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Year: 2023

Sundown town label struck down

Sundown town label struck down

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – According to a college website dedicated to social justice, Anna Maria Island’s largest city is open to all visitors, but only during the day.

The History and Social Justice website justice.tougaloo.edu/map/ displays a map that claims to identify current sundown towns, listing Holmes Beach as a “probable” sundown town.

Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said the label is completely false.

“No, we are not a sundown town,” Tokajer said. “We are a welcoming community 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to anyone who wants to come live, work, visit or stay here. We just ask that anyone who comes out be a good neighbor.”

A sundown town is one where the vast majority or all of the population is white and minorities are not welcome after dark, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica. Sundown towns originated in the United States following the Civil War, and while any racial minority was targeted, many specifically targeted Black people. In these towns, if an unwelcome person was found within the town borders after dark, they were in danger of being arrested, assaulted or even killed.

While sundown town regulations largely disappeared after the end of segregation, in some places, people of certain races are still more welcome than others. The History and Social Justice website states that it’s committed to continuing the work of James W. Loewen by preserving historical records about race relations, the Civil War, gender relations and other hot-button topics. The website is hosted by Tougaloo College in Jackson, Mississippi.

According to the website, Loewen began researching sundown towns in 1999 with the expectation that he would find about 10 in Illinois and maybe 50 more across the country. He found 506 in Illinois alone. In Florida, the website has flagged more than a dozen towns ranging in confirmation status from “possible” to “probable” to “surely.” There is no criteria listed on the website for how the confirmation determination is given, however, on the city page on the Tougaloo site, U.S. Census data is listed from Holmes Beach’s incorporation in 1960 through 2000 specifically noting the number of Black residents. The highest number listed on the site is six Black residents in 2000.

On the U.S. Census Bureau website, a total of 3,010 residents is listed as of the 2020 count in Holmes Beach. While white residents made up the vast majority of the population at 2,795, the site lists that there are five people who identified as Black, four Native American, 32 Asian, 1 native Hawaiian, 16 of other races and 157 who identified as biracial or triracial.

Loggerhead sea turtle ‘Suzi’ released into race

Loggerhead sea turtle ‘Suzi’ released into race

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Featured, Outdoors, Sea turtles.

BRADENTON BEACH – As hundreds of delighted onlookers gathered to see a publicized turtle release at Coquina Beach, loggerhead sea turtle “Suzi” made a grand entrance from the sand to the water.

She hesitated several times walking on the beach, appearing to look at the crowd that had gathered, but once she reached the water she was in her element and took off swimming.

The June 27 release, however, won’t be the last time Suzi’s whereabouts will be known. Just after nesting in Bradenton Beach, she was outfitted with a satellite monitor and is the latest turtle to join the Tour de Turtles race. Her location will be monitored for several months via satellite.

“She nested right here and we boxed her up. We dedicated the nest that she laid to Suzi Fox, so we have a plaque here,” said Kristin Mazzarella, executive director of Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring. “She’s now part of the Tour de Turtles race.”

Turtle Watch volunteer Barbara Riskay praised the naming of the loggerhead in commemoration of Suzi Fox, the late executive director of Turtle Watch.

“It was a no-brainer to name her ‘Suzi,’ ” Riskay said.

Within three days of her release, loggerhead Suzi had traveled 16 miles at an average speed of .25 mph.

The release was sponsored by the non-profit Sea Turtle Conservancy, along with Turtle Watch and Waterline Resort.

“Started in 2008, the Tour de Turtles is a fun, educational journey through the science, research and geography of sea turtle migration using satellite telemetry,” according to the Sea Turtle Conservancy website. “Created by Sea Turtle Conservancy, with help from sponsors and partners, this event follows the marathon migration of sea turtles, representing four different species, from their nesting beaches to their foraging grounds.”

By tracking sea turtles, scientists have learned a lot about them.

“We now know that sea turtles are highly migratory, often traveling hundreds or even thousands of miles between the beaches where they lay their eggs and the foraging (feeding) grounds where they spend much of their time at sea,” according to the Sea Turtle Conservancy website. “Since most research conducted on marine turtles has been carried out on nesting beaches and well over 90% of a sea turtle’s life is spent in the water – feeding, mating, migrating and doing whatever else a sea turtle does when no one is watching – we are missing important information that can help us better protect sea turtles.”

Check the Sun’s Facebook page for weekly updates on Suzi’s location in “Where’s Suzi?”

AMI Moose lodge wins another Premier Lodge Award

AMI Moose Lodge wins another Premier Lodge Award

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – The Anna Maria Island Moose Lodge #2188 has won a Premier Lodge Award for a second consecutive year.

The honor was bestowed upon the AMI lodge and several other qualifying lodges nationwide during the annual International Moose Convention that took place June 20-23 in Reno, Nevada.

AMI Moose lodge wins another Premier Lodge Award
Byron Dalton is the administrator of the AMI Moose Lodge. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Byron Dalton became the AMI Moose Lodge administrator in mid-2019 and Patrick Kane has been the lodge president for two years.

Dalton said the lodge has earned the premier lodge honor for the past two years, but he’s not sure if or how many times the lodge earned that honor before.

“The last two years we were eligible for it, we received it. It’s truly an honor to get this. Out of a hundred or so lodges in Florida, only about half of them received this. A lot of lodges don’t get this,” Dalton said.

A lodge must satisfy a long list of criteria to win the award. The criteria includes increasing active membership during the annual fiscal year that ends April 30 and increasing total giving to Moose Charities for the fiscal year. A lodge can also win the award if its per capita contributions to Moose Charities equal or exceed the fraternity-wide per capita average of $6.51 per member and additional criteria are also met.

“We met everything on that list. We busted our butts,” Dalton said.

AMI Moose lodge wins another Premier Lodge Award

The AMI Moose Lodge features a patio area and deck face the Gulf of Mexico. – Joe Hendricks | Sun“The lodge earns the recognition because of the hard work of the lodge officers that are the leadership of the lodge. Patrick was the lodge president last year too, so this is his second time earning this honor. We also have a phenomenal crew and a phenomenal staff that work together to make the lodge as good as it is,” Dalton said.

“All lodges were expected to attend the convention and roughly 2,300 Moose members attended.

Attendance was really good and we believe every lodge was represented,” Dalton said.

AMI Moose lodge wins another Premier Lodge Award
Patrick Kane is the AMI Moose Lodge president. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Dalton, Kane, Past President Steve Boniberger, Vice President David Shevchik and lodge officer Kip Altman attended the convention. Altman also received his fellowship degree of merit.

“There’s four degrees and he just hit the third degree,” Dalton said of Altman’s accomplishment.

When a lodge achieves premier status, the lodge administrator and the lodge president also receive Moose Leadership awards.

“We’ll receive framed certificates when we go to the annual Florida Moose Association convention in September,” Dalton said.

Located on the Gulf of Mexico and boasting more than 17,000 members, the AMI Moose Lodge has the largest membership of any Moose Lodge in the world. Funds raised and donated by Moose Lodge and its members help provide care for children and teens in need at Mooseheart Child City and School on a 1,000-acre campus 40 miles west of Chicago. The funds also provide care for senior Moose members at Moosehaven, a 70-acre retirement community near Jacksonville.

AMI Moose lodge wins another Premier Lodge Award
The Anna Maria Island Moose Lodge has more members than any other Moose lodge in the world. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

The AMI Lodge also supports the Bradenton Beach Police Department. Over the past two years, the lodge has made two donations, including $2,000 in June, to the police department to help purchase computer simulation programs used for firearm training.

The lodge’s biggest fundraiser is the weekly Queen of Hearts drawings that take place on Wednesdays. No one pulled the queen on June 28 and the jackpot for the Wednesday, July 5 drawing will be $157,396 if a lucky member pulls the Queen of Hearts.

Water taxi expected to launch soon

Water taxi expected to launch soon

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News.

BRADENTON – An open house held on June 27 at the Manatee Performing Arts Center by the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) offered answers to many of the questions regarding the long-awaited ferry service between Anna Maria Island and Bradenton.

On April 23, CVB Executive Director Elliott Falcione said the hope was to have the boats operational by July, potentially by the Fourth of July weekend, a goal that was missed. The new, more conservative estimate is to have the boats running with passengers onboard by the end of the summer.

Although construction of the two 49-passenger pontoon boats is almost complete, they still require plenty of testing to get all Coast Guard certifications and permits issued. In addition, the city of Anna Maria has not yet reached an interlocal agreement with the county regarding the use of the Anna Maria City Pier as the northernmost stop on the Island.

The current plan is to have the water taxis depart downtown Bradenton and dock at the Anna Maria City Pier in Anna Maria and the Bradenton Beach Pier and South Coquina Boat Ramp in Bradenton Beach. Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy says there are things in the county’s proposed agreement that are of concern, and they are waiting for a revised proposal that makes better business sense for the city. Regardless, the project continues to move forward.

“I just got the call that boats will be splashing in the water in about two weeks,” Gulf Coast Water Taxi owner Trisha Rodriguez said. “Now that is without any Coast Guard validation and without any sea trials being done. It’s going to take a couple of weeks, if not a couple of months to get all of those sea trials completed. Most importantly regarding the timeline is that the docks have to be ready, and they are not ready now. The issue right now is we don’t have anywhere to go to, even if we were ready now, the docks have to be ready for the boats and they aren’t at this time.”

Rodriguez says that before the service begins there will be some trips for media and partners of the project to ride and see how the boats will operate. Dates for those trips have not yet been set. As for where the boats will be kept between splashdown in Bradenton and the start of the service, Rodriguez said that is being negotiated currently and they should have an answer in the next few days.

The open house also answered many of the basic questions many have had regarding the service once it is operational, including:

Days and hours of operation

Initially the Gulf Islands Ferry will operate every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. year-round. The captain of the boat will have complete authority over stopping service due to weather issues. During the stormy summer months, there will be times service will be suspended for safety reasons.

Cost

Tickets will be $8 for a one-way ride, $5 for children 4-12 and $6 for seniors. Tickets can be purchased in advance online or they can be purchased when boarding the boat if space is available.

Trip length

Assuming the city of Anna Maria reaches an agreement for use of the pier, the service will depart the downtown Bradenton Riverwalk near the Green Bridge with a 35-minute ride to Anna Maria City Pier. Exact times to the Bradenton Beach Pier and South Coquina Boat Ramp will be determined after sea trials begin in the next few weeks. This information will be updated frequently at www.gulfislandferry.com.

Where to park

In Bradenton, free parking is available at the City Centre Parking Facility at Third Avenue West between 10th and 12th Streets. On the Island, there is public parking at Coquina Beach, Cortez Beach and the Bridge Street area in Bradenton Beach. In Anna Maria, there is also free public parking near the city pier along the bay and on Pine Avenue. Parking on AMI can be very limited and part of the reason county officials have shown so much support for this project is because they hope people coming from Bradenton will use the service instead of bringing a car to the Island. The Island has a free trolley service as well as privately-owned transportation services that make getting around fairly easy without a personal vehicle.

Pet policy

Leashed, well-behaved pets are allowed onboard as long as they don’t bother other guests and all service pets are welcome. It should be noted that pets are prohibited on all Anna Maria Island beaches.

Restrooms

There is one restroom on each vessel.

Beach gear

Most commonly used beach gear and coolers are permitted on the boats, but due to U.S. Coast Guard regulations, bicycles will not be permitted on the water taxi.

Private charters

If arrangements are made at least two weeks in advance, most large groups can be accommodated. To schedule, email kristi@gulfcoastwatertaxi.com.

Wi-Fi

Complimentary Wi-Fi will be available on both water taxis; however, it should be noted that there will be dead spots along the route and full boats could experience bandwidth issues.

For updates and more information on the water taxi service, visit www.gulfcoastwatertaxi.com.

 

New state law impacts local ordinances

New state law impacts local ordinances

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Anna Maria, Anna Maria Island, Community News, Manatee County.

ANNA MARIA – Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed legislation that makes it more challenging for Florida cities and counties to adopt local ordinances.

On June 29, DeSantis signed into law legislation the Florida Legislature created with the Senate Bill 170 and its matching companion bill, House Bill 1515.

The new law makes it easier to challenge an existing or proposed ordinance, allows for enforcement to be suspended for challenged ordinances, makes it easier for challengers to recoup attorney fees and requires city and county governments to prepare a business impact estimate when proposing a new ordinance.

In anticipation of the new law, City Attorney Becky Vose recently provided Mayor Dan Murphy and the city commission with her five-page legal analysis of the new law.

“SB 170 pertains to the passage and challenging of local municipal and county ordinances. The bill gives additional rights to those challenging local ordinances, imposes conditions on legal challenges to local ordinances and adds to the process for local governments passing ordinances,” Vose wrote.

“The bill provides that a plaintiff may challenge an ordinance on grounds that it is arbitrary and unreasonable. The bill provides that a plaintiff prevailing on these grounds may be awarded up to $50,000 in attorney fees in addition to damages.

“Under SB 170, local governments, under certain circumstances, are required to suspend enforcement of an ordinance subject to legal challenge. The bill will also require courts to give priority to cases in which enforcement is suspended and render a preliminary or final decision as expeditiously as possible.

“The bill changes what is required of local governments before passing ordinances. The most burdensome change is that counties and cities will be required to produce a ‘business impact estimate’ prior to passing an ordinance. The estimate must be published on the local government’s website and include certain information, such as the proposed ordinance’s purpose, estimated economic impact on businesses and compliance costs. These provisions will take effect Oct. 1, 2023, except where otherwise provided,” Vose wrote.

“Section 57.112 allows legal challenges to local ordinances on grounds that they are expressly preempted by state law or conflict with the state constitution. SB 170 expands Section 57.112 to include grounds that an ordinance is arbitrary or unreasonable. In the past, courts have declared ordinances arbitrary or unreasonable when the ordinance has no legitimate governmental interest. The amendment provides that when an ordinance is successfully challenged in court as arbitrary or unreasonable, the court may, but is not required to, award up to $50,000 in attorney’s fees and costs to the prevailing plaintiff. The bill also allows a complainant to recover damages against the local government that enacted the local ordinance,” Vose wrote.

“If signed into law by the governor, these provisions will take effect Oct. 1, 2023, except where otherwise provided,” she noted.

When discussing this legislation on May 8, Vose advised the commission to adopt any new or amended regulatory ordinances they desire before Oct. 1.

Business impact estimates

According to Vose, the business impact estimate must be posted on the county or city’s website. The estimate must include a statement of the public purpose to be served by the proposed ordinance. An estimate of the ordinance’s direct economic impact, including fees, on private businesses is required and the city or county must provide a good faith estimate of the number of businesses likely to be impacted.

A business impact estimate is not required for ordinances required to comply with federal or state laws or regulations, ordinances relating to financial obligations and debt, ordinances relating to budget adoption and amendments, ordinances required to implement a contract or agreement, emergency ordinances, ordinances relating to procurement or ordinances relating to growth policy, municipal planning and land development regulation.

Man, 71, drowns at Coquina Beach

Man, 71, drowns at Coquina Beach

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – While the water may look calm and harmless, a number of drowning deaths have struck the Gulf coast of Florida over the last month, and a 71-year-old Bradenton man was the latest to succumb to unpredictable Gulf waters on June 26.

At least 12 people have died in the past month on the Gulf coast, including seven in Panama City and the high-profile death of former NFL quarterback Ryan Mallett, who despite being a healthy 35-year-old athlete, drowned in Destin in conditions that officials said did not involve potentially deadly rip currents.

According to the National Weather Service, there have been more than 1,000 surf zone fatalities since 2010, including 60 so far this year. Of those 60 deaths, which do not include Mallett’s, 17 have occurred along the Gulf of Mexico coast and all but two involved rip currents.

In the case of Benjamin Warren Griffith, 71, of Bradenton, Bradenton Beach Police Lt. Lenard Diaz said in his report that he arrived in the area of 400 Gulf Drive S. on June 26 at 2:40 p.m. to find EMS, fire and beach patrol already on the scene providing CPR.

“While the medical professionals were operating on Griffith, I gathered witness information and an explanation of events,” Diaz said in his report. “A witness said she had observed the victim swimming out halfway to the buoy where he was for an undisclosed amount of time. By the time they noticed Griffith was in the water, they were not sure if he was face up or face down. When she realized he was face down, the witness, Kimberly Lampercht, went out in the water to grab him and brought him to shore, then called 911.”

EMS transported Griffith to HCA Florida Blake Hospital, where he later died. Diaz’s report states it is unknown if he had any prior health issues that may have been related to the incident.

State restricts local land use regulations

State restricts local land use regulations

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Anna Maria, Anna Maria Island, Community News.

ANNA MARIA – The three city governments on Anna Maria Island are among the Florida cities now temporarily prohibited from adopting comprehensive plan or land development code amendments that are more restrictive or burdensome than their existing land use regulations.

On June 28, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into new law the committee substitute version of Senate Bill 250 and its matching companion bill, House Bill 7057. The temporary land use regulation restrictions created by the Florida Legislature and placed on local governments are just one component of the state legislation that provides approximately $61 million in state-supervised loans as part of Florida’s continuing recovery efforts from Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Nicole.

In May in anticipation of the new state law, the Anna Maria City Commission discontinued the short-lived pursuit of an ordinance proposed by city staff that would have placed greater local restrictions on multiple non-conforming lots located on a single property. City Attorney Becky Vose advised the commission to withhold any further action on the proposed ordinance until the final fate of SB 250 was known.

She also advised the commission that the proposed ordinance would subject the city to Bert Harris claims filed by some or all of the 37 impacted residential property owners. The Bert J. Harris Jr. Private Property Protection Act provides relief, including financial relief, for property owners aggrieved or inordinately burdened by the actions of a state, county or local government.

The new law created by SB 250 is set forth in section 553.80 of Florida Statutes and says: “A county or municipality located entirely or partially within 100 miles of where either Hurricane Ian or Hurricane Nicole made landfall shall not propose or adopt any moratorium on construction, reconstruction or redevelopment of any property damaged by Hurricane Ian or Hurricane Nicole; propose or adopt more restrictive or burdensome amendments to its comprehensive plan or land development regulations; or propose or adopt more restrictive or burdensome procedures concerning review, approval or issuance of a site plan, development permit or development order before October 1, 2024. Any such moratorium or restrictive or burdensome comprehensive plan amendment, land development regulation or procedure shall be null and void ab initio. This applies retroactively to September 28, 2022.”

During that May discussion, Vose said she believes Anna Maria is located within 100 miles of where Hurricane Ian made landfall in southwest Florida in September 2022.

“Jurisdictions within that distance on both the east coast and the west coast have to put a pause on changes to their comp plan and land development regulations if they result in something more restrictive or burdensome,” Vose said.

Additional research conducted by Vose and Mayor Dan Murphy confirmed Anna Maria is located within 100 miles of Hurricane Ian’s landfall. Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach also fall within that 100-mile range.

The new state law still allows comp plan and land development code amendments pursued through a local government but initiated by a private property owner.

Inspection fees

The state law also addresses building inspection fees and says, “local governments located in areas designated in the Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster declarations for Hurricane Ian or Hurricane Nicole may not raise building inspection fees before Oct. 1, 2024. This expires June 30, 2025.”

According to Vose, the inspection fee restriction applies to all Florida cities because FEMA issued disaster declarations in every county in Florida because of Hurricane Ian or Hurricane Nicole.

Temporary shelter

The new state law declares a municipality may not prohibit the placement of one temporary shelter on a residential property for up to 36 months after the date of the declaration if the property’s permanent residential structure was damaged and rendered uninhabitable. The resident must make a good-faith effort to rebuild or renovate the damaged permanent residential structure. Additionally, the temporary shelter is required to be connected to water and electric utilities, must not present a safety threat and the resident must live in the temporary structure.

Island Players documentary premier a sellout

Island Players documentary premier a sellout

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Entertainment, Theater.

ANNA MARIA – Operating for 75 years, the Island Players is the oldest community theater group in Manatee County, but the history of their home dates back another 75 years.

How the theater got to its current location on the corner of Gulf Drive and Pine Avenue is one of the fascinating subjects featured in a new documentary film about the Players.

Tens of thousands of people have attended plays at the historic theater that is as much a part of Anna Maria Island as the sand and palm trees. But most who walk through the doors have no idea that if somebody had not decided to saw a mid-19th century home in half and float it down the Manatee River, the theater simply wouldn’t exist. The story had to be told and a local filmmaker decided to tell it with his documentary, “The Anna Maria Island Players,” which was accepted and featured at the 2023 Sarasota Film Festival.

“When I pitched this to the studio, I asked if anybody had heard of this little wooden theater that got cut in half and floated down the river,” Director Lucas Piety said. “They didn’t know what I was talking about, but that’s how it all started.”

Piety said without the resources of the Manatee County Clerk of Court and the Anna Maria Island Historical Society, this project would have been impossible.

“The Anna Maria Island Historical Society has a museum right down the street,” Piety said. “If you’re interested in learning more about the history of the Island, I strongly encourage you to go visit it and learn more about the Island. I learned that a lot of money that went into the early years of this Island came from the creator of Fig Newtons; I had no idea.”

Piety said that he feels that Florida history doesn’t get the same attention as other states to the north and he wants to change that. He said it’s important that the history of Florida is shared with the world and, although this film may be a small contribution in the grand scheme, it’s a start, and he hopes more of the same will follow.

There will be no spoilers here, but, fortunately, the film is now online and can be viewed for free online.

Curtain, please!

Solid Rock, Luxury Service remain undefeated

Written by Monica Simpson on . Posted in Football, Sports.

ANNA MARIA – The Island-area tweens and teens took to the indoor soccer pitch in The Center’s gymnasium for week three action. With the standings in the 11- to 13-year-old league close, the four teams all went into this week’s play with the final week of play in view.

Due to a forfeit by Moss Builders, only one game was played last Monday night. Island Vacation Properties lost the game against Solid Rock Construction 5-4. The win was the first for the Solid Rock team in the oldest youth league.

Goals by Chandler McRae, Jimmie Melichar and Alonso Valle for Island Vacation Properties kept the squad in the game. Solid Rock’s offense was just a little too much for their opponent’s defense.

With seven saves each, Island Vacation Properties’ goalies McRae and Valle worked hard to protect their net. Solid Rock’s keeper Austin Guess was solid in his position, making 10 stops.

Renan and Ryk Kesten each scored a goal for Solid Rock in addition to a hat trick by Wes Saxon for the win.

The ballers in the 8- to 10-year-old league played two nights in a row to get their schedule back on track. After playing last Tuesday, team Intentional Resilient Intuitive had a hard loss against the Progressive Cabinetry team.

Winning the game 11-2, Max Mcmaster had five points in the game. Mcmaster’s teammates, Wesley Bekkerus, Rafa Price and Kason Price contributed with goals of their own.

  1. Price worked his magic in the keeper position making six defensive stops. Adding to the save count for Progressive, Vincent Gollamudi had five saves in the statistics for the game.

On the other side of the line, Paul ten Haaf scored the only two goals for the Intentional squad. Ten Haaf, playing as goalkeeper, made six saves in the match. Teammate Luke Willing shared the duties, making six stops as well.

The youngest Solid Rock Construction team earned the win against AMI Dolphin Tours, winning by three goals. Parker Svoboda scored the solo goal for AMI Dolphin Tours.

Sharing the scoring credits, Matthew Darak and Samuel Raulerson each got the soccer ball past the AMI Dolphin Tours’ keepers.

The four goalkeepers in the game were kept busy with a total of 22 saves. With eight saves each, Isaac Roadman for Solid Rock and Gunnar Maize for AMI Dolphin Tours set the pace, while teammates Darak and Maize each helped with big saves of their own for their teams.

Wrapping up week three sports at The Center, the adult co-ed flag football league played under the big lights for four games.

In a high-scoring game, the Cortez Deep Sea Fishing team beat Gulf Drive Café by two points, winning 41-39. Team Salty Printing had an easy time of it against The Banks Home Lending Team with the final score 39-18.

Playing without their team captain, Ryan Moss, Moss Builders was shut out by Sandbar Seafood & Spirits. Sandbar scored 29 points in the third game of the night last Thursday.

Winning and remaining undefeated, Luxury Services won their third game of the season against Solid Rock Construction. Solid Rock kept the game close the entire two halves of play, losing only by two points.

Heading into the mid-point of the season for all the leagues, the championship games are in sight and all of the teams remain strong contenders.

 

 

Sun Scoreboard

June 26

11- to 13-year-old league
Week 3

 

Solid Rock Construction (1-1-1) 5

Island Vacation Properties (1-2-0) 4

 

Coastline West Team/Wagner Realty (2-0-1) Winner by forfeit

Moss Builders (1-2-0) L

 

June 27

Youth Indoor Soccer
8- to 10-year-old league

 

Progressive Cabinetry 6

AMI Dolphin Tours 0

 

Solid Rock Construction 7

Intentional Resilient Intuitive 4

 

June 28

Youth Indoor Soccer
8- to 10-year-old league

 

Progressive Cabinetry (2-1-0) 11

Intentional Resilient Intuitive (0-2-1) 2

 

Solid Rock Construction (3-0-0) 4

AMI Dolphin Tours (0-2-1) 1

 

June 22

Adult Co-Ed Flag Football
Week 2

 

Cortez Deep Sea Fishing (1-2-0) 41

Gulf Drive Café (1-2-0) 39

 

Salty Printing (2-1-0) 39

The Banks Home Lending Team (0-3-0) 18

 

Sandbar Seafood & Spirits (2-1-0) 29

Moss Builders (2-1-0) 0

 

Luxury Services (3-0-0) 21

Solid Rock Construction (1-2-0) 19

City leaders continue to fight parking garage

City leaders continue to fight parking garage

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – Gov. Ron DeSantis may have signed off on a beachfront parking garage, but that doesn’t mean that city leaders are giving up the fight to stop the garage from being built just yet.

“We’re committed to fighting this thing. We’re not going to stop until there are shovels in the ground,” Commissioner Terry Schaefer said, with his fellow commissioners echoing the statement.

The garage that commissioners are vowing to fight is planned as a three-story parking structure with 1,500 or more spaces at Manatee Beach. While parking garages are not an allowable land use in any of the three Anna Maria Island cities, they are allowed in Holmes Beach by special exception. Feeling that city officials would never approve the garage, Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge said he opted to circumvent the special exception process in Holmes Beach by encouraging state Rep. Will Robinson to introduce HB 947, a bill to allow for the garage to be built without requiring any input or approvals from the city. Despite public outcry against the bill, it received unanimous support from the local state delegation, the Florida House and Senate, and, ultimately, from the governor.

The garage is estimated to cost $45 million to build, $400,000 a year to maintain and take at least two years to build, during which facilities and parking at Manatee Beach would be unavailable. The existing concession building with a retail store, restrooms and the Anna Maria Island Beach Café would be torn down to make way for the parking garage. Once built, the garage is expected to house new restroom and concession facilities.

City Attorney Erica Augello said that the legal battle is now underway to try and stop the garage from being built. While she said she’s just beginning to work on the city’s legal defense against the parking structure, she said she’s aware that at least two groups of residents and other interested parties have sprung up locally to fight against the garage. Augello said that if either or both groups decide to retain an attorney to pursue legal action she would like the attorneys to contact her to coordinate legal efforts.

Castles in the Sand

Is having two homes too much?

Written by Louise Bolger on . Posted in Business, Castles in the Sand.

This column is all about being careful what you wish for. Some people love their childhood home and long for the day they will inherit it from their parents. Others know if they just had that beach house their life would be complete. Well, I’m here to tell you that both dreams do not come as easy as you might think.

Inheriting the family home has been a tradition in the country for a century. It made a lot of sense to children who needed the space and location where they grew up for their new families. It wasn’t uncommon for siblings to make arrangements to buy out other siblings who wanted the property and, mostly, it was a good idea and worked.

Now, however, the family home may be worth a lot more than anyone in the family anticipated. Higher mortgage rates can make it impossible or impractical for any of the heirs to maintain the property or buy it outright. In addition, tax liabilities need to be calculated by a professional to determine if or when the best time to sell is.

If keeping the family home is a viable option for the heirs, then it might be a good option to use this windfall as a second vacation or investment home. Owning a second home comes with a long list of pros and cons, just ask any owner on Anna Maria Island. But, if you’re starting with a property that is inherited, you’re at least starting at the top of the pro list.

The biggest expense in owning a second home is financing it. Financing costs are typically higher for vacation homes with higher interest rates and larger down payments generally required. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have also raised fees for second home loans recently. If this is an inherited home, financing is not the issue, but there are plenty of other issues.

Coastal Florida, in case you haven’t noticed, is experiencing insurance premiums that are rising with shrinking options. The closer you are to the water, the greater your risk of flooding and wind damage in a storm, especially for older homes that may not have been built to current code. It’s certainly not impossible to get insurance on older properties but insurance companies are looking for new roofs at a minimum. In fact, you don’t even need to have a waterfront home for insurance companies to require a new roof before they will write insurance or give you a deadline for when that new roof needs to be installed.

Maintenance of a second home is always an issue, especially if the owner resides several hours or several states away. Maintenance companies will maintain issues in the home and check on it regularly if no one is there, but these services all come with a price. Renting a second home certainly is an option, but at the end of the rental, the property needs to be cleaned and checked for repairs. It’s a lot of work for owners and it’s not unusual for second homeowners to decide at some point it’s too much work for the time they use the property.

The flip side of this is the income that can be realized from second homes. Just look at the rental prices on Anna Maria Island. Again, consult your tax professional if you plan to use the property for both personal and business use. Every owner’s situation is different based on their personal use, the amount that can be written off and income.

There is no one answer for everyone. Owning a beachfront property or a ski-in, ski-out chalet may be your dream. Just be careful what you wish for.

Legislation imperils local waters

Reel Time: Legislation imperils local waters

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Fishing, Outdoors, Reel Time.

At a time when the need to move water quality issues in a positive direction should be crystal clear, decisionmakers (and, by default, the citizens who elected them) are weakening protections that are the basis of the region’s economy. After several years of record harmful algae blooms (red tide, lyngbya, blue-green algae) and the unprecedented mega release of toxic effluent from the Piney Point disaster, it’s almost unbelievable that newly enacted state laws are making it harder to protect critical waters.

A bill that was recently signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis prohibits local governments from “adopting or amending a fertilizer management ordinance” during the 2023-24 budget year. The legislation restricts the ability of local municipalities and counties to restrict fertilizer use during the rainy season (May 15 to Oct. 3). Instead, they are now required to depend on less restrictive regulations developed by the University of Florida and supported by the state’s phosphate industry, the producers of fertilizer. It’s another nod to industry over the common good. The bill, which was quietly tucked into the budget without comment from the public, is defended by proponents since it only lasts for a year while the university studies the impact of the revised rule. This move appears to be nothing more than a gift to the fertilizer industry that has been losing revenue since 2000. Before the law was enacted, Gil Smart, executive director of advocacy group VoteWater, stated, “Fertilizer control is a key tool for local governments grappling with water quality problems. If this stands, it just opens the door to even more nutrients in our waterways and more problems. It’s unconscionable.” (Mary Allen Klas, Tampa Bay Times, May 2, 2022)

When I contacted Smart about the newly-enacted bill, he added, “I can also say this fertilizer study is an obvious precursor to legislative attempts to weaken fertilizer ordinances across Florida. I’d expect to see legislation to that effect as early as next session.”

Local anglers see first-hand what devastation excess nutrients from a myriad of sources, including fertilizer, wreak on the waters of Anna Maria Sound. Capt. Justin Moore understands the issue firsthand. Moore fishes over 200 days a year and sees the changes happening before his eyes.

“I have lots of customers who love to fish and have young children,” he said. “If they want their kids able to fish, we need to address this issue at the ballot box. What I’m seeing makes me afraid that we’re close to losing it all if we’re not careful. New and existing businesses on the Island and beyond need to know that a catastrophic red tide bloom (scientifically linked to excess nutrients) could devastate their business.”

If this wasn’t a big enough blow to efforts to protect water quality and vital marine habitat, Senate Bill 540 might signal the final nail in the coffin of common-sense reform. According to Samantha Wassmer, marketing and communications specialist for Suncoast Waterkeeper, “Along with the new restriction on fertilizer, the state Legislature delivered Senate Bill 540 and Senate Bill 1258/House Bill 1191 to the governor’s desk. Senate Bill 540 threatens ordinary Floridians with financial ruin for exercising their right to legally challenge bad development decisions. Specifically, citizens who challenge comprehensive plan amendments would be forced to pay the attorney fees and costs of the prevailing local government and developers if they lose their challenge. Senate Bill 1258 approves the use of radioactive waste called phosphogypsum in road construction, giving a free pass for industry to produce even more fertilizer that ultimately flushes into and pollutes our local waterways. Gov. DeSantis signed SB 540 on May 24, 2023, and has yet to take any action on SB 1258 which, as a result, automatically went into effect on July 1.”

Dave Tomasko, executive director of the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, has a broader viewpoint as a scientist and brings another perspective to the issue.

“Municipalities are spending hundreds of millions of dollars to clean up Sarasota Bay and isotopic signatures show the presence of fertilizer-derived nitrogen in bay waters. Since there are no agricultural sources of nitrogen in the adjacent watershed it’s an indication that the nitrogen is from residential sources. If you want a bright green lawn, you must be willing to accept a bright green bay,” Tomasko said. “Since no one wants that, every citizen in the watershed must step up and do their part.”

In the end, the message seems clear to this advocate. If we are to protect this special place we love, it will require the voters to elect lawmakers who represent the people. Our state legislators and the governor have failed us to date.

Coquina Beach parking lot improvements nearly complete

Coquina Beach parking lot improvements nearly complete

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – Almost the entire Coquina Beach parking lot is now available to beachgoers, including those visiting the beach during the extended Fourth of July weekend.

The second phase of Manatee County’s long-running drainage and parking lot improvement project is now in its final stage, with the remaining work taking place in the overflow parking area being created north of the picnic pavilion area.

Coquina Beach parking lot improvements nearly complete
This diagram illustrates where the work was completed and the overflow parking area, circled in red, still being worked on. – Manatee County | Submitted

According to Manatee County Information Outreach Manager Bill Logan, all the Coquina Beach parking spaces are now open except for the overflow area, which he said is expected to be completed by the end of July.

Coquina Beach parking lot improvements nearly complete
An overflow parking area is being constructed near the picnic pavilions. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“That is the last and final parking and drainage improvement,” Logan said of the final work taking place.

Formerly comprised of shell and sand, the Coquina Beach parking spaces are now paved with permeable concrete which contains gaps that allow water to drain down through the pavement and into the new drainage elements below.

A visit to the Coquina Beach parking lot on June 27 indicated that, with the exception of the overflow area, the entire parking lot was finished and available for parking.

Coquina Beach parking lot improvements nearly complete
The improvements made to the north end of the Coquina Beach parking lot are complete. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

The Coquina Beach drainage project started at the south end of the beach parking lot in May 2019 and included the removal of approximately 100 Australian Pine trees. County staff said the trees needed to be removed in part because their expansive root systems would hinder the drainage and paving improvements. As the second phase of the project moved north, approximately 87 more Australian pines were removed. Although many Australian Pines were removed, many still remain in place, including those along the recreational trail between the parking lot and the beach.

When the county commission approved the phase two plans and tree removals in 2020, the estimated phase one cost was $3.36 million and the estimated phase two cost was $3.62 million.

Racing boat visiting Drift In

Racing boat visiting Drift In

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – One of the offshore racing boats participating in the 39th Annual Sarasota Grand Prix powerboat races will make a post-race appearance at the Drift In in Braden­ton Beach on Monday, July 3.

The powerboats will race offshore of Lido Key Beach in Sarasota on Sunday, July 2, with qualifying and testing on Saturday, July 1.

The Drift In is one of the sponsors of Joe Olivieri’s OC Offshore Racing team.

Drift In owner Derek Williams said, “My friend Joe Olivieri built the boat and he’s racing in that series. He’s dreamed about doing this for a while. He spent a couple years building the boat and this is his first year. He drives the boat and recently raced it in Key West. Some local businesses sponsor him and we’re going to bring the boat to the Drift In parking lot and do something patriotic in honor of the Fourth of July. Joe’s a local guy. He’s a general contractor and he owns Olivieri Construction. He’s done work at the Bridge Tender Inn before and he’s all over town.

“We’re also doing it for the Denis V. Cooper Foundation and Wishes For Heroes.org – a local veteran’s charity I helped start with a friend of mine, Maverick Johnson. We raise money and give it to local veterans in need,” Williams said.

Denis Cooper (aka ‘Maverick John­son’), Williams, Gary Kortzendorf, Bob Morrison and Steve Hopkins started the Wishes for Heroes foundation in honor of Cooper’s late father, Denis V. Cooper. Known on-air as Maverick Johnson, Denis Cooper co-hosts a country music morning show on WCTQ 92.1 FM and 103.1 FM. He’ll be attending the Drift In event, which will also feature live music by Dos-Macs.

The event, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., will serve as a fundraiser for the Denis V. Cooper Foundation, with the Drift In donating the hot dogs to be sold to benefit the foundation. Denis V. Cooper Foundation T-shirts will also be available for purchase.

Some or all of the Drift In parking lot will be temporarily closed that day to accommodate the racing boat.

“Come see the boat, get a picture and have a cold one and a hot dog. We’re supporting a local charity and celebrating the Fourth of July,” Williams said, noting the racing boat might also participate in the Anna Maria Island Privateers’ Fourth of July parade on Tuesday.

Parking at a premium for holiday weekend

Parking at a premium for holiday weekend

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – As America makes its 247th successful trip around the sun, many people are expected to celebrate the nation’s birthday on the Island’s white sand beaches.

With July Fourth coming next Tuesday, be prepared for several days of festivities, as many will arrive early for the weekend and crowds are anticipated to be some of the largest AMI has ever seen.

While there has been a slight leveling off after the tourism boom that occurred in 2021 as Florida became one of the few states that opened for business after the COVID-19 lockdown, recent holiday weekends have been busy and there is no reason to expect anything less for this one.

Law enforcement officials have gone on the record saying Memorial Day weekend last month was the busiest weekend ever seen on the Island.

“In my opinion, the Sunday before Memorial Day was the busiest day I’ve ever seen on the Island,” Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said. “We issued more than 100 parking-related tickets, but I drove around our city’s public parking spots and there was never a time there weren’t spots open, people just need to keep a lookout for them.”

A map of available public parking spaces in Holmes Beach can be found on the city’s website.

Parking at a premium for holiday weekend
Beachgoers enjoyed nearly perfect weather on Memorial Day weekend at a very busy Manatee Beach. The July Fourth weekend could see even larger crowds. – Jason Schaffer | Sun

In Bradenton Beach, the parking situation is amplified with the addition of more than 50 new no parking signs on Gulf Drive South, though some motorists don’t seem to care about the new signs.

“Over Memorial Day weekend, our officers wrote more than 400 tickets for illegal parking at Coquina Beach and Cortez Beach, and there were still plenty that probably got away with it,” Bradenton Beach Police Lt. Lenard Diaz said.

Both Tokajer and Diaz believe that some people feel like it’s worth the price of a ticket to just park and get on with their beach day, a sentiment echoed by many people The Sun has spoken to regarding beach parking.

“It costs about the same to park at Disney as it does to get a ticket for illegally parking here,” Britany Hillibold of Bradenton said. “I live less than 10 miles from the Island and it can take two or more hours just to get onto AMI. Then the process of finding a parking spot begins. I get why some people just park and head to the beach knowing they’ll have a ticket on their windshield when they get back to their car. For the price of a couple of grouper sandwiches, you’re good to go.”

While parking will be difficult, restaurant wait times will be excessive and travel to and from the Island will be slow, there will still be plenty of sand, sea and sun to make the Island a great place to wish America a happy birthday. Just keep a few things in mind to have a safe and enjoyable fourth. The following are not permitted on any Island beach:

  • Motor vehicles,
  • Fires,
  • Grills (except where public grills are provided),
  • Pets,
  • Alcohol,
  • Harassment of wildlife (shorebirds and sea turtles are nesting, admire from a distance), and
  • Fireworks.

“I have three important reminders for the upcoming July Fourth holiday weekend,” Tokajer said. “First, you are vacationing in a residential area, so please keep noise to a minimum. Second, be respectful of your surroundings and leave it cleaner than you found it. Third, always park with all tires off the road. Parallel parking is parking with the flow of traffic. Saying you didn’t see the sign or were not aware will not get a ticket voided.”

Holmes Beach police, along with Bradenton Beach and Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, which patrols the city of Anna Maria, remind the public that local ordinances are strictly enforced, and all three departments plan to increase the number of officers on patrol for the busy holiday weekend.

“Remember to not put yourself in a position to be a victim of a crime of opportunity,” Diaz said. “Lock your car and don’t leave valuables in plain sight on car seats or places that entice criminals. Also, don’t bring valuables to the beach. Just bring what you need so you can relax and enjoy yourself.”

While violent crime is uncommon on AMI, a heavy influx of visitors may bring out a few people with bad intentions. Taking common sense precautions can help assure a fun and safe day at the beach.