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April 10, 2014
The only Island in Texas with more renegade pigs than deep sea charters.
Around The Island
By Dale Rankin editor@islandmoon.com
Wilber’s Day Off
Friday was just such a day. Wilber made his move early from his place over near the Packery. Known to many Islanders familiar with his roaming predilections, they keep an eye out for Wilber just in case. He soon was spotted by a neighbor as he explored the row of Brazilian pepper trees near the County Park but when he heard his name called Wilber ducked for cover and was next seen having a romantic encounter with an electrical power box; several encounters. It wasn’t Wilber’s first rodeo; he knew where the fun was. After some intimate time with the electrical box Wilber went underground. His whereabouts unknown for almost an hour during which time his Day Off took him somehow across SPID and onto Aquarius. There remains speculation he was headed for the liquor store but Wilber is not talking.
That’s Wilber he’s alright As Wilber made his way leisurely through the neighborhood he was spotted by another Islander who had not until then made Wilber’s acquaintance. She didn’t know his name which made Wilber nervous as she approached and he took off down Jackfish in search of mythical Island truffles. By this time word of Wilber’s Day Off had reached the Island Moon office and a picture of the wandering pig was posted on theislandmoonnewspaper page on Facebook and the reply came swiftly. “Oh, that’s Wilber. He’s an Island pig. He’s alright.” But there was still the problem of how to get Wilber back home. To the rescue came the man known for years as a friend to Island animals; our own Guy Davis. As Guy made his way to the scene the Moon phone was abuzz with the latest reports of Wilber’s journey; “He just went through a backyard on Emerald. Now he’s headed back down Jackfish and a dog is barking at him. Looks like he’s headed for Whataburger, no wait, he stopped at a construction site to check a trash can. Don’t yell at him,” someone advised, “it makes him nervous.” Another said, “Don’t let him near your electric box whatever you do!” Wilber was having a big day running amok on the north end. Finally the call came from Guy, “Hey you started this come over here and help me catch this pig.”
Three rounds of Pig Wrangling By the time we arrived at the yard on Jackfish round one was over and Wilber had won. Guy got a good hold but Wilber dragged him through
Around continued on A5
Schlitterbahn Panorama
Next Publication Date: 4/17/2014 Facebook: The Island Moon Newspaper
Sandfest!
Island on the Move
First Quarter Sales Highlight Robust Real Estate Market
After a cool and blustery weekend the Chamber of Commerce Weather has kicked in and looks to be good for this weekend’s SandFest in Port Aransas, at least until Sunday. When Friday broke windy and warm on our Island Wilber saw his chance. Wilber, for those who don’t know him, is an Island pig of moderate girth and mild temperament with a wandering eye. Every once in a while Wilber likes to bust loose for a day of Big Pig Fun roaming around his island and exploring its many Pig Delights.
Photo by Steven Pituch Year 17, Issue 521
By Mary Lou White marylou@baxterbrooks.com We have passed the first quarter of 2014, already. During those first three months, 114 properties closed on Padre Island and 92 properties closed on Mustang Island that had been listed on our MLS system. Private transactions would have been in addition to the following figures.
Padre Island
33
Lots and Land Closed
4
Lots Between $28,000 and 29,900
16
Lots Between $ 30,000 and $39,000
4
Lots Between $40,000 and $45,000
3
Lots Between $50,000 and $63,000
6
Lots Between $126,000 and $298,000
81
Residences Closed
4
Residences below $100,000
28
Residences Between $107,000 and $195,000
33
Residences Between $200,000 and $296,900
9
Residences Between $307,500 and $390,000
Photos by Ronnie Narmour and Miles Merwin The unofficial kick-off of the summer season is this weekend as the 15th Annual Texas SandFest hits the beach in Port Aransas. The three-day event is the largest Master Sand Sculpting Competition in U.S. and runs all day
from this Friday, April 15, through Sunday, April 17. More than 100,000 people each year attend the event which runs roughly from the Beach Lodge, located at the end of Anchor Street, southward, between Mile Markers 9
Sandfest continued on A8
From Kendal's Korner to MIT
Editor's note: Many years ago Island Moon founder Mike Ellis met a young Islander named Kendal Ezell and persuaded her to write for the paper, which she did for several years until she just got too busy. We're not saying there is any connection here, but last week Kendal was accepted to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where she will go after graduating from Flour Bluff High School. Way to go Kendal! Here's her story. By Mary Craft
Real Estate continued on A3
Spoil Island Cleanup This Saturday, April 12 Vic Schreck Padre Island Yacht Club This is the weekend when Islanders give back to the landscape as the Spring Spoil Island Cleanup takes place at the Padre Island Yacht Club. There is a need for boats, Island residents, and others to volunteer for the clean up effort. Folks should arrive at the Padre Island Yacht Club, at 13402 White Cap Blvd at 8:00 a.m. either by boat or car where boats will be assigned and gloves and trash bags will be provided. Dumpsters will be located at the Padre Island Yacht Club, and boat ramps at Cobo De Bara and Cartagena. Lunch - hamburgers, chips, soft drinks, etc. - will be served at the PIYC Club at noon, courtesy of the Padre Island Beautification Trust. Everyone’s help is needed and the weather looks like it will cooperate. We’ll see you there.
Flour Bluff High School Valedictorian Kendal Ezell has always set her goals high and this month she certainly achieved one of them when she got accepted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This prestigious private college, traditionally known for its physical science and engineering research, has one of the lowest acceptance rates at 8% and only 1500 students are accepted each year.
Kendal’s final goal is to become a neurosurgeon and do research as well as surgery. Her inspiration for this career came from her great grandmother Helen Brown who had Alzheimer’s. Instead of pursuing an undergraduate degree in Biology, as most students who want to go to medical school do, she chose the unconventional engineering degree path. She explains “It will better
Kendal continued on A7
A little Island history
Meeting Sancho Panza and Surviving Like the Karankawa
Editor’s note: This is part two of a series first published in Texas Game and Fish Magazine in 1945 which chronicles the 1928 journey of a group of men looking to go by boat to the land bridge then walk south in search of a route for a new water passage to connect the two ends of the Laguna Madre. Based on their maps they had they expected to make the journey down and back in a single day and took only the water and food required for the trip. Instead, nightfall on the first night found them hunkered down in a dry camp burning cowpies for fuel, unaware that the journey ahead would be twenty
miles by foot. We thank Dr. Richard Watson for sending us his copy of the story, the only one known to exist. By J.G. Burr How welcome a sandy beach would have been. The ground was as hard as if it had been steam-rolled, and there wasn’t even a rock for a pillow. Sleep was difficult and the writer awoke about three a.m. to find the guide sitting up by the fire. There is a theory that rattlesnakes will not come near a fire, so the fire had been kept burning. From then on
History continued on A6