Fund-raiser will benefit AMICCO

Join the Anna Maria Island Concert Chorus and Orchestra (AMICCO) on Friday, March 29, from 5 to 10 p.m. for a night of blues, popular and country music by local and nationally acclaimed entertainers. Shop the vendors and come for dinner served by local restaurants and food vendors. The Budweiser beer truck will be there plus wine, rum runners and margaritas. It is going to be a fun evening together under the stars at Holmes Beach City Hall field, 5801 Marina Drive. More...

Decision made on new police chief

HOLMES BEACH – Mayor Carmel Monti on Monday announced that he has made a selection for a new police chief for the city, however, he declined to announce the name until city commissioners meet in a special session to ratify or reject the selection.

“I met with commissioners individually and received approval of a majority of them on my selection,” Monti said. More...

Former Island chef sentenced in wife’s death

A judge in California has sentenced a former Island chef to 15 years to life for his second-degree murder conviction in the disappearance of his wife.

According to news reports, David Viens, 45, rambled for 45 minutes in Los Angeles Superior Court before Judge Rand Rubin, who refused to grant him a new trial and gave him the maximum sentence in the death of his wife, Dawn, who was last seen Oct. 18, 2009. He said he was recovering from major surgery when he confessed to detectives. Viens had jumped from a cliff, breaking many bones, when he found out he was a major person 0f interest in his wife’s disappearance. More...

Learn about Island history at Heritage Day

ANNA MARIA – Docents will be on hand to weave tales of Island history at the annual Island Heritage Day Festival on Saturday, March 30, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Island Historical Museum complex, 402 Pine Ave., Anna Maria.

Admission is free, and new this year is a free shuttle service by Island Beach Monkeys from CrossPointe Fellowship, 8605 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach. More...

Celebrate Easter on Pine

The Sandbar restaurant hosts its 27th Annual Easter Egg Hunt on the beach on Saturday, March 30, starting at 9 a.m. sharp. Come early for refreshments at 8:30 a.m. Bring your own baskets for the kids. The hunt will be divided into age groups, and it’s sponsored by the AMI Sun newspaper.

Dara Caudill, of Island Photography, will take pictures of kids with the Easter Bunny. Picture taking with the Easter Bunny will only be available at the Sandbar. More...

Easter on the beach

The Kiwanis Club of Anna Maria Island’s 49th Annual Sunrise Service will be held at the Manatee County Public Beach at 6:30 a.m. on Easter Sunday, March 31. The crowd normally numbers 1,200 to 1,500 people. There is ample parking and the trolley will be up and running at 6 a.m. The Beach Café will also open at 6 a.m. if you need that cup of java. It is usually chilly at that time of day, so dress warm and bring chairs or a blanket to sit on. More...

Renourishment will keep Turtle Watch on its toes

The nests that mother sea turtles labor hard to dig on the Island’s Gulf beaches this season will be dug up and relocated by Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring to protect the nests during the upcoming beach renourishment project.

The county has notified Turtle Watch that the project, which will add sand to Island beaches badly eroded by Tropical Storm Debby last year, will begin in July, starting at Longboat Pass and working north to 79th Street in Holmes Beach, Turtle Watch Director Suzi Fox said. More...

Island officials to seek sales tax support

ANNA MARIA – Island elected officials agreed to ask their commissions to approve referendums supporting Manatee County’s proposed half-cent sales tax, which will go to voters on Tuesday, June 18.

Holmes Beach Commissioner David Zaccagnino made the request telling officials, “With all the cities, especially the Island cities, this should be at the forefront. It’s a once-in-a- lifetime opportunity to lower our property taxes by 26 percent. More...

Winners bloom at Penny Flower Show

ANNA MARIA – Flower lovers flocked to Roser Church to vote in the Anna Maria Garden Club’s annual Penny Flower Show on Wednesday, March 20.

The show’s theme was “Once Upon a Time,” and people vote for their favorite arrangements using pennies. The winners were: More...

A healthy bay is everybody’s business

In 2012 Sarasota Bay Watch (SBW) expanded its presence in the bay area with a continuation of its popular events, crafted to get people involved in the bay and to help improve the local coastal environment.

The signature annual Great Scallop Search celebrated its fifth season with over 140 volunteers combing the waters from Manatee to Sarasota County. In addition the group conducted the Fourth Annual Sister Keys cleanup with 120 volunteers. Sponsored by the Mar Vista Restaurant participants were treated to a shore lunch at the popular north Longboat Key restaurant. More...

Mixed reviews on flood insurance reforms

Just when you think you’re out they pull you back in. No I don’t mean The Godfather - just our other old friend flood insurance.

Not too long ago I wrote about coming changes in the National Flood Insurance Program. I pointed out that federal officials’ attitude regarding the cost of this program which essentially subsidizes flood insurance for private citizens is changing and to expect modifications to the decades old program. More...

Plan your adventure at AMI Outfitters

Americans love to be challenged, and with the baby boomers showing no signs of quietly retiring to a rocking chair, they’re looking for adventure in travel and everyday living. Gearing up for an adventure can be just as much of an adventure as the adventure, unless you know the right people.

Five months ago Steve Traves reinvented himself yet again when he opened AMI Outfitters on Pine Avenue in the city of Anna Maria. Traves first had a 30-year career in photography, specializing in science, medical and corporate photography. He then went on to developing educational softwear for children with a focus on the outdoors including Florida’s Everglades. But he always thought about one of his earlier jobs when he worked for an outdoor store and knew that’s what he should be doing. More...

The facts are the facts

Recent interactions I've had with acquaintances, prospective clients and friends continue to show me that many are living in the past and may be stuck there until it ends up being too late, setting them up to make mistakes in their investment plan. It can be tough to separate the times when the financial markets are doing well from how our emotions tell us they should be doing.

I commonly hear arguments about how the economy won't be able to grow while President Obama is in office or questions about how the stock market can be going up when we are still in recession. The boom times aren't exactly back, but the facts are the facts. The recession caused by the financial crisis of 2008-2009 ended in the summer of 2009, and has been over for more than for 3 1/2 years. More...

Center flag football champions crowned

Waterfront Restaurant Dolphins - Adult co-ed Flag Football Champions

Waterfront restaurant Dolphins  65
Island Sun Bills  32
Dolphins quarterback Ryan Moss threw for 275 yards and eight touchdowns. Brent Moss had 176 yards receiving with four TDs, two extra-points and one two-point conversion. Jonathan Moss had 77 yards receiving with two TDs and an extra-point, eighteen yards rushing and also threw for one TD. Josh Rio had 46 yards receiving and two TDs, and Ben Kirby had 83 yards receiving with one TD and two interceptions with one a return for a TD for the NFC Division Dolphin’s Super Bowl win. Bills Quarterback Charles Buky threw for 316 yards and five touchdowns. Lindsey Weaver had 166 yards receiving and two TDs and an extra-point. Galen Brown had 94 yards receiving and two TDs. Scott Dell had 31 yards receiving and one TD, and Jessie Brisson had 47 yards receiving with one extra-point and a sack for the AFC Division Champion Bills. More...

Life in the fast lane

Recently at 2 p.m., I gave a talk at the Island Library about my book and topic – eating well and vegan, and staying fit on a food stamp budget.

A couple of months ago, my daughter called and said she was getting married to her high school sweetheart, who was also active military. They feared he may get deployed for a second tour before her senior year of college ended. So they decided to do a courthouse wedding in Kansas City over spring break and do a bigger wedding after he returned. More...