Vol. 14 No. 38 - July 16, 2014

news

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryAwards shine on The Sun

The entire Sun staff was recognized for general excellence in the 2013 Florida Press Association Better Weekly Newspaper Contest, while the graphic designer and co-publisher were commended for the publication’s design, two staff writer/photographers were praised for news and feature stories and photography, and accolades were presented to the publication’s cartoonist and a contributing photographer.

Judges for the contest applauded The Sun’s staff for “great journalism,” “engaging graphics,” “excellent photography,” “strong art” and “attractive design,” among other achievements. The newspaper competed in Division B, which includes publications with circulations of 7,000 to 15,000. More...

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryAMICCO: ‘We are leaping off the Island’

The Anna Maria Island Concert Chorus and Orchestra (AMICCO), which includes Manatee County’s only professional symphony orchestra, has announced it will move two of its four concerts off the Island next season because of traffic gridlock and congestion.

The February and March shows will be held at Kirkwood Presbyterian Church at 6101 Cortez Road W. instead of at CrossPointe Fellowship in Holmes Beach.

The announcement came in the AMICCO newsletter, and it included a reason for the decision. More...

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryDuncan gets Bridge Street Pier contract - again

BRADENTON BEACH – For the second time in recent months, city commissioners awarded the Bradenton Beach City Pier reconstruction project contract to Duncan Seawall.

Duncan’s proposal came in at $1,483,717, with an estimated completion timetable of 161 days. Work is expected to begin in mid to late July, pending the negotiation of a final contract, which is already underway. More...

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryCenter presents growth strategy and budget

ANNA MARIA – In the first public meeting since announcing that the Island Community Center was on the brink of financial disaster, Center officials presented a three-pronged growth strategy and budget to the community.

In the first meeting held June 4, officials said the Center did not have enough money to continue operating for another month and asked for the community’s help in finding solutions to resolve the crisis and move into the future. More...

Gal power at the Community Center

ANNA MARIA – The Island Community Center’s new administrative staff members have brought energy, enthusiasm and refreshing ideas that are reinvigorating the organization and the volunteers.

Programs Developer Jennifer Griffith began work in October, Chief Administrative Officer Wende Webb in February and Education Director Kathy Bogad in March. The three have not only bonded with each other, but also with Executive Director Dawn Stiles. More...

Arts and culture groups seek to increase volunteers

ANNA MARIA – Members of Cultural Connections, representing the Island’s arts and culture groups, are working on ways to increase their volunteer base.

Maureen McCormick, of the group’s volunteer committee reported, “One of the commonalities that we’ve found in all the groups is that we’re losing our volunteer base. They’re aging out and moving out. What we wanted to do is reignite that sense of volunteerism on the Island.” More...

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryFishing trip goes horribly wrong

A family trip in the Bahamas took a nightmarish turn when four members of the vacationing party with ties to Anna Maria Island became seriously ill with ciguatera fish poisoning.

Ciguatera is caused by a marine microalgae called Gambierdiscus toxicus that is found growing in reefs. When the larger fish eat the smaller fish that eat the algae, the toxins accumulate inside them at levels dangerous to the humans that consume them. More...

Commission passes ordinances on signs and special events

ANNA MARIA – The city commission voted last Thursday to pass two ordinances and one resolution.

It first held a second and final public hearing on changes to the sign code to allow special exeptions for businesses that can prove they need A-frame signs, which the commission made illegal.

Mayor SueLynn said the portion of the ordinance that reads, “The sign special exception will be in harmony with the general purpose and intent of this chapter and will not be injurious to the neighborhood or surrounding property and will not otherwise (be) detrimental to the safe and convenient use of nearby rights of way” was open to interpretation. More...



features

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryWhitmore working to save pelicans

In an effort to save pelicans from fishing hooks, Manatee County Commissioner Carol Whitmore is asking local government officials to consider passing an ordinance similar to one used in Naples, publicized by The Sun in May, shortly after it was enacted.

Whitmore said she plans to raise the issue at a Barrier Island Elected Officials meeting scheduled on Wednesday, July 16, at 2 p.m. at Holmes Beach City Hall, 5801 Marina Drive in Holmes Beach. More...



OUTDOORS

Anna Maria Island Sun News Story DOA lures writers and guides

If you’re a savvy fisherman, you can’t help but be impressed with the DOA (Deadly on Anything) line of lures. The story behind the creation and evolution of the lures through the ingenuity and determination of the founder and designer is all the more remarkable. Mark Nichols didn't start DOA with seed money or a public offering. He started his company with an idea, the most rudimentary of materials and most importantly an indomitable spirit.

Oh, and yes, the fact that he had an affinity for finding and catching fish only added to the allure of the company’s amazing growth. Nichols doesn’t ask anglers to believe him, he shows them firsthand how his creations seduce fish. What started out as an idea for an artificial shrimp has blossomed into a multi-million dollar operation that has made believers out of some of the nation’s top anglers. More...



real estate

Do you have a condo personality?

Do you have the right personality and temperament to live in a condominium? Are you OK with limited control of where you live and sharing common elements of the property? And most important of all, are you willing to participate or at the very least stay informed in the business of running the condominium? If the answer to these questions is no, then stop reading and starting looking at single family homes.

Condominium life can be wonderful. It frees you of all the day to day maintenance issues like landscaping and adding chemicals to the pool. You don’t have to worry when the roof needs to be replaced or when the building needs to be painted; someone else will take care of it for you. More...



business

Anna Maria Island Sun News Story

Be mindful of risk

Investment Corner

In my last article here in the Sun, I made the case for why the stock market may move higher before a major correction. I also pointed out that rising bull markets usually don’t die of old age, but rather are killed by external factors, usually rising interest rates. In this article I would like to balance that optimistic view with some common sense advise on controlling risk.

The current bull market in stocks now ranks as the fourth longest without being interrupted by a new growling bear market. At 63 months, only bulls from 1921–1929, 1949–1956, and 1990–2000 have longer durations. The last one on the list was a super-bull lasting 117 months! More...



SPORTS

Anna Maria Island Sun News Story Sensational soccer

The adult co-ed spring soccer season comes to a climatic conclusion this week at the Anna Maria Island Community Center.

The soccer buzz is all over the world right now due to the FIFA World Cup in soccer. The most popular sport on planet earth has fans reeling and soccer fans on the Island are no different. What a perfect time for the conclusion of the Center’s adult soccer season.

Upsets were prevalent in last week’s first round of the playoffs. Three out of the four tournament playoff games were won by the underdog seeded team. Again this shows the parity of the Center’s drafting system in the sports leagues and how any team can win on any given night. More...


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