- Named Best Florida Newspaper In Its Class -
VOL 20 No. 34
June 3, 2020
Protestors peacefully take to Bradenton streets JOE HENDRICKS | SUN
The protest march made stops at the Manatee County Historic Courthouse and the Bradenton Police Department headquarters. See story on Page 11.
Anna Maria City Pier set to open June 19 The soft opening plan calls for the new pier to be open three days a week at first. BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
ANNA MARIA – The soft opening of the new Anna Maria City Pier is scheduled for Friday, June 19. Mayor Dan Murphy made the proposal to city commissioners on Thursday, May 28 and the they provided unanimous consensus support. Murphy expects the final inspections of the new pier to be completed between June
INSIDE NEWS 4 OUTDOORS
14-15
REAL ESTATE
20-23
OBITS, COPS
24
CROSSWORD
25
8 and June 12. This leaves an additional week to address any remaining issues and prepare for the pier opening June 19. Initially, the pier will be open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The pier will initially remain closed on Mondays throughThursdays. Murphy is in the preliminary stages of discussing and then negotiating a long-term lease agreement for the use of the cityowned restaurant and bait shop buildings. Those ongoing lease discussions are taking place with Ugly Grouper LLC, which is represented by Ugly Grouper restaurant SEE PIER, PAGE 6
State awaits COVID-19 drop to expand reopenings As Florida awaits phase two of the governor’s reopening plan, requiring a drop in statewide COVID cases, new cases are reported every day in Manatee County and statewide. BY CINDY LANE SUN STAFF WRITER | clane@amisun.com
With most of the goals accomplished in the first phase of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ plan to reopen the state, owners and patrons of bars, theme parks and sporting events await the
beginning of the second phase. The next step of the “Safe. Smart. Step-by-Step.” plan to reopen the state economy from the virtual shutdown, declared due to the COVID-19 pandemic, outlines measures to allow bars, theme parks, sporting events and local government meetings to reopen at half capacity, and increases the capacity of restaurants, retail stores, hair and nail salons and gyms from 50% to 75%. The plan recommends starting the second phase after “a downward trajectory of the syndromic and epidemiSEE COVID-19, PAGE 5
BEACH ‘
PIER TENANT wants $65,000 to
RESTORATION
end lease early. 4
project delayed until late July. 12
PARKING REMAINS closed in
Holmes Beach. 9
CLASSIFIEDS 26
Anna Maria Island, Florida
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