Scott kills renourishment funding

BRADENTON BEACH – A large brown pipe sits on the shore, just south of the BeachHouse restaurant, and it leads into the Gulf of Mexico toward the barrow pit where sand will be obtained for the next renourishment project on Anna Maria Island. If everything goes well, the project will be begin by the end of March and if the crews are real lucky, they might be done before their income tax returns are due this year.

However, Governor Rick Scott's latest budget proposal might make renourishments a thing of the past after this project and a smaller one next year. More...

Kingfish lighting questioned

HOLMES BEACH – After hearing objections from Commissioner David Zaccagnino, commissioners agreed to require a site plan and permit from the county for its lighting plan at Kingfish Boat Ramp.

In February, Zaccagnino raised objections to a plan to install 11 lights at the ramp area. County engineers said the lighting plan is governed by Florida Department of Transportation regulations. More...

Parking plan revised

ANNA MARIA – Commissioners last week further revised the Pine Avenue Parking and Pedestrian Plan and instructed Planner Alan Garrett to make the changes. More...

Board says employee awards criticism unfounded

HOLMES BEACH – Commissioners last week responded to a citizen's complaint that the monthly service awards distributed by the city but funded by individuals or businesses are a form of bribery.

"I just want to make it clear that this unsigned letter is misleading," Mayor Rich Bohnenberger said. "We don't allow city employees to take direct gifts from anybody. I'm the one that decides who gets what. More...

Party beneath the stars at Island Music Festival

ANNA MARIA – Even though Daylight Saving Time has pushed the clock forward, there's still time to dance under the stars at this month's Island Music Festival on Friday, March 18, from 5 to 10 p.m.

Look for arts and crafts and food vendors plus refreshments provided by the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce. More...

Attorney responds to fisherman

HOLMES BEACH – City attorney Patricia Petruff responded last week to claims by fisherman Wayne Slusser that some of the city ordinances regarding the beach are outdated or violation of state law.

"I reviewed the ordinance and I don't know that we need any changes." More...

Wine tasting to benefit Affaire

Harry's Continental Kitchens will host a wine tasting on Wednesday, March 23, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. to benefit the Anna Maria Island Community Center's Affaire to Remember.

You can sample a variety of wines from all over the world and a delicious appetizer buffet. Admission is $10, and you will receive a $5 coupon toward your next purchase at Harry's located at 525 St. Judes Drive (off of Gulf of Mexico Drive) on Longboat Key. fMore...

On critics

My Uncle George didn't like critics. He maintained they constrained his creative energies.

If there was ever anyone who needed his creative energies constrained it was my Uncle George.

One summer, Uncle George decided to convert his suburban home's entire front lawn into a farm in hopes of aggravating his neighbors.

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Seagrass: a healthy resource?

The seagrass beds that carpet Anna Maria Sound and extend south through Sarasota Bay harbor a tremendous array of living creatures. This critical and diverse ecosystem is mostly out of sight, except at extreme low tides. While it might be hard to believe, seagrasses are flowering plants that serve a number of important functions. Because they flower, seagrasses require sunlight and are limited to clear, shallow waters. They produce oxygen, bind sediments and baffle wave action while cleansing coastal waters.. Seagrass roots, their leaves and the epiphytes and micro algae that cling to them clean water by converting dissolved nutrients into plant matter. Besides giving us clean and clear water, sea grasses are home to the organisms that provide food and shelter for fish, crustaceans, shellfish, manatees and wading birds. More...

There is life off the Island

Is there really real estate on the other side of the Cortez and Anna Maria Island bridges? I actually know people who wouldn't swear to it, since they only leave the Island if they need to go to the airport, praying they'll be able to pass through the real world unnoticed. Well, I'm not afraid. I've seen real estate in the real world, and I'm here to tell your it's pretty nice.

A few weeks ago there was a Historic Homes Tour in Whitfield Estates in Sarasota. For those who never leave the Island, Whitfield Estates is an interesting community nestled between Route 41 and Sarasota Bay not far from Sarasota/Bradenton Airport. The tour was considered historic since the homes that were opened were all built during the Florida land boom of the 1920s. More...

Business focuses on eco-education

Karen Fraley's past 12 years have taken her around the bend many times as she leads residents and tourists into the wilderness on land and in the water, but it might never have been had she not dealt with a spate of free time on her hands as a mother.

"I was looking for something to do while my kids were going to school," he said. "I didn't want to return to school, so I started my business. It was great because I could schedule my job around my other duties as a mother." More...

High savings rate could be a mixed blessing

Savings has to be a good thing, right? Moms have told their kids for generations to "get an education, get a good job, save some money, get married and give me some grandchildren." The timeless advice from moms is usually reliable in the big picture of things, but sometimes a little simplistic, so let's go a bit deeper.

First, what is the savings rate? For a nation, or a family for that matter, the savings rate is the money earned minus the amount spent on consumption. The amount left over – the savings, can then be used to invest, pay down debt, or to literally be stashed in a non-productive environment like the mattress. More...

AMICC NFL Flag Football award winners announced

The annual banquet for the Community Center's NFL Flag Football league was held Monday night, with 28 awards being handed out in four divisions. The following is a complete listing of all the winners. More...

Change your life by changing your eating habits

I love fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Personally, I believe these critters have saved me from breast cancer which afflicted my mom, aunt and both sisters. Not to mention diabetes, major heart disease, Alzheimer's and arthritis that also zapped them and other relatives. Doctors told me at an early age to do things dif-ferently. As I often say, "If you had my family history, you'd be pretty motivated too." Many genes take a trigger. Genes don't always determine destiny. More...