Inside the Moon Surfing the Bahn A2 Fishing Tournament A7 Island Art Market A7 Fishing A13 Wakemaker of the Week A16 Issue 739 The Island Free The voiceMoon of The Island since 1996 June 14, 2018 Weekly www.islandmoon.com FREE Around The From Boys to Men Island Flour Bluff ISD Pays Two More By Dale Rankin Islanders Attain As we sit here sweltering in the humidity we wait baited breath (yea Eagle Scout “baited,” after all we are on The $100,000 in back Coast) for what the Weather Wonks say will be a deluge of rain over the Rank weekend. The weather map as of By Brent Rourk Wednesday afternoon shows a big old As the heat scorched the Island last matzo ball of Tropical Trouble full of POA Dues Saturday, a crowd gathered at the moisture stretching from Mexico to By Dale Rankin Presbyterian Church to watch two Beaumont bearing down on us. To Island boys, Kirk George and Ben cut through the Weather Nerdery let’s Flour Bluff Independent School District in March paid $100,000 Koutsoumbaris, receive their Eagle just say that if your dog is afraid of Scout Badges, Neckerchiefs, and rain, like many Island dogs because in back dues to the Padre Isles Property Owners Association after Certificates during the Eagle Scout they don’t see it very often, then if Court of Honor. he goes missing this weekend look it was discovered they had not been under the bed. We got a Gypsy Rain billed for several years, POA Board There were few dry eyes among early Wednesday, just enough to tease President Marvin Jones said this the adults present as a slide show, us, so let’s hope we get at least a few week. guest speakers, and words by the sprinkles this weekend as we head on It was originally thought the district boys themselves punctuated their down to the Dog Days of Summer in owed $30,000 in back dues, but a progress in the Scouts and their a few weeks. closer examination discovered the growth from boys to men. The amount to be $100,000, which was Eagle Scout is the highest rank in Island boat ramps promptly paid by the district. For Boy Scouts and represents years more details see Jones’ column in of hands on experience, learning, this issue. community service, and projects. With an emphasis on character and FBISD bought the land in 1997 leadership it is no small wonder that with the stated intention of putting Land along the north side of SPID owned by Flour Bluff ISD. countless Eagle Scout recipients have a school on Padre Island. However, become leaders in their businesses, the school did not materialize leaving the tract to Lake Padre and the Gulf communities, and government. them in possession of a 6.7 acre tract school districts from holding land for of Mexico. Currently the new canal, bordered by Whitecap Boulevard and speculative purposes. dug two years ago in anticipation of the canal just north of the street after FBISD Board Member Jim the construction of the bridge, stops it runs under the street. Needham said earlier this month that about fifty feet short of connecting Island boat ramps have been a focus When the land was put on the market the district currently has no plans for to the canal adjacent to the FBISD of discussion on our little sandbar this in 1997 a tentative deal was struck the 6.7 acre tract. The market value property. between the district and developer of the land is currently a matter of week, or more specifically their use It is currently undetermined how Paul Schexnailder to do a land swap speculation but its value would likely by non-Island residents. Nita Smith, many years of dues in arrears that would have provided a site near increase dramatically if the SPID/ who is chair of the POA Canals & the $100,000 represents. More the Island water tower that would Park Road 22 Water Exchange is built Waterways Committee has been information may be available at the have been large enough for a school. and the canal from the Lake Padre getting questions about why ramps monthly meeting of the Padre Isles Now twenty-seven years later FBISD side is punched through to connect in some subdivisions in Galveston Property Owners Association on still finds itself in possession of the to the existing Island canal system, are private while ours are open to the Tuesday, June 26. After receiving their Neckerchiefs public. That is a question still under 6.7 acres even as state law forbids providing direct water access from Ben and Kirk pose for a photo investigation. photo by Brent Rourk What we know is that our canals, while privately owned by the Cocktail Lounge Opening on Island Ben Koutsoumbaris POA, are public waterways and accessible to the public, as are the By Mary Craft Ben had been a member of Pack ramps. However, the parking lots and Troop 949 since he was 8 years- are for use by POA members only. The Slip Cocktail Bar will be opening old and most recently completed Historically, that has meant that non- on the Island in the next week or two his service project; a wooden fence Islanders access the ramps through and owner Travis Klaus says he is enclosure for Seashore Middle the parking lots, but when their boat shooting for a grand opening on June Academy. Ben learned a great deal is in the water their vehicles and 29th. Travis did most of the work and about outdoors, the environment, trailers have to be removed from the did not need to rely on contractors so teamwork and a host of skills that parking lots and parked on the streets. was able to get the project completed will benefit him throughout his life. Understandingly this has led to some in a timely fashion. The 1800 square Ben earned a total of 33 merit congestion on streets around ramps, feet will house a shuffleboard, two badges. A graduate of Seashore around the Jackfish ramp last weekend pool tables, a juke box and arcade Schools and Flour Bluff High School in particular, which is causing some games. They plan to later add a group (with Distinguished Honors and 46 pushback from property owners, who golf tournament game with multiple college credits), Ben plans to attend pay to maintain the bulkheads and participants. The pub style tables will Texas State University in San Marcos the ramps when they have to dodge seat 40 plus standing room. The 30 and major in Computer Science. large vehicles which reduce traffic foot bar will serve 15 – 20 draft beers His brother Joshua is currently to one lane and sometimes park on including local craft beers starting at completing his Eagle Scout rank. Ben adjacent vacant lots. According to $2.50. was brief in his words to the audience, what Nita has been told fishing and There may be snacks but no food however, it was obvious that his years hunting guides are increasingly using will be served and there will be no in the Scouts have helped positively the ramps as well. live music because according to influence him. Maybe it’s just that we have grown to the point where what was a small Lounge cont. on A4 Scouts cont. on A4 issue now needs to be addressed. That’s what we have the Canals & A little Island history in the making Waterways Committee for and we will keep you apprised of things as they progress. Historic Work to Expand the Nearshore Reef And speaking of bulkheads… Editor’s note: Last week we Grande Valley reef, there was another departed from our norm of writing announcement that actually got me to And while we’re on the subject of about past history to record some bulkheads…see how that works…we literally yell out “heck yeah!” at the history in the making with regard meeting. I thought Gary was about to are heading down into the heart of yet to progress on expanding the another Hurricane Season with only wet himself when he announced that Nearshore reef nine miles out from at the RGV reef, they are going to a vague notion of how we would/will Packery Channel. This is part two. repair extensive damage to bulkheads make a pile of concrete railroad ties if/when we take a hit from a storm. By Jay Gardner so tall that they will actually reach Several years ago the problem was the photic zone! They are planning Ok loyal readers, you’ll remember on piling so much material up from addressed by creating a Municipal that last week I wrote about the Management District through the 70 feet of water to actually get to changes in the attitudes regarding about 35 feet from the surface! You POA which in the case of heavy artificial reefing by the powers- damage could apply for FEMA funds will be able to see the top on most that-be. For years, many of us days if you are snorkeling above and possibly float low interest loans. harbored frustration and then But that plan was Dead on Arrival due it. This is absolutely mind-blowing subsequent jubilation when TPWD folks; something that many of us had to the fact that the MMD did not have finally were able to get NOAA taxing authority and the bulkheads thought about for years and years, to sway their interpretation and and now we are here talking about the can’t legally be transferred to any promulgation of the regulations entity without it.