The Texas Crab Festival committee is seeking original artwork from talented artists for its Official 2026 Festival T-shirt. If your design is chosen, it will be worn by festival-goers and become a piece of Texas Gulf Coast history! Your design should capture the fun, vibrant, and laid-back atmosphere of the Crystal Beach community and depict…

Time of the Season For many recreational boaters, the first cool spell signals the end of their boating season. Many boaters pull their boat out of the water, park it in the back yard, and cover it with a tarp and let it sit until next spring. But winterizing your boat and equipment is an…

Surface water temperature 62 degrees. The water clarity is excellent now for East Galveston Bay. The trout bite has remained steady, catching good numbers and some oversize fish as well on our artificial only trips. The ticket the past few days has been fishing right on the bottom (very slowly) over deeper shell with 1/4…

Please tell me about your Elfie. Ours went back to the North Pole last Christmas and this year; he has a new family. He was a mischievous little tyke, we never knew where we’d find him in the morning. One time, our Littles visited before Christmas and Elfie, they called him Leon, appeared in our…

The week between December 23 and December 29 holds a unique place in the American story, often blending the quiet of the holiday season with pivotal moments of political transition and military action. From George Washington’s humble resignation of power to the tragic conclusion of the Indian Wars at Wounded Knee, these dates highlight the…

The Annual Crystaland Christmas Parade returned to Crystal Beach this past weekend, bringing with it a wave of holiday cheer and a reminder of why this event remains one of the Peninsula’s most beloved traditions. Hosted by the Bolivar Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, the parade took place under pleasantly cool weather, creating a perfect backdrop…

By Elinor TinsleyLast Tuesday evening,, December 9, 2025, the Bolivar Peninsula Cultural Foundation had its annual meeting at Jose’s and we presented the first (and probably the last) Senior Ms Bolivar Peninsula Pageant for our entertainment for the evening. The Cultural Foundation has been blessed with being able to use Jose’s back event room once…

For as long as anyone in the Crystal Canal neighborhood can remember, one tradition has anchored the start of the holiday season: gathering on the beach to watch the annual Crystaland Christmas Parade roll by. Year after year, neighbors bring folding chairs, firewood, and favorite dishes to share, turning a simple stretch of sand into…

By Linda ElissaldeIt actually began to look a lot like Christmas in stores before Halloween. We are nearer to that special day now. Therefore Bay Vue Methodist Church members, family and friends were invited to celebrate a delightful Christmas gathering at Diana and David Ezzell’s beautiful home on December 12. Everyone felt the season getting…

An Interstellar Visitor, Solstice Magic, and Winter Meteors Grace Texas Skies December brings a celestial smorgasbord to the night sky, offering Texans a unique blend of rarity, ancient tradition, and sparkling meteor showers. As the year draws to a close, look up to witness an interstellar comet, the longest night of the year, and a final burst of winter meteors—all under the…

By Linda ElissaldeGerry Lang and entertainers presented an annual Christmas Sing-A-Long to Arboretum of Winnie Nursing and Rehabilitation Center residents from 2006-2020. Then Covid crept in to stop such a gathering. Arboretum Activities Director Lindsey Mills welcomed the idea of bringing that tradition back. Lead Organizer Gerry joined Rita Moseley, Susan Shafer and Pastor Valerie…

Welcome to this week’s edition of Curranomics® from the Crystal Beach Investor Center. With me being busy preparing for Christmas this past weekend, today’s report is going to be slightly shorter than usual. TL/DR (Too Long/Didn’t Read) Summary: Main news was the much previously discussed Federal Reserve rate cut, which, as expected, was announced on…

Everyone who drives a car has seen this warning on the back of emergency vehicles, especially fire trucks: Keep Back 500 Feet. That doesn’t mean you have to stay back 500 feet all the time- just when the vehicle is responding to an emergency. Ships and boats don’t display such signs, but there are valid…

Surface water temperature is 57 degrees. The water clarity is still good for the majority of East Galveston Bay. The trout bite has remained steady, catching good numbers and some oversize fish as well on our artificial only trips. The ticket has been bouncing tails right on the bottom (very slowly) over deeper shell with…

I hope you’ve all been Nice and Not Naughty. Rumor has it that the Jolly Ol’ Elf Himself will be gracing our little community this next week. He’s scheduled to be arriving in high fashion all around town. The Eagles, The Big Store, What to my wondering eyes should appear Santa & one of his…

This week in history is a dramatic intersection of foundational American moments, pivotal military conflicts, and leaps in human innovation. The week begins with colonial and massive strides in mobility and space. Significant U.S. constitutional history was also made, while the nation saw its first state secession. December 16 December 17 December 18 December 19…

Maintaining a 20+ acre public park is a monumental task, requiring dedication, specialized equipment, and countless hours of labor. This year-round obligation involves everything from weekly summertime mowing—a necessity in the lush Texas climate—to constant trimming and the meticulous upkeep of all machinery. But Swedes Park, a community green space, is managed not by a…

The calendar may have changed weeks ago, but Crystal Beach is wearing its true winter coat. On a cold, breezy morning—the kind that tugs at your collar—the change from the heat-soaked days of summer is starkly evident in the desolate landscape. On the sandy shore, the silence is profound. Looking south toward Galveston and north…

Welcome to this week’s edition of Curranomics® from the Crystal Beach Investor Center. TL/DR (Too Long/Didn’t Read) Summary: Fairly uneventful week in the end. Most assets are basically where they were seven days ago, except US bond yields, which are up. Stocks/Equities: All indices slightly up. Gold/Silver: Gold basically level, silver up slightly. Cryptocurrency: A…

The Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is the longest-running community science bird survey in the world, administered by the National Audubon Society.The primary purpose is to collect data on the population, status, and distribution of birds in the Western Hemisphere during the early winter. The CBC is held annually from December 14 to January 5,…