Inside the Moon
Gardening A4
Moon on a Spoon A5
Spring Break Traffic A9
Fishing A11
The
Issue 623
Island Moon
The voice of The Island since 1996
March 24, 2016
Around The Island By Dale Rankin editor@islandmoon.com Wow, this has to go down as one of the weirdest Spring Breaks ever. It started off with a lightning strike that started a grass fire and ended with a lightning strike that blew out power to The Island and 65,000 Corpitos. In between we had a week of good weather and few Spring Breakers then an onslaught of Breakers who ignored the weather and packed the beaches for a while in Port Aransas. At 1:40 a.m. on Saturday we had a rehearsal for Hurricane Season that reminded us that we need to stockpile more batteries. The blackout that started early Sunday didn’t end until almost sundown for the last few Islanders without power. The power poles along State Highway 361 between Padre Island and Port Aransas were leaning sideways like a couple of over-served Spring Breakers and for a while there the word from AEP was that it could be Monday before the last of the Island power was restored. As it turned out their estimates were (fortunately) overly pessimistic but having the fuse blow on the first busy weekend of the season got our attention. It had been a while since we Islanders were in the dark for as long as we were this time, the last major outage coming five years ago – not counting the annual outage caused by drivers smashing their cars into the utility pole on the Aquarius Extension.
No trash on beach By Monday morning area beaches were clean thanks to the work of city and county crews and numerous citizens who took the time to help cleanup. From Port A to PINS there was little evidence of the mass of people who came and went over the past two weeks. The cleanup this year was much better than in most years past.
Waiting to exhale We now enter the sweet spot of The Island calendar as the Chamber of Commerce Weather has begun and the mosquitos have yet to make their presence felt. Fishing is good, humidity is down, gas prices holding steady. The first tourist invasion of the season is behind us and we now have ten glorious weeks before Memorial Day kickstarts the beginning of the 100 days of the high season and Hurricane Season kicks off. Until then, say hello if you see us Around The Island
Cleaning Our Beach after Spring Break
Travel A16
Turtles A15
Free
Weekly
FREE
Photo by Gerlyn Hibbeler
Spring Break 2016
Work Begins on Lake Padre Canal
By Dale Rankin Crews this week began excavation work on a 1000foot canal through Lake Padre that will connect Packery Channel to the proposed SPID/Park Road 22 Water Exchange and through it to the existing Island canal system. The excavation is the first phase of work which, according to plans from developer Paul Schexnailder, will include a marina, a dry boat storage facility, commercial development, and residential development which has already begun on the south end of the Michael J. Ellis Seawall with ground work for a new condominium complex. Schexnailder said this week the excavation work
Canal continued on A3
Photo by James Thompson Spring Break 2016 is now in the rearview. Island streets were not as crowded as in previous years but area beaches were full from Port Aransas to Padre Island National Seashore. The City of Corpus
Christi released traffic count numbers for Island streets during the two-week period and we included them in this issue. No traffic count for Park Road 22/SPID were available at press time.
Island Real Estate Ticker February 16-29
Highest Priced Island Home at $3.5 Million Average Price $346,618
By Cindy Molnar Coldwell Banker Island Realtorsv
Waterfront Homes Sold
15125 Dasmarinas
15921 Punta Bonaire
15953 Palmira
14322 Caribe
14141 Palo Seco
13822 Brigantine
13769 Hawksnest Bay
15313 Beaufort
Average Sales Price $244,266
15333 Tortuga
65 Interior lot homes Listed from $185,000-$1,100,000
15357 Key Largo 15909 Punta Espada Average Sales Price $448,971 102 Waterfront homes listed from $275,000-$3,500,000
Interior Lot Homes
Waterfront Condomiums/ Townhomes Sold 15010 Leeward #804 14514 Cabana East #209 15001 Windward #505
16114 Pionciana
Average Sales Price $126,833
15429 Escapade
123 Waterfront condominiums/ townhomes listed from $73,900$499,900
15513 Finistere 15830 Portillo
Ticker continued on A3
13922 Whitecap
Go Fur It!
Surfurs Wanted!
Boots Takes it to the Street Stinky Stays Home By Ronnie Narmour
PAC and TROOP 949 Community Minded By Brent Rourk After returning from a Cancun Spring Break, I realized that the spring break crowd on North Padre Island was not too raucous, however, our beach was pocked with the remnants of campfires and the area around the first dune was littered with a layer of fine debris deposited by spring revelers. I witnessed a few individuals silently and graciously picking up trash, either on a private beach cleaning mission or simply as a matter of cleaning as they enjoyed their morning walk. But there was more trash to pick up. Hats off to PAC and TROOP 949, our Island Cub and Boy Scouts, as they unified their leadership and community minded goals to clean our beach on Tuesday afternoon.
Scouts continued on A7
So the dog says, “If surfing is so great why do the humans get to have all the fun?” Dog surfing has arrived on our Island. The Port Aransas K9 Surf Team has hit the beach and is looking for dogs ready to hang twenty. Gerilyn Bristow and Stacy Hill have kicked off a dog surfing team in Port Aransas and are looking for Surf Dogs on Padre Island as well.
If you don’t have a surfboard, you can find them at Walmart, on craigslist and on the bay of E (e-bay). Gerilyn and Stacy recommends getting a foam board surfboard as they are easier for your little surfur to grip. There will be several surfur competitions for this upcoming
Dogs continued on A7
Jim Williams and Port A's friendly local alligator Boots When the first reports came in there was skepticism. “An alligator on Ross Road.” But Jim knew. Oh, that’s just Boots,” Jim said. “He isn’t going anywhere real fast. He’s so fat.”
Boots, is a Port A celebrity alligator who took advantage of the high water last week to go for a little walk. The 20 year-old gator resides at the Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center next to the water treatment plant on
Gator continued on A2
A2
March 24, 2016
Island Moon
The Travelling Moon Gets Around
Gator Continued from A1 Ross Road along with his pal Stinky, who is a little smaller. It’s not hard to find them in the shallow waters there while birders and tourist take their pictures. When the great escape occurred last Thursday afternoon, a call came into PAPD and Officer Matt Ponder and Animal Control Officer Jim Williams were dispatched to coral the 700 pound reptile. Williams said, “He was just lying there in the middle of Ross Road.” Jim finally got Boots turned around and heading back home by tapping on his tail with a
“catch pole.” Then he would only go about five feet, lay back down and rest until Jim could get him going again. The process took over an hour. You don’t want to rush an eight foot alligator. Don’t be alarmed, this is not a frequent occurrence for the gator to escape. In fact this is the first time Mr. Williams has been called out for this job. Jim thinks he probably smelled food in the area. Or maybe he just got tired of smelling Stinky.
Boots the 12 foot gator was on the loose in Port A last week. Photo by Larry Beard
Islanders Robert and Terry Epps enjoying the incredible beauty of New Zealand!
We Make Banking Easy. Even when getting to the bank isn’t.
Father James Derkits puts the final touches on the Holy Week labyrinth at the beach in Port A
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March 24, 2016
Island Moon
Letters to the Editor
Moon Monkeys Mike Ellis, Founder
Spring Break
Golf Carts Hi Dale, Been a homeowner on the Island since August and I rely on the Moon for my local news. Great paper, thanks for your efforts! Would love to support more of the businesses on Park Road 22 via my golf cart, but we can't get to many of them because they are not accessible from the local street network. I would have to drive along the highway shoulder (dangerous and illegal) or cross private property lots or drainage buffer areas (illegal, dangerous, sticker bushes on vacant lots). Is there a plan to provide greater access to these highway businesses via golf carts or other non-full size passenger vehicles? Thank you.
Distribution Pete Alsop Island Delivery Coldwell Banker Advertising Jan Park Rankin Classifieds
Brian Hausknecht
Arlene Ritley Production Manager Jeff Craft Contributing Writers Joey Farah Andy Purvis Devorah Fox Mary Craft Maybeth Christiansen Jay Gardner Todd Hunter Dotson Lewis Ronnie Narmour Brent Rourk Dr. Donna Shaver Photographers Miles Merwin Jeff Dolan Mary Craft Ronnie Narmour Office Security/Spillage Control (Emeritus) Riley P. Dog
Publisher 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 14646 Compass, Suite 3 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
Sandpiper Condos
If/when the Park Road 22/SPID Water Exchange Bridge is built the plan could include access roads on each side of the roadway which might allow golf cart access to the businesses there. The fact is Brian that our Island was not built to accommodate separate cart nor pedestrian paths on most of our streets. The layout of The Island was done is a different era and out best hope for improvement is for the Area Traffic Plan and the Traffic Management Study currently underway. Until then there is not much that can be done.
Setting up speed traps on Whitecap, Gypsy, Ports-O-Call and wherever else and placing speed machines on Aquarius isn't aimed at spring breakers. Going down to the beach Wednesday nights for the Beach Bum Groups weekly fire and citing the fire to be 3'2" X 3'1' and the group too large is ridiculous. Those folk are certainly not the spring break crowd, clean up the beach and some have been going there for 30 years and will still be going when the officers are home having nightmares from job stress they create in their minds for themselves. On Thursday 3-17 coming from the Bluff late afternoon, from The Bluff side bridge base to Whataburger there were 5 police motorcycles lurking for traffic. This is not drunk spring break time for the beach but island residents starting to head home from work. Spring break only benefits a few island businessmen and for most of us is only a time to hide at home so we don't get arrested for some trite offense. Let them have their stretch of beach to do whatever they want. Wonder why the crowds are getting smaller? Who wants to come unwind at an armed encampment with threats of alcohol bans and camping restrictions...DUH!!! Last name withheld for fear of police reprisals. Gary
Veteran Health Care After reading the article in the Island Moon I looked into giving local veterans a option for their medical care other than the VA Clinic. I am proud to announce that we are now approved to give our local veterans a choice! Veterans may call VA Choice (866-606-8198) to request permission to see Dr. Robert Caro or Dr. Amanda Caro at South Coast Family Medicine (4458 S. Staples St.). As long as the veteran experiencing long wait times to get in to the VA Clinic (more than 1 month), the request should be granted. We look forward to serving the men and women who have served our country! Robert Caro M.D.
Canal continued from A1 currently underway will include the moving of 100,000 cubic yards of sand which will eliminate a sandy peninsula which currently extends into the middle of Lake Padre on its northern shore. Schexnailder said the current work will dig the canal through the lake and terminate at the site of the proposed bridge. When that is complete it will mean that the canals on both sides of the roadway will abut the site of the proposed $10.5 million bridge on both sides in anticipation of its construction since the canal to the west side of the bridge site has been in place for more than a year but is not yet bulkheaded. A public hearing on the design of the bridge is set for Thursday, April 7, at 6 p.m. at Seashore Middle Academy gym, 15437 SPID. That hearing, according to a spokesperson for the Texas Department of Transportation, marks the beginning of a 130day process that includes hearings concerning an Environmental Assessment for the project.
When completed, plans call for a waterway that will stretch from the Schlitterbahn park on the west into Lake Padre and Packery Channel on the east with the proposed water exchange bridge as the nexus of what would eventually be $500 million in development on both sides of SPID. The Corpus Christi City Council has voted to approve the bridge project in principle but so far has not designated a specific funding source. The current design of the bridge calls for three supporting arches which would span a total of 120 feet with three forty-foot wide sections. The center span would allow for 14 feet of clearance from the waterline to the bridge, the two adjacent spans would allow for pedestrian and golf cart paths. Schexnailder said the current excavation work is expected to take about three months.
Port A Arts
A Mano
CVS
Coffee Waves
Whataburger
Moby Dicks
Doc’s Restaurant
Spanky’sLiquor
Snoopy’s Pier
IGA Grocery Store
Isle Mail N More
Carter Pharmacy
Brooklyn Pie Co.
San Juan’s Taqueria
Ace Hardware
Island Italian
Holiday Inn Texas Star (Shell) Jesse’s Liquor
Salvadore Dali was in town this week for Spring Break. Photo by Ronnie Narmour
Easter Sunday: Easter Brunch Buffet 10a-2pm
Duckworth Antiques
And all Moon retail advertisers
Live Music with Aaron Jacob 3-6p
Back Porch
WB Liquor
Stripes @ Cotter & Station
Liquid Town
Gratitude Gift Shop Keepers Pier House Port A Glass Studio The Gaff
Fire Station Police Station Stripes on Flour Bluff & SPID
The Rubber Duck Race Fundraiser sponsored by the Padre Island Rotary Club will be held on Saturday, March 26th around noon at the Boat Ramp at the West End of Billish Park. Tickets are $5 each, 5 for $20 and 30 for $100. Buy from your local Rotarians or at Island Architects behind Mail and More. They also wiill be selling them at the site until 11:30 the same day. For more info contact Linda at lawalshva@yahoo.com or call 361-445-7999. At the CVS Photo Shop you can print a photo from your smart phone or Facebook using their free CVS app. On the app go to Photo Center and click on print photo. It is simple and you can edit photo before printing. A 4x6 picture is 34 cents. Myplates.com now has back the classic full black background license plates with white lettering for $50/year and personalized starting at $99/year. The Market at Seashell Village in Port A will be held Friday, March 25th 5 – 9 pm. Artisans and vendors will be selling uique accessories, jewelry, home furnishings and more. They suggest parking in the lot across from the Holiday Inn on Avenue G. The Island Fitness Gym has Zumba classes on Mondays and Wesnesdays at 5:30 pm. They are located in the Pelican Plaza. Isle Mail & More is hiring full/part-time customer service positions at both locations including the one in Port A. Call Scott at 9499325. The Def Leppard and Styx Bands will be playing at the American Bank Center on Thursday, May 5th at 7 pm. Tickets start at $60. Dr. Tom Dorrell at the Medical Center 14433 SPID is available Monday – Thursday without an appointment and with appointment on Friday and Saturday. He has the only doctor’s off ice in these parts accessible by water. Hours are 8 am – 6 pm and they can be reached at 949-1900. The Elks are re-starting a lodge in Corpus Christi but it will take time to attract the required number of members. For more info email elkscorpuschristi@gmail.com or visit their Facebook page. Dragonfly Restaurant, home of the original infusions and tapas serving the Island Residents for 10 years, has a new Butcher's Block Menu, serving Prime Texas Sized Ribeyes. Every weekend you can come check their French pastries to enjoy there or take some treats to the family!"
14218 Pescadores Unit A 14309 Kemps Way Average Sales Price $156,500 66 Interior condominium/townhomes listed from $79,000-$389,900
Family Karaoke 6-9:30p
Live Music Sat 3/26:
John Boyd upstairs 8:30p-midnight
Interior Condominiums/Townhomes Sold 15005 Windward #220
Waterfront Lots Sold Lot 33 Bowsprit
57 Waterfront lots listed from $125,000$6,000,000
Interior Lots Sold Lot 23 Aquarius Lot 7 Portillo
Whataburger on Waldron Ethyl Everly Senior Center
The Community Easter Egg Hunt will be held at Billish Park on Saturday, March 26th. The fun starts at 11 am with inflatable fun house, trackless train, Easter Bunny carousel swing, merry-go-round, face painting and photos with the Easter Bunny. There will be BBQ hot dogs, chips, drinks, snow cones and cotton candy.
Ticker continued from A1
Specials and Regular menu Avail all day 10a-10p
Island Tire
H.E.B.
Business Briefs
Photo by Dale Rankin
Mahi and Shrimp Harpoon Skewer Entree $18 with Rice, Caribbean Veggies, Salad and Dessert
Subway
Giggity’s
J & M Bookkeeping Services can assist you with your taxes. Jack Ulsh is available to work in your place of business or at his home on the Island. He welcomes one time clients or long term monthly services. Call 867-1367 to make an appointment.
One more off my bucket list when I go to Vegas this weekend for March Madness. Wish me luck!
Chamber of Commerce
Flour Bluff
Port A Rust uses products that penetrate rust immediately and inbeds itself into the base metal preventing further damage. Their product is solvent and eco-friendly and is used by the Coast Guard and Navy. It can be used on golf carts, cars, trucks, RVs and boats.
A check of our Island water system reveals that we have no lead pipes. Our pipes are primarily clay or pvc.
Public Library
Shorty’s Place
New Advertisers
The highest priced Island home is for sale for 3.5 million. It is 7175 sq ft. and has 5 bedrooms and 5 full baths. It is located at 13725 Three Fathoms and is listed by Coldwell Banker.
Scuttlebutt’s Restaurant
Woody’s Sports Center
by Mary Craft mkay512@aol.com or @padreeyelander on twitter
Third Coast Theater in Port A will feature Sister Morales Saturday, March 26th. Tickets are $30.
North Padre All Stripes Stores
Port A Parks and Rec
There is speculation that the critical Island intersection at Commodores/SPID/State Highway 361 was designed by three drunken sailors on shore leave from the Island of Chaos. It is not pedestrian friendly, it is not vehicle friendly, and it is not golf cart friendly. Currently a redesign of the intersection is underway and construction is expected in the fall of 2016 according to information presented to ISAC this month. Whether that new design will included plans for golf cart access is unknown at this point. A study of the intersection is complete but has not yet been released to the public.
I am so glad they will mostly be gone soon. Not the spring break people but the CCPD, their American Bank Springtime maneuvers. Any day I would rather take my chances with the partiers and drunks than the CCPD. For two whole weeks a year they come to protect us from college girls and college boys from wearing their hats crooked as if they were an attack from ISIS. At the same time car wash machines are being ripped out in the Bluff and dragged several blocks and dumped in the bay. OK, they want to keep the visiting throngs under control with their heavy handed tactics but why hassle the Island residents?
WB Liquors
Stripes @ Beach Access Rd. 1A
Wash Board Laundry Mat
Editor’s note: The current city ordinance allows golf carts (with a very loose definition of “golf cart”) to use any road with a speed limit of 35 mph or under which pretty much means any road on The Island except SPID/Park Road 22. Carts can legally cross that roadway at marked crossings but cannot drive down it. The problem you speak of is one that is being discussed by the Island Strategic Action Committee as they work on the Island Transportation Plan as part of the overall Island Development Plan. The problem, north of the Commodores/SPID intersection is a lack of access roads. On the west side of the road there is a short access road from Commodores to Jackfish at the Whataburger. On the east side of the road there is nothing. On SPID south of Commodores to Whitecap there is virtually no way to legally get to the businesses on a golf cart.
Did Ya Hear?
A3
Average Sales Price $42,500
115 Interior lots listed from $39,900$349,300
Commercial Lots 16 Commercial Lots Listed from $99,500-$4,557,465
A4
Extend the Garden Season with Spring Planted Bulbs
By Melinda Myers Keeping your garden looking its best throughout the growing season and into fall is possible with the help of low maintenance spring planted bulbs. Plant them in spring among other annuals or perennials and watch as these bulbs brighten the garden, adding new life to your late season gardens.
Grow dahlias in sunny areas with at least six hours of sunlight for the best floral display. Simply plant the tuberous roots four to six inches deep with the stem facing up after the danger of frost has passed. Use dahlias in a cutting garden or as an attractive screen along fences and property lines. Use the shorter more compact border dahlias, like ‘Gallery Pablo’ in containers on your patio, balcony or deck where you and the hummingbirds will enjoy their blooms. Wait until the danger of frost has passed to plant cannas in a full sun to partially shaded locations. Plant the canna rhizomes horizontally two to three inches deep with the growing point facing up. Take advantage of their bold foliage and use cannas as a backdrop in the flower border or screen in the landscape. Use as a vertical accent in a large container or select dwarf varieties for smaller pots. Calla lilies are another spring planted bulb that thrives in full sun or part shade. The speckled
Stuff I Heard on the Island By Dale Rankin “Gasoline…dang no pumps, cash…dang no ATMs, water…not sure, ice…machine won’t work, batteries... OTB, ammo…check…I guess if push comes to shove with that I can get the rest. It’s amazing how your mind focuses and your priorities change as soon as the power goes out.
Whether your gardens and containers are in full sun or shade you’ll enjoy the attractive foliage and pop of color that dahlias, cannas, calla lilies, caladiums and elephant ears will add to the landscape. These easy care plants reward you with loads of beauty. Just plant, water and enjoy. Quality online retailers like Longfield Gardens (longfield-gardens. com) offer the greatest variety of color, shapes and sizes as well as planting and care instructions.
March 24, 2016
Island Moon
Within fifteen minutes my mind was back in New Orleans after Katrina. Life in wartime. A city without power, even an Island, becomes a different place when it’s boomboom out go the lights. It’s dark but I rummage in the drawer and find a lighter.
foliage adds color to the garden all season long. Include these one- to two- feet-tall plants in the front or middle of the flower garden or as a vertical accent or filler in a pot. And don’t forget to cut a few flowers to enjoy indoors. The black flowers of ‘Night Cap’ teamed with the white blooms of ‘Crystal Clear’ create an elegant display. Like the other bulbs, wait for the danger of frost to pass before planting them outdoors. Plant the knobby rhizomes two to four inches deep with the growing point facing up. Add some color and plenty of wow factor to shaded areas with the foliage of caladiums and elephant ears. These tropical beauties thrive when soil and air temperatures are warm. Wait for the danger of frost to pass and the soil to warm, 65 to 70 degrees, before planting them in the garden. Use caladiums to brighten containers, dress up window boxes or edge a shady pathway. The colorful leaves stand out amongst the greens of shade gardens. Team variegated varieties with complimentary colored begonias, coleus or impatiens.
We are used to power outages on our Island. We are after all at the tail end of the power grid. We have Islanders who live beyond the “No Gas Beyond This Point” sign. In dry years the salt builds on the lines and when the wind blows it swings them and boomboom out go the lights. No such problem this time; plenty of rain. Thunder, dog runs for cover, wife worries she can’t take a shower – no hair dryer. Not to worry we got a truck and the windows roll down – undecipherable mumblings from the next room mean that plan is dead before it starts. I jam a chair under the handles on the French doors to keep them from whipping open and letting in the zombies. I look down the canal, not a light on anywhere.
First Light
Blackout Etiquette
At first light I jump in the truck to check damage. First stop is mother’s condo on Bonasse. She survived the Oklahoma outback, a power outage is not even a speed bump. The mailboxes are down – will they still deliver mail if the boxes are on the ground? Probably not, they got a union. On the job injury from bending over could generate a decade’s worth of paperwork.
I know from experience that when it comes to storms and the power outages that go with them HEB is a port in the storm. Their stores have generators and they can deliver trucks of ice in a hurry. Sure enough they are open and the parking lot is packed. We stock up on ice and head home. As we turn onto our block we hear generators.
Make this the best season yet with the help of spring flowering bulbs. You’ll enjoy the variety and late season color these easy care plants provide.
Across the canal at the Yacht Club the Pepin has taken a hit; her mast is down by the port side but she’s afloat.
Tile & Wood Cleaning Fire & Water Damage Restoration
“Worst storm since I been here,” he says, and he’s been here a long time.
Down the way the shingles were blown off a roof.
Seafood, Steaks, Salads, Burgers & a Full Bar Open 11am - 2am • Kitchen Closes at 1am 2034 State Hwy 361
361-749-TACO (8226) Minor Surgery Lab X-Ray Occupational
The superior Quadrivalent Vaccine has a broader coverage than the Trivalent vaccine which is more readily available
Open 6 Days a Week
No Appointments Necessary Mon-Thurs, Appointments available Fri-Sat Mon. - Sat. 8am - 6pm 14433 SPID “On the Island” Corpus Christi, TX 78418
Water Access Laguna Madre
On Gypsy the poles are leaning like Spring Breakers who set out to write a journal but only got the title, “Goodbye to a River of Colt .45.”
Meanwhile, Phil who is old enough to have seen it all before can’t open his garage door without climbing on top of his car in the garage to pull the cord on the door; he’s way too old and smart for that. Jumps into his trusty truck which he keeps parked in the side yard and heads OTB for gas. Gets to The Bluff and gas gauge dinger starts to scream. Dang! Out of gas on the way to get gas! Should have checked the gauge. Grandson arrives with five-gallon can. Off to Airline and Holly to the nearest station with power. The line couldn’t be longer if they were giving away $100 bills. Just before sundown head to Schlitterbahn for concert, wonder if they have power. Answer is no but the show must go on. Jeff Henry has brought in three generators from the South Padre park; one for the stage, one for the building, and another for lights in the parking lot. Show starts under generator power and midway through the power comes on. The place is full but many of the people there still without power and looking toward a night in the dark. Oh well. By Sunday night all is well. Power all over The Island on and Spring Breakers headed OTB. The Island goes quite. Not a car on the street but us. The Island exhales. Just another day in paradise.
Quadrivalent Flu Vaccine Now Available!
www.tmcpadre.com
The stories start to trickle in. Invites to half a dozen house parties where gas grills are cooking quickly-thawing fish and venison. Houses with gas have hot coffee but BYOB because everybody’s hording the liquor cabinet; don’t know how long till the liquor stores open. Everybody’s cell phone is dead; don’t they make solar chargers for those things? Sit in the car for half hour with phone charging. Still dead. Doesn’t matter, Island jammed with Spring Breakers can’t get any service anyway. Life in wartime.
Over on the Laguna Snoopy Paul has had a terrible night on his boat. He’s jumpy anyway because the last storm like this sank his boat – which is also his house. The wind rattles the windows like they are going to shatter, he ventures out into the wind which as it whips between the buildings is reaching 100 mph. Pulls on the shed door but the wind has it plastered shut, he moves to the lee side and spends the rest of the storm hoping his boat doesn’t sink.
One Bite and You’re Hooked!
THEMinor MEDICAL CENTER + Emergency Family Healthcare
Trickling stories
Stop by Whitecap and Cathy selling bottles in the dark, no power but plenty of customers. “I was having the best Spring Break ever until the lights went out,” she says. Looks like she’s doing fine - note to self; everybody jumpy during blackouts good for liquor sales.
Call for our Daily Specials 361-993-9300 book online at www.servicemaster-tx.com
All You Can Eat Shrimp Wednesdays 5pm Prime Rib Thursdays Mini Golf Great Food Family Fun
“Do we know them?” Raises a question of blackout etiquette – how well do you have to know someone to knock on the door and ask to plug into their generator? Normal rules don’t apply. I guess if you have to ask you already have your answer. Power’s been off more than twelve hours now. Not long till dark and a generator would be nice. Sun going down time to build a fire in the fireplace. Holy crap what’s that infernal noise?! Turns out fire alarms don’t need external power they got plenty of juice to emit a scream loud enough to send the dog under the bed. House full of smoke, forget to open the flue. Dang! Now the house smells like a cookout jamboree.
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Carpet Cleaning Air Duct Cleaning Upholstery Cleaning
“We’re gonna need ice,” she says. I’m thinking, no, bourbon is fine with just tap water, wait, can’t drink Island tap water even when the power is on, will have to take it straight. But I know it’s a losing battle so we head out in search of frozen water, just in case we stop at CVS. There’s a sign on the door. Move along pilgrim, time to go OTB.
Salt on the lines
Include elephant ears in the garden or containers. Their large heart shaped leaves give a tropical feel to the patio, deck or pool area. Consider planting one, two or more to create an impressive welcome for guests or a bold statement in the landscape. They pair nicely with caladiums, coleus and other shade loving plants. 8:00 AM COURTYARD SERVICE 10:00 AM SANCTUARY SERVICE YOUTH SUNDAY SCHOOL 10:00 AM
Word comes from The Man that the power may be on by 4 p.m., then again it could be noon Monday. Hard to say.
WHITECAP LIQUOR Liquor
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361 949-9289 361-949-1900
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March 24, 2016
A5
Island Moon
Island Moon on a Spoon
Easter Eggs Aren’t Just For Coloring
By Chef Vita Jarrin Although serving “Deviled Eggs” on Easter sounds inappropriate, it is truly a delicious snack or appetizer to serve none the less. So for the sake of being politically correct we can call them “Bunny Cheeks”. Held side ways they actually resemble the cheeks of a bunny. Ok it’s stretching it I know… But let’s focus on the recipe. ;) For most of us who make or eat “bunny cheeks” we can’t eat just one. Years ago, while preparing this recipe at a golf course where I was the Executive Chef, I decided to make them a little more filling and tastier. I followed a traditional recipe and added cooked chicken breast in the along with the whipped yolks and it made an amazing difference. The chicken added a richer, tastier addition to the basic yolk mixture. If you’re feeling adventurous… why not add smoked salmon instead of chicken and then add a shred of the salmon as a garnish, a small dollop of lemony sour cream, and top with a sprig of dill or chive. The tricky part isn’t what you add to embellish the eggs, it’s actually the art of cooking the eggs properly so that they don’t turn green and they look better when being served. Although making hard boiled eggs is fairly easy, there are a couple of little tricks I’ve learned along the way that I’d like to share with you. When you are ready to boil your eggs, place each egg in a pot of cold water. The water should be at least 2 inches above the eggs. In order to peel them without the shell sticking to the egg, add 1 teaspoon of baking soda to the water. Gently add each egg one at a time to avoid cracking the shell. Once all of your eggs are in the pot, turn on burner and pay attention to the water. Soon after tiny bubbles start forming, the water will begin to boil. Once the pot begins to boil turn off the burner and cover with a lid for 13 minutes. After 13 minutes have passed drain the water and add fresh cold water and ice. This stops the cooking process and holds the eggs bright yellow. When you are ready to peel your eggs, place a couple of paper towels on the counter and peel away. Rinse your eggs and place rinsed eggs, on another paper towel, to absorb any water. Gently, with a sharp knife, cut them directly in half, - length wise. Add yellow yolks and the
Power Outage Results in Wastewater Overflow March 19, 2016
A power outage near the intersection of Saratoga Boulevard and Greenwood Drive has caused a sewage overflow into the La Volla Creek (Oso Creek Tributary No. 10) from the lift station at the City of Corpus Christi’s (the “City’s”) Greenwood Wastewater Treatment Plant, at approximately 3:00 AM on Saturday, March 19, 2016.
Christi customer’s drinking water.
The City is required by 30 Tex. Admin. Code Section 319.303(c) to issue the following precautionary statements:
It is estimated that the spill resulted in a discharge of approximately 250,000 gallons of domestic wastewater into the adjacent area. City crews responded to the spill area and the City has contacted appropriate officials, including the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s Regional office. ingredients of this recipe in a food processor and blend. You can spoon the filling back in the egg or get fancy and use a pastry bag and star shaped pastry tip and fill accordingly. Refrigerate and serve.
Stuffed Bunny Cheek (Eggs) Recipe: 12 large hard cooked eggs 1 Large Cooked Boneless Chicken Breast Chopped Fine (Rotisserie Chicken works too) 1 cup PHILADELPHIA Whipped Chive Cream Cheese Spread
The waters of La Volla Creek in the vicinity of the overflow will be tested and monitored by the City to determine the extent of pollution. Additional advisories will be issued on the status of the water quality and when it is safe to resume normal use of the La Volla Creek. Discharge of untreated sewage to La Volla Creek may adversely affect the quality of the surface waters. Citizens are advised to avoid swimming or fishing in the areas where warning signs are posted. This spill does not affect the City of Corpus
4 Tbsp. Hellman’s Mayonnaise
(1) Persons using private drinking water supply wells located within 1/2-mile of the spill site or within the potentially affected area should use only water that has been distilled or boiled at a rolling boil for at least one minute for all personal uses including drinking, cooking, bathing, and tooth brushing. Individuals with private water wells should have their well water tested and disinfected, if necessary, prior to discontinuing distillation or boiling. (2) Persons who purchase water from a public water supply may contact their water supply distributor to determine if the water is safe for personal use. (3) The public should avoid contact with waste material, soil, or water in the area potentially affected by the spill. (4) If the public comes into contact with waste material, soil, or water potentially affected by the spill, they should bathe and wash clothes thoroughly as soon as possible.
W illiam a. T hau iii, P.C.
1 Tbsp. Sour Cream 1 tsp. spicy brown mustard
“F ormer U.S. N avy L awyer ”
1 Tbsp. Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice ½ tsp. sugar dash hot pepper sauce ¼ tsp. Salt and pepper ¼ tsp granulated garlic 2 Tbsp. fresh chives
l Divorce and Separation l Child Custody and Support l Adoption/Guardianship
l Auto Accidents l Personal Injury l DWI
l Paternity Cases l Wills and Probate
l Criminal Justice l Military Law
Tip of the week:
Deviled Eggs / Bunny Cheeks are truly like making pizza… You can get creative and add all kinds of ingredients. Bacon, ham, olives, capers, even caviar. So play away and have a great Easter! Have Fun! Try New Things! Happy Eats… Enjoy! A La Mode Gelateria 14254 South Padre Island Drive Sweet 101 Have Fun! Try New Things! Happy Eats… Enjoy!
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
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Investment strategies. One-on-one advice. Neal Nelson, AAMS® Financial Advisor .
14646 Compass Street Suite 4 Corpus Christi, TX 78418 361-949-9500 www.edwardjones.com
Member SIPC
Seashore Charter Schools
&
Open-enrollment, tuition-free, public charter schools
Under the Bridge Open Daily 11:00 - 9:00 Lunch Specials Monday-Friday 11 am - 2 pm AlsoScoopy’s Veranda With Sweet Treats, Soups, Salads & Sandwiches Now Accepting Visa Mastercard & Discover
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(361) 949-8815 (361) 949-7810
13313 S. Padre Island Drive Corpus Christi, TX 78418
Seashore Seashore Learning Middle Center Academy Grades K-4
Grades 5-8
Serving our community since 1996 Small class size: 16 per class in kinder, 18 per class in grades 1-4
College preparatory middle school s Volleyball, basketball, cross country, soccer s Academic teams & fine arts s Small class size
15801 S.P.I.D. phone 361-949-1222 s fax 361-949-6762
15437 S.P.I.D. phone 361-654-1134 s fax 361-654-1139
Private education for 18 months through pre-K available at Seashore Early Childhood Academy—call 949-1530.
Space is limited—act now!
Open registration is from March 1 to March 31, and the lottery to determine admission will be held April 1. Serving Padre Island, Flour Bluff, Port Aransas and the Naval Air Station. For more information or to download forms, visit our website: www.islandfoundation.com.
A6
March 17, 2016
Island Moon
Artists Win Show at Port Aransas Art Center
The Travelling Moon Gets Around
Port Aransas Art Center 323 N. Alister 361-749-7334 The winners of the members show for the Art Center of Port Aransas have been named and the lucky artists will get their own show at the center in August.
2nd Place– Nancy Buskey-Great Blue Heron -Watercolor- A solid design showing skill in execution and knowledge of color & value.
The winners of the March All Member Show are:
3rd Place- Barb RobinsonThe Big Wooden BoatAcrylic- A delightful design with color and brushwork to match.
1st, 2nd & 3rd Place have Won the honor of a MERIT Show in the month of August 2016Show Judge was Laura Griffith and here is her Judge’s Statement:
The Public may vote by ballot at the Art Center for their favorite thru March 25th & the artist with the most votes wins “People’s Choice and will also show work in the August merit show.
1st Place –Sally MooreSilver Dancing Crane Handmade Jewelry-A beautiful example of representation through the use of line, shape and Texture.
It's really Spring for the Island Moon and Tom Cullinan, shown here about 100 miles of the Canadian border. Giant Springs originates from mountain snowmelt and pours out at 54 degrees year-round. It then travels more than 4,700 miles down river (the Missouri and Mississippi) and across the Gulf before washing up on our shore.
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March 24, 2016
Scouts continued from A1 As the music wafted from the PIBA Monthly Mixer, scouts banded together to clean the beach and the first dune from the beach at Whitecap as far south as remaining daylight allowed. They dutifully picked up paper, bottles, plastic, bottle caps, wood, and most other debris either donated by spring breakers or washed ashore.
A7
Island Moon
Dog Park Meeting April 2
Padre Island Teen
By Sara Russell, Board President
By Elizabeth Clark
The Riley P Dog Park Board is making some changes and we really need your help in deciding exactly what those will be.
Storm The major storm last Friday not only knocked out power and ruined some Spring Break plans, but it also affected how schools worked in Corpus Christi when kids finally went back on Monday. By then, there were still a few thousand homes in need of power. Seashore couldn’t have morning announcements because of technical difficulties, and the entire Flour Bluff ISD online network failed. Students and teachers were not able to check emails, make presentations, turn in homework, or even do attendance until past midday.
It's really too much to explain here, so please join us on Saturday, April 2, from 10-12 a.m. at the Seashore Learning Center Gym on Encantada for coffee and conversation. We'll cover three things: • status updates • design options • next steps Afterwards, based on public input - we'll be able to share more. Did you notice that I said "based on public input" - that includes you and all our fellow citizens!
Luckily, both schools got their tech to cooperate, and everything is running smoothly in both districts again; but there is still a lot to be done in the wake of the hurricane-force winds and rain we received. Thank goodness there was very little damage. The storm was a wake-up call to Islanders and inspired a lot of us to be prepared when the wind picks up again.
You can make a difference and we hope to see you there!
Working together the local Cub and Boy Scouts cleaned our beach with little fanfare. Photos by Brent Rourk Glove-clad with an array of bags, they quickly spread out over the beach and dunes like a brigade of army ants, collecting everything in their vision. When it was over, Scout leaders collected and disposed the bags. Our beach is cleaner and safer for humans and birds alike. Great job Scouts! In other scouting news, TROOP 949 provided a car wash for Islanders at Seashore Middle Academy a couple of Saturdays ago. The troop raised money for their coming camp-out.
Police Blotter
Lucky Rubber Duck Race
The Corpus Christi Police Department responded to 809 calls for service and generated 192 reports for formal criminal complaints from 7:00 a.m. March 22 to 7:00 a.m. on March 23, 2016. These are samples of the criminal complaints filed by the Corpus Christi Police for that time period.
By Linda Walsh The Padre Island Rotary Club is again holding the Lucky Rubber Duck Race on Saturday, March 26 following the Community Easter Egg Hunt in Billish Park. The race will be held at the Boat Ramp at the West end of Billish Park. It usually starts around noon.
The Corpus Christi Police Department responded to 872 calls for service and generated 216 reports for formal criminal complaints from 7:00 a.m. March 21 to 7:00 a.m. on March 22, 2016. These are samples of the criminal complaints filed by the Corpus Christi Police for that time period.
Don’t miss out on the excitement and fun as 3000 rubber ducks race down the canal. There are many prizes including a large flat screen TV, a gift package from Schlitterbahn totaling $650 which includes a season pass for 4, a 3 day 2 night stay at a Gulf front condo in South Padre Island and so much more!
The Corpus Christi Police Department responded to 1029 calls for service and generated 217 reports for formal criminal complaints from 7:00 a.m. March 20 to 7:00 a.m. on March 21, 2016. These are samples of the criminal complaints filed by the Corpus Christi Police for that time period.
Tickets are available at Island Architects (Behind Mail and More) and from all Rotarians. Tickets $5 – per duck $20 – five ducks
The Corpus Christi Police Department responded to 1043 calls for service and generated 240 reports for formal criminal complaints from 7:00 a.m. March 17 to 7:00 a.m. on March 18, 2016. These are samples of the criminal complaints filed by the Corpus Christi Police for that time period.
Troop 949 Boy Scouts Chase Childers and Holden Pagona work with other scouts to clean the dunes
$100 – thirty ducks The more ducks you buy the more chances of winning prizes. Proceeds benefit Rotary Community Service Projects. For more information or tickets Email Linda at lawalshva@ yahoo.com. Good luck, be there on Saturday at cheer your duck on to the finish line
The Corpus Christi Police Department responded to 904 calls for service and generated 207 reports for formal criminal complaints from 7:00 a.m. March 16 to 7:00 a.m. on March 17, 2016. These are samples of the criminal complaints filed by the Corpus Christi Police for that time period.
BINGO Cancelled By Brent Rourk
The Corpus Christi Police Department responded to 874 calls for service and generated 249 reports for formal criminal complaints from 7:00 a.m. March 15 to 7:00 a.m. on March 16, 2016. These are samples of the criminal complaints filed by the Corpus Christi Police for that time period.
BINGO benefitting Beautify Corpus Christi and the American Diabetes Association has been cancelled. Scheduled to begin Thursday, March 24th at Schlitterbahn, timing issues with licensing made it impossible to get licensed in time to follow the Kiwanis BINGO at the BEACH and to capitalize of the many winter Texans who also enjoyed Bingo.
Police Calls
By the time licensing could be obtained, summer would be here, and BINGO is more of a winter pastime. Islanders should look forward to BINGO next year starting in January and ending in April.
10600 block SH 361 6:24 p.m. March 16 Public intoxication 13300 block SPID 1:28 a.m. March 23 Public intoxication
PAC 949 Cub Scouts clean the beach of debris Photos by Brent Rourk
Dogs continued from A1
14000 block SPID 1:56 p.m. March 18 Possession of marijuana under 20 ounces
season and for the beginners practice will be held each Sunday at the Horace Caldwell Pier in Port Aransas at 2:00.
13700 block A La Entrada Calle 7:01 p.m. March 20 Harassment
The Phone number for questions, and we’re pretty sure there are going to be some, is 361-205-4428 web site makikonusurfskate. com. Some of the surfurs will be available for adoption.
14200 block SPID 12:01 p.m. March 20 Drivers license expired/Expired license plate/No insurance (The Trifecta!)
If you want to get a head start there are some websites that will help you get your quadruped surfur a leg up. (get it?) http:// www.surfdogricochet.com Go to the “surf stuff” drop down on the home page for step by step video series called “how to teach your dog to surf” Also, http://www.surfcitydogs.com and http:// www.socalsurfdogs.com.
14000 block Commodores 9:47 p.m. March 17 Possession of marijuana/Possession of a controlled substance/Possession of drug paraphernalia (The Triple Threat!) Commodores/Compass 9:21 p.m. March 16 Possession of alcohol by a minor
Or you can check out the Facebook page at Makikonu Surf Skate.
SH 361 2:08 p.m. March 20 Vehicle impound/no insurance
Dog surfing and Belt Sander races…is this a great Island or what?!
14600 block SPID 1 a.m. March 19 Damage to vehicle other than collision SH 361/SPID 2:08 p.m. Vehicle impound/No insurance
Send letters and photos to editor@islandmoon.com
14300 block SPID 11:21 a.m. March 18 Expired license plate/No insurance
Scouts scour and clean the first dune late Tuesday afternoon
11700 block SH 361 3:11 p.m. March 18 Expired license plate/Driving while license suspended 100 block Zahn Road 4 p.m. March 17 No insurance 15000 block Windward 8:55 p.m. March 18 Robbery 15200 block Windward 5:06 a.m. March 20 Burglary of a coin operated machine 15100 block Leeward 7:15 p.m. March 17 Burglary of a habitation 15300 block Gypsy 12:06 p.m. March 17 Credit card abuse SPID/Sea Pines 3:21 a.m. March 17 Minor curfew violation
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A8
March 24, 2016
Island Moon
SPORTS Mad About Baseball
Sports Talk
Up to Now: The Best of March Madness - Next: The Sweet Sixteen By Dotson Lewis Special to the Island Moon Dotson’s Note: If you have been watching March Madness, with a break for the SpursWarriors, here are two articles for you reading enjoyment (and rested eyes). Don’t worry, you can turn the TV back on because the “The Sixteen” will start showing at 3:00 PM today. Jason Gay contributed to the “Busted Bracket” article & Kurt Voigt contributed to the A&M article.
What to Do About A Busted Bracket My friend’s bracket passed away last Friday, after a brave but short battle with optimism. It was barely 24 hours old. It enjoyed the touch of a felt tip, soft music, red wine, long walks on the beach, and, fatally, as it turned out, Michigan State men’s basketball. Why do you do this to you selves? Every year, those bubbly FILL OUT A BRACKET emails arrive with their PDF attachments and promises of prizes the adulation of friends and co-workers, and it all sounds so sporty and fun. It doesn’t matter if you obsess over college basketball while wearing a vintage Lew Alcindor UCLA jersey, or if you wouldn’t know Mike Krzyzewski if you found him downstairs at midnight making waffles in your kitchen. If you’re willing to spend somewhere between 72 hours and nine seconds writing the names of schools onto a series of horizontal lines, you, too, can be part of the magic…for approximately 24 hours or so. By Saturday morning ESPN was reporting that of the 13 million entrants in its bracket contest, not a single perfect entry remained. It’s like an Oscar pool in which everyone is eliminated while publicists are still rubbing the nominees with lint rollers on the red carpet. The good news is you can still utilize a broken March Madness bracket in the following ways: 1. Cut it into squares and fold neatly into sailor hats for the neighborhood cats. (You may spend several hours chasing the cats, but it will be worth it, and they always wind up liking the hats.) 2. Shred into confetti to toss into the air at Monday’s 9:30 a.m. office meeting. Scream “Busted! I’m busted!” and then maniacally leave the room, not to return until next September. 3. Cocktail napkins for your smug Duke friends.
remaining in regulation, 10 down with less than 30 seconds, to defeat the Panthers 92-88 in double overtime on Sunday night. "Craziest game I've been a part of from beginning to end," Caruso said. "Just an amazing game. This is what March is about." Crazy is a mild way to put the finish, something the Panthers (23-13) were accustomed to after reaching Sunday's second-round matchup thanks to Paul Jesperson's buzzer-beating half court winner against Texas two nights earlier. However, this time around it was Texas A&M putting together the last-second heroics on its way to reaching the Sweet 16 for the third time in school history, the first since 2007. More precisely, it was a last 44 seconds in which the Aggies were able to atone for what had been a dismal previous 39 minutes and 16 seconds. Down 69-57 after Jeremy Morgan hit two free throws with 44 seconds remaining in regulation, Texas A&M proceeded to outscore the 11thseeded Panthers 14-2 from there, capped by Admon Gilder's steal and layup with 1.9 seconds remaining that tied the game at 71 and sent it to the first overtime. That 44 seconds included four turnovers by Northern Iowa, which was without its main inbounds passer Matt Bohannon because of a left knee injury, and a resurgence by House -who missed his first nine shots of the game and was scoreless until 5:14 remaining in regulation. "We knew it was kind of impossible, man, but we just said that we were going to fight until the end," House said. Once into overtime, it was Caruso who sent the game to a second with a drive and layup with 5.9 seconds left in the first extra period, tying the game at 83. And in the second, the surging Aggies finally wore down a hobbled and short-handed Northern Iowa team missing two of its starters after fouling out. It was House who capped the scoring with a free throw with 12.6 seconds remaining to give Texas A&M a 92-88 lead, with a most unexpected and euphoric celebration following moments later on the Chesapeake Arena court.
4. Tissue for weeping Michigan State friends.
The Aggies have now won 10 of their last 11 games entering this week's Sweet 16, but few -if any -- will top Sunday night.
5. Next year’s bracket. Keep every pick exactly the same. It might do better. It couldn’t do worse!
"I've never been a part of a game like that, never saw one," Aggies coach Billy Kennedy said. "(I) still really don't know what happened."
You may despair over another terrible bracket, but still admire the ritual, how March always jams a thumb in the eye of blowhard sports expertise, often rewarding the neophyte or pure cockamamie theory. The other day I spoke to a friend’s daughter, all of 10 years old, who last year won her father’s office friends and family pool. Her approach was highly scientific.
For Northern Iowa, the dramatic turn of fortunes in the final minute was a difficult blow to handle after Friday night's last-second miracle against the Longhorns.
“I just picked the names I liked,” she said. She won $780.
What’s not to like about March Madness? Last Saturday evening a friend of mine talked by phone to another friend, the great CBS broadcaster Verne Lundquist (I met him many years ago, when he was the radio voice of the Dallas Cowboys) who was in his New York City hotel room. It was Verne’s night off, he’d called games in Brooklyn on Friday and would be back at the arena the next day. My friend was expecting to hear a raging party on the other end (champagne corks, air sirens, at least three founding members of Guns N’ Roses) but it was civil and quiet, sadly. Maybe Verne was sitting at a table full of muckety-mucks? “Yeah, all my entourage is here,” Lundquist said, deadpan. He was on his way out to dinner and it would be an early night. My friend’s question to Vern: Busted brackets and all, why are so many still madly in love with March? “I’m not sure how it happened,” said Lundquist, who is now on his 32nd NCAA men’s tournament. “Somehow, it’s become a national celebration for the sport…I think the ‘bracketology’ has probably added to the moment of it all.” “There’s some part of all of us who wants to root for the little guy, and it’s such a charm when the little guy prevails,” he said. The next day, a little guy would get very close, and Lundquist would be on the call, as Stephen F. Austin, which had stunned West Virginia in the opening round, came within a tipped basket of doing it again versus Notre Dame, a Goliath (I know the Irish aren’t a basketball Goliath, but work with me here). The NCAA is another Goliath, and it’s often hard to root for—the grotesque inequities of big-time college sports are seldom in sharper relief than they are at a bazillion-dollar event like March Madness. (A moment here to applaud the Twitter feed of USA Today’s Steve Berkowitz (@byberkowitz), who has been posting the often eye-popping contract bonuses coaches get after tournament wins. Congrats on that $275,000 for making the Sweet 16, Roy Williams of North Carolina!) I know you can’t help it, you are there again, marooned in March, hopeless but happy.
Texas A&M vs Northern Iowa: The Best 44 Seconds In Basketball Northern Iowa appeared all but ready to book its plane tickets to California for next week's Sweet 16. That was before Texas A&M put together the most remarkable and memorable last-minute comeback in NCAA Basketball Tournament history. Led by Alex Caruso's 25 points and 22 more from Danuel House in the second half and overtimes, the third-seeded Aggies (28-8) rallied from 12 points down with 44 seconds
Morgan had career highs of 36 points and 12 rebounds, while Klint Carlson matched his career high with 17 points, but all of the positives of the first 39 minutes of the game were lost amid the postgame tears. "It's just tough," Bohannon said. "It's the NCAA Tournament, though, that's what happens." The Panthers, seeking their second Sweet 16 appearance in school history, led by as many as 15 points in the second half.
By Andy Purvis Special to the Island Moon There I stood with Corpus Christi baseball coaches, Hector Salinas, Lee Yeager and Steve Castillo, at the 2011 South Texas Winter Baseball Banquet. I was standing in high cotton. I felt like the guy who played third base with Tinker and Evers and Chance. That night the Corpus Christi Hooks were honoring the success of Head Baseball Coach, Steve Castillo with a Lifetime Achievement Award, after John Paul II High School had won their second state title. Castillo is slim built, business-like and wears tinted glasses. He looked like he should be teaching calculus in a baseball cap. He also has a heart as big as a watermelon, and you always get nine innings of truth from him in an interview. Castillo understood that baseball is the game of long seasons, where small differences decide who wins and who loses that game, that series, that season. There are so many sports slogans like “One game at a time,” but when you live it that’s when people notice. People noticed Steve Castillo. He was always two innings ahead of everybody else. He believed that good baseball cures bad baseball and preached to his kids that the best player on the team is the team. So now we fast forward to the present, January 15, 2016. You know, the word “first” carries a lot of weight in the world of sports. Steve Castillo is now the first Corpus Christi Independent School District (CCISD) coach to be inducted into the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, located in Waco, Texas. The 65-year-old Castillo was caught completely by surprise for two reasons. It was his first year on the ballot, and the names of other coaches being nominated were impressive. Along with Castillo, the 2016 class included Julian Pressly of Odessa, Rudy Alvarez of Austin Bowie, and Jim Long of Brenham. Castillo has joined his dear friend, Steve Castro from Robstown, who recently passed away. These two are the only area coaches to enter the Hall of Fame. In 30 years, Castillo has won 717 games, while losing only 222 and tying 13. That’s quite a record. Castillo led Moody High School to three state championship games in 1983, 1994 and 2000, all of which they lost. Castillo left for John
Northern Iowa: Morgan's previous career high for points was 21 against Missouri State on Feb. 10, while his previous best rebounding effort was 10 against Dubuque last November. Texas A&M: Caruso was 10 of 20 from the field for the Aggies, who recovered from their slow start -- shooting 6 of 27 (22.2 percent) in the first half -- to shoot 62.1 percent (18 of 29) in the second half and 7 of 15 (46.7 percent) in the overtimes. Before fouling out in the first overtime, Washpun did a little of everything for the Panthers. The point guard was a primary reason for House's offensive struggles for Texas A&M, and he finished with nine points, 10 assists and six rebounds. Carlson scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half and overtimes, including a stretch of 10 straight points during one stretch in the second half.
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shocked. Castillo, never one to look back, said, “They did me a favor. I’m really enjoying my three granddaughters.” So, hats off to Steve Castillo. You see, Coach Castillo has never been unhappy at a ballpark. He has always been mad about baseball. He still gets lost in the game. There are very few things besides family that you can go through your entire life caring about. Baseball is one of those. Corpus Christi is proud of you, coach. This story was first published by Metro-Leader Magazine on February 1, 2016. Andy Purvis is a local author and radio personality. Please visit www.purvisbooks. com for all the latest info on his books or to listen to the new radio podcast. Andy’s books are available online and can be found in the local Barnes & Noble bookstore. Andy can be contacted at purvis.andy@mygrande.net. Also listen to sports talk radio on Dennis & Andy’s Q & A Session from 6-8 PM on Sportsradiocc.com 1230 AM, 96.1 FM and 103.3 FM. The home of the Houston Astros. Next Book signing, Barnes & Noble: Saturday, April 30th, 1-3 PM.
Online Registration offered April 25 to May 20 The Corpus Christi Parks & Recreation Department will be offering its Summer 2016 High School Baseball League. This is a team concept league with the limit of 18 players per team. Boys (18 & Under Varsity Division) and (16 & Under JV/Freshmen Mix Division) are eligible to participate. The season will run from June 6 through the week of July 7, 2016. Participants will obtain a full understanding and importance of the rules and the concept of teamwork. While this program provides structure and knowledge of the sport of baseball, it also promotes positive attitudes and the importance of adapting a lifestyle with recreational activities.
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REGISTRATION will be offered as follows: A) NEW this year…REGISTER ONLINE from April 25–May 13, 2016 for 24-hour convenience at www.ccparkandrec.com (click ‘Register Online’). Fee is $525.00 per team. B) LATE REGISTRATION from May 16– 20, 2016 at www.ccparkandrec.com (click ‘Register Online’). Late registration fee is $550.00 per team. For more information about this league, call the Athletics Office at 361-826-3478 or visit www.ccparkandrec.com (click ‘Sports’). We invite you to Live. Learn. Play!
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The Final Score (2 Overtimes): Texas A&M 93 – Northern Iowa 88 Dotson’s Other Note: In my seven and a half decades as a basketball fan, player, coach and official, I have never witnessed nor heard of a comeback anywhere near like what A& M pulled off last Saturday night. Imagine 12 points down with 44 seconds remaining and 10 down with less than 30 seconds left. It wasn’t near the best played of games I’ve ever seen, but it was the best comeback. Texas A&M faces second-seeded Oklahoma in the Sweet 16 Thursday March 24th (today,) in Anaheim, CA. Game time is 8:37 PM our (Central Daylight) time. Your comments, suggestions, questions and concerns regarding Sports Talk articles are greatly appreciated, please call the Benchwarmers at 361-560-5397 weekdays, Mondays thru Fridays, 5-7 PM. or contact me. Phone: 361-949-7681 Cell: 530-748-8475 Email: dlewis1@stx.rr.com
Steve Castillo and me
Summer 2016 High School Baseball League
However, they were unable to overtime the series of last-minute miscues that left them on the opposite end of emotion compared to their opening-round win. "It shouldn't have ended tonight," said Northern Iowa coach Ben Jacobson, who added the loss was "no question" the toughest to handle of his career.
Paul II in August of 2006, and won two state 4A TAPPS Championships (2010-2011) in three trips. Steve has earned the Caller-Times All-Metro Coach of the Year Award four times and the All-South-Texas Coach of the Year Award three times. In 2013, his contract with the John Paul II Centurions was not renewed. The baseball community was
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Parrot Head Concert at Schitterbahn
Moon Monkey Dotson Lewis got a ccoscorrone on the head at the Parrothead Party at Schlitterbahn. The winners from the Wii bowling league at El Constante had their awards ceremony at Cancun this week. The crew of Winter Texans takes their Wii bowling seriously.
The show went on Saturday Night despite a power outage thanks to portable generators. Photos by Debbie Noble and Miles Merwin
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