Sponsored By The Port O’Connor Lions Club

Hurry Vendors! Make your booth space reservation today!

TO BE HELD WHEN: Saturday, March 14th, 2015
WHERE: At The Port O’Connor Community Center Pavilion
SALE TIME: Open to Public 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Booth Rental Information:
Under the Pavilion: $25.00 with approx. 12’x12’ space which includes one 6’ table & 2 chairs. Additional tables – $5.00 each up to a total of 3 in one booth, or you may rent 2 booths if additional space is needed for an additional booth charge.
Outside the Pavilion: Bring your own equipment, awning, tables, etc. – the cost is $20.00 for an approximate 15’x15’ space to give room for tie downs.
Booths under Pavilion will be reserved on a first come, first serve basis – as there is a limited number of these booths and repeat vendors.
Plan now. Start your special crafting or gathering your items for sale. Additionally, please tell a talented friend about the event so they can start preparing. Not everything has to be completely hand made. We are just looking for good quality sale items.

Patrons – please mark your calendar for this fun event to be held the last weekend of most students’ Spring Break. We will have plenty of special and exciting items you may find you can’t live without for your purchase from vendors coming from different towns. Be sure to also join the raffle!

For more info: Joyce Jordan, Sec./Treasurer @ 361-655-7999 or Lynn Reeves, President and Zone 12 Chairman @ 361-746-2524. Please call us for an Application.

 The Dolphin got a sneak preview of letters to Santa written by Port O’Connor students. Surprisingly, most were not just a list of “I wants”, but included much concern for the health and well-being of Santa, Mrs. Claus, the elves and reindeer. And also, many “thank yous” for gifts received last Christmas.

Letters from PreKindergarten kids were obviously dictated, but those from the Kindergarten were easy to read with their phonetic spelling. Spelling got a little more creative with first graders; several asked for “bisikulls” and all promised to leave out “milck and cookys” for Santa.

Many children were quick to remind Santa that they had been good all year. “I’ve been an angel all year,” said Tarah. Some were not so sure of their standing, such as Jessie who asked, “How long is the naughty list? Am I naughty or nice?”

Third through fifth graders had many questions for Santa, such as “What happens if a reindeer is sick? “ and “How do you get into houses that don’t have chimneys?”
It seemed that the older the child, the more items were on the “I want” list, with PreK Corbin asking for a blue flashlight, all the way up to 5th-grader Sarah with a list of 43 items (just so Santa can have a wide variety from which to pick).

We hope that Santa grants many of the requests of these students, and that they have a very Merry Christmas!

Dear Santa,
How are you doing? How are the reindeer and the elves doing? Oh, please tell the reindeer I said hi.
All right, Santa, time to get down to business. Now what I want for Christmas is a lot of BOOKS, a designer’s kit, and last but not least, I want my family to have a happy Christmas.
Thank you for giving me a 3-fot Barbie that you can color. It’s fun to color!
Your good friend,
Adalia P.S. Tell Frosty the Snowman that I said hi!

Dear Santa,
I was a good boy so please get what’s on my list. My first item is a hot wheel for my papa. He collects cars and I think he would enjoy it. Please bring an Xbox 360 game I really want Sims 4. I would also love a new computer. Could you also please bring a shirt of land party or node thank you so much. Love, Maddix

Dear Santa,
How are you doing? How is it coming along with those presents? How much trouble would it be for you to come to Port O’Connor for our Christmas program?
Can I please have a bike, a new bow and arrow and a target, an iPod touch, a Call of Duty Advanced Warfare game Xbox 360, an Xbox 360 to go with the game, and a laptop.
Thank you for the memory that you gave me last year when you gave me everything I wanted!
Love, Ethan

Dear Santa,
How are you doing? Is Rudolph okay? How many elves do you have? Do you still have Blitzen? How many inches is your beard?
Santa thank you for my bike. I thought making A honor roll last year really pays off. Last Christmas I heard a sound of ringing bells. Then, I heard a knock, and I opened the door. There was my bike. After that I saw a light in front of my house. I ran, but I saw nothing. Then, I looked up and I saw a red dot.
May I have a new phone with better games? Also, may I have shoes, pjs, socks, a Kindle fire HD, a 3DS, and Xbox 360 and bb’s?
Sincerely, Alex

Dear Santa,
Please bring me a barbie house this Christmas. When I get to move into a house I can put it in my new room and I hope we find a house soon because my mommy wants a house before Christmas. If we don’t find a house before Christmas we are going to my nanas house and her house is so fun because she has so many dogs. Another good person is my Aunt Tina and she’s fun too and you have to help my Aunt Tina because she loves children.
Love, Jenna

Dear Santa,
Please give me a new PS2 because I like to play them. They’re fun and I deserve it because I have been in a good mood. Can you also bring me a real pet parrot so I can have someone to talk to. I could play, take care of it, and love on it. I deserve this also because I have been helping with chores. Can you please get me a real 4 wheeler because it’s fun to drive around. I’ve been making great grades at school. Then you can get me 9 GI Joes because my behavior has been great in school. I would also love a new toy box. Thank you if you bring these things! Love, Aiden

Dear Santa,
My name is Keegan. I have been good but I have not done my chores yet. I promise tomorrow. For my sister I want you to bring her sippy cups and a toy piano, think a little one. Can I have a toy plain because I want to be a piolet. Thank you!
Sincerely, Keegan

Dear Santa,
Hi, Santa! Hows it going? I have a few questions for you. How long does it take you to deliver the presents to all the children? How are the reindeer doing? How many years have you been delivering presents? But those questions will have to wait until Christmas!
What I want for Christmas is a iPod Touch 5, a new pair of pajamas, slippers, a TV router so I can have cable TV in my room, and a big, fluffy, teddy bear! I know I don’t usually ask for a bunch of things, but this year I actually know what I want.
Thank you for all of the Christmas miracles you have made. Thank you for all of the presents that I have received from you. Thank you for being so jolly and nice to everyone. Thank you for making everybody so happy.
Sincerely, Anthony

Toy Run/Boat Parade

This year we wanted to try something a little different than in the past years for the Toy Runner’s .These folks make the trip from Freeport to Port O’ Connor and bring a large amount of toys for many children in about a 60 mile radius. The Chamber Of Commerce hosted a BBQ dinner with several sides for these folks. All food was donated, cooked and served by volunteers. I would like to thank everyone who helped provide this meal for these folks. We had many compliments.

Thanks to these folks and if I have forgotten anyone please forgive me.

Connie Barrientes, Eloisa Newsome, Lisa Stringo, Jennifer Hernandez, Stringo Guide Service, Wanda & Virgil Redding, John Hribek, Chris & Jerry Ramby, Marie & Robbie Hawes, Nancy Pomykal, Cathy Osborn, Donny Haynes, DV Stringo, Victor Leach, Barbara Crouch

And a huge THANK YOU to Boat Parade Chairperson, Bill Tigrett. There is a lot of effort in preparing for this event. He has done this for many years and has it perfected. And THANKS to all who participated. I, myself, have decorated our shrimp boat for the event and it is a huge task to get the boat ready to enter.

Mary Jo Walker, President
Port O’Connor Chamber of Commerce

Boat Parade

Once again, another successful Lighted Boat Parade! Our community and out of towners look forward to and really enjoy this unique event, and this year was no exception! But it couldn’t happen without the support and commitment of countless sponsors and volunteers.

First, I would like to thank Kenneth and Grady Jean Clark, for allowing the use of The Inn at Clark’s. This location is ideal for the boat registration, Captains meeting, dinner and awards presentations along with the lodging, boat parking, and unloading of all the toys. This Event could not function without the use of this facility. So thank you again!

Thank you, Don and Sheryl Haynes and Robbie and Marie Hawes, for providing the excellent barbecue dinner to all the participants.

Next I would like to thank Paul McGee for Golf Cars from POCO Cruisers.

Thank you Leah Griffin for helping to get all the advertisements and flyers out. Thank you Pat Perez for being my assistant in the Registration of the Boats.

Thank you POC Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Directors for your continued support of the lighted boat parade. Can you believe this is its 23rd year? Special thanks to Mary Jo Walker, and her assistants, for setting up the facilities. Thank you also for your uncanny ability to address and overcome last minute challenges!

Of course I would especially like to thank the judges, Kenny and Dwana Finster, Bobby and Pat Perez, Norman and Donna Boyd, for volunteering their time! And a special thank you to Norman Boyd with TPWD for allowing us to use the conference room and deck for judging the parade.

A Special Thank You to our local Coast Guard Group for being the Lead Boat and being available for any needed assistance.

And finally, Jerry Karnes, Jason and Wendy Fry, and all the other participants in the “Toy Run” boat escapade, thank you for all you do! Every year…regardless of the weather…as you tell us “The show must go on!” Your generous hearts and Christmas spirit are an inspiration to us all. And the surprises you bring to our Calhoun County children are over the top!

Bill Tigrett

Across the Miles

Like to wish all the GREAT People of Port O’Connor a very Safe, Healthy and Happy Holiday Season. I say great because you people truly are. Each month I so look forward to receiving my copy of the Dolphin Talk and getting caught up on what is going on in one of “Gods” greatest little creations on earth. It is simply amazing what goes on in the small town and how close the people of Port O’Connor are. I share the paper with many of my friends and family here in New Jersey and they cannot believe the simple outpouring of Love, Friendship and togetherness within one community. Love It.

To our wonderful, caring family on Lewis St.- not a day goes by that your pictures hanging in our home are not looked at, a very fond memory is laughed at or a loving thought or prayer is mentioned about y’all. Although 2000 miles apart, you are in our Hearts and Minds each and every day.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Oh, we were going to send Uncle Howard a NY Giants ball cap, but I did not want it to be the start of a good burning barrel, Ha Ha.

Love Always
Kenny, Lois, Angela, Ashlee, Jamie Marie Marr, Jr.
oh Ricky too. woof – woof…


Holiday Greetings

I want to wish all my POC friends and long time acquaintances a very Merrry Christmas and best wishes for the new year. You all were my family for 37 years, never to be forgotten. My best to all of you and “good fishing”.

Nelda Holloway
Burleson Texas

POC Board Meetings

At the September 11, 2014 Port O’Connor Improvement District meeting the board of directors voted to allocate $50,000 to over $100,000 dollars ( of the rate payers money ) to pay for outside counsel for representation in the rate appeal. This is the petition that Mr. Brown started after the rate hike as of January 2014. At the meeting John Childers (no longer a member) voted yes, Wanda Redding (no longer a member) voted yes, Teddy Hawes voted yes, Doyle Adams voted no, and Tom Ekstrom abstained from voting.

On December 2, 2014 I sent a request that this item be brought up for another vote by the board because the board had new members after the November elections. The request was granted and placed on the agenda for the December 11, 2014 meeting, item number D 14. A vote was called for and Teddy Hawes voted yes again, Tom Ekstrom this time changed his vote to yes, Doyle Adams changed his vote to yes, Leon Brown voted no, and Marshall Bradford voted no.

The item was passed three to two, now the three member have chosen to allocate over $100,000.00 dollars of the rate payers money to fight the petition by Mr. Brown and keep the January rate increase in place. Just thought you might want to know.

Marshall Bradford Director POC-ID

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
P.O. Box 777
Port O’Connor, TX 77982
dolphin1@tisd.net

“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.

 
Federal Debt, the Economy, and Obamunism

As of 12/12 the Federal Debt (what they call the National Debt) was $18 trillion, 11 billion and rising rapidly. This debt is 105% of our Gross Domestic Product, revenues (taxes) collected by govt at all levels is now 33.5% of GDP and Govt expenditures are 38%. Even though Federal tax collections hit record amounts for October and November, Federal spending has far outstripped collections. Obama is promising $Billions for Africa “to combat Global Warming” & Ebola, to care for illegal alien children in the US, and to put cameras on cops. He and Holder encourage black rage and racial rioting and then blame the police and America. Slavery and racism should be mostly forgotten after half a century of Affirmative Action and Negros being a Federally Preferred Minority. But The Obama Administration has “RACIST!” the counter-charge for any challenge or question of its faulty, wasteful, and often destructive policies.

The unprecedented growth in the Federal Debt actually started soon after the Democrats took control of Congress on January 3, 2007, at that time the Federal Debt was $8,677,214,255,313.07 according to the Treasury Direct website. By Jan 20, 2009, the day Obama was inaugurated, it was $10,626,877,048,913.08. The Democrat Congress had more than doubled the annual increase over what the Bush Administration had added due to the War on Terror. In less than 6 years Obama has added $7.4 Trillion to the Federal Debt, and what has it gotten for us?

Obama hired new directors and czars to politicize govt bureaucracies into enforcing his Agenda, not serving the national interests. NSA spends more time monitoring Americans for political correctness than searching out terrorists. Dept of Homeland Security ignores investigations of Islamic terrorists to propagandize against the Tea Party, other patriot groups, gun owners, old combat veterans, pro-life groups, Christians, and even returning combat veterans as “potential domestic terrorists” because they might disagree with the Obamunist Agenda. The IRS gives tax information to Democrat political operatives, harasses Conservative Patriot groups and individuals that are suspected opposing “The Agenda”. The Justice Dept does not prosecute organized vote fraud, voter registration of non-citizens, or even documented voter intimidation by the New Black Panther Party. AG Eric Holder said, “We have more important things to do than prosecute our people.” They are too busy trying to prosecute gun owners and even cops for defending themselves from attacks by gang-bangers and thugs, while supplying Mexican drug cartels, coyotes, and their gang-banger minions with high capacity semi-auto weapons in an effort to build anti-gun support against legal gun owners and dealers.

Now DoJ is committing to prosecute Civil Rights violations against Officer Darren Wilson, but does nothing to stop or even criticize the hundreds of racist attacks by blacks against whites. The ‘Knock-out Game’ or ‘Polar Bear Hunting’, random attacks by black youths of trying to knock out white men and women with one punch , has become a popular urban sport. Obama and Holder refuse to secure the border or deport illegal aliens, freeing even known dangerous criminals into American society. They spend millions on housing and entertaining the illegal children, but cut programs for veterans. Obama was supposed to be the “post-racial President” but he has caused more division between races and economic classes than has existed for many decades, creating more demands by special interest groups and causing more resentment than ever existed before.

Obama has expanded the welfare state so that almost half the country is on some kind of govt dole. One in seven are on Food Stamps, and food prices are rising dramatically. Because of the ease of getting welfare and disability benefits the non-participation rate in the labor force is the highest it has been in half a century, back when most married women did not want to work outside the home or need to. The standard of living for working people is constantly dropping as prices rise. The number of Americans unemployed has been estimated to be equal to the number of illegal aliens holding jobs. And in 2013 the money spent on the welfare state since 1964 was about equal to the Federal Debt if corrected into current dollars. ObamaCare has made health care more expensive, many people have had their insurance canceled, but the govt has wasted billions on it. All of these failures of Democrat socialist policies are destroying the economy, the currency, and the nation.

All of these conditions beg the question, “Why is this happening?” Is it incompetence, or simple mistakes? No! The truth is coming out about ObamaCare, it wasn’t intended to work, they knew it was going to be more expensive, and people would have choice and mostly less medical care available, but it would give the Federal Govt more control and eventually the voters would demand a National Health Care System. Socialized Medicine run by bureaucrats. The power of life and death over the American people. Many ask, “How did the illegal alien situation get so bad?”. Liberal Democrat President FDR said, “Nothing in politics happens by accident, if it happens, it was planned that way.” Political crony contributors get cheap labor, liberal politicians get a huge new voting bloc, and the taxpayers pay the bill. We have an lawless administration run by a small cabal of outlaw socialist politicians bent on “Changing” America into a Socialist Third World State.

Americans have survived incompetent, ideological, and even criminal conspiracies in previous administrations, but nothing like the continuous assault on Constitutional rights and personal freedom like we have experienced for the past 6 years. The radical far left leadership of the Democrat Party are determined to stay in power. If they have to destroy the economy, our culture, and Constitutional govt, then so be it. The Democrat leadership now openly talk about their strategy to defeat any reasonable Federal Budget (The RINOs are willing to give them $1.1 Trillion for now until September), cause a shut down of Federal govt, and use their friends in the media to blame the Republicans. This is their strategy to win big in the 2016 elections. Their goal is power, not solving the problems with common sense and budgetary restraint. The Democrat leadership are now setting themselves and the Democrat Party up as the Enemy of the Taxpayers and our Economy. The far left has been that for half a century, but now it is ‘Official’ Dem Party strategy.

AA meets each Saturday night at 7 p.m. at First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall in Port O’Connor.

POC Lions Club meets the second Wednesday of each month, 4:00 p.m. at Port O’Connor First National Bank

Seadrift Chamber of Commerce meets the third Thursday of each month, 6:00 p.m. at First National Bank meeting room, Seadrift

Commissioner’s Court meets the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month at 10 a.m., 1st Floor of the Court House, Port Lavaca.

Crossroads Astronomy Club meets at 7:00 p.m., third Mondays, at U of H, Victoria, Room 223 info: wes81461@yahoo.com   935-2016

Calhoun County Quilt Guild meets the first Wednesday of each month at 9:30 a.m. at the Fairgrounds Exhibit Building.

Calhoun County Democratic Club meets the last Thursday of the month at IBC Bank, Port Lavaca, at 5:30 p.m.

Calhoun County Republican Club meets first Monday of each month 6:00 p.m. at the Episcopal Church Community Room, 213 E. Austin, Port Lavaca.

CASA (Christians Against Substance Abuse) meets each Thursday from 7-8 p.m. Call 361-652-7451 for meeting place.

Friday Night Youth every Friday except the first Friday of each month, 7:00 to 10:00 p.m., Fisherman’s Chapel, Port O’Connor

First Baptist Youth Group (Port O’Connor) meets every Wednesday night from 6:00-7:00 p.m. Grades 6th – 12th; Team Kids Grades 1-5

Port O’Connor Cemetery Association meets 3rd Thursday of each month at POC Community Center

Ladies Bible & Book Study is held every Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. at First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall in Port O’Connor

VFW Post 4403 meets first Tuesday of each month. 552-3886
Open Mon-Friday; Closed Weekends R. Guitierrez 210-872-1198

Sat., Dec. 20    Holiday Parade in Seadrift

Thurs., Jan. 1    County Officials Sworn In
10:00 am    Bauer Exhibit Building, County Fairgrounds

Mon., Jan. 5    Calhoun County Republican Club
5:30 pm        Grace Episcopal Church Community Room

Tues., Jan. 6    Seadrift City Council
7:00 pm        Seadrift City Hall

Tues., Jan. 6    Bunco
7:00 pm        Port O’Connor Community Center

Wed., Jan. 7    Port O’Connor Town Meeting
6:30 pm        Port O’Connor Community Center

Thurs., Jan. 8    The State of the Gulf (Your area’s knowledge)
1:00-2:00 pm    Port O’Connor Community Center Meeting Room

Sat., Jan. 10    Port O’Connor Cook-Off
Hurricane Junction

Thurs., Jan. 15    Port O’Connor Service Club
10:00 am    Port O’Connor Community Center

Thurs., Jan. 15    Oysters (Your area’s knowledge lecture)
1:00-2:00 pm    Port O’Connor Community Center Meeting Room