#AMItogether
VOLUME 28, NO. 37
The Best News on Anna Maria Island Since 1992 Astheworldterns chirp for ‘cheep’ masks. 6 Bar owners consider lawsuit over state’s COVID restrictions. 3
Stars, stripes and sandy beaches
Contributors praise new Anna Maria pier. 4
Meetings. 4 longboat Key sewage line breaks. 5 ‘No Swim’ order lifted at Anna Maria park. 5
Opinions. 6
Wear the damn mask.
10-20 YEARS AGO
looking back. 7
JULY 8, 2020 FREE
islander.org A small American flag waves in the breeze July 2 near Willow Avenue in Anna Maria as the sun begins to dip to the horizon on the Gulf of Mexico at the start of the long July Fourth holiday weekend. BElOW: Patricia Tabor, 12, Brooklyn, New york, watches July 2 as the Manatee County sheriff’s deputies pass on patrol on the beach near Willow and Cedar avenues. “I’m staying with my grandparents for the summer and we brought sparklers and pinwheels for fun,” Patricia said. Islander Photos: Brook Morrison
Independence weekend on AMI. 8-9 Center again closed for COVID-19. 9
Happenings Announcements. 10 ‘Hutch’ scientists take part in vaccine trials. 11 Tourist tax tumbles. 12
Top Notch
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State approves $2M for BB project. 13
Streetlife. 16 Gathering.
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COVID-19 skyrockets. 19 Need a mask? 19
NESTING NOTES. 20
Breaking a myth. 21 Marauders cancel. 22
Skimming AMI. 22 PropertyWatch. 22 Full moon wanes, fishing picks up. 23 CLASSIFIEDS. 24
NYT puzzle.
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Bradenton Beach stands alone, no mask mandate, no comments By Ryan Paice Islander Reporter
Face masks may be mandatory for a while in Anna Maria and Holmes Beach. But Bradenton Beach has not enacted such a policy. Bradenton Beach city commissioners met June 30 to address extending a declaration of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic, when a face mask request came from resident Lynn Selander, who wrote a letter that was read by city clerk Terri Sanclemente during public comment. “As a very concerned citizen of Bradenton Beach, of a certain age with underlying medical conditions, I am asking that you take decisive action … by requiring face masks to be worn in public,” Selander wrote. “Recommending is not enough.” Manatee County commissioners, in June, voted to endorse a recommendation from the Florida Surgeon General to wear face coverings. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommends masks. Selander, wrote, “This is a very small thing we can all do that can mean the difference between life and death for ourselves and the vulnerable among us as our infection numbers continue to spike. This is not a political issue. It is a human issue. Please, step up and mandate the wearing of face coverings in public.” Bradenton Beach commissioners did not address Selander’s request after hearing her letter, but extended the city’s state of emergency for another week.
Selander wasn’t alone in her hopes the city would adopt a face mask policy. “I wish Bradenton Beach would follow suit,” Tampa-resident Kate Calton commented on a Facebook post about the cities of Anna Maria and Holmes Beach mandating masks. “So many people indoors without masks!” “I wonder why Bradenton Beach is not requiring masks like the other island cities,” Bradenton resident Linda Larson commented. “It is needed!” However, Bradenton Beach Commissioner Ralph Cole told The Islander July 3 that the city shouldn’t go “above and beyond” safety recommendations from the state or the county. “I think people should make their own decision on (wearing face masks),” Cole said. “I believe one of the fundamental freedoms in your life is to decide stuff like that. That’s just the way I was raised.” Mayor John Chappie and Commissioners Jake Spooner, Marilyn Maro and Jan Vosburgh did not respond to phone calls July 3 from The Islander asking for their opinions on mandatory face masks. In Anna Maria Anna Maria city commissioners met July 2 to discuss extending the city’s emergency order requiring people to wear masks in some situations. The order, which must be renewed every seven days, requires people to wear face coverings inside businesses except when
THERE'S TAKEOUT, AND THEN THERE'S GREAT TAKEOUT.
eating or drinking or working in an office that maintains 6 feet of social distancing between employees. The policy also established a $50 fine for violations. Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy told commissioners code enforcement officers had yet to issue a fine for a violation and that business owners had largely gained compliance from patrons. Murphy added that he received mostly positive feedback from the public regarding the order, except for one man who claimed the order infringed on his rights. Initially, instead of leaving the decision to extend the order to Murphy, commissioners had agreed to meet again to discuss potentially requiring people to wear masks in some outdoor situations. However, Murphy recommended against PlEASE, SEE MASKS, PAGE 2