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NOV. 11, 2020 FrEE
the Best News on anna Maria Island since 1992
Astheworldterns. 6 CovID-19 cases on upswing. 3 Desantis extends state of emergency. 3 vote 2020. 4-5
Opinions. 6 10-20 Years ago
looking back. 7
tracking eta. 7 MPo sets priorities. 8
aMe reports 1st case of coronavirus By amy v.t. Moriarty Islander Reporter
A fifth-grade student at Anna Maria Elementary tested positive for the novel coronavirus Nov. 4, the school’s first reported case. Five other people, including a teacher, were identified as direct exposures when principal Jackie Featherston began the required contact tracing protocol. The student who tested positive was asymptomatic. The student and five people with direct exposure were sent home Nov. 4 for a 14-day quarantine, as mandated by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the
Florida State Department of Health. Featherston provided the information to AME families in a Connect-Ed message and also provided an update to the AME Parent Teacher Organization Nov. 5. And, in a follow up email to The Islander that day, Featherston said one of the student’s parents had contacted a teacher after a close family member — with whom that child had been in earlier contact — tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Responding, Featherston sent photos of the fifth-grade classroom, copies of a seating chart and other information to Florida Department of Health officials, she informed the PTO in a Zoom meeting Nov. 5.
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“There’s quite an elaborate tracking system the health department does,” Featherston said. According to the CDC, a direct exposure is someone who had close contact — less than 6 feet for at least 15 minutes — within the 48 hours before a person began to feel sick or was reported to have been in contact with someone who tested positive for the virus. The virus that causes COVID-19 is transmitted mainly from person-to-person in close contact through respiratory droplets and also can be airborne. Public health experts recommend social tURN to CoVID-19, Page 3
anna Maria votes to prohibit parking. 8 BB tram launched. 9 site of double homicide set for demolition. 9
Meetings. 9 Make plans, save a date. 10-11
aMe partners with Mote on dolphin project. 12
GoodDeeds. 12 Gathering.
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BB settles lawsuit. 15 Island street map.16-17
Streetlife. 19 Work on Bridge st. 20 tourism tax report. 22
ISL BIZ: scam. 22 get in the game. 23 Renourishment rolls toward lB pass. 24
Mapping the sunshine state. 25 Playoffs underway, strongmen arrive. 26 Windy? Fish inshore. 27 CLASSIFIEDS. 28
PropertyWatch. 28
NYT puzzle. 31
Holmes Beach Commissioner Pat Morton, left, rides shotgun Nov. 3 with Commissioner Kim Rash in Rash’s lsv to st. Bernard Catholic Church in Holmes Beach — the city’s polling location. Islander Photo: Chrisann allen
Holmes Beach Commissioner-elect Jayne Christenson poses Nov. 3 with her husband Joe at a victory celebration at a friend’s home. Christenson was the second-highest vote-getter, with 874 votes. Islander Courtesy Photo
rash retains seat, christenson elected in Holmes Beach By Chrisann allen Islander Reporter
It got heated in Holmes Beach. Both incumbents, a former commissioner and a challenger competed for two seats on the dais. After early votes, mail-in ballots and Election Day votes were tallied Nov. 3, incumbent Kim Rash was reelected and Jayne Christenson was voted in. Pat Morton, who served 17 years on the city commission, was not reelected. Rick Hurst lost his second bid for election since serving as a commissioner 2017-19. For the two seats on the commission, 991 voted to reelect Rash, 874 voted for Christenson, 856 voted for Hurst and 728 voted to reelect Morton. “I am so excited for this opportunity to work and represent the people and the city
I love,” Christenson said of her win in the nonpartisan race. “It is my goal to protect our community. Holmes Beach has a bright future and I am glad to be a part of it.” Rash, who received the most votes, said he was Christenson happy with the outcome. “I’m looking forward to helping the people of Holmes Beach for another two years,” he said. “I am going to continue to take care of the residents and be Rash a voice for them.” Rash was first elected in 2018. “They must be happy with the work I have done over the past two years,” he said of the electorate. “I let my record speak for
myself this time around.” Hurst said he’d hoped to return to the dais, but defeat would not stop his intentions to improve the city. As an offshoot of his campaign, Hurst created a Facebook page, “Citizens for a stronger Holmes Beach,” that will continue to promote Hurst’s platform. “There is a large contingent of citizens that are not being heard and there are multiple reasons why,” he said. Hurst lost to Christenson by 12 votes. However, Christenson received 502 votes by mail and Hurst only got 400 mail-in votes. “It looks like my failure was associated with the mail-in ballots,” he said. “I consider this halftime, will continue to promote my plan and will be back at it again next year.” Morton said he had been unsure whether
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