island moon april 4 2013 section a

Garage Sale Saturday April 20

Girl Scout Working to Establish

Community LibraryBy Marzena N. Friday,

I am a senior student at Flour Bluff High School, a resident of Padre Island, a former student of SLC and SMA Schools, and a Girl Scout Ambassador for the GSGST Council in Corpus Christi, Texas.

For my Girl Scouts Gold Award Project I am working together with my Project Counselor, Mrs. Maryann Carl, and the POA Executive Coordinator Mrs. Maybeth Christensen, to develop a Library at the POA office which is open to the community. The Island has a Charter school, kindergarten through 9th grade, but we don’t have a library and the community definitely needs one. The Library will have books for children, teenagers, and adults, and will positively impact the overall community. It will be a place where parents, children, and friends can meet and spend quality time together.

The POA Office is located at 14015 Fortuna Bay Dr. on Padre Island, C. C., next to the Billish Park on Gypsy St., which will make it a great place to organize Community Events.

The Library will be run by volunteers at the POA office, and I am kindly asking the SMA school Journalism class students, the Gifted & Talented children at the Seashore Middle Academy, older students from the SLC Elementary school, Girl Scout’s Troops, and other community associations, if they would like to help my project by volunteering for Monthly Reading Events at the Library. I will like to start with their help, a Monthly “Around the World Reading Program”, where volunteers will read books about different cultures from different countries. I have an International family, my mom is Italian, my dad is English,

By Dale Rankin

March went out like a lamb…but just barely. We dodged a bullet Sunday night as March wound down when a thunderstorm passed just west of us and dropped grapefruit/baseball sized hail on the towns of Freer and Benavides and golf ball sized hail on Alice. If you happened to be looking west just after 8 p.m. you could see it moving fast out across the Wild Horse Prairie.

We Moon Monkeys don’t know about you but we don’t want to be around when anything grapefruit-size comes barreling down out of the sky.

But now we’ve hit the Chamber of Commerce Weather portion of our calendar year here on The Island and all we can say is it’s about time. We’ve had the first weather that felt sort of like summer this week and Hurricane Season is still two months away. So get out there and have some fun!

Digging near Aquarius

We’ve been getting several questions about the work going on over west of the Aquarius Extension. The POA is dredging the canals on the north end of the canal system and the spoils are being pumped into the area you see there. The work is being done by the POA under the auspices of Asset Development Corporation who holds the dredging permits. ADC is creating new wetlands as part of the Schlitterbahn Beach Country Resort project and that process is what you see there.

The area where the sand is being pumped was recently increased to accommodate an additional 5000 cubic yards of sand that is coming out of the Primavera Canal after the contract was amended for that purpose. So that’s what’s going on.

Touchstone for Blind Drivers

You don’t have to be a sighted person to know when you are driving past the Cruiser/Whitecap intersection these days; your nose knows. For the Olfactory Impaired the stench emanating from the Gypsy Sewer Station over there has become steady and at times overwhelming.

The line that runs from that station is a force main under four pounds of pressure in order to get its contents to the Whitewater Treatment Plant so anytime there is a small leak the contents are pushed out underground. Remember a couple of summers back when the intersection at Gypsy and Whitecap became a section of the giant sinkhole? That was due to a leak in that line which has since been replaced.

Here’s hoping the leak gets fixed before the prevailing southeasterly wind arrives for good in the next few weeks and blows this eye-watering cloud into the neighborhoods for the entire summer.

After complaints from business owners in the Padre Professional Plaza just down the street the city conducted smoke tests on the line to find out where the leak is located but found no leaks that could be causing this odiferous offender. So we don’t know when it will be fixed but we’re not holding our breath…no wait…we are holding our breath.

Whitecap and SPID intersection

We’ve also been getting questions about near collisions as people make the U-turn on southbound SPID at the Whitecap intersection to head back north. Drivers making the U-turn must wait until the turn signal turns green before they can go, but when they do they almost collide with drivers making a right on red from Whitecap to go northbound on SPID.

This leads to two questions: First, why isn’t there a turnaround so drivers don’t have to wait for the light? This is a question for TxDot since they maintain that roadway and we’ll find out.

Second, who has the right of way? We checked

FreeFree

TheThe

Island Moon

FREE

The Island Newspaper since 1996The Island Newspaper since 1996

April 4, 2013This is the weekend when we showcase The Island’s Next Publication Date: 4/11/2013 Facebook: The Island Moon Newspaper Year 16, Issue 468

Around The IslandBy Dale Rankin [email protected]

Inside the Moon...

City Projects Update A4 Street Plans A6, A7

Facebook : The Island Moon Newspaper

A little Island history

Texans Flee to the Alamo, Mexican Troops Arrive in San Antonio, Seige of

the Alamo BeginsBy Dale Rankin

It was February 23, 1836 and the natives were restless; in fact they were more than restless, they were leaving San Antonio de Bexar.

As James Bowie and William Barret Travis surveyed the scene from their headquarters on Portero Street they saw the local Tejano population heading southeast with everything they could carry. The Tejanos told Travis, who they didn’t know, that they were going into the fields to prepare for the spring planting season. But when Bowie and Captain Philip Dimitt observed the pregnant wife of Ramon Musquiz leaving they knew that wasn’t not the real story. Musquiz, they knew, was a prominent local citizen and was now

in the field as a guide to the Mexican troops; if she was leaving it was because her husband had gotten word to her that the arrival of Mexican troops was imminent.

In a microcosm of the split between the long-time Texas residents and the new comers who had only come to Texas to join the fight, Travis, now is charge of the “Regular” army of Texans ordered the arrest of Mrs. Musquiz. Bowie and Dimitt who had lived among the

Tejanos for years knew that to so would alienate the local population and cut all lines of communication. Travis didn’t listen and ordered her arrest and while her hearing was going on a messenger came to Travis and said he knew why the Tejanos were leaving; the Mexican Army was almost in sight.

The enemy is in view

A friendly Tejano told one of Bowie’s friends that the column of Mexican

History continued on A3

361-949-7700 [email protected] [email protected]

PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY

Photo by Brent Rourk

Local Legend Roy Cox Passes A18On the Rocks A11

Presented by the Island Moon

2nd Annual Padre Island Showcase, Vendor Show, and Home Tour This Weekend!

The 2nd Annual Padre Island Showcase, Vendor Show and Home Tour is this Saturday and Sunday with 32 Island homes open for inspection as well as presentations by a variety of Island home improvement companies.

The homes will be open both Saturday and Sunday, April 6-7 from from 1-5 p.m. The event is presented by the Island Moon.

This is an great chance to take a look at the variety of homes The Island has to offer in all price ranges and locations, and no appointment is necessary; just pick up a map at the Seasore Learning Center Gym where the Island companies are having their showcase and make the rounds of homes on display.

The event was featured in last Sunday edition of the Corpus Christi Caller Times, and is also being promoted in KIII Television.

The Bonus Feature of this year’s tour is The Community Garden located in Douden Park along Coba de Bara where gardeners will be available to tell you about their accomplishments and show you their abundant crops, and where on Saturday twenty new garden plots are being dedicated.

Easter Egg Hunt Fills Billish Park

By Brent Rourk

Photos by Brent Rourk and Miles Merwin

The children all lined up last Saturday at Billish Park, some patiently and some impatiently, like they were ready for battle. They were going to battle. They surveyed the field and spotted their prey. They all had faces painted with excitement, anticipation, and animal figures complements of the Kiwanis Club and SMA’s Builders’ Club. They were waiting for the starting signal to

ignite their rush to find over 20,000 eggs and toys. The battle was part of the 16th Annual Kiwanis Club – Padre Island Easter Egg Hunt.

The “Hunt”

As the final countdown hit ‘2’, some children jumped the gun to get to their favorite spot. The fierce and determined hunters covered the field in seconds. In less than ten minutes the Island Easter Egg Hunt massacre was over. A few broken eggs, smashed toys, and empty wrappers remained where the hard battle had been fought. Hoards of winners proudly marched off the Billish turf with full baskets or pails and then hurried to find a spot to sit and revel in their stash of spoils. Parents sat with them and shared the joys and surprises. Some eggs carried a certificate for one of 83 special, larger prizes such as a wagon, trike, body board, Ripstick, scooter, and more. The hunt was over.

Food and Fun

It was time to wind down, though without question the candy might have kept several kids on full throttle for hours. But for the majority of children, the Easter Egg “Hunt” was the high point and culminating event of the days’

Easter Egg Hunt continued on A2

Showcase continued on A6

Scout continued on A5

Packery Channel Ramp Cleanup

Saturday, April 6 is the date and the Packery Channel Boat Ramp is the place for the National Day of Action cleanup.

The all volunteer event will involve underwater and land trash pickup. Bags will be provided to divers and kayakers. Girl and Boy scouts can earn merit badge points and for anyone needing community service hours (you know who you are) these will count.

Juan Seguin was Alalde (Mayor) of San Antonio prior to war for Texas

independence.Around continued on A5

The sand from canal dredging is being pumped to this site near Aquarius.

The Padre Island Community Garden is one stop on the Island showcase tour. 20 new garden plots are being dedicated on Satrday, increasing the number from 40 to 60 plots

Sports A14

Skip the Plastic

April Bag Hero!

Skip the Plastic is very pleased to announce our April Bag Hero, marine biologist Jeff Francis. A recent PhD graduate of the Harte Research Institute at Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Jeff’s research in ecosystems services emphasizes the importance of healthy bays and estuaries for our local economy.

A 2 Island Moon April 4, 2013

Island CreatIons

Doing Everything a Home or Business Needs

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Island Residents David & Katherine PierceReferences Available Upon Request

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Insured Member, Padre Island Business Association

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RemodelingTotal Renovation & Remodels, Outdoor Kitchens & Spas, Additions, Kitchen & Bathroom Upgrades, Sunporches, Replacement of Windows and Doors, Roofing, Painting & Stucco

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activities. For an hour or two prior to the hunt, upwards of 900 people walked around a packed Billish Park socializing and munching on 1000 hot dogs, 800 bags of chips, cotton candy, and countless snow cones and washing that down with lemonade or about 1000 bottles of water. It that was not enough, baked goodies were also available. Children enjoyed a variety of rides, including the mammoth inflatable slide, the small merry-go-round, and a couple of other rides that permitted children to spin themselves silly. Smiles were the rule of the day.

The Bunny, Photographs, and Face Painting

The mild-mannered Easter Bunny (name thought to be Bob the Rabbit, but quite the tall and silent hare) was in attendance and patiently sat with local children as Kiwanian Mark Pugh generously snapped photographs for parents. The Seashore Middle Academy Builders’ Club face painters methodically etched away at the line of little ones who wanted a reasonable likeness of a bunny, kitten, tiger, pirate, butterfly, snake or other unimaginable animal carefully scrawled on their face. This year several parents chose to have their face painted (instead of perhaps opting for more expensive cosmetic surgery).

Volunteers

The fund-raising bake sale was a hit and by 1:00 P.M. all of the goodies were gone, consumed on the spot or heading for a household cupboard. Calm, cool, and collected constables from Nueces County Precinct 4 enjoyed the event thoroughly and did not have to engage in any terrible constabulary conflict. Over 120 volunteers worked tirelessly for many weeks to plan and organize this fabulous event for our island. The Padre Island Muses, for instance, donated over 100 hours of service both organizing and stuffing candy eggs and bags. Kiwanians from several different careers combined their efforts to organize the event by planning, purchasing, storing, and setting up the event. The Keller Williams office looked like a storage facility with dozens of boxes and cases lining the walls.

This event is one of the largest that the Kiwanis sponsor during the year. It would not be possible without the help of

many sponsors and countless volunteers. John Vaughn, Kiwanis Club President shared his thoughts, “I thank all of the sponsors and all of the volunteers that made the 16th annual Easter Egg Hunt a success just as in previous years. This event is getting larger every year and the volunteers

and sponsors are incalculably valuable. We hope that the kids and parents had a wonderful time and we look forward to another superb and successful Easter Egg Hunt next year”. Kiwanian and Keller Williams Realtor Signa Pappas-Prather offered, “The thing I like best is the entire community seems to own this event and give us a helping hand in making it happen”.

Sponsors and Special Recognition

Many groups, individuals, organizations, and businesses worked closely with the Kiwanis Club to make the Easter Egg Hunt a success. They donated materials, food, money, or time, but all with a love for the island and our children. Please also thank the following: Keller Williams (a very generous and hardworking staff), Signa Pappas-Prather, Kim Erwin, Padre Island Baptist Church, Methodist Church, Surfside Sandwich Shop, Prosperity Bank, 1st Community Bank, American Bank – Island

Easter Egg Hunt continued from A1Pothole of the Week!

This baby is just coming to maturity as an Island Pothole. So far all it’s been able to take out is the curb along the westbound lane of Whitecap. You’ll see the traffic cones there. But from the looks of things the sand under the roadway may have decided to migrate and leave behind a sand cave. The last time this happened was at Gypsy and Whitecap and eventually that pothole ate the entire intersection so this baby has a lot of upside potential. Be careful if you drive down that way.

The Garbage Gobler was busy at the POA office last weekend.

Branch, Padre Island Muses, PIBA, Starkey Mortgage, Michelle Jones, Stephanie Waterman of Farmers Insurance, Papa Murphy’s Pizza, Dr. Overstreet, POA, Padre Island Lions Club, San Jacinto Title Company, Denny Buzzard of Tri Con, Security Title, Island Day Spa, State Representative Todd Hunter, Island Moon Newspaper, Shane Peace of Frito Lay, Beverly Rogers CPA, Prudential Real Estate, and the Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce.

April 4, 2013 Island Moon A 3

commander Ramirez y Sesma had been seen on Leon Creek, now the site of several large subdivisions in the City of San Antonio, less than five miles from San Antonio marching fast in order to surprise the Texans garrison that night. Travis ordered that citizens stop their evacuation and he posted a lookout in the belfry of San Fernando Cathedral on the plaza to keep an eye on the southwestern horizon. They didn’t have to wait long.

Just after three o’clock the sound of the San Fernando Bell pealed across the city and out into the surrounding plains. “The enemy is in view,” came the shout from the tower. Travis and Bowie climbed up and saw…nothing. The sentry was adamant that he had seen hundreds of mounted Mexican cavalry only moments before but they had turned off the road into a mesquite grove out of view. To settle the matter two men, a Dr. Sutherland and John Smith who was called “El Colorado” because of his red hair, road out the road to reconnoiter; meanwhile, Travis contacted Davy Crockett who had wide experience at tracking in the Creek War and Crockett prepared to do a full reconnaissance – it turned out not to be necessary.

As Bowie and Travis watched from the San Fernando bell tower the two riders cantered down the road toward Leon Creek for only a mile and half when both turned their horses and broke into a run back to town. Sutherland’s horse went down pinning him. Even before he was back in the saddle Travis had given the order to evacuate the town.

Tejano Juan Seguin, loyal to the Texan cause and soon to be recorded for posterity as a leading Texas patriot, described the scene: ‘In the act of the moment Colonel Travis resolved to concentrate all his forces within the Alamo.” The Siege of the Alamo had begun.

To the Alamo!

Inside the Alamo Crockett helped Sutherland from his horse and as they entered Travis’ headquarters inside the mission they found him penning a dispatch to Sam Houston, “The enemy in large force is in sight. We want men and provisions. Send them to us. We have 150 men and are determined to defend the Alamo to the last. Give us assistance.”

He dispatched the injured Sutherland with the message and before Sutherland was out the door Crockett asked Travis where to post his Tennesseans, they were ready to fight.

San Antonio became a flurry of activity as Texans ran into the Alamo with everything they could carry; fifty Mexicans wounded in the previous fight were left behind for their comrades to find. Seguin led his mounted Tejanos from the Potrero headquarters toward the Alamo past local citizens who shouted, “Poor fellows you will all be killed.”

Bowie took a detachment and broke into several jacales in La Villita where he found nearly ninety bushels of corn as another company drove thirty beeves into the fort, and the volunteers who had inadvisably sold their rifles ten days before to get drinking money now scurried about trying to get them back. About forty local Tejanos took refuge inside the fort, inluding Bowie’s sister-in-law. Bowie

stood on top of the outer wall as his old friend Sam Maverick, for whom the slang for stray beeves was coined, rode up on his way to San Felipe as a delegate to the new Texas congress. Bowie urged him to spread the alarm.

God and Texas!

As the Mexican column approached with General Antonio Santa Anna at its head the Texans raised the tri-color Mexican flag with two stars in the center denoting the states of Coahuila and Texas. By late afternoon the blood red flag of Deguallo was in the breeze atop San Fernando; there would be no quarter given from the Mexican side. Travis’ response was a blast from the eighteen-pound cannon on the Alamo walls.

Inside the walls Travis and Bowie, exercising the split command, immediately disagreed on what to do next. Travis wanted to await the next Mexican move while Bowie, always confident in his ability to persuade, wanted to parley with the Mexican General.

A soldier inside the Alamo told Bowie that the cannon shot may have drowned out a bugle

call from the Mexican side asking for a parlay. Bowie, not waiting for agreement from Travis and already running a high fever dictated a note in Spanish to Seguin which ended with the words, God and the Mexican Federation.” He crossed them out and wrote, “God and Texas.” He signed it and a rider went out to find Santa Anna.

Travis was furious and he and Bowie were arguing when the rider came back with a note from Santa Anna aid Jose Batres which refused to discuss terms “with rebellious foreigners to whom there is not other recourse left, if they wish to save their lives, than to place themselves immediately at the disposal of the Supreme Government.”

When the Texans had defeated the Mexicans in San Antonio only a few months before they had let the Mexicans leave with only the promise they would not again take up arms against Texas; there would be no such terms from the Mexicans. To the Mexicans the Texans were terrorists to whom the rule of law did not apply.

Travis sent out his own messenger who met with a Mexican counterpart on the footbridge across the San Antonio River located now about where the McDonald’s restaurant is. The man returned with the same answer as before, surrender with no terms and at the discretion of Santa Anna.

Travis, still furious at Bowie, called the men together and explained the terms and spoke of home and hearth, Mexican perfidy, the rights of man, and the need to stop the Mexicans before they reached the cities where the men’s families lived. There is no evidence of is him using his sword to draw a line in the sand, he would leave that to John Wayne’s movie and legend. At the end of his speech the Texan cannon was fired again and in response the Mexican howitzers commenced the bombardment.

The Battle of the Alamo had begun.

Next time: Inside the Alamo.

History continued from A1 Stuff I Heard on the Islandby Dale Rankin

When I was a cub police reporter running the streets on the Westside of San Antonio the summer months were like a violent

Disneyland. The lack of air conditioners and general boredom would push people out into the sultry streets, sidewalks and bars where blood feuds often exploded into violence.

Las Quince Letras

There was a bar there called Las Quince Letras Lounge which was always my favorite name for a Westside bar since the name actually had 15 letters. There was a shooting there one night and when the cops went in the people were still in there drinking, staring at the EMS guys working on the victim out on the sidewalk where he had collapsed. A trail of blood led them back over to a stack of beer cans in the corner about five or six feet high. By the time SAPD had dug through the beer cans they found pistols that were connected to no fewer than eleven shootings.

The Las Quince Letras was right across the street from the No Le Hace and if Mayor Henry Cisneros had been the George W. of his day he could easily have referred to these two bars as the Westside Axis of Evil. It was a rare summer night when there wasn’t at least one call for shots fired, or a giant fight that required the calming effect of the cops.

If you were a police reporter the epicenter of the Axis of Evil was a good place to hang out and wait for the next story.

That’s what I was doing one Sunday night in July of 1983. Reporters from all three dailies would gather at a joint down the street that had a bar phone (no cells phones then) to swap stories and keep an eye on one another. The marked news cars could be hidden right outside the back door in the alley and we could hear the pounding of the button accordion from the Las Quince Letres which was just at the other end of the block; when it stopped the next story wasn’t far behind. I had just hung up with the city desk when I heard what sounded like a muffled gunshot from somewhere over in the neighborhoods. It was followed by a couple more shots, squealing tires and soon enough sirens. I had learned not to rush to scenes like that because if you beat the cops there you are apt to become part of the story. So by the time I got to the scene the action was over but the street circus was in full bloom; cops running everywhere, women wailing for reasons yet unknown; kids playing tag around the police cars, dogs barking.

A series of mistakes

It turned out that two warrant servers from the sheriff’s department had knocked on the door of one Julian Gonzalez with the intent of arresting him for burglary. When they entered the house they went in one at a time through the front door. Proper procedure calls for them to haul the arrestee out into the open where they can confront him together. Procedural violation number one.

When the first deputy went in Julian, a well-sized and athletic man, grabbed him by the shirt and ripped the .38 right out of his holster then turned the deputy’s own gun on him and his partner. It’s a case right out of the police training manual; if one officer loses his gun to the bad guy the other cop should under no circumstances give up his gun. It’s the Onion Field example. (Younger readers might have to Google that one). But suffice to say it’s better to have one bad guy with a gun and two cops with one gun than one bad guy with two guns and two cops with no guns. But the armed deputy handed over his gun. Violation number two.

Julian demanded the keys to the sheriff’s cruiser and took off with his girlfriend. As he fled in the deputies’ car one of them retrieved a gun from origins unknown are fired a shot at the car from inside the house. When I arrived there was a hole in the front window and two deputies staring at the tops of their shoes.

Honor avenged

The next night I was back at the Axis of Evil awaiting further developments. Experience had taught me that on the Westside the affair wasn’t complete until honor was avenged. Two deputies losing both their guns and their vehicle to a neighborhood burglar was a slight that had to be answered.

It was still light outside when I heard a commotion down the street. Two fire engines came screaming down Guadalupe Street headed south. I followed and when I got to the scene there was a large, corner house in full bloom; smoke, flames, raspa salesmen, pregnant women in bare feet, a crowd easily in the two-thousand range. The street circus was in town.

More firetrucks kept showing up until the street was running with several inches of water. Stray dogs lapped it up and marked their territory on firetruck tires. It was one of those stories that would be big news on the Westside but I

would be lucky to get more than a paragraph in tomorrow’s editions; unless of course I could talk to the family and get a personal angle. This process usually consisted of getting about thirty seconds with a family member before being given the bum’s rush.

“How do you spell your name? How did it start? How long have you lived here? Are you a war veteran? Do you have a dog? What is his name? What kind of dog is he? How many legs does he have? Did you play high school football? Did you think you were a goner?”

The word pendejo was used a lot and if you were lucky you got a lead that said something like Veteran of Iwo Jima risked life and limb to save his three-legged Chihuahua dog named Pedro. “I’m lucky to be alive. I thought I was a goner.”

That would get you out of class slop and if you were lucky onto the front page somewhere around the fold. Of course if you had a picture of the brave old veteran holding Pedro up to his face and smiling you were gold.

Why’d you do it Julian?

This night as I shoved my way through the crowd to get to the hero of the hour I heard more gunshots. The crowd heard it too and a thousand heads turned away from the blazing house to the direction of what might be a better floor show down the block. I continued after my mark figuring it was just someone letting off some steam back at the Las Quincy Letras but

I found myself caught up in a human wave that carried me across the front lawn of the burning house and into the middle of the street where we stopped. I looked down the street and coming toward me I saw a green Ford pickup with two men inside and a woman in the middle. Around the truck were three motorcycle cops and half a dozen cops on foot all with guns drawn and pointing at the truck’s cab as it bumped its way over fire hoses strewn across the street and the crowd parted to let it pass. As the eye of the storm got to within about twenty feet of me the crowd, mesmerized by the sight, forgot to budge. They just stood there, kids, dogs, old people, street toughs, even firemen staring at the movable feast coming up the street through the smoke.

I quickly recognized the man in the passenger seat. It was Julian. He was holding a gun in his right hand pointing straight up. The windows in the truck were rolled up and it was apparent that things were about to come to a head. Suddenly a cop quick-stepped up to the truck from behind and jerked the door open and gabbed Julian’s gun hand and when he did the pistol fired one shot straight up through the roof of the truck.

This was my chance. The shot had started the crowd in the opposite direction and I slipped up to where they had Julian pinned to the ground. There was much yelling and shoving but when I bent over I was almost face to face with Julian; the cops weren’t interested in his face, only his hands and feet.

Not expecting to ever actually get that close I really hadn’t thought about what to ask so I just blurted out, “Julian why did you do it?”

When he looked up he expected to see a cop. Instead he saw a twenty-four year-old hippy with a note pad and both were a little rough from the wear and tear. His response was a two-word directive not printable in these pages.

Street Circus rolls on

The cops had figured that Julian would return to his house sooner or later and when he arrived the same two deputies who were embarrassed the night before were waiting. When Julian raised the gun he had taken off the deputy the night before the deputy fired and the bullet hit the gun just above the rubber boot grip on the handle. The bullet knocked the gun out of Julian’s hand and lodged between the gun’s metal and the rubber boot. The same deputy recovered his gun and his honor at the same time, and he got one extra used up bullet in the process to hang around his neck for good luck. Julian Drove off only to be caught in the street circus crowd.

The next morning our headline read News Gets Exclusive Interview with Westside Desperado. “In the body copy it said, “When asked why he did it Julian Gonzalez said I don’t know why, I don’t know.” Then he was lead off by police.”

I figured that was close enough. Why did Julian do it? That’s easy. Because that what burglars on the Westside do when they are corned by the cops…and the street circus rolls on.

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Update on Island projects

Schlitterbahn, Traffic Circle, Spring Break Traffic Count

The Island Strategic Action Committee on Tuesday got an update on various projects on The Island. Here is a re-cap.

Schlitterbahn Beach Country Resort. Developer Paul Schexnailder gave an update on the project. He said the park’s developers have taken delivery on two of the four large Archimedes pumps that will circulate the water through the park; they have also begun construction in Holland on the largest of the pumps which will move 50,000 gallons of water per minute. They are also in the process of building five submersible pumps which will pump 30,000 gallons per minute.

Developers have also purchased an existing ride from another park which is being dismantled and moved. It will be a log-ride that visitors can use without getting into the water.

Some elements inside the park have been

moved, such as the planned hotel, to the south end of the park to provide activity at both ends of the park throughout the day.

The work crews to complete the earth work will arrive in earnest in July.

Windstorm insurance. The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association has $1 billion in available funds to cover damage for the 2013 hurricane season, and $1.5 billion bonding capability.

Gypsy/Whitecap intersection. Due to increasing traffic at the Gypsy/Whitecap intersection city planners are considering a roundabout there. The traffic circle would reduce traffic lanes down to a single land

through the intersection and would be contained within the current right of way. Planning is in the early stages and a traffic count must be done to determine the feasibility.

Restrooms on North Packery. Design is expected to begin in May on restrooms along the north side of Packery Channel. The project

has been delayed while awaiting new flood maps from FEMA which are expected to be released later this year. Funds to pay for the facilities would come through the Island Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone.

SPID/Park Road 22 Water Exchange Bridge. The bridge which would connect the current Island canal system to Lake Padre is awaiting an environmental assessment from TxDot. Money to pay for the bridge is available through city bonds.

Aquarius Street. A group of residents on Aquarius Street are requesting traffic

calming devices along the street. City planners say because Aquarius is a collector street speed humps are not allowed. The ISAC is scheduled to take up the subject at its next meeting on May 7 at 5:30 p.m. at the Padre Isles Country Club.

Aquarius street lights. AEP is expected to begin installing street lights on the recently completed Aquarius Extension within the next six weeks.

Spring Break. The number of beach parking permits sold during this year’s Spring Break was down slightly from last year – 42,000 to 41,000.

Dale Rankin

These pipes next to the JFK Causeway are part of the dredging project in the channels.

Island frontyard.

Easter service at Trinity by the Sea

Father James Derkits telling the children about Easter

Emma wore her Easter bunny ears while riding with her sister Caitlin.

What’s wrong with this picture?

The Island Gardeners awarded yard of the month for April to Roxanne Robertson at 13942 Cabana N. Her yard is very colorful with a combination of palms, tropical bloomers and native plants. Drive by to see this beautiful yard. Pictured with Roxanne is Lauren and Maddox Meeks who visited for Easter weekend.

Please contact Dianne Gimpel at 949-7684 to recommend a future yard of the month.

This truck never gets stuck in the sand

There’s a hand to draw to...Ronnie Narmour, Sean Hunter, Paul Fain, Jeff

Brewer and Dino Fabrio of Port A.

The BACK PORCH

The BACK PORCH Bar

TheBACK PORCH

Bar

132 W. Cotter St. PortA

oPEN 7 dAYS + nOON-2AM

$2 Wacky Wednesdays!ON THE WATERFRONT

Live Music

Mingo Fishtrap April 4

Joe Mack April 5

Mike Milligan April 6

Capt. Legendary April 12

Cruise Control April 13

Snoopy’s (361) 949-8815Scoopy’s (361) 949-7810

13313 S. Padre Island Drive Corpus Christi, TX 78418

Under the BridgeServing South Texas Seafood for

Over 30 YearsOpen Daily 11:00 - 10:00

Also- Scoopy’s Veranda

With Sweet Treats, Soups, Salads & Sandwiches

Corpus Christi, TX 361-749-0884

Island Police Blotter

Excuse Me While I Sweep Out the Trash Corpus Christi Police are investigating

an aggravated robbery that happened at a convenience store at the 5700 block of Kostoryz Road on Friday morning.

A 54-year-old woman worked in the store when two men entered. Each man had a bandana which covered their face. One of the men displayed a butcher knife and demanded money. The 54-year-old woman chased the two men out of the store with a broom. The men left without any money.

Police say anyone who knows these men should call and report them, but not until you advise them they are probably in the wrong profession.

Padre Island Police Calls

7400 block SH 361 1:10 a.m. March 30 Criminal mischief $50-$500

6000 block Wer Rd. 7:40 p.m. March 27 Criminal mischief

11800 block SH 361 6 p.m. March 25 Criminal mischief $1500-$20,000

14800 block Leeward 10:44 p.m. March 26 Assault with injury

15300 block SPID 7:36 a.m. March 26 Gasoline theft

13900 block Doubloon 10:25 a.m. March 26 Burglary of building

14900 block Tesoro 1:30 p.m. March 25 Theft $50-$500

15400 block Salt Cay 11:30 a.m. March 28 Disorderly conduct, 1:35 p.m. Disorderly conduct, 5:30 p.m. Disorderly conduct, 5:37 p.m. Disorderly conduct

13800 block Doubloon 10:25 a.m. March 26 Burglary of building

14200 block Allamanda 3 p.m. March 31 Theft $500-$1500

15800 Cutty Sark Midnight March 30 Criminal Mischief over $50

Flour Bluff Police Calls100 block Rex Ln. 10 a.m. March 30

Criminal mischief $50-$500

200 block Clarice 3:23 p.m. March 27 Criminal mischief $50-$500

200 block Clearview 9:50 p.m. March 29 Deadly conduct

3700 block Matteson 1 p.m. April 1 5:01 p.m. Theft over $50

Caribbean and Laguna Shores 2:30 p.m. March 31 Theft $50-$500

2900 block Islander 6:36 p.m. April 1 Harassment

2700 block Waldron Rd. 7:10 p.m. March 29 Theft shoplifting under $50

200 block Hustlin Hornet 9:06 a.m. April 1 Theft $500-$1500

2700 block Waldron Rd. 7:10 p.m. March 29 Shoplifting under $50

2600 block Date Palm 7:59 p.m. April 1 Burglary of vehicle

800 block Roseanne 3:15 p.m. March 31 Criminal mischief $50-$500

1200 block Montreal 12:57 p.m. March 27 Found drugs, Dead on arrival

2300 block Vialoux 5:20 p.m. March 31 Assault with injury

1400 block Waldron 4:05 p.m. March 28 Forgery of government instrument/

money/securities

10300 block Compton Rd. 6 p.m. April 1 Criminal mischief $500-$1500

900 block Admiral 8:30 a.m. March 29 Stalking

1100 block Waldron Rd. 2:53 p.m. March 27 Arson, warrant, Shoplifting

400 block Linnet 2 p.m. March 30 Indecency with a child

100 block Jester 11:36 p.m. March 28 four warrants, 4 ounces-5 pounds of

marijuana

500 block Lakeside 6:31 p.m. March 31 Warrant, assault with injury

9300 block SPID 2:28 a.m. March 27 Arson, Assault with injury, Building fire

500 block Pearson 8:50 a.m. April 1 Robbery

Registered Sex offenders:Port Aransas - 2

Padre Island -7

Flour Bluff - 46


and I am adopted from an orphanage in Poland, and for me it is very important to learn about different cultures, traditions, and costumes from all over the World.

To raise funds for my project I am planning a garage sale at 15438 Cuttysark St, on Saturday April 20th 8 am-12 pm. If you would like to help my project, you can donate gently used children books or you could come over to shop at the garage sale at the address above. Thank you for your support.

To reach out from my Community and make a global impact in other countries I intend to start, with the help of the library’s volunteers, a program called: “Reading and Sharing”. Every year during the library’s Grand Opening Anniversary, we will collect books and donate them to orphanages and poor schools around the world. During the library’s grand opening we will send books to an orphanage in India, the Premananda Centre, Pothurajupalem, Ongole 523001 A. P. India (www.orphancentre.org ). This is an orphanage where my family and I are sponsoring an eight year old boy, Madhu Sekhan Tapa.

Thank you for your help and support

Scout continued from A1

with a local PD officer and his answer was that drivers from a city street must yield to drivers on a state highway – which SPID is; also, drivers making a right turn on red must yield to drivers in a moving lane – which northbound SPID is or there would be cars moving there.

So the drivers hooking the U-turn at the light have the right of way; that could come in handy when you are filing your insurance claim after you are hit there while making a U-turn.

April on The Island

There is a lot going on around our Island this month. The produce market continues each Saturday at the Presbyterian Church, The Kiwanis Club is sponsoring more Bingo Nights at the Holiday Inn, and on Saturday and Sunday, April 20-21 the Island Moon Newspaper Art Walk and Beach Market will kick off and continue once per month through the summer. Vendors and the public are invited to attend. There is no charge for either.

We’ll see you there and in the meantime say hello if you see us Around The Island.

Around continued from A1


Moon MonkeysMike Ellis, Founder

Distribution

Pete Alsop

Island Delivery

Coldwell Banker

Advertising

Jan Park Rankin

Office

Lisa Towns

Classifieds

Arlene Ritley

Design/Layout

Jeff Craft

Contributing Writers

Joey Farah

Devorah Fox

Mary Craft

Maybeth Christiansen

Jay Gardner

Todd Hunter

Danniece Bobeché

Ronnie Narmour

Brent Rourk

Dr. Donna Shaver

Photographers

Miles Merwin

Jeff Dolan

Mary Craft

Office Security/Spillage Control

Riley P. Dog

Editor/Publisher/Spillage Control Supervisor

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

15201 S. Padre Island Drive, Suite 250

Corpus Christi, TX 78418

361-949-7700

[email protected]

Facebook: The Island Moon Newspaper

Port Aransas

Lisabella’s Restaurant

Pioneer RV Park

Stripes @ Beach Access Rd. 1A

Miss K’s Catering & Bistro

Amano

Felder Gallery

Island Woman Boutique

Coast Club

Coffee Waves

Moby Dicks

Party Supply Liquor Store

IGA Grocery Store

Port A Business Center

Carter Pharmacy

San Juan’s Taqueria

Wash Board Laundry Mat

Port A Parks and Rec

Public Library

Chamber of Commerce

Duckworth Antiques

Back Porch

Woody’s Sports Center

Shorty’s Place

The Flat’s Lounge

Giggity’s

Stripes @ Cotter & Station

Gratitude Gift Shop

Keepers Pier House

Where to Find The Island Moon

Port A Glass Studio

The Gaff

Wild Horse Saloon

Tarpon Ice House

North Padre

All Stripes Stores

CVS

Whataburger

Doc’s Restaurant

Snoopy’s Pier

Isle Mail N More

Island Italian

Ace Hardware

Holiday Inn

Texas Star (Shell)

Jesse’s Liquor

Padre Isles Country Club

Scuttlebutt’s Restaurant

Subway

Island Tire

And all Moon retail advertisers

Flour BluffH.E.B.Liquid Town

Whataburger on Waldron

Ethyl Everly Senior Center

Fire Station

Police Station

Stripes on Flour Bluff & SPID

Floyd’s

Letters to the EditorRiley

I have been reading the Riley P. Dog articles to my class...they love them!

Brigette Thompson Fordyce

Riley note: Thank you ma’am. Sometimes my humans have to help me write. I have no thumbs and after a while my nose gets sore from hitting the space bar. I dropped out after first grade and I’ve always wished I had stayed in school. If I had I might not still be begging for my food. Anybody got any catfood?

Bike RideIsland Moon,

Are you allowed to travel from Flour Bluff to The Island on SPID Hwy by bike?

Karen Weis

Editor’s note: The answer is yes Karen, you can but it will be a harrowing ride with traffic whizzing by in close proximity. Just be careful.

On a related note: bike traffic has been increasing on the southbound portion of SPID just north of the Whitecap intersection. The lighting there is poor and there is no bike lane; riders are in the traffic lanes and are also crossing the driveways going in and out of several businesses along that stretch. It is very dangerous and, unfortunately, not likely to get any attention until someone gets hurt – the same thing that happened on Whitecap.

DogsWe cruised over to the Holiday Inn Saturday

afternoon for a few cervezas. We took Dexter, our little Lhasa Apso mix; or, as the wife calls him when he sneaks in a quick poop behind the couch-a Lapso Asso.

That’s when we learned that the joint is under new management. Unfortunately, we were kindly asked to finish our drinks and leave - as in immediately. No dogs allowed.

So this is a friendly heads up to you, Dale. Don’t take Riley P. Dog to the Holiday Inn. Even though it’s outside he might try to sneak in a little quick spillage control and who knows what might ensue.

Robert Danesi

Islander

Editor’s note: The allowing of dogs at the Sandbar has been an ongoing deal Robert. Riley has always enjoyed hanging out there with his humans when he’s allowed; so far he has only been on the collection end of spillage control there. But alas, his kind is no longer allowed. We tie him up on the seawall while we go in but he sets up a howl. Maybe we can appeal to Rick and Jodie for a Good Dog Exception to the rule.

From hanging out in Port A it’s been our observation that the tourists love a place where they and others can bring their dogs since it is something they don’t see back home and it fits with the What Happens on The Island Leaves on Sunday attitude.

Joke of the WeekWhat do you call ten rabbits marching

backwards?

A receding hareline.

Hoppy Easter!

Padre Island Yacht Club

What? He has a garden...Dale,

Is it an inside joke that Mr. Gardner’s name at the head of his column is misspelled with an extra e, or an oversight by the editor? I think his mama would like it spelled correctly.

OTBer who gets the Moon at Beamer’s, thanks to the DDT—Dotson Delivery Truck.

Bill

Editor’s note: While we realize it is customary to spell the names of writers in the publication in which they write correctly, you do realize this is the Island Moon right? How about this - we’ll leave it up to Jay…

ResurrectionMoon,

Last week a local pastor was presenting a children’s sermon and to keep their attention he likes to ask questions along the way. He asked the children if they knew what the resurrection was. It turned out that was not a good idea. A little boy raised his hand........

“I don’t know,” the boy said, “but I do know that if you have a resurrection that lasts more than four hours you are supposed to call the doctor.”

Heidi

Just follow the banners to the Seashore Learning Center Gym on Encantada where exhibitors, from both sides of the Bridge will be available to meet and discuss their services and products. It’s a chance to get your remodeling and home improvement questions answered by the people who know how to do it.

For questions call Mary Lou White over Coldwell Banker at 361-960-9460 or e-mail her at [email protected] We’ll see you there!

. Here is the list of Vendors who will be showing.

Storm Shields of Texas Bodine Scott Hank Svoboda Docks and Decks JMC Architects Cabana Homes Sweet Swirl Padre Island Rental Cleaning Service Shelly Hulse/Starkey Mortgage Corpus Christi Gas Department Corpus Christi Flags/Volunteer Services Council for the Adult Living Center Lone Star Roofing Systems Caren Childers/Premier Nationwide Lending Superglass Windshield Repair Massage Cove Granite Unlimited Concrete Impressions Blue’s Coastal Construction

Showcase continued from A1Keller Williams Linda’s Drapery & Interiors Ambit/Rachel Reed Royal Plumbing Coastal Bend Home Builders Baxter Brooks Real Estate Marine Masters Citrus Solution Carpet Cleaning Budget Blinds Eagle Lock and Key Castle Inspection Agency B & T Rents six booths available

Tour Maps for the 31 Homes that will be open can be picked up at the Vendor’s Show. Homes on Tour are:

14710 Aquarius 14106 Cabana North 13810 Captain’s Row 15269 Caravel 15313 Caravel 15326 Caravel 15205 Cartagena 15217 Cartagena 15349 Cartagena 14427 Compass A12 15125 Crossjack 15713 Cuttysark 15905 Cuttysark 14749 Dasmarinas 14933 Dasmarinas 13545 Ducat

13705 Eaglesnest 14306 Emerald 13845 Flintlock 13821 Mizzen 13502 Port Royal 13925 Primavera 15873 Punta Espada 15962 Punta Espada 15350 Sabre 15414 Salt Cay 1A 14926 Tesoro 14978 Topgallant 15321 Tortuga 13957 Windjammer 15318 Yardarm

five home slots available

Street Maintenance FeeEditor’s note: In the last issue District 4

Council Member Colleen McIntyre wrote an explanation of the proposed street maintenance fee by the City of Corpus Christi. That prompted this question from a reader and the answer from Colleen.

Colleen,

I appreciate your article on the explanation of the street fee in the Island Moon newspaper. I think many of us on the island understand the need for a fee to repair and maintain our streets. Folks on the island use the roads when we go Over The Bridge (OTB) to shop, eat out, and attend events in the city. What bothers many of us is that in everything I have read (Island Moon, Caller Times), does not mention any road on the island getting any attention or upgrade with the funds collected. Again it seems the residents of the lsland will provide a large chunk of change in the assessed fee, but without any attention to the island roads in the process. I’ll agree that most island roads are in fairly good condition, and that attention needs to given to the roads in the worst shape, however neglecting any “direct benefit” to the island does not sit well with many islanders that I’ve talked with about the street fee.

If you ride on the newest road on the island -

the Aquarius extension - the one from the fire station about a quarter mile to the intersection with the old Aquarius - you have a nice new road with a smooth ride. Once you are on the old section of Aquarius (a mile long stretch) it is full of bumps, patched up potholes, small sinkholes, and poor sections with dips. This road has now become a major route for the construction trucks and residents to access Park Road 22, and that mile stretch of road is getting worse. The Aquarius road is now a major access road on the island and I believe should be resurfaced . Doing so would show the island residents some attention given by the city to the roads on the island and soften the street fee’s acceptance by the residents.

If I’ve missed something I apologize ahead, and would like to know just what road or roads are on the “list” to be improved with the collected street fee on the island.

Thanks for your time and consideration. I hope this is an item you can support with the city. Ride the new and old Aquarius road for yourself and notice the difference this would make.

Thanks,

Paul Tressa

Island Resident

Colleen McIntyre’s response and map of projected street repairs on A7

The Island Farmers’ Market sponsored by the Island Presbyterian Church

The market starts at 9 a.m. and not a minute sooner For this week:

Our Little Tree Farm (Erica Baumle) will have: goat cheese (chevre) - chive, rosemary, and plain - I will be bringing a limited amount, so email me @ [email protected] to reserve

carrots

First green beans of the season!

Maybe some small eggplants

I have a lovely white whole-wheat bread that is soft and perfect for sandwiches, and some white whole-wheat French loaves. Quantity is small.

Also – gluten-free peanut butter cookies and brownies.

We look forward to seeing you there! Thanks for your support and spread the word!

yours or to request a different flavor.

Fresh veggies:

broccoli

red lettuce

green lettuce

spinach

Romaine

kale

radishes

1015 onions


Mary Ann McShane, Realtor, GRI, SRESe-mail: [email protected]

Corpus Christi Realty GroupConsidering a move to the Island?

Let me help you find your piece of Paradise - waterfront or interior homes, condos, townhouses, lots

Considering selling your Island Property?

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Selling a home? Want results?

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Thanks Paul,

I’ll send you the map. Nearly 100% of the streets on the island are slated the first three years to receive service (seals and/or overlays) - this is a point for which I am taking much grief, so many people who do not live on the island are very well aware of it.

We will not receive as much of the bond/replacement work, and unfortunately, because

Street Repairs continued from A6these are funded with property tax, we will pay a disproportionate amount. In the 2012 bond, we got Infrastructure replacement near doc’s & Snoopy’s, and upgrades to Billish Park outside of the street plans.

Thanks again for your email and let me know if you have any other questions.

Colleen McIntyre

Corpus Christi City Council - District 4

Dinner served nightly Tuesday thru Saturday

4:30pm-9:30pm Featuring Fresh seafood, New

Zealand lamb chops And much more

The island’s only bloody Mary bar $3.00

Happy hour beginning at 4:30pm

Let us help you plan your beach wedding or gradations Indoor and outdoor dining available for 15 or more

(weather permitting) Let us help you plan your beach wedding or gradations

Indoor and outdoor dining available Call for reservations at 361-949-2500

Located 15605 SPID on the Island

Johnny Ds •

on the island

Easter Sunday Brunch Menu

Served 11:00am-2:00pm

Seashore Students Wins State

Handwriting Contest

We are excited to announce that 4th grader Rachel Huang has been named a State Grade-Level Winner in the Zaner-Bloser National Handwriting Contest. Rachel earned a state winner medallion, an engraved glass diamond award for her Language Arts Teacher, Pam Manganello, and a $200 gift certificate for Seashore to shop at the Zaner-Bloser on-line store. Over 285,000 students participated in this year’s contest! As a State Grade-Level winner, Rachel is now eligible for a National Grade-Level winner title, which will be announced in May. Way to go Rachel!

Islander Recieves Davy Crockett

Award

Colonel (Ret) Paul Tressa and his wife Nancy attended the NGAT (National Guard Association of Texas) and ESGR (Employere Support of the Guard and Reseres) annual conference and awards dinner this past March. Paul retired from military service in 2011 after 40 years of military service. Since retiring Paul works as a volunteer for the ESGR as an employer outreach volunteer in the Corpus Christi area.

Paul was awarded a volunteer certificate for his service this past year by the State Headquarters of the ESGR. He was also awarded the Davy Crockett Award Plaque by the National Guard Association of Texas at the annual Awards Dinner. Pictured is Paul in his dress blues holding the award plaque he received at the formal dinner awards ceremony.Plowing the Michael J. Ellis Seawall

Comptroller’s Office Offers Vital Resource for Corpus Christi Business Owners

Looking for Answers to Their State Tax Questions

On Tuesday, April 9, the Comptroller’s office will offer a free taxpayer seminar in Corpus Christi

from 6 to 8 p.m. The seminar will take place at the Del Mar College Center for Economic Development Office, located at 3209 S. Staples, Room 167.

During the seminar, taxpayers can learn how to properly fill out tax forms, and file and pay taxes electronically. Information about e-services will also be available to help taxpayers manage their accounts online. Comptroller representatives will be on hand to answer questions and provide assistance to attendees.

“We want to empower Texas business owners by making resources and information accessible. Conducting these seminars and making our team of tax specialists available provides guidance for businesses,” said R.J. DeSilva, spokesperson for the Comptroller’s office.

For more information about the seminar, call the Comptroller’s Corpus Christi Field Office at 361-882-1234.

Those who are unable to attend the seminar can call the Comptroller’s tax assistance line at

1-800-252-5555. Tax forms and tax information can also be found on the Comptroller’s website, www.window.state.tx.us. A complete list of locations, dates and times of taxpayer seminars scheduled throughout the state is available at www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/seminars.html.


Senior Moments Who Tells Seniors When to Turn In Their

Car Keys?By Dotson [email protected]

Headlines in the Local Section of the Sunday Caller-Times

“Seniors often need help giving up driving”

The lead paragraph “An 87-year-old woman accused of hitting a bicyclist with her car and fleeing the scene had her license under medical review, pending results of a vision test she took five days before her crash, her lawyer said”

On reading this, my first thought was that this is going to lead to a ground swell of folks trying to stop “seniors” (whatever that means) from driving. I wager that the lady in question has never taken one of our Driver Safety classes. The four hour safe driving courses are taught by well-trained volunteer instructors and the small cost for the course is more than made up for by the materials received and the insurance discount a participant receives upon successful completion of the course. The certificate of completion is good for 3 years of Auto insurance discounts.

By participating in an AARP Driver Safety Program class, a person is taking advantage of an important opportunity to learn how to drive more efficiently and safely. This program is the first and most recognized comprehensive course offered nationwide that is designed especially for the older driver. Specifically, it identifies ways that older drivers can compensate for physical changes that occur as they age. The course provides research based information to help older drivers update their driving knowledge and skill. Most import, the curriculum provides opportunities for you to identify your own individual problem areas and apply the strategies and techniques necessary to improve your driving behavior.

Reaction Time and Driving

Reaction time involves: 1) Seeing and/or hearing something in our environment. 2) Our minds/brains deciding what to do with what we see/hear. 3) Our brains telling our body (arms, legs, etc.) what action to take. The goal is for you to become a better driver as a result of this instruction. It is believed that participants will find it valuable and worthwhile.

To find a class near you, please call 1-888-227-7669

In addition we offer assistance to families who are concerned that a family member should no longer drive. We recognize the importance and benefits of assessing driving skill periodically and review the warning signs of unsafe driving. We help to develop a plan for utilizing other transportation options and identify ways to express concern sensitively about a person’s unsafe driving,

We also offer free the following booklets:

We Need to Talk: Family Converations with Older Drivers

At the Crossroads: A Guide to Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia, and Driving

Dotson’s note: I have been a volunteer instructor in this most worthwhile program for the past 10 years and will be happy to discuss the program with you. Please Email or call me. [email protected] or 361-949-7681.

It’s not too late to sign up for a computer class this spring.

The Del Mar Senior Computer Program is offering the following classes during April and May. You can sign up for a class by calling 361-698-1328. If you have any questions about the program, please call Dotson Lewis at 361-949-7681.

The tuition for one 20 hour class is a whopping four bucks. You are eligible to take any or all of these classes if you have been around 50 or more years. The state of the art class rooms are located on the South Campus of Del Mar College, 3209 South Staples. That is just across Staples from Ray High School.

Here is the April & May 2013 class schedule. Please register soon to insure a seat in the classroom.

Windows 7 Basics

• April 6 - May 18, 2013

• Saturdays; 8:30-11:30 am

• Instructor: Dotson Lewis

Windows 7 Basics

• April 22 - May 6, 2013

• Monday-Wednesday-Friday; 8:30-11:30 am:


• Introduction to the Internet (Emailing & Surfing the Net)

• May 13 - May 27, 2013

• Monday-Wednesday-Friday; 8:30-11: 30 am


We could also use your help as a volunteer instructor (all of our instructors are volunteers).

Dotson’s note: Shown below are the relocation sites for the activities that were being held at the Ethel Eyerly Senior Center. We will keep you posted as to new changes. Call 361-937-3218 for update information.

RELOCATION SITES

Ethel Eyerly Senior Center Activities

For Persons Age 50 and Over

DAILY ACTIVITIES

NUTRITIOUS MEALS SERVED

For Persons Age 60 and Over

AT 11:30 p.m.

($1.50 SUGGESTED MEAL DONATION)

Waldron Baptist Church, 2042 Waldron Rd. (Flour Bluff)

MONDAY-WEDNESDAY-FRIDAY

Silver Haired Fitness-10-11 a.m.

Caribbean Baptist Church-3125 Waldron Rd (Flour Bluff)

MONDAY

Computer Interest Group 12:30-2:00 p.m.

Garden Senior Center, 5325 Greely (Near Cullen Middle School)

Chair Volleyball –12:30 p.m.

Waldron Baptist Church 2042 Waldron Rd. (Flour Bluff)

TUESDAY

Table Games-12-1:30 p.m.


Zumba Gold (Co-Ed.) 10:30 a.m.

($20.00/mo, or $3.00/session)

St. Paul the Apostle Church 2233 Waldron Rd. (Flour Bluff)

Table Tennis– 12:00 p.m.

Garden Senior Center, 5325 Greely Road Dr. (Near Cullen Middle School)

WEDNESDAY

Art Class 1-3 p.m. (TBA)

AARP #4181 @ 1 p.m.

2nd Wednesday @ St. Paul the Apostle Church, 2233 Waldron Rd. (Flour Bluff)

Next Meeting Wednesday, April 10th

THURSDAY

Wii Bowling-12:30 pm -1:30 pm


Table Games- 12-4 pm


FRIDAY

Table Tennis– 12:00 p.m.

Bingo-12:30-1:30 p.m.


Michelle Matthews

Hair Cuts & Color, Waxing, Hair Extensions, Special Occasion Hair, Airbrush Make Up, Feather Extensions

Are you tired of wearing mascara? Do you suffer from black circles of smudged mascara? Do you want to have long beautiful lashes 24/7, even when you swim? Do you want longer fuller eyelashes? If you answered YES to any of these questions, we have the answer..........

XTREME™ EYELASH EXTENSIONS

Michelle is a Master Hair Stylist having learned from the best and having trained top stylists herself. She is an expert Colorist and Make Up Artist, and was the former Stylist and Make Up Artist for Miss Oklahoma.

HoursTuesday‐Friday 10am‐6pm Saturday 9am‐2pm

Walk‐Ins Welcome * Late Appointments Available

14813 S.P.I.D. Corpus Christi, TX 78418

(Next Door to Island Wash) Salon: 361‐949‐4890

www.michellessalon.com

GIFTS CERTIFICATES AVALIABLE

By Riley P. Dog

A nice lady named Brigette who teaches

over at Flour Bluff wrote in to say she has been reading my articles to her class. That makes me happy. Hello everybody in Ms. Brigett’s class. Be sure to do everything she tells you and bring her a treat when you can.

I never got to second grade in Human School though because by the time I finished first grade I turned fourteen in Dog Years and they said I was too old for second grade. But if they asked me to come over and meet the class I would. Especially if they would feed me a hotdog.

I’m on the fourth week of my diet and I’m fading fast but at my weigh in on Tuesday Dr. Christi said I didn’t lose any more weight and my humans started looking at me funny. I heard one of them say that now I’m on Double Secret Probation because they think I’m slipping around and eating catfood. I wish I was. I don’t know why I didn’t lose any more weight this week because my humans have been starving me. I went to the Easter Egg Hunt last weekend and didn’t even get one hotdog even though I weighed more than most of the kids there and they got lots of hotdogs. Some days it just doesn’t pay to be a dog. There was a giant yellow bird there and I bet he got a hotdog and birds don’t even like hotdogs but that bird could talk so maybe he was special – he was Big.

So far I’ve lost four pounds on the human scale and I didn’t make it to second grade and my

Brigette

math is not very good but I think that is more than 1000 in Dog Pounds.

Speaking of Dog Pounds avoid them if you can. I had to spend the night in two and they are not very fun. My first time in a Dog Pound was in Austin after my car hit a mailbox. I wasn’t

driving but I didn’t have any ID so I got Dog Pounded anyway. They gave me my own room but I still didn’t like it. I barked a lot. When my humans got me out I drank a Big Gulp full of ice water and told my human all about it then I passed out and slept for two days.

The next time I got Dog Pounded was when I tasted a nice man working on the Port Aransas Ferry who stuck his hand in my window and the Homeland Security man said I was a threat to the survival of our nation. I’m not sure what that means except that I had to spend the night in the Port Aransas Dog Pound until my humans sprung me the next morning. That one wasn’t so bad but there is no such thing as a good Dog Pound.

The worse thing about Dog Pounds is that most of the dogs in there didn’t do anything wrong except need a place to live. So if you need to get you a dog the Dog Pound is a good place to look because you will find my friends there and maybe you could help them.

Did I mention I’m on a diet? Dr. Christi is taking good care of me and I know I might need to lose a little weight but…me so hungry.

This is my friend who is a Big Bird

Oil and gas lease sale earns $9.2

million for Texas schools

Gulf of Mexico tracts draw renewed interest

with twelve leases awarded

Oil and gas exploration on state lands earned Texas schools more than $9.2 million today at the quarterly Permanent School Fund lease sale.

Private oil companies competitively bid more than $11.5 million to explore for oil and gas on land owned by the state. Permanent School Fund tracts of land — which includes submerged land in the Gulf of Mexico — brought in $9.2 million. The biggest bidder was KEW Drilling, with $3.7 million worth of bids.

Other state agencies’ lands drew the following sums: $2,096,350.61 for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice lands, $130, 911.70 for the Department of State Health Services lands; $65,687.85 fro Texas Parks & Wildlife lands; and $8,124.90 for Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired land.

A total of twelve leases were awarded in the Gulf of Mexico, showing renewed interest in an area that has seen diminishing activity since the Macondo well blowout three years ago.

In the quarterly lease sales held by the General Land Office, oil and gas firms submit sealed bids for the right to drill for hydrocarbons on Permanent School Fund lands. The Permanent School Fund will also earn 20 to 25 percent royalties on any oil or gas produced on the leases.


15201 SPID Ste 200(Behind Prosperity Bank)Sunday Service Times:8:30 - 10:00 - 11:30amwww.bayareafellowship.com

April 7th

Two Sisters VintageVintage furniture, home decor and unique gifts

14457 SPID Suite 111 + 361-949-4644

10%Off

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14457 S. Padre Island Dr. Ste. 107Corpus Christi, TX 78418

N. Padre Island

%10 Off!With this Coupon

Frozen YogurtIt’s A Sweet Life!

10 Flavors of Frozen Yogurt and over 50 Toppings. No-sugar-added & gluten free options

Now Serving Shakeology - The Healthiest Meal of the Day

361-949-1144 www.sweetswirlfrozenyogurt.com

Invitation to All Live Theatre Lovers

The Port Aransas Community Theatre Board of Directors sends an open invitation to attend a matinee performance at the 10th Annual PACT Sandy Awards on Sunday, April 7, at 2:30 PM.

Plan to come celebrate another year of live entertainment. There will be no admission. Surprise presenters will give out the awards; refreshments will be served and entertainment of skits and songs from the past season are planned. The fabulous young cast of “Annie” will sing a song or two from last year’s presentation plus other surprises.

The event will take place in the theater at 2327 Highway 361 in Port Aransas.

I’ll Trade You a Bougainvillea for an

Oleander Keep Port Aransas Beautiful and Parks and

Recreation will be holding a plant swap on Saturday, April 13. It will be from 9-11am, on the Parks and Recreation Department building grounds at 739 W. Ave. A, on the corner of Ave. A & Cut Off Road.

Bring any plants, cuttings seeds, trees, bushes or anything plant related to share with others on the island.

Don’t have anything to share? Come get some anyway and help beautify the island starting at home.

Also at this event, Julie Findley will be gathering glass to take to the recycle event in Corpus Christi on May 11. She will take as much as her truck can hold and transport to CC for recycling.

A group of old Austin musicians ran into each other at the Back Porch in Port A. Woody Lawson, Cam King, Kevin Higgins and Barbara Malteze


COLDWELL BANKER ISLAND, REALTORS 14945 S. Padre Island Dr., Corpus Chris�, TX 78418

(361) 949‐7077 or (800) 580‐7077 www.cbir.com

ISLAND, REALTORS

Padre Island Waterfront. Three bedrooms w/two baths. Loft area on 2nd floor. Deck w/plenty of room for a dock/boatlift. Priced at $274,900. Terry Cox. 13570 Camino De Plata.

Four sided brick w/formal dining! 3/2/2 w/extra parking and large backyard! 13914 Skysail. $185K. Call Shonna 510-3445 to see today.

15125 Crossjack-New construc-tion 3-2.5-2. Split floor plan. Lots of tile. Granite countertops. Cov-ered patio. Fireplace. Gas cook-top. Call Cheryl 563-0444.

25,570 sq.ft. feet int. lot in Coquina Bay. Two story with 4 bdrms-2207 sq. feet- $209,000. Call Dorothy @ 563-8486.

Waterfront 4-3.5-2 on a cul-de-sac. Great view. Fireplace, wet bar, 2 living, office, sideyard. Lots of decking. Moor a sailboat + a boat lift. Cheryl 563-0444.

Mediterranean Beauty—3-2.5-2 East facing patio & deck on large water. Master down. Free flow-ing floorplan. Courtyard entrance. Call Cheryl 361-563-0444.

Great get-a-way. Two bedroom unit completely furnished at Surf-side Condos. Great to use or to rent. Awesome pool, close to beach. Priced at $134,900. Call Terry Cox at 549-7703.

Beautifully Updated 3-2-2 w/multi purpose room. Split bed-rooms. Gas stove. Tile & bam-boo floors. Plantation shutters. Large backyard. Cheryl 563-0444.

New Construction 13917 Sun-tan. 3/2 plus study-2,351 sf. Open, split plan. Granite through-out, crown molding, arches, cov-ered patio. Call Pam Morgan 215-8116.

This two story home sits on over 1 acre of land. Water well with sprinkler system. Four bedrooms with four baths. 3 car garage. Two living & 2 eating areas. Call Terry Cox 549-7703. $379,900.

Immaculate home, sensational courtyard, open floor plan, gran-ite countered kitchen, southeast exposure on a wide canal in Ports O’ Call. Dorothy 563-8486.

WOW! Beautiful home w/attention to design & detail. Span-ish courtyard entry, pool, covered boat lift. Gas cooktop. 14837 Aquarius. Call Pam Morgan 361-215-8116.

13541 Ducat fabulous waterfront home on 75’x120’ lot. 3-4 bed-rooms, 3 full baths, Trex decks. Too many extras to list $549,900. Call Cindy Molnar 549-5557.

1 5 9 0 5 P u n t a B o n a i r e $595,000. 3 bedrooms, 3 full baths, concrete saltwater pool, boat lift, too many extras to list. Call Charlie Knoll 443-2499.

15713 Cuttysark 3/2.5/1 lovely Island home. New roof 2010, new exterior paint 2012. Large yard with room for a pool. Call Laura Wallace (361) 815-2116.

121 Gulfstream $209,900 Beautiful 1st floor unit, ss appli-ances/granite countertop. Updated furnishings. Easy pool/beach ac-cess. Call Shonna 510-3445.

Mediterranean Beauty—Waterfront, new construction by Seaquist. 3-2.5-2. Huge game room. Master down. High impact windows. Still time to choose colors. Cheryl.

Santa Fe custom canal house on Cayo Cantiles with salt water pool, spa + outdoor fireplace. Casual one story living at its best. Call Dorothy 563-8486.

Over 2400 sq.ft. w/4 bdrms, 3 baths, study. Custom cabinetry, granite, French door to patio. New construction on Coquina Bay! $245,000. Beth 779-4943.

Beautiful Golf Course Home! 4/2.5/2, two living, covered patio, crown molding, granite counter-tops! 14006 Rudder Ct. $315,000. Call Shonna today 510-3445 to see.

Looking for Long Term Rental Property? Below are some of our available rentals:

Looking for Professional Long Term Property Management Services? Our services include: Tenant Qualifying Collec�ons of Rents

Coordina�ng Repairs & Maintenance Professional Itemized Monthly Statements

Marke�ng/Adver�sing

13834 Gunwale 4/2.5/2 $2600

15838 Punta Espada 3/2/2 $2400

15861 El Soccorro 3/2/2 $2300

13533 Camino De Plata 4/2.5/2 $2400

Beach Club #214 1/1 $850

13953 Fortuna Bay #2 2/2 $1250

Superior Service, Outstanding Reputa�on since 1999

14945 S. Padre Island Dr. Corpus Chris�, TX 78418

(361) 949‐2131 (877) 269‐2131

www.rentpadreisland.com

www.coldwellbanker.com

Extraordinary canal location/view-highly customized-s/s kitchen with granite and much more-surprises abound-call Dorothy 563-8486.

722 St. Lucy $149,400. 3/2.5/1, 1624 sq.ft. of living area. Two living areas, all bedrooms up, nice landscaping, above ground pool. Charlie Knoll 443-2499.

Tropical Waterfront Dream. Stunning views on lake like canal. Immaculate 1-story, 3/2/2 open plan. Courtyard entrance, pool, lift. Call Pam Morgan 215-8116.

13918 El Soccorro Loop 4 bed-room, 4 bath home with oversized 2 car garage, inground pool, hot tub and boat lift. $675,000. Cin-dy Molnar 549-5557.

16109 Broomsedge. 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2 car garage. 1600 sq.ft. of living area. Tile and granite throughout. Open floor plan. $189,900. Charlie Knoll 443-2499.

Hurry to pick your colors. New construction-13913 Suntan. 4/2.5, split plan. Granite counters throughout, crown molding. $239,000. Call Pam Morgan 215-8116.

13821 Hawksnest Bay new con-struction by Seaquist Homes. 3-2-2 w/multipurpose room. Covered patio. Rocked front + landscaped. Lots of tile. Cheryl 563-0444.

Open Sat April 6th & Sun April 7th 1‐5 pm

Open Sunday April 7th 2‐5pm

14225 Avenida De San Nico The Island’s best kept secret. Unique home on 27,887 sq.ft lot bordering the Wildlife Refuge. $398,000. Call Cindy Molnar 549-5557.

Open Sunday April 7th 2‐5pm

Pride of Ownership in great family home on 1 acre. Updated features & barn for horse. Flour Bluff. 3849 Walking Oaks. $349,000. Pam Morgan.

island moon april 4 2013 section a

Documents

poa office

community events

community associations

overall community

poa executive coordinator

community libraryby

charter school

project counselor