Vol. 10 No. 26 - March 31, 2010

news

Anna Maria Island Sun News Story Talent show brings out a crowd

An enthusiastic audience enjoyed the Community Center’s second annual Got Talent show Saturday and cheered the following winners in vocal, dance and instrumental categories.

Vocal: Jillian Polk, first place; Moriah Haley, second place; and Katie Rose Dell, third place.

Instrumental: Island Rockers, first place and Syk Lyks Band, second place. More...

Furor over e-mails heats up

ANNA MARIA — As the e-mails from Harry Stoltzfus continued to be produced in response to a public records request, the furor over the embattled first-term commissioner’s communications continued to heat up.

“We ought to do something to see if this is all true,” said Jennifer Cascardo, a resident of the city. “A lot of the people in my neighborhood are elderly. They voted for him (Stoltzfus) and they are horrified to think that he offered to contribute to a lawsuit against the city if he could keep his name out of it.” More...

Police prepare for Easter beach crowd

BRADENTON BEACH – Easter generally signals the end of our busiest part of the tourist season and, up until recently, it has proven to be a holiday that could produce violence at the public beaches.

After a gang-related shooting that wounded three on Easter weekend 2007, Manatee County Parks and Recreation embarked on a redesign of the huge Coquina Beach parking lot to make it impossible to cruise around, as gang members had done in the past. More...

Pier project to proceed

ANNA MARIA — The pier boardwalk project will become a reality.

City Commissioners last week voted unanimously to go forward with the Florida Department of Transportation grant and construct a boardwalk at the base of the city pier. As the vote came in, City Commissioner Jo Ann Mattick burst into tears.

“Oh! I’m sorry!” she said. “We’ve worked so hard on this, and I’m so happy!” More...

Anna Maria Island Sun News Story Island churches celebrate Easter

Easter signals the end of the high tourist season each year as well as being one of Christianity’s holiest holidays and the churches on the Island are ready to serve the faithful both individually and collectively.

As has been the custom for the past 45 years, the churches will celebrate a sunrise Easter service together at Manatee County Public Beach starting around 6:30 a.m. on Easter Sunday, April 4. Officials from all six churches will contribute as the sponsor, the Kiwanis Club of Anna Maria Island, takes the collection and later distributes the money evenly to the churches. More...

Heated debate over Amendment Four

HOLMES BEACH – According to Women’s League of Voters official Rosalee Schafer, voters this November will decide whether to pass an amendment that would either fix a broken system that has allowed runaway development in Florida or clog the system so that much-needed land use laws cannot be easily adapted. More...

It’s a buffet of Buffett

HOLMES BEACH – We all know that Jimmy Buffett is the leader of the “Parrot Head Nation” and that would include just about any place in Florida, so a big part of the three-day Real Florida Festival will be the Parrot Head Dance on Saturday, April 17, from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Anna Maria Island Community Center, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria. More...

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryCenter prepares for Affaire

The weather couldn’t have been any ANNA MARIA – With chairman Trudy Moon back at the helm, Island Community Center officials are excited about this year’s Affaire to Remember, set for Saturday, April 24, at the Center, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria.

“This is our biggest event of the year,” Executive Director Pierrette Kelly said. “It enables us to serve the community and provide programs and services for children, youths and adults.

“It was a critical part of our being able to build the new Center. Anything we raise above our operating budget will help us pay the mortgage.” More...

Record manatee deaths continue

The bad news is that more Florida manatees died last year than ever before – 429.

The worse news is that only three months into 2010, that record has been broken.

At least 431 manatees are dead, most due to manatee cold stress syndrome, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. More...

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryEaster fun set for Saturday

The Sandbar restaurant will again host the Anna Maria Island Sun Easter Egg Hunt starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 3. Kids of all ages will hunt for Easter eggs on the beach behind the restaurant with surprises inside planted by the Easter bunny that morning. The egg hunt is free and open to all. Please bring bags or baskets for your children to carry their eggs.

Later, the Pine Avenue businesses in Anna Maria will host their first Easter Parade and Easter Egg Roll down Pine Avenue. Parents and children can join the Easter Bunny as he leads the parade down Pine Avenue for the Easter Egg Roll. More...



feature

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryLizzie Thrasher falls in love with the Island

For Lizzie and Mike Thrasher, coming across the Causeway onto the Island was like coming home.

They’d been coming to Fort Myers for years from Great Britain.

“When we saw Anna Maria, we realized what a gem it is, and we wanted to be here, to be a part of life here,” Lizzie says.

Lizzie makes her remarks in a bright shirt and a green apron from behind the counter at Pine Avenue General Store where she likes to wait on customers at least one shift a week. More...



reel time

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryEstancia Cristina, paradise found

I’ve been lucky to visit some amazing destinations over the years, but recently I had the good fortune to travel to a place that far surpassed any I’ve ever experienced, Estancia Cristina. The former working sheep ranch sits squarely in the middle of the pristine Los Glaciares (The Glaciers) National Park of Argentina on the shore of Lago Argentino. The Estancia is literally surrounded by the ragged Andean mountains, which cradle some of the world’s most impressive glaciers, including the massive Upsala. Los Glaciers Park is located in the southwestern region of Argentina (Patagonia) in Santa Cruz province, on the border with Chile. This is a region of such magnificent natural beauty that it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1981. More...



real estate

April 15 is on the horizon

A week ago, we fast forwarded our clocks one hour to begin the annual event of daylight-savings time. It seems like every year I dread this weekend, not only do you lose an hour’s sleep but the cumulative hours lost over your lifetime could add up to two or three days, or if you have really good genes, four days. In addition, by coming in March, it also brings you one hour closer to April 15, and who needs that? More...



business

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryBeach concession bidders make presentations

BRADENTON – Four groups hoping to land a five-year contract to operate concessions at the public beaches made presentations to a committee of Manatee County officials last week.

Committee members are Cindy Turner, director of the parks and recreation department; Melissa Assha, contract and buying manager; Elliott Falcione, of the convention and visitor’s bureau; and Mike Whelan, of the parks and recreation department. More...

Anna Maria Island Sun News Story

Disciplined risk control

Investment Corner

Last May, my article here in the Sun reviewed the debate between passive and active allocation approaches to managing an investment portfolio. Passive allocation techniques generally involve holding specific amounts of the portfolio in different asset classes like stocks, bonds, cash and other alternatives and then periodically rebalancing the portfolio back to these targets as market fluctuations cause the allocation to be off. More...



WEEKLY CALENDER

Events are free unless otherwise indicated..

Wednesday, March 31

Einstein Circle discussion on “Can we trust scientific data? Did science become too political?” The Studio at Gulf and Pine, 10101 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Registration is required by calling 359-4296.

Full moon wagon tour, Robinson Preserve, 99th Street N.W. and 17th Avenue N.W., Bradenton, 7 p.m. Reservations required by calling 941-742-5757, ext. 1.

Friday, April 2

De Soto Children’s Parade and Party in the Park, Palmetto, 10 a.m.

Saturday, April 3

Bridge Street Market, 107 Bridge Street, Bradenton Beach, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Sun/Sandbar Easter Egg Hunt, Sandbar restaurant, 100 Spring Ave., Anna Maria, 9 a.m. followed by an Easter Parade and Easter Egg Roll down Pine Avenue.

Barbara Hines, watercolor artist, will demonstrate fun and fashion with silk painting, Island Gallery West, 5368 Gulf Drive in S & S Shopping Plaza, Holmes Beach, 10 a.m. to noon.

Wednesday, April 7

Lecture on “What horrors befell some residents of Macon County, Ala.? The dirty truth of medical ethics,” by Dr. Samuel Gross, Island Community Center, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria, 11 a.m.

Friday, April 9

Opening reception for Linda Schmid, Island Gallery West, 5368 Gulf Drive in S & S Shopping Plaza, Holmes Beach, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Opening reception for “Artists Gone Wild,” Anna Maria Island Art League, 5312 Holmes Blvd., Holmes Beach, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Opening reception for Karen deLeon Stuart, Artists’ Guild of Anna Maria Island, 5413 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 10

Privateers’ Thieves’ Market, Coquina Beach parking lot in Bradenton Beach, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Bridge Street Market, 107 Bridge Street, Bradenton Beach, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Sidewalk sale, Artists' Guild Gallery, 5414 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Arts and Crafts Festival to benefit the Holmes Beach Butterfly Park, Holmes Beach City Hall field, 5801 Marina Drive, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

De Soto Bottle Boat Regatta, Palma Sola Causeway, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Debra Ridgdill will present a demonstration of burnishing (polishing clay), Island Gallery West, 5368 Gulf Drive in S & S Shopping Plaza, Holmes Beach, 10 a.m. to noon.

Privateers’ Thieves’ Market, Coquina Beach parking lot in Bradenton Beach, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Village of the Arts Brunch and Fashion Show, Bits and Pieces Gallery, 1303 13th Ave. W., Bradenton, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., $20.

Sunday, April 11

Arts and Crafts Festival to benefit the Holmes Beach Butterfly Park, Holmes Beach City Hall field, 5801 Marina Drive, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Wednesday, April 14

Einstein Circle discussion on “Immigration: We know we have problems. What should we do?” The Studio at Gulf and Pine, 10101 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Registration is required by calling 359-4296.

Friday, April 16

Holmes Beach Founder’s Day celebration, city hall, 5801 Marina Drive, 9 a.m.

Holmes Beach Founder’s Day and Real Florida Festival arts and crafts fair, City Hall Field, 5801 Marina Drive, 5 to 10 p.m.

Real Florida Festival Island Idol karaoke finals, Holmes Beach City Hall field, 5801 Marina Drive, 5 to 7 p.m.

Saturday, April 17

Holmes Beach Founder’s Day and Real Florida Festival skate contest, Holmes Beach Skate Park, 5801 Marina Drive, 8:30 a.m.

Holmes Beach Founder’s Day and Real Florida Festival arts and crafts fair, city hall field, 5801 Marina Drive, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Real Florida Festival Parrothead Dance, Island Community Center, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria, 6 to 10 p.m., $10.

Bridge Street Market, 107 Bridge Street, Bradenton Beach, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Twentieth anniversary party with refreshments and music, Island Gallery West, 5368 Gulf Drive in S & S Shopping Plaza, Holmes Beach, 2 to 6 p.m.

Sunday, April 18

Real Florida Festival, Bridge Street, Bradenton Beach, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

 

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