Vol. 12 No. 2 - October 26, 2011

news

Nine vie for commssion seats

Anna Maria candidates

Former Mayor SueLynn and planning and zoning board member Nancy Yetter are challenging incumbent Commissioners John Quam and Dale Woodland in this year's commission election. Voters go to the polls at Roser Memorial Community Church, 512 Pine Ave., on Nov. 8.

Holmes Beach candidates

Three Holmes Beach city commission incumbents and two former candidates are running for three commission seats up for election on Tuesday, Nov. 8. Pat Morton is seeking his fifth term, Al Robinson, his second, and David Zaccagnino, his fourth. Jean Peelen ran in 2010, and Andy Sheridan ran in 2009. More...

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryWet noses attract visitors

ANNA MARIA – Their friends in Michigan might say that Bob and Joanne Friar have gone to the dogs.

And they would be exactly right.

The Friars plan their vacation each year around the Anna Maria Island Sun's Canine Halloween Costume Contest, Saturday, Oct. 29, at 1 p.m. at the AMI Sun Plaza. More...

Despite stall, real estate sales remain strong

Real estate sales for September 2011 were down 16 percent compared to sales from the same month in 2010, according to Island Real Estate Broker/Associate Alan Galletto's monthly newsletter.

There were 30 sales total last month, which breaks down into 17 single-family homes, nine condos, one duplex and three lots. A year ago, September saw 35 sales – 20 single-family homes, nine condos, four duplexes and two lots. August and September are the first two months this year when sales have not exceeded the same periods last year. More...

Longboat explores AME tower option

BRADENTON – The mayor of Longboat Key went fishing for an easy solution to the cell phone tower problem, but he didn't get much more than a nibble.

At a joint meeting between the Longboat Commission and the Manatee County Commission, Jim Brown asked if the county was going to build a cell tower at the new county marine rescue headquarters on the bay south of Leffis Key. He said the town of Longboat Key had been dealing with demand for better cell phone reception versus the desire to not have a tower that some might perceive as unsightly. More...

Longboat wants seat on tourist council

LONGBOAT KEY – The town would like more representation in decisions about Manatee County tourism, county commissioners learned during a meeting with town commissioners last week.

Longboat Key Vice Mayor David Brenner suggested that one of the seats on the nine-member Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) board should be a Longboat Key tourism business person or government official. More...

Officials discuss collaboration

BRADENTON - At a workshop last week, Manatee County and Longboat Key officials discussed several areas where they could potentially save money by working together.

Longboat Key Mayor Jim Brown and Town Commissioner Jack Duncan suggested investigating which services the county and the municipality could share. More...

Board surprised by merger collapse

BRADENTON – West Manatee fire commissioners expressed their surprise at the decision by Cedar Hammock fire commissioners to drop the consolidation effort.

"Chief Price did a lot of work to pull things together as far as the tax rate and the assessments," Chair Larry Tyler said. "Those were the main things that had to be dealt with first. I was surprised that they did what they did and turned it down on their first meeting." More...

Center seeks Spanish teacher

The Anna Maria Island Community Center is seeking a Spanish teacher for its adult education program. The candidate must have experience in teaching conversational Spanish in a creative and interactive way that engages students to participate in a fun and educational atmosphere. Please e-mail resume to sandee@myamicc.com. More...



features

Anna Maria Island Sun News Story

She wants to help the victims

HOLMES BEACH – Debra Barker wants to give back to the community of women and children to whom domestic violence is a sad part of their lives.

The owner of Niki's Island Treasures, 5351 Gulf Drive, got together with Laurel Lynch, who heads HOPE Family Services, to put together what she calls a fundraiser and a friend raiser. More...



OUTDOORS

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryStalking bonefish in the Cook Islands

Scudding clouds afforded only brief glimpses of the surrounding coral strewn bottom as winds gusting to 30 knots swept white caps across the shallow flats, rendering them an almost opaque color. I was wading the flats of Aitutaki Atoll in the Cook Islands with Ian Dollery, director of the Aitutaki Bonefish Management Committee. More...


real estate

Home ownership in decline

We all know that home ownership is not the great investment it used to be. The giddy days of 20 and 30 percent annual appreciation have been replaced with declining home values or at the very least stagnation. But are Americans returning to pre World War II days where the majority of families were renters or are we just living through a little real estate reset? More...

business

Anna Maria Island Sun News StorySurf the menu at Feeling Swell

Does this sound familiar; seven miles of beach, quaint cottages surrounded by sand, tropical colors on all of the buildings and hip little bistros. Well, of course, it's Anna Maria, but this description also fits any number of islands in the Bahamas or the Caribbean with one difference, you don't need a passport to come here. More...

Anna Maria Island Sun News Story

Kernels of optimism in a sea of negativity

Investment Corner

In my article two weeks ago, I highlighted a reason for optimism for the stock market related to the very high levels of insider buying by corporate executives since the start of the recent correction. For those who didn't read that article, the implication of high levels of insider buying is generally higher prices in the future. Obviously, these insiders wouldn't be buying a lot of additional stock if they thought that prices were going to continue much lower or that their company's survival was in question. More...



SPORTS

Anna Maria Island Sun News Story Exciting win for Island Pest Control

The Sun sports game of the week was an eight- and nine-year-old soccer game between Island Pest Control and West Coast Surf Shop. This was an important matchup for the standings. If West Coast Surf Shop were to win, they would move into a two way tie for second place with the Island Pest Control team. More...

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryTweak your taste buds

Feasting on Fitness

Bill Clinton continues to be all over the airwaves raving about how a doctor-ordered and prescribed vegan (no meat, fish, chicken, eggs or dairy) diet has saved him from near death and a third bypass surgery. Recently he appeared on David Letterman, who could not stop raving about how trim and healthy the former president looked. As a cookbook author, I get asked everywhere I speak now, "How do you change a lifetime of bad eating habits?" More...


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