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The voice of The Island since 1996 Weekly

The

MoonAround The

IslandBy Dale Rankin

Inside the Moon

www.islandmoon.com

Cleanup A4

27° 37' 0.5952'' N | 97° 13' 21.4068'' WIssue 852

Beach Volleyball A2 Traveling Moon A9

A little Island history

Indianola was the State’s Busiest PortNow it’s a Ghost Town

A reminder of what hurricanes can do to communities

Around cont. on A4

Sea Life Center A7

FREE

Island

History cont. on A4

By the numbers

Traffic Over the JFK

These numbers reflect vehicular movement through the traffic light at the intersection of Aquarius and South Padre Island Drive at the base of the JFK Causeway. They show vehicular flow over the 24-hour periods listed and included all movements through the intersection. They are down from the high of over 70,000 vehicles per day prior to the closing to local beaches to vehicles in June.

39,054 Friday, July 24

7,560 Saturday, July 25, 2020

1,606 Sunday, July 26

38,949 Friday, July 31

35,193 Saturday, August 1

33,784 Sunday, August 2

40,590 Friday, August 7

40,283 Saturday, August 8

34,884 Sunday, August 9

Source: City of Corpus Christi Public Works

By Dale Rankin

As Hurricane Hanna fades into memory the history of a once bustling Texas coastal town reminds us that hurricanes can kill more than people, they can kill whole communities.

The port town of Indianola was born and died through suffering. The town was situated near sea level on Matagorda Bay near Port Lavaca from 1844-1886. During that time Indianola grew from a camp of immigrants running from suffering in Europe into a cosmopolitan port city. Before the first of two storms hit the city in 1875 Indianola was regarded as second only to Galveston in commercial and

There’s a lot to cover Around The Island this week so let’s roll…

City crews continue to move the sand left along the Michael J. Ellis Seawall by Hurricane Hanna out to the water’s edge to widen the beach. Hanna left three feet of sand piled along the north end of the seawall and it is being moved seaward. There is also about 60,000 cubic feet of sand that was removed from access roads in Balli County Park that is currently piled up on the county beach that will be distributed on the beach.

Moon Open Records Request Denied

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton this week denied an Open Records Request from the Island Moon to unseal the autopsy reports in the deaths of James and Michelle Butler who were found buried in Kleberg County in October, 2019. Capital murder suspect Adam Williams remains behind bars at the Kleberg County lockup while his girlfriend and fellow suspect Amanda Noverr is in the San Patricio County Jail in connection with the case but have not been charged with the murders. Paxton denied the request to release the results of the autopsy at the request of Kleberg County District Attorney John Hubert citing the ongoing investigation. Officials said last month that murder case against Williams and Noverr has been delayed due to a prohibition on jury trials in the state until October, 2020 by the Texas Supreme Court.

Up in the sky…

Crews continue to use a helicopter to repair high lines along State Highway 361 and as long as they do we will keep running pictures.

Back to school

It’s back to school for Island kids this week as Seashore Charter Schools begins online classes on Wednesday, August 19. Their full plan is outlined on their website.

On Tuesday the Flour Bluff ISD Board of Trustees voted to submit a waiver to the Texas Education Agency to extend remote instruction in the district by an additional four weeks. Flour Bluff ISD is beginning the school year on Thursday, August 13 with remote instruction for all students. If approved by state regulators the additional four-week waiver will push the start of on-campus or face-to-face instruction into the first week of October. The District had already implemented remote instruction to continue until September 8. Flour Bluff ISD

Photo by Texas Surf Camp

Lawsuit A12

Indianola street scene.

Island artist Karen Wall paints the mural in front of the new Padre Island Art Gallery. See story page A2.

Zoning for New Development on Mustang Island

ApprovedThe City of Corpus Christi Planning

Commission this week approved the request for development of a site across State Highway 361 from Mustang Island State Park “to allow for the construction of a potential multifamily development and/or boat storage facility.”

The developers are identified in city documents only as High Tide Partnership, Ltd, to change the zoning from the existing Farm Rural District to CR-2, Resort Commercial District

The property is located at 10582 State Highway 361 along the west side of State Highway 361, north of Zahn Road, and south of Newport Pass Road.

The property is located within the boundaries of the Mustang/Padre Island Area Development Plan and is planned for a Planned Development and Flood Plain Conservation use, according to city documents which go on to say “The…rezoning to the “CR-2” Resort Commercial District is consistent with the adopted Comprehensive Plan (Plan CC). Letters requesting comment on the project were sent to seven adjacent property owners by the city but no responses were recorded.

The property is currently vacant and was annexed in 1999. To the north and west is Mustang Island State Park zoned “RS-6” Single-Family 6 District. To the south are vacant properties zoned “FR” Farm Rural District and Island in the Son Methodist Church zoned “RE” Estate Residential District. To the east is the Laguna Madre. The city documents say the subject property is not located in one of the Navy’s Air Installation Compatibility Use Zones and is currently not platted.

No date was mentioned for work on the site to begin.

Beach Cleanup Saturday, August 22

Islanders Suzanne and Julia Gilliam are hosting a beach cleanup on Saturday, August 22, from 8:45 a.m. until noon.

It will begin at Briscoe King Pavilion go south from Bob Hall Pier to clean up debris left by Hurricane Hanna.

Bob Hall Pier Inspection Results Expected this Week

Canal Bulkheads

Done…Water Exchange

Bridge Is NextThe bulkheads around the newly-dug

canal along SPID are now complete. Crews put the finishing touches on the bulkheads this week. The canal will connect the existing Island canal system to the Park Road 22 Water Exchange Bridge and on to Lake Padre, Packery Channel, and the Gulf of Mexico.

Work is scheduled to begin on the bridge in the next few weeks.

County officials are expected to find out this week what repairs will be needed to Bob Hall Pier due to damage from Hurricane Hanna.

Nueces County Coastal Parks Director Scott Cross said drone inspections of the pier’s infrastructure have found cracks in the concrete.

“If those are found to be bad enough that is a deal killer,” Cross said.

Depending on the severity of the cracks the concrete piling might need to be replaced.

Cross said he is applying for $25 million in FEMA funds to mitigate damage from Hurricane Hanna and the money will be used to repair the pier, and replace the former T-shaped-

feature at the end of the pier with another structure, possibly octagon shaped. The money would also be used to build a concrete parking lot at Bob Hall Pier to replace the asphalt lot that was destroyed and to make improvements to the lot at Horace Caldwell Pier in Port Aransas.

Pending the findings of the inspection Bob Hall Pier and Mikel Mays remain closed.

The missing T-head. Photo by Jacob Augs

Photo by Laurie Lyng.

August 13, 2020

August 13, 2020 Island Moon A 2

w w w. b r o o k l y n p i e . c o m

N E W Y O R K S T Y L E

&

H O M E O F T H E

GIANTSLICE

6181 Saratoga Blvd. #107ACorpus Christi, TX 78414

SOUTHSIDE15326 S. Padre Island #106

Corpus Christi, TX 78418

PADRE ISLAND

361.949.1100

EDGE OF PARADISE!•Waterfront Condo•DEEDED boat slip w/ lift•Furnished•UPDATED!•Large 1 br (985 SF)•

15317 Bonasse Ct. #1605 $188,000 $183,000

PRICE DROP

Padre Island Gets an Art GalleryA place for Island artists to sell their work

If you drove down SPID south of Commodores this week you may have seen Island artist Karen Wall sweating for her art.

Wall spent the week painting the mural in front of the newly opened Padre Island Art Gallery. The gallery is the brainchild of Island artist Debra Nichols who owns the gallery with Andrew Folley . The gallery sells the work of local artists on a consignment basis and already has a full house of their work. Go by and say hello, or better yet, purchase some work by a local artist.

Padre Island Art Gallery owner Debra Nichols (right).

Beach Volleyball

Fun on the sand at Michael J. Ellis Beach. Photos by Debbie Noble

5th Annual Ski Basin Bash

The fifth annual Ski Basin bash took place last weekend

Bio-Identical Hormone Pellet Therapy for Men & Women

Men - Low Testosteronecan make you feel like a shadow of your former self. Are you experiencing:

• low sex drive• moodiness• diminished sexual performance• lack of energy • muscle loss

Women - Hormone Imbalance

• hot fl ashes/night sweats• weight gain• mood swings• vaginal dryness• low libido• mental fogginess• bladder issues

can make you feel like a stranger in your own skin. Are you experiencing:

C. Dale Eubank, MD, FACOGOffices in Corpus Christi, Portland & Rockport361.906.1112 | advancedwellnessandrejuvenation.com

Bio-Identical Hormone Pellet Therapy for Men & Women

low sex drivemoodinessdiminished sexual performancelack of energymuscle loss

hot flashes/night sweatsweight gainmood swingsvaginal drynesslow libidomental fogginessbladder issues

MEN — Low Testosteronecan make you feel like a shadow of your former self. Are you experiencing:

WOMEN — Hormone Imbalancecan make you feel like a stranger in your own skin. Are you experiencing:

August 13, 2020 Island Moon A 3

Moon MonkeysMike Ellis, Founder

Distribution

Pete Alsop

Island Delivery

Coldwell Banker

Advertising

Jan Park Rankin

Classifieds

Arlene Ritley

Production Manager Abigail Bair

Contributing Writers

Joey FarahAndy PurvisMary Craft

Emily GainesJay GardnerTodd Hunter

Dotson LewisDr. Tom DorrellRonnie Narmour

Brent Rourk

Photographers

Miles Merwin (Emeritus)

Debbie Noble

Jan Rankin

Mary Craft

Ronnie Narmour

Office Security/Spillage Control (Emeritus)

Riley P. Dog

Publisher

Dale RankinAbout the Island Moon

The Island Moon is published every Thursday, Dale Rankin, Editor / Publisher.

Total circulation is 10,000 copies. Distribution includes delivery to 4,000 Island homes, free distribution of 3,000

copies in over 50 Padre Island businesses and condos, as well as 600 copies distributed in Flour Bluff, 1,400 copies on Mustang Island and Port Aransas businesses.

News articles, photos, display ads, classified ads,

payments, etc. may be left at the Moon Office.

The Island Moon Newspaper

14646 Compass, Suite 3

Corpus Christi, TX 78418

361-949-7700

editor@islandmoon.com

Facebook: The Island Moon Newspaper

Port Aransas

Gulf Stream RV

Pioneer RV

Stripes on 1A

My Coastal Home

WB Liquor Store

Island Wine Room

Kody’s

Coffee Waves

Moby Dicks

IGA

Treasure Island

Ms. Woody’s Automotive

Port A Glass Studio

San Juan’s Restaurant

Wash Tub

Woody’s Sports Center

Back Porch Bar

Shorty’s Place

Fisherman’s Wharf

Giggity’s

Gratitude

The Gaff Trinity By the Sea

Episcopal

Where to Find The Island Moon

North Padre

All Stripes Stores

Black Sheep/Barrel

CVS Dollar General

Whataburger

Doc’s Restaurant

Snoopy’s Pier

Isle Mail N More

Island Italian

Brooklyn Pie Co.

Ace Hardware

Texas Star (Shell)

Jesse’s Liquor

Scuttlebutt’s Restaurant

Subway

Island Tire

Padre Pizzeria

And all Moon retail advertisers

WB Liquor

Flour BluffH.E.B.

Whataburger on Waldron

Ethyl Everly Senior Center

Fire Station

Police Station

Stripes on Flour Bluff & SPID

Letters to the Editor

Did Ya Hear?By Dr. Mary Craft - Optometrist

Business BriefsThe land between the Waves Resort and Whitecap is being planned for development for

roughly 600 homes. Canals will be proposed to be dredged and these waterfront homes will be able to access Lake Padre via the water exchange bridge. The work on the land is being done to make it more appealing to an individual or group of investors to purchase.

Laguna Reef Restaurant in Flour Bluff will have their last day of business on September 6th. They opened there in 2006. I heard a rumor that a steakhouse restaurant will be going in but could not get confirmation.

Concrete Street Star-Lite Drive in Theater starts this Friday, August 14th with Avengers: Infinity War and Saturday Trolls: World Tour. The cost is $40 or $50/car depending on location and includes a $20 voucher that can be used toward food or drinks. Doors open at 8 pm and the movie begins at 9 pm. On Saturday, August 29th they will be one of the locations nationwide to receive a Metallica concert that was filmed especially for the big screen.

Aquarius Park is one of 14 city parks to get a new shaded playground area.

The Padre Island Music Festival will be held Labor Day weekend at Sunset Island which will be its grand opening. There will be vendors at the mural booths. Snoopy’s food will be served at the restaurant and at “Snoopy’s Too” on the Sunset deck. I will have more details in the next week’s column.

The target date for the Island Market IGA is now mid-September unless lightning strikes the building or some other setback manages to show up. It’s like HEB has cast some voodoo on the project.  They have managers on board and they will be hiring staff later this month. They expect to need 70 plus employees during the summer months and around 50 the rest of the year. Hours will be 8 am - 10 pm.

Port A Live Music destinations  are Giggity’s with music nightly, Island Wine has music outdoors on weekends and Roosevelt’s has live music on their patio on weekends.

Island home builder Diane McGroarty  of Diana Homes took number one in the state in the 2020 Star Awards for the best kitchen remodel between fifty and seventy five thousand dollars.  The award is through the Texas Association of Builder’s.   What a great achievement Diane!

The CC Health district has compiled a list of businesses observing best practices to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The Island businesses on the list are Padre Island Burger Company, Donut Palace, Subway, Sweet Swirl and Starbucks. In Port A Black Marlin, Castaways, Dairy Queen, Donut Palace, Fins, Jackfish Cart Rentals, MacDaddy’s, Moby Dick’s, Port A Pizzeria and Trout Street made the list.

The Lively Beach Condos on Zahn Road have opened up for rental with studios starting at $152/night. There is a boardwalk to the beach..

There is a rumor going around that the Waves Resort has been sold but it has not. There are some interested parties though.

CleanupMr. Rankin

My pasted email below has not been answered. I am interested in howMarina Del Sol got our city manager do a fast free cleanup of their private Marina.

Mr. Smith has not answered my question yet.

I have never received any City help trying to have the city remove abandon boats, destroyed docks or do anything to clean up, or force a owner clean up the old Marina at the End of Yorktown and Laguna Shores Rd.

Gary Exley

Gary,

I have asked staff for an explanation.

Sincerely yours,

Greg Smith

City Council District 4

Dotson & FriendsHello,

An Army buddy and I served under Sgt. Dotson Lewis while we were in the 3rd Infantry Division, Special Services in Wurzburg, Germany in the mid 60's. We learned Dotson may have written a sports column for your paper however we've been unsuccessful trying to reach him and we hope he is ok. If you know him would you please include his contact info. or send him mine.

Be safe and thank you.

Sincerely,

Capt. Dean Srygley, CAP

Safety Officer, Mission Pilot, O-Pilot

Dover Senior Squadron DE-006

BeachesI feel compelled to share what are clear safety

issues. We have thousands of cars both side of Windward, Whitecap from Windward and road 5. Parents are pushing strollers in the streets with traffic flowing both directs.

Windward parking lot is full and large crowds of people concentrated in smaller areas on the beach due to pushing and pulling carts, etc. so far. This lockdown needs to be revisited before some child gets hurt.

Tom Turner

Pastor Kris BairI have heard a lot of great comments about

Pastor Kris Bair articles.

Thanks for including her. At times like these a quiet mind can do wonders.

Andy Purvis

Marker 37Hey Everyone:

We are promoting our Labor Day event as the Sunset Island “Mask-querade” Party & Live Music Grand Opening.

I am broadcasting this to everyone who will be involved, or should know about, the Labor Day Grand Opening for Sunset Island. For two years, we have been rebuilding Marker 37, building boardwalks, volleyball courts, vendor booths, and are now opening our Panama Jack Store, and Snoopy’s Retail shop. I have attached a photo that we will be using for promoting our live music event on Sept. 4-5, featuring “The Grooves.” https://www.thegrooves.net. I invite you to look at their website; they are a great cover band that performs everything from Motown to country music. They are one of the most popular cover bands in the state. I believe their music will offer something for everyone; from boot-scooting to Baby Boomers, and the family.

Panama Jack representatives will be supporting our Grand Opening for the Panama Jack Shack, and we will have a DJ and vocalists (“Foxanne & Damon”) at the entrance of the store. There will also be a 10’x20’ Panama Jack beer tent at the entrance of the store, in the Snoopy’s parking lot. We have a number of vendors who are renting the mural vendor booths on the left by the entrance of Snoopy’s. We will have our soft-serve ice cream and snow cone trailers operational. We will be serving Snoopy’s food, not only from the restaurant, but also from “Snoopy’s Too” on the Sunset Deck.

We will be reaching out next week to many of our sponsors in hopes that we will have a number of kiosks, banners, and show boats; as well as vehicles for people to view as they tour and enjoy the venue.

We will be offering foam LED glow sticks (approx. 2’ long), that we will give away in order for our guests to safely enjoy social spacing. People can hold them out for proper social distancing, in a safe and fun way.

We are in the process of having posters made that we will hopefully display in hotels and other places on the Island and around the City. It is also our hope that we are able to get the word out as much as possible via Facebook. As soon as we have the posters made, we will distribute them to you electronically.

We very much appreciate any and all the

Letters to Ed cont. on A4

support that you can offer us. It is our sincere desire to put on a family-friendly, and safe event that people can come out and enjoy during this trying time of restricted social interaction.

Thank you!

Mitchell Kalogridis

From Our Facebook PageDale's Column about Hurricane Celia

David Womack I remember Celia clearly. Not many people even understand what going through a hurricane like Celia is.

I know it’s given me a good understanding what the power of a hurricane is like.

My dad worked on the base at the time and I remember he had to leave our home just before the storm to help tie down aircraft that couldn’t be put away in hangers. In the end that didn’t do much.

I do remember being happy he was able to get back home before Celia made landfall though.

We were a family of 5 ridding out the storm in a wood frame home. One thing I remember clearly was my dad rigged up a small red hand held radio with bigger batteries tied to the back of the radio for longer life. That turned out to be a good thing. That little radio was our lifeline to what was going on after the storm. I remember us listening to news often on this little radio. It was something special being able to hear the news when nothing else was working.

I also remember dad taking us out on the front porch when the eye of Celia passed over us. I remember looking up and seeing blue sky and lots of birds flying around in the eye. It was beautiful but strange all together.

It was back in the house shortly after to prepare for the back half of Celia.

I can remember looking through the small cracks of the plywood covering all our windows and watching parts of our neighborhood fly past our home. I could recognize parts of homes and garages as they flew past our home. It was a bad feeling I remember.

Going through Beulah and Celia at an early age gave me real respect for hurricanes.

Thank you Dale for this write up and reminder.

Barbara Freeman My family was on the base in the partly underground boat barn or old jail. For weeks after the storm, a truck came around 3 times a day and distributed food and drinks based on family size. Or you could go to the chow hall and eat if you wanted. Our house wasn't damaged, but many many were. The next storm, I left. I stayed home in Houston during Ike, and worked and lived at the hospital during

Harvey. I remember a boat in front of the court house after Celia...

Jane Glanzer Rode out Celia on Tiger Lane in Corpus. It was the most terrifying experience of my life! Thank you, Dale, for sharing. People need to know why the word "Celia" brings out those "thousand- yard stares."

Shirley Laurence I lived in CC between Airline and Rodd Field Roads off Holly road (it was all pasture back then and very few homes on our street (all were on 3 acre tracts). My dad built our houses and our house on Lakeview Drive held up well during Celia, we had a little flooding after Beulah and I vaguely remember Carla as I was only 6 years old when Carla hit. I live in Aransas Pass now and evacuated for Harvey (mandatory evac but I would have left anyway). When I came back to AP, it looked like a war zone and for the first time in my life I said when the next one comes, I may decide to move away from the coast-still here but was a little nervous during Hanna. I love the coast but I'm getting too old for this! Love your story-Celia was something else-we had no power for over a month.

Barrett Floyd We lived on Shore Dr in Portland. My mom and all the kids were in Georgia at my grandfather's house, but my dad stayed behind. He rode out the first half of the storm in our entryway with his back against the wall holding the front door closed. During the eye our friends on Granby came and got him and he stayed with them the second half. When he went back to the house the roof was collapsed and the house was just walls standing. We had a 3 car garage and one door was still there, one was found about a mile away on someone's boat and the third was never found. Seven of us lived in that FEMA trailer in the front yard for way too long!

Mike Coker What’s up Dale? We left for Poteet but my Dad rode out Celia in our house on Broadway. Home was barely touched but the boat dealership was destroyed. I remember riding my bike around East Cliff during the next several weeks and just being in awe of the destruction. Funny how two houses side by side and one was standing while the other was just a concrete slab.

Barbara Ann Carlson I was in my Mom's house on Sharon St. It made it ok. My grandmother's heavy Chrysler was in the driveway & we kept peeking at it - the front of it was lifted by the wind & then slammed down! Many times. Celia was the Bad one!

Susan Clarkson-Paul Hope Celia will make people think twice when a hurricane approaches! Thanks for this article!

Roosevelt's

Shaded playground example

Lively Beach.

August 13, 2020 Island Moon A 4

Send letters and photos to editor@islandmoon.com

History cont. from A1 maritime supremacy and was a threat to the older port because of Indianola’s location nearer to the heart of Texas, and points west, which were then being settled my immigrant Europeans.

Indianola was the port for trade with Chihuahua and the eastern terminus for the shortest overland route to California. The town that became known as the Mother of Western Texas was founded after the earlier settlement of Matagorda, situated on the left bank of the Colorado River and which had the first newspaper in the state, failed due to raids by Comanche Indians and the development of a silt bar deposited by the river along the narrow eastern arm of the bay which prevented the approach to Matagorda by ships entering the bay through Pass Cavallo. Cargo had to be shifted to lighter vessels and ferried the final four miles of the route, which was expensive and tiresome.

Politics intervenes

Then in 1839 things changed for the mid-coast region of Texas when a decision was made, against the wishes of Sam Houston, to move the seat of state government from Houston to the center of the state along the Colorado River, which was then the edge of the Texas frontier. The state needed a deep water port that would feed people and trade goods into the Heart of Texas but as often happens politics got in the way of good judgment and the port town of Calhoun, from which the country now takes its name, was founded in 1839 on the northeastern end of Matagorda Island. There were two reasons for locating Calhoun on the east side of Matagorda Island: First, the constant fear of invasion by Mexico from the sea meant that Calhoun could defend the pass into Matagorda Bay, and second; the lawmakers who were about to move from the safety of Houston to the Republic’s new capitol in the state’s center wanted a fort between them and the Mexican Navy.

It was immediately apparent that Calhoun’s location was a disaster for commercial traffic. Many of the other local towns had been put to the torch during the recent Texas Revolution and the sites of the seven military camps set up the new Republic in the area were not suitable for ports so the hunt for a site for a new port was begun. By early 1840 the military camps were gone and there was no town of significance along that area of the coast. Then in August of that year an Indian attack on Victoria pointed out the region’s vulnerability.

The arrival of a German Prince

The events which began the life of the town of Indianola began in 1842 in Germany with the formation of the Adelsverein at Biebrich am Rhein. The stated purpose of this group was to sponsor those willing to immigrate to escape the economic depression there and the political upheaval that went with it. The Adelsverein secured grants from the Republic of Texas for land and each household wanting to immigrate deposited 600 gulden ($240) to pay for passage. The next problem was where to land.

Prince Karl zu Solms-Branufels set sail for Texas in May 1844 with the first group of emigrants hot on his heels. When he landed at Galveston he immediately realized that city would not work as the port of entry for the Germans and he sailed west along the coast looking for a place for a new port. He looked at Port Lavaca, which he described as “a town of four houses” set high on a bluff away from the inland swamps but saw that the sand and mud bars in Lavaca Bay made the landing of large ships impossible. Had that not been the case Port Lavaca would likely have eventually supplanted Galveston as Texas’ largest port.

On the west side of the bay near Gallinipper Bar was a spot called Indian Point where vessels carrying cargo and people could dock. Indian Point was connected to the mainland by a series of low islands made of fine, white, crushed shell which heavy rain and tides did not disturb. What the Prince saw was a deep water port with a land bridge to the interior of Texas. Indianola was born.

German settlement

It was here that Texas’ first German Protestant minister, the Rev. Louis Ervendberg held the first Weihnachtsfest complete that December complete with a Christmas tree for the new Texans. Those families were the first of many thousands of Germans who would arrive at Indianola and eventually fan out across Texas and found towns with German names which are today part of the daily Texas vernacular. In January 1845 the first wagon train of immigrants set out across the plains bound for the Comal Tract of land, at the current site of the town of New Braunfels in Comal County between Austin and San Antonio. The Comal River, called Las Fontanas by the Spanish, would provide the water supply for the first group of immigrants who landed at Indianola and set out for their new homes.

The group soon purchased the land which became the town of Fredericksburg and in the fall of that year 5,247 men, women, and children arrived in Indianola from Bremen and Antwerp and the rush was on.

Indianola grew and prospered. Warehouses sprang up along the wharfs. With the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848 a

commission was sent to West Texas to survey the Texas/Mexico border. The commission left New York in 1850 and landed in Indianola, the settlement of West Texas was begun in earnest with Indianola as the port of entry. The town’s future looked bright.

The Civil War came and went, but during the war when the markets for Texas beef were cut off by the Union blockade the herds of unattended Texas Longhorns swelled to eight million head. In 1869 a process for canning the meat using carbonic acid gas created a boom for ranchers shipping canned beef out of Texas and canneries began popping up along the Indianola wharfs. In 1871 the Texas Legislature approved the incorporation of the Indianola, San Antonio and El Paso Railroad Company. Hotels sprang up, as did general stores, an ice cream parlor, then in 1871 came regular trips from New York by steamship which disembarked passengers in Indianola for overland passage to San Antonio, and then a telegraph connection from Indianola through Corpus Christi to Mexico was established; Indianola was booming.

Trouble

Then came September 1, 1875 when the United States Signal Service office in Indianola received by wire from Washington the news of a burgeoning hurricane sent from the ship Tautallon Castle off the coast of Africa. The report generated little interest in Indianola but no doubt would have if it had listed the hurricane’s point of landfall – Indianola. The storm hit the Caribbean and veered west northwest splashing over 100-foot cliffs and swamping ships. But on through early-September ships continued steaming out of Indianola for open water with no knowledge of what was ahead.

On the 15th Rockport took the brunt of the storm and experienced ship captains refused to go to sea after seeing the “highest tides they had ever seen on the coast.” In Indianola business went on without knowledge of the coming storm.

By the morning of the 16th the tide had broken over the beach and was running in the streets. Wooden buildings on Main Street began to collapse and by mid-day the wharfs were gone and the streets were rivers. The cement courthouse was jammed with refugees as the storm slammed into the coast that night and breakers in the streets made evacuation impossible. Winds reached 150 mph.

A cubic yard of salt water weighs 1728 pounds and the surge tide of 15 feet bore down with all its weight on the town. By the time the eye passed over the town in the hours after midnight all the water that had been built up inland by the storms furry reversed course and headed back out to sea. With it went half of the town of Indianola, washed out to sea and gone along with the people who lived there.

When reporters from the Victoria Advocate rode into town the next morning they brought back a note from W.H. Crain, the Indianola District Attorney:

“We are destitute. The town is gone. One-tenth of the population are gone. Dead bodies are strewn for twenty miles along the bay.

Nine-tenths of our houses are destroyed. Send us help, for God’s sake.”

Indianola’s unfettered access to deep water had been her life’s blood and now was her downfall. Entire families were gone and in their place were piles of debris. Most of those left relocated to San Antonio but a few hardy souls stayed to rebuild. By 1886 it was clear that Indianola would never be the dominant Texas port originally envisioned.

Realizing their town would never be a freight and transit port again residents turned to making it a resort town with fishing, yachting, great seafood restaurants and swimming as the main attractions.

Another hit

Then came the summer of 1886 when a hot and dry and unusually strong easterly wind blew sand that pelted the citizens who were still wary from their 1875 experience. But they thought that the Signal Corps now had the means to warn them of an impending storm. It turned out that a simmering feud between the U.S. Signal Corps and their counterparts in Cuba made reliable reports about storms crossing the Cuban Island impossible to get in the U.S.; a problem that would also contribute to the devastation of Galveston in its 1900 hurricane.

By the time the warning came the tide was already in the streets of Indianola. An inbound train was blown off the tracks; the tracks were washed away two miles inland. A lamp left lit, ironically in the Signal Corps office, blew over and set the downtown ablaze. The storm tore through Texas with 85 mph winds doing $250,000 worth of damage to the Government Hill section of San Antonio.

The people of Indianola had seen enough. On September 20 the Commissioners Court issued an order moving the County Seat from Indianola to Port Lavaca. Indianola was no more. In April, 1887 what little was left of the town was destroyed by fire and the railroad line was torn out. The post office shut down in October and the town was officially dead. The hurricane that hit Indianola in 1875 was the first to ever hit a populated area of Texas and eventually barriers and seawalls were erected but it was all too late for Indianola.

What was once the gateway to West Texas is now a small subdivision at the end of a two lane road near Bayside. You can reach it if you want to but will see little to indicate it was once was the second largest port in Texas.

The rise and fall of Indianola is a stark testament that we live at the edge of the Big Water at Mother Nature’s pleasure and sooner or later she’s going to remind us of that.

Around the Island cont. from A1

Port of Indianola

will begin on-campus instruction Monday, October 5. Once schools reopen for on-campus instruction, parents will have the option to send their child to school each day or continue with online, remote instruction.

Waves

As work wraps up on the newly dug canal along the SPID corridor – see the story in this issue – we continue to get questions about the future of Waves Resort. Since it is a private business we are not privy to the latest developments…however, stories continue to swirl about a potential buyout by new owners and some moves toward permitting made their way to city hall last week. All we can say is that the news – such as it is – is positive and we expect an announcement in the not too distant future. One potential buyer sounds especially promising. As for the return of the golf course…it depends on if you listen to the people at the barber shop or the nail shop. What we can say is with the completion of the canal and work on the Park Road Water Exchange Bridge just around the corner things seem to be heating up. We will stay on top of it and report what is going on as things develop.

Short-Term rentals

The appointment of the committee by the Island Strategic Action Committee to begin work on a short-term rental ordinance for Corpus Christi comes just in time as complaints about homes in Island neighborhoods being leased to overnight visitors are now a regular occurrence. While the new ordinance will most likely outlaw overnight stay in the residential areas of Padre Island on

the west side of SPID until it is passed internet sites are full of offerings for overnight rentals by property owners there often to the annoyance of full-time Island residents who live nearby.

The latest complaint comes from the 13,000 block of Hawksnest Bay Drive where neighbors have filed complaints with CCPD and the property owner. Neighbors in the Ports O’Call neighborhood say that according to information on the Vacation Rentals by Owner website the property is rented to revolving overnight tenants through the end of 2020. Short term rentals are currently not regulated by the City of Corpus Christi, which will change with the new ordinance but it will not be in place until at least 2021. It is a growing problem on parts of Padre Island.

And then there’s this…

From the Moon’s You Can’t Make This Stuff Up Department…an East Texas woman called game wardens to report that her boyfriend left a deer hanging in the garage for two days. Sure enough the wardens found the deer, which was in a sorry state, and charged the boyfriend with shooting a deer from a public road at night and “Failing to Retrieve or Keep in Edible Condition” he also had an outstanding warrant…well, of course he did…and so did his friend. Both got four hots and a cot in the Montgomery County Jail, which is probably a good place for them.

The Dog Days of Summer officially ended on Tuesday but even if the Dog Star isn’t still burning up there our little sandbar is…can somebody please call off the dogs…it’s still too hot for good dogs!

Michael May's Beach Cleanup

Employees from Mikel Mays worked to clean up Padre Balli Park this week. Photos by May Nardone.

Game Warden Field NotesThe following items are compiled from recent

Texas Parks and Wildlife law enforcement reports.

A-B-C, It’s Easy as 1-2-3

A Hamilton County game warden and Johnson County game warden were patrolling Lake Pat Cleburne when they conducted a water safety check on a pontoon boat that had three women, one man and two dogs on board. The boat had expired registration, no throwable floatation device and the captain of the boat had a freshly opened 16 oz. can of beer next to his seat. During the water safety check, the warden could smell alcohol on the man and noticed he had a hard time keeping his balance standing. The warden asked the captain, “How much have you had to drink? Have you had anything to eat today?” The captain said, “I’ve had about 5 beers and I had some watermelon earlier.” The warden then asked the man to say his ABC’s and he missed several letters. During the standard field sobriety test on shore, the man said under his breath, “I can’t even do this sober.” The captain was placed under arrest for Boating While Intoxicated. He consented to provide a breath specimen, which produced a result of 0.182 g/210L blood alcohol content. The captain was booked into the Johnson County Jail.

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

A game warden was traveling back to Bell County from Lake Travis when he heard several deputies, several volunteer fire fighters, Temple technical rescue and Starflight in route to a call near a river. The warden called the local dispatch for more information and learned that a minor was operating an ATV and went off a sheer 35-40 ft. cliff into the Little River. Additional assistance was requested because the terrain was difficult to navigate and needed

a four-wheel drive vehicle. The warden reached out to another warden also in the area and they responded to the scene. Upon arrival, Temple Fire Department’s technical team prepared a repelling system pully system and various personnel from seven different agencies assisted in recovering the patient, two of his friends and several rescuers up the sheer 35-40 ft. cliff. Due to the excellent teamwork and communication the operation was successful, and the patient was transported to the hospital in stable condition with a few broken bones.

Strike a Pose

A Houston County game warden was patrolling Houston County Lake when he noticed a man in possession of a slot limit bass. The man said he was going to take a photo with the fish and then release it back into the lake. The warden asked to see the fish and when the man removed it from the live well, the warden saw that it was dead and beginning to turn stiff. Case pending.

Curiosity Caught the Cat

A game warden received a call from an Andrews County deputy asking about the legality of shooting mountain lions in Texas. After explaining the regulations, the deputy told the warden someone had claimed to have seen several mountain lions hanging around an old abandoned house near the state line. The warden contacted the individual who had allegedly seen the cats and located where he had spotted them. The warden spoke to the landowners in the area and found out the individual did not have permission to be on their property. After investigating further, it was determined that four individuals were trespassing on the ranch. Appropriate charges were filed and are currently pending.

but as of this writing on Wednesday that has not happened. But why not? If the county has $14 million in state emergency money and the County Judge has ordered the beaches closed to traffic then what exactly is the problem?

Follow the money

The answer came about 5:15 p.m. when Judge Canales took the microphone at the regular COVID update. Indeed the governor’s order sent $18 million in emergency funds to Nueces County…but it’s a case of the LARGE PRINT giveth and the small print taketh away. The $18 million was awarded on the basis of population – it was doled out on a per-capita basis meaning that since 90% of the people in Nueces County live in the Corpus Christi City Limits the City of Corpus Christi got 90% of the state money and Nueces County with 5% of the population in the unincorporated area got 5% of the money.

The County Judge was given the power to order the closing of county beaches to traffic but not the money to enforce it and Mayor Bujan reached the end of his rope…hence the broadside. It also explains why Judge Canales was asking for cooperation from the Corpus Christi City Council Tuesday morning; what she really was asking for was for the City of Corpus Christi to hand over state money to the City of Port Aransas to pay for the overtime of Port Aransas Police so they could enforce the no vehicle order put in place by the County Judge….who only got 5% of the money which I’m sure is already long gone.

I have seen many things in my decades of covering government, I’ve seen an army of tree climbing dogs and man who could put his elbow in his mouth, I once even saw water flowing uphill. But one thing I have never seen is one governmental entity paying money to another governmental entity without a court order and I don’t think this will be an exception.

A little friction

In fact, it seems that Judge Canales asked Mayor Joe McComb to put her on the city council agenda on Tuesday so she could speak longer than the one minute allowed for citizens like the rest of us to be heard and McComb – as the only member of the council who can put an item on the agenda without a second – respectfully declined. Judge Canales went around him and appealed to council members who likely saw an appeal for money coming to put her on the agenda and this too was respectfully declined.

The feeling I’m getting from both city halls – Port Aransas and Corpus Christi – is that Judge Canales has mostly elected to go it alone when it comes to decision making in the COVID plan with regards to the beaches. McComb was never really in favor of restricting beach access but the County Judge has the ultimate power to close the beaches in the county, either to traffic or altogether. When she said close the beaches to traffic there was nothing either McComb nor Bujan could do…well…actually it turns out there is; they can say “You want ‘em closed to traffic bring a check.” The problem is that when the governor handed the authority to County Judges across the state including here in Nueces County, he addressed the authority to the courthouse but sent the check to City Hall.

Let me just say I would not want to be Judge Canales’ shoes. Every day she is literally faced with life and death decisions in the times we find ourselves in. It is in the job description but something that no county administrator in modern times has been called on to face and she deserves our support. But in government as in business, the first question that needs to be asked at every meeting is, who brought the money?

In this case it wasn’t Nueces County.

August 13, 2020 Island Moon A 5

Stuff I Heard on the IslandBy Dale Rankin

The first sign of a fissure in the political class was this statement put out Sunday by Port Aransas Mayor Charles Bujan.

The city can no longer afford providing 24 hour day policing of the county beaches closure order. We have depleted all of our overtime budgets. The county beach closure has created a major life safety issue in regards to the in-town beach parking being completely out of control and blocking streets to EMS access and Fire Dept. trucks responding to emergencies. Effective this morning August 9th, the city is no longer enforcing the county beach closure order.

That’s not a shot across the bow, that’s a broadside; we’re mad as heck and we’re not going to take it anymore, if County Judge Barbara Canales is going to order the City of Port Aransas to close its city beaches to traffic then Nueces County needs to bring a checkbook.

The move seemed to come of nowhere and it didn’t’ take long for the beaches in Port Aransas to fill up on Sunday afternoon, word spread quickly. But what exactly was going on?

Then on Tuesday Judge Canales showed up at the Corpus Christi City Council meeting to speak. But where you would expect her to have an item on the agenda instead she was given one minute to speak as a private citizen; a spot usually reserved for people complaining about potholes, not County Judges managing a public crisis. She spoke about the need for everyone to pull together during these trying times, etc…nothing exceptional and she never mentioned money. Why was she there? It was puzzling.

Then later in the city council meeting City Manager Peter Zanoni told the council that the city has currently expended $4 million in COVID related expenses out of $18 million provided under an emergency order from Governor Greg Abbott to Nueces County. That seemed to clear the way for funding for Port Aransas police to continue with the beach closure…problem solved. The county has $14 million of state money to pay the Port Aransas overtime; it didn’t explain why Judge Canales was speaking during the public speaking section of the council meeting, but it seemed to point to a solution for the Port Aransas funding problem.

But through Tuesday night the beaches in Port Aransas remained open to traffic. There is talk of creating temporary parking spaces on the beach

Tides of the WeekTides for Bob Hall Pier August 13 - August 20

Day High Tide Height Sunrise Moon Time Moon

/Low Time in Feet Sunset Visible

Th 13 High 2:50 AM 1.5 6:59 AM Rise 1:45 AM 39

13 Low 5:07 PM -0.1 8:08 PM Set 3:44 PM

F 14 High 3:25 AM 1.7 6:59 AM Rise 2:29 AM 30

14 Low 5:59 PM -0.2 8:07 PM Set 4:41 PM

Sa 15 High 4:00 AM 1.8 7:00 AM Rise 3:19 AM 21

15 Low 6:50 PM -0.3 8:06 PM Set 5:38 PM

Su 16 High 4:33 AM 1.9 7:00 AM Rise 4:16 AM 13

16 Low 7:40 PM -0.4 8:05 PM Set 6:33 PM

M 17 High 5:04 AM 1.9 7:01 AM Rise 5:18 AM 6

17 Low 8:30 PM -0.4 8:04 PM Set 7:25 PM

Tu 18 High 5:31 AM 1.8 7:01 AM Rise 6:23 AM 2

18 Low 9:19 PM -0.4 8:03 PM Set 8:12 PM

W 19 High 5:52 AM 1.7 7:02 AM Rise 7:30 AM 0

19 Low 10:10 PM -0.2 8:03 PM Set 8:55 PM

Th 20 High 6:09 AM 1.6 7:02 AM Rise 8:36 AM 0

20 Low 11:31 AM 1.3 8:02 PM Set 9:35 PM

20 High 3:23 PM 1.4

20 Low 11:02 PM 0.0

Send letters and photos to editor@islandmoon.com

Beaches on Padre Island remain closed to traffic but the traffic ban expires on Monday.

Crews removed the sand berms blocking vehicular access to the beaches in Port Aransas

on Sunday. Photo by Ronnie Narmour.jpg

City UpdateBy Greg Smith, City Council Member District 4

In Tuesdays Council meeting the main topics we covered were the resolution of the

EPA’s lawsuit against the City on the City’s wastewater system, the creation of the a new Tax Increment Financing Zone, an update on the budget process and the status of a petition for a charter amendment to eliminate the City from pursuing some alternate water sources. Outside of Council, an update on two items of interest, extension of the ban on vehicular traffic on the beach and the repaving of Ocean Drive.

The County order banning vehicular traffic on Gulf beaches is due to expire on August 17. This is an extension from the original order that was to expire on August 1. The Nueces County Judge issued the order and the subsequent extension. The Mayor and Council were not consulted on the decision to extend the order.

Wednesday, August 12 the City is opening bids for the repavement of Ocean Drive from Ennis Joslin to Louisiana Street. Over the years the pavement on this signature arterial street for Corpus has deteriorated to a sad state and is not a good representation of a road that for decades was a point of pride and enjoyment for our citizens and visitors. For District Four this will represent the third major project that brings the heart and soul of Corpus Christi, our water and shorelines to a condition we can be proud of. Construction will begin after Labor Day on the long awaited water exchange bridge on the Island and in October for Laguna Shores and Ocean Drive if the Ocean Drive bids are in budget.

Settling the EPA lawsuit ends a long chapter of uncertainty for the City. It was originally filled ten years ago over the City’s number of wastewater system overflows. The EPA demanded $1.3 billion in repairs and improvements to the system and a very large fine. The settled amount is $775 million in upgrades over fifteen years. The impact will be an increase in rates starting in 2022, ending in 2030. It will add around one dollar more

per month each year to the average wastewater bill beginning in 2022. While any increase in rates is a concern the fact that we now have a settlement with known requirements rather than the uncertainty of a lawsuit in the billions of dollars gives a clear path forward for the wastewater system that did not exist with the lawsuit.

We were briefed by the City Secretary about a filed petition to amend the City Charter that would prevent desalination plants and some other alternative water sources such as groundwater from being added to our water supply. To be placed on the ballot 7,600 signature of registered voters are required. The petition contained 4,200 signatures and these were not verified since it less than the necessary amount.

On August 17 at 6:00PM the City is going to hold a virtual meeting on the proposed upcoming budget. The following methods can be used to access and participate in the meeting;

• YouTube: CCTVCorpusChristi

o Questions will be collected from comments.

• Facebook: @citygov City of Corpus Christi Government

o Questions will be collected from comments.

• CCTV20: Spectrum Channel 1300, Grande Channel 20, AT&T Uverse Channel 99

o Questions will be collected by calling (361) 826-3211.

On the Covid front the United States and Texas continue to decline in new daily cases with the US peaking on July 25 and Texas on July 15. Nueces County reported 1,171 cases on Sunday. This was a result of a “data dump” from a reporting agency of cases that went back to June 27. While this throws off Nueces County’s daily new case numbers the good news is both hospitalizations and ICU use continue to decline. Hospitalized patients maxed on July 24 at 430, dropping to 278 Tuesday and ICU usage from 157 on July 23 to 111.

Lifeguards get ready for their shifts. Photo by Dale Rankin.

Two massive Marlins were caught during the Legends Tournament last weekend.

Photo by Ronnie Narmour

August 13, 2020Island MoonA6

Development of the U. S. Armed Forces in World War II-Part I

By Dotson Lewis Special to the Island Moon

Senior Moments

By Abigail Bair

Anecdotingly

The Skeerdy List

Dotson’s Note: The other day some of us were talking education in the military and I got to wondering about how did the WWII draft handle those who were illiterate? I have read and been told that there was a much larger percentage of illiterates back in those days than there are now. What I found by many questions and much research was very enlightening about this and many other issues facing the military at that time. I believe all of you Moon Monkeys will be enlightened also. After all, aren’t we all here for an education? Thanks to Captain Bob Batterson (USN), Major General William Chase (USA), Major Roger K. Spickelmier (USA) and 1st Sergeant. Tommy Thompson (USA), for the facts contained in this report and to the WWII Army Museum for the photos.

Education, Classification, and Military Strength

The development of the US Army in World War II was hampered by the poor quality of education received by potential soldiers or poor utilization of America's entrance into World War II. Following Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor the nation was in a weak military position. Not one of the branches of the military possessed anywhere near sufficient strength in manpower to deal with the crisis created by the Japanese and the Germans. A military force of sufficient size and fighting capability would have to be forged from the stock of young men born in the good times of the 1920's and toughened during the nearly decade-long Great Depression.

Immediately there was the threat of invasion of the West Coast and nightly German U-boat attacks on merchant shipping along the East Coast. Due to these threats, some tactical units tasked with coastal defense and anti-submarine warfare were staffed with men who were rushed through the induction process with little or

no military training or study by classification personnel.

Unlike wars in the past men could not be taken from their villages, given a weapon, and shoved into the ranks to create an effective army. With the rapid advances in technology, World War II would demand men with complex skills to operate and repair the weapons of war. The skills necessary to perform on the modern battlefield demanded a degree of knowledge not previously seen in warfare. The average soldier or airman could be required to understand how to operate a myriad of weapons systems and other technologies in numerous situations that required mental perception to learn how to use them.

The U.S. Army took millions of young men, classified them by their intelligence, as defined by the Army, and forged an army and air force capable of defeating Germany and Japan, while attempting to preserve and train the best and brightest of these to build the future prosperity. Due to issues beyond the control of the military concerning the education of America's youth, and some its own policies, the U.S. Army's classification system fell short of its expectations. Scientific personnel studied how to determine the most efficient manner in which to best utilize the available manpower in creation of a combat force capable of fighting a three-front war against Germany and Japan. The size of the Army was, by an act of Congress, set at 7.7 million men. The fighting ability of the Army Ground Forces (AGF) and Army Air Corps (AAC) revolved around the training and leadership the average soldier or airman received and this depended upon the capabilities of the commissioned and non-commissioned officers.

Of the 7.7 million men allotted to the Army, The Selective Service Act of 1940 permitted 10.6 percent of these men to be African-Americans, which would force the Army to create ten divisions consisting entirely of African-Americans. Achieving this would cause a significant increase in the number of African American troops in the army, considering in 1939 there were only 3,640 enlisted personnel and five officers of African-American descent. Segregation played a significant role in the classification and utilization of African-American troops during World War II.

The Army faced a daunting task of obtaining, classifying, and training the men who would staff its three branches of service, the Army Ground Forces (AGF), Army Air Corps, (ACC) later Air Force, and the Army Service Forces (ASF). The method in which millions of men began their classification by the Army was taking the Army General Classification Test (AGCT). The AGCT was the primary test used by the Army to classify recruits. The AGCT assessed the recruit in native endowments, and the combined effects of schooling and of social experience, in an effort to determine his intelligence.

The results of the test would determine if the recruit was inducted into the army or tested further or eventually rejected. The results could also determine if the recruit was accepted into desired specialized training, like pilot training or the newly minted Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP). The ASTP was a program designed to supply the army with highly trained specialists and technicians by sending qualified recruits for additional college level training in engineering, foreign language, medical, veterinary and dental studies. Another reason for further testing was to determine if the recruit was illiterate, but of sufficient intelligence to be of use to the army with further remedial training. Literacy was defined as the ability to read and understand English at a fourth-grade standard. Intelligence was defined as the ability to learn military duties within a year. If a recruit was determined to lack sufficient intelligence he was rejected by the army and sent home.

On December 7, 1941 America was only beginning to prepare for war. Plans of how to mobilize the nation's manpower were being worked out and in the early stages of implementation. At this time, the military was highly segregated with little chance of desegregation as President Roosevelt was not about to go against the Southern Democrats and desegregate the armed forces. This decision, made for political reasons, would affect the African-American contribution to the war and even the future.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Dotson’s Other Note: The gentlemen who I thanked in the introductory Dotson’s Note were in the military when Pearl Harbor occurred. In fact Bob Batterson was at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. He is the only one listed who is still with us.

Thanks for reading and commenting on the articles in The Island Moon. Contact me at dlewis1@stx.rr.com or call/text: 530-748-8475.

Please note: The Weekly Veterans Round Table Meetings are now on Zoom on Tuesdays 9-11a.m., if you would like to join us, please call, text or Email me. When the meetings are resumed at Del Mar College, all veterans, their families and anyone interested in veterans’ activities, are invited. The Veterans Radio Round Table is on the air on KEYS AM 1440, 8 – 10 a.m., Saturdays. The next show will be August 15,, 2020. Please listen and call in or text. The listener/text line is: 361-882-5397…It’s your two hours, please let us hear from you.

Send letters and photos to editor@islandmoon.com

I’ve written approximately 400 times about how Stadler

is terrified of sky bangs. It doesn’t matter if it’s gunshots, fireworks, thunderstorms, or high winds, my freight train of a dog barrels onto my lap for protection – where she remains for the duration, shaking, drooling and panting.

You’ve read my tales of erecting great walls to keep her away, and I promise this isn’t another of those.

Jan and Dale generously allow Stadler to come to work with me. My poor co-dependent dog has been a GO puppy most of her life, a travel dog who comes with me everywhere. She doesn’t like being left even at Grandpa Daycare where she gets many treats and is friends with their compost pile opossum, Blossom.

Once (when I left her to be babysat for a mere hour so that I could mow my lawn) she escaped from the Rev and came trotting home.

I don’t know what her game plan was. What if I hadn’t been home? Would my hound have plopped smugly in front of the garage and waited for me whilst the Rev panicked?

If I’m being honest, I was so impressed that Stadler-Rocket-Surgery-Bair knew her way home (it’s five blocks and a straight shot) I let her into the house and gave her a biscuit.

In any case, I was inspired to write this article when yesterday at the Moon Office, Stadler yelped like her tail caught on fire for ABSOLUTELY NO REASON!

Jan witnessed this and said, “Hey, nothing happened to you! I saw that.”

Stadler had the decency to look moderately chagrined.

The thing is this happens constantly. Here is a brief list of the things my dog is afraid of:

Vacuum cleaners – she goes outside the second one is deployed

Mops

Brooms

Window air conditioning units

Spray cans

The microwave – The dog hides outside. I have to yell “Stadler is safety” when I’m done using the appliance because she no longer trusts the ding. She’s been afraid of it since the historic “Time the Lid Was on the Tupperware too Tight and There Was a Moderate Explosion.”

Water – she is the worlds only hydrophobic Labrador. She won’t swim in lakes, rivers, the ocean. She hates baths and is impossible to get into the tub. This phobia does not extend, however, to gross stagnant ditch water. Of that, Stadler is a big fan.

Gardening gloves – don’t ask me

New food bowls – we must use the same one she chewed up as a puppy otherwise she dumps the food on the floor and hides the bowl under the furniture.

Recumbent bicycles – she thinks they’re some kind of evil attack insect

Squirrels – one threw a nut at her and hit her in the face six years ago. On the dog jog she still wants to hotly pursue them. When trapped in the car in the driveway, however, she visibly hides from the squirrel tree. That may just be shame, though. I’d be pretty embarrassed myself if I let a squirrel beat me up.

The neighbor dog – she bravely fought Bella through the fence for four years. When they

met, Stadler ran back to our yard and hid behind a bush.

Shark hoodies

Men with beards that are not the G.P.

Yard art

She once spent fifteen minutes frantically barking at a palm frond

Ice machines

Garbage trucks

And probably, for all I know, the Winter Olympics.

The thing about Stadler (as ‘fraidy as she may be) is that she has a really great attitude about it. Imagine being plagued by anxiety that was relieved by the vacuum cleaner being put back in a closet? And then just going about your day with a bounce in your step, knowing that the next treatie or bite of chicken is right around the corner?

Stadler is an infinite optimist when it comes to food.

Maybe that’s all it takes to recover from fear – a little hiding and a big treat. I’m willing to try it if you are.

Ab’s Note: Thanks for your response my column of last week entitled, “Crafty Cathys.” I was heartened to learn to so many people shared my problem. Casey Rather posted a comment on the Moon’s Facebook page (the Island Moon Newspaper) that read, “We need to create a support group, with social distancing and wearing masks and find a shared space. The only thing allowed out of the space are finished products but we can bring in all of our products to share, or this could be done after we know more about Covid and don’t have to worry too much about sanitizing which may be a couple years but hey it’s a thought right?”

Well, Casey, I thought that was a terrific idea! Thank you! I’ve made us all a Facebook group for exactly this purpose. You can find it by searching for “Crafty Cathys Abigail Bair” or by visiting my page (@abigailbairwriter). It’s a private group to prevent looky-loos, but membership is automatic.

Here is a synopsis of what the group is about:

The Crafty Cathys is a support group for people who are addicted to purchasing craft supplies, but who also fail to use said supplies once the money is spent.

The goal of this loosely knit confederacy of armchair crafting fans is to generate enough social excitement for our projects that we actually complete a few.

... or at least THINK about completing a few.

We'll offer support from concept through construction. Post whatever ideas you have for the group to evaluate. It helps to talk through designs before you try to write/knit/paint/carve/etc. them.

Be kind to each other. Art is not only hard work; it can be tough on the soul as well. The bottom line is, to paraphrase Charles Bukowski, 'there are too many artists in the world and too little art."

Let's make some stuff!

How to Listen

Q. How can I be a better listener when communicating with employees, peers,

suppliers and customers?

A. Most of us are poor listeners. Studies indicate we remember only about 10 percent of what we hear in conversation. There are reasons why we are poor listeners. Most of us can think about twice as fast as the other person talks. Our mind wanders. Often, we are thinking about what we want to say next instead of listening. Some only listen as long as they agree with what's being said. Others interrupt with opinions before they understand what's being said.

We prejudge what's being said based on our assumptions, beliefs and expectations. We prejudge the other person's information because we think they aren't a creditable source. People in authority tend to dismiss what subordinates say. Mobile smart phones and social media cause interruptions that interfere with listening. People don't remember what they hear because they assume, they can google it later.

Business people can teach themselves to be better listeners. Spend 80 percent of the time listening and 20 percent talking. Before a planned conversation empty your brain by writing down your to do list and key information you want to return to later. Prepare a list of questions and topics. Strive to keep an open mind. Don't assume you already know what will be said. Turn off mobile communication devices to avoid interruptions.

During the conversation take notes to keep you focused on what's being said. Rephrase what you think you hear and ask whether your interpretation is correct. If you don't completely understand, ask questions to clarify your understanding. Pay attention to the other person's body language, tone of voice and facial expressions. They convey a lot of non-verbal information. Allow pauses in the conversation. The other person is likely to feel the need to fill the pause with more useful information.

If the conversation is about important things like customer complaints, planning sessions, project plans or negotiations, write a brief summary of key bullet points after the conversation. Without a written summary the two party’s memory of the conversation will be very different and that can lead to future ongoing disputes. You'll be surprised how much written bullet points will jog your memory to recall details.

Now days, many businesses are too complex for the manager or owner to have all the information and skills to run the business alone. You need to use all information available from creditable sources like customers, employees, suppliers, your banker and accountant. To get that information you need to be a good listener. Being a good listener conveys to the other person that you welcome their input and participation and that creates a good relationship between your business and that person.

Bio: Ralph Coker volunteers with SCORE which provides free mentoring to small businesses and nonprofits.

By Ralph Coker

Ask Ralph

March 17 1942 Selective Service Draft Drawing.

WW II Draftees

WWII Selective Service Draft Card.

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Padre Island and Port Aransas’ Oldest Island Based Pest Control Company.

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Locally Owned by Island Resident Bill Schroeder

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Residential and Commercial ServicesTermite * Ants * Rodent * Critter * Roaches * Spiders * Fleas

On Padre Island Since 1994.

August 13, 2020Island MoonA7

By Pastor Kris Bair

Facebook meme of note this week--“Watching

the complete collapse of the country is simultaneously tedious, exciting, horrifying, depressing, hopeful and hopeless . . . however you’re coping, just remember to stay hydrated.”

Don’t you feel like it’s totally out of control? I mean, what else can we do but stay hydrated and wait for answers to questions like these:

Will the virus get me next? My spouse? My kids? My neighbors?

Will we ever be able to go back to worship in the sanctuary? go out to eat safely? pick over the fruit in the grocery store? enjoy beach worship? have that birthday party? that wedding we’ve invested so much time and energy into—and waited so long for? that cruise trip we paid for?

Will they figure out a vaccine that works? a medicine that works? a treatment that isn’t harder on you than the symptoms?

The list goes on and on and on.

Kids are bored. Parents are bored. Grandparents are bored. We’ve watched everything on Netflix and then some, faithfully tune in to nightly news for the latest head counts—how many tested positive? How many have died today? How many in ICU--are there any beds left?

Is there any hope left? Hard to see hope in a lamentable world. Every time we see that glimmer, things like Hanna happen.

I don’t like it. You don’t like it. It grieves us. It makes us incredibly anxious. And it precipitates despair.

Folks have various reactions. One pastor said, “Sometimes there’s not much you can do with grief except to sit with it, let it wash over us.” True. But darn it, my butt’s gettin’ sore! We’ve been sittin’ with this one since last March!

Her husband said, “Never waste a good crisis!” And some folks are moving with it--cleaning up after Hanna’s wild, wooly wind and water; taking food to neighbors, contributing to food banks, driving others to doctors’ appointments, and checking on Mom and Dad daily.

Committees meet to get ready for the next hurricane; to prepare for an eventual return to the sanctuary and worship that will NOT be the same; to reach out to people in need.

So we can sit with it. We can get up and sweat out the grief and despair. Yet it’s also true that sometimes we just need to let off some steam. Sometimes we need to get up and scream!

In one episode of Netflix’s “Shameless,” a young doctor learns she has cancer with 2% chance of survival. Frank, the drug-addicted father character, befriends her, takes her out to a wide-open space on Lake Michigan, and tells her to scream at God for giving her cancer.

Her reply? Wait for it . . .

“I can’t do that,” she wails. “I’m Presbyterian!”

Now for those of you not in on that joke, Presbyterians are fondly referred to, even by

themselves, as “The Frozen Chosen,” because we tend to be serious about worshiping God with reverence, and we believe we’ve been chosen (“elected”) to be part of God’s people. We notably do things “decently and in order,” and you don’t often find hand waving, clapping, dancing, laughing or serendipitous responses in a Presbyterian worship service (at least, you didn’t used to). Presbyterians have always taken God very seriously.

The point is not just the joke at our Presbyterian expense, but the fact that all of us are shaped by our upbringing and our beliefs. And while the idea that you must respect God completely is a good one (certainly not limited to Presbyterian theology), the bottom line is folks have blamed God, cursed God, and disrespected God from the very beginning.

Read about the disobedience in the Garden of Eden. Read the Psalms. Read the Book of Lamentations, which makes it abundantly clear that the destruction of Jerusalem and its society was deliberate, and the speaker(s) had no problem blaming God (though Zion’s guilt, collectively and individually, is acknowledged).

Not only that, but blaming, cursing, screaming helped. It helped to yell at God. If it hadn’t, these things wouldn’t have been included in the Bible!

I definitely don’t advocate cursing God all the time, for every little thing. In fact, the 3rd Commandment tells us not to do so. But the “Heidelberg Catechism,” part of the history of my denomination, says this about the 3rd Commandment: “We should use the holy name of God only with reverence and awe, so that we may properly confess God, pray to God, and glorify God in all our words and works.”

I think that a primal scream to the One who created us, who works in us, and who cares for us is a form of reverence and awe. That scream says only God can truly know the fear, disgust, and suffering we endure. That scream is a prayer to the only One who could possibly come close to understanding our physical pain, our emotional agony, our spiritual despair. And because we turn to God (not experts, religious leaders, and fly-by-night friends), we give God the glory even as we give God the blame.

When Job lost all his beautiful children, all his possessions, all his wealth (everything but his wife), he sat on the ash heap for WEEKS washed in grief. That same wife (mother of those deceased children) who fed him as he mourned, finally had had it. She told him to just get it over with--“Curse God and die.” I suspect Mrs. Job’s advice came from her own experience!

Her advice is still good. God wants truth from us—even when it’s unpleasant.

So if you are down, you can sit with it and let it wash over you. You can get busy and not waste a good crisis. AND you can unfreeze a little and scream it all out directly to God, with reverence and awe and a few choice words.

But don’t forget to stay hydrated!

Screaming MeemiesTexas Sealife Center on North Padre IslandA Win-Win Animal Rescue, Rehabilitation,

and Release CenterBy Brent Rourk

Growing up in Indiana without siblings, Amanda Terry naturally turned to reptiles as her buddies, and that led to a lifelong love of animals that has resulted in the Texas Sealife Center – a rescue and rehabilitation center open to Islanders and many of our coastal and Island critters that need help.

Amanda, a licensed veterinary technician, is the Director of rehabilitation at the Texas Sealife center, located at 14220 SPID on North Padre Island, where she works tirelessly alongside Sealife Center Director Tim Tristan, also a local veterinarian. Together they currently manage 20 volunteers, 20 education animals (cannot be released back into nature) and 78 animals now in rehabilitation. That number of animals fluctuates from week to month to year. During the winter of 2017 they had 350 cold stunned sea turtles at one time; over 500 during the entire winter.

Lighted terrariums line the walls and fill the floors of the ‘education animals’ room displaying a variety of turtles, lizards and snakes. Walking a few feet into the room, a visitor is greeted with an array of options to admire. Although currently touching the animals is not permitted, visitors can get close enough to study the details of each reptile.

Outside there are several sea turtle tanks and rehabilitation bird enclosures. See a Caracara or a colorful Harris Hawk in their collection of birds.

The two directors and 20 volunteers use their expertise and experience to help rescue and rehabilitate animals so that they can be released close to where they were found or in a similar habitat, typically in unpopulated areas of National Seashore.

Mission Statement and Affiliations

A vital cog in the network of animal rehabilitation centers like ARK and the Teas State Aquarium, Texas Sealife Center also works closely with Donna Shaver Ph.D. (Division of Sea Turtle Science and Discovery), South Texas Botanical Gardens and Nature Center, The Raptor Project, The Wildlife Center of Texas, Critter Love, Sea Turtle Club (Texas A&M), Native Plant Society of Texas, and several other organizations and wildlife experts. Amanda noted, “We have connections to other individuals with permits and certifications to treat a variety of animals.”

“There is a definite need. We are impacting the environment and we need to help out when we can. We rescue animals back to health and offer services such as blood work, x-ray, and surgery”, confirmed Amanda. They also offer top notch care and proper diets to rescued wildlife.

They have specialized in the types of animals they accept. Amanda stated, “We now accept and treat sea turtles, shore birds, raptors, song birds, and most any reptile. We do not take mammals because we do not have the permits for them at this time. We specialize in birds and reptiles.”

Their mission statement clearly states their objectives:

1. Rescuing injured or stranded coastal and aquatic wildlife

2. Providing supportive care and rehabilitation for coastal and aquatic wildlife

3. Successfully releasing wildlife back into their natural habitat

4. Educating and promoting public awareness in the conservation efforts to save wildlife

History of the Texas Sealife Center

Initially, a group of interested animal lovers dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing them formed in 2010. After taking possession of the building at their current location in 2012, they had to remodel it to accommodate their animals and needs. After a year of preparation, they finally opened for business in 2013, accepting animals, rehabilitating them, and releasing them. Their drive, determination, and dedication have transformed that initial group into a successful, recognized, and vital link in the process of coastal animal rehabilitation and education.

They soon discovered as they grew, they needed more volunteers to aide in feeding animals, checking on them, capturing them, caring for them, and releasing them. Volunteers at the Texas Sealife Center are kind and helpful while they quickly go about completing their lengthy and varied list of daily duties. They get to know the animals, their needs, and what condition they are in.

Amanda stated, “We want to expand to the lot behind us at some point to facilitate housing more animals, especially our birds and turtles.”

Currently, they are working on several projects including Loggerhead Marinelife Center – turtle signs, Aquarium at Rockport Harbor, and UTMSI – ARK. As they have grown, they have not only rescued thousands of animals but in doing so they have included a large number of partnerships with universities,

organizations, and institutions dedicated to wildlife preservation at local, state, national, and international levels. They continue to develop new partnerships to help create a solid network of organizations dedicated to wildlife rescue and rehabilitation.

Financing

Financing an operation that does not truly sell services and products (except for their excellent gift shop with gorgeous hats and t-shirts) is more often than not a challenging if not a daunting proposition. They have managed to grow and to provide for the needs of the rescued animals through a wide variety of sources.

“We get much of our financing from different grants. This really helps us out. We also count on donations from the public and gratefully accept donations. We are a nonprofit 501c3 organization”, stated Amanda pleased that local donations and assistance continue.

Many local and corporate organizations have partnered with the Texas Sealife Center to enhance and preserve our marine resources. Please support these companies that support them. If your corporation is interested in supporting their cause or if you are interested in planned giving through bequests and trusts, then please contact them at texassealifecenter@gmail.com

Matching gifts may allow you to double or even triple your gift. Many employers sponsor matching gift programs and will match charitable contributions made by their employees.

Local Sponsors and Visitor Admissions

A few of the many local organizations that have sponsored the Texas Sealife Center through donations in one form or another include Vita Caña Rum, Scuttlebutts, Padre Islander, Aquaria Services, Green Waves, Corpus Christi Produce, Saltwater Valet, Texas Mesquite BBQ, Marker 37 LLC, and Enterprise. Teas Sealife Center invites individuals, families, and businesses to become a valued sponsor for their very valuable contribution to local wildlife. Get your name on their sponsor board.

There is a list of ongoing needs that is posted inside the front door of the Texas Sealife Center. Presently on that needs list there are all purpose tarps, hand sanitizer, superior pumps, pool skimmers, pool brushes, gift cards, rubber made tanks, weighing scales, pool vacuums, and soft heavy-duty water hoses. Contact them for specific information and requirements about their needs by calling 361-589-4023.

Another source of financing stems from visitor admissions. There is a $7.00 visitor fee to enter the center, to see all of the ‘education animals’ as well as some of the animals set to be released at a future date. Consider being a monthly visitor to help with their financial needs while getting to know the animals that they rescue.

Hard Work and an Invitation to Visit

In addition to licenses, certifications, and strong relationships with other experts and organizations that are necessary to treat a variety of coastal and sea life, there are other characteristics needed to provide their services.

Amanda added, “It is hard work caring for the animals and it is 7 days a week, so all of us volunteers must be willing to work hard to keep our Texas Sealife Center functioning. We also have to care about our animals and each other. It helps to have experience working with animals and knowledge about the animals that we rescue.”

Visitors are encouraged to spend time learning about the Texas Sealife Center and what they can do to help be a valued partner. Children love to see up close the array of education animals as well as the birds and turtles that are being rehabilitated for future release. It makes for a fun family adventure, and a camera and a few extra dollars to purchase one of the many fine products in their gift shop will help the center while providing wonderful memories of up-close contact with our local wildlife. The experienced and caring staff will help guide you through the facility and answer your questions, ensuring that you have an unforgettable time.

For more information about the Texas Sealife Center located at 14220 SPID on North Padre Island visit their website at https://www.texassealifecenter.org/ They can also be reached at 361-589-4023. Support our wildlife and the Texas Sealife Center that rescues and rehabilitates many of our local animals. Visit, donate, sponsor, and keep their information handy.

A Harris Hawk closely stares at visitors.

A sea rescued sea turtle was the victim of a propeller. With the expert care from Texas

Sealife Center the turtle survived.

Amanda Terry displays a barn owl with a damaged wing.

Legends Fishing Tournament

Dee Wallace and Charlie Cole manning the weigh in at the Legends Fishing Tourny in Port

A this weekend. Photo by Ronnie Narmour.

The Legends Fishing Tournament was held in Port Aransas last weekend.

Photos by Ronnie Narmour

were intended to protect players but they also helped radically change the game. It may seem ironic but it was finding new rules to protect players that allowed American football to begin to look even more different from its rugby counterpart. In particular, rules protecting the passer became of greater importance. Rules for catching the ball and who can catch the ball downfield were made easier by the 1910s. Further crises of safety, where at the high school level many players died or were severely injured, influenced more reforms.

In particular, the introduction of the line of scrimmage and the number of players that had to align there has its origin in this crisis. At times in the 1910s, American football was severely criticized for its excessive violence and what appeared to be overly competitive behavior that emphasized winning at all costs. World War I, however, in a way made those sentiments less important, as competition and athletics were seen as ways for men to become better soldiers. This helped to make the game once again very popular and allowed it to survive its crises years regarding safety.

The Modern Game

What ultimately became the National Football League originated in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association (APFA). Fourteen teams were the founding members but it soon expanded to twenty-two. The collegiate game, however, continued to influence how the game was played. By 1922, the NFL was formally named. By the 1930s, passing rules were modified further that arguably made the game more like the modern one. The removal of a penalty or loss of five yards for a second incomplete pass and a loss of possession for an incomplete pass in the end zone now made passing a more important factor in American football. This helped to open up the game and subsequent rule changes helped to facilitate passing.

The 1930s saw more formal rules and procedures that further professionalized the NFL. A championship game was added in 1932. By 1941 there was a commissioner. After World War II, the NFL began to develop more teams. In 1958, the championship game was broadcast live on TV, which turned out to be a key moment for the NFL. By 1959, the newer American Football League had begun to compete with the NFL. This competition, however, eventually led to the NFL merging with the AFL, as the AFL found success in bringing high profile players. The merged system eventually formed what today are the NFC and AFC within the NFL. During that time the rules did refine, although a lot of the rules now adapted to television (e.g., timeouts), as audiences became to be a big part of the NFL's revenue.

Summary

The evolution of American football has been varied. Key influences were likely Greco-Roman games that left their mark in Europe. With the Medieval Period, those games emerged to form the beginnings of what would become rugby and soccer (or football). However, within that were the origins of American football. In the United States, it was concern over safety that led to rules that shaped what became American football and how it differed from its European counterparts (i.e., rugby and soccer). The formalization of rules and social events such as war (e.g., World War I) further shaped the sport. The rapid expansion of popularity in the early 20th century eventually led to professional teams, which served as the foundation of the modern NFL. Along the way after the founding of the NFL, rules were refined, often influenced by the medium of television.

Dotson’s Other Note: Well, what did you think of this history lesson? We are still waiting for

the next shoe to drop by NFL football, NCCA football and/or UIL football, regarding the upcoming “Maybe But When?” football season. Comments/calls/texts are welcome. Email: dlewis1@stx.rr.com Mobile: 530-748-8475

-30- Have fun and hang in there!

August 13, 2020Island MoonA8

SPORTS

The Invention of American Football

By Dotson Lewis

Sports Talk Special to The Island Moon

Lou-DoBy Andy Purvis

Thomas Jefferson once said, “Every man’s work is always a portrait of himself.” For 42 years, this fellow piled up the wins and won close to 800 basketball games. He was demanding and asked for 100 percent at all times. Part of the appeal of college sports is the team’s colors. The colors of your school have as much to do with you as your last name. There is a sense of pride that comes from representing your school and wearing those colors and, when you go to a basketball game, it’s supposed to be an experience. When you see someone wearing your team colors, they become your people. I can see him even now, bright orange jacket, navy blue tie, with his hair combed over. As he got older, many referred to his haircut as the “Lou-do.” Some said he was too good-looking to be a basketball coach. He was like a Bengal tiger, a beautiful animal, yet dangerous at the same time. This guy couldn’t spell scared. He was the kind of fellow who would kick a door down no matter what was on the other side. He could be ruthless on the court and compassionate when the game was over. When upset, he had that glare. He could be so mean-looking, you would lose your balance if you stared at him for more than 30 seconds.

When you’re born to coach others, the job title may change; but the approach does not. He was “old school” and really studied the game, and nobody could outwork him, on the court, off the court, in the film room or in the locker room. That was his approach. That’s what he believed in. His wife could hear him calling plays in his sleep. This man could make you jump out of a window to win. It was said that he coached on Las Vegas time, that there were no clocks in the casinos or on his practice court. Three-hour practices were to be expected, and his assistants swore he worked even harder than they did.

For every athlete and coach there is an end of the line, a new chapter, life after basketball. No more stardom. No more roar of the crowd. No more spotlight. For most, when you step off the court, you are history. You are replaced and forgotten about; but for the few great ones, we remember. Lou Henson is one of those we will remember.

Okay Oklahoma

Louis Raymond Henson was given to us on January 10, 1932. He was born in an extremely

small town called Okay, Oklahoma, to Lori and Joe Henson, who were sharecroppers. Lou was one of eight children who grew up without indoor plumbing. “Poor” is not even close to a good description of his childhood. Lou began throwing a ball of rags through a handmade hoop on the side of their barn. No one would have ever dreamed where his love of basketball would take him. Lou graduated in 1951 from Okay High School and attended Connors Junior College for two years before finding his way to New Mexico A&M, now known as New Mexico State University. Lou lettered in basketball from 1953 to 1955, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in education in 1955 and a master’s degree in educational administration in 1956. One year later, he started his coaching career at Las Cruces High School, for the JV team. After two years, Lou took over the varsity team from 1958 to 1962 and won three state high school championships, in 1959, 1960 and 1961. Lou also married his sweetheart, Mary Brantner, in 1954.

In 1997, Henson returned to NMSU as interim head coach. He tried to donate his time but was told state law required him to receive a paycheck. He accepted a salary of $1 per month. He stayed from 1997 to 2005 and won 135 games while losing only 86. At this point he became the winningest basketball coach in NMSU history.

Lou learned he suffered from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, in 2003. He continued to coach. In 2004, he was hospitalized with viral encephalitis which left his right leg paralyzed. This required him to use a wheelchair. In 2005, he was hospitalized again with pneumonia. Two weeks later, Lou Henson retired for good. In 2007, Lou announced he was undergoing chemotherapy for lymphoma.

Lou Henson left us quietly on a Saturday, July 25, 2020. He was 88 and living at home. His survivors include his wife and three daughters, Lori, Lisa and Leigh Anne, 12 grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. His only son, Lou, Jr., was killed in a car accident in 1992.

There is no doubt the Lou Hanson was one of the best to wear the orange jacket. His youngest daughter, Leigh Anne, claims to have drawn up basketball plays for her dad and left them on his desk. After the game, Lou would ask Leigh Anne if she had seen her play being used. “I’d say yes. I believed it for the longest time,” said Leigh Anne.

Andy Purvis is a local author and radio personality. Please visit www.purvisbooks.com for all the latest info on his books or to listen to the new radio podcast. Andy’s books are available online and can be found in the local Barnes & Noble bookstore. Andy can be contacted at purvis.andy@mygrande.net. Also listen to sports talk radio on Dennis & Andy’s Q & A Session from 6-8 PM on Sportsradiocc.com 1230 AM, 95.1 and 96.1 FM. The home of the Houston Astros.

Dotson’s Note: Thanks to Bill Morgan, Dave Nelson, Clif Speegle, Sam Brown, Ron Gibbs and Art McAnally for the facts contained in this report and to Bill Morgan for the photos.

Up until the 19th century, many versions of what can be called mob football existed. In fact, this variety of football has muddled the story of how American football developed, but historians believe that the formation of American football was ultimately tied to the development of rugby. Older American universities, particularly Harvard and Yale, had developed student football traditions that resembled a cross between rugby and mob football. These games initially had few clear rules except masses of students would play together and two sides would compete to possess a ball and try to win points with this ball. The games were more like soccer but much more violent. In fact, some places began banning the sports due to the excessive violence.

Things began to change, however, by 1869, when Rutgers and Princeton played what effectively became known as the first intercollegiate football game. This game was still very different from American football but was a watershed because it standardized the game, with rules being set prior to the match. Furthermore, early coaches, names of positions, and many early strategies have their origin with this game, effectively making it a key moment in the history of American football. Nevertheless, scoring involved kicking the ball, which was the origin of the field goal, and the two teams each had 25 players. In 1876, an association of Harvard, Columbia, and Yale formed a group that formalized rules, although kicking was the way in which a team would score points. That was the year the first formal Thanksgiving game was also played. By 1875, what became the touchdown was invented. It was only by 1881 that the touchdown took precedent over the field goal. Throwing the football first occurred in 1895, which only emerged as a team was desperate to score before time ran out.

By this time, many universities on the east

coast and increasingly in the west coast began to adopt the emerging game of American football. However, this was still considered an illegal move and it was not until 1906 that the forward pass was formally adopted, although limitations existed with how it was applied and was still a

minor part of the game. By 1905, what became the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), which helped to not only organize games around the country but helped establish more formal rules, was formed. By then, more than 432 cities had some form of American football team. Even the concept of the halftime show emerged by 1907 in Champaign, Illinois. The popularity of football may have reflected American social norms at the time, which included embracing leisure activities in greater numbers and the social Darwinian aspects of the game, which emphasized competition and fitness for the best teams and players.

In 1909, a touchdown worth six points and a field goal worth three were formalized. At this point, American football developed more greatly as the game was opened up more. In fact, as more universities adopted football, it also became an interest for universities to protect their players and students. A crisis in 1905-1906 led to the realization there needed to be changed in the rules in American football to make it less violent. Thus, many of the rules

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Lou Henson

1895 Auburn vs Georgia.

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Texas Anglers, Boaters Urged to Help Conserve Threatened Saltwater Flats

Conservation groups are asking the tens of thousands of people who boat in Texas coastal waters every year to become part of the solution to conserve diminishing habitats. Habitat loss and degradation has been documented for years as a problem in coastal bays. The call for conservation comes as people look for a safe outdoor activity during the ongoing pandemic, when choosing to fish or boat in the bays is a popular option.

Compared to last year, the total Texas resident fishing license sales are 27.2% higher, as of the end of June. This increased activity on the Gulf coast means protecting coastal resources has never been more vital. In response to this, a relatively new organization focusing on angler etiquette and behavior called Flatsworthy has emerged on the Texas coast. The group’s three tenets are: Respect Fellow Anglers, Respect the Resource and Respect the Law. Flatsworthy and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) are therefore urging anglers to avoid damaging marshes and seagrass beds while boating.

Erosion and severe weather degrade these areas the most, but humans do play a role. As a non-profit made up of guides, boaters and anglers, Flatsworthy wants to slow the tide on coastal habitat degradation, and also encourage safe, legal and more civil behavior on the water. By teaching anglers that their actions matter and have a lasting effect on the resource, hopefully bad boating habits can be eliminated.

When navigating the flats, anglers should always Lift, Drift, Pole and Troll their boats to avoid damaging seagrass. Since 2013 it has been illegal to uproot seagrass in Texas with over 50 warnings and citations being given to boaters by Texas Game Wardens. Motorized boats aren’t the only problem though. Air boats should also use caution when out on the water and avoid running over grass islands and wet ground. When cutting through these habitats it destroys vegetation and speeds up the marshes’ erosion process.

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August 13, 2020

Send letters and photos to editor@islandmoon.com

A9

The Moon traveled to Sioux Falls, South Dakota to visit with a restored B-17 bomber

with the MLADY family (left and below).

This is a photo taken seven years ago at my aunt’s place in Alabama. This picture was taken shortly before both my dad’s brothers, My Uncle Ralph and my Uncle CB passed away. The last

gathering of the remaining Hargroves and The Vickers gang from my parent’s generation. Sheri Hargrove

Island Beauty

Butterfly By Steve Coons.

Photo by Steve Coons. Rainbow over Ullberg Park. Photo by Candace Tidmore.

Roseate Spoonbills By Freeda Greene.

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August 13, 2020Island MoonA10

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Spinnaker Condo #211 There is nothing to do here. Completely remodeled unit with granite, new cabinets, tiled shower & more! Deeded boat slip. $214,900. Call Charlie 443-2499.

10/37 Cayo Gorda Great water-front lot with a central location. 50x120. Short boat ride to ICW. $179,900. Call Charlie 443-2499 or Terry 549-7703.

15401 Fortuna Bay #7 Views just don’t get any better than this! Located on the fingertip, 2/2 completed remodeled condo, $249,900. Charlie 443-2499 or Randy 765-9914.

15806 Gypsy Steve’s Homes does it again! Unique open floor plan features 4 bedrooms, 3 full baths, office/study and pool size lot, $399,900. Call Cindy Molnar.

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16122 Seagrape 3/2/2 $1900

15825 Gypsy 3/2/2 $2250

15438 Seamount Cay #104 2/2/1 $1400

14861 SPID #113 3/2.5/2 $1700

15422 Salt Cay D 1/1 $950

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2325 Handlin 3/2/2 $1775

15334 Bonasse #1001 2/2.5 furnished $1600

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15733 Dyna Great location! 3/2/2 home has 1,523 sf of living space. $261,999. Give me a call, Will Flaherty 361-944-0995.

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we heard yelling as they made us carry their stringers full of drum and redfish back to the boat, without dragging them on the sand. That was a small price to pay for the knowledge we gathered from them that day and for the next 40yrs. Most of those old salts are long goneI. Their souls still wink at me in the summer sun at the top of every wave dancing over the water out in front of Twin Palms Island. Mr Chatter Allen, Smily Davis, and Jack Muckroy. I saw one of my hero’s today, back then he was one of the young guys, Mr. Jim Atkins. Jim owns THE CHURCH, a floating cabin in Baffin that recently survived the hurricane. Not it’s first and probably not its last. Jim was one of the founding fathers of the CCA, all of these Laguna Madre Legends brought sport fishing to our area. Before these guys it was all just harvest. I was lucky to have spent so many years on the water with them all. I learned lessons on seasonal movements, diet, lures, and technique. Most of all just watching these guys turn off the rest of the world and run free in the wild and free outdoors. That spirit of adventure and friendship has left so many of us and our society. Grab a few friends and get out on the water and build those memories. Become a young anglers hero, go get wet.

Follow all my hookups on Facebook at Joey Farah’s Backwater Adventures.

August 13, 2020 Island Moon A11

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The Island OutdoorsBackwater AdventuresBy Joey FarahFarah’s Fishing Adventures

Today I watched an Island over sparkling wave crests in the distance beyond our fishing lines. The tall palm trees stood defiant over time and countless storms and cold fronts. The Island of Twin Palms stands as a historical marker in the history of fishing in the Coastal Bend. Along with those palm trees are the colorful characters that made our fishing community famous for the largest speckled trout in the world and the best sight casting flats on the Texas Coast.

Bay Rats

The end of summer always fueled us as young teens to set out on big adventures. We would gather gas tanks and food and make the long trip south to Baffin Bay in my 14’boat and 8hp motor. We pulled up to the Island with the Twin Palms and pitched our camp on a large sand flat between the cabins. Sunset melted along the oak trees of the King Ranch and the flames matched the sky as they whipped over drift wood logs. Out of the night’s darkness a tall figured appeared asking us what was for supper. Luis Pete bent down and asked us where our Pop was, “we are here alone from the Bluff!”, I answered. He laughed as he stood and finished off our last chocolate brownie,” I’ll be back in a min that’s my cabin over there.” He disappeared down a small foot path towards a faint glowing yellow light.

We were still making fun of him when he stepped out into the flames and handed us a tall Styrofoam cup with instructions to finish it up and come over to the poker game. When we walked into the cabin a group of salty faces stared us down and white teeth shown bright through the hiss of Colman lantern light. By the end of our second cup of Scotch whisky and ice we stumbled back to our tents, not knowing we had just met the best fishermen on the coast. Flakes of block ice twinkled in their glasses as they stirred the scotch during each flip of the cards The walls were decorated with yellowed pictures and retired fishing lures. Each of their faces was cracked with sun and cigarettes, never was there a shirt on any of them. The next day they drug us with them to the Land Cut and left us with hangovers and in the boat as they all marched into Nine Mile Hole. A few hours later

By Jay Gardner

On the RocksThe chicharras (cicadas) are

loud enough to drown out my porch radio in the mornings, and the heat index is hitting around 110 in the afternoon. You always know we are right in the middle of the crescendo of summer when those things come together and we have a light southwest (desert) wind in the mornings, which is forecast for the rest of the week and into next week. I must turn up the A/C in the house to 80 during the day or I will shiver when coming in from outside. It always reminds me of back to school time, and that we should be going offshore on big adventures, and spending time way down the beach on the Seashore.

I was contacted and interviewed by a reporter from KPLCTV (Lake Charles) last week regarding shark fishing and proper handling techniques. Seems that there are a lot of furloughed folks over there, but their closures are more to do with Vibrio than the virus right now. In fact, over 20 beaches are closed due to Vibrio, and none are closed to the virus. Background video showed people, including children, literally in the water swimming while a guy pulls a shark in between them. The guy even yells “shark” and the kids literally turn and run directly at the guy on the beach to see the shark instead of away from the shark. I always found that fascinating.

Anyhoo, at some point in time, the beaches will re-open and we will all get back out there. I’m hoping that the beach crews will be leaving the mile markers exactly where they were before the storm that way people can see and imagine how much erosion has occurred. Yes, there was some sand piled up around the Packery jetties, but beaches everywhere else experienced erosion.

A few years back, there was a lawsuit filed by some Galveston residents whose houses suddenly wound up in the middle of the beach after hurricane Ike. The Texas Administrative Code, Texas Open Beaches Act, and several other sets of rules promulgated by the Texas General Land Office say that structures that wind up on the public beaches are to be removed. The lawsuit resulted in a new “interpretation” that houses could remain on the beach for one season (a year after a storm) to see if the natural dunes will revegetate in front of the houses and re-establish the natural beach. While there are different rules for dune walkovers, mile markers are not part of that. So lets see where the sticks wind up next year, and how much the dunes do (or don’t) rebuild themselves in the meantime.

I digressed. One of the takeaway notes from a NOAA guy also in the interview was that sharks need to be kept in the water as much as possible, and handled carefully. You loyal readers know that at least once a season I feel the need to remind everyone that is fishing for sharks (or even just fishing anywhere with heavy hooks)

that you should have a pair of bolt cutters with you. Our buddy Ty Dietz was just telling a story about an offshore trip last month where a guy took a big treble in the leg and they couldn’t get it out or the barb cut, and it was even past the barb. They had to cut the trip short for everyone and head back to shore because they didn’t have bolt cutters, which is one of the morals to carrying bolt cutters. The other one is to be able to clip shark leaders and/or hooks quickly to help reduce the stress on sharks when you get them close to the beach. They have bolt cutters at your favorite online shopping site, just add a set to your next order. Nuff said.

Ok, I’ll try to land the plane here, ha! Vibrio is no joke, and someone I actually know died of it back in the early summer. She was young and in very good shape, with no cormobidities (a term we are all getting too familiar with these days). Vibrio likes warm seawater, which is the reason our cases go up in the summer. Even the smallest cut can allow Vibrio into your skin, where it can fester and go systemic in a matter of hours. Everyone that is wade fishing, everyone at the ski canals, if you make it to the beach, everyone along the JFK Causeway that is in the water needs to take precautions. Have some rubbing alcohol or peroxide with you and hit every little cut and scrape when you get out of the water. It’s something that we don’t pay attention to enough.

Well folks, that’s enough gloom and doom for one week, I’ll give it a rest until next week. Ha! Y’all drop me a line at tarponchaser@mail.com and we’ll hopefully have some happy-go-lucky news for you here On the Rocks.

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Flounder are on the move and getting easier to catch, but we have some new regulations starting at the end of the

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Island Moon A12

Moon Crossword

Knuckle-Cracker

Brain-Buster

Mind-Numbing Frustration

Medium Puzzle 9,185,682,740

© Web Sudoku 2020 - www.websudoku.com

Web Sudoku - Billions of Free Sudoku Puzzles to Play Online http://nine.websudoku.com/

1 of 1 8/11/2020, 1:11 PM

Hard Puzzle 8,827,169,351

© Web Sudoku 2020 - www.websudoku.com

Web Sudoku - Billions of Free Sudoku Puzzles to Play Online http://grid.websudoku.com/

1 of 1 8/11/2020, 1:12 PM

Evil Puzzle 9,581,273,815

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Web Sudoku - Billions of Free Sudoku Puzzles to Play Online http://nine.websudoku.com/

1 of 1 8/11/2020, 1:13 PM

Evil Puzzle 8,935,340,533

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Web Sudoku - Billions of Free Sudoku Puzzles to Play Online http://grid.websudoku.com/

1 of 1 8/11/2020, 1:13 PM

Find the solution athttp://onlinecrosswords.net/2239

Free Printable Crossword Puzzle #1This is the Daily Crossword Puzzle #1 for Aug 11, 2020

Across1. Roll with the punches6. QED verb10. Depletes14. Reese of ''Touched by anAngel''15. Jazz singer Horne16. ___ Mountains (Eurasiadivider)17. Evidence of effort18. First name in the Yankeeinfield19. Animal ethics org.20. Sound advice for fishermen23. Cracker's focus26. Result of a witch's hocus-pocus27. Clear the boards28. Went silent (with ''up'')30. Obsessive whaler of fiction32. Not just feuding33. Page with views, briefly34. Turndowns37. Sound advice for rowingcrews41. Snake's sibilant sound42. Some retirement accts.43. Crimea conference attendedby Churchill44. Lugosi's ''Son ofFrankenstein'' role45. Tax loophole47. Wife of Abraham50. Consumed consomme51. Study surface52. Sound advice for deck hands56. Hip to57. Reverse, as a typo58. Billionaire with a book club62. Possessive declaration63. Naval rum64. Blue-blooded65. Defendant, to a juror66. Bronte's Jane67. Avocet's cousin

Down1. Many are personal2. Drosometer's measure3. Pale drink4. Dinner setting5. ''So long!''6. Tickled pink7. Partner of sit back8. From scratch9. Urban conveyance10. First-rate11. Site for Globetrotters12. Cracker spreads13. Party's pick21. ''Thar ___ blows!''

22. Nickname for asharpshooter23. Hordes24. Some hers singinghymns?25. Gushes (over)29. He's out there,hopefully30. Appropriate31. Cynical laugh sound33. Green-lights34. ''Cape Fear'' star35. ''Maneater'' duo Halland ___36. Kind of contrast38. ___ y Plata (Montanamotto)39. Jam ingredient?40. Unmopped area?

44. Tedious affair45. Shemp, for one46. Like cool cats47. Pinch pennies48. Broadway orphan49. ''Wide World ofSports'' creator Arledge50. Gusto53. Unusually large54. Professor 'iggins, toEliza Doolittle55. Billion-yearincrements59. A homer provides atleast one60. Alternative to nothing61. Riled (up)

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1 of 1 8/11/2020, 1:13 PM

SudokuGoing Easy On You...

August 13, 2020

August 5-11Crash

The latest wreck at the SPID/Jackfish intersection happened Friday afternoon. One man was treated for injuries.

SH 361/SPID 9 a.m. August 5 (Three vehicles)

Assault

13300 block SPID 11 p.m. August 5

Ports O Call/Spyglass 9 p.m. July 5 Suspect fled in his vehicle leading police on a chase which ended with him jumping into a canal before being captured at which resulted in

the charge of Aggravated Assault on a Peace Officer in the 14000 block Whitecap 9 p.m.

August 5.

Disturbance

15900 block Palmira 8 a.m. August 5

14800 block Whitecap 1 p.m. August 10 Suspicious Person

14900 block Windward 1 a.m. August 10 Suspicious Person

14300 block Aloha 1 a.m. August 10 Noise Ordinance Violation

SH 361/Zahn Road 3 a.m. August 10 Suspicious Person

Theft

14300 block SPID 5 p.m. August 20 $100-$750

15600 block Cruiser 9 a.m. August 5 Theft of services

14000 block Whitecap 9 p.m. August 5 Property damage

Police Blotter

Send Letters and Photos to editor@islandmoon.com

and follow us on Facebook: The Island Moon

Newspaper

(361) 251-3469LARRY ALLEN CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION

Crossword Solution on classifieds page

Unsolved CasesBy Bobbie Kimbrell

Editor’s note: Bobbie Kimbrell has been a resident of Flour Bluff since 1943 where he was a commercial fisherman prior to his retirement.

Cody

I remember a man by the last name of Cody who disappeared in the 1950s. I don’t remember his first name or his brother’s first name but his brother was married to a woman named Bernice and she worked in the Bakery Café in Aransas Pass for many years. She divorced her husband and married Lloyd Richardson who had tug boats and a construction company in Aransas Pass. If she is still alive she would be at least 95 or older.

She became a nurse after Richardson died. Cody had killed a man, possibly in Rockport or Aransas Pass and was evidently out on bail before the trial came up. He skipped bail, got a shrimp boat when all of the shrimpers from Aransas were shrimping off the coast of Campeche, Mexico, went ashore and as far as I know he was never heard from again. If he is still alive I believe he would be at least 90. I assume that the name of the man he killed would be on record in Rockport or Sinton. I don’t know if the law tried to find him in Mexico or not and I don’t believe they ever found him because I never heard anything about it in the news. Some of my sisters and my brother lived in Aransas and Ingleside for many years and they would have known if he was ever caught.

Hillard

A woman by the last name of Hillard disappeared in about the year 1950 or maybe

a couple of years earlier. Her husband’s name was Doc Hillard and he was a commercial fisherman from Loyola Beach at Riviera. Doc had a motor boat that he and his wife lived on to do commercial fishing. Doc tells the story that one day there were anchored Black Bluff in Baffin Bay and he was out in his skiff baiting a trotline as his wife was in the motorboat fixing dinner. Doc said a skiff with an outboard on it pulled up to the motorboat and his wife got in the skiff and they took off and she has never been seen again. A year or so later Doc and wife’s son, Doc’s stepson, went fishing and the boy drowned. I assume there would be records of the boy named J.R. Hillard and his mother at the courthouse in Kingsville.

After many years and no sign of Doc’s wife, relatives got to wondering if maybe Doc killed his wife and the son. Doc was a very well-built man and had a very gruesome look about him. Doc also had a garden on the shoreline of Black Bluff on the King Ranch which would be in Kenedy County. It is speculated that Doc might have buried his wife in the garden. Doc’s wife was either full blood Native American or part Native American and there is no Native American burial grounds near Black Bluff but there is some near Loyola Beach.

Lacy Smith’s mother was the sister of Doc’s wife and Lacy lives with his wife Lilah as you go into Sandia. As far as I know no one ever searched Doc’s garden for his wife. Lacy often wonders about the disappearance of his Aunt Hillard. Lacy said his aunt would never go somewhere else without telling his mother. Lacy lives near a Dollar Store in Sandia.

Dolphins By Le Anna Morgan.

Suit Challenges Design of Palmira

Homes Under Construction

A lawsuit has been filed in Nueces County courts aimed at five houses currently under construction on Palmira Avenue.

The suit is filed in 214th District Court and is styled as K Connelly vs. Robert B Pruski, Jr., Padre Isles Property Association, Inc., Oaks Texas City, LLC, et al. Mr. Pruski is a member of the committee for the Padre Isles Property Owners Association which reviews plans for new construction for the organization and was sued on that ground. Also named as a defendant is the builder DSW Homes, LLC.

According to records with the Nueces District Clerk Karon K Connelly is listed as both the plaintiff and the attorney of record. It seeks to halt construction of the five houses primarily on the grounds they are not consistent with the design of surrounding existing homes, primarily because they use a concrete retaining wall about five feet high to raise the houses to required elevation.

The suit, filed on July 31, is scheduled for a hearing on a Temporary Restraining Order at 8:30 a.m., August 17 in front of Judge Inna Klein.

August 13, 2020 Island Moon A 13

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By Todd Hunter, District 32

MedicAlert Awareness Month

The month of August is Medic Alert Awareness Month. For over 60 years, the MedicAlert Foundation International (MAFI) has customized jewelry for people who suffer from life threatening medical conditions. Dr. Marion Collins established MAFI after his daughter, Linda, nearly died of a severe allergic reaction during a simple non-life-threatening medical procedure. Soon after, the Collins’ family came up with the idea of inscribing Linda’s medical condition on a bracelet, rather than attaching a note to her coat everywhere she went without her parents. Today, these medical alert bracelets, necklaces, and shoe tags help save millions of lives across the world annually. This month is dedicated to educating everyone about these medical alert bracelets to prevent another situation like Linda’s from occurring.

In emergency situations, good Samaritans and first responders must assess a situation and react quickly as best as they can with little to no information on what has caused the emergency (i.e. when a person collapses suddenly and/or becomes unresponsive). MedicAlert bracelets are designed to clearly state what medical conditions a person suffers from. These medical conditions include: food or drug allergies; anaphylaxis shock; asthma; cardiac problems; hypertension; epilepsy or seizures; has a pacemaker; diabetes; risk of stroke; lung disease (like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder—COPD); cancer; dialysis; multiple sclerosis; on blood thinners (Coumadin Warfarin); has anemia or a blood disorder(s); suffers from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease; Autism; child with special needs; and do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders.

In addition to stating what medical issue the victim may be suffering from, MAFI provides a 24/7 Emergency Response phone number on their identification jewelry. By calling that phone number, you will be able to receive information on the victim’s: current medications and the dosage; previous medical and surgery information (i.e. concussion, stroke, etc.); access to emergency contacts (family members); their primary care physician’s contact information; if they have implanted medical devices; advance directives; and more. Knowing this information can significantly assist you in your response to the individual and help expedite response from medical personnel once they arrive. MedicAlert bracelets have decreased medical errors by almost 50%, as well.

MAFI is a non-profit, charitable organization that partners with organizations like the Alzheimer’s Association and many more to provide those in need with proper identification jewelry. More information can be found by visiting Medical Alert.

If you have questions regarding any of the information mentioned in this week’s article, please do not hesitate to call my Capitol or District Office. Please always feel free to contact my office if you have any questions or issues regarding a Texas state agency, or if you would like to contact my office regarding constituent services. As always, my offices are available at any time to assist with questions, concerns or comments (Capitol Office, 512-463-0672; District Office, 361-949-4603).

- State Representative Todd Hunter, District 32

Rep. Hunter represents Nueces County (Part). He can be contacted at todd.hunter@house.texas.gov or at 512-463-0672.

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PIPOA News by Marvin Jones, President

As always, let me have your thoughts. You can reach me at marvin@pipoa.net

Boat Ramps- Last weekend, four trucks and trailers were towed from the boat ramp parking lots. Please contact the PIPOA office and purchase your trailer sticker and your vehicle sticker.

Help Wanted- The PIPOA would like to hire a part-time person to work a few hours on weekends visiting the boat ramps and parking lots. This person will be responsible for issuing warnings and towing vehicles and trailers from the boat ramps. Contact Executive Director, Jim Smock at 361-949-7025 for an application.

Canals- The canal clean up after Hanna has begun. Please report debris in the canals to the PIPOA office. Please call the office at 361-949-7025. A crew has been out cleaning up floating debris for two days. The debris can be dangerous to boats. If you see something, please make the call. Surprisingly, there has not been nearly as much debris in the canals as one might have expected. If my memory serves me correctly, the previous hurricane, Harvey, caused a great deal more debris in the canals.

Please report to the PIPOA office any areas of the canals that are shallow and may cause a hazard. Boating safety is a serious concern for all.

Ski Basin Bash- Last weekend, the Annual Ski Basin Bash was held. By all accounts, the crowd was less than in previous years. However, the Ski Basin was still packed with boats and partygoers. The Game Wardens arrested at least two persons and issued several tickets. A BIG Thank you to the Game Wardens for their work to keep the canals safe.

Full Transparency and Disclosure

Lawsuit- Ms. K. Connelly has sued the PIPOA, Oaks Texas City, LLC, DSW Homes, LLC, and Robert Pruski, Jr. The lawsuit pertains to certain houses being built on Palmira Ave.

Survey- The results of the PIPOA survey of the members are complete. The following are items of note: approximately 4300 members were sent surveys, and only 477 surveys were returned, approximately 10%. Question, when you contacted the PIPOA office, were the staff helpfully and courteous? Only 6% said no, and the vast majority said, the staff were courteous and helpful. Over 50% of the respondents did not answer the question probably because they had no contact with the office.

The most often used boat ramp is the Gypsy ramp. Again, over 50% did not answer the question of which boat ramp do you use. Question, should the boat ramps and parking lots be for the exclusive use of the PIPOA members? An overwhelming 75% of the respondents said yes, and only 8% did not reply. Question, do you use Billish park? 43% of the respondents said yes. Question, would you like to be more involved with the PIPOA? 70% of the respondents said no.

To the question, would you like more communication from the PIPOA? The majority answered yes to receiving more newsletters. However, when asked what information would you like the PIPOA to provide? Nearly 70% of the respondents did not answer the question.

Board Meeting- The next Board meeting will be August 25, 2020, at 5:30 PM. The location will probably be the Hyatt Place.

Board Member- John Weis has resigned his position, citing personal reasons. The Board will be seeking a replacement to fill the remaining six months of his term.

Tuesday, August 18

Rep. Hunter to Host Symposium on

Human TraffickingState Rep. Todd Hunter of Corpus Christi, in

conjunction with Del Mar College, will host an online symposium August 18 on the crime of human trafficking and its impact on the Coastal Bend.

The symposium will be from 2 to 3 p.m. and available for the public to view at https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/471471597 https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/471471597.Texas Secretary of State Ruth Ruggero Hughs, whose office partners with Texas businesses to combat human trafficking through a program named Texas Businesses Against Trafficking (TBAT), will speak, as will local representatives of law enforcement and organizations that work to combat human trafficking.

“It’s important that we continue to spread awareness of this horrible crime,” Rep. Hunter said. “This is an opportunity for members of our community to learn more about what human trafficking is, how we identify it, and ways that all of us can help stop it. I am grateful that Secretary Hughs will join us to talk about her work to help the business community fight and prevent this tragic issue.”

During the 2019 legislative session, Rep. Hunter successfully sponsored Senate Bill 1801, which allow more victims of human trafficking to obtain orders of nondisclosure for crimes, such as compelled prostitution, that they may have been forced to commit. He also sponsored Senate Bill 1802, which would make it easier to prosecute human trafficking and enhancing penalties for would-be traffickers. He also helped pass House Bill 1590 to create a Sexual Assault Survivors’ Task Force within the Governor’s office so the state can better coordinate assistance for sexual assault survivors — both children and adults.

Hunter is the state representative for Texas House District 32 which represents Padre Island and Port Aransas and is a member of the Criminal Jurisprudence Committee.

Port Gives $10,000 to Rip

Current Awareness Campaign

The Port of Corpus Christi has made a $10,000 donation to the Je’Sani Smith Foundation in support of beach safety and rip current awareness initiatives in the Coastal Bend.

The Foundation will use the generous donation to create campaigns to promote rip current awareness through public service announcements, social media, educational materials, and educational displays throughout the community during holidays and peak vacation months when our beaches are a popular destination for locals and visitors alike.

The foundation was created by Kiwana and Terry Denson parents of Je’Sani Smith who tragically drowned in a rip current in April 2019. The Je’Sani Smith Foundation aims to increase rip current awareness and beach safety at local beaches by educating the community and beachgoers.

To support the Je’Sani Smith Foundation visit www.jesanismithfoundation.org.

Beach Cleanup Saturday, August 22

Islanders Suzanne and Julia Gilliam are hosting a beach cleanup on Saturday, August 22, from 8:45 a.m. until noon.

It will begin at Briscoe King Pavilion go south from Bob Hall Pier to clean up debris left by Hurricane Hanna.

The new stacking lanes at the Port A ferry landing were put to the test on Saturday. Photo by Steve Coons.

HHSC to Allow Limited Visitation at Nursing Facilities and Long-Term Care

FacilitiesState Enhances Certain Emergency Safety RulesThe Texas Health and Human Services

Commission (HHSC) this week announced limited visitation rules for nursing facilities and long-term care facilities. HHSC is also issuing enhanced emergency rules requiring additional actions by nursing facilities to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

“This is a rapidly evolving situation and we are constantly assessing what actions are necessary to keep residents and staff safe in these facilities,” said Phil Wilson, Executive Commissioner, Texas HHSC. “By following these procedures and rules, facilities can more effectively prevent the spread of COVID-19 and help us achieve our shared goal of reuniting residents with their families and friends.”

“Access to family and loved ones is an important part of every resident’s health and well-being, which is why this policy shift is a move in the right direction for some of our most fragile Texans,” said Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (SD-18), Chair, Senate Committee on Health and Human Services who represents Port Aransas.

Nursing Facilities

For the health and safety of facility residents and staff, public visitation is limited to outdoor visits only. Physical contact between residents and visitors is not permitted. Additional conditions a facility must meet to conduct limited outdoor visitation include:

• No confirmed positive COVID-19 cases in staff in the last 14 days.

• No active positive cases in residents.

• Any facility previously experiencing an outbreak that has fully recovered must be adequately staffed and following adequate infection control procedures.

• Facility staff are being tested for COVID-19 weekly.

Further guidance on limited nursing facility visitation rules, which include window visits and vehicle parades, will be posted on the HHSC COVID-19 provider web page.

Long-Term Care Facilities (except Nursing Facilities)

Limited indoor and outdoor visitation procedures are allowed. Physical contact between residents and visitors is not permitted. Additional conditions a facility must meet to conduct limited visitation include:

• No confirmed COVID-19 positive staff in last 14 days.

• No active positive cases in residents.

• Adequate staffing to facilitate visitation in compliance with infection control requirements.

• Use of plexiglass as a safety barrier for indoor visitation to prevent spread of COVID-19.

Further guidance on limited indoor and outdoor visitation rules will be posted on the HHSC COVID-19 provider web page.

Emergency Rule Enhancements

Enhanced emergency rules for nursing facilities include:

• Each facility must have a COVID-19 response plan that includes designated staff to work with cohorts of residents who have tested positive for COVID-19, and staff should not change designation from one day to another, unless required to maintain adequate staffing for a cohort.

• All nursing facilities must screen all residents, staff, and people who come to the facility in accordance with specified criteria, and each resident must be screened at least three times a day for signs or symptoms of COVID-19.

• Each facility must have plans for obtaining and maintaining a two-week supply of personal protective equipment and resident recovery plans for continuing care when a resident recovers from COVID-19.

The full emergency rules will be posted on the HHSC COVID-19 provider web page.

August 13, 2020 Island Moon A 14

Nature Notes

Gull-billed Tern: The Black Sheep of the Tern Family

BBB Tips for College Students on Avoiding Fraud

By Emily Gaines | PR Coordinator for BBB serving the Heart of Texas

By Taylor Bennett

The Gull-billed Tern is a medium sized tern that breeds along the beaches and bays of Texas Coast from May to August. It is a species of high concern here, meaning that it is at risk of becoming threatened or endangered. Gulf Coast Bird Observatory helps monitor the local colony that breeds along with the Black Skimmer colony at Dow Plant A in Freeport, TX.

Like other tern species, there is a difference between the breeding and wintering plumage of Gull-billed Terns. We often observe them in their breeding plumage in Texas. They have a white body with broad wings, black legs, a black cap, and a rather thick black bill like a gull, hence the name.

Like other tern species, Gull-billed Terns tend to nest in large groups called colonies. They often nest with other tern species and Black Skimmers. They do this for safety from predators, but also so that they can have the occasional free meal by stealing from the other birds. They nest along beaches, but prefer to nest on oyster shell like Black Skimmers.

Gull-billed Terns are ground nesters. To nest, they create shallow bowls in the sand or shell called scrapes. They lay 2 to 3 buff-speckled eggs in the nest bowl. Both the parents help

incubate the eggs until they hatch which is usually within 23 days. The chicks are partially precocial, so they hatch covered in down, and can usually walk and move around within hours after hatching. But they still rely on the parents on food and shelter for about 4 to 5 weeks until they can fly.

Gull-billed terns differ from other terns in the way they feed and what they eat. Usually, you can easily identify terns by the way they hunt by hovering in the air and then plunging into the water to catch a fish. Not this tern. The Gull-billed Tern mainly feeds on insects, so it feeds by flying slowly into the wind similar to a swallow or by simply plucking things from the ground.

This tern has a rather broad and peculiar diet. It eats what it wants It can feed on pretty much anything from insects, crabs, lizards, frogs, mammals, and, yes, even other birds. Believe it or not, Gull-billed terns are a common predator of Least Tern and Plover chicks. Oh, and if they so happen to want a fish they will just simply pluck it from their neighbor. This is the type of neighbor who wouldn’t just borrow a cup of sugar, but would steal the whole bag from right under your nose!

Even though the Gull-billed Tern is a voracious predator, its population is in decline and is considered a species of high concern. They are highly vulnerable to people, vehicles, and dogs. So, like other shorebirds and waterbirds please remember to swim, fish, and play from 50 yards away. On behalf of Gulf Coast Bird Observatory, thanks for reading and we wish you safe and well.

Taylor graduated from Old Dominion University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology concentrating in Marine Biology, and performs shorebird surveys along the upper Texas Coast. The GCBO is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving the birds and their habitats along the entire Gulf Coast, and beyond into their Central and South America wintering grounds.

The Barnacle LineBy Del Smith

College students are returning to campus for the start of the semester, and with confusion surrounding new COVID-19 procedures, they may not be thinking about protecting their identities. Students are becoming more susceptible to fraud, which means educating children and young adults on financial literacy is more important than ever.

Help your student establish healthy financial practices with these tips from your Better Business Bureau:

• Keep sensitive mail secure. Have mail with sensitive information, such as credit card statements or financial aid documents, sent to your permanent address or a post office box. Dorm mailboxes can often be easily accessed by other people.

• Store important documents. Designate a secure location to store your important documents. This includes your Social Security card, passport, banking information and credit card statements. If you don’t want to keep documents that may have sensitive information, shred them before throwing them out.

• Never lend credit or debit cards. It may be tempting to let a friend borrow your card if they forget or lose theirs, but it is safest to refrain from doing so. You should also keep your PIN numbers private and avoid co-signing on loans.

• Guard your passwords. Don’t share your passwords with anyone and create strong passwords that can’t be easily guessed. Always use double-factor authentication when possible.

• Watch for phishing scams. Students receive a lot of emails, which can make it difficult to sort out the scams from the legitimate communications. Never click on links or open attachments from a sender you don’t recognize. Phishing scams can also be sent over text or social media.

• Keep your software updated. Make sure your phone and computer have the latest updates on their operating system. This will include security updates, which can help protect against malware.

• Check credit card statements. Check statements for your credit and debit cards regularly. Look for any suspicious activity, and report anything you find to your bank or credit card company. The sooner you identify fraud, the easier it will be to fix it.

• Shop smart online. Read reviews and check business profiles at BBB.org before shopping with a retailer online. Only give your credit or debit card number to a secure site. Look for the icon next to the URL to see if a site is secure.

• Monitor your credit. You get one free credit report each year from each of the credit reporting bureaus: TransUnion, Experian and Equifax. You can use these to check for any inaccurate or suspicious activity.

Visit us at BBB.org to find more tips for students on avoiding scams.

Wharf Committees are pretty much the same, no matter where you go. And trust me, you

will find one firmly in place, at every marina, anywhere in the world. Their sole purpose in life seems to be the critical review of any event that happens in and around any spot that boats congregate. Normal subjects for attack, and I do mean attack, are the everyday operations of boating and the said operators of same.

Up to now I had thought that some of the Texas versions that I had experienced were the most critical that one would ever find. I have even witnessed a couple, docking their boat, being greeted with a line-up of scoring judges complete with cards. As I remember, (not that I had anything to do with it), the score was 7.3. Which is not bad for a first time that the gal drove the boat into the slip, as a training exercise for the co-captain rank on the up-coming multi-year cruise, they were planning.

As I said, “Up to now”. The one here at the Pelican Bend Marina, where we are wintering the boat in Florida has to be one of the toughest anyone would ever want to tangle with. Now, I suppose the main reason for this is the fact that this particular Committee is in session every day, (no sneaking in on off days here), around the Little Chikee Hut bar at the Pelican Bend, or more commonly known as “MICKEYS’”, after the owner. Mix in the facts of its location; overlooking the marina where our boat was at and that many of the participants are professional charter-boat captains and you will have one very intimidating, critical Wharf Committee. Not to mention all of the amateur back-up support that also gathers there. Yes-siree Bob, indeed it is tough. And it lives up to its expectations. No error goes unnoticed, no matter how small or trivial its execution was, as it is nothing but a palm frond shade over oval bar. – Nothing to block the view of any and all perceived transgressions and misdemeanors.

Makes for some real careful docking’s, and leavings, it does. I want you to understand that I feel like I need to look over my shoulder to see if anybody is watching. No matter what I am doing.

Now it is with some relief to find out that this Committee also has a branch chapter for any and all land-based incidents, such as the following case. Which, if a song were to be written about it, would be known as “The Ballad of Diesel Dick”.

Please understand that Dick is one of the more popular members of this particular committee. He hails from one of those states, way up there, close to the northern border of our country and owns large successful insurance agency. He has a warm-weather home just down the street from the Little Chikee Hut and can be found there almost every winter-time evening sharing sundowners and ‘war stories’ with all those, whom collect there.

Which says something about this committee and its ability to turn on any of its own kind. Sort of a feeding frenzy it is.

And you probably thought that was just sharks that were vicious.

On the day of the incident Dick had been riding his Harley motorcycle as a form of stress relief from his normal business life. In the course of the afternoon’s ride he stopped near the Chikee Hut to purchase a small amount of gas from a stack storage marina. As there are no gas stations here on Isles of Capri, he did not want to fight traffic to the nearest gas station, way over, on Marco Island. Also given the fact that he was not sure that he even had enough fuel to get to there, the addition of a small quantity of the refiner’s art from these undefined pumps was most welcome.

That accomplished he went on home where he found out, the next day, about his first mistake when the motorcycle did not start.

He had put diesel into the gas tank!

THEN he made the second and the worst mistake; ---- he told everyone at “Mickeys’” about it!!

Bad judgment, as this was promptly leapt upon, chewed up, swallowed, digested and pronounced as a fit target for the Committee.

They then hoisted banners, waxed mustaches, girded loins, polished helms, sharpened lances, marched proudly to the ramparts, where they stacked stones, fired the oil, loaded up, took sight and --- FIRED AWAY!!! First salvo was the sign hung at the Little Chikee proclaiming that “MOTORCYCLE DIESEL SOLD HERE”. Next shot was the immediate new and apparently permanent nickname of “Diesel Dick”. Now if that wasn’t bad enough, then came the fax from “Big Vinnie”, Tom’s brother-in-law from far-away South Dakota. Whose copies of same were freely passed around the bar.

All of a sudden, folks, this is taking on, almost, international proportions here.

This fax, presented as a news release, had an almost believable Harley-Davidson letterhead with the following text;

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE;

Harley-Davidson Motor Company has announced an addition to its 1997 line up.

Dubbed the “MACK GLIDE” by insiders and the “NO PLUGGER” by industry officials, this revolutionary new diesel twin could prove to be a glimpse of things to come from Harley-Davidson.

The number two man in the blended fuels department has been quoted as saying, “It smokes like a prairie fire, smells like Prince William Sound and knocks like a phone company salesman. It is a logical progression in our new model offering.”

Harley-Davidson Motor Company is the only American producer of heavy-weight motorcycles.

NOW do you believe me when I say that the Wharf Committee at “Mickeys’” is one of the toughest in existence?

But the really scary thing about it is that I

think that this whole thing is not over with yet. Yes, I can see it all now, it could become: “The LEGEND of Diesel Dick”.

Poor guy. Wonder whom is going to be the next target?

Being verrrry careful at the Chikee Hut

PS; Have found Margaritaville, it is a very nice brick building in Key West. Yup, you got it, ------ just another tourista bar.

No, I did not buy the tee-shirt.

Gull-billed Tern observed feeding on a dragonfly in a marsh on Follet’s Island.

Photo by Morgan Barnes.

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How to Listen

Q. How can I be a better listener when communicating with employees, peers,

suppliers and customers?

A. Most of us are poor listeners. Studies indicate we remember only about 10 percent of what we hear in conversation. There are reasons why we are poor listeners. Most of us can think about twice as fast as the other person talks. Our mind wanders. Often, we are thinking about what we want to say next instead of listening. Some only listen as long as they agree with what’s being said. Others interrupt with opinions before they understand what’s being said.

We prejudge what’s being said based on our assumptions, beliefs and expectations. We prejudge the other person’s information because we think they aren’t a creditable source. People in authority tend to dismiss what subordinates say. Mobile smart phones and social media cause interruptions that interfere with listening. People don’t remember what they hear because they assume, they can google it later.

Business people can teach themselves to be better listeners. Spend 80 percent of the time listening and 20 percent talking. Before a planned conversation empty your brain by writing down your to do list and key information you want to return to later. Prepare a list of questions and topics. Strive to keep an open mind. Don’t assume you already know what will be said. Turn off mobile communication devices to avoid interruptions.

During the conversation take notes to keep you focused on what’s being said. Rephrase what you think you hear and ask whether your interpretation is correct. If you don’t completely understand, ask questions to clarify your understanding. Pay attention to the other person’s body language, tone of voice and facial expressions. They convey a lot of non-verbal information. Allow pauses in the conversation. The other person is likely to feel the need to fill the pause with more useful information.

If the conversation is about important things like customer complaints, planning sessions, project plans or negotiations, write a brief summary of key bullet points after the conversation. Without a written summary the two party’s memory of the conversation will be very different and that can lead to future ongoing disputes. You’ll be surprised how much written bullet points will jog your memory to recall details.

Now days, many businesses are too complex for the manager or owner to have all the information and skills to run the business alone. You need to use all information available from creditable sources like customers, employees, suppliers, your banker and accountant. To get that information you need to be a good listener. Being a good listener conveys to the other person that you welcome their input and participation and that creates a good relationship between your business and that person.

Ralph Coker volunteers with Score which provides free help, advice, and mentoring for small businesses and nonprofits

By Ralph Coker

Ask Ralph

They’re putting new rock on the jetty in Port A. Photo by Ronnie Narmour.

The original Margaritaville.

August 13, 2020 Island Moon A 15

Moon Classifieds #852

Crossword Solution

AIR CONDITIONINGSINCE 1986

• All Makes and Models• Commercial & Residential• 10 Year Part & Labor Warranties on ALL New Equipment• Financing available

(361) 949-9545TACLB013184C

Serving Padre Island & Flour Bluff Since 1986

10% Discount for Island Homes!

Prompt Professional 24 Hour ServiceNo Overtime Charges

Here’s how to place a Classified Ad

To place an ad you can call me at 361-834-1382 or

Email your ads to: moonclassad@twc.com

No texts please Costs start at $12 for 25 words,

20 cents a word after that per issue. For a small additional charge, your ad can be centered, made larger or pictures or clip art can be added. Ads with payment can be taken to

our office at: 14646 Compass St., Suite 3

Deadline for classified ads is no later than NOON on Tuesday

PAYMENT MUST BE RECEIVED BEFORE PUBLICATION

We accept American Express, Visa,

MasterCard

Legal & Business Notices Do you need to place a legal or business

notice? You’ll find that our rates for running your notice cost less than many other

publication in Nueces County. Call Arlene @ 361-834-1382

The Island Moon Weekly for more information

The Island Newspaper since 1996

Help Wanted HELP WANTED

PIPOA WOULD LIKE TO HIRE A PART-TIME PERSON

To work a few hours on weekends visiting the boat ramps and parking lots. This person will be responsible for issuing

warnings and towing vehicles and trailers from the boat ramps.

Contact Executive Director Jim Smock

361-949-7025 For an application

Art Classes PADRE ISLAND ART GALLERY

Starting September Offering a variety of art classes

to all ages Call or come by to sign up

361-949-3314 14617 SPID Services

Air Conditioning & Heating ACH Diagnostics

Air Conditioning & Heating Service Service – Sales – Installation

Basic Spring Checkup $49 Preseason Check Ups

NEED A NEW SYSTEM? Consider the following options:

10 year parts and labor warranty Coil corrosion protection

Wi-Fi thermostats Ultra violet light

TX TACLB 023885E 361-816-4924

Services Appliance Repair

-N- House Appliance

Repair Most major brands & appliances

Also offering complete dryer vent clean outs

Mention this ad for discount on repairs 361-960-0911 BBQ Cleaning

CALL

Because YOU

don’t want to do it! Frank 361-813-1929 cell

361-99-GRILL (994-7455) CoastalBendGrillCleaning.com

Computer Repair Scott’s Computer Repair

PC/Mac Repair Networking Home Security Camera Installation

Cable TV & Internet Wiring Fast 24 Hour Turn-Around

Home or Business Free Pick Up and Delivery

Call 949-4604 or 425-5627 Electrical

361 ELECTRIC Residential & Commercial

Service Calls Licensed & Insured

Island Resident 361-903-2111

Pool & Spa Services ATLANTIS POOL AND SPA SERVICE

Weekly Pool Maintenance – Repairs Renovations - Chemicals – Supplies

Residential – Commercial 25 Years Experience – Insured Free Delivery! Free Estimates!

Island Resident Owned Call 361-949-8899

Wade In The Water Pool Services Cleaning • Repairs • Builds

Remodels • Hot Tubs • Warranty Station Don’t go OTB for pool & spa chemicals!

15715 SPID #101 Monday-Friday 9am-5pm FREE WATER TESTING

Locally owned and operated since 2010 Call 361-658-8581

Services Power Washing

ISLANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE We Power Wash

Houses, Driveways, Fences, Decks & Sidewalks

Call us now to schedule an estimate 361-949-2773

Specialty Rug Cleaning SPECIALTY RUG CLEANING & REPAIR

Persian – Oriental – Area Rugs Cleaning, repair Remove smells

Persian rugs done by hand Appraise – Buy/Sell

361-991-9999 Tree Trimming

COMMERCIAL CUTTERS

Tree Trimming & Stump Grinding Services

Fully Insured – Free Estimates 361-446-3980

CC TREE SERVICE 361-443-4852

Tree Trimming & Removal Stump Grinding

A+ BBB Accredited Fully Insured

www.cctrees.net Lawn Care

AWESOME LAWN CARE, INC.

We have made sand look good since 1992

We are a complete landscape/maintenance company

We do residential and commercial work No job is too small

Please call if we can be of service 361-334-2340 Office

awesomelawncare@gmail.com awesomelawncarecorpuschristi.com Islandscape Maintenance

* Lawn Maintenance * Power Washing * Palm Trimming * Fall Cutback * Lot Mowing * Decks * Installation

FREE ESTIMATES 361-949-2773

Services Lawn Care (contd) Cutting Crew Lawn

Maintenance We Can Help In Spring Cleaning

Let Us Help Get Your Yard In Shape We Specialize In Using

Professional Lawn Equipment ● Mowing, Trimming ● Edging, & Tree Pruning ● 4wd Tractor ● Large or Small Lots ● Pressure Washing Driveways, Decks, Homes ● Deck Repair

We can repair garage doors Over 24 years of experience

Free Estimates – Insured We take pride in our work! Call Robert 361-800-3535 Home Maintenance

Foundation Repair We Raise Sunken Concrete

STREEM COMPANY FOUNDATION REPAIR

Polyurethane Foam Injection Leveling Jobs Completed In One Day

361-906-1468 Fences/Decks/Docks

Boat Lifts Artistic Construction

Decks, Docks, Pilings, Boat Lifts, Painting, Remodeling, Welding,

Blacksmithing, Handyman. Licensed – Insured

PIBA & BBB Member Decades of experience.

361-444-4702 Sunnie@ArtisticConstruction.cc

Repair/Remodel ISLAND CREATIONS & REBLEIGH

CONSTRUCTION RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL

CARPENTRY, CONCRETE, PAINTING, WATER DAMAGE,

PRESSURE WASHING, FENCING, DIRT WORK

LICENSED AND INSURED ON THE ISLAND FOR 14 YEARS

361-960-9001 Roofing

A+ ROOFING & REMODELING AC – Electrical – Fencing

Foundation Repair Painting – Plumbing

Residential & Commercial 361-438-4095

ROOFING PROS! Custom Home Exteriors, Inc. Tom Sheehan 361-949-2100

Engineer Inspected/Windstorm Certified Quality “Owens Corning” Shingles

Island Homeowner Roofing Padre Island

Since 1985!

Home Maintenance Roofing (contd)

Wolfe Construction, Inc. Insurance Restoration

Specialists Roofing Residential & Commercial

Bryan Wolfe 361-949-1180

15809 El Soccorro Loop Corpus Christi TX 78418

Stucco GOT CRACKS?

CALL THE STUCCO PROS AT 361-949-2100

Care Groups AIM HOSPICE

A Coastal Bend Non-Profit Hospice Since 1987

Serving from Rockport for over 30 years

Offering complete caring hospice services suited to your needs.

We also offer a public grief group each Tuesday from 10:30 am to 12 pm, and a public Alzheimer’s group that meets

the 3rd Thursday of the month from 10:30 am to 11:30 am.

For questions or more information please contact me at:

361-729-0507 We are located at 703 E. Concho,

Rockport TX 78382 Cynthia Guthrie, Administrator

www.aimhospicecoastal.org Al-Anon & AA Meetings Is alcohol causing a problem

in your family? Try Al-Anon

Al-Anon meets at 7:00 pm Sundays at Padre Island Baptist Church

Friends and families of problem drinkers find understanding and support

At Al-Anon Meetings An Al-Anon group meets each

Thursday at 7:00 PM at St Andrew by the Sea 14238 Encantada Ave.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS MEETINGS

The Sunset 7 AA Meetings are held on Monday, Wednesday & Friday at 7 PM

at : The Presbyterian Church

On the Island 14030 Fortuna Bay Dr.

In addition on Sunday AA Meetings are held at 8 AM at

The Pavillon on the Boardwalk Near Padre Bali

Flour Bluff Independent School DistrictCareer and Technology Education

(Public Notification of Nondiscrimination in Career and Technical Education Programs)

1. Flour Bluff Independent School District offers career and technology education programs in Career Development, Agriculture/Food/Natural Resources, Architecture & Construction, Arts, A/V Technology & Communications, Business Management & Administration, Education & Training, Finance, Health Science, Hospitality & Tourism, Human Services, Information Technology, Law, Public Safety, Corrections, Security, Manufacturing, Marketing, Science, Technology, Engineering & Math, Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics. Admission to these programs is based on career interest, ability, achievement, age appropriateness, and class space.

2. It is the policy of Flour Bluff Independent School District not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, handicap, or age in its vocational programs as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended; and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.

3. Flour Bluff Independent School District will take steps to assure that lack of English language skills will not be a barrier to admission and participation in all educational and vocational programs.

4. For information about your rights or grievance procedures, contact the Title IX Coordinator, Dr. Allison Schaum, at 2505 Waldron Rd., Corpus Christi, TX 78418, (361) 694-9219.

Flour Bluff Independent School District Carrera y educacion tecnologica

(Notificacion publica de no discriminacion en programas de educacion profesional y tecnica)

1. Flour Bluff Independent School District ofrece carrera y tecnologia de educacion en el desarrollo de la Carrera,Natural de alimentos de agricultura recursos, arquitectura y construccion, las artes, A / V tecnologia y comunicaciones, Business gestion & administracion publica, salud ciencia, hospitalidad y turismo, servicios humanos, tecnologias de la informacion, ley, publica seguridad, correccion, seguridad, fabricacion, Marketing, ciencia, tecnologia, ingenieria y matematicas, transporte, distribucion y logistica. Admision a estos programas se basa en el interes de la carrera, habilidad, logro edad apropiada y espacio de clase.

2. Es polftica de Flour Bluff Independent School District no discriminar en base a raza, color, origen nacional, sexo, discapacidad o edad en sus programas vocacionales como exige el titulo VI de la ley de derechos civiles de 1964, en su forma enmendada; Titulo IX de las enmiendas de Educaci6n de 1972; la ley de discriminacion de edad de 1975, seglin enmendada; y la seccion 504 del Acta de rehabilitacion de 1973, seglin enmendada.

3. Flour Bluff lndependent School District tomara las medidas necesarias para asegurar que la falta de conocimientos del idioma ingles no sea una barrera para la admision y participacion en todos los programas educativos y vocacionales.

4. Para obtener informacion sobre sus derechos o procedimientos para quejas, comuniquese con el titulo Coordinador del IX, Dr. Allison Schaum, at 2505 Waldron Rd., Corpus Christi, TX 78418, (361) 694-9219. 78418, (361) 694-9219.

Live Music Tonight

Thursday, August 13TBA @ Giggity’sJosh Ward, Copper Chief @ Brewster StreetJesse Stratton @ Back PorchDave’s Duo @ Shorty’s

Friday, August 14Dreaming in Color @ Giggity’sSeattle Rising @ Brewster StreetMovie: Avengers @ Concrete Street Drive-InAloha Dave @ Shorty’sValetta @ Sunset SoundsShattered Sun @ House of Rock

Saturday, August 15Todd Dorn & the Sea Drifters @ Giggity’sDiamond’s Edge @ Brewster Street Movie: Trolls World Tour @ Concrete Street Drive-InBELT SANDER RACES @ GaffMike O’Neill @ Shorty’s

Sunday, August 16Antone & All Stars @ Giggity’s

Monday, August 17Open Jam @ Giggity’s

Tuesday, August 18Paul & Victoria @ Giggity’s

Wednesday, August 19Magnus @ Giggity’s

Thursday, August 20Free Beer Band @ Giggity’sDave’s Duo @ Shorty’s

Friday, August 21Groove @ Giggity’sMatt Hole @ Shorty’s

Saturday, August 22Starlite & the Moonbeams @ Giggity’sAaron Watson (2 shows) @ Brewster Street

132 W. Cotter St. Port A On the Waterfront

TEMPORARILY CLOSED AS COVID

PRECAUTION

Darrly Lee Rush @ Back Porch

Back Pew Revival @ Shorty’s

Sunday, August 23Antone & All Stars @

Giggity’s

Monday, August 24Open Jam @ Giggity’s

Tuesday, August 25Paul & Victoria @

Giggity’s

Wednesday, August 26 Hank Reeves @ Giggity’s

Thursday, August 27 Free Beer Band @

Giggity’s

Friday, August 28 Mike O’Neill @ Giggity’s

Unlikely Candidates @ House of Rock

Mark Monaco @ Back Porch

Red Giant @ Shorty’s

Saturday, August 29BELT SANDER RACES

@ GaffThomas Michael Riley @

Back PorchJam Band @ Giggity’s

Starlite & the Moonbeams @ Shorty’s

Sunday, August 30Antone & All Stars @

Giggity’s

Monday, August 31 Open Jam @ Giggity’s

Tuesday, September 1 Paul & Victoria @

Giggity’s

Wednesday, September 2

Thursday, September 3 Free Beer Band @

Giggity’s

Treasure Island

TEMPORARILY CLOSED AS COVID PRECAUTION

treasureislandporta

315 N. Alister (361) 416-1020

Mike’s Barbershop

August 13, 2020 Island Moon A16

By Ronnie Narmour

ronnienarmour@gmail.com

Three Chords and the Truth

The Gaff Open for Take Out 361-749-5970

GIGGITY’S RESTAURANT & BAR

DAIQU IR I SBEER & WINEBAIT & ICE

Laid back, slow n’ easy...

BEER HUT GOLF CART RENTALS (361)244-8654

LIVE MUSICEVERY NIGHT

Kitchen Open Until 1 a.m.!

LIVE MUSICRuben Limas on Thurs (7-10)

Dreaming in Color on Friday (9-1) Todd Dorn on Saturday (9-1)

Antone & All Stars Every Sunday (8-12) Open Jam Every Monday (8 -12)

Paul & Victoria Every Tuesday (7-10) Magnus on Wednesday (8-12)

722 Tarpon, Port Aransas, TX

OPEN Till 2am • 823 Tarpon St. Port A.

TEMPORARILY CLOSED AS COVID

PRECAUTION

Temporarily Closed as COVID Precaution

TABC bend rules a little…

Giggity’s has reopened with rules. Giggity’s is an establishment with several monikers. It’s a restaurant, a bar, a live music venue and a karaoke bar. When the pandemic started, the state shut everyone down and the restaurants were only allowed to sell take-out food and eventually limited seating with social distancing. Everyone I know was going broke. And as you can see by the ads on the bottom of this page, the bars that don’t sell food (Shorty’s, Red’s, Treasure Island, Salty Dog, 361, etc) are still closed. But TABC (Texas Alcohol Beverage Commission) has stepped in with new guidelines allowing bars that make and sell food to tally their gross receipts from April 1 through the end of July to prove that less than 51% of their sales came from alcohol, as opposed to food or merchandise. If that is the case they can operate as a restaurant and reopen their dining rooms. This only applies to bars with kitchen or food trucks permanently parked on the premises. Cover charges would go to that side also. This amendment to the rules has allowed such venues as Giggity’s to reopen with social distancing and limited capacity and play music once again…safely. You must wear a mask until seated with the party you came with and can’t walk around freely. You have to sit and there’s NO dancing. Hey, it’s better than nothing. And I see that Giggity’s has resumed their full music schedule. As far as bars that don’t serve food go Governor Abbott said, “there is no appetite to reopen the bars at this time.” Come on vaccine.

A shot across the bow…

Mayor Charles Bujan, released an official statement on Sunday explaining that the city of Port Aransas “can no longer afford providing policing of the county’s beach closure order. We have depleted all of our overtime budgets. The order has also created a major life safety issue in regards to the in-town beach parking being completely out of control and blocking streets to EMS and Fire Department trucks responding to emergencies. Effective this morning, August 9th, the city is no longer enforcing the country beach closure order.” So the beach is back open, at least for now. The masses took no time in dominating the beach on Sunday. On Tuesday, we awoke to the news that the county was trying to work out something with the city to partially close parts of the beach and provide parking on the beach as not to disturb the neighborhoods in Port A. Apparently, Bujan’s shot across the bow worked. We’ll see how this works out.

Is it just me…

Or have you noticed the tension in the air with tourists and locals this season. There’s a thread circulating amongst locals in Port A that are fed up with this year’s crop of tourists

who have become increasingly abusive and aggressively obnoxious, not to mention they routinely trashed our beach and city. Apparently the pandemic has released the inner demon in some of the tourists and we’re seeing their ugly side. Sure we get a few jerks every season but this year it’s widespread. I’ve been noticing Facebook rants from local residents of all walks of life who are annoyed this year for a variety of reasons. And, it doesn’t help that we have become less tolerant… worn down is more like it. We now have tourists coming to our little island with chips on their shoulders and are met with locals daring them to cross the line. What could possibly go wrong? Usually it’s over a mask. I’ve seen some decent stand offs in the IGA over people not wearing masks. This whole year is wearing me out. I got a feeling the rest of August is going to be a “poo poo” show. Be patient my fellow locals… September is near and it’s probably gonna get worse before it gets better. Just be glad you’re not in Sturgis.

Concrete Street Drive In…

My pal Will Perry over at the Concrete Street/Brewster Street/Rockit’s Whiskey Bar conglomerate tells me there’s something very cool is in the works in the Concrete Street parking lot. “Concrete Street Amphitheater is proud to announce the Concrete Street Starlight Drive In  movie series  starting this Friday August14th. This will be a four week event with 12 different showings that range from children’s movies, date night films to more mature audience full length features and a concert night!   Space is limited to 100 vehicles and pricing varies depending on location. CDC Guidelines will be strictly enforced.!” They will have movies this weekend. On Friday its The Avengers and Saturday it’s The Trolls World Tour. They have rules too like no monster tall trucks, no outside food and beverage and no lawn chairs. You have to stay in your vehicle except to go to the restroom. This is a great idea and I’ve been wondering who was going to do it first. Attaboy Will…check out the whole deal at www.concretestreet.net.

Scattered shots…

Last weekend Giggity’s was about the only game in town. The club is just finding its feet in the middle of this mess but they did manage to get the ball rolling again with Free Beer, Johnny Boy and The Toman Brothers. If you want this club to remain open, put on a mask and play by the rules. It’s pretty simple.

DO NOT MISS LIST Coming this weekend…

First of all I want to wish Kip Shannon and Heidi and Tamara and everybody at The Gaff a very happy 39th Anniversary! Coming this weekend we have shows at Giggity’s and Brewster Street and believe me, that’s about it and I’m looking for more. On Thursday Ruben Limas will play Giggity’s and Josh

Ward and Copper Chief will play Brewster. On Friday Dreaming in Color, will play Giggity’s and Seattle Rising, an 80’s grunge and alt tribute band will play Brewster. On Saturday it’s return of Todd Dorn and the Sea Drifters to Giggity’s and Diamond’s Edge to Brewster. Giggity’s is charging a cover right now because those receipts apply to the food side of 51% so no grumbling. They’re just trying to keep the doors open and do some shows without killing anybody. It’s not as easy as it sounds.

♫♪♫ And, that’s the truth ♫♪♫

Concrete Street Amphitheater will begin having drive in movies and concerts in

their parking lot.

Dreaming in Color will play Giggity’s on Friday.

Johnny Boy Amundsen with Cody Strong and Jose Felix played GIggity’s on Friday.

Port A reopened their beaches to vehicles on Sunday.

Ruben Limas will play Giggity’s this Thursday.

Todd Dorn will play Giggity’s on

Saturday.