Recall efforts to begin this week

ANNA MARIA — Volunteers will start going door-to-door this week asking registered voters to sign a petition to recall City Commissioner Harry Stoltzfus, who was elected last November.

Anna Maria resident Bob Carter notified Mayor Fran Barford last Thursday that the Recall Harry Stoltzfus Committee will begin collecting signatures for a recall starting on April 22. Carter, who heads the committee, said he is not usually involved in politics. More...

New Pine Avenue project unveiled

ANNA MARIA – Lizzie Thrasher had members of Cultural Connections spellbound when she detailed plans for several properties on Pine Avenue owned by her and her husband, Mike.

“You are the first people who are going to see the drawings that Gene Aubry has put together for Mike and I and show you our vision for Pine Avenue,” she said at their recent meeting. More...

Mayor says proposed activities illegal

HOLMES BEACH – Mayor Rich Bohnenberger sent an e-mail to county commissioners last week stating that commercial activities proposed by some bidders for the public beach concession are not allowed under the city’s code.

At Tuesday’s commission meeting he pointed out that the current provider, Café on the Beach, offered more rent than other bidders, but others offered a percentage of sales of revenue generators that are all in violation of the city’s code. More...

Oil drilling capped for now

Offshore oil drilling is off the table for the 2010 Florida Legislative session, giving oil proponents and opponents several months to regroup for the 2011 session.

Rep. Dean Cannon has withdrawn his proposal to allow oil rigs as close as three miles from Florida’s coast, indicating he would introduce another bill next year, when he is expected to serve as speaker of the house. Another oil drilling supporter, Sen. Mike Haridopolos, will serve as Senate president next year. More...

Judge sets date in Stoltzfus, Conoly lawsuit

Judge Edward Nicholas has apparently found enough evidence to move forward with an emergency hearing.

Nicholas will hear the case this Wednesday, April 21, at 3 p.m.

Legal consultant Michael Barfield petitioned the court to grant the hearing after discovering that Anna Maria City Commissioner Harry Stoltzfus admitted deleting some e-mail records that were subject to a public records request.

Barfield also advised the court that it has taken Stoltzfus four attempts to provide his records, after stating four times that he had produced everything, after which he produced more. More...

Island rallies for free trolley rides

The first annual Real Florida Festival has come and gone, and it was a weekend that featured something for just about everybody from one end of the Island to the other.

It began with the Holmes Beach Founder’s Day celebration at city hall and a daylong festival in the adjacent field.

Inside city hall, the Anna Maria Island Concert Chorus and Orchestra provided the music for the 60th anniversary of Holmes Beach as Mayor Rich Bohnenberger introduced former mayors and outstanding citizens and visitors looked over the historical photos and news stories on display. More...

Island flocks to Parrothead Dance

BRADENTON BEACH – Jimmy Buffett take note: you might want to be out our way next year when we hold our next Parrothead dance. Not because it bears your brand, but because if you’re not there, you’re missing a great time.

More than 300 people paid $10 each to enjoy hors d’oeuvre in the Anna Maia Island Community Center’s auditorium along with a cash bar featuring beer, wine and margaritas and $2 Cheeseburgers in Paradise and most of those people came to dance. More...

Holmes Beach celebrates 60 years at Founder’s Day

HOLMES BEACH – Mayor Rich Bohnenberger welcomed guests celebrating the 60th anniversary of the city’s incorporation and the third annual Founder’s Day on Friday at city hall.

Guests mingled in the city hall lobby telling stories of the past and enjoying historic photos, while a quartet from the Anna Maria Island Chorus and Orchestra played in the commission chamber. More...

Flurry of records requests filed

ANNA MARIA — The city has been served with another records request, this one from the office of Jeremy Anderson, an attorney with the Lobeck and Hanson law firm.

Anderson seeks all “correspondence, notes and memorandums or other documents sent, received, maintained or kept by Mayor Fran Barford, Commissioner Jo Ann Mattick, Planning and Zoning Board member Sandy Mattick, City Attorney Jim Dye, City Planner Alan Garrett and City Building Official Robert Welch.” More...

Barfield wants records from Albert, Schaefer

ANNA MARIA — Legal consultant Michael Barfield broadened his records request last week to include two members of the city’s ad hoc parking committee.

He’s requesting the electronic communications records and social networking material, such as Twitter postings, of Larry Albert and Terry Schaefer. More...

From groms to gramps, skate contest rocks

Country artist Lee Greenwood will perform four songs at the Community Center’s annual dinner auction, the Affaire to Remember on Saturday, April 24.

"We are extremely excited and honored to have a famed American patriarch and legendary country music star like Lee supporting the children and families of this wonderful community at our auction,” Assistant Director Scott Dell said. “We hope everyone will join us in supporting the Center and pack the hall.” More...

Cobia: heavyweights of the sea

Sheepshead may not be at the top of most anglers' catch lists, but maybe they should. These feisty game fish are plentiful during the winter and early spring when other species may be hard to find. They fight hard, are challenging to hook and make a great meal. Recently, I happened upon a group of anglers on a north Longboat Key dock and stopped to inquire about the fishing.

The report I got from Andrew Moriarty, who was fishing the dock with his dad Jim and brother Luke, was encouraging. The trio of anglers hails from Poughkeepsie, N.Y. They travel to Longboat Key to visit "Nana" Kip O'Neil, who lives in the Longbeach Village. More...

Will we ever be done with Chinese drywall?

Aside from Chinese food, is there anything that the Chinese make that we have not had trouble with? True, they are buying our national debt, so we’re sort of in bed with them, but does that mean we have to accept inferior products also. Based on a new federal ruling coming out of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, we do not. More...

Floating rate funds – a good bet in rising rate environment

It is a good bet to assume that in-terest rates will rise at least moderately in the next several years. A couple primary reasons for what we believe will be a gradual trend higher in rates are:

1. The Federal Reserve will start to raise tits target for the federal funds rate most likely in 2011. It may not be a dramatic series of increases, but it will be looking to remove the potential for the next speculative bubble as the economy continues to grow. More...

Preseason champs crowned, season starts May 4

Another year of Island hoops is upon us as the new season began last Wednesday with each age division competing in some form of preseason tournament. A double-elimination tournament was set for Division 3, 2 and the Premier Division in which the winners will have a chance to play for the number one seed going into the playoffs. The winners of these three divisions were Beach Bistro, Walter & Associates and Rotten Ralph's, respectively. These games served as a warm up for when games officially start on May 4, unless the preseason tournament winner is the same as the regular season winner. This season features 16 teams spread across five age divisions ranging from 5 to 17 years old. The regular season will not start immediately due to events that are being held in the Community Center’s gym over the next two weekends. For more information, schedules and statistics you can visit the Community Center’s Web site at www.islandcommunitycenter.com. More...

Events are free unless indicated.

Wednesday, April 21

Lecture on “Watson, Crick, Wilkins: The Story of DNA,” by Joe Kerata, The Studio at Gulf and Pine, 10101 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria, 11a.m.

Thursday, April 22

Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Training, Holmes Beach City Hall, 5801 Marina Drive, 6 30 to 8 p.m.

Saturday, April 24

Bridge Street Market, 107 Bridge Street, Bradenton Beach, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Re-enactment of DeSoto’s landing, DeSoto National Memorial, end of 75th Street, Bradenton, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

DeSoto Grand Parade, west on Ninth Avenue, north along 39th Street West to Manatee Avenue then east toward downtown Bradenton to Ninth Street West.

DeSoto after parade party, Bradenton Municipal Auditorium, 1005 Barcarrota Blvd., $30 in advance or $35 at the door.

Wednesday, April 28

Einstein Circle discussion on “U.S. foreign policy: Are we headed in the right direction?” The Studio at Gulf and Pine, 10101 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Registration is required by calling 359-4296.

Saturday, May 1

Bridge Street Market, 107 Bridge Street, Bradenton Beach, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Saturday, May 8

Bridge Street Market, 107 Bridge Street, Bradenton Beach, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.