ANNA MARIA – The gymnasium at The Center of Anna Maria Island was filled with excitement as the summer sports season started on the Island last Tuesday night. Getting out of the heat, youth indoor soccer kicked off the season on the inside pitch while the adults...
HOLMES BEACH – City leaders are willing to consider a water taxi stop in Anna Maria Island’s largest municipality. But they say it will be up to Manatee County leaders to put forth a site plan change for their consideration.
The discussion began during commissioner comments at a...
BRADENTON BEACH – In the second step required by a Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) grant to prepare a vulnerability assessment document for the city, a town hall meeting was held at city hall on June 27.
Environmental Scientist Associates (ESA) Senior Environmental Scientist Brett Solomon was...
Tomorrow is July 4, a festive day for the country and Anna Maria Island, where small-town vibes and celebrations still happen. Flags flying, parades, fireworks and barbecues will be on full display, but what about the display of your home if you’re planning on selling it soon?...
On June 27, I had the pleasure of attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony in Sarasota for the new offices of Suncoast Waterkeeper and 10 other leading non-profit organizations that are joining forces as a resilience incubator to ramp up their efforts to bring services to Sarasota and Manatee...
CORTEZ – Before an unwanted boat reaches the condition of the abandoned, partially-sunken vessels littering the waters south of the Cortez Bridge, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Vessel Turn-in Program (VTIP) may be the answer for some boat owners.
The voluntary program is designed to...
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring and Audubon Florida remind beachgoers to avoid disturbing nesting shorebirds with fireworks.
Setting off fireworks on AMI beaches is illegal, according to local law enforcement officials.
Turtle Watch has been monitoring a colony of least terns in...
BRADENTON BEACH – A monthly pier team meeting on June 26 at city hall covered a host of topics including feedback about the Gulf Island Ferry, the installation of cameras on the city pier, road closures for the upcoming Sundown Get Down street party and an update...
ANNA MARIA – As part of a block-by-block implementation strategy, the city of Anna Maria is issuing a request for proposals (RFP) for phase 1-B of the Reimagining Pine Avenue brick paver sidewalk installation project.
Phase 1-B calls for the installation of new pervious brick paver sidewalks and...
ANNA MARIA – Mayor Dan Murphy proposes lowering Anna Maria’s current 2.05 millage rate to the 1.8245 rollback rate, or lower.
The rollback rate is the rate needed to generate the same ad valorem property tax revenues generated during the current fiscal year, with increased property values producing...