The Islander Newspaper E-Edition: Wednesday, July 26, 2023

Astheworldterns 6

Top Notch

Photo contest guide. Q&A 072623 3

fWc busts alleged poachers in bay. 4 grassy Point improvements get oK. 5

Meetings 5

Opinions 6

10-20 YEARS AGO

Looking back. 7

budget talks

HB sets max millage, while BB eyes cra budget. 8-9

Save the date. 10

AMI Happenings

What’s up on ami? 11 a pirate’s christmas in July celebration. 12

School days ahead. 13

Gathering. 14

GoodDeeds 14

Obituaries 14

defunct bank property sells — again. 15

RoadWatch 16

Streetlife. 17

dot undertaking bridge repairs. 18

Sports news. 20 the beauty of bait. 21

NESTING NOTES the hole thing. 22

crime, punishment. 23

CLASSIFIEDS. 24-25

Isl Biz: 26

PropertyWatch. 26

the Best news on anna maria island Since 1992 islander.org

Top Notch

the islander archive, dating to november 1992, is at the university of florida digital newspaper collection: ufdc.ufl.edu.

Week 3: Natural

drama

Bill Shafer of anna maria wins the third week of the islander’s 2023 top notch photo contest with a sunset photograph — taken July 18 overlooking tampa Bay from the rod & reel Pier in anna maria. the photographer wins an islander “more-than-a-mullet wrapper” t-shirt and entry into the finals, which offers a grand prize of $100 from the islander and gift certificates from islander advertisers. contest guidelines: page 3.

Happy planting

Bradenton Beach ScenicWaVeS member

cathy King shows enthusiasm July 17 for a pigeon plum she selected during a tree giveaway at the anna maria island chamber of commerce, 5513 gulf drive, Holmes Beach. the nonprofit Keep manatee Beautiful provided the trees for the July 17-18 event, offering a selection of three native species to islanders — pigeon plum, silver buttonwood and thatch palm. for more photos, go to page 12. to connect with KmB, go to www.manateebeautiful. com. to connect with the anna maria island chamber of commerce, go to annamariaislandchamber.org. islander Photo: robert

Catching the call from Kingfish

Retired paramedic recalls response to 1980 quadruple murder

By Lisa neff islander editor

The call came in about 5 p.m. Aug. 1, 1980, out of Holmes Beach and paramedic Richard C. Zavadil raced to the Kingfi sh Boat Ramp.

Soon after arriving to the park on the north side of Manatee Avenue, the young paramedic with Manatee County Emergency Medical Services was transporting two men — both suffering gunshots and one of them mortally wounded — to Blake Medical Center in Bradenton.

Zavadil’s colleagues would take three

Driver’s employer reviewing fatal pedestrian crash

By ryan Paice islander reporter

Potential consequences following a May 12 pedestrian crash in Holmes Beach that left one person dead may hinge on a contested ticket.

Bradenton city administrator Rob Perry told The Islander July 17 that the city opened an administrative review of the incident, which involves Bradenton Fire Department driver/engineer Michael Ritchie, 43.

Ritchie struck pedestrians Deborah and Miriam Trotter with his 2018 GMC 2500 while they were using a crosswalk with an active signal on Gulf Drive between S&S Plaza and the defunct Wells Fargo building.

The pedestrians were taken to HCA Florida Blake Hospital in Bradenton, where Deborah Trotter, 65, of Holmes Beach, was treated and released the same day.

Her mother, Miriam Trotter, 86, of

Surreal ‘7th’

capt. david White, charter fishing guide, rides high over anna maria island July 20 with daughter Layla, part of her 7th birthday celebration. White said, “She was apprehensive at first, but thoroughly elated when she got up in the air.” He added that it was so quiet in the air that it felt surreal. islander Photo: anne Yarbrough

other victims — two boys and a third man, all fatally shot — to the hospital.

The paramedics were fi rst responders answering dispatches in a mass shooting — the unsolved quadruple murders known today as the Kingfish Boat Ramp Killings.

That evening in 1980, Dr. Juan Antonio Dumois, 47, of Tampa, with sons Eric, 13, and Mark, 9, and brother-in-law Raymond Barrows, 52, of Miami, returned to the boat ramp from a day of fishing.

The vacationers, who were staying on the island, had put their boat on a trailer

turn to PEDEsTRiAn CRAsh Page 3

anderson

richard c. Zavadil. islander

Photo: Lisa neff

“that’s me,” says retired paramedic richard c Zavadil of flamingo cay, pointing to himself in a newspaper photo taken 43 years ago after the shooting of five people — four died — in Holmes Beach. islander Photo: Lisa neff

hitched to a station wagon when, according to Barrows, a stranger walking a bicycle approached and asked for a ride.

Dumois and Barrows helped the hitchhiker put the bike into their boat and all three got into the wagon, with the hitchhiker joining the boys in the backseat and Dumois at the wheel.

Dumois was driving toward Manatee Avenue when the hitchhiker shot all four family members — Dumois and his sons would die — and then fled toward the nearby Island Foodway, now the site of Publix, where Westbay Cove resident Robert G. Matzke was shot during an altercation in the parking lot.

Still not known is the identity of the killer or killers or the motive.

“It takes evil to do something like that,” said Zavadil, who lives in a family home on Flamingo Cay with his wife of 39 years, Jennifer.

Zavadil, who moved to the area in the late 1970s

from Illinois, is retired after a long career as a paramedic, first with the county and later in the ER at Blake. He studied to work in emergency medicine and “being a paramedic fit the bill.”

On Aug. 1, 1980, Zavadil was on shift in Palmetto when he and other paramedics were called to the island for what initially was reported as a car crash.

“I really couldn’t believe the amount of people and cars on the side of the road,” Zavadil said July 12 of his arrival. “A lot of people stopped. I do remember that. Just a sea of cars and people at the intersection.”

He made his way through a crowd near Manatee Avenue and East Bay Drive to tend to Juan Dumois and Barrows.

“The father had an obvious mortal wound,” Zavadil said.

But Barrows, who died in 1982, could sit up and Zavadil, as he tended to the man, spoke with him “just sort of about what happened.”

Zavadil had seen gunshot wounds before and his concern was triage, what he described as the ABCs of emergency medicine — airway, breathing, circulation.

When he looks at the old newspaper photos from the scene, Zavadil recognizes former colleagues, old friends.

“Everyone was there,” he said of the EMS team, part of the county’s public safety division.

And he’s wondered since whether he passed the killer while enroute to the scene.

Zavadil said he doesn’t talk a lot about the shootings or the 43-year mystery.

“I pay attention when the anniversary comes up,” he said. “I can remember the day. But I’ve seen a lot since.”

Forty-three years ago, Zavadil answered a call to the Kingfish Boat Ramp, did his job and moved on to the next call.

“I probably stayed up all night on the job,” he said.

In the Aug. 2 edition of The Islander: The words of witnesses.

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‘Is this the gunman?’ a composite sketch — first published in the islander 43 years ago — was one of multiple sketches created of the alleged suspect in a murder-mystery that remains unsolved.

kingfish killings continued from Page 1

emergency workers place a man on a stretcher at the scene of a crash aug. 1, 1980, on manatee avenue near the Kingfish Boat ramp. the four murders that occurred that day remain unsolved.

Maryland, suffered critical injuries and died May 17.

Ritchie was not arrested and was not charged with a criminal offense.

However, Ritchie was issued a $166 traffic citation for failing to yield to pedestrians at an intersection with a traffic control device.

Attorney David Haenel, of Sarasota-based The Law Place, May 22 filed a plea of not guilty and requested a trial by county court judge on behalf of his client, Ritchie.

Holmes Beach police officer Alexander Hurt, who issued the citation, Deborah Trotter and two witnesses at the scene were subpoenaed by the court to appear at a traffic infraction hearing in August.

In the meantime, Perry said the city of Bradenton’s administrative review was examining the “tragic” incident “from both an HR perspective as well as a perspective of public safety, management and fitness for duty.”

Certain public employees, like Ritchie, have a property interest/right in their employment and are entitled due process before they can be terminated.

Perry said city staff is reviewing state law about how off-duty driving incidents impact minimum employment qualifications.

“We have to ensure that we balance the interest of the city as it relates to having employees that carefully operate the equipment with the nature of any sort of off-duty incident that may question that or provide a basis to somehow effect minimum qualifications,” Perry said.

Bradenton won’t make much progress on its administrative review until Ritchie’s infraction challenge is resolved in court.

“We’re going to have to let that play out,” Perry said. “Everybody is presumed innocent and we’ve got to see what the court does on that before we can even consider anything else.”

“Otherwise, the employee has a good driving record. There have been no prior incidents. It was off duty. So, we’re going to continue to monitor the situa-

In her memory

a cross labeled “mom” and forever pink flowers grace the intersection of gulf and marina drives at the crosswalk where miriam trotter, 86, of maryland, visiting her daughter in Holmes Beach, suffered critical injuries and died may 17. the driver, michael ritchie of Bradenton, was cited for “failing to yield the right of way to pedestrian at intersection with traffic control device” following the incident. He contested the citation and asked for a trial, which was set for aug. 9 at the manatee county Judicial center in Bradenton. islander Photo: Bonner Joy

tion and see where it plays out and consider the totality of the circumstances.”

A traffic infraction hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 9, at the Manatee County Judicial Center, 1051 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.

SUNSET CRUISES & DOLPHIN TOURS

Enter photo, win contest

Look to July 28 for the fourth in a series of weekly deadlines for The Islander’s Top Notch contest.

Each will claim a front-page position, an Islander “More than a mullet wrapper” T-shirt and each will be entered in the competition for the grand prize.

One weekly winner will take the grand prize in the contest, earning the photographer a $100 prize from The Islander and certificates from partner merchants.

There also is a pet photo contest with a prize-winner announced in the final week and we’ll shout out the honorable mentions as well.

Look online for rules and details.

Note, each JPG must be included in a single email with the name of the photographer, date the photo was taken, location and description, names of recognizable people and the address/ phone number of the photographer.

Entries should be sent to topnotch@islander.org.

— Bonner Joy

Q&A 072623

The Islander poll

Last week’s question

By Lisa neff

Interested in AMI elections? Qualifying is in August.

7%. I just might run.

64%. Hope there’s a contest.

29%. Status quo is good. this week’s question

A new year school year begins Aug. 10. Favorite back-to-school item?

A. Crayons.

B. No. 2 pencil.

C. Binder.

D. iPad.

To answer the poll, go online to islander.org.

FWC busts alleged sea life poachers at work in bay

By robert anderson islander reporter

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in July put those seeking to poach sea life from Sarasota Bay on notice.

An FWC officer in the area of Longboat Pass in Sarasota Bay at about 8 p.m. July 18 observed people taking sea life, according to a report from the agency.

The report said the officer inspected one vessel and found numerous species, including lightning whelk, hard clams, tulip snails and fighting conchs.

In total, eight species and more than 250 organisms were returned alive to the waters during the investigation.

Also, the FWC issued a captain on the boat two criminal citations for alleged illegal harvest of sea life. The name of the captain was not provided by the FWC as of Islander press time July 24.

Earlier July 18, the FWC had received calls from tour boat captains who saw people collecting large quantities of sea life.

A similar incident occurred July 1 near Jewfish Key off Longboat Key.

In the July 1 incident, Linh Anh Ha and Loc Nguyen of Bradenton and Hai Nguyen of Rockford, Illinois, were cited for allegedly harvesting more than two live shellfish of the same species per day, which is prohibited in Manatee County and a violation of Florida’s administrative code pertaining to marine life recreational bag limits, according to a case report from the clerk of the circuit court’s office.

The men will be arraigned at 8:55 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8, at the Manatee County Judicial Center in Bradenton.

Several hundred live shells confiscated July 1 by the FWC were returned to Sarasota Bay.

The state investigators have been aided by tour boat operators, including Capt. Kathe Fannon of Captain Kathe and First Mate Pup-Pup Charters in Cortez, Capt. Katie Tupin of Captain Katie Scarlett Boat Tours in Cortez, and Capt. Joe Sweet of Sweet Sunsets and Dolphin Tours in Anna Maria.

All three captains provided information, photographs and video to the FWC.

On July 17, Tupin said she and her fiance documented the illegal harvest of several hundred live shellfish by people on one boat. She said she confronted the boaters after witnessing them tear animals from shells to keep the flesh.

The captains have been working for months to document what they say are several groups poaching sea life from sandbars and grass flats in the bay.

“It’s about time that these poachers are held accountable,” Tupin said in a July 20 interview with The Islander. “Since the first call late June-early July, I have noticed a much bigger (law enforcement) presence and patrol around the bay.”

Sweet, who before captaining a tour boat served in the U.S. Coast Guard as part of the presidential security detachment at Stations Key West and Cortez, said he received a congratulatory text from FWC officers for aid.

He said the FWC has built some solid cases against poachers this summer.

However, Sweet and Tupin said putting a halt to illegal harvesting will take time.

Sweet told The Islander July 20 that the FWC is spread thin and having trouble responding to hotline

Checking the rules

the florida fish and Wildlife conservation commission website states the following about collecting sea life:

in manatee county, you may not harvest or possess more than two shells (includes echinoderms such as sand dollars and starfish) containing live organisms of any single species except for oysters, hard clams, sunray Venus clams and coquinas per day.

the recreational collection of seashells is allowed depending on whether or not the harvested seashell contains a living organism, the type of organism it contains and where you will be collecting.

Seashells containing live organisms cannot be sold unless the seller has a valid commercial saltwater products license.

Harvest of any shellfish species is prohibited year-round in waters not meeting approved or conditionally approved classification, including any unclassified waters.

an fWc vessel intercepts boaters July 18 in Sarasota Bay to initiate an inspection. islander

Photos: courtesy capt. Katie tupin

BeLoW: Harvested shellfish seized July 18 include sea pen, conch, whelk and clams, as well as a pair of crab claws. islander

Photo: courtesy fWc

calls.

“They are working short-staffed due to border issues. Hopefully, they catch more (poachers) since we know there are way more offenders out there,” Sweet said.

In May, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis sent Florida National Guard troops and law enforcement offi cers to Texas to assist with border control. The assignment included 20 FWC officers.

How to help

Capt. Katie Tupin of Captain Katie Scarlett Boat Tours Tupin has started a Facebook page, Voices for Sarasota Bay, that focuses on education for the preservation of sea life and seagrass in Sarasota Bay. To reach Voices for Sarasota Bay by phone, call 941-3488162.

To reach the FWC hotline, call 888-404-3922.

Contractor shortage stymies BB resiliency project

By robert anderson islander reporter

Bradenton Beach is calling all contractors.

City attorney Ricinda Perry July 20 said the city is having trouble procuring bids for grant-funded flood control projects.

Perry is acting as grant manager on a $2,694,248 grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to complete street-end improvements designed by Colliers Engineering of Tampa.

The goal is to reduce flooding on Gulf Drive North, provide better ingress and egress to properties and assist the city with efforts to reclaim rights of ways and parking at street ends.

“This particular project has been running into snags since day one,” Perry said during a city meeting July 20 at city hall. “My concern is that the project has to be completed. We cannot get an extension past July 30 of 2024. We are down to less than a year.”

Yet the city received no bids in response to three requests issued between Jan. 30 and May 8.

“There is a lot of work south of us and everybody is tied up,” Perry said, referring to the recovery from 2022 hurricane damage.

With the window for soliciting bids closed, Perry said it’s possible now to reach out to contractors, including those with records of work with the city.

Though they did not submit bids, Perry said two of the three contractors contacted by the city showed interest.

Superior Asphalt would be interested in the paving

portion, Perry said, and JM Underground Utilities LLC would be interested in the excavation and grading work.

JM Underground Utilities is completing a community redevelopment agency-funded utilities undergrounding project in the district.

“I think that’s the only way we’re going to get anybody to do it, it sounds like it,” Mayor John Chappie said. “I hate losing more time because we are in a time pinch.”

Commissioner Ralph Cole voiced concerns about using more than one contractor.

Mark Porter, project manager for Utility Consultants of Florida in Largo, called into the meeting. He said, “We will have to create an overall master schedule that is part of their contracts so there would be certain dates, objectives and milestones that have to be met to fulfill their contract portion.”

Commissioner Jan Vosburgh motioned to authorize Perry and Porter to secure contractors, contracts and a master schedule.

The motion was seconded by Cole and passed 4-0. Marilyn Maro was absent with excuse.

The contracts, schedules and rates will be reviewed at the 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 3, commission meeting at city hall, 107 Gulf Drive N. Click!

The Islander welcomes news of the milestones in readers’ lives. Send notices — along with contact info — to news@islander.org.

Boaters from a vessel anchored at Jewfish Key carry shellfish.

Holmes Beach approves preserve improvements

By ryan Paice islander reporter

The Grassy Point Preserve in Holmes Beach is set to receive a couple of upgrades.

City commissioners reached consensus July 18 to authorize Mayor Judy Titsworth to execute a $169,770.42 agreement with Pinellas Park-based Khors Construction to complete the project.

The city purchased the 32-acre property at 3021 Ave. C in 2001 with state funding and opened the Grassy Point Preserve in October 2012.

The original preserve included a 1,000-foot nature trail around the upland portion of the property, four parking spaces, a picnic area with three tables, a bicycle rack and an informational kiosk.

In 2015, the city began improving the preserve by reworking the trail, planting 750 native plant species and installing bollards at its entrance to prevent bikes and golf carts from entering.

The city further improved the preserve in 2016, when it installed a boardwalk, observation platform and fishing pier required by the original grant award agreement with the state.

Nevertheless, city engineer Sage Kamiya said July 18 that the city never fully realized its plans for the preserve.

“For whatever reason, when we did this back then, we showed the Southwest Florida Water Management District the entire project but we only did the stuff in the middle,” he said.

Kamiya told The Islander July 20 that the improvements — which have been permitted by Swiftmud — would bring the city’s original plans to fruition.

Planned improvements include the creation of a shell pathway and boardwalk from a trolley stop on East Bay Drive to the preserve’s entrance, which is currently only accessible via Avenue C.

They also include the expansion of a 10-foot-by10-foot observation deck at the end of the walkway so visitors can get a better view beyond the mangroves.

“If you go stand at the end now, you can’t see very far because the mangroves have outgrown. So it’s not much of an observation area. You just kind of look at a mangrove. … This gives us the ability to see a little bit farther and it opens it up a bit,” Kamiya said.

He added that the improvements may be the last

Bradenton Beach OKs variance for Sandpiper veteran

By robert anderson islander reporter

Bradenton Beach commissioners approved a variance and waived fees associated with a request from a disabled military veteran for his home at the Sandpiper Resort.

Commissioners, with input from building official Steve Gilbert and city attorney Ricinda Perry, accepted the June 8 findings of a special master Attorney Marisa Powers regarding a request from Patrick J. Burch.

In October 2022, Burch asked for a variance for a set of stairs at the entrance to his mobile home. He requested a 3.5-foot variance from the 4-foot setback required by the land development code.

Burch wanted a larger deck and stairs for better accessibility but the larger deck would go to within 6 inches of 27th Street, requiring the variance.

Commissioner Ralph Cole motioned to ratify the findings of the special master and was seconded by Commissioner Jake Spooner. The vote to approve was 4-0. Marilyn Maro was absent with excuse.

Commissioner Jan Vosburgh then suggested waiving fees associated with the variance.

Spooner motioned to do so and was seconded by

Make the most of summer

Is your business making the most of the summer season?

Improve your odds of success with The Islander readers looking to shop and dine, as well as seeking indoor and outdoor fun. For ad info, call or text 941-778-7978.

Vosburgh. The vote was 4-0. The next commission meeting will be at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 3, at city hall, 107 Gulf Drive N.

Bradenton Beach building official Steve gilbert speaks July 20 to city commissioners about a setback variance for a residence in the Sandpiper mobile resort, 2601 gulf drive n. islander

Photo: robert anderson

mangroves in grassy Point Preserve, 3021 ave. c, Holmes Beach, July 21 almost reach the end of the boardwalk. the city plans to build an observation deck at the end of the boardwalk to improve the view of anna maria Sound for visitors. islander

Photo: ryan Paice

stage of expansion at the preserve unless the city obtains enough nearby property to add to the preserve.

The commission will meet next at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 15, at city hall, 5801 Marina Drive.

People can view a livestream of the meeting on the city’s website, holmesbeachfl.org.

Meetings

ANNA MARIA CITY

July 27, 6 p.m., commission. CANCELED

Aug. 2, 9 a.m., planning and zoning.

By Lisa neff

Anna Maria City Hall, 10005 Gulf Drive, 941-708-6130, cityofannamaria.com.

BRADENTON BEACH

Aug. 2, 9:30 a.m., CRA.

Aug. 2, 1 p.m., planning and zoning.

Aug. 3, 6 p.m., commission.

Bradenton Beach City Hall, 107 Gulf Drive N., 941-778-1005, cityofbradentonbeach.com.

HOLMES BEACH

Aug. 2, 5 p.m., planning.

Holmes Beach City Hall, 5801 Marina Drive, 941-708-5800, holmesbeachfl.org.

MANATEE COUNTY

July 27, 9 a.m., commission (budget).

July 31, 1:30 p.m., commission (with school board).

Aug. 1, 9 a.m., commission (work session).

Aug. 3, 9 a.m., commission (work session).

County administration building, 1112 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton, 941-748-4501, mymanatee.org.

ALSO OF INTEREST

Aug. 1, 4 p.m., Manatee County Council of Governments, Bradenton Area Convention Center, 1 Haben Blvd., Palmetto. Please, send meeting notices to calendar@islander.org.

What’s in the water?

Last week we were focused on sharks — and we are in the midst of Shark week.

Sure, there’s plenty to watch on the Discovery cable network, but some of The Islander staff are more focused on reruns of 1977’s “Jaws” movie and its sequels. Scary or campy, “Jaws” brought us a couple of memorable tunes — first, the “dunnn dunnn, dunnn, dunnn theme song composed by John Williams for Stephen Spielberg.

And there was Capt. Quinn’s humming and haunting lyrics of an old sea shanty, “Spanish Ladies.”

“Nevermore shall we see you again,” lyrics original to the movie character’s chant, put a shroud of fatalism over the shark-hunting plot.

But since the popular movie debuted, we’ve learned the value of sharks to the oceans.

Last week we also told you the beginnings of a plot by poachers to reap their bounty from the sea, like scavengers clearing store shelves during an apocalypse. The story continues this week.

These poachers scoured the grass flats and sand bars, clearing nearly all sea life — sea pens, lightning whelk, hard clams, tulip snails and fighting conchs.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission was called into action by several area tour guides, who make a living by guiding people to our waters and sea life for enjoyment, not for harvest.

Some FWC officers said they would be working on the poaching issue going forward — noting the health of the bay is dependent on the protection of shellfish and, as nature’s filter feeders and algae eaters, removing a species can create an imbalance that is a detriment to water quality.

The FWC may have to work quickly to establish limits and protections for shell fish.

We know that scallops and clams were overfished in our waters years ago at the same time water quality was being degraded by development — and shell fish reproduction has never caught up to the past.

It’s clear there’s a market for the various species targeted by the poachers. And we can assume it’s lucrative and it won’t end because of a few citations. The poachers may become more stealth and more prolific.

What we do now will impact the life of the bays far into the future.

We must develop and practice responsible methods to harvest seafood of all types — whether snook, goliath grouper or tiny tulip shells. We can and must do better.

Or nevermore shall we see them again.

— Bonner Joy, news@islander.org

Ferry fuss

Regarding an Islander report on a hitch in a proposed agreement between the city of Anna Maria and Manatee County over docking new water taxi boats, Facebook commenters said:

“Some things never change. I attempted the same thing 12 years ago with my own 49-passenger boat … with no county assistance. And guess what stopped it — the Anna Maria City Commission.

By the way, the article says the estimated time from Bradenton to Anna Maria is 35 minutes.

Skimming online

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Connections, AMI & beyond

▼ Publisher, Co-editor Bonner Joy, news@islander.org

▼ Editorial editor Lisa neff, lisa@islander.org

robert anderson, robert@islander.org

Joe Bird, editorial cartoonist

Kevin cassidy, kevin@islander.org

Jack elka, jack@jackelka.com

Brook morrison, brook@islander.org

ryan Paice, ryan@islander.org

▼ Contributors

Karen riley-Love

Jacob merrifield

capt. danny Stasny, fish@islander.org

nicole Quigley

▼ Advertising Director

toni Lyon, toni@islander.org

▼ Webmaster Wayne ansell

▼ Office Manager, Lisa Williams info@, accounting@, classifieds@, subscriptions@islander.org

▼ Distribution

urbane Bouchet

ross roberts

Judy Loden Wasco

(All others: news@islander.org)

At 8 knots it’s more like 1 1/2 hours. I have made the run many times. Those boats are not fast enough to make it in 35 minutes.

I’ve always thought it would be a good idea but at what cost?

It will be interesting to see how it plays out.”

— Jeff Stephens, owner, Island Pearl Excursions

“Will be worth the wait.”

— Julie Kane

“Mayor Murphy is onto something.”

— Yvette Gagnier

“It will have a minimal effect on traffic. Better bus service and safe bike lanes would do much more.”

— Charlie Hurd

“Well, that figures! Did you ever see anything go smoothly in Manatee County or Anna Maria Island?”

— Sandy Lenehan

“With the proposed hours, there are no island workers who could use the ferry service.”

— Santiago Cruz

Anna Maria: Mayor Dan Murphy, 941-708-6130, cityofannamaria.com, ammayor@cityofannamaria.com.

Bradenton Beach : Mayor John Chappie, 941778-1005, cityofbradentonbeach.org, mayor@cityofbradentonbeach.com.

Holmes Beach: Mayor Judy Titsworth, 941-7085800, holmesbeachfl.org, hbmayor@holmesbeachfl.org.

Manatee County : Republican Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge, 941-745-3705, kevin.vanostenbridge@mymanatee.org.

Florida Governor : Republican Ron DeSantis, 850-717-9337 for staff, flgov.com for email, @GovRonDeSantis via Twitter.

Florida Senate: Republican Jim Boyd, 941-7426445, boyd.jim.web@flsenate.gov, flsenate.gov, @JimBoydFL via Twitter.

Florida House : Republican Rep. William Cloud “Will” Robinson Jr., 941-708-4968, will.robinson@myfloridahouse.gov, myfloridahouse. gov, @will_robinsonjr via Twitter.

Letters to the editor We welcome opinion letters. Submit comments along with a name, city of residence and phone number for verification to news@islander.org.

At the blackboard a teacher — identified in the photo archives as mrs. H.H. Higgins — leads a lesson at anna maria elementary School in Holmes Beach. the photo is not dated. islander Photos: manatee county Public Library System

In the archives

Islander archive 24/7

Some years ago, The Islander was invited to take part in a pilot project with the University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries. We donated our collection of printed newspapers beginning with the first edition in 1992. It took some time, but it’s all maintained on the library site, searchable by key word, name or date. Look for The Islander in the UofF Florida digital newspaper collection at ufdc.ufl.edu.

We’d love to mail you the news!

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We bring you all the news about three city governments, community happenings, people features and special events … even real estate transactions … everything you need if your “heart is on Anna Maria Island.”

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Yippee!

anna maria elementary students present a “Hee Haw Show” in September 1980. classes at the “little school by the bay” begin thursday, aug. 10.

10&20 years ago

From the July 23, 2003, issue

• The Island Middle School Board elected teacher Gary Hughes as director after Carol Celona, a 20-year veteran of the school district, withdrew from consideration. The election prompted the resignations of several founding board members.

• Holmes Beach Mayor Carol Whitmore, in her draft 2003-04 budget, proposed lowering the city’s ad valorem tax rate from 2.25 mills to 2.0 because property values increased 20.9% from 2002 to 2003.

• Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch director Suzi Fox reported someone vandalized six sea turtle nests in Holmes Beach by digging up the nests and taking turtle eggs. Fox said the beach area between 29th Street to about 40th Street had a number of vandalized turtle nests. She offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

From the July 24, 2013,

issue

• Manatee County announced plans to expand Robinson Preserve in northwest Bradenton by about 150 acres using money from a BP oil spill settlement.

• Anna Maria commissioners were set to discuss the possibility of instituting paid parking and permit parking on public property, as well as consolidating police services with Holmes Beach.

• Dozens of protestors staging from Cortezboarded vessels of all sizes formed a boat brigade that cruised across Sarasota Bay to Long Bar Pointe, a site where developers proposed more than 400 acres of housing, stores, boat slips and a hotel.

— Lisa neff

Holmes Beach officials set 2023-24 max millage, tax increase

By ryan Paice islander reporter

The city of Holmes Beach is one step closer to determining property taxes for the upcoming fiscal year.

City commissioners unanimously voted July 18 to adopt a 2.15 maximum millage rate and authorize Mayor Judy Titsworth to submit forms DR-420 and DR-420mmp to the Manatee County Property Appraiser’s Office for fiscal 2023-24.

The upcoming fiscal year begins Oct. 1.

The millage rate is the amount per $1,000 of property value used to calculate property taxes. The owner of a property appraised at $500,000 using the city’s current 2.07 millage rate would pay $1,035 in property taxes.

City treasurer Cindy Dunham-Tozer told commissioners the municipality’s goal for fiscal 2023-24 was to lower the millage rate to 2.0677.

“We may be able to reduce the millage, in part due to the success of city center, stormwater and roadway work that has been accomplished in this fiscal year,” she said.

The owner of a property appraised at $500,000 applying a 2.0677 millage rate would pay $1,033.85 in property taxes.

While it would be a lower rate than the current year, it would still result in a tax increase due to a $398,848,826 increase in total taxable property value over this year, according to the PAO.

That valuation spike led the city to project $716,549 more tax revenue than it collected last year, despite the

Millage matters

How does millage affect a property owner’s tax bill?

Owners can use this equation to determine their tax amount in a jurisdiction: Taxable value ÷ 1,000 × millage rate = property tax owed.

Multiple authorities tax island properties, including Manatee County, the School District of Manatee and the municipality.

Property owners will find a guide on millage at the Florida Department of Revenue’s website, floridarevenue.com.

The simplest way to find “A Florida Homeowner’s Guide: Millage” is to enter the title in a search engine.

— Lisa neff

HB budget talks

rate decrease.

To avoid a tax increase, the city would need to adopt a 1.8273 rollback rate, which would raise the same ad valorem income the city collected this year, according to Dunham-Tozer.

The owner of a property appraised at $500,000 with the 1.8273 rollback rate would pay $913.65 in property taxes.

In the meantime, the city must submit a maximum millage rate to the PAO in advance of the TRIM notices, which will be issued by the PAO in the third week of August.

Dunham-Tozer said the city could set a maximum rate as high as 2.15 mills, then lower it at future meetings.

She said commissioners could adopt the city’s proposed 2.0677 millage rate as its max, locking them into the reduction and projected ad valorem revenue.

However, Dunham-Tozer recommended commissioners adopt the 2.15 maximum millage rate for now, so she could adjust the budget to match to-bedetermined revenues and expenses.

“We believe we may be lowering the millage rate but want to leave the maximum number as is until we have an accurate millage rate and enough unreserved cash to meet the standards,” Dunham-Tozer said.

Commissioner Carol Soustek said she would prefer for the city to maintain some “wiggle room” and “maneuverability” by setting the maximum rate but voiced support for lowering it as they move forward.

Commissioner Terry Schaefer moved to approve

the 2.15 maximum millage rate and authorize Titsworth to submit the financial forms to the PAO.

Commissioner Pat Morton seconded the motion, which passed.

Budget changes

Dunham-Tozer said she’d made some tweaks to the proposed 2023-24 budget following the commission’s discussion at their July 11 meeting.

She said she updated projected revenues from the state’s revenue sharing and half-cent discretionary taxes after receiving the numbers but expected other intergovernmental revenues to continue to “trickle in” through August.

Other changes include:

• Adding $10,000 to the public works department budget to fund the Islanders 4 Clean Water campaign and bring total projected funding up to $25,000;

• Adding $3,500 to the public works budget to cover maintenance of the tennis courts at city field due to the county transferring responsibility to the city;

• Adding $73,500 to the capital outlay budget to refinish the courts and replace the fencing;

• Adding $25,000 to public works capital outlay budget to purchase an algae skimmer vessel to bring total projected funding to $125,000;

• Adding $205,000 to fund street sweeper services for the next year, unfunded in the initial budget for fiscal 2023-24.

Dunham-Tozer said the projected revenues and expenditures were unbalanced following the changes, so further tweaks are required.

A finalized budget ordinance will go before city commissioners for a first public hearing at 5:01 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14, at city hall, 5801 Marina Drive.

A second reading and final public hearing to discuss the budget ordinance will be at 5:01 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26, at city hall.

A livestream of the meetings can be found on the city’s website, holmesbeachfl.org.

Holmes Beach tackles street sweeping budget

By ryan Paice islander reporter

The city of Holmes Beach is looking to clean up its streets.

City commissioners reached consensus July 18 to authorize Mayor Judy Titsworth to execute an agreement with Palmetto-based GH Street Sweeping for its services while the municipality waits for a new sweeper to arrive.

The city budgeted $195,000 to purchase a TYMCO model 435 street sweeper in fi scal 2023-24, which begins Oct. 1.

The sweeper, which is manufactured by Texasbased TYMCO Inc., takes nine months to build.

2023 elections

AMI qualifying ahead

Qualifying for elected office in Anna Maria Island’s cities will take place in August.

As of July 20, only Anna Maria Commissioner Charles Salem was listed as an active candidate on the supervisor of elections website.

This year’s elections include:

• Anna Maria: Three city commission seats, which are two-year terms. Incumbents include Salem, Jonathan B. Crane and Robert Kingan.

• Bradenton Beach: Mayor and two commission seats — Ward 1 and Ward 3, all two-year terms. The current mayor is John Chappie. Current commissioners are Jacob “Jake” Spooner in Ward 1 and Jan Vosburgh in Ward 3.

• Holmes Beach: Three commission seats, all twoyear terms. Pat Morton, Terry W. Schaefer and Carol Soustek currently hold the seats.

Qualifying will be noon Aug. 14-noon Aug. 25 in Anna Maria; and noon Aug. 28-noon Sept. 1 in Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 7.

For more information, go to votemanatee.gov.

— Lisa neff Send announcements

islander.org.

In the meantime, city engineer Sage Kamiya recommended commissioners hire a contractor to provide sweeping services until it is delivered.

The city’s previous contract for services expired after Ohio-based Sweeping Corp. of America bought out the contractor, which Kamiya said already provided disappointing service.

So the city went out to bid for a new contractor, with the only bid coming from GH Street Sweeping, which offered to sweep every street in the city on a weekly cycle for $58.27 per lane mile.

With an estimated 66 lane miles per cycle, the services would cost $3.845.82 per week and $199,982.64 for a year.

Kamiya said the city has about $20,000 in its current budget to spend on street sweeping, so the contractor would be used on an on-call basis until the new fiscal year begins.

He said the city’s funds for the current fiscal year may be able to cover street sweeping services along Gulf, Marina and Key Royale drives, as well as 63rd Street, on a biweekly basis.

With the new fiscal year, GH Street Sweeping will begin weekly service.

The agreement allows the city to cancel the contract within 30 days without cause.

Commissioner Terry Schaefer said the agreement was a “major improvement over what we’ve been

doing.”

There was no public comment.

In other matters…

Commissioners also:

• Unanimously voted to adopt an ordinance amending the land development code to create a section establishing regulations for uses within rights of way;

• Unanimously voted to adopt an ordinance eliminating the ability to petition for exemptions from subscribing to the waste collection services approved by the city — currently Longwood-based Waste Pro;

• Unanimously voted to adopt an ordinance amending public hearing notice requirements to allow applicants for land use or development requests requiring a public hearing to use certifi ed mail to notice property owners within 500 feet of their properties;

• Reached consensus to authorize Titsworth to execute a piggyback agreement with the School District of Manatee County to hire Bradenton-based Synergy Lighting Inc. for lighting repair and installation work through June 30, 2024.

The commission will meet next at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 15, at city hall, 5801 Marina Drive.

People can view a livestream of the meeting on the city’s website, holmesbeachfl.org.

You can peruse the islander newspaper archive, dating back to its launch in november 1992, at ufdc.ufl. edu.

Soustek

Schaefer

morton

dunhamtozer

Bradenton Beach CRA takes 1st look at 2023-24 budget

By robert anderson

islander reporter

Bradenton Beach’s community redevelopment agency July 18 addressed possible funding for projects in fiscal year 2023-24.

“The CRA is kind of simple when it comes to revenue,” city treasurer Shayne Thompson told the board’s members during a meeting at city hall. “Anticipated to come from the county next year in ad valorem (revenue) is $635,677 and the city’s contributions to the CRA will be $142,516, giving the CRA $781,199 in new revenue.”

The CRA was established in 1992 and funds projects with incremental tax revenue collected from the city and Manatee County. The money must be used in the CRA district — from Cortez Road West on the north to Fifth Street South, from the Gulffront on the west to the bayfront on the east.

Thompson said as of July 18 $711,839 in the proposed 2023-24 CRA budget was not allocated, with decisions to be made in a series of meetings before the budget’s adoption in September.

The new fiscal year begins Oct. 1.

During the July 18 meeting, Commissioner Ralph Cole, who chairs the CRA, recommended keeping administrative expenses the same as this year — $5,000. A motion to do so passed 5-0. Marilyn Maro and Ed Chiles were absent with excuses.

Mayor John Chappie motioned to approve $121,000 in general CRA expenses. The motion was

seconded by Spooner and passed 5-0.

The proposed police budget includes $100,769 for regular salaries, wages and taxes.

Police Chief John Cosby said the figure also includes funds to staff a greater police presence on Wednesdays in the district.

Spooner motioned to approve the police spending and Chappie seconded. The motion passed 5-0.

Capital projects represent the biggest blank slate in the budget as only $20,000 is allocated for sea grass mitigation and $52,000 for the tram service operating between Coquina Beach and the district.

Bradenton Beach community redevelopment agency members listen July 18 as city treasurer Shayne thompson, back to camera, leads a budget workshop.

The seagrass mitigation is part of a Florida Department of Environmental Protection contract, begun in April 2021, for a canal dredging from the South Coquina Boat Ramp to the Historic Bridge Street Pier.

Mitigation is still underway, with mangrove and seagrass replacement taking place along the dredged area.

The board plans to further discuss capital improvements in August.

The next CRA meeting will be at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 2, at city hall, 107 Gulf Drive N.

BB ScenicWAVES committee gets back to business

By robert anderson islander reporter

ScenicWAVES has hit the ground running for summer in Bradenton Beach.

The group began its July 19 meeting recapping a tree giveaway July 17-18 in Holmes Beach.

Organized by the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce and Keep Manatee Beautiful, the giveaway offered three tree species — pigeon plum, silver buttonwood and thatch palm — to islanders.

Ingrid McClellan, who chairs the ScenicWAVES committee, works at the chamber and previously served as executive director of KMB, said they gave away all but two of 60 potted trees.

McClellan, during the July 19 meeting at city hall, also showed off sign designs for a planned Stash Your Trash initiative on island trolleys, which are operated fare-free by Manatee County Area Transit, carrying riders from end-to-end on Anna Maria Island.

McClellan said the campaign mirrors an MCAT program to curb littering at bus stops that sometimes were lacking garbage receptacles.

The island-centric campaign involves putting gar-

Litter-less effort

ingrid mcclellan, left, discusses designs for Stash Your trash on island trolleys July 19 at a Bradenton Beach

bage receptacles on the island trolleys at a cost of $40 per can to curb littering.

In other news, ScenicWAVES members continued to review a plan to refresh the scenic bicycle route in the city.

The committee is reviewing new signs to encourage cyclists to follow a route from Gulf Drive east on Fifth Street South and north on Bay Drive South under the Cortez Bridge, connecting back to northbound sidewalks along Gulf Drive, as the neighborhood streets have less traffic.

McClellan said the chamber is helping by working on a map for a bike route brochure that could be reviewed and possibly considered by the city commission later this summer.

Also, the committee is pursuing a $10,000 grant from the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program and $5,000 from the Tampa Bay Estuary Program for projects related to the scenic highway, a 3-mile segment of Gulf Drive from Longboat Pass to the Holmes Beach border.

McClellan said the TBEP application would be filed in September and the SBEP application would

be completed by March 2024.

In other matters:

• Grace Scisousky, liaison from the Sarasota/ Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization, said the MPO is running a roadway safety survey. ScenicWAVES vice chair Terri Kinder, president of the chamber of commerce, said the nonprofit would host the survey on its website at annamariaislandchamber.com.

• Jennifer Hoffman, executive director of KMB, said a coastal cleanup will be held beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 19.

Hoffman said the event will include divers cleaning up at the Three-Mile Reef off Anna Maria Island. More information on the cleanup can be found online at manateebeautiful.com.

About ScenicWAVES

The ScenicWAVES is an advisory committee that serves as the Bradenton Beach Scenic Highway Corridor Management entity and as the tree and landscaping advisory committee.

The next committee meeting will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 16, at city hall, 107 Gulf Drive N.

Maureen & Ernie

islander Photo: robert anderson

ScenicWaVeS advisory committee meeting. the campaign involves putting receptacles on island trolleys to curb littering. islander Photo: robert anderson

compiled by Lisa neff, calendar@islander.org

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ON AMI

Sunday, July 30

7:30 p.m. — “Farce of Nature” auditions, Island Players theater, 10009 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria. Information: 941-778-5755.

ONGOING ON AMI

Throughout July, Artists’ Guild Gallery allAmerican exhibit, 5414 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6694.

Throughout August, Artists’ Guild Gallery “Beautiful Gulf Coast Beaches” exhibit, 5414 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6694.

ONGOING OFF AMI

Throughout July, Island Gallery and Studios “New Kids on the Block” exhibit, 456 Old Main St., Bradenton. Information: 941-7786648, islandgalleryandstudios.org.

Last Saturdays through Aug. 26, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Downtown Bradenton Public Market, Old Main Street. Information: 941-3018445.

Through Sept. 17, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens’ “John Pirman: Diving into Nature” exhibit, 1534 Mound St., Sarasota. Fee applies. Information: 941-366-5731.

Through Sept. 2, Thursday-Saturday, Laser Light Nights musical shows, the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, 201 10th St. W., Bradenton. Fee applies. Information: 941-7464131.

Through Sept. 3, “Eco Engineers” exhibit, the Bishop Museum, 201 10th St. W., Bradenton. Fee applies. Information: 941-746-4131, bishopscience. org.

Through Sept. 4, “Reclaiming Home: Contemporary Seminole Art,” the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, 5401 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota. Fee applies. Information: 941-360-7390, ringling. org.

Through Oct. 15, “Lorna Bieber: Natural World,” the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, 5401 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota. Fee applies. Information: 941-360-7390, ringling.org.

“Caught in the Storm: 100 Years of Florida Hurricanes” exhibit, Florida Maritime Museum, 4415 119th St. W., Cortez. Information: floridamaritimemuseum.org.

First Fridays, 6-9:30 p.m., Village of the Arts First Fridays Artwalk, 12th Street West and 12th Avenue West, Bradenton. Information: villageofthearts.com.

Second and fourth Saturdays, 2-4 p.m., Music on the Porch jam session, presented by the Florida Maritime Museum and Cortez

Cultural Center, outdoors, 4415 119th St. W., Cortez. Information: floridamaritimemuseum.org, fmminfo@manateeclerk.com.

SAVE THE DATE

Sept. 14-24, Island Players’ “Farce of Nature,” Anna Maria.

Sept. 10, Anna Maria Island Centennial Celebration continued, Anna Maria.

Oct. 3-May 7, Anna Maria Farmers Market, Anna Maria.

Oct. 7, Florida Maritime Museum Cortez Nautical Flea Market, Cortez.

Nov. 4, the Bash at the Bishop: A Celestial Affair, Bradenton.

Nov. 2-12, Island Players’ “Later Life,” Anna Maria.

KIDS & FAMILY ON AMI

Thursday, July 27

10 a.m. — “pottery painting” special program, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6341.

Friday, July 28

10 a.m. — Forty Carrots, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6341.

Saturday, July 29

10 a.m. — Family movie, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-7786341.

Tuesday, Aug. 1

10 a.m. — Family story time, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6341.

ONGOING OFF AMI

First Wednesdays, “SOAR in 4” family night, the Bishop Museum, 201 10th St. W., Bradenton. Fee applies. Information: 941-746-4131, bishopscience.org.

Third Fridays, Teen Nights, the Bishop Museum, 201 10th St. W., Bradenton. Fee applies. Information: 941-746-4131, bishopscience.org.

Second Saturdays, Quest for kids, the Bishop Museum, 201 10th St. W., Bradenton. Fee applies. Information: 941-746-4131, bishopscience.org.

SAVE THE DATE

Oct. 21, Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce’s Bayfest, Anna Maria.

LESSONS & LEARNING

Wednesday, July 26

2 p.m. — Journal writing, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6341.

CLUBS & COMMUNITY ON AMI

Thursday, July 27

Noon — Seaside Quilters, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6341.

2 p.m. — Sunshine Stitchers Knit and Crochet, Island Library,

5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-6341.

ONGOING ON AMI

Saturday — July 29, Aug. 26 in the summer — 8:30 a.m., Kiwanis Club of Anna Maria Island meeting, Bradenton Beach City Hall, 107 Gulf Drive N., Bradenton Beach. Information: 941-778-1383.

OFF AMI

Wednesday, July 26

4:30-6:30 p.m. — Suncoast Waterkeeper World Mangrove Day celebration and happy hour, Floridays Woodfire Grill and Bar, 12332 Manatee Ave. W., Perico Island. Information: 239-222-2243.

ONGOING OFF AMI

Tuesdays, 11:30 a.m., Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island lunch meeting, Slicker’s Eatery, 12012 Cortez Road W., Cortez. Information: 512-944-4177, amirotary.org.

SPORTS & GAMES

ONGOING ON AMI

AMI Dragon Boat Team-Paddlers from Paradise practices and meetups, various times and locations. Information: 941-462-2626, mrbradway@gmail.com.

Most Wednesdays, 1 p.m., mahjong club beginners, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-7786341.

Most Fridays, 11:30 a.m., mahjong club experienced players, Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941778-6341.

ONGOING OFF AMI

Through Sept. 3, Bradenton Marauders baseball, LECOM Park, 1611 Ninth St. W., Bradenton. Fee applies. Information: 941-7473031.

Saturdays, 7 a.m., Robinson Runners run, walk stroll, Robinson Preserve NEST, 10299 Ninth Ave. NW., Bradenton. Information: 941-742-5923, crystal.scherer@ mymanatee.org, mymanatee.org.

OUTDOORS & NATURE

ONGOING ON AMI

Fourth Wednesdays through August, 7 a.m., Manatee Audubon Society “Birds and Breakfast,” at various locations. Information: 941592-7622.

ONGOING OFF AMI

Saturdays, 9 a.m., Mornings at the NEST, Robinson Preserve, 10299 Ninth Ave. NW, Bradenton. Information: 941-742-5923, mymanatee.org.

GOOD TO KNOW KEEP THE DATES

Aug. 26, Women’s Equality Day.

Sept. 4, Labor Day.

Sept. 10, Grandparents Day.

Sept. 11, Patriot Day.

A Hair Day Salon & Spa

Welcome

Island happenings

By Lisa neff, calendar@islander.org

Artists’ Guild Gallery exhibits beach scenes in August

The Artists’ Guild Gallery is several blocks from the beachfront but passersby in the Holmes Beach S&S Plaza will see scenes of the shore.

The gallery operated by the nonprofit Artists’ Guild of Anna Maria Island throughout August will feature a window exhibit of work on the theme of “our beautiful Gulf coast beaches.”

The display will include watercolors, sculptures, stained glass, mosaics, jewelry and more.

The gallery is at 5414 Marina Drive.

For more information, call the gallery at 941-7786694.

Center drama campers will stage 2 show performances

The Center of Anna Maria Island’s summer drama camp will conclude with performances that the public is welcome to attend.

Campers will perform at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, July 27, and 6 p.m. Friday, July 28, at the center, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria.

As summer camp programs wind down, the center is registering kids for its afterschool program, which begins Monday, Aug. 14. Students return to classrooms in Manatee County Thursday, Aug. 10.

The Beyond the Classroom Afterschool Care program will run until 6 p.m. Monday-Friday and is open to kids ages kindergarten to fifth-grade.

Registration can be week to week.

The center also is looking ahead on the calendar for fall sports, including adult soccer Sept. 7-Nov. 9, with registration required by Aug. 15, and youth basketball Sept. 30-Nov. 18, with registration by Sept. 8.

For more information, including pricing, call the center at 941-778-1908 or go to centerami.org.

Island Library offers 3 days to play mahjong

The Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, continues to host three days to play the tilebased game of mahjong.

Experienced players are invited to play most Tuesdays and Fridays at 11:30 a.m. and beginners are invited to play most Wednesdays at 1 p.m.

For more information, call the library at 941-7786341.

Casting call for ‘Farce’

Auditions for the Island Players’ presentation of “Farce of Nature” will be 7:30 p.m. Sunday, July 31, at the theater, 10009 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria.

Mike Lusk will direct the show, the first of the 2023-24 season at the playhouse, with a run set for Sept. 14-24.

For more, call the box office at 941-778-5755.

Centennial Celebration continues in Anna Maria

A celebration marking Anna Maria’s first 100 years is going to last more than a day.

The city in May held a Centennial Celebration on Pine Avenue as it also observed Memorial Day.

Another Centennial Celebration event will be 3:30-6:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 10, at City Pier Park at the corner of Pine Avenue and Bay Boulevard.

Plans include music, nonprofit vendors and food and beverage sales.

For more information, go online to www.cityofannamaria.com.

Kiwanis Club of AMI to meet

The Kiwanis Club of Anna Maria Island will gather for a meeting Saturday, July 29.

The meeting will be at 8:30 a.m. at Bradenton Beach City Hall, 107 Gulf Drive N.

For more information, call Sandy Haas-Martens at 941-778-1383.

Annie Silver hosts book sale

The Annie Silver Community Center will host a potluck lunch and book sale Saturday, July 29.

The activities will be 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at the neighborhood center, 103 23rd St. N., Bradenton Beach.

For more information, call Dianne Coates at 724787-1418.

Odd Duck Designs Shop

“Anna Maria Island,” a signed pictorial history book of the island by Bonner Joy,

Holmes

a beach scene by angel cox, an artists’ guild of anna maria island member. the guild’s gallery in Holmes Beach is featuring beach scenes in august. islander courtesy Photo

Black skimmers are depicted on a gulf beach in work by carolann garafola, an agami artist. the gallery is at 5414 marina drive. for more information, call the gallery at 941-778-6694.

Privateers cool down Bridge St. at Christmas in July

anna maria island Privateers crew and staff of the drift-in on Bridge Street in Bradenton Beach hold the prize board July 22 at the annual christmas in July party. the festivities featured an appearance from Santa, a $10 potluck dinner and a raffle prize — a basket of booze. Proceeds will help the Privateers provide christmas for a local family in need, including presents for the children and dinner for the family. islander Photos: robert anderson

rigHt: Santa, aKa greg mccoy of Bradenton Beach, relaxes July 22 at the christmas in July party at the drift-in.

“moulin Sparkman” and Shauna Walker guard the prize basket at the annual Privateers’ christmas in July party. the basket was valued at more than $300 and contained 13 varieties of adult beverages.

Taking root Keep

“madam Hands” o’driscoll helps serve mike Swede of Bradenton from a buffet at the crew’s July 22 christmas in July at the drift-in in Bradenton Beach.

“Last time i was here … the food was awesome,” Swede said. “i love the drift and it’s a good cause on top of that.”

Manatee Beautiful, Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce partner on plant giveaway

ava dubsky, right, and Lexi and Brian Watts pose July 17 with a tree picked up at the anna maria island chamber of commerce office courtesy of the nonprofit Keep manatee Beautiful. the giveaway was July 17-18 and featured three types of native florida trees: pigeon plum, silver buttonwood and thatch palm. islander Photos: robert anderson

Privateer Kelly

Privateer carmela

District shares checklist for 2023-24 school start

Manatee County School

District students and their families and guardians have some homework before classes in the 2023-24 academic year begin Aug. 10.

To help complete the assignments, the district shared a checklist:

• Create a FOCUS Parent Portal account to access student grades, bus schedules and other class-related information from a desktop computer.

• Download the MySDMC Focus app to use the parent portal on a smartphone.

AmE NEWS

lunches. To create an account, go online to schoolcafe. com/ManateeCountySchools or download the app

• Remind students that breakfast for all kids is free in 2023-24.

• Check into before-and-after-school programs at manateeschools.net/annamaria.

a new app — Schoolcafe — is in use for school meals in 2023-24. islander Screenshot

• Register to ride a school bus at manateeschools. net/registertoride.

• Update student immunization records.

• Create a SchoolCafe account to view student meals, make a payment and apply for reduced price

• Connect with the PTO. This year, there will be no fee required for a guardian of an AME student to join the AME-PTO. For more, email amepto@gmail. com.

• Check grade-appropriate supply lists at manateeschools.net/annamaria. Through Aug. 6, consumers can purchase qualifying back-to-school supplies and avoid a state sales tax. A second exemption period will be Jan. 1, 2024-Jan. 14, 2024.

• Review district policies, including the student code of conduct and social media guidelines at manateeschools.net.

— Lisa neff

AME families invited to Aug. 8 split open houses

Anna Maria Elementary will host back-to-school open houses Tuesday, Aug. 8, with opportunities to meet with staff and visit classrooms.

The first session will be 4:30-5:15 p.m. and is for families with kids enrolled in VPK to second-grade.

The second session will be 5:15-6 p.m. and will be for families with kids enrolled in third- to fifthgrade.

The event is “for parents and students to meet the teacher, see the classroom and the school as a whole,”

AME principal Mike Masiello told The Islander July 17. “It is important to attend so students can become familiar with their classroom and teacher before the first day of school. Parents can ask questions and

Back to School

important information about the expectations are also communicated.”

Also, AME-PTO officers will attend the open houses to “help welcome families back to school and answer any questions about upcoming events,” PTO president Jen Serra told The Islander.

She added that the PTO “will be asking for volunteers to be room parents and for our fall events. We also have a treat for each returning child.”

AME families can learn classroom teacher assignments before the open house. The assignments will be available by calling the school office — 941-708-5525 — July 27 or after.

— Lisa neff

Advertisers:

AME classes begin Aug. 10. Join The Islander in celebrating a return to class for AME kids in the Aug. 9 edition. For details, call or text 941-778-7978.

Tiki & Kitty’s

Tiki and Kitty are heating up their shopping plans, looking for a summer day or two to make a round of visits to the best shops.

Blue Flamingo will host a Dixie Bell demonstration 10 a.m.-noon Friday, Aug. 4, with ticket prices $25. Meet Suzanne, owner of Dixie Bell, and learn about her new colors. There will be goodie bags, discounts for ticketholders and much more. Come join the fun! Also, through Aug. 15, round up your sale to benefit School Attendance Support Inc.

Cat’s Meow has 7,700 square feet of vintage, unique and repurposed items. You may want to lace up your skates, as this large, former skating rink has plenty to offer bargain, antique, unique hunters. Plus, there’s a mancave and a cool clothing boutique. You don’t want to miss this vast collection of vendors.

Blessed and Distressed is a tastefully designed store — so inviting, you’ll want to pull up a chair — with collectibles and work by local artists at Palma

AME Calendar

Ongoing: PTO sponsorship fundraiser.

Through Aug. 6, Florida school supplies sales tax holiday.

Aug. 2-9, teacher workdays.

Aug. 8, 4:30-5:15 p.m., back-to-school night, VPK- to second-grade.

Aug. 8, 5:15-6 p.m., back-to-school night, third- to fifthgrade.

Aug. 10, first day of class.

Aug. 10, parents’ “welcome” coffee.

Aug. 20, 3-5 p.m., AME back-to-school bash, city field, 5800 block of Marina Drive, Holmes Beach.

Sept. 4, Labor Day, no school.

Sept. 11, 3:45 p.m., PTO member meeting.

Sept. 28, 3:45 p.m., SAC meeting.

Oct. 12, end of quarter.

Oct. 13, record day, no school.

Oct. 28, fall festival.

AME is at 4700 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach.

For more, call the school at 941-708-5525 or go to www. manateeschools.net/annamaria.

For PTO info, go to amepto.org.

School council nominations open until Sept. 5

Nominations are open for the Anna Maria Elementary School Advisory Council, which meets through the school year to assist in preparing and evaluating school improvements and budgets.

The SAC’s meeting dates for 2023-24 are Sept. 28, Nov 30, Jan. 25 and April 18.

The meetings for the group — consisting of school staff, students and parents — take place at 3:45 p.m. in the Guy Harvey Education Room on campus, 4700 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach. Nominations are due in the school office by Sept. 5.

For a nomination form, go online to www. manateeschools.net/annamaria.

— Lisa neff

Sola Square, around the corner from Winn-Dixie. It offers 30-plus vintage, upcycled, shabby chic and artsy vendors. You won’t be disappointed.

Scavengers Marketplace invites you to visit its many vendors at the Palmetto store, 2100 U.S. 301, where a portion of your purchase benefits Moonracer No Kill Pet Rescue — our favorite pet rescue group. Founder Lisa Williams leads the rescue efforts and also works at The Islander as office manager.

FYI: Scavengers also carries Fusion Paints.

Your place for fun, funky quirky!

Great work from Local Artisans Upcycled, Repurposed, Vintage Dixie Belle Paint, Fun Gifts & More! theblueflamingo.biz

The Vintage Vine Market offers fine vintage wares and more with a whimsical twist in historic Old Manatee along the newest section of the Bradenton Riverwalk. The location in the 1910 building oozes charm — high ceilings, exposed brick and tons of natural light and greenery. And they take select consignments by appointment.

And don’t forget, tell people you meet along the way, “The Islander sent me.”

Gathering

By Lisa neff

Island churches are building “followers” and “likes.”

While seasonal residents might depart during summer months, they can keep connected to Anna Maria Island institutions — including churches — via social media networks.

CrossPointe Fellowship, 8605 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, posts worship messages to its Facebook page, CrossPointeFellowship.

CrossPointe has 518 followers on Facebook.

The Episcopal Church of the Annunciation, 4408 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, posts videos of worship and other service and church news on its Facebook page, EpiscopalChurchoftheAnnunciationatHolmesBeach.

Annunciation boasts 369 followers on Facebook.

Members of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 6608 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, can watch a live stream of worship services on Facebook. Worshipers can search Facebook for “Gloria Dei Lutheran Church on Anna Maria Island” to find the page.

There are 357 followers on the Gloria Dei page.

Harvey Memorial Community Church, 300 Church Ave., Bradenton Beach, streams worship services on Facebook. To find them, search for “Harvey Memorial Community Church.”

Harvey boasts 569 followers.

Roser Memorial Community Church, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, shares news, pastoral messages, bulletins, photos and services on its Facebook page — roserchurch.

Roser’s followers number more than 1,100.

St. Bernard Catholic Church, 248 S. Harbor Drive, also has a presence on Facebook — the page is stbernardcc and includes links to church bulletins, as well as church news and photos. There are 469 followers.

The Longboat Island Chapel, 6200 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key, streams its worship services

GoodDeeds

Tidings compiled by Lisa neff

ON AMI

CrossPointe Fellowship, 8605 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach. Info: 941-778-0719, crosspointefellowship.church.

Worship: Sundays, 9 a.m., followed by life group.

Ongoing: Wednesdays, 7 a.m., men’s Bible meeting; Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m., Youth Summer activities; Fridays, 10 a.m. women’s Bible meeting.

Episcopal Church of the Annunciation, 4408 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach. Info: 941-778-1638, amiannunciation.org.

Worship: Thursdays, 9:30 a.m.; Sundays, 9:15 a.m.

Ongoing: Most Wednesdays, 8 a.m., men’s breakfast.

Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 6608 Marina Drive. Holmes Beach. Info: 941-778-1813, gloriadeilutheran.com.

Worship: Sundays, 9:30 a.m., followed by coffee and fellowship.

Ongoing: First Sundays, food bank collections; Wednesdays, 9:30 a.m., women’s social gathering.

Harvey Memorial Community Church, 300 Church Ave., Bradenton Beach. Information: 941-779-1912.

Worship: Sundays, 9:15 a.m.

Roser Memorial Community Church, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria. Information: 941-778-0414, roserchurch.com.

Worship: Sundays, 8:30 a.m., 10 a.m.

Ongoing: Wednesdays, 2:45 p.m., July 21, Aug. 9, Golfing for God, Bradenton; Wednesdays through Aug. 30, 1 p.m., GriefShare; Tuesdays, 2 p.m., women’s book study.

St. Bernard Catholic Church, 248 S. Harbor Drive, Holmes Beach. Info: 941-778-4769, stbernardcc.org, office@stbernardcc. org.

Worship: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.; Saturdays, 4 p.m.; Sundays, 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m.

Ongoing: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m., rosary; Wednesdays, 7:30 a.m., Rosary on the Beach at Manatee Public Beach; Saturdays, 3 p.m., confession.

on Facebook on its page — longboatislandchapel — which has 420 followers.

Also, Christ Church of Longboat Key, 6400 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key, posts proverbs, news and more on their page — CCLBK — which has 255 followers.

Gathering is the religion page for The Islander. Send notices to calendar@islander.org. Please, include a phone number for publication.

By Lisa neff

Assistance offered on AMI

• Roser Food Bank welcomes applicants who live and/or work on Anna Maria Island for food assistance, Roser Church, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria. Info: 941778-0414.

• AID offers financial help to those who live on the island, go to church on the island, attend school on the island and work on the island. Info: 941-725-2433.

Assistance sought on AMI

• The Anna Maria Elementary Parent-Teacher Organization seeks sponsors for the 2023-24 academic year. Info: amepto@gmail.com, 941-708-5525, amepto.org/ame-sponsor.

• The Artists’ Guild of Anna Maria Island welcomes members to support the gallery, 5414 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, and also the nonprofit’s educational mission. Info: amiartistsguildgallery.com, 941778-6694.

• The Island Players, 10009 Gulf Drive, Anna

Maria, seeks volunteers — onstage and off — for the 75th season of shows. Info: theislandplayers.org, 941941 778-5755.

• The Anna Maria Island Historical Society, 402 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, seeks volunteers to become docents and, beginning this fall, bake bread. Info: 941778-0492, amihs.org.

• The Friends of the Island Library welcomes members to support the Holmes Beach branch, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Info: 941-778-6341, friendsoftheislandlibrary.org.

• Wildlife Inc. rescue and rehabilitation in Bradenton Beach seeks help tending to injured animals. Info: 941-778-6342.

• Moonracer Animal Rescue seeks volunteers to offer foster and forever homes for rescued animals, as well as assist with technology. Info: 941-345-2441.

• Roser Food Bank seeks donations. Roser Memorial Community Church, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, administers the pantry, supported by All Island Denominations. Info: 941-778-0414.

GoodDeeds notices: To list an organization’s aid services on AMI or a call for help, email lisa@islander. org with details.

SUNDAY WORSHIP 8:30 AM in the Chapel 10:00 AM in the Sanctuary Nursery • Children’s Church

ONLINE � Watch LIVE or LATER RoserChurch.com

Sign up to receive the eBulletin at RoserChurch.com/contact-us

OFF AMI

Christ Church of Longboat Key Presbyterian USA, 6400 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key. Info: 941-900-4903, christchurchoflbk.org.

Worship: Sundays, 10 a.m.

Ongoing: Wednesdays, 10 a.m., Women’s Bible Study; Mondays, 9 a.m., Men’s Bible Study.

Longboat Island Chapel, 6200 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key. Info: 941-383-6491, longboatislandchapel.org.

Worship: Sundays, 10 a.m.

Temple Beth Israel, 567 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key. Info: 941-383-3428.

Worship: Fridays, Shabbat, 5:30 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m.

GET LISTED, CHANGE LISTINGS

Send listings to calendar@islander.org.

Obituary

Pamela ‘Pam’ June DiUlio

Pamela “Pam” June DiUlio, 75, of Bradenton and formerly of Anna Maria Island, died unexpectedly July 12.

She was born Sept. 9, 1947, in Peoria, Illinois, where she grew up and attended Central High School. In her early 20s, she earned her cosmetology license and became part owner/operator at Tres-Chic Hair Styling Salon in East Peoria.

She was wed in 1963 and had two sons in Peoria. She moved to Bradenton Beach in 1975, where she again married and raised a family on Longboat Key. She had four more children and was able to be a devoted stay-at-home mom.

She obtained a cosmetology license in 1980 and was owner/operator of Snips Hair Design in Anna Maria for more than 20 years.

She married Al DiUlio in 1998 and lived in Bradenton Beach until buying a home in West Bradenton in 2003.

She enjoyed cruising in her 1992 red Pontiac Firebird convertible and riding a motorcycle with her husband. She also loved reading, cooking, hosting, socializing, spending time with family and friends and always enjoyed a good time and a cocktail. She will be forever treasured and deeply missed.

A celebration of life for family and friends will be noon-3 p.m. Saturday, July 29, at Clancy’s Sports Bar & Grill, 6218 Cortez Road, Bradenton. Memorials may be made to locksoflove.org/financial-donation Mrs. DiUlio is survived by her husband, Alfred “Al”; sons Shane Branan and wife Kim of Peoria; Settimio “Seth” Shipman and wife Stephanie of Bradenton; daughter Tasha Shipman and husband Jeremy of Bradenton; stepdaughter Lauren Bucy and husband Cody of Palmetto; aunt Dorothy Svetich of Peoria; sister-in-law Cindy Grazar of Bradenton; sister Marsha Jordan of Peoria; daughter Tyra Piergrossi; grandchildren Pierce, Gavon, Jase, Aiden, Scarlett, Clara and an expected great-grandson; and multiple aunts, uncles, cousins and countless friends.

At your service

Obituaries are offered as a free community service to residents and families of residents, both past and present, as well as to people with ties to the island. Submit to news@islander.org. Paid obituaries can be discussed with ad consultant Toni Lyon at 941-778-7978.

Worship With Us At Our Church

Sunday Ser vice 10:00 AM

The Rev. Dr. Nor man Pritchard

Men’s Bible Study: Monday @ 9:00

Women’s Bible Study: Wednesday @ 10:00

Visitors & Residents Welcome

Watch Our 10: 00 AM Ser vice Live: www bit ly/cclbksermons or www christchurchof lbk org (follow YouTube link)

@RoserChurch

The CHAPEL is open during office hours for prayer and meditation 941-778-0414

diulio

‘Social’ connects churches, members in off-season

Bradenton Beach commissioner buys former bank for $4.75M

By ryan Paice islander reporter

A defunct bank in the heart of downtown Holmes Beach has changed hands.

Bradenton Beach City Commissioner Jake Spooner purchased a 1.83-acre two-lot commercial property at 5325 Gulf Drive and 5327 Gulf Drive July 10 for $4,750,000, according to a July 18 news release from Sarasota-based real estate company, Michael Saunders & Co.

The seller, North Carolina-based ABC Family LLC, purchased the property in 2021 from Wells Fargo for $3,010,000. No plans were developed by ABC during its ownership.

Wells Fargo closed the branch in March 2020.

The property was established in 1961 as Island Bank and was acquired by First Union National Bank of Florida in 1986 and then Wells Fargo in 2010.

The property is in the C-3 commercial district, the city’s most intense commercial zone, allowing for office, retail and service businesses, as well as automotive- and marine-related uses.

MSC commercial real estate adviser Melinda Garrett and agent Anita Jones represented Spooner, who

owns the Bridge Street Bazaar and Fish Hole Miniature Golf and the building that houses the Daiquiri Deck in Bradenton Beach.

The businessman has “extensive plans for the massive transformation” of the property, according to Garrett.

“The sale included a 10,328-square-foot former Wells Fargo bank building, which Spooner plans to

a defunct Wells fargo bank building at the corner of gulf and marina drives in Holmes Beach remained vacant as of July 21. the bank closed in march 2020. the commercial property was sold July 10 to Bradenton Beach city commissioner Jake Spooner. islander

retain in the development of the property on a bustling site on Anna Maria Island surrounded by restaurants, shops and accommodations,” Garrett said in the release.

Garrett added that Spooner won’t share his development plans until they go to the city for approval.

Spooner did not respond to a July 20 call from The Islander.

Pines Trailer Park residents await sale announcement

By robert anderson islander reporter

The Pines Trailer Park is a quiet place these days.

Residents in the mobile home park, 103 Church Ave., Bradenton Beach, have heard little about the pending sale of the land they lease for their homes.

Few people are talking about the matter but one resident, who requested anonymity, said residents were told a closing is expected on or around Sept. 21.

The park owner is Jackson Partnership, with Richard and William Jackson as officers.

They listed the park for sale for $16 million in January, prompting an effort by homeowners in the park to raise the money to purchase the land.

Homeowners Feb. 24 voted to form a cooperative to make a purchase but negotiations failed after they were unable to raise sufficient funds.

Jackson Partnership then began entertaining other offers and residents on May 8 received a notice that an offer — from an unknown party — was made and negotiations began.

The notice, prepared by attorney David A. Luczak for Jackson Partnership and the only official word on the pending sale in months, stated the offer to purchase

‘No Swim’ advisory issued

The Florida Department of Health in Manatee County issued an advisory July 20 against swimming at Palma Sola South, the beach on the south side of the Palma Sola Causeway/Manatee Avenue.

Such advisories are issued when enterococci bacteria levels exceed federal guidelines for safe swimming, as contact with the water at the site could make beachgoers sick.

The DOH-Manatee received test results from samples taken July 17 that showed elevated levels of enterococci bacteria, which can result in human disease, infections and rashes.

The advisory was to remain in effect until the water meets federal Environmental Protection Agency safety guidelines, according to a news release.

Other beaches located in Manatee County are not under advisory.

For more information, call the health department at 941-714-7593 or go to www.floridahealth.gov.

— Lisa neff

park-owned land was for $16,250,000, including some mobile homes, recreational vehicles, equipment, materials, vehicles and buildings.

The notice also stated that Jackson Partnership would hold a purchase-money mortgage for five years with no pay-off option and, based on the terms of the

WE LIKE LIKES

a street in the Pines trailer Park, 103 church ave., Bradenton Beach, is quiet on July 13, as some residents vacation in the summer. the owners put the land and park amenities up for sale Jan. 25.

mortgage, the buyer would not be able to seek a land use change.

The notice said closing would come 45 days after due diligence, which was expected in June.

So homeowners — there are 87 in the park that dates to 1935 — are living with uncertainty.

facebook.com/

Photo: ryan Paice

islander

Photo: robert anderson

RoadWatch

Eyes on the road

• Anna Maria Island Bridge on State Road 64/ Manatee Avenue: Single-lane closures can be expected 7 p.m.-6 a.m. through the fall. The Florida Department of Transportation is repairing the drawbridge due to the “harsh marine environment.” For more, go to www. swflroads.com/project/440237-1.

• City center in Holmes Beach: Work on the city’s project near the intersection of Gulf and Marina drives is not concluded. Traffic patterns can change. For the latest, check the city’s page on Facebook.

Manatee County’s work on a force main project is not concluded and traffic patterns can change. For the latest, go to amiprojects.io.

• Gulf Drive in Bradenton Beach : Manatee County is relocating and replacing sewer lines along Gulf Drive from Sixth Street South to 11th Street South, as well as on side streets. For the latest, go to amiprojects.io.

• Looking ahead : The DOT plans to resurface State Road 64/Manatee Avenue in Bradenton from 43rd Street West to 15th Street West and 10th Street West to 10th Street East.

For more information, go online to swflroads. com

Streetlife

Cops & Courts

HBPD arrests Venice resident for DUI

By ryan Paice islander reporter

Holmes Beach police arrested Venice resident Thomas Hubbard VII, 36, July 13 on a second-degree misdemeanor for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol.

An officer was conducting a traffic stop when he clocked another motorist driving 45 mph in a 35-mph zone on Manatee Avenue around 3 a.m., so he called backup to stop the motorist.

The speeding motorist stopped in the 3100 block of Gulf Drive and the officer reported seeing items tossed out the passenger side window as the vehicle rolled to a stop.

The officer found the items, which included a woman’s wallet and phone.

Hubbard said the woman had left the items in his vehicle after repeatedly hitting it and that she had been following him to try to get him in trouble.

The officer contacted the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, and learned MCSO had prepared a domestic violence charge against Hubbard.

Police spoke to Hubbard, who exited the vehicle without being asked and was detained in handcuffs after failing to obey commands.

By robert anderson and ryan Paice

Island police reports

Anna Maria

July 12, 800 block of North Bay Boulevard, larceny. A Manatee County sheriff’s deputy responded to a call concerning a stolen bicycle. The complainant said a rental bike was stolen overnight.

July 15, 316 N. Bay Blvd., Bayfront Park, larceny. A deputy responded to a call concerning a stolen mobile phone. The complainant said their daughter left her phone in the park and, when they returned, the device was gone.

The MCSO polices Anna Maria.

Bradenton Beach

July 13, 2513 Gulf Drive N., Circle K, larceny. A complainant said a person walked out of the store with a six-pack of alcoholic beverages without paying. When an MCSO deputy arrived, the individual was gone.

July 19, 1467 Gulf Drive N., Bermuda Bay condos, noise. A deputy was dispatched at 12:23 a.m. to a complaint about loud noise. The complainant said neighbors were being loud and screaming.

The Bradenton Beach Police Department polices Bradenton Beach. Cortez

No new reports.

The MCSO polices Cortez.

Holmes Beach

July 12, 5400 block of Holmes Boulevard, arrest warrant. An offi cer from the Holmes Beach Police Department saw a man on the ground. The officer approached and identified the man, who had an arrest warrant in Manatee County. The officer arrested the man and transported him to Bradenton, where he transferred custody to a deputy.

July 12, Bali Hai Beach Resort, 6900 Gulf Drive, domestic disturbance. An officer responded to reports of a disturbance and spoke to witnesses. They said a couple had been screaming and throwing objects, then drove away in a vehicle. Witnesses said the woman’s hand appeared injured. So Bradenton police were notified to send an officer to HCA Florida Blake Hospital, where the woman said she cut her hand on a glass door. Both parties denied any physical violence.

July 13, Manatee Public Beach, 4000 Gulf Drive, Marchman Act. An officer responded to reports of an intoxicated woman on the beach. The officer found a woman drifting in and out of consciousness, slurring her speech and unable to stand. The officer called emergency services to transport her to the HCA Florida Blake Hospital in Bradenton, but she refused. The officer put her in custody under the Marchman Act and followed EMS to the hospital.

Hubbard’s breath smelled of an alcoholic beverage, he had “glassy and watery” eyes and “confusing speech” and he was “sweating profusely,” according to an HBPD report.

The officer asked Hubbard to perform field sobriety exercises, which he failed.

Hubbard was arrested and transported him to the Holmes Beach Police Department, where he registered breath samples with results of 0.116 and 0.113 grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath.

The state’s legal blood alcohol level limit for driving under the influence is 0.08.

The officer issued Hubbard citations for speeding and failure to slow down for an emergency vehicle, then transported him to Bradenton, where custody was transferred to an MCSO deputy.

The deputy transported the man to the Manatee County jail, where he remained in custody under $13,120 bond as of July 19.

If convicted, punishment for a second-degree misdemeanor includes up to 60 days in jail and a fine of up to $500.

An arraignment will be at 8:55 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 15, at the Manatee County Judicial Center, 1051 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.

July 14, Gulf Place condominiums, 6700 Gulf Drive, criminal mischief. An officer responded to reports of two juveniles wearing ski masks and spraypainting a sign before leaving to play shuffl eboard nearby. The officers found two juveniles with ski masks playing shuffleboard. The damage was photographed and estimated to cost around $1,000 for cleaning and repair. The officer spoke to the property manager, who didn’t want to press charges but did want the juveniles to be trespassed. The officer trespassed the juveniles and released them to the custody of their mother.

July 17, 200 block of 56th Street, grand theft of a motor vehicle. An officer responded to reports of a stolen moped and found the complainant, who said the rental vehicle was outside and the keys were left in a nearby golf cart. Both had gone missing overnight. The officer called the moped’s rental agency, which provided a tag number. The HBPD searched the area to no avail. The officer issued a case number and victim’s brochure to the rental agency.

July 17, 5400 block of Gulf Drive, property damage. A city public works employee reported damage to a city sign. HBPD investigated and found the sign appeared to have been struck between July 14-17 but could not determine a cause or suspects. HBPD polices Holmes Beach.

Streetlife is based on incident reports and narratives from the BBPD, HBPD and MCSO.

— Lisa neff

AME assault case moving forward — plea agreement or trial?

By ryan Paice islander reporter

A jury trial is around the corner for a man allegedly involved in an assault outside Anna Maria Elementary in Holmes Beach.

But the case might not reach trial if the man, Palmetto resident John Bartholow, 18, changes his plea.

A July 27 hearing to discuss a plea for Bartholow was announced July 21 via court notice, according to the Manatee County Clerk of Court.

Bartholow initially pleaded not guilty to a seconddegree felony for aggravated battery with great bodily harm.

The charge stems from a March 23, 2022, confrontation on the grounds of AME, 4700 Gulf Drive, that sent Evan Purcell, 41, of Holmes Beach, to the hospital with serious injuries.

Purcell was walking his dog with his 10-year-old niece when he saw a group of young adults and teenagers possibly vandalizing the facility outside of school hours, according to a Holmes Beach Police Department report.

When Purcell asked the people to leave school grounds, they became aggressive and confronted him. He drew a pocketknife and then was beaten unconscious.

Purcell’s niece ran to a nearby residence where 911 was called during the incident.

HBPD and then emergency medical services found Purcell and transported him to the HCA Florida Blake Hospital in Bradenton.

The Purcell family has not responded to inquiries from The Islander about his condition.

The HBPD identified Bartholow, Sarasota resident

WE ROCK ONLINE islander.org

Cameron Evans and an unnamed juvenile as suspects connected to the incident using video from the scene and witness testimony.

All three were arrested within a month and, while the juvenile was released to family, Bartholow and Evans were held at the Manatee County jail under $50,000 bonds and charged with second-degree felonies.

Evans — who pleaded no contest to the charge — was found guilty in March and sentenced to serve 36 months in prison, as well as one year of community control and six years of probation.

Additionally, the sentence subjects Evans to mental health and substance abuse evaluation and treatment, completion of an anger management course and 100 hours of public service.

Evans has remained in jail since his arrest and his sentence included a credit for 322 days of time incarcerated before conviction. He will be eligible for release by April 2025.

Meanwhile, Bartholow has been in and out of jail since his arrest.

He was released April 21, 2022, into the Manatee County Probation Department’s pretrial services program after posting a $50,000 bond.

Bartholow was arrested for contempt of court in

September 2022, accused of violating the program by resisting/obstructing a law enforcement officer without violence and was returned to jail.

He posted a second $50,000 bond Oct. 17, 2022, but was arrested again Dec. 9, 2022, on nine thirddegree felony charges, three for burglary of an unoccupied conveyance and six for attempted burglary of an unoccupied conveyance.

Bartholow, who pleaded not guilty to all nine thirddegree felony charges, has been in jail since.

His plea hearing for the second-degree felony charge will begin at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, July 27, at the Manatee County Judicial Center, 1051 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.

If Bartholow maintains his plea of not guilty, a jury trial will take place during the trial period beginning Aug. 14 at the judicial center.

Punishment for a second-degree felony includes up to 15 years in prison, 15 years of probation and a $10,000 fine.

Punishment for third-degree felony charges includes up to five years in prison, five years of probation and a fine of up to $5,000.

Bartholow’s representation, Bradenton-based attorney Jon Weiffenbach, has not responded to The Islander’s inquiries about his client’s case.

DOT undertakes Anna Maria Island Bridge repairs

The Florida Department of Transportation repair work won’t be quick on the draw.

But the DOT’s planned repair and maintenance project on the Anna Maria Island Bridge isn’t expected to cause big slowdowns.

The work will take place at night — 7 p.m.-6 a.m. on the Manatee Avenue/State Road 64 bridge spanning the Intracoastal Waterway.

The project was to begin with staging July 24, as The Islander went to press, with the expected completion set for this winter.

At times, overnight — 7 p.m.-6 a.m. — single-lane closures are expected on the bridge, according to the DOT.

Planned work includes coating steel members, testing and repairing the mechanical system that raises and lowers the bascule segments, performing crack injections, cleaning corrosion and painting.

DOT community outreach manager Barbara Catlin said the DOT work is “normal care for a bridge in a harsh marine environment.”

The estimated cost of the project is $1.1 million.

Meanwhile, the DOT continues to work toward replacing the drawbridge with a fixed-span structure at a cost estimated to be $76 million.

The proposed megabridge — with a 65-foot vertical clearance — is in the design phase, which will be completed in mid-2025.

The DOT also continues to work toward replacing the Cortez Road drawbridge with a megabridge connecting Cortez and Bradenton Beach and on a study to determine the future of the Longboat Pass drawbridge between Bradenton Beach and Longboat Key.

For more about DOT projects, go online to swflroads.com.

— Lisa neff

Contractor retrieves broken water main from bay

After a month underwater, the water main that crashed into the bay from the underside of the Anna Maria Island Bridge has resurfaced.

Bradenton-based Woodruff & Sons finished removing the fallen pipeline July 19 from Anna Maria Sound, according to Manatee County information outreach manager Bill Logan.

About 1,000 feet of the 16-inch water main — which was installed in 1982 — broke off and fell June 19 after the failure of hangers holding it along the west end of the bridge.

Woodruff & Sons began repair work June 26 and finished a temporary pipeline across the sidewalk on the south side of the bridge by June 30.

The fallen water main remained in Anna Maria Sound for another couple of weeks.

Logan wrote in a July 21 email to The Islander that following the pipeline’s retrieval, crews were working on disconnecting the pipe on land so they could haul it away the week of July 24. Then, they will restore any disturbed areas with sod.

A second phase of work will involve securing new hangers along the bridge to hold the new main, which will need to be permanently repositioned. The work will require lane closures on the bridge.

Counting cars

What’s the vehicle count on the Anna Maria Island Bridge around 7 p.m., when the Florida Department of Transportation will begin overnight work, including temporary lane closures to repair the structure?

The Holmes Beach Police Department, reviewing its law enforcement cameras at the bridge, reported the following August 2022 counts for 7-9 p.m. contrasted with 9-11 p.m.:

a bicyclist July 16 pedals east on the anna maria island Bridge, where the southside bike-pedestrian path is closed to accommodate a water line to the island. the temporary connection to the waterline from the mainland to the island was constructed after the collapse of a main that ran under the roadbed. islander Photo: Lisa neff

Logan wrote that the contractor is waiting for materials to complete the work and said they were “likely a month out.”

— ryan Paice

Magistrate upholds 5 parking citations in Anna Maria

By ryan Paice islander reporter

It can be a struggle to find parking in the city of Anna Maria — or almost anywhere on the island.

And when it is found, motorists should be careful to observe local codes.

Gerald T. Buhr, an attorney from the Tampa-based Saxon Gilmore & Carraway law firm who was seated July 18 as special magistrate in Anna Maria, ruled to uphold five contested parking citations.

In four cases, Buhr assessed fines and fees of $233.13 — $50 for a parking citation, $100 in late fees, $75 in administrative fees and $8.13 in actual costs — requested by the city.

Two of the seven cases prepared for discussion at the magistrate hearing were postponed.

The first case heard involved Land O’ Lakes resident Tyler Radford, cited April 14 for parking with his vehicle’s tires on the pavement on North Bay Boulevard. Code requires motorists to park with all tires off the paved roadway.

Radford said he attended the meeting to “satiate my curiosity” and admitted to parking with tires on the pavement.

However, he argued the definition of pavement included other hard surfaces, such as the stone covered right of way he partially parked in.

Buhr rejected Radford’s argument, ruled to uphold the citation and issued the city’s requested $233.13 in fines and fees.

Bonita Springs resident Raymond Weisse received a ticket May 29, also for parking with his vehicle’s tires on the road.

Weisse attended the meeting via Zoom and said the tires were “barely” touching the pavement of North Shore Drive.

Weisse added that there was no sign in the area to notify motorists not to park on the pavement.

Code enforcement manager Sandy Olson said

there is a sign at the city entrance to notify motorists of the code.

Buhr ruled in favor of the city and ordered payment of its requested fines and fees.

Another case involved Bradenton resident Axel Araquistain, who was cited for parking a scooter at an angle along Palm Avenue.

City code requires motorists to park parallel to the roadway and in the same direction as traffic.

Araquistain questioned the city’s regulations since motorcyclists are instructed to park at an angle during licensing. He added that city code does not provide a definition for angled parking and argued the issue was too vague to enforce.

Buhr praised Araquistain’s argument and encouraged him to raise the issue with the city but said he must uphold the law “as it is written.” He upheld the citation and issued the city’s requested fines and fees.

Buhr also ruled in favor of the city against Sean Cowart, of Post Falls, Idaho, who requested but failed to appear at a magistrate hearing to appeal an April 27

citation he received for parking on a paved roadway.

The only violator not ordered to pay the city’s requested $233.13 in fines and fees was Tampa resident Robert Miley, who was cited June 20 for parking a golf cart in a no-parking area on Maple Avenue.

Miley said signage was confusing since he parked before a “no parking beyond this point” sign near the end of the roadway but past another sign — which he said was blocked — saying the same thing.

Buhr agreed and called for the city to address the signage issue.

However, Buhr ruled that it was a violation and issued $73.13 in fines and fees — $50 for the citation, $8.13 in actual costs and $15 in late fees if he paid by July 20.

Buhr advised people visiting different cities to research the municipalities’ codes, such as parking regulations, on library.municode.com.

The city’s next special magistrate meeting was not scheduled as of July 20.

Left: Special magistrate gerald t. Buhr, an attorney from the tampa-based Saxon gilmore & carraway law firm, speaks July 18 about one of several parking violation cases brought before him. islander Photos: ryan Paice

Bradenton resident axel araquistain makes his case July 18.

Football? Or Football? You can have both at community center

By Kevin P. cassidy islander reporter

There’s football and there’s football at the Center of Anna Maria Island.

Both flag football and soccer leagues are underway — with flag football play on the field and soccer in the gym.

Resilient Intuitive. Rafa Price scored five goals and Kason Price added three goals and five saves. Vincent Gollamudi added seven saves for Progressive Cabinetry in the victory.

Titus Moss and Luke Willing scored a goal each to lead Intentional Resilient Intuitive, which also received a combined 11 saves from Paul ten Haaf and Camden Rudacille in the loss.

cassidy

In adult flag football, Luxury Services continues to lead the pack, as they improved to 6-0 with a 40-point victory over second-place Moss Builders, which fell to 4-2. Cortez Deep Sea Fishing, Salty Printing, Sandbar Restaurant and Solid Rock Construction sat at 3-3, while Gulf Drive Cafe and Banks Home Lending completed the standings with 1-5 records.

Action July 20 got started with Salty Printing cruising to a 47-27 victory over Gulf Drive Cafe behind a huge game from Zaon Williams. Williams threw three touchdown passes, ran for another touchdown and added two touchdown receptions on offense, while chipping in with a pick-six on defense. Christian Hampton added two touchdown passes, a touchdown reception, an extra point and a 2-point conversion. Dina DeJesus and Brandon Rolland finished with touchdown receptions and 2-point conversions in the victory.

Dallas Buchholtz threw four touchdown passes to lead Gulf Drive Cafe, which received two TD grabs from Jacob Ferda and Steven Pavina in the loss.

The second game of the evening was a blowout as Cortez Deep Sea Fishing outscored Banks Home Lending 46-24 behind four TD passes, a rushing TD and a TD reception by Matt Manger. Anthony Mannino had a big game, finishing with a TD pass and a TD reception on offense to go along with two interceptions, including one that he took to the house. Jesse Skipper finished with a pair of TD catches, while Anthony McCance completed the victory with a TD catch.

Sequiel Marintez threw three TD passes and Cruz Rodriguez added a TD pass and two TD receptions for Banks Home Lending, which received two TD grabs from Juan Vega in the loss.

Luxury Services defeated second-place Moss Builders 46-6 in the third game of the evening behind five TD passes and a rushing TD from quarterback Chase Richardson. Richardson found Alonzo Lemus for two TDs, while Tim Holly added a TD catch and a TD run to go along with two extra points and a sack for a safety on defense. Alonzo Lemus added two TD

receptions, while Derrick Carey and Jasmine Muldoon finished with TD catches.

Ryan Moss connected with James Roadman for a TD pass for Moss Builders in the loss.

The final game July 20 saw Solid Rock outscore Sandbar Restaurant 31-13 behind four TD passes and a rushing TD from quarterback Tuna McCracken. Connor Ludwig had two TD grabs among his seven receptions, while Zachary Long and Tyler Brewer finished with TD receptions in the victory.

Zachary Routh threw a pair of TD passes to lead Sandbar, which also received TD catches from Wes Coleman and Jackie Schlossberg in the loss.

Indoor soccer — the other football — continues

After five weeks of action in the youth indoor soccer league at the center, Solid Rock Construction holds a 6-point lead in the 8-10 division with a 5-0 record. Progressive Cabinetry is 3-2, followed by 1-3-1 AMI Dolphin Tours and 0-4-1 Intentional Resilient Intuitive.

The 11-14 division standings are tight with Coastline West and Solid Rock Construction tied at 3-1-1, while Moss Builders follows at 2-3. Island Vacation Properties completes the standings at 1-4.

Action in the 11-14 division kicked off July 17 with Solid Rock edging Moss Builders 4-3 behind three goals and an assist from Wes Saxon. Renan Kesten added a goal, while Austin Guess helped preserve the victory with 10 saves in goal.

Mason Moss scored two goals to lead Moss Builders, which also received a goal from Jackson Wyatt and five saves from Miles Moss in the loss.

Coastline West defeated Island Vacation Properties 4-0 behind a balanced offense that saw four players score. Cayson Travis, Sunny Travis, David Zupa and Dominick Zupa each scored, while Blake Brower had 10 saves in the victory.

Island Vacation Properties received eight saves from Chandler McRae and five saves from Alonso Valle in the loss.

Action in the 8-10 division on July 18 saw Progressive Cabinetry cruise to an 8-2 victory over Intentional

Solid Rock outscored AMI Dolphin Tours 5-1 in the last game of the night. Matthew Darak led Solid Rock with three goals, while Samuel Raulerson and Isaac Roadman each added a goal in the victory.

Miguel Benitez notched the lone goal for AMI Dolphin, which received a combined nine saves from Kazimir Funtal and Miles Moss in the loss.

Key Royale news

Golf action at the Key Royale Club in Holmes Beach kicked off July 17with a men’s modified-Stableford system match. Art McMillan and Dave Richardson both carded scores of plus-2 to tie for first place for the day. Chuck Patrick was a point behind in second place, while Bill Shuman was another point back in third.

Golf was canceled July 18 due to some rain.

Members were back on the course July 20 for a nine-hole scramble. The team of Jim Bailey, Bill DiMenna and Dave and Deb Richardson combined on a 3-under-par 29 to earn the day’s bragging rights.

Horseshoe news

Two teams emerged from pool play during July 19 horseshoe action at the Anna Maria City Hall pits and settled things in a playoff. The team of Steve Kriebel and Bob Hawks held on for a 21-15 victory over Bob Heiger and Bob Baker to earn the day’s bragging rights.

Hawks was back in the winner’s circle July 22, this time teaming up with Bob Baker to post the lone 3-0 pool-play record.

Play gets underway at 9 a.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays at the Anna Maria pits. Warmups begin at 8:45 a.m., followed by random team selection.

There is no charge to play and everyone is welcome.

Red grouper harvest closes

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission July 19 issued an executive order to close the recreational harvest of red grouper in Gulf state waters July 21-Dec. 31.

The order excluded state waters off Monroe County.

The closing is consistent with a closure in Gulf federal waters and intended to help prevent quota overages and ensure future harvest opportunities, according to a July 19 news release.

At its July meeting, the FWC also issued an executive order to close recreational harvest of greater amberjack in state waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The 2023 recreational season for greater amberjack in Gulf state waters will be Aug. 1-Aug. 25, consistent with the Gulf federal season.

Consistent state and federal recreational seasons for greater amberjack are intended to help prevent quota overages and mitigate risks of future paybacks and early closures, according to an FWC news release.

The FWC also said the Gulf greater amberjack stock is overfished and is under a new rebuilding plan, including a large harvest reduction to end overfishing and rebuild the stock by 2027.

For more about recreational fishing regulations, go online to myfwc.com/marine.

Salty Printing defender Zaon Williams makes a onehanded catch to take away a touchdown from gulf drive cafe receiver dallas Buchholtz during adult flag football action at the center. islander Photo: Kevin P. cassidy

Fishing 101 and the importance of bait

By capt. danny Stasny islander reporter

Whether you’ve been fi shing since you were a child or you’re an adult just getting into the sport, you should realize the importance of having the right bait.

It is the most important step in any fishing trip, as having the right bait can determine success.

And don’t forget to have enough bait, because you don’t want to run out if the fish are biting.

Bait, as important as it is, can be all-consuming to an angler.

Whether acquisition requires hiking through mangroves to a hidden sandy spot for fiddler crabs, venturing to the beach for sand fleas or traveling afar to cast net for shiners, an experienced angler is willing to go the extra mile or hour for the perfect bait. It has to be done or the fishing would never begin.

I am well schooled in the art of catching bait, as it was instilled in me at a young age by my father, who was quite skillful in all aspects of fishing.

My first encounter with the bait search consisted of collecting grasshoppers for a trip to catch bluegills. The ritual occurred each weekend when my father mowed the lawn. I would find myself trailing him, carrying a half-gallon milk jug with holes punched to let air flow so the grasshoppers would stay alive.

I’d be on the lookout for grasshoppers jumping away from the lawnmower as they gave up their hiding places. Once caught, it was time to fish.

We also hunted fiddler crabs. They were fast and skilled at their escape — and you had to be quick and brave, because they could pinch.

We had many fiddler spots back in the day, but a favorite was on Palma Sola Bay. I remember my dad driving down old Palma Sola Boulevard, where the road —part dirt and part tar — was not drivable above 10 mph. But it was worth it. The fiddlers were always abundant on the shoreline.

Same goes for catching sand fl eas. Back in the 1980s, we loaded up on sand fleas on the beaches of Anna Maria Island. It was before beach renourishment began, which dumped tons of sand on the shore, burying the sand fleas habitat, wiping out the ecosystem.

My father and I walked right out on the beach. He carried a shovel, and I carried a homemade sandsifter — a frame made of scrap lumber to which we stapled hard wire cloth. It was just as good as one of those expensive sand flea rakes.

We would be out there in the shore break, my dad shoveling sand and placing it into the sifter, as I shook it back-and-forth, revealing all the beautiful, squirming sand fleas.

When I was older, it was time to learn to throw a cast net. The nets then were made of nylon twine and heavy and throwing a 6-footer was hard, especially being all of 10 years old.

But I learned.

I practiced in the backyard until I could open the net into a pancake. Once skilled, I took that net with me everywhere there was water, polishing my skills at netting pinfish and shiners.

At the old Anna Maria City Pier, the height made it easy to open the net over a school of bait. It became my favorite place to catch shiners and fish for Spanish mackerel.

The shiners went in a 5-gallon bucket with an aerator and as much water as I could carry to the T-end of the pier as quickly as I could from the lead line — the yellow line painted on the walkway that marked where we could cast. My dad would be waiting for me as I scurried up, net in one hand and bucket in the other, huffing and puffing from the load.

We fished our bait and I gladly did it over again.

Bait is all important.

Whether it’s catching golden shiners to go bass fishing, or my dad teaching me to place a net behind a crayfish and poke it in front with a stick to spook it into the net, or dipping grass shrimp for crappie and shell crunchers to my bait-catching excursions nowadays — dipping a net for pass crabs to hunt tarpon, setting pinfish traps for grouper bait or just hauling shiners in the cast net for snook fishing — the significance of bait is engrained in me.

Catching and baiting are skills, and let’s be honest, it’s also an obsession that never goes away.

Now I find myself on a peaceful grass flat at 5 a.m., waiting to see shiners dimpling in the water among the chum behind the boat as I load my 10-foot cast net.

And I consider the real importance of catching bait. Spending time with my father as he nurtured the

passion for fishing that has turned into my career.

My father is now catching bait in the sky, as he passed away one year ago on July 25, 2022.

I miss you, dad, and you can be proud — I’m still out catching bait.

On my Just Reel charters, my clients are keeping busy, reeling up limits of mangrove snapper.

While targeting snapper they are hooking into Key West grunts, porgies, triggerfish and plenty of juvenile red grouper.

Spanish mackerel are present in these areas and are being hooked on a free-lined shiner swimming on the surface.

When the tide is moving, I’m seeing spotted seatrout turn on. Some times as many as 30 or 40 trout are being caught by clients.

Capt. David White is enjoying success for his clients on American red snapper and red grouper offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. A variety of baits, including live pinfish and shiners or frozen bait — sardines and threadfins — work on those species. When baiting with live shiners, White is putting anglers into mangrove snapper of considerable size.

Moving inshore, mangrove snapper 12-15 inches are the highlight for anglers looking for dinner.

After catching snapper, White is putting clients on catch-and-release snook along the beaches, as well as sharks.

James Malfese at the Rod & Reel Pier says anglers braving the heat are hooking into mangrove snapper when using live shrimp as bait. And, for the hottest days, the Rod & Reel has an ample supply of cold beer and other beverages within reach of the fishing spots on the deck.

Pier fishers using live shrimp as bait are hooking into an occasional catch-and-release snook or redfish.

Lastly, casting live shiners out from the pier is yielding mackerel, says Malfese.

Capt. Warren Girle is back on the water after a holiday to celebrate his 30th wedding anniversary.

He got busy hooking clients up with respectable numbers of spotted seatrout. Frequent chumming with live shiners is keeping the fish interested, resulting in limits of trout. Mixed in are macks and ladyfish.

Catch-and-release snook are taking free-lined live shiners in areas where mangroves exist.

Lastly, Girle reports fishing structure in the Gulf of Mexico is yielding catches of mangrove snapper and juvenile grouper for his anglers.

Send high-resolution photos and fishing reports to fish@islander.org.

Jackson Wyatt, 12, of orlando and Holmes Beach, gets help from capt. david White to show off a nice 36-inch snook, caught in the bay on a July 21 guided family fishing trip on a live pilchard and released after a trophy photo. White said Jackson plays soccer at the community center and takes part in local surf camps and other activities on the island.

Capt. Mike Greig

Stasny

Josh carson of oklahoma, charles Sobieck of Kentucky and raymond Sobieck of Longboat Key show off trout caught early July 18 using shiners for bait on a guided trip with capt. Warren girle.

nesting notes

By Lisa Neff

The hole thing

Dig a hole.

Fill it up.

There’s a teaching that completing the cycle can help foster balance and inner peace of mind.

On an Anna Maria Island beach, completing the cycle also helps to protect sea turtle habitat.

Large holes left overnight in the sand can entrap or disorient nesting sea turtles and hatchlings.

Even small holes can entrap newly emerged hatchlings attempting their crawl to the Gulf.

Yet Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring regularly encounters holes left on the beaches.

The Islander asked AMITW executive director Kristen Mazzarella about holes left on the beaches and the threats they pose.

The Islander: Some loggerhead hatchlings recently were found in a hole and required rescue and release. Is the turtle watch team seeing a lot of holes left overnight on the beaches?

Kristen Mazzarella: Yes, there are a lot of holes left on the beach overnight that we find in the morning. They range from small to very large.

Code enforcement has tried to help out on evenings filling in the holes but we could always use the public’s help leaving the beach as they found it —or better than they found it — by filling in holes and knocking down sandcastles and taking their beach furniture and trash with them when they leave the beach.

The Islander: Why do holes present a problem for sea turtles? How is a dug hole different from the nest cavity from which they emerge?

KM: Sea turtles, especially hatchlings can get trapped in a hole if they fall in.

Tracking Suzi the turtle Ready.

Set.

Swim.

And nest?

The Sea Turtle Conservancy’s Tour de Turtles hard-shell marathon begins Aug. 1.

The tour program started in 2008 and each year involves using satellite telemetry to track sea turtles to boost science, research and education.

From the tour, researchers can learn about turtles

and their nesting beaches, as well as their foraging grounds.

STC conducts two marathons in the Tour de Turtles, one is among tagged leatherback turtles, and the other is among tagged “hard-shell” turtles, including Suzi, Anna Maria Island’s entry in the contest.

Suzi, a loggerhead, was tagged and released June 27 at Coquina Beach in Bradenton Beach.

People can follow Suzi’s journey at tourdeturtles. com, as well as sign up for sea turtle updates on the site.

— Lisa neff

a map shows the travels of Suzi, a loggerhead outfitted June 27 in Bradenton Beach with a tracking device, through July 24. islander Screenshot

The nest cavity they emerge from is about 1.5 feet deep and filled with sand. Hatchlings are able to emerge from them because they are able to dig through the loose sand and push the sand and their eggshells below them to essentially move them up in the sand.

In most cases it’s also a group effort with all the hatchlings digging that gets them all to the surface.

The Islander: Is one area or city more problematic than another?

KM: Not really. Many holes are found near the public beaches but we find holes all over the island.

The Islander: We’ve seen reports this is an issue on other nesting beaches in Florida and other southern states. It’s a problem not unique to AMI?

KM: It is not unique to AMI — it happens on all beaches.

However, as a small island town, we are proud to share the beach with nesting sea turtles and want to keep them safe while they are here.

The Islander: Is there a tactic or tool another location is using that might help on AMI?

KM: We believe education is key and we are always looking for creative solutions to educate the public as there are new visitors to the island every week.

The Islander: What should people do if they come across hatchlings in a hole in the morning?

KM: Hatchlings in a hole are hatchlings in distress.

If you ever find an adult or hatchling sea turtle in distress, please call AMITW at 941-301-8434 and they will instruct you on handling the situation until we can retrieve the hatchling.

Please, do not try to help the hatchling yourself.

AMITW patrollers hold a special endangered species permit to work with sea turtles and are trained on how to transport hatchings as well as how to assess whether it is safe to release the hatchling or if the hatchling will need to be held for further care.

For more information about AMITW, call the nonprofit at 941-301-3484, email info@islandturtlewatch. com or go online to islandturtlewatch.com.

Again

as of July 22, amitW had identified 372 nests, 430 false crawls, 58 hatched nests, about 3,632 hatchlings to the gulf of mexico and 30 hatchling disorientations.

mazzarella

New rules adopted for Skyway fishing

By Lisa Neff

Crime, punishment

Island life has changed over the decades, but at least one constant remains — many on AMI share a passion for protecting the habitat and the sea turtles that nest and hatch on the beaches, as well as other marine life in surrounding waters and birds onshore.

When local wildlife is threatened or harmed, there is a collective cheer for the heroic rescues by Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring volunteers, local law enforcement, code enforcement, public works crews, trash collectors, pool cleaners and more.

We also hear a collective outcry and demand for punishment of any violators of the protections intended to safeguard sea turtles and wildlife.

Sometimes the harm is the result of neglect or disregard — an individual forgetting to turn out a light, stepping too close, miscasting a line.

Sometimes the harm is intended, as was the case a couple of years ago when joyriders on an ATV scattered shorebirds and damaged their nesting sites on the beach, or the incident involving several area men who got their thrills torturing and killing a shark.

And there have been many incidents over many years of people intentionally harming sea turtles — the nesting mamas, the eggs in the nest and the emerging hatchlings.

Twenty years ago in mid-July, The Islander reported that Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch volunteers found six dug-up sea turtle nests in Holmes Beach and offered a $1,000 reward.

There’s another constant on AMI, I guess, because year after year we get the reports, right up to this month with notice of a dug-up turtle nest, of a deep hole dug on the beach that trapped hatchlings and of a joyrider tearing through staked nests in Holmes Beach and Anna Maria.

Such activities are illegal.

Beach time

amitW volunteer carla

Boehme, right, hands out educational material June 30 to a woman and her daughters, while another amitW volunteer marks a sea turtle nest in Holmes Beach. amitW coordinates conservation efforts for more than 12 miles of shoreline — gulf- and bayfront — on the island. islander

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approved a new rule — to take effect Oct. 1 — for anglers on the Skyway Fishing Pier State Park.

This rule is intended to reduce the likelihood and severity of seabird entanglement while “allowing the tradition of fishing to continue at this location,” the FWC said in a July 19 news release.

Conservationists say the fishing pier is deadlier to pelicans and other seabirds than piers elsewhere in the state, partly because the pier’s length and height make it difficult to rescue hooked or entangled birds and partly due to the number of poles and the maze of fishing lines the birds must navigate.

Over the past two years, volunteers with Friends of the Pelicans have rescued more than 2,300 birds and documented more injuries and deaths, leading to declines in the rookeries in the Tampa Bay National Wildlife Refuge.

The FWC plans the following changes:

• Anglers must have proof of completing the annual education requirement;

Layers of laws — international treaties and agreements, acts of Congress and the Legislature, adoptions of municipal ordinances — exist to protect the sea turtles that need AMI habitat and swim in area waters.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, for example, covers sea turtles, as do the U.S. Endangered Species Act and the Marine Turtle Protection Act.

The protections make it illegal to harm, harass or kill sea turtles, hatchlings and their eggs. It also is illegal to import, sell or transport sea turtles.

Too often in Florida, the punishment — if there is

the florida fish and Wildlife conservation commission

July 19 takes public comment before approving a new rule for anglers at the Skyway fishing Pier State Park.

• The use of certain gear is prohibited Nov. 15-March 1, including fishing rigs with more than one hook attached and any multiple hook.

• Anglers are limited to the use of no more than two sets of hook-and-line fishing gear.

“This is a great beginning to resolve this issue for both anglers and bird conservationists,” FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto stated. “We look forward to hearing an update from staff on the effectiveness of this rule at Skyway Fishing Pier State Park.”

More than 50 people signed up to speak to the issue at the meeting, held at the Hilton-Bayfront in St. Petersburg.

The FWC said it will monitor the effectiveness of the regulations over the next two years and revisit the issue with the commission.

Meanwhile, some environmental groups have asked the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to look into the issue at the pier as they question whether the state’s plans will do enough to protect birds.

— Lisa neff

one — doesn’t seem to fit the crime.

But what could happen to someone who intentionally harms sea turtles or their nests?

They can be convicted of a felony.

They can go to prison.

They can be fined thousands of dollars.

Two years ago, in Florida, a federal court handed down prison sentences for two men who collected sea turtle eggs.

Some readers might remember the case.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission investigators on May 24, 2020, observed Bruce Wayne Bivins and Carl Lawrence Cobb, both of Riviera Beach, poaching sea turtle eggs.

The FWC observed Cobb at the wheel of a green Ford truck with Bivins as a passenger.

They observed Bivins getting out of the truck and digging in the sand with a stick and then placing his hand in and out of a dark-colored bag.

Investigators later observed Bivins enter a vehicle driven by Cobb, with the bag, which investigators later determined contained “freshly harvested, federally and state-protected sea turtle eggs.”

A U.S. District Court judge sentenced Bivins to a seven-month term of imprisonment followed by a year of supervised release for violating the Endangered Species Act.

Cobb was sentenced to a nine-month term of imprisonment followed by one year of supervised release for violating the Endangered Species Act.

It can happen.

Photo: courtesy Krista carpenter

islander Photo: courtesy fWc

ITEMS FOR SALE

Paninni maKer: cuiSinart, stainlesssteel, like new, $45. 941-920-2494.

cHair: BLacK, Soft cushion $15/ each and office chair, white, $10. Spice rack, three-tier clear plastic, $20. 941-920-2494.

antiQue Partner deSK: all wood, $500. inquire at the islander office, 315 58th St. Suite J, Holmes Beach. 941-778-7978.

FREEBIE ITEMS FOR SALE

individuals may place one free ad with up to three items, each priced $100 or less, 15 words or less. free, one week, must be submitted online. email classifieds@islander. org, fax toll-free 1-866-362-9821. (limited time offer)

the islander website offers essential news for residents and visitors. check it out: islander.org.

Paradise Improvements 941.792.5600

Kitchen and Bath Remodeling Specialist Replacement Doors and Windows Andrew Chennault

AdoptA-Pet

Oh, those eyes!

Bella is an 8-year-old mixed-breed lovebug!

She’s neutered and has all vaccinations — ready to meet her new family! Call Lisa Williams at 941-3452441 or visit The Islander office in Holmes Beach. And for more about pet adoption, visit moonraceranimalrescue.com.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

SPeciaLiZing in BacHeLorette parties. call michael Sue Scott. intuitive reader. 941726-1234. www.michaelsuescott.com.

GARAGE SALES

Huge SaLe: 9 a.m.-? friday and Saturday, July 28-29. many different items, old and new. Household, collectibles, craft books and some supplies, garden and flower books. furniture, office and school supplies. too many items to mention. come check us out. 10115 Bud rhoden road, Palmetto.

PETS

HeLP reScued PetS! Volunteer, foster, computer help needed! moonracer animal rescue. email: moonraceranimalrescue@ gmail.com.

TRANSPORTATION

goLf cart rentaLS: fun for residents and tourists! www.golfcartrentalami.com.

BOATS & BOATING

HaVe a Boat and wanna catch more fish, better bait or learn the water? 50-year local fisherman, your boat, my knowledge. captain chris, 941-896-2915.

SuncoaSt Bottom Painting: Professional bottom painting. mobile. call 941704-9382.

Boat SLiP: HoLmeS Beach, 85th Street. With boat lift, electric, storage, water. $130,000 obo. 941-792-7965.

FISHING

fun and fiSH: Skiff rental. 24-foot carolina skiff. Live bait and fi shing equipment included upon request. call 941-704-9382.

HELP WANTED

SeeKing “1” ProfeSSionaL line chef to leave the heat and travel to the adirondacks on Lake george, nY. more details about rooming, travel and compensation, text 518-796-0902, leave contact information.

oLiVe oiL outPoSt on Pine avenue. Part-time position. great pay, store discount. kkary@oliveoiloutpost.com. 941-5445400.

noW Hiring HandYman: full-time professional services. $18 an hour and up, based on experience. call JayPros, 941962-2874.

rePorter Wanted: full- to part-time with newspaper experience. apply via email with letter of interest to news@islander.org.

KIDS FOR HIRE

need an aduLt night out? call maty’s Babysitting Services. i’m 16, love kids and have lots of experience. references upon request. 618-977-9630.

KidS for Hire ads are free for up to three weeks for island youths under 16 looking for work. ads must be placed in person at the islander office, 315 58th St. Suite J, Holmes Beach.

LooKing for an earLY Bird? You can read Wednesday’s classifieds on tuesday at islander.org. and it’s free!

more adS = more readers in the islander.

SERVICES

iS Your Home or office in need of some cleaning? Well, i’m your girl! Local, reliable, professional! Please, give me a call or text, 941-773 -0461.

cLeaning: Vacation, conStruction, residential, commercial and windows. Licensed and insured. 941-756-4570.

PreSSure WaSHing, PaVer sealing, driveway, roof, fence, pool area. also, window cleaning. Licensed and insured. 941-5653931.

BicYcLe rePairS: Just4fun at 5358 gulf drive can do most any bicycle repair at a reasonable cost. Pick-up and delivery available. 941-896-7884.

comPanion/HomemaKer: Honest and reliable offering help with running errands, grocery shopping, house sitting, pet and plant care, light cooking/cleaning, transportation. references available and licensed. call Sherri, 941-592-4969.

aPi’S drYWaLL rePair: i look forward to servicing your drywall repair needs. call 941524-8067 to schedule an appointment.

ProfeSSionaL WindoW cLeaning: residential, commercial, free estimates. “We want to earn your business!” 207-8526163.

airPort rideS: SaraSota, St. Pete, tampa. call/text, Vita, 941-376-7555.

eXtra HeLP at home or on vacation. organization, cleaning, sitting, errands. very competent. gemma, 805-570-1415.

rainY daY at the beach? Sunburned? Have fun inside. tarot card reading for individuals or groups. Phone or video by St. Louis’ top psychic, cBS radio’s #1 fortune teller. as seen on mtV and nickelodeon. $50 for 15 minutes. call or text, Julia gordonBramer, 314-517-0158.

PrioritY gueSt HoSting By Bettina. excellent five-star ratings for over five years. Vacation rental hosting. call me, 240-4645898.

rideS near and far, car transport. Based in Palmetto. 715-292-8692.

cLean tecH moBiLe detailing. at your location. cars, boats, rVs. call or text Billie for an appointment. 941-592-3482.

Piano LeSSonS: ProfeSSor offering lessons beginner through advanced levels, all ages, audition prep and accompanying. 941-518-9973.

BuSineSS-to-BuSineSS Jd’s Window cleaning looking for storefront jobs in Holmes Beach. i make dirty windows sparkling clean. 941-920-3840.

BeacH SerVice air conditioning, heat, refrigeration. commercial and residential service, repair and/or replacement. Serving manatee county and the island since 1987. for dependable, honest and personalized service, call Bill eller, 941-720-7411. cac184228.

LAWN & GARDEN

connie’S LandScaPing inc. residential and commercial. full-service lawn maintenance, landscaping, cleanups, hauling and more! insured. 941-778-5294.

BarneS LaWn and Landscape LLc. design and installation, lawn and landscape services, tree trimming, mulch, rock and shell. 941-705-1444. Jr98@barneslawnandlandscape.com.

coLLinS LandScaPe LigHting: outdoor lighting, landscaping, irrigation services and maintenance. 941-279-9947. mJc24373@ gmail.com.

SHeLL deLiVered and spread. Hauling all kinds of gravel, mulch, topsoil with free estimates. call Larry at 941-795-7775, “shell phone” 941-720-0770.

mP LaWn maintenance now accepting new clients. call dante, 941-730-9199. mp@ mplawnmaintenance.com

HOME IMPROVEMENT

Van-go Painting residential/commercial, interior/exterior, pressure cleaning, wallpaper. island references. Bill, 941-795-5100. www.vangopainting.net.

tiLe -tiLe -tiLe. all variations of ceramic tile supplied and installed. Quality workmanship, prompt, reliable, many island references. call neil, 941-726-3077.

griffin’S Home imProVementS inc. Handyman, fine woodwork, countertops, cabinets and wood flooring. insured and licensed. 941-722-8792.

iSLand HandYman: i live here, work here, value your referral. refinish, paint. Just ask. JayPros. Licensed/insured. references. call Jay, 941-962-2874.

HandYman and Painting. no job too small. most jobs just right. call richard Kloss. 941-204-1162.

Screening SerViceS: replace your old or ripped window, door or porch screens. many screen types available. retired veteran here to serve our community! free estimates, call Lane, 941-705-5293.

caLL HYdro cLean. full-service pressure washing, sealing. Pavers, travertine and natural stone. Window washing too, up to three stories. call Jacob, 941-920-2094.

SaraSota interior Painting: We specialize in high-end properties. We love to paint! owner operated. fully insured/ licensed. call or text don, 941-900-9398. instagram: SarasotainteriorPainting.

fREE ... The Islander newspaper is fREE at Publix Holmes Beach. Just stop by the customer service desk, hold out your hand and say, “Islander, please!” And maybe remind staff you’d like the serve-yourself community news returned to the lobby.

RENTALS

anna maria guLf beachfront vacation rentals. one- two- and three-bedroom units, all beachfront. www.amiparadise.com. 941778-3143.

Perico iSLand Patio home for rent. 3Br/2Ba, 30-day minimum. Privacy fence/ gate, two miles to ami. call or text, 859771-6423.

BeautifuLLY furniSHed, annuaL rental in Beach Harbor club, Longboat Key. 2Br/2Ba with views of the bay, laundry and condo amenities include pool, grill, with both bay and beach access. $200 application required. $3,800 month plus fi rst and last month’s rent and $1,000 deposit. call mike norman realty, 941-778-6696. 3101 gulf drive, Holmes Beach, fL 34217.

Winter SeaSon rentaL: no pets. threemonth minimum. available: december-may. elevated 2Br/1.5Ba townhouse in Holmes Beach. two blocks to beach. Sleeps four. $5,000/month plus tax and fees. call anna maria realty, 941-778-2259.

SunnY SHoreS/Sagamore estates area: annual rental, 3Br/1.5Ba home includes washer, dryer, screened-in patio area, parking under carport, access to boat ramp and park by Palma Sola Bay. $1,900/month. call tom, 512-757-2297.

aVaiLaBLe for rent weekly/yearly. former “Sotheby’s Premier Home” in Holmes Beach, on the bayou with nice living room views of the bay 3Br/4.5Ba, den, sleeps eight. a $2.5 million mortgage is $16,000 with taxes over $18,000. Holmes Beach requires “weekly”, so this offer is for 52 weeks at $3,000 a week, slow or busy season. Home has most, if not all, things renters want. this will be the first rental to a family. 610-812-0908. text, please, i will call.

anna maria 3Br/1Ba historic cottage, half block to gulf beach and one block to Pine avenue shopping and restaurants. available november, $3,400/month. 941-7788456. terryaposporos@gmail.com

Winnie mcHaLe, reaLtor, 941-5046146. rosebay international realty inc. You need an aggressive and experienced realtor in today’s market! Selling island homes, Sarasota and Bradenton areas. multi-milliondollar producer! “Selling Homes - making dreams come true.”

the islander offers the best results for your classified advertising dollar. We really work for you! Submit your ad no later than noon monday on the website, islander.org. for monday holidays, the deadline is friday.

isl biz

Hospitality inspiration

The Ed Chiles restaurants’ Chiles Hospitality Scholarship Fund, a participant with the Manatee Community Foundation, awarded scholarships to nine employees from its waterfront restaurants — Sandbar Seafood & Spirits, Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant & Pub and Beach House Waterfront Restaurant.

Established by Chiles in 2010, the fund provides scholarships for employees or children of employees in pursuit of higher education at accredited institutions.

The fund has awarded 62 scholarships since 2010.

The 2023-24 recipients include:

• Alanna Bjork, Manatee Technical College;

• Briana Cochran, State College of Florida;

• Korissa Erdman, University of South Florida;

• Ramon Guerrero, SCF;

• Jamilynn Knowles, SCF;

• Madison McCrae, SCF;

• Shantel Seravalli, Hillsborough Community College;

• Carla Stewart, University of Florida;

• Jasper Turner, SCF.

“Whether it’s learning from the experts at our restaurants or pursuing a higher education, we want our employees to feel empowered and we want to fuel their desire to learn,” Chuck Wolfe, CEO of Chiles Hospitality, said in a July 19 news release. “Through this scholarship program, we hope to continue doing that for many years to come.”

MCF’s scholarship committee reviews applications and selects the recipients based on grades, volunteer service and leadership qualities.

For more about MCF, go online to manateecf.org. For more about opportunities with the Chiles Group, go online to www.chileshospitality.com.

— Bonner Joy

BizCal

Thursday, July 27

Island real estate sales

2515 Ave. C, #A&B, Bradenton Beach, a 1,584 sq ft 4BR/4BA pool home on a 5,000 sq ft lot built in 1970 sold 6/30/2023 by SRE Bayberry LLC to Melta Assoc. Inc. for $1,565,700, list price $1,850,000.

600 Manatee Ave., #107, Holmes Beach, a 1,222 sq ft 2BR/2BA Westbay Cove condo built in 1977 sold 5/31/2023 by Quimby to Ransby for $700,000, list price $700,000.

117 79th St., Holmes Beach, a 1,458 sq ft 3BR/2BA home on a 5,279 sq ft lot built in 1946 sold on 6/14/2023 by Baily to Baily (yes, that is correct) for $1,250,000, list price $1,290,000.

624 Foxworth Lane, Holmes Beach, a 1,823 sq ft 3BR/3BA pool home on a 11,534 sq ft lot built in 1971 sold 7/14/2023 by Phillips to Brackmuller for $1,750,000, list price $1,799,000.

105 28th St., #A, C and D, Holmes Beach, a 3,072 sq ft 7BR/4BA home on a 10,550 sq ft lot built in 1979 sold 6/28/2023 by Guerino Trust to Slivonik for $2,877,700, list price $2,500,000.

By Lisa neff

THIS WEEK

5 p.m. — Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce businesscard exchange with Your CBD Store, 5313 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-1541, info@amichamber.org.

SAVE THE DATE

Oct. 21, 10 a.m.-9 p.m., AMI Chamber Bayfest, Anna Maria. Send calendar listings to calendar@islander.org.

723 Key Royale Drive, Holmes Beach, a 3,713 sq ft 3BR/4BA pool home on a 11,175 sq ft lot built in 1988 sold 6/23/2023 by Elson Trust to Baily Trust for $3,200,000, list price $3,300,000.

Compiled by Island Real Estate staff. Island Real Estate can be reached at 941-778-6066, islandreal. com.

MarketWatch

Anna Maria

By Lisa neff

Median listing home price: $3.5 million, trending up 1.3% year-over-year.

Median sold home price: $2 million.

SANDPIPER RESORT

Move-in ready 1BR/1BA updated 55+, bayfront co-op conveniently located just steps to the beach. This lovingly maintained home offers comfortable turnkey furnishings, new mini-split A/Cs, new windows, new flooring, an updated bath and a private lanai with storage. The Sandpiper Resort community offers a heated pool, shuffleboard, coin laundry, library, recreation hall and a community dock. $375,000

SPACIOUS ISLAND CONDO

“La Playita.” Bright and airy townhouse condo located just a block to the beach. This recently updated 2BR/2BA offers a two-story ceiling in living room, comfortable, turn-key rental furnishings, recently updated bathrooms, new A/C and hot water heater in 2021. This smaller complex offers a private heated pool, recently installed hurricane-rated doors, windows, siding and a new roof. $654,900

Listings: 82 properties, $659,000-$11.5 million. Bradenton Beach

Median listing home price: $1.2 million, trending up 21.2% year-over-year.

Median sold home price: $605,000.

Listings: 58 properties, $335,000-$8.5 million. Holmes Beach

Median listing home price: $1.8 million, down 7.7% year over year.

Median sold home price: $1.1 million.

Listings: 123 properties, $575,000-$22.5M.

Source: Realtor.com

Share the news Does your business celebrate achievements? Please, share the news with “isl biz” readers. Send details to news@islander.org.

Once Upon A Beach

CORTEZ FISHING VILLAGE

Gorgeous 3BR,2BA historic beauty located just a half mile to the beach. This 2,130 sq. ft. home is located on a spacious lot and offers, a finished third-story room that may serve as a fourth bedroom, office or studio. Stunning heart pine flooring in entrance, stairwell and hallways, a lushly landscaped yard, private rear deck, two-car carport, updated plumbing and electric. $775,000