Vol. 11 No. 30 - April 27, 2011

news

Parking, pedestrian plan passes

ANNA MARIA – Nearly a year in the making and with numerous revisions along the way, the parking and pedestrian plan for Pine Avenue was approved by the city commission at its April 14 meeting.

Planner Alan Garrett said at the last work session, commissioners had discussed limiting the maximum square footage for a covered porch. Garrett recommended 10 percent, and commissioners agreed. More...

Pier boardwalk hearing set

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will host a public information meeting for the upcoming Anna Maria Boardwalk project at The Anna Maria City Pier on Tuesday, May 3, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Anna Maria Island Community Center, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria. More...

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryFirst trolleys to arrive in June

The first of the new, heavy-duty trolleys the county ordered will be coming soon, according to Manatee County Area Transit (MCAT) Director Ralf Heseler, and the rest of the colorful people-haulers will trickle in on a monthly basis.

Heseler, who attended Monday's Manatee-Sarasota Public Transportation Task Force meeting, said that the first vehicle is expected in June, barring any delays, and the remaining four would be delivered approximately a month apart. More...

Get ready for turtles, birds

Sea turtles are expected to get a jump on the official first day of turtle nesting season, May 1, due to unseasonably warm water, and birds already have begun nesting, according to Suzi Fox of Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shore Bird Monitoring.

When the water temperature reaches 80, it triggers nesting in loggerhead sea turtle females, she said, adding that nearly 50 of the organization's 75 volunteers already have begun scouring the beaches for turtle tracks just after dawn each morning so they can mark nests with stakes and ribbons for later monitoring. More...

Center board hears from public on misconduct allegations

Emotions ran high last week as the Anna Maria Island Community Center board members and directors heard from the public about how to address the recent allegations of sexual abuse at the center.

"We, all of us, can use this opportunity to heal and to make things better," said Ed Moss, who served as moderator. Moss is pastor at Crosspointe Fellowship. More...

Judge against Robinson project

An administrative judge has recommended that the Florida Department of Community Affairs withdraw its approval of up to triple housing density for a proposed Neal Communities development on 49 acres near Robinson Preserve in northwest Bradenton.

Administrative law Judge D. R. Alexander, of the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings, recommended that the DCA find that the development is not in compliance with the county's comprehensive plan because the area is in a coastal high hazard area subject to flooding. More...

Local tourism goes mobile

A new cell phone app due out this summer from the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau will allow tourists to scan bar codes in advertisements for local tourism-related businesses with their phones, downloading information on events, shopping and accommodations.

Mobile phone use for travel is up more than 3,000 percent, said Elliott Falcione, executive director of the CVB. More...



features

Sea turtle rules begin May 1

Sea turtle nesting season begins on May 1 on Anna Maria Island, and the folks at Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shore Bird Monitoring ask residents, business owners and visitors to please observe laws that protect them.

Five sea turtle species swim in Florida waters, including the loggerhead, the green, the leatherback, the Kemp's ridley and the hawksbill. The loggerhead, the most common locally, is threatened and is being considered for the endangered species list, while the other four are endangered. More...



OUTDOORS

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryKnots: Strength is the weakest link

We spend a lot of time working for the opportunity get a day on the water. Add to that the amount of effort and money we spend for a fishing trip and learning to tie good knots seems a no-brainer. I speak from experience when I say learning to tie knots properly is a small part of the fishing equation that will reap large benefits. Who among us hasn't hooked a great fish, only to lose them to an improperly tied knot! It's true that you don't need a book of knots to tie on a lure and catch a fish, but it's an art that can improve the likelihood of landing the fish of a lifetime. And even if that lunker doesn't appear for awhile, you can impress your friends and colleagues in the meantime. More...



real estate

Mortgage interest deduction not 'welfare'

Welfare is generally thought of as aid for those in need. Usually this aid takes the form of cash, vouchers, food or food stamps or some other type of charity contribution distributed as welfare for the needy. However, the term welfare is starting to take on a new meaning in our dynamic financial environment.

After the financial crash when the United States government bailed out Wall Street banks, the expression corporate welfare started circulating. As costly and distasteful as this bailout may have been to many Americans, the average homeowner would never consider that they are also receiving government welfare in the form of a home mortgage interest tax deduction. But there are government officials who believe that this type of tax incentive does subsidize some homeowners at the expense of others.More...



business

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryThe Island Cabana has something for everyone

When you think of the Island lifestyle, you think about the beautiful Gulf of Mexico waters, soft white sand, surfboards and flip flops all wrapped up in a laid-back, I'll-think-about-it-tomorrow attitude.

But something else also comes to mind when I think about the Island: stripes. Stripes are all over, beach umbrellas, tote bags, awnings and T-shirts by the hundreds. Well, there's a new stripe on Anna Maria, and even though it's not directly on the beach, it's a detour not to be missed.More...

Anna Maria Island Sun News Story

Presentism – how we feel influences our vision of future

Investment Corner

In my last column we reviewed how the stock market seemed to generally do well when there were things to worry about, but conversely, embark on declines when most investors are optimistic. It has always perplexed me that investors seem to get the most optimistic or pessimistic at the wrong times, but I recently read a book which has shed some light on the thought process that helps create this cycle.

Stumbling on Happiness by Harvard psychology professor Dr. Dan Gilbert is a great book if you would like to learn more about many aspects of the human thought process and how we interact with others. It does not focus on the realm of investments, but the topics covered have direct application to how we manage our financial affairs, particularly our investments. More...



SPORTS

Key Royale Golfers honored

Key Royale Club celebrated its 43rd Annual Championship Awards event on Sunday, April 17. Winners were: More...

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryDoctor praises author and book concept

Feasting on Fitness

My "baby" came one step closer to birth. I am, of course, talking about my life-long project, my book about eating well on a budget. I wrote it after watching too many news stories with food stamp recipients after loading up grocery carts with Twinkies saying, "Ya just can't eat healthy on food stamps." The publisher sent me the pre-printing copy last week.More...

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