- Named Best Florida Newspaper In Its Class -
VOL 21 No. 41
July 21, 2021
More property owners in Holmes Beach are finding structural issues. BY KRISTIN SWAIN SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com
New structural problems in Holmes Beach
HOLMES BEACH – A four-unit building on Sixth Avenue was voluntarily evacuated on July 15 after a repairman noticed structural issues with the balconies. Building Official Neal Schwartz said the issues at the building at 3400 Sixth Ave. could lead to a collapse, but that they were discovered before any other damage occurred. The property owners voluntarily vacated the premises until the problem could be assessed by a structural engineer and repaired, he said. All of the balconies on the building are compromised and will have to be replaced, then the building will have to be inspected before it can be deemed safe for habitation, he said. The building, part of the Fountain Head two-building complex, is mostly used as vacation rental units, Schwartz said. He added that while the exterior stucco is separating from the building on the south end of the property, the KRISTIN SWAIN | SUN
Caution tape warns visitors to stay away from the pool deck after balconies on the building were discovered to have structural issues.
Red tide reaching Manatee waters ... BY CINDY LANE SUN STAFF WRITER | clane@amisun.com
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – For the first time since red tide emerged several weeks ago in surrounding counties, Manatee County registered high levels of red tide in water samples at the Longboat Pass boat ramp on July 12, according to Friday’s Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission weekly report. Levels were very low at the Rod and Reel Pier in Anna Maria, at Key Royale in Holmes Beach and at the Palma Sola Bay Bridge in Bradenton on July 12. Levels ranged from background to high concentrations in 18 samples collected from Manatee County waters.
INSIDE NEWS LETTERS CALENDAR RESTAURANTS REAL ESTATE SPORTS CROSSWORD
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SEE STRUCTURE, PAGE 31
... but are visitors concerned? BY JASON SCHAFFER SUN CORRESPONDENT | jschaffer@amisun.com
The FWC also reported high concentrations of red tide in areas of Pinellas, Hillsborough and Sarasota counties. Respiratory irritation was reported in Manatee County at Coquina Beach and Manatee Beach, and in Sarasota, Pinellas and Lee counties. Red tide-related fish kills were reported over the past week in Manatee, Sarasota, Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough and Lee counties. Some scientists claim that the discharge into Tampa Bay of 215 million gallons of nutrient-rich wastewater from the Piney Point fertilizer plant in March and April could be feeding the
ANNA MARIA ISLAND - As Anna Maria Island continues to experience a record-breaking summer of tourist visitation, the recent bloom of red tide in surrounding areas is of obvious concern to residents. But how are tourists reacting? The Sun recently reported on Hurricane Elsa’s minimal impact on tourism, with few tourists canceling plans to visit or cutting their trips short due to the storm, and visitors appear to have the same sentiment regarding red tide. “We have been following the red tide situation through your paper online, as well as Facebook pages and Tampa area news from our home in Jack-
SEE RED TIDE, PAGE 31
SEE VISITORS, PAGE 31
CAPTAIN KATIE SCARLETT | SUBMITTED
Tides and currents are washing dead fish into the Intracoastal Waterway near Longboat Pass, likely killed by red tide to the south. While AMI waters remained mostly clear Monday, FWC reports confirm that red tide is encroaching from the south and north.
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Anna Maria Island, Florida
GETTING back to fishing basics.
In Outdoors. 20 The Island’s award-winning weekly newspaper www.amisun.com
