Another U.S. Navy aircraft carrier is coming to the Port of Brownsville for dismantling. The U.S. Navy announced Friday that it has awarded the contract to ESCO Marine for one penny to dismantle the USS Saratoga. The aircraft carrier is currently housed at the Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island. It is expected to depart this summer and be towed to Brownsville. The USS Saratoga was decommissioned Sept. 30, 1994, after...
The U.S. Coast Guard has seized a Mexican fishing boat and detained its five crewmembers in a poaching investigation off Texas. Coast Guard officials on Monday announced four other boats fled back to Mexican waters. The incident happened Saturday afternoon north of the U.S. and Mexico maritime border and inside the U.S. exclusive economic zone. A Coast Guard helicopter spotted five boats about 16 miles north of the border....
The Barefoot Wine Beach Rescue Project, now in its eighth year, helps keep beaches, rivers and lakes across America “barefoot friendly.” In 2014, Barefoot Wine and the Surfrider Foundation, along with community volunteers, are embarking on a tour of 15 cleanups and restorations nationwide, stopping in South Padre Island. The Surfrider Foundation South Texas Chapter will once again host a day of dune restoration and celebration of efforts to...
The Martinque Waterfront is a beautiful three bedroom, four bath house currently near completion at The Shores Master Planned Community. The house has a very spacious living, dining/kitchen area with views of the Laguna Madre and marina in front of the house, making for the perfect place to entertain friends and family. Each of the three bedrooms has its own private bath and dressing area. The ground floor provides an...
One of the most exciting components of the spring neo-tropical bird migration is the mass movement of warblers through the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Of the 57 warblers that breed in North America, many pass through the area along the Central Flyway on their way to nesting grounds in more northern parts of the United States and Canada. The warbler migration is one of nature’s great spectacles. They are...
A lost or discarded love letter was among the items found on South Padre Island during the Texas General Land Office Adopt-A-Beach Spring Cleanup. A total of 7,334 volunteers hauled more than 121 tons of trash off Texas beaches on April 28 during the cleanup. “That’s more than 22,002 hours of labor — all volunteer — working to keep Texas public beaches clean. What an amazing effort,” said Texas Land...
Adventure racers will be getting down and dirty and wet Saturday, May 3 on South Padre Island as the third annual Jailbreak Beach Escape covers more than three miles of sandy terrain. Referred to as an “off-the-grid” adventure run, the beach course includes more than 18 obstacles along the beach to challenge racers in sand and water. Organizers expect as many as 3,000 racers to compete. Jailbreak is...
Incentive Policy The South Padre Island Economic Development Corporation and the City of South Padre Island have approved an Incentive Policy in order to assist qualified new and existing businesses and to benefit the economic climate on the Island. Businesses can apply for property tax abatements as well as sales tax abatements for improvements that will contribute to the economy of South Padre Island. The City and the EDC will...
South Padre Island, Sargassum Birds, 4/25/14 After a few hours of looking at pretty passerines at south Padre Island yesterday, I decided it was time to drive the beach and look for rare stuff like Black Turnstones and Wandering Tattlers (I like to think big!) However the beach was loaded with tons of Sargassum and driving was very difficult so I didn’t get as far as planned. This time of...
City of South Padre Island beach maintenance crews are working extra hours to continue to provide visitors one of the best and cleanest beaches in Texas. The City is increasing efforts and seeking additional equipment to try to stay ahead of the seasonal influx of seaweed washing ashore all along the Texas coast that happens as ocean currents change in the spring. Staff is on the beach since early morning,...
