Vol. 9 No. 34 - May 13, 2009

breaking news

Cumber sentenced to 13.5 years

HOLMES BEACH – William Cumber, the last person who reported seeing missing Haley’s Motel co-owner Sabine Musil-Buehler alive last November, was sentenced on Thursday to 13.5 years in jail for violating probation on a 2006 arson conviction.

Cumber, 39, had previously admitted violating probation by leaving Manatee County without his probation officer’s consent. He was arrested for driving with a suspended license in Marion County on Dec. 22, 2008, three months after completing a 3.5-year prison sentence for setting fire to the home of a Manatee County woman whom he felt had scorned him, according to the arrest warrant. More...

news

First turtle nest of the season

HOLMES BEACH — Sometime during the overnight hours between May 14 and 15, a female loggerhead turtle crawled ashore, dug a nest, deposited her clutch of eggs, covered them up with sand and returned to the Gulf waters.

Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch volunteer Fred Mack and his wife, Sandy, were out the next morning walking their section of beach when they discovered the signs of the turtle’s crawl and the disturbed sand that marked her nest. It was right in front of Martinique North. More...

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryCity to consider a cell phone tower

BRADENTON BEACH – If police and first responders had their way, there would be more than one cell phone tower on Anna Maria and they might get their wish soon.

Bradenton Beach Police Chief Sam Speciale talked about the situation at a city commission work meeting on Tuesday, May 5, where an additional tower was on the agenda. More...

Local Medicaid case resolved

ANNA MARIA — The Medicaid fraud case against the two owners of Acute Care Team, an Anna Maria health services provider, has been resolved with no admission of guilt being entered.

Jeanne April Ferguson, Holmes Beach, entered a no contest plea to one count of Medicaid fraud last week. She was sentenced to five years probation and ordered to pay $50,000 in court costs and restitution to Medicaid. If the fine is paid within a year, Ferguson’s probation will be lifted. More...

Anna Maria Island Sun News Story Relay for Life on AMI this weekend

From 3 p.m. Saturday, May 16 until 9 a.m. Sunday, May 17, teams will take to the track at the south end of Coquina Beach for the Fourth Annual Relay for Life on Anna Maria Island.

The theme of this year’s relay is Relaying Around the World, and teams have each chosen a country to decorate their area. Come on out to see the decorations, to eat, to shop or to participate in the raffles. More...

Circuit court judge dismisses Sorg lawsuit

HOLMES BEACH – A 2007 lawsuit filed against the city by William and Diane Sorg was ordered dismissed by Circuit Court Judge Edward Nicholas on April 13.

"There is no allegation that plaintiffs availed themselves of the right to appeal the final administrative order to the Holmes Beach City Commission within 30 days following its entry in order to contest its validity," the judge wrote. More...

CDC changes swine flu guidelines for schools

Last week, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) eased guidelines for school closings regarding swine flu cases.

Previously, the CDC recommended closing a school for up to 14 days if a student or staff member contracted a laboratory-confirmed case of swine flu in order to keep the virus from spreading. The new guidelines call for keeping them out of schools during the period of illness and recuperation, when they are infectious to others. More...

County approves bridge choice

A day after the Metropolitan Planning Organization agreed with the Florida Department of Transportation’s (FDOT) choice for a new bridge from the mainland to the Island along Manatee Avenue, the Manatee County Commissioners did the same.

Although FDOT did not need the approval of either body, it took its choice to them to solicit comments. During discussion, county commissioners said they were behind the choice of a high, fixed span with two sidewalks aligned south of where the current drawbridge is located. More...

Anna Maria Island Sun News Story Singers raise dough-re-mi for cancer

Pelican Pete’s Seafood Bar and Grill in Cortez hosted nearly 200 karaoke singers and patrons raising money for the American Cancer Society. Attracting people from as far away as Apollo Beach, "Karaoke for a Cancer Cure" raised more than $2,000 for cancer research. More...



feature

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryFun at the Mardi Gras Mambo

It was a smaller crowd that attended the annual Anna Maria Elementary School Spring Fling, but they knew how to party and they paid top dollar for some of the auction items. There were also some bargains that went out the door, but it was all for the PTO’s effort to help the school and ultimately, the kids. More...



reel time

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryLand of the silver mermaid

Homosassa has always been one of my favorite places. This past week I had the pleasure of spending two days on the fabled tarpon flats with my friend Captain Mike Locklear and his client Pete Moyer from Jackson, Wyoming. The days coincided with a full moon which made the fishing slow, but the experience was exceptional. Besides getting a tour of the back channels and twisting waterways of the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge, I experienced the flats that made the area famous with world record fly anglers and even had a couple of shots at big fish. To top off the experience I got a tour of the MacRae house with Wilma MacRae and saw the room and the original register from the month in 1904 when the great American artist Winslow Homer visited the area. For those who don’t know the history of Homosassa, let’s take a trip back in time to explore the origin of the fly angler’s infatuation with the region. More...



real estate

More aid for distressed loans

I once owned a jazzy red convertible that was little and cute and every time I drove it I felt like I was riding along one of Monaco’s Corniches, the only problem was, it barely ran. The day the mechanic said “Get rid of it, you’re throwing good money after bad,” I knew my driving fantasy was over and my financial reality check was beginning; something the Federal government also needs to wake up to. More...



business

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryNew partners bring green to Pine

ANNA MARIA – The newest partners in the Pine Avenue Restoration project hope to bring a fresh, green outlook to what they call the city’s "Main Street."

British couple Mike and Lizzie Thrasher, who own Beach Bums on Pine Avenue, have joined Ed Chiles, Ted LaRoche and Mike Coleman in the project, which features residential units built above retail stores. More...

Anna Maria Island Sun News Story

To time, or not to time

Investment Corner

For many years prior to 2008, the investment philosophy of buy and hold was promoted by major financial firms, mutual fund companies and academics who study market trends. And, for the last two or three decades the strategy worked marvelously. More...



SPORTS

Flag Football season continues

Monday, May 4
8-9 Division
Sparks Steel Art Falcons 12
RLS Industries Patriots 6

The Patriots gave the Falcons a run for their money in this game, but the Falcons defense held strong and prevented the Patriots from scoring to tie or win the game. Dylan Joseph and Joey Stewart each scored a touchdown in the game for the Falcons, while Aiden Grumley reached the end zone for the Patriots lone score. More...



turtles

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryTurtles reign during nesting season

The seven species of marine turtles, including the five that nest in Florida, face numerous threats, which are pushing them ever closer to the edge of extinction.

The biggest single threat is the loss of habitat. More...

View the PDF of this weeks special Turtle Section



HORSESHOES

Horseshoe tossers still having fun

Season is over and those of us who are fortunate enough to live here year-round can enjoy tossing horseshoes on Wednesday and Saturday mornings in the shade of the native trees planted at the pits on the grounds of Anna Maria City Hall.

On Wednesday, May 6, two teams played off for the title. Bruce Munroe and Sam Samuels beat Norm Good and Paul Sheatler by a lopsided score of 22 – 7.

On Saturday, May 9, only John Johnson and Norm Good qualified with three wins to became the champions. Tom Skoloda and Sam Samuels beat Bruce Munroe and Hank Huyghe 21 – 11 for second place.

Play gets underway at 9 a.m. at city hall. Everyone is welcome and there is no wait for an available pit.


 

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