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Greetings!
Welcome to SPCEDC your electronic newsletter. |
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Port of Corpus Christi & Texas A&M University System to create research and training center at Naval Station Ingleside |
The Port of Corpus Christi and the Texas A&M University System announced today the creation of a dynamic and far-reaching partnership to develop research and training on 1,009 acres at the Naval Station Ingleside and adjacent property.
The agreement was approved Tuesday on a 6-0 vote (Commissioner Judy Hawley was unable to attend) before a standing room only audience at the Congressman Solomon P. Ortiz International Center. Under the agreement, the A&M System will manage the redevelopment of the site, which includes 576 acres at Naval Station Ingleside, and 433 adjacent acres owned by The Port of Corpus Christi. The Naval Station land reverts to the port when the base closes in September 2010 in accordance with a 2005 decision from the Base Realignment and Closure commission.
"This is a historic and monumental day, a defining moment for the Port of Corpus Christi," said Ruben Bonilla, Chairman of The Port of Corpus Christi. "The A&M System brings to our partnership the experience and power of one of the world's flagship university systems along with a wide range of academic excellence and advanced study programs in bio technology, energy, transportation, technology commercialization, engineering and health sciences. Any one of each would be well-suited for Naval Station Ingleside."
At its height of activity, the 17-year-old Naval Station Ingleside employed approximately 3,000 military and civilian personnel and created another 2,000 indirect jobs in the area. The PCCA has been active in seeking a major institution to bring a new economic engine to the area and began talks with the A&M System several months ago.
"We are honored that the Port is working with the Texas A&M System to expand research opportunities in the Coastal Bend through the development of renewable energy technology," said Michael D. McKinney, M.D., chancellor of the A&M System. "The innovations that will follow as a result of this important agreement reflect a wide-ranging commitment by the A&M System to lead the way in cutting-edge research to improve all our lives and bring jobs to Texans. A great university system with a rich land-grant heritage can reach out to all aspects of our society, and in the redevelopment of Naval Station Ingleside we are doing just that."
Speaking at the Port Commission meeting, McKinney praised the port and the area's leadership for taking on a "tough job" and not giving in to the problems that followed the announcement of the closing of the Naval Station, but instead "taking control of your destiny." McKinney said that while the exact nature of the research and commercial relocations that will come to the base are still being worked out, the system's plan will be in place before the station closes. "This project has the potential to be the nation's leader in world-class energy research and development.
With the help of our many partners, including Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, the Texas Engineering Experiment Station (TEES), the Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX), and many other of the fantastic resources and brilliant minds from the system, we will create a wealth of opportunities in energy, engineering, education, training, production and other jobs that are both good for Texas and exportable. We also have the assets of the base, which gives us tremendous potential that will draw ships back to the pier and people to work on those ships."
"This partnership will foster commercial and community ties between the largest land-grant university in Texas and one of the most beautiful and resource-rich areas of or state," said Guy Diedrich, vice chancellor for federal relations and commercialization. "This represents a new chapter for Ingleside, and for the system. In the dynamic economy of the 21st century, it is vital to realize strategic partnerships between institutions of education and economic leaders, since each is dependent on the other." Diedrich, and Dennis Beal, director of industry alliances for the system's Office of Technology Commercialization, led the system's efforts to create the Ingleside project, working closely with Corpus Christi businessman Larry Urban and Tom Moore, project manager of Naval Station Ingleside Redevelopment.
The Port of Corpus Christi serves as the 7th largest port in the U.S. in terms of tons and the economic engine of the Coastal Bend whose mission statement is to "serve as a regional economic development catalyst while protecting and enhancing its existing industrial base and simultaneously working to diversify its international maritime cargo business." |
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Opportunities Growing With Wind Energy |
With the wind industry growing at a rapid pace, government, organizations, and companies all need to work together to identify the workforce challenges and forge ahead with the expansion of education and training opportunities, participants on two WINDPOWER 2009 panels said. "Almost 10,000 MW of wind power were installed last year-and it takes people to do that work," said E. Ian Baring-Gould, senior engineer at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. As of year-end 2008, the U.S. wind industry employed 85,000 people, a growth of 70% over the previous year, according to AWEA figures.
Broadwind Energy, one of the largest wind energy employers according to Senior Vice President of Human Resources Bob Paxton, is having several troubles finding good candidates for the company's job openings. Among the issues confronting Paxton on a day-to-day basis include candidates lacking wind industry experience, relevant qualifications such as project management, specialty engineering skills, and wind turbine technician training. In addition, many candidates do not wish to work in rural locations, as is often needed, he said.
To identify the current status of wind industry job training programs, AWEA has commissioned an educational survey, the preliminary results of which were presented by Liz Salerno, AWEA's manager of policy analysis. The final results and accompanying report are expected to be officially released in the early fall. "AWEA plans to develop a comprehensive plan to fill workforce needs," said Salerno.
Combined with input from wind industry companies, AWEA will use the Department of Energy's 20% Wind Energy by 2030 report to determine what the type and scale of employment demands in the industry will be over the course of the next two decades. "If we are going to ramp the industry up to install 16 gigawatts of wind annually, we need to anticipate the future workforce needs," said Salerno. As many as 100 educational programs exist or are under development in the U.S. today, "but we need to make sure they are focusing on the skill sets that will be needed in the future," she said.
At a seminar connected with the WINDPOWER Job Fair, meanwhile, panelists told a group of prospective young industry entrants that wind energy needs them. Edward Zaelke of Chadbourne & Parke, LLP, predicted the U.S. wind industry will continue to grow and produce jobs because U.S. population growth alone will fuel continued increases in U.S. electricity demand.
In addition, Zaelke said, 20% of aging coal-fired power plants will need replacement soon, and concerns about global warming could mean they are replaced with renewable sources of energy, such as wind. "Wind is still the most economical of renewables. The cost of financing is going down, and state renewable [electricity] standards have spurred growth," he said.
While the industry is experiencing job expansion, seekers of employment are becoming increasingly aware of the opportunities presented by wind energy. Bruce Bailey of AWS TrueWind said that only "a few years ago, when we would issue a job announcement, we would get a trickle of resumes. That's changed." Bailey said that's partly because the wind industry has a built-in advantage when it comes to recruitment: "It's not just a job. People in it want to make a difference. They have passion."
Nevertheless, the event had a spirit of recruitment about it. "The wind industry is a great place to be; Vestas is, too," said Kevin Cory, director of people and culture at the turbine producer, which is opening several new manufacturing facilities in Colorado. |
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4Gas' Vista del Sol LNG Terminal and Pipeline Project (the "VdS Project") |
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4Gas continues to hold the development rights to the VdS Project and is the owner of the 310 acre project site which fronts the La Quinta Channel to the south, the Occidental Chemical facility to the east, the Sherwin Alumina facility to the west, all south of Highway 361 in San Patricio County. All major Federal and state permits are still valid and in place.
The conditions in the LNG market, including continuing shortages of available new LNG supplies and recent depressed pricing for natural gas, have delayed the implementation of the VdS Project. However, 4Gas is committed to maintaining the required permits for the VdS Project such that when conditions become more favorable the VdS Project can commence on a timely basis.
In order to keep the "ready status" of the VdS Project, a new air permit application will be filed with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) in the near future. The purpose of the filing will be two-fold.
VdS has been advised by the US EPA that the existing VdS Project Flexible Air Permit may not be federally enforceable. VdS was one of over 160 companies that received the US EPA notice. The federal enforceability of the permit is not specific to any hardware proposed to be included in the VdS Project, but rather is related to procedural and other issues between the TCEQ and the US EPA. This issue has been on-going for several years, and does not appear to be resolvable in the near term.
VdS has requested and received the two 18-month start of construction extensions allowed under the TCEQ Flexible Air Permit program. The existing Flexible Air Permit requires start of construction by January 2010. It is not clear that the LNG market will recover in time to allow VdS to move forward with construction by that time.
VdS can resolve both of these issues by pursuing a new air permit under the TCEQ New Source Review (NSR) program. There does not appear to be any issue between the US EPA and TCEQ regarding this program. This will remove the uncertainty of the VdS Project permit enforceability between the two regulatory bodies. Additionally, a new permit under the NSR program will start the clock over again for any potential start of construction extensions.
The NSR program will require public notice (signage on property, publication of notice of public meeting, and public meeting) and local input will be addressed during the public process.
VdS will take advantage of the resubmittal of the air permit application to make certain changes to the VdS Project as currently permitted. All changes are intended to enhance the viability of the VdS Project. The changes include:
Changing the combustion system on the HTF boilers from low-NOx burners with selective catalytic reduction (SCR) to ultra-low-NOx burners. This will allow the same NOx emissions from these units without the extra equipment associated with the reagent (ammonia) system. This change decreases the upfront capital investment and reduces the annual operating expense, both of which improve the viability of the VdS Project. Add provisions for an air vaporization system. An air vaporization system will allow for lower operating expense at the terminal which improves the viability of the VdS Project.
Add incremental fugitive emissions for a natural gas liquids stripping addition to the VdS Project. This will open up the specification limitations associated with the quality of the imported LNG. This flexibility enhances the viability of the VdS Project.
Add provisions for an on-site power generation facility. This facility will be based upon gas turbines and would be intended to provide peaking service power into the local electrical grid. The units would only burn natural gas. This addition will be evaluated on a stand-alone basis and could be implemented in advance of the LNG terminal should the economics warrant the investment (after all permits are in place).
4Gas is also evaluating the addition of wind turbines to the project site. The wind turbines would be installed in a configuration that would not interfere with the LNG terminal. This renewable resource would eventually compliment the terminal's electrical load demand.
The screening of the wind turbine addition is also being evaluated on a stand-alone basis and is dependent on energy prices. A validation of the wind resource would require the installation of a meteorological station on the property. This would be the next step in the wind turbine screening.
No decision has been made whether this will be pursued by 4Gas.
4Gas remains committed to implementing the VdS Project in San Patricio County as soon it receives the third party commitments required to meet its commercial and financial criteria. The new air permit effort and potential wind turbine additions are all being pursued at some expense to 4Gas to maintain the ready status of the VdS Project. |
Pipeline to the World
as printed from Texas Rising
Susan Combs Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts |
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Texas coast wins largest single manufacturing investment by a Chinese company in the U.S.
by Clint Shields
A skilled work force and strategic location helped a Texas coastal city win a $1 billion pipe manufacturing facility.
Local Government Tools that Made the Difference:
San Patricio County
Landing a $1 billion pipe facility does not happen every day, nor is it easy. In the case of Gregory's planned TPCO America Corp. facility, the task included meetings, trips to China and multiple civic and local government groups working together.
"One of the things we did well was assembling the team, from industry to community to education to government," says J.J. Johnston, executive vice president for business attraction and external marketing for the Corpus Christi Regional EDC. "That collaboration and coordination of efforts helped cut the red tape and helped the company understand our region."
TPCO and area representatives are working on a variety of state and local incentives, including employment-based incentives, tax abatement, job training and infrastructure. With about 600 jobs expected and an estimated $18 million in annual salaries at peak production, the local area is the big winner.
"It means 600 families are going to have high-paying jobs," says Johnston. "This is a true definition of new money coming into an area."
TPCO America Corp. (TPCO), a subsidiary of China-based Tianjin Pipe (Group) Corp., will build the plant near Gregory in San Patricio County. This will be the largest single manufacturing investment made by a Chinese company in the United States. The facility could create as many as 600 jobs and have an estimated $2.7 billion economic impact in 10 years.
Representatives of TPCO selected the Gregory area over 33 Texas, U.S. and international locations. TPCO officials first visited the area in fall 2007, and the visit opened a dialogue and spawned numerous meetings in Texas and China between area and company representatives. Those meetings helped foster the relationship between TPCO and its new Texas home.
"Thanks to the excellent job done by our friends at the Corpus Christi Regional Economic Development Corp. (EDC) and the San Patricio EDC, and the enthusiastic support of local government entities, the Gregory-Portland Independent School District and the state of Texas, San Patricio County topped the other candidates as the winning site for our project," says Zhang Wenfeng, vice president of TPCO.
The Gregory facility is expected to manufacture up to 500,000 metric tons of seamless pipe for the oil and gas extraction and production industry annually and employ hundreds of local workers.
"We're looking at 300 jobs in the first two years, and double that in the fourth or fifth year," says J.J. Johnston, Corpus Christi Regional EDC's executive vice president for business attraction and external marketing. "And those are direct jobs, not construction jobs, of which I think hundreds will also be created."
The area's strategic geographical location, convenient access for incoming raw materials and outgoing products, availability of power and other utilities and work force were all factors in the final decision, TPCO's Wenfeng says.
"We have a work force skilled in metal handling and welding, with great port assets, rail and pipelines for the facility," says Johnston. "While we tend to build things here rather than invent them, our region is becoming better equipped to receive new knowledge and technology. The TPCO project will bring both and will utilize the ever-increasing amount of recent computer science, engineering and technical graduates."
TPCO's Chinese-manufactured products are known throughout the oil and gas industry and are used in more than 90 countries. Having TPCO's U.S. home in Texas places it close to major customers such as Shell, Chevron and others. About 25 percent of the company's product already goes into the United States, and the Gregory facility will serve about 70 percent of that need.
The facility is probably two-and-a-half years away from producing pipe, but crude oil's lowered price, hovering at about $50 a barrel, is not slowing TPCO's expansion enthusiasm. The company does not expect the price to remain that low.
"It's a tough industry to be in," Johnston says. "As prices went down, we asked them if they were still coming in. They assured us that they need this expansion."
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BOARD MEMBER BIO |
Rebecca Krumnow
Rebecca was born and raised in Corpus Christi. She lived in CC until 1986 when she moved to California. While living in California, Rebecca earned her Liberal Arts Associates Degree and in 1991 her Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Administration from San Diego State University.
She is a single Mom with two children. Rebecca enjoys running, biking, swimming, local beaches, traveling and spending time with family and friends.
For the last ten years, Rebecca has been a member of the Portland Kiwanis Club . For ten years she has been a Board Member of the San Patricio County EDC and now serves as First Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee of SPCEDC. She has served on the District 11 Grievance Committee of the State Bar of Texas since 2003. Additionally, Rebecca is an Advisory Member on the Executive Board of the Coastal Bend Council of Governments.
Rebecca is currently employed as the Secretary/Treasurer and Support Services Manager at the San Patricio Municipal Water District and has been with the Water District since 1997. |
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS |
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Monday, May 18, 2009 Full Board Meeting
Seabreeze RV Park, Portland, 11:30 a.m.
1026 Seabreeze Lane, Portland, Texas
Monday, August 24, 2009 Full Board Meeting
Monday, November 23, 2009 Full Board Meeting
May 15, 2009 Relay For Life
June 7, 2009 Miss Shrimporee Pageant
June 12, 2009 61st Annual Shrimporee
June 13, 2009 Shrimporee Parade 10:00 AM
July 28, 2009 Fly Fishing Tournment 1-361-758-6900
May 20,2009 Luncheon
June 17, 2009 Luncheon
July 15, 2009 Luncheon
August 19, 2009 Luncheon
September 16, 2009 Luncheon
October 21, 2009 Luncheoon
October 23-25, 2009 Round-Up Days Festival
November 18, 2009 Luncheon
December 12-13, 2009 Renaissance Faire
Jun 9 Fibromyalgia Support Group
Jul 14 Fibromyalgia Support Group
Aug 11 Fibromyalgia Support Group
Sep 8 Fibromyalgia Support Group
Oct 13 Fibromyalgia Support Group
May 16 - 17 Hans & Pat Suter Park Ckeanup
September 26 & 27 Adventure Bay at Bayfest 2009
November 5 Annual Conservation & Stewardship Awards (Kayak Raffle)
May 26 - Barnhart Q5 Ranch, Berclair
June 23 - Corpus Christi
July 28 - Beeville
August 25 - Port Aransas
Sept 22 - Corpus Christi
Oct 27 - Cuero
Texas Travel Industry Association:
Regional Tourism Workshops:
June 25 Grandbury
July 22 Salado
August 26 San Angelo
October 15 Seguin
November 4 Rockport
September 27-30 Travel Summit Arlington, Texas
May 19 Port Aransas Partner Event/Business Meeting -
June 16 Museum Foundation of Hebbronville
July 21 San Juan/Weslaco/Donna (Hildalgo Cty) Tours
September 15 Laredo
October 20 Board Retreat
November 17 Padre Island National Seashore (near Corpus Christi) (www.texastropicaltrail.com)
National Career Fair -
June 9 10-2 Ortiz Center
June 24 10-6 Otriz Center
COASTAL BEND CAREER FAIR - SPCEDC Sponsoring | |
San Patricio County Economic Development Corporation
P.O. Box 238
Gregory, Texas 78359
361-643-4744 Office
361-643-4394 Fax
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| Notes From Josephine |
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Dear Members,
I have just returned from working with the Port of Corpus Christi at the American Wind Energy Conference in Chicago. I did this work last year and what a difference a year makes! Our booth had so many more people stopping by with real business to discuss. This is the largest growing convention in the United States with 21,000 people registered. Many of the participants are international firms as you might expect. The Port's support of our organization made it possible for me to present San Patricio County to clients who stopped by and also to make presentations to interested exhibiters. The former Arco property that was owned by British Petroleum has officially changed hands at the Wind Farm Blade testing site south of Ingleside. That property now belongs to the Lone Star Wind Alliance under the guidance of the University of Houston. John White of A&M fame and Mr. James Glennie of U of H both stopped by the booth to share their excitement that this project now has legs. The E.ON project in San Patricio County also brought us lots of attention.
A quick review of other activity at the office includes an afternoon presenting San Patricio County's economic assets to the Portland Leadership group, conferring with Dinah Bowman on the design of our membership plaque additions, meeting with the San Pat Water District to promote their applications for grants to improve that system, making presentations to Rotary Clubs on the wind farm activity in the county, continuing to correspond and meet with representatives of TPCO the Chinese pipe manufacturer, attending segment meetings to promote the I-69 corridor through South Texas, and participating in the Freight Conference sponsored by the Corpus Christi MPO. The Freight conference was held at our new County Civic Center in Sinton. I heard many positive comments about the facilities so if you have not seen them stop by and take a tour. Our Coastal Bend Tourist Council met there recently also and the facilities and the staff both were given high marks.
The CCREDC, Judge Simpson, Judy Hawley and I are scheduled to return to China at the end of this month. We are meeting with other firms in Tianjin that are interested in knowing about business opportunities in Texas. We will also have a cultural group with us to plan educational and artistic interchanges.
As A&M continues to develop Naval Station Ingleside, Gene Seaman has brought the Texas State Technical College to their attention. Dr. Ken Tunstall, the Associate Vice Chancellor has visited with Del Mar and Works Source with the idea of increasing technical training opportunities here. TSTC has experience with adding training to closed military space and believes this area would benefit also.
As you can see, the area is getting some attention for new business and we have not forgotten our existing business. Did you know that 75% of economic growth comes from existing business? Support for their efforts is ongoing from both this office and the CCREDC. The BOLD FUTURE talked about recently may not be a dream, but a reality!
Love,
Josephine |
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| TEXAS IN THE NEWS |
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Susan Combs Comptroller of Public Accounts
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Local Governments Get $541 Million in Sales Tax Revenue
Texas Comptroller Susan Combs announced the state collected $1.65 billion in sales tax revenue in April, down 3.1 percent compared to April 2008.
"State sales tax revenue declined in April as most major sectors of the economy continue to struggle," Combs said. "Although year-to-date revenue is up 1.3 percent for fiscal 2009, decreases in monthly collections are expected to continue this year."
Combs said local governments will receive $541.8 million in May sales tax allocations, down 2.3 percent compared to May 2008. So far this calendar year, sales tax allocations to cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts are up 0.5 percent compared to a year ago.
Comptroller Combs sent May sales tax allocations of $367.1 million to Texas cities, down 2.8 percent compared to May 2008. Calendar year-to-date, city sales tax allocations are down 0.03 percent compared to the same period last year. Texas counties received sales tax payments of $32.5 million, up 0.2 percent compared to one year ago. Calendar year-to-date, county sales tax allocations are 4.5 percent higher than last year.
In addition, $21.4 million went to 149 special purpose taxing districts throughout the state, up 15.2 percent compared to last May. Ten local transit systems received $120.8 million in sales tax allocations, down 3.8 percent compared to a year ago.
May's sales tax allocations to local governments represent March sales that were reported to the Comptroller in April by monthly tax filers and January, February and March sales reported to the Comptroller in April by quarterly tax filers.
For details of May sales tax payments to individual cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose districts, locate the Monthly Sales and Use Tax Allocation Comparison Summary Reports on the Comptroller's Web site at www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/allocsum/compsum.htm.
The Comptroller's next sales tax allocation will be made on Friday, June 12. |
San Patricio County Courthouse
Sinton, Texas |
| Brief History of Sinton, Texas |
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SINTON, TEXAS. Sinton, the county seat of San Patricio County, is at the intersection of the Southern Pacific and Missouri Pacific railroads and U.S. highways 77 and 181, near the center of the county. Soon after the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway built through the county in 1886, Col. George W. Fulton,qv founder of the Coleman-Fulton Pasture Company,qv received approval from the board of directors to give 640 acres for the townsite of Sinton on the south bank of Chiltipin Creek. The town was named for David Sinton, majority stockholder in Coleman-Fulton. The company built cattle-loading pens immediately, and a post office in the section house was granted in 1888, with Margaret Camp as postmistress. By 1892 the post office had been discontinued. The charter for the Sinton Town Company was granted in 1894 for 1,000 acres. The organizers proved to be the leading citizens in the new town: George W. Fulton, Jr., John J. Welder, David Odem, Darius Rachal, Sidney G. Borden,qv William J. Scofield, L. N. Scofield, S. W. McCall, and S. D. Scudder. An election made Sinton county seat on June 23, 1894, and on June 28 the commissioners' court met in Sinton. The St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexican Railway arrived in 1907. Growth was slow, and the population, reported as seventy-five in 1908, began to grow only after homeseeker trains began arriving in San Patricio County from the Midwest and from northern and central Texas. Several blocks of land were offered for sale to farmers. By 1910 the town had a number of businesses, a bank, a hotel, and a newspaper. Sinton developed as a shipping point for locally grown vegetables after J. W. Benson arrived in the county shortly before 1908 and set up packing sheds. Cattle continued to be shipped out by rail in large numbers. A four-alarm fire destroyed a block of business buildings in 1912. The city was incorporated in 1916, and W. E. Haisley was elected mayor. A home rule charter and a council-manager form of government were approved in 1966. A building boom transformed the main street into modern brick buildings shortly after World War I.qv The discovery of oil near Sinton on Easter Sunday, 1935, by the Plymouth Oil Companyqv changed the face of the town. Plymouth set up headquarters in Sinton and sponsored a baseball team, the Plymouth Oilers,qv who in 1957 became the first Texas team to win the national semiprofessional baseball crown. A few wells drilled during this period were still in production in 1988. After World War IIqv the city grew; a number of new businesses and several residential developments were constructed. The economy remained tied to the land. Vegetable-packing sheds operated in Sinton until the mid-1960s, when sorghum, cotton, and, to a lesser degree, corn took over as the leading crops. Ranching also continued to be important in the north and west part of the county. A school system started in Sinton in 1893, when Miss Drew Moore presided over the one-room school. The town now has a modern system that was swelled by a rash of school consolidations in the decade following World War II. By the 1970s Sinton was a center for farming, petroleum, and petrochemical industries. In the 1980s the Rural Electrification Administration maintained a regional headquarters in Sinton, and the town was the site of a Dr Pepperqv plant. A large grain elevator served the town. The population in the late 1980s was estimated at 6,500. Sinton is the site of the annual San Patricio County Agricultural and Homemakers Show, an October Old Fiddlers Parade, and the county Youth Rodeo. It is also noted for its Rob and Bessie Welder Wildlife Park,qv a 3,000-acre recreation area belonging to the city.
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Roseate Spoonbill
Photo by Don Schoenfeld |
Ingleside Skate Park |
Aransas Pass Aquatic Center |
Lake Corpus Christ State Park
outside of Mathis
Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930's.
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Odem Train Station
History in a Pecan shell
The St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway arrived here in 1907 and the town was platted two years later. John James Welder and David Odem were the town developers. David just happened to be the county sheriff, which may or may not have influenced the naming of the town.
Coleman-Fulton Pasture Company lands had been sold and subdivided into small farms. Smaller communities of Angelita, Kaleta, Meansville, and Sharpsburg were drawn into "greater" Odem. By 1915 there were 500 residents.
Vegetable farming was the town's initial economy. Beets, Cabbage, Onions, Radishes and Spinach were the predominant crops.
Decades later it is corn, cotton and grain sorghum that is shipped out. Many townspeople commute to Corpus Christi for work. By the late 1980s the population had increased to almost 3,000.
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Telegram from the Taft Chamber of Commerce, April 10, 1928
This telegram concerns a fire in the giant Rachal gas well of the Saxtet Oil Company in White Point, San Patricio County. The fire was so bright that it illuminated the countryside for many miles. The San Antonio Express-News quoted San Patricio County Commissioner W.L. Hilliard as saying that he could sit out at night on his front porch in Taft, six miles away from the fire, and read a newspaper by the light. By the time the Taft Chamber of Commerce lost patience and sent this telegram to the Railroad Commission, the fire had been burning for three months, wasting millions of cubic feet of gas every day. | |
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