Vol. 9 No. 49 - August 26, 2009

news

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryBig step for littlest students

HOLMES BEACH – There was an air of anticipation in the auditorium at Anna Maria Elementary School Monday as kindergartners and their parents awaited the beginning of school.

It was a big moment for the youngsters who took their first step into the fold of public education and their parents, who were there to encourage and reassure them, worked hard to hold back their emotions. More...

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryTourney to honor Air and Energy

Trudy and Stewart Moon will be recognized at the 19th annual O’Connor Bowling Challenge for their 19 years of service to the tournament.

“Every year, they buy the trophies and plaques,” Billy O’Connor said. “They are so great because they just say, ‘Send us the bill.’ ”

Other businesses that have been recognized for continuous service since the tournament’s inception are the Beach Bistro, the Chiles Group, Duffy’s Tavern and the Anna Maria Oyster Bar. More...

Port Dolphin comments due

HOLMES BEACH – With the exception of Commissioner David Zaccagnino, commissioners last week expressed approval of the city’s 2009-10 proposed budget.

The budget of $7.8 million is a decrease of $262, 233 from the 2008-09 budget of $8.1 million. The proposed millage rate is 1.7549, which is the rolled-back rate, and an increase from last year’s millage of 1.5989. More...

Anna Maria Island Sun News Story Ads go out for stimulus project bids

BRADENTON BEACH – The first stimulus project on the Island is out for bids.

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) advertised for bidders for the State Road 789/Gulf Drive Corridor Enhancements project on Aug. 20. The contract will be awarded in October and construction is scheduled to begin November 2009 and be completed in February 2010, according to an FDOT worksheet.

FDOT assigned $830,169 for the project, which includes adding sidewalks and landscaping on the west side of State Road 789 (Gulf Drive) south of Second Street to south of State Road 684 (Cortez Road). More...

Code board imposes hefty fines

HOLMES BEACH – Code board members last week imposed fines and costs totaling more than $11,000 on a property owner in two cases that have been unresolved since February 2008.

In the first case, the board found David Sandoro, owner of 6210-6214 Marina Way, in violation for doing work without obtaining permits at a hearing in February 2008. It gave him until March 6, 2008, to obtain permits or remove the work and pay the city’s costs of $250. More...

Still divided in duplex expansion discussion

ANNA MARIA — After months of discussion at the commission level and at the planning and zoning board, the question of whether or not to allow duplexes to expand remains just about the same as it was on the first day the issue was raised. The discussion at the Aug. 13 city commission work session was little different than earlier discussions this year. More...

Anna Maria Island Sun News Story Making water safe for people, marine life

HOLMES BEACH – Dolphins and manatees frolic, turtles and fishes swim lazily and seahorses and rays hover across the wall in the Island Branch Library’s new mural.

Painted by Island artist Pam Fortenberry, the mural honors Carol Kerr, a Friends Book Club member who passed away in January. It is located on the wall leading to the children’s room and ties in with a mural, also painted by Fortenberry, above the bookcases in the children’s room. More...

City approves solar lighting

BRADENTON BEACH – The commercial district will get new decorative lighting before the December holidays. While the design of the lights is supposed to compliment the district’s historic flair, the solar panels on top of each one won’t. But they will save the city a lot of money. More...



feature

Anna Maria Island Sun News StorySummer talent contest heats up

year-old girl with Frank Sinatra pipes and a pair of dancers with moves from “So You Think You Can Dance” were among the second round winners in the Island’s Got Talent contest Sunday night.

The talent competition, sponsored by the Sandbar Restaurant, drew 26 amateurs of all ages, and eight will compete in the finals on Aug. 30 at 6 p.m. at the Sandbar. More...



reel time

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryLate summer red fishing looms large

Late summer and early fall provide some of the area’s best red fishing opportunities and prime time is just around the corner. Look for schools to congregate over local flats where they can provide hot and challenging action. You can blind cast to likely spots in low light conditions, but I prefer to see my target. A bright sunny day affords optimal sight fishing conditions, but most days require a mix of the two methods. Getting in the water with the fish is the most productive way to target them. Not only does the angler present a lower profile, but he’s often fishing areas where even a shallow flats boat won’t reach. More...



real estate

What goes down may soon go up

What’s the fastest way to get a headache these days? Well, you could try and figure out what the heck everyone in Washington is talking about regarding health care, or you could try and decipher the instructions that came with your latest electronic gadget. Or you could try and understand the Florida property tax statutes, guaranteed to have you running for the aspirin bottle. More...



business

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryBridge Street Merchants Assoc. expands its capability

The Historic Bridge Street Merchants Association is now a 501(c)3 non-profit group.

This status will allow the group to live up to its mission statement: A merchant group dedicated to promoting Bridge Street, the Bradenton Beach community and its businesses.

The association began several years ago to expand its image as the city’s main commercial district, which began from an historic past when the area’s main commerce was fishing. Since the street’s rehabilitation that began more than 17 years ago, an upscale hotel, several restaurants for all tastes, boutiques ranging from fashionable to eclectic and businesses to service real estate have settled in. More...

Anna Maria Island Sun News Story

Leveraged and Inverse ETFs Far From Perfect

Investment Corner

Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) are now commonplace and considered a mainstream investment. The second wave of ETF innovation brought leveraged ETF shares, inversely correlated ETFs, and leveraged inversely correlated ETF shares to investors. The leveraged form uses futures contracts and options within the portfolio to provide an increased effect compared to the index the fund is designed to follow. Generally the leverage is designed to multiply the movement of the index by two or three times. More...



SPORTS

Sign up begins for Center soccer season

Soccer season for kids ages 4 to 16 starts soon at the Anna Maria Island Community Center and to help newcomers to the game, the Center is offering instruction.

Parents can sign their kids up for the league through Friday, Aug. 28, and they can learn new skills or refresh old ones at soccer camp between Aug. 26 and 28 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. More...



turtles

Anna Maria Island Sun News Story Hatching at peak, problems galore

It’s that time of year again. Baby turtles are emerging from the nests that mature female loggerhead sea turtles deposited in the Island sands earlier this year.

And it’s the time of year again when some of those hatchlings encounter man-made problems when they climb out of their nests to scramble into the waters of the Gulf. More...


 

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