FREE
VOL 16 No. 22
Oh, hoppy day
March 30, 2016
tom vaught | SUN
Top left, The Easter Sunrise Service Sunday morning drew hundreds of people to the beach; bottom left, Julia and Lexi Bower with eggs at the Easter Egg Hunt at the Sandbar restaurant; Lisa Coba, Savanna Coba and Melinda Geda at the Easter bonnet contest on Pine Avenue. For more Easter photos, see Page 24.
AMI SUNTrail coming to life It will be a dedicated, shared use trail from the Anna Maria City Pier to Longboat Pass. BY PAT COPELAND SUN STAFF WRITER | pcopeland@amisun.com
HOLMES BEACH – If all goes according to plan, Island residents and visitors will be able to bike, walk and drive the length of the Island on a dedicated shared use trail called the AMI SUNTrail.
INSIDE NEWS OPINION Sun survey business outdoors sports real estate crossword
4 6 7 14 20-21 22-23 30-35 36
Vincent announces candidacy
Lynn Burnett, engineer for all three Island cities, gave Holmes Beach city commissioners an overview of how the trail project developed and the three phases that will make it happen by 2040. She said the Sarasota/Manatee 2040 Transportation Plan was adopted in December of 2015, and it contains goals that call for creating multimodal walkable centers and improving pedestrian safety, with a priority for the Island. see TRAIL, page 35
Chill out at Sea-renity Beach Spa and Eco Boutique. 14
Anna Maria Island, Florida
Much uncertainty still surrounds the November city elections on the south end of the Island. BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
BRADENTON BEACH – Ward 4 resident Bill Vincent has announced his candidacy for the City Commission seat currently held by third-term Commissioner Jan Vosburgh. Vincent, a resident of the Pines Trailer Park, filed his preliminary paperwork with the Manatee County
Supervisor of Elections on Friday, March 25. Because he has formally announced his candidacy to the elections office and named former commission candidate Michael Harrington to serve as his campaign treasurer, Vincent can now accept campaign contributions. Vincent has been a frequent attendee at city meetings in recent months and on multiple occasions has levied public criticism upon the commissioners and the city attorney. Vosburgh said she does not intend to run for a fourth term even though it apsee vincent, page 27
Trip to cuba enlightening for Island couple. 4
Get ready for the Food Truck and Music Festival this weekend. 8
The Island’s award-winning weekly newspaper
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MARCH 30, 2016
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MARCH 30, 2016
Zaccagnino files for Chappie's seat Former Holmes Beach City Commissioner David Zaccagnino filed to run for John Chappie’s District 3 Manatee County Commission seat. Chappie announced several Zaccagnino weeks ago that he removed his name from reelection to the board. “A lot of people on both sides of the
aisle have asked me to run,” said Zaccagnino, who changed his party affiliation from Democrat to Independent. Zaccagnino, a financial advisor for Ameriprise, served as a Holmes Beach city commissioner for 9 years. In 2014, he resigned from the commission to run for mayor and lost to current Mayor Bob Johnson. District 3 includes west Bradenton and the Island. Two others have filed to run for the seat – Matt Bower and Stephen Johsson.
Happy traveling There are few to projects to slow down the already packed traffic. Crews are performing maintenance on the Anna Maria Island Bridge on SR 64. Expect nighttime/overnight lane closures from 9 p.m. each night to 5 a.m. each morning through Thursday, March 31. In Holmes Beach near Publix, crews are installing water service. There were lane closures Tuesday night but traffic should be back to normal now. Use caution around street and bridge maintenance and construction sites. Remember, speeding fine will be doubled if the offense happens through a construction
site where there are workers present.
Home Sweet Home to meet Home Sweet Home (HSH) members will begin holding monthly meetings on the Fourth Thursday of the monthly at 1 p.m. at a location to be announced. HSH is a grassroots organization dedicated to bring residents to the Island and encouraging current residents to remain. The group has a website art www.ourannamaria.com.
THE SUN
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Police report quiet holiday on Anna Maria Island Although the beaches were full of spring breakers, local police reported the Easter holiday weekend was rather quiet. According to Bradenton Beach Police Detective Sgt. Lenard Diaz, Coquina and Cortez beaches were packed, but there were no incidents. Last Thursday, there was a problem involving a group of teenagers at Coquina who were partying and got into a fight. When police responded, they broke up the fight and things cooled down. No arrests were made, even though some of the people spit on a patrol car. According to Bradenton Beach Officer Tom Ferrara, word had spread on social media that there was going to be a big beach party at Coquina, when police responded to the fight, nobody would talk to them. When the kids tried to hook up a music system to a generator, police broke it up because of the noise ordinance. While that was happening Thurs-
day, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office received reports of high school students driving recklessly, they sent more deputies out to take control of the situation. The Sheriff’s office also sent out extra deputies Easter weekend in case something like that happened again. The only other excitement in Bradenton Beach was a female minor walked away from her family and was found safe later. Holmes Beach Police Chief William Tokajer said there was nothing major along the shores of his city. He reported 377 parking tickets were issued from March 1 through March 27, during spring break. There were 55 alcohol code violations with 29 arrests. Some of those were not spring breakers. There were no major problems in the city of Anna Maria, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.
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ISLAND NEWS
in brief
Grand Affaire set for April 16 Center officials will celebrate their 26th annual gala, a Grand Affaire, on April 16, from 6 to 11 p.m. in The Center’s Grand Ballroom, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria. Entertainment will be provided by Howl2-Go, the official dueling piano touring show from Howl at the Moon, and the Chiles Restaurant Group will present a culinary experience that includes culinary parings with wine. Tickets are $175 per person. The black tie event begins with social hour at 6 p.m., and dinner will be served at 7:30 p.m. Sponsorships are available. To become a sponsor, contact Affaire Chair Dawn Mishler at 941-5184997 or by e-mail at dmishler@tampabay.rr.com.
Officers won’t be directing traffic When Holmes Beach City Commissioner Marvin Grossman at last week’s city commission meeting asked why officers couldn’t direct traffic at busy intersections, Police Chief Bill Tokajer said the city has worked with the county’s traffic management system to adjust the traffic lights “to work as if there’s an officer there. “When we have an officer at all three of our main lights – Marina and Gulf drives, Gulf Drive and Manatee Avenue and East Bay Drive and Manatee Avenue – you also have to have somebody at all the lights in Bradenton along Manatee Avenue. Otherwise we are directing them into stopped traffic. “Just on Manatee Avenue on Friday (March 18), we had 29,000 cars that came on our Island. On Saturday, 26,000 and on Sunday, 22,000, and that was with the rain. “That doesn’t include what’s coming off East Bay. I do not think it would be advantageous to have a police officer waving cars into stopped traffic.”
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MARCH 30, 2016
Trip to Cuba an enlightening experience
Midge and Larry Pippel, of Holmes Beach, spent a week on the island nation. BY PAT COPELAND SUN STAFF WRITER | pcopeland@amisun.com
HOLMES BEACH – As President Obama was preparing to make his historic trip to Cuba, several local residents were already discovering the island nation. When Midge and Larry Pippel arrived in Cuba and walked out of the airport to get into a van to take them to their lodging, Midge said, “The first thing that was so incredible to us was that it was like an old time car show. There were all these old American cars. They’ve taken beautiful care of them and hand them down in their families.” The “hotel” they arrived at was in a private home and Midge said, “It was like a ghetto. The plaster was coming off, there was missing concrete, the door didn’t shut, there was wiring hanging everywhere. But everyone says they’re a much better option than the hotels, which are run by the government.”
Midge Pipple | submitted
Drivers in their restored cars from the 50s await passengers outside the airport.
However, she did note that while the buildings, streets and roads are crumbling, the architecture is beautiful with elaborate decorative work and ornate ironwork. Most homes are 75 years old, and the plumbing and wiring reflect their age. “When they knew Obama was coming, they painted and cleaned up buildings along the main roads,” she said.
Beach volleyball event coming EVP Beach Volleyball Tour is working with the Bradenton Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Bradenton Area Sports Commission and Anna Maria Island to produce the 2016 EVP Bradenton Pro Am Beach volleyball event on April 29 and 30 at Coquina Beach. On Friday April 29 from 3 to 5 p.m., The Center of Anna Maria Island will introduce the Corporate Challenge for area teams of four to compete. Register at www.evptour.com or call 773-3871198. A team fee of $60 for juniors (12U, 14U, 16U and 18U) and $70 for amateur adult teams is suggested. Space is limited.
Correction Last week’s story about Prince the cat on Page 4 should have said $1,000 was donated to Island Veterinary Clinic for a fund to treat animals that are either strays or whose owners can’t afford treatment. The story named the wrong clinic.
Midge Pippel | submitted
A bare existence
She said their guide for the trip taught engineering at a university, but only made $20 per month, so he had to supplement his income. The guide explained that students have the option to go to college after ninth grade, but must serve one year of military service first. During that service they are paid $1 per month plus room and board. But those who do not go not to college must serve two years of military service. “People can’t afford housing and generations stay in the family house,” she said. “Because of that, they have to limit their families, but they are very community oriented and sharing and helping.” Walking down the street is an adventure, she said, with “dogs and cats roaming everywhere, but you never saw one as a pet. Our guide said not to touch them. “There are no trash cans and litter blows down the streets. We did see soldiers picking up trash because its cheaper to pay a soldier $1 to do that than put out waste cans. “There are big garbage containers in the streets, and people bring their garbage and throw it in. Many of them were overflowing, and there also were piles of garbage and trash.
An art gallery owned by two women features the colorful art of the island. see cuba, page 16
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MARCH 30, 2016
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Bike path funding pursued BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
ANNA MARIA – Congressional Field Representative Gary Tibbetts traveled to Anna Maria last week to learn more about the ongoing efforts to create an Island-wide bike path. On Wednesday, March 23, Tibbetts met with Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy, Holmes Beach Mayor Bob Johnson, Bradenton Beach Mayor Bill Shearon, County Commissioner Carol Whitmore and Lynn Burnett, who serves as the city engineer for all three cities. Representing their individual Island cities, Bike/Walk Anna Maria volunteers Claudia Carlson, Amy Tripp and Jim Hassett were also in attendance. “It was a good conversation. We showed Gary our plan for the Island-wide bike bath. He was very interested, and he stated that he was amazed at how far along we were with the planning process. From his point of view, we are shovel-ready, and the next step
would be for the congressman (U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan) to get involved helping us get some funding,” Murphy said. “We specifically asked for a letter of support to TBARTA (Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority) to see if we could get our project funded and made a priority for the SunTrail. The SunTrail is a concept that goes all the way through the state of Florida, and Anna Maria Island is left off that. We’d like to be included so we qualify for some state funding,” Murphy explained. “Secondly, we asked if he’d give a letter of support to the MPO (Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization) to give us high consideration because of the value that this particular trail will give to the west coast of Florida,” Murphy said of the congressman’s assistance in seeking state funds. “In terms of federal funding, the congressman is the co-chair of the Congressional Bike Caucus, and they have access to various grants, funds and things of that nature,”
Carol Whitmore | submitted
From left, Bradenton Beach Mayor Bill Shearon, Congressional Field Representative Gary Tibbetts, Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy, Holmes Beach Mayor Bob Johnson and Manatee County Commissioner Carol Whitmore discussed bike path funding. Murphy said. The Congressional Bike Caucus is an informal group of congressional members who support biking and walking. The caucus espouses the principles that bicycling is an efficient, low-cost form of trans-
portation that causes little wear and tear on local infrastructure, promotes good health, strengthens communities, improves air-quality and should be encouraged because of its many positive benefits. Murphy said he asked Whitmore
to participate in the discussion because she had expressed interest in the bike path. “I wanted her to see the excellent presentation that Lynn put together. Carol asked Gary if he could help identify some funds that are easily available for us that the Congressman could help us go after. She contributed quite a bit to the meeting,” Murphy said, noting that federal funds could be used to finance larger scale paving and drainage projects that benefit bicyclists and pedestrians. As members of the Island Transportation Planning Organization, the three Island mayors have also discussed approaching county officials to inquire about the possibility of using beach concession revenues to help fund the bike path. As for what he thought Tibbetts took from the discussion, Murphy said, “He didn’t know what to expect but he felt the Congressman was really going to be excited about this. He told me Mr. Buchanan told him to stay on top of this.”
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OPINION
The Anna Maria Island Sun newspaper Island Sun Plaza, 9801 Gulf Drive P.O. Box 1189 Anna Maria, FL 34216-1189 Phone: (941) 778-3986 e-mail: news@amisun.com | ads@amisun.com | classifieds@amisun.com
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MARCH 30, 2016
EDITORIAL A far-reaching project
I
t is an idea whose time has come. And the idea just may turn into reality. The AMI SUNTrail, which Sun Staff Writer Pat Copeland writes about on Page 1 of today's edition, is an ambitious project by anybody's standards. It involves construction of a "dedicated, shared-use trail" that would enable residents and visitors alike to bike, walk and drive the length of the Island in safety. The plan was outlined to the Holmes Beach City Commission recently by Lynn Burnett, the engineer for all three Island cities. Burnett told commissioners that the AMI SUNTrail will be developed in stages and in conjunction with statewide goals and projects by the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority (TBARTA) and the Florida Department of Transportation. A three-phase undertaking, the trail will run from the Anna Maria City Pier to Longboat Pass. It will include two 11-foot drive lanes with a 10-foot bike lane on one side and an 8-foot pedestrian walkway on the other side, both buffered from the drive lanes. The phases will be in one, five and 20-year increments, Burnett said, adding that 99 percent of it can be built without any additional right of way acquisition.
P
hase 1 in year 1 is to identify safe bike and pedestrian routes along alternate roads so residents and visitors have safe places to go during future construction. Phase 2 in years 2 through 5 includes engineering, design and surveying for the trail with the main corridors being Gulf, Palm and Marina drives and along SR 789 to Longboat Pass. Phase 3, beginning in year six, is construction of the trail with completion in 2040 or sooner. A recently released map of an Island-wide bike trail is only a temporary alternate route and not the permanent trail. This was a relief to some residents concerned about the route going through their neighborhoods. Holmes Beach commissioners agreed in consensus to begin with the plan and to schedule workshops on the proposed temporary route. A timetable was not given for future briefings with the other two city commissions but no doubt those will happen accordingly. Without question, this is a broad, far-reaching endeavor, one that may take more cooperation between the cities than we are accustomed to. But if it works, we could all be the beneficiaries of something very special. What do you think?
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR It takes more than one village In the last year: Members of the Florida Institute of Saltwater Heritage (FISH), Fishing for Freedom, Annie Silver Community Center, Sandpiper Park, Paradise Bay Park, AMI Women of the Moose, Manasota Track Club and Bowman Real Estate helped "Keep Manatee Beautiful" with three coastal clean ups. The AMI Center provided transportation for the Senior Adventures of Annie Silver. The Anna Maria Oyster Bar donated the proceeds of their soft openings to Annie Silver. The 34th annual Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival (and more than a hundred volunteers) raised a record amount of money for F.I.S.H. The new Cultural Center of Cortez is now open. Bradenton Beach donated the building. Johnson House moving did the relocation. Mason Roofing and Reynolds Electric did the rest for free. The Privateers helped put on three dinners at Annie Silver. Annie Silver has provided bingo
every Thursday this winter. They also had three successful community garden crops. A. P. Bell donated fish to both Annie Silver and FISH. (for their volunteer appreciation dinner). The Island’s parks are getting improvements. An (all island) scenic bike route is in the works. We look forward to another great year. Thank you to everyone who helped. P.S. The "Great American Clean Up" will be held Saturday, April 16 at 8 a.m. at the FISH preserve (boat works) and at the AMI Moose. Call if you are interested. F.I.S.H.: Kris, at 248-8949681. Moose: Peg, at 941-7783106. Peg Miller Bradenton Beach
Crackdown needed Over the last few years, we have become frustrated with the governmental bodies on Anna Maria Island and their misguided negativity towards vacation rental homes and their owners. It is disheartening when you compare our guests to the semi-local crowd from Bradenton and other
Take The Sun Survey on Page 7. localities. Most of our experience has been the “day-trippers” are who disobey parking ordinances and compound traffic issues, ignore common decency and leave litter wherever they settle for the day. Here are some logical steps to be taken. 1. Gain Manatee County approval of a parking fee at all public beaches. Install automated pay stations where vehicle owners/drivers must pay the fee. The fee should be no less than $5 for cars and $10 for SUVs, trucks and vans. To avoid traffic congestion, the drivers would park first, walk up to one of a few installed stations, pay the fee, and place the receipt on the dashboard. Violators would be towed and fined. 2. Any area not involving Manatee Public Beach or Coquina, require a parking pass bought via automated, ATM-like machines, installed at several locations on the Island. Those passes must be placed on the dashboard. Passholders would still have to obey parking restrictions, making certain parking areas remain very SEE LETTERS, PAGE 7
WWW.AMISUN.COM - CELEBRATING 15 YEARS
MARCH 30, 2016
THE SUN
the sun survey
on the agenda
PREVIOUS QUESTION: What do you consider to be the top issues facing AMI this year?
Anna Maria
32%
Preserving property rights.
2%
10%
Adopting stiffer parking regulations.
Protecting our environment.
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For information, call 7781005.
10005 Gulf Drive
None scheduled For information, call 7086130.
Bradenton Beach 107 Gulf Drive N.
4/6: Community Redevelopment Agency, 9:30 a.m. 4/6: Capital Improvement Projects, 10 a.m. 4/6: Pier Team, 11 a.m. 4/7: City Commission meeting, 6 p.m.
Holmes Beach 5801 Marina Drive
4/6: Parks and Beautification Advisory Board, 10 a.m. For information, call 7085800.
Island-wide
4/5: Manatee County Council of Governments, Bradenton Area Convention Center, One Haben Blvd., Palmetto, 4 p.m.
mark your calendar Note: Events are free unless indicated.
28%
Controlling rentals.
Wednesday March 30
0%
28%
THIS WEEK’S SURVEY What do you think of the new biking, walking and driving trail being proposed for AMI?
Reducing traffic congestion.
Where we're going to eat tonight
• Great idea. It will make it safer to walk, ride a bike or drive a car or golf cart on AMI. • I'm not so sure. I want to see the details first. • Sounds OK as long as it doesn't go through my neighborhood.
To vote, go to www.amisun.com or scan this code to vote by smartphone. LIKE us on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/AnnaMariaIslandSun View The Sun’s online edition at www.issuu.com/AnnaMariaIslandSun LETTERS FROM PAGE 6
limited and strictly enforced. Violators would be towed and fined. 3. Offer a paid parking lot that is strategically placed and to include trolley access. In
exchange for the fee, include coupons to be used at Island restaurants and shops. I imagine our elected officials can get something like this accomplished. We just need to encourage them. Once the word
gets out that AMI is taking control of its Island, day-trippers will comply and the Island will benefit greatly. Tuck Wieler Property owner from Athens, GA
Lifelong Learning Academy discussions, The Center of AMI, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria, 11 a.m. Chair yoga, Anna Maria Island Art League, 5312 Holmes Blvd., Holmes Beach, noon to 12:45 p.m. $10. Register to ArtLeagueAMI@ gmail.com or 941-778-2099. Ceili dancing, Sandpiper Mobile Resort, 2601 Gulf Drive, Bradenton Beach, 1 to 3 p.m. AMI Community Connections gathering of friends, AMI Community Center, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria, 2 p.m.
Thursday March 31
Quilting group, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 10 a.m. Zumba with Suzy for beginners, Aging in Paradise Resource Center, 6200 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key, second floor, 10 to 11 a.m., $10 per class. Aerobics for Seniors, Roser Church, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, 11 a.m. Bingo, Annie Silver Community Center, 103 23rd St. N., Bradenton Beach, 7 to 9 p.m. Refreshments available for purchase.
Friday April 1
Forty Carrots program for babies and children to age 5, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 10 a.m.
Sarasota Institute of Lifetime Learning lecture series via DVD, Aging in Paradise Resource Center, 6200 Gulf of Mexico Drive, 2nd Floor, Longboat Key, 10:30 a.m. $8 per lecture, tickets at the door. Chair yoga, Anna Maria Island Art League, 5312 Holmes Blvd., Holmes Beach, noon to 12:45 p.m. $10. Register to ArtLeagueAMI@ gmail.com or 941-778-2099. Guided Relaxation Circle, Anna Maria Island Art League, 5312 Holmes Blvd., Holmes Beach, 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Donations only.
Saturday April 2
Arts and Crafts Show, Holmes Beach City Hall field, 5801 Marina Drive, 10 a.m. –to 5 p.m. Food Truck Festival, Coquina Beach, Bradenton Beach, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Chess Club, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 10 a.m. Recycled fashion craft for families, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 2 p.m. Brendan Burke, author of “Shrimp Boat City,” to speak, Florida Maritime Museum, 4415 119th St. W., Cortez, 3 p.m.
Sunday April 3
Beach Market, Coquina Beach, Bradenton Beach, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Bridge Street Market, Bradenton Beach, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Arts and Crafts Show, Holmes Beach City Hall field, 5801 Marina Drive, 10 a.m.
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Something for everyone at Food Truck and Music Fest Admission is free, and there is ample parking for this all-day event. BY TOM VAUGHT SUN STAFF WRITER | tvaught@amisun.com
Get ready to celebrate slow cooked food, fast automobiles and music at the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce inaugural Beach’N Food Truck and Music Festival from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, April 2, at Coquina Park Gulfside. This might also be a celebration of summer, after our recent cool weather, but it’s really a celebration of why we live and visit here. There will be a variety of music and emcee Mike Sales will keep thing operating smoothly. The schedule is: • 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.: The JPs, offering a jazz infused island twist on acoustic music; • 1 – 2:30 p.m.: The Billy Rice Band, a group of talented and experienced musicians and singers who do it the right way; • 3 – 5 p.m.: Whiskey Blind, a rock and roll band that has been on the local music scene since 2011; • 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.: soulRcoaster, a multigenre band that appeals to a wide variety of musical tastes;
• 8 – 10 p.m.: The Karen & Jimmy Band, a merging of two talented band leaders from Shotgun Justice and Karen and the Big Bad Wolves. There will be room for dancing and if you dance up an appetite, there will be a tasty array of food from 11 vendors ranging from lobster rolls and other seafood to pulled pork and other barbecue plus Philly cheese steak, pizza, pasta, hot dogs, desserts and Skinny’s burgers. Of course there will be bottled water, sodas, beer, margaritas and rum coolers to wash down the food. Check out the BeachN wheels at the car show featuring more than 100 classic, antique and muscle cars. Reminisce over that car you had in high school you wish you still had. In addition, there will be arts and craft vendors and for the young ones, the Kids Zone will offer fun games bounce houses and more. This family fun event comes just as the season slows, and it’s a great reason to get out of the house and enjoy yourself. Media sponsors are Bright House Networks, The Bradenton Herald and the Anna Maria Island Sun.
MARCH 30, 2016
MARCH 30, 2016
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MARCH 30, 2016
Energy assistance available • Be part of a household with at least one person age 60 or older in the home; • Have a documented heating or cooling emergency (a past due amount on your bill; a final notice of disconnection has been issued or your electric has been turned off); • Earn a gross household annual income equal to or less than 150 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. That means a one-person household could have an income of $17,655 or less to be eligible. A two-person home must show an income of less than $23,895. For more information, call 941-7484501.
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AMI OUTFITTERS
Manatee County is accepting applications for the Emergency Home Energy Assistance for the Elderly grant which offers financial help to residents ages 60 and older who have an economic hardship. The county may approve up to $600 in assistance for a household twice a year. Assistance is available to a household once during the cooling season, now through Sept. 30, and again during the heating season, Oct. 1 to March 31. The program is available to Florida Power & Light and Peace River Electric Cooperative customers. To be eligible for assistance, applicants must:
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MARCH 30, 2016
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THE SUN
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Ordinance to clarify commission roles BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
BRADENTON BEACH – The City Commission has requested an ordinance to clarify the roles of the mayor and commissioners in a weak mayor form of government. During the Tuesday, March 22, work meeting, the commission reached a 5-0 consensus directing City Attorney Ricinda Perry to draft an ordinance for future adoption. Commissioner Ralph Cole requested the ordinance and asked that it repeal Resolution 14-812, which was a previous commission’s attempt to address similar issues. Cole noted the existing resolution states the city has neither established a strong mayor nor weak mayor system of government. “Do we agree that we have the weak form of government?” he asked. Commissioners Jan Vosburgh and Jake Spooner agreed, and Vice Mayor Ed Straight had not yet arrived. Mayor Bill Shearon said, “Yes, that’s what’s in our charter I believe.” The words weak and strong do not actually
appear in the charter in regard to the mayor’s role or the city’s form of government, but the requested ordinance will clarify and support the commission consensus. “The charter grants the executive, legislative and quasi-judicial authority to the city commission. Do we agree to that?” Cole asked. Vosburgh and Spooner agreed. “That’s the way it’s stated, we can’t change the charter,” Shearon added. “As the executive head of the city government, the mayor’s duties as set forth under the charter are limited to the following: chairing all city commission meetings; appointing commissioners to serve as liaisons; calling special sessions of the city commission; creating boards, panels and committees; and serving as the city’s primary representative for ceremonial functions. Do we all agree to that?” Cole said. Shearon, Vosburgh and Spooner agreed. “The mayor’s administrative oversight of the city government is limited to those duties set forth in the city charter. The mayor has primary responsibility for ensuring the city see ORDINANCE, page 13
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MARCH 30, 2016
GRAND OPENING THIS WEEKEND! 3 NEW MODEL HOMES
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ORDINANCE: Clarifying roles FROM PAGE 11
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The Anna Maria Island Art League presents the 28th Annual
“Springfest” April 9th & 10th, 2016
Fine Arts & Fine Crafts Festival Sat. & Sun.
10am - 5pm Holmes Beach, FL City Hall Field
Juried Art Exhibit Live Music (Saturday)
10am to 1pm Anna Maria String Band 1pm to 4:30pm Drum Bunny - Scott Blum & Howie Banfield
“Young at Art” Children’s Exhibit & Activity Area Community Booths Raffle Food Court Free Admission & Parking
Artwork Courtesy of Robert Johnson
www.IslandArtLeague.org 941-778-2099
Edward E. & Lillian H.
Bishop Foundation
operates in accordance with the policy mandates of the commission, to ensure compliance with emergency preparedness and emergency management programs and requirements, to prepare and present to the commission recommendations on personnel issues; to prepare an annual budget document and to appoint emergency police as necessary. Do we agree to that?” Cole said. The commission members agreed. In regard to the supervision of city staff, Cole said, “Under the commission/weak mayor form of government, the supervisory power generally vested in a city manager are vested in each department head, charter official or their respective departments. "No single elected official has the authority to supervise or control the city departments without express city commission approval. No single elected official may officially or unofficially establish policies over the city departments.” Vosburgh asked if this prevents a commissioner from contacting a department head to share concerns voiced by constituents. “Absolutely not,” Cole said. “I think it’s saying you can’t direct them to do something,” Spooner added. “The concept I work on is you address the issue and then you present it to a department head and make a suggestion or a recommendation, and it’s up to the department head to address the situation. If it involves another department head and has to be worked out, it goes to the mayor. If it still isn’t resolved, then it goes before commission,” Shearon said, with Straight now in attendance. “So, we’re all right with that motion to repeal this resolution SEE KEYWORDHERE, PAGE 00
14
THE SUN
BUSINESS
MARCH 23, 2016
Chill out at Sea-renity Beach Spa BY LOUISE BOLGER SUN STAFF WRITER | lbolger@amisun.com
Sea, sand and sky – three things we have an abundance of on Anna Maria Island, but did you ever catch the view from your private tiki hut right on the beach during a massage? If the answer is no, Sea-renity Beach Spa & Eco Boutique will get you started faster than you can say sunset. Since August 2011, Sea-renity Beach Spa has been offering a variety of spa services in its petite Bradenton Beach space, which also accommodates its Eco Boutique. Amanda Escobio and Kelly Daszynski are partners who met by chance at a Bridge Street night market and instantly knew their fundamental values and love of the Gulf waters were in sync. The Florida natives have used the best of their creative and practical attributes to build a business that combines wellness, healing and art. Daszynski is a trained artist, interior designer and painter who in her Sky 30 Art
Studio in Sarasota creates unique artwork designed with hardwoods that are salvaged and repurposed. The original idea for this style came from her grandfather who designed with wood strips but Daszynski has taken it to a new and exciting level. She is also the creative talent responsible for the Eco Boutique where she carries her artwork in addition to artwork from dozens of local artists, jewelry, unusual pieces of clothing, soaps, stones, crystals and shell candles. She prides herself on having one of a kind items which are always changing. Amanda Escobio is a trained deep tissue massage therapist who originally started Sea-renity by offering the only beach tiki massage on the island before expanding to the Bridge Street location. Today Sea-renity has six trained massage therapists and offers a large menu of spa services. Escobio points out that Sea-renity’s level of massage therapy is a combination of deeply relaxing and deeply therapeutic. They are not a “fluffy and buff” massage
SEA-RENITY BEACH SPA & ECO BOUTIQUE 112 Bridge Street Bradenton Beach 941-779-6836 Boutique: Monday to Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Massage and other services: Call the reservation line at 941-779-6836 seven days a
LOUISE BOLGER | SUN
Amanda Escobio and Kelly Daszynski
mill, and are a full clock time, i.e. 1 hour means 60 minutes, a real spa with real services. In addition, Sea-renity offers facials, couples massage, waxing and tinting, warm stones, sea scrub and more, and they are see SEA-RENITY, page 15
week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Same day appointments possible seven days a week Complimentary parking www.searenityspa.com
MARCH 30, 2016
WWW.AMISUN.COM - CELEBRATING 15 YEARS
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15
SEA-RENITY: Chill out FROM PAGE 14
at the Bridge Street Market every week offering $10 chair massage. Sea-renity will travel outside of the salon for friends' get togethers and have a brisk business in pre and post wedding beach massage. To help celebrate their fifth anniversary year, they have launched Club Sea which offers savings of 33 percent on services on a monthly basis. This is a great option for full time and seasonal residents. Call for more details on the new program. They also just started Sea & Shop which also offers
discounts in the Eco Boutique when you get a massage or facial. And as an added enhancement to their already great business, Sea-renity has been chosen Best Spa in the Sun’s latest Readers’ Choice Awards. As if Anna Maria sunsets weren’t perfect enough, you can top it off with a relaxing and memorable massage experience. Sea-renity Beach Spa & Eco Boutique combines the best of two worlds overseen by two women who were lucky enough to find the perfect synergy.
16
THE SUN
WWW.AMISUN.COM - CELEBRATING 15 YEARS
MARCH 30, 2016
CUBA: Enlightening experience FROM PAGE 4
However, she said the streets are safe, and added, “You feel safe anywhere despite appearances because the consequences of crime are so severe. For one drunk driving offense a person will lose their license for the rest of their life.” She said on their street, “A bread man would come every evening yelling. People would lower baskets with money in them on ropes. The bread man would take the money and put the bread in the basket.”
Shops and restaurants
She said there are no shops or grocery stores like we have here, but in some squares there were stalls with flea market type trinkets. People shop in government ration stores once a month, but she said they are very small and the shelves are fairly empty. “We bought our water and drinks from the restaurants,” she said. “The restaurants were nice, but the staple
was beans and rice at both lunch and dinner. It’s all served family style. “The salad was shredded cabbage with thinly sliced tomatoes and cucumbers with vinegar and oil. You had to order meat separately, but it was very tough and we finally gave up on it.” She said she was fascinated with the beautiful art, and there was public art in the high-end squares. But when they bought art, they had to take it off the frames and only were allowed to take the canvas or cloth. The group took two side trips. One was to Hemmingway’s house, where people were not allowed inside but had to take photos through the windows. The other was to the Bay of Pigs, where she said the water was a beautiful, intense blue. “I would like to go back in three or four years to see how it’s changed,” she concluded. “For people who don’t want to have a rustic experience, I’d advise them to go on a cruise and just spend a day or two in Havana.”
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Property vacation by public beach denied Two planners and three attorneys weighed in on the request to vacate a portion of Second Avenue.
provides access to the Gulf. Brisson agreed with the building official’s assessment and said, “If it were vacated, it would no longer provide beach access to the public.� Brisson further noted, “The applicants anticipation of being approved automatically because of the vacation to the south� is not valid because the previous vacation was done before the policy was added to the comp plan, which “removes any precedent.�
BY PAT COPELAND SUN STAFF WRITER | pcopeland@amisun.com
HOLMES BEACH – The City Commission declined to approve a request to vacate a portion of Second Avenue between 38th and 39th streets and adjacent to Manatee Public Beach. Commissioners heard from the applicant’s attorney, a land planner, the city planner, an attorney representing the adjacent property owner, the county attorney and the city attorney before making their decision. Attorney Stephen Thompson, representing AMI LLC, said when the applicants purchased the property a couple of years ago, “they assumed the right of way would be vacated because the same right of way immediately to the south had previously been vacated by the city.� “The use of this right of way by the city is limited to street use,� he said. “The purpose of the request is to avoid construction of a street on that property. “They own the resort to the east. Their property is beachfront property but for the fact that you have this right of way that’s been dedicated. The vacation would avoid something coming in there, a street for example, between their resort and the beach.� He said there are six criteria in the city’s code that are to be used for the vacation of streets, alleys, easements and rights of way and “the decision must be based on the criteria in the code.�
Others speak
submitted
The property that AMI LLC. was seeking to be vacated is adjacent to Manatee County's public Beach property.
Planners weigh in
Thompson presented Bob Schmitt, a land planner, to report on the six criteria. Schmitt said the “vacation application is clearly consistent with the street vacation criteria and comprehensive plan� and “should be approved by the city commission.� However, City Planner Bill Brisson said the policy is that commissioners are to consider vacations “based primarily but not exclusively� on the six criteria. He said there are other
valuable uses of the land such as parking bikes, motorcycles and golf carts and that the adjacent property owners – Manatee County and the owners of the Bamboo Apartments – object. In addition, he said the building official rejected the application because he thought it violated the Coastal and Conservation Element of the comprehensive plan which states, “The city shall not vacate publicly owned access to waters within or adjacent to the city,� and that the publicly owned land
Attorney Scott Rudacille, representing the owners of the Bamboo Apartments, said they object to the vacation and that “the applicant has attempted to turn this process into a quasi-judicial proceeding. They want to take your power away. “This is a legislative hearing. There’s no record, no sworn testimony. It’s a discretionary decision by the commission. There are factors in the code to be considered, but your decision is to decide if the vacation is in the pubic interest.� Manatee County Attorney Mitchell Palmer said the board of county commissioners also objects to the vacation and agreed with Rudacille regarding the legislative vs. quasijudicial process and with the building official about the comp plan. He said the property is adjacent to the county’s beach parcel and said. “It is the county’s contention that this vacation will result in a situation where the county’s platted lot no longer enjoys any access to a public right of way.� see PROPERTY, page 18
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VACATE: Request denied FROM PAGE 17
City Attorney Patricia Petruff asked for a recess so the clerk could print the ruling in a 2001 court case involving the same area for commissioners to consider. The final judgment stated that the city lacked authority to allow the adjacent property owner to place things such as lawn chairs in the right of way that obstructed the neighbors’ access to their property. Secondly, it said that the city lacked authority to convert Second Avenue to a park. Petruff pointed out that it’s a dedicated right of way with specific uses and those uses could include utility access, off street parking or pedestrian access. Third, the judgment said that anyone who owns a lot in that subdivision has easement rights to use the right of way and that closing it would be "an unlawful conversion of use of dedicated lands.”
Responses
Thompson said the county would still have access via a 25-foot pedestrian access at 39th Street, that the commission should consider the criteria for vacating and that there is no feasibility of a road being built there. “We’re willing to work with the commission if you are willing to discuss options,” he
We are willing to work with the commission if you are willing to discuss options." Stephen Thompson Attorney said. Commissioner Jean Peelen said she sees no public benefit to vacate the property. Petruff said she agreed with Brisson regarding the criteria and with Rudacille and Palmer that it is a legislative decision. “You have lot of discretion,” she explained. “A right of way has the potential to be put to a variety of uses under the umbrella of appropriate uses. Peelen then made a motion to approve the second reading of the ordinance to vacate the property in order to allow the commission to bring it to a vote. All five commissioners voted no.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED 6th AL ANNU
Food and Wine on Pine
May 7, 11:30am - 6:30pm
SHOWCASING OUR AREA’S BEST FOOD, WINE, ART & MUSIC HISTORIC PINE AVENUE, ANNA MARIA ISLAND Various shifts available! Every volunteer will receive a free event t-shirt and complimentary food and beverage tickets. If you’re interested in volunteering, contact Ruth Uecker (941) 201-6158 or ruecker1@tampabay.rr.com For event info visit www.foodandwineonpine.com • Rain date May 8 www.facebook.com/events/1523073181325036/
MARCH 30, 2016
MARCH 30, 2016
WWW.AMISUN.COM - CELEBRATING 15 YEARS
THE SUN
19
Board decides on gravel for traffic islands The design includes small brown stones with crimson and lime rock trim around pants and boulders. BY PAT COPELAND SUN STAFF WRITER | pcopeland@amisun.com
HOLMES BEACH – Beautification board members recently agreed on the design for the traffic triangles at East Bay Drive and Manatee Avenue, which includes keeping the three palms, adding groupings of Indian Hawthorne and coontie and filling the rest with colored gravel. Member Midge Pippel reported on a trip to the gravel company and the colors that are available. After some discussion, the group agreed on the following: • The majority of the space will be filled with 1 ½-inch brown stone. • Red crimson stone will trim around boulders. • Small lime rock will trim around plants for interest and design. • Riprap will be used as edging barrier between different size stone, if desirable. • Seven large boulders will be installed for worker and pedestrian safety.
pat copeland | SUN
From left, Holmes Beach Beautification board members Jerry West, Zan Fuller, Dennis Groh and Midge Pippel discuss types and colors of gravel. Chair Dennis Groh reported to city commissioners on the design at their March 8 meeting and told them that the islands were overgrown and an eyesore and required constant pruning. He said the new design would retain the Christmas palms and include low growing, drought resistant, Florida friendly plants, colored gravel and boulders.
Park signs
The group also discussed signs for the city’s parks. Member Zan Fuller said signs like those at the AMI Historical Park are more costly than originally thought and would be $765 not including the graphic design.
Judy Hildeman, of the AMI Historical Society said the graphic designer’s rate is $75 per hour and the signs are UV protected for 10 years. Fuller said she contacted the Island bicycle path committee, and its members would be interested in working with the three cities to design a sign that would be appropriate for all the cities’ parks. According to an e-mail from Claudia Carlson, of the bike path committee, “This is my vision: We put two or three of these expensive signs with the bike route map at Bayfront Park, Manatee Beach and Bridge Street locations. Then a few with park information could be placed at the most strategic parks along the route such as Spring Lake. “Perhaps we could find a less elaborate but coordinating sign for those parks that don’t need anything more than identification. Members agreed to continue working with the bike path group to coordinate signs. In other business, members agreed to plant a silver buttonwood at the end of 67th Street on National Arbor Day, April 29. The ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. EVERYONE IS WELCOME Adult Bible Study 8:45 AM
SUNDAY WORSHIP 8:30 AM and 10:00 AM
Children & Youth Church School after the Children’s Sermon NURSERY AVAILABLE A NON DENOMINATIONAL CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY
Rev. Dr. Bob O’Keef
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20
THE SUN
OUTDOORS
FEBRUARY 17, 2016
SeagrassFest and survey scheduled
T
he first annual Sarasota Bay SeagrassFest and annual seagrass survey, created by Sarasota staff and volunteers, will be held at Ken Thompson Park in Sarasota on April 30. The event celebrates the vital link between seagrass and a healthy bay. The survey begins at 8 a.m., with registration at 7:30, and runs to 1 p.m. The festival starts at 10 a.m. and runs to 4 p.m.. The event is a team effort between Sarasota County and the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program providing the public with a fun 2-in-1 event that’s all about seagrass. It’s free, a hands on event and includes music, food, educational booths and more. Participants in the survey will also receive a free T-shirt and lunch. The seagrass beds that carpet Sarasota Bay, from Anna Maria Sound south, harbor a tremendous array of living creatures. This critical and diverse ecosystem is mostly out of sight except at extreme low tides. Seagrasses are flowering plants that serve a number of important functions. Because they flower, they require sunlight and clear, relatively shallow waters. They produce oxygen, bind sediments and baffle wave action while cleansing coastal waters. Seagrass roots, their leaves, and the epiphytes and micro algae that cling to
Reel Time RUSTY CHINNIS them, clean water by converting dissolved nutrients into plant matter. Besides giving us clean, clear water, sea grasses provide food and shelter to a multitude of marine life including fish, crustaceans, shellfish, manatees and wading birds. Of the 52 species of seagrasses worldwide, seven are found in Florida. On Florida’s west central coast, they include primarily turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum), shoal grass (Halodule wrightii) and manatee grasses (Syringodium filiforme). The historical loss of these species has been extensive throughout Florida. Tampa Bay at one time lost 81 percent of its historical cover, Sarasota Bay 30 percent (1950-1988) and Charlotte Harbor 29 percent. Poor watershed management, including stormwater run-off and sewage disposal; dredge and fill operations and scaring from boats have taken a heavy toll on Florida’s seagrasses. Fortunately the influence of citizens and organizations like the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, Sarasota Bay Watch, the
rusty chinnis | sun
A low tide exposes the sea grass and prop scars that cover large areas of Sarasota Bay Tampa Bay Estuary Program and Tampa Bay Watch have instituted programs that are beginning to turn the tide on water quality. The Southwest Florida Water Management District began a seagrass mapping program in 1988, which has provided us with a historical timeline of seagrass acreage in the Bay. Now every two years, maps are created from aerial photographs. These images are then verified for accuracy through
a process known as ground-truthing surveys. The results from the mapping in 2014 documented 13,288 acres of seagrass in Sarasota Bay, a record amount and an increase of roughly 700 acres from 2012. Anglers experience first-hand the myriad interactions that produce fertile fisheries. They may not understand the intricate web of existence that proceeds see Seagrass, page 21
tide chart for anna maria city pier March 30-april 6 Day Date
A.M. High Time Feet
A.M. Low Time Feet
P.M. High Time Feet
P.M. Low Time Feet
Wed 3/30
6:02a 1.17
9:09a 1.08
3:43a 2.03
Thu 3/31
8:08a 1.21
12:16a -0.02
4:47p 1.97
Fri 4/1
9:24a 1.32
1:28a -0.05
6:08p 1.92
12:22p 1.25
Sat 4/2
9:53a 1.42
2:41a -0.10
7:33p 1.93
2:00p 1.15
9:56a 1.20
Sun Rise Set
Day Date
7:23-7:47 7:21-7:48 7:20-7:48 7:19-7:49
A.M. High Time Feet
A.M. Low Time Feet
P.M. High Time Feet
P.M. Low Time Feet
Sun Rise Set
Sun 4/3
10:15a 1.52
3:24a -0.13
8:49p 1.98
3:09p 0.93
7:18-7:49
Mon 4/4
10:35a 1.64
4:08a -0.09
9:53p 2.02
Tue 4/5
10:55a 1.78
4:47a 0.01
10:51p 2.01
4:57p 0.34
Wed 4/6
11:18a 1.95
5:22a 0.17
11:47p 1.93
5:46p 0.o6
4:05p 0.65
7:17-7:50 7:16-7:50 7:15-7:51
MARCH 30, 2016
reel time: Seagrass festival an survey FROM PAGE 20
from the microscopic level to the fish on the end of their line, but they reap the benefits nonetheless. Government scintists (NOAA) consider seagrasses to be of such importance that they have adopted a no net loss policy to manage them. Despite this pronouncement and recent successes, seagrasses must be monitored and protected as development and population growth swell in the area. Cost considerations often eclipse concerns for seagrasses, but research reveals the true value of these resources. A study by Virnstein and Morris in 1996 conducted in the Indian River Lagoon estimated the value of seagrass to be $12,500 per acre, per year, based solely on economic values derived from recreational and commercial fisheries. Events like the upcoming SeagrassFest and the annual surveys call attention to the importance of this tremendous resource. Volunteers interested in participating should send an email to info@sarasotabay.org with the subject line SeagrassFest Volunteering Seagrass survey volunteers must be ablebodied and have their own snorkel equipment. There is a special need for volunteers with motorized vessels. If you are able to volunteer for the survey and meet the requirements, contact Ashley Melton at amelton@scgov.net.
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THE SUN
21
Find redfish at Palma Sola Bay Captain Rick Grassett
Anglers fishing with me on my Action Craft flats skiff the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action catching and releasing trout and bluefish on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay on CAL jigs with shad tails and DOA Deadly Combos during the past week. My brother, Joey Grassett, and Chris Johnson, both from Seaford, Del., fished several days in Sarasota Bay with me. We fished deep grass flats, and they had good action catching trout and bluefish on CAL jigs with shad tails and DOA Deadly Combos. There will be two more CB’s Saltwater Outfitters Orvis-Endorsed Fly Fishing Schools, next Saturday, April 2, and Saturday, April 16. There are still some spots available in the schools, which will be the last ones until the fall. The course will cover fly casting basics, line control, shooting line, the roll cast, leader construction, fly selection and saltwater fly fishing techniques. Designed for beginning and intermediate fly casters, we will focus on basics, but also work with intermediate casters on correcting faults and improving casting skills. Cost for the school, which will run from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., is $150 per person and includes the use of Orvis fly tackle, a text book and lunch. Contact CB’s
Captain larry Mcguire | submitted
Show me the red grouper John Matulis, from Laporte Ind., with the catch of the week and the largest grouper of his lifetime. John was celebrating spring break with family and went fishing with Capt. Larry Mcguire. Saltwater Outfitters at 941-349-4400 or info@cbsoutfitters.com to make reservations.
Annie’s Bait and Tackle
Joe and Anna of the Manatee High Fishing Club caught some decent trout around Sister Keys. Captain Sam Kimball is catching a lot of snapper, grunts, and porgies on his half-day trips. Red grouper are strong on his longer trips. A few amberjacks are
showing up along with a lot of catch and release gag grouper. Captain Scott Moore says that there are snook and trout on the flats in Terra Ceia Bay. Mangrove snapper are showing up on the rock piles in the bay. Redfish are at the mouth of Palma Sola Bay. Spanish mackerel are in Tampa Bay. Sarasota Bay has scattered trout along Long Bar. Sharks are on the bulkhead, and sheepshead are still on the reefs in the deeper channels and around Egmont Key.
22
THE SUN
SPORTS
MARCH 30, 2016
Moss Builders construct another win on the field BY MONICA SIMPSON
Sun Scoreboard
SPECIAL TO THE SUN
Now that youth flag football season has come to a close at The Center, it is the adults’ time to shine on the field. In the first week of playoff action, six teams went head-to-head in hopes of making it to the semi-final round. Team Mason Martin could not make the comeback it had hoped for in the game against Team Beach To Bay. With a big lead for the majority of the game, Beach To Bay let Mason Martin tie up the ball game with only minutes left on the clock. But, after two big losses the week before, Beach To Bay pulled out the win and became the first adult flag football team to advance. The second game of the night saw number two seed Moss Builders against number seven seed Tyler’s Ice Cream. Tyler’s Ice Cream struggled all season not having a true quarterback on the squad. Ed Moss and his boys have played co-ed sports at The Center for years and have always exhibited the ultimate in sportsmanship, while maintaining a healthy level of competitiveness. In Wednesday night’s game, Team Tyler’s Ice Cream not only did not have a quarterback, but also only had four players on its squad for the playoff game. In a show of sportsmanship, Team Moss Builders also played with four players, as opposed to the maximum five, and kept the game fun and enjoyable for both teams. Leading the team as QB was Ben Sato. With Team Moss Builders on offense, his brother Nick Sato, took the first play after a short pitch five yards from the mid-field line. Nick Sato pulled up on his quick run prior to getting to the defender due to what appeared to be an injury. Ryan Moss, quarterback for Moss Builders, was pressured hard by Rob “Ice Cream” Alderson before Moss found Erin Gereghty for a completion and first down. On the next two plays Moss tried to hit his father, E. Moss, in the end zone. Both passes were incomplete, forcing the third down score or lose possession play. Known to be an elusive athlete with great natural skills and speed, for rushers in the league, sacking R. Moss is a dream. On the third down play Alderson sped toward R. Moss, broke down in front of him and continued to follow his every move and managed to pull his flag ending the play and the down. With the change of possession, B. Sato threw the ball to Alderson who advanced the ball. Marching down the field toward the end zone with a catch by Shay Coleman and Alderson, Tyler’s Ice Cream was in
Wednesday, March 16 Adult league – Playoffs
#3 Beach to Bay Construction 34 #6 Mason Martin 27
monica simpson | SUN
Tyler’s Ice Cream’s key offensive threat Shay Coleman nearly gets by the Moss Builder’s athletic powerhouse Ryan Moss at Wednesday night adult flag football playoff game. scoring position. R. Moss stopped the drive with the interception. Having a strong game, Alderson pulled the flag of N. Sato after his first down run. R. Moss found Jay Hoffmeister on a long pass taking the football five yards from the first score of the game. N. Sato, with a total of 110 receiving yards in the game, was R. Moss’ target for the next two plays, finally finding him in the end zone with nine minutes left in the half. On the extra point attempt, R. Moss threw to Gereghty just out of her reach, leaving the score at 6-0. Taking over on offense, looking to answer back with a quick score, B. Sato threw over the head of Kate Serdy and short of Coleman, allowing R. Moss to gain his second interception in the game and a touchdown, increasing Team Moss Builder’s lead to 12. With another missed point after play to Serdy, Tyler’s Ice Cream took over. After dropping back after the snap B. Sato dropped the ball under the pressure of brother Nick. Looking to gain long yardage, B. Sato tried to connect with Coleman, who was being defended tight by R. Moss. The pass was just long, and the defense was too good. The play to Coleman on third down was just short of mid-field, giving the ball back to Moss Builders. With a position change, E. Moss took the snap and threw to Hoffmeister for a 20-yard
gain. Mixing it up even more, E. Moss pitched the ball back to R. Moss behind the line of scrimmage. With the option to run or throw, R. Moss rocketed the football to Hoffmeister, who just could not handle ball. Despite strong defensive pressure by Serdy, R. Moss was able to put the ball up and find E. Moss for his first touchdown of the game. Unable to convert on the point after again, with B. Sato chasing R. Moss in the backfield, the lead for Moss Builders stayed at 18. With the clock slowly running down in the first half, Alderson caught the pass of B. Sato. With nobody in front of him, Alderson just stepped out of bounds, ending the play without a score. After a crazy run by Coleman for the first down with 45 seconds left on the clock, Alderson got the ball to the 10-yard line. Alderson had 75 solid receiving yards in the game, as well as three defensive flag pulls. Tasting the points, Alderson made the reception and carried the ball through traffic before being stopped on the two-yard line on the third down play, ending the possession. Taking over as quarterback, E. Moss, who threw two out of three completed passes for 15 yards, gained yardage with his pass. The unsuccessful second down play took Moss Builders to a third long down run by N. Sato, who was tripped up just outside of the end zone to end the first
#2 Moss Builders #7 Tyler’s Ice Cream
39 12
#4 Coldwell Banker #5 Truly Nolen
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half of play. With 20 minutes on the clock, the second half started with Tyler’s Ice Cream on offense. Looking to finish the game with points on the scoreboard after a good offensive half, yardage team leader Coleman took the ball and sped down the field past all of the Moss Builders defenders for the quick score. The blocked extra point attempt by R. Moss kept the score at 18-6. Uncharacteristically, Hoffmeister dropped the football after speeding down more than half the length of the field. E. Moss under center pitched the ball back to R. Moss, giving him the option to run or pass. R. Moss took the run option all the way down the field for the fourth Moss Builders TD. As the QB R. Moss followed the Gereghty who ran across the end zone, hitting her for the extra point and advancing the score to 25-6. Throwing for a total of 225 yards in the game, B. Sato took over on offense with three incomplete passes caused by the strong defense of Moss Builders. On offense, the stop and start action on the run by N. Sato took him past first down marker, eluding Tyler’s Ice Cream defenders before finally going out of bounds. R. Moss’ short toss was complete to Gereghty. Tyler’s Ice Cream’s defense kept R. Moss from completing his passes turning the ball over on downs. Mixing things up after the first down play, Alderson threw to B. Sato, coming off the ground to make the catch. Tyler’s could not convert on third down. Moss Builders started another offensive run with a pass by R. Moss, who completed nine of 19 pass attempts for 270 yards, that was nearly picked off by Tyler’s Ice Cream’s B. Sato. R. Moss connected again with N. Sato behind the line of scrimmage for a throw past the first down line to the QB, who ran it down the rest of the field for a touchdown. With five minutes left on the scoreboard, Gereghty stretched out to see sports, page 23
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Rotarians ready for golf tourney The registration deadline for this year’s tournament is Friday, April 1. BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
BRADENTON – Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island members and supporters will tee off for a good cause during the Second Annual Charity Golf Classic on Wednesday, April 6. The successor to last year’s inaugural event again will take place at the IMG Academy Golf Course in Bradenton, 4350 El Conquistador Parkway. Utilizing a shotgun start and fourperson scramble format, the friendly competition gets underway at 1 p.m. The tournament is limited to 120 golfers and the deadline to register is Friday, April 1. To register or learn more about remaining sponsorship opportunities visit www.annamariarotary.org, call Beth Shaughnessy at 813-299-9955, call Tracy Settle at 605-391-0122 or e-mail tracysettle3010@gmail.com. In exchange for a $100 donation, golfers will receive a registration gift bag, 18 holes of golf and an electric cart, complimentary drinks while on the course and a buffet dinner afterwards in the IMG Grille Room, where the awards ceremony will take place. Trophies will be awarded for best Rotary team, best team overall and best mixed couples team. Special prizes will be award for the longest drive and closest to the pin, and one hole will be designated for the hole in one contest that will provide an opportunity to win a new car from Boast Volkswagen. Most importantly, the proceeds generated this year will assist the civic-minded organization with a multitude of service projects. “This is our number one fundraiser for the year,” Shaughnessy said, not-
joe hendricks | sun
The Rotarian golfers will take to the IMG links again on Wednesday, April 6 for recreational and altruistic reasons. ing that last year’s tournament raised nearly $10,000. The money raised this year will help support the YMCA Learn to Swim program conducted in partnership with local Boys & Girls Clubs. The program helps underprivileged youths develop potentially lifesaving skills in an area surrounded by natural and man-made water elements. “It’s important to us to get children in the water who have a fear of water and teach them some survival skills,” Shaughnessy said. Many of the Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island projects and programs take place at Anna Maria Elementary School. These include the Service Above Self award, the Peace Day ceremony, the Dolphin Reader program, the Four Way Test essay contest, and the Character Book Project and Program. The Rotarians help with the food fundraiser at the Publix in Holmes Beach and help provide for the maintenance of the Holmes Beach welcome sign. The club also supports the Feeding Empty Little Tummies
program, a dictionary distribution program and many other local efforts. At the national and international levels, the Rotary Club supports the American Association of University Women scholarship, assists with Shelter Box purchases and is involved in the economic, water provision and healthcare projects. All these efforts tie into the Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island’s mission statement: To strengthen the lives of children, assist people in crisis and improve the quality of life of people with special needs. This mission is supported by the Four Way Test, which also provides a model for non-Rotarians: “Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build good will and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all involved?” Led by Club President Joe Praetor, the Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island meets at noon on Tuesdays at the Bridge Street Bistro in Bradenton Beach. For membership information, call Praetor at 941-447-1506 or e-mail at jpraetor@yahoo.com.
sports: Moss Builders construct another win FROM PAGE 22
catch the throw by E. Moss for the one point conversion, increasing Moss Builder’s lead to 25 points. Two incomplete passes by Tyler’s Ice Cream forced the third down play. Stepping in front of Alderson, the intended receiver, Hoffmeister, who had three defensive flag pulls in the game, picked off the pass by B. Sato, running it to the Tyler’s Ice Cream five-yard line. Moss Builders turned the interception into their sixth touchdown of the game pushing the score to 39-6.
The game clock ticked down to one minute, and the referee motioned to keep the clock running. Coleman had a nice catch for a Tyler’s Ice Cream first down. Time out was called by Tyler’s with 38 seconds left in the game. With the clock running, Serdy took the ball for a run down the sideline for the first down. Calling its last time out, Tyler’s Ice Cream took to the huddle planning for the final offensive play of the game. The quarterback found Serdy in the end zone for the second touchdown of the night for
Tyler’s Ice Cream ending the game with the score of 39-12. The last game of the night saw the turnaround team #5 seed Truly Nolen, which picked up a solid and experience quarterback midseason, defeat #4 seed Coldwell Banker in another close game. The addition of the Truly Nolen quarterback exemplified how critical having the right player at that position can determine the success of a team and parity in the league.
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MARCH 30, 2016
An Island Easter celebration Anna Maria Island’s Easter weekend was a treat for the children who, on Saturday searched for eggs on the beach behind the Sandbar restaurant and then moved to Pine Avenue for more fun. Kids raced Easter eggs along the ground with spoons, and it was a good old-fashioned celebration, complete with an Easter bonnet contest.
tom vaught | sun
Above, Richie Cutner closes in on the finish line at the egg roll. Right, four- month-old Sam Marlow is nearly buried by the Easter Bunny’s fur as they pose for a photo by Dara Caudil, of Island Photography and DJ, who printed out photos for people to take home as keepsakes.
tom vaught
Above, eight-year-old Alohi Simpson, of Bradenton, wore her “bunny” hat. At right, Chris Cockrell’s entry in the Easter Bonnet Contest was made from bicycle parts.
tom vaught | sun
tom vaught | sun
tom vaught | sun
When the man said “Go,” the kids were on their way, picking up colorful eggs with surprises inside. It wasn’t long before the beach was back to its normal beautiful condition.
MARCH 30, 2016
Obituaries Mary S. Saunders On May 15, 2016, our dear, beautiful, sweet, beloved Island sister and great neighbor, Mary S. Saunders, went peacefully across the rainbow bridge to join her parents in heaven. Mary was an Island resident for more than 20 years. She was surrounded by a couple of close friends and her beloved cat, Tigger. Mary worked at Publix for more than 17 years and rode her bike to and from work. Our Mary was also a member of the Church of the Annunciation for many years where she was a member of the Daughters of the King. She also worked in the church’s kitchen where she joyfully shared her love of serving others Mary’s service will be at the Church of the Annunciation, 4408 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, on Monday, April 4, at 2 p.m. Mary was the kindest, most sincere kind of person that you could ever
BEACH BEAT Anna Maria
3/19, fraud, 213 Spruce Ave. The victim arrived at the home for a week’s vacation and found it was already rented. 3/19, incident report, The Center, 407 Magnolia Ave, The Center reported a party or parties unknown lifted the gate to the tennis courts off its hinges and spread tennis balls all around the courts. There was no damage.
Bradenton Beach
3/20, recovered stolen vehicle, 100 block of 10th Street South. Police were dispatched to a hit and run accident. An officer spotted the vehicle in heavy
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meet. Knowing her made others better people. She loved with all her heart and was a friend to all. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Manatee Humane Society or the North Shore Animal League.
April Bailey Costantino April Bailey Costantino, 64, passed peacefully in the early morning hours of March 21, 2016. Since her recent cancer diagnosis, April was a fighter to the end and was always surrounded by her loving family. April was born on April 1, 1951, in Bradenton. She graduated from Manatee High School in 1969 where she was in the band and chorus. She shared a wonderful marriage with her husband, Christopher Costantino, whom she wed in 1973. In 1975 and 1978, she welcomed her daughters, Amy and Carrie into the world and found her life’s true calling, being a devoted and selfless mom. She was named “Wee-Wee” by her grandchildren and felt blessed to have her daughters and grandchildren close by – there wasn’t a recital, award ceremony or game that Wee-Wee would miss. She was known to many for her outstanding home cooking and her spirited personality. She had a passion traffic. He turned on his lights and the suspect took off. He finally turned toward the officer’s vehicle and stopped just short and fled on foot. The officer caught him and arrested him. 3/21, theft, 900 Gulf Drive N., Gulf Drive Café. A female employee’s purse was stolen from a waitress’s station. She found it empty in a dumpster. 3/21 lost or stolen items, 103 Gulf Drive N., Cream of AMI. The victim said a bank bag with money was missing. 3/23, property damage, 100 block of 12th Street South. The complainant said a crane operator working on a house next door damaged the driveway. 3/24, missing person, 2408 Gulf Drive N,. Via Roma Resort. A teenager was reported missing. She was found later. 3/27, driving with a suspended license, habitual, beach access road at 2000 Gulf
for wildlife and took great pleasure in eagle watching at Robinson Preserve with her husband. She enjoyed family trips to Anna Maria Island, visiting produce stands in the North Carolina mountains and viewing manatees in Homosassa, Fla. She is survived by her husband, Christopher Costantino; daughters, Amy Imerman and Carrie Bendixen, and their husbands, Sam Imerman and David Bendixen; her mother, Eva Mae Bailey; grandchildren, Olive and Eva Imerman and Jackson and Roman Bendixen; aunt, Barbara Foxworthy; cousins Elaine Sturgeon and Sally Gall. April was the heart of the family and will be dearly missed. A private funeral service will be held at Brown & Sons Funeral Homes & Crematory, 43rd Street Chapel, 604 43rd St. W., Bradenton, FL 34209. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to The Bridge Church, 4000 75th St. W., Bradenton, FL 34209 and Wildlife Education & Rehabilitation Center, 2207 Avenue B, Bradenton Beach, FL 34217. “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles.” Isaiah 40:31. Condolences to www.brownandsonsfuneral.com. Drive South. The officer stopped the driver for having a suspended license tag and found the driver’s license had been suspended numerous times. He was arrested. 3/27, domestic violence, anchorage at 200 Bridge Street. Police found an intoxicated woman who said she had nothing to do with a disturbance. They found out she had been with a men on a boat in the anchorage and retrieved the man with help from the Coast Guard. He had injuries to his face and said she had hit him numerous times. Police arrested the woman.
Holmes Beach
3/12, driving without a license, 700 Manatee Avenue. The officer saw a van, ran the registration through the computer and found the owner did not have a license.
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Merle C. Davis Jr., Merle C. Davis Jr., 79, previously of Anna Maria Island, died March 19, 2016, in his Bradenton residence surrounded by his family. Merle was a successful businessman in the pipeline industry in the Pennsylvania area. He spent is free time being with family and friends boating, riding motorcycles and having a drink. He was a kind, generous, easy going and cheerful man whom everybody loved. He is deeply missed by all who shared his life. Merle is preceded in death by his brother, Roy Davis, and wife Helen. He is survived by his brother, Robert Davis; a son, Merle C. III; his daughters, Pam Zuccarini and Brenda Sisca Luke; four grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. A service will be held at Skyway Memorial Gardens, 5200 US Highway 19 in north Palmetto on Saturday, April 9, at 3:30 p.m. There will be a "celebration of a life well lived" at Clancy’s Irish Pub, 6218 Cortez Road W., Bradenton, at 5 p.m.
When he stopped the driver, she presented a Mexican ID. She said she did not have a license and never had. 3/12, seatbelt violation, driving without a license, 4200 block of Gulf Drive. The officer stopped the subject for not wearing her seatbelt. She did not have a license. 3/12, petit theft, Publix, 3900 East Bay Drive, The store’s manager called police after viewing a surveillance recording showing three teenagers walking out of the store with approximately $20 worth of food. A store employee identified the suspects, but police were unable to fund them. The next day, one of the suspects came to the store and asked to pay for the items stolen. The manager called the police and had an officer talk to the suspect.
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TOWN CRIER
com/~flmgs/ or e-mail questions to mgs.society@gmail.com.
Writers meet
Seniors visit museum
The Gulf Coast Writers will meet on Wednesday, April 6, at 12:45 p.m. at the Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, in Holmes Beach. Bring your writings for critique (three copies should work) or call Alice at 778-7923 or Judy at 778-2436.
Senior Adventures will host a trip to the Dali Museum on Friday April 1, at 10 a.m. Those who want to go must reserve a spot by calling Peg at 778-3106.
Forty Carrots fun The Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, hosts Forty Carrots, a parenting program based in Sarasota, on Friday, April 1, at 10 a.m. In this program, kids from mobile babies to five years old and their parents experience new activities, join in circle time fun, spend time with other families and get valuable parenting information. The program is free, and tickets ae available for this session at the library desk. Space is limited to 12 families. For more information, call the library at 778-3986
Kiwanis hears from rescuers Gail and Ed Straight, from Wildlife Inc. Education and Rescue, will address the meeting of the Kiwanis Club of Anna Maria Island on Saturday, April 2, at 8:30 a.m. The club encourages Kiwanis members from other clubs as well as members of the public to visit. Breakfast is available for purchase at the café.
Improve your chess If you never learned to play chess or if you’re a player but can’t find someone to play with, come to the next meeting of the Island Branch Library Chess Club on Saturday, April 2, at 10 a.m. at 5701 Marina Drive in Holmes Beach. Bring your own chess kit or they will be provided. A chess master will be present to help. All ages and skill levels are welcome. Call 778-6341 for more information.
MARCH 30, 2016
Kids' book and craft club Butterfly Park aid
A two-day outdoor Arts and Crafts Show to benefit the Anna Maria Island Butterfly Park will be held at the Holmes Beach City Hall field, 5801 Marina Drive on Saturday, April 2, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday, April 3, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Shop for jewelry, glass, art, photography, wood products, leather goods, metal art, hair accessories, apparel, food, crafts and more. Free admission and free parking. Contact Andy at 352-344-0657 or www.tnteventsinc.com for vendor information.
What goes around Recycling is a good habit to get into and there’s a fun family event at the Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach on Saturday, April 2, at 2 p.m. called Recycled Fashion for Teens. Learn to make something new from something old and you might end up walking the runway at the Main Library downtown on Saturday, April 16, between 1 and 3 p.m. Call 778-6341 for more information.
Learn about shrimp fishing Brendan Burke, author of the book “Shrimp Boat City,” will highlight stories, pictures and people from the early days of shrimping and boatbuilding in Florida on Saturday, April 2, at 3 p.m. at the Florida Maritime Museum, 4415 119th St. W., Cortez. This lecture is sponsored by the Florida Humanities Council. Admission is free, and seating is firstcome first-served, beginning at 2:30
p.m. FMM members and volunteers can reserve seats by calling 708-6120 or e-mailing kristin.sweeting@manateeclerk.com.
Story time at the library Trudy Bell, the children’s librarian, reads stories on Tuesday, April 5, at 10 a.m. Kids between toddler and five years of age are welcome as are their parents at the Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. For more information, call the library at 778-6341.
Tracing Southern roots The Manatee Genealogical Society meets on Tuesday, April 5, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Manatee County Central Library, 1301 Barcarrota Blvd. W., Bradenton. Bryan Mulcahy, reference librarian for the Fort Myers Regional Library, will present: “Grits, Genealogical Research in the South. For more Society information, log onto www.rootsweb.ancestry.
There’s a new club forming at the Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, for kids 8-12 years old. It’s a book and craft club, and it meets on Wednesday April 6, at 6 p.m. For more information, call the library at 778-6341.
Volunteers needed Florida’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program has advocate positions available in Manatee County. Volunteers visit with residents of nursing homes, assisted living facilities and adult-family care homes to ensure they are treated with dignity and respect. Training and certification are provided. If you would like to become an ombudsman and make a difference in your community, visit ombudsman. myflorida.com, search on Facebook or call 1-888-831-0404.
Discussion on crime Exchange ideas on current events, social issues, politics and economic issues on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Center of Anna Maria, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria, sponsored by the Lifelong Learning Academy. On April 6, the discussion will be about the criminal justice system and making the punishment fit the crime. The sessions are free, and no registration is required. For more information, call the Lifelong Learning Academy at 941-359-4296 or visit www. lla-sm.org
MARCH 30, 2016
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Odor not from sewage, state says BY CINDY LANE SUN STAFF WRITER | clane@amisun.com
CORTEZ – An odor coming from Sarasota Bay that nearby residents describe as a sewage smell is actually being produced by an algae bloom, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Known as Peridinium quinquecorne, the algae is not toxic like red tide, said Rob Brown, environmental protection division manager for the Manatee County Parks and Natural Resources Department. Water samples taken by the county
last week off Tidy Island, Cortez Kitchen Marina and Paradise Bay Marina were analyzed by the FWC’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute in St. Petersburg, which found that levels of the algae were high enough to cause respiratory irritation, fish kills and water discoloration – red or brown – that can be seen from space, according to the report. Blooms occur when oxygen in the water is low, especially in areas that don’t flush well, Brown said, adding that when the algae and fish are suffocated, the resulting decaying organic matter causes the odor.
Contrary to residents’ concerns, no sewage is leaking into the bay from Longboat Key, said the town’s public works department spokesperson, James Linkogle. Peridinium blooms have occurred in southwest Florida from late summer to early fall since 2005, according to the FWC. In June 2010, fishermen in southern Lee and northern Collier counties reported a bloom that killed fish for five months. Residents and boaters will have to wait out the bloom until tides and winds take care of it, FWC officials said.
vincent: Running for commission seat FROM PAGE 1
pears as though term limits were inadvertently eliminated during last year’s charter review process. According to City Clerk Terri Sanclemente, two additional election packets were picked up from the clerk’s office recently by a third party. One was delivered to the address of Ward 4 resident and Planning and Zoning Board member James Lynch and another was delivered to Ward 2 resident Steven Leister. As of Monday, neither Lynch nor Leister had announced their candidacies or filed preliminary campaign paperwork with the elections office. When asked recently about a potential bid for a fourth term, Ward 2 Commissioner and Vice Mayor Ed Straight said he would consider running again if it is officially determined that term
limits no longer exist. City Attorney Ricinda Perry is of the opinion that term limits have been eliminated. She said anyone seeking Vincent a formal ruling on this matter one way or another would need to obtain a judge’s ruling. There has been speculation that County Commissioner John Chappie might run for Vosburgh’s after the former Bradenton Beach mayor and commissioner recently announced he would not seek reelection to his county seat. On Monday, Chappie said, “I have so much other stuff going I can’t even think about that at this time. It was not on my radar, but I have received a number of calls. As far as I’m concerned, Jan’s the commissioner, and I will continue
to support her. I am looking at stepping back from politics after 20 enjoyable years, but I want to continue serving my community, and I’d love to get more involved with the bike trails.” The qualifying period for the Bradenton Beach city elections opens at noon on Monday, June 20, and closes at noon on Friday, June 24, so potential candidates need not make any formal decisions at this time. The city of Anna Maria shares the same qualifying dates. Mayor Dan Murphy and Commissioners Chuck Webb and Nancy Yetter’s terms expire in November, but no elected officials have declared their intentions regarding potential re-election efforts, and no one else from the north end of the Island has filed any campaign paperwork with the elections office.
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ORDINANCE: Roles clarified FROM PAGE 13
and incorporate what I said?” Cole asked. “I really don’t think we need an ordinance. Most of it’s in the charter itself,” Shearon said, citing the time and cost associated with adopting an ordinance. The mayor suggested a resolution instead and asked Perry for her opinion. “Here is a unique set of circumstances because you’re actually interpreting your charter, which is the most important document in your city. Commissioner Cole would like it in an ordinance because it becomes a law and not
just a policy, and it’s more difficult to change than a resolution,” the city attorney said. “When I ran for commission, I wanted to define the type of government we have: the weak mayor system. That’s something I promised my constituents. If we create an ordinance, the next person that comes in as mayor or commissioner they’ll have something to look at that clarifies those three paragraphs in the charter. Unless someone changes the charter, they’ll have a clear understanding and we didn’t go through all this for nothing,” Cole said.
MARCH 30, 2016
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MARCH 30, 2016
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JOE HENDRICKS | SUN
The Power of Purple Joined by Anna Maria native Brittany Parker, from the American Cancer Society, Mayor Dan Murphy has proclaimed Saturday, May 14, to be Power of Purple Day in the city of Anna Maria. The proclamation coincides with the Relay for Life of Anna Maria Island taking place at Coquina Beach Park that day. A preliminary Relay Rally will take place Thursday, March 31, at The Center, 407 Magnolia Avenue, Anna Maria, at 6:30 pm. For more information, contact Parker at 941328-3757 or brittany.parker@cancer.org.
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REAL ESTATE
MARCH 30, 2016
First time buyers and the fog of mortgages
I
t’s easy to get lost in the fog of home financing, especially if you’re a first time buyer or a buyer who is trying to enter the market with a lower income level. Either way, there are numerous obstacles to overcome and paperwork that may seem impossible to understand. Unfortunately, that’s the culture we created and no matter how many changes are made to the system it never really becomes any easier. First time home buyers are certainly in the minority on Anna Maria Island, but their fate could affect real estate even in Anna Maria’s high end market. In order to get to the high end market, everyone needs to start someplace, and that place is usually with a first home. However, first time home buyers are getting more and more sidelined by investors in their quest for a home. During the housing bust, investors bought up bank owned foreclosures and short sales mostly for cash to either flip at a profit or to rent.
Castles in the Sand Louise Bolger That market has dried up, but there are still plenty of investors out there offering all cash deals that first time home buyers can’t match. According to CoreLogic, in October, 25 percent of home sales nationwide were to investors. This is down from the 32 percent peak in 2012, but still 8 percentage points greater than in 2000. To make the market even more toxic for first time buyers, the supply of homes for sale fell to 1.79 million in December, according to the National Association of Realtors, which is only a 3.9 month supply, well below the 6 months considered normal. There is some good news for first time
buyers, who don’t have a lot of cash to put down, assuming they can find a home. In 2014, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae rolled out a mortgage product that required just 3 percent down. The borrower still had to pay for the private mortgage insurance, which is designed to protect the mortgage lender and investors in the event of default until such time as adequate equity is accrued in the property. In spite of this, the loans still cost more than those that were backed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) for first time buyers and the program was not very successful. Now Bank of America in an attempt to build up the low end mortgage market is also offering 3 percent down mortgages without the requirement of private mortgage insurance in conjunction with Freddie Mac and other partners. This will make the loans less expensive than those offered by the Federal Housing Administration. One other first time buyer program is called
HomeReady, designed for low to moderate income borrowers and administered by Fannie Mae. This program allows more leverage on what is considered income i.e. parent loans, tenant income, etc. It’s a limited and complicated program, which also takes into account student loans, so the fog on this one is pretty thick. And speaking of parents, if you’re lucky enough to have some that can privately fund your home, you are lucky indeed. Again the fog around these arrangements is pretty dense so you will need professional advice to avoid IRS scrutiny. Now please keep in mind that anything that has the name of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or the FHA on it are loans that are backed and guaranteed by the federal government with our tax dollars. The nerd in me is scared to death of low down payment loans. They smacks of previous, really bad lending practices that created a fog that we don’t want to live through again.
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MARCH 30, 2016
6101 MARINA DRIVE, HOLMES BEACH
Date Closed List Price Anna Maria 2016-01-12 799,000 2016-01-07 999,900 2016-01-12 1,249,000 2016-01-29 1,125,000 2016-02-26 1,249,000 2016-02-04 1,975,000 2016-02-29 3,700,000 2016-01-18 899,000 2016-02-12 585,000
Sold Price Property Address
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Real estate transfers of January-February 2016 •Sponsored by Alan Galletto, Island Real Estate Source: Mid Florida Multiple Listing Service SFUA
Lot Size
Description
750,000 900,000 1,150,000 990,000 1,050,000 1,660,000 3,600,000 820,000 565,000
519 South Dr 582 320 Iris St 1837 203 S Bay Blvd 2636 50x200 308 Palm Ave 1662 512 South Dr 1942 26x121x70x111x103 783 N Shore Dr 1636 101 Palmetto Ave 3139 58x100 108 Magnolia Ave 50x145 214 Elm Ave 70x110
3 Br/2 Ba SFR 3 Br/3 Ba SFR 3 Br/3.5 Ba SFR 4 Br/4 Ba SFR 3 Br/2.5 Ba SFR 3 Br/2.5 Ba SFR 5 Br/4.5 Ba SFR SF Lot SF Lot
Bradenton Beach 2016-01-15 890,000 2016-01-27 1,190,000 2016-02-01 425,000 2016-02-17 225,000 2016-02-29 249,000 2016-02-26 649,000 2016-02-03 649,000 2016-01-04 1,199,000 2016-01-15 775,000 2016-01-29 109,000 2016-02-18 350,000
790,000 1,005,000 410,000 220,000 249,000 620,000 625,000 1,110,000 775,000 106,000 350,000
2203 Ave. A 1472 50x135 2516 Ave. A 1750 2207 Ave. C 930 611 Gulf Dr N #B28 794 1325 Gulf Dr N #228 675 2106 Gulf Dr N #4 1117 104 Gulf Dr S #205 1029 105 11th St S #A 4116 75.0x100 106 7th St S 2912 100x100 2601 Gulf Dr N #315 320 2510 Ave. C 50x100
3 Br/2 Ba SFR 4 Br/3 Ba SFR 2 Br/1 Ba SFR 2 Br/1 Ba Condo 2 Br/1 Ba Condo 2 Br/2 Ba Condo 2 Br/2 Ba Condo Duplex Fourplex 1 Br/1 Ba Co-Op SF Lot
Cortez 016-01-22 460,000
436,000
3920 Mariners Way#313a
3 Br/2 Ba CondoDate
1762
Closed List Price
Sold Price Property Address
SFUA
Holmes Beach 2016-01-27 469,000 2016-01-19 450,000 2016-01-25 634,900 2016-01-28 649,000 2016-01-15 669,900 2016-01-15 899,000 2016-01-29 929,000 2016-01-29 1,099,000 2016-01-04 1,490,000 2016-02-18 550,000 2016-02-12 1,185,000 2016-02-08 1,295,000 2016-01-08 595,000 2016-01-15 242,500 2016-01-20 285,000 2016-01-06 299,000 2016-01-29 304,900 2016-01-21 390,000 2016-01-08 459,900 2016-01-15 650,000 2016-02-17 279,000 2016-02-05 289,900 2016-02-22 350,000 2016-02-12 587,000 2016-02-26 475,000 2016-02-09 269,900 2016-01-15 999,000 2016-02-01 399,000 2016-01-13 579,900
440,000 445,000 590,000 630,000 655,000 842,500 875,000 1,000,000 1,300,000 550,000 1,115,000 1,140,000 575,000 234,500 272,500 290,000 295,000 370,000 450,000 625,000 267,500 275,000 336,250 525,000 385,000 265,000 790,000 375,000 530,000
1536 3 Br/2.5 Ba SFR 2302 2 Br/3 Ba SFR 1568 3 Br/2 Ba SFR 1258 3 Br/2 Ba SFR 1552 3 Br/2 Ba SFR 1390 58x116 4 Br/3 Ba SF 2288 4 Br/2.5 Ba SFR 2786 5 Br/4 Ba SFR 2546 104 X 80 6 Br/4 Ba SFR 1180 2 Br/ Ba SFR 2425 3 Br/3.5 Ba SFR 1700 5 Br/4 Ba SFR 1180 2 Br/2 Ba Condo 980 2 Br/2 Ba Condo 1027 2 Br/2 Ba Condo 1179 2 Br/2 Ba Condo 1179 2 Br/2 Ba Condo 1359 2 Br/2 Ba Condo 722 1 Br/1.5 Ba Condo 2001 3 Br/2.5 Ba Condo 838 1 Br/1 Ba Condo 1035 2 Br/2 Ba Condo 672 1 Br/1.5 Ba Condo 1780 100x100 Duplex 1738 87x86 Duplex 1141 2 Br/2 Ba Half-Duplex 2360 50 X 100 Triplex 1333 54x97 2 Br/4 Ba Fourplex 1316 85x110 3 Br/2 Ba Villa
6250 Holmes Blvd #52 2912 Ave. C 241 S Harbor Dr 306 67th St #B 302 67th St 202 81st St 309 64th St 106 81st St 203 69th St #A 517 70th St 6804 Marina Dr #B 202 69th St 2312 Gulf Dr N #102 3607 E Bay Dr #110 4307 Gulf Dr #108 600 W Manatee Ave#116 703 Manatee Ave #703 3402 Gulf Dr #2 5300 Gulf Dr #104 316 63rd St #B 5400 Gulf Dr #16 3601 E Bay Dr #206 3211 Gulf Dr #6 127 52nd St #A 204 Peacock Ln #A&B 438 62nd St 3101 Ave. F 411 62nd St 303 64th St #B
Lot Size
Description
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Bloch-Grossl benefit Saturday The Drift In will host a benefit for former Bradenton Beach residents Erin Bloch and George Grossl on Saturday, April 2, from 1 to 7 p.m. Bloch and Grossl are still recovering from serious injuries sustained in a November motorcycle accident. The silent auction will feature a
weekend for two on a sailboat in the Florida Keys, parasail and fishing trips, gift baskets, gift certificates and other items donated by local restaurants and businesses. A kayak will be raffled, and there will be a 50-50 raffle. Scott Wilson will serve Cajun-style food, and Johnny
Burch will serve smoked pulled pork. Kyle Shell, Will Scott and Brandi Adams will provide the live entertainment. The Drift In is located at 120 Bridge Street in Bradenton Beach. To donate or get more info call Bill at 941-779-1313.
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MARCH 30, 2016
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‘Lettice and Lovage’ a comedy with an accent The play runs Tuesday through Sunday until April 10. BY TOM VAUGHT SUN STAFF WRITER | tvaught@amisun.com
ANNA MARIA – “Lettice and Lovage,” by Peter Shaffer, is like watching a comedy on PBS. The comedy is dry and the leads sounded very, very British. In fact, the two women who had the most dialogue, Caroline Cox as Lettice Douffet and Judi King as Lotte Schoen, endeared themselves to the audience as they followed their dreams, no matter how ridiculous, to their conclusions. Lettice Douffet is a tour guide in an English country house and she doesn’t let facts get in the way of a good story. When Lotte Schoen, who oversees the Preservation Trust personnel department, takes a tour to investigate rumors of the untrue history that Douffet doles out during the tour, she confronts her and orders
Douffet to her office the next day. After Douffet admits to telling tales that may or may not be entirely true, Schoen tells her her services will no longer be needed. As Douffet worries out loud about what she’ll do next, Schoen agrees to write a job reference, and then they get to now each other better. Douffet is interested in history, and she is obsessed with the executions of historical figures. They go out to dinner and discuss her obsession further. In the next act, Schoen comes to Douffet’s basement apartment with a job offer. When she enters the apartment, she sees Douffet’s cat and asks that she put the cat in another room, saying she’s allergic to it. Later, she admits to being terrified by cats. The two discuss Douffet’s obsession some more and soon, Schoen is participating in the reenactment of a beheading. Soon, the obsession is Schoen’s as well. The final act brings things to
a head (not a pun) and you’ll have to buy a ticket to find out what happened. The two main performers were brilliant and the backup cast, consisting of Heiko Knipfelberg, Sue Belvo, Bruce Witton, Daniel Coppinger, Brad French, Judy Keenen, Island Players President Bobbie Berger and Murphy the cat were great in enhancing the play, but the show belonged to the two British ladies. Performances are Tuesday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p,m. Tickets are $20 each. The box office is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Mondays through Saturdays. On performance nights, the box office opens at 7 p.m. and for Sunday Matinees, it opens at 1 p.m. Visa, MasterCard or Discover are accepted. For reservations or information, call the box office at 941 778-5755 or log onto www.theislandplayers.org.
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WWW.AMISUN.COM - CELEBRATING 15 YEARS
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Spring soccer at The Center For the first time, The Center of Anna Maria Island will offer youth soccer during the spring. Registration will end on April 8 at 9 p.m. The season will start the week of April 25. Evaluations are the week of April 11 through 14 as follows:
• Monday, April 11, at 6 p.m. for 3- to 5-year-olds and 6- to 7-yearolds; • Tuesday, April 12, at 6 p.m. for 8- to 10-year-olds; • Wednesday, April 13, at 6 p.m. for 11- to 13-year-olds; • Thursday, April 14, at 6 p.m.
for 14- to 17-year-olds. The Center is looking for coaches and sponsors. For information, contact Drew Mitchell at Drew@ centerami.org or 941-778-1908, ext. 9217.
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trail: SUNTrail progesses FROM PAGE 1
In addition, the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority (TBARTA) has identified a 2040 regional trail project coming across SR 64 and going south to Sarasota and tying in with a regional trail. This plan is currently in draft stage. She said a new standard, called complete streets, is being accepted across the nation. These streets are designed to allow safe access for all users including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders and they are unique to each community. The other component being developed by the Florida Department of Transportation is the Florida SunTrail system, which represents a major change in transportation policy and includes a system of greenways and trails throughout the state.
Three phases for trail
All of these come together for the Island in the AMI SUNTrail, which will run from the Anna Maria City Pier to Longboat Pass. It will include two 11-foot drive lanes with a 10-foot bike lane on one side and an 8-foot pedestrian walkway on the other side, both buffered from the drive lanes. “We can do it in 99 percent of the areas without right of way acquisition,” Burnett said, adding that the plan will be developed in three phases – one, five and 20 years. Phase 1 in year 1 is to identify safe bike and
submitted
This shows how the AMI SUNTrail will look. pedestrian routes along alternate roads so residents and visitors have safe places to go during future construction. Phase 2 in years 2 through 5 includes engineering, design and surveying for the trail with the main corridors being Gulf, Palm and Marina drives and along SR 789 to Longboat Pass. Phase 3, beginning in year six, is construction of the trail with completion in 2040 or sooner. She said the Island cities are applying for grants and seeking funding sources to begin the project, and the Island-wide stormwater infiltration system being installed would count as a local match for grant funding.
The first step
“We need City Commission consensus to move forward with workshops and commission meetings to facilitate the adoption of the Phase 1 components,” she said. “If our main routes are being constructed, at some point we have to provide an alternate route. “What makes the most sense to get people off of Gulf or Palm or Marina so
we an implement it? The implementation is signs striping and inexpensive components.” Chair Judy Titsworth said she was relieved to learn that the route that commissioners viewed recently is just the alternate and not the permanent trial and that some people were concerned about the route going through their neighborhoods. “Your stakeholder input is so important,” Burnett said. ‘We need workshops to give them a voice and sort it all out so when it comes back to you, we’ve studied all the options. “We want buy in from everyone that’s using the path. We want to prepare the best safest alternative plan while were getting our SUNTrail in place.” She said the workshops would include workstations with options mapped out for neighborhoods and added, “I’d like to see us do it now and come back to our commissions in June and have an adopted plan that we can take to TBARTA in July.” Commissioners agreed in consensus to proceed with the plan and schedule workshops.
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FUN IN THE SUN
Across 1 Riffles (through) 6 Kitty cries 10 Like some chatter or threats 14 Birdbath buildup 15 Plant "pet" 16 Bellyache 17 *Game with a barrelthrowing gorilla 19 "Flip or Flop" cable channel 20 Dueling sword 21 Stare unsubtly 22 Slammer 23 Wreck completely 25 "Moi?" 27 __ Lingus 28 Reason for an R rating 31 "I __ thought of that" 34 Place to overnight 35 Crooner Cole 36 Stat that's better when it's lower 37 *Lock insert 41 Expressive rock genre 42 Architect Maya __ 43 Serengeti grazer 44 Crease-resistant fabric 46 Sewer system entry points 49 Back when 50 Alpine warble 51 Art form profiled in the documentary "Between the Folds" 55 Joint sometimes twisted 57 Fishing decoy 59 Have __: be connected 60 "Are you for __?!" 61 *Karl Marx opus 63 Motown's Marvin 64 Prefix meaning "all"
65 Singer Baker 66 Call router: Abbr. 67 Bread served with chicken tikka masala 68 Go to pot ... or a phonetic hint to the answers to starred clues Down 1 Stored in the hold 2 Become running mates? 3 Dancer de Mille 4 Skin bronzing from a bottle 5 "Understand?" 6 Jim of "Wide World of Sports" 7 Self-help website 8 [Don't take me too seriously] 9 Hang loosely 10 Announcement from the foyer 11 *Temporary housing for Fido 12 Behind schedule 13 Green-eyed monster 18 "Son of Frankenstein" role 22 D.C. insider
Answers to 3-23-16 Crossword Puzzle.
24 No longer working: Abbr. 26 Sharpen 28 Computer invader 29 Hunter's garb, for short 30 Thames school 31 Captain's position 32 Opera highlight 33 *"The Court Jester" star 38 Stare rudely at 39 "He's a priest," not a beast, per Ogden Nash 40 Bear or Berra 45 Propecia rival 47 Shout out 48 Glorifying verse 49 Word after work or play 51 Pest control company 52 Bit of slapstick 53 Sporty Mazda 54 Cavity filler 55 Jason's vessel 56 Half-moon tide 58 Midshipman's sch. 61 Ex-Dodger manager Mattingly 62 __ Thai: rice noodle dish
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MARCH 30, 2016
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
CARPET CLEANING
BEACH YOGA ON Saturdays & Sundays at 8:30am at the end of Pine Ave by the Sandbar Restaurant by donation. www. thriveyogafit.com
QUALITY COUNTS. CARPET cleaning. Upholstery cleaning. Tile & grout cleaning. Island's favorite cleaner. Manatee Chamber Member. Great price/free estimates. Call 941-7561082
THE BEST VOLUNTEER position on the island. The AMI Historical Museum needs docents and bread makers. Call Dusty at 941779-7688. ROSER FOOD BANK needs donations of cash and non-perishable food. Donations boxes are located at the Church, Moose Club, Walgreen's and The Anna Maria Island Sun Newspaper (corner of Gulf and Palm).
APPLIANCE REPAIR DR. JOE'S APPLIANCE REPAIR Owner Certified Technician. Reasonable rates. Call 941-527-6447
AUTOMOTIVE SALES & SERVICE GOT A CAR You Wanna Sell. The Good, The Bad or The Ugly. Call Now 727-400-1910 2005 FORD F150 XLT Crew Cab. Great condition. 142K miles. Towing package with braking system. $9,900 OBO. Call 860-922-3857
BABY SITTER RED CROSS CERTIFIED baby sitter. Honor student. Call or text Isabel 941-5457995
BOATS: PARTS & SERVICES & SALES ISLAND BOAT SALES. We Are Busy-Need more Boats! 16 Years, Hundreds of Boats Sold. “Business On A Hand Shake.” We Also Buy Boats. www.islandboatsales.net Call Dave 941-228-3489 BOAT SLIPS FOR RENT. Up to 60 feet. Two minutes to Intracoastal Waterway by Cortez, Parrot Cove Marina 941-795-0088
Call us today! 941-778-3986
CLEANING SERVICE C & T HOUSEKEEPING. For all your cleaning needs. Free Estimates. Reasonable rates. Senior discount. References available. Call 941-9622512 CLEANING: RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL & RENTALS. "Have it done your way, we care about our work" Call 941-7564570 PRESSURE CLEANING and WINDOW WASHING residential, commercial & resorts. Roofs, buildings, houses, driveways. Paver Sealing & Cleaning etc. Call 941-565-3935
GARAGE, MOVING, RUMMAGE & YARD SALES GOING OUT OF BUSINESS SALE! 5351 Gulf Dr, Holmes Beach. 75% off Storewide. Sterling, Vintage & Costume Jewelry, Furniture, & Display Pieces, Orientals, Dolls, Books, Pewter Miniatures, Shells, Gift, Porcelains, Collectables, Antiques, Bric-Brac, Clothing, Purses, Glassware. Dealers welcome. Much More. Call 5448652 Open 9:30 – 5. Everything Must Go! ROSER THRIFT SHOP and ANNEX: Open 9:30 am. – 2 pm. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 10am.-1pm Saturday. Donations accepted 9-11a.m. Wednesdays 511 Pine Ave., Anna Maria 941-779-2733 GIVING BACK 5321 Holmes Blvd., Holmes Beach. Closing sale. 50% off Items. Open Tuesday through Saturday at 11am.
COMPUTER SERVICES
HOME IMPROVEMENTS
EMPIRE COMPUTER SERVICE Computer problems fixed in your home or office. The fastest friendliest service around. Serving the Island since 2004. Call 941-739-6424
TILE! TILE! TILE! All variations of tile supplied and installed. Quality workmanship. Prompt, reliable, many Island references. Free estimates. Neil 941-726-3077
EMPLOYMENT
BOTH EXPERIENCED AND NEW REAL ESTATE sales associates wanted in internationally operating realty. Generous commission split, no office fees, great support. Call Markus Siegler at FLORIDA DREAMS REALTY OF AMI, INC 941-779-5700 NOW HIRING LOCAL Loving Caregivers Companions and Home Health Aides FT/PT flexible schedules Work for the leader in Private Duty Home Care Apply now online at www. bradenton.comfortkeepers. com Follow up with Art – HR Call 941-921-4747
FOR SALE 250 STANDARD CONCRETE BLOCKS 8" x 8" x 16". $50. Call 813-453-2502. Located on AMI
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 # CRC1327296. Call Jerry Kern 941-5042222 www.kernconstructioninc.com “HONEY DO" HOME Repairs & Handyman Services. 35 yrs experience. Painting, drywall, tile, woodwork. All tasks. Call 941-896-5256 or 941-807-5256 www.honeydohomerepairinc.com HOME IMPROVEMENT Michigan General Contractor 30+ yrs. experience. Large or small projects. Budget minded knowledgeable tradesman will complete your project start to finish: On Time/On Budget. Call Mike 616-204-8822.
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HOME SERVICES
MOVING & STORAGE
HOME/CONDO PROPERTY WATCH SERVICE Are you a winter resident and need a licensed professional looking after your home/condo when you aren't there? $20 Monthly inspection $30 Biweekly inspection - 9 mo. minimum REALTOR - Licensed/Bonded. Call 941-920-0890
MARTIN’S MOVING YOUR Island movers! Offering dependable, competitive rates. No hidden costs. 941-809-5777.
LANDSCAPING & LAWN CARE STRAIGHT SHOT LANDSCAPING. Save water, gas, maintenance fees and the environment! Shell your yard. $50/yd installed. Call Shark Mark 941-301-6067 R. GAROFALO’S Interlocking brick pavers, driveways, patios, pool decks. Free estimates. Licensed & Insured. Call Rafael 941-778-4823 or Veronik 941-526-7941 SHELL DELIVERED AND spread $50/yd. Hauling all kinds of gravel, mulch, top soil with free estimates. Call Larry at 941-795-7775, "shell phone" 941-720-0770
LOST & FOUND LOST 2/9/16 - GOLD CHOKER Necklace w/old Spanish coin pendant. Bradenton Beach - Gulf Drive/Bay Drive area between 1st St N and 12th St N. Sentimental value. Reward! Please call 404545-1943.
TWO MEN and a TRUCK. Movers who care. Local and Long distance. www. twomen.com Call 941-3591904. We sell boxes!
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 WALY PRECISION PAINTING custom painting, pressure washing, commercial/residential, interior/exterior, drywall/stucco, Licensed & insured. Call 941-448-1928 or 941-580-4005 www. WalyPrecisionPainting.com “WIZARD OF WALLS. Established 1980 Prompt quality service. Paperhanging/removal Faux finishes. Interior painting. Mary Bell 941794-0455 DONALD PERKINS PAINTING LLC fully insured. 30 years experience. Many Island references. Call 941-7057096
PEST CONTROL
FOUND KEY RING with Subaru Car key fob & multiple keys attached. Found at Bradenton Beach. Turned into Bradenton Beach Police Department
NICK PATSIOS PEST CONTROL Owner Certified Operator. Licensed & Insured. Free Estimates/Inspections. Call 941-713-2071 npatsios5@gmail.com
MISSING BLACK AND WHITE male cat. Lucky is deaf and 15 years old. He was last seen on 2nd St in Bradenton Beach where he has lived outdoors for 4 years. Reward. Heartbroken. 941-730-7052
POOL SERVICES
LOST CAT “FIDO” He adopted us 16 years ago. His turf is in the area of 5392 Gulf Dr. near Time Saver and Niki’s . Has collar with a bell, chipped by Animal Clinic. If found please call 941-518-6329.
FOUR SEASONS POOL SERVICE. AMI & West Bradenton. Certified Pool Operator. Residential/commercial. Chemical Service Licensed & Insured. Call Dennis Clark 941-737-5657 COLE'S TROPICAL POOL SERVICE Call Cole Bowers for all your pool maintenance needs! Affordable and Dependable!! 941-7131893
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REAL ESTATE HOMES & CONDOS FOR SALE DISCOVER THE OTHER ISLAND! Tidy Island in Sarasota Bay. Beautiful Townhouse w/direct bay views! 3BR/2.5 BA/ 2 CG with private swimming pool. Open plan. Pet friendly. $699,000 Katharine Pepper RoseBay Intl 941-792-9459 EXCELLENT OFF-ISLAND Investment. Commercial Office Condo. 5306 Cortez W (directly across from Wal-Mart). FSBO $169,000. Call 941-962-8220 ICW -BAY FRONT HOME for sale 5BR/3.5BA Bradenton Beach EXCEPTIONAL close to GULF Island Real Estate Call AL Galletto 941-232-2216 W. BRADENTON CONDO 4000sq.ft. Canal front Bay view 3+BR/3.5BA Bonus room dock lift 2 car Island Real Estate Call AL Galletto 941-2322216 NEW HOMES at MIRABELLA FLORIDA. Starting from the mid 200’s. Only minutes from the beaches, this new active adult community is perfectly located just south of Manatee Ave, off Village Green Pkwy. Perfectly designed, open floor plans, 2BR/2BA plus den and 2CG. Luxurious amenities, pool, spa, gym, pickle ball, pet friendly community. HOA only $190/month. Models open daily. Contact us 941-254-3330 www. MirabellaFlorida.com SEASIDE GARDENS Canal front 2BR/2BA villa with private boat dock, nicely renovated loaded with upgrades. Weekly rentals, pet friendly. $339,000.00 Island Real Estate Call Kathleen White at 941-773-0165 LOWEST PRICE VILLA IN PERICO BAY CLUB 2BR/2BA with 1 car garage, bright and open. Just reduced $219,900 Island Real Estate Call Kathleen White at 941773-0165
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REAL ESTATE HOMES & CONDOS FOR SALE ANNA MARIA WATERFRONT 3BR/3BA elevated home. End of cul-de-sac. Elevator from oversized garage to living area. Plans available for backyard pool oasis. MLS# A4146246. Call owner/agent Terri White, Bark & Company Realty, Inc 941-720-3670 WOW ! UNDER $400K! 2BR/1BA Hideaway Cottage. Central A/C. Block to Pine Ave; Steps to Bay. Turnkey Furnished. Fabulous For Investor or Personal Use. Don Schroder, RE/MAX Alliance Group. 941-720-7100. See & Buy! SARASOTA BAY WATERFRONT Condo at IMG. 3BR/BA 2200sf, oversized 2 car garage plus storage and private elevator. MLS#A4137036 Call Carmen 941-284-2598. FOR SALE by OWNER. 2BR/2BA Condo. Nicely furnished with garage & storage. 10 unit building at IMG Country Club. El Conquistador Blvd. Bradenton $120,000 Call 941-7783926
RENTALS: ANNUAL 2 BR/2BA HOME in Holmes Beach. $1900/ mo, $1900 last month, $1000 security. 1200 + S/F, Great room layout. Great parking. Community boat ramp near by. Credit & Background required. Available March 1. 3BR/2BA spacious ground level condo with many upgrades and covered parking. W/D hook up, includes water, sewer, trash, cable & grounds care in park like setting. Pool, sauna, and observation dock. $1,700 /mo $1700 last and $1000 security. Background required by association w/ fee. 2BR/2BA lakefront home in Bay Lake Estates. Nice spacious lanai with water view. Inside laundry, 2 car garage. Water, Lawn care included. Some vehicle restrictions apply. Background check required. $1500/mo. 1st & last month, $1000. security dep. Available 4/1. Ask for Ed. DUNCAN REAL ESTATE 941-779-0304 www.teamduncan.com
Call us today! 941-778-3986
ANNUAL RENTAL and CONDOMINIUM Association management serviced by (2) offices open 7 days a week! Contact junew@ islandreal.com – 941-3451295 - Island Real Estate of Anna Maria Island, Inc. HOLMES BEACH 2BR/1BA Duplex. 900+ sq.ft. Nice & Clean. New appliances, W/D hookups. $1300/ mo + utilities. First, Last & one month security. Credit check. 1 year lease. Call 941-809-2488 ANNUALS-3BR/2BA furnished elevated duplex $2500. 2BR/2BA furnished in WBPM $1900. 2BR/2BA single family home w/garage $2000. Call Paradise Realty 941-778-4800 WEST BRADENTON: WARES CREEK house. Spacious 3BR/2BA . Fenced yard, newly decorated, W/D hookup $1500/mo. WEST BRADENTON: nicely redecorated, New appliances etc. 2BR/1BA/1CG, fenced yard, W/D hookup $1200/mo. First, Last, 1 month security. Credit check 1 year lease. Call 941-809-2488 BEAUTIFUL WATERFRONT RENTAL, 3BR/2BA, tennis courts, pool and golf course access. 941-778-2141 ANNUAL RENTAL Bradenton Beach, 3BR/2BA home, view of Intracoastal. Unfurnished. $2,100/mo First, last, and security required. Call Sato Real Estate, Inc. at 941-778-7200 or email monica@satorealestate.com 2BR/2BA ANNUAL RENTAL Summer Sands, Bradenton Beach. View of Gulf of Mexico. Beautiful sunsets, private beach, pool, upgraded with Cherry Cabinet & Granite. Furnished or unfurnished negotiable. No Smoking/No Pets. $2500/mo. Call 941518-8714 CONDO 2BR/2BA with Carport in Holmes Beach. Monthly, Annual or Seasonal. Call Ren 941-7784497 DOUBLEWIDE MOBILE HOME 2BR/2BA in Ellenton 55+ community with all amenities. Lot fee/water included. Annual $1100/ mo. Call Debbie 941-7304929
ANNUAL RENTAL - HOLMES BEACH, 3BR/2BA, granite, w/d, storage, no smoking, available May 1, $1700/month, Call 603969-6840
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 ANNA MARIA ISLAND, Fl Condos. Pool beach access, fully equipped $650-$800/ wk Redekercondos.com 941-704-7525 or 941-7781915 WILLKOMMEN AUF AMI! Besuchen Sie Island Real Estate in einem unserer Inselbüros (6101 Marina Drive oder 419 Pine Ave) mit unserem deutschsprachigen Reservierungsservice und erhalten ein freies Island Real Estate Baseball Cap! Wir geben Ihnen gerne mehr Auskunft über unsere 250 ausgewählte Feriendomizile für Ihren nächsten Urlaub!
MARCH 30, 2016
RENTAL WANTED I WOULD LOVE to find a 2BR annual rental on the island around May 1. 2 baths preferred, but 1 might work. Have a small 6 lb. dog - house-trained. Great rental history and references. I'll treat your home like my own! Call: 402-541-7400
TRANSPORTATION AMI TAXI metered-on-callcards accepted. Airport: Tampa $85, Sarasota $35, Clearwater $75, Fort Meyers $150, Orlando $150. Call 800-301-4816. amitaxi4u@gmail.com, www. amitaxi.com ROGER'S AIRPORT SERVICE. Tampa, St. Pete/ Clearwater, Sarasota/ Bradenton. Call Roger 941773-1469
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MARCH 30, 2016
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MARCH 30, 2016