This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page is the Neighborhood News reporter for San Patricio County alongside Victoria Balderama Texas — Projected winners have emerged in Fulton and Rockport-Fulton ISD races as polls close across Aransas County The results below reflect the projected winners based on the unofficial results released in each respective race: CITY OF FULTON (100% votes counted)City Council - Place 2 ROCKPORT-FULTON ISD (100% votes counted)Board of Trustees - Place 1 KRIS 6 News will update all platforms as results come in for the elections in San Patricio and Nuecs County.For the latest local news updates, click here, or download the KRIS 6 News App. Catch all the KRIS 6 News stories and more on our YouTube page Rockport is known for its charming seaside ambiance — sandy beaches quaint shops and a thriving artist community Off the beaten path, however, is a unique attraction that has been drawing people in for 100 years — the Paper House Built in the early 1920s by mechanical engineer Elis Stenman as a summer cottage for him and his wife Esther But its walls are of pressed newspaper about an inch thick people often used newspapers for insulation,” explained Edna Beaudoin Stenman's grandniece and the house's current caretaker “The house had linoleum floors in the living room and kitchen but there are layers of paper under the linoleum The walls were originally just newspaper paneling A covered wraparound porch was added to help shield the house from rain and snow wood panels were put on the outside of the house mice and birds were “hacking away” at it and would have made holes in the paper Jon Sarkin: Gloucester artist community is retaining the legacy of one of its own Even the furniture inside is made of paper — a desk and a grandfather clock A piano is clad in paper but wasn't constructed with it — the only piece in the house that is not Beaudoin’s favorite piece is a rocking chair “I don’t think anyone has sat in it for years Beaudoin pointed out that newspapers making up the desk tell of Charles Lindbergh’s transatlantic flight in 1927 and the grandfather clock is made from newspapers from the capitals of each of what was then 48 states — Hawaii and Alaska weren't part of the U.S Construction of the Paper House started as a hobbyThe Stenmans lived in the paper house for six summers and a single winter “They had a stove in the paper house to keep warm,” Beaudoin said except when they had to run out to the outhouse.” The house has electricity and running water A working fireplace and chimney are made of brick Beaudoin doesn't know why her great uncle decided to build a paper house only that it started as a hobby and kept growing But the house became an attraction while the couple were still living in it Coastal charm: Country Living says Rockport is one of the best small towns in the U.S. “People in the neighborhood came to check it out and word spread," Beaudoin said "People started coming from beyond the neighborhood that’s when they decided to build a ‘regular’ house down the hill.” At that point the Paper House was for display only After Elis Stenman died in 1942, Beaudoin said Esther did not want to deal with the Paper House any longer. She offered it to the local historical society, but was turned down. “They didn’t want responsibility for its upkeep, and they would have (had) to hire someone to be there,” Beaudoin said. Expenses included property taxes, liability insurance and electricity. Beaudoin’s mother, who was raised by the Stenmans, took over as caretaker, and when she died, Beaudoin said she stepped in. Visiting the Paper House is a “do-it-yourself kind of thing,” she said. “There is information there, and if people want to leave a donation that’s fine.” Doors are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day. Parking is on the street. “It’s kind of mind-boggling,” Beaudoin said. “But the house is something most people have seen before. It’s very interesting. The headlines to some of the newspapers are still visible. Come in and walk around and look for some weird headlines. There are a lot of cool things to see on the walls.” Massachusetts is home to a lot of woodpeckers, and apparently, some are more destructive than others. The Associated Press reports that one bird is wreaking havoc on vehicles in a sleepy seaside town have been dealing with broken car windows and side mirrors for weeks A local named Ben Favaloro told AP that they initially believed a neighborhood child was behind the chaos Eventually, his sister-in-law, Janelle Favaloro, spotted the real offender: a pileated woodpecker. She told NBC that she noticed the bird staring at its reflection while perched on her RV’s windshield wipers That’s when she suspected it was behind the crimes “We seem to have a vandal in our neighborhood,” she told NBC’s TODAY “I’m describing him as 18 to 24 inches tall The woodpecker has broken over two dozen vehicle mirrors and at least one side window trees in town have been damaged so severely by woodpeckers that they had to be removed but locals say they’ve never seen anything like this The pileated woodpecker shouldn’t be underestimated. They are the largest North American woodpeckers, reaching over a foot long. The only woodpecker that was bigger in the U.S. was the ivory-billed species a biologist for avian conservation at the New Hampshire Audubon the recent reign of terror in Rockport is “definitely weird.” The scientist told AP that the bird might be exhibiting territorial behaviors because it's currently mating season for the species woodpeckers don’t usually peck their enemies; they typically chase them away While residents aren’t thrilled about their feathered guest’s vandalism they’re covering their mirrors with trash bags and towels to curb the woodpecker’s destructive impulses © 2025 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved Eventually, his sister-in-law, Janelle Favaloro, spotted the real offender: a pileated woodpecker. She told NBC that she noticed the bird staring at its reflection while perched on her RV’s windshield wipers The pileated woodpecker shouldn’t be underestimated. They are the largest North American woodpeckers, reaching over a foot long. The only woodpecker that was bigger in the U.S. was the ivory-billed species A mischievous pileated woodpecker is damaging vehicles in Rockport A mating-season crazed woodpecker had damaged dozens of car mirrors in Rockport but residents remain amused rather than angry at their feathered neighbor (AP Video: Rodrique Ngowi) In this photograph provided by Janelle Favaloro a woodpecker rests on a pick-up truck door admiring its reflection in the sideview mirror a recreational vehicle’s broken side mirror a woodpecker rests on a tree outside a home during April 2025 Ben Favaloro poses next to a replacement sideview mirror on his pick-up truck after the original was broken by a rogue woodpecker earlier in the month (AP) — Rockport residents have a history of fighting off invaders townsfolk in the tiny fishing village hurled rocks at British soldiers using their stockings as slings they’re slinging trash bags and towels over the side mirrors of their cars to protect them from a destructive and determined pileated woodpecker the bird has broken more than two dozen mirrors and at least one vehicle’s side window But residents are taking the violence in stride “Everybody’s having a good laugh about it,” said Ben Favaloro AP correspondent Haya Panjwani reports on a woodpecker invading a Massachusetts town who has lived in the neighborhood for nearly four decades said he’s seen the occasional woodpecker on the side of houses in years past and he removed several trees last summer that were damaged beyond recovery But the attacking of glass is a new phenomenon we just noticed that all the mirrors had been adjusted It looked like maybe there’s a child in the neighborhood that was going around pushing the mirrors down,” he said But then his sister-in-law spotted the roughly 21-inch (53-centimeter) tall woodpecker on Favaloro’s truck piliated woodpeckers are plenty strong enough to break mirrors but such behavior is “definitely weird,” said Pamela Hunt senior biologist for avian conservation at the New Hampshire Audubon “Lots of birds will be aggressive against reflections in mirrors but I don’t usually hear about woodpeckers,” she said “They don’t usually peck at their opponents She said the woodpecker might be “a little stupid” and is trying to defend its territory and scare away what it sees as competition The damage coincides with the mating season for pileated woodpeckers and resident Barbara Smith said she’d be fine with “lots of little woodpeckers” around though she hopes they won’t be as destructive “Woodpeckers have to do what woodpeckers do,” she said Favalro said the woodpecker and the media attention it has attracted has been a fun distraction from everything else going on in the world “This small town of Rockport that I live in is one of the safest communities around,” he said “I think this is probably one of the biggest crimes in years Tx — The Salt Flats Fire in Rockport that damaged over a dozen homes is nearly extinguished spread across 157 acres in the Rockport area The Rockport Fire Department reports that 18 homes were lost and another 21 buildings were destroyed in the fire 42 agencies collaborated in the emergency response These teams worked together to fight the fire and evacuate residents from the affected areas fire officials report the blaze is 95-percent contained investigators are still working to determine what caused the inferno This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy Our two dozen concerts span an incredible range of artists who will make the same impression on you that they had made on me when I’d heard them in their auditions and in concerts around the country Opening night on June 13th with Gramophone Magazine Hall of Fame pianist Angela Hewitt performing J.S Bach’s Goldberg Variations promises “subtlety The festival is also honored to host a star-studded two-concert event on July 5th and 6th that commemorates the 100th anniversary of Gabriel Fauré’s death Programs will include the French composer’s most celebrated chamber works performed by Joshua Bell (violin) Irène Duval (violin) and Blythe Teh Engstroem (viola) In celebration of the Shalin Liu Performance Center’s 15th anniversary the GRAMMY-winning Parker Quartet will join clarinetist Todd Palmer Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet and Copland’s picturesque Appalachian Spring The Copland masterpiece was performed on the opening night of the Shalin Liu Performance Center in 2010 and has not returned to the stage until now pianist Stephen Prutsman and violinist Chee-Yun will perform a program spanning from Brahms’s Horn Trio to Oscar Peterson’s iconic Canadiana Suite on July 25 The performance will also include a new commission by California-based composer Peter Golub that recognizes the recent tragic California wildfires Not all of the Festival will be dedicated to looking back and Rockport Music has several concerts featuring contemporary composers to show for it Performers will include the Imani Winds alongside steel pan drummer/composer Andy Akiho the Isidore Quartet with saxophonist/composer Stephen Banks and a new commission by Peter Golub paying tribute to the resilience and recovery of all who lost their homes in the California wildfires earlier this year A particularly unique and innovative performance comes courtesy of soprano and 2025 GRAMMY winner Karen Slack who will perform a program celebrating the legacy of seven African queens who aren’t widely heralded in the Western world weaves historical narrative through new works by acclaimed composers Jasmine Barnes and Joel Thompson along with carefully selected traditional repertoire and passages of spoken text and thematic artwork The festival culminates on July 13th as violinist Pinchas Zukerman and pianist Jan Lisiecki essay Mozart’s Piano Concerto No 5 with the Rockport Festival Chamber Orchestra under the baton of Earl Lee winner of the 2022 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award It’s meant to be felt in the moment—visceral Join us for an unforgettable journey through the beauty and emotion of chamber music No Comments » Categories News & Features RSS feed for comments on this post. Verifiable email (will not be published) (required) XHTML: You can use these tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong> Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" If you would like to contribute articles or reviews to the Intelligencer, please familiarize yourself with our submission guidelines. Subscribe to the Intelligencer. ROCKPORT, Tx — On Wednesday, a brush fire tore through parts of Rockport those residents returning to assess the damage the fire brought painful echoes of Hurricane Harvey Treviño praised the coordinated response from firefighters and deputies but lamented "I just wish they would have saved my house." The American Red Cross has set up a shelter at the Fulton Convention Center (402 N Fulton Beach Rd.) for residents in the affected areas such as the Enchanted Oaks RV Park and Kluge Trails described a "halo" of fire surrounding his home as he rushed to evacuate his family including his daughter-in-law and her newborn planned to use his well water to douse remaining embers "I'm staying with my place until they pull me off there," he said a public information officer for the Rockport Volunteer Fire Department confirmed the fire remains at 75% containment as of Thursday afternoon 157 acres have burned from the Salt Flat Fire while the Aransas Woods Fire has burned 38 acres Cox cited challenges in accessing structures deep in wooded areas "We’re having difficulty making sure they’re completely out," she said Cox urged residents to clear dry debris around properties to mitigate future risks Local business owner Mike Harrison of Good Vibes Food Park delivered a pallet of water to first responders drawing on his past as a volunteer firefighter "Keeping them hydrated is imperative," Harrison told KRIS 6 Gatorade and/or snacks for first responders they can be delivered to 212 Gagon St Financial donations can be made to the Rockport Volunteer Fire Department and can be sent to PO Box #1325 For the latest local news updates, click here, or download the KRIS 6 News App. Try a different filter or a new search keyword Get all 31 Mark Erelli releases available on Bandcamp and save 15% "You know those artists who release a great first record and then have enormous trouble following it up with anything as interesting that’s not Mark Erelli." -Red Line Roots Streaming and Download help Redeem code supported by 6 fans who also own “Live In Rockport: Mark Erelli + His String Quintet” Edit 7th March - received the gorgeous vinyl today First track is great and features her signature sounds This is Master Class of acoustic guitar....This will be studied for years to come.. Merce Lemon makes a real artistic leap forward on this gorgeous work of introspective indie folk Gorgeous acoustic Americana from North Carolina Collaborating remotely with 12 songwriters from all over the world Kim Edgar emerged with a work of striking art pop I hope the next time you get together it will be sooner than 20 years Bandcamp Daily your guide to the world of Bandcamp That Led to Hiss Golden Messenger’s Powerful New Record Norma Tanega’s Unconventional Music Pushed the Boundaries of 1960s Folk Dreaming of You: Late Film Legend Karen Black’s Musical Time Capsule Backxwash joins the show to discuss her recent release Michelle Hofmann is an Emmy Award winning KRIS 6 News Anchor and Reporter who is passionate about advocating for the communities she serves It’s Michelle Hofmann here—your KRIS 6 Anchor—joining you bright and early this beautiful Thursday morning I wanted to share a little personal update with you My co-anchor and husband—Bryan Hofmann had a surgical procedure yesterday and I’m so happy to let you know that everything went well We’re so grateful for your kind thoughts and support and we’re hopeful he’ll be back with me on KRIS 6 Sunrise before long That good news has me feeling energized and ready to take on the day—and I hope it brings a little brightness to your morning too President Trump has announced a 90-day pause on some of his reciprocal tariffs This move affects over 75 countries and is set to begin immediately.For some nations while others will see rates lowered to 10% The markets responded quickly—after the announcement Full story here: JPMorgan Chase predicts 60% chance of recession despite Trump’s tariff freeze Firefighters from all over the Coastal Bend are working hard to contain a wildfire in Rockport The fire broke out Wednesday on the east side of Highway 35 and has since jumped to the west side.So far but Rockport Police Chief Nathan Anderson mentioned a smaller fire occurred in the same area just the day before and the Aransas Woods Fire has burned about 38 acres If you or someone you know needs to evacuate the Fulton Convention Center at 402 North Fulton Beach Road is open as a shelter Full story here: People being evacuated as large brush fire moves towards homes in Rockport 68-year-old Armando Bosquez was found dead last Friday along Highway 77 Investigators believe he was hit by a vehicle sometime between the night of Thursday If you were in that area during those hours or have any information Full story here: Man found dead along U.S. Hwy 77 in Calallen identified Some exciting news for campers—Padre Balli Park is getting a big upgrade!Nueces County Commissioners have approved an expansion that includes 30 new RV sites They’re even repurposing the existing parking lot to make room for some of the new RV spaces The project is funded through a RESTORE grant with construction scheduled to start next year Time’s running out to reserve your spot at Labonte Park!Camping fees are $28 for up to three days per campsite Just a heads up—each person is allowed to reserve only one campsite and one RV site The City Parks and Recreation Department is hosting its annual "Egg Hunt by the Bay" this Saturday from noon to 2 p.m at The Water’s Edge Great Lawn.There’ll be over 15,000 eggs hidden Full story here: Easter egg hunts, brunches, and other events around the Coastal Bend All lanes of traffic are now open on SH 35 The Salt Flats fire in Rockport has burned roughly 157 acres and is 50% contained as of Thursday morning The second fire crews are working is the Aransas Woods fire which burned roughly 38 acres and is 97% contained as of Thursday morning Both fires broke out Wednesday afternoon along State Hwy 35 which remains closed Thursday morning between 16th Street and US 188 7PM UPDATE: As crews continue to battle the blaze that sprang up on both sides of Rockport's Highway 35 According to Texas A&M Forest Service Wildland Interface Coordinator Abbie Tijerina Rockport Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Greer told KRIS 6 News that firefighters are prepared to battle this blaze through the night The Rockport Volunteer Fire Department is asking neighbors to donate water Supplies can be dropped off at the Rockport Volunteer Fire Station at 212 Gagon St 5PM UPDATE: In a recent press release from the city of Rockport efforts are being made by the Aransas County Emergency Operations Center to provide support and resources are advised to follow evacuation instructions immediately and stay clear of the fire All evacuees can go to the Fulton Convention Center 3PM UPDATE: Power has been shut off in nearby neighborhoods Aransas County has already issued a local disaster declaration ORIGINAL: A large brush fire is leading to evacuations along State Highway 35 in Rockport According to Chief Nathan Anderson with the Rockport Police Department the fire started on the east side of State Highway 35 and jumped across the highway fires are burning on both sides of the roadway State Highway 35 has been shut down and traffic is being redirected Crews from several nearby communities are at the scene battling the blaze Nearby residents are being evacuated from Enchanted Oaks RV Park and Klugey Trail RV Park Anderson says a fire broke out in the same area yesterday Everyone is being advised to stay away from the area and use alternate routes of travel We will update this article as soon as more information becomes available Or perhaps it’s the start of the great bird apocalypse of 2025 and history will record that it started in the Squam Hill neighborhood of this North Shore town For what is happening is so comically absurd that it feels like the beginning of a bad movie. Day after day, a pileated woodpecker has been smashing the side view mirrors on cars throughout the neighborhood but it’s hard to keep up because it’s still happening the woodpecker cracked the windshield of a pickup truck while the driver was sitting inside and I thought my girlfriend was knocking on the window,” said Mike Foster and he was just smashing his head into the windshield.” He said it was both shocking and kind of funny until he considered what a pain it would be to replace his windshield “This thing is looking at 20 years to life,” Foster said To say it has become the talk of the neighborhood is an understatement A reporter who parked on the street was met by a neighbor rushing to tell him to push his side mirrors in lest he fall victim to the grim reaper of glass side mirrors are wrapped in plastic bags and towels anything that will deter the bird (or is it birds?) from fighting his reflection it gets larger and more menacing in each telling it sounds like a monkey in a tree,” said Devin Mock who said he came out of his Squam Road house recently to find four of them on the windshield of his brother’s truck The bird or birds in question have been identified as pileated woodpeckers, the largest woodpecker in North America and easily identified by the bright red crest on the back of their head Bird guides describe it as “crow-sized,” but many neighbors on Squam Hill say it’s more the size of King Kong “He’s beautiful and huge,” said Diane Francis who had the side mirrors of her pickup truck wrapped in plastic bags in the backyard of her home on Squam Road Parked just next to her was her father’s pickup truck which has already had both side mirrors smashed The neighbor directly across the street has also had both side mirrors on his van smashed makes his way along the rubber trim at the base of the side window While pileated woodpeckers are not as common in Massachusetts as the more familiar downy woodpecker And for all the apocryphal talk in Rockport it is well-known that songbirds will mistake a reflection for a rival and attack with feeders everywhere and abutting the massive Dogtown Commons a five-square-mile wooded conservation area that covers much of Rockport and Gloucester “It’s likely a single male bird, establishing territory, perhaps for the first time, and when they see a reflection in the mirror, they view it as a competitive male,” said John Herbert, the director of bird conservation at Mass Audubon “And this is the time of the year when their hormones and testosterone are at peak levels for aggression.” Herbert said most birds simply peck at windows but the pileated woodpecker has a bill large enough to break glass But he said he’s never heard of a bird wreaking havoc on this scale and that it’s probably not over It will be several weeks before the bird moves into nesting mode The incidents have been going on since March but gained widespread attention after Janelle Favaloro shared some photos on her Facebook page on April 1 Many thought it was an April Fool’s Day gag when she wrote that there was a vandal in the neighborhood and described him as “18-24 inches tall and wearing black and white with a red hat.” Soon, neighbors were chiming in to say they’d also lost mirrors, the story was picked up by the Gloucester Times “It’s turned into such a nice thing for the neighborhood because it’s getting neighbors to talk to each other and it’s a nice break from politics and the stock market and Karen Read and everyone being awful to each other,” said Favaloro who has had five broken mirrors between her house and her in-laws next door their other neighbor had the window of his Jeep broken We rarely see the female because she’s trying to stay out of sight because she’s embarrassed by it all by Ariana St Pierre a Maine State Police bloodhound named Millie is already proving to be a vital member of the team after she helped bring a missing 77-year-old Rockport woman safely home had last been seen leaving her home on Franklin Street in Rockport around 7:30 p.m After an initial search by law enforcement was unsuccessful Maine State Police say Millie was called in to help around 12:45 a.m Using one of the woman’s socks as a scent article Millie started her track nearly a mile from the woman’s home where a neighbor had last seen her walking to an outbuilding where the woman was found and safely recovered “We’re incredibly proud of Millie and grateful for the teamwork that brought this case to a successful close!” Maine State Police said the Rockport Public Library will host a show of artwork created by students in the Five Town CSD Adult & Community Education program The exhibit will showcase pieces by students enrolled in the current semester in different adult ed art classes including oil painting Works will be exhibited on both the upper and lower levels of the library The public is invited to a reception with the adult student artists For more information visit rockportlibrary.net Thanks to our readers and especially our supporters who help to keep PenBayPilot.com an open and accessible community hub Your support is even more critical during rapidly changing times While we work hard to keep you informed about the Midcoast community We are grateful to those who already participate Join for as little as $2.99 per month and support local journalism on a community hub that serves everyone X you’ve got a chance to get up and personal with the past this weekend As part of Rockports Smithsonian Traveling Exhibit their next stop is at the Aransas County/ Rockport airport Get ready for a blast in the past with this weekend's World War II Warbird reenactment “Every time I climb into one of those airplanes and start it up I feel like my eight-year-old self is so proud,” Stewart said Stewart is the Executive Director for ACTS Aviation He’s been in the aviation community since 2018 and now he gets to join others in a World War II Warbird reenactment “It is our take on what this airport would have looked like in 1942,” Stewart said The free weekend event is part of Rockport's Smithsonian Traveling Exhibit that started earlier this year they highlight certain parts of local history “What we have done is incorporate our local rural history This is the first time for this exhibit in the state of Texas This is a story for people to come and experience how rural America has survived over the past hundred years as people continue to migrate to an Urban environment,” Executive Director for Rockport Cultural Arts District Jennifer Day said Stewart said this is going to be a hands-on history lesson teaching others exactly what happened at the airport and what it means to still have it here today “So the idea is people walk through the gate and get transported into what this place would have looked like 82 But how exactly do they plan on doing that “A special reenactment group of paratroopers who will do static line displays We’re going to have an independent film crew out here to reenact a scene in Casablanca and dress up in 1940 attire,” Stewart said And for those who really want to get up and personal there are even opportunities to take a closer look at yourself “Kids and adults can learn what a training briefing will look like We’re going to have a lot of airplanes flying Saturday so it’s going to be a lot of fun,” Stewart said The military has always played a huge part in the Coastal Bend which makes it more than just a reenactment It’s a reminder to appreciate how far the airport and the local military have come “We’re just truly blessed to be able to have this not only with the public but the Warbird community It’s just so special to do with the Smithsonian involved,” Stewart said The reenactment will be on Saturday from 9 to 4 at the Aransas County/ Rockport airport And for those who really want to take it to the next level you can even book a flight on some of the historic planes For more information on the event and the rest of the events as part of the traveling exhibit, visit https://www.rockport-fulton.org/Smithsonian-Coming-To-Rockport/ Rockport Brewing Company turns a North Shore temperance town into a beer destination this spring Fifteen more years passed before Rockport got its first hometown beer—naturally, a New England-style IPA dubbed Hatchet but more to acknowledge the history,” says Ray Pickup who cofounded Rockport Brewing Company out of his shed along with his wife the Pickups will open their beer company’s first brick-and-mortar location a 60-seat taproom and one-barrel nanobrewery at Rockport’s Whistlestop Mall “I want it to be a spot for residents to come and chill out,” says Pickup, who moved from his native South Boston here to his wife’s hometown in 2013. Situated directly next to the Rockport Commuter Rail Station and within walking distance from downtown and the waterfront the taproom is meant to attract both locals and visitors Operating Thursday through Sunday to start the taproom will ramp up to seven days a week in the summer “I don’t want this to be a bar room,” Pickup says “I don’t want people in here until midnight.” The taproom won’t have televisions The space also offers shared parking with neighboring businesses pub-style atmosphere is a dream realized for a one-time bartender and retired union leader Pickup is a career glazier (a tradesperson who installs glass) a contract administrator with the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) The role required daily commutes into Boston and frequent travel “I always maintain that if I was a single guy But he’s actually a father of three kids under 6 years old Making beer was just a hobby—albeit one that earned him a few medals over the years in amateur beer competitions—until he decided to step back from his intensive career “Now it’s time to focus on my family,” the 41-year-old says “All those things I’ve learned over my lifetime now I can integrate that into this community.” Rockport Brewing Company founders Ray and Jordana Pickup will be a year-round employment option in the tourist-focused town for a handful of people Pickup is proud to offer his full-time workers health insurance and also plans to sign the business onto a local union Key team members so far include Brian Noonan The two men met 20 years ago when they were both bartenders at Cask ‘n Flagon in Fenway who brings to the taproom years of kitchen experience from his native Albany area as well as at North Shore spots like the seasonal Gloucester restaurant Talise Art by Alessandra Marshall (ASM Mosaics) at Rockport Brewing Company which features exposed beams and hardwood floors patinated with sanded-down glue from bygone laminate flooring which was formerly a café called Whale’s Jaw and before that Studio Crepe (both of which were also known for hosting live music),dates back to the 19th century Pickup intends to keep the taproom quaint and community-focused Pickup hopes to negotiate with the landlord to eventually add more space in an adjacent building for added seating and more production It meets distribution demand by contract brewing currently out of Castle Island Brewing in Norwood and Rockport’s distributed beers will be available at the taproom and now Pickup is finalizing the taproom space and awaiting the sign-off from the state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission Rockport will transform from a temperance stronghold to a community where residents and visitors can drink Hatchets Opening April 24. 17 Railroad Ave., Rockport, rockportbrewingcompany.com Here’s Where to Eat All Along the Boston Marathon Route Our Wildly Comprehensive Guide to Eating and Drinking in Fenway Thursday Friday Sunday Tuesday Tuesday Friday Tuesday Friday Wednesday Monday Tuesday Monday Thursday the case of herbicide-injected trees on land adjacent to Rockport Harbor has been simmering as investigations were underway at the regular monthly meeting of the Maine Board of Pesticides Control (BPC) in Augusta when a consent agreement between the state and a Rockport homeowner will be reviewed The proposed agreement between Maine and Stephen Antonson concerns alleged unauthorized applications of pesticides Imazapic and Triclopyr At issue is a stand of trees behind a home on Rockport Harbor at 11 Mechanic Street which is currently on the market after its owner Graham's property is adjacent to 9 Mechanic Street owned by Antonson and Marky Kathleen Hackett according to the property card on file with the town office The Graham property wraps around the back of Antonson's land A BPC case summary that was prepared in advance of Friday's meeting provides background: the BPC was contacted by a Maine Forest Service Entomologist regarding observations of declining tree health and evidence of large drill holes and possible herbicide application to trees at the Graham property located at 11 Mechanic Street in Rockport and impact limited to a distinct corridor of trees directly in line with the deck of the Antonson residence." of Forestry had inspected 11 Mechanic Street on Oct 2021 and collected samples in tree bore holes and the samples were positive for Imazapic and Triclopyr Imazapic is according to the National Library of Medicine is an herbicide; it is classified as an environmental hazard and toxic to aquatic life Triclopyr is an agrochemical used as a herbicide and is classified as a health and environmental hazard the BCP noted signs of soil contamination at the base of trees "were collected for combined analysis and tested positive for Triclopyr at 360ppm." "While Antonson denies any involvement in the herbicide applications to the trees at 11 Mechanic Street in Rockport the Board finds that the positioning of the affected trees in addition to prior correspondence from the Antonson’s to the Graham’s requesting tree removal indicate that Antonson would have been the only one to benefit from the application of herbicides to the affected area," the BPC wrote State law prohibits application of pesticides to the property of another "unless prior authorization for the pesticide application has been obtained from the owner or legal occupant of that property," the BPC wrote "Rationale for Settlement: Antonson did not have authorization to apply pesticides at 11 Mechanic Street in Rockport Imazapic and Triclopyr active ingredients detected in the samples from 2021 and Triclopyr detected in the samples from 2023 indicate that at least two applications of pesticides were made to trees at the 11 Mechanic Street location without authorization." Antonson declined to comment on March 11 about the case. His attorney, Daniel Nuzzi, who is with the Portland and Lewiston law firm Brann and Isaacson, said March 11 is handling his mother's estate and weighed in on the BPC's consideration of the consent agreement He urged the state to reconsider the proposed financial settlement Does the settlement do anything to alleviate the negative reputation that some might associate with the properties immediately proximate to the poisoning?" The consent agreement filed by the BPC alleges: Antonson approached Ruth Graham on multiple occasions about purchasing harbor frontage or removing trees that impede the harbor view from 9 Mechanic Street "That Graham stated she would not sell harbor frontage or remove trees from her property in response to the inquiries described in paragraph three Ruth Graham contacted the Maine Forest Service requesting a second opinion relative to multiple trees on her property that were declining unexpectedly Graham had previously contacted an arborist company that was unable to determine the cause of decline." The consent agreement describes the action of the Maine Forest Service which sent an entomologist to examine the trees "perfectly round one-inch holes bored into the root collar of the affected trees; that the affected trees were directly within a narrow corridor that would allow a view of the harbor from the deck attached to the Antonson residence; and that the combination of observations relating to the declining trees was indicative of herbicide use." The entomologist transferred jurisdiction to the Maine Board of Pesticide Control and representatives of that agency inspected the property twice in October 2021 They sent the collected samples to the University of Montana Analytical Laboratory for analysis That lab concluded the presence of pesticides Chair of the Rockport Parks and Beautification Committee contacted the Board to report that additional tree decline on the Graham property had been observed from Rockport Harbor "In response to the concern expressed by Cole a Board inspector returned to the Graham’s property on October 23 to assess and document site conditions," the consent agreement said The inspector document additional tree mortality not evident in 2021 the BPC alleges that the motive for applying herbicide to the trees was to improve the ocean view The consent agreement also states that Antonson did not admit to the allegations and disputes the facts and conclusions outlined the BPC to enter into the consent agreement to resolve the alleged violations At the March 10 Rockport Select Board meeting Board Chair Denise Munger relayed information about the case to her fellow board members: in which one of the neighbors poisoned the trees of their neighbor so they could get a better harbor view," said Munger She said: "They are not admitting they did anything but the findings by the Board of Pesticide Control demonstrates that they could have been the only ones who did this." Munger said: "It has taken a long time but it is now going to be addressed at the state level and I know the town is looking into whether we have any authority to do anything I don’t know how you get all the poison out of the soil and how much ended up in the harbor but some level of justice is being done here." She said the town is not able to take action against the resident that allegedly poisoned the trees because Graham owns the property on which the trees had existed "If you were the landowner and you took those trees down — because they were in 75 feet of the harbor — the town would have authority I don't know what you do when it is is a neighboring owner who actually trespasses and does that Certainly the landowner would have had a lawsuit against her neighbor but she was 94 and she said 'I still have things to do in life and I don't want to be embroiled in a lawsuit.'" and we want people in our community who take care of each other Rockport Town Manager Jon Duke said that the difference between the Camden case and the Rockport case concerns admission of guilt the person who was responsible admitted guilt," said Duke "Though I think there is a great deal of suspicion amongst neighbors nor has there been any admission that someone has done it then you are forced to look at it as a land use violation... the one person you can hold responsible is the landowner which obviously does not make any sense in the world." There were letters and a lot of attempts made to get these trees taken down." Reach Editorial Director Lynda Clancy at lyndaclancy@penbaypilot.com; 207-706-6657 00:29 A wildfire broke out in Rockport and first responders quickly responded The fire has spread to 38 acres and is 95% contained a well-traveled artist by the name of Simon Michael settled in the small fishing town He soon fostered a scene that endures to this day The Rockport-Fulton Art Colony emerged in the 1940s and has sustained a thriving creative community in the coastal town ever since Late last month, a historical marker was placed in front of a simple pale green building among giant live oak trees – the former art studio of a man named Simon Michael This happened in the coastal city of Rockport He moved to the town of Rockport in 1948 and established what was called the Fulton School of Painting he founded the Simon Michael School of Fine Art a five-acre property reportedly purchased for $1,500 at the time and a pound of butter He then continued to have enormous influence on that art community in South Texas Kay Betz wrote about this piece of history as coauthor of the book “The Story of the Rockport-Fulton Art Colony,” along with Vickie Moon Merchant She joined the Standard to share the details Listen to the interview above or read the transcript below This transcript has been edited lightly for clarity: Texas Standard: I did not realize that there was an art colony down in Rockport Tell us a little bit more about how that got off the ground and was it directly tied to this Simon Michael Kay Betz: Yes, he had been a traveling artist throughout Texas and the rest of the United States after living in Paris in the ’20s. And he chose Rockport – Fulton first, then Rockport – to create an art colony and had students through the years, including Dalhart Windberg He was a little different than the regular Rockport folk so the townspeople would drive very slowly around the property where the historical marker is but he taught generations of poor families And the art colony evolved into the Rockport Art Association, which today is Rockport Center for the Arts And a lot of the traditions that he started – painting plein air outside public murals and sculptures – continue today when I think of “art colony,” I think of some of these communities where you have a gathering of artists and they have public shows They have something of an art colony there How much a part of the community was this Rockport-Fulton Art colony The Rockport Art Festival every year on July 4 is one of the longest-standing and most popular places for artists and artisans to sell their work The Rockport Center for the Arts has many exhibits and continues the tradition of having classes which was one of 54 districts in Texas designated by the Texas Commission on the Arts We were named one of the ten top artist colonies on the coast with Laguna Beach and Mohican Island still attracting a lot of artists as it has over the years A real compelling part of the narrative for me is that there were a group of artists called the sporting and wildlife artists of the ’70s and ’80s and they helped start groups like the Coastal Conservation Association and Ducks Unlimited and his son-in-law was the legislator trying to impress his father-in-law and they passed legislation to save the redfish continues with many artists who love the wildlife and the natural environment working to save the bay’s ecosystem and the wildlife so it gets mass migrations of the whooping cranes Simon Michael was an artist who settled in Rockport in the 1940s painting the scenery and taking on students as he established an art colony I feel like I’ve really been left out of this because I think of Rockport The boats… I think of the migration of the birds But I guess I missed the memo on the art colony But it sounds like this went way beyond the canvas – that this was part of how people participated in civic life And that was something else that sort of bound these artists together that sort of emerged from the Rockport-Fulton Art Colony there’s something called the Texas Gulf Coast aesthetic But it focuses very often on watercolor and the light with the plein air painting the sporting scenes like of hunting and fishing And there’s a large sculpture tradition. The late Jesús Moroles was an international sculptor who had a studio there and he has sculptures throughout the cultural district and at the sculpture garden at the art center Kent Ullberg is another international sculptor and they both celebrate things like lighthouses and sea life and birds and the interdependence I’m thinking of that worldly person that you mentioned Why did he want to come to Rockport in the first place He did an oral history with North Texas State at that time when he came in the late ’40s and ’50s there were old buildings that had been preserved – houses and structures He had a belief that you should uplift the poor from his experience with the Impressionists in Paris he liked to take people out and see the work boats and the shrimpers and the oystermen You can’t have artists without patrons there were big ranchers and wealthy people who value the art from either their background or education who supported him Simon Michael's paintings often reflected the fishing life of the community in Rockport I have to ask – since he came in ‘48 was he still around when you began to sort of have an interest in art Shirley Farley was one of the painters who started the Rockport Art Association and I went to his gallery and hung around him He had Remington’s sculptures and lots of pictures of nude women and scenes from Mexico and Europe where he had taken his students on painting jaunts And he liked to talk about art and theories of art and philosophy One of his students is now an international expert in Chinese art history And he talks a lot in the foreword to our book about people said he drank wine I think it brought a small little fishing village – of less than 5,000 people – to see a world beyond but in other ways of living and experiencing » GET MORE NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE: Sign up for Texas Standard’s weekly newsletters can you still experience the impact that he had on the community visible to outsiders when you come to Rockport today the herons are nesting in the windswept oaks and you’ll see plein air painters out The cultural district has a mural that the local famous artist, Steve Russell painted of the art colony that has the lighthouse and people out painting And then we have many galleries in Rockport and the art center has many exhibits And if you talk to people and mention his name The cultural district just did the documentary based on our book And we put that online and we’ve been showing it around town and people have been real enthused that he’s being remembered and the influence he had not only on Rockport and South Texas it sounds like this has been a long overdue acknowledgment if we’re talking about a new historical marker in front of his former studio Why do you think that more Texans don’t know about his impact And I keep telling my artist friends in Rockport if you only painted missions and cactus things you’d make a lot more money and be a lot more famous But a lot of it has to do with educational institutions and art historians and what they have talked about and written about So, that’s one reason we were glad that A&M… I’m a UT graduate. I have a doctorate from there and I retired from UT. But Texas A&M Press has done the best Texas art history books, and they just did one about Buck Schiwetz who was a famous painter who visited Rockport very often I think it’s starting to be acknowledged we’ve been trying to get it done for a long time The historical commission has worked with several owners and we have an owner now who was real receptive to having it placed on the property Simon Michael lent his artistic talents to the war effort during World War II earning a Legion of Merit award for his service His World War II experience was extraordinary He was stationed at Fort Walters in Mineral Wells And because he had been in Europe and had a photographic memory he was charged with creating life-sized replicas of battlegrounds in Japan and Europe And he was one of the people who developed camouflage for wartime use he received the Legion of Merit from the U.S he asked that that be brought to his bedside He had encouraged and taught generations of students about a lot of things If you found the reporting above valuable, please consider making a donation to support it here. Your gift helps pay for everything you find on texasstandard.org and KUT.org ©2024 Texas Standard. A service of the Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin | Contact us ROCKPORT -- The Rockport Planning Board is to convene March 27 for a regularly scheduled meeting and will hear initial subdivison plans for a 32 acre lot in West Rockport and the expansion of Midcoast Recreation Center and a new emergency access lane at the existing MRC property located at 535 West Street The proposed 25-lot subdivision is sited on land currently owned by Craig and Cassandra Mitchell The developers have provided a sketch with proposed layout of streets and lots, and which is included in the meeting packet. Midcoast Recreation Center is seeking an amendment to an existing site plan that was created in 2009 The proposed improvements are intended to alleviate congestion on their existing tennis courts by providing exterior and interior pickleball courts in a new building Minor renovations will be required in the existing facilities to allow the existing and new buildings to blend cohesively and additional parking will be created on a grassy area that is already dedicated to overflow parking during hockey tournaments WESTPORT — Cole Boudria woke up unusally early on Saturday morning The Westport basketball guard retired to bed early Friday and was the first one in the gym shooting around after scoring just one point in the Wildcats' Sweet 16 win over John J What transpired over the next 32 minutes was a brillant offensive display by the Westport sophomore including seven 3-pointers in the Wildcats' 59-46 win over No "I wanted to get good rest before the game I listened to my dad (head coach Scot Boudria) and he told me to do what I did in practice yesterday 11 Westport (17-6) advances to the Final Four for the first time since 2012 "Cole is just not a great shooter but he does the other little things on the court," said Scot Boudria who will be making his sixth appearance in the Final Four Vote: 25 athletes up for Herald News Player of the Week for Feb. 24-Mar. 1 More: Westport boys basketball heading to the upcoming MIAA playoffs on a good note As the teams lined up for the traditional handshake the postgame celebration was marred by an altercation that was quickly diffused One of the visiting Viking player shoved a Wildcat player into the scorer's table One of the Westport players and athletic trainer were bruised and battered trying to de-escalate the situation A Westport school resourse officer and a policeman quickly diffused the incident and cleared the floor the Wildcats stormed back onto the court as a team to take pictures with the banner and hardware "I am not going to talk about that," Scot Boudria said about the melee "We will let the administrators take care of that My job is to coach my kids and make sure they're safe Cole's monster game helped bail out big brother Owen Boudria's worst shooting game of the season who scored 30 or more points in the last nine games was held to just 7 points on 2-of-15 shooting "I knew these group of guys were going to go far," Owen said I probably had the worse game of my life but these guys stepped up They hit big shot after big shot and played good defense Cole's 11 points in the first quarter enabled the Wildcats to take a 16-10 lead He connected on three more 3-pointers in the second quarter as Westport took a 36-20 into the locker rooms thanks to the 3-point shooting of junior forward Ansh Kataria (18 points) But the Wildcats closed the quarter strong with a big 3-point basket late by Max Gallant the Viking never got to within single digits as Westport closed it out Gallant finished with 13 points while senior Will Quinlan and sophomore Dane Leary each ended with six points Senior Josiah Whitley contributed 12 points for Rockport The Wildcats knocked down 11 3-pointers on the night compared to the Vikings 7 "It feels really good to advance to the Final Four," Leary said Rockport (46): Flynn Blanchard 1 0-0 2; Ansh Kataria 6 0-0 18; Patrick Reardon 0 0-0 0; Brandon Fleming 2 0-0 4; Josiah Whitley 3 5-6 12; Elliott Lyman 3 0-0 6; Aiden Christensen 2 0-0 4 Westport (59): Cole Boudria 7 2-2 23; Dane Leary 2 0-0 6; Alex Krynicki 1 0-0 2; Max Gallant 5 1-2 13; Owen Boudria 2 3-8 7; Will Quinlan 2 1-2 6; Wilfred DeJesus 1 0-0 2; Kingston Cordeiro 0 0-0 0 Herald News and Taunton Daily Gazette sports editor Steven Sanchez can be reached at ssanchez@heraldnews.com The Rockport Garden Club will holds its monthly meeting May 1 with Kurt Snyder That topic will include learning where stones are sourced in Maine why different stones are selected for various purposes and locations; e.g. Stonescape has exemplified exceptional quality in stone masonry The company's passion is creating exceptionally crafted work using beautiful natural stone Stonescape dedicates itself to meeting the needs and challenges of clients and projects using the latest technology in combination with age-old methods to transform raw materials into masterpieces of the mason's art "We are craftsmen with the knowledge and creative vision necessary to turn your landscape into one that far exceeds your expectations," said Snyder "Having our own quarry and fabrication shop allows us quick access to natural stones and precise fabrication saving our customers time and money on their projects." The Garden Club meeting will be held at the West Rockport Baptist Church at 545 Park Street The public is cordially invited and the building is handicap-accessible The entrance is from the parking lot at the end of the building. Out of courtesy, please do not call the church for information. Email info@rockportgardenclubmaine.org