On March 25, 2013, a temporary emergency rule will publish in the Federal Register that gives NOAA Fisheries the authority to set separate closure dates for the recreational red snapper season in federal waters off individual Gulf of Mexico states. The closure dates will depend on whether state regulations are consistent with federal regulations for the recreational red snapper season length or bag limit. This action was requested by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council at their February meeting to provide a fairer and more equitable distribution of recreational red snapper fishing opportunities among anglers in all the Gulf of Mexico states.

The federal recreational season for Gulf of Mexico red snapper begins June 1 each year with a 2-fish bag limit. The length of the season is determined by the amount of the quota, the average weight of fish landed, and the estimated catch rates over time. NOAA Fisheries is responsible for ensuring the entire recreational harvest, including harvest in state waters, does not exceed the recreational quota. Therefore, if states establish a longer season or a larger bag limit for state waters than the federal regulations allow in federal waters, the federal season must be adjusted to account for the additional harvest expected in state waters.

If all states were to implement consistent regulations, the 2013 recreational season would be 28 days, assuming the recreational quota is increased to 4.145 million pounds through separate rule-making. However, Texas, Louisiana, and Florida have indicated they will implement inconsistent red snapper regulations for their state waters. Therefore, without this emergency rule, the 2013 federal season would be reduced to 22 days to compensate for that additional expected harvest.

This emergency rule allows NOAA Fisheries to calculate the recreational red snapper fishing season separately in the EEZ off each state to account for any inconsistency of regulations in state waters. Based on the expected regulations for Texas, Louisiana, and Florida, the
preliminary season lengths would be as follows: Texas, 12 days; Louisiana, 9 days; Mississippi and Alabama, 28 days; and Florida, 21 days. The method for calculating these dates can be found in a report (SERO-LAPP-2013-02) at
http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_fisheries/gulf_fisheries/red_snapper/documents /pdfs/2013_red_snapper_emergency_regs.pdf

NOAA Fisheries will officially announce the closure dates through a separate Southeast Fishery Bulletin.

All other federal regulations for recreational red snapper are still in effect.  In particular, if federal regulations for red snapper are more restrictive than state regulations, a person aboard a vessel for which a federal charter/headboat permit for Gulf reef fish has been issued must comply with federal regulations regardless of where the fish are harvested.  Relative to this emergency rule, that means if the federal waters off a particular state are closed for recreational red snapper harvest, then vessels with a federal charter/headboat permit may not harvest red snapper in those state waters even if the waters off the vessel’s home state are still open.

The emergency rule, a map showing federal waters off each state, and a list of Frequently Asked Questions are on the NOAA Fisheries Website:
sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_fisheries/gulf_fisheries/reef_fish/2013/rs_er/index.html

Doyle Adams presents the Citizen of the Year award to Judge Nancy Pomykal at the February 14 Sweetheart Banquet.

“For your total commitment, hard work, initiative, enthusiasm and dedication to the people of Port O’Connor…” began the inscription on the plaque presented to Judge Nancy Pomykal. The Citizen of the Year Award is presented each year by Port O’Connor’s First Baptist Church at their annual Sweetheart Banquet, and Judge Pomykal has been called upon to present several of these awards over the years. So she was quite surprised to discover that this year she was not the presenter, but the recipient.

Nancy Pomykal received this honor, not only for her 23 years as Justice of the Peace, but for overall commitment to and participation in her community.

Born in Texarkana, Texas, Nancy’s family relocated to Port O’Connor in 1959. Before serving Calhoun County, she was employed as a new account representative in banking and was manager of a restaurant. As small business owner, she shares a bay- boat and outboard motor sales and service company with her husband, Forrest.

Nancy Pomykal left Calhoun County in 1967, to return in 1981. She attended Calhoun High School and graduated from Fort Lauderdale High School. She studied business at Broward College in Florida.

“I love my community. When I returned in 1981, I was welcomed back as a ‘home-town girl’. When I was approached to run for Justice of the Peace in 1990, I was honored and flattered to be considered a local,” she said. Through the years, the community has given a lot to my family and me. I wanted to give something back by serving the community and to make a difference.”

The judge is a homemaker and a mother of two grown children. As a young mother, she served as president of the PTA where her children attended school. She has been a hospital volunteer and has worked with the elderly. She has served her community in past years with several organizations, but has found in the past few years, the job of J.P. has kept her extremely busy which doesn’t allow her time to serve on as many committees as in the past.

As an elected justice of the peace, the judge has attended hundreds of class room hours of judicial training and study. She taught new court clerks for the Texas Justice Court Training Center for 3.5 years. She is a member of the Texas Justice of the Peace and Constable’s Assoc. To enhance her knowledge of law enforcement and the judicial system, Ms. Pomykal studied criminal justice at Victoria College.

Being concerned for minors and underage drinking, Judge Pomykal was instrumental in Texas adopting a law to enhance the penalties for making alcohol available to minors from a class C misdemeanor to a class B misdemeanor. Concerned with juvenile crime, the judge served on the original advisory board to bring the first juvenile justice “boot camp” to Calhoun County.

Recently appointed to complete the unexpired term of Justice Court Pct. 4, Judge Pomykal is confident she and court clerk Betty Morgenroth will keep the office running smoothly until the next election is held for that position. She will be dividing her time between both offices, with the majority of her time being spent in Port O’Connor. “I will conduct the business of the Seadrift office on a part time basis. Of course, in case of emergencies in either precinct, the Sheriff’s Department will dispatch me immediately,” Judge Pomykal said.

In addition to helping her husband with their marine business, Judge Pomykal has many responsibilities of the J.P. office, some of which are: all class C misdemeanors – local and state; Juvenile cases, school attendance hearings; Inquest on dead bodies (approx. 160 since taking office); Weddings (approx. 500 since taking office); Small claims and civil justice court, jurisdiction $10,000.00; Evictions; State Magistrate, all violations from class C to capitol felony; Emergency Protective Orders for victims of family violence; Notary Ex-Officio; Work with County Sheriff’s department, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission, County nuisance officer, DPS intelligence, and Texas Rangers, and U.S. Coast Guard.

Judge Pomykal elaborated, “Often times, a rural J.P. acts as a counselor for the community. Constituents approach the judge with their problems, and most times just need someone to talk to. We cannot give legal advice, but I can point them in the right direction. We must be fair, unbiased, and willing and ready to help in any situation, and to be there for the community.”

“I was totally surprised and humbled when I was chosen to receive this year’s Citizen of the Year Award. It was such an honor and totally unexpected,” Nancy said. “I have helped Mr. Adams present the award to others a couple of times. So when he ask me to help present this year’s award, you can imagine how pleasantly surprised and overwhelmed I was when I learned I was the recipient. For once in my life, I was speechless. I feel like there are others in the community more deserving than me. I want to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude to First Baptist Church, Doyle Adams and the community. Your wonderful award has helped confirm that all the hard work and diligence has not gone unnoticed. I will continue to serve my community to the best of my ability . I feel very blessed.”

Easter Sunrise Service

This year’s Easter Sunrise Service will be on Easter Sunday Morning, March 31, 2013 at the covered pavilion on the Port O’Connor beach front. Services will begin at 7:15 a.m. The First Baptist Choir will be singing and there will also be special music by Fisherman’s Chapel. Bro. Erny McDonough will read the Bible Scripture and Raymond Grant will lead the congregation in singing Easter Music. Bro. Donnie Martin, Pastor of First Baptist Church will preach the Easter Message.

There will be some seating available, but it is advised that you bring your chair and a jacket.
Attendance is usually upward of 300 for this very inspirational service. Coffee is furnished by Fisherman’s Chapel and fresh homemade rolls supplied by Cathy’s Restaurant.

-Doyle Adams

Port Lavaca Church Presents Easter Musical

First Baptist Church of Port Lavacva will be presenting “Believe”, an Easter musical, on March 22 and 23 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are FREE, but required as seating is limited. Tickets are available at the church, 902 Calhoun St., Port Lavaca. For more information, please call 552-2931.

St. Joseph Catholic Church, Port O’Connor
Mass Schedule for Easter Week

Holy Thursday Mass
7:00 p.m.

Good Friday Services
3:00 p.m.

Saturday Mass Vigil
7:30 p.m.

Easter Egg Hunt

Saturday, March 30, 2:00 p.m.

Port O’Connor First Baptist Church

Seadrift Harbor

Formosa Plastics Environmental Grant awarded to the City of Seadrift, TX for tire removal around the city harbor to help reduce the spread of diseases such as the West Nile virus.

First, I would like to take this time to thank Formosa Plastics for awarding a grant, as part of their Environmental Trust Fund program for 2012, to the City of Seadrift for the tire removal in our city harbor. Also, I would like to thank Mr. R. Wallace, of Formosa Plastics, Mr. D. Harkey of First National Bank, Port Lavaca, for their time in reviewing our request.

As City Councilman over the harbor it is my responsibility to see that the harbor is operational and safe. One of the issues that could be addressed immediately at the harbor was to have city employees remove trash that had built up and have them mow the overgrown weeds and to continue keeping it this way. The tires on the piling were very unsightly and a breeding ground for mosquitoes as they hold stagnant water and this is worrisome due to the threat of the West Nile Virus. This is what made me start looking for a contractor that would be willing to come to Seadrift and remove and dispose of all these tires, not an easy task.

About this time I saw an ad for Formosa Plastics Environmental Grant, just what the City of Seadrift needed. I brought forward to the City Council this grant and asked for and received their approval to submit a grant request. After numerous phone calls, emails and photos being reviewed, I finally submitted a bid by the deadline.

In January 2013 we were notified that the grant had been awarded and Steve Williams of AXIS Demolition had the winning bid. They began working soon after and completed the work by the end of February.
So, at this point, Seadrift has what looks to be a new and different harbor. This coming spring and summer there should be a difference in the comfort of working and fishing in and around the harbor, plus the benefit of better health for the harbor and everyone.

I am looking in to several other projects for our harbor, so stay tuned. I would ask for everyone’s understanding in the time this all takes, nothing happens overnight, but as a City we can start working on them one at a time.

Just this tire removal project has taken over eight months to bring it to reality, other projects will take longer, but we must start sometime. Again, my heartfelt thanks to everyone for the help received bringing this to reality.

Thank you all, for allowing me to be one of your Councilmen for the City of Seadrift.

Jack LaBarge, Councilman, Seadrift, Texas

Working on the Seadrift Tire Removal Project

Port O’Connor’s newly-formed Community Cemetery Association requests your presence at a town meeting to be held Thursday, March 21 at 7:30 p.m. at the Port O’Connor Community Center.

The Association covets your opinions on a variety of issues important to the maintenance and future of the Port O”Connor Cemetery. Topics to be covered include: Proposed Rules; Plotting the Cemetery; General Opinions; and the Status of the Cemetery Association.

If you have loved ones interred in Port O’Connor Cemetery and/or expect Port O’Connor to be your final resting place, you are encouraged to attend this meeting.

Proposed Rules for Port O’Connor Cemetery

1. No glass containers, with the exception of floral arrangements.

2. No vehicles to drive off road for the respect of the final resting place of our loved ones whose makers have been destroyed or due to unmarked graves.

3. All grave boarders must be approved by the Port O’Connor Community Cemetery Association. (Exception: pre-existing graves will be grandfathered in.)

4. All graves must be marked with placards provided by the funeral home or homemade until permanent one can be installed.

5. Funeral wreaths, easels and baskets will be removed once they become a distraction to the neat and orderly appearance of the cemetery. Family members will be contacted prior to removal. Potted plants and fresh flowers will be the responsibility of the family members to remove once the plant dies or becomes wilted.

6. Port O’Connor Community Cemetery Association will be sensitive to the cultural beliefs of all families. Religious statues and figurines will be allowed and must be placed at the head of the grave and not interfere with the mowing and maintenance of the cemetery.

7. Artificial flowers must be placed in a non-glass vase or pvc pipe at the head of the grave as not to hinder the mowing of the cemetery.

8. The Port O’Connor Community Cemetery is the resting place of many loved ones. Out of respect for those who have passed, no dirt bikes, four wheelers or go carts will be permitted on the cemetery grounds.

9. It is respectfully requested that no alcoholic beverages be allowed on the grounds unless it is a cultural tradition. NO GLASS CONTAINERS, PLEASE.

10. A 10 mile per hour speed limit is requested within the cemetery grounds.

11. Christmas/winter decorations will be allowed between November 15th – January 15th.

12. Port O’Connor Community Cemetery Association will honor all veterans. Flags will be allowed year round. If the flag becomes frayed, a family member will be contacted to either replace the flag, or it will be removed
13. For the following holidays: Valentine’s Day, Mothers’ Day, Fathers’ Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, All Saint’s Day, All Soul’s Day, and any religious holiday, plot owners will be allowed to place flowers for a 14-day period.

Flowers may be placed at any time the family wishes and the Port O’Connor Community Cemetery Association requests that the family members maintain the flowers or potted plants as to keep our cemetery neat and orderly.