VOLUME 30, NO. 28
Happy Mother’s Day
the Best news on anna Maria island Since 1992
islander.org
BB charter committee concludes task
astheworldterns. 6
Q&A 050422
3
aM oKs historic home designation. 4 new Mote-pier timeline approved. 4
By robert anderson islander reporter
Meetings 4 Bali Hai faces HB compliance orders. 5
Opinions 6
10-20 YeArs Ago
Looking back. 7
Save the date. 10-11
Happenings community events. 10-11
GoodDeeds 12 action at aMe. 13 cheers to Mom, mothering in paradise. 14
Gathering. 14
Roaring into year’s end at AME
cortez group elects board. 15
anna Maria elementary fifthgraders, who graduate in May, get their thrills on the cheetah Hunt during a field trip april 22 to Busch gardens tampa. for more, see page 13. islander Photo: courtesy Kari Kennedy
Cops & Courts 16
Streetlife. 16
county oKs more funds for Kingfish. 17 Monitoring shorebird activity. 18
The results are in from a short review of the Bradenton Beach charter. A charter review committee is recommending to city commissioners that several questions — including topics of term limits and elected officials’ salary raises — be put to the voters in November. The commission established and appointed the charter review committee in early April with the task to deliver a report and recommendations by early May. CRC members Ed Straight, Anne Leister, Jim Hassett and Dan DeBaun assembled at Bradenton Beach City Hall April 26. Member Tom Little attended remotely. They gathered for their second meeting on possible changes to the charter, a governing document for municipal governments originally adopted by the electorate. The charter may be amended only by voters through a referendum. Every Florida city operates under a charter and amending the document can require a review committee that drafts and proposes changes, first considered city commissioners, who can elect to put the change to voters at the polls. The committee made the following recommendations. • Wards: Committee members voted 4-1 to keep the four voting wards as they exist
turn to charter, Page 2
oKs $2.75M skyway memories rise to surface HB more for ‘city By Kane Kaiman islander reporter
“I haven’t thought of that day in decades,” Larry Hinds told The Islander celebrating cycles. 19 April 26. Soccer, hole-in-one domi“Events of that enormity are hard to pronate sports. 20 cess in real time, much less from a 40-year anglers find cool breezes, memory,” he said. Around 7:30 a.m. Friday, May 9, 1980, clear waters. 21 the Summit Venture, a 609-foot-long phosIsl Biz: 22-23 phate freighter, caught in a sudden squall, HB approves ugly collided with piers supporting the southgrouper plan. bound span of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, collapsing a segment of the structure and cLASSIFIEDS. 24-25 36 travelers into the water 150 feet PropertyWatch. 26 sending below. It took the U.S. Coast Guard hours to puzzle. 27 secure the scene and, in the meantime, sevfind the islander dating eral boats braved stormy seas to reach the to november 1992 disaster area. online at the uoff digital Hinds was aboard one of them. newspaper collection at
NYT
ufdc.ufl.edu.
MAY 4, 2022 free
turn to skyway, Page 8
center’ project By ryan Paice islander reporter
the Skyway Bridge disaster unfolds in this view from the top of the north span looking toward the Summit Venture. islander file Photo: Paul roat
Holmes Beach’s long-awaited “city center” improvements are on tap. City commissioners voted 4-1 April 26 to approve a $2,753,784.55 contract with Sarasota-based C-Squared CGC Inc. to complete a bevy of improvements from the intersection of Gulf and Marina drives to the 5600 block of Marina Drive. Commissioner Kim Rash voted “no,” citing the contract’s inflated cost. City officials and staff have discussed improvements to the city center for several years, including ideas like installing a roundabout at the intersection, but they didn’t hammer out concrete plans until 2020. Plans include roadway markings, bicyturn to city center, Page 3