Letter to the Editor | Proposed waterpark promises fun, but at what cost?

The ACND is considering a proposal from a private company that would erect an inflatable water park on the PUBLIC area of the Beach Park. They will be charging $12 per head, and paying the ACND $600 a month for 3 months, Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Additional vendors (like hot dog carts, T-Shirt booths, etc) have approached the ACND about setting up shop on the beach to take advantage of the additional traffic created by the proposed water park.

While having kids activities in the summer is a good idea, do you think it's worth sacrificing free, public and pet-friendly access to Rockport's greatest resource?

Also, what are the water practices of this company? Will they be taking water from the Rockport City system or the Bay? How will they recirculate it?

The public has a chance to weigh in on the details of this proposal Tuesday, May 22 at ACND at 6:00pm. If you care about the future of Rockport's Beach, please come listen and share your thoughts!

Our public beach is at stake.

- Bill B.

P.S. View the story on the Rockport Pilot's website and read the comments. Some are for, some are against. Let's get this right before it's too late!

Article on the Rockport Pilot

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Disclaimer: The thoughts and ideas expressed in this letter may or may not reflect the views of the WWN as a company.

Technology Article | "Twitter: The CB Radio of the Digital Age"

by Alicia Ross Whether you’re a business announcing your latest special, or a non-profit trying to promote an event...or simply an individual interested in sports, Twitter is your very own customized news ticker and the CB radio of the digital age.

Some of you may have fond memories of using a CB radio...creating a fun “handle” or nickname like “Bull Frog” or “Huckleberry Jane” ...broadcasting your first message to what seemed like the world, and eagerly anticipating the colorful replies that would surely follow. You can still have that same excitement and anticipation....it’s called Twitter.com.

Unlike radio stations, a CB radio does not require a special license (not since the 1980s) and neither does Twitter--both are media for the people, by the people. Oh, and human nature is the same too. Some folks are the talkers, while others preferred to sit back and listen to other people’s conversations.

So here’s exactly how they relate:

CB Radio	Twitter
"Handle" or Nickname	"Handle" is the same. Some folks choose to use their real names, while others choose to use a nickname. On Twitter, your handle is distinguishable by a @ sign immediately before the handle. For example: Rockport Film Festival’s handle is @RockportTXFilm. You, of course, want your handle to be unique, so you can’t choose a handle that’s already taken. If you want to broadcast a message with a specific person in mind you might say: “Reading an article on the WWN by @brandingarsenal.” In Twitter we call this a “Mention.”
Short, Declarative Statements or Questions	Unlike Facebook, Twitter is more like a stock ticker. Info is meant to be quick and to the point. Twitter limits messages or “Tweets” to 140 characters or less for uniformity and pace.
Replying to Someone’s Message	Yep you can! Just hover your mouse over a "Tweet" or message and click the “Reply” link below it. Then, that person receives an email (or alert on their smart phone) that someone ‘replied to their Tweet.’ Within your Twitter account they call these “Interactions.”
Repeating Someone Else’s Message to Your Listeners	Exactly the same on Twitter. You can repeat someone else’s message by “RE-tweeting” their message or ”tweet”. This is similar to a forward on email. Your audience or “followers” sees the message you copied from someone else. This is the digital way to "spread the word."
Listening or Following a Particular Person	Yep, same here too! If you “follow” a handle (click the "follow" button on their page), that means their messages will “stream” into your news feed. You can pay attention to their channel for 5 minutes a day or 12 hours! People paying attention to your “tweets” are your followers.
Retract a Statement You Broadcasted?  “...No no, that’s not what I meant”	Unlike a CB you CAN delete a Tweet you misspelled, misspoke, etc--but like a moving news “river” sometimes it’s just best to keep going, as in a discussion.
Talking about a Particular Topic, like a Storm	Just like on a CB a few people might be talking about a specific topic. On Twitter, topics are distinguished by a tag or label--referred to as a “Hashtag” and uses the number symbol (#) right before the topic. For example you might tweet: “Have you been to the new WWN website? #wwnrockport”  The more specific the hashtag the more it tips people off to the exact news item you are referring to. Often times, businesses or events will designate a hashtag for folks to use and discuss around. Like “Did you go to #AntiquesRoadShow this year?” Hashtags are one of the unique things about Twitter that really enables discussion about a particular topic--whether it's local or global!

These are just a few of the Twitter basics...Now, get “Tweeting!”

Twitter Quick Facts:  

• On March 21, 2012, Twitter celebrated its sixth birthday while also announcing that it has 140 million users and sees 340 million tweets per day.
• The Twitter Logo and Mascot, a bird named "Larry," was named after famous basketball player Larry Bird.
• Twitter is ranked as one of the ten-most-visited websites worldwide by Alexa's web traffic analysis. Source
• Also...Local Folks on Twitter! @RockportTXArt  @RockportTXFilm  @CharmofTxCoast @WWNRockport  @JoWWNRockport  @RialtoTheater  @CBHealthFoods

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Alicia Ross is the Owner of The Branding Arsenal, a fully inclusive web / print / graphic design, marketing and consulting firm based in Rockport, Texas. Follow her on Twitter at @BrandingArsenal

Letter to the Editor | "Red Shouldered Hawks Return to Nest in Rockport"

Photograph by Ray Owens

Hello Digital Friends,

The "Red Shouldered Hawks" returned to nest in the same pine tree in West Terrace. Last year they fledged 3-chicks; one of which later died.

This year only 1-large chick can be seen in the nest. It has been climbing all over the pine tree, and will soon fledge.

Benny, the wonderful older woman who lives there was again hit by one of the hawks, and again had to go to the doctor.  She still seems proud of her hawks. I advised her to try an umbrella.

The pine tree is located at 1209 Mallard in West Terrace, Rockport. A report on the "Tropical Kingbirds" in the HEB parking lot will follow.

Cordially, Ray Owens

RCA: 2012 Summer ArtLink for Kids and Teens

Free for children who attend school in Aransas County. $60.00 per week for children who attend school elsewhere. ($120 for full two-week camp) Students may sign-up for one session only please. Spaces are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Session 1: June 18-28, 9:30 am - Noon
Session 2: June 18-28, 1:30 - 4 pm
Session 3: July 23 - Aug 2, 9:30 am - Noon
Session 4: July 23 - Aug 2, 1:30 - 4 pm

What is ArtLink?…

In 1998 the Rockport Center for the Arts launched a summer art education program with the goal to be affordable and accessible to all children of Aransas County and provide a safe environment for creative exploration. Continue to RCA Site...