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Historic Trolley Tours
March 07 2008The Port Isabel Chamber of Commerce meeting this morning provided information on a new attraction to the area: Historic Trolley Tours of Port Isabel. It is going to take passengers through town to learn about the history of the Lighthouse, the Yacht Club, the Military Highway, the Museums and the old downtown. For more information visit www.portisabeltrolley.com
Happy New Year
January 22 2008Happy New Year from South Padre Island! We enjoyed a wonderful fireworks display on New Year's Eve, had the annual Polar Bear Dip on New Year's Day, SPI Market Days at the Convention Center and the Annual Causeway Run/Fitness Walk. Our winter has been wonderfully mild making it easier to enjoy more of the outdoor venues here as well. There has also been a song-writers forum every Tuesday at Palm Street Pier, which has a great view of the sunset while you get to enjoy some of the local artists playing their own music. There are a lot of great events coming up this month, for details see our event calander.
Holiday Lighting Contest Winners
December 26 2007The results are in for the first Holiday Lighting Contest on South Padre Island. There were more competitors that I had anticipated and it all came together to make the Island look great this holiday season.
For competition among commercial properties, the winners included:
Texas Clipper Sinking
November 19 2007
After several delays due to weather we finally got the boat sunk. The Texas Clipper was sunk off the coast to act as an artificial reef. It was a good sized event down here and participation from former cadets as well as the group from A&M was excellent.
Board of Aldermen Meeting
November 19 2007Highlights of the Board of Aldermen meeting of November 14:
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
Several aldermen thanked the citizens who worked as volunteers during the Music Festival. They indicated the event was a success with a promising future.
The Board also thanked the volunteers and those who donated money for the "Corners Project" to plant native vegetation on certain corners on Padre Blvd. 12 corners were planted last weekend, and the Chamber of Commerce plans to do more in February. Each corner costs $180 and a small plaque with the donors' name on it is placed at the site.
City Manager Dewey Cashwell reported the Town plans to do a survey on customer service.
Sam Listi announced the HOOPS College Basketball Tournament will be next weekend.
Sam also announced the check has been issued and received by the Town for the street endings purchase on the bayside project.
Russell Judah asked if anyone from the Town had attended the regional conference on how to make Towns more attractive to retired people. Darla Lapayre, EDC, attended a similar conference in Austin last year. She indicated she had given the information to the BOA and was awaiting direction. The Mayor said there will be an item on an upcoming BOA agenda.
Mayor Bob Pinkerton reported on receiving $3 million for beach renourishment. He said, according to GLO, as the sand source study proceeds, more money will be available.
Mayor Pinkerton also reported that the annexation south of Town (up to the Isla Blanca Park gate) was proceeding again. He said the businesses have now accepted the plan following clarification of some concerns, and the Cameron County Commissioners voted 5-0 in favor. The only thing remaining is for the petition to be signed by the County Judge.
As a part of the Holiday Lights program, there will be a business and resident decorating contest.
City Manager Dewey Cashwell also reported that a meeting has been set up with TxDot to discuss several issues including speed limits on Padre Blvd and pedestrian crosswalks. He said there had been improvement in pavement markings.
The Town's "Excellence in Service" Award was presented to Lili DeRousie from CVB. She works with International Marketing (Mexico and Canada).
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Bay Area Task Force reported they had worked on landings for windsurfers and kiteboarders, trying to locate lauching sites for boats, finding more parking for boats and trailers and safety signage for the channels. He complimented Ray Moya from Public Works for his assistance.
Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee reported they had started to discuss the Land Use chapter on Tuesday. They now are using a facilitator hired by the Town to keep the process on track and assure everyone has an opportunity to express an opinion. For the next several weeks, they will meet every Tuesday at 5:30 in the Courtroom at City Hall. The public is encouraged to attend.
CVB reported on on-going advertising in Rio Grande Valley papers and radio stations. It was noted this is part of the original budget and marketing plan.
Special Events Committee is looking for volunteers to work on the Town's 35th birthday party which may extend over the entire month. If you are interested in helping "plan a party", please contact Melissa Zamora at CVB, 761-3000. She is coordinating along with the Historical Preservation Committee.
Beach & Dunes Task Force reported UTB students are here working on the dunes project, along with Public Works and citizen volunteers. The work by Florence is nearly complete, and they now have about 50 feet of additional beach. During the last week in November, they will be working at Padre Grand. They can use additional volunteers who can do this physical work. She said this is a low cost project. The students are also working on mapping the dunes which will identify the low spots, vegetated areas and create a full profile of the dunes.
REGULAR AGENDA
Alderwoman Tara Rios has asked the Town to develop an on-going report for the aldermen of what is being built and businesses that are opening. She is calling it "What's Happening on the Island". City Manager Dewey Cashwell said that since the Town does not issue businesses licenses, they don't always know what is being opened. Tara said she does not want more bureaucracy, but Mr. Cashwell explained that to do the report she desires, there has to be a bureaucratic process created to obtain the information.
Alderwoman JoAnn Evans has worked with the Town to develop a short "Information Resources Guide" to assist businesses and residents in working with the Town staff. It will show which member of the staff may be contacted on a particular subject. It will be of particular use to new businesses starting up and will further customer service by improving communication. It was approved by the BOA on a 5-0 vote.
Alderwoman Evans also presented a proposal to authorize the lobbyist to work with the Texas legislature and the state hotel-motel lobby to get a 1/2 cent increase in hotel occupancy tax to be used solely for beach renourishment. Our local hoteliers support this proposal. This increase will still keep us several percentage points below the average tax rate in the State. Approved 5-0.
Mayor Robert Pinkerton reported on his recent trip to Washington, D. C. and efforts to obtain funding for Beach Renourishment. He reported meeting with a number of Congressmen and Senators, along with the lobbyist from the Port of Brownsville. He indicated the reception was positive in each case, and he thinks we gained support and understanding which will result in additional funding for the Town.
Alderwoman Tara Rios wants to set up workshops to discuss beach renourishment.
The Bay Area Task Force is proposing to put warning signs in the channels for safety purposes - "No Wake", etc. EDC has recently been tasked by the Coast Guard to repair the damaged markers in the channels. The cost of the signage is covered by their line item in the current budget.
Approved 5-0.
Item #17 on the agenda proposing a "freeze" on zoning changes until the Comprehensive Plan is complete was pulled by Alderman Kirk Mills with no explanation. It is standard practice for communities to preclude changes to zoning ordinances during the period of developing a Comprehensive Plan.
The BOA unanimously approved purchasing the final off-premise signs from business owners.
The BOA unanimously agreed to ask the City Manager to research cost and types of warning signs for the beach following the tragic death of Thomas Jeffrey Lopez, who worked on the island and was the brother of an island resident. The aldermen also discussed using flyers to educate beach goers about the dangerous rip tides. Resident and businessman Gaby Vanounou volunteered to help with this project.
There was unanimous agreement regarding obtaining a flag pole and flag for the south end of the Island at the base of the causeway. There has been a positive reaction to Terry Ray's temporary flag pole (his crane), and a permanent flag was deemed appropriate. There was discussion regarding getting an aluminum pole to avoid damage from corrosion. The SPI Community Foundation has volunteered to help offset the cost of this project for the island. It was noted that TxDot approval is required since that area is in their jurisdiction.
The aldermen voted 5-0 to purchase an electronic sign (maybe scrolling, but not flashing) to welcome conventions and notify the public of weather conditions.
Unanimous approval was given to begin a more comprehensive recycling program for more types of materials (excluding glass). It will involve weekly home pick-up, but carry a month cost for each resident who chooses to be involved.
The aldermen authorized the purchase of several pieces of equipment for Public Works and the Fire Department which are included in the new budget - 2008 4-wheel drive truck with a 6-yard side loading refuse compactor; 2007 4-wheel drive industrial tractor; three type III buses for the WAVE; Fire Engine Pump truck; Bronco Ladder truck. Some of these are replacements for vehicles which are beyond their useful lifespan.
SPI Music Fest/Kite Fest/Shrimp Cookoff
November 06 2007This weekend was a busy one here at the Island, starting with the 1st annual International Music Festival. There was a great turnout and I even managed to make it to a couple of the venues myself. There were bands playing all up and down the island, I managed to catch a few shows at La Copa Inn, Louie's Backyard, Palm Street Pier, Tequila Sunset, and Club Pelican West. The bands and the audiences were very enthousiastic and entertaining.
Also this weekend was the Kite Festival. It was featured on the north end of the Island and was a great family event, with kites of different sizes and special shapes. There were kite-surfers as well, displaying one of the newer sports on the Island.
To top off a long weekend of fun was the annual Shrimp Cookoff in Port Isabel. This always has a wonderful turn-out and everybody walks away happy. I haven't seen the winner's list yet, but when I do it will be posted as well.
Sandcastle Winners
October 23 2007
People's Choice1st Place
Karen Fralich , #8 'Catch of The Day'
Burlington, Ontario
2nd Place
Fred Mallet, #1 'Broken Wing and a Prayer'
Port Aransas, TX
3rd Place
Christy McDonald, #12 'I Ain't Scared'
South Padre Island, TX
Sculpter's Choice
1st Place
Carl Jara, Harvest Mother #11
2nd Place
Kirk Rademaker, Steam Shovel #2
3rd Place
Christi McDonald, I Ain't Scared #12
Great Business Build-Off
Winner: Team Southwest Airlines
Texas State Champions (solo or duo)
1st Place
#7 'Kiss Me'
Austin Aquadillos, Austin, TX
2nd Place
#6
Sand Dad, Leander TX
3rd Place
#4 Viva Isla Blanca
Sharon Campbell, South Padre Island
Amateur Divisions
Family Teams
1ST Place
#1
'Jinks' McAllen, TX
2nd Place
#8
Beach Bums Edinburg, TX
3rd Place
#2
Beach-Goin' Lads Houston, TX
Adult Teams
1st Place
#8
San Marcos Sons, San Marcos, TX
2nd Place
#6
Ron Durocher & Friends, Windser, Ontario
3rd Place
#14
Sand Diggers, Ft. Worth, TX
Youth 12 & Under Teams
1st Place
#15
SPLATS, Brownsville, TX
2nd Place
#6
Sand Dragons, Brownsville, TX
3rd Place
#13
Double Trouble, SPI, TX
Youth 13-16
1st Place
#9
'Team 1' Los Fresnos, TX
2nd Place
#2
'Team Sputnick'
3rd Place
#10
SPI Princess, South Padre Island, TX
SPI Sandcastle Days
October 19 2007This year marks the 20th annual Sandcastle Days event being held at the Sheraton here on the Island. We have our local sculpters competing against talented sculpters from across the country in an event that is always entertaining for the whole family. There are lessons available from 10am to 4pm Friday the 19th and from 8am to 4pm Saturday. The master sculptures will also be finished for judging on Saturday afternoon. All events are free to the public.
Adopt-a-Beach Annual Fall Clean-Up
September 24 2007This year's fall clean up had a wonderful turn out. Almost 1,400 people showed up on Saturday to clean up a season's worth of trash. There were people coming in from all over the valley and their efforts were not wasted. More than 20 tons of garbage was collected. A group of our local kids from Port Isabel High School participated, a group of our Junior High students showed up to help out as well. Everybody recieved drinks and hot dogs at lunch and seemed to be enjoying it more as a social event than work. Needless to say, we are already looking forward to the spring clean up in a few months.
Ruff Rider Regatta
August 31 2007Tomorrow kicks off another year of the Ruff Rider Regatta, one of the largest non-qualifying catamaran races. People are coming from all over the country to participate in the 2 day race.
Registration starts today at Louie's Backyard and the race kicks off tomorrow. The colorful kick-off will be tomorrow at 10am at the flats north of the Convention Center.
Women's Watersport Weekend
August 10 2007In addition to the Ladies' Kingfish Tournament this weekend our Island will also host a Women's Watersport Weekend. This is the first event of this type that has been held here, and it is hoped to become an annual spring event taking place each April.
This weekend's event will consist of kiteboarding, surfing and kayaking competitions as well as being host to professional kiteboarder Laura Maher and State Champ surfer Molly Ware being here to teach their respective sports. Palmstreet and Dorado's are also working with the event providing entertainment and meals.
SPI Texas Senior Open
August 09 2007The SPI Golf Club is holding the 10th annual SPI Texas Senior Open from Nov 8-10. It is open to pros and amateures with a handicap of 9.0 or less, age 50+. They will compete for cash and gift certificates.
Golfers must qualify to enter the championship by playing in 4 events throughout Texas.
All golfers must pay an entry fee of $175 and $225 for the championship, if they qualify. Fees include cart, range balls and green fees.
For more info please visit www.stpga.com or call South Padre Island Golf Club at 956-943-5678.
SPI Music Festival
August 01 2007We have finally gotten a line-up of some of the bands that are going to be performing Nov 2-4.
Jaguares, Robert Earle Keen, Reckless Kelly, Grupo Fantasma, Patrice Pike, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, & Ska Cubano.
There will also be more bands playing thoughout the Island at restaurants, bars and hotels.
For more information, please visit our other page at http://www.sopadrelive.com/Events/Music .
You can purchase tickets in advance at GetTix.net
I will be posting more information as it comes in.
Summertime and the Traveling is Easy
July 22 2007Austin, Texas – July 12, 2007 – The sun is out, the lakes are cool, the rivers are inviting, and the golf courses are green across the Lone Star State. It's summertime and Texas continues to offer its residents and visitors exciting outdoor adventures.
For water sports enthusiasts, kayaking, boating, and tubing adventures are available on many of the state's coastal and inland waterways. Texas' top ranked water parks are open for business and thrilling kids of all ages. And visitors to Texas beaches can play in the surf, bask in the sun, or build a sand castle on miles of sunny beaches along the Texas Gulf Coast, from Galveston to South Padre Island.
If wild rides and defying gravity get your blood pumping, then Texas' theme parks located in cities across the state are the destination of choice. New rides, entertaining musical shows and games will keep the entire family happy for the rest of the summer.
For golf lovers, Texas' great golf courses are green and ready to be enjoyed. Texas has more than 900 golf courses that offer players of all levels great golfing experiences among rolling green hills, piney woods, or on seaside links.
Campers and hikers will find an abundance of outdoor options at Texas' state and national parks. If big adventure is on your agenda, Texas travelers have their choice of scenic hiking trails, primitive to RV campsites, and abundant wildlife viewing to enjoy across the state. The Big Bend National Park in West Texas encompasses more than 800,000 acres of mountains and beautiful desert scenery to explore. The Palo Duro Canyon State Park in the Texas Panhandle offers majestic sites for camping and hiking.
Travelers to Texas are enjoying the great outdoor adventures and summer fun that the Lone Star State offers.
For information on all there is to see, do, and experience in Texas, visit www.TravelTex.com or call 1-800-8888-TEX for your free copy of the Texas State Travel Guide, Official Map and Accommodations Guide.
House Subcommittee
July 16 2007The House of Representatives held a subcommittee hearing on July 14 at the La Quinta Inn & Suites to discuss coastal erosion. For more information please visit www.townspi.com
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