Anna Maria Island Sun June 9, 2021

- Named Best Florida Newspaper In Its Class -

VOL 21 No. 35

June 9, 2021

Parking rift between city, county widens over Memorial Day The county approved beach parking at the school and library over the holiday weekend without input from the city.

BY KRISTIN SWAIN SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com

Least terns nesting on AMI RUSTY CHINNIS | SUN

Least terns, a threatened species, are nesting on AMI for the first time in recent memory. See story on Page 4.

HOLMES BEACH – Memorial Day weekend brought thousands of people to Anna Maria Island to celebrate the holiday weekend, exacerbating the disagreement between Manatee County commissioners and Holmes Beach city leaders over beach parking.

Prior to the start of the weekend, some Manatee County leaders wanted Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth to open more residential city streets for public beach parking. Titsworth refused, and new County Administrator Scott Hopes made a late-night deal on May 28 with the Manatee County School Board, of which he was a member at the time, to use the parking lot at Anna Maria Elementary School for public parking through Memorial Day, though overnight parking was not allowed. He also arranged for the public to use the parking lot at the Island Branch Library for beach parking after the library closed for the weekend.

While Hopes informed county commissioners of the decision, Titsworth said that he did not provide any notice of the parking allowances to Holmes Beach leaders or police.

If the county’s leaders wish to continue providing public parking at the school and library sites, Titsworth SEE PARKING, PAGE 7

Expanded outdoor seating extended, live music allowed Live music was never supposed to be performed in expanded seating areas, but that restriction has been lifted.

BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

BRADENTON BEACH – A new ordinance allows businesses to continue using the expanded outdoor seating areas allowed during the pandemic, with no prohibition on live music in those areas.

On Thursday, June 3, the Bradenton Beach Commission unanimously adopted on second and final reading Ordinance

INSIDE NEWS CALENDAR OUTDOORS RESTAURANTS REAL ESTATE CROSSWORD CLASSIFIEDS

4 6 18 20-21 22-27 29 30-31

21-533, which allows previously-expanded outdoor business operations to continue until further notice as local businesses continue to recover from the financial losses suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic. In doing so, the commission decided live music would no longer be prohibited in those expanded outdoor areas.

Business owners who wish to continue using their expanded outdoor seating areas must submit a new application to the city building department. If the establishment features live music, the application must show where the live music will be performed.

SEE SEATING, PAGE 25

STATE ENDS daily

COVID-19 updates by zip code. 13

Anna Maria Island, Florida

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

The Bridge Tender Inn’s expanded outdoor seating area includes a small stage under a large tent.

SUMMERTIME is fruity dessert

time! Food and Wine. 17 SIMON KIRKE plays at The Center

Friday. 8

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Undergrounding project facing unexpected cost increase With FPL's unexpectedly higher price to take out concrete light poles versus wooden ones, the city faces a budget shortfall for its utilities undergrounding project.

BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

BRADENTON BEACH – The city’s Gulf Drive utilities undergrounding project is facing an unanticipated potential funding shortfall of about $365,000.

On Thursday, June 3, City Attorney Ricinda Perry discussed the matter with city commission members, some of whom were already aware of the potential financial crisis.

As she did on the previous Bridge Street undergrounding project, Perry is serving as the city liaison for the current Gulf Drive undergrounding project that extends from the south end of the city, near Longboat Pass, to Sixth Street South. The project also includes the utility lines being undergrounded along those connecting side streets. As he did on the Bridge Street project, Mark Porter is again providing consulting services for the Gulf Drive project.

The city’s undergrounding project is being funded by a $2 million state appropriation and the state-imposed deadline to complete the project is June 30.

During the preliminary stages of the Gulf Drive project, the city requested a nonbinding cost estimate from Florida Power & Light (FPL) for that company’s portion of the project costs, which include removing the existing power lines and power poles.

According to Perry, FPL’s non-binding cost estimates came in between $360,000 and $390,000, but on May 17 she received a binding cost estimate from FPL for $1,187,029.

“There is no way we have funds to pay that price,” Perry said.

Perry said FPL attributed the higher price to the fact that FPL replaced the old wooden power poles with concrete power poles when hardening those lines approximately six years ago. Perry said FPL did not account for the concrete poles when making its binding cost estimate. She said FPL representatives admitted the mistake but said little could be done to lower the costs established by tariffs implemented by the Florida Public Service Commission.

According to FPL representative Ray Dowling, the tariffs establish the fixed rates FPL charges for specific tasks such as removing power lines and power poles.

I must complete that $2 million appropriation. If I don’t, the risk is we have to pay it back to the state. That will bankrupt my city.”

Ricinda Perry, City Attorney Perry said the Verizon lines are expected to come down in two weeks, the Comcast lines are expected to come down in four to five weeks and FPL will not remove its power lines and poles until the city pays the amount cited in the binding estimate.

Perry told the commission she requested assistance from State Rep. Will Robinson Jr. and lobbyist Dave Ramba. Perry said Robinson told her there’s no money in the state budget to further assist the city. Perry said Dowling told her there was nothing more FPL could do and the city or the state would simply have to find the additional funds.

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

On May 20, Perry received an adjusted estimate from FPL for $907,038 which included a rebate on materials and an additional discount for doing a total of at

least three miles of undergrounding now or in the future. As of May 25, Perry was able to reduce the FPL costs to $856,036.

“This is just for their engineering, materials and wrecking lines,” Perry said. “I must complete that $2 million appropriation. If I don’t, the risk is we have to pay it back to the state. That will bankrupt my city.”

Perry said Wilco Electrical is being paid $827,000 for its portion of the project, Spectrum is being paid $100,000, Verizon is being paid $110,000, the underground boring costs are $131,000 and there are additional costs and consulting fees. She said she anticipates receiving additional discounts from the other contractors and companies involved with the project.

Perry said the project calls for the SEE PROJECT, PAGE 16

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ISLAND NEWS

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JUNE 9, 2021

IN BRIEF

Sisters honor Belle Haven Cottage donors Two members of the Anna Maria Island Historical Society (AMIHS) recently completed a project that helps preserve the history of the Island and the Historical Society.

AMIHS | SUBMITTED Holmes Beach resident Deborah Sneddon, right, and her sister, Bradenton resident Patricia Rod, painted the carved names of the Island citizens who donated money to help restore the Belle Haven Cottage. Sneddon and Rod began the project in March at the suggestion of AMIHS President Liz Hager. More than a decade ago, the donors’ names were carved into the cottage’s wooden porch planks by Gary Fenstemaker, formerly of Holmes Beach, and by Bob Kelly of Anna Maria. The Historical Society encourages residents and visitors to visit the Belle Haven Cottage on the museum grounds at 402 Pine Ave. to see the sisters’ handiwork and to learn about the history of the cottage and why it’s part of the museum complex.

City seeks new planning commissioner The Holmes Beach Planning Commission is in need of a new commissioner. During a June 2 meeting, planning Commissioner Barbara Hines, whose term is up July 1, said that she would not be seeking reappointment. Now city leaders are in need of someone to take her place on the dais. Planning commissioners must be residents of Holmes Beach and serve a three-year term. They meet once a month on the first Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Holmes Beach City Hall to review proposed land development regulations, codes and amendments, review the comprehensive plan and make recommendations to city commissioners. Any interested residents are asked to contact the city clerk’s office at 941-7085800 or email an application request to deputyclerk@ holmesbeachfl.org. Applications also can be found on the city’s website at www.holmesbeachfl.org.

Applications must be received by June 17.

Celebrate Father’s Day at Roser Roser Memorial Community Church has a sweet treat for the guys in the congregation this Father’s Day. To celebrate the day, the church is teaming up with the Donut Experiment to provide a gift certificate for one free donut at the Pine Avenue breakfast hot spot. Each man in the congregation on Father’s Day, June 20, will receive one of the gift certificates. Roser hosts two Sunday morning services, one at 8:30 a.m. and another at 10 a.m.

Masks are optional for those attending services.

Roser is located at 512 Pine Ave. in Anna Maria.

The Donut Experiment, a boutique, design-yourown-donut experience, is located at 210-C Pine Ave. in Anna Maria.

CINDY LANE | SUN

In a previous nesting season, least tern chicks hid in palettes placed in their nesting areas to keep them safe from winged predators. The palettes will be used again this season.

Good news: Least terns nesting on AMI

BY CINDY LANE SUN STAFF WRITER | clane@amisun.com

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – It’s been a long time, longer than Suzi Fox can remember, since least terns nested on the Island’s Gulf beaches.

“I’m very excited,” said Fox, director of Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring, describing 26 terns that have paired off and laid eggs in nests on the sand beach in an undisclosed, staked-off location.

The bird species is threatened and protected by state and federal law.

A least tern nesting colony was unsuccessful in 2013 across from Bradenton Beach City Hall, she said, recalling that the last successful nesting colony was 15 or 16 years ago at Bean Point.

Since then, a few pairs have sporadically nested on AMI, only to have their nests destroyed by cats, dogs and wild predators such as raccoons.

As the chicks hatch, they will be able to hide under palettes that will be placed in their nesting area to keep them safer from bird predators, including the ubiquitous osprey, she said.

People can also cause nests to fail. Some nests are abandoned when beachgoers, often children, chase birds off nests, exposing the eggs to the heat and predators.

Parent birds need to rest and conserve energy to find food, even if they are not sitting on a nest, Fox said.

“If everyone could just go the extra mile and help us get these eggs off to a good start,” she said, asking beachgoers to steer clear of birds on the beach, especially if they’re screeching or are in posted nesting areas, and keep pets off the beach, which is the law in Manatee County.

Fox credits the larger nesting area created by the beach renourishment that was completed this spring for attracting the birds.

“It’s great news,” Fox said, “for a change.”

CINDY LANE | SUN

A least tern tries to impress a prospective mate with a fish. The threatened species is nesting on AMI for the first time in recent memory.

BIRD TIPS During bird nesting season, March through August, please follow these tips: • Never touch a shorebird chick, even if it’s wandering outside a staked nesting area.

• Teach kids not to chase birds – if they’re disturbed, bird parents may abandon nests.

• Don’t feed birds – our food is not good for their health, and it encourages them to fly at people aggressively.

• If birds are screeching and flying at you, you’re too close.

• Avoid posted bird nesting areas and use designated walkways to the beach.

• Keep pets away from bird nesting areas; dogs are not allowed on the beach by law.

• Keep the beach clean; food scraps attract bird predators such as raccoons and crows to the beach, and litter can entangle birds and other wildlife.

• If you see people disturbing nesting birds, call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Wildlife Alert hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).

JUNE 9, 2021

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Bank rezone passes first hurdle despite residents' protests Commissioners are moving forward with a request to rezone a former bank property to a higher commercial density despite residents’ opposition.

BY KRISTIN SWAIN SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com

HOLMES BEACH – City commissioners are halfway through rezoning approvals for the former Regions Bank property, despite the protests of several residents who’d rather not see a new Publix pharmacy and package store at the property.

The rezone came up for its first public hearing and vote during a May 25 commission meeting, during which commissioners said that they cannot deny the rezone request from C-1 to C-2 without a good reason, such as that it does not meet city standards. They all agreed with staff reports on the project that the application does

meet with all city standards. The property also is surrounded by C-2 zoned properties.

Currently, the former Regions Bank location at 503 Manatee Ave. W. has been empty for eight years.

Now Publix plans to renovate the existing building to be a liquor store and pharmacy location with a walking path between that building and the existing grocery store to encourage people to not move their car to go from one to the other. The property is currently zoned C-1, which allows for office space, banks and medical offices. Changing the property to C-2 allows for retail sales on the property.

Residents who spoke up about the potential rezone during public comment listed a few reasons for the request to be denied with a few of them agreeing that it would be better as an urgent care facility instead of a liquor store and pharmacy.

Resident Nancy Scott said she’s concerned about Holmes Beach

becoming too commercialized and would like to see some sort of educational attraction placed in some of the vacant commercial buildings in the city.

Resident Tim Cullinan said that he feels rezoning the property would set a precedent for rezoning two other vacant bank properties in the city.

Another concern was that the retail use would increase traffic in the area, potentially causing more traffic accidents, something Police Chief Bill Tokajer said wasn’t a concern. He said he’d spoken with the city’s traffic engineer and that the proposed usage wasn’t expected to cause any more traffic than what had been there when the bank was in business.

To help reduce accidents in the area, he’s suggested to the Florida Department of Transportation that Sixth Avenue become a right-turnonly option to Manatee Avenue instead of people being able to turn left and block traffic across the

state road.

Commissioner Jim Kihm said he feels that the revitalization and use of the property proposed by representatives for Publix would be a productive asset for the community.

Commissioner Carol Soustek said that the request met all of the city’s requirements and that she’s looking forward to seeing the property in use again rather than sitting vacant.

During a June 2 planning commission meeting, planning commissioners voted unanimously to approve the rezone as consistent with the city’s comprehensive plan.

The matter is scheduled to go back before commissioners for a final vote and public hearing Tuesday, June 8 at 6 p.m. While the public is invited to view the commission meeting and following work session online via Zoom, you must appear in person in commission chambers during the meeting to make comments.

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OPINION

The Anna Maria Island Sun newspaper 3909 East Bay Drive, Suite 210, Holmes Beach, FL, 34217 Phone: (941) 778-3986 email: news@amisun.com | ads@amisun.com | classifieds@amisun.com

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JUNE 9, 2021

The Anna Maria Island Sun Staff Publishers Mike Field Maggie Field Editor/CEO Mike Field Layout Ricardo Fonseca Reporters Cindy Lane Joe Hendricks Kristin Swain Jason Schaffer Columnists Louise Bolger Outdoors Editor Rusty Chinnis Advertising director Shona Otto Ad assistant Pamela Lee Classified ads Bob Alexander Graphics Elaine Stroili Ricardo Fonseca Digital/Social Media Editor Cindy Lane Accounting John Reitz Distribution Bob Alexander Tony McNulty Connor Field Contributors Tom Vaught Steve Borggren Monica Simpson

ON THE AGENDA

ANNA MARIA

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

City hall is open to the public with limited capacity and safety protocols in place. Please visit www. cityofannamaria.com or contact city hall for more information.

June 9, 10 a.m. – Manatee County Emergency Operations Center Online Hurricane Preparedness Townhall June 10, 2 p.m. – City Commission meeting June 17, 2:30 p.m. – Planning and Zoning board meeting June 24, 6 p.m. – City Commission meeting

BRADENTON BEACH

June 22, 6 p.m. – City Commission meeting with work session to follow June 25, 9 a.m. – Building Department question and answer session for contractors

ISLAND-WIDE

June 15, 6 p.m. – West Manatee Fire Rescue board of commissioners meeting, Administration Building, 701 63rd St. W., Bradenton.

June 21, 9 a.m. – Manatee County Tourist Development Council meeting, Manatee County Administration Building, 1112 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

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

WEDNESDAY

City hall is open to the public with limited capacity and safety protocols in place. Please visit www. cityofbradentonbeach.com or contact city hall for more information.

June 15, 10 a.m. – City Commission special meeting June 16, 1 p.m. – Planning and Zoning board meeting June 17, 10:30 a.m. – City Commission workshop June 17, noon – City Commission meeting June 22, 9 a.m. – Community Redevelopment Agency work meeting

Beach market, Coquina Beach, 2650 Gulf Drive S., Bradenton Beach, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit www.loc8nearme.com/ florida/bradenton-beach/beach-marketat-coquina-beach/6171244/ for more information.

HOLMES BEACH

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

June 11, 10 a.m. – Code Compliance special magistrate hearing

JUNE 9

THURSDAY JUNE 10

Salt marsh planting, Robinson Preserve, 1704 99th St. N.W., Bradenton, 8 a.m. to noon. Meet at the Valentine House. Bring water, a snack and a face covering. Reservations required at www.eventbrite.com/e/141294350205.

Farm stand, Holmes Beach City Hall, 5801 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

RoserRobics, Roser Church, 512 Pine

Ave., Anna Maria, 9:30 a.m., no cost but donations welcome. Participants asked to bring bottled water and wear a face mask or shield.

AMI Chamber Networking Luncheon, Bunny & Pirates, 12404 Cortez Road W., Cortez, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Reserve to laura@amichamber.org or 941-7781541 Thursdays in Paradise Stroll featuring local art, music and food, Bridge Street, Bradenton Beach, 5 to 8 p.m.

FRIDAY JUNE 11

Beach market, Coquina Beach, 2650 Gulf Drive S., Bradenton Beach, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit www.loc8nearme.com/ florida/bradenton-beach/beach-marketat-coquina-beach/6171244/ for more information.

Simon Kirke of Bad Company, The Center of Anna Maria Island, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria, 7 p.m., $60-75. Tickets available at www. centerami.org/events.

SATURDAY JUNE 12

Robinson Runners, Robinson Preserve Mosaic Nest, 840 Ninth Ave. N.W., Bradenton, 8 a.m.

Saturday mornings at the NEST, Robinson Preserve Mosaic Nest, 840 Ninth Ave. N.W., Bradenton, 9 a.m. to noon. Face masks required.

Roser Thrift Shop End of Season Sale, 511 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

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JUNE 9, 2021

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PARKING: Rift between city and county widens FROM PAGE 1

said they’re going to have to work with the city on it.

First, she said the use of the school property for anything other than its intended use requires either a special use permit from the city or an updated site plan approval by city staff and potentially city commissioners.

A temporary special use permit is needed to provide parking one time or sporadically at the site. A site plan amendment would be needed to provide beach parking at the school on an ongoing basis.

Beach parking at the Island Branch Library poses a more difficult challenge for county officials, primarily because the property is owned by the city of Holmes Beach and leased by the county strictly for the library. Providing beach parking in the library parking lot is in violation of the county’s lease for the property, Titsworth said.

If county officials push to provide additional beach parking at the school, Titsworth said she would remove an equal number of spots from residential streets. She said she would not be adding any additional beach parking in Holmes Beach.

Holmes Beach currently has 1,261 non-permit public parking spaces and 642 residential permit-only parking spaces until 5 p.m. daily within a quarter-mile of the beach, including spaces located at beach access points.

When city leaders closed off some residential streets to public parking following a 2020 COVID-19 lockdown of all beach parking spaces, 497 parking spaces were lost citywide.

Hopes did not return calls for comment.

HOLIDAY WEEKEND NUMBERS

After the holiday weekend, Police Chief Bill Tokajer said that he counted an average of 31,222 vehicles passing into the city each day from Friday, May 28 through Monday, May 31 for a total of just under 125,000 vehicles.

Despite a large number of people in the city, Tokajer said Holmes Beach police officers only wrote 169 parking tickets, and none of those were at the two parking lots authorized by Hopes.

Some parking tickets were written for cars parked at AME, but those were written by Manatee County officers patrolling that area, he said.

In a May 28 email to county

commissioners, Hopes said that parking at the school would be available in the designated parking lot May 29-31 from 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and that the county would make sure that all litter, trash and debris was removed from the school parking lot by June 1 at 7 a.m.

While the trash was removed from the school parking lot, Tokajer said that county officials did not make any preparations for the additional trash at beach access points near the school to be collected.

He added that he and other city officials heard about the beach parking at the school and library from local media outlets and that he was very disappointed that the city was not included in the conversation with the county officials who made the decision to allow the extra beach parking. In the future, Tokajer said he hopes there will be open communication between city and county leaders.

Titsworth said she felt that other than issues with trash, the impromptu parking at the school and library went well over the weekend. She said that issues with additional parking throughout the city remain, such as

the need for additional trash and restroom facilities and lifeguards to be stationed further down the beach than just at Manatee Beach. Without these necessities, Titsworth said a public health and safety issue persists.

OUT-OF-TOWNERS

As Tokajer and his officers patrolled the parking areas over the weekend, they discovered that the majority of people using the parking areas that county commissioners intended for Manatee County residents weren’t used by residents.

At the parking lot at AME, Tokajer said on Saturday there were 47 cars parked in the lot. When officers ran the plates of those cars, it was noted that only one vehicle was from Manatee County. At the Manatee Beach parking lot, he said there were 335 vehicles parked and less than 10% of those were from Manatee County.

On Memorial Day, Tokajer said he observed a group of six vehicles in a row parked with the occupants unloading for the beach. When asked, he said the occupants of five cars said they were from Orlando and the sixth was from Ocala.

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JUNE 9, 2021

Rock legend to play The Center Simon Kirke along with The Empty Pockets will take the stage for the rock icon’s first show in more than a year.

BY KRISTIN SWAIN SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The Center of Anna Maria Island is going to rock this Friday night as legendary musician Simon Kirke takes the stage with Chicago-based band The Empty Pockets.

Kirke, one of the founding members of rock bands Bad Company and Free, will headline the show June 11 as a part of the Bradenton Gulf Islands Concert Series presented by the Bradenton Area Convention Center and Visitors Bureau along with The Sandbar Restaurant.

The show will be the first one Kirke’s played since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down entertainment venues and concert tours in early 2020. And after nearly 15 months without a live show, the rock icon said he’s looking forward to getting back on the stage and playing some of his best-known hits from his solo career, Bad Company and Free. Some of those hits include “Alright Now” from Free, and “Bad Company,” “Ready for Love,” “Shooting

SUBMITTED

Rock legend Simon Kirke will take the stage at The Center of Anna Maria Island June 11 as a part of the Bradenton Gulf Islands Concert Series.

Star” and “Feel Like Making Love” from Bad Company. And with the crowd singing along to his songs, Kirke said hearing and playing the hits still gives him a thrill, inspiring him to keep performing for audiences.

During the show, Kirke won’t just be rocking the stage from his drum kit, the multi-talented musician said he’ll also be singing during the set, which he said brings back memories of his years performing with Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band. In addition to the drums, Kirke also plays guitar and keyboard.

The show at The Center will be Kirke’s

first trip to Anna Maria Island, something he says he’s excited about.

“I’m very much looking forward to coming down there,” he said in a June 4 talk with The Sun. Kirke’s been in the music industry for about 50 years. After making a deal with his parents to either find a gig as a drummer with a band or go to college, Kirke said the decision nearly came down to his two-year deadline before he found a place playing with the Black Cat Bones. And it’s all been uphill from there, though if he had lost the wager with his parents and gone to college,

Kirke said he thinks he would have pursued photojournalism.

“I’ve had a lot of good breaks in my life,” he said, “but I’m of the opinion that somewhere along the way you make your own luck and I think that’s what happened to me. I’ve been very lucky to go from Free in 1973 to go to Bad Company.”

Kirke has been a member of Bad Company since its formation in 1974.

Of the upcoming show at The Center, Kirke said he’s very much anticipating the June 11 concert and getting back in the groove of performing live.

“I’m really looking forward to reuniting with The Empty Pockets,” he said. “They’re so diverse. They have an amazing songbook. They’re all wonderful instrumentalists.”

“Also performing. I love performing,” Kirke added.

Doors open at 6 p.m. with the music beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets are available for $60-75 each online at www.centerami.org/ events. The concert will take place on the field at The Center, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria, rain or shine. Make sure to bring your own lawn chair and a face mask to use when not able to social distance. No outside drinks will be permitted though The Sandbar will have a cash bar onsite. Street parking and complimentary valet parking are available.

DOCK & DINE

Cruise to the Pier by land or sea! Boat docking is NOW AVAILABLE at the Pier location!

LANDSIDE

6906 14th Street West 941.758.7880

CORTEZ

6696 Cortez Road 941.792.0077

ELLENTON

1525 51st Avenue East 941.721.7773

BRIDGE ST. PIER Bradenton Beach 941.778.AMOB (2662)

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JUNE 9, 2021

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Red tide persists; health advisory issued

BY CINDY LANE SUN STAFF WRITER | clane@amisun.com

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The Florida Department of Health issued a red tide health advisory on June 3 for waters in lower and middle Tampa Bay near Port Manatee.

Red tide continues to be detected in Manatee County waters, according to the most recent Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission weekly report.

Water samples showed very low concentrations of red tide at School Key (Key Royale on Anna Maria Island), the Rod & Reel Pier in Anna Maria and the Longboat Pass boat ramp.

No red tide was found at the Palma Sola Bay bridge. Medium concentrations were detected at Little Redfish Creek.

RED TIDE REPORT High

Red tide-related fish kills were reported over the past week in Manatee County, however, no respiratory irritation was reported.

Red tide produces a neurotoxin called brevetoxin that can cause respiratory irritation, coughing, and more serious illness for people with severe or chronic respiratory conditions such as asthma, emphysema or COPD, according to the Florida Department of Health. Health officials recommend that people experiencing symptoms stay away from the water, go inside to an air conditioned space, or wear masks, especially during onshore winds. Residents may consider wearing masks, especially if onshore winds are blowing.

Consuming shellfish exposed to red tide can cause neurotoxic shellfish poisoning. Health

Low

(possible respiratory irritation, shellfish harvesting closures, fish kills)

Very low

(respiratory irritation, shellfish harvesting closures, fish kills, water discoloration)

(possible respiratory irritation)

Medium

Background

(probable respiratory irritation, shellfish harvesting closures, fish kills)

(no effects)

None

officials also warn against swimming near dead fish, and advise keeping pets away from dead fish and sea foam, which can contain high concentrations of algae. Pets are not allowed on Anna Maria Island’s beaches, but are allowed on the Palma Sola Causeway on Manatee Avenue.

The April discharge of 215 million gallons of polluted water into Tampa Bay at Port Manatee from one of the closed Piney Point phosphate plant’s retention ponds contained the nutrients phosphorus and nitrogen, which feed red tide algae blooms. The polluted water spread from Tampa Bay to its estuaries and the Gulf of Mexico, according to the University of South Florida College of Marine Science. Monitoring continues as researchers study the effects of the spill.

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION | SUBMITTED

A brown algae known as Chatonella subsalsa was identified in a canal in Anna Maria Sound at 2715 Ave. B in May. The algae has been associated with fish kills and can produce brevetoxin-like compounds similar to red tide algae. If the toxin accumulates in shellfish at certain levels, it can cause health risks to people consuming contaminated shellfish.

Another type of blue-green algae identified in area waters Scientists with the Tampa Bay Estuary Program (TBEP) report that while the lyngbya species of blue-green algae – known locally as “gumbo” – continues to flourish in Manatee County bay waters, floating rafts of another species of blue-green algae known as trichodesmium were also observed in May along Manatee County’s Gulf beaches.

Researchers are still investigating how the blooms relate to the nutrientrich discharge of 215 million gallons

of polluted water into Tampa Bay from the closed Piney Point phosphate plant at Port Manatee in April. The discharge was permitted in order to prevent the collapse of the stack of gypsum where the water was stored, which could have resulted in a worse spill that threatened to flood nearby homes and businesses.

Water quality monitoring results show that nutrient concentrations in Tampa Bay are declining as they disperse, however, the nutrients

pose a continuing threat to sensitive seagrass and fisheries resources because both blue-green algae and red tide algae feed on phosphorus and nitrogen, which was contained in the wastewater, according to the report.

Blue-green algae can produce cyanotoxins when it blooms, causing hay fever-like symptoms, skin rashes, respiratory and gastrointestinal distress, and, if consumed, liver and kidney damage, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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State comes through with Holmes Beach funding

BY KRISTIN SWAIN SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com

HOLMES BEACH – Mayor Judy Titsworth has a lot of reasons to celebrate now that Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed the new 2021-22 Florida state budget.

In the landmark budget - a $101.5 billion undertaking signed on June 2 - $750,000 was set aside for the Anna Maria Island city in appropriations funds.

Titsworth said that the funding will go towards resiliency projects in Holmes Beach, particularly to a project to decrease contaminants going into the waters around the Island.

She said the project involves using the city’s new hydrodynamic modeling to determine how to capture the first 2 inches of stormwater as it falls to push it down to the freshwater aquifer underneath the Island through a system designed to capture nutrients and other contaminants, instead of letting it drain unfiltered

into the bay.

Part of the project also would be to flush stormwater out of critical areas in the city, particularly along main roads. The creation of a scope of work for the project is underway.

The city’s interests in Tallahassee are represented by the Ramba Law Group, which the mayor said city leaders plan to continue working with to continue to seek additional appropriations funds on an annual basis.

The appropriations funding wasn’t the only good news for Holmes Beach city leaders.

Titsworth said she also learned the city was receiving $46,000 from the Hagen Foundation to help pay for dugouts at the city’s new ballfield and fitness equipment for a trail to loop the city field complex. The exercise trail is a final piece to the city field complex puzzle and Titsworth said she’s grateful to the Hagen Foundation for providing the funding and believes the trail will be an asset to the community.

JUNE 9, 2021

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JUNE 9, 2021

THE SUN

11

Bradenton Beach officials want Australian pines removed The commission directed Public Works Manager Tom Woodard to get cost estimates for the potential tree removals.

BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

BRADENTON BEACH – City officials would like to remove the Australian pines along the west side of the Cortez Road/Gulf Drive intersection.

The pines appear to be primarily located on residential property at 402 Gulf Drive N., owned by Michael and Nadya Kelly. The Kellys live in Canada and are longtime seasonal visitors to Bradenton Beach since purchasing the beachfront property in 1989. Some of the Australian pines in question may be located in the state-owned Gulf Drive right of way.

City Commissioner Jan Vosburgh requested the issue be addressed during the Wednesday, June 2 Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) meeting. Vosburgh is concerned the pines could topple during a major storm and block the primary evacuation and re-entry route for the city.

“I think those Australian pine trees, as you come down Cortez Bridge, are a real eyesore. Most importantly, I think it’s very dangerous. I’ve been talking about this for quite a few years.

They should be removed,”

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

The Australian pines the city wants to remove appear to be mostly located on private property at 402 Gulf Drive N. City officials believe they pose a threat to public safety.

Vosburgh said.

Vosburgh again suggested seeking state condemnation of the residential structure or invoking eminent domain rights.

“I am familiar with the condemnation of property. I think we should work very hard at getting rid of that house because that is a terrible eyesore and it doesn’t look like it’s getting any better,” Vosburgh said.

Commissioner Jake Spooner asked if anyone with the city has looked into what could possibly be done regarding the removal of the Australian pines. He also asked whether anyone from the city has researched how far the state right of way extends westward toward the Kellys’ property.

CHILES WEIGHS IN

CRA member Ed Chiles owns the Beach House restaurant

property directly south of the Kellys’ property. For his Mar Vista Dockside restaurant in Longboat Key, he previously purchased Australian pine benches designed by Sarasota architect Barron Schimberg and manufactured from fallen Australian pines. Earlier this year, the CRA paid for four Australian pine benches to be installed in the pocket park in front of the Bradenton Beach Post Office.

“Australian pines are invasive.

They have been designated by the state as invasive – that they shall be taken out, not can be. They have an acid mass that kills all the bio-diversity underneath them. Jan could not be more right. Those trees are a tremendous hazard right at the most important intersection in the city of Bradenton Beach.

When the big storm hits, they’re

going over and that’s going to be a real impediment when our public service people are the only people out here trying to saw through all of that,” Chiles said.

“Conversely, there is tremendous opportunity there. That is the gateway to Bradenton Beach. Whether it's condemnation, a (traffic) circle there or an icon there, it’s a tremendous opportunity and I thank you for bringing it up,” Chiles said.

“I know somebody that will take those trees, dry them out and make furniture out of them,” he added.

In October 2019, City Engineer Lynn Burnett told the city commission the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) intends to construct a roundabout at the intersection in conjunction with the construction of the new Cortez

Bridge that’s expected to begin in 2026.

In April, Burnett presented the commission with her final plans for an FDOT-funded beautification and landscaping project that calls for the future removal of several Australian pines along Gulf Drive North.

Those plans do not include the Kelly property.

Wednesday’s discussion concluded with the commission directing Public Works Manager Tom Woodard to get cost estimates for the removal of the Australian pines located on the Kellys’ property and/or the state right of way.

The Sun was unable to reach the Kellys, who have not been able to return to Bradenton Beach from Canada due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to Mayor John Chappie.

5344 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach (941) 779-BEER (2337) | hurricaneliquorami.com

5346 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach (941) 778-5788 | hurricanehanks.com

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THE SUN

JUNE 9, 2021

Old Town Tram picks up steam To request a tram ride when parking, call 941-404-6240.

BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

BRADENTON BEACH – The Old Town Tram continues to make progress in ridership, route consistency and advertising revenues.

The Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) contracts Joshua LaRose and his Sarasota-based EasyParking Group to provide two electric trams, the tram drivers and the support services for the park-and-ride shuttle program. The pilot program is an attempt to address the lack of parking that exists in and around the Bridge Street area.

With a financial commitment of slightly more than $100,000, the CRAfunded one-year pilot program for a park-and-ride shuttle service was launched in November. The program currently employs two electric trams in the CRA district, which extends from the Cortez Bridge to Fifth Street South. As part of the designated route, the trams also travel outside of the CRA district boundaries to transport

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

The Old Town Trams regularly pass by the Cortez Beach parking area in Bradenton Beach. passengers who park in the countyowned Cortez Beach parking lot along the west side of Gulf Drive, from Fifth Street South to 13th Street South.

The pilot program encourages visitors to park at Cortez Beach and elsewhere in the CRA district and utilize the free tram service to get to and from the businesses and attractions along Bridge Street and elsewhere in the CRA district. The tram route also encompasses the

parking areas near the Bradenton Beach police station and the Bradenton Beach Marina, at city hall after normal business hours, along Bridge Street and near the Bridge Street Pier.

RIDERSHIP AND REVENUES

While attending the Wednesday, June 2 CRA meeting by phone, LaRose said the Old Town Trams provided 4,393 rides in May, and 737 of those rides were to or from the

Cortez Beach parking area. He said the peak ridership was on Sundays, Wednesdays, Saturdays and Fridays.

At the end of each month, LaRose submits an invoice to the CRA for the monthly services provided. The invoices average approximately $9,000 per month before the advertising revenues generated by signage placed on the trams are deducted. LaRose receives the advertising revenues directly and deducts those revenues from the monthly payment sought from the CRA. The May invoice totaled $9,200. The amount to be paid by the CRA was $6,225 after the subtraction of $2,975 in advertising revenues. LaRose said he expects to receive an additional $1,800 to $1,900 in June when the Bridge Tender Inn, the Bradenton Beach merchants group and an unnamed ice cream shop join the existing tram advertisers.

LaRose said the anticipated addition of those three new advertisers and securing additional advertisers to fill the remaining ad spaces would produce advertising revenues that SEE TRAM, PAGE 27

www.amisun.com

JUNE 9, 2021

THE SUN

13

Bus shelters get much-needed repairs

BY KRISTIN SWAIN SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com

HOLMES BEACH – Neither city nor county officials appear to know who should be responsible for maintaining bus stop shelters in the Island city, but city leaders aren’t willing to let them become a hazard for the public.

Director of Development Services Eran Wasserman told commissioners during a May 25 meeting that contractors are shoring up several of the shelters in the city, the ones most in need of repair.

After two were hit by vehicles and collapsed, Wasserman said he started looking at the wooden structures and found that many are damaged, some by the elements and some by other means, such as termites.

When he looked into the cost to repair the structures versus replace them, he found it was fiscally more responsible to repair the ones that could be fixed at a cost of about $6,019 versus $14,000 to replace. He asked commissioners to consider adding $50,000 to the city’s 2021-22 fiscal year budget when budget discussions begin over the summer to complete the project. In the current year’s budget, he said there is $50,000, which is enough to get started on the repairs.

The contract covers the repair of six bus shelters in the city for $6019.21 each, a total of $36,115.26.

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Holmes Beach bus shelters are getting repaired to help keep the public safe. repair of some of the bus shelters. Wasserman said he’s considering having the ones that are severely damaged dismantled until they can be replaced.

“The danger to life is more important than whose responsibility it is,” he said of the bus shelters.

Wasserman committed to continuing conversations with Manatee County representatives to determine who should be in charge of repairing and replacing the bus shelters.

State terminates daily COVID-19 updates The Florida Department of Health is no longer updating its online COVID-19 dashboard, which tracked the number of daily cases and deaths in the state by county and zip code.

The health department will now release a weekly update that does not report the number of cases by zip codes, but by county only.

Since the pandemic began in Florida in March 2020, cases in the two zip codes on Anna Maria Island have risen consistently month to month, ending in May 2021 with 395 reported cases among residents.

No records were available tracking cases among visitors to the Island.

SOURCE: FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

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THE SUN

Residents request land swap; offer donation Holmes Beach property owners hope they’ll be able to swap some of their property for a piece of city right of way to unite two sides of their beachfront lot.

BY KRISTIN SWAIN SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com

HOLMES BEACH – Two city property owners are hoping that commissioners will reconsider their request to vacate part of a city right of way.

Attorney Maggie Mooney, representing Jonathan and Jessica Cooper, owners of 104 34th St., appeared before commissioners during a May 25 work session to ask them to reconsider the couple’s plea for the city to agree to vacate part of a city right of way.

The couple’s beachfront lot includes the main part of the parcel on the east side of the lot with another area on the west side of an unimproved city right of way that is 50 feet wide and 100 feet long. Mooney said the couple would like to swap the city for 25 x 100 feet of the unimproved right of way nearest their home for part of their lot located to the west. If the swap goes through, the city would gain 2,911 square feet, Mooney said. That plus the remaining 2,500 square feet of right of way would give the city 5,411 square feet total, including some undefined amount of land on or west of the erosion control line.

WMFR says goodbye to Battalion Chief Kiernan Battalion Chief Chris Kiernan retired the first of June after 30 years in the fire service. His co-workers at West Manatee Fire Rescue celebrated the occasion with him, presenting him with mementos to remember his years with the district and doing a final radio call to acknowledge Kiernan’s retirement.

SUBMITTED | WMFR

Mooney said that to sweeten the deal, her clients are willing to pay up to $10,000 to restore the dunes at the city’s nearby beach access point or donate the money to be used for whatever environmental project city leaders would like to put it toward.

For the exchange to take place, not only do city commissioners need to agree to it, but so do voters.

City Attorney Patricia Petruff said that for the measure to appear as a referendum on the November ballot, it has to be approved by ordinance by city commissioners, which means two public hearings and votes. Then it has to be condensed by attorneys to 75 words or less and approved by the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections to go on the ballot to be decided by Holmes Beach voters. The deadline to submit the ballot language for approval by the supervisor of elections is in early August. Petruff said that for herself and Mooney to have enough time to get the work done, it would have to be voted on by commissioners during their June meetings.

Commissioners were expected to consider the matter at their June 8 regular meeting.

Commissioner Jim Kihm said that he expected Mooney to come back with clearer exhibits of what land the Coopers want and what the city would gain along with where the erosion control line is in relation to the property.

JUNE 9, 2021

www.amisun.com

JUNE 9, 2021

No fines assessed during code hearing A special magistrate didn’t assess fines during a May hearing, but more may be coming for the treehouse owners.

BY KRISTIN SWAIN SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com

HOLMES BEACH – Three cases were brought to the attention of special magistrate Michael Connolly during a recent code compliance hearing, but no fines were assessed.

Treehouse and Angelinos Sea Lodge owners Lynn Tran and Richard Hazen were back before Connolly, accused of being repeat violators by code compliance officers. The couple was accused of renting vacation rental units without a valid vacation rental certificate. Due to their attorney not being able to attend the hearing, the case was moved to the June 11 hearing agenda. However, Connolly said the delay wouldn’t lessen any fines if applicable. If fines are assessed, he said they would be retroactive.

A case against local builder and property owner Shawn Kaleta

concerning his property at 102 48th St. was heard by Connolly. Kaleta was accused of renting the property for an improper length of stay. The property is in the R-1 residential zone, which allows for rentals of 30 days or longer.

Code Officer James Thomas said he has observed and talked to people staying at the property for seven days or less.

Representing Kaleta was attorney Louis Najmy, who said his client was allowing people to stay at the property for less than 30 days but said they are friends, family and other guests of the owner not paying to rent the property. He argued that while the city had proved people were staying at the property, code officers had not proven that the people were renting the house.

Connolly dismissed the case saying the city had not given proof of rentals at the property.

A case concerning work done without permits at 6913 Holmes Blvd. owned by Marilyn O’Hara Hansen also was heard by Connolly. Thomas said a stop-work order had been issued at the property and an after-the-fact permit had not yet been applied for with the building department for the

replacement of exterior stairs.

Patrick O’Hara and Marilyn O’Hara Hansen were both present during the hearing, saying they had hired a handyman who thought it was a simple repair issue, not something that would require a permit.

O’Hara said he’d contacted an engineer from Sarasota to do all of the measurements, drawings and other paperwork for the permit but there was a payment issue. He said the engineer demanded more money before the paperwork would be submitted to the city for the after-the-fact permit but that he had mailed the required payment the day before the hearing.

Connolly submitted a finding of fact in the case, ordering that a permit had to be applied for within 15 business days and should be issued by the building department sometime between June 10 and 17.

The next code compliance special magistrate hearing is scheduled for Friday, June 11 at 10 a.m. at Holmes Beach City Hall, 5801 Marina Drive.

Zoom will not be made available for participants during the next hearing.

THE SUN

15

Planning commission needs public input As progress is made on updates to the Holmes Beach comprehensive plan, commissioners are hoping more people will offer their voices to the process.

BY KRISTIN SWAIN SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com

HOLMES BEACH – Planning commissioners are making progress on suggested changes to the city’s comprehensive plan, but they’re growing more concerned about a lack of input from the public.

During a June 2 meeting, planning commissioners discussed how they can reach more members of the public for input on what should be included in the Holmes Beach comprehensive plan, the document that sets goals and helps city leaders determine how the future of the Island’s largest city should be shaped.

Before officials pass land development changes, codes and other regulations, the comprehensive plan is consulted, and it’s up to planning commissioners to determine if the changes proposed by city commissioners are consistent with the comprehensive plan. Because the comprehensive plan is a very important document SEE COMMISSION, PAGE 19

16

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THE SUN

JUNE 9, 2021

Sax on the beach From Nashville to Anna Maria, Pamela K. Ward entertains crowds with a little help from her saxophone, piano and longtime musician husband.

BY JASON SCHAFFER SUN CORRESPONDENT | jschaffer@amisun.com

ANNA MARIA - If you happen to be strolling by Harry’s Grill on Gulf Drive in Anna Maria any Thursday or Saturday evening, you’ll likely hear the sounds of Pamela K. Ward. After spending the last two decades as a recording artist and performer in Nashville, Ward and her husband Chris, who is also her guitar player, relocated to enjoy the laid-back lifestyle the Island has to offer.

Raised on a farm that’s been in her family for five generations in Arkansas, Ward doesn’t come from a family of musicians, but says her parents realized she had a talent for singing and performing at an early age.

“My grandfather owned The Sugarloaf Opry in Heber Springs, Arkansas, and while he always appreciated music, he was never a performer. He actually put me on stage when I was 2 years old, and I was immediately hooked,” said Ward, who went on to learn the piano and saxophone around the age of 8. She has been earning a living as a professional musician since she was 10 years old.

Ward moved to Nashville at the age of 17 in hopes of furthering her career as a musician, and found many opportunities to perform in the city, as well as tour the nation with her band.

“I had a lot of leads in Nashville; people I was playing with, people I was performing with. I went out on the road with a lot of different people, playing sax, playing piano and doing backup vocals. I was busy, I was very busy for almost 20 years,” said Ward, who also spent a few years as the house band for the NHL’s Nashville Predators.

Ward spent a lot of time on the road touring, and in between tours began coming to Anna Maria Island often with her longtime guitar player and now husband, Chris.

After realizing they preferred the warm weather and relaxed lifestyle of island living to the fast-paced city life in Nashville, they decided to sell the tour bus and buy a home in Florida.

“We purchased our home here in 2015, but at first were pretty much just visiting. We’d come down here a few days at a time, then hit the road again. Sometimes we were gone for four to six weeks before we could come home

JASON SCHAFFER | SUN

Pamela K. Ward performs at Harry’s in Anna Maria. and chill out on the beach for a couple of days. We finally made Harry’s our full-time gig in 2020 and I honestly would not change a thing about it. It’s honestly been one of the greatest experiences of mine and my husband’s life,” said Ward, referring to Harry’s Grill in Anna Maria, where the duo performs twice a week.

You can see Pamela and Chris at Harry’s every Thursday evening for throwback Thursday. This very interactive show is 100% requests. Guests enjoying dinner and drinks on the patio shout their requests and this talented duo is able to perform just about anything the crowd can throw at them. They also host “Saxy Saturdays” at Harry's. This show features an evening of saxophone performances, which is Ward's signature sound.

In addition to performing at Harry’s Grill, Pamela K. Ward can be seen performing the National Anthem at major sporting events. She is often invited back to Nashville to sing the Anthem for The Predators. She also performs the Anthem for the Tampa Bay Rays, the Pittsburgh Pirates during spring training and the Tampa Marauders.

PROJECT: Facing unexpected cost increase FROM PAGE 3

removal of 89 power poles and FPL has given the city the option of not removing 60 of those poles.

“If we cut those out of the project, I will come within the cost estimate they have given to me. The problem I have with that is I’ve used state funds to build those lines. How could I ever pass a budget audit with the state saying I put your money in the ground but I’m not actually going to take out the lines? That’s not a solution. I need to complete the project,” Perry said.

Perry said she’s looking at other options, including the elimination of other projects that were to be funded with excess beach concession funds

previously approved by the Manatee County Commission. Perry said the city previously planned to use approximately $294,000 in excess beach concession funds granted by the county to help fund a bike trial, install signage and lighted crosswalks and/or make improvements to the Old Town Tram program.

“If we are allowed to use that funding and cannibalize those projects, I can probably make the shortfall that exists from FPL’s malfeasance. I know we don’t have money in the general reserve and we cannot afford to not complete the project. I need the commission to authorize me to use the

concessionaire funds that appear to be available for this type of use,” Perry said, noting that county approval also would be needed.

Perry said City Clerk Terri Sanclemente and City Treasurer Shayne Thompson recently told her there are no additional unallocated funds available in the current fiscal year budget.

Commissioner Jake Spooner asked if the city could take out a bond or arrange a 10-year payment plan with FPL if all else fails.

The commission agreed to let Perry pursue the available options and Chappie said he would schedule an emergency meeting if needed.

JUNE 9, 2021

FOOD & WINE

THE SUN

Summer’s sweet sensations

Berries, Cream and Custard Shortcake

Brian Mathae

Ingredients

Shortcake 2 large eggs 1 1/2 cups flour 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup whole milk 1/2 cup softened butter 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp real vanilla extract 1/4 tsp salt

HURRICANE HANKS

A

s kids we would spend a day or two of our summer holidays visiting local farms to pick strawberries and other summer fruit with our mom. They were fun family days that had a great payoff - dessert! More recently, farmers’ markets have brought that same great produce to a location near you. They offer a variety of local and organic-raised products that you don’t have to pick yourself. There is a statistic that most food travels over 1,500 miles to reach your plate, so it’s refreshing to find something grown close to home. You will also be surprised to find that many of the products are priced the same at supermarkets and farmers markets alike. When it comes to organic products, you are likely to find better prices at famers’ markets than at the grocery store. But just to be sure of what you are buying, get to know the farmers at the market and ask questions. And relax, farmers’ markets are not just for foodies, they are for everyone! The farmers and vendors are proud of their products and are happy to answer any questions you may have.

Resources like localfarmmarkets.org will send you in the right direction.

Summer is the best time to incorporate fruit into your meals. Every occasion is sweeter when a spectacular dessert is involved. Anyone who has flawlessly executed a creamy custard, a fluffy soufflé or a well-balanced fruit shortcake knows that making great desserts is both a science and an art!

Following some basic guidelines will certainly make your tasks easier and ensure a stunning dessert. When buying fruit, choose ripe, but not overripe, fruit that is in season. The heavier the fruit feels in your hand, the juicier and better

Fruit topping 1 pint blueberries 1/2 pint raspberries 1/2 pint blackberries 1/2 pint strawberries, cut in half 1/4 raspberry or other fruit jam

SUBMITTED

tasting it will be. If you can’t smell the aroma, there will be little flavor. If you need to speed up the ripening process, you can place the fruit in a paper bag alongside a whole lime. Be sure to rinse the fruit but never soak it in water as this leaches out the flavor. Wash it quickly with gently running cold water and dry immediately.

The only exception to this may be for soft berries like raspberries and blackberries as they tend to become waterlogged. Cut fruit can turn brown when tannins and enzymes in them are exposed to air. A spray bottle with water and fresh lemon juice can be used on cut fruit to reduce the browning if you are concerned. The sugar content in fruit can vary greatly so you may need to adjust the amount of sugar called for in the recipe. Taste the fruit and adjust your recipe accordingly.

This recipe is easy to modify with whatever fruit you find available, makes a stunning presentation and celebrates summer! Enjoy our Berries, Cream and Custard Shortcake.

Cream filling 3/4 cup whipping cream 1 tbs granulated sugar Custard Sauce 3 large egg yolks 1 cup whole milk 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp grated lemon peel

Directions

- In a saucepan, slowly heat 1 cup milk to boiling. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whisk 3 egg yolks with 1/4 cup granulated sugar until smooth. Gradually whisk the hot milk into the egg yolks. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly just until the mixture thickens so that it coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from

heat and strain through a sieve into a clean bowl. Stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract and grated lemon peel. Refrigerate uncovered right away.

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and lightly flour two 8-inch round pans.

- In a large bowl, with a mixer at low speed, beat butter and 1 cup of granulated sugar just until blended. Then beat on high for an additional 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add flour, milk, eggs, baking powder, vanilla and salt. Beat until well-mixed then once again increase speed to high and beat 2 minutes longer.

- Split the batter between the two pans. Bake for about 25 minutes until a pick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. Remove from oven and completely cool on racks.

- In a large bowl, whisk the fruit jam until it becomes liquid-like.

Add all the berries and toss in the jam until the fruit is coated with a nice glaze appearance.

- Place a small bowl and beaters in freezer for 10 minutes. Remove from freezer and add the whipping cream. Beat at medium speed until peaks form. Add remaining sugar and beat until peaks become stiff.

- Place one layer of cake on serving dish. Spread the custard sauce over the cake and top with half the fruit mixture. Place second cake layer on fruit mixture and top with whipped cream and remaining fruit.

17

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THE SUN

OUTDOORS

JUNE 9, 2021

My witness statement Reel Time RUSTY CHINNIS

I

’ve been a resident of the Suncoast for 40 years. For 35 years of those years, I ran a contracting business and have seen firsthand the effects of harmful algae blooms on the environment and the economy. I have never been more concerned than I am today and fear we may be near a point of no return.

I believe that there is a real possibility that our coastal waters may be in the process of converting from a seagrass-based system with clean, vibrant waters to an algae-based system that supports very little life and creates milky green water.

This is an economic and environmental disaster in the making.

We only have to look as far as The Indian River Lagoon on Florida’s east coast as a cautionary tale. Once one of the most vibrant ecosystems on Earth, manatees there are dying of starvation due to a lack of the seagrasses they graze on.

I am no scientist, but I have been fishing and recreating on Sarasota Bay, Tampa Bay and Anna Maria Sound since I moved here in 1980, and can honestly say I fear for the future of

RUSTY CHINNIS | SUN

Lyngbya algae clogs Anna Maria Sound on May 27 near the Manatee Avenue bridge to Anna Maria Island. our waters and the generations of future residents who will inherit the legacy of our inaction. I truly believe that this rises to the level of a “moral obligation.” I would encourage you to face this challenge. Let’s all work together to see that future generations have some of the same opportunities that we’ve had.

What can you do? Contact your elected officials (local and state) and

demand action, write letters, attend commission meetings, join with groups like Suncoast Waterkeeper and Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, don’t fertilize during the rainy season, keep yard clippings from our waterways and encourage your neighbors and friends to speak out.

The sad truth is that if we are silent, we will reap the unfortunate rewards. I’m reminded of a quote by the American Cultural Anthropologist

Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”

The truth is that if we don’t, nobody will, and our children will inherit a world no one would wish for them. We can do this but only by acting, now, before it’s too late.

See a video of the state of the bay at: https://youtu.be/1kSCc_tddtc

www.amisun.com

JUNE 9, 2021

THE SUN

19

Fishing’s fine CAPTAIN DAVE WHITE

Things have been great around the Island this last week! We here at Anna Maria Charters have been spending a lot of time offshore.

American red snapper season just opened up and people are anxious to get out there. We’ve been getting the limit of two per angler on all of our trips, then adding red grouper, mangrove snapper and yellowtail to the box. Also popping up from time to time are the occasional cobia and blackfin tuna.

Inshore, the tarpon fishing is getting a little bit more consistent, with some larger schools on the beaches and in the passes. Also inshore, the redfish, snook, trout, Spanish mackerel and mangrove snapper are showing up well. It’s not hard to achieve a dinner goal for clients looking to get a meal or two!

Andrew Healey, 8, of Winter Park, struggles to hold up his big red grouper caught with Captain David White of Anna Maria Charters.

CAPTAIN DAVE WHITE | SUBMITTED

COMMISSION: Needs public input FROM PAGE 15

to the future of the city, planning commissioners want to make sure that the voices of the public - including business owners, residents and other community members - are heard throughout the process. The problem is that the planning commission meetings aren’t well attended by the public, and with the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic still hanging over everyone’s heads, it’s difficult to arrange a public workshop.

Representatives from LaRue Planning, the contractor helping

to suggest amendments to the comprehensive plan for discussion, said they would work over the next month to bring back ideas to host a public workshop or some other forum to gain more public input.

While planning commission meetings can be viewed online through Zoom, comments are not allowed. To lend your voice to the comprehensive plan review, you have to either appear at a planning commission meeting in person or email your comments to the city clerk at cityclerk@holmesbeachfl. org. Planning commissioners meet

at 6 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every month.

During their June meeting, planning commissioners discussed the coastal management and conservation element of the plan, which includes access to public beaches, and intergovernmental coordination, housing affordability and public school facilities.

Upcoming discussions will include traffic, transportation and tourism.

To see all of the proposed changes to the comprehensive plan discussed so far, visit https:// larueplanning.com/holmesbeach/.

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JUNE 9, 2021

Local resident serious about educating visitors

BY JASON SCHAFFER SUN CORRESPONDENT | jschaffer@amisun.com

BRADENTON BEACH - After a recent social media post received thousands of responses from locals and tourists alike, people are taking notice of local resident Kerry Robertson and her efforts to educate visitors to Anna Maria Island about how to leave a small footprint and respect Island wildlife.

After a successful career in insurance, the Chicago area native was longing to leave the fast-paced corporate life for something simpler, and a slower pace of life.

“I came down here to explore this beautiful area; it’s been on my bucket list forever,” said Robertson, who said her 24-year-old daughter gave her the “daughter blessing” to come to AMI and live her dream.

After settling in three years ago, Robertson made it her mission to get to know the wildlife and do anything she could to promote responsible visiting by those who may not know just how much the Island has to offer beyond tiki bars and great weather.

“I came down here sight unseen; I sold everything I had and kept only what was most important to me, and would fit in the back of my SUV. My sister and I road-tripped down here like Thelma and Louise, and I honestly didn’t even know Anna Maria Island existed. I rented my apartment sight unseen, and when I drove over the Cortez bridge it was a spiritual experience for me; I cried,” said Robertson, describing her move to AMI. That “spiritual experience” didn’t fade after getting settled on the Island.

Robertson began to pick up trash when she saw it left on the beach, and to educate herself on the delicate ecosystem that many visitors may not be aware of. Those efforts and passions led to this social media post that drew attention to her and her efforts: “Why vs. why not. Why fill in the holes you dig on the beach? Do you dig holes in your own local park and leave them? Why pick up another person's trash? Do you walk by a candy wrapper or pop can on your own street? Why refrain from feeding the wildlife? Do you stand in your own yard and throw them food they don’t normally eat? Why refrain from chasing the birds? Would you chase your indigenous birds away from their feeding ground and babies?

Why keep your dogs off of the beach?

Would you take your dog to a bird or turtle sanctuary? Common sense must prevail when any of us have the privilege to go on an adventure to a place that’s new and exciting and different from our comfort zone! AMI IS magical. It’s also a pelican and turtle refuge. It’s not all about us humans having an awesome vacation. We can respect the nature we are invading with our presence. Leaving holes on the beach causes deep tide pools. Can be a trap for nesting turtles and their hatchlings. Dogs can scare the shore birds. Chasing and feeding the birds interrupts their natural rhythm of gathering to fish. Leaving trash is well... some people will... so just be a Good Samaritan and pick up that bottle cap.

Be in awe how the birds work together.

Teach the kids to appreciate them.

Build a sand castle. Take a picture, and then water it down. Be a good steward of the environment right around you,

JASON SCHAFFER | SUN

Kerry Robertson picks up trash on Coquina Beach. like you own the place! Bring your fur babies to the causeway, restaurants and beautiful parks that welcome them!

Get a tan! Find awesome shells. Have many frozen drinks. Take lots of pics so you can remember where you were when you forget the rest of the world for a while. Welcome to paradise!” she wrote.

“I like to look around and see what kind of footprint I left when I leave the beach. I’ve had some of the best conversations just renting a beach chair and talking to families,” said Robertson, who brings a couple of books with her when she visits the beach.

“One book is about the animals of the shore, and the other is a book on local shells,” said Robertson, who will offer to loan the books to families to read with their children who love learning about what shells they have found, or what animals they may have encountered. Simple efforts like this not only bring enjoyment to children, but educate parents as well. This kind of interaction opens the door to discuss other measures of conservation with the people she meets, making her efforts fun, as well as educational.

Last chance for thrift shop finds The Roser Guild and Trustees are hosting a sale in the thrift shop parking lot, 511 Pine Ave., on Saturday, June 12 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The sale will feature merchandise from clothes to books to furniture, appliances and wall art, even the contents of an entire home. With the thrift store and all available storage spaces bursting at the seams, everything must go. All items are in very good or like new condition. Proceeds from the sale will go to help remodel the thrift shop - which should reopen by the end of June with a new look and new amenities for volunteers and shoppers - and toward the Roser Guild’s missions in the community, including the scholarship fund.

SUBMITTED | ROSER CHURCH

JUNE 9, 2021

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SEA TURTLE CONSERVANCY | SUBMITTED

Where’s Bortie?

Loggerhead sea turtle Bortie is headed ever closer to Anna Maria Island, scoping out the beach for nesting. Bortie was satellite-tagged on AMI after laying a nest in June 2018 on Coquina Beach. Bortie competed in the Sea Turtle Conservancy’s 11th Annual Tour de Turtles in 2018, placing 10th out of 13 contestants with 351 logged miles. Turtle nesting season began locally on May 1 and ends on Oct. 31. Please turn off or shield beachfront lights to keep nesting turtles from becoming disoriented!

TURTLE TIPS During sea turtle season, May 1 – Oct. 31, please follow these tips: • Turn off lights visible from the beach and close blinds from sundown to sunrise; lights confuse nesting sea turtles and may cause them to go back to sea and drop their eggs in the water, where they won’t hatch.

Light can also attract hatchlings away from the water.

• Don’t use flashlights, lanterns or camera flashes on the beach at night.

• Remove all objects from the sand from sundown to sunrise; they can deter sea turtles from nesting and can disorient hatchlings.

• Fill in the holes you dig in the sand and level sandcastles before leaving the beach; they can obstruct or trap nesting and hatching sea turtles, which cannot live long

out of the water.

• Don’t use wish lanterns or fireworks; they litter the beach and Gulf.

• Do not trim trees and plants that shield the beach from lights.

• Never touch a sea turtle; it’s the law. If you see people disturbing turtles, call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Wildlife Alert hotline at 888404-FWCC (3922).

NESTING NEWS Turtle nests laid: 96 (Record: 544 in 2019) False crawls: 120 Nests hatched: 0 Hatchlings hatched: 0 (Record: 35,788 in 2018) Nest disorientations: 2

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REAL ESTATE

JUNE 9, 2021

Pocket listings popular for privacy

W

hen you purchase a home, it’s inevitable that you lose some privacy. Property purchases become public record and most counties in the United States make databases of these purchases available on their local websites.

This is the reason that celebrities and high-profile buyers like politicians and the very wealthy frequently purchase their personal property in a limited liability company. LLCs aren’t foolproof in shielding personal identities because of new laws designed to disclose who the actual buyer is in an attempt to curb money laundering.

But for the average curious neighbor, it does make it a little more difficult to determine who, exactly, is the real owner.

So how does the desire for privacy impact the current shortage of available properties to purchase? Well, an old real estate tool called a pocket listing is becoming very popular again. A pocket listing is a property listing that is not placed in the local multiple listing system for any broker to show to

Castles in the Sand LOUISE BOLGER their clients; rather, the listing agent and their broker keep the listing in-house, showing it to a small group of potential buyers.

Although there is nothing illegal about this way of marketing a property, because of the increasing number of brokers using this method, the National Association of Realtors adopted a rule last year aimed at discouraging its use. The new NAR policy requires agents to add a listing to their local listing service within a business day of publicly advertising the listing. However, listings can still be kept off the database if they are only shared within one brokerage, essentially an office exclusive.

Small, independent brokers argue that this gives a huge benefit to big brokerages that can make properties available to a larger number of in-house agents.

This is starting to affect the number of properties available for sale in an already low-inventory market. In Tampa, for example, the proportion of estimated pocket listings rose to 6.1% from 4.4% two years ago.

The argument against pocket listings is, of course, that buyers do not have all of the properties on the market available to them, pushing the prices up even more for the remainder of listings.

The argument for pocket listings is that sellers who prefer a more private choice when selling their home have the option of pre-qualified buyers who have already been screened. Pocket listings also eliminate some of the frenzy that is defining this market with bidding wars and dozens of showings.

The National Association of Realtors reports that home sales fell 2.7% in April

from March and that April was the third straight monthly decline - the longest since last spring. In addition, the median singlefamily home price nationally jumped to $341,600 in April, the highest on record.

Manatee County also experienced the highest median sale price on record for the month of April at $405,000.

I see it both ways. Sellers should be entitled to list their personal homes any way they want in order to maintain their privacy and sanity. However, when you look at the numbers, you can only feel for the poor buyers who are not only working against cash buyers, low inventory and high prices, but now with private listings increasing, having even fewer properties to tour.

Unfortunately, things will only get worse before they get better. Sellers want to maximize the profit in their property while still keeping their privacy, and buyers are at a loss of what to do next. What a year. Stay safe.

JUNE 9, 2021

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AMI Concierge Services allows visitors to spend more time relaxing New concierge business offers a one-stop shop for visitors to plan any adventure or activity.

BY JASON SCHAFFER SUN CORRESPONDENT | jschaffer@amisun.com

ANNA MARIA - A new business in the heart of Gulf Drive in Anna Maria is helping Island visitors spend less time booking activities and more time enjoying their vacation.

Whether it’s a family that wants a golf cart and some personal watercraft rentals or a wedding party that may need an entire restaurant privately booked, Susanne Arbanas can make it happen. Her newlyopened business, Anna Maria Island Concierge Services, takes pride in alleviating the stress of booking multiple excursions and rentals, leaving guests more time to spend enjoying the Island and less headache researching what’s right for them.

“A newlywed couple may not want to book a sunset cruise on a boat with a lot of excited children, they may want something a little more quiet and romantic. I know which charters meet their needs, so rather than call and research to find exactly what they want, they can just come to me, so they can relax and enjoy the honeymoon and let me take care of the details,” said Arbanas.

JASON SCHAFFER | SUN

Susanne Arbanas stands in front of her new business, Anna Maria Island Concierge Services.

Arbanas is no stranger to the hospitality industry. She worked for Continental Airlines from the 1980s to around 2000 before moving to Australia in 2000 to work in the airline industry for Sir Richard Branson with Virgin Atlantic, as well as Qantas Airways. Arbanas returned to the U.S. in 2008 where she settled on Anna Maria Island. Certainly not a stranger to AMI, Susanne had been coming here every

year since age 3 to visit her grandparents, who had a home on the Island.

“After heading up concierge for Compass

by Margaritaville, I saw the change here.

The Island had gone from 90% locals and 10% tourists to exactly the opposite. The visitors were now the 90%, so I thought this may be a great time to take my talents and my 13 years of networking and put them to good use,” said Arbanas, speaking of her

decision to leave Compass and start AMI Concierge Service.

“Because of my passion for the Island, all things Anna Maria, I just love the fact that people are coming to explore the Island. It’s even better when you can help with their adventures and them not have to take those precious days that they have here figuring everything out. You can tailor a vacation for them and guide them in the direction of what it is exactly they want to do,” Arbanas added.

In addition to being an expert in the hospitality industry, Arbanas truly loves being a part of the AMI community and gets satisfaction out of seeing other people find enjoyment in the Island she calls home.

She is involved with multiple charities and organizations on the Island, including being an Ambassador for the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce.

“I’m involved with her because her energy level is so high, I couldn’t imagine meeting her briefly and not having a good time. If she’s going to help plan your weekend, or plan your week, you’ve got the right person for it,” said Bob Slicker, who owns Slicker’s Eatery in Cortez.

The self-proclaimed “Director of Contagious Enthusiasm” is available weekdays; walk-ins are welcome at 9805 Gulf Drive in Anna Maria, or you can call 941-4047575 or visit amiconciergeservices.com.

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JUNE 9, 2021

City leaders consider swap with Seaside Gardens HOA Commissioners are seeking a compromise to take over a parcel of land owned by Seaside Gardens residents that holds a city stormwater pond.

BY KRISTIN SWAIN SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com

HOLMES BEACH – Several representatives from the Seaside Gardens homeowners association are trying to work with city leaders to find a resolution to save homeowners money and get some needed cleanup work done at a city stormwater drainage location.

The narrow piece of land located between the Seaside Gardens neighborhood and city field is only about 32,950 square feet, but Tom Potter, the current president of the neighborhood HOA, said property owners are tired of paying stormwater fees on a piece of property that is partially used for the city’s stormwater drainage system.

Potter said that a portion of the property is used by the city for

SUBMITTED | CITY OF HOLMES BEACH

A narrow strip of land owned by the Seaside Gardens homeowners association between city field and the Island Real Estate office may soon be traded, at least in part, to the city of Holmes Beach. a stormwater pond and swale.

The people he represents wants the city to take responsibility for that portion of the property and abate the stormwater fee paid for it to the city. He added that the part of the property used by the city has stagnant water and other

concerning issues that are adversely affecting the neighbors and needs to be cleaned out.

Though city leaders were presented with the proposal as a land donation, Potter said that’s not the case and that some parts of the land need to be retained by the

homeowners association. Mayor Judy Titsworth said that some of the property is used for home access for the community.

Titsworth said that the stormwater facilities on the property are there to help prevent flooding in Seaside Gardens and that it wouldn’t be wise for commissioners to give up the stormwater fees collected from the property if the city wouldn’t be getting the property to count towards its flood insurance rating.

City attorney Patricia Petruff told Potter that she would attempt to locate the easement agreement she believes exists between the city and the HOA for the use of the property for stormwater facilities.

Commissioners agreed that there needs to be more discussion on developing some sort of trade agreement between the city and the HOA that is beneficial to both parties. Potter said he would speak to the members of the HOA and see what feedback he can get.

“We’ll work with you,” Titsworth promised.

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JUNE 9, 2021

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SEATING: Expanded outdoor seating extended FROM PAGE 1

The new ordinance is an amended version of the original Ordinance 20-516, adopted in May 2020, which allowed the temporary expansion of outdoor dining spaces but prohibited live music in those expanded areas. The live music prohibition was never enforced.

With its approval, the commission reversed its stance on the May 20 first reading of Ordinance 21533, when it agreed that the live music prohibition contained in the previous ordinance would be enforced if the new ordinance was adopted on second reading.

The live music prohibition did not apply to live music performance areas used before the pandemic struck; the expansion of outdoor seating areas was first allowed in 2020.

NOTICE OF ENFORCEMENT

On Friday, May 28, Bradenton Beach Building Official Steve Gilbert and members of the Bradenton Beach Police Department crafted a written notice that was distributed to impacted and potentially impacted establishments prior to Thursday’s meeting.

The notice of prohibition stated, “Ordinance 20-516, adopted on May 21, 2020, provided for an expansion of outdoor dining due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ordinance provided for a number of regulations pertaining to the expanded areas allowed. The ordinance also provided for several prohibitions.

Section 5 expressly prohibits live entertainment and bands in the expanded outdoor dining areas.”

The notice included an acknowledgment form for the business owner or manager to sign which said, “I hereby acknowledge that I have read this document and agree to cease live entertainment and bands in my expanded outdoor dining area.”

“The city has received complaints of live entertainment and bands in those expanded outdoor dining areas and is responding to these complaints.

Be advised that effective June 4, city police and code enforcement officers will begin enforcement of this prohibition. Violations will result in the loss of any expanded outdoor dining areas,” the city notice stated.

BUSINESSES OPPOSED

The Bridge Tender Inn, the Drift In and the Wicked Cantina feature live music in their expanded outdoor seating areas. During Thursday’s commission meeting, Drift Owner Joe Cuervo, Drift In manager Doreen Flynn and Bridge Tender Inn owner Fred Bartizal asked the commission to reconsider its position on prohibiting live music in the expanded outdoor seating areas.

“It’s nonsense to me that you can’t have a tent and you can’t have a band,” Flynn said. “You guys are the ones that promoted Bridge Street to be a destination of fun and nightlife. Why do you want to take that away from us, and take that away from Bridge

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

The Drift In can continue using its expanded seating area for live music.

Street? Most people don’t want to sit inside. They want to be outside.”

Cuervo said most of the Drift In’s live music occurs indoors and their outdoor music usually takes place on Saturday afternoons. He said his establishment has never been cited for a noise ordinance violation and the additional outdoor seating is helping him rebuild his bank account.

“I’ve lost over a million and a half dollars in those seven to eight months. I took all my savings out to keep things going. You tell me what I need to do to keep my tents and have my band in the daytime, from two to six. Anything you all can do to help me I would appreciate,” Cuervo said.

Bartizal said he’s loved Bridge Street since 1953 and it’s become a highlight of Anna Maria Island.

“I really don’t appreciate people who move here lately who try to change it. It doesn’t make any sense.

The places we put our bands have always been there.

They’re going to stay there. We have gone through thick and thin to keep this thing going,” Bartizal said.

During Thursday’s meeting, Commissioner Jan Vosburgh said, “I think we should do everything possible to help our businesses. They’ve gone through a lot.”

Commissioner Ralph Cole said he sees no reason to prohibit live music in the expanded outdoor areas Commissioner Jake Spooner noted the city’s noise ordinance still applies to live music.

“I’m all for continuing the expansion of outdoor dining. If there’s a noise ordinance violation, there’s a noise ordinance violation,” he said.

Lt. John Cosby said the Bradenton Beach Police Department only has two decibel meters, which the officers currently share. Cosby said the department plans to purchase additional meters so each officer has one.

The only public comment against live music in the expanded outdoor seating areas was at the May 20 meeting, when Old Bridge Village condominium resident Mary Bell expressed opposition to the Bridge Tender Inn continuing live music in its expanded seating area.

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OBITUARIES Thomas R. Sprenger MD Thomas Robert Sprenger, MD of Bradenton and Holmes Beach, Florida passed away May 29, 2021 at age 89. Tom was born in Seymour, IN on August 22, 1931. His parents, Robert Daniel and Margaret Myron Sprenger, moved their family to Paintsville, KY in 1934 and to Ashland, KY in 1936. The Ohio River Flood of January 1937 was a poignant childhood memory that Tom spoke of often during his life. He was baptized in the First Baptist Church in Ashland. He was a 1949 graduate of Ashland High School, attended Marshall University, and received his MD degree in 1956 from Indiana University. That year he married Justine Gambill Stinson in Ashland. They lived in Indianapolis during his first three years of postgraduate training. He continued orthopaedic training in New Orleans and Tampa prior to starting his practice in Bradenton in 1961. Their daughter Rebecca was born in Tampa and son Michael in Bradenton.

Tom’s work and outcome studies in fracture treatment and adult reconstructive surgery have been documented in published papers.

He was one of the founders of Blake Hospital, served as Chief of Staff of Manatee Hospital and was Chairman of the Board of Blake Hospital. He retired from surgical practice in 1998.

He was a member of many medical and surgical associations including

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the American College of Surgeons, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, International College of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (SICOT). He was a charter member of the Eastern Orthopaedic Association and the Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons. He served on many committees of the Florida Orthopaedic Society and was president in 1989-90 and journal editor 1999-2002. He also served as the Pittsburgh Pirates spring training physician from 1969-1987.

He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Indiana Army National Guard in 1956 and retired as a Brigadier General of the Line in the Florida Army National Guard in 1991.

He was branch qualified in infantry and medical and completed the Command and General Staff College, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, and the Army War College. He proposed a hearing conservation program for use on the firing ranges in the Florida Army National Guard that was put in use prior to the one instituted in the active army.

He was elected to the Manatee County School Board from 1967-1971 serving as chairman of the board from 1967-68. He was active in the Hernando de Soto Historical Society starting in 1969 and served in many capacities, including general chairman, president, Hernando de Soto and was awarded an Honorary Life Membership. He was also a founding director of Community Bank of Manatee. His hobbies included the violin, photography and military history.

Tom was proud of his formative years growing up in Eastern Kentucky, attending college in West Virginia, and jokingly called himself an “Appalachian American.” He was elected to

membership in the Order of Kentucky Colonels in 1982.

He and Justine became members of Palma Sola Presbyterian Church in February 1962. He served terms as a deacon and an elder. He edited and helped with the layout for publication of the booklet marking the 50th Anniversary of Palma Sola Church in 2007.

His parents predeceased him, as did Justine, his wife of 52 years, and Carole, his wife of 8 years. Survivors include his daughter Rebecca (Mitchel) Belis of Bradenton; son Michael (Lynne) and their children Jacob, Sophia and Nathan of Valrico, FL; nephew Shawn May (Anna Jo) of Ashland, KY; and niece Kimberly May Vazquez (Ben) of Scotch Plains, NJ. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, June 8, 2021 from 5-7 p.m., with a memorial service on Wednesday, June 9, 2021 at 11 a.m. at Palma Sola Presbyterian Church, 6510 Third Ave. W., Bradenton, FL. A Celebration of Life will be held following the memorial service until 3 p.m. at the Bradenton Country Club, 4646 Ninth Ave. W., Bradenton, FL. Private family internment will take place on Thursday, June 10, 2021 at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, FL. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Palma Sola Presbyterian Church, 6510 Third Ave. W., Bradenton, FL 34209 or Sarasota Orchestra, 709 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL, 34236.

The memorial service will be streamed live Wednesday, June 9, 2021 at 11 a.m. EDT (GMT-4) at https:// sprenger.tv/DrTomSprenger on Palma Sola Presbyterian Church’s YouTube channel.

Arrangements are under the care of

JUNE 9, 2021

Shannon Funeral Homes. Condolences may be made to the family at www. shannonfuneralhomes.com.

BEACH BEAT HOLMES BEACH

5/28, alcohol violation, 100 51st St. Police caught individuals with beer on the beach.

5/28, possession of marijuana, 600 Manatee Ave. A female involved in a car accident had pot in the car. She was cited and the officer seized the evidence.

5/29, 10:56 p.m., underage driver. The officer stopped a golf cart driver for a traffic offense and found he had a learner’s permit with no licensed driver 21 or older in the vehicle.

5/29, 3 a.m., trespassing, 500 block of 70th Street. The homeowner discovered an intoxicated male sleeping on his couch, who called his parents to drive him home.

5/29, found property (loaded firearm), 208 67th St. A renter left a Smith & Wesson 380 pistol with a magazine and holster when he checked out. The police notified him he could retrieve it at the police station.

5/30, fraudulent use of a handicap placard, Manatee Beach parking lot. The officer noticed young people with children load their car with no apparent disabled people around. The Holmes Beach Code Enforcement Officer was called to the scene to seize the placard and issue a parking ticket. Police later looked at cars in handicap parking spots and found another violator.

JUNE 9, 2021

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TRAM: Old Town Tram picks up steam in Bradenton Beach FROM PAGE 12

would cover approximately 85-90% of the tram program’s total monthly operating costs. If that happens, The Old Town Tram program would be close to achieving the financial selfsufficiency envisioned by the CRA members when they approved the pilot program.

“Congratulations CRA board,” CRA member Ed Chiles said of the progress being made.

CALL FOR A RIDE

LaRose said the direct phone line available for those seeking rides generated 1,045 calls hailing rides in May. That’s in addition to the riders who simply grab a ride when a tram passes by every seven to 15 minutes or so. To arrange a free ride within the CRA district, call 941-404-6240.

The Old Town Trams operate from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

On Sunday, the service stops at 9 p.m.

The route map and more information can be found at the Old Town Tram website, www.oldtowntram.com.

BANNER CRITICISM

During Wednesday’s meeting, the CRA members briefly discussed a text message Mayor John Chappie and

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

This Old Town Tram banner is located at the Cortez Road/Gulf Drive intersection. others received from Bradenton Beach resident and business owner Mike Norman. Norman’s text pertained to the tram banner installed earlier this year at the intersection of Gulf Drive and Cortez Road. Additional banners were placed near the Cortez Beach parking area and near the east end of the Cortez Bridge.

In his text message, Norman referred to the banner design as “stupid.”

“It says ‘park and ride.’ Park where?

Ride where?” Norman stated in his text message that also questioned who came up with the banner design.

Norman’s text message included a sketch for a sign he feels would be more informative. His sketch features

the words “Plenty of free parking” with an arrow pointing south. Below that, appear the words, “At Coquina Bch. Ride the Free Tram to Bridge St.” The trams are authorized to travel all the way to Coquina Beach, but the demand for rides that far south has thus far been low, according to LaRose.

Regarding the banners, City Attorney Ricinda Perry said she, LaRose, BridgeWalk resort owner Angela Rodocker and Rodocker’s husband worked on the banner design at no cost to the city. She also noted Rodocker placed that same design and information on a billboard along Cortez Road at no cost to the city.

“This was the decision the board went with based upon on all of that labor,” Perry said of the banner design.

“We have at least one individual who feels it’s not directing folks to where the tram is actually located, and he does not care for the look of the banner that’s out there.”

Perry referenced Norman’s proposed sign design and said his suggestions could be taken into consideration if and when the CRA members decide to install permanent tram signs.

“If it’s working right now, we need to just leave it, and down the line maybe something more permanent,” CRA Chair Ralph Cole said.

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SPORTS

JUNE 9, 2021

Bridge Tender and AM Bath Time take it all

BY MONICA SIMPSON SPECIAL TO THE SUN

Just as the school year came to an end for most Anna Maria Island area kids, the youth soccer season at The Center finished with two championship games last Tuesday night. Both the 8- to 10-Year-Old league and 11- to 15-Year-Old league took to the pitch with team Bridge Tender and team AM Bath Time victorious.

With Colin Bankert protecting the Bridge Tender goal, finishing the big game with five saves, his team’s offense fought a tough Beach Bums defense. Bankert’s counterpart, Alex Serra, held his own at the Beach Bums goal with three saves against heavy hitter strikes.

Beach Bums’ Dylan Sato had the lone goal for his team that finished the regular season ranked fifth, only to play in the championship game.

Closing out the season in third going into the playoffs, Bridge Tender showed why they deserved to make it into the final game. Logan Stevens scored the two goals for the winning team, helping to earn his team the title of season champions for the 8- to 10-Year-Old soccer league.

Throughout the season, the Beach Bums team rallied and fought hard thanks to D. Sato and A. Serra’s teammates, Preston LaPensee, Brandon Sato, Noah Shoulson, Charlie Serra, Penny Payne, Julian WhippleAnderson, Avaya Kohlmeyer and Mia Ross.

On the other side of the pitch, Stevens and Bankert were joined all season by Matthew Winsper, Callin Westfall, Lexi Baugher, Madeline Kimmons, Kason Davis, Elijah

Brannock and Quinn Schlereth.

In the follow-up game, the teens matched up on the field for the final game of the season. The top-ranked Blalock Walters worked hard with two players in goal to stop the AM Bath Time offense. Cale Rudacille finished with two saves and teammate Malia Keith made three stops, but their efforts just were not quite enough.

With goals by JM Fenney and Jackson Packbaz, Blalock Walters just could not make it happen in the championship head-to-head. The firepower of AM Bath Time’s Jack Mattick was just too much. Scoring four goals in the game, Mattick’s points were compounded by single scores

by Maddox Culhane and Frankie Coleman.

The big win could not have happened without the five critical stops by Mya Ferrari working as the keeper for AM Bath Time.

The loss was tough for team Blalock Walters, but it was not without an appreciation for all of the players on the squad that got them to the big game. In addition to the solid play by the scorers and goalies in the championship game, the other members of the team, Jack McCarthy, Gabriella Gilbert, William Pakbaz, Paxton Powell and Victoria Perry, helped to make the successful season possible.

Getting to the final game of the season, and defeating the top seed team in the championship game was thanks in part to the AM Bath Time team effort by Caden Quinby, Noelle Baird, Madison Farrari, Ava Harlan and Katelyn Cecil throughout the season.

With the close of the youth soccer season, the adults enter the world of

MONICA SIMPSON | SUN

Above, in a close one, team Bridge Tender won the big game in the 8- to 10-Year-Old soccer league championship match-up last Tuesday night at the Island’s community center.

Left, AM Bath Time defeated the number one seed to become 11- to 15-Year-Old league champions in soccer at The Center.

playoffs Thursday night. In quarterfinal action, #3 Flynn Law faces #6 Sandbar, while #2 C.A.B.B. challenges #7 Sato Real Estate.

Top seed Beach Bums takes on the last place Salty Printing team, and in the middle of the pack, #4 Killer Bait

will match up against #5 Slim’s Place, each team working hard and focusing on the championship game scheduled for Thursday, June 24 at 9 p.m. at The Center.

JUNE 9, 2021

FUN IN THE SUN

Across 1 Braying beast 4 "Diamonds & Rust" folk singer Joan 8 Hop, skip and jump 14 Where lowers lie 15 Ready and willing partner 16 "Booksmart" director Wilde 17 Psychedelic decorative light 19 Beaus 20 Savory taste 21 Board game gadget 23 University of Nevada city 24 Not even a little high 27 Set up 29 Chinese "way" 30 Aqua in Aquitaine 31 Whoopi's Oscar role in "Ghost" 34 Palm fruit Answers to 06-02-21 Crossword Puzzle.

35 New York waterway 38 Leaning 40 OTC antacid brand 41 Possess 42 Notable time span 44 EPA mandates, taken together 48 Structure renamed for a president in 1947 52 Arp contemporary 53 Behind 54 Type, as data 55 Develop a liking for 57 Simon & Garfunkel hit, and hint to the starts of 17-, 24-, 48- ... and 35-Across, too!

59 Gobsmacked 60 Story of life after death?

61 Quaint "Tsk!" 62 Zealous crusades 63 Letters on Broadwaybound letters

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64 Craze Down 1 Magnetism 2 Ship captains, e.g.

3 Eminent scholar 4 Lingerie brand 5 Justice league?: Abbr.

6 Nightmare loc. of film 7 Youngest Marx brother 8 Eye part 9 Mets slugger Pete who won the 2019 Home Run Derby 10 Video-sharing site 11 Dominate 12 Brazilian vacay destination 13 Prof's helpers 18 Kissy-kissy 22 Doctor in training 24 Places for scrubs and wraps 25 "Mangia!"

26 Poe's "The Murders in the __ Morgue" 28 Do the math 32 "Amadeus" subject 33 Actress Gasteyer 34 Unscrambling device 35 Jewish Festival of Lights 36 Checkout counter unit 37 Shark or Dyson, briefly 38 Short cut 39 __ Jima

42 Worked on text 43 Repairs, as infield grass 45 Fire 46 Pianist de Larrocha 47 Signaled slyly

49 Gibbons of TV talk 50 __ Sanders, only athlete to play in both the Super Bowl and World Series 51 Sheikdom of song

54 "Roar" singer Perry 55 __ Mahal 56 Mate, across the Channel 58 60 secs.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS BEACH YOGA ON Saturdays & Sundays at 8:30am at the end of Pine Ave by the Sandbar Restaurant by donation. www. thriveyogafit.com AMI TURTLE WATCH needs donations & silent action items for our FUNDRAISER. We can pick up! Call or text 941-713-6531.

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

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

CARPET CLEANING QUALITY COUNTS. CARPET cleaning. Upholstery cleaning. Tile & grout cleaning. Island's favorite cleaner. Manatee Chamber Member. Great price/free estimates. Call 941-7561082

CLEANING SERVICE THC CLEANING : Residential, Commercial, Rentals, VRBO. Professional and Reliable. Call 941-7564570

COMMERCIAL SALES, RENT & LEASE 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

EMPLOYMENT KEYBOARD LESSONS WANTED for 14 year old young man. Call Bill or Cherie 941-706-4809.

FISHING CHARTERS CAPT. MAC GREGORY Fishing Charters. Full Day, Half Day, Night, Inshore & Near Shore. 941-809-5783 U.S.C.G. Certified/Insured

Call us today! 941-778-3986

GARAGE, MOVING, RUMMAGE & YARD SALES ROSER THRIFT SHOP YARD SALE Saturday June 12th from 9a.m.-1p.m. Lots of clothing, kitchen items & some furniture, come and check us out on Pine Ave. Anna Maria across from Roser Chapel.

HEALTH CARE HOME CARE PROVIDER with Dennis Church a nursing assistant. 8+ years of experience. Licensed in Florida. SAFER at HOME. Call 815-519-3993

HOME IMPROVEMENTS TILE! TILE! TILE! All variations of tile supplied and installed.

Quality workmanship.

Prompt, reliable, many Island references. Free estimates. Neil 941726-3077 RENOVATION SPECALIST ALL carpentry repairs, Wash Family Construction, locally owned and operated CBC 1258250 Call 941-7250073.

KERN CONSTRUCTION NEW Homes & Remodel.

Design/Build. Since 1968.

License # CBC 1261150.

Call Mike Kern 941-7781115 GET’R DONE DRYWALL, INC Specializing in Remodels & Repairs. Island Resident for 18 years. Call Neil Cell 941-962-1194 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.

ISLE TILE EXPERT INSTALLATION of floors, custom showers, backsplash, deck/lanai.

Licensed and insured.

References available.

Call Chris at 941302-8759 please visit website: isletileservices. com

“HAMMERED HOMES” (SAVING HOMES SINCE 1984) Handyman services, renovations.

Free Estimates & Consulting. Call before making decision, save money. 941-778-3206

LANDSCAPING & LAWN CARE R. GAROFALO’S Interlocking brick pavers, driveways, patios, pool decks. Free estimates. Licensed & Insured. Call Rafael 941778-4823 or Veronik 941526-7941 STRAIGHT SHOT LANDSCAPE. Specializing in Old Florida Seashell driveways and scapes. Also Rock, Mulch, & Soil. Free estimates. Call Shark Mark 941-301-6067 ISLAND RESIDENT. TREE/ BUSH Trimming, removal.

Sweeping, blowing, weeding. Weekly, bimonthly or monthly schedule. Pressure washing: driveways, walkways, fences, pool decks/cages. Call Bill Witaszek 941-307-9315.

SEARAY SPRINKLER SERVICES. Repairs, Additions, Drip, Timer Head Adjustments. Call Rick today Cell 720-299-1661 Office 941-518-6326

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE: NORMS TOWING gives Notice of Foreclosure of Lien and intent to sell these vehicles on 06/23/2021, 09:00 am at 1855 63RD AVENUE E. BRADENTON, FL 34203, pursuant to subsection 713.78 of the Florida Statutes. NORMS TOWING reserves the right to accept or reject any and/or all bids.

1G2AL15F577393742 2007 PONTIAC 4TAVN53F1SZ055149 1995 TOYOTA JNKCV51E13M307825 2003 INFINITI L2BB2NCC1LM809164 2020 JBLC NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE: NORMS TOWING gives Notice of Foreclosure of Lien and intent to sell these vehicles on 06/30/2021, 09:00 am at 1855 63RD AVENUE E. BRADENTON, FL 34203, pursuant to subsection

JUNE 9, 2021

713.78 of the Florida Statutes. NORMS TOWING reserves the right to accept or reject any and/or all bids.

1C3LC46K18N167779 2008 CHRYSLER 6171237 1980 BMW EKHB0199C292 1992 EKH JF1GD61627H520288 2007 SUBARU JTDKDTB38G1129212 2016 TOYOTA WAUR2AFD6DN017392 2013 AUDI

LOST & FOUND LOST ON MANATEE BEACH. 18" herringbone chain (4mm thick, square link, round clasp, 10k) with 3/4" Spanish gold coin pendant.

Please call 585-755-3894.

Contact Dennis

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.

Paperhanging/removal Faux finishes. Interior painting. Mary Bell Winegarden 941-7940455 PROFESSIONAL PAINTING SERVICES. Prompt & Reliable.

Island Resident. Quality Workmanship. Interior/ Exterior. Also minor repairs & carpentry.

Free written detailed estimates. Bill Witaszek 941-307-9315

DONALD PERKINS PAINTING LLC fully insured. 30 years experience. Many Island references. Call 941-7057096

POOL SERVICES FOUR SEASONS POOL SERVICE AND CHEMICAL SERVICES. Certified Pool Operator. 10 + 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 AUTHORITY ONE CLEANING : Residential, Commercial, Construction, Vacation, VRBO Rentals . Also available Pressure Washing, Roof Cleaning, Paver Sealing and Windows. Call 941-5653931.

NEED PRESSURE WASHING? House, Sidewalk, Driveway. You Name it! No job too small.

10% senior discount. Call Dwayne 717-773-7303

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 941232-2216

RARELY AVAILABLE 2BR/1BA CONDO 2 miles from the beach no sign price to sell $155,900, monthly rentals allowed call Erlene Fitzpatrick REMAX Alliance Group 941-2246339. No sign

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.

HOLMES BEACH ANNUAL 1BR/1BA. Newly updated includes water, W/D & trash. No smoking. $1500/ mo first, last & security.

Available June 15. Call 860-922-3857.

FREE

HOME DELIVERY

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! 941725-1589 REALTOR FOR HIRE. BUYING OR SELLING on AMI? 17 years experience & USAF Veteran. Call Kelly Gitt Keller Williams Realty today 941-799-9299.

Call for Details

778-3986

www.amisun.com

JUNE 9, 2021

BUSINESS & SERVICE DIRECTORY HOME IMPROVEMENT

HOME IMPROVEMENT

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

TRANSPORTATION

PAINTING

RENTAL WANTED

TRANSPORTATION

SEEKING AMI ANNUAL RENTAL Call Kelly Gitt Keller Williams Realty 941799-9299

AMI TAXI metered-on-callcards accepted. Airport: Tampa $95, Sarasota $40, Clearwater $85, Orlando $195. Call 941-447-8372 or 941-447-8376. amitaxi4u@ gmail.com, www.amitaxi. com

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 941201-2190 ANNA MARIA ISLAND CONDOS Large pool, beach access, free WiFi, 1BR 6 months $1550/mo. redekercondosonami.com Tim 941-704-7525.

ANYTIME TRANSPORTATION to all Airports, Casino, etc. Tampa $70. Sarasota $35. Pets welcome. Very dependable.

Reasonable rates. Contact Jeanne. 941-779-5095 AIRPORT RIDES- Tampa, St. Pete, Sarasota. Reasonable rates! Call or text Anna 941-932-1600

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JUNE 9, 2021