Tag Archives: Joe Vega

‘Crown Jewel’ Gets Upgrade At Isla Blanca

The RV part of Isla Blanca Park is a popular destination for Winter Texans and area residents.

Joe Vega’s family connections to Port Isabel and South Padre Island go back to the early 1900s when his great-grandfather, Jesus Vega, ran and owned a restaurant and hotel on what was then called Tarpon Beach. An old photo the parks director shares shows his forefather amongst a group of men in front of the “Restaurante, Jesus Vega,” with a balcony overhang providing shade from a summer sun. Tarpon Beach…

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Launch Lifts SPI To New Possibilities

Visitors to South Padre Island watched in awe as Starship lifted off in spectacular fashion from Boca Chica Beach on April 20. (Courtesy)

The first launch of SpaceX’s Starship off Boca Chica Beach was spectacular even as it fell short of its goals and ultimately blew to pieces over the Gulf of Mexico. Some of the debris from the sky and launch pad would fall and settle over Port Isabel, causing consternation there to go with stern words from the Federal Aviation Administration. The agency said it would review safety and public health…

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