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Funding public education, not private, is Job 1
Mary Henkel Judson
Gov. Gregg Abbott has been vocal about endorsing candidates who fell in lock step with his pet project, school vouchers,...
Course for homegrown terrorists?
Michael Reagan
‘“Death to Israel!” “Death to America!” It sounds like something you’d hear chanted by hundreds of brainwashed young people in...
What’s forgotten about OJ, his trial
Elwood Watson
For those too young to fully remember the OJ Simpson trial, it was a television spectacle with all the makings...
‘Steel Magnolias’ wraps up final performances
Only four chances remain to see “Steel Magnolias” on the Port Aransas Community Theatre stage. The laugh-out-loud comedy drama will...
Survey for recreation center ends Friday
The deadline for a survey to give feedback on preferences for the City of Port Aransas’ proposed recreation center closes...
Parks and rec to host nature events Saturday
Two outdoor nature events on Saturday, April 27, at the Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center are planned by the folks at...
Grant deadline looms
Nonprofit organizations that wish to receive funds from the proceeds of the 2024 SandFest must fill out and return a...
For a cause
Port Aransas High School students Lionel Windle, left, and Brooke Jones, plus seventh-grader Ellie Crawford, at rear, play in a...
Lady Marlins to face Riviera in playoffs
The Port Aransas High School Lady Marlins softball team is scheduled to go up against the Riviera Seahawks in the...
Golfers play well at regional tournament
No Port Aransas High School golfers will be advancing to compete at the state level, but they still had “a...
Baseball playoff details still to come
While it was known at deadline for this edition of the South Jetty that the Port Aransas High School Marlins...
Track season ends at regionals
Port Aransas High School track team members competed well at the regional meet, though none performed quite well enough to...
PAHS student’s art to be judged at state
April 24, 2024
A work of art created by a Port Aransas High School student will be judged at a state-level competition on...
Stop the bleed
April 24, 2024
Members of the Port Aransas EMS provide ‘stop-the-bleed’ instruction to students at Port Aransas High School on Wednesday, April 7....
Recognized
April 24, 2024
Chase Carlisle, left, vice president of Carlisle Insurance of Corpus Christi, presents Lisa M. Dotter with a certificate recognizing her...
Peak performer
April 24, 2024
Sixth-grader Skylar Dulaney, second from right, holds prizes she received after being named Brundrett Middle School’s Peak Performer for the...
Services for Cline set SundayFree Access
April 26, 2024
Cathy Cline September 24, 1948 — April 24, 2024 It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of...
Thomas Randall Calvert
April 24, 2024
“Randy” Calvert of Port Aransas left this world to join our Lord on April 13, 2024. Randy was born April...
We appreciate our dispatchers
Chief ConcernsScott Burroughs
“National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week” occurs annually during the second week of April. It is a formal reminder for those...
City-county revenue sharing idea to benefit all
Commissioner’s CommentsBrent Chesney
Sales tax What should happen to the one-eighth-cent sales tax recently defeated overwhelmingly by voters? I have an idea. How...
Student mentors provide support
Education NotesValerie Martinez
In today’s ever-changing world, teenagers face countless challenges, from academic stress and managing emotions to navigating complicated social relationships with...
During Sexual Assault Month, be aware to prevent
State of AffairsTodd Hunter
April is National Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The State of Texas is working tirelessly to take preventative steps against sexual...
Early voting in appraisal district election ends TuesdayFree Access
April 26, 2024
Early voting continues today (Friday, April 26) in the election for positions on the Nueces County Appraisal District Board of Directors. Balloting is taking place at the Port Aransas Community Center, 408 N. Alister St., until 5 p.m. today. As of early this afternoon, 33 people had cast ballots at...
SandFest was huge
Mary Henkel Judson
Co-publisher | April 24, 2024
The final numbers have not been tallied, but it appears SandFest 2024 might have been the largest ever, according to observations by organizers. Richard Kay, vice president of the SandFest board of directors, said crowds on Friday and Saturday seemed to be record-breaking, although “we have no hard numbers yet.” The festival grounds were 275 feet longer and “crowds, especially...
Adams retiring from City Hall
Kathryn Cargo
Reporter | April 24, 2024
After more than a decade of working for the City of Port Aransas, Rick Adams, city development director and emergency management coordinator, will retire next month. His last day is May 16, which will be his 11th year anniversary. He said it’s been great working for the city. “I just feel really good about leaving the city better than it...
City explores second gas line option
Kathryn Cargo
Reporter | April 24, 2024
Plans are in the works for the City of Port Aransas to add a second high-pressure gas line running down Mustang Island parallel to State Highway 361. Currently, the city only has one gas transition main. City Manager David Parsons has said the city’s gas system’s biggest weakness is that only one pipeline feeds the city. As development continues to...
Colorful flight
April 24, 2024
Tim Cook, left, and Larie Cook, center, of the Coastal Bend Flying Circus, fly a jelly fish kite at the beach in Port Aransas on Friday, April 12. The Coastal Bend Flying Circus is a local group of kite flying enthusiasts.
Parsons gets praise, a promise of a raise
Kathryn Cargo
Reporter | April 24, 2024
The Port Aransas City Council believes City Manager David Parsons “has done an outstanding job” the past year, said Mayor Wendy Moore. The council conducted the annual evaluation of the city manager during executive session at a meeting on Thursday, April 18. The council plans to give Parsons a raise when the city reviews pay increases for all employees during...
South Jetty wins at regional contests
April 24, 2024
The South Jetty earned multiple awards and editor Dan Parker was named South Texas Press Association Photographer of the Year. Also, South Jetty general manager Kelli Hartig was elected to the STPA board of directors. The awards presentation and election of officers were held at a joint convention of the STPA and Texas Gulf Coast Press Association in Galveston held...
High above SandFest
April 24, 2024
Many hundreds of patrons walk the grounds of SandFest on the beach in Port Aransas on Saturday, April 20. A SandFest official said this year’s event may have been the most heavily attended yet.
Training to save lives
April 24, 2024
Members of the Port Aransas Surf Rescue Team prepare to do some training on the beach on Friday, April 5. From left are Kate Martin, Derik Boles, Cameron Ainswarth, Greg Fuller, Joey Farrah (shirtless) and Lauren Fuller.
Selfie time
April 24, 2024
A group of folks take a selfie photo while standing a handrail at Horace Caldwell Pier on a recent day.
First nest
April 24, 2024
The first Kemp’s ridley turtle nest of the season on Mustang Island was discovered Sunday, April 21, near Marker 96/97 by a person driving by. Moriah Tyroch, ARK (Amos Rehabilitation Keep) animal rehabilitator and turtle patroller reaches down into the nest to retrieve 83 eggs. Eggs were transported to the Padre Island National Seashore for incubation. Anyone who see tracks...
Sandy yoga
April 24, 2024
A group spends a morning at a Yoga on the Beach class on Saturday, April 13. The free yoga class is offered the second Saturday of each month year-round. The class meets next to Horace Caldwell Pier.
‘Ride the Wave’ is First Friday exhibit
April 24, 2024
Folks are invited to enjoy live music, light refreshments, wine and fellowship at the opening of the May exhibit at the Port Aransas Art Center on Friday, May 3. The Ride the Wave Show will open at the First Friday reception from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Artists are invited to create art that evokes the realm of the surfer. The...
Dance party at the VFW
April 24, 2024
A group of ladies dance to the music of the Cleartones at the Moore McDonald VFW Post 8967 on Wednesday, April 10. The theme of the night was ‘Garden Party.’ Everyone wore flowers for the party. The post holds parties every Wednesday night, with a different theme each week.
Hands in the sand, fun in the sun
April 24, 2024
Sand sculpting, live music, shopping and more - it all came together to create SandFest. Thousands of folks enjoyed the festival Friday through Sunday, April 19 to 21.
Jaws times two
Chance Spalding, 12, left, and Caleb Lee, 15, both of Hobbs, N.M., caught these black tip shark on a 4-hour state-water trip out of Dolphin Dock. The sharks weighed in at 100 and 120 pounds and were 5 1/2-feet long. The boys were aboard the Capt. Paul with Capt. Michael...
Multiple fishing tourneys set for summer
A number of fishing tournaments are already scheduled for this summer in Port Aransas. Some of these tournaments benefit nonprofit organizations or other worthy causes. Following are the tournaments scheduled for this season so far, all of which take place here. All tournaments are subject to change due to weather...
Anglers have been catching lots of vermilion snapper
Anglers have been catching a lot of vermilion snapper on trips aboard Port Aransas fishing charters the past week. On 9-hour and 12-hour offshore trips out of Dolphin Dock, fishermen have also been reeling in barracuda and blacktip shark, said Erin Felix, an employee. Four-hour inshore trips have returned with...
Eclipse experience exhilarating
Institute InsightsVictoria Congdon | April 24, 2024
Perhaps there is something to the old adage, “everything is bigger in Texas.” Texans and visitors alike had a unique opportunity to experience an annular solar eclipse on Oct. 14, 2023, and total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. Unfortunately,...
Ready for dedication
April 24, 2024
The Rev. Tim and Lori Baylor stand in the Heartland Christian Fellowship building on 11th Street, which was dedicated on Sunday, Nov. 24, 1996. The Baylors came to Port Aransas to start the church, which met for several years in the Civic Center. Churches of various names operated in the building until 2015, when the last one — Grace Church...