Anna Maria Island Sun September 15, 2021

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- Named Best Florida Newspaper In Its Class -

VOL 21 No. 49

September 15, 2021

Anna Maria Elementary remains free of staff COVID cases The Island school has had no staff COVID-19 cases since the start of the 202122 school year; student cases remain at 12. BY JASON SCHAFFER SUN CORRESPONDENT | jschaffer@amisun.com

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

Remembering 9/11 JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

SEE AME, PAGE 7

KRISTIN SWAIN | SUN

The flag in front of the Bradenton Beach Post Office flew at half-staff on Saturday, Sept. 11 in memory and honor of the lives lost, the heroic acts performed and the events of Sept. 11, 2001. Above right, a memorial stands outside the West Manatee Fire Rescue’s Holmes Beach station in remembrance of the 343 firefighters who lost their lives in the terrorist attack. See related story, Page 5.

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

SARASOTA – Scientists are testing whether spraying clay on red tide will kill the toxic algae without harming other marine organisms. The process, called “flocculation,” is common in drinking water and sewage treatment and is used in South Korea and China to control other types of harmful algae

INSIDE NEWS 4 LETTERS 6 OUTDOORS 20-21 REAL ESTATE 26-30 OBITUARIES 27 SPORTS 32 CROSSWORD 33

Ordinance provides some control over vacation rentals A recently adopted city resolution also addresses the collection of unpaid vacation rental citations, fines and fees.

Clay tested as solution to red tide It’s been tried and dismissed before, but clay is reappearing as a possible solution to red tide.

HOLMES BEACH - While the Delta variant of COVID-19 continues to cause cases to soar, Anna Maria Elementary has made it through the first month of school with no staff testing positive and 12 positive student cases. Of the 52 schools in Manatee County, Anna Maria Elementary is one of only four schools that have had no staff cases. Student cases also are among the lowest in the county. While Manatee County has a school mask mandate, students may opt out for any reason, making the “mandate” more of a request than a rule. In

BY JOE HENDRICKS

blooms, according to Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium. Mote is working on the project with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute and the University of Central Florida, in conjunction with the Florida Red Tide Mitigation and Technology Development Initiative. Red tide has been blooming in local waters since mid-April when 215 million gallons of contaminated water was discharged from Piney Point into Tampa Bay. Manatee County waters are free of red tide for the second week in a row since the bloom began, but red tide continues to bloom in surrounding waters.

In a test this summer, scientists mixed dry clay with seawater to create a slurry, then sprayed it with hoses over water containing red tide in a Sarasota canal. A screen was placed in the water on one end of the canal, and water samples were taken on both sides to compare the treated area with non-treated areas. The process has been effective in removing cells from the water with no re-emergence for up to 48 hours in laboratory experiments, according to Mote. The overall effectiveness in open water,

SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

ANNA MARIA – The city has a new ordinance in effect that strengthens its ability to collect unpaid citations, fines and registration fees from vacation rental owners. Anna Maria requires all vacation rentals to be registered annually with the city. Adopted on second and final reading by a 5-0 vote during the Thursday, Sept. 9 city commission meeting, Ordinance 21-894 now allows for the cancellation of annual vacation rental registrations due to unpaid citations, fines and/or fees. When presenting the ordinance for final adoption, City Attorney Becky Vose said, “This basically adds some additional language to our existing

SEE RED TIDE, PAGE 30

SEE ORDINANCE, PAGE 30

FIND all things

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matrimonial in The Sun’s Wedding Guide. 22-23

the legend, the hat ... 4

Anna Maria Island, Florida

THE ISLAND Players kick off

their historic 73rd season. 15 The Island’s award-winning weekly newspaper www.amisun.com


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