Rental crackdown ruffles feathers

HOLMES BEACH – City officials are getting a response from recent efforts to crack down on owners of short-term rentals who violate parking, trash and noise ordinances.

In response to residents' escalating concerns about violations at rental properties, officials began citing owners of short-term rental properties who are in violation of city codes last month, automatically suspending their city rental business tax receipts or rental licenses. More...

Border dispute escalates to legal action

HOLMES BEACH – The city commission has voted 4-0 to initiate a dispute resolution proceeding against the city of Bradenton Beach over a disagreement about a gate installed along the 27th Street border between the two cities.

Sandpiper Resort installed the gate in an existing fence last summer to deter wheeled vehicles from entering the 5 m.p.h., 55 and over mobile home park. More...

ArtsHOP opens Island arts scene

There's something for everyone at the Island's annual artsHOP weekend Nov. 11 through 13 with a variety of activities and events planned for Anna Maria and Holmes Beach.

The weekend begins with a gallery walk and play on Friday, continues with an arts and crafts festival, a small maritime crafts show and the play on Saturday and concludes with the arts and crafts festival, a chorus and orchestra concert and a drum circle on Sunday. More...

Three years later, Sabine mystery goes on

Three years ago on Nov. 4, Sabine Musil-Buehler disappeared and was never seen again.

Her fate remains a mystery to all, though many speculate about where the co-owner of Haley's Motel in Holmes Beach might be, and whether she is alive or dead. More...

Holmes Beach candidates speak out

HOLMES BEACH – Five candidates vying for three seats on the city commission attended the Anna Maria Island Sun's forum on Thursday at city hall, answering readers' questions on rentals, a dog beach and other issues.

Three incumbents, Pat Morton, Al Robinson and David Zaccagnino, will face two former candidates, Jean Peelen and Andy Sheridan. All run as at-large members for two-year terms. The election is on Tuesday, Nov. 8. More...

Anna Maria hopefuls answer questions

ANNA MARIA – Voters go to the polls Nov. 8 to elect three commissioners from four candidates that include incumbent Commissioners John Quam and Dale Woodland and challengers SueLynn and Nancy Yetter.

Quam, retired from a career in marketing, is seeking his sixth term as a commissioner and has served as its chairman for seven of his years in office. Woodland, retired from a career in computers and now owner of Woodland Quality Pool Care, has served four terms as commissioner. More...

Canines raise the woof at pooch parade

ANNA MARIA – It was touch and go weather for the Ninth Annual AMI Sun Dog Costume Contest last Saturday, but with canine contestants dressed as everything from Indiana Jones to the cowardly lion, there was just no stopping this pooch parade.

The day started with a light rain that fizzled out around mid-morning, leaving clearing skies just in time for the 1 p.m. start time in the parking lot of Island Sun Plaza. More...

Artists opening doors to creativity

Artists and friends are heeding the call to make art pieces using the theme "Doors II, Outside the Door" for Cultural Connections' artsHOP weekend Nov. 11 thorough 13.

The Doors theme was first used in artsHOP 2009, but people generally used large doors and painted them. This year people are being asked to create smaller doors or create something using door as a theme. More...

Love triumphs for bride and groom

Caroline Wareing and Anthony Fletcher, both bobbies from London, took their vows at the Sandbar restaurant last week, but it was a road fraught with peril that brought the bride to her walk down the sandy aisle. More...

Stalking bonefish in the Cook Islands

Scudding clouds afforded only brief glimpses of the surrounding coral strewn bottom as winds gusting to 30 knots swept white caps across the shallow flats, rendering them an almost opaque color. I was wading the flats of Aitutaki Atoll in the Cook Islands with Ian Dollery, director of the Aitutaki Bonefish Management Committee. More...

The truck broke down

We've all experienced calling for technical or banking advice and getting someone with a heavy foreign accent and a typical American name. Sometimes we're able to work through a difficult conversation, and sometimes we just throw up our hands and call back later. Imagine having this experience if you're waiting for your household possessions to arrive at your new home and the voice at the other end of the phone just isn't getting it. More...

Using stocks for income

Investment Corner By Tom Brieter

Money funds and certificates of deposit continue to pay woefully low yields of less than 1 percent. Ten-year government bonds pay just over 2 percent and carry temporary price risk if interest rates were to rise. None of this is likely to change much in the next year or two with the Federal Reserve Governors advising that they anticipate keeping the short-term rates they control at very low levels into 2013. More...

Playoffs ready to begin

Which one will be the team to beat? The playoffs begin for the adult basketball league and the 6-7-year-old youth soccer league this week. In the basketball league, Unique Mobile Detailing seems to be the favorite going into the playoffs and has a first round bye with Southern Greens. In the 6-7-year-old league, it is anyone's guess. Air & Energy, Beach Bums, Coastal Orthopedics and Tyler's Ice Cream all have a really great chance to be capture the coveted championship. More...