By JACQUI LEYVA-HILL Special to the PRESS   The Port Isabel–San Benito Navigation District Board held a comprehensive regular meeting, covering topics ranging from financial matters and charitable donations to equipment purchases and long-term planning. After establishing a quorum, the board opened with an invocation asking for guidance and wisdom to make sound decisions for …

Continue reading

By CONSTANCIO MARTINEZ, JR. Special to the PRESS   This Tuesday, November 25, the 4A Port Isabel boys’ basketball team was on the road as they took on the 5A Brownsville Lopez Lobos in a non-district matchup. The season had just begun, but the Tarpons were  eager  for  a  win after starting 0-2 with losses …

Continue reading

By Steve Hathcock Special to the PRESS 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 the Port Isabel South Padre Press. …

Continue reading

By JACQI LEVYA-HILL Special to the PRESS Hundreds of families gathered inside the Port Isabel Early College High School gym Wednesday evening for the 17th Annual Feast of Sharing Dinner, a beloved tradition that brings together residents, volunteers, and local leaders for a free Thanksgiving-style meal served with warmth and generosity. Hosted in partnership with …

Continue reading

By JACQI LEVYA-HILL Special to the PRESS The Laguna Vista Community Development Corporation (CDC) met on November 17, 2025, at City Hall, where board members addressed public comments, deliberated on marina repair funding, and adopted the budget for the next fiscal year. The meeting opened with an invocation and pledges before moving into roll call …

Continue reading

By JACQI LEVYA-HILL Special to the PRESS The Port Isabel City Commission held a Special Meeting on November 12, 2025, at City Hall, addressing a series of administrative and project-related items as the community enters the holiday season. Following the invocation and Pledge of Allegiance, city leaders announced that the annual Port Isabel Christmas Parade …

Continue reading

By DIANTÉ MARIGNY editor@portisabelsouthpadre.com The City of South Padre Island is once again calling on residents to step forward and lend their voices, ideas, and energy by serving on one of the City’s volunteer boards and committees. From the Board of Adjustments & Appeals to the Shoreline Task Force, the Parks & Keep SPI Beautiful …

Continue reading

By CONSTANCIO MARTINEZ, JR. Special to the PRESS This past Friday, November 14, the (6-4) Port Isabel ECHS Tarpons took on the (6-3) Robstown Cotton Pickers in a Bi-District matchup.  PIECHS entered the game as favorites having secured the number 1 seed after winning their district’s championship, but could 4th place Robstown upset the Tarpons? …

Continue reading

By CONSTANCIO MARTINEZ, JR. Special to the PRESS October 31, 2025 was the date the University Interscholastic League (UIL) has set aside as “Snapshot Day”, a day when all schools participating in UIL events were to submit their attendance numbers.  The UIL uses these enrollment numbers every two years to separate different sized schools into …

Continue reading

By DIANTÉ MARIGNY editor@portisabelsouthpadre.com   Julie Schuster’s journey from a small-town Valley girl to a contestant on a reality series is the kind of story that makes Port Isabel proud. For Schuster, life in South Texas has always been about hard work, family, and community. But this year, the Port Isabel native took a giant …

Continue reading