Greetings, Editor and fellow readers,

After four and a half decades it looks like we are leaving the ranks of Port O’Connor property owners. The house which my uncle and I built and to which my mother retired to until her death in 2002 will likely be going up for sale soon. I more or less grew up here. I remember sitting on the porch and watching the flash of B-52 practice bombs on Wednesday nights over Matagorda island. I remember the grass fires and volunteer fire department sirens that seemed to be a part of every July Fourth weekend. I remember going to see second run movies at the Jameson Theater on Saturday nights with hoards of hollering kids dropped off so mom and dad could have a couple of hours of weekend relaxation to themselves. I remember wading out to the bay jetty to fish off the rocks before the rocks reached the shore (caught a lot of specs and reds there, but caught even more hardheads).

I remember Mom buying a capon from “Boots” the butcher in the back of the grocery store. It was delicious. I remember the smell of the water from Day’s water well service. It wasn’t delicious. All of us have a place that is the center of their world and for me for years it was this little house on Polk street in Port O’Connor.

I hope that the new owners will make memories just as wonderful as those I will take with me when we head out on Adams for the last time.

Jay Jennings

Editor’s Note: Jay Jennings’ mother, Margaret Jennings, was the founder of Dolphin Talk.

Capt. Rasmussen

Hello Joyce. I found your name and email on the DOLPHIN TALK Port O’Connor/Seadrift News as I was looking up some information about my great grandfather. I’m hoping that you might be able to help me find some information about him from that area including Port Lavaca where he had a family home which stood up until the 1980’s.

My great grandfather, Andrew A. Rasmussen, was the Captain of the Saluria Lifesaving Station (1885-1889) and built a home in Port O’Connor in 1911.

I visited Port O’Connor a few years ago and found my great grandfather’s home with the historical marker. I understood at that time that an attorney from Houston had bought the home and was remodeling it. Above the home was a “lookout tower” so that Capt. Rasmussen could go up and look out towards the sea. This is the home where he and his wife, Theresa Amelia Smith Rasmussen, raised six children. Theresa died in 1930 at that home.

If you or someone knows anything about Capt. Rasmussen or have any articles of information about him, please let me know. This would mean so much to me.

Thank you,

Roxanne Craig

Anyone who has information to share about Capt. Rasmussen, please contact Dolphin Talk.

A Note of Thanks to All Our Customers:

Thank you for keeping it local and helping us keep our doors open. We are here for you and will do our best to carry your preferences. Have a happy and safe holiday!

POC Liquor Store Crew

Thank You

Thank you for your thoughtfulness in sending lovely flowers, generous donations and food in honor of our mother, Dorothy Ramos. We are so grateful for your helping hand in our time of need. Thanks especially to my Uncle George, Aunt Esther Zarate, and Larry and Melinda Morales for the Benefit Dinner.

This has been a very difficult time for my dad (Joe) and all of the family, so I thank you again. This means so much to us.

May God Bless All,

Children & Family of Dorothy Ramos

Thanks from the POC Chamber of Commerce

Once again this years Chamber of Commerce Christmas Party was awesome. Held on Monday night at 6:30, we began with a short meeting and election of five new directors for 2013.

We had the “Taste of POC” once again – hosted by our local eateries – they came through with a large selection of food for those that attended to feast on! We would like to send out a HUGE THANK YOU to-Speedy Stop, Art’s BBQ, Cathy’s, Hurricane Junction, Beacon 44 Seafood Market, Josies, Jocelynn’s, Mama’s Pizza, Donna Pyle, and also to Twice the Ice for donating the ice for our party. We also had a dessert table that was loaded with some tasty treats – a large array of pies, pralines, cookies, cakes and more.

We also had two door prize baskets compiled of items donated by more local businesses:

Thanks to POC Rods, POC Hardware, First National Bank, POC Liquor, Beacon 44 RV Park, Beverly Clifton with Scentsy, and Speedy Stop for the donations for the gift baskets for our door prizes. Winners were Agnes Valigura and John Hribak.

Thanks to all that attended this annual event.

Mary Jo Walker, President, POC Chamber of Commerce

The Cow and the Ice Cream

“We are worried about ‘the cow’ when it is all about the ‘Ice Cream. ‘The most eye-opening civics lesson I ever had was while teaching 3rd grade. The last Presidential election was heating up and some of the children showed an interest. I decided we would have an election for a class president. We would choose our nominees. They would make a campaign speech and the class would vote. To simplify the process, candidates were nominated by other class members. We discussed what kinds of characteristics these students should have. We got many nominations and from those, Jamie and Olivia were picked to run for the top spot.

The class had done a great job in their selections. Both candidates were good kids. I thought Jamie might have an advantage because he got lots of parental support. I had never seen Olivia’s mother.

The day arrived when they were to make their speeches. Jamie went first. He had specific ideas about how to make our class a better place. He ended by promising to do his very best. Everyone applauded and he sat down.

Now it was Olivia’s turn to speak. Her speech was concise. She said, “If you will vote for me, I will give you ice cream.” She sat down.

The class went wild. “Yes! Yes! We want ice cream.”

She surely would say more. She did not have to.

A discussion followed. How did she plan to pay for the ice cream? She wasn’t sure. But no one pursued that question. They took her at her word. Would her parents buy it or would the class pay for it…She didn’t know. The class really didn’t care. All they were thinking about was ice cream…

Jamie was forgotten. Olivia won by a landslide.

Every time Barack Obama opened his mouth he offered ice cream and 51.4 % of the people reacted like nine year old’s.

They want ice cream.

The other 48.6% percent know they’re going to have to feed the cow and clean up the mess.”

Remember, the government cannot give anything to anyone that they have not first taken away from someone else.

Did you vote for the ice cream?

Submitted by a local mom who did not vote for the ice cream.

The Dolphin welcomes letters from our readers on any subject that is of general interest to our audience. Letters should be 300 words or less (with exceptions at the Dolphin’s discretion). Letters reflect the opinion of the writer, and not that of Dolphin Talk staff, and we retain the right to determine suitability for publication. It is the policy of this newspaper to promote area interests: therefore, complaints against local businesses should be directed elsewhere. Letters must be signed and include day and evening phone numbers, which will not be published. Your name will be withheld upon request, but anonymous material will not be considered for publication.

Letters to the Dolphin:
Dolphin Talk, PO Box 777,
Port O’Connor, TX 77982
dolphin1@tisd.net