Comment to Post Small Village! Big Heart!
Craig Lang says:
A “Thank You” is hardly enough to say to The Big Store. I’ve been fortunate enough to live in Crystal Beach for over 20 years and the Big Store has made life easy when times are hard. During storms and power failures, you can always count on the Big Store to be my refuge in hard times. Keith has always been there

Has anyone used the Island Transit bus service? I saw it last week running quite late rounding the Galveston side of the ferry landing. I’d love to be able to park the car at the Bolivar landing, ride the ferry over, and catch the Island Transit to sightsee. But with some assurance that I could make it back to Bolivar. Sorry if this is a real newbie question. The service looks great, just wondered if anyone reading the Local News uses the service. (Rene, 6/23/13)

The integrity of the dunes is a major factor in protecting our property in Crystal Beach. There are laws against driving on or across the dunes with motorized vehicles. Yet, this is exactly what is happening between the Gulf and the Crystal Palace Resort. There is a “road” that has been cut through the dune; traffic is driving around on private property from the beach to Highway 87 and the County is taking no action to close the “road” or stop the violators. Commissioner Dennard has been notified and, still, nothing has been done. The blatant destruction of the dunes has to be stopped and the violators have to be prosecuted before the next storm comes and causes property damage that the dunes could have prevented. Please call the Commissioners office at 409-770-5474 or email [email protected] to demand enforcement to protect the dunes. (David, 4-29-13)

As I sit and watch the local news about the West, Texas explosion, I am reminded of the devastation many of us experienced when our beloved Peninsula was ravaged by Hurricane Ike. What first started out as tragic quickly turned to hope as we persevered and many rebuilt…much sooner that most projected. I hope we can support those in West, Texas in some way; even if it is only to represent how hard work and determination is the way to go. We banded together to bring the community back…we did it, so can they! Texans are very strong and resilient. We are a shining example!! (C. Alexander, 4/23/13)

In the wake of the announcement of a 27-day 2013 federal recreational red snapper season, we warned that the crisis would be used to justify all kinds of schemes and, unfortunately, that prediction was correct. On April 2, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) quietly opened a comment period for a pilot program that would let a select group of headboats take ownership of recreational

Greetings: First I wish everyone has a safe and nice holiday and want to apologize to my family for not being with them.
I would like each of you to make one phone call today for me and Rollover Pass. Call County Judge Mark Henry’s office between the hours of 8 am and 5 pm and ask for more information why he wants to use eminent domain, or any other question you would like answered. His office number is 409-766-2244.

Galveston County Judge Mark Henry continues to insist that Rollover Pass needs to be closed and still intends to use Eminent Domain to Steal Rollover Pass a “Texas Treasure” from the people of Texas. I met and talked to many of you during the last week and I am more convinced and dedicated to keeping Rollover Pass open for all to enjoy. If you can make it, please come to our Rollover Pass open house “Pray for the Pass” day on Saturday, April 6th. There is more information on www.rolloverpasstexas.com.

Continue to share our petition link with your friends, the link is also located on our web page.
Thanks and take care
Ted Vega
President, Gilchrist Community Association

Tri City Corvette Club will have a Beach Run to Cononuts Restaurant for lunch January 26 at 12:30 pm. Hope the weather is good for the Run.

The Beaumont Enterprise obviously talked to only a few folks about Bolivar Peninsula wanting to switch to Chambers County. That fact was brought up by Commissioner elect Ryan Dennard during his meeting when he asked for a how of hands ‘for’ and ‘against’. The overwhelming vote was to stay in Galveston County, so hopefully that is at a dead end. I noticed that none of this meeting that crystalbeach.com had a front row seat, has come out on the site even though it was a great meeting with the New Commissioner. (Don H)

It’s been awhile since I have talked to anyone at the beach and going on line to the newspaper brought back sad memories of the days when this time of year was when mother came to the beach for the 50’s dance and Crab Festival. Mother started her journey home to meet Sam on May 21, 2012, the fourth anniversary of Sam’s passing. She completed that journey the evening of May 22. Dad, who lived at Wildwood, Texas followed on his 94th birthday, Sept 4, 2012. It has been a very hard year. I have been trying to get a copy of Sam’s death certificate from Texas but not having much luck. I don’t know who the coroner was there but thought that office might help me. I tried to get it on line but kept getting kicked off and had no luck talking to a live person on the phone.

I missed coming to the beach every year and talking to people that knew the family. If anyone would like to get in touch my email address is good. If you can give my any ideas about the certificate I need I would appreciate it.

Thank you, Linda
[email protected]

My husband and I live at 1121 N. Tinkle in Crystal Beach and we were just stopped by 2 crews from Entergy who asked us if we had seen any pole trucks working on our street lately. We had, just yesterday evening at dusk and they came and did work right at dark at the end of the street. They said that there has been a rash of stealing of copper wire and that they have been having to come and repair the damage that these guys are doing. The thieves have been legitimately contracted to take down old cable wire, but they are taking much more than that and leaving some properties without electricity. We asked what we could do if we saw them and he (sorry, don’t know his name) said to call the police. People should be on the lookout for them, contact Entergy if you see them. Also, he told me that Alvin Sullivan in High Island is an Entergy employee who travels around the peninsula looking for such problems. Thanks for being here! (R. Marshall, 11-28-12)

I sat in line an hour and half on Saturday of the Galveston Bike Rally. There were 20 plus cars who just drove up and went directly on the ferry with permits. Now you can’t tell me those medical permits were used to see a doctor on the Saturday when thousands were in Galveston for the bike rally. There were even two motor bikes with permits. They are cheaters and these permits should be taken away. What makes them more important than the long lines of visiters (sic) standing politely in line? (H Shoffner, 11-27-12)

My husband & I purchased 2 lots earlier this year. We have 5 RV hookups and want to know the correct procedure in making it an RV Park. Is there a document that I will need to file with Galveston County? We just need some direction, thank you! Email [email protected]

I own a beach house at Crystal Beach. I have learned that there are times the ferry wait is very long and times when it is not. In defense of residents of Bolivar, I do not think the cars with medical permits are the problem. Also, can you imagine having to live with those waits everyday. I think the big trucks and commercial vehicles should be sent up I-10 and leave the ferry for residents and visitors. (L. Hernandez, 10-21-2012)

If you want people to come to bolivar and spend money, You should do something about the “@#$%&!” residents who abuse the medical priority boarding passes at the ferry. You people seem to think you are better than us “lowly tourists”. My family and I will never again rent on Bolivar. (email from benson, 10-11-2012)

From: Antoinette
We spend a lot of time at Crystal Beach during the year and we normally bring our dog with us. In March of this year we were involved in an incident with another couple that was walking their dog on the beach with a leash and it was attacked by 3 other dogs. My son had to break the attack up. The owners said their

We spent this past weekend in Crystal Beach and have no plans to return anytime soon. We have never seen so much litter on the beach, and wonder why you put up with it. We saw many families and young people tent camping on the beach with no bathroom anywhere close, I guess they were using the bathroom in the surf and in the sand. We purchased a beach sticker for $10 which I thought was a good idea only to find it was dated 2008. I started looking at the cars on the beach and found few had a sticker. It seems to me that if you wanted your businesses to thrive you might consider improving the conditions of your biggest draw the beach. (John Kangerga)

I will preface this short letter by saying that after doing 22 yrs in the armed sevices and 23 more with a Govt contractor my wife and I were overjoyed to come back home to Texas and develop our two adjacent lots in Crystal Beach (quite a sentence but am not a very good writer)! Imagine our surprise when we learned that to run water to our property it would be

I would like to know why our beaches do not get cleaned up more from the seaweed. It is horrible and has been horrible. This is the beginning of summer vacation for so many families and they can’t even get down to the water because of all the seaweed.

This should be done at least once a week and I am so disappointed in the manor that this gets done. If we want vacationers here and to spend their money on the penisula, we need to do something about this.

I am a tax payer here and would like to see some results. (Patti Wilcox, 6-4-2012)

Maybe we should plan our beach clean ups after a holiday from now on? Seriously…I think folks like to see our beaches clean when they get here on Friday, don’t they? Then, tell me, why do they leave our “home” in such a mess when they leave? Monday morning, we went for a morning drive on the beach to enjoy what God has given us, how blessed we are! Oh my goodness, the trash we encountered

I just wanted to leave a comment about the beach on memorial day weekend.It was hideous.the sea weed was so bad on the beach that my family and I couldn’t even enjoy ourselves.i thought the whole reason of paying to park on the beach was to ensure that it was gonna be a clean and sanitized beach. (Chris Gooch, 5-28-12)

I’m writing this as someone who spent his entire life as part of the silent majority, someone who’s never written an Op-ed. I watched as religious symbols were being ripped from the public square. I watched the decline of America’s morality in our schools, the media and Hollywood and realized I had to get involved.

I offered my services to the Republican Party and became a precinct chair in 2009. After serving in a variety of positions what I’ve observed is that local politics

People need to be aware – if they allow this a bar in one residentail area, don’t think they won’t do the same in other neighbhoods. We’re not considered a upscale subdivision so they think they can get away with it. We all had to rebuild except for a few. We’re proud of our homes and are working hard to improve the image of the Blaylock area. We are not against

Cheryl and I just wanted to say how much we enjoy meeting and making friends with the folks in Bolivar. Sponsoring the Crab Festival Cook Off was fun for us. We met some awesome people and hope to continue to build relationships. We look forward to the days ahead where we can spend more time there. Thank you for the courtesy, respect, and warmth you all have offered to me as a candidate for State Representative. (Wayne Faircloth, 5-15-12)

We have a place on the peninsula and were at the festival. We were very disappointed that the festival had no recycling area. With all of the recycling capabilities that we have, I am sure that some could have been done. How much garbage wound up in a landfill and then people are going to complain that they are filling up too fast. Just something to think about in the future. All in all, it was wonderful and we had a great time. Keep up the good work, BUT, remember to put out recycling containers next year. There are a lot more of us than one might think. (Ron Whitlow, 5-15-12)

(sent to Brenda Cannon Henley by R. O. Williams, Jr.)
Your article last week about the “Rocker” was another winner….you will recall that we became friends back when I was going through Prostate Cancer surgery, organizing the local Gift of Life support group…all of which prompted your interest in the subject…you were a blessing at that time (which is now some 8 years ago) and your articles each week continue to place you in our living room each week. Even though we are now in Austin some 95% of the time, we