Post-primary election, county does 180, nixes island parking garage
By Ryan paice Islander Reporter
Concerns about Manatee County’s plans to build a parking garage in Holmes Beach have been quelled — for now.
County commissioners unanimously voted Aug. 27 to table further expenditures and suspend a request for qualifications for an engineer to design three proposed parking garages, including one at Manatee Public Beach, 4000 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach.
The other two tabled parking garages include one at the Bradenton Area Convention Center, 1 Haben Blvd., Palmetto, and another at the Premiere Sports complex, 5895 Post Blvd., Lakewood Ranch.
The only parking structure for which design work was not tabled is one that would replace the county’s existing garage at Third Avenue West in downtown Bradenton, which needs repair.
The Holmes Beach parking garage was proposed by Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge, R-District 3, when, after taking office in 2020, he began criticizing the city’s park-by-permit system.
Rep. Will Robinson Jr., R-Bradenton,
sided with the county and filed House Bill 947 to allow it to build a 36-foot-tall parking structure on county-owned property within the city — such as Manatee Public Beach — without obtaining construction permits from the municipality.
The bill passed the Legislature and was signed into law last June by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Conceptual plans for a $30 million-$35 million garage at the beach were presented by county staff last year.
Those plans included replacing the beach’s existing parking lot, which can accommodate about 400 vehicles, with a three-story structure with 900 parking spaces and facilities on the second floor.
County commissioners unanimously voted in May to approve $1.125 million for a preliminary design criteria package for the proposed garage.
The county issued an RFQ for contractors to design the parking structure but had not negotiated a contract by the Aug. 27 commission meeting.
Before that meeting, Commissioner
DOT repairs hole, reopens AMI Bridge overnight
By Ryan paice Islander Reporter
“Thud.” “Thud.” “Bam!”
Several people reported their cars went “thud” as they drove east on the Anna Maria Island Bridge Aug. 28, then one driver’s tire went “Bam” — and the car was disabled.
Perico Island resident Tara Turner told The Islander Sept. 1 that when she drove over the hole, it “shredded” one of her tires.
She was on her way home from work in Anna Maria, when she said she saw something on the bridge shimmer in front of her.
“It was really quick,” she said. “All of a sudden, my car went into a hole and popped out.”
Turner said she immediately pulled over, exited her vehicle and looked down into the hole to see the water beneath.
“You could see all the way through! … It was a little bit terrifying,” she said.
Turner said she called DOT district structures maintenance engineer James Jacobsen
A crew from tampa-based Allied Wrecking work Aug. 27 on dismantling the bottom floor of a beachfront treehouse in Holmes Beach. the top deck has been removed, although the supports remain. Allied had nearly finished work Aug 29, leaving the Australian pine tree standing. For more, see page 15 Islander photo: Jacob Merrifield
A view from below
Cones block eastbound traffic Aug. 28 on the AMI Bridge, where part of the road caved in.
about help but missed his return call.
She said she would follow up with Jacobsen on Sept. 3, after The Islander’s press deadline.
Florida Department of Transportation workers — already working on a patch for a hole in the roadway — checked Turner’s tire and towed her VW bug to her residence.
The lane reopened the morning of Aug. 29 after the DOT worked overnight to repair the hole, according to the DOT Southwest District.
A DOT flagging crew arrived first to direct traffic around the lane with the hole and soon after another maintenance crew arrived to complete emergency repairs.
The damaged roadbed was patched that night, ending the traffic disruption before Labor Day weekend visitors arrived in earnest.
This isn’t the first time in recent history the bridge has needed emergency repairs.
Last July, the 16-inch water main across the bridge collapsed into the Anna Maria Sound due to failing hanger mounts on the east end under the bridge.
It was replaced with an elevated temporary pipeline, which closed the bridge’s south sidewalk and has remained since.
The DOT plans to replace the bridge in 2029 with a $138 million 65-foot-high fixed-span bridge with two 12-foot-wide travel lanes.
The AMI Bridge, Cortez Bridge and Longboat Pass Bridge were built in 1957 and have outlived their 50-year life expectancy, according to the DOT.
Jacobsen did not respond to an Aug. 30 call from The Islander.
RIGHt: the VW bug tire that blew out on the AMI Bridge Aug. 28. Islander Courtesy photo
▼ Modern Chop Happy Hour 11:30-6 Light Bite Specials 4-6, lounge only.
▲ Martini Monday: Signature Martinis, $7, plus 1/2 price lite bites -- lounge only.
▼ Tuesday: $3 Tacos and Margaritas 4-9, lounge only.
▲ Wine Down Wednesday, 5O% OFF Wines by the Glass
▼ Live Maine Lobster Thursdays, plus Happy Hour all nite in the lounge.
A view
below of a hole that appeared Aug. 28 in the eastbound lane of Manatee Avenue on the Anna Maria Island Bridge. Islander photos: Courtesy Holmes Beach police Department
Top Notch
Bright-eyed pooch by the pier the winner of the Islander’s annual top Notch pet photo contest is Susan “tootie” patrick of Anna Maria, who took this photo of her dog, Blue, in midJuly near the Rod & Reel pier in Anna Maria. patrick said, “Blue and I walk past the Rod & Reel almost every evening around sunset. When I saw the beautiful cotton candy clouds I had to stop and take a photo.” patrick wins a gift certificate from the Islander’s advertising partner, Blue Marlin restaurant in Bradenton Beach. See more top Notch news, page 10.
Bradenton investigating shooting death near PSC
Bradenton police and Manatee Homicide Task Force detectives were investigating the shooting death of a teenager Aug. 31 near the Palma Sola Causeway.
Shortly after 1 a.m., a Bradenton police officer responded to a report of gunshots in the 8600 block of Manatee Avenue West and found the body of 16-yearold Martavious Carter.
A news release from the BPD said detectives
Top prize-winner
Marilia Clark of Garland, texas, left, collects a canvas print — a prize for her top Notch winning photo — Aug. 30 from printer Frank Williams at Island Mail & print in the Anna Maria Island Centre, 3220 e. Bay Drive, Holmes Beach. Clark’s prizes also included $100 from the Islander and gift certificates from the Doctor’s Office, Salon Salon, the Feast, Minnie’s Cafe, Cheesecake Cutie and Cafe and paradise Cafe and Bagels. Islander photo: Frank Williams
Top Notch partners the Islander thanks the advertiser partners who provided gifts for our top Notch contest winners. please, save your best photos for next year! — Bonner Joy
believe Carter was picked up at a location within the county Aug. 30 and driven to the area of the causeway where the crime occurred.
The causeway and the Anna Maria Island Bridge were closed for several hours to ensure a thorough investigation, the news release stated.
Roads reopened just after 5:30 a.m. Detectives, as of Aug. 31, believed the shooting to be an isolated incident.
The investigation was ongoing.
No other details were available as of Islander press time Sept. 2.
People with information can contact Det. Brian Sands at brian.sands@bradentonpd.com or 941-9329300.
To remain anonymous and to be eligible for a cash reward, contact Manatee County Crime Stoppers at 866-634-8477 or at manateecrimestoppers.com.
— Lisa Neff
By Lisa Neff
The Islander poll
Last week’s question
Do you buy suitcase art when you travel?
7%. Almost always.
7%. When it strikes me.
8%. Something affordable, yes.
79%. Nope.
This week’s question
Next time you purchase a vehicle, will you consider electric?
A. No.
B. Maybe.
C. Yes.
D. Already have one.
To answer the poll, go online to islander.org.
To suggest a poll question, email lisa@islander. org.
County reverses decision on historical sites oversight
By Robert Anderson Islander Reporter
Manatee County commissioners had second thoughts about some of their decisions after the Aug. 20 primary.
In their first meeting since the primary election, in which two commissioners lost election bids, the board voted to reverse a decision to move oversight of several historical sites from the Clerk of the Circuit Courts Historical Resources Department to the county’s sports and leisure department.
The reversal followed an amendment proposed by at-large Commissioner George Kruse, R-District 7, at the Aug. 27 meeting.
The original motion, passed Sept. 12, 2023, would have shifted control of the Florida Maritime Museum in Cortez, Manatee Village Historical Park in Bradenton, Palmetto Historical Park and Manatee County Agricultural Museum in Palmetto from the clerk to the sports and leisure department. The change was slated to take effect Oct. 1.
Kruse, who had been the dissenting vote in that original decision, expressed concerns about the motion, calling it rushed and questioning its legality.
After defeating Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge in the Aug. 20 primary and advancing to the general election, Kruse added an item to the Aug. 27
meeting agenda asking the board to reconsider the transfer.
Kruse challenged the Oct. 1 timeline saying the takeover by sports and leisure was not finalized and funding issues remained unresolved.
Van Ostenbridge, District 3 commissioner until November, motioned to approve repealing the board’s previous decision. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Amanda Ballard and passed unanimously 6-0. The District 1 seat is empty.
Two Cortez voices who previously spoke opposing the transfer expressed joy at the board’s reversal. Cindy Rogers, executive director of the Cortez Village Historical Society, spoke with The Islander Aug. 28.
“It’s really good to see some common sense being restored,” Rogers said. “Now I truly hope that they’re going to do the same thing with the wetlands protection, which, as you know, is vitally important to our area.”
Cortez business owner and Friends of the Florida Maritime Museum board member Karen Bell called the decision to keep oversight under the direction of the clerk’s office “a huge relief.”
“I mean, in my mind, it’s our museum, it belongs to Cortez,” Bell said, referring to the Florida Maritime Museum, which showcases the history of the historic fishing village. “So when they start messing around with changing what we see work without even talking to us about it, it really did leave a bad feeling. I just don’t see how they were comfortable doing that so I’m glad that they decided to go back.”
The clerk’s historical resources department has partnered with various municipalities and nonprofits for more than 40 years, with the department beginning under the late R.B. Chips Shore, who had a passion for the preservation of county history.
Temporary injunction against kayak tours denied
By Ryan paice Islander Reporter
One tour company is set to continue operating in Holmes Beach despite a lawsuit against operations.
12th Circuit Judge D. Ryan Felix issued an order Aug. 19 to deny Irene and Roger Alvarez Jr.’s motion for a temporary injunction against Bradenton-based Fun Florida Tours LLC.
The Alvarezes, who own property at 201 N. Harbor Drive, Holmes Beach, filed a lawsuit against the tour company, seeking more than $50,000 in damages and an injunction to prohibit its tours from entering Sportsman Harbor.
The harbor is an inlet off Palma Sola Bay that runs up to the Alvarez property, where manatees can often be found relaxing in the water.
Fun Florida Tours offers guided kayak tours featuring lighted, transparent vessels for visibility into the water underneath. The tour times vary, including 8-11 p.m. tours.
The Alvarezes’ lawsuit alleges the tour company’s forays into Sportsman Harbor disturb manatees, constitute a private nuisance and put the property owner at risk of liability claims.
The complaint seeks damages from Fun Florida Tours for diminution of property value, increased insurance costs, as well as exposure to personal injury and property damage claims.
The property owners also moved for a temporary injunction to enjoin the tour company and its customers from entering Sportsman Harbor, lighting up kayaks, speaking in volumes above 60 decibels, as well as touching their dock and seawall.
Their motion relies on case law established in Roebuck v. Sills, a 2020 case heard in Florida’s 1st District Court of Appeals, to allege the kayak tours are
a nuisance.
In that case, the court ruled in favor of Okaloosa County resident Julian Roebuck’s claim that his neighbor’s noisy pool pump and annoying exterior lighting constituted a nuisance.
However, Felix wrote in his Aug. 19 order that the reference was “inapposite” to their case since the focus of the court’s opinion in Roebuck v. Sills was on how the claimed nuisance disturbed Roebuck’s ability to sleep.
Felix pointed to the Alvarezes’ lack of credible testimony that the kayak tours disturbed their ability to sleep, as well as testimony from neighbors that the tours did not cause excessive noise or exorbitant lighting, as flaws in the connection.
“It is not lost upon the court that kayak tours led by FFT into the inlet are certainly an annoyance and inconvenience causing discomfort to Mr. and Mrs. Alvarez,” Felix wrote. “Nonetheless, Mr. and Mrs. Alvarez have simply not presented sufficient evidence to establish that tours led by FFT in the inlet are anything more than a mere annoyance, inconvenience, or discomfort.”
Felix wrote that, until the property owners presented evidence showing they were enduring “an appreciable, substantial, tangible injury resulting in actual, material, physical discomfort,” they have not shown a substantial likelihood of succeeding on the merits of their case.
Fun Florida Tours owner Carl Hatley Jr. celebrated the order in an Aug. 22 email to The Islander.
“This is nothing more than harassment from Mr. and Mrs. Alvarez with the goal to shut down my small business … using their money, lies and the court system,” he wrote. “We are happy with the judge’s ruling and look forward to the trial where we can spend the time to call witnesses and show the intentions of Roger and Irene Alvarez.”
The Islander was not able to reach the Alvarezes by press time this week.
There were no upcoming hearings scheduled for the case as of Aug. 29, according to the Manatee County Clerk of Circuit Court’s website, manateeclerk. com.
the Florida Maritime Museum, 4415 119th St. W., Cortez. Islander File photo: Robert Anderson
A tour group of paddlers in lighted, clearbottom kayaks make their way through Anna Maria Sound a short distance from residential docks in August 2023. Islander
File photo: Joe Bird
Consolidation study complete, islanders meet with legislators
By Ryan paice Islander Reporter
A state-led island consolidation study has been completed.
But a group of islanders delivered their input — and that of 1,263 others — directly to the lawmakers who called for the study.
Barbara Ehren, organizer of Save Florida Home Rule, a grassroots nonpartisan group, told The Islander Aug. 30 that she and three other SFHR representatives recently met with state Rep. Will Robinson Jr. and, separately, Sen. Jim Boyd, both Republicans from Bradenton, to discuss a state study that would address the potential for consolidation of the island’s three cities.
Last year, Robinson proposed that the Manatee County legislative delegation commission the Florida Offi ce of Program Policy and Government Accountability to study the potential consolidation of the island municipalities.
Boyd and the rest of the delegation unanimously backed Robinson’s proposal.
OPPAGA began the study last November and, in its process, sent information requests to the island municipalities and the city of Bradenton. It did not involve feedback from island residents.
Options explored in the study include the consolidation of island services, consolidation of all three island cities into one, consolidation of the island cities into Bradenton, as well as the dissolution of the island municipalities into unincorporated Manatee County.
PARKING GARAGE CONtINUeD FROM pAGe 1
George Kruse, having defeated Van Ostenbridge and newly nominated as the GOP candidate for his District 7 at-large seat, asked to bring the item back for discussion.
He said that following the Aug. 20 primary, he no longer believed there would be enough votes to approve the garage.
“I think after last Tuesday there is a pretty high probability that we are not going to be building the parking garages, and I don’t like spending money on designs for things we are not going to build,” Kruse said. “There’s no way there is going to be four votes to build this parking garage. … I’m not voting in favor of it and I don’t think other people will, either, so let’s just save the money.”
He noted that HB 947 was not time-restricted and would continue to allow the county to build a parking garage at Manatee Public Beach if it chose to do so.
Van Ostenbridge moved to table funding for the parking garages at the Bradenton Area Convention Center, Manatee Public Beach and the Premiere Sports complex.
Kruse seconded the motion, which passed.
Plan now for the next holiday!
Is your business ready to make the most of a new season?
Improve your odds of success with Islander newspaper readers looking to shop and dine, seeking indoor and outdoor fun, and a place to stay for their next visit. Call or text 941-778-7978.
Save Florida Home Rule, a grassroots nonpartisan group aimed at preserving municipal home rule, promotes its stance. Islander Courtesy Graphic
The study was recently completed but will not be immediately available to the public since OPPAGA is exempt from Florida’s Government-in-the-Sunshine Law, which guarantees public access to most government documents and meetings.
Boyd told SFHR representatives that the study had been submitted to the Senate but had yet to be reviewed or discussed and would be released to the public this fall, according to Ehren.
Nevertheless, Ehren said SFHR aimed to deliver the public input that the OPPAGA study lacks to Boyd and Robinson.
That included 1,263 letters voicing opposition to the island cities’ consolidation or dissolution.
“We didn’t know whether they knew about the voice of the people and what it was actually saying, so we wanted to inform them of that,” Ehren said. “We don’t want them to do anything to our cities.”
The SFHR included one resident from each island municipality and the city of Bradenton.
Ehren, from the city of Anna Maria, said both legislators were “receptive” but the meetings still left her with lingering questions.
She said she asked the legislators what problems
There was no public comment.
Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth expressed gratitude for the decision to table parking garage plans in an Aug. 30 text message to The Islander.
“I can’t thank Commissioner Kruse enough for his assistance in stopping this garage from moving forward. I am pleased that the other commissioners agreed that funding design is no longer warranted given the garage is not wanted by their constituents,” she wrote.
the county released plans for Manatee public Beach parking garage in Holmes Beach in 2023. Islander File Image
potential consolidation was intended to fix but did not receive clear answers.
According to Ehren, Robinson said one potential issue was the island’s shrinking population that could lead to a shortage of people to participate in local government.
“You can’t solve problems in the present for a problem you think might occur in the future,” Ehren countered.
She said she did not receive a “cogent” argument from the legislators about why consolidation of the island governments and services should be pursued.
Ehren said SFHR reps were “pleased” with their meetings with Boyd and Robinson and hoped they had an impact.
“All four of us came away with a very positive feeling that they heard us,” she said.
In the meantime, Ehren said SFHR would continue to seek confirmation from the Florida legislators that they would not introduce a bill to consolidate or dissolve the island cities.
“Quite frankly, we’re all happy. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it,” Ehren said.
Boyd and Robinson did not respond to Aug. 30 calls from The Islander at both their district offices and their Tallahassee offices.
Sept. 11, 5:01 p.m., commission. 10005 Gulf Drive, 941-708-6130, cityofannamaria.com.
Sept. 4, 9:30 a.m., CRA.
Sept. 5, 5:35 p.m., commission, budget. Sept. 5, 6 p.m., commission. 107 Gulf Drive N., 941-778-1005, cityofbradentonbeach.com.
Sept. 11, 9 a.m., clean water ad hoc committee. Sept. 11, 5 p.m., commission. 5801 Marina Drive, 941-708-5800, holmesbeachfl.org.
Sept. 10, 6 p.m., commission. 701 63rd St. W., Bradenton, 941-761-1555, wmfr.org.
MANATEE COUNTY
Sept. 5, 9 a.m., commission, land use. Sept. 10, 9 a.m., commission. Sept. 12, 9 a.m., commission. Sept. 12, 6 p.m., commission, budget. 1112 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton, 941-748-4501, mymanatee. org.
ALSO OF INTEREST
Sept. 9, 2 p.m., Island Transportation Planning Organization, Anna Maria City Hall. Send meeting notices to calendar@islander.org.
Boyd
Robinson
Dream on
The longest known wait for resolution to a building complaint came last week with the demolition of the beachfront treehouse in Holmes Beach.
It started for us — staff and myself — at a former The Islander office in the Island Shopping Center when a young man, an acquaintance and employee at one of the shops, came through the door.
He began by imploring us to go to the beach at 29th Street in Holmes Beach to observe construction at a residence where there was no posted building permit.
But, I told him, we can’t just report it as a violation based on your word. You need to file a complaint and the city needs to take action before we can report it.
OK. He said he was going to city hall.
And when he did that, the long saga began. He filed the complaint anonymously and so it remains.
The construction he complained of turned out to be the treehouse. An elaborate treehouse, more resembling the Swiss Family Treehouse I toured in the 1970s with my kids at the Magic Kingdom than the crude treehouses we saw in neighborhoods as kids.
The carved stairway, railings and lattice-woven rope in place of spindles were the work of Richard — a true artisan. It was elaborate and a little bit magical, just like the Disney version.
It appeared to me as a place for a summer nap and dreams of adventure on a deserted island.
But unfortunately for the owners, it ran afoul of building codes and a state regulation to protect the beachfront from construction.
A battle began between the owners, the city and the state — and emotions ran high among people who found it worthy of a place on the beach and other people and opinions about observing the rules.
Many people who sought to see the treehouse remain on the beach made donations to help Lynn and Richard cover their legal costs and keep up the fight.
And maybe those contributions drove the desire to keep up the fight for the owners.
Your Opinion
Lynn was very much grieving the loss of her sanctuary when I spoke to her last week during the demolition, while Richard was trying to face reality and the deteriorating condition of the boards and ropes.
Both Lynn and Richard were trying hard to focus on how grateful they were to save the tree.
I was left to wonder why. Why didn’t we have a plan to relocate and preserve the treehouse?
Am I dreaming? Or maybe after all is resolved, the city could envision a treehouse much like the Hazens’ for a lookout post at Grassy Point?
— Bonner Joy, news@islander.org
Opinion
Preserving the character
I am a retired builder of 35 years. Bought here on this precious island back in 2010. I too am guilty of knocking down homes and building new to satisfy clients over the years in the Northeast. Although, I am proud to say that regardless of my customers’ wishes, my standards for rebuilding were to maintain the character and charm of a neighborhood.
Skimming online
Website: islander.org
Facebook: islandernewspaper
Instagram: @theislanderami
News alerts: Register at islander.org
E-edition: Subscribe at islander.org
Connections, AMI & beyond
SEPT. 4, 2024 • Vol. 32, No. 46
▼ Publisher, Co-editor
Bonner Joy, news@islander.org
▼ Editorial editor Lisa Neff, lisa@islander.org
Robert Anderson, robert@islander.org
Joe Bird, editorial cartoonist
Kevin Cassidy, kevin@islander.org
Masha Dolgoff, masha@islander.org
Jack elka, jack@jackelka.com
Robyn Murrell, robyn@islander.org
Ryan paice, ryan@islander.org
▼ Contributors
Karen Riley-Love
Jacob Merrifield
Capt. Danny Stasny, fish@islander.org
▼ Advertising Sales
Debbie tucker, debbie@islander.org
▼ Webmaster Wayne Ansell
▼ Office Manager, Lisa Williams
info@, accounting@, classifieds@, subscriptions@islander.org
▼ Distribution
Urbane Bouchet
Ross Roberts
Judy Loden Wasco
This consideration of the charm and character of this place seems to be lost here on the island. But it was front and center when redoing Pine Avenue, with all its fine detail and old-Florida charm thanks to many but especially thanks to a skilled architect and wonderful man, the late Eugene Aubry.
All others: news@islander.org
A few years ago, I noticed a beautiful home on a property with a dilapidated fountain. I let my imagination get the best of me and inquired numerous times to see if the homeowner would sell so I could refurbish what I believed to be a classic 1960 Vegas-style home back to all its glory.
Lo and behold I noticed a builder’s sign in front. Thought it was a goner. But to my surprise, the home is being renovated. This brought so much joy to my heart! This deserves some attention from our local officials and our community. Kudos to people who elect to maintain their properties instead of folding to greedy developers.
I strongly believe it’s important to recognize and celebrate those who make choices that positively impact our community. I wish there were incentives in place for more people to make these types of decisions.
I hope everyone elects a new mayor who appreciates and applauds this preservation, prioritizes green space and relates to LEED-certified building, as well as has a business sense about Pine Avenue and the surrounding community.
Anthony Cerami, Anna Maria
Anna Maria: Mayor Dan Murphy, 941-7086130, cityofannamaria.com, ammayor@cityofannamaria.com.
Bradenton Beach : Mayor John Chappie, 941-778-1005, mayor@cityofbradentonbeach. com.
Holmes Beach: Mayor Judy Titsworth, 941708-5800, hbmayor@holmesbeachfl.org.
Manatee County: Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge, 941-745-3705, kevin.vanostenbridge@mymanatee.org.
Florida Senate : Jim Boyd, 941-742-6445, boyd.jim.web@flsenate.gov.
Florida House : William Cloud “Will” Robinson Jr., 941-708-4968, will.robinson@myfloridahouse.gov.
Florida Governor: Ron DeSantis, 850-7179337, flgov.com.
U.S. House: Vern Buchanan, 941- 951-6643, rep.vern.buchanan@mail.house.gov.
U.S. Senate: Marco Rubio, 305-596-4224; Rick Scott, 786-501-7141.
President: Joe Biden, 202-456-1111, whitehouse.gov/contact.
Letters to the editor
The Islander welcomes your opinion letters. Submit your opinion along with name, address and a contact phone number to news@islander.org.
Babe by the bridge
the county library archives show the date for the photo as March 13, 1932. A child, Clyde priest, sits posed in front of the old Longboat pass Bridge from Longboat Key. the bridge was built in the 1920s but damaged by a storm and then washed out by high tides in 1932.
Before the storm the archives of the Manatee County public Library System say the photo shows “Joe Guthrie’s large dock and building before the destruction of the Hurricane of 1921.” the dock in Cortez was built between 1905 and 1915. Islander photos:
Manatee County public Library System
Share from your archives
Got old photographs of AMI? Write a recollection and share at news@islander.org.
Explore the past
Take a trip back in time in our digital newspaper collection. There’s a complete library of The Islander waiting to be explored online at ufdc. ufl.edu.
We’d love to mail you the news!
We mail The Islander weekly for a nominal $54 per year. We also offer online e-edition subscriptions — a page-by-page view of the weekly news for only $36 per year, but you must sign up online. It’s the best way to stay in touch with what’s happening on Anna Maria Island.
We bring you all the news about three city governments, community happenings, people features and special events … even real estate transactions … everything you need if your “heart is on Anna Maria Island.”
If you don’t live here year-round, use this form to subscribe by snail mail for yourself or someone else. Sorry, we do not suspend mail subscriptions — you get The Islander free while you’re here!
BULK MAIL U.S. SUBSCRIPTION Allow 2 weeks for every week’s delivery.
❑ 1 year: $76 ❑ 3-6 Months: $48 ❑ 1-3 Months: $36 U.S. FIRST CLASS AND CANADIAN MAIL SUBSCRIPTION
❑ 1 year: $180 ❑ 3-6 Months: $120 ❑ 1-3 Months: $70
❑ Single Issue: $5 FIRST CLASS MAIL, U.S. ONLY, maximum four weeks
10, 20, 30 years ago
From the Sept. 1, 1994, issue
• Island officials gathered for a discussion on funding opportunities for the Anna Maria Island Community Center and addressing the center’s outreach to mainland communities for members.
• The Bradenton home of an Anna Maria fire commissioner caught fire and suffered about $85,000 in damages.
From the Sept. 1, 2004, issue
• Voters turned down a ballot proposal for the West Manatee Fire Rescue District to generate funding with ad valorem property taxes.
• Bradenton Beach voters defeated a proposal to create a city manager form of government.
• Holmes Beach commissioners approved a temporary-use permit allowing trailer operations at the Manatee Public Beach during a renovation of the concession building.
• A persistent rodent problem at Bradenton Beach City Hall resulted in a call to Nuisance Wildlife Relocation of Palmetto to fumigate the building. “We could hear them scratching in the walls,” the city clerk said.
From the Sept. 3, 2014, issue
• Renovation work at the Historic Bridge Street Pier in Bradenton Beach got underway with the removal of the boardwalk, leaving only the basic structure of the end of the pier, pilings and the restaurant building.
• Sewer workers in Anna Maria found underwear that led to speculation the clothing could be tied to the 2008 disappearance of a Holmes Beach motel owner. It wasn’t.
— Lisa Neff
Cortez boat rescues spark scrutiny of on-the-water rentals
By Robert Anderson Islander Reporter
A short-term rental business operating out of Cortez is under scrutiny after multiple rescues of customers raised safety concerns.
U.S. Coast Guard Sector St. Pete confirmed Aug. 27 that over eight months it responded to eight distress calls from people renting vessels from a company known as EbbandFlow Marina LLC.
According to the EbbandFlow Facebook page, the company, owned by Brittany Bull, offers short-term rentals aboard a fleet of sailboats anchored in an area referred to as Sailors Park in the waters of Sarasota Bay near Cortez.
Recent reports suggest the company’s operations may not be as easygoing as the locale where customers are vacationing.
“Coast Guard Station Cortez has had to go out and rescue people from the vessels that are outside of Station Cortez,” public information officer Santiago Gomez told The Islander in an Aug. 29 interview. “We have had to rescue people off of them.”
Santiago also said this was not the only issue the Coast Guard has had with Bull this year.
“U.S. Coast Guard Sector St. Pete is currently investigating a possible violation of a captain of the port order that Brittany Bull was involved in,” Gomez said. He did not elaborate on the open investigation.
One of Bull’s short-term rental tenants, Harry Hibler of Ohio, said he and his wife, Tatyana, made arrangements in January to stay aboard one of the vessels at Sailors Park.
“We booked a week on a sailboat in Sarasota, Florida,” Hibler wrote to The Islander in an Aug. 30 email. “We paid the full amount in advance.”
Hibler said he and his wife drove from Ohio to Florida and arrived at the location at the correct time but no one was there to greet them and take them to a boat.
“I called and texted the host who said she would
the host thru Airbnb she asked me to phone her and pay by credit card over the phone. When that did not work, she asked me to pay through PayPal. I did not realize that this transaction was taking place outside of Airbnb. When I reported the situation to Airbnb, they told me that they could not help me because the transaction had not gone through them. When the host requested that I pay through PayPal she insisted that I use the ‘friends and family’ option.”
Hibler later learned that the “friends and family” option on PayPal offers no buyer protection, making a dispute of the charges almost impossible.
Hibler said he reported the incident to the Ohio Attorney General’s office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. He said the matter is under investigation.
Meanwhile, local captains and business owners who operate in the vicinity of Bull’s vessels, located a few hundred yards from Coast Guard Station Cortez, 4530 124th St. Court W., also are voicing concerns.
Karen Bell, owner of AP Bell Fish & Co. and Star Fish Co. in Cortez, said she contacted the MCSO to prevent Bull from using her business docks to pick up guests and ferry them to the vessels.
“I had her trespassed from the Starfish, Fullford, A.P. Bell and Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage docks,” Bell said.
Once on the vessels, some people have been left without a way back to shore, Bell added.
meet us there,” Hibler said, referring to Bull. “She said that she had to be out of town for an unexpected event. She said someone else would take us out in the water to the boat later. We waited an hour and a half. It was getting dark. My wife was feeling unsafe.”
Hibler said after waiting several hours they never made it out to the vessel and left the area, opting to travel to Orlando and stay in a hotel.
“We found this business through Airbnb,” he said referring to Bull’s rental. “However, when I contacted
“We kept finding these people who couldn’t get back off the boat and so they’d be screaming to our fishermen, asking could someone come help them?” she said.
Capt. Katie Tupin, who runs Captain Katie Scarlet Boat Tours out of Cortez, said she and her mother, Capt. Kathe Fannon, also a tour boat operator, have seen several Coast Guard rescues.
“I’ve seen the Coast Guard out there at least five times,” Tupin said Aug. 29. “Mom has helped at least two individual people back to the dock.”
She said many of the boats in Bull’s fleet were once sunken or derelict vessels that Bull salvaged and cleaned up.
However, many of them still are not seaworthy, said Tupin.
Bradenton Beach police Offi cer Eric Hill, who heads the city’s derelict vessel removal program, spoke with The Islander Aug. 29 and said law enforcement agencies are scrutinizing Bull’s vessels.
While Hill abides Bradenton Beach’s jurisdiction across the Intracoastal Waterway, he said during interagency meetings, Bull’s business has been discussed.
“We’re all looking at her for the simple fact that she’s doing stuff that’s not lawful,” he said.
Hill recounted observing Bull tow a vessel out of Cortez to a sand flat in the ICW east of the Coquina North Boat Ramp, just outside BBPD’s marine patrol jurisdiction.
When Hill confronted Bull about dumping the vessel she said the boat was hers but that it would not come back as registered to her name. She said she would remove the vessel in a few weeks.
Hill said he informed the MCSO as to the boat’s location and owner for further investigation.
Typically, derelict and abandoned vessel issues are handled by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which works in conjunction with county and municipal law enforcement agencies to remove them.
Florida law defines “derelict vessels” as those left in a wrecked, junked or substantially dismantled condition on public waters. Vessels can become derelict due to neglect, abandonment or because of a natural disaster.
The vessels, whether sinking, aground or lacking vital operational systems, create hazards in the waterways.
Derelict vessels pose risks to boaters, wildlife and natural resources.
The Islander reached out to Bull by email Aug. 29 and by phone Aug. 30 but as of Islander press time Sept. 2 there was no reply.
The Islander reached out the FWC for information related to EbbFlow’s operation in Sarasota Bay but as of Islander press time Sept. 2 there was no reply.
A U.S. Coast Guard Station Cortez vessel assists people Aug. 12 aboard a sailboat in the waters of Cortez. Islander photo: Courtesy Katie tupin
2 HB property owners seek changes, city approval
By Ryan paice Islander Reporter
Proposed changes to a pair of Holmes Beach properties will require city commission approval to become reality.
City staff presented site plans during Aug. 27 commission workshops for proposed changes to the Doctor’s Office, 5312 Holmes Blvd., and a duplex at 5620 Gulf Drive.
Since the proposed changes were presented during workshops, there was no action taken.
The commission will hold public hearings to determine approval or denial of both items but they were not scheduled as of Aug. 30.
The commission will meet next at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11, at city hall, 5801 Marina Drive.
A livestream of the meeting can be viewed on the city’s website, holmesbeachfl.org.
Doctor’s Office
The proposed changes to the Doctor’s Office would be the addition of 54 outdoor dining seats — bringing the restaurant’s total to 120 seats — as well as 17 new off-site parking spots.
The Doctor’s Office is owned by Sean Murphy and consists of a craft cocktail bar, a dining room and an outdoor space called the Doctor’s Garden. It is open 5:30-10 p.m. weekdays and 5:30-11 p.m. weekends.
The business currently offers 66 seats for guests, so the site plan would nearly double its available seating.
The restaurant must have 40 onsite parking spaces to accommodate 120 total seats, but the city’s land development code allows the use of offsite parking in cases where practical difficulties prevent onsite parking facilities.
The Doctor’s Office has 11 onsite parking spaces and uses 12 offsite parking spots at Island Lumber and Hardware, 213 54th St., previously approved via resolution by the city commission.
The business also reached a lease agreement with the Holmes Retail Center, 5343 Gulf Drive, to use its parking lot for 17 additional outdoor spaces after normal business hours for the center.
City commissioners would need to approve 54 additional outdoor dining seats and a new special exception for the additional offsite parking.
Chad Minor, the city’s director of development services, said city staff recommended approval of the proposed site plan and special exception request, with some conditions.
Those conditions include limiting the restaurant’s
120 seats hours to 5 p.m.-midnight weekdays, after noon Saturdays and all day Sundays.
Other conditions would be to only permit outdoor music, entertainment and games from noon-10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays and noon-11 p.m. FridaysSaturdays, as well as to prohibit all amplified outdoor music.
However, not everyone is on board.
During public comment, resident Nancy Deal read a letter written by resident Margie Motzer into the record.
Motzer called into question the city’s repeated approval of density and intensity increases despite residents’ concerns about overdevelopment.
“We are asking you as our city leaders to please have vision and curb the intensity and density to help preserve our island character,” Motzer wrote. “Please, honor fair representation and listen to resident input.”
Murphy pushed back, saying he believed he is one of the people who helps define the island’s character.
5620 Gulf Drive
The other proposed change involves redeveloping a duplex at 5620 Gulf Drive into a triplex, with two bedrooms per unit.
The property is owned by Douglas Peardon and is in the city’s A-1 multi-family residential/seasonal tourist zoning district.
The city’s LDC requires a major site plan review to approve the development of any multi-family unit.
The property is located seaward of the Coastal Construction Control Line, so Peardon also must obtain permitting through the Florida Department of
Bernard,
for the
and
from Beacon Home Design, discuss plans Aug. 27 to redevelop a duplex at 5620 Gulf Drive into a triplex.
Environmental Protection.
Minor said the property owner wanted to build another duplex instead but was forced to pursue development of a multi-family unit due to restrictions int he city code.
Aaron Bernard and Robin Weedman from Beacon Home Design emphasized that the owner intended to continue using the property as a family home.
“It’s going to stay as a family home. We just had to do a triplex so that it would meet the code,” Weedman said.
City staff recommended approval of the proposed site plan with minor conditions, according to Minor. There was no public comment on the plans for 5620 Gulf Drive.
Holmes Beach hires contractor to relocate donated cottage
By Ryan paice Islander Reporter
An historic Holmes Beach cottage is being preserved. It’s also changing hands — and location.
City commissioners unanimously voted Aug. 27 to authorize Mayor Judy Titsworth to execute an $85,000 contract with Parrish-based R.E. Johnson & Son, Inc. to relocate a historic cottage at 109 48th St. to a cityowned vacant lot south of Grassy Point Preserve.
The cottage was built in 1935 and is currently owned by Frank Dupps.
Chad Minor, the city’s director of development services, said the Dupps family has outgrown the home and they plan to replace it with a larger single-family home.
However, Dupps wants to donate the home to the municipality so it can be preserved as a historical asset.
Minor said the building’s original character has been “meticulously preserved” over the years.
The cottage features frame vernacular architecture and “immaculately maintained” pecky cypress wood, expensive and rare wood from cypress trees that has pockets of darker wood due to fungus.
Pecky cypress was used in many early island homes as affordable lumber since the wood was considered undesirable until the 21st century.
Under the proposed contract, Johnson & Son would be responsible for relocating the building to
city-owned property at 3019/3021 Ave. C., immediately southeast of the gateway to Grassy Point Preserve.
There, Minor said the cottage could be used by the Anna Maria Island Historical Society to display antiques or by the city as a trailhead, including parking on the lot for the preserve, among other things.
Minor added that the contractor had scoped out a route to move the building and would only need to drop two power lines. He said he had been told it would be one of the easier routes the contractor has had to complete.
The relocation is projected to begin in early October, according to Minor.
Commissioner Carol Soustek said she remembered fighting for the city’s acquisition of the vacant lots south of Grassy Point and was happy to find a proper use for them.
There was no public comment.
Soustek moved to approve the relocation contract.
Commissioner Pat Morton seconded the motion, which passed.
The city commission will meet next at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11, at city hall, 5801 Marina Drive.
A livestream of the meeting can be viewed on the city’s website, holmesbeachfl.org.
Holmes Beach resident Nancy Deal, right, speaks Aug. 27 in opposition to an outdoor dining exemption
Doctor’s Office, 5312 Holmes Blvd. the business is owned by Sean Murphy, left. Islander photos: Ryan paice
A cottage at 109 48th St., Holmes Beach, donated to the city by owner Frank Dupps, will be relocated and preserved by the municipality. Islander photo: Ryan paice
Aaron
left,
Robin Weedman, right,
Compiled by Lisa Neff, calendar@islander.org
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
ONGOING ON AMI
• Through September, Artists’ Guild Gallery window show, 5414 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6694.
ONGOING OFF AMI
• First Fridays, 6-9:30 p.m., Village of the Arts First Fridays Artwalk, 12th Street West and 12th Avenue West, Bradenton. Information: villageofthearts.com.
• Second and fourth Saturdays, 2 p.m., Music on the Porch jam session, presented by the Florida Maritime Museum and Cortez Cultural Center, 4415 119th St. W., Cortez. Information: floridamaritimemuseum.org.
• Through September, Island Gallery and Studios “Harmony: Lines, Shapes and Color” exhibit by David Tejada, 456 Old Main St., Bradenton. Information: 941-778-6648.
Through Sept. 15, Selby Gardens’ “The Florida Highway Men: Interstate Connections,” 1534 Mound St., Sarasota. Fee applies. Information: 941-366-5731.
• Through Oct. 20, “Reimagining Nature: Dali’s Floral Fantasies,” the Dali Museum, 1 Dali Boulevard St., St. Petersburg. Fee applies. Information: 727-823-3767, thedali.org.
• Through Feb. 25, 2025, “I want you to know my story” photography by Jess T. Dugan, the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, 5401 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota. Fee applies except Mondays. Information: 941-359-5700.
SAVE THE DATES
Sept. 19-29, Island Players’ “Crimes of the Heart,” Anna Maria.
Sept. 21, “100 Things To Do In Sarasota Before You Die” presentation and book signing, Holmes Beach.
Oct. 4, Realize Bradenton’s Music in the Park concert, Bradenton.
Oct. 8, Manatee Performing Arts Center’s Tribute Tuesday concert series begins, Bradenton.
Oct. 11, Realize Bradenton’s Music in the Park concert, Bradenton.
Oct. 18, Realize Bradenton’s Music in the Park concert, Bradenton.
Oct. 19, Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce’s Bayfest, Anna Maria.
MARKETS & SALES
ONGOING ON AMI
Third Thursdays, 4 p.m., Sundown Get Down with the Bridge Street Merchants, Bridge Street, Bradenton Beach. Information: 941778-8565.
County library system celebrates card month
The Manatee County Public Library System is celebrating National Library Card Sign-Up Month in September.
With a card, patrons can access books and periodicals, as well as e-books, audiobooks, online courses, language learning platforms and more.
“Our library card is your passport to endless learning and discovery,” said Tammy Parrot, library services manager. “From students to lifelong learners, everyone can benefit from the resources our library system offers. We encourage all residents to join us in celebrating National Library Card Sign-Up Month by getting their own card and exploring everything we have to offer.”
For more information or to get a card, visit any library branch, including the Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach.
For more information, visit mymanatee.org/ library or call 941-748-5555.
Oct. 5, Bradenton Market opens, Bradenton. Oct. 5, UF/IFAS Manatee County Plant Sale, Palmetto.
KIDS
& FAMILY ON AMI
Wednesday, Sept. 4
10 a.m. — Preschool yoga, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6341.
Friday, Sept. 6
10 a.m. — 40 Carrots, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6341.
Tuesday, Sept. 10
10 a.m. — Family storytime, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6341.
Wednesday, Sept. 11
4 p.m. — Intro to sewing for teens, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6341.
ONGOING OFF AMI
• First Wednesdays, SOAR in 4 family night, the Bishop Museum, 201 10th St. W., Bradenton. Fee applies. Information: 941-746-4131.
• Second Saturdays, Quest for Kids, the Bishop Museum, 201 10th St. W., Bradenton. Fee applies. Information: 941-746-4131.
CLUBS & COMMUNITY
Thursday, Sept. 5
• Third Fridays, Teen Nights, the Bishop Museum, 201 10th St. W., Bradenton. Fee applies. Information: 941-746-4131.
Music Lessons: Guitar, Bass Piano, Ukulele, Saxophone and
ON AMI
1 p.m. — Sunshine Stitchers, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6341.
Wednesday, Sept. 11
6:30 p.m. — Island Time Book Club, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6341.
ONGOING ON AMI
• Second Mondays, 2 p.m., Center of Anna Maria Island Adult Book Club, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria. Information: 941-7781908.
SAVE THE DATES
Sept. 14, Center of Anna Maria Island Greg LaPensee Bowling Tournament, Bradenton. Nov. 2, Bishop Museum’s Celestial Affair gala, Bradenton.
LESSONS & LEARNING
ON AMI
Wednesday, Sept. 11
10 a.m. — Beginning line dancing, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6341. 11 a.m. — Advanced line dancing, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6341.
SPORTS & FITNESS
ONGOING ON AMI
• Most Fridays, 11:30 a.m., mahjong club experienced players, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941778-6341.
• Mondays, 10 a.m., morning yoga, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6341.
• Most Tuesdays, 11:30 a.m., mahjong club, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6341.
OUTDOORS & NATURE
Saturday, Sept. 7
8 p.m. — Starry Night Astronomy, Robinson Preserve, 10299 Ninth Ave. NW, Bradenton. Information: 941-742-5923, mymanatee. org.
• Saturdays, 9 a.m., Mornings at the NEST, Robinson Preserve, 10299 Ninth Ave. NW, Bradenton. Information: 941-742-5923, mymanatee.org.
Island happenings
AGAMI’s profiles and portraits “Sophia,” by Carolann Garafola, and “Loofah,” the work of Nancy Snyder, are featured in “people, portraits and personalities” with other pieces at the Artists’ Guild Gallery, 5414 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, in September. For more information, call the gallery at 941-778-6694 or go online to amiartistsguildgallery. com. Islander Courtesy photos
Skygazers invited to Robinson Expansion
Suncoast Stargazers and the Manatee County Parks and Natural Resources Department invite people to look up Sept. 7.
Starry Night Astronomy will be 8-10 p.m. Saturday at Robinson Preserve in the expansion parking lot at 10299 Ninth Ave. NW, Bradenton.
“Dozens of local astronomers will be set up … with telescopes at the ready,” stated a notice from the county. “Be sure to bring a sense of wonder and exploration.”
The all-ages event is free to attend.
For more information, call the county at 941-7425923.
Top Notch
Center hosts blood drive
The Center of Anna Maria Island, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria, will host a blood drive with OneBlood 9 a.m.-noon Tuesday, Sept. 10.
For more information, call the center at 941-7781908.
Kiwanis to meet
The Kiwanis Club of Anna Maria Island will end its monthly summer schedule and resume weekly meetings Saturday, Sept. 14.
The club will meet at 8:30 a.m. at Bradenton Beach City Hall, 107 Gulf Drive N.
For more information, call Sandy Haas-Martens at 941-778-1383.
On mom’s phone
ABOVe: Young Christian Racoma Jr., visiting AMI in midJuly, entered this sunset photo in the top Notch photo contest and earned a kid’s honorable mention. the photo was taken on the beach in Holmes Beach. LeFt: Amalia Racoma, 8, of Chicago, also earns a kid’s honorable mention. Amalia took this photo in mid-July near Gulf Drive and Guava Street in Holmes Beach. Amalia was using “mom’s phone.”
Groups preparing for the 2024-25 season are encouraged to send their event calendars to The Islander, which is readying its preview of the season.
Please, email calendars, logos and photos to Lisa Neff at calendar@islander.org.
Top Notch
Honorable
Top Notch entries
the Islander recognizes the following top Notch entries with honorable mentions. ABOVe: Wendy Bond of Bradenton took a sunset photo June 9 on AMI. Bond said, “I can’t remember the exact location. I typically go to Bean point or to the 31st Street beach access near Manatee Beach.” BeLOW: Larry Stone of Bradenton took his photo, “I’ll Cover You,” July 12 near the Historic Bridge Street pier in Bradenton Beach.
Another chapter: look inside the library
At the start of the 2023-24 school year, most of the library books at Anna Maria Elementary were packed in boxes, with only a few popular books accessible to students.
Prior to Becky Demo assuming the role of media specialist, former media specialist Lynn McDonough was tasked with boxing up the books for a renovation project.
McDonough retired June 1, 2023, after working 35 years for the School District of Manatee County. Demo, who has worked at AME since 2006 and with the district for 32 years, became the media specialist in 2023.
When Demo stepped into the role, the books were still put away and the library had old, worn furniture.
However, the library’s renovations were completed in October 2023.
“So not quite a year where we finally were able to unpack and organize,” Demo told The Islander Aug. 22 while touring the space.
The library received new furniture and two smartboards, including one for teaching fifth-grade math.
“I use this for our math class. Well, because it’s a small school, many of us wear many hats. So I do support fifth-grade math, the yearbook, the book fair, the TV studio,” Demo said.
She added, “I work with the Rotary Club. They are instrumental in supporting our school in addition to our reading programs. Rotary is helpful in many ways, as well as PTO.”
Maria elementary media specialist Becky Demo opens the door Aug. 22 to the school’s library. Demo requested the media center’s outer wall be painted “Guy Harvey blue.” Islander photos: Robyn Murrell
A shelf in the library is dedicated to Sunshine State Young Reader books. The statewide reading motivational program encourages students to read independently to improve their reading fluency, according to
AME Calendar
• Thursday, Sept. 5, 12:50-1:50 p.m., reading with dogs.
• Friday, Sept. 20, Peace Day.
• Monday, Oct. 14, record day, no school.
• Saturday, Oct. 26, PTO Fall Fest, Center of Anna Maria Island, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria.
• Wednesday, Nov. 6, early release.
• Monday, Nov. 11, Veterans Day, no school.
• Monday-Friday, Nov. 25-29, fall break, Thanksgiving, no school.
AME is at 4700 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach. For more information, call the school at 941-708-5525.
the Florida Association for Media in Education organization website at floridamediaed.org.
“With the cooperation of the Rotary Club, we encourage them to read the SSYRA award-wining books and the kids love to read independently looking out over the view, which is nice.”
Demo said in two weeks, after younger students complete a media orientation, they can begin to check out books to take home.
Also, students at AME visit the media center once a week with their class.
Starting Sept. 5, students will have the opportunity to read with therapy dogs. Every week, two classes of students will take turns reading to the dogs for 30 minutes.
— Robyn Murrell
AME summer readers celebrate sweet success with ice cream
Maria Elementary second-grade teacher Katrina Thomas encouraged students to read daily over the summer.
And when classes resumed in August for a new academic year, she celebrated the kids’ accomplishments with them.
After reviewing a Sunshine State Young Reader Awards list toward the end of 2023-24 school year, the second-grade class discovered many new books to read and decided to take on a summer reading challenge.
The challenge allowed students to return to school for the 2024-25 term having read a handful of books associated with accelerated reading quizzes to get a jump start on third-grade, Thomas wrote in an email to The Islander Aug. 28.
Each student in the class participated and was rewarded Aug. 23 with an ice cream celebration.
Students Alianna Hopkins, Eliza Ash and Owen Serra went above and beyond, reading three books from the third- fifth grade SSYRA list to earn special appearances on the school’s morning news, Thomas said. In the email, Thomas shared some book reviews:
Eliza said, “I loved them all, my favorite book was ‘The Aquanaut.’ It was a graphic novel about animals, and it was very good with a crab as the main character. It made me laugh and smile and I just really loved everything about it.”
“‘Marcus Storeman, The Grip’ was a great book about a real baseball player when he was a kid. He almost struck out everybody possible. I am a good player already, but it made me want to be like him,” Owen said.
Alianna said, “So many books were my favorite, but I would say ‘Worm and Caterpillar.’ Even after Caterpillar changed into a butterfly, their friendship was still so strong. It was a so cute and I love friendship so much. It was a perfect book for me.”
“I am extremely proud of this group of kids and feel so lucky that I got to be their teacher,” Thomas wrote.
— Robyn Murrell
“Anna Maria Island,” a pictorial history book of the island by Bonner Joy, is available for $20 at the Islander office, 315 58th St., Holmes Beach. Call or text 941-778-7978 for hours or purchase at islander.org. Joy is publisher of the Islander.
Order up: Books on the menu at AME library cafe
Anna
Anna Maria elementary media specialist Becky Demo browses the library book selection Aug. 23 with fourth-graders. Islander photos: Courtesy Becky Demo
AMe secondgraders trey ellison and Mason Gazzo fill out reading “menus” Aug. 23 during a class visit to the AMe StarBooks Cafe.
Anna Maria Elementary media specialist Becky Demo Aug. 26- 30 transformed the school library into the AME Star-Books Cafe. Students visited the library to browse the collec-
tion of newer library and Sunshine State Young Reader Awards books. They the kids completed a “menu” in which they recorded book reviews.
Anna Maria elementary second-grade teacher Katrina thomas and her former second-grade class eat ice cream sandwiches Aug. 23 in the school cafeteria, 4700 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, to celebrate summer achievements. Islander photos: Courtesy Katie Fradley
AMe third-graders Alianna Hopkins, left, Owen Serra and eliza Ash attend the Summer Reading Challenge ice cream sandwich party Aug. 23 in the school cafeteria.
Anna
By Lisa Neff
HB’s Annunciation says goodbye to Rev. Grunfeld
The Very Rev. Matthew Grunfeld has left the Episcopal Church of the Annunciation in Holmes Beach for a new position in Florida.
Grunfeld began his service at Annunciation in December 2015. During his time at the church, Grunfeld officiated at 52 funerals, experienced two hurricane evacuations, led the congregation through the coronavirus pandemic and initiated a real estate transaction on behalf of the church.
In his farewell in the church bulletin, Grunfeld wrote, “My hair is grayer now, but at least it’s still there.”
He also wrote, “I want to thank all of you who have been faithful members of ‘my’ flock over nearly the past nine years. We have grown together and witnessed a considerable amount of change — in the church, our community, and the world.”
Grunfeld, from Columbus, Georgia, attended Emery University, majoring in political science and sociology and then enrolling at the General Theological Seminary, earning a master’s of divinity degree in 2008.
He’s served on the diocesan council and as an alternate clergy deputy to the national church convention. He also served as the coordinator of the Diocesan Acolyte Festival.
Grunfeld departed the island church for a position with St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Spring Hill, about 90 miles from AMI. “While I am leaving as your rector and pastor, it does not mean that we have to be strangers,” he wrote. “You are always welcome to pay a visit when you are up in Hernando County.”
Information about the clergy transition process is expected this month. During the most recent service, the Right Rev. J. Michael Garrison served as celebrant and preacher.
Roser Church seeks singers, ringers, diners
Roser Memorial Community Church, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, will host a rehearsal and potluck dinner for people interested in participating in musical programs
The potluck dinner will be at 6:15 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 5, following a 4:30 p.m. rehearsal for the Roser Ringers and a 5:30 p.m. rehearsal for the chancel/cantata choir.
For more information, call the church offi ce at 941-778-0414 or email info@roserchurch.com.
Blood donors called to the bus
Roser Church will host a blood drive 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 8, outside the church, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria.
Donors will receive a $20 eGift Card, a pair of socks and a wellness checkup.
Appointments can be scheduled at oneblooddonor.org using the sponsor code 37502 and the sponsor name Roser Memorial Community Church.
For more, call One Blood at 888-936-6283.
look at a cake prepared for his farewell celebration Aug. 25 at the episcopal Church of the Annunciation in Holmes Beach. Islander Courtesy
people interested in performing.
Tidings
Compiled by Lisa Neff
Wednesday, Sept. 4
1 p.m. — Roser Memorial Community Church Grief Share healing support, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria. Information: 941-7780414.
Thursday, Sept. 5
4:30 p.m. — Roser Church Music Ministries rehearsal and potluck, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria. Information: 941-778-0414. Sunday, Sept. 8
8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. — Roser Church blood drive, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria. Information: 941-778-0414.
SAVE THE DATES
Sept. 18, Roser Church Golfing for God, Bradenton. Oct. 4, Roser Church Tech Night, Anna Maria. Oct. 3, Temple Beth Israel Rosh Hashanah luncheon, Sarasota.
Oct. 23, Christ Church book club resumes, Longboat Key. Nov. 17, Roser Church Surviving the Holidays program, Anna Maria.
ONGOING ON AMI
CrossPointe Fellowship, 8605 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach. Info: 941-778-0719.
Worship: Sundays, 9 a.m.
Ongoing: Wednesdays, 7 a.m., men’s Bible meeting; Wednesdays, 6:45 p.m., Wednesday Night Blasts; Fridays, 10 a.m. women’s Bible meeting.
Episcopal Church of the Annunciation, 4408 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach. Info: 941-778-1638, amiannunciation.org.
Worship: Thursdays, 9:30 a.m.; Sundays, 9:15 a.m.
Ongoing: Most Wednesdays, 8 a.m., men’s breakfast; Mondays, 1 p.m., book club.
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 6608 Marina Drive. Holmes Beach. Info: 941-778-1813, gloriadeilutheran.com.
Worship: Sundays, 9:30 a.m., followed by fellowship.
Ongoing: First Sundays, food bank collections; Wednesdays, 9:30 a.m., women’s social gathering.
Harvey Memorial Community Church, 300 Church Ave., Bradenton Beach. Information: 941-779-1912.
Worship: Sundays, 9:15 a.m.
Roser Memorial Community Church, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria. Information: 941-778-0414, roserchurch.com.
Worship: Sundays, 8:30 a.m., 10 a.m.
St. Bernard Catholic Church, 248 S. Harbor Drive, Holmes Beach. Info: 941-778-4769, office@stbernardcc.org.
Worship: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.; Saturdays, 4 p.m.; Sundays, 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m.
Ongoing: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m., rosary; Wednesdays, 7:30 a.m.; Rosary on the Beach at Manatee Public Beach; Saturdays, 3 p.m., confession.
Maryanne Kaemmerlen
Maryanne Kaemmerlen, 98, of Holmes Beach, died July 22.
She was born in Larchmont, New York, was an art major at Skidmore College and married Paul in 1950.
They moved to West Dover, Vermont, where they owned and operated a ski lodge at Mount Snow.
She was an accomplished watercolorist and enjoyed skiing, tennis, golf and horseback riding.
No service is planned.
Mrs. Kaemmerlen is survived by daughters Susie and husband Ross Jeffery, and Robin and husband Steve May; and grandchildren Hazel, Quinn and Naysah. Kaemmerlen
the Rev. Matthew Grunfeld takes a
photo
Roser Memorial Community Church celebrates the Christmas holiday with music. the church is hosting a potluck dinner and rehearsals thursday, Sept. 5, for
Islander Courtesy photo
the Big Red Bus is parked at Roser Church for a blood drive in 2023. Another drive will be Sunday, Sept. 8, at the church, 512 pine Ave., Anna Maria. Islander File photo
After 13 years, trials, fines, anger, tears, a treehouse is gone
By Ryan paice Islander Reporter
After 13 years and hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on litigation, the treehouse saga has reached a conclusion.
Tampa-based Allied Wrecking demolished the two-story elevated treehouse behind the Angelinos Sea Lodge, 2818 Ave. E., Holmes Beach, over the week of Aug. 26.
The lodge is owned by Richard Hazen and Lynn Tran-Hazen, who reside there on the beachfront, where they built the structure in 2011 without permits from the city or the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
On top of being built without permits, the treehouse is located within 30 feet of the erosion control line — a state boundary between private land and public property on nourished beaches — and including a 50-foot setback for construction.
Both the city and DEP found the structure in violation of municipal and state law.
Litigation began in 2013, when the property owners filed their first lawsuit against the city to contest the constitutionality of municipal codes enacting setback restrictions that prohibit the treehouse.
They have been on the losing side of each legal case since and were ordered in February to demolish the structure.
The demolition was not completed within a 90-day period ordered by the judge, but the property owners were not saddled with additional repercussions due to good faith efforts to comply.
Almost six months after the demolition order, Allied Wrecking began work tearing down the treehouse the morning of Aug. 26.
Work started with dismantling the top floor and
Issue at a glance…
Who owns it: Richard Hazen and Lynn TranHazen.
What is it: A two-story treehouse comprising a wood deck framing and railings, tempered glass removable windows, palm frond roofing, solar power and galvanized or stainless steel hardware, supported by the Australia pine tree and four added pilings.
When was it built: Over about six months, April-November 2011.
Where was it located: Attached to an Australian pine tree behind the Angelinos Sea Lodge, 2818 Ave. E., Holmes Beach.
Why was it removed : 12th Circuit Judge Edward Nicholas ruled Feb. 28 that the structure must be demolished.
Problems with it : Construction without a permit and its location within a 50-foot setback for the erosion control line that excludes construction.
Total cost to owners : $341,500.88 in fines have accrued against the property owners, adding to an almost $200,000 litigation bill.
roof, with some parts preserved — such as the treehouse’s tempered glass removable windows and some carved railings — while most ended up in dumpsters.
Richard Hazen also preserved some carved animals and other items that decorated the treehouse.
He told The Islander, “It was time.”
Over the next couple of days, the contractor continued chipping away at the structure and, by Aug. 28, there was nothing left but the base of the first floor and the support pilings.
Code compliance supervisor JT Thomas and development services director Chad Minor told The Islander
Aug. 29 that the contractor had nearly completed the demolition.
Thomas said that the four pilings driven to support the treehouse had been removed and the only remaining work was to clear the area of debris and remove some materials that had become embedded in the Australian pine tree the structure was built upon.
The tree was not removed as part of the demolition.
Building official Neal Schwartz was set to complete a final site inspection on Sept. 3, after The Islander’s press deadline.
Tran-Hazen told The Islander Aug. 27 that she was happy the tree could remain and was exploring ways to memorialize the demolished structure.
“Things come in waves. Everything changes and we will deal with this, too,” she said.
However, demolition is not the only measure needed to bring the property into compliance with city code.
As of Aug. 30, the property owners owed the city $341,500.88 in outstanding fines for years of noncompliance.
That is the accrued total of a $50 daily fine for an unpermitted treehouse that began July 22, 2015, and a $125 daily fine that began March 18, 2021, for renting units at Angelinos Sea Lodge without a city-issued vacation rental certificate.
Minor said the property owners could submit a request to seek relief from the city’s special magistrate but the municipality had yet to receive such a request.
“The city was not going to engage in any discussions regarding that until the treehouse was brought into full compliance,” Minor said.
See page 16 for “more,” including a timeline of treehouse events.
Demolition contractor Joe Kilroy and treehouse owner Richard Hazen discuss the treehouse takedown at the roadside. Islander photo: Bonner Joy
Holmes Beach building inspector Scott Drees, code compliance supervisor Jt thomas, property owners Lynn tran-Hazen and Richard Hazen watch Aug. 26 as demolition begins on the treehouse behind their home at Angelinos Sea Lodge, 2818 Ave. e. Islander photo: Ryan paice
Work continues to remove the Holmes Beach treehouse Aug. 28. Islander photo: Jacob Merrifield
Almost gone employees from tampabased Allied Wrecking work Aug. 27 on dismantling the bottom
floor of an beachfront treehouse. Islander photo: Bonner Joy
Treehouse timeline
• April 2011: Property owners Richard Hazen and Lynn Tran-Hazen begin construction on the treehouse without permits from the city of Holmes Beach and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection;
• November 2011: The city receives an anonymous complaint about the treehouse and reports the matter to the DEP, leading to the issuance of a state violation;
• April 2013: The city issues notice of municipal violations for the structure;
• June 2013: The property owners file their first lawsuit against the city to challenge the constitutionality of codes enacting setback restrictions prohibiting the treehouse;
• July 2013: the city’s code enforcement board files a final administrative order fining the owners for the violations and ordering them to comply with city code or remove the structure;
• January 2014: the DEP denies an after-the-fact permit for the treehouse and the city refuses to submit
a no-objection letter to the state;
• September 2014 : 12th Circuit Judge Janette Dunnigan upholds the city code enforcement board’s order;
• May 2016: the city magistrate reviews the case and imposes a $50 daily fine beginning July 22, 2015, against the property owners for the unpermitted treehouse;
• April 2021: the city magistrate imposes a $125 daily fine from March 18, 2021, for operating without a city-issued vacation rental certificate;
• May 2021 : the U.S. Supreme Court declines without comment the property owners’ request to review their case for a second time;
• January 2023: Judge Edward Nicholas of the 12th Circuit Court issues a final ruling in favor of the city on all counts;
• February 2024: Nicholas orders the treehouse to be removed within 90 days, or the city could remove it at the owners’ expense;
• August 2024 : Tampa-based Allied Wrecking demolishes the treehouse.
— Ryan paice
A story begins
page 1 of the Islander’s Nov. 23, 2011, issue carried a news story by reporter Kathy prucnell headlined, “HB officials ponder tree hut.”
prucnell wrote, “Heads were shaking at Holmes Beach City Hall last week over reports of a nearly completed Robinson Crusoe-style treehouse on the south part of Holmes Beach near Avenue e.
Bob Shaffer, city building inspector, explained that Richard Hazen, co-owner of Angelinos Sea Lodge, contacted him last spring and asked whether the city had any permitting regulations for a treehouse. Shaffer advised of no such regulations but stated Nov. 17 it ‘was not supposed to be there to the extent he built this thing.’”
Tiki & Kitty’s
Tiki and Kitty are leading the way to their favorite shops and boutiques for summer fun.
Blessed and Distressed is a tastefully designed store — so inviting you’ll want to pull up a chair — with collectibles and work by local artists at Palma Sola Square, around the corner from Winn-Dixie. It offers vintage, upcycled, shabby chic and artsy vendors. You won’t be disappointed.
T&K love Cat’s Meow, an 8,000 square-foot marketplace! Their vendors offer coastal, cottage, beach, antique, boho, midcentury modern and other home decor styles. They also offer vintage to fine jewelry and vintage albums.
You might want to lace up your skates, as this large, former skating rink has plenty to offer bargain hunters and anyone seeking antiques and unique decor. You don’t want to miss this collection.
We’ll definitely make a stop next door at Blue Flamingo , home to hip and trendy upcycled and
repurposed goods, furniture and decor, garden features, candles, jewelry and work by local artisans. They also offer Dixie Belle paints.
We promise, you will find treasures aplenty.
Scavengers Marketplace has plenty of vendors to capture your wallet at the Palmetto store, 2100 U.S. 301. There’s always something new to entice you among the vendors’ eclectic collections.
FYI: Scavengers also carries Fusion Paints.
and kitty, who love the fine
wares and items with a whimsical twist at this store in historic Old Manatee along the newest section of the Bradenton Riverwalk. The location in the 1910 building oozes charm. And they take select consignments by appointment.
And don’t forget, tell people you meet along the way, “The Islander sent me.”
TREEHOUSE CONtINUeD FROM pAGe 15
The Vintage Vine Market is a favorite for Tiki
vintage
Let’s meet Holmes Beach mayor, challenger
By Ryan paice Islander Reporter
A pair of candidates will square off this November in a race to take the city of Holmes Beach’s mayoral post.
The contest will feature incumbent Mayor Judy Titsworth’s pursuit of a fourth two-year term in office and political newcomer Michael “Mike” Roth’s quest for a first dip in the political pond.
Holmes Beach mayors earn a $28,160 yearly salary.
The deadline to register to vote in the upcoming general election is Monday, Oct. 7.
Early voting will run 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 21, to Saturday, Nov. 2.
On Election Day, voters will cast ballots 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5, at St. Bernard Catholic Church, 248 Harbor Drive S., which serves as the polling location for precinct 305.
Previous general elections in Holmes Beach had two polling locations for voters but a reduced number of registered voters limited the polling to one site. Vote by mail ballots must be returned to the Mana-
Election 2024
tee County Supervisor of Elections Office by 7 p.m. on Election Day.
About Mike Roth
Roth grew up in Lakeland and spent 34 years in continuous active service in the U.S. Army and the Florida Army National Guard.
Roth
Roth’s military career included five combat deployments to Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, resulting in his rank as lieutenant colonel and time as a Green Beret Commander.
He currently works as the West Florida area executive and corporate group manager for City National Bank.
Roth told The Islander July 25 that his favorite meal is pizza — pepperoni or supreme — and his favorite movie is “Tears of the Sun,” starring Bruce Willis.
For a pastime, he said he enjoys scuba diving and walking the beach whenever he has time to spare.
One of Roth’s big focuses as a mayoral candidate is a “facelift” for the city’s commercial hub around the intersection of Gulf and Marina drives.
About Judy Titsworth
Titsworth grew up in Holmes Beach as the granddaughter of the city’s namesake John Holmes Sr. and has dedicated the past 12 years to city government.
Six of those years, from 2012-18, were spent “learning the ropes” as city commissioner. She was then elected mayor in 2018 and without opposition in 2020 and 2022.
Titsworth’s current two-year term will expire in November.
She told The Islander Aug. 8 that her favorite meal is fresh fish, especially hogfish, with cheese grits, while her favorite movie is “Overboard,” starring Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell.
Her favorite way to spend time is with family on the water — boating and swimming.
Titsworth said that in addition to a focus on continuing work on resiliency projects, like improving stormwater drainage and water quality, she hoped to expand the city’s green space by obtaining more property around the Grassy Point Preserve, 3021 Ave. C.
Meet-and-greet for D3 candidate postponed
A meet-and-greet with Democrat Diana Shoemaker set for Aug. 29 in the garden at the Doctor’s Office in Holmes Beach did not take place due to a postponement.
A new date was not set as of Islander press time. Shoemaker is facing Republican Tal Siddique in the Nov. 5 general election for the District 3 seat on the Manatee County board of commissioners.
For more details about the event, call organizer Terry Schaeffer, who is a Holmes Beach commissioner, at 941-224-6502.
For more information about Shoemaker, go online to electshoemaker.com.
‘Preserve Paradise’ event set
The Save Florida Home Rule grassroots group will be educating people and selling merch 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7, at the Island Shopping Center, Marina at Gulf drives, Holmes Beach.
A notice to The Islander read, “Learn about our advocacy efforts and get your very own T-shirt and button with our beautifully designed logo for a donation. Wearing the T-shirt and button sends the message, ‘Preserve Paradise: Keep your hands of our island cities.’”
For more information, call Tom Ehren at 954-8043431.
On the election calendar
Voter registration for the Nov. 5 general election continues until Monday, Oct. 7.
Early voting will be Monday, Oct. 21-Saturday, Nov. 2.
— Lisa Neff
Back to School? Time for a checkup!
Jamie Lawson O.D., Kenneth Lawson O.D. 5632 26th St. W., Bradenton 941.751.4668, BayshoreEyeCare.net
“I don’t want to call it an eyesore but it’s been disappointing for years,” he said.
Roth said such a facelift would involve aesthetic improvements and changes to benefit walkability between the different commercial plazas.
He said he wanted to run for mayor at least partly due to Titsworth’s failure to garner a single vote on the state level against House Bill 947, which allowed Manatee County to build a parking garage at Manatee Public Beach, 4000 Gulf Drive.
Another reason was his belief that the city needs new leadership to oppose state-led consolidation.
Roth said Titsworth never embraced the potential consolidation of services between island municipalities even though he believed there were opportunities for cost savings.
“I do believe with maybe a refresh of the government leadership in Holmes Beach, I feel very confident that we would be able to come up with a coordinated plan that includes voices from all three cities and be able to provide a plan … to offset any potential forced consolidation,” he said.
Roth added that his lack of experience in public office should not be important to voters.
“It’s negligible,” he said. “People that are not caught up in the quid-pro-quo of politics seem to have a much more enlightened and logical application of politics.”
Roth had raised $3,593.03 in contributions, $21.75 in in-kind contributions and spent $1,382.31 on campaign expenses as of Aug. 31, according to the SEO’s website, votemanatee.com.
People can learn more about Roth on his website, ilikemikeformayor.com.
“Anna Maria Island,” a pictorial history book of the island by Bonner Joy, is available for $20 at the Islander office, 315 58th St., Holmes Beach. Call or text 941-778-7978 for hours or purchase at islander.org. Joy is publisher of the Islander.
She said she had learned during her time as mayor that “the world needs leaders who care about the environment.”
Titsworth called Roth emphasized the importance of her experience with the city in calling Roth “green.”
“It should matter a whole heck of a lot. Not only just my experience in office, but my history with the city and the island in general. That should play a huge role in who they should pick for mayor,” she said.
Titsworth said many city departments were struggling when she became mayor but the breadth of experience and knowledge she had as an island native helped resolve several issues.
She said that she wished to improve relations with the county commission but added that some people — such as outgoing Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge — were impossible to work with.
“I’m not willing to sell our souls to have a relationship with the county when we’re doing fine right now as it is,” Titsworth said.
She added that the city’s best bet was to wait for county leadership to change so it could try to mend fences with a new commission.
Titsworth stressed that, while she was “very hopeful” the state would not pursue island consolidation, the city was ready to take a stand in litigation if the matter was forced upon it.
“They’re having a hard time taking over the city of Holmes Beach because we’re really strong,” she said.
As of Aug. 31, Titsworth had raised $6,350 in contributions and spent $1,598.33 on campaign expenses.
People can learn more about Titsworth on her website, focusonourfuture.com.
Manatee Ave W, Suite C, Bradenton • 941-761-9300
titsworth
Cops & Courts
Bradenton man
sentenced to probation for DUI
Bradenton resident Zachary Haughey, 30, will be on probation through July 2025 following his conviction for a pair of misdemeanors.
The charges included a second-degree misdemeanor for driving under the influence of alcohol after prior conviction(s) and a first-degree misdemeanor for refusal to submit to testing.
Holmes Beach police arrested Haughey Feb. 3 after finding him driving 50 mph in a 35-mph zone on Gulf Drive and swerving in his lane.
An officer conducted a traffic stop and spoke with Haughey, who had an open beer bottle in his vehicle.
After Haughey failed field sobriety exercises, he was arrested and transported to the Holmes Beach Police Department.
There, he refused to complete breath or blood/ alcohol level testing.
Haughey pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor charges but then changed his plea to no contest at a July 29 court hearing.
At the same hearing, Judge Heather Doyle of the 12th Circuit Court ruled to find Haughey guilty of both charges.
Doyle sentenced Haughey to complete 12 months of probation, 100 hours of public service, advanced DUI school and a victim impact panel.
She also suspended his license for a year and required him to be placed on a portable alcohol monitor for six months.
— Ryan Paice
You can explore the Islander newspaper archive, dating back to its launch in November 1992, at ufdc.ufl.edu.
Streetlife
Island police reports
Compiled by Robert anderson and Ryan Paice Anna Maria
No new reports.
The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office polices Anna Maria.
Bradenton Beach
Aug. 25, 2500 block of Avenue B, disturbance. A Bradenton Beach police officer responded to a complaint about a house guest refusing to leave. The property owner said the guest was drinking and making threats and gestures to others. The guest was asked to go elsewhere.
Aug. 26, 2502 Gulf Drive N., Dream Inn, trespass. An MCSO deputy responded to reports of a man on the grounds. A deputy contacted the man and, based on previous trespass warnings, arrested him. He was taken to the Manatee County jail in Palmetto on a charge of trespassing.
The Bradenton Beach Police Department polices the city.
Cortez
No new reports.
The MCSO polices Cortez.
Holmes Beach
Aug. 21, Gypsy Tides, 5602 Marina Drive, petit theft. A Holmes Beach police offi cer responded to reports of a past theft at the shop and met with the owner, who provided security camera footage of a woman leaving the property without paying for a necklace. The woman did pay for other items using a credit card. Her card information and the security footage was provided to police.
Aug. 24, 100 block of 73rd Street, Baker Act. An officer responded to reports of a suicidal woman who had taken six times her normal dose of medication. She also left suicide notes in Hillsborough County. The officer found the woman in a parked vehicle and
she admitted to taking the medication. Manatee County Emergency Medical Services responded and provided medical care. The officer found a vial containing 9.7 grams of cocaine in the center console of her vehicle during a search. The officer confiscated the vial and was set to submit a capias request to the State Attorney for a potential criminal charge for possession of cocaine.
Aug. 26, 3800 block of Gulf Drive, domestic battery. The Pasco County Sheriff’s Offi ce called the Holmes Beach Police Department to report a past domestic incident that occurred on the island but was not reported until the parties returned home to Pasco County. The incident reportedly involved a man and his son.
Aug. 27, 3900 block of Gulf Drive, out of state warrant. An officer clocked a motorist driving 62 mph in a 35-mph zone on Gulf Drive and conducted a traffic stop. The officer spoke with the driver, who was identified and had an out of state arrest warrant. The officer arrested the driver and transported her to the Manatee County jail.
Holmes Beach Police Department polices Holmes Beach.
Streetlife is based on reports and narratives from the BBPD, HBPD and MCSO.
RoadWatch
Eyes on the road
• City center in Holmes Beach: Manatee County’s work on a force main project on Holmes Boulevard, Marina Drive and side streets remains open. The posted completion date is this fall, as the contractor is “working to complete final project activities, punch-list items and cleanup.” For the latest, go to amiprojects.io.
— lisa Neff
Island watch
In an emergency, call 911. To report information, call the MCSO Anna Maria substation, 941-7088899; Bradenton Beach police, 941-778-6311; or Holmes Beach police, 941-708-5804.
Arraignment set for Cortez shooting case
By Robert Anderson Islander Reporter
A Cortez man is set for an arraignment Sept. 13 in connection with a June 6 shooting in the Sunny Shores mobile home community.
Kevin Armstrong, 48, faces a charge of aggravated assault with intent to commit a felony.
Manatee County sheriff’s deputies responded to 911 calls reporting a shooting and, upon arrival to the intersection of 119th Street West and 45th Avenue West in Cortez, discovered Caitlin Lipke, 33, of Cortez with a gunshot wound to the chest.
Lipke was taken to HCA Florida Blake Hospital in Bradenton for treatment.
According to MCSO reports, the events leading up to the shooting began earlier June 6 when Lipke was allegedly assaulted by Armstrong, her boyfriend, at his
On its way to oblivion a vessel that became disabled during tropical Storm Debby and then sank while moored to the Historic Bridge Street Pier in Bradenton Beach awaits removal aug. 29 at the North Coquina Boat Ramp, 1507 gulf Drive S., Bradenton Beach. The vessel was removed from the boat ramp aug. 30 and will be demolished. Islander Photo: Courtesy BBPD/Eric Hill
residence in the 3900 block of 116th Street West.
Lipke told deputies she fled to a restaurant, where she met with friends Dylan Taylor of Cortez and Cole Banyas of Bradenton Beach. The trio returned to Armstrong’s residence to retrieve Lipke’s belongings.
They were met by Armstrong, his son and three of his son’s friends, who, according to Lipke, were armed with weapons.
An argument ensued, during which Lipke attempted to flee. Multiple shots were fired and Lipke was injured.
Aggravated assault is a third-degree felony and can be punished by incarceration of up to five years and a fine up to $5,000.
Armstrong’s arraignment will be at 8:55 a.m. Friday, Sept. 13, at the Manatee County Judicial Center, 1051 Manatee Ave. W.
Almost gone
the structure since July 13.
the court-ordered demolition of a stilt house in the bay waters near the commercial docks in Cortez nears completion aug. 27. In May, 12th Circuit Judge edward Nicholas ordered the builder, Raymond guthrie Jr., to remove the structure by Sept. 4 to conclude a lawsuit by the Florida Department of environmental Protection. Workers have been dismantling
Islander Photo: Courtesy Katie tupin
Weather 2, football playoffs 0
By Kevin P. Cassidy Islander Reporter
For the second consecutive week, persistent and often heavy rains drenched the fields at the Center of Anna Maria Island and flooded the roads across the island, delaying the start of adult flag football playoffs.
Weather permitting, first-round playoff action will resume with the first of four games kicking off at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 5. Semifinal and championship games will be played the following Thursday, Sept. 12, at a time to be announced.
Meanwhile, evaluations and drafts for all divisions of youth soccer and the adult soccer program at the center were washed out.
Coaches and team sponsors are being sought. To apply, contact Tuna McCracken, sports program manager, at 941-778-1908, ext. 207, or sports@centerami. org.
Meanwhile, golf action at the Key Royale Club in Holmes Beach got started Aug. 26 with the men’s weekly modified-Stableford system match. Mike Pritchett and Bill Shuman shared clubhouse bragging rights for the day after both carded plus-2s for their rounds.
The club women teed up for a nine-hole individuallow-net match Aug. 27. Jana Samuels took first with an even-par 32 to edge second-place finishers Helen Pollock and Sue Wheeler by a stroke. Pollock had a birdie on the sixth hole and a chipin on the eighth hole to highlight her round, while Wheeler also logged a chipin on the seventh hole.
Golf action for the week ended Aug. 28 when the members played a nine-hole scramble. The team of Nelson Eagle, Mike Gillie, Gerry Martinek and Helen Pollock combined on an even-par 32 to win the day’s proceedings.
It wasn’t a rainout but horseshoe action at the Anna Maria City Hall pits this past week was short and sweet. The Aug. 28 games saw Bob Heiger and Bob Hawks team up to forge the lone 3-0 record in pool play, making them the day’s outright champs.
On Aug. 31, Tom Farrington and Steve Augustine posted the only undefeated record in pool play and were the champs for the day.
The action gets started at 9 a.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays at the Anna Maria City Hall pits. Warm ups begin at 8:45 a.m., followed by random team selection.
There is no charge to play.
Improvements ongoing on Bridge Street pier
By Robert Anderson Islander Reporter
Improvements are underway at the Historic Bridge Street Pier in Bradenton Beach.
A pier team meeting Aug. 28 at city hall included Mayor John Chappie, Commissioner Debbie Scaccianoce, police Chief John Cosby and Eleni Sokos from the Anna Maria Oyster Bar, which operates a restaurant on the pier under a concessionaire agreement with the city.
Cosby provided updates on an ongoing X-bracing replacement project authorized by city commissioners in July. The $178,000 project focuses on replacing supports under the pier that stabilize the structure against wind, waves and regular use.
Also under the project a galvanized water pipe that acts as a water source for firefighters will be replaced with a polymer option more resistant to corrosion.
Repairs to sections of the piers floating dock damaged during Tropical Storm Debby are also underway. Duncan Seawall crews are repairing and reattaching sections of the dock that broke loose during the storm and also replacing a canopy for the police patrol boat.
Cosby said repairs are progressing as planned and work is expected to be completed by the end of the month.
He also said security cameras and power lines for a new surveillance system were in the works.
During the meeting, the pier team reviewed AMOB’s improvement and maintenance work, including landscaping at the parking lot, redesigning a fence that buffers AMOB and the Pines Trailer Park, mural updating and accent lighting and signage.
The next pier team meeting was not scheduled as of Islander press time Sept. 2.
SportsShort
Center seeks bowlers for LaPensee tournament
The Center of Anna Maria Island is registering people for the Greg LaPensee Bowling Tournament. The tournament to benefit the nonprofit will be at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, at Bowlero Bradenton, 4208 Cortez Road, Bradenton.
For more information, go online to the center website at centerami.org or call the center at 941-7781908.
Duncan Seawall carpenter Jonathon Putnam looks up Aug. 28 from his work at the Historic Bridge Street Pier. Putnam and a coworker were replacing wood x-bracing supports on the pier. Islander
Photos: Robert anderson
Duncan Seawall crewmember Brain Castillo Aug. 28 works on the Historic Bridge Street Pier, 200 Bridge St., Bradenton Beach.
Short gag grouper season provides small window for hookups
By Capt. Danny Stasny Islander Reporter
Anna Maria Island anglers are flocking to their favorite grouper spots in state waters to cash in on a short gag grouper season.
The season opened Sept. 1 and ends at 12:01 a.m. Sept. 16.
An order from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission prevents overfishing following the quota average that occurred in 2023. Now we’re seeing a small window of opportunity to catch the popular inshore groupers.
If you can recollect from last year’s grouper season, every Tom, Dick and Mary was posting on Facebook and Instagram every time they caught grouper.
So there you have it.
The cat’s out of the bag.
And don’t get me wrong, we all want to preserve our fishery for future generations but a two-week season seems extreme. I guess with the population boom as well as there being an overabundance of charter boats and recreational anglers on the water, this might be the “new normal.”
So if you plan on going out to target gags, you better get out there early as there are only so many spots to find them. Once you’re at your spot, plan on fending off other anglers as you can bet you’re not the only one that has that number.
Remember, a keeper-size grouper is 24 inches in total length with a limit of two fi sh per person per day.
Also, if you’re fishing from a recreational vessel, anglers must sign up for a state reef fish designation, which makes you eligible to receive a mail survey used to manage the Gulf gag grouper fishery and provide optimum recreational fishing opportunities. For more info on this, visit myfwc.com/srfs.
If you’re only able to fi sh on weekends, recreational American red snapper is open through Nov. 30.
Capt. Johnny Mattay is working offshore in the Gulf where the American red snapper dominate the bite. In depths of 100-150 feet of water, Mattay says catching limits of red snapper is being done with ease. For most snapper trips, a limit is occurring while fishing the first spot of the day. Live pinfish as bait work
well when combined with the bottom rig, while frozen baits —sardines and threadfin hearing — also are getting the job done.
After limiting out on red snapper, Mattay is setting his sights on yellowtail snapper. Chumming with chunks of cut sardines or threadfin herring is luring the yellowtails from the depths to where they are visible just below the surface of the water. Once the snapper rise in the chum, Mattay has his clients free-lining small chunks of bait on a jig head to them, which is yielding one hook up after another.
As of Sept. 1, Mattay is targeting gag grouper with clients while offshore. Keeper-size gags are being caught on live pinfi sh as bait in areas where hard bottom and ledges exist.
Moving inshore, redfish are the highlight for Mattay’s anglers. Large slot-size reds are being caught while using shiners as bait and live pinfish are working, too.
Capt. Wes Wildman of Wildman Adventures is on the hunt for gag grouper in Tampa Bay. With such a short gag season, Wildman is planning on spending most of the days in the deeper areas of Tampa Bay.
To catch the large fish in shallow depths, Wildman is trolling to get a bite. Plugs such as the Rapala X-wrap or large soft plastics on an oversized jig head are go-to baits.
Chris Yandell of anna Maria and Orlando shows off a whopper — 40-inch — redfish he caught while on a guided fishing trip with Capt. Johnny Mattay of anna Maria Island Charters.
With this technique, Wildman hopes to lure the grouper from their hiding places. When they are hooked, they are clear of structure, which gives the angler a better chance of landing the large fish.
Wildman says live bait fishing is effective when working shallow water reefs and wrecks. He likes to use large pinfish or grunts as bait, combined with extraheavy spinning gear to hoist the fish out of the wrecks. So if you think you’re strong enough to handle one of the large gags, you better act fast.
Capt. David White is targeting redfish in Tampa Bay. Casting live pinfish along the mangrove shoreline is yielding numerous slot-size redfish. Targeting reds along the beaches is yielding action, although most catches are over-slot and must be released.
Hunting snook — the season also opened Sept. 1 — along the mangroves is keeping White busy. He is watching the snook devour his offerings of live shiners as bait and the snook catches are running 20-30 inches.
On days when the Gulf is calm, White is venturing with clients to nearshore structure, which is producing limits of mangrove snapper for the hungry anglers. Small shiners on a jig head or knocker rig fished on the bottom are attracting snapper up to 16 inches.
Send high-resolution photos and fishing reports to fish@islander.org.
It’s open season for gags, snook and american red snapper and Capt. David White shared photos from recent charter fishing trips to mark the open seasons. Joe McClearly, left, a longtime client from St. louis, shows off a preseason gag grouper caught July 31 a few miles offshore and released. Blake abbey, visiting anna Maria Island from upstate New York, shows off a slot-size snook he hooked in Tampa Bay Aug. 26. the fish were released after the trophy photos.
Stasny
Nesting notes
Diving in at AME
By Masha Dolgoff
The first Guy Harvey Academy of Arts & Science, established in 2023 at Anna Maria Elementary School, has added several features, including VR headsets, to its marine science program.
Students will use the headsets to experience sea turtles in their natural environment this year.
According to Pidge Barreda, AME STEM teacher, the focus of the curriculum is on ways to protect marine species, as well as learning about their behavioral and physical adaptations to their environment.
In addition, Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring this year will present information on their efforts to protect sea turtles to students, who then will complete watercolor paintings of turtles that will be used in a fundraiser for the nonprofit.
The Guy Harvey initiative to implement the curriculum was approved by the School Board of Manatee County in June 2022. The program draws on the life experiences of conservationist and wildlife artist Guy Harvey, who studied marine biology while using it as a subject for his art.
Harvey, who grew up in Jamaica, graduated with honors in marine biology from Aberdeen University in Scotland in 1977 and went on to earn a doctorate in fisheries management and fish biology from the University of the West Indies five years later.
While teaching, Harvey exhibited a set of his illustrations inspired by literature, “The Old Man and the Sea,” by Ernest Hemingway. The success of selling his prints encouraged him to set aside his science career to turn his hobby into a business, according to the official Guy Harvey Foundation website.
Harvey founded the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation in 2008 to help fund scientific projects but the foundation has grown to include educational initiatives, such as the one at Anna Maria Elementary, and
conservational projects, such as monitoring stingrays in the Cayman Islands.
Twenty-five Florida school districts participate in Guy Harvey educational programs but the AME academy is the first of its kind. Harvey visited the school in December 2022 to celebrate its opening and he’s since returned to the area to boost the AME academy.
It has grown this year to include King Middle and Manatee High programs.
As the new school year continues into the second month, readers of The Islander should look out for their own schooling of sorts, as AME students will share what they’ve learned with us in the near future.
The director’s report
It’s been a busy week with a lot of nest excavations in which we count the eggs in the nest to see how well the nest did after it hatched or is overdue.
until they hatch and are excavated.
In other news, Florida Power & Light has started installing shields on streetlights along Gulf Drive in Bradenton Beach.
The streetlights could be seen from the beach. The new shields will direct the light onto the road and make the lights less visible from the beach, creating a more turtle-friendly environment and helping save sea turtle hatchlings!
Our weekly program, Turtle Tracks and Shorebird Facts, has end for the 2024 nesting season.
We’d like to thank the 412 attendees who came to the talks at Holmes Beach City Hall to learn about how to be a turtle- and bird-friendly beachgoer!
Our volunteers Karen Anderson, Kathy Doddridge, Danielle Kimberly and Hollis Hatfield and Holmes Beach code enforcement officers Jayson Clayton and James Thomas and police Chief William Tokajer made these free talks a success!
We look forward to continuing the talks in 2025!
We’ve had a few hatches this past week and we excavate hatched nests three days after the hatch is observed to allow all the hatchlings to emerge from the nest on their own. However, due to the Tropical Storm Debby most of our excavations continue to be 70-day overdue nest excavations.
Mazzarella
That said, 2024 is still looking to be quite a successful year with numbers surpassing those of 2023, despite the loss of nests in TS Debby.
And here’s some exciting news. We had a brand new nest Aug. 30.
We will continue to look for new nests and false crawls as well as check all the 135 remaining nests
— Kristen Mazzarella, anna Maria Island turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring executive director
as of aug. 30, aMItW reported 685 nests, 835 false crawls and 286 hatched nests producing 20,119 hatchlings.
Dolgoff
People gather to watch as Kristen Mazzarella and luke Sundquist excavate a sea turtle nest aug. 26. Islander Photo: Chuck anderson
By Lisa Neff
‘Forever’ wild not ‘fore’
Florida State Park fans in late August derailed the department of environmental protection’s “Great Outdoors Initiative,” a plan to develop the lands with 350room hotels, golf courses, sports fields and pickleball courts.
Alerts regarding an expedited timeline for the initiative came from environmental groups, including the Audubon Society — area chapters and the state organization — and also from good government groups like the League of Women Voters of Manatee County.
About 30,000 people shared opinions using Audubon’s action alert tools at fl.audubon.org. It’s a great site to bookmark.
And if you aren’t on the league’s eblast list, sign up at lwvmanatee.org for need-to-know information about goings-on at the state and county levels. You’ll receive actionable alerts like the call to protect state parks by signing petitions and writing protest letters.
The alert said, “Information leaked from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) suggests that public meetings will fast-track development plans for golf courses, hotels, pickleball courts and more on top of vulnerable habitat in these nine state parks across Florida.”
Enough people protested statewide that within a week the hearings on the “outdoors initiative” were canceled.
“If we do nothing, that’s fine with me,” the governor said Aug. 28 during a news conference on crime. He also said he hadn’t seen the plan.
The initiative would have impacted parks outside of Manatee County but if you frequent state parks like I do, you’ve enjoyed these places or have plans to visit them:
• Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Martin County;
• Anastasia State Park in St. Johns County;
• Topsail Hill Preserve State Park in Walton County;
• Camp Helen State Park in Bay County;
• Grayton Beach State Park in Walton County;
• Hillsborough River State Park in Hillsborough County;
• Honeymoon Island State Park in Pinellas County;
• Dr. Von Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park in Broward County;
• Oleta River State Park in Miami-Dade County.
The plan included three golf courses at Dickinson
and 350-room lodges at Anastasia and Topsail.
An Aug. 19 news release from the DEP said the additions would “be compatible and fitting within surrounding landscapes, and provide efficient amenities that visitors expect.”
The Sierra Club-Florida Chapter used very different language, calling the proposal “appalling.”
Florida Audubon said of the plan: “Florida has no shortage of places to swing a golf club, sample the continental breakfast or try your hand at pickleball — but increasingly rare are the opportunities to spot the deep blue feathers of a Florida Scrub-Jay, witness the miracle of neotropical bird migration, or experience Florida in all its natural beauty.”
Facing backlash, the DEP first said it would post-
Environmental restoration ongoing at Bradenton park
Nearly $1 million in environmental restoration work is underway at G.T. Bray Park in Bradenton with support from the Sarasota Bay estuary Program. the work involves retrofitting stormwater treatment areas to optimize their benefits to the public, water and wildlife, according to a news release. a ribbon-cutting will be at 9:30 a.m. thursday, Sept. 19, in the park. Islander Courtesy Photo
pone hearings to arrange larger venues to accommodate the public but then it canceled the hearings after Gov. Ron DeSantis said they should go back to the drawing board.
Audubon, in its analysis, said, “if reworked proposals are submitted, they won’t return for public comment until next year.”
“The state parks already have a process for considering proposals, which is the ongoing unit management planning process,” Audubon Florida executive director Julie Wraithmell said. “It’s not clear to us why proposals like these would be taken off cycle, rather than considered within the context of all of the needs of an individual park. This process already has a robust public comment period as well, making it transparent, science-based, and inclusive.”
Where’s Henrietta?
TideWatch
By Lisa Neff
Water quality tested
A Florida Department of Health caution was lifted for the week beginning Sept. 2.
Health department tests completed Aug. 19 and Aug. 21 had indicated water quality at the Palma Sola South Causeway did not meet recreational water quality criteria for Enterococcus bacteria.
DOH-Manatee advised water-related activities at the location due to an increased risk of illness.
As of Sept. 2, the advisory was lifted.
Test results are available at floridahealth.gov/ healthybeaches.
About fecal pollution
Henrietta, anna Maria Island’s entry in the 2024 tour de turtles presented by the Sea turtle Conservancy, has traveled about 90 miles since the “marathon” started aug. 1. Henrietta was tagged with a satellite tracker June 24 at Coquina Beach for the researchfocused tour, in which nine sea turtles are monitored to see how far and where they travel. as of aug. 30, Henrietta was in last place in the event. For more, go to tourdeturtles.org. Islander Screenshot
Enterococci are enteric bacteria that normally inhabit the intestinal tract of humans and animals. The presence of the bacteria in water can indicate fecal pollution, which might come from stormwater runoff, animals and human sewage.
If present in high concentrations, the bacteria can be ingested or enter the skin through a cut or sore, causing human disease, infections or rashes.
The federal Environmental Protection Agency says enterococci have a greater correlation with swimmingassociated gastrointestinal illness in marine and fresh waters than other bacterial indicator organisms and are less likely to die off in saltwater.
Neff
ITEMS FOR SALE
ELECTRIC 3.0 E-BIKE. $400, purchased new 2023. text, 651-235-9827.
BOSU HOME GYM, $35, exercise ball, $25, side tables, round, glass top, 2/$19, black chairs, soft leather 2/$20. 941-920-2494.
aNtIQUe PaRtNeR DeSK: all wood, $500. Inquire at the Islander office, 315 58th St. Suite J, Holmes Beach. 941-778-7978.
FREEBIE
ITEMS FOR SALE
Individuals may place one free ad with up to three items, each priced $100 or less, 15 words or less. FR ee , one week, must be submitted online. email classifieds@islander. org. (limited time offer).
LOST & FOUND
MISSING CAT: HOLMES BEACH. Male, Cinnamon. Don’t attempt to catch, do feed. If seen, call Mel, 941-592-2551.
tH e I S la ND e R OFF e RS the best results for your clas sified advertising dollar. We really work for you! Submit your ad no later than noon Monday on the website, islander. org. For Monday holidays, the deadline is Friday.
I S la ND e R a RCHIV e. UofF Florida digital newspaper collection at ufdc.ufl.edu.
TRANSPORTATION
g O l F C a Rt R e N tal S: Fun for residents and tourists! 212-941-2402. www.golfCartRentalaMI.com
BOATS & BOATING
HAVE A BOAT and wanna catch more fish, better bait or learn the water? 50-year local fisherman, your boat, my knowledge. Captain Chris, 941-896-2915.
SUNCOAST BOTTOM PAINTING: Professional bottom painting. Mobile. Call 941704-9382.
CaPtaIN FOR HIRe and boat caretaker services: If you need help with your boat on or off the water, call Captain Dan. USCg , retired. 772-486-8085.
WELCOME ABOARD JOYFISH Charters for private fishing, sunset cruises, and dolphin watching. Check out joyfishcharters.com or follow us on Facebook. Call to reserve, 941840-3181.
HELP WANTED
NOW HIRINg HaNDYMaN: Full-time professional services. $18 an hour and up, based on experience. Call JayPros, 941962-2874.
R e PORte R Wa N te D: Full- to part-time. Print media, newspaper experience required. a pply via email with letter of interest to news@islander.org.
KIDS FOR HIRE
KIDS FOR HIRe ads are FRee for up to three weeks for Island youths under 16 looking for work. ads must be placed in person at the Islander office, 315 58th St. Suite J, Holmes Beach.
SERVICES
IS YOUR HOMe or office in need of some cleaning? Well, I’m your girl! local, reliable, professional! Please, give me a call or text, 941-773 -0461.
SERVICES Continued
PC OR te CH issues? Not sure where to start? With years of experience, I’ll come to you with reliable solutions. Contact gavin at 928-587-1309. www.gse.codes
SARASOTA PAINTING: INTERIOR/exterior/ cabinets: Call or text Don, 941-900-9398. Free estimates. Fully insured, twenty years’ experience.
U PlUS Me llC: Provides quality coatings for pool decks, driveways, garage floors, patios. Don’t miss out on our pro polishing services, concrete, terrazzo, travertine. 727623-5050.
RIDeeaSY 247 YOUR professional, reliable and courteous car service to airports and events since 2015. You can reach us via text 941-447-7737 or email to mrfort5001@gmail. com We are available 24/7.
l OOK NO MOR e ! Residential, vacation rental and commercial cleaning. give us a call, 941-250-8548.
lOOKINg FOR SOMeONe who needs me: Clean, house-sit. I can cook, make sandwiches. I can do anything you can do but better! I can run to the grocery store for you. I can walk pets or go out to lunch with you. looking for a part-time job caregiving companion, I am your right arm! I love people and I love helping others. I have references and I’m reliable and dependable. My name is Dena gray a.k.a. Sparkles! 941-704-9948.
OUR SeRVICeS: CleaNINg, home repairs, tile, concrete, remodeling, decks, steps, flooring, water drainage solutions, rental 24-hour services. Hurricane shutters and pre-storm service. New, low-cost generator and insulation (starts and runs on propane when power off). No permits needed. Islander, over 40 years here! Call 941-4049163.
CleaNINg: VaCatION, CONStRUCtION, residential, commercial and windows. licensed and insured. 941-756-4570.
PR e SSUR e W a SHIN g , PaV e R sealing, driveway, roof, fence, pool area. also, window cleaning. l icensed and insured. 941-5653931.
BICYCLE REPAIRS: Just4Fun at 5358 Gulf Drive can do most any bicycle repair at a reasonable cost. Pick-up and delivery available. 941-896-7884.
aPI’S DRYWall RePaIR: I look forward to servicing your drywall repair needs. Call 941524-8067 to schedule an appointment.
CLEAN TECH MOBILE Detailing. At your location. Cars, boats, RVs. Call or text Billie for an appointment. 941-592-3482.
IS YOUR POOl deck, driveway, or garage floor looking worn out and dated? Bring them back to life with our top-tier resurfacing services! Services offered: Pool deck resurfacing, Slip-resistant, cool-to-the-touch finishes that enhance safety and aesthetics. Driveway resurfacing, durable surfaces that stand up to heavy traffic and harsh weather. garage floor resurfacing, easy-to-clean, stain-resistant surfaces that look great and perform even better. Don’t wait! transform your spaces today with our trusted resurfacing services. Contact us now for a free consultation and estimate. Call U Plus Me llC at 727-6235050 or visit u-plus-me.com
P et SI tte R: R et IR e D teacher, just relocated. Would love to pamper your pets! References. Becky Mack, 704-363-5480.
BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS JD’s Window Cleaning looking for storefront jobs in Holmes Beach. I make dirty windows sparkling clean. 941-920-3840.
BEACH SERVICE air conditioning, heat, refrigeration. Commercial and residential service, repair and/or replacement. Serving Manatee County and the Island since 1987. For dependable, honest and personalized service, call Bill Eller, 941-720-7411. CaC184228.
MORe aDS = more readers in the Islander
LAWN & GARDEN
CONNIe’S laNDSCaPINg INC. Residential and commercial. Full-service lawn maintenance, landscaping, cleanups, hauling and more! Insured. 941-713-1965.
COllINS laNDSCaPe lIgHtINg: Outdoor lighting, landscaping, irrigation services and maintenance. 941-279-9947. MJC24373@ gmail.com
SHell DelIVeReD aND spread. Hauling all kinds of gravel, mulch, topsoil with free estimates. Call larry at 941-795-7775, or “shell phone” 941-720-0770.
HOME IMPROVEMENT
VAN-GO PAINTING residential/commercial, interior/exterior, pressure cleaning, wallpaper. Island references. Bill, 941-795-5100. www.vangopainting.net.
gRIFFIN’S HOMe IMPROVeMeNtS Inc. Handyman, fine woodwork, countertops, cabinets and wood flooring. Insured and licensed. 941-722-8792.
laNe’S SCReeNINg SeRVICeS: Replace your window, door or lanai screens. Many screen options available. Retired veteran serving our community! Free estimates, call 941-705-5293.
lOOKINg FOR aNY home improvement? JRCC Home Improvement, handyman service can get the job done. Please, contact us at 413-246-2410. We would love to help.
tIle-tIle-tIle: all variations of ceramic tile supplied and installed. Quality workmanship, prompt, reliable, many Island references. Call Robert, 941-726-3077.
DONalD PeRKINS PaINtINg llC. Interior/exterior/pressure washing. Island references. dperkinspaint@hotmail.com. 941705-7096.
gORIlla DRYWall RePaIR llC. let’s solve your drywall problems together. give us a call at 941-286-0607.
Call HYDRO CleaN. Full-service pressure washing, sealing. Pavers, travertine and natural stone. Window washing too, up to three stories. Call Jacob, 941-920-2094.
ISlaND HaNDYMaN: I live here, work here, value your referral. Refinish, paint. Just ask. JayPros. Licensed/insured. References. Call Jay, 941-962-2874.
RENTALS
aNNa MaRIa gUlF beachfront vacation rentals. One- two- and three-bedroom units, all beachfront. www.amiparadise.com. 941778-3143.
AVAILABLE NOW AND season: 1BR/1BA, seven-night minimum. carlesvacationrentals. com. Special rates are available. 941-8071405.
FOR ReNt: anna Maria Island condo. Great value, beautiful upgraded 2BR/2BR. Incredible water view. Pool, tennis, walk to beach. Private carport. excellent rental terms. Owner/renter. Call/email for pictures, 570-239-0431. marketreps@aol.com
RENTALS Continued
SEASONAL RENTAL: Bradenton 55-plus community. Large 2BR/2BA condo on bay, exceptional views. elevator and five minutes to bridge. No smoking, No pets. $4,650/month. Three-month minimum. Photos at https://barbaragillespie.wixsite. com/47872024. 732-748-0759.
CONDO tO ReNt in gated community (five miles from anna Maria). available July until end November, all included! 704-9930288. www.floridarentals.com/10943/
2025 SeaSONal ReNtal: Just one block from the beach, single-story 2BR/2BA private residence, screened patio. No smoking/ no pets. Monthly. January-april. 64th Street, Holmes Beach. Call 813-833-4926.
2BR/1BA ANNUAL LEASE: Electric/ac/heat all included. $2,975/month. Looking for 1 or 2 quiet adults with no pets or smoking. Steps to gulf. Owner-occupied duplex. Owner, 508496-8480. williamshomes@yahoo.com
JANUARY 2025 AVAILABLE: Snowbird special! Perico Island patio home, single floor, high ceilings, 3BR/2BA, privacy wall/gate, two-car garage. Call or text alison, 859-7716423. www.pericoislandrental.com
PERICO BAY CLUB rental: Deluxe 2BR/2BA, garage villa. $2,800/monthly. Real Estate Mart, 941-356-1456.
WESTBAY COVE CONDO: Holmes Beach. Second floor, 2BR/2BA, large lanai. Pools, tennis, one block to gulf. November, December 2024. $3,200/month. 30-day minimum. terryaposporos@gmail.com. 941778-8456.
ANNUAL HOLMES BEACH rental: Unfurnished elevated duplex, 2BR/1.5BA, available September. $2,500 /month plus utilities, Owner, 941-778-4498.
REAL ESTATE
WINNIe MCHale, RealtOR, 941-5046146. Dalton Wade Real estate. You need an aggressive and experienced Realtor in today’s market! Selling island homes, Sarasota and Bradenton areas. Multi-milliondollar producer! “Selling Homes - Making Dreams Come true.”
2BR/2BA HOME for sale. 3,000 sfur. 1,100 sf garage. Steps to beach. $1,449,000. 941518-6329.
PRIVATE SALE: THE perfect VRBO or private vacation home. Beautiful beachside bungalow direct marina front with peek-a-boo views of Palma Sola Bay. Private boat docks are available. Just off the SR 64 causeway at Palma Sola Bay in the highly sought-after community of Palma Sola Park. this beautiful 2BR/2BA, sleeps 8 with heated salt pool and large tiki bar. $1,200,000. Contact owner, 941-661-6196.
REAL ESTATE Continued
MINUTES TO ANNA Maria beaches: 2BR/2BA ground-floor villa. Beautifully appointed with stainless-steel appliances, granite counter tops, composite wood flooring throughout. $285,000. Real estate Mart, 941-356-1456.
BUY BEFORE IT’S gone: Custom built 2BR/2BA, two-car garage in northwest Bradenton. amenities, pool, clubhouse, boat docks on Tampa Bay and minutes to beach. $795,000. Real estate Mart, 941-356-1456.
An RSVP reward
The Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce is inviting members and guests to a breakfast mixer with business at Ginny’s & Jane E’s Coastal Cafe at 8 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 5.
Menu selections — which were due to the chamber Sept. 3 — include American breakfast, pancakes or avocado toast. Plus, those who RSVP will be rewarded with a Ginny’s cinnamon bun.
The fee for members is $15, while prospective members pay $25.
Call 941-778-1541 or email Ingrid McClellan at ingrid@amichamber.org to reserve a place at the table.
And don’t forget to bring your business cards and a raffle prize.
Ginny’s and Jane E’s is at 9807 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria.
Meanwhile, the chamber’s membership drive con-
Thinking about what is best for your rental property? If so, choose QUALITY over quantity, and get in touch with us!
tinues with incentives for existing members to bring in new members, including an enhanced logo in the 2025 Visitors Guide and Business Directory, a breakfast or lunch mixer and entry a drawing for a free 2025 membership for each business recruited.
Recruiting three or more members will earn a business member a platinum enhanced website listing — a $200 value.
Another ask from the chamber is for contributions to the “A Taste of Anna Maria Island” cookbook.
The chamber is collecting recipes from the community and seeking sponsors for categories in the book, including appetizers, salads, soup. poultry, beef, fish, vegetarian, pasta, sides, desserts, beverages, breakfast and crockpot cooking.
Individuals will be listed by name, city and state, while staff or crew affiliated with a business member will be listed by contributor and business.
The deadline for recipe submissions is Sept. 30. Send recipes to info@amichamber.org.
The chamber plans to release the cookbook in December for holiday sales.
— Bonner Joy
BizCal
By Lisa Neff
THIS WEEK
Thursday, Sept. 5
8 a.m. — AMICofC breakfast, Ginny’s and Jane E’s Cafe, 9807 Gulf Drive, AM. Info: ingrid@amichamber.org, 941-778-1541.
SAVE THE DATES
Sept. 12, 11:30 a.m., AMI chamber luncheon, Freckled Fin Irish Pub, 5337 Gulf Drive, Suite 600, HB. Oct. 19, 10 a.m.-9 p.m., AMI chamber Bayfest, Pine Avenue. Send listings to calendar@islander.org.
BEAUTIFULLY
4 blocks to Gulf of Mexico beach LONGBOAT
$1,100,000 GREAT OPPORTUNITIES in WEST BRADENTON fee.
Monica Newcomer Coldwell Banker Realtor call/text 941-545-4980 monicanewcomer@aol.com
PropertyWatch
By Carol Bernard Island real estate transactions
1800 Gulf Drive, #202, Bradenton Beach, a 952 square foot 2BR/2BA La Costa condo built in 1978 sold 7/31/2024 by Collier to Penniman S Holding LLC for $600,000, list price $639,900.
1325 Gulf Drive, #165, Bradenton Beach, a 1,392 square foot 2BR/2BA Tortuga condo built in 2006 sold 7/25/2024 by Donovan to VanHorn for $750,000 list price $794,000.
436 62nd St., Holmes Beach, a 1,141 square foot 2BR/2BA home on a 3,681 square foot lot built in 1971 sold 7/22/2024 by Drake to Young for $534,000, list price $549,000.
3301 Gulf Drive, #5, Holmes Beach, a 700 square foot 2BR/1BA Sea Pirates condo built in 1969 sold 7/15/2024 by Slattery to 3301 Gulf Dr LLC for $570,000 list price $599,900.
6300 Flotilla Drive, #97, Holmes Beach, a 1,151 square foot 2BR/2BA Shell Point condo built in 1973 sold 7/10/2024 by Hall to Keen for $600,000 list price $650,000.
309 63rd St.,#B, Holmes Beach, a 988 square foot 2BR/2BA villa built in 1972 sold 7/16/2024 by Lallier to Olson Trust for $650,000 list price $699,000. 2917 Ave. C, Holmes Beach, a 1,040 square foot 2BR/3BA home on a 5,249 square foot lot built in 1979 sold 7/22/2024 by Luther to Moore for $700,000 list price $744,000. Compiled by Island Real Estate staff. IRE can be reached at 941-778-6066, islandreal.com.
Cortez. Located just a half mile to Anna Maria Island amd its
and walking distance to some of the most iconic, local restaurants around. Two great, fresh seafood markets, the Florida Maritime Museum and the 96-acre, waterfront, nature preserve of F.I.S.H. are also within walking distance of this great home. Recent updates include NEW ROOF April 2024, new kitchen and bathrooms, and a great swim-spa. Offered for $605,000.
Built of solid block with solid concrete foundation pillars that are buried well into the ground below, this 2-bedroom, 2-bath home is merely 100 feet from the beach access. The oversized garage can park at least four vehicles. Zoned for weekly rentals and no street-side parking. Duplex weekly rental property, each unit having its own entire floor with front balconies to take in the seaside sites and glorious sunsets, as well as balconies on the back. Five bedrooms and four baths and an oversized owner’s area on the ground floor is a must-see. Let’s take Fall
