By ALEXANDREA BAILEY
editor@portisabelsouthpadre.com
The people of the Lower Laguna Madre are embracing the arrival of 2025, whatever it may bring. Many have made and proclaimed their New Year’s Resolutions.
Chelsea Fedigan, a South Padre Island-based artist who specializes in pet portraits, says her New Year’s Resolution is to “Make healthier decisions,” and do “lots of painting.”
Jorge Vega, a music producer who goes by the alias “No Funeral,” says his resolution is to “Stay more active. Create a lot more. Do a lot more productive stuff,” and, fittingly, “Make a lot more music.”
Parasail Captain George Lopez says in 2025, he wants to “do better again.”
Local Logan Raymond isn’t setting the bar too high for 2025, as his goal for the year is to simply “not die.”
Jimbo Garza, former local visiting for the holidays, says his New Year’s Resolution is to spread a little more kindness. “To be part of the good in this world. There’s a lot of bad. Why be part of the problem? Do something good for people. Hold the door open for the older lady and say thank you and yes ma’am,” said Garza.
Photographer Alexa Ocean Ray wants “To not stress as much about having to be busy,” this year.
Local surfer Tyler Murphy said that he wants “to make the new year coming, the best year ever.”
Looking for love, Terry Barret said his New Year’s Resolution for 2025 is to “Find a wife.”
Lucinda “Sandy Feet” Wierenga of Sandyfeet Sandcastle Services set an unlikely goal for herself. “As always, I resolve to not adopt any more critters. As always, I will likely fail,” said Wierenga.
Her husband, Jose Sanchez, musician, storyteller and sand-sculptor, said in 2025 he’d like to “perform live again, locally, if possible.”
Jerrod Henry, owner of the Rio Grande Distillery in Port Isabel, has some specific goals in mind. He says his goal for 2025 is to not drink for 54 days, quit smoking by the 20th, and “lift weights five times a week.”
SPI Sessions owner Aarin Hartwell chimed in with her resolution as well. “Ja ja sobriety! Not glorious!” said Hartwell.
South Padre Island Birding, Nature Center and Alligator Sanctuary Naturalist Educator Javier Gonzlez proclaimed that his New Year’s Resolution is to “Get more native trees planted on SPI, expand habitat for migratory birds and pollinators, and get more kids to join the Lower Laguna Madre Young Birders Club.”
Sea Turtle Inc’s Taylor Dunham, Supervisor of Early Childhood Education, says in 2025, she wants to be the best version of herself.
Writer Dr. Laurie Coker doesn’t make New Year’s Resolutions, she says, but her mantra for 2025, pertaining to mental and physical health, is to “Think strong. Be Strong. Am strong.”
Andrea Wright of SOS says she has a few New Year’s Resolutions. In 2025, she wants “to learn something new every day. Travel somewhere (either a state or a country) I’ve never been before. Lose the weight I found last year by eating more healthy and drinking lemon water. Also, being kind to those who we normally lose our patience with and know that they are struggling too.
In 2025, Mighty Tarpons Youth League football coach and the man behind the Lower Laguna Madre’s Fortnite Fest, Edmundo Ramirez, wants to have more “clean and healthier living” and “be more disciplined in life.”
Journalist turned artist Ryan Henry, who opened up his first art gallery, Merdian and Muse, in 2024, doesn’t have a New Years Resolution. Instead, he’s set goals for his gallery to achieve in 2025. They include “expand the gallery, offer workshops, finish roughly 150 paintings and fill a large watercolor sketchbook.” He says he also wants to learn to play the viola, “and I’ve already busted a string. Oops!”
Johnny Zamora, who will be bringing Lighthouse Matsuri, an anime convention, to South Padre Island early 2025, says his resolution is to create “More local community-focused art, literary and cultural activities”
Dorothy Kumpe of K’s Beads wants to “connect people with the natural beauty of South Padre Island by putting more focus on turning found shells into custom keepsakes.”
Longtime Port Isabel resident Phil Kohler’s New Years Resolution for 2025 is all about shopping local. He wants “to make every first Sunday market sale at Beaulah Park.”
Julie Boughter, director of the Art Business Incubator, says in 2025, she’s going to “be ok with saying no” and find “balance with the things I have to do and the things I want to.”
Teresa Bryant of the Port Isabel Rotary wants to spend more time with her family this year.
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