City pier progress. 22.
AmItW Aug. 18: 523 nests, 584 false crawls, 210 hatched nests.
Campaign 2019. 8-9 Astheworldterns ask, “Who gives a hoot?” 6
Tracking turtles. 26
AUG. 21, 2019 FREE
VOLUME 27, NO. 43
County considers $15 million update for convention center. 4
Meetings
on the government calendar. 4
Op-Ed
the Islander editorial, reader opinion. 6
10-20 YEARS AGO from the archives. 7
save a date. 10-11
Happenings Community announcements, activities. 11 Coquina Beach Cafe gets oK to expand. 12 Bridge street business owner seeks oK for food carts. 14
Streetlife. 14 seagrass deal to benefit Perico Preserve. 15 gulf drive cafe’s expansion oK’d. 17 street map. 18-19
Gathering. 20 Good deeds. 21 . 23 County suggests payas-you-go boating. 24 Pier dock bustles. 25 NESTING NOTES. 26
Bagpipes on the beach. 27 Youth soccer champs decided. 28 Hearty anglers find rewards in the rain. 29
ISL BIZ: 30-31
PropertyWatch. 32 CLASSIFIEDS. 32 NYt crossword. 35
The Best News on Anna Maria Island Since 1992
islander.org
AMI Bridge construction: Way down the road
Bradenton resident tony Rivera tosses his crab trap Aug. 14 near the western side of the Anna maria Island Bridge. Rivera, who was born in Puerto Rico and also lived in Boston, says crabbing by the bridge is a favorite pastime. Islander Photo: sarah Brice
By Arthur Brice Islander Reporter
Tony Rivera moved to Bradenton just a year ago, but he’s already been crabbing at the Anna Maria Island Bridge at least 15 times. He likes to go there with his 3-year-old grandson, Andrew Carmona, where they form memorable bonds while taking in the fresh air and the boundless view. In between tosses of his crab trap near the Kingfish Boat Ramp at the western end of the bridge, Rivera will tell you he’s uncertain about plans by the Florida Department of Transportation to replace the 62-year-old drawbridge with a high fixed span. “Sincerely, I hadn’t heard about it,” he said Aug. 14. “But I think it would make it a bit more difficult to toss the crab traps.” He needn’t worry yet — or for many years. By the time the new bridge is schedPleAse see BRiDGE, PAge 16
Treehouse case dismissed in federal court
Good morning, HBPD Holmes Beach residents dixie lampers, left, Carolyn orshak, Nancy flynn and deb sneddon set up breakfast Aug. 8 for the Holmes Beach Police department.
By Kathy Prucnell Islander Reporter
Holmes Beach Police officer david graziadei, left, officer Josh Betts, sgt. Brian Copeman and sgt. mike Walker enjoy breakfast provided by residents Aug. 8 at the HBPd, 5801 marina drive. Islander Photos: Jerry Newbrough
Three strikes at a treehouse complaint and the case was thrown out of federal court. U.S. District Judge James S. Moody Aug. 6 dismissed treehouse owners’ Lynn Tran and Richard Hazen case against the city of Holmes Beach and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection after three tries. Moody called the owners’ attempts “impermissibly unclear.” The owners, who filed the case in March without an attorney, fired back Aug. 8 with a motion asking the judge to reconsider the ruling. The motion said a court rule gave Tran and Hazen until Aug. 11 to respond to a DEP dismissal motion, calling the judge’s oversight “clearly an ‘extraordinary circumstance.’” In a Aug. 14 email to The Islander, Tran added, “I don’t know what to expect, but pray that we have given the court good reasons to consider.” PleAse see TREEHOUSE, PAge 3