Surfers catch the spirit of NKF co-founder

While Izzi Gomez and Giorgio Gomez were busy surfing towards top awards at a charity surf event over Labor Day weekend, someone was stealing everything out of their car.

The grandchildren of Jim and Ronee Brady of West Coast Surf Shop in Holmes Beach, and their mom, Brandi Brady, were at the 28th Annual National Kidney Foundation Rich Salick Pro/Am Surf Festival in Cocoa Beach when the crime was committed. More...

Labor Day holiday crowded but quiet

The last holiday of summer saw rain, sun, crowds of people and traffic jams, but not as busy as other holidays over the past year.

“Bayfront Park in Anna Maria was packed Sunday and Monday,” said Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Paul Davis.

He said there were no problems with the people or the critters in the water. He added extra deputies for the three-day holiday. More...

City proceeds with parking plan

HOLMES BEACH – Although three commissioners said they did not like the idea of paid parking at Manatee Public Beach, they instructed Mayor Carmel Monti to develop a parking plan for the city to include the public beach and the city’s the rights of way.

Monti said he has been meeting with county officials regarding the public beach and received a quote from a company that makes pay and display type parking meters. These would be placed in the center of the isles in each row, and people would pay the rate, get a receipt and put it on the dashboard. More...

Canvassing board quandary

HOLMES BEACH – In a first for the city, canvassing board requirements have created an election issue.

In this city, the canvasing board consists of two members of the city commission who are not up for election that year. Following the election, the canvassing board goes to the supervisor of elections’ office and canvasses the returns and the absentee ballots in accordance with state law. More...

Island Time sets 9/11 fundraiser

BRADENTON BEACH – Nine-Eleven is a time to remember the horrible terrorist attacks on America 10 years ago, and Island Time Bar and Grill at 111 Gulf Drive will have its Third Annual 9/11 Fundraiser on Saturday, Sept. 14, from noon to 5 p.m.

There will be an all-you-can-eat buffet for $10 if tickets are purchased early or $15 the day of the event. There will also be drink specials as well, including $1.87 Bud Lite bottles, $4 house wines and Malibu drinks and $3 well drinks. More...

Bikers to hold Remembrance ride

Area motorcyclists will commemorate the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks with the Seventh Annual Manatee County 9/11 Remembrance ride on Wednesday, Sept. 11. Two years ago, the event stopped on Anna Maria Island, but the route is limited to the mainland this year.

This is open to everyone, but it is limited to motorcycles only. More...

Mainsail hearing continues today

HOLMES BEACH – Mainsail and city officials will meet Wednesday, Sept, 4, to discuss the company’s proposed development near the corner of Marina and Gulf drives.

It is the continuation of a mediation hearing to be led by Special Magistrate Steve Seibert beginning at 9 a.m. at CrossPointe Fellowship, 8605 Gulf Drive. The public is welcome. More...

Tree house owners file appeal

HOLMES BEACH – Attorney David Levin, representing tree house owners Lynn Tran and Richard Hazen, 103 29th Street, filed an appeal of the ruling made by the code enforcement board in July.

At that meeting, code enforcement board members agreed with the city’s building department that the tree house was constructed without a permit and encroaches into the erosion control line. The board found the couple in violation and ordered them to remove the violations or demolish the structure by Aug. 28. More...

Age gracefully at home

BRADENTON BEACH – Senior Adventures members got some tips recently on how to age in place, or avoid having to leave home for an assisted living facility or nursing home.

Both high technology and simple methods have made it easier for people to remain independent as they age, said Elizabeth McCloskey, an occupational therapy master’s degree candidate who spoke to the group at Annie Silver Community Center. More...

West coast snook season reopening

Beginning Sept. 1, snook season will reopen on Florida’s west coast for the first time since a closure following the 2010 cold snap that decimated the species in many areas of the state. In general, snook fared better on the east coast due to their proximity to deep water, while they were devastated in areas like the Everglades backcountry. It appears that west coast populations have experienced a spotty recovery and to get an idea of how they have fared, I spoke to some of the area’s snook experts.

Captain Rick Grassett would just as soon see the season remain closed even though he believes that snook are in relatively good shape in our area. Grassett rarely kills snook. His conversations with anglers in the Tampa Bay region and the Charlotte Harbor area indicate that they think the season should remain closed. More...

The impact of flood insurance changes

The kids are back in school, the Labor Day weekend has passed and the traffic is finally looking a little thin on the island, so why isn’t every homeowner walking around with big smiles on their faces? Two things – hurricane season with its threat of flooding is still here and oh by the way, your flood insurance premium is going up, maybe a lot.

There has been a lot of talk about the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform act passed in July last year as part of a larger transportation funding bill – some good, but mostly bad. The intention of the bill was to set flood insurance premiums at a level that better reflects the full risk of flooding for the 5.6 million American property owners who currently live in flood prone regions. In order to achieve this, many of the flood insurance premium subsidies that businesses and homeowners have enjoyed are either being reduced or suspended. In addition, the government also is redrawing flood zone maps that will classify more properties as flood risks. More...

Sandbar renovation serves up history

In 1911 it was a common site to see ladies in their long dresses, large hats and parasols parading down Pine Avenue from the Anna Maria City Pier where they disembarked from their steamers from Tampa or St. Petersburg. Their destination was a meeting place on the beach called The Pavilion, and incredibly more than 100 years, later that same spot in the sand remains one of Anna Maria Island’s favorite meeting places. More...

Health and wealth

My father and mother are 89 and 84, respectively. Dad’s never spent a night in the hospital in his life, even though he was wounded a couple times in a minor way during World War II. He was born at home, and his tonsils were removed on the kitchen table sometime during the Great Depression. Mom had heart surgery, certainly extending her life. Despite the other aches, pains, and inconveniences of getting older, they are a great illustration of the relationship of health and wealth.

On an individual basis there are exceptions, but across the population we are tending to live longer due to advances in healthcare, more knowledge about diet and staying physically fit. While it is a great goal to live a long, happy and healthy life, there is a stress created by living longer. The stress is on your retirement income plan. More...

Turtle Watch noticing fake service dogs

More and more people are walking their dogs on the beach pretending that their pets are service animals, and the dogs pose a threat to nesting shorebirds and sea turtles, according to Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring Director Suzi Fox.

Fox is working with local authorities and experts to determine how to handle encounters with people who appear to have fake service dogs on the beach, including Orlando-based Service Dogs of Florida. More...

Southern Greens 2013 Volleyball Champions

The Anna Maria Island Community Center held its 2013 adult co-ed volleyball championships last week. Five teams worked their way through the long summer season to get to this one night. The teams were seeded based upon final season standings and then playoff tournament bracketed for the conclusion of the season.

The number one seed Beach Bums team would get the first round bye, which meant it would only have to win one playoff game to get into the championship. Going into this one night finale, Beach Bums had only lost one game all summer. More...

Dodging storms and turtles

Dodging storms and turtles is this week’s challenge. Or as the Manatee High Girls Cross Country Coach, Rae Ann Darling Reed posted on Facebook, “Can we have just one afternoon without thunderstorms?!” Her girls have meets to compete in, and the community-wide Canes Classic 5K race she organizes every year to benefit the teams are coming up.

Actually, it is great fun to walk and run in the rain. In GT Bray Park in Bradenton, a gentle rain sounds like a tropical rain forest. One of my most memorable morning runs took place during such a cooling, soothing rain. It doesn’t come close to a smart phone white noise app, sorry. OK, well, a little close. More...