When life-threatening emergencies occur at the beach, a speedy response time can mean the difference between life and death. To be better prepared, Cameron County and South Padre Island lifeguards and U.S. Coast Guard officials honed their skills Wednesday morning as part of an Operation Brite training session. Operation Brite provides training through mock scenarios that can occur at any time, such as rescuing a stranded swimmer. SPI Fire Chief...
It was the second “supercarrier” in its class when it was built in the 1950s, and will be the second in its class to fall to the scrapper’s torch nearly four decades later. The former USS Saratoga, currently berthed at Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island, is scheduled to depart under tow on Aug. 20 and arrive at ESCO Marine Inc.’s ship-recycling facility between Sept. 6-10, assuming the weather cooperates,...
The Harlingen Economic Development Corp. board on Tuesday recommended an incentive package of $450,000 for Elon Musk’s Space Exploration Technologies, which plans to develop a launch site at Boca Chica Beach amid the space exploration firm’s continuing investment in land in Cameron County. In return, 10 percent of a minimum of 100 jobs that SpaceX proposes to create would be filled by Harlingen residents. “The phrase of being a ‘rocket...
Vacations are relaxing, but not if you’re stressed about ruining a healthy regimen! To keep wholesome routines intact, Alison Sweeney, the actress, mother, and host of the TV show “The Biggest Loser,” has given us her 10 best tips for staying in shape while traveling. Alison’s Tips and Tricks for Traveling on a Diet: 1. Always stretch after a flight. When you’ve been sitting and tense that long, your...
At nearly 90 years old, the Yacht Club Hotel in Port Isabel has seen better days. But thanks to efforts by the city of Port Isabel and the Port Isabel Economic Development Corporation, the historic hotel will be restored and renovated as the city’s first culinary arts institute. Port Isabel City Manager Edward Meza said the city has received a $1.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce...
The 33rd Annual South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce Ladies Kingfish Tournament held on August 8-10, 2014 was a huge success. Early Saturday morning, 248 anglers and 98 boats hit the waterways, returning to the docks before 7 p.m. to weigh in their catch. This year’s tournament brought 157 bay anglers and 91 offshore to the Island for a fun filled three days. This year’s bay champion was Yochabel...
At nearly 90 years old, the Yacht Club Hotel in Port Isabel has seen better days. But thanks to efforts by the city of Port Isabel and the Port Isabel Economic Development Corporation, the historic hotel will be restored and renovated as the city’s first culinary arts institute. PortIsabelCity Manager Edward Meza said the city has received a $1.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development...
“Ground Control – Boca Chica … we are a go for lift off.” It won’t likely be Gov. Rick Perry uttering that message, but Perry did, today, announce the State will offer $2.3 million from the Texas Enterprise Fund (TEF) to land SpaceX’s commercial launch facility around Boca Chica Beach. Perry explained that approval is contingent upon the agreement of all involved agencies and proper processing of required permits....
Officials with the Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority (CCRMA) hosted a public hearing Tuesday evening at the South Padre Island Convention Center, and explained how area agencies are collaborating to develop a second causeway. Access to South Padre Island is currently provided by a single entry point – the Queen Isabella Memorial Causeway. According to the Authority records, “Due to the high number of Island visitors, the (causeway) experiences...
The decommissioned aircraft carrier USS Constellation is headed for Brownsville in the morning where it will be scrapped for its metal. The 62,000-ton carrier will be towed from the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington and travel more than 16,000 miles around South America before arriving at the Port of Brownsville sometime in December. Foss Maritime says its tugboat Corbin Foss will tow the ship. The Kitsap Sun...
