PIER PRESSURE

ANNA MARIA — A full inspection of the Anna Maria city pier is finally on tap.

"I’ve heard from you all that you’re concerned, I’ve heard from citizens and the pier centennial committee that there are concerns," Mayor Fran Barford told city commissioners at their July 9 work session. "We are arranging for a full inspection."

The inspection will be done by M.T. Causley and the $5,200 cost will be paid by the city, according to Barford. More...

Cuts could force beach closures

Beachgoers may find their favorite spots closed as lifeguards try to do their jobs under budget cuts reducing their force by 25 percent.

Four open positions will not be funded due to Manatee County budget cuts, said Jay Moyles, chief of the county’s Marine Rescue Division, saving $140,000 to $150,000 a year.

With fewer lifeguards watching the same amount of beach, "We’re going to be more proactive than ever," he said. "We are closing down sections of the beach to make sure the public stays safe." More...

Proposed pipeline concerns revisited

Commercial fishermen banned from 26 square miles of Gulf waters for nearly a year. Sea turtles suffocated in machinery, and manatees and dolphins killed in vessel strikes. Air, water, noise and visual pollution increased.

These are among the many concerns raised by the U.S. Maritime Administration and the U.S. Coast Guard in their final environmental assessment of the proposed Port Dolphin natural gas port and pipeline, released Friday. More...

Island military family getting used to civilian life

changed for Tami Kemper-Pena, a U. S. Army sergeant since she had a brief leave at Christmas.

For one thing, she’s now retired from the military. Her husband, Roland Pena is now also retired from the military. For another, she’s finally home full time and spending her days with her three daughters again.

Kemper-Pena sustained head, neck and back injuries in a mortar attack in Iraq. She had 14 surgeries with more to come, but she says she’s feeling a lot better. More...

Sandbar employee retrieves wedding dress

ANNA MARIA – It was almost a disaster but the persistence of a wedding suite attendant and the father of the bride paid off following a ceremony at the Sandbar restaurant on Tuesday, June 30.

It all began when attendant and Sandbar employee Maggie Cucci, who was assigned to keep the dressing area clean for Sarah and Zach Richard’s wedding, inadvertently threw Sarah’s dress into the trash. According to Cucci, the bride had left it in a bag under other items that looked like trash and the dress was not a very thick one, more petite than most. More...

Paving project to affect Island access

BRADENTON BEACH – City commissioners showed their support for the concept of the free, or fare-less trolley last Thursday by voting to contribute up to $8,000 to the People coming to and from Anna Maria Island via Manatee should consider Cortez Road during the overnight hours. On July 7 Superior Asphalt, Inc., began a $3 million resurfacing and roadway improvement project on State Road 64, also known as Manatee Avenue, from Palma Sola Boulevard to 39th Street West, according to the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). More...

Boat launch gets funding approval

BRADENTON BEACH – If all goes well, the shoreline behind Herb Dolan Park at 25th Street will be alive with kayaks and canoes launching into the bay waters.

The Sarasota Bay Estuary Program announced last week that a grant for $6,000 to build a non-motorized boat launch at the park had been approved. Bradenton Beach Programs/Projects Manager Lisa Marie Phillips said the approval was a combination of good luck and having a solid plan. More...

Pipeline opponent gets support

LONGBOAT KEY – Longboat Key is garnering support from surrounding municipal governments in its ongoing opposition to Port Dolphin’s proposed floating natural gas port.

Town commissioners are set to decide in September whether to spend $245,000 to continue to oppose Port Dolphin’s proposed pipeline off Anna Maria Island. More...

Island-style weddings

Use our special wedding section to plan your wedding or event.

Hone your hot weather fishing strategy

Summer is officially here, and the fireworks of the Fourth of July once again signal that area waters are heating up. As tarpon season wanes, savvy anglers will know to change their strategies, tailoring their efforts to maximize comfort and opportunities.

One of the prime times to fish during the dog days is before the sun crests the horizon. The myriad dock and bridge lights that illuminate the waterways from Bradenton to Venice are prime targets. These areas hold schools of snook as well as trout and a host of other species. More...

Home Valuation Code causes problems

If you think with the right side of your brain and consider business dull and art an adventure, you’ve never met a real estate appraiser, at least the way real estate appraisers once were. Since the Home Valuation Code of conduct was adopted on May 1, real estate appraisers, who once thought with both sides of their brains, are now thinking with only one. More...

Protect yourself from fraud

Investors have every right to be nervous and concerned about their investment. After the worst market decline since the Great Depression, not only did investors lose a lot of value of their holdings, but the ugly face of greed was revealed in several high profile cases of fraud. More...

Turtle Watch volunteer brings expertise to Island

Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch Director Suzi Fox helped monitor the 62 green turtles that came ashore at the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge one night last week.

"It was amazing," Fox said when she returned to the Island. "They have so many nests each night there."

Fox was helping interns and scientists from the University of Florida tag some of the green turtles that came ashore to nest as a way of increasing the knowledge we have of these threatened marine reptiles. More...

Horseshoe tossers feel the heat

The horseshoe tournaments continue through the summer beginning at 9 a.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays at Anna Maria City Hall. Thank goodness for the shade provided by the lush native landscaping there. More...