Recall ballots sealed - for now

ANNA MARIA — Appeals are being prepared this week challenging a ruling made by Circuit Court Judge Edward Nicholas sealing the ballots in the Sept. 7 recall election.

On Sept. 3, Judge Edward Nicholas ruled that the ballots in the election to recall City Commissioner Harry Stoltzfus must be placed under lock and key at Supervisor of Elections Bob Sweat’s office until at least 5:01 p.m. Sept. 24. More...

Votes in, but not tallied

ANNA MARIA – After a contentious campaign, voters turned out in good numbers to decide whether to recall City Commissioner Harry Stoltzfus and if so, whether to replace him with Gene Aubrey.

The polling place, at Roser Memorial Community Church, closed a 7 p.m. and Manatee County Election Commissioner Bob Sweat came in and placed the 243 absentee ballots on the table for the canvassing board to inspect. The board threw out one absentee ballot that was not signed. Sweat said that they had mailed out 317 absentee ballots. More...

AMI takes surf fest by storm

COCOA BEACH – Anna Maria Island musicians and surfers took Cocoa Beach by storm over Labor Day weekend during the 25th Annual National Kidney Foundation Pro-Am Surf Festival.

Three days of surf, sun and music followed close on the heels of Hurricane Earl, a Category 4 storm that left overhead waves in its wake, followed by a consistent smaller swell that gave competitors lots to work with. More...

City OKs land deal

BRADENTON BEACH – After declaring a half-acre of land on the beach unbuildable, the city commission approved paying $350,000 for it to avert future legal action from the developers who own it. The commission meeting was marked by concern over its legality, since there was no recording of the proceedings and nobody to take minutes. There appeared to be confusion whether it was a public hearing or a work session where no vote would have been taken to spend money by the city commission. However, a vote was taken, and the attorney for the city, Greg Hootman, turned in an abbreviated set of minutes. More...

AMICCO sets season’s concerts

HOLMES BEACH – From Broadway to opera, with some hearts and Christmas carols thrown in, the 2010-11 Anna Maria Island Concert Chorus and Orchestra (AMICCO) season has it all.

Its first concert, on Sunday, Nov. 14, features selections from Broadway show tunes by Rogers and Hammerstein and Irving Berlin. It will be held as part of the artsHOP weekend, sponsored by Cultural Connections of Anna Maria Island, of which AMICCO is a charter member. The Rizzo sisters, Trina and Holly, who both graduated from Anna Maria Elementary School and were 2010 finalists in the AMICCO Young Artists Solo Competition, will perform Irving Berlin’s “Sisters,” written for the movie “White Christmas.” More...

Anna Maria deputy honored

The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office has award Deputy Brian Cherry, who works out of the Anna Maria substation, its Deputy of the Month award for his actions that resulted in the rescue of two swimmers on Sunday, Aug. 12. More...

It’s almost time for stone crabs

ANNA MARIA – Working under a blue tarp and several large pines for shade, John Labash staples symmetrical strips of wood to a frame, leaving two strips farther apart than the others.

Baby stone crabs can escape through the gap, keeping them alive for another harvest, said the commercial stone crabber, who has been working in area waters for several years. More...

Spanish heritage celebrated at Community Center

ANNA MARIA – In honor of Spanish Heritage Month, the Island Community Center is offering a variety of events and classes kicking off with a Spanish Fiesta on Sept. 18 in combination with Soccer Spirit Day.

At noon inside the Center, Fatima Soriano, of Tapas and Fun, will serve up her delicious paella made from a family recipe. Servings will be available for $5 each. More...

Anna Maria tables parking talks – for now

ANNA MARIA – City commissioners have put discussions on the parking issue in the residential/office/retail district off to the side for now.

That includes discussions or actions on the controversial Pine Avenue corridor plan.

Commission Chair John Quam hinted that the city is going to postpone any important discussions or votes for a time. More...

City sets parking hours

The Bradenton Beach City Commission directed Police Chief Sam Speciale to enforce a three-hour limit on cars parked on the street along Bridge Street and Bay Drive in four city-owned parking spaces. The commission also set enforcement hours at between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. weekdays.

The Bridge Street Merchants Association requested the enforcement in order to free parking spaces for customers in the commercial district and to discourage beach-goers and employees of businesses to use the spaces.

Player seeks soccer goals

Darrin Wash has asked Holmes Beach commissioners for permission to raise money to purchase regulation soccer goals for the city field adjacent to city hall where the Island Football Association plays games.

Wash said the goals would not interfere with the art shows that also take place on the field. Commissioners plan to consider the request at their Sept. 14 work session.

Water advisory update

The Manatee County Health Department has lifted the water quality advisory for Coquina Beach North issued last month because bacterial indicators currently comply with Environmental Protection Agency recommendations.

An advisory at Bayfront Park North is still in effect based on bacterial indicators.

An advisory indicates that water contact may pose an increased risk of infectious disease, particularly for susceptible individuals. The water samples were analyzed for enteric bacteria (fecal coliform and enterococci) that normally inhabit the intestinal tract of humans and animals, which may cause human disease, infections, or rashes. The presence of the bacteria is an indication of fecal pollution, which may come from stormwater runoff, pets, wildlife or human sewage.

For more information, call 748-0747, ext.1340, or visit www.doh.state.fl.us (under A-Z Topics, select Beach Water Quality)..

Corrections

Janet Vosburgh is vying for the Ward 4 seat in Bradenton Beach. The Sun named the wrong candidate in the election story in the Sept.1 edition. Candidate Jean Peelen's name also was spelled wrong.

Food & Drink Pairing: Sure is hot

There is Hot, there is Florida Hot, and worst of all of there is Florida September Summer Hot. Florida September Summer Hot is all the other hots added together minus any patience you ever had.

Florida September Fun is standing in a deadly silent line at the hardware store on an oppressively September Hot afternoon and saying in a clear voice,

“Sure is hot.” More...

Inspired to make a difference

On Saturday, Aug. 28, I had the pleasure of spending a morning on the water with Jay Leverone, senior scientist with the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program and Walt Avery, who recently retired after 30 years as head of bay studies for the city of Tampa. We were attending the Tampa Bay Watch Great Bay Scallop Search, now in its 16th year. The purpose of the search was to monitor and document the health and status of the bay scallop population. Last year Tampa Bay Watch found a record 674 scallops. It was the fifth year in a row that the scallop numbers had increased, leading Tampa Bay Watch organizers to the conclusion that improving water quality, helped by habitat restoration efforts and storm water controls, might be improving the odds for scallops. Saturday's count of only 32 scallops proved a disappointment and left organizers and scientists puzzled. More...

The root of all evil

Is the love of money the root of all evil, as Jesus said, and, if so, how has that played into the country’s real estate meltdown? We may never know for sure but what we do know is a lot of people made a lot of bad decisions, and money was definitely at the root of it. More...

Luck in investing

Some investors believe their prowess in picking investments is above average because they have a good year now and then. This is similar to surveys which reveal that over 80 percent of drivers polled indicated their abilities to navigate the highways were above average (obviously only 49 percent can be above average by definition). The problem with the human ego is that we attribute successes to our own abilities and failures to randomness or bad luck. More...

Last chance to comment on turtles

The public can comment on a plan to reclassify some loggerhead sea turtle species as endangered until Sept. 13.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service is considering classifying nine loggerhead populations as separate species under the federal Endangered Species Act, with two as endangered and seven as threatened. More...