st
Inside the Moon
41
Annual LA POSADA
Lighted Boat Parade
Classic Car Club A4
La Posada 2015 A5
Fishing A7
Moon on a Spoon A6
The
Issue 605
Island Moon
The voice of The Island since 1996
November 19, 2015
14646 Compass, Suite 3 Corpus Christi, TX 78418
Around The Island
Live Music A18
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Photo by Miles Merwin
Island Bald Eagle Stars in Trump Campaign
Kleberg Forest
By Dale Rankin editor@islandmoon.com Our first draft of history this week will record that this was the first week that started to feel like what passes for winter on our little sandbar. Mid-week found us in the throes of Chamber of Commerce Weather as we leave the gloom and doom predictions from the Weather Wonks behind and head into the weekend. When the temperature drops below 70 degrees we Islanders break out the winter gear, which consists of socks to go with our flip-flops and koozies turned inside out to keep our hands warm rather than our drinks cold. The National Weather Service warns of strong Rip Currents along our beaches through week’s end as swells with durations of 10-16 seconds between them bring conditions that produce the potentially dangerous currents. Waves from 4-6 feet are expected through the weekend riding on top of swells of 2-3 feet and should bring the surfers out. High tides are also expected especially between Bob Hall Pier and Port Aransas but not as high as those a few weeks back which pushed water to the dune line. High tides over the weekend make beach driving south from Bob Hall a journey in soft sand at the base of the dune line.
Daylight Saving yawns We have noticed a few more yawns gaping in Island faces of late as we all come to grips with Daylight Saving (no “s”) Time. The origins of this Time Shifter are up for discussion but if the rational was to save energy studies by the U.S. Department of Energy finds that it impacts energy usage by only 0.03% and in some states actually increases energy use. It certainly has seemed to decrease energy in we bleary-eyed Islanders. What we can’t figure out is if daylight is being saved where did it go? It’s still light when we wake up but it gets dark before Happy Hour. Fisherpersons trying to get on the water before dawn have to get up earlier, and surfers have to paddle ashore an hour earlier but no time is actually being saved. Mexico seems to be completely flummoxed by the time change. Even after finally adopting DST in 1996 it then allowed any town within twenty miles of the U.S. border to synchronize their time change with that of the U.S. while the rest of the country holds to a different schedule.
By Dale Rankin It all started with a call to the New Jersey Audubon Society in 2012. The voice at the other end of the line said, “This is Donald Trump and I want to do something for the birds at my golf course.”
Recent storms in the Gulf of Mexico shook loose timber from the Mexican shores and Gulf currents this week began delivering them to the beach in Kleberg County. As of mid-week large, whole, trees were still washing up. Crews from the Nueces County Coastal Parks Department have been monitoring the beach to keep driving lanes clear. Meanwhile, further south on the beach at the north end of Padre
Island National Seashore the new bollards which went up recently marking the entrance to the park have made it difficult for all but the most robust of four-wheel drive vehicles to get though as the deep, soft sand makes driving through the opening a dicey proposition. Any beachgoer whose vehicle can’t make the passage must drive the six miles back up the beach to the nearest access road and then drive back down Park Road 22 to enter the PINS beach.
SMA Food Drive Collects Half-Ton of Food Christmas Spirit and Giving Alive at Middle School
Next week is Thanksgiving so our deadlines will move up a day to Monday.
Jonathon Woods travels the country with his menagerie of twenty-eight birds; he has a total of sixty, which include eagles, hawks, vultures, falcons, and owls, eleven months out of the year doing his show called Extreme Raptors. When he’s not working he relaxes at his Island home of ten years. A native New Yorker he grew up on Fire Island and at 16 years-old began writing a column on birds for the Fire Island News.
La Posada 2015!
st
41
Annual
For full details see PAGE A5 in this issue.
Mark your calendars
It’s just about time to La Posada everybody , we’ll see you at the Kickoff Party and at Louis’s house. In the meantime, say hello if you see us Around The Island.
Photo shoot in Trump Tower
The La Posada season will kickoff on LA POSADA Lighted Boat Parade Tuesday December 1` with a party at Scuttlebutt’s and the lighted boat parades will follow on the weekend of December 11-12.
Two common sayings from Mexico come to mind: The Right Way, the Wrong Way, and the Mexican Way… and, So close to America so far from God. Incongruous as it may seem the La Posada Lighted Boat Parade is but four weekends away and Barefoot Mardi Gras a scant two months. Moon Mike used to say that Island Life is like a Seven-Layer Bean Dip at a La Posada Party; when things start out everyone kind of hangs out with the “layer” of people they know, but by the end of the evening the people and the bean dip are all mixed together in one big happy Island mosh pit. That Mike was a silver tongued devil and in this case we think his metaphor is right on target.
He was referring to the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster New Jersey and The Donald wanted to increase bird habitat there. The President of the New Jersey Audubon Society knew just who to call and a phone rang on The Island.
Students assist Corpus Christi Food Bank workers packing food donated by SMA students. Photo by Shannon Trial
La Posada Kick-Off in 2 Weeks! Registration Form, Schedule & Map Page A5
Woods traveled to New Jersey and set up habitat for various native birds on Trump’s golf course and began doing regular shows there. Trump,
who is a bird enthusiast, attended several and they became friends, often talking politics and Woods encouraged him to run for the White House, and that’s where things stood for the next two years. Then last August things changed. He was driving through wheat fields in Kansas when his agent called from New York.
Trump Continued on A2 Barefoot Mardi Gras February 6
7th Annual Parade and Party adds a Festival
Add a Little Cayenne to your Weekend & Leave the Shoes at Home! The Barefoot Mardi Gras returns on February 6, 2016 for a 7th year in a row on Padre Island raising money for Big Brothers Big Sisters and now the Island Foundation Schools. A Family Parade takes place along the beach off Park Road 22 between
Mardi Gras continued on A
By Brent Rourk It started slowly as most food drives seem to do. A can or two clunked in the bottom of a large container. It looked decidedly dismal for a day or two, but then slowly and surely the outlook changed. A container full and then two. More cans needed additional containers. As students entered SMA in the morning they cheerfully depositing cans and packages of nonperishable food for the Student Council sponsored drive to benefit the Corpus Christi Food Bank. Within two weeks, cans over-flowed near the entrance to Seashore Middle School. As an incentive, students were allowed to break the dress code if they donated 6 or more nonperishable food items to the drive. More than 150 students donated to the cause. On Monday the food bank gratefully picked up the food donated by giving
Food Bank continued on A15
A little Island history
The Russians are Coming!
Editor’s note: This is part two from a book from Islander Sheryl Palmer Wegmann’s book: A Sentimental Journey—the War Years. A book written as a tribute to her parents who belonged to The Greatest Generation. By Sheryl Palmer Wegmann My father, Leslie B. Palmer, B-17 pilot, was shot down in a raid over Bremen, Germany on November 29, 1943. He was captured and became a Prisoner of War at Stalag Luft 1 in Barth, Germany on the Baltic Sea. The Normandy Landing took place on 6 June 1944. Morale in the camp was high for a while, but soon after, the POWs suffered even more when provisions became critically short. Letters and parcels from home were extremely important to the well being of the POWs.
History continued on A15
Vapor rises from the compacted ice near the perimeter fence of Stalag Luft 1. The snow has been compacted by the feet of hundreds of prisoners walking around the compound next to the warning wire which they were not supposed to touch. The space between the double perimiter fence was filled with compressed barbed wire. Photo by Linn C. Stuckenbruck, May 1945
A2
November 19, 2015
Island Moon
Trump continued from A1 “Can you be in New York tomorrow morning?” “Not unless Donald Trump sends his plane,” he was joking, but soon found out it was in fact a shoot for Time Magazine in Trump’s New York office. Two days later he was in Trump’s 25thstory office, Trump lives on the top three floors of the 78-story Trump Tower, with his American Bald Eagle Uncle Sam.
Woods, Trump, and Uncle Sam on the campaign trail
Ann Weber and her bridge buddies play Wednesday afternoons at Cancun
“Forget it, this is not going to work,” he said.
Dumped
“Come on Mr. Trump, this is going to be an iconic photo,” Woods said, as he wrangled Uncle Sam with one hand as he returned Trump’s hair to its designed form with the other.
Woods later made a swing through the Midwest with the Trump campaign where he did the opening remarks in a rally in Oklahoma City and appeared with Trump in Des Moines. For now Woods is back on The Island for his one month per year off watching the Presidential race and waiting to see what it may hold for him and Uncle Sam.
The owner of an old refrigerator and a jet ski that has seen better days decided to dispose of their unwanted items by dumping them along Park Road 22 in Kleberg County. If anyone knows the owner of the jet ski with this registration number let them know where to pick up their property.
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Things got off to a bad start when Uncle Sam, who has a wingspan of six feet, slapped Trump across the head causing his carefully coiffed hair to fly in several directions for which it was not designed.
In short order Uncle Sam settled into place on Trump’s arm and then posed for another shot with Trump sitting behind his desk and soon enough Uncle Sam and Trump were in Newsweek, a video of the phot shoot went viral, and a photo of Uncle Sam ended up in the New York Post.
Flo ur B luff Dr.
The plan called for Uncle Sam to sit on Trump’s arm for a photo but Uncle Sam was nervous that day. He is 27 years old now and was hit by a car in 1993 leaving him missing part of a wing and unable to return to the wild. In the past year he has lost the sight in one eye and, like many older folks, his balance isn’t what it used to be and perching on Donald Trump’s arm somehow didn’t seem like such a good idea.
Old Photo of the week: Padre Island circa 1975
Storage iS our buSineSS! offiCe Hours:
(361) 937-8673
m-f 8:30-6:00
sat 8:30-5:30
10514 S.P.i.d.
November 19, 2015
Island Moon
Mike Ellis, Founder
Unpaid caregivers There are more than 3.4 million unpaid family caregivers in Texas. It is with pride that we extend our thanks to each one of them this November as we celebrate National Family Caregivers Month. Family caregivers are the meal givers, the medicine givers, the compassion givers. They help their loved ones bathe and dress, prepare meals, drive to medical appointments, assist with finances and much more. Some perform complex medical tasks like giving injections, managing complicated medications or cleaning wounds – often with little or no training. Many provide this 24/7 care while working full-time without a break.
Distribution Pete Alsop Island Delivery Coldwell Banker Advertising Jan Park Rankin Classifieds Arlene Ritley Production Manager Jeff Craft Contributing Writers Joey Farah Andy Purvis
Caregivers often sacrifice their time, money, and even well-being to ensure that their family member is given the ability to live comfortably in their home and out of costly institutions. But in the process, caregivers can sometimes lose sight of the importance of taking care of their own needs and are often taken for granted, despite the high value of care they maintain. The cost of care unpaid family caregivers provide in Texas alone is estimated to be $35 billion a year; and it’s $470 billion worth of care provided nationally. That amount is more than the annual sales ($469 billion) of the four largest U.S. tech companies combined (Apple, Hewlett Packard, IBM, and Microsoft).
Devorah Fox Mary Craft Maybeth Christiansen Jay Gardner Todd Hunter
At AARP, we believe family caregivers aren’t recognized nearly enough; they not only deserve our thanks, but they deserve our support. Caregiving is a labor of love, but it’s also often an incredibly time-intensive one. There is information about support, resources, as well as stories of hope and perseverance at aaarp.org/caregivers.
Dotson Lewis Ronnie Narmour Brent Rourk Dr. Donna Shaver Photographers Miles Merwin Jeff Dolan Mary Craft Ronnie Narmour Office Security/Spillage Control (Emeritus) Riley P. Dog
Publisher
Bob Jackson
Dale Rankin About the Island Moon
AARP Texas
Total circulation is 10,000 copies. Distribution includes delivery to 4,000 Island homes, free distribution of 3,000 copies in over 50 Padre Island businesses and condos, as well as 600 copies distributed in Flour Bluff, 1,400 copies on Mustang Island and Port Aransas businesses. News articles, photos, display ads, classified ads, payments, etc. may be left at the Moon Office.
The Island Moon Newspaper 14646 Compass, Suite 3 Corpus Christi, TX 78418 361-949-7700 editor@islandmoon.com Facebook: The Island Moon Newspaper
Where to Find The Island Moon Port Aransas Lisabella’s Restaurant Pioneer RV Park
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Isle Mail N More
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Brooklyn Pie Co.
San Juan’s Taqueria
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Wash Board Laundry Mat
Texas Star (Shell)
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Holiday Inn Jesse’s Liquor
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Scuttlebutt’s Restaurant
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And all Moon retail advertisers
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Stripes @ Cotter & Station
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Gratitude Gift Shop Keepers Pier House Port A Glass Studio The Gaff
Whataburger on Waldron Ethyl Everly Senior Center Fire Station Police Station Stripes on Flour Bluff & SPID
Padre Island Teen Keeping the Peace for Thanksgiving With Thanksgiving just around the corner, families are starting to come together to celebrate the holiday and give thanks for togetherness—but this isn’t always a happy time for the shy younger family members. We don’t know half of the people at our house, so we seclude ourselves in our rooms until the coast is clear and we can finally get at the scraps of the feast (or is that just me?). It’s hard to socialize with people you only see once a year, and it gets awkward when your loud uncle starts bringing up touchy subjects. “Is ‘vegetarian’ just another phase?” someone will ask innocently, or “Are you still single?’ or “I just don’t get politics these days…” and all of a sudden you’re in the spotlight. Avoid sticky situations by keeping a few prepared responses in mind. Relationship status can turn into a family affair; “Things are complicated right now, but I’ll try to keep you updated!” is a great response that shuts the inquirer down gently. Politics is a battleground that needs to be carefully avoided, along with any personal decisions that the family quite doesn’t agree with. Tiptoeing is always a good idea in a mine field, and with your entire family there, maybe pick your battles and stand up for what you believe in after they go back home. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, email me at PadreIslandTeen@ gmail.com.
There is no charge for this event, but each child is encouraged to bring an unwrapped new toy to share with a less fortunate child. This is also a great opportunity for a picture with Santa.
Business Briefs Cancun Seafood Bar & Grill is excited about their new menu that includes many new items including new pasta and seafood entrees. They still serve their popular specialty drinks and you can enjoy happy hour drinks 3 pm – 7 pm. It’s a fun place with friendly and professional staff and at this time of year lots of locals. Manager/owner Ceasar has come to know many of these locals and has helped make it the “where everyone knows your name” kind of place. Obviously, you can tell I'm a regular.
Business Briefs Padre Pizzeria now serves pizza by the slice for just $3.99 with one topping and 25 cents for each additional topping. You can add a salad for $2.50. On Wine Wednesdays they serve bottles of wine for half price and on Football Mondays draft beers are $1.99 all day. Padre Island Business Association president Rick Sowash advised me that there has been no final decision made on where the Taste of the Island will be held next year. Sonic will have half price cheeseburgers all day on Tuesday, November 24th. Whata-rumor – Farah’s owner Joe Farah wants it to be known that his place is not being bought by his neighbor Whataburger. In fact, his place is not for sale and has never been for sale since he had it built back in the 90s. The Annual PIE Thanksgiving Bake Sale is Tuesday, November 24th on the front porch of Keller Williams Realty 9 am – 1 pm. Proceeds from the sale go to the Padre Island Enrichment Club’s scholarship program for area students. The Padre Island Rotary Club is looking to add new members. Contact Linda Walsh, Secretary at lawalshva@yahoo.com or give her a call at 361-445-7999.
Caesar wearing one of his many hats behind the bar at Cancun Seafood Bar & Grill
Breakfast with Santa December 5 The annual Kiwanis club of Padre Island breakfast with Santa and Mrs. Claus is set for Saturday, December 5, 9 to 11 AM at St. Andrew by the Sea Catholic Church, 14235 Encantada.
by Mary Craft mkay512@aol.com or @padreeyelander on twitter
By Elizabeth Clark
Earlier this year, AARP worked with Texas lawmakers to encourage their support of the CARE Act, which would have helped family caregivers transition their loved ones from a hospital stay to their home. The legislation didn’t become law, but lawmakers boosted funding for home and community-based assistance that allows many seniors to receive care at home rather than in costly nursing facilities. Whether it’s at the Texas Capitol or in neighborhoods around the state, AARP will continue to advocate on behalf of unpaid family caregivers throughout the state. We also will continue to extend our deep gratitude for the many things that they do.
The Island Moon is published every Thursday, Dale Rankin, Editor / Publisher.
Did Ya Hear?
Letters to the Editor
Moon Monkeys
A3
The Padre Island Holiday Home Tour will feature six homes on Saturday, December 12th 1 – 5:00 pm. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the POA office or at the homes the day of the tour for $10. Padre Island Property Owners Association is hosting their first outdoor “Night at the Movies” on Friday, December 4th on the Schlitterbahn patio. The movie will be a classic family Christmas movie. There will be a hot dog and hamburger buffet including hot chocolate for $5. The event starts at 5:30 pm and the movie begins at 6:30 pm. The last brush set out for the year will be November 25 – 29.
The Back Porch ends its season on November 29th with their annual turkey bowling competition. Past winner, Moon Music Writer Ronnie Narmour who held the trophy for a year, says he's taking it home this year. They also have to get rid of all their alcohol so come help them.
The 2015 Second Annual Enchanted Forest Christmas Tree Auction Gala Benefitting Timon’s Ministries “Serving Hope with Dignity” By Linda Walsh The event will be held on Thursday, December 3, at Doc’s Seafood and Steaks lower level. Doors and bar will open at 5:00 pm, food will be set out at 5:45 pm and the Auction will begin at 6:30. The ticket price is $25.00 and will include 2 drink tickets and food, which will be Chicken Quesadillas, Seafood Gumbo, chips , salsa and queso, donated by Doc’s. So get there early and check out the auction items. Tickets can be purchased and picked up at Timon’s Ministries, or from Linda Walsh, Kae Berry, Norma Wright and at the door the evening of the event.
News from your POA By Maybeth Christensen The first Padre Island Property Owners Association night at the movies is set for Friday, December 4. The event is being held on the patio at Schlitterbahn. The movie will be a classic family Christmas movie. There will be a hot dog and hamburger buffet, including hot chocolate available for $5 per person. Doors open at 5:30 with the movie starting at 6:30. Looking forward to seeing a good crowd. If you are reading the MOON, you know La Posada is set for Friday, December 11 in the North channel and Saturday, December 12 in the South channel. If you are not invited to a house party along the parade route, the Yacht Club opens their area for viewing. The boats start at the boat ramp at Caravel and you can also watch from the boat ramp at Cartegena. This is truly one of the best events of the year.
We’re Number 1!
Corpus Christi Named Drunkest City in Texas
Our Program sponsor again this year is Doc’s Seafood and Steaks other sponsors are The Green Eyed Turtle, The Island Moon Newspaper and our Auctioneer Diane Hodges
The Moon Department of People with Too Much Time on Their Hands (actually the website 24/7 Wall St.) this week named Corpus Christi The Drunkest City in Texas.
As of this writing, we have 24 beautifully decorated Christmas Trees and 12 wreaths that will be auctioned off. The following is the current list of our generous tree and wreath donors: Padre Island Rotary, The Green Eyed Turtle, Timon’s Ministries Staff, Seashore Learning Center, Island Book Wine & Spirits, Island Presbyterian Church, Padre Island Moon, Flour Bluff Youth Football Gray Team, Blake & Rylan Sprayberry, Man O War Block Party , Atomic Omelet Surf Team, Experimental Aircraft Association, TRMC, Coastline Properties, American Bank, Shelby Cain, Brinns Lucky Duck, Padre Island Kiwanis Club, Alice Buckley and Lisa Shellenberger, Timon’s Board of Directors, Wind & Wave Surf Shop, and Keller Williams.
According to the site, “To identify the drunkest city in each state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the percentage of men and women who report binge or heavy drinking in each state’s metro areas. Metro level data was aggregated from county level data provided by County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute joint program. Health outcomes, including the number of potential life lost per 100,000 people due to premature death annually and the percentage of adults who report fair or poor health was also aggregated from county-level data obtained from County Health Rankings & Roadmaps. All data are as of the most recent available year.” So based on that criteria Here is what they found:
We will hold “Twas the Night Before Auction” Private Wine and Cheese Preview Party for all of the Donors of Trees and Wreaths and Sponsors on Wednesday, December 2, 6:00 to 7:00 pm at Doc’s.
operates on a zero budget and all proceeds are given to Timon’s Ministries, let’s top last years $11,000.00. Check us out at Timon’s Ministries on Facebook
Enchanted Forest Tree Challenge is an exciting addition this year’s Auction. Kicking this off is Scuttlebutts challenging The Burger Company. This could get very interesting. Patrons of each restaurant need to come out and support their favorite team by bidding on their respective trees, the restaurant bringing in the most dollars for their tree wins the bragging rights.
If you would like to become a sponsor or donor you can contact Linda Walsh at lawalshva@ yahoo.com and follow us on Facebook at Enchanted Forest and Christmas Tree Auction Gala for regular updates and the Island Moon. If you want to support our cause but not decorate a tree or wreath, you can make a tax free donation directly to Timon’s Ministries.
The proceeds from this event go to Timon’s Ministries to help them continue to operate their Resource Centers and the amazing programs they run and offer to the working poor and needy in our community. This fundraiser
Upon arriving you will be entering into a Magical Wonderland of Lights, Trees and Decorations of all types don’t miss this up and coming favorite Island Holiday Party. See y’all there!
Texas Drunkest city: Corpus Christi Pct of MSA(Metropolitan Statistical Area) adults binge or heavy drinking: 27.5% Pct. of state adults binge or heavy drinking: 16.0% Pct of driving deaths alcohol related: 33.1% With about 16% of Texas adults reporting heavy or binge drinking, excessive alcohol consumption is not especially common across the Lone Star State. There is one glaring exception, however. More than one quarter of all adults in Corpus Christi report drinking to excess on a regular basis, a higher share than in all but three other cities in the United States. We think they must have visited The Island.
A4
November 12, 2015
Island Moon
Costa Sur Wins Seafood Challenge
Classic Car Club Starting on North Padre Island Enjoy Socials, Drives, Cruise-Ins, Shows, and Chats about Classics By Brent Rourk With curiosity (and pricing) in old, classic cars steadily rising, it is no wonder that interest has crested on the Island to create an Old Car Club. Finally, we have one. A handful of staunch, classic car aficionados have created such a club and are inviting interested Islanders to join.
The Island’s Costa Sur Wok and Ceviche Bar took the top honors at the Texas State Aquarium's sold out Seafood Wars: Challenge of the Champions on Tuesday, November 3. The event featured an informative presentation on sustainable Flounder fishing and some delicious Flounder recipe samples by three previous Seafood War winners. Costa Sur won the night over the Corpus Christi Yacht Club and Kris Busk of Shoreline Sandwich and Catering with a delicious flounder ceviche. Nicolas and Alonso Mackrizz looked comfortable, confident, and happy cooking and promoting their Island business. I spoke to another guest there who agreed that they were the best of the night. She added, "When we have out of town guests, we always bring them to the Island for dinner!"
Seeking More Cars The Padre Island Antique Classic Car Club (PIACC) is seeking more classic automobiles (and owners) to join the club and enjoy the planned activities. Specifically, the club is looking for more classic, antique roadster, muscle Alluring lines and curved fenders on this 1931 Ford cars, and pick-ups. Any car or truck older than 25 years contrast from the box like appearance of the old car. Photo by Brent Rourk qualifies. Contact Adra or Bob-O Campbell, founders, following dates, weather permitting: Saturday, at piaccarclub@aol.com or November 28th from 3-5 PM and Saturday, call 361-537-0766 for additional information. December 26th from 3-5 PM. The club is Club Beginnings considering making the ‘Cruise Ins’ a monthly Adra and Bob-0 Campbell became interested activity on the last Saturday of each month. in Antique Classic cars last summer while touring car shows throughout Oregon. After purchasing their 1931 Ford Model A Tudor Sedan, they joined Model A Restorer's Club of America (MARC), the Model A Ford Club of America (MAFCA), and the local Coastal A's and Rods Club which meets the first Tuesday of the month at Snapka's Drive-In on Leopard Street. They thought it would be fun to start an Antique, Classic, Roadster, Pick-up, and Muscle Car Club on the Island. Enthusiastically, the Padre Island Antique Classic Car Club was born. The club is in its infant stages with about 10 members interested in joining the first two weeks.
Take a Trip Back to the 60s Like taking a trip back to the 60s, the club will have a ‘Cruise In’ at the Island Sonic on the
Currently, the following cars are represented in PIACC: 31 Ford Model A, 57 Chevy, 66 Corvette, 67 MGB, 83 El Camino, a variety of Muscle Cars and 14 other Classics, Antiques, and Roasters. If you have a car 25 years or older, then consider joining this ‘classic car loving’ group of Islanders. PIACC is planning on making this a fun club that will include socials, drives, rallies, and car shows both on and off the Island. PIACC goals are to promote vintage automobiles and the pleasure of the sport, to share this interest with others, and to appreciate the camaraderie that goes along with showing, restoring, and preserving antique classic cars. The club also plans on meeting with other classic car clubs in Texas. Get gas in the ole car, put on your driving gloves, and enjoy driving your classic with other fun folks.
Aaron Jacob’s celebrated a Jack Daniels theme Birthday party at the Boathouse. He got a Jack Daniels guitar case and a pretty cool Jack Daniels birthday cake along with several bottles of Jack and a present wrapped in an Island Moon. Happy Birthday Aaron!
Now accepting new clients at our newly remodeled salon located at 14225 So. Padre Island Dr., Suite 6 The Isle of Avalon Massage & Day Spa offers a complete range of spa services. By a licensed massage therapist with nearly 20 years of experience. Come let your inner soul be pampered. Call 949-7900 to make an appointment.
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November 19, 2015
Island Moon
Stuff I Heard on the Island
A5
by Dale Rankin
2015 LA POSADA BOAT PARADE REGISTRATION Sponsored by the La Posada Foundation
Please print legibly ‐ ALL of the following information is required
NAME___________________________________________________________________ ADDRESS________________________________________________________________ PHONE with area code_______________________ CELL_________________________ E MAIL ADDRESS________________________________________________________ POWER________ SAIL________ BOAT NAME_________________________________ BOAT DESCRIPTION______________________________________________________ STATE REGISTRATION #___________________________LENGTH_______________ NAME OF INSURANCE COMPANY_________________________________________
It took me eleven years to finish this column (it takes forever to read one of these things…) The year was 2004 and as I was driving under the JFK Causeway I noticed a dilapidated, upon stilts building fighting a losing battle with the salt and wind along the then-unopened Packery Channel. The once proud old structure reminded me of a stray dog that spent too many nights in the rain but with just a little tender mercy could become something grand.
city limits offering plausible deniability of ownership to the main players. We went ahead with building plans while the parking lot was worked out but couldn’t build without knowing what the new parking lot would look like. The first drawings for the lot came back and called for sheet drainage of the entire lot into Packery Channel; in other words all the water in the lot would drain under our building. It took almost a year to get to a better plan. Finally it all came together about three years ago and we were starting to see some light at
Additional requirements:
CAPTAINS OR A VESSEL REPRESENTATIVE MUST ATTEND THE CAPTAINS' MEETING DECEMBER 10, 2015 AT THE PADRE ISLAND YACHT CLUB AT 7 PM.
ALL VESSELS MUST MEET STATE & FEDERAL SAFETY REQUIREMENTS. ALL VESSELS MUST HAVE A WORKING VHF RADIO. CAPTAINS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAFE AND PRUDENT OPERATION OF THEIR VESSELS. ONLY ENGINE-POWERED VESSELS ARE ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE. PARTICIPANTS ARE ASKED TO COMPLETE THE ENTIRE PARADE ROUTE FOR WHICH THEY ENTER.
Indicate Parade Area(s)/Dates in which you will participate: ______FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2015. GALLEON BAY/COMMODORES COVE Marshalling area at the entrance to Commodores Canal by 6:30 PM. Parade begins at 7 PM. ______SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2015. NORTH & SOUTH OF WHITECAP BLVD Marshalling area by the Caravel Drive boat ramp (north of Whitecap) by 5:30 PM. Parade begins at 6 PM. Instructions: Return this completed registration form Electronically to: Brent Rourk at brentrourk@yahoo.com or Brent Rourk 15606 Gypsy St. Corpus Christi TX 78418. Or deliver it to PADRE ISLAND MAIL PLUS, the PHARMACY at CVS or NORTH PADRE ISLAND ACE HARDWARE. You will receive a confirmation call after I receive your registration form.
Rich history I soon learned that the building had a rich history. The original building at the site was built by legendary Islander Louis Rawalt who moved to The Island shortly after World War I and later operated it as a bait and tackle shop with his son Charlie who at that time still had the lease. The business had been shuttered for about ten years at that point but the bulkheads and decks were still in good shape. The building sets on land owned by the Texas General Land Office and I began the process of attaining the lease which took about two years. I brought in a partner, a developer and architect from Austin who I had gone to graduate school with and the long permitting process began.
2015 La Posada Parade Routes
I soon found that there was an alphabet soup of state and federal agencies with jurisdiction there. The site is next to a highway, a navigable waterway, sea grass, bird sanctuary; all the things that make it a good spot that also make things complicated for permitting. But with the help of the good folks at the Texas General Land Office it got done.
Parking lot The last hurdle was a project to resurface the parking lot and replace the adjacent boat ramps. Planning on the project began in the late 1990s but by 2006 the process was stalled. The approval process was cumbersome and the funding was difficult. It seemed the area was nobody’s child; it was state land in the
the end of the tunnel. Maybe it would actually happen. Then disaster struck when my friend and partner died suddenly. The project went to the backburner as his family dealt with the tragedy. It was a very bad time.
Back to work But as time passed my partner’s son and I started talking and he wanted me to take over the property. Longtime Islander and friend David Perry had mentioned his interest in the project and this week we signed the papers and took over the property for the next thirty years. One central idea that has not changed in the eleven years since I first saw the property is that we need some charter boats on the Padre end of The Island to take visitors, and Islanders alike, on fishing trips and boat rides. North Padre Island has never, to my knowledge, had an ocean-going charter boat industry, or a Bay side boat either. Our goal is to change that. Our plans also call for a live music venue at the site once the property decks along Packery Channel are built. We are only now, finally, in a place to start looking for operators and partners
to make things happen there. What we have at the moment is fifteen boats slips on the Packery Channel that are available for use and a building that needs some TLC. I’m happy to say that after only eleven years we are open for business and we hope to make Mr. Rawalt proud.
Mardi Gras continued from A1 Whitecap Blvd and Bob Hall Pier. Parade starts at 11am. The Parade Judges Float will open the parade followed a few minutes later by color guard and Mardi Gras themed floats in different divisions like Float, Jeep and Golf Cart. Many colorful characters enter the parade making it a unique activity for friends and family.
La Posada Events for 2015 Dec. 1 La Posada Kick-off Party at Scuttlebutt’s Dec. 5 La Posada Foundation Golf Tournament – Schlitterbahn – Shotgun start 9:00 AM Dec. 5 Port Royal Christmas Tree Lighting Party – 6:00 PM at Port Royal Resort Dec. 9 Collector Boat Meeting – 7:00 PM Padre Island Yacht Club
Dec. 10 Parade Boat Meeting – 7:00 PM Padre Island Yacht Club Dec. 11 La Posada Lighted Boat Parade – 6:00 PM North Side Dec. 12 La Posada Lighted Boat Parade – 7:00 PM South Side Dec. 13 La Posada Brunch – presentation of toys and check to the Marines – 8:00 AM (open to PIYC members, Marines, and Parade Boat families).
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New this year is the Barefoot Mardi Gras Festival, a fun filled family event with Cajun music, food, drink, displays, exhibits, artists, children’s area, children’s stage and more! Admission is $5 with Kids 8 years old and younger FREE! An Adult Themed Party, The King & Queens Ball, will let the good times roll on the evening of February 6th from 7pm – 12am at the Veranda Restaurant & Bar at Schlitterbahn. Continuing a tradition begun the first year of the event Miss Neesie and the Earfood Orchestra will perform and a special menu of Cajun style food will be served. Signature Barefoot Mardi Gras drinks will also be available. Guests are encouraged to wear costumes. Dancing and a live video stream
from Bourbon Street in New Orleans will be part of the merriment. Attendees must be 21 years old and above. Tickets are $30 and available at various locations listed on the website - www.barefootmardigras. com. The event was founded as a fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters by Denise and Duane Ebert and has grown into a signature event for Padre Island. The Eberts asked the Padre Island Business Association to take on the management of the event and the two groups worked together in 2015. Added into the mix for 2016 is an Island charity that will also serve as a beneficiary, The Island Foundation Schools. And EM Marketing Company located on Padre Island, along with the newly appointed Barefoot Mardi Gras Board of Directors, Committee Chairs, numerous Committee Members and volunteers will all work together on producing the events. For further Information: Padre Island Business Association: 361-949-9498 info@ padrebusiness.org
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A6
Children especially vulnerable to ID theft, BBB warns
November 19, 2015
Island Moon
Island Chef
Island Moon On A Spoon
By Kelly Trevino, Regional Director, Better Business Bureau serving Central, Coastal, Southwest Texas and the Permian Basin As an adult, discovering that your identity has been compromised is a scary occurrence. Once identity thieves have your personal information, they can drain your bank account, run up charges on your credit cards and even file a tax refund in your name. Unfortunately, identity theft can happen to anybody – including children. Children are easy targets because they typically do not start using their information until early adulthood, when applying for college, loans or their first credit card. Child identity theft may be underreported by family members who may be linked to the fraud, as well as households in which individuals do not discover that they have been victimized until after they are 18 years old. According to a 2012 survey by the Identity Theft Assistance Center, one in 40 families with children under the age of 18 had a
least one child whose personal information was compromised. The survey also revealed that identity thieves most often steal children’s Social Security numbers because children seldom have a credit history. Better Business Bureau serving Central, Coastal, Southwest Texas and the Permian Basin encourages parents to regularly monitor their children’s credit report to prevent devastating damage to their future. Since November is National Child Safety and Protection Month, your BBB advises parents to protect your child’s identity by: • Safeguarding your child’s personal information. Keep your child’s personal identifiable information in a safe place, such as his or her Social Security card, date of birth and birth certificate. • Monitoring your child’s credit report. As soon as you get your child’s Social Security card, you should start monitoring his or her report. Request a free credit report from annualcreditreport.com. • Keeping anti-virus software updated. Some identity thieves create viruses designed to search computers for documents containing your child’s Social Security number. Try not to store important numbers or passwords in files or folders located on your computer. • Safely disposing of personal documents. Shred all papers that include your child’s personal information before you throw them out and delete computer files that you no longer need.
By Chef Vita Jarrin
Ahhhh… Thanksgiving Stuffing! To Stuff? Or not to Stuff? Every Thanksgiving meal has a plethora of side dishes. One of my all-time favorites is stuffing. Anything involving crusty bread soaked in juice, whether from a tomato bruschetta or gravy from a roast, has to be delicious. However, “stuffing” refers something that fills or is packed into something else. Now that we’ve gotten accustomed to serving “stuffing” in a casserole dish, are we really stuffing anything? Should we still consider this stuffing or dressing? Well it is known that centuries ago, stuffing the interior part of a bird, or animal, was a tradition many used to absorb all of the juices and flavor of the animal itself, in order to maximize the flavors and to maximize getting a full belly from something other than just the meat itself. However, over the years much controversy has been raised on reaching the appropriate internal cooking temperature-- making sure you are not at risk of eating undercooked meat or poultry. That’s how we ended up putting stuffing into a casserole dish rather than a turkey cavity (that and ensuring extras for leftovers). With this switch came the ability to get creative and try new things in your stuffing. Adding various
Italian Ciabatta Stuffing 1 lb. Loaf Crusty Ciabatta Cut in half and cubed ¼ C Extra Virgin Olive Oil for crusting up bread Salt & Pepper to taste on bread cubes ¼ C Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 lb. Mild Italian Bulk Sausage 1 C Onion diced 1 C Celery diced 1 C Carrot diced 1-14 oz can artichoke hearts chopped 1 pt. mushrooms sliced 1 bunch fresh spinach leaves, rinsed and chopped ½ tsp. black pepper 1 tsp. granulated garlic 1 tsp. granulated onion powder 1 tsp. Italian Seasoning mix Dash Nutmeg Dash Cayenne Pepper 1 C Walnuts chopped (optional) 1 C Parmesan grated ½ C Parmesan grated for topping the stuffing 1 C Shredded Colby Jack
For more consumer information, BBB Business Reviews or to file a complaint, visit your local Better Business Bureau online at bbb.org/central-texas.
2 Eggs beaten
Kelly Trevino is the Regional Director for the Corpus Christi office of Better Business Bureau serving Central, Coastal, Southwest Texas and the Permian Basin. Kelly is available for media interviews and speaking engagements. You can reach her by phone: (361) 945-7352 or email: ktrevino@corpuschristi.bbb.org.
3 Tbsp. butter
Moon Phases November 2015
2 C Chicken Stock 1 C Heavy Whipping Cream ¼ Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs Cooking Spray 10 X 10 Casserole Dish nuts, dried fruits, sausages, herbs, greens etc. It also allowed us to use an alternative to the day or week old breads. We can now add fresh crusty breads, toasted with seasonings and olive oil, such as ciabatta, challah, corn bread, sour dough, English muffins, bagels and the list goes on. This method replaces the bag of dried bread crumbles, sold in supermarkets. I’m not judging… all of us get into to a pinch every now and then, after working a full week and truly find comfort in a speedy bowl of store bought stuffing mix that goes well with that chicken breast you cooked up. For me a part of making the stuffing / dressing is the fun of trying new things, adding some of my favorite flavors and ingredients, and completely personalizing my stuffing. Every year my choices change, which makes it fun and exciting.
Tides of the Week Tides for Corpus Christi (Bob Hall Pier) November 12-16, 2015
This week enjoy making my recipe:
Day
High /Low
Tide Time
Height in Feet
Sunrise Moon Time Sunset
Moon Visible
Th F Sa Su M Tu W
19 19 20 20 20 20 21 21 21 21 22 22 22 22 23 23 23 23 24 24 25 25
Low High Low High Low High Low High Low High Low High Low High Low High Low High Low High Low High
1:52 PM 9:56 PM 5:19 AM 9:11 AM 3:22 PM 10:20 PM 5:26 AM 11:11 AM 5:07 PM 10:41 PM 5:51 AM 12:47 PM 6:48 PM 10:59 PM 6:24 AM 2:07 PM 8:21 PM 11:13 PM 7:03 AM 3:16 PM 7:46 AM 4:18 PM
0.6 1.8 1.1 1.3 0.8 1.6 0.8 1.4 1.0 1.5 0.5 1.6 1.2 1.5 0.2 1.9 1.4 1.5 0.0 2.0 -0.2 2.1
6:53 AM Set 12:06 AM 5:36 PM Rise 1:13 PM 6:54 AM Set 1:07 AM 5:35 PM Rise 1:56 PM
45
6:54 AM Set 2:09 AM 5:35 PM Rise 2:39 PM
67
6:55 AM Set 3:13 AM 5:35 PM Rise 3:22 PM
77
6:56 AM Set 4:17 AM 5:35 PM Rise 4:07 PM
86
6:57 AM Set 5:22 AM 5:34 PM Rise 4:56 PM 6:57 AM Set 6:27 AM 5:34 PM Rise 5:47 PM
93
56
98
Tip of the week: This recipe may be too much for a party of 2. Or you may want to use this throughout the year as a side with meats other than poultry (think pork chops). Therefore, you can bake in muffin tins or smaller casseroles and freeze them in an air tight container and then heat it up when needed.
Did you Try this Recipe? Tell us how you liked it: editor@islandmoon.com Or Facebook:
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Preheat oven to 375. Cut the ciabatta loaf horizontally down the center once or twice depending on the thickness, then cut vertical strips and cube it up. Place on baking sheet and drizzle with oil and add a little salt and pepper. Bake for about 12 minutes until edges are brown. Remove and let cool. Sauté in oil, the sausage, onion, celery, and carrots. Add the spices in this mix and when sausage has browned, add the mushrooms, artichoke hearts, walnuts and spinach. Toss for 3 additional minutes and turn off. In a large bowl, mix the chicken stock, heavy cream and 2 eggs. Add the cooled veggie mix, & crusty ciabatta bread and stir. Add the parmesan and shredded Colby and fold. Spray casserole dish with cooking spray and add mixture. Top it with the additional parmesan cheese and sprinkle the bread crumbs over it. Then add slices of butter on the top and bake for 45 minutes until the top develops a crust. You will see liquid when you pull it out of the oven…no fear, it will re-absorb into the stuffing mixture. ***NOTE*** I prefer having extra liquid, because not only will the bread initially absorb the liquid, along with sausage and mushrooms, it will continue to absorb liquid while cooking and cooling before serving, giving you a soft yet crispy texture, versus dry and crumbly. I don’t add any more salt than necessary, because the cheeses provide the balance needed. Remember… Have Fun! things…Happy Eats! Enjoy!
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November 19, 2015
A7
Island Moon
Backwater Adventures Making Memories on the Water By Joey Farah Farah’s Fishing Adventures I'm on the beach watching another west wind shade the waves into perfect barrels. This has been the case Lately with our cold fronts now that we are in an "el Nino" year. Before these fronts the southeast winds have been sucking hard off of the gulf and then west winds come in. This has spared us the bitter cold that is inevitable. Great for us now and hopefully the westerly winds will move some of the water out of the bay's. The condition of the bays are excellent. All of this tide has flushed the Lagoon all the way to Baffin. The large herds of bait have slipped out to the surf and gamefish are aggressively trying to bulk up for the cold to come. With less bait in the water the competition for food makes for better fishing. We have been hammering reds and drum with a mixed bag of others down south on live shrimp. As we move north I've been stopping in the mixed sand and grass bottoms along the King Ranch Shoreline around Pure Oil Channel. Soft plastics have been tearing them up. Darker natural colors have been working best for us. I met an interesting gentlemen this week that has been fishing here for over 40 years, his passion is sight casting. He expressed an interest in learning how to drift and use soft plastics, this made me really look into why it is so much fun. Drifting is a great way to loose yourself in thought. One must imagine how the stroke of the hand is manipulating the lure. The mind is magically connected to the world under the ocean's service by all the senses. Anglers should follow the bait down towards the bottom with light flutters, then imagine the baitfish
Big boxes from Baffin! We have been smoking great limits of reds and scattered trout and drum as well.
By Jay Gardner Here we are AGAIN saying kudos to the City! The “new” City Parks crew is getting on top of things in a hurry! I think it was in the fall of last year or the past spring when the City Council gave the Parks Department a recommendation to look at doing the beach trash collection in the same manner that Port Aransas is doing. Seems they have larger trash receptacles and a new machine that picks them up (I’ve written about this one before). South Padre also has the same truck/system, although their machine spent most of this past year down, which is critical to consider when spending a ton of money on a single new machine (no redundancy). In addition, you’ve also read me writing that Port Aransas has a completely different beach layout up there for most of the beach; the “road” is maintained by the base of the dunes, and due to the bollards, everyone has to park up there, that’s where the skid-o-cans are, and that’s where their trash cans are. Many people believe that a similar system wouldn’t work on City of Corpus Christi beaches, and being a costly machine, with new 300 gallon barrels to buy, it might be an expensive failure of an experiment. Enter the City Parks Department, headed by newcomer Jay Ellington.
Watershore Committee
Had another Joey on the boat and he brought this nice 2 inch trout to hand from the King Ranch Shoreline just pat Pita Island.
This is what fuels me to stay out on the water every day, making memories. This big reddish was one of the many we took from the rocks this week. Live shrimp and popping corks. regain its bearings and swim against the current and wind raising and dropping as it hunts a protected place to hide. Flow the bait over the tops of the grass and sand bottom. As your lure comes to a sand pocket let it fall to the bottom where hiding predators are watching from the edges. The feel of a fish nip and take your lure can be quite addicting, making that "one more
On the Rocks
cast" the hidden gem that keeps you out till dark and up early to see the sunrise. The first two weeks of December is a great time to gain the skills and knowledge of fishing with soft plastics. The fish will continue to feed EVERY DAY, in preparation of the cold days of late winter to come. I have a few open days each week because duck season will take a break till the second weekend. If you can get free give me a call, I can give a healthy discount for some of these magic days on the water, and help you see the wonderful game of soft plastics in the Laguna Madre'. GET WET!
You loyal readers know that I co-chair the Watershore and Beach Advisory Committee behind Cameron Perry, and that we tackled this issue at the behest of the ISAC Committee (which I am an Ex-Afficio member) and also the City Parks Department is taking a look at the program as part of the Adaptive Beach Maintenance Plan. That all sounds fun, but what’s the point you ask? Well, the point is to have a more efficient system to collect the trash on the beaches. Currently, there are plastic barrels that are put out by the Parks Department (on their stretches, mostly by Packery Channel) and they maintain them best they can. The issue is that the cans aren’t the most efficient way to do things, are a bit small, and require a fair amount of man-power to empty. Usually they are handled several times (loaded up, taken to a mid station, then emptied, then re-loaded and returned to the beach). We’ve seen what Port A does, which is make people go to the cans, and then they are loaded BY the truck, IN the truck, saving handling time. So we all sat down, and with the help of the City’s Solid Waste Department (Lawrence) came up with some options. Mainly, instead of getting a new machine and new barrels, some of us pushed
to use existing infrastructure. What does that mean you say? That means using 1) existing trash collection trucks and 2) using existing trash barrels, aka, the “green monsters” that you have at your house. We’re already set up to use them, and we have plenty. KISS (keep it simple, right? And also Redundancy….say it with me). Russell Armstrong is the interim head of beach maintenance operations. He’s been on the job for a scant few months, but he’s already making things happen. So, Russell took off down the road, got some materials together that were laying around already, and got out there and got it done! He put up a “trash bin corral” not too long after the last ISAC meeting, and has been monitoring its progress since. Its working great, and cost pennies compared to buying new stuff. We of course like the idea of some fairly cost effective experimentation before blindly buying expensive equipment as well. In any event, the City has another trick up its sleeve, and we’ll talk about that one next time. In the meantime, kudos to Jay, Russell, Reba, Stacey, Billy, and the rest of the City Parks crew.
Slabcam Another thing the City got going was the camera at the “slab” at the seawall parking lot. Now you can log on to the City’s website, go to Quick Links, and pull down the Webcams tab to get to the new camera at the Michael J. Ellis beach. I’m pretty sure Mike would think it’s awesome. Well loyal readers, that’s about it for this cowboy. Send me a note at tarponchaser@mail. com By the time you get this, I’ll be a shorttimer with glazed over eyes. I’m doing my annual 10-days off for Thanksgiving, and we’ll be headed down the beach for a good portion of it. The weather looks great so far. So if I don’t get an article in before I blow town, I’ll at least try to send some pics in from down south, and I’ll catch you the week after On the Rocks.
New can corrals at Whitecap
S e r v i n g Te x a s B o a t e r s f o r O v e r 3 0 Ye a r s
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19
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A8
November 19, 2015
Island Moon
SPORTS Sports Talk
The Mexican League Raids Major League Baseball Special to the Island Moon
In 1946, 39-year-old Jorge Pasquel, who with his four brothers owned the Mexican league and its eight teams, decided to go after United States’ Major League players by offering them much more money than they were making back home. Baseball Commissioner Happy
MLB Commissioner Happy Chandler-1946 Chandler, imposed a five-year ban from the Major Leagues for anyone who played in the Mexican League and did not return by April 1, 1946. Despite the ban, more than a dozen players decided to play in Mexico. In May of 1946, Babe Ruth and his family traveled to Mexico City. Ruth, shown below shaking hands with Bernardo Pasquel, was asked to assume the role of President of the Mexican League. The Mexican League was not affiliated in any way with organized baseball in the U.S. at the time. It was not a startup league, however; it had been around since 1925, with available records and a greater organization behind it since 1937. It was a familiar port of call for a vast number of Negro League players who tended to shop around for the best offer year after year, with organized baseball unavailable to them until Jackie Robinson played in the International League in 1946. It was an enormous story at the time, particularly after overtures were made to Ted Williams, Bob Feller, Stan Musial, Phil Rizzuto, Joe DiMaggio, Whitey Kurowski, Enos Slaughter, Terry Moore, and other top-tier players back from World War II. Because the American press generally followed baseball with unapologetic support, and because the American public would likely have overwhelmingly voted “keep it!” to the reserve clause, Pasquel and his project suffered the scorn of the U.S. at almost every turn. “Outlaw league” was its noun, and “raided” and “jumped” were the action verbs. It was hard to win in the court of public opinion with those terms out there every day. But for players who were paid little, and who had no free agency system to work with, this was “The Grand Temptation.”
The story begins with Jorge Pasquel, who had the swagger of Donald Trump and, like George Steinbrenner, the money behind it. He and his brothers set about recruiting players by meeting them in person in the U.S. Their efforts knew few bounds. Pasquel flew to St. Louis to meet with Cardinal pitchers Max Lanier and Fred Martin and infielder Lou Klein, on May 23, 1946, only to discover that the Cardinals were in New York. No problem. They accepted his offer and left immediately for Mexico. Pasquel was a persuasive man. Joe Garagiola was just a 20-year-old rookie catcher on the Cardinals in 1946, but he recalls, “We were kind of shocked and disappointed because they left without saying anything—they were just gone. We came in and their lockers were empty. We lost a pretty good second baseman in Klein, and a real good pitcher in Lanier. Nobody really knew much about it. We
Singleterry or Lawrence Taylor. The toughest part of a round of golf may be taking off one of your shoes to play your ball out of a water hazard. These guys make millions of dollars without bruising a rib, coughing up blood or sustaining a concussion and it’s hard to fracture your thumb on a six iron. Heck, there’s no heavy breathing, no heavy lifting; and a guy
Babe Ruth in Mexico knew what we read in the newspaper. Guys started saying there’d be a big raid on the big leagues. We knew our guys were gone and we saw that the Giants lost Danny Gardella, so we wondered ‘Who else was going to go?’” One of the most exceptional players to jump to the Mexican League was St. Louis Cardinals’ pitcher Max Lanier. Lanier turned out to be the biggest catch. The 30-year-old left-hander was in his ninth year with the Cardinals and was 6–0 with a 1.93 ERA at the time he jumped. He had pitched for three championship Cardinals teams in the 1940s and had been the NL ERA champ in 1943 with a 1.90 mark. Monte Irvin, a star in the Negro Leagues, played for Pasquel in 1942, four years before the “raids.” For Negro League players, it wasn’t considered “jumping,” — they went from team to team and country to country almost annually for the right deal. “Oh, Jorge was dynamic,” recalled Monte at 95 and still on top of his game, said in a phone conversation from his home in Houston. “He was movie-star handsome, and he was rich. A big ladies man, he was in politics, he was in the oil business, owned a newspaper, was a customs broker, and he exported goods to everyone during the war, the Allies and the Germans. Didn’t matter, he made a fortune.” By the early 1950s, Pasquel was granted a monopoly on Mexican oil distribution.
J.J. Watt is a game where a “late hit” means a slice, not a separated shoulder. The game is played at a walk, and no one ever sweats. A “bad lie” is a ball buried in the sand, not a pile up at the goal line against Brian Urlacher of the Chicago Bears. A “career-ending play” is scoring a 6 on a par 3. The most terrifying thing a golfer ever sees is a twenty-foot downhill putt. You never hear words like blitz, cover two, or spearing. The word “rough” refers to tall grass,
carries their clubs for them. They can make 1.2 million on a weekend, and they don’t have to stop Marshawn Lynch at the goal line or knock down linebacker Ray Lewis. I’ve never seen a disabled list in professional golf. Playing golf is like finding money. Jordan Spieth is never going to be able to tell if it’s going to rain by the feeling he gets in his knees, yet Tony Romo gets headaches for a living.
“He built a ballpark in Mexico City for maybe $10 million,” said Irvin. “It was on the outskirts of town. But the farm population was moving in and the outskirts became the ‘inskirts.’ He sold the park for $51 million.” “I remember going to his chateau at 39 Hamburgo Street in Mexico City to get paid. Still remember the address. He had this huge home with fifteen-foot walls around it, and these three enormous Great Danes with him. He also had homes in Laredo, Los Angeles, New York, Paris, and Africa, where he hunted big game. On his desk were machine guns. At one point he tossed a .45 caliber handgun to me, just to show it off. I’d never held a gun before! I made other arrangements to get paid in the future. Those Great Danes were big.” In 1942, Monte came within two RBIs of winning the league’s Triple Crown (batting .397), and he received $700 a month plus an apartment and a maid. But he had given his word to Effa Manley that he would play for her Newark Eagles following his Army discharge, and he kept his word. But he never forgot his experience in Mexico as a black player. “We felt so free; no Jim Crow laws, we could live anywhere, dine anywhere, go to movies anywhere, sit anywhere; it was wonderful. The fans loved us, and Mexico had the prettiest girls I’d ever seen. Ray Dandridge managed for the Pasquels and loved it. He stayed there for many years. Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige, Roy Campanella, Quincy Troupe all played there. They all said: “Pasquel treated us just great.” “Sundays, we would play at 10 a.m. so that everyone could go to the bullfights in the afternoon. It was quite a life.” Irvin really loved his time in Mexico and loved Pasquel. He still kept in touch with Jorge Jr. for many years later. With Pasquel throwing around suitcases of money, one would think that his quest produced more than it did. In the end he signed some relatively high-profile names like Sal Maglie of the Giants and Mickey Owen and Luis Olmo of the Dodgers, in addition to Lanier, Klein, and Martin. Maglie doubled his $6,000 U.S. salary. Lanier went from about $10,000 to about $25,000. Owen got $15,000 plus a home (other players lived in nice apartments), plus had all his taxes paid in both countries. He was a playing manager for Veracruz. (Pasquel sometimes wore a uniform and coached third base.)
Jorge & Bernado Pasquel
By Andy Purvis Special to the Island Moon Yes, I played a bit of football in my time. I am reminded every morning when I roll out of bed. My joints, ligaments and tendons serenade the early light with “Snap, crackle and pop.” I did enjoy the game of football, but I had no idea that my body would pay for the pleasure for the rest of my life. I should have taken up golf. Then the worst thing that could have happened to me was hitting my ball out of bounds. Golf
By Dotson Lewis
Dotson’s Note: In the summer of 1946, I was playing baseball in the Ban Johnson League, which had teams in Kansas and Missouri. One day Mickey Owen walked into our club house in Pittsburg, Kansas. I was in awe, as far as I was concerned, he was the best catcher alive. He was still banned from baseball, but thought he could play in the league, which at the time was not affiliated with Major League Baseball. He and I got to be good friends and he told me his version of the raiding of baseball, which I have included in the following article. I believe that it will bring memories of a bygone era in professional baseball. The best of the best baseball players had returned from the war and we could hardly wait. To be honest, major league baseball during the war years “stunk up the joint.”
I Should Have Taken Up Golf
Pasquel fell short of snaring any big fish, although he was prepared to spend huge dollars on Musial, Williams, Feller, Rizzuto, and DiMaggio. He reportedly offered Feller $500,000 for five years, and Williams $360,000 for three. Babe Ruth was said to be offered the league presidency. Pasquel even reportedly offered Chandler $50,000 to become commissioner. Vern “Junior” Stephens of the Browns, the defending AL home run champion who had been holding out, jumped too. He supposedly got $250,000 for five years. But after two games, he returned his first check and went home. He said the inability of the league to get American equipment, for fear of reprisal by the manufacturers, was the first danger sign he saw. And he sure didn’t like the descriptions of overthe-mountain, harrowing bus rides to Tampico and Laredo. Dotson’s Other Note: Your comments, suggestions, questions and concerns regarding Sports Talk articles are greatly appreciated, please call the Benchwarmers at 361-560-5397 weekdays, Mondays thru Fridays, 5-8 p.m. or contact me. Phone: 361-949-7681 Cell: 530748-8475 Email: dlewis1@stx.rr.com
Jordan Spieth not the play of J.J. Watt. You don’t have to stand in a pocket, nor do you need a cut man on the sideline. Canes, walkers and wheelchairs are off limits on the golf course, because most likely you will never need a knee operation. You don’t have to block or cut anybody while playing a round, and you get to keep your teeth. Missing the “cut” in golf refers to their score when it is not in the low 60’s, not stitches. You never see a golfer with a mark on him. His nose isn’t bleeding, his eyes are clear, he has all his fingers, and you can understand him when he speaks. Golfers don’t need crutches, and no one has ever seen Tiger Woods carried off the golf course on a stretcher. I could have traded a torn meniscus, broken toes and sprained ankles for playing golf until I’m 60. The playing surface in golf is soft and beautiful, and the holes are guarded by trees that you can hit over or sand traps that you can go around; the holes are not guarded by guys named Mike
These guys go through life with a sun tan, wearing the best fashioned clothes, laid out for them by style coordinators. When they finish a tournament, they don’t have to soak in a tub of ice or inflate a collapsed lung or get their blood to clot. Yet, people are in awe of them because they once shot a 66 at The Masters. Golfers are the luckiest guys in sports. I should have taken up golf. Andy Purvis is a local author and radio personality. Please visit www.purvisbooks. com for all the latest info on his books or to listen to the new radio podcast. Andy’s books are available online and can be found in the local Barnes & Noble bookstore. Andy can be contacted at purvis.andy@mygrande.net. Also listen to sports talk radio on Dennis & Andy’s Q & A Session from 6-8 PM on Sportsradiocc.com 1230 AM, 96.1 FM and 103.3 FM. The home of the Houston Astros.
One Bite and You’re Hooked! All You Can Eat Shrimp Wednesdays 5pm Prime Rib Thursdays Mini Golf Great Food Family Fun Seafood, Steaks, Salads, Burgers & a Full Bar Open 11am - 2am • Kitchen Closes at 1am 2034 State Hwy 361
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361-949-1900
November 19, 2015
A9
Island Moon
Cleaning the Coves
Cancun
Seafood Bar & Grill Introducing NEW MENU
Over 50 delicious new menu items to choose from including Seafood, Steaks, Chicken, Pasta dishes , Burgers and much, much more. For a taste of the Island visit Cancun Seafood Bar & Grill. Cancun can also cater your Holiday Party.
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By Linda Walsh This past Saturday the Padre Island Rotary Club teamed up with the Padre Island Yacht club to clean the coves over in the ski basin area and the shores leading into it. The weather was a little tentative, so we scrapped the kayaks and canoes for boats. The Rotarians met at the Cartegena Boat Ramp to collect their bags and gloves and headed out to the ski basin area. It was a dirty job, but someone had to do it. Just kidding, the day turned out beautiful and we were all just happy to be out in the boats and walking the shore areas that were not under water. Gotta love our Island, it was a great feeling to clean up the area not only for ourselves but also for the wildlife effected by the trash.
We had five boats with about four people in each boat. The weather ended up cooperating with us and it was a great day. We collected lots of bags of trash, mostly beer and soda cans, glass bottles and some crazy pieces of metal along with lots of shotgun cartridges. We did find an old swing set, and a bunch of large PVC pipes. The best part was the barbecue lunch prepared and served by the Yacht Club members. They also unloaded the trash bags from the boats and carried them by pick-up over to litter critter.
Island Creations Remodeling
Total Renovation & Remodels, Outdoor Kitchens & Spas, Additions, Kitchen & Bathroom Upgrades, Sunporches, Replacement of Windows and Doors, Roofing, Painting & Stucco
This was the first year we joint sponsored this program and all parties are looking forward to this becoming an annual event! Thank you to all of the volunteers that showed up and the Padre Island Rotary and Yacht Cub for their part. Thanks Miles Merwin for your photos. Let’s do it again next year!
Flour Bluff/Padre Island Coastal Cotillion Fall Luncheon
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Doing Everything a Home or Business Needs
The debutantes for 2015-2016: Miss Melanie Madeline Albrecht, Miss Hayley Taylor Campbell, Miss Kailey Dawn Cooper, Miss Dominique Paige Daubenspeck, Miss Grace Patton Doss, Miss Shayla Isha Garza, Miss Sarah Claire Gilliam, Miss Madison Taylor Gulley, Miss Heather Avery Hanson, Miss Kimberly Estella Jacinto, Miss Alauren Breenae Brooks-Johnson, Miss Kristin Loraine Kinsman, Miss Emily Lynn Knowles, Miss Kaylie Marie Lacey, Miss Melinda Nicole Mayden, Miss Lindsey Austin Mendoza, Miss Amelia Ann Mixon, Miss Brianna Michelle Prosek, Miss Tyler Frances Ryan, Miss Sarah Steen, Miss Madison Aileen Tansey, Miss Victoria Alexis Morales Walters, Miss Kaitlin Rose Warnke, Miss Karlie Ann Wilkinson and Miss Kristiana Woods. The Flour Bluff/Padre Island Coastal Cotillion held their third event of the season at the Emerald Beach Hotel on November 14th, with 65 guests. The Fall Luncheon included a fabulous buffet of various salads, which included Tuna salad, Chicken salad, toss green salad, tomatoes, two kinds of cheeses with three choices of dressings, variety of crackers and a delicious fruit bowl. It was held in the Kokomo Room which looks out on the bay and city of beautiful Corpus Christi. The guest speaker was Mrs. Colleen McIntyre, District 4 Representative on the City Council of Corpus Christi. She advised to the debutantes to get the best education possible and leave the world a better place! She also stressed that every door is an opportunity. Reach out to someone! See the beauty of all the doors you can open! After the delightful meal, the girls did the final fittings of their ballroom gowns. They practiced the curtsy and went over last minute details which included table decorations, invitations, escorts and guest list. The Coastal Cotillion Club is an organization established to educate and enlighten the young women in the Flour Bluff and Padre Island community about the social and educational opportunities available to them as they develop their college and professional careers. They are offered speakers, workshops, and social functions where they can develop their personal skills as they approach adulthood. The Coastal Cotillion Club is open to any senior high school girl living in the Flour Bluff or on Padre Island. The Presentation Ball will be held on January 23, 2016, at the Emerald Beach Hotel. The Coastal Cotillion board members for 2015-2016 are Flo East, senior advisor, Connie Garrison, Elaine Boughton, Trudy Luce, Susan Lawson and Dr. Elly Soler.
Flip Flop Blow Out
VOTED BEST Veterinarian 2006-2015 Dr. Christi Kresser
RAY HERRERA DIRECTOR
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14802 Compass (361) 949-8200
A10
Island Moon
November 19, 2015