Outlaws on the beach. 10 Astheworldterns find clams ‘mor’ tasty. 6
1st ArtWalk. 18
Tackling the mat. 28 JAN. 16, 2019 FREE
VOLUME 27, NO. 12
Treehouse case set for conference. 2 Chiles named Anna Maria Citizen of the Year. 3 New governor takes up red tide issue. 4
Meetings
On the government calendar. 4 HB enacts permit-topermit moratorium. 5
Op-Ed
The Islander editorial, reader opinion. 6
10-20 YEARS AGO
From the archives. 7
BB CRA plans Bridge Street workshop. 8 AM mayor drives Pine Ave. parking study. 8
Happenings
Community announcements, activities. 10-11 Save a date. 12-13 Dash out to AME. 14 Depositions continue in BB v. citizens. 16 FISH hopes to grow festival. 19 Island Players stage ‘I Hate Hamlet.’ 20 Cricket challenge. 21
Gathering. 22
Obituaries. 23 Streetlife. 24 Florida scores a D from Surfrider. 27 Fishing. 29 Biz news. 31 CLASSIFIEDS. 32 NYT Sunday puzzle. 35
Celebrating the Best News on Anna Maria Island Since 1992
www.islander.org
Trolley driver recovers girl’s plush pet, missing backpack
By Sandy ambrogi islander reporter it’s a tale of a damsel in distress, a hero and a happy ending. it starts with the mcgoey family of new Jersey as they wind up their holiday on anna maria island Jan. 2, piling their belongings into the back of a rental car. en route to the airport, already in Bradenton near u.S. 41, they noticed the tailgate was open and 12-year-old addison mcgoey’s backpack, containing rudolph the buffalo, a stuffed animal and her constant companion, was missing. it was important enough to send the family back to the island on a search. they circled back, retracing their route to where they began in anna maria at elm avenue, but they had no luck. in spite of their efforts, rudolph and the black backpack were not found. enter island trolley driver patricia adams. She was driving her route that day when she spotted a black backpack on the side of the street near ginny’s and Jane e’s
coastal Store and Bakery cafe. adams stopped the trolley and picked up the backpack to put in the lost and found, thinking a rider might claim the item. She also started to do a little investigating. “i looked up the local craigslist lost
By ryan paice islander reporter the beach will have to endure another hurricane season, but the gulf of mexico shoreline on anna maria island will be renourished in 2019. Hurricane and storm season runs may 1-nov. 31. charlie Hunsicker, director of the manatee county parks and natural resources department, said in an interview Jan. 8 that two renourishment projects, spanning 5.4 miles of beachfront south from 79th Street in Holmes Beach to Longboat pass, are in
the works for 2019. Beginning in November 2019, the first project will bring sand to the shoreline from 79th Street to fifth Street South in Bradenton Beach. the u.S. army corps of engineers will pay for 54 percent of the project, with supplemental and emergency funding appropriated from the u.S. congress to counteract erosion caused by Hurricane irma in September 2017, according to Hunsicker. the state and manatee county will split the remaining costs of island renourishment at 23 percent each.
Addison McGoey hugs Rudolph, her cherished toy buffalo, Jan. 12 on its return to her in New Jersey. Islander Photo: Courtesy Theresa McGoey
and found and there it was,” she told the islander. “So, i called the number and made arrangements about sending it back.” adams has been driving for manatee county area transit for 12 years, spending the past two years on the trolley loop. “She is one of our very best drivers,” Kevin Sheerin, mcat supervisor in the trolley division, said Jan. 10 of adams. He said adams was nominated for state operator of the year in 2018 and would be nominated again. the mcgoey family was thrilled by her extra effort, and the return of the much-loved rudolph. mom theresa said addison was facing the probability she would never see rudolph again. the toy was a gift at age 3, and she towed it everywhere. “She maintained her composure until we got home to new Jersey. then i think it hit her she might never get it back. When i got the call from adams, i sent addison a text,” mcgoey said. pLeaSe See Backpack, page 3
Beach washout evident, renourishment planned
Beach erosion north of Bradenton Beach’s southernmost groin, created an escarpment, revealing a rope and bollards — part of a divider that protected the dune from being trampled by people. Islander Photo: Courtesy David Herrmann
Hunsicker said he expects the project to total $16 million. “as a result of Hurricane irma, we have a full year-and-a-half to two-year head start on addressing what would have otherwise been the erosion due to this last storm,” Hunsicker said. “if we had a completely healthy beach and observed these erosional losses, and then started the process today, it would take us at least another year-and-a-half to get to where we are right now.” the cost of the second project will be split between the federal emergency management agency, manatee county and the state of florida, with fema covering 75 percent and the state and county sharing the remainder. the project will span the shore from fifth Street South to Longboat pass and cost about $4 million, according to Hunsicker. “We hope to piggyback on the contractor that the army engineers will be using, so instead of stopping at Bradenton Beach and packing up and leaving, they can stay right with it and keep on going under a separate and independent contract to do the coquina Beach segment, and thereby save substantially in local and state dollars,” Hunsicker said. pLeaSe See Beach, page 2