Blood drive sets new record

HOLMES BEACH – St. Bernard Catholic Church was a beehive of activity last weekend as people stopped in to trade some red blood cells for green dollars for their favorite non-profits.

According to Island Blood Drive organizer Wanda Reed-Burke, the 11th Annual Island Blood Drive was their best yet. They processed more than 200 people in the first hour Saturday and ended the day at 241 donors. The 225 who came Sunday set a new record of 466 donors for the two-day event. The money that the five non-profits will collect stands at $46,896 this year compared to $40,495 last year. More...

West Coast Surf Shop up for sale

HOLMES BEACH – After 47 years of keeping surfers in sandals, swimwear and surfboards, Jim and Ronee Brady have put the West Coast Surf Shop up for sale.

Close to retirement age, they want to spend more time on the surfing circuit with their daughter, Brandi Brady, and her children, Giorgio Gomez and Izzi Gomez, both accomplished surfers. More...

Segway? Yes way, says Parks and Rec

BRADENTON BEACH – The Coquina Beach Trail, built through a joint effort by Manatee County and Bradenton Beach, attracts a gamut of users including pedestrians, skaters and Segway riders, but the county will be keeping an eye on the two-wheeled people-movers for the next six months, if one department has its way.

Manatee County Parks and Recreation Director Cindy Turner said her department would recommend to the county commission to allow the Segways on the Coquina Beach Trail only for the next six months and would ban them from Leffis Key, which had originally been considered as another site for Segway riding. The county does not allow Segways in other parks or preserves. More...

Sign up now for Independence Day parade

The Anna Maria Island Privateers are hosting their July Fourth Holiday Parade on Monday, July 4. The parade starts at Coquina Beach in Bradenton Beach at 10 a.m, and travels to Bayfront Park in Anna Maria. Following the parade, the Privateers and fans will relocate to Manatee County Public Beach for the Privateers' annual scholarship award ceremony at Anna Maria Island Beach Cafe from noon to 4 p.m. There will be live music along with food and drink specials. More...

City to simplify sign ordinance

BRADENTON BEACH – The city commission met with the planning and zoning board last week to discuss two ordinances submitted by a professional planner, and they decided to borrow from a neighbor to regulate signs.

The two governmental bodies were given a draft ordinance by Tom McCollum, director of planning for ZNS, the company the city hired to review and modify the city's comprehensive plan. More...

Watch weather for watering guidance

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is encouraging residents who irrigate their lawns to take advantage of the summer rains and "Watch the Weather, Wait to Water."

During the summer months of June, July, August and September, yards need no more than three-fourths of an inch of water every two to three days. If your lawn has received enough water from rainfall, then you can turn off your irrigation system and turn it back on when needed. More...

Thrasher seeks historical building information

ANNA MARIA – Lizzie Vann and Mike Thrasher are seeking historical information on three buildings in their Historic Green Village on Pine Avenue – the Rosedale and Sears cottages and the white house adjacent to the Sears Cottage.

Capt. Mitch Davis built the Rosedale Cottage at 503 Pine Ave. in 1913 for George Emerson Bean. It was constructed from molded concrete blocks shipped from Tampa. More...

Johnson students vs. Island raccoons

If students from the Johnson Middle School Turtle Team have their way, raccoons on Anna Maria Island are going to have to lunch on something other than turtle eggs.

It all started with a turtle talk. Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch Director Suzi Fox and Section Coordinators Glenn and Claudia Wiseman talked to the students at the East Bradenton School some months ago. More...

Summer fun at the preserves

Summer is here and it's a great time to get outside and explore Manatee County's natural beauty. There are all sorts of great water-themed programs happening through the Manatee County Department of Natural Resources.

E-mail melissa.nell@mymanatee.org or call the phone numbers below to register. Here's a list of events this month at the preserves. More...

Tarpon fishing: Show a little respect

Tarpon season is in full bloom and should be heading to a peak on the full moon in a couple of weeks. If you've never tried tarpon fishing, call a couple of friends and go out with one of the many excellent guides fishing our area waters. You don't have to be a pro to catch tarpon, but a guided trip will be the best investment you've ever made, guaranteed! More...

An island under the radar

If it's possible for almost seven miles of sand to be under the radar of most of the world, then Anna Maria Island is definitely a stealth place. And it doesn't take too much TV time to learn that Anna Maria is a special place with all of the ingredients that make up that perfect pot of stew called paradise.

I've written before about HGTV's show House Hunters International, which takes its viewers all around the world with home buyers. It's both a fascinating and informative journey seeing how people live around the world, but the shows that focus on Americans and Europeans purchasing vacation properties has recently resonated with me. More...

Experience the love of food at The Feast

It's hard to explain to people who don't have a passion for food what all the fuss is about, but if you're afflicted with that passion, every day becomes a moveable feast.

Since Chris Dale and his brother, Joseph, grew up on Anna Maria Island, they had a bird's eye view of how Island dining has evolved during the past several years. Working in many of the Island's restaurants since high school, they learned to love the energy of the restaurant business while at the same time acquiring the training necessary to move on to their own restaurant. That day occurred in October 2009, when they opened The Feast restaurant in Holmes Beach. More...

Investment advice: A retrospective

As the owner of a registered investment advisory firm, I spend a lot of time examining decisions made and advice promulgated in the past to see how it worked out, looking for clues to try to improve our methods in the future. No one is perfect, and as I always say, nothing can replace a disciplined rules-based system of portfolio management.

In writing articles for the Sun, I try to share the principles used in real life management of money for clients in a general sense that a reader can consider for their own financial and investment decisions. For that reason, I like to look back to see how we did in offering this basic, general advice over the last year. I must say I'm pleased with the fact there aren't any big mistakes requiring me to develop a taste for "crow." Generally, our middle of the road approach to decision making appears to have been reasonably good, but you can be the final judge. More...

Basketball awards presented Friday

Basketball awards:

Female M.V.P:

Premier – Taylor Wilson

Division I – Moriah Goode

Division II – Brooke Capparelli

Division III – Hannah McCracken

More...

Your place or mine?

As temperatures heat up, you may be wondering how to continue exercising in the Florida summer. With the tourist season winding down, it's actually a great time to start an exercise program.

I'll never forget my defining moment after moving here. I woke up to the sound of a gunshot and thought for sure someone was dead. I groggily stumbled over to Bayfront Park at the northern end of the Island and saw several hundred people lurching forward as a 5K race began. More...