Very little damage but a flood of evacuees.

That pretty much sums up the extent of Hurricane Matthew's impact on Anna Maria Island and Manatee County last week.

While the gigantic, Category 4 hurricane wreaked death and destruction on Haiti before pounding northeast Florida, AMI and the state's west coast escaped virtually untouched.

Except for the resort industry, which saw an influx of evacuees leave their vacation lodgings in the east, while others redirected their initial travel plans and booked rooms here on AMI.

"We got a lot of phone calls from people inquiring about accommodations Wednesday and Thursday," said Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce President Deb Wing. "We put out a blast e-mail to our member resorts, and they responded. They supplied a lot of rooms for the visitors."

Wing said she had no exact figures yet on how many of the evacuees got rooms on the Island, but she said it was a welcome relief during what has traditionally been the slowest part of the year.

"Between Hurricane Hermine and red tide, our resort owners have been hurting," Wing said. "This provided them with a little boost at the right time."

The anecdotal evidence was everywhere, as resort and retail parking lots, along with Island avenues, swelled with cars. Local restaurants, meanwhile, saw their dining rooms fill to capacity well into the weekend.

For a day or two, even the red tide abated, allowing tourists and evacuees alike back onto the beaches under mostly sunny skies. A small northwesterly swell brought out a few surfers.

Island residents got lucky again.

In fact, the heaviest rain on AMI fell a couple of days before the hurricane moved anywhere near the state.

As for Matthew's effect on local weather, there wasn't any. Manatee County experienced some wind and practically no flooding as the storm neared the state and passed slowly up the East Coast. When it did come close to land, it was located north, heading away from southwest Florida.

"We had no damage to report," said Bradenton Beach Police Detective Sgt. Lenard Diaz. "There was no wind damage and no flooding."

The situation was the same for Anna Maria, according to Manatee County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Russell Schnering.

"We had no reports of wind damage, power outages or flooding," he said.

Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said there was no damage to property whatsoever.

"We were blessed that the storms have passed without damage and we hope and pray it continues," he said.

Northeast winds forecasted to continue through Friday should blow the red tide bloom that began last month away from the beach and out into the Gulf of Mexico, but could push more dead fish into the canals on the bayside of Anna Maria Island.

The NOAA weather forecast is good news for beachside residents and visitors who have been coughing from the red tide and smelling dead fish, but not so good for residents and visitors on the bayside.

On Monday, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reported red tide in medium concentrations in Anna Maria, medium in Holmes Beach, very low in Bradenton Beach, medium at the Longboat Pass boat ramp and high in Longboat Key.

Red tide is a high concentration of single-celled organisms that produce toxins that can kill fish, birds, marine mammals and sea turtles. Airborne red tide can cause respiratory irritation to people, especially those with asthma or lung disease. It also can cause skin irritation after swimming in it and food poisoning from eating tainted shellfish.

Early this week, the wind direction had caused beach conditions to improve, with the Gulf returning to its normal green color and beachgoers venturing out into the water, said Mark Taylor, who rakes the beaches for the Manatee County Parks Department.

It's an improvement from last Saturday, when dead mullet lined the beaches the full length of the Island and were piled up in the Intracoastal Waterway on the east side of the Island and in the fishing village of Cortez, said Taylor, former director of Organized Fishermen of Florida.

The loss of mullet could spell trouble for this fall's mullet roe season, prime earning time for Cortez fishermen, he said. Stone crabbers are waiting to place crab traps in local waters, which they normally already have done by this time each year in anticipation of the season opening date, Oct. 15.

"It could be a huge impact" on commercial fishing, he said.

Some of the red tide that became airborne during Hurricane Matthew last week had blown offshore by early this week, but last week, "It was bad," Taylor said.

Lifeguards still have their masks to wear when the wind blows towards the beach, but conditions have improved some from the worst stretch two weeks ago, said Capt. Joe Westerman, chief of Manatee County's Marine Rescue Division.

"People are still coming to the beach," he said, adding that they seem to be annoyed more by the odor of dead fish than by the red tide itself.

Others, however, are leaving for red tide-free destinations, with the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce estimating a 50 percent drop in visitation for September.

"Red tide really did hurt the industry," President Deb Wing said, adding that about half of those rescheduled their trips.

Hurricane Matthew brought evacuees to the Island from the east coast of Florida, which bore the brunt of the storm, but did not make up for those that the red tide drove away, she said.

Sewage problem?

Reports that recent sewage spills caused the red tide are speculation, said Sandy Gilbert, director of START (Solutions To Avoid Red Tide).

Hurricane Hermine swamped the sewer systems in Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco counties last month, causing raw sewage to be accidentally spilled and intentionally released into Tampa Bay and the Hillsborough River.

Sewage byproducts include nitrogen and phosphorus, which the Florida species of red tide, Karenia brevis, feeds on, according to researchers at the FWC and elsewhere. Other food sources include fertilizer runoff, sediment in the mud of rivers, decaying fish and trichodesmium, a cyanobacterium that converts nitrogen in the water into a form that red tide can consume.

Most agree that the current bloom appeared before the sewage release, but it is possible that the sewage may have prolonged the red tide, he said, adding that he has heard of no tests being done to identify where the nitrogen in the current bloom came from.

"People need to press elected officials for the money to study it," he said.

Take precautions against red tide

• People with asthma and other respiratory conditions should avoid the beach or bring their inhalers during a red tide.

• Residents and visitors to beaches affected by red tide and up to five miles inland should close their windows and run their air conditioners.

• Some swimmers experience skin irritation and rash after swimming in red tide.

• Swimming in water where dead fish are present exposes swimmers to elevated bacteria levels.

• Sea foam contains a higher concentration of red tide that can cause skin and eye irritation.

• Shellfish like clams, oysters, and coquinas that are harvested from areas with red tide should not be eaten because shellfish concentrate the toxins produced by red tide.

• Crabs, shrimp and lobster can be consumed because they do not concentrate the red tide toxin.

• Scallops can be consumed if only the scallop muscle is eaten; scallop stew using the whole animal should not be consumed.

• Shellfish available through restaurants and commercial food suppliers are considered safe to consume.

BRADENTON BEACH – The Moose Lodge's Queen of Hearts is hiding no more.

Anna Maria Island Moose Lodge #2188 member Matt Miller has won the $82,594 jackpot that netted him nearly $62,000 after 25 percent of his winnings are withheld for taxes.

Miller was not on hand at for the Wednesday, Oct. 5, drawing that saw lodge administrator Ernie Casali open envelope #54, one of the less than 10 envelopes that remained from the 54 filled with a full deck of playing cards, plus two jokers, before the drawing began in January.

Since then, one envelope has been opened each week, and the crowds have grown in proportion to the rising jackpot. In an effort to bring the drawing to a close before season starts, it was announced at the previous week's drawing that two envelopes would be opened on Oct. 5, followed by at least two more on Oct. 12, if needed.

The second envelope opened last week earned Robert Murray $5,000, minus taxes. An additional $15,000 was given away in door prizes to those who purchased tickets in hopes of holding the one ticket that would earn them a shot at pulling the queen.

Casali said the lodge has given away more than $350,000 in prize money since this particular drawing began.

In addition to the prize money given away, the weekly drawings also support Moose Charities and several local charities supported by the Anna Maria Island Moose Lodge. Casali said the weekly drawings that ended last week have raised $71,000 for Moose Charities and another $20,000 for local charities, including The Hope Center, Meals on Wheels, the Salvation Army, Southeast Guide Dogs, Shriners, hospice and more.

In addition to the additional food and beverage sales generated by the large crowds that attend each week's drawing, the lodge's portion of the ticket sales revenue helps recoup some of the expenses incurred during the recent renovations to the lodge.

"We don't need this to operate, but it enhances what we do. It's a tremendous boost for us," Casali said of the added revenue.

In regard to the drawing being over, Casali said, "I would have loved another week, but we're glad it's over because everybody needs a rest." ' The next Queen of Hearts drawing will begin in January.

ANNA MARIA – It's time to shake off those hurricane season blues, open up the windows, air out the house and get ready to party.

Bayfest is coming up this Saturday, Oct. 15, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. along Pine Avenue in Anna Maria. There is something for everybody at the 16th annual Bayfest including a wide array of arts and crafts venders, live music with Mike Sales as emcee, fun and games for the kids, food from local restaurants and outlets, liquid refreshments and more than 100 antique, classic and muscle cars, sponsored by LaPensee Plumbing.

Mike Sales kicks off the music at 10 a.m. on the big stage. At 11 a.m., KoKo Ray and the Keepers play until 12:30 p.m. Whiskey Blind takes the stage from 1 to 3 p.m., followed by the Billie Rice Band from 3:30 to 5 p.m., soulRcoaster from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and the Karen and Jimmy Band from 8 to 10 p.m.

Mouth watering food

The menu includes:

• T&L Bar-B-Que – award winning Ribfest barbeque featuring chicken, smoked wings, rib bites, pulled pork, ribs, collard greens, mac n cheese, potato salad, cole slaw, baked beans and yellow rice with chicken;

• The Feast restaurant – coconut shrimp, grouper cheeks and conch fritters;

• The Waterfront restaurant – island favorite grouper tacos and pork carnitas;

• Corky's – hot dogs, sausage, funnel cakes and fries;

• Coastal Crab Co. – crab cake sandwiches, crab bites w/dipping sauce, crab mac n cheese, lobster bisque, Key West slaw;

• Joey D's – pizzas, chicken Alfredo pasta, pasta marina, meatball sandwiches and chicken parm sandwiches;

• Riverside Rollin' Smoke – gourmet grilled cheeses with smoked meats;

• Ellas – Greek satay skewers;

• Subz N Grubz – Philly beef cheese steak and chicken Philly sandwiches and shrimp po-boys;

• Village Idiot – Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches on baguettes;

• AMI Privateers – hamburgers and corn on the cob;

• Hahn's Kettle Corn;

• Joeys Italian Ice;

• Tropi Coco – coconut smoothies, pina colada smoothies and fresh coconut water served right from the coconut;

• Kona Ice.

For the kids

There will also be a Kids' Zone, sponsored by AMI Health & Fitness and Island Scooter Store, featuring fun games, bounce houses and more.

All children are invited to explore the Children's Tent and enjoy free crafts, games and snacks between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Roser Church Mission Committee will have a display of information and handouts from most of the Christian based organizations it supports including the Roser Food Pantry. The Roser Thrift Shop will be open.

The Roser Memorial Chapel will be open for prayer and historical information. Everyone is invited to stop by and ask about what Fig Newtons have to do with this beautiful chapel. The church will have live music, and the schedule is as follows:

• 10:30 a.m., Chancel Choir;

• 11:30 a.m., Grace Notes Trio;

• 12:30 p.m., Joyful Noise Community Children's Choir;

• 1:30 p.m., Roser Ringers Quartet.

Avoid parking hassles

CrossPointe Fellowship will offer free parking as motorists enter the city on Gulf Drive. The free trolley will be shuttling people in and out of the event. Park and take the trolley, which runs until 10:30 p.m.

BRADENTON – The fate of the proposed half-cent infrastructure sales tax will be decided by county voters in the general election that will conclude on Tuesday, Nov. 8.

The ballot language being presented to county voters, some of whom are already voting by mail, says, "To provide for safer neighborhoods, reduce traffic congestion and improve roadways and public facilities, shall Manatee County levy a half cent sales tax surtax for a period of 15 years to fund roadways, sidewalks, intersections, street lights, infrastructure for law enforcement, emergency response, libraries, parks, waterways, public buildings and stormwater, all projects located exclusively in Manatee County, with citizen oversight?"

Voters are then asked to vote for or against the proposed half-cent tax.

County officials say the proposed half-cent sales tax increase would generate approximately $30 million a year. An estimated $25 million would be spent in unincorporated Manatee County and an $5 million would be distributed to the six cities based population.

If approved, the city of Anna Maria would receive an estimated $118,746 in the current fiscal year that ends next September. The city of Bradenton Beach would receive an estimated $301,048, the city of Holmes Beach would receive an estimated $92,089 and the Town of Longboat Key would receive an estimated $185,898.

City officials would be able to spend these funds as they see fit.

The city of Bradenton would receive an estimated $4.1 million, and the city of Palmetto is projected to receive slightly more than $1 million.

In regard to the county's portion of the surtax revenues, 71 percent would be earmarked for transportation and roads, 15 percent for law enforcement and public safety and 14 percent for parks, preserves and community facilities.

If approved, the current 6.5 percent sales tax levied in Manatee County would increase to 7 percent if county voters also decide to renew the half-cent school tax. The tax would not apply to food and prescription drug purchases or to services like lawn maintenance, pest control or getting a haircut. Consumers would see a 50-cent increase for every $100 spent on taxable items.

Island impact

An interactive map at the county website displays the location and condensed details on most of the 190 county projected that would be funded by the additional sales tax revenues.

The map of proposed county-funded projects includes $200,000 in improvements to the Kingfish boat ramp, including installation of permanent restrooms.

The map lists $500,000 for the reconstruction and repair of the Leffis Key boardwalk; $250,000 to replace and renovate the Coquina Beach restrooms; $750,000 for the replacement of seven lifeguard towers at the Manatee and Coquina public beaches; and $350,000 for three new lifeguard towers.

The project map currently lists no county-funded half-cent projects for the city of Anna Maria, the town of Longboat Key or the village of Cortez.

A complete list of the proposed projects is available as a downloadable PDF at the county website.

Learn more about the half-cent tax by visiting www.mymanatee.org and clicking on the half-cent sales tax link at the home page.

BRADENTON – Almost 100 people attended the dedication of West Manatee Fire Rescue Station 1, 407 67th St., Bradenton, Saturday morning. There were firefighters from around the area and dignitaries including Florida State Representative Jim Boyd, County Commissioners Betsy Benac and Carol Whitmore and relatives of the man for whom the station was dedicated, Robert "Bob" Kline.

West Manatee Fire Chief Tom Sousa welcomed the crowd. He noted the planning for the new facility began while Andy Price was the chief. He noted the building was designed to withstand hurricane winds, a feature that will make it the headquarters for emergency personnel when a storm hits the area.

West Manatee Fire Commission Chair Randy Cooper spoke about Kline, a 30-year veteran of the West Side Fire District, which merged with the Anna Maria Fire District in 2000.

Kline's widow, Bea, unveiled a plaque that bears his name that will be attached to the new firehouse and Kline's granddaughter, Chrissie Kiernan, a firefighter, spoke about him.

Members of American Legion Kirby Stewart Post 24 presented an American flag in Kline's memory.

After that, notable guests stood in front of the crowd holding two fire hoses couple together. After an announcement welcoming the new station over the radio, they uncoupled the hoses, opening the station to the public.

There were tours of the new building as well as tours of the ladder trucks, a pumper, an ambulance and the district's fireboat, hooked to a military truck donated by the US Forest Service. Kids had a chance to try on firefighter outfits and helmets, and there was a bounce house and slide for the kids.

Manatee High School students helped with the even,t and firefighters served hamburgers, hot dogs, sodas and chips for all.

AMI Radio broadcast live and provided music after the dedication.

ANNA MARIA – A team of volunteers traveled to Greenwell Springs, La., last month to help with cleanup following a record rainfall along the Gulf coast that killed several persons and left a path of flooded homes and businesses.

The volu nteers – David Cheshire, Neil Crowell Mike Pescitelli, Matt Meehan and Steve Walter – drove up to Baton Rouge Parish in the Samaritan's Purse bus to help with demolition of structures that were flooded so they can be rebuilt.

Walter wrote about the experience.

"(It) seems like a million miles from the sandy white beaches of AMI. The 10-mile drive off the interstate into Greenwell Springs reminds us of CNN footage from the first liberation of Fallujah. Flood soaked contents of peoples' homes are piled into heaps at the edge of the road – as if it's trash day tomorrow. Large white household sized piles of mattresses, appliances, furniture and drywall are strangely neat and tidy. They've obviously been there since the water started to recede – when people began the demolition that precedes rebuilding, waiting for the trash pickup that may not happen until Christmas. From what the work coordinator described at orientation tonight, we'll be spending the time here on demolition – trying to open-up walls, remove flood soaked junk and get the homes clear enough for the drying to begin.He joked about not worrying about Windex and Febreeze at this stage."

Crowell wrote about their location.

"Samaritan's Purse is anchoring out of Greenwell Springs Baptist Church about a mile away from the main river, which flooded the area. The church has cancelled pretty much all of their ministries with the exception of Sunday services so Samaritan's Purse can utilize their gym for meals and supplies, Sunday school rooms for sleeping quarters and the parking lot for temporary showers and transportation vehicles. It is an amazing ministry they have organized here. So far, 1,800 homes have been helped through Samaritan's Purse, and 600 homes are still waiting."

Cheshire wrote about living conditions,

" I went to our previous subdivirary showers and transportation vehicles. It is an amazing ministry they have organized here. So far, 1,800 homes have been helped through Samaritan's Purse, and 600 homes are still waiting."

Cheshire wrote about living conditions,

"I went to our previous subdivision to see old friends and neighbors, all of whom were flooded. Only those few who owned RVs or had received a FEMA trailer to live in were home. Homes had been gutted for the first 4 feet or all the way to the ceiling, depending on depth of flooding – 7 feet higher than the bad flood of 1983, so was totally unexpected and many retired, elderly and working people had no flood insurance. FEMA financial help (best case) is limited to $33K to replace walls, flooring, furniture, clothes and one car – won't even come close. Some had to wade out in waist-deep water; others were rescued by boat. Windows were cracked by debris in flowing floodwater on the outside or floating furniture on the inside. Our house and its once beautiful yard looked sad. Interior doors were drying on the front porch and furniture in the carport. Grass dead from piled debris and gouges from debris pickup with a giant claw."

Each homeowner was given a Bible, signed by the team.

On the way home, a bus tire blew out while crossing a bridge, but the driver was able to pull off the side of the road with no problems.

ANNA MARIA – The attorney for 117 Willow LLC's Shawn Kaleta and Joe Varner has presented the city with a marked up copy of the sales contract that serves as counteroffer to the city's recent offer to purchase the LLC-owned vacation rental property at 117 Willow Ave.

The returned contract will be reviewed and discussed by the Anna Maria city commissioners at their meeting on Thursday, Oct. 13.

The first proposed change would eliminate the clause that states that all interior furnishings are included in the proposed purchase price. This portion of the returned contact is stricken through, noted as being not available and referred to later in the document.

The property owners have requested an initial deposit of $100,000 instead of the $1,000 offered by the city, with the remaining balance due of $1,112,925 that still reflects the $1.2 million purchase price originally offered by the city.

A potential sticking point in the proposed sale may be the property owners' request that the contract be changed in a manner that states the city may not reassign the contract to another buyer. The city's offer included the provision that the purchase contract could be assigned to another buyer, and city officials have expressed no desire to enter into the vacation rental business on a long-term basis.

The Willow Avenue property is one of 20 vacation rental properties the city recently offered to purchase at 1.5 percent above the assessed property value. Purchases offers were submitted to property owners who filed Bert Harris claims and sought occupancy limits greater than the two guests per bedroom plus two additional guests the city has consistently offered. Those owners also were offered the two-plus-two occupancy exception that allows for greater permanent occupancy than the eight-person limit established in the vacation rental ordinance enacted in April.

The contract language for the Willow Avenue property that pertains to the sellers' closing costs, title insurance, survey, home warranty and special assessments has been crossed out and replaced by a handwritten request that says, "Listing agent commission."

A newly-attached page referenced in the additional terms clause contains three clarifications or requests made on behalf of the property owners:

• "The $100,000 deposit held in escrow will become non-refundable 45 days after the effective date;

• The property can be sold with furnishings of any type for an additional $75,000, making the total purchase price $1,287,925;

• Closing costs include, but are not limited to a 4 percent commission to be paid to current listing agent Gregg Bayer, of AMI Beaches Real Estate."

If commissioners reject the counter offer Thursday night, the property owners still have the option to accept the two-plus-two occupancy allowance that was previously offered. It's also possible that additional counter offers could be exchanged.

If the property owners and the city cannot reach a suitable solution, the property owners still have the option of taking the city to court and letting a judge decide if there would be compensation, and if so how much. The judge could also rule in favor of the city in finding that the city's offer was reasonable.