Preservation posed as rental solution

HOLMES BEACH – While city officials have declined requests from beleaguered residents to stop new vacation rental development with a building moratorium, one resident has proposed a new idea – a moratorium on demolitions.

Too many historic homes are being razed and redeveloped as big box rentals, Holmes Beach resident Terry Parker told commissioners last week. More...

Board approves erosion plan

The Manatee County Board of Commissioners has approved an erosion control plan for north Longboat Key after changing some plans in response to criticism from County Commissioner Joe McClash, even though the improvements did not satisfy him enough to vote for it. The vote for it was six to one.

At a meeting last week, Manatee County Natural Resources Department Director Charlie Hunsicker and Coastal Planning and Engineering specialist Rick Spadoni presented the amended plan, which was prepared with several goals: More...

Easter services available to all

Easter celebrates the new beginnings associated with spring along with the resurrection of Christ, and the Island's churches will hold special Good Friday and Easter services.

The big one is the non-denominational sunrise service, sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Anna Maria Island, Easter morning at 6:30 a.m. Officials from all of the Island's churches will conduct the service and those attending need to bring blankets or chairs to sit on. The free trolley system begins operation at 6 a.m., and taking a trolley will save you a lot of waiting with your engine running after the service. An offering will be taken and the money donated will be split among the Island churches. More...

Easter events at Sandbar and on Pine Avenue

The public is invited to the 26th Annual Sandbar Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 7, at the Sandbar restaurant, 100 Spring Ave., Anna Maria, beginning at 9 a.m. with refreshments at 8:30 a.m. Children must bring their own basket.

After the hunt, the Easter Bunny will lead a parade down Pine Avenue for the Third Annual Easter Egg Roll and the Second Annual Easter Bonnet Contest from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. The bonnet contest will be at 11 a.m. at 315 Pine Ave. More...

Whitmore honored by Lightning

Carol Whitmore has come a long way since she was living on her own at an early age.

She ran for Holmes Beach office in 1992 and served as city commissioner and mayor before winning a seat on the Manatee County Board of Commissioners and now she is the county’s first Tampa Bay Lightning Community Hero.

Whitmore learned about the honor recently, and it comes with a $50,000 award for three of her favorite non-profits. More...

Outdoor dining ordinance considered

HOLMES BEACH – The Holmes Beach Commission is scheduled to consider a proposed ordinance on outdoor dining on Tuesday, April 10, at 7 p.m. at Holmes Beach City Hall, 5801 Marina Drive.

Prompted by Commissioner Pat Morton, the ordinance is designed to alleviate parking and noise problems at restaurants offering outdoor seating. More...

Lifeguards here to help

This week, The Sun launches Life Lines, a column by Lt. Collin Schmidt, one of the lifeguards who protects beachgoers at Manatee County and Coquina public beaches. He will share firsthand knowledge from the lifeguard towers about current beach conditions and offer safety tips so that beachgoers can have a great day at the beach.

Easter weekend is approaching and spring break at the county beaches is in full swing. The lifeguards have been very busy. The guards at Coquina have been assisting swimmers away from the rock jetties – 13 swimmers in seven days. More...

Holmes Beach to narrow focus on vacation rentals

HOLMES BEACH – Holmes Beach commissioners plan to make a final report on their committees' ideas to solve vacation rental problems on Tuesday, April 10 at 7 p.m. at Holmes Beach City Hall, 5801 Marina Drive.

The committees are wrapping up earlier than their end-of-April deadline, with ideas that include increasing code enforcement against renters, owners and rental agents; revoking business tax receipts for repeat code violators; increasing resort tax collection enforcement; restricting parking and preserving of historic buildings. More...

Pine is poppin'

ANNA MARIA – The Renaissance on Pine Avenue continues with five new shops opening since fall and shoppers flocking to the street, which has become a destination for locals and tourists.

New shops include Vinny and Cheryl's Italian Kitchen and Shiny Fish, opened in October 2011; Tide and Moon and Just Beachin' Gifts and Collectibles, opened in January; and Dogs For The Earth, opened in March. In addition, Relish Vintage and Artisan Boutique, which opened a year ago, will be expanding to Angler's Inn, aka Thelma by the Sea, in May. More...

Take the challenge – make a donation

I really appreciate the opportunity I've had to spend a significant portion of my life on an island, enjoying the bounties of our local waters. When I first arrived here over 30 years ago, I was sure the environment was going downhill fast. The depletion of fish stocks, rampant building and the loss of natural habitat seemed insurmountable.

As I got to know the area better, I was surprised at the resilience of the natural world. Watching the cycles with a perspective of two, then three decades, really changed my perception. Actions by municipalities to eliminate sewage discharge, to purchase and protect sensitive lands and to address storm water run-off and excess fertilizer use have had a positive effect on local waters. More...

Perico Bay Club – affordable near-Island living

Real estate buyers love new construction and are willing to pay a premium for brand new everything. But, if you're one of those buyers who wants to look a little beyond brand new, you'll be surprised what you find right across the street. More...

Tax efficiency may be at odds with risk control

Humans can be fickle in many ways. When it comes to investing, we always want what we perceive to be of most benefit at the moment, but with the direction of fortunes changing quickly and unpredictably in the realm of stocks and bonds, what we perceive as important today may be on the back burner a few weeks from now. More...

Spring soccer starts strong

The Anna Maria Island Community Center's new spring adult co-ed soccer league is now fully kickin'. Eight teams, composed of 80 men and woman, played at the Center's pitch to start the first-time spring sport. Center Athletic Director Troy Shunk realized there was a huge interest in soccer on the Island when the public communicated to him on starting the league. Much the same as the popularity of the adult flag football playing summer and winter, soccer will now be played in both spring and fall. More...

The largest convention ever

Yeah, that's what my publisher said I'd be going to last week in Los Angeles I wasn't sure I wanted to believe this whopper. But there it was – Expo West at the Anaheim Convention Center. Legendary for decades, even some of my personal training clients at the gym where I work had heard of it. My publisher was right. He estimated that 20,000 people plus attended the three-day convention each day this year. More...