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Port Aransas residents quick to help
Dan Parker | July 9, 2025
The terrible floods that devastated the Hill Country last week have brought out the best in Port Aransas. Almost immediately after finding out about Kerr County’s catastrophe, locals launched efforts...

Bloated billionaire bill is class warfare
Dick Polman | July 9, 2025
What’s most important to remember about the monstrous “big beautiful” bill ginned up by Trump’s Reichstag is that Republicans are just being themselves. They’ve always pined to fatten the fat...

You’ll appreciate USA’s greatness by traveling
Michael Reagan | July 9, 2025
If you really want to appreciate America, leave. That’s right. Get out. Go somewhere you’ve never been for two weeks. See how the rest of the world lives. It’s not...

Kids fish!
Young anglers have been included in the Deep Sea Roundup for decades with their own competition, the Piggy Perch Contest....

Library to host story time, adult craft day, game and movie day
Youth and adults are invited to upcoming summer reading program events at the William R. “Bill” Ellis Memorial Library through...

Parks and rec offers fun activities
Get outside and have some fun at some upcoming events hosted by the Port Aransas Parks and Recreation Department. Family...

‘Beetlejuice Jr.’ set to open at community theater on July 17
“Beetlejuice Jr.,” a youth musical adaption of the 1988 film directed by Tim Burton, will open on the Port Aransas...

Riding with Mom
July 9, 2025
Mandy Arnold of Port Aransas takes her 3-year-old son, Ozzy, to Trinity-by-the-Sea Episcopal Day School on Trojan Street recently.

Craft time
July 9, 2025
Youngsters created colorful bandannas with markers at a craft time at the Ellis Library on Wednesday, June 18. This activity...

Birthday catch
July 9, 2025
Luke Rucinski, 10, celebrated his birthday with a 5-hour federal water trip on Sunday, June 22. Luke caught this ling...

Nice haul
July 9, 2025
Red snapper, vermilion snapper and a spinner shark were the catches made by Aaron Hayes, left, of Kyle, and his...
Anglers to cast lines for big fish at Billfish Pachanga tournament
July 9, 2025
Offshore anglers will be competing to catch and release the biggest billfish in the 2025 Billfish Pachanga, Wednesday through Saturday,...
Fishing docks busy on July 4 weekend
July 9, 2025
Port Aransas fishing charters were kept busy during the Fourth of July weekend, according to employees on the waterfront. Marilyn...

Libraries offer summer reading programs
State of AffairsTodd Hunter
The summer months are often the most anticipated months of the year. Especially in our area, with so much to...

Trust in God, find peace
Pastor’s PenGeorge Johnson
“Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by waves; but Jesus...

What is important in life
Coffee GirlRenae Brumbaugh
I know I write for a newspaper, but I prefer my news consumption to be of the ostrich variety: head...
Go fish
Whether inshore or offshore, fishing has been a big deal in Port Aransas for many years. Here are some Port Aransas fishing photos from past and present.


Deep Sea Roundup scheduled this week
Vivian Carlson
Staff writer | July 9, 2025
The oldest fishing tournament on the Gulf coast happens this week! Anglers of all ages will drop their lines and take part in two full days of fishing in the 89th annual Deep Sea Roundup set for Thursday, July 10 through Sunday, July 13. The Port Aransas Boatmen, Inc., event organizers, have dedicated this year’s tournament to the memory of...

Port A helping flood victims
Dan Parker
Editor and co-publisher | July 9, 2025
Through prayers and drives for donated supplies, the Port Aransas community is doing its part to support the victims of the catastrophic flooding in the Hill Country. As of the afternoon of Monday, July 7, officials had confirmed that 84 people had died due to the flooding in Kerr County, according to the San Antonio Express-News. That included 28 children,...

Sorenson named Boatman of the Year
Dan Parker
Editor and co-publisher | July 9, 2025
For years, a big Port Aransas Boatmen sign stood next to the dock used by the organization at Dennis Dreyer Municipal Harbor. For the Boatmen, the sign was a point of pride, pointing out that this particular dock was the home of vessels owned and operated by members of the Boatmen, one of the longest-lived social and professional organizations in...

Salty Paws volunteers plan workday at shelter
July 9, 2025
Folks are invited to a meet, greet and volunteer day at the Port Aransas Animal Shelter from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 12. Volunteer activities will include tidying up the shelter, walking the shelter dogs and playing with the cats, litter changes and light outside yard work. Salty Paws of Port Aransas, a nonprofit that supports homeless […]

Trustees recognized by regional service center
Port Aransas ISDDan Parker
Editor and co-publisher | July 9, 2025
The Port Aransas ISD Board of Trustees recently was named Regional School Board of the Year by Education Service Center (ESC) Region 2. “It’s an outstanding board,” said Esperanza Zendejas, executive director at the ESC. Port Aransas ISD schools are high performers, academically, and “that is going to carry a lot of weight” in the process for selecting the top […]

Lighting up the sky
July 9, 2025
Fireworks explode above a Port Aransas ferry as it crosses the Corpus Christi Ship Channel on the evening of Friday, July 4. Beth Owens of Port Aransas snapped this photo while on her bay boat with her husband, Kelly Owens. The fireworks show was put on at Roberts Point Park by the City of Port Aransas and the H-E-B Lighthouse […]
Man identified in reported drowning
July 9, 2025
The Nueces County Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the man who was pulled from the water at the beach on Mustang Island, south of Port Aransas, on Friday, July 4. He was identified as 51-year-old Robert Mendez. No city of residence was released. Police were summoned to the 11000 block of Gulf Beach shortly after 3 p.m. “in reference to […]

July 4 was boom for Port A businesses
Teresita Dominguez and Vivian Carlson | July 9, 2025
Port Aransas merchants did large amounts of business as a massive crowd of visitors descended on Port Aransas during the July 4 weekend. “We saw occupancy in the 90th percentile, all hotels were at maximum occupancy,” said Brett Stawar, president and CEO of the Port Aransas Tourism Bureau and Chamber of Commerce. “It looks like the biggest day for check-ins […]
Investigation ongoing
Dan Parker
Editor and co-publisher | July 9, 2025
One year after a fatal collision between a tanker ship and a sportfishing boat in Port Aransas, the Coast Guard hasn’t concluded its investigation of the incident. The Coast Guard won’t release information on the cause until the investigation is over, said James Farris, a public affairs officer with the agency. He said he didn’t know how much longer the […]

Kemp’s ridley turtle hatchlings reported washing up on beaches
July 9, 2025
Citizens are reporting young Kemp’s ridley sea turtles washing up on the beaches of the Coastal Bend, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced in a news release on Thursday, July 3. In the previous week, 30 “post-hatchlings” had washed back up onto beaches, more than what is typically reported this time of year, the release said. The service is […]
Bernie’s reports break-in
July 9, 2025
Bernie’s Beach House was broken into, and a burglary was attempted at a bar in the same area on Monday, July 7, according to the business owners. Claudette Smalley, owner of Bernie’s, 730 Trout St., said she received a call at around 3 a.m. from her alarm company, saying someone had entered the bar. “At 3 a. m., they crowbarred […]

Farley planter prices increase
July 9, 2025
Folks who want to own a piece of Port Aransas to place into on landscapes can purchase the iconic Farley Boat planters from the Port Aransas Garden Club. For the past 20 years the Garden Club has sold the planters to fund the club’s beautification projects around town. The Garden Club has announced that, as of Jan. 1, 2026, the […]
Woman shot on Mustang Island
July 9, 2025
A woman was shot Friday, July 4, and the Corpus Christi Police Department is searching for the shooter. Corpus Christi PD responded to a call in the 7000 block of Gulf Beach Road on Mustang Island and “located a female in her 30s with a gunshot wound,” according to a news release issued by the Corpus Christi PD. The woman […]

Golf on the Gulf
July 9, 2025
Jordon Bryce prepares to putt while his wife, Ashleigh, does a little maintenance work on the small miniature golf course they created by hand at their spot on the beach in Port Aransas on a recent day. They were visiting Port Aransas from Liberty Hill with their 6-year-old daughter, Aria. Playing golf on the beach is fun, but you’ve got […]

Port A celebrates July 4
July 9, 2025
Folks in Port Aransas paraded, flew flags, wore patriotic clothing and more as they celebrated during the July 4 weekend.

Ready to rescue
Waiting victim Oscar, the dummy, sits patiently on the deck of a Port Aransas ferry, the William G. Burnett, in July 2007 as the ferry headed toward the place where Oscar would “fall overboard.” It was all part of a Texas Department of Transportation exercise to train ferry crews in rescue operations in the event a person actually did go...