Counties split on stimulus shortfall

Transportation projects targeted by feds

What will the economic stimulus package mean for the Island? That’s a question that no one can answer with total certainty, according to Tim Hochuli, Manatee County’s deputy director of public works.

"We still don’t know all the details, but we expect somewhere between $9 million and $11 million to come directly to the county," Hochuli said. More...

Final bridge hearing scheduled

If you have something to say about the size, location or layout of the next generation Anna Maria Island Bridge, you will have one final opportunity to make yourself known.

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has set Thursday, March 26, as the date of its final public hearing on a replacement for the 51-year-old drawbridge that is currently undergoing renovation. The hearing on its project development and environmental study will be held at St. Bernard Catholic Church, 248 S. Harbor Drive, Holmes Beach. There will be an open house starting at 6 p.m. followed by a presentation at 7 p.m. on all the data currently collected. More...

Few clues revealed in FBI probe

BRADENTON BEACH – Doyle Scott Elliott, the Holmes Beach man whose business and home were searched by FBI agents last week, was acquitted in Arizona Federal Court on Friday of selling unregistered securities.

The FBI would not say if that case was related to its search of Elliott’s home in Key Royale and business at 2219 Gulf Drive, in Holmes Beach. Manatee County records indicate Doyle S. Elliott bought the Key Royale house in 2004 for more than $1 million. Calls to the Newark, N.J. FBI office, where the order for the searches was made, were not returned by press time. More...

Island windsurfer sails on

CITY ISLAND – He’s still got it.

Anna Maria Island resident Bruce Matlack, 64, was the first-ever national windsurfing champion in 1972, and the first-ever world champion the following year, both titles he claimed on Mission Bay in San Diego.

On Saturday, he won the North American Senior Masters at the Island Style Classic regatta at the Sarasota Sailing Squadron on City Island, a nice feat for his 40th year of windsurfing. More...

County considers pier options

HOLMES BEACH – At press time, the Manatee County Commission was holding a special meeting to discuss options for replacing, repairing or rebuilding the pier at Manatee Public Beach.

On Feb. 20, county officials closed the pier for the second time in five months and said it must be removed and replaced because of continued deterioration to the pier structure since the last inspection. Officials recommended Option 4 – removal of the pier followed by replacement at a higher elevation. More...

Cumber offered 15 years

William Cumber, the boyfriend of missing Holmes Beach motel owner Sabine Musil-Buehler, has been offered 15 years in prison by prosecutors if he admits to violating his probation.

Cumber will not accept the plea, said his court-appointed attorney, Tom Ostrander. He is scheduled for a hearing on March 17. More...

City seeks mooring field committee members

Artists’ Guild celebrates 20 beautiful years

HOLMES BEACH – For 20 years, the Artists' Guild of Anna Maria Island has been woven like a tapestry into the lives of area artists, who celebrated the milestone anniversary on Monday night.

Genevieve Alban, who turns 90 this week, was honored as the founding president of the creative clan. She recalls hatching the idea while sitting with a few artist friends at the Anna Maria Island Community Center, some of whom were responsible for naming a room in the gallery after her earlier this year. More...

Find good friends, good food at Rudy’s

Although they stumbled onto Anna Maria Island by chance and turned north (by sheer luck) after crossing Cortez Bridge, Sally Woodward and Julie Quinlivan accomplished within a couple hours what would take anyone else at least a month to get done. By the afternoon they had a contract to buy a house and as the sun was setting, barefoot at the Sand Bar, they started planning a restaurant of their own.

Then, Sally and Julie took their time. They said they spent the next 13 months "riding our bikes, walking the beaches, going into every restaurant and each business. We entered a scavenger hunt, road the trolley, went to every concert, art festival and really got to know the people." More...

Spanish mackerel: Harbingers of spring

Spanish mackerel are staged off Anna Maria waiting to invade Florida’s west coast waters. Captain Rick Grassett reported finding mackerel on the flats in Sarasota Bay a couple of weeks ago. Last week, I observed large Spanish mackerel being caught by anglers fishing the pass on the south end of Coquina Beach. The current cold front will undoubtedly send them to warmer and deeper waters, but savvy anglers will be on the lookout for them as local waters warm up. More...

State Farm pulling out of Florida

When the stars are out of alignment there isn’t much you can do. In the middle of an unpredictable real estate market and with hurricane season on the horizon, State Farm Insurance Company said it will drop all of its homeowners’ policies in Florida. More...

Coastal Marine has you covered

Although I’ve been a boater for many years, I never knew why vessels are referred to as "she." Well, here’s the answer. A ship safely carries, protects and delivers cargo and passengers not unlike a mother does, therefore, vessels have traditionally been compared to women and referred to as she. If you have a beloved she in your life, are you taking care of her the way she takes care of you? If not, Coastal Marine Canvas & Upholstery will get her ship shape so you can show how much you care. More...

Minors defeated in Saturday match-up

The team of young Islanders knew they would be up against some solid competition as they traveled into Bradenton this past Saturday, but eventually came up short in their second game of the season. The final score was 12-2, with the Islander squad’s runs scored by Ben Ware and Miles Fisher on a series of walks and steals in the middle part of the lineup. More...

Grossman and Shank claim ’shoes victory

Wednesday, Feb.25, saw four horseshoe teams and the walker contend for the trophy. As usual,the walker, Sam Samuel, drew the bye. In the first round, Adin Shank and Dean Rowe defeated John Crawford and Bob Brown 21 to 16, and Art Kingstad and Bob Lee won over Jim Drurough and Bruce Munroe 21 to 10. In the second round, Shank and Rowe drew the bye and Sam Samuels defeated Kingstad Lee 21 to 17. In the final Six Pack, Sam started of with his usual Six Pack and finished with a Slippy, which flopped on for a ringer to easily defeat Shank and Rowe 21 to 8. More...