Summer is here and the sun is bright, so let the good “thymes” roll with the twenty-four beds in our community garden! The garden has certainly progressed and delighted many in the process. We have before and after pictures to prove it! Locally-grown produce and herbs are showing up on quite a few plates in Port O’Connor.

Naturally, worthwhile endeavors sometimes present challenges but huge dividends. This first planting has become an educational experience. What a lesson to learn how so many local birds devour red tomatoes. What a pity they could not have plowed the dirt in our early days instead of the produce. And taking the good, such as a resident bunny, comes with the bad, the critters and conditions that enjoy the space as much as we do: powdery mildew; cutter ants; nasty caterpillars; and aphids.

Gardeners are certainly seeing more of each other with the increase in weather temperatures which requires frequent watering. They take the opportunity to share the fruits, herbs and veggies of their labors with one another. While cultivating their garden beds of tomatoes, yellow squash, zucchini, corn, peas, onions, beans, and various herbs, they share ideas, too. Gardeners are most certainly enjoying digging in the soil.

A huge Thank You to POC Rod & Gun for hosting the annual Memorial Day Kids Fishing Tournament this year! Deb Powell, owner of POC Rod & Gun, along with her helpers, Debbie Michalek, Deanna Toddy, Allen Farris, and Niki Powell enlisted 46 kids, ages 3-12, for the tournament on Saturday, May 27th. There were 3 age brackets: 3-5, 6-8 and 19-12. Thank you also to The Fishing Center for donating the bait for this tournament!

There were winners for shortest fish, longest fish and most fish in each age bracket. Winners were as follows: Shortest fish, Kason Schielack (3-5), with 3 1/4”, Maci Tidwell (6-8) with 5” and Carrigan Pohler (9-12) with 4 3/4”. Longest fish winners were Kason Schielack (3-5) with 13.5”, John Michael Clifton III (6-8) with 13.5” and Preston Shell (9-12) with 24.5”. Most fish winners were Luke Tidwell (3-5) with 20 fish, Rosalie Berkovsky (6-8) with 46 fish, and Carrigan Pohler (9-12) with 36 fish.

Thank you for all that participated. This event is every Memorial Day weekend and we welcome all the kids to participate, free of charge. Mark your calendar for 2024, and give your kids & grandkids a chance to partake in just one of the many great traditions that Port ‘Connor has to offer!

Well Summer has officially arrived, and we had a great turnout for our Kid’s Fish Tournament and the Kite flying contest held over Memorial Day weekend. Thank you to Deb Powell with POC Rod and Gun and her team for hosting the Kid’s Fishing Tournament this year. It is always a great time seeing the kids’ excitement when they catch the big one. Also, a big thank you to Shirley Harper and her helpers for hosting the Kite Flying contest. We all love seeing all that color up in the sky.

Congratulations to our two five-hundred-dollar Scholarship Award winners from Calhoun High School. Leah Lucey will be attending Blinn Junior College where she will major in biology to become a nurse. Madyson Lovett will attend Sam Houston State University where she will major in Agriculture Communications and Political Science. We are proud to support these young ladies in their college endeavors.

Our fourth of July firework celebration will be held July 1st at approximately 9:00 p.m. off the pier at the front beach. This is one of our favorite events and your generous donations make it happen. If you would like to donate, please go to our website or you can send a check to PO Box 701, Port O’ Connor, TX 77982.

We are excited that the new green fishing lights we currently purchased have been installed on the King Fisher Pier. Thank you to Willie Ragusin and POC Electric for getting everything installed and ensuring the lights are shining bright. Grab your pole or your camera and go check out the fish swimming under the lights.

We are currently working on a project at the end of Main Street and Park which will allow easier access into the water for kayakers and wade fisherman. Construction should begin the middle of June and will include a new concrete cap, a wood platform with stairs into the water and additional parking.
As we mentioned previously, the Port O’Connor Chamber of Commerce has partnered with the Nueces River Authority in cleaning up our Beaches and Bays. The UP2U yellow litter bags have been placed in boxes near the Kingfisher pier, along Kingfisher Park, the little jetties and other strategic places to help collect litter. We are providing the bags free of charge, in hopes that you will grab one to collect your trash in and place in the trashcans in the area. Please help us keep our beaches and bays clean and free of trash!!

We welcome our new and renewing members, Coastal Wash Solutions – Texas’s First Drive-Thru Boat Wash. High pressure salt neutralizing rinses for Boats, RV’s, & Cars. Located at 2000 W Adams, in Port O’Connor, next to Dollar General. The Bunkhouse Lodge – provides a relaxing atmosphere for guests who are looking to escape the hustle and bustle of city life and experience the natural beauty of the Texas Gulf Coast. Seadrift is known for its excellent fishing opportunities, and the Bunkhouse Lodge is in close proximity to the San Antonio Bay. Sea Tow Middle Coast Texas – offers Annual Memberships with 24/7 Expert Service, including Fuel Drops, Jump Starts, Ungroundings, Salvage Recovery, Premium On Water Assistance, Prop Disentanglements, Dock to Dock Towing, and Inshore and Offshore Towing. Fishing Tails Guide Service – Captain Jason (Rhino) Reinhardt is a licensed and fully insured guide. We specialize in bay and flounder fishing the Port O’Connor area for Specs and Reds.
To see more information on these members and all our chamber members please visit our website at www.portoconnorchamber.com.