BRADENTON – The Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) discussed the status of the new water ferry service and the possibility of adding a third ferry on April 15.
The Gulf Islands Ferry service began in January with two boats stopping at the Bradenton Beach Pier, the Anna Maria Pier and the Bradenton day dock. The service initially ran Friday through Sunday, with Wednesdays and Thursdays added to the schedule.
According to TDC member and Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione, a third boat is needed.
“We won’t know everything until we know. We’re going to be a little bit bold,” Falcione said. “What I’ve said to staff and even to Tricia (Rodriguez, president of Gulf Coast Water Taxi), it’s kind of shame on us if the weather is beautiful and the boats are sitting at the day dock in Bradenton and there’s traffic going out to the Island.”
Falcione said the goal is to have the ferry boats running seven days a week by February 2025. He said since launching the boats, there have been 22 days that service was suspended due to chop, wind and rain. He also said they have looked at boats that are totally enclosed and could run during bad weather with rooftop decks that would offer great views,making for fewer canceled trips. Falcione said the cost for these boats would be in the range of $2.6-$2.8 million dollars. He said the new boats would be close to the same size as the current boats, so the docks wouldn’t need to be modified.
“If you ask me what I think, we need to come to the Board of County Commissioners and ask to buy that third ferry soon,” Falcione said. “Once we say go, it’s probably going to take 12 months, give or take, to build that boat, and that should mitigate a lot of those suspended dates.”
Falcione said the suspended days cost the service a potential 7,000 passengers.
Rodriguez said the growth of the ferry ridership is like nothing she has experienced, adding that she is seeing growth among both tourists and residents. Despite the success of the program, she said challenges remain, the primary one being weather.
“We roll with the punches and always make sure it’s safe,” she said. “We leave that to our captains and our crew; we know there can be sudden weather changes. That being said, we would be remiss if we didn’t talk about water-borne transportation and weather changes that we have. A lot of that could be mitigated with the right operation, the right dock situation, ADA compliance and all the things our team is doing.”
She echoed Falcione in saying that larger boats better equipped for inclement weather would improve the service with fewer delays.
The TDC did not take action on the suggestion of a new boat.
BRADENTON – A visit to Manatee County could soon cost tourists more, as the Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) voted unanimously to recommend raising the county’s tourism tax from 5% to 6% at its April 15 meeting.
The TDC makes recommendations to the Manatee County Commission, which was scheduled to vote on whether or not to approve the increase at its April 23 meeting.
The tourist tax is often referred to as the “bed tax” because it is paid when anyone rents a short-term vacation rental in the county, such as hotel rooms, resort rooms, condo rentals, VRBO, Airbnb and similar accommodations, for six months or less.
“This is not a resident tax,” Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione said. “This is paid for by the visitors that come into our beautiful county. I’ve always told the media that there’s no better partnership than one that pays for an asset that appeals to a visitor and benefits the residents at no cost to the residents.”
Falcione explained that the money benefits both visitors and residents by offering maintenance, upgrades and marketing for several attractions, including:
• Coquina Beach;
• Bradenton Beach Pier and Anna Maria Pier;
• Grassy Point;
• Anna Maria Bayfront Park;
• Beach renourishment (1% of the current 5%);
• Myakka History Center;
• Bradenton Area Convention Center;
• Bishop Museum;
• Manatee Performing Arts Center;
• Premier Sports Campus;
• The Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport (SRQ); and
• Gulf Islands Ferry (water taxi).
Falcione said the TDC does not plan to request more marketing dollars if county commissioners approve the 6% request, which would generate an estimated $6 million a year.
“You’re looking at a guy who doesn’t get too excited about breaking tourism records every year, because we have to be careful,” Falcione said. “I’m the weird tourism director around the state that is a less is more kind of guy. Our brand elements are low-rise, low-key detox environment; real authentic Florida. We don’t want bumper-to-bumper traffic in this beautiful community. The reality is that for 90 days a year, we’re dealing with bumper-to-bumper traffic.”
Falcione says the TDC will not spend money to promote the area during the busy spring season. He did say the TDC will invest in airline incentives so more visitors will choose SRQ and save the time involved in driving to and from airports in Tampa and St. Petersburg.
In order for the county to request the additional 1%, it had to reach a threshold of $30 million in tourism taxes collected, which was achieved in 2023 by a narrow margin of about $90,000, and the tourism industry had to generate over $600 million, which was also achieved in 2023, with the total topping $625 million.
If the county commission approves the recommendation, it will take effect Aug. 1. The neighboring counties of Sarasota, Hillsborough and Pinellas all charge the 6% maximum tourist tax.
ANNA MARIA – Research Data Services’ Anne Wittine presented her upbeat state of tourism report to the Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) on April 15.
Wittine’s report featured the latest available statistics related to the tourism industry in Manatee County from February 2024 compared to February 2023.
Total visitors were up by 4.9% and tourism’s economic impact was up 6.1%.
Wittine’s report shows that occupancy is just under 1% from the same time last year, and room rates have increased by 4%. Visitor origins have also showed growth. Florida visitors have shown the most growth since last year, increasing by 13.7%, followed closely by the visitors from the Northeast. The largest decrease in visitor origins is Canada, which decreased by 32.9% from February 2023.
“Room nights were down slightly, and I know that looks weird, but the reason is because we had a shorter length of stay and a larger party size,” Wittine said. “That’s still a 20% increase over 2019.”
Wittine maintains that trends show a large growth in virtually every category when compared to pre-COVID 2019, and the state of tourism continues to be strong.
LONGBOAT KEY – The mayors of the three Anna Maria Island cities and Longboat Key are considering making a joint application to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to obtain local control over mangrove regulations.
The discussion took place at the Coalition of Barrier Island Elected Officials (BIEO) meeting on April 17 at Longboat Key Town Hall, and followed a presentation by Suncoast Waterkeeper Executive Director Dr. Abbey Tyrna.
Tyrna began her presentation by displaying a 1940s-era aerial photo of the north end of Anna Maria Island, which showed a lagoon lined with mangroves.
“I wanted to show you this because later you’re going to see where mangroves were removed from a place that is now on what they call a manmade canal,” she said. “From the 1940s you can see there were a lot of naturally-occurring mangroves.”
In the 1990s, a large amount of mangroves were removed during a period of development, she said.
“Most of that was occurring on the Sarasota Bay side of things,” she said. “At the time mangroves decreased by 26%.”
She said that number has increased exponentially with further development.
“Canals are a particular focus, because the mangroves are vulnerable right now to development,” she said. “Older homes are developed, out with them goes not only the older home, but also the mangrove area.”
Any mangrove in a canal system can be removed under the 1996 Mangrove Trimming and Preservation Act, she said.
“So the state will allow that removal” in Manatee County, Tyrna said, adding that it’s different in Sarasota County, because officials there have opted to accept the delegation of enforcement of the 1996 Mangrove Trimming and Preservation Act. The county does not allow mangroves to be removed on manmade canals without mitigation.
Tyrna then displayed a photo of a home at 111 Gull Drive in Anna Maria prior to its development and the subsequent removal of 116 feet of mangroves, which was allowed under an FDEP seawall exemption.
“You’ve probably seen 111 Gull Drive in the news,” Tyrna said. “Here’s 111 Gull Drive before the development with the mangroves lining the shoreline.”
She then showed a photo of the Gull Drive property following the mangrove removal there under an FDEP seawall exemption.
“You can see all the trees that used to line the coast are now gone,” she said. “This isn’t happening in a vacuum. There are property listings where it says ‘on a manmade canal. Mangroves will be removed.’ That means there is a lack of understanding about how beneficial they are.”
Tyrna said mangrove removal is a crisis occurring throughout the Suncoast in the rivers and bays. Suncoast Waterkeeper in the last year received 18 violation reports about the removal of mangroves.
“We need strong local policies that protect our wetland systems,” Tyrna said. “The good news is, local governments can actually take delegation and enforcement of the 1996 Mangrove Trimming and Preservation Act.”
She listed municipalities that have done so, which included Sarasota County and Sanibel.
“Sanibel is a barrier island much like your own and has a great robust program that puts education at the forefront of its delegation,” she said.
At the conclusion of Tyrna’s talk, Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy asked what the first steps would be if a municipality, or all the towns on the Island, wanted to accept delegation of mangrove enforcement.
Tyrna suggested Murphy speak to Sanibel and Sarasota County officials and refer to the state statute which outlines the delegation application process.
Hannah Westerveldt from the FDEP mangrove division will be giving a presentation at a Longboat Key work meeting on Monday, May 20, according to Town Manager Howard Tipton.
“We could continue the conversation then,” he said.
“I wonder if we could do this under the auspices of the barrier islands (BIEO), where we band together,” Murphy said, noting that while Anna Maria likely couldn’t afford to set up the program alone, the four cities coming together could be a viable option.
“One of us could house the function and others could, through an interlocal agreement, avail themselves of that,” Longboat Key Mayor Ken Schneier said.
Schneier asked Tyrna to send him program information from Sarasota County and said he would distribute it to Murphy, as well as to Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth and Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie.
“This is in our own backyard. The scalping (of the mangroves) is not going to stop,” Murphy said. “It’s going to continue until we do something about it.”
“We really need to have the mangrove replacement remedy available,” Schneier said.
Tyrna said local governments that have delegation authority have the ability to be stricter than the state regulations.
“The state is the floor, you have all the way up to the ceiling,” Tyrna said.
LONGBOAT KEY – Members of the Coalition of Barrier Island Elected Officials (BIEO) discussed the proposed new Longboat Pass Bridge on April 17.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District One has initiated a project development and environment study for SR 789 (Gulf Drive/Gulf of Mexico Drive) from North Shore Road on Longboat Key to the Coquina Beach entrance in Bradenton Beach.
“The study will evaluate alternatives to replace the existing SR 789 bridge over Longboat Pass. Alternatives to be evaluated will include rehabilitation of the existing bridge, a new high-level fixed bridge and moveable bridge,” according to FDOT.
“There are three options, with challenges and opportunities to each,” Longboat Key Town Manager Howard Tipton said. “There’s one that’s too tall, one that’s too low and one that’s just right. We’re hoping it’s just right.”
The Longboat Pass Bridge was built in 1957 and renovated in 2005 and 2020. The bridge is classified as functionally obsolete due to substandard shoulders and traffic barriers, according to FDOT.
If constructed, a new bridge is planned to be wider than the existing bridge to provide safer accommodations for bicyclists and pedestrians. Additional travel lanes for vehicles are not being proposed.
Tipton said the new bridge would be moved to the west and closer to condominiums at the north end of Longboat Key.
“That’s understandable because that’s where their (FDOT’s) right-of-way is,” he said. “It does impact condominiums at the very north end of town and brings it from 120 feet or so to about 30 feet, so it’ll be up close and personal, and we want to try to work with them as much as we can for sound mitigation.”
Tipton said the new bridge will allow improved traffic flow.
“We had a meeting with the MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization) last week and we talked about the corridor from Cortez coming south to Longboat. And now it is a longer trip than anyone would expect,” he said. “The MPO is looking to circle back around and look at the bare ground of the traffic study.”
He said the traffic not only impacts residents and visitors but also those who work in Longboat Key.
“One of the hardest things for workers is let’s say they get hired in July and once season starts, they say, ‘I didn’t sign up for this’ and we lose folks that way,” Tipton said. “It’s the restaurants, it’s the hotels, it’s everybody.”
The issue of traffic also plays into the ferry conversation with Manatee County, he said.
“Is there a location where they can congregate on the mainland side?” he asked.
“There’s been a lot of construction in your city,” Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth said to Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie. “Was there a lot of parking added in Bradenton Beach?”
“I think they’ve added well over 100 spaces” at Coquina Beach, Chappie said.
“When everybody is leaving at the end of the day and they add 200 or 300 parking spots, that’s 200 or 300 more cars you have to wait for,” Titsworth said.
“Don’t misunderstand where the traffic is coming from. I would say a lot of that traffic, most of that traffic, is coming from Longboat Key, not the beach,” Chappie said. “I live on that end of town, and it will be bumper to bumper during season at 8 or 9 o’clock. That’s not beach people.”
Chappie said he thinks both the proposed new Longboat Pass and Cortez bridges will help with traffic congestion.
“I had a recent meeting with our state representatives and one thing we talked about was the turn lanes to Cortez Road,” Chappie said. “Once the new (Cortez) bridge is completed, the merge lane will be expanded significantly. What people are doing at that intersection is stopping. You don’t stop, you use the merge lane to merge into traffic. It’s all about keeping the flow.”
BRADENTON BEACH – After city officials put a halt to what they said was the unpermitted operation of a new bar at the Bradenton Beach Marina in March, building official Darin Cushing said the proper approval process is now underway.
On March 25, the Marina Facebook page announced the opening of the bar, serving beer and wine.
Cushing said he saw the post and on March 26 issued a cease and desist order, which was posted in the bar area.
“The basis of the cease and desist order was that there was a bar built out in that section of the marina,” Cushing said. “And we said no, don’t work on it, don’t stock it.”
The Bradenton Beach Marina, 402 Church St. is owned by developer Shawn Kaleta.
“I have a fully open door, anytime somebody has an idea for a project and says we’d like to get it going, ask us, ‘What do we need to do? What do we need for permitting? What do we need for drawings?’ Come talk to me ahead of time. Do it that way, then you apply and get approval and then you do the work,” Cushing said.
Since the March 26 order, he said plans and an application to build the bar have been received by his office.
“I met down there with the design professional and one of the fire marshals was there and we discussed what they needed,” Cushing said on April 18. “Yesterday I did my first initial review of the plans and the fire department did their initial review. And we both kicked it back and sent some comments back to the design professional.”
Cushing said he signed off on the marina’s application for a full liquor license.
“They do have a beer and wine license for the marina as a whole and they’re kind of saying that’s all we’re doing right now,” Cushing said. “I did sign the application for the liquor license yesterday or the day before. That’s in the hands of the state. We have to sign it, the health department has to sign it and one other entity before it goes up to the state.”
BRADENTON – Kelly Hunt grew up on Anna Maria Island and her Island-inspired creative designs appear on a line of beach towels now sold at 68 Bealls Florida stores statewide.
Hunt now lives in Bradenton with her husband, Courtland, and their son Kellan, and her parents, Scott and Karen Moore, remain longtime Holmes Beach residents.
Hunt’s beach towel offerings at Bealls Florida stores feature three different designs – sea turtles, jellyfish and a Florida map that highlights favorite Florida destinations.
Kelly Hunt’s beach towels feature Anna Maria Island and Florida-inspired designs. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Her beach towels debuted in Bealls Florida stores statewide on Feb. 20. On April 13, Bealls Florida hosted a “Meet Local Florida Artist Kelly Hunt” event at the Bradenton store at 6355 Manatee Ave. W.
During the event, Hunt was asked how it felt to have her products displayed and sold at Bealls Florida.
“It’s magical. I’m seeing my dream come true being a featured artist for a major retailer. It’s an honor to work with Bealls Florida. It’s been the most incredible experience. My towels are in all the Bealls Florida stores and online at the Bealls Florida website. I’ve been doing this for 13 years and to have recognition on a state level is really rewarding,” she said.
Designer Kelly Hunt recently participated in a meet the local artist event at the Bealls Florida store in Bradenton. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Her dad, Scott, said, “I’m very proud of my daughter. Growing up on Anna Maria Island and coming this far with her art and having that imagination to use our marine life and natural settings for her artwork and designs.”
Bealls was founded in Bradenton in 1915 and using local artists is a long-standing company practice.
During the meet the artist event, Bealls Florida representative Chrissy Kavanagh said, “At Bealls Florida, we’re all about Florida and living life local. Bringing in local artists to highlight their artwork on our products is something we’re really proud of and it has always been a part of our culture. Bealls Florida is more than 100 years old. We’re Florida-founded, family-owned and we’re really proud of our Florida heritage.”
PATH TO BEALLS
Hunt owns two intertwined companies: Charted Waters Florida and Painting With a Fish. At her meet the artist event, she also temporarily displayed some of her additional work and products, some of which she created utilizing a traditional Japanese art form of Gyotaku to create pressings using paint, canvas or rice paper and a real fish.
Hunt’s dad and her brother, Justin Moore, are renowned charter captains and fishing guides and many of the fish featured in her Gyotaku prints and apparel were caught on their boats in the waters surrounding Anna Maria Island.
Hunt began teaching Gyotaku painting at the Florida Maritime Museum in Cortez. She later expanded her teaching sessions to other locations and now offers private sessions and event sessions too. She began selling her original Gyotaku prints and T-shirts and other products at the Anna Maria farmers market and several other retail businesses on Anna Maria Island – including her Painting With a Fish kits that now utilize silicone fish instead of real fish.
Kelly Hunt’s silicone fish are used to teach people the art of Gyotaku painting. – Joe Hendricks | SunSilicone fish are used in some of Kelly Hunt’s Paint With a Fish classes and events. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
During a recent interview, Hunt said, “I do classes with real fish but I also have silicone molds made from a casting of a fish. I teach classes with those as well because some people might not want to paint with a real fish. They turn out just as beautiful as using real fish. I got picked up by Bealls Florida because I had my products in stores on the Island, so thanks to the Island stores for carrying my products and being so supportive.
The Bealls Florida store on Manatee Avenue sells Kelly Hunt’s beach towels. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“Painting With a Fish is my original company and I then I branched out with Charted Waters Florida, working with another graphic artist. I was at an event and got introduced to a Bealls Florida buyer who looks for local artists and local products as part of their company culture. It took me about a year to get my products in their stores. It’s not an easy process,” Hunt said.
She said it was important to find the right company to manufacture and distribute her beach towels statewide and the company she selected was the Miami-based Kaufman towel company.
Hunts hopes her beach towel sales pave the way for more of her designs and products to be sold at Bealls Florida stores. She also hopes to get some of her other products in Target and Publix stores someday.
“I do different things for different stores and I try to customize them. I also hired a graphic designer to help me expand my business. Sometimes I need help bringing my ideas to fruition,” Hunt said.
Hunt traveled a varied path on her way to business success.
“My grandmother was a watercolor artist. I’m really skilled in Gyotaku art and teaching Gyotaku but I don’t view myself as an artist. I’m more of a designer. I love to design products,” she said.
“I used to work for a marketing consulting firm doing logo designs. I have a marketing background. I used to create event invitations, billboard designs and things like that. I’ve always had that creative sense, but I don’t have graphic designer background,” she said.
Hunt’s college education also contributed to her success.
“I’ve taken what I learned in college and used that in my businesses. You have to be smart and savvy as a businessperson running your own company and you have to be educated and present yourself well to get into these big stores. I look back on my life and realize school really did help me get to where I’m at,” the 41-year-old entrepreneur said.
A wide array of Hunt’s artwork, towels, apparel and other products can be found at www.ChartedWatersFlorida.com and you can learn more about her Gyotaku art and teachings at the Painting With a Fish Facebook page.
Tarpon season is one of the most anticipated times of the year in local waters. While I’ve encountered tarpon occasionally most every month of the year, April through July is the time ardent anglers turn their sights to these beautiful fish. Their arrival in numbers worth pursuing is generally water temperature dependent. The magic number is debatable and a moving target, but as a general rule, when water temperatures hit the 80s, it’s time to get serious.
The tarpon that frequent our waters in numbers from May through August can weigh over 200 pounds and average from 80-100 pounds. We are blessed with some of the best tarpon fishing in the world and the local beaches and inshore waters host some of the finest fly and spin fishing to be found anywhere. This isn’t a game of numbers, and to the anglers who pursue tarpon, it’s the hunt and the action that keep them on the bow for hours in the hot summer sun.
The tackle should match the size of the quarry and most anglers opt for a 20- to 30-pound spin outfit and an 11- to 12-weight fly rod, line and reel. A heavy bite tippet is required because of the size of the tarpon and its rasp-like mouth. Fly anglers generally use a 60- to 80-pound tippet while spin anglers choose an 80- to 100-pound test. While it might seem like a difficult task to land a tarpon on the fly, or any tackle for that matter, an angler who knows the limits of their tackle can land a tarpon in a surprisingly short time. The key is to apply maximum pressure from the hookup and never let up. Too many anglers baby their tarpon in a misguided attempt to land them. The truth is that the longer you fight a tarpon the better chance you have of losing it.
A properly (IGFA-approved) tied tarpon leader used by fly fishers usually runs between 10-12 feet and is tapered to properly deliver the fly. The leader includes a class tippet (weakest link) from 16-20 pounds that is doubled at both ends to soften the (shock) impact on the class tippet and bite tippet. The key to the whole equation is to have a very sharp hook as tarpon have extremely tough mouths. Conventional leaders vary from angler to angler, but a doubled standing line tied to a leader and then to the bite tippet with a blood knot or Albright Special is recommended.
Flies vary from the classic splayed feather Keys style to more complex designs like the Tarpon Toad and various baitfish imitations. Recently, the Palolo Worm fly-fished with a double-handed retrieve has taken the fly-fishing world by storm. These worms that hatch en masse in the Keys are reported to have an aphrodisiac effect on tarpon. Although they do not occur locally, tarpon readily take a well-presented worm fly. Next week, Tarpon primer: Part Two.
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Charles “Chuck” Lester’s legacy of philanthropy and friendship is being remembered on Anna Maria Island following his passing on April 19 at the age of 92.
“I have nothing but great feelings for Chuck. I have such admiration and respect for a life well-lived,” Island businessman Ed Chiles said. “It’s a life and legacy that needs to be celebrated, not mourned.”
Lester passed away at HCA Florida Blake Hospital.
Holmes Beach resident Chuck and his wife, Joann “Joey” Lester, led philanthropic efforts, particularly for The Center of Anna Maria Island.
“He was half of the most wonderful couple in my history of being in business on Anna Maria Island,” Chiles said. “Joey was the love of his life; you never saw one without the other.”
Christopher Culhane, executive director of The Center, wrote in an email to The Sun:
“For almost 50 years, Chuck Lester touched the lives of many Anna Maria Island residents. The Center of Anna Maria Island will greatly miss Chuck Lester’s jovial and smiling face at this year’s upcoming 22nd Annual Lester Family Fun Day,” he wrote. “The Center and the Island community will be forever grateful for the lifetime support of Chuck and Joey Lester.”
Culhane wrote that the couple created an unparalleled legacy of giving both on Anna Maria Island and in Wisconsin.
“Their legacy will live on forever at The Center through the AMICC Endowment Fund, which was established through the generous support of Chuck and Joey Lester’s unrivaled philanthropy.”
Pierrette Kelly, executive director of The Center from 1989 through 2012, said Chuck started the Giving Challenge on the Island.
“He was a wise man. He said if you put a challenge out there, people will step up,” Kelly said. “They leveraged us to go outside our comfort zones to do more for the community.”
The Giving Challenge ended in November each year and the annual Lester Family Fun Day followed in December, bringing the community together to celebrate the holidays, philanthropy, kindness and generosity, Kelly said.
The free community event hosted by the Lesters at The Center included such activities as pony rides, games, food, crafts, a helicopter golf ball drop and a visit from Santa Claus.
Staff at Duffy’s Tavern in Holmes Beach took part in the Lester Family Fun Days.
“It was great to be a part of that. He gave so much back to the community and that’s what it’s all about,” Duffy’s owner Peggi Davenport said. “They were the sweetest couple. He will be greatly missed.”
Along with supporting charitable organizations he supported local businesses, Chiles said.
“He was a cheerleader for a lot of us, through good times and bad,” said Chiles, the owner of the Beach House, Mar Vista and Sandbar restaurants. “He was someone you could go to for advice.”
“They went north to their home in Wisconsin in the summers, but the Island always felt their presence,” Chiles said. “They didn’t just come here and take and drink from the bounty, they gave so much back.”
Chiles said Chuck Lester was known for his contagious laugh and easy-going manner.
“Everybody loved Chuck,” said John Horne, longtime friend of the Lesters. “He always had a smile on his face, you just wanted to be around him.”
“They touched so many lives. What a huge loss for our community,” Horne said. “My heart goes out to Joey right now.”
Horne, the owner of Anna Maria Oyster Bar, had served on the board of The Center of Anna Maria Island.
“For many years they were so instrumental in the community center,” Horne said. “They did more than just write a check, although they wrote many of those, but they put their lives behind their commitments.”
Horne said education and literacy was important to the Lesters and the couple started libraries in Wisconsin.
“He knew the ripple effect of supporting young children and literacy,” longtime friend of the Lesters, Darcie Duncan, said. “They started four libraries in Wisconsin. All of the things they did were done silently. They were passionate about what they supported.”
Duncan has known the couple for more than 40 years.
“Chuck always brought the room to life. Everyone wanted to be with Lesters,” she said.
Over the years, Lester gave Duncan advice for her real estate business.
“There are not many Chuck Lesters left,” Duncan said. “He was a gift.”
MANATEE COUNTY – County voters will ultimately determine whether former Chief of Staff Scott Farrington or recent gubernatorial appointee James Satcher serves as Manatee County’s next supervisor of elections.
Farrington and Satcher are expected to square off in the Republican primary election that concludes on Aug. 20.
If no Democrat or non-party-affiliated candidate joins the race, the primary will determine the race winner.
On April 12, Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Satcher, then a Manatee County commissioner, to serve the remaining months of the four-year term that longtime supervisor Mike Bennett vacated on March 1 after announcing his retirement in January. Satcher has no previous experience conducting an election or managing an elections office and his appointed term expires after the November election.
As Bennett’s longtime chief of staff, Farrington oversaw the elections office operations from March 1 until April 12. He resigned the day DeSantis appointed Satcher. He was in his 12th year with the Manatee elections office, preceded by 10 years with the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections Office.
In January, with Bennett’s resignation pending, Farrington filed to run for the elected four-year Supervisor of Elections term that will begin after the November elections. As of Sunday, Satcher had not yet filed to run in the supervisor of elections race but he’s expected to file soon.
SATCHER TAKES OVER
In his new role, Satcher made a brief appearance before the county commission on April 16. While noting he’d soon seek additional county funds to address staffing and equipment needs, Satcher inferred that Farrington refused to provide the passwords needed to access the elections office computers.
Supervisor of Elections James Satcher appeared before the county commission on April 16. – YouTube | Submitted
“One person left on Friday of his own accord and took all the passwords with him and refused to give them to our technology department when we called and asked for the passwords,” Satcher said.
Farrington and Bennett later disputed Satcher’s allegation.
After Farrington’s departure, Satcher hired Manatee County Commissioner Amanda Ballard’s husband, David Ballard, to serve as his chief of staff, despite Ballard currently being on probation in Manatee County.
On Feb. 1, 2023, the Florida Highway Patrol arrested Ballard on suspicion of driving under the influence with property damage and/or personal injury. He was also charged with leaving the scene of a crash. On March 6, 2023, the Bradenton Police Department arrested Ballard on suspicion of driving under the influence, refusal to submit to testing and driving with license canceled, suspended or revoked.
David Ballard was arrested twice in 2023 on suspicion driving under the influence. – Submitted
According to the March 6 probable cause affidavit, the responding officer smelled a faint smell of alcohol on Ballard’s breath. Ballard told the officer he had not consumed any alcohol that day but was taking prescribed medications that included Klonopin and alcohol withdrawal medicine. Ballard told the officer he was traveling home from the Centerstone rehabilitation facility when the accident occurred.
According to the March 6 probable cause affidavit, “Once officers arrived on scene, the defendant (Ballard) advised that his wife was driving and he was a passenger. He stated that she left the scene to make a phone call. She arrived shortly after and advised this was not true. He later stated that he forgot he was actually driving.”
On Aug. 24, 2023, Ballard pled no contest to the driving under the influence charge associated with his Feb. 1 arrest. He also pled no contest to all three counts associated with his March 6 arrest. According to the order of probation issued that day, Ballard was placed on probation for one year and his driver’s license was suspended for five years.
FARRINGTON SPEAKS
When speaking to The Sun on April 19, Farrington addressed the governor’s decision and said, “I was disappointed, but there’s nothing I can do about that now.”
Farrington confirmed he’ll remain in the supervisor of elections race and he’s happy Manatee County voters will decide who serves in that role for the next four years.
“I am running because I think the people of Manatee County deserve a choice. Right now, one choice is already laid out. I believe I offer a different option – one of experience. I have over 20 years of elections experience. Some people might not think that’s important, but there’s so much involved in running an election. I offer experience, integrity and honest elections,” Farrington said.
He’s now collecting the petition signatures needed as part of the candidate qualifying process.
“If anybody’s interested in signing one, they can go to my website, VoteScottFarrington.com, and download it, sign it and send it in,” he said.
Regarding Satcher’s claim about withheld passwords, Farrington said, “I did not take any passwords and I did not refuse to give any passwords back. That’s not true.”
BENNETT DISAPPOINTED
When speaking to The Sun on April 18, Bennett noted DeSantis has often expressed his desire for election integrity, yet he appointed a supervisor of elections with no previous experience and strong partisan political beliefs.
When announcing his resignation, Bennett sent DeSantis a letter that recommended Farrington be appointed to serve as the interim supervisor. Bennett said DeSantis never contacted him about the pending appointment, nor did any of the governor’s staff.
“I’m extremely disappointed with the governor and I’m extremely disappointed with (former Florida Senator) Bill Galvano for taking the lead on getting the governor to make that appointment,” Bennett said.
Regarding Satcher’s appointment, Bennett said, “To take somebody who has no knowledge of elections and never volunteered to sit on the canvassing board? He knows nothing about it. And then he hires a guy who’s on probation and can’t even drive the supervisor’s car to check on a polling place or an early voting spot. The new chief of staff knows nothing about elections and has never served on a canvassing board or been to a canvassing board meeting,” Bennett said.
Bennett is concerned that Satcher and Ballard’s lack of experience and strong political beliefs could affect public confidence and the integrity of the upcoming elections.
He also addressed Satcher’s claim about withheld passwords.
“That’s simply not true. Scott didn’t have all the passwords. All the passwords are with Sharon Stief,” Bennett said in reference to his longtime chief deputy, who remains in that position. “Nobody ever contacted Scott or me about getting any passwords.”
SUPERVISOR’S RACE
The Florida voter registration application and instruction form accessible at the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections website notes that Florida uses a closed primary system that only allows those affiliated with a specific political party to vote in party-specific primary elections.
“However, in primary elections, all voters can vote for candidates in that partisan primary race if the candidates face no opposition in the general election,” the form notes.
If no Democratic or non-party-affiliated candidates enter the supervisor of elections race – including a bogus candidate who runs simply to close the primary – the anticipated Farrington-Satcher primary race would be open to all Manatee County voters. If a Democrat or non-party-affiliated candidate enters the race, the primary becomes closed to Republican voters only.
If the primary is closed, non-Republican voters who wish to vote in the supervisor of elections primary race have until July 22 to change their current party affiliation to Republican, which can be easily accomplished and later reversed by visiting https://registertovoteflorida.gov/eligibilityreactive.
HOLMES BEACH – Two cars drove into two neighboring businesses on two separate days last week, followed by a crash into a crosswalk signal and pedestrian barrier at the nearby intersection of Marina and Gulf drives.
Six people were injured in the accidents, none reported as critical.
The first crash happened on April 18 around noon when a Jeep driven by Susan Reedy of Ohio crashed into Gypsea Tides Boutique, 5602 Marina Drive. Three people were injured and taken to HCA Florida Blake Hospital and later released, including boutique owner Rexann Cecil, who posted on Facebook that the boutique would be closed until further notice.
A Jeep crashed into Gypsea Tides in Holmes Beach on April 18, injuring three people. – Tanya Licata | Submitted
Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said Reedy reported that the car lunged forward, but after watching surveillance video of the incident, his department believed she hit the gas instead of the brake and accelerated through the store.
Tokajer said Reedy was cited with careless driving.
“The driver was unharmed,” Tokajer said. “The three taken to the hospital were all in the store and all were later released. It was the owner and two patrons.”
On April 20 around 4 p.m., a van crashed into Raders Reef, 5508 Marina Drive, just yards away from Gypsea Tides, causing even more destruction and injuring the driver and a patron inside the store, Tokajer said.
The vehicle caught fire upon impact, causing structural damage to the building, according to a West Manatee Fire Rescue incident report.
Firefighters from West Manatee Fire Rescue extinguish a vehicle fire after a van hit Raders Reef in Holmes Beach – Submitted | WMFR
The Sun arrived on the scene less than 15 minutes after the accident and spoke to Debbie Shaw, who was working at Raders Reef.
“I had my back kind of to the side and heard a big crash, and I knew what it was before I even turned around,” Shaw said. “As soon as it hit, it was on fire. We were trying to figure out if someone was still in it. I tried to get to the car to see if someone was still inside, but the flames were too high.”
WMFR firefighters and Manatee County paramedics were on the scene in less than two minutes. Firefighters extinguished the flames, extricated the driver – the lone person in the vehicle – and secured the building. The unidentified driver was taken to HCA Florida Blake Hospital by paramedics. Both the driver and the store customer were listed in stable condition. Tokajer said the cause of the crash is under investigation.
A crash on April 21 damaged a pedestrian barrier at the intersection of Marina and Gulf drives. – Jason Schaffer | Sun
The third accident happened on April 21 at 9:09 p.m. at the intersection of Marina and Gulf drives in Holmes Beach. An unidentified Bradenton man was driving a small SUV south on Marina and failed to make the turn at Gulf Drive, crashing into a crosswalk signal at the edge of the S&S Plaza parking lot. Tokajer said the cause of the accident is believed to be a medical event and no one was injured, though the driver received medical care. The damaged crosswalk signal was under repair on April 22, he said. An investigation continues.
ANNA MARIA – Three games into the 8- to 10-year-old youth soccer league at The Center, team Solid Rock Construction is undefeated with three wins. Meanwhile, the Shady Lady Horticultural Services team comes close each week but still looks for their first victory.
Just under the Solid Rock team is team Intuitive Foundation. Intuitive earned their second win of the season against the fifth-ranked team AMI Coconuts, 6-0.
Despite the 0-2-1 record, the Coconuts squad played all out last Tuesday night. Ahead of the Shady Lady team, AMI Coconuts could not score against the tough defense of Intuitive Foundation.
Scoring for The Intuitive Foundation were Parker Svoboda and Gunnar Maize. The teammates each had a hat trick, collectively putting the six points on the scoreboard.
On the other side of the pitch, the AMI Coconuts goalie, Owen Serra, was kept busy. Recording five saves in the game Serra helped to keep the scoring to a minimum.
The Emily Moss Design team could not score a point against team Solid Rock Construction, losing by three.The scoring for Solid Rock was spread evenly between Everly Chaplinsky, Lucas Urbiola and Evangeline Zupa.
Miles Moss made eight nice saves in the game for the Emily Moss Design team.
In a close one last Tuesday night, the Shady Lady team was just short of the tie against the Isola Bella Italian Eatery squad with the final score 3-2.
The Shady Lady scorers were Joseph Cabellero and Leo Tyler. Their counterparts Louis Bacon and Abraham Dominguez were the scorers for team Isola Bella.
Goalkeepers Simon Messinger and Carson Long saved five and seven goals, respectively, for Shady Lady and Isola Bella.
With the playoffs starting on Tuesday, May 21, all six teams in the league have the chance to be called champions after the big game on Tuesday, May 28 at 6 p.m.
MANATEE COUNTY – Property owners in West Manatee Fire Rescue’s district will notice a change on their tax bills this fall if commissioners vote to pass a proposed rate increase.
At an April 16 budget workshop, district staff recommended a 7.4% increase for the coming fiscal year beginning on Oct. 1. If approved, the rate increase would bring in an estimated $740,236 in revenue for the district.
WMFR uses a non-ad valorem rate system based on the size of a building on a property or a flat rate if the land is vacant. Currently, the base rate for a residential property is $219.94 with an additional charge of $0.1297 per square foot above 1,000 square feet. For a 2,000-square-foot home, the total rate for the 2023-24 tax year was $349.64. With the proposed rate increase, the residential base rate would be $236.22 with a per-square-foot rate of $0.1393 for buildings over 1,000 square feet. The total proposed rate for a 2,000-square-foot home would be $375.51 with the rate increase, a difference of $25.87.
The commercial base rate for 2023-24 was $546.61 with a per-square-foot rate of $0.2367 over 1,000 square feet, bringing the total for a 2,000-square-foot building to $783.31. With a 7.4% increase, the base rate would increase to $587.06 with a $0.2542 per-square-foot increase, bringing the total to $841.27 for a 2,000-square-foot building, a difference of $57.96.
A new change coming this fiscal year is that transient public lodging establishments in the district, known as short-term vacation rentals, will be charged as commercial properties instead of residential ones to help cover the cost of the fire safety inspection program instituted this year. District staff estimates that the increase in revenue from this change will bring in $613,686.
WMFR staff predicts that total assessment revenue for the 2024-25 fiscal year will come in around $11,357,114, a difference of $1,353,922 over the 2023-24 year’s $10,003,191.
If approved by commissioners, the increase in assessment rates would be used to cover increases in firefighter compensation, necessary replacements of vehicles and equipment and the fire safety inspection program.
Owning a home of your own has been the American dream for over 75 years. It’s so embedded in our culture that it can create stress and feelings of low self-worth if you don’t own your own home. Unfortunately, that’s not about to change anytime soon.
The cost of home ownership increased so much last year that, according to a National Association of Realtors index, home ownership fell to the lowest level since 1985. The culprit here is the cost of increasing mortgage interest rates, insurance, maintenance, utility and homeowners’ association fees. Municipalities are also raising property taxes to keep up with their increasing expenses of running local government due to inflation. Even homeowners who refinanced when the rates were around 3% or 4% are still feeling the crunch, and first-time homebuyers are gradually being priced out of their own American dream.
The Labor Department reported that consumer prices rose 3.5% in March from a year earlier. The stronger-than-expected inflation data will likely prompt the Federal Reserve to hold rates at the current level for longer than expected. This could also keep mortgage rates frozen in place, further disrupting the real estate market, and keeping homeowners currently holding low-interest rate mortgages also frozen in place.
As I’m writing this, a Wall Street Journal update hit my iPhone reporting that the average rate on the standard 30-year fixed rate mortgage jumped by nearly a quarter percentage point to 7.1% based on a survey of lenders by mortgage-finance giant Freddie Mac. That is the highest level since late 2023 and the largest weekly increase in nearly a year. This is approximately double from three years ago. However, putting it in perspective, it is still a lot more affordable compared to the 1980s when rates were in double digits, ranging from 10% up to 16%.
So much of what goes on in the real estate market is dependent on unseen factors and sometimes even just a general feeling by the population that something is off. Let’s see if the March sales statistics are on or off as reported by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee:
Single-family properties closed 3.4% less than last March. The median selling price was $498,805, 1.4% higher than last year, and the average sale price was $653,281, 2.4% higher than last year. The median time to contract was 51 days compared to 46 last year, and there were 0.6% more listings than last year.
Condos closed 2.5% more than last March. The median selling price was $342,988, down 2.8%, and the average sale price was $429,893, 2.5% higher than last year. The median time to contract was 54 days compared to 23 last year and there were 14.9% more new listings than last year.
Inventory of properties is up to 4.1 months for single-family and 6.4 months for condos. Six months of available inventory is just about normal and something we haven’t seen in a long time.
The Realtor Association points out the counties have undergone significant changes throughout the first quarter of 2024. The National Association of Realtors reported the biggest monthly drop in sales in more than a year. This and other data suggest that we are transitioning towards market conditions that favor buyers including more negotiating power and an increased supply of inventory per the Realtor Association.
American dream or homeowner’s nightmare? Don’t lose faith, times have been better and times have been much worse, but the dream doesn’t go away.
