Flippin’ for Roser. 16 Privateer marketing. 23
JAN. 17, 2018 FREE
VOLUME 26, NO. 12
AsTheWorldTerns look for meaning. 6 Planners recommend rezone for BB bar. 4
Meetings
On the government calendar. 4
Op-Ed
The Islander editorial, reader letters. 6
10-20 YEARS AGO
From the archives. 7
Irma left HB condos in shambles.8
Happenings
Community announcements, activities. 10-11 Make plans, save a date. 12-13 Laughs go ‘Beyond a Joke.’ 15
Obituaries. 17 FISH charts new heritage trail. 18 County OKs green development for Cortez. 19
Streetlife. 20 PropertyWatch. 20 HB reinforces medical marijuana ban. 21
Light litters the night. 26 Winter fishing is about timing. 29
ISL BIZ
Waterline meets expectations. 30 CLASSIFIEDS. 32
Running for AME. 28
The Best News on Anna Maria Island Since 1992
State strikes bargain with butterfly advocate
By Kathy Prucnell Islander Reporter Fraud charges against a perennial Anna Maria Island volunteer will be dismissed if the subject completes a pretrial-diversion contract signed Jan. 3 with the 12th Circuit State Attorney. nancy Ambrose, 59, of Bradenton and formerly of Holmes Beach, turned herself into authorities in May 2017 after being advised of a warrant for her arrest. Several months later, Ambrose the state charged two felony counts: Failing to register as a charity and unlawful charitable solicitation. The charges stem from complaints to city officials in 2014 and 2015 and a Holmes Beach police investigation into Ambrose’s activities for the North American Butterfly Association beginning in October 2014. HBPD’s investigation concluded PLEASE SEE ButteRFLy PAGE 5
Owner holds out hope to preserve treehouse
By Kathy Prucnell Islander Reporter Hold that wrecking ball. Lynn Tran is hoping new talks with the city of Holmes Beach will lead to a compromise to save her treehouse after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a review of her and her husband’s petition. Tr a n a n d R i c h a r d Hazen’s petition to the high court asked to have an order from the Manatee County circuit court reversed. The lower court order, adopted Tran from the proposed order from the city attorney, sided with the city and denied the couple from proceeding to put approval of the treehouse before the city electorate. The high court declined to review the case Jan. 8, including it in a list of more than 600 denials. Mayor Bob Johnson said the city would PLEASE SEE tReeHOuse PAGE 2
www.islander.org
3 men in ‘shark drag’ video plead not guilty
By Kathy Prucnell Islander Reporter Three men in a video that went viral last year depicting them dragging a shark behind a speeding boat near Egmont Key have pleaded not guilty to charges of animal cruelty. Robert Benac III, 28, of Sarasota, and Michael Wenzel, 21, and Spencer Heintz, 23, both of Palmetto, face two felony counts of aggravated animal cruelty to a blacktip shark. Benac and Wenzel also were charged with a misdemeanor for spearing a blacknose shark the same day. Attorneys from Tampa: Justin Petredis for Benac, Stephen Crawford for Wenzel and Paul Sisco for Heintz, filed the not-guilty pleas Jan. 10 in the 13th Circuit Court. Judge Mark Wolfe was assigned to preside over their cases. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission began investigating PLEASE SEE sHARK PAGE 3
Local home broker uncovers rental scam
By Sandy Ambrogi Islander Reporter If her real estate career ever goes south, a local broker might look at becoming a detective. Jen Bowman and husband Mark are real estate partners on Anna Maria Island. They’ve been in business since 2004 and know the rental industry on the island inside and out. So when Tamy Ball of Ohio contacted Jen Bowman saying she had a bad feeling about a recent vacation rental contract, Bowman took one look and knew the document Bowman was bogus. “I had her send me a screen shot of the invoice and the red flags immediately went up,” Bowman said Jan. 9. “First, there was no resort tax. Everybody legitimate knows there is a 12 percent resort tax added on, period. Then the door code for the lock box was all wrong. It didn’t
make any sense for a U.S. Lock like the ones we use here,” Bowman continued. Ball said in a phone interview Jan. 9, she should have been more savvy about online booking, but it was her first time. “We come to Anna Maria about four times a year. We usually stay in the same place, but it was booked. This guy privatemessaged me quickly after I posted on a Facebook page I was looking for accommodations,” Ball said. The man messaged Ball that she could rent his property, Peach Bellini in Holmes Beach, with a $750 PayPal deposit. He said Ball would save $450 by booking with him and bypassing his rental agency. The scammer then helped Ball set up a PayPal account. “I should have thought something was funny, but it was the holidays. I’m a kindergarten teacher. I have two kids of my own. I was busy and just glad to have somewhere to stay for my spring break trip with other teachers,” Ball said. PLEASE SEE sCAM PAGE 3
Low tide view
Christopher Milne Gething captured sunrise and an extreme low tide Jan. 4 at Tidy Island. Sarasota is in the distance. “It was cold, as you know, but that tends to generate the best sunrises,” he wrote in an email to The Islander.