TOURIST SEASON

Statistics from the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau confirm widespread observations that spring 2008 was a record-breaking tourist season.

With both hotel occupancy and room rates up in March on both Anna Maria Island and the Manatee County portion of Longboat Key, an early Easter and high gas prices proved to be no obstacle to visitors intent on enjoying the beaches. More...

Owner must pay ex-partner’s $20g fine

HOLMES BEACH – When commissioners agreed to reduce his code enforcement board fine from $105,000 to approximately $24,000, property owner Joe Hieronimus said it was still too much.

"The fine is $105,000 and you’re looking at it as the starting point," Hieronimus told the board. "I see the $26 rental license fee as the starting point. That’s the disconnect."

The fine involves a rental property at 4605 Gulf Drive that Hieronimus and two partners purchased in 2001 as an investment. Hieronimus, who lives in Pennsylvania, and another partner Richard Santia, who lives in Georgia, allowed the third partner, George Ellin, to manage the property. More...

Causeway bollards create controversy

BRADENTON – While one member protested the bollards being installed along the beach side of the Palma Sola Causeway, other members of the Scenic Highway committee defended them.

"I’m against them" member Ken Crayton said. "They are restricting the public from getting to the beach. If you have a personal watercraft and want to back into the water, you can’t do it. You have to go in at the boat ramp." More...

Facts, rumors at bridge meeting

The Florida Maritime Museum at Cortez will launch its Third Annual Great Florida Gulf Coast Small Craft Festival April 18-20.

Traditional wooden boats are the focus of the festival, which will be highlighted by keynote speaker Charley Morgan, founder of Morgan Yachts and an America's Cup designer and sailor. More...

Spring Fling planning in full swing

HOLMES BEACH – With only three weeks to go, tickets for the Anna Maria Elementary School PTO’s Spring Fling May 3 are selling fast, but there’s still time if you don’t wait too long.

The theme for this year’s event is the 1970s. Even though you sold that Starsky and Hutch Ford Torino years ago, you can still get the leisure suit out of the closet and run those synthetic fibers through the washer and dryer one more time for a good reason. There will be prizes for the Grooviest Girl and Disco Dude, whoever dresses to the era the best. More...

City considers stormwater fees

ANNA MARIA – After a lengthy discussion, the city’s charter review commission remains undecided on whether to recommend that a super majority vote of the city commission be required to change its comprehensive plan.

Requiring four of the five city commissioners to change the future land use element of the comprehensive plan would limit growth in Anna Maria to the density and intensity of use currently allowed, city Commissioner Dale Woodland told the charter review commission on Thursday night. More...

Olesens get green light to move in

ANNA MARIA – After months of litigation, Terry and Patricia Olesen have the green light to move into the addition they made to their home at 504 South Bay Blvd.

Manatee Circuit Judge Edward Nicholas ruled last week that the city of Anna Maria must grant a certificate of occupancy to the Olesens as required in a settlement agreement between the Olesens and the city. More...

Undaunted forecasters predict heavy storm season

After two seasons of dire hurricane season predictions that didn’t pan out, hurricane forecaster hope that the third time is the charm.

Island residents most assuredly hope they’re wrong again. More...

Wet and wild bottle boat regatta

A smaller field of boats entered the Bottle Boat Regatta, sponsored by the Hernando DeSoto Historical Society, this year, but there was just as much fun.

The Daughtrey Prep School Dolphins, piloted by Peter Brock, took first place in the elementary school class followed by Weiffenbach & Kaklis in the USS Tim Teboat, piloted by William Kaklis, and Dillon’s Birthday Boat, the Tiki Hawk, piloted by Dillon Marshall. More...

Island Weddings

Join in the celebrations! More...

Return to the Blue Horizon

Two years ago, I made a trip to a small island in Belize that would prove to be one of the best trips of my life. There I met Lincoln Westby, the lodge owner, and his friend and investor Will Bauer. Bauer, who hails from California, is one of the most knowledgeable permit anglers on the planet. He is a student of this challenging game fish and has been pursuing them for 30 plus years. Bauer and Westby proved the perfect match in their knowledge and passion for the permit. More...

Great boating access at Smuggler’s Landing

Charming Cortez has been in the news quite a bit during the last several years, starting a couple of years ago with the county considering the purchase of the Seafood Shack restaurant and adjoining property to use for public boat ramps and a maritime museum. Then the news was the opening of the Cortez Maritime Museum, sale of the waterfront trailer park and ongoing discussions about the development of the flower farm boarding Cortez. More...

Aldrich Rug has you covered

When it comes to knowing which flooring products will tolerate the Island’s moisture issues, Greg Cobb of Aldrich Rug Interiors, is your man. An Anna Maria and Longboat Key resident for over 20 years, he has first hand experience in managing the problems associated with being surrounded by water.

Aldrich Rug Interiors is an established family business in Bradenton, with some of the original family members still working in there. It currently has about 15 employees and its installers work almost exclusively for Aldrich. More...

Island Majors team comes up against tough opposition

On a balmy evening this past week The Islanders took on Horizon Bank in the Majors at the Community Center. The Majors squad was still searching for its first win, but Coach Chris Moneuse has been impressed with the team’s grit and determination all year.

There was no score in the first inning, both teams weighing up the task at hand. Starting pitcher for the Island crew was Justin "Tiny" Gargett and what a game he pitched, getting his arm going with two strikeouts in the second inning. More...

Crawford hot at horseshoes

Twenty-four horseshoe hopefuls were at the Anna Maria pits on Saturday, April 5, where four teams took their unbeaten pool play qualifying round records into the morning’s playoffs. Semi-final action saw Art Kingstad and Ted Powers defeat Hank Huyghe and Rod Bussey 21-15 while, on the adjacent pit, John Crawford and Sam Samuels were dishing out a 22-11 loss to Ron Slagh and Norm Langeland. Kingstad and Powers grabbed the glory with a 22-14 victory in the finale to seal their place as "Champs for the Day." More...