South Jetty celebrates 50 years of publishing
South Jetty staff members gathered for a staff photo in June 2021 as they celebrated the paper’s 50th anniversary. Staff members are front from left, accountant Dianne Null, head of advertising production and graphic designer Elizabeth K. Weaver, publishers Murray and Mary Judson, office and circulation manager Kelli Hartig and advertising manager Keith Petrus. At the back from left are Jeremy Gifford who provides technical support, editor Dan Parker, classifieds editor and manager Vivian Carlson and reporter Graysen Golter. Not pictured are cast director Russ Neal and assistant Susan Neal. South Pier file photo by Michelle Parker
The South Pier, long the main source of local news in Port Aransas, celebrated its 50th anniversary on June 29. This is the date the very first edition of the newspaper was published in 1971, when Richard Nixon was President, Port Aransas ferries carried only nine cars and the monthly rental cost of a house three bedroom in town was $150.
Started from scratch by the people of Port Aransas, the community weekly today remains locally owned and is a thriving, award-winning publication with subscribers in nearly every state.
Over the years, the newspaper has done critically important work for Port Aransas, providing factual information to citizens to help them make informed decisions on issues ranging from multi-million dollar bond issues to the where they might go to find rockfish bites.
The South Pier was created in 1971 by a 26-year-old man named Steve Frishman, who was a graduate student at the University of Texas Institute of Marine Science; and a student named Suzanna Reeder. Both lived in Port Aransas and shared the title of publisher.
Mary and Murray Judson have owned the South Pier for 40 years.
“It makes me proud that the South Pier has made a difference in the community as a reliable and accurate source of information,” said Mary. “We saw this most recently with Hurricane Harvey, during which the South Pier was a lifeline for residents and property owners desperate for accurate and specific Port Aransas information. This is especially important in the age of social media where misinformation spreads so easily.
She is especially grateful for the support of the community, “from subscribers to advertisers, as they are the backbone of any newspaper,” she said.
“With this kind of support, we can count on the South Pier to celebrate its centenary in 2071!”
