December 18, 2008 RSS feed / Island Life

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Counting birds

Volunteers Mikael Behrens, left, and Beau Hardegree search the skies for birds at the south jetty during the National Audubon Society's 109th annual Christmas Bird Count on Monday, Dec. 15. More...

Christmas in Port Aransas at a Glance

(SEE STORIES FOR DETAILS)

Dec. 18-23: •Holiday Forest, Port Aransas Civic Center, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free. Dec.19: • Early release PAISD. All schools released at 1 p.m. High School students may leave at break for lunch, 12:15 p.m. Dec. More...

Holiday Deadlines

Christmas edition - Dec. 25 Letters to the editor: 10 a.m. Monday, Dec. 22 News & Advertising: Noon Monday, Dec. 22 -The South Jett y office will close at noon Christmas Eve, Wednesday, Dec. 24, and reopen at 9 a.m. Monday, Dec. More...

Kiwanis calendars ready for pick-up

Community birthday calendars for 2009 are ready to be picked up. Dee Tomaszewski, spokesman for the Kiwanis Club that sponsors the calendars, said calendars may be picked up at American Bank, 216 S. Alister St. More...

ISLAND OBSERVER: TONY AMOS

Farewell to Faust's Pond

It was another little tragedy of a piece of our island giving way to development. I called it Faust's Pond because it was on the property the then graduate student (now Dr.) Faust Parker used to care for. More...

Beach walk set for 26th

See what the tides brought us for Christmas. Port Aransas resident Shirley Fischer will guide beach walkers on Friday, Dec. 26, in a perusal of tidal offerings. Walkers should meet at 9 a.m. More...

Port Aransas Museum draws crowd for soft opening

BY MICHAEL CARY SOUTH JETTY REPORTER

If Port Aransas were to sponsor a trivia contest, some of these historical facts could be some of the questions. • The early settlers first built their houses in a town called Aransas, on San Jose Island. More...

POLICE BLOTTER

CITY OF PORT ARANSAS POLICE DEPARTMENT

TUESDAY, DEC. 9 8:35 a.m. • The animal control department issued a home quarantine in the 100 block of Gulf Wind Drive as a follow up to a dog bite. 8:56 a.m. More...

Parks dedication fee comes back to council

BY MICHAEL CARY SOUTH JETTY REPORTER

City Manager Michael Kovacs is standing firm in his request that Port Aransas City Council establish a park dedication fee of $772 for new residential housing permits. More...

PORT ARANSAS CITY COUNCIL

REGULAR MEETING - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2008

FINANCIAL REPORT: Discussion and take appropriate action on November Financial Report CONSENT AGENDA: Consider and take appropriate action on Final Replat application #FRP2008-11, Cinnamon Shore P.U.D., Unit 3A, Port Aransas, Nueces County, Te More...

CONSTABLE'S BEAT

NUECES COUNTY, PRECINCT 4

SUNDAY, DEC. 7 1 p.m. • Deputies arrested a man for warrants at Station Street and B&M Avenue. 2 p.m. • A man was arrested for two Port Aransas warrants in the 600 block of Cut-off Road 3 p.m. More...

JELM Center December Calendar

Monday 8 a.m. Aerobics Pollock Center 9:15 a.m. Beginner's Line Dancing Pollock Center 10 a.m. Writer's Workshop JELM Library 10:45 a.m. Advanced Line Dancing Pollock Center 10 a.m. Writer's Workshop JELM Library 1 p.m. More...

Whoops!

Haley Maldonado was misidentifi ed in last week's South Jetty. She was featured in retired horticulturalist John Fucik's column, Island plants. Haley, 5, is the daughter of Shana Maldonado and is in pre-kindergarten at H.G. More...

Services offered for the holidays

Several island churches will offer Christmas Eve, Christmas and NewYear's Eve services. Visitors to the island and members of other churches are, of course, welcome to attend any of the services offered. The Community Presbyterian Church, 113 S. More...

Beijing kiter

Zhaogui Hu of Beijing, China, enjoys a kite flying moment on the beach near the south jetty recently. Her daughter and son-in-law, Amy and Patrick Senin, also enjoyed mom's success at getting a kite aloft in a cold northern wind. More...

Public offices, banks to close

Public offices and banks in Port Aransas will close for Christmas and New Year's days. Some offices will keep abbreviated hours on Christmas Eve, and some city services will be interrupted for the holiday. More...

2008 Holiday Gift Guide

RACHEL PEARSON

This week, I am publishing my annual Holiday Gift Guide. In an effort to relieve some of the pressure of the holiday season, I tried to keep these gifts simple, thoughtful, and affordable for everyone. Merry Christmas! 1. More...

Find Christmas spirit in Holiday Forest

The 2008 Holiday Forest, "The True Spirit of Christmas," is open. The event, sponsored by the City of Port Aransas Parks and Recreation Department, is located at the Civic Center, 710 W. Ave. A. More...

Students offering gift wrapping

Feeling rushed for Christmas? A group of eighth grade history students from Brundrett Middle School may be able to help. They will wrap your Christmas gifts in exchange for a donation. The students are raising money to help fund a U.S. More...

Little League eyeing 2009 season's path

The first Port Aransas Little League Meeting has been scheduled for tonight, Thursday, Dec. 18, at 6 p.m. More...

Water aerobics exercise class offered at Community Park

Take advantage of a free aerobic water workout through Friday, Dec. 19. Three times are available, at 8:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and noon at the Port Aransas Community Park,'s heated pool, 700 Clark Parkway. More...

Truckin'

Five-year-old Miles Parsons pushes his toy bulldozer down the beach near Horace Caldwell Pier on Sunday, Dec. 14. Miles' mother is Gretchen Baughman. More...

CCA pledges funds

In an effort to further enhance Texas' coastal habitats, Coastal Conservation Association of Texas recently pledged $100,000 of seed money to start the Habitat Today for Fish Tomorrow (HTFT) initiative. More...

Beach stroll

Gerald Dodson, a Port Aransas resident,walks with his dog, Tiki, on the beach near Horace Caldwell pier. Dodson is using a leash to walk his dog, which is required by city ordinance. More...

Run into new year

Kick off the New Year with a two-mile fun run or a 2009-meter walk. Meet at the Community Park, 700 Clark Blvd., off Ross Ave. Thursday, Jan. 1, at 2:09 p.m. More...

Cultivating knowledge

Kindergarteners learn by growing vegetables in school gardens
STORY AND PHOTOS BY DAN PARKER SOUTH JETTY REPORTER

H.G. Olsen Elementary School is growing young minds by letting kindergarteners grow vegetables in three new gardens on the school grounds. More...

Forces of nature

A light sea fog forms at the I.B. Magee Jr. Beach Park as cool air from the north meets the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday, Dec. 14. The cool-down came in advance of a cold front that struck at mid-morning Monday, Dec. More...

Port Aransas resident deceased after rollover

Port Aransas public safety officers were called to the scene of an early morning rollover accident that resulted in a fatality at the intersection of Station Street and Spencer's Landing. More...

Trips, new classes at JELM

The Joint Effort Leisure Ministry Center has a lot going on for the New Year. Four new classes will be offered and four trips are scheduled. Carmen Cardenas will teach conversational Spanish on Wednesdays at 11 a.m. More...

PASTOR'S PEN

Change in the air

Have you been affected? Change is in the air, but I'm not sure this is what anyone was wanting. This whole election cycle was about change. There is definitely a change coming, but what I was referring to was the economic downturn. More...

Island influence on holiday meals

BILL SLINGERLAND

So many foods are associated with the holiday here along the Texas coast. Bowls of u-peel 'em shrimp or platters of steaming tamales seem to be at every gathering. The smell of cinnamon or peppermint permeates the air. More...

Art Center for the Islands slates Third Saturday sale

Art lovers will have the opportunity to shop for last minute gifts on Saturday, Dec. 20, when the Art Center for the Islands will hold its Third Saturday Sale. From 10 a.m. More...

Celebrate New Year's Eve early

Don't want to wait up until midnight to celebrate New Year's Eve? Join the City of Port Aransas Parks and Recreation Department at the Fred Rhodes Memorial Pavilion in Roberts Point Park for an early celebration of the coming year. More...













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