Friends of the Library Student Advisors

Archived in the category: General Info, Organizations
Posted by Joyce Rhyne on 18 Sep 14 - 0 Comments

 

Students representing each grade at POC Elementary and a representative from middle school gathered on August 30 at the home of Joe and Vera Wiatt to enjoy ice cream and talk about their role as Advisors to the Friends of the POC Library.  Students will be meeting with the adult board during the school year to work on various projects that will promote the love of learning, reading, and the use of the library.
See “Moving Into Autumn With Friends” on page 5 of this issue to see how you can help Friends of Port O’Connor Library in their effort to build a new library/learning center.
Pictured above: Front row: Amy Resendez, Luke Doggett, Leah Lucy, McKenna Guevara, and Brooklyn Redmond. Second row: Carly Rosenboom, Sarah Doggett and Kyle Doggett. Adults: Board member Melissa Doggett, Assistant Librarian Misty Redmond and Board member Roxanne Ochoa. On the advisory board, but not pictured: Nicholas Ragusin.

Powderhorn Ranch Acquistion

Archived in the category: Announcements, General Info
Posted by Joyce Rhyne on 18 Sep 14 - 0 Comments

In case you missed the biggest news to hit Calhoun County in a long time, TPWD made a huge announcement and has posted a video news report on their website about the purchase of more than 17,000 acres of unspoiled tracts of coastal prairie.

The acquisition will conserve a spectacular piece of property that is one of the largest remaining tracts of unspoiled coastal prairie in the state. At $37.7 million it is the largest dollar amount ever raised for a conservation land purchase in the state and represents a new partnership model of achieving conservation goals in an era of rapidly rising land prices. In years to come, Powderhorn Ranch is expected to become a state park and wildlife management area.

The future holds many promises for the public with the coming of a new state park and wildlife management area. View the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEDo0b6ZKAw and for more information including the press release and photos, visit: www.tpwd.texas.gov/powderhornnews .

Island Life… By Clint Bennetsen

Archived in the category: Featured Writers, General Info, Island Life
Posted by Joyce Rhyne on 18 Sep 14 - 0 Comments

Clint & Barnacle


Even An Island Recluse Enjoys Close Friends

Greetings from the island everyone. Hope all of you are doing well and enjoyed a nice Labor Day weekend with family and friends. The threat of rain in the forecast kept some of the weekend islanders away, but there were still quite a few out to enjoy the last weekend of summer.

The first day of Fall ( I always refer to this season as Fall instead of Autumn, not sure why – I think Autumn sounds too yuppie ‘ish for me), begins in a few days – thank you Lord! I simply cannot tolerate the heat as well as I could in my younger years. I am an entirely outside person, regardless of what season it is, so not being able to enjoy my outside time is a real drawback.

Early summer mornings and late evenings, especially the moments just prior to sunset, are my favorite times of the summer months. It has pretty much gotten to the point that between noon-5 pm during the summer is lunch time, then a short hammock nap and then the last hour or so sitting in the shade drinking a glass of cold iced tea. But I mean think about it, isn’t that the schedule that a retired persons life should be anyway? Umm, heck yes!

I don’t believe that there is any doubt that I am a recluse, favoring a solitary life; it’s simply who I am. However, in my semi-aging years, I have found that immediate family and close friends are an absolute necessity for a happier life. During the long Labor Day weekend, six close friends came out to visit the island guy. Nita Bobbitt, Alice Ozuna, Marion Garner Spencer and her husband, Randy Spencer, all of whom I grew up with and started first grade in Seadrift, came out during the weekend. It was very nice sitting around and reminiscing about the “old days”, plus they brought out sandwiches and pizza, yay! All of us went our separate ways after high school, but it’s refreshing to know that we have never forgotten each other, and never will.

And then on Monday, I ran in and picked up two of my closest childhood friends, Ben Plummer and Tommy Minatrea, and they came out for the entire day. The three of us were pretty much inseparable during our elementary thru Fannin Pirates Junior High years, very possibly our most enjoyable three years of school education, period. It was kinda funny listening to these two friends talk about their lives after school, the ups and downs and family/kid issues – and all the time I’m thinking to myself, “Clint, you got it pretty dang good out here on this island”. I fried up some beautiful shrimp, size 6/8 count, that day, which passed way too quickly. But we will all do it again soon, I promise you that.

Well that’s it from the island for now, everyone take care and have a great day. And for you yuppies, Happy Autumn!

CLINT BENNETSEN is a retired police detective and now lives full time on Matagorda Peninsula Island for nearly 9 years, writing a monthly column, Island Life, for this newspaper. To comment or ask Clint questions, you can contact him at ccbennetsen@yahoo.com or dolphin1@tisd.net.

Desert Dusk and Camel Musk by Jasmine Gordon

Archived in the category: Featured Writers, General Info
Posted by Joyce Rhyne on 18 Sep 14 - 2 Comments

The calendar days and years have flown by since I moved to this area in 2006. Seldom have I come across books which are able to offer such detailed information that is factual. Not a mere story told to me which I can not fully offer concrete evidence of it’s occurrence.

I recently had the opportunity to read a copy of Texas Camel Tales by Chris Emmett. During my conversation with George Anne Cormier, the Calhoun County Museum’s director she mentioned the camels that arrived via ship to Indianola in the late 1800s. While I’ve heard this before, I have to admit I did not know much about the subject.

I was able to borrow a copy of the book, Texas Camel Tales, which was originally published in 1932 from the museum. This made me very happy since most of these books are categorized as reference books in our local libraries and one isn’t allowed to check them out. This particular edition was copyrighted and produced a second time by another publisher in 1969 due to it’s popularity.

Apparently a first edition in the early 70s could go for $75.00. In 1932, the book was sold for $2.50 and was sold out prior to it’s official printing. Today the first editions can sell for up to $1,500. You can see my eagerness to read the book which talked in depth about the “interesting and most novel experiment” in Texas.

Every time I first start studying a new subject I usually get frustrated since I’m not familiar with the new “characters” but within pages of beginning the book I was deep into learning about the government project which began in 1855.

The camel appropriation bill was approved by Congress on March 3, 1855 in the amount of $30,000. The bill’s existence was primarily introduced and supported by the Secretary of War, Jefferson Davis. He proposed to purchase fifty camels for military use. Major Henry C. Wayne of the US Army became very important in the project taking great care of the camels and the project seemed to take on a personal meaning as you read further into the chapters.

Nearly one year later, on April 29, 1856, Major Wayne and several “camel conductors” brought thirty-three camels to Texas via Indianola on the U.S.S. Supply. They traveled on the sailing ship in search of the dromedaries to England, the Gulf of Tunis, Smyrna, Constantinople, Alexandria and Cairo in search of the camels. They brought multiple types of camels, including pehlavans which were prize-fighters or fighting camels. Major Wayne even joked that they could be used for “the love of novelty” and not only military use.

While they arrived in late April, the continual and unanticipated issues of loading and unloading the camels from The Supply persisted. It was not until May 13th that the first load of camels came up to the wharf at Powder Horn. Many of the animals were happy to have ended their voyage via the sea and enjoyed their liberty on the soil. They had swollen feet, boiles on their legs and suffered what the camel conductors referred to as “the itch.”

The circus came to Indianola in celebration of the arrival of Uncle Sam’s Camels and the locals recollected the day but I noted that many did not know where they came from in later interviews. Which was a question that I often wondered early on in the book.

Major Wayne’s first and number one concern was the acclimation and breeding of the camels when they first arrived in Indianola. Their adjustment to the environment was his main concern as it would govern the mission’s success. At this point in the book it was evident how much the Major looked after the well-being of the unusual Oriental cavalcade.

Meanwhile the locals were somewhat scared of the animals yet amazed by their strength. The camels were able to carry 12,000–15,000 pounds for short distances. Many of the locals were in disbelief until actually witnessing such an event. The mules and horses were absolutely terrified of the mere scent and sight of the camels. The Arab attendants had to be extremely careful to advise the locals of the camels’ location to minimize incidents with the other animals. They often ate the “prickly pear fences” and would suffer whippings from the local muleteers as punishment.

The camels along with the Major and attendants left Indianola on June 4th enroute to San Antonio. The smaller camels quickly tired and Major Wayne sought to find a place for rest. He finally found a prairie on the outskirts of Victoria; they camped there from June 7th to 11th. The green, luxurious grass revived the camels and attracted much attention. The book contains several interviews from youngsters who met the camels. One young girl, Miss Pauline Shirley (later became Mrs. Robert Clark) even was invited to ride on one of the camels by Major Wayne. She was ten years old at the time and vividly remembers the day. Her mother, Mary A. Shirley even made a pair of socks for President Franklin Pierce with some of the camel hair that Major Wayne gave her. The caravan finally arrived in San Antonio on June 18th.

As I turned the page to Chapter IV, I read the title, Wayne’s Wisdom Ignored and I felt disappointment. I always get attached to the “characters” in the stories. And although it is history, it read as a story to me… I could see the camels grazing in my mind with the beautiful sunsets we’re lucky to see near the coast. I could feel how much the Major cared for the animals and I rooted for him that he would find them safety.

This book is very well written and evident why it was reprinted so many times. It was Chris Emmett’s first book and he went onto have a very successful career. In the introduction he is quoted to have said, “my curiosity quickened into a consuming fire” when he first discovered the experiment with the camels.

So where did the camels end up? Was Major Wayne able to execute the military project? Did the animals survive? You can find out at one of our libraries or purchase a copy of Texas Camel Tales online, even a personalized copy for $89.95 or a Kindle version for $8.99.

9th Annual POC Grand Slam October 3rd & 4th

Posted by Joyce Rhyne on 18 Sep 14 - 0 Comments

In a few short weeks the 9th Annual Christopher Ragusin POC Grand Slam Memorial Fishing Tournament will be taking place. As usual all of the festivities held on Friday, October 3rd and Saturday, October 4th will be taking place at the Port O’Connor Community Center Pavilion. Friday, October 3rd is our Captains Meeting and registration for anyone who has not yet done so. Registration will begin at 5:30; we will have a silent auction in progress, and be serving BBQ sandwiches with all the fixings for dinner. We will wrap the night up with a short meeting; at least one boat member must be present for the Captain’s Meeting. Saturday October 4th the weigh in begins at 3:00 and ends at 5:00 at the Pavilion. We urge the public to come out and see what the fisherman are bringing in. A Fish dinner will be served; awards are usually announced at 6:00 and then our live auction begins. You do not have to be a fisherman to enjoy the festivities of the Grand Slam. Anyone is invited to come out and support our cause.

A little background on what the POC Grand Slam has been able to do for our community and the surrounding communities: First we have been able to give around 54 – $500 dollar scholarships to Calhoun graduating seniors, and up to 10 continuing education scholarships. Every Christmas we adopt 5 angels (so we have had to pleasure of helping 40 children). Also, we have donated not only the money but our time to help other families hold benefits for a family member. We’ve made donations to help defray medical expenses, and funeral expenses and made monetary donations to each church, club, and organization in our town. This is just a small list of what we have been able to do over the last 8 years.

We are a small group of people who want to see our (friend, brother, father, uncle, cousin) memory stay alive throughout the years. We do this by our efforts of bringing everyone together once a year to raise money so that we are able to keep donating back to the community in his name. So we hope to see you out at the Port O’Connor Pavilion October 3rd and 4th.

For registration information, please call 361-935-8745 or 361-655-3521.

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