The Islander Newspaper E-Edition: Wednesday, July 28, 2021

VOLUME

JULY 28, 2021 fRee

NO. 40

the Best news on anna maria island Since 1992 astheworldterns. 6 Stilt-house changes hands, expands. 3

Q&A 072821

3

Meetings. 4

anna maria amends parking ordinance. 4 experts: nutrients key to red tide battle. 5 county: all clear on ami coast. 5

Opinions. 6

Top Notch

islander.org

Week 3: Morning moonlight

doug Blunt of Perico island captured an angler casting into the surf one morning in march at anna maria’s Bean Point. He is a winner in the islander’s 2021 weekly top notch photo contest of a “more-than-a-mullet wrapper” t-shirt, and his photo is in the finals, which offers a grand prize of $100 from the islander and gift certificates from islander advertisers.

High achievers

maddie gordan gets a boost up the climbing wall July 20 at Vertical Ventures in St. Petersburg. maddie and other summer campers from the center of anna maria island went on a field trip for adventure. more pics, page 22. islander courtesy Photo

10-20 YEARS AGO

looking back. 7

am commission sets tax benchmark. 8 HB mayor breaks pause in parking debate. 9

Save the date. 10

Happenings community activities. 11

Gathering. 12

Obituaries. 12-13 Kingfish killing spree, 41 years cold. 13

Streetlife. 15 fishing guide gets real about red tide. 16

new principal takes reins at ame. 17

NESTING NOTES. Hey, hatchlings! 18

reading the bold print.

19

storm ready? 19 Summer sports. 20 fishing productive, red tide challenges. 21

ISL BIZ: 22

on board for biz, tourism.

CLASSIFIEDS. 24

PropertyWatch. 26

NYT puzzle. 27

‘Best yet’ hearing held to ‘reimagine’ Pine Ave.

By amy V.t. moriarty islander reporter

A third public hearing to reimagine Pine Avenue “was the best session we’ve had thus far,” Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy said July 20.

The final session with traffic engineer Gerry Traverso, local officials and residents explored issues related to safety and traffic on Anna Maria’s Pine, Spring and Magnolia avemurphy nues, as well as Gulf Drive and South Bay Boulevard.

Anna Maria commissioners in May approved a $50,274 expenditure that paved the way for Traverso to conduct the study in the city’s business district as part of a “Reimagining Pine Avenue” project.

Traverso is vice president of traffic engineering for George F. Young Inc., a St. Petersburg-based engineering and surveying

company. He was tasked with offering 4-6 options to improve safety and ease traffic flow on Anna Maria’s busiest roads.

Some concerns may be traverso addressed in his recommendations, expected as soon as mid-August, while enforcement concerns are to be addressed on an ongoing basis.

People parking in no parking zones, golf cart operators who may be too young to drive and bicyclists failing to obey trafgetman fic laws are among the issues Traverso said need to be addressed by enforcement.

At the July 20 hearing, Manatee County Sheriff’s Sgt. Brett Getman, who heads up the Anna Maria substation, asked people at turn to pine ave., Page 2

‘Is this the gunman?’ on aug. 1, 1980, four people were slain near the Kingfish Boat ramp in Holmes Beach. this composite sketch published in the islander 41 years ago — was created of the alleged suspect in a murdermystery that remains unsolved. read the story, page 14.

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pine ave. continued from page 1

the July 20 hearing if they notified law enforcement officials of safety concerns. All indicated they had not by shaking their heads or muttering “no.”

“If you see something, say something,” Getman suggested, because law enforcement cannot be everywhere at once and needs the public to report incidents and concerns to authorities, “not on social media.”

Another concern raised at each hearing involved the prospect of reimagining Pine Avenue into a oneway road.

Traverso had mentioned the one-way option when he outlined for commissioners the project’s scope of work and solutions successful in other cities.

But the engineer assured attendees July 20 that he had yet to formalize his recommendations and the hearings, along with one-on-one meetings with business owners, would provide information to consider along with the data.

One attendee at the July 20 hearing, Anna Maria resident and businessman Mike Coleman, discussed the reimagining of Pine Avenue over the years.

He was part of a team of contributors when Pine Avenue was designed by a leading “walkable community” specialist to incorporate sand-shell walkways that meander from block to block, pushing pedestrians farther from the road to the area between parked vehicles and businesses.

Then, he said, the idea was that older people wanted a pedestrian-friendly Pine Avenue, where they could park and walk rather than move from parking space to parking space.

Now, the island’s visitors trend younger and the vacationers are in larger groups. They aren’t meandering. They’re walking in the roadway, creating safety concerns and chaos.

Janalee Gallagher, who owns AMI Beach & Dog Supply, 313 Pine Ave., said July 20 she never sees people using the walkways — she sees them in the street, between the parked cars and the roadway.

A “radical idea,” Coleman said, would involve eliminating motor vehicle traffic except for golf carts

Anna Maria resident and Pine Avenue businessman Mike Coleman speaks July 20 during a public hearing to discuss a “Reimagining Pine Avenue” study, which will conclude with a series of recommendations intended to improve the roadway’s safety and moveability later this summer.

Islander Photo: Amy V.T. Moriarty

on Pine Avenue.

Other concerns aired during the hearing included the need for designated lanes and delivery trucks that block the traffic lanes.

Holmes Beach resident Nancy Deal cited concern for the lack of multiuse lanes for cyclists, especially in the 9700 block of Gulf Drive, where a multiuse lane ends, the business district begins and motorists jockey for parking.

Deal said there is nowhere safe for bicyclists to ride on Gulf Drive north of Slim’s Place or on Pine Avenue.

A suggestion to ease congestion caused by delivery trucks was to limit delivery hours to early mornings, alleviating a concern for at least one Pine Avenue business owner.

Yetta Levitt, owner of Anna Maria Island Outfit-

ters, 401 Pine Ave., said deliveries during non-business hours could result in stolen packages or damaged inventory.

Coleman suggested limiting truck deliveries to restaurants but not restricting package drop-offs.

What might Traverso recommend?

When he was contracted in May, a July 22 date was tentatively marked for him to present his options.

But severe weather and a personal emergency delayed Traverso’s preparations and the new estimated date for his presentation, as The Islander went to press, is Aug. 17.

Click!

The Islander welcomes news of the milestones in readers’ lives — weddings, anniversaries, travels and other events. Send notices to news@ islander.org.

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July 28, 2021 THE ISLANDER | islander.org Page 3 ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Stilt-house changes hands, expands

By Kane Kaiman Islander Reporter

building the stilt-house on state-owned submerged land. Extensions on court orders that the structure be torn down afforded Guthrie time to demonstrate support for protecting the structure.

Guthrie, Bell and the support letters characterize the structure as a net camp or net camp replica.

While historic net camps — built over the water in the 19th century to house cotton fishing nets — were barren shacks, Guthrie’s 1,200-foot structure has electricity, sliding-glass doors and other home amenities.

Part of the stilt-house protection plan would be to adapt the building to resemble more closely net camps of old, but Bell said alterations wouldn’t take place until the DEP lays out its expectations.

However, an alteration —a second-story observation deck was added sometime in July.

Guthrie said July 23 the add-on allows shade on the back deck but declined further comment.

If you love something, let it go.

And watch it grow?

Between late May and early June, Raymond “Junior” Guthrie transferred ownership of his Sarasota Bay stilt-house to Cortez Core Inc., Guthrie and A.P. Bell Fish Co. owner Karen Bell said July 22.

Guthrie built the house in 2017 on pilings over the water near the A.P. Bell Fish Co. docks in Cortez.

A recent addition is mostly unexplained.

Bell, president of the nonprofit Cortez Core, said she formed the nonprofit years ago to address community issues that couldn’t be managed by other Cortez organizations, such as the Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage.

The transfer is part of a stilt-house preservation plan Manatee County commissioners and local state From the Islander archive, circa 2010. legislators laid out in letters in April addressed to thenFlorida Department of Environmental Protection Sec- Charting the course retary Noah Valenstein.

On May 11, Robert Schermer, Guthrie’s attorney, The DEP successfully sued Guthrie in 2018 for filed a motion for an extension on a stay of enforcement on the demolition order, citing the letters of sup- The Islander poll port from officials.

Last week’s question As of The Islander’s press time July 26, the DEP Enjoy “Shark Week”? How often have you seen had not taken action on the motion for an extension. sharks around AMI? Despite the DEP inactivity, “the department’s 13%. All the time. position remains unchanged, and we are committed 27%. From time to time. to enforcing Florida’s environmental laws,” Shannon 23%. Rarely.

Herbon, DEP public information manager, wrote in a 7%. Once.

July 20 email to The Islander.

30%. Never.

Built on the assumption of squatters’ rights, Bell hopes state legislators will work with the DEP on a subThis week’s question merged land lease to allow the structure to remain.

The problem with island traffic is…

Bell said some Cortez fishers have used the strucA. Too many motorists. ture for net mending and, in the past, some derelict B. Too many pedestrians.

A July 22 view of Raymond “Junior” Guthrie’s Sara- boats were temporarily moored there.

C. Too many bicyclists.

Under Cortez Core, Bell said she envisions the sota Bay stilt-house includes a new, second-story D. Too much everything. structure being accessible to fishers and members of deck addition and the Cortez commercial docks in E. Who says there’s a problem? the community. the background. Islander Photo: Kane Kaiman To take the poll, go online to islander.org.

Q&A 072821

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AM beachfront homeowner digs in for battle after DEP ruling By amy V.t. moriarty islander reporter

Nancy Jordan isn’t giving up.

She’s fighting against what she calls a potentially devastating precedent that she says has resulted from a July 20 ruling by Shawn Hamilton, interim director the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, upholding a June administrative court ruling that allows for building a structure seaward of the coastal construction control line.

The petitioner granted the DEP exception is Fedora Campbell, who owns the property at 105 Elm Ave. in Anna Maria.

The Campbell property is seaward of the house Wendy and Robert Jordan purchased April 1 for $4 million. Seaward of Campbell’s lot is another platted lot that the Jordans purchased as insurance to preserve their view and prevent future development.

However, the DEP and the administrative judge’s decision do not greenlight Campbell’s structure.

As it implies, the CCCL is a control line, not a “red line.”

Campbell must submit detailed plans for the structure size and footprint and other plans to the city building official that not only detail the structure, but also address emergency vehicle and utility access, issues complicated by the fact that Campbell’s property is seaward of the western terminus of Elm Avenue and the city’s right of way and beach access point.

As of July 23, Campbell had not submitted requests

for building permits or plans, Anna Maria city clerk/ treasurer LeAnne Addy told The Islander.

Because there are no plans to review, Addy said any comment on a permit for Campbell would be conjecture.

Meanwhile, a July 21 meeting between Jordan and Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy didn’t take place with Jordan saying the she left the island due to the effects of red tide. She said her request for a Zoom meeting was denied by the mayor.

Murphy said July 22 that he told Jordan she was welcome to meet in person when she felt well enough to return to the island, as he prefers to conduct meetings of such a serious nature in person.

Jordan said she will beat the drums and post signs directing people to her preserveAMI.com campaign until a literal line in the sand is drawn preventing construction seaward of the CCCL. Something she said the DEP — “the very agency we pay to protect the environment” — should have ruled against Campbell when she first broached the subject of a building permit.

“The case will be pursued until we stop the threat,” Jordan wrote in a July 22 text to The Islander.

About the CCCL, ECL The state CCCL Program regulates structures and activities that can cause beach erosion, destabilize dunes, damage upland properties, or interfere with public access — and helps protect sea turtle habitat

‘Pass’ perspective the longboat Pass drawbridge from the longboat Key perspective July 14. in January 2020, the florida department of transportation began looking into replacement structures for the bridge, built in the late 1950s. alternatives include a midlevel drawbridge and a 65-foot-clearance fixed-span bridge. islander Photo: Jack elka

Meetings

Anna Maria City July 29, 10 a.m., commission.

Aug. 12, 2 p.m., commission.

Aug. 16, noon, candidate qualifying opens.

Aug. 26, 6 p.m., commission.

Aug. 27, noon, candidate qualifying closes.

Anna Maria City Hall, 10005 Gulf Drive, 941708-6130, cityofannamaria.com.

Bradenton Beach July 29, 9 a.m., commission.

Aug. 4, 9:30 a.m., CRA. Aug. 4, 2 p.m., ScenicWaves.

Aug. 5, 6 p.m., commission.

Aug. 18, 10 a.m., commission (budget).

Aug. 19, 9:30, commission (budget).

Aug. 19, noon, commission.

Aug. 23, noon, candidate qualifying opens.

Aug. 27, noon, candidate qualifying closes.

Bradenton Beach City Hall, 107 Gulf Drive N., 941-778-1005, cityofbradentonbeach.com.

Holmes Beach Aug. 4, 6 p.m., planning commission.

Aug. 10, 5 p.m., commission.

Aug. 18, 10 a.m., code enforcement.

Aug. 23, noon, candidate qualifying opens.

Aug. 24, 5 p.m., commission.

Aug. 27, noon, candidate qualifying closes.

Holmes Beach City Hall, 5801 Marina Drive, 941-708-5800, holmesbeachfl.org.

West Manatee Fire Rescue None announced.

WMFR administration building, 701 63rd St. W., Bradenton, 941-761-1555, wmfr.org.

Manatee County July 29, 9 a.m., commission (budget).

Aug. 5, 9 a.m., commission (land use).

Aug. 10, 9 a.m., commission.

Aug. 11, 1 p.m., commission (work session).

Aug. 17, 9 a.m., commission (budget).

Aug. 19, 1 p.m., commission (land use).

Aug. 24, 9 a.m., commission.

County administration building, 1112 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton, 941-748-4501, mymanatee. org.

Also of interest Aug. 3, 4 p.m., Manatee County Council of Governments, Bradenton Area Convention Center, 1 Haben Blvd., Palmetto.

Aug. 11, 2 p.m., Palma Sola Scenic Highway Corridor Management Entity, Bradenton Public Works, 1411 Ninth St. W., Bradenton.

Aug. 16, 9 a.m., Manatee County Tourist Development Council, county administration building.

— lisa neff

Send notices to calendar@islander.org.

and dune plants.

The state-established erosion control line, based on historical high tide data in Anna Maria, prohibits most construction seaward of the line. The ECL is the boundary between private upland property and submerged state-owned lands.

AM amends parking ordinance, approves new board members By amy V.t. moriarty islander reporter

Anna Maria city commissioners approved July 22 an amendment to the parking ordinance and appointed a new member to the planning and zoning board.

The amendment to the parking ordinance prohibits parking on the south side of the road from 209-217 Magnolia Ave. The new parking restriction is equivalent to losing five parking spaces, Mayor Dan Murphy said, adding that it is necessary for stormwater drainage.

Stormwater mitigation measures in the area required frequent maintenance, as parked vehicles were compacting the materials and water was prevented from draining.

The most cost-effective and least disruptive solution was determined to be restricted parking.

Commissioners unanimously approved the measure and public works crews installed “No Parking” signs July 23.

Commissioners also unanimously approved Charles Salem’s application for appointment to the P&Z, as well as Maureen Cote’s application for reappointment to the board.

However, several vacant seats remain on the planning board.

Information about the board and applications are available at cityofannamaria.com or by calling 941708-6130.

In other matters • Commissioners heard a first reading of a draft amendment to the buildings and building regulations ordinance. The lion’s share of the changes are based on Florida Emergency Management Agency flood regulations.

• Commissioners heard a first reading of a flood ordinance. The ordinance adjusts for new flood maps that will be effective Aug. 10, the first new flood maps since 2014.

• Ed Chiles addressed commissioners about investing $50,000 toward a plan to add clam beds to the waters around Anna Maria Island for ecosystem restoration and to mitigate red tide. Bradenton Beach first implemented a similar project in 2019 after a massive 2018 red tide outbreak.

• Murphy provided an update about red tide and noted there was some dead marine life, including a few grouper, lots of eels and sardines, washed ashore from White Avenue in Holmes Beach to about Sycamore Avenue in Anna Maria. A minor fish kill was detected at Bean Point, too.

• Murphy took exception to comments related to his party affiliation, saying his political belief has no place in local government.

“That’s for Washington and Tallahassee,” he said.

Anna Maria’s elections are nonpartisan.

Commission Chair Carol Carter said when people refer to her as a politician, she tells them she prefers to think of it as community service, as that’s what local government really should be.

The next city commission meeting will be 2 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 12, at city hall, 10005 Gulf Drive.

Milestones

The Islander welcomes stories about islanders and island life, including photos and notices of the milestones in readers’ lives — weddings, births, anniversaries, travels, obituaries and other events.

Submit your news — to news@islander.org.

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Experts: Keeping water nutrient-free key to red tide battle

By Kane Kaiman islander reporter

Don’t feed the algae.

More than 100 people filled the Bradenton Yacht Club dining room in Palmetto July 23 to participate in a scientific forum on the algal blooms plaguing local waters.

The event was coordinated by Suncoast Waterkeeper and Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, and notable attendees included Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown, Manatee County administrator Dr. Scott Hopes and six Manatee County commissioners.

Suncoast Waterkeeper chair Joe McClash opened the gathering by stating the forum’s purpose: To inform the public about what can be done to mitigate annual algal blooms that kill wildlife and devastate local economies.

Ed Sherwood and Dr. David Tomasko, executive directors respectively of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program and the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, endeavored to answer the question in back-to-back scientific presentations.

Sherwood described the causes of the current algal blooms, notably the April discharge of more than 200 million gallons of nutrient-rich water into Tampa Bay from Piney Point.

“Over an entire year, we expect about 200 tons of nitrogen going into lower Tampa Bay. The bay got that same amount in about a 9-10 day period as a result of the emergency discharges,” Sherwood said.

He likened the ammonium-rich water to “liquid fertilizer,” and said that — coupled with increased water salinity, a lack of spring rain and high temperatures — the discharge led to the most intense concentrations of algae in middle and lower Tampa Bay since the early 1970s.

Sherwood said we cannot let the phosphate storage stack closures linger.

Bradenton mayor gene Brown, left, speaks with dr. david tomasko, executive director of the Sarasota Bay estuary Program, and ed Sherwood, right, executive director of the tampa Bay estuary Program, following their presentations. islander Photo: Kane Kaiman

Closing Piney Point in an ecologically safe manner prior to the emergency discharge would have cost taxpayers $10 million-20 million — $80 million-180 million less than the current price tag, he said.

Those resources could have been directed toward algal bloom mitigation projects, especially in areas where seagrass — which provides food and shelter for marine life, as well as filters the water — has become sparse, he added.

In the long term, “there’s not one solution to fix our problems; there’s really a host of investments that are needed,” Sherwood advised.

Those investments hinge on reducing nutrient flow into the waterways.

On the individual level, people should be con-

scious of their ecological footprint and the way they manage their yards, he said.

On the community level, investments should be made in shoring up aging infrastructure and establishing the most ecologically friendly methods of managing and treating wastewater and stormwater.

Tomasko described the plight of manatees in the Indian River Lagoon, on Florida’s east coast, where algal blooms have led to significant seagrass losses.

According to Tomasko, in the first six months of 2021, 800 manatees died statewide but most deaths occurred in the Indian River Lagoon, where a lack of seagrass — food for manatees — led to starvation.

“What we’re going to talk about in Sarasota and Tampa Bay is really important because we do not want our systems to look like the Indian River Lagoon,” Tomasko said. “And it happened quickly in that system, and that may not be recoverable.”

The most efficient way for local officials to prevent a reduction in water quality is to focus on nutrient management regulation compliance, he said.

“It makes no sense to spend dollars on public outreach, stormwater retrofits and people putting oysters in the Bay if, two miles down the road, someone’s not abiding by their permit for their wastewater treatment plant,” he said.

According to Tomasko, wastewater treatment improvements led to a 57% nitrogen load reduction in Tampa Bay from the 1970s to the 1990s, and Manatee County achieved a 50% reduction from about 2016-20.

Less fuel for algal growth is the key to a healthier bay and seagrass recovery, he said.

“Our bays are not in great shape right now, but we’re still healthier than we were in the 1970s and 1980s,” he said. “Look at the recovery we brought about back then — we just have to do it again.”

County: All clear on AMI coast, red tide bloom lacks impact Beachgoers and boaters got an all clear.

With the end of a workweek and launch of the weekend, Manatee County put out a blast to beachgoers and boaters: the shores of Anna Maria Island are clear.

For the second week, crews were removing dead fish — a result of a red tide outbreak — from boat ramps and beaches.

The week beginning July 19, county crews removed dead fish at the Kingfish Boat Ramp but concentrated in the southern areas of Anna Maria Island — Longboat Pass, Coquina North, Coquina South in Bradenton Beach.

Also, roll-off dumpsters were placed at Coquina Beach and Manatee Public Beach to collect debris caused by the offshore bloom.

An intense red tide outbreak has hit the region, a summer outbreak some scientists and environ-

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mentalists say was fueled by the spring’s release of nutrient-rich wastewater from the defunct Piney Point phosphate plant.

The Tampa Bay Estuary Project has characterized the outbreak as the worst in 50 years but Manatee County, in a news release July 23, said there have not been severe impacts to its barrier island beaches.

“Manatee County government has intensified its daily beach raking efforts along the shores of Anna Maria Island and county staff have begun taking additional steps to address red tide before it reaches local beaches,” read the county statement.

“To date Manatee County has avoided the worst impacts from an early summer red tide bloom, but county leaders are taking steps to ensure Manatee beaches remain clear from debris,” the statement continued.

The week beginning July 26, county officials

planned to finalize an agreement with local boat captains enabling them to capture offshore red tiderelated debris in nets before it reaches the coast, preventing fish kills from reaching the beach.

Also, this week, county commissioners were to discuss authorizing up to $500,000 in county tourist development taxes — the 5% bed tax on accommodations of six months or less — to pay for efforts to hold red tide at bay.

The county meeting was set to take place at 9 a.m. July 27, after The Islander went to press.

“We are staying ahead of this situation and we’ll be announcing additional efforts to keep our beaches clean and clear in the coming days,” county administrator Scott Hopes stated in a July 23 news release.

More on red tide: pages 16 and 21.

For information about red tide and island beaches, go online to www.mymanatee.org/redtide.

Page 6 THE ISLANDER | islander.org July 28, 2021 ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Opinion

Our

It’s bold, audacious

Maybe it was to be expected.

After all, if you knew Junior the way Cortez knows Junior ... you’d expect no less from Junior Guthrie.

He’s got a long history of daring and unconventional behavior and, taking into account that there’s much we don’t know from the dark side of Cortez’s history, few would doubt that Junior’s past included a side trip into the illegal drug trade that once ensnared the village.

He was on the brink of legendary status among the young and restless in Cortez — a village that used to embrace its smuggling past — be it rum, guns, people or illegal drugs.

Talk in the 1970s and ’80s centered on buried coffee cans of cash, a high-speed cigarette boat exchanged for cash on a dock, parties with bands, food, fast boat rides and plenty of “smoke” that brought hundreds of friends and strangers to Jewfish Key, freighter loads of pot, pennies delivered with a hand truck to pay a large IRS debt, or paper bags of cash handed to a bank owner for a “legit” deposit. There also were success stories, including huge catches on the largest commercial boat in Cortez and for the young people he helped to make a good living.

Junior was good to Cortez and good to his family.

Now comes the story that rivals the long, ongoing battle to preserve a treehouse on the beach — it’s Junior’s stilt-house.

The stilt-house built on the water in Cortez — about a football field from the commercial docks — had no permits, no regulatory guidance.

It was built on squatter’s rights and an unproven claim the Guthrie family had a net house in that same spot for generations.

There was even a laughable suggestion that the house was built on “historical” pilings left in the bay waters for a hundred years or so.

This net house, fish camp, or boot-leg party house, however you call it, has no history.

It’s another wild scheme, although we’re left to wonder why Junior would want to draw so much attention to himself.

It’s the sort of thing a renegade author might use to promote a book or a movie. Maybe it was conceived of boredom, or a means to put people to work. Or maybe there’s a scheme to build it, legalize it, sell it.

For whatever reason, it’s an audacious act.

And now, after intervening on his behalf when Junior stumbled in court, comes Karen Bell, a strong business woman with the savvy and contacts needed to preserve the stilt-house under the auspices of a nonprofit.

But why, tell me, please, why did they pile on the insults by putting an addition on the house before they settle with the court and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection?

— Bonner Joy, news@islander.org

JULY 28, 2021 • Vol. 29, No. 40 Publisher, Co-editor Bonner Joy, news@islander.org ▼ Editorial editor lisa neff, lisa@islander.org Joe Bird, editorial cartoonist Kevin cassidy, kevin@islander.org Jack elka, jack@jackelka.com Kane Kaiman, kane@islander.org Kelsey mako, kelsey@islander.org amy V.t. moriarty, amym@islander.org ryan Paice, ryan@islander.org ▼ Contributors Johann Bertram Karen riley-love capt. danny Stasny, fish@islander.org ▼ Advertising Director toni lyon, toni@islander.org ▼ Webmaster Wayne ansell ▼ Office Manager, lisa Williams info@, accounting@, classifieds@, subscriptions@islander.org ▼ Distribution urbane Bouchet ross roberts Judy loden Wasco (All others: news@islander.org) ▼

Single copies free. Quantities of five or more: 25 cents each. ©1992-2021 • Editorial, sales and production offices: 315 58th St., Suite J, Holmes Beach fl 34217 WeBSite: islander.org text or call: 941-778-7978

Your

Opinion

About deck failures

Residential deck failure is the most common construction casualty in the United States. More people are maimed or killed by deck failure than any other structural load-carrying house component.

In view of what’s happening with decks on the island, I thought this might help deck owners or residential rental property owners understand how and why failure is not such a surprise.

The state has a requirement — form DBPR HR-7020 — that any rental property that has an elevated deck or balcony must have said deck or balcony inspected every three years.

The requirements cover evaluation of any platforms, stairways, railings, railways, guardrails, balustrades, parapets and any screen enclosed of the same.

The inspection certifies the deck is in good condition and not a health and safety issue.

There are two reasons why a deck fails: • The deck was improperly installed; • The deck was not maintained over its life.

It’s common for decks to be installed improperly due to the way the building codes are written. The Florida Building Code addresses deck installation by reference. What that means is the specific design of a deck should follow what is recommend by an authoritative body such as NADRA Deck Safety Protocol or Residential Deck Construction Guide.

Proper flashing and breathability are two key factors in the stability of a deck. The deck connection to a house, above the ledger board should always have flashing to promote water away from the building.

That’s where rot usually develops first. Proper notching and drilling are critical at the joists. Resisting uplift and lateral movement also are factors.

Rails are another area of common failure as they are typically not adequate for the forces that may be applied. The minimum lateral resistance force of a top

Skimming online …

Web (register for free news alerts) islander.org Facebook @islandernewspaper Twitter @ami_islander Instagram @theislanderami Pinterest @islandernewspaper E-edition For $36 a year or $99 for a lifetime, e-edition subscribers have access to the weekly e-edition with page-by-page views of all the news, photos, columns, community announcements and advertisements. And they get breaking news notices.

To subscribe online, visit islander.org.

For other subscriber services, call our newspaper office at 941-778-7978. rail is 300 pounds. I have yet to see railings that meet that requirement.

Over time, decks weather, dry out, warp, the hold downs become oxidized or rust, the nails may come loose and the deck may sag. All of these things should be addressed as the property owner is libel if someone gets hurt or property is damaged.

Need help? I can provide more information.

Mike Conley, Anna Maria Editor’s note: Mike Conley is a certified general contractor and building code inspector.

Have your say

The Islander accepts letters and reserves the right to edit. Letters must include name, address and a contact phone number. Email: news@islander.org.

July 28, 2021 THE ISLANDER | islander.org Page 7 ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Arrow marks the … sand

10&20 years ago

Barges are employed for the construction of the anna maria island Bridge on manatee avenue/State road 64. this view is from Perico island looking west toward anna maria island. dredged sand was deposited in the bay for access to the new bridge from both ends. the photo is dated may 5, 1956.

In the July 26, 2001, issue

Share from your archives

Got old photographs of AMI? Write a recollection and share at news@ islander.org.

Read our archives

Infrastructure action a crew paves marina drive near gulf drive in Holmes Beach in September 1997. islander Photos: manatee county Public library System

Take a trip back in time in our digital newspaper collection.

There’s a complete library of The Islander online at ufdc.ufl.edu.

• High winds struck the Econolodge on Gulf Drive in Bradenton Beach during a thunderstorm, taking off a section of roof and downing power lines. The storm caused about $60,000 in damages and prompted law enforcement officers to close Gulf Drive until Florida Power & Light crews could remove the power lines.

• The Concerned Citizens of Manatee County appealed the ruling of Judge J. Lawrence Johnston that upheld Bradenton’s comp plan amendment that allowed the Arvida Corp. to obtain approval for its planned 898-unit condominium project on north Perico Island. The CCMC had challenged the comp-plan amendment to prevent construction of the project.

In the July 27, 2011, issue

• With his team nearing the end of four days of excavation work on an Anna Maria beach in the search for the remains of Sabine Musil-Buehler, the Manatee County sheriff vowed, “We’re not done yet.”

• Bradenton Beach commissioners voted to earmark 92% of the newest round of community redevelopment agency money for reconstruction of the Historic Bridge Street Pier.

• Bradenton Beach commissioners voted to raise the city business tax by 5%. State law provides for the collection of the tax, which varies depending on the type and size of a business.

• The number of registered voters on Anna Maria Island fell 18.5% from 2000 to 2011, according to the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office. The island population dropped 21.2% during the same period.

— lisa neff

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We bring you all the news about three city governments, community happenings, people features and special events … even real estate transactions … everything you need if your “heart is on Anna Maria Island.”

If you don’t live here year-round, use this form to subscribe by (snail) mail for yourself or someone else. (Sorry, we do not suspend mail subscriptions — you get The Islander free while you’re here!)

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AM commission sets millage benchmark By amy V.t. moriarty islander reporter

It’s tax time in Anna Maria.

Anna Maria city commissioners unanimously voted July 22 to set the tentative millage rate at 2.0500 for the 2021-22 fiscal year.

It would be at least the seventh year the city has maintained the millage at 2.0500, Mayor Dan Murphy said.

Is is, nonetheless, the continuation of an annual tax increase for property owners amid rising property values.

Commissioners were confident in the rate, saying the city’s revenue has increased annually without adjusting the rate.

And with so many new rental properties in the city, most of which are not homesteaded, Murphy said, “Every year we’ve enjoyed a nice increase just keeping the millage rate the same.”

Murphy said the vote July 22 was to set the benchmark for the millage rate, as commissioners have an opportunity to reduce it when they vote on the final budget ordinance Sept. 23, but they cannot increase the rate.

In addition to approving the millage rate bench-

budget talks

mark, Murphy walked commissioners through projected revenues and suggested an increase to the stormwater fees.

He suggested an increase from the current $1 per 100 square feet of total property — including all structures on a property — to $3. Most property owners pay about $50 per year for stormwater fees, so the increase would bump that annual cost to about $150, since most lots are about the same size, Murphy said.

For comparison, the mayor pointed to the fee structure in Bradenton Beach of $4 per 100 square feet and of $2.95 per 100 square feet in Holmes Beach.

The higher fee would allow the city to better mitigate areas that flood from stormwater and maintain the drainage measures.

Commissioners will meet at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 12, to discuss proposed expenditures in the next phase of budget planning.

The meeting will be at city hall, 10005 Gulf Drive.

By the numbers 2021-22 proposed budget

Total proposed expenditures: not available Total proposed revenues: $7,977,280.19 Proposed reserve spending: not available Tentative millage rate: 2.0500 Rollback rate: 1.8427 Maximum allowed millage rate: 2.1167 Assessed property value: $1,511,830,337

2020-21 budget

Budget expenditures: not available Budget revenues: $6,825,721.99 Reserve spending: not available Millage rate: 2.0500 Assessed property value: $1,440,796,383

On the calendar

Budget hearing dates: First reading and public hearing on the city’s budget will be at 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 9, at Anna Maria City Hall, 10005 Gulf Drive. The second reading and final hearing will be at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 23.

— amy V.t. moriarty

WMFR amends budget to accommodate new building finishes By ryan Paice islander reporter

It’s about the final, forgotten touches.

The West Manatee Fire Rescue District made some small adjustments to its current budget to put finishing touches on its new administration building.

WMFR commissioners unanimously voted July 20 to adopt an amendment to its 2020-21 fiscal year budget to fund a short list of additions for the new headquarters at 701 63rd St. W., Bradenton.

Commissioner Al Robinson joined in discussion via Zoom but could not vote due to district rules.

Place portrait photo here

District administrative manager Julie Kichar said the staff-recommended resolution amended the budget to fund installing a fence and gate, as well as fund a sign outside the new building.

The amendment makes several small changes that provide funding while maintaining the district’s bottom line.

The amended budget adds $125,000 to the district’s capital outlay budget for the year, but makes cuts, including drop of $41,000 in training expenses and $86,000 in health insurance payments.

Altogether, the changes keep the district’s total

adopted budget for 2020-21 at the same $9,410,362.

“I think our budget is a good one,” Commissioner George Harris said, before voting to approve the amendment.

There was no public comment.

The next meeting will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 17, at the administration building, and will be the district’s first public hearing to discuss the proposed 2021-22 budget.

The second and final public hearing to discuss the fiscal year’s budget will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept.

14.

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July 28, 2021 THE ISLANDER | islander.org Page 9 ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

HB mayor speaks on pause in parking debate By ryan Paice islander reporter

The intergovernmental debate over parking limitations in Holmes Beach had been brewing for months.

That is, until a monthlong pause in county board meetings allowed the concoction to settle.

Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth told The Islander July 23 that she hadn’t heard anything from county officials on the issue since the last county commission meeting.

“I haven’t heard a peep,” Titsworth said. “I’m here to listen, but at this point, no one has come forward titsworth since our last discussions.”

The city implemented a park-by-permit system last summer to reduce parking along some residential streets when people flooded the beaches as many other areas in the state remained closed due to the COVID19 pandemic.

The system includes $15 decals that allow residents and property owners to park a vehicle 9 a.m.-5 p.m. in one of 645 spots along residential roadways where the city prohibited public parking.

The city’s parking changes have been the center of discussion since last November, when Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge took office and announced his opposition to the parking-by-permit system, swearing to withhold renourishment funds if the city didn’t reverse its parking limits.

The Manatee County Board of Commissioners was set to meet July 27, after The Islander’s press deadline, its first meeting since a June 16 work session.

Before the break, Commissioners Van Ostenbridge and Carol Whitmore met with some city commissioners to discuss the issue.

However, much of those communicative efforts were put on hold with the county board’s summer break — little to no communication was recorded July 6-22 between county and city officials in relation to

the matter.

Titsworth said it was “nice” to take a breather from a contentious issue.

“It is because you don’t want anything to be contentious — we’re Van ostencounty residents, too,” Titsworth said. bridge “Hopefully, when they do come back to talk, there’ll be different dialogue. … and they understand the value of working with each other.”

Nevertheless, she said she didn’t expect much of a difference when talks on the matter resume.

“As far as how many bodies they can pack on the beaches? Probably not,” she said.

In the meantime, it might be a good time to catch up on how the issue has continued to develop.

HB resident reaches out to county While the intergovernmental dialogue was on hold, one Holmes Beach resident took the matter into her own hands.

Resident Deborah Sneddon emailed Van Ostenbridge and county administrator Scott Hopes July 12 on the matter.

“I continue to be perplexed about how more traffic/parking on (Anna Maria Island) makes any sense,” Sneddon wrote. “I would hope there is no effort, including restoring or adding any island parking, that will encourage more traffic.

She asked the pair to look into mass transit options.

Sneddon, who attended the city’s June 22 meeting to voice support for its parking changes, wrote in her email that the island’s transportation infrastructure was not sufficient to handle the load it attracts.

“I chose to live here knowing it was a tourist destination. However, I expected that there would be responsible oversight of the tourist industry and the integrity of residential areas would be protected,” she

wrote. “I expected that my interests in the place that I made home would be at least as important as the rights of those here for short visits.”

It is unclear if Van Ostenbridge responded to the email, since a response was not included in the files The Islander obtained July 23 from the city via a records request.

Van Ostenbridge also did not respond to a July 23 email from The Islander.

Coordinating traffic lights The Florida Department of Transportation is making changes to improve traffic flow on and off the island.

City Commissioner Jayne Christenson emailed Titsworth and Van Ostenbridge July 17 about her experience in traffic due to inefficient traffic signals at Gulf Drive and Manatee Avenue.

The DOT added wireless communication and CCTVs to monitor traffic lights at the intersection ahead of the July 4th weekend, but it seems some tweaks are needed to optimize traffic flow.

Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer forwarded Christenson’s email to the DOT. DOT signal timing specialist Samuel Campbell emailed Tokajer July 19, stating he would adjust traffic light patterns to move motorists more efficiently on the island.

Campbell wrote that the lights were last timed based on a 2019 study that no longer matched island traffic flow.

Traffic then would leave the island around 6:45 p.m. daily. Today, traffic isn’t finished clearing the island until around 9 p.m., according to Campbell.

“I am going to adjust the schedule so that we get into our flush patterns earlier, to help traffic get onto the island. Then extend the patterns to flush traffic off of the island later into the night,” Campbell wrote.

“We will monitor over the next weekends, to see if the schedules need further adjustments.”

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Page 10 THE ISLANDER | islander.org July 28, 2021 ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

The Islander Calendar ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Island Players’ season tickets on sale

ON AMI Sunday, Aug. 1 7:30 p.m. — Island Players “The Savannah Sipping Society” audition, Island Players theater, 10009 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria. Information: 941-778-5755.

ONGOING ON AMI Throughout July and August, “Live Colorfully” membership exhibit, Island Gallery West, 5368 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6648.

Through Sept. 1, Island Players season ticket sales end. Information: 941-778-5755.

AHEAD ON AMI Aug. 5-8, Anna Maria Island Privateers “Return to Tortuga: A Pirate Invasion Weekend,” Anna Maria Island.

Sept. 16-26, Island Players’ performance of “The Savannah Sipping Society,” Anna Maria.

Oct. 15, Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce Bayfest kickoff, Anna Maria.

Oct. 16, Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce Bayfest, Anna Maria.

Nov. 4-14, Island Players’ Same Time, Next Year,” Anna Maria.

OFF AMI Thursday, July 29 1 p.m. — “Green Book” film screening, the Longboat Key Paradise Center for Healthy Living, 546 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key. Fee applies. Information: 941-383-6493.

compiled by lisa neff, email calendar@islander.org.

Screening next at the LBK center the longboat Key Paradise center for Healthy living will screen “green Book” at 1 p.m. thursday, July 29. the academy award-winning film tells the story of a Black pianist who embarks on a concert tour in the South in 1962. admission to the matinee is free for members and $10 for guests. the center also offers fitness classes, as well as a grief support group. the center is at 546 Bay isles road, longboat Key. for more information, call 941-383-6493 and to rSVP email paradisecenterrsvp@gmail.com. islander Photo: courtesy universal Pictures

The Island Players are selling season tickets for the next series of community theater onstage in Anna Maria.

Season tickets are $110 and include seats at the five plays in the 2021-22 lineup, including “The Savannah Sipping Society,” Sept. 16-26; “Same Time, Next Year,” Nov. 4-14; “Blythe Spirit,” Jan. 6-23; “A Comedy of Tenors,” March 3-20; and “The Psychic,” May 5-15.

Showtime will be 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.

The deadline to purchase season tickets is Wednesday, Sept. 1.

Single performance tickets will be sold at a later date.

For more information, call the box office at 941-778-5755.

ONGOING ON AMI

KIDS & FAMILY

Saturdays, Aug. 14 and Aug. 28, 8:30 a.m., Kiwanis Club of Anna Maria Island breakfast and meeting, Gulf Drive Cafe, 900 Gulf Drive N., Bradenton Beach. Information: 941-778-1383.

Tuesdays, noon, Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island lunch meeting, in-person at Bridge Street Bistro, 111 Gulf Drive S., Bradenton Beach, and via Zoom. Information: 941-920-2505.

ON AMI

ONGOING OFF AMI

ONGOING OFF AMI

Tuesday, Aug. 3 Wednesdays, 3 p.m., The Longboat Key Paradise Center for 10 a.m. — Family story time, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Healthy Living “Grieve Not Alone: Peer Support Group,” 546 Bay Through Sept. 26, “Skyway 20/21: A Contemporary Collaboration,” John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, 5401 Bay Shore Holmes Beach. Registration: mymanatee.org/library. Information: Isles Road, Longboat Key. Information: 941-383-6493.

941-778-6341.

Road, Sarasota. Fee applies. Information: 941-359-5700.

OUTDOORS & Through Sept. 26, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens’ “We Dream OFF AMI A World, African American Landscape Painters of Mid-Century FlorSPORTS ida, The Highwaymen,” 1534 Mound St., Sarasota. Fee applies. Saturday, July 31 ONGOING OFF AMI 5:45 p.m. — Anna Maria Island Privateers scholarship awards, Information: 941-366-5731.

Through the summer, Bradenton Marauders baseball, LECOM Second and fourth Saturdays, 2-4 p.m., Soupy and his Band, Bradenton Marauders “Back to School” Night, LECOM Park, 1611 Ninth St. W., Bradenton.

Fee applies.

Information: 931-639-0986.

Park, 1611 Ninth St. W., Bradenton. Fee applies. Information: 941Florida Maritime Museum outdoors, 4415 119th St. W., Cortez. Infor747-3031, bradentonmarauders.com. mation: cvhs2016@aol.com.

AHEAD OFF AMI

CLUBS & COMMUNITY

GOOD TO KNOW

Aug. 12, Paradise Center’s “My Octopus Teacher” screening, KEEP THE DATES ON AMI Longboat Key. Monday, Sept. 6, Labor Day. Aug. 26, Paradise Center’s “The United States vs. Billie Holi- Thursday, July 29 Tuesday, Sept. 7, autumnal equinox.

10 a.m.

— Seaside Quilters, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, day” screening, Longboat Key. Holmes Beach.

Registration: mymanatee.org/library.

Information: Nov. 13, Anna Maria Island Privateers Black Tie Fundraising GET LISTED Gala to benefit the Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County, 941-778-6341.

Send announcements for The Islander’s calendar to calendar@ 2 p.m. — Sunshine Stitchers, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Bradenton. islander.org. The deadline for listings is the Wednesday before the Holmes Beach. Registration: mymanatee.org/library. Information: publication date.

941-778-6341.

Visit islander.org for the best news on AMI.

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OPEN AUDITION:

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The Savannah Sipping Society

by Jones, Hope and Wooten

7:30 Sunday, Aug. 1 at the IP playhouse Seeking four female actors. Synopsis: Four Southern women, all needing to escape their day-to-day routines, are drawn together by fate and an impromptu happy hour – and decide it’s high time they reclaim the enthusiasm for life they’ve lost through the years.

It is recommended that all actors be vaccinated for Covid-19 prior to auditions.

Director Mike Lusk Play runs Sept. 16-26 UIFJTMBOEQMBZFST PSH t 10009 Gulf Drive at Pine Avenue, Anna Maria

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Island happenings

July 28, 2021 THE ISLANDER | islander.org Page 11 ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

August activities set at Island Library

There’ll be stitching at the Island Library in August.

And there’ll be storytelling.

The Island Library’s activity calendar includes the following activities and meetups: • Family story time will be at 10 a.m. Tuesdays, Aug. 3, Aug. 10, Aug. 17, Aug. 24 and Aug. 31.

• Sunshine Stitchers Knit and Crochet group will meet at 2 p.m. Thursdays, Aug. 5 and Aug. 19.

• Instruction in photo-scanning will be 10 a.m.

Saturday, Aug. 7.

• Children’s crafting — 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 7, involves tie-die with Sharpie markers.

• The Island Time Book Club will meet at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 11.

• Origami enthusiasts will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 14.

• Meditation will be offered at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 21.

• Seaside Quilters will meet at 10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 26.

The library is at 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach.

For more information, call the library at 941778-6341.

And to register to attend events, go online to manateelibrary.libcal.com.

Marauders to host Privateers for ‘Back-to-School’ night

The Anna Maria Island Privateers will take the field before the Bradenton Marauders minor league game July 31.

The Privateers will honor 2021 scholarship winners at about 5:50 p.m. during “Back-to-School” night at LECOM Park.

Then the Marauders will take the field for a 6:05 p.m. Saturday game against the Dunedin Blue Jays.

Other festivities include post-game fireworks.

Back-to-school festivities also will take place Friday, July 30, when the first 500 kids — ages 12 and under — will receive a backpack.

Ticket prices vary.

The ballpark is at 1611 Ninth St. W., Bradenton.

For general game information, including ticket details, go online to www.milb.com/bradenton.

For more details about the Privateers’ presentation and seating with the Privateers, call Kim “Syren” Boyd at 931-639-0986.

Invasion Weekend in August

The Privateers plan the “Return to Tortuga: A Pirate Invasion Weekend” Aug. 5-8, featuring a kickoff party, scavenger hunt, pirate gathering and pub crawl.

The pirates headquarters will be the Compass Hotel by Margaritaville on Perico Island.

The weekend package is $225.

For more information, contact Kim “Syren” Boyd at 931-639-0986 or go online to amiprivateers.org.

State celebrates ‘back to school’ with tax break Another “holiday” is on the calendar before summer vacation ends and island kids head to classrooms Aug. 10.

Florida will observe a “Back to School Sales Tax Holiday” July 31-Aug. 9.

The holiday makes purchases of school supplies, clothing and gear tax-exempt, including: • Clothing, footwear and accessories retailing for $60 and less;

Top Notch

• Supplies selling for $15 and less per item, such as notebooks, pencils, crayons, scissors, tissues, glue and paints; • The first $1,000 on a computer, as well as computer accessories.

For more details about the tax holiday, go online to floridarevenue.com/backtoschool.

For school supply lists for AME students, go online to https://www.manateeschools.net/annamaria.

‘Summer vacation’ photos, stories

Students head to class Aug. 10. The Islander invites island kids — and their adults — to share photos and stories about how they spent their summer break. Email to news@islander.org.

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Stars and stripes salute: Penny frick was a top notch contest winner in 2009.

Enter The Islander’s Top Notch photo contest The Islander’s Top Notch contest is underway.

The contest celebrates what still is known as the “Kodak moment,” despite Kodak’s downfall in the switch from film to digital technology.

Look to noon this Friday for the next deadline.

The contest includes six weekly front-page winners. Each will claim an Islander “More than a mullet wrapper” T-shirt.

One weekly shot will take the grand prize in the contest, earning the photographer a cash prize from The Islander and certificates from local merchants.

A pet photo winner will be announced in the final week.

Please, note, each original JPG must be included in a single email with the name of the photographer; date the photo was taken; location and description; names of recognizable people; and the address and phone number of the photographer.

More rules are online at www.islander.org.

— Bonner Joy

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Page 12 THE ISLANDER | islander.org JULY 28, 2021 ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Gathering

Singing out Roser Memorial Community Church’s chancel choir sings in the sanctuary, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria. The choir — for adults and youth in middle school and above — performs at Sunday worship services and rehearses at 7 p.m.

Thursdays. For more, call the church at 941-7780414. Islander Courtesy Photo

Annunciation group to meet

The Episcopal Church Women at the Episcopal Church of the Annunciation will hold its first in-person meeting since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

The group will meet at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 4, at the church, 4408 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach.

Organizers plan to offer coffee and pastries but attendees also can bring a “brown bag treat.”

REGULAR WORSHIP Reservations are requested by Wednesday, July 28, by emailing Judy Bennett at jabennett16@gmail. Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. — St. Bernard Catholic Church, 248 S. Harbor Drive, com.

Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-4769.

For more information, call the church office at Thursdays 941-778-1638.

Tidings

ECA sets events calendar

After more than a year of skipping traditional events, the Episcopal Church of the Annunciation is building its 2021 calendar.

Events include a jazz brunch in September, potluck supper in October, Our Little Roses fundraiser in November and the Holly Berry Bazaar in December.

A notice in the church bulletin said, “It’s been a long road but we are very optimistic for what the future holds. We have all missed our gatherings at special events and believe it’s time to remedy that!”

For more details, call the church at 941-7781638.

9:30 a.m. — Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 6608 Marina Drive.

Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-1813.

10 a.m. — Roser Church.

10 a.m. — Christ Church of Longboat Key Presbyterian USA, 6400 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key. Information: 941-9004903.

10 a.m. — Longboat Island Chapel, 6200 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key. Information: 941-383-6491.

9:30 a.m. — Episcopal Church of the Annunciation, 4408 Gulf 10:30 a.m. — St. Bernard.

Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-1638.

OTHER EVENTS Saturdays 4 p.m. — St. Bernard Catholic Church.

Wednesday, Aug. 4, 10 a.m., Episcopal Church of the AnnunSundays ciation Episcopal Church Women meeting. Reservations required.

8 a.m. — Episcopal Church of the Annunciation.

ONGOING EVENTS 8:30 a.m. — St. Bernard Catholic Church.

8:30 a.m. — Roser Memorial Community Church, 512 Pine Thursdays, 7 p.m., Roser Church chancel choir rehearsals.

Ave., Anna Maria. Information: 941-778-0414.

SAVE THE DATES 9 a.m. — CrossPointe Fellowship, 8605 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-0719.

Sept. 6-7, Rosh Hashanah.

9:15 a.m. — Harvey Memorial Community Church, 300 Church Sept. 13, Yom Kippur.

Ave., Bradenton Beach. Information: 941-779-1912.

Oct. 9, ECA potluck supper.

9:45 a.m. — Episcopal Church of the Annunciation.

Nov. 6, Roser Memorial Community Church Holiday Craft Fair.

Gathering Gathering is the religion page for The Islander. We welcome news from local places of worship, as well as their photographs and calendar listings.

Dec. 4, ECA Holly Berry Bazaar.

Please, send notices to calendar@islander.org.

Obituaries

Skip Coyne, Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch volunteer, worked nights in 2020, ensuring the construction crews with the beach renourishment project avoided interfering with sea turtles, which usually nest at night on island beaches. Islander File Photo

Andrew Joseph ‘Skip’ Coyne III

Andrew Joseph “Skip” Coyne III, of Sarasota, died July 18.

His parents brought him to St. Petersburg as a child from Cleveland, Ohio. He was the son of Alice and Andrew J. II. Mr. Coyne and his wife of 32 years, Diane, moved to Sarasota in 1984 with their two sons. She died in 2009.

He was raised a Catholic. He attended Admiral Farragut Academy in St. Petersburg and graduated from the University of South Florida.

He was owner of SPS Telecom for 42 years.

He became instrumental in stopping the development by a private company of land in Manatee County near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, which he felt would be an environmental disaster.

He loved local Florida history, woodworking, building and the outdoors — fishing, hiking, sailing and kayaking.

He was dedicated to saving the Florida environment and helping Florida’s fresh water springs survive any sort of development.

He became involved with Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch soon after he tackled a project to stop the state land swap of Rattlesnake Key that was slated for a huge development in 2010.

He began with AMITW by volunteering for patrols and soon foraged a relationship with Suzi Fox, executive director of AMITW. They were drawn together by their love to preserve the beach habitat and ensure the survival of the sea turtles that arrive on the shores of Anna Maria Island from May-November every year to nest.

He became the nonprofit’s environmental director and a dedicated volunteer.

“Skip will be sorely missed from his duties overseeing the early morning, late night patrols for signs of sea turtles on the beaches of Anna Maria Island,”

SUNDAY WORSHIP • 8:30 AM or 10:00 AM

COMMUNITY CHURCH IN PERSON in the Sanctuary Nursery • Children’s Church ONLINE • Watch LIVE or LATER www.RoserChurch.com Text ROSER to 22828 to receive the weekly eBulletin The CHAPEL is open during office hours for prayer & meditation

Essential

according to a friend. He was much loved.

The family is planning a private service in California, while AMITW is planning an end-of-nesting season gathering together with a celebration of life, with a time, date and place to be announced.

Memorial donations may be made to Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch, 6409 16th Ave. Drive W., Bradenton, FL 34209.

Mr. Coyne is survived by his sons, Andrew “Joe” J. IV and Edward and wife Angie Beishline; and a grandson, Martin, all of California; his life partner, Suzi Fox of Bradenton Beach, and his great dog, Spike.

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July 28, 2021 THE ISLANDER | islander.org Page 13 ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Obituaries

Scoot-it or ticket three scooter operators were fined July 16 for blocking a beach access where emergency responders found limited access to aid a beachgoer in distress.

Holmes Beach Police chief Bill tokajer told the islander July 22 the city has a $250 fine for blocking access by emergency vehicles but the scooter owners will only be fined $75 due to improper signage. the city replaced the sign to inform people the fine for blocking the emergency access is $250. tokajer added that the beachgoer who was the subject of the emergency was alert, but taken by emS to Blake medical center in Bradenton. islander Photo: courtesy HBPd

Wade W. LaDue

Wade William LaDue of Independence, Missouri, and Holmes Beach, died July 20 in Independence.

He was born Aug. 31, 1935.

He graduated high school in San Pedro, California, where he was an outstanding athlete in football and especially baseball.

A graduate of the University of Missouri in 1957, he lettered in baseladue ball and made many lifelong friends in Sigma Chi. Commissioned in the U.S. Army, he worked three years for the Kansas City Athletics before embarking on his 24-year Army career as a pilot and in public relations.

He loved flying, especially the twin-engine Caribou he transported to Vietnam in 1968 for the second of his two tours.

Assigned around the world, he specialized in public affairs before retiring.

He returned to Kansas City as the director of public relations and publications for the national headquarters of the VFW. He spent his final working years as owner of Destinations Unlimited Travel in Blue Springs.

Mr. LaDue was a member of Sigma Chi, VFW, Army Otter Caribou Association, Key Royale Club, MOAA, First United Methodist Church of Blue Springs and Roser Memorial Community Church in Anna Maria.

He loved flying, traveling, playing golf, music, caring for his dog, Bisbee, and his family and friends.

A special thank-you goes to the staff at Villages at Jackson Creek Memory Care and Lumicare Hospice in Missouri and to Manuela Espinosa, caregiver and friend, from the family.

Memorial donations may be made to First United Methodist Church, 301 SW Woods Chapel Road, Blue Springs, MO 64015, and Roser Church, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, FL 34216. Services were planned for July 28 in Blue Springs.

Mr. LaDue is survived by his wife of 64 years, Gloria; children Paul and wife Katrina of Gladstone, Missouri, and Ginny Gordanier and husband Kyle of Peculiar, Missouri; grandchildren Cody and wife Tirzah Raney, Ella Raney, Nick and Elise, Kimberly and husband Zac Parks and Robert Gordanier; greatgrandchildren Izabella and Bo Raney.

WMFR offering CPR classes

Sharknadoes?

By ryan Paice islander reporter

One class could save a life.

West Manatee Fire Rescue Deputy Chief Jay Johnson wrote in a July 22 email to The Islander that the district will offer three cardiopulmonary resuscitation classes to the public this fall.

CPR is a lifesaving technique useful in emergencies if a person’s heartbeat has stopped, such as a heart attack or near drowning.

WMFR’s CPR classes include: • A BLS Provider course aimed at training medical professionals and other personnel how to perform CPR and other basic cardiovascular life support skills; • A Heartsaver CPR AED course for people who need certification in CPR and AED to meet job or regulatory requirements; • The American Heart Association’s Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED to meet job or regulatory requirements, as well as “anyone who wants to be prepared for an emergency.”

Each class, conducted by the district’s certified instructors, costs $50 per person, however, classes are held only after at least four people sign up.

Classes will be held at the WMFR administration building, 701 63rd St. W., Bradenton.

People interested in signing up for classes can contact Johnson at 941-761-1555.

Bill Zoller of Bradenton captured two waterspouts spinning over the gulf of mexico July 25 just after sunset at “about 8:30 or so at the 74th Street access” in Holmes Beach” he wrote to the islander. “i’m a Bradenton native, so i’ve seen these over the years.” islander courtesy Photo

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Page 14 THE ISLANDER | islander.org July 28, 2021 ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

41-year-old cold case: Reviewing Kingfish killing spree

By Ryan Paice Islander Reporter

Lingering interest in the unsolved killings of four people in Holmes Beach may be the only thing keeping hope alive for a resolution.

“Keeping interest in it is always good,” Holmes Beach Detective Sgt. Brian Hall told The Islander July 22. “Somebody might just be waiting until their deathbed — you never know.”

On Aug. 1, 1980, the Holmes Beach Police Department responded to call from the then-Foodway grocery store to what seemed at first to be a vehicular accident and found two scenes and a quadruplemurder that stretched from the Kingfish Boat Ramp to the store.

According to statements by Raymond Barrows, the only survivor among the five shooting victims that day, his brother, Tampa physician Juan Dumois, and Dumois’ sons Eric, 13, and Mark, 9, were leaving Kingfish after a fishing trip in their station wagon with their boat in tow when a man stuck his head in the vehicle window.

The man, described as dark-haired in his mid-30s with a bicycle, claimed to have a sprained ankle and asked for a lift, which the family obliged.

The man loaded his bike into the boat on the trailer and joined the boys in the back seat.

After the vehicle started moving, the man pulled out a .22 caliber gun and shot each of the family members in the head. Dumois and his boys would die.

The car careened off the road and the trailer jackknifed at the entrance to Westbay Cove North, where the gunman exited the back seat of the vehicle, grabbed his bike and rode toward Foodway.

But the incident was observed by retired Air Force Lt. Col. Robert Matzke.

Matzke was gardening at his Westbay condo when he saw the man leaving what appeared to be a crash.

He watched and followed the man to Foodway and, apparently, confronted him in the parking lot.

There, the man shot Matzke where he was seated in his Fiat convertible, leaving a fifth victim before he loaded his bike into a waiting vehicle and left.

Matzke, mortally wounded, still behind the wheel, crashed the Fiat into another vehicle in the Foodway parking lot, which is how the HBPD received a report of a vehicular accident from store patrons. Emergency

Emergency personnel and bystanders respond Aug. 1, 1980, in Holmes Beach, to a crash where three people were fatally shot and one person was injured. The case known as the Kingfish murders remains unsolved. Islander File Photo

responders were unaware Matzke had been shot until they attended to him.

While the case dragged on for months, law enforcement never found solid evidence pointing to a killer and had no plausible motives for the killings.

Now, 41 years after the fact, the case is as cold as ice.

Police did not find fingerprints or genetic material from the gunman, leaving little to work off in the first place. DNA testing did not exist then and, by the time it did, the station wagon had been disposed.

Barrows, the surviving victim, died two years after the killings from a heart attack.

Secondary sources also have been limited.

Hall, age 2 when the killings occurred, said the HBPD hadn’t received a tip about the case in “at least” a decade and had no leads or theories to work off.

At this point, Hall said the multi-box case file is only reviewed when the media explores it for anniverplease, see kingfish, Next Page

“I saw a car and boat trailer jackknifed near a power pole,” reporter June Alder wrote about her arrival to the scene of a quadruple murder Aug. 1, 1980, on Manatee Avenue at East Bay Drive in Holmes Beach.

Emergency workers place a man on a stretcher at the scene of the crash near the Kingfish Boat Ramp Aug. 1, 1980. The four murders that occurred that day remain unsolved.

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Bradenton man arrested for assaulting Moose bartender

Bradenton Beach police arrested a 57-year-old Bradenton man July 19 for allegedly assaulting a bartender at the Moose Lodge.

Robert Phillips was arrested for aggravated battery, a second-degree felony, after he allegedly used a bar mat to slap a lodge employee.

Phillips, who claimed to be a Moose member, allegedly pounded on a service window at the lodge and demanded the bartender explain why Phillips’ vehicle was towed, according to a BBPD report.

The bartender told police he and other employees were cleaning up at the end of the night when Phillips repeatedly pounded on a window and demanded to know the whereabouts of the vehicle.

The bartender referred Phillips to the contact information provided on the parking lot signs.

Before the bartender could close the service window, Phillips allegedly grabbed a small bartender mat and smacked the employee across the face, leaving scratches, the report read.

After his arrest, Phillips was held at Manatee County jail and released July 20 on his own recognizance.

He is scheduled to appear Friday, Aug. 13, in court at the Manatee County Judicial Center in Bradenton.

— Amy V.T. Moriarty

Streetlife

Cops & Courts

Former restaurant worker charged in child porn case

By Ryan Paice Islander Reporter

Prosecutors are throwing the book at former Island Grill employee Owen Hagan.

Assistant State Attorney Casey Cahall filed a document July 16 with the Manatee County Clerk of Court charging Hagan, 27, of Bradenton, with 26 thirddegree felony counts for allegedly possessing child pornography.

Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Hagan June 28 in Palmetto following an investigation that began Feb. 4, when DropBox Inc. reported suspicious computer uploads to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline.

The NCMEC’s CyberTipline — which forwards suspected online crimes against children to law enforcement agencies — reported the tip to the MCSO. The first CyberTip reported that a DropBox Inc. client with a username of “Owen Hagan” uploaded four video files containing child pornography between Dec. 20, 2020, and Feb. 4, 2021, according to an affidavit in support of Hagan’s arrest warrant.

The MCSO received a second CyberTip Feb. 15, also originating from DropBox Inc., indicating the same user uploaded 11 files — 10 of which police said contained child pornography — in the days following

Staff reports

Island police reports

Anna Maria No new reports.

The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office polices Anna Maria.

Bradenton Beach July 19, 1600 block of Gulf Drive North, domestic battery. Bradenton Beach police were dispatched to an assault call. They found a female victim with an injured neck and collarbone who alleged a family member hit her during an argument. The subject was arrested for domestic battery, a first-degree misdemeanor.

The BBPD polices Bradenton Beach.

Cortez No new reports.

The MCSO polices Cortez.

Holmes Beach July 14, 3200 block of East Bay Drive, battery. A man called Holmes Beach police to report a coworker inappropriately touched him. kingfish from page 14

sary stories. He said it was difficult to approach a case that began when he was a child and had passed through so many hands.

“It’s kind of hard to comprehend in a way,” Hall said. “There’s been so much work done on this, and yet here we are. We still don’t have any answers.”

The circumstances and lack of resolution fueled several theories surrounding the killings.

One theory posits that the murders may have been a professional hit by the Cuban government or somehow related to Dumois having fled the country during Fidel Castro’s rise to power.

Others speculate the killings were related to drugs or the mafia, but nothing has been substantive enough for police to pursue.

Hall encouraged continued public interest in the

July 17, 700 block of Manatee Avenue, marijuana.

An officer stopped a motorist who failed to brake at a red light. The officer smelled marijuana coming from the vehicle. After the driver produced a small pill bottle with marijuana inside, the officer issued citations.

July 17, Manatee Public Beach, 4000 Gulf Drive, alcohol. An officer found two brothers drinking beer atop a lifeguard tower in the early morning. The officer issued citations and drove them home.

July 18, 400 block of 63rd Street South, construction. A caller reported unpermitted construction and, on exploring the work site, the officer issued a citation to the company performing the work.

July 19, Anchor Inn, 3007 Gulf Drive, larceny. A man approached an HBPD officer to report his bicycle stolen from outside the bar the night before. He said he returned to search for the bike, but couldn’t find it.

An officer issued a case number, collected the bike’s serial number and entered it into databases.

HBPD polices Holmes Beach. case but didn’t sound enthusiastic about the prospect of solving the mystery.

“If we had some good leads, that’d be fantastic,” Hall said. “Over the years, it seems like somebody would have seen something. It’s amazing that it’s gone so cold when it happened in broad daylight.”

People with information about the incident can call the HBPD at 941-708-5804 or visit at 5801 Marina Drive.

The city does not offer a reward for information, but Police Chief Bill Tokajer said Crime Stoppers would reward a person for reporting information relevant to the case.

Manatee County Crime Stoppers can be found online at manateecrimestoppers.com and the tipline is 866-634-TIPS.

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the first report.

Detectives used an IP address associated with the DropBox Inc. user to subpoena the individual’s internet and email providers for more information, which helped them identify Hagan as the user.

Police contacted Hagan March 17 at his mother’s home, where he was living, and confiscated his phone for forensic analysis.

A digital forensics program, Cellebrite Reader, found Hagan had accessed DropBox Inc. at several points matching the reported uploads, searched the internet multiple times for child pornography and visited websites known to contain the material.

The program reportedly recovered 11 images and 15 videos from Hagan’s phone that authorities claim include depictions of sexual conduct by a child.

Hagan was booked into the Manatee County jail the same day as his arrest and remained there under a $650,000 bond as of July 23.

On behalf of Hagan, assistant public defender Allanah McClintock July 7 filed a not guilty plea to all charges and demanded a jury trial.

Potential sentences for third-degree felonies include up to five years in prison, a $5,000 fine and five years probation.

The SAO’s charges and Hagan’s plea were read into the record during a July 23 arraignment under 12th District Judge Frederick Mercurio.

Another court hearing in the case had yet to be scheduled as of July 23.

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Page 16 THE ISLANDER | islander.org July 28, 2021 ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

AMI fishing guide gets real about red tide

By Kelsey Mako Islander Reporter

Capt. David White navigated the boat containing the day’s catch and two anglers toward Anna Maria Island.

The fishing trip was fruitful but the catch was less than White had anticipated.

As the boat approached shore, White noticed an alarming number of dead fish floating in the water.

Immediately, he knew a red tide outbreak had caused a fish kill.

White, guiding fishing trips for Anna Maria Island Fishing Charters, has experienced economic and environmental problems from red tides in the past and July 16 he discussed the causes of red tide, as well as the ways to reduce outbreaks with The Islander.

Red tide is a harmful algae bloom created when the organisms grow out of control and create toxins that can be harmful to humans and deadly for marine animals.

Red tide blooms often grow from an overabundance of nutrients, such as phosphate and nitrogen, and red tides are naturally occurring.

But sometimes the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, is fed nutrients at unnatural levels or in an unnatural process.

And White lays the blame this summer’s red tide outbreak, considered the worst in 50 years by some environmentalists, at the door of Piney Point.

For decades, Piney Point, a phosphate mining operation in Manatee County near Port Manatee, has been an environmental hazard in terms of air, ground and water pollution. The plant isn’t operational now but what remains are massive phosphogypsum stacks with containment ponds, liners and cooling systems to handle the waste left behind.

A leak at the site, beginning in late March, prompted regulators to release millions of gallons of nutrient-rich, wastewater daily to Tampa Bay. The release, intended to avoid a larger disaster at the site, continued from March 26-April 8.

“We’re essentially putting gasoline on a forest fire,” White said, referring to the red tide that grows out of control from nutrients.

White said a large red tide outbreak did not immediately occur after the releases from Piney Point because, like fertilized grass, the algae needed some water, sunlight and time to grow.

He also said he believed the state released water into Tampa Bay for liability reasons despite other options.

Human lives were not directly at risk after people living close to Piney Point were evacuated, but the state still would have been responsible for damaged property if there was a collapse of the stack system or a large break in the containment ponds.

So the state allowed the wastewater release into

Capt. David White, left, and Josh Taylor of South Carolina, show off Taylor’s July 18 catch in the Gulf of Mexico, a nice “smoker” kingfish.

Islander Courtesy Photo

the bay because, as White said, “Dead fish can’t sue anybody.”

He also cited the sugar cane industry as a culprit in red tide outbreaks. The crop is fertilized and rain washes the nutrients into the waterways.

“It’s fertilizer that feeds the nation … but there’s got to be a cleaner way and a better remedy for the water that’s left over,” White said.

“It’s all about money, and it’s not going to be cheap.

But at what expense? You can’t eat your money.”

White added that the previous administration drastically underfunded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the organization in charge of policing and enforcing environmental regulations.

“It’s like a middle school getting rid of its principal,” he said.

Meanwhile, White said he saw three phosphate tankers in Tampa Bay heading to Port Manatee during a recent fishing trip.

“They’re driving through all these dead fish to go facilitate the problem again,” he said. “If we can put Jeff Bezos into space, we can figure out how to make a cleaner way of mining.”

Asked how he thinks red tide will affect his job, White said he is less concerned about lost revenue and more concerned about stopping red tide outbreaks.

He has a permit allowing him to go out nine miles into federal waters, so he can go offshore to fish.

“It affects everybody from the cashier at Jessie’s whose hours get cut because people stopped coming in, to the busboy at the Waterfront restaurant, to my job,” White said.

Maps dated July 8, left, and a week later on July 13, show progression in the red tide outbreak in Tampa Bay. Islander Courtesy Graphics

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New principal takes reins, sets goals, ambitions for AME

AmE NEWS

By Kelsey Mako Islander Reporter

A new top boss has arrived at Anna Maria Elementary School.

Mike Masiello began his new job July 1at AME, following the retirement of principal Jackie Featherston at the end of the 2020-21 academic year.

Since July 1, Masiello has been working with the school advisory Masiello council, the parent-teacher organization and staff to prepare for the 2021-22 school year, with classes set to begin Aug. 10.

Before July 1, Masiello worked with Featherston to hire new teachers and spent time on the AME campus meeting teachers and students.

“I’ve learned there’s a lot of community involvement out here. And the parents are really involved in the school and want to support the school and be involved in their child’s education,” he said.

Masiello said his goals are to help AME maintain its designation as a school of excellence, as well as increase the number of students attending AME. Masiello worked at Ballard Elementary for five years and was assistant principal at Bayshore Elementary for four years.

He has worked in education for 25 years. During the beginning of his career, he worked as a special education specialist for 10 years at Stewart Elementary, as well as a behavioral specialist at the same school.

Masiello has experience in Title I schools, working with students individually and using student data to make the best plans for students. Title I schools are schools provided with additional resources for economically disadvantaged students.

Although academic, social and emotional needs were higher in other schools where he worked, Masiello said there are students at all schools with needs to meet.

“Kids are kids,” he said, adding that he plans to use his experience and leadership at AME. For Masiello, being a principal means making sure every student can learn and all parents can participate in their children’s learning.

“It’s a very responsible job. And there’s a lot of accountability,” he said.

Masiello said it also is his job to encourage staff and students to set high goals and work to achieve them.

“Promoting a positive growth mindset, providing support and giving staff the tools they need to be successful in their jobs is extremely important,” he said.

Masiello and Featherston first worked together at Stewart Elementary School. There, Featherston hired Masiello and encouraged him to pursue educational leadership.

He learned the importance of being a good listener from Featherston.

“She was always willing to listen. She always had an open-door policy. And she always cared for her staff and the students, so she always would treat people with a high degree of respect,” he said.

Masiello said he is looking forward to working in a small school in a tightknit community.

“I think it’s going to be a positive school year and I just look forward to getting back to normal,” he said.

AME plans for the fall Anna Maria Elementary School is on track to return to a sense of normalcy in 2021-22.

AME plans to open without coronavirus restrictions, Masiello told The Islander July 19.

Activities and opportunities offered at AME in the past, including volunteering, plays and events, are set

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to resume.

Back-to-School Night also will be in-person, Masiello said.

“We’re going to try and get back to our normal routines,” he said.

The event is set for Thursday, Aug. 5, when the doors open for kindergarten, first- and second-grade students and families to visit 4:30-5:15 p.m., with students in the higher grades welcomed 5:15-6 p.m.

Additionally, masks will be optional during the school day and AME will not be offering a virtual learning option, which was the case throughout 202021 and the final months of 2019-20.

“If somebody doesn’t want to send their child to school, they could enroll in Florida Virtual School or one of those platforms,” Masiello suggested.

Asked about concerns over the new Delta coronavirus variant, Masiello said AME plans to follow Manatee County School District guidelines.

“It’s going to be a fluid situation,” he said.

Other changes include some cosmetics and staff adjustments.

The school was recarpeted and retiled over the summer.

Additionally, Promethean smart boards are being installed in classrooms.

With Featherston, Masiello said he hired three classroom teachers, a computer lab manager, a guidance counselor and a full-time substitute teacher following five retirements in June.

The substitute teacher and computer lab manager positions are new to the school.

A little less than 200 students will attend AME — 84 students are zoned on the island and the rest are “choice” students — school choice allows families to select a school outside their district.

Parents can register students anytime at AME, as registration does not close.

The school is at 4700 Gulf Drive in Holmes Beach.

The office can be reached at 941-708-5525.

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Page 18 THE ISLANDER | islander.org July 28, 2021 ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

nesting notes

By Kelsey Mako

Hey, hatchlings!

By Kelsey mako islander reporter

Sea turtles are multiplying by the hundreds on island beaches.

Yes, phase 2 of sea turtle nesting season is underway on Anna Maria Island, with hatchlings emerging from the earliest of the season’s loggerhead nests.

Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch volunteer Pete Gross described what the hatching process looks like — for turtles and volunteers — via a phone interview July 21.

Nesting season runs May 1-Oct. 31.

Female turtles lay eggs May-August and hatchlings emerge July-October.

As of July 21, eight sea turtle nests on the island hatched, with the first hatchlings emerging July 6.

Loggerhead females lay about 100 eggs per nest about 21 inches deep in the sand, according to Gross.

The incubation period is about two months and then, when sea turtles hatch, they take about three to five days to emerge from nests, Gross said.

Hatchlings emerge from nests mostly at night to avoid predators.

They scurry down the beach and swim for about 24 hours, until they reach grassy beds in the Gulf of Mexico, where they feed and rest.

Gross said about 60% of turtles make it to those grassy beds but only one in 1,000 survive to adulthood.

Turtles at least 25-30 years old qualify as adults. mako

You can read it all online at islander.org

non-hatched and pipped eggs.

A pipped egg is an egg that a turtle has cracked but not exited and can contain either a live or dead sea turtle.

Each shell that is over 50% intact counts as a hatched egg.

Gross said volunteers find hatchlings that have not left the nest about 30%-40% of the time. Volunteers release some hatchlings into the Gulf and put others in buckets with water and sand until they are strong enough to be released, depending on the circumstance.

Hatchlings that need extra care are sent to Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium in Sarasota.

The best season for hatchlings on the island was 2018, culminating in 447 hatched nests 35,788 hatchlings. The low season was 2005, ending with 97 hatched nests and 2,698 hatchlings.

Gross said it is nearly impossible to guess how many hatchlings the island will welcome this season.

About 75 nests were washed away by Tropical Storm Elsa but 284 nests remain and female turtles continue to nest.

Beachgoers can help hatchlings by picking up trash and covering holes in the sand, while beach neighbors can help by turning out or shielding their night lights and using turtle-friendly lighting.

Artificial lighting can cause disorientations among a file photo from 2010 shows how a hatchling, disbaby sea turtles and furniture and holes left on the oriented by artificial lighting, strayed from the beach beach can cause turtles to get stuck, both preventing to a motel pool, where it was rescued. islander turtles from reaching the Gulf.

Photo: Pete gross For more information on AMITW, go to islandturtlewatch.com or call executive director Suzi Fox at A loggerhead hatchling only measures about two 941-778-5638. inches and weighs less than an ounce, while they can grow to a shell length of 27-37 inches and weigh more than 400 pounds.

Signs that a nest has hatched include a hole in the sand mound where a nest is located and hatchling tracks.

AMITW volunteers check the nests daily and mark the hatched nests with a red flag.

They excavate nests three days after seeing signs of hatchlings or 70 days after marking a nest if there were no signs of hatchlings. as of July 25, amitW had identified 389 nests, Excavating a nest involves removing all eggs from 522 false crawls and 11 hatched nests on ami. the cavity and determining the number of hatched,

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July 28, 2021 THE ISLANDER | islander.org Page 19 ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

By Lisa Neff

Reading the bold print

The objectives are stated in bold, capital letters and numbered, so there’s no mistaking their importance.

OBJECTIVE 1: PROTECT, RESTORE AND ENHANCE THE DIVERSITY AND ABUNDANCE OF NATIVE FISH. OBJECTIVE 2: PROTECT, RESTORE AND ENHANCE THE DIVERSITY AND ABUNDANCE OF NATIVE SHELLFISH. OBJECTIVE 3: MONITOR AND PROTECT THREATENED, neff ENDANGERED AND VULNERABLE WILDLIFE. Consider these objectives for Sarasota Bay when you read the next report on the record number of manatee mortalities in Florida or the news on local red tide blooms.

Consider these objectives when you come across a dead stingray on the beach or see a dead pelican entangled in fishing line at a pier.

Until the end of the month, the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program is collecting public comments on its draft comprehensive conservation and management plan, which can be downloaded at sarasotabay.org.

The plan identifies progress and failure in revitalizing the bay, listing threats and identifying strategies related to water quality, watershed habitats and fish and wildlife.

Diverse bay habitats — wetlands, reefs, seagrass meadows and tidal tributaries — teem with fish, dolphins, manatees, sea turtles and crustaceans.

For years — 10,000 years — the bay’s population has sustained human life.

In return, we’ve overdeveloped and overharvested, polluted the water, introduced invasive species and spurred climate change.

Now we’re called on to deliver better returns to the bay.

SBEP’s draft plan calls for the following to restore the diversity and abundance of native fish: • Research to fill fisheries data gaps, including information on migration barriers, harmful algal blooms and climate change impact; • Exploration of the effectiveness of stock enhancement — the raising of fish in a hatchery and releasing them to supplement existing populations; • Promotion of angling practices that increase conservation and prevent marine waste.

SBEP’s draft plan calls for the following to protect, restore and enhance the diversity and abundance of

a white ibis. audubon florida reported there were 120 nesting pairs of white ibis in the bay area in 2015 and zero in 2019. islander courtesy Photo

native shellfish: • Research on shellfish habitat needs and vulnerabilities to climate change; • Research to understand the benefits of shellfish stock enhancement to improve water quality, habitat and native populations.

Sarasota Bay and tidal tributaries support oysters, scallops, crabs, shrimp, lobsters and clams, all of which benefit ecosystems.

To protect threatened, endangered and vulnerable wildlife, SBEP’s draft plan calls for continued monitoring of dolphins and manatees, as well as strengthening and enforcing protections.

The bay is home to about 160 resident bottlenose dolphins threatened by natural predators, such as sharks, but also boat collisions, illegal feeding, entanglement and ingestion of fishing gear and pollution.

The bay is home to Florida manatees threatened by cold snaps but also boat collisions, entanglement, habitat loss and pollution.

Also, 14 islands in the bay system support 18-colonial-nesting species of birds — herons, egrets, spoonbills — threatened by entanglement and fishing hooks, human disturbance, pollution and habitat loss due to erosion from boat wakes, storms and sea level rise.

Audubon Florida keeps population counts of these birds and documented a decline in nesting pairs in the bay area from 2015 to 2019: 95 nesting pairs of snowy egrets in 2015 compared with 70 in 2019, 65 nesting pairs of little blue herons in 2015 and 15 in 2019; 75 nesting pairs of cattle egret in 2015 and 14 in 2019; 120 nesting pairs of white ibis in 2015 and zero in 2019.

“Efforts to reverse declines and stabilize populations of these and other birds include critical habitat protection and restoration,” reads the draft report.

For an example of an effort to achieve such a goal, look to Longboat Key, which placed Whale Key and Town Islands in the conservation care of the Audubon Society.

“No trespassing” signs went up.

And, yes, birds came down to roost.

Storm ready?

Boaters: Brace for wind, waves

When a tropical storm or hurricane threatens Anna Maria Island, boat owners and operators must be concerned about more than their homes and families.

Some tips and cautions to get boaters through hurricane season: • If an anchorage/mooring plan calls for moving vessels, a boater should relocate at least 48-72 hours before a storm is to strike.

• Experts recommend having at least two storm anchors.

• Replace smaller, two-hole cleats with larger four-hole cleats backed with aluminum, stainless steel or marine plywood plates.

• Make sure fuel tanks are full, fuel filters are clean, batteries are charged, bilges are clean, cockpit drains are clear, fire-fighting equipment is working.

• Remove or secure deck gear, portable gear, radio antennas, outriggers, chairs, benches, bimini tops and canvas/curtains, sails, boom, extra halyards, canister rafts and dinghies.

• Canals may be a good choice for storing a boat in a storm. However, using east-west canals can bring disaster when a hurricane approaches across the Gulf of Mexico traveling east to the mainland.

• Lifts and davits are not recommended for boat storage during a storm.

• The best offshore mooring to ride out a storm is in the center of a canal or narrow river.

• Do not raft vessels together at moorings or docks, especially if larger and smaller vessels are involved.

• If the vessel must remain dockside, heavyduty fender boards should be used on a bare-wood center piling. Lines should be doubled and even tripled in length where necessary to hold a vessel in the center of a berth or off a seawall or dock pilings.

• If moving a boat, be sure to get going before bridges are locked down.

• Do not stay aboard a vessel during a storm.

Sources: National Hurricane Center, Florida Division of Emergency Management, American Boating Association.

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Page 20 THE ISLANDER | islander.org July 28, 2021 ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Football, soccer, golf, horseshoes finish off AMI sports for July

By Kevin P. cassidy islander reporter

And it’s finally time for some football.

The summer flag football league for adults at the Center of Anna Maria Island kicked off July 22 with four games starting with We The Best Lending cruising to a 50-22 victory over Sandbar Restaurant.

Chase Richardson had a big game, finishing with three touchdown passes, a touchdown run, a pick-six and a cassidy 2-point conversion. Tim Holly and Jonathan Soultatos each added two touchdown receptions, while Holly also added a pair of quarterback sacks, including one for a safety. Dom Otteni threw a touchdown pass, a 2-point conversion and a pair of interceptions to complete the scoring.

Matt Manger threw touchdown passes to Anthony Mannino, Dina DeJesus and Brandin Holcomb, while Bradley Coleman and Holcomb added a 2-point conversion to lead Sandbar in the loss.

The second game of the evening saw Catalyst ease past Beach Bums behind a pair of touchdown passes from Jon Moss. Brent Moss added a touchdown pass and a touchdown reception, while Jesse Skipper added a pair of touchdown receptions in the victory. Zach Long added two interceptions to lead the Catalyst defense, which also received interceptions from Jon Moss and Greg Moss.

JB Shuck and Jaret Rojas each threw touchdown passes to Cruz Rodriguez to lead Beach Bums, which also received interceptions on defense from Shuck, Chad Woods and Rojas.

Next up for the evening of games, TBT earned a 34-0 shutout victory over TMT behind four touchdown passes from Matt Briley and a touchdown pass and a receiving touchdown from Brandon Kull. Briley, Octavious Cole, Melissa Acevedo and Zach Routh. Routh also added a quarterback sack for a safety and Kull finished with three interceptions to lead the defense.

The last game of the night was a close, low-scoring affair that saw Cortez Deep Sea Fishing hold on for a 14-12 victory over Rays Ramblings. Tuna McCracken connected with Tyler Brewer on a TD pass and an extra point, while Cole Carter ran for a score. Ava Zink, who had an interception on defense, completed the scoring

Sandbar’s anthony mannino eludes the flag pull from We the Best lender’s Jonathan Soultatos July 22 during adult flag football action on the field at the center of anna maria island. islander Photo: Kevin P. cassidy

with an extra-point reception.

Rays Ramblings was led by Ryan Moss, who threw TD passes to Kari Stephens and James Roadman to lead the offense. Stephens added three quarterback sacks and Bobby McMillan added an interception to round out the defensive effort.

Soccer heads back to the gym The youth indoor soccer league at the Center of Anna Maria Island was back in the gym with two games and some classic end-to-end action July 20.

The first match saw Beach Bums and Moss Builders battle to a 3-3 tie. Savannah Coba scored all three goals for Beach Bums, which also received assists from Turner Worth and Brandon Sato, while Dylan Sato made nine saves.

Mason Moss scored two goals and Austin Guess added a goal. Guess also teamed up with Jack Schneider to combine for 10 saves in the tie.

Sandbar’s dina deJesus holds onto the ball and scores a touchdown despite the defense of We the Best lending’s Jasmine muldoon during action July 22 in the adult flag football league at the center. islander Photo: Kevin P. cassidy

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The second match saw Shady Lady cruise to a 6-2 victory over Solid Rock Construction behind four goals from Jesse Zaccagnino and a goal, an assist and six saves from Cale Rudacille. Amelia Blunkall added a goal and Jack Zaccagnino made nine saves in the victory.

Chad Nunez scored two goals to lead Solid Rock Construction, which also received a combined 12 saves from Isaac Roadman, Liam Nunez and Matthew Winsper in the loss.

The kids were back in the gym July 21 with two more games. First up, Beach Bums crushed Solid Rock Construction by an 8-1 score. Coba again did most of the damage, scoring five goals, while Brandon Sato added two and brother Dylan added one. Cyrus Ryan made four saves to help preserve the victory.

Madi Darak notched the lone goal for Solid Rock, which received 12 saves from Roadman in the loss.

Moss Builders closed out the week’s action at the community center with a 4-0 victory over Shady Lady.

Mason Moss scored three goals and Gabrielle Bodnar added one. Austin Guess made seven saves to help close out the win.

Jack Zaccagnino and Cale Rudacille combined on nine saves to lead Shady Lady in the loss.

Key Royale news There was a full week of good weather and golf at the Key Royale Club in Holmes Beach, starting with the men’s regular nine-hole modified-Stableford system match July 19. Sean Purcell took top honors with a plus-5 — 5 points more than his average.

Second place went to Fred Miller at plus-4, while Ron Vandeman was alone in third at plus-3.

The women played a nine-hole individual-low-net match in two flights July 20. Karen Wynn rode a birdie on the number one to a 2-under-par 30 for first place in Flight A. Mary Wilke and Sue Wheeler finished in a tie for second with matching 3-over-par 35s.

Terry Westby’s 2-over-par 34 gave her first place in Flight B by two strokes over Pam Alvord. Janet Razze and Marilyn Niewijk tied for third at 5-over-par 37.

Debi Wohlers wasn’t on the leaderboard, but she notched a birdie on the first hole.

The week wrapped up July 22 with a nine-hole shamble that saw the team of Diane Miller, Chris Nelson and Tom Nelson card first place at 4-underpar 28. Ken Butler, Ron Hammond, Hoyt Miller and Gary Razze took second with a 2-under-par 30.

Horseshoe news Two teams emerged from pool play with 3-0 records and battled for the championship during July 21 horseshoe action at the Anna Maria City Hall pits.

Dom Livedoti and Steve Doyle jumped to an early lead and held on for an exciting 21-19 victory over Jerry Disbrow and Bob Heiger.

Two teams also advanced to the knockout stage in the July 24 games, when Heiger was again in the mix.

He teamed with Bill Silver to earn a 21-11 victory over Doyle in the championship game.

Play gets underway at 9 a.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays at the Anna Maria City Hall pits. Warmups begin at 8:45 a.m., followed by random team selection.

There is no charge to play and everyone is welcome.

Fishing tip! If you hook a bird, remember: Reel, remove, release!

July 28, 2021 THE ISLANDER | islander.org Page 21 ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Red tide skirts AMI, fishing remains challenging but productive

By Capt. Danny Stasny Islander Reporter

Although red tide lingers in Tampa Bay to the north and Sarasota Bay to the south, the waters in the immediate area of Anna Maria Island remain fishable.

The waters around Bean Point, Passage and Egmont keys are mostly clear, providing sanctuary for numerous fish fleeing red tide. The waters of Terra Ceia Bay and the mouth of the Manatee River seem to be tolerable to most species of fish, too.

Stasny As far as fishing goes, many anglers are opting to venture into the Gulf of Mexico in search of clean water and good fishing. Reports from offshore include catches of red grouper, as well as numerous red, mangrove and yellowtail snappers.

Migratory species — Spanish mackerel and bonito — also are being found frequently in the Gulf.

Fishing inshore waters can be challenging, although there are fish to be caught. For sport fishers, catch-and-release snook fishing is proving to be the best bite, especially during early morning tides when the water is slightly cooler than during the heat of the day. Spotted seatrout are taking a hook, as well as some keeper mangrove snapper and Spanish mackerel.

On my Southernaire charters, I’m following that same pattern. Catch-and-release snook fishing is producing the most action for my clients. I’m also seeing plenty of mangrove snapper coming to the boat while snook fishing. This adds variety to the bite, as well as gives folks the option to take a couple of fish home for dinner.

Catch-and-release spotted seatrout are taking the hook, although most fish are small, just below 15 inches.

Lastly, fishing over wrecks and reefs in southern

TideWatch

Red tide remains on Gulf coast, in Tampa Bay

A bloom of the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, persists on the Florida Gulf Coast and in Tampa Bay. For the week ending July 5, bloom concentrations greater than 100,000 cells per liter were observed in 83 samples, including four from Manatee County.

K. brevis was observed at background to high concentrations in Manatee County, low to high concentrations in and offshore of Pinellas County, very low to high concentrations in and offshore of Hillsborough County, very low to high concentrations in

Anna Maria Island Tides

Date

July 28 July 29 July 30 July 31 Aug 1 Aug 2 Aug 3 Aug 4

AM

HIGH

PM

4:12a 4:37a 5:07a 5:42a 6:22a 7:08a 7:58a 8:50a

1.7 1.8 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5

3:22p 4:21p 5:32p 7:08p 9:11p — — —

HIGH

AM

2.2 9:06a 2.0 10:13a 1.7 11:26a 1.5 12:45p 1.5 2:05p — 12:18a — 4:17p — 5:07p

LOW

PM

1.1 10:10p 1.0 10:41p 0.9 11:13p 0.8 11:45p 0.6 — 1.3 3:17p 0.2 — 0.1 —

LOW

Marc Torok of Holmes Beach was celebrating the 2020 Olympics while showing off the red grouper he caught on a dead sardine July 23 in 120 feet of water in the Gulf of Mexico.

Tampa Bay is providing action on Spanish mackerel and jack crevalle.

Capt. Warren Girle is working ledges and reefs in the Gulf of Mexico now that red tide has made fishing futile in Sarasota Bay around Longboat Key — his home port.

Ledges and hard bottom areas in depths of 35-45 feet of water are host to a variety of species including mangrove snapper, Key West grunts, juvenile grouper, Spanish mackerel and bonito. Girle says all of these species are responding well to live shiners as bait. For the snappers, grunts and grouper, a knocker rig — a 1-ounce egg sinker and a circle hook — is working well, as these species tend to inhabit the ledges close to the bottom. As for the bonito and mackerel, a free-

Sarasota County, low concentrations in Charlotte County and background to low concentrations in Lee County.

In Northwest Florida, K. brevis was observed in Pasco County.

Fish kills suspected to be related to red tide were reported in Hernando, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Sarasota and Manatee counties.

In Manatee, fish kills were reported from Anna Maria, Holmes Beach and Longboat Key. Finds included stingrays, mullet, grunts and baitfish.

Respiratory irritation suspected to be related to red tide was reported in Manatee, Hernando, Pinellas and Sarasota counties.

For more, go to myfwc.com/research/redtide.

Fishing Charters

AM City Pier tides; Cortez high tides 7 minutes later — lows 1:06 later

Southernaire Fishing Charters

Capt. Warren Girle

Moon

0.5 0.7 1.0 1.2 3rd — 0.4 — —

lined shiner on a long shank hook works nicely.

Capt. David White is running clients offshore to find red grouper in the Gulf of Mexico. Live and frozen baits are attracting these bottom dwellers to have a taste and White says hard bottom areas and offshore ledges are holding good numbers of keeper-size red grouper. American red snapper are being caught in the same fashion. In fact, limits of these fish are easily attainable, he said.

Fishing over offshore wrecks is producing action for White’s anglers — mangrove and yellowtail snapper the most predominant. Again, limits of each species are being caught.

Moving inshore, White says catch-and-release snook are producing the most action for his sportfishing clients. Most catches are measuring 20-30 inches.

For other clients wanting to bring home fish for dinner, mangrove snapper are being caught with some frequency.

Lastly, soaking fresh-cut chunks of mackerel is attracting some blacktip sharks to take a hook, providing for a good fight.

Jim Malfese at the Rod & Reel Pier reports anglers are hooking into catch-and-release snook while fishing at the pier. Live shrimp as bait is working as well, as are other live baits — shrimp, pinfish and mojarras.

Mangrove snapper are being caught by anglers on live shrimp. Those opting to use artificials, such a small pink jigs or silver spoons, are cashing in on the bite from Spanish mackerel, jack crevalle and numerous skip jacks.

Send high-resolution photos and fishing reports to fish@islander.org.

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Page 22 THE ISLANDER | islander.org July 28, 2021 ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Center takes kids to kick, climb, swing and star onstage in summer camps Zade Khan, 4, scores a goal July 22 after pulling ahead of defenders in a soccer match in the gym at the center of anna maria island, 407 magnolia ave., anna maria. far right: cody Wright smashes a tennis serve July 20 at the community center. islander Photo: courtesy cofami

drama camp participants culminate a week of study and rehearsals with a July 23 performance at the island Players theater in anna maria. islander Photos: courtesy Jeff Higgins

Visit islander.org for the best news on AMI.

campers maddie gordan, Jack Zaccagnino, eli Ketchumm, Jack mccarty, Jessie mccarty and cale rudacille start their climb July 20 during a field trip to Vertical Ventures, 116 18th St. S., St. Petersburg. islander Photo: courtesy cofami

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You can read it all online at islander.org

July 28, 2021 THE ISLANDER | islander.org Page 23 ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

isl

Living color Ben Bryant and wife morgan greet their guests July 22 at an open house, business mixer for the anna maria island chamber of commerce at their store, live naturally, 5337 gulf drive, Holmes Beach. the couple introduced their cBd products, essential oils and oxygen bar and their research and contributions to healthy living. next up on the chamber calendar is an aug. 12 luncheon at Bonefish grill in Bradenton. islander Photo: Bonner Joy

biz

Amy V.T. Moriarty

On board for biz, tourism

Making reservations There are four Manatee County Tourist Development Council seats reserved for hoteliers and all four four-year terms expired June 30.

Now plenty of people want to fill the volunteer seats.

Seeking reappointment are Ed Chiles, an affiliate of Waterline Hotel in Holmes Beach, Eric Carnes, owner of Cedar Cove in Holmes Beach, Rahul Patel of Red Roof Inn moriarty in Ellenton and Jiten Patel of Holiday Inn SRQ in Sarasota.

Additionally, France Langan of the Compass Hotel

by Margaritaville on Perico Island, Marlene Masson of Anna Maria Island Resorts in Bradenton Beach and Michael Wilcox of Casa Coconut AMI in Holmes Beach applied to the Manatee County Board of Commissioners, which appoints the representatives to the TDC. To ensure the seats are filled before the TDC meeting at 9 a.m. Monday, Aug. 16, county commissioners were set to address appointments their first day back from summer break — Tuesday, July 27, after The Islander went to press.

The TDC directs the use of funds raised from the 5% bed tax on accommodations of six months or less for the operation of projects in the county’s tourist development plan.

The next TDC meeting will be at the Manatee County Administration Building, 1112 Manatee Ave., W., Bradenton.

On Target?

There are signs at the Beachway Plaza on the northwest corner of 75th Street and Manatee Avenue in Bradenton warning, “This area is a designated construction site.”

The general contractor is Williams Company.

In January, we told you Target confirmed plans to open a 49,000-square-foot store in the plaza.

And, in April, we followed up with Jill Lewis in the media relations department for the retail giant and though she had no updates, she replied in an email, “as we get closer to opening this store, we’ll have more specific details to share.”

Calls from The Islander to SRS Real Estate, the COMPILED BY AMY V.T. MORIARTY leasing agent for the property, were not returned as of July 16.

AMI Chamber An email to Lewis July 15 also was not returned.

SAVE THE DATES However, “A Bullseye View” page on Target’s website lists the location as a coming store.

Aug. 12, networking luncheon, Bonefish Grill, Bradenton.

So we’ll keep an eye on the situation and let you Aug. 26, business card exchange, Bridge Tender Inn & Dockknow as information is made available. side Bar, Bradenton Beach.

Sponsors needed Fees may apply for events.

After a COVID-19-forced hiatus, Bayfest will For more information, contact the chamber at 941-778-1541. make a return Oct. 16 to Pine Avenue in Anna Maria.

Other events Excited to be back on track for the island’s biggest festival, the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce THIS WEEK will host a kickoff party Oct. 15 at the festival hub, Wednesday, July 28 Anna Maria City Pier Park, 101 N. Bay Blvd.

BizCal

3 p.m. — Manatee Chamber of Commerce seminar, “Florida’s New Minimum Wage: Issues to Avoid and Opportunities to Consider,” chamber office, 222 10th St. W., Bradenton. Fee applies.

Information: 941-748-4842, ext. 122.

MORGAN LEWIS REALTY

413 Pine Ave. Anna Maria

The chamber is still looking for festival sponsors at a variety of levels, and all sponsors get shoutouts from the DJ throughout the event.

Sponsorships range from $100-$500, chamber president Terri Kinder told The Islander July 21.

In addition to defraying “rising festival costs,” Kinder said, “part of the proceeds from sponsorships go toward our scholarship program.”

For more information, go online to annamariaislandchamber.org or call the chamber at 941-7781541.

Passing the biz baton Have you met Islander reporter Kane Kaiman? If not, you might. He’s moving into the business reporter seat with the Aug. 4 “Biz” column.

I’ve enjoyed getting to know folks in the business community and know everyone will be just as welcoming to Kane as they were me.

Kaiman Instead of my usual “see you soon” signoff, I leave you with a “thanks” for the kindness and all the news … and this: … Got business news? Contact Kane Kaiman at kanek@islander.org or call The Islander office at 941778-7978.

PLEASE, TAKE NOTE!

The Islander has moved!

The “best news on AMI” has purchased and relocated to a condo officeat 315 58th St., Holmes Beach. We’re now across from HB City Hall and behind the Ugly Grouper.

Same owner, staff, phone, email. New digs.

The island’s best news for 29 years!

941.778.7978 news@islander.org

MIKE NORMAN REALTY EST. 1978

Decades of island experience … Buying!

Selling! Building!

Consulting!

Call Mark, 941-518-6329 morganlewisrealty@gmail.com BK620023 Mark Kimball CGC58092

I’M A LIFELONG NATIVE OF AMI. I’m straightforward, down to earth, and proud to be at Michael Saunders & Co., where we hold ourselves to a higher standard of service and ethics.

— Johann Bertram, Realtor

Mike Norman Realty INC OFFERING THE BEST SELECTION OF SALES & RENTALS ON ANNA MARIA ISLAND SINCE 1978

6000 Marina Drive, Suite 113, Holmes Beach

941.779.3856 or JohannBertram@ michaelsaunders.com

www.mikenormanrealty.com 31o1 Gulf Drive, Hholmes Beach 800-367-1617 | 941-778-6696

TWO HOUSES WITH BEACH VIEWS…

A Rare Investment Opportunity…TWO identical, 10 guest, 4BR/3BA townhomes just a short two-minute walk from the Gulf. Built to withstand extreme winds and hurricanes.

Two elevators, two pools, tons of parking, and great rental potential. Two tax IDs. Buyer may sell separately in future. $3,300,000

Mike Norman Realty INC

800-367-1617 941-778-6696 31O1 GULF DR HOLMES BEACH www.mikenormanrealty.com sales@mikenormanrealty.com

Page 24 THE ISLANDER | islander.org July 28, 2021 ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

I S L A N D E R C L A S S I F I E D S ITEMS FOR SALE

FREEBIE ITEMS FOR SALE

KIDS FOR HIRE

dream maKer x500 four-seat hot tub. excellent condition. $500 or best offer. 716-713-9019.

indiVidualS may Place one free ad with up to three items, each priced $100 or less, 15 words or less. free, one week, must be submitted online. email classifieds@islander.org, fax tollfree 1-866-362-9821. (limited time offer)

dePendaBle, reSPonSiBle, fun babysitter for hire. 13 years old, island local. available in June. 941-526-9090.

Beautiful neW HicKory chair, sofa and loveseat with washable slipcovers. neutral color. foam core with feather down, optimal wearability.

Sofa, 80-inches long, loveseat, 72-inches long. $650. 941-704-3633

ANNOUNCEMENTS Wanted: WorKout dVds and retired but working xBox, Wii units with games for ministry of Presence for kids and teens in Haiti. deliver to the islander, 315 58th St. Suite J, Holmes Beach.

cHandelier: BroWn metal, hardware, $50, black car roof rack for bikes, kayaks, $45, keyboards, $10. 941-920-2494. antiQue Partner deSK: all wood, $1,000. inquire at the islander office, 315 58th St. Suite J, Holmes Beach. 941-778-7978.

Wanted: your old cellphone for recycling. deliver to the islander, 315 58th St. Suite J, Holmes Beach.

antiQue office cHairS: Perfect for eclectic dining set. circa 1950 from anna maria city Hall. inquire at the islander newspaper, 315 58th St. Suite J, Holmes Beach. 941-778-7978.

free gun locK courtesy of Project childsafe, florida fish and Wildlife conservation commission and Holmes Beach Police department. Pick up at the islander office, 315 58th St. Suite J, Holmes Beach. don’t be sorry, be safe.

Sandy’s Lawn Service Inc.

PETS

ESTABLISHED IN 1983

Residential & Commercial Full-service lawn maintenance.

Landscaping ~ Cleanups Hauling ~ Tree Trimming.

HelP reScued PetS! Volunteer, foster, computer help needed! moonracer animal rescue. email: moonraceranimalrescue@gmail.com.

LICENSED & INSURED

Paradise Improvements

941.792.5600

Kitchen and Bath Remodeling Specialist Replacement Doors and Windows

Andrew Chennault

FULLY LICENSED AND INSURED Island References Lic#CBC056755 CBC 1253471

RDI CONSTRUCTION INC. Residential & Condo Renovations Kitchens • Bath • Design Service Carpentry • Flooring • Painting Commercial & Residential

References available • 941-720-7519

AdoptA-Pet

TRANSPORTATION 1997 Harley-daVidSon Heritage Springer softtail motorcycle. excellent condition, $13,900.

941-761-8761.

HELP WANTED BeSt reStaurant in the area paying the best wages. openings for phone receptionist, host staff, waiters and bartenders.

Please, send your resume to chris@beachbistro.com or apply in person at the Beach Bistro, 6600 gulf drive, Holmes Beach. 941281-5595. rePorter Wanted: full- to part-time. Print media, newspaper experience required. apply via email with letter of interest to news@islander. org.

Honey is 5 years old.

She is up to date with vaccinations, spayed and looking for a loving family.

To meet this sweetie, call Lisa Williams at 941-345-2441 or visit The Islander office in Holmes Beach.

For more about pet adoption or to adopt Honey, visit moonraceranimalrescue.com.

tHe iSlander is anna maria island’s longest running publication. it’s essential news for residents and visitors. check out the website, islander.org.

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 need a ride to airports? tampa $65, St. Pete, $55, Sarasota, $30. gary, 863-409-5875. gvoness80@gmail.com. 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. cleaning: Vacation, conStruction, residential, commercial and windows. licensed and insured. 941-744-7983.

PreSSure WaSHing, PaVer sealing, driveway, roof, fence, pool area. also, window cleaning. licensed and insured. 941-565-3931. iSland PHotoSHootS WitH gemma. family, children, engagement, commercial. instagram: @ silvernestphoto. 805-570-1415. nanny, BaBy/PetSitting, cleaning, organizing, errands, assistance. 20 years’ experience. reliable and trustworthy, local. 805-570-1415.

BuSineSS-to-BuSineSS Jd’s Window cleaning looking for storefront jobs in Holmes Beach. i make dirty windows sparkling clean. 941-9203840.

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, 941-795-7411. cac184228. reSidential-BuSineSS cleaning by Jessie.

10-plus years’ experience. top-brand cleaning products. Honest, mature, trustworthy. references from long-term clients. i work alone so no crew in your home. i have bimonthly openings. text or leave a message at 941-526-9900.

LAWN & GARDEN

PLACE CLASSIFIED ADS ONLINE AT ISLANDER.ORG

connie’S landScaPing inc. residential and commercial. full-service lawn maintenance, landscaping, cleanups, hauling and more! insured.

941-778-5294. more ads = more readers in the islander.

SPonSored By

ANSWERS TO JULY 28 PUZZLE

D R U G

R E N O

E S P O

O T I S

D E A L S

D R M O M

T A R T

S A R A H

S M I Z E

I P S O

M E A D

I N G E

S T O P

S A I D S J O I M A M O O K R I R I N S E O R N F B T A E L E L S S

A T S Y M B O L

G E E N A

D A M

E D D A M E B R E L A I L E V A O F T Y A O R R E E S

M C B I T E S

W E E C K D I T G O H W T N T L P A R T E B O P E C O Y S O R A O P A

Y O U C A N T H A N D L E T H E T O O T H

B A D N U L D O R D E N O S E N P E T E D A N R I L T S E A R T U K E E B E E L E R P O O A F T S H O O M I N U S L O N A L S D M I S E O T S T R S E U P A E M A S N P R

A M F M R A D I O P O L S O N E H I T

P E P A

L A O S

E R O S

S A F E

M R M O J O R I S I N

P A R E E

E C A R D

D O N S

S T I C K

O H G E E

E N R Y

N O L O

G R I T

T I N E

H A G S

Signature AMI gifts! White and tie-dye “More-Than-a-Mullet-Wrapper”

T-shirts, $10-$15, and AMI stickers, $2. Stop by The Islander, 315 58th St., Holmes Beach. We also have 2021 Jack Elka calendars!

July 28, 2021 THE ISLANDER | islander.org Page 25 ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

I S L A N D E R C L A S S I F I E D S HOME IMPROVEMENT

RENTALS Continued

REAL ESTATE Continued

Van-go Painting residential/commercial, interior/exterior, pressure cleaning, wallpaper. island references. Bill, 941-795-5100. www.vangopainting.net.

Sold ami Home, seeking annual rental or share Sept. 1. retired widower. 703-599-4421.

aSSiStance offered. SaVVy and experienced. marketing, graphic design, photography, listing, farming, crm, web, print, social.

805-570-1415.

tile -tile -tile. all variations of ceramic tile supplied and installed. Quality workmanship, prompt, reliable, many island references. call neil, 941-726-3077.

BeacHy looK! montHly rental available January, february, march, april, $3,300/ month plus deposit. locally owned. fully furnished, washer/dryer in unit. off cortez road, nice quiet location. two miles from island and across the street from bay. near restaurants and shopping. 941-773-1552.

griffin’S Home imProVementS inc.

Handyman, fine woodwork, countertops, cabinets and wood flooring. insured and licensed. 941-722-8792.

BlindS, SHutterS, SHadeS: motorization. 30 years on ami. call Keith Barnett, Barnett Blinds, 941-730-0516.

Vacation rental: douBle-wide mobile home. 2Br/2Ba, eight miles to beach. 55-plus community, $600/week. Pool and clubhouse. real estate mart, 941-356-1456.

iSland Handyman: i live here, work here, value your referral. refinish, paint. Just ask. JayPros. licensed/insured. references. call Jay, 941-9622874.

looKing for an early Bird? you can read Wednesday’s classifieds on tuesday at islander.org. and it’s free!

Handyman and Painting. no job too small. most jobs just right. call richard Kloss. 941-204-1162.

REAL ESTATE Winnie mcHale, realtor, 941-5046146. rosebay international realty inc. 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.”

Hammered HomeS: (SaVing homes since 1984.) Handyman services, renovations. free estimates and consulting. call before making decision, save money. 941-778-3206.

Handyman and cleaning services. move-ins and outs. affordable. call fred, 941-356-1456.

for Sale By owner. anna maria beach cottages, #110a. 2Br/2Ba, newly renovated quartz kitchen, bathrooms. Second story location with private pergola and deck. go to annamariabeachcottages.com to view photos and additional details. $850,000. inquiries to: soundgal@ tampabay.rr.com.

Screen rePair: WindoW and door screening available: standard, sun block, pet, no-seeums. call lane, 941-705-5293.

KitcHen and BatH renovation! Small home repair consultation! licensed and insured. mark, 941-518-6329.

the islander is essential news for residents and visitors. check out the website, islander. org.

RENTALS anna maria gulf beachfront vacation rentals. one- two- and three-bedroom units, all beachfront. www.amiparadise.com. 941-778-3143.

Don’t forget…

SeeKing 2Br/2Ba annual rental on ami. long-time resident couple (20-plus years) hoping to remain on island. Please, contact Brad at 941-704-2357. thank you!

You can read it all online at islander.org

triPle-Wide moBile home. Handyman.

2Br/2Ba. 55-plus park, gated with clubhouse and pool. $42,500. By owner, ask for JB. 941356-1456.

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY all real estate advertising herein is subject to the fair Housing act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination familial status includes children under age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. this newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. to complain of discrimination, call Hud toll-free at 1-800-669-9777 or for the hearing impaired, call 0-800-543-8294.

Landscape Design Lawn Care Cleanups Stone Paths Licensed and Insured

HURRICANE

Windows & Doors 941-730-5045 WEATHERSIDE LLC

LIC#CBC1253145

Wanted: 1-2 Bedroom cottage or condo in Holmes Beach or anna maria from aug. 1Jan. 31, 2022. Single professional, 50-plus/nonsmoker/no pets. excellent references. 206-4744381.

Bed: A bargain!

King, Queen, Full & Twin, pre-owned from $30 new/used.

941-922-5271 www.sleepking.net

AMI TAXI

professional, metered, on-call, gps, cards accepted www.amitaxi.com • amitaxi4u@gmail.com holmes beach, bradenton beach, anna maria

PLEASE, TAKE NOTE! 941-447-8372 airports • shops • dining

CLASSIFIED AD ORDER g nder.or sla i t a e onlin

____________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________

ads d e fi i s las ____________ ___________ Place c ___________ ___________

____________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________

____________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ CLASSIFIED RATES: Minimum $12 for up to 15 WORDS. 16-30 words: $20. 31-45 words: $40.

BOX ad: additional $4. (Phone number is a "word.")

The deadline is NOON Monday every week for Wednesday’s paper.

Run issue date(s) _________

_________

_________

_________ or TFN start date: ______________

Amt. pd _________________ Date _____________ Ck. No.� _________ Cash � _______ By _________ Credit card payment: �

d � u No.

_____________________________________________________

Name shown on card: ____________________________________________card exp. date ______ / ______ House no. or P.O. box no. on cc bill ________________________Billing address zip code ________________ Your e-mail for renewal reminder: ____________________________________________________________

Web site: www.islander.org 315 58th St., Suite J Holmes Beach FL 34217

E-mail: classifieds@islander.org Fax toll free: 1-866-362-9821 Phone: 941-778-7978

The Islander has moved!

The “best news on AMI” has purchased and relocated to a condo office. We’re now across from HB City Hall and behind the Ugly Grouper.

You’ll find us at 315 58th St., Holmes Beach. So stop by and check out our new, groovy digs.

We’re ready to serve you!

Same phone and email.

The island’s best news for 29 years!

941.778.7978 news@islander.org

Page 26 THE ISLANDER | islander.org July 28, 2021 ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

PropertyWatch

islander Photo: Kane Kaiman

By Johann Bertram

Island real estate sales

755 N. Shore Drive, Anna Maria, a 1,560 sfla, 2 bed / 1.5 bath beach home built in 1955 on a 69,750 sqft lot sold 06/08/21 by Hills to Richards for $4,500,000; list $4,500,000.

310 61st St., unit B, Holmes Beach, a 2,114 sfla, 3 bed / 2.5 bath / 2-car pool home built in 2005 on a 9,171 sqft lot sold 06/09/21 by Norton to Stegman for $1,485,000; list $1,500,000.

2601 Gulf Drive, unit 617, Bradenton Beach, a 464 sfla / 464 sfur, 1 bed / 1 bath manufactured home built in 2020 on a 1,411 sqft lot sold 06/10/21 by Gerhart to Kehoe for $280,000; list $294,000.

3801 E. Bay Drive, unit 103, Holmes Beach, Sunbow Bay, a 1,121 sfur, 2 bed / 2 bath condo built in 1981 sold 06/10/21 by McCaw to 539 Cedars LLC for $350,000; list $379,900.

509 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, a 2,187 sfla / 2,187 sfur, 4 bed / 3 bath pool home built in 1922 on a 7,540 sqft lot sold 06/10/21 by Jackson to 509 Pine LLC for $1,695,000; list $1,695,000.

95 52nd St., Holmes Beach, 5,277 sfla / 5,277 sfur, 3 bed / 3.5 bath / 2-car beachfront pool home built in 2003 on a 24,734 sqft lot sold 06/10/21 by Fangmeyer to TKW Beach LLC for $5,450,000; list $5,695,000.

5622 Gulf Drive, unit 2, Holmes Beach, Vista Grande, a 2,287 sfla, 3 bed / 3.5 bath beachfront condo built in 2006 sold 06/11/21 by Demilio to Wandt for $2,700,000; list $2,700,000.

1105 Gulf Drive N., Bradenton Beach, a 2,864 sfla, 8 bed / 7.5 bath / 2-car pool home, under construction, sold 06/11/21 by 1105 Gulf Dr N LLC to Simino for $2,900,000; list $2,975,000.

6604 Holmes Blvd., unit 6604, Holmes Beach, The Blue Lagoon, a 1,148 sfla, 2 bed / 2 bath condo built in 1971 sold 06/14/21 by Sharpe to Dunsky for $729,000; Green project bulldozes, noses into Cortez list $729,000.

701 Jacaranda Road, Anna Maria, a 1,032 sfla, 2 Hunters Point development in cortez progresses July 14. crews cleared the 18.73-acre site, which borders bed / 2 bath / 1-car home built in 1977 on a 5,998 sqft cortez road near the eastern terminus of the cortez Bridge. a sales office and signage appeared at the lot sold 06/14/21 by Driscoll to Montenegro Investsite for 86 eco-friendly homes that could be built as soon as march 2022. islander Photo: Jack elka ments LLC for $1,190,000; list $1,200,000.

Johann Bertram, sales associate at Michael Saunders & Co., AMI, can be reached at 941-779-3856.

WE TWEET TOO

Winners!

@ami_islander

RENTAL HOME OWNERS

Pay less commission than industry standard and get better service.

Responsive website, online booking, travel insurance, safe credit card processing, 24/7 inquiry responder and key-less check-in.

No marketing and credit card costs, direct pay into your account.

Family owned and managed. Enjoy the personal touch. Be treated as a VIP, not like a number.

Get in touch with us and check out our favorable conditions for renting and managing your rental.

We also serve you in German, French & Spanish.

Florida Dreams Realty of AMI Inc. 3340 East Bay Drive Holmes Beach FL 34217 Office +1 941 462 4016 Email: info@florida-dreams.com www.florida-dreams.com

Markus Siegler Owner/Broker

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Chantelle Lewin

Broker Associate Licensed since 1983

Business news

Planning new services? New in business? Celebrating achievements? Staff deserves kudos?

Submit to news@islander.org. Please, remember to include a contact number and name.

When it comes to buying or selling your home, Please, CALL ME FIRST! LISTING INVENTORY IS LOW! Let my 30-plus years of experience work for you.

—

Chantelle

941.713.1449

WWW.CHANTELLELEWIN.COM

ÓÓ£ÇÊ Õ vÊ À ÛiÊUÊ À>`i Ì Ê i>V

RELEASE DATE: 7/25/2021

New York Times Sunday Magazine Crossword

July 28, 2021 THE ISLANDER | islander.org Page 27 No. 0718 ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

NO RUSE

1

BY ASHISH VENGSARKAR / EDITED BY WILL SHORTZ Ashish Vengsarkar, of Scotch Plains, N.J., is the head of Optical Networking Technologies at Google. Besides puzzles, he enjoys playing raga and table tennis. (He and I have a longstanding annual rivalry in the latter.) The seed entry of this puzzle was 10-Down, which came to Ashish while he was at the dentist’s. The symmetrical pairing of 36- and 40-Down (a favorite artist of his during college) was fortuitous. — W.S.

AC RO SS

1 Art of riding and training a horse 9 ‘‘Mea culpa’’ 14 Campania’s capital 20 Put in other words 21 Bob Marley’s ‘‘____ You Be Loved’’ 22 Mark in the World Golf Hall of Fame 23 Lacking selfassurance 24 Onus for a magician’s disappearing act?

26 Study of how gels gel?

28 All together 29 Little, to a Scot 30 ˤ 31 Fizzle (out) 33 Miscellaneous task 37 Irish writer Behan 39 Increased, with ‘‘up’’ 44 Actress Polo 45 Pablo Neruda’s ‘‘____ to Wine’’ 47 They’ll put you head and shoulders above everyone else 49 Constellation almost above the North Pole 50 Autobiography subtitled ‘‘The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban’’ 53 Red card 54 ____ Khan, prime minister of Pakistan beginning in 2018 Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more Answers: than 4,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords page 24 ($39.95 a year).

55 Sports broadcast feature 56 Angry Wisconsin sports fans?

59 Fire sign?

61 Like n, where n = 2k (and ‘‘k’’ is a whole number) 62 Unagi, at a sushi bar 63 President Bartlet of ‘‘The West Wing’’ 64 Singer Astley 66 Total-itarian?

69 Law enforcement, slangily 71 Tajikistan, e.g., once: Abbr.

73 ‘‘How was ____ know?’’

75 Loll 77 Many a marble bust 80 Getting ‘‘Amscray!’’ under control?

85 Like yoga instructors 87 Greet the day 88 One of the Earps 89 – 91 Bathroom-cabinet item 92 Certain bridge positions 94 McEachern a.k.a. the ‘‘Voice of Poker’’ 95 Cake topper 96 Wealthiest professional sports org.

98 Abrogates 100 Party animal?

102 Reveals 104 Reply to an oversharer 105 One in a hundred: Abbr.

106 Parrot 110 Power of a cowboy’s shoe?

116 Odysseus’ wife whispers sweet nothings?

119 Bliss 120 With wisdom 121 In a sense, colloquially 122 Activity for some pen pals 123 Port on the Black Sea 124 Colorful food fish 125 Giveaways during some pledge drives

15 Bands you might listen to in the car?

16 Salt’s musical partner 17 Where ‘‘khop jai’’ means ‘‘thank you’’ 18 God who ‘‘loosens the limbs and weakens the mind,’’ per Hesiod 19 Call at home 25 Not gross 27 Île be there?

31 ____ paneer (dish with puréed spinach) 32 Way in 33 ‘‘The Adventures of Milo and ____’’ (1989 film) DOWN 34 Cyber Monday 1 What the doctor offerings ordered 35 She might take care of 2 Where Johnny Cash a kid on a sick day shot a man, in song 36 Rock star who wrote 3 Bruins legend Phil, to the poetry collection fans ‘‘The American 4 ‘‘Cut it out!’’

Night’’ 5 Pronounced with 37 Contradict authority 38 ‘‘Mon ____!’’

6 Twitter handle starter 40 36-Down’s 7 Davis of ‘‘Thelma & anagrammatic Louise’’ nickname 41 ‘‘Gay’’ city in a Cole 8 Icelandic saga Porter song 9 Chicken ____ 42 Hallmark.com (discontinued fastpurchase food snack) 10 Dramatic accusation 43 Opposite of ‘‘takes off’’ at a dentist’s office?

46 Something to leave to 11 Stickers beavers?

12 City council 48 Precipitous representative: Abbr.

51 Grammy-nominated D.J. Steve 13 Onetime White House inits.

52 Thomas ____ Edison 14 Lunchtime liaison 57 Join with rings

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58 Smudge 60 Vaper’s purchase 65 Neighborhood where you might get kimchi, for short 67 Goddess of the dawn 68 Obama chief of staff Emanuel 70 Campaign pros 71 ____ Gilbert, co-developer of a Covid-19 vaccine 72 Smile with one’s eyes, per a modern coinage

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74 Long past 76 Some fencing swords 78 Something to play fetch with 79 ‘‘Well, golly!’’

80 Biting 81 Spongy toys 82 Resets to zero, as a scale 83 ____:// 84 John Winston ____ Lennon 86 Professor ’iggins 90 Eaglelike?

93 Appetizers filled with potatoes and peas 97 One of the Jacksons 99 Word following English or green 101 Kind of wonder?

103 Cred 105 Campaign (for) 106 Itself: Lat. 107 World’s oldest alcoholic beverage 108 Pulitzer-winning playwright from Independence, Kan.

109 Seriously annoys, with ‘‘off’’ 110 Tora ____, Afghanistan 111 Not overlooked 112 Defendant’s plea, for short 113 Determination 114 Fork point 115 Storied caldron stirrers 117 Spanish ‘‘that’’ 118 Admit (to)

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Home & Condominium Sales Investment Properties Vacation Rentals Full Service Property Management

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PEND T C A R T N O C

Beachy Cottage!

Two short blocks to the Gulf of Mexico beaches. Spacious lot for a pool and weekly rentals are permitted! $769,000

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Triplex Triplex directly across the street from the beach with a great rental history. Peeks of the Gulf, comes turnkey with future bookings in place. $1,495,000

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PEND T C A R T N O C

Canal Home!

Enjoy the “old Florida” living in this adorable Anna Maria canalfront home.

2BD/2.5BA with spa. $1,395,000

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JUST LIST

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Palma Sola Park!

4BD/2BA sought-after Palma Sola Park.

Large bonus room, eat-in kitchen, wood floors and more. Great schools and close proximity to the beaches! $699,900

JUST SOLD!

Tropical Oasis!

Newly remodeled chic 2 BD/2BA canalfront bungalow in Anna Maria! Ideal location to shops, restaurants, and water enthusiasts! $1,795,000

Welcome Home!

This home embodies “old Florida.” Three doors from Bimini Bay, the location is ideal for your boat, paddleboard and fishing poles. $1,590,000

JUST SOLD

Building LOT Don’t miss out on your chance to build your dream home with bay views from this 6,270 square foot lot on the north end of Anna Maria. $995,000

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JUST LISTE

Canalfront home 2BD/2BA home in the much desired north end neighborhood of Anna Maria. Short walk to shops, restaurants and beaches! $1,395,000

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Page 28 THE ISLANDER | islander.org July 28, 2021 ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................