Volunteers find first sea turtle nest of season
Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring announced the discovery of the first loggerhead sea turtle nest of the 2025 season on the Island on May 3, two days after the official start of sea turtle season on May 1. Turtle Watch does not disclose the exact locations of nests. Beachgoers are reminded not to disturb nests, which are marked with yellow stakes and tape. For more on sea turtles, see Page 9.
Island's city clerks honored during Professional Municipal Clerks Week Ferry landing requires city commission approval
County and city officials will discuss the ferry landing scenarios on Thursday, May 8.
BY JOE HENDRICKS
SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
ANNA MARIA – When discussing three conceptual scenarios for a Manatee County-funded Gulf Islands Ferry stop in Anna Maria, Mayor Mark Short said city commission approval is needed for any ferry landing installed at or near the Anna Maria City Pier.
The ferry landing scenarios first discussed during the April 21 Manatee
County Tourist Development Council (TDC) meeting include a standalone ferry stop located between the City Pier and the Lake La Vista jetty. This scenario also calls for the current jetty to be extended to help reduce sediment accumulation and the need for maintenance-related dredging of the channel. The conceptual scenarios also include a ferry landing installed alongside the northwest side of the City Pier walkway or a ferry landing that extends from the tip of the T-end of the pier.
Last October, Hurricane Milton destroyed most of the pier walkway,
SEE FERRY, PAGE 11
City clerks are a bridge between the public and their elected officials.
BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The annual proclamation of Professional Municipal Clerks Week is a reminder of the important roles city clerks and their staffs play in the operation of a city government.
The 56th Annual Professional Municipal Clerks Week is being celebrated this year from May 4-10 and the International Institute of Municipal Clerks provided proclamations to be read aloud by city mayors in honor of their city clerks.
The one-page proclamation notes the
office of the municipal clerk is the oldest among public servants and municipal clerks play vital roles in the operation of local governments worldwide. The office of the municipal clerk provides the professional link between the citizens, the local governing bodies and agencies and county, state and federal agencies while serving as the information center for the community and the local government.
“Municipal clerks have pledged to be ever-mindful of their neutrality and impartiality, rendering service to all,” the proclamation declares. “It is most appropriate that we recognize the accomplishments of the office of the professional municipal clerk.”
Anna Maria Island, Florida
ANNA MARIA ISLAND TURTLE WATCH AND SHOREBIRD MONITORING | SUBMITTED
ISLAND NEWS
IN BRIEF
Fourth Avenue paving approved
The Holmes Beach City Commission has approved a $73,619 contract with Digging Deep Construction Services to pave Fourth Avenue. When requesting the funding authorization on April 22, Public Works Director Sage Kamiya said property owners requested the paving of the unpaved street the city frequently has to maintain and repair. Fourth Avenue connects with 41st Street near the Castnetter Beach Resorts, across the street from Manatee Beach.
Special CRA meeting set to prioritize projects
A special Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) workshop will be held on Thursday, May 8 at 9:30 a.m. to discuss prioritizing upcoming projects in the CRA district. General public comment will be allowed. The meeting will be at the Katie Pierola Commission Chambers, 107 Gulf Drive N.
Work meeting to determine CDBG project priority list
A Bradenton Beach Commission work meeting to determine the Community Development Block Grant project priority list will be held on Thursday, May 8 at 11 a.m. General public comment will be allowed. The meeting will be at the Katie Pierola Commission Chambers, 107 Gulf Drive N.
City, county officials to discuss ferry landing
The Thursday, May 8 Anna Maria City Commission meeting at 1 p.m. will include a ferry landing presentation given by Manatee County staff members Elliott Falcione and Charlie Hunsicker. The ferry landing discussion will occur after the deputy of the month is recognized and Professional Municipal Clerks Week is proclaimed. The consent agenda includes the extension of the ongoing local emergency declarations associated with Hurricanes Helene and Milton, a financial advisory service agreement with the Public Resources Advisory Group and a written agreement between the city and The Center of Anna Maria Island for the Memorial Day ceremony to be held inside The Center gym on Monday, May 26. Under regular business, the commission will be asked to authorize an agreement with Orange Data Systems for lien search services and to approve an Eagle Scout project to revegetate the area near the City Pier. The commission will be presented with a city resolution that would amend the credit card use and travel policies currently set forth in the city’s employee handbook. The mayor and commission will discuss potential capital project funding for The Center and the mayor and general manager will provide a citywide capital projects update. To access the commission meeting by phone, call 1-929-205-6099 and enter the meeting ID: 85392000280.
BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com
BRADENTON BEACH – The attorney for the owners of the parking lot at the Pines Trailer Park said residents who pay their rent may continue to use the lot for free while the city commission considers the owners’ request to charge for parking at the lot.
Attorney Stephen Thompson, representing the property owners, including developer Shawn Kaleta, made the concession during a special commission meeting on May 1 in which commissioners directed the building official to review regulations as it pertains to the parking lot at 205 First St. N.
When lot owners converted the lot to paid parking last December, many Pines Trailer Park residents lost their parking spaces.
“I’ve lived in Pines for 36 years,” said Mary Mox. “I’m speaking
today for our many senior residents who feel devastated by what’s happening with our only parking lot. Our only safe place to park as seniors and disabled residents was taken from us. For senior residents this isn’t just an inconvenience, it’s a hardship.”
“Based on our review of this we could not find any master plan showing the parking lot as a part of the Pines Trailer Park,” City planner Luis Serna reported on May 1. However, “It’s commonly understood that the parking lot has been used for the Pines Trailer Park.”
He reported that the site has been used for parking since at least the 1980s and has been under common ownership of the Pines Trailer Park since at least the 1930s.
“Our determination is this parking lot is a legal non-conforming use in the C-1 zoning district,
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Pines residents can use paid parking lot – for now Commissioners vote to extend permit for Bridge Street parking
The permit is extended until Sept. 9, 2026.
BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com
BRADENTON BEACH – City commissioners approved on May 1 an extension to a temporary use permit for the public paid parking lot at 101 Bridge St. until Sept. 9, 2026. Prior to the approval, much of the discussion centered around the appropriate expiration date for the temporary use permit. The original permit was approved by the commission for one year on Feb. 15, 2024 with conditions, however, the property owners did not have those stipulations approved by the building official until Sept. 9, 2024.
“This is a Temporary Use Permit for paid parking at the hotel PUD. One of the reasons it was allowed was because of
the zoning, it’s not a parking lot allowable use, but because it was a PUD for the hotel, we allowed it to take place temporarily,” Mayor John Chappie said.
On Dec. 7, 2023, the city commission approved an application from Shawn Kaleta and Jake Spooner for a 106-room hotel to be built on the site that encompasses 106 Third St. S.,101 Bridge St., 105 Bridge St., and 219 Gulf Drive S. where the parking lot stands.
Chappie said when the city discovered that the paid parking temporary use permit had expired on Feb. 15, 2025, continuation of the use constituted a violation.
“So, they needed to come forward with a new application and they’ve done that,” Chappie said.
Sam Negrin spoke on behalf of parking lot owners Beach to Bay Investments.
meaning it can remain as currently used but any change in use would require it to come under compliance with the C-1 zoning district,” he said.
He said primary use as a standalone parking lot is specifically prohibited in the C-1 district.
“As a legal non-conforming use, the parking lot may remain as an accessory use for the Pines Trailer Park,” Serna said. “Any proposal to convert all or a portion of the parking lot for public parking would result in the loss of its non-conforming status and would not be permitted. Any other use of the property must comply with the standards and requirements of the C-1 zoning district.”
Serna said because of the longtime use of the property as an accessory to the Pines Trailer Park, he would recommend that
SEE PINES, PAGE 19
“As the mayor stated we are looking to continue the paid parking,” Negrin said. “The parking there is a temporary use. We do plan on continuing that development that we do have planned there but obviously the storms have set us back greatly.”
Negrin said he did not have an exact timeline as to when the hotel will be built.
“The lots greatly benefit all of the businesses on Bridge Street. We all know there’s a very large parking problem in the city in terms of what’s available around Bridge Street. These lots remain full all through season,” he said.
Negrin said the parking lot stipulations attached to the temporary use permit took several months.
“We realize that we need to get the lot landscaped and pick up
‘Grace & Glorie’ face end-of-life challenges
Two women with vastly different backgrounds teach each other about life and death.
BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
ANNA MARIA – The Island Players’ 76th theater season concludes with 10 performances of Tom Ziegler’s dramatic comedy, “Grace & Glorie,” which opens Thursday, May 8 and closes Sunday, May 18.
“Grace is a feisty 90-yearold who has retreated to her mountain cabin in Virginia. Glorie is a transplanted New Yorker with a Harvard MBA and a novice hospice volunteer,” according to the synopsis at the Island Players website. “Their cultures clash until the two women learn they have more in common than they ever could imagine.”
Estelle Parsons and Lucie Arnaz starred in the play when it first opened
off-Broadway in 1996, and Gena Rowlands and Diane Lane starred in the teleplay that aired on CBS in 1998.
Island Players’ veteran James Thaggard is directing the two-member cast that features Island Players’ veterans Nancy Denton as Grace and Jennifer Kwiatkowski as Gloria, whom Grace calls ‘Glorie.’
“It’s about friendship and found family where you least expect it,” Thaggard said. “We have two characters starting off being rather antagonistic towards each other. We have a very stubborn, illiterate, but wise farmwoman who’s released herself from hospice to die peacefully in her mountain cabin she’s lived in all her life. Glorie is a transplanted New Yorker who signed up for hospice. Glorie isn’t quite ready for Grace, and Grace isn’t quite ready for Glorie, but a friendship evolves between these two women played by two absolutely fantastic actresses.”
“Grace is dying of cancer and she leaves the hospital because she wants to be home,” Denton said. “She’s very much her own person and she has her own long-held belief systems. She and Gloria are vastly different and they upend each other’s belief systems.”
“This is a different character for me,” Kwiatkowski said. “I usually do farces and comedies. This is my first serious role, but there are moments of levity. Things get heavy and then something funny will be said or something funny will happen. It’s on the same
level as ‘Steel Magnolias.’ It’s funny, yet serious.”
Kwiatkowski played Truvy Jones in the Island Players’ 2019 production of ‘Steel Magnolias’ – the role Dolly Parton played in the 1989 movie. She’s married to West Manatee Fire Rescue Fire Marshall Rodney Kwiatkowski. They met in 2015 when she went to see a friend perform in the Island Players’ production of “Becky’s New Car,” which Rodney also had a role in. They met after the performance, started dating and have been married for seven years. They performed together in “Almost Maine” and hope to share the stage again someday. When asked about the challenges of acting in a two-person play, Denton said, “There’s more lines to learn so there’s a lot more pressure; and you don’t want people to get bored with only two characters.”
ISLAND PLAYERS | SUBMITTED
“Grace and Glorie” stars Nancy Denton, left, and Jennifer Kwiatkowski.
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Sea turtle season kicks off with Suzi Fox Day
Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird
Monitoring volunteers held the educational outreach event, Suzi Fox Day, at Coquina Beach.
BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com
BRADENTON BEACH –
The official start to sea turtle nesting season kicked off at Coquina Beach on May 1.
The educational event was named Suzi Fox Day, in tribute to the late executive director of Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring.
“This is the kickoff for the season, it’s a celebration for
TURTLE TIPS
the volunteers, it’s a celebration of Suzi Fox and her legacy of educating people and also to try to get information out to people,” Turtle Watch Executive Director Kristin Mazzarella said. “We’re trying to educate people and we’re also trying to get property managers here to come and pick up additional outreach materials, so they have them to give out to their visitors.”
Volunteers handed out educational materials to raise awareness of turtle-friendly actions, including brochures outlining turtle safety tips, and PAR 20 light bulbs.
“They’re amber LED light bulbs so that we can get 'lights out' on the beach,” Mazzarella said. “It’s really important
During sea turtle season, May 1-Oct. 31, follow these tips to help turtles:
• Turn off lights visible from the beach and close blinds from sundown to sunrise; lights confuse nesting sea turtles and may cause them to go back to sea and drop their eggs in the water, where they won’t hatch. Light can also attract hatchlings away from the water.
• Don’t use flashlights, lanterns or camera flashes on the beach at night.
• Remove all beach chairs and other objects from the sand from sundown
LESLIE LAKE | SUN
Turtle Watch Executive Director Kristin Mazzarella educates attendees about sea turtles at Suzi Fox Day on May 1.
this year because the lighting is going to be worse with the dunes gone (following last year’s hurricane flooding).”
to sunrise; they can deter sea turtles from nesting and disorient hatchlings.
• Fill in the holes you dig in the sand before leaving the beach; they can trap nesting and hatching sea turtles, which cannot live long out of the water. You might also accidentally dig into an unmarked nest. To report large holes or other turtle obstacles, call:
• City of Anna Maria code enforcement — 941-708-6130, ext. 111.
• City of Bradenton Beach code enforcement — 941-778-1005, ext. 227.
• City of Holmes Beach code enforcement — 941-778-0331, ext. 260.
• Level sandcastles before leaving
Tips included the following:
• Make it Dark - Turn off outside lights and close blinds to keep the Island and beach
the beach; they can block hatchlings from the water.
• Don’t use balloons, wish lanterns or fireworks; they litter the beach and Gulf, and turtles can ingest the debris.
• Do not trim trees and plants that shield the beach from lights.
• Never touch a sea turtle; it’s the law.
If you see people disturbing turtles, call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Wildlife Alert hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).
Source: Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring
dark. If you need lights, there are options for wildlifefriendly lighting available at the FWC website: https:// myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/ wildlife/sea-turtle/lighting/
• Make it Flat - Fill in holes and knock down sandcastles to make it safer and easier for turtles to navigate the beach.
• Make it Clean - If you take it to the beach, take it with you when you leave. Do not leave items on the beach overnight, including beach chairs, umbrellas and beach toys.
A nesting sea turtle is scheduled to be released on Monday, June 23 at 8 a.m. at Coquina Beach. The exact location will be announced on the Turtle Watch Facebook page that morning.
NESTING NEWS
Turtle nests laid: 1 (Record: 544 in 2019) False crawls: 0 (Record: 831 in 2010) Nests hatched: 0 (Record: 453 in 2022) Hatchlings hatched: 0 (Record: 35,850 in 2022) Hatchling disorientations: 0 Adult disorientations: 0
Source: Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring
Kansas, The Outlaws rock Palmetto
Kansas performed a stellar 12-song, hit-filled, neoclassical progrock concert at the Bradenton Area Convention Center in Palmetto on May 2. They were joined by Southern rock stalwarts, The Outlaws, led by classic lineup member Henry Paul. Read more about the show at www.amisun.com.
JOE HENDRICKS | SUN
AME teacher receives Congressional Education Award
Anna Maria Elementary School teacher Laura Redeker received a Florida 16th District 2025 Congressional Education Award from Congressman Vern Buchanan. Buchanan established the awards program 11 years ago to give special recognition to administrators, educators and support staff in Florida’s 16th Congressional District for exceptional achievement. “School employees go above and beyond every day to shape the future of our community,” Buchanan said in a press release. “They’re the mentors, the role models and the quiet champions behind every student’s success. Their dedication deserves our deepest appreciation, which is why I’m honored to recognize these educators and staff for their amazing work.”
Christmas bikes sent to storage
On May 2, Anna Maria resident Carl Augostini, a retired electrical engineer, placed 27 repaired and restored bicycles on a trailer to be delivered to the safe and dry storage location where they’ll stay until they’re given away to needy children and adults during the Christmas season. Augostini has restored and donated hundreds of bicycles during the past 13 years or so that he has engaged in this annual act of kindness. Last year, he had to restore and repair many bikes twice due to the saltwater intrusion his ground-level garage sustained during Hurricane Helene.
CARL AUGOSTINI | SUBMITTED
BRIDGE STREET: Commissioners vote to extend permit parking
some of the debris but we need to make sure that with this approval we will clean that lot right back up as well as meet any other future stipulations,” Negrin said. “I want to assure you that our intention truly is to move that project forward and not keep this a parking lot. We took a huge hit in these storms. A lot of our architects, our engineers are backed up right now.”
Chappie asked about the status of the hotel project and the partnership between Kaleta and Spooner.
“I’ve heard Mr. Spooner is not part of it now. Everything is connected to the PUD,” Chappie said.
“I wish I had a better answer for you. This development has come second to the two owners restoring their existing assets,” Negrin said. “These past six months have been detrimental to all these property owners and the focus has been more on restoring what they have as opposed to
moving forward with this new PUD. Mr. Spooner has never said anything to us or sent us anything in writing that that was the case.”
With regard to the expiration of the temporary use permit, Negrin said it was his error and a misunderstanding.
“We met all the stipulations by Sept. 9. I have texts from (former city building official)
Darin Cushing saying he was going to sign off now, to me that was when we were going to have a year from. My mistake. I understand now this is not the case, I had believed we had until Sept. 9,” Negrin said.
Chappie said that under Chapter 418.3 of the Land Development Code, temporary use permits may be extended by the commission because of extenuating circumstances such as weather delays.
Two Bridge Street business owners spoke in support of the parking lot.
Angela Rodocker, owner of Bridgewalk, said, “The parking lot really benefits
Sept. 9, 2026.
the street. It would be a sad thing to get this lot shut down and just sit there until it gets developed.”
Rodocker addressed the parking fees that are reportedly $15 per hour.
“There are many complaints about the price,” she said. “I absolutely believe that this is his land, and he has every right to put it out at whatever he values. But I do think if
Shawn and your company would like to be more embraced, it would behoove you to lower the rate.”
“I spoke to some of the merchants and these parking lots certainly help our businesses,” Drift-In owner Derek Williams said. “I also feel Sam, there’s an opportunity. Don’t just come back and ask forgiveness - that’s what’s frustrating me. It’s hard on
the businesses, because, yes, it gives them parking but also for people with a little bit of a limited budget they’re spending a third of their money on parking. Maybe there’s a balance there. I’m in support of this, but I think it really needs to be looked at from that standpoint.”
Commissioner Deborah Scaccianoce noted that the city doesn’t have authority over the parking fees.
Negrin addressed the business owners’ comments. “In terms of the cost, to give a little bit of the background the parking lot management companies take a large fee, credit card fees, sales tax and the enforcement companies also take a large fee,” he said. “So while that figure might look so huge at the end of the day, to the property owner who pays the insurance, who pays the taxes, who paid for the property, it’s not as significant a revenue making it back to them as you may think.”
SEE BRIDGE STREET, PAGE 17
LESLIE LAKE | SUN
The temporary use permit for paid public parking at 101 Bridge St. was extended until
BRIDGE STREET: Commissioners vote to extend permit parking
Commissioner Scott Bear expressed concern about what could happen if there is a weather event this year.
“Then we’re here again next year with the owner saying, ‘I’m fixing other properties’ and this PUD isn’t a priority,” Bear said.
City Attorney Ricinda Perry said the applicants have two years from the date of the hotel approval to get building permits into the city for review and approval and construction should begin within six months of issuance of a building permit.
Chappie said public comment from the business owners showed the parking lot is beneficial, and asked Perry for recommendations on how to proceed.
“I was not consulted on the application to determine whether it was expired or not, I don’t know what staff member made that decision,” Perry said.
“It says in the stipulations it was just for one year from date of approval,” Chappie said.
“We gave discretion to the
building official to have a site plan reviewed by the building official with specific requirements,” Perry said. “I don’t think it says anything specific in 418 if it runs from the date the governing body issues approval or if it’s running from the date the site plan got approved. I think the argument is absolutely there to say it wasn’t until it was signed off and approved in the approval process. And that the date ran from that point in time.”
She said the expiration took place during the hurricane chaos and the building department wasn’t processing approvals at the time.
Scaccianoce asked if the paid parking lot was operating before Cushing signed off on it.
“No. There was an actual stipulation that said they had to prepare a site plan to be reviewed and approved by the building official. That’s why it’s a two-part approval process. I think it’s fair and reasonable that until it’s fully approved, that clock’s not running,” Perry said.
“That would mean that Sam is correct that the actual expiration date
would be in September when Darin approved it,” Scaccianoce said.
“That’s the way we could look at it, I’m fine with looking at it that way, I just want to make sure everything’s out there,” Chappie said. “The stipulations still had to be performed to complete the process as Ricinda said.”
City Building Official Bill Palmer said parking lots throughout the city do not meet Florida parking lot standards.
“I think we really need to get professionally drawn site plans and make sure it’s all to the correct standards, because right now, they’re not,” he said.
Bear said he favored the February date for the permit expiration.
“The applicant controlled the timeline to get it approved. If it took them a month or six months that was in their control,” Bear said. “I would make the argument it was the February date.”
Perry said the city was struggling to make sure people follow the post-hurricane process as well as transitioning different building officials with different interpretations
and standard operating procedures for approvals.
“There was language in there for these particular ones; it was a two-step process of approval that was not necessarily controlled by just the applicant’s timeframe, it was also controlled by the building official explaining what he wanted to see on a site plan,” Perry said. “We’re going to approve this as a temporary use with the stipulation that you go through a secondary process of meeting a site plan that our building official’s going to tell you what’s needed on that site plan and then go back and forth with him until he signs off on it.”
Commissioners unanimously voted in favor to approve the extension of the existing temporary use permit for the 101 Bridge St. until Sept. 9, 2026 with additional stipulations that the building official review the site plan for any additional state, local or federal requirements.
Commissioner Ralph Cole was absent with excuse from the meeting.
REAL ESTATE
The end of another era
Ilive in Cortez and was never a fan of the Seafood Shack restaurant, although it did come in handy on occasion. Well now, if you didn’t already know, the “shack” has been demolished. It sustained a great deal of damage from the storms and Manatee County, which now owns the 8 acres of property where it sits, decided to tear it down. The Shack didn’t get the attention that Annie’s Bait & Tackle received a week earlier when it was decided to also demolish what was left of that structure, also part of the parcel the county now owns.
Castles in the Sand
Old Florida in feel, which was part of the charm of the area.
at least be something potential buyers and sellers can refer to about the future of the peninsula. It’s hard to sell something where nothing exists and there are very few buyers who can envision a future, no less an investment in this area.
Why is this significant to the real estate values on the Cortez peninsula? Well, for one thing, the property looks like it’s been through a war and is fenced off from the street on both the east and west side of 127th Street. I have confidence that the county will eventually remove all of the debris from the building as well as the marina but what ultimately remains will certainly not be attractive or
When the county finalizes their plans for a boating facility with ramps and trailer parking and when it’s finally constructed it will certainly be an improvement. Until then, we who live here and those who may be considering selling their homes or condos could face some negativity from potential buyers not familiar with the area.
The best thing the county could do for homeowners on both sides of Cortez Road is to decide on a design for the 8 acres of Seafood Shack property as soon as possible. Making a plan available would
Last week we discussed the Manatee County sales statistics for March and now we’ll look at the national numbers for March. According to the National Association of Realtors, the sales of existing homes in March posted their biggest monthly decline in more than two years.
Existing home sales fell 5.9% in the country compared to Manatee County’s single-family home sales which were down 8.5% compared to last March.
The NAR also reported that the national median selling price for single-family homes was $403,700 in March, up 2.7%.
Manatee County’s median single-family home selling price in March of this year was $506,317, up 1.8% from last year.
A survey of economists had estimated a
monthly decrease in sales of 3.1% compared to the 5.9% drop. Meanwhile inventories of unsold homes continue to increase and uncertainty in the financial markets continues to be a factor leading to a likely fall off on asking prices. The recovery that economists were hoping for so far has not happened, but the year is still young, and a lot can change.
6.5% or 6.8% interest rates will become the new normal and buyers will eventually get accustomed to those numbers. It’s been about 10 years since we’ve seen rates that high, so the generation of buyers in the market now has no experience with higher interest rates.
So, are we at the end of an era or the beginning of a new one? Florida has perpetually reinvented itself from the wild days of cattle drives to the leveling of ranches and construction of small cities. I predict we will look back at 2024 and 2025 as the years when Florida reset yet again.
LOUISE BOLGER
OBITUARIES
Roger Mousseau
Roger Mousseau was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, on May 8, 1961, the son of the late Joseph and Doris Mousseau.
Roger grew up in Lowell, where he met the love of his life, Annie. During his youth, he developed a passion for boxing and competed in the Golden Gloves tournaments out of the West End Gym. Before relocating to Florida in 1986, Roger owned and operate a limousine service in Lowell.
adult co-ed sports on the Island at the Anna Maria Island Community Center for many years and in addition, he was also a former member of the Anna Maria Island Privateers.
A true sports enthusiast, Roger loved boxing, baseball, hockey, football and NASCAR. He cherished summers with family at Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, attending the Daytona 500 annually, and spending time with friends and loved ones of the Island.
After selling the Tip of the Island, Roger operated Roger’s Airport Service in Bradenton, where he continued building connections in the community he loved.
York, and Norman (Cindy) Mousseau, of Massachusetts; his sister, JoAnn (Lenny) Coutu, of Massachusetts; along with 16 nieces and nephews.
Roger will be remembered for his big heart, his unwavering support of the community and the joy he brought to everyone around him.
A Family Gathering will be held from 10:30-11:15 a.m. with a memorial service to follow at Roser Community Church, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, Florida on May 10, 2025, at 11:30 A.M. There will be a celebration of life following at the gRub, 415 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, Florida at noon followed by an Island Crawl.
In 1986, Roger, Annie and their sons, Danny and Joey, moved to Anna Maria Island, Florida, where they opened and established the Tip of the Island Restaurant and Pub. Roger became a vibrant part of the community, generously sponsoring and supporting youth and
BEACH BEAT
HOLMES BEACH
April 22, 2:31 a.m., Marina Drive. Disorderly intoxication, public disturbance. Police observed a group of people in a parking lot that is a part of the Holmes Beach Business Trespass Program. Police say one person was passed out in front a business. When police asked what was going on they said two other individuals would not answer questions but became argumentative and insulting. One of the men, who police said appeared intoxicated, made threats to kill officers. The man eventually walked away, but then police said he was “low crawling” under a van in the parking lot in an attempt to sneak up on police. He was placed under arrest for a threat to kill a law enforcement officer and disorderly intoxication. Police said the man did not comply with being handcuffed, and made a forward lunging movement toward officers before being tasered.
Roger was predeceased by his parents, Joseph and Doris Mousseau; and brother, Robert Mousseau.
In addition to his wife, Roger is survived by his two sons, Danny and Joseph; his cherished grandchild, Alex; His three brothers, Gerard Mousseau, of Florida, Eddie (Lorraine) Mousseau, of New
April 22, 5:31 p.m., 5000 block of Gulf Drive. Vehicle burglary. Five iPad Minis were reportedly stolen from a parked work vehicle on April 17 between 4-5 p.m. One of the iPads was located through a Find My Phone app at a Walmart in St. Petersburg.
April 27, 3:12 a.m., 300 block of 58th Street. Drug possession and concealed firearm. During a traffic stop, police said they detected an odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and heard the sound of plastic crinkling and asked the driver what it was. According to police, the driver then handed them a small package which police reported contained synthetic marijuana. The man did not have a medical marijuana card and police conducted a search of the vehicle. Prior to the driver reaching in his glove box for documents, he told police he had a firearm. The man handed the gun, a loaded black Beretta 9 mm, to police for officer safety. A search of the car turned up 10 amphetamine pills,136 grams of marijuana and Tadalafil. He was charged with possession of a con-
There will be a celebration of life held on June 14, 2025, in Lowell, Massachusetts.
Brown & Sons Funeral Homes & Crematory 43rd Street Chapel, 604 43rd St. W., Bradenton, FL 34209, is in charge of arrangements.
cealed firearm while in the commission of a felony, possession of marijuana more than 20 grams, possession of amphetamine, possession of synthetic cannabis, possession of a
drug without prescription, possession of drug paraphernalia and violation of a driver license restriction ordered by court.
FUN IN THE SUN
