The state law prohibits local govern ments from enacting or maintaining outright bans on mobile food dispens ing vehicles and prohibits local govern ments from requiring non-state-issued licenses, registrations, permits and fees for food truck operations. In the past, the city required food truck operators to acquire a special permit from the city, which is no longer allowed by the state.
MANATEE COUNTY – The battle between neighbors for beach access on 78th Street in Holmes Beach came to a close when a judge ruled against granting a temporary injunction to reopen the path to the sand.
Beach access to remain closed
A late summer weather system over the Intracoastal Waterway as seen from the Longboat Pass bridge.
- Named Best Florida Newspaper In Its Class - August 31, 2022 Anna Maria Island, Florida The Island’s award-winning weekly newspaper www.amisun.com SEE THE WINNERS of The Anna Maria Island Sun Readers’ Choice awards! 17-28 HOLMES BEACH City Center construction begins soon. 39 HURRICANE SEASON is half over, but keep your guard up. 5 Summer drama Page 25 RUSTY CHINNIS | SUN
Some neighboring residents oppose the city’s efforts to designate a food truck area at Bayfront Park.
“It’s a really unfortunate situation,” Manatee County Circuit Court Judge Charles Sniffen said. “Someone’s property rights are going to be affected by what I decide.”Afterhearing two days of testimony from current and former property owners as well as county Commissioner Carol Whitmore and others, Sniffen said the arguments boiled down to a technicality.
SEE FOOD TRUCK, PAGE 39
ANNA MARIA – City officials are pumping the brakes on their efforts to create a designated food truck area at the northwest end of Bayfront Park. With potentially impacted residents and property owners expressing oppo sition and city commissioners voicing concerns, further commission discus sion and decision-making has been delayed until Oct. 13 at the earliest. The designated food truck area is the city’s response to a state law enacted by the Florida Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2020 that gives the state the sole authority to make regula tions regarding food trucks and other mobile food dispensing vehicles.
The city commission was presented with the first reading of a city ordi nance on Aug. 11 that proposed locat ing the designated food truck area at
In order for a temporary injunction to be granted, he said the plaintiffs, a group of 78th Street property owners, would have to meet four criteria – prove the historic use of the path, irreparable harm, that the KRISTIN SWAIN | SUN A beach access path at the end of 78th Street in Holmes Beach will remain closed at the discretion of two private property owners.
Proposed food truck plan at Bayfront Park stalled
BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
A battle for beach access concluded with a ruling in favor of property owners, allowing a 78th Street path to remain closed. BY KRISTIN SWAIN SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com
When first discussing the need for a designated food truck area on July 28, Mayor Dan Murphy said, “We’ve got to do something. The whole city is fair game until we do something.”
SEE ACCESS, PAGE 35
941.778.1515 | 111 South Bay Blvd | Anna Maria Island, FL. Watermelon sa lad balsamicwareductiontermelonarugulaoliveoilbasilmintfeta 2 THE SUN www.amisun.com AUGUST 31, 2022
AUGUST 31, 2022 www.amisun.com THE SUN 3
Water taxi agreement discussed
Manatee County hopes to begin water taxi service to and from the Island in February for visitors and workers.
BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
Representing Manatee County, Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Execu tive Director Elliott Falcione appeared before the Anna Maria Commission on Aug. 11. Falcione told the mayor and commissioners the county plans to contract a Florida-based water taxi company to operate two pontoon boat-like water taxis from 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. According to Falcione, each water taxi could carry 35 to 45 passengers at a time. He said the service days and service routes could, and likely would, be expanded if there’s a need for additional service.
Falcione plans to present the proposed water taxi plan and contractor to Manatee County commissioners on Sept. 13 in hopes of the proposed water taxi service beginning in FalcioneFebruary.said the round-trip fare could be in the $8-$10 range, but those details were still being worked out with the private contractor. Falcione said the plan is for the Island’s restaurant and service industry workers to ride for free. During the Aug. 25 meeting, Murphy not ed one of the “whereas” clauses contained in the proposed agreement states the two main purposes of the water taxi service are to relieve automobile congestion coming to and from the Island and to provide an affordable
MANATEE COUNTY | SUBMITTED The proposed water taxi service would feature water taxis that resemble this vessel. The Anna Maria City Pier is being discussed as a possible water taxi stop.
JOE HENDRICKS | SUN SEE WATER TAXI, PAGE 32
ANNA MARIA – City officials are work ing on an interlocal agreement that would allow for a water taxi stop at the Anna Maria City Pier. Manatee County is proposing a countycontracted water taxi service from down town Bradenton to the City Pier in Anna Maria, the Bridge Street Pier in Bradenton Beach and back to downtown Bradenton. An interlocal agreement between the city of Anna Maria and Manatee County is needed in order for the City Pier to be used as a water taxi landing spot. A proposed interlocal agreement was discussed, but not finalized, during the Aug. 25, Anna Maria City Commission meeting. Revisions suggested by the mayor and city commissioners will be made before the agreement is discussed again at the com mission’s Sept. 8 meeting. If the commission supports the revised interlocal agreement at that time, it will then be sent to Manatee County officials for their review. Mayor Dan Murphy said additional negotiations between the city and the county may then be needed before the agreement is finalized.
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FDEP to re-inspect Aqua mangrove trimming
CORTEZ – The Cortez Village Marina ownership group is named in a new complaint that alleges the marina is being operated without a state-issued environmental re source permit or is being operated in violation of that permit.
The release of about 4.5 million gallons of storm water from Piney Point into Tampa Bay concluded on Aug. 25, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). The stormwater had accumulated for the last several months in a pond on top of a phosphogyp sum waste stack. The water was released at Port Manatee beginning on Aug. 13, and did not come in contact with the phosphate process wastewater contained in separate ponds at the site, according toAboutFDEP.215 million gallons of process water was dumped into Tampa Bay from Piney Point last spring to avoid the potential collapse of a gyp stack and subsequent flooding. As Piney Point’s closure process continues, the stormwater pond will be modified so that it will no longer accumulate rainwater and will eliminate the need for future releases, according to FDEP.
SEE HUNTERS POINT, PAGE 11
Hunters Point files complaint against Cortez Village Marina
A new complaint is part of an ongoing dispute between the owners of Hunters Point and Cortez Village Marina.
This mangrove trimming debris remained in place along the Aqua shoreline as of Aug. 17.
The new complaint is part of an ongoing dispute between Cortez Road Investments and MHC Cor tez Village regarding the proposed construction of 49 Hunters Point docks along the privately-owned canal that borders the Hunters Point property on the three sides. Built in the late 1950s, the man-made canal extends from the humpback bridge at 127th Street West to the eastern edge of the Holiday Cove RV resort property. When Gobuty purchased the Hunters Point property in 2016, he also purchased the portion of the canal that extends from the humpback bridge to Cortez Village Marina’s western boundary. The canal is the only means for marina clients to access the nearby Intra coastal Waterway (ICW). The new dispute stems from the permit challenge MHC Cortez Village initiated after Cortez Road Investments received an environ mental resource permit from the Southwest Florida Water Manage ment District in 2021. That permit allows for the construction of the Hunters Point docks. In response to the issuance of that 2021 permit, MHC Cortez Village filed a petition naming Cortez Road Investments and the Southwest Florida Water Manage ment District as respondents. The petition alleged the Hunters Point docks would impede canal naviga tion for marina clients, especially those with larger boats, and nega tively impact marina operations andMHCprofitability.CortezVillage sought and received a hearing before an ad ministrative law judge in hopes of the judge issuing a recommended order for the water district’s gov erning board to revoke the permit or modify it in a manner that lessens the impact of the proposed Hunters Point docks.
“CRIF respectfully requests DEP immediately order the marina to cease the unauthorized activities at the marina. If necessary to stop the illegal activities, CRIF requests that DEP seek an immediate temporary injunction in Manatee County circuit court,” according to the complaint.
JOE HENDRICKS | SUN
Stormwater release concludes at Piney Point
RUSTY CHINNIS | SUN
IN BRIEF
The complaint notes Cortez Vil lage Marina is part of the Logger head Marinas group that owns 23 marinas throughout Florida and is affiliated with Equity LifeStyle Properties – a company that owns a controlling interest in more than 400 manufactured home com munities, RV resorts and camp grounds.Thecomplaint names MHC Cor tez Village LLC, Loggerhead Mari nas and FDEP as respondents and says, “CRIF requests enforcement, including a temporary injunction, followed by the permanent injunc tion, to stop the illegal activities of the marina to avoid irreparable environmental impacts and harm to CRIF’s private canal.”
With administrative law judge Bruce Culpepper presiding, that hearing began in June, continued for three days in mid-August and is scheduled to resume on Sept. 1.
4 THE SUN ISLAND NEWS AUGUST 31, 2022
Representing developer Mar shall Gobuty’s Hunters Point Resort & Marina ownership group, Cortez Road Investments & Finance Inc. (CRIF), attorney Susan Martin filed the complaint with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) on Aug. 22. The complaint seeks injunctive relief to stop the alleged “illegal activities” of the MHC Cortez Vil lage LLC marina ownership group.
COMPLAINT ALLEGATIONS
The complaint alleges Cor tez Village Marina is operating without a valid permit because the permit obtained by the previous marina owner was not properly certified when transferred to the current marina owners.
BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
“The permit could not have been transferred because the project was not built and is not operating pursuant to permit conditions. Therefore, there was no automatic transfer of the permit,” the com plaint“MHCalleges.Cortez Village LLC does not have a valid environmental resource permit and is operating without a permit in a manner to cause environmental harm,” the complaint alleges.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) has responded to a letter the department received on Aug. 18 from the Suncoast Waterkeeper organization regarding the trimming debris left behind after the mangroves along the Aqua development and the Sarasota Bay shore line were significantly trimmed earlier this year. The Waterkeeper letter included a link to several photographs taken of trimming debris that was supposed to have been removed but was not as of Aug. 17. On Aug. 25, FDEP Environmental Manager Hannah Westervelt responded to the letter received from Suncoast Waterkeeper representatives Jus tin Bloom, Abbey Tyrna and Rusty Chinnis. “The department greatly appreciates the communica tion and the additional information that you and Suncoast Waterkeepers continues to provide. We are planning on re-inspecting the site this week to assess the information that has been provided to us. I will continue to update you with progress and ensure the (online) Oculus file is up to date as we move forward,” Westervelt stated in her email response to Chinnis.
“Alternatively, if DEP finds the marina legally holds permit number 41-0255306, then there are major violations of the permit conditions. The marina has profited from its illegal activity in the amount of at least $181,000 for the month of July alone.”
The Cortez Village Marina is named in a new complaint filed on behalf of the Hunters Point developer.
The Florida Maritime Museum’s “Caught in the Storm” exhibit revisits local hurricanes over the past century.
A recommended basic emergency kit includes: Water (one gallon per person per day for several days, for drinking and sanitation) Food (at least a several-day supply of non-perishable Battery-poweredfood) or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert
Wrench or pliers (to turn off utilities) Manual can opener (for food) Local maps Cell phone with chargers and a backup battery
BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | leslielake@aol.com CORTEZ - Halfway through a quiet hurricane season, it’s too soon to relax, as experts are still predicting abovenormal 2022 Atlantic hurricane activity. Atmospheric and oceanic conditions still favor an unusually active 2022 Atlantic hurricane season, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) annual midseason update, issued this month by the Climate Prediction Center, a division of the National Weather Service. The hurri cane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.
Plastic sheeting and duct tape (to shelter in place) Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties (for personal sanitation)
An unnamed hurricane in October 1921 covered the Gulf coast in water from Fort Myers to Tarpon Springs, causing devastation to the Cortez waterfront.“InCortez, fishermen watched their industry be nearly swept away. The storm’s waves left behind mounds of debris tangled in nets where fish camps and docks once stood,” according to the FMM exhibit. “Left without mar kets to sell to, the fishermen created their own, some of which still remain on Cortez’s waterfront.”
SEE HURRICANES, PAGE 33
A timely rotating exhibit at the Florida Maritime Museum (FMM) titled “Caught in the Storm: 100 Years of Florida Hurricanes” revisits some of the worst coastal storms to impact the state - several of which hit locally.
The largest hurricane evacuation in U.S. history happened just five years ago in September, 2017 with 6.5 million people fleeing their homes in antici pation of Hurricane Irma. Hurricane track predictions included a “cone of uncertainty” with Irma; that cone cov ered the entire Florida peninsula. In an abundance of caution, many counties issued mandatory evacuation orders. So far this year, the season has seen three named storms - Alex, Bonnie and Colin - and no hurricanes in the Atlantic. An average hurricane season produces 14 named storms, of which
Hurricane season’s second half could be unusually active
Category 1, 74-95 mph, Very dangerous, some damage; Category 2, 96-110 mph, Extremely dangerous, extensive damage; Category 3, 111-129 mph, Devastating damage; Category 4, 130-156 mph, Catastrophic damage; Category 5, 157 mph or higher, Catastrophic damage. Source: National Hurricane Center HURRICANE KIT
WhistleExtraFirstFlashlightaidkitbatteries(tosignal for help) Dust mask (to help filter contaminated air)
AUGUST 31, 2022 www.amisun.com THE SUN 5
HURRICANE CATEGORIES
The Cortez Public School, which still stands at 119th Street West and Cortez Road and is now the Florida Maritime Museum, is the highest point in Cortez and was used as a shelter during that storm, which had an 11-foot storm surge. In October 1944, a major unnamed hurricane known unofficially as the Cuba-Florida Hurricane “struck the Bradenton/Sarasota area causing trees to fall across the road taking out power lines and disrupting all communications between the Keys and the mainland.”
Hurricane Alma in June 1966 was an other storm highlighted in the exhibit, with the following recollection from Cortez resident August Antilla, “…by nightfall Ellen and I had purchased $12 worth of cheeses, cold cuts and candy, and we were looking forward to our cozy hurricane party, just the two of us. The radio was blaring continually… ‘Evacuate, Anna Maria Island. The tide will be 7 to 11 feet above normal.’ ”
6 THE SUN OPINION AUGUST 31, 2022 The Anna Maria Island Sun 3909 East Bay Drive, Suite 210, Holmes Beach, FL, 34217 Phone: (941) 778-3986 email: news@amisun.com | ads@amisun.com | classifieds@amisun.com Like us on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/AnnaMariaIslandSun Owner/CEO Mike Field Editor Cindy Lane General Manager Bob Alexander Reporters/Photographers Joe JasonHendricksSchafferKristinSwain Columnists Louise Bolger Rusty Chinnis Contributors Steve Borggren Captain Rick Grassett Leslie Lake Monica Simpson Tom Vaught Captain Kevin Wessel Captain Dave White Anne Yarbrough Layout Ricardo Fonseca Digital Editor Kristin Swain Advertising Director Shona Otto Advertising Assistant Pamela Lee Classifieds Bob Alexander Graphics Elaine Stroili Ricardo Fonseca Distribution BobTonyConnorAlexanderFieldMcNultyBrianSmith Accounting Leslie Ketchum Co-founding publishers Mike Field Maggie McGinley Field Family-owned since 2000 The Anna Maria Island Sun Staff Drop us a line Got an opinion, a complaint or a compliment? Is there something you need to get off your chest? Send us a letter to the editor and have your say. There are a couple of ways to do it. The easiest and most direct is to email The Sun at news@amisun.com. Remember to put Letter to the Editor in the subject field. Or you can snail-mail a letter to us at The Anna Maria Island Sun, P.O. Box 1189, Anna Maria, FL 34216. Letters should be kept to 300 words or less and must contain your name and the city in which you reside. Personal attacks and obscene language will not be printed. The Sun reserves the right to edit letters for length or content.
Please visit www.cityofannamaria. com or contact city hall for more information. Sept. 5, all day – City offices closed for Labor Day holiday Sept. 7, 1:30 p.m. – Historic Preserva tion Board meeting BRADENTON BEACH 107 GULF DRIVE N. FOR INFORMATION, CALL 941-778-1005
ANNA MARIA 10005 GULF DRIVE FOR INFORMATION, CALL 941-708-6130
SATURDAY, SEPT. 3 Robinson Runners, Robinson Pre serve, 1704 99th St. N.W., Bradenton, 7 a.m. Saturday mornings at the NEST, Rob inson Preserve Mosaic Nest, 840 Ninth Ave. N.W., Bradenton, 9 a.m. to noon. Saturday story time, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 10 a.m. Minecraft Hour of Code: The Voyage Aquatic, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 2 p.m. Starry Night Astronomy, Robinson Preserve, 840 Ninth Ave. N.W., Braden ton, 8-11 p.m.
– Island Transportation Planning Organization meeting, Holmes Beach City Hall Sept. 13, 6 p.m. – West Manatee Fire Rescue board meeting and budget hearing, administration building, 701 63rd St. W., Bradenton THURSDAY, SEPT. 1 Sunshine Stitchers Knit and Crochet, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 2 p.m. Thursdays in Paradise Stroll featuring local art, music and food, Bridge Street, Bradenton Beach, 5-8 p.m.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 6 Family story time featuring Genbu the tortoise, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 10 a.m. Mahjong Club, beginners, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 11:30 a.m. Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island meeting, Slicker’s Eatery, 12012 Cortez Road W., Bradenton, 11:30 a.m. One-on-one tech help, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 2-4 p.m. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 7 Coloring Club, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, noon.
AUGUST 31, 2022 www.amisun.com THE SUN 7 ON THE AGENDA EVENTS
HOLMES BEACH 5801 MARINA DRIVE FOR INFORMATION, CALL 941-708-5800 Please visit www.holmesbeachfl.org or contact city hall for more informa tion. Sept. 5, all day – City offices closed for Labor Day holiday Sept. 14, 9 a.m. – Clean Water Ad-hoc Committee meeting Sept. 14, 5 p.m. – Planning Commission meeting Sept. 15, 5 p.m. – City Commission meeting with work session to follow Sept.ISLAND-WIDE12,2p.m.
Please visit www.cityofbradentonbeach. com or contact city hall for more information. Sept. 1, 6 p.m. – City Commission meeting Sept. 5, all day – City offices closed for Labor Day holiday Sept. 7, 9:30 a.m. – Community Rede velopment Agency meeting Sept. 7, 2 p.m. – Scenic WAVES meeting Sept. 8, 5:05 p.m. – Community Rede velopment Agency budget meeting Sept. 8, 5:30 p.m. – City Commission budget meeting Sept. 13, 9:30 a.m. – City Commission work meeting Sept. 14, 10 a.m. – Department Head workshop Sept. 15, noon – City Commission meeting Sept. 15, 5:05 p.m. – Community Rede velopment Agency budget meeting Sept. 15, 5:30 p.m. – City Commission budget meeting
FRIDAY, SEPT. 2 Mahjong Club, experienced players, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 11:30 a.m.
Anna Maria Island is the largest contributor of tourist tax funds in the county. Chappie addressed members of the Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) during public comments at an Aug. 15 meeting, suggesting that the law regarding how the tourist tax is spent be changed to include fund ing for infrastructure due to the recent tourism boom since COVID-19 restric tions were lifted.
8 THE SUN www.amisun.com AUGUST 31, 2022 Carolina Hot HOLIDAY WEEKEND This Deal is Carolina HOT Chicken Sandwich with fries AND AN AMOB MARGARITA*AwCCahiitN$$1212 *Dine-in only. O er valid Friday 9/2/22 through Monday 9/5/22. Ages 21+ CORTEZ 6696 Cortez Road 941.792.0077 BRIDGE ST. PIER Bradenton Beach 941.778.AMOB (2662) LANDSIDE 6906 14th Street 941.758.7880West ELLENTON 1525 51st Avenue East 941.721.7773
With AMI being the primary source of tourist tax dollars in the county, Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie urges TDC members to spend more on infrastructure.
“I just wanted to remind you that hopefully during this next state legisla tive session coming up, to really talk with legislators to try to change where the funds can be spent for our tourist tax dollars,” he said. “Back in the 70s when I got here, the lots on the Island were platted and there were three to six people on these lots. What’s hap pened over the last decade, through no action of our own for the most part, is we’re cramming in 12 to 22 people on the same 75x100 lots.”
AMI officials seek change in tourist tax spending
Commissioner Carol Carter of Anna Maria also addressed the TDC, agree ing with the mayor’s plea. Carter said Anna Maria has more than 800 vaca tion rentals in a city that covers only one square mile. She said while perma nent residents average 1.8 people per house, vacation rentals tend to average nine people per house.
JASON SCHAFFER | SUN Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie ad dresses the Manatee County Tourist Develop ment Council. Chappie would like to see a change in how tourist tax dollars are spent.
SEE TOURISM, PAGE 37
ANNA MARIA – Manatee County tourist taxes are required to be used primarily to promote tourism and tour ism-related projects, but some local officials, including Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie, want to change how the money is spent. When anyone rents accommoda tions for six months or less in the county, they must pay a 5% tourist tax, earmarked for a state-mandated list of uses, including tourism marketing efforts, tourist attractions and beach renourishment.
“Just for your information, the state Legislature did make some exceptions some years ago for TDC for the three counties in the panhandle, kind of fo cused on Panama City and all the tour ist involvement that they have there for public safety reasons,” Carter said. “So, there is a precedent, and I just rein forced what Mayor Chappie said about the next legislative session.”
Chappie says because of this large increase, the infrastructure of the Island is suffering. He noted that public safety, law enforcement, sewer lines, lifeguards and services that are being stressed by the large increase in visi tors are in desperate need of additional funding. He believes the tourism tax should be the source of those muchneeded funds.
Manatee County Commissioner Carol Whitmore also weighed in on the discussion, saying that despite Holmes Beach being the Island’s primary source of tourist tax dollars, it still has not had the funds to replace its pier.
Of the $2,838,590 collected in tourist taxes in June 2022 (the latest figures available) in Manatee County, $1,405,389 came from the three Anna Maria Island cities, accounting for almost half of the total for the county. At $890,927.24, Holmes Beach col lected more tourist tax dollars than both Bradenton Beach and Anna Maria combined.“Weneed to get on this and try to be able to use the TDC dollars for other things other than drawing more tourists in here,” Chappie said. “We love our tourists, I’m not jamming on the tourists at all, they're a major part of our economy, but we can’t go on the way it is right now. We need other sources of funding for these important needs our communities have.”
BY JASON SCHAFFER SUN CORRESPONDENT | jschaffer@amisun.com
WHITMORE REFLECTS
Whitmore was asked what accomplish ments as a county commissioner make her feel most proud. Her list began with improved communications with elected officials in the city governments within Manatee County. She also mentioned the efforts to make the county animal shelter a no-kill facility, banning the retail sale of dogs and cats in pet stores, adopting anti-tethering and animal abuse ordinances and the county’s acquisition of the Bishop Animal Shelter.
“Because we voted for Cheri Coryea to serve as the new county administra tor when Ed Hunzeker left. We were told by some to vote for someone else, but I vote the way I want. We also voted for the Musgrave property on Lena Road to be pur chased and utilized for county services in east and north Manatee County. That pur chase was recommended by county staff but some commissioners and candidates decided to make it a political issue during the 2020 election cycle,” Whitmore said.
Incumbent commissioner Carol Whitmore was defeated in the At-Large District 6 Republican primary race.
In 2020, incumbent Republican commis sioner Priscilla Trace lost her primary race to Satcher. Whitmore was asked if she had any thoughts as to why three incumbent Republican commissioners have been unseated in the past two elections.
AUGUST 31, 2022 www.amisun.com THE SUN 9
Whitmore reflects on election results
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Whitmore
Incumbent District 4 County Commis sioner Misty Servia lost her Republican primary race to Mike Rahn. Rahn received 4,714 votes (62.47%) and Servia received 2,832 votes (37.53%). Facing no Democratic opponent in the general election, Rahn will claim the District 4 seat in November. Incumbent Commissioner Reggie Bellamy defeated former County Com missioner Charles Smith in the District 2 Democratic primary race. Bellamy received 2,637 votes (63.9%) and Smith received 1,490 votes (36.1%).
“Manatee County is a very red county and I am a proud Republican,” Whitmore said. “The right fringe of our party has taken over for now, but that won’t last. True Republicans will bring the party back. When my opponent puts on his Facebook page that he will hook somebody up with a QAnon contact, that’s something we should all be concerned about.”
HOLMES BEACH –Resident Carol Whitmore’s tenure as a Manatee County commissioner will end in November.Seekinga fifth term in office, Whitmore lost the At-Large District 6 Repub lican primary race to Jason Bearden. During the primary election that concluded on Aug. 23, Bearden received 28,011 votes (61.54%), Whitmore received 11,532 votes (25.33%) and Carol Ann Felts received 5,977 votes (13.13%). Whitmore raised $139,576 in campaign contributions, Bearden raised $108,282 and Felts raised $11,080.Facing no Democratic candidate in the general election, Bearden will be sworn in as the new District 6 commissioner soon after the Nov. 8 election results are certified.
Bellamy faces Repub lican challenger Amanda Ballard in the general election. Of Manatee County’s 276,298 eligible vot ers, 86,426 (31.28%) voted in the primary election.
Whitmore was asked if she’s concerned about the current state of the county government and the county administration now led by County Administrator Scott Hopes.“Yes, we have one commissioner who violated her oath of office and has a hearing in November. We have another commis sioner who admitted to having an affair in 2021 and is going to court soon for alleged ly driving under the influence,” Whitmore said. “We have a county administrator who considers himself the eighth commissioner and his communication skills are severely lacking. He’s spending taxpayer dollars like I’ve never seen before. He’s also trying to control the messaging and prohibiting or stifling commissioners from doing our jobs for our citizens. He’s making deals without the commission’s approval and forgetting that we, the commission, are the ones that set policy, not him. At the upper manage ment level, employee turnover is the high est I’ve ever seen.”
Whitmore said she never voted in favor of raising property taxes and on more than one occasion voted in favor of lowering the millage rage, which she said she will do again before leaving office this fall. She’s also proud of her work with the elder abuse program, the animal abuse task force, providing indigent care funds for uninsured patients, providing support for the homeless, pushing for more affordable housing, supporting the construction of the Fort Hamer Bridge and trying to keep county residents safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.Beforejoining the county commission, Whitmore served as a Holmes Beach city commissioner and then as the mayor of Holmes Beach. She also worked as a regis tered nurse until last year. As for what’s next, Whitmore said, “I’ve had had so many calls in the past week and that humbles me. I’ve also received many job offers. Right now, I just want to finish my duties as a commissioner, and my husband has been very ill during the past three months and I will continue to help care for Whenhim.”asked if this marks the end of her political career, Whitmore said, “Nope, just wait and see.”
BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
When contacted by The Sun, Whitmore shared her thoughts on the election results, her time in office and what’s next for her. “I’m disappointed, but it’s not the end of the world. Voter turnout was disappointing, but that’s to be expected in a primary elec tion. I was surprised at the final margin, but a lot of misinformation, false narratives and keywords were given to the voters and the election results show that. Political action committees took me out, not my opponent. Jason Bearden is a four-year resident of Manatee County. He was encouraged to run by Commissioner James Satcher, who I defeated in 2018. His philosophical beliefs and the current political climate were the reasons he won – and he would not debate me because his team told him not to. Jason Bearden has many flaws and he did not report his true income, his bankruptcy and other things the public needed to be aware of to make an educated vote,” Whitmore said.Whitmore was asked if the margin of vic tory in her and Servia’s races say anything about the political climate in Manatee County and the county commission’s con tinued shift to the far right.
Parking garage ban
als, though it does not close the doors of any existing rental business in the city or stop any business from outside of the city from delivering vehicles to customers in Holmes Beach. The new regulations do prohibit existing busi nesses from expanding their fleets and could potentially prohibit a business from establishing a new location or ex panding a location within the city if it requires the approval of a site plan by city leaders. No public comment was offered on the ordinance.
Holmes Beach commissioners are putting a halt to vehicle rentals in the city’s commercial district – at least for any new businesses seeking to estab lish a brick-and-mortar presence in the city. Commissioners voted unani mously to approve the final reading of an ordinance blocking the establish ment of new brick-and-mortar vehicle rental businesses in the C-3 district, the only commercial district in the city where vehicle rentals are allowed. The ban extends to low-speed vehicle rent
finalized
10 THE SUN www.amisun.com AUGUST 31, 2022 SUNDAY WORSHIP 8:30 AM in the Chapel 10:00 AM in the Sanctuar y Nurser y • Children’s Church ONLINE • Watch LI VE or LATER RoserChurch.com Text ROSE R to 22828 to rece ive t he weekl y e Bulletin The CHAPEL is open during o ce hours for prayer and meditation 941-778-0414 • 512 Pine Ave, Anna Maria • FOLLOW us on Facebook @RoserChurch Roser Church “...a beautiful place to explore your faith...”
It’s official, no parking garages can be built in Anna Maria Island’s biggest city. Holmes Beach commissioners unanimously approved the final read ing and public hearing of an ordinance prohibiting multi-level parking struc tures in the city. While large parking garages cannot be built in the city, it does not prohibit someone from build ing a multi-story building with parking on the bottom level and residential or commercial units above the parking. No comments from the public were given on the proposed ordinance. The ordinance also requires any business with new off-site parking agreements or arrangements to have a crosswalk to those spaces if pedestrians are required to cross a main road to get to the primary place of business. The requirement does not apply to any off-site parking agreements already ap proved by city leaders.
Commissioners halt vehicle rentals
Anna Maria hires new city planner Ashley Austin has been hired as the city of Anna Maria’s new city plan ner. According to Mayor Dan Murphy, Austin was scheduled to begin her new job on Aug. 29. Murphy announced the hiring during the Aug. 25 city commis sion meeting. Joining the meeting by phone as she prepared to relocate her family from Texas, Austin said she has four children ranging in age from nine months to 11 years old. “We are look ing for schools right now. I can’t wait to get started,” she told the commission. Regarding her professional experience, Austin said, “I have a very diverse background. I’ve worked in a range of jurisdictions – ‘wild west’ country to large, dense, urban metropolis’ and also quaint, historic towns, so I’m ready for whatever challenges arise here.” Commission Chair Carol Carter said, “We look forward to meeting you and having you on board.” Austin is filling the position vacated by former City Planner Chad Minor, who recently accepted the city planner’s position with the city of Holmes Beach.
The complaint notes that McPad den recently testified that marina employees use the canal to test vessels before and after repairs are made.“Immediate action is necessary to close the illegal service department since it is an unauthorized opera tion,” the complaint alleges.
The canal area highlighted in blue is owned by Hunters Point and extends to the Cortez Village Marina’s western boundary, right.
Bradenton Beach police are down a patrol car after an officer was hit on Aug. 22.
AUGUST 31, 2022 www.amisun.com THE SUN 11 5350 Gulf Drive Holmes Beac h (941) 251-3681 6854 Gulf of Mexico Dr Longboat Key (941) 953-1835 5346 Gulf Drive Holmes Beac h (941) 778-5788 5344 Gulf Drive Holmes Beac h (941) 779-BEER CAFE open at 7:00 am fre sh baked goods daily brew, e spre sso latte, cold brew smoothie s, juice s & more BEER & WINE BAR open until 10:00 pm curated wine s craft beer light plate s, salads & more 6858 Gulf of Mexico Dr Longboat Key (941) 260-5650 We also look forward to s erving you at:
SUBMITTED
The complaint notes MHC Cortez Village’s 2021 complaint and recent testimony by McPadden confirmed the marina also operates a service department.“Themarina has therefore admit ted it is violating the permit which states, ‘Boat maintenance or repair activities requiring removal of a vessel from the water, or removal of major portions of the vessel, for purposes of routine repair or main tenance shall be prohibited for the life of the facility, except where re moval is necessitated by emergency conditions which have resulted in or can result in the sinking of a ves sel,’” the complaint states.
The complaint notes McPadden and boat captain Chris Karentz tes tified that many marina clients are inexperienced boaters who could potentially collide with the pro posed Hunters Point docks.
“Therefore, there are no reason able assurances that the marina is complying with the stormwa ter conditions of the permit,” the complaint alleges. “CRIF personnel have seen, during heavy storms, surface water flowing from the marina property into the canal. This results in the release of oils, greases, lubricants, gases and other fluids into the private canal which discharges to the ICW and then Anna Maria Sound.”
JASON SCHAFFER |
HUNTERS Files complaint against Cortez Village
Masi was not seriously injured, al though both the driver and passenger side airbags deployed in the accident, Lt. Lenard Diaz said. Masi was not at fault in the colli sion, which did significant damage to the front end of the Ford patrol car.
Bradenton Beach officer involved in crash
BY JASON SCHAFFER SUN CORRESPONDENT | jschaffer@amisun.com
POINT:
MANATEEMarinaCOUNTYPROPERTYAPPRAISER
BRADENTON BEACH - While on his way to work on Aug. 22, Bradenton Beach Police Officer Steven Masi was sitting in traffic in Palmetto when a car cut across the road in front of him, smashing into the front of his Bradenton Beach Police patrol car.
SUN Bradenton Beach Police Officer Steven Masi escaped serious injury after he was hit on his way to work, but his patrol car sustained severe damage.
FROM PAGE 4 “The marina admits in its petition that the marina has 365 permanent boat slips. During testimony, the marina’s general manager, Skip Mc Padden, also admitted the marina has additional temporary boat slips. Condition number 45 of the DEP permit states the permittee shall ensure the docking facility will be limited to a total of 295 boat slips –272 dry and 23 wet – inclusive of all shoreline and upland storage,” the complaint says.
“There’s been a crash there the past three days in a row,” Diaz said. “It was near Haben Boulevard. People stop and let cars through onto Seventh Street; it’s a bad place forDiazaccidents.”saidthe department is still waiting on an estimate, so they don’t yet have the details on how extensive the damage is.
The complaint references a website that states Cortez Village Marina clients can do their own repairs and the marina offers hull, engine and propellor repairs.
The complaint also alleges the marina has not complied with re porting requirements for its storm water and drainage system.
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During the first public hear ing, Chief Ben Rigney gave an overview of the proposed $13,621,463 budget, noting that no significant changes had been made since the proposed budget was first reviewed by commissioners in May. The budget includes $4,899,475 in assigned re serve funds and $8,721,988 in planned expenditures.
12 THE SUN www.amisun.com AUGUST 31, 2022
KRISTIN SWAIN | SUN
Board readies to finalize fire district budget
One significant departure of the 2022-23 budget from years past is the lack of debt services. Rigney noted that with the use of some reserve funds, the district is now debt-free, a status he plans to maintain by saving over a period of years for large capital expenses, such as the purchase of new fire engines and remodeling of fire sta tions. The 2022-23 fiscal year begins Oct. 1. The Sept. 13 meeting is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. at the administration building at 701 63rd St. W. in Braden ton. It also can be viewed live on Zoom. Visit www.wmfr.org for more information.
BY KRISTIN SWAIN SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com
WMFR staff celebrates two promotions
Battalion Chief Chad Brunner congratulates Gabriel Gonzalez and William Thomas on their promotions to third class firefighter/paramedics with West Manatee Fire Rescue during the district’s Aug. 16 board meeting.
WMFR commissioners scheduled a final assessment rate and budget public hearing for Tuesday, Sept. 13.
MANATEE COUNTY –Property owners in the West Manatee Fire Rescue District will have an opportunity to speak about or appeal their fire assessment rates for the com ing year on Tuesday, Sept. 13. Commissioners unanimously approved the first reading of the proposed 2022-23 budget during an Aug. 16 meeting and public hearing. No one from the public offered comments on the budget, which contains a 4% increase for property owners in the district. If the budget passes a final vote from commissioners, the average residential property owner will see an increase of an average of $13, while com mercial property owners can expect the district’s non-ad valorem assessment to in crease an average of $30. The assessment rate increase is to allow WMFR staff to con tinue providing non-transport advanced life support medi cal service as well as to fund planned salary increases and future capital expenditures.
The Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce is hosting a breakfast at Wicked Cantina on Thursday, Sept. 1 from 7:30-9 a.m. The cost to attend is $10 for members and $18 for prospective members. Monthly Chamber events provide the opportunity to mingle with other members and promote their businesses.
This year’s Bayfest event is going environmen tally green by selling most beer, water and soda in aluminum cans and bottles. The containers can be placed in recycle receptacles at the event or put into a recycle dumpster provided by Waste Management.
Chamber breakfast at Wicked Cantina
hisanswerandadjacenterslettersTitsworthsaletoapproximatelyTheStephenforadjacentsubmerged/unbuildabletwolotstothepreserve$20,000fromownerSherwoodFoster.vacantparcelwilladd0.189acresthepreservewhentheclosesonAug.31.saidshe’dsenttoallpropertyownwithvacantlotslocatedtothepreserveFosterwasthefirsttothathe’dliketosellpropertytothecity.
SUBMITTED | CITY OF HOLMES BEACH
The dark green line shows the location of the two lots being purchased by city leaders to add to Grassy Point Preserve in Holmes Beach.
Attendees are invited to bring a raffle prize with their company name on it to have their business an nounced to attendees when it is presented to a win ner. Reserve a spot by emailing becky@amichamber. org or calling 941-778-1541. Bayfest goes green
Holmes Beach city leaders are adding two more lots to Grassy Point Preserve. Commissioners agreed to allow Mayor Judy Titsworth to enter into a contract to purchase
Commissioners approve Grassy Point purchase
Organizers at the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce also are looking for business owners who would like to donate drink sleeves or koozies for the event, providing an advertising opportunity for businesses and a way for patrons to keep their drinks cool. If interested in donating drink sleeves or other sponsorship opportunities, contact the Chamber at 941-778-1541. The 21st Annual Bayfest takes place Saturday, Oct. 15 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Pine Av enue in Anna Maria and features live music, vendors, food, drinks, a car show and more.
AUGUST 31, 2022 www.amisun.com THE SUN 13 WHERE‛S YOUR COMFORT ZONE?
Andrews organizes and books the mu sicians who play Thursdays in Paradise, playing about once a month himself. He says one of their favorite things to do is invite children to join them and play a set of bongo drums. He added that they always have a couple of drums ready. On Aug. 25, Quinn Gersch, who was watch ing the show with her father, jammed for an entire song, keeping the beat with the onstage musicians.
Enjoy Thursdays in Para dise every week on Bridge Street in Bradenton Beach from 5-8 p.m.
“There’re 25 local artists, maybe more, who feature their work in here,” Coring Finnie said of Cove Gallery and Boutique on Bridge Street, one of the retail stops open late during the weekly event. Finnie is one of the gallery’s staff and featured artists. “The ones who are really local work in the shop behind the counter and stuff.” Cove is just one of the many shops that participate in Thursdays in Paradise. Other participants include the Back Alley, Sea-renity Beach Spa and Bou-Tiki, Bridge Street Interiors, Island Donut Company, The Fudge Factory and more. Thursdays in Paradise also features live music with something everyone can tap their feet to.
BRADENTON BEACH - Art, crafts, food and live music are just some of the things that make the free Thursdays in Paradise a great event for anyone visiting historic Bridge Street on a Thursday evening. The weekly event features late closing hours for area retail shops and a laid-back vibe that will put visitors and locals alike in an island state of mind.
14 THE SUN www.amisun.com AUGUST 31, 2022
BY JASON SCHAFFER SUN CORRESPONDENT | jschaffer@amisun.com
“We had no idea this was going on,” Tif fanie Smith said, commenting that she and her family stumbled across the event while on a tour of Anna Maria Island. “It really is a beautiful place, and this street is really cool.”Thursdays in Paradise takes place every week from 5 p.m. to at least 8 p.m.
JASON SCHAFFER | SUN Left, Luke Andrews and Zack Lieb perform live on Bridge Street as part of Thursdays in Paradise while Quinn Gersch joins in on the bongos. Right, Ryan, Tiffanie, Addison, Chase and Easton Smith, along with Misty Dalehite and their tour guide, Susan Johnson, from Key Culinary tours, enjoy the Thursdays in Paradise event in Bradenton Beach.
“We rotate every week,” musician Luke Andrews said. “I used to do it every Thurs day for a year solid, but they wanted to bring in new people, so I got some friends that“Tonightcome.” is Zack’s night, but I like to get up and play with him; he used to stop by and play with me,” Andrews said of fellow musician Zack Lieb. “It’s great to have him here.”
Family fun happens on Bridge Street
”Mote is uniquely situated to create solu tions through applied science, and the Red Tide Initiative is a perfect example, as we’re bringing together scientists, engineers, businesses, academic institutions and fed eral, state and local government partners to collaboratively develop and commercialize harmful algae bloom mitigation tools and technologies,” said Dr. Michael P. Crosby, president and CEO of Mote. Many red tides produce toxic chemicals that can affect both marine organisms and humans. The red tide organism in Florida, Karenia brevis, produces brevetoxins that can affect the central nervous system of fish and other vertebrates, causing these animals to die. Wave action can break open the cells and release these toxins into the air, leading to respiratory irritation. For people with severe or chronic respiratory conditions, such as emphysema or asthma, red tide can cause serious illness. The red tide toxins can also accumulate in mollusks such as oysters and clams, which can lead to neurotoxic shellfish poisoning in people who consume contaminated shellfish, ac cording to the Mote Marine website. At high enough concentrations, Florida red tide can discolor water a red, brown, rusty orange or even slightly greenish hue. The water can also remain its normal color during a bloom. Health officials recommend that people experiencing symptoms stay away from the water and go inside to an air-conditioned space with closed windows and a clean A/C filter. Wearing masks, especially during onshore winds, is also advised. Health officials warn against swimming near dead fish, and advise keeping pets away from dead fish and seafoam, which can contain high concentrations of red tide.
BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | leslielake@aol.com ANNA MARIA ISLAND - Red tide’s historic disruption to coastal life - fish kills, human respiratory problems, beach closures and damage to the fishing and tourism industries - was the impetus for a recent meeting of scientists, engineers and government representatives to review op tions for red tide mitigation.
• Concentrating naturally produced compounds from certain macro-algae (sea weeds) to be used to fight red tide blooms in the wild, • Use of algae to serve as a natural con trol parasite for red tide blooms.
A partnership between Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Com mission (FWC), known as the Red Tide Mitigation and Technology Development Initiative, is an effort among researchers to develop prevention and mitigation strate gies to lessen the economic and ecological impacts of red tide.
• Ozonation - a patented process already used to remove red tide in the water enter ing the Mote Aquarium and the marine mammal and sea turtle hospitals, • “Living dock” structures covered with filter-feeding animals that remove red tide from limited areas of water,
AUGUST 31, 2022 www.amisun.com THE SUN 15
High (respiratory irritation, shellfish harvesting closures, fish kills, water discoloration) Medium (probable respiratory irritation, shellfish harvesting closures, fish kills) Low (possible respiratory irritation, shellfish harvesting closures, fish kills) Very low (possible respiratory irritation) Background (no effects) None (no red tide present)
The initiative began in June 2019 when Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law Florida Statute 379.2273 to establish and support a $3 million appropriation from the general revenue fund to the FWC each year for six years. The FWC in turn awards funds to Mote to achieve the following goals: To bring together scientists to determine methods of mitigating adverse impacts of red tide; development of large-scale field testing; creation of detection systems to support red tide forecasting, response and control; expansion of beach conditions reporting and local outreach; and develop ment of smartphone apps to engage the public, according to Mote.org. To those ends, Mote hosted a workshop on Aug. 11-12 when more than 75 scien tists, engineers and representatives from government agencies gathered to review research, discuss deployment options, un derstand the regulatory steps and agencies involved, and plan for intellectual property and commercialization issues that may arise, according to a Mote Marine press release.Mote Marine is investigating multiple po tential control and mitigation tools such as:
Scientists, researchers discuss red tide at Mote RED TIDE REPORT
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AUGUST 31, 2022 www.amisun.com THE SUN 17
BUSINESS ANTIQUE/COLLECTIBLE STORE GINNY’S & JANE E’S 9807 Gulf Drive Anna Maria, 778-3170 AUTOHOLMESSERVICEBEACH AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE 5333 Gulf Drive Holmes Beach, 779-0487 BAIT & TACKLE SHOP ANNIE’S BAIT & TACKLE 4334 127th St. W. Cortez, 794-3580 BANKHANCOCK WHITNEY BANK 5324 Gulf Drive Holmes Beach, 778-4900 BIKEBEACHRENTALBUMS RENTALS 427 Pine Ave. Anna Maria, 778-3316 BOATING STORE WEST MARINE Bradenton, 34208 CARBLUEWASHDOLPHIN 505 Cortez Rd W Bradenton, 34207 CARPET CLEANER FAT CAT CARPET CLEANING 3801 9th Ave W. Bradenton, 778-2882 CBDLIVESTORENATURALLY 5337 Gulf Dr #200 Holmes Beach, 34217 CLOTHING STORE IRENE’S RESORT WEAR 5308 Marina Drive Holmes Beach, 778-7605 CONVENIENCE STORE ANNA MARIA GENERAL STORE AND DELI 503 Pine Ave. Anna Maria, 779-9200 DRYCOURTESYCLEANERCLEANERS 7421 Manatee Ave. W. Bradenton, 794-5145 ELECTRICIANANTHONY’S HEATING AND COOLING 1614 20th St. E. Palmetto, 749-5307 FITNESSTHEVILLAGE HEALTH @ WELLNESS FLOORWADE’SCOVERINGS 2911 Cortez Rd W Bradenton, 941-758-504934210 FLORISTBLOOMS BY THE BEACH 2501 Gulf BradentonDriveBeach, 778-2555 GIFTIRENE’SSHOPRESORT WEAR 5308 Marina Drive Holmes Beach, 778-7605 GOLF CART RENTAL BEACH BUMS 427 Pine Ave Anna Maria, 778-3316 GROCERY STORE PUBLIX SUPERMARKET 3900 East Bay Drive Holmes Beach, 778-5422 HAIRSALTSALONANDSCISSORS SALON 313C Pine Ave Holmes Beach, 961-4458 HARDWARE STORE TRUE VALUE 5324 Marina Drive Holmes Beach, 778-2811 HEAT & ANTHONY’SAIR HEATING AND COOLING 1614 20th St. E. Palmetto, 749-5307 HOMEWASHBUILDERFAMILY CONSTRUCTION 407 72nd St Holmes Beach, 941-725-0073 HOTEL/MOTELCOMPASSHOTEL 12324 Manatee Ave W. Bradenton, 741-9700 JEWELRYIRENE’SSTORERESORT WEAR 5308 Marina Drive Holmes Beach, 778-7605 LIQUORHURRICANESTOREHANKS LIQUOR 5344 Gulf Dr Holmes Beach, 941-779-2337 MANICURISTJESSICA Salt and Scissors Salon 313C Pine Ave Holmes Beach, 961-4458 noth ing brings people gotogetherlikeodfood 941.778.1515 | 111 South Bay Blvd | Anna Maria Island, FL. 18 THE SUN www.amisun.com AUGUST 31, 2022 SEE READERS, PAGE 19
AUGUST 31, 2022 www.amisun.com THE SUN 19 FROM PAGE 18 MARINAKEYES MARINA 5501 Marina Dr Holmes Beach, 941-778-1977 MEN’SPINEAPPLEAPPARELJUNCTION 425 Pine Ave Anna Maria, 941-216-4226 OUTDOOR SPORTS STORE AMI OUTFITTERS COASTAL GEAR & APPAREL 401 Pine Ave. Anna Maria, 254-4996 PACK & ISLANDSHIPMAIL & MORE 3230 East Bay Drive Holmes Beach, 778-1911 PAINTERRONWELDONWELDONCUSTOM PAINTING 4202 2nd Ave NW Bradenton, 941-714-0229 PESTANNACONTROLMARIA PEST CONTROL 11610 3rd Ave. E. Bradenton, 778-1630 PETTHEGROOMINGPAWSPA 5343 Gulf Drive Holmes Beach, 778-0885 PETPETCOSTOREANIMAL SUPPLIES 6757 Manatee Ave. W. Bradenton, 792-1295 PHARMACISTJOE–WALGREENS 3200 East Bay Drive. Holmes Beach, 778-0451 PHARMACYWALGREENS 3200 East Bay Drive Holmes Beach, 778-0451 PLUMBERAIR&ENERGY 555 6th Ave. W. Bradenton, 778-0773 POOL POOLSTANDRYANCLEANERHOGANUPPOOLSCONTRACTORROYALPOOLSCAPES 7282 55th Ave E Bradenton, 218-2150 REAL ESTATE ASSOCIATE JOHN DAMATO Sato Real Estate Inc. 519 Pine Ave. Anna Maria, 778-7200 REAL ESTATE COMPANY SATO REAL ESTATE INC. 519 Pine Ave. Anna Maria, 778-7200 RENTAL COMPANY SATO REAL ESTATE INC. 519 Pine Ave. Anna Maria, 778-7200 RESORTANNA MARIA ISLAND RESORTS The Tortuga Inn 1325 Gulf BradentonDriveBeach, 778-6611 RETIREMENT COMMUNITY FREEDOM VILLAGE 6406 21st Ave W. Bradenton, 210-6153 SERVICEEASTERORGANIZATIONSEALS 350 Brown Ave Sarasota, 34243 355-7637 SERVICEGROOMSSTATIONAUTOMOTIVE 5608 Marina Dr Holmes Beach, 896-7898 SHOPPING CENTER ISLAND SHOPPING PLAZA 5414 Marina Dr Holmes Beach SOUVENIR SHOP BRIDGE ST BAZAAR 107 Bridge St Bradenton Beach, 778-3443 SPABODY & SOL SPA AND WELLNESS 9805 Gulf Dr Anna Maria, 941-650-5441 TRAVELSPLENDIDAGENCYESCAPE 941-724-0508 WINDOWGRAYHAWKREPAIRWINDOWS 6008 Cortez Rd W Bradenton, 941-527-7222 WOMEN’S APPAREL IRENE’S RESORT WEAR 5308 Marina Drive Holmes Beach, 778-7605 SEE READERS, PAGE 20
20 THE SUN www.amisun.com AUGUST 31, 2022 FROM PAGE 19 PEOPLE & PLACES ARCHITECTALLISON KAFFKA & ASSOCIATES 5303 4th Ave W Bradenton ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN EMILY ANNE SMITH LLC 527 74th St. Holmes Beach, 778-3113 ARTISLANDGALLERYGALLERY WEST 5368 Gulf Drive Holmes Beach, 778-6648 ATTORNEYNICKSATO 2071 Ringling Blvd. #400 Sarasota, 861-4400 BAND Pam Ward BAR & HARRY’SGRILLGRILL 9903 Gulf Drive Anna Maria, 567-5999 BARTENDERABBYMONDOHARRY’SBAR& GRILL 9903 Gulf Dr. Anna Maria, 941-567-5999 BEACHCOQUINA BEACH BOATSEAFOODAARONCAPTAINLOWMANSHACK 4110 127 St W Cortez, 941-465-8932 BUSINESS PERSON MIKE ANTHONY’SZEPPI HEATING & COOLING 1614 20th St. E. Palmetto, 749-5307 CATERERMOLLYTRAVELINGO’CONNORGOURMET Anna Maria, 405-7627 CHARITYROSER CHURCH 512 Pine Ave Anna Maria, 778-0414 CHEFEZIOISOLA BELLA ITALIAN EATERY 5904 Marina Dr Holmes Beach, 242-5309 CHIROPRACTORADJUSTYOUR LIFE 10910 SR 70E Ste. #101 Lakewood Ranch, 799-7207 DENTISTFLORIDA DENTAL CENTERS 5215 Manatee Ave W Bradenton, 941-792-7887 DOCTORSTEPHEN PELHAM, M.D. 3909 East Bay Drive #100 Holmes Beach, 778-1007 EYEEYECARECENTER 65106 Manatee Ave W Bradenton, 941-795-2020 FINANCIAL PLANNER EDWARD JONES JB 3226TuckerEast Bay Dr. Holmes Beach, 779-2499 FISHINGCHARTERGRAHAMCHARTERSLAMFISHING 4628 119th St W Cortez, 779-4078 INTERIOR DESIGN HOLLY LOGAN 1863 Irving St Sarasota, 952-9490 INDIVIDUAL ENTERTAINER STEVE ARVERY stevearvey@aol.com MASSAGE THERAPY ALUNA WELLNESS 2219 Gulf Dr N Bradenton beach, 778-8400 PERSONALBREANNATRAINERNEWTON Home Fitness by Bre SCHOOLANNA MARIA ELEMENTARY 4700 Gulf Drive Holmes Beach, 708-5525 SCHOOL TEACHER KIM WILDER Gene Witt Elementary 200 Rye Rd E Bradenton VETERINARIANCONNORBYSTROMPALMASOLAANIMAL CLINIC 6116 Manatee Ave W. Bradenton, 794-3275 SEE READERS, PAGE 27
AUGUST 31, 2022 www.amisun.com THE SUN 21 For All Your HVAC and ElectricalNeeds Call Anthony's ...We're in Your Neighborhood! (941) 778-0100 6X AwardWinnerMikeZeppi, Favorite Business Person
22 THE SUN www.amisun.com AUGUST 31, 2022 Live Music ~ Gulf View Dining ~ Full Parking BRADENTON BEACH ~ 101 7th St. Nor th ~ Open Daily 7:30 am - 10 pm SARASOTA ~ 1603 N. Tamiami Trail ~ Open Daily 11 am - 10 pm Happy Hour 12 - 5 Daily and ALL DAY Sunday Tacos Burgers SeafoodThank you! FAVORITE MARGARITA www WickedCantina.com FAVORITE MEXICAN RESTAURANT
AUGUST 31, 2022 www.amisun.com THE SUN 23 For All Your Electrical& HVACNeeds Call Anthony's ...We're in Your Neighborhood! (941) 778-0100 6X AwardWinner Favorite Electrician Live Music on our Patio Anna Maria'sFavorite Hang Out ThanksAgain ThanksAgain Island Gallery West 5368 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, AMI Open Tuesday - Sunday 10am-5pm islandgallerywest.com (941)778-6648 anks to all you wonderful art lovers and Sun readers that voted for Island Galler y West as your favorite local art galler y! Come visit us soon and see the best artwork the Island has to o er.2022 Voted Anna Maria Island’s Favorite Art Galler y!
24 THE SUN www.amisun.com AUGUST 31, 2022
AUGUST 31, 2022 www.amisun.com THE SUN 25
26 THE SUN www.amisun.com AUGUST 31, 2022 Best Sub/Sandwich&Café on AMI THANK YOU SO MUCH!TTHHAANNKK YOYOUU SOSO MMUUCCHH!!
AUGUST 31, 2022 www.amisun.com THE SUN 27 FROM PAGE VETERINARIAN20 CLINIC DESOTO ANIMAL CLINIC 2910 Manatee Ave W Bradenton, 748-2637 VIEWSANDBAR RESTAURANT 100 Spring Ave Anna Maria, 778-0444 WAITER/WAITRESSMELISSASMILEYUGLYGROUPER 5704 Marina Drive Holmes Beach, 778-4402 YOGATHRIVESHARONINSTRUCTORMEIERYOGASTUDIO 8819 Cortez Rd W Bradenton, 570-497-7801 FOOD ENTERTAINMENT& BAGELPARADISESHOPBAGELS & CAFÉ 3220 E. Bay Drive Holmes Beach, 779-1212 BAKERYHOMETOWN DESSERTS 507 Pine Ave. Anna Maria, 896-3167 BARBEQUESMOQEHOUSE 1701 Gulf Drive N. Bradenton Beach, 242-5340 BREAKFASTGINNY’S& JANE E’S 9807 Gulf Drive Anna Maria, 778-3170 BURGERHARRY’S BAR & GRILL 9903 Gulf Drive Anna Maria, 567-5999 CAFÉCHEESECAKE CUTIE 3324 E Bay Dr Holmes Beach, 779-2253 CANDY STORE THE FUDGE FACTORY 117 Bridge St Bradenton Beach, 281-2501 ASIANOCEANRESTAURANTSTAR 902 S Bay Blvd Anna Maria, 251-6940 DELISCOTT’S DELI 6000 Marina Dr. Unit D Holmes Beach, 778-3000 FESTIVALCORTEZ FISHING FESTIVAL GERMAN RESTAURANT OLD HAMBURG SCHNITZELHAUS 3246 East Bay Drive Holmes Beach, 778-1320 GOLF COURSE KEY ROYALE GULF CLUB INC. 700 Key Royale Drive Holmes Beach, 778-3055 GROUPER SANDWICH ROD & REEL PIER 875 N Shore Dr Anna Maria, 778-1885 HEALTH FOOD STORE RICHARD’S FOODPORIUM 2601-B Manatee Ave W Bradenton, 749-0892 ICE CREAM SHOP TWO SCOOPS ICE CREAM 101 S. Bay Blvd. Anna Maria, 779-2422 ITALIAN RESTAURANT ISOLA BELLA ITALIAN EATERY 5904 Marina Drive Holmes Beach, 242-5309 KEY LIME HOMETOWNPIE DESSERTS 507 Pine Ave. Anna Maria, 896-3167 LIVEISLANDTHEATERPLAYERS 10009 Gulf Drive Anna Maria, 778-5755 MARGARITAWICKEDCANTINA 101 7th St. N. Bradenton Beach, 281-2990 MEXICANWICKEDRESTAURANTCANTINA 101 7th St. N. Bradenton Beach, 281-2990 MOST ROMANTIC RESTAURANT BEACH BISTRO 6600 Gulf Drive Holmes Beach, 778-6444 NEWTHERESTAURANTPORCH 9707 Gulf Dr N. Anna Maria, 782-8683 SEE READERS, PAGE 28 For All Your HVAC& ElectricalNeeds Call Anthony's ...We're in Your Neighborhood! (941) 778-0100 6X AwardWinner Favorite Heat&Air Business
28 THE SUN www.amisun.com AUGUST 31, 2022 FROM PAGE 27 NIGHTHARRY’SSPOTBAR & GRILL 9903 Gulf Drive Anna Maria, 567-5999 PIERROD AND REEL PIER 875 North Shore Drive Anna Maria, 778-1885 PIZZAOMA’S PIZZA AND ITALIAN RESTAURANT 201 Gulf Drive North Bradenton Beach, 778-0771 PLACE TO SEE SUNSET SANDBAR RESTAURANT 100 Spring Ave W Anna Maria, 778-0444 RESTAURANT (OVERALL) THE WATERFRONT 111 S Bay Blvd. Anna Maria, 778-1515 SEAFOODSTARFISHRESTAURANT 12306 6th Ave W Cortez, 794-1243 SPECIALTY COCKTAIL DR. OFFICE 5312 Holmes Blvd Holmes Beach, 213-9926 SPECIALTY GOURMET OCEAN STAR 902 S Bay Blvd Anna Maria, 251-6940 SUB/SANDWICHCHEESECAKECUTIE 3324 E Bay Dr Holmes Beach, 779-2253 TAKEOUTHARRY’S BAR & GRILL 9903 Gulf Drive Anna Maria, 567-5999
• Fill in the holes you dig in the sand before leaving the beach; they can trap nesting and hatching sea turtles, which cannot live long out of the water. To report large holes or other turtle obstacles, call:
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West Manatee Fire Rescue opens the storm drain on Bridge Street to rescue seven newly-hatched sea turtles that had become disoriented.
“We’ve already seen a bunch of them in the Circle K parking lot and on Bridge Street,” Tsakiri said. “None of those pipes lead out to the ocean, so they’re not crawling through the pipes, they have to be crossing the streets.”
During sea turtle season, May 1 – Oct. 31, follow these tips to help turtles:•Turn off lights visible from the beach and close blinds from sundown to sunrise; lights confuse nesting sea turtles and may cause them to go back to sea and drop their eggs in the water, where they won’t hatch. Light can also attract hatchlings away from the water.
•
As the shorebird nesting season ends on Aug. 31, there were no successful nesting birds on Anna Ma ria Island this year, accord ing to Kathy Doddridge, of Manatee County Audubon.
• Do not trim trees and plants that shield the beach from lights.
Where’s Esther? After becoming the proud mama of 47 newly-hatched loggerhead sea turtles on Aug. 19, Esther, who was satellite-tagged on Coquina Beach on June 20, continues her strong showing in the 2022 Tour de Turtles leaderboard. Esther’s highest ranking was fifth place three weeks ago, but she has fallen to seventh this week, lazily swimming a few miles out in the Gulf off the coast of Englewood. Esther has traveled a total of 180 miles since the official start of the Sea Turtle Conser vancy’s 13th Annual Tour de Turtles race, which began Aug. 1. Esther is one of 15 turtles competing in the event with the title going to the turtle that travels the farthest between Aug. 1 and Oct. 31, the end of turtle season. Esther is compet ing to raise awareness of light pollution. She is sponsored by Waterline Villas & Marinas and Mainsail Vacation Rentals.
SUBMITTED
DARK: Sea turtles nest in the dark. Lights disorient nesting sea turtles and distract hatchlings on their way to the ocean. Turn off flashlights, cell phone lights and porch lights. Hatchlings fol low the natural light from the moon.
•
• City of Bradenton Beach code enforcement — 941-778-1005, ext. 280.
• CLEAN: Keep the beach clean by picking up litter and removing tents, chairs and belongings at the end of the day. Sea turtles can get entangled in junk left on the beach.
“There was only one least tern nest with two eggs that was disbanded and predated, presumably by fish crows,” she said. The Island is a nesting home to several imperiled shorebird species, includ ing least terns, snowy plo vers, black skimmers and American oystercatchers.
Turtle nests laid: 528 (Record: 544 in 2019) False crawls: 490 (Record: 831 in 2010) Hatched nests: 351 Hatchlings: 28,479 Source: Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring
AUGUST 31, 2022 www.amisun.com THE SUN 29
• City of Anna Maria code en forcement — 941-708-6130, ext. 111.
TURTLE TIPS NESTING NEWS
Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring says there are many things people can do to minimize the chances of newly-hatched turtles being disoriented, but the three most important things are to keep the beach clean, dark and flat:
• Don’t use flashlights, lanterns or camera flashes on the beach at night.•Remove all beach chairs and other objects from the sand from sundown to sunrise; they can deter sea turtles from nesting and disori ent hatchlings.
While at least 30 people gathered to watch the rescue effort and take pic tures, Tsakiri said that he and the fire department were the ones who picked up the turtles and placed them in the box. Both departments have dealt with lost turtles on many occasions, and have considerable experience in do ing everything possible to get them to safety. The hatchling sea turtles were released into the Gulf of Mexico.
Sea turtles rescued on Bridge Street
The drains the turtles fell into were located in front of the Daiquiri Deck on one side of Bridge Street and in front of the Bridge Walk Hotel on the other side. Tsakiri says this isn’t the first time the turtles have lost their way and ended up on Bridge Street.
FLAT: A flat beach is a safe beach for nesting sea turtles, hatchlings and visitors as well. Fill in holes and knock down sandcastles before leaving the beach.It’snot just turtles that find them selves needing rescue. Tsakiri said just a couple of days before the turtles became trapped, he found a seagull he thought had been killed. “I picked it up on the street and it wasn’t moving, so I brought it to my patrol car and as I was walking it just came back to life,” Tsakiri said. “I took it up to Ed Straight’s place, Wildlife Inc., and he said it was doing really well. I think they’re going to let it go today.”Tsakiri has also rescued a raccoon stuck in a car engine bay, a large lizard that somebody had as a pet and let go, and while admittedly not a fan of snakes, he recalled a time recently when he had to wrangle a pet boa constrictor someone released. It wound up in a woman’s laundry room on Bay Drive.OnAnna Maria Island, police of ficers’ jobs entail much more than just helping the public and fighting crime, they are often the first ones, and some times the only ones, available to save the wildlife that is part of what makes the Island such a unique place. Anyone that comes across an animal in distress or observes a non-native species such as a constrictor snake should contact the local police de partment or wildlife experts such as Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Inc. at 941-778-6324. Do not attempt to assist wild animals without consulting a professional. Even animals that may appear docile or look like they are dead may not be, and bites from many ani mals can carry diseases such as rabies, or even be venomous.
• City of Holmes Beach code enforcement — 941-778-0331, ext. 260.•Level sandcastles before leaving the beach; they can block hatch lings from the water.
BRADENTON BEACH - Sea turtle nesting season is in full swing on the Island, and while some locals and visi tors have been lucky enough to get a glimpse of newly-hatched babies head ing from their nest to the Gulf of Mexi co, it doesn’t always go as planned. That was the case on Aug. 24 when someone reported they saw turtle hatch lings in the storm drain on Bridge Street.
BY JASON SCHAFFER SUN CORRESPONDENT | jschaffer@amisun.com
Bradenton Beach Police and West Manatee Fire Rescue collaborated to rescue seven baby sea turtles that fell in a storm drain in Bradenton Beach.
Bradenton Beach Police Officer John Tsakiri arrived on the scene and knew they needed to act quickly to rescue the“Theyturtles.probably
hatched the night be fore, got disoriented and came across Gulf Drive where they fell in the storm grate,” Tsakiri said. “Somebody saw them and told the manager of Island Time, who was looking for me, so I called the fire department and asked if they could come and open up these big metal grates. They came down, we got a big box, and lifted the two grates up where we got three (turtles) out of one drain and four out of the other one.”
Shorebird season disappointing
• Never touch a sea turtle; it’s the law. If you see people disturb ing turtles, call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Com mission’s Wildlife Alert hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).
• Don’t use balloons, wish lan terns or fireworks; they litter the beach and Gulf, and turtles can ingest the debris.
uncoast Waterkeeper’s new Execu tive Director Abbey Tyrna brings an impressive record of accomplishments Tyrna received her doctorate in geography from Pennsylvania State University in 2015, where she researched the effects of develop ment on wetlands. Tyrna earned a master’s degree in wetland science and management in 2008 from Louisiana State University and has a Bachelor of Science degree in environ mental studies from Florida State University. She has taught at Penn State University and State College of Florida. She has honed her leadership skills serv ing as secretary of the Florida Association of Natural Resources Extension Profes sionals while co-creating and chairing the Society of Wetland Scientists’ Wetlands of Distinction initiative. She has been a mem ber of the UF/IFAS Extension and Sarasota County Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. In addition, she is a technical advisor for the Natural Assets Advisory Committee with the Palmer Ranch Com munity Association in Sarasota. Before joining Suncoast Waterkeeper, Tyrna worked with Sarasota County gov ernment and the University of Florida to help bring scientific knowledge and exper tise to the public as a water resources agent for UF/IFAS Extension and Sustainability.
30 THE SUN OUTDOORS AUGUST 31, 2022
"In seventh grade, I got to walk through Six Mile Cypress in Fort Myers,” she said. “I was in water up to my chest and I couldn't have been happier. Even though it was 30plus years ago, I still remember the serenity of the swamp and the feel of the water. I knew the swamp was special and learned it was connected to our limited groundwater resources. From that day on, I devoted my education to learning about wetlands and protecting Florida waters.” She believes working with Suncoast Waterkeeper is a natural extension of that"Atwork.Suncoast Waterkeeper, I plan to ex pand our waterway monitoring efforts and staff capacity to engage the community and influence decision-makers to protect our waters,” Tyrna said of her future plans with the organization. “I will be intentional in my effort to seek out diverse voices and points of view. In doing so, I hope to lead Suncoast Waterkeeper to realize its vision of clean water for all."
Tyrna lives in Sarasota County with her husband, two kids and their dog. She likes to kayak and paddleboard with her kids and intends to explore every creek and bay on the Suncoast. CHINNIS
RUSTY CHINNIS | SUN Suncoast Waterkeeper Executive Director Ab bey Tyrna takes a water sample from one of the area's creeks.
TimeReel RUSTY
“The board of Suncoast Waterkeeper is proud to welcome someone with Tyrna’s experience and credentials,” founder Justin Bloom said. “The board and I look forward to taking this organization to the next level under the direction of someone with the dedication, energy and expertise of Abbey Tyrna.” Raised in Cape Coral on Florida’s west coast, Tyrna realized the importance of clean water, ponds, creeks and coastal estuaries as a child.
Meet Suncoast Waterkeeper’s Abbey Tyrna
CAPT. KEVIN WESSEL | SUBMITTED
CAPT. RICK GRASSETT September is one of my favorite months. Reds should be schooling on shallow grass flats and you also might find big trout there at first light. Baitfish along beaches will attract Spanish mackerel, false albacore (little tunny), sharks, tarpon and more. You should find snook around docks and bridges in the ICW. There also should be tarpon around bridges at night and in areas of Tampa Bay and Charlotte Har bor. Juvenile tarpon from 10 to 30 pounds should be a good option in creeks and canals. Tarpon will still be a good option this month. There may still be a few singles, doubles and small schools in the coastal Gulf and if you’ve got the patience to wait them out it can be good. Many have moved to inside waters this month, so you’ll find them around bridges, over deep grass flats or deeper areas. When tarpon move into these areas, they are in a feeding mode. After a long migration and with their spawning duties completed, they need to rest and eat to restore themselves. Ladyfish will feed in glass min now schools and tarpon will gorge themselves on ladyfish. I have also seen tarpon, “ball” glass minnows into tight schools, and eat them by the bucket full! DOA Baitbusters, TerrorEyz and DOA Shrimp are my favorite tarpon lures this time of year. Fly anglers should score with wide profile patterns, such as Lefty’s Deceiver or EP flies. Small flies, like my Grassett Snook Minnow, tied on a 1/0 or 2/0 hook, are another good choice for tarpon that are feeding on glassYouminnows.shouldfind snook this month around docks and bridges close to passes. They will also start making their move towards shallow flats where you might find them staging along sand bars or in potholes. Surface walking top water plugs or fly popper and Gurglers may draw some big strikes in shallow water early in the day. I often fish lighted docks and bridges for snook before dawn before moving to the flats after daylight. CAL jigs with shad tails and jerk worms, DOA Shrimp or small white flies, like my Grassett Snook Minnow, should all work well. The same lures and flies that work at night will be good for fishing the surf, too. Reds are usually in large schools in September. You may find them in shallow water when the tide is high or along the edges of flats when the tide is low. Look for wakes, some as big as boat wakes, or “pushes” to locate them. If it is calm, a school of reds may look like a nervous patch of water or if there’s a ripple on the surface, the school may ap pear as a slick patch of water.
AUGUST 31, 2022 www.amisun.com THE SUN 31
Once you’ve located them, try to get in front of them and work around the edges of the school to avoid spooking the whole school. DOA PT-7 top water baits, shallow running DOA Baitbusters and CAL 3” & 4” shad tails should work well for spin anglers. Fly anglers should score with fly poppers, Gurglers and wide profile baitfish fly patterns. I like to be as quiet as pos sible in shallow water, using a push pole to move my boat. It is great to find a big school of reds but remember, if you spook one fish you may spook the whole school. Running an outboard may make fish show themselves, but in the long run it will make them harder to catch. I sometimes also find big jacks and blues mixed with schools of big reds in shallow water. Not a bad problem! Spotted trout fishing should also be good this month. Regu lations have changed with a three-fish-per person bag limit and a six fish boat limit. Trout must be from 15”-19” with one allowed per vessel over 19”. Full regulations and details on trout and other species can be viewed at https://myfwc.com/ . Look for big trout in skinny wa ter in many of the same places that you find reds this month. They will be most active in low light, either first thing in the morning or at dusk, particu larly if we’ve had an afternoon shower. Cloud cover in the afternoon will also reduce heating of shallow flats, which usually makes fish more active. The same lures and flies that you use for reds will work well for big trout in shallow water You may also find trout mixed with blues, pompano, Spanish mackerel, flounder and more on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay. I like to drift and cast ahead of my drift with DOA Deadly Combos or CAL jigs with shad tails or jerk worms. Fly anglers should do well with an Ultra Hair Clouser fly fished on a clear intermedi ate sink tip. In addition to mak ing a series of drifts to find fish, focus on bait schools, break ing fish or diving birds to find fish. You may find tripletail on buoys, crab trap floats or chan nel markers in Sarasota Bay this month. A DOA Shrimp, CAL jig or a lightly weighted fly with a weed guard should get the job done.
Redfish, snook out in force
Libby and Brandy Ponder display a pair of nice reds caught recently while fishing with Capt. Kevin Wessel of Barefoot Fishin’ Guide Service.
SEE CAPTAINS, PAGE 32
CAPT. KEVIN WESSEL Anglers fishing with me last week at Barefoot Fishin’ Guide Service caught good numbers of redfish and snook in shal low waters. These afternoon storms continue to cool the flats ever so slightly, which fish respond well to. When the wa ter has consistently been 88-89 degrees and it drops to 83-84 degrees after a rain shower, that can make all the differ ence in having good luck. Moving out a little deeper (in 6 foot or deeper water), seagrass is holding good numbers of spotted seatrout and mangrove snapper. Look for moving water to have your best bites. If you’re looking for juvenile tarpon, this is the month! They absolutely love freshwater run off after these thunderstorms. Concentrate your efforts on these little guys from first light to 9 a.m., as that is your best chance to spot them rolling and “gulping” air on calm mornings. Anglers preferring lures will have the best luck at first light throwing top water plugs. Focus on mullet schools and ambush points, such as oyster bars, mangrove edges and points.
32 THE SUN www.amisun.com AUGUST 31, 2022
The terms and conditions addressed in the proposed agreement call for the county and its contractor to cover the costs of any pier improvements, permits, studies or maintenance required for the use of the City Pier as a water taxi stop. The proposed agreement states the county shall assume all legal liability for the water taxi service. It also states the county must provide the city with a detailed plan before the city com mission is asked to approve the City Pier as a water taxi stop. To better protect the city, Commissioner Jon Crane, a former California attorney, suggested strengthening the language that pertains to the county’s liability and indem nificationCommissionerresponsibilities.DeanieSebring suggest ed including a commission-recommended fare amount in the proposed interlocal agreement. Murphy advised against including a specific fare and suggested instead the inclusion of language that says the proposed fee for passengers travel ing between Anna Maria and downtown Bradenton must be approved by the city commission.Commissioners Carol Carter and Mark Short suggested adding language to the agreement that specifies the water taxis must stop at the City Pier twice during each round trip from downtown Braden ton to Bradenton Beach and back.
FROM PAGE 3
You should also find tripletail along with cobia, false albacore (little tunny) and Spanish mackerel in the coastal Gulf this month. Look for surface activity to find the mackerel and albies and cast small white flies or CAL jigs with shad tails to them. I don’t usually target kings but will occasion ally catch one around the edges of a feeding frenzy. Look for feeding frenzies that begin with ladyfish feeding in glass minnow schools and may end with everything else, including sharks or tarpon, joining the fray. Remember to “match the hatch” to be suc cessful. You may need to add wire to your leader when toothy fish are around. While you are looking for mackerel and albies in the coastal Gulf, you can also look for tripletail and cobia. However, since stone crab traps haven’t hit the water yet this season, there are fewer places for them to be. In addition to abandoned crab trap floats, check channel markers, buoys and any floating debris. Artificial reefs are another good area to check. A DOA Bait buster, 4” CAL shad tail or a wide profile fly should be good choices for cobia. Most tarpon flies also work well for cobia. There are lots of options this month, but the key is usually to fish early or late for the best chance at success. An early start for snook or tarpon around lighted docks or bridges and then on to the flats for reds, trout and more is a good plan. There should also be good action in the coastal Gulf for a variety of species. I usually tarpon fish as long as I can, wherever I find them! Our natural resources are under constant pres sure from red tides fueled by residential, ag ricultural and industrial runoff, toxic spills and discharges, freezes, increasing fishing pressure and habitat loss and degradation, please limit your kill, don’t kill your limit! snook out in force
FROM PAGE 31
CAPTAINS: Redfish,
WATER TAXI: agreement discussed
means of public transportation to and from the Island for visitors, residents and service workers.“It’snot going to be a $50 ride to come to work,” Murphy said when noting service workers are a critical component of the proposed water taxi endeavor.
HURRICANES: Season's second half could be unusually active
AUGUST 31, 2022 www.amisun.com THE SUN 33 Voted Favorite: Live Music, Night Spot, Takeout, Grill and Burger 2017,2019,2020,2021,2022 COVID-19 high in Manatee County AUG. 22 Cases 232 % Positivity 24.01% Deaths 4 % Eligible population vaccinated 73.1% New hospital admissions 70 AUG. 29 Cases 184 % Positivity 20.29% Deaths 0 % Eligible population vaccinated 73.2% New hospital admissions 66 Source: Centers for Disease Control Manatee County community level of COVID-19 transmission
NOAA forecasters have slightly decreased the likelihood of an abovenormal Atlantic hurricane season to 60% from the May prediction of 65%, but more than 60% of hurricanes that make landfall do so after the peak of the season in September.
“We’re just getting into the peak months of August through October for hurricane development, and we antici pate that more storms are on the way,” NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad said. “I urge everyone to remain vigilant as we enter the peak months of hurricane season,” U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said. For The Sun’s Hurricane Guide, visit hurricane-guide/www.amisun.com/2022/05/31/
FROM PAGE 5 seven become hurricanes, including three major hurricanes.
34 THE SUN REAL ESTATE AUGUST 31, 2022 What’s happened in the last two years with the rise of COVID-19 has changed our culture, our housing and our geography so much that it’s hard to wrap your brain around it. Everything we do has the cloud of the pandemic over it in small and big ways. But eventually, those changes will fade and some of the cultural changes will also start to fade. What then? The way I view it through my real estatesoaked brain is that remote work has been the number one factor in the shifting real estate market. The fortunate people who had jobs that could be performed remotely were encouraged, and in some cases mandated, by their employers to leave the office. Many of these white-collar workers moved out of major metropolitan hubs and into small towns or small cities, increasing the population substantially. According to an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank, people migrating from high-cost, large metro areas to small cities, towns and rural areas was about 15% higher during the four quarters ending in March compared with the average for the three-year period preceding the pandemic. All of this increase in population based on remote work also reshuffled the hous ing markets. Home values went up, new businesses were started, school enrollments increased and workers who said they would never leave major cities suddenly found themselves filling the bird feeders in the morning instead of waiting in line for theirWecoffee.allknow that Florida has been one of the major beneficiaries of this reshuf fling, with real estate values increasing to unprecedented levels. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population of Florida increased by over 200,000 new residents between July 2020 to July 2021 and, of course, this does not include what the increase has been since July of last year. Unincorporated Manatee County, Bra denton and the three towns on Anna Maria Island were always considered small towns. There is no doubt that right in our own backyards we can see the benefit of remote work and how it has impacted our real estateNowmarket.it’stime to look at the July Manatee County real estate statistics recorded by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee. I’m sorry I’m a little late with this report, which came out while I was away.
The median sale price for single-family homes was $521,000, up 21.2% from last year. The average sale price was $689,490, up 21.7%. New listings were up 49.8% and closed sales were down 22.2%. The condo median sale price was $354,500, up 41.8% from last year, and the average sale price was $409,848, up 32.3%. New listings were up 11.3% and closed sales were down 20.9% Both single-family and condos had a median time to contract of nine days. We’re still seeing double-digit increases in sale prices with condos jumping ahead of single-family homes. But the real story is the increase in inventory and the decrease in sales. The supply and demand ratios are shifting, so watch those sale prices eventu ally take a hit. Being someone who was born and worked most of my adult life in New York City, I can’t believe that the major cities are dead. Cities offer culture and energy that is hard to find outside of that environment. They don’t, however, offer beaches, moun tains or small-town life. How long will this new lifestyle last - who knows? I can’t help thinking that eventually, you start thinking there’s more to life than filling the bird feeder.
Is Florida the new New York? Castles in the Sand LOUISE BOLGER
Charles A. Fuller
Gifts to honor Charlie’s memory may be made to http://firsttee.org. You may view the live services at https://view.oneroomstreaming.com/ Brown & Sons Funeral Homes & Crematory 43rd Street Chapel is in charge of the arrangements. Condolences may be made to www.brownandsonsfuneral.com.
FROM PAGE 1 injunction is in the public interest and that the use of the path by the neighbors and public is adverse to property owners Travis Resmon do and the Oceana Condominium Association’s use of the path. Resmondo closed the beach path, which begins on his prop erty, after crowds over Easter weekend overwhelmed him by blocking his driveway, using his property as a parking lot, using his private facilities as their own and leaving behind trash at his beachfront home, something he said had been a problem for months. He closed the path with out notice, and neighbors who had used it for decades argued in court that the closure caused them to be unable to easily access the beach and to lose some rental bookings at their properties due to lack of beach access. Sniffen said there were two areas where the plaintiffs’ argu ments failed. The first was to show irreparable harm, though due to the medical conditions of some of the neighbors who would have a difficult time accessing a path on 79th and 80th Streets to the beach, he said an argument could be made for irreparable harm. The second, and the one he hinged his ruling on, was adverse use. After hearing all of the argu ments and testimony as well as reviewing documentation provid ed by both sides, Sniffen said the issue is that up until Resmondo closed the path to neighbors and the public in April, the path was harmoniously used by everyone. Resmondo and the four owners of units at Oceana own the two pieces of property on which the path extends from the end of 78th Street to the beach. Both testified that they knew of the neighbors and their guests using the path and had no issues with it until recently. Sniffen said the testimo ny implied the property owners’ consent to use the path, meaning that its past use was not adverse to the Whileowners.thecase is open for appeal, it’s unlikely neighbors will seek a permanent injunction against closing the path since the temporary injunction was not granted by the court.
OBITUARIES
Janice Marie Dingman, 72, of Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, formerly of Bradenton Beach, Flori da, died on Saturday, Aug. 13, 2022 at her home. She was born on Dec. 17, 1949 in Holyoke, Mas sachusetts, to the late Julius Joseph Rothus and Jean Elizabeth Bonacher Rothus. A service is being planned for a later time in Mas sachusetts.Formore information or to sign the online guestbook, visit www.cremationservicesdirect.com. Cremation Services Direct of Myrtle Beach is assist ing the family.
ACCESS: Remains closed
Janice Marie Dingman
AUGUST 31, 2022 www.amisun.com THE SUN 35
Charles A. Fuller, 74, died unexpectedly in his home in Anna Maria, Florida on Aug. 17, 2022. Charlie was born in Bristol, Virginia, on July 12, 1948 and raised in Bristol, Tennessee by his late parents, Dewey Wayne and Evelyn (Byrd) Fuller. He graduated from Bristol Tennessee High School in 1966 and obtained a bachelor’s degree in biology from King University in 1970. After graduating college, Charlie served in the Army Reserves during the Vietnam War. Charlie worked as a computer programmer for the Social Security Administra tion in Baltimore, Maryland, and Wheeling, West Virginia, for over 30 years. An avid, lifelong golfer, he worked and played at Oglebay’s Crispin Golf Course in Wheeling, West Virginia, upon retiring. He also loved music, dancing, bird watching and good food. A master of breakfast foods, he had per fected the bagel, Christmas morning cinnamon rolls and southern grits. He was a dedicated, loving father to his two children and relished spending time with his family in Maine, Tennessee, and Florida. Known for his easy-going personality, Charlie was unfazed by hard times and always had an infectious positive presence. Charlie was universally adored and ad mired for his unconditional kindness, willingness to help and sense of humor. He is survived by his chil dren, Hannah and Sam Fuller; a brother and sisterin-law, Dewey Fuller and Vickie Kilgore; a brotherin-law, Tilden Curry; a niece, Evyn Olshevski; nephews, Daniel Curry and Mark Fuller; a cousin, Judy Sutherland; and many great-nieces and greatnephews. Charlie is also survived by close family members Kathy and Irv Shapell, Sue Porter and Jim Porter. In addition to his parents, Charlie was preceded in death by his sister, Sue Fuller, and his nephew, Wayne Fuller. Visitation was held at Weaver Funeral Home in Bristol, Tennessee, followed by a service and then inurnment in Glenwood Cemetery.
36 THE SUN www.amisun.com AUGUST 31, 2022 Perico Bay Club—As Good As It Gets!! Give me a call today if yoouu re lookinggGive me a call if yo e lookinree to Buy or Sell on Anna Maria Isla nddBuyy or Sell on Anna MariaM IslaMariMaria or the surroundi ng area!a!Islaanounding aoun Lynn Zemmer 941 ding 41 area 1 73030 ea 0 1294949 941.209.1542 I Lynn@Edgewaterami.com www.EdgewaterRealEstateInc .com 106 Bridge Stre et, Bradenton Beach, FL 342 17 Business As Usual…..Just A Li le Differently If you’re looking to buy or sell in Perico Bay Club, or know someone who is, please give me a call! 941.730.1294 | Ly n n@Edgewate ra mi.c om www.EdgewaterRealEstateInc.co m
RDS’s traveler sentiment study showed that 78.8% of prospective travelers to Florida were optimis tic about personal health, but only 54.4% were optimistic about per sonal finances, compared to 70% in June 2021. When asked how close things are to returning to normal, 46.5% of people said they were close, compared to 51% last year. The biggest concern for prospective travelers was gas prices. Wittine’s data shows an expected dip in tour ism numbers until at least October.
While the Island is used to see ing a large number of tourists from Florida, those numbers have actually dipped 19.8% from June 2021, but are up 126% from 2019, showing the effect COVID travel restrictions had on people who didn’t leave Florida during the height of the pandemic. For the fiscal year to date, visitation is up 14.1% from June of 2021 and economic impact is up 27.2%, stand ing at $1,284,951,900. That number is 47.6% higher than in June 2019.
AUGUST 31, 2022 www.amisun.com THE SUN 37 Sotheby’s International Realty ® and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered ser vice marks used with permission. Each o ce is independently owned and operated. Equal Housing Oppor tunity Proper ty information herein is derived from various sources including, but not limited to, county records and multiple listing services, and may include approximations. All information is deemed accurate. LA KE WO OD RA NC H | 94 1. 90 7. 95 41 LO NGBO AT KE Y | 94 1. 383. 2500 RENTAL S | 94 1. 203. 3433SA RA SO TA - DO WNT OW N | 94 1. 36 4.4000 VENICE | 94 1. 41 2.3 32 3 Pre mierSotheb ys Realty com Contact us f or a conf idential consultationyour home has never been WORTH MORE 64 89 Gulfside Road $3,9 95,000 Dennis Girard9 41 .809.0 041 SLEEPY LAGOON 6321 Gulf Drive $1,100 000 Clint K asten9 41 .780.2 91 2 HOLMES BEACH 9804 2nd Terrace NW $3,8 50 000 Amy Royall9 41 .8 07.286 3 PALMA SOLA POINTE 84 13 9th Avenue NW $17, 50 0,000 Jayne Ko cher 941.915.6 000 NORTHWEST BR ADENTON 68 21 Hughes Stre et $2,9 99 000 Jayne Ko cher 941.915.6 000 LONGBOAT KEY VILLAGE Vi ew area lis tings 30 8 South Bay Boulevard $4 999 000 Shellie Young 941.713. 54 58 WELLS BAY HARBOR FROM PAGE 8 Later in the TDC meeting, Research Data Services' Ann Wittine presented her state of tourism update featuring the latest available statistics related to the tourism industry in Manatee County from June of 2022. “We got very used to those arrows pointing up,” she said. “What we saw in June was a slight rollback in numbers in June of 2022, but what I really want to emphasize is that, compared to our benchmark in 2019, pre-COVID, our visitors are up 25.8%, room nights are up 25% and economic impact is up 38.4%.”
TOURISM: AMI officials seek change in tourist tax spending
Wittine said the reason for the recent dip in numbers is because, in 2021, the area was seeing a huge surge in visitation driven by the fact that people were getting vac cinated in record numbers in the first quarter of 2021 and therefore more apt to travel. Room occupancy is also slightly down in 2022 at 79.3% compared to 88.1% in June of last year. It is still higher than in June 2019 when it stood at 74.7% pre-COVID. The average daily room rate is up though, at $209.19 per day in June 2022 compared to $195.19 in June 2021.
BEACH BEAT
Fall is upon us and with it comes the reopening of the Ros er Guild Thrift Shop. Beginning Tuesday, Sept. 6, the store is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. In the store, shoppers can find books, housewares, glassware, art, music, jewelry, clothing, small appliances and more, all gently used with proceeds going to fund the Guild’s community missions. Some of the Guild’s ministries include awarding scholar ships to local students, supporting community programs and providing support to Roser Church. Donations of gently used items also are welcome on Wednesdays from 9-11 a.m. The store is located at 511 Pine Ave. in Anna Maria.
38 THE SUN www.amisun.com AUGUST 31, 2022
Roser thrift shop reopens
Roser Robics returns for fall Roser Robics is back for the fall with instructor Ann Bodger beginning Tuesday, Sept. 6 at Roser Memorial Community Church. The chair-based exercise class is designed to help maintain and increase strength and flex ibility while remaining easy on the joints. All ages and skill levels are welcome and there is no cost, though donations are always welcome. All attendees are asked to bring their own hand weights or two cans of fruit or vegetables of equal size to be used as weights and then donated to the Roser Food Pantry. Classes are held in the church’s fel lowship hall every Tuesday and Thursday at 9:30 a.m. For more information, call 941-778-0414.
BRADENTON BEACH 8/23, 5:45 p.m., Marchman Act, 1000 Gulf Drive N. After responding in reference to an unconscious man on the beach, an officer, along with fire and rescue, saw a man at the edge of the water. The officer pulled him away from the water for his safety and the man awoke very agitated. The man then began to crawl toward EMS while growling and attempting to bite their legs. Due to his erratic behavior, he was restrained by the officer. When asked if he had taken any drugs, the man said, “All of them.” The officer determined the man was highly intoxicated, so he was placed under a Marchman Act and taken to HCA Florida Blake Hospital and placed in the custody of the charge nurse. 8/24, 3 p.m., trespass warning, 100 Gulf Drive S. While on patrol, an officer was checking on an area that had recent complaints of homeless men camp ing, drinking and urinating in the sand dunes. The officer saw a man lying next to a bench with several empty alcohol bottles next to him. The man admitted the bottles were his and he had been drinking. The man became belligerent and the officer placed him in handcuffs while he ran a warrant check. The man was issued a trespass and city ordinance violation which he wadded up and threw on the ground. The officer told him to leave the area and not return.
HOLMES BEACH 8/21, 10:43 a.m., found property, 633 Em erald Lane. An officer was dispatched in reference to a kayak found in a canal. A resident walked the officer back to the canal where there was an inflatable paddleboard. The woman told police that nobody came look ing for the paddleboard and she saw nobody in the area. The officer took custody of the paddleboard and placed it into HBPD’s bike barn. 8/22, 8:06 p.m., theft from vehicle, 4701 Third Ave. An officer responded to a report of property stolen from a vehicle parked at the address by a woman who was cleaning the unit. She said she left the windows down while she was in side cleaning and when she returned to the car her purse had been rummaged through and over $500 was missing. The officer checked the surrounding area for security cameras and while one was found that may have captured the incident, no one was home, so no footage was obtained. Police have not identified a suspect in the theft.
“I cannot comprehend a more inap propriate location to put food trucks,” she said. She suggested City Pier Park as a better location and noted that the park is already used for the city-sponsored farmersKotoucmarket.mentioned the long wait times experienced at local restaurants on weekends and expressed her belief that food trucks would provide addi tional dining options without hurting thoseNorthrestaurants.BayBoulevard resident John Cella said he and many others are not thrilled about the proposed Bayfront Park location and he expressed support for the City Pier Park location instead. City Pier Grill operator Brian Sey mour said he’s not opposed to a desig nated food truck zone, but the regula tions contained in the resolution need more work. Seymour said food truck operators rely on generators because there’s usually no electricity provided. He suggested installing electrical out lets to alleviate the need for generators.
REGULATORY CONCERNS
This rendering shows what changes are coming to city center in Holmes Beach, the intersection of Gulf and Marina drives, including new sidewalks, lighted beacon crosswalks and bicycle lanes.
Raupp asked the commission to delay its vote so the proposed location and regulations can be further evaluated. Kerry Kotouc owns a home on North Bay Boulevard and has been visiting Anna Maria since she was a child. She referenced a Joni Mitchell song and equated the proposed Bayfront Park location to paving paradise and putting up a parking lot.
TRUCK:
Once the project begins, construction is anticipated to be completed by the end of the calendar year in time for the winter tourist season.
BY KRISTIN SWAIN SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com
City center project set for September start date
HOLMES BEACH – City leaders have spent more than a year planning for improve ments to be made at city center, the intersection of Gulf and Marina drives, but those plans haven’t had an antici pated start date – until now. City Engineer Sage Kamiya gave commissioners an update on the project, which included a note that construction on the project is currently planned to begin as soon as mid-September, depending on when Manatee County’s force main project con struction wraps up on Holmes Boulevard. He said the force main project is almost complete in that area, which will open it up to serve as a detour during the city center project when con struction closes part or all of the Gulf and Marina Drive intersec tion to Severaltraffic.different types of improvements are planned for the area with the goal of making it safer for all types of users, from pedestrians to bicyclists and drivers. For pedestrians, new sidewalks are planned for installation, along with new streetlights and lighted crosswalks. New bicycle lanes also are planned in addition to a larger turn lane going north from Gulf to Marina Drive. New landscap ing along the corridor is also planned for installation.
FOOD Proposed regulations stalled
SUBMITTED | CITY OF HOLMES BEACH
Murphy said he liked that idea. Carter asked if the city could charge vendors for the electricity used. Mur phy said the cost to recoup those costs might exceed the cost of providing the electricity for free.
Holmes Beach city leaders hope to start construction on a largescale intersection project in September.
FROM PAGE 1 the far end of Bayfront Park, near the Hibiscus Street and North Shore Drive intersection.Whenpresenting the ordinance on second reading and anticipated final adoption on Aug. 25, City Attorney Becky Vose also presented an accom panying city resolution that wasn’t discussed on Aug. 11. The location of the designated food truck area will be established by city ordinance and the rules and regulations for food truck operators will be established by a city resolution that can be more easily revised as needed. The resolution proposes a limit of four food trucks operating on a firstcome, first-served basis from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday – including any holidays that fall on those days. The resolution also contained language that stated the food truck operators must comply with all city ordinances, including the noise ordinance.
Vose has repeatedly said the city’s food truck regulations have to be considered reasonable by the state. She has also said she’s not aware of existing case law that can guide the city in these efforts.
During last week’s meeting, Com missioner Jon Crane said the proposed Bayfront Park location is “the least obnoxiousCommissioneralternative.”Robert Kingan was pleased when Vose said she believes the city can limit food truck operations to three days a week. Commissioner Mark Short questioned the Friday allowance and suggested food trucks only be allowed on Saturdays and Sundays.Regarding generator noise, Commis sioner Carol Carter asked if the city resolution could be used to specify which types of generators food truck operators use. Vose suggested address ing generator noise through the city’s noise ordinance, which Murphy said needs to be revised. When Short asked if the city could lease the designated spaces to food truck operators, Vose said the state might consider that to be imposing a fee.Short questioned whether food truck operators would drive out to Anna Maria on a first-come, first-served basis that doesn’t guarantee them a spot and he asked if the city could use a reserva tion system. Vose said that might be considered registration, which the state prohibits.“Themore innovative we are, the more likely we are to be sued,” Vose said.
PUBLIC INPUT Daniel Massey owns the home on North Shore Drive located closest to the proposed food truck area. He asked the commission to include a decibelspecific noise limit on the food truck operations and require the food truck generators to face the park and not his home, which serves as a part-time residence and a part-time vacation rental. He also expressed concerns about rodents being attracted to the food truck area. Massey said he owns restaurants in Texas and he suggested allowing food truck operations on Monday, Tues day and Wednesday, when food truck operators may be less inclined to set up shop in Anna RepresentingMaria.some potentiallyimpacted property owners, attorney Christopher Berg said, “The proposed location would allow businesses to operate next to residential properties. The proposed food truck area would be in conflict with the character of the community.”GregRaupp owns the home across the street from Massey’s. He said he and others were shocked when they learned of the proposed Bayfront Park location that he opposes for sev eral reasons, including noise, smell, rodents, traffic safety and congestion.
AUGUST 31, 2022 www.amisun.com THE SUN 39
ANNA MARIA – Following in the foot steps of former Anna Maria Elementary School Dolphins, a new generation of talented high school volleyball players have their roots on the Island. With hard hitters Mallory Cosfeld, Mack enzie Cosfeld Fortenberry, Sarah Howard and Kelly Stewart blazing the trail playing volleyball in high school, several AME alumni are set to play for Manatee High School (MHS) and Bradenton Christian School (BCS) this year. As a freshman, making the varsity vol leyball team at MHS was a hard-earned accomplishment for Natalie Talucci. An Island girl through and through, Talucci started at the School for Constructive Play, graduating to becoming an AME Dolphin. She went on to King Middle School and in the summer of 2020, with COVID protocols in place, discovered beach volleyball was a safer sport to play. A passion was born when Talucci took to the sand with Nancy Cothron, director of the Manatee Area Vol leyball Club (MAV). Playing on the Bradenton Riverfront beach volleyball courts in the beginning, Talucci expanded her game to Manatee Beach. She went from playing to competing with AME alumni Ava Baugh in a Coquina Beach tournament. The duo continued to play this summer and her love of the sport grew. Talucci joined the MAV indoor club inAs2020.aseventh grader, she played for King, and by the eighth grade, Talucci decided she wanted to improve her game. “Being shorter I have to work harder to get on the court usually. I play back row as Defensive Specialist or Libero,” Talucci noted in an email. “My dad warned me that I will probably need to play myself onto the court where taller girls usually have to play themselves off the court.”
“I wanted him to push me,” she said. “I needed more conditioning.” She has seen him running before school and going to the gym during the summer after football practice.
“He works hard and we are both super competitive,” Talucci said, adding that “Don’t you want to be great?” is one of Evan’s favorite things to say around the house.Thetrainer-athlete relationship was not without its challenges as siblings, but the goal prevailed. Working together, Evan’s motivation toward his personal goal propelled his sister with a sense of accomplishment.“Whenshefirst came home from school the day she made varsity as a freshman, I knew I helped her get there,” he said. “The summer conditioning we did helped her show up when she needed to.” Training whenever they could this sum mer, Talucci and her brother saw results. The hard work paid off.
After making the team, her mother, Amelia “Amy” Talucci, noted on a Facebook post, “We are so proud of Natalie, she has spent the last year determined to learn more and become a better athlete and vol leyball player and teammate.” Her trainer/brother made clear, “She is a TALUCCI - she is loud and brings the energy to the court!” Fiona McCarthy joins Talucci on the varsity team at MHS. Starting at AME as a second grader, McCarthy started playing volleyball when she was 12 years old. For her, playing varsity will allow her to train with more skilled and experienced players.Along with McCarthy and Talucci, former AME student Ava Baugh was named to the MHS varsity team. In addition to MHS varsity players, for mer AME student Marley Culhane earned her spot on the BCS varsity volleyball team as a sophomore. Culhane left AME, follow ing her siblings to BCS after finishing the third grade. A few years later in 2017, Culhane started playing volleyball after watching her sisters, Mikaela Culhane and Kiera Johnston, play for“AfterBCS.all, I wanted to be like them,” she said.Even though her sisters are no longer playing the game, they motivated her to work hard to make the team. Dedicated to her goal, Culhane could be found in the gym every day, as well as available sched uled workouts. “If there were no workouts, I would go to the gym by myself or with a friend,” Culhane said. She also trained with former Dolphin and recent BCS graduate, Emma Laade. Selecting Laade to work with this summer, Culhane wisely used her talents and experi ence. Laade, BCS’s athlete of the year for 2022, committed to St. Leo University in Dade City, Florida after receiving four offers to play at both Division 1 and 2 schools and earning two NCAA scholarships for indoor and beach Culhane’svolleyball.goalsfor this season are to always play her hardest and improve her vertical jump height. As a varsity underclassman, she is ex cited for the season. The MHS junior varsity volleyball team is complemented with AME alumnae Ava Harlan and Gabriella Gilbert. Harlan started at AME in kindergarten, moving on to MHS before finding volleyball in April 2022 with Wave Volleyball Alliance. Volleyball clinics took Harlan full circle to Manatee High. “So far, I have loved being a part of the MHS volleyball team. I have already made a ton of new friends and reconnected with my old AME ones! So happy I decided to go for it!” Harlan said. The future of local high school volleyball is looking bright with the help of the former AME students and Dolphin pride.
Understanding her strengths and weak nesses and liking the hardcourt, she played with the Wave Volleyball Alliance in 2021 seeking opportunities to improve. The weaknesses only made Talucci want to work harder. “I want to play,” she said. After finishing the eighth-grade season, Talucci joined the Bevolley Beach Volleyball Academy in St. Petersburg, Florida, to stay on the court year-round. “I knew that I could not take the off-sea son off. I had to keep working,” she said. With her sights set on making the varsity squad, Talucci enlisted the assistance of her older brother, Evan. An inspiring personal trainer, Talucci’s brother jumped at the chance to help her improve her overall fit ness and ability in time for MHS tryouts.
40 THE SUN SPORTS AUGUST 31, 2022 BY MONICA SIMPSON SPECIAL TO THE SUN
Former AME Dolphins moving up in volleyball
MONICA SIMPSON | SUN Natalie Talucci and Ava Baugh partner for beach volleyball action this summer.
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44 THE SUN www.amisun.com AUGUST 31, 2022
