Gulf beaches not top spill prioity

Sensitive estuaries rate higher on the Coast Guard's list of areas to be protected.

Anna Maria Island’s Gulf beaches are not the highest priority areas for protection should oil gushing from the Deepwater Horizon rig reach Manatee County shores.

That’s because semi-solid tar balls on sandy beaches are easier to clean than oil on mangroves and seagrass in bays and estuaries, according to Charlie Hunsicker, director of the Manatee County Department of Natural Resources. More...

Officials: Leave oil cleanup to experts

Do-it-yourselfers planning to use booms made of hair or fur to soak up oil should leave cleanup operations to the experts if oil reaches Anna Maria Island’s shores, according to local officials.

Once the booms are soaked with oil, they are considered hazardous materials and must be disposed of by BP, which is coordinating the Deepwater Horizon oil cleanup, according to Manatee County Public Safety Marine Rescue Chief Jay Moyles, adding that individuals who buy cleanup materials must coordinate with BP to be reimbursed. More...

Cafe attorney files protest

BRADENTON –The attorney for Café on the Beach filed a protest with the county the day after county commissioners awarded the Manatee Beach concession contract to United Park Services.

“There is a protest provision in the bid process,” Stavros Tingirdes explained. “I did it at the 11th hour to put the brakes on the process in order to explore all the remedies. I was disturbed by the process; it was unfair.” More...

Concessions contract goes to Tampa firm

BRADENTON – Following a long and emotional meeting, Manatee County Commissioners last week awarded the Manatee Beach concession contract to United Park Services of Tampa.

“We’re very excited about the opportunity to take over the concession,” said Alan Kahana, president of UPS. “We’re sure we’ll do a good job and earn the respect of the community. More...

Know the rules for replanting

Those who want to remove trees that died during our unusually long and cold winter should know what the rules are in each Island city.

In Anna Maria, you can plant anything except prohibited invasive exotics, and a permit is not necessary, according to Code Enforcement Officer Gerry Rathvon.

“We recommend that they select natives from our plant list because they are drought tolerant, hardy to cold and heat and last longer,” Rathvon said. More...

Stoltzfus recall election a step closer

ANNA MARIA — The committee to recall City Commissioner Harry Stoltzfus has turned in its petition to the city.

Bob Carter, chairman of the recall committee, turned over the petition and a baggie with dimes to cover the cost of verifying the signatures, to City Clerk Alice Baird on Friday, May 14. More...

Galati hosts two tournaments at once

ANNA MARIA – Memorial Day weekend will be a busy one on the Island’s north end as Galati Yacht Sales hosts two nationally recognized fishing tournaments from Thursday through Sunday.

The 39th Annual loop Tournament, sponsored by Galati and the Old Salt Fishing Foundation, is the older of the two contests with the Mike Alstott Family Foundation Inshore/Offshore Shootout, also sponsored by the Old Salt Fishing Foundation and Galati, offers fun for all kinds of anglers. More...

Annual blood drive to benefit charities

HOLMES BEACH – When the doors open at the St. Bernard Catholic Church Activity Center, 248 S. Harbor Drive for the Island Blood Drive on Saturday and Sunday, June 5 and 6, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., the blood donors will be doing a big favor two ways.
“They will be donating blood at a time when blood supplies are normally low,” said Wanda Read-Burke, of Florida Blood Services and organizer of the annual event. “They will also be responsible for a $100 donation to one or a combination of five non-profit organizations to help them continue their good work.” More...

Just the way Snooks would have wanted

It was the first Kid's Day since founder, Snooks Adams passed away, and the weather was perfect for loads of fun.

A large contingent of kids showed up for the pirate's costume contest, even though the Humpback Bridge on Bay Drive was closed to traffic and they all had to take a different route to get to Bay Front Park, in Anna Maria.. More...

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Fishing with Captain Randall Fowler

I grew up fishing with Captain Randall Fowler, or, more correctly, he grew up fishing with me. I remember clearly running across Sarasota Bay into a strong northwest chop in (father) Randy Fowler's tri-hull skiff. It was a cold, blustery day with young Randall huddled on one side of the console and his sister Elizabeth on the other. We would fish in the worst weather, and it's amazing that fishing would one day be such a big part of Randall's life. I would like to take some credit for the fish finding abilities that Fowler has developed, but the truth is he's become a better angler than me. More...

Government offers Cash for Caulkers

I don’t know about you, but whenever someone gives me something for nothing, I’m always looking for the real cost. The flavor of the month in government stimulus was just passed in an effort to make homeowners more responsible and a little richer. But like all those things offered for nothing, this one also has a few strings attached. More...

Expect uncertainty – be a better investor

As investors, if there is one lesson to take away from the last decade, and probably from any previous decade we wish to examine, it would be that life and investing are uncertain. It will only be a matter of time before some event occurs, which we never considered as a possibility, and rocks our world with market reaction we didn’t consider. This occurs in both the positive as well as negative directions. More...

Two hoops teams perfect after second week

The 2010 Community Center basketball season is now two weeks old, and thus far two teams have kept their hopes for an unbeaten season alive in this young season, as Connie’s Landscaping of Division 3 and Walter & Associates in Division 2 are 4-0 and 3-0 respectively. More...