OCT. 18, 2023 free
VOLUME 31, NO. 52
the Best News on anna Maria Island since 1992 Astheworldterns 6 Holiday party kickoff. 3
Q&A 101823 3 Meetings 4
Arts, crafts and commerce
Reminder: Renew voteby-mail. 4
Opinions 6
10-20 YEARS AGO
looking back. 7
HB planners OK seaside gardens changes. 8 Vision quest. 9
save the date. 10-11
AMI Happenings What’s up on aMI? 11-12 13
goodDeeds. 14-15
Judge gives Nichols 30 years for hit-and-run By Robert anderson Islander Reporter
county OKs BB boardwalk bucks. 5
Gathering. 14
islander.org
tim cunningham, left, Jo anne curtan and Kathy lee Patterson of the artists’ guild of anna Maria Island work on a trio of paintings Oct. 13 at the artists’ guild gallery, 5414 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. In the “paint-around,” the artists rotated, putting their brushes to each painting to be raffled at the Holmes Beach Night Market that evening. Islander Photo: lisa Neff
great egret, great rescue. 16
Twelfth Circuit Judge Frederick P. Mercurio sentenced David Lynn Nichols of Bradenton Oct. 13 to 30 years in prison for committing a 2019 hit-and-run in Cortez and leaving a man for dead. A jury Sept. 7 found Nichols, 60, guilty of two charges: felony battery with a weapon and leaving the scene of a crash with serious bodily injury. In November 2019, Nichols, at the wheel of his vehicle on 101st Street West in Cortez, hit and dragged Fred Gilliland more than 271 feet. Police records indicate Nichols and Gilliland had an argument at the house of a mutual acquaintance Nov. 18, 2019, just prior to the hit-and-run. Witnesses stated Gilliland walked away from the argument on 46th Avenue West. The report indicates Nichols left in his truck shortly after Gilliland and struck Gilliland with his vehicle at the corner of 46th and 101st, wedging Gilliland’s body between the truck’s front tire and wheel well and dragging him for almost the length of a football field. Gilliland, known among friends in tURN tO 30 YeArs, Page 2
Streetlife 16
AME assailant gets 3 years in state prison
RoadWatch 17 Poaching cases go to court. 17 FIsH eyes osprey platform. 18
By Ryan Paice Islander Reporter get in the game. 19 aMI sports roundup. 20 anglers shift targets with cold front. 21
TideWatch 21
NYT puzzle. 22
NESTING NOTES 22
strandings by the shore.
slowing for special species. 23
CLASSIFIEDS. 24-25
Isl Biz: 26 Hey mambo!
tDc mulls Holmes Beach project. 27
Find the Islander archive dating to 1992 at ufdc.ufl.edu.
People peruse vendor booths Oct. 10, the first day of the 2023-24 anna Maria Farmers Market season at city Pier Park, 101 N. Bay Blvd., anna Maria. More, page 12. Islander Photo: Ryan Paice
Chamber’s Bayfest set for Oct. 21
A big block party is making its annual visit to Pine Avenue Oct. 21. The Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce’s Bayfest — “the island’s largest and longest-running festival” — will fill the Anna Maria Gulf-to-bay avenue Saturday. The 22nd annual celebration of community, music, food and fun will begin at • Trevor Bystrom Band, 1:45 p.m.; 10 a.m. and close about 9 p.m. • Karen & Jimmy Band, 4:30 p.m.; Bayfest offerings will include a car • Dr. Dave Band 7 p.m. show 10 a.m.-3 p.m., arts and crafts venBusinesses and nonprofits with Pine dors, a food court, refreshments and enterAvenue addresses also welcome festivaltainment. Singer-songwriter Mike Sales will goers. Admission to the festival is free. emcee and perform on the music stage. For more information, contact the Four other musical performances will chamber at 941-778-1541. take place at Bayfest: — lisa Neff • Memphis Rub, 11:15 a.m.;
More than a year following an assault outside of Anna Maria Elementary in Holmes Beach, two young men have been imprisoned. Judge Stephen Whyte of the 12th Judicial Circuit ruled Oct. 12 to adjudicate Ellenton-resident John Bartholow, 18, guilty for a second-degree felony for aggravated battery with great bodily harm. Whyte sentenced Bartholow — who ultimately pleaded no contest to the charge — to serve three years in state prison, one year in community control and six years of probation. The sentence also subjects Bartholow to mental health and substance abuse evaluation and treatment, completion of an anger management course and 100 hours of public service. The sentence for a second-degree felony charge could have resulted in up to 15 years in prison, 15 years of probation and a $10,000 fine. Bartholow was one of the young men involved in the March 23, 2022, assault outside AME, 4700 Gulf Drive, that sent resident Evan Purcell, 41, to the hospital with serious injuries. The Holmes Beach Police Department identified Bartholow and Sarasota-resident tURN tO 3 YeArs, Page 2