Hola sandy

I am an old(?) SPI resident who tries to get back there as often as possible. I am planning to come down Dec. 29 - Jan. 3, and am wondering if SPI is going to be bringing in the New Year with anything special? We were thinking New Orleans, Las Vegas, a cruise, but really want to be where I feel most comfortable, SPI. I hope y'all aren't letting the year 2,000 roll by without at least a comparable fest like the 4th of July. Tell me it ain't so Sandy !! My plans rest in your hands.

- via the internet

In other words, "Where's the Party?"

Spoken -- er, E-mailed -- like a true local. In fact, I have been getting this question a lot lately and really wish I had a good answer for it. My "research" has turned up very little in the way of real info - maybe some fireworks, a possible millennium cruise -- and of course there is always the dinner/champagne/discount room hotel package thing...

Ho-Hum. The whole world is planning a massive party and it would appear that SPI is opting to stay home and watch the ball descend on TV. This disturbs me! I think the Y2k bug needs to bite somebody in the you-know-what and get this town fired up to do something special for the people who are willing to risk getting caught in an SPI high rise elevator when the clock strikes midnight -- don't you?

In my recent travels abroad (gee, I love saying that) I encountered many Americans who know South Padre as "party central." Yes, they were mostly college students, but still -- as I see it, we have a reputation to maintain and it is absolutely essential that we welcome the new millennium with a big shebang. One suggestion has been to block off the playground part of Laguna Blvd. to vehicular traffic and have a big dancing-in-the-street party; I think the idea has considerable merit. What would it take to pull something like this off? I have no idea but am hereby officially announcing my willingness to help get something going and challenge other locals (past present and future) to do the same.

To this end, I have set up a "millennium forum" message board at spionline.com. Those who do not have internet access can contact me by phone, fax or snail mail (see below) and I will pass any and all suggestions on to our able city events coordinator, Mary K Pollard.

Dear sandy,

Our family has been coming to the Radisson now for 10 years, and I have a question about something we noticed this year: Why is the dune all the way up to tennis courts this year? Why all the sea weed on beach? Why so much trash this year?

- via the internet

The dunes of South Padre are constantly shifting, as the island is really just one big sandbar. There are laws governing their removal because they help protect the island from beach erosion. The seaweed too comes in unpredictable waves and the city crews work very hard at keeping it under control... but it also helps build up the beach and protect it from erosion so I personally have mixed feelings about its removal.

As for the trash problem... well it is unfortunate that some of our visitors have so little respect for the natural beauty of the area. The city recently kicked off a new anti-littering campaign featuring this grouchy little crab guy in uniform waving his claws around threateningly. He might actually be putting the fear of the law in some people, but this strikes me as a fairly ineffective (and passive) means of dealing with the problem, which leads me to --

The Sons of the Beach unlitter campaign. In case you have forgotten, "unlitter" means to properly dispose of more garbage than you generate. This campaign is proactive, ongoing and proven effective. The morning of July 5th I spent nearly one half hour unlittering the remains of a Budlight/bottle rocket party in front of Suntide II. If just one in five of the other beach strollers enjoying the sunrise that morning had stopped for a few minutes to do the same, we could have cleared the entire beach of all traces of the previous night's party in no time flat.

There are always going to be inconsiderate jerks blundering through life with the expectation that someone will clean up the messes they leave behind. We can decide that we will live with their trash -- or we can all put forth a little extra effort to keep our island beautiful.

And if you see that grouchy little crab guy wandering around, tell him to unlitter, too!

Feet's Totally Non-Scientific Just For Fun Net Poll Results: My most recent question focused on men's swimwear and the results are as follows: A) Speedos are gross, period. (40%); B) Swimwear selection is a very personal thing; comfort - not style - should be the deciding factor (27.5%); C)Speedos are okay - but only on guys sporting the buffest of builds (17.5%); and D) My favorite swimwear is the kind you don't see on the clothing optional beaches (15%).

Sandy Asks: The current poll looks ahead to the new millennium: Where do YOU plan to be at 11:59 pm on Dec. 31, 1999? A) partying my butt off on SPI; B) somewhere else; C) at home watching everyone else party on TV; D) holed up in a bunker with a year's supply of canned goods waiting for the world to end. Vote today at http://spionline.com/polls.html.