Safe Fun-Fit at the Bayfront
Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – City Manager Peter Zanoni has created a new health and wellness initiative called “Safe Fun-Fit at the Bayfront” to increase physical activity and promote a healthier Corpus Christi. Many people enjoy exercising along the shoreline including biking, walking, jogging or running and now they can do so in a safe environment – a designated 1.25-mile fitness lane from Cole Park to Lawrence Street! The public is invited to use the fitness lane every Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., starting Saturday, May 23 – August 29, 2020. The fitness lane will help to reduce the overcrowding of the sidewalks and enable social distancing of at least six feet while exercising.
An expanded fitness lane has been created along Ocean Drive to Shoreline Boulevard that will temporarily close northbound traffic from 6 a.m. – 12 p.m. for residents to bike, run, jog and walk along the bayfront from Cole Park to Art Center of Corpus Christi.
In coordination with Victor Betancourt of VFit Productions and the City’s Park and Recreation Department, the City will offer “Safe Fun-Fit at the Bayfront” exercise and wellness events for adults of all abilities on Saturdays from 7 a.m. – 11 a.m. from June 6 – August 29, 2020 at The Water’s Edge, 602 S. Shoreline Blvd. All the sessions, except Zumba, will be held on The Great Lawn located between the two large parking lots. Zumba will be held at the Islanders Pavilion next to the playground.
The 40-60-minute sessions will include:
Walk to Run (7 a.m.-7:40 a.m.)*: teaching individuals the skills needed to increase their endurance through proper running and walking techniques.
Fitness Moves (8 a.m.- 8:40 a.m.)*: fitness training through a variety of techniques including bodyweight training, conditioning and circuit training.
Walk the Bayfront (9 a.m. – 10 a.m.)*: Instructor-led 2-mile walk along the fitness lane.
Yoga (9:00 a.m. – 9:40 a.m.)*: guiding individuals through a series of poses to improve physical and mental strength.
Zumba(10 a.m. – 10:40 a.m.)*: an aerobic fitness program featuring movements inspired by various styles of Latin American dance.
* Healthy Meals 101 (offered after each class): free weekly recipes and plans for families on healthy eating.
Class sessions are limited to 20 participants per class. The public can register for classes in June through the online registration link www.cctexas.com/safefunfit
Measures will also be taken for appropriate physical distancing for the safety of the participant. In addition, participants are encouraged to bring their own face coverings, yoga mat and water, as appropriate, for their workout.
“Corpus Christi has a naturally beautiful backdrop for outdoor exercising,” said Peter Zanoni, City Manager. “This program will provide a safe opportunity for families to run, walk, bike, and take select classes to improve their health and wellness,” added Zanoni.
Reasonable accommodations are provided upon request and in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. For assistance or to request a reasonable accommodation, please call 361-826-3460, in advance.
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Libraries Add More Digital Services
Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – The City of Corpus Christi Public Libraries has new digital ways for residents to browse the library’s vast inventory. Readers can now set up customized notifications and virtually browse new and existing fiction, non-fiction, children's books, multimedia, and even our top picks all from your computer.
Visit www.cctexas.com/library and subscribe to our New Book Alerts to receive notifications about fresh titles arriving at our libraries.
Our new Author Check service allows readers to track their favorite writer, explore authors available in our libraries, and even view what book series are available in our inventory.
Any book lovers looking for recommendations can sign up for our Book Newsletter and receive a monthly email full of award-winning selections for all ages.
Curbside services are still available to check out library items. Call our automated phone system at 361-826-7055, press "7" to select your library location, after selecting your library location press "4" to speak to a circulation staff member Monday through Friday, between 10 a.m. and 5:45 p.m.
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Input Needed for Cole Park Pier Design
Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – Since the 1930s, Cole Park Pier has been a popular destination for Corpus Christians of all ages. After several decades as an anchor amenity, the pier was closed in 2018 due to structural issues. After City Council action to move forward with a reconstruction project, Jacobs Engineering was chosen as the designer for the rebuild project.
At this time, the City of Corpus Christi is excited to present the latest Cole Park Pier design renderings. This version is designed with help from citizen survey results. The public is invited to view a short video, review the renderings, and provide feedback.
A presentation video and renderings can be found online at www.cctexas.com/pierinput. Following the presentation, we encourage viewers to fill out the comment area with their thoughts and perspectives on the project.
Public input is requested by June 14, 2020. To download copies of the renderings, please visit www.cctexas.com/coleparkpier.
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TAMUK Offers Free Lunch to Students through June 30
Press Release
Texas A&M University-Kingsville and their food service provider, Aramark, will continue to provide a free lunch to students beginning during intersession Saturday, May 16, through Thursday, May 28, and continuing through Tuesday, June 30. The meals are provided on a to-go basis only at the Javelina Dining Hall in order to ensure social distancing.
Free lunch will be provided from 11 a.m. to 1 p,m. Monday through Sunday at the dining hall. Students must show a valid A&M-Kingsville identification card. Meals must be to-go only and all social distancing guidelines will be followed.
Students from the Irma Rangel College of Pharmacy also are welcome to use their ID cards to get a free lunch.
The free lunch will be served daily except Saturday, May 23, through Monday, May 25, when the dining hall and the university are closed in observance of Memorial Day.
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TAMUK Guidelines for Recreation Center and Wellness Department
Press Release
The Student Health and Wellness Department (at Texas A&M University-Kingsville) remained open throughout the Spring semester and will remain open throughout the summer from Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. – 5 p.m. and welcomes all phone calls / emails inquiring about services for the summer and upcoming all semester. Student Health and Wellness will only provide health care and Tele-Mental Health counseling services throughout the summer for students enrolled in summer courses.
The Student Recreation Center is tentatively scheduled to re-open June 1 with specific social distancing and sanitation procedures in place. Facility members must reserve their time (not to exceed 1.25 hours) in the Rec Center online and can do so beginning May 15.
For more information about the reopening, visit
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College of Business Administration faculty plan COVID-19 research
Press Release
Dr. Ruth Chatelain-Jardon, associate professor, and Dr. Jose Daniel, assistant professor, both in the management, marketing and information systems department, will look at the moderating effect of technological skill on job demands and employee outcomes. Because of COVID-19, thousands of employees had to conduct their work activities from home, thus considerably increasing their use of technology.
“We expect that for some employees these abnormal job demands will not be as difficult to handle due to their superior technological expertise” Chatelain-Jardon said. “For others, it will be more complex, difficult and time consuming due to their lower ability to use and manage technology. We expect that these two scenarios will yield significantly different results for employee’s performance, innovative behavior, organizational commitment and job satisfaction.”
They have begun work to identify scales for each variable involved and they expect to collect data using hard copy and electronic versions of the survey, said Chatelain-Jardon.
This research is still in the early stages as they await approval from the university’s Institutional Review Board and must collect data. However, they expect to have the paper ready to be sent to a journal in about six months.
“We expect to confirm that the influence of these harshen job demands on performance, innovative behavior, organizational commitment and job satisfaction, will be lower for employees who exhibit a higher degree of technological skills,” Chatelain-Jardon said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Gijs Van Oort, adjunct professor in the marketing, management and computer science department, has proposed research that will compare time-based trending patterns of COVID-19 impacted citizens of the Coastal Bend region with those of an urban location. The findings, Van Oort said, will be matched to data from economic development organizations to assess the economic impact of the disease on the regional economy.
“My overall intent is to identify and evaluate a time-based and region-specific response to current and future disasters,” he said. “The study will draw from clinical data from HASA, a regional Health Information Exchange, covering the Central Texas and Gulf Coast regions, surveillance data from area public health departments and data from regional economic councils.”
Van Oort said he hopes the results of this project will establish Texas A&M-Kingsville as a valuable data aggregator and collaborator for the region. He expects the project to offer key insights into the impact of the COVID-19 spread to rural and urban Texas communities.
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World of Fantasy and Magic
Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – The City of Corpus Christi Public Libraries has organized a special Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) Virtual Adventure! Gamers ages 15 and up are invited to experience a game about storytelling in worlds of swords and sorcery all from the comfort of their home.
Dungeons & Dragons is a tabletop role-playing game created more than 40-years ago. It’s known for its use of imagination, exploration, and social interaction.
Amazon.com
D&D beginners and veterans are welcome to join this free event, if you need help building a character and learning the instructions to the game, download the
. Visit
for registration information.
This quest begins on Friday, May 1 at 1:00 p.m. Players must have access to a computer with an internet connection.
For more information media representatives can contact Public Information Officer Dale Stephán at 361-826-3234 or by email at
.
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Super Bag Collection Service
Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – The City of Corpus Christi’s Solid Waste Department announces the launch of a six-month pilot program called the Super Bag Collection Service. The program is for customers who want a convenient, scheduled pickup of leftover construction material from small home renovations, garage cleanups, landscaping jobs and other household projects.
The cost of a Super Bag is $135 with tax and includes the scheduled pickup. Super Bags can be purchased at the J.C. Elliott Collection Center located at Highway 286 and Ayers Street, Monday through Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Super Bags can be purchased with cash, debit cards or personal checks and there is no limit to the number of bags customers can purchase at one time.
Once the Super Bag is filled and ready to be hauled away, customers will contact the City of Corpus Christi Call Center at (361) 826-CITY (2489) to schedule a pickup. A truck will collect the Super Bag within three business days. For more information about the service, please visit our website www.cctexas.com/superbag.
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Kleberg County Art Contest
Kleberg County Commissioners Court has invited childern in Kleberg county to create an original art project with the theme "
“Kleberg County Working Together to Slow the Spread of the Coronavirus”.
Students can use crayons, markers, colored pencils, paint or other art medium to create an artwork for The Kleberg County Strong Art Contest.
All artwork entries will be displayed in the Kleberg County Courthouse.
See flyer below for more info.
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City of Corpus Christi to Apply for $222M Loan for Desalination Plant
Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – City Council approved Tuesday, April 21, 2020, to apply to the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) for financial assistance through the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT) for a seawater desalination plant located on the Inner Harbor Ship Channel. The TWDB included the City of Corpus Christi’s project in the 2020 SWIFT program prioritization and invited the City to submit a full application by May 11, 2020.
As a regional water supplier for over 500,000 people and all types of businesses from tourism to industrial customers, the City has focused on long-term planning to meet the area's water supply needs. Partners in the process of securing funding include the San Patricio Municipal Water District and other regional customers.
The current application for $222,475,000 will fund the procurement, design, and construction costs of a seawater desalination facility. Applying for the SWIFT loan represents the next step in a systematic process that the City began in 2014 after Texas experienced a record-breaking drought.
The City’s current water rate structure for all customers includes 5 cents per 1,000 gallons of water consumed that is deposited in a protected fund for the development of a long-term water supply. In 2018, major water customers volunteered to begin paying 25 cents per 1,000 gallons of water used for a drought-resistant water supply. Both funds will help offset the cost of a new water source and will prevent “rate shock” to commercial and residential customers.
The City has also submitted permits to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for water discharge permits and water rights on the Inner Harbor Ship Channel and a possible future plant on the La Quinta Channel. The TCEQ is currently taking public comments on the permit application. The discharge permit on the application for the Inner Harbor facility is expected to be declared administratively complete in the near future. Both sites would produce public drinking water to benefit the region.
For additional information regarding the City's seawater desalination effort, visit
.
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TAMUK Business students extend tax prep deadline.
Press Release
Students from the College of Business Administration at Texas A&M University-Kingsville have extended their income tax preparation through Friday, July 15, the new due date for federal income taxes.
They offer free income tax preparation through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. VITA provides free basic income tax preparation for taxpayers with incomes below $56,000.
Because of the social distancing restriction, income tax prep is all strictly drop off at both locations. The days and times remain the same with a 48-hour turnaround on all returns.
This year volunteers will be at two different locations. Monday and Tuesday, taxpayers may visit room 107 of the College of Business Administration building from 4 to 8 p.m. Free parking is available in the lot north of the building.
The second location is at the Texas Community Federal Credit Union, 605 E. Caesar Ave. in Kingsville. Volunteers will be at the credit union from 1 to 8 p.m. Thursdays and from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays.
Citizens should bring their tax information, photo identification and Social Security card.
For more information, call 361-593-3787.
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Texas A&M-Kingsville students are top flag football officials
Press Release
Two Texas A&M University-Kingsville recreational sports student officials represented the university at the National Intramural and Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) Championship Series. The invitation from the NIRSA, put Jaime Villarreal and Ruben Mendiola among the top 46 flag football student officials in the nation.
Villarreal, a senior, and Mendiola, a fall graduate, each officiated several games at the series including a semi-final co-rec game, according to Ian Brown, director of recreational sports at Texas A&M-Kingsville. “Their clean, crisp mechanics, rule knowledge and penalty enforcement continued to impress the evaluators at the tournament,” Brown said.
Both Villarreal and Mendiola worked as officials for rec sports for several years working multiple sports including flag football, basketball and soccer. They applied and were selected to work on-campus intramurals, but the off-campus tournaments are more competitive, Brown said.
“They applied to each tournament’s officials committee and they were selected by those committees,” he said. “In the case of nationals, they had to receive a bid from a regional flag football tournament.
“This means they were one of the top three or four officials at one of the regional tournaments and that regional committee recognized their talent and sponsored their application to the national tournament. This is truly a top honor in extramural sports,” Brown added.
“The combined effort of student officials and players from Texas A&M-Kingsville continue to put this institution on the map as a great place to develop individuals and have fun along the way,” Brown said.
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Nueces County Park and Beach Closures for Easter Weekend
Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – In adherence with State and local “stay at home” guidelines and to maintain the safest environment for residents and visitors during the Easter weekend, Nueces County and the City of Corpus Christi have acted to temporarily close the following County and City Parks, Bay and Gulf Beaches to vehicular access. The temporary closure is from Friday, April 10, 2020 through Sunday, April 12, 2020. The Parks and Beaches will reopen on Monday, April 13, 2020.
City Parks Closed
Bill Witt Park
West Guth Park
Manuel Q. Salinas Park
The Water’s Edge
Cole Park
Labonte Park
Lakeview Park
Parker Park
County Parks Closed
Hazel Bazemore Park
Lyondell Baseball Park
Hilltop Park
San Juan Park
Oscar Ortiz Park
John Sablatura Park
Barber Lane Park
Sandy Hallow Park
Lone Oak Park
Amistad Veterans Memorial Park
Bobby Ray & Opal Younts Park
Banquete Park
Lost Creek Park
83 Yard Park
Fairground Stadium
Bay Beaches Closed
McGee Beach
North Beach
Gulf Beaches Closed
City and County Gulf Beaches from Access Road 2 thru County Road 6 (Access Road 2, Beach Marker 62, Newport Pass Road, Zahn Road, Access Road 3A, Windward Parking Lot, White Cap Beach, County Road 4, County Road 5, Bob Hall Park and Pier, and County Road 6).
For more information, call (361) 826-3460 or visit www.ccparkandrec.com.
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TAMUK'S Special education master's named one of Most Affordable
Press Release
Texas A&M University Kingsville
The special education master’s online degree program at Texas A&M University-Kingsville joins the ranks of the nation’s best as it was ranked 24th by Online U in their Most Affordable category. The program, part of the teacher and bilingual education department in the College of Education and Human Performance, joins two other online programs at Texas A&M-Kingsville as Most Affordable.
Coming as the number two most affordable online program in the nation is the industrial engineering master’s degree in the Frank H. Dotterweich College of Engineering. The online sports management program, in the kinesiology department, also in the College of Education and Human Performance, comes in at 11th in the nation as most affordable by Online U.
To be considered for these subject rankings, schools need to be regionally accredited and need to offer at least one fully online degree in the subject for the degree level of the list.
Schools with programs that require some on-campus coursework were still considered for the rankings if the amount of in-person work required was limited to two weeks or less. This allows students to retain their current employment or other personal responsibilities.
To help people make this decision, Optimal (formerly SR Education Group), published their
rankings on Guide to Online Schools for 121 programs. The rankings are based on degree-level and program-specific tuition rates and
salary data.
The methodology for the rankings incorporates a return on investment formula to show accredited programs with the best value.
Since the cost and return of a college can significantly vary by the degree, tuition rates and salary numbers are specific to degree-level and major. All tuition rates were manually researched on official school websites in order to ensure accuracy. Salary figures were reported by PayScale and reflect earnings of students 10 or more years after graduation. In order to select the best options for value in each major, Optimal researched over 78,000 online programs
About Optimal™
Optimal helps prospective students make informed, data-driven decisions to improve their collegiate experience and their post-college careers. The company provides over 85,000 in-depth student reviews and college rankings for every major based on alumni salaries and manually researched tuitions. Optimal’s tools and services provide accessible and transparent financial data regarding cost and earning potential that give students educational paths that lead them to success, without burdening them with insurmountable debt.
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