CC Magazine - November 2012

CC MAGAZINE

NELDA MARTINEZ NOVEMBER 2012

CC'S NEW MAYOR SETS AGENDA FOR GROWTH

Mr. Smarty Pants:

LOST: $4 MILLION IN SILVER ON PADRE ISLAND The truth will set you

FREE but first it will make you miserable

IS CITGO REFINERY A TICKING TIME BOMB? ANOTHER ACCIDENT COULD CAUSE 220,000 CASUALTIES

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Samantha Koepp, Dale Rankin, Georgia Griffin, Ronnie Narmour, Aletha Eyerman, Charlz Vinson

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From the Publisher...

Congratulations to Nelda Martinez, CC's new mayor! We held off printing until the election was called so we could put the new mayor on the cover this month. The local elections brought a lot of new faces into the council chamber. Rudy Garza Jr., Chad Magill, Colleen McIntyre and Lillian Riojas will all start their first term on the council this month. CC also voted to increase its own taxes by approving $88 Million in bonds, $33 Million more debt than was retired this cycle, meaning the minimum payment on our collective credit card just went up. Property taxes on a $100,000 home will increase by $18.24 per year (.01824% of property value), and everyone's utility bills will increase by $21.48 per year.

But wait, there's more to come! In addition to the voter approved tax increases, we're going to see our utility bills go up as much as 250% for the average household, thanks to an upcoming, EPA mandated upgrade to the city's sewage treatment system, estimated to cost more than $80 Million. Details are being negotiated behind closed doors.

Why should negotiations between our city government and an agency of the federal government be hidden from view? The city / EPA negotiations are exactly the kind of thing that would benefit from being held in public session.

Open and frank discussion is still possible. Just because the national political landscape has been poisoned by shortsighted ideologues more interested in the purity of their ideas than the success of the nation, it does not mean we can't have discussions about how to face city challenges, especially when everyone is expected to share the burden of paying the bill.

From what I gather, negotiations are always done in closed session, presumably so negotiators will feel able to speak freely. That may be understandable when you're talking about a real estate deal where information can be valuable, but this is two governments, both theoretically representing the citizens of Corpus Christi, hammering out a deal that will keep our bay from turning into a giant toilet while keeping costs as low as possible.

There may be an argument to be made that the city will fare better in private negotiations, but I think that gives the citizens of our fair city less credit than they deserve. If this negotiation were held in open session, it would put city council in the unenviable position of having to argue against improvements to benefit public health because they're too expensive.

But, the EPA would be put in the spotlight and it wouldn't hurt for the EPA's representatives to hear from their elders, the many retired people living on fixed incomes who will face significant hardship when their utility bill goes from $40 per month to $100. Maybe the voices of our parents and grandparents will remind them that there are human costs to handing down an $80 million unfunded mandate to a city that struggles to keep its streets from crumbling.

Corpus Christi needs a healthy sewage treatment system and, in the long run, it is good that the EPA is trying to fix the current system that pollutes the bay, creating a public health hazard. The problem is the EPA doesn't bring any carrots to the table. Only sticks. Big, heavy, expensive and painful sticks. Their idea of a reward is to not punish us as severely as promised.

As for the national race, we have much bigger problems than which party runs the presidency. If the two parties stop behaving like bickering children and get to work, the republic will be just fine. Part of working in a republican form of government is compromise, and if we don't start getting some of that, and soon, we're going to see much bigger problems come our way.

Remember the Great Debt Ceiling Debate? That's ok, nobody else does either. But the main result of the standoff was what they now call the Fiscal Cliff. I like to think of it as Mutual Assured Destruction for Democrats and Republicans. On January 1, 2013, if no deficit-reduction agreement has been made, $600 Billion worth of tax increases and spending cuts go into effect. Those spending cuts are across the board, everything from military spending to congressional staff. Everything.

Like the Mutual Assured Destruction theory of the cold war, nobody ever intended for it to happen but the current level of hatred between Democrats and Republicans seems deeper and more intransigent than the rivalry between the USA and USSR. Family fights are always the worst.

So even though your team might not have won, lets support those on both teams who are trying to make sure that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. Ok? On a the lighter side, CC Magazine has recruited an honest-to-goodness conspiracy theorist of the highest order, a man (or woman) so paranoid that even we don't know his (or her) real name. Contacting us only through encrypted emails, Charlz L. Vinson will give us a monthly dose of paranoid delusion. This month Charlz explores the idea that John F. Kennedy faked his own death, only to come back in the form of Jimmy Carter. We trust our readers to separate fact from fantasy. In the words of the Russian activist Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, "People can sense the truth. Truth has an ontological superiority over lies."

I hope you're right, Nadezhda, but we Americans had a philosopher by the name of P.T. Barnum with a somewhat different view.

Mr. Smarty Pants gives us some tantalizing clues about the location of a Spanish silver buried in the sands of Padre Island.

Tell your friends that CC Magazine is now available at all the HEB stores in Corpus Christi.

Jeff Craft

Š Copyright 2012 all rights reserved. CC Publishing, LLC reserves the right to edit, rewrite & refuse editorial materials and assumes no responsibility for accuracy, errors, omissions, or consequence arising from it. CC magazine shall be held harmless indemnified against any third party claims. CC Publishing, LLC accepts no claims made by agents, contributors or photographers. Opinions expressed by contributing writers or columnists are not necessarily those of CC Publishing, LLC or its affiliates. Advertisers appearing in CC magazine present only the viewpoint of the advertisers. CC magazine is printed in the USA. We assume no responsibility for advertising claims made in this publication. All correspondence to this publication becomes the property of CC magazine. Publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without express permission of the publisher and author(s).

12 Mayor Nelda Martinez People who work closely with Nelda Martinez speak of her determination, her commitment to do things right and her ability to bring people together. Whether it is building her own business, public service or taking time to cheer up seriously ill children at Driscoll Children’s Hospital with The Clowns Who Care, Nelda approaches each task with the same determination and energy.

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The Canvas Reynaldo Santiago: a man of Puerto Rican roots but born in Germany, Rey has lived in many places and has a passion for many things. It is palpable in his energy – his love of art and the processes of making art, for learning and teaching, for getting to see progression of discovery and development of skills in his students, for Mexico and South Texas, and the rich cultural history of the people on both sides of the border.

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Rumors & Lies Say hello to CC Magazine's newest monthly column, "Rumors & Lies," a crass diatribe of an armchair conspiracy theorist born and raised in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Each month I plan to take you deeper into my own psyche until you exclaim, "This guy's NUTZ!" I have managed to keep my thoughts safely capped to keep my family and friends from disowning me altogether. But now, with the power of the press behind me, I can unleash to you, the reading audience, each and every crazy notion I have investigated due to an undying curiosity.

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Mr. Smarty Pants

11

Live Music Calendar

13

Art Scene

16

Dining Guide

19

The Lenz

22

Rumors & Lies

23

Inside the Center

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Hazardous to Public Health: Hydrofluoric Acid at Citgo Refinery On July 19, 2009, a white cloud of deadly chemicals began making its way through Citgo Refinery's Alkaline unit.

The vapor cloud crept through the facility, within yards of people working in the unit. The cloud reached a nearby electrical box, and a spark instantly converted the quiet white cloud into a fireball, seriously injuring one worker.

The fire burned for several days, belching toxic black smoke into the sky. Along with the smoke was 4,000 pounds of hydrofluoric acid, a chemical that can travel miles in a cloud that hugs the ground, even penetrating glass, causing lung and tissue damage to anyone caught in its path. Citgo's history of disregard for public safety puts the entire city at risk.

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Ask Mr. Smarty Pants He Knows Everything There Is To Know About Corpus Christi

mrsmartypants@ccmagonline.com Dear Mr. Smarty Pants, My wife gave me a metal detector for my birthday last month and I have taken up the hobby of treasure hunting. I’ve covered a lot of acres looking for loot but so far my count stands a $14.27. I figure that is about nine cents an hour. I’m not trying to get rich here but I’ve heard there are a lot of shipwrecks on Padre Island. Do you have any suggestions about where I should look?

working on the Mansfield Channel passed over the Santa Maria de Yciar, destroying it. Only the anchor and a few other items from the ship were ever recovered. Word of the discovery soon spread among treasure hunters and soon the Espritu Santo was found about three miles further north and the San Esteban was found another two-and-a-half miles north of that. But in spite of the finds no one had ever really explored the wreck sites and collection of

Oldest shipwrecks in the U.S.

Well Mr. Bluff, there’s some good news and some bad news. First the good news.

Once upon a time there was this guy who spent a lot of time beachcombing looking for lost treasure. His name was actually Eugene French but nobody knew that. Everyone on knew him as Frenchy. Over the years Frenchy owned several businesses around The Island and in the mid-1960s he caused a stir by holding the nation’s first topless The photo of the Nicaragua that led Frenchy to the wreck wedding at his business located at the sites.

By the time Frenchy began his search, the beach had site that is now the American Bank moved, and the Nicaragua was out in the water. branch on the Island. But in 1966 a tip from his friend Louis Rawalt sent the artifacts had been haphazard. There was still a lot Frenchy and two friends in search of three Spanish of loot down there. ships that were washed up in April of 1554 on the shores of what is now Padre Island National A tip starts the search Seashore with their holds full of silver bullion and a All of this was known to Louis Rawalt who was one sprinkling of gold that had been mined in Mexico of the few people who actually lived on The Island and was on its way to Spain.. Spanish records over the years and in 1966 Rawalt told his friend indicate that, among other items, the ships were Frenchy of the location. Frenchy later told reporters carrying more than 85,000 pounds of silver coins that his first attempts at finding the sites were stored in wooden barrels. unsuccessful.

In all about twenty ships set out each carrying 100 “I was looking right along the beach,” he told and passengers and about 200 tons of precious metals. interviewer. “Then I saw an old picture that showed The ships were each about 100 feet long, with large some old cars next to the wreck of the Nicaragua and sails made of a natural, uncolored fabric, with one it was right on the beach. The Nicaragua was by then sail on each ship bearing a red cross – the symbol 100 feet offshore. I realized the beach had moved of 16th-century Spain. The 6,000-mile, one-way trip about 100 feet in the past few decades.” between Mexico and Spain usually took eight to 12 weeks, depending on the weather. The ships left At that point Frenchy flew overhead in an airplane Veracruz bound for Havana and then to Spain when and saw a dark spot in the water and he and two a storm caught them. friends rented a boat and scuba gear and returned to Soon after the shipwrecks the Spanish government sent six ships with 11 free divers to the site and removed the silver and gold from the San Esteban and the Espiritu Santo. But the cargo from the third ship, the Santa Maria de Yciar was for some reason left behind. In the early 1960s Frenchy had requested copies of the archives from the government of Spain which indicated 51,300 pounds of silver from the Santa Maria de Yciar was still unaccounted for. He estimated the unaccounted for silver alone would be worth about $4 million at market value, but with the bullion with the seal of the King of Spain would be worth around $20 million.

The exact location of these historic ships had been lost to time until the late 1950s when a dredge

How much of the treasure may have washed ashore and been picked up by tourists over the years is unknown. The case remained in litigation until 1984, when a settlement was reached, awarding the salvage firm $313,000 while Texas kept the artifacts.

But the tale of the Island treasure hunt set in motion by a tip from Louis Rawalt led to the passing of the Texas Antiquities Code in 1969, which prohibits any excavation of shipwrecks that occurred before 1900. Anything that was sunk after the turn of the century is fair game, but the state still keeps a wary eye on any operations.

Flour Bluff Bob

$20 million of Spanish silver

some of the loot was carried out by airplane and the state wound up getting most of it back. The Texas Antiquities Committee conducted a scientific excavation and recovery of the San Esteban site in 1972 and recovered more than 25,000 pounds of encrusted artifacts, which, along with many of the items found by Frenchy and that salvage team were put on display at the Corpus Christi Museum of Science & History, where they still reside today.

the site. Diving in about 20 feet of water, they found the both the Espiritu Santo and the San Esteban.

"I found (the ships), and in 1966 went diving on the sites of two of the wrecks," Frenchy told the Houston Chronicle some years later. "At the time we didn't know the identity or whereabouts of the third one.

Then a professional salvage team from Indiana heard about my activity and offered me money to show them around. I refused, but they went on anyway, and in 1967 they found the two wrecks and were looking for the third one."

The Indiana team of divers from a company called Platoro Inc. excavated the site of the Espritu Santo for several weeks before the Texas Legislature and several Texas officials put a stop to their efforts by making it illegal. Frenchy told the Chronicle that 07

The 1554 wrecks on Padre Island are the oldest shipwrecks ever found in the US. The site where the Santa Maria de Yciar went down is about 75 miles due south of the JFK Causeway and the Mansfield Channel was the site of a dredging operation within the last few years. How much of her silver, gold, and other items – including cannons – that may still be found there is unknown. The sites remain on of the state's most significant underwater archaeological sites but the location of the silver from the Santa Maria de Yciar remains a mystery – at least for now – 458 years after it washed up on the shores of Padre Island. That’s the good news.

The bad news: You can’t use your metal detector on Padre Island National Seashore. So the only way you’ll be able to look for this silver with your machine will be to drive all the way to South Padre and come up from the south to Mansfield Channel.

Mr. Smarty Pants’ sphere of knowledge ends abruptly at the channel so he can’t say if you can use your metal detector down that way or not. You’re on your own there. Good luck. In the meantime I'd hang onto that $14.27 like grim death.

And by the way, if you find an earring anywhere near the parking lot of the old drive in theater out there at Saratoga and Ayers that says, “Greetings from Ashbury Park” let me know. I’ll return it to its owner.

Is Citgo Refinery Endangering the Entire City?

By Jeff Craft On July 19, 2009, a white cloud of deadly chemicals began making its way through Citgo Refinery's Alkaline unit. The vapor cloud crept through the facility within yards of people working in the unit.

The cloud reached a nearby electrical box and a spark instantly converted the quiet white cloud into a fireball, seriously injuring one worker. The fire burned for several days, belching toxic black smoke into the sky. The wind carried the toxic fumes away from the city and out over the bay. Had the wind been blowing in a different direction that day, Corpus Christi might have sustained hundreds of injuries and deaths. Along with the smoke was 4,000 pounds of hydrofluoric acid, a chemical that can travel miles in a cloud hugging the ground, even penetrating glass, causing lung and tissue damage to anyone caught in its path.

An OSHA investigation determined the cause of the fire to be equipment failure resulting in a leak of hydrogen fluoride that was ignited by a nearby electrical box. The leaking valve was caused by a

A History of HF Releases Makes Citgo a Dangerous Neighbor

broken flapper, which in turn was caused by poor maintenance. During the investigation, OSHA discovered that Citgo had long been aware of the damaged equipment but rather than repair it, Citgo hung a sign noting that the flapper was broken. The fire burned for several days and released hydrofluoric acid into the atmosphere. Citgo claimed only 30 pounds of the acid escaped, but an investigation by the U.S. Chemical Safety Board estimated that two tons of hydrofluoric acid was released. In an effort to cover up the seriousness of the fire, Citgo resisted the US Chemical Safety Board's attempt to make a video of the fire public, claiming it would jeopardize national security. CSB eventually released the video, after the Department of Homeland Security gave its blessing.

Toothless Regulation Invites Contempt In 2007, Corpus Christi's Citgo Refinery was convicted of felony violations of the Clean Air Act and now faces a maximum sentence of $2 Million and five years of probation. The facility in question operated illegally for ten years. According to a Forensic Accountant who reviewed the Citgo Petroleum Corporation financial records: during the time period Citgo operated its East Refinery in violation of the Clean Air Act, Citgo earned profits in excess of $1.1 Billion from that facility alone.

That means the maximum fine allowable for this felonious violation of our air amounts to 0.17% of the profit Citgo made at this one facility, where broken equipment was left broken, with a sign saying "broken," until it caused a fire.

This image was taken from the security video of the July 19, 2009 fire. The video is available on the CSB website: csb.gov/videoroom/detail.aspx?VID=36

The government attempted to impose a larger fine based on Citgo's financial gains during the ten year period when the tanks were operated illegally.

That fine could have been as high as $2 Billion, but 08

in September 2012, U.S. District Judge John Rainey ruled the maximum fine that could be imposed was $2 Million.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, for nearly ten years, CITGO removed oil from the surface of tanks with vacuum trucks and did not take the steps necessary to install proper emission control equipment to prevent the release of volatile organic compounds, including benzene, from the tanks.

Hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil were vacuumed from the two tanks over the years.

During an unannounced inspection by Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, a ten foot layer of oil was discovered in tank 116 and a 7.5 foot layer of oil in tank 117. TCEQ determined that there was 4.5 million gallons of oil in the tanks. The tanks were used as oil water separators but were not equipped with either a fixed roof vented to a control device or a floating roof. Oil water separators, upstream of the tanks, never worked to remove the oil from the wastewater before the it entered the tanks. Citgo learned within months of the two tanks going into operation that the upstream oil water separators did not work.

An engineer with TCEQ reviewed wastewater management schematics from Citgo Refinery and found that processed wastewater from each of the process units was routed through the wastewater treatment system, in particular, tanks 116 and 117.

No process units could be operated legally without at least one of these tanks being available for wastewater management. During this time, the tanks were being used illegally as oil-water separators.

Poor Maintenance and Operational Control According to the sentencing recommendation filed on September 4, 2012, Citgo Refinery repeatedly released dangerous chemicals into our air and water, citing poor maintenance and operational control,

and called for a five year probation period where the operation would be monitored closely. The sentencing recommendation listed a number of other vioations at Citgo Refinery. Below are some of the more egregious violations listed in the document.

Events on December 25 and 30, 2009, released 731 pounds of carbon monoxide, 131,000 pounds of nitrogen oxide, and 10,658 pounds of volatile organic compounds, including 7,500 pounds of hazardous air pollutants into the atmosphere.

In 2001, a former Citgo Refinery employee discovered a leak in a cooling tower, "three quarter-sized holes," estimated to be releasing about 50,000 pounds of isobutane and isobenthane per day. Instead of reporting the releases, the former employee alleged that environmental manager, Phil Vrazel, personally estimated the emissions at a nonreportable level (less than 5,000 pounds) by taking air samples "in a location where he would be likely to find a lower concentration."

May 11, 2011, TCEQ responded to a coker feed spill at the East Plant caused by a ruptured pipe. Approximately 1,751 barrels of coker feed had been released. During his investigation, the TCEQ inspector observed two dead, brown mottled ducks contained in the material.

In December 2002, a TCEQ inspector discovered that the site's Sour Water Scrubber was bypassed, and waste gases were being sent directly to the Sour Water Flare. This condition existed since the late 1980's, at least, when the Sour Water Scrubber was "blocked in."

On October 28, 2003, an emissions event was recorded from the top of the Wilson Plaza building in downtown Corpus Christ, Texas. A TCEQ Inspector reported that the highly visible emissions event was caused by a "reversal" of the East Plant's # 2 Fluidized Catalytic Cracking Unit (FCCU), and a subsequent unauthorized flaring event. The event is estimated to have released 143,386 pounds of sweet gas oil (a volatile organic compound), 29,198 pounds of carbon monoxide, 79,000 pounds of sulphur dioxide, and 16,040 pounds of FCCU catalyst into the atmosphere.

On February 22, 2008, residents around Citgo Refinery reported "sticky black stuff" on their cars and property. More reports were received on

An event on June 28, 2011 released 824.17 pounds of benzene, 899.42 pounds of hydrocarbons, and 666.75 pounds of toluene into the air. Citgo failed to report this toxic chemical release within 24 hours of the event, as required by their permit, and claimed this pollution event was caused by a crude heater failure. TCEQ determined otherwise: the failure was the result of a lack of preventative maintenance. Since 1998, Citgo had been "on notice" of design flaws in this system that could cause exactly this kind of event.

February 11, 2012 -- release of HF (Hydrogen Fluoride) gas during maintenance on the exchangers in the Alky Stabilizer.

March 5, 2012 -- release of HF gas due to flange leak in the Alky Stabilizer.

March 10, 2012 -- release of HF gas caused by operational failure in the Alky Stabilizer.

March 11, 2012 -- release of HF gas as a result of improper maintenance in the Alky Stabilizer.

March 20, 2012 -- release of HF gas as a result of improper maintenance in the Alky Stabilizer, and no maintenance record of the activity.

From the Center for Public Integrity:

Hydrofluoric Acid Refineries that run an alkylation unit use Hydrofluoric acid to make high-octane products. Not all refineries have alkylation units. Some refineries have been forced by local groups to use a less dangerous product known as solid acid catalyst. Solid acid catalyst is still very dangerous, but because it is a solid, it is less likely to travel as far.

When mixed with water, hydrogen fluoride forms hydrofluoric acid, one of the most corrosive and toxic natural acids known to man. It is able to penetrate through glass, living tissue, and even in some cases, rubber. Because it can corrode glass, it must be stored in containers and tubs made from steel. It can cause severe burns when contacted and it is dangerous enough that the Department of Homeland Security designates it as a potential chemical weapon for a terrorist attack. Hydrofluoric acid can travel long distances in a cloud, and causes lung congestion, inflammation and severe burns of the skin and digestive tract. It attacks the eyes and bones. Experiments in 1986 detected the acid at potentially deadly levels almost two miles from the point of release.

The industry says that making a switch would prove too complicated and expensive.

The cost of shifting from HF to alternatives is somewhere between $50 million and $150 million per refinery.

Solid Acid Catalyst: A Safer alternative There are at least three producers of solid acid catalyst, and they say it is much safer than either HF or sulfuric acid and less likely to corrode refinery equipment. One producer, a consortium consisting of Albemarle, ABB Lummus Global and Neste Oil, showcased its catalyst at a small demonstration plant in Finland, beginning in 2002. Another, Exelus Inc., believes its product — commercially available for the past four years — is ready for use in a full-scale refinery.

1986 tests by Amoco and Laurence Livermore National Laboratory showed that hydrofluoric acid released into the atmosphere remains in aerosol form, creating a deadly cloud that hugs the ground, maintaining lethal concentrations two miles downwind.

February 24, 2008. Citgo initially reported a release of what they called "Vacuum Tower Bottoms," an asphalt-like material. The spray of Vacuum Tower Bottoms injured four contract workers at the refinery, yet Citgo reported "no offsite impacts."

In July 2009 TCEQ determined that the Citgo Refinery was discharging fluoride-contaminated water in violation of their National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit. Using Citgo's calculations, the agency determined that the refinery made an unpermitted discharge of approximately 55,400,000 gallons.

There were five other releases of hydrogen fluoride resulting from failure to follow standards for this volatile, highly dangerous gas. The multiple incidents at the HF Unit are examples of a systemic failure with the mechanical integrity program. This issue was originally identified by Citgo as early as 2009, but was never acted upon.

Information in this article was obtained from publicly available sources, including the Department of Justice, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Chemical Safety Board. Please send correspondence regarding this article to jcraft@ccmagonline.com

09

James Nehlsen, a chemical engineer and process development manager at Exelus, said the company has received inquiries from about a dozen refiners inside and outside the U.S. American refiners are “content to run their HF units, but they want to know what else is available should the government decide to prohibit an HF alkylation unit,” he said. “Everyone wants to be first to be second in line.”

Solid acid catalyst was on some companies’ radar as long ago as the late 1990s. Bozorg Ettehadieh, an independent environmental consultant, said the firm he worked for at the time, the chemical manufacturer Rhodia, concluded that the product was about 90 percent of the way toward commercial viability. But Rhodia didn’t view the technology as a threat to its sulfuric acid business, he said, because it seemed unlikely that the company’s clients — many of them large refiners — would make the switch.

Center For Environmental Justice calls for EPA to force Citgo to stop using Hydrofluoric Acid

Text of the letter sent by CFEJ to EPA Administrator Al Armaendariz

Editor's Note: The following letter was sent to Dr. Al Armendariz, the EPA Regional Administrator by Center for Environmental Justice Executive Director Suzie Canales on March 30, 2012. The opinions expressed in this letter are those of CFEJ and its executive director, Suzie Canales.

From: Suzie Canales, Center for Environmental Justice Dear Dr. Armendariz,

I write to you today on behalf of Citizens for Environmental Justice (CFEJ) to request that you, in your capacity as Regional Administrator for EPA Region 6, bring an Enforcement Action on CITGO East Refinery located in Corpus Christi, Texas that would result in requiring this facility to switch from using and storing the deadly chemical, Hydrofluoric Acid (HF), to a safer alternative.

This letter will show that: • CITGO frequently has HF releases and CITGO’s typical initial response is to misinform the public and/ or downplay the significance about the release of the deadly HF. • CITGO management is irresponsible regarding its use of HF. • CITGO management puts profit first, over the safety of its employees.

This letter will also show how the use of this dangerous catalyst has the potential to kill thousands of people; CITGO has repeatedly shown that it cannot be trusted to use HF and must be made to switch to a safer alternative for the sake of its employees and the community.

The 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments in Section 112r required industry to develop Risk Management Plans (RMPs) and determine which chemical represented the single worst case accidental release scenario if an accident occurred and chemicals were released from industrial plants. In the case of oil refineries using HF as an alkylation catalyst, it was determined that this dangerous chemical represented the single worst case accidental release scenario at oil refineries.

Although we do not have current data regarding quantities of Hydrofluoric acid stored on site, the company’s Tier Two forms from previous years consistently stated that the CITGO East plant stored a range code of 5, which is 100,000 to 999,999 pounds.

In terms of populations at risk from HF at CITGO in Corpus Christi, in 2009, the company claimed that the “worst case scenario” would involve 150,000 pounds of HF and could travel for 15 miles, affecting up to 220,000 people.

CITGO’s HF releases and the typical response: to mislead and/or downplay the release to the public.

On May 12, 1997 at 10:25 p.m. an explosion and fire at CITGO east refinery shook the City for miles and lit up the skies for a great distance. CITGO spokesperson, Chuck Cazalas, declared that there were “no toxic fumes,” no impact to the community.

However, the subsequent investigation revealed the opposite: the release was hydrofluoric acid and found that a 6 inch pipe that fueled the fire should have been replaced in 1995. In fact, the company’s records showed that the pipe had been replaced but

an actual look at the pipe showed that it was not replacement pipe.

On Sunday July 19, 2009 violent shaking in the process piping broke two threaded connections, releasing highly flammable hydrocarbons, the hydrocarbons reached an adjacent unit and ignited, eventually releasing thousands of pounds of HF. The fire critically injured one worker and burned for several days.

Initially, CITGO spokesperson, Larry Elizondo, announced that nothing harmful was released.

Elizondo did not admit to the release of HF, instead he said the release was H2S. The next morning the Chemical Safety Board (CSB) arrived to investigate and it was only then that the public was made aware that the incident involved the dangerous HF chemical.

On March 5, 2012 a leak occurred in CITGO’s alky unit – the release was HF. The following morning the CSB was at the site investigating. The CSB found that the release was due to the failure of the seal on a 12 inch flange (pictured to the right). The paint on the flange is designed to turn red when it detects HF. The CSB found that the March 5th release can be traced back as far as September 2011. In late January of this year maintenance was performed on the flange, tightening the existing bolts but the leak persisted.

Further maintenance was performed on February 10th. Workers replaced the flange bolts and a work order was submitted to order a clamp to enclose the leak. THE UNIT WAS NOT SHUT DOWN (emphasis mine) but instead the clamp was ordered in the hopes that its installment would stop the leak. CITGO rejected three clamp designs over a three week period and had not installed it by the March 5th event. On March 5th the leak worsened – the steady stream of hydrocarbons and HF worsened through the late afternoon. The CBS determined about 300 – 500 pounds of HF was released.

On Friday, March 23rd an emergency notification was issued that CITGO had experienced a small process leak during maintenance; the plant alarm went off and 6 minutes later the “all clear.” The press release CITGO issued on the event made no mention of what the release was or what unit was involved.

However, CITGO staff communicated with the TCEQ staff that the release was HF, and they described it as a “puff” of HF.

CITGO’s management practices with HF, reckless During its investigation of the March 5th HF release, the CSB discovered that the water cannons were once again activated on March 10 and 11th as the refinery was restarting the unit. The March 10th and 11th were planned work activities AND the company was aware that the water cannons might be triggered.

Although the two additional releases were small in quantity the CSB is concerned that management accepted that the water cannons could be triggered.

“The facility is routinely using the water cannons as release mitigation for maintenance activities when in reality they should not be used (except) as the last line of defense.” The report also states, “The facility’s continued reliance on the water cannons to “control” an HF release raises serious concerns regarding the 10

facility’s management systems and control.”

Profit over employees Following the 2009 HF fire John Warner, president of the local United Steelworkers Union (USU) issued a letter stating, “The workers at this refinery have identified hazards the company has failed to fix.”

Adding, “We have met with Citgo and told them there were problems and if they weren’t fixed it was going to get bad. And it got bad.”

Then, on March 6, 2012, following the March 5th release, Warner filed a Notice of Alleged Safety or Health Hazards with the U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) citing several safety concerns including: • Management does not repair the equipment in the Alky Unit which requires employees to don more PPE. • The extended unit run times are taking tolls on men and equipment.

• On 1/22/12 East Plan 1, Area 083, Alky Unit, a dead leg, 2”Pump Out line, developed a pinhole leak.

The line comes off the ISO Recycle outlet line and there is no way to block it in.

• On 3/5/12 a Flange leak developed in the HF Alkalization Unit Area 83 requiring employees to shelter in place as well as the activation of the HF mitigation water cannons.

• Employees working in the units are tasked with to many duties exposing the employees to possible errors due to shortage in staff.

HF: Needless Risk HF boils at room temperature (67 degrees) and forms a lethal vapor cloud and can travel a great distance. It hugs low to the ground and drifts possibly through a heavily populated community. In such a case the whole regulatory system would be dealing with the dead and injured in their homes.

Local hospitals and morgues would not be able to deal with such a catastrophic event.

On February 24, 2011, ABC World News Tonight with Diane Sawyer and Nightlight with Brian Ross reported on the dangers of HF, “Deadly Chemical and Dismal Safety Records Put Millions Living Near Refineries at Risk.” The episode featured Hillcrest residents because of the numerous “near-misses,” in Corpus Christi and also featured an industry test film (pictured at right), that shows how the HF death cloud travels. Dr. Ronald Koopman was interviewed and said such an event would put unsuspecting Americans in kill-zones. “Lungs hurt, you can’t breathe; eventually you die of asphyxiation.”

And added, “It (HF) actually penetrates the skin destroying the tissue trying to get to the bones and react.”

Robert Hall CSB Investigations Supervisor called the 2009 CITGO HF release a near miss, “It’s a significant near-miss of an HF release into the refinery and into the community.”

Recommendations: Dr. Armendariz, we respectfully request that you bring an enforcement action against CITGO for repeatedly putting its workers and the residents of

Corpus Christi at risk. For willfully operating their alky unit even though it had been leaking HF for months and despite the fact that workers asked for the unit to be fixed. CITGO management has learned nothing from their 1997 HF release or their 2009 release and exhibit callous disregard for human health and the environment - the latest information out from this March release (that actually started last September) proves that. They continue to operate, putting profit first over the well being of its workers and the community at large.

We ask that the enforcement action result in forcing CITGO to stop using and storing HF at their facility.

There are safer alternatives to HF and we request your assistance to move this green alternative into commercial use in the United States by compelling CITGO to initiate a pilot-scale project utilizing solid acid catalyst in place of HF. This can be accomplished through a SEP (supplemental environmental project).

CFEJ has always advocated that SEPs need to go

Live Music Tonight

The Coastal Bend's Most Complete Live Music Calendar

Compiled by Ronnie Narmour

Friday, November 9 Second Friday Sing-Along Piano Show @ Brewster Street Bushbullit @ Executive Surf Club Shakedown/ Leopold & His Fiction/ Keeton Coffman @ House of Rock Reno & the Groovegetters @ Dr. Rockits The Forefront @ Coffee Waves Brian Winfrey @ Island Italian Ray T & the City Crew @ The Flats Lounge Analog Man @ The Texan Mike Williams & Rocky Arnold @ Hemingway’s Rockport Saturday, November 10 The All American Rejects with Cherri Bomb and The Lost Element @ Brewster Street SmileFest/ Spoonfed Tribe/ Bad Chords/ Flatbroke/ High Bred Roots @ House of Rock Ruben Limas@ Island Italian Chris Gober @ Coffee Waves Bruce Robison/ Brian Keane @ Third Coast Theater Poison Lemonade @ The Texan Wesley Pruit Band @ Dr. Rockits Mike Williams & Rocky Arnold @ Hemingway’s Rockport Open Mic W/ Toad @ Tango Tea Room Sunday, November 11 Open Mic w/ Billy Snipes & Uel Jackson @ Tarpon Ice House Ballabajoomba Poetry Slam @ House of Rock Acoustic Open Mic @ Neptune’s Retreat John Eric @ South Texas Ice House Party of Three @ Dr. Rockits

to the impacted (EJ) community as reflected in a report I authored, “SEPs: The Most Affected Communities Are Not Receiving Satisfactory Benefits,” (July 2006). This SEP would benefit the near-by EJ communities and possibly save the lives of tens of thousands of people.

We’d also like to request a conference call with you, at your earliest convenience. This call would include experts on HF to discuss with you the extreme hazards of this deadly chemical.

After every tragic event we observe that survivors reflect on signs that were missed or ignored, and if the signs had been heeded, lives would have been saved. I’ve outlined the signs. Please take action and prevent a catastrophe.

Very sincerely yours, Suzie Canales Citizens for Environmental Justice Executive Director

Worst-Case Scenario: 150,000 Tons of HF Could Travel 15 Miles and injure 220,000 people A worst-case scenario for each refinery is filed by its owner with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Specifically, companies include what’s known as an “Offsite Consequences Analysis,” part of a larger plan that details how they manage myriad risks involved in manufacturing usable fuel from crude oil.

In 2009, Citgo claimed that the “worst case scenario” at its Corpus Christi facility would involve 150,000 pounds of HF and could travel for 15 miles, affecting up to 220,000 people.

Wednesday, November 21 Roger Creager/ Bri Bagwell @ Brewster Street Open Mic w/ Wolfjaw @ Flat’s Lounge Grant Ewing @ Dr. Rockits Live Music in tba Downtown Farmers Market @ Tango Tea Room

Wednesday, November 14 Gravy @ House of Rock Open Mic w/ Wolfjaw @ Flat’s Lounge D&S @ Dr. Rockits Live Music in tba Downtown Farmers Market @ Tango Tea Room Thursday, November 15 Sean McConnell/ Bleu Edmondson (acoustic) @ Brewster Street On Blast Standup Showdown @ House of Rock John Eric @ Island Italian Antone & the All Stars @ Dr. Rockits

Thanksgiving, November 22 Antone & the All Stars @ Dr. Rockits Friday, November 23 Larry Joe Taylor @ Third Coast Theater Le Freak @ Brewster Street David & Barbara Brown @ Coffee Waves Ray T & the City Crew @ The Flats Lounge Brian Winfrey @ Island Italian Cathouse @ The Texan Justin Estes @ Dr. Rockits Mike Williams & Rocky Arnold @ Hemingway’s Rockport

Friday, November 16 The Wailers @ House of Rock Ray T & the City Crew @ The Flats Lounge Gary Moeller @ Coffee Waves Brian Winfrey @ Island Italian\ Marshall Influence @ The Texan Matt Hole & Hot Rod Gang @ Dr. Rockits Mike Williams & Rocky Arnold @ Hemingway’s Rockport

Saturday, November 24 Larry Joe Taylor @ Third Coast Theater Another Level @ Brewster Street Ruben V @ Dr. Rockits Local Licks/ Victory by Birthright/ Plutos Orbit/ Resz/ Nutrel @ House of Rock Stuart Burns @ Coffee Waves Daughtry/ 3 Doors Down @ Concrete Street Ruben Limas@ Island Italian Jokes on You @ The Texan Mike Williams & Rocky Arnold @ Hemingway’s Rockport

Saturday, November 17 Texas Blues Fest @ Dewey’s Backyard Metal Shop @ Brewster Street Unearth/ Born of Osirls/ Contortionist/ Obey the Brave/ Wolves at the Gate @ House of Rock Reely Rotnz @ Executive Surf Club Earl Gard @ Coffee Waves Ruben Limas@ Island Italian 40 lb. Dog @ The Texan The Groove @ Dr. Rockits Mike Williams & Rocky Arnold @ Hemingway’s Rockport

Monday, November 12 Open Jam w/ Antone Perez @ Doctor Rockits

Sunday, November 18 Open Mic w/ Billy Snipes & Uel Jackson @ Tarpon Ice House Acoustic Open Mic @ Neptune’s Retreat John Eric @ South Texas Ice House Someone Like You @ Dr. Rockits

Tuesday, November 13 Open Mic w/ Rev Matt Martinez @ House of Rock Steven James & Shakedown @ Dr. Rockits

Tuesday, November 20 Open Mic w/ Rev Matt Martinez @ House of Rock Steven James & Shakedown @ Dr. Rockits

Sunday, November 25 Open Mic w/ Billy Snipes & Uel Jackson @ Tarpon Ice House Ballabajoomba Poetry Slam @ House of Rock Acoustic Open Mic @ Neptune’s Retreat John Eric @ South Texas Ice House Mike Dillon @ Dr. Rockits Monday, November 26 Open Jam w/ Antone Perez @ Doctor Rockits

Tuesday, November 27 Open Mic w/ Rev Matt Martinez @ House of Rock Steven James & Shakedown @ Dr. 11 Rockits

Source: Center for Public Integrity

Wednesday, November 28 Open Mic w/ Wolfjaw @ Flat’s Lounge HOBO @ House of Rock Bad Chords @ Dr. Rockits Live Music in tba Downtown Farmers Market @ Tango Tea Room Thursday, November 29 Cody Johnson Band/ John Slaughter @ Brewster Street John Eric @ Island Italian Antone & the All Stars @ Dr. Rockits Friday, November 30 Five Card Draw @ Brewster Street Wanda Jackson/ Jonny Fritz/ Folk Family Revival @ House of Rock Ken Barnett @ Coffee Waves Ray T & the City Crew @ The Flats Lounge Brian Winfrey @ Island Italian Reno & the Groovegetters @ Dr. Rockits Mike Williams & Rocky Arnold @ Hemingway’s Rockport Saturday, December 1 Ray Wylie Hubbard @ Third Coast Theater Gary Allan/ Kevin Fowler @ Concrete Street Ruben Limas@ Island Italian Mike Williams & Rocky Arnold @ Hemingway’s Rockport Sunday, December 2 Open Mic w/ Billy Snipes & Uel Jackson @ Tarpon Ice House Acoustic Open Mic @ Neptune’s Retreat John Eric @ South Texas Ice House Monday, December 3 Open Jam w/ Antone Perez @ Doctor Rockits Thursday, December 6 John Eric @ Island Italian Antone & the All Stars @ Dr. Rockits Friday, December 7 Brian Winfrey @ Island Italian Saturday, December 8 Slaid Cleaves @ Third Coast Theater Ruben Limas@ Island Italian

Nelda Martinez:

Coastal Bend, she and her partner sold to Stewart Title.

Nelda has owned and grown four businesses. In July of 2012, she sold Nueces Title Company. Today, Nelda serves as president/owner of Adlen, Enterprises, Inc., and is a landlord of commercial office buildings.

Community service plays a large part in Nelda’s life. She served as Board Chair of KEDT. She also helped organize fundraising for the PBS documentary on Dr. Hector P. Garcia’s courageous life, “Justice for My People.” Nelda served on the Board of Christus Spohn Health System Foundation and is a current Board Member of Foster Angels of South Texas, an organization supporting foster children. Nelda continues her volunteer work with children at many schools in the community.

Nelda has been active in the Catholic Diocese, serving on the Diocesan Finance Council and organizing the inaugural Bishop’s Guild. In recognition of her wide-ranging community service, the Hispanic Women’s Network honored Nelda with the Las Estrellas Award for Community Involvement and the Volunteer Center for the Coastal Bend gave her their Sweetheart of the Year Award in 2003.

Corpus Christi's New Mayor Sets the Agenda for Her First Term Mayor-Elect Martinez will have her work cut out for her.

Corpus Christi's new mayor comes into office at a difficult time for the city. Corpus faces aging infrastructure, including a sewage system that may cost more than $80 Million to fix.

Decades of putting off maintenance of streets and buildings are catching up and the bill is coming due. City Manager Ron Olson recently ordered staff to create an inventory of all the buildings owned by the city - apparently the city had lost track somewhere along the line and nobody could tell him, exactly, how many buildings, where they are, or what condition they are in.

On the positive side, new jobs are being created in the area, and not just in waterparks and restaurants. New industrial developments promise to add tens of millions of dollars in payroll to our local economy and Nueces County has turned out be the big winner in the Eagle Ford Shale oil and gas play, gaining more jobs from Eagle Ford than any other county.

When asked what the first things on her agenda will be, Nelda didn't hesitate, "My priorities are ongoing fiscal accountability, follow through on the streets resolution,

formulating a comprehensive initiative addressing the deferred maintenance of our city buildings and the revitalization of downtown, our crown jewel with its invaluable water lined views."

That's an optimistic agenda, but Nelda is accustomed to fighting the odds and coming out on top. The city council will have four freshmen members, hopefully bringing energy and fresh ideas to the council.

People who work closely with Nelda Martinez speak of her determination, her commitment to do things right and her ability to bring people together. Whether it is building her own business, public service or taking time to cheer up seriously ill children at Driscoll Children’s Hospital with The Clowns Who Care, Nelda approaches each task with the same determination and energy.

One of Nelda’s dreams was to own her own business. In January of 1993 she founded and served as president of First American Closing Office. Eight years later, after growing her business into one of the highest volume closing offices in the 12

Nelda served as president of the Corpus Christi Chapter of Executive Women International. The YWCA gave her the Y Women in Careers Award for Corporate/Business Management in 2000. In 1999, the Coastal Bend Area GI Forum Women’s Chapter honored Nelda as the Outstanding Businesswoman of the Year and the US Small Business Administration, “Women In Business Champion.” In 2001, Del Mar College recognized Nelda as a distinguished former student and inducted her into the Wall of Honor. At the 25th Annual State Conference in 2011, the Hispanic Women’s Network of Texas honored Nelda as an Estrella of Tejas.

Nelda broke historical barriers in Corpus Christi city council elections as the first woman and the first Hispanic to earn the highest number of votes in an at-large election (a feat she continued with each at-large council election). On November 6th, Nelda became Corpus Christi's mayor-elect, the first Hispanic woman to do so.

A Corpus Christi native, Nelda graduated from Mary Carroll High School and attended Del Mar College before finishing her studies at the University of Texas at Austin. Nelda’s parents, Dr. Maria Consuelo Martinez, the late Roosevelt Martinez, and her eight brothers and sisters have grown used to her determination in making a positive difference in her community.

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Art Scene A Few Items Of Note For November

K Space Contemporary 415 D Starr Street Corpus Christi, TX 78401 361.887.6834 KSpaceContemporary.org Hours: Wed-Sat 11a – 5p Free Admission September Spectacular Salon First Friday ArtWALK November 30th, 5:30-9pm November Art Star Gallery: Raychelle Schaudies

Art Center of Corpus Christi 100 Shoreline Blvd

Art Museum of South Texas 1902 N. Shoreline Blvd Corpus Christi, TX 78401 Tel: 361.825.3500 STIA.org Tues - Sat 10a to 5p Sundays 1p to 5p Closed Mondays & Holidays Admission: Adults $8 Seniors (60 and older) $6 Active Military $6 Students (13+) $4 All members, Children 12 and under, Texas A&M University-CC students Free Admission Free Admission every First Friday in honor of ArtWALK! East/ West: Visually Speaking

Corpus Christi, TX 78401 Fax: 361.884.8836 Hours: 10a – 4p Everyday except Monday Monday CLOSED Admission is always FREE College Art All Stars The Tegardens

“Welcome the Famous Brands to China” Luo Brothers 2009

Gerry, Gregory, Amanda, and Andrew Tegarden This family of artists will exhibit together showing their range of talents from ceramics to fine pencil work.

September 14 to November 25 , 2012 th

First Friday ArtWALK November 30th, 5:30-9pm Tables of artists and artisan vendors in and around the Courtyard, every First Friday!!

Treehouse Art Collective LLC 309 North Water Street, Suite D Corpus Christi, TX 78401 361.882.4822 TreehouseArtCC.com Hours: Sunday

Noon to 6p

Closed Mondays Always Free Admission

Ewoud de Groot Exhibit through November Ewoud lives and works in Egmond aan Zee, a coastal village in the north of the Netherlands. His work has been featured in the Art Center's Shorelines exhibitions, as well as the Leigh Yawkey Woodson's prestigious Birds In Art exhibition, which the Art Center will host in Fall 2013.

Currents 2012: Annual Member Exhibition

Annual all-member exhibition highlights our family of artists, providing a chance to stand out as a Merit Artist the following year. An invited juror will chose five Merit Artists, and a sixth is selected by popular vote.

ArtCenterCC.org

11a – 8p

Sundays, 1p – 4p

Reception Saturday, December 1st at 4:30 pm

Tel: 361.884.6406

Tue-Sat

Hours: Tues – Sat, 10a – 4p

Free Admission The World through our Artist Eyes

th

A Chinese Contemporary art exhibit organized by Dr. Lee Gray, the Curator of Exhibitions at the Paul and Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum, University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

The exhibition features a wide array of paintings, sculpture, photography and works on paper showing how Chinese artists have adapted Eastern ideas and art forms to create new styles of art using references to stylistic history in Western art. In each of the two- and threedimensional works exhibited, there is an obvious merging of Eastern and Western visual languages. While in some works the reference to Western culture seems adoring, others appear as parodies to the West and its cultural symbols and values. Each participating artist presents a multifaceted view of contemporary China as it struggles to define itself and find its place on the world stage.

Check the museum’s website event calendar for other events throughout the month.

A collective of 6 core artists, and a varying group of associate artists, who exhibit and sell their artwork in all manner of media.

First Friday ArtWALK November 30th, 5:30 – 9pm Featured artist this month is abstract painter, Jerry Bass

Rockport Center for the Arts 902 Navigation Circle Rockport, Texas 78382 Tel: 361.729.5519 RockportArtCenter.com

Currents 2012 Juror: Kitty Dudics, Professor of Painting, Drawing & Design, Del Mar College

Tango Tea Room 505 S Water Street, Suite 545 Corpus Christi, TX 78401 361.883.9123 TangoFandango.com Hours: Mon - Thurs.

10a - 7p Fri & Sat 10a - 9p Sunday Noon - 6p

Atelier International Art Gallery 505 S Water Street, Suite 519 Corpus Christi, TX 78401 956.605‐1221 AIArtGallery.com

First Friday ArtWALK November 2nd, 6‐9pm

First Friday ArtWALK

The Calaca Art Exhibit celebration of the Dia Muertos holiday in No Please join us during t reception on Novembe refreshments, appetize fantastic art at the Atelier International Art Gallery. Local South Texas art gallery co‐owner Reynaldo Santiago’s work will be included in this exhibit Check The Canvas for Error! Reference source not found.’s profile on R issue of CC Magazine.

Featured Artist: Jason Perez

Atelier International Art Gallery

505 S Water Street, Suite 519 Corpus Christi, TX 78401 956.605-1221 AIArtGallery.com Hours: Mon - Fri 10a - 5p Saturday 10a - 2p Sunday By Appointment Check out the new gallery in town!

Festival of the Arts

email us at art@ccmagonline.com 13

The Merriman-Bobys House

Always Free Admission

in Heritage Park

First Friday, ArtWALK

1521 North Chaparral Street

November 30th, 6p to 9p

Corpus Christi, Texas 78401 CCFestivalArts.org

By Appointment Only

Featuring 192 Loc International Arti

November 30th, 5:30 - 9pm

Calaca Art Exhibition The Calaca Art Exhibition is in celebration of the Dia de los Muertos holiday in November. Local South Texas artist and gallery co-owner Reynaldo Santiago’s work will be included in this exhibition. Check The Canvas for Georgia Griffin’s profile on Rey in thisissue of CC Magazine.

If you would like to promote your gallery or show,

10a ‐ 5p 10a ‐ 2p

By Appointme

Calaca II International Print Exhibit

First Friday ArtWALK November 30th, 5:30-9pm

Trehouse Art Collective

Hours: Mon ‐ Fri Saturday Sunday

A different featured artist every month, and guest lectures quarterly.

The

Canvas Exposing Local Artists…

By Georgia Griffin

Reynaldo Santiago… bringing new passion to town When I first met Reynaldo Santiago, he excitedly launched into a description of one of the less common classes he teaches for grad students at UT Pan American. Rey had recently decided to teach it to undergrads as well, giving them a leg up on getting into graduate school. A man of Puerto Rican roots but born in Germany, Rey has lived in many places and has a passion for many things! It is palpable in his energy – his love of art and the processes of making art, for learning and teaching, for getting to see progression of discovery and development of skills in his students, for Mexico and South Texas, and the rich cultural history of the people on both sides of the border.

The professional art class may turn into a workshop available to artists through the Art Center of Corpus Christi, so keep an eye on their winter and spring schedules for that and a printmaking class, both taught by Rey. “What I want to show you is not just me. A lot of times I get the students involved, so here’s what we did this past summer, which is a portfolio. Their first printmaking class ever, and I had them do a portfolio.

Just to make them more marketable, so they can see that there are other possibilities, other than the thing that they’re doing. They’re not only studio students, there are also graphic designers and art education majors.

“It’s all about how to get started as a professional artist… I didn’t get that. I got that from my teachers, sort of on the side, but it wasn’t a formal course. It wasn’t something that was programmed meticulously with syllabi. No, we didn’t get that, and I think it’s very, very important. Plus we’re competing with so many other artists. We have to survive. If you know how to paint, but you can do ceramics, do ceramics also. If you know how to do other things, do them too. Make yourself marketable, in other words.”

“I started doing art in my science projects, especially the biology.

We started doing things on the human figure, the different parts and systems, circulatory, endocrine, muscular, skeletal, et cetera. All those really got me interested in drawing and painting. I noticed that I had an ability, and my Mom also noticed, so she bought me my first set of paints and brushes, and some canvases.

“Since then I’ve been working with art, though I did a lot of chemistry and all those things because I thought I was going to go into that, in the science direction. I even worked in Chicago for two years in a chemical lab. I started a newspaper over there, and started doing cartoons and I said, “Naw, I can’t do this.” I went back to school, I said, “I’m gonna do art.”

Boy does he “do art!” He teaches it, he creates it, and now he has come to Corpus Christi to exhibit and promote artwork from all over the state, country and world… and some from folks right here in the Coastal Bend.

Rey and his partners, Elizabeth and Reinaldo Figueroa, recently opened a gallery called Atelier International.

“Liz is one of my former students; she and her husband Ray are my partners. I already had a gallery in McAllen, The ArtHouse, and I decided to pull from there and come up here, 14

and since she was moving up here anyway because he got a job here, I said, “Let’s start a gallery. Let’s do it!””

I fell in love with Rey’s window series, framed in distressed wood, after seeing them on Facebook.

Naturally that’s where our conversation went next, and we were off and runnin’…

“I call them studies because they are from photos of things that I see most of the time when I’m driving.

In these times we’re always in a hurry, but we’re losing something – I have a camera ready to go all the time.

“I like to add little things… I’m doing more of that.

As a sculptor, it’s just part of what I like doing and I started incorporating it in the work. Instead of just being a painting it becomes a mixed media piece, and I really do like mixed media and installation. I go into the crafts as well. I just like making things.

I do framing. I get distressed wood for that, then the left over from the frames, I gotta recycle, I gotta do something, so all the pieces I put together and I started doing niches from regular frames and pieces of distressed fences.

“Here’s another which is also framed using distressed wood. That’s actually an image from Real de Catorce, deep in the mountains of northern Mexico, but south of Monterrey. Real de Catorce was a mining town, but before that it was a Huichol ceremonial ground. The mountain where this town is at is just rich in minerals, so they made a mining town out of it, and they enslaved many of the Huichol Indians. But their tradition, their annual walk to the mountain includes also the collecting of the peyote and taking it.”

Readers should note that the area Rey is talking about is in the Wirikuta reserve, the site of recent protests by the Huichol Indians and their supporters. They are working to stop a new mining project that would decimate these sacred grounds.

the continuation of this part here, and then the stones on the bottom, there’s another one as it continues. It’s a triptych. Plus, the clothes, the slippers, the t-shirt and pants… go on the floor, in front of it. So, I got away with nudity, without them knowing it! And what it’s actually saying, it’s me coming, with my skills and what I know, to the other side.”

“They have a ceremony as they go up the mountain (Cerro del Quemado, or Burned Mountain), and then at the mountain when they get to the site. I actually went to it on horseback, which is the only way you can get up there other than walking… it’s very high and you could see all the mesetas (plateaus).

The town is like Pompeii, it’s all stone – the streets are stone, the sidewalks are stone, the houses are stone, everything… beautiful. Just beautiful, and they’re trying to keep it. There are restorations, and they’re trying to keep it the way it was originally. The people decided, “No brick buildings, we have to construct to preserve out town.”

“I have a whole series on doors, and windows, entrances, doorways, thresholds… this is part of what I do, but if you go to Reynaldoism.com you can see the continuation. That’s where those windows came from.

“This is from the series of the “Four Legged Rooster”, then the boots, on top of the Four Legged Rooster table, and then I keep adding things, so each table has something from the prior table. What I do is a create the woodcut matrix on the table, ink the surface, print the edition and then sell the matrix/ table as a piece of work.

“This is digital combined, a print and acrylic. Trying to imitate what’s going on. Sometimes I try to do the digital to imitate the paint, and go back and forth.

Then, every once in a while some one will ask for still lifes – I do fast paintings and studies... I like to work with acrylic because it’s faster. I don’t have much time, so when I do paint I want to paint fast.

“I jump around, thematically… It just depends. A lot of friends and artist friends say, “Oh, you should stick to one style, do one thing and do that only.” I say, “No! That would be boring.”

“Here’s another series up here. It’s topographical textures. There’s a whole series like this, of about 50, of different sites that would be south of the Rio

I was staring at the stretcher keys on the piece saying, “Wait a minute, that’s real!”

“Yes, it’s real! I actually stapled it on just how they do it, like Fredrix (brand) they get the staple gun and boom.

“We just did a portfolio together of prints, which is the Calacas II (November’s exhibit). It’s in the Calaca tradition, which has to do with the Day of the Dead, and the skeleton, and the celebrating of life. Work from 192 artists, from all over the world.

Grande, mainly, because of the mountains.

“Then this one is the latest one. It’s the “Sand & Sea” exhibit that we had (in August), Liz and I. Actually, this is about how I feel when I go fishing.

All this over here, dark and red – it’s daily life, responsibilities, all that charged in there, there’re even words that I paint in the background. You can’t see ‘em, but if you look at it at an angle you’ll see that the letters are there. Then you draw the line, and you cross that line, and it’s just blue, a lot of color – free. At least, when I go it actually is like a therapy. It’s like that working on the wheel also.

You’re just there with the clay, nothing else. That’s what I like about going fishing, and that’s what I want to portray. The line works, but I still think it needs to have more symbolism in there with regard to these two areas (the blue and the red). Where do you cross the line? When do you actually feel free?

Liberated?”

“This one (Tube Passport) was part of a series on immigration. Actually, this is supposed to be an installation, or part of an installation. There’s another frame like this, but smaller painting that’s

“This is a woodcut. This has to do with “the great wall of America.” This is the border patrol in Arizona, and actually they’re the ‘Minute Men’, and then this is the border patrol on the Mexico side. So it was a (visual) pun on whose border patrol are you talking about? It’s the big divide, and it should never have happened. It just doesn’t make sense because the people still come over. They’ve been doing that for centuries, and you expect a wall to keep them back? To go either way?

I don’t think so. It’s gonna happen regardless. It’s just a natural thing.

“And putting up a wall like that is just a horrible symbol for the United States. When other walls are coming down, the United States is building walls. I’m like, “What are we doing?” I don’t think it has to do with what political sides, likes or dislikes, or whatever you have to the government. This is just not logical.

“I work a lot also with protests, through the printmaking. Normally, in a painting, I would not do that, but in woodcuts and screen prints, I do go there.”

Be sure to visit Atelier International, at 505 South Water Street, Suite 519 (at the back of the courtyard, in the same village of shops as the Tango Tea Room) to see the Calacas II exhibit this month! To see much more of the passion of Rey Santiago, head to his website, Reynaldoism.com.

Dining Guide Tango Tea Room The Tango Tea Room brings a taste of Austin to Downtown Corpus. Tango serves a variety of Mediterranean and world cuisine, including some of the best vegetarian and vegan fare you can find in Corpus. We also specialize in vegan and gluten-free desserts, cupcakes and muffins. Come on down and get your hippie on!

Taste The Difference!

The Gourmet Pizza

949-7737 ¬ 15370 SPID- On the Island

Our famous Padre Pizza dough is handmade daily. Our sauces are created from the freshest tomatoes and seasoned with our own Chef’s blend of natural herbs and spices. Our lasagna made from scratch daily is the most tasty and delicious you will ever try, and our salad selections are prepared to order using the freshest produce available.

14993 SPID On the Island 949-0787

Located on Padre Island, Island Italian has been serving the community since 1987. A family friendly restaurant, Island Italian also serves beer and wine and is available for private parties of up to 53 people. Flat screen TV and DVD / VHS for meetings. Delivery on Padre Island after 5pm.

Daily Lunch and Dinner Specials.

505 S. Water Street in downtown Corpus Christi.

361-883-9123 Tangofandango.com

Hours:

10-7 Monday through Thursday

Hours of Operation: Monday - Thursday 11am to 9:30pm Saturday 10am to 10pm Sunday 5pm to 9:30pm

10-9 Friday & Saturday 12-6 Sunday Farmers Market every Wednesday 5pm

Great Seafood s r e g r u B d n a Libations Amusements 18 Holes of Miniature Golf

Wednesdays All you can Eat Fried Shrimp Thursdays Prime RIb Open 11 am - 2 am With Twice Baked Potato Kitchen Closes @ 1 am 2034 State Highway 361

One Bite & You’re Hooked

361 749- Taco (8226)

G�i��

Dining Guide

Snoopy’s and Scoopy’s Snoopy’s Pier was literally a product of the Redfish Wars, a battle over commercial fishing rights in Texas. Ernie Buttler realized the Redfish Wars signaled the beginning of the end of the commercial fishing industry in Texas. So Ernie decided to give up trying to catch fish and shrimp and start cooking them instead. In August 1980 Ernie and his wife, Corliss, purchased a small bait stand and burger joint with a fishing pier on the Intracoastal Waterway. Over time, the place was transformed with a lot of hard work and patience into a family-friendly seafood restaurant. Special attention is given to providing local harvested quality seafood at affordable prices.

Scoopy’s was opened by Ernie’s wife and features home made soups, salads and sandwiches using only Texas products. Scoopy’s is proud of their shrimp salad, known by locals as the best in town.

They also have great house made desserts and ice cream by the scoop.

13313 S.P.I.D. · Corpus Christi (361) 949-8815 · snoopyspier.com

Libations Amusements 18 holes of miniature golf Open 11 am - 2 am Kitchen Closes @ 1 am 2034 State Highway 361 361 749- Taco (8226)

Town & Country Cafe has great breakfast and lunch specials every day, offering great food at a fair price. Town & Country Cafe is a great location for business meetings and client luncheons and there is no charge for the use of the meeting room.

4228 South Alameda Corpus Christi, TX 78412

(361) 992-0360 Locally Owned and Operated

19

A Taste of Austin

In Downtown Corpus Christi

Huge Vegetarian, Vegan & Gluten-Free Friendly Menu Yummy Non-veg stuff too.

Free WiFi Farmers market Every Wednesday 5pm Open Mic Night every 2nd Saturday Bizarre Bazaar Every 3rd Saturday

Tango Tea Room 505 South Water Street 361-883-9123

THE

Lenz

75th Anniversary Celebration @ Aransas National Wildlife Refuge

Photos by Jeff Dolan

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Discover More at METROSCHOOLS.NET

THE

Lenz

Halloween Harvest Festival @ Downtown Farmer's Market

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By Charlz L. Vinson Cvinson@ccmagonline.com

Rumors & Lies 35=39 ~ Was Jimmy Carter Really JFK?

Editor's Note: Mr. Vinson contacted us using an encrypted email service offering his (or her, we've never actually met) services as a conspiracy columnist. Vinson (we assume that's not his real name) boasts a level of paranoia that couldbe mistaken for a symptom of mental illness, but we are assured that somewhere in each column, no matter how ridiculous it may seem on the surface, Vinson has embedded hidden information that when joined together will unveil a conspiracy so far-reaching that every world leader for the past 30 years has been in its grip and powerless to escape. So read carefully folks, and if you manage to connect the dots over the next few months, its probably best if you keep it to yourself.

Say "hello" to CC Magazine's newest monthly column, "Rumors & Lies", a crass diatribe of an armchair conspiracy theorist born and raised in Corpus Christi, Texas. Each month I plan to take you deeper into my own psyche until you exclaim, "This guy's NUTZ!" Maybe, but the jury is still out on that one. I have managed to keep my thoughts safely capped to keep my family and friends from

=

is really Jimmy Carter? Jimmy Carter is actually the person who we remember as John F. Kennedy?

Whenever a profoundly controversial statement is made the natural human response is denial. After denial comes the need for understanding the perpetrator’s motive. Many believe that things just should not exist without a purpose. Why would JFK fake his own death, only to come back into the limelight as Jimmy Carter? What roles did Lee Harvey Oswald and Jack Ruby play? Or are they also simply more characters playing parts in this "event"? Ed Chiarini explains that Kennedy, Oswald, and Ruby were all “in on it.” His results come from handwriting analysis, photo and film evidence, and ear biometrics. Ever notice that mug shots of the incarcerated include a front face photo and also a picture of the side profile? Chiarini claims that the profile photo is to actually photograph the ear. He adds that ear biometrics can be used to identify two seemingly different people as the same person. Ear biometrics can be defined as the measurement of the distance between several points of the ear's intricate

?

Did JFK fake his own death, only to come back into the limelight as Jimmy Carter? disowning me altogether. But now, with the power of the press behind me, I can unleash to you, the reading audience, each and every crazy notion I have investigated due to an undying itch called curiosity. I hope you can be able to read this column with an open mind and a pinch of salt. This month we look into one of the grand-daddy’s of all conspiracies, the JFK Assassination. In summation, this author thinks the official story and corresponding conspiracy theory were designed to steer you from the real truth.

This month we remember the 49th anniversary of John F. Kennedy's death.

Since I was not alive at the time of this incident I must rely on history books to deliver to me a correct and factual lineup of events to accurately describe what exactly occurred in Dallas, Texas on November 22nd, 1963. But as the quote goes, “History is written by the victors.” If that is true, then the victors could tell us anything and we would have to take it as the truth. But what is the truth?

Why is there still a "JFK conspiracy"? Wouldn't you think that after 49 years we would have a clear and concise analysis of that day's events to tell our children, or our children's children? Perhaps the “JFK conspiracy” was created to draw your attention and mental resources away from what actually happened. Let's see if we can agree to disagree before this magazine ends up in the trash bin.

Lee Harvey Oswald, acting alone, shot and killed JFK. Jack Ruby, acting alone, shot and killed Lee Harvey Oswald. Jack Ruby later died in prison of lung cancer.

Case closed. Or is it??

Ed Chiarini, aka DallasGoldBug, is the webmaster of http://wellaware1.com/, a website dedicated to exposing actors who are extending their talents to activities outside the scope of "theatre". One theory expressed on his website is that the John F. Kennedy assassination was a fabricated hoax. Moreover, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, our country's 35th president, was never actually killed but lives on today under the pseudonym Jimmy Carter, our 39th president. WHAT? John F. Kennedy

tissue. Combing through his website we come across many grand statements.

Another example is that Tina Fey, an actress famous from her roles on Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock, is also playing the role of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.

What does it all mean? You may have heard of the conspiracy theory involving rock-and-roll phenom Paul McCartney. If you haven’t heard of it, I’ll briefly explain it here. The conspiracy is that shortly after the initial Beatles explosion on the world circuit, guitarist/singer Paul McCartney died as a result of a car accident and was subsequently replaced with a look-alike named “William Campbell.” This conspiracy really has two conclusions. One is that it was all made up to bring more attention to the band. The other is that the original Paul McCartney actually did die and actually was replaced by a look-alike named “William Campbell.” Either way, the Beatles still rock. Paul McCartney still rocks.

My point is that whether you believe the conspiracy or not, the Beatles are still one of history’s all-time rock-and-roll groups. Nothing will change that fact.

The mother of an adopted child is still that child’s mother even if that mother did not physically interact in the creation of that adopted child. So how does “The Truth” help us? Isn’t ignorance bliss? If you have ever purchased anything “autographed”, but you were not present at the time the autograph was placed on that item, then how do you know who actually signed it? The point is, as long as you believe the autograph is authentic, it is. No one can tell you otherwise.

Unless it’s the actual person who you claim signed it who exclaims it isn’t. At that point you can just ask that person for another autograph on a different item and go on living your life from there. I guess I can summarize with, if you’re comfortable with your beliefs, then that should be enough. Don’t let others decided for you, not even Charlz L. Vinson (if that’s my real name anyway).

Please join me next month as I discuss the END OF THE WORLD as the Mayan Calendar expires December 21, 2012. I would like to think we will last through 22 that date with no problems, but then again I can’t predict the future.

t

g

Center INSIDE THE

By Samantha Koepp

The holidays bring much for us to look forward to, most importantly spending time with family and friends. Share this quality time throughout the year by getting everyone on your holiday gift list tickets to the most anticipated events in Corpus Christi! Give the gift of excitement and fun that can be shared with the people that are the most important to you. Let American Bank Center help make your holiday shopping easier and give you the opportunity to make everyone happy!

American Bank Center scheduled events for 2012-2013:

TAMUCC Islanders Basketball, November 2012-March 2013 at American Bank Center Arena Support your local men and women’s college basketball teams as they play against top teams within the state and across the nation!

Corpus Christi IceRays, November 2012-March 2013 at American Bank Center Arena Celebrate the IceRays 15th year anniversary season and get your chance on the ice after the games. (Post game skate is $5 per person with purchase of a ticket.)

Winter Love Tour, Nov. 24 at American Bank Center Selena Auditorium R&B favorites Silk, Tony Terry, H-Town and Glenn Jones warm up the holidays with their love ballads and hit singles.

Winter Events at the Center Corpus Christi Concert Ballet Presents The Nutcracker, Dec.1 & 2 at American Bank Center Selena Auditorium Guest artists Katia Garza and Israel Rodriguez of the Orlando Ballet join cast members from the Coastal Bend to perform the holiday favorite.

Corpus Christi Ballet Presents The Nutcracker, Dec.8, 9,15 & 16 at American Bank Center Selena Auditorium This extravagant holiday production offers a half priced Family Weekend followed by the Gala performances that feature live music by the Corpus Christi Ballet Orchestra.

Beauty and the Beast, Dec. 22 at American Bank Center Selena Auditorium The classic animated ballroom love story is brought to life right before your eyes.

Disney Live! Mickey’s Music Festival, Dec. 28 at American Bank Center Selena Auditorium Mickey and his friends put on a music extravaganza that will get you and the kids up on your feet dancing to the beat!

WWE RAW World Tour, Jan. 13 at American Bank Center Arena See your favorite RAW Superstars live!

Carlos Menica: C 4 UrSelf Tour Jan. 19 at American Bank Center Selena Auditorium Comedy Central regular Carlos Mencia brings his colorful stand up that you will have to C 4 UrSelf!

Harlem Globetrotters 2013 “You Write the Rules” World Tour, Jan. 20 at American Bank Center Arena Basketball showmanship at its best and most entertaining! A special meet & greet for ticketholders will take place after the show. Interact with the Globetrotters on the court before the show with a Magic Pass! (Magic Pass sold in addition to admission ticket) Cirque du Soleil Quidam, Feb. 2-3 at American Bank Center Arena Step into the captivating world of Quidam! Follow a young girl named Zoe who is bored with life and finds an imaginary world filled of exhilarating characters.

To view events scheduled for spring, visit our website www.Americanbankcenter.com.

Tickets are available at all Ticketmaster outlets, online at ticketmaster.com or charge by phone at 1-800745-3000. SMG managed American Bank Center is Corpus Christi’s premier event center. Follow us online at www.Americanbankcenter.com, facebook.com/ AmericanBankCenter, or twitter.com/AmericanBankCtr.