Vol. 13 No. 28 - April 24, 2013

news

Vote for Cortez

Cortez is in the running for WorldFishingNetwork.com’s Ultimate Fishing Town. Vote until midnight, Friday, May 3, at www.worldfishingnetwork.com/uft/vote/cortez-fl. Cortez could win a $25,000 donation or a $3,500 regional prize and be featured on WFN.

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryThe search ends

After two days of searching the waters between Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key, the family of Lamontea Taylor was seeking new areas of shoreline in which to look.

But when the police chief showed up Monday morning, the cautious optimism turned to despair.

Bradenton Beach Police Chief Sam Speciale walked up to Lamontea’s mother, Laketa Taylor, put his hand on her shoulder and gave her the bad news. Her son’s body had been recovered 3/4 miles west of Longboat Pass by searchers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. More...

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryRalph’s stays open while payment negotiated

BRADENTON BEACH – Rotten Ralph’s on the Bridge Street Pier will be allowed to stay open for a month while its owner negotiates with the city over the amount of money he owes on his lease.

Through his attorney, Bill Kaklis, owner Dave Russell asked the city commission on Thursday, April 18, to let him stay in business for 30 days while negotiating the amount of the payment, somewhere between $54,000 and $266,000. More...

Anna Maria Island Sun News Story$15 million to be pumped into beach restoration

BRADENTON BEACH – As the gulls and other seabirds line up to face the wind at the groins along Cortez Beach, they don’t know that the ragged structures will be replaced eventually by new, more flexible structures that will serve a bigger purpose, holding sand near the shore.

That’s part of the scenario painted by Manatee County Natural Resources Director Charlie Hunsicker at an April 16 county commission workshop. More...

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryTree house demolition on hold

ANNA MARIA – The city commission gave final approval to three ordinances, including the moratorium on permits for homes taller than 27 feet, with only one protest.

An unidentified woman spoke on the moratorium saying nobody wants to build a home 27 feet high, and it would hurt the value of her investment, but City Attorney Jim Dye said the moratorium is only effective temporarily, until the city commission passes an ordinance limiting the size of homes. More...

Mainsail seeks judicial review

HOLMES BEACH – The city’s building department has ordered the demolition of the tree house at Angelino’s Beach Resort at 103 29th Street.

In a letter to Richard Hazen and Lynn Tran, Provisional Building Code Administrator Tom O’Brien said, “You are hereby ordered to demolish and remove the structure in violation within 30 days from the delivery of this notice of violation (April 3). More...

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryDiamonds reign at Island Affaire

ANNA MARIA – Put some sparkle in your life and take a chance on winning an elegant, black diamond pendant offered by Bridge Street Jewelers for this year’s Island Community Center fundraiser, An Island Affaire.

The 10K white gold, 6.56 carat, natural black diamond surrounded by 0.18 carats of fine white diamonds on a 14K white gold, 18-inch rope chain was custom made by John Krake for the event. It has an appraised value of $5,000. More...

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryEat and shop local at Food and Wine on Pine

ANNA MARIA – The Third Annual Food and Wine on Pine will define the independent spirit of the businesses that serve food on the Island when it opens from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 4, on Pine Avenue.

Enjoy art and music like only local artists can produce as you sample food and wine from the various outlets that will be there. More...

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryDune installation to begin this week

BRADENTON BEACH – Beginning this week, a 220-foot-long sand dune is scheduled to be built at the BeachHouse restaurant, in part to shield nesting and hatching sea turtles from headlights in the sand parking lot and on Gulf Drive.

The 2.5-foot-tall dune will tie into an existing dune system to the south, allowing public access at two existing walkways, one at the south end of the dune and the other at the north end of the dune, near the stairway at the south end of the BeachHouse, said Lynn Burnett, of LTA Engineers. Walking over the dune will be prohibited.

The dune, which will be two feet wide at its crest, sloping to 20 feet wide at its base, will be landscaped with sea oats and other native plants courtesy of BeachHouse owner Ed Chiles, she said. More...



features

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryAn old-fashioned picnic, Cortez style

CORTEZ – Cortezians put on the finest kind of picnic Saturday, entertained by fiddle music, a skit by Manatee School for the Arts students and each other.

“It doesn’t get any better than this,” said Blue Fulford, as he enjoyed fresh mullet, the fish that made Cortez famous, at the annual Cortez picnic at the Few-Miller dock in the historic fishing village.

As the soft breeze blew off Sarasota Bay and pelicans crashed around the docks looking for supper, Soupy Davis, wearing his white fishing boots, played down home fiddle music with some friends. More...

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryName that critter

What the heck is it?

That’s what newcomer Bob Patten asked us about this mysterious creature, which he photographed in four feet of water in the Gulf of Mexico off Anna Maria Island.

We guessed a whelk that lost its shell, which was not too far off, according to Florida Sea Grant Extension Agent John Stevely, our friendly neighborhood marine biologist. More...



OUTDOORS

Anna Maria Island Sun News Story King has a passion for local waters

One of the pleasures of fishing the Gulf coast is the opportunity to learn from the experience of guides that spends their days on local waters. There is no substitute for the knowledge they gain watching and understanding the habits of local gamefish through the vagaries of weather, tide cycles and seasons. Harrison King is one of those guides that have a passion for local waters and the fish that swim them.

King has been a Montana fly fishing guide since age19. Guiding is the only business he has ever known, and he loves experiencing the excitement of a client who is catching a fish, whether it’s a trout or a tarpon. He grew up fishing the Chesapeake Bay for rock fish (stripers) and red drum (redfish).

More...



real estate

Make sure you always turn the corner

Real estate tips of the week: always make sure you turn the corner when looking for a potential property to buy or rent, and the next time you’re not feeling well, don’t ask your husband to take care of the houseguests.

Recently, we were expecting two of our favorite houseguests in town for a short visit when I came down with a vicious bronchitis the day before, sending me to an urgent care clinic and my husband into Panic #1. Panic #2 happened when I asked him to pick-up a few things at Publix the day before their arrival. More...



business

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryKeyes is the key to fishing fun

It may take a village to raise a child, but does it also take a village to catch a fish? You’ll probably need a different kind of village, but to those who take fishing seriously it's one that’s just as important.

Jim Keyes and his family had been owners of Island Discount Tackle since 2009 when the opportunity presented itself to take over the marina operation in 2011. At that time, they decided to blend both the tackle shop and the marina together under the ownership of the Keyes family. Paul and Sally Keyes and their three sons Jim, Joe and Jonny, have created a family owned and operated business catering to the needs of local fishermen and tourists. More...

Anna Maria Island Sun News Story

Reverse mortgage land mines

Investment Corner

This last weekend I saw former Sen. Fred Thompson promoting reverse mortgages in a TV commercial. About a decade ago I wrote here in The Sun about “Reverse Mortgages,” which are a vehicle that can be used by seniors to convert the equity in their primary residence to an income stream by borrowing against that very equity. My conclusion was that this vehicle should not be used unless the homeowner had no other solution to generate income to support their lifestyle, with the negatives being the very high fees to establish the reverse mortgage and the eventual end to the income source when the equity value was fully tapped. More...



SPORTS

Anna Maria Island Sun News StoryBasketball and baseball begin

The Anna Maria Island Community Center will launch all of its spring sports this week. A record number of five different sports will be taking place this season.

Youth basketball and baseball will begin this week as well as adult co-ed kickball. Adult co-ed soccer and basketball began the previous weeks for the Center. More...

Thoughts on the Boston Marathon

Feasting on Fitness

I intended to write this week about how to choose an ideal part of the beach that is easy to run on. After the insanity of the past week, that is a column for another time.

I’ve tried but can't make sense of crazy people blowing up innocent victims at the end of a marathon. A friend who ran the marathon finished before the bombing. I’ve digested many bloggers, coaches and pundits offering their reactions to a week that has put our country on par with places around the world, where, on some days, fear grips our hearts, and life as we knew it is forever changed. More...


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