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  New Construction at The Shores. 

   

  
  
  
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  Sapphire 1802

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  Los Corales 801 S

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  5804 Yucca Circle

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> Paragraphs Books voted number one bookstore in Texas

Book readers across the state selected Paragraphs Books on the Boulevard as the number one bookstore in Texas.

“We offer all types of books, new releases hardbacks and paperback, used, children’s, poetry, plays and sidelines such as cards, bookmarks, games, art and toys,” said Joni Montover, Paragraphs Books store owner.

Nearly 2,500 of Lone Star Literary Life’s readers cast ballots in the statewide contest during May to recognize Texas’s favorite bookstores.

Lone Star Literary Life helps readers, publishers, booksellers and authors by connecting them with resources to find and build their audience.

Paragraphs climbed to the top rank of the club’s list of top bookstores in Texas after being named the number three store in Texas last year.

Paragraphs was chosen over 300 bookstores in Texas.

The competiton included big indies, small indies, chain stores, used bookstores and new book stores from every corner of the state.

Paragraphs is an independent, community orientated bookstore located on South Padre Island.

Currently, Paragraphs is the only full-services bookstore in Cameron County.

The store first opened its doors for business in 2009.

The Island bookstore offers a vast collection of titles in poetry, nature history, classic literature, fiction and nonfiction.

Book readers on the Island can find interesting books like “Gone With the Wind,” “The Fountainhead,” “The Wind in the Willows” and more.

It’s a 40-minute driver from Harlingen and Brownsville and a 90 minute-drive from McAllen.

Paragraphs hosts book signings throughout the year to allow many self-published authors to share their work in person.

“It’s part of the store mission to help promote literacy in the Lower Rio Grande Valley by hosting numerous book signings and we are happy to allow many self-published authors the opportunity to interact with potential readers in person,” Montover said.

Based on participation and interest, Paragraphs Books offers children’s story time, a book club, writers group and play reading group meetings monthly.

“We welcome groups to use our store for small gatherings or a place to meet and discuss issues important to the community,” Montover said.

By RAUL GARCIA Staff Writer

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> New Technique May Boost Ocelot Habitat Restoration

Native plants in the Rio Grande Valley are nothing if not tenacious.

Each one seems to have some type of thorn or sticker or tough skin designed to make it as difficult as possible to eat, or enabling it to fend off insects or to keep from being colonized by parasites.

But even our resilient and drought-resistant flora can use a helping hand.

A program at Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge is attempting to do just that. The goal? Accelerating the complete restoration of native Tamaulipan thornscrub from 25 to 30 years to maybe half that time.

“Those tree protectors we call them – tree tubes or tree protectors — they do two major things to help the plant survive,” said Kim Wahl, a plant biologist at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service who is leading the restoration effort.

“Without them on, rodents and rabbits will chew them down until just little nubs,” Wahl said last week.

“They also protect against natural elements like sunlight, and the dew will condense inside the tube and run down the tube,” she added. “The humidity inside those tubes is higher, and the temperature is a little bit lower.”

The tubes also cut off some of the eternal Valley winds, and the plants end up with a better growth environment.

Re-establishing native habitat from what is now Rio GrandeValley farmland is both time and labor intensive. It was only 100 years ago, prior to the agricultural revolution that arrived with electricity, pumps and irrigation, when practically the entire Valley was covered in dense thornscrub.

Wahl said about 275 acres were replanted between October and March this year to restore Tamaulipan thornscrub in Cameron and Hidalgo counties. Most of that acreage was planted without the protection of the 3-foot tree tubes.

Among the species planted at Laguna Atascosa were snake eyes or devil queen, Texas torchwood, crucita or Christmas bush, trixis or American threefold, lantana, Berlandier croton and Manzanita, or Barbados cherry, Wahl said.

For her part, Wahl is less interested in overall restoration recovery time than she is in how animal and plant species adapt to the new habitat. She says wildlife can use the plots almost immediately after planting.

“I don’t know if we have a good idea of just how much time it will take” to completely restore the thornscrub habitat, Wahl said.

“But from the time we plant, it becomes useful right away for small mammals, rodents, pollinators like bees and butterflies that first year, and then to be useful for birds, it needs to start seed production or the trees get large enough for nesting,” she said.

“From there, you are beginning to be more beneficial for larger mammals and ultimately we’re looking at making these areas suitable habitat for ocelots,” Wahl said.

At any one time, there are about 15 of the endangered Texas subspecies of ocelot on the Laguna Atascosa refuge, and about 80 in South Texas. Restoration of habitat is considered a key component to saving the wildcats, which, unlike their bobcat cousins, can be quite particular when it comes to preferred habitat.

By RICK KELLEY | Staff Writer

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> TIFT

TIFT

Surrounded by the sparkling waters of the Laguna Madre Bay and Gulf of Mexico, Port Isabel and South Padre Island play host to Texas’ largest saltwater fishing tournament—the Texas International Fishing Tournament.

Founded by Doc J.A. Hockaday in 1933, the tournament was designed to tell the story of phenomenal fishing in the Rio GrandeValley to anglers from around the world. Now entering its 78th event, TIFT offers the best of bay and offshore fishing to enthusiasts of all ages. Scheduled to be held August 2 – 6, 2017, TIFT is expected to attract as many as 1500 anglers and more than 500 boats during its two days of fishing activities.

Fisherman young and old will compete in one of three divisions: bay, tarpon and offshore. Dockside, more than 10,000 spectators will turn out to view impressive catches of blue marlin, white marlin and sailfish brought in by the big boats offshore. Bay anglers will be weighing in mouthwatering catches of speckled trout, redfish and flounder during the two days of fishing. One of the most rewarding sights at the weigh docks are the junior anglers weighing in their stringers of catches that range from a single small piggy perch to impressive catches that adult anglers will envy. Every child registered in the tournament is awarded a trophy for their effort.

The tournament starts with late registration on Wednesday and Thursday with a special Playday for junior anglers on Thursday. Fishing gets underway early Friday morning with bay boats required to return to their berths each night and offshore boats being allowed to stay out overnight while still adhering to tournament start and stop fishing times. For more information on offshore rules changes, see the related link on our home page. The tournament wraps up with a lunch and awards ceremony on Sunday.

TIFT’s mission statement is to provide a quality family oriented fishing tournament for anglers of all ages and it is a pledge the tournament’s Executive Board takes seriously. Planning for each year’s event begins immediately after the awards ceremony.

If you’d like to catch the action at TIFT, join us in 2017. TIFT is open to anglers of all ages and levels of experience. Remember, when it comes to big catches, luck often wins over skill! We hope to see you at the 78th! August 2 – 6, 2017.

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> Ladies Kingfish Tournament

The Ladies Kingfish Tournament, the FIRST all ladies tournament in the State of Texas, is divided into two divisions, Bay and Offshore. Anglers fishing in the Bay Division will vie for trophies in the categories of Redfish, Trout and Flounder, while anglers in the Offshore Division complete in the categories of King, Bonito, Blackfin Tuna and Dolphin.  Trophies will be awarded to the first four places in each category and Grand Champion Bay and Grand Champion Offshore winners will also receive trophies.

The event is August 11, 12, 13.  It is our 36th Anniversary. Anglers fish for trout, redfish, flounder in bay and offshore they fish for kingfish, blackfin tuna, bonita and dorad

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