Recall ballot questions arise

Concerns over how Commissioner Harry Stoltzfus’ unexpired term should be filled if he is recalled are raising questions about the recall election process.

Tom Aposporos, who chaired the last two city charter review committees, says that according to the charter, the city commission has the authority to appoint a successor, rather than the voters electing one. More...

UPS renovates beach cafe

HOLMES BEACH – Sporting new booths along the front wall, new tables and chairs, a new floor and a colorful coat of paint, the dining room at the Anna Maria Island Beach Café reopened Saturday.

Concessionaire United Park Services closed the dining room at the Manatee County Public Beach last week for renovations. Next will come an ice cream parlor in the corner near the kitchen. More...

Tax break this weekend

Like a three-day sale at Albertsons, this year’s Florida tax holiday for parents of school children is all too brief.

It begins after midnight on Friday, Aug. 13, and goes until midnight on Sunday, Aug. 15. The holiday normally lasts a week, but after fighting to pare down the budget to eliminate huge deficits, the state legislature wasn’t feeling too generous this year. More...

City considers lower tax, higher rate

ANNA MARIA — Property owners may be paying less in taxes even though the millage rate may go up.

City commissioners held a work session Aug. 5 and began working on the budget for 2010-2011.

Last year the millage rate was 1.7882. Commissioners are discussing whether to stay at the same millage rate, which would result in about a $17 per household reduction or whether to go to the rolled back rate of 1.8665. The rolled back rate is the rate that would result in the same amount of money for the city. More...

O’Connor Bowling Challenge celebrates 20 years

The Island’s most infamous twins, Billy and George O’Connor, are celebrating the 20th year of their O’Connor Bowling Challenge with some special surprises.

“Everyone will get a coolie cup with an original design by Rob Reiber,” Billy said. “And we will be selling commemorative T-shirts with the same design.”

The tournament, sponsored by The Sun, is set for Saturday, Aug. 28, with check in from 5 to 6 p.m. at AMF Bradenton Lanes, 4208 Cortez Road, Bradenton, and bowling to begin at 6 p.m. The donation is $30 and it includes shoes and three games. More...

Island son returns to preach the gospel

ANNA MARIA – He was born at Manatee Memorial, grew up on Willow Avenue on the north side of the Island and his parents were well known and respected pioneers on Anna Maria Island.

After moving away to college and getting the call that brought him to Christ, Ed Moss is back on the Island as the new preacher at CrossPointe Fellowship.

His parents are Elizabeth and the late Gene Moss, both educators who live in Anna Maria. More...

Petition initiative on parking turned in

ANNA MARIA — A committee interested in clarifying the existing regulations on parking in the city’s residential/office/retail district (ROR) is now in the elections office.

City Clerk Alice Baird received the petition on Friday, Aug. 6, and drove it over to the office of Supervisor of Elections Bob Sweat. More...

Commission sets another parking work session

ANNA MARIA –At the commission’s most recent work session on parking, the only consensus was to have another work session.

Opening the meeting, Chair John Quam first outlined the concept of the plan.

“Pine Avenue is 25 feet wide, and the right of way is 12 ½ feet wide” he said. “The proposal is from the pavement to go in 25 feet for the parking space. That would be 12 ½ feet of the right of way and 12 ½ feet of the property owner’s property and 6 feet of the property owner’s property for the sidewalk.” More...

Sign up now for scallop search

The Third Annual Sarasota Bay Great Scallop Search needs volunteers on Saturday, Aug. 21 from 8:30 a.m. to noon to help monitor the local scallop population.

The free Sarasota Bay Watch event will launch from the docks at Mar Vista in Longboat Key Village. Participants will receive lunch and a T-shirt. More...

Long distance DREAMER

ANNA MARIA – When Diana Nyad attempts to swim 103 miles from Havana to Key West later this month, her practice sessions off Anna Maria Island will be helping to propel her to a very personal goal.

Nyad, who turns 61 this month, trained off Anna Maria in Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico for a few hours last weekend, working toward a swim that has never left her mind, even after 31 years without swimming a single stroke. More...

DOA lures hosts writers and guides

If you've followed this column over the years, you've heard me talk often of DOA Lures and its charismatic designer Mark Nichols. Nichols didn't start DOA with seed money or a public offering. He started his company with an idea, the most rudimentary of materials and most importantly an indomitable spirit. Oh, and yes, the fact that he had a nose for fish didn't hurt. Nichols didn't ask you to believe him, he was willing to show you firsthand how his creations enticed fish. What started out as an idea for an artificial shrimp has blossomed into a multi-million dollar operation that has made believers out of some of the state's top anglers. More...

First lionfish found off Anna Maria

ANNA MARIA – A local diver discovered the first lionfish in area waters seven miles off Bean Point on Thursday, startling scientists who were unaware that the venomous, non-native fish had arrived here.

“The genie is out of the bottle. We were thinking that our local limestone ledges would not be suitable for this species,” said John Stevely, local extension agent for the Florida Sea Grant program, adding that the Pacific Ocean fish was introduced into the Atlantic Ocean, possibly by a pet owner, and has rapidly spread to the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. More...

Foreclosure nightmare continues

There’s an expression frequently bantered around by the TV talking heads that has caught my attention – “wicked smart,” meaning, of course, so smart it’s almost evil. Unfortunately, there may be a lot of wicked smart people in Washington but so far none of them have been able to alleviate the foreclosure mess, which just seems to be going on and on. More...

Island’s first tattoo shop opens

Island Tattoo, which opened last week in the AMI Plaza in Holmes Beach, has welcomed a steady stream of customers, according to owner Tim Sheffstall.

‘We’re very family friendly,” Sheffstall stressed. “In addition to custom tattoos, we do face painting for kids, hair wraps with beads and Jagua-henna, a non permanent tattoo that lasts three to six weeks. We also customize vintage clothing and have cool accessories.” More...

The Death Cross

At the end of June, an event known as the Death Cross occurred in major stock indexes. The Death Cross is a term used to describe the 50-day moving average crossing below the 200 day moving average for the Dow Jones Industrial Average or the S&P 500 Index. The 50-day moving average is used as an intermediate indicator and the 200 day moving average is a long-term indicator of the market’s direction. Here’s a chart showing the S&P 500 Index along with its 50 and 200 day moving averages. Note the 50 day crossing below the 200 day at the end of June. More...

Turtle disorientations soar

BRADENTON BEACH – About 500 loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings fell victim to illegal lights last week in Bradenton Beach, according to Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shore Bird Monitoring Director Suzi Fox.

All five nests that hatched were disoriented, she said, and no hatchlings were found, indicating that they were eaten by crabs, birds, cats or other predators. More...

Key Royale Golf Club adds Mike McGowan

Key Royale Golf Club has added Mike McGowan to its management staff as dining room manager and teaching golf professional beginning July 12. McGowan has a wealth of experience as assistant teaching professional at Misquamicut Club in Rhode Island, Ancil Hoffman Club in Sacramento, CA and Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, FL. He was also a teaching professional at the Rolland Strafford Golf School in New York. More...