The Islander Newspaper E-Edition: Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022

Carrying the flags for peace

Island gleams on hidden gem, cheap vacation lists

By Kane Kaiman islander reporter

Locals agree with the appraisal.

In late July, the online travel blog ParkSleepFly.com rated Anna Maria Island the No. 6 “best hidden gem” in the United States.

The bloggers compiled a list of 150 attractions and landmarks and used Google search volume from June 2021 to May 2022 and Google Maps review scores to determine their rankings.

The island was bested by Grand Teton National Park, Badlands National Park, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Garden of the Gods and Mount Vernon.

But the approximately 7-mile-long bar-

rier isle beat out household-name destinations, including Devils Tower, North Carolina’s Outer Banks, Mackinac Island and Mammoth Cave National Park.

There’s no doubt about the Bradenton area’s popularity with first-time visitors, 94% of whom return within a year, according to Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau executive director Elliott Falcione.

However, the region — which experienced a tourism boom during the pandemic — could be transcending “hidden gem” status.

The BACVB uses 2019 metrics as its pre-pandemic benchmark data and Manatee County resort development tax revenue as an indicator of visitation levels.

Ian intensifies, evacuations ordered

By islander Staff

With Ian intensifying, locals were readying for a major hurricane.

The National Weather Service Sept. 26 — as The Islander went to press — predicted Ian would build into a major hurricane in the eastern Gulf of Mexico by mid-week and issued tropical storm and hurricane watches for Florida’s west coast.

“Regardless of Ian’s exact track and intensity, there is a risk of a life-threatening storm surge, hurricane-force winds and heavy rainfall along the west coast of Florida and the Florida Panhandle by the middle of this week,” the NHC warned.

The Tampa Bay area was under hurricane and storm surge watches with Ian 90 miles west-southwest of Grand Cayman moving northwest at about 14 mph.

Florida’s hurricane watch stretched from Englewood to the Anclote River. A watch means conditions are possible within 48 hours; a warning means conditions are expected within 36 hours.

Some projections were for Ian to produce 5-8 feet of storm surge and 8-10 inches of rain in Manatee County, while the window for tropical-storm force winds is early Sept. 28-Sept. 30.

Federal, state and county authorities issued emergency declarations even before Ian developed into a hurricane.

Manatee County announced Sept. 26 a mandatory Zone A evacuation of the coastal communities and a voluntary Zone B evacuation, effective at 8 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 27.

Anna Maria’s declaration, approved in an emergency meeting of commissioners Sept. 24, said “Ian poses a severe threat to the city of Anna Maria, particularly due to the current saturated state of the ground.”

Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth signed an emergency declaration at 8 a.m. Sept. 26, issuing the notice along with a reminder to residents that reentry tags are available at the police department.

The resort tax or bed tax is a 5% levy on room rentals of six months or less.

For 17 consecutive months, the county has earned more revenue from the tax than in the same month in the preceding year.

In July, for example, the county earned $2,800,988 in resort tax revenue, up from $1,398,555 in July 2019.

The island’s municipalities — Holmes Beach, Bradenton Beach and Anna Maria — accounted for more than 50% of the county’s

Woman found dead in Gulf waters

The body of Bradenton resident Martha Geiser, 55, was found Sept. 20 in the Gulf of Mexico off 50th Street in Holmes Beach.

A beachgoer found Geiser’s body, according to a Sept. 22 news release from Holmes Beach Police Lt. Brian Hall.

Marine rescue and a pair of bystanders brought Geiser to the shore, where she was pronounced deceased.

Her belongings were found nearby on the beach.

An autopsy conducted Sept. 21 showed her death was consistent with a drowning.

Toxicology results were pending, according to Hall’s news release.

“Several witnesses saw Geiser in the water earlier in the morning swimming out towards the swim buoys. Upon investigating, there were no signs of foul play,” the release states.

“There was nothing that appeared suspicious,” Chief Bill Tokajer told The Islander Sept. 22. “We’ll be waiting on a toxicology and medical examiner’s report.”

He said such reports can take up to six months to complete.

— ryan Paice

anna maria elementary students and teachers celebrate international Peace day, observed Sept. 21 at little school by the bay.” Photo: courtesy Jessica nock

Paige and Luke Benda, left, and robert and camille colt man, all visiting from nashville, tennessee, share a laugh Sept. 23 at coquina Beach in Bradenton Beach. the couples vaca tioned on Perico island Sept. 22-25 to cel ebrate camille’s 30th birthday.

islander Photo: Kane Kaiman

Anna Maria shelves cigarette smoking ban

By ryan Paice islander reporter

People can still smoke at Anna Maria’s public beaches and parks.

City commissioners reached con sensus Sept. 22 to shelve a proposed ordinance that would have prohibited cigarette smoking at public beaches and parks.

Maria’s proposal states “that such restrictions are necessary for the health, safety and welfare of the citizens and visitors.”

City attorney Becky Vose said the city also would need to adopt a resolution identifying parks and beaches impacted by the ordinance and establish the fine for violations.

hidden gem continued from Page 1 overall resort tax earnings in July.

On Sept. 20, thetravel.com, another travel web site, ranked Bradenton Beach the No. 6 “cheapest vacation spot in Florida for 2022.”

Though the outfit did not include its ranking meth odology, it lauded the city’s world-famous beaches, namely Coquina Beach; the scenic Historic Bridge Street Pier; Gulf of Mexico sightseeing charters and inexpensive hotels.

The pandemic-era tourism boom appears to have leveled off in recent months as monthly bed tax earn ings have narrowly surpassed 2021 levels.

According to a Sept. 19 news release from Sara sota Bradenton International Airport CEO Fredrick Piccolo, the airport — a major feeder of tourists to the island — saw a 2.9% decrease in passenger volume in August compared to August 2021.

Tourism industry proprietors and analysts have pointed to competition from other vacation destina tions no longer impacted by pandemic restrictions and an inflated island rental market as factors con tributing to the deceleration trend.

Economic factors, such as inflation and high fuel prices, may also be playing a role, meaning the affordability of island vacations could, in part, deter mine how busy the area will be this fall and winter.

So maybe the Bradenton Beach “cheapest” rank ing will help boost travel to AMI after all.

about visitors conflating the regulations with vaping, which he did not want to restrict.

murphy

The proposal is similar to an ordinance that Holmes Beach city commissioners adopted in an effort to limit the improper disposal of cigarettes butts and secondhand smoke.

State law preempts local governments from regu lating smoking other than at city beaches and parks, and exempts unfiltered cigars from regulation.

While Holmes Beach’s ordinance contains lan guage about littering and secondhand smoke, Anna

Mayor Dan Murphy said the city had no plans to hire additional code and law enforcement officers to enforce such a prohibition, so it would need to be upheld through peer pressure.

If approved, the city would post signage to inform people about the regulation.

Commissioner Jonathan Crane said reducing litter on the beach was a worthy cause but prohibit ing smoking in parks would be “punitive.”

“I don’t like this in any respect,” Crane said. “I don’t know what we’re solving for.”

Commissioner Robert Kingan raised concerns

Commissioner Deanie Sebring said the ability to prohibit cigarette smoking but allow cigars didn’t make sense to her, as both products produce litter.

She said she would be “baffled” to see someone smoking a cigarette fined for a violation while a cigar smoker could legally smoke in the same place.

There was no public comment.

The commission will meet next at 2 p.m. Thurs day, Oct. 13, at city hall, 10005 Gulf Drive.

Directions to are at cityofannamaria.com.

BACVB names potential water taxi vendor and startup costs

By robert anderson islander reporter

It looks like a done deal.

A confirmed vendor puts the launch of a Bradenton-AMI water taxi on the horizon.

Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau executive director Elliott Falcione told The Islander Sept. 23 that a vendor to administer the water taxi service has been selected, pending approval by county commissioners.

The water taxi proposal was on the consent agenda for the Manatee County Board of Commissioners meeting Sept. 27, after The Islander went to press.

Gulf Coast Water Taxi, an offshoot of Clearwater Ferry Services Inc., is in negotiations with the county to operate the service.

Clearwater Ferry Services has worked under a contract with the city of Clearwater since 2015 and currently runs an operation similar to the one proposed for Manatee County. The Clearwater ferry departs downtown Clearwater

hUrriCAne iAn continued from Page 1

In Bradenton Beach, commissioners were set to meet at 11 a.m. Sept. 26 and were also expected to issue an emergency declaration.

As government agencies ramped up readiness, islanders got ready — filling gas tanks, trekking to ATMs and scouring grocery stores aisles.

The county and cities opened sandbag stations, including at Coquina Beach in Bradenton Beach, Manatee Public Beach and city field in Holmes Beach and Bayfront Park in Anna Maria.

For emergency management updates, go to mymanatee.org and visit the “severe weather information center.”

For news updates, check islander.org and follow the newspaper on social media.

with stops at Clearwater Beach Marina, Clearwater Marine Aquarium/Island Estates, North Clearwater Beach and downtown Dunedin.

Falcione said an initial five-year agreement with Gulf Coast Water Taxi is proposed, with the option to renew three additional one-year agreements.

A 40-minute ride would include stops in downtown Bradenton, the Anna Maria City Pier, the Historic Bridge Street Pier and the South Coquina Boat Ramp.

The service would begin with Friday-Sunday operations, 10:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m., and the 50-55-foot pontoon style-vessels would be licensed to carry up to 49 passengers.

Falcione said he’s hopeful the taxi could begin in February or March 2023.

“I think a lot of people, specifically visitors are going to use it to be entertained, as well as use it as a form of multimodal transportation,” he said.

Falcione said the service should appeal to visitors and residents: “Diversification on those vessels is really going to play a big part of its long-term success.”

The ferry would have different price points. An adult one-way pass would be $8, seniors and children older than 3 would be $6, while younger kids would ride free. There also would be a $10 hopper pass for

Watermelon salad

multiple rides.

Falcione said thought was being put into ferry usage by employees of island businesses: “We’d like to consider allowing service workers that work on the island to utilize that at no charge. We just have to work out the details.”

The county’s also looking for feedback.

“The best thing that we can do is continue to work with the three cities and the county to find balance and maximize our resources for the greater good of our visitors and residents,” Falcione said.

According to the Sept. 27 county meeting consent agenda, the county would invest up to $700,000 in the construction of two vessels and carry the lien.

The boats would be operated and maintained by Gulf Coast Water Taxi.

If approved, the county would subsidize GCWT up to $350,000 per year for the first two years.

Funding sources would include Coquina Market revenues, the county’s beach concession revenue and tourist development tax funding.

Q&A 092822 By Lisa neff The Islander poll

Last week’s question

“That’s September on AMI …”

5%. 90-plus degrees.

23%. Daily thunderstorms.

7%. Businesses on break.

65%. All of the above.

This week’s question

Paid parking on AMI?

A. Yes, about time.

B. No, I already pay enough in taxes.

C. No, will increase traffic trouble.

D. Maybe, depends on location.

E. Didn’t we debate this already?

To answer the poll, go online to islander.org.

falcione

clearwater ferry. islander courtesy Photo

HB roadwork off to rocky start, downtown businesses impacted

By ryan Paice islander reporter

Some merchants saw red when access to their business was cut off without notice.

Others closed their doors for the day or the week.

Wendell Graham, a member and former president of the Artists Guild of Anna Maria Island, which operates the Guild Gallery in the Island Shopping Center at 5414 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, told The Islander Sept. 23 that construction on the city center project was having a negative impact on the gallery.

The project involves adding roadway markings, bicycle lanes, sidewalks, crosswalks, street lighting and landscaping to a stretch of roadway from the intersection of Gulf and Marina drives to the 5600 block of Marina Drive.

The city hired Sarasota-based C-Squared CGC Inc. to complete the project for $2,753,784.55.

However, city commissioners also approved two additions, expanding the scope of work, including: • $154,649.30 in July to replace infiltration drenches and a failing stormwater drainage pipe along Gulf Drive;

• $93,027 in August to replace a failing stormwater

construction Sept. 22 to add a new stormwater line through the island Shopping center in Holmes Beach limited access and business for the stores in the center.

islander Photo: courtesy Wendell graham

Meetings

Anna Maria City

line under the drive that runs through the Island Shopping Center between Holmes Boulevard and Marina Drive.

However, when C-Squared began the project Sept. 19 and work included the shopping center pipeline, some businesses in the plaza were taken by surprise.

Small Town Creamery, 5404 Marina Drive, posted on Facebook Sept. 21 that the business was closing for

By Lisa neff

Nov. 11, 1 p.m., Veterans Day Old Soldiers and Sailors Parade and Ceremony, Pine Avenue.

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

Bradenton Beach

Oct. 5, 9:30 a.m., CRA.

Oct. 5, 2 p.m., ScenicWAVES.

Oct. 6, 6 p.m., commission.

Oct. 12, 10 a.m., department heads.

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

Holmes Beach

Oct. 5, 5 p.m., planning.

Oct. 11, 5 p.m., commission.

Oct. 12, 9 a.m., clean water.

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

West Manatee Fire Rescue

None announced.

a section of marina drive in Holmes Beach is blocked off Sept. 21 for construction on $2m-plus city center improvements, adding bicycle lanes and landscaping, new crosswalks and sidewalks, as well as improved drainage infrastructure.

islander Photo: ryan Paice

the day due to construction, which “has closed off our parking lot and access to our store.”

The business reopened the next day.

Graham said the Guild Gallery remained open but construction prevented or discouraged many people from entering. She said other businesses in the plaza were similarly impacted.

“There’s no place to even park their car, they can’t walk across this huge dirt trench, they have to walk all the way around to the other side of the building,” Graham said.

“Can you imagine? You’re an out-of-towner and you want to go explore shops. Are you going to cross over an active construction site and across two lanes of a main road to a shop where you can only see bulldozers outside?” she added.

Graham said only three people entered the gallery while she supervised one morning.

City engineer Sage Kamiya told The Islander Sept. 23 that the bulk of the work impacting the shopping center, such as replacing the drainage line, was finished. He said restorative work would be completed the week beginning Sept. 26.

“By the end of the week it should be, essentially, back to the way it was,” Kamiya said. “It was work that had been needed for some time.”

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

Manatee County

Oct. 4, 9 a.m., commission.

Oct. 6, 9 a.m., commission (land use).

Oct. 11, 8:30 a.m., commission.

Oct. 17, 9 a.m., tourist development council.

Oct. 18, 9 a.m., commission.

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

Also of interest

Oct. 11, 2 p.m., Coalition of Barrier Islands Elected Officials, Bradenton Beach City Hall.

Oct. 17, 2 p.m., Island Transportation Planning Organization, Holmes Beach City Hall.

Nov. 8 is Election Day nationwide.

Nov. 11, Veterans Day. Most government offices will be closed.

Please, send meeting notices to calendar@islander. org and news@islander.org.

He voiced empathy for impacted business owners but insisted the city is making every effort to minimize the affects.

Kamiya said C-Squared’s quick work in the Island Shopping Center could have taken up to twice as long to complete if they required additional access and parking or waited until the drainage pipe failed.

“They were able to get in an get out as quick as they could,” Kamiya said. “I thought we did pretty good. … This way, we were able to get in ahead of time before it became worse and take care of it long term.”

Otherwise, Kamiya said construction on the main project is proceeding smoothly but may require changes if the island is hit hard by Hurricane Ian.

In the meantime, Graham called on the Manatee County Tourist Development Council to support impacted businesses, as well as the community and its visitors to patronize local businesses during the construction.

“It would just give a little bit of relief to the business owners to say, ‘Somebody’s thinking of us,’” Graham said. “We know it’s active construction but all of these shops are open.”

“Come visit us. Make that extra effort to find out what’s inside.”

Anna Maria adopts 2022-23 budget with tax increase

By ryan Paice

islander reporter

The city of Anna Maria’s spending plan for the new fiscal year is set.

City commissioners unanimously voted Sept. 22 on motions to adopt a $13,668,179 budget and 2.05 millage rate for fiscal 2022-23, which begins Oct. 1.

The millage rate is the amount per $1,000 of property value used to calculate property taxes. The owner of a property appraised at $500,000 with a 2.05 millage rate will pay $1,025 in property taxes.

While the percentage has remained the same over recent years, the rate is a tax increase for property owners due to a $298,003,387 increase in taxable property over the past year, according to the Manatee County property appraiser.

The adopted rate is about an 18% increase over the 1.736 rollback rate, which would have netted the city the same amount of ad valorem revenue as the current budget.

The owner of a property appraised at $500,000 with a 1.7360 millage rate would have paid $868.

Mayor Dan Murphy said the tax rate was necessary to meet capital improvement expenses, including $4,460,969.04 for roadway paving, stormwater drainage improvements and changes to Pine Avenue.

The biggest increase over last year’s expenses is a 655% hike in Pine Avenue improvement costs from this year’s $252,482 to $1,906,500 in 2022-23.

The upcoming budget will cover $1,500,000 for sidewalk and crosswalk enhancements, $225,000 for a potential roundabout, $98,000 to test new lighting along a block of the commercial corridor and $83,500

2022 Elections

Registration deadline Oct. 11

Islanders can register to vote in the Nov. 8 general election until Tuesday, Oct. 11.

For details on registration, go online to votemanatee.com, the website for the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office.

Voting in the midterm elections already is underway — at least overseas, as the SEO mailed international ballots Sept. 23.

Voters who requested mail ballots will begin receiving them in early October, as the SEO will send the ballots Sept. 30.

Early in-person voting will begin Saturday, Oct. 29, and close Saturday, Nov. 5.

Election Day — with local, state and federal races — is Tuesday, Nov. 8, with polling 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

Sample ballots can be viewed at votemanatee. com.

Please, send election-related announcements to news@islander.org.

— Lisa neff

Ready forfall season?

Are you getting ready for the fall on AMI? You can improve your odds for success and reach The Islander’s readers — residents, seasonal visitors and vacationers — looking for things to do. Shop, dine, events and indoor and outdoor fun.

For advertising info, call or text 941-778-7978.

2022-23 proposed budget

Budget: $13,668,179

operating revenues/expenses: $11,417,851

ad valorem revenue: $3,575,651

License, permit and fee revenue: $1,314,135

Stormwater fee, grant, permit revenue: $1,444,716

interest, miscellaneous revenues: $3,877,041 general government expenses: $2,635,381

Public safety expenses: $1,149,134

Public works expenses: $3,431,589

Stormwater expenses: $1,755,716

capital outlay expenses: $1,013,232 fund balances, reserves, assets: $2,250,329 taxable property value: $1,744,219,939

— ryan Paice

for engineering.

The next largest increase in the capital improvement budget is for stormwater improvement expenses, which will cost the city $1,755,716.06.

The change is due to an increase in both capital and maintenance costs to cover the city’s growing stormwater infrastructure.

“Look at the map and see what we’ve accomplished over the years,” Murphy said about the city’s stormwater infrastructure improvements over the past five years.

Murphy also said the city added about $920,000 to the contingency fund due to uncertainty surrounding high inflation and rising labor and material costs.

There was no public comment.

Anna Maria set to explore new legislative priorities

By ryan Paice islander reporter

A couple items may soon become priorities.

Mayor Dan Murphy Sept. 22 asked city commissioners to brainstorm ideas to pursue in the next legislative session, which will begin March 7, 2023.

Murphy pointed to recently adopted legislative priorities by the city of Holmes Beach and said he would send a copy to each commissioner.

Holmes Beach’s legislative priorities for 2023 include three new topics — supporting the expanded usage of tourist taxes for public safety and infrastructure expenses, supporting the reduction of single-use plastics and supporting the strengthening of mangrove protections and enforcement regulations.

Murphy said he didn’t want to “emulate” their neighbor but rather to inspire creative thinking.

Murphy proposed a few of his own ideas, such as fighting for fairer distribution of county sales tax, a potential impact fee on vacation rental properties and elimination of three-day vacation rentals.

He also introduced Matthew Blair from the city’s new government lobbyist, Land O’ Lakes-based Corcoran Partners.

Murphy said Corcoran Partners was “more engaged” than the city’s previous lobbyist and had better resources for the job.

The commission will next meet at 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13, at city hall, 10005 Gulf Drive.

Directions to attend can be found at cityofannamaria.com.

Anna Maria set for quiet election season

By ryan Paice islander reporter

Anna Maria residents won’t have to worry about municipal matters on the ballot this election season.

The city’s three available seats will be filled by Mayor Dan Murphy and Commissioners Mark Short and Deanie Sebring — all incumbents who qualified for reelection without opposition earlier this year.

The municipality’s lack of competition continues a recent trend: the city hasn’t had an election for competing candidates since 2017 and any seats on the commission have been filled by commission appointment.

The three incumbents will be sworn into new terms after their current terms expire in November.

Murphy was first elected mayor in 2014. Short became commissioner in 2019. Sebring joined the commission in 2020.

People interested in voting on other matters in this November’s election must be registered with the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections by Tuesday, Oct. 11.

Early voting, in which people can turn in vote-bymail ballots or vote in person at designated early voting centers, will run 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 24, to

Sunday, Nov. 6.

The deadline for people to request the vote-bymail ballots is 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29.

People can request vote-by-mail ballots by calling the SEO at 941-741-3823 or emailing info@votemanatee.com.

Residents can vote 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Nov. 8 by visiting the precinct 301 polling location at Roser Memorial Community Church, 512 Pine Ave.

Vote-by-mail ballots must be mailed or delivered to the SEO by 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 8.

There were 941 registered voters in Anna Maria as of Sept. 13, according to the SEO.

For more about the election, go to the SEO’s website, votemanatee.com.

murphy ShortSebring

Panic? Please, don’t

As I write on my home Mac, there’s a storm heading northward to the Gulf of Mexico.

But I will not panic.

And no amount of anxiety will help in this situation.

We just have to prepare and wait.

You can fill some of the water or wine bottles that linger in your recycle bin with clean water. Charge your devices and stock up on edibles.

From the scene at the local stores, bananas are the new “emergency” food — I saw for myself that the 75th Street/Manatee Avenue store was depleted. The produce guy shrugged as he advised me that a full load arrived in the morning and there were 5-6 bananas left at 5 p.m.

Are bananas the new go-to food source for power outages?

I went to restock a few items — pasta, pancakes and syrup — and to grab a rotisserie chicken, my lone bow to the approaching storm, and I found many items in the local store were depleted. Bottled water, bags of ice, bread and other items were in short supply.

I didn’t look further.

The panic makes no sense to me.

I’m prepared to pack my little cairn terrier in my SUV and leave if there’s no power. Otherwise, bring it on. Meanwhile, my USB-charged fan is ready.

I refuse to panic and I hope you are equally optimistic. Please, stay safe but don’t panic.

I’m more concerned about the ease with which local officials are approving paid parking lots. A scourge on the beach if there ever was one.

The more we allow of paid parking, the harder it will become for people to access the beach.

As long as the beach and parking to go to the beach remain free, the better the opportunity for equal access.

If developers buy up residential properties for parking lots — paid parking lots — for restaurants and businesses, we will lose our community.

And we should protect our neighborhoods and communities at all costs.

Just look at the silly lists compiled by the media for the media ratings — hidden gems and cheap vacations — and what they say about our community.

Exclusivity. Cheap getaways.

We are neither, fortunately. We are neighborhoods — albeit with vacation rental homes — but we are a community of young and old, all thinking of AMI as paradise and it deserves protection.

— Bonner Joy, news@islander.org

Dedicated elected officials

I attended a recent Coalition of Barrier Island Elected Officials meeting and was reminded of the dedication of our representatives.

We have unique challenges and our representatives have a duty to deal with often conflicting interests and needs in a fair and responsible way.

This complex operation of looking after the welfare of this island doesn’t come out of thin air.

This happens because elected folks spend an incredible amount of time making it happen. We know things will never be perfect for all of us all the time.

But I believe our local representatives are doing a good job, a job that most of us will never be brave enough to consider.

In a democracy, we all have an opportunity to be involved.

As November rolls around, we would do well to study local candidates and vote for those we believe will be our best leaders.

As much as I understand and value the importance of our island as a place where business can thrive and people can enjoy recreation, I would hope we all support leaders who understand the importance of a vibrant island community and keep public safety and the integrity of our island’s natural environment as their priority.

A sincere thank you to our local leaders.

Deb Sneddon, Holmes Beach

Have your say

The Islander accepts letters up to 250 words. Letters must include name, address and a contact phone number. Only the name and city are published. Please, email news@islander.org.

Skimming online …

For $36 a year, online subscribers have access to the weekly e-edition with page-by-page views of all the news and advertisements. To subscribe online, visit islander.org.

Government connections

Anna Maria: Mayor Dan Murphy; 941-708-6130; 10005 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria; cityofannamaria.com; ammayor@cityofannamaria.com.

Bradenton Beach : Mayor John Chappie; 941778-1005; 107 Gulf Drive N.; cityofbradentonbeach. org; mayor@cityofbradentonbeach.com.

Holmes Beach: Mayor Judy Titsworth; 941-7085800; 5801 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach; holmesbeachfl.org; hbmayor@holmesbeachfl.org.

Manatee County : Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge, 941-745-3705; kevin.vanostenbridge@ mymanatee.org.

Florida Legislature: Sen. Jim Boyd; 941-7426445; Suite 100, 717 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton; flsenate.gov. State Rep. William Cloud “Will” Robinson, District 71; 941-708-4968; Suite 100, 717 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton; myfloridahouse.gov.

Looking back

Wet work commercial fishermen work nets in the water in october 1980. islander Photos: courtesy manatee county Public Library System

10&20 years ago

From the Sept. 25, 2002, issue

• Michael Wallwork, a consultant hired by the Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization to design the roundabout at the Gulf Drive-Bridge Street intersection in Bradenton Beach, told the MPO members a roundabout for the Gulf Drive-Cortez Road intersection was a “no-brainer.”

• Owners of the Perico Harbor Marina on Perico Island submitted a proposal to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to dredge 3.14 acres of its marina basin and add 188 slips. The project would involve the destruction of seagrasses.

Wood work men chop brush to fire a smoker on the bayside in anna maria. they’re preparing to smoke mullet along the beach. the photo is dated may 1977. Islander archive 24/7 Some years ago, The Islander was invited to take part in a pilot project with the University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries. The newspaper collection is on the library site at ufdc.ufl.edu.

• Galati Yacht Sales and Marine in Anna Maria gave live-aboard boat owners at the marina 30 days to relocate or face eviction. Galati manager Bill King said the marina was to undergo renovations. After, the renters would be allowed to reapply for dock space but Anna Maria public works superintendent George McKay said the city was planning an ordinance prohibiting live-aboard boaters within the city limits.

From the Sept. 26, 2012, issue

A 15-member panel of Florida Department of Law enforcement members and medical examiners met in Avon Park to review the 2009 death investigation of Sheena Morris. Morris died in a motel room in Bradenton Beach.

Anna Maria Elementary students and staff, along with parents and the Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island, marked International Peace Day with a celebration.

Holmes Beach dismissed its building inspector, Bob Shaffer, under fire from commissioners and citizens. He was terminated while on vacation.

— Lisa neff PHONE 941.778.7978

Print Your Own Memories

Cortez, center cleanups lead fall campaign

Oct. 1 is a good day to take out the trash.

Keep Manatee Beautiful announced a Cortez cleanup will take place 9 a.m.-noon, with volunteers meeting at the Florida Maritime Museum, 4415 119th St. W.

The Center of Anna Maria Island also will conduct cleanup efforts with a volunteer day Saturday, Oct. 1. People will meet at the center, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria, at 9 a.m. and walk to the Gulf of Mexico to clean up between Magnolia and White avenues.

Another coastal cleanup set for the island is 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 15.

KMB is partnering with the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau on the “Love it Like a Local” cleanup.

“We typically have great participation for our monthly cleanup events but we’re expecting a tremendous turnout for the Love It Like a Local cleanup,” Jennifer Hoffman, KMB executive director, said in a news release. “It’s such a great opportunity for this community to come out, spend time together and care

for the coastal areas that enrich the lives of the people who call this home.”

Kolby Gayson, the BACVB’s marketing and communications director, said, “The partnership with Keep Manatee Beautiful seemed like a no-brainer for us to continue to promote the importance of sustainable tourism — not only on a national and international level but also here in our own backyard.”

Some details: Volunteers will assemble at Bradenton Beach’s Coquina Beach south for a safety briefing at 9 a.m. Then organizers will shuttle groups to locations on the island to clean up trash and jetsam.

The first 100 volunteers to register online at EventBrite will receive a commemorative long-sleeve rash guard. The registration link is www.eventbrite. com/e/love-it-like-a-local-beach-cleanup-tickets409870071417.

For more information from KMB, 941-7958272.

For more from the center, 941-778-1908.

— Lisa neff

BB gets $600K from state, HB misses out

By ryan Paice islander reporter

State funding will remain limited for Anna Maria Island’s 2022-23 improvement efforts.

But it’s a little more than originally expected.

Bradenton Beach is set to receive $600,000 from the state to bury utility lines along a portion of northern Gulf Drive, according to city attorney Ricinda Perry.

The funding is one-fifth of the $3 million the city requested earlier this year from the state.

The city’s appropriations request was one of three island requests vetoed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in June, including:

• $207,450 for Anna Maria to create a permanent solution for the Lake La Vista inlet, which requires regular dredging at the cost of the city;

• $2 million for Holmes Beach to improve flood mitigation measures, including the addition of stormwater infiltration drenches.

RoadWatch

Eyes on the road

• Holmes Beach is improving the intersection of Gulf and Marina drives to include new crosswalks, sidewalks, bicycle lanes, landscaping, lighting and improve stormwater flow. So there will be road and lane closures at Gulf and Marina drives. As of Sept. 23, both sides of Marina Drive were closed from Gulf Drive to 57th Street. When, a full intersection closure will be necessary, a detour will provide for one-way northbound traffic on Gulf Drive from 43rd Street to 52nd Street and for one-way southbound traffic from 52nd street to 43rd Street. Drivers are encouraged to be patient and courteous.

So are trolley riders, as the activity required the closure of the eastside trolley stop on Marina Drive north of Gulf Drive will be closed. The northbound trolley also will take a detour, going from Gulf Drive, then east on 56th Street to north on Marina Drive.

For trolley info, call the MCAT customer information line, 941-749-7116.

• Manatee County’s utilities department is working on a force main project along Holmes Boulevard, which can result in traffic delays and congestion.

For the latest road watch information, go online to swflroads.com or dial 511.

The Florida Department of Transportation did not post any notices for the island area for the week. Maria Island Trolley Holmes Beach City Center Roadwork Starting, Monday, September 19, 2022 9-16-2022

To check traffi c via road cameras, go to fl 511. com.

Only one request from Anna Maria for $1,288,440 to improve the Pine Avenue corridor passed the governor’s desk.

Both Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach refiled their funding requests for the original amounts for a second opportunity through the Florida House of Representatives’ 2022 local support grants.

Perry wrote in a Sept. 23 email to The Islander that the city was working with Florida Power & Light to determine how the $600,000 could most effectively be spent.

Mayor Judy Titsworth told The Islander Sept. 22 the city will apply again for state appropriation funding in the fall since its local support grant request was denied.

Titsworth said many of the local support grants were denied or cut back, and the city’s request happened to fall into the cuts.

Titsworth said the city would explore funding for other projects moving forward, since its most recent request had failed twice.

She said she was set to meet with the city’s lobbyist soon to discuss options for future funding.

HB tightens garbage bin-curb enforcement

By ryan Paice islander reporter

An incognito website may have inspired the city of Holmes Beach to take action on errant garbage bins.

City staff was to begin Sept. 27 warning and citing property owners and managers who leave garbage and recycling bins at the curb, as well as in driveways and front yards, according to code compliance supervisor JT Thomas.

Thomas said Sept. 20 that code compliance staff would offer a warning and seek compliance but a second offense would net the owner or manager a $75 citation.

Waste Pro removes trash in the city on Mondays and Fridays, recycling on Tuesdays and residential yard waste on Wednesdays.

Garbage and recycling bins can be placed curbside no sooner than 5 p.m. the day before pick up and must be removed from the curb by 10 a.m. the day following collection.

Bins cannot be stored in the front yard or within rights of way. They must be stored along the side of a property and screened or buffered.

Thomas said the city received two complaints about garbage bins lingering in front yards and found a website, holmesbeachtrash.weebly.com, which features a webpage focused on the issue.

The webpage states that many of the violations occur at vacation rental properties and are not dealt with, leading to aesthetic issues and health risks. It also provides several pictures displaying trash bins left in front yards.

Thomas downplayed the issue but, regardless, he said it would be addressed.

“It’s only two complaints,” Thomas said. “I think we’re doing a great job, but I’m definitely going to get in front of this.”

BB P&Z, neighbors recommend against staff rezone plan

By Robert Anderson Islander Reporter

Home is where the business is?

Bradenton Beach’s planning and zoning board is weaving its way through a complex Catch-22 of zoning for the future amid arguments to retain the history and character of neighborhoods.

Board members Sept. 21 continued to discuss a staff-proposed ordinance to rezone the Azure Shores neighborhood and outlined their reservations in a letter for city commissioners.

Staff has requested the rezoning of 2.53 acres between Second Street North and Cortez Road and between Gulf Drive North and Highland Avenue from R-3 to MXD to correct inconsistencies between a zoning map and a future land use map in the comprehensive plan.

A comp plan provides guidance for growth through goals, objectives and policies. A permit, land use or zoning decision must be consistent with the comprehensive plan.

Zoning is how a city implements a comp plan. It exists to protect neighborhoods from intrusion by establishing permitted and prohibited uses, as well as regulations for setbacks, building heights, subdividing land, fences and signs.

The properties proposed for rezoning include more than 20 residential lots and the site of Oma’s Pizza and Italian Restaurant, 201 Gulf Drive N.

Also included are vacant lots owned by Ed Chiles and his Beach House Restaurant, which are used for employee and valet parking at the corners of Third Street North and Gulf Drive North and at Third Street North and Highland Avenue.

Building official Steve Gilbert created a letter to commissioners with input from the P&Z.

In the letter, the board recommends the future land use map be revised from staff-recommended retail/ office/residential mixed-use to a medium-density residential designation.

The board also recommended the zoning map be revised from high-density R3 to medium-density R2.

Residential classifications allow 35% maximum lot coverage while mixed-use rezoning would allow for 70% maximum lot coverage. The staff recommendation would allow for larger building footprints, as well

as the construction of larger business structures.

The board cited opposition from residents. Out of the 23 properties in the proposed rezoning ordinance, five property owners expressed opposition to commercial business in their neighborhoods with concerns for increased parking, noise and traffic.

The letter also said the land development code needs clarity to define limits on future proposed nonresidential uses and mitigate negative effects on the residential neighborhoods.

However, some business owners with property in the proposed area of the rezone are awaiting the city’s adoption of the ordinance.

Between two Chiles’ parking lots is a home owned by resident Evelyn Stob, who addressed the P&Z during the Sept. 21 meeting under public comment.

“I would not be pleased going mixed. I wouldn’t be pleased with any part of that. I am the old-Florida look. The little ground-level, two bedrooms, two bath. I would like to maintain that.”

City planner Luis Serna said Chiles would only be able to establish paid parking if the mixed-use zone is approved.

P&Z member Bill Marrow motioned to send the letter with the board’s recommendations to reject mixed-use rezoning to commissioners. The motion was seconded by Dan Morhaus and passed by unanimous vote. Fred Bartizal was absent with excuse.

Deb Cooney, public affairs manager for Chiles’ hospitality group, said in a Sept. 22 email the business has plans to charge for parking at the corner of Third Street North and Gulf Drive North. She had no comment concerning the P&Z board’s recommendation.

The next P&Z meeting will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21, at city hall, when there will be another public hearing.

azure Shores resident evelyn Stob asks Bradenton Beach Planning and Zoning Board members at their Sept. 21 to resist rezoning her neighborhood for commercial uses. islander Photo: robert anderson readiness

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

ONGOING ON AMI

Throughout September, artist Shirley Rush Dean’s “Birds of a Feather” exhibit, Island Gallery West, 5368 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: islandgallerywest.com, 941-778-6648, @ islandgallerywest.

Throughout October, Anna Maria Island Artists’ Guild features artwork by cancer survivors, Artists Guild Gallery, 5414 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6694.

Throughout October, artist Charlotte Sorsen’s “Walking on Clouds” exhibit, Island Gallery West, 5368 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: islandgallerywest.com, 941-778-6648, @islandgallerywest.

AROUND AMI

Wednesday, Oct. 5

10 a.m. — Senior Adventures visit James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art in St. Pete, departing from Center of Anna Maria Island, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria. Fee applies. Information: 941-778-1908.

ONGOING AROUND AMI

Through Oct. 2, Manatee Players’ “Rent,” Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 Third Ave. W., Bradenton, Fee applies. Information: 941-748-5875, @ManateePAC, manateeperformingartscenter. com.

Through Nov. 27, “Queens of the Air and Empresses of the Arena,” the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, 5401 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota. Fee applies. Information: 941-360-7390, @ TheRingling, ringling.org.

Through Jan. 15, 2023, “Multiple: Prince Twins Seventh-Seven” exhibit Museum of Fine Arts, 255 Beach Drive NE, St. Petersburg. Fee applies. Information: 941-896-2667, mfastpete.org, @mfastpete.

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, @villageofthearts.

Second and fourth Saturdays, 2-4 p.m., Music on the Porch jam session, presented by the Florida Maritime Museum and Cortez Cultural Center, outdoors, 4415 119th St. W., Cortez. Information: floridamaritimemuseum. org, fmminfo@manateeclerk.com, @FloridaMaritimeMuseum.

“Caught in the Storm: 100 Years of Florida Hurricanes” exhibit, Florida Maritime Museum,

Cancer survivors exhibit at Artists’ Guild Gallery

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the Artists’ Guild of Anna Maria Island is generating awareness with the window display at its Holmes Beach gallery.

The Artists’ Guild Gallery, 5414 Marina Drive, will feature work by cancer survivors throughout the month.

A news release said a percentage of sales will benefit a local cancer group — the organization was not named.

For more information, call the gallery at 941778-6694.

4415 119th St. W., Cortez. Information: floridamaritimemuseum.org, fmminfo@manateeclerk.com, @FloridaMaritimeMuseum.

Through May 2023, 9 a.m-2 p.m., Downtown Bradenton Public Market, Old Main Street, Bradenton. Information: 941-932-9439.

SAVE THE DATE

Oct. 6-9, Theatre Odyssey’s Fourth One-Act Play Festival, Bradenton.

Oct. 22, Second Annual Halloween Bar Crawl and Food Drive, Anna Maria.

Oct. 29, Realize Bradenton’s Main Street Live, Bradenton.

Nov. 3-13, Island Players’ “I Ought to be in Pictures,” Anna Maria.

Nov. 12-March 26, the Museum of Fine Art’s “True Nature: Rodin and the Age of Impressionism,” St. Petersburg.

Nov. 23, Realize Bradenton’s Main Street Live, Bradenton.

Dec. 2-3, Realize Bradenton’s Bradenton Blues Fest, Bradenton.

Dec. 31, Realize Bradenton’s Main Street Live, Bradenton.

KIDS & FAMILY

ON AMI

Friday, Sept. 30

10 a.m. — Forty Carrots, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: mymanatee.org/library, 941-778-6341, @ manateelibraries.

Saturday, Oct. 1

10 a.m. — Saturday Story Time, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: mymanatee.org/library, 941-7786341, @manateelibraries.

Tuesday, Oct. 4

10 a.m.— Preschool yoga, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: mymanatee.org/library, 941-778-6341, @manateelibraries.

ONGOING AROUND AMI

First Wednesdays, “SOAR in 4” family night, The Bishop Museum, 201 10th St. W., Bradenton. Fee applies. Information: 941-746-4131, bishopscience.org, @BishopScienceFL.

SAVE THE DATE

Oct. 7, Center of Anna Maria Island’s Pumpkin Palooza Camp, Anna Maria.

Oct. 15, Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce’s Bayfest, Anna Maria.

Nov. 19, Bridge Street Holiday Tree Lighting, Bradenton Beach.

Dec. 3, Holiday Lighted Boat Parade, Braden-

ton Beach.

Dec. 17, Bradenton Beach Area Merchants Christmas on Bridge Street celebration, Bradenton Beach.

CLUBS & COMMUNITY

ON AMI

Wednesday, Sept. 28

10 a.m. — Disaster planning for older adults, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: mymanatee.org/ library, 941-778-6341, @manateelibraries.

4-6 p.m. — Turtle Watch Wednesday fundraiser and benefit, Hurricane Hanks, 5346 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941729-2381.

Thursday, Sept. 29

10 a.m. — Seaside Quilters, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: mymanatee.org/library, 941-778-6341, @manateelibraries.

2 p.m. — Sunshine Stitchers Knit and Crochet, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: mymanatee.org/ library, 941-778-6341, @manateelibraries.

Wednesday, Oct. 5

Noon — Coloring Club, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: mymanatee.org/library, 941-778-6341, @manateelibraries.

ONGOING ON AMI

Fridays, 11:30 a.m., Mahjong Club, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: mymanatee.org/library, 941-7786341, @manateelibraries.

Saturdays, 8:30 a.m., Kiwanis Club of Anna Maria Island meeting, Bradenton Beach City Hall, 107 Gulf Drive N., Bradenton Beach. Information: 941-7781383, amikiwanis.com.

Tuesdays, 11:30 a.m., Mahjong Club, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: mymanatee.org/library, 941-778-6341, @manateelibraries.

AROUND AMI

Saturday, Oct. 1

10 a.m.-3 p.m. — Palma Sola Botanical Park Fall Plants and More Sale, 9800 17th Ave. NW, Bradenton. Information: 941-7612866.

8 a.m.-1 p.m. — Master Gardener Volunteer Plant Sale, Manatee County Extension Service, 1303 17th St. W., Palmetto. Information: 941-722-4524.

ONGOING AROUND AMI

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. CANCELED SEPT. 27

Second Tuesdays, 4 p.m., Cortez Village Historical Society meetings, Cortez Cultural Center, 11655 Cortez Road W., Cortez. Information: 941-840-0590, cortezvillagehistoricalsociety.org, @ CortezVillageCulturalCenter

SAVE THE DATE

Oct. 8, Cortez Cultural Center Arts and Crafts Sale, Cortez. Oct. 8, Florida Maritime Museum Nautical Flea Market, Cortez.

Oct. 15, Suncoast Waterkeeper’s Brunch for the Bay, Palmetto.

Oct. 15, Love it Like a Local cleanup, Bradenton Beach.

Oct. 21, Anna Maria Garden Club meeting, Anna Maria.

Oct. 22, Kiwanis Club of Anna Maria Island 70th anniversary luncheon, Longboat Key.

Oct. 22, American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk, Longboat Key.

Oct. 29, Moonracer No Kill Animal Rescue Golf Goes to the Dogs tournament, Palmetto. POSTPONED

Nov 5, “Celebrating Brilliance: The Bash at the Bishop,” Bradenton.

Nov. 11, Old Soldiers and Sailors Veterans Day Parade and Ceremony, Anna Maria.

Island happenings

Happenings @ the center … Senior group sets out from AMI for adventures

The Senior Adventures group stationed at the Center of Anna Maria Island plans several outings in October, including a visit to the James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art in St. Pete.

The museum trip will be Wednesday, Oct. 5, departing at 10 a.m. from the center, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria.

The group will daytrip to the Red Barn Flea Market in Bradenton Friday, Oct. 14, with a departure from the center at 10 a.m.

The third trip will be Wednesday, Oct. 26, to a German restaurant in Bradenton — the Lucky Frog — for lunch. A van will depart the center at 11 a.m.

There are costs associated with the trips.

Pumpkin Palooza planned

‘Walking on Clouds’ at IGW

charlotte Sorsen is the october featured artist at island gallery West, 5368 gulf drive, Holmes Beach. Sorsen “paints to express and enjoy the magic of the gulf waters — as well as the skies, clouds, birds and flora,” according to an igW news release. gallery visitors can meet the artist 11 a.m.-4 p.m. friday, oct. 14. for more information, call the gallery at 941-778-6648 or go online to islandgallerywest. com.

CAlendAr continued from Page 10

Nov. 18, Anna Maria Garden Club Plant Sale, Anna Maria. Dec. 16, Anna Maria Garden Club meeting, Anna Maria.

“follow me” and other work by charlotte Sorsen will be featured at island gallery West, 5368 gulf drive, Holmes Beach, throughout october in “Walking on clouds.” Sorsen has worked as an artist for as long as she can remember, according to an igW news release. She studied at Boston’s museum School of fine arts and also the new england School of art and design. islander courtesy Photos

Hey island organizations!

Groups preparing for the 2022-23 season are encouraged to send their events calendars to The Islander, which is readying its preview of the season.

Please, email calendars, logos and photos to calendar@islander.org.

Saturdays, 9 a.m., Mornings at the NEST, 10299 Ninth Ave. NW., Bradenton. Information: 941-742-5923, mymanatee.org.

The Center of Anna Maria Island is adding some spice to October with the Pumpkin Palooza day camp.

The event will be 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7, and is the first of five themed day camps at the center in the fall-winter season.

Plans include pumpkin-themed games and experiments and a pumpkin pie-eating contest.

The cost to attend is $55 per child.

Registration is required by 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29.

1-on-1 tutoring offered

One plus one equals success.

The Center of Anna Maria Island is offering one-on-one tutoring for children in kindergarten through fifth-grade.

Sessions are 4-7 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays Oct. 3-April 26 at the center.

ON AMI

Thursday, Sept. 29

9 a.m. — Manatee County Parks and Natural Resources’ Seashell Shore Walk, Coquina Beach, Bradenton Beach. Information: 941-742-5923.

ONGOING ON AMI

Tuesdays through Nov. 13, 6 p.m., open volleyball, Center of Anna Maria Island, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria. Information: centerami.org, @TheCenterofAMI, 941-7781908.

AMI Dragon Boat Team-Paddlers from Paradise practices and meetups, various times and locations. Information: 941-4622626, mrbradway@gmail.com, @PaddlersFromParadise.

ONGOING AROUND AMI

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.

SAVE THE DATE

Oct. 15, Keep Manatee Beautiful cleanup, Bradenton Beach.

GOOD TO KNOW

KEEP THE DATES

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Oct. 1, International Coffee Day.

Oct. 4, Yom Kippur.

Oct. 5, World Teachers Day.

Oct. 14, National Dessert Day.

Oct. 29, National Cat Day.

Oct. 31, Halloween.

Nov. 1, Día de los Muertos.

Nov. 6, daylight saving time ends.

Nov. 8, Election Day.

Nov. 11, Veterans Day.

Nov. 13, World Kindness Day. Nov. 24, Thanksgiving.

Odd Duck Designs Shop 941-224-1897

Registration is required for the sessions.

Center plans teen ‘scream’

The Center of Anna Maria Island is readying a van trip to Busch Gardens for Howl O Scream.

The outing — for tweens and teens in grades 6-10 — will be Saturday, Oct. 15.

The van will depart the center, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria, at 6:30 p.m. and return about 2 a.m.

The cost to attend is $75 for members and $85 for nonmembers. —

For more information, including costs, for center events, call 941-778-1908.

The center is at 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria.

Island happenings

Palma Sola plant sale planned

The Palma Sola Botanical Park plans to hold its Fall Plants & More Sale 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1.

The event typically features vendors selling native and exotic plants, wood, pottery, textiles and jewelry art.

Also, shoppers will find lunch items and treats for sale, as well as live musical performances.

The park is at 9800 17th Ave. NW, Bradenton.

For more info, call the park at 941-761-2866.

Gardeners’ plant sale Oct. 1

Manatee County’s master gardeners will be selling plants during their volunteer sale Saturday, Oct. 1, in Palmetto.

The sale will be 8 a.m.-1 p.m. at the county extension service site, 1303 17th St. W., Palmetto.

Shoppers will find houseplants, orchids, wildflowers, trees, shrubs and more — “all priced to sell,” according to a news release.

For more information, call the extension service at 941-722-4524, ext. 1822.

Island Library sets October schedule

The Island Library’s October calendar offers opportunities for storytelling, stitching, stretching and skill-building.

A highlight on the calendar includes a talk by journalist and author Craig Pittman, who recently won the Sierra Club’s 2022 Rachel Carson Award, which honors sustained achievement by journalists in environmental work.

The “Oh, Florida!” talk, sponsored by the Friends of the Island Library, will be at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 17, at the library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach.

Another highlight is a series of programs for Hispanic Heritage Month, including a talk on Cuban ranchos by Sara Alvarez-Collazo of the Manatee County Parks and Natural Resources Department at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7, and instruction in Latin cooking at 11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 13.

More calendar details:

• Children’s programming includes storytimes at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, and 10 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 25; 40 Carrots parenting at 10 a.m. Fridays, Oct. 7, Oct. 14, Oct. 21; preschool yoga at 10 a.m. Tuesdays, Oct. 4, Oct. 11 and Oct. 18 and teen yoga at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6, and Halloween activities at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 22.

Casting for a catch

ed dela cueva of Sebring throws a cast net Sept. 14 while fishing off the side of the anna maria city Pier walkway during vacation on the island. no license is needed to fish from the pier, which opens at 7 a.m. islander Photo: ryan Paice

GoodDeeds

By Lisa neff

Assistance sought on AMI

• Moonracer Animal Rescue seeks volunteers to offer foster and forever homes for rescued animals, as well as assist with technology. Info: 941-345-2441.

• Roser Food Bank seeks donations. Roser Memorial Community Church, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, administers the pantry, supported by All Island Denominations. Information: 941-778-0414.

Assistance offered on AMI

• Roser Food Bank welcomes applicants who live and/or work on Anna Maria Island for food assistance, Roser Church, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria. Information: 941-778-0414.

• AID offers financial help to those who live on the island, go to church on the island, attend school on the island and work on the island. Info: 941-725-2433.

GoodDeeds Organizations: Please, send listings — assistance sought or offered — for GoodDeeds to calendar@islander.org. Please include a contact phone number to publish.

Waterkeeper inviting supporters to brunch

Suncoast Waterkeeper’s annual Brunch for the Bay will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the federal Clean Water Act.

The event will be noon-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, at the Bradenton Yacht Club, 4307 13th St. W., Palmetto.

Suncoast Waterkeeper is a nonprofit “dedicated to protecting your right to clean water so you can enjoy swimmable, boatable, drinkable and fishable water.”

On and around AMI, the organization tests water quality and monitors for red tide and other harmful blooms.

Plans include brunch, silent auctions, raffles and speakers, including by Suncoast Waterkeeper founder and vice-chair Justin Bloom and Florida International University’s Nick Castillo and University of Florida’s John Bowden.

For more information, including ticket details, call Suncoast Waterkeeper’s Abbey Tyrna at 239-222-2443 or go online to suncoastwaterkeeper.org.

• For adults, programs include mahjong for beginners at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4, and Wednesdays, Oct. 12 and Oct. 26; mahjong for experienced players at 11:30 a.m. Fridays; coloring club at noon Wednesdays, Oct. 5, and Oct. 12; Sunshine Stitchers Knit and Crochet at 2 p.m. Thursdays, Oct. 6, Oct. 13, Oct. 20 and Oct. 27; Island Time Book Club at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12; Island Morning Book Club at 10:15 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 20, an introduction to climate science at 1 p.m. Monday, Oct. 24; Aging Series: Nutrition at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26, and Seaside Quilters at 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 27.

For all ages, programs include the origami club at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 8; and family movie night at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20.

For more information, go online to mymanatee. org/library or call the branch at 941-778-6341.

Friends switch from books to jewelry for spring sale

The Friends of the Island Library will celebrate a gem — the island library — with a jewelry sale in March 2023.

The support group at the Holmes Beach library traditionally has held a used book sale but due to the lack of storage for books, the friends instead plan a jewelry sale.

Jewelry is being gathered now, with the library serving as a drop-off for donated earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings, watches and more.

The library is at 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach.

For more, call the library at 941-778-6341.

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.”

The Manatee High School Drumline opened the event with a marching, drumming performance. They were followed by a procession of AME students carrying flags of the world to symbolize global peace.

AME principal Mike Masiello announced the

anna maria elementary fourthgraders Luna carter, grace eason, giuliana Bankert and Jacob goebel carry flags Sept. 21 during ame’s Peace day ceremony at the Holmes Beach school.

islander Photo: Brook morrison

Did you know?

theme of International Peace Day and mentioned Peace Day has been celebrated at Anna Maria Elementary since 2001 in remembrance of 9/11.

Kindergarten students sang the first song about teaching peace and gave peace signs.

Parents and community members oohed and aahed during the performances, organized by AME art and drama teacher Gary Wooten.

The Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island was in attendance to support the island ceremony during Peace Day.

— Brook morrison

The International Day of Peace, also officially known as World Peace Day, is a United Nations-sanctioned holiday observed annually on Sept. 21.

The day was established in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly. Two decades later, in 2001, the UN General Assembly unanimously voted to designate the day as a period of nonviolence and cease-fire.

• Oct. 3-6, Fire Safety Week.

• Friday, Oct. 7, record day, no school.

• Monday, Oct. 10, 3:30 p.m., PTO membership meet.

• Wednesday, Nov. 2, 1:50 p.m. early release.

• Monday, Nov. 7, 3:30 p.m., PTO board meeting.

• Tuesday, Nov. 8, Otis Spunkmeyer cookie sales.

• Tuesday, Nov. 15, 5:30 p.m., PTO dinner in the cafeteria, 6:30 p.m., fourth-grade play in the auditorium.

• Nov. 21-25, Thanksgiving holiday, no school.

• Dec. 7, STEM night.

• Dec. 5-8, Scholastic Book Fair.

Anna Maria Elementary is at 4700 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach.

For more information, call the school at 941-708-5525.

teacher gary Wooten and HBPd officers lead the manatee High School drumline.

islander Photo: Brook morrison

Gathering

By Lisa neff

Roser Bible study Group to explore Daniel

Roser Memorial Community Church’s pastor, the Rev. Dr. Dirk Rodgers, will lead a five-session course on “Exploring Daniel: When God Invades a Broken World.”

Students can attend via Zoom or in person beginning this month and continuing into November.

Lessons will be at 7 p.m. Tuesdays on Zoom, 10 a.m. Wednesdays at Rodgers’ home and 2 p.m. Wednesdays in the fellowship hall at the church, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria.

For more information or to register, contact the church at 941-778-0414 or go online to roserchurch. com.

Cantata choir begins practice

Roser Church is beginning cantata choir rehearsals, with the first gathering at 6:45 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29, at the church, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria.

Rehearsals will begin at 6:15 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5.

The Christmas cantata will be performed at 8:30 a.m. and 10 am. Sunday, Dec. 18.

For more information, call the church at 941-7810414.

Obituaries

Carl Crooks

Carl Crooks of Cortez died Sept. 16. He was born Jan. 26, 1945, in Columbus, Ohio, to the late Raymond and Martha Crooks.

He graduated from Whetstone High School and Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio.

He was loved by many who will miss his presence in their lives.

The service was private. Memorial donations may be made to oceanconservancy.org.

Mr. Crooks is survived by his beloved wife, Barbara; nieces Lisa M., Justi and Cathy Nordyke; brother-in-law Mike Cornelius; sisters-in-law Nancy and husband Ron Davis, Marsha and Monika Nolte; the family dogs; and numerous cousins.

Eric V. Davison

Eric V. Davison of Sarasota, formerly of Anna Maria and Longboat Key, died Aug. 25. He was born Nov. 5, 1934, in Detroit.

He was a devoted husband and loving father who lived an amazing and full life.

He was a lifelong automotive advertising executive who had many accomplishments to his credit. Early in his career, he helped create the concept of the Oldsmobile 442 luxury sports car and later he was a key driver in the launch of the Oldsmobile Toronado.

He took on international assignments that took him and the family to Mexico City and Paris. He then formed his own firm with longtime associate Vic Oleson in Los Angeles. The firm, Vic Olsen and Partdavison

Tidings compiled by Lisa neff

ON AMI

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, 9:15 a.m.

Ongoing: Wednesdays, 8 a.m., men’s meeting.

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, private home; Sundays, 10:15 a.m., coffee and fellowship.

Harvey Memorial Community Church, 300 Church Ave.,

ners, captured large clients, most notably Chevrolet in the California market. Toward the end of his career, he became the VP of sales and marketing for Carroll Shelby’s Series 1.

He later wrote a book about the adventure titled “Snakebit,” which chronicled the extreme difficulty in trying to launch a small batch sports car. The book is highly regarded in automotive circles. In the process of working at Shelby, he became great friends with Shelby to the day that he passed.

When Mr. Davison retired, he and wife Mary moved to Anna Maria Island, where they found peace and tranquility.

He was involved with the Simeone Car Museum in Philadelphia, where memorial donations can be made “In memory of Eric and Mary Davison” at simeonemuseum.org.

Mr. Davison is survived by sons Bruce and Jim, grandchildren Brock and Olivia, sister Lynne and brother Mark.

Worship With Us At Our Church

Sunday Ser vice 10:00 AM

The Rev. Dr. Nor man Pritchard

Men’s Bible Study: Monday @ 9:00

Women’s Bible Study: Wednesday @ 10:00

Visitors & Residents Welcome Watch Our 10: 00 AM Ser vice Live: www bit ly/cclbksermons or www christchurchof lbk org (follow YouTube link)

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; second and fourth Thursdays, 11 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.

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; Saturdays, 3:30 p.m., confession.

OFF AMI

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.

SAVE THE DATES

Oct. 4, Yom Kippur.

Please, send listings and updates to calendar@islander.org.

Include a contact phone number to publish.

SUNDAY WORSHIP

8:30 AM in the Chapel

10:00 AM in the Sanctuary Nursery • Children’s Church

ONLINE � Watch LIVE or LATER RoserChurch.com

Text ROSER to 22828 to receive the weekly eBulletin

The CHAPEL is open during office hours for prayer and meditation 941-778-0414 512

the easter cantata choir performs in april at roser church. the church is now looking to the christmas holidays. islander courtesy Photo

Students explore the Bible during a June 2021 gathering at roser memorial community church in anna maria. islander Photo: Peggy nash

Cortez woman’s kindness lands Discovery Channel fishing show

By Kane Kaiman islander reporter

Capt. Chasten Whitfield’s fish tales tug at the heartstrings.

Soon, people will be able to watch her and view her stories on a household-name TV channel.

The 22-year-old Whitfield has taken disabled and sick children on sport-fishing trips since 2016.

In 2018, she established Chastenation, a nonprofit that supports her passion, and began documenting the fishing trips to showcase the kids’ stories and spread awareness about the challenges they face.

Recently, the Cortez native swapped out her GoPro for a professional film crew and the second season of “Their Life My Lens with Chasten Whitfield,” a TV show that originated on the Sportsman Channel, now set to air on Discovery Channel and Waypoint TV, a streaming platform, in January 2023.

“When I first got the show I cried a lot,” Whitfield said, laughing, Sept. 14. “I’m still kind of in this shock that it’s happening.”

The longtime tournament angler said getting her TV and film degree from Savannah College of Art and Design did not fully prepare her for producing a TV show.

She spends her days communicating with networks, contacting companies for Chastenation donations, scheduling shootings and captaining fishing excursions.

The work is all-consuming but a labor of love for Whitfield, who’s determined to shine a spotlight on kids facing unique challenges while showcasing their capabilities in a fun environment.

“The first kid I took fishing, his name was Easton, he had spina bifida. And people would look at him and say, ‘Oh, it’s so sad. He’s in a wheelchair.’ But he’s like, ‘Yes, I’m in a wheelchair. I can move,’” Whitfield said. “He’s like, ‘I’m not stuck, I’m moving. If I didn’t have a wheelchair, then I’d be stuck.’ So they still have abilities, it’s just different than ours.”

Season one of “Their Life My Lens” followed a traditional fishing show format — “pickup at boat ramp, fish and interview,” Whitfield said.

In season two, she intends to structure each episode around the hobbies, passions and, in some cases, working lives of her fishing partners to tell more robust stories.

As of Sept. 14, Whitfield had taken around 80 kids fishing on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

During her latest trip, she fished with Levi Ibarra, a 16-year-old Lithia resident with leukemia, and his father.

Levi and his dad caught more than a half-dozen snook on a hot August day before the heat made fishing too strenuous.

“I said to Levi, ‘This is your day. What do you want to do?’ And he goes. ‘I want to float in the water,’” Whitfield said.

When Whitfield took the group to a sandbar and Levi got in the water, she could see the tension leave his body.

“He was floating in the water and sitting in the water playing with the sand dollars and talking to his dad and he just looked and felt so relieved and relaxed. And then that’s when we all lost it and we all started crying,” Whitfield said.

Levi’s story will be one of eight captured in season two of the show.

Whitfield’s mother taught her to fish while her dad taught her how to captain a boat.

She began taking fishing seriously in middle school, drawing the ire of some of her classmates who bullied her for being a female angler.

“Those kids making fun of me was probably the best thing that ever happened to me because I wouldn’t be here without them,” Whitfield said. “For some people, it makes them sad and depressed but, for me, it just adds fuel to the fire.”

Whitfield found a way to marry her passions — fishing and helping kids — and encourages other young people struggling to find their way in life to keep up the fight.

“Keep doing it. If it makes you happy, that’s what you’re meant to do. And don’t let what other people say affect that,” she said.

Whitfield intends to continue developing her show

dylan cmayos, 18, of Bradenton, gets a closer look at a snook he caught with chastenation founder capt. chasten Whitfield in the intracoastal Waterway in december 2021. islander courtesy Photo

to bring the stories of the kids she fishes with to Netflix.

“I want to be able to share fishing with everybody, differently-abled, you name it, because the fish don’t care,” Whitfield said. “They don’t care what you look like, if you’re a boy, if you’re a girl. They don’t care what your past has been, what you’re going through, if you’re differently abled, if you have autism. They just know that they have a hook in their mouth and they’re trying to swim away from the boat.”

“People judge. Animals don’t,” she said.

To watch season one of “My Life Their Lens,” visit the Chastenation YouTube page.

To donate to Chastenation or contribute to Whitfield’s work, visit chastenation.com or email chastenation@gmail.com.

Whitfield doesn’t release her phone number for personal reasons.

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Bradenton Beach department heads gather, give reports

By robert anderson islander reporter

They’re meeting problems “head on.”

Bradenton Beach Police Chief John Cosby, public works director Tom Woodard, city clerk Terri Sancle mente, Mayor John Chappie and Commissioners Jake Spooner and Jan Vosburgh assembled Sept. 14 for reports on city affairs.

Sanclemente began the roundtable talk saying the city might buy new recording software and digi tal microphones for public meetings for $15,000. The money would come from the federal American Rescue Plan funds.

Sanclemente also is working with the Florida League of Cities to cut city health insurance costs. In other news, Sanclemente updated the city’s pop ulation numbers, as Bradenton Beach has 897 full-time citizens.

Public works department director Tom Woodard reported the Tingley Memorial Library, 111 Second St. N., has a leaky roof and the damaged area was covered with a silver tarp.

Woodard also said city hall was closed Sept. 9 due to a drain blockage in the restrooms. Woodard said scaling inside the pipes was the culprit.

Public works also recently purchased a street sweeper. Previously the service was contracted out by the city.

Police Chief John Cosby reported he is working

with an auto insurance carrier on estimates to repair a damaged police vehicle.

Cosby said a new firearm simulation training system will be in use in the next week and the depart ment will invite members of the public and local busi nesspeople to experience the simulator.

BBPD also will implement a training program for new defibrillators in collaboration with the West Mana tee Fire Rescue District.

The next department head meeting will be at 10 a.m. Oct.12 at city hall, 107 Gulf Drive N.

BB CRA hustles to keep resiliency project on track

By robert anderson islander reporter

Bradenton Beach officials got started last week in a hurry.

The city’s community redevelopment agency held an emergency meeting Sept. 19 to authorize a payment to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for a grant-funded living shoreline project along Bay Drive South.

City attorney Ricinda Perry said that due to a dead line change from the DEP, the city needed to immedi ately pay a bill to keep the project going.

A Sept. 16 email from Deneka Smith of the DEP stipulated that a $6,906.60 payment was needed by the end of business that day for the city project to be approved for permitting.

The finance and accounting department for the DEP had established Sept. 16 as the last day for pay ment, not the Sept. 30 deadline the CRA anticipated.

A motion to make the payment was made by CRA member-Commissioner Jake Spooner and was sec onded by Commissioner Jan Vosburgh, also a CRA board member. The motion passed unanimously.

The engineering project has been administrated for the CRA by Environmental Science Associates of Tampa, which handled the design and permit applica tions. To achieve reimbursement, a payment and permit timeline set by the DEP must be met. The payouts have been set into four phases or tasks.

According to Perry, Bradenton Beach has com pleted all of the work for all four tasks and was waiting for instruction from ESA.

A Sept. 22 DEP email that Perry provided The Islander stated that following a conference call involv ing Mayor John Chappie, Perry and DEP officials, the permit for the final stage of the shoreline project was approved and will be submitted to include reimburse ment to the city.

The project focuses on redevelopment of the shoreline from Bridge Street to Fifth Street South, introducing such shore protection elements as oyster bags, riprap, plantings and sand.

The Florida Resilient Coastlines Program, which awarded $92,433 in grant funding for the project, was established by the DEP in 2017 to help coastal com munities assess vulnerabilities to flooding, sea-level

rise, storm surge and erosion associated with climate change.

The next CRA meeting will be at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5, at city hall, 107 Gulf Drive N.

About the CRA

The CRA’s mission is to provide financial assis tance and guide public projects in the district.

The CRA designated area runs along Gulf Drive from Coquina Beach to Fifth Street South, up Bay Drive South, to the east end of Bridge Street, and up to the Bradenton Beach Marina, ending at Cortez Road West.

Braden ton Beach department heads and city com missioners listen Sept. 14 to mayor John chap pie during a workshop at city hall. islander Photos: robert anderson

Bradenton Beach now owns a street sweeper.

Holmes Beach resident arrested for DUI, possession of LSD

By ryan Paice islander reporter

Holmes Beach police arrested resident Michael Jordan, 46, Sept. 17 on a third-degree felony for pos sessing LSD and a second-degree misdemeanor for driving under the influence of alcohol.

An officer saw a motorist swerve over the yellow center line of Gulf Drive twice around 11:43 p.m., then turn at a red traffic signal without stopping, according to the HBPD report.

The officer conducted a traffic stop and spoke

BBPD marks derelict vessels in anchorage

The Bradenton Beach Police Department located and marked two sunken vessels Sept. 15 in the city’s anchorage area.

Officer Eric Hill located a sunken fiberglass-hulled vessel about 20 feet in length.

At low tide, the vessel comes up almost a foot from the surface, posing a threat to navigation, according to a BBPD police report.

The vessel was marked by the BBPD with a float ing white marker about 15 feet east of the intersection of Bay Drive South and Fifth Street South.

A second sunken vessel was located about 200 feet east of Sixth Street South and tagged with a white plastic float.

The 20-foot open-bow aluminum vessel is in about 2-3 feet of water and it also is a safety hazard to navi gation.

Chief John Cosby said the BBPD contracts with Taylor Boat Works of Cortez for removal of sunken vessels in the anchorage but removals were put on short-term hold due to a tropical disturbance approach ing the Gulf of Mexico from the Caribbean.

In related news, a dinghy on the shoreline in a “no beaching or overnight docking” area was impounded and moved to public works.

— robert anderson

with the driver, Jordan, who, according to the report, smelled of alcohol and had glassy eyes.

Jordan said he was leaving a pub in Holmes Beach, where he had something to drink.

The officer asked Jordan to exit the vehicle and perform field sobriety tests, which he failed.

The officer also found yellow pills in Jordan’s pocket.

The officer arrested Jordan and transported him to the police department for processing, where Jordan refused to provide breath samples.

The yellow pills field-tested positive for LSD and weighed 0.3 grams.

Streetlife Staff reports Island police reports

Anna Maria

No new reports.

The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office polices Anna Maria.

Bradenton Beach

Sept. 19, 100 block of Seventh Street South, bur glary. An officer from the Bradenton Beach Police Department responded to a reported burglary. The com plainant arrived home to find evidence of a break-in, as someone had moved things around and the air condi tioning was on. The officer searched the premises and discovered an open garage window. The officer issued a case number and submitted photos for evidence.

Sept. 19, 103 Gulf Drive N., Circle K, theft. A Bradenton Beach officer was dispatched to a report of shoplifting after a store manager witnessed a man take items. The officer reviewed surveillance footage and searched the area but didn’t find the suspect. The case remains under investigation.

The BBPD polices the city. Cortez

No new reports.

The MCSO polices Cortez.

An officer also issued three citations to Jordan for driving violations and then transported him to the Manatee County jail.

He was released Sept. 18 after posting $1,620 bond.

If convicted, punishment for a third-degree felony charge includes up to five years in prison, five years of probation and a fine of up to $5,000.

Punishment for a second-degree misdemeanor includes up to 60 days in jail, six months of probation and a fine of up to $500.

An arraignment will be at 9 a.m. Friday, Oct. 14, at the Manatee County Judicial Center, 1051 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.

Holmes Beach

Sept. 13, Manatee Public Beach, 4000 Gulf Drive, larceny. An officer from the Holmes Beach Police Department responded to reports of a theft and found two complainants. They told the officer they left their belongings at a picnic table and when they returned, their items were missing. One of the complainant’s credit cards was used at Publix Super Market. Secu rity footage of the transaction was obtained by the HBPD.

Sept. 13, Publix, 3900 E. Bay Drive, petit theft. While reviewing security footage for the previous theft case, an officer saw the same suspect leave the grocery store without paying for an item. A manager provided a sworn complaint affidavit to pursue charges for the theft. The officer provided the manager with a case card.

Sept. 14, Key Royale Club, 700 Key Royale Drive, grand theft. A man reported he forgot his golf clubs on his cart and when he went back to retrieve them, they were missing. He said there was security footage of a man leaving with the clubs. The man said he would provide serial numbers for the clubs.

PLeaSe, See Streetlife, next Page

HBPD arrests Bradenton woman for DUI

By ryan Paice islander reporter

Holmes Beach police arrested Bradenton resident Brianna Greene, 27, Sept. 17 on a second-degree misdemeanor for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Two officers saw a motorist around 2 a.m. estimated to be traveling about 70 mph in a 35-mph zone but were not able to activate their radar.

As they followed, they saw the motorist drive through a flashing red traffic signal without stopping.

The motorist entered the closed parking lot at the Manatee Public Beach, 4000 Gulf Drive, where the officers conducted a traffic stop.

The officers spoke with the driver, Greene, whose breath smelled of alcohol and eyes were glassy.

The officers asked Greene to exit the vehicle and perform field sobriety tests, which she failed.

The officers arrested Greene and transported her to the police department, where she provided breath samples with 0.105 and 0.106 grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath, according to the report.

The legal limit for blood alcohol concentration while driving is 0.08.

An officer issued a citation and transported Greene to the Manatee County jail, where she was released the same day after posting $120 bond.

If convicted, punishment for a second-degree misdemeanor includes up to 60 days in jail, six months of probation and a fine of up to $500.

An arraignment is set for 8:55 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 20, at the Manatee County Judicial Center, 1051 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.

Island watch In an emergency, call 911. To report info, call the MCSO Anna Maria substation, 941-708-8899; Bradenton Beach police, 941-778-6311; Holmes Beach police, 941-708-5804.

Holmes Beach man’s alleged assailant returned to jail

By ryan Paice islander reporter

A 17-year-old arrested in connection to an alleged battery outside Anna Maria Elementary School is back in jail.

Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Palmetto resident John Bartholow, 17, Sept. 21 for contempt of court and violating his pretrial release program by resisting/obstructing a law enforcement officer without violence.

Bartholow and Sarasota resident Cameron Evans, 18, are both facing second-degree felony charges for aggravated battery resulting in great bodily harm.

The charge stems from a March 23 incident outside Anna Maria Elementary, 4700 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, that sent resident Evan Purcell, 41, to the hospital with serious injuries.

Purcell was walking his dog with his 10-year-old niece when he saw a group of young adults and teenagers possibly vandalizing the facility, according to a Holmes Beach Police Department report.

When Purcell asked the group to leave school grounds, they became aggressive and confronted him,

Sept. 14, 8300 block of Marina Drive, grand theft. An officer responded to reports of a stolen kayak/ paddleboard and found the complainant, who said it went missing from a boat dock. The officer provided a case card to the man and set out to contact the nearby property owners with security cameras that may have captured footage of the incident.

Sept. 15, 500 block of Key Royale Drive, credit card fraud. A woman called the HBPD to report someone opened credit cards under her name. She provided a sworn statement about the matter.

Holmes Beach Police Department polices Holmes Beach.

Streetlife is based on incident reports and narratives from the BBPD, HBPD and MCSO.

according to HBPD. He drew a pocketknife and the group beat him to the point of unconsciousness.

Purcell’s niece ran to a nearby residence and called 911 during the incident.

HBPD and emergency medical services reached Purcell and transported him to the HCA Florida Blake Hospital in Bradenton.

The Purcell family has not responded to inquiries about his condition since March 25.

Bartholow was released April 21 into the Manatee County Probation Department’s pretrial services program after posting $50,000 bond.

The program allows a defendant’s release from custody but restricts legal movement and provides official supervision until a case is settled.

However, Bartholow, who remained in custody at the Manatee County jail as of Sept. 23, will not be eligible to rejoin the pretrial services program due to his recent arrest.

Evans has been jailed since his April 14 arrest.

A hearing to set bond for Bartholow’s release will be at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12, at the Manatee County judicial center, 1051 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.

Resources for storm info:

Twitter

• The National Hurricane center: @nWSnHc and @nHc_atlantic.

• The National Weather Service: @nWS, @ nWStampaBay.

On the web

• County emergency management: mymanatee.org.

• State emergency management: floridadisaster.org.

• FEMA: fema.gov.

• National Hurricane center: nhc.noaa.gov.

In print

• The Islander (islander. org), Bradenton Herald and Sarasota Heraldtribune.

nesting notes

By Samara Paice

New record hatches

The 2022 hatchling count broke the previous record set in 2018.

Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring volunteers counted 35,850 hatched eggs through Sept. 16.

The previous AMITW record was 35,788 hatched eggs in 2018.

There remain 92 nests to excavate and/or hatch so the numbers will continue to increase despite the impact of the king tides that occurred after the Sept. 10 full moon.

A nest excavated Sept. 20 near lifeguard tower No. 5 on Coquina Beach in Bradenton Beach yielded an oddity — a double or merged egg.

Such an egg most likely is the result of a malfunction in the shell-secreting part of the nesting female’s oviduct.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission assistant research scientist Tonya Long said Sept. 21 it’s not that unusual to find merged eggs when exca-

a double egg is excavated from a nest Sept. 20 near lifeguard tower no. 5 on coquina Beach in Bradenton Beach. islander courtesy Photo: Hans duerr

vating nests.

Sea Turtle Conservancy biologist Richard Herren said Sept. 21 nests with merged eggs tend to be linked to specific females.

In other news, Kerri, a green sea turtle rescued in a stranding by AMITW volunteers Aug. 23 near the Sandpiper Resort in Bradenton Beach, has eaten a small amount of food and become more active while in recovery at the Mote Marine Turtle Hospital in Sarasota.

Esther remains in 8th place

Esther, a loggerhead sea turtle tagged and released June 20 on Coquina Beach in Bradenton Beach as part of the Tour de Turtles, stayed in eighth place through Sept. 22.

The Tour de Turtles hard-shell category started Aug. 1 and can be followed at tourdeturtles.org. The race ends Oct. 31.

Esther traveled 362 miles through Sept. 22.

Tour de Turtles is an educational effort led by the Sea Turtle Conservancy, which started in 2008 to educate and gather research data.

The Waterline Resort and Mainsail Vacation Rentals located on Marina Drive in Holmes Beach and AMITW worked with the conservancy to make the tagging of Esther possible.

Each turtle has a cause. Esther’s is light pollution.

as of Sept. 24, amitW had identified 531 nests, 490 false crawls and 453 hatched nests with 36,514 hatchlings to the sea.

According to Mote’s Turtle Hospital staff, the turtle may have only partial vision in the right eye as a result of a boat strike.

a map for tour de turtles shows esther’s travels. islander courtesy image

By Lisa

Record-setting summer

Astronomically autumn began at 9:03 p.m. Sept. 22.

But in at least our slice of paradise, we’re still seeing summer-like temperatures and we’ll probably will see them until mid-October.

Here’s what the National Weather Service office for Tampa Bay says:

Usually high humidity with dew points in the middle 60s to middle 70s, along with high temperatures in the mid 80s to lower 90s persists well into October.

And remember, that first shot of cooler drier air is usually short-lived, like a day or two, with the first real cool down arriving on the November calendar.

An amateur forecaster can guess at the timing of a cool down by looking at overnight low temperatures, which are dependent on a few factors, including the amount of moisture in the air near the ground.

Such moisture is measured by looking at the dew point, the amount of cloud cover and winds.

In general, overnight low temperatures cannot fall below the dew point. So, if the dew points are in the middle 60s to middle 70s, then the overnight low temperatures will likely be in the mid 60s to mid 70s unless a cool front moves through during the night.

The earliest date of a temperature below 60 degrees

Skywatchers to mark Observe the Moon Night Oct. 1

Did you know Oct. 1 is International Observe the Moon Night?

Details for the evening can be found online at moon.nasa. gov, including a “moon map,” information on ways to observe the moon, live streams from NASA, photography advice and event listings.

As of The Islander’s press time, the event nearest the island is the Sidewalk Science Center’s celebration 7-10 p.m. at Sarasota’s

for Sarasota-Bradenton was Sept. 19, 1981, and the latest was Nov. 23, 2015. The average date for the first fall cool down is Oct. 19, but in 2021 the big relief arrived Nov. 11.

While looking ahead to the cooler temps, the NWS also is calculating some numbers on the region’s record heat in 2022, using information from the official climate recording site at Tampa International Airport.

NWS’s Tampa Bay region set new records for the greatest number of days with a high exceeding 95 degrees — 25 — and the greatest number of days with the low temperature exceeding 80 degrees — 35.

The area also set new average temperature records

Workshop offering: Learning ‘from tap to tide’

“Water School: From Tap to Tide” is a workshop hosted by UF/IFAS Extension Manatee County to educate local policymakers and the public on the importance of clean water in the region.

UF/IFAS Extension Manatee County agents and state experts will discuss current issues related to the economic, environmental and social importance of water quality during the program, set for 9 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5, at the Riverhouse Waterfront Restaurant, 995 Riverside Drive, Palmetto.

The daylong program includes lunch.

The cost to attend is $45.

For more information, call the extension service at 722-4524, ext. 1809.

— Lisa neff

Flush from the rivers an aerial shows brown water Sept. 20 in tampa Bay, where river water is being pushed west and then to the gulf of mexico. While it’s characterized as “freshwater,” river water can contain pollutants. for example, a public notice of pollution from the florida department of environmental Protection in midSeptember — a week prior to the photograph — said Bradenton sent 9 million gallons of partially-treated wastewater into the manatee river. the city said excess amounts of rain overloaded a treatment plant.

islander Photo: Jacob merrifield

this summer — the warmest average temperature over three consecutive months is 85.7 degrees for JuneAugust, the warmest average high for three consecutive months is 92.9 for June-August and the warmest average low months is 78.5 for June-August.

Temperatures for January-August also set records — the warmest average temperature for the first eight months of any year, the warmest average high for the first eight months and the warmest average low for the first eight months.

And back in July, when you complained, “It’s hotter than heck,” you were correct. July was the hottest month ever recorded in the area’s history, with an average temperature of 86.3 degrees. The prior record was 85.8 degrees, set in September 2018.

Now the information I’m looking for is the average date when I can be expected to whine, “I’m too cold.”

“There the

Casting wide: Soccer, golf

By Kevin P. cassidy

islander reporter

Soccer is back in the spotlight at the Center of Anna Maria Island.

Action Sept. 20 kicked off in the 10-and-under division with AMI Coconuts easing past Cloud Pest Control by a 1-0 score behind Riley Karecki’s lone tally.

cassidy

Vera Salvatore made two saves for Cloud.

The second game of the night saw Sato Real Estate cruise to a 5-2 victory over LaPensee Plumbing behind four goals from Dylan Sato. Camden Rudacille chipped in with a goal, Brandon Sato had an assist and Gunnar Maize posted a pair of saves.

Preston LaPensee scored two goals for LaPensee Plumbing and Asher Patel had five combined saves with Owen Mahoney in the loss.

The last 10U division game saw Island Real Estate earn a 3-1 victory over Solid Rock Construction. Callin Westfall paced IRE with three goals, while Vincent Gollamudi made two saves.

Matthew Darak scored for Solid Rock, which saw four saves from Isaac Roadman in the loss.

In 14-and-under action, HSH Designs and Mac Parkman Foundation battled to a 4-4 tie. Jayden Sparks led HSH Designs with a pair of goals, while Austin Guess and Jesse Zaccagnino finished with a goal each. Jack Zaccagnino had five saves in goal.

Dominik Zupa scored four goals to lead the Parkman Foundation, which also received five saves from Cyrus Ryan in the tie.

37th Rich Salick Surf Festival a hit

Nearly 200 professional and amateur surfers competed in the 37th Annual NFK Rich Salick Pro/Am Surf Festival Sept. 3-5 in Cocoa Beach.

The National Kidney Foundation surfing event and festival honors the cofounder and three-time kidney recipient Rich Salick, who died in July 2012. Salick has local ties to the island, having grown up here in the early 1970s, learning to surf on the mostly small waves at the Manatee Public Beach — and sister Joanie Shymanski Mills and other family remain in the area.

Cory Howell won the men’s pro event, while Daya McCart captured the women’s pro event which, between the contest and Taste of Brevard silent auction, raised over $40,000 for NKF of Florida.

The Islander and its advertising partners routinely contribute to the silent auction with this year’s prize

for the top bidder including a weekend at Bali Hai Resort, dinner for two at Beach Bistro, gift cards for the Doctor’s Office and Freckled Fin Irish Pub, and a half-day fishing trip with Capt. Scott Moore.

Rich’s twin, Phil, tournament organizer, says the AMI prize draws top dollars from auction bidders.

Hooke still setting records

Former islander and longtime Galati Yacht Sales employee Mickey Hooke competed in Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister’s Ultimate Run Sept. 17 in Temple Terrace.

Over 600 participants showed up for the event, which had a 15K, 10K, 5K and 1-mile races on a hilly, winding and shady course.

Hooke competed in the 10K with a time of 46:56, good for third place overall and first place in the male masters division. His time also set a new senior grandmasters record (age 60-plus), his 314th record since turning 40 in 2000.

Adult soccer shares the pitch

The second week of adult soccer action at the center saw Slim’s Place outscore Servis First Bank Sept. 22 7-5 behind four goals from Joey Hutchinson and two goals and two assists from Cody Wright. Eric Pullen finished with a goal and an assist and PJ Smargisso had six saves in the Slim’s victory.

Selena Gonzalez-Salinas notched a pair of goals for Servis, while Mauro Vecchio, Lucky Durmaz and Luis Pichardo also scored. Yuri Pereira and Juan Carlos Perez combined on nine saves in the loss.

Pool America edged Gulfview Windows & Doors 4-3 in the second game of the evening. Jana Whitehead, Gerardo Urbiola Bolanos, Matthew Staggs and Chris Yavalar each scored.

Raul Loera scored two goals for Gulfview, which also received a goal from Keith Mahoney and six saves from Tuna McCracken in the loss.

Wash Family Construction posted a 4-0 victory over Sato Real Estate. Amy Ivin sparked the victors

with a pair of goals, while Austin Nutting and Kevin Roman also scored. Mark Long pitched in five saves.

Finally, Ross took a 3-2 victory over Moss behind a pair of goals from Dean Hinterstoisser and one from Sam Parker. Kali Richardson and Mike Bolognone each had an assist and Steve Oelfke finished with five saves in the victory.

Olaf Krause and Jamal Duzgun each scored for Moss, which also received an assist from James Roadman and nine saves from Ryan Moss.

Horseshoe news

Two teams emerged from pool play with 3-0 records and settled things in a playoff during Sept. 21 horseshoe action at the Anna Maria City Hall pits.

Bob Baker and Jerry Disbrow earned a close, 21-17 victory over Tom Farrington to earn the day’s bragging rights.

Farrington redeemed himself Sept. 24, forging the lone 3-0 in pool play to become outright champ.

Warmups get underway at 8:45 a.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays at the Anna Maria pits.

There is no charge to play and everyone is welcome.

Key Royale news

Golf action at Key Royale Club in Holmes Beach got started Sept. 19 with the men’s weekly modifiedStableford system match. Jim Hill and Bill Shuman shared the top spot with matching scores of plus-6

The women members are expected to start organized matches soon.

Members took to the course Sept. 22 for a ninehole shamble, which saw the team of Art McMillan, Jim Hill, Jerry Martinek and Quentin Talbert combine on a 5-over-par 69 to grab clubhouse bragging rights for the day. The team of Rod Hammonds, Ron Huibers, John Kolojeski and Gary Razze was alone in second place at 7-over-par 71.

For more photos and sports news, look online at islander.org.

mickey Hooke, center, poses Sept. 17 with Hillsborough county Sheriff chad chronister, left, and other race officials on winning the male master’s division of the HcSo ultimate run. islander courtesy Photo

By capt. danny Stasny islander reporter

As we find ourselves in the peak of the rainy season, Anna Maria Island anglers are enjoying a variety of catches in Anna Maria Sound and the surrounding waters.

Schooling redfi sh are the highlight — with several large schools of fish being found throughout the flats.

Finding the schools is not easy, as vast amounts of freshwater flowing out of the Manatee River has stained the water to a color resembling root beer. And the fish don’t like it.

But hunting schools on the lower stages of the tide makes it easier to find them as they cruise the shallow flats.

Still, getting the fish for the cooler might not be as easy as you think, as they are experiencing an extreme amount of pressure.

If you find a “happy” school of fish — one that is undisturbed — you’re in for a thrill. Most of the schools consist of large, over-slot fish measuring 30-40 inches.

So, if you’re looking for dinner, you might want to look elsewhere. But check it out for the sheer action, because these fish can put up quite a battle on medium spinning gear.

Redfish also are being found sporadically throughout the mangrove shorelines. Most are being caught by anglers fishing the edges of the mangroves for snook.

Speaking of snook, respectable amounts of fish are being found this month, with most measuring 20-26

inches and some keeper-size fish in the mix.

Deeper flats on swift tides are producing excellent trout fishing. Most trout are small but limits of are attainable. It may take catching 20-30 of them to get the three allowed fi sh in the cooler, but who is complaining about catching a bunch of fish?

You might also discover the flats are host to a variety of other species, including jack crevalle, Spanish mackerel and ladyfish. Although the jacks and ladyfish are not considered desirable table fare, they are good for a fight on light spinning gear. As for the macks, they check both boxes. They’re good to eat and they put up one heck of a fight.

On my Just Reel charters, my clients are seeing some good action. Spotted seatrout are the most abundant species. On many days, catches of 20-30 trout are common and usually a couple of limits of keeper-size fish are included. Targeting snook along the mangroves has worked well, although not many keepers are being caught.

While targeting the snook, we’re seeing some redfish, too. They’re falling in the slot of 18-27 inches. And fishing structure in depths of 15-20 feet is resulting in mangrove snapper and Spanish mackerel. I’m also seeing gag grouper in these areas and the eating is good for everyone.

snook, which happen to be taking residence in the deeper water refuges. Switching baits to live pass crabs works well for Stock when working the reefs where permit are the targeted species for the crabs. Stock is finding the permit are accommodating on most days.

And finally, the dominant predators on the reef — barracuda and goliath grouper — demand some attention. Stock baits with legal-size Spanish mackerel and jack crevalle for these large predators. Although catch-and-release, the barracuda and goliath are proven crowd-pleasers on reef charters.

Capt. Johnny Mattay is impressed with the action he’s seeing while targeting redfish in Tampa Bay. Whether fishing schools of reds on the flats or finding sporadic redfish hunting along the edges of the mangroves, Mattay’s clients are experiencing success.

Snook are present when casting along the mangroves, which adds variety to the bite. In many cases, the snook are the targeted species, with the reds being caught between the linesiders.

Fishing deeper areas in Tampa Bay is yielding a variety of other species. While over structure — rock piles, wrecks and reefs — Mattay is hooking up with mangrove snapper and gag grouper. Live shiners work well as bait for the snapper and, for the grouper, a fat little pinfish is irresistible.

Lastly, targeting sharks around the passes, Bean Point and Egmont Key is keeping Mattay’s clients excited.

Jim Malfese at the Rod & Reel Pier is seeing good action on the deck.

Redfish are the highlight, with many reds being caught by lucky anglers who time their fishing adventures at the right moment. Live shrimp work well to target the large redfish as they take up residence under the pier. Most reds being caught are over the maximum size of 27 inches. In fact, many are 30-36 inches. Only anglers using stout gear can succeed in wrangling the large fish away from the pier’s barnacle-encrusted pilings.

An occasional snook is being hooked by unsuspecting anglers hoping for a redfish dinner. Most snook catches, however, are under-slot although Malfese does recall seeing a few keepers caught recently.

Lastly for those anglers looking for dinner, mangrove snapper are being caught with frequency.

Capt. Warren Girle is finding action while working the flats of Sarasota Bay. Deeper grass flats are producing action on spotted seatrout as well as Spanish mackerel, jack crevalle and mangrove snapper. Freelined live shiners work best for all the species.

On the shallower flats, Girle is putting clients on snook and redfish. Snook — found on the mangrove shorelines — are responding to live shiners as bait. The reds are there as well, eating the shiners. When schools of reds are located, Girle is opting to have clients cast gold spoons, which are quickly being struck.

Paddling into season

ami Paddlers from Paradise start a new season with a call for paddlers and practice Sept. 15, leaving the 63rd Street public dock in Holmes Beach. team founder melinda Bradway says, “there was lots of excitement, energy and smiles.” She invited people interested in joining the team to call 941-462-2626. islander courtesy Photo

Capt. Jason Stock is spending his mornings patrolling the nearshore reefs in the Gulf of Mexico where a variety of species are being found without venturing too far offshore. And, with breezy days ahead, staying closer to shore can be less strenuous than going long distances in a heavy chop in the Gulf of Mexico.

Redfish highlight rainy, hot September for AMI anglers can catch it all online at islander.org

Cobia is one species Stock is sourcing. Live pinfish placed on or near the bottom around the perimeters of the reefs work well as bait to attract the elusive migratory fish.

Another species interested in live pinfish is large

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

Stasny

Joseph austin, 17, of Bradenton, shows off a 29-inch redfish he caught Sept. 17 at the rod & reel Pier in anna maria. the r&r is seeing plenty of reds, snook and snapper in the tampa Bay waters. islander Photo: capt. Scott moore

By Kane Kaiman

Dogs digs, shamrocks

Islanders’ kennel club

The Woof on Cortez opened in early September and already has islanders howling its praises.

Kaiman biz

About 30% of the dog day care and boarding facility’s customers are island residents, owner Kevin Harvey said Sept. 20.

He expects that number to grow as they invest in an a marketing champaign and word-of-mouth spreads about the Bradenton establishment’s 365-day-a-year operations and roundthe-clock staffing along, texts for reservations and pet checkups and play-area cameras.

“Ninety-seven percent of our customers just text us everything. And what’s great about that is what I tell people, ‘If you think we’re sleeping at night, text this phone at 3 a.m., at midnight, at 5 a.m., and somebody will respond,” Harvey said. “And if you want a picture, they’ll send you a picture. The communication is awesome.”

Harvey and wife Heather opened their first dog day care and boarding facility in Lakewood Ranch in 2016 because other outfits in the area didn’t offer 24/7 care for their two boxers.

The Wisconsin natives opened their second location in Racine, Wisconsin, in 2017.

In 2021, the facility was rated second-best dog day care in Wisconsin.

Harvey encourages potential customers to stop by

6312 Cortez Road W. for tours.

“It’s almost 7,700 square feet, it’s pretty big. And it is all completely updated. New floors, new kennels, new walls, soundproofing, new playsets, artificial turf, shade and pools,” Harvey said. “If you can see it, then you can understand the passion I have for it.”

For more information, go to thewoofoncortez.com, Woof on Cortez on Facebook or text or call 941-7046606.

Freckled Fin strikes gold

The only thing better than St. Patrick’s Day is two St. Patrick’s Days.

Freckled Fin began an annual ritual Sept. 17 with the Irish pub’s inaugural “Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day” event that drew a sizable number of locals and some island homeowners from Lakeland, general manager Steve Shannon said Sept. 22.

“We had customers lining up at 10 a.m. for their free shot of Jameson and the crowd kept getting bigger as the day went on,” he said.

Patrons enjoyed free and discounted drinks and Jell-O shots, corned beef and cabbage, live music and performances by Irish dancers.

For more on the pub, 5337 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, visit freckledfin.com or call 941-251-3930.

Mixers feature lunch, dinner

The Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce is staging an “Off the Clock!” networking dinner at Fleming’s steakhouse and wine bar, 2001 Siesta Drive, Sarasota.

freckled fin patrons enjoy drinks, conversation and live music Sept. 17 at the Holmes Beach irish pub’s inaugural “Halfway to St. Patrick’s day” event.

Tickets for the 5-6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28, event are $5 for members and $10 for prospective members.

Door prizes are encouraged.

The Anna Maria Island Chamber of commerce will host a lunch mixer at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 13, at Slicker’s Eatery, 12012 Cortez Road W., Bradenton.

Tickets are $18 for members and $30 for prospective members.

To RSVP for the Longboat event, email czaborowski@lbkchamber.com or call 941-383-2466.

To RSVP for the island chamber event, email info@amichamber.org or call 941-778-1541.

the Woof on cortez canine Kismet, left, and Kamala, of Holmes Beach, hang out in the dog day boarding facility’s play area. islander courtesy

City business

Holmes Beach city clerk Stacey Johnston, center, holds a florida association of city clerks’ presidential gavel plaque and a resolution Sept. 15. Johnston was recognized for her service as facc president June 2021-June 2022. Longboat Key administrative assistant Stephanie Janney, left, current facc president cheryl mooney — the temple terrace clerk who presented the awards — Sanibel city clerk Scotty Lynn Kelly and Holmes Beach deputy city clerk michelle Lowe, right, attended the meeting at Holmes Beach city Hall to celebrate with Johnston and city officials. islander Photo: courtesy greg Kerchner

New poles, new lines

mastec employees install utility lines Sept. 14 on poles they recently placed along north Bay Boulevard in anna maria.

islander Photo: ryan Paice

BizCal by Kane Kaiman

AMI CHAMBER

Oct. 6, chamber sunrise breakfast, Compass Hotel, Bradenton.

Oct. 13, chamber luncheon, Slicker’s Eatery, Bradenton.

Oct. 15, BayFest, Anna Maria.

Oct. 27, business card exchange, Crowder Brothers Ace Hardware, Bradenton.

Oct. 31, Trail of Treats, Holmes Beach.

Info, RSVP: 941-778-1541, becky@amichamber.org.

LBK CHAMBER

Wednesday, Sept. 28

5-6:30 p.m. — Off The Clock, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar, 2001 Siesta Drive, Sarasota.

Info, RSVP: longboatkeychamber.com, 941-383-2466.

Tandem travel the captain of a bicycle-built-for-two waves Sept. 8 while steering south in the bike lane on gulf drive in anna maria. islander Photo: ryan Paice

ITEMS FOR SALE

BiKe cruiSer, neW tires and seat, $70, chandelier brown, like-new, $20, office chairs, white seat, black legs, $25. 941-9202494.

Side taBLeS: BroWn with glass top. two for $25. 941-920-2494.

antiQue Partner deSK: all wood, $500. antique office chairs, $125 each. inquire at the islander office, 315 58th St. Suite J, Holmes Beach. 941-778-7978.

FREEBIE ITEMS FOR SALE

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

PETS

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

TRANSPORTATION

goLf cart rentaLS: fun for residents and tourists! www.golfcartrentalami.com.

2003 Honda odYSSeY van: $3,500. Pines trailer court. call Larry, 402-223-8068.

BOATS & BOATING

HaVe a Boat and wanna catch more fish, better bait or learn the water? 50-year local fisherman, your boat, my knowledge. captain chris, 941-896-2915.

FISHING

LiVe PinfiSH-SHinerS delivery available. 941-705-1956, text only.

HELP WANTED

Hiring at BotH locations: 6646 cortez road W., Bradenton and 9th Street by Wicked cantina on the island. Hiring front desk and estheticians. call 941-896-7225 or email leah@leahchavie.com

noW Hiring HandYman: full-time professional services. $15 an hour and up, based on experience. call JayPros, 941962-2874.

rePorter Wanted: full- to part-time. Print media, newspaper experience required. apply via email with letter of interest to news@islander.org.

KIDS FOR HIRE

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.

HEALTH CARE

PriVate dutY: regiStered nurse. Pet lover, non-smoker, fully vaccinated, help with transportation, shopping, light cooking, cleaning. Help with following doctor’s orders, bathing, etc. 10-plus years’ experience. call or text Jessica, 412-851-0840.

more Bang for Your BucK? it’s an old saying, but it’s still true when it comes to the islander. Look for more online at islander. org.

SERVICES

need a ride to airports? tampa, St. Pete, Sarasota. gary, 863-409-5875. gvoness80@ gmail.com.

iS Your Home or office in need of some cleaning? Well, i’m your girl! Local, reliable, professional! Please, give me a call or text, 941-773 -0461.

cLeaning: Vacation, conStruction, residential, commercial and windows. Licensed and insured. 941-756-4570.

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

aLmoSt LiKe Home pet boarding, days, overnights, weekends, longer periods of time. Pets are accepted on short notice, small, medium size pets only. Location west Bradenton. $20 per day. 941-896-5512.

getting married? i will be your wedding officiant. call rev. James mcubbin, 941253-6649.

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.

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.

LAWN & GARDEN

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.

angeLo’S LaWn care: mow, edge, string trimming, blow. Starting at $20/cut. Licensed/insured. 941-217-9000.

HOME IMPROVEMENT

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.

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

HOME IMPROVEMENT Continued

HoLLandS Paint, drYWaLL and handyman services: interior/exterior paint, drywall repair, wall/ceiling textures, stucco repair, pressure washing. over 25 years’ experience. all work guaranteed. references. Licensed/insured. call dee, 256-337-5395.

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.

RENTALS

anna maria guLf beachfront vacation rentals. one- two- and three-bedroom units, all beachfront. www.amiparadise.com. 941778-3143.

Want to rent: one-car garage in west Sarasota-Bradenton area. 845-304-0911.

annuaL rentaL: 3Br/2Ba, pool, canal with boat lift. Home on Key royale. $8,500/ month. 941-713-1586.

HoLmeS BeacH 2Br/2Ba newer duplex. Beautifully furnished with garage. $2,800/ month plus utilities. 941-778-2824.

Perico iSLand Patio home for rent. 3Br/2Ba, two-car garage, fully renovated. 30-day minimum. Privacy fence/gate. 2 miles to ami. #bluerockingchair instagram/ fb. 859-771-6423.

anna maria 3Br/1Ba historic cottage. Half block to gulf beach and one block to Pine avenue shopping and restaurants. available november. $2,700/month. terryaposporos@ gmail.com. 941-778-8456.

WeStBaY coVe condo: Holmes Beach. Second floor, 2Br/2Ba, bay views, large lanai. Pools, tennis, one block to gulf. december, $3,200/month. terryaposporos@ gmail.com. 941-778-8456.

islander archive. uoff florida digital newspaper collection at ufdc.ufl.edu.

RENTALS Continued

Vacation 2023 SeaSon: January, february, march, $5,000/month. 2022 pre-season, $2,000/month. 2Br/1Ba steps to beach, 55-plus condo, pool. real estate mart, 941356-1456.

BaYSHore 2Br/1Ba condo: Pool, 55-plus. $1,250/month for october, november, december 2022. real estate mart, 941356-1456.

REAL ESTATE

Winnie mcHaLe, reaLtor, 941-5046146. rosebay international realty inc. You need an aggressive and experienced realtor in today’s market! Selling island homes, Sarasota and Bradenton areas. multi-milliondollar producer! “Selling Homes - making dreams come true.”

tired of 800 numbers? Local face-to-face real estate services at internet commission prices. Buy, sell, property management and rentals. call us. real estate mart, 941-3561456.

Island real estate transactions

517 Villa Rosa Way, Anna Maria, a 3,534 sq ft

3BR/5BA pool home on a 7,880 sq ft lot built in 2016 sold 9/2/2022 by Parker to Barton for $4,200,000, list price $4,650,000.

208 82nd St., #B, Holmes Beach, a 975 sq ft

2BR/2BA Front Porch villa built in 1972 sold 9/6/2022 by Andersen to 208B 82nd St HB LLC for $995,000,list price $995,000.

Compiled by Island Real Estate staff. Island Real Estate sales professionals can be reached at 941-7786066, islandreal.com. what

MarketWatch

Anna Maria

By Lisa neff

Median listing home price: $3.4 million, trending up 36% year-over-year.

Median sold home price: $2.6 million.

Listings: 44 properties, $699,000-$8.4 million.

Bradenton Beach

Median listing home price: $822,000, trending down 29% year-over-year.

Median sold home price: $625,000.

Listings: 36 properties, $449,000-$4 million.

Holmes Beach

Median listing home price: $1.7 million, up 32.9% year-over-year.

Median sold home price: $1.1 million.

Listings: 77 properties, $250,000-$12 million.

Source: realtor.com

MIKE NORMAN REALTY EST. 1978

For professional real estate sales, call a true island native, born and raised on Anna Maria Island. Marianne Norman-Ellis. 941.778.6696

Mike Norman Realty

85 Took to court Miscreant’s record, Like a clear night Rival you kind of like ‘‘That’s amazing!’’ Color classification Naval Academy grads Basic personal ‘‘Spill it!’’ Flow slowly ‘‘Not gonna happen!’’ Counts (on) Tropical vine ‘‘Brown Girl’’ Pool shade of Nothin’ Words of Actress Hot spot in England? Airport inits.