Halloween on the Island Photos by Debbie Noble and Dale Rankin
Issue 551
The voice of The Island since 1996
Free
The Island Moon
November 6, 2014 Around The Island By Dale Rankin editor@islandmoon.com
It’s hard to say which was scarier this week, all the ghosts and goblins making the rounds for Halloween or the My Hair Is On Fire atmosphere of the Election Season. But now the Walking Dead have returned to their subterranean realms, and the Trick or Treaters have gone home too so maybe things can get back to what passes for normal on our little sandbar.
Get Ready to La Posada!
The Island where good things come to those who bait
40th Annual
Artwalk
For many years the parade was hosted by the Island Foundation Schools but, now in its 40th year, it is under the care of the Padre Island Yacht Club which has added events beyond the parade itself and turned the event into an eleven-day celebration of Island life during the holiday season. Last year the lighting of the Christmas tree at Port Royal Resort was added to the La Posada
One of the facts of Island life that becomes more readily apparent each day is the need for better communication between the two ends of The Island. The issue that is bringing things into sharp focus is traffic. As the Texas Department of Transportation moves forward with plans to widen SH 361 on the south end of Port Aransas, the Island Strategic Action Committee in its next meeting on December 2 will hear a presentation on plans to place a traffic light on SPID at its intersection with Aquarius at the base of the JFK Causeway. While these two projects, and other traffic plans at each end of The Island, may not seem related to planners both in Port Aransas and on Padre it is obvious that they are. Anything done on either end of our Island has a direct impact on traffic and business at the other end. When heavy traffic on the beach North of Packery caused a massive traffic snarl during Spring Break two years ago restaurants in Port Aransas ended up with too much food stock on hand because it was too difficult for visitors to get up the 18-mile runway. Then the next year when overcrowding on the same North Packery beaches led to them being closed to more visitors the rush was on to Port Aransas. In neither case were the folks in Port Aransas aware what was coming at them due to actions on the Padre end which they knew nothing about.
Who Will Fix the Seawall? By Dale Rankin
Photo by Miles Merwin
La Posada continued on A13
Full La Posada Schedule on Page A
Sale of Island GLO Land Moves Forward On Election Day, State officials approved the sale of about 3,680 acres of Kleberg County property to Nueces County, according to the Texas General Land Office. The School Land Board authorized the General Land Office to begin negotiations and close the deal, said land office spokesman, Jim Suydam. Because the land is part of the Texas Permanent School Fund, the School Land Board's signoff was required before the deal could move forward. The Ed Rachal Foundation will pay for the land at a price to be negotiated. The Foundation stepped in at the request of Nueces County officials as the Texas Nature Conservancy and the GLO were negotiating a sale of the land to the National Park Service after local opposition arose to the sale after the now former Park
GLO continued on A3
Two things conclusions can be drawn about Island voters based on the 2965 out of 6906 registered who cast ballots in the November 4 General Election: One, eight out of ten are Republicans: Two, 1274 of them don’t know they live in the Flour Bluff Independent School District.
When crews began removing sand from the steps of the Michael J. Ellis Seawall a few weeks ago they made a troubling discovery; the seawall is falling apart. Exposed rebar is rusting and as it falls away it is taking the concrete with it. Large chunks of dislodged concrete are visible along the structure which had to be rebuilt after it was destroyed by Hurricane Allen in 1980.
The structure is the Island’s first line of defense against rising storm water and it was pointed out at the Island Strategic Action Committee (ISAC) meeting Tuesday night, that without it FEMA flood maps on The Island would likely be redrawn in a way that would affect insurance rates across most, if not all, of The Island.
Seawall continued on A4
A Little Island History
The Original Red Dot Bait Stand
Here is a suggestion: a monthly luncheon that alternates between Padre and Port Aransas to facilitate communication and planning. We will help get it organized. It seems like an idea whose time has come.
La Posada We are including coverage of the La Posdada events in this issue and will have more in the coming weeks. The folks over at the Padre Island Yacht Club have a full slate of events on tap beginning with the kickoff party at Scuttlebutt’s. We’ll see you there, in the meantime say hello if you see us Around The Island.
Mayor’s Race In the race for Corpus Christi Mayor which incumbent Nelda Martinez won by an unexpectedly thin margin of just under 52% - a total of 9872 votes over challenger Bob Jones – Islanders favored Martinez 1179 to 756 for Jones. In the race for Corpus Christi City Council District 4 which includes The Island, voters went heavily for incumbent Colleen McIntyre – 79% 1859 votes to challenger Joe Vollmer’s 544 votes. McIntyre won
By Bobbie Kimbrell Before 1950, just after the causeway to Padre Island had been completed, my Dad, Acie “Ace” Kimbrell and Sam Hull and Sherman Hawley, ( who was the JP in Flour Bluff), put in the Red Dot Bait Stand on the intracoastal canal, on the south side of the causeway, near where Doc’s Restaurant is today. It was the first bait stand ever on the new causeway. The bait stand was a 30x20 foot house boat barge and was pushed up on the canal land anchored. A short while later a tug boat driven by friends of my Dad came by and blew out a hole in the bank where the barge could be put in a more sheltered location. The tug boat men were rewarded for doing the job by some fresh trout that my Dad had caught early that morning. My Dad and Sam Hull were previously commercial fishing buddies and they took turns at working the night shift at the bait stand and Mr. Hawley would push net for shrimp when they got scarce in the hot summer months
According to unofficial reports from the Nueces County Clerk’s Office, 83% of Island voters pulled the Republican Party lever, 16% did the same for the Democrats. But about 5% of Islanders in each party crossed party lines in select races as Republican candidates averaged about 75% of the Island vote in each race on the ballot to the Democrats 25%. Citywide 53% of the voters pulled the Republican lever and 45% of Democrats.
District 4
Election continued on A3
Inside the Moon
plus his political help, help with the management of the causeway who were in charge of the bait stands, with a small fee paid for the rent. A $2 fee was also charged to cross the causeway back then. And believe it or not, it kept most of the free loaders out. A small pier was added to the bait stand with live shrimp bait boxes alongside. After a light was hung over the end of the pier you could see shrimp migrating with the current, so after that was discovered, they would just stick a push net down in the water and after one minute you could pick it up with a quart to a half
Flounder Fishing with Farah A7
History continued on A3
Volunteers Take on Cleanup of GLO Property
This is just the tip of the iceberg. Lines at the ferry landings in Port Aransas impact the number of cars going over the JFK; the timing of the traffic light at Commodores and SPID effects traffic all the way up SH 361 to Port Aransas; a traffic accident on the highway inside the Corpus Christi City Limits impacts the traffic operations of Port Aransas Police. If we think of the road, and other infrastructure, from the ferry landings to the base of the JFK Causeway as one continuous creature, which it is, then the need for good communication between the two ends of The Island is obvious. Then there is the housing market, the tourist industry, the needs for handling of more airport traffic, the list goes on. The point is that there is currently no forum for direct communication between businesses and governments in Padre Island and Port Aransas.
How The Island Voted By Dale Rankin
In the Christmas season of 1974 a group of Islanders decided to begin decorating their boats and making the rounds of homes on The Island, a sort of informal Island kind of thing on what was then a sparsely-inhabited Island with not a lot going on.
The Fourth Annual Padre Island Art Walk sponsored by the POA drew a great crowd at Billish Park on Saturday. A big thank you to the Smiths for taking on the project and making it a great addition to the annual Island calendar. JoAnn reports that the surprise this year was the number of folks who attended from OTB. Sooner or later we’re going to need a bigger bridge.
Island communication
Weekly
By Dale Rankin
Now, 40 years later the La Posada Lighted Boat Parade has grown into a series of eight events which run over the course of eleven days and raise 20% of the toys statewide (4500 last year) and more than $15,000 per year for the Toys for Tots Program.
The rough offshore waters have kept the boating crowd within eyeshot of land lately and some of our more dedicated fisherpersons are showing signs of cabin fever.
FREE
Sports A8
Editor’s note: For the past year or so a group calling itself Burners Without Borders has quietly been cleaning up the 3680 acres of land newly acquired by Nueces County adjacent to the north end of Padre Island National Seashore. An ad hoc shooting gallery on the property left thousands of spent shotgun shells and other debris which the group has cleaned up. Last weekend they began work on the area around The Bowl in Kleberg County which was also in need of help. All we can say is thank you, thank you, thank you. Here is their mission statement and their plan for cleaning up the area.
Burners Without Borders Corpus Christi Presents: The Burner Beach Project By Patrick Brown We are participants in the Burning Man Project (http://www. burningmanproject.org/) who take the values we share out into the community. We specialize in providing services where there are none or where the service distribution network has been crippled by natural disaster. We are also a grassroots network of local improvement and education projects. We are selffunded but also accept community
sponsorships and achieve our goals.
donations
to
Halloween on the Islands A9
Here is a link to the Burners Without Borders main website. http://www. burnerswithoutborders.org/ Burners Without Borders Corpus Christi has a Facebook page, as well. https://www.facebook.com/ groups/662157823810955/ BWB Corpus Christi has adopted the GLO property in the Kleberg county area in between Nueces and the National Seashore about a year and a half ago and we have held several cleanup events both on the
Burners continued on A5
Dog-Gone Days A11
A2
The Travelling Moon
Island Moon
Island Art Walk
Left: Ashley Anderson and dad Chuck went bay fishing out of Deep Se Headquarters and came back with 45 pounds of Gaff Tops, Ashley beat dad 10 fish to 4. Right: New Port A resident and TAMUCC Sophomore Ashley Anderson proudly displays her Island Moon outside the grocery store.
COQUINA BAY! Extra wide garage Rare cherry hardwood Ă&#x;oors 15957 El Soccorro Loop
$263,500
Cellphone on a Kite Photos by Steve Coons - Steve has built a rig to attach his cellphone to a kite and get good aerial photos- who needs drones anyway?
November 6, 2014
November 6, 2014
Island Moon
Moon Monkeys Mike Ellis, Founder
Letters to the Editor Attention Cat People
Bag Hero for November
There will be a fantastic 3 day cat sow at the Omni Bayfront on Thanksgiving weekend, November 28, 29 & 30, 2014. Come see over 150 cats, kittens and household pets plus tons of pet supplies and gifts to buy. We will be featuring the Cattery with cats for adoption. Great fun for the whole family. Adults: $5, Seniors: $4, Children 5-12: $2. Info: Leslie Hurley, ph. 361-894-68906 (9a-9p), email: bumblebebirmans@att.net
Pete Alsop Coldwell Banker Advertising Jan Park Rankin Classifieds Arlene Ritley Design/Layout Jeff Craft Contributing Writers Joey Farah Andy Purvis Devorah Fox Mary Craft
Just a note of appreciation for your "Follow the Money" article in the latest Moon. I think the main reason for our distrust of government is that we don't really know how our money is being spent, and your article beautifully demonstrates how hard it is to get basic financial information. We should not have to go to all the trouble you went to just to get budget information. And after all your trouble, you didn't even get the information. I don't think it's a conspiracy either, but it is certainly careless. No one likes to pay taxes, but we might be more inclined to hand over the money if we knew how it was being spent. I would like to see more articles like this. Jean Garland
Maybeth Christiansen
Port A Beau
Jay Gardner
Dear KPAB members,
Chad Peters Todd Hunter
As many of you are already aware, on Thursday we lost one of our good friends and a long-time KPAB (Keep Port Aransas Beautiful) member, Harry Snyder. Please keep Joan in your thoughts and prayers. If you would like to send a condolence message to her, the address is 508 Margo Lane, P.O. Box 2635, Port Aransas, TX 78373. There will not be a service in Port Aransas, as Harry will be buried in North Dakota.
Dotson Lewis Ronnie Narmour Brent Rourk Dr. Donna Shaver Photographers Miles Merwin Jeff Dolan Mary Craft Ronnie Narmour Office Security/Spillage Control (Emeritus)
I hope that our organization will consider some type of expression in memory of Harry and his contributions to KPAB. Sincerely, Julie Findley
Art Walk
Island Moon JoAnn and I would like to say thank you for your support in promoting our Padre Island Art Walk on November 2nd. The Art Walk was a huge success due to your help in getting the word out.
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
Lisabella’s Restaurant
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A Mano
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And all Moon retail advertisers
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Gratitude Gift Shop Keepers Pier House Port A Glass Studio The Gaff
New Advertisers The Al Amin Shrine Gun Show will held 9 am-5 pm Saturday, November 8th and 9 am-4 pm on Sunday at 2001Suntide Road (I-37 Exit 7)
Business Briefs The widening of Hwy 361 is set to begin the week of November 17th so expect delays.
Dear Dale:
Island Delivery
Port Aransas
by Mary Craft mkay512@aol.com or @padreeyelander on twitter
FBISD
Distribution
Whataburger on Waldron Ethyl Everly Senior Center Fire Station Police Station Stripes on Flour Bluff & SPID
So on behalf of our community, Thank You JoAnn and Butch Smith
History continued from A1 gallon of shrimp in it. There was no commercial shrimping being done with shrimp boats at that time in the Intracoastal canal. After two or three years the city took over management of the bait stands and offered a five year lease if the bait stand operators would put in a permanent building, which they did. Graham had a bait stand across the canal and Rush had one on the north side of the causeway, now Golhkes bait stand. Before the permanent building was built Sam Hull decided to leave the bait stand and moved to Port Mansfield with his sons and family and started commercial fishing again. After a few years a hurricane hit Corpus Christi and Padre Island, demolishing the bait stand. A new bait stand was built, constructed by the Johnson brothers, who were lifelong residents of Flour Bluff and some of the original settlers. Sherm Hawley, former superintendent of Flour Bluff school, and a business man with rental property dropped out as part owner which left my Dad ‘Ace’ as the sole owner of the Red Dot Bait Stand. My Dad became a member of the Flour Bluff-, Padre Island Business Association and served his term as president, a yearly position, along with Red Covurn and his wife. E.o. Lehman, original owner of the first motel on the Island was a frequent customer of my dad and lifelong friend. Lehman’s father-in-law was a constable on the Island. Wren, “Halfacre) Warnecke, once a millionaire, gone broke, was an escellent rod and reel fisherman and worked for my dad from time to time. Halfacre was a dead eye with a slingshot. My dad, along with other FB / PI members helped promote the development of the Island by going to expos in San Antonio, Austin and Houston. The bait stands were pretty much a stepping stone to the development of the Island. Most of the weekend customers were from San Antonio and Houston as well as nearby towns to Corpus Christi. Dad promoted the sale of the first spinning reels to come on the market. He demonstrated the use of a spinning reeel and gave lessons free but hardly ever sold one of the reels he had for sale because you could buy them for less at Wal-Mart. Dad made a lot of money for Wal-Mart. In one Island promotion event the businessmen built an effigy of a Carancahua-Tancauha Indian and stored it at the Red Dot for a while. It’s body was made of wood logs, straw and bandages with a coconut for the head with the eyes and teeth made of seashells, sprinkled with embalming fluid which made it smell so bad some native Indians from San Antonio thought it was real and demanded a burial, which resulted in it being moved elsewhere. My sister, Carmelita, an art student from Houston, painted an 8x4 foot promotional advertisement that was used often to promote development of the Island. After the high bridge over the canal was completed and the old swing barge was removed, it changed the flow of traffic coming off the bridge and business fell off bad at the Red Dot. Many years later, as dad’s health waned, he sold the bait stand and eventually the new owner acquired a bait stand on the Humble Channel and it became the new Red Dot Bait Stand and the old bait stand was demolished by the city. Dad, like Will Rogers, never met a customer he didn’t like and all of the women customers were his girlfriends. I almost forgot to mention John Bean, the grandson of Judge Roy Bean, "The Law West of the Pecos," had a fishing pier south of the Red Dot which later became Snoopy's.
Did Ya Hear?
A3
Two issues ago we reported on the gambling ship that was coming to downtown. We have since not gotten any updates and no calls back from the gentleman we spoke to regarding its January arrival. Doing more research we found this on the Texas Workforce Solutions of the Coastal Bend website: NOTICE TO JOB SEEKERS! Please disregard any public advertisements listing job postings from the Texas Gold Nugget Casino Cruises. We apologize for the inconvenience. Skip the Plastic is very pleased to announce our November Bag Hero, Paulette Kluge. As CEO of the Corpus Christi Convention & Visitors Bureau, Paulette knows how important it is to keep our city looking beautiful for both visitors and our locals.
The owner of Moby Dick’s restaurant, Ed Ziegler, has purchased the building that housed Marcel’s and Neptunes and will be opening up a new restaurant/bar there called Ed’s Beach Comber. See Ronnie’s column for more details.
Please see the attached press release and photograph of Paulette. We hope your media outlet will help to spread this positive message to your viewers, listeners and readers in your broadcasts, publications and websites.
The first ever La Posada Land Parade will start at the Briscoe Pavilion on Monday, December 8th at 5:30 pm. The Yorktown Fire Department in Flour Bluff and the Padre Island Yacht Club have teamed up for this event along with the Golf Cart Club. They will be passing out candy to the kids and collecting Toys for Tots. They also will be judging for best decorated home in different categories.
If you have any questions about Skip the Plastic or our Bag Hero program, please reply to this email or call me at the phone number below, Neil McQueen / www.skiptheplastic.org / 361765-4445
GLO continued from A1 Superintendent stated plans to place bollards on the beach at the north end of the property and force the public to enter the park through Park Road 22. That plan would have meant the public would have had to traverse a twelve mile course to reach the currently unobstructed eight miles of beach in Kleberg County. After the sale to the National Park Service was halted Nueces County Commissioner Joe McComb, whose district includes the island, began negotiations with Kleberg County officials which led to the agreement with the Rachal Foundation. The parcel was listed on the Kleberg County tax rolls at about $2.8 million in 2013 McComb said there will be no county money involved in the sale and the move by the county was in the interest of keeping control of the land in local hands. . In 1995, the land office and the Federal Highway Administration acquired the land. McComb said during the negotiations the county will be bound by current restrictions on the land which prohibit development. He said the land will be maintained by the county and accessible to the public as a recreation area and park. Tuesday’s move by the state moves the process forward with the expectation the sale will be final by the end of 2014 when Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson leaves office. Patterson has said he wants the transaction finished before that time.
Election continued from A1 the race handily with 71% of the vote, an 8081 to 3224 margin.
City Council At-Large The Island vote totals in the race for three AtLarge seats on the Corpus Christi City Council favored two of the three candidates backed by the Island United Political Action Committee by about 7% more than the citywide average. Incumbents Lillian Riojas and Mark Scott, and former District 2 Councilman Chad Magill who ran At-Large for the first time each won with 23% of the vote. Voters could cast ballots for three candidates in the six-person race with the three highest vote getters winning the seats.
Cher will be performing at the American Bank Center on Thursday, November 13th. Padre Island Dog Owners Group (PI DOG) will be meeting at the Briscoe Pavilion near Bob Hall Pier this Saturday, November 8th at 9 am for a dog social. Membership is free. El Constante Condominiums, located on the seawall, has a party room available for meetings, baby showers, reunions or whatever the event. If you have out of town guests they can simply stay there. The venue can hold up to 70 people. Call 949-7088 for more details. Scuttlebutt’s Bar & Grill is honoring military personnel on Veterans Day with a free fish basket and drink. Lyle Lovett will perform at the Art Museum Fundraiser on Thursday, November 13th at 6 pm. Tickets for this VIP event are $300. Padre Pizzeria has online ordering for carryout or delivery which means no more busy signal. Check it out at padrepizzeria. com. The Padre Island Homeowners Association will hold a Town Hall meeting at the Seashore Learning Center at 7 pm Thursday, November 13th to discuss a potential Community Center to be built at Billish Park. Two proposals will be presented in regards to the design and construction. It is open to the public and light refreshments will be served. The Greek Festival will be held November 7-9 with Greek cuisine, dancing and music. There will be shopping on hand at the Greek Market and tours of the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church at 502 S. Chapparal. Aunt Sissy’s Kitchen is now taking orders for Thanksgiving sides and pies. She also has breakfast casseroles serving 10-12 and quiche serving 6-8. Check out her Facebook page for more details. Orders must be placed by November 20th and can be placed by phone to 949-4848.
Yard of the Month
Islanders favored Riojas with 24%, but Magill and Scott garnered 29% and 30% respectably.
City Bonds Islanders favored City Bond Proposition I 53% to 47%; Proposition II, which includes money to repair two Island Beach Access Roads, a storage facility for city equipment near the water tower, and money to pay for improvements at the SPID/Aquarius intersection if a traffic light is placed there, by a 55%-45% margin, and Proposition III which allows the city to dispose of 19 city parks by a 62% to 38% margin.
FBISD In the race for FBISD Board of Trustees Place 4 Islanders favored Brent Rourk over Shirley Thornton 1147 to 660 votes, but Thornton won the race 2372 to 1949. 1122 Island voters who went to cast ballots in other races skipped the FBISD race. In the FBISD Place 5 race Island voters favored winner Brian Grunberg 461 to 361 over incumbent Flo East, with 1332 voters skipping the race. In FBISD Place 7 Michael Morgan beat challenger Debbie Lindsey-Opel 2494 to 1936. Islanders favored Lindsey-Opel 958 to 766 for Morgan ,with 1214 Islanders skipping the race. The Island Gardeners awarded yard of the month for November to Patty & Bill Cary at 15018 Tesoro. A large beautiful mesquite tree is the main attraction surrounded by various shrubs of red,green,yellow and orange. The addition of scarecrows and pumpkins completes this picturesque fall scene. Drive or walk by to see this very attractive yard.
Colleen McIntyre blows out the candles on her celebratory cake Tuesday night
Please call Dianne for yard of the month suggestions at 361-563-0951
A4
November 6, 2014
Island Moon
Thursday, November 13
POA To Hold Town Hall Meeting on Community Center Proposals
By Maybeth Christensen The Padre Isles POA will hold a Town Hall meeting for Island residents at the Seashore Learning Center at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 13th to introduce and gauge support for two proposals for a potential Community Center to be built at Billish Park. Based on residents’ overwhelming support for the building of a Community Center given by those who attended the POA Annual Meeting last March, the POA has worked closely with Turner Ramirez Architects and KJM Commercial, Inc. to develop the two proposals which will be presented at the Town Hall meeting. The POA will once again ask for residents’ input on proceeding forward with the project and which design proposal is preferred. Representatives from Turner Ramirez, KJM and the POA will be present to provide information on the designs and construction timelines as well as answer residents’ questions. The Town Hall meeting will be open to the public and light refreshments will be available.
Brush Pickup
Early setouts continue to be a problem. City brush pickup is not until December 8. Setout time does not start until November 29. We have been putting warning notices on the houses with the early setouts because the City will fine you and besides, it looks terrible! The Litter Critter is a great alternative and is available this Saturday, November 8, at the wastewater treatment plant at the west end of Whitecap. Hours of operation are 7 AM to 4 PM.
Open House If you want to help shape Corpus Christi’s future, drop in for 20 minutes at the open house Monday, November 10, Janet F. Harte Public Library, 2629 Waldron Road between 4 and 7 PM. Find out more about Plan CC, the city’s new comprehensive plan, and tell the City which of three growth scenarios you like best. I have been a part of the working group on Plan CC. A lot of folks think it’s just another plan to put on the shelf; however, State law requires the City to have a comprehensive plan in place and Corpus Christi has not had one since the 1990’s. Obviously, a great deal has changed since then.
We are excited about the Community center project and hope to see many residents attend the meeting.
Letters to Riley Dear Riley, My name is Billy Jack and I have a Hooman mother that is HORRIBLE. I do not know where to turn. I saw your picture while i was peeing on the paper (my Hooman says the Island Moon is a full service publication) and it said you eat cat food. So, I hope you can help me. I LOVE cat food too. But that is not the problem. The problem is....I am addicted to cat poop.I truly love the stuff. Not just any poop will do though. It has to be rolled in a crunchy coating of grey litter. And fresh or aged like cheese, I love it all. For some stange reason it really makes my Hooman mad. She refuses to pet me or let me set on her lap afterIi eat it. I always wait til she is asleep to eat it, and i never leave ANY evidence. I thought we had it all worked out til last week. She told Big Daddy that I was still eating the poop.(how did she know?) I digress, sorry. Big Daddy went to the store and bought something called kitty litter crystals and corn based cat formula litter. It has to be the most disgusting tasting thing I have ever had in my mouth. 100 times more disgusting than se weed on the beach..and smells worse than RED TIDE. Now the whole house smells like NOTHING. I mean no sweet smell of kitty
pee or hypnotizing aroma of kitty log roll. (excuse me for drooling) . How do i get her to stop using it? Are my days of yummy kitty nuggets over? Is life still worth living? I THINK NOT. Sincerely, Billy Jack p/s Wait til I tell you what she did to the cat, but that’s for next week. Purchased at HEB: 1 part crystals to 2 parts corn litter Well, Billy Jack. I know it’s hard to beat the taste of crunchy kitty litter wrapped around cat leavings. I don’t know about you but I’m not sure that corn based cat litter is good for dogs, it might have gluten and you might be allergic. The best advice I can give you is to eat the scrumptious middle out of the cat roll and leave the corn litter on the carpet where a human can step on it. You might want to be in a safe hiding place when that happens because as much as you try to blame it on the cat it never seems to work out that way. Stoopid Cats! My suggestion is skip the cat’s digestive process and go right to the source – the cat food. This will eliminate the mixing of the ill tasting corn cat litter. Just be carefully, cats are tricky little buggers and no matter what they never seem to get blamed for anything. Stoopid Cats!
W illiam a. T hau iii, P.C. “F ormer U.S. N avy L awyer ”
l Divorce and Separation l Child Custody and Support l Adoption/Guardianship
l Auto Accidents l Personal Injury l DWI
l Paternity Cases l Wills and Probate
l Criminal Justice l Military Law
ConvenienT Flour BluFF loCaTion 9708 S.P.I.D., Suite A-101 s C orPus C hrisTi (361) 937-5513 s T oll F ree 1-877-888-1369 Licensed by the Supreme Court of Texas Former President of the Corpus Christi Family Law Association (1999-2000) Selected as a Texas “Super Lawyer” in November 2003, October 2004 and October 2005 Issues of Texas Monthly
Stuff I Heard on the Island by Dale Rankin As I sat at my laptop and watched election returns Tuesday night I suddenly felt old. The first election night I worked years ago I was posted to the County Clerk’s office in the old Bexar County Courthouse where precinct counts were copied on the office copy machine and handed out to reporters as they came in. Since reporters are notoriously bad with numbers – “If I could do numbers I get a real job!” – we actually hired a person from the math department at Trinity University to add the precinct numbers as they came in and write the cumulative total on a note which was handed to a runner who took off down the hall to a pay phone where I waited with a pocketful of quarters. There were no cell phones or even fax machines and there was only one payphone on each floor of the courthouse. My job was to get to the pay phone an hour before the polls closed and dial the newsroom and keep the line open and other reporter types from getting to the phone by pumping in more quarters when the time on the call ran out. I suffered the slings and arrows of my fellow ink-stained wretches who had to sprint two flights up the stairs to the phones in the pressroom to call their desks. The television types had a continuous live feed and would hold the latest results up to the camera so that someone in Master Control could copy down the numbers and hand them to the guy who typed them into the Chroma Key machine so the anchor could read them cold on the air.
Rube Goldberg’s revenge Sometime in the 80’s after I switched to television we got a new space-age machine that supposedly could read numbers right off the Associated Press wire and our engineers spent weeks rigging up a Rube Goldberg contraption in the clerk’s office to feed the results from the county’s new computer system into the thing and pump it straight through onto our live air. We bet the over and under on how many defibrillators it was going to take to revive the poor schmucks in the newsrooms across town when they saw our up-to-the-minute numbers pop on the screen election night. No more pay phones, no more pockets full of quarters, no more copy machine. This was the space age baby! The News Director who stilled believed live television was a passing fad smelled a rat and sent me to the Frost Bank down the street for a pocket full of quarters and dispatched me to the courthouse “just in case.” Election Night came and there we were staring at the screen and waiting for the first EMS calls for heart attacks at Brands X and Y. The big moment arrived and the anchor says, “And now we will go to our exclusive up to the minute election returns with results from the Electograb system as they come into the Bexar County Election Headquarters” and suddenly there they are…right there on live television…a list of death certificates issued in Bexar County in the last thirty days. Joe Smith born 4/6/31. Died 10/4/85. Cause undetermined. Mrs. Guadalupe Hernandez born 8/23/44.
Died 10/7/85. Natural Causes.
They’re voting the dead again It took a while for it to sink in exactly what was happening. “Their voting the dead again,” somebody shouted. “Somebody call Democrat Party Headquarters!” “Dead people can’t run for office!” “Sure they can, have you ever been to the Legislature!” Suddenly my pay phone rang and the Assignments Editor was shouting something about a SNAFU of Biblical proportions. I looked over at the monitor and heard the anchor in my IFB mumble something about technical problems. We had no runners, we no one to hold the returns up to the camera, and worst we had nobody who could add. I ran down the hall down the hall where the engineers were standing around looking at Rube Goldberg as the First Rule of Television spun through my head, “engineers get you last.” “Why are we running a list of dead people?” I asked and got the Engineer’s Response we all dreaded. “Can’t duplicate therefore can’t diagnose,” which was the catch all when they didn’t have a clue what was wrong. It was the same thing as saying, “When we flipped the switch the red light didn’t come on.” They tried to blame it on the people back at the station but I pointed out to them that as far as anyone knew there was no list of the recent dead kept anywhere in the station, unless they counted the entire engineering staff if Rube didn’t find the voting returns pretty soon. He did, about four o’clock that morning after the races were long over. I ended up trading the station’s box seats at the San Antonio Missions game and a pocket full of quarters to one of the clerks in exchange for the use of her desk phone and sat there reading election returns to a producer for three hours. “I’m not responsible for the math,” I said. “It’s not in my job description. Get an engineer with a calculator.” “They’re all standing in the newsroom shouting at each other,” came the reply. “The walking dead.” “Just run the list of the dead until they fix it,” I said. “We’re going to get killed on election coverage anyhow.” So we suffered through a few weeks of ridicule from our peers. “You guys aren’t doing anymore live shots right? Only dead shots!” “Hey why don’t you guys run a list of dogs in the pound, maybe some of them will get adopted. - Oh wait, they're not dead yet.” We got pictures and obituaries of loved ones recently deceased asking if we could feature them in our Dead Report. In some ways it makes me long for the Good Old Days before Al Gore invented the Internets. But not for long.
Seawall continued from A1 The seawall is an unusual amalgam of a private and public arrangement in which public access is required by state law, but ownership, and maintenance, of the seawall is entirely in private hands. By mutual agreement the various owners of the property behind the seawall are responsible for maintaining the section which borders their property. But the question of whether property owners would be required by the city or state to rebuild it after a storm is one which members of the ISAC discussed but which has no firm answer. The structure was rebuilt with public help money with the caveat that it was a one-time only funding. The question of who would pay to rebuild it if/when it has to be done again is one which the ISAC plans to tackle in the coming months. What is certain is that the private owners would be hard pressed to bear the cost alone and that the city and state could not force them to rebuild. So while it is privately owned, its presence, or lack thereof, has consequences that impact the public. A quirk in state law which sprung from the funding for rebuilding in 1980 left the line between public and private property cloudy. The uncertainty in the property line made it difficult if not impossible for property owners to get financing for construction. An agreement was reached in 1997 which resolved the boundary problem and as part of the deal the private owners agreed to allow a public access. The question of repair was not addressed but presumably was rested on its owners. “If you put the cost of repair in private hands they are not capable of rebuilding it,” ISAC Chairman Gabi Hilpold said at the Tuesday meeting. “So you put the public at risk. That is the bigger picture.” ISAC member Paul Schexnailder, who owns land along the seawall, suggested forming a Municipal Management District which could place the seawall structure in public hands and allow for the issuance of bonds in case of catastrophic damage. There is also the
possibility, with sticky legal consequences, of forming a public private partnership or using money from the Island Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone to form a maintenance fund. The question of seawall repair and maintenance arose after several owners of seawall property requested that ISAC ask the city to remove sand from the steps of the wall which they said only began to accumulate when city crews began dumping sand near its base. “There is a city ordinance which says if your neighbor does work which causes sand to accumulate on your property he has to remove it,” said Bob Curry who owns condominiums along the seawall and is heading the push for the city to remove sand from the structure and to remove vehicles from portions of the adjacent beach. “The city is our neighbor and their maintenance policies are causing the sand to accumulate on the steps but we have to pay to fix the problem.” Currently property owners are being issued a special assessment to pay for the removal of sand from the seawall steps with absentee owners being billed after the work is done. The state owns the beach from the base of the seawall to the water but the City of Corpus Christi has jurisdiction for its management under a Beach Management Plan filed with the state. The overlapping governmental jurisdictions, public/ private ownership, and the collateral damage to the seawall from the sand placed on the beach by the Packery Channel dredging process have created a dead spot in funding for seawall repair which ISAC members and the city’s Water Shore and Beach Advisory Committee plan to tackle in the coming months. What can be said for certain right now is the answer to the question of who will pay to rebuild the seawall is – no one knows.
Traffic Light at SPID/Aquarius A plan to place a traffic light on SPID at its intersection with Aquarius Street, near the base of the JFKI Causeway is scheduled for a full hearing a the next meeting of the ISAC on Tuesday, December 2 at Comfort Suites on Windward. A private ownership group which has property near the intersection has requested the light, which they will pay for, and money to restructure the roadway is included in Proposition II of the city bonds approved by voters in Tuesday’s election. A study paid for by the developers in November found that the traffic flow at the intersection is sufficient to require a light, however, ISAC members questioned whether further study may be necessary to determine if the light could cause a traffic hazard by backing traffic up to the top of the JFK bridge during peak hours.
Michael J. Ellis Seawall in 1980 after Hurricane Allen
The ISAC is expected to make a recommendation on the light after hearing the presentation. All ISAC meetings are open to the public.
November 6, 2014
A5
Island Moon
Burners continued from A1
Falling Into Autumn
beach and at a location utilized for dumping and target practice. We have removed over two tons of debris from the shooting range alone.
By Erica Rose Bertero – www.ericaroseb.com beachgalbare@gmail.comHalloween on the Island Erica Rose Bertero is a local blogger and writer – you can read/follow her blog “BEACH GAL BARE” at www.ericaroseb.com. She can be reached at beachgalbare@gmail.com How? I ask you -- how?! How did we end up in November already?! I don't know exactly how we ended up here but here we are! It is November, and another set of holidays is just around the corner. Volleyball season is coming to a close, and as I witnessed tonight, the middle school basketball season is upon us, ready or not. Last Friday, my son tells me that practices will begin: 6:45am - 7:45am. And with that news, I decided to welcome the end of daylight savings - I can go to bed earlier and with ease since it gets dark at 6pm-ish. We have to wake up at 5am, to leave by 6am, to get to practice by 6:30am - because, you know, punctuality is essential to a 10 and 12 year old. And since I have to leave the Island to go to their practice in town - its not like I can zip back to my house. I've decided to use their practice hour and turn it into my yoga study/ practice hour. Everyone is happy all around! If I've learned anything as parent, at this point in my journey, it’s that you gotta get creative with schedules! November always sneaks up on me, because I spend the last half of October gearing up for Halloween. And let me tell you! Halloween on the Island DID NOT DISAPPOINT! On the contrary - it blew my freaking mind! First of all, my family was worried no one would come to our Halloween party because it was out here on the Island. Second of all, they were worried that trick-or-treating in the neighborhood
might not be up to par. WE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE WRONG! This year's Halloween party turned out to be one of the biggest parties we have ever hosted AND the trick-or-treating experience was off the charts! We took a huge group of kids, all different ages, to the infamous Hawksnest Bay and Eaglesnest Bay loop (it was within walking distance of our neighborhood). In all my years of expert trick-or-treating, I have never witnessed such a sight. It was like Mardi Gras on the Island or the Carnival of Brazil. The decorated homes, interactive haunted houses, lit-up golf carts, blaring music, candy treats for kids and shots for adults - oh my! I think I danced my way up and down the streets in my nun's outfit, with my husband at my side in his monk's outfit - we were two kids at heart, having just as much fun, if not more than, the huge group of kids we were with! This October 31st will go down as THE best Halloween on record - and the only way to shatter the record is to do it all over again next year! I'll be ready! November arrived quite nicely - with some cool air and gorgeous weather - and it is time to embrace the changing of the seasons. I think Christmas will be just as exciting and colorful as Halloween - so I'm looking forward to our first coastal holiday celebration. The school year keeps advancing toward holiday breaks, the sports teams are in flux, it’s time to buy a new wetsuit or two, and yoga is back into focus for me, as well the continuance of my running routine. So who knows how November arrived on my doorstep - but I'm happy to welcome it in!
Island Obituary
Dan Winship Was an Active Islander
The reason we have adopted this property is because of the lack of services available for its maintenance and upkeep. We value the freedom we experience at Burner Beach and feel that this section of beach is one of the few places remaining on the Wild Coast where the community can come and experience Texas in its natural state. We prefer community participation and responsible use over law enforcement due to the relative lack of funding available for public works projects. The culture of use, however, needs to change in order to protect the wild nature of the property. Our goal is not to change what folks do when they come out to Burner Beach, but how they do it. As we transition to a state of sustainability on our beach, we are happy to help continue to clean it up. Furthermore, we will always be fighting the shore wash debris, so that job will never end. Below is the overall mission and strategy for the Burner Beach project. Below that is the strategy we have adopted to clean and maintain the shooting range.
of tanks for cleanup. BWB may provide ancillary services for surrounding area.
Phase 2: Maintenance and Upkeep Shoreline- carve up shoreline into smaller chunks for management. Decide units of measure. Decide if more trash cans are needed. Contact stakeholders and develop overall management system. The goal is to have in place a plan that covers all GLO property accessible to common use. Determine normal use patterns to identify peak use times. Dunes – Establish a maintenance and spotting cycle for the 4 x 4 track in the dunes including normal stopping points. Determine normal use patterns to identify peak use times. Coordinate with local use groups to facilitate transportation of participants to satellite event sites for targeted cleanups such as abandoned camps. Shooting Range – establish a maintenance and spotting cycle for large debris brought in
BWB Stages of Growth of Burner Beach Mission To remove all trace from the GLO property by changing the culture of use to a sustainable state by hosting hybrid cleanup/celebration gatherings and imparting sustainable cultural values to our local populace by behavioral modeling and establishing a grassroots organization of folks to maintain and clean the beach and surrounding property and to utilize community resources in order to remove all trace of trash and debris from the Texas General Land Office North Padre Island Kleberg county property in order to remove the burden of maintenance from public resources.
for target practice. Establish trash flow model and discuss the potential for the addition of educational signs and shell receptacles. Establish cycle of cleaning duties. Determine normal use patterns to identify peak use times.
Phase 3: Continuous Improvement Shoreline: Establish ownership of parcels of beach to various organizations. Reinforce maintenance cycles with social media. Reinforce education signs on access roads with behavioral modeling. Dunes: once stabilization has occurred, we are done here. Traffic into the dunes should be limited to emergency removal of tide-driven debris. Place signs near high use points for education of trash removal. Shooting Range: installation of receptacles and signs. Adopt out maintenance cycles to use groups and monitor success.
Itinerary for Shotgun Shell Roundup Dan Winship, 78, beloved husband, father, grandpa, passed peacefully from this life on November 3, 2014 with his cherished family by his side. Born July 6, 1936 to Wilfred La Delle Winship and Margaret McGahhey Winship, Dan was a native Corpus Christian and graduated from W.B. Ray High School in 1953. Dan went on to receive his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Texas A&M University in 1957 – GIG ‘EM! Dan was an active member of the local business community, owning and operating Clarkwood Lumber Company and Winship Construction, Inc. from 1959 to 2009, helping to build Corpus Christi into the city it is today. Upon his retirement from Winship Construction, Inc., Dan remained active operating the family cattle and hay production ranch near Hondo, Texas, and maintained his real estate broker’s license for over 57 years. Dan Winship was very involved in numerous civic organizations throughout his lifetime. He served as the fundraising chairman for the Port Aransas Art Center, helping to raise over $300,000.00 for their building fund. Dan was also active in fundraising for the Gulf Coast Council of the Boy Scouts of America for over 20 years, and also served as Council fundraising chairman for one of those years. He served on the City of Corpus Christi Zoning Board of Adjustment for seven years, and fulfilled the role of chairman for two years. Dan served on the Nueces County Hospital District Board, 2009-2014. Dan was president of the Corpus Christi Jaycees, 1969-1970, and president of the JCI Senate, 1971-1972. He was a founding member of the Corpus Christi chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors, serving as president of that organization, 1985, and as a member of the National Board of Associated Builders and Contractors, 1983-1985. Dan was also a founding member of BACALA. Dan was a Rotarian, past member and president of the West Corpus Christi Rotary Club, and started the Rotary Club of Padre Island in 2001, where he maintained his current membership. He served as chairman of the Rotary International Polio Plus Campaign, 1986-1992, helping raise funds to eradicate
polio worldwide. Dan was a past elder at Parkway Presbyterian Church, and a founding and current member of Island Presbyterian Church. Dan enjoyed hunting, traveling – especially to Hawaii, with Karen, the love of his life, fine wine and a grilled steak, and spending time with his family and friends. He liked nothing better than to gather his family around the campfire at Dunlay, Texas during opening weekends of deer season as he grilled his famous spareribs. Dan was preceded in death by his parents, his sister, LaDelle Tuley, and son-in-law, Michael Lichtenfeldt. Dan is survived by his loving wife, Karen; four children, Debra (Bob) Coffman, Sheri (Grant) Hilliard, David (Darla) Winship, and Jennifer Belcher; six grandchildren, Whitnee Winship, Stephanie Gibson, Nathan Hilliard, Haleigh Belcher, Ashley (Lupe) Valadez, and Brittany Hilliard; four great-grandchildren, Noelle Gibson, Brayson Sutton, Arielle Hilliard, and Lachlan Valadez; two sisters and one brother, Virginia Jordan, Andrea Gibbud, and Ashley Winship; and numerous nieces, nephews, and close friends. Visitation will be 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, November 7, 2014 at Seaside Memorial Funeral Home, 4357 Ocean Drive, Corpus Christi, Texas 78412. Funeral Service will be at 12:00 noon, Saturday, November 8, 2014 at Island Presbyterian Church, 14030 Fortuna Bay Drive, Corpus Christi, Texas 78418, with the Reverend Michael Doane officiating. Graveside Service immediately following at Seaside Memorial Park. Casual “island attire” per Dan’s request. Pallbearers will be Nathan Hilliard, Chris Stiegler, Loyd Neal, Art Oswald, Jerry Allen, Norman Ransleben, Jim Kaelin, and Bob Parker. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Port Aransas Art Center, PO Box 1175, Port Aransas, Texas 78380, a cause close to Dan’s heart. Later, alligator – after while crocodile! To view tribute, seasidefuneral.com.
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This mission will be accomplished in the following way: • By inspiring change in the culture of use to a sustainable state by hosting hybrid cleanup/ celebration gatherings involving community partners, stakeholders, as well as Burning Man attendees • by installing appropriate infrastructure such as trash collection barrels and signs to promote a remove all trace philosophy and shape usage areas to control for spread of litter • by promoting and imparting sustainable cultural values to our local populace by behavioral modeling remove all trace values during standard use and during cleanup events • by establishing a grassroots network of volunteers capable of delivering maintenance and upkeep services though communication, documentation and replication of events • by defraying cost of service provision by engaging community partners, pooling resources and leveraging personal resources of volunteers to execute the mission in a low or no-cost manner.
Phase 1: Stabilization Identification of Problem Areas • Glass in the Bowl – separate sand from glass, remove glass, replace sand. • Using a conveyer system, we will separate all the detrius 12 inches in depth • The entrance to the bowl will be sectioned off into 10 foot sections to be done one at a time. • Trash will then be moved to a staged dumpster • Burnables will be burnt • Recyclables will be recycled • Shore Wash – constant accumulation of trash from wave action and participants. • Abandoned Truck – cut apart and remove
PADRE ISLES PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS OPENINGS 3 Board positions are up for election for a 3-year term. Statements of why you want to be on the Board need to be in to the POA office by November 15, 2014. Questions? Call - 949-7025 or maybeth@pipoa.net
• Bulky Items Removal- Couch, lazy-boy, bed springs, boat. • Shooting Range- Remove all shell casings and rusted metal targets. • Petroleum Tanks – Work in Progress- GLO is coordinating with previous contract holder
This project will be a series of smaller cleanups scaling up to a large cleanup, then a series of infrastructure based events to shape the use of the property. During these events, we will reach out to local users and behaviorally model sustainable use. Stage 1: Sorting (1)- during these events, we will gather the trash into piles and begin sorting it to type. Larger trash will be selected first. Some removal of bulk items, but the focus is on gathering and sorting. In addition, spaces will be cleared for camping during the cleanups of all debris. (COMPLETE) Stage 2: Sorting (2) - during these events, we will focus on the smaller debris scattered throughout the property. This debris will also be sorted to type. We will then repurpose what items we can for donations to various art projects. (COMPLETE) Stage 3: Dumpster Installation and mass removal. A dumpster will be dropped and we will fill it up. We will burn whatever burnables there are as well. This will be a larger event. will have a bobcat on hand to patch some holes in the road with the piles of gravel out there already. (Still need bobcat service) Stage 4: Hard screening. During this event, we will focus on thoroughly removing all small debris. Bits of plastic casing, etc. Remove all trace will be achieved. Stage 5: Celebratory gathering. Welcoming the stranger, once again. Doing what we do. Fun!
A6
November 6, 2014
Island Moon
More Known about Life in Gulf of Mexico Than Ever Before Gulf of Mexico Info Collection Reaches 18 Terabytes More than 2,400 researchers from 214 institutions have collected more than 18 terabytes of data from more than 200 scientific studies investigating life in the Gulf of Mexico. All of these studies, experiments, publications and datasets are part of the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative Information & Data Cooperative (GRIIDC), allowing for Gulf researchers to collaborate in a way that’s never been done before. “We have research on burrowing clams with hydrocarbon traces; jellyfish with a high tolerance for crude oil toxins; zooplankton that react to oil dispersants; gulf killifish with altered reproduction habits from environmental stressors. And that’s just the beginning,” said Dr. Jim Gibeaut, Endowed Chair for Geospatial Sciences at the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, and the director of the data cooperative.
The legacy of data and one-stop site Perhaps most valuable in times of crisis, the database, allows researchers quick access to existing data. “The first thing a scientist wants to do when a disaster like the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon spill hits is find out what we already know about the area of impact,” Gibeaut said. “Well, that means seeking out studies and data housed at different institutions, or, in some cases, not available online at all. This database is greatly improving that data discovery process” With all the research in one spot, scientists and on-the-ground responders will be able to review what’s worked in the past quicker, and use that knowledge to make a more informed plan to mitigate a spill’s impact. Collecting the raw data from more than 200 scientific investigations means the information is readily available for other scientist to review, and use as a springboard for new, innovative projects. For example, all the information collected on how oil dispersants react and affect the ecosystem could be analyzed by researchers working to develop a more environmentally friendly household cleaner. “The data we have could be the key to something we haven’t even thought of yet, something with an impact even larger than the Gulf of Mexico region,” Gibeaut said. The data cooperative is a project of Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI), a 10-year independent research program established in 2010 through a $500 million commitment from BP to understand, respond to, and mitigate impacts of petroleum pollution on the environment and public health. “This database is promoting continual scientific discovery, raising public awareness of gulf research, and creating a process by which the information is shared and archived, as a legacy for future researchers,” Gibeaut said. Another expected outcome of the more than 18 terabytes of data is informing governmental leaders and future ocean policies. “Science-based policy is a goal of the leadership at HRI,” said Dr. Larry McKinney, HRI Director. “It’s imperative that our state and national leaders understand what is happening in the Gulf ecosystem, and use this type of data to make the best policies that allow for a productive and healthy Gulf.” The data repository for research into the impacts from the oil spill covers a wide range of scientific disciplines, including: •
ecology,
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biology,
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chemistry,
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physical oceanography,
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atmospheric science,
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human health,
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sociology,
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cultural studies,
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political science, and
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economics.
Key is Data Sharing “Sharing data early in the process is a shift in thinking for many researchers, but it helps the research community in many ways,” Gibeaut said. “GRIIDC is helping to lower the barriers that have caused hesitation previously in regard to such sharing.”
Come Fly a Kite
November 12, 2014 “Pathways Day”
Your Pathway to Adventure Awaits You
2014 Kite Festival This Saturday Sometimes getting fit starts with just getting outdoors, moving around and having fun…like flying a kite in the park! Join us at Cole Park on Saturday, November 8th from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for the 2nd Annual Kite Festival. The Mayor’s Fitness Council is partnering with a local group of kite enthusiasts to bring you this FREE event! It will feature stunt kite flying demonstrations by Carter Tate, a visit from Izzy and the Islander Athletics and Cheer team, dance demonstrations from Cinderella School Dance and Corpus Christi Brazilian Capoeria, fitness routines by Rec Sports Fitness, a set by the Moody Jazz Ensemble, and music our friends at CC3 productions. In addition, attendees will have chances to win prizes such as gift certificates, Ice Ray tickets, fitness bags and equipment, t-shirts and more!
The grand opening for the Aransas Pathways Pavilion and Bridge will be held on Wednesday, November 12 at 10 a.m. It will take place at 2491 Hwy 35 North (Walmart entrance next to Tule Creek) in Rockport. Finishing touches are now being done on the project. The Aransas Pathways Steering Committee, and other volunteers have worked diligently on the (long awaited) project and it is now open for visitors and citizens alike. Pathways is pleased to announce the completion and grand opening of the pavilion and bridge at Tule Creek. This facility will function as the trailhead for Pathways eco-tourism projects in the Aransas County”, says Co-Chair De McLallan. The project has been a labor of love for many county residents. Tom Callan, also Co-Chair of the project says “More and more often we hear good things about Pathways from visitors and residents. It just goes to show what a great team of volunteers can accomplish. I appreciate every one of them”. The pavilion, called “Pathways Center “is to be the principal information center for all of the Aransas Pathways projects. These include: Birding; History; Kayaking; and Hiking and Biking Trails. “Pathways Center” houses informational kiosks with interpretive signage explaining each Aransas Pathway project, with an open space for meetings and events. There is also a deck for relaxing and observing Tule Creek, and the adjoining Shellcrete Birding and Nature site. The bridge connects the North and South sides of Tule Creek and the nature site. According to John Strothman, who is the Project Manager for Aransas Pathways, “After 38 years in the Construction Industry, this Pavilion and Bridge has given me more of a sense of pride than any other project than I have ever worked on”
Don’t have a kite? Not a problem as supplies will be provided in the kite making area and kites will be available for purchase, as well. Parking in Cole Park is very limited. The Regional Transit Authority (RTA) will be offering a free park and ride from the First Baptist Church on Ocean Drive starting at 11:00 am. Don’t get caught up in traffic, park your car and ride the B down to the festival! Everyone is encouraged to make this a family event. Pack a healthy picnic and join us in Cole Park! For more information about the event and schedule of activities, visit www. ccmayorsfitnesscouncil.com. The Corpus Christi Parks & Recreation Department is dedicated to providing quality, affordable, enrichment programs for all ages and interests. For more information about the wide variety of programs and services offered by the department, visit www. ccparkandrec.com. We invite everyone to Live. Learn. Play!
Caring for our Coast
Nueces Delta Preserve November 15
Paint for the Pups!
Fundraiser for Riley P. Dog Park Friday, November 7
Join CITGO and Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program to restore the eroded Nueces Delta Preserve. Together, we'll rid the area of invasive species, plant native vegetation and promote conservation along the Coastal Bend bay on Saturday, November 15, starting at 9 a.m
We're having our first fund raising event and would love to see you there!
Directions to the Nueces Delta Preserve, 3410 HWY 77 Odem TX 78370. Take HWY 37 North past Labonte Park. Merge onto HWY 77 North (Exit 17). Go approximately 2 miles and look for Gatz Rock Yard. Turn right just past the rock yard into the Nueces Delta Preserve. You will go through an archway that says McGregor Ranch.
On Friday, November 7, from 7-9 p.m. P.I. Dog will have a fundraiser for the Riley P. Dog park at Crazy Picasso, 7602 Staples. The event will feature paint by numbers art work with a dog bone motif. The group is raising money to build a dog park on The Island and this event is a fun way to do it. You can to the Crazy Picasso website to register, call at 993-9600, or simply show up. It is a BYOB event and each participant will be able to take home their painting to enjoy.
“Tis Tamales Season” Additional cooking demonstrations will be offered based on demand.
Rockport Film Festival
The Corpus Christi Parks & Recreation Department’s Cultural Services Division invites you to attend one of its Tamale Cooking Demonstrations to be held in the Galván House at Heritage Park.
International in scope, but local in flavor! The 8th Annual Rockport Film Festival is celebrating the growing power of cinema on the Texas Coast and some of the best and awardwinning independent filmmaking from Texas and around the world.
3 demonstrations will be offered as follows: • Wednesday, November 19, 2014 from 10:30am–noon • Wednesday, November 19, 2014 from 6:00pm–7:30pm
The three-day festival, endorsed by the Texas Film Commission, features 40 award-winning short films, longer features, animations, documentaries, and student films that highlight talent from Texas, all over the country and world.
• Saturday, December 6, 2014 from 10:30am–noon Join Sandra Vásquez, inventor of the “Mas Tamales” Masa Spreader, as she demonstrates how to make Tamales more efficiently with the help of a modern gadget. Sandra says that, “Tamale cooks can spread masa on a dozen cornhusks in about a minute.” Let Sandra show you the quick and easy way to prepare tamales, and to learn more about tamales, visit her Web site at www.tamalespreader.com. Come join us at our Tamalada demonstration and enjoy some tasty tamales. Don’t miss this one. Sign up now. Cost is $8 per person and includes the demonstration, recipes and food samples. Reservations are requested as seating is limited; call 361-826-3417 to reserve your space.
This year’s three main features include Boyhood, filmed over 12 years with the same cast, which is groundbreaking story of growing up as seen through the eyes of a child named Mason (a breakthrough performance by Ellar Coltrane), who literally grows up on screen before our eyes with parents/actors, Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette. Hellion features Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul in a riveting drama about a hard-drinking Texas single Dad struggling to raise two boys who turn to motor cross. Dogs on the Inside follows the relationship between homeless dogs and prison inmates as they work together toward a second chance at a better life.
The Cultural Center is located in the beautifully restored Galván House in Heritage Park at 1581 N. Chaparral. Hours of operation are Monday through Thursday, 9am – 5pm, Friday 9am – 2pm and Saturdays by appointment. For more information, call or visit the Corpus Christi Parks & Recreation Department’s Cultural Center at 361-826-3417, www.ccparkandrec.com (click ‘Arts & Culture’).
The event runs Thursday, November 6 – Saturday, November 8, Rockport Cinema 4 - 2702 Highway 35N - Rockport, Texas. Block Ticket - $10 (any one film block); VIP Pass - $100 (admission to all film blocks and events); Red Carpet Party Tickets - $50 (includes reception and outdoor screening that night). Ticke available online, at the Rockport Center for the Arts or by calling (361) 729-5519
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Sharing data allows for opportunities to review results of others for verification and to use existing data in new and innovative ways for new research opportunities, he said. It also preserves and collects data over time and from various sources and locations. And it can save money and time, as all the data is online in one place, researchers don’t have to redo data collection or search far and wide for the information. While researchers are the target audience for the database, an interactive tool lets interested members of the public find out what research is happening in their areas simply by highlighting the area on the homepage map.
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November 6, 2014
A7
Island Moon
Backwater Adventures By Joey Farah
Farah’s Fishing Adventures
Time Marches On
On the Rocks By Jay Gardner
It just seems like last month that I was seeing the change of seasons fall into last winter, yet we are well into this year’s cool down already. I recently took my son and friend and explored the San Juan Mountain Range in search of elk. We saw some of the most beautiful and majestic country you could ever dream of. We hiked and hunted the rugged back country and saw most every kind of wildlife big and small. The leaves were changing colors and many times we would catch ourselves staring without a sound into the tops of the trees. The winds rustling the Aspen leaves sounded like the endless waves crashing against our beaches, as the yellow leaves rained down on us in slow motion. We ate our lunches along wild creeks and drank pure mountain water. I couldn’t imagine a more beautiful place
Big reds are still hunting the Upper Lagoon and thick over the rocks in Baffin Bay
anglers at all the piers and along the Jetties catching good boxes of sheep head, drum, whiting, and pompano. The best times are at first and last light and at night along the piers. Small to keeper sized trout are hitting along the private docks under the lights. In the Laguna Madre’ the use of live shrimp is difficult because of all the pin perch still in the grass flats. The best technique is soft plastics, drifting the flats casting into the clear waters at sand spots is very relaxing. The consistent action for trout and reds is great, and some very good quality as well. The best baits have been natural colors with bright tails. The flats of the Boat Hole, Karen Richter with a MONSTER JACKFISH from Laguna Shores, and the edge of the Rocky Slough. This is a amazing catch with light ICW have been very consistent for us tackle and #10lb line and a lot of fun. Start on the edge of the channel at first light for a good two hours of solid action. Drift or use your until I returned home. We drove across the JFK Causeway just as the Texas sun melted into the trolling motor to work baits just off the drophorizon, at that moment I came to realize that I off. Then as winds pick up move to long drifts had not seen a sunset in ten days. We watch the across the flats. sun sizzle into the Laguna Madre’ every day out here on the Island, up there it drops down behind the mountains. Here at home the colors of the sky are marbled in crimson, gold, yellow, and blue. The rays of the sun shoot through the sky for what seems like eternity. I understand why so many Native Americans would travel long distances to bury their loved ones along the Ocean. It is truly a magical place that when just as the sun touches the horizon over the water at first and last light, it releases our souls. It is good to be home and even better to be blessed to be on the water fishing with so many great people.
vetted through the Committees, City, USACE and TxGLO, I believe that there are several options that can be looked at that will slow the blow sand going into the channel. Stabilizing the area with vegetation is the highest solution on my list, however the repercussions of how that is accomplished may raise some hackles. We’ll see what shakes out at the meeting late next week. Management of this stretch of beach is going to require a comprehensive plan that takes into account a lot of dynamic pieces and parts. I believe there is an answer out there that will make at least some people happy. What’s that phrase, if no one is completely happy, but no one wins, then the conflict resolution found a happy medium? I can’t remember how it goes.
Last week I wrote about Amendment 40 and the Gulf Council’s vote and actions regarding charter boats (Catch for Hire, or CFH) almost dictating new policy that affects us private recreational anglers who have been basically pushed out of the game. The CFH boats may have hit a stumbling block right out of the chute that many of us saw coming. Amendment 40 didn’t create a new sector and magically grant them their own TAC (total allowable catch, or basically days at sea DAS) what it did was cut the recreational pie from 1/8th to 1/16th; no one gets any more fish. Basically, the NMFS iterated that if Gulf states go non-compliant with their state water seasons, then the entire TAC for the Gulf may be caught before the opening of the federal season. A 0-day federal season STILL means that CFH will still have a 0- day federal season. Amendment 40 and all the effort that went into it to create a new sector may have all been for naught. I think, however, that the Council may get creative and do something like remove the 20% overage buffer and 20% discard buffer and grant the CFH a consolation prize for playing the game, which will give them a few DAS. Time will tell what happens, as there are a lot of pieces still in the air on this issue. I hope that we locals get more than one (1) day to fish for snapper in federal waters over the next year. Stay tuned as things develop.
Black drum are good under popping corks in Baffin, but the bigger ones are in the Padre Island Canals The last few weeks have seen a dramatic
As I type this we’re about to get the first real good cool whack of the year. I hope this winter isn’t as brutal as it was last year, but I can already feel the chill in my bones headed this direction. However, there are some things to look forward to when its gets cold and blustery. Beachcombing actually is really good after these cold fronts, as it drops the water levels down and exposes shells you normally can’t get to. The weather runs people off the beach, and you can enjoy not being in a crowd. This should also FINALLY get rid of the sargassum as we’ve had a late season run of the stuff and crews up and down the coast had to get out the equipment one more time this year. In addition, the band of rain that moved through gave a nice
Flounder Bite
rise in the movements and catches of flounder. These thin skinned fish are some of the The Baffin Report best eating fish on earth, but they get cold easily and migrate to the deeper waters in and around Our fishing has been great on the windy days the Gulf passes for the coldest parts of winter. down south. The lack of pin perch allows us Their spawning time is now and anglers can find to fish with live shrimp over the rocks and them congregating along the edges of channels muddy bottoms with shrimp and popping where current is pushing bait into funnel areas. corks. The boxes have been full of trout, reds, They are best caught using small live baitfish drum, sheep head, and more. The windy days such as mud minnows, mullet, and perch. They are guaranteed action all day. The deeper water also take lures very well and can be easier to rocks are the best bet when the winds are light hook on soft plastics many times compared to and the shallow rocks when it’s pumping. Many live bait. Being an ambush predator they burry days we are throwing redfish back after we are up in the bottom waiting for a victim to swim limiting out. within range. With an explosive attack they fire up and grab the bait, they have big sharp teeth and hold and crunch the bait before they DUCKS DUCKS DUCKS actually swallow it. This is the hardest part of hooking them on live bait. Anglers rich in experience will let the fish hold the bait for up to a minute before they tighten up and set the hook. With artificial the hook set can come much faster. The best color by far for flounder is WHITE, small curly tailed soft plastics, and paddle tails are the top producer. Look for flounder in small swirls of Joey Farah IV on top of the world in Colorado current around points along the edges of the channel. All the docks and bulkheads along As you may have “heard” duck season is back. the Intracoastal Canal and the entire length of For many Island residents that are not water Packery Channel are great places to find them right now. The new laws are in effect, TWO fowlers the sounds of shot guns is disturbing. FLOUNDER PER PERSON UNTILL THE Good sportsman will respect both other hunters SECOND WEEK OF DEC. NO GIGGING and especially non-hunters. Both fishermen and hunters must share the waters around ROD AND REEL ONLY. us. Fishermen, if you see hunters set up in an The Upper Lagoon and Port A area, don’t fish within 300yds from them. The The fishing in Port A is turning on as well with presence of your boat will spook birds and it is not a good idea to be within shot gun range for safety reasons. Hunters, do not assume that just because you want to hunt a location you can overrule the fishermen. Sometimes I see anglers fishing and duck hunters roar up and spoil their fishing and begin to throw out decoys. The amount of work involved in building a quality duck blind is PLENTY. These duck blinds are set up in public areas, but they are privet property. If you are hunting have pride in your passion and take the time and skill to set up your own place to hunt. The best set up is to remain completely mobile and hunt where the ducks want to be. Be safe and kind to all sportsman on the water.
Keep those lines tight, and your hooks sharp!
Fall weather on the lagoon pulse of freshwater headed towards not only our lakes and rivers, but also to the bays and estuaries where it is needed. This should help shrimp, crabs, and lots of fish such as drum and trout have a great spawn this fall. Cedar Bayou being opened came at a really great time, and this will ice the cake so to speak on revitalizing that bay system. I also have a theory that these fall freshwater pulses also congregate tarpon around the passes due to the lower salinities bringing in their favorite baitfish, menhaden. I can’t wait to test my theory next weekend when the weather turns back around and we can all get back out On the Rocks.
Beach maintenance, sand on the seawall, and driving in front of the seawall is back at the top of the agenda on several City council committees. Understandably the seawall owners are frustrated with the inactivity surrounding any changes to the seawall getting buried with blow sand coming from the beach that the owners are responsible for cleaning up. This will likely require a unique solution. Then there is the blow sand from the accretion next to the Packery jetties that blows into the channel, thereby increasing maintenance dredging costs due to increased frequency and volume. While this issue hasn’t been fully
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Island Moon
SPORTS The Baseball Hot Stove League Sports Talk-Special to The Island Moon By Dotson Lewis Dotson’s note: When I was a kid, the only professional sport we took note of was baseball. When the baseball season was finished, the grown-up baseball fans in town would gather some place, usually the general store, around a fired up pot-bellied stove and talk baseball. Besides talk, there was much spewing, spitting and some “nipping” from a “brown-bag” container. The term is essentially an extension of the question, "What's cookin'?" since the offseason is the time period when teams concoct their plans and rosters for the next season. The "Hot Stove" is where those plans are cooked up. Or, it could just refer to the sort of stove used to heat rooms, which is the sort of stove that people would gather around during winter months. There is already much off-season baseball talk, so I have decided that I should add some fuel to the fire so here goes:
seasons in terms of his rate stats, Cuddyer has defensive limitations and injury questions that will also drag his stock down. He played in just 49 games in 2014 and will play next season at age 36. MLBTR’s Zach Links only pegged his free agent stock at $22 million over two years in his recent Free Agent Profile for Cuddyer. It does seem there’s a real chance that Cuddyer could come in significantly lower than $15.3 million on a one-year deal if he rejects, and the upside may not be much greater for him as a two-year deal may have been the realistic ceiling anyhow. Reports on whether or not any player will accept the offer should be filtering in over the next week, but those looking for a quick check of status can find links that are already filtered to show only free agents that have received the QO, and their status will change from “Received” to “Rejected” or “Accepted” upon a decision being reached. The U.S. Government Says New York Yankees Star Alex Rodriguez Gave His Cousin Nearly $1 Million Last Year To Keep Secret Rodriguez's Use Of Performance Enhancing Drugs. Is ARod still around? Here is the latest on that sordid tale.
ARod (Alex Rodriguez)
Pot-Bellied Stove Twelve Free Agents Receive Qualifying Offers Tuesday marked the deadline for players to receive one-year, $15.3 million qualifying offers, and after nine players receiving a “QO” in 2012 and 13 players receiving the offer last offseason, 12 players have been extended a qualifying offer by their teams in 2014. They are: Max Scherzer (Tigers), Victor Martinez (Tigers),David Robertson (Yankees), Melky Cabrera (Blue Jays), James Shields (Royals), Hanley Ramirez (Dodgers), Pablo Sandoval (Giants), Nelson Cruz (Orioles), Russell Martin (Pirates), Francisco Liriano (Pirates), Michael Cuddyer (Rockies), Ervin Santana (Braves) Should these players reject the offer and sign with a new team, their former team will stand to receive a “sandwich” round draft pick as compensation. Those new teams, in turn, will have to forfeit their top unprotected draft pick. If a player rejects a QO but ultimately re-signs with the same team, no draft pick shuffling occurs.
In court documents filed last week in Miami, federal prosecutors said Rodriguez made four wire payments totaling $900,000 between June 2013 and September 2013 to settle a threatened lawsuit by Yuri Sucart, who had worked as Rodriguez's personal assistant. The total value of that settlement could be nearly $2 million, when factoring in other elements of the deal such as a home, a car and insurance. Sucart, in a letter from his lawyer, threatened to expose Rodriquez's PED use if he wasn't given $5 million and a home. "Unfortunately for you, litigation with you over his employment agreement will reveal all of the duties you instructed Yuri to perform, so he can prove in court what he earned, what you owe him for services rendered and what you promised," Sucart attorney Jeffrey Sonn wrote in a proposed settlement letter to Rodriguez dated Dec. 18, 2012. The payments from Rodriguez to Sucart were revealed after the government said Sucart did not fully disclose his personal financial situation during the process that would determine if he should pay some portion of the costs related
There will be 11 protected picks in this year’s draft, as the picks of the teams with the 10 worst records are protected under the CBA, and Houston’s comp pick for failure to sign Brady Aiken is protected as well. The D’Backs, Astros, Rockies, Rangers, Twins, Red Sox, White Sox, Cubs, Phillies and Reds will all have their first-round selections ARod with wife & daughter-2013 protected. Those clubs will instead forfeit a second-round pick to sign a free to having a federal public defender. The agent with draft pick compensation attached. government said Rodriguez also paid Sucart Teams can sign more than one free agent who about $500,000 in salary from 2008 through has rejected a QO, as the Orioles did last winter 2013. in signing both Ubaldo Jimenez and Cruz. In Sucart, according to the documents, told the that instance, Jimenez cost the team its first- court he does not own a house or a car, but the round pick, while Cruz cost the club its second- government alleges that he does "pursuant to round selection. the settlement with Rodriguez." The players listed above will now have one Sucart, in that proposed settlement that week to decide whether or not to accept the stemmed from what he said was a wrongful QO and play on a one-year deal worth $15.3 termination by Rodriguez, asked for $5 million million, or instead to reject the offer in search of and a life estate for he and his wife. a larger guarantee on the open market. In return, Sucart offered continued silence The word “guarantee” is the key to that and even a willingness to remain Rodriguez's sentiment: while many will focus on whether or personal assistant if so desired. not the players can top that average annual value As part of the settlement, court records show on the free agent market, more often than not, a Rodriguez is also spending up to $300,000 to player is concerned primarily with maximizing the amount of money he can earn over his prime provide medical insurance for Sucart and his seasons. Few players are ever sold on the idea family for five years. He also provided Sucart of playing on a one-year deal when a multi-year with a 2009 Chevrolet Suburban and the right to guarantee can be had. Single-year contracts, stay in a home he owns for five years — with the on the free agent market, are often reserved for promise that the house, which lists Alexander older players who don’t know how long they E. Rodriguez as its owner, would be deeded wish to continue playing (e.g. Hiroki Kuroda to Sucart if the terms of the deal including last winter), players coming off massive injuries "preservation of confidential information" were (e.g. Corey Hart last winter) or players who all satisfied. have significantly underperformed in a contract year (e.g. Chris Young last offseason). Dotson’s other note: Sounds like fun in both While upon first glance it might make sense to areas. We will attempt to keep you posted; if suggest a player with a spotty track record, such you hear anything new, please let us know. Call as Liriano, should accept the offer, there’s more the Benchwarmers 361-560-5397 weekdays, downside for him in accepting than in rejecting. Mondays thru Fridays, 3-6 PM or contact me. Even if Liriano is faced with a cold market, he’d Phone: 361-949-7681 Cell: 530-748-8475 likely be able to find a one-year contract at an Email: dlewis1@stx.rr.com AAV (“annual average value”) north of $10 million, if not a one-year offer commensurate with the total sum of the qualifying offer, as Santana did last offseason when signing a oneyear, $14.1 million contract with the Braves. Whereas the downside in accepting is “settling” for a one-year deal a few ticks below the QO level, the upside in rejecting is finding perhaps a three-year deal that could more than double the guarantee he’d otherwise receive. This risk/ benefit calculus generally points toward testing the market. 2001Road Suntide Road Exit 7)Christi Corpus Christi 2001 Suntide (I-37 Exit (I-37 7) Corpus The one case for accepting in this year’s & 21 8 & 913 Dec. Sept.20 Sept.20 & 21 Nov. 8 &Nov. 9 Dec. & 14 13 & 14 class would be that of Cuddyer. Although a Saturday 9 to 5 Sunday Saturday 9 to 5 Sunday 9 to 4 9 to 4 solid veteran bat coming off a strong pair of
The Fix Was In
By Andy Purvis Special to the Island Moon
According to former boxer, Abe Attell, the 1919 World Series scandal that almost took down the National Pastime, was put into place by the notorious New York gambler, Arnold Rothstein and Joe Sullivan from Boston. Attell agreed to be interviewed in October of 1961, by “Cavalier” magazine. “The results of that fix,” said Attell, “were felt over two years and destroyed one of the greatest ballclubs (the Chicago White Sox), smashed the fortunes of their owner, and ruined the careers of eight pretty fair ballplayers.” Attell first met Rothstein in 1905. Abe was the first Jewish boxing champion in the U.S. and Featherweight champion of the world. Attell was known as the “Little Champ” and weighed all of 118 pounds and had held the title for 12 years. Abe eventually was beaten by Johnny Kilbane in 1912; he retired and went to work for Rothstein. A Boston-based gambler by the name of Joseph “Sport” Sullivan made it known that he wanted to meet with Rothstein. Arnold sent Abe Attell to find out what Sullivan wanted. Sullivan had been accused of “fixing” many different sporting events, including the 1903 World Series and several professional fights and auto races. Sullivan had also been seen hanging around the 1906 World Series. He was arrested in 1907 at the Boston Braves’ ballpark for gambling in public. Sullivan was arrested again in 1911, 1913 and 1914 for gambling. Sullivan was not, as the movie Eight Men Out seems to imply, some smalltown crook. Rothstein and Sullivan knew each other very well. Sport was treated as a hero by many other gamblers and recruited the services of exballplayer, “Sleepy” Bill Burns, and ex-fighter, Billy Maharg, to dig up dirt on current players. According to Attell, Sullivan’s two guys were seen playing pool with pitcher Eddie Cicotte and first-baseman “Chick” Gandil, both of the White Sox. In fact, Sullivan knew both Cicotte and Gandil as early as 1912. The true story of the fix will never really be known. Attell was to be Rothstein’s go-between with Sullivan and claims that Gandil, Cicotte and Sullivan all met at the Boston Buckminster Hotel to talk about fixing the 1919 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds. At this point, Abe was told by Rothstein the fix would never work and the deal was dead. But, according to Sullivan, plans were made and the list of players chosen to participate was approved. Gandil claimed he could get seven or eight players to participate, the fix was in. According to Abe in his interview, “I found out later that the players were asked to meet with Gandil in his hotel room on September 21, 1919. They agreed to throw the Series for $100,000 in advance to get even with owner Charles Comiskey, because he had cut their pay during World War I. Burns and Maharg were to deliver the money to the players,” said Attell. Joe Jackson did not attend this meeting but later found $5,000 under his pillow, which he kept. Sport Sullivan, while well-off, did not have access to $100,000 at that time, so he approached Arnold Rothstein who agreed to front the money. Baseball in those days was not as clean as others thought. In 1917, the racetracks around the country had been closed by the U. S. Government for the duration of the war, so gamblers started betting on baseball. There would become a nationwide network of baseball bookies. Bookies started asking a player who was pitching that day, how they were feeling, and if anyone was injured. Any inside information was just a short step away from tampering with the ballplayers themselves. All this info improved the gamblers’ odds of winning. There were many games that appeared to have been fixed before 1919. So the best of nine World Series was played with the Reds winning five games to three. Everybody knew the Series had been fixed, but Charles Comiskey refused to believe it. In 1920, the embarrassed White Sox owner; put up $10,000 for anyone who could offer evidence that the fix had actually occurred. This is when Billy Maharg spilled his guts to a newspaper man in Philly. This accusation became known as the “Black Sox Scandal.” When the Grand Jury made the names of the suspects public,
Sport claimed that he had been labeled the “goat” of the fix and admitted to handling several thousand dollars in bets, but had not been in on the fix. Sullivan was indicted by the Cook County grand jury on nine counts of conspiracy to defraud but was never arrested or appeared at the trial. Interestingly, Sullivan never even went to Chicago. According to Attell, Rothstein called a meeting with Sullivan and Abe. Attell was to go to Montreal, Canada, and Sullivan to Mexico. Rothstein was to also disappear, but did not. Instead Rothstein went to Chicago with his lawyer, William J. Fallon, and denied knowing anything about the fix and blamed the fix on Attell. Attell became angry and threatened to spill what he knew. Before Abe could be indicted, interestingly, all the
signed confessions by the ballplayers and all the records from the Grand Jury disappeared. How much it cost to steal all the Grand Jury evidence is anyone’s guess. The trial ended in an acquittal for all the defendants, yet the Commissioner of Major League Baseball, Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis, banned the eight accused players from organized baseball, for life. These players’ names are as follows: Claude “Lefty” Williams, Eddie Cicotte, George “Buck” Weaver, “Shoeless Joe” Jackson, Arnold “Chick” Gandil, Fred McMullin, Charles “Swede” Risberg, and Oscar “Happy” Felsch. Joe Jackson and Eddie Cicotte were the only two players that confessed to participating in the fix. The dirty players claimed they received very little money. Some said Bill Burns kept $30,000 for himself and bet against the White Sox. No one knows what happened to the rest of the $100,000. Billy Maharg never got his ten grand from Comiskey. The other ten clean players, including the manager of the White Sox, were each given a $1,500 bonus by Comiskey after the Series was over, for being honest. Abe Attell claimed his reputation was tarnished and that Arnold had made $350,000 on the fix. Rothstein got away scott-free and the aging Sullivan was barred from all ballparks and racetracks and slowly faded from public view. Then along came this pitcher, a big, ugly, overgrown kid from Baltimore by the name of George Herman Ruth. He began to take his turn at bat for the Boston Red Sox, but that’s a whole other story. He would become known as “The Babe.” Andy Purvis is a local author and radio personality. His newest book “Greatness Continued” in now available to order online at bn.com, Amazon, Google Books, Bookamillion, etc. You may also purchase all three of his latest books at the local Barnes & Noble Book store in Moore Plaza. All three books are also available in e-book format, Kindle, Nook, Apple I Pad and Kobo. Please visit www.purvisbooks.com for more info and leave a message in the guest section. You may also contact him at purvis. andy@mygrande.net and don’t forget to listen to Story Time with Uncle Andy on Tuesdays 5-6 PM and Dennis & Andy’s Q & A Session each Thursday night from 6-8 PM on ESPN 1440 KEYS.
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November 6, 2014 Photos by Miles Merwin, Ronnie Narmour and Jake Warner
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