Peace power
Maria elementary first-graders take part in a peace Day tradition Sept. 20, running under an Olympic flag held high by parents. leFt: Holmes Beach Mayor Judy titsworth — an AMe graduate — and HB police Chief William tokajer lead a Sept. 20 procession of students entering the school courtyard carrying flags of many nations to start the annual peace Day celebration. More, pages 2-3. Islander photos: Robyn Murrell
Shack erupts with eviction notices
By Robert Anderson Islander Reporter
Tenants, vendors, staff and boaters in the Seafood Shack Restaurant and Marina community were in a state of shock after receiving a Sept. 13 notice of eviction from the owner, Vandyk Properties.
The notice came on the heels of a Sept. 5 Manatee County meeting at which the board of commissioners revealed the county would buy the Seafood Shack for $13 million.
The board adopted a budget resolution to facilitate execution of a sales contract between the county and Vandyk to acquire
the Seafood Shack Marina and adjoining properties at 4110 127th St. W., Cortez.
The exchange was expected to be finalized in October.
The county said the location would provide public boating access, including a ramp and dry storage.
At the Sept. 5 meeting, Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge, R-District 3, said. “We’re not looking to put anyone out of work.”
But a Sept. 13 hand-delivered letter from the offices of Vandyk Properties attor-
More claims of racism leveled at Anna Maria
By Ryan paice Islander Reporter
A fifth former Anna Maria employee has come forward, alleging racially motivated mistreatment inside the walls of city hall.
Candela Lemos, who worked for the city as a temporary employee October-December 2023, emailed The Islander Sept. 15, detailing her experiences with the city.
“Remaining silent would not sit right with me, especially knowing what employees of color have faced, are still facing, and will continue to face in the city of Anna Maria,” she wrote.
Lemos wrote that she had been prompted by coverage of Benzard Holland and three other former city employees’ claims of racially motivated
Crumbling
bridge leads to increased inspections
The Florida Department of Transportation is keeping a closer eye on the Anna Maria Island Bridge after a hole formed in the eastbound lane.
In addition to the state’s annually required inspections, the DOT is performing monthly assessments of the bridge deck and bi-weekly visual reviews “to intercept any increasing deterioration,” according to DOT public information officer consultant Jason Heironimus.
The bridge, which connects Holmes Beach to mainland Bradenton via Manatee Avenue, is one of three to the island.
The AMI Bridge was built in 1957 and has outlived its 50-year life expectancy. Its eastbound lane was closed Aug. 28 after a hole opened in the pavement, revealing rusting rebar and the water below.
Traffic was delayed until the hole was patched overnight. Repairs involved removing the deteriorated concrete, placing a temporary form underneath the damaged area and pouring “high strength and fast setting” concrete, according to Heironimus.
He wrote in a Sept. 19 email to The Islander that the hole was in a section of
the Seafood Shack Restaurant and Marina Sept. 20 in Cortez. tenant/vendor evictions stirred conversations around the docks. Islander photo: Robert Anderson
Anna
Murphy
Addy
CONtINUeD
1 mistreatment and a hostile workplace.
The municipality paid labor attorney Matthew Stefany, from the Tampa-based Allen Norton & Blue law firm, $13,722.50 to investigate Holland’s claims.
Stefany’s investigation culminated in a Sept. 6 report that found the former employees’ claims “unsubstantiated.”
However, Holland and former public works manager Roosevelt Jones have pushed back against Stefany’s findings and reiterated their allegations.
Now Lemos has come forward, echoing the complaints made by former code enforcement officer/ administrator Tyffanny Rios, whose claims were not investigated by Stefany.
Rios, a dark-skinned Latina, alleged that she resigned due to racially motivated mistreatment from city clerk and treasurer LeAnne Addy.
She claimed Addy made multiple disparaging or inappropriate comments during her tenure with the city and treated her and other non-white employees differently than white employees.
Rios also claimed the city clerk deliberately set her up to fail as an employee.
Lemos, a Hispanic woman, wrote that she and another Hispanic employee were treated unfairly by Addy, who allegedly redistributed duties to effectively sideline them in favor of white employees.
She said Addy “repeatedly undermined” her Hispanic coworker by stripping her role of certain duties that were then reassigned to a less experienced, white employee.
Mayor Dan Murphy “failed to address or even acknowledge this situation, allowing LeAnne’s behavior to go unchecked,” according to Lemos.
She said that she had been working toward a permanent position with the city but, despite being fully staffed, the municipality brought back a retired white employee to handle some duties.
Lemos said that employee then “kept much of the necessary knowledge and proper procedures to herself, making it difficult for others to perform the job cor-
AMe parents, students, alums, and past and current staff come together Sept. 20 on the school playground for peace Day. Islander photos: Robyn Murrell
rectly.”
“At first, I didn’t see the racial dynamics at play, but it soon became clear that decisions were being made that favored white employees over those of us who are Hispanic,” she wrote. “The shift in how responsibilities were distributed could not be overlooked.”
Despite hesitating to speak about her experiences, Lemos wrote that she believed it was important to acknowledge the situation.
“These are my personal observations, and I felt compelled to share them after witnessing fi rsthand the unfair treatment we endured,” she wrote. “The actions of LeAnne Addy, with the mayor’s passive support, created an environment where people like … Roosevelt and myself were marginalized for reasons that have nothing to do with our performance or dedication to the city.”
Lemos wrote that she hoped the city would take action to correct injustices and ensure all employees “are treated with the respect and fairness they deserve,
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regardless of race or background.”
At the very least, she said, she hoped her story might inspire others facing similar issues to speak up.
Lemos also prompted residents to ponder such allegations.
“The residents of Anna Maria need to ask themselves whether they are comfortable with this kind of leadership and treatment of employees. These issues are not isolated, and they need to be addressed at the highest levels.”
previously repaired concrete that deteriorated due to long-term salt exposure and recent heavy rains.
DOT staff reviewed the bridge following the repair and has since increased inspections.
Construction of a new high-span bridge is scheduled for 2029, after construction of a high bridge on Cortez Road between Cortez and Bradenton Beach.
— Ryan paice
Local nonprofit mobilizes Gilligan’s Island cleanup
By Robert Anderson Islander Reporter
Keep Manatee Beautiful has stepped up to clean up Gilligan’s Island after images on social media showed garbage and debris strewn on the shoreline.
Located across the bay from Holmes Beach’s Key Royale neighborhood on Anna Maria Island on the west and, to the east, at the north end of Perico Bayou just south of the Manatee River bulkhead, the spoil island has been used by recreational campers and boaters for decades.
Back to school for Peace Day
In recent months, the island has been the site of controversy, stirred by a video on social media showing people living in a makeshift camp surrounded by tents, pop-ups, tables, small water craft, a generator and other camping gear.
Lewis Whittaker, the man behind the initial camp in the video, was forced to vacate the island after receiving a warning from Manatee County code enforcement in May and a trespass warning from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Aug. 12. The commission order demanded Whittaker dismantle his camp and leave the island.
Whittaker, during a Sept. 19 interview with The Islander, denied the trash left behind was from his former camp.
Meanwhile, Jennifer Hoffman, executive director of Keep Manatee Beautiful, confirmed Sept. 17 that the organization is planning to address the debris issue on the spoil island.
“We will be taking care of the trash on the island within the next three weeks,” Hoffman said. “We work with many partners, one of which is Suncoast Aqua Ventures. They have their reef and beach cleanup in two weeks.”
Hoffman said she reached out to boaters participating in the annual reef and beach cleanup for assistance with the effort. The Suncoast Reef & Beach Cleanup will be 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 22-29 at Sea Breeze Park, 55 Horseshoe Loop Road, Terra Ceia.
The Suncoast Aqua Ventures cleanup is organized by founders Troy Brown and Cheryl Huntsinger. Brown and Huntsinger, both avid divers and boaters, launched the initiative in 2016 after witnessing the extent of human debris in underwater and shoreline environments.
Hoffman also said Keep Manatee Beautiful volunteers, in partnership with Freedom Boat Club and Compass Hotel and Marina, would remove any debris on Gilligan’s Island that remains after the Suncoast Aqua Ventures event.
“We will take our own volunteers out there and we will clean it up,” Hoffman said. “We are working with Compass Hotels to use their marina and place one of our dumpsters nearby. So it’s a short distance to move the trash. Either way, it should be cleaned up within the next two weeks.”
By lisa Neff
The Islander poll
Last week’s question
AMI feels like autumn when … 3%. Rainy season ends.
35%. Heat subsides.
13%. Snowbirds arrive.
3%. Bayfest is around the corner.
47%. All of the above
This week’s question
My preferred mode of staying in touch with friends and family is …
A. Text messages.
B. Phone calls.
C. Email.
D. Social media.
e. Face to face.
To answer the poll, go online to islander.org.
To suggest a poll question, email lisa@islander. org.
Debris litters the shoreline Sept. 16 at gilligan’s Island. Islander photo: Courtesy Capt. Scott Moore
AMe retired staff — art teacher gary Wooten, left, counselor Cindi Harrison and registrar Candice Shields — reunite Sept. 20 for peace Day. the trio had roles in coordinating the first peace Day. the event, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island, brings together past and present students, parents, staff and community members.
BB building official: Radio silence on Bridge Street Resort
By Robert Anderson Islander Reporter
A lack of communication over designs and permitting for the Bridge Street Resort is a concern to Bradenton Beach city building official Darin Cushing.
According to Cushing, the lack of communication from developer Shawn Kaleta’s architects and designers is leading him to question whether the resort will be built. “They’ve gotten their approval of the site plan and the ability to do it and that’s good for two years,” Cushing told The Islander Sept. 11. “But we’re now coming up on a year within this two-year period and they need to start — break ground and start building, do all the stuff they need to do.”
Bradenton Beach commissioners approved the development Dec. 7, 2023.
The planned urban development calls for a 106room, 206,987-square-foot resort on the southeast corner of the Gulf Drive-Bridge Street roundabout.
Conceptual drawings for the Bridge Street Resort were submitted to the city in 2022 by Luttrell Architectural of Tampa.
The plans show three floors plus a rooftop with hotel rooms, retail space, lobby and lounge, offices and
Resources for storm info
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• FEMA: fema.gov.
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a coffee bar. Recreational amenities, including puttputt golf and a gym, are part of the design and the top floors would feature a rooftop swimming pool and an outdoor deck.
However, Cushing said there have been no signs of progress toward obtaining building permits, a critical step for moving forward with the project.
“We would normally be expecting a building permit, primarily for the building, and that would then have to go through building and zoning for review and fire for review and everything like that. Thus far, we’ve seen nothing,” he said.
“And, generally speaking, I would just think, if it’s even going to happen, because generally if you’re talking about a 106-unit hotel, that’s a pretty substantial set of drawings that you would normally get.”
The properties involved in the project include 101 Bridge St., the former site of the Freckled Fin restaurant; 106 Third St. S.; 105 Bridge St. Apt. 1 and 219 Gulf Drive S., all owned or leased by Kaleta and Najmy Thompson PL.
Other properties, including 108 Third St. S., 110 Third St. S., and 112 Third St. S., as well as 117 Bridge
areas in
St., are registered under Bridge Street Bazaar Inc., owned by former city commissioner Jake Spooner.
Despite the scope of the project, Cushing emphasized a lack of communication. “I’ve had nothing. No calls, nothing, no emails, questions or anything about it at all. So it’s just odd,” he said.
The project was processed as a planned urban development, allowing for more flexibility than traditional zoning regulations. The zoning device lets legislative bodies, such as the Bradenton Beach commission, redefine land uses and approve projects based on broader city goals.
Under the PUD approved by the city, Kaleta, through his parking management company Beach to Bay LLC, is operating a 93-space parking lot for the combined lots at 101 Bridge St., 105 Bridge St. Apt. 1, 219 Gulf Drive S. and 106 Third Street S.
The Islander reached out to Katela Sept. 11 for updates on the project and Kaleta, responding via text, replied, “We are excited and on schedule.”
Asked about estimates for the procurement of building permits or the start of construction, he said, “That’s a city question.”
Beach Market
The beach market you love is back!
10 AM - 4 PM
Open 10-2 Wed., Fri., Sun., Oct. 2, 4 & 6
May 29 th & Fri, May 31st
Coquina Beach Market’s artists and crafters are ready for another season on the beach!
June 2nd (10 AM - 2 PM)
Enjoy live music while strolling the beach among food, refreshment and a variety of arts and crafts.... jerwely, apparel, pet items, stuffed turtles, skin care, totes & bags, wind chimes, fresh lemonade and more!
will find at our Market: jewelry, fresh lemon& creative artwork, fresh baked goods, pet metal artwork, stuffed turtles, sunglasses, caps, skin care products, water totes & bags, guacamole, windchimes, bracelets, eco friendly bug lotions, jerky, fresh coconut drink, licorice, toys and MORE.
Check FB for vendor roster, weather notices, closures. The Coquina Beach outdoor market is in Bradenton Beach at the south tip of Anna Maria Island, overlooking Longboat Pass. Enter the beach parking lot at the south end of the island, before the Longboat Pass Bridge. Trolley riders will exit at the Coquina Cafe and walk the beach to the market. coquinabeachmarket.org Info: text 941-840-0789 facebook.com/CoquinaBeachMarket
Highlighted
red show properties involved in the creation of the Bridge Street Resort, a planned development approved by Bradenton Beach in December 2023. Islander Image: Screenshot Manatee County property Appraiser
ney Bradley Hogreve alerted tenants to a termination notice.
Tenants and vendors include the Seafood Shack restaurant and bar, Annie’s Bait and Tackle, H2O Watersports, Waves Boat & Social Club, Yolo Parasailing, multiple fishing guides and tour boats that operate out of the marina and people who lease boat slips.
“Please be advised that the leasehold property is being sold. As part of that transaction, we are obligated to terminate your tenancy and provide vacant possession effective September 30, 2024. This letter shall serve as such notice pursuant to Florida Statute Chapter 83.03,” the letter read.
The notice referred questions and concerns to Manatee County property acquisitions division manager Charles Meador.
Manatee County information outreach manager Bill Logan responded to a Sept. 18 email inquiry from The Islander about the eviction notice, stating the decision to evict came from Vandyk Properties and not the county.
“The current leases were on a month-to-month
Election 2024
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basis, and the current (owner) would not agree to a sale date extension to allow the buyers (Manatee County) an opportunity to evaluate the current leases prior to closing,” Logan wrote. “So the current tenants must vacate their locations per the current landlord’s requirements.”
Carissa Dressel, owner of WAVES Boat and Social Club, who runs a 60-boat fleet out the marina, spoke to The Islander Sept. 20: “I was a little surprised because I had read that the county was buying it and that they were looking to keep vendors.
“We’ve provided jobs and have always paid our rent for 20 years. It’s our livelihood,” she continued. “Just to get a letter out of the blue like that … it didn’t say who it was from, who it was representing, it didn’t say the landlords name or anything. Is someone just going to send me a random letter and expect me to just pick up and move our business after 20 years?”
Dressel said she sent a copy of the notice to an attorney and was in talks with the county about the future of the marina.
Pine Ave. improvements set to launch in October
Work on the first phase of sidewalk improvements on Pine Avenue in Anna Maria might be right around the corner.
Mayor Dan Murphy wrote in a Sept. 16 email to The Islander that Longboat Key-based Eason Builders Group had an Oct. 21 tentative start date.
Improvements will begin with the installation of pervious brick pavers over the existing meandering sidewalks along the commercial roadway.
The first phase will cover a stretch between Gulf and North Shore drives.
The city recently hired Eason, which submitted the lowest of three bids at $233,704.73.
City officials, Eason and representatives from the Florida Department of Transportation met Sept. 16 for a preconstruction meeting — the last of many steps the municipality has had to take before work was allowed to commence.
The guide is at vote411.org.
A guide created and maintained by national, state and local League of Women Voters chapters offers help to navigate the Nov. 5 general election, including information and contacts for candidates, ballot initiatives, voting rights and more.
Here’s how it works: People can view candidate information for a particular race side by side. People also can enter an address to find a sample ballot.
Registration closes Oct. 7
Voter registration for the Nov. 5 general election will close at 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 7.
Manatee County has more than 277,800 registered voters, including 133,495 Republicans and 70,414 Democrats.
For more information about registration, check with the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office at votemanatee.com or 941-741-3823.
On the election calendar
• Thursday, Sept. 26-Thursday, Oct. 3, mail ballots go out.
• Monday, Oct. 7, 5 p.m., voter registration closes.
• Monday, Oct. 21-Saturday, Nov. 2, 8:30 a.m.6:30 p.m., early voting, various locations.
• Thursday, Oct. 24, deadline to request mail ballot.
• Tuesday, Nov. 5, 7 a.m.-7 p.m., general election polling.
— lisa Neff
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.
Another business operator at the property, who said they feared retribution and was granted anonymity to talk to The Islander, said Sept. 19 that the county had responded to leaseholders in a positive fashion and it seemed none of the marina’s vendors or tenants would be affected by the Sept. 30 deadline for eviction.
“The county is ready to hit the ground running,” the tenant said.
The same individual said the fate of the Seafood Shack restaurant could be in question, however, as the building needs repairs and might have to close for improvements. “This is a good thing and it’s going to benefit a lot of people in the end,” he said.
Logan, in his email, wrote, “It is the intention of Manatee County to make every effort to establish new contracts that include county contract requirements with legacy and/or new vendors once the county is
Meetings
By lisa Neff
ANNA MARIA CITY
Sept. 26, 6 p.m., commission.
Oct. 10, 2 p.m., commission.
Oct. 24, 6 p.m., commission.
10005 Gulf Drive, 941-708-6130, cityofannamaria.com.
BRADENTON BEACH
Oct. 2, 9:30 a.m., CRA.
Oct. 2, 1 p.m., planning and zoning.
Oct. 3, 6 p.m., commission.
Oct. 16, 1 p.m., ScenicWAVES.
Oct. 17, noon, commission, Oct. 23, 10 a.m., pier team. 107 Gulf Drive N., 941-778-1005, cityofbradentonbeach.com.
HOLMES BEACH
Oct. 2, 10 a.m., parks and beautification.
Oct. 2, 5 p.m., planning.
Oct. 8, 2 p.m., commission.
Oct. 9, 9 a.m., clean water.
According to Murphy, Eason’s stated completion date for the project is 120 days from the start date, “but probably will be sooner.”
“Pre-construction meeting went well and we are anxious to break ground,” Murphy wrote.
— Ryan paice
the owner of the property.”
He did not comment on designs but did say there will likely be no changes made to the current configuration of the property for a year or two.
“No work will commence before neighbors, nearby homeowner’s associations and other stakeholders are informed of the impacts anticipated and allowed an ample opportunity to engage in that planning process,” Logan wrote.
Oct. 22, 2 p.m., commission.
5801 Marina Drive, 941-708-5800, holmesbeachfl.org.
MANATEE COUNTY
Sept. 26, 9 a.m., commission, land use. Oct. 1, 9 a.m., commission, work meeting. Oct. 3, 9 a.m., commission, land use.
Oct. 8, 9 a.m., commission.
Oct. 15, 9 a.m., commission.
Oct. 17, 9 a.m., commission, land use.
Oct. 21, 9 a.m., tourist development council. Oct. 22, 9 a.m., commission.
1112 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton, 941-748-4501, mymanatee. org.
ALSO OF INTEREST
Oct. 14, Columbus Day, some government offices will be closed.
Please, send meeting notices to calendar@islander.org and news@islander.org.
Opinion
Hurrah, it’s finally fall
After a long summer of 90-plus degree days, it’s finally fall. Soon, the temps will chill, although we are facing a possible tropical storm in the Gulf.
For now, it’s still in the 90s, breaking temperature records for Florida, and the clocks won’t turn back until Nov. 3.
The fall equinox — an astronomical event that marks the start of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere — arrived Sept. 22.
During an equinox, the sun crosses what we call the “celestial equator” — an imaginary line in space extending from Earth’s equator. It occurs precisely when the sun’s center passes through this line.
For many of us on Anna Maria Island, it determines a shift in sunrise and sunset views on the horizon.
For instance, the view of sunset from Floridays restaurant on Perico Island shifts to the south side of the Anna Maria Island Bridge — and the ball drop (sunset) is no longer visible. But at the Manatee Public Beach, sunset over the Gulf of Mexico is unobstructed.
Likewise, if you’re on the bayfront on Anna Maria Island, the sunrise may move out of your view.
This week we heard news that makes it sound like the sun will set on the long era of the Seafood Shack. Hopefully, the county can step up to halt vendor-business evictions as the deal to buy the property approaches a closing in October, but, for now, the current owner has evicted everyone, including boaters, the restaurant and bar, and the other businesses, including Annie’s Bait and Tackle, H2O Watersports, Waves Boat & Social Club and Yolo Parasailing.
So many people out of jobs. So many businesses with no place to go. It’s such bad news.
Will the county step up to keep people at work? Can the county resolve the issues for the tenants?
Thinking back, there was a time when the Shack was thriving. The paddleboat cruises were full. There was a line of people waiting for seats in the upper-level dining room while other people crowded the downstairs bar and grill room. It’s sad to see it all end.
Shifting to more sad news, we also learned of new accusations of racism at city hall in Anna Maria. Like we said last week, this story is not over.
We hope for a resolution but it will take an election to change the outlook and outcome among staff.
Meanwhile, Manatee County Supervisor of Elections James Satcher, defeated in the partisan primary for the position he was appointed to fill by the governor, is due to release mail ballots Sept. 26-Oct. 3. I, for one, can’t wait to cast mine and call it done. It will be historic, of course. Maybe even epic. — Bonner Joy, news@islander.org
OpinionYour
Held liable
A federal judge Sept. 19 found HRK Holdings liable for polluting Tampa Bay with 215 million gallons of toxic wastewater from the Piney Point industrial site in east Manatee County. The lawsuit was brought by the Center for Biological Diversity, Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, Suncoast Waterkeeper, ManaSota-88 and Our Children’s Earth Foundation.
Here’s what the organizations’ leaders had to say about the results:
Skimming online
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Connections, AMI & beyond
Anna Maria: Mayor Dan Murphy, 941-7086130, ammayor@cityofannamaria.com.
SEPT. 25, 2024 • Vol. 32, No. 49
▼ 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
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Debbie tucker, debbie@islander.org
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▼ Office Manager, lisa Williams
info@, accounting@, classifieds@, subscriptions@islander.org
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Urbane Bouchet
Ross Roberts
Judy loden Wasco
All others: news@islander.org
It should be noted too that presently there are no federal, state or local regulations that adequately protect the public from hazards associated with phosphogypsum and no regulations to require the industry make final disposition of phosphate wastes in an environmentally acceptable manner.
Glenn Compton, chairman of ManaSota-88
This case is a textbook example showing that citizen activism is crucial in enforcing environmental rights by holding governments and corporations accountable for their actions. Through grassroots movements and advocacy, individuals can amplify their voices, driving meaningful change and protecting the planet for future generations.
Tiffany Schauer, president of Our Children’s Earth Foundation
It’s the communities that rely on these coastal waters who are left holding the bag, forced to deal with the lasting damage caused by HRK’s negligence. Suncoast Waterkeeper and our partners have stepped up to enforce the laws that the state should have been upholding all along. There is still so much work to be done to clean up after this disaster and the responsibility to protect our waters needs to be shared between the state and the community.
Abbey Tyrna, executive director of Suncoast Waterkeeper
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
Please, submit your opinion with name, address and contact phone number to news@islander.org. Only your name and city are published. Letters may be edited for space and style.
Explore The Islander archives
Bridge work traffic is delayed on the Anna Maria Island Bridge for a repair project in November 1977. the 1950s-built drawbridge is due to be replaced with a high, fixed-span bridge. Islander photos: Courtesy Manatee County public library System
10, 20, 30 years
ago
From the Sept. 22, 1994, issue
• Holmes Beach police Detective Nancy Rogers arrested a Key Royale woman who worked cleaning houses for grand theft in connection with an alleged attempt to pawn two rings.
• The Anna Maria Island Community Center kicked off the youth soccer teams with 17 teams competing in 15-minute games on two fields in Anna Maria.
From the Sept. 22, 2004, issue
• Construction estimates for a new Anna Maria Elementary building exceeded $10 million, leading the Manatee County school superintendent to say, “We need magic and miracles.” The school board had approved $7.12 million.
Construction workers on the Anna Maria Island Bridge in 1977 maneuver equipment for a repair to the structure. the drawbridge, which was built in the 1950s, is set to be replaced with a high, fixed-span bridge.
• Bradenton Beach commissioners terminated a lease with Karen and Jake Gallo, operators of a restaurant and bait shop on the Historic Bridge Street Pier that had been closed due to storm damage.
From the Sept. 24, 2014, issue
• Bradenton Beach commissioners discussed for two hours initiating proceedings to oust Mayor Bill Shearon before continuing their discussion into October.
Some years ago, The Islander was invited to take part in a pilot project with the University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries. We donated the collection of newspapers beginning with the first issue in 1992 and they’re all there for you to explore. Look for The Islander in the UofF Florida digital newspaper collection at ufdc.ufl.edu.
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• West Manatee Fire Rescue District commissioners voted to name Capt. Tom Sousa to succeed retiring Chief Andy Price. The commission did not appoint the deputy chief, Brett Pollock, who also was making retirement plans.
— lisa Neff
Your opinion The Islander welcomes letters of 250 words or less. Email news@islander.org.
AME fall festival planning begins
AMe ptO president Jen Serra, standing with vice president Jessica patel, speaks to about 20 people Sept. 16 in the cafeteria during the first ptO general meeting of the 2024-25 school year, while students play at tables. the ptO finalized details for a night at Holmes Beach’s skate park and also worked on fall festival planning. the next member meeting will be at 3:45 p.m. Monday, Dec. 16, in the school cafeteria. Islander photo: Courtesy AMe/ principal Katie Fradley
AMe fourth-graders work to build VeX IQ robots Sept. 9 during the first SteM club meeting of the 2024-25 school year at Anna Maria elementary. Islander photos: Courtesy AMe/principal Katie Fradley
AME Calendar
• Thursday, Sept. 26, 3:45 p.m., SAC meeting, Guy Harvey room.
• Friday, Sept. 27, AME Making a Difference awards assembly, auditorium.
• Monday, Oct. 14, record day, no school.
• Saturday, Oct. 26, 4-8 p.m., PTO Fall Festival, Center of Anna Maria Island, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria.
• Wednesday, Nov. 6, early release.
• Monday, Nov. 11, Veterans Day, no school.
• Nov. 25-29, fall break, Thanksgiving, no school.
• Monday, Dec.16, 3:45 p.m., PTO general meeting, cafeteria.
• Dec. 23-31, winter break, no school.
AME is at 4700 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach. For more information, call the school at 941-708-5525
AME’s monthly awards celebrate excellence
Anna Maria Elementary will hold its first of the new school year Make a Difference awards, gathering 8:40-9:30 a.m., Friday, Sept. 27, in the school auditorium, 4700 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach.
The 2024-25 term theme is “Dolphins Make a Difference,” in line with the school mascot and the name of the awards.
One or two students from each classroom will be recognized during the monthly assemblies and local groups also will participate.
Teachers will submit the names of the students they want to recognize and the parents of those students will be notified.
At the first assembly, students will receive August and September awards.
The presenting group Sept. 27 will be Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium and their dolphin research team.
For more information, contact the school at 941708-5525 or visit manateeschools.net/annamaria.
— Robyn Murrell
RIgHt: AMe fourth-graders work on a VeX IQ robot Sept. 9 during a SteM club meeting at AMe.
Bayfest lineup announced
A big block party returns to Pine Avenue Oct. 19.
Bayfest is presented by the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce, which recently announced the musical lineup, including:
Compiled by lisa Neff, calendar@islander.org
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
ON AMI
Friday, Sept. 27
2 p.m. — Rock garden painting, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6341.
Thursday, Sept. 26
6-9 p.m. — Bishop After Hours Oktoberfest, 201 10th St. W., Bradenton. Fee applies. Information: 941-746-4131.
ONGOING ON AMI
Through Sept. 29, Island Players’ “Crimes of the Heart,” Island Players theater, 10009 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria. Fee applies. Information: 778-5755.
ONGOING ON AMI
• Through September, Artists’ Guild Gallery “Amazing Abstracts” window show, 5414 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941778-6694.
• Through October, 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 October, Island Gallery and Studios mixed-media drawings by Larry Paul, 456 Old Main St., Bradenton. Information: 941-778-6648.
• 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 Jan. 5, “Life in One Cubic Foot,” the Bishop, the Bishop Museum, 201 10th St. W., Bradenton. Fee applies. Information: 941-746-4131.
• Through Feb. 9, 2025, “Enduring Light: Photographs by Roy DeCarava and Danny Lyon,” the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, 5401 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota. Fee applies except Mondays. Information: 941-359-5700.
• Through Feb. 25, 2025, “I want you to know my story” photography by Jess T. Dugan, the John and Mable Ringling Museum of
• Singer-songwriter Mike Sales, who will emcee on the music stage, as well as perform;
• Trevor Bystrom Band, 11:30 a.m.;
• Northstar, 2 p.m.;
• Jack’d Up, 4:30 p.m.;
• Dr. Dave Band, 7 p.m.
The 23rd annual celebration of community, music, food and fun will begin at 10 a.m. and close about 9 p.m.
Admission to the festival is free.
For more information, contact the chamber at 941778-1541.
Art, 5401 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota. Fee applies except Mondays. Information: 941-359-5700.
SAVE THE DATES
Oct. 4, Realize Bradenton’s Music in the Park concert, Bradenton.
Oct. 5, AGAMI Saturday Tea & Art, Holmes Beach. 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. 11, City Center open houses, Holmes Beach.
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.
• Most Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Coquina Beach Market, Coquina Beach, Bradenton Beach. Information: coquinabeachmarket.org.
SAVE THE DATES
Oct. 5, Bradenton Market opens, Bradenton. Oct. 5, UF/IFAS Manatee County Plant Sale, Palmetto.
KIDS & FAMILY
ON AMI
Friday, Sept. 27
10 a.m. — 40 Carrots, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6341.
Saturday, Sept. 28
10 a.m. — Art workshop, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6341.
Tuesday, Oct. 1
10 a.m. — Family storytime, 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.
• Third Fridays, Teen Nights, 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.
SAVE THE DATES
Oct. 11, Manatee County Goblin Gathering, Bradenton. CLUBS & COMMUNITY ON AMI
Thursday, Sept. 26
10 a.m. — Seaside Quilters, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6341.
ONGOING ON AMI
• Saturdays, 8:30 a.m., Kiwanis Club of Anna Maria Island meetings, Bradenton Beach City Hall, 107 Gulf Drive N. Information: 941-778-1383.
• Second Mondays, 2 p.m., Center of Anna Maria Island Adult Book Club, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria. Information: 941-7781908.
SAVE THE DATES
Nov. 2, Bishop Museum’s Celestial Affair gala, Bradenton. LESSONS & LEARNING ON AMI
Wednesday, Sept. 25
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.
Wednesday, Oct. 2
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
ON AMI
Thursday, Sept. 26
9 a.m.— Seashell shore walk with Manatee County Natural Resources Department, Coquina Beach at the Longboat Pass Bridge, Bradenton Beach. Information: 941-748-4501.
ONGOING OFF AMI
• Saturdays, 9 a.m., Mornings at the NEST, Robinson Preserve, 10299 Ninth Ave. NW, Bradenton. Information: 941-742-5923, mymanatee.org.
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Island happenings
Work by larry paul will be featured in October at Island gallery and Studios in Bradenton. Islander Courtesy photo
Mixed-media artist featured at IGS in downtown Bradenton
Island Gallery and Studios in Bradenton will feature “Anna Maria Island and Village of Cortez Expressionist Sunsets,” mixed-media work by Larry Paul, throughout October.
“This theme represents how the hand plays with the mind and the spirit to create serendipitous shapes and figures in the artwork,” Paul said in a news release.
“In addition to the miraculous colors of any given sunrise or sunset, fish, fauna and nautical objects appear from nowhere during the drawing process,” he continued.
Paul is an award-winning artist creating unique mixed media drawings using colored pencil and ink, graphite, tape and eraser shavings embracing abstract expressionism drawing styles, IGS said.
The gallery, 456 Old Main St., Bradenton, will host a “meet the artist” opportunity 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31.
Also, the gallery offers art classes and art demonstrations.
For more information, go to www.islandgalleryandstudios.org or call 941-778-6648.
AMICCO to skip symphony
The Anna Maria Island Concert Chorus and Orchestra is planning for 2025, while there will be no Symphony on the Sand in 2024.
The event has taken place in the fall but in recent years was disrupted by weather, as well as the coronavirus pandemic.
AMICCO board president Catherine Hackert announced the decision to cancel the 2024 show earlier this month in a press release.
She wrote, “Our 2022 Symphony on the Sand was blown out by Hurricane Nicole and we absorbed a major financial loss. Mounting a multifaceted production that involves coordinating food and restaurants, staging, soloists, ticketing and an orchestra plus all the municipalities involved is a bit more involved in our post-pandemic world. Our 2023 Symphony on the Sand was an artistic success, and we are hoping to put on a fabulous event in November 2025.”
For more information about AMICCO, go online to amicco.org.
CALENDAR NOTES
KEEP THE DATES
Through Oct. 31, sea turtle nesting season. Lights out! Through Nov. 30, Atlantic hurricane season. Be prepared!
Monday, Oct. 14, Columbus Day.
Monday, Oct. 14, Indigenous Peoples Day.
Wednesday, Oct. 16, National Bosses Day. Thursday, Oct. 24, United Nations Day. ANNOUNCEMENTS GET LISTED!
Send listings to calendar@islander.org.
“tea time” by Carolann garafola.
Islander Courtesy photo
AGAMI boosts offerings at the gallery in October
The Artists’ Guild of Anna Maria Island will resume its lead on organizing monthly merchants nights in October.
From 5-7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct, 11, the Artists’ Guild Gallery, along with other businesses in the City Center, will extend hours to offer live music, refreshments and more at open houses.
Also, the gallery will feature abstract art in a window display in October.
Additionally, AGAMI will host a new Saturday Tea and Art, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 5.
A notice said the monthly event “will feature fun for the whole family, including crafts, arts, a raffle, prizes and face-painting. Don’t miss out on the fun!”
The gallery is at 5414 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach.
For more information, call 941-778-6694.
Bishop hosts Oktoberfest
The Bishop Museum of Museum of Science and Nature in Bradenton is planning an Oktoberfest-themed celebration for its after-hours party this month.
The party will be 6-9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, at the museum, 201 10th St. W. The cost is $40 for members, $45 for nonmembers.
An announcement read, “Get ready for an unforgettable experience filled with traditional German games, lively music, delectable light snacks and authentic German cuisine for purchase. Plus, your ticket includes a refreshing pint to enjoy as you soak up the festive atmosphere.”
For more information, go online to bishopscience. org or call 941-746-4131.
Annie Silver center hosts book sale, potluck lunch
The Annie Silver Community Center will open Saturday, Sept. 28, for people who want to pick up a paperback and fill a paper plate with a potluck lunch.
Members will host the public for a lunch and book sale at the center, 103 23rd St., Bradenton Beach, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
A notice read, “All are welcome. Bring a side dish to share. … See you there.”
For more, call Dianne Coates at 724-787-1418.
Realize Bradenton setting fall stage for music
Realize Bradenton set the fall calendar for its Music in the Park concert series near the downtown Riverwalk.
The series will run Fridays Oct. 4-25, with free concerts beginning at 5:30 p.m. at Rossi Park, 452 Third Ave. W., Bradenton.
The lineup includes:
• Mama Fuma performing Latin funk Oct. 4;
• ABBA Nova performing a tribute to the pop group Oct. 11;
• Eric Von performing country Oct. 18;
• Jah Movement performing reggae Oct. 25.
People are encouraged to bring blankets and chairs.
Realize Bradenton is organizing food vendors for the shows.
For more information, call Realize Bradenton at 941-301-8445.
Market to open on Old Main
The Bradenton Market will resume its weekly schedule on Old Main Street in October.
The market will run Saturdays 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Oct. 7-May 31 with a variety of vendors selling clothing, household goods and food items and musicians providing entertainment.
Realize Bradenton coordinates the market.
For more, call the nonprofit at 941-301-8445.
Here comes the beach market
people fill the Coquina Beach Market event space Oct. 4, 2023, during the market’s first day of operation. the market on the beach at 1800 gulf Drive S., Bradenton Beach, will reopen Wednesday, Oct. 2, for its second season with a larger roster of vendors, according to manager Dottie Deerwester. “We are expanded from 80 to 86 booths and, as of today, we are 80%-85% full all three days,” she said. the market operates 10 a.m.-2 p.m. most Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays through season. people can see the vendor roster on Facebook at Coquina Beach Market. Islander File photo: Robert Anderson
Gathering
By lisa Neff
Chapel arranges boat tour
The Longboat Island Chapel is booking a “tiki boat tour” and departing Sunday, Oct. 6, from the Historic Bridge Street Pier in Bradenton Beach.
The trip will begin at 2 p.m. and last about 150 minutes.
Prior to departure, the tour group will have brunch on Bridge Street.
For more information, including reservations and costs, call the chapel office at 941-383-6491.
Annunciation offers Thursday, Sunday services
The Episcopal Church of the Annunciation will continue to offer one Sunday service — the Holy Eucharist at 9:15 a.m. — through November.
The church, 4408 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, also offers a service at 9:30 a.m. Thursdays.
For more information, call the church at 941-7781638.
Gathering is the religion section. Please, send announcements, calendar listings and photos to Lisa Neff at lisa@islander.org. Please include a contact phone number and email address.
GoodDeeds
By lisa Neff
Volunteers, donors sought for Stuff the Bus for food bank
The Food Bank of Manatee, Meals on Wheels PLUS program, is seeking volunteers to help with its annual Stuff the Bus campaign.
Each fall, school buses are stationed outside Manatee County Publix stores to collect donations for a food bank that helps stock more than 100 food pantries.
“Our goal?” Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee County asked in a recent newsletter. “To stuff those buses full!”
And to do so, the organization is seeking volunteers for the campaign, which will be 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6, as well as encouraging people to shop Publix that day.
For more information, go online to mealsonwheelsplus.org or call 941-747-4655.
Volunteers sought for festival
The Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce is lining up volunteers for Bayfest, which will be 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, on Pine Avenue in Anna Maria.
The chamber seeks volunteers for its beer truck and the refreshments tent, as well as set up.
For more information, call the chamber at 941778-1541 or email terri@amichamber.org.
At your service Obituaries are offered as a community service. Submit to news@islander.org.
Tidings
Compiled by lisa Neff
THIS WEEK
Wednesday, Sept. 25
1 p.m. — Roser Memorial Community Church Grief Share healing support, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria. Information: 941-7780414.
Wednesday, Oct. 2
1 p.m. — Roser Memorial Community Church Grief Share healing support, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria. Information: 941-7780414.
SAVE THE DATES
Oct. 3, Temple Beth Israel Rosh Hashanah luncheon, Sarasota.
Oct. 3, St. Bernard Catholic Church adult education series begins, Holmes Beach.
Oct. 4, Roser Church Tech Night, Anna Maria.
Oct. 6, Longboat Island Chapel Tiki Boat Tour, Bradenton Beach.
Oct. 8, St. Bernard Catholic Church youth education programs begin, Holmes Beach.
Oct. 16, Christ Church potluck supper, Longboat Key.
Oct. 23, Christ Church book club resumes, Longboat Key.
Oct. 28, Christ Church of Longboat Key seed packing session, 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.
Assistance sought on AMI
• Tingley Memorial Library in Bradenton Beach seeks volunteers for morning and afternoon shifts in the “fun and friendly” atmosphere. Info: 941-7791208, bradentonbeachlibrary@gmail.com.
• The Anna Maria Island Privateers group seeks members and an indoor port for their boat-float. Info: 941-896-0797.
• Wildlife Inc. rescue and rehabilitation in Bradenton Beach seeks help tending to injured and sick animals. Info: 941-778-6342.
• Roser Food Bank seeks donations. Roser Memorial Community Church, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, administers the pantry supported by All Island Denominations. Info: 941-778-0414.
Benefit to boost Palma Sola Botanical Park
Night for Nature, set for 6-10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, at the Palma Sola Botanical Park, 9800 17th Ave. NW, Bradenton, will raise money for the park and the Manatee Fish and Game Association.
The event will feature bluegrass and country music by Sycamore Shade, a silent auction and food and beverage, including smoked mullet spread, smoked mullet, fried mullet, smoked chicken, cheese grits, coleslaw, hush puppies, swamp cabbage, sweet tea and Key lime pie.
The cost to attend is $65 per person or $400 for a table of eight.
The attire is “dressy casual.”
For more information, call the park at 941-7612866.
Worship: Thursdays, 9:30 a.m.; Sundays, 9:15 a.m.
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 6608 Marina Drive. Holmes Beach. Info: 941-778-1813, gloriadeilutheran.com.
Worship: Sundays, 9:30 a.m., followed by coffee and 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.
Ongoing: Tuesdays, 2 p.m., women’s book study. St. Bernard Catholic Church, 248 S. Harbor Drive, Holmes Beach. Info: 941-778-4769, stbernardcc.org, 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.
ONGOING OFF AMI
Christ Church of Longboat Key Presbyterian USA, 6400 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key. Info: 941-900-4903, christchurchoflbk. org.
Worship: Sundays, 10 a.m.
Ongoing: Wednesdays, 10 a.m., women’s Bible study; first Sundays, 11:30 a.m., Connection Conversations; Mondays, 9 a.m., men’s Bible study.
Longboat Island Chapel, 6200 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key. Info: 941-383-6491, longboatislandchapel.org.
Worship: Sundays, 10 a.m.
Ongoing: Wednesdays, 10 a.m., Pastor’s Bible Study; Thursdays, Shifting Sands group.
Temple Beth Israel, 567 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key. Info: 941-383-3428.
Worship: Fridays, Shabbat, 5:30 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m. Send listings to calendar@islander.org.
Assistance offered on AMI
• Roser Food Bank welcomes applicants who live, work or attend school on Anna Maria Island for food assistance, Roser Church, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria. Info: 941-778-0414.
• AID offers financial help to those who live on the island, go to church on the island, attend school on the island and work on the island. Info: 941-725-2433.
Milestone
Happy 104th
Wavelet Weigel has reason to smile. Weigel, center, a snowbird on Flamingo Cay and also a resident of Cadillac, Michigan, celebrated her 104th birthday Sept. 19 with family, including great-grandson Hans Anderson, front, also of Flamingo Cay. Weigel was born in Kansas in 1920. She came to Flamingo Cay in 1985. Islander Courtesy photo
Island Players open 76th season with ‘Crimes of the Heart’
By Masha Dolgoff Islander Reporter
Have you ever had cake for breakfast?
In the Island Players’ Sept. 19 premiere for its staging of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Crimes of the Heart,” three sisters reunite at Old Granddaddy’s home in Hazlehurst, Mississippi, and gamble with how much indulgence they will allow themselves amid the scrutiny of their small community.
Set in 1974, the play depicts cascading events set in motion when the youngest MaGrath sister, Babe (Morgan Powis), shoots her abusive husband because she “didn’t like his looks.”
We later learn Babe was having a scandalous affair with the son of her laundry woman.
Babe seeks solace with her older sister Lenny (Janet Salem), who still lives with Old Granddaddy.
And Meg (Jennifer Kwiatkowski), the most displaced of the three sisters, returns from a stint in Hollywood in pursuit of a singing career.
Chick Boyle (Sue Belvo), the sisters’ cousin, personifies the town’s condemnation of Babe’s crime.
As Babe flaunts convention and law, Lenny seems emboldened to pursue an old fling and the free-spirited Meg reconnects with an old lover, Doc Porter (Joseph Mammina), now married with children, whom she left under shameful circumstances.
A savior to Babe’s seemingly hopeless situation is found in the earnest young lawyer Barnette Lloyd (Brannon Westfall), who has a personal vendetta against Babe’s husband and is partial to the sisters, having heard Meg sing in Biloxi and purchased an orange pound cake from Babe.
The tragicomedy is punctuated with moments of
BB ScenicWAVES updates 2024-25 work plan
By Robert Anderson Islander Reporter
The Bradenton Beach ScenicWAVES committee updated its work plan Sept. 18 for the new 2024-25 fiscal year.
A strategic plan for the “Waterfronts: Accessible, Viable, Ecological, Sustainable” partnership committee is focused on enhancing the scenic qualities of the waterfront areas in Bradenton Beach by promoting accessibility, ecological sustainability and responsible development along the Gulf Drive scenic highway.
Actions items include:
• Coordination with the Florida Department of Transportation for removal of Brazilian pepper trees along Gulf Drive and Cortez Road rights of ways;
• Landscape improvements related to Cortez Bridge on Cortez Road;
• Addition of wildlife educational signage at the Historic Bridge Street Pier, as well as Jan Vosburgh, John Chappie and Katie Pierola Sunset parks;
• Preparations for the Tree City USA Arbor Day observance and proclamation;
• Partnering with DOT for the addition of crosswalks on Gulf Drive;
• Collaborating with the DOT on Complete Street improvements;
• Partnering with Manatee County to create a limestone boulder snorkeling reef at Coquina Beach;
• Continuation of a “Stash Your Trash” campaign;
• Ongoing support for the Islanders for Clean Water campaign.
Once finalized in October and approved by the city commission, the plan will be incorporated into a DOT work plan.
physical humor that shapes the characters.
“Crimes of the Heart” director Mike Lusk noted in the play program that “the issue at the center of the plot is not that one sister has shot her husband but that the men in their family have set a cycle of hurt in motion
Jennifer Kwiatkowski, left, Morgan powis and Janet Salem portray the Magrath sisters in “Crimes of the Heart” Sept. 19, opening night for the new Island players production and the theater group’s 76th season. Islander photo: Masha Dolgoff
that is now out of control.”
As the curtain closed on the final act on opening night, we wondered if the sisters want more than their fair share or if they were really seeking autonomy.
The costuming and set design put the scene for “Crimes of the Heart” back in the Seventies.
The play runs through Sept. 29, with performances at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. The theater is dark Mondays.
The box office opens 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday-Saturday and an hour before showtime.
The theater is at 10009 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria. For more information, call 941-778-5755 or go online to theislandplayers.org.
BB names police chief to head public works
By Robert Anderson Islander Reporter
Bradenton Beach Police Chief John Cosby is a man of many hats.
Cosby, who manages his law enforcement team full-time and oversees the public works department part-time, now serves as the permanent public works director the city.
He was named to the post Sept. 19 while continuing as chief and emergency management leader.
Cosby had been filling the role of interim public works director since Tom Woodard resigned in May.
Cosby
During a Sept. 19 commission meeting, Mayor John Chappie praised Cosby’s performance.
“I will tell you that a lot of changes have taken place, all for the betterment of the community,” he said. “What he’s been able to accomplish in the short time that he’s been doing this is remarkable.”
Chappie proposed making Cosby’s public works position permanent, citing the integration between
the police and public works departments, which has improved the efficiency of operations like code compliance and emergency response.
“It’s seamless and I think that helps to get the jobs expedited,” Chappie said.
Commissioner Debbie Scaccianoce also commended Cosby’s work.
“I think Chief Cosby has done an outstanding job wearing that additional hat,” Scaccianoce said.
The decision came with a salary adjustment. As public works director, Cosby will earn $74,747, a 17% savings compared to Woodard’s salary.
This will be added to his existing compensation as police chief, which stands at $146,975.99.
Cosby also receives an additional $6,000 annually for overseeing the code enforcement department and $3,500 for his role in emergency management.
The motion to approve Cosby’s public works appointment was made by Commissioner Ralph Cole, seconded by Commissioner Jan Vosburgh and passed 4-0. Commissioner Marilyn Maro was absent.
Anna Maria’s 2024-25 budget heads to final vote
By Ryan paice Islander Reporter
Anna Maria city officials already locked in a tax reduction for fiscal 2024-25.
But a final municipal budget and final millage rate need to be adopted.
City commissioners unanimously voted Sept. 11 on motions to approve first readings for a proposed $21,240,929 budget and a 1.65 millage rate.
Commissioner Charlie Salem attended via speakerphone and was allowed by unanimous vote to participate and vote remotely.
The biggest change residents can expect for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1, is a reduction in ad valorem property taxes.
The city’s 1.65 maximum millage rate — the amount per $1,000 of property value used to calculate property taxes — is a 19.52% reduction from its current 2.05 millage rate and 9.17% lower than the 1.8164 rollback rate.
The rollback rate would have raised the same amount of ad valorem tax revenue as the city raised this year, so implementing a lower millage guarantees a reduction in property taxes.
The owner of a property appraised at $500,000 would pay $825 in property taxes under the 1.65 millage rate, as opposed to $1,025 in ad valorem taxes under the current rate of 2.05 mills.
Commissioner Gary McMullen “very proudly” moved to adopt the tentative 1.65 millage rate for a first hearing.
Commissioner Kathleen Morgan-Johnson seconded the motion, which passed.
Mayor Dan Murphy said the tax reduction should “immunize” the city from state-led consolidation efforts.
Murphy said the city sported lower millage rates than the Bradenton, Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach, so consolidating with any of them would create an increase in taxes for Anna Maria property owners.
He said he would write a letter to Sen. Jim Boyd and Rep. Will Robinson Jr., both R-Bradenton, to state that the city should no longer be included in the consolidation/dissolution discussion.
“We’ve done our duty,” Murphy said. “This is a major accomplishment.”
Despite the tax reduction, the city’s proposed budget includes a 5% salary increase across the board for municipal employees and a $184,042 increase for the cost of contracting the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement services.
The proposed budget also includes $10,406,280.63 for capital expenses, including $3,654,059 to improve Pine Avenue sidewalks and for $2,474,995 in stormwater capital improvements to allow recovery from Hurricane Idalia.
McMullen moved to adopt the proposed $21,240,929 budget for a first hearing.
Commissioner Jonathan Crane seconded the motion, which passed.
A second reading and final public hearing for the proposed budget ordinance and millage rate will be at 5:01 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, at city hall, 10005 Gulf Drive.
Directions to attend via Zoom can be found on the city’s website, cityofannamaria.com.
HB eyes tax hike, record $25m budget up for adoption
By Ryan paice Islander Reporter
Holmes Beach city commissioners were a vote away from adopting a new budget ordinance and millage rate reduction.
But that reduction does not equate to a tax cut.
City commissioners voted 4-1 Sept. 11 on motions to approve first readings for a $25,233,596 budget and 1.99 millage rate for fiscal 2024-25, which begins Oct. 1.
Commissioner Dan Diggins voted “no” to both motions and called for a lower millage rate.
The proposed 1.99 millage rate will be a 2.93% reduction from the city’s current rate of 2.05 mills, but it amounts to a tax increase since it does not fall below the 1.8489 rollback rate.
The millage is the amount per $1,000 of property value used to calculate property taxes.
The adoption of a rollback rate would result in the city collecting the same ad valorem income as fiscal 2023-24, and any lower rate would result in a tax reduction.
This year, the municipality collected $6,172,693 in ad valorem property taxes.
While the proposed 1.99 millage rate is lower than the current 2.05 millage, that rate would raise $530,850 more than the city collected this year due to a $376,347,814 increase in total taxable property value in the municipality.
The owner of a property appraised at $500,000 with the city’s current 2.05 millage rate pays $1,025 in property taxes.
BB finalizes CRA, commission budgets
By Robert Anderson Islander Reporter
Bradenton Beach finalized a budget for the new fiscal year Sept. 12 with a tax bump for property owners.
The Bradenton Beach City Commission conducted a second, final reading for 2024-25 municipal and community redevelopment budgets at city hall, located at 107 Gulf Drive N.
City treasurer Shayne Thompson read over the city budget with commissioners, which, though based on keeping the 2023-24 millage rate of 2.3329, still amounts to a tax increase.
To avoid a tax increase, the city needed to adopt a rollback rate of 2.1447.
With the adopted rate, the city expects to generate $2,537,083 in ad valorem taxes, up from $2,230,288 in 2023-24. The city’s taxable value was certified at $1,087,523,358.
The new budget includes salary increases for city employees and adjustments to the city’s longevity policy.
The budget also adds $250,000 to reserves for emergency preparedness.
The total general fund expenditures for 2024-25 amount to $4,857,954, an increase of $359,969 from this year.
The commission also finalized the budget for the community redevelopment agency, which is responsible for projects such as underground utility work, sidewalk enhancements, lighting and parking improvements in the downtown district.
The CRA will have reduced expenditures due to postponed capital projects, with total CRA spending for 2024-25 at $344,606.
The commission unanimously approved each section of the budgets with a 4-0 vote. Commissioner Marilyn Maro was absent.
The new fiscal year begins Oct. 1.
The owner of the same property would pay $995 in property taxes under the proposed 1.99 millage rate and $924.45 at the 1.8489 rollback rate.
Diggins called for the city to try reducing the millage rate down to the rollback, or as close as possible, by cutting “fluff.”
“I think it’s time we stop growing government here a little bit,” he said. “Just for one year, I’d like to see government stop growing. … It’s time to save our residents some money.”
He said the city could implement the rollback rate if they cut spending for each department by 1.9%.
During public comment, commission candidate Carol Whitmore encouraged the city to scrap its $307,000 budget for an aquatic skimmer vessel so the millage could be further reduced.
The city’s Clean Water Committee has called for the municipality to purchase such a skimmer vessel to serve as an algae harvester to clean local canals and waterways of algae blooms like red tide and Lyngbya wollei, also known as “brown gumbo” algae.
Mayor Judy Titsworth noted that the budget item was only a placeholder that would be explored if the city received grant funding for its purchase and operation, so it did not impact property taxes.
Commission Chair Terry Schaefer also expressed hope that there would be cost sharing with the other two island cities for cooperative use of the algae harvester. And the county has a harvester, which the city could borrow.
The other four commissioners expressed hesitation with lowering the millage beyond the proposed rate. Schaefer said it was difficult for the city to further reduce the millage without incurring loss of services, but encouraged reductions in future years.
Commissioner Greg Kerchner moved to approve a first reading for the proposed 1.99 millage rate.
Commissioner Carol Soustek seconded the motion, which passed.
The city’s proposed $25,233,596 spending plan is smaller than this year’s $25,492,838 adopted budget but a little more than $100,000 larger than the pleASe, See hb budget, pAge 17
$25,121,957 actual budget.
The budget includes $75,000 for potential land acquisitions, $100,000 for two T-end clean-water aerators and an air curtain to test water quality improvement methods, as well as $150,000 to relocate a historic cottage that was recently donated to the city.
While proposed expenditures for personnel services are set to increase by $999,834, those for operating expenses and capital outlay will decrease by $213,993 and $906,614, respectively.
The city’s proposed $2,357,400 capital improvement budget for fiscal 2024-25 includes $614,900 for three projects — phases J and K of work installing stormwater infiltration trenches and the municipality’s Resilient Gulf Drive project.
Phase J would involve the installation of stormwater trenches at the intersection of Palm Drive and 85th Street just south of CrossPointe Fellowship.
Phase K would cover Gulf Drive, between 45th and 52nd streets.
The Resilient Gulf Drive project would involve sea level rise mitigation improvements along Gulf, from Holmes Boulevard to Palm Drive.
Work could potentially consist of raising the roadway and installing and/or upgrading stormwater trenches in the rights of way along Gulf Drive.
The proposed budget also includes $7,157,500 in general unassigned reserves — money that can be used in emergency situations.
Kerchner moved to approve a first reading for the proposed budget.
Commissioner Pat Morton seconded the motion, which passed.
The city was set to hold second readings and final hearings for the proposed budget and millage ordinances on Sept. 24, after The Islander’s press deadline.
WMFR adopts $19 million budget — 7% overall hike
By Ryan paice Islander Reporter
West Manatee Fire Rescue’s spending plan for fiscal 2024-25 is set.
WMFR District commissioners unanimously voted Sept. 10 on motions to adopt resolutions establishing a $19,070,058 budget and fire assessment rates for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.
The expenditure side of the equation can be broken down into thirds.
About two-thirds of the expenditures have been appropriated for fiscal 2024-25, including $10,040,716 in personnel expenses, $370,500 for capital outlay and $2,132,147 in operating expenses.
The last third can be attributed to $6,526,695 in reserve funds.
On the revenue side of things, most of the budget is made up of $11,666,091 from tax assessments — $1,662,899.47 more than it raised this year due to a 7% across the board rate hike.
The adopted assessment rates for the upcoming fiscal year include a $236.22 residential base rate and a $0.1393 additional charge for every square foot more than 1,000, and a $587.06 commercial base rate with a $0.2542 additional charge per square foot more than 1,000.
Under the new rates, residential property owners will pay $375.52 for a 2,000-square-foot home and $514.82 for a 3,000-square-foot home.
Commercial property owners will pay $841.26 for a 2,000-square-foot building and $1,095.46 for a 3,000-square-foot building.
That rate hike comes only a year after the district raised rates by 4% and began assessing short-term rentals under its commercial rates instead of residential rates.
Chief’s contract
WMFR commissioners also unanimously voted to amend fire Chief Ben Rigney’s employment contract.
The amendment included a salary increase and contract extension through Sept. 30, 2029.
The salary increase establishes a new $170,000 annual base salary for Rigney, effective Oct. 1, when the new fiscal year begins.
The chief’s base pay in fiscal 2023-24 was $148,526.
The amended contract also establishes 5% annual salary increases instead of the 3% annual raises Rigney has received since 2019.
There were no public comments for any of the items.
The fire district commission will meet next at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 15, at WMFR’s administrative headquarters, 701 63rd St. W., Bradenton.
Directions to attend via Zoom can be found on the district’s website, wmfr.org.
Bradenton man arrested for DUI in Holmes Beach
Holmes Beach police arrested Bradenton resident Jared Lockhart, 42, Sept. 13 on a second-degree misdemeanor for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol.
An officer saw a motorist around 11:52 p.m. rapidly accelerate after driving past his vehicle and then saw the motorist fail to stop at a flashing red light at Gulf Drive and Manatee Avenue.
The officer conducted a stop and spoke with the driver, Lockhart, who showed signs of impairment.
Lockhart consented to and performed field sobriety exercises, which he failed.
The officer arrested Lockhart and transported him
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
Sept. 9, 2100 block of Gulf Drive North, vandalism. A Bradenton Beach police officer was dispatched after a motorist threw a handful of coins at another vehicle, causing damage. The alleged vandal was found by the Holmes Beach Police Department. A complaint affidavit was signed.
The Bradenton Beach Police Department polices Bradenton Beach.
Cortez
No new reports.
The MCSO polices Cortez.
Holmes Beach
Sept. 8, 600 block of Key Royale Drive, suspicious circumstances. A Holmes Beach police officer was dispatched to a residence where the homeowner said her daughter said her grandmother had entered the home the night before. The officer also spoke with the daughter. The grandmother was not supposed to have contact with her due to an investigation involving sexual misconduct. The officer submitted a report to the Florida Department of Children and Family Services.
Sept. 10, 900 block of Manatee Avenue, arrest warrant. An officer saw a pair of motorcyclists, one driving with a folded, illegible paper tag. He conducted a traffic stop and spoke with the driver of the motorcycle with the tag violation, who did not have a license. The officer issued citations to the driver and the motorcycle
to the Holmes Beach Police Department, where he refused to provide a breath sample for alcohol content testing.
The officer transported Lockhart to the Manatee County jail, where he was released Sept. 14 after posting $500 bond.
If convicted, punishment for a second-degree misdemeanor includes up to 60 days in jail and a fine of up to $500.
An arraignment will be at 8:55 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 17, at the Manatee County Judicial Center, 1051 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.
— Ryan Paice
was towed. The officer also confirmed the identity of the other motorcyclist and found he had an active arrest warrant. The officer arrested the man, who was transported to the Manatee County jail.
Sept. 11, Island Bazaar, 3304 E. Bay Drive, trespass warning. An officer was dispatched to the shop and spoke to a manager, who wanted a woman trespassed from the property. The officer supervised the manager as he issued the trespass warning to the woman.
Sept. 12, 200 block of 84th Street, social media threat. An officer responded to reports of an alleged school shooting threat made over social media. The officer spoke to a girl who screenshotted a repost another juvenile made on Snapchat. The officer also contacted the family of the juvenile who reposted the material, but they did not know who made the original post.
Sept. 12, 2900 Gulf Drive, bicycle crash. An officer responded to reports of an unresponsive woman in the roadway next to a fallen electric bike. He found the woman with a head injury that caused significant bleeding. Manatee County Emergency Medical Services also responded and transported the woman to HCA Florida Blake Hospital in Bradenton. She had suffered serious injuries, including head fractures, brain bleed and spinal fluid leak and had a mix of substances in her system. Video footage of the roadway showed the woman crashed her bike while traveling at 20 mph without safety equipment.
Sept. 14, 100 block of 50th Street, domestic battery. Two officers responded to reports of a disturbance. The officers found a group matching the caller’s description and spoke with them. Those in the group said an argument began between a married couple that became violent. The wife spit on her husband’s head and the husband punched his wife. The officers searched the area for the husband to no avail. An officer submitted capias requests for potential charges.
Sept. 15, 5100 block of Fifth Avenue, drug possession/obstruction without violence. An officer found a vehicle parked at a construction site and smelled the odor of burnt marijuana. The officer searched the area
BB man gets probation after HBPD cocaine arrest
By Ryan Paice Islander Reporter
Bradenton Beach resident Scott Kilar, 37, will be on probation until February 2026 for possessing cocaine and drug paraphernalia.
But a conviction will not appear on his record.
Kilar was arrested March 12 after a Holmes Beach police officer saw him driving a vehicle with defective headlights and conducted a traffic stop.
The officer confirmed Kilar’s identity, found an active arrest warrant for the man and called for backup.
When police searched Kilar’s vehicle, they found syringes, a scale and a plastic bag containing white rocks that field-tested positive for cocaine and fentanyl.
Kilar was charged with a third-degree felony for possession of cocaine, a Schedule II narcotic, and four first-degree misdemeanors for possession of drug paraphernalia.
The state attorney’s office dropped three of the four first-degree misdemeanors in April and by an Aug. 22 court hearing Kilar had pleaded no contest to the remaining charges.
Judge Frederick Mercurio of the 12th Circuit Court ruled Aug. 22 to withhold adjudication — which allows a sentence to be imposed without a formal criminal conviction — against Kilar for the charges.
For the felony, Kilar was sentenced to complete 18 months of drug offender probation, substance abuse evaluation and treatment, as well as 50 hours of public service work.
He also was placed on curfew 10 p.m.-6 a.m. over the course of the probationary period.
For the misdemeanor charge, Kilar was sentenced to complete 12 months of probation concurrently with the 18-month probation sentence.
for the vehicle’s occupants to no avail. A man and two juvenile boys later returned to the vehicle, which was then searched. Police found a handful of THC vaporizers in a backpack with one of the juvenile’s ID cards. That juvenile ran from police while the others were being detained, but was arrested after a brief chase. The juvenile was charged with possession of synthetic cannabis and obstructing a law enforcement officer without violence. That juvenile was transported to the HCA Florida Blake Hospital in Bradenton, then the Manatee County Juvenile Detention Center. The man was issued a citation and released. The other juvenile was cleared by his parent’s request for release with the man.
HBPD polices Holmes Beach.
Streetlife is based on reports and narratives from the BBPD, HBPD and MCSO.
The Islander newspaper is FREE at Publix Holmes Beach. Just stop by the customer service desk, hold out your hand and say, “Islander, please!” And maybe remind staff you’d like the serve-yourself community news returned to the lobby.
Bradenton man, son arrested by HBPD on multiple felonies
By Ryan Paice Islander Reporter
Holmes Beach police arrested Bradenton-resident Orlando Diaz, 72, and his son, Francisco Diaz-Burgos, 30, Sept. 10 on multiple criminal charges following a struggle during a traffic stop.
Diaz was charged with a third-degree felony for driving with a suspended license after three prior convictions and a first-degree misdemeanor for resisting police without violence.
Diaz-Burgos was charged with four third-degree felonies, including two for battery of a law enforcement officer and two for resisting police with violence, and a first-degree misdemeanor for resisting without violence.
An officer was patrolling around 8 p.m. when he received a ping from the city’s license plate recognition system about a vehicle whose registered owner had a suspended driver’s license.
The officer located the vehicle, conducted a traffic stop and spoke with the driver, Diaz, who said his license was expired. His wife also was in the vehicle.
The officer confirmed Diaz’s identity and found he had been convicted three times for driving with an expired or suspended license.
The officer went back to speak with Diaz and used
RoadWatch Lisa Neff
Eyes on the road
• City center in Holmes Beach: Manatee County’s fi nal 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.
For area road watch information, go online to swflroads.com or dial 511
Shredding the HB skate park
Bradenton resident
Greg Bonnet flies oer the rim on his skateboard Sept. 5 while airing out of a bowl at the Holmes Beach Skate Park, 5901 Marina Drive.
Islander Photo: Ryan Paice
his son for assistance with translation due to a language barrier.
However, when the officer began to handcuff Diaz, the man became resistant, and Diaz-Burgos got between the two and began pushing the officer away.
The officer drew his Taser and ordered Diaz-Burgos to step back, but his mother got out of the vehicle and pushed him.
The officer finished handcuffing and waited for backup to arrive.
Two more offi cers arrived, at which point they went to arrest Diaz-Burgos, who complied with orders to exit the vehicle but “immediately raised his hands as if preparing to strike” one of the officers, according to a report.
The officer brought Diaz-Burgos to the ground and tried to gain control.
On the ground, Diaz-Burgos struck the officer’s face, so the offi cer drew a Taser and, after issuing verbal warnings, “applied several short Taser drive stuns” to Diaz-Burgos’ mid to lower torso.
Manatee County Emergency Medical Services was called to the scene after Diaz experienced “an
unknown medical episode” and lost consciousness.
He regained consciousness and was responsive with EMS. They also evaluated Diaz-Burgos.
They were both transported to HCA Florida Blake Hospital in Bradenton, where they were cleared “with no medical concerns.”
The pair were then transported to the Manatee County jail.
Diaz was released Sept. 11 after posting $3,000 bond.
Diaz-Burgos remained in custody as of Sept. 19 under $50,000 bond.
If convicted, punishment for a third-degree felony charge includes up to five years in prison, five years of probation and a fine of up to $5,000.
Punishment for a first-degree misdemeanor includes up to one year in jail, one year of probation and a fine of up to $1,000.
An arraignment for Diaz-Burgos will be at 8:55 a.m. Friday, Nov. 1, and will be followed at 9 a.m. the same day with an arraignment for Diaz.
Both arraignments will be at the Manatee County Judicial Center, 1051 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.
Holmes Beach seeks input on roadway safety
More public input is needed for the city of Holmes Beach to develop a comprehensive safety action plan.
The Holmes Beach Police Department posted Sept. 17 on Facebook, asking community members to provide feedback for the plan via an online survey.
The city held a public workshop Sept. 12 at city hall to discuss the CSAP, which is aimed at eliminating fatalities and serious injuries on municipal roadways.
The CSAP is projected to cost $200,000 in total, with $160,000 from the Federal Highway Administration and $40,000 matched by the city. A final report is expected by July 2025.
The municipality also hired the Massachusettsbased Vanasse Hangen Brustlin consulting firm, which has an office in Sarasota, to develop the CSAP, according to Holmes Beach police Chief Bill Tokajer.
The online survey includes nine questions regarding transportation within the city, conflicts between different vehicular, pedestrian and bicycle traffic, experiences with “near misses” and more.
Survey participants also can provide their email addresses for project updates and follow-up information.
People can access the survey via a link provided in the Sept. 17 HBPD Facebook post.
—
Ryan Paice
Soccer takes off at center pitch, golf, horseshoes report action
By Kevin P. Cassidy Islander Reporter
The adult soccer league at the Center of Anna Maria kicked off its fall season Sept. 19 with five matches, starting with Ross Built taking on Bubble Binz.
The regular season runs until Nov. 14, while the playoffs are set for Nov. 20 with a play-in game for teams that don’t earn one of the six automatic playoff spots. First-round playoff action commences Nov. 21, the semifinals are set for Dec. 5 and the championship game is scheduled for Dec. 12.
Two goals from Jack Gibson and a goal each from Jake and Andrew Ross put Ross Built in a 4-2 victory over Bubble Binz. Kevin Roman helped preserve the winning margin with five saves in goal.
James Knowles and Gerardo Urbiola Bolanos each scored for Bubble Binz, which also received six saves from Osvaldo Cabello in the loss.
The second game of the night saw Language Associates battle to a 3-3 tie with AMI Dolphin Tours. Robert Fellowes posted a goal and three saves and Aaron Frech added a goal and four saves. Erica Nielsen also had a goal and Damir Glavan chipped in an assist.
Juan Rodriguez, Alex Quintero and Luis Martinez each scored and Julian Bejarno made seven saves.
Pool America cruised to a 5-1 victory over Gulf Drive Cafe in the third match behind two goals each from Murat Akay and Lucas Wilson. Dean Hinterstoisser completed the scoring with a goal and Christopher Klotz came through with 10 saves in the victory.
Let’s bowl!
Holmes Beachbased Just 4 Fun AMI, aka the Addams Family, show off their award-winning Best Team Costume Sept. 14 at the Center of Anna Maria Island’s annual Greg LaPensee Bowling tournament.
The last match of the evening saw Solid Rock Construction cruise to a 5-2 victory over Moss Builders behind a hat trick and an assist from Keith Mahoney. Erica Nielsen added a goal and an assist.
Key Royale golf news
The weather once again cooperated and Key Royale Club members got in a week’s worth of golf, starting Sept. 16 with the men’s weekly modifiedStableford system match. Ron Buck and Dale Miller tied for first place at plus-5, a point better than secondplace finisher Joe Coyne.
The women played a nine-hole individual-low-net match Sept. 17 that saw Terry Westby fire a 2-underpar 30 to earn clubhouse bragging rights for the day.
Members closed the week of organized golf at the Holmes Beach club Sept. 19 with a nine-hole scramble. The team of Mike Cusato, Terry Schaefer and Steve Vasbinder combined on a 4-under-par 28 to take first place for the day.
Javier Rivera scored on an assist from Tuna McCracken, who also came through with 10 saves for Gulf Drive Cafe in the loss.
Tim Holly and Daniel Hampton each scored a pair of goals to lead Hampton Paintings to a 5-2 victory over Sato Real Estate in the fourth match of the night. Ethan Hampton added a goal, while Jamal Duzgun finished with two assists and Steve Oelfke made five safes in the victory.
Josh Sato and Logan O’Brien both had a goal and an assist, while Josh combined with brother Ben Sato to make 17 saves in the loss.
National First Responders Day
In October, we recognize and express our deepest gratitude to the courageous individuals who dedicate their lives to serving and protecting us — our first responders. Your bravery, commitment and selflessness in the face of danger and adversity do not go unnoticed. You are the backbone of our community, always ready to step up and make a difference when it matters most.
Thank you for your unwavering dedication and for all that you do to keep us safe. Your service is truly appreciated. We honor and celebrate you.
Horseshoe news
Horseshoe action Sept. 18 at the Anna Maria City Hall pits was short and sweet. Gersey Fernandes and Gary Howcroft teamed up and forged the lone 3-0 record in pool play and were the day’s outright champs.
Action Sept. 21 saw Fernandes back in the mix, this time teamed up with Tom Farrington. They defeated Howcroft 22-4 in the finals to earn bragging rights.
The action gets started at 9 a.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays at the Anna Maria pits. Warmups begin at 8:45 a.m., followed by random team selection. There is no charge to play.
Cassidy
Gersey Fernandes and Gary Howcroft teamed up Sept. 18 to post the only 3-0 record during pool play, making them outright champs. Islander Photo: Courtesy AMI Pitchers
Employees from Holmes Beach-based AMI Dolphin Tours pose Sept. 14 after posting the top team score, rolling a collective score of 854, at the tournament at at Bowlero, 4208 Cortez Road W., Bradenton. Islander Photos: Courtesy CofAMI
Get out and fish before next tropical wave pushes through
By Capt. Danny Stasny Islander Reporter
Anna Maria Island anglers are getting out to do as much fishing as possible before another tropical wave settles in over west central Florida. Now that the millions of gallons of freshwater released from Lake Manatee over the past several weeks have settled, the waters surrounding Anna Maria Island are calm and beginning to clear, making conditions favorable for inshore and nearshore fishing.
In fact, water clarity along the beaches and in the passes is improving enough for anglers to cast to species such as snook and redfish — as long as the seas are calm and an incoming tide is occurring.
As you move east off the island toward Anna Maria Sound you will notice a decline in clarity. So you’ll have to rely on your expertise to find fish.
Mangrove shorelines and oyster bars are prime spots to find action, especially on snook and redfish. Although the snook seem to be dispersed in many areas, you may discover the opposite scenario when targeting redfish. In many instances, once the redfish are located, you can luck into a congregation of fish in a concentrated area.
But don’t be hasty about moving from one spot to another until you’ve satisfied you’ve given it a thorough look.
Targeting spotted sea trout on the deeper grass flats in Tampa Bay is following suit. Substantial groups of trout are gathering on the deep grass, enabling anglers to anchor up and easily catch a limit of fish — plus plenty of smaller ones. There’s also a variety of other species patrolling the deeper flats to keep you busy, which creates a nice balance to the bite.
Encounters with jack crevalle, Spanish mackerel and ladyfish are common, as well as blacktip and sand-
ReelShort
Fish art contest begins
Artwork created by Hannah Wang, last year’s runner-up in the freshwater art category. Islander Courtesy Photo
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in partnership with Wildlife Forever is hosting the 2024-25 Art of Conservation Fish Art Contest.
The annual program invites youth to connect with nature and learn about fish and aquatic habitats while exploring creative art and writing.
Since its founding in 1997, the contest has reached more than 85,000 youth in 46 countries.
The free contest is accessible to students from kindergarten through 12th-grade.
Locals Taylor King, 14, and Maya Suzor, 15, fished with Capt. Joey Mattay about 13 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico to catch this gag grouper on the last day of season, Sept. 17.
bar sharks.
For anglers who prefer to fish from land, there are opportunities to be had with some proper planning, good timing and a little luck.
So make hay while the sun is shining and get out and do some fishing before we find ourselves in another tropical situation, which can send the fish into
Each year, thousands of entries arrive from across the globe.
One first-place winner and one runner-up will be selected for each grade bracket in a freshwater category and saltwater category. The brackets are:
• Kindergarten through third-grade;
• Fourth- through sixth-grade;
• Seventh- through ninth-grade;
• 10th- through 12-grade.
For more information, including entry forms, go to myfwc.com/fishart.
The contest is open for submissions until Feb. 28, 2025.
— Lisa Neff
hiding and curtail our ability to get out on the water for a while.
I had a recent conversation with Jim Malfese, who had quite a bit to say about fishing at the Rod & Reel Pier. With vast amounts of bait gathering around the pier, Malfese boasts of good action on black drum and some redfish being caught, as well as a few snook.
Mangrove snapper are in the mix, although many are small and Malfese feels the larger snappers have moved out into the Gulf due to the abundance of freshwater in the bay.
“On some days, the fishing is really good,” says Malfese, “on the days it’s not good, we just hang out and drink beer.”
For all of you who appreciate the expertise of the former R & R baitmaster, don’t hesitate to take a walk out on the old Rod & Reel o as he seems to be out there frequently, baiting his hook and telling stories of how the island used to be.
On my Just Reel charters, I am impressed with the number of spotted seatrout I am seeing reeled to the boat. On many mornings, limits of trout are being caught without too much effort. Mixed in are plenty of smaller examples, as well as a variety of other species, such as jacks, macks, ladyfish and mangrove snapper.
Moving to the shallower fl ats in Tampa Bay is requiring a little more patience. Snook are being caught but several moves throughout area are required to keep the bite going. Redfish are being caught on the shallower flats, especially in areas where oyster bars and mangroves exist.
Capt. David White is working around the calm waters of Tampa Bay south to Sarasota Bay. Targeting redfish is going well for White, who says he’s finding success in many areas. While hunting for the fish, casting live shiners as bait is yielding good results on the flats around and along the mangrove shoreline.
Fishing for reds along the beaches is producing action, too, although White says cut or live pinfish are a better choice as bait.
And White putting clients on snook along the beaches, where they are responding to live shiners as bait. The snook are measuring 20-30 inches.
Finally, White says spotted seatrout on the deeper grass flats are cooperating on most days with limits available for his clients who might want to take home a fish to fry.
Send high-resolution photos and fishing reports to fish@islander.org.
Stasny
Nesting notes
By Masha Dolgoff
Bird survey struts results
Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring reported that a monthly bird survey conducted Sept. 13 was a “joy,” as the organization counted more birds than usual, including federally endangered species.
AMITW routinely monitors beaches for nesting shorebirds and also conducts monthly bird surveys aimed at counting the population and variety of birds on the island.
“We are contracted by the county to conduct monthly shorebird surveys,” Kathy Doddridge, AMITW’s shorebird coordinator, said in a phone conversation with The Islander Sept. 18. “This information is then used with the coastal environmental organization that the county works with.”
The data can be useful in permitting projects and beach renourishment, for example.
The information also provides a snapshot of bird populations before and after beach projects.
TideWatch
Red tide reported
The red tide organism, Karenia brevis , was detected in 11 samples from Southwest Florida the week ending Sept. 22.
K. brevis was observed at background concentrations in Manatee County, background to very low concentrations in Pinellas County, background to low concentrations in Sarasota County and background concentrations in Charlotte County.
Reports of fish kills potentially related to red tide were received from Sarasota County.
Respiratory Irritation potentially related to red tide also was reported from Sarasota County.
For more, go to myfwc.com.
Doddridge follows a procedure to count the birds, which often show up in large groups that can be difficult to track.
“We’re basically counting large numbers of birds, anything that’s in groups of 10 or more,” she said. “Each group is given a GPS mark.”
For particularly large groups, Doddridge utilizes population sampling in which a small subset of the total population of birds is multiplied to estimate a total number.
The September survey counted 33 species and 3,789 individual birds, a big jump from the 24 species and 1,960 individual birds in August.
“We had a lot of varieties but we also had huge numbers,” Doddridge said. “The number of gulls and terns just at Bean Point (in Anna Maria), there were thousands. It took us an hour to count them all.”
She said her favorite part of the process is finding rare species.
“It’s always fun to see those rare birds such as the black tern. We only see them August through September,” she said.
The black terns have an interesting characteristic of changing colors. Doddridge saw two that displayed completely different shades of feathers.
AMITW also observed the following species: American oystercatcher, marbled godwit, red knot, short-billed dowitcher, reddish egret and the federally endangered piping plover.
From
Painting sea turtles for sea turtles
A group of 20+ people gathered Sept. 22 with a purpose — to raise money for AMItW — at Slicker’s eatery in Cortez. Painting with a Twist, owned by Hope Kinney, partnered with Bob Slicker at the restaurant to paint and raise $1,430 for AMITW. The total reached $1,500 with raffles tickets sold at the event.
the director’s report
Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird
Monitoring documented no new nests or hatches on the beach for the week beginning Sept. 16.
The good news is that during some 70-day, overdue nest excavations, we found six nests had a couple of hatched shells, indicating there were hatches that we missed.
So despite the overwash and water inundation caused by Tropical Storm Debby in early August and high tides from Hurricane Francine in mid-September, the nests were not total losses.
We continue to monitor the entirety of Anna Maria Island for nesting or hatching activities.
And we are hopeful that we will see more hatches in the coming weeks from the 17 remaining nests.
— Kristen Mazzarella, AMITW executive director
As of Sept. 20, AMItW reported 685 sea turtle nests, 835 false crawls and 302 hatched nests producing 20,554 hatchlings.
Dolgoff
Islander Photo: Bonner Joy
By Lisa Neff
Protecting the horseshoes
Horseshoe crabs are one of the most ancient species on the planet.
They’ve endured five mass extinctions and survived for a half-billion years.
But populations have crashed in the past couple of decades, leading more than 20 environmental groups to petition the federal government to protect horseshoe crabs under the U.S. Endangered Species List as threatened or endangered.
In the United States, horseshoe crabs are harvested commercially for several purposes:
• For biomedical use, as pharmaceutical companies harvest horseshoe crabs for their blue blood, which is used to detect toxins in drugs and medical devices.
Blood harvests have about doubled since 2017, with a million horseshoe crabs harvested for their blood in 2022.
• For aquaria and research.
• For bait for conch and eel fisheries.
Even though horseshoe crab populations have fallen to historic lows in the United States, regulators
have increased harvest quotas.
Habitat loss also threatens horseshoe crabs. Spawning beaches across their range are being destroyed by development, shoreline hardening and sea level rise.
In 2023, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ranked the American horseshoe crab’s overall vulnerability to climate change as exceedingly high.
Also in 2023, the International Union for Conservation of Nature assigned the horseshoe crab a recovery potential score of zero and stated, “Given the pressures of climate change, which affects spawning cues, and sea level rise, which reduces spawning habitat, the species is expected in 100 years to lose ... short-term gains, giving it a recovery potential of zero.”
Where’s Henrietta?
LEFT: A Setapedites abundantis fossil, which has been used to trace the origins of modern spiders, scorpions and horseshoe crabs in research from the University of Lausanne in Switzerland. BELOW: An illustration shows a reconstruction of Setapedites abundantis, dating back 505 million years. Islander
Two years later, the state established a biomedical permitting rule, creating a mechanism to allow for biomedical collection.
Henrietta, Anna Maria Island’s entry in the 2024 Tour de Turtles, was swimming in ninth place out of 10 in the research-focused marathon as of Sept. 20. Henrietta was tagged with a satellite tracker in June at Coquina Beach for the “race” that began Aug. 2. From the Tour de Turtles, researchers learn about where adult sea turtles swim, as well as how often they go ashore to nest and where. As of Sept. 20, Henrietta had logged 152 miles. Islander Screenshot
As horseshoe crabs have declined, so have other species, including sea turtles, fish and birds, especially the rufa red knot, a shorebird species that feeds on horseshoe crab eggs during a 19,000-mile migration from South America to the Arctic.
Efforts are underway to persuade states to enact protections, including bans on harvesting horseshoe crabs. Connecticut and New Jersey have enacted such prohibitions and New York state could be next.
There are some restrictions on taking horseshoe crabs in Florida, which has a small bait fishery for eels and a large marine-life fishery.
In 2000, the state enacted a series of management measures for horseshoe crabs, requiring a license to harvest and setting a limit on the number of animals each licensee could harvest per day — 25-100 animals allowed per day per person depending on the permit.
Now environmental groups seek tougher federal protections under the ESA. They stated in their petition, “Horseshoe crabs are threatened by habitat loss, overexploitation, inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms and other natural and manmade factors, including climate change. These threats are likely to persist and worsen in the foreseeable future. This ancient lineage of life has endured for a half-billion years, but its future now depends on us. American horseshoe crabs urgently need listing and critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act.”
And also designating critical habitat for horseshoe crabs is crucial, as a species with designated critical habitat is more than twice as likely to recover.
Such habitat is here, on and around AMI, in coastal areas, bays, beaches, estuaries and open water.
Court finds Piney Point liable for bay pollution
A federal judge found HRK Holdings LLC liable for a major pollution event in 2021.
HRK’s Piney Point facility was linked to a massive fish kill after 215 million gallons of toxic wastewater were discharged into Tampa Bay to avert the catastrophic collapse of a waste impoundment at the former phosphate mine.
Following the discharge, Tampa Bay experienced a red tide that killed more than 600 tons of marine life in the bay.
A Sept. 19 ruling, which followed a lawsuit filed by conservation groups, ordered the company to pay $846,900.
Also, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection has separately agreed to fund independent monitoring of the Piney Point disaster’s ongoing harm to Tampa Bay’s water quality and to make improvements to the Clean Water Act permit.
Following the discharges, the owners of the site
entered bankruptcy and their counsel withdrew from the case. With the defunct corporation unrepresented, U.S. District Judge William Jung issued a default judgment finding that HRK violated the Clean Water Act by discharging pollutants into Tampa Bay without a lawfully issued permit.
“The catastrophic impacts of the Piney Point disaster will forever be a part of the history of Tampa Bay.” Justin Tramble, executive director of Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, said in a news release. “All industries should see the value of a healthy Tampa Bay and become stewards rather than abusers. Our hope is that this ruling makes it clear that the Tampa Bay community will hold polluters accountable for irresponsible and blatant abuse that frankly belongs in the past. The future of a thriving and sustainable Tampa Bay depends on it.”
As of Islander press time, the state did not respond to a request for comment.
— Lisa Neff
Neff
Images Courtesy UNIL, elissa Sorojsrisom
ITEMS FOR SALE
ELECTRIC 3.0 E-BIKE. $400, purchased new 2023. Text, 651-235-9827.
EXERCISE BALL, $20, side tables, round, glass-top, 2/$20, assorted box of new locks, $10. 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.
TRANSPORTATION
GOLF CART RENTALS: Fun for residents and tourists! 212-941-2402. www.GolfCartRentalAMI.com
I SLANDER ARCHIVE UofF Florida digital newspaper collection at ufdc.ufl.edu.
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
EVENT STAFF for Coquina Beach Market. 8 a.m.-4p.m. Wednesday, Friday, Sunday. Nonsmoker. Starts Nov. 2. October-June position. text 941-840-0789 for details.
NOW HIRING HANDYMAN: Full-time professional services. $18 an hour and up, based on experience. Call JayPros, 941962-2874.
REPORTER WANTED: Full- to part-time. Print media, newspaper experience required. Apply 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 TECH 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.
LOOK NO MORE! 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.
PRESSURE WASHING, PAVER sealing, driveway, roof, fence, pool area. Also, window cleaning. Licensed 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.
LOOKING FOR AN EARLY BIRD? You can read Wednesday’s classifieds on Tuesday at islander.org. And it’s FREE!
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
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.
CLEAN TECH MOBILE Detailing. At your location. Cars, boats, RVs. Call or text Billie for an appointment. 941-592-3482.
I SLANDER ARCHIVE UofF Florida digital newspaper collection at ufdc.ufl.edu.
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.
MASSEY CONTRACTING: PROVIDING quality roofing services on all jobs, big or small. Giving honest, hassle-free quotes at a great price. Call Jon to schedule your free estimate, 727-477-5313. Lic#CCC1332486.
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.
RENTALS Continued
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
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.
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.
LAKEFRONT CONDO: 2BR/2BA 1,450-foot gated, pool. Available December, January, March. Text, 416-985-0623.
SEASONAL RENTAL AVAILABILITIES: 2BR/1BA duplex $3,300/month, Anna Maria, and 2BR/1.5BA townhouse, $4,000/month, Holmes Beach. Information, 941-778-2259, dina@annamariareal.com
ANNA MARIA 3BR/1BA historic cottage, halfblock to Gulf beach and one block to Pine Avenue shopping and restaurants. Available November 2024, $3,200/month. 941-7788456, terryaposporos@gmail.com
WESTBAY COVE CONDO: Holmes Beach. Second floor, 2BR/2BA, large lanai. Pools, tennis, one block to Gulf. Available November, December, 2024. $3,200/month. 30-day minimum. 941-778-8456. terryaposporos@ gmail.com
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.”
RENTALS Continued
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.
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.
Grab your hat!
As the song goes “and leave your worries on the doorstep.”
There’s a new hat store in town.
Has Anna Maria Island ever had a hat store? Flipflops and T-shirts, yes. But hats? I think not.
Get ready to meet the hatters — Madeline, Mark and Mary Rhodes — at Rich’s Hat Emporium, 5337 Gulf Drive, Unit 200, Holmes Beach.
They’re doing a grand opening at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1, offering “refreshments and fun for all,” as well as an Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting.
And they’re offering 20% off all hats in October.
For more information, call the store at 941-3569822 or go online to richshatsandwesternwear.com. And another
It must be grand opening season.
Manatee Memorial Hospital announced the opening of its new facility, Manatee ER at Palma Sola.
The new emergency department at 633 75th St. W., Bradenton, will host a beach-themed opening at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 26 — open to the public — with tours of the facility, refreshments from Kona Ice and remarks from community members.
Speakers will include SCF president Tommy Gregory, Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown and an introduction to Manatee Memorial’s new CEO, Andy Guz.
The ER at Palma Sola is expected to see its first patients in early October but the opening party is a chance to visit the ER for fun — not for an emergency!
— Bonner Joy
BizCal By Lisa Neff
Thursday, Sept. 26
5 p.m. — AMI chamber business card exchange, NY Foot and Body Massage Spa, 6100 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton. Fee applies. Information: ingrid@amichamber.org, 941-778-1541.
Tuesday, Oct. 1
10 a.m. — Rich’s Hat Emporium grand opening, 5337 Gulf Drive, Suite 200, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-356-9822. Send listings to calendar@islander.org.
PropertyWatch
By Carol Bernard
Island real estate sales
600 Manatee Ave., #219, Holmes Beach, a 1,355 square foot 2BR/2BA Westbay Cove condo built in 1977 sold 7/16/2024 Keefe to Kutt for $489,800, list price $494,500.
4200 Gulf Drive, #201, Holmes Beach, a 1,008 square foot 2BR/2BA Gulf Sands condo built in 1979 sold 7/12/2024 by Hollub to Stewart Investment LLC for $849,000, list price $875,000.
304 60th St., #A, Holmes Beach, a 1,294 square foot 3BR/2BA pool home built in 2016 sold 7/24/2024 by Allen to Trust NO30460SUA for $1,450,000, list price $1,475,000.
118 46th St., Holmes Beach, a 1,813 square foot 3BR/2BA home on a 10,001 square foot lot built in 1959 sold 7/1/2024 by Butler to Supino for $1,632,000, list price $1,750,000.
519 74th St., Holmes Beach, a 1,879 square foot 3BR/3BA pool home on a 10,999 square foot lot built in 1967 sold 7/23/2024 by Austin to Waller IV Prop LLC for $1,650,000, list price $1,695,000. 517 74th St., Holmes Beach, a 2,337 square foot 3BR/2BA pool home on a 10,999 square foot lot built in 1967 sold 7/1/2024 by Vanorsdel Trust to Fisher for $1,800,000, list priceå $1,899,999.
4607 Second Ave., Holmes Beach, a 1,385 square foot 3BR/2BA pool home on a 5,000 square foot lot built in 2010 sold 7/8/2024 by Ganey to Beautiful Blessings Abound LLC for $1,995,000, list price $2,099,000.
726 Key Royale Drive, Holmes Beach, a 4,101 square foot 5BR/7BA home on a 10,934 square foot lot built in 2018 sold 7/12/2024 by Cinton to Stocklas Trust for $5,400,000, list price $5,900,000. Compiled by Island Real Estate staff. IRE can be reached at 941-778-6066, islandreal.com.
Business news Does your business celebrate achievements? Maybe you’re new in business? Email news@islander.org.
Madeline, Mark and Mary Rhodes model cowboy hats from Rich’s Hat Emporium at a rodeo. Islander
Courtesy Photo
We’re local. We’re Global.
ANNA
