Coastal Scene

4TH QUARTER 2017

Magazine Living & Leisure in the Coastal Bend

HELPING ANY WAY YOU CAN Local teacher swaps books for stove

Where Are My Fish?

Coastal Bend Fishing Changes

Moving Forward Real Estate Across the Bend

School Is In Education Finds a Way

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Table of Contents 12

14

18

ene oastal ScMagazine Volume 5 Issue 4 Winter 2017

Debbie Aylesworth Editor/Publisher debbiea@cbredbook.com

Cynthia Vasquez

In Every Issue: 4 Publisher’s Note 4 7 Calendar of Events 36-37 Business Directory 38 15 From the Cover: 20 25 27 30 33 35 Aransas Pass Teacher Feeds Residents

Residents’ Strength Shines Through Destruction City Managers Offer Update and Outlook

Business & Marketing Consultant office@cbredbook.com

Gary Kuhn Sales Associate office@cbredbook.com

Harvey Brings Changes to Area Attractions Real Estate Market Working on Recovery

School Districts Work Together Replacing the Vegetation After Harvey Walk a Mile in Their Shoes The Idle American Commentary

Living & Leisure in the Coastal Bend

Tina M. Riley Production Manager/ Graphic Designer snobawl@hotmail.com

advertising and distribution

361.790.7106 office@cbredbook.com www.shopcoastalbendonline.com

Coastal Scene Magazine ©2017 is a free publication published 4 times per year and distributed throughout the Coastal Bend. Reproduction in whole or in part without the express written permission from the publisher is prohibited. Coastal Scene Magazine cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of content or opinions expressed by its authors or advertisers. Coastal Scene Magazine office is located at 361 S Commercial, Aransas Pass, Texas 78336.

3

PUBLISHERS NOTE:

F

removed. The faithful workers are working Forty-seven years passed before the Coastal tirelessly – day after day -- picking up Bend communities of Port Aransas, Ingleside, branches, fences, and all the remaining pieces Aransas Pass, Portland and Rockport-Fulton of what were once beautiful coastal homes. were hit by a Category 4 hurricane. Harvey When you see broken homes, you know there smacked us good on August 25 and left are broken hearts. Being thankful to be alive destruction many of us had never experienced. is important but all the “stuff that is just stuff�

Celia hit Corpus Christi and the Coastal Bend Debbie Aylesworth, still has a sting to it when it is blown away. hard in 1970.

Editor/Publisher 7KHUH LV D 37+' WKDW KDV DIĂ€ LFWHG PDQ\ RI No one living here on Aug. 25, 2017 will us. That’s Post Traumatic Harvey Disorder. We will all forget Harvey. be more sympathetic to our veterans and many other who Watching the hurricane make landfall in Rockport suffer from PTSD. Now, we know what it really is. on The Weather Channel is different than hearing We all have learned why we pay insurance premiums it pound your house as those folks who chose to and we wonder, if the state requires us to have windstorm VWD\ H[SHULHQFHG 6HHLQJ LW IRU WKH Âż UVW WLPH IDFH WR insurance. More than one has questioned, “What are their face, regardless of where you were during the actual hurricane was unlike anything we could have imagined. requirements to pay?â€?

This edition will share our progress in moving forward.

Devastation was everywhere. Buildings, homes and John Martel has graciously allowed us to share his EXVLQHVVHV ZHUH À DWWHQHG 7UHHV ZHUH SXOOHG RXW E\ photographs of post-Harvey scenes. It is his photo that we their roots and lay in the streets, on top of homes and used for the front cover. He shared his feelings in a short buildings. article as well. Our thanks to John for his generosity.

The rubble has been cleared away from the streets There are some stories of the spirit of folks who saw but we daily see evidence of debris still waiting to be D QHHG DQG Âż OOHG LW )RU WKRVH RI XV ZKR OLYH KHUH \HDU round, we were touched by the hearts of millions of people across Texas and the entire United States. For instance, my former Lions Club in Canyon, Texas took up collections of more than $2,000.00 to send to the Lions Club in Rockport, though they knew not a soul there, but heard of a great need.

And thank you to the crews who came in and installed utility poles, strung wire and helped restore our electricity, which powered our phones, which powered our internet capabilities and television viewing.

To all the city workers in our small coastal communities, we applaud your endurance and perseverance. We know s !CTIVE 6ETERAN you were affected personally and needed time to clean up -ILITARY $ISCOUNTS your properties, too. Thank you for helping us to restore s &IRST 2ESPONDER ours.

(844-359-7654) $ISCOUNTS 7KHUH DUHQÂśW HQRXJK ZRUGV WR WKDQN Âż UVW UHVSRQGHUV ,W s 'ROUP 2ATES almost was miraculous that only two people died during s 'IFT #ERTIlCATES +DUYH\ 2QH ZDV NLOOHG LQ D KRXVH Âż UH DQG DQRWKHU SHUVRQ was found in the days following August 25.

Recovery will take years but the resilient residents of South Texas are already rebuilding their homes, businesses and lives. We have ridden out the worst of Mother Nature and have a renewed tenacity to build an even stronger future. Join us in our journey of hope, WWW.TEXANWARBIRDADVENTURES.COM optimism and seeing the very best in our fellowman.

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Winter 2017

Residents’ Strength Shines Through Harvey’s Destruction BY

KARLA ABERNETHY

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Technology provides us the ability to see events as they happen. Media allows us to look through windows as news unfolds. Like millions of Americans, I watched on the airwaves as Hurricane Harvey made landfall. The eye of the Category 4 storm passed directly over Rockport and left a path of devastation across the Coastal Bend.

The pictures on the screen showed residences and businesses reduced to rubble. Thousands of buildings were damaged or destroyed. I remember being in awe

of what I was seeing and feeling deep sadness for all those affected. The images were powerful. But, I wasn’t there. Though I did evacuate from Seabrook – near Houston. I was safe in my world. I came back to all I had left as it was. It wasn’t until I ventured to Rockport and the surrounding towns that I truly got the full impact of the devastation left by Harvey.

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blue. Tangled pieces of tin shone in the sun. Trees were snapped. Broken limbs littered yards. In ditches lay snapped poles with wires left dangling IURP WKH IHZ VWLOO XSULJKW $QG LQ WKH Âż HOGV OD\ EDOH after bale of drenched cotton. Rockport to Aransas Pass to Port Aransas to Ingleside, I saw Harveyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impact.

My heart sank. The brokenness around me meant there were broken hearts everywhere. I knew under HDFK EOXH WDUS ZHUH SHRSOH VRPHKRZ WU\LQJ WR Âż QG D way to deal with a new reality â&#x20AC;&#x201C; life was different.

I knew, in some fashion, how they were feeling.

Six years ago, I lost my husband and nearly HYHU\WKLQJ ZH KDG LQ D KRXVH Âż UH /RVV RI OLIH LV WKH ultimate heartbreak but the heartache felt when faced with all loss associated with disaster is tremendous. ,W LV GLIÂż FXOW WR H[SODLQ WKH UDQJH RI HPRWLRQV DQG sorrow experienced when all you have and built is gone.

Though stuff is stuff, it is stuff we have for a reason.

Our homes. Our furniture. Our keepsakes. We acquire things that remind us of people, places and things we want to remember. While many things can be replaced, much canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. The wedding dress that was lovingly cleaned and stored. The china that was passed down from generation to generation and displayed in a cherished late grandmotherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s china hutch. The proudly GLVSOD\HG $PHULFDQ Ă&#x20AC; DJ SUHVHQWHG DW D IDWKHUÂśV IXQHUDO Priceless, irreplaceable possessions.

In an instant, Harvey came ashore taking as it went and changing lives and landscapes.

Boats were tossed in trees and buildings. Trees no longer stood tall but were fallen, broken. Front yards ZHUH Âż OOHG ZLWK GHEULV Âą OLPEV PL[HG ZLWK PDWWUHVVHV and sheet rock and couches. Tin that once covered a home lay twisted and mangled. As I try to write this,

, VWUXJJOH WR Âż QG ZRUGV WR FRQYH\ ZKDW , VDZ 6RPH things must be seen by your own eyes to completely grasp the feelings.

Then, my eyes opened to a beauty that comes out of such ugliness. Amid what seemed insurmountable devastation, resilient people were rising. Businesses reopening. People going to work. Lights turned on in homes. Harvey knocked communities down but, slowly and with great determination, they are getting back up. Everywhere I went, people were smiling, putting one foot in front of the other and moving forward.

There is no doubt Harvey shook the area to its core and the road to complete recovery is long. But, there also is no doubt that the Texas coastal communities will recover and in bigger and better than ever Texas style. Harveyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s power was great but the inner strength of the people of the Coastal Bend is greater! #CoastalBendStrong

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Winter 2017

Local City Managers Offer Post Harvey Update and Outlook

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Destruction on Aug. 25 happened in a matter of hours. Recovery will take time. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our goal is to come out of Hurricane Harvey stronger than before it hit,â&#x20AC;? said newly appointed Aransas Pass City Manager Gary Edwards. His Âż UVW GD\ RQ WKH MRE ZDV $XJ 7KH &RDVWDO %HQG enters the long-term recovery phase.

Harvey hit the Coastal Bend Aug. 25 as a Category 4 hurricane. Winds and rain pounded Port Aransas, Rockport-Fulton, Aransas Pass, Ingleside and all points in between. Thousands

of people evacuated the area though fast moving Harvey left little time to gather belongings and get out of the stormâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s path. In less than three days â&#x20AC;&#x201C; MXVW KRXUV Âą +DUYH\ JUHZ IURP D UHJHQHUDWHG tropical depression to a major Category 4 hurricane with winds over 130 mph.

The eye of the storm passed over Rockport and

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slowly moved east across South Texas before going back into the Gulf of Mexico then turning to make landfall again Aug. 30 near Cameron, La. The Coastal Bend was at the end of the summer â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are open! tourist season. And, though Our doors are many businesses in the opened, and you popular tourist destination are welcome here!â&#x20AC;? areas remain closed as they clean up debris and look - Gary Edwards, to reconstruction, Edwards Aransas Pass City Manager said â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are open! Our doors are opened, and you are welcome here!â&#x20AC;?

Aransas Pass businesses such as HEB Grocery, Loweâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Home Improvement, Wal-Mart and several locally owned establishments are back in operation.

In Rockport-Fulton, more than 300 of the 1,000 plus businesses, hotels and restaurants have reopened. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We were hit hard. But I have seen nothing but optimism,â&#x20AC;? Mayor Charles Wax said. He stated that he knows of just one business not planning to

reopen. :LWK D Âż QDQFLDO EDVH GHSHQGHQW ODUJHO\ RQ WRXULVP DQG Âż VKLQJ OHDGHUV DQG EXVLQHVV RZQHUV KDYH D determination to restore and rebuild.

The Rialto Theater in Aransas Pass is open and having events such as Fabulous Fridays and First Saturday Concerts. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are doing all we can to help get the community on their feet and provide an outlet for them to escape a bit,â&#x20AC;? said manager Karen Froeschner.

In Port Aransas, 90 â&#x20AC;&#x153;We were hit percent of businesses were hard. But I have damaged. Though many remain closed, each day seen nothing but sees an opening or signs optimism.â&#x20AC;? of rebuilding. Jeffrey - Charles â&#x20AC;&#x153;C.J.â&#x20AC;? Wax Hentz, president of the Mayor of Rockport Port Aransas Chamber of Commerce and Tourist Bureau reported the hope was that 30 percent of businesses on the island ZRXOG UHRSHQ E\ &KULVWPDV DQG SHUFHQW E\ VSULQJ break.

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Winter 2017

According to Diane Probst, president of the RockportFulton Chamber of &RPPHUFH Âż YH KRWHOV in Rockport-Fulton are open with all expected to be operational by August 2018. Twenty percent of beach home rentals are open.

Probst stated Rockport-Fulton sustained millions of dollars in property damage. Structures destroyed by Harvey include the Aransas County courthouse, The Aquarium at Rockport Harbor, Rockport Center for the Arts, and VFW Hall. All beach front event sites QHHG UHSDLU 3UREVW VDLG %XW ZRUN LV XQGHU ZD\ WR Âż [ and get all operational as quickly as possible.

Forty RV Parks in the Rockport-Fulton area are operating and ready for more than 1,500 winter Texans still expected to arrive in the coastal paradise town.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;They will be here helping us clean, volunteering,â&#x20AC;?

Probst said. And, the seasonal residentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; presence will assist the economy as they eat at restaurants and shop at local businesses.

At The Palms RV Park in Aransas Pass, all winter residents are expected to return. â&#x20AC;&#x153;No winter Texans have canceled,â&#x20AC;? said Manager Clara Boyle. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In fact, we have a long waiting list.â&#x20AC;?

7KH 3DOPV 59 3DUN KDV VSRWV +DUYH\ OHIW RVs turned over, 40 RVs were a complete loss due mainly to water damage, 90 percent of the fence surrounding the park was destroyed and all park buildings sustained roof damage.

All residents of the park at the time Harvey made landfall had evacuated. Most have returned, many now with a new RV rig.

Check out our upcoming events: â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 70th Annual Shrimporee June 8 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 10, 2018 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Hotties on the Harbor â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Taste of Aransas Pass â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Custom & Classic Car Show Sat. Sept. 6th

Living & Leisure in the Coastal Bend

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Âł:H RQO\ KDYH Âż YH YDFDQFLHV ULJKW QRZ There are a lot of new trailers. By Nov 1, we will be full,â&#x20AC;? Boyle said.

With the help of staff, residents and volunteers, the Palms RV Park is repaired. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So many people came down with truckloads of supplies. We had more help than we needed,â&#x20AC;? park owner Ed LaPointe said. There were people going from RV to RV making sure no one was trapped, others helping stand up fallen RVs and others bringing food and water, he said.

Overall in Aransas Pass, Hurricane Harvey caused several million dollars in property value loss. More than 200 homes and businesses were marked as complete losses. The city was without power, water and cell service for 2-3 weeks, with some outages and issues still arising periodically. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our services are up and running,â&#x20AC;?

Edwards said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We can have glitches but are moving along relatively smoothly.â&#x20AC;?

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water tower. The elevated water tower collapsed and must be replaced, Edwards said. Funds are in place and the city manager stated the replacement tower will be FRPSOHWHG LQ PRQWKV $ WHPSRUDU\ Âż [ LV LQ SODFH LQ WKH interim.

Along the roads of RockportFulton, Aransas Pass and other area communities, debris lies in piles waiting for removal.

As of late October, one million cubic yards had been removed from the Rockport-Fulton area and nearly 400,000 cubic yards from Aransas Pass. Debris is taken to designated areas where it then is processed and removed. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The landscape in Rockport has been changed,â&#x20AC;? said Wax. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have a lot of vegetative debris. We are making good progress,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is the safety and SV\FKRORJLFDO FRQFHUQV 7KHUH LV WKH Âż UH KD]DUG DQG danger that goes with so much debris. And it is a reminder every day that we had a catastrophe.â&#x20AC;? So, work will continue as quickly as possible.

As communities slowly pick up the pieces and work to achieve a sense of â&#x20AC;&#x153;normalcy,â&#x20AC;? Wax reminds people that â&#x20AC;&#x153;we are in a marathon not a sprint.â&#x20AC;? It will take time.

Edwards said he anticipates it will take Aransas 3DVV DSSUR[LPDWHO\ Âż YH \HDUV WR IXOO\ UHFRYHU %XW KH reiterated that â&#x20AC;&#x153;we are open.â&#x20AC;?

Community leaders did state that visitors should be aware that accommodations may be limited, and attractions may be closed or have limited hours.

For residents, an area of concern is housing. With so many people displaced, the communities are facing a housing shortage. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In order for a community to thrive, you need housing,â&#x20AC;? Wax said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We do have a critical shortage of affordable housing. We are examining every possible alternative.â&#x20AC;? )(0$ DQG *HQHUDO /DQG 2IÂż FH DUH ZRUNLQJ ZLWK cities to help with temporary housing. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is very important to keep people in a

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Winter 2017

community,â&#x20AC;? Edwards said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are people still out of town who need to get back. The longer they stay out, the less chance they will come back. We want to work to get them back.â&#x20AC;?

Though the road to recovery is long, there is a determination to stay the course and rebuild the Coastal Bend. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We will bounce back,â&#x20AC;? Probst said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is amazing how resilient our community members are.â&#x20AC;?

Harvey was the strongest hurricane to make landfall on the Coastal Bend since Hurricane Carla LQ 6HSWHPEHU ZLWK HVWLPDWHG GDPDJHV RI RYHU $190 billion. Harvey remained a named storm for 117 hours after landfall making it the longest remaining named storm after landfall on record, according

to Colorado State University tropical scientist Dr. Phil Klotzbach. The storm dumped the heaviest amount of rainfall recorded in the United 6WDWHV ZLWK inches near Nederland and record rainfalls causing massive Ă&#x20AC; RRGLQJ LQ WKH +RXVWRQ area and across South Texas.

The only other Category 4 storm of record to make landfall near the Coastal Bend area ZDV WKH ,QGLDQROD +XUULFDQH RI $XJXVW WKDW devastated the town of Indianola, a bustling port before two hurricanes in 11 years left it a ghost town.

The 2017 Hurricane season ended in November and was among the top 10 all-time most active seasons on record, according to The Weather Channel.

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Storm Brings Changes but Does not Diminish Areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Beauty â&#x20AC;&#x153;ACTION CENTRALâ&#x20AC;?

Photo by John Martell

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What a roller coaster ride itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been since Hurricane +DUYH\ UDYDJHG RXU TXDLQW Âż VKLQJ YLOODJH 8S DQG down, down and up.

Day -1, Aug. 24. The Thursday night before the

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storm we evacuate to stay with good friends in New Braunfels, two hours and 45 minutes away from Rockport. We have all followed storm preparation protocol; we secured windows with storm shutters and moved what we could to higher ground, as major Ă&#x20AC; RRGLQJ KDV EHHQ SUHGLFWHG +DYLQJ QR Âż UVW KDQG experience of the aftermath a natural disaster like Harvey brings, I have packed three pairs of shorts and a few shirts. I am certain I will be back home by the end of the weekend to start cleanup. Little do I know it will be 18 nameless, endless days before Rockport is deemed â&#x20AC;&#x153;habitableâ&#x20AC;? enough for residents to return.

Day 2, Aug. 25. Harvey makes landfall. We spend the night glued to the television, trying to get a sense of the damage. The following day, none of us leaves the house. The news is on in the background, but our heads are buried in our phones and tablets, scouring the internet for videos posted by residents who sheltered in place. We are all desperate to know the fate of our homes, and I am anxious to see my JDOOHU\ 2XU IULHQG 0LNH Âż HOGV D SKRQH FDOO ZLWK news of his houseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s status: the roof will need repair, but things seem to be okay otherwise. Our neighbor calls to say he drove past the front of our house, and things look good. I am optimistic. Then someone Âż QGV D FOLS WDNHQ IURP D WUXFN GULYLQJ GRZQ 6RXWK $XVWLQ 6WUHHW DQG , UHSOD\ D Âż YH VHFRQG UHHO DJDLQ and again. In the grainy footage, I almost can see my galleryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s storefront, and it seems like the damage may be bad. My heart sinks, but I am stuck. The

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Winter 2017

roads are impassible, and there is nothing any of us can do except wait.

Day 5, Aug. 29. My ÂżUVW WULS EDFN 2K P\ After seeing so much coverage on television, I think I am prepared to face the reality in person.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not. The destruction is overwhelming, disorienting, even worse than I had envisioned. The ÂżUVW VWRS LV RXU KRXVH $OO windows and doors on the side facing Aransas Bay have been blown out, leaving glass, debris and water everywhere. I can already smell the mold. A 12-foot wooden beam from the restaurant across the street has sailed through our roof.

There are holes in the sides of the house from other Ă&#x20AC;\LQJ SURMHFWLOHV , DWWHPSW WR ZUDS P\ KHDG DURXQG what this means for our family, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s too much.

Enough of this, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s go see my gallery. It has been absolutely destroyed. Tears. A tornado has collapsed a long wall and more than half of the roof. Tens of thousands of dollars worth of art is buried in debris.

This is not at all what I was hoping for!

Day 18, Sept. 11. Finally, we can return. Rockport once again has electricity and water, and a neighbor has graciously offered us her home to use while ours is under construction. Despite what I have seen during my many trips back, I have spent the past weeks consumed by how I will return to capture beautyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;not destructionâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;with my camera. I know it will be there.

The sun will still rise and set. The clouds will continue

â&#x20AC;&#x153;SOARINGâ&#x20AC;?

Photo by John Martell

to paint the sky. I just have to see my favorite pier. The decking is gone but the pilings remain. In a strange sort of way the beauty is still there. And oh, what a story this pier now has to tell.

So, here it is, almost the end of October. We have made some progress. We will, hopefully, be able to move back into our house by the beginning of November. Our kitchen, which was demolished, will now be better than ever. A reward for our emotional tumult and practical inconvenience. My gallery remains another storyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a real-word tale. An inadequate insurance offering has left the owner of the building needing to hire engineers, lawyers and private adjusters. It will take time.

I dream that my gallery will rise out of the rubble and be rebuilt in the exact location where it once Ă&#x20AC;RXULVKHG , GUHDP WKDW 5RFNSRUWÂśV VWDWXV DV D premiere tourist destination will return, and that our WRZQ ZLOO Ă&#x20AC;RXULVK OLNH QHYHU EHIRUH ,I +DUYH\ KDV taught me anything, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s that in the face of a nightmare, \RX KDYH WR NHHS RQ GUHDPLQJÂŤ

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Area Residents Rise to the Challenge of Harvey’s Destruction

P

BY

JULIE CLARK

Portland resident Laverne Melody is known for her good deeds around town. When Harvey hit, Melody got busy, organizing food and donations to Aransas Pass even though she had no electricity in her own home for ¿ YH GD\V “We started on a Tuesday after the storm,” Melody said. “HEB was open, but with a very limited selection. I was able to only use a fryer and still no refrigeration, so I bought eggs and cheese and tortillas. We made egg and cheese breakfast burritos and we had extra, so I rolled them up in tinfoil, and with some of my kids’ friends, we ventured out to help people.”

Melody and her team fed people in Aransas Pass and Gregory and didn’t overlook the linemen who worked 15-hour days to restore power, with limited food supplies of their own.

“We gave them breakfast burritos and bottled water,” Melody said. “The smiles on their faces were fantastic.”

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Over the next few days, Melody and her friends and family, armed with supplies donated from Facebook requests, made hundreds of meals for hungry people across Harvey’s path. By Wednesday she was in Gregory, then Ingleside.

“The devastation was everywhere,” Melody said. “We saw elderly people sitting on their porches. We gave them food and talked with them about their situation and asked how we could help. No one had electricity or water, but the lineman and workers were working as best as they could so it was just a waiting game,” she said.

“We went to the poorest of locations, like the housing authority projects and found mainly elderly left behind.

“We continued on and fed as many people as we could,” Melody said. “We had four cars and we continued up and down the streets calling for people to come out and they sure did. They were so grateful. We told them we would keep coming out.”

Melody and her team did this for days after the storm, often up before sunrise packing up cars and trucks with food, ice and, most of all, a shoulder to lean on.

Food supplies were left on Melody’s porch while she was away... eggs, tortillas, bacon and Spam. Two of the ladies on Melody’s team daily made hot breakfast burritos with supplies they bought themselves, even WKRXJK WKH\ DUH ERWK RQ ¿ [HG LQFRPHV “I could go on for days about who we helped and what we did,” she said. “Every day we would have new people who wanted to join us. It was such a great feeling helping so many. For a few days we did ice runs and passed out 20-24 bags of ice in under 20 minutes.

We took a truck and lots of ice chests and people really needed ice at this point. I tell ya I have the most wonderful friends a girl could ask for.”

Laverne Melody may not leave a legacy that is recorded in history books, but she certainly has a legacy in the hearts of many people in the Coastal Bend.

Scene

Winter 2017

Conn Brown Harbor - Aransas Pass

Hurricane Harvey Changes Area Attractions

I

BY

KARLA ABERNETHY

In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, many of the Coastal Bend attractions closed due to sustained damage. As repairs are made or other accommodations found, status of the areas, events and attractions may change.

Below is a list of the status of some of the areas attractions.

Ingleside &RYH 3DUN ORFDWHG RQ )0 JRLQJ WRZDUG WKH ED\ sustained damages and is being repaired. Ingleside on the Bay has a public boat ramp and is included in the park which is located on Ebony and Woodhaven.

Whitney Lake is a 50 plus acre project which includes several bird watching areas, extended docks over marsh areas, observation platforms and many other amenities. It is undergoing repairs.

Aransas Pass Conn Brown Harbor, the home port for dozens of VKULPS WUDZOHUV ZKLFK Âż VK WKH *XOI RI 0H[LFR DQG helped Aransas Pass earn the title â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Shrimp Capital of the World.â&#x20AC;? The Harbor did sustain damage, but the harbor is open to visitors.

Seamanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Memorial Tower, structure is dedicated to WKRVH Âż VKHUPHQ ZKR ORVW WKHLU OLYHV DW VHD ,W LV ORFDWHG on the point of the southern end of Conn Brown Harbor. The Tower sustained a lot of damage. Extent of

repairs and timeline to be determined.

Veteranâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Memorial Park at the intersection of McCampbell and Maddox in Aransas Pass. Park is damaged and in need of repairs.

The Rialto Theater, a gallery and live theater, sustained some damage but repairs were completed and the theater is open. There is a year-round event

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schedule in place, full of eclectic performances in the 98-seat theater, fronted by the gallery and lobby for art exhibits. Area artists and supporters of the theater maintain the period attractiveness of the Rialto.

Check the Calendar of Events in this edition of Coastal Scene.

Port Aransas Damage was extensive in Port Aransas. The beach has been cleared. Many of the businesses and attractions sustained damage or were destroyed. Rebuilding has begun with some businesses reopening. A list is maintained at www.portaransas.org.

The ferry from Aransas Pass to Port Aransas is open.

Rockport The Texas Maritime Museum, designated as the Maritime Museum of the State of Texas featuring Texas history from exploration and settlement to boatbuilding and shipbuilding to sports and FRPPHUFLDO Âż VKLQJ LV FORVHG IROORZLQJ GDPDJH sustained from Hurricane Harvey.

The History Center for Aransas County focuses on the history of those men and women, who founded, settled, and developed Aransas County. The Center is closed but is expected to rebuild.

Copano Bay State Fishing Pier, a 5.9-acre State

Port Aransas Ferry

3DUN ORFDWHG Âż YH PLOHV QRUWK RI 5RFNSRUW LQ $UDQVDV County, has been closed permanently. The decision to FORVH WKH SLHU ZDV PDGH E\ RIÂż FLDOV SULRU WR +XUULFDQH Harvey. The pier was deemed structurally unsafe.

Fulton Mansion and Education and History Center â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The mansion sustained extensive damage from Hurricane Harvey when the roof peeled away taking the chimneys. The mansion sustained major water damage. Most of the contents in the mansion had been secured and removed prior to the hurricane. The mansion will be closed until further notice.

The Education and History Center is open and IUHH WR WKH SXEOLF &DOO IRU KRXUV RI operation.

Rockport Center for the Arts, a state-of-the-art main gallery, was destroyed but indications are that it will be rebuilt.

Goose Island State Park and The Big Tree are only

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minutes north of Rockport-Fulton in historic Lamar. The park is closed but staff is working to have the park open by beginning of the year. It is possible the boat ramp and some areas of the park may open for day use by the end of the year.

The â&#x20AC;&#x153;Big Treeâ&#x20AC;? is still standing.

The â&#x20AC;&#x153;Big Treeâ&#x20AC;? at Goose Island State Park was named the State Champion Coastal Live Oak (Quercus virginiana) LQ DQG LV WKRXJKW WR EH RQH RI WKH largest in the nation. The â&#x20AC;&#x153;Big Treeâ&#x20AC;? statistics: Â&#x2021; 7UXQN &LUFXPIHUHQFH 35 feet 1 and 3/4 inches or 10.71 meters Â&#x2021; $YHUDJH 7UXQN 'LDPHWHU 11 feet 2 and 1/4 inch or 3.41 meters Â&#x2021; &URZQ 6SUHDG IHHW RU PHWHUV Â&#x2021; +HLJKW IHHW RU PHWHUV Â&#x2021; $JH ,Q H[FHVV RI \HDUV Aquarium at Rockport Harbor overlooks Aransas Bay and the harbor. The Aquarium building was destroyed. Plans are to rebuild.

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sunrise to sunset daily. The pier is open. The Visitor Center is closed until further notice, including the lobby and restrooms. The Big Tree trail is temporarily closed. The Big Tree observation deck/ ÂżVKLQJ DFFHVV ZDV GHVWUR\HG

Austwell Aransas National Wildlife Refuge is one of the oldest in the United States and is the winter home of the Whooping Cranes. The park is open. Visitors should bring their own water. The auto tour is open

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A bent rod always draws attention but a triple hook up brings cheers. Keith Helfrich, retired U.S. Army, his family and service dog Mo celebrated their first saltwater fishing trip by catching limits of redfish and trout.

Photo by Titelines Guide Service Capt. Anthony DeLeon

Fishing is Great in Spite of Storm

H

BY

ANNITA WEST

Hurricane Harvey blew into the Coastal Bend on August 25, 2017 with a fury. The maximum wind gusts of 140-150 mph over the Rockport area and storm surge as the eye wall made landfall brought destruction to all the middle Texas Coast.* Homes, businesses, roads, boats and piers were damaged or GHVWUR\HG EXW WKH ¿ VK LQ WKH ED\V DQG WKH *XOI RI Mexico are still there.

The heavy rains of the hurricane caused freshwater runoff which poured into the bays. This changed the salinity of the bays just like the wave action had redesigned the sand bars and uprooted vegetation.

'HEULV IURP ODQG VWUXFWXUHV À RDWHG LQWR WKH VKDOORZ waters to join metal and wood from piers no longer VWDQGLQJ DQG ERDWV QR ORQJHU À RDWLQJ As cleanup and rebuilding began on land, lifting boats from harbors, private boat slips, marinas and FKDQQHOV FRPPHQFHG )HZ ¿ VKHUPHQ ODXQFKHG their boats from the available ramps except the

18

oastal

SURIHVVLRQDO ¿ VKLQJ JXLGHV DV WKH\ H[SORUHG WKHLU ³RXWGRRU RI¿ FHV´ VHDUFKLQJ IRU ZKHUH WKH ¿ VK ZHUH located.

Capt. Ryan Ford with Rockport Kayak said paddlers do not need boat ramps and most of the kayak launch spots remain in usable condition. The destruction of many piers makes it faster for a paddler to get to some of the spots.

Capt. David Dupnik with Surrender at Sunrise ± )ORXQGHU *LJJLQJ 7ULSV ZDV GLVDSSRLQWHG DW WKH EHJLQQLQJ RI 2FWREHU ZLWK WKH QXPEHU RI À RXQGHU KH ZDV ¿ QGLQJ +H VDLG KH WKRXJKW WKH GHFD\LQJ vegetation and extremely high tides at that time DFFRXQWHG IRU GLI¿ FXOW\ ¿ QGLQJ WKH À DW ¿ VK Capt. Ford said some of the shallow cuts in the marshes have been washed out from two feet to four feet and it will take more time to get a full picture of the terrain changes under the surface. He also is QRZ ¿ QGLQJ JDU GLVSODFLQJ WKH UHG¿ VK LQ VRPH RI WKH shallow regions where the salinity levels have been lowered due to the increased fresh water runoff.

Warnings have been issued for local waters which

Scene

Winter 2017

Photo by Capt. Billie Kocian

Anyone on the water needs to watch for storm debris to avoid damage to the boat or injury to boaters.

urge boaters to remain alert as they travel through the bays and channels. It is not unusual for debris to FRQWLQXH WR EH VHHQ Ă&#x20AC; RDWLQJ Capt. Billie Kocian said she and Capt. Mike Kocian KDYH EHHQ ÂłUXQQLQJ WKH Ă&#x20AC; DWV´ VR WKH\ NQRZ ZKHUH LW is safe to go and what to avoid.

7KH Âż UVW IURQWV KDYH DUULYHG DQG WLGHV DUH UHWXUQLQJ to normal as October comes to an end. Capt. Dupnik

LV QRZ Âż QGLQJ WKH Ă&#x20AC; RXQGHU VR KLV FOLHQWV DUH UHDFKLQJ WKHLU OLPLWV &DSW )RUG VDLG DOO WKH Âż VKHULHV DUH UHERXQGLQJ DQG WKH VL]H DQG QXPEHUV RI Âż VK DUH returning to normal. Âł7KH Âż VK DUH ELWLQJ DQG ZH DUH JHDUHG XS UHDG\ WR JR :H DUH ORRNLQJ IRU SHRSOH WR FDWFK WKHVH Âż VK maybe that could be you,â&#x20AC;? said Capt. Ford. * (http://www.weather.gov/crp/hurricane_harvey)

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Real Estate Market Strives to Recover

W

BY JULIE CLARK

While some local realtors and brokers say the Coastal Bend real estate market will take years to recover from Hurricane Harvey, others say it’s never been a better time to buy a house. Elizabeth Martin, managing broker at Eling Coastal Real Estate in Rockport, said inventory across the Coastal Bend is down, and will stay down until more houses can be repaired and put on the market.

Rockport Mayor Charles “C.J.” Wax reported earlier in the month on Facebook that a third of the town had been destroyed and up to 35 percent

of businesses in Rockport will never be rebuilt.

Closed sales in Rockport for August and September were down 83 percent, according to the Rockport Housing Report. Only about 300 businesses out of approximately 1,300 in Rockport have reopened since Harvey slammed into the Texas coast.

According to the mayor’s Facebook feed, Wax and three other mayors of affected Coastal Bend communities spoke at a discussion in Victoria late last month, hosted by the Texas Tribune. Port Aransas Mayor Charles Bujan told the panel that

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75 percent of the homes there were either severely damaged or destroyed.

There is no question these communities were devastated, but Martin said realtors in particular need to be patient. The real estate market will recover, but slowly.

“I think we are going to lose a lot of realtors.

Contractors are in short supply, and it’s going to take a lot of time, patience and money before the market rebounds,” Martin said. The Real Estate Center estimates that 185,000 houses in the Coastal Bend have been damaged or destroyed.

That could mean higher sale prices, a boon for sellers.

Storm-weary homeowners by the thousands are still working with their insurance adjusters to secure money to rebuild and repair damaged homes. Harvey’s 400-mile path of destruction also means building supplies are in short supply, while prices are being pushed up. Homeowners and contractors are competing with dozens of apartment complexes also damaged in the storm to ¿ QG VXSSOLHV DQG VNLOOHG ODERU 5HDO HVWDWH UHVHDUFK ¿ UP &RUH/RJLF HVWLPDWHV GDPDJH WR KRPHV LQ WKH

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70 affected counties in Texas and Louisiana will end up costing $25 billion to $37 billion.

Suzee Hays, a REALTOR® with Century 21 Lee Real Estate in Portland, says smaller towns in outlying areas will have a tougher time rebuilding after the Hurricane, but those communities could come back stronger than ever.

“In the aftermath of the hurricane, Rockport and Port Aransas, Refugio and Woodsboro will be slower to revitalize

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due to the extensive damage,â&#x20AC;? Hays said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The infrastructure of these towns was dated and the repair from Harvey will update them in many ways. This will be a blessing, but it will be a long-time coming to our rural communities. The most important thing that we can do as a community is support businesses that are up and running, even if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s buying an energy drink or gas from a gas station in Aransas Pass...it all helps to rebuild the economy,â&#x20AC;? said Hays.

She also said there is still a diverse inventory of homes for sale. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I would say now is a good time to buy,â&#x20AC;? Hays said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Due to the devastation of the storm, we have less inventory than before, therefore the prices of what we do have are on the rise. The storm precipitated moves from people who were already considering a move. This simply motivated them to do it now. We still have an inventory of homes. Some of them need a great deal of TLC, but there are many skilled laborers coming into the marketplace who have the ability to do the repairs.

This goes for home sellers as well. Supply and demand and common sense will dictate this.â&#x20AC;?

Shirley Gallagher, owner/REALTORÂŽ with Texas Coast Property Myers Gallagher, said she sees a real estate boom in the next year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The South Texas real estate market is likely JRLQJ WR ERRP RYHU WKH QH[W PRQWKV ´ Gallagher said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When Celia hit in 1970, our EURNHUÂśV UHDO HVWDWH RIÂżFH KDG VL[ FRQWUDFWV ZRUNLQJ Two months later they had over 200. We are expecting a very similar scenario after Harvey.

3RUWODQG VKRXOG UHFRYHU ÂżUVW WKHQ ,QJOHVLGH DQG Aransas Pass, followed by Rockport and Port Aransas. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rockport and Port Aransas were the hardest hit and it will be years before they completely recover.

Businesses are re-opening every day. Things are returning to more of a sense of normalcy here.

Phone service is still an issue because so much of the cable was damaged.

However, we have our cell phones so it is not an issue like it was with Celia.â&#x20AC;?

Like Hays, Gallagher said now is a good time to list a home. â&#x20AC;&#x153;After homes are completely remodeled, the prices will start to rise again. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good time to buy if you are looking for a good deal, and it is also a good time to list if you want to sell quickly. A lot of the individuals that were tenants will revert to buyers EHFDXVH RI WKH JRRG ÂżQDQFLQJ WKDW LV DYDLODEOH ZLWK ]HUR down. Hogan Homes is starting a new subdivision with 325 new home starts. We will also have a huge number of apartments available soon. They are undergoing remodeling efforts and will be available for the renters to return.â&#x20AC;?

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Students from Damaged Campuses Continue Education in Neighboring Communities

T

BY JULIE CLARK

Thousands of students in the Coastal Bend area had just begun a new school year when a historic hurricane disrupted lives and learning.

On Aug. 25, Category 4 Hurricane Harvey made landfall leaving a path of destruction across the area.

The eye of the storm directly impacted RockportFulton with winds up to 134 miles per hour.

More than 3,300 students enrolled at Aransas County Independent School District had been in classes just one week when they received news on $XJ WKDW VFKRROV ZHUH FORVHG LQGHÂż QLWHO\ ACISD includes the communities of Holiday Beach, Lamar, Fulton, Rockport and northern Aransas Pass.

Each of those communities were devasted by Harvey. $OO Âż YH FDPSXVHV WKH DXGLWRULXP DQG DGPLQLVWUDWLYH RIÂż FHV DV ZHOO DV DWKOHWLF IDFLOLWLHV RI the ACISD sustained damage. The ACISD Education Foundation reported that Texas Risk Solutions estimated damage of facilities, materials, remediation and temporary needs of the district would cost more than $54 million, with cost to the district after insurance estimated at nearly $2.5 million.

Work on ACISD facilities began almost immediately. Fulton Learning Center, Rockport-Fulton High School, Rockport-Fulton Middle School and Live Oak Elementary were able to begin classes in early October. Little Bay Primary is expected to open after winter break.

Though areas of each school may not have been FRPSOHWHO\ Âż QLVKHG VWXGHQWV DQG VWDII ZHUH EDFN LQ the classroom after a 40-day break.

The story was similar for Aransas Pass ISD and Ingleside ISD. Ingleside ISD sustained estimated damage of $1.2 million to campuses but classes resumed Sept. 21.

Each campus of Aransas Pass ISD had various degrees of damage.

The most at AC Blunt Middle School.

The middle school had extensive damage and is not anticipated to reopen until mid-November.

Other campuses opened in October. Because of the temporary closing of one campus, the district did some rearranging to accommodate the student population. Sixth and seventh grade students were moved to the elementary campus and eighth graders attended classes at the high school. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s education and well-being are DOZD\V RXU Âż UVW SULRULW\ ´ ZURWH $3,6' ERDUG PHPEHU Victor Galvan on the APISD Facebook page. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t an easy process but one that we will conquer together.â&#x20AC;?

While campuses were closed for repairs, district administrators from ACISD and APISD encouraged parents to enroll students in neighboring districts.

Ingleside took in some students from the two districts once its classes resumed. Gregory-Portland ISD took

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in more than 1,700 students and seven more districts opened their doors to displaced students as well.

Once the impacted districts resumed classes, students were able to re-enroll in their home district.

Many were expected to return, but since many families were displaced following the loss of homes and jobs due to Harvey, there were students who remained at other districts.

Reports from Port Aransas ISD showed many students attending Flour Bluff schools in Corpus Christi.

Parents and students also had to consider that even though students may have attended classes, they would still have to follow the extended calendars of their home district if they chose to return.

ACISD cited in an update on their website that VWXGHQWV VWLOO EHQHÂż WHG IURP WUDQVIHUULQJ WR RWKHU districts in the interim, â&#x20AC;&#x153;enrolling elsewhere has been in the academic best interest of ACISD students.â&#x20AC;?

According to APISD Superintendent Mark Kemp, enrollment was estimated to be 80-85 percent after Thanksgiving. At a chamber meeting in Aransas Pass, .HPS VDLG KH ZDV WROG WR H[SHFW RQO\ RI WKH districtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s students and he was thankful to report they

KDG RYHU UHWXUQ WKH Âż UVW ZHHN +H QRWHG LW FRXOG take at least a year to get back to where enrollment numbers were pre-Harvey.

Texas Education Agency did waive some required classroom time due to the natural disaster, but district calendars did have some adjustment.

ACISD reduced Thanksgiving break to Thursday and Friday only and added 35 minutes to the end of each school day. The last day of classes for the 2017/18 school year remains May 31, 2018. Other districts made similar adjustments.

Aside from brick and mortar, employees and students also faced the loss of supplies from computers to pencils. Districts even adjusted school dress code knowing that many students were making do with bare essentials and donated clothing.

As preparations to get back to the business of educating were under way, donations arrived from across the country.

Northside ISD, one of the largest districts in San Antonio, provided every student in APISD with a EDFNSDFN Âż OOHG ZLWK VXSSOLHV 2WKHU VFKRRO GLVWULFWV businesses and communities have donated paper, OLEUDU\ ERRNV DQG RIÂż FH VXSSOLHV

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Winter 2017

Weathering the Storm and Rebuilding the Land

W

BY

CHRISTY TINSLEY -ILFREY

While the rest of the world has moved on, those of us lucky enough to live in the Coastal Bend are still reeling from Hurricane Harvey. Our unexpected houseguest left quite a mess: nearly three-quarters of all structures in Aransas County were destroyed or damaged beyond repair.

Approximately 30 percent of the structures in Rockport alone will not be rebuilt. Some of us have lost our homes or jobs; some have lost everything.

Many friends and neighbors have relocated elsewhere, and businesses we had come to depend upon have either not yet reopened or decided not to reopen at all. Of all the losses, perhaps the most SDLQIXO ZHUH WKH WUHHV VSHFLÂż FDOO\ RXU EHORYHG Live Oaks. Numerous iconic symbols were uprooted, damaged or stripped of their leaves. The DSRFDO\SWLF ODQGVFDSH LQ WKRVH Âż UVW FRXSOH RI ZHHNV after the storm came to represent the inner turmoil and distress many of us felt and continue to endure.

Resuming a sense of normalcy is integral to our collective healing. For me, surrounding myself with plants has helped me to carry on with a positive attitude, despite the seemingly endless repairs to my KRPH DQG Ă&#x20AC; RRG GDPDJH WR P\ SURSHUW\ 1R PDWWHU that my gardens are still overcome by â&#x20AC;&#x153;Harvey Pondâ&#x20AC;? or that I must wear rainboots to walk across my front yard: caring for my plants reconnects me to life before the storm and gives me hope for the months to come.

We spent the day before the storm moving plants out of our nursery to â&#x20AC;&#x153;higher ground,â&#x20AC;? a sandy area beneath the canopy of our slice of Live Oak Redbay IRUHVW $IWHU QHDUO\ WKUHH IHHW RI UDLQ ORFDO Ă&#x20AC; RRGLQJ and hurricane-force winds, our plants were washed RYHU E\ UHFRUG KLJK Ă&#x20AC; RRGZDWHU 7KH WUHHV IHOO RQ and around them. Nearly two months after Harveyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s VXUSULVH YLVLW , Âż QDOO\ ZDV DEOH WR UHDFK WKLV SLOH of plants. I expected a total loss but was ecstatic to Âż QG DOPRVW KDOI ZHUH DOLYH 1RW SUHWW\ EXW DOLYH Some were actually presentable enough to take to

The Gardens Photo by Christy Tinsley-Ilfrey

market labeled as â&#x20AC;&#x153;hurricane-proof plants.â&#x20AC;?

It would be easy to conclude that falling Live Oaks caused much of the structural damage, or that they make up much of the organic debris left behind.

In truth, the Live Oaks protected our structures from further destruction. They took the brunt of the howling winds in a way that other trees, namely palms, cannot sustain. Sure, we lost a lot of Live Oaks, but only a small percentage of our pre-storm

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27

Texas Star Hibiscus

American Beautyberry

Southern Wax Myrtle

Photo by Christy Tinsley-Ilfrey

Photo by Christy Tinsley-Ilfrey

Photo by Christy Tinsley-Ilfrey

population.

As we continue our recovery process, we will naturally look to replanting our landscapes and gardens. Here are some suggestions for restoring the Coastal Bend: 1. American Beautyberry â&#x20AC;&#x201C; deciduous (sometimes), shade-loving shrub, part of the Live

&OHDQ 3RUWDEOH 5HVWURRPV &RQVWUXFWLRQ Â&#x2021; 3DUWLHV 7UDLOHU 8QLWV Â&#x2021; &RPIRUW 6WDWLRQV 7UDLOHU +ROGLQJ 7DQNV 6HSWLF 3XPSLQJ 6HUYLFH

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Oak understory. Berries in fall attract birds. Native people made mosquito-repellent from the leaves.

Jams and wines can be made from the berries but, DV ZLWK DOO ZLOG IRRGV Âż QG UHFLSHV IURP UHSXWDEOH sources before consuming. (My favorite website is www.eattheweeds.com.)

2.

Southern Wax Myrtle â&#x20AC;&#x201C; evergreen, shadeor sun-loving shrub, part of Live Oak understory. $WWUDFWV EXWWHUĂ&#x20AC; LHV $VWULQJHQW SURSHUWLHV 3.

Coralbean â&#x20AC;&#x201C; evergreen, shade- or sun-loving ODUJH VKUXE SDUW RI /LYH 2DN XQGHUVWRU\ 5HG Ă&#x20AC; RZHUV in spring attract hummingbirds.

4.

Scarlet Sage â&#x20AC;&#x201C; tender perennial, sometimes annual that reseeds easily. May grow in shade or sun. Stands 18-24â&#x20AC;? tall when mature. Blooms VSRUDGLFDOO\ WKURXJKRXW WKH \HDU 5HG Ă&#x20AC; RZHUV DWWUDFW KXPPLQJELUGV DQG EXWWHUĂ&#x20AC; LHV 5.

Buttonbush â&#x20AC;&#x201C; deciduous, shade- or sunloving shrub, part of Live Oak understory. DroughtDQG Ă&#x20AC; RRG WROHUDQW &RWWRQ EDOO VKDSHG EORRPV DUH SRSXODU ZLWK VHYHUDO VSHFLHV RI EXWWHUĂ&#x20AC; LHV DQG ELUGV *XOI &RUGJUDVV Âą HYHUJUHHQ IXOO VXQ GURXJKW DQG Ă&#x20AC; RRG WROHUDQW 6XUYLYHV FRPSOHWH immersion in fresh or saltwater for extended periods RI WLPH 6XUYLYHV Âż UH GDPDJH 6SLN\ UHHG OLNH foliage. Makes lovely hedge or backdrop for colorful SHUHQQLDOV :KLWH VSLNHOHW EORRPV DWWUDFW EXWWHUĂ&#x20AC; LHV *XOI 0XKO\ Âą IXOO VXQ GURXJKW DQG Ă&#x20AC; RRG tolerant, though it will succumb to inundation. Green in growing season, tan in winter. But in fall, a cloud of pink cotton candy-like blooms steals the show.

Bird attractor.

)D[ Â&#x2021; LQIR#VNLG R NDQ FRP 28

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Scene

Winter 2017

8.

Coral Honeysuckle â&#x20AC;&#x201C; prefers sun and well-draining soil. Excellent for adding greenery to narrow spaces by growing on a trellis or cattle-panel fence. Tube-shaped blooms attract hummingbirds.

9. Texas Star Hibiscus â&#x20AC;&#x201C; full sun, dry to boggy soil. Native east of Coastal Bend along the Gulf Coast but is not exotic-invasive in our area. Grows well with Gulf Cordgrass and Gulf Muhly in conditions that are sometimes dry, sometimes wet.

5HG VWDU VKDSHG Ă&#x20AC; RZHU DWWUDFWV KXPPLQJELUGV 10. Live Oak â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Plant these for your children and grandchildren, and to honor the trees for their protection. In the hierarchy of the forest, Live Oak is the ruling species. Its underlings are: Redbay, Yaupon holly, Southern wax myrtle, American beautyberry, Dwarf palmetto, Coralbean, Coastal and Silver Bluestems, Turkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cap, Sweet *ROGHQURG 6FDUOHW 6DJH 3DGUH ,VODQG 0LVWĂ&#x20AC; RZHU a shade-loving sedge, and Greenbriar.

Nature will always prevail. Instead of feeling resentful or attempting to tame its awesome power, we can heal by collaborating to restore local beauty.

Before the storm, our views were of majestic Live Oaks and colorful coastal prairies. The plants are rebounding now; so will we.

Scarlet Sage Photo by Christy Tinsley-Ilfrey

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Buttonbush Photo by Christy Tinsley-Ilfrey

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Living & Leisure in the Coastal Bend

29

Aransas Pass Teacher Feeds Residents Days After Storm

BY JULIE CLARK

T

Three days after Hurricane Harvey Th parts of the South Texas coast, ddestroyed t Aransas Pass High School English teacher Amanda Carr was back at work. She swapped her damaged classroom for her mother-in-law’s mobile RV and tackled feeding hundreds of Aransas Pass folks with the same bright, dimpled smile she greets her students with each morning.

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Carr and her volunteerfriends fed hundreds of people in Aransas Pass over the course RI WKDW ¿ UVW week postHarvey... no power, no water, no outside help...people emerging from their devastated homes looking for a cup of hot coffee, and a shoulder to lean on.

Folks in Aransas Pass came to daily depend on Carr and her crew of volunteers from Corpus Christi and Kerrville to be where they said they would be each morning, at the Church’s Chicken parking lot. Meals included rice and beans, spaghetti, chicken soup, chili pie, starting off the days with pastries and breakfast tacos. There was never any leftovers.

“It’s how we could help,” Carr said, “and we all need to help, especially now.”

Carr said she saw not a community beaten down by Harvey, but a town that was in the early days, and still is, tight-knit and anxious to rebuild.

“I saw some of my students while we were

Scene

Winter 2017

feeding folks and it was good,” Carr said. “They were happy to see a face they knew and it was good to see them and know they were ok.”

Carr’s crew made two meals the Tuesday after Harvey, three on Wednesday, three on Thursday and throughout WKDW ¿ UVW ZHHNHQG +HU WHDP SRROHG WKHLU PRQH\ WR EX\ supplies and also received donations from folks keen to help. Most days Carr took her boys with her. Ten-monthold Tristan was in a sling on her back, papoose-style, while six-year-old Braylan passed out water bottles in 100 degree heat.

“Everyone was just so grateful,” she said. “They were tired. It was so hot, the houses with water damage were getting musty already. There was no power, hardly any cell reception and no running water. It was exhausting for them. Some people had to have someone at their house at all times so they wouldn’t be looted.”

After a week, other relief groups began to show up and Carr gave away her crew’s remaining supplies and went home to spend time with her boys. Carr now is back in her classroom at Aransas Pass High School. The town still has a long recovery ahead but Carr knows Aransas Pass will emerge stronger than ever.

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Winter 2017

Walk a Mile in Their Shoes

O

BY DIANE PROBST, CCE PRESIDENT/CEO, ROCKPORT-FULTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Over this last eight weeks, we have all experienced so much more than we would have ever imagined. This also is the case for the leadership of our community. Split second decisions had to be made. Compromises in every way of life along with long hours of deliberations, reviewing results, altering and adjusting decisions and whatever it took to steer our community the best way possible.

All of this while many of us dealt with the destruction of our own personal property. It was said many times â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s okay, guys and JDOV ZH DUH Ă&#x20AC; \LQJ WKLV SODQH ZKLOH EXLOGLQJ itâ&#x20AC;? ... hang on...we will get through this... The vast majority of our local leadership had never experienced a natural catastrophe and certainly not of such magnitude. Electric power within two weeks, running water during the day, food on every FRUQHU Âż UVW UHVSRQGHU DVVLVWDQFH at your beckoning and call, and volunteers coming out of the woodwork.

Chronicling each day after the hurricane, it is amazing to look back. The Emergency Operations Center met twice daily to receive reports from department heads, strike teams and updates from Texas Task Force One. Texas Task Force One was sent in within hours after the storm to begin assisting local government leaders with what they needed; from equipment to fuel to emergency care. This coupled with the numerous

ÂłDQJHOV´ ZKR GURYH LQ RU Ă&#x20AC; HZ LQ WR DVVLVW RXU community was amazing but it took servant leadership to manage the chaos.

Servant leadership places the needs of others in high regard. It is constructive, persistent and motivating. A servant leader sees the big picture and permeates all areas of the culture of our community. With that in mind, how would you fair? How would you hold up? How would you handle yourself? These are questions we all need to ask ourselves before we lay blame or start speaking negatively. Just because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not done the way you think it should be or itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not fast enough for you, remember there is a reason.

Things are being done a different way from how one would do things does not equate to the wrong way. In my experience, when I question why, the answer given explains it. Nine times out of 10, the reason given is logical and having known the facts I would have probably made the same decision.

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s face it, sometimes we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to hear the answer given.

Now, it is time to move on. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to take a look around you and help where you can.

Blaming someone for what has happened to you is not going to help. We have to stand together and stand strong. We are all strong leaders and will get through this better than we had it before.

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all think about servant leadership and place the needs of others in high regard. That means from the poorest person who suffered great loss to the person whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s material things were not damaged - we were all affected by Harvey.

If you are about to write or speak a negative comment about someone...Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time you walk a mile or two in their shoes. This is a time for us to be emotionally supporting of one another.

Living & Leisure in the Coastal Bend

33

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Winter 2017

THE IDLE AMERICAN: That Little Light of Hisâ&#x20AC;Ś COMMENTARY BY DR. DON NEWBURY

F

I anticipated arrival in Richardson by no ODWHU WKDQ D P D IXOO KRXU EHIRUH EUHDNIDVW The plan looked good on paper, and could have worked to perfection. Thanks to F several days, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve started off For â&#x20AC;&#x153;that little light of hisâ&#x20AC;?, (and my reasonably humming a certain tune extracted from JRRG UHĂ&#x20AC; H[HV LW GLGÂŤ memories of Vacation Bible School ***** days. (At times, I have broken into song, 7KH GULYH ZDV FRPSOHWH 7KH WUDIÂż F but retreated quickly to humming--or RQ ,QWHUVWDWH +LJKZD\ ZDV H[WUHPHO\ sometimes whistling--upon my wifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s light. Soon I would see signs for US 75 mention that a continuance of the off-key north. noises, however joyful, threatens to ruin A mile or so ahead, I could see taillights of a her day.) couple of cars. Suddenly, perhaps 15 yards in front of 0LQH LV D PRGLÂż HG YHUVLRQ RI Âł7KLV /LWWOH /LJKW of Mine.â&#x20AC;? A more accurate title would be â&#x20AC;&#x153;That Little me, I saw the tiny illumination of a vehicleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dome light. The unlighted vehicle was stopped, most of it in Light of His.â&#x20AC;? the very lane in which I was driving.

Such tiny illumination in the darkness pitched The lone occupant of the car had just opened around 5 a.m. on a recent Saturday morning the door, thus activating the dome light. I quickly SUHYHQWHG D VHULRXV DFFLGHQWÂŤ swerved to the left, barely avoiding him as he ***** I was en route to Richardson, where several attempted to exit. The car would have been in total hundred members of Texas Lions Clubs were darkness without the tiny dome light glimmer. gathered to observe the 100th anniversary of their Instead of seeking the exit to Richardson, I could founding in Dallas. The men and women of Lions well have been exiting life. Later, I remembered my International were festive. They asked me to help cardiologistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s warning to avoid bleeding, since Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve waken them with a talk at the 7 a.m. hour. been on blood thinner for years, and to stay a good If there is a next time, my wife and I will GLVWDQFH DZD\ IURP DQ\ FDU DFFLGHQWVÂŤ opt to accept their invitation to drive over on ***** Friday afternoon to join them for a banquet and a Composure was gathered upon my arrival at the good nightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rest in the hotel before the speaking hotel, and the Lionsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; merry-making seemed to soothe assignment. nerves. Further, I could feel my brows unfurrowing.

Foolishly, we declined, both dreading the I told a few stories that were new to me, and got SURVSHFW RI EXPSHU WR EXPSHU WUDIÂż F WKDW LV LQHYLWDEOH by with others Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d told many of the members at an when millions of workers crowd all freeway lanes on earlier convention.

WKHLU ZD\ KRPHÂŤ One fable concerned the awakening of a lion and ***** a gazelle in darkest Africa. They were only a few It was decided that I could arise at 3:15 a.m. yards apart, the former thinking if it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t outrun Saturday, dress leisurely and begin a drive to the slowest gazelle that day, starvation would loom.

5LFKDUGVRQ DURXQG /LWWOH WUDIÂż F ZDV H[SHFWHG And the gazelle wakened with the realization that if so some thought-gathering while driving seemed it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t outrun the fastest lion, it would be table fare. probable. (My wife Brenda, who has endured my 7KH PRUDO" %RWK JRW XS UXQQLQJÂŤ speeches several hundred times, opted to â&#x20AC;&#x153;sleep inâ&#x20AC;? at ***** home. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in the crowd that professes it has nothing Dr. Newbury is a speaker in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. against mornings, unless they begin at an ungodly Inquiries/comments to: newbury@speakerdoc.com. Phone: 817447-3872. Web site: www.speakerdoc.com. Twitter: @donnewbury. hour.)

Living & Leisure in the Coastal Bend

35

This following is the best available information at time of publication, subject to change as result of Hurricane Harvey.

Rockport-Fulton

Rockport-Fulton (CONT’D)

DECEMBER 1 * 10 AM-9 PM Rockport Tropical Christmas and Celebration of Lights

FEBRUARY 10 * 10 AM-4 PM Bountiful Bowl and Clay Expo

A day of free family-friendly fun in the Downtown Heritage District and Rockport Harbor Area. Activities include birding seminars, kids’ events, arts and crafts, live entertainment, pet costume contest, Christmas tree decorating contest, children’s ornament workshop, giant kite display and pictures with Tropical Santa. The day will conclude with an illuminated parade and fireworks.

bountifulbowl.org Rockport-Fulton High School Commons $5 admission

DECEMBER 2-3 * 1-5 PM Christmas Tour of Historic Homes aransashistorycenter.org History Center for Aransas County * 801 E Cedar * Rockport Ticket information available at Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center.

Purchase tickets at Chamber of Commerce or any tour venue.

Take a trip in time when you visit seven of the areas, historic homes.

Docents will be in vintage dress appropriate to the home. They will greet visitors and provide commentary of historical facts about the homes and owners. Featured homes are: Rockport – Shivers-Barnard Home * 717 N. Magnolia, Heritage Place * 412 N Live Oak, Mullenax-O’Malley Home * 1035 N Magnolia, Hill-Daniel Home * 1039 N Magnolia and Bruhl-Paul-Johnson Home * 801 E Cedar; Fulton – Pfister Home * 504 Fulton Avenue and Fulton School Museum * 205 7th.

FEBRUARY 16-19 911 Never Forget Mobile Exhibit and First Responders Weekend Rockport-fulton.org Festival Grounds at Rockport Harbor * 101 Seabreeze Drive 911 Never Forget Mobile Exhibit will arrive Thursday.

Exhibit will be open 10 am-6 pm Friday, 11 am-7 pm Saturday and 12 noon – 6 pm Sunday. Free admission.

Everyone is invited to participant in a weekend dedicated to the men and women involved in the events of 8-11-01 and to today’s first responders. The weekend will include the mobile exhibit as well as ceremonies and special events each evening.

Portland

DECEMBER 9 * 6:30-9 PM (TENTATIVE) Christmas Lighted Boat Parade Little Bay

DECEMBER 2 * 1-5 PM Christmas Tour of Homes

DECEMBER 10 * 2-4 PM Holiday Symphony by the Sea

portlandtx.org Portland Community Center * 2000 Billy G Webb Drive There will be a raffle, bake sale and refreshments at the Community Center 1-5 pm. From 1-4 pm, tour the featured homes in Portland – 332 Pebble Beach, 106 Oakland Hills, 1349 Bayview Drive and 2400 Memorial Parkway and in Taft – 9089 Country Road 2226. Tickets are $20.

Fulton Mansion State Historic Site 317 Fulton Beach Road * Rockport

DECEMBER 13-14 Christmas In Fulton 402 N Fulton Beach Rd For more information, call 361-729-2388

DECEMBER 14 * 5-7 PM Christmas Chamber Mixer Northshore Title * 101 Cedar Drive

36

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Winter 2017

This following is the best available information at time of publication, subject to change as result of Hurricane Harvey.

Aransas Pass $%#%-"%2 s !&4%2 35. 3%4 !2/5.$ 0Yacht Club Lighted Boat Parade aransaspassyachtclub.org Watch the lighted boats as they move through the harbor. The parade route will begin in Conn Brown Harbor somewhere opposite of the boat ramps in the main part of the harbor. They will circle the harbor two or three times depending on time and the number of boats. The boats when will proceed up the east side of the harbor past the docks at Redfish Bay Boathouse and turn port then circle by the judges twice and on to the south end of the harbor where they will head out of the harbor. Then, boats will turn South under the bridge to proceed up the ICW, past Bay Harbor to the Hampton’s Landing Channel, and turn into the channel. The parade will continue to Pelican Cove, go through the flood gates and proceed down main channel to the large turning basin concluding the parade route.

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$%#%-"%2 s *!.5!29 s &%"25!29 First Saturday Concert Rialto Theater s 327 Commercial St Doors will open at 6 pm. Music will begin at 7:30 pm. A different musical genre will be featured each at each event.

$%#%-"%2 s 0Art Show Opening Rialto Theater s 327 Commercial St Artists show will feature 10-12 artists. The evening will begin with an artists reception tentatively set to begin at 5 pm followed by the show opening at 6 pm. The Saturday Concert will begin at 7:30 pm.

Living & Leisure in the Coastal Bend

37

REAL ESTATE (CONT’D) Coldwell Banker The Ron Brown Company Jen Rubinowitz 361-332-1230

ACCOUNTANT/CPA

FESTIVALS/EVENTS

(See ad page 13)

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Leslie Ratliff 205 Green Ave, Taft 361-528-3583

LaMardi Gras Lamar, 361-877-7191

MAGAZINES

Coldwell Banker The Ron Brown Company Darcy Zaricor 361-332-9683

(See ad Page 15)

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FLIGHT ADVENTURES ADVERTISING Coastal Bend Redbook Directories Coastal Scene Magazine Digital Billboard 361 S Commercial, Aransas Pass 361-790-7106 (See ad pages 32, 37)

Texan Warbird Adventures Flysnj4@gmail.com 1-844-FLY-SNJ4 (See ad page 4)

COLLEGE EDUCATION Del Mar College 101 Baldwin, Corpus Christi 361-698-1247 (See ad page 26)

GLASS Evins Glass Service 101 NPID @ Bear Ln, CC 361-884-3995

GOLF CARTS Smitty’s Golf Carts 1540 W Wheeler, Aransas Pass 361-226-1478

The Bead Studio 812 Henderson St., Rockport 361-450-1400 (See ad page 19)

BED & BREAKFAST Anthony’s By the Sea Bed & Breakfast 732 S Pearl, Rockport 361-729-6100 (See ad page 8)

CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE Aransas Pass Chamber 130 W Goodnight, Aransas Pass 361-758-2750 (See ad page 9)

CONVENTION & EVENT CENTERS Aransas Pass Civic Center 130 W Goodnight, Aransas Pass 361-758-0009 (See ad page 10)

San Patricio Fairgrounds 219 W 5th Street, Sinton 361-364-9580 (See ad page 31)

DERMATOLOGY Padre Dermatology Dr. Ryan Rogers 5920 Saratoga Blvd, Ste 540, Corpus Christi 361-993-0234 (See ad page 17)

GUN SALES & SERVICE * " 'UN 3ALES 116 S Fulton Beach Rd, Fulton 361-205-3000 (See ad page 14)

HEATING & A/C Airboss Texas 361 S Commercial, Aransas Pass 361-851-4444 (See ad page 6)

INSURANCE Farmers Insurance Bart Floerke 1605 US Hwy 181, Portland 361-643-6500 (See ad page 7)

MARINA

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OFFICE PRODUCTS

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Farmers Insurance Brian Niemann 508 S San Patricio, Sinton 361-437-4646

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Texas Coast Property 109 W Wilson, Aransas Pass 361-758-7534 (See ad page 21)

RESTAURANT

PORTABLE TOILETS

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Skid-O-Kan 622 McBride, Corpus Christi 361-883-6642

Redfish Willie’s Waterfront Grill 322 Huff Street Aransas Pass 361-758-9000

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PRINTERS

ROOFING

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SIGNS & MORE

REAL ESTATE

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CENTURY 21 Lee Real Estate, Inc. Pat Fenton 2527 Highway 361, Suite #B Ingleside 361-332-9496

CENTURY 21 Lee Real Estate, Inc. Debra Hester 2527 Highway 361, Suite #B Ingleside 361-563-4600 debralhester@yahoo.com (See ad page 23)

Coldwell Banker The Ron Brown Company ROCKPORT: 361.729.4044 INGLESIDE: 361.776.3550 (See ad page 22)

Russell Insurance 0ORTLAND s #ORPUS #HRISTI s #ORPUS #HRISTI s

Coldwell Banker The Ron Brown Company Misty Ash-Kuhn 254-855-7957

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Farmers Insurance Roxanne Swierc 904 Memorial Pkwy, Portland 361-643-6264

Eling Corp Coastal Real Estate 1602 Hwy 35 N, Rockport 361-729-3424

The Fisherman’s Daughter 3714 FM 1069, Aransas Pass 361-226-3736

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Farmers Insurance Alex Hinojosa 361 S Commercial, Aransas Pass 361-758-7971

(See ad page 22)

(See ad page 32)

Nevill Document Solutions 226 S. Enterprize PKWY #136 Corpus Christi, 361-882-6482

(See ad page 29)

BEADS & MORE

Coastal Scene Magazine 361 S Commercial, Aransas Pass 361-790-7106

Redfish Bay Boat House 322 Huff Street Aransas Pass 361-758-9000

(See ad Page 2)

38

INSURANCE (CONT’D) TWFG Insurance Services Angelina Guajardo 406 S Commercial, Aransas Pass 361-226-3501

Scene

(See ad page 30)

SHUTTERS & WINDOW COVERINGS Academy Window Coverings 4303 S.P.I.D., Corpus Christi 361-852-6088 (See ad page 12 )

Texs Storm Shutters 361 Commercial St, Aransas Pass 361-861-5325 (See ad page 11)

STEEL Industrial Piping & Steel 333 45th Street, Corpus Christi 361-884-1677 (See ad page 39)

TELEPHONE DIRECTORIES Coastal Bend Redbook Directories 361 S Comercial, Aransas Pass 361-790-7106

Winter 2017

INDUSTRIAL PIPING AND STEEL CO. 4( 34 s #/2053 #(2)34) 48

(361) 884-1677 &AX s % MAIL SALES IPS CC COM

WWW INDUSTRIALPIPINGANDSTEEL COM

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS IN THE BUSINESS! Focusing on quality, service and safety we have cultivated strong business relationships with our customers.

We are a full-service steel center and a premier rebar fabricator in South Texas.

We have #3 through #10 rebar in Import & Domestic.

Also housed is structural steel and pipe in carbon and galvanized. With our computerized machines we can handle any job to meet your needs.

We also specialize in anchor bolts, accessories, and embed plates.

#ONTRACTORS s /ILlELD -AJOR #ONSTRUCTION &OR EFlCIENCY YOU CAN EMAIL PLANS OR DRAWINGS TO US AND OUR IN HOUSE DETAILER WILL PROVIDE A QUOTE OFF OF THEM

Call us â&#x20AC;¦ We look forward to doing business with you and servicing your steel needs.

Living & Leisure in the Coastal Bend

39

241 Coastal Wildwood Drive COASTAL REAL ESTATE

Find Your Place on the Coast!

STUNNING NEW CONSTRUCTION! 4 bedroom + study or 5th bedroom 3.5 bathrooms. Large 2 car garage.

17.69 secluded acres of beautiful oaks. 2 Private PONDS. &XVWRP KLJK HQG ÀQLVKHV DQG appliances. Soaring ceilings and huge insulated windows with views of expansive wooded acreage. $875,000

506 SIERRA SOUND

Residential, Waterfront, Farm & Ranch, Investment and Commercial Properties

1602 Hwy. 35 N. ROCKPORT, TX 78382

361-729-3424 www.ElingCoastal.com Margaret A. “Missi” Thomas, Broker Elizabeth Martin, Managing Broker

We have many more beautiful properties available. Please stop by our RIÀFH DQG YLVLW ZLWK RQH RI RXU DJHQWV ELIZABETH MARTIN Managing Broker (361) 205-4442 emartin@elingcoastal.com LUXURIOUS COASTAL CUSTOM HOME featuring One Hundred Eighty Six feet of trophy trout yielding premium canal front. Bahia Bay EDFN\DUG OLYLQJ LQ WKLV ÀVKHUPDQ·V paradise; a gem in the Coastal Bend. 3 Bedroom, 4 bath, 3200 sq. ft. with two Master Suites. $ 739,000

JENNIFER BRADSHAW (713) 269-7942 jbradshaw@elingcoastal.com

KEITH HAMILTON (361) 215-3028 khamilton@elingcoastal.com

DAVE FOUNTAIN (361) 205-1867 dfountain@elingcoastal.com

MARK LAUER (361) 463-8305 mrlauer@aol.com

MELISSA DIAZ (361) 386-0707 mdiaz@elingcoastal.com

ANNA ROBERTSON (361) 790-6457 arobertson@elingcoastal.com

DAYSPRING Property, Enjoy beautiful waterfront bay views from you own living room, or sit on the front deck relaxing in the bay breezes. This beautiful historic 4 bedroom, 3 bath home on 1.75 acres could be yours, priced at $1,800,000.

An additional .68 acre waterfront lot is available for an additional $475,000.

Winter 2017