𝗣𝗢𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗢𝗦 𝗠𝗔𝗞𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗖𝗘𝗡𝗘 𝗔𝗧 𝗕𝗥𝗬𝗔𝗡 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗭' 𝟮𝟵𝗧𝗛 𝗕𝗜𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝗕𝗔𝗦𝗛

Barely in the door at The Palace on Ruben M. Torres Boulevard for Commissioner Bryan Martinez' "29th Birthday Bash," we encounter the imposing figure of Angel Ramos, the tall, new director at the Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport, originally from Puerto Rico, but with airport experience in various places in the continental U.S.

Yes, Ramos, hired in mid-February, knows about the airport's Amelia Earhart connection and its history as the "gateway to the Americas."

"They handed me a printout will all that when I walked in the door," said Ramos.

Moments later, a chatty Ernie Hernandez, former Precinct 2 commissioner, approached.

"Jim, I'm 72.  I had heart bypass surgery six years ago and I'm so much better," Ernie offered.

We listened as Hernandez described his printing operation at Fiesta Graphics.

"We're doing it all in-house.  You bring us your information and we can do a campaign sign in minutes," he added.

"It's all done by computer.  We've got our first billboard going up soon."

We wandered around in the blue light for about an hour, encountering political savant Jerry Danache, the affable Hugh Emerson, Commissioner Roy De Los Santos, State Democratic Chair Gilberto Hinojosa and wife, Justice of the Peace Cyndi Hinojosa, attorney Angela Nix, among others.

We made our exit as the band started to play, running into TSC Board Chair Adela Garza and former Commissioner Jessica Tetreau on our way out.