Owner of illegal vacation rental bedroom cited

ANNA MARIA – City officials are concerned about ground-level storage spaces in vacation rental homes being illegally converted and used as additional bedrooms. Mayor Dan...

Anna Maria rejects proposed water taxi modifications

ANNA MARIA –City officials rejected Manatee County’s proposed water taxi-related modifications to the City Pier, but negotiations remain ongoing. On Aug. 3, Mayor Dan Murphy...

Insurance costs stall Monkey Buses

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Due to increased insurance costs, the popular Monkey Bus shuttle service on and around the Island has been suspended with...

Displaced renters reflect on their Island years

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The Island’s evolution into a vacation rental destination and the resulting lack of affordable housing has displaced many former permanent...

Single-room rentals in vacation homes prohibited

BRADENTON BEACH – City staff recently answered an inquiry regarding single-room rentals in vacation rental homes with a definite "No." On July 19, Prime Vacations...

Joe Hendricks

Correspondent Joe Hendricks covers Anna Maria and Bradenton Beach. Email