Controlled burn on Egmont raises alarm

EGMONT KEY – A controlled burn on Egmont Key last week startled some Anna Maria Island residents and displaced gopher tortoises that make their homes on the key.

The burn of the southern third of the key eliminated dead trees and non-native vegetation, including Australian pines, according to one of the park’s rangers, Ivan Vicente. More...

Priest responds to sex charges

HOLMES BEACH – In an emotional speech, St. Bernard Church priest Father Ron Joseph expressed bewilderment about the accusation of sexual misconduct a former acquaintance made and the way the investigation has been handled by the diocese.

More than 130 people filled Holmes Beach City Hall to hear Joseph explain what has happened. The crowd of parishioners and those who know Joseph expressed support for him, applauding when he made a point and when speakers spoke of him during a question and answer period. More...

Bay side could get sand

ANNA MARIA — A dredging project for parts of Tampa Bay may bring a temporary fix to erosion problems for residents on the bay between the Rod& Reel Pier and Bean Point.

Rick Spadoni told residents of the area at an informal meeting Jan. 26 that there's a chance the dredged sand could be brought to the Island and put between the homes and the water to act as a buffer. Winds and high tide bring flooding to the area when there are storms. More...

Obama backers celebrate at the beach

BRADENTON BEACH – The BeachHouse restaurant was nearly full as the Democratic Party of Anna Maria Island held a celebration of Barack Obama’s inauguration on Tuesday, Jan. 20.

Many of those attending gathered in the bar, where a large screen television showed the proceedings near a buffet bar, where snacks were served. More...

Cumber denies probation violation

HOLMES BEACH – William Cumber has entered a plea of denial to a petition filed against him for violating his probation, waiving his arraignment and demanding a hearing.

Cumber, 39, may have been the last person to see Holmes Beach motel owner Sabine Musil-Buehler, 49, before she disappeared on Nov. 4, 2008. He told police they argued at their home over his cigarette smoking. More...

Board recommends against ROR changes

ANNA MARIA — It was the third in a series of somewhat contentious hearings on an ordinance that would change the regulations governing the city’s residential/office/retail district.

The planning and zoning board will recommend to the city commission against passing the ordinance. Three board members voted against the ordinance because they want the residential portion of buildings in the ROR district to be owner-occupied and they don’t want swimming pools allowed. More...

Port Dolphin reps a no show

PALMETTO – Port Dolphin officials chose not to appear before the Council of Governments last week to answer questions about its project off Anna Maria Island.

The proposed Port Dolphin Energy Liquefied Natural Gas Deepwater Port would consist of two submersible mooring buoys about three miles apart and 100 feet deep in the Gulf of Mexico, 28 miles west of the Island. Tankers would convert their cargoes of liquid natural gas into vaporized natural gas at the floating port, then pump the gas into a proposed 42-mile-long pipeline, which would come ashore at Port Manatee to supply electric companies. More...

Commissioner says ‘green’ light bulbs can be dangerous

Wedding fest rings true

Ruth Zher and Tia Cuttin were strolling under the covered area behind the BeachHouse restaurant, where they were enjoying mimosas and looking at the vendor tables and getting information on the upcoming wedding between Tia and Ruth’s son.

"This is a great idea," Ruth said of the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce Wedding Festival last Sunday. "We come on one day and meet all kinds of people face-to-face who we might be able to hire for the wedding." More...

Louisana's land of giants

I had always heard of the great red fishing in Louisiana, but never had the opportunity to fish the state. That all changed one day last July when I was fishing with Captain Mike Locklear in north Florida. While we were on the water, we met Captain Greg Arnold, a guide who lives in New Orleans and fishes the marshes near the confluence of the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. Arnold invited Locklear to visit New Orleans and fish. About a month later I received a call from Locklear asking me if I wanted to join them. I jumped at the chance. Last week the date came due. More...

Home manager can help you sell

For a lot of homeowners it’s crunch time. You property has been on the market forever, you have delayed your move because of a lack of buyers or you’ve decided that your second home is no longer cost effective in this economic climate. No one likes to walk away and leave a property vacant, but if you do find yourself in this unenviable position, there is something that could help. More...

Jeweler sparkles on Bridge Street

There’s a new club on Anna Maria. To join you don’t have to pay thousands of dollars in initiation fees, and you don’t have to show up for meetings or learn a secret handshake. All you have to do is own an Anna Maria Island Destination Bracelet, and Bridge Street Jewelers is the only place to get it.

Brad Smith, the owner of Bridge Street Jewelers, discovered Anna Maria three years ago while he and his girlfriend, Kassy Quinn, were visiting friends on the Island. Smith is a master jeweler and gemologist with 25 years experience, 20 owning his own jewelry store in Pennsylvania. More...

The importance of the savings rate

We would all likely agree, especially now that frugality is back in style, that a high rate of savings is a good thing, both at the personal and national level. Savings allows families and nations to build wealth, reduce reliance on debt and weather the inevitable economic recessions easier than someone who is cash strapped. Perhaps, most importantly, a life of strong savings can allow for flexibility and quality of life in the years after you choose to hang up the business suit for a golf shirt. More...

Unbeaten Sanddollar running away with Div. 2

Division 2
Longboat Observer 16, Panaramic 12

Josh Zawistoski leads the team to victory and helps Longboat Observer climb above Panaramic. Adam Clark was top scorer for Panaramic. More...

Tossers warm up at pits

Only two teams got three wins and no losses on a frigid Wednesday, January 21, morning. The better half of the Rhodes team, Debbie, and her partner, Al Norman, easily defeated John Johnson and Jim Roush, 21 to 14. More...