The rebirth of Villa Rosa

ANNA MARIA – Marketing has begun on the housing development formerly known as Villa Rosa, which has been renamed Angler’s Cove at Villa Rosa.

The project includes 15 canal front lots, plus one home facing South Bay Boulevard with no direct water access. There is also one home that was already built when the project was known as Villa Rosa. More...

Tension builds in Bradenton Beach city hall

BRADENTON BEACH – Following up on a recent letter sent to city officials addressing complaints about Mayor Bill Shearon and others, Laurie Jo Higgins addressed the mayor and commission during last week’s meeting.

“You have an obligation, not just to your constituents in Bradenton Beach, but to the rest of the Island, and the people from the mainland who own businesses and rentals in Bradenton Beach. You’re representing all of Manatee County, not just Bradenton Beach Mr. Mayor, and your actions as of late, they’ve been atrocious. I’ve addressed them in a letter and the commissioners are quite aware of what’s been going on,” Higgins said during public comment. More...

No vibrio in Manatee County reported

The vibrio vulnificus bacteria that has sickened two people and killed one this year in Sarasota County so far has not been reported in Manatee County, according to both the Manatee County Health Department and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Vibrio vulnificus occurs naturally in warm seawater, but infections are rare, according to the CDC, which warns that people at the highest risk have weakened immune systems, particularly those with chronic liver disease. More...

New city clerk hired

BRADENTON BEACH – Commissioners unanimously supported Mayor Bill Shearon’s recommendation to hire Gia Lancaster as the new city clerk.

The approval took place during last week’s commission meeting. Lancaster, a Titusville resident and former clerk for the city of Arcadia, attended the meeting and said she hopes to report for duty by Monday, Aug. 25. More...

Putting the brakes on residential street parking

HOLMES BEACH – The Island Congestion Committee has two goals in mind when it meets with the city commission at the work session on Thursday, Aug. 14, at 7 p.m.

The first goal is to get approval of parking locations to fulfill beach renourishment requirements, and the second is to get approval of its proposal to eliminate street and right of way parking in residential areas.

“We have the data and we want to forward that to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to receive a letter back from them assuring there’s no endangerment of the beach renourishment,” Chair Carol Soustek said regarding the first goal. More...

Commissioners discuss rolling back millage rate

ANNA MARIA – So far, the budget projections for the next fiscal year have been made using the current property tax rate, also known as the millage rate, of 2.05. That amounts to $205 for every $100,000 of taxable value.

At their latest budget work session on Wednesday, Aug. 6, Commissioner Dale Woodland talked about trying to hold the line against appreciation of property values by using the rollback rate, which would keep the taxpayer’s assessment amount the same, despite a rise in property value. More...

Vosburgh slams Martin's 'harassment'

Sorry, no flip-flops allowed

In the heat of summer, it’s hard to wear shoes. Flip-flops are the footwear of choice at the beach and everywhere else on the Island.

But if you want to help raise money for the Anna Maria Island Community Center on Saturday, Aug. 23, starting at 5 p.m., you’ll have to wear bowling shoes. Sure, you could wear flip-flops to AMF Lanes at 4208 Cortez Road W., but you’ll need to pack a pair of socks too because they’re required and only make sense. More...

New principal looks forward to new year

HOLMES BEACH – She has her office organized the way she wants, and she’s taken input from the teachers to help organize the school the way they all want it.

Jackie Featherston, former principal at Stewart Elementary, where she spent 18-and-a-half years, is happy to be on Anna Maria Island, where she visits when she’s not working. She’s also excited to be at the little school on the bay, saying the situation is similar to her old position when it comes to dealing with and relying on parents. More...

What we’re really after

“Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after.” This quote by Henry David Thoreau was a real eye opener when I first read it because it’s proved to be true for me. I think most anglers go through a sort of evolution in their fishing careers. I know I’ve been consumed with catching fish and have let the catching, or not, affect the quality of my day on the water. Yet when I examine the experiences over the years, it is the time outdoors with friends and family that created the most compelling moments. I think most anglers have the same experience.

This makes me more aware of being considerate of others when I’m on the waters. Sure, I’ve mellowed over the years, having done my share of shouting and arguing while fishing. Now I know that I’m the one that suffers the consequences of such actions, and I just move on. After all, there is a lot of water, fish and solitude out there. More...

The Jewel Box Markets

I recently returned from a short visit to the Northeast where I lived my entire life until moving to Florida. And although I miss the emerald green foliage that abounds this time of year, the sophistication of Long Island’s east end and winding country roads in Connecticut, the one thing I don’t miss is the density of the population and inevitable traffic, and apparently I’m not alone.

In July, Christie’s International Real Estate published the second of its white papers, Luxury Defined: An Insight Into The Luxury Residential Property Market. This is an in-depth analysis of trends shaping the luxury real estate market globally. The report looks at the effects of fluctuations in the global economy, net worth of high end buyers, demographics and how international wealth affects the luxury housing market globally. More...

Dividend renaissance

The exceptional financial health of American corporations is manifesting itself in a dividend payment renaissance. Currently 421 members of the S&P 500 Index are paying dividends which is just shy of the 1998 level of 423. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the prevailing trend was for corporations to hang on to their cash to buy back shares or reinvest in their business growth plan.

After the 2008-09 financial crisis the value of dividend payments had been recognized by investors and corporations are paying attention. Not only are more companies paying dividends, but more are also increasing their dividend payments at above average rates. More...

Sensational soccer

The adult co-ed spring soccer season comes to a climatic conclusion this week at the Anna Maria Island Community Center.

The soccer buzz is all over the world right now due to the FIFA World Cup in soccer. The most popular sport on planet earth has fans reeling and soccer fans on the Island are no different. What a perfect time for the conclusion of the Center’s adult soccer season.

Upsets were prevalent in last week’s first round of the playoffs. Three out of the four tournament playoff games were won by the underdog seeded team. Again this shows the parity of the Center’s drafting system in the sports leagues and how any team can win on any given night. More...