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VOL 24 No. 25
February 14, 2024
The two-day festival on Feb. 17-18 will benefit restoration efforts at the FISH Preserve. BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com
CORTEZ - The 42nd Annual Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage (FISH) two-day Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival is this weekend. The first festival, organized by a small group of volunteers who were dedicated to the historical and ecological preservation of the fishing village, drew just 500 people. Over the years, the festival has grown in scope with more than 100 volunteers and an average of 15,000 attendees who are expected to come to Cortez on Feb. 17-18 to enjoy live music, local seafood, nautical arts and crafts and a celebration of commercial fishing. This year’s festival theme is "Cortez Commercial Fishing, It’s a Way of Life.” “The Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival celebrates our fishing heritage with a mix of great live music, nautical arts and crafts, children’s activities, environmental exhibits, delicious seafood, and, of course, cold beer!” according to the FISH website. “It’s a party with a purpose, since all proceeds benefit the FISH mission and
Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival to celebrate 42 years LESLIE LAKE | SUN
SEE FESTIVAL, PAGE 21
Signs fly over the newly-completed FISH Preserve in advance of the 42nd Annual Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival on Feb. 17-18.
Tourist tax collections reveal mixed results in AMI’s cities The amount of 5% tourist bed tax collected in 2023 shows how tourism trended compared to the 2022 calendar year. BY JASON SCHAFFER | SUN CORRESPONDENT AND KRISTIN SWAIN | SUN STAFF WRITER
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Tourism in the city of Anna Maria was up in all 12 months of 2023 over 2022, according to tourist tax collection statistics from the Manatee County Tax Collector’s Office. The Island’s other two cities did not experience the same boon. Bradenton Beach tourist tax collections were down in every month but August, which showed approximately a 3% increase from August 2022. In Holmes Beach, tourist tax collections were down in every
month but September, which showed no change, and October, which showed approximately an 8% increase from October 2022. Anna Maria brought in $3,070,039 in tourist tax collections in 2023, up 20.3% from $2,552,183 in 2022. Bradenton Beach tourist tax collections totaled $1,620,837 in 2023, down 6% from $1,724,637 in 2022. Holmes Beach brought in the lion’s share at $7,816,520 last year, down 13.6% from $9,045,714 in 2022. The tourist tax is one of the most accurate indicators of whether tourism has increased, decreased, or remained steady from year to year.
SEE TOURISM, PAGE 23
Reimagining Pine Avenue discussions continue City officials hope to have a one-block Pine Avenue prototype area installed in the near future. BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
ANNA MARIA – The Anna Maria City Commission authorized Mayor Dan Murphy to enter into a $1.41 million state-funded grant agreement for the expanded Reimagining Pine Avenue project. On Feb. 8, the commission unanimously supported the mayor’s request to enter into the grant agreement pertaining to the $1.41 million state appropriation the Florida Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis approved last year for the expansion of the Reimagining Pine Avenue project that initially only included Pine Avenue.
HASHBROWN casserole - a side for all seasons. 17
SEE PINE AVENUE, PAGE 8
GULF ISLANDS FERRY makes first
trip to Bradenton Beach Pier. 4
LOCAL MAN completes bucket list of NFL
stadium visits. 24
Page 23 Anna Maria Island, Florida
The $1.41 appropriation provides state funds for the Spring Avenue and Magnolia Avenue portions of the expanded safety improvement project that will include the installation of permeable paver sidewalks, elevated, lighted crosswalks and street crossing signage designed to make those travel corridors safer for pedestrians, bicyclists and others. In mid-2022, the Legislature and governor approved a $1.28 million appropriation for the initial phase of the Pine Avenue project and in early 2023 a similar grant was executed for those state funds. During Thursday’s meeting, Murphy said the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is overseeing the city’s expenditure of the state funds. He noted the Pine Avenue
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