#AMitogether
VOLUME 28, NO. 46
the Best News on anna maria island Since 1992
Barbara riskay, anna maria island turtle Watch volunteer, counts remains aug. 29 from a hatched sea turtle nest in the nursery near Peppertree lane in anna maria, where hatching occurs daily. Volunteers wait 72 hours after a hatch and dig into the nest to determine how many eggs hatched, didn’t hatch or if dead or live hatchlings remain. the live hatchlings are released to the gulf of mexico and the data is shared with the state and manatee county. for more, see pages 20, 22. islander Photo: courtesy amitW
landscape politics ahead. 4
Vote 2020. 4 Meetings. 4 mask orders meet some resistance. 5
Opinions. 6 10-20 YEARS AGO
looking back. 7
Bradenton Beach tax hike advances. 8
Happenings announcements. 10
AmE NEWS
Pandemic won’t stop Peace day. 11
Cops & Court. 12 Streetlife. 12 Skimming AMI 14 coVid-19 curve continues dive. 14
it’s game time. 15 July tourist tax collection tops prior years. 16 Beach renourishment moves south. 16
Gathering.
18
islander.org
Excavating
Astheworldterns await the pier restaurant. 6
Bradenton Beach oKs tram-shuttle contract. 8
SEPT. 9, 2020 Free
Mahi wowie capt. david White, right, and angler Spencer dienes, a radiologist in miami, show off what White termed “a respectable little mahi-mahi” caught Sept. 2 on a live shiner in about 120 feet of water off anna maria island. dolphinfish, Coryphaena hippurus, also known as mahimahi or dorado, can run up to 63 inches and 88 pounds, but it’s common to find fish of 30 pounds. the fish is capable of flashing purple, chartreuse and a wide range of other colors. for the full fishing report, go to page 23.
Pine Avenue triad selected for new Anna Maria pier ops By chrisann allen islander reporter
The city got a bite on the bait. All that remains is to reel in the lease. Obituaries. 18 A coalition of three Pine Avenue busiHB makes progress. 19 nesses Sept. 4 won approval from four Anna Maria commissioners to negotiate a lease to clean on, crusaders. 21 operate a grill and bait shop on the new city final 4 at center field. 22 pier, 101 Bay Blvd., Anna Maria. Commissioners unanimously voted to thunderstorms flush fish accept a joint bid from former Commisfrom river. 23 sioner Brian Seymour, owner of the Pine Avenue General Store, Victor Mattay, owner CLASSIFIEDS. 24 of Dips Ice Cream and Nicholas Graham of Avenue Bait and Tackle, all located in PropertyWatch. 24 Pine the Historic Green Village on Pine Avenue. “We are very excited,” Seymour told puzzle. The Islander Sept. 4, following his group’s
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bid approval. “I think we were the obvious choice when you compare our two proposals side by side. We stand behind our proposal and we look forward to partnering with the city to get this pier back to the No. 1 tourist destination in Manatee County.” The runners-up, Micheal, Patrick and Casey Coleman of FP Growth Partners of Anna Maria, could be called on if the city’s negotiations fall through with the Green Village group. Mayor Dan Murphy evaluated four bids Aug. 21. Other bidders were Tevatan LLC, with Sarah Baldwin, daughter of Sherman Baldwin, owner of Paradise Boat Tours in Bradenton Beach, listed as manager, and Harry’s Continental Kitchens of Longboat Key.
The city’s criteria for proposals included: • Proposed annual rent; • Estimated cost of build-out and equipment; • Food and beverage menu with prices, as well as bait items; • Experience; • Time frame to become operational; • References, financials. The RFP also stipulated that the city would provide drywall, flooring, a 4-foot hood, grease trap, fire suppression and electrical and plumbing rough-ins. The tenant is responsible for fixtures, equipment, painting and finish work, as well as design, construction and layout of PleaSe, See Pier, Page 2