By DIANTÉ MARIGNY editor@portisabelsouthpadre.com The South Padre Island City Council approved several measures during its regular meeting on June 3, including support for a statewide designation effort, improvements to a city park, and updates to local parks regulations. Council members unanimously approved Resolution No. 2026-08, expressing the city’s support for designating the Sabal Palm as …

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(Port Isabel 7on7 team picture after securing their place at the state tourney. June 5, 2026. Picture by Felix Bennett) By CONSTANCIO MARTINEZ, JR. Special to the PRESS This past Friday, June 5 Port Isabel held its annual “Battle By The Bay” 7-on-7 Football Tournament. The event was one of many state wide State Qualifying …

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(D’Anthony and Jayda Howard at Comets Hill Country Championship meet. June 6, 2026. Picture by Johvonne Howard) By CONSTANCIO MARTINEZ, JR. Special to the PRESS Local summer Track athletes recently traveled to Boerne, TX to compete in the Comets Hill Country Championship meet. Youngster D’Anthony Howard came away with a pair of first place finishes …

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  Padre Island hints that another land fraud is likely to be perpetrated Moments in Time is a collection of recovered newspaper briefs and other publications, compiled by local historian, Steve Hathcock, offering a look back at the history of the Rio Grande Valley. Steve Hathcock is a local historian and a regular columnist for …

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By DIANTÉ MARIGNY editor@portisabelsouthpadre.com   Electric vehicle owners will soon have more charging options on South Padre Island as the City of South Padre Island moves forward with the installation of 16 new universal electric vehicle superchargers at the Island Metro Multi-Modal Park and Ride facility. The charging stations are being installed at the Island …

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By: DIANTÉ MARIGNY Last summer, I wrote about something that weighed heavily on me as a mom: how close I came to letting iPads and screens steal a piece of my daughters’ childhood. Like many parents, it happened gradually. A few minutes here and there turned into longer stretches of time. Before I knew it, …

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By JACQI LEYVA-HILL Special to the PARADE As summer visitors begin arriving in the Laguna Madre area, local restaurants are preparing for another busy season filled with live music, community events, waterfront dining and family-friendly entertainment. Two popular destinations, Lobo Del Mar Cafe on South Padre Island and Hopper Haus Bar n Grill in Port …

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By Steve Hathcock Summer is here, and thanks in part to the popularity of treasure-hunting television shows, metal detecting continues to grow as a hobby. As a result, I regularly receive questions from visitors and residents interested in searching the beaches of South Padre Island. One recent inquiry came from Keren, who wrote: “I’ve been …

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By M. Kathy Raines Chatting merrily as we walked along the jetties at Isla Blanca Park one May afternoon, my sister and I came to an abrupt stop. An astonishingly vivid crab, like a burst of fireworks, stood on our path, its reds, yellows and blues stark against the pinkish granite. Then, artfully flattening its …

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By JACQI LEYVA-HILL Special to the PRESS The Port Isabel-San Benito Navigation District Board of Commissioners approved a federal grant application seeking $7.1 million for port infrastructure improvements and authorized a new hire during its regular meeting May 21. Commissioners voted to submit an application to the Maritime Administration (MARAD) under the Port Infrastructure Development …

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