pictures, and leading sections as well. Sharkathon supports the clean up efforts on multiple levels, physically and financially. After the clean up activities, Sharkathon made their yearly donations to other worthy causes. They donated $6,000 to the Harte Research Institute for furthering shark tagging efforts. They donated $6,000 to Friends of Padre to support the annual Big Shell Clean Up. They donated a whopping $9,000 to the Seashore for the youth education program. Sharkathon donated $21,000 to local environmental and educational causes this year alone. Unbelievable! Giant kudos go out to everyone involved in this deal. Thanks again to new Seashore Supervisor Mark, and of course to Ranger Buzz. Good also seeing you Cynthia. If you haven’t been to a clean up, I highly suggest you make plans to attend the next one.
Oz-some
40 tons
All told 4 large dumpsters were filled to the brim with bagged trash, and estimates were around the 40 ton mark. The Friends of Padre did an excellent job this year of lining people out and getting them headed down the beach. They changed it up a bit and created lanes that would fill up and head out when they were ready. This gave sections going next a little heads up to get it together and load up. It worked great and will be used again in the future. Ainsworth again had several trucks and trailers that prove to be the backbone of this clean up year after year. David Ainsworth Sr. and Jr. along with Capt. Billy rode the rolligon up and down the
After getting it all put away and rinsed off, we jumped on Jason’s boat the Oz-some, and headed out to do a little fishing nearshore to take advantage of some flat seas and do some scouting. We caught a few fish here and there, and then headed over to the new Corpus Christi/ Packery channel artificial reefs to see how it was developing. We caught a lot of sand trout, a nice drum, and a bunch of 10-12 inch red snapper, which was a really good sign. We drifted over the large area and marked a bunch of pyramids in preparation for the summer runs. That reef is going to be a game-changer in nearshore fisheries, and will be quite popular this summer. I can’t wait. Wish me luck getting the skiff back in the water; I found a motor the other day. Also wish my folks luck as they fold up shop and move it all to Houston over the next few weeks. I’ll miss them being close. Shoot me an email at jaygardner@scientist.com if you have any good pictures from the clean up as well, and thanks again to everyone who showed up and got it done.
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Her eyes would focus on the bait then roll up and stare directly at me, even move from me to my friend on the rear of the boat. She snuck out and around us and disappeared into the fog like a ghost. We sat on the bank talking about what had just happened and decided to make another drift. As we idled out and down the beach we saw another big trout then a third. We began to pole our skiff down the beach and another world opened up to me that I had not seen before.
Biggest Trout I Ever Saw
Leo Jacoel with a pair of monster drum from a double hook up in the ICW with cut crab. Capt Jim Harmon released
Small groups of male trout could be seen scattered in the deeper sand spots, aggressively attacking our baits. With every group of these males there was one or sometimes two big mature females lurking close by. At times we would not see the female until we had hooked up a smaller trout then she would come out of her grassy hide and eyeball the situation from a safe distance. We spent hours casting at trout that legends are made of, flipping every lure we had. We had just finished a drift and were idling when I looked down beside the boat to see a large fish resting only feet away. I killed the motor as we slid up to her. I thought it was a Ling and even said it out loud because of its thick shoulders and length. I have never seen or heard of a ling being in the Lagoon, then we passed her and the light hit the spots on her back then her side. This was a trout! The biggest I’ve seen even to this day. She didn’t move at all and as we drifted past her I made a long cast far behind where she laid. I let line out and when the boat was far away and washed up on the beach I worked the lure in her direction. I struggled to find her dark black silhouette in the overcast light.
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The most important rule is to not let them know you are there. A fish that sences your presence is on alert and will think twice before feeding. When approaching an area drift in or use a trolling motor. If you are going to wade fish close to your boat anchor off the bow of the boat to eliminate boat noise and interruption of current. Do not wade in a line with your friends like soldiers, sneak off to areas and try not to stir up the bottom. A single man’s feet can be dismissed as a few drum rummaging along the bottom, four guys walking will send that trout over the edge and out of reach.
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Big Sow nearby
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When you catch one or two good adult male trout expect there to be a big sow nearby Fan
Monday, Thursday, Friday 4 pm - 10 pm Saturday Noon - 10 pm Sunday 11 am - 10 pm Closed Tuesday & Wednesday
Look for areas that these big fish hunt, the small set ups that they hide in and wait for an unsuspecting mullet or school of baitfish to use. These funnels, well placed sand spots, grass lines, and guts will be where your trout of a lifetime will return to day after day to take easy meals during the prime lunar feedings.
Tighten your grip on your Trophy Trout Angling this spring and focus on one cast at a time, and finding those small perfect spots. Most of the large trout that I make eye contact with are because I saw a perfect spot that looked right and then scanned the shadows and thick stands of grass. Many times I will stand in one spot motionless for long periods of time, watching sand pockets waiting for these large fish to move position and swim across the sand. Changes in light, Flounder are starting to move back into the wind, and sun will make them move to a lagoon as temperatures are coming up. more favorable location in the sand pocket. To elevate your game on the water this Then I saw a silver flash and boil, she had spring come have a day with me on the water seen my CORKY and spun around to come up hunting those monsters of your fish dreams and behind it. I was in a draw with a giant trout and become the predator. gave the plug a few erratic pulses and she stayed The Drum are Running Hard! with it until she came close enough to the boat for us to see her eyes looking at us. She turned The last two weeks have been incredible with and melted away. That day alone we casted at the schools of drum coming into the Laguna more than twenty trout over 30 inches, many Madre’ for their spring spawn. This last week of them well over the ten pound range. Most of we saw many anglers from boats, piers, and them never even attempted to attack our baits, shorelines hooked up on MONSTER BULL “Dan the Man” and I had a day that will forever DRUM. Cut crab will keep the small fish off be engrained in our memories. For me, it was the hooks and allow your bait to sit in the right a learning experience that set me out on a long spot longer. Live shrimp are still not available and never- ending path in understanding the because of our cold winter but should start ways of mature speckled trout. They are very in moving with this dark New Moon. Dead shrimp tune with their surroundings as well as the fish is working great as long as it is fresh. Marker 37 they swim with. Marina is stocked up with frozen blue crabs and Some of the lessons that I find are the most important in consistently landing big mature speck were learned from many days on the water and seeing events and watching trout some that I’ve caught and many that have been a bit smarter than I.
Wine Flights Every Day
cast to good looking hiding spots away from the exact spot you are catching the smaller fish. Many times if I switch the color or action of my bait as soon as I catch more than two keepers in one spot I will get hit by the larger sow trout. This can be explained by fishing under the lights behind the house. How many times do you catch one on the first cast then the gig is up, after that they will only follow it. Switching baits will surprise them and many times trick the larger, smarter fish into a strike. I approach trophy trout fishing with the same game plan as when I spot and stalk big game with my bow; small footprint and move slower than the game you are hunting. Just as we do not walk through the brush and expect to harvest the smartest deer in the woods we cannot cover every foot of the bay casting in hopes of connecting with a wall hanger. Trophy deer hunters watch areas that are good feeding spots from afar waiting for their pray to show, do the same in the bay.
Trophy Trout
Trophy Trout Rules
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As the glow of the rising sun lightened up the sky the fog thickened up and the shoreline along the King Ranch disappeared as we drifted only a hundred yards away from its beach. The distant hiss of the waves on the open beach was the only way we would have known which way was east. As we silently floated up towards the bank we looked down to see a MONSTER TROUT staring at us eye to eye. The first few casts I actually thought I might catch her, the last two I knew she had already seen me and watched as she effortlessly maneuvered around my lures.
flash frozen shrimp that are as fresh as the day they were caught.
The quality of your bait is very important. Take the crabs and peel the shell off the back, then cut the whole crab into four or five sections. Thread the hook into a leg joint and out of the shell. A major advantage is adding scent to your bait. Grab some PRO CURE shrimp and crab flavor and add it to your bait on every cast. Marker 37 just got in a new batch. The mullet and menhaden flavors are in my pocket and on my soft plastic every cast, it certainly makes a difference. The piers are full of people catching these big drum, you should load up and take advantage of this migration. Head out for a short trip just at dark, the new lights at Marker 37 are huge, I walked out in the predawn darkness and the water was alive with shrimp and small baitfish.
Sheep head at the Packery and Port A jetties are also at a peak and a short trip out there when the tide is coming in will surely find a good pull on your line, just be careful for those slippery rocks. Have a good week and give me a call if you have family or friends in town for a memory of a lifetime. Capt. Joey Farah (361)442-8145
A 6
Island Moon
Letters to Riley
Cat Trouble By Riley P. Dog
hauled me out by the tail. It was worth it though. That was a good treat.
Then on Tuesday we’ll do the parade in Port Aransas. Last year I jumped off my float and scored a dog treat in The Flats before a lady
So anyway, I’ll see you on the beach on Saturday in my Dog Wagon. Bring some hotdogs everybody! But no cats – Stoopid Cats!
I’m looking forward to Thursday too because that’s when the Back Porch opens in Port Aransas and the nice humans there let me go in and work the tourist crowd for French fries. Tourists are suckers for a sad face when they got a plate of French fries.
Um, French fries. Last week I saw a cat trying to beg for a French fry. Even tourists know that cats don’t eat French fries. Stoopid cats! No French fries for you! French fries are for dogs. Everybody knows that – except cats – Stoopid Cats!
Seawall continued from A1 1. The City's code enforcement team has taken action on the sand removal from the surface of the seawall. -the dunes should be pushed farther back on the property or this will be a monthly task. 2. The guard rails have missing links that need to be replaced -the rails are only missing in front of vacant property 3. The seawall surface has rebar exposed in several places. This makes it difficult for skate boards and for walkers. The City should come up with a repair plan so the repair by owners is consistent.
Major Issues 1. The sand is on the steps of the seawall and the drifts are lapping on the seawall from the Gulf side. The resident property owners hire contractors to physically move the sand off the first 4-5 steps but it has been determined that this is a City responsibility. The property line is the seaward side of the seawall so all the sand is the City's responsibility. The sand blowing on the seawall is one problem but not having 4-5 steps for surge protection defeats the purpose of the seawall to start with. 2. The City has not been grading the beach periodically. Dunes have started to grow on the seaward side of the seawall and they should be removed. The beach should be smooth from end to end not just in front of the five resident property owners.
logical solution is to keep vehicles off of the beach 24/7. Speeding vehicles, two way traffic, and driving next to the water is common. 3. The property owners purchased land for a parking lot and gave it to the City. This meets the requirement for beach access and the City in turn was going to eliminate driving on the beach. The property owners did their part and the City should now do theirs. We need a plan from the City to get this done.
Need ISAC's help in requesting a formal ruling from City Attorney's office Can the beach be closed to traffic under the City ordinance that was approved by a citywide votes in 2008? The 2008 ordinance called for taking traffic off the beach in front of the seawall but included two traffic lanes and eight parking places running from the north end of the seawall to near the parking lot. The bollards could be installed per existing ordinance, if that is the decision, but with shifting sand next to the seawall engineering said it would be difficult/ impossible to maintain the traffic lanes. If a ruling from the City Attorney and through the GLO allows the bollards to be placed under the existing ordinance, without the traffic lanes, the bollards can be placed by this summer with five council yes votes. The ordinance is still active just never put in place.
Big Issue…..There should not be driving on the beach in front of the seawall 1. The main issue is safety, little kids running and playing and vehicles winding in between them. 2. We have laws now on speed limits, one way driving, and driving within 50 feet of the water. The Police Department doesn’t have the manpower to enforce these laws 24/7. The
The future of driving on the seawall beach is foggy
Club News 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. 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. P.I.E. Padre Island Enrichment Club, Inc., strives to enrich the lives of Padre Island women through social activities and community involvement. Full membership luncheon meetings are held the second Friday of each month at the Holiday Inn. Members may also participant in special interest clubs (bunco, bridge, spades, books, etc) that meet throughout the month. For more information about PIE, please contact Katherine Pierce, President, at 361 960-0327 or Sandy Leber, Membership Chair, at 361 949-4175.
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.” To join go to portaransasparrotheads.com or call Donnie Simpson 210 367-2674.
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 Marines “Toys for Tots” program KIWANIS Club of Padre Island. The with La Posada events, including the Lighted Kiwanis Club of Padre is kicking off their Boat Parades. To schedule a visit or find out holiday nut sale. All Proceeds Help Children! more information please contact John Diggins New Crop Texas Pecans from the Phone 361-867-1313 as the Rear Commodore/ Durham Pecan Company, Comanche, Texas. Membership for 2014. Prices range from $11 per bag for pecans to $5 per bag for peanuts. See any club member POA - Padre Isles Owners Association. The Association's primary responsibility is to to get a bag. maintain the Common Areas, assess and collect The Kiwanis meet at noon each Wednesday the annual fees and provide information and at Black Sheep Restaurant. They will also assistance to property owners. .. Membership host the annual Breakfast With Santa on in PIPOA is automatic for anyone acquiring Saturday, December 7 at St. Andrew By the record legal title to any property within Padre Sea Fellowship Hall. For more information Isles. Their office is located at 14015 Fortuna contact Karen Wilson at 361-446-4626. e-mail Bay Drive on The Island. (361) 949-7025, at karenwilson61@gmail.com. padreisles@pipoa.net PIDOG. PI Dog Group (PIDOG).Our ARK – Animal Rehabilitation Keep. Located February meeting will be held at Billish Park in Port Aransas the ARK is affiliate with the on Sat. Feb. 1st at 9:00 AM. We will talk about University of Texas at Austin Marine Science walking on a loose lead and we will have a Center. They handle the rehabilitation of most novice Rally course for you to have fun. Come species of wildlife in the area with an emphasis and have fun with your pup. Our next activity on marine animals. They care for abut 1300 will be the Barefoot Mardi Gras Parade. We animals each year, including about 300 sea will have a float and marchers throwing turtles and more than 100 species of birds. If beads. Anyone who would like to volunteer you find an animal in peril they can help to decorate, march, or throw - contact Sara. JustBe@yahoo.com. Bev bevhoffman@aol. Tony Amos is the Director. 750 Channel View Dr. Port Aransas. 361 749-6793, 361 442-7638. com afamos@mail.utexas.edu. IUPAC (Island United Political Action Committee): Maximize representation of Island Strategic Action Committee. A Corpus Christi residents on Padre and Mustang 14-member committee which meets (usually) Islands in area government by promoting the at 5:30 on the first Tuesday of each month and supporting, by the endorsement process, at the Comfort Suites on Windward Drive. The proactive and unified voting in non-partisan committee’s purpose is to advise the Corpus races and other issues and referendums put to Christi City Council on matters pertaining to The Island. public vote. Contact Persons: President – Linda A Walsh lawalshva@yahoo.com 361-445-7999. Secondary Contact Person: Member – Brent Hess, bhess0604@gmail.com. 361-774-0089. Meetings: Open to the public, meetings are held the first Wednesday of each month.
February 27, 2014
Stuff I Heard on the Island by Dale Rankin
It’s going to be a big weekend for we Island dogs. It’s time for the Big Parade that goes down the beach where all dogs get a pat on the head and some dogs get hotdogs! Me I’m hoping to get me a Moon Pie and a dog treat that my humans are going to throw to the crowd. My humans plan to haul me down the beach behind a surfboard but that’s okay. I’ve done it before. Something about a dog being hauled down the beach in his Dogwagon makes humans happy. I don’t mind as long as I get me a Moon Pie and a dog treat and maybe a hotdog.
Minor Issues
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 Parrot Heads of Port Aransas – A not-for- lunch and various fun outings from cupcake profit organization whose purpose is to assist making to CPR.
There’s a lot going on here on our little sandbar so let’s get right to it.
New POA rules The Padre Island Property Owners Association has a new set of rules for people who violate their rules. For the complete policy see the story in this issue. The short version is that it means a system of fines with the top being $150 for a third violation. The move was passed by the Board of Directors at their monthly meeting Tuesday night.
An Island by any other name What to call the place we live has once again become an issue. For the past few years the Corpus Christi Convention and Visitors Bureau has been using the Upper Padre Island moniker in the literature it uses to promote the city. The Upper Padre Island name came from market research done by Paul Schexnailder and Asset Development Corporation. It was in response to the universally acknowledged fact that North Padre Island has a name recognition problem in the markets which provide eighty percent of its visitors – San Antonio, Austin, Houston, and Dallas. And when I say problem what I mean is not a soul in any of those cities has any idea what you are talking about when you say you live on North Padre Island. After a few sentences of trying to tell them where it is you finally say, “Do you know where you go over a big bridge and then turn left to go to Port Aransas?” “Oh yea, I know where that is.” “Well, that’s North Padre Island.” So the idea of Upper Padre Island was to differentiate us from South Padre Island which has done a much better job of branding itself. The latest discussion arises due to a change in command at the CVB and the new director has voiced an objection to the Upper Padre moniker for the understandable reason that it is not on any maps. But then again neither is South Padre Island and that term is known in cities across the state. If you stop a random one hundred people on the street in Austin or San Antonio you will find that just about every one of them, when referring to The Island uses the term “The Coast,” and when you pin them down you will find out that when the say “The Coast” what they really mean is Port Aransas. What is surprising to me is that no one outside of Corpus Christi calls us The Island. That is a term used by people who live in Corpus Christi but not on The Island. It is used by residents of both Port Aransas and North Padre – or Upper Padre – to refer to the place they live. To people in Port Aransas The Island means Port Aransas; to people on North Padre/ Upper Padre it means North Padre/Upper Padre. So what is the right term? Well, in the end it’s the one that sticks – whatever that turns out to be and right now it is either North Padre which demonstrably has no staying power; or Upper Padre which hasn’t been around long enough to stick. What is perfectly clear is that we need to decide what to call ourselves and stick with it. The suggestion box is open for business. Let’s hear from you on our Facebook page theislandmoonnewspaper.
Dogpark progress The location of the planned dogpark for The Island/Upper Padre has now been officially moved to a 2.5 –acre site near the water tower donated by Mr. Schexnailder. The move follows objections to the first proposed site at Aquarius Park. The move means some added amenities – such as a water line – will have to be added and that has increased the cost from the original estimate of $350,000 to just under $500,000. The city will not help, the money must be raised through donations and that process is just beginning. Keep an eye out for some fundraising events in the next few months.
How fast is Island Time?
Island? That is a question that is entering the public debate on The Island and the Island Strategic Action Committee has the idea under consideration. There is also the next question; if the speed limit is lowered should it be for the entire stretch of road from the JFK Causeway to Sea Pines, or just from the JFK to Commodores, or from the JFK to Whitecap; or some combination thereof?
It is a question whose time has come as roadwork now underway on SPID which will keep SPID down to one lane for most of the next four months, will eventually change the traffic patterns around the crucial intersection at SPID/SH 361/Commodores. The opening of the Schlitterbahn park will also have some – at this point unknown – effect on traffic there.
So the debate has been opened. The SPID roadway is state maintained but inside the Corpus Christi City Limits so any decision will be made only after the public has been heard from.
The ISAC meetings, and the pages of the Island Moon, are the proper places to register your opinion and both are open to the public. The POA is also planning one or more town hall meetings to let people hear directly from TxDot. This is a decision that will effect the daily lives of everyone who lives on The Island and needs to be made only with input from everyone. So speak up or forever hold your peace.
Hangar Space
One thing is clear; there is not enough hangar space at airports in the Coastal Bend to keep up with demand. New hangars at McCampbellPorter Airport in Ingleside were rented before they were built and there is a waiting list for more. The same is going on at Corpus Christi International.
Mustang Beach Airport has not added hangars in years and also has a waiting list of over twenty people and this week is auctioning off the right to negotiate for a hangar lease, assuming the bid winner can come to terms on a lease. Bids can be submitted by mail or in person beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Port Aransas City Council Chambers. The window to submit a bid on Saturday is only thirty minutes long and ends at 1:30.
It is an unusual bidding process to say the least that seems designed to drive away bidders.
But the point here is that the demand for hangar space is high while the supply is low. As a result there is a push underway to bring an airport to the North Padre end of The Island. It is in the fledgling stages at this point but not impossible.
He’s going Bluffin’ and he’s not bluffin’
My Oklahoma friend Robert Bob blew through town one day last week on his way to Mexico. He thought it was Spring Break but he was using a calendar he found under the seat of his truck and he got mixed up on the dates and showed a little early. “So what do you guys do for fun around here when it ain’t Spring Break and you don’t go to Mexico?” I sent him to the Bluff. “Just go to the Leaping Lizard and from there let your conscience be your guide,” I told him.
Robert Bob went to the HEB to buy some peanuts.
“Do you have a Nut Section?” he asked the lady there.
“No, we usually just call the security guard,” she said.
“No, I mean where do you keep the nuts?” Robert Bob said. “Well, we usually keep them in the office until the cops get here,” she said. “I think I was insulted but I’m not sure,” Robert Bob said. I feel your pain Robert Bob. I feel your pain.
Should the speed limit on SPID/Park Road 22 be reduced from 55 mph to 45 mph on The
Forrestal continued from A1 supercarriers, will be held this weekend Besides Morais, Islanders Donald Yates, who served on a repair crew, and Bob Olson, who served on an armaments crew, are also expected to attend. On Saturday, March 1, All Star Metals will host an open visitation at its facility from 9 a.m. to noon for the public, veterans and members of the USS Forrestal Association. In conjunction with the event, the USS Forrestal Association will hold an off-site event beginning at 1 p.m. For details, visit www.uss-forrestal.com. The vessel, named for James Forrestal, former secretary of defense during the Truman administration, was decommissioned in 1993. It was launched in 1954 from Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. in Virginia and commissioned in 1955. The vessel was the lead ship of the Forrestal-class of carriers, which also included the USS Independence, the USS Ranger and the USS Saratoga, all of which have been decommissioned and designated for dismantling. The Forrestal featured the first steam catapult, angled flight deck and optical landing systems and saw 38 years of service and its attached air wings took part in missions all over the globe, including dozens of NATO operations, overseas deployments, patrol missions and strategic port visits around the Atlantic and Sixth Fleets.
The ship was engaged in air operations off Vietnam on July 29, 1967 when future Senator, POW and Presidential candidate John McCain was almost killed on its flight deck. The Forrestal had been launching air strikes against the North Vietnamese from the Gulf of Tonkin when a Zuni rocket accidentally fired from an F-4 Phantom jet, striking McCain’s A-4 Skyhawk and rupturing the plane’s fuel tank. .Video of the event shows McCain running from the flames even as fire suppression crews ran toward the flames. The resulting fire and explosions killed 134 of his shipmates, injured 161 more, destroyed more than 20 aircraft and badly damaged the carrier to the tune of $72 million. The Forrestal was in dry dock at Norfolk Naval Shipyard for several months while repairs were made. Morais said a push from the 3500 sailors who served on the ship is underway to name a new carrier after the old warrior to carry on the name. He also is working on plans to place a memorial to the Forrestal on the Lexington in Corpus Christi. “We went to carry on the proud tradition of this ship in honor of those who served on her," Morais said.
February 27, 2014
SAG continued from A1
2100 peers make their selections and forward them to the Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). Votes are tallied and winners are selected and presented with their awards in a televised ceremony.
SAG, Globe and Oscars So what is different between the SAG, Golden Globes, and Oscars? Bonnie quickly clarified, “The SAG Awards are strictly peer nominated, so winners know that they were selected by their acting peers only. It is an in-house thing; actors evaluating actors.” When asked if the SAG awards influence the Oscars, Bonnie said, “It could have some influence but it is a peer award only.” The 21st annual Screen Actors Guild Award Ceremony was held this year on January 18th. The Golden Globes are nominated by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) recognizing excellence in film and television. The 71st annual Golden Globes Ceremony and Dinner was held on January 12th of this year at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. The 86th Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars will be held this Sunday, March 2nd at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, California. Nominees were publicized on January 16th. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has a voting bloc of less than 6000 with actors being the largest single category (about 1300). The Oscars are the oldest awards ceremony and historically the most popular and most viewed.
SAG and Oscar Connections History shows that there is an interesting connection between the SAG and Oscar. Research reveals that in recent times the SAG winners regularly have gone on to win Oscars. Since 2003 every SAG Best Actor has gone on to win the Oscar. Since 1990 the SAG and Oscar Best Actress have been the same except for three years. The same type of connection exists for the Best Supporting Actor and Actress awards. So what is the connection? Simply great acting rewarded by two different award organizations? SAG acceptance speeches that prime the Oscar pump? The actor bloc in Oscars being similar to the SAG membership?. Both SAG and Oscar have actors on their committees. It cannot hurt certain actor’s chances of receiving an Oscar after SAG awards have been presented.
Bonnie Begins Her Own Acting Career Bonnie journey to Port Aransas stretches back to childhood and is just one of many talents she has. As a 2nd grade student Bonnie was selected for a non-speaking part in a class play. The seed was indelibly planted, and for a person who is a self-admitted ‘commitment phobe’, she has nevertheless steadfastly remained committed to acting (for at least a few decades). “My 6th grade teacher made students memorize poems which helped me develop my ability to memorize lines”, she says. Indeed Bonnie
is acknowledged to be a quick study in effectively memorizing lines while acting in community theatre in Port Aransas. She used that skill in her high school drama club and again at Abilene Christian College where she also acted.
Island Moon
A7
Affordable Canadian
Bonnie was sent 37 videos to watch before casting her ballot.
She followed acting along with softball and rodeo for several years, always performing at a top level, but always in the back of her mind she wanted to act, even though her parents did their best to steer her away from acting and athletics. She taught for many years, but in the back of her mind acting called out to her, leading her to find an acting coach and subsequently an agent. At 31 she became an actress. She landed a part in the TV Showtime series Lone Star Bar and Grill. She also did countless commercials, especially in industrial and training films. Finally, in the 1980s she landed a part in a Dallas dinner theater and then toured with Joey Bishop in The Seven Year Itch. She followed that up when she was in a show with Gene Rayburn and then a small speaking part in Dallas. She does receive a yearly royalty check from her speaking part in Dallas. Recent royalties have topped $7.00.
Fishing Trips Crow Lake Lake of the Woods
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Landing in Port Aransas Although Bonnie moved to Port Aransas 10 years ago, she has deep roots there as her family regularly spent summers in Port Aransas, beginning in the 1950s. She fondly recalled staying at the Nixon Cottages, the Rock Cottages and several others during her summer vacations in Port Aransas. For the past 10 years Bonnie has been a regular in local community theatre. Initially she did Cheatin’ and two years ago did a repeat of Cheatin’. She performed in Artichoke at the Rialto Theatre, as Blanche in Streetcar Named Desire, and in Couple of White Chicks. Every year for eight years she performed in community theatre. Bonnie thought about her own love of acting, “I love acting because I am in the moment, telling a story as it happens. Life will teach you how to do certain parts. As an actress you are constantly developing and constantly learning.” When she is not acting, Bonnie enjoys watching movies at her old home in Port Aransas. Her tastefully decorated home features an indoor pool, only one room with walls and at one time it had the oldest air conditioning condenser on the island. Bonnie’s paintings are spread out throughout her home, clearly showing her talent in painting as well as acting. Though Bonnie will not be serving on the SAG Nominating Committee in the next few years, look for her on stage, a place her heart has been anchored for decades.
ot nd for a Barefo 2 2 pm b e F rday -10 . Join us Satu rty froomn a6nd door prizes. a p s a r G i d Mar ight. Live aucti
Happy hour
all n
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STATE
Island Moon
By Todd Hunter, District 32
The following is a sampling of charges given to different House committees. If you would like a complete list of the study charges or if you would like more information about issues being studied by any particular committee, please don’t hesitate to call my Capitol office at 512-463-0672 or visit The Texas House of Representatives.
remedies within the State's criminal justice system to ensure that the public is protected and that individuals with a mental health diagnosis receive a continuum of mental health services. (Joint charge with the House Committee on Corrections)
House Committee on Culture, Recreation, and Tourism • Evaluate the Texas Film Commission and the Texas Music Office to determine their effectiveness in economic development in Texas. Determine how the offices can better collaborate with local economic development entities and state agencies to further the economic development goals of the state. • Examine the viability of including the commercial oyster industry in the Commercial Fishing License Buyback Program at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. • Examine the economic impact of cultural, recreational, or tourism grants provided by the state, including any economic development grants related to cultural, recreational, or tourism industries, heritage tourism, courthouse restoration, and historic district revitalization
Here are some examples of charges given to the standing House committees:
House Committee on Defense and Veterans' Affairs
House Committee on County Affairs
• Review the effectiveness and responsibilities of the Texas Military Preparedness Commission (TMPC). Examine the resources available to the TMPC to ensure the council has the organizational structure in place to protect base installations in Texas during future Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) rounds. Monitor the actions of the newly created BRAC task force, SB 1200 (83R), and review methodologies to enhance relationships between military installations and state and local government to positively impact decisions of BRAC, or similar proposals from the U.S. Department of Defense that could result in a reduced military presence in Texas. Seek opportunities to enhance or expand current military missions in Texas and identify, when possible, new missions that would complement or support existing ones.
• Examine population growth in Texas counties and the impact the growth has had on housing, available land resources, businesses in Texas, as well as the impact of growth on the state's economy. Evaluate Texas's preparedness to respond to future growth and ensure economic stability. • Study the implementation of SB 462 (83R). Examine which counties currently have veterans courts, as well as veterans courts in other states, and determine how those programs are working and whether these courts provide additional services or resources for veterans. Make appropriate recommendations. (Joint charge with the House Committee on Defense and Veterans' Affairs)
House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence • Examine the association between cooccurring serious mental illness and substance use disorders and parole revocation among inmates from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Review current policies and procedures for incarcerating individuals with a dual mental health diagnosis in both state and county correctional facilities and examine potential
February 27, 2014
Island Real Estate
Interim Committee Charges Released for the 2014 Interim As mentioned in last week's article, the Speaker of the House Joe Straus has released a list of interim committee charges for the standing committees of the Texas House of Representatives. These committee charges and the resulting recommendations that will be developed during the interim, could form the basis for legislation to be considered during the next legislative session. House committees were each given several issues to study. Committee hearings will be held over the course of the interim period (2014) giving the public an opportunity to testify on a variety of issues. At the end of the interim, each committee will have the opportunity to submit a formal report to the Speaker of the Texas House with their recommendations on possible future legislation to be handled by the next Texas Legislature.
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.
Police Blotter
Explosion/Power outage in Sea Pines area
A blue flash lit up the south side of The Island early Sunday morning in the Sea Pines area after a deck-building-service barge on a trailer hit the lowest electric line, just north of the Sea Pines intersection. The barge was fiberglass, about 20 feet long, with wooden poles (pines) extended upward which are lowered to hold the barge in place once it is on location. The collision downed the power line and left the wooden posts broken and scattered along the SPID, along with broken fiberglass over wood panels from the barge, the broken open leadacid battery, bilge hose, life vest, wiring and other debris.
Factors That Need Attention By Mary Lou White marylou@baxterbrooks.com 361-960-9460
This is the time of year to collect all your receipts from the past year and prepare the annual IRS reckoning. It is also time to take notice of factors that can and will affect the value of your Island property and have a direct impact on your bottom line. Property Tax Exemptions
From the first of January to the end of April, it is possible to file for exemptions on your Property Tax. The necessary forms can be found on the Nueces County Property Tax website: www.ncadistrict.com For questions, call 881-9978 from 8am to 5pm, Monday through Friday. It only takes a few minutes to register your status and save on your tax bill. Once you have registered, no other action is needed to continue the savings each and every year. Check the list below to see if you qualify: File for Homestead Exemption File for Over 65 Status - Claim any disability, especially for Veterans The Annual Meeting is scheduled for 10AM on Saturday, 8 March 2014. I believe that we are extremely lucky to have a highly organized and well managed Property Owners Association. Being in Real Estate, I have direct exposure to obtaining Resale Certificates on property transfers. To work with our PIPOA is a dream compared to dealing with other POA/HOA organizations that can only be described, as a nightmare. This is the primary occasion each year, when the audited financial records are presented along with projects that improve our community and increase the value of our property. Windstorm Rally
Living on a barrier Island, means you always have storm clouds on the horizon….literally and financially. The next “big storm” coming our way is Windstorm Policy changes. The “Public Hearing” on this situation will be 9am, Wednesday, 5 March 2014. The location will be Ballrooms B & C at Texas A & M University, Corpus Christi. This is your chance to hear what is being proposed and possibly change the course of our future. Use this website: info@electtoddhunter. com, to obtain further details. I keep receiving emails almost daily, on this issue. I don’t understand them completely, except to say that Congress passed the Biggest-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 almost unanimously. It was designed to extend Flood Insurance for five years and put it on a sound financial basis. Since the creation of Flood Insurance by the Federal Government in 1968, it has never been financially sound and
Police Calls 14300 block SPID 1:37 Feb. 23 Reckless damage or destruction 14300 block 1:45 a.m. Feb. 22 DWI – third offense 13800 block Laffite 18 February 5:55 p.m. Criminal mischief $50-$500
Padre Island Real Estate Ticker
PIPOA
Federal Flood / FEMA
Power was out for about four hours.
required bail-outs from the reserve. However, once the new reforms and new flood maps take effect, premium hikes will threaten the viability of older beachfront and river towns. The 2012 law phases out below market rates for owners of “grandfathered” properties. Hundreds of thousands of homeowners will lose their subsidies and face rates that they simply cannot afford. The end result will be having to sell their properties at distressed prices. Now, Congress is trying to solve this dire situation by postponing the rate increases while continuing to revise the flood maps. The Senate already voted 67 to 32 to delay up to four years the rate increases. However, House passage does not appear to be guaranteed. These distant decisions in Washington DC could have a huge impact on our Island. Being informed is a good thing……..
1
Multi Family Property For $337,000
12
Commercial PropertiesFrom $150,000 to $4,557,465
176
Lots and Land From $32,500 to $1,200,000
194
Residences For Sale
78
Attached Homes From $72,000 to $509,000
68
Detached Homes on the Water From $266,000 to $2,200,000
48
Detached Homes not on the Water From $154,900 to $359,000
383
Total Properties For Sale on Padre Island
Mustang Island Real Estate Ticker
2
Multi Family Properties For $525,000 and $635,000
12
Commercial Properties From $364,000 to $3,000,000
178
Lots and Land From $40,800 to $5,650,000
183
Residences For Sale
120
Attached Homes From $82,900 to $1,250,000
63
Detached Homes From $157,500 to $2,400,000
375
Total Properties For Sale on Mustang Island
15300 block SPID 9:55 p.m. Feb. 18 Gasoline theft – three counts 15600 block Palmira 6:12 Feb. 21 Credit card abuse 14400 block SH 361 11:29 p.m. Feb. 24 Assault by contact 11800 block SH 361 3:29 p.m. Feb. 25 Criminal mischief $1500-$20,000
Remnants of the crash
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February 27, 2014
Island Moon
A9
Frostbite Betty frostbitebetty@gmail.com
Editor’s Note: As we come to the end of our “Winter Texan” season, we bid farewell to all our Northern friends who choose to make their winter homes among us and wish them safe travels in their return. We look forward to seeing you next year. Thank you Frostbite Betty for your artistic efforts in keeping us abreast of the deep freeze up north this winter. You did a great job and we look forward to seeing you and Bert this Spring.
Keeping Warm Is Heavy Work
up and she keeps talking. Finally Bert says, I'll just wait outside.
So just how heavy is all that clothing? The inhouse wear includes flip-flops, wool socks, long pants (jeans), tank top under t-shirt under longsleeved t-shirt under long sleeved sweatshirt. Then to go out for a smoke or errand, Bert adds: knit hat, earmuffs, neck gaiter, sheep-leather coat, wooly mitten-gloves, and waterproof insulated boots. OK, so I weighed just the outerwear on the postage scale and it came to 8.2 pounds. So on an average of picking up
Port A in the old Days
Bert's winter gear weighs 8.2 lbs or a little over 2 tons yearly. Frostbite Betty and Bert's winter home. Winter hangs on here in Frostbite Falls. Bert offered up a few observations of his first deep winter ever. First off, visiting. This is what it's like he says: First take a fat man, wrap him up in lots of heavy clothing, drive eight miles, hike uphill through the drift covered driveway, and on the way inside Betty says, Oh we'll only stay a minute. Well he's already sweating and it feels like eighty five degrees in there. They are just wearing t-shirts. Betty's glasses are fogged
and putting on all that, three times a day, for six months, that's 4428 lbs. a year. No wonder it seems more relaxing to live on the beach! Two tons less work. Bert says, See honey, smoking IS exercise. Bert likes to watch the snow piling up in the yard. Which it continues to do. He watched the surface rise to cover the top of the picnic table. Then there was still part of the bike sticking up. Then that disappeared, then the bike rack, and maybe, he thinks, if he lingers too long he will disappear, too, The morning after under the smooth a big snowfall in surface of clean white sparkly snow. Frostbite Falls, MN.
By the time we get back to Port A this spring, the forgotten gear will be revealed in reverse order. The Street will widen back to three lanes wide instead of two. The hunkered-down coziness will give it up to elbow room and mild air and rain. And the mosquitoes will make their way back north! Happy trails, y'all. Betty & Bert
Ice sickles in Frostbite Falls, MN.
A 10
Island Moon
February 27, 2014