The
Issue 572
Island Moon
The voice of The Island since 1996
April 2, 2015
Around The Island By Dale Rankin
editor@islandmoon.com The mosquito season has yet to show itself so far, but the good news is that the city is getting ahead of the problem and has begun spraying on The Island. The mosquito man hits the streets when it is not raining and the wind is not blowing too hard. But in some ways spraying for mosquitos is like holding back the tide with a broom. The fogging only kills the little buggers when they are in flight and come into direct contact with the spray. You might say it is something like the Buffalo Theory; it picks off the slowest and least attentive of the herd while the fast movers go looking for prey. Even so it is estimated that it does get about one-third of the mosquito population so we do have that going for us. But get ready everybody, with all the standing water we have on The Island these days it won’t be long before the air is abuzz. Our friend Guitar Player Sidney says he believes the buzz is a D-Flat, and he says the slapping as people do the Skeeter Dance is the drumbeat. Guitar Player Sidney is a glass half-full guy.
Barefoot Mardi Gras The Barefoot Mardi Gras organization will present a $10,000 check next Wednesday, April 8, to the Big Brothers and Big Sisters. The ceremony will take place at the Veranda at Schlitterbahn at 10 a.m. and the public is invited. The Padre Island Business Association helped with the event for the first time this year and the party and parade were both a great success. We look forward to next year and for another excuse to wear our Mardi Gras beads to the ceremony on Wednesday.
Easter Weekend Get ready to break out the white pants everybody, it’s Easter weekend and time for a seasonal wardrobe change. The Kiwanis Easter Egg Hunt is Saturday and Billish Park will be full of kids of all ages. There are several sunrise church services on area beaches, and up Port A way the Sandy Bottom Boys are going to bust loose with some old fashioned gospel music. It’s the sweet spot of the Island calendar so get out there and enjoy the outdoors; and say hello if you see us Around The Island.
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Photo by Brent Rourk
Local Vietnam Veteran Helicopter Pilot Receives Award Broken Wing Award Pin Arrives 45 Years Late By Brent Rourk
Canadian Rowers Come to The Island to Train for National and World Competition
It finally reached North Padre Island resident Jim Weatherill three weeks ago from Fort Rucker, Alabama. It was missing from the original envelope 45 years earlier. The original envelope that originally contained a small pewter-colored lapel pin and an official certificate was received by Weatherill on March 9th, 1970, but the envelope had been sliced open on its way to Weatherill. The certificate was there, but the pin, symbolizing the Army Aviation Broken Wing Award that was given to him for extraordinary skill, judgment, and technique, was missing.
A Slashed Envelope Arrived Weatherill, remembering when the envelope arrived in 1970 despite the fact that it happened many years ago, recently recounted, “So there I was in college, in our apartment screaming at the national news on the tv when my lady hands me an envelope from the Army that came in the day’s mail. The TV news went to a commercial and I stopped yelling long enough to open the envelope. Inside was a citation for a medal, and quite frankly I nodded my head between the TV and the envelope and moved my mouth around like a cow chewing its cud. ‘Ain’t this the $%&@!,’ I think I said.”
Jim Weatherill in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot December 1967 Like so many Vietnam War veterans, Jim was trying to adjust to life back home, a challenging proposition for most veterans. Jim continued, “I wanted a Scotch but we were so poor that I only dreamed it. The news came back on and I yelled again at
Pilot continued on A6
By Dale Rankin If you have been around the canal between Cabana North and Jackfish lately you saw a group of energetic young people, and a few not so young, in racing kayaks paddling their way around floating markers while a coach hovers with his stopwatch.
SMA Students Prosper at State Science Fair
Easter Bunny Spotted Hopping Students Qualify for Possible Advancement To North Padre to the National Stage Island By Brent Rourk Lots of Fun for the Family Planned for Saturday By Brent Rourk The 18th Annual Island Easter Egg Hunt, co-sponsored by the Padre Island Kiwanis Club and Keller Williams Realty, will take place at Don and Sandy Billish Park this Saturday, April 4th starting at 11:00. The actual ‘Egg Hunt’ will take place at noon, however, there will be many activities for families to enjoy as well as food, drinks, and treats.
Easter continued on A2
Four Seashore Middle Academy (SMA) students prepared for last weekend’s Texas State Science and Engineering Fair in San Antonio, knowing that competition would be tough. Over 1200 other accomplished science students from Texas were also hoping that they would earn top prizes. The SMA students performed extremely well. SMA 8th grade student Elizabeth Clark qualified for advancement consideration to the Broadcom National Junior Science Fair. Her project in the Animal Science study
Seashore continued on A5
They are a group of Canadians from Winnipeg training for the 2015 Canadian National Canoekayak Championships in Ottawa in August, and the Junior World Championships in Czechoslovakia, National Championships in two years with the ultimate goal of making the Canadian Olympic Team.
Rowers continued on A2
Inside the Moon
New ISAC Members Sworn in A2
Tatiana Ortiz stands in front of her winning project Photo by Melanie Ortiz
Girl Scouts A4
A little Island history
“Where Texas Meets the Sea” Chronicles How Corpus Christi Lost Control of its Own Destiny
By Dale Rankin When you pick up most history books about Corpus Christi they tend to end with the closing of the Texas Frontier, the end of the Indian tribes, or the arrival of the railroads. The colorful portion of local history involves tales of Spanish treasure, Texas Rangers, raiders from Mexico, and the fight over the Nueces Strip in the middle of the 1800s. Those people and events set the groundwork for our area but the history that most effects the daily lives of Coastal Bend residents today happened well after that; the modern history of the region really begins after the opening of the Port of Corpus Christi, the first Port Commission was seated in 1923, and went through radical change in the decade from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s. This relatively recent era of our history is documented in a book just published by the University of Texas Press entitled Where Texas Meets the Sea by historian Alan Lessoff who taught at A&M Corpus Christi for several years, beginning in 1992, and is now a Professor of History at Illinois State University. He drew much of his information for the book from the special collections library at the University and worked closely with Thomas Kreneck who was the former director of the department.
Loss of local control The books’ title comes from a slogan created by boosters of the new port in the years immediately after the dredging was complete. The book traces the rapid growth of the city from 1920 to 1960. Up through the mid-1950s Corpus Christi was on course to become one of the leading metropolitan areas of Texas, but by the end of the 1970s that promise had dissolved as the city fell into secondtier status as it was overshadowed, and eventually marginalized, by the other metropolitan areas of the state. Lessoff electively describes how Corpus Christi went from “the fastest growing city on the coast, by far the most versatile, the most progressive, and the most promising” of the Texas Gulf Coast cities outside of Houston to a city that by the mid-1980s had lost control of its own destiny. The loss of local control is highlighted by the shift in ownership of area refineries which were historically locally owned but passed into the hands of out of town corporate owners by the mid-1980s. The port also stagnated during this period as Lessoff quotes Ruben Bonilla, Jr, who was Chairman of the Port Commission for three terms, “We decided we were going to be a community with no growth, we just sat on petroleum while everybody else was building container terminals.” The loss of local control of the refineries, the main economic driver,
History continued on A4
Meet the chefs A6
Sports A8
Learn to Surf A11
Live Music A16
A2
April 2, 2015
Island Moon
New ISAC Members Sworn In
Robert Pruski, Jr. 361.652.2278 adventure1mgmt@gmail.com
Four new members of the Island Strategic Action Committee were sworn in by Mayor Nelda Martinez at the Corpus Christi City Council meeting this week. From left to right Carter Tate, Brud Jones III, David Perry, and Libby Edwards. (Bottom photo)
They take office at the next meeting of the ISAC on Tuesday, April 7, at 5:30 p.m. at the Comfort Suites on Leeward Drive. The public is invited to attend. The ISAC is a 14-member advisory committee to the City Council for issues on The Island.
Rowers continued from A1 “We were looking for a place to train with no waves and a minimum of boat traffic,” said Winnipeg Provincial Coach Jerome Seremak. “The canal system here is perfect for us.” Events range in distance from 200 meters to 2 kilometers. The boats range from V-bottom and flat-bottom sprinters, to canoes, and Dragon Boats which carry a crew of 22. His athletes have won gold medals in women’s canoe medals in men’s events at the Canada Summer games. The group will be here for another two weeks and hope to return next year.
Easter continued from A1
Again this year there will be fun rides for children of all ages, a Merry-Go-Round, Photos with the Easter Bunny, Face Painting, a Trackless Train, and Inflatable Fun House, and more. There will be four age categories for the much anticipated Easter Egg Hunt. Parents with children UNDER 3 years of age may pick up a free Easter Basket filled with goodies at the white tent. As always there will be some prize eggs that entitle the finder to a gift. With children enjoying the park and its many rides and Easter activities, this annual event has become very popular. It is another opportunity for families to enjoy the beautiful Island weather as a family while enjoying activities and socializing with the hundreds of families that attend.
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April 2, 2015
Island Moon
Letters to the Editor
Moon Monkeys Mike Ellis, Founder
Editor’s note: We have been receiving quite a lot of letters from anonymous persons who do not provide a name, return address, nor contact information. We do not run letters unless we can verify the identity of the writer. We can, on request, withhold names from publication, but we must be able to contact the writer by phone.
Island turning
Distribution Pete Alsop Island Delivery Coldwell Banker Advertising Jan Park Rankin Classifieds Arlene Ritley Production Manager Jeff Craft Contributing Writers Joey Farah Andy Purvis Devorah Fox Mary Craft Maybeth Christiansen Jay Gardner Chad Peters Todd Hunter Dotson Lewis Ronnie Narmour Brent Rourk
Just saw the 'Island Chicane' diagram in this week's edition and I'm confused. I'd be interested in knowing its source for I have to disagree with it's instructions for 4 reasons. 1. It's contrary to what I was told by an Island police officer six years ago when I moved to the island. 2. We have at least one left turn/U turn lane here on the island that has a small lane divider that requires cars to turn as the diagram shows as being 'wrong'. 3. It is contrary to every other U turn intersection in this city or any other I've ever seen where the cars do not cross in front of each other prior to turning. 4. The requirement to pass in front of another car as indicated would cause a bottleneck if there are multiple vehicles turning in both directions. In addition, I think visitors to our Island would never understand this unusual practice and thereby cause additional confusion.
Dr. Donna Shaver
Rick Beekman
Photographers
Dear American,
Miles Merwin Jeff Dolan
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Mary Craft Ronnie Narmour Office Security/Spillage Control (Emeritus)
Riley P. Dog 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 15201 S. Padre Island Drive, Suite 250 Corpus Christi, TX 78418 361-949-7700 editor@islandmoon.com Facebook: The Island Moon Newspaper
Request from Dave's wife, Julie Writing from hospital, This is Dave's wife, Julie. I am writing this message to you today because my husband Dave passed away on December 17th 2013. My late husband was diagnosed with cancer and heart attack just before he was admitted to the hospital. He did begin treatment, but suffered a blood clot and heart attack after his first treatment. After all he died on the same sickness. As a fellow faithful person like you it is my desire and enthusiasm to donate a token/ huge amount of money he told about for the less privilege as he instructed me when he was at the point of death. Being a devoted Christian family I have no other option than to use this amount is ($14.1 million) to help those that is in need. so I would like you to think over this huge privilege that i am entrusting to your hand for the survival of the casualties and homeless, just send me your full names, home address, telephone number, occupation and more information about you like photograph in your next message for the service of God! in your country and for the less privilege one's. Finally, I know you join me and the rest of Dave's family in our sorrow and ask God to accept him in his kingdom. Kindly reply immediately together with your complete address which will be used for the transferring of the money to your country. Kindly reply for more detail; Yours sister in the Lord, Julie Dave Dear Julie,
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 Public Library
Island Italian
Holiday Inn Jesse’s Liquor Scuttlebutt’s Restaurant Subway
Chamber of Commerce
Island Tire
Duckworth Antiques
And all Moon retail advertisers
Back Porch
WB Liquor
Woody’s Sports Center 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
You should take a long walk on a short pier. Island Lizzy Dearest one, Greetings in the name of our Lord. I thank you for your reply and concern towards helping me out in my endeavors. I believe strongly that God still have something to say about my health ,because the doctors treat and God heals. I need your sincerity ,support and cooperation to help me carry out my wish to glorify our God.I want you to help me receive these funds so that you can help me to open an orphanage home ,foundation for the widows on my name and help the less privileged children. And in order for us to realize this you have to send me your full names, address and telephone numbers so that i can introduce you before my lawyer in order for him to draft my last WILL testament in your favor so that i can sign and he will witnessed this before i will submit to the bank and instruct them to make transfer into any bank account you will provide in future. waiting to hear back from you. Best Regards, Mrs. Julie Dave Dear Mrs. Julie Dave Why don't you get a large bucket, like the kind nine bowling balls would fit in, fill it with gasoline, set it on fire and stick your head in it? Warmest regards, Island Lizzy
How I Am Helping a News Anchor Following the Scandal By Tom Cullinan It came as a surprise when he called me to ask for estate-planning advice. It seems he was facing a big change in income this year and wanted to consider alternatives related to his future plans. I guess he felt we had something in common since we both held the title of editor … or maybe because both of us had our first real job as a restaurant busboy. We’d never met, though I had worked with other minor celebrities before and I have many ties to charitable organizations in his town related to my career. He told me that his job had been “hit and crippled by enemy fire” and this called his family’s immediate options into question. As a husband and father, he also wondered whether his estate needed updating. It turned out that these were merely secondary issues, because he was inspired to start a new charitable enterprise and needed an objective adviser with whom to bat around some ideas. His brilliant idea was to create, fund, and operate a rehabilitation center for liars. He suggested that a fine place to start might be among the media and other high-profile professions like politics and professional sports because there is much good to be done and loads of potential patients. If the credibility of prominent knuckleheads and scoundrels could be restored, Liars Rehab might gain key publicity for its mission as it attracted new patients needing serious help. He and his wife felt compelled to make the first contribution, inspired by Danny Thomas’ founding of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital fulfilling the entertainer’s personal promise to St. Jude, the patron of lost causes. Perhaps this new nonprofit enterprise might even attain the impact and reputation of the famed Betty Ford Center. Further, they were willing to give well beyond the limits of deductibility to launch this project, for they knew of companies that had reformed negative public images by changing their ways and utilizing philanthropic ventures. He wanted to start without being hemmed in by regulations, but we “then looked down the tube” of a potential Internal Revenue Service investigation and decided to file for 501(c) (3) tax-exempt status. He and his wife would contribute and solicit gifts, but they would leave the nonprofit’s governance to professionals. “By the way, keep my name off of it,” he said. “This is not about me.” A quick market analysis indicated that his first instincts were wrong. Rehab only helps those who want it. That fact dramatically trimmed our A-list of journalists, politicians, actors, and athletes who were potential clients. It seemed that many of these had no interest in the truth, while others had been hardened into self-interest beyond any reasonable hope. This sharply reduced the revenue forecast and threatened the project’s viability. We determined that it was really the celebrities — those familiar and attention-seeking personalities often found in the presence of the paparazzi — who were a ready-made fit. Not only were they lifted up by a popular culture with a big appetite for news about dysfunctional people who fail, it seemed that they were generally unfazed by negative reporting and eager to be the center of attention. You might think the best idea would have come from the guy who had more than 30 years in television. To tell the truth, it was mine. We had a natural audience, a large pool of watchable “talent,” an endless stream of salacious stories, and an obvious mission for social benefit if we could turn liars into truth tellers. But all of that led nowhere without my idea for a significant funding mechanism — a network reality program and its advertising revenue. Liars Rehab needs to be the focus of a reality series. Voilà! Liars Rehab might just be the next blockbuster in prime time. With a little luck, it may even reclaim the high ground for character and trust in America. This prevarication is only partially intended as amusement. Rehabilitation is a serious topic as it concerns criminal behavior, disabled persons, and substance abuse. However, it is quite possible that the philanthropic sector can provide an answer for corrupt people in responsible positions who lie with impunity. Taking this path, a disgraced news anchor might even resuscitate his reputation. Moreover, if Liars Rehab were to somehow spring up, I’d hope it would feature a robust marketing effort. We need to counteract the devastating effects of ignorance, apathy, and gullibility in our society, because these are the real enemies of the truth.
Did Ya Hear?
A3
by Mary Craft mkay512@aol.com or @padreeyelander on twitter
New Advertisers Terry’s Seaworthy Marine Supply is now open in Flour Bluff. Their new giant location carries fishing tackle, marine supplies & electronics plus parts and accessories for your boat. They also stock Hobie kayaks, Garmin and Gopro cameras. They are open 7 days a week and are located just a half mile past Waldron Road. Call 361-937-1870. Padre Island Remodeling & Design is ready to handle all of your building needs. They can handle anything from commercial and residential new construction, remodels, additions, property maintenance, design consulting and much, much more. Owner Robert Pruski Jr. is a long time Island resident. Give him a call at 361-652-2278 or email him at adventure1mgmt@gmail.com The Handsome Sailor Tiki Bar and Yacht Club is located on Conn Brown Harbor in Aransas Pass at 508 Bigelow. This is a full service marina and beach club with live music on the weekend. They are also available for private functions and offer catamaran party excursions. Contact Captain Tom Doran at (361) 790-6668.
Business Briefs The Annual Rubber Duck Race is Coming Saturday April 4th! Tickets available at ISLAND ARCHITECTS (BEHIND MAIL AND MORE) or from any Rotarian. Call 361331-8618 for tickets. Tickets are $5 to enter one duck in the race, $20 to enter five ducks in the race, and $100 to enter 30 ducks in the race. Proceeds benefit Rotary Community and International Service Projects. Don’t miss out on this fun event! for more info contact Jacqueline Carlson at 331-8618 or jcarlson@jmcarchitectue.com. Two Sisters Vintage is moving to San Antonio. Their last day of business will be April 8th. They would like to thank all of their loyal customers and hope you will visit us on your next trip to San Antonio. Island Strategic Action Committee. Is a 14-member committee which meets (usually) at 5:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month at the Comfort Suites on Windward Drive. The committee’s purpose is to advise the Corpus Christi City Council on matters pertaining to The Island. The next scheduled meeting is at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 7th at Comfort Suites on Windward Drive. The public is invited to attend and public comment is welcome. Island Presbyterian Church, along with Padre Island Rotary Club will hold a Blood Drive on Easter Sunday, April 5th at 14030 Fortuna Bay Drive from 7:30 until noon. All of the whole blood stays in our community to help the patients in the ten county area serviced by the Coastal Bend Blood Center. Platelets from Sunday Blood Drives are shipped to MD Anderson patients for their cancer treatments. Please consider giving the gift of life this Easter Sunday! “The rarest blood type is the one not on the shelf when it's needed by a patient.” FMI:949-8770 Church Unlimited Padre Island is having a community-wide Easter celebration. They invite everyone to come out and listen to live music, a relevant message and an Easter Egg hunt for the kids. Service times are 8:30, 10:00 and 11:30 a.m. Church Unlimited is located at 15205 S.P.I.D., suite 200. Boathouse Bar & Grill is having an Easter Brunch buffet on Sunday April 5th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. They will have two dollar Mimosas and four dollar Bloody Mary’s until 4 p.m. Reservations are recommended for parties of 6 or more. Call 589-9601 to reserve a table. The Black Marlin Bar & Grill in Port Aransas invites everyone to come out for Easter lunch and take advantage of their third floor elevated bar gulf view. The Black Marlin is located in the Palmilla Beach Resort & Golf Club.
Send Business Briefs to: mkay512@aol.com
Where Guys Go For Haircuts
Editor’s note: We thought this a fitting letter for this April Fools week.
Dear Island Dale, Greetings in the name of God. may God continue to bless you. in the name of God. I will forgive you and I pray that God will continue to bless you. Help me and send your bank details, phone numbers and address for this transfer purposes. Remain blessed. Julie Dave Dear Julie Dave, I am happy to send you my bank account numbers as soon as I see a dog fly. I have not seen a dogg fly yet but am hopeful that soon with the help of the $14.1 million a dog will fly by me. Can I get my $14.1 million without seeing a dog fly? Please send my $14.1 million to the Riley P. Dog Flying Dog Foundation, International Falls, Minnesota as soon as possible as I is in need…of $14.1 million and then maybe I can teach a dog to fly. Thank you, Island Lizzy
Get Your Easter Cut! Make your appointment ONLINE today on your computer or phone. Step #1-‐Go to BarberJoeSexton.com, #2-‐Click on the big yellow “Appointments” buCon, #3-‐ Click the cut you want and #4-‐Click an open Dme slot in my schedule. (Turn your phone sideways and click on the yellow bar at the top). I’m INSIDE the yellow Alamo-‐looking building at 15037 Park Rd 22, next to Keller Williams real estate. Text or call 361-‐500-‐8955.
Old School - New Cool Barber
A4
April 2, 2015
Island Moon
History continued from A1 combined with the economic dependence on the military, where build/don’t build decisions are not made locally, and the increased dependence on middle-class tourists from other Texas cities, where the come/don’t come decision is also made elsewhere, has the left the city’s economic future in the hands of non-Corpus Christi control.
Brain Drain Lessoff connects this lack of local control to the well documented exodus of young, talented, and educated people to San Antonio, Austin, Houston, Dallas and other more progressive metropolitan areas around the state. The notion that Corpus Christi is a place where dreams and ideas come to die is a tough one to shake, and one that is at the center of our economic future today. Census figures show that between 1995 and 2000 the population of college-educated single people between the ages of 25 and 34 shrank by 7.3percent. As the Sunbelt grew in the post-war years Lessoff cites “not complacency in the face of its troubles, but distress, confusion, and acrimony,” among local residents and leaders. These internecine rivalries resulted in wasted decades as Texas’ population increased by about 15% in the 1990’s and another 20% between 2000 and 2010, while Corpus Christi grew at an approximate rate of natural growth of about 3%.
Local Girl Scout Troop 9611
Learning and Working on Badges
schemes for constructing harbor facilities on the island or at Harbor Island, which would have created a very different Coastal Bend. But the construction of the Corpus Christi Ship Channel in the 1920s ended that prospect. I talk about this in some detail in chapter 1 of the book.
By Brent Rourk
The islands have grown relatively slowly by comparison to other barrier islands and coastal resorts from South Padre Island to the Carolinas and Virginia. Part of the reason is circumstance, the way that events such as the Texas oil bust of the 1980s or the Great Recession that began in 2007-08 happened to cut off largescale development schemes then in the works. As I explain in the book, that meant that residential neighborhoods slowly took shape on the island that had mixed feelings about large-scale and rapid tourist and resort development. Rapid development might bring prosperity, but it could also disrupt the fairly serene and relaxed way of life that island residents have come to count on.
The first Girl Scout Troop was founded in 1912 and during the last 103 years thousands of young girls have experienced everything the Girls Scouts have offered and have enjoyed the social experience of working and learning with other girls. North Padre Island has Troop 9611, a member of Girls Scouts of Greater South Texas Council (with 26 county territories, 16,000 members, and 4,800 adult volunteers.)
Girl Scouts Empower Girls According to the National Girl Scout Website, Girl Scouts empowers girls, “In Girl Scouts, girls discover the fun, friendship, and power of girls together. Through a myriad of enriching experiences, such as extraordinary field trips, sports skillbuilding clinics, community service projects, cultural exchanges, and environmental stewardships, girls grow courageous and strong. Girl Scouting helps girls develop their full individual potential; relate to others with increasing understanding, skill, and respect; develop values to guide their actions and provide the foundation for sound decision-making; and contribute to the improvement of society through their abilities, leadership skills, and cooperation with others.”
Future is out to sea
The Girl Scout Mission is ‘Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.’
Lessoff’s book leaves off with the failed attempt to build Destination Bayfront and ends with the suggestion that the region’s future is less closely tied to other Texas cities than it is By the 1990s, houses on the Island had finally come to line canals in subdivisions to other ocean-side cities such as sketched decades earlier New Orleans and Tampa where, like the Conrad Blucher Institute and the Harte Research Institute in Corpus Christi, those cities are What are the challenges for growth and economic looking to a future tied to oceanographic futures. expansion as The Island moves forward, and how are The book also goes through the history of development on The Island, including the fight over Packery Channel, the Island Tax Increment Financing Zone, and the fight over limiting driving on a portion of Island beaches. The book is a very different, and cool-headed, look at the history and future of our city and our Island. We sent Lessoff a series of questions concerning his conclusions and predictions for the future.
Where does The Island fit in with the development of the city as a whole? Over the last half century, the islands--I'm thinking of Mustang and North Padre--have mainly taken shape as an extension of Corpus Christi's long-standing role as a favorite resort and vacation destination within Texas. I talk about this at length in the book. Flour Bluff, to be sure, has a different history, on account of the Naval Air Station. In earlier periods, there were
Nationally, there are reported to be over 2 million Girl Scouts and almost 800,000 adults, mostly volunteers, in the Girl Scouts.
Troop 9611 Breakdown Troop 9611 is currently headed by Judy Austin and is broken in to 4 divisions: Daisies (K-1st grades), Brownies (3-4rd grades), Juniors (4-5th grades), and Cadettes (6-8th grades). Presently, there are over 40 active Girl Scouts in Troop 9611. The Senior and Ambassador Divisions (high school levels) have not yet been established within Troop 9611.
they different from the rest of the city?
Each of the different levels works on different curriculum, each year building on the previous year.
People in Corpus Christi and on the islands obviously are faced with the challenge of deciding how much growth they really want and how much is reasonable and safe. For reasons I discuss in the book, civic and business leaders in the city have long looked hopefully at the islands as a potential site for investment and a source of jobs and growth. As island residents know, these projections have continually fallen short, but that doesn't stop people from coming up with more plans and projections. The recession presented Corpus Christi with an unexpected opportunity to step back and examine whether the city really should emphasize development on the islands as a vehicle for prosperity, but the city did not use the recession-imposed lull in construction and development for that sort of rethinking and reflection. One remembers that the islands are barrier islands in a hurricane zone in an era of rising sea levels and possibly of increasingly intense weather. What is a safe and appropriate number of people to be living on or owning property on the islands? How much construction and paving can the islands safely support?
How are the interests of The Island different/the same as those of the city as a whole? Flour Bluff has a different set of interests from the city and from the islands. As for residents on the island, they have long had mixed feelings about how rapid development on the islands might disrupt their neighborhoods and way of life.
Troop 9611 in action
Downtown has been the focus of much of the attention for trying to grow the tourism industry in the city, however, most of the current tourism industry and the growth of attractions Schlitterbahn, Packery Channel - has been on The Island. Based on the past, how will this apparent conflict likely be resolved?
Other Activities The Girl Scouts are also famous for providing delicious cookies every year, and just about every family in America has savored at least a modest sample of those tempting cookies. The money from the cookie sales has helped Troop 9611 – fund their end of the year celebration, usually a sleep over (last year was at the Texas State Aquarium.) Also those funds help purchase art supplies and craft supplies used by all levels of the Girl Scouts.
This tension has existed since the 1960s, when tourist and resort development began in earnest to disperse from central Corpus Christi and North Beach to the islands and around the coast, at the same time that downtown was losing its other major function, as a central business district, the regional focus of retail, business, and professional services. I talk about this a great deal in the book. The underlying question is what purpose both downtown and the islands should serve in Corpus Christi's life and in its economy. If the city decides that downtown is only partly about visitor revenue but mainly about public and civic space and about attracting people who are looking for a more urban, less auto-oriented way of life, then the islands and downtown won't seem so much to be in competition. But Corpus Christi seems pretty far from making in a clear and comprehensible way such determinations over what purposes different areas within the city and region should serve.
This year Troop 9611 enjoyed a field trip to Mathis for the Fall Festival at Camp Greenhill in October where they engaged in different outdoor activities. In February Troop 9611 attended a World Thinking Day, a National Girl Scout event. At that event each troop[ was assigned a different country so that the girls could develop a better understanding of the culture of that country and the Girl Scouts organizations in that country. Troop 9611 studied England this year at the World Thinking Day, dressing in costume, studying the food, and learning about the country. Girl Scouts shared their culture with all of the troops in attendance. Troop 9611 has regular meetings during the 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month. They meet as a troop and then break down into their different divisions. For more information about Girl Scouts or if you and your daughter would like to join, see https://www. girlscouts.org/ and http://www.gsgst.org/
Where does The Island as a tourist destination fit in with the entire Texas Coast? Postcard of the Lichtenstein Building on Chaparral Street, late 1940s.
North Padre Island and Mustang Islands and surrounding towns have a special role in Texas as vacation and resort destinations for Texans from inland metropolises, as opposed to visitors from elsewhere in the United States and the world. I elaborate on this in the book as well. That explains the distinctive, highly visible place that the islands have in Texas culture and life. That is something to think about when considering developments that might change the islands' atmosphere, character, and target clientele.
Special Event at the Port Aransas Library The Friends of Ellis Memorial Library will host a special DVD presentation of the opera “La Traviata” on Saturday, April 11th at 3PM in the Library Meeting Room. Filmed at the Metropolitan Opera Company, this beautiful production stars Placido Domingo and Teresa Stratas in what is considered to be the masterpiece composition of Giuseppe Verdi, the preeminent opera composer of the 19th century. Light refreshments will be served, and there is no admission charge.
Send letters to: editor@islandmoon.com Mon-Thurs 8am-7pm • Friday 8am – 4pm Member hours (with keytag): 4am-11pm every day (361) 949-3298 – (361) 947-7732 www.islandfitnesscc.com
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April 2, 2015
Island Moon
First Friday at Port Aransas Art Center The First Friday celebration at for April at the Port Aransas Art Center, 323 N. Alister, will features works by artists Janelle Cox -Jane Gillette -Peggy Maury -Barb Robinson. The celebration is on Friday, April 3 and runs from 5:30-7:30 and features live music as well as the art exhibit. The public is invited.
Seashore continued from A1
A5
division showed the effect of water salinity on the reproduction of fish, entitled ‘The Platy Project’. Elizabeth did double time last weekend as her project was in San Antonio at the science fair competition but she was physically competing in the Math Counts state math competition. Elizabeth has previously competed in the Broadcom National Junior Science Fair, however, this time she was more successful. She exclaimed, “This is the third year I have participated in the science fair, and the first year I was nominated for the National Broadcom Matthew Daugird Nickolai Ortiz and Tatiana Ortiz Science Fair. It is exciting!”
Students spent significant amounts enjoy the State Science Fair photo by Melanie Ortiz of time on their projects and elaborate display boards as Elizabeth suggested, also entered the competition in Microbiology. “I worked on my project for about five months. His study ‘The Deadly Secret of Your Chemical The most challenging aspect was the stress of Cleaners: Are They Slowly Killing You?’ putting together the board.” compared the effectiveness of toxic versus Tatiana Ortiz, another top 8th grade student, nontoxic household cleaners. Matthew was very excited about the science fair and also thought that creating a top quality board was the most challenging aspect of the competition. There were a few nerve wracking moments as Matthew confided, “Being judged by two or three judges really made me pretty nervous, especially when they asked me questions I did not know the answers to.” Nikolai Ortiz, SMA 6th grader also qualified for advancement to the Broadcom National Junior Science Fair in the Environmental Analysis category. His presentation involving heavy metal water quality was titled ‘What’s in Your Water? The Answer May Be Heavier Than You Think!’ We wish the SMA students the best
Matthew Daugird shows off his project about toxic of luck as the qualification process vs non-toxic cleaners photo by Melanie Ortiz for advancement to Nationals unfolds competed in Microbiology exhibiting the prevention of hospital acquired infections. Her project, ‘Sharks in the Operating Room! They Save Your Hide’ won 1st place in Microbiology. She also qualified for advancement to the Broadcom National Junior Science Fair. Tatiana also won the Life Science Junior Division ‘2nd Place Grand Award’ and was runner-up for the overall ‘Best of Show Award’.
during the next few months. The final 30 students will be selected for competition in Washington where students will also meet with the President of the United States.
An enthusiastic veteran of the National Broadcom Junior Science Fair, Tatiana commented, “I love doing science fair. It is such a great experience. I worked very hard to get to the state fair and I practiced every night. It is exciting, nerve-wracking, and competitive.” Ortiz learned much about hospitals and infections and was pleased to create a project about it. She added, “I learned so much about hospital acquired infections and operating rooms in this project. I will never think about operating room bedrails in the same way again.” Seventh grade SMA student Matthew Daugird
Nikolai Ortiz Matthew Daugird and Tatiana Ortiz pose during the State Science Fair photo by Melanie Ortiz
KICK BACK WITH THE BEST GULF VIEWS FROM OUR THIRD STORY ELEVATED BAR
THE COLDEST BEER ON THE ISLAND FRESHEST CATCH ON THE COAST
L O C AT E D I N PA L M I L L A B E A C H R E S O R T & G O L F C L U B
A6
April 2, 2015
Island Moon
Grow Your Best Tomato Yet
Pilot continued from A1 the horrible excuse for coverage of my friends fighting for their lives, and looked back at the envelope. Someone had sliced the envelope open and taken my medal. I threw the envelope on the pile of books I was using to write a paper on the use of the American flag as a symbol, and forgot about it.”
By Melinda Myers Nothing beats the flavor of fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes. Make this your biggest and tastiest tomato harvest yet with proper planting and care.
Sadly, vandalism of personal mail was something that occurred occasionally during the Vietnam War when anti-war sentiments peaked. Some people who opposed the war and our soldiers stooped to vandalizing mail that had a U.S. Army return address or what one perceived as a medal inside the envelope.
Returning Vietnam Veterans Not Warmly Received Countless young veterans barely into their 20s had been quickly submerged in the bowels of war, only to be unceremoniously mistreated, forgotten, disrespected, ignored, and spit on when they returned. Beleaguered United States military personnel were regularly maligned and defamed after reaching home; not to a hero’s welcome but as the disenchanted and disenfranchised focus of raucous and indelicate anti-war sentiments that sadly became personalized and heaped upon war veterans. Returning United States military personnel were regularly maligned and defamed Our country and the veterans were woefully unprepared to deal with public hatred towards returning soldiers as well as the PTSD that so many veterans had developed as a result of their service. Anger took many forms.
Significance of the Broken Wing Award The rare Army Aviation Broken Wing Award recognizes aircrew members who demonstrate a high degree of professional skill while recovering an aircraft from an inflight failure or malfunction requiring an emergency landing. According to Army Regulations 072-74 Section 3-3, The Broken Wing Award is given to an “aircrew member who must, through outstanding airmanship, minimize or prevent aircraft damage or injury to personnel during an emergency situation. The aircrew member must have shown extraordinary skill while recovering an aircraft from an in-flight emergency situation. The aircraft must be owned or leased by the Army at the time of the emergency.”
Weatherill In Vietnam
Jim Weatherill March 2015 To Civilian Life Weatherill completed his enlistment in the Army six weeks later on February 28th, 1970 and shortly after that his family moved to Riverside, California. Jim is a very talented man and embarked on a career in aviation, first with Columbia Helicopters and finally with Continental Airlines. He retired as a 737 Captain. Currently living on North Padre Island with his wife Anne, Jim enjoys wood-working, playing music, writing and the Padre Island Yacht Club among other interests.
Authors a Book Recently, Jim and Anne co-authored a brilliant book, ‘The Blades Carry Me: Inside the Helicopter War in Vietnam’ a love story about their lives from 1967 to 1968. Fortunately, they saved their letters to each other from those years and tucked them away in a footlocker for 43 years. When they opened the footlocker in 2013 it released countless old memories, feelings, and thoughts; some hidden, some unshared, and some forgotten. As Jim and Anne shared the footlocker’s contents, they developed an even stronger appreciation for each other, their wartime experiences, and their relationship. The book superbly offers first-hand accounts of what each one of them was going through from 1967-1968; Jim running missions over treacherous jungles and Anne giving birth to their daughter while going to school. The engaging co-authored book is both a war story and love story - giving it a completeness, cohesiveness, and context that few war time books dare offer.
Weatherill had been skillfully piloting helicopters during the Vietnam War, engaging in extremely dangerous missions – missions that many pilots did not survive. Sculpted during daunting and volatile duties and situations while in Vietnam, it took unmeasured skill, courage, training, and lots of luck to escape the savages and misfortunes of the war. Angels rested on Jim’s shoulders, but regardless, it was hell and every Vietnam veteran owned a little piece of it in their own way and in their own time. It didn’t go away overnight. In the meantime, Jim’s wife Anne was back in California, having given birth to their daughter. Anne was also attending college and saving the letters, audios, mementoes, and keepsakes between Jim and her.
Back to the States and a Near Catastrophe Jim ended his tour of duty in Vietnam in November, 1968. Returning to the United States, he capitalized on his finely honed helicopter pilot skills and experiences to become an Army Instrument Flight Instructor at Fort Benning, Georgia, expertly training young helicopter pilots. As is the case with luck, it often runs out, and it abruptly appeared that Jim’s luck had also run out on January 13th, 1970 during one of those training missions. His chopper developed an engine failure over a densely populated area, however, possessing “extraordinary skill, judgment, and technique”, Jim avoided a catastrophe, saving his life, his trainee’s life, as well as that of many others living in that area. Weatherill remembered the accident affirming, “We were at Columbus, Georgia flying a Huey and I was giving my student a pre-instrument rating check ride. When on our approach to a nearby airport 2,000 feet above the ground in the clouds, the short shaft sheared and the engine quit, giving us no tail rotor control. We avoided power lines and nearby houses. The engine was on fire.” Jim was able to miraculously land the disabled chopper in a backyard, going down at an angle without power. The angels were there again. For that feat Jim was bestowed the Broken Wing Award.
Reduce pest problems and increase the harvest by growing your tomatoes in a sunny location with well-drained soil or in a quality potting mix for container gardens. Improve your garden soil by adding several inches of organic matter to the top eight to twelve inches of soil prior to planting. Compost, aged manure, and other organic materials help improve drainage in heavy clay soil and increase the water holding ability of sandy soil. Add a slow release organic nitrogen fertilizer like Milorganite (milorganite.com) according to label directions at planting. Slow release fertilizers provide a constant diet that is better for your plants and less work for you. Save yourself more time by mixing the fertilizer into the soil when incorporating the organic matter. Then give your plants a midseason boost as needed. Once the soil is prepared, wait for the air and soil to warm to plant your tomatoes. Planting too early when the soil is still cool and the nights are chilly can stress the plant and delay your harvest. Plant your tomatoes slightly deeper or in a trench for better rooting. Trench tomatoes by digging a shallow trench about 3 to 4 inches deep. Remove the lower leaves and lay the plant on its side in the hole. Roots will eventually form along the stem. Carefully bend the stem, so the upper leaves will be above the soil. Fill the trench with soil and water. Stake or tower your tomatoes to reduce insect and disease problems and make harvesting easier. The type of tomato and your schedule will help determine the training system that works best for you. Determinate tomatoes (look for the D on the tag) grow a certain height and stop. They work well in towers, containers or even hanging baskets. Indeterminate tomatoes, labeled with an I, keep growing taller, producing more flowers and fruit until the end of the growing
season. These do best when grown on tall sturdy stakes or extra tall strong towers. Towering tomatoes is easy. Simply place the tower over the tomatoes at planting. Tomatoes grown in towers produce a larger, but later harvest than staked tomato plants. Allow a bit more time if you decide to stake your plants. Place the stake in the ground at planting. Be careful not to injure the roots. As the plants begin to grow prune off all side branches, suckers, that develop between the main stem and leaves. Loosely tie the remaining one or two stems to the stake. Cloth strips, twine or other soft ties work well. Keep tying up the plants as they continue to grow. Staked tomatoes produce the earliest and smallest harvest. Check new plantings every few days and water often enough to keep the developing root system moist. Reduce frequency as plants become established. Water established plants thoroughly whenever the top few inches of soil are slightly moist. Mulch the soil with evergreen needles, shredded leaves or other organic mulch to keep the soil consistently moist and suppress weeds. Consistent soil moisture encourages more flowering and fruiting, while reducing the risk of blossom end rot, cracking and misshapen fruit. Harvest your tomatoes when fully colored. Leave them on the plant an extra 5 or 6 days for even better flavor. Unfortunately, the animals often move in and feast on the ripening fruit. In this case, you may need to finish ripening tomatoes indoors. And once you taste that first red ripe tomato, you’ll be looking for more sunny spots for containers or to expand your garden.
IUPAC Planning Several Information Meetings for 2015-2016 Seeking New Board Members for 2015-2017
By Brent Rourk
The dimuitive pewter lapel pin symbolizes tremendous skill, judgment and technique Jim and Anne’s first book is a huge success heartfelt, historical, sensitive, and riveting. It is available from Amazon or here on North Padre Island at Padre Island Mail Plus. Presently, Jim and Anne are currently working on a second book.
The Broken Wing Award Pin Arrives Last November, after having resurrected and reviewed his personal Vietnam War history the previous year for their book, Jim decided to find out how he could obtain the missing Broken Wing Award pin. Again it was Anne who came to the rescue as Jim recalled, “Now, 45 years later, I write to the Army and tell them my medal was stolen. They want the paperwork that came with it. You know what?? God bless my lady!! She had put the envelope in the footlocker that holds all our letters and tapes to and from Vietnam from Nov 67 to Nov 68.” Jim now has the Broken Wing Award pin that was supposed to be in that envelope 45 years ago. He clearly deserves it (and deserved to have it back then.) It is a small pin but it recognizes heroic achievements. It looks good on Jim. Sometimes it takes longer to get things done. Writer’s note: In the meantime, I hope that the United States Army makes every attempt to award and thank Jim in a more formal way for his unbridled service and exceptional valor.
The Island United Political Action Committee (IUPAC) has established September, 2015 as the kickoff for a series of informational meetings with local leaders. These meetings are focused on having leaders share with Islanders important issues that in some way impact the Island. Speakers will deliver a presentation about current issues and then be available for brief informal chats. The IUPAC will release exact schedules including dates, speakers, and sites later in the summer. Plan on attending the IUPAC informational meetings to learn more about what is going on in and around Corpus Christi. Gathering information is another step in making informed decisions before citizens go to the polls or choose to become involved in local politics, government, and compelling issues. The speakers intend to update the Island about what is happening in their organization, office, or area.
Islanders might consider becoming an IUPAC board member for either 1 and 2 year commitments. New members will be inducted during the IUPAC Annual Meeting in June, 2015. Locals who would like to become productively engaged with a dedicated group of residents who work together to bring information to Islanders should submit a brief bio, including job and volunteer experiences to IUPAC Board President Linda Walsh (361-4457999 or lawalshva@yahoo.com.)
Pet Adoptions at Ace Weekly pet adoptions are being held at ACE Hardware on the Island Saturdays from 11-3. The events are held by Mission Pawsible Animal Assistance. Stop by and say hello and if you can’t adopt an animal they would gladly take a donation for care of the animals in foster homes.
One of the goals of IUPAC is to provide informational Meet and Greets for Islanders so that they can be better informed voters during elections. IUPAC believes that by becoming informed citizens, Islanders as a single voice can make a difference in elections and can help support Island causes and interests. The IUPAC Board does not do the voting for the Island nor does it tell Islanders who to vote for, but rather provides Candidate Endorsement Nights whereby Islanders can vote for their preferred candidates. The winners after all of the votes are tabulated during the Candidate Endorsement Nights are the candidates endorsed by IUPAC. The right to vote is a vitally important responsibility. The IUPAC encourages every Islander to make their voice heard and to make a difference by voting. Of course, each citizen votes for whom they want to see in office and that vote is cast privately at the ballot box on election day.
Lent Specials February 19th - April 5th
Fish & Chips $7.99 Grilled Fish & Shrimp $12.99 All You Can Eat Fried Shrimp $15.99
$6.00 Breakfast at The Veranda Sundays 10:00am to 2:00pm
Daily Happy Hour Specials 3:00pm - 7:00pm
Restaurant, Gift Shop and Golf Course Open to Everyone
off any oil change!
April 2, 2015
A7
Island Moon
Backwater Adventures On the Rocks
By Joey Farah Farah’s Fishing Adventures
Blood Moon and Bull Tides! The last new moon sucked the best places to find food and wait for the best tides out along with a persistent times. Center yourself in areas rich in the keys to northwest wind. Brown tide has stretched out finding fish. Look for varied bird life and visible from the south end of the Land Cut north to the schools of bait on the surface. Top waters are a JFK Bridge and everywhere in-between. This good way to find yourself forgetting about all was not a surprise and will not be permanent. This weekend is the Full Blood Moon, and should bring in the first of our spring bull tides. Many anglers have been waiting for the fishing in the Land Cut to kick off, this push of tide and water will flood through the south Gulf outlet in Port Mansfield and send groves of bait and gamefish north through the Cut. In the Northern Laguna Madre’ the clear waters that we have been enjoying suddenly turned Georgia Hill-Billy and Rick Bozworth with a pair of reds to stained ugliness. The fish this week in stained water with live shrimp and corks. have not left, but are much less aggressive. Without their sight they are forced to use their sense of that troubles you. When the clarity of the water vibration and smell. This is what anglers should closes the eyes of the fish and the fishermen, concentrate on if they want to catch fish now. break out the top waters and get your confidence We have been having great days using live in them established now. Experiment with small shrimp under popping corks this week and have erratic top water baits as well as larger ones. seen the redfish really turn on in Baffin and Slow presentation in dirty water is the best way along the King Ranch Shoreline. As we make to work them. In the last few weeks out of town it through the weekend and the southeast winds fishermen have been swarming all over the King take over as the predominant wind direction Ranch Shoreline making it impossible to find a the tides will rise and we will get some of this place that hasn’t been driven or walked through, stained water out of the bay. The waters behind that has all changed with the stained water. The the Island in Shamrock Cove and Port A are fine same fish that were there in the clear conditions and flushing in a lot of bait and gamefish. The are still there waiting for your top water to Jetties are alive with life and fishermen hooked dance over their heads. up. Don’t be discouraged just get out and fish!
Live Bait
Lots of good keeper trout this week with live shrimp and popping corks.
The white flags have been flying and live shrimp are at most of the marinas. Popping corks are a cork that suspends your shrimp off of the bottom and makes noise as one drifts across the flats with the wind. There are many types of corks all making just a little bit different noises and pops. The best I can find are the “Mid Coast Producer” series of casting corks. They are over at Roy’s and Academy, the OUTCAST IS THE LONGEST CASTING CORK EVER. Gather different kinds and experiment size and sound differences and find out what is working best at the time. I always put a small pinch weight just above the shrimp to keep it down in the strike zone. A #2or#4 circle hook is best and doesn’t require a hook set, many times the resistance of the float sets the hook. Live shrimp should be hooked just under the horn in the head, or the last segment of the tail. Long casts away from the boat will give fish more time to find and zero in on your bait. I produce three to four large pops when the cork first hits the water. I then give the area a moment of silence before I twitch the cork a few times. Just invision that any fish approaching the cork will spook if it is clattering and popping nonstop, give them a moment to attack the bait. A small piece of white or orange fish bites on the hook with the shrimp will help as well, after you lose your shrimp you still have something that looks and smells like a piece of bait!
The Beachfront
Kayak Fun
This morning I sat on my surfboard and watched the man that I talked to on the beach pumping up ghost shrimp land a sheeps head every cast. The rest of the 20 fishermen were catching them one after another as well. This has been the case for a few weeks and right now the best bet for a guaranteed bent rod. The Spanish mackerel have been good along the rocks as well and from Bob Hall and Horace Caldwell Piers. The trick for Spanish mackerel is a silver spoon, but their sharp teeth will cut monofilament in a second. These fish have great eyesight and will not strike a lure with a metal leader. The solution is to make a leader out of offshore wire leader that is only 3 inches long. Many times the fish grab the lure but cut the line just up from the bait. The small wire leader blends in with the spoon and doesn’t look like anything but part of the flashy bait. Above that tie a #30-40# leader. Fast retrieve just under the surface is a sure way to get one of these great fighting and good eating fish to strike. In the first few guts the whiting are still thick and make for an easy ice chest full of good fish for a fish fry, just head to the beach. The best thing for the whiting is small hooks and small pieces of cut bait, shrimp, squid, and fish bites. High tide is best and you will find them moving up to the first two guts. Use enough weight to cast and feel the bait along the bottom but don’t overdo it.
This Saturday before Easter is the Wind and Wave Free Kayak Event. As you come onto the Island from Corpus just past the big Marlin Statue will be the area of water they will be set up. Look for the best in fishing Kayaks and Paddle Boards to be out for you to try out. The area is perfect and protected from the wind. The new Paddle Boards are so easy to use and the best core workout you can find. You don’t have to be in excellent shape to use these fun Island Machines, they are amazingly stable. If you have any questions stop by Saturday or call the shop at (361)937-WIND. They are a great thing to have around the house when company comes over or if you just want to slip off and lose yourself in the timeless relaxation of paddle and water.
Sticking with the lures For anglers using artificial baits this week we can easily say that the Brown Tide makes it very difficult to impossible. I have been catching fish with the use of mauler style corks with DOA SHRIMP under them. I have pepped them up with the shrimp flavored Pro Cure shrimp smell from Marker 37 Marina. For fish looking to eat in the dirty Brown Tide conditions food must be close to them to get them to expend energy. Without the use of their eyes fish that are more than two or three feet away won’t get up and hunt down your lure. Large paddle tailed soft plastics that put out big vibrations will allow fish to feel your bait. The major lunar feeding times are very important when we fish stained water. Gamefish will position themselves in the
DOA SHRIMP UNDER A MAULER just about the only way to catch fish consistently on plastic until the fresh tides come in.
Moon Phases
By Jay Gardner Well now, things are pretty interesting around the Island. Spring and the winds are here with a vengeance, and “3 at 30” is beginning to show signs of showing up. I’ll go ahead and jinx us all by saying what’s interesting is what HASN’T show up yet, which is the sargassum. I was down on South Padre the other day for work and there wasn’t a shred of the brown menace. Absolutely none. Now, that doesn’t mean it’s going to be a light season, I have a feeling it’s going to hit hard and thick when it does finally get around to coming in. Get down to the sand and enjoy it before the onslaught. The early birds are starting to show up, and it’s an interesting mix out there right now. We were doing a little birding in my yard this past weekend, and we were temporarily stumped over one particular bird that we had a hard time identifying. It looked like a LBB (little brown bird) but as we got binos on it, we realized that it had some beautiful blue streaking down its breast. Truly something new for us. We couldn’t find anything in the book, but all came around about the same time; it was an immature male indigo bunting. It was JUST beginning to show its normal plumage. The birds are mostly in intermediate plumage right now, between winter and breeding, and it’s kind of a difficult time to learn some of the birds coming through right now. They don’t look like they do in the book at this stage. In addition, we chased another mystery bird around for a few minutes, which turned out to be a yellow-rumped warbler (fairly common). Again, it was in between plumages and threw us off a little. One of the more interesting birds we saw was a female rose-breasted grosbeak. While they will move through here in decent numbers, this is by far the earliest we’ve seen them, and there’s usually a few other birds that move through before they do. Things are a bit out of order
this year, as we also had black throated green warblers and blue-grey gnatcatchers moving at the same time as the grosbeaks. Weird. The hummingbirds are coming through though, get those feeders up ASAP and they’ll find it within 20 minutes, I promise. There is a lack of morning glory and railroad vine blooms on the beach right now, so the hummers are having to push farther inland because there’s a lack of natural food at the beach right now. Know before you go! Of course that phrase is always spoken by someone in hindsight, and that person is me right now. I went down to our county courthouse to the “DMV” section (tax assessor-collector) to get the trailer on the skiff transferred over to my name. I rolled up on March 31st (which is a TERRIBLE idea, btw) as the tags expired Tuesday. Well, seems like everyone else in Nueces County are slackers too, that place was a zoo. Anyhoo, I hand the lady at Window 1 my transfer paperwork, signed title, insurance, etc. and she checked it as complete and was given a number. One hour and 55 minutes later, I finally get called up (not going to mention how few people were helped during that time) to Window 2, and was told that I needed to get my trailer inspected (something new). WHAT??! Why didn’t the lady at Window 1 tell me this before I wasted 2 hours?!!! Something new they said, and they should have caught it up front at Window 1. Well, come to find out, is that the WEIGHT of the trailer and the boat means everything. The new rules are requiring trailers plus loads over 4500 lbs to get an inspection (this goes for ALL boat trailers, 5th wheels, travel trailers, etc). I promise you this will come as a surprise to a lot of people. Do your homework before you go down there to switch the title or renew your boat tags. Be ready to answer the questions “correctly.” Drop me a line if you want more details, and I’ll see you on the rocks.
South Padre Beach
Tides of the Week Tides for Corpus Christi (Bob Hall Pier) April 2-8, 2015
Day
High /Low
Tide Time
Height in Feet
Sunrise Moon Time Sunset
Th F Sa Su M Tu W
2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 7 7 8 8
High Low High Low High Low High Low High Low High Low High Low High Low High Low High Low High Low High Low
2:29 AM 9:19 AM 2:54 PM 9:17 PM 3:24 AM 10:04 AM 3:06 PM 9:35 PM 4:15 AM 10:49 AM 3:18 PM 9:54 PM 5:06 AM 11:38 AM 3:27 PM 10:16 PM 5:57 AM 12:40 PM 3:28 PM 10:43 PM 6:51 AM 11:17 PM 7:50 AM 11:58 PM
1.3 0.6 1.2 0.7 1.4 0.8 1.2 0.5 1.5 0.9 1.2 0.4 1.5 1.0 1.2 0.3 1.6 1.1 1.2 0.2 1.6 0.1 1.7 0.1
7:18 AM Set 6:12 AM 7:47 PM Rise 6:29 PM
93
7:17 AM Set 6:46 AM 7:47 PM Rise 7:20 PM
97
7:16 AM Set 7:21 AM 7:48 PM Rise 8:11 PM
99
7:15 AM Set 7:57 AM 7:48 PM Rise 9:04 PM
99
7:14 AM Set 8:36 AM 7:49 PM Rise 9:57 PM
98
7:13 AM 7:49 PM 7:12 AM 7:50 PM
94
Set 9:17 AM Rise 10:52 PM Set 10:02 AM Rise 11:46 PM
Moon Visible
89
A8
April 2, 2015
Island Moon
SPORTS Sports Talk
Fighting for his Life
March MadnessWe are down to the Final Four
By Dotson Lewis
Special to the Island Moon Dotson’s Note: To tell the truth…the March Madness games have been better that expected. I am sick & tired of the many “experts” who continuously complain about the officials and the game itself. If college basketball is taking a backseat in the sports world, no one told this year’s Final Four participants. The final weekend of college basketball promises to be one of the most important Final Fours in terms of history for the sport. In one bracket, there’s a 38-0 Kentucky team vying to become the first 40-0 team in college basketball history. The Wildcats will face a veteran Wisconsin team that it defeated in last year’s Final Four. On the other side, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, who already crossed the 1,000-win threshold this season, is making his 12th Final Four appearance to tie him with John Wooden. As you may remember, the Final Four is special when the lone underdog — the only team that was not a No. 1 seed — is Michigan State, a team making its seventh Final Four appearance under Tom Izzo. My thanks to David Fox of Athlon Sports, for much of the information contained in this article.
A quick look at Kentucky, Duke, Wisconsin and Michigan State Kentucky Wildcats (38-0, 18-0 SEC)Head Coach: John Calipari (fifth Final Four) Projected Starters: G Andrew Harrison, G Aaron Harrison, F Trey Lyles, F Karl-Anthony Towns, C Willie Cauley-Stein This is the kind of team Kentucky has: The player who had one point against West Virginia, a game UK won by nearly 40 points, was unstoppable in the next game. Towns finished 10-of-13 for 25 points with five rebounds and four assists against Notre Dame in the regional final, and Kentucky needed every bit of it in a 68-66 win. They will win the national title if... Kentucky keeps being themselves. The Wildcats have are the first 38-0 team in Final Four history, so what more could be said about what makes Kentucky great? The next two games will probably be more like the win over Notre Dame, than the rout of West Virginia (a 39-point win). Kentucky responded to the pressure by playing flawless basketball in the final 12 minutes against the Irish. They will lose to Wisconsin on Saturday if... Notre Dame gave teams a blueprint to beat the Wildcats. The threat of Notre Dame’s outside shooters was able to open up the lane for Zach Auguste to score 20 points. Wisconsin had the long-range shooters, and, instead of Auguste, the Badgers have the All-American Frank Kaminsky.
Wisconsin Badgers (35-3, 16-2 Big Ten) Head Coach: Bo Ryan (second Final Four) Projected Starters: G Bronson Koenig, G Josh Gasser, F Nigel Hayes, F Sam Dekker, C Frank Kaminsky Best Player: Sam Dekker, Wisconsin. Dekker had hardly been an overwhelming player for the Badgers even if he was a pro prospect. That changed in this Tournament. Dekker had six career 20-point games in his entire career two weeks ago. He had three in four Tournament games, including 20 in the second half against Arizona alone.
By Andy Purvis Special to the Island Moon
Wisconsin will win the national title if... Dekker continues to play out of his mind. Wisconsin’s offense was already the most efficient in the country, and junior Sam Dekker was already a mighty talented player. He’s taken his play to a new level in the NCAA Tournament. He’s averaging 21.8 points per game and shooting 60.4 percent from the field in the last four games. Wisconsin will lose to Kentucky on Saturday if... the Wildcats’ defense stymies Wisconsin. This will be the nation’s most efficient offense against the nation’s most efficient defense. Moreover, Kentucky’s bigs have the versatility defensively to guard Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker. Wisconsin’s duo hasn’t faced a big defender all year that can guard the perimeter like Willie Cauley-Stein.
Michigan State Spartans (27-11, 12-6 Big Ten)-Head Coach: Tom Izzo (seventh Final Four) Projected Starters: G Travis Trice, G Lourawls Nairn Jr., G — Denzel Valentine, F Branden Dawson, F Matt Costello Best Player: Travis Trice, Michigan State Just about everyone from Michigan State is peaking at this point of the season, but especially Trice. In the Big Ten title game against Wisconsin, Trice had six points and went 0-for4 from 3-point range. In the Tournament, he’s averaging 19.8 points and four assists per game. He’s also been a clutch free throw shooter (16of-18) on a team that sorely needs it. Michigan State will win the national title if... Michigan State continues to have the magic touch. The Spartans won’t be the most talented team in Indianapolis, far from it. Trice has made huge shots throughout the Tournament, and the free throw woes that plagued the Spartans during the regular season haven’t hurt Michigan State yet. Michigan State will lose to Duke on Saturday if... Duke overwhelms Michigan State. Feel free to argue that the Spartans were underseeded as a No. 7, but Michigan State was 1910 a month ago. This is a team that plays well as a group but matching up with any of Duke’s top three will be a challenge.
Duke Blue Devils (33-4, 15-3 ACC)-Head Coach: Mike Krzyzewski (12th Final Four) Projected Starters: G Tyus Jones, G Quinn Cook, G Matt Jones, F Justise Winslow, C Jahlil Okafor Best Player: Justise Winslow, Duke Okafor and Jones entered the Tournament with more fanfare, and the leadership of senior Cook has been a feel-good story. No one in the Tournament, though, was more valuable than Winslow. In four Tournament games, Winslow has averaged 14 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and better than one block and one steal per game. Duke will win the national title if... they turn out to be the best offensive team in the Final Four. That’s a big ask, considering that Kentucky and Wisconsin, potential matchups in the championship game, are in the top five in offensive efficiency on Ken Pom. Duke, though, is the most up-tempo of the 3. If Okafor, Jones, Cook and Winslow can go head to head with the best Kentucky and Wisconsin have to offer, the Blue Devils could give Krzyzewski his fifth title in an already momentous year. Duke will lose to Michigan State on Saturday if... their guards rule the day. The Spartans rank seventh in the country in assists per field goal made, and Travis Trice and Denzel Valentine can get hot from 3-point range.
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Dotson’s other note: To verify my theory that all basketball coaches are emotionally disturbed during a game, please look again at the pictures of the 2015 Final Four coaches. What do you think? Your suggestions, comments and/or questions/concerns regarding “Moon Sports Talk” are appreciated. Call the Benchwarmers 361-560-5397 weekdays, Mondays thru Fridays, 3-6 p.m. or contact me. Phone: 361-949-7681 Cell: 530-748-8475 Email: dlewis1@stx.rr.com
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The event drew 5,000 people, standing room only. NBC decided to televise the spectacle. When their television producers walked into the building, they gasped and said, “Oh my, if we could just put this building on wheels.” That building was of course Memorial Coliseum, the Madison Square Garden of the Coastal Bend. “It was the perfect fight venue because every seat in the house was a great seat,” said promoter Lester Bedford. The ceiling was low and rounded and smoking was permitted at that time. The haze of the smoke hung over the ring as the boxers battled it out in front of a packed house. It was loud and the fans colorful, a perfect setting for showing a fight on television. From 1954 until 2004, boxing was the biggest professional sport in Corpus Christi, Texas. That’s where I first saw Hector Luis “Macho” Camacho in person. Macho Man was a young, brash kid from Bayamon, Puerto Rico. Some guys have a chip on their shoulder; he had a whole cord of wood. He came into the fight with eleven wins and no defeats. They should have hung a sign over Camacho’s dressing room door that said “Speed Kills;” he just had such energy. With lightning-quick hands he could hit you so many times you thought you were surrounded. His challenger, Rafael Williams, sported an equally impressive record of 19-1. On May 20, 1984, Macho Man danced while Williams kept catching Camacho’s right-hand jabs with his face. The fight was stopped in the 7th round and ruled a TKO (technical knockout) in favor of Camacho. At 5’ 6” tall and weighing 133 pounds, Hector was a middleweight, a star waiting his turn to shine. Hector wore his hair cut close with a spit curl that hung down in the middle of his forehead. His body was bronzed and his shoulders were broad enough to serve breakfast on. He was a southpaw. He owned guts, wanted glory, and was fifty miles away from being smart.
Shields, Lupe Suarez to Evander Holyfield, “Sweet Pea” Whitaker to Meldrick Taylor, and Jorge Paez to “Jesse” James Leija. I even remember Jerry Quarry singing the National Anthem before a fight at the coliseum. Yeah, the old gal had seen a lot. The coliseum was finally torn down in 2010. On June 22, 1996, Camacho fought and outpointed Roberto Duran for a win, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. On March 1, 1997, Hector fought and knocked out “Sugar Ray” Leonard, sending Leonard into permanent retirement. “He was not only quick, but accurate,” said Leonard. But then he lost his next fight to Oscar De La Hoya. “I remember Emanuel Steward told me, ‘You are not going to knock him out; his chin is made of granite, and his heart is twice the size,’” said De La Hoya. Even though De La Hoya knocked Camacho to the canvas, Steward was proved correct as Camacho went the distance with De La Hoya, but lost by a 12-round unanimous decision. Camacho would ask and get a rematch with Roberto Duran on July 14, 2001. This fight would go the distance with Camacho winning for a second time over Duran.
Youngest of five Hector Luis Camacho Matias was born on May 24, Hector Luis "Macho" Camacho Matias 1962. He was the youngest of five children. At the age Good for TV of three, Hector moved to New York City’s CBS loved the guy. They always wanted Spanish Harlem with his mom, Maria, and took up boxing by the age of fifteen. He had been to air his fights because he got them good kicked out of six different schools, but managed ratings. Camacho would retire in 2010. His to win the New York City Golden Gloves Titles, thirty-year career record stands at 79-6-3 with three different times. He was an admitted car 45 knockouts. It seems kind of odd these thief, a drug user and had been arrested for days to write about boxing, a sport in which a shoplifting. He eventually served time in prison concussion is usually the preferred outcome, at Rikers Island. Pat Flannery, a language while the game of football goes on trial every teacher who taught him to read, became a day in regards to eliminating concussions. father figure to Hector. It was Flannery who On Tuesday, November 20, 2012, Hector is credited with giving Camacho his nickname. Camacho was shot in the left side of his face Sometimes even the harshest of sports acts as a while sitting with a friend in a black Ford rescue for some. Mustang. His friend, Adrian Moreno, was also It has been said that in ancient times strangers killed by the drive-by shooter. After surgery, shook hands to show they were unarmed. That he was declared brain dead on Thursday and did not apply to the sweet science of boxing. removed from life support. Camacho threw his A precise counter-puncher, Camacho became last jab at life on Saturday, November 24, 2012. a flamboyant fighter during a time when the He was 50 years old and died of a heart attack. sport was in its heyday. Hector looked like an Cocaine was found at the scene, and there was extra in a gladiator movie. He would dress in no arrest at that time. There is no doubt that unforgettable style and was always a favorite he lived in the fast lane, as dangerously as on the Las Vegas strip. He wore dazzling he fought. Camacho had five children from outfits and dressed as a Roman gladiator, in an different relationships. Camacho’s son, Hector American Indian headdress, Army camouflage Camacho Jr., is also a boxer like his dad, who is trunks with helmet, a Puerto Rican flag outfit, also survived by his parents. and cheetah-skin trunks. He won four World In life as in death, time moves forward. Macho Championships in three different weight Man and fight night at Memorial Coliseum are divisions. Those divisions were listed as super no more. flyweight, lightweight, and junior welterweight. Andy Purvis is a local author and radio Camacho would win one war after another. He had the temper of a gangster and was so mean personality. His newest book “Greatness he would kick puppies. Along the way he won Continued” in now available to order online at a unanimous decision over Freddie Roach and bn.com, Amazon, Google Books, Bookamillion, Vinny Pazienza and split decisions over Edwin etc. You may also purchase all three of his Rosario and Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini. On latest books at the local Barnes & Noble Book September 12, 1992, in Las Vegas, Camacho store in Moore Plaza. All three books are also lost a unanimous decision to Julio Cesar available in e-book format, Kindle, Nook, Apple Chavez. Camacho’s record now stood at 27-2. I Pad and Kobo. Please visit www.purvisbooks. On January 29, 1994, he lost a third time, to com for more info and leave a message in the guest section. You may also contact him at Felix Trinidad. purvis.andy@mygrande.net and don’t forget to Coliseum saw seventeen world champs listen to Dennis & Andy’s Q & A Session each On April 22, 1996, Macho Man returned to Thursday night from 6-8 PM on ESPN 1440 Corpus Christi to fight Wilbur Garst. This was a KEYS. tune-up fight for Roberto Duran. The fight was stopped in the seventh round by TKO; Camacho was again a winner. I was at ringside with my pal Scott Robinson; what a fight. Angelo Dundee was Hector Camacho’s trainer. Send Letters to the editor to A total of 17 World Champions have fought in the old building: From Frankie Warren to Buddy McGirt, Jesse Benavides to Ronnie
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