Issuu

Storm clouds predicted

Hurricane season begins this week, with a prediction of 6-10 hurricanes on the horizon before the season ends on Nov. 30. Check out The Sun’s hurricane guide and a look back at last year’s season. Page 18-28.

City

to

make

offer on Gloria Dei property

The seller’s appraisal is about $7 million higher than the highest appraisal the city received.

BY JOE HENDRICKS

SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

HOLMES BEACH – Mayor Judy Titsworth is authorized to make an initial $3 million offer for the city’s proposed purchase of the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church property.

The 6,437-square-foot church building and 3-acre, three-parcel property at 6608 Marina Drive were last used for church services in January and the city is being given the first chance to buy it before it is listed on the open market.

The property carries Public/SemiPublic (PSP) zoning and future land use designations that don’t allow residential or commercial development.

The city of Holmes Beach hopes to buy the iconic Gloria Dei Lutheran Church building and property.

City officials hope to purchase the building and property and use it as a public facility that also provides additional public green space. If sold to another buyer, city commission approval would be needed to rezone the property for residential or commercial development.

SEE GLORIA DEI, PAGE 11

NOAA hurricane season forecast ‘above normal’

BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com

A combination of warmer ocean temperatures, forecasted weak wind shear and other factors has resulted in predictions for a higher-than-average 2025 Atlantic hurricane season.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts a 60% chance of an above-normal hurricane season, a 30% chance of a near-normal season and a 10% chance of a below-normal season. The season runs from June 1-Nov. 30.

The agency is forecasting a range of 13-19 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher). Of those, 6-10 are forecast to become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 3-5 major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5 with winds of 111 mph or higher). NOAA has 70% confidence in these ranges.

SEE HURRICANE, PAGE 18

Turtle Watch rescues sea turtle from swimming pool

Turtle Watch reminds people not to use lights on or near the beach to keep turtles from becoming disoriented.

BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The number of sea turtle disorientations in the past week is cause for concern to Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring volunteers.

“We had eight adult disorientations this week,” Turtle Watch Executive Director Kristen Mazzarella wrote in a May 30 email. “Many of our disorientations were mother turtles that traveled long distances parallel

Maria Island,

CINDY LANE | SUN

MAUREEN RICHMOND | SUBMITTED Turtle Watch volunteers rescued a nesting loggerhead sea turtle from an Anna Maria Island swimming pool.

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

Treehouse fines will not be reduced

The treehouse was removed from the Angelino’s Sea Lodge property last year.

BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

HOLMES BEACH – City commissioners rejected Lynn Tran and Richard Hazen’s request to reduce the $183,350 code enforcement lien the city placed on their Angelino’s Sea Lodge property for unpaid fines related to the non-permitted construction of a beachfront treehouse on their resort property several years ago. After the city prevailed in a lengthy and costly legal battle, the treehouse was removed from the resort property at 103 29th St. on Aug. 29, 2024, but the unpaid fines associated with that Holmes Beach code enforcement case remain unpaid.

On April 16, Tran and Hazen sent a letter to Code Compliance Chief James Thomas asking him and the city to consider waiving or reducing the $300,000 in fines they’ve accumulated to date, including more than $186,000 in additional and still running fines for offering their resort units as short-term vacation rentals without a city-issued

vacation rental certificate.

Their letter cites financial hardships created by the city-imposed fines and additional financial hardships caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton and says, “The penalties are unpayable until we can sell or die.”

On May 23, City Attorney Erica Augello sent the mayor and city commissioners a six-page memo that said, “You are being asked to consider the reduction of a code enforcement lien relative to the unpermitted construction of a treehouse structure.”

The memo says a judge imposed a $50 per day fine that started on July 22,

2015, and continued until the treehouse was removed on Aug. 29, 2024. This resulted in code enforcement fines and lien totaling $183,350.

The memo states that in 2021 the city instituted a separate code enforcement action against Tran and Hazen for engaging in short-term vacation rental activities at their resort without a vacation rental certificate.

According to the memo, when the treehouse was removed and the treehouse case concluded on Sept. 4, 2024, Tran and Hazen could have applied for a vacation rental certificate the next day but did not. In 2021, the couple admitted

during a special magistrate hearing that they were renting their units and would continue doing so without a vacation rental certificate. The special magistrate found those rental activities violated city code and imposed a $125 per day fine that began March, 18, 2021 and remained ongoing as of last week.

“To date, the Hazens have not complied with city code and secured a vacation rental certificate even though the property is now in compliance relative to the structure (the removed treehouse). Those fines continue to accrue until the property ceases to be rented or the Hazens secure a vacation rental certificate. The fines and potential lien related to this case are not before the commission and cannot be reduced at this time, as the property is not in compliance,” Augello’s memo says.

REDUCTION DENIED

When appearing before the commission May 27 and seeking a reduction of the treehouse lien amount owed, Tran said they came as residents, not adversaries, and their intent wasn’t to re-argue the treehouse case.

SEE TREEHOUSE, PAGE 28

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

Richard Hazen and Lynn Tran asked the city to reduce their treehouse-related fines.

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

Commissioner Carol Soustek didn’t mince words when expressing her views on the unpaid treehouse fines.

ISLAND NEWS

IN BRIEF

Business tax increase on Bradenton Beach commission agenda

Bradenton Beach commissioners will hear the first reading of a business tax increase ordinance at a meeting on Thursday, June 5 at 6 p.m. Also on the agenda are discussions regarding a Scenic WAVES Board Member application, replacement of the Washingtonian palms at Gulf Drive and Bridge Street on Cortez Road, an Anna Maria Island Garden Club request to contribute a wind sculpture to the city, a Manatee County 5K run at Coquina Beach, the prohibition of digging holes on the public beach and a library clerk update. The meeting will be in the Katie Pierola Commission Chambers, 107 Gulf Drive N.

Ccode enforcement officers’ appreciation week proclaimed

City Commission Chair Dan Diggins proclaimed June 2-6 as Code Enforcement Officers’ Appreciation Week in Holmes Beach. With Code Compliance Chief James “J.T.” Thomas and code compliance officers Sandy Olsen and Jason Clayton present at the May 27 commission meeting, Diggins read aloud a proclamation that said, “Code enforcement officers are vital to the safety, health and welfare of our community, diligently enforcing building, zoning, housing and other codes and ordinances. These officers play a critical role in improving neighborhoods, enhancing quality of life and ensuring property values remain stable, Their work is often behind the scenes, yet essential for maintaining a thriving and compliant community. The Florida Association of Code Enforcement annually recognizes the importance of code enforcement officers and has declared the first week of June to be set aside by local governments to honor and recognize their code enforcement officers.” When addressing the commission, Thomas said he and the code compliance staff appreciated the proclamation and the recognition. He introduced code compliance officers Sandy Olsen and Jason Clayton and recognized and thanked code compliance officer Nate Brown for his 10 years of ongoing service. The code compliance department oversees the city’s vacation rental certificate program and currently regulates 1,600 vacation rentals. Thomas and his officers assist the building and planning departments, help enforce the city’s building codes, help manage the trash accumulation at beach access points and help protect sea turtles and other wildlife.

Scan this code with your smartphone to go there.

City commission narrows ferry landing options

Replacing the hurricane-damaged City Pier walkway remains the mayor and commission’s top priority.

BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

ANNA MARIA – City commissioners have eliminated the possibility of the county installing a stand-alone Gulf Islands Ferry landing structure near the Lake La Vista inlet and jetty.

On May 27, with Commissioner Kathy Morgan Johnson absent, commissioners Gary McMullen, Chris Arendt, John Lynch and Charlie Salem reached a 4-0 consensus that a stand-alone ferry landing is not a desired. The commission remains open to the possibility of the county installing a ferry landing alongside the Anna Maria City Pier after the hurricane-damaged pier is replaced. The commissioners remain open to resuming the pre-hurricane use of the City Pier as a ferry stop for

the two pontoon boats that began landing at the City Pier in January 2024. The commissioners are taking a ‘wait and see’ approach when it comes to installing a landing that would accommodate the larger and heavier boat expected to join the county-contracted ferry fleet later this summer.

Mayor Mark Short and the commissioners remain adamant that replacing the City Pier walkway and reopening the pier is the city’s top priority and the expan-

a less-immediate concern.

The commission’s May 27 discussion was preceded by the May 8 ferry landing presentation that Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione, Natural Resources Director Charlie Hunsicker and county consultants Thomas Pierro and Morjana Signorin provided the city commission.

Quality Marine to demolish City Pier walkway

The buildings that were connected to the pier will not be demolished.

BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT |

jhendricks@amisun.com

ANNA MARIA – The city is entering into a $239,500 contract with Quality Marine Construction to demolish and remove what remains of the hurricane-damaged City Pier walkway.

The buildings at the T-end of the pier will not be demolished.

On May 27, city commissioners authorized Mayor Mark Short to execute a contract with Quality Marine. Short told commissioners three qualifying bids were received and reviewed.

The meeting agenda mentions two proposals, the Quality Marine proposal and the $2.19 million proposal received from Ballard Marine Construction. Commissioner Chris Arendt mentioned a third proposal that was even higher but the Quality Marine proposal was the only one included in the meeting packet.

“This particular bid was well within the range of what the engineers told us to expect,” Short said regarding Quality Marine’s proposal.

Short said he didn’t know why the other bids were so much higher and he guessed it may be because Quality Marine is a local company with lower staging and deployment costs.

Quality Marine will demolish the remaining walkway and support structure above the water, demolish the damaged concrete pilings below the waterline and remove any underwater debris as well. According to the proposal, Quality Marine Construction is a small, Bradenton-based business that’s served the Manatee County area for more than 18 years.

The proposal states Quality Marine previously worked on the City Pier: “We are uniquely qualified for this project, having played a key role in the 2018 demolition of the City Pier as a subcontractor for Speeler and Associates. That experience, combined with our deep familiarity with local waters and permitting requirements, gives us valuable insight into the scope and sensitivities of this work. As the

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

The Gulf Islands Ferry service made its first landing at the Anna Maria City Pier on Jan. 14, 2024.

SEE FERRY, PAGE 15

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

From left, Code Compliance Officer Jason Clayton joined Commissioner Dan Diggins, Code Compliance Chief James “J.T.” Thomas and Code Compliance Officer Sandy Olsen for the presentation.

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

What remains of the City Pier walkway will be demolished and hauled away by boat or barge.

Boy Scouts replant City Pier shoreline

The City Pier revegetation project was planned and organized by William Pakbaz.

BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

ANNA MARIA – On a rainy Friday morning, Anna Maria resident and Boy Scout William Pakbaz and the volunteers he recruited for his scouting project planted more than 150 native plants near the City Pier.

Pakbaz, the son of Anna Maria residents Julie and Siyamak Pakbaz, planned and organized the May 30 revegetation project and Mayor Mark Short and General Manager Dean Jones helped select the native plants the city paid for.

The revegetation project will help restore the hurricane-damaged Anna Maria shoreline between the City Pier and the Lake La Vista jetty. The completed project will also earn Pakbaz one of the 21 merit badges he needs to become an Eagle Scout.

Standing near the freshly replanted area and joined by the fellow scouts, scoutmaster, friends and family members who helped, Pakbaz said, “Today, we planted native plants next to the City Pier. We did that to beautify the area, fight

project that benefits the community and I had to gather the volunteers and organize it myself. I’m grateful to all the people that helped me - my parents, Mayor Short and my volunteers.”

Scoutmaster Travis McLeod said,

“William put all this together and I’m very proud of him. It’s a great cause and a great project for him.”

Standing nearby, Jones, a former Marine, said “I’m so proud of them and it looks beautiful. Most of the plants here got destroyed by the hurricanes. We have gaillardia, beach daisies, saw palmettos, sea grapes and sea oats. To know it’s going to come back as beautiful or more beautiful

COMMISSION PLANTING APPEARANCE

Pakbaz appeared before the city commission on May 27. When introducing Pakbaz to the commission that was already aware of his pending revegetation project, the mayor said, “He is heading down the path of achieving the Eagle Scout award, which is the highest award you can get in scouting.”

than it was before is amazing.”

Jones said the sea oats were hard to find because so many hurricane-impacted coastal communities are replanting them.

“In about a month, you’ll see flowers on the beach daisies and the gaillardia. In a couple years, the sea grapes will be producing and the sea oats will drop their seeds and this will get even better,” he said.

Jones said the city recently had a new riprap (rock) barrier installed along that shoreline to help prevent future erosion.

When contacted later that day, Short said, “I want to thank William, his scout troop and the volunteers that made this project possible. This is another step in the right direction as we continue our recovery efforts.”

Short said Pakbaz approached him about doing a project that would help the city and after further discussion they decided to replace the landscaping destroyed by Hurricane Helene’s floodwaters. Short said the city ordered about 160 plants that are saltwater tolerant and accustomed to sandy and sunny conditions, and the public works department will water and maintain them as needed.

Pakbaz told the commission he recruited 15 volunteers for the project.

“Your application was about 30 pages long,” Commission Chair Charlie Salem said. “If you’re as thorough with the work as you were with the application, we’re going to be celebrating a great accomplishment. Thank you very much for helping us.”

“I promise I’ll do it to the best of my abilities,” Pakbaz told the commission.

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

William Pakbaz, left, made his scoutmaster, Travis McLeod, proud. Several dozen native plants were planted near the City Pier.

OPINION

The Anna Maria Island Sun Staff

Owner | CEO

Mike Field

Editor

Cindy Lane

General Manager

Bob Alexander

Reporters | Photographers

Joe Hendricks

Leslie Lake

Columnists

Louise Bolger

Rusty Chinnis

Contributors

Steve Borggren

Capt. Rick Grassett

Layout Ricardo Fonseca

Advertising Director

Shona Otto

Classified Ads

Bob Alexander

Graphics

Elaine Stroili

Ricardo Fonseca

Distribution

Bob Alexander

Connor Field

Tony McNulty

Brian Smith

Accounting

Leslie Ketchum

Co-founding publishers

Mike Field

Maggie McGinley Field

Family-owned

Longboard

The Anna Maria Island Sun

P.O. Box 15179, Bradenton, FL 34280

Phone: 941-778-3986

email: news@amisun.com | ads@amisun.com | classifieds@amisun.com

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Thanks from the Chamber

The Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce wishes to thank all of the sponsors, golfers, vendors and volunteers who helped make the golf tournament a huge success this year.

A heartfelt thank you to our sponsors Tom Sanger Pool & Spa – Presenting Sponsor,

LaPensee Plumbing•Pools•Air – Platinum Sponsor, Manatee County Government and Waste Management – Gold Sponsors, Tyler’s Ice Cream, Waste Pro, Freckled Fin Irish Pub and Westminster Bradenton – Silver Sponsors, and our first ever Helicopter Ball Drop Sponsor, Shore Thing Tiki Cruises.

A special thank you to our volunteers; we could not have

Drop us a line

Got an opinion, a complaint or a compliment? Is there something you need to get off your chest? Send us a letter to the editor and have your say. There are a couple of ways to do it. The easiest and most direct is to email The Sun at news@amisun.com. Remember to put Letter to the Editor in the subject field. Or you can snail-mail

made this such a successful day without their assistance. To the golfers and vendors, you make this a fun-packed day of golf. Lastly, to IMG Academy Golf Club for hosting our tournament again this year.

A huge thank you to you all!

a letter to us at The Anna Maria Island Sun, P.O. Box 1189, Anna Maria, FL 34216. Letters should be kept to 300 words or less and must contain your name and the city in which you reside. Personal attacks and obscene language will not be printed. The Sun reserves the right to edit letters for length or content.

Terri Kinder President, Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce

ON THE AGENDA

ANNA MARIA

10005 GULF DRIVE

FOR INFORMATION, CALL 941-708-6130

Visit www.cityofannamaria. com or contact city hall for more information.

HOLMES BEACH

5801 MARINA DRIVE

FOR INFORMATION, CALL 941-708-5800

Visit www.holmesbeachfl.org or contact city hall for more information. Wednesday, June 4, 3:30 p.m., Planning Commission meeting

EVENTS

FRIDAY, JUNE 6

Join Damon Moore of Oyster River Ecology at The Center of Anna Maria Island, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria, for an engaging and hands-on workshop on building Oyster Restoration Pods (ORPs). This two-hour session includes a 30- to 40-minute educational presentation on the importance of oyster reef restoration, followed by an interactive activity where participants will build ORPs while learning how these structures benefit local ecosystems. Members $15/nonmembers $20. Noon to 2 p.m.

BRADENTON BEACH

107 GULF DRIVE N.

FOR INFORMATION, CALL 941-778-1005

Visit www.cityofbradentonbeach.com or contact city hall for more information.

Wednesday, June 4, 9 a.m., Police and General Pension Board meeting

Thursday, June 5, 6 p.m., City Commission meeting

THURSDAY, JUNE 19

Learn about Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ The Value of Trees at Palma Sola Botanical Park, 9800 17th Ave. N.W., Bradenton, from the UF/IFAS Manatee County Extension Service. Trees contribute much more to humans than most people may think. Learn the many benefits that trees give us that we may not even realize. Perhaps you’ll be introduced to some trees you’ve never heard of that are appropriate to grow in our zone. 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Gnome homes under construction

The Cortez Village Historical Society and the Florida Maritime Museum are sponsoring a free, family-friendly “Village Summer Social” on Saturday, June 14 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The social will feature crafts and activities, scavenger hunts and an unveiling of Mullet Meadows, a new gnome village. Two Australian pine tree stumps are being transformed into a whimsical display by Cortez Village Historical Society volunteer Bob Hooper, who is creating gnome houses, complete with metal roofs, tiny doors and windows and chimneys. Once completed, tiny gnomes and mushrooms will be placed around the structures. Activities will be held at the Cortez Cultural Center, 11655 Cortez Road W. and the Florida Maritime Museum, 4415 119th St. W.

LESLIE LAKE | SUN

Pre-kindergarteners graduate

A graduation ceremony for the Anna Maria Elementary School VPK class of 2024-25 was held on May 28. The children will be headed to kindergarten in the fall.

Snooks Adams Kids Day Picnic canceled

The Anna Maria Island Privateers Snooks Adams Kids Day Picnic in Holmes Beach on May 31 was canceled because of rain. As of June 1, the Privateers and the city of Holmes Beach had not yet determined if or when the annual event would be rescheduled. The annual event honors Holmes Beach’s first police chief.

Some of the many volunteers and city staffers who participated in the beach cleanup.

Holmes Beach hosts beach cleanup

Forty-five to 50 people participated in the beach cleanup event that began at the 52nd Street beach access in Holmes Beach on May 30. “We had a successful beach cleanup,” Holmes Beach Code Compliance Chief James “J.T.” Thomas said. “It rained on us three times but the volunteers didn’t leave. We had a great a time and we got a lot of trash off the beach.” Keep Manatee Beautiful provided the pickers, trash bags and other materials and several Keep Manatee Beautiful volunteers participated in the cleanup. Waste Pro supplied coffee, doughnuts and water and the cleanup volunteers were treated to lunch at the city pavilion afterwards.

ANNA MARIA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | SUBMITTED

CITY OF HOLMES BEACH | SUBMITTED

Beach hole digging ordinance passes first reading

The Holmes Beach hole digging ordinance is scheduled for final adoption on Tuesday, June 10.

BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

HOLMES BEACH – City commissioners are one step closer to prohibiting beachgoers from using metal shovels to dig large holes in the beach sand.

On May 27, Holmes Beach commissioners were presented with the first reading of City Ordinance 25-09, an ordinance that amends Section 66 of the city’s code of ordinances that addresses waterways and beaches.

Based on a county ordinance adopted about a year ago, the soon to be amended city ordinance includes new language that says, “No person shall possess on or about the sandy Gulf beach a metal shovel of the type customarily sold in hardware stores – not a children’s toy

– unless part of a construction project permitted under the Florida Building Code or similar law.”

It also says, “No person shall dig a hole in the sandy Gulf beach deeper than one foot below surrounding grade unless part of a construction project permitted under the Florida Building Code or similar law.”

The commissioners voted 5-0 in favor of moving the ordinance forward for second reading and final adoption on June 10. When adopted, the amended city ordinance will provide Holmes Beach police officers and code compliance officers with the authority to enforce the new hole digging prohibitions on public beach areas owned and/ or regulated by the city. Holmes Beach police and code compliance officers already have the authority to enforce the county beach hole digging ordinance at the county-owned Manatee Beach.

On May 13, Manatee County Natural

Resources Department Director Charlie Hunsicker asked the Holmes Beach commissioners to adopt a beach hole digging ordinance that mirrors the county ordinance. Hunsicker seeks similar city ordinance adoptions in Anna Maria and Bradenton Beach. Manatee County owns and manages Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach and

Coquina Beach and Cortez Beach in Bradenton Beach. The county also maintains and manages the cityowned Bayfront Park in Anna Maria. The county’s beach hole digging ordinance only applies to countyowned or county-managed beaches. When addressing the Holmes Beach commission, Hunsicker and county beach rake operator Mark Taylor shared their growing concerns about the size and depth of the holes being dug in the beach sand and not being filled back in when beachgoers leave. Hunsicker and Taylor said large unfilled holes in the sand pose dangers to nesting sea turtles and other wildlife that can become trapped and perish. Large holes in the sand also present dangers and the risk of injury to beachgoers, first responders, beach maintenance personnel and people walking the beach at night when the holes are harder to see.

TURTLE WATCH: Rescues sea turtle from swimming pool

PAGE 1

to the water - likely towards a flashlight on the beach. Mother turtles have already spent a lot of energy crawling up the beach and laying their nests without needing to travel so far out of their way on their way back to the Gulf.”

She reminded people not to use lights of any kind on the beach. If lights must be used, she asked that they be red LED lights pointed directly at the ground.

“Our stranding team had an adventure over Memorial Day weekend when a very determined nesting female loggerhead made her way under both a silt fence and a snow fence onto private property and into a swimming pool,” she wrote.

“Patrol volunteers and stranding team worked together to corral the turtle to the shallow end and out of the pool. She was rinsed with fresh water and quickly released back into the bay.”

She noted that many properties lost dunes and fences in last year’s hurri-

canes, leaving pools and construction areas accessible to sea turtles.

“If you believe your property may present a hazard to sea turtles, please contact AMITW at 941-301-8434 to discuss preventative measures that are turtle-proof,” she wrote.

Mazzarella expressed gratitude to Manatee County's Natural Resource Department for being proactive and deploying hay bales as an organic barricade to prevent adult and hatchling sea turtles from getting

trapped in the rock revetments at the south end of the Island. The hay bales were also placed at the Bridge Street beach access to prevent turtles from making their way into the parking lot and road.

Call Turtle Watch at 941-301-8434 or the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Wildlife Alert hotline at 888-404-3922 if you find a turtle (adult or hatchling) in distress or see people disturbing nesting birds, sea turtles or nest sites.

MANATEE COUNTY | SUBMITTED Beach rake operator Mark Taylor discovered this hole in the beach sand.

Island Players award scholarships

The Island Players awarded $2,000 scholarships to Sydne Hirshman and Madelyn Davies to support their continued education in the arts.

Hirshman, a graduate of Manatee School of the Arts, will attend Valdosta State College.

Davies, who graduated from Lakewood Ranch High School, is headed to the Ringling College of Art + Design.

“Both students have demonstrated exceptional commitment to the arts and will use their scholarships to further their education in artistic the May 30 press release. “These scholarships reflect our mission to support and inspire the next generation of artists,”

Executive Director Sylvia Marnie said in the press release. “We are thrilled

RoserChurch.com

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The CHAPEL is open during o ce hours for prayer and meditation

share our passion for the arts and look forward to seeing the impact they’ll make in their creative journeys.”

For more information about The Island Players, visit www.theislandplay

Guild donates to Dream Oaks Camp

Artists’ Guild of Anna Maria Island artist member Carolann Garafola, Schools Chair Judy Vazques and member Stephanie Leaver delivered three boxes of new and used art supplies including canvases, boards, pencils, watercolor pencils, watercolor paints and acrylic paints to the Foundations for Dreams Camp on June 15. The foundation’s Dream Oaks Camp program strives to create a place where children can recognize one another as individuals, not by their disabilities. The overall vision is that all individuals with special needs have every opportunity to learn and grow, leading to more productive behaviors, meaningful relationships and new skills.

M Campora,

Left, Artists’ Guild of Anna Maria Island artist Carolann Garafola gathers donations

Dream Oaks campers.

GLORIA DEI: Mayor to make offer on church property

Three valuation appraisals have been obtained – one by the seller and two by the city. The seller’s appraisal assumes the property would be rezoned for commercial or residential development. The city’s appraisals assume the current zoning and future land use designations will remain the same.

In late March, City Commissioner Terry Schaefer, Development Services Director Chad Minor and Public Works Director Sage Kamiya met with George Thurlow, the attorney representing the FloridaBahamas Synod that holds the title to the church property. They were told the appraisal obtained by the property owner values the building and property at $9.9 million.

On May 8, Westrock Appraisal provided Titsworth with an 87-page market valuation analysis appraisal report that values the building and property at $2.1 million. On May 20, Bluemark Valuation Advisors provided Minor with a 113-page appraisal report that values the building and property at $2.77 million.

The Bluemark appraisal says, “Originally constructed in 1960, the building has undergone renovations over the years. However, at the time of inspection, it was judged to be in fair condition, with visible signs of deferred maintenance. At the time

of inspection, deferred maintenance was observed throughout the structure, largely due to the initiation of interior demolition intended to mitigate flood damage caused by Hurricane Helene in September 2024. The demolition, which began shortly after the storm to prevent mold and related issues, revealed various forms of storm-related damage. Notable conditions included missing drywall, damaged doors, deteriorated bathrooms, damaged roof covers and missing kitchen cabinets among other deficiencies. Based on visual observations, some minor renovations have been initiated since the event; however, no cost estimates were provided to address the remaining repairs.”

COMMISSION AUTHORIZATION

On May 27, City Commission Chair Dan Diggins asked the commission to authorize the mayor to make an initial offer on the building and property.

Based on the higher of the two appraisals the city obtained, City Attorney Erica Augello suggested the commission authorize Titsworth to make a $2.7 million initial offer that could serve as a starting point for further negotiations if needed. If Titsworth and the property owners can agree on a price, Titsworth would then need commission authorization to move forward with the purchase.

Schaefer made a motion to authorize the mayor to make a $3 million “good faith offer” on the church property and he estimated the interest rate on a long-term loan would likely be in the 6.75% to 7% range. “I have total confidence in her ability to negotiate the best deal,” Commissioner Carol Soustek said before the commission voted 4-1 in support of Schaefer’s motion. Diggins voted no because the $3 million offer exceeds the $2.77 million Bluemark appraisal. When contacted later in the week, Titsworth said, “I thank the commissioners for supporting my vision of securing this property for the community. We have much public support for this purchase and it will be a true asset to the city if we are able to

come to a mutually agreeable purchase agreement. My hope is that we can seek assistance from the community and our local construction industry to repair the building so we can secure a home for our displaced preschool as quickly as possible.”

PUBLIC INPUT

School for Constructive Play owner and former church building tenant Kelly Stewart expressed her support for the purchase. After being displaced from the church building due to damage sustained during Hurricane Helene, the Island’s only preschool currently operates at The Center of Anna Maria Island in Anna Maria. Kelly hopes to form a private-public partnership with the city to return her preschool to its former location.

“Although The Center has been a huge blessing during this time after the storm, our littlest Island citizens need a secure place that is their own,” she told the commission.

When Diggins asked about enrollment numbers, Stewart said she currently has 50-60 students and another 15-20 students on a waiting list.

She said her preschool clientele includes families that live on the Island and parents that work on the Island and returning to the church building would help ensure the Islandbased preschool continues to serve as a feeder school for Anna Maria Elementary.

“I implore you to keep this property in the hands of the community,” she said.

When expressing her support for the purchase, city resident and Planning Commissioner Gale Tedhams said, “I have different reasons. I think it’s an iconic building. I looked up the architect. He is famous in this area. I’m afraid if we don’t get it, it will be torn down and we’ll lose a very historic, iconic building.”

Victor Lundy designed the triangular-shaped church building that features a unique and memorable roof configuration. Lundy was part of the Sarasota School of Architecture architectural movement that was active from 1941 to 1966.

Tedhams supports the building and property being used for “cultural, artistic and peaceful” purposes that benefit the community.

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN School for Constructive Play owner Kelly Stewart hopes to return her preschool to its former location on the church property.

JOE

Food pantry receives disaster recovery grant

The Roser Church Food Pantry received a $4,750 disaster recovery grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County’s Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund. In 2024, impacts from Hurricanes Helene and Milton resulted in mass food spoilage and the destruction of appliances, furniture and the food pantry’s wiring and the grant assisted with the food pantry’s recovery. The food pantry resumed operations shortly after Milton passed and volunteers recently completed a rebuilding project that brings the food pantry operations back to full capacity. Serving Island residents, workers and students, the Roser Church Food Pantry is Anna Maria Island’s only food pantry. The food pantry is located across the street from the Roser Memorial Community Church at 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria. If you need food assistance or want to donate food or Publix gift cards, call 941-778-0414 or visit www. roserchurch.com/roser-food-pantry-donations.

On the nest

An osprey family caters to its young in a nest at the top of a dead tree at Neal Preserve at the east end of the Anna Maria Island Bridge.

On the wing

Roseate spoonbills were seen flying over the pond at the FISH (Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage) Preserve on Cortez Road recently. The roseate spoonbill is protected by the U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty Act and is a Florida-designated threatened species. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the roseate spoonbill is the only spoonbill native to the Western Hemisphere and can reach a length of 30-40 inches with a wingspan of 50-53 inches. The pink color on their wings and legs comes from the carotenoid-filled organisms they eat. The birds, often seen at the FISH Preserve, have large spoon-shaped bills which they use to sweep back and forth in shallow water to capture prey such as crayfish, shrimp, crabs and small fish, according to the FWC.

LESLIE LAKE | SUN

CINDY LANE | SUN

HENDRICKS | SUN

The Roser Church Food Pantry assists residents, employees and students.

BEACH BEAT

HOLMES BEACH

May 26, 3:29 a.m., Marina Drive. Hit and run. A couple told police they observed a vehicle hit their parked car in the parking lot of a bar. The collision, which caused large dents, scratches and paint transfer, was caught on video. The driver of the vehicle walked back into the bar, refused to speak to the couple and then left the scene at a high rate of speed, according to police. After reviewing the video, police say they identified the driver. Police made a capias

request to the State Attorney’s Office for the offense of leaving the scene of a crash involving property damage to an unoccupied vehicle.

May 24, 5:44 a.m., 600 block of Manatee Ave. DUI/drug possession. An Uber driver was charged with driving under the influence and possession of drugs. Police responded to a call from a concerned friend of the passenger in the Uber. The passenger had stated that the driver kept “nodding off” while driving. Police conducted a traffic stop and said there was a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. Upon searching the vehicle, police said they recovered a baggie containing 111.5 grams of marijuana and one Ecstasy pill. The driver, a 27-year-old

Tampa man, was evaluated for drug use and police made the determination that he was driving under the influence.

May 23, 11:39 p.m., 800 block of Manatee Ave. DUI. Police conducted a traffic stop after they say they observed a vehicle being driven abnormally and with no tail lights. The driver, a 37-year-old Virginia man, told police he had “three, maybe four” drinks. Police said he had slurred speech, watery eyes and was unsteady. Police said he failed sobriety tests and he was arrested. Breath tests showed 0.209 and 0.231 BAC. The legal limit is 0.08. He was charged with driving under the influence 0.15 or higher.

Privateers planning July 4 parade NESTING NEWS

The Anna Maria Island Privateers are accepting applications to participate in their annual Fourth of July “water fight” parade. The parade will depart from the Captain Scott Moore boat ramp in Bradenton Beach

at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 4, travel through Holmes Beach and end near the City Pier in Anna Maria. The entry fee is $25. For more information, visit www. annamariaislandprivateers.org.

Turtle nests laid: 103 (Record: 543 in 2019)

False crawls: 154 (Record: 831 in 2010)

Nests hatched: 0 (Record: 453 in 2022)

Hatchlings produced: 0 (Record: 35,850 in 2022)

Hatchling disorientations: 0

Adult disorientations: 13

Nests remaining on beach: 103

Source: Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring

CVHS undertakes project to preserve Cortez history

Photos and artifacts from the Cortez Cultural Center are being digitized.

BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com

CORTEZ – The Cortez Village Historical Society’s (CVHS) sealed containers holding old books and historical records were no match for Hurricane Helene’s floodwaters last September.

CVHS President Cindy Rodgers said that the Cortez artifacts that were being stored in the Florida Institute for Saltwater

Heritage’s Fisherman’s Hall were ruined during the hurricane’s storm surge.

In order to preserve hundreds of remaining photos and documents, CVHS has begun to digitize them.

“We’ve been talking about it for a while, and we were waiting for the library to reopen,” Rodgers said.

With the assistance of staff at the main library in downtown Bradenton, CVHS volunteer LuAnn Weidergren took on the labor-intensive task of digitizing the many records that remain at the

Cortez Cultural Center. CVHS Board member Val DeCastris also participated in the project.

About half of the Cultural Center’s collection has been completed and the documents and photos are on thumb drives.

The Cultural Center displays include photos and historical records of some of Cortez’s founding families.

Once the project is complete, the Manatee County Library will include the material in its historical records collection.

PIER: Quality Marine to demolish pier walkway

owners of Blenker Boat Works and Marina, we also have the distinct advantage of being able to launch and operate all necessary equipment directly from the water, eliminating the need for

road closures or land-based staging.”

Blenker Boat Works and Marina is located at 2504 88th St. Court N.W., at the mouth of the Manatee River, between the De Soto National Memorial and Robinson Preserve. The pier debris

will be delivered to the marina by boat or barge.

Quality Marine recently completed for Manatee County the demolition of the Seafood Shack and Annie’s Bait & Tackle buildings, marine structures,

docks, boatlifts and over-the-water buildings at that Cortez location.

“Quality Marine Construction will not be utilizing any subcontractors for this job; we will be 100% self-performing,” the proposal says.

LESLIE LAKE | SUN

Artifacts and photos displaying the history of Cortez are being digitized.

FERRY: City commission narrows landing options

The May 8 presentation included three potential ferry landing locations near the Lake La Vista inlet and jetty and two potential locations alongside the City Pier – one between the shoreline and the T-end buildings and one at the farthest end of the pier. The commission consensus doesn’t state a preference for which landing alongside the pier is preferred.

COMMISSION DISCUSSION

On May 27, Mayor Mark Short asked the commissioners to provide the county with some preliminary guidance regarding the future location of a new ferry landing. He said the county’s intent is to accommodate the larger ferry boat, which at full capacity will carry approximately 100 passengers. The pontoon ferry boats currently operating between downtown Bradenton and the Bradenton Beach Pier carry up to 49 passengers. Short said county officials at least need to know whether the city commission prefers a stand-alone ferry landing or a landing located next to the City Pier. Short said choosing one of the two general locations doesn’t obligate the city to approve a county-funded ferry landing at some future point.

McMullen said a ferry landing attached to the City Pier would be more efficient and more cost efficient and he favors county option C, which proposes a ferry landing installed alongside the pier, between the T-end buildings and the shoreline. He said that location would leave the T-end of the pier unobstructed for sightseers and people fishing from the end of the pier. Arendt agreed with McMullen.

Participating by phone, Lynch said his primary concern was creating more foot traffic and congestion on a pier that already offers limited space. He said a stand-alone landing built near the jetty would provide a separate point of arrival and departure for ferry passengers. He agreed that a landing built next to the pier would be more cost efficient and he later joined the other commissioners in reaching unanimous consensus to eliminate the stand-alone landing option.

Arendt asked Short if county officials responded to Lynch’s previous request for additional information about the impact additional ferry passengers and foot traffic would have on the pier and the other pier users. Short said the county had not provided that information.

Arendt asked if safety railings are being considered for the new pier walkway. Short said the walkway design that’s about 85%

completed does not include safety railings, but that could be considered before the design process is finished.

Salem said he’s not comfortable selecting a ferry landing location until the pier walkway is replaced and the pier is reopened. He also noted the county’s financial contribution to the walkway replacement project – using tourist development tax revenues –remains unknown.

Salem said it doesn’t make sense right now to dedicate a lot of time and energy enhancing the ferry service that’s not expected to return to Anna Maria until 2027. Arendt asked Salem if he was comfortable with at least eliminating the

stand-alone landing scenario and Salem said he was.

Short said he hasn’t submitted a tourist tax revenue-related funding request to the county yet because he doesn’t yet know how much to ask for. He’s still waiting to see how much FEMA will contribute to the walkway replacement project and whether Gov. Ron DeSantis will approve or veto the city’s projectrelated state appropriation request.

T-END BUILDINGS

Before Hurricane Milton destroyed a significant portion of the pier walkway, Brian Seymour and his business partners operated the City Pier Grill & Bait Shop at the T-end pier in space leased from the city. The Mote Marine Science Education & Outreach Center also operated in a T-end space provided by the city. With no pedestrian access, the pier and the T-end buildings will remain closed until the walkway is replaced.

Short said the T-end buildings are beginning to suffer from the lack of electricity and the formation of mold. He said the pier tenants’ equipment needs to be removed soon and the city will be contracting a marine demolition and remediation firm to stabilize the condition of the pier buildings before it worsens.

General Manager Dean Jones said he’s traveled by boat to the T-end of the pier several times and each time he visits finds the buildings to be in worse shape.

MANATEE COUNTY SUBMITTED County officials preferred ferry landing options C and D.

arpon, the premier gamefish that swim local waters in late spring and summer, can weigh over 200 pounds and average from 80-100 pounds. While most anglers pursue them on conventional tackle, a growing number of fly fishers are targeting them in Tampa Bay along the shallow Gulf coast and the local sandbars that bookend the local passes. Tarpon on fly tackle isn’t a game of numbers and the anglers who pursue them often spend hours on the bow in the hot summer sun for a chance at a hookup. Fly tackle should be stout enough to challenge these powerful gamefish that are renowned for their spectacular aerial acrobatics and long fast runs. Serious

The apex of angling

anglers hoping to land one opt for an 11- or 12-weight outfit and carefully tied leaders with 60- to 80-pound bite tippet. While it might seem like a difficult task to land a tarpon on the fly, someone who knows the limits of their tackle can actually land a tarpon in a surprisingly short time. The key is to apply maximum pressure from the hookup and never let up. Too many anglers “baby” their tarpon in a misguided attempt to land them. The truth is that the longer you fight a tarpon the better chance you have of losing them. A properly tied tarpon leader usually runs between 10-12 feet and is tapered. It includes a class tippet from 16-20 pounds that is doubled at both ends to soften the (shock) impact of the larger leader (40-60 pounds) it’s tied to. Flies vary from the classic splayed feather “Key’s” style to more complex designs like the “Toad,” and the wildly popular Palolo worm fly. Although the worm hatch is a Florida Keys phenomenon, tarpon everywhere seem attracted to them. This fly and

many others are best presented to a tarpon with a two-handed strip. Some fly anglers are not concerned with actually landing a tarpon, preferring to just enjoy the hunt, the hook up and the jumps that usually follow the hook set. They use light bite tippets which allow the tarpon to work through the leader with their abrasive mouths. The key to getting the bite is a properly tied fly that tracks naturally and the accuracy of the cast. The fly must be

placed perfectly, move in a precise direction relative to the fish and be at the proper (fishes’) depth. Even when all of these factors come together, there’s still about a 50% chance that the tarpon will reject the fly.

Patience is another critical factor when fly fishing for tarpon. The most successful anglers find the edge of a sandbar or other underwater feature that tarpon track, deploy a release anchor in casting range and wait. Sometimes tarpon come at a steady rate, but just as often there are long periods of time when the only thing to look at is the water and the bottom. This really separates the great anglers from the good anglers. There are times when you need to move but knowing when and where is a skill that is developed, if ever mastered. There are times when poling might be more effective but experience has taught me to only move when a school of fish requires a short distance off anchor for a shot. Next week: Part Two.

RUSTY CHINNIS

RUSTY CHINNIS | SUN

Casting for tarpon is a skill you can develop.

Klein, Hoversten, Hoversten, Martinek win Key Royale Memorial Day tournament

Sixty-four Key Royale Club golfers played a combination Scramble/ Shamble on a hot and humid Memorial Day on May 26. Winning first place, was the team of Anne Klein, Dan Hoversten, Dan Hoversten II and Jerry Martinek with 43, one under par, who won by a tie-breaker scorecard playoff against second place winners Leo Burke, John Kolojeski, Dale Miller and Warren Stevens. Third place honors went to Laurie and Marty Hicks, Debi Wohlers and Lori Waggoner with 44. Wohlers also won the long drive contest for the ladies and Chris Nelson won the event for the men. The duo of Mike and Janelle Clements won closest to the pin on hole #3 while Jody Maleeny and Charlie Porter won the event on hole #8. Lynn French bested all the ladies in the chipping contest and Al Pollock won for the men. In the putting contest, Winny Hamden won the event for the ladies and Mike Clements won for the men. A delicious lunch buffet was enjoyed by contestants after the event along with apple pie and everyone's favorite refreshment.

SUBMITTED

Anne Klein, Dan Hoversten, Dan Hoversten II and Jerry Martinek took home first place.

IN OTHER PLAY:

May 27 - Low Net Score

First Place - Terry Westby, 28

Second Place - Marilyn Manzer, 36

Third Place - Anne Klein, 37

May 29 - Shamble with a par of 64

First Place Team - Mike Clements, Marty Hicks and Ken Nagengast, 59, 5 under par

Second Place Team - Nick Cibel, Blake Ress and Steve Vasbinder, 61, 3 under par.

CENTER SPORTS SCORES

8- TO 10-YEAR OLD DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP

Beach Bums 2

Moss Builders 1

11- TO 13-YEAR-OLD DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP

La Creperie 2

Solid Rock Construction 0

14- TO 17-YEAR-OLD DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP

Better On Bikes 3

The Gitt Team – KW On The Water 1

ADULT SOCCER PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT

Pool America 6

Slicker’s Eatery 1

Slim’s Place 6

Bubble Binz 1

ADULT SOCCER PLAYOFFS ROUND 1

Sato Real Estate 1

Hampton Painting 0

Ross Built 6

Language Services

Associates 4

Florida Impact Windows 0

Pool America 0

FL Impact Windows wins in penalty shootout

Slim’s Place 4 Moss Builders 4

Slim’s Place wins in penalty shootout

Chamber golf tournament winners

The Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce held its 26th Annual Golf Tournament to benefit its scholarship fund last month at IMG Golf Academy in Bradenton. The winners are:

First Place – Cablish & Gentile - Val Cablish, Scott May, Home Cablish and Jim Gentile

Bradenton Home Inspections (3-4) Edible Cookie Dough Café (0-7) Solid Rock Construction (5-2) Coaster Continent (2-5)

Slicker’s Eatery (3-4) Primetime Lending (1-6)

Luxury Services (6-1) W Slim’s Place (6-1)

Second Place – Florida Fishing Fleet – Lance Plowman, Jordan Miller, Bryan Young and Donny Johnson Third Place – Tom Sanger Pools – Tom Sanger, Cody Pearman, Zack Walker and Max Gazzo

Putting Contest – Freckled Fin – Rick Hurst, Tom McDonald, Jim Merrill and Steve Shannon

Helicopter Ball Drop – Shore Thing Tiki Cruises – Adrianne Cardinale.

MAY 23-AUGUST 30

THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY 7PM & 9P M

HURRICANE: NOAA hurricane season forecast ‘above normal’

“NOAA and the National Weather Service are using the most advanced weather models and cutting-edge hurricane tracking systems to provide Americans with real-time storm forecasts and warnings,” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said. “With these models and forecasting tools, we have never been more prepared for hurricane season.”

“As we witnessed last year with significant inland flooding from hurricanes Helene and Debby, the impacts of hurricanes can reach far beyond coastal communities,” Acting NOAA Administrator Laura Grimm said.

FACTORS INFLUENCING NOAA’S PREDICTIONS

The season is expected to be above normal due to a confluence of factors, including warmer-than-average ocean temperatures, forecasts for weak wind shear and the potential for higher activity from the west African monsoon, a primary starting point for Atlantic hurricanes. All of these elements tend to favor tropical storm formation.

The high activity era continues in the Atlantic Basin, featuring high-heat content in the ocean and reduced trade winds. The higher heat content

provides more energy to fuel storm development, while weaker winds allow the storms to develop without disruption.

This hurricane season also features the potential for a northward shift of the west African monsoon, producing tropical waves that seed some of the strongest and most long-lived Atlantic storms.

“In my 30 years at the National Weather Service, we’ve never had more advanced models and warning systems in place to monitor the weather,” NOAA’s National Weather Service Director Ken Graham said.

“This outlook is a call to action: Be prepared. Take proactive steps now to make a plan and gather supplies to ensure you're ready before a storm threatens."

IMPROVED HURRICANE ANALYSIS, FORECASTS IN STORE

NOAA will improve its forecast communications, decision support and storm recovery efforts this season, according to officials.

• NOAA’s model, the Hurricane Analysis and Forecast System, will undergo an upgrade that is expected to result in another 5% improvement of tracking and intensity forecasts that will help forecasters provide more accurate watches and warnings.

Hurricane shelters

The following hurricane shelters in Manatee County may be open depending on the direction and size of the storm. There are no assigned shelters, and few are furnished, so bring lawn chairs, cots, bedding and folding tables.

BRADEN RIVER MIDDLE SCHOOL

6215 River Club Boulevard, Bradenton

BRADEN RIVER HIGH SCHOOL

6545 S.R. 70 E., Bradenton

BUFFALO CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL

7320 69th St. E., Palmetto

DAUGHTREY ELEMENTARY

515 63rd Ave. E., Bradenton

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH

1306 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton

FREEDOM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

9515 S.R. 64 E., Bradenton

GULLETT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

12125 44th Ave. E., Bradenton

HAILE MIDDLE SCHOOL

9501 S.R. 64 E., Bradenton

HARVEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

8610 115th Ave. E., Parrish

JOHNSON SCHOOL

2121 26th Ave. E., Bradenton

KINNAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

3415 Tallevast Road, Sarasota

LEE MIDDLE SCHOOL

4000 53rd Ave. W., Bradenton

Hurricane category Sustained winds Damage

1 74-95 mph Very dangerous, will produce some damage

2 96-110 mph Extremely dangerous, will cause extensive damage

3 111-129 mph Devastating damage will occur

4 130-156 mph Catastrophic damage will occur

5 157 mph or higher Catastrophic damage will occur

Source: National Hurricane Center

• NOAA’s National Hurricane Center (NHC) and Central Pacific Hurricane Center will be able to issue tropical cyclone advisories up to 72 hours before the arrival of storm surge or tropicalstorm-force winds on land, giving communities more time to prepare.

• NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center’s Global Tropical Hazards Outlook, which provides advance notice of potential tropical cyclone risks, has been extended from two weeks to three weeks, to provide additional time for preparation and response.

Prepare your hurricane kits now

MANATEE HIGH SCHOOL

1000 32nd St. W., Bradenton

MCNEAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

6325 Lorraine Road, Bradenton

MILLER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

601 43rd St. W., Bradenton

MILLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

7200 69th St. E., Palmetto

MONA JAIN MIDDLE SCHOOL

12205 44th Ave. E., Bradenton

MYAKKA CITY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

37205 Manatee Ave., Myakka City

NOLAN MIDDLE SCHOOL

6615 Greenbrook Blvd., Bradenton

ONECO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

5214 22nd St. Court E., Bradenton

PRINE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

3801 Southern Parkway, Bradenton

ROGERS GARDEN ELEMENTARY

515 13th Ave. W., Bradenton

SEABREEZE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

3601 71st St. W., Bradenton

TILLMAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

1415 29th St. E., Palmetto

WILLIAMS ELEMENTARY

3404 Fort Hamer Road, Parrish

WILLIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

14705 The Masters Ave., Bradenton

WITT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

200 Rye Road, Bradenton.

MANATEE COUNTY –

With the start of hurricane season on June 1, Manatee County reminds residents to stock disaster supply kits.

Bradenton Beach officials reflect on 2024 hurricane lessons

Mayor John Chappie said preparation and training is key to hurricane recovery.

BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com

BRADENTON BEACH – City officials discussed lessons learned following last year’s hurricanes and preparation for potential upcoming storms.

“We learned the lesson that you can never be over-prepared,” Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie said. “Training and preparation are so important. Our emergency response team under Chief (John) Cosby understood the duties and challenges and did an amazing job.”

With possible changes to FEMA on the federal level that could impart more responsibilities to the states, Cosby expressed confidence in Florida’s leadership if the system is revamped.

“The system could be improved,” Cosby said. “Florida is very lucky to have Kevin Guthrie.” Guthrie is the executive

director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

Cosby said as city projects are completed and approved, FEMA money should come pretty quickly.

Chappie said Bradenton Beach worked with multiple government agencies following the hurricanes.

“FDOT (Florida Department of Transportation) did an amazing job on Gulf Drive. We had help from the county and Holmes Beach,” Chappie said. “Having the governor come here gave it a big push toward recovery.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was in Bradenton Beach on Sept. 28, 2024 and said his goal was to have SR 789 (Gulf Drive) cleared and reopened as soon as possible.

“With the amount of sand we had, there was nothing we could have done differently to prepare for it,” Cosby said. “With help from the state and county and being able to have the sand sifted and processed right here, that allowed us to get back open with lightning speed.”

The week of May 14, Chappie, Cosby, Code Enforcement Officer Evan Harbus, City Attorney Ricinda Perry and City Treasurer Shayne Thompson attended the Governor’s hurricane conference in Palm Beach in preparation for the upcoming hurricane season.

“One of the things we learned at the hurricane conference is that you have to know your team and know their skills, and then add to those and cross train them,” Chappie said. “When you know your people and send them off for training, you get a 100-fold return.”

Chappie said conference attendees from all over the state knew Cosby and his expertise in hurricane response.

“Bradenton Beach has been doing hurricane preparation over the years under Chief Cosby. It’s not something you do overnight to train and prepare,” Chappie said. “It was amazing to see how connected he is. People came up to speak to him all the time at the conference. His contacts with the state and people in business and knowing how FEMA works, those things were so valuable in getting the city to recover as

quickly as possible.”

“It was good to see at the conference that things have not changed,” Cosby said.

Following the hurricanes, Chappie said the Bradenton Beach Police Department Facebook page was an invaluable tool in getting information out.

“We went from 300 to 6,600 followers on that page after the hurricanes,” he said.

Chappie said the city is looking into having storm barrier doors installed at the Police Department, Public Works Department and city hall.

“We lost three police vehicles,” he said. “The police station and public works both had flooding. We got lucky at city hall.”

Chappie said the city is on track with contractors working on storm drains and street repairs.

“I also learned a lesson not to be afraid to accept help,” he said. “Throughout the Island volunteers were helping their neighbors. There are such wonderful people in this city.”

Many homes in Bradenton Beach were destroyed by the storm surge and sand during Hurricane Helene in September 2024. Sand piled more than 4 feet high was reported along Gulf Drive. High winds from Hurricane Milton in October further exacerbated the storm damage. Florida Department of Transportation and Manatee County crews cleared the roads of sand and debris.

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

Bradenton Beach city officials are reflecting on lessons learned during the 2024 hurricane season.

Photos: LESLIE LAKE | SUN

In Anna Maria, hurricane lessons learned carry forward

The city of Anna Maria enters hurricane season with a new mayor at the helm.

BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

ANNA MARIA – Last year, mayor Dan Murphy guided the city of Anna Maria’s hurricane preparation, response and recovery efforts. He was assisted by City Commissioner Mark Short and city staff. As mayor, Short now assumes those responsibilities.

The damage that Hurricanes Helene and Milton inflicted in Anna Maria included the destruction of the privately-owned Rod & Reel Pier and the partial destruction of the city-owned Anna Maria City Pier. The Anna Maria Post Office sustained significant flood damage and a temporary post office continues to operate in City Pier Park. Many homeowners and business owners were displaced and for some, the recovery efforts continue.

When running for mayor last fall, Short discussed what he learned from Murphy before, during and after the back-to-back hurricanes struck the city.

“I’ve learned that having that plan and that vision is critical,” Short said. “Having existing and positive relationships with vendors and going back to same vendors

Back-to-back hurricanes

who have been there for the city during past hurricanes is mission critical. And getting things teed up immediately and not waiting. For us, it’s all about the main thoroughfares. You have to get that done first so people can get back to where they live. It’s about getting people back in the city and back to their homes so they can start their process. And having a city staff that’s been through these situations. They

know the playbook and they know exactly what they need to do. It’s not a one man show. We have the right people in the right roles and they know their responsibilities from past experience.”

The city’s successful debris removal strategy included using the Bayfront Park parking lot as a centralized debris staging area. Much of the debris removed from the city rights of way was first deposited at

Bayfront Park and later transported to the county landfill.

“You’ve got to get the debris away from the homes as soon as possible. Getting the debris off the streets and to a central location is mission critical. We also had diesel fuel trucks parked right here at city hall so the debris haulers can refuel right here and we’re not dealing with the logistics of them having to go find diesel fuel,” Short said.

Before Hurricane Helene arrived in late September, Short and Commissioner Charlie Salem requested the city’s Facebook page be used for the first time to provide hurricane-related information to the community.

“The last time I looked, the city had more than 11,000 followers,” Short said in November. “A lot of people I talked to said that’s their go-to source for information.”

Short said he also learned the importance of forming and maintaining good working relationships with state and county officials who can provide assistance when needed.

“When you need help, they deliver because of the positive relationships that already exist,” he said.

Sgt. Brett Getman leads the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Anna Maria Unit. When contacted last week, he said,

Lessons for Holmes Beach guide this year’s hurricane preparations

Hurricanes Helene and Milton provided valuable lessons in hurricane preparedness, response and recovery.

BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

HOLMES BEACH – As the largest and most populated of the three Anna Maria Island cities, Holmes Beach city officials learned a lot from the challenges presented by Hurricanes Helene and Milton last year.

“I am so proud of the training and preparation that our team went through prior to the two storms last year,” Mayor Judy Titsworth said. “I learned you can never be too prepared and I think we did an outstanding job. Our costs are upwards of $8 million and FEMA and our insurance providers will cover the majority of these costs thanks to our staff having pre-event contracts in place and our consultants engaging with our Emergency Operations Team on documentation and

reimbursement applications. And our Development Services team was fully staffed and prepared for rapid damage assessments and permitting. Our citizens and businesses need to understand their roles in the preparation and recovery processes and patience is a big part of the equation, as is humanity.”

Police Chief Bill Tokajer said, “The city has conducted training for many years on hurricane preparation and recovery and there’s no better training than living through the events you train for. Last year, we had real-world experience rather than a tabletop exercise and the city is truly prepared for whatever comes our way.”

Before, during and after Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the city used the city website, social media platforms and press releases to communicate hurricane-related information and this year the city has added the TextMyGov notification system. To receive real-time updates, register in advance by sending a text to 91896 that

says “HOLMESBEACH” and then enter “YES” in response to the confirmation message you receive.

“Communication is key and choosing the wording is important,” Tokajer said. “We used the word ‘curfew’ instead of ‘checkpoint.’ This was taken by people to mean they had to leave the Island by 7 p.m. What we intended was to let people know if they left the Island they would have to go through a checkpoint

and provide re-entry tags to return.”

Tokajer learned another valuable lesson during Hurricane Helene: “We rescued many people the night of Helene – until the water was too deep for the rescue vehicles. As the storm surge rose, we were trapped in the police department. The biggest mistake I made was having my officers and myself stay and I will not make the mistake of keeping our officers in harm’s way like I

did last year. When you are told to evacuate, you need to take that seriously. There will not be any first responders to come rescue you until the storm passes,” Tokajer said.

“Have an evacuation plan. Know where you plan to go. When leaving the Island, take your medications, re-entry tag and turn off the electricity. Don’t leave electric vehicles, golf carts or e-bikes in the garage or somewhere else where flooding could cause fires; and take all items off balconies that could become flying debris.”

Re-entry tags obtained in 2023 or later are valid until 2028. If you need a new one, one tag per resident, property owner or business can be obtained with proper identification at the Holmes Beach Police Department, 5801 Marina Drive.

Tokajer said the city’s hurricane recovery and response was a team effort: “We had assistance from 32 different police departments after the storm, which we will be

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

destroyed the iconic Rod & Reel Pier.

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

The city of Holmes Beach implemented the TextMyGov notification system.

SEE ANNA MARIA, PAGE 25

The following hotels and motels accept pets. Some have limitations on species, number, size and breed, some require pets to be caged before housekeeping services are rendered, some require deposits or extra charges, and some have special pet amenities, such as grassy areas for walking. Call ahead to find accommodations that match your needs, and make a list of several hotels in different parts of the state to be prepared for storms from any direction.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND

Anna Maria Dream Inn 2502 Gulf Dr. N. Bradenton Beach 941-209-1420

Anna Maria Island

Resorts

Tortuga Beach Resort 1325 Gulf Dr. Bradenton Beach 941-778-6611

Anna Maria Motel

808 N. Bay Blvd. Anna Maria 941-778-1269

Queen’s Gate 1101 Gulf Dr. N. Bradenton Beach 941-778-7153

ARCADIA

Knights Inn

504 S. Brevard Ave. 863-494-4884

Holiday Inn Express 2709 Southeast Hwy. 70 863-494-5900

BRADENTON

Best Western Plus 2215 Cortez Rd W 941-238-0800

Compass Hotel

Anna Maria Sound 12324 Manatee Ave W. 941-741-9700

Courtyard Bradenton

Sarasota/Riverfront

100 Riverfront Dr. W. 941-747-3727

Days Inn

3506 1st St. W. 941-746-1141

Days Inn

Bradenton – I75

644 67th St Circle E 941-746-2505

Fairfield Inn & Suites

Lakewood Ranch 6105 Exchange Way 941-552-4000

Hampton Inn & Suites

309 10th St W 941-746-9400

Hyatt Place Sarasota/ Lakewood Ranch 6021 Exchange Way 941-748-3100

Motel 6

660 67th St. Circle E. 941-747-6005

Spring Hill Suites

Bradenton Downtown Riverfront 102 12th St. W. 941-226-2200

BROOKSVILLE

Days Inn

6320 Windmere Rd 352-796-9486

Microtel Inn 6298 Nature Coast Blvd 352-796-9025

Quality Inn 30307 Cortez Blvd 352-796-9481

CAPE CORAL

Holiday Inn Express 1538 Cape Coral Pkwy E 239-542-2121

Hampton Inn & Suites 619 SE 47th Terrace 239-540-1050

DAYTONA BEACH

Homewood Suites By Hilton 165 Bill France Blvd 386-258-2828

Residence Inn Daytona Beach Speedway/Airport 1725 Richard Petty Blvd 386-252-3949

DELAND

Comfort Inn 400 E International Speedway 386-736-3100

ELLENTON

Hampton Inn 5810 20th Ct. E. 941-721-4000

Red Roof Inn 4915 17th St. E. 941-729-0600

ELLENTON

Super 8

5218 17th St. E. 941-729-8505

FORT MYERS

Baymont Inn & Suites 9401 Marketplace Rd

239-454-0040

Hyatt Place 2600 Champion Ring Rd

239-418-1844

La Quinta Inn 9521 Market Place Rd

239-466-0012

Residence Inn

20371 Summerlin Rd

239-415-4150

Travel Lodge

13661 Indian Paint Ln

239-561-1117

GAINESVILLE

Best Western

4200 N.W. 97th Blvd.

352-331-3336

Home Hotel & Suites

3905 S.W. 43rd St.

352-376-0004

Motel 6

4000 S.W. 40th Blvd.

352-373-1604

Residence Inn by Marriott

I-75

3275 SW 40 Blvd

352-264-0000

KISSIMMEE

Ramada Gateway 7470 HWY 192

407-966-4410

Motel 6

5731 W. Irlo Bronson Hwy.

407-396-6333

LAKELAND

Hilton Garden Inn

3839 Don Emerson Drive

863-647-0066

Motel 6

3120 U.S. Hwy. 98 N. 863-682-0643

Residence Inn 3701 Harden Blvd. 863-680-2323

LAKE BUENA VISTA

Marriott Residence Inn 11450 Marbella Palm Court 407-465-0075

LAKE CITY

Baymont Inn & Suites 3598 US 90 W 386-752-3801

Days Inn

3430 N US Hwy 441

386-758-4224

LAKE MARY

Extended Stay America 1040 Greenwood Blvd 407-829-2332

Hyatt Place 1255 S International Pkwy

407-995-5555

La Quinta Inn 1060 Greenwood Blvd. 407-805-9901

Residence Inn 825 Heathrow Park Lane 407-995-3400

LEESBURG

Best Western Plus

1321 N. 14th Street

352-460-0118

Hampton Inn 9630 Us Hwy 441

352-315-1053

OCALA

Comfort Inn 1212 S Pine Ave

352-629-7300

Hampton Inn & Suites

3601 SW 38th Ave

352-867-0300

La Quinta Inn & Suites

3530 S.W. 36th Ave.

352-861-1137

Microtel Inn & Suites 1770 Southwest 134th St

352-307-1166

Equus Inn 3434 SW College Rd 352-854-3200

Residence Inn

3601 S.W. 38th Ave. 352-547-1600

Sleep Inn and Suites 13600 S.W. 17th Court 352-347-8383

ORLANDO

Hard Rock Hotel 5800 Universal Blvd. 407-503-2000

Holiday Inn Lake Buena Vista 13351 State Road 535 407-239-4500

La Quinta Inn - Universal Studios 5621 Major Blvd 407-313-3100

Motel 6 - Winter Park 5300 Adanson Street 407-647-1444

Motel 6 International 5909 American Way 407-351-6500

Residence Inn Seaworld 11000 Westwood Blvd. 407-313-3600

Staybridge Suites 7450 Augusta National Dr 407-438-2121

Townplace Suites 11801 High Tech Ave. 407-243-6100

PLANT CITY

Comfort Inn 2003 S Frontage Rd 813-707-6000

Knights Inn

301 S Frontage Rd 813-752-0570

PORT CHARLOTTE

Comfort Inn 812 Kings Hwy 941-421-7548

Days Inn

1941 Tamiami Trail 941-623-9404

Knights Inn 4100 Tamiami Trail 941-743-2442

Sleep Inn & Suites 806 Kings Highway 941-613-6300

PUNTA GORDA

Four Points by Sheraton 33 Tamiami Trail 941-637-6770

RUSKIN

Holiday Inn & Suites 226 Teco Rd. 813-922-4561

Ruskin Inn 3113 College Ave 813-641-3437

SANFORD

Best Western Plus 3401 S Orlando Dr 407-320-0845

SARASOTA

Comfort Suites 5690 Honore Ave 941-554-4475

Comfort Inn & Suites 5931 Commercial Way 941-342-8778

Courtyard Sarasota Bradenton 850 University Pkwy 941-355-3337

Embassy Suites by Hilton 202 N. Tamiami Trail 941-256-0190

Even Hotel – Lakewood Ranch 6231 Lake Osprey Dr 941-782-4400

Hampton Inn & Suites 8565 Cooper Creek Blvd 941-355-8619

Hibiscus Suites 1735 Stickney Point Road 941-921-5797

Hyatt Place Lakewood Ranch 6021 Exchange Way 941-946-2357

Hyatt Place Sarasota 950 University Pkwy 941-554-5800

La Quinta Inn & Suites 1803 N. Tamiami Trail 941-366-5128

Residence Inn 1040 University Pkwy. 941-358-1468

Days Inn 5000 N. Tamiami Trail 941-351-7734

Sleep Inn

900 University Pkwy. 941-359-8558

SEBRING

La Quinta Inn 4115 US 27 South 863-386-1000

Magnunson Grand 6525 US 27 North 863-385-4500

Residence Inn 3221 Tubbs Road 863-314-9100

Severn Sebring Hotel 150 Midway Dr 863-655-7200

SPRING HILL

Motel 6 6172 Commercial Way 352-596-2007

TALLAHASSEE

Best Western Pride Inn 2016 Apalachee Parkway 850-656-6312

La Quinta Inn North 2905 N. Monroe St. 850-385-7172

Motel 6 Downtown 1027 Apalachee Parkway 850-877-6171

Motel 6 West 2738 N. Monroe St. 850-386-7878

Quality Inn 3090 N. Monroe St. 850-562-2378

Red Roof Inn 2930 Hospitality Street 850-385-7884

Red Roof Inn 6737 Mahan Drive 850-656-2938

Residence Inn 1880 Raymond Diehl Road 850-422-0093

Residence Inn Universities 600 W. Gaines St. 850-329-9080

Sleep Inn 1695 Capital Circle N.W. 850-575-5885

Staybridge Suites 1600 Summit Lake Drive 850-219-7000

Suburban Extended Stay Hotel

522 Silver Slipper Lane 850-386-2121

TAMPA

Quality Inn-Busch Gardens 2701 E. Fowler Ave. 813-971-4710

Holiday Inn Express 8610 Elm Fair Blvd 813-490-1000

Holiday Inn Express 8310 Galbraith 813-910-7171

Homewood Suites by Hilton Tampa/Brandon 10240 Palm River Road 813-685-7099

Hyatt Place Tampa Airport 4811 W. Main St. 813-282-1037

Residence Inn 4312 W. Boy Scout Blvd. 813-877-7988

Sheraton Tampa East Hotel 10221 Princess Palm Ave 813-623-6363

TEMPLE TERRACE

Residence Inn 13420 N Telcom Parkway 813-972-4400

Towne Place Suites by Marriott 6800 Woodstork Rd 813-975-9777

WINTER HAVEN

Howard Johnson Inn 1300 3rd St SW 863-294-7321

Lake Roy Beach Inn 1825 Cypress Garden Blvd 863-324-6320

Roadway Inn & Suites 1911 Cypress Gardens Blvd. 863-324-5994

Neighbors

reached out to help neighbors in Cortez following Hurricane Helene.

BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com

CORTEZ – Following the devastation in Cortez caused by Hurricane Helene, many individuals and groups stepped up to help the Cortez residents who lost so much in the Sept. 26, 2024 hurricane.

The Cortez Church of Christ was a distribution center for donated food and supplies.

“Right now, the one thing people here need is air mattresses. People are still sleeping on their wet couches,” Jenee Hall said at the time.

Church members set up another distribution center at Sunny Shores mobile home park and volunteers handed out paper goods, food and cleaning and personal supplies.

“We do need air mattresses and bedding,” Kevin Hall said just

It takes a (fishing) village

after the disaster. “Another thing people could really use is charcoal grills.”

Bob Hooper, who had volunteered more than 1,000 hours in 2024 doing repair and maintenance work for the Cortez Cultural Center and the Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage (FISH) saw the flooding undo months of his work in refurbishing the old firehouse.

“We got about 4 feet of water in here,” Hooper said after the

storm. “I’m going to have to clean this up and probably repaint the walls. The cabinets and doors got wet, and the refrigerator was tipped over and ruined.”

Hooper, who stores many of his own tools in a small outbuilding next to the Cortez Cultural Center, lost those tools when the building caught fire.

“There was a rechargeable battery in there and when the saltwater hit it, the whole building went up,” he said. “The fire

He said it was fortunate that the winds didn’t carry the flames to the Cultural Center, which contained many historical artifacts, records and photos of the fishing village.

Many old books and historical records that had been stored in Fisherman’s Hall were ruined by the floodwaters.

“We are creating a list of who here needs what type of help. We'll then connect volunteers

rubber boots and come help us pick up the pieces,” a Facebook post on Star Fish Company’s page stated.

Despite having flooding in her home, Gail, a longtime Cortez resident, said she would never move away.

“You will never find another community where people help each other like this,” she said.

LESLIE LAKE | SUN

Above, Cortez Church of Christ volunteers distributed needed items at Sunny Shores mobile home park. Right, the old firehouse in Cortez, recently refurbished by Bob Hooper, sustained water damage during the storm.

HOLMES BEACH: Lessons guide this year’s hurricane preparations

forever grateful for. If we must evacuate the city, under the leadership of Mayor Titsworth we’ll work as fast as possible after the storm passes to make sure the area is safe so you can return quickly. We are praying for a storm-free season.”

Public Works Director Sage Kamiya said, “While we prepared and practiced for emergency response and recovery ahead of the storms, practicing is quite different than the real deal and recovering from the two catastrophic events we experienced firsthand. In past years, we’ve been able to practice small components of a storm - flooding from Hurricanes Idalia and Debby, wind damage and vegetative debris from Ian and flooding from several storms in August 2024.

“We learned preparation is important. The hurricane exercises, emergency operation plan development, practicing evacuating city equipment, preparing facilities and obtaining necessary tools all helped staff respond to these catastrophic events. Each storm brings more lessons we can use and this year Public Works purchased 800 MHz radios so we can communicate sooner and easier with the county and with city staff when cellular service is down.

“It’s not a sign of weakness to ask for help,” Kamiya said. “We invited an incident management team from Texas, public works crews from Santa Rosa County and others from across the state to assist us in our response. If needed, we are prepared to seek mutual aid support again. As a result of these experiences, I believe we are as prepared as ever for this storm season.”

Development Services Director Chad

City Field became ground zero for Holmes Beach’s daunting debris removal efforts.

Minor oversees the city’s building, code compliance and planning departments and he feels the insights gained last year will strengthen the city’s resilience and recovery efforts moving forward.

“First and foremost, we observed that the city’s approach to FEMA compliance, flood prevention, building and land development codes and active code compliance efforts resulted in many structures avoiding significant damage and loss of property. This underscores the importance of continued investment in code compliance, floodplain management and the modernization of building and land development codes,” Minor said.

“During the recovery phase, timely access to damage assessments proved critical. Processes and procedures were put in place to streamline permitting and the city continues to waive permit fees for much of the ongoing storm-related recovery work. Valuable lessons were learned and processes and procedures were refined throughout the recovery process. As a result, city staff is well-equipped to respond should the community be faced with another event,” Minor said.

Stay connected

Here’s how to connect with local officials to receive up-to-date information about severe weather.

• Buy a weather radio, preferably one that uses batteries and has crank-power capabilities. Radio stations broadcast continuous updates and weatherrelated safety information from the closest National Weather Service office.

• Call the Florida Division of Emergency Management State Assistance and Information Line, or SAIL, at 800-342-3557. FDEM activates the toll-free hotline during emergencies.

• Connect with FDEM on social media. Follow FDEM on Twitter @FLSERT and find them on Facebook at facebook.com/ FloridaSERT.

• Connect with local emergency managers on social media. Every Florida county has an emergency management office and many are active on social media. Floridians may search for and follow their community’s office on Twitter or Facebook to interact with them and get severe weather updates.

• Enable Wireless Emergency Alerts on mobile devices. Many cell phones are capable of receiving automatic WEAs that provide local emergency alerts. Floridians can receive WEAs at all times since cell network congestion does not affect messages and providers offer the service for free.

• Download the FEMA mobile app on your phone and set it to receive notifications.

• Pay attention to local media. Local radio, television and websites are great sources for continuous weather updates and advisories.

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

ANNA MARIA: Hurricane lessons learned carry forward

“Hurricanes Helene and Milton both provided many challenges never faced before in Manatee County. These storms will undoubtedly leave lasting impacts on our community for years to come.

“Hurricane Helene highlighted the critical importance of storm surge awareness and preparedness. The Anna Maria Unit took proactive efforts that included relocating vehicles, personnel and equipment; however, the severity of coastal flooding was widespread. The saltwater intrusion alone is a lasting concern, particularly regarding the impact on vehicles and infrastructure,” he said.

“While the Anna Maria Unit took the necessary precautions, some within the community did not take the storm surge warnings seriously enough. We hope this experience will encourage greater public responsiveness during future events.

“Hurricane Milton reinforced lessons learned from Helene regarding storm surge and further emphasized the importance of addressing high winds,” Getman said. “Milton demonstrated how quickly conditions can deteriorate and how

crucial interagency coordination becomes, especially when residents and business owners seek to return to the Island. To address this, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office plans to post an Anna Maria deputy at the Manatee Avenue Bridge checkpoint in Holmes Beach. Our presence at this location will provide the necessary commu-

nication between the respective agencies on the Island. It will also improve the timeliness and safety of our local residents and business owners who wish to access their property.

“Looking ahead, I believe an increase in early public outreach and education on storm surge and wind hazards would be

extremely beneficial. The more informed our community is, the more effective our response will be. If Anna Maria is struck again, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and the Anna Maria Unit will be prepared and ready to serve the community as it has been in the past.

“We ask everyone to embrace patience, especially in the immediate aftermath of a storm. The Sheriff’s Office and city officials need time to safely survey the Island, assess conditions and minimize safety concerns for reentry. During these critical hours, official social media platforms, including those of the city of Anna Maria and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, will be your most reliable and up-to-date sources of information,” Getman said.

General Manager Dean Jones said, “Be prepared. Make sure you have all your supplies: flashlights, batteries, water, food and anything else you may need. Make sure your medications are refilled. Listen to emergency management. Listen to the TV or the radio and monitor social media. If you’re in an evacuation zone and told to get out, get out. It’s too dangerous and it’s not worth it to stay. Take care of your family and take care of your pets.”

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

Hurricane Milton demolished the second-story commercial space in Anna Maria occupied by Body & Sol Spa and Wellness.

REAL ESTATE

New take on hurricanes

Ilove to write. I didn’t come to writing from anything I learned in “J” school, where I never went, but rather in the school of hard knocks, working in business in New York City. Funny thing about writing, when I look back at the words I put on paper, my reaction is, “Who wrote that?”

Sometimes writing is like an out-ofbody experience; you know you wrote it but have no memory of doing it. When I wrote last year’s hurricane column, we were experiencing a down real estate market and the idea of the hurricane season approaching wasn’t making that fact any easier to accept. Based on the April sales statistics in last week’s column, we’re still in a slow market, which may be a serious understatement. It’s been a challenging year for real estate, and we won’t know what happens next until we get into the fall and the buyers and sellers have had a year to forget and relax.

Castles in the Sand

Since real estate sales is such a vital component to the economy as a whole, everyone is holding their breath waiting to see what storms we may be looking at. I have decided not to read any of the predictions and close my eyes and ears every time I hear the Colorado State University forecast as my personal self-preservation tactic. That’s not to say when one gets close, we don’t still all need to prepare.

After last year, if you live on the Island and along the coast, have your evacuation plan in place. Food, medications, first aid kit, flashlights, batteries, radios, cash and some

clothing. I remember last year there was a chance the water supply may not be available a few days after the storm so store some drinking water and water for flushing and washing. Last year for the first time, I took my homeowner’s and auto insurance policies when I evacuated and actually looked at them the day after the storm. I’m guessing this year generators will be a hot item to purchase, so if you’re planning on getting one, do it now.

When you leave, secure your property - lock everything tight - because last year, there was so much damage residents couldn’t get home and there were reports of vandals. Get out or roll down your window and door protections and put away any outdoor furniture or plants that can become airborne. Turn off utilities, particularly gas, and don’t leave your refrigerator and freezer with any raw

meat that could damage your refrigerator if power is off for several days.

Manatee County’s website has extensive information and guidance for after the storm. And remember that the FEMA value of your property now appears on county records along with tons of information going forward if you have damage.

Hurricane Helene was Sept. 24, 2024 and Hurricane Milton was Oct. 5, 2024. These were historic events that we pray won’t repeat themselves. Whatever the predictions are, don’t tell me the stress of anticipation is almost as bad as the actual storm. Florida is a big state, so storms have a very long coastline to choose from when striking.

I’m sure when I reread this column next year, I again won’t believe I wrote these words. If I can stick to my not listening to predictions vow, it will be a miracle.

LOUISE BOLGER

Be sure to prepare your home

Here’s some tips to secure your home, pool and yard before a storm. HOME PREPARATION

• Install shutters on all openings, including windows, doors, sliding glass doors, French doors and garage doors

• If using plywood, purchase 5/8" thick plywood well before a storm arrives, pre-measure, pre-drill and label each piece, or buy clips to attach plywood to window frames

• Install impact resistant windows

• Caulk or install weather stripping around windows

• Install three door hinges on outside doors

• Install deadbolts that extend one inch into the door jamb on outside doors

• Repair loose or missing roof shingles

• Inspect soffits for adequate fasteners

• Replace loose or missing soffits

frigerant lines, water heater pressure relief lines, water pipes, cable and satellite

TV wires, telephone wires, Internet wires and exhaust fan vents from bathroom, kitchen, clothes dryer

• Inside, seal around electrical boxes and circuit breaker panels, electrical outlets, exhaust fan vents

• Bring loose items inside, including garbage cans, lawn furniture, decorations, hoses, hanging plants, grills

• Turn off or disconnect electric, gas, water and sewer before evacuating.

MOBILE HOME PREPARATION

• Inspect, repair or add tie-down straps and anchors according to Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles standards

• Make sure straps are properly aligned and not on an angle

• Verify that ground anchors and stabilizer plates have been installed properly

• Be sure support piers are in contact with the frame

• Replace straps or ground anchors that show signs of corrosion or damage.

• Inspect and repair wood rot and termite damage in wall-to-floor connections, wall-to-roof connections, perimeter joists and trusses

• Inspect fasteners if home has a roof-over

• Close shutters

• Secure loose outdoor objects

• Turn off or disconnect electricity, gas, water and sewer

• Establish a community evacuation plan for your mobile home park

• Make a list of residents’ phone numbers, altern ate addresses

• Outside, seal openings from air conditioning re-

• Check to be sure the proper number of tiedowns have been installed properly

• Assign each neighbor a partner to help them evacuate.

More hurricane tips

It’s easy to forget things when a hurricane is coming. Here are some reminders:

• Plan where you will evacuate in advance, and tell friends or family in other states.

• Register special needs residents in advance for county transportation to evacuation shelters.

• Check your insurance policies – wind, flood and liability – to make sure they are in effect.

• Find the elevation of your home and your evacuation zone at www.my.manatee.org.

• Anna Maria Island residents and business owners should obtain or locate their re-entry

tags from their city before evacuating. They are available at Anna Maria City Hall, Bradenton Beach City Hall and the Holmes Beach Police Department. One tag per residence or business is issued.

• Consider buying a generator; ethanol-free gas to power generators is available at marinas.

• Find out where sandbags will be provided and stock up.

• Vacation rental agents should provide a hurricane guide in each rental unit during hurricane season.

• Bridges to Anna Maria Island may be closed as a hurricane approaches and water and electricity may be shut off, so evacuate when ordered.

• Turn off water, electric and gas mains when you leave to avoid broken pipes.

• Bring medicines, cash – both paper and coins for vending machines – and disaster kits to shelters.

• Research how to turn your cell phone into a wi-fi hotspot before you lose cell service.

• Research how to extend battery life on your cell phone before the battery goes dead or buy a spare battery pack for your phone; remember, you can also charge your phone in your car.

TREEHOUSE: Fines will not be reduced

FROM PAGE 3

Tran suggested possibly reducing the $183,350 treehouse lien to $18,000 and allowing that amount to be paid over time.

Commissioner Carol Soustek served in office for the entirety of the treehouse dispute and she said Tran and Hazen filed at least 14 legal actions against the city.

“That’s why the city’s legal fees are so high,” she said of the city’s legal fees that Augello said exceeded $220,000.

Regarding the request to reduce the treehouse finerelated lien, Soustek said, “I cannot be sympathetic to you. You had opportunity after opportunity to stop the legal action and you chose to continue. I cannot do away with that.”

Soustek said she would support the couple working out a payment plan with the city but she would not support reducing the treehouse lien amount owed.

“I will not wipe one penny because it was not the city who caused this,” she said.

Regarding the vacation rental fines, Soustek asked Tran if they’re still renting out their resort units.

“I have to pay bills. Yes, I am,” Tran said. “I have chosen to violate that because we can’t be out in the street not paying bills.”

When addressing the treehouse fines, Commissioner Terry Schaefer said, “We made it pretty clear that we’re here today because of your actions and not the city’s actions.”

The treehouse lien reduction discussion ended with the commission voting 5-0 to deny the lien reduction request.

RENTAL VIOLATIONS

Augello said the issue before the commission that day pertained only to the treehouse lien and not the ongoing vacation rental fines that Director

of Development Services

Chad Minor said totaled $186,129 as of that day.

Augello said Tran and Hazen can apply for a vacation rental certificate anytime they want because removing the treehouse remedied that violation. She said the resort property would first have to pass a vacation rental inspection and she didn’t know if

the resort property, in its current condition, would pass that inspection. Tran said she would apply for the vacation rental certificate the following day.

When contacted on June 2, Code Compliance Chief James Thomas said the couple did apply for a vacation rental certificate but the inspection hadn’t happened yet.

FUN IN THE SUN

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PAINT! PAINT! AND MORE 28 years of experienced interior/exterior custom painting. Pressure cleaning, drywall repairs and texture finishes. Many Island references. Please call Neil for free estimates. 941-812-0507

“WIZARD OF WALLS” Established 1980 Prompt quality service. Wallpaper installation/ removal. Mary Bell Winegarden 941-794-0455

DONALD PERKINS ABRACADABRA PAINTING LLC fully insured. 30 years experience. Many Island references. Call 941-705-7096

PROFESSIONAL PAINTING SERVICES. Prompt & Reliable. Island Resident. Quality Workmanship. Interior/Exterior. Minor repairs & carpentry. Free estimates. Bill Witaszek 941-307-9315

TRUE TONE PAINTING. Painting, power washing, epoxy floors and more, No job too small. Please call 941-224-4020 www. truetonepainting.com

PEST CONTROL

ANNA MARIA PEST CONTROL Call 941-7781630

POOL SERVICES

FOUR SEASONS POOL SERVICE AND CHEMICAL SERVICES. Certified Pool Operator. 18 + Years Experience. Residential/commercial. Chemical Service Licensed & Insured. Call Dennis Clark 941-7375657

COLE'S TROPICAL POOL SERVICE Call Cole Bowers for all your pool maintenance needs! Affordable and Dependable!! 941-713-1893

PRESSURE WASHING & WINDOWS

TOTAL HOME SERVICES CLEANING: Residential, Commercial, Construction, Vacation, VRBO Rentals . Also available Pressure Washing, Roof Cleaning, Paver Sealing and Windows. Call 941-5653931.

REAL ESTATE HOMES & CONDOS FOR SALE

Have you been thinking of selling? We NEED properties to List for SALE!!! GULF FRONT, CANAL FRONT, BAY FRONT CONDOS or HOMES ASK for BIG Alan Galletto of Island Real Estate to get it SOLD 941-232-2216

LOOKING FOR A highly motivated real estate broker to buy or sell your next home? Darcie Duncan, Broker Duncan Real Estate a lifelong island resident bringing success to her customers for 30 years. Proven track record brings you results! 941-725-1589

HOLMES BEACH Partial Gulf View & Intracoastal views 5BR/4BA/4CG Custom built home private pool, elevator, all tile flooring. Best Price $2,600,000. Sharon Hightower RE/MAX Alliance Group 941-3305054.

PERICO ISLAND

3BR/2BA single family home 2 car garage great community Clubhouse, pool, fitness room, sauna, sold furnished $699,900. Sharon Hightower RE/ MAX Alliance Group 941-330-5054.

BEST DEAL ON THE ISLAND $2.6 million custom built 5 bedroom 4 bath pool home gulf views roof top deck, elevator, 3 car garage, income producing property. Sharon Hightower Remax alliance group 941-330-5054

FOR SALE - PERICO

BAY CLUB New Price for 2BR/2BA villa with Water View!

2 CAR GARAGE, open floor plan & high ceilings! $374,400 Call Erin Leathem at The Anna Maria Sales Team at Island Real Estate 941448-5616

RENTALS: ANNUAL

ANNUAL RENTAL minutes to beaches 2BR/2BA Condo. Water/cable included, pool, washer/ dryer. $1595/mo. Call 941713-6743

HOLMES BEACH 209 83rd St.: 2BR/2BA private pool, large screened lanai! $3000/mo. Water, trash, lawn care included. Also pool care. Annual, unfurnished. 1 Year lease. 1st, & $4500 security deposit Call 941-809-2488

BEAUTIFUL PERICO BAY Club Condo! 2BR/2BA, Second Floor Unit $4750/ mo seasonally, $2500/mo annually +Security Deposit Please call 941-7781979 for more details.

BRADENTON BEACH NEWLY RENOVATED 2BR/1BA downstairs, walk to beach & Bolan park. $2350/mo First, last & $800 deposit. Call 941-705-4737.

WATERFRONT ANNA MARIA ISLAND exclusive Key Royal home. 2BR/2BA/2CG. Completely remodeled. Pool, Dock with Boat lift. Walk to beaches and golf course. Pet friendly. Fenced yard. Non-smoking. Annual Rental. Unfurnished. Call owner 941-704-7336 $7500/mo. Available 7/1/2025

YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS this rare opportunity to live on Anna Maria Island. Please call the office at 941-778-1979 to see this 2BR/2BA $2975/ mo renovated home with a beautifully landscaped large backyard.

HOLMES BEACH 2nd FLOOR living. 1BR/BA, bonus room. Just updated. New appliances. No hurricane damage. Carport under home. No pets/no smoking. $2000/mo. Call 860-922-3857

RENTALS: SEASONAL & VACATION

ANNA MARIA ISLAND

CONDOS Large pool, beach access, free WiFi, 1&2 Bedroom $900 to $1200 per week redekercondosonami.com Tim 941-704-7525

TIFFANY PLACE Gulf Front Condo for Rent

Incredible views from living room and master bedroom. 2BR/2BA Green Real Estate Call 941-778-0455

SEASONAL RENTAL in PALMA SOLA. 3BR/2BA weekly or monthly rates. Contact Barb Grace 941201-2190

AVAILABLE NOW! SEASONAL RENTAL Beautiful bright renovated condo 2BR/2BA - 1 floor Perico Bay Club - gym, tennis, hot tub, pool, parking $4700/ month Call 612-802-8357

WATERFRONT 2BR/2BA first floor condo available May and/or June. Additional months considered. Two pools, tennis/ pickleball, one block from beach, shopping. Call/ text Kathy 973-219-0335. Sorry, no pets.

TRANSPORTATION

ANYTIME TRANSPORTATION to all Airports, Casino, etc. Tampa/St. Pete $85. Sarasota $40. Pets welcome. Very dependable. Reasonable rates. Contact Jeanne. 941-7795095