Looking forward … 2023
Participants in the clancy’s Shamrock Shiver charity Plunge Jan. 1 take a dip in the gulf of mexico at cortez Beach in Bradenton Beach. The annual event raised $56,180 for local charities. more, page 15. islander Photos: robert anderson
find The islander archive dating to november 1992 online at the university of florida digital newspaper collection at ufdc.ufl.edu.
By ryan Paice islander reporter
Holmes Beach’s central corridor reopened to traffic and a finish line for construction may be in sight.
Mayor Judy Titsworth told The Islander Dec. 27 that Sarasota-based C-Squared CGC could complete work on the $3,001,460.85 city center improvement project by February — before the spring tourist season.
The project involves improving drainage infrastructure and adding roadway markings, bicycle lanes, sidewalks, crosswalks, street lighting and landscaping to a stretch from the intersection of Gulf and Marina drives to the 5600 block of Marina Drive.
That section of Marina Drive was closed when construction began in September and, over that time, C-Squared has rebuilt nearly the entire stretch of roadway.
The contractor demolished and removed the old asphalt, installed underground stormwater drainage, repaved the road and added stretches of new curbing and sidewalk.
Marina Drive’s northbound lane reopened Dec. 13, while the southbound lane reopened
In 2022, islanders scrambled to evacuate ahead of a hurricane.
There were squabbles over parking, traffic, development, tourism and construction projects and there were skirmishes over politics.
Also in the year just ended, school kids celebrated the ideal of global peace, waved signs for gun control and launched cleanup campaigns, while their grown-ups monitored the beaches to protect sea turtle habitat, rallied to raise money for community efforts, volunteered to serve at city halls and with nonprofits and stepped up to address pollution and other environmental issues.
Some businesses closed their doors in 2022 but many new businesses marked grand openings, with their owners bringing new energy to AMI.
A look back at the second half of 2022.
Political interlopers problematic for Privateers: Anna Maria Island Privateers president Kim “Syren” Boyd wrote in an email to The Islander that political signs
carried by some entries in the Independence Day parade threatened the organization’s nonprofit status. Nonprofit guidelines restrict politics and parade entries included campaigning for a GOP county commission seat and in support of Donald Trump.
1st hatchlings emerge in 2022 season:
The second part of the sea turtle nesting process began July 7, as two nests hatched. The first loggerhead hatchlings of the season
emerged from a nest near the 1600 block of Gulf Drive North in Bradenton Beach and a nest near Holmes Beach’s 49th Street beach.
Political sign spat spurs HB to review ordinance: A spat over political signs led city officials to consider permanent changes in the Holmes Beach code book. City officials said their concern included likely unconstitutional provisions in the code, as well as a discrepancy.
HB parks committee fills plots in community garden: The city’s parks and beautification committee approved applications to fill five of 11 flower beds at Veterans Park adjacent to city hall, 5801 Marina Drive, in a trial run for a community garden.
AME earns an A for 2021-22 school year : Anna Maria Elementary School received its report card for 2021-21, ending the academic year at the top of its class with an A. The Florida Department of Education released school grades for the 2021-22 academic year and announced in a news release that schools statewide exceeded expectations.
Controversial beachfront home plans in AM receive green light: Almost noth-
Titsworth said reopening both lanes was timely due to an increase in motor vehicle traffic through the city, but may not last long. She said the contractor may need to close at least one lane again to complete some of the work.
“They opened that up right before Christmas, which is what we were hoping for,” Titsworth said. “After that, there might be some one-lanes — hopefully it won’t be a full shutdown again on Marina — but … there’s still quite a bit of work to get done.”
In the meantime, C-Squared closed a section of Gulf Drive, from the intersection with Marina to the Holmes Boulevard intersection, to install more underground pipelines.
The southbound lane in that section already had been closed, so the change only restricted northbound motorists from continuing onto the roadway.
The existing detour for southbound motorists on Gulf Drive takes motorists onto Holmes Boulevard through S&S Plaza, east onto 52nd Street, then back south onto Gulf — was not changed.
After the contractor installs stormwater drainage and repaves the closed roadway, remaining work will
Road work staged and ready construction equipment is staged Sept. 16 near Holmes Beach city Hall, 5801 marina drive, ready to hit the road for the Sept. 19 start of construction along marina drive between gulf drive and 56th Street. islander file Photo: ryan Paice
involve paving another layer of asphalt on Marina, then adding new lights, traffic signals, sidewalks and crosswalks along Marina and its intersection with Gulf, according to Titsworth.
Finishing touches will include restriping the reworked roadways and adding landscaping.
Titsworth said she “couldn’t be more pleased” with C-Squared’s work, adding that the contractor had been receptive to all the city’s requests during the work.
She said starting construction on the project was her proudest of the city’s 2022 accomplishments, since the improvements had been in the works for about three years and should address major safety concerns for the area.
“I warned everybody it wasn’t going to be pretty, and it wasn’t,” Titsworth said. “I hope they can understand there was no other time we could have done this construction and we’re doing it on schedule.”
When the temperatures drop, the rescue numbers climb for a Bradenton Beach wildlife rescue group.
Wildlife Education & Rehabilitation Center Inc., which operates from a home at 2207 Avenue B, saw a higher than usual number of birds suffering from exposure after a cold front moved in the week ending Dec. 25, volunteer and spokespwoman Krista Carpenter told The Islander Dec. 27. Younger birds that feed on fish suffered the most through the colder weather.
Juvenile birds suffered in what Carpenter referred to as a “perfect storm” of conditions.
Unseasonably cold weather drove fi sh into the lower portion of the water column. As a result, juvenile birds had trouble hunting and were weakened by hunger. As they began to starve, they were more impacted by the cold.
The situation was exacerbated by the presence of red tide, a contributing factor in the diminished food supply and, according to Carpenter, exposing the birds to toxins.
Wildlife Inc. took in four ospreys, 11 pelicans and three great blue herons due to the cold.
At the rescue center, birds are placed in tubs with heating pads. and they are kept indoors until they become stable enough to walk.
During rehab, they are fed an easy-to-digest formula of purifi ed amino acids, hydrolyzed proteins, stabilized vitamins and simple carbohydrates for energy.
Carpenter advised people who find a bird suffering
a juvenile osprey recuperates dec. 26 from cold shock. a cold front the week ending dec. 25 brought the lowest christmas temperatures in more than 20 years. islander Photos: courtesy Krista carpenter
from exposure to pick it up and get it warm “or pick it up and get it to us.”
People also can call Wildlife Inc. for rescues at 941-778-6324.
Wildlife Education & Rehabilitation Center Inc., founded by Gail and Ed Straight in 1987, is the county’s only licensed bird, mammal and reptile wildlife rehabilitation facility.
The Straights rescue and house more than 3,000 animals a year at the facility, situated on a 50-by-100yard lot and in their home at 2207 Ave. B, Bradenton Beach.
Many types of animals find their way to the facility, including foxes, owls, deer and ospreys.
To learn more about Wildlife Inc., go online to wildlifeinc.org or call 941-778-6324.
Last week’s question
a juvenile pelican recovers dec. 26 at Wildlife inc. in Bradenton Beach. The pelican suffered exposure and starvation over the christmas weekend.
By Lisa neff
Mote Marine’s planned outreach center on the Anna Maria City Pier will open…
5%. This spring.
23%. This summer. 49%. Before the end of 2023. 34%. Maybe never.
This week’s question
AMI needs a …
A. Second food market.
B. Bookstore.
C. Car wash.
D. Urgent care. E. Other.
To answer the poll, go online to islander.org.
Anna Maria City Commissioners Dec. 15 unanimously voted to approve an ordinance decreasing the number of planning and zoning board members from five-seven to three-five, with two alternate members allowed to vote in cases of full-time member absences.
The commission also:
• Unanimously voted to approve a $4,567.50 contract with CivicPlus to create a new municipal website and mobile application;
• Unanimously voted to approve a consent agenda, including authorization for the mayor to sign an interlocal agreement with Manatee County providing $10,560 to assist with the cost of providing law enforcement services for Bayfront Park, which is operated by the county.
The commission’s next meeting will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 12, at city hall, 10005 Gulf Drive.
Directions to attend via Zoom can be found at cityofannamaria.com.
— ryan Paice
Start gathering now.
Manatee County will collect household hazardous waste and electronics 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, at Coquina Beach in Bradenton Beach.
People can dispose of solvents, paints, pesticides, oil, tanks, bulbs, mercury-containing devices, as well as pool chemicals.
Gasoline and some batteries also will be collected. Alkaline batteries, which can be disposed of with household garbage, will not be collected.
Electronics to be collected include TVs, computers, copiers, video and audio equipment and small household items, such as microwaves, hair dryers, irons, cellphones, cameras and battery chargers.
For more information, call Manatee County Solid Waste at 941-798-6761 or go online to www.mymanatee.org/escrap.
— Lisa neff
Anna Maria City
By Lisa neffJan. 5, 1:30 p.m., citizen recognition committee.
Jan. 12, 2 p.m., commission.
Jan. 19-20, 6 p.m., commission candidate forum.
Jan. 24, 10 a.m., special magistrate.
Jan. 26, 6 p.m., commission.
Anna Maria City Hall, 10005 Gulf Drive, 941-7086130, cityofannamaria.com.
Bradenton Beach
Jan. 4, 1 p.m., P&Z.
Jan. 5, 6 p.m., commission.
Jan. 11, 9:30 a.m., CRA.
Jan. 12, 4 p.m., stormwater forum.
Jan. 17, 9:30 a.m., commission/P&Z.
Jan. 18, 10 a.m., department heads.
Jan. 18, 1 p.m., ScenicWAVES.
Jan. 24, 9:30 a.m., commission.
Bradenton Beach City Hall, 107 Gulf Drive N., 941-778-1005, cityofbradentonbeach.com.
The Manatee County Legislative Delegation will meet at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 12, to take testimony and review requests for the 2023 legislative session.
State Sen. Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton, chairs the delegation and set the meeting for Bradenton City Hall, 101 12th St. W.
People who address the delegation must deliver 11 copies of statements or requests to Boyd aide Amanda Romant by noon Friday, Jan. 6.
Materials can be emailed to romant.amanda@ flsenate.gov.
For more information, call Boyd’s office at 941-742-6445.
Holmes Beach
Jan. 4, 10 a.m., parks and beautification.
Jan. 4, 5 p.m., planning.
Jan. 10, 5 p.m., commission.
Jan. 11, 9 a.m., clean water.
Jan. 12, 9 a.m., stormwater improvements.
Jan. 24, 5 p.m., commission.
Jan. 26, 11:30 a.m., police pension.
Holmes Beach City Hall, 5801 Marina Drive, 941708-5800, holmesbeachfl.org.
West Manatee Fire Rescue
Jan 17, 6 p.m., commission.
WMFR administration building, 701 63rd St. W., Bradenton, 941-761-1555, wmfr.org.
Manatee County
Jan. 5, 9 a.m., commission.
Jan. 10, 8:30 a.m., commission.
Jan. 17, 9 a.m., commission.
Jan. 31, 9 a.m., commission.
County administration building, 1112 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton, 941-748-4501, mymanatee.org.
Also of interest
Jan. 9, 2 p.m., Island Transportation Planning Organization, Holmes Beach City Hall.
Jan. 12, 8:30 a.m., Manatee County Legislative Delegation meeting, Bradenton City Council Chamber, 101 12th St., Bradenton. Information: 941-742-6445.
Jan. 16, Martin Luther King Day, most government offices will be closed.
Jan. 23, 9:30 a.m., Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization, TBD.
Jan. 26, 9:30 a.m., ManaSota League of Cities, Longboat Key Town Hall, 501 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key.
Send meeting notices to calendar@islander.org and news@islander.org.
So if there’s a winner of best story of 2022, and we’ve never had a contest before, this year we’d have to split the baby.
It’s a good news, bad news kind of year.
Hurricane Ian’s impact on our area — although minor in comparison to the area of landfall Sept. 28 south of us on Cayo Costa in Lee County, including devastation to the barrier islands and mainland communities — was a big wake-up call.
There was, of course, a big impact to Anna Maria Island from unrelenting wind and rain for many hours, but mostly to trees and landscaping. Pool cages. Boat covers and canopies. Seawalls. A disruption in business and a major cleanup for the cities and the subsequent government red tape. Just on AMI, hundreds of road and directional signs were damaged or lost.
We carry on now without much thought but in my little “hood,” there are still signs of work to come. Still some landscape work to perform, the canopies still flap on the cages over the boat lifts on some of the canals and work on collapsed seawalls continues.
It takes a village to clear all the waste and debris and to repair damages to homes — and multiply that by 10 or more for the communities south of us within closer range of Hurricane Ian’s landfall.
But for the good news, that would be the story of the year.
And the good news is emanating from “our little school by the bay,” Anna Maria Elementary.
As we reported in December after an open house and dedication at the school, “It’s o-fish-al.”
The first-ever Guy Harvey Academy of Arts and Science was established at AME.
After many years as a prolific and successful wildlife artist, especially depictions of sportfish, Harvey turned to conservation and formed the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation. It hosts educational programs — lessons that take learning about our own marine environment and conservation to a deeper level.
Now, for AME, GHOF will help ensure future generations of islanders enjoy and benefit from a naturally balanced ecosystem.
And the Guy Harvey Academy likely will ensure the future of our little school by the bay, where declining population made retaining the school unlikely.
I’m not sure if Guy Harvey knows, but he may have saved AME and so, it is with gratitude for the future — having my own kids and my granddaughter as graduates and a great-granddaughter in line — for our kids to learn in the arms of a loving village.
— Bonner Joy, news@islander.org
Anna Maria: Mayor Dan Murphy, 941-708-6130, cityofannamaria.com, ammayor@cityofannamaria. com.
Bradenton Beach: Mayor John Chappie, 941-7781005, cityofbradentonbeach.org, mayor@cityofbradentonbeach.com.
Holmes Beach: Mayor Judy Titsworth, 941-7085800, holmesbeachfl.org, hbmayor@holmesbeachfl.org.
Manatee County: Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge, 941-745-3705, kevin.vanostenbridge@ mymanatee.org.
Governor: Ron DeSantis, 850-717-9337, fl gov. com.
Florida Senate: Jim Boyd, 941-742-6445, flsenate. gov.
Florida House: State Rep. William Cloud “Will” Robinson, District 71, 941-708-4968, myfloridahouse. gov.
Some years ago, The Islander was invited to take part in a pilot project with the University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries. We donated our collection of printed newspapers, beginning with the first edition in 1992. It took some time but it’s all maintained on the library site, searchable by key word, name and date. Look for The Islander in the UofF Florida digital newspaper collection at ufdc.ufl.edu.
The Islander welcomes your opinion letters. Submit your opinion along with name, address and phone number to news@islander.org.
The anna maria island Privateers raise a flag over a fort as they defend Holmes Beach from capture by the conquistadors during an april 1979 Hernando de Soto celebration.
into
children participate in a sack race during the anna maria island Privateers’ annual Snooks adams Kids day in June 1996. The Privateers carried on the tradition of the day celebrating the start of summer created by former Holmes Beach Police chief Willis “Snooks” adams in 1954. islander Photos: courtesy manatee county Public Library System
Pull out the scrapbooks and gather up the recollections because two milestone anniversaries are on the calendar in 2023.
When the Pittsburgh Pirates return in February for spring training, they’ll be marking their 55th season in Bradenton.
Also, the 2023 season will mark the 100th year of professional baseball in Bradenton, which began with play by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1923.
Islanders know Major League Baseball’s local impression hasn’t been limited to the friendly confines of the ballpark at 1611 Ninth St. W.
Want to share your memories of Major Leaguers and their presence on the island?
Email news@islander.org. Please, include a name, contact number and email address.
• Gordon Cleland, president of the Sandpiper Mobile Resort Homeowners Association in Bradenton Beach, said the association was short $600,000 of the $9.6 million needed to buy the resort from Vorbeck Corp., which had announced plans to turn the resort into condominiums.
• Former Holmes Beach Commissioner Billie Martini was named Islander of the Year. She was a leader of Save Anna Maria, the organization that had blocked the Florida Department of Transportation from building a 65-foot-high bridge to replace the Anna Maria Island Bridge.
• The Rev. John Ellis of St. Bernard Catholic Church was featured on a segment of the CBS television show “60 Minutes” as a married Episcopalian priest who was allowed by the Vatican to enter the Catholic priesthood. The Roman Catholic Church changed its policy in 1981 to allow already married men to become priests.
• Holmes Beach issued the most building permits in its 62-year history as contractor applications flooded the city’s building department to meet a deadline ahead of a planned moratorium.
• David Viens, a former islander convicted of second-degree murder for killing his 39-year-old wife was set to receive a sentence of 15 years in prison in Los Angeles but a judge granted Viens’ request for a delay in sentencing.
• Eat Here continued to expand, this time with more hours at the Holmes Beach location, 5315 Gulf Drive. The popular and critically acclaimed restaurant began serving lunch noon-2:30 p.m. daily.
— Lisa neff
ing stood in the way of plans to build a controversial beachfront home at 105 Elm Ave., Anna Maria, after city commissioners voted 4-0 to grant final approval for a right-of-way use permit to construct a public drive connecting Elm Avenue to the vacant lot.
Magistrate declares nuisance at 2nd AM shortterm rental: Special magistrate Gerald Buhr ruled the property at 205 S. Bay Blvd. was a public nuisance after reviewing three citations in six months against renters for noise violations and testimony from neighbors.
BB eyes revenue from city parking lots: Mayor John Chappie said Bradenton Beach would entertain the idea of paid parking in city-owned lots.
State puts food truck options on the table : Mayor Dan Murphy asked Anna Maria commissioners to brainstorm areas where food trucks could operate within city limits to comply with a state law against blanket bans on the operations.
All Clams on Deck makes plans with seed cash from state: All Clams on Deck, an initiative of the Gulf Shellfish Institute, having secured $2.5 million in funding in the state 2022-23 budget for a clean-water initiative, was planning its next steps.
Stormy season still to come : The National Weather Service updated its forecast for the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season. With about four months remaining and peak months to come, the federal government predicted an above-normal season.
County cancels market contract : An Aug. 1 letter from Jacob Erickson, county purchasing official, to Ambrose Services Inc. terminated an agreement for concession services between the county and Ambrose Services, which operated the Coquina Beach market for more than nine years. The county said it wanted its own market at the site.
HB planners greenlight parking garage prohibition: A pair of proposed prohibitions got the green light for a final vote in Holmes Beach. Planning commissioners unanimously voted to recommend city approval for ordinances prohibiting multilevel parking facilities within city limits and automobile rentals as an allowable use in the C-3 district.
Water taxi could ferry riders in 2023: Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie shared an email from Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau director Elliott Falcione: A possible vendor for a water taxi service was named. “We are close to an agreement with a Florida-based water-taxi operator and hope to finalize a deal within 30 to 45 days,” Falcione wrote.
Beau Whittaker, 5, gets surf lessons July 12 from an island pro — dad chris — at “Three Piers” in Bradenton Beach. islander file Photo
U.S. District Court rules against megabridge challengers : It was back to the drawing board for challengers advocating a drawbridge instead of a high, fixed-span bridge linking Anna Maria Island and the mainland at Cortez. Judge Anthony E. Porcelli of the U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida went against the challengers to the megabridge and favored the Florida Department of Transportation. Island Library sets new hours : The Manatee County Public Library System was expanding and standardizing hours, including at the Island Library
in Holmes Beach.
The irish-american colors fly at the entry for the freckled fin irish Pub in Holmes Beach as parade participants reach Pine avenue and refuel their water guns during the anna maria island Privateers’ islandwide celebration July 4. islander file Photo: Lisa neff
Pine Avenue plans hit DOT roadblock: Anna
Mayor
Murphy said the city would need to issue a third request for proposals on improvements on Pine Avenue due to new interest in the project from the Florida Department of Transportation.
Piney Point discharging stormwater to bay : The Florida Department of Environmental Protection said stormwater from a Piney Point pond was being discharged from the site and then a retention pond that held the water would be closed. The discharge to Tampa Bay was to continue for six days.
BB commissioners OK pension program: Bradenton Beach commissioners unanimously voted to approve a pension plan for civilian employees on par with the retirement plan for the police department.
HB mounts parking garage blockade: City commissioners unanimously voted to adopt an ordinance prohibiting multilevel parking facilities. The adoption blocked the prospect of a parking garage at the Manatee Public Beach, within the city limits but maintained and operated by the county.
Primary voting decides races, sets up November contests : Island Republicans, Democrats and independents Aug. 23 cast primary ballots — none were lengthy ballots but some contained major contests, including a Republican race for Manatee County commissioner in District 6. The primary race saw
Turn To flashback, Page 9
challenger Jason Bearden defeat four-term incumbent Carol Whitmore of Holmes Beach. Carol Ann Felts also lost to Bearden.
Judge denies injunction to reopen HB access path: The beach access path at the end of 78th Street in Holmes Beach would remain closed after 12th Circuit Judge Charles Sniffen denied plaintiffs’ request for a temporary injunction to reopen the path.
Public clamor delays AM food truck plans: An outcry from neighbors put the brakes on the city of Anna Maria’s plans for a food truck area. City commissioners unanimously voted to delay the final reading of an ordinance and resolution establishing and regulating a proposed food truck area at the northwest end of Bayfront Park, 316 N. Bay Blvd.
Bradenton Beach tackles policy allowing food trucks: Bradenton Beach officials were developing a plan to allow food truck operations, following Anna Maria’s lead and their attempt to comply with legislation prohibiting municipalities from requiring registration, permits or associated fees for food trucks.
Holmes Beach pushes forward on force main work: Work replacing Manatee County’s force main 11 in Holmes Beach was running overtime and not expected to finish before the city would begin its own construction project. Work included replacing about 1,100 feet of 8-inch force main from 68th Street to 52nd Street with new 16-inch and 8-inch PVC piping.
Holmes Beach bans beach, park smoking: City commissioners unanimously voted to adopt ordinances prohibiting smoking at public beaches and parks, adjusting sea turtle lighting regulations and establishing a recovery management organization tasked with creating and fulfilling a post-disaster recovery plan.
County sinks Kingfish Boat Ramp expansion: Manatee County’s plans to redevelop Kingfish Boat Ramp in Holmes Beach seemed sunk. County commissioners unanimously voted to authorize Chair Kevin Van Ostenbridge to sign a letter terminating a $4,500,000 grant for the project.
Players open 74rd season, seek Socrates in ‘Cliffhanger:’ The Island Player’s 74th season opened with “Cliffhanger,” written by James Yaffe, directed by Mike Lusk and produced by the Ugly Grouper.
AM officials apply brakes to Pine Ave-Bay Blvd roundabout: Plans for a roundabout on Pine Avenue hit a red light. City commissioners voted not to move forward with design plans for a roundabout at the northeast end of the commercial corridor.
Anna Maria shelves cigarette smoking ban: City commissioners reached a consensus to shelve a proposed ordinance that would have prohibited cigarette smoking at public beaches and parks.
HB roadwork off to rocky start: Some merchants saw red when access to their businesses were cut off without notice. Others closed their doors for a day.
Construction on the city center project in Holmes Beach in concert with a county infrastructure proj-
Sarasota-based J.P. Services break down the drive-through structure at the former regions Bank, 503 manatee ave., Holmes Beach. The building is to become a Publix pharmacy and liquor store.
islander file Photo: Jacob merrifield
ect on Holmes Boulevard was interfering in business operations and limiting customers’ access.
AME celebrates International Peace Day: Anna Maria Elementary students, parents, guardians and community members gathered Sept. 21 to celebrate International Peace Day at the Holmes Beach school, 4700 Gulf Drive. The 2022-23 international theme was “End racism. Build peace.”
New record hatches: With more than a month to go, the 2022 sea turtle hatchling count broke the record previously set in 2018. Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring volunteers counted 35,850 hatched eggs through Sept. 16.
Islanders evacuate ahead of Ian, evade storm’s wrath: Islanders and Cortezians packed up and left their homes and businesses late Sept. 26 and early Sept. 27 under orders from Manatee County to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Ian. By mid-day Sept. 27, there was a buzz from professional storm trackers — as one Weather Channel reporter put it, “There’s incredible uncertainty to that cone of uncertainty.” And on Sept.
island businessman ed chiles learns aug. 9 that manatee county will fund $500,000 for his all clams on deck initiative. islander Screenshot
28, the worst-case scenario became the reality not for AMI but for Fort Myers, Boca Grande, Port Charlotte and other communities to the south, where Ian caused catastrophic damage and loss of life.
Suzi Fox, icon of AMI Turtle Watch, dies: Suzi Fox, the adventurous, kind-hearted leader behind the effort to protect sea turtles and their habitat on Anna Maria Island for 30 years, died Sept. 30.
AM farmers market returns: The city of Anna Maria resumed its weekly farmers market on Tuesdays at the City Pier Park at the corner of North Bay Boulevard and Pine Avenue.
Incumbent opts out of HB race: At an Oct. 11 meeting at Holmes Beach City Hall, Commissioner Jayne Christenson announced she would not seek reelection even though she was on the ballot. Christenson was set to face challengers Daniel Diggins and Greg Kerchner Nov. 8 in a race for her seat and that of Commissioner Kim Rash, who did not seek reelection.
Cortez group pursues preserve bridge project: The Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage board
Kids in the center of anna maria island’s summer drama camp perform a fairytaleinspired musical July 21 on the island Players playhouse stage in anna maria.
islander file Photo
Is your business ready for the high season on AMI? Improve your odds of success with The Islander’s readers — residents, seasonal visitors and vacationers — looking to shop and dine, as well as indoor and outdoor fun. For advertising info, call or text 941-778-7978.
jam session, presented by the Florida Maritime Museum and Cortez Cultural Center, outdoors, 4415 119th St. W., Cortez. Information: floridamaritimemuseum.org, fmminfo@manateeclerk.com.
941-746-4131, bishopscience.org.
Through March 18, “Towers of Tomorrow with LEGO Bricks,” the Bishop, 201 10th St. W., Bradenton. Info: 941-746-4131.
Throughout January, Artists’ Guild Gallery exhibits Judy Vazquez’s mosaics, 5414 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6694.
Throughout January, Dawn Gerardot’s “Sensational Silks” exhibit, Island Gallery West, 5368 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: islandgallerywest.com, 941-778-6648.
Second Fridays through April, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Art Walk and Shop Stroll, Gulf and Marina drives, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6648, 941-778-6694.
Tuesdays through March 7, 6:30 p.m., Anna Maria Movies in the Park, City Pier Park, North Bay Boulevard and Pine Avenue, Anna Maria. Information: 941-708-6130.
Tuesdays through May 9, 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Anna Maria Farmers Market, City Pier Park, North Bay Boulevard and Pine Avenue, Anna Maria. Information: 941-708-6130.
Mondays in January, 6 p.m., Mote Lecture Series, Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota. Fee applies. Information: 941-388-4441.
“Caught in the Storm: 100 Years of Florida Hurricanes” exhibit, Florida Maritime Museum, 4415 119th St. W., Cortez. Information: floridamaritimemuseum.org.
First Fridays, 6-9:30 p.m., Village of the Arts First Fridays Artwalk, 12th Street West and 12th Avenue West, Bradenton. Information: villageofthearts.com.
Saturdays through May, 9 a.m-2 p.m., downtown Bradenton Public Market, Old Main Street, Bradenton. Information: 941-9329439.
Second and fourth Saturdays, 2-4 p.m., Music on the Porch
Jan. 12-29, Island Players’ “The Odd Couple,” Anna Maria.
Jan. 14-15, Anna Maria Winter Art and Craft Show, Holmes Beach.
Jan. 15, Island Players’ “The 39 Steps” auditions, Anna Maria.
Jan. 21, Bradenton Gulf Islands Concert Series at the Center of Anna Maria Island presents Tommy DeCarlo, Anna Maria.
Feb. 8, Sarasota Bay Watch’s “Scallopalooza,” Sarasota. Feb. 18-19, 2023, Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival, Cortez.
Feb. 25, Bradenton Gulf Islands Concert Series at the Center of Anna Maria Island presents Grand Funk Railroad, Anna Maria.
March 4-5, Invitational at Holmes Beach/Anna Maria, Holmes Beach.
March 9-26, Island Players’ “The 39 Steps,” Anna Maria.
March 12, Island Players’ “How the Other Half Lives” auditions, Anna Maria.
March 18-19, AMI Art League’s Springfest, Holmes Beach.
March 21, Bradenton Gulf Islands Concert Series at the Center of Anna Maria Island presents The Orchestra, Anna Maria.
May 4-14, Island Players’ How the Other Half Lives,” Anna Maria.
Friday, Jan. 6
10 a.m. — 40 Carrots, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6341.
2 p.m. — Paper crafting, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6341.
Saturday, Jan. 7
10 a.m. — Storytime, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6341.
2 p.m. — Paper crafting, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6341.
Tuesday, Jan. 10
10 a.m. — Storytime, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6341.
First Wednesdays, “SOAR in 4” family night, the Bishop Museum, 201 10th St. W., Bradenton. Fee applies. Information:
Thursday, Jan. 5
2 p.m. — Sunshine Stitchers Knit and Crochet Club, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Info: 941-778-6341.
Saturday, Jan. 7
10 a.m.-1 p.m. — Ask a Master Gardener, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6341.
Monday, Jan. 9
11:30 a.m. — Anna Maria Island and West Manatee Democratic Club meeting, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: barbara.ehren@gmail.com.
Wednesday, Jan. 11
6:30 p.m. — Island Time Book Club, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6341.
Most Fridays, 11:30 a.m., mahjong club experienced players, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: mymanatee.org/library, 941-778-6341.
Saturdays, 8:30 a.m., Kiwanis Club of Anna Maria Island meeting, Bradenton Beach City Hall, 107 Gulf Drive N., Bradenton Beach. Information: 941-778-1383.
Most Wednesdays, 1 p.m., mahjong club beginners, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: mymanatee. org/library, 941-778-6341.
Second Fridays, 1 p.m., Parkinson’s Combined Support Group, the Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key. Information: 941-383-6493.
Mondays, 1 p.m., Thinking Out Loud, the Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key. Information: 941-383-6493.
Tuesdays, 11:30 a.m., Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island lunch meeting, Slicker’s Eatery, 12012 Cortez Road W., Cortez. Information: 512-944-4177, amirotary.org.
Second Tuesdays, 4 p.m., Cortez Village Historical Society meetings, Cortez Cultural Center, 11655 Cortez Road W., Cortez. Information: 941-840-0590, cortezvillagehistoricalsociety.org.
Jan. 12-22, Manatee County Fair, Palmetto.
Jan. 14, Center of Anna Maria Island cleanup, Anna Maria.
Jan. 20, AMI Garden Club lunch and meeting, Anna Maria.
Feb. 8, AMI Garden Club fashion show, Anna Maria.
Feb. 11, Center of Anna Maria Island cleanup, Anna Maria.
Feb. 17, AMI Garden Club lunch and meeting, Anna Maria.
March 9-11, Friends of the Island Library sale, Holmes Beach.
March 11, Center of Anna Maria Island cleanup, Anna Maria.
March 17, AMI Garden Club flower show, Anna Maria.
April 1, Center of Anna Maria Island cleanup, Anna Maria.
April 21, AMI Garden Club lunch and meeting, Anna Maria.
2022-23 season at a glance
cleanup, Bayfront Park, 315 N. Bay Blvd., Anna Maria. Information: matthew.tschirgi@manatee.org.
1 p.m. — Manatee County Parks and Recreation coordinated cleanup, Manatee Public Beach, 4000 Manatee Ave., Holmes Beach. Information: matthew.tschirgi@manatee.org.
Tuesdays, noon, duplicate bridge, Episcopal Church of the Annunciation, 4408 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach. Info: 703-5827755.
AMI Dragon Boat Team-Paddlers from Paradise practices, various times, locales. Info: 941-462-2626, mrbradway@gmail.com.
Saturdays, 9 a.m., Robinson Runners run, walk stroll, Robinson Preserve NEST, 10299 Ninth Ave. NW., Bradenton. Information: 941-742-5923, crystal.scherer@mymanatee.org, mymanatee.org.
Saturdays, 9 a.m., Mornings at the NEST, 10299 Ninth Ave. NW., Bradenton. Information: 941-742-5923, mymanatee.org.
Jan. 21, Big Bill 5K, Bradenton.
Feb. 25-March 28, Pirates spring training, Bradenton.
March 12, Skyway 10K, Sunshine Skyway Bridge.
April 7, Bradenton Marauders home opener, Bradenton.
Jan. 16, Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Feb. 2, Groundhog Day.
Feb. 14, Valentine’s Day.
The Center of Anna Maria Island will offer kids lessons in hip-hop.
The program runs Thursdays, Jan. 5-March 31 at the center, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria. There will be two classes, based on age, led by Crystal Krause, teaching mostly hip-hop movements.
Also at the center:
• Line dancing lessons, 9:15 a.m. Tuesdays for beginners and 10:30 a.m. for intermediate;
• Blood drive, 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 10;
• Brazilian martial arts classes, 5:45 p.m. Tuesdays, beginning Jan. 11;
• Healthy Hearing Seminar, 10:30-11:30 a.m., Friday, Jan. 13;
• January Wellness Workshop, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 14;
• Hearing tests, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., fourth Friday of every month.
For more, call the center at 941-778-1908.
‘Mr. Smith’ in Anna Maria anna maria continues its movies in the Park series Tuesdays in January at 6:30 p.m. at city Pier Park, 103 n. Bay Blvd. next on the calendar is a Jan. 10 showing of “mr. Smith goes to Washington.” The 1939 film features Jimmy Stewart as a young senator whose idealism and naivete is challenged by corruption. attendees are encouraged to bring their own blankets, chairs and snacks. for more info, call the city at 941-708-6130. islander courtesy Photo
Twenty years after stage audiences met Felix Unger and Oscar Madison, Broadway audiences met Florence Unger and Olive Madison in a revival version of Neil Simon’s “The Odd Couple.”
This month, the Island Players bring the story of the mismatched Florence and Olive to the stage.
“The Odd Couple,” directed by Preston Boyd and coproduced by Offstage Ladies, features the cast of Laura Morales, Ruth Shaulis, Cathy Hansel-Edgerton, Seva Anthony, Kristin Mazzitelli, Jean Walther, Anuj Naidu and Mike DeMaio.
Performances will take place Tuesday-Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Jan. 12-29. The theater is dark Mondays.
Tickets cost $25, with the box office open 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, as well as an hour before performances.
Online, tickets cost $27.
For more information, call the box office at 941778-5755.
The Kiwanis Club of Anna Maria Island is meeting Saturdays at 8:30 a.m. at Bradenton Beach City Hall, 107 Gulf Drive N.
The program Saturday, Jan. 7, will feature Kiwanis leadership.
For more information, call Sandy Haas-Martens at 941-778-1383.
Annie Silver Community Center members will elect a new board Jan. 9 at 4 p.m. at the center, 103 23rd St. N., Bradenton Beach.
The center operates as a nonprofit overseen by the board, which currently includes president Jim Hassett, vice president Donna Kirkpatrick, treasurer Dianne Coates and secretary Judy Pruitt.
Member Peg Miller said all seats will be up for election and can be voted on by a show of hands from any members who attend.
She said people can join the center for as little as $5 a year.
The new year will usher in a new season of activities, including bingo and community dinners.
Bingo will begin 7-9 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 19, and will run every Thursday into the spring. Bingo is open to the public. Pizza is available for $1 a slice, as is a cup of coffee.
The fi rst community dinner of the year will be Wednesday, Jan. 25, when the center will serve chicken and rib meals — prepared by Bigg Dogg BBQ — for $10 a plate.
Annie Silver, who donated the building that bears her name, wanted the center for the community for bingo games, book club meetings, garden shows and shared suppers. The center has been in operation since 1952, after the election of the center’s first president, Floyd Myers.
In 2023, the center will mark 71 years of operation.
Hassett said the space can be rented for events at no charge, although charitable donations are requested. Wedding receptions, homeowner association meetings and youth and senior activities are common.
For more information, call Hassett at 413-4416823.
— robert anderson
unanimously voted to allocate $6,000 for the construction of a “major” bridge in the nonprofit’s 100-acre nature preserve at the east of the fishing village.
HB commissioner subject of perjury complaint:
The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office opened an investigation into a “protected address” request from Holmes Beach Commissioner Jayne Christenson to the supervisor of elections.
Garden club gets go-ahead for wind sculpture: The Anna Maria Garden Club announced plans to plant two wind sculptures in Anna Maria’s City Pier Park. The vote to move forward with the project was 4-1.
Biggest Bayfest big benefit to island, biz communities: Despite Holmes Beach construction slowing northbound traffic to Pine Avenue, by midday Oct. 15, the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce’s 21st annual Bayfest street festival was on track to be the biggest in history.
Gas leak forces evacuation of city center: Businesses and residences near Holmes Beach’s Marina Drive were evacuated after a worker operating an excavator ruptured a natural gas line.
Holmes Beach adopts nonbiodegradable straw ban: City commissioners unanimously voted to prohibit the distribution and sale of marine-nonbiodegradable beverage straws and stirrers to protect sea life.
AMI’s Kiwanis club marks a milestone : The Kiwanis Club of Anna Maria Island celebrated its 70th anniversary with a luncheon Oct. 22 at the Lazy Lobster restaurant on Longboat Key.
Tour de Turtles ends: Esther, a loggerhead tagged and released June 20 on Coquina Beach in Bradenton Beach as part of the Tour de Turtles, finished in eighth place Oct. 31. Esther had traveled 562 miles.
Construction gridlocks downtown Holmes Beach : Traffic had people in a tizzy. And the city center congestion was expected to continue through the holidays with continued work on paving, new roadway markings, bicycle lanes, sidewalks, crosswalks, street lighting and landscaping.
Elections office reverses record exemption : Manatee County’s assistant supervisor of elections Scott Farrington said the protection for Jayne Christenson’s address was removed after the supervisor of
elections, Michael Bennett, reviewed a sheriff’s office report about her potential perjury.
BB scrutinizes tram service, extends trial operation: A two-year trial for the Easy Park Tram service in Bradenton Beach ended Nov. 1 and the owner/operator, Joshua LaRose, faced scrutiny from city officials and Bridge Street business owners as to whether the agreement should be renewed.
Health dept. issues red tide alerts: The Florida Department of Health in Manatee County issued health alerts for a red tide bloom off Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key.
BB voters end term limits : Bradenton Beach voters cast their ballots Nov. 8 for change. They
approved four out of five amendments to the city charter. Most significantly, voters eliminated term limits for elected officials.
AM’s incumbents return, but then there were 4: Anna Maria incumbent Mayor Dan Murphy and Commissioners Deanie Sebring and Mark Short were sworn Nov. 10 to serve two-year terms after being unopposed for reelection. However, post-election, it became clear the city would lose a commissioner — Carol Carter.
HB welcomes 2 new commissioners, reinstalls mayor: The Holmes Beach City Commission began its latest iteration only a day after the Nov. 8 general election. City clerk Stacey Johnston swore Mayor Judy Titsworth and Commissioners Daniel Diggins and Greg Kerchner into office after an anticlimactic election.
Nicole notches another storm in 2022 season: Late-season Nicole disrupted routines and even holiday plans but left only minor damage on AMI.
AME assailant pleads no contest to felony charge: One of two men arrested for an assault on the grounds of Anna Maria Elementary pleaded nolo contendere to a second-degree felony charge for aggravated battery resulting in great bodily harm.
Island workers lose home to fire: The holiday season got off to a tragic start for a family with island ties. A Nov. 21 structure fire at 7103 Ninth Ave. NW, Bradenton, the home of Minnie’s Beach Cafe employees Chuck and Kaylee Smith, resulted in extensive structural damage and the death of their dog.
Derelict Bridge Street buildings await developer’s resort plans: At least one vacant commercial building that may be demolished to make way for a new resort at the Gulf Drive entrance to Bridge Street
stood amid rubble, leading the city to erect a screened fence head of holiday celebrations on Bridge Street to hide the derelict building.
December 1st FY 2022-23 tourist tax collections top 2021-22: Hear the jingle-jangle? The first tourist tax collections reported for the 2022-23 fiscal year registered a 24.7% increase over the prior year.
Treehouse owners-DEP in settlement talks : After nine years, it was unclear if there was an end in sight for the dispute over a Holmes Beach treehouse, but there were indications of settlement discussions.
Owners Richard Hazen and Lynn Tran Hazen and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection filed a stipulation to pause one of three lawsuits over the treehouse at the Hazen’s beachfront property while they discuss a potential settlement.
Anna Maria receives Mote bond for T-end construction: Mote Marine Laboratory got the green light to begin construction on an educational outreach center for the Anna Maria City Pier and staging for construction began in late December.
HB eyes more roadway improvements: City commissioners unanimously voted to approve a $424,600 contract and work order with Tam- pa-based Cardinal Engineering Collective to design and engineer a Gulf Drive improvement project.
FBI investigates death of woman found off Egmont Key: The FBI’s field office was investigating the discovery of a woman’s body floating off Egmont Key. The woman, found Dec. 10, was identified as Heather Rose Strickland, 34, of Pinellas County.
AME kids go from garden to ‘Garden’: Having harvested their crop at the school, Anna Maria Elementary fourth-graders dined on a menu comprising the “fruits of their labor” that was planned, prepared and served by the chef and staff at the Doctor’s Garden in Holmes Beach.
FYI: Part 1 of the Islander Year-in-Review published Dec. 28.
Season’s 1st alex Smith of cortez Bait and Seafood readies a delivery of the first-ofthe-season stone crabs oct. 15. islander Photo: Bonner Joy
People gather Sept. 6 on the shore near the anna maria city Pier to watch a sunrise. an analysis from climate central projected that manatee county’s “acreage under water” will grow to 686 acres in 2030, 890 in 2040, 1,347 in 2050 and 8,444 in 2090. islander file
a manatee county crew clears trees and debris oct. 3 at the manatee Public Beach in Holmes Beach. The work was part of Hurricane ian cleanup.
The Holy Name Society at St. Bernard Catholic Church is planning its first pancake breakfast of 2023.
The date for the breakfast was not announced but the group is seeking volunteers to help prepare and serve.
St. Bernard is at 248 S. Harbor Drive, Holmes Beach.
For more information, call the church at 941-7784769.
Gathering is the religion section. Send announcements, calendar listings and photos to calendar@islander.org.
micheal
anna maria resident alan Ward visits at market in dubai in the united arab emirates. roser’s JoY will host Ward and wife Laura for a travel talk Wednesday, Jan. 4. The church is at 512 Pine ave., anna maria. islander courtesy Photo
Roser Memorial Community Church’s Just Older Youth group is changing things up by meeting twice a month on Wednesdays.
The schedule will be 11:30 a.m. the first and third Wednesday of the month, with the next program taking place Jan. 4.
JOY will host Alan and Laura Ward for a travel talk about Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
Attendees are invited to bring a brown-bag lunch.
Roser is at 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria.
For more information, call the church at 941-7780414.
anna maria island Turtle Watch executive director Suzi fox died Sept. 30. on dec. 13, the city of Holmes Beach recognized her contributions, posthumously awarding her the city’s 2022 Louis Strickland citizen of the Year award. islander file Photo: Bonner Joy
CrossPointe Fellowship, 8605 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach. Info: 941-778-0719, crosspointefellowship.church, @CrossPointeFellowship.
Worship: Sundays, 9 a.m.
Ongoing: Wednesdays, 7 a.m., men’s Bible meeting; Wednesdays, 6 p.m., supper; Wednesdays, Night Blast, 6:45 p.m.; Fridays, 10 a.m. women’s Bible meeting.
Episcopal Church of the Annunciation, 4408 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach. Info: 941-778-1638, amiannunciation.org, @EpiscopalChurchoftheAnnunciationatHolmesBeach.
Worship: Thursdays, 9:30 a.m.; Sundays, 8 a.m. and 10:15 a.m.
Ongoing: Wednesdays, 8 a.m., men’s meeting; Mondays, 1 p.m., book group; Tuesdays, 6 p.m. first and second, 5 p.m. third and fourth, Terrific Tuesdays.
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 6608 Marina Drive. Holmes Beach. Info: 941-778-1813, gloriadeilutheran.com.
Worship: Sundays, 9:30 a.m.
Ongoing: Wednesdays, 9:30 a.m., social gathering, Manatee Public Beach; Sundays, 10:15 a.m., coffee and fellowship.
Harvey Memorial Community Church, 300 Church Ave., Bradenton Beach. Information: 941-779-1912.
Worship: Sundays, 9:15 a.m.
Roser Memorial Community Church, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria. Information: 941-778-0414, roserchurch.com, @roserchurch.
Worship: Sundays, 8:30 a.m., 10 a.m.
Ongoing: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:30 a.m., Roser Robics; Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. and Saturdays, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Roser Thrift Store; Wednesdays, 6:15 p.m., Youth Performing Arts, first and third Wednesdays, 11: 30 a.m., Just Older Youth group programs with brown-bag lunch; Thursdays, 5:30 p.m., Roser Ringers rehearsal; 7 p.m., Thursdays, choir rehearsal; Sundays, 8:30 a.m., adult Sunday school and coffee and conversation sessions.
St. Bernard Catholic Church, 248 S. Harbor Drive, Holmes Beach. Info: 941-778-4769, stbernardcc.com, @stbernardcc.
Worship: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.; Saturdays, 4 p.m.; Sundays, 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m.
Ongoing: Mondays-Fridays, 8 a.m., rosary; Wednesdays, 7:30 a.m., Rosary on the Beach at Manatee Public Beach; second Thursdays, women’s guild luncheons; Saturdays, 3:30 p.m., confession.
Christ Church of Longboat Key Presbyterian USA, 6400 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key. Info: 941-900-4903, christchurchoflbk.org, @CCLBK.
Worship: Sundays, 10 a.m.
Ongoing: Wednesdays, 10 a.m., Women’s Bible Study; Mondays, 9 a.m., Men’s Bible Study.
Longboat Island Chapel, 6200 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key. Info: 941-383-6491, longboatislandchapel.org, @longboatislandchapel.
Worship: Sundays, 10 a.m.
Ongoing: Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Lord’s Warehouse Thrift Shop; Wednesdays, 10 a.m., Bible study; Mondays, 4 p.m., choir rehearsal.
Temple Beth Israel, 567 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key. Info: 941-383-3428.
Worship: Fridays, Shabbat, 5:30 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m.
Ongoing: Fridays, 6:45 p.m., choir call.
Jan. 8, Roser Church Founders Day.
Jan. 10, 11:30 a.m., St. Bernard Catholic Church Holy Name Society meeting and lunch.
Jan. 15, Roser Church blood drive.
Jan. 21, Roser Church Pancake Breakfast.
Feb. 11, Annunciation’s White Elephant sale.
Please, send notices to calendar@islander.org.
Participants in the Jan. 1 clancy’s Shamrock Shiver charity Plunge race in and out of the gulf of mexico at cortez Beach in Bradenton Beach. The annual event, sponsored by clancy’s irish Sports Pub and grill, 6218 cortez road W., Bradenton — where an after-party took place — raised $56,180 for charities, including feeding empty Little Tummies, Healthy Teens coalition and Take Stock in children.
rigHT: mike and christina calantoni of ellenton give a sharky smile Jan. 1 as they pose with daughter ashley, son-in-law Tyler and 6-month-old roman Seybert. The Shamrock Shiver was roman’s first trip to the beach.
Linda Jo Klapperich of alaska and her daughter, 2017 miss alaska angelina Klapperich, ring their cowbells and wish everyone an “udderly cool” new year at the Shamrock Shiver.
David W. Kruger, 78, of Holmes Beach and Lake Bluff, Illinois, died Nov. 30, 2022.
He was born Jan. 17, 1944, in Primghar, Iowa, and grew up in Sanborn, Iowa.
He received a degree in pharmacy from South Dakota State University and a BA in business from Coe College, graduating summa cum laude. He practiced pharmacy for two years at St. Luke’s Hospital, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, before beginning a career in 1971 with Abbott Laboratories in Minneapolis. After many career achievements, he retired in 1999 as national sales manager for the Abbott Diagnostics Division.
He and his wife came to Anna Maria Island in 2002 and split their time with Lake Bluff.
He was a member of the Community Church in Lake Bluff and Key Royale Club in Holmes Beach. He was an avid golfer, reader and gourmet cook and spent many hours walking his golden retriever, Daisy. He was known for his special sense of humor and making people laugh.
Tributes may be made to either the American Cancer Society or the Morris Animal Foundation, Denver, Colorado.
Mr. Kruger is survived by his wife, Trish; sister Mary Long of Gig Harbor, Washington; brother-in-law Ken Mattison of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania; and seven nieces and nephews.
thankful
Honor flight of the Quad cities, illinois, representative Jay Watters, left, flew to florida to present Holmes Beach resident chuck allee with an Honor flight jacket, hat and shirt for his 93rd birthday. allee, a Korean War veteran, flew to Korea on the Quad cities Honor flight — an affiliate of a national network — in 2015 as a guest of the people of Korea. and the gesture by Watters was a great birthday surprise! With allee are family and neighbors, including sonin-law Jim feehan, left, as well as wife Joan and daughter Kyle, tucked between Watters and allee. for more information about the
By robert anderson islander reporter
As the city of Bradenton Beach transitions into 2023, officials have their eyes on improvements.
Utility undergrounding started in Bradenton Beach in 2018 and it will be a priority going forward, as Mayor John Chappie said the city will continue to seek appropriations for the infrastructure work.
“Undergrounding has been a top priority as far as infrastructure projects in our community,” Chappie said in a Dec. 21 interview. “We’ve been very successful with the completion of Phase 2.”
That phase saw the removal of utility poles from the Longboat Pass Bridge to about Sixth Street South. The utilities were placed in underground conduits, which protect them and allow for faster recovery in the event of storm outages.
Another project on the city’s radar for 2023 is the stormwater drainage work for Avenue B on the city’s north side. The goal is to minimize flooding and pollutant discharge into Sarasota Bay by remodeling the drainage system.
“We are moving forward and we are getting close to getting bids on that,” Chappie said.
Chappie and Police Chief John Cosby agree challenges facing the city are a lineup of improvement projects initiated not by Bradenton Beach but by Manatee County and the Florida Department of Transportation. Projects beginning in 2023 are only the start of work that will take place over the next several years.
“Construction is going to be the biggest concern,” Cosby said. “We have the county sewer project that is going in that is going to be an 18-month to two-year project.”
The work, set to begin this month, involves replacing gravity sewer lines from Sixth Street South to 13th Street South. The work will require the rerouting of both lanes of Gulf Drive traffic through the Cortez Beach parking lot.
“We know it’s going to be tough but the plan is well thought out and the county is doing an excellent job in working to prepare and get everybody on the same page
for the actual construction project,” Chappie said. “The traffic is going to be an issue. It’s going to be tough because the cycle will be during tourist season.”
After the gravity sewer project is completed, the DOT’s Complete Streets campaign could begin.
The DOT plans a redesign of the Gulf Drive scenic highway to enable safe access and travel via sidewalks, bicycle lanes, paved shoulders, multiuse paths, designated bus lanes, safe and accessible transit stops and safe crossings for pedestrians, including median islands, pedestrian signals and curb extensions.
The planning, development and environmental phase should begin after July 2023, when the state’s new fiscal year starts.
Cosby also said the possibility of a new resort development at the southwest end of Bridge Street, if approved, could pose a challenge in the new year.
Conceptual drawings submitted to the city building and permitting office by developer Shawn Kaleta and Najmy Thompson PL show a 103-room, 206,987square-foot resort referred to in the design document as “Bridge St. Hotel.”
The plan involves the demolition of eight buildings in the Bridge Street area to make way for the hotel.
The project, if approved, could exacerbate traffic congestion created by the other projects in store for 2023 and beyond.
By ryan Paice islander reporter
Some changes could be coming to Anna Maria in 2023.
A handful of city officials told The Islander the week beginning Dec. 26 they were most excited to move forward with proposed Pine Avenue improvements and to continue improving paving and drainage throughout the municipality.
Commissioner Robert Kingan wrote in a Dec. 27 text to The Islander that, if he could change anything about 2022, it’d be the “lack of significant progress” made on the reimagining Pine Avenue project.
The project will involve the implementation of several improvements along the commercial corridor
over two phases.
The fi rst phase will involve installing pervious paver meandering sidewalks, as well as adding and enhancing crosswalks and street lighting.
Plans for the second phase of improvements, which may involve the addition of bicycle lanes on both sides of the roadway, remain conceptual.
The second phase also initially included plans for a roundabout at the east end of Pine, but commissioners voted in September not to move forward on the project.
The improvements will be funded with a $1,288,440 state appropriation, $229,400 in American Rescue Plan Act funding and $388,660 in city property tax revenues.
However, restrictions on the state funding have brought challenges. Since the Florida Department of Transportation got involved overseeing the city’s use of state funds in fall 2022, progress on the project has slowed.
However, heading into 2023, the four city commissioners — minus one owing to the resignation of Carol Carter — interviewed by The Islander for this story expressed hope the projects will proceed.
“I hope to see the improvements to Pine Avenue come to fruition,” Commissioner Jonathan Crane wrote in a Dec. 27 email to The Islander.
“Infrastructure improvements, especially ongoing drainage work and future improvements to the Pine Avenue corridor are vital to the quality of life in our community,” Kingan wrote.
Mayor Dan Murphy wrote in a Dec. 29 email to The Islander that improving Pine would be a primary focus and work was on track to begin in 2023.
The four commissioners also expressed satisfaction with the municipality’s work improving drainage and paving in 2022 and said they hoped the city would meet its goals for 2023.
The city has made strides improving stormwater drainage in recent years, especially on arterial roads, addressing issues on 70% of the municipality’s road-
ways heading into the 2022-23 fiscal year, according to Murphy.
The city budgeted $1,755,716.06 for stormwater improvements and maintenance in 2022-23.
Improvements will involve the installation of stormwater infiltration trenches in city rights of way along the south side of South Bay Boulevard, the 800 block of North Bay Boulevard, Tarpon and Gladiolus streets, Los Cedros Drive, Newton Lane and more.
The city also budgeted $798,752.98 for road paving in 2022-23, which would cover 400-500 blocks of Spring Avenue, the 100-300 blocks of Tarpon Street, Oak Avenue, Loquat, Kumquat, South and Los Cedros drives, Bayview Place, Newton Lane, as well as possibly Hardin, Mangrove and Maple avenues.
“A lot of our streets were not in great shape,” Commission Chair Mark Short told The Islander Dec. 28. “I can definitely say there is a very noticeable difference … with respect to dealing with standing water.”
“There is still significant progress to be made,” Murphy wrote, adding that drainage and paving work also will be the city’s focus in the new year.
Holmes Beach officials have their sights set high for 2023.
City officials told The Islander the week beginning Dec. 26 they were excited to move forward with proposed improvements to Gulf Drive and repair the municipality’s relationship with county officials, as well as pursue action to preserve the environment.
Some officials found pride in the progress of the long-awaited city center improvement project in 2022 and the reopening for traffic before Christmas.
However, with work projected to be completed in 2023, excitement has begun to shift to the city’s plans for Gulf Drive, which includes a multiuse path and landscaped buffers alongside to improve pedestrian safety, walkability and multimodal use.
The work will be divided into two phases, first covering Gulf Drive from Palm Drive to Holmes Boulevard, and the second stretching from Manatee Avenue to East Bay Drive — about two miles in total.
City commissioners voted Dec. 13, 2022, to approve spending $424,600 with Tampa-based Cardinal Engineering Collective to design and engineer the project. The cost will be covered by $1 million in remaining funds from the U.S. American Rescue Plan Act, which provided the city $2,156,176.
Commission Chair Carol Soustek told The Islander Dec. 28 that she will be excited to see improvements on Gulf Drive because it is currently “extremely inadequate” and unsafe for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Mayor Judy Titsworth said the roadway “lacks any kind of safe biking” in its current state.
Titsworth said roadway safety was a big concern for her in general due to the high amount of multimodal activity and traffic throughout the city, but especially along Gulf Drive.
“We need to do whatever we can do here to provide a safe vacation and a safe place for our citizens. So they can be able to walk, get on a bike and not fear for their lives,” Titsworth said.
Titsworth said her second hope for 2023 — to improve the city’s relationship with Manatee County commissioners — might be needed to acquire funding for additional Gulf Drive improvements.
The two sides have been at odds since County
Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge was elected in November 2020 and immediately threatened to withhold beach renourishment funding if the city did not reverse its park-by-permit system implemented earlier that year.
The system involves selling $15 decals to residents and property owners to allow them to park a vehicle in one of 645 spots along residential roadways where the city prohibited public parking 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
City officials stand by the system, which they established in an attempt to protect residential quality of life by reducing roadside parking on certain residential streets.
Van Ostenbridge and other county commissioners argue the parking limits are unfair to off-island residents visiting the beaches, and voted in June 2021 to deny a $282,910 TDC funding request to the city.
County commissioners also proposed building a multilevel parking garage at Manatee Public Beach, 4000 Gulf Drive, to make up for lost parking.
City officials shut that possibility down in August by adopting an ordinance prohibiting multilevel parking facilities.
Nevertheless, Titsworth said the new year brings new opportunities to repair relationships.
Commissioner Terry Schaefer said he hoped the city would take more action on preserving the environment in 2023, such as furthering restrictions on singleuse plastics and exploring clean water solutions.
The city adopted an ordinance in 2022 prohibiting local businesses from distributing single-use nonbiodegradable plastic straws — the only plastic that can be prohibited under state law.
The city also passed a resolution that will be distributed to local businesses asking them to reduce the use of other single-use plastic products.
Schaefer said he’d like to further pursue the reduction of plastics on the local and state level.
He added that he’d like the city to explore the potential purchase of a marine skimmer vessel to remove algae buildup, fish kills and other marine debris due to the city’s dependence on clean water.
The Center of Anna Maria Island’s financial freefall might be slowing.
But it may have fallen too far to turn fiscal 2022-23 around.
The center lost $17,637.03 in October, bringing the nonprofit’s deficit to $239,824.35 four months into the current fiscal year, which began July 1, 2022.
Despite the loss, October was the center’s best month so far this year since it had lost at least $49,578.47 in each of the past three months, including $95,892.39 in September.
The difference can be partially attributed to an increase in program income over the previous months revenue.
The nonprofit earned $35,897.77 in program income in October, compared to $14,513.08 and $11,350.12 in August and September.
That is the center’s second-best monthly program income total so far, only behind the $39,921.46 it earned in July.
While July and October had similar program income totals, the results came in different ways.
The center earned $105,617.10 in program revenue
center of anna maria island staff pose dec. 22 in christmas sweaters to celebrate the holiday season. islander Photo: courtesy cofami
in July but spent $65,695.64 in programming costs.
On the other hand, the nonprofit earned $67,237 in October but only spent $31,339.23 on programming costs.
The center, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria, also lowered its general and administrative expenses in October, spending $57,738.78, the lowest monthly
total so far this fiscal year.
The previous low was $62,642.39 in July.
Those numbers are bolstered by $5,447.65 the center earned in fundraising income in September — the second-highest monthly total so far this fiscal year.
A chunk of the center’s deficit may be eliminated by its ongoing “Campaign to Sustain 1.0” matching challenge, which had raised $169,475 from 90-plus donors toward a $75,000 goal as of Dec. 28.
This year’s fundraising campaign will end Friday, Jan. 13, and may be followed by another fundraiser, according to development director Jim McDaniel.
The center’s fundraising revenue also will be boosted by the Bradenton Gulf Island Concert Series. The next concert will be Saturday, Jan. 21, with a performance by classic rock band Boston’s current lead singer, Tommy DeCarlo.
Doors will open for all four concerts at 6 p.m., with the opening act taking the stage by 7 p.m. and the headliner’s performance by 8 p.m.
Details of the center’s fundraising campaign and concert series can be found on the nonprofit’s website, centerami.org.
To reach the center, call 941-778-1908.
“baby
church,
• Tuesday, Jan. 10, classes resume.
• Friday, Jan. 14, 3:45 p.m., PTO board meeting.
• Monday, Jan. 16, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, no classes.
• Saturday, Jan. 28, winter carnival
• Saturday, Feb. 18, Dolphin Dash 5K and 1-mile fun run, benefits AME-PTO.
• Monday, Feb. 20, Presidents Day, no classes.
• Tuesday, Feb. 21, third-grade play, 6:30 p.m., auditorium; PTO dinner TBD, 5 p.m.
• Wednesday, March 1, early release.
• Thursday, March 9, end of third quarter.
• Friday, March 10, records day, no classes.
• March 13-17, spring break, no classes.
• Friday, April 7, Good Friday, no classes.
Anna Maria Elementary is at 4700 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach.
For more information, call the school at 941-708-5525.
Kindergartners Bayla Lance, Layla White and maddy Jones arrive to anna maria elementary in Holmes Beach aug. 10 for their first day of school. The kids became friends at the School for constructive Play in Holmes Beach. islander file Photos
‘We wish’ former and current students at School for constructive Play sing “We Wish You a merry christmas” during their holiday program. The school is housed at gloria dei Lutheran
6608 marina drive, Holmes Beach. islander courtesy Photos
The
class” at School for constructive Play performs for family and friends.
By ryan Paice islander reporter
A 2021 traffic collision in Holmes Beach may lead to civil penalties on top of potential prison time.
Judge Charles Sniffen of the 12th Circuit Court Dec. 7 granted plaintiff Jana Samuels’ motion for leave to amend her complaint to add punitive damages against Palmetto resident Michael Fitzgerald.
Fitzgerald, 59, is facing a third-degree felony charge for his involvement in a collision Nov. 29, 2021, that left Samuels, 79, of Anna Maria, hospitalized with injuries.
The collision occurred in the 6800 block of Palm Drive in Holmes Beach when Fitzgerald — a delivery driver for New Port Richey-based Trulieve Inc., a chain of medical marijuana dispensaries — allegedly swerved into oncoming traffic and crashed into Samuels’ golf cart.
Samuels was hospitalized in critical condition at HCA Florida Blake Hospital in Bradenton, where she remained in the intensive care unit into February.
The incident left Samuels with multiple fractures in her right hand, right leg and back. She also suffered internal bleeding, head trauma and damage to her spleen, according to court documents.
Samuels’ family and legal representatives have otherwise declined to comment on her health since the collision.
Fitzgerald displayed signs of impairment during the incident, according to police reports, and allowed police to draw blood for drug and alcohol testing during medical treatment.
A Feb. 7, 2022, Florida Department of Law Enforcement laboratory report found Fitzgerald tested positive for THC, the primary psychoactive component in marijuana, and Alprazolam, a benzodiazepine drug used to treat anxiety and panic disorders.
Fitzgerald was arrested in April 2022 after the state attorney’s office issued a capias for his detainment. He was released the same day after posting a $1,500 bond.
Fitzgerald’s attorney, Thomas Hudson from the Sarasota-based Hudson Law Office, filed a plea of not guilty April 29 on behalf of his client.
Punishment for a third-degree felony includes up to five years in prison, five years probation and a $5,000 fine.
A jury trial for the criminal case is scheduled to begin June 5 at the Manatee County Judicial Center, 1051 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.
In the meantime, Samuels is seeking at least $30,000 in damages from Fitzgerald and Trulieve in civil court under claims of negligence, dangerous instrumentality and vicarious liability.
The complaint alleges that Samuels “suffered bodily injury and resulting pain and suffering, disability, disfigurement, mental anguish, loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life” due to the incident.
Samuels’ Aug. 4 motion for leave to amend her complaint to add a count for punitive damages includes quoted testimony from officers at the scene of the incident demonstrating evidence of Fitzgerald’s impairment.
Sniffen may believe Samuels has a winning case.
“The court finds that the plaintiff’s proffer of evidence in her motion, including the testimony of the investigating officer, the post-crash toxicology report, and the probable cause affidavit, provide a reasonable basis for recovery of punitive damages,” Sniffen wrote in his Dec. 7 order.
Sniffen also granted Samuels’ motion to compel discovery, which is the process of exchanging information between parties about the witnesses and evidence they will bring to trial.
Attorney Jamie McKean from St. Petersburg-based Miller Exantus filed a motion Dec. 22 on behalf of his client, Trulieve, to dismiss the fourth count in Samuels’ complaint, which targets Trulieve for negligence.
“Plaintiff’s complaint fails to assert any specific reason or basis to support the assertion that entrusting the subject vehicle to co-defendant was foolish or negligent,” the motion states.
Sniffen had not responded to the motion as of Dec. 29, according to the clerk of court’s website.
There were no hearings scheduled.
Island watch In an emergency, call 911. To report info, call the MCSO Anna Maria, 941-708-8899; Bradenton Beach police, 941778-6311; Holmes Beach police, 941-708-5804.
Anna Maria
No new reports.
The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office polices Anna Maria.
Bradenton Beach
Dec. 24, 2600 block of Gulf Drive North, burglary. Bradenton Beach police officers responded to a call concerning a residential burglary after a neighbor notified the property owner of damage. The officer filed a case number.
Bradenton Beach Police Department polices Bradenton Beach.
Cortez
No new reports.
The MCSO polices Cortez.
Holmes Beach
Dec. 21, 600 block of Hampshire Lane, petit theft. Two officers from the Holmes Beach Police Department responded to reports of a possible domestic situation involving a man and woman. The man said they had an argument and the woman took his phone and walked off but he did not want to press charges. The woman said the man choked her but she did not want to press charges. An officer found the man’s phone in the woman’s possession, which he returned it to the man. Case cards were given to both parties.
Dec. 23, West Coast Surf Shop, 3902 Gulf Drive, grand theft. An officer saw juveniles running on a private road at 7:30 p.m., including one riding a bicycle without lights. The officer stopped the biker, who said they were returning the bike, taken without permission from the shop. The officer detained the juvenile, called his parents and returned the bike to the store, where a manager provided security footage.
Holmes Beach Police Department polices Holmes Beach.
Streetlife is based on incident reports and narratives from the BBPD, HBPD and MCSO.
a 7-foot-long alligator thought to have been displaced by Hurricane ian arrived at the north shore of anna maria island near Bean Point oct. 8. The florida fish and Wildlife conservation commission confirmed oct. 10 that the gator was euthanized due to injuries.
FISH is planning new work in “the kitchen.”
FISH with funding to pay off the preserve mortgage in 2005.
The Cortez-based nonprofit is waiting on funding to begin the last stage of a four-phase program to return the 95-acre parcel back to its original natural state, said Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage treasurer Jane von Hahmann.
FISH operates in the oldest working fishing village in the state — Cortez, where the adjacent waters were known as “the kitchen” due to the abundant fishery.
The FISH Preserve, 4523 123rd St. Court W., is an initiative undertaken by FISH to protect coastal estuary habitat along the coastline and provide a buffer for the village to development.
“We know our permits are all completed and cleared about two months ago,” von Hahmann said of the project phase. “We put a new sign up on the preserve right around the same time that happened. So we are just waiting to see. It’s about $300,000 we still need.”
Von Hahmaan said Dec. 27, 2022, that she anticipated early this year a response from Sarasota Bay Estuary Project — a cooperative partnership among communities, researchers and governments that strives to improve the health of Sarasota Bay.
The preserve project has encompassed funding partnerships with SBEP, the Southwest Florida Water Management District, the Florida Department of Transportation and other agencies and groups equating to grants totaling more than $500,000.
“We are trying to get the last phase of the earth moving and restoration done on the preserve, which would be the far east end,” von Hahmann said. “This will be phase four, the final phase. We did phase one back at the end of 2016.”
FISH removed about 90 Australian pine trees in 2022, part of a plan to clear exotic species and return the preserve to its original state.
Von Hahmann said removing the trees allows
groundwater to flow through the area, enhancing the estuary.
FISH’s plans to improve the preserve in 2023 also would aid the Sarasota Bay RV Park, 10777 Cortez Road W., in easing drainage woes. FISH is partnering with Swiftmud to mitigate drainage and filtration issues associated with the park.
Von Hahmann said the work would allow for the filter of massive overflows of rain — like those that came with Hurricane Ian in September 2022 — from the RV park to the preserve.
“It will literally be filtered through our estuary system rather than a direct shot through to the bay,” she said.
“It’s been a very slow process,” von Hahmann said of the restoration effort. “The preserve was bought in 2000. I think it really kicked into gear around 2010. So this has been about a 12-13 year process.”
The annual Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival and donations from more than 700 members provided
The group is planning the next festival, which will be Feb. 18-19 on 46th Avenue at the end of 123rd Street. Admission will be $5 for adults.
“We had great partners,” von Hahmann said of SBEP and other organizations that have assisted FISH. “It was reaching out and forming partnerships that worked for us, definitely worked for Cortez and the Cortez FISH Preserve.”
FISH is a nonprofit run that manages several properties in Cortez, including a 95-acre preserve.
The nonprofit formed in 1991 and is dedicated to the promotion, education and preservation of Cortez, commercial fishing and maritime cultures.
For more, go online to cortez-fish.org.
Manatee County will host a meeting for its sewer rehabilitation project on Gulf Drive from Sixth Street South to 13th Street South in Bradenton Beach.
The meeting will be 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 12, at Bradenton Beach City Hall, 107 Gulf Drive N.
The $8.1 million project will replace and relocate a portion of the sewer system to locations within the rights of way, according to a news release from the county.
The goal is to increase capacity and reduce the risk of pipe failures and leaks, the county said.
Site work is expected to begin this month and continue to fall 2024.
At the meeting, people can learn about the project by viewing design boards and plans. Also, staff will answer questions.
There will be no formal presentation, so people can arrive at any time during the meeting.
For more info, go online to amiprojects.io.
To contact the county, call 311.
Hoping for another astronomical year?
Look to the sky.
Twice a year, around Jan. 1 and July 1, Sandscript provides a skywatch calendar, a glance at celestial occurrences to come — meteor showers, eclipses, moon phases and more.
We check the Old Farmer’s Almanac, NASA’s events calendars, the website for the American Meteor Society, resources from the U.S. Naval Observatory and “The Sky” from Sea and Sky.
appearance of spring flowers.
April 11: Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation of 19.5 degrees from the sun. Look for the planet low in the western sky after sunset.
April 20: New moon.
April 20: Hybrid solar eclipse, which occurs when the moon is almost too close to the Earth to completely block the sun. This is the rarest type of solar eclipse but will be visible in the Southern Hemisphere — from Australia to West Papua.
April 22- 23: Lyrids meteor shower peaks, producing about 20 meteors per hour. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. One of the best resources on meteor showers is the American Meteor Society at amsmeteors.org.
May 5: Full moon, known by early Native American tribes as the Flower Moon because it is the time of year when spring flowers appear in abundance.
May 5: Penumbral lunar eclipse, which occurs when the moon passes through the Earth’s partial shadow. The eclipse won’t be visible in our location.
If you grabbed your copy of The Islander soon after we hit the streets, you can kick off 2023 by observing the Quadrantids Meteor Shower, boasting up to 40 meteors per hour at the peak — Jan. 4.
A nearly full moon might block the fainter meteors but you can find a dark location after midnight and get lucky.
Also through Jan. 4, all five naked-eye planets — Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn — will be visible at dusk in one visual sweep.
And Jan. 6 brings a full moon — also known as the Wolf Moon or After Yule. Look for the moon to rise from the northeastern horizon around sunset.
The rest of the calendar through June 30:
Jan. 21: New moon, a good time to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters.
Jan. 30: Mercury reaches its greatest western elongation of 25 degrees from the sun. Mercury will be at
its highest point above the horizon in the morning sky. Look in the eastern sky before sunrise.
Feb. 5: Full moon, known by Native American tribes as the Snow Moon because the heaviest snows were thought to fall during this time of the year. Also known as the Hunger Moon.
Feb. 20: New moon, a good time to observe faint objects.
March 7: Full moon, known by Native American tribes as the Worm Moon because it arrives a time when the ground is softening. Also known as the Lenten Moon.
March 20: March Equinox, when the sun will shine directly on the equator and there will be nearly equal amounts of day and night throughout the world.
March 21: New moon.
April 6: Full moon, known by early Native American tribes as the Pink Moon because it marked the
May 6-7: Eta Aquarids meteor shower peaks, producing about 30 meteors per hour. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight but the full moon probably will light the sky.
May 19: New moon.
May 29: Mercury reaches greatest western elongation of 24.9 degrees from the sun. Look for the planet low in the eastern sky just before sunrise.
June 4: Full moon, known by early Native American tribes as the Strawberry Moon because it signaled the time of year to gather fruit.
June 4: Venus reaches greatest eastern elongation of 45.4 degrees from the sun. Look for the bright planet in the western sky after sunset.
June 18: New moon.
June 21: June solstice, when the North Pole will be tilted toward the sun, which will have reached its northernmost position in the sky and will be directly over the Tropic of Cancer. In our hemisphere, this will be the first day of summer. In the Southern Hemisphere, this will be the first day of winter.
By Kevin P. cassidy islander reporter
While the kids are on break from school, so goes the sports action at the Center of Anna Maria Island.
The youth flag football league is expected to start Jan. 10 for age divisions 4-5, 6-7, 8-10 and 11-13.
Adult football is sure to follow.
Meanwhile, the Anna Maria Island horseshoe pitchers fired up their game for an end-of-year match.
Two teams emerged from pool play and battled for the day’s championship during Dec. 28 horseshoe action at the Anna Maria City Hall pits. Bob Lee and Neil Hennessey teamed up to forge a 21-8 victory over Bob Rowley and Robert Allen to earn the day’s bragging rights.
The final horseshoe competition of 2022 on Dec. 31 saw three teams go 3-0 in pool play. Bob Baker and Adin Shank drew the bye into the final and watched as Steve Doyle and Jerry Disbrow defeated Bob Heiger 22-17 to advance to the fi nals. Doyle and Disbrow stayed hot and earned a 21-13 victory over Baker and Shank to win the year-ender.
Play gets underway at 9 a.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays at the Anna Maria City Hall pits. Warm ups begin at 8:45 a.m., followed by random team selection and competition.
There is no charge to play and everyone is welcome.
At the Key Royale Club in Holmes Beach over the last week of the old year, play was limited due to the almost freezing conditions, including cancellation of the Dec. 27 women’s outing.
Bradenton resident michelle Steiner, right, uses pliers dec. 28 to cut a catfish free from a cast net that snagged the fish’s fins, while her sons maxx, 12, and James, 8, left, watch on. islander
The men played their weekly modified-Stableford system match Dec. 26, which saw Don Corrigan lap the field, carding a plus-6 to finish 5 points ahead of second-place finishers Earl Ritchie and Greg Shorten, who both finished at plus-1.
Members were back on the course Dec. 29 for a nine-hole shamble. The team of Gary Alvord, Dave Richardson, Greg Shorten and Steve Vasbinder combined on a 2-under-par 30 to earn clubhouse bragging rights for the day. The team of Bob Blaser, Quentin Talbert and Joe Tyan were alone in second place at even-par 32, while Mike Cusato, Jack Lowry, Kurt Snouffer and Warren Stevens finished in third place at 3-over-par 35.
Got sports news? Give me a shout. kevin@islander. org.
rusty Wood, center of anna maria island director of youth programs, speaks to the center’s youth league soccer players oct. 11 about the core promises of youth sports at the nonprofit, 407 magnolia ave., anna maria.
With temperatures back on the rise, Anna Maria Island fishers are finding themselves back on the water in search of a bite.
Air temps are in the mid-70s during the day and the water temps are running in the upper-50s to mid60s, triggering the sheepshead to start gathering in preparation for their winter spawn.
Fishing depths of 25-50 feet of water is providing the most consistent action for sheepshead and a host of other species, including mangrove snapper, Key West grunts and hogfish. Live shrimp as bait works well, especially when combined with a bottom rig such as a knocker, fish finder or a hog ball.
On windier days — which we have quite a few of throughout the winter — anglers who prefer not to brave the rough seas in the Gulf of Mexico are staying inshore to target black drum, redfish and flounder.
Fishing residential canals and docks is an ideal way to target the species, as well as a great option to stay comfortable, escaping wind and wave wash.
And don’t be surprised to find a few sheepies lurking in these areas.
You may not consistently encounter the larger sheepshead you would find in the Gulf but you could put a few keepers in the cooler.
And, depending on the canal, there’s a chance of finding large snook that spend the winter in the warmer waters of the canals. Try free-lining large shrimp or slowly working a DOA shrimp around the docks. You may get a surprise.
On my Just Reel charters, I’m seeing a respectable amount of sheepshead reeled up when fishing structure and ledges in the Gulf of Mexico. Most sheepies are coming in at 14-16 inches, with some larger ones mixed in. While targeting the sheepies, my Just Reel anglers are seeing mangrove snapper and Key West grunts.
Fishing residential canals and docks is yielding redfish and black drum, as well as a few sheepshead.
On warmer days, jigging the flats of Sarasota Bay is offering action on spotted seatrout and pompano, with some jack crevalle and ladyfish mixed in.
Capt. Warren Girle says his clients are fi nding good action on sheepshead while working the residential canals and docks on Longboat Key. Casting live
shrimp on a weighted rig is attracting many keeper-size sheepies to the hook as well as black drum. Unexpectedly, a few snook also are being caught in this fashion.
Patrolling the reefs out in the Gulf also is producing action for Girle. Again, sheepshead are the primary bite with some mangrove snapper in the mix.
Capt. David White is using live shrimp as bait to target a variety of species, including black drum, sheepshead and redfish. All three species are being found in Anna Maria Island’s residential canals and docks and along some of the sandy beaches of the Gulf where structure exists. Casting live shrimp in any of these areas during swift-moving tides is leading to action for White’s anglers. Live pinfish as bait are working well while targeting catch-and-release gag grouper around reefs, wrecks and rock piles. Although out of season, these strongfighting fish are quite a thrill to the unsuspecting angler.
Jim Malfese at the Rod & Reel Pier is seeing a variety of species coming to the deck. Sheepshead are making their arrival at the pier, and although large numbers have yet to show, pier fishes using live shrimp are reeling up a few of the tasty fish.
Other species being caught on live shrimp include redfish, black drum and, occasionally, a few mangrove snapper.
Finally, casting pompano jigs throughout the waters
By Lisa neff
In Southwest Florida the week ending Jan. 1, the red tide organism K. brevis was observed at very low to medium concentrations in Manatee County, background to high concentrations in and offshore of Pinellas County, background to low concentrations in Sarasota County and background concentrations in Lee County.
There were no reports of fish kills suspected to be related to red tide from Manatee County.
There also were no reports of respiratory irritation from the county.
For more information, go online to myfwc.com.
Back at the dock, the forney family of michigan — Bayne, Scout, Jayne, dean and merrill — show off the their sheeps–head bounty, caught fishing inshore using shrimp for bait. They were guided to plenty of sheepshead, redfish and trout by capt. Warren girle.
surrounding the pier can yield action on ladyfish, jack crevalle and — you guessed it — some pompano.
Capt. Jason Stock is finding plenty of catch-andrelease gag grouper while working charters offshore in the Gulf. Live pinfish are working best as bait for these feisty fish. Small goliath grouper in the 20-pound range also are being caught in this fashion.
Fishing offshore ledges is yielding a variety of species including amberjack, Key West grunts and mangrove snapper.
Finally, as of Jan. 1, red grouper and lane snapper are back in season and Stock anticipates targeting these fish.
Send high-resolution photos and fishing reports to fish@islander.org.
Brett Lance of Holmes Beach shows off two of the red snappers he caught in 160 feet of water on pinfish oct. 8, while on a guided fishing trip with capt. david White during the extended recreational snapper season. Flashback
HigH end room rugs, runners, Samsung galaxy mini-phone, cPaP. great condition/ prices. Pms, 815-289-7887.
anTiQue ParTner deSK: all wood, $500. inquire to The islander. 941-778-7978.
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.
VicTorian BaBY carriage: Wood/wicker, great photo or theater prop. Benefits moonracer animal rescue. for photos: moonraceranimalrescue@gmail.com.
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 toll-free 1-866-362-9821. (limited time offer)
eSTaTe/garage SaLe - 9 am-2 pm, friday and Saturday, Jan. 6-7. Key royale, 630 foxworth Lane, Holmes Beach.
found: SmaLL drone. Landed on dock near 68th Street, Holmes Beach on christmas day. Please call 941-737-0342 to identify.
HeLP reScued PeTS! Volunteer, foster, computer help needed! moonracer animal rescue. email: moonraceranimalrescue@ gmail.com.
goLf carT renTaLS: fun for residents and tourists! www.golfcartrentalami.com.
2001 SaTurn LW-30 wagon. 126,300 miles. new tires, lifts, air conditioning. $2,350 or best offer. 941-778-4590, 7 a.m-7 p.m.
2003 Honda odYSSeY van: $1,995. Pines Trailer court. call Larry, 402-223-8068.
HaVe a BoaT and wanna catch more fish, better bait or learn the water? 50-year local fisherman, your boat, my knowledge. captain chris, 941-896-2915.
SuncoaST BoTTom PainTing: Professional bottom painting. mobile. call 941704-9382.
noW Hiring HandYman: full-time professional services. Hourly rate based on experience. call JayPros, 941-962-2874.
rePorTer WanTed: Print media, newspaper experience required. apply via email with letter of interest to news@islander.org.
more adS = more readers in The islander.
need an aduLT night out? call maty’s Babysitting Services. i’m 16, love kids and have lots of experience. references upon request. 618-977-9630.
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.
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. 941-756-4570.
PreSSure WaSHing, PaVer sealing, driveway, roof, fence, pool area. also, window cleaning. Licensed and insured. 941-5653931.
BicYcLe rePairS: Just4fun at 5358 gulf drive can do most any bicycle repair at a reasonable cost. Pick-up and delivery available. 941-896-7884.
comPanion/HomemaKer: Honest and reliable offering help with running errands, grocery shopping, house sitting, pet and plant care, light cooking/cleaning, transportation. references available and licensed. call Sherri, 941-592-4969.
aPi’S drYWaLL rePair: i look forward to servicing your drywall repair needs. call 941524-8067 to schedule an appointment.
HandYman or cLeaning services: affordable rates. fred, 941-356-1456.
ProfeSSionaL WindoW cLeaning: residential, commercial, free estimates. “We want to earn your business!” 207-852-6163.
BuSineSS-To-BuSineSS Jd’s Window cleaning looking for storefront jobs in Holmes Beach. i make dirty windows sparkling clean. 941-920-3840.
The islander website offers essential news for residents and visitors. check it out: islander.org.
Web site: www.islander.org E-mail: classifieds@islander.org 315 58th St., Suite J Fax toll free: 1-866-362-9821 Holmes Beach FL 34217 Phone: 941-778-7978
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.
connie’S LandScaPing inc. residential and commercial. full-service lawn maintenance, landscaping, cleanups, hauling and more! insured. 941-778-5294.
BarneS LaWn and Landscape LLc. design and installation, lawn and landscape services, tree trimming, mulch, rock and shell. 941-705-1444. Jr98@barneslawnandlandscape.com.
coLLinS LandScaPe LigHTing: outdoor lighting, landscaping, irrigation services and maintenance. 941-279-9947. mJc24373@ gmail.com.
SearaY SPrinKLer SerViceS. repairs, additions, drip, sprinkler head/timer adjustments. 941-920-0775.
SHeLL deLiVered and spread. Hauling all kinds of gravel, mulch, top soil with free estimates. call Larry at 941-795-7775, “shell phone” 941-720-0770.
Van-go PainTing residential/commercial, interior/exterior, pressure cleaning, wallpaper. island references. Bill, 941-795-5100. www.vangopainting.net.
TiLe -TiLe -TiLe. all variations of ceramic tile supplied and installed. Quality workmanship, prompt, reliable, many island references. call neil, 941-726-3077.
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.
iSLand HandYman: i live here, work here, value your referral. refinish, paint. Just ask. JayPros. Licensed/insured. references. call Jay, 941-962-2874.
HandYman and PainTing. no job too small. most jobs just right. call richard Kloss. 941-204-1162.
Screening SerViceS: replace your old or ripped window, door or porch screens. many screen types available. retired veteran here to serve our community! free estimates, call Lane, 941-705-5293.
caLL HYdro cLean. full-service pressure washing, sealing. Pavers, travertine and natural stone. Window washing too, up to three stories. call Jacob, 941-920-2094.
SaraSoTa inTerior PainTing: We specialize in high-end properties. We love to paint! owner operated. fully insured/ licensed. call or text don, 941-900-9398. instagram: SarasotainteriorPainting.
donaLd PerKinS’ aBracadaBra Painting LLc. interior/exterior. 30 years of experience. 941-705-7096.
anna maria guLf beachfront vacation rentals. one- two- and three-bedroom units, all beachfront. www.amiparadise.com. 941778-3143.
SmaLL eXecuTiVe office available. approximately 550 sf. gulf drive exposure. Water and electric included, $850/month. $500 deposit. 5386 gulf drive, Suite 101, Holmes Beach. 941-746-8666.
anna maria 2Br/2Ba. minimum six-month rental. Just over the bridge, beautiful community of the highly sought-after gated Perico Bay club. furnished villa with garage, includes water, Wifi, Spectrum, pest control, trash, and lawn care. no pets/no smoking. available april 1. $3,000/month, plus electric. 310-971-7210. VrBo 9422180ha.
SeaSonaL: 4Br/2Ba, pool, large sunroom, garage, laundry, $10,000/month. Walk to beach or cross street to beach. 3Br/2Ba sunroom, porch, garage, washer and dryer. $12,000/month. call 347-510-8417.
aVaiLaBiLiTY Jan. 1 to Jan. 31, 2023. 3Br/2Ba single-level home located on the canal in the city of anna maria. $4,500 plus taxes and fees. call anna maria realty inc., 941-778-2259.
3Br/2Ba guLf VieW! annual, furnished, elevated island house, Bradenton Beach. minimum six months, $3,500/month. first, last, security deposit, $1,500. no pets. Send detailed household information to LHB747@ gmail.com or 941-778-1098.
SeaSonaL renTaL: 3Br and 4Br/2Ba, sunroom, swimming pool garage, laundry. $9,000/month. call 347-510-7417.
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.”
for SaLe. readY to move in, 2Br/2Ba first floor condo. unfurnished, all ages, mirror Lake complex in Bradenton. Listed at $215,000. call Priscilla figueroa, KW Suncoast at 941-348-3071.
The Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce will present checks to nonprofits during its annual “Trolley Grant” celebration, set for 5 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26, at the Seafood Shack Marina Bar and Grill, 4110 127th St. W., Cortez.
In 2022, the chamber presented 13 nonprofits with $19,396 in grants.
The money comes from the chamber’s “surplus” from trolley advertising revenue.
To help keep the trolley fare-free, the chamber years ago committed to selling advertising space. Each year, after subtracting funds for the trolley and program management, the chamber awards the surplus to nonprofits benefitting the island and Cortez communities.
Over the years, the chamber has awarded more than $420,000 to nonprofits.
The chamber will not announce how many nonprofits will receive money — and how much — until the celebration Jan. 26.
For more information, call the chamber at 941778-1541.
Thursday, Jan. 5
7:30 a.m. — Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce breakfast, Judy’s Restaurant, 9516 Cortez Road W., Bradenton. Info: 941-778-1541.
Wednesday, Jan. 11
Noon — AMI Chamber ribbon-cutting for Tahini Beach Cafe, 103 Gulf Drive N., Bradenton Beach. Info: 941-778-1541.
Second Fridays through April, 5:30-7:30 p.m., City Center Artwalk and Shop, Gulf and Marina drives, Holmes Beach. Info: 941- 778-6648.
Jan. 12, 11:30 a.m., AMI Chamber luncheon, Discovery Village at Sarasota Bay, Bradenton. Info: 941-778-1541.
Jan. 26, 5 p.m., AMI Chamber Trolley Grant Awards and Business Card Exchange, Seafood Shack, Cortez. Info: 941-7781541.
Event fees generally apply and reservations are requested.
The Islander joins the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce in welcoming new members to the organization’s roster:
Fishing charters Capt. Jason Stock; Dana Sky of Sky Sol Yoga; John Lappin of Concord Home Mortgages; Suncoast Blood Centers of Bradenton; A Chauffer 4 U, owner Dennis Jagdmann; Matthew Cooper of SkyRun Anna Maria; Barbie Gummin of Total Life Care; and Myriam Dandonneau of Mademoiselle Paris restaurant in Anna Maria.
216 Periwinkle Ave., Anna Maria, a 2,105 sq ft 4BR/2BA pool home on a 9,374 sq ft lot built in 1967 sold 11/30/2022 by Grimes to Benaly for $3,600,000, list price $3,700,000.
2108 Ave. B, Bradenton Beach, a 1,100 sq ft 2BR/2BA home on a 5,001 sq ft lot built in 1963 sold 11/18/2022 by Selander to 2108 Ave B LLC for $1,150,000, list price $1,349,000.
601 Gulf Drive, Bradenton Beach, a 1,716 sq ft 4BR/4BA pool home on a 5,001 sq ft lot built in 1971 sold 11/18/2022 by Morris to 601 Gulf Dr LLC for $2,400,000, list price $2,495,000.
5300 Gulf Drive, #610, Holmes Beach, a 1,169 sq ft 2BR/2BA condo at Martinique Apts N, built in 1971 sold 11/30/2022 to Roas to 5th Year Studio LLC for $1,050,000, list price $1,199,000.
202 75th St., #A, Holmes Beach, a 1,967 sq ft 4BR/3BA pool home on a 4,130 sq ft lot built in 2006 sold 12/1/2022 by Egrets Nest to Peretz Trust for $1,892,500, list price $1,995,000.
6430 Gulf Drive, #1, Holmes Beach, a 3,192 sq ft 4BR/4BA L’Plage condo built in 2003 sold 11/16/2022 by Webb to Reichl for $2,800,000, list price $3,098,000.
Compiled by Island Real Estate staff. Island Real Estate sales professionals can be reached at 941-7786066, islandreal.com.
