Inside the Moon
PlyWooden Boat Festival A4
Fishing A7
Plein Art in Port A A9
The
Issue 601
Island Moon
The voice of The Island since 1996
October 22, 2015
Around The Island By Dale Rankin editor@islandmoon.com The currents are ripping, the tides are abiding, the sharks are sharking, and the narcs are narcing (see the Police Blotter). There’s a lot going on Around The Island even in this traditionally laid back time of year. The tides have been finding their way to the base of the dunes all along our shores and in some cases the rapidity with which they have rolled in have left motorists stranded in water and in need of help to get out. On several occasions last week, especially along the seawall where the beach is narrow and relatively low, the water levels rose from low to high in less than ten minutes working around the tires of vehicles that had been high and dry all day. As of this writing mid-week the Weather Wonks are calling for rain through the weekend. Keep your rain gear handy.
Shark in the Canal! A few weeks ago we had over 400,000 hits on our Facebook page theislandmoonnewspaper on our photo of a Hammerhead shark swimming in the Skinny Water along the beach. Then last week, right on cue as Sharkathon was underway, this fellow, a Bonnet Shark, was photographed swimming in the Suntan Canal. Photographs of sharks in the canal system are rare but that doesn’t mean they haven’t been there all along. But that doesn’t stop us from running a headline that says “Shark in the Canal!”
Rumble on the Landing Strip
Port A Old Town Parade A11
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Ten Years Out Packery Channel System Healthy Frequency for dredging less than expected
By Dale Rankin
By Dale Rankin For years two types of businesses have topped the wish list for Padre Island residents, a breakfast diner and a grocery store but up until now, like the weather, everyone was talking about it, but no one was doing anything about it. But developer and new Island resident Mohsin Rasheed has set out to do something about both.
On Tuesday the Corpus Christi City Council approved what will likely be the last $350,000 annual expenditure for the monitoring of Packery Channel by Texas A&M University Corpus Christi.
Rasheed said this week he is moving forward with plans to bring two separate commercial and retail developments to The Island which would include a Denny’s Restaurant, a Sprouts Farmers Market, a Dairy Queen, a Jack in the Box, a Wells Fargo Bank and a 75-room Microtel. Rasheed, who said this week he is selling the three shopping centers he currently owns in Houston where he has lived for 22 years and builds “two to three” shopping centers each year.
The council, following the lead of the Island Strategic Action Committee, told TAMCC officials that while the expectation is that scientists from the University will continue to monitor the water levels, jetties, and economic impact of the channel, the $350,000 figure, paid for from the Island Tax Increment Refinance Zone (TIRZ), is too high and needs to be reduced by next fall when the contract approved Tuesday will expire.
Prior to the 2014 contract scientists from TAMCC monitored only the beach adjacent to the channel’s mouth and the channel itself to its convergence with the Intracoastal
Developer Looking to Add Food Store and Retail to The Island Sprouts, Denny’s, and hotel part of plans
In 2005 when Packery Channel was opened plans and funding were put in place to do maintenance dredging every year. Ten years out the channel has been re-dredged only three times with the latest being in 2014 when sand left behind by Hurricane Ike in 2008 was removed.
The channel was originally dredged to fourteen feet and the system has proven itself robust with some annual shoaling near the mouth of the channel in the summer months but, in most years, the sand accumulated near the channel’s mouth is cleared by the north winter winds which move the water out taking the sand with it. However, after Hurricane Ike the sand was trapped between the sandbar at the Gulf entrance and the basin near the entrance to Lake Padre and had to be removed. The problem was made worse by the failure to dredge the outermost 600 feet of the channel during the two previous dredge projects. According to information presented to the ISAC in its annual reviews of the TAMCC contracts, that failure was the result of loosely worded dredging contracts which specified only how much sand was to be removed from the channel and did not specify which portion of the channel was to be dredged. In the interest of economy the dredging companies dredged only the area immediately adjacent to the beach and did not reach the more expensive 600 feet at the mouth of the channel.
Live Music A18
“There is hardly any retail on The Island,” Rasheed said this week. “Myself and my wife Lori want to retire there and help it develop.” Rasheed has the experience to do that with years of business development and operational experience in Sacramento, California where he owned strip centers which included Wells Fargo locations and 38 restaurants including Denny’s, Jack in the Box, and Long John Silvers. He said this week that he has purchased a 1.72-acre tract on Merida Drive, near the corner of Palmira, where he plans to put the three-story Microtel hotel, a branch of the Wyndham Group, and Dairy Queen.
The iron gates designed to seal the entryway from Packery Channel into Lake Padre have rusted away over the years and are now unusable. The system to seal the gate in case of an oncoming hurricane was an unwieldly one which called for the gates to be lifted with a crane and inserted into these vertical slots. Current plans call for the passageway to be widened to 50 feet. Waterway at the JFK Causeway. Beginning in 2014 and continuing in the contract approved this week, they also now monitor Lake Padre and the Main Canal of the Island system to the ICW in anticipation of the opening of the Park Road/SPID Water Exchange Bridge which would connect Lake Padre to the Island system allowing for water circulation from the Gulf of Mexico to the Laguna Madre. As part of that project the water gate between Packery Channel and Lake Padre would be widened. There are currently no dredging projects scheduled for Packery Channel and officials from TAMCC told the city council on Tuesday they will search for grants to replace any cuts in funding from the Island TIRZ
He also owns a 4.65-acre tract on SPID just north of Seashore Middle Academy where he has applied for a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Permit to build a 25,000 squarefoot strip center which would include the Wells Fargo Bank, the Sprouts store, the Denny’s restaurant, and a Jack in the Box on which he said he has already begun architectural drawings. “We expect to hear back on the permits in the first week of November,” he said. “We will have to fill in the land to get it to at least nine feet above sea level.” According to maps from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released late last year the adjacent intersection of Whitecap and SPID is eight feet above sea level. The land owned by Rasheed does not reach all the way to Whitecap where
Development continued on A6
A little Island history
After a delay of a week due to an equipment problem crews are installing rumble strips along State Highway 361 between Packery Channel and Port Aransas. This behemoth - not the kind in Job 40 verse 15 “Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox;” no this behemoth doesn’t eat grass but he stamps his iron foot and leaves an indention in the pavement which alerts drivers that they are swerving into oncoming traffic. The work is part of what will eventually be $14 million worth of work by the Texas Department of Transportation to improve this busy roadway which is the scene for regular accidents in the busy summer season. The next step is to add passing lanes which as of this writing is set to go out to bids by the end of the year. Work to widen the road going into Port Aransas is currently underway. We will have more on the growing pains which Port A is experiencing in our next issue. In the meantime say hello if you see us Around The Island.
Islander’s Marine Uncle Gets Arlington Burial 72 Years After His Death
By Dale Rankin On the morning of November 20, 1943 U.S. Marine Corporal James Dimitri Otto was part of the second assault wave that went ashore on Beach Red 3 of the Tarawa Atoll. It wasn’t to be an easy landing.
heat of the battle there was little time for a proper burial and Lt. Otto and other marines were hurriedly buried in what in military parlance was known as the 8th Marines’ Cemetery #2. It
The first wave went in at low tide and their landing craft wouldn’t clear the coral reefs, which were covered with barbed wire and mines, and they had to wade several hundred yards through waist deep water under fire from the 4500 Japanese troops that were dug into more than one hundred pill boxes and concrete bunkers. By the time the second wave went ashore the Japanese guns had their range and causalities were heavy. It is not known exactly how Lt. Otto was killed but sometime early on the first day of the three-day battle it is believed he was hit by artillery fire on the beach. In the
was eventually renamed Cemetery #27 and a memorial plaque was erected and inscribed with the names of the men who were reportedly buried there. But while there was a monument, when investigators went back to the site at the end of the war they found no remains; but the U.S. Marine Corps has a policy that no marine gets left behind and they are serious about that. So fast forward to June 26, 2015 when an organization called History Flight, Inc. notified the Defense POW/ MIA that they had unearthed a burial trench on the island and recovered the remains of thirty-five marines who had been buried in Cemetery #27. The dental records of one of the marines buried there matched those of U.S. Marine Corporal James Dimitri Otto.
Physical evidence from the siteOtto's canteen
Soon after a phone call was made to another Island, this one generally peaceful and located along the Gulf of
U.S. Marine Corporal James Dimitri Otto Mexico and the home of Bob Otto. The call was from the Pentagon, more specifically the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency Laboratory and Bob was informed that the organization had found the remains of his long-lost uncle and they would like to come to his home on Padre Island and explain in detail what they had found. It
History continued on A2
A2
October 22, 2015
Island Moon
The 2015 Second Annual Enchanted Forest Christmas Tree Auction Gala
By Linda Walsh We had such a spectacular response to the First Annual Christmas Tree Auction Gala in 2014 that we are now in the midst of planning the 2015 Gala. The event will be held on Thursday, December 3, at Doc’s Seafood and Steaks lower level. Doors and bar will open at 5:00 pm, food will be set out at 5:45 pm and the Auction will begin at 6:30. The ticket price is $25.00 and will include 2 drink tickets and food, which will be Chicken Quesadillas, Seafood Gumbo, chips , salsa and queso, donated by Doc’s. So get there early and check out the auction items. Tickets can be purchased and picked up at Timon’s Ministries, on-line and at the door.
History continued fromA1 turned out that after their discovery on Tarawa the agency had gone in search of a next of kin and located a cousin of Bob’s who in turn told them how to find other surviving family members. A few weeks later a contingent of marines, in full dress blues, arrived at Bob’s house on Padre Island and presented him with a full report of the fate of the uncle who joined the marines when Bob was less than a month old and he had only heard of. A few months ago a marine went to Tarawa to accompany his fellow Marine home to the United States and in November the U.S. Marine Corps will fly Bob and other family members to Washington D.C. to witness the final burial of U.S. Marine Corporal James Dimitri Otto who will be buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery, the final leg in a journey that began on a Pacific Island on November 20, 1943 when he went ashore with the second wave.
Doc’s Seafood and Steaks is again our primary sponsor. Other sponsors to date include The Green Eyed Turtle, The Island Moon, and Auctioneer Diane Hodges.
Julie hula hooping by Howard Odem
There are lots of other challenges out there, Real Estate Companies, Title Companies other Restaurants, Spas and Salons, and the list goes on. Put on your thinking caps and challenge someone to the Enchanted Forest Tree Challenge!
“Serving Hope with Dignity” If you would like to become a sponsor or donor you can contact Linda Walsh at lawalshva@ yahoo.com and follow us on Facebook at Enchanted Forest and Christmas Tree Auction Gala for regular updates and the Island Moon. We will hold “Twas the Night Before Auction” Private Wine and Cheese Preview Party for all of the Donors of Trees and Wreaths and Sponsors on Wednesday, December 2, 7:00 to 8:30 pm at Doc’s. This year along with the donated trees we will be accepting door and mantle Wreaths for auction. As of this writing, we have beautifully decorated Christmas Trees and wreaths donated, by Padre Island Rotary, The Green Eyed Turtle, Timon’s Ministries, Seashore Learning Center, Island Book Wine & Spirits, Island Presbyterian Church, Padre Island Moon, Flour Bluff Youth Football Gray Team, Blake & Rylan Sprayberry, Man O War Block Party , Atomic Omelet Surf Team, The Rental Managent Company, Coastline Properties, and Experimental Aircraft Association. Give us a call or email us and hold your spot. If you want to support our cause but not decorate a tree or wreath, you can make a tax free donation.
Enchanted Forest Tree Challenge An exciting addition this year is the TREE CHALLENGE. Kicking this off is Scuttlebutts challenging The Burger Company. This could get very interesting. Patrons of each restaurant need to come out and support their favorite team by bidding on their respective trees, the restaurant bringing in the most dollars for their tree wins the bragging rights.
The proceeds from this event go to Timon’s Ministries to help them continue to operate their Resource Centers and the amazing programs they run and offer to the working poor and needy in our community. This fundraiser operates on a zero budget and all proceeds are given to Timon’s Ministries, let’s top last years $11,000.00.
Now accepting new clients at our newly remodeled salon located at 14225 So. Padre Island Dr., Suite 6 The Isle of Avalon Massage & Day Spa offers a complete range of spa services. By a licensed massage therapist with nearly 20 years of experience. Come let your inner soul be pampered. Call 949-7900 to make an appointment.
Otto's Boot
Requirements for trees and Wreaths All trees need to be artificial, lighted, and all decorations must be glued or wired on. Maximum height of actual tree is 6’. Overall should not be more than 8’ including stand and topper. Table top trees were very popular last year and actually went for a lot more dollars in some cases. Wreaths do not need to be lighted.
Nite Golf Saturday, October 24th 7:00pm Shot Gun Start 4 Person Scramble
Larger trees will not be allowed this year, due to handling problems. Please bring your decorated trees and wreaths to the lower level of Doc’s on Wednesday, December 2, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. All tree and wreath donors must be registered and have a contact person with phone number and email along with a list of the names of your team members, and the theme/name of your tree or wreath and what you think it is worth so we can get a starting point for the auction. This registration form as well as ticket information can be emailed to you by contacting Linda Walsh at lawalshva@yahoo.com Upon arriving you will be entering into a Magical Wonderland of Lights, Trees and Decorations of all types don’t miss this up and coming favorite Island Holiday Party.
Registration is limited to the first 60 players Fee: Members $35 + Tax Guest $45 + Tax Fees Include: Cart, Warm Up Range Balls, 2 Glow Balls, Glow Necklace, Prizes and Taco Buffet Before Play To sign up or for more information call the 10th Hole Pro Shop 361-589-4221
Upcoming Events Saturday, October 24th/Schlitterbahn Spooktacular Free Admission/5:30pm to 8pm Trick or Treating, Face Painting, Magic Show, Caricature Artist, Balloon Animals Halloween Costume Contest (Ages 3 to 11) Food & Drink Specials Boogie Bahn Open/$5 admission/6pm to 10pm
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October 22, 2015
Island Moon
Did Ya Hear?
Letters to the Editor
Moon Monkeys Mike Ellis, Founder
Prop 7 - Paving Our Future Each and every day we drive on poorly maintained roads and sit in hours of stalled traffic complaining on social media about the time wasted and the lack of congestion solutions. With an estimated 1,000 people moving to Texas every day, the hours wasted stuck in traffic will get longer and the road conditions will get worse unless something is done.
Distribution Pete Alsop Island Delivery Coldwell Banker Advertising Jan Park Rankin Classifieds 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
Transportation is the lifeblood of our economy. For decades, our state highway system was efficient, expeditious, and the envy of other states. Our highways made Texas the economic powerhouse it is today. For years Texas' population has boomed and the state has prospered from it. But that prosperity is now threatened. With demand for road space far outpacing supply, the lack of investment in our transportation infrastructure could bring our economy to a halt. Passage of Proposition 7 on the November constitutional amendment ballot is a critical measure for the future of Texas roads. With Prop 7, at least $2.5 billion a year would go directly to our highways and transportation infrastructure. No new taxes. No new fees. Voting YES to Prop 7 would guarantee these funds go towards expanding our roads and highways, advancing our transportation infrastructure goals, and improving the safety of our families.
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 WB Liquors Port A Arts
North Padre
Stripes @ Beach Access Rd. 1A
All Stripes Stores
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
Wash Board Laundry Mat
Texas Star (Shell)
Port A Parks and Rec
In 2013 lawmakers passed a constitutional amendment shifting money form oil and gas production revenue to roads -- voters approved this measure last year as Prop 1. In this past 2015 legislative session, lawmakers again focused on transportation and created a more stable funding source to sustain highways if voters give their approval this November. Prop 7 would shift at least $2.5 billion in sales tax revenue and a percentage of vehicle sales and rental tax revenue directly to the State's Highway Fund. The amendment would authorize a new, stable source of funding for transportation in Texas, dedicated to new construction and the maintenance of our existing roads and highway system. Prop 7 would not only address current
Investing in our transportation system is imperative. The cost of doing nothing will cost us billions of dollars, kill thousands of jobs, slow the transport of valuable commerce, stifle Texans' productivity and hamper our quality of life. Our state needs this funding and Texas families deserve better and safer roads. Vote YES on Prop 7.
Island Tire
Duckworth Antiques
And all Moon retail advertisers
Back Porch
WB Liquor
Flour Bluff
Giggity’s
H.E.B.
Port A Glass Studio The Gaff
1) Dialysis patients confer with dialysis providers to insure pretreatment has occurred to remove any disinfectant from the water. 2) Fish tank owners make sure that chemicals and filters are designed for water that has been treated with chloramines. Consult your pet supply provider to determine a course of action. 3) Medical facilities should also determine if additional precautions are required for medical equipment and operations. 4) Homeowners can change water filters for appliances after the return to chloramine is complete but the suggestion is optional. City staff continues to closely monitor the situation with water samples taken throughout the City as part of the overall water quality program. A comprehensive list of water quality reports are available on the city website at www. corpuschristiwater.com.
Dear editor, We rely on you to keep us abreast with the happenings on the island. This weekend I feel like you did a huge disservice to all of us by not doing your job, well enough. On Sunday we were driving down the island when we saw tents, and balloons, and all sorts of happenings. We noticed it was SharkAThon and you didn't let anyone know. We, and several other islanders drove up and all agreed that you guys should have posted this or any other major event on the front page or at least page 2. Don't you? How cool to see this event and all the great people there. Food, raffles and just great people to talk to. Please help us support our island activities. Susan Koch Editor’s note: We certainly would have included coverage of Sharkaton had we known about it. In previous years we have worked with the organizers to get the word out but this year the event did not find its way onto our radar until, like you, on Saturday we discovered the crowd at Briscoe King Pavilion and shot the photos included in this issue. Aside from the recreational benefits of the event, Sharkathon, a no-kill beach fishing tournament, brings great economic benefits to The Island and generates as many overnight stays as any event in the city. We apologize for the oversight and look forward to working with the organizers next year.
DeAnna McQueen Public Information Manager City of Corpus Christi
Liquid Town Whataburger on Waldron Ethyl Everly Senior Center Fire Station Police Station Stripes on Flour Bluff & SPID
by Mary Craft mkay512@aol.com or @padreeyelander on twitter
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The Isle of Avalon Massage & Day Spa offers a complete range of spa services by a licensed massage therapist with almost 20 years of experience. They are now accepting new clients at their newly remodeled salon located at 14225 SPID near Subway.
Business Briefs A GROCERY STORE IS COMING TO THE ISLAND! Sprouts Farmers Market is going into a strip mall site being developed just north of the Seashore Middle Academy. Read the full story on the front page of this issue. Denny’s Restaurant is also going into that strip mall so we will soon have breakfast served all day and comfort foods like turkey with dressing and pot roast. The Angry Marlin Restaurant that is going into the old Johnny D’s location will open and be hosting the PIBA Mixer on Tuesday, November 17th. The brightly colored Caribbean style outdoor area will have a stage and dance floor, seating for 200, an outside bar and a cigar lounge area. The inside bar will face the window with a view of the greenery and a pond of turtles. There will be a large saltwater aquarium and seating for 120 inside. It will have an American menu with steaks, burgers, etc. and they will add a Southwestern flair to some items. Manager Ricky promises there will be no Mexican food or sushi. The Flour Bluff Hornets will host the Calallen Wildcats Friday, October 23rd at 7:30 pm. The Cancun Seafood Restaurant is working on a new fall menu. I sampled one of the new items for lunch, a spinach salad with feta cheese, bacon, tomatoes, onions, pecans and apples tossed in ranch dressing with grilled chicken breast and it is now my favorite chicken salad. They also offer it with salmon and are currently serving it as a special. The 2nd Annual Fall-O-Ween activities in Port A will include haunted hayrides. The ride includes a guided audio tour of Port Aransas Haunts. . There are two tours daily October 27 – 29 the early one at 6:30 pm is recommended for families with young children and the 8:30 pm is a little scarier. Reservations are required and can be made by contacting Pam at pamg@ cityofportaransas.org or 361.749.4158. This is a free event. The Schlitterbahn Golf Course is hosting a Nite Golf 4 player scramble on Saturday, October 24th at 7 pm. Call the 10th Hole Pro Shop at 589-4221 for more info. The Fall Festival will be held at the Island Presbyterian Church on Sunday, October 25th at 4 pm. There will be plenty of fun for the kids. There will be a bake sale, live music Guatemalan crafts and more. The Animal Hospital Dog Gone Festival will be held Thursday, October 29th 5 – 10 pm. Dress up your pooch for a chance to win some great prizes. The Spazmatics Band will be entertaining for the first time on the Island. The concert tickets are $10. The 9th annual Port A Art About will be held on Saturday, Oct. 24th 2 to 7 p.m. There will be 20 locations of studios, galleries and businesses participating. Check out their ad on page A 15 in this issue for the list and map. Atlantis Pool and Spa Service offers weekly pool maintenance, repairs, renovations and supplies for both residential and commercial. They are owned by an Island resident with 25 years of experience. Call 949-8899 for a free estimate. Dragonfly Restaurant will be open Monday nights during the football season. The Annual Padre Island Art Walk will be held Sunday, November 1st at Billish Park on Gypsy noon – 4 pm. They expect about a hundred local artists to display their work. If you would like to participate call JoAnn Smith at 949-7114. It is free to the public and artists. Schlitterbahn Spooktacular will be held on Saturday, October 24th 5:30 – 8 pm with a magic show, face painting, costume contest (ages 3 – 11), caricature artist and more. The Boogie Bahn will be open with $5 admission 6 – 10 pm, The largest bull shark ever entered into Sharkathon was caught this past weekend. More on this and other Sharkathon news in Jay’s column this issue and next. The Band Styx is coming to the American Bank Center February 5th.
Subway
Shorty’s Place
Keepers Pier House
It will take 5 to 10 days for the entire water system to change back to chloramines and most residents will only notice the smell or taste of chlorine diminish over time. The City urges the following groups to take necessary precautions as the change occurs:
Sharkathon
Jesse’s Liquor
Chamber of Commerce
Gratitude Gift Shop
The City of Corpus Christi will be changing back to chloramine disinfectant on November 2, 2015 after an alternative disinfectant has stabilized the water system. This change is intended to benefit our customers by reducing the levels of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) in the system, while still providing protection from waterborne disease.
State Senator Juan ‘Chuy’ Hinojosa
Holiday Inn
Public Library
Stripes @ Cotter & Station
If we combine the revenue generated from Prop 7 with last year's voter-approved Prop 1 funding, the state is almost at the $5 billion shortfall that is needed. Revenue desperately needed to repair roads in areas affected by energy development, provide congestion relief, maintain our highway system, and fund border trade projects.
Island Italian
Scuttlebutt’s Restaurant
Woody’s Sports Center
Over the past decade the lack of reliable and sustainable funding sources has hampered TxDOT's ability to achieve its goals through sound financial and project planning. Prop 7 would bring a great amount of certainty to TxDOT's future infrastructure projects. It would help TxDOT and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) bridge the state's current $5 billion annual transportation funding gap.
We are already beginning to see the significant additional revenue for roads in South Texas from last year's voter-approved Prop 1. For fiscal year 2016, TxDOT distributed $1.13 billion statewide for transportation projects. The Corpus Christi "district" received $36 million and the Corpus Christi MPO received $6.9 million. In the Rio Grande Valley, the Pharr "district" received $43 million with the Hidalgo MPO getting $14.8 million, the HarlingenSan Benito MPO getting $3.7 million, and the Brownsville MPO getting $4.1 million. This same funding is estimated as well for fiscal year 2017. With the passage of Prop 7 these revenues would be more than doubled for our roads and transportation projects.
Water Disinfectant
Publisher
needs, but would also provide more funding as the economy grows; because a percentage of tax revenue deposited to the highway fund would increase with economic growth and consumption.
A3
The Fulton Mansion State Historic Site will re-open Saturday, October 24th after a two year restoration.
Not Very Neighborly Editor’s note: Thanks for writing Mary. It took us a while to find the photo in question because our October 8 edition was only eighteen pages and there was no page 19A. Be that as it may, we also like to run photos of our friend Julie and her hula hoops, there is one in this issue from last weekend. Michele is a very good photographer and we often run her photos with her permission which is why we credited her with the photo in question. We apologize for any confusion. In contrast, you are welcome to reprint any photos from the Island Moon Facebook page –theislandmoonnewspaper – or from the newspaper free of charge and no permission is required. We like to share. Thanks for reading. Dale Rankin Publisher Island Moon Newspaper
Having retired and moved to the Island this year, my wife and I are looking forward to building our retirement home on the lot we have owned for many years. On Monday, we did one of our frequent drive-bys down Mutiny Ct. and were surprised to find someone had dumped a very large pile of kitty litter including the “morsels” on our lot. Besides the obvious health concerns and the fact that all this would eventually wind up in the canals, this was just gross. People never cease to amaze me but this was sure not a very neighborly thing to do. So today after bagging it up in thirty gallon trash bags, I finally relented and put a sign up that said “no trespassing” and “pick up after your dog, it’s the law”. Welcome to the neighborhood… Brian Burgess
A4
October 22, 2015
Island Moon
PlyWooden Boat Festival
Photos by Dale Rankin The second annual PlyWooden Boat Festival held last weekend as part of the Port Aransas Old Town Festival drew self-made boats to Roberts Point Park. Part of the fun was the construction of boats on site which began on Friday and culminated with the launching of the newly minted boats on Sunday.
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October 22, 2015
A5
Island Moon
SMA Science Student Reveals Week at Broadcom Masters Science Fair Enjoyed Meeting Science Students and Industry Giants By Brent Rourk “This was the best week of my life!” began Nicolai Ortiz when talking about his most recent trip. Barely back from his week-long adventure in Silicon Valley, Nicolai Ortiz grabbed a few hours of sleep and then returned to school on Thursday morning happier and wiser from the experience. Nicolai advanced to the final round of 30 in the Broadcom Masters Science Fair and loved his week outing with 29 the other top middle school science student finalists from throughout the United States.
Ortiz commented, “From the very beginning of this finals competition to the very end they made us feel like we were people who mattered.”
Meeting and Working With Scientists Broadcom assembled teams of scientists and experts to work with the finalists during the week. Ortiz was delighted to meet such experts. “On the first day we presented our science fair projects to judges from NASA, NOAA, and Broadcom as well as other scientists from around the world” claimed Ortiz. Each day of the week provided exciting challenges as well as tours to beautiful sites in the area. On day two, the finalists again were engaged in competitions and challenges on a boat. Day three found them at the Computer History Museum where they personally met the CEO of Raspberry Pi. Additionally, the finalists traveled to Google where they met some of their top notch software designers. “On Day 4 we went into the NASA Wind Tunnel where we met scientists from NASA and learned about their future missions. Then we went to the Tesla Car Company” added Ortiz, excited about all of the opportunities that he had while in California.
Nicolai Ortiz smiles after returning from his trip. Photo by Brent Rourk Originally, there were 6,000 entrants from throughout the United States. Seashore Middle Academy entered four student projects in the first round. Nicolai made it to the final round.
A Packed Week It was an experience that all 7th grade students [all people] should be able to have, offering instruction, competitions, and explorations. In the process the finalists spent time with noted scientists and visited a couple of the top companies in the world; Google and Raspberry Pi. Students visited several sites in the San Francisco Bay Area, including the scenic Golden Gate Bridge, the famous Fisherman’s Wharf and the sweet Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory. The tours were spaced between team challenge competitions between the finalists.
The wonders kept coming as Ortiz described, “On our last day we got a VIP tour of Lucas Studios where we enjoyed a sneak peek of the new Star Wars movie.”
Winnings Nicolai did not advance to the International Round but he enjoyed his week immensely, juggling time between competitions, interacting with scientists, visiting top corporations, and touring the San Francisco Bay Area. He also took home fabulous memories and a few gifts. He was awarded $750, a new Raspberry Pi and more. One of the most unique gifts was that a minor planet was named after his SMA science teacher and him. There are not many folks on the Island, in Corpus Christi, or even in big ole Texas who have a planet named after them. Congratulations to Nicolai Ortiz and the other three entrants from SMA. A huge thank you also to the Broadcom Masters Science Fair as well as the dedicated SMA staff and parents who worked with these young scientists.
SMA Basketball Season Begins 7th and 8th Grade Teams Start Practice By Brent Rourk With Volleyball and cross country seasons now officially over at Seashore Middle Academy, students are showing signs of excitement for both girls’ and boys’ basketball that began this week. The teams are learning schemes and skills as quickly as possible because competitive games begin in two weeks.
Boys Squads All of the coaches are working hard to organize and plan the season as well as ‘coach up’ the athletes as much as they can. Head Boys’ Basketball Coach Aaron Cardon stated, “This year as we begin basketball it will be great to have an 8th grade bots; team composed of all 8th grade boys. In the past we have had to move 7th graders up to play which makes the team less competitive. We have most of the boys returning from last year’s team so we should have a better chance of winning some tournaments.”
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Girls Teams SMA Girls’ Basketball Coach Amanda Corpuz begins her second season as the SMA coach and is determined to help the girls continue to improve their skills, “I’m looking forward to another great season of hard work and dedication from these female athletes. Our challenge will be to build on the foundation we established last year and continue to grow with the same vigor and enthusiasm.”
Stuff I Heard on the Island
by Dale Rankin
If you have watched any television this fall, or listened to any of the “Hang up and listen” radio shows you couldn’t have helped but notice that the advertisements for pills that cure Restless Leg Syndrome (your heart may stop but so will your leg), the GEICO lizard, and Flo the insurance lady, are getting crowded out by ubiquitous ads for FanDuel and DraftKings, two fantasy football “betting” sites which last year paid out $560 million in prizes and now pay out more than $70 million each week to players who pick the correct fantasy team and win prizes that can reach $2 million. According to Eilers Research, which monitors such things, the two companies will generate $2.6 billion in entry fees this year and that number is expected to reach $14.4 billion by 2020. On the advertising side iSpot.tv says DraftKings has spent $131 million so far this year and FanDuel $74 million.
Betting by any other name “Betting” is in quotes because according to Major League Baseball – which owns an equity stake in DraftKings; the National Hockey League – for whom DraftKings is the Official Daily Fantasy Game, the National Basketball Association – for whom FanDuel is the “official one-day fantasy game; and the 28 National Football League Teams who have signed agreements with one or other of the two organizations; the Dallas Cowboys who have a branded DraftKings lounge and who owner Jerry Jones is reported to have an equity stake in DraftKings; and the Houston Texans who have a weekly video feature called “FanDuel Formula; and the NFL which provides player information and logos to fantasy leagues which pay heavy royalty fees in return; it is not betting. The fine line between what constitutes betting and not-betting – that is legal and illegal gaming – hinges on a definition that is so paper thin it would make Bill Clinton blush. The legal loophole is that the fantasy player is not passive – he/she uses their knowledge to create a lineup – the fantasy games were, with the help of pressure from the professional leagues, able to slip through the cracks of a piece of legislation designed to improve maritime and cargo security in U.S. imports and exports called the Security and Accountability for Every Port Act of 2006 – known as the SAFE Port Act. So what does the security of tea in Chine have to do with being able to “bet” on American sports? Well, on page 69 of the 79-page SAFE Port Act is something called the “Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006. That act outlaws all forms of Internet gambling except fantasy sports that meet certain requirements, skill games and legal intrastate and inter-state tribal gaming. The goal of the SAFE act was to push all forms of Internet gambling overseas but left the door open for Daily Fantasy Sports as they are called to fill the void for risking money to make money whether you call it betting or not. So as Internet gambling was the target of American gaming interests the fantasy games slipped through with the help of some lobbying, reportedly, by the professional American leagues who understandably like the exposer – and profits – that were to come with it.
But as Mr. Hegel’s dialectic teaches us each step in one direction necessarily constitutes a counter position in another; in this case the fight against Daily Fantasy Sports revenues has spawned two major problems, one from within and one from without. First, while each of the two major fantasy sites prohibit their own employees from playing in the league where they work, until recently neither banned them from playing on the rival site. That changed when it was revealed that DraftKings employee Ethan Haskell admitted that he had released “player owned percentages” which is the data showing the most commonly selected players and lineups by people playing the game before he won $350,000 on FanDuel. On investigation it turned out that employees from both companies were active in playing on the rival sites prompting a statement from FanDuel saying employees from DraftKings employees had won “only .3 percent” of the winnings it had paid. That doesn’t sound like much until you look at the numbers involved - .3 percent equates to $1,680,000 paid to a very small percentage of total players. The way they were winning was to look at the proprietary numbers showing them who the majority of the players in their own game were choosing and using those numbers to create unique lineups that lead to big winnings. The way to win at this game is to be a sharp who creates a lineup different from that of the majority of suckers who make the obvious choices and slice the winning pie thin; knowing in advance how the suckers bet is a huge advantage. If you did that on Wall Street you would likely go to jail – or at least taxpayers would have to bail you out. Which leads us to the second problem now the politicians are involved with an investigation in New York and Congressional hearings to review the 2006 SAFE act and neither of those are positive omens; and last week regulators in Nevada ordered FanDuel and DraftKings to cease operations there until they receive a gaming license from the Nevada Gaming Commission. In order to do that they must admit that what they are doing is gambling which could jeopardize their operations in the other states where gaming is not legal. On top of that last week the Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. Justice Department and the FBI are investigating whether the business model violates federal law. There is plenty of hypocrisy to go around here; professional sports leagues which have banned players for life for gambling on their sport now operate “betting” parlors under their own roofs. Now that politics have intervened the lobbyist will go to work and when that happens, well, all bets are off. But as Oliver Wendell Holmes famously said, “The mind, once expanded to the dimensions of bigger ideas, never returns to its original size.” The collective sports betting mind has “expanded” to include Daily Fantasy Sports and even if the next round of political wrangling forces it offshore to be run from servers in other countries it is an idea that is likely here to stay. But at the end of the day the chances of Billy Bob from Swinney Switch winning his retirement money from fantasy sports is about the same as him winning the Lottery. And you can bet on that.
New Boys’ Team Assistant SMA has a new assistant for the boys’ teams as new staffer in Bruno Fawcett and brings his extensive basketball experience to the SMA court. Fawcett has an impressive basketball background and knows the game. He is excited to be a part of the coaching staff as he commented, “Coaching basketball at the Seashore Middle Academy has been a welcomed opportunity. The plan is to continue with the standard of excellence expected of all Seashore programs. We are looking forward to teaching the athletes skill sets they can utilize in all areas of their lives. We want them to pay attention to detail because the little things can lead to bigger things.”
You can bet there would be problems
Sharkathon 2015 Sharkathon 2015 was expanded to include fishing from beaches outside of Padre Island National Seashore this year due to red tide. The awards ceremony was held Saturday at Briscoe King Pavilion.
Indeed the little things in sports make a big difference; a missed pass, an extra step, looking away for a second, a shooting arm at the wrong angle, and more. All of the coaches intend to help athletes understand the benefit of mastering skills and the details of the game. Fawcett continued, “The expectations for the season are to provide a positive learning environment while fostering a winning attitude.” Game and tournament schedules will be available this week, and the public is invited and encouraged to attend games and to support all of the SMA teams here on the Island.
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Island Moon
Moon Phases
PACT Lip Sync A Riot
October 22, 2015
Old Hits and Old Stars Revived on Stage
October 2015
Tides of the Week
By Brent Rourk Nervously pacing backstage prior to the 1st Annual PACT Lip Sync Festival last Saturday evening, entertainers defying Father Time rehearsed their lines, tunes, and moves prior to curtain raising. Locals might have been thinking that old rock stars had been reincarnated, and they were correct. Talented local singers, dancers, and actors selected a favorite tune and gave it ‘their all’ while lip syncing for a grateful audience.
of Music, ending up on his knees while again demonstrating why theatre runs through his veins. Irrepressibly, Julie Andrews would have been left speechless at his performance. The Port Aransas Police Chief Scott Burroughs and his wife Shirlene did a romantic lip sync of You’re the One that I Want from Grease, performed originally in that musical by Olivia Newton John and John Travolta. John and Olivia would have been proud. It was rumored
Tides for Corpus Christi (Bob Hall Pier) October 15-22, 2015
Day
High /Low
Tide Time
Height in Feet
Sunrise Moon Time Sunset
Th
22
High
12:09 AM
2.1
7:33 AM Set 2:14 AM
22
Low
4:52 PM
0.7
6:54 PM Rise 3:33 PM
F
23
High
12:39 AM
2.0
7:34 AM Set 3:16 AM
23
Low
7:23 AM
1.4
6:53 PM Rise 4:17 PM
23
High
11:23 AM
1.6
23
Low
6:17 PM
0.9
Sa
24
High
1:03 AM
1.9
7:34 AM Set 4:20 AM
24
Low
7:30 AM
1.2
6:52 PM Rise 5:01 PM
24
High
1:00 PM
1.8
24
Low
7:37 PM
1.0
Su
25
High
1:24 AM
1.8
7:35 AM Set 5:25 AM
25
Low
7:52 AM
0.9
6:51 PM Rise 5:46 PM
25
High
2:22 PM
2.0
25
Low
8:53 PM
1.2
M
26
High
1:42 AM
1.7
7:36 AM Set 6:31 AM
26
Low
8:23 AM
0.6
6:50 PM Rise 6:32 PM
26
High
3:36 PM
2.2
26
Low
10:09 PM
1.4
Tu
27
High
1:58 AM
1.6
7:36 AM Set 7:38 AM
27
Low
9:01 AM
0.4
6:49 PM Rise 7:20 PM
27
High
4:46 PM
2.3
27
Low
11:29 PM
1.6
W
28
High
2:09 AM
1.7
7:37 AM Set 8:44 AM
28
Low
9:43 AM
0.2
6:48 PM Rise 8:10 PM
28
High
5:54 PM
2.4
Moon Visible
60 71
81
89
Karen Decker as Janis Joplin poses with her band after performing a version of Piece of My Heart photos by Brent Rourk 95
99
99
A Great Time Had by All One thing for sure; everybody had a fabulous time as the MC, professional Female Impersonator Jim Baldridge Garst, energetically introduced the acts and charmed the crowd throughout the evening while proudly parading around the stage dressed in the most exquisite gowns. He liberally sprinkled his humorous style before and after each act, just before turning the mic over to the panel of three judges. The judges, Jackie Linn of the South Jetty, John Rupolo of Channel 10 News, and yours truly kindly critiqued each act with a blend of humor and appreciation. The large crowd clapped in rhythm to some of their favorite oldies, giving the lip sync contestant even more courage and support. Frequently, the audience roared their approval, laughing and applauding at both the acts and the judge’s comments.
Janis Joplin Returned for an Evening
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Among the stars who graced the stage was Janus Joplin (Karen Decker), who immediately captured the audience with a soul-wrenching version of Piece of My Heart, complete with visceral depth and emotional pain. Providing a veritable trip back in time, her hippy clad back-up band (Big Brother and the Holding Company) slid across the stage as they did decades ago. More than a few audience members had flashbacks to their days on foggy Haight/Ashbury in San Francisco. Karen was flawless as Janis and made more than a few folks recall what a huge talent Janis Joplin was in the 1960s.
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A short Sonny reincarnate (Nick Reyna) seamlessly fused gentle moves with the eternally young Cher (Denise Keller) during their act. While bellowing I Got You Babe, puppy love glances reminiscent of the old Sonny and Cher television show captured several old, tender audience hearts. Leader of the Pack also brought the house down as the Shangri-Las (Joy Claer and her two back-ups) lipped the tear-jerking old rock tune while a modern day bad boy, black-clad motorcycle toughie pulled up on stage - in his not so bad boy new shiny Vespa. The audience could not stop laughing, especially after the motorcycle crash in the song, at which time the dead ‘Leader of the Pack’ actor belly crawled off of the stage.
A Julie Andrews and John Travolta Sighting
that the Chief was too tired to write any more tickets on Saturday evening. The entertainment did not stop there as several other singers performed with energy and soul, moving with at least the energy that the original artists displayed. Every lip sync act was unique and captivating, leaving the audience smiling and howling.
Results of ‘Loose Lips’ All of the lip sync acts were not only polished, but delivered with energy, emotion, and stage presence. The PACT really put on a fabulous evening of entertainment while raising money for their new light and sound system. This 1st Annual Lip Sync Evening was a fantastic success raising another $400 towards the PACT goal of $10,000. Third place went to The Cheerleader, a wildly entertaining and thought provoking act with trumpet flair, handcuffs, and wildly comical interplay between the two lip sync artists, Rick and Claire Adams. Their act left the audience in stitches. Second place went to The Shangri-Las and came with a small but cherished trophy. First place went to Janis Joplin and her tiedyed band. It was also the People’s Choice for 1st place. The Under 18 Award went to Sean Durkin. Some artists are already contemplating what they will lip sync next year, so locals should plan to attend either on stage or in the audience. If next year is anything like this year, then everybody will be in for another unforgettable evening. This was truly some of the best entertainment I have seen in many months. A huge thanks to PACT.
Development continued from A1 the corner lot is owned by the development company managed by Paul Schexnailder. Rasheed said he will create a permanent 100foot wide wetland zone across the back of the property as part of the agreement with the Corps of Engineers. Rasheed said he will develop the southernmost site, on Merida first, where the hotel franchise has already been approved by the parent company, with site work on the second site, near Seashore Middle Academy, to follow soon after. “We love The Island and are looking forward to living there permanently,” Rasheed said.
Ken Yarbrough donned a clown suit and delivered an emotional version of The Sound
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October 22, 2015
A7
Island Moon
Backwater Adventures
On the Rocks By Jay Gardner
By Joey Farah Farah’s Fishing Adventures The cork sailed with the wind out farther than my eyes could see. A white splash hit the water as I tightened the line. I reared back on the WATERLOO and sent cups of water splashing around the cork. Three hard pops and let them sit, as the cork gets closer give it few sharp pops and let it sit. The cork bobbed once as a red swirl boiled around the rock, then it slid under the water at an angle just as I handed the rod to my guest and said, "just reel as fast as you can! "the rod straitened up and the reel sang drag out like an alarm. The redfish bolted across the shallow flat sending scared baitfish into the air. The fish made the first two runs then tried to dive under the boat. As he came to hand the morning sun reflected the pink sunrise against its side. The first drift of he day had given us a appetizer of the bountiful morning to come. This has been the call of the fall season year after year. Right now is some of the best fishing we have. The month of November is a great time to get out and enjoy this areas best without the crowds. Techniques are changing, gone are the live croaker and piggy perch, we are drifting with live shrimp and artificials. This is a great way to study an area as you make grid pattern drifts making mental and GPS notes about the spot. The tides are way up because of the fall equinox and the push of swell we have right now. This is good news as it is dissipating the
Sheep head will be congregating along the jetty as soon as the first strong cold fronts come into our area
RED TIDE of a different kind! Drifting Baffin has been on fire for red drum and trout. red tide. The beaches have been washed clean of rotten fish and red tide in the sand. All of gods plan I suppose. I posted a picture of a big sand trout last week but couldn't send my story from the Baffin area in time. The fishing around the Packery Channel is great as of now for croaker, whiting, and sand trout. The best way to fill a box of them is to catch a small perch on peeled shrimp then fillet it into small pieces of cut bait, put that on a small treble hook along the bottom. Chumming works for this as well and can get the action in an intense state. The duck season is just around the corner , many see this as a bothersome time of year as the sound of gunfire breaks the peaceful sunrise. For many others it's the start of a time of year we like to spend quality time with friends and family in the outdoors. Introducing young hunters into the sport is much easier than throwing them right into a big game hunt. The local hunters that push the line of ethics to the limit by slipping as close as they can to the residential areas hunting ducks that take refuge in the no hunting areas, give a negative portrait to non-hunters. All of our hunting is done from commercial duck blinds, comfortable and safe, and away from the housing areas. If you would like to jump on an action packed day on the water this fall enjoying some great fall fishing along with top quality duck hunts give me a call. The fishing along the ICW with soft plastics is very good at fist light pumpkinseed/chartreuse is a hard to beat color. The open flats of the King Ranch are good when you can find the big sand pockets in 4-5' of water. I've been using natural and bright colors depending on the time of day. Rocky slough is holding some great redfish and a drift along those rocks is a easy spot to hook a red rocket. Have a great week and GET WET!
Big Bluefin
It’s amazing how fast the weather can change around here and not necessarily for the better. It usually goes bad in a hurry, but takes days to get good. That’s pretty much what happened to Sharkathon this past weekend. The red tide was pushing a 4 out of 10 on the Seashore when we were trying to check in this past Friday morning. It sounded like an emphysema clinic. Then, by the time we got back up the beach and started fishing, the wind and surf had come up and dirtied the water, making fishing very difficult. Friday a lot of people slogged it out knowing that the weather might get a little worse as the weekend wore on (which was an understatement). I managed to catch a single Spanish mackerel all day Friday. By the time Saturday rolled around, it was basically over. The tides were to the dunes, the wind was pushing 30MPH with gusts higher than that, and the surge was making it difficult to figure out even where you were fishing. Basically I gave up all hope by Saturday afternoon.
As I write this, the first part of dove season is ending with an unnoticed whimper. We’re about to get some rains, and I think most people are ready for some cold weather. Deer season is just a few short weeks away, and most of the crew (and some of the ladies) will be headed out to the lease to fill the feeders, brush in ground blinds for bow, and clear out the yellow jackets that have taken up residence in the blinds during the off season. As for me, I’ll be out on the laguna as I absolutely LOVE this time of year. The water gets very quiet, and the fishing gets really good with the redfish starting to stage for their migration, and everything basically bulking up for winter. Time to bust out the topwaters and stay close for those big fish who come around when the boats slow down and don’t come around.
But some folks stuck it out and caught some good fish. The largest bull shark ever entered into Sharkathon was caught. In addition, someone hooked and landed a tarpon, but they weren’t entered in the tarpon division. That particular fish Me, Rodney, Lauren, Nancy, and Paul would have been a $12,500 pay out. I’m betting there will be a lot more tarpon entries next year. The rest of Well folks, headed down south this weekend us are still licking our wounds and trying to get into the teeth of the gale to spend Jacob’s the sand out of places that never see the sun bachelor party at the cabins in Baffin. Hopefully days after the event. Congrats on everyone who we can wet a line between the showers, organized and ran the awesome event. More on although I’m sure the poker table, guitars, and Sharkathon later. food preps will keep us plenty busy. Say hi if I have another follow-up from the Babes on you see me on the water, and drop me a line at Baffin tournament as it took a few days to tarponchaser@mail.com if you don’t see me on crunch some of the numbers. We had over 300 the rocks. anglers, with 75 new CCA members. There were 71 live fish that went to the Hatchery to be used as either brood stock or in the kidfish ponds, which ties the highest number for fish donated. There are still some visors and shirts that are available from this years’ event, you can contact Tournament director Lauren at babesonbaffin@yahoo.com for more details and to order merch. Next year’s date will remain the same, which is Columbus Day weekend for 2016. Thanks to everyone who sponsored or fished and supported the tournament, it really was a good deal. The tournament was dedicated to Hector Mendietta, and Hector’s wife Nancy was on-hand for the event, and to accept the honors on behalf of Hector. There wasn’t a dry eye in the place during the dedication, and it charged the crowd up during the captain’s meeting on Friday. I’m already looking forward to next year, and my mom already called dibs on getting me to captain a team in the skiff. We’ll get it together and see you out there next time.
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These childhood friends from Pleasanton united this week to slam limits of reds on the rocks! Live shrimp and GULPS under a popping cork
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A8
October 22, 2015
Island Moon
SPORTS The Chicago Cubs Are Cursed By Dotson Lewis
By Andy Purvis Special to the Island Moon
Special to the Island Moon Dotson’s Note: Many of us long time baseball fans are pulling for the lowly Chicago Cubs to not only get in the 2015 World Series, but to win the whole thing. The biggest obstacle as I see it, is not their opponents or their skill as baseball players, but is the “Curse of the Billy Goat.” In the event you have never heard of this curse or need a refresher, here goes. (You may think baseball is only a game, but you need to know that to the long suffering Cub fans, this is serious business.)
The Curse of the Billy Goat
Coach Speak
Wrigley Field. Additionally, they attempted to raise $100,000 for the Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Facility. On April 10, 2013, a severed goat's head was delivered to the Cubs in a possible effort to lift the curse on the team. It was addressed to the club's owner Thomas S. Ricketts. On Sept. 22, 2015, Patrick Bertoletti, Tim Brown, Takeru Kobayashi, Kevin Strahle and Bob Shoudt consumed a 40 pound goat in 13 minutes and 22 seconds at Taco In A Bag in Chicago.
Yankees’ manager, Casey Stengel, was famous for his “Stengelese,” a process which Casey created to answer all reporters’ questions without giving away any important information about the team or his players. Casey even once answered a question by saying, “I’m not going to speak very long today. As you know the last time I spoke, two of the ‘Four Horseman’ (Notre Dame) passed away.”
quarterbacks, we can’t hit the broadside of a barn right now. I don’t know if we can hit that indoor facility right there, (looking to his right). Receivers, they couldn’t catch a cold if it were the middle of February, dropping everything. Defensive backs, I wondered why they’ve got grass stains all over their jerseys; they fall down about every other play, always two or three of
Alternative measures to lift the curse According to three interviews with Sam Sianis, William Sianis' nephew, the Curse of the Billy Goat can be dispelled only by the Chicago Cubs organization's showing a sincere fondness for goats; allowing them into Wrigley Field because they genuinely want to and not simply for publicity reasons.
Former Cubs Who Won a World Series Title Elsewhere Billy Goat & Billy Sianis This is a sports-related curse that was placed on the Chicago Cubs in 1945 when Billy Goat Tavern owner Billy Sianis was asked to leave a World Series game against the Detroit Tigers at the Cubs' home ballpark of Wrigley Field because his pet goat's odor was bothering other fans. He was outraged and declared, "Them Cubs, they ain't gonna win no more," which has been interpreted to mean that there would never be another World Series game won at Wrigley Field. The Cubs have not won a World Series since 1908, nor appeared in one since 1945.
Steve Spurrier
Origins of The Curse The exact nature of the curse differs in various accounts of the incident. Some state that Sianis declared that no World Series games would ever again be played at Wrigley Field, while others believe that his ban was on the Cubs appearing in the World Series, making no mention of a specific venue. Sianis’s family claims that he dispatched a telegram to team owner Philip K. Wrigley which read, “You are going to lose this World Series and you are never going to win another World Series again. You are never going to win a World Series again because you insulted my goat.” Whatever the truth, the Cubs were up two games to one in the 1945 Series, but ended up losing Game 4, as well as the bestof-seven series, four games to three. The curse was immortalized in newspaper columns over the years, particularly by syndicated columnist Mike Royko, and gained widespread attention during the 2003 postseason when Fox television commentators played it up during the CubsMarlins match-up in the 2003 National League Championship Series (NLCS). According to an account in the Chicago Sun of October 7, 1945, the goat was turned away at the gate, and Sianis left the goat tied to a stake in a parking lot and went into the game alone. There was mention of a lawsuit that day, but no mention of a curse.
Attempts to break the curse Sam Sianis, nephew of Billy Sianis, has been brought out onto Wrigley Field with a goat multiple times in attempts to break the curse: on Opening Day in 1984 and 1989 (in both years, the Cubs went on to win their division), in 1994 to stop a home losing streak, and in 1998 for the Wild Card play-in game (which the Cubs won). In 2003 (incidentally, the Chinese zodiac's Year of the Goat), a group of Cubs fans headed to Houston with a billy goat named "Virgil Homer" and attempted to gain entrance to Minute Maid Park, home of the Astros, division rivals of the Cubs at the time. After they were denied entrance, they unfurled a scroll, read a verse and proclaimed they were "reversing the curse." The Cubs won the division that year and then came within five outs of playing in the World Series, but were undone by the Florida Marlins' eight-run rally immediately following the Steve Bartman incident. The Cubs then lost the following game and with it, the series. (The Marlins went on to win the World Series against the New York Yankees). Further salting the wound, the Astros earned their first World Series berth two years later. In another bizarre twist, it was reported that a butchered goat was hung from the Harry Caray statue on October 3, 2007, to which The Chicago Sun-Times noted: "If the prankster intended to reverse the supposed billy goat curse with the stunt, it doesn't appear to have worked, it's sodditah kattah." While the Cubs did win the NL Central division title in 2007 and 2008, they were swept in the first round of the postseason in both years: by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2007 and the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2008. The elimination by Arizona came on October 6, the same date that the goat appeared at Wrigley Field in 1945. The act was repeated before the home opener in 2009, this time a goat's butchered head being hung from the statue. The act was futile as the Cubs were eliminated from postseason contention on September 26, 2009. Cub’s fans have also brought in priests that have blessed the field, stadium, and dugout. On April 1, 2011, a social enterprise called Reverse The Curse, dedicated to bringing innovations to poverty by giving goats to families in developing countries, was initiated. The goats provide the family with milk, cheese, and alternative income to help lift them out of poverty. Reverse The Curse has expanded into reversing the "curses" that afflict the world's children in education and obesity. On February 25, 2012, a group of five Chicago Cubs fans calling themselves Crack the Curse set-out on foot from Mesa, Arizona (home to the Cubs' spring training facilities) to Wrigley Field. They brought along a goat named Wrigley whom they believed would be able to break the Curse of the Billy Goat upon arrival at
Greg Maddux Another factor that may play a role in the curse is the number of players (42 of them are listed below) who won World Series titles after leaving the Cubs (known as the Ex-Cubs Factor). These players include Andy Pafko (who, coincidentally, played in the 1945 World Series as a member of the Cubs), Gene Baker, Smoky Burgess, Don Hoak, Dale Long, Lou Brock (whose first title was in 1964 after a midseason trade to the St. Louis Cardinals), Lou Johnson, Jim Brewer, Moe Drabowsky, Don Cardwell, Ken Holtzman, Paul Noce, Billy North, Fred Norman, Bill Madlock, Manny Trillo, Greg Gross, Rick Monday, Burt Hooton, Bruce Sutter, Willie Hernández, Milt Wilcox, Joe Niekro, Dennis Eckersley, Joe Carter, Greg Maddux, Joe Girardi (as both a player and a manager), José Vizcaíno, Glenallen Hill (after his second stint with the Cubs; his title came in 2000 after a mid-season trade), Luis Gonzalez, Mike Morgan, Mark Grace, Mark Bellhorn, Bill Mueller, Scott Eyre (whose title came in 2008 after he been traded from the Cubs during the season), Tom Gordon, Matt Stairs, Jamie Moyer, Mark DeRosa and Mike Fontenot, Ryan Theriot, Ángel Pagán and, in 2013, Ryan Dempster, Dontrelle Willis and Jon Garland were traded as minor leaguers (coincidentally, the former won a World Series ring with the Marlins team that defeated the Cubs in the 2003 NLCS). Tim Lincecum was originally drafted by the Cubs.
A Book Reference Popular fictional character Harry Dresden, wizard, discovered the "true" story behind the curse. Author Jim Butcher shared the tale in "Curses", included in the short story collection Naked City: Tales of Urban Fantasy by Ellen Datlow published in 2011. Wizard Dresden discovered the goat at Wrigley Field was actually Gwynn ap Nudd disguised as a goat, and the baseball fanatic King of the Tylwyth Teg issued the curse when he was not allowed to watch the game. Dotson’s Other Note: Now that you understand the problem, just watch and enjoy the Major League Baseball play-offs knowing full-well that the Cubs will never win until the curse is lifted. Your comments, suggestions, questions and concerns regarding Sports Talk article are greatly appreciated, please call the Benchwarmers at 361-560-5397 weekdays, Mondays thru Fridays, 5-8 P.M.* or contact me. Phone: 361-949-7681 Cell: 530-748-8475 Email: dlewis1@stx.rr.com *Please note the time changes for the Benchwarmers broadcasts.
Spurs’ Gregg Popovich reminds me of a present day Stengel. There’s nothing better than watching David Aldridge or Craig Sager questioning “Coach Pop” before or during an NBA game. New York Mets Manager, Terry Collins when asked what it was going to take to win once said, “The only thing left is human sacrifice. So, we’re going to pick somebody.” Tommy Lasorda of the Los Angeles Dodgers was a real character when answering the media. I remember seeing him sitting in the Dodger dugout with a large piece of white masking tape over his mouth. Coach Dean Smith of the University of North Carolina was known for heaping lots of praise on his opponent’s team, just after the Tarheels had beaten them by double digits. And of course Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots treats all interviews like the measles. But my favorite “coach speak” occurred before the season began when the Head Football Coach for the University of South Carolina Gamecocks, Steve Spurrier (“The Head Ball Coach,” his words not mine), spoke to some reporters after practice. Picture coach Spurrier in a white golf visor, sunglasses, and standing with his hands behind his back and I quote: “I’ll tell you what; we had another sorry practice today. These guys, I don’t know if we’re going to be able to beat anybody this year. Our
them falling. Our kicker, gee it’s like the Army, left, right, left, right, they’re kicking it all over the place. I don’t know if we can beat anybody this year. Gosh! Leadership, ‘naw’ we don’t have any leaders out here. Guys are soft, they just can’t, I don’t know, maybe I should give them a week off and start over and see if we can regroup and try to find some real tough guys out here. It’s been a struggle this pre-season. It’s been a big struggle and I don’t know if we’re going to beat anybody.” Now that’s funny. Maybe Spurrier knew in advance that he was at his end. On October 13, 2015, Steve Spurrier, with a record of two wins and four losses resigned immediately. “I was the right coach for this job eleven years ago, but I’m not now. 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. www.purvisbooks.com
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