Picturing pirates



Posing pretty for a pirate picture are Kevin Fry (holding a little pirate) and Angie Fry of Port Aransas. Janet Calvert shot the photo at the Pirate Parade that coursed through Port Aransas on Saturday, Sept. 17. More photos from the event are on page 1B.

Bag ban is suspended

Some merchants will move back to plastic


Port Aransas merchants provided a mixed bag of responses when asked whether they’ll resume giving plastic shopping bags to customers now that the city council has suspended an ordinance banning the practice. Nothing has been decided yet at the Family Center IGA, said Mike Hall, the grocery store’s co-owner. “Honestly, I don’t know yet,” Hall said. “It will be up […]

Fired up



A big crowd of revelers enjoy themselves at a beach party that was part of ‘Wings Over Port A, A License to Chill,’ held on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 16 and 17, by the Parrot Heads of Port Aransas.

McKinney: Special-ed kids get good care




Sharon McKinney bristles at the idea that state guidelines suggesting limits on the percentage of special education students in schools have resulted in special-needs kids in Port Aransas not getting the care they require. “They can’t tell me that because I’m over some kind of percentage I can’t provide special education services to a student who needs them,” said McKinney, […]

A bow to Old Town

Couple preserves footprint, look of house


Editor’s note: With development surging over the past several years in Port Aransas, the area known as Old Town has lost some of its vintage feel as the owners of some older buildings have elected to demolish and build anew rather than preserve the aging structures. This week, the South Jetty starts an occasional series of stories that spotlight property […]

Island Agenda



Daily • Port Aransas Community Park Swimming Pool, 700 ClarkParkway: Open swim: Tue.- Sun. 1-5 p.m.; Lap swim: Tue.-Fri. 8a.m.-5 p.m., Sat. and Sun. 12-5 p.m. Closed Monday. Call 361-749-2416 for more information.• Computer Center, Free internet. Monday – Friday, 10 a.m.-4p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; closed Sunday. Hours subject tovolunteer availability. 430 N. Alister St. 749-4011.• Port Aransas Art […]

Jetty cleanup



The University of Texas Marine Science Institute sponsored a trash pickup session as part of the Ocean Conservancy’s International cleanup on Saturday, Sept. 17. Fifteen volunteers collected litter from the south jetty in 21 bags, and they sorted nine of the bags for recycling. They also reportedly saved a lost yellow mud tortoise.

Estuaries Day

Activities, speakers to fill afternoon at the Marine Science Education Center

Help celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Mission Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) and National Estuaries Day on Saturday, Sept. 24. An afternoon full of hands- on activities and speakers will be held at the Marine Science Education Center at 855 E. Cotter Ave. “Come over and enjoy some cake while learning about the wonders of our estuary and […]

Fall Adopt-a-Beach cleanup set Saturday, rain or shine



Enjoy a fall morning on the beach while doing something great for the environment at the 30th annual Texas General Land Office (GLO) Adopt-ABeach fall cleanup on Saturday, Sept. 24. Volunteers should report to Avenue G at the beach around 8:30 a.m. to check in and be assigned an area to clean. The cleanup is from 9 a.m. to noon. […]

Stuff to do and see

Parks and Rec Roundup

The following are upcoming events and activities sponsored by the Port Aransas Parks and Recreation Department. For more information or to register for events, call 749-4158. See the Island Agenda for weekly events. Activities This Week Beach Walk Friday, Sept. 23, at 9 a.m. Join Eliesha Barr on a guided walk to find beach ‘treasures.’ Meet at the purple flag […]