The Texas Gulf Coast is known for growing colorful characters, and Jack Coffman Cobb, an entrepreneur who opened Mustang Island’s first beach resort and developed its first beach apartments, stands out as one of the most memorable almost four decades after his death. Port Aransas is no longer the small fishing village it was when Cobb launched the resort on... READ MORE >
A scenic cluster of dunes across Cotter Avenue from the main campus of the University of Texas Marine Science Institute (UTMSI) would be transformed by the construction of a new student housing complex, an institute spokesperson acknowledged. The size and shape of some of the dunes would be significantly changed by the construction work, said Sally Palmer, communications coordinator for... READ MORE >
Installation of new low-pressure gas lines to all residences and commercial businesses started on Aug. 15 in Port Aransas. Workers bored the new lines and hooked them up to new gas meters, leaving the old network of gas lines underground. About 1,700 new meters were installed. During Hurricane Harvey in 2017 the gas system suffered saltwater inundation so FEMA approved... READ MORE >
The City of Port Aransas purchased a half-acre of land adjacent to Joan and Scott Holt Paradise Pond to add on to the nature preserve. Nature Preserve Manager Rae Mooney said the city bought six lots from Port Street Development for $270,000. The company had saved the lots for the city for four years, then sold it to the city... READ MORE >
Shawn Keith Fey, who was convicted of the 1996 slashing murder of Port Aransas hotelier Michael O’Bannon Robert, was returned to prison after violating his parole by engaging in illegal drug activity. Fey, 55, was sent to the Garza West Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDJC) in Beeville. A felony-controlled substance conviction on May 25 of possession... READ MORE >
Shawn Keith Fey, who was convicted of the 1996 slashing murder of Port Aransas hotelier Michael O’Bannon Robert, has returned to prison after violating his parole by engaging in illegal drug activity. Fey, 55, is incarcerated in the Garza West Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDJC) in Beeville. A felony-controlled substance conviction on May 25 of possession... READ MORE >
New chairs for the city council chamber, a motorcycle for the police department, a document scanner for the city secretary, jaws-of-life for the fire department and 30 palm trees for landscaping in parks are a few of the $21.1 million in capital improvements and acquisitions proposed for the 2023 Port Aransas fiscal year budget. There will be a public hearing... READ MORE >
Some 2,450 short-term rentals are currently registered with the city with more being discovered and recorded daily, according to Port Aransas Planning Assistant Nicole Boyer. “Like any new system, it takes time and energy to get it running well,” she said. “In my opinion, the more time goes on, the better the system is going to be.” The city council... READ MORE >
Electronic gates are being installed at the entrances to the Port Aransas Nature Preserve at Charlie’s Pasture, and that should help prevent intrusions into the area at night, according to Nature Preserve Manager Rae Mooney. Mooney told members of the Nature Preserve Technical Advisory Board at their meeting Aug. 24 that the new gates would be more effective than manually-operated... READ MORE >
A tragic crash in Galveston that recently killed four people riding in a golf cart is not creating a rush to toughen regulations in Port Aransas, according to city officials. City Manager David Parsons noted that the accident that occurred on Aug. 7 had not prompted anyone to call for a review and to make changes to the local operation... READ MORE >
