PRESERVE BOCA CHICA WITH A CLEAN-UP

Univision wants to interview pro Boca Chica residents.

Laura Cavazos from Univision is looking to interview folks about the issue. If you're interested, can you call her at 956 429 2525?
There are two separate issues here. One is to preserve Boca Chica regardless of economic development and one is to save it from SpaceX. SpaceX and its supporters have reached the point that they cannot be trusted. No matter what the liars say on their side thousands of people in Brownsville use and care for Boca Chica.

I am the first to say far too many residents trash the beach. But it is not all from the visitors. It has been well documented that the oil rigs and cruise ships dump trash into the gulf. This trash washes up on our beach.

LET'S STAND TOGETHER AND CLEAN-UP BOCA CHICA

I am willing to help, but will not lead - a community based group to do a clean-up at Boca Chica which has as its focus the cleaning of Boca Chica and highlighting of its beauty and environmental diversity. It would need to be nonpolitical. It must be a group which can have sponsors, but not organized by any group looking for self-promotion. The group must have one purpose - Preserve Boca Chica.  We need to educate the people of Brownsville and the community about the importance of Boca Chica.

If people want to have an organizational meeting for Preserve Boca Chica, I am willing to coordinate it, but others will lead. You can post your name, email, and phone number as an anony post and I will then compile the data. In a week or so I will email everyone on the list as to a time and date for an organizational meeting. if someone wants to propose a meeting place have at it.

Again this has to come from the people - if the people will not lead then nothing can come of this.

AS TO SAVE BOCA CHICA WE MUST DEFEAT THE LIARS

A business man known in the blogosphere post to the Herald lies about our efforts. Such unethical conduct is not going to help SpaceX. We are not a bunch of loud locals and we are not opposing SpaceX for publicity. We care for Boca Chica and do not want it destroyed by SpaceX and those easily impressed with shiny objects. The next time this business person posts lies about who we are and our motivations I will go after him and his business. He has since taken down his posts.

If you support SpaceX make your argument on the merits. I do understand no one who supports SpaceX can make their argument on the merits because SpaceX is refusing to answer any direct questions. This should put everyone on notice SpaceX is not playing fair.

SpaceX will be a successful company and make money. But we do not need another company dependent of corporate welfare from the taxpayers playing the people of Cameron county and Brownsville.

SpaceX refuses to answer any questions. SpaceX supporters cannot answer any questions because there are no answers at this time.

Unresolved issues: Environment; security; beach access; real jobs (NASA's initial command center for launch is in Florida, but then the main command center is in Houston - Clear Lake - pay attention people - SpaceX is not going to have its main command center with top paying jobs in Brownsville - they are going to develop it in a city with major universities and resources. - the jobs for Brownsville are limited - in fact I would submit all of the high paying jobs will go to laid off NASA employees - Brownsville will get the janitorial jobs)- SpaceX has promised nothing - it is playing Brownsville against two other possible locations to see which community will put up the most taxpayer money for their corporation with profits going to their shareholders and not Brownsville.

Until SpaceX actually agrees to answer questions it is fair to say all it wants from Brownsville is a bunch local politicians and activists easily impressed with shiny objects. It blows my mind anyone with even a limited education could possibly support SpaceX on Boca Chica when SpaceX has refused to answer any of the key questions related to the project.

SpaceX is like the pot dealer in highschool - the first couple of times is free - once you are hooked you then learn the consequences of your actions. SpaceX is just feeding the easily impressed locals enough to get their support and then when it is too late to change course SpaceX will hit them with the truth.

SpaceX is in for a battle in Brownsville which will put its corporate welfare business dealings on the front page.

MESCALERO SPEAKS

IN DEFENSE OF BOCA CHICA

Editor's Note: The BV would oppose any utility development of the area. The problem is a viable solution. You cannot preserve Boca Chica if people are not educated about its beauty and unique plants, animal life etc. Once you educate them, they will want to preserve it, but also go to the beach. This will cause some additional damage. While it is illegal to ride in the dunes it is done all of the time because there is no one from the county enforcing the law.

I am not sure I have a problem with an entrance fee to Boca Chica. By having a county employee charging a fee it will also allow the county to better bar any sports vehicles from the beach. I also have no problem with the county charging a garbage bag fee the visitor gets back when they bring back the garbage bag filled with their trash.

All of the above are proactive things the county can do to preserve this treasure. Far too many of the people who use Boca Chica have proven themselves to be bad stewards of Boca Chica. I am so tired of seeing how people disrespect this treasure - so in my mind a fee which has the effect of protecting Boca Chica would be a good thing.

I hope more people will come forward and defend Boca Chica. Different people might disagree about the mechanics of defending Boca Chica, but what is important is that we stand together to prevent any development, beyond that which is needed to protect this natural treasure the beach.

 

HERE IS MESCALERO'S DEFENSE OF BOCA CHICA

Exactly as I feared. Already hopes that if utilities are extended to Boca Chica we can get some of those "projects" developed. Let's put up some historical centers and a visitor's center. We will then need bathrooms and maybe a snack bar and on and on it will go. And, to pay for the centers and upkeep and to repair all the vandalism, we will need a beach access fee. It might not be Padre Island but it won't be Boca Chica.

And the same goes for Palmetto Hill. Check out how degraded the habitats are out there and yet they hold so much life. Any construction will probably be on the higher elevations known as lomitas (little hills) to avoid flooding. These lomitas are a biologically unique area in the world. Not another inch should be cleared. And the same for the coastal prairie out there. In the alternative I would suggest an information center somewhere in the vicinity of the border patrol checkpoint with monuments at the actual sites. By keeping any buildings in one spot it minimizes the impact on the environment and probably reduces construction costs. Being near the checkpoint may redue vandalism.

Also, it is a false statement to say that Boca Chica will never become Padre Island. I've lived here long enough to have hung out on the Island when there were only three free standing restaurants and only a small handful of hotel/motels and look at it now.

Mescalero

 

 

SAVE BOCA CHICA, AND CLARKSVILLE

Everything in this story comes from a reader. Thanks


CLARKSVILLE, TX (CAMERON COUNTY)

CLARKSVILLE, TEXAS (Cameron County). Clarksville was near the mouth of the Rio Grande, opposite the Mexican city of Bagdad. During the Mexican War a temporary army camp stood there, with William H. Clark, a civilian, in charge. Clark set up a country store and served as agent for the steamship lines using the port. The town quickly developed; houses were built up on stilts to be above high water. During the early part of the Civil War Clarksville thrived on the trade of the Confederate blockade-runners, but in 1863 it was captured by federals, who held it most of the time until the end of the war. The last battle of the war was fought four miles away at Palmito Ranch^qv. In 1867 Clarksville was almost destroyed by a hurricane but survived during the days of the river steamer. In 1872 it received another blow when the railway was built from Brownsville to Point Isabel, and severe storms in 1874 and 1886 finished it. In 1953 the river had changed its course and flowed over the site of Clarksville.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Houston Chronicle, April 19, 1926. Dick King, Ghost Towns of Texas (San Antonio: Naylor, 1953). Florence J. Scott, Old Rough and Ready on the Rio Grande (San Antonio: Naylor, 1935

http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hvc54

I did not know this about Clarksville. There needs to be an historical marker placed at the mouth of the river making note of this. It would be awesome if a properly sanctioned archaeological dig could be organized to bring life back to this very important city in terms of America's civil war history. This is something tourist would go see.

MAY 30TH IS DEADLINE FOR COMMENTS ON SPACEX

People only we can stop this. Our elected officials are dupes. They have taken the bait in the same old corporate game used time and time again. You announce so many cities are in the running for a new plant, stadium or whatever and then watch how the local politicos fall over one another offering to give up their own children is their community gets the deal.

We must submit comments in opposition to SpaceX by May 30!

faaspacexeis@cardnotec.com or fax to 410-990-0455.

SOMETHING THE COUNTY MIGHT CONSIDER


http://www.glo.texas.gov/what-we-do/caring-for-the-coast/open-beaches/index.html

The Texas Open Beaches Act states “The public ... shall have the free and unrestricted right of ingress and egress to and from the state-owned beaches.”

OTIS POWERS SHOWING OFF A RED

For people out of the know, the dot on the tail tells you it is a Red. Most people find them good eating. I love fish - but I am not big on Reds. This is not a Red Snapper. People, I am not against SpaceX. I am for preserving for use and beauty Boca Chica and its surrounding areas. Judge Cascos should have been well informed on this issue before he chose to back it. Shiny objects politics never works for the people. We need answers. When we have guarantees about Boca Chica then it will be easier for everyone to get behind SpaceX. People I need more pictures - the more the better.   I also need science information as to why Boca Chica and its wild life is important.

bobbywc58@yahoo.com