A Taste of Pirate Life

ANNA MARIA – The waves were high and the surf was furious as kids from all around gathered at Bayfront Park to celebrate Snooks Adams’ Kids’ Day last Saturday.

Thanks to a cold front that passed through the area, nobody broke a sweat as kids tossed rubber rats, dug for treasure and listened to tales from the Anna Maria Island Privateers. There were also hot dogs to be eaten and sodas to quaff as kids got a look at those real-life pirates who raise money all year long to give out scholarships to local kids. More...

Expectations high for summer as winter tourism breaks records

BIt’s official; this winter really was the biggest tourism season ever on Anna Maria Island.

“It’s important for everybody to realize that tourism is our largest industry, and put up with the traffic,” said Mary Ann Brockman, president of the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce, predicting that the summer tourist season “will be just as good.”

This winter, visitors fled from a seemingly unending Northern winter and packed the renourished beaches to the tune of $1.7 million in county-wide resort tax collections in March alone, 14 percent higher than March 2013, according to Manatee County Property Tax records. More...

Rezoning to face city planners

HOLMES BEACH – The planning commission will hear a request for a rezone and comprehensive plan amendment on Wednesday, May 21, at 7 p.m. The subject property is at 214 54th Street, across the street from Island Lumber, and contains two residential units and a CPA office.

The applicant is seeking to change the zoning from medium density residential, R-2, to commercial, C-1 and to extend the city’s mixed use overlay to include the property. More...

Commission to consider Palm/Gulf traffic plan

HOLMES BEACH – Commissioner Marvin Grossman’s traffic plan for the intersection of Palm and Gulf drives met with kudos at last week’s city commission work session.

“We love the idea; it’s so simple and costs nothing,” said Carol Soustek, chair of the congestion committee. More...

Relay a life-enhancing experience

BRADENTON BEACH – The color purple, the spirit of persistence, and the desire to cure cancer prevailed at last weekend’s Relay For Life of Anna Maria Island.

Taking place at Coquina Beach, participants raised more than $45,000 for the American Cancer Society prior to and during the annual fundraiser. More...

Net ban appeal heard

TALLAHASSEE – Fishermen from in and out of state, including Cortez, held a rally and a prayer vigil on Thursday in Tallahassee before packing a district courtroom for a hearing on the state’s net ban.

The Cortez contingent met with other fishermen, some from as far away as Massachusetts, said Mark Coarsey, president of the Manatee County chapter of Fishing for Freedom, a group affiliated with the plaintiffs in the case, the Wakulla Commercial Fishermen’s Association, Panacea bait shop owner Ronald Fred Crum and mullet fishermen Jonas Porter and Keith Ward. More...

Blood Drive returns to Island

No new clues in Sabine search

TALLAHASSEE – Fishermen from in and out of state, including Cortez, held a rally and a prayer vigil on Thursday in Tallahassee before packing a district courtroom for a hearing on the state’s net ban.

The Cortez contingent met with other fishermen, some from as far away as Massachusetts, said Mark Coarsey, president of the Manatee County chapter of Fishing for Freedom, a group affiliated with the plaintiffs in the case, the Wakulla Commercial Fishermen’s Association, Panacea bait shop owner Ronald Fred Crum and mullet fishermen Jonas Porter and Keith Ward. More...

‘And the Winner Is ...’ at the Island Players

ANNA MARIA – If you follow the trials and tribulations of Hollywood celebrities, you know that some of them just can’t keep out of trouble. It seems that all the excesses that come with being a star often lead them to ruin. That’s what happened to the lead character in “And the Winner is…” Only he tangles with death instead of the law.

The Island Players’ production, written by award-winning journalist and author Mitch Albom, shows what can happen when one’s ego takes charge. More...

Fishing the Toccoa River

Although Georgia isn’t known as a premier destination for freshwater trout, fly anglers can find some excellent fishing for rainbow, brown and brook trout in the state’s northern waters. I’ve fished the area near Helen on several occasions and had some excellent days on both private and public waters.

Earlier this month I fished the Toccoa River near Blue Ridge with Bob Seeger. Seeger and his wife, Judy, moved to the area from Longboat Key several years ago. On a previous trip to the area, I had treated Seeger to a day of fishing on the Chattahoochee River and on this visit Seeger was returning the favor. More...

Buying a lifestyle

Everything is negotiable, especially in real estate, but if your buyer wants your grandmother’s tea pot collection should you include it in the sale? If your home is being marketed as turnkey ready then the answer may be yes.

ZipRealty, an on line real estate brokerage company, defines turnkey as homes that don’t require any major repairs or renovations. In addition, turnkey could mean that everything in the house comes with the sale – furniture, art, silverware, linens, dishes and just about anything else. Basically buyers who want to buy a home that is totally turnkey are actually buying a lifestyle, your lifestyle. More...

The ABC’s of non-traded REITs

REIT is an acronym for Real Estate Investment Trust. REITs are effectively a mutual funds that own a diversified portfolio of commercial and residential properties. The owner of REIT shares receives a pro-rate share of rental income and appreciation of value over time.

Most real estate investment trusts trade like stocks on an exchange and are very easy to sell if you need your money out of the investment for some other purpose. These publically traded REITs are priced to reflect investors’ views of the value of the properties in the portfolio every business day. More...

Success for Smiledeep soccer

The Smiledeep gang of organizers held a very successful fundraising 4v4 soccer tournament Saturday to benefit Islander Paul Hayward. Paul has been battling stage four cancer for many years and the Smiledeep gang raised approximately $7,000 to help pay for much needed medical assistance.

As for Smiledeep, Hayward said, “It is when someone smiles at you. It is when something reminds you of something and makes you smile. It is the happiness deep within you that brings a smile to your face. It is a state of mind. Smiledeep.” More...