Spring Break
City gets set for holiday
BY PHIL REYNOLDS SOUTH JETTY REPORTER

Law enforcement agencies and public works crews were working this week to put the finishing touches on preparations for this year's Spring Break, which begins next week.

Spring Break, the week-long time off from school for high school and college students, brings up to 10,000 young people to Port Aransas beaches. While many of them are from northern schools, a significant percentage are from Texas universities in Houston, Austin, Waco, San Marcos and San Antonio as well as high schools that also have the week off.

On Tuesday, March 6, crews from the city's Operations Department and Nueces County Water Control and Improvement District No. 4 were replacing posts that separate the beach roadway from the pedestrian area between Beach Street and Avenue G. Posts that mark no-parking zones and entries for emergency vehicles already sported new bright red tops, and many of the signs on the beach had been refurbished and repainted.

Police Chief Sam Russell held a department meeting Tuesday to go over final details with police officers, firfi.ghters and Emergency Medical Service crews. In that meeting, ranking officers emphasized safety, both for police and for Spring Breakers.

A total of 48 Department of Public Safety (DPS) troopers will augment the local police department, with concentrations on the weekends, Russell said. The troopers will be concentrating on driving while intoxicated offenses.

Agents from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) will also be on Mustang Island, checking for under-age drinking.

Local officers will also be bolstered by game wardens from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Game wardens, though normally thought of as enforcing only fish and game laws, are fully-certified police officers with statewide authority.

As has been the practice in the past, off-duty officers from other police departments, both near and not-so-near, have been hired to assist local officers. Each of them will ride in a police unit with a Port Aransas officer who has local jurisdiction and who is familiar with local procedures, Russell said.

Nueces County Precinct 4 Constable Bobby Sherwood said his office has revamped schedules to put the largest number of deputy constables on patrol when they're needed most. Sherwood will not have officers from other agencies riding with his people.

Among the major issues this year:

+ Driving while intoxicated. The DPS task force will concentrate on this offense, but all officers have been asked to watch for drunk drivers.

+ Minors with alcohol. This is one of the tasks of the TABC agents, although again, all officers will watch for under-age drinkers.

+ Beach fires. The city council has recently ordained that no wood with nails will be burned on beaches because of the hazard to barefoot beachgoers and to vehicle tires. Officers may stop drivers seen hauling such materials as pallets or construction materials toward the beach.

+ Pets on leashes. Officers have been told to make sure all pets are on leashes because of the hazard of uncontrolled dogs on a beach full of youngsters.

"The smart thing to do is not to drink and drive," Sherwood reminded visitors. "It's never smart to drink and drive, but it's particularly dangerous during Spring Break."

"Remember to keep your eyes open and be careful," patrol Lt. James Stokes told the police department briefing on Tuesday. "The idea is for everybody to be safe and back at work after Spring Break."