NOVEMBER 14, 2016
THE VALLEY MORNING STAR
For a town that is often forgotten because South Padre Island is right next door —one website didn’t forget to list it as a beautiful Texas town. The Culture Trip website recently listed the small bay town on its top 10 list of the most beautiful and charming towns in Texas.
The website’s article lists the Texas town’s landscapes, unique economy, geography and culture as the key points for their decision for the top 10 little towns.
Former Port Isabel police chief and lifetime resident Wally Gonzalez agreed. “For one, it’s a fishing community and most everybody knows each other and is friendly with each other,” Gonzalez said. He said it’s a beautiful area and you can walk anywhere you want and people are friendly. The online article boasts about the town’s Texas International Fishing Tournament and the significant popular attraction of the Port Isabel Lighthouse that was built in 1852.“I was born and raised here and I love it,” Gonzalez said. “You don’t have the hustle and bustle of the big cities.” Even though on weekends and certain parts of the year there is a lot of traffic, the former chief said it’s bearable.
“Port Isabel has it all,” Gonzalez said. “We’re not too far away from Padre Island.” The website also reports on the town’s access to local beaches and great sport fishing, kayaking, parasailing, boating tours and dolphin watching.
Gonzalez said residents can go anytime they want to the beaches and the tourist attractions in town and on the Island. “During my teen years I would always go over to the Island on weekends and during the summer when I didn’t work,” Gonzalez said. “I tried surfing but I never made it.” He said Port Isabel is a nice place to live. “This city has grown from the time I grew up,” Gonzalez said. He said he never had problems with people in Port Isabel as chief of police.
He just finished his 40th season as the announcer for the high school football team and plans to continue announcing even the high school baseball games. Gonzalez retired from his post as chief of police for Port Isabel in October. “The people here are all good people,” he said.
By RAUL GARCIA Staff writer
