March madness is on it's way, and no—we are not talking about basketball. We are talking about Spring Break on the Texas coast. It’s an annual event for neighbors in Port Aransas, but they say they still need to prepare accordingly.
“Spring Break is an annual event that occurs here in Port Aransas. So, we’ve been in the planning stages for about a month. We partner with local officials along with state assets that all come in and help support us during the Spring Break time. So, we’ve been in communication with them," James Stokes, the Port Aransas Chief of Police said.
Port Aransas is historically a very popular Spring Break vacation destination for students and families.
“I was 21 once. It’s just the nature of the beach. You just kinda go crazy for a little bit. But, you know, it’s Spring Break," Denise Rhinehart, a Joy Rides & Realty employee said.
"Going crazy" is what the Port Aransas Police Department says they will try their best to avoid during the Spring Break period.
“We double up our patrols that are normally seen on duty. So, we’re gonna have anywhere from two to three times the amount of officers on duty during peak times over the next couple of weeks," Chief Stokes said.
It is Police Chief Stokes' first Spring Break serving as Chief of Police for Port Aransas Police Department. He said he’ll be on the lookout for all violations from Spring Breakers but especially reckless driving on the road.
“Golf carts are a huge industry in Port Aransas and they’re really fun but people need to remember that they’re also considered a motor vehicle, so all of the rules of the road apply to a golf cart," Chief Stokes said.
I wanted to find out how local golf cart businesses prepare their cart renters for the rules of the road.
“The most important rule is the 361 highway right behind me. It’s the only four-lane road in town. Every other road in this town is a two-lane. So, if you can stay off the four-lane," Rhinehart said.
Joy Rides and Realty inform all golf cart renters that golf cart driving is prohibited on Hwy 361. There are stickers with the rules of the road visible on all golf carts that they rent out.
Last year during Spring Break time, there was a shooting on the beach that left one man dead and another seriously injured. Chief Stokes said his staff is taking extra precautions to try to avoid any violence this year.
“We’re gonna have a few more (state) troopers than we had last year and we’re gonna have a few more game wardens that are gonna be out and about. We’re looking at trying to make sure that we have the appropriate amount of resources at the peak times that we see people," Chief Stokes said.
He reminded neighbors that if you see anything suspicious happening in Port Aransas to report it to police immediately. You can call 911 or the non-emergency Port Aransas Police Department number at 361-749-6241.
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