The Anna Maria Island Sun Newspaper

Vol. 14 No. 41 - August 6, 2014

headlines

Play ball?
Carol Whitmore

Photosfromtheair.com

The baseball field in Holmes Beach as seen from the air.

HOLMES BEACH – Commissioners gave Human Resources Analyst Mary Buonagura approval to pursue grants to fund improvements to the city’s baseball field in order to host Little League tournaments.

“It’s a great opportunity to attract families,” Buonagura pointed out. “The mothers could shop, the dads and kids could play and the whole family would stay in our motels and eat in our restaurants.”

The request came from Holmes Beach resident Andy Proctor, who said enhancements would include adding sod, a moveable pitcher’s mound and artificial turf covers for the base paths, as well as batting cages/pitcher warm up area, a shell walkway from the bleachers to the restrooms and other improvement at a cost of about $25,000.

Proctor said Manatee West Hurricanes Baseball plans to schedule 10 tournaments annually between Sept. 1 and Dec. 1, with an economic impact of at least $18,000 per event.

Buonagura, who said the home teams could use the field for practice in between tournaments, said she met with public works employees who like the idea, but had questions regarding equipment storage and electric for the scoreboard.

Commission comments

Commissioner Jean Peelen questioned the proposal asking, “Who are the teams and where do they come from?” and stating that baseball is losing popularity as a sport.

“I can’t imagine us spending $25,000 to get the baseball field in use without some guarantees, and there’s no provision for upkeep of the field. I’m not impressed.”

However, Chair Judy Titsworth disagreed and said, “I believe in baseball and Little League. Travel baseball is huge. What better way to bring the community back.”

Commissioner David Zaccagnino agreed with Titsworth and pointed out, “The Community Center doesn’t have Little League because it’s too expensive.”

“We have to look at our future; let’s not run the children away,” Commissioner Pat Morton added.

Commissioner Marvin Grossman asked who would maintain the field, and Buonagura said public works employees currently maintain it, and they said it wouldn’t be any greater than it is now.

“I think it’s a travesty to have a field we’re not using,” Mayor Carmel Monti exclaimed. “We should make every effort to do this through grants and trying to get some of the concession money. I’m all for doing this without city money.”

Zaccagnino said they also should make a proposal for funding to the Manatee County Tourist Development Council.

Community rallies for Team Austin
Carol Whitmore

From left, Austin Goncalves was joined at
Saturday’s benefit by sister Kristy Martin and his mom, Karen.

Joe Hendricks | sun

 

BRADENTON BEACH – The Island community raised approximately $12,000 during Saturday’s benefit for Austin Goncalves and his family.

Taking place at the Blue Marlin and the Drift In on Bridge Street in Bradenton Beach, the benefit was part of the efforts to raise $30,000 to help Karen Goncalves and her 15-year-old son Austin offset medical expenses incurred when they contracted ciguatera fish poisoning after eating toxic fish speared during a Bahamian vacation in July.

Marlin Ellis, the 14-year-old son of Blue Marlin owners Adam Ellis and Marianne Norman-Ellis, also fell ill during that trip, as did Karen Goncalves’ boyfriend, Allen Smith.

Working in conjunction with the Blue Marlin, Drift In Assistant Manager Jill Capparelli helped organize a benefit that featured a boat poker run, silent auctions, raffles and live music performed by The Tribal Trio in the Blue Marlin courtyard.

“I went to the businesses and artists on and off the Island and had an overwhelming response from everybody. It was amazing, and I was still getting phone calls this morning from people who wanted to donate. The Manatee Twisters softball team pulled together and had a bake sale at the Bridge Tender Inn, and that goes to Austin too,” Capparelli said Saturday morning.

“I wanted Austin to know that people care,” she added Sunday morning, noting that Al Vogt won the $340 50/50 raffle and donated his winnings to Austin.

Capparelli said the Drift In activities contributed more than $2,300.

Saturday afternoon, Adam Ellis said, “It’s amazing what the people in the community have done.”

Providing an update on his son’s condition, he said, “Marlin’s doing much better. It makes you realize how fragile everything is, so be aware of your surroundings and talk to the locals.”

Sunday morning, Marianne Norman-Ellis said the fundraiser raised an estimated $12,000, including money raised at the Drift In. She thanked Capparelli for her assistance and said, “We are so lucky to be a part of such a generous and loving community.”

A shared experience

Accompanied by his mom and older sister, Kristy Martin, Austin attended the benefit, joined by Marlin later in the day.

When asked how he felt, Austin said, “A little bit better. I’m still having tremors in my hands, and legs, but I’m on medication that calms it down a little bit. I’m still fatigued, but I’m getting up more and moving around.”

Looking back on the ill-fated excursion, Austin said, “I don’t remember much. We ate the fish, and the next day we got sick. I remember diving, coming home, going to bed and that’s it. We were in the Nassau hospital for a couple days, and I don’t remember that. We were Medevaced to Miami and I don’t remember that. I remember the last few days there, and I remember the drive home.”

When asked what the experience taught him, Austin said, “You never know, anything can happen, but you have to stay positive.”

He said he hopes to join Ellis and his other Manatee High School classmates when school begins on Aug. 18.

Standing nearby, Karen Goncalves, said, “Words can’t describe how much we appreciate everybody’s time, effort, prayers and everything that’s been done for us. We’re very grateful.”

Commenting on her own condition, she said, “I’m feeling pretty good, and every day is a little better. We didn’t have it bad as Austin. He was having seizures and in a coma, so he was much worse than we were.”

Summing up the experience, she said, “You head off on a vacation and the next thing you know you’ve spent almost three weeks in intensive care. It really knocks you off your feet. It’s unexpected, but that’s life.”

Saturday afternoon, Kristy Martin said, “The benefit was a huge success and I am incredibly thankful to the Ellis family, the Blue Marlin and everyone who came together to help.”

Her dad, Rick Martin, helped sell 75 Team Austin t-shirts during the benefit. Featuring the motto “Fish Til You Drop,” the $20 shirts can still be purchased by contacting Karen Goncalves at newkaren5313@gmail.com.

As of Sunday, an ongoing online fundraising effort had raised an additional $8,895. Combined with Saturday’s event, the community has donated more than $21,000 to the cause.

Donations can still be made at www.youcaring.com/medicalfundraiser/florida-teen-diver-down-needs-your-help/204714, and donations to the Austin Goncalves Trust Fund are accepted at any Sun Trust Bank office.

Spend an evening on the lanes

HOLMES BEACH – Your local community center needs you.

The plight of the Anna Maria Island Community Center is well documented and here’s a way to keep the money rolling in for kid’s sports programs.

Go on down to Duffy’s Tavern. 5808 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, and register for the annual O’Connor Bowling Challenge, sponsored by the Anna Maria Island Sun, at AMF Lanes, 4208 Cortez Road W., on Saturday, Aug. 23, starting with check-in at 5 p.m.

The cost is $25 per person, and you might as well get a group up to five to form a team. Shoes are included in the price. Hurry because the open spots fill up fast for this Island favorite.

Good bowlers will have an opportunity to show off as they try for the highest game or best series award for each gender. Bad bowlers don’t need to shy away as there are trophies for worst game and series as well. Prizes will be awarded at the after-bowling party at the Anna Maria Oyster Bar, 6696 Cortez Road W. Enjoy snacks and refreshments at special prices. Winners for the raffles will be drawn, and the big prize, a large-screen television set, is sponsored by the Anna Maria Island Sun.

Proceeds from the event are used to purchase kids' sports equipment for the Center.

For more information, call Sandee at the Center at 778-1908.

Credit card theft hits AMI

BRADENTON BEACH – Thirty customers at an Island Circle K were victimized recently when their credit card numbers were stolen as they purchased gasoline, according to Bradenton Beach police.

The cards were hacked through the use of a device known as a skimmer, which had been connected to pump number four at the Circle K at 2513 Gulf Drive, said Police Detective Sgt. Lenard Diaz. The skimmer, which was removed after its discovery, can electronically access the card numbers and store them for retrieval at a later time, authorities said.

According to Diaz, the assistant manager called him and said he had found the device after the store received 30 complaints from people who said their debit and credit cards had been compromised. Diaz met with the assistant manager, who opened the card reader on pump one to show him how a normal reader looks. When he opened the reader on pump four, he found a ribbon cable hooked to the back of the reader for capturing the card information.

Diaz took out the skimmer and put it in the evidence locker. The store manager said he would check their security recordings to see when the perpetrator might have installed the device. Unfortunately, the view of that pump was not as good as the others because it is farthest from the cameras, he said.

According to the assistant manager, two keys are needed to remove the card reader and the cover had not been compromised. He also said he checks the pumps regularly for foreign devices in the readers.

Diaz said the use of skimmer is becoming more widespread.

“They had a pretty bad case in Tampa recently,” he said. “This is the first case we’ve had in Bradenton Beach.”

Diaz had advice for people to avoid getting their credit or debit cards compromised.

“Pay cash, use the pump nearest to the store or if you use your debit card, use it as a credit card so you don’t have to use your PIN,” he said.

Beware of bridgework, power poles

joe hendricks | sun

Traffic comes to a grinding halt as Florida Power & Light
subcontractors continue replacing street light poles.

 

Road crews and power company workers are busy this time of year, during the slower months. Here’s a look at places to be aware of or to avoid while driving.

Crews are working on the Cortez Bridge as part of a maintenance project and one area of work is the eastbound sidewalk and road surface. Crews will continue nighttime lane closures of the eastbound lanes from the Island toward Cortez from Sunday through Thursday nights from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Additionally, the eastbound sidewalk will remain closed for several weeks, and pedestrians and bicyclists will use the westbound sidewalk. The project is expected to take until winter of this year into the beginning of next year.

Drivers should be aware of crews replacing power poles on Gulf Drive from Cortez north to 28th Street. They are erecting concrete poles, and when they are done, they will place the wires on them. The old wooden poles will be taken down after that.

Crews on Cortez Road are replacing poles from 103rd Street to 119th Street, in Cortez. The outside eastbound lane of Cortez Road will close from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Friday, Aug. 15.

Finally, crews are repairing power poles on Cortez Road at 106th street. The eastbound right lane of Cortez Road will be closed intermittently from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, Aug. 7 and 8.

Motorists are urged to use caution while in a construction zone and remember speeding tickets in those areas while crews are working will be assessed at twice the price of a regular ticket.

Miller described the crew as “kind, gentle and compassionate with the little ducks.”

Duck rescue goes swimmingly

Susan Miller | submitted

Captain Ryan Moore attempts to capture an elusive duckling.

 

When Susan Miller, of Mango Park, arrived at the West Manatee Fire Rescue Administration building in Bradenton early Wednesday morning to ask for assistance with the rescue of ducklings trapped in a storm drain, firefighters jumped into action.

The firefighters from Station 4 arrived in the 2000 block of 91st St. N.W. to find a mother duck walking frantically around a storm drain. Firefighters could hear the ducklings chirping in the drain. Manhole covers on both sides of the road were removed, and Lt. Jeff Lonzo located the two ducklings in a pipe between the road and a retention pond.

It was determined that the discharge pipe at the pond was too severely clogged for the ducklings to escape on their own. Firefighters began removing debris from the discharge pipe, hoping to make a large enough opening for the ducklings to escape.

With all the work at the discharge pipe, the ducklings moved back to the area of the storm drain. Firefighters flowed water on one side of the street with a garden hose, while Captain Ryan Moore used a crab net to try and catch the ducklings.

The first duckling was able to avoid the crab net and was quickly moved past a temporary barrier placed in front of the pipes. Meanwhile, Lonzo was able to catch one of the ducklings by hand in the manhole. That duckling was released to the mother duck at the retention pond. A few minutes later, the second duckling popped out of the discharge pipe and swam to its mother.

Miller described the crew as “kind, gentle and compassionate with the little ducks.”

City clerk candidate interviewed

BRADENTON BEACH – Former Arcadia City Clerk Gia Lancaster has emerged as a leading candidate to fill the vacant city clerk’s position.

On Thursday afternoon, Mayor Bill Shearon and City Attorney Ricinda Perry conducted a phone interview with Lancaster. The meeting left them feeling positive about the prospect of filling the clerk’s position formerly held by Jamie Anderson, who was dismissed by a 3-2 commission vote in June.

“We had a very strong and positive interview, and based on that interview, I’m going to be making a recommendation to commission at Thursday night’s meeting to accept her as the new city clerk. That’s how impressed I am with her,” Shearon said Friday afternoon.

“It’s one of the few times I’ve been in an interview situation and offered someone a career opportunity at the same meeting,” he added.

Perry agreed, saying, “Mayor Shearon and I found Ms. Lancaster to be very professional and well-versed on municipal matters. Her credentials were in line with the commission’s expectations for a city clerk. Mayor Shearon has submitted his official recommendation to Clerk Pro Tem Terri Sanclemente as official business to be as official business to be voted on by the city commission on Aug. 7.”

When Shearon was asked if Lancaster was aware of the politically divided work place she would be entering if hired, the mayor said, “She was made fully aware of what she’s getting into, and she has experience in similar situations.”

On Oct. 18, 2013, Lancaster was one of four Arcadia city officials who resigned unexpectedly in the midst of administrative issues taking place within that city. According to Perry, Lancaster’s resignation was based more on the desire to care for her ailing mother than it was on city politics.

If hired, Lancaster will have to navigate a politically divided commission in a politically divided city, and she will need to avoid the pitfalls that befell Anderson in regard to remaining neutral and free of influence from the various parties that surround her.

If hired, the new clerk can take solace in the fact that it takes a majority vote by the commission to dismiss a department head, rather than any single city official having that authority.

Lancaster will have breakfast with Shearon and Perry Thursday morning and tour the city with Perry before attending Thursday evening’s commission meeting.

At least three commissioners will have to approve Shearon’s recommendation in order for the hiring to take place. The hiring is expected to occur, based on Lancaster’s credentials, her recent interview and the lack of other viable candidates.

Lancaster first applied for the clerk’s position during the initial search process that led to Anderson’s hiring in late January. She had hoped to interview for the position, but her job as a leasing agent prevented her from traveling to the area on the day the interviews were conducted.

Lancaster could have been interviewed at a later date had her application been given greater consideration, but it fell by the wayside, and the job was eventually given to Anderson, who came from California and ultimately fell short of commission’s collective expectations; although Shearon and Commissioner Janie Robertson were in favor of retaining her services.

Pier contract finalized

BRADENTON BEACH – Mayor Bill Shearon signed the finalized city pier reconstruction contract on Wednesday, July 30.

During the informal Pier Team construction meeting that took place in the Tingley Library conference room earlier that day, Duncan Seawall General Manager Steve Porter confirmed that the work will begin on Monday, Aug. 11.

According to the contract, Duncan will have 161 days to complete the job, which equates to a completion date in early January.

Porter said a 100-foot barge and crane will arrive on site sometime this week and be moored temporarily on the north side of the pier, before being moved to the south side of the pier when the work begins.

A second crane will be brought in when the demolition process reaches a point where new pier pilings can be put in place.

The demolition work will begin east of the pier, just past the Cast n Cage restaurant, and efforts will be made to minimalize any negative impact on business operations.

When the work begins on Aug. 11, the floating day dock located south of the pier will be shut down and remain closed for two or three days before it is reopened.

Reiterating a statement made at the July 23 Pier Team meeting, Porter said Duncan plans to use the county barge dock located at the south end of the Island, near Coquina Beach. The use of the barge dock will result in a $5,000 discount on the overall project cost. Porter will approach county officials about fencing off the barge dock during the reconstruction project.

During the July Pier Team meeting, Porter also said he would assist the city in purchasing reconstruction materials directly, which will produce $14,000 to $16,000 in additional sales tax savings.

During last week’s construction meeting, former Sarasota Building Official Bob Light was introduced as ZNS’s on-site supervisor. He will work in coordination with ZNS Project Engineer Karen Wilson and assist in the oversight of the project.

Bradenton Beach Building Official Steve Gilbert and Pier Team Chair Sam Speciale will also make regular visits to the work site. An online drop box will be created so those participating in the oversight process can share digital photos of the work in progress.

Mayor Bill Shearon said he will provide regular progress updates in an effort to keep the public, the city commission and county officials informed of the project status. Manatee County is providing matching funds for the $1.4 million project.

A binder containing the pier contract and other documents pertinent to the pier reconstruction will be kept in city hall and be made available for public viewing upon request.

A sign placed at the foot of the pier will provide status updates and serve notice that trespassing on the job site is a felony.

The pier repairs are necessitated by damage incurred when nearby moored vessels broke loose and repeatedly crashed into the pier when Hurricane Sandy passed by Florida in 2012.


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