Inside the Moon
Moon on a Spoon A4
Shipwrecks Gardens A5
Fishing A11
Sports A8
The
Issue 625
Island Moon
The voice of The Island since 1996
April 7, 2016
Around The Island By Dale Rankin editor@islandmoon.com If this week was any indication we are in for some beautiful water on our beaches this summer. The clear blue water that we usually don’t see until mid-summer, if at all, arrived this week in between the churn of big waves and high winds that had surfers and windsurfers out in numbers around Bob Hall Pier.
Live Music A16
Free
Weekly
FREE
Island Moon Celebrates Twenty Years!
First New Development on the Seawall Since 1983 is Underway
High tides pushed up the base of the dunes for several days and left behind good driving conditions on most area beaches, with the going a bit more challenging on the beaches in Kleberg County.
Farmer’s market
By Dale Rankin
Island Moon founder Mike Ellis 1952-2011 Photo by Mary Craft By Dale Rankin
Islanders must have set some kind of record for most produce bought in an hour last Thursday when the first edition of the Padre Island Farmer’s Market kicked off to a full house at the Presbyterian Church. If there ever was a doubt that Islanders are hungry for a place to buy produce Thursday’s turnout should put it to rest. While the kids headed for the bouncy house the adults lined up for fresh produce. Plans call for the market to be held every two weeks. If you want fresh produce get there early.
Turtle deaths
It was early April, 1996, when Islander Michael J. Ellis grew tired of the constant traveling required as a field agent for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. “I didn’t want to die in a hotel room,” he said. “And I was bored.”
So being of a fertile mind Mike decided to start a newspaper and on April 4, 1996 the Island Moon Newspaper was born. At first it was a black and white tabloid that Mike pasted down in his condominium and shipped it to Kingsville for printing.
inquiries from buyers all across the country.”
Crews have been at the site for several weeks on the 36-unit development which will include 16 townhomes and 20 condominium units, the first new condominiums to be built on The Island in more than thirty years.
a three-phase plan that will eventually include residential units directly on the south end of the seawall and the footprint also includes a 58-foot wide easement on the end of the seawall to provide a pathway to the beach.
“We are finding that there is a very active market for condominiums,” said Coldwell Banker Realtor Guy Davis who is handling sales for the development. “We are getting
Work on the first/current phase is expected to be complete by the end of 2016. Prices range from $219,000-
The condo units will be two bedroom and two baths. The townhome units will be four bedrooms with a two-car garage. The work is the first phase of
Island Moon Continued on A5
Spring Break 2016 Traffic Count The weather for Spring Break 2016 was the best in three years, The following is the number of vehicles which crossed the JFK Causeway each day, both directions. Inside this edition (Page A15) you will find the same numbers for the entire year of 2015. Notice that the numbers for the summer season are about the same as those for Spring Break but continues over a much longer duration. It turns out that summer on The Island is just one long Spring Break. 3/15/2016 46,155 3/11/2016 38,195 3/12/2016 3/13/2016 3/14/2016
42,053 no data 45,707
3/16/2016
44,045
3/17/2016
46,097
3/18/2016
50,076
3/19/2016
43,237
SMA 6th Grade Outdoor Trip This loggerhead turtle was found washed up on the beach south of Bob Hall Pier Tuesday night. Turtle patrollers say when there are no obvious signs of death the cause is often balloons released from offshore cruise ships which cause a celebration when they fly skyward but are deadly to turtles who eat them. Dead loggerheads are also often found when shrimpers are working the shallow water near shore for white shrimp.
The first new construction since 1983 has begun along the Michael J. Ellis Seawall as site and foundations work has begun on the Pathway at Barefoot Dunes condominium and townhome project at Windward Drive and Whitecap.
Outdoor Experiences Also Bond the Class
Seawall continued on A6
Public Hearing for Park Road 22 Bridge Thursday evening
Rip Currents We had a tragic incident on The Island last week when a sixteen yearold boy drowned after he was caught in a rip current while swimming. The water was especially treacherous due to a north wind which was blowing obliquely across the beach sweeping water along the shoreline. We saw school buses from all over the state on our beaches as kids who were in town for an event downtown took a day to come to the beach. When they got here they found dangerous water conditions but little in the way of warning about the deadly currents. We spoke with some of the kids who were in the same group as the drowning victim and, being from upstate, for many it was their first look at the ocean. Without warning about the unusually strong currents they thought the turbulent water was the norm for our beaches and gave no thought to the danger of swimming. There are a few signs scattered here and there but nothing that address daily conditions and there were no lifeguards on duty.
Around continued on A3
Morgan Long tackling the joys and challenges of kayaking. Photo by Shannon Trial By Brent Rourk ‘Team, outdoors, and new activities’ were the words of the week as the 6th grade students at Seashore Middle Academy enjoyed 3 fun-filled days at The Outdoor School in Burton, Texas last week. A yearly opportunity for the SMA 6th grade, students return to SMA more confident and with a better appreciation of the outdoors. Rock climbing? Tackling a Ropes Course? Kayaking? Archery? Campfires? Is this school as most remember it? Probably not, but it was that way for the class of 56 sixth grade students who attended the experience. The Mission, according to The Outdoor School, is to strive to use the outdoors to awaken students to the potential within and around them.
They accomplish their mission by promoting an appreciation of outdoors, creating environmental stewardship, employing experiential learning, and developing skills and self-confidence. Working and playing closely together, the SMA 6th graders enjoyed a full range of activities. The objectives were to use the outdoors to promote team building, heighten social skills, refine outdoor skills, reinforce classroom learning, and develop confidence; all skills and talents that young people need to cultivate to be successful in and out of the classroom.
Seashore continued on A4
By Dale Rankin Twelve years after it was approved by voters construction of the Park Road 22 Water Exchange Bridge is moving forward as officials from the City of Corpus Christi and Texas Department of Transportation scheduled a public hearing Thursday, April 7, to unveil the latest drawings and to discuss an Environmental Assessment on the project. The estimated cost of the bridge is $10.5 million and while the Corpus Christi City Council has approved the project in principle but has not yet voted on the final funding sources. City officials told ISAC members in December that $8.5 million was
available, unspent, bond money. City officials have indicated funds are available to bridge the gap. According to information from the city: “This Bond 2004 project includes constructing two bridges for the north and southbound lanes. Each of the proposed bridges will consist of two 12-foot lanes with 10-foot inside and outside shoulders and one-foot railings for an overall bridge width of 46 feet. The total length of the proposed bridges will be approximately 128 feet. The proposed canal would connect Lake
Bridge continued on A6
A2
April 7, 2016
Island Moon
Big Catch
Send your photos to editor@islandmoon.com
Bag Hero of the Month
Skip the Plastic is pleased to announce our April Bag Heroes, the management and employees at Corpus Christi's new Natural Grocers store. We applaud Natural Grocers for their bag free checkouts and hope that local residents will see how easy the change can be. Pictured from left to right in the top photo are employees Gabriella de Leon, Julie Manta and Jarrett Box.
This 50 lb. Black Drum was caught off the Horace Caldwell Pier by Timothy Curran on the left Stephen Curran on the right. Timothy Curran and his brother, on Spring Break from Mountain View, Ark caught this beautiful fish and then released it.
We Make Banking Easy. Even when getting to the bank isn’t.
Bob Hall Pier in Corpus Christi, TX! Photo by Billy Shields
Island Girl Scouts, Troop 9611, visit abused and neglected children at the Ark and donate to them, 107 boxes of cookies to make them smile.
Moon Monkey Joey Farah was caught surfing too.
Dragonfly Restaurant Curacao Blues
ome in and Dine at Dragonfly C Restaurant, the often imitated & never duplicated, house of the
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ORIGINAL INFUSIONS and TAPAS, serving the Island Residents for 10 years! Check out our NEW Butcher's Block Menu. Every weekend you can come check out our French Pastries to enjoy here at Dragonfly or take some treats to the family! ragonfly is offering In House Cut and Dry Aged Texas Sized Ribeyes!! We are Aging the Ribeyes with Himalayan Pink Salt up to 45 Days! $ Market Pricing $ (Ask your server about Sizes and Aging Availability)
Piggy Pot!
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Ask about our Banquet Room!!! Catering Available!!! 14701 South Padre Island Drive • 361-949-2224 • www.dragonflycuracaoblues.com
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April 7, 2016
Island Moon
Letters to the Editor
Moon Monkeys Mike Ellis, Founder
Beach Road What happened to improving the road you drive on the beach past El Constante condos? It was voted to be re paved during one of the bond elections Justin Brandt
Distribution Pete Alsop Island Delivery Coldwell Banker Advertising Jan Park Rankin Classifieds Arlene Ritley Production Manager Jeff Craft Contributing Writers Joey Farah
Editor’s note. The road improvements on the road you mention (Beach Access Road 3a) was in fact approved by voters in the 2014 bond election. However, once the process began it discovered there had been some kind of a mistake made in the past – the existing road was somehow built outside the city’s easement…. yea, we know…how could that happen. But it did. The following comes from the documents presentenced to the Island Strategic Action Committee this week in preparation for the next meeting on Tuesday, April 12. The items are listed in descending order by the date they were presented to the ISAC with the top entry filed in January the last being the latest news. 1. Beach Access Roads 3a and 2 (Bond 2014, Proposition 2): • The design is underway with construction planned to start before the summer of 2016.
Andy Purvis Devorah Fox
• The preliminary design is complete with the final phase pending contact approval by City Council.
Mary Craft Maybeth Christiansen Jay Gardner
• During design it was discovered that the existing road is not located within the City’s roadway easement. The property is owned by Paul Schexnailder and staff is coordinating a new alignment to optimize access and minimize property impacts.
Todd Hunter Dotson Lewis Ronnie Narmour Brent Rourk Dr. Donna Shaver Photographers Miles Merwin Jeff Dolan Mary Craft Ronnie Narmour Office Security/Spillage Control (Emeritus) Riley P. Dog
• A revised roadway alignment was requested by the land owner. Currently awaiting a revised Engineering Letter Report. o Schematic design is complete for both Access Road 2 & 3A. However, the City is currently negotiating the optimal roadway alignment and easement with the property owner. Design is planned for completion in May with bids in the summer and construction to start after Labor Day. Access during construction will be maintained, but limited for safety during certain construction activities.
Veterans
Publisher Dale Rankin About the Island Moon
The Island Moon is published every Thursday, Dale Rankin, Editor / Publisher. Total circulation is 10,000 copies. Distribution includes delivery to 4,000 Island homes, free distribution of 3,000 copies in over 50 Padre Island businesses and condos, as well as 600 copies distributed in Flour Bluff, 1,400 copies on Mustang Island and Port Aransas businesses. News articles, photos, display ads, classified ads, payments, etc. may be left at the Moon Office.
The Island Moon Newspaper 14646 Compass, Suite 3 Corpus Christi, TX 78418 361-949-7700 editor@islandmoon.com Facebook: The Island Moon Newspaper
Where to Find The Island Moon Port Aransas Lisabella’s Restaurant Pioneer RV Park
Sandpiper Condos WB Liquors Port A Arts
North Padre
Stripes @ Beach Access Rd. 1A
All Stripes Stores
A Mano
CVS
Coffee Waves
Whataburger
Moby Dicks
Doc’s Restaurant
Spanky’sLiquor
Snoopy’s Pier
IGA Grocery Store
Isle Mail N More
Carter Pharmacy
Brooklyn Pie Co.
San Juan’s Taqueria
Ace Hardware
Wash Board Laundry Mat
Texas Star (Shell)
Port A Parks and Rec
Island Italian
Holiday Inn Jesse’s Liquor
Public Library
Scuttlebutt’s Restaurant
Chamber of Commerce
Island Tire
Duckworth Antiques
And all Moon retail advertisers
Back Porch
WB Liquor
Woody’s Sports Center
Subway
Shorty’s Place
Flour Bluff
Giggity’s
H.E.B.
Stripes @ Cotter & Station
Liquid Town
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
We recently celebrated NAS Corpus Christi’s 75th Anniversary. For the last 75 years, some of our nation’s finest pilots, astronauts, Senators and even a Presidenthave earned their wings right here in Corpus Christi, going on to serve our nation honorably and fight for our great nation. Since then, the skies above Corpus Christi have been filled with military air craft and we’ve heard the sounds of freedom over our heads. NASCC has a phenomenal history that began in 1938 when the establishment of a second training station for pilots was recommended by the 75th Congress. It was commissioned by Captain Alva Berhard on March 12, 1941, and flight training began on May 5. That year, 800 instructors trained 300 cadets each month until the attacks on Pearl Harbor, where after training nearly doubled. For those of us who have been in theaterand had rounds coming down range, the sounds of propellers and jets remind of us of a moment or two where we looked out onto the horizon and felt relief, knowing that our side had a tool the enemy did not: the best air support in the world. Our ground troops know that when they radio in and call for air support to rain down upon the enemy, their call will shortly be answered with a hellfire sprayed from the skies. The sounds of freedom sound a bit more glorious to those who have had to call it in. Following active duty, the sounds of freedom are a bit different for many veterans and their families. If you’re a veteran trying to schedule an appointment with the VA, your freedom sounds more like that of the ever repeating “hold” message on the VA’s 1-800 number. All too often, we see and read stories of veterans waiting in long lines at the VA and the long processing times for disability claims, which for some is more than five years. Think about that. While an entire military installation can be approved and commissioned and the training of the first graduating class of pilots only took three years, the VA needs up to, and at times more than five, to process a disability claim. Yesterday, 22 veterans committed suicide and another 22 will succumb to their invisible wounds today. For their families, the sounds of freedom are different yet. Mothers, fathers, wives and children of our nation’s heroes anxiously await the return of their loved ones while they’re overseas. Unfortunately, not everybody who comes home returns with the ability to find a new normal and transition back into civilian life. Many know they need help but are too proud to seek it while some don’t recognize there’s a problem. For these family members, the freedom their loved ones fought for sounds like the silence of a loved one who won’t talk to them and share what is troubling them. What is really unfortunate is that the resources have been provided and put in place, but so many Veterans simply don’t know where to go. Many times, much of the heartache of waiting for benefits and fighting the VA could be avoided by knowing where to go, who to call and what paperwork to file for certain benefits. What if I told you that by learning about what benefits are available, you could change the sounds of freedom for a friend or family member? Imagine hearing that untilsomeone talked you, they had planned to end it all? What if you aren’t prepared with any information when that person calls you? If you’re interested in learning about VA benefits, VA healthcare and about the resources available locally, come to the Nueces County Veterans’ Health Fair being hosted by Nueces County Veterans Service Officer, Martin Longoria on April 9.It will be from 9 am to 1 pm at the Johnny S. Calderone Building located at 710 East Main Street in Robstown. I hope to see you there. JD Kennedy, District Director Congressman Blake Farenthold
Did Ya Hear?
A3
by Mary Craft mkay512@aol.com or @padreeyelander on twitter
Padre Island Teen By Elizabeth Clark
STAAR These past few weeks have been non-stop STAAR testing for kids in every grade, and it's definitely showing. Everyone is stressing. Adults try to give advice like, "Get lots of sleep and eat a good breakfast!" and though most teens let the pointers roll off their backs, it should be taken quite literally. It's a proven fact that people who get a solid eight hours of sleep are more active and productive throughout the day, and eating a healthy breakfast helps one focus. A quick granola bar before the test won't do much good, either, but drinking a lot of fluid and eating both protein and carbs will help any kid do better on these long, monotonous standardized tests. Just remember to try your best and recheck your bubbles, because one out of place could mean that the entire test will be out of whack. Good luck! If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, email me at PadreIslandTeen@gmail.com.
Pickleball Dear City Officials, My name is Bill Arvold. My wife, Laura, and I just returned from spending the winter (JanMar) in Port Aransas. It was our first time staying in Port A and we just loved it. While there, we had the privilege of coordinating the playing of Pickleball for the Park and Rec department. Pam Greene was most helpful in helping organize, purchasing equipment, making copies and laminates and doing whatever else she could to make our Pickleball playing experience a good one. We started with about 8 people at our first meeting and ended with almost 50 people in our data base. We played 3 afternoons (T,Th,S) per week for two hours and on most days kept three courts fully in use at the skating rink at community park. Everyone who played loved it and were most appreciative of the city providing the courts. Those who live in Port A know that there is usually a prevailing wind. This made it more difficult to play and sometimes prevented us from playing. Never the less, we all happily kept playing. An indoor court/courts would be wonderful for the windy/inclement weather days. Pam Greene made us aware that the city is considering building a recreation center. We would urge you to consider putting several Pickleball courts in that facility. Pickleball is one of the fastest growing recreational sports in the country, particularly amount seniors. It is a very healthful activity. It is also a tremendous draw for retirees when they decide where to spend their winters. I'm sure the majority of us pickleballers will continue to spend winters in Port A regardless of whether indoor courts are provided. Indoor courts will just make our experience even better and may bring additional Winter Texans to Port A. On behalf of all those who played Pickleball this winter, I want to thank you for providing the existing facilities. Playing Pickleball greatly enhanced the quality of our stay in Port A. Please consider our request as your plans for a recreation center progress. Also, please include a copy of this email in the monthly packet for Development Corporation and Park and Recreation board members. Thank you. With much gratitude, Bill and Laura Arvold (and all the other pickleballers)
New Advertisers First Title Company is now open at 14646 Compass Street Suite 5 next to Dr. Blanca Gray’s office. It is locally owned and is staffed by CEO/attorney Brent Chesny, escrow officer January Goette and escrow officer Cristina Edlin. Call 949-3075 for more info. Navy Army Community Credit Union is now offering auto loans for as low as 2.99% until April 30th. You can apply online at navyarmyccu.com or go directly to a participating dealer.
Business Briefs The Dragonfly Restaurant Piggy Pot Food Truck was out this week on SPID between the Pelican Plaza and Island Storage. They served Kayla’s grilled cheese which was made with cream cheese, smoked gouda, roasted jalapenos, cilantro, and bacon on Sourdough bread. Other menu items included a smoked queso burger and tomato basil soup. Check out the Piggy Pot Facebook page for location and hours. The Sand Bar at the Holiday Inn is no longer accessible from the seawall by nonguests. Wilson Marine Salvage and Towing can float your boat. Local business owner and Islander Capt David Wilson with the The Dive Guys Underwater Services now offers salvage and towing of sunken vessels. Call David at 549-8947 to come to the rescue. The Island Farmers Market will be out again on Thursday, April 14th 4 – 8 pm. The first one held two weeks had an excellent turnout with all five farmers sold out within the first hour. Three additional farmers/ gardeners and an additional food truck are coming to this one. The Spring Plant Sale sponsored by The Island Gardeners Club will be held at the back patio of Keller Williams on SPID on Saturday, April 9th 9 am – noon. Chef Gail Huesmann will be one of the chef’s competing on Cutthroat Kitchen on the Food Network on Sunday, April 10th at 9 pm. The episode is called “To Kale a Mockingbird.” Chef Gail is the owner of the recently opened A La Mode Gelateria in Loma Alta Plaza. Boathouse Bar & Grill is throwing a Golden State Warriors vs Spurs party with game sound Sunday, April 10th at 6 pm. They are offering $20 gift certificates for all table reservations. For their upcoming third anniversary on May 28th they are having $3 specials every day. The Sunset Sounds monthly free concerts in Port A are back. The Texas Fever Band will be entertaining Friday, April 8th 7 – 9 pm at Patsy Jones Amphitheater in Roberts Point Park. Bring a chair, cooler and friends to enjoy an evening of music while watching the sunset over the ship channel. Real Estate Broker Mary Melick will be showing a rare waterview home at 14010 Bounty on Sunday, April 10th 2 – 4 pm. The asking price is $290,000. The Island Strategic Action Committee (ISAC) meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 12th 5:30 pm at the Holiday Inn. Everyone is welcome to attend. The Island Moon Newspaper’s first issue was on April 4, 1996. We are celebrating our 20th year of being the voice of the Island!
Around continued from A1 These were good kids who would likely have paid attention had they or their adult chaperones been warned of the unusually dangerous water. Unfortunately unless some changes are made it probably won’t be the last time it happens. ISAC Tuesday The April meeting of the Island Strategic Action Committee usually held on the first Tuesday of each month was pushed back a week and will held at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 12 at Holiday Inn. On the agenda; beach maintenance practices, the Park Road 22 Water Exchange Bridge, and Island traffic, among other items. The meetings are open to the public. The ISAC is an advisory board to the Corpus Christi City Council for all matters Islandcentric.
Happy Birthday to Island Home Builder Diane Mc Groarty
Island Obituary
We’ll see you there. In the meantime we’ve hit the sweet spot of the Island calendar so get out and enjoy the outdoors, and say hello if you see us Around The Island.
Barrat Coolidge Sturtevant
Barratt Coolidge Sturtevant, 64, died Tuesday April 5th, 2016 at Corpus Christi Medical Center with his wife of forty two years, Mary Teresa Sturtevant, by his side. He was born January 4th 1952 to Joseph and Mary Sturtevant in North Carolina. Mr. Sturtevant is survived by his mother Mary, wife Mary Teresa, and two children: Jennifer Sturtevant Shealy and Mary Sturtevant Grimes, with son-in-laws Greg Shealy and Michael Grimes. He also leaves behind three loving grandchildren, Gavyn Shealy, Kaiya Shealy, and Mary Grimes. Barratt is a veteran of the Gulf War and retired CWO3 from the U.S. Navy after serving twenty two years. He was an active member of the Padre Island Yacht Club, an avid hunter, and friend to all he met. The discipline and patriotism he learned from the Navy never left him, as friends and family from across the country will attest. Services will be held this Saturday at 11 a.m. at The Padre Island Baptist Church, followed by a celebration at 12:30 p.m. at The Padre Island Yacht Club with full military honors.
A4
April 7, 2016
Island Moon
Stuff I Heard on the Island
Island Moon on a Spoon
Flaco Tacos !!!
By Dale Rankin
By Chef Vita Jarrin Living on the Island, my taste buds are always craving fresh fish and fresh ingredients. For many of us, coming home late from work means fast food & drivethrus. Not for this Islander—my mom would be truly disappointed. My mother always made a fresh meal every night of the week, no matter how tired she was. The principal was and still is… know what you’re eating. Unless you make the food yourself, you never really know or pay attention to what you’re consuming. We’re too busy feeding our hungry bellies. Therefore, if you are of the same old school mentality or have done some research on food in general… you learn to cut corners and make a delicious/ nutritious meal in thirty minutes or less. So what does this have to do with Flaco Taco’s? Flaco tacos are fish tacos (in my world) and in Spanish, “flaco” means skinny. I think the combination of having decadent tacos and have them be considered “skinny” or low cal is a wonderful thing. Although, to some, this dish is common, for others the thought of cooking fish or making tacos is somewhat of a challenge. They taste super complex. So how can you make these at home? If you can’t make everything from scratch, you go and buy the next best thing. Quality products are key. Fresh
and garlic or take the time to bread it and panfry. I know what you’re thinking… how is that a Skinny Taco? If the fish is cut into thin strips and you use a good oil, you only give it a once over on each side and it’s not as unhealthy as the deep fried version you get in a basket. If you’re looking for that restaurant crunchy taco, using a simple seasoned breading mix will add that flavor without all the calories. Now that we’ve talked about the tortillas, the fresh salsa, and the main ingredient…fish, all that you have left to do is top it with a dollop of light sour cream or even Greek yogurt and a delicious fresh slaw. This week I will share with you something fresh and delicious that adds a true creamy crunch that you don’t get from adding plain shredded lettuce.
After more than three decades bouncing around newsrooms I can tell you there is nothing in the Journalism Dodge that focuses the mind like seeing a promo spot hit the air for a story with your name on it that you are not sure you can deliver; or worse, you’re not sure even exists. As I wrote last time in the mid-1990s I found myself in the middle of a ratings fight in San Antonio television and somehow ended up chasing a story which was promoted as “What’s In the Water? We take water quality for granted. But what’s really in the water you drink every day? Tune in Thursday at Six and Ten as Dale Rankin dives deep into our city’s water supply, and what is in it.” It sounded pretty ominous. Heck, it made me think twice about drinking tap water and I was the one who was supposed to know what was in it. And that’s where the problems started.
“Why are you testing the water? Flaco Tacos 5 (or less) Minute Cole Slaw 2 cups shredded slaw mix 1 Tbl. Greek yogurt 1 Tbl. Apple cider vinegar 2 tsp. Olive oil 1 tsp. lemon juice 1 tsp. salt ¼ tsp. ground black pepper Pinch of granulated sugar Dash of Cayenne pepper (optional) Toss all of the ingredients in a bowl. Chill until ready to use to top your Flaco Tacos.
After driving all over town and taking samples from the kitchen sinks in random homes I had placed the half-dozen plastic sample bottles in an ice chest with a piece of tape over the top to seal in whatever was in there. I had been instructed to leave no air pocket in the neck of the bottle and keep them cool. I headed back to the newsroom to pack them in dry ice and ship them to Pittsburg for testing. It was now Monday and I had a lot riding on getting these bottles shipped to Pennsylvania and getting the results back in time to hit air Thursday afternoon. If that didn’t happen I was going to have to tap dance my way through two live shots with no real facts because once the promos start to run something has to hit the air as scheduled. Sometimes facts are very inconvenient things, mostly when you don’t’ have them. As I walk into the newsroom the receptionist says, “There are some people in the lobby waiting to see you.”
Tip of the week:
tortillas are a great start. Our local supermarket has a tortilla section where they make them fresh almost all day long. I’m usually lucky enough to find them still warm on the table. Then making a super quick salsa that contains fresh chopped avocadoes, vine ripened tomatoes, cilantro, onion, squeezed lemons and limes and a drizzle of EVOO takes your taco over the edge. While we’re on the subject… what about the fish? Any fish or seafood that is fresh and seasoned makes a great taco. You can choose shrimp, crab, lobster or meaty cod, mahi or tuna. You can sauté it with some salt, pepper
Tacos are loads of fun… you can always create different tacos by changing up the fillings and toppings. You can also swap out the corn or flour tortilla and use bib lettuce leaves as your shell. The important thing is to use fresh condiments and seasonings. Just by adding mint and basil and drizzling soy sauce you can make your tacos Asian. How great would a taco bar be at your next mixer? The ideas are endless! Enjoy yourself, get creative, try new things and most of all have fun!!! Happy Eats! A La Mode Gelateria 14254 South Padre Island Drive Sweet 101 Have Fun! Try New Things! Happy Eats… Enjoy!
Seashore continued from A1 Co-sponsor and SMA staff member Shannon Trial noted, “Lessons learned at the Outdoor School will last a lifetime. While presenting physical challenges and unforgettable outdoor experiences, the counselors imparted valuable life lessons about teamwork, trust, goals, and respect.”
vividly her favorite experience at The Outdoor School and claimed, “It is a tough decision choosing one of the many amazing experiences throughout The Outdoor School, but my vote has to go to the ropes course. I always loved heights and challenges which is exactly what the high ropes course is.” Reagan McHorse cherished other activities stating, “I liked trying new things and the excitement of everything. Everyone cheered us on and the camp counselors were nice and not too strict. It was organized and everyone knew where to be and when. It was cool when we learned campfire songs and ate s’mores with core friends and danced around the campfire.”
In days and in areas where some children never visit the outdoors, it is a gift to be able to provide these experiences for Island children. SMA students will Stretching to new heights and goals Garrett Wainwright long remember their three focuses while braving the high ropes course days at The Outdoor School and will even longer benefit SMA Director has been a strong proponent from what they learned. It is worth every penny of The Outdoor School for 5 years and has (which was largely funded by parents.) Beeler encouraged all of the 6th grade students stated, “Parents pay the camp tuition and the to capitalize on the opportunity. Beeler SMA Ride the Wave campaign helps provide commented, “This is a wonderful experience scholarships for those who cannot afford the for the kids. They are put in groups and cabins tuition.” To understand more about The Outdoor with people they are not usually with – they get School see http://www.outdoorschool.com/ to know each other better. They gain confidence camp-for-all. when they accomplish something new; and the kids are very supportive and encouraging of each other – something they don’t always do at school.” Trip co-sponsor and staff member Tara Haney commented, “Seeing the kids outside of some of their comfort zones is fun. I am most proud of watching them challenge themselves to walk on a wire 3 stories high or trust a person who’s assisting them “repel” down a wall. Also on a personal note, “to share the opportunity with your child and watch them in a way that you haven’t seen is a gift that I am thankful for.” SMA student Bella Rogoff remembered
“Who are they?” “Some guys from the water department. They’ve been here for a couple of hours.” I’m pretty sure they’re not here to congratulate me on my attention to the water quality of our city. “Why are you testing the water?” they said, dispensing with the formalities. I state the obvious, “To see what’s in it.” “What do you expect to find?” “I should be asking you the same question. You guys are in charge.” “What are you going to do with the results?” “Well, I’m going to tell as many of the 1.8 million people in this town as I can get to watch.” As the conversation moves along I can tell one of the people whose water I tested called them and I soon figure out that two of these three guys are the highest ranking Water Wonks in town, the third is their hired gun Public Relations flack who isn’t even their regular in-house person. They’ve brought in the Pro From Dover to shoot as many holes in my story as they can; before it airs. After some obligatory questions about who is doing the testing – “Watch the story,” I say because I don’t want them calling the lab and persuading them to back out. As I had been warned the first thing they did was attack my method of water collection. I showed them the bottles with the impressive tape on top tucked away in their ice chest. What I don’t tell them is that what started out as a story aimed at picking up .1% of a rating point to win a ratings fight has now become a tiger to whose tail I am inexorably attached. There is no turning back. “Well, if there’s anything in there it could have come from the pipes in the house where you tested, you can’t extrapolate anything system wide.” “What is it you guys are afraid of? I ask. “What makes you think we are afraid of anything?” “Because it’s Monday afternoon and you are standing in this newsroom talking about a story that hasn’t aired yet.” I’m starting to think I might be onto something and that’s a little intimidating. I send the samples off and by Wednesday afternoon, after I have called the lab in Pittsburg back half a dozen times, I still don’t have any results. The panic on my end seems to be offset by the lethargy on the other. As the saying goes,
Sunset Sounds - Friday, April 8, 7-9 pm – The Texas Fever Band [country oldies, rock, pop & Tejano band]. It features Shevi Gonzales - lead vocals, Joseph Gonzales – accordion, Rudy Villa – drums & vocal, Richard Salinas – guitar, Jesse Torres – bass guitar & vocals and Bear – sound man. Bring a chair, friends, food, and drink and enjoy an evening of musical entertainment as the sun sets over the Corpus Christi Ship Channel. Series runs monthly April through October at Patsy Jones Amphitheater in Roberts Point Park. FREE!
Sunset Yoga in the Park: Easy Hatha Yoga with certified yoga instructor Lianne Thomas at the Patsy Jones Amphitheater in Roberts Point Park. Perfect for those who never tried as well as experienced. Cost is $2 a class. Cash or check made out to COPA [City of Port Aransas]. Open to men and women. Bring mat & water. Tuesday nights, April 12 & 19 at 7 pm.
Trying their hands at archery Feliz Fuentes and davis Spivey take aim photos by Shannon Trial
I start to work up a plan B. I pull up some old data from the Edwards Underground Water District that shows test results from the Aquifer itself; maybe I can work that into something that will work if the results don’t come back on time. I can’t start to write the story because I don’t have the results. It’s almost panic time. “I got my tuchas twisting in the breeze here,” I tell the lab guy. “I need test results by tomorrow morning, my story airs tomorrow afternoon.”
Wonky nomenclature and parts per thousand Thursday morning I am delivered a manila envelope with about forty pages of numbers and letters which make no sense whatsoever to me. I spend the morning on the phone with the biologist in Pittsburg trying to get some plain English out of him. Every question is answered with wonky nomenclature and “parts per thousand,” and sometimes million. What it comes down to is one “anomaly” which shouldn’t be there. The number for it is too high, but determining how much too high and whether it is dangerous will require more testing for which there is no time. I make calls. No one knows anything. In desperation I call my friend who tried to warn me off this story in the first place and he fills me in. The 1990 Clean Air Act mandated that the refrigerant is in air conditioners and heat pump systems, R-22 but we called it by the brand name Freon –had to be phased out. This is a wild simplification, but in laymen’s terms it was lighter than air and finding its way into the ozone so it was replaced with a gas that was heavier than air. That means it collects and finds its way into the food chain – cows eat the grass – and the water supply as it drains into the aquifer. Hence the saying, “Distribution is not a solution to environmental pollution.” Each solution creates a new set of conditions, in this case the ozone was protected but the unintended but predictable consequence was that the new gas would end up somewhere on the ground. But what did that really mean and could I explain all this in under two minutes? At 3:30 that afternoon I still didn’t have a script. I was sweating blood in the audio booth when the 6 p.m. anchorman Bob Salter came in to get information to write a tease which hit the air in about ten minutes. “So Dale, what’s this story about?” “I’d say about a minute-forty Bob, beyond that I am not sure. I got a bunch of charts and graphs but not a lot of straight answers. The politics of water are about as clear as mud.” “You know it hits the air in a couple of hours.” “It cools your skin then sinks to the ground and ends up in your tap water. What is it? Tune in at Six and find out.” “Do you know what it is?” “I will by 6:01:30 Bob. The promos say so.” “Boy I wouldn’t want to be in your shoes,” he says. I call the Water Wonks. “Have you guys ever found this stuff in the water?” “No, we haven’t.” “Have you ever tested for it?” Long pause. “No.” Now I know why they showed up in my newsroom. I’ve danced to this tune many times before. As a general rule if a regulatory agency doesn’t test for something that common sense dictates should there is probably only one reason; they know it’s there and want to preserve plausible deniability. No one likes to lie and no one can prove they knew it was there. The nosy journalist can’t attribute to conspiracy what mere malfeasance can explain. I make my slot at 6 and explain what the tests found and by 10 I have a doctor who says the gas is basically inert but the long-term health effects are unknown due to lack of long-term sampling. So I made good on my promise to tell viewers what is in the water and end up with an “Only time will tell” finish on the health effects. On the upside, we had a huge audience and we won both the 6 and 10 shows. We all repaired to Sir Winston’s for a postmortem. “Give us Scotch and water,” we say, “and use tap water, we like the bubbles from the gas.” We toast to dodging a television bullet and prepare to go back and do it again the next day. And so it goes.
Port Aransas Happenings…
Yoga on The Beach: Nancy Myers will conduct a session Saturday, April 9, starting at 8 am, next to Horace Caldwell Pier at end of Beach St. This event is held the 2nd Saturday of each month. Be early as leader will take class to an inside location if weather is bad. FREE!
Sabrina Rhoades Nina Ferris and Mia Sikes roasting marshmellows on a fire that they buiilt
failure to plan on my part does not constitute an emergency on theirs.
Interval Training: Offered 7 am, noon & 5:15 pm on Monday & Wednesday and 7 am & noon on Friday. Call certified instructor Karen Decker for location 361-903-0901. High Intensity
Training in short spurts, all ages/levels. Work at own pace. $3/class or $30/15 classes. Cash/ check to COPA. For men & women. Bring mat & water. Chair Yoga: Perfect for any men or women-any age or shape. Great for beginners and seasoned yogis. Held in the Girl Scout hut, noon, Thursdays, by certified instructor Brittany Young. $2/class Cash or check to COPA. Open to men & women. Bring mat & water. Port A RPG Game Night: For 16 and older, high school and college gamers may play Pathfinder, Star Wars RPG and Mutants and Masterminds in a controlled environment. Every Friday and Saturday 4:30 pm, in the Girl Scout hut inside Parks and Recreation building, 739 W. Ave. A. No charge to attend, but food is usually ordered if gamers want to eat while playing. Birding on the Boardwalk: Guided birding tour for anyone, novice to expert, every Wednesday at 9am. Local guide Nan Dietert will instruct at Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center at end of Ross Ave. FREE! Beach Walk: Eliesha Barr will lead the walk on Port A's beaches to hunt for treasures. Meet under the purple flag Friday, April 22 (4th Friday of each month) near Horace Caldwell Pier at end of Beach St. FREE!
April 7, 2016
Island Moon April
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A5
Island Moon continued from A1
Mike patterned The Island Moon after the San Pedro Sun in Belize and published, eventually, every two weeks until a stroke left him unable to continue in 2007. In 2009 the paper went to color and a short time later to a weekly as the Island grew and the pace of events quickened. When Mike started the paper the Island’s population was barely 5000, it is now well over 10,000, and there was only scant sense of community. Now twenty years down the road our Island has its own unique lifestyle and opens its arms to whomever arrives OTB looking for
some sunshine. The Island Moon Newspaper has been and will continue to be a vital part of that lifestyle. The founder of Island Italian restaurant, Tony Tagliaferro, was friends with Mike and Island Italian is the sole advertiser who has been in all 625 issues over the last twenty years. Mike is not with us any longer but the paper he began twenty years ago this week continues on. And it all started because Mike got bored. We miss our friend.
Tides of the Week Tides for Bob Hall Pier February April 7 - 14, 2016
Day
High /Low
Tide Time
Height in Feet
Sunrise Moon Time Sunset
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7
High
3:48 AM
1.7
7:12 AM Rise 7:27 AM
7
Low
10:34 AM
0.7
7:50 PM Set 8:22 PM
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3:22 PM
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9:41 PM
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7:07 AM Set 12:38 AM
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10:08 AM
1.9
7:52 PM Rise 11:45 AM
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2:08 AM
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7:06 AM Set 1:33 AM
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11:25 AM
1.8
7:53 PM Rise 12:42 PM
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3:22 AM
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7:05 AM Set 2:23 AM
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7:53 PM Rise 1:38 PM
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7:09 AM Rise 9:55 AM
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The BACK PORCH Jul & the Chrome Wheels Mark Monaco Rip Tide Hamilton Loomis Clarissa Serna Right on Red
Front page of the first Island Moon Newspaper, April 4, 1996
Mike Ellis (right) and Dale Rankin holding the first color edition of The Island Moon, August 2009.
April 8 April 9 April 15 April 16 April 22 April 23
The BACK PORCH Bar ON THE WATERFRONT
132 W. Cotter St.
The
PortA
BACK PORCH
One Bite and You’re Hooked!
Bar
All You Can Eat Shrimp Wednesdays 5pm Prime Rib Thursdays Mini Golf Great Food Family Fun
Seafood, Steaks, Salads, Burgers & a Full Bar
3.5” x 2.5” | Maximum Font Size: 30 pt
Investment strategies. One-on-one advice. Neal Nelson, AAMS® Financial Advisor .
14646 Compass Street Suite 4 Corpus Christi, TX 78418 361-949-9500 www.edwardjones.com
Open 11am - 2am • Kitchen Closes at 1am 2034 State Hwy 361
361-749-TACO (8226)
Member SIPC
A6
April 7, 2016
Island Moon
Bridge continued from A1 Padre (east of PR 22) with the Padre Isles canal system (west of PR 22). The project also includes lighting, striping, railing and traffic control.” Excavation work is currently underway on the canal on the Lake Padre side of the roadway. Portions of the canal to the bridge site on the west (Schlitterbahn) side of the roadway have been in place for more than a year but are not bulkheaded. Plans call for that canal to connect to the current dead-end Cruiser Canal which runs under Whitecap. The idea of the water exchange bridge first surfaced in 2004 when a list of bond projects were drawn up but did not include any projects for The Island. Then District 4 Councilperson Mark Scott pushed to include $1.2 million in the bonds to be combined with the estimated $900,000 it would cost Developer Paul Schexnailder to construct water exchange
culverts under the roadway. Over the years the project languished but began to move forward two years ago amidst pressure from the Island Strategic Action Committee and took on a new urgency in recent weeks as the excavation work began around Lake Padre and on a new residential development at the end of Whitecap that is part of a $500 million master plan for the area. Officials from TxDot told the ISAC in January that the hearing process which begins Thursday is expected to take about 130 days to complete. No firm date has been given for the start of construction on the project. The purpose of the Thursday hearing is to present the planned improvements for the project and receive public comment.
Seawall continued from A1 $260,000 for condominiums, and $349,000 to $369,000 for townhomes.
soil under the unit and continues with the roof, and even the air rights above.
Condominiums or Townhomes?
Financial institutions for decades have been reluctant, or absolutely unwilling, to lend money for development of condominiums. In response developers have adapted to these market conditions by eliminating the “front desk” of newly constructed condominium projects and are using off-site companies to handle reservations.
The difference between a condominium and a townhome is that in a condominium development the units can be stacked with multiple vertical owners who own their unit from interior wall to interior wall. In a townhome the ownership is vertically contiguous, the townhome can be multiple story but ownership begins with the
The hearing is at 7 p.m. at the Seashore Middle Academy, 15437 South Padre Island Drive. Displays will be available for viewing at 6 p.m. with the formal hearing starting at 7 p.m.
All sorts of pirate swag is supposedly hidden in the Coastal Bend area Part 2 The Island is littered with treasures lost and buried. Moon Mike left us with a treasure of a different sort in his collection of Island history books. One of them is a 1972 book, “A Guide to Treasures in Texas,” by author Thomas Penfield who unearthed hundreds of buried-treasure stories, legends dealing with sunken treasures, stolen payrolls and life savings buried by their owners. Some of the might even be true. As Jimmy Stewart said in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.
• Treasure belonging to a member of the Russian nobility hidden on the western side of Mustang Island. Treasure buried in sand dunes on Mustang and Padre Islands.
Among the treasures supposedly hidden in the Coastal Bend are:
• A Laffite fortune buried under a millstone on the northern tip of Padre Island. Gold, silver and jewels hidden by Hernando Cortez, later unearthed and reburied by Jesse James, near Three Rivers.
• Payroll for Spanish soldiers buried on St. Joseph Island’s southern end. • Gold and ornaments for a Vera Cruz cathedral buried on St. Joseph’s Island opposite Rockport. • A treasure chest buried on the west bank of the Nueces River where the old Laredo-toGoliad road once crossed.
Hearing on Water Exchange Bridge April 7 On April 7, 2016 at the Seashore Middle Academy, 15437 South Padre Island Drive, on The Island a public hearing will be held to explain to the public details concerning the proposed construction of a $10.5 million water exchange bridge on SPID/Park Road 22 between Commodores and Whitecap. The hearing is part of the ongoing permitting process for the bridge. The public is encouraged to attend. Here is a copy of the notice of the event. Notice of Public Hearing Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Assessment PARK ROAD 22 From Whitecap Boulevard to SH 361 (Commodores Drive) CSJs: 0617-02-064 NUECES COUNTY, TEXAS The City of Corpus Christi in conjunction with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is proposing to construct two bridges (northbound and southbound) on Park Road 22 over a proposed third-party canal between White Cap Boulevard and State Highway 361 (Commodores Drive) in Corpus Christi, Nueces County, Texas. Pursuant to Texas Administrative Code, Title 43, §2.107 and §2.108, this notice is to advise the public that a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) is available for public review and TxDOT will be conducting a public hearing on the proposed project. The Public Hearing will be held on April 7, 2016 at the Seashore Middle Academy, 15437 South Padre Island Drive, Corpus Christi, Texas 78414. The purpose of the hearing is to present the planned improvements for Park Road 22 from White Cap Boulevard to State Highway 361 (Commodores Drive), and to receive public comment. Displays will be available for viewing at 6:00 P.M. with the formal hearing commencing at 7:00 P.M. The existing roadway consists of two travel lanes in each direction with 10 foot outside shoulders, 4foot inside shoulders and an approximate 34-foot grassy center median. The existing right-of-way (ROW) width is 200-feet. The proposed project consists of constructing two precast bridges for the north and south bound lanes within the existing TxDOT ROW of PR 22. Each of the proposed bridges would be comprised of two 12-foot lanes with 10-foot inside and outside shoulders with one foot railings for an overall bridge width of 46 feet. The 34-foot depressed median would be maintained. The total length of the proposed bridges would be approximately 128 feet. The proposed third-party canal would connect Lake Padre (east of PR 22) with the Padre Isles canal system (west of PR 22). The project also includes associated lighting, striping, railing, traffic control and other items necessary for the completion of the project. The proposed project would result in impacts to potentially jurisdictional wetlands. The draft EA, maps showing the project location and design, tentative construction schedules, and other information relative to the project are on file and available for inspection Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. at the City of Corpus Christi, Engineering Services, located on the 3rd floor of City Hall, 1201 Leopard Street, Corpus Christi, TX 78469. The information is available on the City of Corpus Christi website at www.cctexas.com (keyword “PR 22”) and the TxDOT website at www.txdot.gov (keyword “PR 22”). This information will also be available for inspection at the hearing. All interested citizens are invited to attend this public hearing. Verbal and written comments from the public regarding this project are requested and may be presented at the hearing or for a period of 10 calendar days following the hearing. Written comments may be submitted either in person or by mail to the City of Corpus Christi, Mr. Jeffery H. Edmonds, P.E., Director of Engineering Services, 1201 Leopard Street, Corpus Christi, TX 78469 or by email to JeffreyE@cctexas.com. Comments must be received on or before April 17, 2016 in order to become part of the official hearing record. The Public Hearing will be conducted in English. Persons interested in attending the hearing who have special communication or accommodation needs, or need an interpreter, are encouraged to contact Sam Blanco, Senior Environmental Planner, at Raba-Kistner Environmental, Inc., 210-649-3691 or sblanco@rkci.com. Requests should be made at least two days prior to the public hearing. Every reasonable effort will be made to accommodate these needs. If you have general questions or concerns regarding the proposed project, you may contact Project Manager Mr. Chris Hale, P.E. at (361) 826-3807.
• A chest of gold and other valuables buried along the Nueces River on the Riverside Ranch. • Money, jewels and gold plates belonging to Maximilian, former emperor of Mexico, dumped in Laguna Madre just off Flour Bluff Peninsula.
• Gold buried in Kleberg County from a Spanish ship stranded 20 miles south of Padre Island’s northern tip.
April 7, 2016
A7
Island Moon
Padre Island Real Estate Activity February 2016 By Cindy Molnar Coldwell Banker Island Realtors
Waterfront Homes Sold Padre Island Real Estate Activity March 1-March 15 Waterfront Homes Sold 13733 Tajamar 15370 Sabre 15242 Isabella 15226 Main Royal 13730 Hawksnest Bay 15225 Isabella Average Sales Price $356,666 102 Waterfront homes listed from $274,900-$3,500,000
Interior Lot Homes 13821 Laffite
Police Blotter Body discovered in the surf at Padre Island National Seashore.
April 4
16 year-old drowns on The Island
A female driver called police to report that a man was chasing her in the parking lot of the Mission Shopping Center, located in the 4900 block of Ayers Street. When Officers arrived, they determined that the man was chasing the female because she had just drove past him, while he was walking along Ayers Street near McArdle Road, and hit him with the passenger side mirror of her 2013 Chevrolet Cruze.
Friday, April 1 10:45 a.m. 15900 Gulf Beach Road (Beach Marker 234) DOA Corpus Christi Police assisted other agencies in a search for a missing 16-year-old boy in the water of the Gulf of Mexico near Beach Marker 234 on Padre Island Friday morning. The missing boy was a ninth-grader from the town of Mansfield, near Dallas, in town for the SkillsUSA competition.
The man hit by the mirror was not injured. The 62 year-old female driver was arrested for driving while intoxicated and her car was impounded.
Corpus Christi Police responded to a call for help to search for a 16-year-old boy in the water at 10:45am. Officers met a 46-year-old man who told Officers that a 16-year-old boy had gone in the water with a group of people, but the 16-year-old boy had disappeared. The 46-year-old man told Officers the rest of the group was on shore and safe, but they could not find the 16-year-old boy and believed he was still in the water.
She needed a faster shopping cart March 31 4:45 p.m. 13200 Leopard Street Offense: Theft by shopping cart A female was arrested after she attempted to run out of the Home Depot Store, located at 132020 Leopard Street, without paying for merchandise. Store employees chased the female, who was pushing a shopping cart with a power tool in it, outside of the store. The female attempted to load the tool into a waiting vehicle that had pulled up.
Other emergency services agencies responded to the area to search for the boy. The 46-year-old man provided a description of the missing 16-year-old boy as 5 feet 7 inches tall, about 150 pounds with brown hair, brown eyes, olive tone skin and was last seen wearing black and red swim trunks. The 46-year-old man told Officers the 16-year-old boy is not a resident of the Corpus Christi area.
When the female was stopped by store employees, the vehicle sped away and the 32 year-old female was arrested. The equipment, valued at $499, was returned, the shopping cart escaped unscathed.
At 10:15 a.m. on Monday, April 4th park employees at PINS reported the discovery of his body on South Beach.
14258 Bay Bean
See what happens when you don’t have UBER!
Police Calls
13966 Windjammer
March 30 11:55 p.m. 3600 Timon Boulevard Offense: Abusive Calls to 911
The Corpus Christi Police Department responded to 1006 calls for service and generated 213 reports for formal criminal complaints from 7:00 a.m. April 4 to 7:00 a.m. on April 5, 2016
15717 Escapade 15405 Escapade 14721 Quarterdeck
A man was arrested by Corpus Christi Police after he made several calls to 911 demanding police give him a ride across the Harbor Bridge from North Beach. Officers responded to the man’s first two calls to 911 from a motel located at 3615 Timon Boulevard. The man demanded Officers give him a ride to the downtown area across the Harbor Bridge.
The Corpus Christi Police Department responded to 766 calls for service and generated 207 reports for formal criminal complaints from 7:00 a.m. April 3 to 7:00 a.m. on April 4, 2016.
14345 Goldfish 14830 Aquarius 13522 Catamaran 15242 Barataria 13754 Eaglesnest Bay Average Sales Price $246,654 68 Interior lot homes listed from $179,900-$1,100,000
Waterfront Condomiums/Townhomes Sold 15426 Fortuna Bay #108 14300 Aloha #212 15426 Salt Cay B 14427 Compass #B12 13918 Mingo Cay #2 15406 Gun Cay #802B Average Sales Price $201,625 128 Waterfront condominiums/townhomes listed from $73,900-$499,900
Interior Condominiums/Townhomes Sold 15422 Seamount Cay #304 14901 Island Village 15422 Seamount Cay #202 14202 Encantada #305 Average Sales Price $178,531 73 Interior condominium/townhomes Listed from $79,000-$389,000
Waterfront Lots
3:05 a.m. 4900 Ayers Street Driving While Intoxicated
The Corpus Christi Police Department responded to 1036 calls for service and generated 249 reports for formal criminal complaints from 7:00 a.m. March 31 to 7:00 a.m. on April 1, 2016. The Corpus Christi Police Department responded to 881 calls for service and generated 244 reports for formal criminal complaints from 7:00 a.m. March 29 to 7:00 a.m. on March 30, 2016.
After Officers determined the man did not have an emergency, they informed him that they would not be giving him any rides. Within thirty minutes, the man called 911 back three more times making the same demands. Officers returned to the motel and finally gave the man his wish for a ride across the bridge and took him to the City Detention Center. The 40 yearold caller was arrested for making abusive calls to 911, a Class B misdemeanor.
No eye gouging and no spray paint
Island Police Calls 11000 block Gulf Beach 3:10 a.m. April 3 Assault with injury/Public intoxication
Excitement is building for the 2016 Buccaneer Days Illuminated Night Parade, Saturday, April 30, 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. The big celebration is still a little less than a month away and already dedicated parade watchers are beginning to mark viewing areas along the route.
11300 block Gulf Beach 3:54 p.m. March 29 Vehicle impound 14400 block Verdemar 1 p.m. April 4 Harassment
The City of Corpus Christi would like to remind residents:
14300 block SPID 2:20 a.m. April 2 Public intoxication
• Spectators are not allowed to use spray paint when marking their spots.
14400 block Playa Del Rey 3:22 p.m. April 1 Illegal dumping of less than five gallons of gas
• Residents should use chalk or a non-permanent marker.
14600 block SPID 3:51 a.m. April 3 Public intoxication
• If people mark spots with tape, the City asks the material be pulled up and placed in trash bags before the parade begins.
15100 block SPID 2:04 a.m. April 2 DWI 14900 block Aquarius 4:43 p.m. March 29 Vehicle impound/ No insurance
• Marked parade spots are not guaranteed.
14900 block Whitecap 6 p.m. April 3 Assault by contact
The City asks everyone to please follow these easy recommendations and also reminds residents camping is not allowed along the route until 5:00 p.m. the Friday before the parade.
15500 block Gulf Beach 5:26 p.m. April Man arrested on three outstanding warrants (The Trifecta!) 158000 block SPID 4:16 p.m. April 2 Warrant/No Driver’s license/Interfering with public duties/Second warrant (The rarely-seen Grand Slam!)
Officer, someone was chasing me down the street and I don’t know why
54 Waterfront lots listed from $125,000-$6,000,000
Interior Lots Sold
Port Aransas Election May 7
Lot 10 La Blanquilla Lot 11 La Blanquilla Lot 13 La Blanquilla Lot 14 La Blanquilla Lot 15 La Blanquilla Lot 18 La Blanquilla
Voters in the City of Port Aransas will go to the polls on Saturday, May 7, 2016 to elect a Mayor and three (3) Council Members - Place 2, 4, and 6 - to a two-year term beginning May, 2016 and ending May, 2018. Current Mayor Keith McMullin is not eligible to run for re-election due to term limits. Here is a list of the candidates.
Lot 21 La Blanquilla
We offer space in the Island Moon for any statements concerning the election the candidates wish to make. Send remarks to editor@islandmoon.com.
Lot 23 La Blanquilla
Mayor:
Lot 20 La Blanquilla
Place 4:
Lot 24 La Blanquilla
Charles R. Bujan
Lot 2 Tesoro
Roger W. Powers
Lot 4 Tesoro
Laura Lee Degenhardt
Average Sales Price $30,258 Interior lots listed from $38,900-$349,300
Commercial Lots 15 Commercial Lots Listed from $99,500-$4,557,465
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April 7, 2016
Island Moon
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Final Four By Dotson Lewis Special to the Island Moon Dotson’s Note: If you watched the pregame TV show last Saturday prior to UNC vs Syracuse you heard some discussion about the academic scandals at the two schools. The following article is to fill you in on some of what is going on in the NCAA basketball program. John U. Bacon, a sports author and a writer for a sports website, contributed to this article.
The NCAA stayed out of the University of Virginia tragedy, in which George Huguely V murdered his girlfriend, fellow lacrosse player Yeardley Love. In both situations, the NCAA left the criminal investigations to the legal authorities. To do otherwise would have been tantamount to assigning a serial-murder case to a meter reader.
The Final Four is supposed to be college basketball's showcase. Last Saturday's second game featured North Carolina and Syracuse, two of the game's greatest programs.
Because there wasn't much public outrage in the case, the NCAA paid little price for doing nothing. But when public outrage rises, the NCAA takes action, whether it should or not.
The North Carolina Tar Heels have won five national titles, and rank near the top in all things NCAA (College) Basketball. The legendary Dean Smith, one of the most respected coaches in the sport's history, coached the Tar Heels for 36 years. Coach Smith created what they call The Carolina Way, a shorthand for playing the game right, on and off the court. Smith graduated 97 percent of his players. Syracuse also ranks in the top five for most wins, and has a national record 46-year streak of winning seasons. But because of academic fraud at both schools, this match-up was called by some the Corruption Classic or the Scholastic Scandal Semifinal. The NCAA just finished an eight-year investigation of Syracuse's program, it determined Syracuse players had failed drug tests, been paid by boosters and had coaches write their papers, but they kept playing anyway. For this, Syracuse had to erase 108 victories from, 2004 to 2012, which is always an unsatisfying penalty for all involved. Did any of those losing teams celebrate when the NCAA told them they really hadn't lost? The NCAA also gave Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim a nine-game suspension. The punishment was incredibly light, but Boeheim, who is known to many as whiner, and to others as a cry-baby, is still complaining about it, blaming everybody but himself: The assistant coaches, the players, the NCAA, and, as always, the media. But he, of course, had no idea any of this was going on. No one who watches college sports was surprised by any of it. But they were stunned to learn that hundreds of University of North Carolina football and basketball players had availed themselves of either "aberrant" or "irregularly" taught courses, defined by ESPN, as those which entailed "unauthorized grade changes, forged faculty signatures on grade rolls and limited or no class time." In fact, it is known that some 226 North Carolina basketball players took these bogus courses for phony grades, over a period of 20 years. Of course Coach Roy Williams denied knowing any of the foregoing. I guess he never set foot any place on the campus except for the athletic complex.
This explains its decision to give the Penn State athletic program penalties that NCAA president Mark Emmert said might be considered "greater than any other seen in NCAA history." Most experts believed they were second only to the infamous "death penalty" delivered to Southern Methodist University, from which the Mustangs have still not fully recovered three decades later. As ghastly as Sandusky’s crimes were (including the possibility of a coverup by university leaders, which is still being investigated) these are serious criminal matters, better suited for the FBI than the NCAA. But the country was understandably apoplectic, at a time when criticism of college athletics and the NCAA was reaching a fever pitch.
From the NCAA's point of view, what is the difference between George Huguely V and Jerry Sandusky? The public was furious about Sandusky, so the NCAA took action. The NCAA might ignore murder, if the public doesn't care about it, but when it comes to misdemeanors, the NCAA is hell on wheels, especially if those misdemeanors draw media scrutiny.
The NCAA’s doing almost nothing, as has been the case since Walter Byers stepped down as the Executive Director in 1987. The NCAA argued that, because half the students in those classes were not athletes, it was a university matter, not an NCAA one. So it left the mess for the university to clean up. It was a big enough mess for the UNC chancellor to resign over it. To make any sense of these situations, you need to understand how the NCAA works, or doesn't, as is often the case. The NCAA was created in 1905 to police college athletics, but soon after the 1979 championship basketball game, featuring Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, it realized there was money to be made, big money, so it became saloonkeeper, too. If you can't guess which of those two jobs it is more passionate about, you need only heed Deep Throat's maxim: Follow the money. Of the NCAA's $777 million budget in 2012, only 1 percent of it was earmarked for enforcement, which hardly serves as an endorsement for its priorities, or its efficacy in keeping college sports clean. It's all the more revealing to study just where the NCAA spends its relatively paltry resources for investigations. Whenever a college athletic program gets itself in trouble with the law, the NCAA usually steers clear, sticking to worrying about how many minutes a week student-athletes are allowed to stretch, the distance they can travel in a car with an alumnus, and whether they are allowed to put cream cheese or jam on their free breakfast bagel. (Until recently, they were not.)
off. Almost 50 years after the event, Gomez remembered and tells this story to the crowd. “We were playing the New York Giants in the 1936 World Series,” said Lefty, “And I was on the mound. It was early in the game and I was a little wild. Before I knew it, there were two runners on base. Suddenly I heard a plane flying over the ballpark. It was a big airliner and I just stepped off the mound, forgot about the runners, the batter, the game and everything else,” said Lefty. (Remember, this is 1936 and plane travel was not nearly as common as it is today.) “I stood there watching calmly, until the plane completely disappeared from sight. I kept 45,000 fans waiting and everyone wondered why I stopped the game this way. I guess some people thought I was just plain crazy. Well, I was a little tense and I wanted a distraction to release the tension. As I recall, I finished the inning without giving up a run,” laughed Lefty. The Yankees won that day 18-4 and Lefty went the distance, walking seven batters and striking out eight. Lefty Gomez will always be remembered as the pitcher who stopped the World Series dead in its tracks to watch an airplane in flight. Now, that’s just goofy.
The NCAA's decision to suspend its own convoluted due process, and rely entirely on a report Penn State itself had commissioned to come up with sweeping sanctions, in just nine days, went a long way toward quieting those critics, at least for a time. It also demonstrated that the NCAA has no principle it won't jettison for the purpose of appearances.
Lefty Gomez I met Lefty in the summer of 1984 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Lefty, Tommy Lasorda, Sandy Koufax, and Jim Brewer were holding a golf charity event.. The company I worked for at the time, Grandy’s Country Cookin’ Restaurants, sponsored a hole-in-one contest and I got to play in the foursome with Koufax and attend dinner with everyone that night. It was at the dinner that I took the photo of Lefty that’s used in this story and the picture of Koufax teeing
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.
In the UNC case, after public outrage slowly rose to the NCAA's threshold for taking action, years after the story first surfaced, it reluctantly started another plodding investigation, which it assures us will soon be complete. We can be confident than UNC will receive a punishment even more ridiculous than Coach Boeheim's, but it wouldn't be surprising if Boeheim whines about that, too. If making sure athletes are bona fide students is not a central mission of the NCAA, from its very inception in 1905, you have to wonder what exactly its central mission might be. A principle is something you follow, even when it goes against your immediate self-interest. But the NCAA doesn't follow any principle that runs against its immediate self-interest, even if it means unwittingly endangering its long-term survival. On the rare occasions when the NCAA does go after someone, as Taylor Branch pointed out in his seminal piece in The Atlantic, it typically focuses its "public censure on powerless scapegoats." Not the athletic directors or the head coaches, whose millions can buy teams of topflight lawyers -- but the assistant coaches, the low-ranking administrators, the poorly paid tutors and the players.
Walter Byers
By Andy Purvis Special to the Island Moon He will be remembered for a lot of things concerning baseball. He won a record six World Series games without a loss. That’s still a Major League record. The man posted a 3-1 win-loss record in All-Star games played during the 1930’s and became a 20-game winner four times while pitching in New York with the Yankees. In 1972, his overall career pitching record of 189-102 was good enough to land him in the Baseball Hall of Fame, located in Cooperstown, New York. Through it all he maintained his sharp sense of humor and continued to be one of the best practical jokers in baseball. Most knew him as Vernon “Lefty” Gomez, but his close friends nicknamed him “El Goofo” which was later shortened to just “Goofy.”
Now that we know that the NCAA is no longer an enforcement agency, but a marketing company, everything the NCAA does, and doesn't do, makes a lot more sense. During the NCAA's biggest week of the year, instead of celebrating the showcase that was the Final Four, the NCAA had to wallow in the mess that it's created.
Jim Boeheim & Roy Williams Dotson’s Other Note: On a personal note, I knew & dealt with both Jim Boeheim of Syracuse and Roy Williams of North Carolina when I was working the NCAA basketball scene. If I were in the position to do so, I would fire them both. As a matter of fact, I would never have hired either to be a basketball coach. Both would fit in nicely as an old time “medicine man.” If you are not old enough to remember medicine men, look up “medicine show” (https://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Medicine_show) in Wikipedia. Your comments, suggestions, questions and concerns regarding Sports Talk articles are greatly appreciated, please call the Benchwarmers at 361-560-5397 weekdays, Mondays thru Fridays, 5-7 PM, or contact me. Phone: 361949-7681 Cell: 530-748-8475 Email: dlewis1@ stx.rr.com
Sandy Koufax playing golf
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