Anna Maria Island Sun February 21, 2024

- Named Best Florida Newspaper In Its Class -

VOL 24 No. 26

February 21, 2024

Fans enjoyed music, food, art and more at the 42nd Annual Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival.

BY JASON SCHAFFER SUN CORRESPONDENT | jschaffer@amisun.com

CORTEZ - There was something “fishy” going on in Cortez on Saturday as thousands of people streamed to the 42nd Annual Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival. Although heavy rain forced the cancellation of Sunday festivities, Saturday was cool and rain-free, and the party was in full swing.

“It was really warm last year, but this is fantastic,” Janelle Applegate said. “We love this little fishing town, and come down for this every year from Clearwater. Cortez is as real as it gets. I can’t imagine there are too many places like this left in Florida; these people are real. They work hard, there can’t be anything easy about this way of life, but it seems like they wouldn’t have it any other way.”

For only $5, visitors had acres of the historic Cortez fishing village to roam and find plenty to excite all five senses. There was just about any kind of seafood and beverage to satisfy taste, arts

Thousands stream to Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival JASON SCHAFFER | SUN

Freshly cooked seafood, music, art and a fishermen's fashion show entertained crowds at Saturday's Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival.

Vacation rental bill lagging in House House Bill 1537 remains stuck in the House of Representatives Commerce Committee.

BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

TALLAHASSEE – Part of the Florida Legislature’s efforts to preempt local vacation rental regulation to the state, House Bill 1537 has not yet passed through the House of Representative’s Commerce Committee.

On Feb. 1, the Florida Senate approved Senate Bill 280 by a 27-13 vote. For proposed legislation to be adopted as state law, the House and Senate must approve matching bills to be sent to the governor to sign into law, approve without signing or veto.

HB 1537 was not slated for discussion at the Commerce Committees’ Feb. 15

Commission considers paid parking in residential zones

and Feb. 8 meetings and as of Feb. 18, no additional committee meetings were scheduled.

Senate Bill 280 includes language that would require the vacation rental owner or operator to state and comply with a maximum overnight occupancy that doesn’t exceed either two persons per bedroom, plus an additional two persons in one common area; or more than two persons per bedroom if there is at least 50 square feet per person, plus an additional two persons in one common area.

House Bill 1537 doesn’t mention two-plus-two occupancy and simply says vacation rental owners and operators must state the maximum occupancy based on the number of overnight sleeping accommodations.

The 60-day 2024 legislative session ends on March 8, leaving House members

SEE BILL, PAGE 30

Officials consider reversing the city’s Land Development Code that prohibits parking lots in residential zones.

BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com

BRADENTON BEACH – Following commission approval of temporary use parking lots in the footprint of the planned Bridge Street resort hotel/restaurant/retail complex, commissioners discussed applications for paid parking lots in residential zones.

Building Official Darin Cushing said the city received four applications for temporary parking lots in areas that are zoned residential. The city Land Development Code prohibits parking lots in residential zones, he said.

WEDDINGS are aglow on Anna Maria Island's beaches. 20-21 Page 27 Anna Maria Island, Florida

SEE FESTIVAL, PAGE 16

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Hotel developer Shawn Kaleta submitted temporary use permit applications for parking lots at 207 Church Ave., 206 Bay Drive N., 205 First St. N. and 102 Third St. N. The proposed duration of the permits is from Feb. 1, 2024 through Feb. 1, 2026.

Cushing said the new applications came in with drawings similar to the applications submitted by Kaleta for parking on 101 and 105 Bridge St. along with 219 Gulf Drive S. and 106 Third St. S. The difference, he said, is that one of the lots is in the C-2 zoning district and the others are in the R-3, or residential, zone.

“When they applied for the temporary use permit for this one we were just talking about, they brought in four more applications,” Cushing said.

“There’s one for the lot on Third Street

SEE PAID PARKING, PAGE 17

HORSESHOE PITCHERS reenact

1915 photo of their predecessors. 11 CAMERAS considered to slow speeding at

AME. 5

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FEBRUARY 21, 2024

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Craft fair prompts CBD sales discussion The sale of CBD products is currently prohibited in Anna Maria.

BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

ANNA MARIA – Because she sells CBD products, Edibles N More owner Mel Wendel wasn’t allowed to participate in the Feed the Island art and craft show at Roser Church on Feb. 9-10.

Danielle Lynch owns and operates Blue Ribbon Events, a company that organizes arts and craft fairs in Michigan and Florida.

In Anna Maria, these events require a city commission-approved special event permit.

On the morning of Feb. 8, Lynch received a call from Deputy City Clerk Fran Berrios informing her that CBD and hemp sales are not allowed in Anna Maria.

CBD products don’t contain THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana that produces the euphoric “high.”

Lynch and Wendel appeared before the city commission that afternoon.

After Lynch requested Wendel and her husband be allowed to participate in that weekend’s event, Mayor Dan Murphy asked what they planned to sell.

Wendel said their Holmes Beachbased Edibles N More retail store and their affiliated Vape on the Go business sells CBD and hemp-based products including edibles, topicals and smokeables, and that’s what they’d be selling.

“It’s listed as an arts and crafts festival and you’re wanting to sell CBD products. It’s not an art or a craft. It’s something else,” Murphy noted.

City Attorney Becky Vose said, “If they’re going to do something other than arts and crafts, the permit needs to be looked at again.”

Wendel claimed the city already set legal precedent by allowing other businesses in the city to sell CBD products.

She said Beach Bum Apothecary is producing and selling CBD products, some of which she sells at Edibles N More, and Cool Beans AMI is selling products containing low levels of THC. Wendel said the federal 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp and it’s no longer considered marijuana. She noted the city of Holmes Beach amended its ordinance to exclude hemp from its definition of marijuana.

“Every item in our store is derived

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

Mel Wendel and Danielle Lynch appeared before the Anna Maria Commission on Feb. 8. from hemp,” Wendel said, noting Publix and Live Naturally also legally sell CBD products in Holmes Beach.

Commissioner Gary McMullen said, “I think it’s unfair to single them out if we have other people in the city already doing the same thing.”

Murphy said he doesn’t recall CBD sales ever being permitted in Anna Maria.

“If somebody’s doing something illegal that we don’t know about that doesn’t set a precedent,” he said, noting the commission could address CBD sales with future ordinances.

Murphy suggested giving Vose time to review the matter and provide him with a legal opinion before the Friday morning event began. The following morning, Murphy sent Lynch an email containing his decision and Vose’s three-page memo that he based his decision on.

“It is my conclusion that the sale of hemp-based products is prohibited by our local ordinances,” Murphy stated in his email, noting the decision also pertains to the event Lynch is hosting at City Pier Park on March 9-10.

In her memo, Vose stated, “It is my legal opinion that the sale of CBD products within the city of Anna Maria is prohibited under Section 34-2 of the city’s code of ordinances, and that such ordinance can be enforced regardless of the change of status of CBD and hemp under general Florida law.”

Regarding the 2018 Farm Bill, Vose wrote, “It is clear that certain types of hemp are no longer illegal in Florida. However, that does not mean local governments cannot regulate matters related to hemp, even if otherwise legal.”

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ISLAND NEWS

IN BRIEF Charter review committee meets Friday

The Anna Maria Charter Review Committee will meet again on Friday, Feb. 23 at 1 p.m. in the commission chambers at city hall. The committee meeting is open to the public and will include continued discussion on the number of city commissioners required by the city charter, the length of the mayor’s and/or the city commissioners’ terms in office set forth in the city charter and the pros and cons of potentially hiring a full-time city manager.

Sandwich board signs on Thursday’s agenda The Anna Maria City Commission will meet on Thursday, Feb. 22 at 6 p.m. After general public comment on nonagenda items, the commission will JOE HENDRICKS | SUN discuss on second A proposed city ordinance addresses the and final reading number of sandwich board signs allowed an easement and where and when the signs can be exchange for displayed. a residential property at 117 Peppertree Lane. The commission will then be presented with the first reading of an ordinance that proposes to amend the city’s sandwich board sign regulations. The mayor will seek commission authorization to enter into an agreement with the Florida Division of Emergency Management and he’ll present the commission with options to consider regarding a one-block Reimagining Pine Avenue prototype area.

The mayor will also provide an update on the Florida Legislature’s efforts to preempt local vacation rental regulation to the state. To attend and/or participate in Thursday’s meeting by phone, call 1-929-205-6099 and enter the meeting ID: 85392000280.

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FEBRUARY 21, 2024

School zone speed cameras could be coming to AME Cameras could be coming to Gulf Drive in front of Anna Maria Elementary School in Holmes Beach to detect speeders.

BY JASON SCHAFFER SUN CORRESPONDENT | jschaffer@amisun.com

HOLMES BEACH - Excessive speed in school zones is a serious safety issue that can be addressed by cameras, according to a recent Manatee County Commission vote.

Cameras will be installed at some Manatee County schools, possibly including Anna Maria Elementary School (AME).

The vote was unanimous to move forward with installation and monitoring of the speed zones. A 6-1 majority approved an agreement with the vendor, RedSpeed, to furnish, install and maintain the speed detection system, comply with FDOT placement and installation specifications and assist Manatee County Public Safety in the public announcement and awareness campaign according to a press release from Manatee County Information Outreach Manager Bill Logan.

The lone dissenting vote came from Commissioner George Kruse.

“There will be warning signs up for about two weeks prior to them being turned on, so drivers will have ample opportunity to be notified the cameras will be in effect,” District 3 Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge said.

“And even once the cameras are in

JASON SCHAFFER | SUN

Cameras could be coming to Gulf Drive in front of Anna Maria Elementary School in Holmes Beach after the Manatee County Commission approved cameras to detect speeding at county schools. place and active, there will still be warning signs that they are active.”

Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said that his department supports the installation of the cameras if the county includes AME in the project.

“We had a speed study done two weeks ago from a different vendor than the county uses to see what it would be in our area,” Tokajer said.

“During the five-day period, there were almost 1,300 violations.”

Tokajer said they are waiting to see if the county is doing this in the entirety of the county, or if the cities are going to make their own decisions.

He said he has not yet been informed by the county about the issue, and his department has not been included in the conversation.

Tokajer said that while his department supports the installation of the cameras, saying it will increase driver awareness of the seriousness of speeding in school zones, it will not affect his placement of officers on Gulf Drive in front of the school during morning arrival and afternoon dismissal times.

The move comes after the Florida Legislature passed Florida House Bill 657 last April, which authorizes counties to enforce speed limits in school zones using speed detection systems. Drivers traveling more than 10 mph over the posted school zone speed limit during designated hours would receive a $100 ticket in the mail. The speed camera zones would be active only at times when kids are heading to and from school.

Lane shift, road closures in Bradenton Beach Another travel lane shift and road closures are in place in the area of the ongoing sewer improvement project in Bradenton Beach. Beginning this week and continuing through early March, north and southbound travel lanes on Gulf Drive South between Seventh and Ninth Streets South will be shifted west to route traffic around the construction zone. The contractor will be installing gravity sewer pipe across Gulf Drive South at Eighth Street South and along the east side of Gulf Drive South, a few hundred feet north and south of Eighth Street South. The contractor will also begin installing pipeline on Eighth Street South, which will be closed to traffic. A temporary parking area on the west side of Gulf Drive South and a free shuttle service from the parking area to residences will be provided for residents, tenants and guests of properties on Eighth Street South.

Sunken boat debris?

A piece of floating debris thought to have been from the Feb. 9 sinking of a 28-foot boat washed up on the beach in Bradenton Beach near 25th Street on Feb. 14. A missing boater in the accident off the coast of Anna Maria Island has been identified as Jose Antonio Cruz. Cruz was fishing with two friends about 35 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico when the boat sank. The friends were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard after clinging to floating debris for nearly three hours. U.S. Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg announced on Feb. 10 that the search for Cruz had been suspended.

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FEBRUARY 21, 2024

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Police investigate gunshots in Holmes Beach Multiple police departments investigated gunshots in the area behind Hurricane Hanks on the evening of Feb. 10.

BY JASON SCHAFFER

SUN CORRESPONDENT | jschaffer@amisun.com

HOLMES BEACH - Shots were fired, but who fired them and exactly where they were fired remains a mystery after all of the Island’s three police departments participated in the search for the shooter.

The incident began on Feb. 10 at 10:03 p.m. when Holmes Beach Police Department (HBPD) Officer Chris Bennett was getting into his patrol car at the HBPD station and heard two gunshots coming from the south nearby. Bennett advised dispatch of the shots and requested that Officer Ryan Welch respond to the area, believing the shots came from the area of the Waterline Hotel, 5325 Marina Drive, or the area of 5200 Gulf Drive.

While searching around the Waterline, Bennett spoke with a bystander who said she had not heard the shots, and he found no physical

JASON SCHAFFER | SUN

With the assistance of officers from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and Bradenton Beach Police Department, Holmes Beach officers searched for the person or persons who fired gunshots in Holmes Beach on Feb. 10. evidence of the shots coming from that area. At the same time, Welch was checking the parking lot in the area of D Coy Ducks bar across the street. An employee of the bar told Welch he had also heard the shots, and thought they had come from the area near Hurricane Hanks restaurant, 5410 Marina

Drive, possibly behind the building on the 52nd Street side of the business.

Shortly after, HBPD dispatch got a call from a concerned citizen in the area of 46th Street who also heard the shots nearby, but couldn’t provide an exact location.

Officers Bennett and Welch went on

foot to check the beach access parking lot at 100 52nd St. “While checking the parking lot, we heard two additional gunshots very close to our south,” Bennett said in his official report. “They were possibly coming from the 50th Street beach access area.”

Officers from Bradenton Beach Police Department (BBPD) and Manatee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) arrived at the scene to assist in the search.

“I deployed my agency-issued AR-15 rifle, and Officer Welch deployed his agency-issued shotgun,” Bennett said in his report. “Along with the aforementioned law enforcement officers from neighboring agencies, conducted a thorough check until approximately 10:45 p.m. of the area between 47th Street and 52nd Street while on foot.”

An MCSO helicopter was requested, but was not available to assist at the time. After an extensive ground search, no suspect could be located by officers. There were no gunshot wound victims that night, and no related property damage was reported.

Anyone with information on the incident should contact the Holmes Beach Police Department.

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OPINION

The Anna Maria Island Sun 3909 East Bay Drive, Suite 210, Holmes Beach, FL 34217 Phone: 941-778-3986

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FEBRUARY 21, 2024

The Anna Maria Island Sun Staff Owner/CEO Mike Field Editor Cindy Lane General Manager Bob Alexander Reporters/Photographers Joe Hendricks Leslie Lake Jason Schaffer Kristin Swain Columnists Louise Bolger Rusty Chinnis Contributors Joe Becht Steve Borggren Capt. Rick Grassett Monica Simpson Layout Ricardo Fonseca Digital Editor Kristin Swain

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Parking lot raises question

Reading about the idea of having 90 parking spaces (for 12 months at least) instead of building a hotel might sound weird - but if you can charge $15 per hour for each space - it multiplies!

It raises the question, why not start building? The landowner is normally pretty fast in going forward.

But - this is obviously pure theory - but owning the trailer park on a much better location for a hotel and the fact that the rents were doubled almost immediately after the purchase, could it hypothetically be possible that the plan for the

location of the hotel has changed?

Could it be possible that the renters of the trailer park will be “friendly forced out?” And that a hotel or another hotel will grow there?

Who knows - the future will show!

Daniel Lamprecht Holmes Beach

Advertising Director Shona Otto Advertising Assistant Pamela Lee Classifieds 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 since 2000

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

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.

FEBRUARY 21, 2024

EVENTS WEDNESDAY, FEB. 21

Holy Yoga, Roser Church outdoor stage, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, 11:30 a.m.

Nature Art: Botanical illustration, Robinson Preserve Mosaic Nest, 840 99th St. N.W., Bradenton, 1-4 p.m., $10 materials fee Oyster River Ecology Talk with Damon Moore, The Center, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria, 1:30 p.m.

One-on-one tech help, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 2-4 p.m.

THURSDAY, FEB. 22

RoserRobics, Roser Church fellowship hall, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, 9:30 a.m.

One-on-one tech help, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Sunshine Stitchers Knit and Crochet, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 1 p.m.

AMI Chamber Business Card Exchange and Meet the Directors, AMI Chamber, 5313 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, 5-7 p.m., $5 for members or $10 for prospective members Bingo, Annie Silver Community Center, 103 23rd St., Bradenton Beach, 6 p.m.

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FRIDAY, FEB. 23

St. Bernard Rummage Sale, St. Bernard Catholic Church, 248 S. Harbor Drive, Holmes Beach, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Forty Carrots, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 10 a.m.

Mah-jongg for experienced players, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 11:30 a.m.

Rock garden rock painting, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 2 p.m.

Guess Who Alumni concert, The Center of Anna Maria Island, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria Island, 6:30 p.m. Tickets available at www. centerami.org

SATURDAY, FEB. 24

Mornings at the NEST, Robinson Preserve Mosaic Nest, 840 99th St. N.W., Bradenton, 9 a.m. to noon St. Bernard Rummage Sale, St. Bernard Catholic Church, 248 S. Harbor Drive, Holmes Beach, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Robinson Preserve tram tour, Robinson Preserve north entrance, 1704 99th St. N.W., Bradenton, 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Starry night astronomy, Robinson Preserve expansion parking lot, 840 99th St. N.W., 6:30-9:30 p.m.

MONDAY, FEB. 26

Gentle yoga, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 10 a.m.

TUESDAY, FEB. 27

Farmer’s Market, City Pier Park, 103 N. Bay Blvd., Anna Maria, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

RoserRobics, Roser Church fellowship hall, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, 9:30 a.m.

Family story time, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 10 a.m.

Explore Nature: Tower Talk, Robinson Preserve tower, 1704 99th St. N.W., 10 a.m. to noon.

Mah-jongg for experienced players, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 11:30 a.m.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 28

Holy Yoga, Roser Church outdoor stage, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, 11:30 a.m.

One-on-one Tech Help, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 2-4 p.m.

THURSDAY, FEB. 29

Seashell Shore Walk, Coquina Beach South, 2650 Gulf Drive S., Bradenton Beach, 9 a.m.

Tram ride and shoreline cleanup, Robinson Preserve Valentine House,

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1704 99th St. N.W., Bradenton, 9 a.m. to noon RoserRobics, Roser Church fellowship hall, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, 9:30 a.m.

One-on-one Tech Help, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 10 a.m. to noon.

Seaside Quilters, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 10 a.m.

Sunshine Stitchers knit and crochet, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 1 p.m.

Bingo, Annie Silver Community Center, 103 23rd St., Bradenton Beach, 6 p.m.

FRIDAY, MARCH 1

Forty Carrots, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 10 a.m.

Mah-jongg for experienced players, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 11:30 a.m.

Paper Crafting with MaryKate, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 2 p.m.

SATURDAY, MARCH 2

Mornings at the NEST, Robinson Preserve Mosaic Nest, 840 99th St. N.W., Bradenton, 9 a.m. to noon Ask a Master Gardener, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 10 a.m.

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ON THE AGENDA ANNA MARIA

HOLMES BEACH

10005 GULF DRIVE FOR INFORMATION, CALL 941-708-6130

5801 MARINA DRIVE FOR INFORMATION, CALL 941-708-5800

Please visit www. cityofannamaria.com or contact city hall for more information.

Feb. 22, 6 p.m. – City Commission meeting March 13, 9 a.m. – Planning and Zoning Board meeting March 14, 2 p.m. – City Commission meeting

Please visit www. holmesbeachfl.org or contact city hall for more information.

Feb. 27, 10 a.m. – Code Compliance Special Magistrate Hearing Feb. 27, 2 p.m. – City Commission meeting with work session to follow March 6, 10 a.m. – Parks and Beautification Committee meeting March 6, 5 p.m. – Planning Commission meeting March 12, 2 p.m. – City Commission meeting with work session to follow

BRADENTON BEACH

107 GULF DRIVE N. FOR INFORMATION, CALL 941-778-1005

Please visit www. cityofbradentonbeach. com or contact city hall for more information.

Feb. 28, 10 a.m. – Pier Team meeting March 6, 9:30 a.m. – Community Redevelopment Agency meeting March 6, 1 p.m. – Planning and Zoning Board meeting March 7, 6 p.m. – City Commission meeting

ISLAND-WIDE

March 11, 2 p.m. – Island Transportation Planning Organization meeting, Anna Maria City Hall

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FEBRUARY 21, 2024

Commissioners discuss expanding city boundaries in ICW

BY LESLIE LAKE

SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com

BRADENTON BEACH – Commissioners reached no conclusions on Feb. 15 while discussing expanding the city’s boundaries in the Intracoastal Waterway to increase jurisdiction over the city’s mooring field.

The discussion arose from Bradenton Beach Marina’s offer to partner with the city to act as harbormaster, provide pump-out service and coordinate payment for the mooring field.

City attorney Ricinda Perry presented the idea of a partnership with the marina at a Feb. 1 city commission meeting.

Mayor John Chappie said at the Feb. 15 meeting that one of the concerns would be vessels moving south to avoid regulations in the mooring field.

He lauded local law enforcement for removing abandoned and

derelict vessels from the waters off Bradenton Beach.

“We’ve been leaders in the area in the ability to get rid of abandoned and derelict boats and I wanted to say thank you to the marine patrol,” Chappie said.

“Part one is figuring out what we want to do with the mooring field area,” Perry said. “We’ve had discussions in the past about having stronger regulations as it relates to the floating dock. If you’re going to have the mooring field, will those vessels drift into other parts of the city where regulations can’t be put into place or enforcement can’t be made available as easily since they’re not within the municipal boundaries.”

Commission Jan Vosburgh expressed concerns about the propensity of boats to move southward if there is a mooring field.

“We have to think about the

residents, not just what’s going to happen on Bridge Street where we have the pier. It’s not fair to the residents who are living further south,” she said. “I’m against a mooring field.”

Commissioner Marilyn Maro phoned into the meeting and asked if the Bradenton Beach mooring field would be like the one in Sarasota.

“It won’t be near as large as Sarasota,” Chappie said.

The expansion would bring the city designated water area to 14th Street South, just south of the Coquina mooring, 500 feet out to the Intracoastal Waterway, Chappie said.

Cole noted that the expansion would allow tougher restrictions in that area.

“The annexation part will cover all those waters so our marine patrol would be legally allowed to enter those waters,” Chappie said.

Bradenton Beach Police Chief John Cosby addressed Vosburgh’s concerns.

“The majority of boats you’re referring to come from Sarasota, when Sarasota enacted their mooring area, they moved this way,” Cosby said. “To say that those boats move from our field is not true. There’s one there now and we’re taking care of that one.”

Cosby said boundary expansion should happen before discussion of a mooring field.

“The mooring makes no sense to me. I don’t think the water’s deep enough to get the kind of boats you need in there to make any money,” Cosby said. “And all that seagrass that was put in there, we’ve done channeling so no boats can go there. To make it profitable, I don’t think it’s possible, I don’t know.”

A work session will be scheduled to continue the discussion.

FEBRUARY 21, 2024

So far, 74 municipal officials and 26 municipalities are represented in the lawsuits.

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Form 6 lawsuits filed In the long run, if we win the case and get

BY JOE HENDRICKS

a declaration that the law’s

SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

The Weiss Serota law firm has filed two lawsuits challenging the Form 6 financial disclosure requirements now placed on all Florida mayors, city commissions and city/town/village council members.

Both lawsuits were filed on Feb. 15.

In January, Fort Lauderdale-based Weiss Serota attorney Jamie Cole reached out to city attorneys statewide to secure at least 10 Florida cities willing to join the lawsuit and pay a $10,000 flat fee to participate in the legal challenge. None of the three Anna Maria Island cities joined the lawsuit, nor did the town of Longboat Key or any city in Manatee or Sarasota counties.

The Form 6 financial disclosure requirements that include the disclosure of net worth, earnings and tangible assets have long been applied to state legislators, county commissioners and certain government officers at the state and county levels. A new state law enacted last year made mayors, city commissioners and city/town/village council members also subject to the Form 6 disclosure requirements. City officials were previously required to file a less intrusive Form 1 disclosure form.

Before the expanded financial disclosure requirements took effect on Jan. 1, more than 100 Florida mayors, city commissioners and municipal council members resigned rather than subject

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invalid, I think it will benefit everyone.”

WWW.WSH-LAW.COM | SUBMITTED

Weiss Serota attorney Jamie Cole succeeded in his efforts to get at least 10 Florida municipalities to join the Form 6 lawsuits. themselves to the disclosure requirements, including Bradenton Beach City Commissioner Jake Spooner and Longboat Key Town Council member Debbie Murphy.

On Feb. 15, Cole sent an email to city attorneys statewide informing them that the Form 6 lawsuits had been filed.

“Two lawsuits were filed today on behalf of 26 municipalities and 74 municipal elected officials challenging the Form 6 requirement as to municipal elected officials. One in federal court in Miami, based upon it being compelled, content-based, noncommercial speech in violation of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution; and one in state circuit court in Leon County, based upon it being an infringement on the right to privacy under the Florida Constitution. If your cities are still interested in joining the lawsuit, it is not too late. We plan to file the appropriate paperwork to add additional plaintiffs in the next couple of weeks,” Cole stated in his email.

Jamie Cole, attorney

LAWSUIT COMPLAINTS

The 74 municipal officials individually named as plaintiffs represent the town of Briny Breezes, Miami Springs, Lighthouse Point, the town of Palm Beach, North Bay Village, the town of Golden Beach, the village of Indian Creek, the village of Bal Harbour, Weston, Delray Beach, Safety Harbor, Cooper City, Coral Springs, St. Augustine, Marco Island, the village of Key Biscayne, Wilton Manors, Margate, Destin, Lauderhill, Deerfield Beach, Aventura, Wellington, the village of Pinecrest, New Smyrna Beach and Sebastian.

The federal and state complaints name as defendants Florida Commission on Ethics Chair Ashley Lukis, Vice-Chair Michelle Anchors and Commission on Ethics members William Cervone, Tina Descovich, Freddie Figgers, Luis Fuste and Wengay Newton Sr. The Commission on Ethics oversees and enforces the financial disclosure requirements imposed by the Florida Legislature and the governor.

The first page of the state lawsuit complaint says, “This is an action by a large number of Florida municipalities and elected municipal officials challenging a recently enacted law (created by Senate Bill 774) that requires municipal elected officials in office as of January 1, 2024, to disclose quintessentially private, highly personal financial information, including, among other things, the exact amount of their net worth and income, the total dollar value of their household goods and the precise value of every asset and amount of every liability in excess of $1,000 on or before July 1, 2024, or otherwise face significant fines, civil penalties, and even potential removal from office.”

The federal lawsuit complaint contains similar language, alleging “The statements required by Fla. Stat. §112.3144, through Form 6, constitute noncommercial, compelled speech from plaintiffs in violation of the First Amendment. Specifically, Fla. Stat. §112.3144 unconstitutionally compels plaintiffs to make invasive, public disclosures about their personal finances through Form 6.”

Regarding the relief sought, the federal complaint says, “Plaintiffs respectfully request that judgment be entered in their favor: Declaring that Fla. Stat. §112.3144 compels plaintiffs to engage in content-based, non-commercial speech in violation of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution and is therefore unconstitutional.

“Enjoining defendants from enforcing Fla. Stat. §112.3144, including the

SEE FORM 6, PAGE 28

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Roser Church serving pancake breakfast Roser Memorial Community Church will host a pancake breakfast on Saturday, Feb. 24 from 8-11 a.m. in the church’s Fellowship Hall.

The breakfast offerings will include pancakes, sausage, biscuits and gravy, applesauce, juice, coffee or tea. The cost is $8 per breakfast and there’s no charge for children under 5.

Volunteers are needed to assist with this event. To volunteer, visit https:// roserchurch.com/pancake-breakfast/ or call 941-778-0414. Attendees are also invited to stroll across the street

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and browse the bargains available in the Guild Thrift Shop from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Roser Church is located at 512 Pine Ave. in Anna Maria.

Find treasure at St. Bernard rummage sale Find great bargains on home goods, collectibles, books, tools, accessories, clothing, jewelry and a host of other items at the St. Bernard Catholic Church Rummage Sale. The two-day sale takes place on Friday, Feb. 23

FEBRUARY 21, 2024

from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and on Saturday, Feb. 24 from 9 a.m. to noon. The church is located at 248 S. Harbor Drive in Holmes Beach. Call 941778-4769 or 941-545-7492 for more information.

The CHAPEL is open during office hours for prayer and meditation 941-778-0414 • 512 Pine Ave, Anna Maria • FOLLOW us on Facebook @RoserChurch

FEBRUARY 21, 2024

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Horseshoe pitching has long history in Anna Maria A group of Anna Maria horseshoe pitchers reenacted a 1915 horseshoe pitching photo.

BY JOE HENDRICKS

SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

ANNA MARIA – Every Wednesday and Saturday, a few dozen men gather to pitch horseshoes in a small park located on the Anna Maria City Hall property.

According to longtime horseshoe pitcher and former Anna Maria City Commissioner Tom Skoloda, this local sporting tradition has taken place in the same general location for at least 109 years.

On Feb. 14, Skoloda and five of his horseshoe-throwing friends dressed in suits, ties and hats and reenacted a 1915 photograph taken of men throwing horseshoes in front of the former community hall building that’s now the Island Players theater. The men in the 1915 photo stood in an area that’s now a public parking lot located next to city hall property and a small city park that contains five horseshoe pits.

The 1915 photo was featured in a 2006 story written for The Sun by then-active horseshoe pitcher Bill Bartlett. His story noted that in the early 1900s, steamship passengers who arrived at the City Pier walked down Pine Avenue to the bathhouse pavilion at the ends of Spring and Magnolia avenues, but some of the men stopped at the tourist center/community hall instead to play horseshoes and smoke cigars.

“This is a reenactment of the photograph with guys pitching horseshoes here in 1915.

They’ve been pitching horseshoes here continuously since 1915,” Skoloda said after the new photos were taken.

Skoloda served as a city commissioner from 2000 to 2002 and he’s been pitching horseshoes on the city hall property for 20 years.

MANATEE LIBRARY HISTORICAL DIGITAL COLLECTION | SUBMITTED

This horseshoe pitching photo was taken in Anna Maria in 1915.

“This is an activity people love and have taken care of for many years. We’re trying to make sure this continues and we’d like to protect this site. Mayor Dan Murphy, the city and the public works department have been really good about helping us,” Skoloda said.

“We have 30 to 35 players on a given day. The guys are really fun to be around and we enjoy each other’s company. It’s all about camaraderie. We get together socially too and a lot of the guys play golf together as well. We have a number of women who pitched in the past and right now we have two women who come on Saturdays. Anybody can come, even new people who’ve never pitched horseshoes before,” Skoloda said.

When asked what the trick is to being a good horseshoe pitcher, Skoloda jokingly said, “I don’t know. I’ve been coming 20 years and I don’t seem to get much better.”

Dave Means is a former Senior Olympics horseshoe champion. He’s one of the Anna Maria group’s newest members and he participated in the photo reenactment.

“I’m a snowbird from Indiana. I started doing this last year and I really enjoyed it. I’ve made friends and we go out for a hamburger and beer afterward. I love this and I hope the city keeps this. It’s a good way to meet other people,” Means said.

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

Some members of the Anna Maria horseshoe pitchers group dressed in suits and ties for Wednesday’s photo shoot and horseshoe matches.

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

From left, Steve Kriebel, Tom Atherton, Adin Shank, Steve Doyle, Tom Skoloda and Del Reese reenacted the 1915 photo of men playing horseshoes in Anna Maria.

INFORMAL ORGANIZATION

The twice-weekly matches on Wednesdays and Saturdays take place year-round and participation increases during peak season. The matches begin at 9 a.m. and most players arrive around 8:30 to warm up. The day’s two-person teams are determined by drawing colored chips and winners are crowned for each day of play.

There’s no entry fee or registration required and newcomers are always welcome. Most players donate $1 each day they play. The donations are used to purchase equipment, arrange an annual

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

SEE HORSESHOE, PAGE 15

Former city commissioner Tom Skoloda helped organize the photo reenactment.

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Commissioners: No city meetings on Zoom

BY LESLIE LAKE

SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com

BRADENTON BEACH – In response to a city resident’s request for Zoom access to city meetings, the commission discussed the topic and decided against it at its Feb. 15 meeting.

At a Jan. 4 commission meeting, Sue Longacre asked that city meetings be made available for citizens to view remotely.

“The policy we have in place if people are out of the area for the meeting is we will send them the agenda,” City Clerk Terri Sanclemente said. “If they have questions I can send them back-up material. They can submit to me in writing public comment and it will be read into the record.”

Following the meeting, she said interested parties can request a copy of the minutes or be sent an audio recording of the meeting.

“It is more record keeping than anything,” Sanclemente said. “You’re talking about a recording that’s visual.

It’s not the same as recording and sending out a recording. If the internet goes out, it would hold up the meeting longer and we’d have to wait for the internet to come up.”

“It puts a lot of extra pressure on our clerk,” Commissioner Ralph Cole said. “If you want to be here, you should just come. You have several ways to get your message to us and we’ll listen.”

Mayor John Chappie said he was not in favor of Zoom meetings and noted the city has a process and procedures to cover what’s needed.

“Sue Longacre spoke Jan. 4 and she stated the city of Holmes Beach has Zoom call in,” Chappie said. “They do not have Zoom call in now. They had a number of problems with people not muting themselves and talking over the meeting. They were hacked at one time.”

“I don’t think we need to make this process more complicated than it already is,” Cole said, noting the city holds both day and night meetings. “The amount of money it would cost us (for video equipment) we can use it for something much better than that.

We have a night meeting and you can pick the meeting you want to come to. If it’s not broken let’s not fix it.”

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FEBRUARY 21, 2024

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Murder Mystery tickets on sale now

Tickets on sale for Island Players’ latest production

Tickets for the 15th annual Murder Mystery Dinner Theater at The Center of Anna Maria Island are on sale now. This year’s show, “American Cover,” is an outrageous and entertaining whodunit play presented by Beach House Real Estate. The show takes the stage for two nights on Friday, March 1 and Saturday, March 2 at The Center, 407 Magnolia Ave. in Anna Maria. Tickets for Friday’s performance are $50 for dinner and the show while tickets for Saturday are $100 per person or $800 for a table of eight. The ending of the play changes each night. A cash bar will be available during the performance. Sponsorships are still available.

The Murder Mystery is for adults 21 and older. To purchase tickets, visit www.centerami.org/events.

For more information, call 941-778-1908.

The Island Players’ historic 75th season has broken records by selling out every play so far this season. In case the trend continues, it’s a good idea to get tickets in advance to avoid missing out on the upcoming production of Alan Ayckbourn’s “Communicating Doors.” The play debuts on Thursday, March 7, but online tickets are on sale now at www. theislandplayers.org. The box office will open for in-person and phone sales on Monday, Feb. 26 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The box office, 10009 Gulf Drive in Anna Maria, is open Monday through Saturday and one hour prior to the 2 p.m. Sunday matinees.

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Spooner served on the commission for eight years before resigning in December due to new financial disclosure requirements.

BY LESLIE LAKE

SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com

BRADENTON BEACH – Former City Commissioner Jake Spooner was recognized for his eight years of service at a Feb. 15 city commission meeting.

“We wanted to take this opportunity to thank you so much for the eight years you served the city of Bradenton Beach,” Mayor John Chappie

Spooner recognized for service said. “There’s so much you’ve contributed and will contribute to the community. You’re one of the best we’ve had as a city commissioner.”

Spooner resigned on Dec. 28 citing the state’s expanded Form 6 financial disclosure requirements.

“Thanks for your service.

I’m glad that you’re part of our community,” Commissioner Ralph Cole said. “I know you will continue to be part of our community.

People don’t realize how much money you’ve saved the city. A lot of good things have come from what Jake has done.”

Commissioner Jan Vosburgh told Spooner he was

City accepting applications for vacant commission seat March 13 is the application deadline.

BY LESLIE LAKE

SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com

BRADENTON BEACH – City commissioners on Feb. 15 unanimously approved a motion to declare a vacancy for Ward 1 and to accept applications for the seat.

The vacant seat was left following the Dec. 28 resignation of Ward 1 Commissioner Jake Spooner, who cited Form 6 financial disclosure requirements as his reason for resigning.

“We have a vacancy here. We thanked Mr. Spooner for his time and service,” City Attorney Ricinda Perry said.

“The first step was to get the ward boundaries established. Once the applications come in and you have your deadline set, you’ll make your appointment to the board for the remaining portion of that term.”

Applications will be considered at the March 21 commission meeting.

“The deadline to apply… would be March 13 at 2 p.m. to get it into

FEBRUARY 21, 2024

the packet for the March 21 meeting,” Perry said.

“We meet them for their interview at that meeting on the 21st,” Mayor John Chappie said.

The commission will potentially make the appointment that day, Perry said.

Commissioner Jan Vosburgh asked what the process is if they choose not to appoint a candidate at that meeting.

Perry said then it would become an at-large seat and there would potentially be a larger pool of applicants to choose from.

“When you’re making an appointment, it’s at your discretion,” Perry said. “You don’t have to disclose why you don’t make an appointment.”

The March 21 meeting will be held at noon at the Katie Pierola Commission Chambers, 107 Gulf Drive N. For application information, visit cityofbradentonbeach. com.

CITY OF BRADENTON BEACH | SUBMITTED

From left, Mayor John Chappie, Commissioner Ralph Cole, Commissioner Jan Vosburgh, Jake Spooner, City Clerk Terri Sanclemente and City Attorney Ricinda Perry recognize Spooner for his years of service on the city commission. superb during his time as commissioner.

“Jake, you have served the city with tremendous

integrity and honor every step of the way. And you never took this job as punch in, punch out,” City Attorney Ricinda Perry said. “You’re very special and you will be sorely missed.”

City Clerk Terri Sanclemente presented Spooner with flowers and a plaque.

“I’d like to say thank you to all of you. It’s truly been an honor to serve with all of you,” Spooner said. “I’ve learned so much. The amount that I’ve learned has made me a better person. I love this community and I know you guys do, too. Thank you for your time and dedication to this job.”

Gulf Drive improvements planned Holmes Beach city leaders voted unanimously on Feb. 13 to enter into an agreement with RESPEC for right-of-way work to improve drainage along Gulf Drive from Palm Drive to Holmes Boulevard. The project, funded by a 2023 Resilient Florida Program grant, is planned to create a stormwater system along the roadside as well as improve sidewalks and pedestrian accessibility and improve the roadway, all with the goal of mitigating the effects of storm and sea level rise flooding in the area. With the approval of the RESPEC contract, the project enters the study and planning phase. Options will come back before commissioners for approval during the design phase before any construction is approved in the area.

Design and permitting is scheduled to take place by Jan. 31, 2025 with construction planned to start by Feb. 28, 2025. The total cost of the RESPEC contract is $247,200, not including construction costs.

Privateers celebrate Mardi Gras with crawfish boil The Anna Maria Island Privateers are inviting all landlubbers to join them on Sunday, Feb. 25 from 12-4 p.m. at Peggy’s Corral in Palmetto for their Mardi Gras party. There will be a crawfish boil, drink specials, costume contest, raffles and prizes.

The Bradentucky Death Rays will play live music and the party is for a good cause. The Privateers are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is Pirates for Kids and Community. Peggy’s Corral is located at 4511 U.S. 41, Palmetto.

KEY ROYALE CLUB | SUBMITTED

Winning smile After golf at the Key Royale Club in Holmes Beach on Feb. 15, the members celebrated the 95th birthday of Dale Hudson with cake and refreshments. A long-time golfing member since the 1980s and loved by everyone, Hudson did not win that day but he helped his team shoot even par for the scramble. Tying for first place were the team of Dan Hazewski, Jack Lowry and Eric and Monica Lawson and the team of Bruce Christenson, Tim and Marcia Friesen and Blake Ress with a score of 28, 4 under par.

FEBRUARY 21, 2024

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15

HORSESHOE: Pitching has long history in Anna Maria FROM PAGE 11 social gathering and fund an annual championship. The remaining funds are donated to a local charity or non-profit organization. The group donated nearly $800 to Meals on Wheels.

The Anna Maria horseshoes group has no formal name and its leadership is informal and voluntary. For the past several years, Jay Disbrow has served as the pit boss, who helps determine the teams and coordinate the matches. He also maintains the equipment and serves as the group’s media liaison.

Disbrow began playing horseshoes with the Anna Maria group about 20 years ago and eventually became the pit boss.

“I read about it in the paper. I started coming out and I met a lot of great guys.

Ron Pepka ran it for a number of years and then Sam Samuels started doing it.

Everybody plays three games. We’ve got room for 20 people to play at one time and when you have more than that you have to keep the crew moving,” Disbrow said, noting the Anna Maria group also sometimes competes against other groups, including a group from the Trailer Estates mobile home community in Bradenton.

As for what makes a good horseshoe pitcher, he said, “A good smooth followthrough.”

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

From left, Jay Disbrow serves as the group’s pit boss. Sam Samuels returned to play after a three-year absence. Adin Shank is believed to be the group’s longest-tenured horseshoe pitcher. Minnesota resident Dan Belden is among the group’s youngest horseshoe pitchers.

Samuels started pitching horseshoes with the group in 2000 and on Feb. 14 he returned to play after a three-year absence.

“I’m 86 years old and I had a few birthdays while I was gone,” Samuels said. “Jay’s doing a fantastic job. We have good pitchers and the guys are winning tournaments.”

Fifty-five-year-old Minnesota resident Dan Belden may be the group’s youngest regular pitcher. During his annual Florida vacations, Belden’s been throwing horseshoes in Anna Maria for more than 25 years. As a National Horseshoe Pitchers Association-sanctioned pitcher, Belden also throws with a sanctioned horseshoe club at G.T. Bray Park in

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Bradenton while visiting. Each summer he competes in the annual World Horseshoe Championship and his best finish so far is third place.

80-year-old Bradenton resident and former Island resident Adin Shank participated in the photo reenactment. He’s been throwing horseshoes in Anna Maria for 35 years and believes he’s the group’s longest-tenured active member.

“The camaraderie of the guys and the competition is great. I’ve always been a sports guy so I keep doing it,” he said.

89-year-old Gene Bobeldyk has been throwing horseshoes in Anna Maria for 20 years and he said, “I like the atmo-

sphere. It’s a bunch of friendly guys and we have a good time.”

On Feb. 14, two teams went 3 and 0 and met in the final, with Tom Farrington and Bob Mason edging out Adin Shank and Ron Gagon 23-17 to claim the day’s bragging rights.

On Feb. 12, the Anna Maria group welcomed pitchers from the Tri-ParEstates mobile home community in Sarasota and the Tri-Par pitchers prevailed in the first meeting of the two groups.

On Feb. 17, Tim Sofran and Bob Rowley defeated Farrington and Ron Hooper by a 21-13 margin in the final match.

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FEBRUARY 21, 2024

Cortez founded on mullet The Cortez Cultural Center hosted a talk by Dr. Angela Collins about the fish that made Cortez what it is.

BY CINDY LANE | clane@amisun.com SUN EDITOR

CORTEZ – A visit by Dr. Angela Collins to the Cortez Cultural Center furthered the organization’s mission to “preserve the past and protect the future.”

The University of Florida Sea Grant marine extension agent told visitors last Thursday all about mullet, the reason Cortez was founded in the late 1880s, and still its most profitable crop.

Fisheries are part of Florida’s secondlargest economic driver, agriculture, Collins told a group of about 25 visitors, many of them tourists, supporting the state’s largest industry.

Collins quizzed visitors about why mullet jump. It could be to rid themselves of parasites, or because they like it, people ventured. Scientifically, no answer has been discovered, but

scientists have learned that when you see a fish jump in Florida, nine times out of 10, it’s a mullet, she said.

The fish can live to be 13 years old, are scavengers, and it’s tough to catch them with hook and line.

As a result, ancient tribes in Florida used gill nets to catch the fish, using coconuts as floats and shells to weigh them down, and herding them into dead-end canals to have fresh fish close at hand, Collins said.

Cuban fishermen traveled to Cortez to catch mullet, especially during Lent in February and March, when demand was particularly high since many Catholics eat fish on Fridays in Lent, when other meat is forbidden.

In the late 1960s, the mullet fishery shifted more to roe – fish eggs – than the fish itself, due to the high prices it brought in foreign markets. Mullet became known as “Gulf of Mexico gold,” Collins said.

“Sailfish is the state fish of Florida,” she said. “It should be mullet.”

Gill nets continued to be used until

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The fishing village of Cortez was founded in the late 1880s by families from Carteret County, North Carolina.

1995, when voters passed a state Constitutional Amendment banning them, believing mullet fishing was depleting mullet and other bycatch species caught in mullet nets. Mullet fishermen now rely on different types of smaller nets, she said.

Cortez is special, Collins said, with its status on the National Register of Historic Places, its 95-acre FISH

Preserve on Sarasota Bay and some descendants of original settlers from Carteret County, North Carolina still living in the village.

As a working waterfront on very valuable Florida property, Collins said, “There is no place left like Cortez in Florida.”

FESTIVAL: Thousands stream to Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival FROM PAGE 1 and crafts for the eyes, smells of everything from crab traps to funnel cakes, the chance to touch live sea creatures in the “Dock Talks” area and the sounds of live music on the main stage that had the large crowd on their feet.

Awards were given at this year’s festival to people who have made an impact on the Cortez fishing community.

The Pioneer of the Year Award was presented to Kaye Bell, and the First Annual John Stevely Memorial Award was given to Linda Molto as the person who best represents the values of FISH. The Volunteer of the Year Award went to Bob Hooper, and a special FISH Community Service Award was given to the Cortez Trailer Park in honor of their support for all of FISH’s endeavors and the large number of residents who volunteer for this event each year. Finally, Cortez fisherman Tommy Killoran was crowned the winner of the popular Fisherman’s Fashion Show that was judged by crowd applause on the main stage.

The huge festival is put together by a small group of people made up of members of the Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage (FISH) and some local residents who volunteer their time throughout the year to plan and execute the event. To handle the task of doing all the work, they rely heavily on volunteers who donate their time to do everything from selling tickets to working parking lots and picking up trash.

Proceeds from the Festival will be used to maintain and make improvements to the FISH Preserve, 98 acres of environmentally sensitive land immediately east of Cortez.

The festival has been dubbed “a party with a purpose,” since the money will assure future generations will be able to not only fish, but also educate others about the importance of commercial fishing and its importance to the coastal Florida way of life for so many that rely on these natural resources to both survive and thrive.

JASON SCHAFFER | SUN

Clockwise above left, there was no shortage of seafood at this year’s Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival. The Fisherman’s Fashion Show was a big hit with the festival crowd on Saturday. Crowd applause chose the winner, Tommy Killoran (wearing green slickers). The Eric Von Band had the crowd on their feet on Saturday. The touch tank was popular with the kids at this year’s festival. They were able to touch and handle shrimp and crabs, while learning about the sea creatures. Linda Molto, standing, won the first annual John Stevely Memorial Award from FISH. Kaye Bell, seated, won the Cortez Pioneer Award. Both women are members of the Cortez Village Historical Society.

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JASON SCHAFFER | SUN

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Mayor responds to OPPAGA study changes

Mayor Judy Titsworth is dismayed by the state’s decision to include consolidation into unincorporated Manatee County as part of the OPPAGA study.

BY KRISTIN SWAIN

SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com

HOLMES BEACH – Mayor Judy Titsworth is reacting to the state’s decision to include a fourth option in the ongoing Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability study – eliminating the three Anna Maria Island cities and folding the Island into unincorporated Manatee County.

“It’s concerning that none of the mayors were told this was an option,” Titsworth said. “That’s concerning, why there’s no dialogue between us

and our state representatives who represent us. Our citizens want to be informed so it’s important that we continue to make ourselves available.”

In an effort to help keep the public informed about the ongoing study, which is expected to conclude in late summer/early fall, Titsworth said the city has purchased the domain saveannamariaisland.com and is in the process of building a website containing facts on the three Island cities and the study as well as information for residents and concerned members of the public who want to reach out to their state representatives.

Though consolidation of the three Island cities isn’t up for discussion during the current state legislative session, it’s expected that it will be addressed in 2024. Titsworth says if that happens, she fears an approval

for consolidation could go through at the state level quickly and without the input of Island residents similar to the bill to construct a parking garage at Manatee Beach that was approved in 2023 without resident input and against local building regulations.

She said she urges everyone who has an opinion on the potential for consolidation to reach out to their state representatives now rather than wait for it to be brought up in bill form for consideration at the state level.

The option joins three other considerations including allowing the three cities to remain as-is, consolidating the cities into one new city or eliminating the three city governments and folding the Island into the city of Bradenton.

The ongoing study, conducted by the state of Florida, is the result of a request from the five-member Mana-

tee County Legislative Delegation and is not being done at the request of the three Island mayors. While the mayors said they would support the study insofar as it looks at potential ways for the three cities to share costs and reduce the burden on taxpayers, they’re not in favor of consolidation.

Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown previously stated that he also has no interest in consolidating Anna Maria Island into his city.

If the Anna Maria Island cities are forced into consolidation or elimination by the state, Titsworth said there’s nothing protecting any other Florida municipality from suffering the same fate, including other Manatee County cities.

“If you get on the wrong side of state leaders, it’s not a really fun place to be,” she said.

PAID PARKING: Commission considers paid parking in residential zones FROM PAGE 1 that was mentioned that popped up and also there are two back-to-back lots on Church and Bayview - both on the side of the marina - and then also for the lot currently used as a parking lot at the Pines (Trailer Park).

“We do need parking, that’s for sure, but at the same time we make sure it’s done properly,” Cushing said.

“I don’t think it’s proper for us to discuss, because it’s an upcoming item; it just came in,” Mayor John Chappie said.

Evelyn Stob, who lives on Third Street North, spoke during the public comment session of the discussion.

“There are two additional spots. I assume they were all zoned R-3 and continue to be zoned R-3. R-3 does not allow parking,” Stob said. “I’d like you to seriously consider those before you grant any type of additional parking, because I’ll be honest with you, it depreciates my home value.”

The lot Stob was referring to is at 102 Third St. N., a home that was, according to tax records, purchased for $1,150,000 in February 2023. The property owner is listed in tax records as 102 3D Street LLC. Stob said the home was demolished and set up for parking.

“They’re all set up to go. Doesn’t this seem a little backwards?” Stob asked. “Can I just start throwing that up in my front yard? It’s something for you to consider.”

Stob said she did not want her home to be surrounded by parking lots.

“What is the status on the applications for those properties?” Chappie asked Cushing. “The hotel property is

LESLIE LAKE | SUN

An application for a parking lot on Church Street, left, and a parking lot at 102 Third St. S., right, was discussed by the commission at its Feb. 15 meeting. after the fact. They’ve already put stuff in there. With the other parking lots that we haven’t reviewed yet, we’re telling them you have to shut it down.”

Chappie said if the rules aren’t followed, the commission has no choice.

“The zoning dos and don’ts are pretty clear, and I don’t know how we can continue to allow the illegal activities in those areas,” Chappie said. “It does create a negative with the surrounding residential neighborhood.”

There are areas in city regulations where an applicant can make an application to change the rules, he said.

“It’s not a free-for-all,” Chappie said. “We have to follow the rules and regulations. We can’t start making exceptions for anybody because then you open a can of worms. It’s not right, it’s not fair and it’s not the way the system is supposed to work.”

Commissioner Ralph Cole noted that there is a process that should be followed to make exceptions to zoning.

“There has to be public notice, to go through the process,” Cole said. “I don’t think we should break our own rules to give an exception. When they purchased these pieces of property they knew what the allowable uses were.”

“They could apply for a variance, that’s a whole process that takes months,” Cushing said. “It has to happen before the lots are installed. These are already up and running, they have kiosks. It’s the cart before the horse at this point.”

“I don’t think we have much choice but to put a stop and desist on this,” Chappie said. “It’s not legal according to our rules and regulations. I don’t see any way around it.”

City Attorney Ricinda Perry said it’s premature at this point because there is not an application for the commission to act upon.

“We don’t have the application, so we’re not in a position to act on it,” Perry said. “They can defend why they are not in violation of our code, and

we can look at it at that time.”

“If you as a mayor find a violation, you can direct staff to look into it,” Perry said. “It appears that code enforcement would be that mechanism if it’s a violation of a code.”

Cushing said parking facilities have been put in place without any type of permit and letters from the city went out to the property owners saying the parking lots have to be removed.

“Since the time the letters went out, we’ve received applications,” Cushing said. “The letters went out a week ago.”

“It was instructed (in the letters) what they needed to do to become compliant,” Bradenton Beach Police Chief John Cosby said. “That’s why you’re getting the applications now. It needs to come back to the commission to make the decision.”

Perry advised the commission to let the process play out until the applications are reviewed.

See related story on Page 31.

18 FEBRUARY 21, 2024

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FEBRUARY 21, 2024

Blooms By The Beach Your Island Florist Anna Maria Island's premiere choice for beautiful floral, helping families celebrate all of life's experiences! Some of our most dynamic designs are for weddings held throughout AMI and the surrounding area, offering unique, specially-crafted wedding work to ensure your wedding is spectacular!

Our one-of-a-kind design studio is open to the public five days a week, Tuesday - Friday 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturdays 9:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. offering: daily deliveries and pick-up orders, customized floral for weddings and private events, weekly corporate accounts, support to local nonprofits with fundraising efforts/church services/thank you arrangements and so much more!

Other services and products offered include: - Tropical flowers - succulent gardens - Ceramic and basket dish gardens - Potted orchids - air plants - Hawaiian leis - balloons - Chocolates - gourmet gift baskets - Cheesecakes - Gift certificates (Both for our shop and other Island businesses) - Local products and special requests - Wedding/event decor rentals Our delivery area includes: Anna Maria Island, Longboat Key, St. Armand's Circle/Lido Key/Bird Key, West Bradenton, North Sarasota Blooms By The Beach schedules all wedding and event consultations for either an in-person visit, via phone or as a Zoom call. For more information about our floral and event services, please visit our website at: www.bloomsbythebeach.com to schedule an appointment or call the shop at 941.778.2555.

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21

PHOTOS BY IYRUS WEDDINGS

Amber Klug and Maxx Pribyl were married at The Sandbar Restaurant on January 5, 2024. Photos by Iyrus Weddings. The reception was held at The Sandbar Restaurant

Want your wedding photos to be featured here? Submit them to ads@amisun.com, subject 'Wedding Photos' along with your names, date of wedding and location and phone number for a chance to be featured here*. *Submission of photo not a guarantee for placement. The Sun is not responsible for any copyright infringement.

22 THE SUN

OUTDOORS

FEBRUARY 21, 2024

Waterman tournament challenging Reel Time

Please support these men, women and companies that step up to protect our local waters: Antonio Castellvi and family Northeast Marine Bonefish Tarpon Trust Ocean Conservancy MRIC Spatial Skinny Water Culture Captains for Clean Water Costa Del Mar Carbon Marine Taylor Freezer

RUSTY CHINNIS

T

he fourth annual Waterman Fly Fishing Tournament was held this past weekend. The two-day, fly-only redfish tournament with a snook calcutta was a sellout with a total of 145 anglers registered. The fishing boundaries were wide-ranging, including the west coast of Florida from Crystal River to the southernmost tip of Sanibel Island. The photo submission format and the iAngler Tournament app made it possible for fishermen in this entire range to participate. The tournament culminated in an awards banquet and prize-rich raffle at the Bradenton Yacht Club on Saturday evening that was made possible by many generous sponsors. All proceeds from the fly fishing tournament benefited Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to the protection, preservation and improvement of the Tampa Bay watershed.

The two-angler teams received a collared long-sleeve tournament shirt, Tampa Bay Waterkeeper hats, dinner for two at the awards ceremony and one raffle ticket for each angler. The target species were redfish and snook. Scoring was done by the highest combination of the two

RUSTY CHINNIS | SUN

Christopher Dierlam and Capt. Greg Peterson with this year's first-place trophy. longest redfish caught over the two days. If a tie had occurred in any of the three top places, it would have been decided by a casting competition based on distance and accuracy.

Dr. Jennifer Rehage was the guest speaker at this year’s banquet. Rehage is a coastal ecologist and professor at the Institute of the Environment at Florida International University in Miami. In her presentation, she explained how water management decisions, water quality and climate affect fish and the quality of recreational fisheries throughout Florida. Her work involves tapping into angler’s local ecological knowledge and knowledge co-production with fishing guides. Her recent work has focused on the presence of

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pharmaceuticals in our fisheries and the implications for wastewater management, the health of Floridians and Florida’s valuable estuaries.

This year’s anglers faced tough competition from the weather including cloud cover that made sight fishing challenging. To give an idea of the degree of difficulty between the fish and the weather, only 17 teams out of 76 caught at least two redfish to fill their card.

Only 34 teams out of 76 caught at least one redfish. The winner of the tournament was Team Juice consisting of Capt. Greg Peterson and Christopher Dierlam with a total of 68.75 inches. Second place was awarded to Trip Saunders and Sean Kersting of Team TBS Beverage with a total of 63.5 inches. In third place was

Terracon Varner Wakefield Equity Partners East Cape Skiffs Cayo Boatworks Borrell Electric Hells Bay Boatworks Beavertail Skiff Floyd Skiff Chittum Skiffs

Tim Metcalf and Marlin Marshall, Team The Other Line with 59.6 inches.

I spoke with Team Juice member Peterson after the tournament awards and he offered this commentary.

“The weather was pretty tough for sight fishing and we never got good visibility once in two days,” Peterson said. “We had a ton of tailing

SEE REEL TIME, PAGE 23

TM

FEBRUARY 21, 2024

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REEL TIME:

Reds, trout plentiful

Waterman challenging FROM PAGE 22 fish pre-fishing on Thursday before the tournament, but they were gone Friday morning probably due to higher water and a south wind pattern. We found one small group of really big fish that were in a couple of potholes and we just had to go super slow. You’re never going to get two of these big, wary fish in a day, but we got one of them each morning. We only caught three fish in two days, but two were the right ones. We were in second after Friday but got our second big fish at 7:05 a.m. Saturday.”

Contact AMI Outfitters locally to book Peterson and many other excellent local guides.

Sponsors were pivotal to this event and the fishing community stepped up to support Tampa Bay Waterkeeper’s mission.

Organizations like Tampa Bay Waterkeeper are on the front line of the defense of our coastal environment and deserve the support of anglers and all those who appreciate the threatened coastal environment. As last year’s guest speaker, Bill Horn, mentioned in his closing statement, “If we don’t do this, we might be the last generation of anglers to have this opportunity.”

THE SUN

CAPT. RICK GRASSETT

Spin fishing anglers fishing with me out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key had some action with reds and trout in Charlotte Harbor and Sarasota Bay recently. Fly anglers had some action with trout, pompano and snook at night.

Keith McClintock, of Illinois, fished a couple of days in Gasparilla Sound near Boca Grande with me, catching and releasing reds and several nice trout on CAL jigs with shad tails. Stephen Liska, of Naples, joined him on one of the trips and also got in on the action with redfish. Keith also had similar action with several reds and trout on another trip in Sarasota Bay. Alan Sugar, of Michigan, fished a couple of trips in Sarasota Bay with me recently.

He caught and released a nice pompano on a Clouser fly on one of the trips. He was joined

by Joel Sugar, of Illinois, on another trip and they had some action with trout on CAL jigs with shad tails and Clouser

CAPT. RICK GRASSETT | SUBMITTED

Stephen Liska, of Naples, with a red caught on CAL jigs with shad tails while fishing Gasparilla Sound with Capt. Rick Grassett recently. flies. Winter residents Jerry Poslusny, of Palmetto and Rich Hunter, of Longboat Key, had some action with snook on flies and trout on CAL jigs with shad tails while fishing the ICW at night with me recently.

CB’s Saltwater Outfitters will hold an Orvis-Endorsed fly fishing school on Saturday, March 9. The course, designed for beginning and intermediate fly casters, will focus on basic

23

fly casting principles, improving casting skills and correcting faults. It will also cover saltwater fly fishing techniques, leader construction and fly selection.

I will be the instructor of the class, which will run from 8:30 a.m. to approximately 2 p.m.

The cost is $225 per person and includes the use of fly tackle, a workbook and lunch. Contact CB’s Saltwater Outfitters at 941349-4400 to make reservations.

Look for reds, trout and snook in skinny water and snook around dock lights. Deep grass flats are usually a good option for action with trout and seasonal species such as pompano and Spanish mackerel.

Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides and other algae blooms fueled by residential, industrial and agricultural runoff, toxic spills and intentional releases, freezes, increasing fishing pressure and habitat loss and degradation. Please limit your kill, don’t kill your limit!

24 THE SUN

BEACH BEAT BRADENTON BEACH 2/12, 2 p.m., lost/stolen property, 300 Gulf Drive S. A female reported she had been walking the beach just south of the Moose Lodge in Bradenton Beach. When she returned from her walk, she noticed her necklace was missing from her neck. She told the officer that the necklace was appraised for $13,900 three years ago, but due to it being passed down from a family member, she did not have a receipt.

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HOLMES BEACH 2/9, 2:33 a.m., warrant, 401 39th St. While conducting a building check at a construction site at the listed address, the officer found a male and female sleeping under a blanket at the rear of the building. He woke them and asked if they had permission to be there, and they said they did not.

Both were issued a citation for illegal camping, and when running their names through dispatch, the male came back with an active warrant in Hillsborough County.

He was arrested, taken into

custody, and transferred to a Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputy for transport to Manatee County Jail.

2/9, 2:08 p.m., information, 5903 Marina Drive. The officer responded to Code Enforcement due to damage to a city vehicle.

Upon arrival, the officer spoke to a Code Enforcement official who said an unknown person or vehicle struck the side of their truck. They were not sure when it happened, and had no other information. Pictures were taken for evidence, but no suspect was located.

FEBRUARY 21, 2024

FEBRUARY 21, 2024

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THE SUN

25

History shines at library

BY JOE BECHT

SUN CORRESPONDENT

HOLMES BEACH - Kathy Fleck, of the Manatee County Central Library, conducted an educational presentation at the Island Branch Library on the early settlers of Anna Maria Island on Feb. 16. Her historical knowledge combined with her excellence in speaking and engagement led to an entertaining hour in front of a packed room.

The story began in the early 1890s, transitioning from what was once called Palm Island to the homesteaders who created Anna Maria Island.

Fleck went into detail on who initially settled on AMI. George Emerson Bean was named as the first official homesteader in 1892, hence the famous Bean Point, but Fleck educated the crowd that the first person to reside on Anna Maria was Andrew Gowanlock.

Gowanlock was a peculiar man who

resided in Palma Sola but had a cabin on Anna Maria, where he immersed himself in experimental botany. He was eventually known as the hermit of Anna Maria for his solitary lifestyle away from his family.

Throughout the presentation, Fleck had precise visuals that showed where the original settlers lived. She also went into interesting detail on how the actual landscape of Anna Maria Island changed. For example, the original Bean Point is now in the Gulf of Mexico and George Bean’s last house was built were the current Rod and Reel Pier is today.

The presentation moved on to the next settlers of the Anna Maria, with the recurring theme that they all came by way of Tampa.

John Richard Jones was best known for angering many with his scathing editorials in the Tampa Times.

The eccentric William Buddy Berg,

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JOE BECHT | SUN

Kathy Fleck, of the Manatee County Central Library, told visitors about AMI’s early history. who resided where the Anna Maria City Pier stands, lived in an unusually built house where he conducted experiments. He was known as a chemist and caused a few accidents.

Remarkably, he invented waterproof glue from palmettos.

Jose Casanas was the first Spaniard on Anna Maria and with the eventual arrival of Joe Mora,

they evolved into a tight Spanish community where Holmes Beach is now located.

Samuel Cobb was an acquaintance of Bean’s and joined him as a settler.

Hugh Whitehead settled on what is now called School Key and was an automobile part inventor.

Finally, there was the mystery of David Roush. Little is known of the man who lived near Coquina Beach. It is certain that Fleck will delve into his history.

In the “The more things change, the more they stay the same” category, the small population of Anna Maria Island had disputes.

Back then it was mainly over prohibition and religion.

The presentation timeline ended in 1899, when there were 33 residents on Anna Maria Island.

The Early Settlers of Anna Maria Island presentation proved to be a great hour of entertaining history.

26 THE SUN

REAL ESTATE

FEBRUARY 21, 2024

Insurance premiums painful

T

here are few things related to the real estate industry that I can’t figure out. That may sound like an overabundance of hubris, but what it is, is decades of experience and mind-bending research. The one thing, however, that is painful and confusing to me is insurance.

Homeowners insurance in Florida has been difficult, expensive and sometimes unavailable. Insurance companies have fled the state in the aftermath of a series of severe storms and historic damage to property. This impacts not only homeowners’ insurance but auto insurance as well. Americans are driving more expensive cars and of course, residents of coastal communities like Anna Maria Island are exposed to more severe damage and flooding on their expensive properties and expensive automobiles.

The insurance companies that generally sell both homeowners and auto insurance are viewing their risk as one package.

During COVID-19 when no one was driving any significant distance, they made

Castles in the Sand LOUISE BOLGER money with fewer accidents. Nevertheless, automobile premiums still were increased, which you may have noticed in your recent policy renewal. I did.

Acquiring expensive homeowners and flood insurance can make waterfront properties less valuable and harder to sell.

Certainly, new construction properties are required to be elevated and the addition of impact-resistant windows, doors and garage doors as well as breakaway walls on the lower level all help the homeowners of these properties to acquire insurance. But the older one-level properties on the Island and the coastline will have a much harder time finding new owners.

Properties that have a mortgage attached to them must have homeowners’ policies as well as flood insurance in a flood zone. Many homeowners in recent years have chosen to “go bare,” meaning they do not purchase insurance and either arrange their finances to self-insure or take their chances.

In a report from last fall, Forester Research predicted that climate change will destabilize the global insurance industry.

Increasingly extreme weather will make it harder for insurance companies to model and predict what their financial exposure is and accurately calculate what they need in reserves to cover claims.

Climate change is a wild card for insurers. Since they can’t determine the real risk, they will charge more to cover an assumed risk or avoid offering policies in certain areas. California, Florida and Louisiana are in the crosshairs of insurance companies and those of us who live in these states will be paying more for coverage as the insurance companies build up their reserves in

anticipation of big storms ahead.

For Florida, there is some recent good news with the addition of six new homeowners’ insurance companies that have been vetted and cleared by state regulators. They are Tailrow Insurance Company, Mainsail Insurance Company, Orion 180 Insurance Company, Orion 180 Select Insurance Company, Orange Insurance Exchange and Condo Owners Reciprocal Insurance.

Hopefully, these companies can fill part of the gap for homeowners looking for policies and give Citizens Insurance, the state insurance company of last resort, some relief. The goal is to attract other companies to do business in Florida. Even if more companies come here to sell insurance, don’t expect policy premiums to go down substantially anytime soon.

Insurance is painful not just to me, but to everyone else within the radius of this newspaper’s distribution. My advice is don’t change insurance companies if you’re not dropped, take an Advil and pray for fewer storms.

FEBRUARY 21, 2024

OBITUARIES Christine Lucienne Farmer Christine Lucienne Farmer, of Bradenton, Florida, entered into eternal peace on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024.

Chris was born on Sept. 13, 1963, in Montreal, Canada and lived in Canada until the age of 10, when she moved to Anna Maria Island with her family.

It was on Anna Maria Island where Chris developed a life-long love for nature and watching sunsets at her beloved beach. Chris enjoyed working in non-profit and public service capacities and often volunteered in many ways to serve her community.

A devoted mother and grandmother, she was passionate and committed to her family and the friends she loved so dearly. She is especially remembered as having created a welcoming home and was thoughtful to include special details about each person she encountered. Chris was a faithful follower of Christ and instilled a love for God in her children and grandchildren.

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Chris is survived by her daughters, Chelsea Solomon (Todd) and Madison Artman (Tony), both of Charleston, South Carolina; three grandchildren, Magnolia Solomon, Tucker Solomon and Andie Kate Artman; her mother, Fleurette Boutin; and her siblings, Janice Farmer, Patti Magee (Bruce), Natalie Farmer (Robert), all of Ottawa, Canada and Michel Dubois (Debi), of Bradenton. She is also survived by her nieces and nephews, Corey Burns, Kelly Magee, Jonathan Burns, Scott Magee, Jessica Boyett, Genevieve Gosselin and Mathieu Gosselin. She was predeceased by her father, William (Bill) Farmer.

A service to remember Chris will be held on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024 at 5:15 p.m. on Anna Maria Island beach-side at the end of 77th Street. A reception and The Afterlife Celebration will follow immediately after at Paddy Wagon Irish Pub, 6690 Cortez Road W., Bradenton FL 34210. Brown & Sons Funeral Homes & Crematory 43rd Street Chapel is in charge of the arrangements. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Take Stock in Children, Inc. https://www. classy.org/give/392218/#!/donation/ checkout or The Center of Anna Maria Island centerami.org/donate.

Condolences may be made to www. brownandsonsfuneral.com.

THE SUN

John Luther Rudacille John Luther Rudacille, 80, of Holmes Beach, Florida, passed away on Feb. 11, 2024.

Born in Lynchburg, Virginia, he moved to Manatee County in 1970 from Pearisburg, Virginia. John was a teacher and a Band Director I at Bradenton Middle School, Sugg Middle School and King Middle School.

John is survived by his wife, Chris, of Holmes Beach; sons, Scott (Janae) and Mark, of Bradenton, Florida; brother, Stephen (Gayle) of Valrico, Florida; sister, Mildred (Roy) Reynolds of Richmond, Virginia; two grandchildren, Cale and Camden; and his ex-wife, Susan Varnadore.

There will be a Celebration of Life at a later date. Brown & Sons Funeral Homes & Crematory 43rd Street Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.

Memorial donations may be made to a charity of one’s choice. Condolences may be made to www.brownandsonsfuneral.com.

Elwood Albert “Tom” Yarger Elwood Albert “Tom” Yarger passed peacefully in Bradenton in the early

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morning of Sunday, July 9, 2023.

Tom was the beloved husband of Linda; father of Tom (Debi); grandfather of Jessica (Austin) and Alec (Ivey); great-grandfather of Isla and Lando; and brother of Dennis (Bernice) and Carol (Ernie). He was preceded in death by his youngest son, Tim (Lisa) in 2013; and by his sister, Sandy (Bill) in 2022.

He was born in Sandborn, Pennsylvania to Albert and Avanel Yarger on Sept. 5, 1941 and grew up in that area, where he owned and operated a gas and auto-repair service station for many years before moving to Bradenton Beach in 1985. He also worked and retired from Manatee County government in 2002. While employed, he was recognized as Manatee County Employee of the Month in September 1998 and separately was presented with the Manatee County Heroism Award in 2000.

Tom loved collecting coins and spent several years attending antique and coin shows to support his love for them.

Friends are invited to join us in a celebration of life on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, from 9-11 a.m. at the Annie Silver Community Center, 103 23rd St. N., Bradenton Beach, FL 34217.

28 THE SUN

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FEBRUARY 21, 2024

FORM 6: Lawsuits filed FROM PAGE 9 imposition of any fines, penalties or other enforcement, against plaintiffs, arising from the failure of any plaintiffs to file a Form 6 while subject to such requirements. Awarding plaintiffs their costs and expenses, including attorneys’ fees, incurred in bringing in this action,” the federal complaint says.

POTENTIAL IMPACTS

When speaking to The Sun in January, Cole said a court-ordered temporary injunction would only benefit those individually named as lawsuit plaintiffs but a permanent injunction or final ruling that declares the

current state law unconstitutional could potentially benefit all elected and appointed mayors, city commissioners and city/town/ village council members in Florida.

“In the long run, if we win the case and get a declaration that the law’s invalid, I think it will benefit everyone,” he said.

“But that’s not going to be for a while, so we’re going to try to get a temporary injunction that would only run in favor of the plaintiffs – the individuals who are actually named in the lawsuit. Just because a city joins, that’s not going to be enough.

The individuals who are named plaintiffs are the ones who would benefit from the temporary injunction and the cities would be paying for their fees,” Cole said.

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ANNA MARIA 915 N Shore Drive 4 Beds 4 Baths | 2,870 SF Hannah Hillyard & George Myers 941-744-7358 A4582727 | $6,250,000

HOLMES BEACH 515 Bayview Drive 4 Beds | 3 Baths | 2,928 SF Jim Sauter & Randee Long 941-999-8901 | A4569730 | $2,999,950

HOLMES BEACH 101 66th Street 1 3 Beds | 3 Baths | 1,627 SF Ken Kavanaugh, Jr & Kathy Harman 941-799-1943 | A4574636 | $1,987,000

HOLMES BEACH 508 75th Street 2 Beds | 2/1 Baths | 1,702 SF Amy Ward 386-623-2525 | A4597094 | $1,850,000

ANNA MARIA 912 N Shore Drive 2 Beds | 2 Baths | 1,332 SF Hannah Hillyard & George Myers 941-744-7358 | A4593135 | $1,595,000

BRADENTON 283 Saint Lucia Drive 101 4 Beds | 3 Baths | 2,206 SF Betsy Hagen & Laura Rulon 941-216-0721 | A4585318 | $1,465,000

BRADENTON BEACH 1007 Gulf Drive N 208 2 Beds | 2/1 Baths | 1,349 SF Kathy Harman 941-900-9828 | A4588518 | $799,000

HOLMES BEACH 607 N Point Drive | 3 Beds 2 Baths | 1,884 SF Hannah Hillyard & George Myers 941-744-7358 | A4597576 | $2,400,000

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30 THE SUN

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BILL: Vacation rental bill lagging in house

FEBRUARY 21, 2024

FROM PAGE 1 less than three weeks to pass HB 1537 through the Commerce Committee and present a bill that matches the Senate bill for a final vote on the House floor.

CITY OPPOSITION

The city of Anna Maria opposes the vacation rental bills that would impact the city’s ability to annually inspect vacation rentals and cap the city’s initial annual registration fee at $150 and subsequent annual registration fees at $50. Anna Maria’s current occupancy-based registration fee is $84 per year for the specific number of occupants allowed in that unit by the city’s vacation rental ordinance.

The proposed legislation would also impact the city’s ability to enforce occupancy limits by monitoring online vacation rental advertising.

“This is an ugly bill when it comes to regulating vacation rentals,” Murphy said during the city commission’s Feb. 8 meeting.

Murphy said the city-owned Home Rule Florida website, www.homerulefl.com, had already generated 7,248 opposition letters to SB 280 and each targeted senator received 302 emails. The city’s opposition campaign generated 17,225 opposition emails sent to House members, with each relevant House committee member receiving 392 emails.

“I know it’s effective, but it doesn’t seem to be changing the votes. It’s divided by party. Democrats are voting to kill the bill. Republicans are voting for the bill,” Murphy said.

Commission Chair Mark Short said he’s disappointed with the Florida League of Cities’ lack of opposition and he encourages citizens opposed to the bill to continue utilizing the Home Rule Florida website to express their opposition.

City Attorney Becky Vose said the twoplus-two occupancy limits in SB 280 are illusionary and essentially unenforceable.

“No matter what they put in there about occupancy, there are other provisions in the proposed changes to the statute that make it virtually impossible to regulate because it doesn’t allow you to use your typical code enforcement to regulate it. They require proof of five violations over a period of 60 days. Then you have to do certain things within a certain timeframe and you’re only allowed to suspend them for a certain amount of time. It makes no sense. So many things in this statute are very cleverly done to make it look reasonable, but it’s all smoke and mirrors because they take away your enforcement ability,” Vose said.

Murphy questioned the algorithms and calculation methods included in the Senate bill for the determination of allowed occupancy.

“You couldn’t possibly enforce those rules. There’s no mechanism to do it,” he said.

­ JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy adamantly opposes the Florida Legislature’s proposed vacation rental legislation.

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JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

Michael Wilcox owns and operates a three-unit vacation rental in Holmes Beach.

RENTAL OWNER’S PERSPECTIVE

Michael Wilcox and his wife, Jennifer, own the three-unit Casa Coconut AMI vacation rental in Holmes Beach. As a rental owner, Wilcox supports preempting vacation rental regulations to the state.

Wilcox lives and votes in Bradenton and said he doesn’t feel the Holmes Beach City Commission considers non-resident vacation rental owners to be part of their constituency. He said some vacation rental owners are reluctant to criticize city officials due to fears of retribution and he believes state regulation would provide rental owners with direct representation by state legislators.

Wilcox noted vacation rental beds now outnumber hotel/motel beds, according to the Florida Vacation Rental Managers Association. He noted the state uniformly regulates hotels and motels but vacation rental regulations vary from city to city.

“Hotels are regulated the same way in every city in Florida. Why can’t that apply to vacation rentals? We don’t even have the same rules in the three Anna Maria Island cities,” he said.

Regarding city-imposed annual registration fees, Wilcox said, “This legislation reels in the cash grab from municipalities with the exorbitant rental registration fees.

When I first started this, I paid $145 per unit in Holmes Beach. Shortly thereafter, it switched to $545 per unit. I have three units. My first renewal was $1,635. Who is served by me spending $1,635 for that service?”

Vacation rental owners and operators are required to collect and remit Manatee County’s 5% tourist development tax on all short-term lodging stays, in addition to the 6% state sales tax. Wilcox supports state legislators’ efforts to ensure the greater collection of vacation rental-related taxes and fees owed to the county and state.

FEBRUARY 21, 2024

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THE SUN

31

Commission approves temporary paid parking Lots are approved in the footprint of the future hotel/ restaurant/retail site on Bridge Street and Gulf Drive.

BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com

BRADENTON BEACH – The city commission approved an application on Feb. 15 for temporary paid parking lots that were already in operation.

The application, dated Jan. 29, was submitted for commission approval by developer Shawn Kaleta to allow paid parking lots at 101 and 105 Bridge St., 219 Gulf Drive S. and 106 Third St. for one year beginning on Feb. 1.

“There’s where the parcels are for the future Bridge Street hotel project,” city Building Official Darin Cushing said. “The buildings are being demolished. About a month ago the owner just went ahead and turned it into a paid parking lot.”

The building at 219 Gulf Drive S. was demolished on Dec. 11 and a paid parking lot opened on the site around Jan. 30.

“I reached out to the owner and told him we would need some kind of permit for that,” Cushing said.

“I reached out to staff and determined a temporary use permit would be most appropriate.”

Cushing said parking is an allowable use there.

“The application was turned in with an aerial view with some lines sketched on it,” he said.

“Certainly, before we can go forward, we need something more detailed. There are things to look at like the size of the parking spaces, drive aisles, ingress and egress, possible need for landscaping and whether or not they are required to have handicapped parking.”

Since that parking application was turned in, Cushing said four more applications have been turned in for temporary use parking.

“The difference for those lots is those are not zoned for that,” Cushing said. “Parking is a prohibited use.”

The Sun requested copies of the applications but they were not received by press time.

“Darin and I have had back and forth discussion,” City Attorney Ricinda Perry said at the commission meeting. “I’m 100% in agreement with the building department on how to handle these. I saw two mechanisms

in the Land Development Code (LDC) one could utilize.”

One is a temporary use permit, which can be revoked, and which the city can put conditions on, she said. The other option is a special use permit, which is more permanent.

Perry said if the commission is inclined to move forward, then she and Cushing would walk them through the conditions.

“It is of concern when you start to see a lot of these (pop-up parking lots) coming in,” Perry said. “We had a resident come in who has identified one by her that is not zoned properly for a parking lot” at 102 Third St. N., a residential district.

With the discussion of the applications at hand, Chappie said he wanted to discuss traffic circulation.

“I don’t think we should allow entrance and exit off of Bridge Steet,” Chappie said. “Everything should be off Third Street South.

Bridge Street is heavy traffic for pedestrians along the sidewalk.”

Chappie also expressed concern about the proper distance from the lot to the sidewalk. He suggested landscaping and a sidewalk on the north side of Third Street South, as well as a slab placed underneath benches at the trolley stop on Gulf Drive.

Commissioner Jan Vosburgh expressed concern about city liability for the lot.

“By merely approving the use, the city doesn’t have liability,” Perry said.

Sam Negrin, representative for Kaleta, attended the meeting and was there to answer commissioners’ questions.

“In terms of insurance, the group we’re working with to set up parking, Easy Parking Group, in our contract with them, they provide the insurance,” Negrin said.

Negrin said the applicants are open to addressing concerns about landscaping and the trolley stop and any other commissioners’ concerns.

“We’ll have a more detailed diagram for you,” Negrin said.

“This is just a rough sketch right now.”

Negrin said the applicants are looking to begin construction on the hotel as soon as possible and wouldn’t expect the parking lot to be in place longer than a year.

“I don’t have a problem with nine months to a year,” Chappie said. Vosburgh and Commis-

sioner Ralph Cole also agreed to a year.

“I’d like to see some nice landscaping along Gulf Drive,” Chappie said. “There’s an easement and I don’t want them to touch those Washingtonian palms.”

Police Chief John Cosby said he did not want any plantings along the road to be higher than 3 feet for safety and visibility reasons.

“Public safety is key,” Chappie said. “We don’t want it to turn into a crime spot.”

The discussion turned to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements for handicapped spots.

“ADA parking is required even on temporary grass or gravel lots – it’s one per 25 spaces,” Cosby said.

Perry read a motion to approve the temporary use permit for paid parking at 101 and 105 Bridge St., 219 Gulf Drive S. and 106 Third St. S, with the following conditions: • No ingress or egress from Bridge Street; • Parking layout must be in accordance with Sect. 604.7.7 of the Land Development Code for parking spaces, drive aisles, parking bumpers and directional arrows for circulation; • Turtle-friendly lighting may be provided by the applicant; • Landscape buffering along the perimeter abutting any public rights of way at less than 3 feet in height; • Conformance with section 604.5 of the LDC, the visibility triangle; • Installation of sidewalks on the north side of Third Street South to Gulf Drive and Bridge Street at the corner of Gulf Drive to the boundaries of the Daiquiri Deck property; • Installation of a concrete pad to support two publicly provided benches at the trolley stop along Gulf Drive; • Community Redevelopment Agency black and white signage shall be installed in the parking lot; and • ADA compliance as required by state and federal law for any parking spaces, with a resubmittal of a more detailed site plan to be reviewed to the satisfaction of the building official.

Cole made the motion which was seconded by Vosburgh; it passed unanimously. Commissioner Marilyn Maro phoned in to the meeting.

32 THE SUN

SPORTS

FEBRUARY 21, 2024

Adult flag teams fight for position

BY MONICA SIMPSON

Solid Rock Construction (2-3) Beach House/ Waterfront Restaurant (1-4)

SPECIAL TO THE SUN

ANNA MARIA – Five weeks into the adult co-ed flag football winter season, two teams float to the top with only two regular-season games to play.

Solid Rock Construction and Floridian Mortgage finished last week’s action with a 4-1 record.

Floridian Mortgage earned their win against the Edible Cookie Dough Café team. With the final score 41-24, the clear underdog team continues to play with heart with two chances to earn a W. In the second game of the night, the Gulf Drive Café team fell to Solid Rock Construction 31-13. Quarterback Dominick Otteni threw for three touchdowns, hitting three different receivers. Otteni ran for six points, pushing his team closer to the win.

Derrick Carey scored six points for Solid Rock with an Otteni catch. Carey defensively made three flag pulls and had an interception against the Gulf Drive offense.

Solid Rock’s Rex Kesten was the target of a touchdown throw, catching two additional rockets, along with a one-point conversion. Defensively Kesten had a stop, sack and interception.

With five catches, including one for a TD, Jonathan Soultatos was a key player in Solid Rock Construction’s victory. Soultatos scored on defense with a pick-six and had two flag pulls to add to his stats.

Peggy Smith made two receptions and three flag pulls, contributing to her season statistics. Otteni hit Jim Harwood, new to the league, for a big catch for positive yardage.

On the other side of the football, Gulf Drive Café did its best to stay in the game with a tough offense and persistent defense.

FEB. 13 YOUTH FLAG FOOTBALL 11- TO 14-YEAR-OLD LEAGUE – WEEK 5

26 15

Moss Builders (5-0) HSH Design (1-4)

44 26

Solid Rock Electrical (4-1) Progressive Cabinetry (2-3)

43 19

Shady Lady Horticultural Services (3-2) 34 Solid Rock Air Conditioning (3-2) 28 MONICA SIMPSON | SUN

Gaining yardage along the sideline, Solid Rock Construction’s Jonathan Soultatos is stopped by the Gulf Drive Café defender with a flag pull under the lights at The Center of Anna Maria Island field.

Wings N Things (2-3) Freckled Fin (0-5)

Helping to put the points on the scoreboard for Gulf Drive Café, Zack Price, the team’s quarterback, threw for two touchdowns. Price found Jaden Grant and Brandon Rolland for the scores.

Rolland added a point to the score with a point after a touchdown, as well as making three defensive stops.

On defense, Price had four flag pulls and an interception, while teammate Grant had four big stops of the Solid Rock offense.

Contributing to the defensive stops were Karri Stephens and Hayley Gerken, each with a single pull. Stephens and Gerken made big catches in the game, helping the Gulf Drive team move downfield.

Three of the eight teams go into week six with the same record of 3-2. With their win against Sandbar Seafood & Spirits, Moss Builders have three wins alongside Salty Printing.

The Sandbar Seafood & Spirits team

FEB. 15 ADULT CO-ED INDOOR SOCCER – WEEK 3

join the group with their loss.

Salty Printing put up their win against Slim’s Place in the final game of the night, losing by one point.

Slim’s Place moves to a 2-3 record after five weeks of play.

After this week’s games, each team only has one more opportunity to add a win to their record. The first round of playoffs starts on Thursday, March 7 at 6 p.m. with the championship game scheduled for March 21.

SUN SCOREBOARD FEB. 12 YOUTH FLAG FOOTBALL 8- TO 10-YEAR-OLD LEAGUE – WEEK 5 Moss Builders (5-0) AMI Coconuts (1-4)

24 13

Sato Real Estate (4-1) Adrian Griffin Interiors (3-2)

42 0

Cheesecake Cuties (4-1) Chick-fil-A (0-5)

36 14

26 6

Sato Real Estate (2-0-1) Mi-Box (0-2-1)

9 8

Pool America (1-1-1) Slim’s Place (0-2-1)

14 6

Bucky Construction (3-0-0) Servis 1st Bank (1-2-0)

6 5

ADULT CO-ED FLAG FOOTBALL – WEEK 5

Moss Builders (3-2) Sandbar Seafood & Spirits (3-2)

34 28

Solid Rock Construction (4-1) Gulf Drive Café (1-4)

31 13

Floridian Mortgage (4-1) Edible Cookie Dough Café (0-5)

41 24

Salty Printing (3-2) Slim’s Place (2-3)

26 24

FEBRUARY 21, 2024

FUN IN THE SUN

Across 1 Mooch, as a smoke 4 Royal elephant of children's literature 9 Functional 14 Slice of history 15 Alpaca relative 16 Inheritance from one's parents?

17 Sherlock Holmes costume accessory 20 Marriage 21 Desert watering holes 22 Means of sticking a shower caddy to a tile wall 26 Fungus gnat, e.g.

29 Paul Anka's "__ Beso" 30 Score more than 31 Figure on the last float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 32 To the left, at sea 34 Takes effect

Answers to 02-14-24 Crossword Puzzle

35 Support from the bullpen 38 Bibliography list 39 Neglects to mention 40 "The Good Place" creator Michael 41 "Sunday NFL Countdown" network 42 Agcy. operating fullbody scanners 45 __ out a win: almost lost 46 Annual football game in Arizona 49 Convene again 51 Dubbed 52 Isn't credible, or a literal description of 17-, 22-, 35-, or 46-Across?

57 Muse of poetry 58 Supreme Court justice Kagan 59 Nail polish brand 60 Luminous

61 Weather forecast aid 62 Web portal with Bing Down 1 Perplex 2 Ice planet beyond Saturn 3 Realismo __: Isabel Allende genre 4 Russian pancakes 5 Melmac native of 1980s TV 6 __ leaf: stew herb 7 Bordeaux beau 8 Expired, as time 9 Fleece-lined boots 10 Mind readers 11 Sort of 12 "__ Misérables" 13 Serpentine curve 18 "__ my cup of tea" 19 Athleta parent company 23 Orchestral reeds 24 Tank the efficacy of, in gamer slang 25 Arched-back yoga asana 27 Risotto recipe verb 28 Khaki kin 31 Splinter group 32 Mentions indirectly 33 Docking spot 34 Duration of employment 35 Novelist Riordan 36 Light and delicate 37 Little rascals 38 "The Waste Land"

poet's monogram 41 "Both would be fine" 42 Narrow-headed drum 43 Wins every game in a series 44 Astronaut Buzz who

THE SUN

was the second man on the moon 46 Athletic 47 Peace Nobelist Sadat 48 What did ewe say?

50 Skier's surface

33

52 Anti-narcotics law gp.

53 URL ending for charities 54 Suffix with pay or Cray 55 Conducted 56 Makeup of 16-Across

34 THE SUN

CLASSIFIEDS CLEANING SERVICE

THE BEST VOLUNTEER position on the island. The AMI Historical Museum needs docents and bread makers. Call Kathy Primeau at 989-560-6381.

TOTAL HOME SERVICES CLEANING: Residential, Commercial, Rentals, VRBO. Professional and Reliable.

Call 941-756-4570 or 941-565-3931

HOSPITAL VOLUNTEERS WANTED to assist at our information desk, especially weekends.

Great for teens needing volunteer hours (16yrs+).

Other assignments available. Please call the Blake Volunteer Office at 941-798-6151.

BRIDGE AT ROSER HALL, Friday’s Noon to 3pm. Call 314-324-5921

BOAT DOCK WANTED ISO BOAT DOCK W/LIFT. Kelly Gitt The Gitt Team Keller Williams on the Water 941-799-9299

CARE GIVER LICENSED CARE GIVER. We will take care of you and/ or your loved ones! Please call 941-725-4851.

COMMERCIAL SALES, RENT & LEASE SALON SUITE / TREATMENT ROOM Available in Anna Maria Body & Sol Spa and Wellness has a private office for rent. Perfect for a hair stylist (shampoo bowl and plumbing in place), acupuncturist, or counselor/therapist. Looking for a monthly rent, not a per use fee. Please text the biz owner, Amanda, at 941-896-2222.

HAVE YOU BEEN thinking of selling? We NEED properties to List for SALE!!! Duplexes, multi family, small resorts?

Call BIG Alan Galletto of Island Real Estate to get it SOLD 941-232-2216

FEBRUARY 21, 2024

ANNOUNCEMENTS

ROSER FOOD BANK needs donations of cash and non-perishable food, PAPER & PERSONAL HYGIENE PRODUCTS. Donations boxes are located at the Church, Moose Club, and Walgreen’s.

Call us today! 941-778-3986

EMPLOYMENT A/C SERVICE TECH, seasoned, able to work well with others. Input is appreciated, hard work is rewarded. Salary negotiable. 40hr + work week. Paid Holidays and vacation. West Coast Air Conditioning & Heating.

Call 941-778-9622 A/C INSTALLER. Change outs. Experienced, High work ethical standards a must. Year round work.

No layoffs. Benefits. West Coast Air Conditioning & Heating. Call 941-778-9622 ROSER CHURCH SEEKS part-time nursery attendant, 8:15-11:15 every Sunday. Must be dependable and enjoy being with children. 941-778-0414 AMI TURTLE WATCH OFFICE ASSISTANT. 20 hours/ week. Work from home in vicinity of AMI. Scheduling, Inventory, Purchasing, Data Entry, Website. Local travel required. Email director@islandturtlewatch. com.

GARAGE SALES MOUNT VERNON ANNUAL FLEA MARKET 4701 Independence Drive Bradenton, FL Saturday, MARCH 2 Clothing, jewelry, furniture, tools, lunch, house wares and much more!!!!!

HOME IMPROVEMENTS RENOVATION SPECALIST ALL carpentry repairs, Wash Family Construction, locally owned and operated CBC 1258250 Call 941-725-0073.

KERN & GILDER CONSTRUCTION, INC New Homes & Remodel.

Design/Build. Since 1968.

License # CBC 1261150.

Call the Office. 941-7781115

JSAN CORPORATION Renovations Construction & Handyman Services 941-243-0995 Lic# CRC1332505 jsancorporation@gmail. com Flooring, Drywall, Painting, Repairs, Kitchen and Bathrooms, Trim & Doors.

Free Estimates. Credit Cards Accepted.

API’S DRYWALL REPAIR 15+ years experience.

Free estimates. No job too small. Love to help you.

Call 941-524-8067.

ISLE TILE specializing in Custom Bath/Shower & Backsplash installation.

Pressure washing available. Call 941-302-8759 isletileservices.com GORILLA DRYWALL REPAIR, LLC. 15+ years of experience. Free Estimates.

Let’s solve your Drywall problems together. Call 941-286-0607.

HOME IMPROVEMENT Michigan General Contractor 30+ yrs. experience. Large or small projects. Budget minded knowledgeable tradesman will complete your project start to finish: On Time/ On Budget. Call Mike 616-204-8822.

BMF INTERIORS Home repairs and more, No job too small. Please call 786318-8585

LANDSCAPING & LAWN CARE R. GAROFALO’S Interlocking brick pavers, driveways, patios, pool decks.

Free estimates. Licensed & Insured. Call Rafael 941-778-4823 or Veronik 941-526-7941 SHELL DRIVEWAYS & LANDSCAPE. Specializing in Old Florida Seashell and Lime rock driveways and scapes. Also River Rock, Sand, Mulch, & Soil. Call Shark Mark 941-301-6067

AMISUN.COM

ISLAND RESIDENT. TREE/ BUSH Trimming, removal.

Sweeping, blowing, and weeding. Weekly, bi-monthly or monthly schedule. Pressure washing. Call Bill Witaszek 941307-9315

LOST & FOUND FOUND BICYCLE that fell off back of car on Cortez Road Call 941-518-1078

MOVING & STORAGE MARTIN’S MOVING YOUR Island movers!

Offering dependable, competitive rates. No hidden costs. 941-8095777.

PAINTING & WALLCOVERING 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

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!! 941-7131893

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.

T & B PRESSURE WASHING Licensed & Insured.

Driveways/sidewalks, Roofs, Pool cages, Fences, House (soft wash/ downstream). Call 813638-7636. tandbpressurewashing@yahoo. com Family owned and operated.

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

NEW ROOF! RENOVATED CONDO for sale, 2BR/2B, 1639 SF, 6904 10th Ave. W., Village Green on cul-de-sac.

1-car garage, large Florida room, dine-in kitchen plus dining room, large pantry, built-in china cabinet, walk-in closet, lots of storage, laundry room, lush landscaping, pool, walking/running track, 5 miles to AMI, near medical, shopping, preserves, $389,200. Lisa Varano, Wagner Realty, 941-730-9060.

FOR SALE - PERICO BAY CLUB Waterfront Beauties! 2 & 3 bedroom models w 2 car garages!

Call Today for more info!

Erin Leathem at The Anna Maria Sales Team at Island Real Estate 941-448-5616 FOR SALE - 5400 GULF Completely updated coastal beauty! Gulf Front 55+ neighborhood community! Call Erin Leathem at The Anna Maria Sales Team at Island Real Estate 941-448-5616 FSBO NORTH-END ANNA MARIA 3BR/3BA, canal home, 2 car detached garage, fireplace, dock, quiet dead-end street 941-3457429.

FOR SALE MOBILE HOME on AMI (Pines Trailer Park) 1BR/1BA, most popular location on Island. Off of Historic Bridge St. Text 860-8757372 for details & pictures. Tiki Bar/carport $150,000 1967 SHERMAN TRAILER for sale in Village on the Greens. 55+ Park, No pets 1BR/1BA + added Sun Room. $32,000 OBO Call AJ at 941-779-5902

FEBRUARY 7, 2024

www.amisun.com

BUSINESS & SERVICE DIRECTORY HOME IMPROVEMENT

REAL ESTATE HOMES & CONDOS FOR SALE ANNA MARIA. PINE AVE Historical Home. 4/3 pool $2.5m. Residential or Retail Brenda Boyd May Broker Owner 941.730 8589. $749,900 CANAL WATERFRONT HOME 3 bedroom. Boat dock- 2 car garage- 2 miles to beach. Christine Kourik Re/max Alliance 314440-7574 $1,000,000 HOME BUILT 2021 -4 bedrooms Plus a Den 4 miles to beach.

Heated pool. Christine Kourik Re/max Alliance 314-440-7574

RENTALS: ANNUAL ANNUAL RENTALS WANTED! We have well qualified tenants for beach and mainland annual rentals, Full management or Finders fee. Call today for details. Ask for Paige DUNCAN REAL ESTATE 513-382-1992.

ANNUAL 2BR/2BA SINGLE FAMILY, 1 car garage, 1/2 mile to the beach. $2000 monthly 941-778-4800

ANNUAL RENTALS 407 76th B Holmes Beach, FL1BR/1.5BA, unfurnished on canal $3000/mo. 804 S Bay Blvd. Holmes Beach, FL- 3BR/2BA, furnished, Bayfront $5,500/mo. Call Sato Real Estate 941-7787200 IN OVER 55 COMMUNITY ON ANNA MARIA ISLAND.. Totally remodeled 2BA/1.5BA, ground level cottage with adjacent parking. Stacked W/D and three air/heat mini splits. Heated pool on site; pickleball courts one block away. Gulf is 300 steps and the bay 200 steps from your porch.

Rent includes all utilities and Wi-Fi. Annual rent $2,500 per month. 6 month rent is $4000 per mo. Call Tim 507-382-8880.

RENTALS: SEASONAL & VACATION 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 941-201-2190

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Call today to place your ad: 941-778-3986

HOME IMPROVEMENT

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HOME SERVICES

REAL ESTATE

PAINTING

ROOFING

ANNA MARIA ISLAND CONDOS Large pool, beach access, free WiFi, 1&2 Bedroom $900 to $1200 per week redekercondosonami. com Tim 941-704-7525 AMI VACATION RENTAL 2025 2BR/1.5BA. Water view. 3 min walk to beach. jamesk95@ netzero.com, or Call Jim 941-226-4008 HOLMES BEACH 2BR/2BA Cozy cottage, tastefully furnished, close to Beach, tennis courts & boat ramp. Renting weekly/ monthly. May 2024 thru December 2024. Call 941778-2919 FOR RENT (SUMMER AT THE BEACH) AMI updated 5 star condo.

Available May to November (monthly with Multi-month discount).

Million$ water view, first floor, 2BR/2BA, beautiful water view deck, walk to beach, pool, tennis (smoke free/no pets) Owner/ renter email NOW marketreps@aol.com or 570-239-0431

AMISUN.COM

RENTAL WANTED RETIRED COUPLE WISH TO RENT January thru March 2025 1 to 2 BR unit or house. Close to Bradenton Beach. Call 507-456-3905

TRANSPORTATION ANYTIME TRANSPORTATION to all Airports, Casino, etc. Tampa/St. Pete $80. Sarasota $40. Pets welcome. Very dependable. Reasonable rates.

Contact Jeanne. 941-7795095

31

36 THE SUN

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FEBRUARY 21, 2024