Inside the Moon Grand Opening A2 Port A Huge Flag A2-A3 Celebration of Life A2 Big Swim at 'Bahn A7 Issue 690 The Island Free The voiceMoon of The Island since 1996 July 6, 2017 Weekly FREE Photo by Steve Coons Around The Blowing Island By Dale Rankin What a long strange week it’s been Island Sand on our little sandbar. Monday turned into Friday and Tuesday turned into Saturday, and Wednesday turned into Catches Monday! The big Island crowd was (the real) Saturday and when traffic Attention backed up all the way across the JFK Causeway and even past Flour Bluff at peak. While local beaches were of City full they were not jammed to capacity like some holidays. All in all we came through unscathed and have hit the and State midpoint of the tourist season and are heading straight into the Big Fishing Tournament Season this weekend. Authorities Cue the brushfire The Annual 4th of July Brush Fire in Kleberg County went off right on schedule Sunday night when someone not as bright as the fireworks they shot up over dry dune grass set fire to about 300 acres of land. It took firefighters until almost noon on Monday to put out the last of the flames which they were able to stop at Park Road 22. The firemen reported that the knuckleheads who Windblown sand emanating from started the fire continued to shoot up the development site around Lake fireworks even as the firemen battled Padre has drawn the attention of city the flames. and state regulators. The City of Corpus Christi said this Fire in the Sky week it has issued 72 code violations regarding the blowing sand with fines totaling almost $62,000. District 4 City Councilman Greg Smith on the 4th of July said this week he is monitoring the The canals around the Padre Island boaters have turned it into a day-long situation and working closely with Yacht Club were lined with boats party on the water. city staff to look for a solution to the A spokesperson for the Kleberg Tuesday night as the fifth annual Jerry is already collecting for next problem. (See Letters to Editor in this County Sheriff’s Office said that Island Blast Fireworks Show hit the year’s show and donations can be issue). shooting fireworks on the Kleberg sky at the end of Whitecap. made to Island Blast, addressed to Meanwhile the Texas Commission beaches is legal unless there is a burn The show began with an idea by 14890 Granada Dr. #205, or drop on Environmental Quality issues the ban in effect, which currently there Jerry and Sharon Watkins who decide them here at the Island Moon office, following statement this week. is not. So look for the Annual 4th of to launch the event after attending 14646 Compass. All the money goes July Brush Fire in Kleberg County a similar show in the Rio Grande directly to the show. From TCEQ to continue…maybe it’s legal for Valley. The show is paid for entirely Since March 27, the Texas the firemen to turn their hoses on the A complete list of donors is on page with donations and has become the Commission on Environmental cause of the fire rather than the result. A15 We thank everyone who helped largest boating event on The Island as Quality has received 21 complaints Now that would be an Island tradition out. regarding sand blowing and traffic we could get behind! Christensen hazard conditions emanating from PINS entry station moving Work to Resume at Balli Park a development currently under north several months due to problems with Resigns POA construction. The investigation is the design and contractors on the addressing multiple complaints The new entry station at Padre Island project. and is currently ongoing. The National Seashore is north of the first Post investigation report will be available Nueces County Coastal Parks After eight years Beach Access Road into the park. upon completion. The city of Corpus Director Scott Cross told the park as Executive Previously the northern end of the Christi is also investigating this board last week that the “hard-pack Coordinator of the park could be reached via the road Padre Isles Property matter. without passing the entry shack and sand” which the original design of the $1.3 million Phase I improvements Owners Association If the TCEQ documents any paying the fee, which will no longer Maybeth Christensen be the case. That access road, known called for did not meet standards for violations during its investigation, the Americans with Disabilities Act has tendered her the TCEQ will follow its enforcement for years as Smuggler’s Ally after resignation effective September 29. federal agents from two different and would have to be upgraded to hot initiation criteria to determine the agencies, unbeknownst to each other, mix asphalt. Also, a new water line “I have loved working for the appropriate course of action to got in a shootout there many years to use during construction will have residents of The Island,” Christensen pursue. To promote consistency in ago, leads to the northern end of to been installed at a cost of $18,000 said, “But I would like to do some Blowing Sand cont. on A4 pedestrian only Malaquite Beach. and an additional $55,846 for traveling while I still can!” improved irrigation. The landscaping at the site will have to be redone. She said LK Jordan has been Active Burglars contracted to find a replacement There were eleven car The work is part of what will and all resumes will be done through Work crews are scheduled to return burglaries on The Island last eventually be more than $4 million them – not the PIPOA office. The job week and two vehicle thefts. to Balli Park next week to begin a improvements to the park, some description will be complete in a few reworking of the improvements at of the money will come from $7.5 Lock your vehicle and take the weeks and we will keep you updated keys! the site which have been stalled for Balli cont. on A4 as things progress. A little Island history Beachgoers can still drive the eight miles down the beach from Bob Hall Dunn Ranching Dynasty on The Island Began in 1879 Pier as long as their vehicles can Editor’s note: Islander Greg century or two before. the Dunn Ranch along with Padre squeeze through opening at the sticks Smith is a descendent of the Over History Padre Island has been Island. With tourism dollars in mind that run across the beach at the north Dunn family which operated a called several names. In early Spanish Col. Robertson in 1927 and then his end of the park, rather than have to ranch on The Island for many times it was referred to as la Isla successor Bertie Jones went back to turn around and go back down the decades beginning in 1879. He is Blanca (White Island) or sometimes promoting the name Padre Island. beach to get back to Park Road 22. currently the Corpus Christi City Isla de los Malaguitas after a band of The Great Western folks came around Councilman from District which and wanted a fancier name, Padre The Deep Sea Roundup is this Coahuiltecan Indians that lived on the includes The Island. southern portion of the Island. By the Isles. That not being uppity enough, weekend and the weather looks like it the Corpus Christi Tourist Bureau will continue to be too hot for snakes, By Greg Smith time Padre Balli purchased the Island from the Spanish Crown it was called uses the moniker “Upper Padre so at least we got that going for us. Last article I left off with storms Isla Corpus Christi. When the good Island.” Just one last thing to confuse Stay cool everybody, we’ll see you at of the 19th century and promised to Padre had his title reaffirmed by the our out of town visitors we have the Ski Basin, and say hello if you see tell tales of the 1916 storm. After Mexican Government in 1828 the them take our highway South Padre us Around The Island. chewing the fat with Dale the other name Padre Island took root. Thank Island Drive to; North Padre, Padre day he wants to celebrate these tales goodness the next major owner’s Isles, Upper Padre and Padre Island July ISAC Meeting of devastation on their anniversaries, name didn’t stick, Nicholas Grisante. National Seashore. The only place so the number six storm of 1916 is Wednesday, July 12 Who would want to say they lived on that South Padre Island Drive doesn’t gonna have to wait till August. 5:30 p.m. Grisante Island? go is to South Padre Island. At the Veranda Restaurant at Island by another name When the Dunn clan started It’s the name Dunn Ranch from Schlitterbahn. beginning in the 1870’s and ending With this respite in time I am ranching the Island in 1879 some The meetings are open folks started calling the Island with the last cow shipped off in 1971, to the public. going to back up a bit and start a History cont. on A4 July 6, 2017 Island Moon A 2 First Community Mortgage Opens New Celebration of Life Island Location Friends and family of long-time Islander Gladys Choyke gathered at the Waterline Café downstairs at Doc’s Saturday to remember her and her time on The Island. She passed away several weeks ago due to natural causes and is missed by her many Island friends.