Anna Maria Island Sun September 23, 2020

- Named Best Florida Newspaper In Its Class -

VOL 20 No. 50

September 23, 2020

Dune day CINDY LANE | SUN

Anna Maria Island’s Gulf beaches continue to be widened by the Army Corps of Engineers, which plans to eventually add new sand dunes, fencing and walkovers to protect the new beach. Construction is near Twin Piers in Bradenton Beach and is moving south toward Longboat Pass. Related story on Page 3.

Church mask exemption formalized; lawsuit dropped Dr. Jennifer Bencie told county commissioners there have been three recent COVID-19 outbreaks in local churches.

BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT

MANATEE COUNTY – Manatee County’s COVID-19 face-covering mandate has been formally amended to no longer apply to churches and other houses of worship, and a lawsuit challenging the mandate has been dropped.

On Aug. 25, the county commission unanimously supported exempting houses of worship from the original face-covering mandate enacted when

INSIDE NEWS

4

OUTDOORS

18-19

PET PAGES

22-22

OBITS REAL ESTATE

commissioners adopted emergency resolution R-20-116 by a 4-3 vote on July 27.

The face-covering exemption took effect Aug. 25 but still had to be formalized by an amended county resolution.

This occurred on Tuesday, Sept. 15, when Manatee County commissioners voted 6-1 in favor of adopting county resolution R-20-139.

Commissioner Misty Servia cast the only vote opposing the houses of worship exemption after Dr. Jennifer Bencie, Director of the Florida Department of Health in Manatee County, said there had recently been COVID-19 outbreaks at local churches.

SLOPPY JOE. A tangy and sweet American staple. 20

23

SEE COVID, PAGE 11

Rental property owners could be fined in October Special Magistrate Michael Connolly is ready to levy fines against some property owners who have yet to comply with previous rulings.

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

HOLMES BEACH – Special Magistrate Michael Connolly is offering one last chance for property owners to come into compliance with his previous rulings on code violations before he levies fines in October.

Code compliance officers presented several cases before Connolly during a Wednesday, Sept. 16 hearing held at

Holmes Beach City Hall. Seven of the cases presented were continued to a future hearing for reasons including pending potential changes to the city’s sign ordinance.

While those cases are set to be heard at a future special magistrate hearing, the cases that most concerned Connolly are the five in which he’s already ruled on alleged code violations and property owners have yet to come into compliance with local and state codes or his rulings.

During the September hearing, he gave the property owners a warning - if they don’t come into compliance before the next special magistrate SEE HEARING, PAGE 16

POLICE department boat lift back

on track. 4 NEW BRIDGES, roundabouts in

Island’s future. 8

24-27

Anna Maria Island, Florida

The Island’s award-winning weekly newspaper www.amisun.com

2

THE SUN

www.amisun.com

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

www.amisun.com

THE SUN

3

New dunes, walkovers planned for beach

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

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – More sand dunes, sand fencing and walkovers are among the changes Manatee County commissioners have approved for the Island’s beaches.

Some of the additional work is expected to be completed during the ongoing beach renourishment project before Oct. 31, but only on the portion of the beach not yet renourished by the time the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers receives final permits, expected in late September, said Charlie Hunsicker, director of the Manatee County Parks and Natural Resources Department.

“There are no plans to go back to the sections already renourished and add them there,” he said.

The $17.3 million beach renourishment project now underway is designed to replace sand eroded by storms, protecting buildings and roads from future flooding and wave action along 5 miles of beach in Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach.

The Corps already has widened the beach from 78th Street south to Cortez Beach, and is scheduled to complete the widening southward to Longboat Pass.

CINDY LANE | SUN

As the Army Corps of Engineers continues to build wider beaches on Anna Maria Island, they’re planning for more dunes and walkovers to protect it.

The plan calls for 10 of 19 gaps in the sand dune line to be connected with new dunes and native vegetation plantings, including at Manatee Beach, where the dune gap is about 1,000 feet long. But according to an engineering report by the Corps, county officials objected at a July meeting to building dunes across the entire public beach - which features an outdoor café and

bar, volleyball courts, picnic tables and a playground - opting instead for a 250-foot closure of the gap on the north side of the park.

Vegetation will help anchor the new dunes and trap wind-blown sand, creating and growing new dunes, according to the Corps.

Sand fencing is recommended at eight of the 47 pedestrian access points

on the beach to keep the accesses from getting wider and help maintain their higher elevation and keep people off dunes, according to the plan.

Three access sites for official vehicles at 67th Street, 46th Street and 30th Street will be angled under the plan, while the Third Street South access will convert to a pedestrian-only access.

4

THE SUN

ISLAND NEWS

IN BRIEF

Help clean up the causeway The staff of Florida Beach Horses is holding a cleanup on the Palma Sola Causeway Oct. 3 from 9 a.m. to noon and they need your help. Volunteers will help to pick up trash and other debris from the sides of the scenic highway along Manatee Avenue West. Florida Beach Horse t-shirts will be given out to cleanup volunteers while supplies last. The crew at Florida Beach Horses hopes to make the cleanup a monthly event. For more information, or to sign up to volunteer, visit www.facebook.com/floridabeachhorses.

Sewage spill reported less than thought The Town of Longboat Key’s consultant, Berkeley Research Group, reports that its original estimate of a 26 million gallon sewage spill from June 17-30 in Sarasota Bay has been revised downward to 11 million gallons.

The consultant accounts for the difference by referencing a witness who said he saw a 6-inch diameter root or log in the breach of the sole sewer pipe serving Longboat Key, partially blocking its flow.

It is the second downward revision of the amount of the spill, which collected in the mangroves on Long Bar Pointe in Manatee County.

Longboat Key’s previous consultant, Environmental Science Associates (ESA), reported to town officials that according to its water quality testing, fecal contamination subsequently discovered in Sarasota Bay was likely not from the spill but from another source near Bayshore Gardens.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is finalizing its investigation of the spill and expects to issue an enforcement action - including penalties - against the Town of Longboat Key, according to Public Information Manager Shannon Herbon.

City pier lease on Thursday agenda During the Thursday, Sept. 25 Anna Maria City Commission meeting, Mayor Dan Murphy will present the proposed City Pier grill and bait shop lease he negotiated with Brian Seymour and his business partners Vic Mattay and Nick Graham. If the commission approves the lease, Seymour and company can begin the interior buildout and other work needed to open the grill and bait shop, which Seymour previously said he hopes to have open before Thanksgiving. The commission will also be presented with the second reading and final reading of a walls and fences ordinance, the second reading of a noise/environment ordinance and the first reading of an ordinance pertaining to the city’s special magistrate. Thursday’s regular commission meeting will be preceded by the final city budget meeting and public hearing that will conclude the budget approval process for the city’s 2020-21 fiscal year budget. The budget meeting will begin at 6 p.m. and the regular meeting will begin immediately after the budget meeting concludes.

Visit our website, www.amisun.com.

Scan this code with your smartphone to go there.

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

Police department boat lift back on track

The grant-funded boat lift installation project must be completed by Sept. 30

BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

BRADENTON BEACH – Duncan Seawall, Dock & Boat Lift has repositioned and repaired the floating dock next to the Bridge Street Pier and expects to complete the installation of a boat lift for the Bradenton Beach Police Department next week.

The boat lift installation is expected to be completed well ahead of the Sept. 30 grant funding deadline for the boat lift project.

On Wednesday, Duncan Seawall, Dock & Boat Lift foreman Tom Schied said the boat lift installation would take two to three days to complete once that work started. On Friday, City Attorney Ricinda Perry said the Duncan crew planned to start driving the boat lift pilings on Saturday or Monday. The floating dock was open Friday afternoon and being used by boaters.

Duncan’s work crew, barge crane and other equipment arrived on Tuesday and made quick work of repositioning the floating dock 8 feet to the east, toward the T-end of the pier. That work included the installation of four new pilings.

The dock repairs also included the installation of new roller brackets that connect the floating dock to the dock pilings. The new roller brackets replaced some of the roller brackets that Gibsonton-based Hecker Construction Company used when installing the floating dock in July and early August of 2019. Some of the brackets installed in 2019 were later deemed unsuitable for that specific location and application.

Duncan was brought in to complete the dock repositioning and repairs as a result of discussions that occurred during the Sept. 2 and Sept. 14 Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) meetings.

Grant deadline During the Sept. 2 meeting, Perry and Lt. John Cosby told the

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

Above, the crew from Duncan Seawall, Dock and Boat Lift had already repositioned the floating dock by Wednesday afternoon. Below, Duncan foreman Tom Scheid installed a cap on one of the new dock pilings Wednesday afternoon.

CRA members the long-desired boat lift installation must be completed by Sept. 30 if a $50,000 West Coast Inland Navigation District Grant (WCIND) approved

by Manatee County commissioners in May 2017 was to pay for the boat lift.

During that meeting, Duncan Seawall General Manager Steve Porter confirmed that the boat lift had to be connected to the west end of the floating dock after the repositioning and repairs were completed.

During the Sept. 2 meeting, the CRA members reconfirmed their previous authorization for Hecker Construction Company to complete the dock repairs and repositioning for $11,600. The

CRA members also authorized Duncan Seawall, Dock & Boat Lift to install a 10,000-pound-capacity boat lift for approximately $37,813 after Hecker completed its work – if that timetable could be met.

During a follow-up emergency CRA meeting on Monday, Sept.

14, the CRA members authorized Duncan to reposition and repair the premanufactured floating dock. CRA chairman Ralph Cole said a Hecker representative told him that company could not complete the dock repairs and repositioning in time to meet the Sept.

30 boat lift installation deadline.

“They couldn’t do it until October. We need this done right SEE LIFT, PAGE 7

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

www.amisun.com

THE SUN

5

Commission approves first budget reading After months of debate, commissioners voted unanimously to approve the 2020-21 proposed Holmes Beach city budget and millage rate.

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

HOLMES BEACH – It took a little while to work out, but commissioners and city staff finally have a budget and a millage rate that they can agree on.

Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the proposed millage rate and the proposed budget, both of which underwent some changes since they were last discussed during budget workshops.

One major change is that instead of increasing the millage rate, it will remain the same at 2.25 mills for the upcoming 2020-21 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. The millage rate is the amount charged in ad valorem property taxes per $1,000 of the taxable value of the property. Though the millage rate remains the same, due to property value increases it represents a 4.61% increase in rates over the previous

year. The rollback rate is 2.1641 mills.

The rollback rate is the millage rate that would bring in the same amount of tax revenue for the city as the previous fiscal year.

The proposed budget for the city is $17,879,270 including $8,492,673 in carryovers and reserves. City treasurer Lori Hill plans for a break-even budget.

During the Sept. 10 meeting, Hill told commissioners that some expenses, such as new computers and phones for commissioners, had been removed from the budget and pushed to future fiscal years.

She added that some revenue sources, including the fifth cent gas tax, half-cent discretionary tax and FEMA monies expected by the city, had increased since the previous hearing.

Total funds from the fifth cent gas tax are estimated at $70,225 with the half-cent discretionary tax coming in at $614,171. The increases amounted to about $85,000 over the previously anticipated amount of state funding, giving the city a planned $803,160.

Local revenues, Hill said, are planned to bring in about $27,000 less than previously estimated, bringing that number to $8,583,437, including the property taxes paid by Holmes Beach property owners.

While it sounds primarily like good news, Hill said that year over year, last fiscal year as compared to the coming one, the city is poised to lose about $125,000 in state revenue and about $145,000 from local revenue sources.

She did note that there is an approximately $100,000 increase in estimated stormwater revenue due to FEMA funding. Locally, the city-assessed stormwater fee is estimated to bring in $423,132 in additional funding over the previous year, a total of $1,391,554.

Hill said that the city also is poised to receive $500,000 in grant funding for stormwater improvement projects.

She estimates the city will have $4.7 mil in rollover cash at the Sept. 30 end of the fiscal year. This will leave the city with an unrestricted reserve amount of 24.69% of the city’s total budget, meeting the Florida League of Cities' suggested cash reserve amount to fund ongoing operational costs.

“In the eight years I’ve been here, this is the lowest year-over-year increase in expenses we have had,” Hill said. She estimates the city’s expenditures have increased by about 3% from the 2019-20 fiscal year.

The budget for mayor and commis-

sion was reduced to $200,403. Commissioner Jim Kihm, who had previously offered to give up his stipend if it put the city in a better financial position, said he had requested that Hill reinstate his salary since the city’s financial needs were able to be met without increasing the millage rate. Commissioner Kim Rash had also made the offer to forgo his salary in the best interests of the city but since he is up for re-election in November, only Kihm’s salary had been removed from the budget.

The general government budget topped out at $1,783,926 with no major changes from the previously proposed budget.

The code compliance budget came in at $590,666 including increases in the budget for special magistrate hearings and $12,000 for special magistrate hearing engineering if needed.

The budget for the Holmes Beach Police Department topped out at $3,616,206, an increase of about $45,000 due to previously unanticipated increases in insurance costs and $35,000 for the purchase of body cameras for officers.

SEE BUDGET, PAGE 15

6

THE SUN

OPINION

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

Like us on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/AnnaMariaIslandSun

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

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

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Time to vote Election Day is almost here.

Whether you vote in person or by mail, it is important that everyone vote in this election. Local elections are especially important, as they help steer the future of our beloved Island.

Personally, I am supporting Jayne

Christenson for COHB Commission.

Although I only recently met Jayne, I recognized her name from all of her previous contributions to our community. After meeting her and speaking with her, Jayne immediately gained my endorsement. Jayne wants to represent the people and help steer this community towards what the actual residents want. As a working mother, Jayne will bring a

voice to our government that is badly needed. She is well aware of what this job entails. Jayne wants to work with the locals to make this the best place for residents and visitors alike.

It is important that everyone votes in the upcoming elections. If you live in Holmes Beach, please consider casting your vote for Jayne.

Laurel Nevans Holmes Beach

www.amisun.com

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

ON THE AGENDA ANNA MARIA

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

City hall is open to the public with limited capacity and safety protocols in place.

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

Sept. 24, 6 p.m. – Budget hearing and City Commission regular meeting Oct. 8, 2 p.m. – City Commission special meeting

BRADENTON BEACH

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

City hall is open to the public with limited capacity and safety protocols in place.

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

Sept. 29, 9:15 a.m. – City Commission emergency special meeting Oct. 1, 6 p.m. – City Commission meeting Oct. 7, 9 a.m. – Capital Improvement Plan meeting Oct. 7, 9:30 a.m. – Community Redevelopment Agency meeting Oct. 7, 2 p.m. – Scenic WAVES meeting Oct. 8, 1 p.m. – Department head meeting

THE SUN

7

HOLMES BEACH

THURSDAY

WEDNESDAY

City hall is open to the public by appointment only with safety protocols in place.

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

Oct. 7, 10 a.m. – Parks and Beautification Committee meeting Oct. 7, 6 p.m. – Planning Commission meeting

AMI Chamber of Commerce September member networking event, Continental Drifter meeting room, Compass Hotel by Margaritaville, 12324 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton, $5 for members or $10 for non-members.

Space is limited to 40 attendees. Reserve to info@amichamber.org or 941-778-1541

League of Women Voters of Manatee County Election Candidate Forum, online event, 5:30 p.m. Registration required at https:// us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0qfuorjorHNBmfePmjCFaqj3SJXPi2xxY. Submit questions to info@lwvmanatee.org.

SATURDAY

OCT. 3

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

MARKYOUR CALENDAR September 23 - October 6 The Island Branch Library is open at 40% capacity. Please wear a face mask/covering.

Tingley Memorial Library is open.

The Center of Anna Maria Island is open with social distancing and face masks required.

The Holmes Beach dog park (Scentral Park), skate park, basketball courts and tennis courts are open.

Local preserves are open, including Grassy Point Preserve, Neal Preserve, Perico Preserve and Robinson Preserve.

Local beaches are open.

SEPT. 24

SEPT. 26

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

SUNDAY SEPT. 27

Rise and Shine Power Flow Yoga, Robinson Preserve Mosaic Nest, 840 Ninth Ave. N.W., Bradenton 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., $10 fee payable online or by cash at the door. Bring your own yoga mat. Register at https://parks. mymanatee.org/wbwsc/webtrac.wsc/search. html?primarycode=110006 or call 941-7425923 ext. 6042 for more information.

SEPT. 30

SATURDAY Palma Sola Botanical Park Annual Plant Sale, 9800 17th Ave. N.W., Bradenton, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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

SUNDAY OCT. 4

Rise and Shine Power Flow Yoga, Robinson Preserve Mosaic Nest, 840 Ninth Ave. N.W., Bradenton 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., $10 fee payable online or by cash at the door. Bring your own yoga mat. Register at https://parks. mymanatee.org/wbwsc/webtrac.wsc/search. html?primarycode=110006 or call 941-7425923 ext. 6042 for more information.

LIFT: Back on track FROM PAGE 4

away,” Cole said. “I want to thank Duncan for stepping in and doing this. This has gone on long enough and we just need to get it across the finish line.”

During Monday’s meeting, Perry read aloud a written statement regarding Duncan’s offer to complete both projects before the boat lift grant money availability expires.

“Chairman Cole has dedicated significant time trying to work with Hecker and finalize the installation of the floating dock to no avail. It has been clear that Hecker is not in a position to accomplish this goal in a timely fashion. Fortunately, we have Duncan and Ronáutica who have understood the different challenges we have faced, and both have jumped in to bring this project across the line,” Perry said.

Regarding past events that also involved the Technomarine Group originally contracted to install the floating dock in 2017, Perry said, “Thank you to Oscar Saá and Ronáutica for providing the materials, shipping and releasing of them from U.S. customs to Bradenton Beach. Ronáutica had every right to retain possession over the floating dock; however, it looked out for the best interest of Bradenton Beach and made sure the city received the product it had paid for even at Ronáutica’s financial loss.

“We all know of the problems following the installation work of Hecker on

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

The Duncan crew also replaced some of the roller brackets that connect the floating dock to the pilings.

the floating dock. Understanding the importance and needs of the city, Duncan Seawall has generously offered to undertake the work proposed by Hecker. They will also meet the critical deadlines of the WCIND grant so that our police department will have an essential resource for its marine patrol unit,” Perry said.

“Thank you to Steve Porter, Steve Liebel and all of Duncan Seawall for your support of our law enforcement officers, the city and all of our visitors who will enjoy the Bridge Street Pier even more because of you. This project would have failed but for Duncan’s strong ties and commitment to our

community,” Perry said.

She also noted CRA-contracted engineer Joe Foster had already produced the engineering documents needed to repair and position the floating dock and install the boat lift.

8

www.amisun.com

THE SUN

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

New bridges, roundabouts in AMI’s future Plans for Anna Maria Island in the MPO’s long-range transportation plan include roundabouts in Holmes Beach, two new bridges, complete streets, new transit options and storm surge resiliency projects.

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

MANATEE COUNTY – Work is finally done on the Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (MPO) long-range transportation plan and it lists some big changes for Anna Maria Island.

New roundabouts, replacement bridges and a sea-level rise study are components of the plan that MPO representative Leigh Holt presented to Island Transportation Planning Organization (ITPO) members during a Monday, Sept. 14 meeting held via Zoom.

The plan, titled Transform 2045, extends to the 2045 fiscal year and is scheduled to be updated every five years. The plan is a draft scheduled for presentation to the MPO board during a

SUBMITTED | SARASOTA/MANATEE MPO

The Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Transform 2045 long-range transportation plan was unveiled first at the Island Transportation Planning Organization meeting and again at the September MPO meeting.

Monday, Sept. 21 meeting, with a final draft to be presented on Thursday, Sept.

24 for a 30-day public comment period before going for final approval during the Monday, Oct. 26 MPO meeting.

Holt said that all three Island bridges are on the plan – the Anna Maria Island

Bridge on Manatee Avenue, the Cortez Bridge and the Longboat Key Bridge.

With a new 65-foot-high design already completed for the Anna Maria Island Bridge, funding is needed for construction. The Cortez Bridge, connecting the historic Cortez fishing village to

Bradenton Beach, is set to enter the design phase with funds for right-of-way acquisitions proposed for fiscal years 2021, 2024 and 2025. Holt said that studies are planned for the Longboat Key Bridge before any decisions about repair or replacement are made.

The "complete streets" projects proposed by Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach city leaders, allowing for multi-modal transportation on main thoroughfares on the Island, are fully funded in the plan, according to Holt.

She added that plans to create a trail system for bicyclists and pedestrians from downtown Bradenton to 75th Street on Manatee Avenue and across Longboat Key and St. Armands Key to the Ringling Bridge in Sarasota also are in the plan. Holt said that $25 million has been set aside for the projects.

Other fully-funded projects in the plan include enhancing the Island’s gateways and installing roundabouts at the intersection of East Bay Drive and Manatee Avenue and at Manatee Avenue and Gulf Drive at the entrance to Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach.

While Holt said that the roundabouts

a l a H

3 9 4 1

Pineapple American Pale Ale

An Anna Maria Oyster Bar original brewed in collaboration by Motorworks Brewing to honor the hospitality industry.

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

CORTEZ 6696 Cortez Road 941.792.0077

LANDSIDE 6906 14th St. West 941.758.7880

ELLENTON 1525 51st Ave East 941.721.7773

SEE MPO, PAGE 15

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

www.amisun.com

SUNDAY WORSHIP 8:30 AM and 10:00 AM

In the SANCTUARY and ONLINE Go to www.RoserChurch.com Click WORSHIP-SIGNUP , WATCH LIVE or WATCH LATER Text ROSER to 22828 to receive the weekly eBulletin.

The CHAPEL is open during office hours for prayer & meditation.

941-778-0414 • info@RoserChurch.com • LIKE us on Facebook @RoserChurch

THE SUN

9

Help design the new Cortez Bridge ANNA MARIA ISLAND – If you want to be a part of the committee working to help the Florida Department of Transportation design the new Cortez Bridge, check your email inbox.

FDOT representative Jesten Abraham said that the department will be reaching out via email to local representatives, businesspeople and other interested parties to seek members of the planned 10-12-person design committee for the bridge.

The chosen committee members will meet regularly with FDOT representatives to help plan the look of the 65-foot replacement bridge, from

SUBMITTED | FDOT

An early rendering shows what the new 65-foot Cortez Bridge could look like spanning Anna Maria Sound. the color to the shape of the supports and how the sides of the approach will look for pedestrians and other travelers passing beneath the sides of the bridge. The design phase for the new bridge is expected to cost about $6 million. Funding for the construction of the

bridge has not yet been secured.

If you haven’t gotten your invitation to join the committee yet, Abraham said that emails are still being sent out. To see the current progress of the replacement bridge project, visit www.cortezbridge.com.

AMI PRIVATEERS | SUBMITTED

Doreen Flynn, Frank Commendatore and Constance Pring have been named honorary members of the AMI Privateers.

Privateers induct honorary members The honorary Privateers assist the Island-based organization in its ongoing fundraising efforts.

BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – For their “unyielding community support” of the Anna Maria Island Privateers, Drift In manger Doreen Flynn, Tommy Knockers Saloon owner Frank Commendatore and Seafood Shack special events coordinator Constance Pring have been inducted as honorary members of the Privateers for 2020 and 2021.

“We give them a hearty, ‘Welcome aboard mate,” Privateers liaison officer Tim “Hammer” Thompson said in the Privateers’ press release.

For their ongoing support of the Privateers’ “Pirate for Kids Community” mission, Flynn, Commendatore

and Pring were inducted as honorary Privateers on Saturday, Sept. 19.

“They made that hat for me. Wow! The pins they’ve given me over the years will go on my hat. I also got a black shirt that only Privateers can wear. I was flabbergasted,” Flynn said the following day.

“I’m so proud to be an honorary Privateer. They are amazing and I love helping them because they’re all about the children and they do so much,” she added.

Each year during the holiday season, the Privateers and the Drift In team up to provide Christmas gifts and Christmas dinners for their adopted Christmas families. The Drift In also assists the Privateers’ fundraising efforts that help provide scholarships for local students.

Commendatore and Pring also support and assist the Privateers’ fundraising efforts throughout the year.

10

THE SUN

www.amisun.com

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

www.amisun.com

THE SUN

11

COVID: County mask exemption formalized; lawsuit dropped FROM PAGE 1

“We have three churches that have individuals who are positive – and they’re not related, so there is an issue of concern there,” Bencie said by telephone.

“According to our epidemiologist who did the investigations, at three churches in the county in the last few weeks, there have been six, seven and eight cases in each of those churches.

Some are family members and some are friends of those family members who only saw them at the church. So, for that reason, the epidemiologist believed the church is the common place where the virus was transmitted in these cases,” Bencie said.

Bencie did not name the churches.

“I knew about one, but I didn’t know about three churches,” Servia said.

“I said at our last meeting, when the board voted to exempt houses of worship, I supported that motion with great trepidation – with the caveat that if we saw any outbreaks at houses of worship I would not continue to support it. So, I will not be supporting adoption of this resolution today,” Servia said.

“That’s concerning. I’m to continue to support this, but it gives me great pause that this continues to spread in churches,” Commission Chair Betsy Benac said. “I still believe that churches should mandate masks. We do know that masks help to slow the virus.”

Commissioner Carol Whitmore referenced the COVID-19 updates Bencie and Public Safety Director Jack Sauer provided earlier in the meeting when the commissioners were asked to extend the county’s local state of emergency for another seven days – an action that would also by default extend the county mask mandate.

Regarding the percentage of county

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

The Manatee County face-covering mandate remains in effect in Bradenton Beach. residents who tested positive in recent weeks, Bencie said, “Over the last seven days the positive rate was 3.6%.

The week prior it was 2.97%. We’re absolutely in the last three to four weeks seeing a change for the better and I believe it is because we are doing the preventative mitigative measures that are necessary, including masks and social distancing. Moving forward, I do believe it’s very important to keep the mask resolution in place.”

Regarding the houses of worship exemption, Whitmore said, “We have to start somewhere and I’m all about the information given to us today. Our numbers have been flat, the schools have opened. The churches don’t have to wear masks, but most responsible people in churches are still wearing them. I am right now going to support the resolution.”

Whitmore said she might reconsider her position if the overall percent positive rate that was slightly over 10% at

that time climbs above 11% again.

The amended face-covering resolution states it is in the best interest of the county to amend the emergency resolution to exempt places of worship from the requirements for mandatory face coverings. The resolution still requires mandatory face coverings in business establishments as defined in the amended resolution.

“A ‘business establishment’ means a location with a roof overhead under which any business is conducted, goods are made or stored or processed or where services are rendered. The term ‘business establishment’ includes transportation network companies such as Uber and Lyft, vehicles operated for mass transit, taxis, jitneys, limousines for hire, rental cars, and other passenger vehicles for hire,” the amended resolution says.

“The term ‘business establishment’ includes locations where non-profit, governmental, and quasi-governmental

entities facilitate public interactions and conduct business. The term ‘business establishment’ does not include places of worship. This emergency resolution shall remain in full force and effect for so long as the local state of emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic remains in effect,” the resolution says.

The county face-covering mandate remains in effect in unincorporated areas of Manatee County, including Cortez, and in cities that have not enacted their own local mask/face- covering mandates, including Bradenton Beach.

The county face-covering mandate does not apply in Anna Maria, Holmes Beach or Bradenton because those cities previously adopted their own face-covering or face-covering signage mandates.

LAWSUIT DROPPED

Regarding the exemption for churches, Chief Assistant County Attorney Bill Clague noted Pastor Joel Tillis has dropped the lawsuit he filed against the county on Aug. 2 while being represented by attorney Anthony Sabatini, who also serves as a member of the Florida House of Representatives.

Tillis is the senior pastor at the Suncoast Baptist Church in Palmetto and the lawsuit Sabatini filed on Tillis’ behalf claimed the county’s face-covering resolution was unconstitutional because it violated the privacy, due process and religious freedom clauses in the Florida Constitution. The Manatee County lawsuit was similar to other lawsuits Sabatini filed elsewhere in Florida.

The original Manatee County facecovering resolution was based on a similar emergency resolution adopted in Leon County – a resolution that had SEE COVID, PAGE 25

Offering the largest selection of spirits, wine & beer on AMI.

5344 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach 941.779.2337 Shop & earn discounts at Hurricane Hanks!

Delivery service now available!

12

www.amisun.com

THE SUN

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

Derelict sailboat removal expected soon The owner of a derelict vessel must be given proper notice before it can be removed.

BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

ANNA MARIA – The large sailboat that’s been grounded offshore near the Anna Maria City Pier since mid-December is expected to be removed as early as this week.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Public Information Officer Adam Brown provided an update on the pending vessel removal by email on Wednesday, Sept. 16.

“I’ve reached out to our derelict vessel coordinator and was told the required 35-day waiting period necessary to give the registered owner an opportunity to remove the vessel will have elapsed on Friday, Sept. 18. With that being the case, we have also reached out to staff with WCIND (West Coast Inland Navigation District) and confirmed that they too are aware of this timeframe and are taking the proper steps to proceed with removal if the registered owner has not taken action before Friday. Sometimes the bidding process for removal and the removal itself can take some time, but I feel confident this is something that will take priority

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

This large, multi-hulled sailboat ran aground near the Anna Maria City Pier in mid-December. Derelict and liveaboard vessels south of the Bridge Street Pier in Bradenton Beach have long been a source of community concern. and I hope you will see movement beginning next week,” Brown wrote in his email response.

Brown said he also spoke with Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy earlier in the week about the longanticipated vessel removal.

During the Thursday, Sept. 10 Anna Maria City Commission meeting, Chair Carol Carter said derelict and liveaboard vessel concerns were discussed at the ManaSota League of Cities meeting she participated in earlier that day.

“We had another public inquiry about issues regarding unsafe liveaboard concerns on derelict vessels,” Carter said.

Carter said Bradenton Beach resident Barbara Baker manages three condominium associations that are having issues with unsafe liveaboard vessels and has contacted state Rep. Will Robinson Jr. and former state Rep. and current Florida Senate candidate Jim Boyd about these concerns.

Carter said the ManaSota League of Cities members who represent the Manatee and Sarasota County communities plan to add derelict and liveaboard vessel concerns to their list of the League’s 2021 legislative priorities.

“I made comments about our one derelict vessel that has not been

moved for nine months or so, even though the mayor tells me there’s plenty of money available. I think there may be some legislation coming up at the next session with regards to these kinds of things because there are many coastal communities in Florida that are affected. We’re bringing to light how much of an issue it is. It affects public safety and it also affects the water quality,” Carter said.

Murphy said during the conversations he had in July with WCIND and FWC officials, he was told the money was earmarked and the vessel would be removed within the next 30 days or so.

‛S YOUR COMFORT ZONE? WHERE

www.amisun.com

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

THE SUN

13

Airbnb suspends rental listings at ‘party houses’ The Airbnb listing suspensions enacted in Manatee County pertained to Airbnb rentals in Bradenton Beach.

BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

$8&( )LVK )U\ VW 6XQGD\ (DFK 0RQWK $8&( 6QRZ &UDE QG 6XQGD\ (DFK 0RQWK

/REVWHU %RLO UG 6XQGD\ (DFK 0RQWK 6OLFNHU V 3LJ 5RDVW WK 6XQGD\ (DFK 0RQWK

35,0( 5,%

7+856'$<6 $)7(5 30

5(6(59( <285 6($7 12:

WK 6W : &RUWH]

VZRUGILVKJULOO FRP 0DUNHU E\ ERDW

BRADENTON BEACH â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Airbnb has announced a crackdown on â&#x20AC;&#x153;party housesâ&#x20AC;? throughout Florida that includes suspending Airbnb listings for an unknown number of vacation rentals in Bradenton Beach. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As a part of this effort, over 40 listings across the state that have received complaints or otherwise violated our policies on parties and events have been suspended from the Airbnb platform. This follows Airbnbâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s policy change to ban parties at Airbnb listings globally until further notice,â&#x20AC;? according to a press release received from Airbnb spokesperson Laura Rillos on Friday. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The vast majority of hosts in Florida contribute positively to their neighborhoods and economy, and they also take important steps to prevent unauthorized parties â&#x20AC;&#x201C; like establishing clear house rules, quiet hours, and communicating in advance with their guests. Our actions today address the small minority of hosts who have previously received warnings about hosting responsibly or have otherwise violated our policies,â&#x20AC;? the press release states. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The actions were communicated to the hosts over the past week, and the suspensions were spread throughout the following counties across the state: Alachua, Broward, Duval, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Miami-Dade, Okaloosa, Orange, Palm Beach, St. Johns

and Walton,â&#x20AC;? according to the press release. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We cannot provide addresses for the suspended listings out of respect for the privacy of the hosts and homeowners,â&#x20AC;? the press release notes.

When contacted Friday, Rillos confirmed that all the Manatee County suspensions occurred in Bradenton Beach.

AIRBNB ACTIONS

The listing suspensions are part of Airbnbâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ongoing efforts to lessen the negative impacts Airbnb rentals have on their neighbors, according to the company. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Today weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re announcing a global ban on all parties and events at Airbnb listings, including a cap on occupancy at 16. This party ban applies to all future bookings on Airbnb and it will remain in effect indefinitely until further notice,â&#x20AC;? says an Aug. 20 press release posted at the Airbnb website. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve historically allowed hosts to use their best judgment and authorize small parties such as baby showers or birthday parties if theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re appropriate for their home and their neighborhood. Last year, we began imposing much stricter limits, starting with a global ban on â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;party housesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x201C; listings that create persistent neighborhood nuisance,â&#x20AC;? the press release says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We also launched a 24/7 neighborhood support hotline to communicate directly with neighbors and help us effectively enforce the party house ban. The hotline is staffed with trained agents so that neighbors can reach us directly with their concerns. Issues raised

by Floridians through this hotline led directly to many of the listing suspensions announced today,â&#x20AC;? the Aug. 20 press release says.

AIRBNB | SUBMITTED

More than one Airbnb rental in Bradenton Beach had its rental listing suspended.

Airbnb complaints and concerns can be reported to Airbnbâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s neighborhood support team by calling 855-635-7754. Complaints can also be initiated online at www.airbnb. com/neighbors.

Regarding these recent actions, the Aug. 20 press release says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;This complemented new initiatives to stop unauthorized parties, as well as restrictions on allowing guests under the age of 25 without a history of positive reviews to book entire home listings locally. When the pandemic was declared, and social distancing became an important element in promoting public health and responsible travel, we updated our policies.

We started by removing both the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;event-friendlyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; search filter from our platform as well as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;parties and events allowedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; house rules from any event-friendly listings. Most importantly, we introduced a new policy requiring all users to adhere to local COVID-19 public health mandates.â&#x20AC;?

In the press release, Viviana Jordan, Airbnb manager of public policy in Florida, said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s critical that we take steps to reduce the number of large parties and events and we support the efforts of local officials to put a stop to irresponsible behavior. We hope to raise greater awareness of our 24/7 neighbor hotline so that we can continue to strengthen the enforcement of our party ban across the state of Florida.â&#x20AC;?

14

www.amisun.com

THE SUN

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

Skincare boutique seeks beer and wine service A city-issued special use permit is required to serve alcohol in the C-1 commercial zone district.

New USDA-Certified Organic CBD Tinctures Find Yours at Your CBD Store Bradenton or at SunFlora.org

Bradenton

SAVE 15% ON YOUR PURCHASE May not be combined with any other offers or discounts. Only at Your CBD Store Bradenton.

BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

BRADENTON BEACH – The new Leah Chavie Skincare boutique at 115 Third St. S. hopes to soon serve beer and wine to its patrons.

On Thursday, Sept. 17, the city commission authorized Building Official Steve Gilbert and City Planner Luis Serna to draft a special use permit order to be signed by Mayor John Chappie and Planning and Zoning Board Chair Ken McDonough as part of the applicants’ alcohol service approval process.

Illinois residents Leah Chavie and Lance Houia recently relocated to Bradenton Beach and opened what is now their second skincare boutique, joining their first one in Chicago that opened 10 years ago.

Their new boutique operates in former office space now leased from the adjacent Old Bridge Village condominiums.

When presenting the special use permit request, Gilbert said, “They just want to add beer and wine as a service to their clients when they come in for a relaxing day at the spa.”

Gilbert said the boutique property is located in a C-1 zone district and the city’s land development code requires a special use permit for beer and wine sales in that zoning district – in addition to a state-issued alcohol license.

Gilbert said the special use permit process typically includes a $2,500 application fee and public hearings before the Planning and Zoning Board and the city commission. But there is a provision in city code that allows city staff to request authorization to work with the mayor and planning board chair to expedite the process and reduce the application fee.

“In this particular case, the business

Your “Wholesome & Wholehearted” Store.

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

The Leah Chavie Skincare boutique is located at 115 Third St. S. in its location meets all the requirements of the land development code.

The beer and wine license is tied to an internal business process,” Gilbert said.

Providing public comment as an Old Bridge Village resident, Planning and Zoning Board member David Bell asked if the special use permit would run with the land or expire if the current tenants vacate the building.

The commission stipulated the special use permit will expire if the current tenants leave.

“Can they become a package store?

Can they become a bar?” Bell also asked.

“Bars are prohibited in a C-1 zone district and a special use permit won’t get you there,” Gilbert said.

Mayor John Chappie noted the special use permit is for beer and wine only.

Commissioner Marilyn Maro, a longtime beautician and cosmetologist, asked if the state of Florida allows alcohol service in an establishment that holds a state-issued cosmetology license.

City Attorney Ricinda Perry said she’s been offered wine at several salons in Florida, but she suggested a stipulation that notes the special use permit approval shall not conflict

with any other state or local licensing requirements.

During a visit to the boutique on Thursday, Chavie and Houia discussed their new business venture.

“We just moved down here from Chicago. We came here for Valentine’s Day and loved it. When the quarantine was going to happen, we packed up our dogs, drove 19 hours and stayed at the Anna Maria Inn for two months,” Chavie said.

“We have our own skincare line, makeup and other products. Now we’ll have beer and wine. We’re going to try to do charcuterie boards, hummus platters and light bites. We may do some meditation classes and Lance does motivational speaking,” she said.

Houia is the CEO of TruSlf and plans to soon launch the TruSlf social media platform he says will serve as a more positive alternative to Facebook.

He’s already created the Anna Maria Island Businesses Facebook group that now lists 131 members.

“We are over the moon about being here and looking forward to seeing where we go,” he said.

Chavie said the couple intends to travel back and forth between Bradenton Beach and Chicago to conduct their business operations.

2723 Manatee Avenue West Bradenton, FL 34205 (941) 226-1230

www.amisun.com

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

THE SUN

15

MPO: New bridges, roundabouts in AMI’s future FROM PAGE 8

were previously planned for construction when the replacement bridge on Manatee Avenue is built, she said now they could be constructed before the bridge goes in. Additionally, the intersection of Cortez Road and Gulf Drive in Bradenton Beach also is being looked at as a potential location for a roundabout although there are space concerns, and due to the size of the 65-foot planned replacement bridge for the Cortez Bridge, the two projects might have to be constructed at the same time.

Resiliency projects also are on the plan with a sea-level rise risk assessment to be conducted over the next 18 to 24 months. Holt said the purpose of the risk assessment is to study the effects of potential storm surge on the barrier islands and allow local municipalities to apply for some of the $75 million in funding set aside in the plan over the next 20 years for projects to mitigate risk.

Congestion management projects include extending the northbound turn lane to Gulf Drive on westbound Manatee Avenue in Holmes Beach back

to the intersection with East Bay Drive to allow for easier traffic flow around motorists traveling to Manatee Beach.

Holt said there’s also a project on the plan to do work at the intersection of Cortez Road and 75th Street in Bradenton to help facilitate the flow of traffic to the Island.

She said that the MPO is looking at restarting the Beach Express bus service from 75th Street and Manatee Avenue to the Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach as well as allowing buses to move past slow or stopped motorist traffic on the bridges using

the shoulder and the possibility of adding a dedicated bus lane on land along the two Island access corridors.

Holt added that the MPO also is looking at creating on-demand transportation services for travel from the mainland to the Island’s beaches where travelers can make a reservation on their schedule. She said they’re also trying to encourage employers to use vanpools to get employees to Island businesses.

To view the entire plan or submit public comments on the plan elements, visit the MPO website.

BUDGET: Commission approves first reading FROM PAGE 5

Public works showed increases in that department’s budget, which comes in at $1,971,893, due to funding for some projects being moved into that department, including the reserve funding from the Hagen Foundation for lighting the shuffleboard and bocce ball courts, Hill said.

The building department’s

budget came in at $866,406, including an increase for additional staff training to reduce outsourcing.

Commissioners thanked Hill and the city staff for working to find a way to meet the city’s needs without increasing the millage rate.

“I think it’s a very fair budget,” Commissioner Terry Schaefer said.

“This is a very difficult budget year for the city,” Commissioner Jim Kihm said. “I think it’s a good budget and one that I can support.”

Commissioners will host a second public hearing and final vote for the millage rate and budget on Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 6 p.m.

16

www.amisun.com

THE SUN

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

KEITH OTZEN | SUBMITTED

Wish You Were Here Keith Otzen, of Minnesota, brother of Karen Ellsworth of Anna Maria Island, collects historic postcards depicting the Island in days past. His collection includes The Island Bank from the 1960s, now Wells Fargo, and many others. For The Sun’s full postcard collection, visit amisun. com and search “Wish You Were Here.”

HEARING: Rental property owners could be fined in October FROM PAGE 1

hearing, scheduled for 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 21, he’s going to start instituting fines.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND INN

Three cases involve The Anna Maria Island Inn, 3501 Gulf Drive.

Speaking for the city, attorney Erica Augello said that the property’s sign, advertising daily rentals in a short-term rental zone, has been changed, but that the property’s advertising had not been brought into compliance. According to the special magistrate order, the resort’s owner, Shawn Kaleta, had until Sept. 18 to achieve full compliance with the order.

The order also states that the owner needs new, valid vacation rental certificates for the new units and to apply for demolition permits and demolish two illegally-constructed rental units on the bottom floor of the building. During

a previous hearing it was determined that the two ground floor units, located beneath the flood level established by the Florida Building Code, were constructed by a prior owner without permits, however, it was ruled that they’re now the current owner’s problem and cannot be rented.

Najmy argued that the owner has applied for the permits but the applications didn’t meet the city’s requirements for approval. He said he felt the requirements for approving the permits supplied by Schwartz are “overreaching.”

Augello also said that city code compliance officers have photographs alleging that the units are still being rented in violation of city codes and the special magistrate order. Speaking on behalf of the owner, Najmy said that the units are not being rented but that there are owners using the property.

Connolly advised that Najmy may want

to have those owners testify during the next special magistrate hearing, when he’ll consider the fines.

BALI HAI

Two of the cases involve the Bali Hai Beach Resort, which is also the subject of a lawsuit with the city of Holmes Beach. The first case concerns work done on an accessory building without permits in violation of local and state building codes. The second case concerns selling alcohol on the premises without an approved site plan from the city; the alcohol sales are taking place in the accessory building.

The September special magistrate hearing was held two days before the deadline Connolly gave the property owner to submit a site plan for review and get the required building permits.

Augello said that the site plan has been submitted and is currently under review. To be approved, she said the

site plan has to first go through a development review committee, then go to city commissioners for a work session and then a public hearing.

“There’s no way that they could’ve come into compliance by that date,” she said of the Sept. 18 deadline given

by Connolly.

Where the property owner is still out of compliance, Augello said, is that none of the required building permits for work already done have been granted.

Representing the property owner, Bali Hai JV LLC, and manager Shawn Kaleta, was attorney Louis Najmy. Najmy argued that the permits have been applied for, but the applications were denied by the city’s building official.

Building Official Neal Schwartz said that additional information is needed and the permit applications have to be resubmitted to be considered for approval.

www.amisun.com

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

THE SUN

17

Privateers and high school students join forces The Anna Maria Island Privateers teamed up with Manatee High School students to participate in a Keep Manatee Beautiful International Coastal Cleanup event on Saturday Sept. 12.

Those efforts were part of the greater Keep Manatee Beautiful International Coastal Cleanup events that took place throughout the county on Saturday, Sept. 19. “It was a win-win.

Anna Maria Island became a little less ‘trashed’ and the students got some community hours for their high school volunteer requirement,” Privateers liaison officer Tim Thompson said. “Up bright and early on a Saturday morning, despite some rain and heat, we had a lot of fun and picked up a lot of trash while getting waves, honks, praise and thank-you’s by some of the Island passersby.”

AMI PRIVATEERS | SUBMITTED

Manatee High School marching band members Madison Mabry, Kate Evans, Joe Mabry and Katelynn Meggison participated in the recent community cleanup event.

Local artist featured

DAN'S FAN CITY LARGEST SELECTION OF INDOOR & OUTDOOR FANS ANYWHERE!

Island Gallery West, 5368 Gulf Dr., Holmes Beach, presents October Featured Artist Pat O’Neill with “The Beauty of Acrylics” during the month.

O’Neill is a local artist from Bradenton who is known for his realistic paintings, beautiful Florida seascapes and sea life as well as his many residential and business wall murals throughout the Anna Maria Island area.

O’Neill will display his creative and original acrylic paintings that show not only his love and passion for painting, but also his uniqueness and imagination for versatility in subjects and composition.

From the beauty of the coast of Florida, with amazing sea life to a still life scene, O’Neill's great attention to detail, perception of light and dark and use of vivid colors will delight viewers.

There will be a Facebook Live interview with O’Neill on Monday Oct. 5, at 5 p.m. Tune in to hear about his inspiration, his painting and for a preview of the exhibit. Go to www.facebook.com/islandgallerywest.

SUBMITTED

Current gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. Visit www.islandgallerywest.com, Facebook or call 941-778-6648 for updates about the art and 29 artists of the gallery.

DESIGN

YOUR FAN

BRING IN THIS AD FOR $

ASK US HOW

$

30- 100 OFF DC Motor Fans SOME RESTRICTIONS APPLY.

PROMO CODE: LPdisc Good Thru 10/04/20

New Technology Sizes 44” to 96”

Bradenton

Superior Energy Savings Over 15 Models Available!

1808 Cortez Road

Open 7 Days A Week

755-3262

Parts, Services & Installation Available

AGAMI seeks new displaying artists The Artists’ Guild of Anna Maria Island is seeking new and experienced artists to join the guild and display their works in the Guild Gallery. To display artwork in the Guild Gallery, artists must be members of AGAMI and be approved by the jury committee.

To have your artwork considered,

please contact a member of the committee – Cheryl Jorgensen, Cheryl.jorgensen@gmail.com, Dee Pastorius, deepastorius@verizon. net, or Joanne Curtan, joannec4re@hotmail.com. The gallery committee also is seeking larger, oversized artwork pieces to list for sale even if they’re too large to be

displayed in the gallery. The deadline to submit oversized artwork for consideration for inclusion in the list is Oct. 20. All submissions must include the artist’s name, phone number, sizes of available art and website, if applicable.

Submissions should be sent to annecabgott@gmail.com

18

THE SUN

OUTDOORS

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

Fred and the fish-eating squirrel Reel Time RUSTY CHINNIS

M

ost of Bradenton was asleep and dreaming when I pulled up to the locked gate that barred access to Jiggs Landing on the shore of Ward Lake (a/k/a Bill Evers Reservoir). Beeping my horn and flashing my lights, I knew I was signaling my presence to a small white Boston Whaler somewhere in the inky darkness. The lake is located south of State Road 70, approximately 6.5 miles from downtown Bradenton.

It was created as a water source for the City of Bradenton in 1939 when a dam was constructed across the Braden River. The reservoir was expanded to almost 400 acres in 1986 and stores over 1.4 billion gallons of water.

Moments later, Andy “Doc” Lee appeared out of the darkness in his 13-foot Whaler, “Slow Poke.” Lee has been fishing the lake for 45 years and it would be safe to say that no one knows it better. I first met Lee in the late 80s when we formed the Manatee Chapter of the Florida Conservation Association (now CCA). Lee, who hails from upstate New York, started fly fishing at age 7 when his aunt gave him his first fly rod and a fly-tying kit. When he moved to the area in 1977, he called Bradenton Herald fishing editor Jerry Hill to learn about fly fishing locally. A friendship developed and Lee became a featured speaker and fly-tier at Hill’s Bradenton Herald Fishing College.

I did my first story on Lee for Florida Sportsman in 1996. That day we fished the Manatee River and caught an assortment of different species including a 15-pound snook, flounder, channel RUSTY CHINNIS | SUN

SEE REEL TIME, PAGE 19

The panfish are plentiful on Ward Lake.

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

www.amisun.com

THE SUN

19

REEL TIME: Fred and the fish-eating squirrel FROM PAGE 18

catfish, panfish and bass. The thing that attracted me to Lee in the first place, besides the fact he catches a lot of fish, was his innovative methods and handmade flies.

We fished for bluegills and redear sunfish (shellcrackers) on three-weight fly outfits. Lee rigged me up at the ramp with an 8-foot, 4-pound leader, strike indicator and a “flutter” fly he developed. After motoring to a nearby shoreline where the river enters the lake, he showed me how to fish the rig and soon we were catching hand-sized panfish. Over the four hours, Lee moved several times to areas of grass where the panfish congregate. He triangulates the spots from landmarks on shore and then verifies the location on a fish finder. While the fishing wasn’t “hot,” according to Lee, we did manage to land over a dozen fish that he would clean for dinner.

As we were headed in, Lee said I had a good chance of meeting Fred and the fish-eating squirrel back at the ramp. Noticing the puzzled look on my face, he explained. For the last few years, Lee has been greeted at the ramp by a red-tailed hawk he named Fred who loves fish carcasses. Another frequent “greeter” was a squirrel that also loves the remains of the fish he cleaned. On cue, Fred was sitting on a nearby fence when we returned and waited patiently as Lee cleaned fish. When he was done, he flipped the remains on the ground and Fred swooped in for breakfast. The only thing missing that day was the fish-eating squirrel, but Lee invited me back for another chance. I accepted right away; after all, how often do you get to meet a fish-eating squirrel?

AT&T now on Bradenton Beach cell tower According to Public Works Director Tom Woodard AT&T recently joined Verizon as a cell service provider on the Bradenton Beach cell tower. Last week, Public Works Director Tom Woodard told city commissioners the work taking place that week pertained to the installation of exterior panels that are more secure and less prone to break free during a storm.

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

20

THE SUN

FOOD & WINE

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

Sloppy Joe: An American staple Paul Foster GINNY'S AND JANE E'S CAFE AND GIFT STORE

O

k, you are stuck inside on a rainy or cold Saturday with your family - a perfect day for making something that warms you through. But what will you make - a stew, a chili, or something in the slow cooker? What will it be? We all have those favorites. Proven recipes loved by the entire family. I loved those days when my kids were young.

What comes to mind here at Ginny’s is our sloppy joe. It’s an American staple and has many versions.

In Sioux City, Iowa, back 90 years ago, it was called a loose meat sandwich. It also has history in the Florida Keys. A Cuban-Hispanic influence comes through in its flavors there. Key West is where the famous Sloppy Joe’s restaurant is. It is said that Ernest Hemmingway frequented there and ate his sandwich with a glass of scotch to wash it down. For me, I prefer a cold beer, but to each his own.

Everyone has their own version, and honestly, I have liked them all. Some make it extra sweet, others extra spicy.

I like somewhere in the middle. I hope you like mine. It’s tangy and sweet with a taste of chili. We serve it on an openface toasted brioche bun. We heap it on both sides of the bun and finish it with some shredded cheddar cheese on top. Serve it with some ripple chips or add some fries on the side. It’s great dipping either one into the joe. You can also top off nacho chips or put it on fries on Super Bowl Sunday. Enjoy!

SUBMITTED

Sloppy Joe Ingredients

1lb Angus Hamburger 85/15 1 Tbsp Olive oil 1/3rd Cup Diced Bell Peppers ¾ Cup of Diced Onions 1 1/8th of a Cup of Ketchup

1Tbsp Minced Garlic 2Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce 2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard 1 Tbsp Brown Sugar 1 Tbsp Chili Powder 1 Tsp Salt 1 TSp Black Pepper.

Red Pepper Flakes to taste. Careful, a few flakes go a long way.

Directions

Combine olive oil and hamburger together in a pot and cook through until brown. Drain and hold off heat. Take onions and peppers in a pot and cook until soft. Combine cooked burger and veggies together and add the rest of the ingredients over low to medium heat and cook for an hour. Toast your buns and heap 4 to 5 oz’s on both sides. Serves 2. You can also make a closed face sandwich and that serves 4.

www.TheFeastRestaurantAMI.com

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

www.amisun.com

THE SUN

21

22

THE SUN

www.amisun.com

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

www.amisun.com

OBITUARIES Frederic C. Barton Frederic C. Barton III, of Holmes Beach, FL, formerly of Toms River, NJ, passed away on Sept. 13, 2020 at the age of 92. He was born Feb. 1, 1928 in Bridgeport, CT to Helen (Kaplan) and Frederic C. Barton, Jr. Fred joined the U.S. Navy upon graduation from Ridgewood NJ high school and served aboard the Experimental Patrol Craft Escort Rescue EPCE(R)-852 from 1946-48. He joined the United States Marine Corps in 1950 and was on active duty until 1952. He remained in the Marine Corps Reserves until he was honorably discharged in 1958. He carried that Marine Corps discipline throughout his life, right down to his crew cut. Fred was a heavy equipment operator, retiring from the Sambol Construction Corporation, Toms River in 1989. Having had enough of cold winters and plowing snow, he and the love of his life, Deborah, moved to Holmes Beach in 1992. As he would say, they didn't start looking for a place to retire until they stopped seeing signs that said, "Bridge Freezes Before Roadway." Fred was an avid fisherman and enjoyed building his own fishing poles and lures when not on the water. He also enjoyed swimming, playing poker with his grandchildren and whistling "This Old Man," the unofficial theme song of Lieutenant Columbo.

He was a great dad, grandfather and great-grandfather who passed his love of fishing on to future generations.

Fred was preceded in death by his parents (he always chuckled when he read an obituary about a 90+ year-old and it mentioned their parents passed before them) and sisters, Lois Crane and Maryanne Rasmussen. Fred is survived by his wife of 68 years, Deborah (Moffett); his son, Robert and wife, Lynn, of Toms River, NJ; their children, Rober and wife, Amanda, of Toms River, NJ; their children, Owen, Anna and Olivia, Lindsay Thorvaldsen and husband, Daniel, of Toms River, NJ; their children, Hollis, Mallory and Andie; John and wife, Christine, of Forked River, NJ; their children, Emily and Jamie; Sadie Barton of Lexington, KY; his daughter, Janice Lopez and husband, Robert, of Holmes Beach, FL; his daughter, Susan Soltys and husband, Paul, of Seaside Park, NJ and his son, Eric Barton and wife, Diana, of Cody, WY. He is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews.

Linda Kaye Schuck (Lin) Linda Kaye Schuck (Lin) was born in Detroit, MI on April 26, 1947, and passed away Sept. 9, 2020 with her family at her side.

Linda was preceded in death by her loving parents, Washington and Geneva Osborne from MI and KY. She is survived by her loving husband of 26 years, Myron Schuck, of Ellenton, FL; son, Michael Stephens; daughter, Rachel Stephens; and granddaughter, Hailey Stephens Ervin; all of Bradenton, FL. She is also survived by her sister, Karen Payton (Roger) of MI; several sister- and brother-in-laws, many adoring nieces and nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins, and many friends; once you knew Linda, she never forgot you, and Linda will be deeply missed by all those that knew her.

Linda loved God, her church, her family and friends with all her heart. She loved all animals, and she leaves behind her adored little dog, Scout, and she provided a permanent loving home for many foster cats.

She had a deep love for nature, the ocean and her happy place at their resort on Anna Maria Island.

Linda was so generous, talented and loving, inside and out, always caring for friends, family and even strangers, whether it was tending to someone ill, cooking for a few or a crowd; no matter what, if she saw or knew of a need she was there.

THE SUN

23

She enjoyed decorating and planning for any event, she got so much joy out of creating a beautiful celebration.

Many were welcomed in her home whether for a holiday, special occasion or no occasion at all, she welcomed you with open arms and fellowship, treating you as family.

Linda loved NASCAR (Kyle Busch) and football (Joe Montana), known by all as their biggest longtime fan ever.

She always loved a practical joke and could give it or take it, her life was all about laughing, and joy.

It was Linda’s wishes to not have a traditional funeral service.

There will be a Memorial Service Thursday, Oct. 22, 11 a.m. to noon, at First Baptist Church of Parrish, 12125 71st St., Parrish FL, with a potluck meal to follow; also a Celebration Of Life Party at the Cortez Clam Factory, 10104 Cortez Road W., Bradenton FL, Saturday, Oct 24, 12:30-3:30 p.m.

All friends and family are welcomed.

BEACH BEAT BRADENTON BEACH

9/8, larceny, Daiquiri Deck, 107 Bridge St. The victim and her fiancé ate a meal at the restaurant and she reported that she put her purse, with $20,000 cash in it, on the chair next to hers.

When she left, she forgot her purse. She called the restaurant when she discovered what happened and was told she didn’t leave anything there. The next day, the victim went to the restaurant and talked to the opening manager who said the purse was not found and she needed to talk with the closing manager. The victim advised that when she called police, suddenly the purse appeared, but it was empty. When the police arrived, they looked at the security video. It showed the victim and her family eating. When they left, a hostess took the purse and placed it behind a computer near the hostess station. The purse sat there for 20-30 minutes until a male waiter grabbed it and took it to the night manager. Later, the manager called the victim and told the victim she would get her money, but not until she called police and told them she got her money back.

Later, the detective questioned a manager and arrested her.

HOLMES BEACH

9/8, past burglary, 3600 block of Fourth Avenue. The victim reports approximately $1,000 was taken while she and family members went to the beach while on vacation.

9/11, stolen car pursuit, Kingfish Boat Ramp. While on patrol, the officer was alerted to a stolen vehicle by the license plate reader. He spotted the suspect as the car went over the Manatee Bridge and after they got off the bridge, he turned on his lights and siren and a chase ensued. The suspect tried to pass a slower car and the car went airborne but he regained control. He turned into Perico Bay Club. He tried to lose the officer and almost hit a bystander and then he got back on Manatee Avenue eastbound. A backup officer noticed the passenger side front tire came off, leaving the wheel, which caused sparks to fly and damaged the road. The Holmes Beach officers continued the chase, joined by authorities from other agencies. One Holmes Beach patrol car was damaged when the stolen car’s brake rotor came off causing a flat tire. The chase ended in Bradenton with the suspect’s arrest.

A passenger in the car told police she was homeless and he offered her a ride and she agreed. She was released.

9/11, alcohol on the beach violation, Manatee Beach, 4000 Gulf Drive. The officer on beach patrol noticed three males on the beach and when he used his night vision goggles, he noticed open containers of alcohol. The three subjects poured out the booze and got ordinance violation citations.

9/12, suspicious circumstances, 613 Concord Lane. The officer responded to a call about a possible burglary in progress and found a smart phone with a white auxiliary cord and the homeowner said it was not his, but he heard somebody saying “hello” and knocking on the door. The party or parties knocked louder and louder. The homeowner said there was no damage to the door.

24

THE SUN

REAL ESTATE

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

COVID can't ground soaring real estate market

S

trange doesn’t even come close to describing today’s real estate market. You would think that in the middle of a pandemic, everyone would be afraid to leave their home, much less purchase a new one.

Well, I guess the American people are made of stronger stuff than that because the real estate market is not only alive and well, it’s soaring.

According to the S&P/CoreLogic/CaseShiller National Home Price Index, the adjusted-for-inflation real home prices rose 45% from February 2012 through May 2020.

Not a bad investment if you purchased a home eight years ago. In fact, it’s a remarkable record considering that the United States is dealing with a once-in-a-century coronavirus pandemic, which created a recession and social upheaval.

Florida Realtors also reports an active and appreciating real estate market in our state. No surprise here that during April and May, Florida Realtors reported higher

Castles in the Sand LOUISE BOLGER median prices and more pending inventory but fewer closed sales and fewer new listings compared to the second quarter of last year.

Closed sales of single-family homes statewide were down 19.2% from the second quarter of 2019, and condos down 33.9% for the same period. In a typical real estate market, these numbers are a good look into the future, however, this year is an exception with everything related to the virus shifting from week to week. In spite of this, Florida’s home sales are off by less than 2% from last year’s pace as of mid-August when these numbers came out.

Statewide, median sales prices for singlefamily homes were up 4.7% compared to

the second quarter last year, and condo sales were up 6.2% for the same period. Inventory is down 27% statewide compared to last year and the lack of homes will continue to propel prices upward, according to Florida Realtor.

Next week when the August Manatee County sales statistics come out, we’ll have a better idea about what’s happening close to home. In the meantime, let’s see how Cortez and Anna Maria Island are looking relative to million-dollar property closings and availability during May, June and July. Numbers are from realtor.com.

Cortez had six properties listed between $1.2 million and $1.3 million, two more than last time. The City of Anna Maria had had 57 properties listed; last time there were 73 listed. The properties range from one at $6.3 million, three were over $4 million, seven were over $3 million and 12 were over $2 million; the balance was between $2 million and $1 million. The combined cities of Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach listed 75 properties for sale; last time there were

69. There were four over $4 million, three over $3 million, 22 over $2 million and the balance between $2 million and $1 million.

Sales in these areas have certainly recovered but are still slightly off. The sales numbers come from the Manatee County Property Appraiser’s website. Cortez did not have any closings over $1 million, the same as last time. The City of Anna Maria had 28 sales over $1 million; last time they had four.

Prices ranged from a high of $5.4 million to a low of $1,025,000. There were two sales over $3 million but most of the sales were between $2 million and $1 million. The combined cities of Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach had 19 sales over $1 million; last time they had five. There was one sale over $4 million and one sale over $3 million; the balance started in the low $2 million to the low $1 million range.

For certain, we are a strong optimistic people as reflected in the growing economy and growing real estate market. Stick with it and stay safe.

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

www.amisun.com

THE SUN

25

COVID: County mask exemption formalized; lawsuit dropped FROM PAGE11

already withstood a legal challenge from Sabatini and others.

Palmer said Tillis’ voluntary dismissal means the county prevailed in the lawsuit and is entitled to pursue from Tillis an approximate $2,300 reimbursement for legal costs the county incurred for court reporter services.

None of the commissioners desired reimbursement from Tillis or the church, but Benac expressed her distaste for a state legislator filing lawsuits against a county government.

Benac said she heard Sabatini had been admonished by a judge in another county. Clague clarified that Sabatini was cautioned, not admonished, by a circuit court judge in Gadsden County.

“He urged him (Sabatini) to reflect upon whether or not having filed multiple lawsuits of the same nature in multiple jurisdictions might give rise to the argument he filed frivolous cases.

But he did not rule he had filed a frivolous lawsuit in this case,” Clague said.

“This attorney, Mr. Sabatini, is a member of the Legislature, but he is acting in his capacity as a lawyer. He’s not representing the Florida Legisla-

JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

Pastor Joel Tillis and State Rep. Anthony Sabatini announced their lawsuit at an Aug. 3 press conference. ture. I don’t want it to seem like they’re suing us. They are not, but a member of the Legislature is engaging in these lawsuits,” Clague said.

ADDITIONAL ACTIONS

During last week’s meeting, the commission voted 4-3 to extend the county’s local state of emergency for another

seven days. The 4-3 vote occurred because extending the state of emergency would also automatically extend the face-covering mandate that commissioners Vanessa Baugh, Steve Jonsson and Priscilla Trace still oppose.

County Attorney Mickey Palmer explained the relationship between the two actions: “If the emergency resolution goes away, then the mask resolution immediately evaporates as well.

The opposite is not true, but the mask/ covering resolution is completely dependent on the emergency resolution.”

The commission voted 4-3 in opposition to Commissioner Vanessa Baugh’s motion to repeal the county face-covering mandate entirely. But the commission unanimously supported Baugh’s subsequent motion to no longer automatically extend the face-covering resolution when extending the local state of emergency. In the future, extending the local state of emergency that provides access to state and federal funding and extending the county face-covering mandate will be handled as two separate actions that require two separate votes.

26

www.amisun.com

THE SUN

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

WMFR budget and fire assessment approved WMFR commissioners voted 4-1 to approve the 2020-21 fiscal year assessment rate and budget.

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

BRADENTON â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Just days before the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30, West Manatee Fire Rescue district has an approved budget.

Commissioners voted 4-1, with Commissioner Al Robinson dissenting, to approve the proposed budget originally presented to commissioners in May by

Chief Ben Rigney.

The budget includes a 2.6% increase in the non-ad valorem fire assessment rate over the previous year. Rather than assessing a rate based on the taxable value of the property, WMFR bases its assessment on the size of the building with separate rates assessed for residential and commercial properties. A flat rate is assessed for vacant lots.

With the 2.6% increase, the districtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s revenue is estimated to increase by $189,436, eliminating the need for district leaders to draw from reserves to meet anticipated needs including capital projects and projected increases in insurance, pension fund contributions and a potential

Â? Â?  ­Â&#x20AC; Â? Â&#x201A;Â? Â&#x192;Â&#x201E;Â&#x201E; Â&#x2026; Â&#x2020;Â&#x2020;  Â? Â?

 � � �� ­  �

Â? Â Â&#x20AC; Â&#x201A;Â&#x201A;Â&#x192; Â?

increase in employee compensation. This brings the districtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s revenue to a projected $7,475,424 from assessments.

With the increase, the base rate for a residential property increases to $195.53 from $190.57 with the square foot rate increasing from $0.1124 to $0.1153. The total assessment rate for a 2,000 square foot residential building will increase from $302.97 to $310.85.

For commercial buildings, the base rate will increase from $473.62 to $485.94 with the square foot rate increasing from $0.2051 to $0.2104. The total assessment rate for a 2,000 square foot commercial building will increase from $678.72 to $696.37.

District leaders anticipate a breakeven budget with $9,410,362 in total income and expenditures.

Major expenses for the year include $1,500,000 for the construction of the districtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new administration building, insurance and employee compensation increases. The coming fiscal year is a bargaining year for the firefighterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s union, which may increase firefighter compensation. Rigney said the district also has more firefighters pursuing additional qualifications and education than anticipated.

The budget passed without comment from commissioners or the public.

WMFR commissioners next meet at 6 p.m. on Oct. 20.

www.amisun.com

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

THE SUN

27

Park playground equipment reopened The protective covering previously installed as a COVID-19 precaution has been removed from the childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s playground equipment at Lou Barolo Park and Herb Dolan Bayfront Park in Bradenton Beach. The playground equipment is once again available for use.

LOCALLY KNOWN. GLOBALLY CONNECTED. SINCE 1976.

WELLS 855 N Shore Drive Ken Kavanaugh, Jr & Margo Love Story 941-799-1943 A4469943 $1,795,000

EDGEWATER WALK ON HARBOUR ISLE 276 Saint Lucia Drive 202 Kathy Harman 941-900-9828 A4473591 $1,295,000

MAINSAIL BEACH INN 101 66th Street 6 Kristi Berger & Deborah Capobianco 941-730-3801 A4452260 $595,000

MARINA WALK ON HARBOUR ISLE 383 Aruba Circle 201 Hannah Hillyard & George Myers 941-744-7358 A4466540 $570,000

NORTH POINT HARBOUR 605 N Point Drive Hannah Hillyard 941-744-7358 A4469001 $1,799,000

TIDY ISLAND 51 Tidy Island Boulevard Kathy Marshall 941-900-9777 A4469997 $539,000

EDGEWATER WALK ON HARBOUR ISLE 371 Compass Point Drive 101 Betsy Hagen & Laura Rulon 941-216-0721 A4470148 $515,000

BRIDGEPORT 501 Gulf Drive N 102 Kristi Berger & Deborah Capobianco 941-730-3801 A4475704 $449,900

VILLAS OF HOLMES BEACH 206 52nd Street 3 Kathy Harman 941-900-9828 A4464002 $989,000

MAINSAIL BEACH INN 107 66th Street 12 Kristi Berger & Deborah Capobianco 941-730-3801 A4452254 $870,000

EDGEWATER WALK ON HARBOUR ISLE 347 Compass Point Drive 201 Laura Rulon & Betsy Hagen 941-896-2757 A4477696 $568,500

MAINSAIL BEACH INN 103 66th Street 10 Kristi Berger & Deborah Capobianco 941-730-3801 A4452245 $567,125

SHORE ACRES 804 59th Street NW Kristi Berger & Deborah Capobianco 941-730-3801 A4477227 $269,000

PALMA SOLA BAY CLUB 3431 79th Street Circle W 301 Pamela Miller 941-761-7349 A4468867 $695,000

NEW CONSTRUCTION

MSC MORTGAGE | MSC TITLE | MS&C COMMERCIAL NEW HOMES & CONDOMINIUMS

WILDEWOOD SPRINGS 701 Oakview Drive 701 Deborah Capobianco & Kristi Berger 941-704-2394 A4476294 $271,000

888.552.5228 | MICHAELSAUNDERS.COM

28

THE SUN

SPORTS

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

Beach Bums crowned Hayward champions

BY MONICA SIMPSON SPECIAL TO THE SUN

The weather finally cooperated last Thursday night at the Island’s community center. Top seed Beach Bums took the field against the second-best Sato Real Estate team to see who would be crowned the Hayward Cup champions.

At the end of the night, the Sato family would celebrate the winning of the final game of the season with Josh Sato playing for Sato Real Estate, the family company headed by the matriarch, Barbara Sato, and oldest brother, Jason Sato.

On the opposite side of the field, Jason Sato played for his wife’s company, Beach Bums.

Josh Sato is no stranger to the Hayward Cup game, leading his team to win the championship in the spring season of 2017, becoming just the third team to win the cup.

The love of the game and the friendly but fierce competition found at The Center is what the Satos love about adult soccer on the Island, and especially at The Center. Paul “Ace” Hayward shared that sentiment.

The Hayward Cup became the official prize for the co-ed adult soccer recreational league at The Center after years of action on the pitch. The championship was officially named to honor a long-time league player and Island friend to many of the players still hitting the soccer field every Thursday night.

Starting in spring 2016, after Hayward lost his battle to cancer, The Center has celebrated his life and contribution to the game at least twice a year with the playing of the cup game.

In this season’s cup, the Sato brothers played alongside old friends and new faces to the league. Veterans like Lyn Clarke, now 80 years old, scuffled on the field against Kevin Roman, a young veteran player.

Despite being one of the best goalies this season, longtime league player Steve Oelfke could not make the win happen for his Sato Real Estate squad.

Both Oelfke and Jason Sato, keeper for

MONICA SIMPSON | SUN

The Beach Bums team proved why they finished the regular season on top by winning the Hayward Cup. Pictured left to right: Amy Ivin, Jason Sato, Connor Haughey, Neil Fellowes, Yuri Pereira, John Coleman, Andrew Sullivan, Robbie Fellowes, and Kevin Roman.

Beach Bums, had seven recorded saves in the game.

Scoring talent on each team put points on the statistics for Sarah Liggins, Josh Sato and Hakan Toka, with single goals for Sato Real Estate. Teammate Connor Bystrom, the hot foot for his team this season, had two points to his name in the game.

Scoring for the win, Beach Bums had two players each with a single goal in the game: Kevin Roman and Andrew Sullivan. Connor Haughey, Associate Director at The Center, scored two points and was noted to have two assists. Yuri Pereira put two points on the scoreboard for the Beach Bums squad.

Amy Ivin, always a top pick in the draft, crushed two goals, helping her

team win the Hayward Cup. With the win, the Beach Bums team became the ninth recipient of the Paul “Ace” Hayward Cup. There has never been a repeat winner since the inception of the Cup. Which sponsor will be the first to capture the cup twice?

YOUTH CO-ED SOCCER 11-TO 14-YEAR OLD LEAGUE

SUN SCOREBOARD TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 ADULT CO-ED FLAG FOOTBALL WEEK #1

YOUTH CO-ED SOCCER 8-TO 10-YEAR OLD LEAGUE

Gulf Drive Café Slim’s Place

2 0

Tidy MD Ugly Grouper

5 3

Slim’s Place Beach Bums

Moss Builders Progressive Cabinetry

3 3

HSH Miz & Hiz Biz

2 0

ADULT CO-ED SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP GAME #2 Sato Real Estate #1 Beach Bums

24 8

5 8

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

FUN IN THE SUN

Across 1 LBJ's vice president 4 Sponsor's tube spot 8 Dracula stabber 13 Tic-tac-toe winner 14 Glow 15 One-on-one teacher 16 Fifth scale note 17 *A total failure "goes over like" one 19 Arena overhead view provider 21 Cowpoke's "okay" 22 Tattoo artist's array 23 Stares openmouthed 25 Violent storm 27 Eaten away by rust, say 30 More, in Mexico 31 Once more 32 Weather guy Al 34 __ and cheese 37 Smooth-tongued 38 Bird-related ... four of Answers to 09-16-20 Crossword Puzzle.

them have landed at the ends of the answers to starred clues 39 April 1 "honoree" 40 Slim fish often smoked 41 Itty-bitty 42 Joltless java brand 43 Tips container 44 Leather bookbinding material 46 Type of pub named for its unglamorous appearance 50 Blind pieces 51 Greek goddess of discord 52 Greek T 54 Financial word before year or policy 57 *Hotel chain with a geographical name 60 Beer named for Washington's capital, briefly

THE SUN

61 Prefix with national 62 Covers with asphalt 63 Was victorious 64 Wet-eyed 65 Roe source 66 __ Luthor, Superman nemesis Down 1 Bulky "Bonanza" brother 2 "Peter Pan" captain 3 *Last Supper cup 4 Focused on a subject, as a crossword 5 By way of 6 Artist Warhol 7 First appearance 8 Cards, in box scores 9 "Tiptoe Through the __" 10 Make things right 11 Goofballs 12 Dadaist Max 14 Apply carelessly 18 Theoretical missing links 20 West Indies native 24 Dish up, as a dish 26 St. Patrick's mo.

27 Zoo enclosure 28 Look at creepily 29 Washing, as the dishes 33 Bout-ending blows 34 *Monastic hood 35 Golfer Isao 36 Scottish family 38 Fizz up, as water

39 Protests by not eating 41 Saloon bill 42 Oil leak blemishes 43 Court clown 45 Director Hitchcock

46 Kind of bank card 47 Goodnight woman of song 48 Panoramic view 49 Carpenter's files 53 Home of the Jazz

55 Natural burn balm 56 Bobcat, e.g.

58 Dryly humorous 59 Little __, singer of the #1 hit "The LocoMotion"

29

30

THE SUN

CLASSIFIED

ANNOUNCEMENTS

EMPLOYMENT

THE BEST VOLUNTEER position on the island. The AMI Historical Museum needs docents and bread makers. Call Lynn at 813758-3234 or lbrennan47@ gmail.com

GUARDIAN SECURITY AGENCY of Florida Local FT/PT positions Competitive pay and benefits.

Requires reliable transportation and smart phone 727-873-7400 gsa-fla.com/ apply

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

BOATS BOATS ARE STILL SELLING Very Well. No Listing Agreements.

No Time Constraints, Just Easy 20 years, Excellent Reputation, Hundreds of Boats Sold. Islandboatsales. net 941-228-3489

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

CLEANING SERVICE THC CLEANING : Residential, Commercial, Rentals, VRBO. Professional and Reliable. Call 941-756-4570

COMMERCIAL SALES, RENT & LEASE 13 UNIT RESORT: $3,999,900 Bradenton Beach on Gulf Dr. WAREHOUSE: 9300 sq ft possible Machine Shop w/ Heavy Duty Elect. Or Car Storage. So many Possibilities. Near SRQ Airport. $595,000. Island Real Estate call Alan Galletto 941-232-2216

COMPUTER SERVICES 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

Call us today! 941-778-3986

JESSIE’S ISLAND STORE has immediate openings for full and part time cashiers for both day and night shifts. 2 to 3 shifts per week apply in person at 5424 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach or call 941778-6903 HOTEL ON ANNA MARIA seeking Housekeeper Full time, Part time. Must have two years experience. We drug test.

Must speak English. If no Answer, leave message.

813-735-4373.

THE AWARD-WINNING ANNA MARIA ISLAND SUN, a weekly newspaper on Florida’s Gulf Coast, (https://amisun. com; www.facebook. com/AnnaMariaIslandSun), is looking for a freelance reporter/ photographer to cover events on this tourismdriven island. The ideal candidate will have reporting and photography experience at a community newspaper and have some experience writing for a news website. Local residents or those with previous local knowledge and willing to relocate here a plus. Resumes and cover letters may be emailed to news@amisun.com or

by U.S. Postal Service to The Anna Maria Island Sun, P.O Box 1189, Anna Maria, FL 34216, attention: Mike Field, publisher.

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

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 941-7781115 www.kernconstructioninc.com MASTER CARPENTER. Decks-Docks-FencingStairs & Railing. Free Estimates. Handyman Work. Call Richard 941448-3571 JSAN CORPORATION Renovations Construction & Handyman Services 941-243-0995 Lic# CRC1332505 jsancorporation@gmail. com Flooring, Drywall, Painting, Repairs, Kitchen and Bathrooms, Trim & Doors.

Free Estimates. Credit Cards Accepted.

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

Licensed and insured.

References available.

Call Chris at 941-3028759 please visit website: isletileservices.com COASTAL INTERIORS Trim, paint, repairs and more 27yrs experience Local 786-318-8585

HOME SERVICES THE HARDWOOD STOP Flooring installation services; Laminate, hardwood, vinyl and tile. Bathroom and shower. Virtually dustless FLOOR REMOVAL License and insured FREE ESTIMATES 941-227-0041 www.thehardwoodstop.com

LANDSCAPING & LAWN CARE

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

R. GAROFALO’S Interlocking brick pavers, driveways, patios, pool decks. Free estimates. Licensed & Insured.

Call Rafael 941-778-4823 or Veronik 941-526-7941

TILE! TILE! TILE! All variations of tile supplied and installed. Quality workmanship. Prompt, reliable, many Island references. Free estimates.

Neil 941-726-3077

STRAIGHT SHOT LANDSCAPE. Specializing in Old Florida Seashell driveways and scapes. Also Rock, Mulch, & Soil. Free estimates. Call Shark Mark 941-301-6067

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

LOST & FOUND FOUND ON BEACH North end Anna Maria. Women’s prescription sunglasses Call 813-545-8884

MOVING & STORAGE MARTIN’S MOVING YOUR Island movers! Offering dependable, competitive rates. No hidden costs. 941-809-5777.

PAINTING & WALLCOVERING PAINT! PAINT! AND MORE 28 years of experienced interior/exterior custom painting. Pressure cleaning, drywall repairs and texture finishes. Many Island references. Please call Neil for free estimates.

941-812-0507 “WIZARD OF WALLS” Established 1980 Prompt quality service.

Paperhanging/removal Faux finishes. Interior painting. Mary Bell Winegarden 941-794-0455

PROFESSIONAL PAINTING SERVICES. Prompt & Reliable. Island Resident.

Quality Workmanship.

Interior/Exterior. Also minor repairs & carpentry. Free written detailed estimates. Bill Witaszek 941-307-9315 CUSTOM PAINTING, Residential-Commercial, Interior/Exterior Professional quality work for over 40 years. Free estimates.

Call Larry at 941-400-8754.

References available.

POOL SERVICES FOUR SEASONS POOL SERVICE AND CHEMICAL SERVICES. Certified Pool Operator. 10 + Years Experience.

Residential/commercial. Chemical Service Licensed & Insured. Call Dennis Clark 941-7375657 COLE'S TROPICAL POOL SERVICE Call Cole Bowers for all your pool maintenance needs! Affordable and Dependable!! 941-7131893

PRESSURE WASHING & WINDOWS AUTHORITY ONE CLEANING : Residential, Commercial, Construction, Vacation, VRBO Rentals . Also available Pressure Washing, Roof Cleaning, Paver Sealing and Windows. Call 941565-3931.

REAL ESTATE HOMES & CONDOS FOR SALE CANAL FRONT HOMES Holmes Beach – GULF FRONT CONDOS Gulf Place, L’Plage, Vista Grande, SPW, 5400 – DUPLEXES & MORE Island Real Estate ASK Alan Galletto 941232-2216 IMMACULATE WATERFRONT HOME 520 Kumquat Dr. 4BD/5BA 3928sf Coastal Beauty! Prime location on AMI. $2,750,000 Call Charles Buky Coldwell Banker 941-228-6086 LOOKING FOR A highly motivated real estate broker to buy or sell your next home? Darcie Duncan, Broker Duncan Real Estate a lifelong island resident bringing success to her customers for 30 years. Proven track record brings you results! 941-725-1589 TURN KEY FURNISHED VRBO River District Bradenton. Estately Gardens Vacasa. $769,000 Call Brenda Boyd May. Broker owner Boyd Realty. 941-730-8589

509 PINE AVE ,ANNA MARIA. $1,690,000. 2 Cottage homes w/pool.

Zoned nightly rentals/ Retail/Commercial.

Furnished w/rentals in place. Virtual Tour Avaliable. Christine Kourik Re/max 941-538-7414

RUNAWAY BAY CONDO-Bradenton Beach $335,000 water view 2BR/2BA furnished. Virtual Walk thru Tour Available. Christine Kourik Re/Max 941-538-7414

HOUSE FLIPPERS DREAM! Beautiful lakefront treed lot with house in Holmes Beach. One block to beach. $650,000. For details contact amiturtles@earthlink. net

RENTALS: ANNUAL ANNUAL RENTAL AT VILLAGE GREEN: Oversized villa with two-car garage, 2BR/2BA, unfurnished, nice updates throughout, Over 55, no pets/ smokers, First, last plus security, $1,795 monthly.

Available Nov. 1. Call Paige Rogers Duncan Real Estate 513-3821992.

www.amisun.com

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

BUSINESS & SERVICE DIRECTORY COMPUTER SERVICE

HOME IMPROVEMENT

HOME IMPROVEMENT

THE SUN

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

PAINTING

TRANSPORTATION HOME SERVICES

RENTALS: ANNUAL ANNUAL 2BR/1BA STEPS to Beach. Tile floors, dining area, deck with Gulf View, carport, storage room, washer/dryer. $1850/ mo. + utilities. First, Last & security deposit. Call 941778-3427 ANNUAL HOLMES BEACH cute 1BR efficiency. Washer/dryer hookup. No dogs $950/mo. First, last & security. Credit check required.

Available November 1. Call 941-809-2488

RENTALS: SEASONAL & VACATION MONTHLY RENTAL 1BR/2BA apartment with pool access. Bottom floor, pool is unheated, no washer/dryer. Steps to beach. No pets. $3800/ mo rent. Cleaning fee plus 12% tax. Available starting January 1, 2021. Call 941778-0426 TIFFANY PLACE Gulf Front Condo for Rent Incredible views from living room and master bedroom. 2BR/2BA Green Real Estate Call 941-778-0455

SIX MONTH RENTAL West of Gulf Drive. City of Anna Maria. 2BR/1BA upstairs apartment. $300/mo. Call 941-778-4499 SEASONAL RENTAL in PALMA SOLA. 3BR/2BA weekly or monthly rates.

Contact Barb Grace 941201-2190 ANNA MARIA ISLAND, Fl Condos. Pool beach access, fully equipped $700-$850/wk REDEKERCONDOSonAMI.com 941704-7525

ROOMMATE WANTED ROOMMATE WANTED VERY PRIVATE. MUST SEE. CALL 941-685-0045

TRANSPORTATION AMI TAXI metered-on-callcards accepted. Airport: Tampa $95, Sarasota $40, Clearwater $85, Orlando $195. Call 941-447-8372 or 941-447-8376. amitaxi4u@ gmail.com, www.amitaxi. com ANYTIME TRANSPORTATION to all Airports, Casino, etc. Tampa $70.

Sarasota $35. Pets welcome. Very dependable.

Reasonable rates. Contact Jeanne. 941-779-5095

AIRPORT RIDES- Tampa, St. Pete, Sarasota. Mask & gloves provided. Reasonable rates! Call or text Anna 941-932-1600

31

32

www.amisun.com

THE SUN

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

the Team Duncan Difference!

✔ Local-Area Expertise ✔ Outstanding Customer Service ✔ Experienced Professionals ✔ Proven Performance

310 Pine Avenue Anna Maria, FL 34216

TeamDuncan.com

941.779.0304