Section a for web by Mary Craft

Surfriders

Photos by Jeff Dolan

Issue 540

Free

The voice of The Island since 1996

The Island Moon

Weekly

August 21, 2014 Around The Island By Dale Rankin

Growth in Region's Largest Industries Creating Bottleneck Increasing Port and Tourist Traffic Causing Major Delays

editor@islandmoon.com

By Dale Rankin

We’ve had Big Doings in our state’s capital this week but here on The Island the only person we would like to see indicted is the person who is in charge of the humidity control. There are many Texasisms which describe this phenomenon, most of which began with “It was hot enough to…” But there is only one Texasism that applies here; it’s too hot for snakes.

It is a busy stretch of water where the two drivers of the Coastal Bend economy come into direct and potentially dangerous contact on an hourly basis.

Friends, when it’s too hot for snakes there isn’t anything higher on the “Texas Hot Meter” than that except standing in the middle of a midsummer South Texas brush fire and we can only hope we don’t have one of those. With the dry conditions hereabouts and the wind predicted for the next week by the Weather Wonks it will be too hot for the snakes to stay in the grass. As of this writing there are a couple of tropical disturbances way out in the Atlantic. They don’t look like they will become real storms but maybe the butterflies will flap their wings just right and send a little falling water our way.

Deep powder brings sand crabs The dry weather has left driving on area beaches these days a test of the nerves. It reminds us of driving along Devil’s Backbone in the Hill Country in an ice storm; you drive from one spot to another and coast along through the deep stuff and hope you don’t hear that dreaded whine of the tires spinning fruitlessly as the car stops. It is a sinking feeling both literally and figuratively. The deep powder sand up and down the beach has kept the Sand Crabs busy unsticking cars. While no records of such things are kept, last weekend the limited driving space on most beaches combined with the onrush of beachgoers out for one last trip to The Coast before the start of the school year may have set a record for stuck cars. Up and down our beaches the wheels barely had time to stop, fruitlessly throwing sand before a Sand Crab would roll up in a Bubba Truck with his tow rope in hand. Twenty bucks seems like a cheap price to pay when you are crankcase deep in blow sand that has no bottom. If you are going to the beach, especially south of Bob Hall Pier be sure to take a full ice chest because you might be there awhile.

A few updates The good folks over at P.I. DOG continue their efforts to bring the Riley P. Dog Park to Padre Island. The land is available, adjacent to the water tower on the south end of The Island; all that’s needed is the money. To see what we are missing take a couple of hours and take your quadruped to the dog park in Port Aransas. Let’s hope we have one on Padre soon. Also, the Labor Day Weekend marks the Paddle for Parkinson’s event which takes place on Saturday, August 31. Mona and the good folks who put this event on have been working hard. We’ll have more in the next issue as the event gets closer. Take heart fellow Islanders, only two more weekends and the tourist invasion will melt away like ice on Devil’s Backbone and we’ll have our Island back. In the meantime, say hello if you see us Around The Island.

Tourism and the Port of Corpus Christi are the growth cornerstones of the area’s economy and as both expand the waterway which is the lifeblood of both is experiencing unprecedented congestion as ships, barges, and ferries transverse the waters of the ship channel between Port Aransas and Harbor Island. At any given time about twenty ships wait offshore to enter the port through the channel. According to Ray Harrison, Harbormaster for the Port of Corpus Christi Authority, average wait for a ship is two days at a cost of about $60,000 per day. Behind St. Joseph Island, in the Lydia Ann Channel another flotilla of barges are beached up, often pushed against the shore by tug boats with running engines, waiting to enter the port.

Port continued on A4

Kleberg County Approves Sale of GLO Land on The Island to Nueces County

Inside the Moon

By Dale Rankin The Kleberg County Commission’s Court has approved the sale of 3680 acres of land adjacent to the Padre Island National Seashore which, according to current plans, will place the land under the control of Nueces County. The Kleberg County administrators last week voted 3-2 in favor of the sale of the land to the Ed Rachal Foundation who will in turn donate it to Nueces County to be used as a natural area. Under terms of the sale no development is allowed on the property. The land borders the National Seashore on its northern boundary and runs from the Gulf beach to the Laguna Madre.; it includes about 6.8 miles of beach which is roughly 20% of the beach between the National Seashore and Port Aransas. The land was purchased in the early 1990s with a federal grant which covered 80% of the purchase price, with the remainder coming from the GLO. Precinct 4 County Commissioner Joe McComb said this week that the exact purchase price is still to be worked out because final negotiations were abated pending the agreement between Kleberg and Nueces counties; however, the Rachal Foundation has said they will meet the cost. The cost will likely be in the neighborhood of the 20% - the GLO’s share - of the original purchase price which was $3.6 million. McComb said all the paperwork for the sale is now in the hands of the GLO. “Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson has said he wants to have this done before he leaves office in January,” McComb said. The deal with Nueces County supersedes a previous deal that would have sold the land to the Texas Nature

GLO continued on A3

Timon’s Ministry – A Fish Story with a Happy Ending By Linda Walsh The timing couldn’t have been better. It was Shark Week when the television-viewing public celebrates all things shark when fishermen Ryan Spring and Terry Samuels pulled a monster shark from the Gulf of Mexico and donated it to Timon’s Ministries for their lunch program. The story was broadcast on television news programs across Texas and shone the spotlight on the good work done at Timon’s on a daily basis.

Shark meat donated to Timon's Ministries

FREE

Timmons continued on A2

Port Expansion A6

GLO Tract 3,680 Acres

Fishing with Farah A7

Sports A8

A little Island history

Island Legend Godrey Roberts Lost His Teeth on a Cast Net

Texas Women Anglers Tournament A11

“I’ll just get my cats and get on the roof and if she rolls over, well, we’ll just be on the bottom” By Jackie Bales “Well are ya gonna just stand over there in them trees just starin’ at me”? It was Ol’ Godfrey Roberts, former Port Aransas Post Master and now a reclusive mystery to me. The year is 1959 and I’m eight years old. Living across the street I was compelled by curiosity to discover just what the old man was doing out there in his back yard. I stepped from the little stand of salt cedar trees to look at his work. “A net-knot is a special kind of knot,” he informed me, “Tie it wrong and it’ll slip”… “You run a row across and then four rows down and then widen it by two on each side. This gives you the taper”… He was building a cast net from scratch with a net needle that he had whittled out of wood. He was building triangles to be laid out to form a circle. He stitched in a

History continued on A5

General Mark Wayne Clark A13

Live Music A18

Timmons continued from A1

August 21, 2014

Island Moon

Magical Mystery Plant

Some background A Hand Up, not a Hand Out is the mantra of Timon’s Ministries, a day resource center serving the community since 2000 after a group of churches got together back in the late ‘90’s incorporating and finding a building to house the growing sandwich ministry that was initiated by St. Peters by the Sea in 1989. Today Timon’s serves hot meals averaging between 80-100 guests six days weekly. In addition the Crisis Pantry distributes between 2-3 tons of groceries into the local community. Timon’s also delivers groceries to the elderly or inform who cannot get to the pantry. Laundry and showers are available and a free clothing closet is stocked by the community and staffed by volunteers. It is important to note that Timon’s clients are predominately the working poor. Only 19% of the clients served are actually homeless.

More than a meal Initially, primarily a feeding station, Timon’s has evolved into a day resource center with a complement of health services serving not just the local community but all low income noninsured individuals.

We have one in pinkish - red it is a Euphorbia Milii, also known as Crown of Thorns, Christ Plant, and Christ Thorn—ref Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia – I’m sure you’ll have a lot of responses – it’s all over the Island -- Karin Zerbe

The William Allen dental clinic opened in 2009. Volunteer dentists have seen over 2500 patients from throughout the Coastal Bend. In 2010 Timon’s began monthly eye care, providing new lenses and frames free of charge.

Euphorbia milii (crown of thorns, Christ plant, Christ thorn) is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family Euphorbiaciae, native to Madagascar. The species name commemorates Baron Milius, once Governor of Réunion, who introduced the species to France in 1821.[1] It is suspected that the species was introduced to the Middle East in ancient times, and legend associates it with the crown of thorns worn by Christ.

Family medicine was integrated into the health arm of the ministry in 2011. The volunteer MD has over 900 patient charts all within the parameters of who we serve. This population often has unresolved health issues that preclude their being treated by the dentists. If they have no insurance they may be treated by the Timon’s MD. One third of the patients are either pre diabetic or have diabetes. This led to Timon’s working with the Coastal Bend Diabetes Coalition and with the local food bank, with emphasis on diabetes management and education. In 2014 all registrants in the Crisis Pantry are asked to test for diabetes. A1C results are tracked and better food choices are provided. A shocking 44% of the population that depends on Timon’s for monthly groceries are diabetic. A grant from Methodist Healthcare Ministries funds medicines, medical supplies, eye wear and all dental supplies including dentures. Timon’s collaborates with Mission of Mercy, treating their dental patients. MOM accepts Timon’s medical patients who need extended referrals. Other financial assistance for meds, ID’s, birth certificates and licensing is provided. As with dental and eye care, these services are available to drug-free individuals. Wow! If that doesn’t just make your day reading about all the services Timon’s is providing, and it doesn’t end there. Today I am going to assist Kae and other volunteers in filling several hundred backpacks with the school supplies required by the school system, and then distributing them to local children who would otherwise be starting the school year without backpacks and the necessary supplies

Cooking Shark at Timon's Ministries they need for an education. The list goes on and on. So the next time someone says Oh Timon’s ministries, the homeless shelter, you can say No, Timon’s Ministries is a local treasure, it is a day resource center serving our community in so many ways! So now you know the rest of the story! Thank you Ryan Spring and Terry Samuels, fishermen, for bringing attention to our Ministry as well as food! God does work in mysterious ways! And thank you Kae Berry, and all the volunteers who unselfishly serve our community! Timon’s is a 501c3 tax exempt charity funded by churches, individuals, grants and fundraisers. Seventy five volunteers help with all of the programs. You can contact Timon’s Ministries by calling 361-937-6196, or stop by between 9 & Noon Monday thru Saturday, and say Hi to Kae and see for yourself what small miracles are happening there every single day. You can also make donations on line thru PayPal at the website www.timonsministries.com.

it is a succulent climbing shrub growing to 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) tall, with densely spiny stems. The straight, slender spines, up to 3 cm long, help it scramble over other plants. The leaves are found mainly on new growth,[1] and are obovate, up to 3.5 cm long and 1.5 cm broad. The flowers are small, subtended by a pair of conspicuous petal-like bracts, variably red, pink or white, up to 12 mm broad.[2] The sap is moderately poisonous.[citation needed] Wat Phrik in Thailand claims to be the home of the world's tallest Christ plant.[3] This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Steve Moody Senior Vice President

500 North Water Street, Suite 100 | Corpus Christi, TX NMLS# 613901 | 361-887-8771 | ProsperityBankUSA.com Member FDIC

Frog’s Pool Service CONSTRUCTION, SERVICE AND REPAIR

Michael Zerbe This plant is known as the Crown of thorns or Euphorbia Milii, to be technical. Your loyal reader. Georgia Crown of Thornes Wendy Tripetlt 361-500-2708 Yellow crown of thorns. Member of the cactus family indigenous to south Florida. RM Walkos

361-876-9148 Ofce Mark Duncan Jaime Berrones Tired of paying for a pool service that 361-876-9147 charges you Director of Sales & Service Owner

once for the cleaning and again for chemicals? Why www.frogspoolservice.com go through the checkout line twice. At Frog’s Pool Service, all chemicals are included. A full service company providing you with professional pool cleaning and repairs at one low monthly rate. CALL THE FROG. 361.876.9148.

361-876-9148 Ofﬁce Jaime Duncan Co-Owner Director of Sales & Service

Mark Duncan 361-947-3764 Owner

WE’RE CHANGING THE NAME OF OUR CHURCH! JOIN US THIS WEEKEND FOR THE BIG REVEAL! LIVE SATELLITE FEED AT 10:00 AM & 11:30 AM SERVICES! SERVICE TIMES: Sundays at 8:30 AM, 10:00 AM & 11:30 AM

PASTOR BIL AND JESSICA

Bay Area Fellowship Padre Island Campus 15205 SPID Ste. 200 • Corpus Christi, TX 78418 361.993.5900 • bayareafellowship.com

August 21, 2014

Island Moon

Moon Monkeys Mike Ellis, Founder

Letters to the Editor Anti-Bullying Event

Island Moon, We would be grateful for your help in advertising a community event. On Saturday, August 30, the community is being invited to a “back to school” anti-bullying rally. This rally is being hosted by Reconciliation Church and School, Musical Mind Academy, the Coastal Bend Wellness Foundation, and several donors. It will be held at the church, located at 4518 Saratoga Boulevard (between Weber and Everhart).

Distribution Pete Alsop

This will be the first of a continuing series of anti-bullying events which will grow to include workshops and classes for victims and bystanders on family relationships and communication, and on intervention skills. Opportunities will be offered to victims to express themselves through art, poetry, and music. The next event will be on Saturday, March 7.

Island Delivery Coldwell Banker Advertising Jan Park Rankin Classifieds Arlene Ritley Design/Layout Jeff Craft Contributing Writers Joey Farah

The agenda for August 30 includes: 6:00 Welcome 6:15 Litany of prayer at the Team Teddy Community Garden. This garden is dedicated to all victims of bullying, in memory of Teddy Molina, suicide victim of bullying at Flour Bluff High School

Andy Purvis Devorah Fox Mary Craft Maybeth Christiansen

6:30 Concert and speakers, including antibullying bands from Musical Minds Academy, testimonials, and speakers who will give educational talks on anti-bullying and antidrugs

Jay Gardner Chad Peters Todd Hunter Dotson Lewis Ronnie Narmour

Photographers Miles Merwin Jeff Dolan Mary Craft

Good morning Island Moon, I hope you get this on time, I made a quick trip to Istanbul, Turkey and had my bag stolen from me with my passport and personal effects therein. The embassy has just issued me a temporary passport but I have to pay for a ticket,other miscellaneous costs and settle my hotel bills with the Manager. I have made contact with my bank but it would take me 3-5 working days to access funds in my account, the bad news is my flight will be leaving soon but i am having problems settling the hotel bills and the hotel manager won't let me leave until I settle the bills, I need your help financially and I promise to make the refund once I get back home, you are my last resort and hope, Please let me know if I can count on you and I need you to keep checking your email because it's the only way I can reach you. Thanks, Shelley Bueche Dear Shelley, We are sorry to hear that you are stuck in Istanbul; we hate it when that happens. Also sorry to hear you are being held hostage by the hotel. It must be a Howard Johnson. Maybe you can just stay another three days and eat your fill of complementary donuts. Sometimes when your bag is stolen in Istanbul donuts are your only friends.

Fr Bruce Wilson, Vicar, Reconciliation Church and School Machy De la Garza Whiteside, Director, Musical Minds Academy

Note to self; when in Istanbul keep a close eye on your bag.

Thank you for your help,

Dr. Donna Shaver

Problem

We will be happy to send you some Island Moon Script. It is redeemable at most Green Stamp outlets and hookah bars in the greater Istanbul area. If you go by Manny’s Hookah Palace on Istiklal Avenue tell Manny we’ll see him at the Kasbah next January and to bring a frying pan.

9:00 Closing

Brent Rourk

Did Ya Hear?

Bill Hoelscher , CEO, Coastal Bend Wellness Foundation

Ronnie Narmour Office Security/Spillage Control (Emeritus)

Miniature Golf Becomes Bi-Partisan Game to “Help” Kids Some Of These Races Are Hotly Contested - Putters Can Be Dangerous If Tempers Flare! 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

Sandpiper Condos WB Liquors Port A Arts

Stripes @ Beach Access Rd. 1A

North Padre

A Mano

All Stripes Stores

Coffee Waves

CVS

Moby Dicks

Whataburger

Spanky’sLiquor

Doc’s Restaurant

IGA Grocery Store

Isle Mail N More

Carter Pharmacy

Island Italian

San Juan’s Taqueria

Ace Hardware

Wash Board Laundry Mat

Texas Star (Shell)

Pioneer RV Park

Port A Parks and Rec Public Library

FMI: Contact Ridge Hammons, PhD 815-6122 / ridge@helphelp.us

361-

This year’s player’s roster includes incumbents and challengers vying for bragging rights. Our “putt-offs” include Candidates for City Council, County Commissioners, state and local judges, numerous JP races, and other local positions, as well as state and even national races! The Council candidates for the Island will face off in a special event, as will contestants for the AT LARGE positions and PLACE 2. Multiple Photo Opportunities: • Candidates for District Attorney, Tax Assessor, State Representative, District Judge, State Judge, City Council, U.S. Congress, and more

Business Briefs We hear there will be a third nail place between the lights on Park Road 22. No more details at this time, I know the suspense makes this a real nail-biter! Bay Area Fellowship is changing the name of the church and will reveal the new name this weekend. I do not know the new name but I do know it will not be called Upper Padre Church. Sunday morning service times are 8:30, 10:00 and 11:30. The church on the Island is located behind the Black Sheep Bistro Restaurant near Whitecap. The Island United Political Action Committee will hold a BBQ fundraiser on Monday, August 25th 6 – 8 pm at the Office Lounge. Enjoy brats, hot dogs and sausage while meeting with the local candidates. There will be an art auction, door prized and music by Stevie Smart. The 5th annual Paddle for Parkinson’s will be held at the Fortuna Bay boat ramp near Billish Park on Saturday, August 30th at 9 am. Registration information can be found at catchthecure.org. There are different categories for kayaks, paddleboards, etc. A barbecue lunch is available to the public. It is a fun event for participants and spectators. The CCPD Island Bash Event will be held at the Packery Channel Boat Ramp at the corner of Zahn Road and Hwy 361 on Saturday, August 23rd 10 am – 1 pm. There will be fire trucks, SWAT truck, police museum, K-9 unit and dive team boat on display. They will be giving away free bicycle helmets to the kids. The substation will close Monday September 1st and reopen next summer. The Annual T.W.A.T. (Texas Women Anglers) Tournament in Port A will be held August 22-24. The tournament events will be held at the Port Aransas Civic Center and the tournament weigh in will be at Robert's Point Park. Palmilla Beach Resort & Golf Club in Port A currently has several 3-4 bedroom homes under construction. Visit the Welcome Center for more details. P.I. DOG (Padre Island Dog Owners Group) is trying to raise funds for a dog park on the Island. Paul Schexnailder donated the land adjacent to the water tower for the park. Go to their website to become a member and you can also make a donation there. Litter Critter will be here this Saturday 7 am – 4 pm at the wastewater treatment plant at the end of Whitecap. Thecy come to the Island every second and fourth Saturday. Rezoning from High Density Residential to Tourist at 14845 South Padre Island Drive was approved unanimously by the city council. The request was to develop a 6.28-acre tract to allow construction of a mixed commercial venture. The owner wishes to develop the property with a hotel and mixed commercial and residential uses. The majority of the subject property is vacant with one lot having a three-story apartment building that is currently used to house Schlitterbahn workers.

GLO continued from A1 Conservancy which was sidelined late last year after concerns by Islanders and other frequent users of the land about how federal authorities would manage it. State Representative Todd Hunter intervened with the GLO to keep the land under local control.

• The Deadbeats band helping set the mood

McComb said no final decision has been made on who will manage the land once Nueces County takes possession of it, however, previously county officials have indicated they would put the land under the direction of the Nueces County Coastal Park Board which maintains the beaches in county parks on The island. Law enforcement, which has been non-existent on the Kleberg beaches, will be taken over by Nueces County as will beach maintenance.

Subway

Back Porch

WB Liquor

Shorty’s Place

Flour Bluff

Giggity’s

H.E.B.

Stripes @ Cotter & Station

Liquid Town

The Gaff

HELP provides personalized intervention to children in at-risk situations through programs aimed at exploratory work experiences, handson enhancement of vocational skills, counseling and mentoring. Putting With Your Politicians raises money to HELP young people find the career of their dreams.

Clear Choice Window Washing cleans inside and out for up to three stories. Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back. Call 523-3257 or visit www.ccclearchoice. net.

Scuttlebutt’s Restaurant

And all Moon retail advertisers

Port A Glass Studio

• Silent auction with great “stuff” including Caddy Shack memorabilia, local merchandise such as jewelry and sports equipment and even a brand new travel trailer donated by Colonia del Rey.

New Advertisers

Jesse’s Liquor

Duckworth Antiques

Keepers Pier House

HELP’s Fundraiser Putting With Your Politicians will be held at the Treasure Isles Golf and Games at 14401 SPID on Thursday, September, 24 2014, from 6:00-9:00 p.m. $50 ticket buys all-you-like buffet, miniature golf, mingling with politicians and HELP alumni and a look at a great silent auction - which includes a full-sized brand new travel trailer!

• “Taste of CC” selections from Restaurant Association

mkay512@aol.com

Holiday Inn

Island Tire

Gratitude Gift Shop

No special equipment or talent needed - just the desire to compete for office and meet with local voters and supporters.

• Putting around with public figures

Snoopy’s Pier

Chamber of Commerce

Woody’s Sports Center

FORE! Putting with Your Politicians 3 gets the political season off like a hole in one! Candidates on all sides of local, state, and federal issues are coming together to compete in a fierce game of miniature golf. No expensive investment required - everybody starts even in this decidedly impartial game - a level playing field for all!

by Mary Craft

Padre Island in the 1950s

Creating Dreams for Island Homeowners since 1987

• • • • •

Whataburger on Waldron Ethyl Everly Senior Center Fire Station Police Station Stripes on Flour Bluff & SPID

Member Padre Island Business Association

Member Padre Island Rotary Club

New Homes Remodels Additions Repairs No job too big or too small

Call 774-7043 for estimate www.billgoinhomes.com

August 21, 2014

Island Moon

Port continued from A1 “Their average wait tim e is 7-14 days,” said Port Commissioner Charlie Zahn. “We look for traffic in the port to continue to rise as the channel is expanded in the future.”

“There is no question the increased port traffic is impacting ferry operations,” said Rickey Dailey, spokesman for the Texas Department of Transportation which operates the ferries. “There is no choice but for the ferries to wait for the ship and barge traffic to clear.” Ann Vaughan, Executive Director of the Port Aransas Chamber of Commerce said increased truck traffic in the past four months has also impacted the number of passenger vehicles crossing on the ferries.

Heavy barge traffic Last Sunday afternoon a flyover of the Lydia Ann Channel showed a total of 34 barges waiting and that number is expected to increase as the $32 billion in new development at the port which is currently under contract or construction comes on line. Zahn said another, additional, potential project could bring another $14 billion in development, further increasing traffic through the channel. The increase in port traffic is a direct result of production in the Eagle Ford Shale play, for which Corpus Christi is the nearest port. In August, 2013 the port, for the first time in decades saw the amount of oil exported from the port exceed the amount of that imported. That trend is expected to continue for as long as the Eagle Ford Shale continues to yield its bounty; which looks to be as long as three decades. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) which collects, analyzes, and disseminates independent and impartial energy information used by oil industry planners recently issued a finding predicting that the Eagle Ford play will last up to thirty years. Ship and barge traffic are expected to increase as more natural gas production flows through the port. Current Eagle Ford area natural gas production is about two billion cubic feet per day. That means longer wait times for ferries.

Dailey said at peak operation, with all ferries working, the system can cross about 650 cars per hour. However, port authorities said the schedule for inbound as well as outbound water traffic is determined primarily by the private industry along the port and is done on an asneeded basis.

Dailey said TxDot policy dictates that ferry operators never cross their vessels in front of a cargo ship or tanker. He said ferries will not leave their landing if once an outbound ship reaches Channel Marker #1 nor when an inbound ship reaches the channel turn at Cline’s Landing. “With barges the ferry operators communicate with the barge captains by radio and communicate movement,” Dailey said. The impact of the crowded waterway is felt each weekend during the summer season on Padre Island as the newly constructed intersection at Commodores and SH 361 fills up on Friday evening and on Sunday the southbound lane of SH 361 backs up; last Sunday the line of cars extended from the intersection north to the

Further complicating ferry operations, Dailey said, was a shortage of manpower for traffic control getting cars on and off the ferries. While ferry operations are managed directly by TxDot, the loading and unloading process is done by a private contractor.

In anticipation of heavier ferry traffic the Port Aransas City Council is expected to vote this week on the whether to spend $2.2 million to purchase 6.2 acres of land – with $1.65 million coming from general obligation bonds and the remainder from General Fund reserves – near the corner of Cotter Avenue and Cut-off Road to add stacking lanes for ferry traffic to reduce overcrowding on Port Aransas streets which has reached gridlock in two of the past three weeks. While that would help the traffic situation on Port Aransas streets it will not impact delays along the waterway due to increased ship and barge traffic.

The Travelling Moon

We are new residents to Port A over on Five Dove Circle in Royal Sands. We like reading your paper and took a copy on a recent trip to Akumal, Mexico to read on the beach. Picture is attached. Would be great to see it in the Island Moon next time we come down. Best, Chuck And Ruby Anderson

Just in case there was any question, about playing Wagon Wheel at Shorty's... don't

“One thing that can be done long term is that as the current, smaller ferries leave service they can be replaced with larger ones and we can move more vehicles that way,” Dailey said. “But realistically, over time as we see more port traffic and more tourist traffic the channel there is just going to be more congested and we just have to deal with it.” The busy waterway is simply a product of the two major growth industries in the Coastal Bend moving more people and goods through the bottleneck of the Coastal Bend’s economy.

Ferry Traffic Count so Far in August

Dailey said beginning last weekend TxDot assigned four additional employees Thursday through Sunday to help with traffic control and plans are to add a second contractor to permanently increase the workforce in an effort to move vehicles faster and with less congestion on Port Aransas streets.

Vehicles are backed up 9 miles on SH 361 because of ferry delays

Corpus Christi City Limits and moved at less than ten miles per hour during late morning and early afternoon hours.

Date Day 1‐Aug‐14 FRI 2‐Aug‐14 SAT 3‐Aug‐14 SUN 4‐Aug‐14 MON 5‐Aug‐14 TUE 6‐Aug‐14 WED 7‐Aug‐14 THU 8‐Aug‐14 FRI 9‐Aug‐14 SAT 10‐Aug‐14 SUN 11‐Aug‐14 MON 12‐Aug‐14 TUE 13‐Aug‐14 WED 14‐Aug‐14 THU 15‐Aug‐14 FRI 16‐Aug‐14 SAT 17‐Aug‐14 SUN TOTAL

Cars 2,933

Trucks Passengers Walk‐On 117 6,155 122

Cars 3,478

Trucks 189

Passengers 7,391

Walk 131

4,498

143

8,595

131

4,292

125

10,593

173

4,138

178

8,466

133

3,155

7,631

129

3,441

160

7,432

113

3,225

131

6,966

3,235

134

6,745

3,163

133

6,562

3,027

6,123

3,071

194

6,443

3,057 3,442

97 134

6,245 7,071

174 190

3,333 4,156

140 212

2,052 9,273

200 174

4,185

140

2,040

196

4,247

138

10,512

226

3,921

194

9,649

156

3,180

132

7,398

149

3,090

149

6,697

119

2,957

123

6,234

2,885

194

5,982

111

2,840

122

5,933

2,792

4,625

2,934

104

6,000

128

2,846 3,005

100 104

5,792 6,556

137 208

3,098 3,653

157 175

6,542 8,419

174 221

3,650

111

8,701

178

3,846

144

9,377

217

3,401 57,546

146 2,292

7,937 114,811

196 2,441

2,906 57,534

62 2,372

6,744 124,070

153 2,540

Water conditions along Island beaches this week prompted the local office of the National Weather Service to issue warnings about Rip Currents. The size of the swells combined with the periods between them (16 seconds) created the optimal conditions for Rip Currents. They were especially prevalent around Packery Channel and bends in the beach, as well as around jetties and piers Above is the visual that denotes where a Rip Current is present.

August 21, 2014

News from your POA

By Maybeth Christensen One of our canal speeders went by the wrong house one night last week! It happened to belong to our Island cop. He called Lori from our office and they both sprang into action. Although the speeder managed to load up the boat, he would not stop at the ramp exit. They both followed the culprit while the off duty cop called for backup.

Island Moon

by Dale Rankin

Christi Police Department. It will be held at the Packery Channel boat ramp off Zahn Road. The Corpus Christi Fire Department and the Flour Bluff Volunteer Fire Department will also be on hand with their equipment. The Parks and Wildlife will have one of their boats and a game warden to answer questions.

They followed him to his home and by then the on duty policeman was also there. They ended up arresting him and he spent a night in jail. The rest of the story is that a cache of stolen guns was also found at the home!

The Police Department will have their traveling museum, dive boat, SWAT team, bomb unit and the canine unit. Driscoll Children’s hospital will be doing bike safety and giving away free bicycle helmets. TxDOT will be giving seat belt demonstrations. Plan to attend this fun and informative event.

Someone told me they thought “ No Wake” only applied to the area by the signs! The signs are placed at the entrances to the major canals and I thought common sense would lead folks to believe it applied to all the canals. Silly me! We are exploring installing some “floating” No Wake signs for those who cannot think.

The 5th annual Paddle For Parkinsons is set for Saturday, August 30. Registration information can be found at catchthecure.org. There are different categories for kayaks, paddleboards and so forth. The first race starts at 9 AM at the Fortuna Bay boat ramp across from Billish Park.

August 23 from 10 AM to 1 PM, there will be an Island Bash sponsored by the Corpus

A barbecue lunch is available to the public. This event is as much fun to watch as it is to participate.

When I first moved back to The Island about fifteen years ago Moon Mike introduced me to a character named Philly Joe. Philly Joe at first wanted to sail around the world on a boat some guys were making in Flour Bluff out of old plastic bottles, patched together sails, and whatever else they could pick up on the beach or find outside dumpsters. The boat somehow made it across the Atlantic but became landlocked in a canal somewhere in the Low Counties until it was seized and dismantled by people with better judgment than the people who made it.

At that point Philly Joe - who may or may not have been from Philadelphia as he was never real clear on that – decided he would paddle around the United States on a homemade kayak with an outrigger that looked more like a patched together canoe with a log attached to the side and had, of all things, what he said was a watermaker that could turn saltwater into freshwater that looked more like a recycled coffee can. I quickly learned to never question Philly Joe on matters of machinery; I once heard him tell his girlfriend, “Stay away from that wheelbarrow, you know you don’t know nothin’ about machinery!”

Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) researchers conducted a postdisaster research project following Hurricane Charley, and found several recurring lessons that are still applicable today for consumers living in hurricane-prone states. A major finding from the research was that stronger building codes improve the performance of houses during a hurricane. IBHS conducted a study of closed insurance claims in 2004, in Charlotte County, Florida, where Charley made landfall. While Charley caused significant damage, the study found the frequency of damage was reduced by 40 percent, and the severity of damage was reduced by 60 percent to homes built after 1996, when stricter building codes went into effect in the area. Furthermore, based on IBHS’ analysis of additional living expense records from

homeowners insurance claims, the new building code requirements enabled homeowners to return to their homes quicker, which likely reduced the disruption of their lives following the storm.

I mentioned to Philly Joe one day as the boatbuying season approached I was thinking of buying a boat. Spring Boats are more expensive than Autumn Boats. I suspect it’s been that way since Noah. I told Philly Joe that I was thinking of buying a sailboat and a couple of days later he informed me that he had found just the right boat. She was an eighteen-footer in a slip in Port A and she was a Spring Boat about to become an Autumn Boat and we went to take a look.

“This is clear and convincing evidence that Florida’s code requirements improved the performance of houses during a hurricane,” said Dr. Tim Reinhold, IBHS’ senior vice president of research and chief engineer, who led the research project in 2004.

First lesson of boat buying

“Hurricane Andrew pulled roofs off homes and destroyed entire buildings in 1992,” said Dr. Reinhold. “During Charley in 2004, betterbuilt homes remained intact. It was also telling that we found no demolition permits pulled on homes built after 1996, indicating that no houses were completely destroyed.”

The owner proudly showed us the various improvements he had made and then gave us the price. “I’ve got $14,000 in her,” he said; I was about to learn my first lesson of boat buying. “What you’ve got in her makes no difference to me on what I’ll pay for her,” Philly Joe said. “If you think a boat is an investment you’re already underwater and it’s not my job to bail you out.

IBHS’ Hurricane Charley research also found repeated areas of building vulnerability. “Roof damage was the most common, along with soffit failures that resulted in interior water damage. In addition, damage to attached structures such as screened pool enclosures, as well as damage to windows and garage doors, which allowed the wind into homes, also were quite common,” noted Dr. Reinhold.

I’ll give you $7000.” “$7000!” the man said. “The sails are worth that.” “Not without the boat,” Philly Joe said. “I’ll give you $7000 for the whole rig and that’s it.” As we got back to the car with the seller still yelling at Philly Joe I said, “You know Philly Joe that is kind of insulting, offering a guy half of his asking price. Besides that we wasted a trip.” That’s when I learned the second lesson of boat buying. Second and third lessons of boat buying

When Spring Boats become Autumn Boats

Research from Hurricane Charley Research Still Relevant 10 Years Later Hurricane Charley, which blew into southwest Florida this week ten years ago, was the start of one of the busiest hurricane seasons in the U.S., damaging one in five Florida homes. When it made landfall, Charley had the highest winds of any storm to hit the U.S. since Hurricane Andrew in 1992, and clearly demonstrated the benefits of strong building practices.

Stuff I Heard on the Island

“For every captain who thinks his boat is worth $14,000 there’s a wife at home going ‘you stupid idiot, you turned down $7000 cash!? You’re sleeping on the couch’.” Sure enough the next day the guy called back, Can you make it $9000?” “No.” “How about $8000?” “No.” “Alright I’ll take $7000 but you have to come get it.” “I’ll give you $6000 and you deliver it to my dock on Padre.” “What! You said $7000!” I could hear through the phone the fellow was getting panicky. “That was yesterday’s price,” Philly Joe said. “And the ten-minutes-from-now price is $5500.” “All right, all right, I’ll take it,” now I was feeling a little sorry for him but it was after all my $6000.” Philly Joe lived on the boat for a couple of months while he worked on it and we sold it for $9000 after spending $1500 on parts; at which point I learned the third lesson of boat buying – don’t expect to make any real money at it. A few months later Philly Joe set out in his kayak/canoe for parts unknown and has never been seen again in these waters. As for me, I’m out of the boat fixing-up business, but then again, if I can find the right deal on an Autumn Boat and a guy with a wife and a couch…who knows.

History continued from A1 lead line around the circumference and added drawstrings.

Shorty’s Place to hang out for a while. I don’t recall ever seeing his brother, Alfred there.

Lost his teeth so he used a clothes pin

“I knew ol’ Godfrey pretty good back in the fifties.” It’s Leslie Willey Sr. recanting the old days, “He used to come in over at Shorty’s all the time when I was playin’ and drinkin’ beer”… “He sat over there by himself mostly”, Uncle Willey hones in on the story, “I heard him talkin’ to some folks so I stepped around there to see who he was talkin’ to. Well it was just ol’ Godfrey talking to himself and three people that weren’t there.”

Throwing a cast net was a skill that required special consideration. There are several successful techniques. “Yeah Ol’ Godfrey would wear a clothes pin on a string around his neck when he threw his cast net,” it was Bubba Molina recalling a vision, “he would stick part of that net in the clothes pin when he threw it”… At 94 years old Bubba has been around long enough to know these things. I just had to ask “why?” “Well…” Bubba stared off to recall the vision; “he used to hold part of the net in his teeth. Well, he lost his teeth so he used a clothes pin”… “I always held it in my teeth too, most of us did it that way back then”, Bubba informed me. “Well, what was wrong with him,” I asked. Bubba looks at me like I’m crazy and replies, “Well there weren’t nothin’ wrong with him… He just didn’t have any teeth”…

Post Master in the late ‘20s Being a legacy of the first family to inhabit Port Aransas and living on a street that was named after his family, Godfrey was a mystery to many. He is listed in the Nueces County records as having been the Post Master in the late twenties. That, in itself tells one that he was very well educated for the time and place. As a child I thought he was an old troll. That is, until he took the time to speak to me. He addressed me as a grown man with all the respect and responsibilities thereof. Godfrey would walk through town with his head down, lurching forward with every step like a man on a mission. He had a brother, named Alfred walking behind, struggling to keep up; he was always a few paces back. They made their daily trek to Sam Allen’s Grocery Store and then Godfrey would head on over to

If she rolls over we’ll just be on the bottom Godfrey Roberts was born in Port Aransas in 1890 when it was called “Ropesville. He saw the town named Tarpon and then Port Aransas. He stayed through all the hurricanes including the 1919 storm, which destroyed Port Aransas and Corpus Christi. “Wasn’t much left after the 1919 storm”, he once told a reporter”, I ain’t leavin’ and I ain’t boardin’ up. I’m gonna stay home and take care of my cats”. “Folks around here are runnin’ like rabbits, if it comes it comes”, Godfrey said, “I’ll just get my cats and get on the roof and if she rolls over, well we’ll just be on the bottom”. It was 1960 then and Hurricane Carla was on the way. And yes, he had many cats. They had a hole in the screen door where they would come and go. He used to have a bulldog named Bob. According to Bubba Malina, a deliveryman jumped the fence one day and ol’ Bob the bull dog almost ate him alive. I never really discovered the entire mystery of Godfrey Roberts. “Some people say there was a woman to blame”… We know there is more. But, right now I am thinking about a few other Port Aransas legends that I would like to tell you about when once again we meet… The same time next time.

IZZY Izzy is an 8-10 month old recently neutered male domestic long hair tabby that is brilliant orange with striking golden eyes. He has all his shots. (all paperwork to go with him) Izzy was originally an indoor cat who was recently “dumped” at a location with a group of feral cats. He is very affectionate, talkative, gentle, and loves to be with people. Izzy prefers to be indoors and is very easy going. He is quiet and cuddly and enjoys looking out the window at the world. In the above photo, it looks like Izzy is meeting a cricket for the first time. He was curious but not at all aggressive. He is a gentle boy! If you would like to meet Izzy, please contact John or Karen 361-877-8521

IZZY

Izzy is an 8‐10 month old recently neutered male domestic long hair tabby that is brilliant orange with striking golden eyes. He has all his shots. (all paperwork to go with him) Izzy was originally an indoor cat who was recently “dumped” at a location with a group of feral cats. He is very affectionate, talkative, gentle, and loves to be with people. Izzy prefers to be indoors and is very easy going. He is quiet and cuddly and enjoys looking out the window at the world. In the above photo, it looks like Izzy is meeting a cricket for the first time. He was curious but not at all aggressive. He is a gentle boy! If you would like to meet Izzy, please contact us: John or Karen 361‐877‐8521

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August 21, 2014

Island Moon

Port of Corpus Christi Board Member Outlines Expansion

PIBA Mixer Held at Port Royal Resort

By Brent Rourk The Port of Corpus Christi is experiencing unprecedented growth due to the Eagle Ford Shale play and expects that trend to continue for several decades, according to port Board Member Charlie Zahn. Zahn spoke to the Padre Island Business Association last week and outlined the rapid expansion of the port in recent years.

The Port Corpus Christi is an Economic Faucet Port Corpus Christi is currently the 5th largest port in the United States in terms of tons of products; 90,000,000 tons. Presently there are 66,000 port related jobs (direct and indirect), with the Port itself providing 180 jobs. Port Corpus Christi provided $319 million dollars in State and local tax revenues and it appears that state local entities will continue to gain at least that much in tax revenues annually in the future as Texas and Port Corpus Christi continue to grow. Zahn said projections for oil and gas reserves in Texas look outstanding for many years to come and in the meantime other industries from around the world are knocking on the doors of Port Corpus Christi, Nueces County and Texas. Additionally, Texas based companies have jumped on the bandwagon and are using the port.

Socializing after the presentation Texas, creating jobs and ensuring local and state-wide economic growth for decades.

Why the Port Corpus Christi? The port has several tangibles that make it an ideal port for continued future growth. National and international companies understand that Port Corpus Christi has what they need to engage in profitable commerce locally, in Texas, the United States, and internationally. Zahn said the local varied transportation arms in Corpus Christi provide easy access to and from the Port of Corpus Christi. Port Corpus Christi. Railroad services are expected to be increased by more than $20 million in the near future.

Spanning over 22,000 acres, Port Corpus Christi now is home to 30 companies that are pouring money into port improvements (such as dockage). In August, 2013 Port Corpus Christi began to export more oil than it imported – a solid sign that Texas has tapped into massive oil and gas reserves that will continue to provide revenues, jobs, and economic development for untold years to come.

Zahn said Corpus Christi has worked to secure sufficient sources of the three major things port business needs; water, power, and manpower. Eagle Ford Shale gas reserves optimistically should provide power for decades and Texas is rapidly becoming the leading state in the development of wind generated power. He also said desalinization will be a key element as the port expands and the need for human resources will likely be met by local and state universities as they provide the jobs skills needed for various national and international companies.

Several other large Texas companies as well as large global companies from China, Luxembourg, and Austria are spending billions of dollars for port upgrades and plants here in

Zahn also said the Port Corpus Christi is looking at deepening and widening the ship channels to accommodate more ship traffic and larger ship traffic.

Safety at Ports in Western Gulf Continues as Blucher Institute Project The Conrad Blucher Institute (CBI) for Surveying and Science at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi has taken on a water monitoring network aimed at keeping port traffic moving. The project will be done in partnership with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts, and has received a federal contract from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to continue to operate and maintain the water level and ocean monitoring network along the Western Gulf of Mexico. “We are proud to take the lead in maintaining this vital network of scientific instruments,” said Dr. Gary Jeffress, CBI Director. “Keeping these systems up and running helps ensure port traffic continues smoothly and safely. If data from this network isn’t flowing, the risk of vessel collisions and groundings can increase or vessel traffic may slow down, which can severely hamper the $178 billion economic engine these port cities provide to the state of Texas.” The CBI contract also applies to the National Water Level Observation Network in Texas. The data collected through these stations along the coast also enhance public safety by providing real-time environmental observations, weather measurements and other geospatial information. Mariners use all of this data to operate as safely and efficiently as possible, which minimizes or

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eliminates risk of collisions that may damage sensitive wetlands. The information also provides increased efficiency allowing ships to safely navigate with the maximum amount of cargo based on channel depth, which results in higher profits for shipping companies, higher employment rates for port industries and more taxes generated for local port communities. This extensive system of monitoring stations provides accurate and reliable data that enhances navigation safety, spill response, and search and rescue operations.

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The network measures: water levels, currents, salinity, winds, air and water temperature, and atmospheric pressure. Houston, the second largest port in the nation by tonnage, generates more than $178 billion in statewide economic impact. The port of Galveston is the nation’s fourth largest cruise terminal, sending out 863,000 passengers in 2012. Lake Charles is the 13th busiest port in the nation. CBI employs a full time staff of 20 that perform various duties in support of operation and maintenance of these systems. CBI personnel perform operational checks daily ensuring the systems are performing correctly and also perform regularly scheduled and emergency maintenance at each data collection location to ensure real-time data continues.

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August 21, 2014

Island Moon

Backwater Adventures Summer Is a State of Mind

By Joey Farah Farah’s Fishing Adventures The afternoons at the beach are finally starting to mellow out enough for a walk or drive, we have been waiting to be able to run the dog. The crowds on the water during the week have been close to nothing. The water is a wreck on the weekends but the fishing has been very good for most. The calmness that sets in after a long hot summer for the locals is well deserved, but without the flow of visitors the effects of the local economy is felt by many. Somehow all souls that choose to live full time on the Island seem to make it work. The walks on the beach, the casting of a top water along the backside of the Island, or flipping a silver spoon in the first few guts along the beach at sunrise are all FREE. Summer to me is that moment when the sun hits your back and the heat pushes strait to your heart. Summer is that sense of adventure when you go or do something new for the first time. Summer is watching the kids run wild in the dunes. This may be the last weekend of summer but make it count, get the kids out of the house and go do something new. Fishing the beach right now is on fire. The amount of whiting in the first two guts at high tide is amazing, you can go out and catch an ice chest full of these great tasting fish in an hour. Small hooks and small pieces of shrimp, squid, or fish bites. A small weight or split shot on your leader will do you well, walk out and

then cast down or back into the gut. There is no limit on size or number. The Spanish Mackerel are also thick. These hard fighting fish are in the surf and around the jetties. The best thing for them is lures worked quickly, spoons and paddle tailed plastics. The faster you move them the harder they hit them. We love to walk out on Bob Hall and walk the pier casting lures for Spanish mackerel. If you have a hard time keeping the lure down under the water while up on the pier, use a small egg weight above a swivel and leader line. This will let you use a heavy mono leader or light metal one, and still have the weight to keep the bait just under the surface. The first two guts at high tide are good at sunrise and sunset for good trout. Good friend and the best fishermen I’ve ever known, Cliff Webb walks the dogs and checks the surf every morning. He loves to eat the trout in the surf and you can see the difference very easily when you compare the filets from the surf to those from the bay. You can see through the fillets from the surf, they are so clean. Cliff gets out and dances a top water along the lapping waves close to the beach and brings home two or three nice 18-20 inch trout a day. He is a freak of nature and strange things happen, he often shows me pictures of snook, tarpon, jacks, and monster reds that slam and scream his light tackle. You just never know what is going to bite on your next cast in the surf. The sharks are tops on every young angler’s list to do this summer. If your

Back to school! Photo by Coryne Farah down they will need to feel the baits buzzing by overhead. Look for two to three feet of water with scatted sand pockets. Most areas with a good source of different bait fish are holding schools of reds. The presence of large jumping mullet is easy for us to see, but not that many of those big horse mullet get eaten. Look for brown pelicans that dive down for shad. Look for small schools of finger mullet along shorelines and the edge of the ICW. Take notice when you see more than one great blue heron in one area, they are territorial except when there is plenty of things to eat. Reds always are hunting the same flats as the great blue herons. When drifting the flats for reds don’t slow your boat down with a drift anchor, use the wind to sneak up on the reds, slowing yourself down will only let them sense your presence. The best way to find yourself hooked into a late summer redfish is by fishing with finger mullet along the channels, or drifting with small live pin perch under a cork. WITH THE TROUT LIMITS CHANGING THIS WEEK WE ARE ALL GOING TO BE HUNTING REDS MORE OFTEN. To get out of your rut, learn some new places and techniques give me a call. There is always a day or two on my calander left open for last minute calls. Next time you invite some friends in from out of town get that summer spirit and take a fun day on the water with me and the Laguna Madre’. Keep those lines tight and those hooks sharp!!

Donna with a nice 24 inch trout fishing the deep grass lines out in Emmorts Hole with live piggy perch. Hot water has kept a lot of fish deep young angler has never caught a shark bring them to Bob Hall or Horace Caldwell Piers and catch a small black tip or bonnet nose shark. Dead shrimp or cut bait is best and you can get by with some heavy mono leader and a small hook. For the larger sharks a light wire leader will keep you hooked up and away from their teeth. Walk the pier and make an observation of where the anglers are catching what. As the tide moves so do the fish.

The Reds are Back in School

Bob and Alice caught a mess of trout topped off with this beautiful trophy trout. They were fishing with Capt Farah on their 58th a I anniversary

Recent rises in water temperatures have gotten the masses of baitfish on the move out to the cooler waters of the surf and open ocean. The large redfish in the flats are on them like glue. I’ve started to see schools of reds showing up out in the flats. It is hard to catch them on live piggy and croaker. They are scattered across the thick grassy bottom. Anglers looking to hook up on some good redfish action should fish when the wind is blowing and cover some water with big gold spoons and DOA AIRHEADS, both baits have a lot of vibration. With their heads

Trout limits change to five per angler on Sept 1st! This father son team stroked a twenty fish limit on a afternoon trip.

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August 21, 2014

Island Moon

SPORTS Working the 40/25 Play Clock (Clock Operators, Chain Crews & Ball Persons have to be re-trained). By Dotson Lewis Special to the Island Moon Dotson’s note: Since the UIL (Texas high schools) decided that the 40/25 second Play Clock will be used at all levels in the Texas Public School football games, I have heard the same question hundreds of times. “How is that clock going to work?” To prepare you for the season, which is only two weeks off, here you go.

Ball Boys (Ball Persons)

40-Second Clock 1. When an official signals that the ball is dead, the play clock shall begin a 40-second count. 2. If the 40-second clock does not start or the count is interrupted for reasons beyond the control of the officials or the play-clock operator (e.g., clock malfunction), the referee shall stop the game clock and signal (both palms open in an over-the-head pumping motion) that the play clock should be reset at 40 seconds and started immediately. 3. In the event that the 40-second clock is running and the ball is not ready to be snapped after 20 seconds into the count, the referee shall declare a timeout and signal that the play clock be set at 25 seconds. When play is to be resumed, the referee will give the ready-for-play signal [S1] and the play clock shall begin the 25-second count. The game clock will start on the snap unless it had been running when the referee declared a timeout; in that case, it will start on the referee’s signal (Rule 3-3-2-f).

With the addition of the 40/25 clock to UIL games, it will be extremely important to get the ball on the ground and ready for play as soon as possible. To that end, it is highly recommended that game balls for both teams be on both sidelines. This means that both teams will either have to count on the opposing team’s ball boys to administer their game ball, or that each team will have to place ball boys on both sidelines. Additionally, it is recommended for each team to provide a “ball retriever” to assist the ball boys. In the ideal situation there would be two ball boys (one for each team) and one ball retriever on each sideline. It is recommended the ball boys be at least seventh grade students or above (Freshman or JV players would be optimal). Ball retrievers (those who will “chase” balls that are downfield or that end up on the opposite sideline) could be younger students working in conjunction with the ball boys.

Chain Crew

25-Second Clock If the officials signal the game clock to be stopped for any of the following reasons, the referee shall signal (one open palm in an overthe-head pumping motion) that the clock should be set at 25 seconds: 1. Penalty administration. 2. Charged team timeout. 3. Media timeout. 4. Injury timeout for a player of the offensive team only. The play clock is set to 40 seconds for an injury to a player of the defensive team. 5. Measurement. 6. Team B is awarded a first down. 7. After a kick down. 8. Score. 9. Start of each period. 10. Start of a team’s possession series in an extra period. 11. Instant replay review (No instant replay in Texas High School Football). 12. Other administrative stoppage. 13. An offensive team player’s helmet comes completely off through play.

40/25 Clock after player injury

Overcoming the Odds

By Andy Purvis Special to the Island Moon

Will Rogers once said, “Long ago, when men cursed and beat the ground with sticks, it was called witchcraft. Today it’s called golf.” This fellow was the kind of player people came to watch practice. He hit shots so close to the pin, he could kick’em in. A super talented golfer, his gift was stealing par; if his putter were alive, it would rob banks. He played during a time where his woods were actually made out of wood. Through the game of golf, he learned how to focus and relax at the same time? That’s called discipline. He began to make difficult look easy and brought golf courses to their knees. But then his hands began to rob him of feeling, yet the picture taken of him nearly fifty years ago, dropping his putter and raising his hands in the air in disbelief on the 18th green at Congressional Country Club, said it all. “My God, I’ve won the Open.” Kenneth “Ken” Venturi grew up in the Bay Area of San Francisco, California. He was born May 15, 1931. He wasn’t very tall and never weighed very much. In fact, he was so skinny it was said that his back pockets ran together. He was quiet, a bit withdrawn and lacked confidence. “When I was 13, the doctor told my mother that I would never be able to say my name or speak clearly as long as I lived, because I had an incurable stutter. So, I went out and found the loneliest sport I could find and took up golf,” said Venturi. With breathing exercises and assorted therapies for his stutter, Ken would find a way to communicate through his mouth and his driver. The isolation he sought by playing golf eventually made him famous. Young Ken played hundreds of rounds of golf at Harding Park Golf Course. He often played two balls at the same time while playing alone. He would practice drawing one ball, while trying to fade the other. “When I got to the point, I could do both consistently, I knew I was a good golfer,” exclaimed Ken. His parents understood, as they both worked in the Pro Shop. There it began for Ken Venturi, a guy who obtained confidence and clout through his golf stroke and not only played well professionally, but would go on to entertain the world of golf with his thoughts and words, while broadcasting a record 35 years for CBS Sports. Folks said he talked the way the players themselves talked. Ken Venturi’s journey took him to the World Golf Hall of Fame. The neatest thing about America is that this country loves a comeback. When he heard the news of his induction, Venturi’s response was, “The greatest reward in life is to be remembered. Thank you for remembering me.”

Byron Nelson talked to me!

With the addition of the 40/25 clock to UIL games, it will be extremely important to get the chains set and ready for the next play. The chain crew, but most importantly, the down box/marker must hustle (and sometimes run!) to the succeeding spot. If the school is able, it would also be recommended that there be an “alternate” down box on the opposite side of the field that can hold the previous spot in case it is necessary to return to the spot for some reason. In that scenario, the “alternate” down box would remain at the previous line of scrimmage until the ball was marked “ready for play” at the succeeding spot and then move to that spot for the ensuing snap.

“If the player injury is the only reason for stopping the clock (other than his or a teammate’s helmet coming off, Rule 3-3-9), the play clock will be set to 40 seconds for an injury to a player of the defensive team and to 25 seconds for injury to a player of the offensive team (Rule 3-2-4-c-4). The game clock will start on the referee’s signal.” (NOTE: 10-second runoffs do not apply to UIL {Texas High School} games.) If the Referee wants the play clock reset, regardless of whether or not it is running, he will signal the play clock operator to restart the play clock. For 40-Seconds, the referee will signal with both palms open in an over-the-head pumping motion. For 25-Seconds, the referee will signal with one open palm in an over-the-head pumping motion. There is usually no need to stop the game clock to reset the play clock unless the play clock operator does not reset upon the Ref’s signal. The play clock should be reset to 25-seconds when, through no fault of the players, the ball is not ready for play and the play clock has run down below 20-seconds. Dotson’s note: You are now an expert. If you have questions/comments and/or would like to be a member of the chain crew or a clock operator, please call the Benchwarmers 5605397 Weekdays, Mondays thru Fridays, 4-6 PM or contact me Phone: 361-949-7681 Cell: 530748-8475 Email: dlewis1@stx.rr.com PS: If you would like to be a Ball Person, please contact a school: middle and/or high school that has a football team.

Early on, Venturi gained attention from the world of golf, as an amateur. He had honed his game at the feet of Byron Nelson. As a 14-yearold, Venturi idolized Nelson and followed him during the 1946 San Francisco Open. As Nelson prepared to chip onto the fifth green, Venturi leaned in and snapped a picture. Nelson politely backed away and said to the wide-eyed youngster, “Son, will you please put up that camera and back out of here?” Ken ran home to tell his mother as best he could, “Byron Nelson talked to me, Byron Nelson talked to me.” At the 1952 U.S. Amateur Championship, Ken Venturi finally met his hero, Byron Nelson. He was introduced by Eddie Lowery, a local car dealer and amateur golfer. A lifelong friendship began, as Nelson took Venturi under his wing. Peggy Byron once said after her husband Byron had passed away, “It was just a precious, precious friendship. I think that if Byron could have, he would have adopted Kenny.” Venturi attended college at San Jose State University, sold cars, and did his turn in the military in Korea and Europe. Ken began to turn heads by winning the California State Amateurs Championship in 1951 and 1956. At age 24, and as an amateur, Venturi led the 1956 Masters after three rounds. He was attempting to become the first amateur to ever win at Augusta, but it was not to be. Venturi shot an 80 in the final round and relinquished a fourshot lead to finish second to Jack Burke, Jr. Legendary golf writer, Herbert Warren Wind, wrote, “But the Masters is a drama in four acts, not three, and on the fourth day it was exit Ken Venturi and enter Jackie Burke. It was still the best performance by an amateur in the history of the Masters.” As of this writing, no amateur has ever won the Masters. He turned pro at the end of the 1956 season. Ken would come close to winning the Masters twice more in 1958 and 1960, but he finished second both times to Arnold Palmer. Venturi won the 1964 U. S. Open Championship

in triple-digit heat and suffered from dizziness and dehydration. He was advised to quit, but continued while suffering the effects of heatstroke. It would be the only Major golf tournament he would win during his career. In 1964, Venturi won Sports Illustrated Sportsman-of-the-Year Award and was elected the Professional Golf Association (PGA) Player of the Year. In 1965, Ken played on the winning Ryder Cup Team and then later in 1996, he appeared in the movie, Tin Cup. He portrayed himself as a commentator. Venturi also received the 1998 Old Tom Morris Award

Ken Venturi from the Golf Superintendents Association of America. Venturi also lent his name to several instructional golf schools and helped redesign the Eagle Creek Golf & Country Club located in Naples, Florida. In the year 2000, he was selected as the non-playing captain of the President’s Cup Team. He also owns a Golden Star on the Palm Springs, California, Walk of Stars. All in all, Venturi played professionally for ten years, winning 15 events, and retired in 1967.

CBS Sports Ken Venturi joined CBS Sports in 1968 as an analyst on their golf telecast. He was paired with Pat Summerall until Pat retired in 1994. Jim Nantz joined the CBS Sports broadcasting line-up in 1986 and became Venturi’s partner. They shared 17 seasons together, while working approximately 20 tournaments a year. Ken Venturi, the voice of golf for 35 years, died in the hospital on Friday, May 17, 2013. Ken suffered from an infection in his spine and intestines and also developed a case of pneumonia. His death came eleven days after his May 6, 2013 induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame. Life like golf is filled with many hazards, but the will to live is a powerful thing. Some people think that to be strong is to never feel pain. In reality the strongest people are the ones who feel it, understand it, and accept it. That was Ken Venturi. “Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway,” said John Wayne. Although Ken Venturi had overcome stuttering, carpel tunnel syndrome in both wrists, a car accident in 1961, alcoholism, prostate cancer in 2000, and quintuple bypass surgery in 2006, he was loved; and he loved the game of golf right back. Venturi had always said that if Byron Nelson had taught him anything it was this: “Be good to the game and give back.” Judging from the outpouring of love from the world of professional golf, I believe Ken got it right. He retired from CBS Sports in June of 2002, after the Kemper Open, and was living with his third wife, Kathleen, in their Rancho Mirage home in California. It has been said that his home resembled a professional golf museum. Venturi was 82 years old. He had many pals from the world of entertainment. Dean Martin, Jerry Vale, and Jack Jones were just a few. Venturi called Frank Sinatra a dear friend and once roomed with him, while living in San Francisco.

Guiding Eyes One month and one day after his original golf broadcasting partner, Pat Summerall, who was also 82 when he passed. Venturi divorced his first wife, Conni, in 1970. They had two sons together, Tim and Matt. His second wife, Beau, died in 1997. Venturi had many charities he was involved with. He was building a home for abused woman and children in Florida. He traveled every off-season to Ireland, to help raise money for mentally-challenged children, and worked hard on programs to bring golf to the visionimpaired. His Guiding Eyes Golf Classic has raised over six million dollars. Like most of us, Ken Venturi had many stories to tell. He once told how he opened his balcony window of his hotel room and hit a dozen or so balls out into the night, before the final round of the 1959 Los Angeles Open. “It must have worked,” he said. “I shot a 63 the next day and won the tournament.” When Byron Nelson was unable to be the honorary starter for the 1983 Masters, he asked Ken Venturi to fill in for him. “Of course I agreed,” said Ken. Gene Sarazen, Sam Snead, and Ken Venturi teed off together. This next excerpt was told in an article written for Golf Digest. Later in his life, after retirement, Venturi often played a few holes in the mornings, alone. “It reminded me of the way it all started,” he said. Oscar Wilde once wrote, “We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.” Ken Venturi always looked up at the stars. One of his ways of giving back was by never charging a dime for a golf lesson to anyone. Nice shot Kenny. Save me a tee time. Andy Purvis is a local author and radio personality. His newest book “Greatness Continued” is now available to order online at bn.com, Amazon.com, Google Books, Booksamillion, etc. You may also purchase all three books at Beamer’s Sports Grill 5922 S Staples or the local Barnes & Noble store. Please visit www.purvisbooks.com for more info or contact him at purvis.andy@mygrande. net. Listen to Dennis Quinn & Andy Purvis Q & A Session each Thursday 6-8 PM on ESPN 1440 KEYS.

August 21, 2014

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The Abell family reunion was held in Port Aransas August 15-17. Pictured are the 25 family members that attended. Photo by Annette Ables.

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Palmilla Beach Resort & Golf Club is a beachside community from renowned developer Koontz McCombs and is the only true resort on the Texas Coast. The master plan centers around our award-winning Arnold Palmer signature golf course and includes luxury homes, homesites, condominiums, planned marina access, private beach access, and much more.

Golf course lots, homes & condos now available for sale.

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Port Aransas, Texas 78373

available homes currently under construction 141 Sunrise

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137 Sunrise

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August 21, 2014