Port A Kids Halloween Parade photos by Ronnie Narmour
Issue 550
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The Island Moon
October 30, 2014 Around The Island By Dale Rankin editor@islandmoon.com
We get the Double Whammy for Halloween this year with the actual holiday falling on Friday and a second night of ghouling on Saturday. We will have the Trick or Treat parade on Hawksnest Bay and Eaglesnest Bay as well; everybody remember the skeeter spray as we got us a healthy crop this year. There’s a lot going on Around The Island…here’s some of it.
Beach maintenance
Early Voting Totals Lagging
We’ve had several inquiries about this motor yacht that has been parked at the visiting docks in Port Aransas for several months. It belongs to San Antonio Spurs owner Peter Holt. We respect Mr. Holt’s privacy so all we’ll say is Go Spurs Go!
New Pirate Ship The Pirates of the Lydia Ann have a new ride. T-Joe and boys brought this open wooden boat in from Louisiana and let her sink to the bottom so the wood could soak up water and seal. She’s now afloat in Port A and soon to be armed with eight cannons and an arsenal of squirt guns, so be prepared to surrender up your booty!
Hutch sighting
By Dale Rankin
As of Tuesday evening 23,206 Nueces County voters had cast ballots, the total Early Voting in 2010 was 33,709, so another 10,000 voters need to show up by the close of Early Voting on Friday to match the 2010 numbers.
This pelican flew through the Partial Solar Eclipse on October 23rd which took a bite out of the sun. . The solar eclipse only took a slight bite out of the top part of the sun. Brent Roark took this shot from the deck at Doc’s. Is this a great island or what?
Islander Ullberg Creates Masterwork for Colorado Museum Bronze statue depicts first American Mastodon ever discovered
The journey ended this week at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science with the dedication of Ullberg’s latest creation, his largest freestanding sculpture to date at 19 feet, which now stands in front of the museum. The bronze sculpture of the American mastodon (Mammut americanum) is entitled Snowmastodon. News of the discovery quickly spread worldwide though the scientific community. The project was soon dubbed The
On Oct. 23rd a 19 foot bronze Mastodon, sculpted by Island Artist Kent Ullberg was dedicated at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science in Denver, CO, this week. Governor JohnHickenlooper did the honors. Naturally, our ISLAND MOON was an invited guest! The people in the photo are: Kent, Veerle, Laurie, Seaton and Robert Ullberg. Snowmastodon Project and scientists eventually pulled more than 6,000 bones from 50 different species at the site, including infants and juveniles and the largest accumulation of American Mastodons ever found. The specimens are the subject of ongoing scientific study with more research papers currently underway.
One of a kind Within days of the discovery of the bones scientists realized they were something special. While the bones of woolly mammoths had been found in the Siberian Tundra, no such discovery had been made for the American Mastodon. The find
Wounded Warrior Project Golf Tournament at Schlitterbahn Wild Outfits, Silent Auction, and Fun Golf Mark the Day Dressed in a wide array of fashionable, unique, and riveting costumes, 46 golfers and 10 guests made their way around the golf course at Schlitterbahn Waterpark on the Island last Saturday. Golfers and duffers alike joined forces to raise money for the Wounded Warriors Project.
Wounded Warrior Project Selected Project director and recent Islander Heather Mader revealed how the tournament idea came
“A good portion of the money to buy the land came from a settlement awarded the State of Texas from the recent oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico,” said Suzette Freeman at Port Aransas Realty, who handled most of the negotiations for the sale. “The land will be added to the park and the deed restrictions in the park will apply to it and guarantee that the land will never be developed.”
According to a spokesman for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department the final use of the land has not been determined but may never be opened to the public. Robert McCorkle from TPWD sent us this statement on future use of the land.
Ullberg continued on A5
By Brent Rourk
After nearly two years of talks the Texas Nature Conservancy, and Texas Parks and Wildlife last week reached a $6.32 million deal that will add about 700 acres of land to Mustang Island State Park. The land is located on the west (bay side) of State Highway 361 just north of the current park entrance.
A TPWD spokesman said there are no plans to open the newly acquired land to the public.
By Dale Rankin When a bulldozer driver discovered bones of a Columbian mammoth while working near Snowmass Village in Colorado in 2010 it set in motion a series of events that led to the doorstep of Island resident and world renowned sculptor Kent Ullberg.
Mustang Island State Park Adds 700 Acres No plans to open the new land to the public
Early Voting totals for the General Election which culminates next Tuesday, November 4, are lagging behind those of the last gubernatorial cycle in 2010 by about 5%.
Early Voting continued on A12
Big boat
Partial Solar Eclipse
By Dale Rankin
As of Tuesday evening a total of 905 voters had cast ballots at Seashore Learning Center on The Island; 500
We want to send a big Moon Attaboy out to the beach maintenance crews. After years of moving sand from the waterline to the duneline and narrowing our beaches they have reversed course; this week they have been busy moving the sand from the seawall and the dunes to the water’s edge making our beaches much wider; the effect of the new approach is already observable. This new method is in keeping with the beach re-nourishment project that brought us Packery Channel. The idea has always been to make the beaches wider, not pile up sand in front of the seawall. Keep up the good work.
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about, commenting, “I was brainstorming with some friends in early July about how they could raise money and make a difference.” They subsequently put together a little tournament and then aimed for something bigger and better. Why Wounded Warrior Project? Mader was quick to respond, “Quite simply, we couldn't live the lives we do, full of these amazing opportunities, without them. They are who make our
“My understanding is the property was acquired first and foremost for conservation purposes. We will be assessing the natural resources of the property that will most likely remain undeveloped. If TPWD determines at some point that the land has recreational value or wants to proceed with development, the agency will go through its normal public use planning process." "The bottom line is there will be no public access allowed any time soon, and when and if it is permitted, it would likely be by foot or kayak. Also, opening the almost 700 acres to the public some day for lowimpact recreation, such as birding or kayaking, in the future will be dependent upon having the necessary funding to make it accessible and to provide any necessary facilities.”
Inside the Moon
Island Halloween Legends A6
Modeling their stylish kilts, these four golfers set the tone for fashion Golf continued on A2
A little Texas history
On the Rocks A7
Cut a Little Swathe and Lead the People On
By Dale Rankin Our old friend Hutch, Man About Town and duck carver extraordinaire is back after a too-long absence. As you can see here Hutch is a Fireball and guards the Men’s Room at the Back Porch while talking to his bookie about Sunday's games. Welcome home Hutch.
9th Annual Dog Gone Halloween Festival Ray and Dr. Christi are once again throwing the Mother of All Dog Parties Friday night at the Animal Hospital of Padre Island. It runs from 4-8 p.m. and includes a dog costume contest, obedience and trick demonstration and all sorts of fun for canines and humans alike. All we can say is, if you miss it your dog’s friends are sure to tell him and you’re going to be in a lot of human trouble. We’ll see you there. In the meantime say hello if you see us Around The Island.
As we go to the polls to pick a new Governor for the Great State of Texas this election season it’s a good time to take a look at some of the folks who have filled the office in the 169 years of statehood; prior to that Texas had Presidents. Over the years Texas has produced some fine examples of, shall we say, quirky Governors. In no particular order here are a few, and something about the house they called home.
The Big Drunk Over time The Father of Texas has taken on mythical qualities; when the legend becomes fact print the legend. But Sam Houston was no Boy Scout. Before coming to Texas he was accused on the House floor of being in league with men profiting from supplying
rations to the Indians who his friend Andrew Jackson had kicked out of the South. He confronted his accuser on Pennsylvania Avenue and hit him with a hickory cane and the man pulled a gun and fired; the gun misfired sparing Texas the loss of its future first governor. Houston pleaded self defense and hired Francis Scott Key, who wasn’t busy writing songs that day, to represent him. He was convicted but suffered little consequence. Then after leaving his child bride home in Tennessee he came to Texas where he earned the Cherokee name Oo-tse-tee Ar-dee-tah-skee, or "Big Drunk”. While serving as President of Texas the then 47 year old Houston got married for a third time, this time to the 21-year-old Margaret Moffette Lea. They had eight children together. Then when the Civil War broke out
Election A11-A16
Ima Hogg History continued on A6
Live Music A18