Vol. 11 No. 28 - April 13, 2011

news

Panel hears cell tower proposals

ANNA MARIA – An ad hoc committee of Community Center board members heard two cell tower proposals Friday after the city made a request to allow a cell tower to be built at the Center.

Committee members are board attorney Scott Rudacille, board chair Greg Ross, Blair Schlossberg, Jason Sato and Randy Langley. Sato was absent due to illness. More...

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryAnother slice of success for Andrea Spring

Sign of the Mermaid co-owner Andrea Spring took honors in two categories of this year's American Pie Council - Crisco Pie Championship in Orlando over the weekend and for her, competing and winning are becoming an annual event.

Andrea took first place in the raisin pie category with her two-layer, Hazel Nut and Pumpkin Cream Phas flourless cake bottom and top layers with a chocolate crust. More...

Bills would impact local rental rules

Identical bills under consideration by the Florida House and Senate could prohibit local governments from regulating or banning vacation rentals unless they already have those ordinances in effect.

The proposal would prohibit municipalities from treating vacation rentals including condominiums and single family homes - differently than residential property, forcing them to allow short-term rentals wherever residential uses are permitted, according to Allison Payne of the Florida League of Cities. More...

Oil claims continue a year later

Next week's one-year anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster marks a deadline for those planning to sue the rig owner and another day of recordkeeping for those making claims against the operator.

The April 20, 2010 explosion of the oil rig, owned by Transocean under contract to British Petroleum (BP), caused 11 deaths and leaked oil into the Gulf of Mexico until July 15.

While oil did not reach the shores of Anna Maria Island, tourists stayed away from beaches around the state after oil washed up on Florida Panhandle beaches. More...

City, county come to Kingfish agreement

HOLMES BEACH – Mayor Rich Bohnenberger announced Thursday, April 7, that he and Manatee County Administrator Ed Hunzeker have come to an agreement regarding lighting at Kingfish Boat Ramp.

The city had objected to the county's plan to install 11 lights on 40-foot high poles at the ramp area. Bohnenberger wrote Hunzeker on March 9 requesting that the county submit a site plan and obtain a permit from the city for the work, but county officials said they didn't need a permit. More...

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryHunsicker says Island needs protection

The renourishment projects under way and scheduled for this year will set the stage for an all inclusive coating of the Island's beaches in four years that will help protect the beaches, nearby homes and evacuation routes, according to Manatee County Natural Resources Director Charlie Hunsicker.

That's what he told elected officials from the county and its cities during a Council of Governments meeting on Tuesday, April 5, as he updated them on what's going on and what's in store. More...



features

Anna Maria Island Sun News Story

Beer Tales

The drinking age in Nova Scotia was a strict, Baptist, 21.

In French-Catholic Montreal it was a much more cosmopolitan and loosely-enforced 18.

The inevitable journey to the drinking holes of Montreal was a right-of-passage for Nova Scotia's teenage males. More...



OUTDOORS

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryThings that matter most

If you're like I am, and I suspect you are, you have a passion for the outdoors. If you're reading this column it's a safe bet the passion extends, to a large part, to the waters that surround our islands. The fish that inhabit the grass flats, mangrove edges and oyster bars stir our imagination while we're on the water, as well as during the days when we work to support ourselves, our families and our communities. It's easy to be consumed with this daily life; that's what makes the days on the water so special. It's particularly gratifying when serendipity combines to give us an opportunity to connect to our core values in a way that supports our basic needs and/or passion. More...



real estate

Insurance looms larger than hurricanes

We haven't even gotten through income tax day and we have to start worrying about hurricanes again. The ironic thing is that the insurance we need to protect us against those hurricanes is a bigger problem than the actual hurricanes.

Citizens Property Insurance Corp. is in the news again in a big way. The Florida Legislature has introduced a bill (HB 1243) intended to raise rates on the state-owned Citizens. The company currently insures nearly 1.3 million properties and although intended as the insurer of last resort, has morphed into the primary insurance carrier for coastal properties in the state and the largest property insurer. More...



business

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryIsland's three Egrets define coastal look

Individuals become legends when they inspire others, but can a non human entity be a legend? Why not, especially if the entity is the inspired creation of an individual.

When Barbara and John Jaeger moved to Anna Maria from Wisconsin in 2000 after years of vacationing here, they never imagined that 11 years later they would be the owners of three retail stores plus an interior decorating business. With Barbara Jaeger providing the artistic inspiration and John Jaeger providing the organizational inspiration, they have built their business from the ground up offering everything from greeting cards to complete interior design services. More...

Anna Maria Island Sun News Story

Climbing a wall of worry

Investment Corner

My last article, which appeared on March 23, was hurriedly prepared in the days following the devastating earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear power plant problems in Japan. My goal was to provide some reasoning for not panicking if the world's stock markets struggled following that event because I believed the effects would be temporary. More...



SPORTS

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryOvercoming major obstacles

Feasting on Fitness

Rebecca Donovan is my second best success story, if you measure by weight lost. My best success was a cancer survivor who lost 120 pounds in 8 months. Rebecca has lost 26 pounds in 2 1/2 months. But success can also be measured by improved quality of life.

Like many people who seek a personal trainer, Rebecca came in wanting to lose weight. At 5' 2" she weighed 242 pounds. She said she had tried Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Atkins and NutriSystem. Any weight lost, like with so many diet programs, she had gained all back, and then some. More...

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