The Islander Newspaper E-Edition: Wednesday, June 9, 2021 by The Anna Maria Islander Newspaper

VOLUME

JUNE 9, 2021 FrEE

NO. 33

the Best news on anna maria island Since 1992 astheworldterns. 6

Q&A 060921

BB discusses streetlights for gulf drive. 4

Meetings. 4 costs skyrocket for buried utilities in BB. 5

islander.org

AMi roundabouts a thing of the future

Happiness ﬂows from bubble wands

By Kane Kaiman islander reporter

They’ll be coming round the island when they come. Opinions. 6 Funding for the construction of roundabouts at some Anna Maria Island intersections could be available in 2030, according to 10-20 YeArs Ago Looking back. 7 the Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization’s 2020-45 long-range plan. maritime museum’s exhibit Roundabouts could come sooner dependwows walk-ins. 8 ing on the timing of the Florida Department of Transportation “Complete Streets” projHB planners back bank rezone. 9 ect studies and municipal undertakings in Holmes Beach. According to the cost-feasible outline of the MPO’s long-range plan, three island Save a date. 10 intersections could receive roundabout concenter strikes a chord, struction funding in 2030: concerts bring bucks. 11 • Cortez Road at Gulf Drive in Bradenton Beach; • East Bay Drive at Manatee Avenue in Looking back at lessons Holmes Beach; learned. 12 • Gulf Drive at Manatee Avenue in Holmes Beach. Storm ready? Stocking up. 13 Inclusion in the outline does not guarantee the roundabouts will be built, said MPO executive director David Hutchinson, and WHere’s plans could change based on future intertUnA section improvement evaluations.

street? 14-15

Gathering. 16

Obituaries. 16-17 anna maria salutes heroes. 17

NESTING NOTES. Parallel seasons. 18

over the rainbow. 19 Youth soccer champs crowned. 20 Look for clean, clear water for fishing success. 21

Streetlife. 22 Vehicle thefts investigated in HB. 22

cLASSIFIEDS. 24

PropertyWatch. 26

NYT puzzle.

maddie Kimmons, 8, waves a wand of bubbles as miles moss, 7, follows the flow on the field at the center of anna maria island. islander Photo: courtesy cofami

turn to roUNDaBoUts, Page 2

county, Holmes Beach rev up holiday parking debate By ryan Paice islander reporter

The debate over parking between Manatee County and Holmes Beach is coming to a head on the heels of a busy Memorial Day weekend. Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge sparked the conversation at a June 3 county

meeting by recounting difficulties with opening parking at Anna Maria Elementary School for public use over the holiday. The city implemented a park-by-permit system last summer to ease parking along some streets when the city reopened the beaches while many other beaches across the state remained closed due to the COVID-19

pandemic. The system involves selling $15 decals to residents and property owners to allow them to park a vehicle in one of 645 restricted spots where public parking was otherwise prohibited 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Several county commissioners have critturn to parkING, Page 5

Tension heightens over Bridge Street crosswalk fiasco By Kelsey mako islander reporter

Blame continues to be passed for deteriorating crosswalks on Bridge Street. City engineer Lynn Burnett asked June 2 at the Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency meeting that some “emotional-based” comments about her be removed from the minutes of a prior meeting before they were approved. According to the minutes from that May 5 meeting, Angela Rodocker of the BridgeWalk motel said, “Whoever approved this from an engineer standpoint should be ashamed,” referring to LTA Engineers and the crosswalk project.

Bradenton Beach engineer Lynn Burnett and city attorney ricinda Perry take part in the discussion at a may 5 community redevelopment agency meeting. islander Photo: Kelsey mako

turn to crosswalk, Page 3

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roUNDaBoUts continued from Page 1

For two intersections, East Bay Drive at Manatee Avenue and Gulf Drive at Manatee Avenue, the DOT is looking to implement improvements — which could include roundabouts — in conjunction with the new Anna Maria Island Bridge, according to DOT communications specialist Brian Rick. Funding for the 65-foot-clearance fixed-span replacement bridge is not budgeted, but could go into the DOT’s 10-year work plan, Rick said in an April 21 email to The Islander. The DOT has programmed a 2024-25 “Complete Streets” project study for the length of Gulf Drive in Bradenton Beach. The study, which would include roundabout feasibility at the intersection of Cortez Road and Gulf Drive — just west of the Cortez Bridge — could be conducted sooner based on the outcome of DOT discussions slated for July. The Barrier Islands Traffic Study — a 2017-19 DOT analysis of traffic congestion on the islands — found that another Holmes Beach intersection, East Bay Drive at Gulf Drive, would benefit from roundabout construction and recommended the DOT conduct a cost-benefit analysis. Officials and planners have discussed installing roundabouts at other Holmes Beach intersections, including 52nd Street at Gulf Drive; Marina Drive at Gulf Drive; and Key Royale Drive/66th Street at Palm Drive/Marina Drive. Since the intersections are outside the DOT’s jurisdiction, no state or federal funds are expected for those improvements, Hutchinson said. The BITS study determined no improvements should be made to the intersection of 52nd Street and Gulf Drive due to low traffic volume on the side street and recommended the intersection at Marina and Gulf drives undergo a roundabout cost-benefit evaluation. According to Rick, Holmes Beach is conducting a roundabout study for Key Royale Drive at Palm Drive. Holmes Beach Police Chief William Tokajer —

traffic moves through the intersection at marina and gulf drives June 4 in Holmes Beach, where a roundabout would require purchasing adjoining land, according to HBPd chief Bill tokajer. islander Photos: Kane Kaiman

who is advocating for roundabouts at all the signal intersections in Holmes Beach — said June 2 that installing a roundabout at Marina and Gulf would require the city to purchase land from businesses that border the intersection. “I know they’re going to be doing a drainage project there this year, which is going to incorporate changing the way those lanes go in that area to make it safer, but that’s basically putting a Band-Aid on until they can acquire the land,” he said. Funding for a “Complete Streets” project in Holmes Beach from 27th Street North to Palm Drive/ Gulf Drive is included in the MPO’s cost-feasible plan, with construction tentatively slated for 2040. The project could result in the DOT allocating funds for a Holmes Beach roundabout feasibility analyses but not construction. Moving the project into its beginning stages was included on the MPO’s 2020 project priority list but omitted from the 2021 list. The DOT takes MPO project priority lists into account when developing work programs.

According to Tokajer, roundabouts offer several advantages over traffic lights. Hurricanes can knock traffic lights out of commission, causing headaches for motorists and police officers, he said. Some of the traffic lights on the island are not remote-controlled, meaning they can’t easily be adjusted to accommodate traffic surges, he added. “Roundabouts keep traffic flowing,” Tokajer said. “And when you remove the traffic signals and put in a roundabout, then you don’t have to worry about the lights or the maintenance of the lights or putting an officer out there in harm’s way trying to direct traffic during a storm.” Connecting improvements The BITS study recommended changes to lanes and traffic signal timing at the intersections of Manatee Avenue and 75th Street and Cortez Road at 75th Street, both on the mainland. On Longboat Key, the study recommended costbenefit evaluations be conducted for roundabout installation at the intersections of Gulf of Mexico Drive at Broadway Street and Gulf of Mexico Drive at Longboat Club Road. The MPO included moving forward with roundabout studies at both intersections in its 2021 project priority list.

a June 4 view of the intersection of gulf drive and manatee avenue in Holmes Beach. the dot will consider improvements to the intersection as part of the anna maria island Bridge project.

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Q&A 060921

Thumbs up for ‘Otis’

The Islander poll

Rick Blackington and daughter Abbye spent hours June 5 creating Otis the Octopus for the enjoyment of beachwalkers in the 3700 block in Holmes Beach. The Blackingtons are first-time visitors from Marble Falls, Texas, and wife/mom Toni said the family has “fallen in love with life on Anna Maria Island!” Islander Photo: Courtesy Toni Blackington

Last week’s question Will you take a vacation this summer? 33%. Yes, by auto. 15%. Yes, to the beach. 23%. Yes, by air. 19%. Not this summer. 9%. Undecided. This week’s question The Privateers are celebrating a 50th anniversary. What’s your favorite pirate greeting? A. Ahoy. B. Argh. C. Arr. D. Yarr. E. Yo-ho-ho. To take the poll, go online to islander.org.

AM preservation gets grant crosswalk continued from page 1

At the meeting in question, city attorney Ricinda Perry told CRA members that the crosswalks on Bridge Street, built in early 2020, are sinking, mostly due to inadequate compaction for the number of heavy trucks driving over the pavers, attributing the explanation to Burnett, owner of LTA Engineering. “I think (Angela’s comment) was in reaction to what she was hearing,” Burnett said. “I’m asking that that please be stricken from the record, as it was not factual-based and we typically do not, in my experience with the minutes, include things that are emotional-based.” Burnett said LTA is not responsible for designing the crosswalks on Bridge Street. At the city commission meeting May 6, following the CRA meeting, Burnett provided documentation that LTA Engineers was not the project engineer. Burnett said she was in Israel when the crosswalk

work began and the contractor began the job against her direction. She also said Perry, under direction from the CRA, told the contractor to move forward. Perry countered June 2, saying Burnett’s father was present on the construction site during crosswalk inspections and supervision. Burnett said her father was directed to stay away from the project as much as possible. “It would have been nice if you had communicated with me before the meeting so we could get the facts straight. I don’t think this was an appropriate request,” Perry said. Bradenton Beach CRA board members unanimously voted to approve the meeting minutes as presented, leaving Rodocker’s statement in the record. Deputy clerk Christine Watson prepared the minutes.

Anna Maria received a grant June 4 from the Florida Department of State’s Division of Historical Resources. The grant will help the city historical preservation commission fund efforts to designate historic properties. “This is a first for the island and a start to a milestone for our historic preservation Commission,” Mayor Dan Murphy wrote in a June 4 email to The Islander. The commission was created in 2018 and May 4 announced the first historic properties: The Anna Maria Historical Society Museum and the Island Players playhouse. A benefit of historic designation helps “keep the original feel and character,” better maintaining the city’s “old Florida” charm, city planner Chad Minor said. — Amy V.T. Moriarty

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BB CRA approves decorative streetlights along Gulf Drive By Kelsey mako islander reporter

Bradenton Beach CRA board members voted 6-1 to authorize a payment of $38,550 from CRA funds for decorative streetlights. CRA board member David Bell opposed the motion. The streetlights are planned for Gulf Drive from Third Street South to 13th Street South. Payment will go to Coast 2 Coast Undergrounding Services LLC for the installation of conduit and the setting holes for the streetlights. Board members had concerns over the placement of streetlights outside the CRA district — without funding from the city. The CRA district is bordered by Cortez Road, Sarasota Bay, Fifth Street South and the Gulf of Mexico. CRA projects are funded with tax increment financing funds, grants, matching funds for grants, investment revenues and debt financing. “The city ought to pay its share,” CRA board

Bradenton Beach community redevelopment agency board member ed chiles expresses concern over decorative streetlights for gulf drive — out of the district but funded with cra money. islander Photo: Kelsey mako

the coquina channel in Sarasota Bay will be surveyed by coastal engineering consultants as part of a dredging contract with Bradenton Beach. islander Photo: Kelsey mako

Survey to be conducted on Coquina dredging project By Kelsey mako islander reporter

The Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency unanimously voted June 2 to authorize a contract with Coastal Engineering Consultants to conduct construction surveys for the Coquina Channel dredging and seagrass mitigation project. Dredging is needed to make the channel in the Intracoastal Waterway off Bradenton Beach more navigable for boaters and the seagrass mitigation is needed to minimize the impacts from the dredging. The survey will determine whether the dredged area meets project requirements. City attorney Ricinda Perry said the CEC will make sure any technical violations are addressed and the equipment being used can handle the work. CEC also conducted the pre-construction surveys in the area, where work began in April and is expected to conclude in August. CRA board member Jake Spooner, a city commissioner, expressed concern over dying seagrasses in the

Meetings

Anna Maria City June 10, 2 p.m., commission. June 17, 2:30 p.m., planning and zoning. June 24, 6 p.m., commission. Anna Maria City Hall, 10005 Gulf Drive, 941708-6130, cityofannamaria.com. Bradenton Beach June 15, 10 a.m., city commission. June 16, 1 p.m., planning and zoning. June 17, noon, city commission. Bradenton Beach City Hall, 107 Gulf Drive N., 941-778-1005, cityofbradentonbeach.com. Holmes Beach June 22, 6 p.m., city commission. Holmes Beach City Hall, 5801 Marina Drive, 941-708-5800, holmesbeachﬂ.org.

mitigation areas. Perry said the Florida Department of Environmental Protection has control sites that will help CEC to evaluate the mitigation. If the control sites are doing poorly, they will indicate a larger issue with the mitigation. The cost of this component of the survey is $41,990. The estimated total cost for dredging and seagrass mitigation is $925,485. “This specific contract was something that slipped through the cracks and didn’t get submitted to the CRA for authorizing,” said Lynn Burnett of LTA Engineers, the city’s engineer. Funds will come from CRA line items that were already moved for this purpose. CRA board member David Bell asked whether the survey needed to go out for competitive bidding. Perry said since CEC is contracted with Manatee County, the city is not required to seek competitive bids under a procurement policy for continuing services.

West Manatee Fire Rescue June 15, 6 p.m., commission. WMFR administration building, 701 63rd St. W., Bradenton, 941-761-1555, wmfr.org.

member Ed Chiles said. Lights along Gulf Drive from Third Street South to Sixth Street South are in the district but lights from Seventh Street South to 13th Street South are outside the boundaries. Perry said the city could opt for Florida Department of Transportation streetlights at no cost on Gulf Drive since it is a state road. The decorative lights are an upgrade. Additionally, the tram route runs outside of the CRA district in the area and is funded with CRA money. The decorative lights would be placed along the tram route to keep people safe. The decorative lights also would match the lights on Bridge Street. “It fits in with the CRA goal of making an upgrade to a particular area that benefits the CRA district,” Perry said, referring to the lights. “The CRA district is not only for the enhancement of the businesses but it’s also for the enjoyment of the whole city of Bradenton Beach,” CRA Chair Ralph Cole, also a city commissioner, added. Perry said she hoped the streetlights could be funded with a $2 million state appropriation for the underground utility project, but the next day the city commission discussed a shortfall in that project. About the CRA The Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency funds capital improvement projects to promote restoration, growth and tourism for the district, which is bordered by Cortez Road, Sarasota Bay, Fifth Street South and the Gulf of Mexico. The CRA funds the projects with incremental tax revenue collected by Manatee County since 1992, when the area was declared blighted. The agency includes the mayor, city commissioners and two appointed members, restaurateur Ed Chiles and resident David Bell.

Australian pine trees at bridge gateway may be removed

Timber! Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency board members unanimously voted June 2 to seek an estimate to remove Australian pine trees from the gateway to the city at the west end of the Cortez Bridge, where Cortez Road intersects with Gulf Drive. CRA board member Jan Vosburgh, a city commissioner, said the trees are an eyesore and dangerous in storms. Australian pines are invasive, said CRA board member Ed Chiles. The trees have an acid mass that kills biodiversity beneath them and shallow root systems that make them more susceptible to falling. Vosburgh also said the state should pay to remove the trees because they are in the state right of way on a state road. City attorney Ricinda Perry said when she gets a quote, she will talk to the Florida Department of Transportation about funding. The portion of Cortez Road where the trees are located is in the CRA district. — Kelsey mako

Complaint aired over banner

Also of interest June 21, 9 a.m., Manatee County Tourist Development Council, county administration building.

It’s impossible to please everyone. Bradenton Beach CRA board members agreed June 2 to retain a banner promoting the Old Town Tram along Cortez Road, following a complaint from resident Mike Norman. Norman sent a text to city attorney Ricinda Perry saying the sign does not direct people to the tram’s locations and he does not like its design. Norman was not present at the CRA meeting. Angela Rodocker of the BridgeWalk resort funded the sign and her husband designed it. The tram operates 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and 5 p.m.10 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and 5 p.m.-9 p.m. Sunday and is funded by the CRA.

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

Visit islander.org for the best news on AMi.

Manatee County June 9, 9 a.m., county commission (budget). June 16, 9 a.m., county commission (budget). June 17 9 a.m., county commission (land use). County administration building, 1112 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton, 941-748-4501, mymanatee. org.

— Lisa neff

— Kelsey mako

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Cost skyrockets for buried utilities in Bradenton Beach By Kelsey mako islander reporter

July 4 is a month away and Bradenton Beach is seeing skyrockets. And the ongoing project to bury utilities in Bradenton Beach has come to a halt. Commissioners learned from city attorney Ricinda Perry at a June 3 meeting that Florida Power and Light Co.’s cost to complete its portion of the project is 330% over the estimate provided two months ago. FPL put the cost at $1,187,929 May 17 but, a month earlier, April 16, the estimated cost was $365,984. The project involves removing overhead power lines and poles along Gulf Drive and installing the utilities underground. According to Perry, the increase arose from an error in FPL’s calculations for the value of the utility poles. FPL claims it did not realize the city had previously installed new poles and hardened the lines, Perry said. The city is funding the project with $2 million from the state. Beyond FPL lines, the project was designed to include other utilities and contractors, including Verizon, Spectrum and Wilco Electrical. The city cannot terminate the project and it must be completed by June 30, per the state funding agreeparkING continued from Page 1

icized the city’s plan, claiming the reduction in parking created an “unwelcoming environment.” In an effort to ease parking Memorial Day weekend, the county opened the Island Library for parking. The county facility closed May 29 for the holiday. Dr. Scott Hopes, newly named county administrator and a member — not yet resigned — on the Manatee County School Board, called for opening the AME lot for public use over the holiday. He announced the decision at a May 27 meeting. Meanwhile, the Holmes Beach Police Department issued a release May 28 stating the AME lot was not available for public use and violators could be fined. HBPD Chief Bill Tokajer told The Islander June 3 the news release was a mistake, owing to the county’s lack of communication with the city. “We were told by the superintendent of schools on Friday at the end of business that they would not be opening up the school parking lot,” Tokajer said. “They didn’t tell us about the change. They didn’t tell us what the parameters were. … We found out by reading the paper on Saturday morning.” City code requires the school to acquire a permit for any special uses outside of school functions. Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth told The Islander June 4 that she believed opening the school lot without the city approval violated city code. Van Ostenbridge, who represents Anna Maria Island, has been vocal in opposition to the city’s parking limitations since he entered office in 2020. He and Titsworth discussed parking issues in a

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ment. Perry, who was appointed as project manager, told commissioners that she told FPL that if she doesn’t complete the project, there’s a risk the city would have to repay the state. Perry told city commissioners that she told FPL, “That will bankrupt my city.” She said she negotiated with FPL to reduce the cost as of June 3 to $856,836. Others are willing to reduce their fees, bringing the total amount over budget to $334,073.49, Perry said.

BB utility costs:

the state awarded $2 million to Bradenton Beach to underground utilities along gulf drive. Here’s a look at the estimated costs: April 16 June 3 ucof: $131,157 $99,568 Spectrum: $104,483.49 $104,483.49 Verizon: $109,054 $109,054 fPL: $365,984 $856,836 Survey: $ 20,000 $7,500 Wilco: $824,712 $824,712 Jm: $123,920 $131,920 restoration: $35,000 $35,000 Street Lighting: $155,000 $140,000 etc: $50,000 $25,000

Perry also suggested the city could use concessionaire funds to pay in part for undergrounding. The city has $290,040 in concession funds that come from excess revenues for leased operations at Manatee Public Beach and Coquina Beach. However, reallocating the funds would require the city to terminate other projects. Also, the cities must receive permission from Manatee County and the other cities to use the concession funds, and any proposed projects must benefit all of Anna Maria Island. The total estimated cost of the undergrounding project is $2,334,073.49. Before FPL’s price increase, the total cost was $1,919,310.49. FPL said it cannot further reduce the amount owed by the city because it is bound by tariffs that must be paid to the public utility commission. Perry said suing FPL is an option but she advised against litigation, citing the need to work with FPL on other projects, legal fees and delays for the project. Commissioner Jake Spooner suggested asking FPL to accept a payment plan. City commissioners directed Perry to work toward a solution, including a payment plan with FPL, as well as exploring other funding options, such as applying for the concession funds.

series of emails in March, but they failed to come to terms over solutions, partly due to Van Ostenbridge’s refusal to allow Tokajer to attend. However, the two, along with Hopes and Tokajer, were set to meet June 7. County demands Van Ostenbridge and other commissioners previously suggested withholding beach renourishment funds if the city didn’t reverse its parking limits. He also asked other commissioners to brainstorm potential solutions to parking woes. He started by proposing the AME lot be opened for public use over the summer, as well as proposed opening much of the library’s lot for public use. Commissioner George Kruse proposed closing the library Saturdays to allow public parking. “I feel differently than a lot of citizens do,” Commissioner Carol Whitmore said. “I do not support the way the parking was closed. …These elected officials report to the voters that live on the island, so I get it 100%, but as an at-large county commissioner, I have to represent everybody even though I live out there.” Commissioners also proposed adapting traffic signals, a water taxi and a parking garage. Commissioner Misty Servia said she hoped the matter would be revisited at the county’s next council of governments meeting. “I am going to encourage everyone to have a collaborative spirit because that’s how we get things done,” Servia said.

motorists wait June 4 to enter the public parking lot at manatee Beach, 4000 gulf drive, Holmes Beach. islander Photo: ryan Paice

Ofﬁcial opinions Meanwhile, city officials have fought to maintain parking limits. Titsworth said the changes ensure public uses don’t encroach on residents by prohibiting visitors from lining roadways and parking in yards. She said the county profits more from the island as a tourist destination than from its residents, so county commissioners didn’t care to protect residents from issues caused by the tourism the county promotes. “Does the county really care about balance?” Titsworth said. “Their answer (to our concerns) is: ‘Well, that’s what you get for living in paradise.’” Tokajer said even if the city reversed the limits, it wouldn’t have sufficient parking to address the waves of visitors.

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Opinion

Our

Visioning

Many years back, a young man came to Anna Maria Island from Tallahassee to show us the future. He was equipped with facts, surveys, projections and insights on where we were and how our communities on Anna Maria Island would grow. He packed a good share of enthusiasm for the opportunities he saw on the road ahead — both literally and figuratively. What stood out to him as a simple solution struck some people in the community as radical. But the idea of traffic-moving roundabouts grew on me. Moving traffic continuously at the hot spots — where Cortez Road meets Gulf Drive; at Coquina Beach where beachgoers exit and northbound traffic comes to a standstill; and both at Manatee Avenue and Gulf Drive and East Bay Drive, where traffic on and off the island frequently comes to a halt, sounded just right. That was some 25 years ago. But roundabouts were brushed aside along with a great deal of other ideas that never came to fruition … A parking lot, trolley stop and turnaround across from the Anna Maria City Pier and a park on the bayfront. A new pier at the Manatee Public Beach with a T-end filled a bait shop and other shops. A trade off for horseshoes at the Anna Maria historical park along with angle parking on Pine Avenue and parking at city hall. A wildlife/sea turtle/shorebird education and rehab center near Leffis Key at Coquina Park. There’s plenty of vision to go around, but the roundabouts are still nagging me. Some simple traffic and parking solutions could make a big difference in a short amount of time. What are we waiting for? I keep thinking. My late friend and editor Paul Roat and myself were participants in a Sarasota study some 35 years ago. RUDAT, or Regional Urban Design Assistance Team, operated on a razor-thin budget, but brought top minds in urban planning to the city for a weeklong intense look into the future and, yes, roundabouts and a walkover from downtown to the waterfront were envisioned. There was even a bond expert to advise on financing the future. You can walk urban-waterfront areas in many cities from Sarasota to Baltimore to Norfolk and see the results of long-range planning. Why are we still waiting to enact solutions? Several reasons come to mind. We need leaders to make it happen. None of us should be willing to sit back in a rocking chair and wait for the transportation gurus to anoint us with solutions for the distant future. We can see clearly. “We need roundabouts NOW.” — Bonner Joy, news@islander.org.

JUNE 9, 2021 • Vol. 29, No. 33 Publisher, Co-editor Bonner Joy, news@islander.org ▼ Editorial editor Lisa neff, lisa@islander.org Joe Bird, editorial cartoonist Kevin cassidy, kevin@islander.org Jack elka, jack@jackelka.com Kane Kaiman, kane@islander.org Kelsey mako, kelsey@islander.org amy V.t. moriarty, amym@islander.org ryan Paice, ryan@islander.org ▼ Contributors Johann Bertram Karen riley-Love capt. danny Stasny, fish@islander.org ▼ Advertising Director toni Lyon, toni@islander.org ▼ Webmaster Wayne ansell ▼ Office Manager, Lisa Williams info@, accounting@, classifieds@, subscriptions@islander.org ▼ Distribution urbane Bouchet ross roberts Judy Loden Wasco (All others: news@islander.org) ▼

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Your

Opinion

Commended in Anna Maria

Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy, public works director Dean Jones and the staff from the city are to be commended for the wonderful tribute paid to veterans and their spouses, significant others, widows, widowers on Memorial Day. The precision of the U.S. Marine Corps Color Guard and the patriotic music performed by a group from the Anna Maria Island Concert Chorus and Orchestra provided the appropriate military feeling and were greatly appreciated. The U.S. Coast Guard “flyover” and “crossover” were just the perfect salute for an outstanding event. Such a respectful and honorable remembrance. Thank you all. Ruth Cawein, widow of a Korean War veteran, Anna Maria

About commercial zones

Protecting our community services is up for discussion at the upcoming Holmes Beach commission meetings as the city considers the controversial rezoning of C1 properties to C2. There are only a handful of C1 zoned properties in Holmes Beach. These are commercial properties with restricted uses. These properties are designated for professional services, such as doctors and dentists, but do not allow for retail activities. Without large retailers bidding up the value of the property, the property becomes more affordable for others. It’s of paramount importance that we save these zones for medical services development. With the increase in traffic, it’s harder and harder for anyone to get off the island in an emergency. I can’t be alone in preferring an urgent care clinic over yet another retail operation.

Skimming online …

Web (register for free news alerts) islander.org Facebook @islandernewspaper Twitter @ami_islander Instagram @theislanderami Pinterest @islandernewspaper E-edition For $36 a year or $99 for a lifetime, e-edition subscribers have access to the weekly e-edition with page-by-page views of all the news, photos, columns, community announcements and advertisements. And they get breaking news notices. To subscribe online, visit islander.org. For other subscriber services, call our newspaper office at 941-778-7978. At the commission meeting May 25, several commissioners spoke in favor of rezoning a C1 property along Manatee Avenue in Holmes Beach to C2, effectively opening the property to more retail possibilities. During the discussion, the city attorney indicated the current property owner could use the land for any use once it is zoned C2 and need not follow through with the current proposal. It is my understanding C2 zoning currently includes large national fast-food restaurants in the area being discussed. If this zoning change is approved, a very dangerous precedent will have been set for future commercial and residential zoning changes. Brian Mathae, Holmes Beach

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Wind and rain Hurricane agnes, which passed ami in the summer of 1972 on its way to landfall on the florida Panhandle, nearly buries a car in sand on anna maria’s gulf Boulevard. agnes caused an estimated $2.1 billion in damage and the death toll was 128. the storm’s impact was widespread — from the caribbean to canada. for tips on storm prep, turn to page 13. islander Photos: manatee county Public Library Hurricane alma, making a passing blow, topples a swingset in anna maria in June 1966. alma was the earliest atlantic hurricane in the calendar year in 15 years, as well as the earliest continental u.S. hurricane strike since 1825. the category 3 storm made landfall in at apalachee Bay.

10&20 years ago

In the June 7, 2001, issue

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We mail The Islander weekly for a nominal $54 per year. We also offer online e-edition subscriptions — a page-by-page view of the weekly news for only $36 per year, but you must sign up online. It’s the best way to stay in touch with what’s happening on Anna Maria Island. We bring you all the news about three city governments, community happenings, people features and special events … even real estate transactions … everything you need if your “heart is on Anna Maria Island.” If you don’t live here year-round, use this form to subscribe by (snail) mail for yourself or someone else. (Sorry, we do not suspend mail subscriptions — you get The Islander free while you’re here!)

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THE BEST NEWS ON ANNA MARIA ISLAND — SINCE 1992 315 58th St. • Holmes Beach FL 34217

CHARGE BY PHONE 941.778.7978 ONLINE (secure server) islander.org E-MAIL subscriptions@islander.org

In the June 8, 2011, issue

• Resort tax collections in the county for May climbed 74.6% from May 2010 to May 2011. Tax office officials said they double-checked the figures for accuracy because the jump was so great. • Committees at the Anna Maria Island Community Center presented a series of policies and procedures to the board of directors following sexual allegations involving female teenagers and a former employee at the nonprofit. • The longtime supervisor of the Island Library, Ava Ehde, was promoted and named the new library services manager for Manatee County. • David “Frankie” Toler, formerly of Holmes Beach and also the former drummer for the Allman Brothers Band, died at the age of 59. Toler lived on the island in the 1970s. — Lisa neff

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• Real estate agent Mike Norman reported the $2.5 million sale of more than an acre of land at the Gulf end of 65th Street in Holmes Beach. According to Norman’s research, it was the highest-priced land sale in the history of Anna Maria Island. Norman said the new owners planned a condominium complex of 10-11 units, each selling for $700,000 to $1 million. • Manatee County ecosystems manager Charlie Hunsicker said the start of the 2001 renourishment project was delayed from August to September because of issues in awarding the contract. • More than 100 people attended a meeting to learn how Arvida’s planned 898-unit condominium project on Perico Island might damage the environment.

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Page 8 THE ISLANDER | islander.org June 9, 2021 ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Maritime museum’s hurricane exhibit wows walk-ins By Kane Kaiman islander reporter

Prepare to be blown away. The Florida Maritime Museum, 4415 119th St. W., Cortez, began accepting walk-ins June 2. Whereas visitors previously needed to call ahead for an appointment, the museum is now open to anyone off the street Tuesday-Saturday 9 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m. With an emphasis on safety during the pandemic, the museum is closed noon-1 p.m. to allow staff to sanitize touch points, said museum supervisor Tori Chasey. The building that houses the museum has a long history of accepting walk-ins, especially during hurricane season, which began June 1. In 1921, the building, then the Cortez Rural Graded Schoolhouse, provided shelter during what Cortez resi- ing refuge within the schoolhouse arrived by boat. dents dubbed the “Storm of the Century.” The 1921 storm, along with other hurricanes that The storm surge was so high that some locals seek- have made landfall in Florida between 1919 and 2019,

Web exclusive … from our archives

The day after the storm

Editor’s note: This report originally appeared in The Islander in July 1993 as part of a series in the column, The Way We Were, written by June Alder. By June alder islander archives

It was dawn on Monday, Oct. 25, the day after the 1921 hurricane. Jack Leffingwell found himself marooned on the rooftop of the little Club House hotel in Cortez, within sight of the bridge he had built to Anna Maria Island.

Read on… readers will find the rest of this story on the islander’s website at islander.org.

Place portrait photo here

the docks and net camps in the fishing village of cortez were destroyed when the hurricane of 1921 hit the tampa Bay region. the major hurricane, also known as the 1921 tarpon Springs hurricane, had maximum sustained winds of 140 mph. islander Photo: manatee county Library Historical collection

Yolanda Stevens, left, and Sue cohen — friends who met through a church in Sarasota — move June 2 through the “caught in the Storm” exhibit at the florida maritime museum in cortez. islander Photos: Kane Kaiman

are profiled in “Caught in the Storm: 100 Years of Florida Hurricanes,” an exhibit funded by the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. The outdoor portion of the exhibit, which includes signs describing each storm and a graphic illustrating their storm surge levels, has been open to museumgoers since the fall of 2020. The museum’s interior, closed during the pandemic for renovations, reopened Jan. 19, meaning the 2021 hurricane season will be the first hurricane season during which the exhibit is open to the public. Yolanda Stevens and Sue Cohen — members of a Sarasota church who formed a friendship over Zoom teleconferencing during the pandemic — took advantage of the walk-in opportunity June 2. As part of their second in-person “adventure” together, the duo toured the museum, drinking in the multi-dimensional “Caught in the Storm” exhibit experience, which features a flying lawn chair and hurricane debris stacked behind glass, in addition to chronological plaques commemorating each storm. Stevens, a former Connecticut resident who moved to Bradenton three years ago, said the “Caught in the Storm” exhibit reaffirmed her decision to purchase a hurricane kit. “You hear warnings about hurricanes, but to actually see all the information about hurricanes through the years and the damage that they wrought, that really brought the relevance of having a hurricane-ready home to me,” she said. Admission to the museum is free. Masks are not required and staff encourages social distancing. For more on the museum, visit floridamaritimemuseum.org or call 941-708-6120.

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HB planning commission backs commercial rezoning proposal By ryan Paice islander reporter

A proposal to rezone a defunct bank at 503 Manatee Ave. in Holmes Beach is moving to a final vote. Holmes Beach planning commissioners unanimously voted June 2 to recommend the commission approve an ordinance that would rezone the longvacant property from Commercial-1 to C-2 zoning. C-1 is limited to professional offices, while C-2 is intended for offices and retail businesses, such as a pharmacy or liquor store. The change to C-2 would allow the property — vacant since Regions Bank closed and it changed hands in 2012 — to be converted to a Publix Super Market pharmacy and liquor store. The property is owned by SCD at Anna Maria

Holmes Beach seeks new planning commissioner

Holmes Beach needs someone to step in for a planning commissioner set to leave the board this month. Deputy clerk Kristin Cook emailed The Islander June 3 that Barbara Hines will not seek reappointment when her three-year term expires later this month. Her vacancy will leave room Hines for a volunteer appointment to the board, which advises the city in land development and comprehensive plan decisions. The planning commission meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. at city hall, 5801 Marina Drive. People interested in volunteering as a planning commissioner can visit the city’s website at holmesbeachfl.org or call 941-708-5800. — ryan Paice

LLC, a Holmes Beach company registered to Blair Schlossberg, but Bradenton attorney Scott Rudacille said the parties intend to sell the property to Publix after the conversion. City planner Bill Brisson said the proposal complies with the city’s Brisson comprehensive plan and would not preclude any C-1 uses and is compatible with the C-2 and C-3 zones that border the parcel. He acknowledged that adding a pharmacy and liquor store to the area could heighten competition with nearby businesses but, he said, the city has no right to regulate competition via zoning. “There really is nothing that should prevent this property from being zoned C-2,” Brisson said. “We don’t have the right to do that.” Brisson added that while the C-2 zoning allows for additional retail uses, including as a restaurant or drugstore, the city’s land development code prohibits drive-through windows — further narrowing the property’s potential uses. Meanwhile, the property owner is not legally obligated to maintain its proposed use as a pharmacy/ liquor store, according to Brisson. Planning Commissioner Gale Tedhams said she was concerned that owners of the city’s remaining C-1 properties would follow this case’s precedent and request to be rezoned. The city currently has three C-1 properties other than 503 Manatee Ave., according to its zoning map, including: • The defunct Bank of America property at 699 Manatee Ave.; • A cluster of offices at 5203 Gulf Drive occupied by A Paradise Realty and McGriff Insurance Services; • Gulf Insurance at 301 Manatee Ave. Brisson said he was opposed to a 2007 request to rezone LaPensee Plumbing at 401 Manatee Ave. from

C-1 to C-2 that was ultimately approved because he was concerned it would result in similar changes to other C-1 properties. However, Brisson said he supports the rezone for 503 Manatee Ave. because it is consistent with the surrounding uses. He added that the property was unique from the city’s other C-1 properties because it borders other commercial uses instead of residential. The property is flanked by LaPensee and CVS on the east and west, and residential to the north and south. “I can’t tell you whether or not other properties will have to be rezoned if they request it,” Brisson said. “It becomes harder and harder not to because you established a pattern. … I think in the future, some of these others will probably go to C-2.” Resident Brian Mathea, who spoke in opposition to the proposed rezone at the May 25 commission hearing, said during public comment that it would be hypocritical for the city to rezone 503 Manatee Ave. He said the decision would set a precedent for the remaining C-1 properties within city limits, which he hopes would some day be developed for medical services, such as an urgent care center. Planning Commissioner Barbara Hines moved to recommend the proposed ordinance for commission approval. Planning Commissioner Dana Krupa seconded the motion, which passed. City commissioners were set to consider the ordinance in a second hearing and final reading June 8, after The Islander’s press deadline. If the ordinance is approved, city commissioners also must review a site plan containing proposed changes to the building, such as removing all but one drive-through lane — which would be retained for pharmacy use — and refinishing the parking lot. The planning commission will meet next at 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 7, at city hall, 5801 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach.

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Page 10 THE ISLANDER | islander.org June 9, 2021 ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

The Islander Calendar

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

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Privateers taking applicants for July 4 parade

ON AMI Friday, June 11 7 p.m. — Center of Anna Maria Island’s concert series with Simon Kirke of Bad Company, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria. Fee applies. Information: 941-778-1908. ONGOING ON AMI Throughout June, new artists exhibits, Island Gallery West, 5368 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6648. AHEAD ON AMI June 17, Center of Anna Maria Island’s concert series with Steve Augeri of Journey, Anna Maria. July 2, Center of Anna Maria Island’s concert series with the Grass Roots and Donnie Iris, Anna Maria. July 24, Anna Maria Island Privateers Christmas in July party, Bradenton Beach. Aug. 1, Island Player auditions for “The Savannah Sipping Society,” Anna Maria. Sept. 16-26, Island Players’ performance of “The Savannah Sipping Society,” Anna Maria..

Land and sea at Selby

“rough Surf crashing ashore” by Harold newton will be featured in a new exhibit — “We dream a World, african american Landscape Painters of midcentury florida, the Highwaymen” — at the marie Selby Botanical gardens in Sarasota. the exhibit will run July 10-Sept. 26. islander courtesy Photo: ONGOING OFF AMI collection of the Smithsonian national museum of Through June 27, “Kabuki Modern,” John and Mable Ringling african american History and culture/ gift of robert Museum of Art, 5401 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota. Fee applies. Infor- and flory Kahn in memory of Wolf and tybe Kahn/ mation: 941-359-5700. marie Selby Botanical gardens Through June 27, “Roy Lichtenstein: Monet’s Garden Goes Pop!” Mary Selby Botanical Gardens, 1534 Mound St., Sarasota. Park, 1611 Ninth St. W., Bradenton. Fee applies. Information: 941Fee applies. Information: 941-366-5731. 747-3031, bradentonmarauders.com. Saturdays, 9 a.m., Robinson Runners, Robinson Preserve KIDS & FAMILY expansion, 840 99th St. NW, Bradenton. Information: 941-7425923. AHEAD ON AMI Saturdays, 9 a.m., Saturday Mornings at the NEST nature July 4, Anna Maria Island Privateers Independence Day activities and talks, Robinson Preserve expansion, 840 99th St. NW, Parade, islandwide. Bradenton. Information: 941-742-5923, ecoevents@mymanatee. org. CLUBS &

COMMUNITY

AHEAD OFF AMI

Deck the car, the bike or the cart in red, white and blue. Because the Anna Maria Island Privateers are inviting you to ride with them in the islandwide July 4 parade. The event, an island tradition, did not take place last year due to the pandemic. But the nonprofit that promotes community and supports kids is making plans for a 2021 parade, which will take place at 10 a.m. Sunday, July 4. The parade will assemble at Coquina Beach in Bradenton Beach and travel north to Anna Maria, ending at City Pier Park at the east end of Pine Avenue. A parade entry form can be downloaded online at www.amiprivateers.org. Entry is free but the Privateers welcome donations, which will support the Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County. There is no mask requirement to participate in the processional, but entries must be decorated for the Independence Day holiday. Some other encouragements and cautions: • Entries with a generator must be equipped with a fire extinguisher; • Firing of black powder is allowed; • Tossing of candy or other food items is not allowed; • Using water balloons and water cannons is prohibited; • All entries must be motorized or peddled; • Entries must feature a banner identifying representation; • Political advertising is not allowed. For more information, call Kim “Syren” Boyd at 931-639-0986.

LBK center offers summer classes, entertainment

ONGOING ON AMI

June 24, Perico Preserve wildlife spotlight on wading birds, Perico Island. Saturdays, June 12, June 26, July 10, July 24, Aug. 14 and June 24, Robinson Full Moon Paddle, Bradenton. Aug. 28, 8:30 a.m., Kiwanis Club of Anna Maria Island breakfast The Paradise Center on Longboat Key is not going and meeting, Gulf Drive Cafe, 900 Gulf Drive N., Bradenton Beach. GOOD TO KNOW on summer break from its offering of fitness classes Information: 941-778-1383. and entertainment programs. KEEP THE DATES Tuesdays, noon, Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island lunch meeting, in-person at Bridge Street Bistro, 111 Gulf Drive S., Bradenton Beach, and via Zoom. Information: 941-920-2505.

OUTDOORS & SPORTS ONGOING OFF AMI

Monday, June 14, Flag Day. Sunday, June 20, Father’s Day. Sunday, June 20, summer solstice. Sunday, July 4, Independence Day. Monday, Sept. 6, Labor Day. Tuesday, Sept. 7, autumnal equinox.

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The center will offer a stretch and strengthen class at 10 a.m. and a hula dance class 11:15 a.m. Mondays, as well as Qi Gong 10 a.m. Tuesdays, Tai Chi at 10 a.m. Wednesdays, Zumba and Pilates at 10 a.m. Thursdays and yoga and meditation at 10 a.m. Friday. A second Tai Chi class is offered Fridays, beginning at 11:30 a.m. Enrollment is free for members and $10 per class for nonmembers. Reservations are not required. The center also hosts “Thinking Out Loud: Timely Topics” discussions at 1 p.m. Mondays. Participation is free for members and $10 for nonmembers. For entertainment, the center will screen movies at 1 p.m. Wednesdays, including “Downton Abbey: The Motion Picture” June 16. The center, 546 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key, is following U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines: Unvaccinated people should wear a face mask and practice social distancing. For more information, call the center at 941-3836493.

June 9, 2021 THE ISLANDER | islander.org Page 11 ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Center fundraising strikes chord, concerts bring needed bucks By ryan Paice islander reporter

Things are shaping up for the Center of Anna Maria Island as the second concert on its summer docket nears. Executive director Chris Culhane wrote in a June 2 email to The Islander that the center was projected to finish 2020-21 in the black after erasing a nearly $95,711 deficit the nonprofit held through March. The nonprofit’s fortunes changed for the better in April, when it netted $41,413.09 in income, according to a financial report. The month’s income — bolstered by $80,485.52 in fundraising revenue on the back of a donor challenge — cut almost halfway into the center’s spending deficit. Holmes Beach was set to donate $22,500 to the nonprofit but city commissioners voted 3-2 May 11 to deny the funding. Commissioners were set to reconsider the donation at 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 8, at city hall, 5801 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. However, the city’s contribution may not be needed for the nonprofit to finish the fiscal year on June 30 in the black. The center’s remaining $54,298.34 deficit could be overcome with continued fundraising, including a $25,000 donation from the city of Anna Maria and revenue from the nonprofit’s outdoor concerts. “Thanks to the overwhelming support from our local AMI community we will once again finish this year in the black and our fourth year consecutively with or without the support from Holmes Beach,” Culhane wrote. Jim McDaniel, the center’s development director, wrote in a June 3 email to The Islander that the Holmes

Simon Kirke of Bad company is set to perform June 11.

Beach commissioners’ decision to withhold its donation sparked an almost equal response from the island community. “We had a good number of people contact us expressing their displeasure with the commission’s vote,” McDaniel wrote. “From May 12 until May 26, when word traveled of the decision, we raised ($22,435).” However, McDaniel added that he was “hopeful” Holmes Beach would reconsider the decision to deny funding to the nonprofit, which provides recreational and after-school programs for islanders and their children. Next up on center stage The financial news comes as the nonprofit was preparing to host its second concert of the summer, featuring Simon Kirke from Bay Company. Kirke will headline an outdoor concert that will open with his band performing at 7 p.m. Friday, June 11, on the field at 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria.

Center launches summer youth, sports programs This year’s summer programming at the Center of Anna Maria Island will include two youth camps and an indoor soccer league. The nonprofit announced June 3 its “Summer My Way” camp for children 5-12 years old. The camp kicked off June 7 and will operate 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday through July 30. Camp costs $170 per week for center members and $185 per week for nonmembers, as well as a one-time $25 registration fee for all campers. Specialty camps and costs for archery, drama, fitness and fishing that can be found on the center’s website, www.centerami.org. The center also launched a “Summer Teen Trips” program June 8 for sixth- to 10th-graders to spend Tuesdays and Thursdays on field trips to places such as Busch Gardens, Top Golf and Dave & Busters.

The teen trips cost $75 per week for members and $100 per week for nonmembers. It will run through July 29. On the sports side, the nonprofit is preparing to launch its youth indoor soccer league. The indoor soccer league includes five age divisions, ages 3-4 up to teens, 14-17. The center will hold evaluations for registrants in each of the age groups June 15. The season will start June 22, with games starting at 6 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Registration for soccer must be completed by 4 p.m. Tuesday, June 15. The fee to play is $10 for members or $100 for nonmembers. For more information, go online to centerami. org or call the nonprofit at 941-778-1908. — ryan Paice

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McDaniel wrote in a June 1 email to The Islander that he was a self-proclaimed fan of Kirke, calling the drummer and backup vocalist the “driving force” of Bad Company. “Anyone who grew up when I did (1970s), would be lying if they said they didn’t like Bad Co.!” McDaniel wrote. “I think a good number of boomers and their kids will enjoy returning to the sounds of Bad Company’s music played by Simon Kirke and his band!” The Marshall Tucker Band began the series with a sold-out performance May 13, but financial results for the event have yet to be finalized, according to Culhane. The center also will host outdoor concerts featuring former Journey vocalist Steve Augeri June 17 and The Grass Roots with special guest Donnie Iris July 2. Revenue from the concerts will be split between the center and the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, which sponsors the events. A similar concert series in 2019 raised around $50,000 for the center. People can find tickets online at www.centerami. org or by calling 800-965-9324. Kids from the center afterschool program learn June 2 about plants and composting. islander Photo: courtesy cofami

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Page 12 THE ISLANDER | islander.org June 9, 2021 ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Q&A: Looking back at AME, lessons learned and farewell By Kelsey mako islander reporter

Say farewell to principal Jackie Featherston. Featherston is retiring after 41 years with the Manatee County School District and seven years as principal at AME. She’ll be succeeded by Mike Masiello, who takes the leadership post at the Holmes Beach school July 1. Featherston discussed her time at AME June 1 with The Islander over the phone. The Islander: How has AME featherston changed over time? Jackie Featherston: The ways we have changed are certainly the ways we’ve had to change. Curriculum has changed because that changes on a regular basis. We pride ourselves on keeping the special things in our school that have been important to families who went here in the past. Q: What did a typical day at AME look like for you? JF: It could have to do with doing the teacher observations, doing walkthroughs in classrooms, checking on certain teacher indicators that teachers are evaluated by, looking at data and test scores, writing reports, responding to emails, working on grants or data and writing plans on how you’re going to do things at your school. Those are some of the first things that come to mind, as well as taking the time to talk with your students. It’s all those kinds of things mixed up, plus many more. Q: What have you learned about teachers while working at AME? JF: They’re all different. They all have unique gifts and talents. You as a leader need to seek out those gifts and talents and use them to your advantage to make your school great and keep it great. When all those talents are put together, you can

AME Calendar

• Tuesday, Aug. 3, teachers and staff back to school. • Tuesday, Aug. 10, ﬁrst day of school. Anna Maria Elementary is at 4700 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach. For more information, call the school at 941-708-5525.

ame principal Jackie featherston, seated, and media specialist Lynne mcdonough judge students’ safari-themed fruitand-vegetable projects during a technology contest feb. 7, 2020. islander file Photo

Academic achievements

The Islander welcomes announcements of scholastic achievements. Share honors, stories and photographs by emailing news@islander.org. create a very high-achieving organization that supports each other. Q: What have you learned about students while working at AME? JF: I’ve learned that children adapt far easier than we give them credit for. Children really do aim to please and with recognition for the good things they do, children can make your day with their happiness. Q: What have you learned about yourself and what it means to be a principal? JF: That I’m not always right. It’s important to always look at the big picture and consider the needs of our students first. Q: What was the best part about working at AME? JF: The best part of working at AME would be getting to know the staff and the community out here. Being at a small school has some very endearing and special possibilities that come along with it. I think it allows us more flexibility to do some cool educational experiences with our location near the beach. The best part of this year was that it actually worked. All of the safety things, extra cleaning and time put in planning and preparation actually worked. None of us knew what the outcome was going to be. You’re just hopeful that it all works well, and you don’t have staff and students coming down with COVID-19. Q: Describe your favorite memory at AME.

JF: I was awfully pleased when we finally found that time capsule that was buried on our property. We ended up contacting the school district and getting a bulldozer out here because we had been looking for days. The time capsule was buried in May of 1994. That was before the new school was built, so I’m sure there were some changes that might have happened with the grounds. Q: Is there anything you would change about your time at AME? JF: No, not a thing. I’ve felt so blessed throughout my entire career. Q: Do you have any retirement plans? JF: I plan to travel, garden and volunteer. My husband and I have an Alaskan trip planned in July. That’s one of the first things we’re going to do. Q: What advice would you give to future principal Mike Masiello? JF: I would suggest doing one thing that I did when I first came. I asked my teachers two questions. One of them had to do with what they considered to be something that they wouldn’t want to see changed. The other question had to do with practices that have been at our school that they felt could be improved upon or done away with. That information was very valuable to me when I came here as a new principal.

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Stocking up for storms

A checklist for shopping, packing and stockpiling for a hurricane

storm ready?

County hosting town halls for storm season

Must have H20 and more • Water in small bottles for drink-

• Irreplaceable photographs. • Water-tight box.

ing. • Water in gallon containers for cleaning up. • Bottled beverages. • Instant coffee. • Tea bags.

For the ‘kitchen’ • Nonperishable foods, especially ready-to-eat or easy to prepare items — and comfort foods. • Can opener. • Cooking pot or pan. • Utensils. • Plates. • Grill. • Grill tools. • Self-starting charcoal. • Sterno. • Matches. • Fire extinguisher. • Aluminum foil. • Plastic bags.

Health and hygiene • Aspirin. • Toothbrush • Prescriptions. • Insect repellent. • Sunscreen. • Toiletries. • Toilet paper. • Adhesive bandages. • Germicidal handwipes. • Tweezers. • Thermometer. • Latex gloves.

Ready to wear • Changes of clothing. • Sunglasses. • Prescription glasses. • Close-toed boots. • Rain jacket. • Umbrella. • Face masks.

Toolbox • Wrench. • Hammer. • Pliers. • Scissors. • Assorted nails. • Dust mask. • Pocket knife. • Flashlights. • Signal ﬂare. • Extension cords. • Hatchet. • Work gloves. •Trash bags. • Tarp. • Duct tape.

Records and papers • Birth certiﬁcates. • Marriage certiﬁcates. • Passports. • Social security cards. • Wills. • Insurance documents. • Account numbers.

Comfort and convenience • Sleeping bag. • Blankets. • Lawn chairs. • Games. • Toys. • Reading materials. • Paper. • Pencil. • Candles. • Lanterns.

411 and 911 • Battery-powered radio. • Earbuds. • Batteries. • Whistle. • Smartphone and power bank. • Solar battery charger. • Road maps. • Cash, including a roll of quarters and small bills. • Gasoline — full tanks. • Propane tank.

Cleaning and clearing • Disinfectant. • Chlorine bleach. • Medicine dropper. • Plastic bucket with lid. • Rags.

Pet friendly • Kennel. • Medications. • Cat litter box. • Vaccination certiﬁcates. • Food. • Treats. • Leash. • Pet pick-up bags.

Manatee County residents can converse with their commissioners and take lessons from public safety experts to prepare for storm season. Each county commissioner is hosting a video conference with emergency management chief Steve Litschauer and public safety director Jacob Saur for the storm season, which began June 1 and continues through November. The town hall dates include: • 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 10, with at-large Commissioner Carol

Whitmore; • 6:30 p.m. Monday, June 14, with at-large Commissioner George Kruse; • 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 15, with District 3 Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge. District 3 comprises Anna Maria Island, Cortez and Northwest Bradenton. An additional hurricane prep virtual town hall will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 9, with Anna Maria officials. — Lisa neff

Resources for the season

Twitter The National Hurricane Center: @NWSNHC and @NHC_Atlantic. The National Weather Service: @ NWS, @NWSTampaBay.

State emergency management: www.floridadisaster.org. FEMA: www.fema.gov. National Hurricane Center: www. nhc.noaa.gov.

On the web County emergency management: www.mymanatee.org.

In print The Islander, Bradenton Herald and Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

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Gathering

Sprucing up Volunteers Keith Van ostenbridge, alan Ward and Brandon White help remodel the thrift shop operated by roser memorial community church’s guild. islander Photo: courtesy Peggy nash

Sale day set for thrift store

Looking for a bargain? Roser Memorial Community Church will hold a yard sale Saturday, June 12, outside the thrift store, 511 Pine Ave., Anna Maria. The sale will be 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and include household furniture and appliances, as well as other apparel and many other items. Meanwhile, volunteers have been working on remodeling the thrift shop, which is operated by the church guild. Sales support the remodeling and also guild scholarships and missions. For more information, call the church office at 941-778-0414.

Tidings

Worship and events calendar

REGULAR WORSHIP

Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. — St. Bernard Catholic Church, 248 S. Harbor Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-4769. Thursdays 9:30 a.m. — Episcopal Church of the Annunciation, 4408 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-1638. Saturdays 4 p.m. — St. Bernard Catholic Church. Sundays 8 a.m. — Episcopal Church of the Annunciation. 8:30 a.m. — St. Bernard Catholic Church. 8:30 a.m. — Roser Memorial Community Church, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria. Information: 941-778-0414. 9 a.m. — CrossPointe Fellowship, 8605 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-0719. 9:15 a.m. — Harvey Memorial Community Church, 300 Church

Obituaries

Thomas Robert Sprenger

Dr. Thomas Robert Sprenger, 89, of Bradenton and Holmes Beach, died May 29. He was born Aug. 22, 1931, in Seymour, Indiana, to Robert Daniel and Margaret Myron. The family moved in 1934 to Paintsville, Kentucky, and in 1936 to Ashland, Kentucky. He was baptized in the First Baptist Church in Ashland. He was a 1949 graduate of Ashland High School, attended Marshall Sprenger University and received his medical doctorate degree in 1956 from Indiana University. That year he married Justine Gambill Stinson. They lived in Indianapolis during his postgraduate training and New Orleans and Tampa prior to starting a practice in 1961 in Bradenton. Dr. Sprenger was a founder of Blake Medical Center, served as chief of staff at Manatee Memorial Hospital and as chairman of Blake. He retired from surgical practice in 1998. He was a member of many medical and surgical associations, including the American College of Surgeons, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the International College of Orthopaedics and

Come on in… Jack glasscock greets people arriving to a service at roser memorial community church, 512 Pine ave., anna maria. He’s the son of emily glasscock, video production specialist at the church. islander courtesy Photo

Ave., Bradenton Beach. Information: 941-779-1912. 10 a.m. — Longboat Island Chapel, 6200 Gulf of Mexico Drive, 9:30 a.m. — Episcopal Church of the Annunciation. Longboat Key. Information: 941-383-6491. 9:30 a.m. — Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 6608 Marina Drive. 10:30 a.m. — St. Bernard. Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-1813. 10:45 a.m. — Church of the Annunciation. 10 a.m. — Roser Church. SAVE THE DATES 10 a.m. — Christ Church of Longboat Key Presbyterian USA, Sept. 6-7, Rosh Hashanah. 6400 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key. Information: 941-9004903.

Traumatology. He was a charter member of the Eastern Orthopaedic Association and the Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons. He served many committees of the Florida Orthopaedic Society and was president 1989-90 and journal editor 1999-2002. He also served the Pittsburgh Pirates 1969-87 during spring training. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Indiana Army National Guard in 1956 and retired in 1991 as Brigadier General of the Line in the Florida Army National Guard. He completed the Command and General Staff College, Industrial College of the Armed Forces and the Army War College. He proposed a hearing conservation program for use on the firing ranges that was put in use prior to the one instituted in the active Army. He was elected 1967-71 to the Manatee County School Board, serving as chair 1967-68. He was active starting in 1969 in the Hernando de Soto Historical Society, including as general chair, president and Hernando de Soto and was awarded an honorary life membership. He also was a founding director of Community Bank of Manatee. His hobbies included the violin, photography and military history. Dr. Sprenger was proud of his formative years in Eastern Kentucky and jokingly called himself an “Appalachian American.” He was elected to membership in the Order of Kentucky Colonels in 1982. He and Justine became members in 1962 of Palma

SUNDAY WORSHIP • 8:30 AM or 10:00 AM

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Sola Presbyterian Church, where he served as a deacon and an elder. He helped publish a 50th anniversary booklet for the church in 2007. Justine, his wife of 52 years, predeceased him as did Carole, his wife of eight years. Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, June 8, with a memorial service at 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 9, at Palma Sola Presbyterian Church, 6510 Third Ave. W., Bradenton. A celebration of life will follow the service at the Bradenton Country Club, 4646 Ninth Ave. W., Bradenton. Private family internment will take place June 10 at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell. Memorial donations may be made to Palma Sola Presbyterian Church, 6510 Third Ave. W., Bradenton, FL 34209, or Sarasota Orchestra, 709 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34236. The memorial service will be streamed live starting at 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 9, on the Palma Sola Presbyterian Church YouTube channel. Arrangements were by Shannon Funeral Homes. Condolences may be made at www.shannonfuneralhomes.com Survivors include daughter Rebecca and husband Mitchel Belis of Bradenton; son Michael and wife Lynne and their children, Jacob, Sophia and Nathan of Valrico; nephew Shawn May and wife Anna Jo of Ashland; and niece Kimberly May Vazquez and husband Ben of Scotch Plains, New Jersey.

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June 9, 2021 THE ISLANDER | islander.org Page 17 ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Anna Maria honors fallen, salutes heroes on Memorial Day By amy V.t. moriarty islander reporter

Nearly 500 people gathered under the shady sail covers mounted at Anna Maria City Pier Park May 31 to observe Memorial Day and honor military members fallen in service. “We lift before you those for whom this day is not just a pleasant diversion or the beginning of summer but a painful remembrance of the emptiness and longing that fills the lives of those who lost loved ones and members of their families,” Bishop Michael Garrison of the Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida said as part of his invocation. The U.S. Marine Corps 4th Assault Amphibious Battalion in Tampa provided a color guard. After veterans and Anna Maria residents Sharon Wisniewski and Melissa Anderson laid a memorial wreath, Tim Eaton of Sarasota sounded taps. Nathan Boston, visiting from Ohio with his family, paused before the ceremony to get pictures of himself standing with the color guard. Boston said he served as a Marine 1999-2005, deploying for two tours in Iraq with the 4th and 1st Veterans wear medals and hold flags representing the branch of u.S. military in which they served while Marines. On leave from Fort Riley in Kansas, U.S. Army being recognized at the anna maria Salute to Heroes may 31 at city Pier Park. more than 100 veterans Private Timothy Ruggins, 19, was visiting his family from all branches of service were honored. in Bradenton and also attended the event. “It’s pretty great seeing so many veterans of all military veterans and anna maria residents ages who served before me, here today,” he said. “I Sharon Wisniewski, left, and melissa anderson, wouldn’t think a small vacation place would have so salute the american flag while bugler tim eaton many proud veterans and it’s great the city honors them of Sarasota sounds taps may 31 at the anna maria memorial day Salute to Heroes. islander and the sacrifice we’re all willing to make.” The annual event honoring veterans and featur- Photos: amy V.t. moriarty ing performances by the Anna Maria Island Concert Chorus & Orchestra was canceled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Mayor Dan Murphy called on the spouses of actively serving and veteran military members to be honored with a city medal. He then called upon actively serving and veteran members by branch to also stand and be honored with a city medal and flag representing their branch of service. “We thank you for your service,” Murphy told them. The ceremony concluded with the orchestra beginmarine corps veteran nathan Boston, front, of ohio, ning an hourlong performance with John Philip Sousa’s takes a moment may 31 to pose with a color guard, popular “Stars and Stripes Forever.” including Lance cpl. chad Hendricks, left, Sgt.

Obituaries

Jacquarius fleming, Sgt. James Putman and Lance cpl. Siouxley crochet of the u.S. marine corps 4th assault amphibious Battalion.

Camille Valley

Camille Valley, 83, long-term resident of Anna Maria Island Club condominiums in Holmes Beach, died May 17. She was born Aug. 15, 1937, in Huntington, Indiana, to Xen and Wanda Pence, also long-term residents of Anna Maria Island. After two previous marriages, she remarried in 1998 to Wiley Valley, the love of her life. Valley Her greatest joy came from wandering the beaches of Anna Maria, collecting seashells. She was well loved by her family and friends and will be forever missed. Mrs. Valley is survived by her children, Mark, Mike, Laurel and Wade, as well as two grandchildren, Stephen and Christopher.

GoodDeeds

Assistance sought on AMI

• Moonracer Animal Rescue seeks volunteers to offer foster and forever homes for rescued animals. Information: 941-345-2441. • The 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. • The Anna Maria Island Historical Society, 402 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, seeks volunteers, including docents for the museum. Information: 941-778-0492. — Lisa neff

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Page 18 THE ISLANDER | islander.org June 9, 2021 ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Here comes Bortie!

Nesting notes By Kelsey Mako

Parallel seasons on AMI lel.

Hurricane season and sea turtle nesting run paral-

So Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring and its volunteers must heed the sage storm season advice: Be prepared. Hurricane season runs June 1-Nov. 30. Sea turtle nesting season runs May 1-Oct. 31. AMITW volunteers are taking the following actions: mako Ahead of a storm • Remove adoption plaques from the beach. • Pound stakes marking nests deeper into the sand. During a storm • Monitor beaches later in the day if the tide is too high at 7 a.m., when they routinely check for nesting and hatchling activity. • Notify the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission when volunteers cannot monitor for activity. After a storm • Provides the mapping coordinates of all nests to the FWC to ensure any big equipment required for cleanup operations is not placed on nests. • Suggest beachgoers who find eggs rolling in the surf line, bury eggs in a sand dune, where there are a lot of good nutrients. Executive director of AMITW Suzi Fox said June 1 of storm season: “The main thing for me to do is to make sure the staff stays safe.” She emphasized that AMITW volunteers do not remove nests from the beach. “You would be surprised at how many turtles hatch out of a totally washed-out nest,” Fox said.

Bortie the loggerhead sea turtle is tracking June 1 in the gulf of mexico just north of anna maria island. islander Screenshot: Sea turtle conservancy

Bortie returns to Anna Maria Island Bortie, welcome home! Bortie, a female sea turtle, was detected June 1 north of Anna Maria Island on the Sea Turtle Conservancy’s satellite tracking system. Bortie likely nested or tried to nest on the island the week of June 1, STC research biologist Daniel Evans told The Islander June 3. The nonprofit began tracking Bortie in 2018, when it equipped Bortie with a tracking device after the loggerhead turtle nested on Coquina Beach in Bradenton Beach. Bortie has spent the past three years near the Florida Keys.

Female loggerhead sea turtles nest every two to three years and usually return to the areas where they previously nested. Bortel’s Lounge in Anna Maria sponsored Bortie through a partnership with Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring. In 2019, Bortel’s sponsored Bortie 2, another loggerhead, whose tracker failed after 241 days. The STC had tracked Bortie for 1,078 days as of June 1. For more information on sea turtle tracking, go to conserveturtles.org. — Kelsey mako

Fox said these “surprise days” occur 45-70 days after a storm, with turtles emerging from nests hidden after stakes were washed away. Storms typically prevent volunteers from monitoring beaches one to two days per season, Fox said. Fox also said the most challenging part of storm season is when an evacuation is ordered. “We don’t evacuate often and it’s usually just for a couple of days, but it’s always during nesting season,” she said. The last evacuation was in 2017 for Hurricane Irma.

Fox said evacuations are difficult because she must keep volunteers off the beaches. “They’re not real good at that,” Fox said referring to AMITW volunteers. “Their hearts are so into it.” But AMITW volunteers need not worry about young hatchlings and adult sea turtles in the water. “They shoot ahead of a storm. They’re very prolific about how they race out a storm. That’s their life. We don’t worry too much about our girls,” Fox said. Also, Fox said storms lead to increased nesting activities. Before a storm, when the barometric pressure drops, nests tend to hatch early. Immediately after a storm, more female turtles turn up to nest. To report a sick or injured sea turtle, call the FWC at 1-888-404-FWCC. For more information on sea turtles, go to The Islander AMITW’s website at islandturtlewatch.com or call 315 58th St., HB. Fox at 941-778-5638.

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a rainbow forms in late summer 2007 over the historic anna maria city Pier. Looking for rainbows? to see a rainbow, you need to have the sun at your back and the rain ahead of you. islander file Photo: Lisa neff

By Lisa Neff

Over the rainbow for outdoors

My family celebrates rainbows in June. We fly rainbow flags. We wear rainbow-themed T-shirts. And we go looking for rainbows. We’re just over the moon for rainbows in June. So I found myself wishing for rain the day after Memorial Day and every day since. Rainbows inspire pride, dreams, imagination, curiosity and artistry. To neff quote a singing frog named Kermit: “Someday we’ll find it, the rainbow connection/The lovers, the dreamers and me.” One of my most thoughtful conversations with a young niece was about a rainbow. “Have you ever touched a rainbow? I have,” she confided. Now that she’s on summer break, I hope she gets the opportunity to search for many rainbows, chase her shadow, scour the shore for shells and tell a ghostly tale at a campfire. June is Great Outdoors Month in the United States, an opportunity for exploration, recreation and rejuvenation and, for children, a time to learn outside the classroom, the home or the computer Zoom space. The National Association for the Education of Young Children offers guidance on getting outdoors with kids:

• Join children in the fun if they want you to but always keep an eye on them. Simplicity is the key to establishing safety rules and there is usually no need to restrict children. • Let children choose what to explore and see what they do on their own, without offering suggestions. Do they dig? Build? Climb? • Ask open-ended questions. Ask kids about their discoveries and don’t pretend to know all the answers. You might even learn something. • Any walk can become a nature walk. • And shadow play can entertain for hours, provided there’s light to create shadows. I’ve walked along Gulf Drive with a crowd of nieces and nephews — and our shadows — and traced their shadow outlines on sidewalks. Next time we’re together, I might ask my youngest niece if she can feel her shadow. And, apart more than a year because of the pandemic, I certainly hope I don’t find that she’s grown

too old to touch a rainbow.

About rainbows

A traditional rainbow is sunlight spread out into its spectrum of colors and diverted to the eye of the observer by water droplets. To see a rainbow: • You need to be standing with the sun to your back and the rain in front of you; • The sun needs to be less than 42 degrees above the horizon; • The sun’s rays must be hitting the raindrops to create the rainbow; Did you know? • The colors of the rainbow are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet; • When the sun is lower, the rainbow will be higher in the sky; • Earth is the only planet in the solar system where rainbows occur. a nest is washed over aug. 31, 2016, on the beach near 48th Street in Holmes Beach following a storm generated by a system in the gulf of mexico. anna maria island turtle Watch does not move nests ahead of a storm. islander file Photo: chrisann Silver esformes

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Youth soccer champs crowned, KRC hosts Memorial Day tourney

The last match of the evening saw Killer Bait destroy Sato Real Estate on a 7-3 score. Chris Scott, Daniel Hampton and Ethan Hampton each scored two goals for Killer Bait, which also received six saves from Eric Shulz in the victory. Thomas Mangotic led Sato with a hat trick and Mark Rudacille tallied eight saves in the loss. Playoff action kicks off at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 10, with Flynn Law taking on Sandbar followed by a repeat pairing at 7 p.m. between Beach Bums and Salty Printing. CABB will take on Sato in the third quarterfinal match at 8 p.m., while Killer Bait and Slim’s Place will close out the night at 9 p.m.

By Kevin P. cassidy islander reporter

Another soccer season at the Center of Anna Maria Island is in the books for two championship teams. The center crowned the winners June 1 in the 8-10 and 11-14 youth divisions. The 8-10 championship game kicked off first and was a tightly contested match between two evenly matched teams. Bridge Tender Inn held on for a 2-1 victory over Beach Bums behind cassidy two goals from Logan Stevens and five saves from Colin Bankert. Other members of the team are Matthew Winsper, Callin Westfall, Lexi Baugher, Madeline Kimmons, Kason Davis, Elijah Brannock and Quinn Schlereth. Beach Bums was led by Dylan Sato, who scored the lone goal, while Alex Serra made three saves in the loss. Other team members are Preston LaPensee, Brandon Sato, Noah Shoulson, Charlie Serra, Julian Whipple-Anderson, Avaya Kohlmeyer and Mia Ross. The 11-14 division title game wasn’t so close. AM Bath Time cruised to a 6-3 lead over Blalock Walters behind four goals from Jack Mattick and a goal each from Maddox Culhane and Frankie Coleman. Mya Ferrari had five saves in goal. Other AM Bath Time team members are Caden Quimby, Noelle Baird, Madison Ferrari, Ava Harlan and Katelyn Cecil. JM Feeney scored two goals and Jackson Pakbaz added a goal to lead Blalock Walters, which also received five combined saves from Cale Rudacille and Malia Keith in the loss. Other members of the JM Feeney are Jack McCarthy, Gabriella Gilbert, William Pakbaz, Paxton Powell and Victoria Perry.

Brandon Sato carries the ball for Beach Bums as Bridge tender inn defender madeline Kimmons gives chase during 8-10 division playoff action in the center of anna maria’s youth soccer league. islander Photos: Kevin P. cassidy

memorial day tournament winners Jackie gorski, Brian comer, Lori Hicks and marty Hicks pose after a match at the Key royale club golf course. islander Photo: courtesy Krc

Seedings set for adult soccer playoffs After the dust settled June 3 on the action in the final night’s matches in the adult soccer league at the community center, the playoff matchups were set in stone. Beach Bums and CABB finished the season with matching 6-0-1 records, but Beach Bums took top seed on a goal differential tiebreaker. CABB settled for No. 2, while Flynn Law got the third seed with a 4-2-1 record. Killer Bait nailed No. 4 on a 3-3-1 record, while Slim’s Place got the No. 5 seed with a 2-2-3 record. Sandbar Restaurant took No. 6, while Sato Real Estate and Salty Printing took No. 7 and No. 8 seeds on 1-6 records. Action June 3 kicked off with what turned out to be a first-round playoff matchup between Beach Bums and Salty Printing. Salty Printing gave Beach Bums a battle, but the top seed ended up with a 6-4 victory. Josh Ruck, Jamie Hutchinson and Lucky Durmaz each scored two goals to lead Beach Bums, which also received assists from Yuri Pereira and Durmaz along with four saves from Steven Fischer in the victory. Robbie Fellowes scored three goals to lead Salty Printing, which also received a goal from Kevin Roman and six saves from Matt Marshall in the loss. The second match saw CABB edge Flynn Law by a 2-1 margin. Lindsey Styka and Timo Vecchio each notched goals to lead CABB, which also received eight saves from Connor Haughey in the victory. Hakan Toka scored for Flynn Law, which also received seven saves from Mark Long in the loss. Slim’s Place and Sandbar Restaurant battled to a 3-3 tie in the third match of the night. Daniel Adan scored two goals and Keith Mahoney added one to lead Slim’s on offense. Steve Oelfke made five saves to help preserve the tie. Race Arande had a pair of goals and an assist and Nate Welch also scored for Sandbar, which received seven saves from Kevin Mulcahy in the tie.

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Key Royale news Fifty-six members played an Ambrose handicap step-a-side scramble Memorial Day at the Key Royale Club in Holmes Beach. The team of Lori and Marty Hicks, Jackie Gorski and Brian Comer combined on a score of 22.75 to earn clubhouse bragging rights for the day. Second place went to the team of Sharon and Terry Tarras, Lori Waggoner and Debi Wohlers on a score of 23.375. Wohlers and Blake Ress captured the women’s and men’s chipping contests and Wohlers notched a win in the ladies’ long-drive contest. Chris Nelson captured the long drive title for the men. Wohlers completed the trifecta by taking first place in the putting contest. Following golf, the club’s military veterans were honored for their service. A traditional cookout and refreshments completed the day for the participants. The women played their regular nine-hole individual-low-net match June 1 in two flights. Jenny Huibers and Roxanne Koche both carded 3-under-par 29s to finish in a tie for first place in Flight PLeaSe, See sports, neXt Page

children enrolled in the center of anna maria island’s after-school program practice archery June 2 in the field at the nonprofit, 407 magnolia ave., anna maria. islander Photo: courtesy cofami

Anna Maria Island Tides

Date

June 9 June 10 June 11 June 12 June 13 June 14 June 15 June 16

1:46a 2:41a 12:02p 12:38p 1:19p 2:05p 6:05a 6:32a

HIGH

1.4 11:03a 1.4 11:30a 2.7 — 2.7 — 2.7 — 2.6 — 1.5 3:00p 1.6 4:05p

2.6 2.6 — — — — 2.4 2.2

4:28a 4:39a 8:13p 8:51p 9:32p 10:16p 8:17a 9:56a

LOW

1.3 7:00p 1.3 7:36p -0.3 — -0.3 — -0.3 — -0.2 — 1.4 11:02p 1.4 11:49p

LOW

Moon

-0.2 -0.3 New — — — — -0.1 0.0

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

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June 9, 2021 THE ISLANDER | islander.org Page 21 ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Look for clean, clear water to achieve fishing success By Capt. Danny Stasny Islander Reporter

Fishing remains good for Anna Maria Island anglers — provided they can find clean water. High levels of Lyngbya — or gumbo as most of us refer to it — is very much present in the waters of Anna Maria Island and the waters at the mouth of the Manatee River. Waters that should be emerald green and clear resemble the color of pea soup or brown gunk. This water Stasny is unappealing to us and also to the organisms that normally thrive in these waters. Lyngbya blooms and forms thick mats on the surface — a good place for birds to walk around but not so good for fishing. You’ll need to find good water if you plan on catching fish. And, where you find that clean water, you’ll likely find success. Fishing the grass flats for catch-and-release snook is going strong. Casting live shiners against mangrove shorelines or oyster bars is resulting in some good snook action as well. Redfish are mixed in with the snook bite in these areas. Fishing deeper grass flats — especially in Sarasota Bay, where the water is clean and clear — is resulting

TideWatch

Red tide persists in region

In Southwest Florida for the week ending June 6, Karina brevis was observed at very low to medium concentrations in Manatee County. Also, the red tide organism was observed at very low to low concentrations in Hillsborough County, background concentrations in Sarasota County, background to very low concentrations in Charlotte County, background to low concentrations in and offshore of Lee County and very low to low concentrations in and offshore of Collier County. Samples collected offshore of Pinellas and Monroe counties did not contain red tide. For more information, go online to myfwc.com/ research/redtide. sports from page 20

A. Sue Wheeler was a stroke back in second place. Markie Ksiazek and Margrit Layh tied for first in Flight B on 1-over-par 33s. Marilyn Niewijk and Sue Christenson tied for second at 3-over 35. Ksiazek also captured the low-putts contest with 11 putts. No teams managed to go low during the June 3 shamble at the club. The team of Ken Butler, Al Carr, Mike Clements and Marty Hicks matched the even-par 32 carded by the team of Jon Holcomb, Scott Mitchell and Jana Samuels. Horseshoe news For the second consecutive week, there was no need for playoffs as there were two outright champs crowned during horseshoe action at the Anna Maria City hall pits. Tom Skoloda walked his way to the winner’s circle during the June 2 games after posting the lone 3-0 record in pool play. The June 5 games saw Bob Heiger and Rod Bussey fashion a perfect pool-play record to earn bragging rights for the day. Play gets underway at 9 a.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays at the Anna Maria City Hall pits.

Gary White visiting the island beaches from Oklahoma, spent the afternoon of June 4 working the inshore waters with shiners as bait for a catch that included redfish, trout and some sharks. White was guided by Capt. Warren Girle.

in many spotted seatrout, as well as mackerel, jack crevalle and ladyfish. Moving offshore, the summer bite is heating up. Blackfin tuna, cobia, permit and amberjack are taking the bait at the offshore wrecks. Bottom fishing is good — especially for gag grouper and American red snapper, both of which are now in season. Don’t forget to check size and bag limits at my myfwc.com. Mangrove and yellowtail snapper are quite abundant offshore to round out the bite. Tarpon again are the highlight of the week for anglers on Anna Maria Island. Casting live threadfin herring or pass crabs along the beaches or in the passes is working well. Trying to find your own fish is in your best interest when targeting these finicky fish. If there are several boats working a school, you may find the tarpon harder to hook than normal. Having a school to yourself will enable you to fish the school properly, which will increase your chances of hooking up. Capt. Aaron Lowman is putting clients on catchand-release snook along mangrove shorelines in Tampa Bay. Finding clean water free of blue green algae blooms is key to finding a good snook bite, according to Lowman. Add a swift-moving tide and live shiners as bait and you are in business. Lowman’s putting clients on spotted seatrout in Tampa Bay and in north Sarasota Bay. For the trout, Lowman is finding the best action in depths of 3-7 feet over deep grass where clean, clear water exists. Fishing near artificial reefs and wrecks in Tampa Bay also is yielding action — especially for Spanish mackerel and gag grouper. Lastly, tarpon fishing on evening outgoing tides is good. Live past crabs are getting the most attention. Capt. Warren Girle is finding good action while fishing in Sarasota Bay. Spotted seatrout are the most prolific in the bay, providing good action for clients when fishing over deep grass flats. Mixed in are jack crevalle and Spanish mackerel, which add nice variety to the bite. Also present are juvenile blacktip sharks, which are readily taking baits. These 3-4 foot sharks are quite challenging on light spinning gear, bringing thrill to the bite. In shallower areas of Sarasota Bay, Girle is casting baits around mangroves and oyster bars — producing some catch-and-release redfish and snook.

Lastly, targeting tarpon along the Gulf beaches is going strong. Fish up to 150 pounds are being caught. Jim Malfese at the Rod & Reel Pier says fishing is quite good for anglers using live shrimp as bait. Casting shrimp under the pier on a weighted rig is resulting in a variety of species —including black drum, redfish and mangrove snapper. Anglers may encounter some flounder, as well as a few sheepshead while using this method. Casting silver spoons or jigs from the pier is good. Spanish mackerel and jack crevalle frequently are being caught in this fashion. Lastly, some large catch-and-release snook are being caught by anglers with stout tackle and large baits, such as pinfish or ladyfish. Capt. Jason Stock is seeing plenty of red snapper being reeled up now that the season is open. In fact, limits of these fish are being caught with plenty more being released after the limit is attained. The same applies for gag grouper. Their harvest season is open. Other bottom fish, including yellowtail and mangrove snapper, remains good. Targeting amberjack is keeping rods bent on Stock’s vessel, although harvest of these fish is now prohibited until Aug. 1. Whether harvestable or not, the fish put up a strong fight and are worthy adversaries for anglers wishing to pull on a big fish. Other action on migratory fish includes blackfin tuna. Wreck fishing for permit is also quite good. Lastly, targeting tarpon along the beaches is producing action for Stock. He’s also impressed with the number of sharks found following the tarpon. Capt. David White is enjoying calm days fishing offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. With red snapper season open, many White’s anglers have high hopes for a red snapper dinner and bottom fishing with live shiners as bait is on target. Also while bottom fishing, White’s anglers are reeling up plenty of yellowtail and mangrove snapper as well as red grouper. As for the inshore bite, tarpon are the main attraction for anglers wanting to test their strength against the silver king. For the rest, mangrove snapper being are caught in Tampa Bay as well as plenty of catchand-release snook. Send high-resolution photos and fishing reports to fish@islander.org.

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Page 22 THE ISLANDER | islander.org June 9, 2021 ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Cops & Courts

RoadWatch

Staff reports

String of vehicle thefts weave through Holmes Beach By ryan Paice islander reporter

Floridians are well aware of “Click it or ticket.” But some people in Holmes Beach are learning the hard way another common aphorism: “Lock it or lose it.” The Holmes Beach Police Department posted on Facebook June 1 with a message from Chief Bill Tokajer asking residents to “Please, lock your car doors and do not leave your keys inside your vehicle. … Do not become a victim!” The post refers to incidents from the previous night, when three vehicles were reported stolen and several items turned up missing from three other vehicles. The owners of the burglarized vehicles reported missing car keys, a wallet and more, but officers did not find fingerprints or video of the incidents. However, HBPD officers made early progress on locating two of the three stolen vehicles. An officer from the Bradenton Police Department reported to the HBPD June 1 that they’d found a Buick

Streetlife

Riviera registered to Holmes Beach resident and local business owner Fred Bartizal abandoned at a Bradenton gas station. An HBPD officer visited Bartizal’s residence to confirm the vehicle was stolen and Bartizal added that his Jaguar XK6 also was missing. Bartizal said both vehicles were unlocked and the keys could have been inside when they were stolen. Bartizal’s Buick was recovered from the gas station and returned to his home. The Jaguar remained missing as of June 2. Meanwhile, a third stolen vehicle was tracked to a property in Davenport. Georgia resident Lisa Vacante, vacationing on Anna Maria Island, first reported her Mercedes Benz GLE63 stolen after waking to find it missing from a driveway. There was no video of the incident, but the vehicle was traceable with an app on the owner’s phone. The owner tracked the vehicle to a property in Davenport, so an officer notified the Polk County Sheriff’s Office to be on the lookout for the vehicle.

Staff reports

Island police reports

Anna Maria May 26, 700 block of North Shore Drive, noise. The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office dispatched a deputy at 11:32 p.m. regarding loud partiers. Deputies heard loud music and voices and issued a citation for violation of the noise ordinance. May 29, 100 block of Park Avenue, larceny. The MCSO dispatched a deputy regarding the theft of five lawn chairs valued at $50 each. Deputies filed a report. May 29, 200 block of Sycamore Avenue, noise.

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The MCSO received a complaint at 1:55 a.m. of a loud party. Deputies issued a citation for violation of the noise ordinance. May 31, 200 block of South Bay Boulevard, noise. The MCSO received a complaint at 12:38 a.m. of loud noise. The deputy issued a citation for violation of the noise ordinance. The MCSO polices Anna Maria. Bradenton Beach No new reports. The BBPD polices Bradenton Beach. Cortez No new reports. The MCSO polices Cortez. Holmes Beach May 28, 100 block of 51st Street, alcohol. An officer from the Holmes Beach Police Department saw a

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The Florida Department of Transportation posted the following notice: • State Road 684 at the Cortez Bridge: Service crews will be making bridge repairs Monday-Thursday, June 14-17. Hours will be 9 p.m.-5 a.m. Motorists can expect lane closures and flagging operations. For the latest road watch information, go online to swflroads.com or dial 511. To check traffic via road cameras, go to fl511. com. And, a reminder, a fare-free trolley operates daily on Anna Maria Island. — Lisa neff

Island watch In an emergency, call 911. To report information, call the MCSO Anna Maria substation, 941-708-8899; Bradenton Beach police, 941-778-6311; or Holmes Beach police, 941-708-5804. man drinking beer on the beach. The officer stopped the man, who had a cooler of alcoholic beverages, and issued a citation. May 28, 100 block of 50th Street, alcohol. An officer saw a man drinking alcohol on the beach. The officer issued a citation. May 28, 600 block of Manatee Avenue, marijuana. An officer smelled marijuana coming from a vehicle involved in a traffic collision. The driver admitted to possessing marijuana and offered it to the officer. The officer confiscated the marijuana and issued a citation. May 28, 3900 block of East Bay Drive, traffic offense. An officer stopped a golf cart with several people not wearing seat belts. The driver, a juvenile, had a learner’s permit but no adult to accompany her. The officer issued a citation and called to tow the vehicle. May 29, 2800 block of Gulf Drive, traffic offense. An officer stopped an unregistered golf cart with several occupants not wearing seat belts. The motorist was a juvenile who had a learner’s permit but no adult to accompany him. The officer issued a citation and called to tow the vehicle. May 29, 600 block of Manatee Avenue, traffic offense. An officer stopped an unregistered golf cart traveling on a sidewalk. The motorist was a juvenile with a learner’s permit who did not have an adult to accompany her. The officer issued a citation and called to tow the vehicle. May 29, 500 block of 70th Street, trespass. Three officers responded to calls about a man who broke into PLeaSe, See strEEtlIFE, Page 23

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June 9, 2021 THE ISLANDER | islander.org Page 23 ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Tourism rebound, COVID retreat continues By amy V.t. moriarty islander reporter

Tourism is on a roll. A year after the coronavirus pandemic left the tourism industry reeling from safer-at-home orders, April’s tourist tax collection set a record for the month. The tax is the 5% charged on rentals of six months or less. The April revenues were reported June 1 by the Manatee County Tax Collector. Of the $1,206,591 collected by the island’s three cities in April, the Manatee County Tax Collector’s report shows $727,166 or 30% was collected in Holmes Beach Anna Maria accommodations generated $338,3851 or 13.96% and the $141,041 collected in Bradenton Beach was 5.82% of the total collected in the county. April typically marks the end of high season for island tourism as spring breaks wrap up and seasonal guests begin returning home in the weeks after Easter, which this year was April 4. But 2021 is a rebound year and tourism trends aren’t adhering to tradition, Anne Wittine of Research Data Services Inc. has told the Manatee County Tourist Development Council. Pandemic-related travel restrictions delayed vacastrEEtlIFE from Page 22

a home and fell asleep on the couch. The officers found the man, who was intoxicated, and trespassed him from the property at the owner’s request. The man’s parents picked him up from the scene. May 29, 200 block of 67th Street, recovered firearm. Cleaning personnel found an abandoned firearm in a bedroom drawer at a vacation rental. They submitted the gun to the HBPD, which placed the gun in storage. May 30, Manatee Public Beach, 4000 Gulf Drive, fraudulent handicap placard. An officer saw several young people loading into a vehicle parked in a handi-

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april 2017: $1,396,409 april 2018: $1,264,806 april 2019: $1,490,454 april 2020: $449,905 april 2021: $2,423,608 Source: manatee county tax collector

tion plans for many and, as a result of a late start, many vacations are extending later than normal. The result is paying off for area lodgings, as Wittine said many are reporting longer stays booked further in advance than what was standard for the past year. Beginning in June 2020 as travel slowly resumed, many of the island’s visitors were from within Florida and, by the fall season, that extended to a 700-mile drive market. By February, visitors were coming from across the country. Anna Maria Island typically teems with European and Canadian visitors during high season, but continued travel restrictions in those markets meant few

Thursday, June 10 11:30 a.m. — Networking luncheon, Bunny & Pirates, 12404 Cortez Road W., Cortez. Save the date June 24, Business card exchange, Island Mail and Print, Anna Maria Island Centre shopping plaza, 3230 E. Bay Drive, Holmes Beach. Fees may apply for events. For more information, contact the chamber at 941-778-1541.

Other events SAVE THE DATE June 24, Manatee Chamber of Commerce dinner and awards ceremony honoring Amanda and John Horne, Bradenton Area Convention Center, Palmetto. Reservations required. Fees may apply for events. For more information, contact the chamber at 941-748-3411.

cap parking area. The driver said their handicap placard belonged to their mother, who was not present. The officer issued a citation and court summons. May 31, Manatee Public Beach, 4000 Gulf Drive, fraudulent handicap placard. An officer saw a young couple loading into a vehicle parked in a handicap parking area. Their vehicle’s handicap placard belonged to an older man who was not with the present. The officer issued a citation and court summons. HBPD polices Holmes Beach. Streetlife is based on incident reports and narratives from the BBPD, HBPD and MCSO.

visitors from outside the United States enjoyed the island this year. The area could see a return of Canadian and European market guests by fall, but the German travel market will continue to lag, Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau executive director Elliot Falcione said May 27. More numbers for April: • Unincorporated Manatee County, $782,359, 32.27%; • Bradenton, $183,496, 7.57%; • Longboat Key, $245,802, 10.14%; • Palmetto, $6,012, 0.25%. April yielded the county a net collection of $2,350,899 after the state’s 3% commission. The May numbers will be released in early July. The March and April revenues will be discussed at the June 21 TDC meeting in Bradenton.

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