The San Antonio Bay Partnership invites the public to join a variety of waterfront activities including standup paddling and kayaking tours in Seadrift to celebrate National Estuaries Day on Sept. 29.

The activities, which are being coordinated with other coastal organizations, are intended to raise awareness of estuaries and the need to protect them through efforts such as the SABP. National Estuaries Day was established in 1988 to explain how estuaries:

• Provide habitat for marine plants and animals
• Prevent coastal erosion
• Provide recreational activities
• Support migratory species
• Contribute to the health of oceans

To learn more about the Sept. 29 activities, please attend a public and stakeholder meeting of the San Antonio Bay Partnership on Aug. 21 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the University of Houston-Victoria, in the West Building – Alcorn Auditorium.

Other meeting topics will include:

• Report on Coastal Habitats in San Antonio Bay: Site Inventory for Protection, Restoration, and Enhancement – summary of a soon-to-be-completed list of more than 60 sites that have been catalogued in Google Earth format for potential projects.

• Balancing Freshwater Needs in a Changing Environment — a Collaborative Science Project – Researchers are looking at the connection between freshwater inflows into the San Antonio Bay System and conditions in the Mission-Aransas Estuary. Details about project and how its results directly affect stakeholders

For more details, see www.sabaypartnership.org.

About the San Antonio Bay Partnership:The San Antonio Bay Partnership was formed to develop and implement a management plan for San Antonio Bay and the Guadalupe Estuary through public and stakeholder involvement and scientific research. The plan will be a comprehensive, science-based “blueprint” for protecting, restoring and enhancing both the ecological resources and the human uses of the San Antonio Bay/Guadalupe Estuary System.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Angler Recognition Program will launch a new tool this fall to assist Texas anglers in locating certified public scales for weighing record catches. Businesses that agree to participate will be publicized as official weigh stations on the TPWD website.

The new initiative is designed to partner with fishing-oriented businesses and facilities that will be provided official signage and a supply of Angler Recognition Program applications. There is no fee to participate, but participants will be required to keep their scales certified on an annual basis.

Businesses and facilities that wish to participate are invited to sign up now.

To request certification as an official weigh station, applicants should fill out the secure web form at: https://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/programs/fishrecords/weighstation_form.phtml

For more information contact Ron Smith at (512) 389-8302 or by email at anglers@tpwd.state.tx.us.

The 7th Annual Christopher Ragusin Grand Slam Memorial Fishing Tournament will be held Oct. 5th & 6th. (See page 15 for details.) The Committee would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who makes this event possible. The POC Grand Slam has 3 big Raffle Items this year: 1. Phillips LCD TV 46” w/WiFi connections; 2. Rod and Reel Combo valued at $500; 3. Victoria’s Secret $500 Gift Card. To purchase a ticket ($1 each or 6 for $5), call Amy at 361-935-8745; Sylvia Ann at 361-655-3221; Sally at 361-655-7038; or Calvin at 361-655-0498. Anyone who wishes to donate an item for the Grand Slam auctions, please contact one of these persons. All donated items are greatly appreciated.

7th Annual Christopher Ragusin POC Grand Slam Memorial Fishing Tournament

October 5th & 6th, 2012

Port O’Connor Community Center Pavilion

Tournament Agenda:
Friday, Oct. 5th:    6:00 p.m. Captains Meeting & Silent Auction
7:00 p.m. Dinner
8:00 p.m. Deadline for Registration
Saturday, Oct. 6th:
5:00 a.m. – 6:00 a.m. Pick up Start Tag
at Boat House Bait
3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Weigh In
6:30 p.m. Awards, Fish Fry, Auction & Music
Schedule can be subject to change.

T-Shirts, Koozies & Meal Tickets will be sold separately to all non-anglers.

Tournament Rules & Regulations:

One angler from each team must be present at the Captains Meeting.
Texas Parks & Wildlife Rules Apply.
Anglers must have a valid Texas fishing license and be entered into the tournament.
All decisions are final; fish will not be reweighed; NO CULLING allowed in weigh in line.
NO OVER SIZED REDS.
ONE TROUT OVER 25” PER TEAM.
Start tag must be picked up in Port O’Connor, tournament day.
All fish must be caught by rod and reel.
Anglers will be responsible for the disposal of big fish.
WEIGH IN Begins at 3:00 p.m. and ends at 5:00 p.m. The weigh master must have boat tag in hand by 5:00 p.m., GPS time. After 5:00 p.m., your team will be disqualified. No exceptions will be made.

PAY OUTS:       CALCUTTA – 100%    POTS – 50%
GRAND SLAM  50/50    1ST – 25%    2ND – 15%    3RD – 10%
COMBINED  50/50         1ST – 25%    2ND – 15%    3RD – 10%
In case of a tie: TIME received will be the second deciding factor.

THE CALCUTTA: After 7:00 p.m. October 5, 2012 at the Captains Meeting, the Calcutta will be open for anyone who would like to purchase a boat that has not yet been bought.

POC GRAND SLAM Tournament Registration

Return to: P.O.C. Grand Slam
P.O. Box 840
Port O’Connor, TX 77982
Phone # 361-935-8745; amytaylo3@yahoo.com

TEAM NAME: _________________________

BOAT CAPTAIN: ____________________________

Phone ___________________

Shirt Size_________________

Address:___________________________________________

TEAM MEMBERS:
1 ________________________
Shirt Size_________________

2________________________Shirt Size_________________

3________________________Shirt Size_________________

By entering the Chris Ragusin POC Grand Slam Memorial Fishing Tournament, we (team members) hereby waive all liability claims against all parties associated with said tournament.

Maximum of 4 Anglers

ENTRY FEES

$65 Per Person or
$240 Full Boat

Registration Fee Includes:
T-Shirt; Meals; Heaviest Grand Slam Stringer (1 trout, 1 red, 1 flounder)
Heaviest Combined Stringer(3 trout & 2 reds)

$200 Optional Calcutta
Per Boat
Fees & Pots
$240 Full Boat $_________
$65 per Person #___
$_________
$20 Big Red $_________
$20 Big Trout $_________
$20 Spot Pot $_________
$20 Big Other $_________

TOTAL $_________

Proceeds will be distributed throughout our community – donations and scholarships.

Justice of the Peace Nancy Pomykal (right) cut the ribbon officially opening the Port O’Connor Visitor Center, along with owners Bret and Cyndi Williams.

On July 31st, local citizens and elected officials joined owners Bret and Cyndi Williams of Novusweb at the Grand Opening of the Port O’Connor Visitor Center. A ribbon cutting by Justice of the Peace Nancy Pomykal was followed by an open house tour of the new center. “This is fantastic,” Judge Pomykal said as she joined dozens of others in previewing the displays of the new center. County Commissioner Kenneth Finster also lauded the center, “This is something long overdue.”

Novusweb president, Bret Williams, thanked everyone for coming, giving thanks to those who have contributed to the acquisition, design and remodeling of the center: Roger and Karen Krause, Paul McGee, Jim and Linda Butler, and Joe and Michelle Tennison. Williams gave special thanks to Bill Tigrett for his continued support and assistance. “Without Bill’s help, the POC Visitor Center would remain an unfulfilled dream,” said Williams. “Since the early days of portoconnor.com, some 15 years ago, Bill has been a key contributor and partner with us in creating the site. We’ve often talked of the need for a visitor information center, and now, thanks to his support, we are fulfilling this need.”

The Port O’Connor Visitor Center is open to the public Thursday through Monday, from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., and closed on Tuesday and Wednesday. The center promotes area businesses and events, as well as acts as a concierge service to help guests secure fishing and hunting guides, overnight accommodations, restaurant recommendations and more.

During the Grand Opening, a drawing for six months free featured promotion in the Visitor Center was held. The winner was Joanie Morgan of The Treasure Chest. As winner, she will receive a featured listing at PortOConnor.com, a full-sized display in the Visitor Center, and preferential recommendations to visitors.

The Williams would also like to thank the charter businesses that have joined the POC Visitor Center in order to have their products and services presented: Bedgood Title, Costa Bonita Properties, Family Affair Creations, Gerke’s Guide Service, Griff’s Guide Service, Gulf RV Park, Kenneth Gregory Guide Service, Marty’s Landing, MS Guide Service, POC Boat Rentals, Speck-tacku-lure Adventures, Tigrett Real Estate, Unlimited Logos Inc.

For information on the POC Visitor Center, visitors and residents can come by the center at 2337 W Adams, or call 877-371-8178, toll free.

“The Way I See It” is an attempt by the guest columnist to enlighten readers on a subject, as he views it, and does not necessarily reflect the views of this publication. Comments on this article may be addressed  to:
Dolphin Talk, P.O. Box 777, Port O’Connor, TX 77982;
Website: www.TheDolphinTalk.com; Email: dolphin1@tisd.net

Media and Terrorism

Major Nidal Hasan killed 13 fellow soldiers and wounded 32 at Ft. Hood on November 5, 2009.  Hasan is a Muslim and a self described “Soldier of Allah” who corresponded with violent Islamofascist Jihadists and tried to contact Al Qaeda. The Obama administration labeled his criminal attack as “workplace violence” and the Mainstream Media continues to parrot that line, despite Hasan’s trial for 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of premeditated attempted murder. They are in total denial of this as an act of Islamic Jihad by someone known to have strong fundamentalist Islamic views and contacts with known international terrorists. Major Hasan’s trial has been largely ignored by the Media.

Six Sikhs were killed and three others wounded in an attack on their Temple Sunday. A police officer was severely wounded but managed to kill the gunman, Wade Michael Page, 40. He is widely reported to be a Neo-Nazi, Skin-head rock musician, and White-supremist who was an Army ‘veteran’. He was booted out of the Army in 1998 for being “drunk on duty”. The Media has taken these ‘factoids’ and came to the conclusion that Page is a “Conservative”. And therefore designated this criminal attack as Domestic Terrorism.

I wish to point out the fallacy of the conclusion that Mr. Page is in any way a Conservative.. The Nazis were National Socialists. They believed in the Marxist theories of Big Government and Central Planning and Control just like the Communists, only they wanted superiority for their country rather than ‘world domination’ for International Communism. The Liberal/Progressive Media was against the US joining or aiding the Allies against Hitler because there was a treaty between Germany and the Soviet Union to partition Poland. Only after Hitler attacked their beloved Uncle Joe Stalin did the Media rise up in its demands for the defeat of the Nazis. Before then National Socialism was seen as the ‘brother’, or at least first-cousin, of Communism. It is, because they are both totalitarian forms of Socialism. After WWII the Media has tried to convince the public that Nation Socialism is somehow far right-wing, while International Socialism (Communism) is far left wing. This is illogical, but allows them to place “Democratic Socialism” as ‘centrist’ and therefor a ‘balance’ between the two ‘extremes’. This is a false premise – all forms of socialism are on the left and individual freedom and liberty are on the right. A Constitution exists to guarantee the God given rights of all citizens, and limit the evil excesses of oppressive government and professional politicians. Conservatives believe in a strict interpretation of the Constitution, while “Liberals” want a ‘Liberal interpretation’ that allows more and more Federal control and interference in our lives. The Mainstream Media is totally committed to the Liberal/Progressive agenda and has abandoned their role and responsibility of reporting the truth.

The Media immediately identified Jared Loughner, the Arizona shooter of Gabby Giffords and others, as a Palin Conservative and Tea Party follower. Totally false; he was a quasi-liberal whacko. James Holmes, the shooter in the Colorado movie massacre, was also identified as a Right-wing Conservative. Again totally false; he was a Doctorial student in Neuroscience, perhaps educated beyond his intelligence, he was unable to find employment and returned to college to get his PhD. He was also said to be an active Occupy Protestor with the Black Bloc movement in the OWS which is an ‘elite’ force involved in violence in that group. He had mental problems and strongly identified with the Joker in the Batman movies. Another whacko product of our ultra-liberal education system.

As for Mr. Page, Conservatives stand against any of the Nazi or Neo-Nazi foolishness. Constitutional Conservatives stood for racial equality before the law, long before FDR and a few Progressives saw a political opportunity there. Since Conservatives still believe in equality before the law and not equal-outcomes, we are now labeled “Racist” and “White-supremacist” because we believe in equal opportunity for all and get wasteful government intervention out of the way. Mr. Page may actually agree with some conservative points, but that does not make him a Conservative. Conservatives believe in Rule-of-Law, Individual Freedom, and Liberty for All; none would condone attacking a peaceful church or Temple of any race. Mr. Wade appears to be a another disgruntled failure that identifies with hate and despondent music. Another whacko.

The Media is simply trying to gin up support for the failing Liberal/Progressives and somehow blame Conservatives for a heinous crime. It is an old and tired trick of the radical far-Left popularized by Alinski, used when they don’t have any truthful or logical arguments to support their cause. Hopefully voters are starting to see through the continuous bombardment of lies and denial of real information and can see the Mainstream Media as the Agit-Propaganda arm of the Progressive Socialist agenda. They refuse to label the actions of Islamists or the criminally insane as terrorism unless the ‘do-er’ can be called a Conservative.