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VOL 21 No. 15
January 20, 2021
County officials give COVID-19 vaccine update More vaccines are coming to Manatee County. If you’re registered in the vaccine standby pool, 311 operators book appointments from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. BY KRISTIN SWAIN SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com
2020 was a banner year for Island Realtors JOE HENDRICKS | SUN
Jason Sato once again ranked #1 in Manatee County and on Anna Maria Island for total combined volume of sales and listings.
The COVID-19 pandemic inspired many to purchase second homes on Anna Maria Island. BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – 2020 was a record year for real estate sales on Anna Maria Island, according to those in the business. For the sixth consecutive year, Sato Real Estate Realtor, broker and co-owner Jason Sato led all Manatee County and Anna Maria Island Realtors in total sales and listing volume. According to the 2020 Agent Market Share Report for Manatee County, Sato sold 48 properties, listed 58 properties and generated roughly $153 million in total combined volume. Forty-seven of the properties Sato sold were on Anna Maria Island, where he does most of his business. Judy Kepecz-Hays ranked second on the Island with $52.4 million in combined total volume, followed by Gregg Bayer at $43.6 million.
INSIDE NEWS READERS’ CHOICE STREET MAPS OUTDOORS WEDDINGS CASTLES IN THE SAND CROSSWORD CLASSIFIEDS
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JOE HENDRICKS | SUN
Duncan Real Estate owner Darcie Duncan and her team had another stellar year. Duncan Real Estate owner Darcie Duncan ranked eighth in Manatee County with 18 properties sold, 34 properties listed and a total combined volume of $46.6 million. She ranked fourth on the Island with nine properties sold and 23 listed for a combined volume of $37.3 million. Rounding out the top 10 on the Island were George DeSear at $35.5 million, Liz Blandford at $29.2 million, Hannah Hillyard at $25.6 million, Shellie Young
BOAT FIRE at
Cortez Marina 4
Anna Maria Island, Florida
MANATEE COUNTY - A new round of vaccines has arrived in Manatee County, prompting 311 operators to start booking appointments for Jan. 20 and 21. After these appointments are booked, county officials hope that more vaccines will quickly arrive for distribution but they’re not sure when they’ll get here. During the Jan. 12 Manatee County commission meeting, Director of Public Safety Jake Saur reported that 1,000 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine were received on Jan. 11, with 900 of those earmarked to be distributed to area seniors age 65 and older and 100 set aside to be given to first responders and frontline healthcare workers. Saur said 311 operators began contacting seniors randomly selected from the standby vaccine pool just after the announcement was made to county commissioners at around 9:10 a.m. with the expectation that all appointments would be filled by 4 p.m. the same day for distribution on Thursday, Jan. 14 at the Tom Bennett Park drive-thru vaccination location. As of Jan. 12, Saur said that nearly 60,000 individuals or couples have registered in the COVID-19 vaccination standby pool in Manatee County. Given that some of those registrations are couples who are allowed to register together, he said the number of people in the system is closer to 95,600. SEE COVID, PAGE 23
at $22.9 million, Trevor Bayer at $22.6 million and Ryan Sheck at $22 million. Alan Galletto, from Island Real Estate, ranked 11th with four properties sold, 17 listings and a total volume of $17.5 million.
MARKET INSIGHT
Sato, Duncan and Galletto shared their thoughts on the year that was. SEE REALTORS, PAGE 24
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JANUARY 20, 2021
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Events set to return to city field It has been more than a year since anything was scheduled for city field, but commissioners now are allowing two events to take place in February and March, with a few restrictions. BY KRISTIN SWAIN SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com
HOLMES BEACH – Two events are scheduled to take place at Holmes Beach city field but there are going to be some changes from times past. Commissioners heard pleas from representatives of the Anna Maria Island Art League and TNT Events, Inc. to allow them to host events in February and March at the city field park. TNT Events, Inc. is hosting an arts and crafts fair on Feb. 13 and 14 benefitting the Anna Maria Island Concert Chorus and Orchestra. The Art League plans to hold Springfest on March 13 and 14 on the field. After some discussion, commissioners agreed that both events can go forward and be held at city field with some stipulations.
KRISTIN SWAIN | SUN
Events are returning to city field for the first time in more than a year, though there will be some changes when vendors set up their booths. The first is that all booths have to be spaced at least 10 feet apart. All participants and vendors are required to wear
a mask while on the city’s property and the event sponsors are required to hire an off-duty police officer to enforce
mask-wearing during both days of each event. The number of people allowed in each booth at one time will be limited to two patrons and each booth must have hand sanitizer available. Hand sanitizing stations also will be located throughout the festival grounds. Commissioners voted 4-1 in each instance to allow the events to take place. Commissioner Jim Kihm voted against allowing the proposals, saying that with the threat of COVID-19 still looming over the Island’s residents, he feels it’s too early to allow large gatherings to take place, even with safety precautions in place. Commissioner Kim Rash said he was in favor of allowing the two events to take place with safety precautions to bring back a sense of normalcy to the community. These will be the first events to take place at Holmes Beach city field since the coronavirus pandemic began in early 2020. Mayor Judy Titsworth said that while she wanted commissioners to weigh in on these two events, she had already rejected an application to hold an event at the city field space proposed for January.
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ISLAND NEWS
IN BRIEF
Celebration of life for Bobby “Pirate Bob” Boyd The Anna Maria Island Privateers invite friends, family and acquaintances to help celebrate the life of Bobby “Pirate Bob” Boyd. The celebration of life will begin at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Jan 23. The Privateers will gather in the Roser Memorial Community Church parking lot at 512 TIM “HAMMER” THOMPSON | SUBMITTED Pine Ave. in Anna Bobby Boyd was a longtime memMaria and form a ber of the AMI Privateers. procession to the City Pier. Boyd, who passed away at the age of 72 in April, was a hairstylist who owned and operated Bob’s Hair & Co. in Anna Maria for 20 years. After selling his business, Boyd took his talents to Hair Dimensions in Bradenton. For more information, please contact John “Captain Barbarossa” Swager at 941-920-3989 or via email at capt.barbarossa@ msn.com.
Holmes Beach City Hall open by appointment only Due to COVID-19 concerns, Mayor Judy Titsworth announced that Holmes Beach City Hall is temporarily closed to the public, except by appointment only. If someone arrives at city hall needing to drop something off, Titsworth said to call and have city staff meet you at the door. If you need to make an appointment, please email or call city staff to make that appointment. City hall staff can be reached by phone at 941-708-5800. For more information, visit www.holmesbeachfl.org.
Pickleball problems may be over The woes of pickleball players in Holmes Beach may be over, according to Mayor Judy Titsworth. During a Jan. 12 commission meeting, Titsworth said the watering schedule for the section of the city field complex where the pickleball courts are located has been changed to avoid watering in the early morning hours. She said the watering of the surrounding sod may be what caused dampness on the new courts, which caused players to slip. She said she wants to see if changing the schedule works before moving on to another potential solution, such as replacing the sod surrounding the pickleball courts with rocks or an artificial turf surface.
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JANUARY 20, 2021
WMFR responds to boat fire at Cortez Cove Marina
The fire was contained to a single boat, with injuries and no additional damage to the marina. BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
CORTEZ – At approximately 3:45 p.m. Monday afternoon, personnel from West Manatee Fire and Rescue and Cedar Hammock Fire and Rescue responded to a boat fire at the Cortez Cove Marina, at 4522 121st St. W. in Cortez. When contacted at approximately 4:33 p.m. WMFR Fire Chief Ben
Rigney said the fire occurred on a 72foot Princess yacht that was out of the water and up on jacks when the fire occurred. “It’s contained to the one boat and it is not out yet. We have a ladder truck in the air. There’s a lot of fiberglass and fuel so it will probably take a while to put out,” Rigney said. When contacted again at 5:03 p.m. Rigney said the fire was contained but not completely extinguished. “We have it knocked it down pretty good, but it’s fiberglass so it will burn for a while. It’s on jacks so we have to let it fill up and then let the water drain out and then do it again because we
don’t want to put too much stress on the jacks and have the boat fall over. It’ll be a long, slow process, but you shouldn’t be able to see the smoke anymore.” Rigney said the fire was contained to that yacht only and there were no injuries and no damage to the marina buildings. Rigney said Sea Tow diked the area to prevent water runoff and the Coast Guard was notified as well. “We had a quick knockdown and did a good of containing this to the one boat. Now it’s just a slow process making sure it’s out,” Rigney said.
BEN RIGNEY/WMFR | SUBMITTED
Clockwise above, a 72-foot Princess yacht that was out of the water and up on jacks caught fire Monday afternoon. This ladder truck and crew responded to the fire scene. Smoke from the burning boat could be seen from the Intracoastal Waterway and beyond. These firefighters were positioned near the stern of the yacht as the firefighting efforts continued.
JANUARY 20, 2021
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Search continues for sunken trawler’s oil storage tank As of Sunday, no oil spills or oil slicks had been reported in association with the recent shipwreck. BY JOE HENDRICKS
SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
ANNA MARIA – Five thousand gallons of diesel fuel have been removed from the hull of the commercial shrimp trawler that recently sank offshore of Anna Maria, but concerns remain regarding a still-missing 700-gallon used-oil storage tank. The ship’s oil storage tank remained missing as of Sunday morning, but no oil slicks or oil spills associated with the shipwreck had been reported. The remains of the sunken shrimp trawler were located at latitude 27-32.55N and longitude 082-46-440, according to an update Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy received from the Coast Guard. “It (the oil tank) has not been found as of now,” Murphy said Friday afternoon. “They are using side-scan sonar to try to locate the missing tank, and to see if there are any other tanks or debris in the area.” Owned by the Tampa-based Versaggi Shrimp Corporation, the shrimp trawler, Warrior, began taking on water Friday
evening, Jan. 8. In response to the trawler’s distress call, a 45-foot boat from the Cortez Coast Guard station arrived on the scene about two miles west of Anna Maria at 7:50 p.m. and removed three crew members from the floundering 70-foot shrimp boat. The abandoned vessel’s superstructure later broke apart. Early Saturday morning, the majority of the shipwreck debris was discovered near Bean Point in Anna Maria. Debris from the Warrior also washed ashore in Holmes Beach, Bradenton Beach and Longboat Key. Murphy made city commissioners aware of the missing oil tank when providing them a status update during the Thursday, Jan. 14, city commission meeting, which began at 2 p.m. According to Murphy, the salvage and fuel recovery efforts were taking place at that time approximately a mile and a half west of Bean Point. “The real bad news is that there’s another tank that they can’t find. This tank does not hold fuel. It holds black sludge oil. It’s a tank that’s used when you pump out the engine oil – like when you change the oil in your car. They put it into retention and then about every five to six months they pump that out,” Murphy said. According to Murphy, the missing oil
JOE HENDRICKS | SUN
Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy is concerned about the sunken trawler’s missing oil storage tank. tank can hold 700 gallons of used motor oil and he did not know how much oil was stored in the tank when the ship sank. “That tank has not been found yet. There is no sheen on the water. The Coast Guard’s out there looking at it. The salvage company left yesterday (Wednesday) and I called the Coast Guard this morning,” Murphy told the commission. Murphy said he asked the Coast Guard if the salvage team had been authorized to leave the scene. Murphy said he was told the Coast Guard did not authorize the salvage team to leave and were ordered to return Thursday morning. Murphy said
upon their return, the salvage team once again installed containment booms around the remains of the sunken trawler. “The divers are still in the water and we still haven’t found this tank. As of 15 minutes before the meeting started, the tank had not been found,” Murphy told commissioners. “It’s a potential problem. I don’t know how many gallons are in that tank. The Coast Guard doesn’t know. The Department of Environmental Protection doesn’t know. The Coast Guard can’t keep a helicopter out there all the time. They do a flyover now and then. They’re looking for a sheen on the water. As much as I trust Coast Guard, and as much as I trust FDEP, we need our own people out there being vigilant as well,” Murphy said. The city asks anyone who sees any signs of a potential oil spill to call city hall at 941708-6130 during regular business hours or to call 911 at night or during the weekend. “There’s a weather front coming in Friday afternoon/Friday evening. The salvage company is not going to be able to stay out there during that weather event. So, the salvage company is going as fast as they can to see if they can find this other tank that’s SEE SEARCH, PAGE 25
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OPINION
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The Anna Maria Island Sun Staff Publishers Mike Field Maggie Field Editor/CEO Mike Field Layout Ricardo Fonseca Reporters Cindy Lane Joe Hendricks Kristin Swain Columnists Louise Bolger Outdoors editor Rusty Chinnis
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Advertising director Shona Otto
Even though it has been frustrating to attempt to sign up for a vaccine appointment, if they could iron out the phone response logistics, I think each of us has a better chance of nailing an appointment in that system than through the new lottery system instituted by (Gov. Ron) DeSantis. For those of us who gained a spot in the 65-and-older waiting pool the first night ( January 7), simple probability theory predicts that if our numbers were not among those chosen in the first and second round, our chances of being selected grow slimmer by
Ad assistant Pamela Lee Classified ads Bob Alexander Graphics Elaine Stroili Ricardo Fonseca Digital/Social Media editor Cindy Lane Accounting John Reitz Distribution Bob Alexander Tony McNulty Connor Field Contributors Tom Vaught Steve Borggren Monica Simpson
What vaccine?
ON THE AGENDA
ANNA MARIA
10005 GULF DRIVE FOR INFORMATION, CALL 941-708-6130
City hall is open to the public with limited capacity and safety protocols in place. Please visit www.cityofannamaria.com or contact city hall for more information. Jan. 25, 2 p.m. – Planning and Zoning board meeting Jan. 26, 10 a.m. – Historic Preservation board meeting Jan. 28, 9 a.m. – Special magistrate hearing Jan. 28, 5 p.m. – City Commission workshop Jan. 28, 6 p.m. – City Commission meeting
the day as thousands more sign up. As “season” brings more and more people into the county the “waiting pool” also expands exponentially. I’ve no doubt that it makes it easier for the county to get the doses out, but your chance of being one of those people grows slimmer and slimmer. Beverly Battle Holmes Beach
Get involved Got an opinion, a complaint or a compliment? Is there something you need to get off your chest? Send us a letter to
BRADENTON BEACH
107 GULF DRIVE N. FOR INFORMATION, CALL 941-778-1005
City hall is open to the public with limited capacity and safety protocols in place. Please visit www.cityofbradentonbeach.com or contact city hall for more information. Jan. 20, 9:15 a.m. – City Commission emergency meeting Jan. 21, noon – City Commission meeting Jan. 27, 9:15 a.m. – City Commission emergency meeting
HOLMES BEACH
5801 MARINA DRIVE FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL 941-708-5800
City hall is open to the public by appointment only. Please visit www. holmesbeachfl.org or contact city hall for more information.
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.
Jan. 21, 10 a.m. – Code Compliance special magistrate hearing Jan. 26, 6 p.m. – City Commission meeting with work session to follow
ISLAND-WIDE
Jan. 20, 2:30 p.m. – Island Transportation Planning Organization meeting, Bradenton Beach City Hall and on Zoom
JANUARY 20, 2021
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Commissioners extend mask ordinance HOLMES BEACH – The requirement to wear a mask when inside public buildings, businesses and at events on city property has been extended by commissioners. The city’s mask ordinance was previously set to expire in January. During a Jan. 12 meeting, commissioners agreed to extend the mask ordinance 60 days from the date of the meeting. This puts the expiration now at midnight on March 14. Commissioners also added a requirement to wear a mask when at an event requiring a temporary use permit on city property, including the upcoming arts and crafts festival benefiting the Anna Maria Island Concert Chorus and
Orchestra in February and Springfest in March. Since the ordinance extension expires in the middle of the Springfest event, commissioners will have to revisit the mask ordinance before that event takes place. They also will need to extend the ordinance to be in line with the requirements put on the Anna Maria Island Art League to host the event on city property. Anyone playing ball, using the dog park, skate park, shuffleboard courts or any other facility at the city field complex is not required to wear a mask. The outdoor mask-wearing requirement only applies to attendees at organized events.
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JANUARY 20, 2021
Ugly Grouper owners seek expansion The owners of the Ugly Grouper want permission to expand the restaurant with more seating by including golf cart parking as regular parking spaces. BY KRISTIN SWAIN SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com
HOLMES BEACH – The owners of the Ugly Grouper are hoping city leaders will give them the opportunity to expand their business. On behalf of the owners, attorney Scott Rudacille appeared before city commissioners during a Jan. 12 work session. He presented a slide show demonstrating what changes the owners are proposing to the existing site plan approval, primarily utilizing golf cart parking spaces to allow for an increase in daytime and nighttime seating. Under the current site plan approval, the Ugly Grouper can have three seats per vehicle parking space. If the restaurant’s seven sixperson golf cart spaces were used
KRISTIN SWAIN | SUN
The owners of the Ugly Grouper want permission from city leaders to expand the restaurant to include additional outdoor and indoor seating. to count an average of four seats per space and the six two-person golf cart spaces were allowed to count as 1.5 seats per cart, it would allow the restaurant to add 38 more seats. This would bring the number of seats in the restaurant to 270
seats plus 8 free seats for a total of 278. Rudacille said the fire marshal has already approved the increase in the number of seats. City Planner Bill Brisson said that while the applicant planned to
increase parking to 92 spaces on the property and at adjacent properties owned by the same group, two of the spaces, which previously were occupied by a sign and mailbox, couldn’t be considered parking spaces. If the parking lot located next door to the restaurant at 5702 Marina Drive was restriped to try and create more spaces, Brisson said that space restrictions could create too many compact vehicleonly spaces. Holmes Beach city code allows only 20% of total parking spaces to be compact spaces, which would be a maximum of 18 spaces for the Ugly Grouper. Rudacille added that the restaurant owners may also have to seek a special exception for the outdoor speakers installed to play music after live music ends nightly at 8 p.m. Commissioners decided to bring the matter back to a future work session to get more information from the restaurant owners before taking the matter to a public hearing and formal vote.
JANUARY 20, 2021
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JANUARY 20, 2021
2021 Anna Maria Island Sun Readers’ Choice Business
Business
People & Places
1
Antique/Collectible Store
40
Pool Contractor
77
School
2
Auto Service
41
Real Estate Assoc. (include location)
78
School Teacher (include location)
3
Bait & Tackle Shop
42
Real Estate Co.
79
Veterinarian (include location)
4
Bank (include location)
43
Rental Co.
80
Veterinary Clinic
5
Bike Rental
44
Resort
81
View
6
Boating Store
45
Retirement Community
82
Waiter/Waitress (include location)
7
Car Dealer
46
Service Org.
83
Yoga Instructor (include location)
8
Car Wash
47
Service Station
9
Carpet Cleaner
48
Shopping Center
Food & Entertainment
10
Clothing Store
49
Sign Maker (include location)
84
Bagel Shop
11
Convenience Store
50
Souvenir Shop
85
Bakery
12
Dry Cleaner (include location)
51
Spa
86
Barbecue
13
Electrician
52
Tattoo
87
Breakfast
14
Fitness
53
Travel Agency
88
Burger
15
Floor Coverings
54
Window Repair
89
Café
16
Florist
55
Women’s Apparel
90
Candy Store
17
Frame Shop
91
Chinese Restaurant
18
Gift Shop
People & Places
92
Deli
19
Grocery Store
56
Architect
93
Festival
20
Hair Salon
57
architectual Design
94
German Restaurant
21
Hardware Store (include location)
58
Art Gallery
95
Golf Course
22
Heat & Air
59
Attorney
96
Grouper Sandwich
23
Home Builder
60
Band
97
Health Food Store
24
Hotel/Motel
61
Bar & Grill
98
Ice Cream Place
25
Jewelry Store
62
Bartender (include location)
99
Italian Restaurant
26
Liquor Store
63
Beach
100 Live Theater
27
Manicurist (include location)
64
Boat Captain (include location)
101 Mexican Restaurant
28
Marina
65
Business Person
102 Most Romantic Restaurant
29
Men’s Apparel
66
Caterer (include location)
103 New Restaurant
30
Outdoor Sports Store
67
Charity
104 Night Spot
31
Pack & Ship
68
Chef (include location)
105 Pier
32
Painter (include location)
69
Chiropractor
106 Pizza
33
Pest Control
70
Dentist
107 Place to see a Sunset
34
Pet Grooming
71
Doctor
108 Restaurant (overall)
35
Pet Store
72
Eye Care
109 Seafood Restaurant
36
Pharmacist (include location)
73
Financial Planner
110 Specialty Gourmet
37
Pharmacy
74
Interior Design
111 Sub/Sandwich
38
Plumber
75
Massage Therapy
112 Takeout
39
Pool Cleaner (include location)
76
Personal Trainer (include location)
ENTRY FORM (Must be completed for votes to be accepted) Name: Address: Phone: Day
| Night
I am at least 18 years of age or older (please check box)
Signature:
RULES
Please read carefully. To vote in The Sun’s Readers’ Choice Awards you must use an official entry ballot published in The Sun. Copies and faxes will not be accepted. The ballots will appear in The Sun on Jan. 13, Jan. 20, Jan. 27 Only one ballot per person is allowed. At least 10 CATEGORIES must be filled in for the ballot to count and the entry form must be completed. If you work for The Sun or are related to someone who does, you can’t play. Complete ballots may be dropped off at The Sun’s office, 3909 East Bay Drive Ste. 210, Holmes Beach. Or you can mail it in to The Sun’s Newspaper, PO Box 1189, Anna Maria, FL 34216. All ballots must be in by January 29, 2021 at 4pm. Prizes in the drawing may not be transferred. Winners are drawn at random from all entries and you don’t have to buy anything to win. Accepting the prizes means winners agree to the use of their names and photographs in subsequent ads and news stories. You must be 18 years or older to participate. Ballots which show signs of tampering will not be counted. We reserve the right to reject any ballot(s) or disqualify any contestant(s).
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JANUARY 20, 2021
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Mayor praises shipwreck cleanup efforts City commissioners offer praise for Mayor Dan Murphy’s leadership. BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
ANNA MARIA – Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy is proud of the shipwreck debris cleanup efforts recently conducted by city and county personnel. On Friday, Jan. 8, a commercial shrimp boat sank about two miles off the coast of Anna Maria. A large debris field from the wrecked ship was discovered the next day along the Anna Maria shoreline, with a heavy concentration of debris at Bean Point. During a city commission meeting Jan. 14, Murphy praised the cleanup efforts undertaken by the Anna Maria Public Works Department and Manatee County personnel. The mayor singled out Public Works Manager Dean Jones for his leadership. He also thanked Deputy Clerk and Code Enforcement Manager Debbie Haynes for the public notifications she provided at the city website as the situation unfolded last weekend. “Dean, with his crew, what they did was just totally remarkable,” Murphy said. “I don’t think I’ve ever received as many as thanks from residents as we did over the cleanup of that debris on the beach.” Murphy recalled the initial impression he felt when he, Jones and Public Works Department employee Ryan Weiland first toured the Bean Point debris field early that Satur-
JOE HENDRICKS | SUN
Anna Maria Public Works Manager Dean Jones, above, helped coordinate the shipwreck debris cleanup and removal efforts. Jones, Mayor Dan Murphy and Public Works Department employee Ryan Weiland, right, assessed the debris field the morning after the shipwreck. day morning. “We stood there and I was stunned. I was like a deer in headlights. I thought, ‘How are we ever going to do this?’ I was completely taken aback. Somehow, we put it all together,” Murphy said. “We got hold of Manatee County. Manatee County did a tremendous job of helping us get all that debris off the beach. They came equipped with loaders and dumpsters and everything else. We brought all the stuff up to a central location. It was incredible. As I told Dean when we were on the beach, I said, ‘This is something that wasn’t in that book of how to be a mayor.’ It was a first-time thing for us, and we were kind of groping our way as we went along. We got it pretty much picked up by Saturday night,” Murphy said. Commissioner Jonathan Crane asked Murphy if the city will be compensated for the time the Pub-
KRISTIN SWAIN | SUN
The shipwreck debris field included timbers that contained rusted bolts and nails. Much of the wrecked ship’s contents washed ashore at and near Bean Point. lic Works Department spent cleaning up the debris. “Absolutely, and the county as well,” Murphy responded. “The insurance adjuster came. I was told by the owner of the vessel that he was an insurance adjuster, but I think he’s more of a ship’s agent. He came and he took a lot of pictures. He admitted that all the debris – 80 cubic yards – is all off that trawler,” Murphy said. Crane noted that in addition to
the city and county staffs, Murphy also should be applauded for his efforts. Crane said he received his first phone update from Murphy at about 7 a.m. that Saturday. “I was thunderstruck that Dan was out making phone calls to keep all of us ahead of the curve. I really appreciate it,” Crane said. “Here, here,” Commission Chair Carol Carter said in agreement.
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JANUARY 20, 2021
NEWS BRIEFS Anna Maria amends nuisances ordinance With the Jan. 14 adoption of Ordinance 20-879, the city of Anna Maria’s amended nuisances ordinance now prohibits “the set up or placement on the beach before the actual specific rental of beach equipment to a third party – including but not limited to canopies, cabanas, umbrellas, chairs, coolers, or similar equipment,” and “the rental in the city of motorized scooters and/or micromobility devices.” Both activities are now deemed nuisances and in violation of the city’s code of ordinances.
Speed control devices sought near park Longtime Bradenton Beach resident and former planning and zoning board member Rick Bisio has asked city commissioners to install speed bumps and a speed table near Herb Dolan Park in order to slow passing motorists. On Jan. 7, Bisio, who lives next to the park, suggested one speed bump on Avenue A, another on 25th Street North and a speed table in between the speed bumps that connects the main park area to the children’s play area across the street. The commission expressed preliminary support for this request and plans further discussion.
New streetlights ordered for Bridge Street
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COMMUNITY CHURCH SUNDAY, JANUARY 24
Installation Service for Senior Pastor,
REV. DIRK W. RODGERS
Everyone is invited to witness this unique ceremony. Pastor Dirk will be presented with symbolic gifts to aid him in his ministry, Text ROSER to 22828 to including a Bible, water, bread, a globe, and receive the weekly eBulletin. a very special surprise gift. We welcome DR. BRUCE BORIA, Pastor Dirk’s former The CHAPEL is open during boss, coworker and friend to the pulpit! office hours for prayer & meditation. 941-778-0414 • 512 Pine Ave, Anna Maria • FOLLOW us on Facebook @RoserChurch
‛S YOUR COMFORT ZONE? WHERE
The Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency has ordered new streetlights to eventually replace the existing solar-powered streetlights on Bridge Street. The new streetlights will not be installed until at least mid-April, after the anticipated peak tourist season has passed. The purchase price of about $38,000 does not include installation.
Join the Manatee County ELMAC The Manatee County Environmental Land Management and Acquisition Committee (ELMAC) needs volunteers to fill two vacancies – one, two-year seat for a full-time resident of Anna Maria Island and one for a member of the Manatee County School District. The ELMAC is a citizen’s advisory committee making recommendations to Manatee County commissioners on environmental land acquisitions, management issues, recreational planning and programming on public lands. The members also make up the Tree Advisory Board, working on awareness of the county’s tree canopy and education programs. The committee meets on the first Monday every other month at 6 p.m. at the Manatee County Administration building, 1112 Manatee Ave. W. in Bradenton. For more information, contact Parks and Natural Resources Director Charlie Hunsicker at 941-742-5923 ext. 6001 or email Charlie.hunsicker@mymanatee.org.
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Wheels off pavement With the Jan. 14 adoption of Ordinance 20-878, the city of Anna Maria has clarified a longstanding regulation that requires all wheels to be off the pavement when parking a vehicle in a city right of way. “Every vehicle stopped or parked upon the right-of-way of a twoway roadway shall be so stopped or parked with the left-hand wheels parallel to the edge of the roadway, with all wheels off the pavement and facing in the direction of authorized traffic movement,� according to the amended ordinance. Vehicles parked with any tires on the pavement
JOE HENDRICKS | SUN
This vehicle was properly and legally parked along Pine Avenue last week. are subject to parking citations and fines, with exceptions granted to
certain service provider vehicles while actively servicing a client.
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Public input sought on future use of pier building The vacant pier building was originally intended for use as a full-service restaurant. BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
ANNA MARIA – The public will be given a chance to provide input on the future use of the vacant City Pier building. The city of Anna Maria will host a public meeting on the pier at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 2. The meeting will take place inside the larger city-owned pier building that was originally intended to be occupied by a restaurant operator. With Brian Seymour, Nick Graham and Vic Mattay now operating the City Pier Grill & Bait Shop in the smaller of the two city-owned pier buildings, the future use of the larger pier building remains undetermined. During a city commission meeting Thursday, Jan. 14, Mayor Dan Murphy proposed a special meeting at which he would provide the public and the commission with some possible options. “Between now and the end of the month, I will have some recommendations for the city commission to consider,” he said.
JOE HENDRICKS | SUN
The larger city-owned pier space, on the right in this photo, remains vacant. The space to the left is leased to the City Pier Grill & Bait Shop operators. Commissioner Joe Muscatello suggested the meeting take place inside the pier building so the public can see the available space for themselves. Murphy said the possible options include a full-service, sit-down restaurant, a special event facility, or a special event
facility that also includes a retail sales operation. He also said representatives of the Sarasota-based Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium have expressed interest in using the vacant space for a learning lab. “Mote Marine has some very specific ideas they’d like to share with our commis-
sion, so they need to be in attendance at that meeting,” Murphy said. One use could include a combination of some of these possibilities, he added, although no one has approached him recently with any specific plans for a restaurant, retail space, or special event venue. Murphy said he will provide commissioners with some basic architectural drawings that illustrate how the interior space could be used for the various possibilities. “I think we need to decide what we’re going to do with it,” he said of the vacant space made more valuable by its beautiful views. Murphy said he doesn’t expect the commission to decide at the Feb. 2 meeting. “This is just the first meeting to discuss the future of that space. I don’t think you can do it all in one meeting,” he said while noting he expects to hear a variety of proposals and ideas. “We can put together a plan, but I can’t pursue five plans at once. I think we need to agree on our first choice, and maybe here’s our second and here’s our third. We need to zero in on one plan and drive that into fruition as quickly as possible.”
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941.779.2337 9:00 AM - 10:00 PM 7 DAYS A WEEK 5344 3 GULF DRIVE, HOLMES BEACH
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OUTDOORS
JANUARY 20, 2021
Yes it’s cold, but get wet anyway Reel Time RUSTY CHINNIS
F
or the first time in a few years, we’re having an “actual” winter. When anglers consider their options this time of year many never consider getting out of the boat and wading. That’s unfortunate because cold water can produce some fantastic results. Like any time of the year, wading provides some distinct advantages overfishing from a boat. Wading puts you in the fish’s realm, gives you the advantage of a low profile and a silent approach. This can be particularly important during the winter when the water can be gin-clear making gamefish extremely wary. The key to comfortable winter wading is staying warm and dry. A good pair of waders, wading boots, sweat pants and insulating socks will do the trick on the coldest day. Add a pair of polarized glasses, a hat with a dark under-brim, a wade vest or pack, and you’re in business. You won’t need heavy tackle unless you’re fishing docks or other structure. Under most conditions, eightpound test tackle will be sufficient. You can go even lighter if conditions permit. Fly anglers generally opt for six/ eight weight outfits unless wind or other conditions warrant upsizing. Make sure reels have plenty of line for long, smooth casts and make
sure the drag is properly set. I generally opt for a 30-pound bite tippet but downsize to 20 and even 18-pound test when fishing clear water, high sun and spooky fish. You’ll risk being cut off should you encounter a big snook but I always err to getting the bite, risking a cut-off for the increased action. A longer bite tippet allows anglers to change lures and flies more often without having to re-leader. When constructing leaders and tippets I use 100% fluorocarbon material. If the visibility isn’t great, or you’re fishing early or late, blind cast the edges where grass and sand meet. These sandy areas (the seams) and potholes are perfect ambush spots for the predators you’re targeting. Start with presentations about two feet short of the area you’re working towards, then in and past your target. Make sure you cover deep grass often found at the ends of the potholes. During the winters you’ll often find big trout on the flats on cold mornings. The fish will come into some extremely shallow potholes to feed on an incoming tide. Work your way through potholes, always staying vigilant for surface action, tails, wakes, or feeding birds. If fish are particularly spooky or hard to see try standing still and waiting for them to come to you. Try this approach if fish see you just before you see them. Anchor well away from the area you intend to fish, get out of the boat and stake out a pothole or sandy area where you have visibility. By staying a long cast away,
RUSTY CHINNIS | SUBMITTED
The author caught this pompano while wading a windswept flat last week. you can easily see the fish when they enter a hole or pass across a patch of sand. Position yourself off to the side in the grass where you’re less visible, keep a low profile and be still. Just waiting them out gives you a big advantage when targeting reds, trout, snook and other game fish as they wander the flat. When you make a presentation, don’t make any quick moves, and make your casts low and slow. It takes patience but can be productive when all else fails. Give winter wade fishing a try. Look for likely spots on charts or go online to programs like Google Earth. When you “get wet” you’ll discover some excellent angling opportunities, and as a bonus, get some exercise. Get wet!
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Inshore is the name of the game CAPTAIN DAVE WHITE
Although it’s been cold and windy in our neck of the woods, we here at Anna Maria Charters have still been able to put clients on quality fish. Inshore is definitely the name of the game right now. The persistent winds have kept us from venturing too far off of the beach lately. Sheepshead, black drum, pompano, redfish, and the occasional snook are keeping our clients busy. The sheepshead fishing has picked up quite a bit since that full moon. These fish spawn on the offshore ledges this time of year on the moons. But now that that is over, we are getting some better fish. We are also finding good redfish pretty consistently. Always fun on light tackle, these fish are catch and release only right now. It looks like we have a couple nice days towards the end of the week where we can get offshore a bit. I will keep you posted!
CAPTAIN RICK GRASSETT
Anglers fishing with me out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key had good action with trout in Sarasota Bay and Gasparilla Sound on DOA Lures recently. My brother, Kirk Grassett, from Middletown, Del., fished several days with me during the past week. We fished Sarasota Bay one day and caught and released numerous trout
CAPTAIN DAVE WHITE | SUBMITTED
Bryce Fisher and his dad, Tommy, of Arlington, Texas, show off a pair of redfish caught with Captain David White of Anna Maria Charters. to 3 lbs. or more on CAL jigs with a variety of plastic tails. We also fished Gasparilla Sound and had good action there with quality trout on flies and CAL jigs with a variety of plastic tails We hunted tripletail another day and Kirk caught and released his personal best tripletail on a fly! Shallow water fishing for reds and
large trout is a good option now. With winter conditions we have very clear water, which usually requires long casts to avoid spooking fish. Depending on the tide, sometimes afternoons will fish better than mornings in shallow water due to warmer water. Fishing deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay is also a good choice for action with a variety of
species including trout, blues and Spanish mackerel. Fish the coastal Gulf for tripletail when conditions are good. Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by industrial, agricultural and residential runoff, freezes, increasing fishing pressure and habitat loss and degradation. Please limit your kill, don’t kill your limit!
Winter A cold-weather sunset, far left, glows over the Gulf off Anna Maria Island. Near left, a white pelican glides on a pond in Robinson Preserve. KATIE FIELD | SUBMITTED
MIKE FIELD | SUN
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Bridge Tender Inn serves Florida style If you’re looking for someplace with history, you’ll appreciate Bridge Street in Bradenton Beach, and the best location for original Florida food with a view is the Bridge Tender Inn and Dockside Bar, located at 135 Bridge Street. Bridge Tender Inn and Dockside Bar has been around for decades and under the same ownership for 30 years. It’s a landmark in an historic part of Anna Maria Island. The dining room holds up to 130 people and is perfect for a rehearsal dinner, bridal shower or other gathering. You can reserve the dining room and tailor the Bridge Tender’s menu, featuring fresh seafood and other local dishes, to as casual or as formal as you would like. For smaller parties, you can reserve a section of the dining room with views of Sarasota Bay, the Bridge Street Pier and Bridge Street. They have also added another area, Doc B’s front porch. The Bridge Tender and Dockside Bar is also accessible by water at Marker 49 and has two docks available for customers. For more information on the Bridge Tender Inn and Dockside Bar, go to wwwbridgetenderinn.rocks or contact Shannon Dunnan, events coordinator, at tenderinn@aol.com or 941-778-4849. The Bridge Tender Inn for the taste of real Florida.
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DARA CAUDILL | WWW.ISLANDPHOTOGRAPHY.ORG
Laura Hershberger & Joel Sines were married on December 14, 2020 at the Sandbar restaurant. Shawn Rhoton, Molly Powers and Jim Harwood of the Sandbar coordinated the ceremony on the beach. Laura & Joel enjoyed staying on Anna Maria Island for a week following their wedding. They and their children currently reside in Magnolia, Delaware.
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REAL ESTATE
JANUARY 20, 2021
Move over, make room, there’s more coming
A
s if the COVID-19 pandemic and political unrest last year and, of course, going into this year, aren’t enough, the Census Bureau started reporting population counts and Florida is one of the states at the top of the heap. Florida’s population has been growing for the last 10 years, making us the thirdmost-populous state in the country after California and Texas. Coming from New York, I’m always surprised to hear from friends and relatives that they had no clue Florida’s population surpassed New York State’s. This occurred back in 2014 with a slight margin that has grown every year since then. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Texas, Florida, California, North Carolina and Arizona were the states with the biggest population growth from 2010 to 2020. Florida’s gain during that period is just under 3 million residents. The states with the biggest declines during the past 10 years are Vermont, Connecticut, New York, West Virginia and Illinois.
Castles in the Sand LOUISE BOLGER These numbers, however, do not reflect the mostly coastal states and Illinois that have lost population from July 2019 to July 2020. Much of this decline may be contributed to the pandemic but chances are the numbers will decline even more when the balance of 2020 is counted, when people started relocating. In addition, Texas (373,965), Florida (241,256) and Arizona (129,556) are the top three states in the country that have gained population this year. It’s no surprise to anyone who is even remotely interested in the real estate market that people are leaving high-taxed states and embracing Florida’s low-tax and friendly business environment. This year
the number of people relocating to Florida from other states has exploded and now many companies are looking to Florida and Texas to relocate their businesses. After almost a year of running businesses remotely, corporations are starting to understand they don’t need the expense and inconvenience of a bricks-and-mortar building to operate. They can offer their employees alternatives increasing both their bottom line and that of the company. Miami, in particular, is attracting major financial investment companies, a few of which have already relocated and others considering the move. As previously stated, COVID-19 is certainly playing a big part in the movement of populations. But a lot of this started after the 2017 tax reform, which included a cap on state and local tax deductibility on federal income taxes. States with high personal income tax and exorbitant property taxes that could no longer be fully deducted had residents sharpening their pencils at tax time. Many upper-income
families decided it just wasn’t worth the taxes they paid to stay in certain states and started looking elsewhere. With a new administration in Washington, it’s possible that the tax reforms of 2017 could be reversed. This could have somewhat of an effect on people’s decisions to move, however, paying $30,000 a year in property tax is not the same as being able to take a tax deduction on that amount. So, the real estate community will wait and see if a different national tax environment changes the movement of populations to the sunbelt, which started well before the tax reforms of 2017. Florida frequently is the subject of jokes from more sophisticated regions of the country. Dave Barry wrote a whole book about it. But based on the 10-year population growth, no one really cares. I-10 and I-95 are jam-packed with moving trucks headed south and properties are selling in one day. Make room Floridians - we ain’t seen nothing yet. Stay safe.
JANUARY 20, 2021
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COVID: County officials give vaccine update FROM PAGE 1
On Jan. 14, Manatee County Commissioner Misty Servia announced that the number of people registered in the system had risen to more than 106,000 with 5,457 people vaccinated and 3,000 more vaccine doses scheduled to arrive for distribution on Jan. 21 and 22. By Jan. 16, Servia said 6,677 people had been vaccinated by county workers at Tom Bennett Park or the Department of Public Safety, with a total of 13,919 vaccinated in the county including healthcare workers in hospitals and residents of long term care facilities. As of Jan. 16, the number of people registered in the vaccine standby pool had risen to 118,500. As more vaccines are received, Saur said there will be more announcements through social media and other outlets about appointments being booked to alert seniors signed up for the standby pool. Unfortunately, he said the timing and amount of vaccines coming to the county are uncertain and sporadic at this time due to vaccine dose availability. Seniors signed up through the
Manatee County standby pool should look for a phone call from 941-7424300 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday when vaccine appointments are available. If 311 operators call and no one answers the phone, they’ll make one more attempt before putting the person’s name back into the system to be randomly selected again at a future date. If you miss a call from 311 operators, you’re asked to not call back, they’ll call you. If you’ve already registered your information with the county at www.vax. mymanatee.org there is no reason to register a second time. Any duplicate registrations will be deleted. If you’re having trouble signing up for the standby pool through the website, you can call 311 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday to enter your name in the lottery-style pool. Manatee County has more than 100,000 residents at age 65 or older. COVID-19 vaccinations in Manatee County are open to anyone meeting the age requirement regardless of residency. Anyone receiving a first dose of the vaccine in Manatee County must receive the mandatory
second dose here as well. Some first responders and frontline healthcare workers who received their first dose of the vaccine in December were scheduled to begin receiving second doses at the Public Safety Center in east Bradenton on Jan. 13. Currently, there are only two sites in Manatee County where the public and frontline workers or first responders can receive a vaccine – at Bennett Park or the Public Safety Center. Saur said that, if needed, there are plans to open a third site. Director of Development Jim McDaniel said in an email to The Sun that he’s also volunteered The Center of Anna Maria Island’s Magnolia Avenue campus in Anna Maria as a potential future vaccination site for the county. With the federal government announcing on Jan. 12 that a push is moving forward to have states release the vaccine doses held back to guarantee second vaccines for those people who’ve already received a first one, Saur said he’s unsure of how things will progress now at Manatee County run vaccination sites. He
added that he still plans for anyone who’s received a first vaccine dose from the county to be able to receive a second vaccine dose here. Saur said there is a three- to four-day window for people to receive a second vaccine around the 21- or 28-day recommendation. Pfizer vaccines require the second dose to be administered 21 days after the first dose while Moderna vaccines require the second dose to be administered 28 days after the first dose. Area seniors can expect to receive a phone call from 311 operators a week before their second dose is due to book an appointment. Saur said current plans are to administer the second doses at the Public Safety Center with the ability to administer two days’ worth of second dose vaccines in one day. Manatee County officials will never ask for any financial information when booking a vaccine appointment. Vaccines received by the county are available to the public free of charge. For more information, visit www. mymanatee.org/vaccine.
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JANUARY 20, 2021
REALTORS: 2020 a banner year for Island Realtors FROM PAGE 1
“My total was $153.9 million. It was double what I did last year. Last year was a good year, this year was just incredible,� Sato said. “There was so much demand to be on the Island. I think part of it was the fact was that Florida was open and people can come here. Florida has been as close to normal as you can get in a pandemic. People in the stricter lockdown states wanted to get away. I think for people buying a second home, this pushed them to do it sooner rather than later. People can use their second homes a lot more right now because you can work remotely, and the kids are in school remotely. Here, there’s natural social distancing on the beach and you have the ability to move around outside and enjoy the Island. If you’re going to buy a second home and can only be here a few weeks a year you’re not as included to make that jump,� Sato said. “This year my team did $105 million in sales. It was a great year,� Duncan said. “We’re seeing younger people with families buying second
homes, and we’re seeing retirees, too.� “It was a fantastic year,� Galletto said. “There were more properties sold on the Island in 2020 than any other year, by far. The Blandford previous highest number on the Island was back in 2005 or 2006, when 438 properties were sold. In 2020, 579 properties were sold. Everybody wants to move to Florida.� “The buyers we’re seeing are not so much Galletto rental-driven,� Duncan said. “They’re here to live, with second homes. Obviously, COVID created more demand because of our outdoor lifestyle and we’re seeing people working remotely and schooling remotely. We’re Hillyard seeing people relocating their families here, which is wonderful thing.� “My typical buyer isn’t buying it for the return on investment, it’s a second home,� Sato said. “If you’re
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buying a house just to rent – and trying to get a 5-10% return on investment – that’s not happening because the prices are where they are. A lot of people rent out their Sheck second homes to help pay the taxes, insurance and upkeep, but the house is for them.� “I’ve been out here 30 years and the demand has never been this high and the inventory has never been lower,� Galletto said. Young “The previous low was something like 300 properties for sale on the Island back in 2003, 2004 and 2005. Right now, the inventory is 135 properties for sale. Thirty years ago the buyers were in their 60s. Now they’re in their late 40s and early 50s. They’re all second and third homes. The majority of the buyers are from the Midwest – and a lot of people in Tampa have second homes here,� Galletto said. “When you’re buying here, twothirds to three-quarters of what you’re buying is the land and not the
house. An acre on the Gulf now is $6 million. A hundred-by-hundred lot on the Gulf is $3 million. A lot in middle of the Island, four blocks from the beach, is $400,000. I expect the prices will continue to rise. They’ve been going up on average about 7% per year since 2000. And sales may be a little slower in 2021 because there’s not enough inventory.
TEAM EFFORTS
“Grace Wenzel, my sales assistant, is a big part of my success,� Sato said. “Monica Reid, our office manager, is too. And I have really loyal customers that have confidence in me and pass my name on to other people. I want to thank them too. Overall, this was our best year. Our agents did well and we love that. We’re able to provide them with a lot of opportunities and they’re making the most of it,� Sato said. Duncan credited some of her team’s continued success to their knowledge of the Island market and their longevity in it. “We are a hard-working team and our team is doing very well,� she said.
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SEARCH: Oil storage tank still missing FROM PAGE 5
missing. I don’t know what they’re going to do with it – whether they’re going to raise it or pump it out – but that has to be found,” Murphy told the commission. “There is no evidence of it leaking at this point. There is no sheen. There are no pollutants going into the water as of two o'clock this afternoon. That’s the status. I wish it was better news.
Everything was going hunky-dory until I heard about the lost tank,” Murphy said. When contacted early Sunday afternoon, Murphy said he was waiting on an update from the Coast Guard.
FUEL REMOVAL
Regarding the presence of diesel fuel first detected along the shoreline on Saturday, Jan. 9, Murphy said, “I was
worried about the fuel. It smelled all the way from the City Pier down to about Cypress (Avenue). It pretty much dissipated by Sunday morning. A little bit of fuel goes a long way when it’s on the water. It really wasn’t that much.” Regarding the ensuing fuel containment and removal efforts, Murphy said, “The company hired to do the salvaging of that shrimp boat was out there the day after and the day after that.
They put (containment) booms up and they had divers down. The main (fuel) tank held 7,000 gallons. They found 5,000 gallons in the tank and pumped it up and put that in their salvage boat. Then they found two auxiliary tanks. It appears to be the capacity of these two auxiliaries is about 75, maybe 80 gallons.” Murphy said the auxiliary fuel tanks were also being pumped out.
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THE SUN
OBITUARIES Bonnie L. Kirby Lalos Bonnie L. Kirby Lalos, age 79, passed away peacefully on Jan. 14, 2021, with her family surrounding her in Bradenton. She was born Bonnie Lee Kirby, the daughter of Howard A. Kirby and Betty Jane Davis Kirby, on Oct. 14, 1941, in Akron, Ohio. She graduated from Kenmore High School in 1959, where she was a cheerleader. She was a student of Etta Mae Smiths from 1945 to 1960, where she traveled throughout the country dancing with her best friend, Deloris Carden. She made her way to the Rockettes, checking off her bucket list before marrying. Bonnie was also a Mason Rainbow Girl. She became a banquet manager at several Akron area restaurants, including Anthe’s, Tangiers, and Holiday Inn Hudson before relocating to Anna Maria in 1988.
BEACH BEAT HOLMES BEACH
1/5, petit theft, 8017 Marina Isles Lane. Exercise equipment was stolen. The victim said he saw the thieves drive away in a dark car. The investigation continues. 1/5 11 a.m., DUI, possession of drugs, 5300 Gulf Drive. The officer got a radio dispatch on an erratic driver in a blue car and caught up with
JANUARY 20, 2021
She arrived in Florida and worked at Pete Reynard’s Restaurant until she became a police dispatcher for the Holmes Beach Police Department. She retired in 2013 after 24 years of service. She always said she loved her job because she could tell the officers where to go and get away with it. She will always be remembered for her beautiful smile, sense of humor, laughter, kindness, tenacity, vitality, and positive attitude. Bonnie had a passion for dancing and life. She was an avid scrapbooker and loved sewing. She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband who was the love of her life, Stanley Lalos; her stepfather, James Linn, and her in-laws, George and Chrysanthe Lalos. She leaves her daughters, Leslie Lalos, Leah (Will) Lalos Manson, Lana Lalos Latella, and son George T. (Leanne) Lalos; grandchildren, Shelby-Gail and Sarahbeth Manson, Niko Lalos, Alyssa Latella, Alexa and Mackenzie Lalos; sisters Norma Kirby Vidican, Bettylou Kir-
by Atkinson, brother James “Chip” Linn, along with many nieces, nephews, and beloved friends. “I strived in life to give memories of me to all of you and show how much you were loved,” Bonnie once wrote. “I know it worked because you all gave me so much love back. I was the wealthiest person thanks to all of you. A wealth you don’t have to pay taxes for and a wealth most would pay big bucks to have.” Brown & Sons Funeral Homes & Crematory, 26th Street Chapel, 5624 26th St. W., Bradenton, FL 34207, is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may be made to www. brownandsonsfuneral.com. Honoring Bonnie, her love of life, and her passion to have everyone dance, in lieu of flowers, a scholarship fund has been set up and donations may be sent to: TVSD c/o Bonnie Lalos Tracey Vita’s School of Dance 4181 9th Ave. W Bradenton, FL 34205
him. The defendant acted confused and when asked where he thought he was, he answered Clearwater. He then did badly on the field sobriety test and the officer found bottles of unidentified pills in the car. The officer arrested him. 1/6, burglary to a conveyance, 6803 Holmes Blvd. Tools and other items were stolen from the victim’s garage. 1/10, information, Water’s Edge Condos, 5808 Gulf Drive. The renters reported money missing and an
apparent break-in with no evidence of forced entry. 1/11, habitual traffic offender, 700 Manatee Ave. The license plate reader alerted the officer of an unlicensed habitual offender driver. He stopped and arrested her. 1/12, 9 p.m., trespass warning, Publix, 3200 East Bay Drive. A homeless woman was caught shoplifting and the store management got the items back. The manager asked the officer to issue her a trespass warning.
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JANUARY 20, 2021
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OBITUARIES
Mary Jane Messina
Mary Jane “Janie” Messina, 85, long-time resident of Bradenton Beach, Fla., died at home surrounded by her loving family on January 2, 2021. Janie and her husband ,Nick, married in 1954 and resided in Meadville and New Castle, Penn., for 16 years and had their three children; Mark, Michele and Christine. They moved to Bradenton Beach, Fla., in 1970 where they resided for 50 years. Janie was a believer in Jesus Christ and lived her life accordingly. She had a wonderful sense of humor and was happiest when surrounded by her husband, Nick (predeceased), and her family and friends. Janie is survived by her four children: Mark Messina (Susan) of Bradenton, Fla.; Michele Steger (David predeceased) of Myakka City, Fla.; Christine Ponto (Rick), of Bradenton, Fla.; and (daughter of her heart) Eleanor Arpaia-Gibbs, of Fishers, Ind.; Grandchildren: Garrett Steger, Shauna Steger, Kyle Messina, and Jordan McDaniel (Chad); Great grandchildren: Bryce Steger, Kaylie Hoffman and Landen Hoffman. “We have lost a beautiful loving soul here on earth, she will dance in our hearts forever.”
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SPORTS
JANUARY 20, 2021
Let the games begin: Another year of action at The Center BY MONICA SIMPSON SPECIAL TO THE SUN
Youth sports and adult co-ed flag football and soccer started another set of seasons last week at The Center. Week one of action started for the grown-up kids on Wednesday night with adult soccer. This season’s team rosters witnessed a mixing up of standard team lineups. On paper, the Jiffy Lube squad, with the strong games of the Anderson brothers, Sean Flynn’s versatile play and speed on the field, Eric Pullen’s scoring power, Robb Marshall’s superb stopping ability, Tim Holly’s youth and tenacity, and Lyn Clarke’s wisdom and experience, could be the team to beat. Against Slim’s Place, both teams showed this could be anyone’s season, with the game ending in a 3-3 tie. With a new sponsor to the league, now veteran Zach Reda, along with past teammates Cody Wright, Clancy Vaughn and Cole Peterson, took the field with other league veterans to get their Allied team a solid win over the strong Blalock Walters team. Despite goals by Matt Staggs and Chris Scott, Allied scored seven goals in the game and won 7-2. Reda had a hat trick, leading his team in scoring and tied with Chris Klotz in the league with one game completed. Klotz’s team, Burton Brick and Tile, won 6-3 against Servis First Bank in the third game of the night. In the loss, Kevin Roman scored two goals and Ben Sato had nine saves. Also with two goals, Burton Bricks’ Zach Leib started the season strong once again. In the final soccer game of the night,
Sato Real Estate put a W in the record books to start the season. Their victory came against The Gitt Team. Finishing with the score 4-2, Josh Sato, Amy Ivin, Hakan Toka, and Race Arande each had a goal in the game. Robert Fellowes eluded the Sato Real Estate goalkeeper twice for his team’s two points. The next night, in flag football action, the adults took to the Island gridiron for four exciting games to start the season. In the first game, youth sports standout Jackson Hayes was credited with a touchdown pass for Sandbar in 40-27 first-game victory, as well as single point conversion reception. Matteo Ferris threw the other three TD passes and had an interception in the game. Sandbar’s Tyler Brewer had two catches, one for the point after a touchdown. Salty Printing’s Shaughnessy Family trio, Mike, Bri and Tim took the field against former teammate Karri Stephens for the first time in many seasons. Team captain, Tim Shaughnessy had two passing TDs in addition to a scoring pass by Danny Murphy. Murphy and T. Shaughnessy also had rushing touchdowns in the loss. The two interceptions, caught by Stephens and Ferris may have been the deciding factor in the match-up. In a closer scoring game, Beach Bums won by three points, 21-18, against Ryan Moss and Moss Builders. Quarterback Matt Briley hit Rueben Young twice for touchdowns, with a single TD throw to Anthony Mannino for the win. In addition to the six points, Mannino had an interception against the Moss
Builder’s squad. QB Ryan Moss hit friend Jordan Demers twice, cousin Greg Moss thrice, Cole Carter four times, and Dina DeJesus for five catches, including two for touchdowns. R. Moss had a rushing score of his own, while his cousin caught Briley for two defensive sacks. Despite Demers’ two interceptions, Moss Builders could not pull off the win. Ugly Grouper scored 32 points against team Mi-Box lead by Dominick Otteni, who scored 19 in the first game of the season. Each team finished the game with a single interception by the team captain. Captain Brandon Kull, is also noted with three touchdown throws and one scoring catch for his Ugly Grouper team. Chad Woods leads the league with nine receptions for his Mi-Box team, including one for a score. Woods was supported by his fellow scoring teammates Otteni and Dylan Doyle. In the win, each of the Ugly Grouper players had a catch in the game. Octavious Cole had the most for his team with five grabs, followed by Melissa Acevedo with four catches, and Mark Anthony and Cory Banks each with three. Cam Winston and Jaret Rojas had single nabs in their team’s first win of the season. To end the night, Solid Rock Construction and Slim’s Place played a nail biter that ended in a tie after regulation time. Slim’s Place took the win in overtime, with quarterback JB Shuck throwing a solid four scoring receptions to Cruz Rodriguez, Tim Holly and Jacob Robertson. Holly had an additional five
points in the game for Slim’s Place. Connor Haughey served as the quarterback for Solid Rock Construction, with three passing touchdowns to team captain Jon Moss. In addition to Jesse Skipper’s and Zack Long’s extra points after the touchdowns, Haughey had a Pick Six taking the Solid Rock team to overtime. Slim’s Place overtime win puts them in a four-way tie for first place with Ugly Grouper, Beach Bums and Sandbar going into week two.
SUN SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13 ADULT CO-ED SOCCER WEEK #1 Jiffy Lube Slim’s Place
13 3
Blalock Walters Allied
2 7
Servis First Bank Burton Brick and Tile
3 6
Sato Real Estate The Gitt Team
4 2
THURSDAY, JANUARY 14 ADULT CO-ED FLAG FOOTBALL WEEK #1 Sandbar Salty Printing
40 27
Moss Builders Beach Bums
18 21
Ugly Grouper Mi-Box
32 19
Solid Rock Construction 26 Slim’s Place 26 win in overtime
JANUARY 20, 2021
FUN IN THE SUN
Across 1 It's read monthly 9 Myers partner in personality type research 15 Part of a backup plan 16 "Ni-i-ice!" 17 Walked all over 18 Word on some special plates 19 Klutzes 20 Understand 22 Added conditions 23 Two-tone shirt wearer 24 Word with side or prop 25 Crunch beneficiaries 27 Like 29 Contributed to 30 Issuer of three-part nos. 31 Gulf of __ 32 Exam given in spots? 35 "I know, right?"
Answers to 01-13-21 Crossword Puzzle.
36 Hypothetical apocalyptic climate effect 37 Single 38 Transparent collectible 39 Sticker in a garden 40 Issa of "The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl" 41 Islands sound 42 __ stop 43 Hold up 46 Red state? 48 Hideout 50 Term popularized by le CarrĂŠ 51 Have a positive impact 53 Rustic home 55 Outwitted, in a way 56 Completely dominated 57 Div. with MLB's southernmost team 58 Rush hour metaphor
Down 1 Gainesville athlete 2 Glowing rings 3 Servers and such 4 Spring honorees 5 Unverified way of seeing 6 Exchanged insults, as competitors 7 Wedding, for one 8 Second chance 9 Gym rat's pride 10 Emu relatives 11 Confident assertion 12 Middle Eastern leader who grew up in Milwaukee 13 What an anchor does 14 Camera initials 21 Sinus-clearing condiment 24 TV comedy pioneer 26 Nonkosher lunch, probably 28 Tiny tunneler 29 Recklessness 30 Wrapped accessory 31 Web-footed animal 32 Group of local amateur teams 33 Oreo O's, e.g. 34 Many Rwandans 35 Sushi bar order 36 Paired conjunction 41 Sole providers?
42 Flora and fauna 43 Crime-fighting sidekick 44 Antipasto morsel 45 "Seinfeld" surname
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54 Scoundrel
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FOR SALE ADORABLE 2BR/2BA condo in four plex. One block to beach. Fully furnished with pool. Two car carport. Brenda Boyd May. Broker Boyd Realty 941-730-8589 FOR SALE 2 BLOCKS from the beach! Diamond in the rough 212 75th St $800K Call Kelly Gitt Keller Williams Realty 941-799-9299
RENTALS: ANNUAL ANNUAL RENTALS WANTED! We have well qualified tenants for beach and mainland annual rentals, Full management or Finders fee. Call today for details. Ask for Paige DUNCAN REAL ESTATE 513-3821992. COZY COTTAGE SANDPIPER 55+ Resort. 1 ½ minute walk to Beach or Bay. 1BR/1BA. Washer/ dryer For Sale or Rent. Call 941251-4767. Leave number on machine.
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