Port Aransas South Jetty (Port Aransas, Tex.), Vol. 27, No. 36, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 4, 1997 Page: 1 of 16
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Thursday, September 4, 1997
20th
Birthday
The EMS
WILL CELEBRATE ITS
20th birthday
NEXT WEEK.
Page 3
Longer duck hunting
SEASON AHEAD
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission
HAS APPROVED A LONGER DUCK HUNT'NG SEASON
AND BIGGER BAG LIMITS.
Page 12
Vol. 27 No. 36
SPS 946-020
On Mustang Island, Texas
Summer of '97 a record-breaker
By Mary Judson
South Jetty editor
Aii informal, unscientific survey of Port
Aransas merchants by the South Jet(\ Tues-
day, Sepl 2. tells the story ol a profitable
summer
As calm settled over this island community
follow mg what many called a record breaking
Labor Day holiday, merchants characterized
the summer m glowing terms
()ne long time island observer, Johnny Rob-
erts, who has been watching the beach and the
economy ol Port Aransas since Christmas of
DLLS, said 'll looked like possibly a record-
breaker "
Roberts, who has leal estate interests on the
island, said he has no "absolute figures", but
bv ' )ust broking around .mil talking, (the sum-
mer i was certainly a good one, il not a record
breaker It was an excellent summer
"We re on sort of a roll m general," Roberts
said It s a healthy condition The economy is
definitely in a healthy mode, and there are a lot
of things on the draw ing board," he added
"We've seen spurts, like the (construction
of) condos m I9KI X2 when everybody got
excited, but it wasn't a good healthy, broad
situation It was too narrow banded and it
petered out m short order," Roberts recalled
I he economic situation now, Roberts says,
“is very impressive "
“We're developing more of a year round
economy I don't hold with the idea that busi
nesses have to scratch to make it through the
winter I don't see that anymore. There were
days when that was true, but anyone taking
care of business and their customers now is
doing okay through the winter I' ve got a more
optimistic feeling," Roberts said
Co-owner and manager of the f amily t en
ter ItiA. Mike Hall said the Labor Day week
end was one of strongest on record
"Our numbers approached (he fourth of
Lovin' lazin' around on Labor Day
The Labor Day holiday drew big crowds of people of every si/e and shape to the island F riday, Saturday and Sunday, and
when Labor Day itself rolled around on Monday, Sept 1, the crowds headed for home, school, football and all that fall affords
to landlubbers Many will return to the island in the fall when beachcombing and birdwatching are at their best and fishing is
spectacular Meanwhile, merchants around town gave the summer of 97 high marks. See story for more on ihe busy
summer (Staff photo by Murray Judson)
July numbers which is unusual,'' Hall said
The crowds were in town I inlay through
Sunday Hall observed, but bv Monday "it was
an average Monday Hut those Just three days
were /mgei s
The year could be a record breaker, except lor
April, Mav and June w hie h. with wet w eat he i.
Hall said “took the w uni out ol our 'sales for
the total year
"We ll finish ahead ol Iasi year, but we
won't have the increase we hoped toi
anyone who got what they asked tor didn't ask
tor much You're supposed to always want
more in retail, I fall <|iup[ied
lime, Hall said, was "slow to kick in. but
once it did, we went gangbusters June I '> to
August I 5 is gist a short summer "
lo make up for that Hall says businesses
base to look at way s to expand the "shoulder
business seasons
I he "shoulder" seasons are the spring and
fall months which lac k the numbers of v isitoi s
seen during the winter and summer
"We have to look tor wavs to promote
families, and the ('hamber is working on that
We live and die1 bv the weather We need to
look at wavs to expand the shoulder seasons,
and we under utili/e our greatest asset the
beach." I (all said
(ieorge Horner, branch president of the
American Hank Port Aransas, described the
summer as vers good"
It seems to be better than last year, based on
an iiu rease m deposits," Horner said
I get a lot ol feedback from a lot of people
coming m the bank and most accoinmoda
City budget to get public airing tonight
By Mary Judson
South Jetty editor
Tonight's the night the general public can
have its say about how city tax dollars are
spent by the City of Port Aransas
A public hearing on the VI 2 million budget
for the 1997-97 fiscal year will be held at 7
p m today ( Thursday, Sept 4) at city hall
included in the budget is a raise for city
employees which amounts to about SI tin
hour
City Manager l orn Brooks said a study of
cities of about the same si/e as Port Aransas
revealed that most citv employees on the is
land are underpaid Ihe adjustment comes
with a price lag of about $45,( MX). Blooks said
However, he pointed out that the proposed
tax rate of 4 /c is the same as it has been lor the
past 15 years
While the net v alue of the tax base is up 11out
last yeat. it is down from 1995 when the
McDermott yard on llaibor Island was ac live
and more highly valued lotal net property
value this year is $294,777,465 compared lo a
net value m 1996 of S29 t, 756.XI >6 Ihe net
value m 1995 was $799.|()6.X(>2
Overall, the city's budget is about 10 h
percent above last year s
Aside from adjusting sal.u ics, me teases are
coming from insurance, luel, utilities and gar
hage collection One utility that is proving a
plus for the citv, is the natuial gas service
Revenues for the current vear look like they
will be above the estimates bv about $ I J2.< XML
although expenses are running over estimates
bv about $ <2 (KM) Rrooks said tbe i itv had no
accurate In slur v upon which to base est i males
tor the lust veal of ojx'ralion. howevei
Rrooks attributed continuation of the -J/y
lax rate lor I 5 scats to the tact that revenues
from vat ions soimes are coming m well and
the economy is good He also c redited "a
prudent c u v cinnu 11
f ollowing the public hearing, the’ council
will hold a special meeting to conduct busi
ness that would have been conducted at its
August meeting had the meeting notice been
jiroperlv posted
Benefit cruise, taste set Friday
It dancing under the moonlight, sipping
bubbly or barley and hops, and relishing sa
vory samples from Port Aransas reslaurants
aboard a cruising catamaran is your cup of tea,
you need a ticket for tomorrow night’s Moon
light Champagne Cruise and Mint Lisle of
Pori Aransas
Sponsored bv the Rotary (dub. the evening
of music, food and tun will be Friday. Sept 5,
from 7:30 to 9 p m Music will be by the I )ic k
()tis/I )anny (ion/ale/ I >uo
Tickets are on sale for $25 a person at the
Chamber of Commerce or from Fisherman's
Wharf
The cruise is aboard the Scat ( at out of
|L
' '\rV, . ’
Laboring on Labor Day
While many folks took a holiday Monday, Sept. 1, for Labor Day. these construction workers labored the day away They
weren't alone, as many odnstrueflon sites on the island looked like it was business as usual'. These workers were roofing a
house under construction m the Channel Vista neighborhood. (Staff photo by Murray Judson)
an ii i« mi inm ji > sOj i<iw ii hi i w ipi mum—»'diy mtum 11mi
I ishermanA Wharf and is limited by the
vessel's capacity, so buying advance tic kets to
this sellout event is a must, said Susan
I agedrosl who has headed up the effort for the
Rotary (dub for the past several years with co-
chairman Robby Crumbles
Ticket sales at the ( hamber of Commerce
and f isherman s Wharf "definitely pic ked up
tins week ."a spokesman said, and anyone w ho
wants any should buy them right away or find
themselves drv doc ked
The fund raiser for the Rotarv (dub s sc hoi
arship fund features sipping champagne oi
beet under the stars while sampling savory
morsels from the island’s finest restaurants
and all this is set to music
This event tins earned special recognition
as a hind ratset because KM) percent of all
services and products (labor, food, beverages,
music, the boat, etcetera) arc donated In turn,
l(M) percent ol all proceeds are quickly re
turned to the community through the Rotary
Club general fund." I agedrosl said
The restaurants and the dishes they will
serve, jt known at press time, are
Family ( enter IGA. assortexl deli trays;
Shell's, smoked jalapeno cheese squares;
Sportsplex. smoked marlin paid, blue crab
fingers, u peel cm shrimp; Temerarious chips,
salsa, guacamole; Cowabunga's. specialty
coffees; The Atrium at Port Royal, roast duck-
ling, seafood quiche and stuffed bread;
Beulah' s, cmditds. Harbor Shop, prquant cream
Please see CRUISE', Back Pace
lions and icl.nlcis have lepoiled 11ic'leases
Mosi sav thev had me leases i>v ei ihe prev ions
year and ihe [irevious veai was one ol (he
best," Horner reported lie said a lew busi
nesses weie "flat" hui "oveiall, mosi people
have ihe corner sol I lieu mouths turned up We
needed a good summer lo make up lor lousy
spring "
Jay Kcmgsberg. owner of lav s Seafood
and Spaghetti Works said dial (lie summer was
' I oo short, (nil ii was a very good summer
"We did have a iccord hieaking summer
Iasi summci, and (his siimmei even lopped u
Still, l don't notice I lends c hanging I wish
the Iasi wee k m Mav and lusi c ouple of weeks
m June would |>c,ik. kemgsbeig said
"(>ne mlcicstmg thing we notice is that the
earlier sc hool lime only takes away one week
I lorn us 11 used l o tli op ol I anyway bee ausc ot
back to school shopping," Kcmgsberg said
R n si ness still chops oil in the I all. and "We
have to hope we have enough stored away to
make u through tall and wmtei he added
Alan Olson at Pei lean’s l .and mg Restaurant
^ays husmes' was up. and "We're looking
forward to a gie.it hireling fall He also said
they are welcoming hac k diners w hi> avold the
restaurant in the summci because ot the erowels
Il looks like it was a bang up summer,"
said franc is Stokes, v ic c president and branch
manager ol International Rank
"All of my customers are talking I0T to
2(Y7< ovet last yeat All reports are that the
summer was outstanding We usually have a
pessimisi m the bunc h. and we havcn t had one
ol those, Stokes said
Rill Randct. president ol the Chambei of
Commerce Tounsl Rurcau and general man
aget of Coral Cav Condominiums, said the1
summci was "great
“'Through July, my business was up 5'/,
over a year ago We are pleased with the
summer, although weather related events at
tected June It was a comparable month to a
year ago, but we I el t we could have done belter
but you can t control Mothci Nature
Rauder said he was disappointed w ith mid
week traffic tor the latter halt of August w fm h
ran about half of what it was a year ago
I lie only way we ended up even with Iasi
August was the fact that all of the Labor Day
holiday came in August," he said
( herall. however, the numbers are ahead of
last veai, and we re encouraged that this will
c ontinue I don't see any thing on the hori/on
that will slop lhat trend." he said
We icallv have to concentrate' out elforts
on the Iasi half of August and the shoulder"
months That's where the potential is, and
dial's were wu need to locus out oflotts." he
added
Rett Rloclscher who with his wile, Lee.
owns Hungs Resort Wear, said 'll was a very
good summer theie were more people here "
"I .ahot Dav weekend was excellent but we
had a two lor one sale." he said Rloclschci
said the summer featured "Wonderful weather
we re thankful there were no storms "
Tina (rant, owner of Cowabunga's, said
"We made more money and there were more
people "
"It was a good crowd; there were more
families People seemed to enjoy themselves
(hey liked il here I bis year we didn't have
any problems thev were nice people enjoy-
ing themselves spending more time out with
Please sEr ’MAIMER.’ Back Pact
Mauro due here Friday
for hook signing event
Garry Mauro,
Texas lahd commis
sioner. will review his
book, “Beaches. Bu-
reaucrats and Big
Oil,” Friday. Sept 5,
at Fllis Memorial Li-
brary
Friends of the Li-
brary will host an
hour-long reception
for Mauro, starting al
10 30 a m
After his presenta-
tion, "Mauro will be
available to sign Copt-
ics of the book, which describes his stand
against the big oil interests and how he dealt
with them.
The library is located at 700 W. Ave. A next
to city hall.
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Judson, Mary. Port Aransas South Jetty (Port Aransas, Tex.), Vol. 27, No. 36, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 4, 1997, newspaper, September 4, 1997; Port Aransas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth623348/m1/1/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Ellis Memorial Library.